Effects of ovariectomy on trabecular structures of rat alveolar bone.

An association between postmenopausal osteoporosis and tooth loss has been proposed. However, histomorphometrical changes in alveolar bone following estrogen deficiency are rarely reported with data on microtrabecular structural changes. To clarify the relationship between estrogen deficiency and tooth loss, we histomorphometrically analyzed the trabecular structural changes of mandibular alveolar bone in ovariectomized rats. Twenty-four adult female Fischer rats were used. Eight rats were sacrificed on day 0 (baseline). The remaining 16 rats were divided into two groups. One group was ovariectomized bilaterally (OVX) and the other group was subjected to sham surgery (Sham). After administration of tetracycline and calcein, the animals were sacrificed 60 days after surgery. Bone histomorphometry, node-strut analysis and measurement of thickness of alveolar bone proper were performed on the interradicular septum of the first molar on the sagittal surface. The trabecular bone volume and trabecular number of the OVX group were significantly lower than those of the baseline and Sham groups. All of the bone resorptive and formative parameters of the OVX group were significantly higher (about one-and-a-half times) than those of the Sham group. Several osteoclasts were seen lining the irregular, eroded surface facing the bone marrow in the OVX group. Furthermore, the OVX group tended to have low microtrabecular stiffness and showed significantly thinner distal alveolar bone proper than in the baseline and Sham groups. In summary, estrogen deficiency caused osteoporotic changes and thin alveolar bone proper in the interradicular septum of rat first molar. This phenomenon might accelerate destruction of alveolar bone and tooth loss, especially in elderly women affected by periodontal disease.

Effect of intermittent administration of human parathyroid hormone (1-34) on the mandibular condyle of ovariectomized rats.

Intermittent administration of human parathyroid hormone (1-34) (PTH) increases bone mass in lumbar vertebrae and long bones of osteoporotic experimental animals. However, whether PTH has the same effect on jaw bones remains unclear. This study determined the effect of intermittent administration of PTH on rat mandibular condyle affected by estrogen deficiency. Fifty 6-month-old rats were either sham operated or ovariectomized, then divided into five groups depending on surgical procedure and hormone administration: sham + vehicle (SV), OVX + vehicle (OV), OVX + PTH 6 micrograms/kg once per week (OP6-1), OVX + PTH 60 micrograms/kg once per week (OP60-1), and OVX + PTH 20 micrograms/kg three times per week (OP20-3). PTH or vehicle was injected intermittently for 6 months in 5 rats of each group either immediately after surgery in a preventive administration experiment, or injected starting 6 months after surgery in a therapeutic administration experiment. The mandibles were excised, and bone morphometry was performed using confocal laser scanning microscopy and soft X-ray images. In both experiments, the bone volume of the OV groups was significantly lower than that of the SV group (P < 0.01); also, depending on dose and frequency, the bone volume of the OP group was higher than that of the OV group, particularly in the OP20-3 group. The value of mineralized surface of the OP groups was significantly higher than that of the OV group (P < 0.01), whereas the value of eroded surface of the OP groups was not significantly higher than that of the OV group. This study indicates that preventive and therapeutic intermittent administration of PTH in ovariectomized rats increase the bone formation in rat mandibular condyle without accelerating bone resorptive activity. This anabolic effect was best induced by the injection mode of 20 micrograms/kg three times per week.

Serum biomarker-based validation of a self-administered diet history questionnaire for Japanese subjects.

Although several self-administered dietary assessment questionnaires have been developed for Japanese subjects, they have seldom been validated with objective measures. We validated a recently developed self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ) with fatty acids in serum phospholipid fractions, alpha- and beta-carotenes and alpha-tocopherol in serum as a gold standard using 86 university workers (42 men and 44 women, age-range=24-67 y). The age-adjusted Pearson partial correlation coefficients between the intakes of marine origin n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (crude values, energy-adjusted values by residual method, energy density, and fat density) and the serum phospholipid concentrations (percentage of total fatty acids) were 0.49, 0.51, 0.52, 0.48, and 0.58, 0.69. 0.66, 0.69 in men and women respectively. The correlation coefficients between intakes (microg/d) and the corresponding serum concentrations (micromol/L) were 0.43 and 0.40 in men and 0.42 and 0.60 in women for alpha- and beta-carotene respectively. It was -0.23 in men and -0.22 in women for alpha-tocopherol. The intakes of major foods (g/d) of marine origin n-3 PUFA, alpha- and beta-carotenes showed a relatively high level of correlation with the corresponding serum concentrations, whereas the level was generally lower than those observed in the analysis with the nutrient intakes. The results suggest that DHQ ranks individual adequately for marine origin n-3 PUFA, alpha- and beta-carotene intakes.

Arrhythmic doses of epinephrine and dopamine during halothane, enflurane, methoxyflurane, and fluroxene anesthesia in goats.

The cardiac arrhythmicity of epinephrine and dopamine was compared in awake goats and during approximate equivalent levels of halothane, enflurane, methoxyflurane, and fluroxene anesthesia. The arrhythmic threshold dose for epinephrine and dopamine was significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced during halothane anesthesia when compared to values determined in awake animals. Enflurane anesthesia had no significant affect on the arrhythmic threshold dose for either catecholamine. However, methoxyflurane and fluroxene anesthesia significantly (p less than 0.05) elevated the arrhythmic threshold dose for dopamine. Epinephrine produced greater elevations in mean arterial pressure than dopamine with all anesthetics except enflurane, and dopamine produced significantly (p less than 0.05) higher heart rates in the awake animals and those anesthetized with halothane and enflurane. The authors conclude that, in terms of arrhythmic potential, there is no advantage in the use of dopamine rather than epinephrine for the reversal of halothane-induced myocardial depression during halothane or enflurane anesthesia.

Cerebral hemodynamics following internal maxillary artery ligation in the goat.

Changes in cerebral and extracerebral blood flow in the goat after ligation of the internal maxillary artery and deliberate thrombosis of the extracerebral arteries (buccinator, ethmoidal, and ophthalmic) with thrombin were compared to changes seen in animals after internal maxillary artery ligation only and in normal animals where no surgical manipulations were performed. Blood flow was measured by injecting 51-Cr-labeled microspheres into the internal maxillary artery via a catheter placed into the temporal artery. Analysis of the radioactivity in extracerebral and intracerebral tissues indicated that when the internal maxillary artery is ligated and the extracerebral arteries are thrombosed, virtually all of the blood flow from the carotid artery is destined from the brain. However, if only the internal maxillary artery is ligated nearly one-fourth of the blood flow from the maxillary travels to extra-cerebral tissues. In normal animals, it was determined that only one-fourth of the blood flow in the internal maxillary is destined for the cerebral circulation. Results from this study indicate that if the former method is employed an accurate measure of cerebral blood flow is possible without the complications of extra-cerebral flow. If the latter technique is used care must be taken in evaluating cerebral blood flow since a large component of extra-cerebral blood flow is present.