A new species of cockroach, Periplaneta gajajimana sp. nov., collected in Gajajima, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

@#We described a new species of cockroach, Periplaneta gajajimana sp. nov., which was collected in Gajajima, Kagoshima-gun Toshimamura, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, on November 2012. The new species is characterized by its reddish brown to blackish brown body, smooth surface pronotum, well developed compound eyes, dark brown head apex, dark reddish brown front face and small white ocelli connected to the antennal sockets. In male, the tegmen tip reach the abdomen end or are slightly shorter, while in the female, it does not reach the abdominal end and exposes the abdomen beyond the 7th abdominal plate. We confirmed the validity of this new species by breeding the specimens in our laboratory to demonstrate that the features of the progeny were maintained for several generations. For comparison and easy identification of this new species, the key to species identification of the genus Periplaneta that had been reported in Japan to date are also presented.

Novel ultrasonic bone densitometry based on two longitudinal waves: significant correlation with pQCT measurement values and age-related changes in trabecular bone density, cortical thickness, and elastic modulus of trabecular bone in a normal Japanese population.

UNLABELLED: A reference database for trabecular bone density, cortical thickness, and elastic modulus of trabecular bone for a novel ultrasonic bone densitometry system (LD-100) based on two longitudinal waves (fast and slow) was determined over a wide age range in a normal Japanese population. INTRODUCTION: A novel ultrasonic bone densitometry system (LD-100 system) was applied to create a reference database for trabecular bone density (TBD), cortical thickness (CoTh), and elastic modulus of trabecular bone (EMTb) for this device over a wide age range in a normal Japanese population. METHODS: In a comparative study between LD-100 and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) systems, 52 individuals were examined by both systems at the same radius simultaneously. To create a reference database, a total of 2,380 healthy subjects (1,179 men, 1,201 women), ages 18-99 years, were examined using the LD-100 system. RESULTS: Highly significant correlations between the LD-100 and pQCT systems were found in TBD (r = 0.877, p < 0.001) and CoTh (r = 0.723, p < 0.001). For the reference database, peak values of TBD, CoTh, and EMTb were observed at 30-34 years (255.09 mg/cm(3)), 20-24 years (5.23 mm), and 20-24 years (4.09 GPa) in men, and at 25-29 years (209.24 mg/cm(3)), 25-29 years (3.98 mm), and 20-24 years (3.33 GPa) in women, respectively. The TBD fell significantly (p < 0.05) beginning at 55-59 years in both sexes, with a relatively rapid decrease in women. The CoTh showed a significant decrease beginning at 40-44 years in men and 50-54 years in women. The EMTb showed a significant decrease beginning at 40-44 years in men and 55-59 years in women. CONCLUSIONS: The LD-100 system is a useful bone densitometry device and the database of age-related changes in TBD, CoTh, and EMTb established in this study will provide fundamental data for future studies related to bone status.

Surgical management of Sprengel's deformity in adults. A report of two cases.

Sprengel's deformity is a congenital structural abnormality of the shoulder girdle, and most patients with Sprengel's deformity receive surgical treatment as a child or adolescent. Thus, it is uncommon to identify an adult with untreated Sprengel's deformity. Two adult patients who had no previous surgical treatment were treated with resection of an omovertebral bone and resection of the superomedial border of the scapula. This procedure was not overly invasive or technically demanding. In both patients resection of the omovertebral bone provided an improved cosmetic appearance and reduction in neck pain, although shoulder motion was improved in only one patient. Because the patient with a long omovertebral bone adjacent to the levator scapulae muscle showed great improvement in her shoulder motion, the size, shape, and position of the omovertebral bone may predict improvement of shoulder motion after resection. Thus, the surgical treatment of adults patients with Sprengel's deformity can produce good surgical results.

The effect of lipid peroxide on osteoblasts and vascular endothelial cells--the possible role of ischemia-reperfusion in the progression of avascular necrosis of the femoral head.

Many patients undergo operations of the hip joint for avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANF). Abnormal lipid metabolism in thought to play a certain role in the pathogenesis of ANF. In the present study we have detected the abnormal lipid from the necrotic area of the femoral heads suffering from ANF by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). This abnormal lipid was supposed to be cholesterol epoxide, because its peak was observed at one oxygen molecular weight larger position than that of cholesterol. However, this abnormal lipid was not found in the femoral heads with osteoarthritis (OA). We also investigated the effect of the lipids (cholesterol and cholesterol epoxide) and corticosteroid (prednisolone) on proliferation of osteoblastic cell line (MC3T3-E1) cells and vascular endothelial cells (EC) derived from human umbilical vein using 3H-thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation. Cholesterol has no effect on osteoblast proliferation up to 100 micrograms/ml, while cholesterol epoxide inhibited the 3H-TdR incorporation in a dose dependent fashion and a significant suppression was attained at the concentration of 10 micrograms/ml. In contrast, both cholesterol and cholesterol epoxide had suppressive effect on the EC proliferation. DNA synthesis of the osteoblasts was suppressed by prednisolone and additive inhibitory effect was observed in the combination of cholesterol epoxide and prednisolone. None of the free radical scavengers such as mannitol, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), super oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase had significant recovery effect on the suppressed 3H-TdR incorporation of both MC3T3-E1 cells and EC. Only alpha-tocopherol restored the suppressed incorporation of 3H-TdR. These results suggest that lipid peroxide has an important role in the progression of ANF by suppressing the proliferation of osteoblasts and EC.

Hyperamylasemia after hepatic resection.

It has been noticed that hyperamylasemia occurs after hepatic resection. Between July 1973 and April 1991, hyperamylasemia was observed in 57 (42%) of 136 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 13 (32%) of 41 patients with metastatic liver cancer. The incidence was not correlated with extent of resection, blood loss, hypoxemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, liver cirrhosis, or hepatitis B virus infection. There were three patterns: salivary-type dominant hyperamylasemia (type I), pancreatic-type dominant hyperamylasemia (type II), and a mixture of types I and II (type III). The point at issue is whether types II and III indicate postoperative pancreatitis. Although the pathogenesis remains unclear, surgeons should be alert to this complication and take reasonable measures with regard to the types of hyperamylasemia.

[A case of cardiac metastasis from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma demonstrating interesting findings through radionuclide studies].

We have presented a quite rare case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma developing cardiac metastasis which was demonstrated and confirmed by radionuclide studies and autopsy. A 57-year-old male with SVC syndrome underwent radionuclide angiography using 99mTc-HSA prior to 67Ga-citrate and 201Tl-chloride studies for suspected right atrial metastasis from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The radionuclide angiography revealed a filling defect in the right atrium. 67Ga and 201Tl studies showed increased accumulations of both nuclides in the right atrium, in congruence with the region showing a filling defect through the radionuclide angiography. These results suggest that combined radionuclide studies, such as radionuclide angiography, 67Ga and 201Tl studies, might be useful in detecting metastatic tumor in the heart.

Minimal model to account for the membrane conductance increase and desensitization of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors synthesized in the Xenopus oocytes injected with rat brain mRNA.

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, which translocate chloride anion with binding GABA, were synthesized in Xenopus oocytes by injecting rat brain mRNA. GABA-elicited responses in the oocytes were measured electrophysiologically by the current-clamped method. Five different measurements were made to establish the relationship between GABA concentration and the electrical responses: (1) the GABA-elicited conductance increase before desensitization; (2) the rate of desensitization of GABA receptors; (3) the rate of recovery of desensitized receptors upon removal of GABA; (4) the GABA-elicited conductance increase after desensitization equilibrium; (5) the fraction of the active form of GABA receptors after desensitization equilibrium. These results were interpreted on the basis of the minimal model proposed for nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in Electrophorus electricus electroplax [Hess, G. P., Cash, D. J., & Aoshima, H. (1983) Annu. Rev. Biophys. Bioeng. 12, 443-473]. Estimated equilibrium and rate constants in the model for GABA receptors could successfully explain the results of the five above measurements.

Induction of muscarinic acetylcholine, serotonin and substance P receptors in Xenopus oocytes injected with mRNA prepared from the small intestine of rats.

Serotonin and muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors were clearly induced in Xenopus oocyte injected with mRNA prepared from the small intestines of rats. Their response to ACh and serotonin was composed of 4 distinct components: fast and slow depolarization, slow hyperpolarization and large membrane potential fluctuation. About three-quarters of the injected oocytes responded to substance P. The response of the injected oocytes to substance P was transient and decayed even in the presence of substance P, indicating the presence of desensitization. However, the injected oocytes showed no response to 6 other drugs analyzed: adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glycine and glutamate.

Li+ uptake into Xenopus and Cynops oocytes injected with exogenous mRNA, observed by flame emission spectroscopy.

Li+ uptake into Xenopus oocytes was measured by flame emission spectroscopy. Li+ uptake into the oocytes increased proportionally with incubation time and was dependent on either pH or temperature. Maximum uptake of Li+ was observed around pH 7. Li+ uptake into Xenopus oocytes increased by a factor of roughly 7 over the range 4-30 degrees C. When mRNA prepared from electroplax of Electrophorus electricus was injected into Xenopus or Cynops oocytes, Li+ uptake into the injected oocytes increased by the addition of carbamylcholine (Carb), an agonist of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR). This increase of Li+ uptake by Carb was inhibited by d-tubocurarine, an antagonist of nicotinic AChR. Thus, a new method was established for detection of the activity of nicotinic AChR synthesized in oocytes injected with exogenous mRNA.

New translation system of mRNA coding for neurotransmitter receptors using oocytes of the newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster.

Eel electroplax mRNA was injected into oocytes of newts (Cynops pyrrhogaster) and the injection induced synthesis of a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the oocyte membrane. The time course of the induction and dose-response relationship of the receptor were recorded electrophysiologically. The receptor responses and their developmental changes were similar to those of Xenopus oocytes injected with eel mRNA. Newt oocytes lived much longer (7-10 days) than Xenopus oocytes (3-4 days) under our experimental conditions. In non-injected newt oocytes, native transmitter receptors were not observed. In addition, newts have large oocytes (1.6-1.9 mm in diameter), into which a large amount of mRNA could be easily injected. Thus, newt oocytes may be a more useful system to translate exogenous mRNAs coding for neurotransmitter receptors than Xenopus oocytes.