Effect of arachidonic acid metabolites on bone resorption by isolated rat osteoclasts

Arachidonic acid metabolites (eicosanoids) have major effects on bone but their role is unclear. Many are known to stimulate bone resorption in organ culture, but paradoxically, previous work has suggested that at least some of them act as direct inhibitors of osteoclastic function. In an attempt to clarify the role of eicosanoids in bone physiology, we have defined the duration of action and relative potencies of prostaglandin (PG) E1 and E2 and have extended the range of eicosanoids tested on isolated osteoclasts. We have found that PGE1 and PGE2 inhibited bone resorption by isolated osteoclasts for at least 6 h. Inhibition was followed by recovery to control, not supranormal levels. Bone resorption was inhibited in the range 10(-5)-10(-9) M for PGE1 and PGE2, and the rank order as resorption inhibitors was PGE1 greater than 6-keto PGE1 greater than PGE2 greater than PGA2 greater than PGB2. None of the products of lipoxygenase metabolism showed a significant direct effect. The effects of PGE1 and PGE2 were not antagonistic. Prostaglandin production does not seem to be implicated as a second messenger for the action of calcitonin. Although inhibition of osteoclasts by PGs was less prolonged than that observed in the presence of calcitonin, the sensitivity of osteoclasts to inhibition by PGs, and the duration of the effect without subsequent direct stimulation, suggests that inhibition of osteoclastic resorption is a major physiological role of PG production in bone.     

Free radicals and cardioplegia: the absence of an additive effect with allopurinol pretreatment and the use of antioxidant enzymes in the rat

The isolated perfused working rat heart model of cardiopulmonary bypass was used to assess whether (a) allopurinol pretreatment enhances resistance to normothermic (30 min) or hypothermic (4 h) ischemia; (b) addition of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) to cardioplegic and/or reperfusion solutions are protective; (c) any protective effects are additive. With normothermic ischemia, allopurinol pretreatment improved recovery of aortic flow from its control value of 25 +/- 3% to 48 +/- 6% (P less than 0.05). Similarly, SOD plus CAT used during both ischemia and reperfusion improved recovery of aortic flow from a control value of 28 +/- 4% to 48 +/- 6% (P less than 0.05). However, various combinations of the two types of intervention afforded no additive protection. Under hypothermic (21 degrees C) conditions, allopurinol pretreatment was not effective, whereas SOD and CAT added during ischemia and reperfusion improved recovery of aortic flow from its control value of 53 +/- 4% to 69 +/- 5% (P less than 0.05). This value was similar to allopurinol pretreatment and SOD plus CAT added during ischemia and reperfusion (69 +/- 6%: P less than 0.05). These results provide further evidence that reperfusion-induced free radical formation may adversely affect postischemic recovery of function. The absence of an additive effect suggests a common mechanism of action, which is likely to involve the free radical-generating enzyme xanthine oxidase; however, other mechanisms may exist. Our results further support the use of antifree radical intervention in conjunction with cardioplegia to protect the heart during ischemia and reperfusion.     

Acromioclavicular joint dislocation: a comparative biomechanical study of the palmaris-longus tendon graft reconstruction with other augmentative methods in cadaveric models

Background  

Acromioclavicular injuries are common in sports medicine. Surgical intervention is generally advocated for chronic instability of Rockwood grade III and more severe injuries. Various methods of coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction and augmentation have been described. The objective of this study is to compare the biomechanical properties of a novel palmaris-longus tendon reconstruction with those of the native AC+CC ligaments, the modified Weaver-Dunn reconstruction, the ACJ capsuloligamentous complex repair, screw and clavicle hook plate augmentation.     

Distance-adjusted motor threshold for transcranial magnetic stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between coil-cortex distance and effective cortical stimulation using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the left and right motor cortex. We also compare the effect of coil-cortex distance using 50 and 70 mm figure-eight stimulating coils. METHODS: Coil-cortex distance was manipulated within each participant using 5 and 10 mm acrylic separators placed between the coil and scalp surface. The effect of cortical stimulation was indexed by resting motor threshold (MT). RESULTS: Increasing distance between the coil and underlying cortex was associated with a steep linear increase in MT. For each additional millimetre separating the stimulating coil from the scalp surface, an additional approximately 2.8% of absolute stimulator output (approximately 0.062 T) was required to reach MT. The gradient of the observed distance effect did not differ between hemispheres, and no differences were observed between the 50 and 70 mm TMS coils. CONCLUSIONS: Coil-cortex distance directly influences the magnitude of cortical stimulation in TMS. The relationship between TMS efficacy and coil-cortex distance is well characterised by a linear function, providing a simple and effective method for scaling stimulator output to a distance adjusted MT. SIGNIFICANCE: MT measured at the scalp-surface is dependent on the underlying scalp-cortex distance, and therefore does not provide an accurate index of cortical excitability. Distance-adjusted MT provides a more accurate index of cortical excitability, and improves the safety and efficacy of MT-calibrated TMS.