19 CHANGES IN PLASMA STEROID CONCENTRATIONS DURING GESTATION IN COWS WITH SPONTANEOUS ABORTION OF SOMATIC CELL CLONED FETUSES

Cloning of mammals by nuclear transfer frequently results in gestational failure with a variety of abnormalities that are likely due to inappropriate epigenetic reprogramming. Monitoring the placental function during gestation is important to clarify the cause of abnormalities in cloned animals. Sex steroids are produced in the bovine placenta and their levels in maternal peripheral blood are a useful measure of placentation. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in plasma concentrations of sex steroids during gestation in cows aborting cloned fetuses. Donor cells for nuclear transfer were obtained from subculture of cumulus cells retrieved from ovarian follicles of a Japanese Black cow. Recipient oocytes were derived from ovaries obtained at an abattoir and matured in vitro. Metaphase II oocytes were enucleated and each fused with a donor cell by DC pulses. Nuclear-transferred oocytes were activated and cultured for 7 days. Embryos developed to the blastocyst stage were each transferred into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the ovary bearing the CL of 39 multiparous Japanese Black and Holstein crossbred cows at 7 to 8 days after the day of standing oestrus (day 0). Fourteen recipient cows were diagnosed pregnant on Day 40 by ultrasonography and 7 cows delivered at full term. The other seven miscarried on Day 66, 81, 85, 89, 97, 104 and 211. Blood was collected from these cows at least once a week following the pregnancy diagnosis. Progesterone, estrone, oestradiol-17β and estrone sulfate in the blood plasma were measured by RIA and were compared with those in pregnant AI cows. Statistical differences at stages of gestation were analysed with repeated-measures ANOVA. In all miscarried cows, progesterone concentrations were similar to those in AI cows until several days before abortion and then rapidly decreased to the basal level. Concentrations of all estrogens stayed low until abortion in six cows aborting by day 104, whereas estrone and oestradiol-17β started to increase around Day 80 and estrone sulfate gradually increased from around Day 50 and started to increase drastically around Day 80 in AI cows. In another cow aborting on Day 211, profiles of estrone and oestradiol-17β were similar to those in AI cows until around Day 150. Thereafter, concentrations of these estrogens gradually decreased to the basal levels by Day 160 and stayed low until abortion. In this cow, gradual increase in estrone sulfate during Day 50 to 80 was not observed, but the difference in the concentration was not statistically significant from AI cows. The following profile of estrone sulfate was similar to those in active estrogens. The fetus was still alive on day 160 and fetal death was confirmed on day 180 by ultrasonography. These results suggest the possibility that developmental or functional failure of placenta associated with steroid synthesis may be a cause of mid-term miscarriage of a cloned fetus.

Lower Triassic stromatolites in Luodian County, Guizhou Province, South China: evidence for the protracted devastation of the marine environments

Stromatolites are one of the oldest and most intriguing organosedimentary deposits. In contrast to stromatolites of the Precambrian to Early Ordovician, Phanerozoic equivalents occurred episodically under specific conditions. A group of previously undescribed stromatolites in composition occur in the Lower Triassic (Olenekian) at the Dajiang section in the Luodian region of Guizhou Province, South China. We described the textures of these stromatolites with the aim of determining the genetic mechanisms and revealing the nature of interactions between micro-organisms and marine environments. Mesoscopic features show that the stromatolites consist of several sets of stacked slices, and that they are embedded in alternating beds of fine and coarse microsphere packstones that include aggregates of microspheres, forming grapestones and lumps. Microscopically, the stromatolites consist of spar- and dolomite-infilled microspheres (average diameter, 100 μm), micrites, peloids, small-sized pyrite framboids (average diameter, 5.8 μm) and fenestrae. Micrite-dominant intercalations accentuate laminated textures at a mesoscopic level and are laterally continuous with micrite-rich parts in surrounding interstromatolites, indicating the simultaneous, widespread deposition of these layers. The microspheres and associated micrites were the products of in situ microbial activity, probably sulphate-reducing or anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria, which led to the formation of these unusual stromatolites. Even during a protracted period of harsh marine conditions, the micrite-rich carpets were deposited intermittently on the stromatolites and their surroundings under severely anoxic/sulphidic conditions. The presence of Early Triassic stromatolites and their subtle but important vertical variations in texture provide a record of temporal changes in marine conditions during geobiologically critical intervals.

36 CHANGES IN PLASMA CONCENTRATIONS OF PROGESTERONE AND ESTROGENS DURING GESTATION IN COWS WITH STILLBORN SOMATIC CELL CLONED CALVES

Cloning of mammals by nuclear transfer frequently results in gestational or neonatal failure with a variety of abnormalities that are likely caused by inappropriate epigenetic reprogramming. Early diagnosis of fetal abnormality is important for efficient production of cloned animals. Sex steroids are produced in the bovine placenta and their levels in the blood might be useful as a measure of fetal well being, as they are in humans. The objective of this study was to investigate whether changes in peripheral concentrations of progesterone and estrogens reflect fetal conditions. Donor cells for nuclear transfer were obtained from subculture of cumulus cells retrieved from ovarian follicles of a Japanese Black cow. Recipient oocytes were derived from ovaries obtained at an abattoir and matured in vitro. Metaphase II oocytes were enucleated and each fused with a donor cell by DC pulses. Nuclear transferred oocytes were activated and cultured for 7 days. Embryos developed to the blastocyst stage were transferred into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the ovary bearing the CL of 29 multiparous Japanese Black and Holstein crossbred cows at 7 to 8 days after the day of standing oestrus (Day 0). Blood was collected at regular intervals from Day 40 until parturition. Plasma progesterone, estrone, oestradiol-17β, and estrone sulfate were measured by RIA in 4 recipient cows. 2 vaginally delivered healthy calves weighed 35 and 36 kg on days 278 and 280, respectively. The other 2 delivered stillborn calves weighed 42 and 31 kg by Caesarean section on days 267 and 287, respectively. Steroid profiles were compared with each other and with those in a cow made pregnant by embryo transfer. Statistical differences at stages of gestation were analysed with repeated-measures ANOVA. Stillborn calves were subjected to necropsy and histopathological analysis. Significant differences in steroid levels were observed individually and temporarily. In the cow bearing the former stillborn, progesterone and oestradiol-17β concentrations tended to be lower during mid and late gestation, respectively. Large offspring syndrome, ventricular septal defect, pulmonary oedema, hepatic fibrosis, and placental dysplasia were found in the calf by necropsy and histopathological analysis. In the cow bearing the second stillborn, plasma progesterone concentrations were temporarily increased from days 220 to 230 and reached a peak of 16 ng mL–1, which was approximately 3 times as high as before (5.0 ± 0.9; mean ± s.d.), then followed by a similar transient increase in estrogens during days 240 and 250 (170 pg mL–1, 16 pg mL–1, and 21 ng mL–1 at peak of estrone, oestradiol-17β, and estrone sulfate, respectively). Thereafter, oestrogen concentrations stayed low until parturition. As internal organs of the stillborn calf were severely autolysed with polyhydramnios at birth, the fetus might have been dead around Day 250. These results imply that changes in peripheral steroid concentrations in some cases reflect fetal condition.

57 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FETAL ABNORMALITIES AND PERIPHERAL STEROID CONCENTRATIONS DURING GESTATION IN COWS TRANSFERRED WITH EMBRYOS PRODUCED BY SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER

Cloning of mammals by nuclear transfer frequently results in gestational or neonatal failure with a variety of abnormalities that are likely caused by inappropriate epigenetic reprogramming. Early diagnosis of fetal abnormality is important for efficient production of cloned animals. Sex steroids are produced in the bovine placenta and their levels in the blood might be useful as a measure of fetal well-being, as in humans. The objective of this study was to investigate whether changes in peripheral levels of progesterone and estrogens reflect fetal abnormalities. Donor cells for nuclear transfer were obtained from subculture of cumulus cells retrieved from ovarian follicles of a Japanese Black cow. Recipient oocytes were derived from ovaries obtained at an abattoir and matured in vitro. Metaphase II oocytes were enucleated and each fused with a donor cell by DC pulses. Nuclear transferred oocytes were activated and cultured for 7 days. Embryos developed to the blastocyst stage were transferred into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the ovary bearing the CL of 32 multiparous Japanese Black and Holstein crossbred cows at 7 to 8 days after the day of standing estrus (Day 0). Blood was collected from Day 40 until parturition. Progesterone and estrogens in the blood plasma of 6 recipient cows with full-term delivery were measured by RIA. These profiles were compared with each other and with the changes in a cow made pregnant by MOET. Statistical differences were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA. Parturition was induced on Day 290. Stillborn, dead, or euthanized calves were subjected to necropsy and histopathological analysis. Pregnant cows were 14, 13, and 9 on Days 30, 60, and 90, respectively. Thereafter, 3 aborted around Days 110, 120, and 190. Six cows delivered calves weighing 45.8 ± 2.1 kg (mean ± SEM) on Days 291 to 293. Their birth weights were greater than those of female calves (31.2 ± 0.4 kg, n = 6) produced by MOET in the same breed. Three calves grew normally until weaning. One was stillborn due to dystocia, but no abnormalities were observed except for large offspring syndrome. One was euthanized 2 days after natural delivery due to ananastasia. Thymic and thyroid hypoplasia, left ventricular dysplasia, and pulmonary fibrosis were found by necropsy. Another calf delivered by Caesarean section died of infirmity 2 days later and had thymic and thyroid hypoplasia. Changes in plasma steroid concentrations were consistent with each other and with those in a MOET cow except the last one, in which progesterone levels tended to be higher during the first trimester and estrogens were lower during the last half of gestation. Progesterone levels tended to be lower in cows bearing a healthy calf than in cows bearing a weak calf before parturition. These results imply that peripheral steroid levels may reflect fetal normality, although large offspring syndrome does not affect their concentrations.

Histological evaluation of internally-fixed osteochondral lesions of the knee

We evaluated the histological changes before and after fixation in ten knees of ten patients with osteochondritis dissecans who had undergone fixation of the unstable lesions. There were seven males and three females with a mean age of 15 years (11 to 22). The procedure was performed either using bio-absorbable pins only or in combination with an autologous osteochondral plug. A needle biopsy was done at the time of fixation and at the time of a second-look arthroscopy at a mean of 7.8 months (6 to 9) after surgery. The biopsy specimens at the second-look arthroscopy showed significant improvement in the histological grading score compared with the pre-fixation scores (p < 0.01). In the specimens at the second-look arthroscopy, the extracellular matrix was stained more densely than at the time of fixation, especially in the middle to deep layers of the articular cartilage. Our findings show that articular cartilage regenerates after fixation of an unstable lesion in osteochondritis dissecans.

Histological and biomechanical study of impacted cancellous allografts with cement in the femur: a canine model

INTRODUCTION

An experimental canine model was used for quantitative histological study using bone morphometry and biomechanical study on impacted cancellous allografting with cement in revision total hip arthroplasty.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The prosthesis had a collarless polished titanium alloy tapered stem with a head diameter of 15 mm. Twelve Beagle dogs were used. Cancellous bone grafts were obtained aseptically from the femoral condyles of other beagles. Histological examinations were performed up to 1 year after surgery. Biomechanical examinations were performed at 8 weeks after surgery.

RESULTS

The new bone formation proceeded from the proximal part to the distal site of the femur in the long axis as well as from the host cortical bone to the cement layer. Bone morphometry showed that the mineral apposition rate was higher in the proximal site of the femur than in the distal site at 8 weeks after surgery, but no significant differences were observed at other times. The bone formation rate was higher in the proximal site of the femur at 8 weeks after surgery, while it increased in the distal site at 16 weeks postoperatively but had decreased at 1 year after surgery significantly. The load test at 8 weeks after surgery showed that there was no significant difference at all sites attached strain gauge between impacted cancellous allograft group and control group.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that biological replacement of the grafted bone by new bone settled at 1 year after surgery in this experimental model. However, the process was not completed.

Histamine ameliorates anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody-induced glomerulonephritis in rats

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM)-induced glomerulonephritis involves T-helper type 1 (Th1) responses leading to rapid crescent formation. As many inflammatory and immune responses in general are affected by histamine, we examined the effects of histaminergic ligands on immune renal injury in the rat. Female Wistar-Kyoto rats were injected intraperitoneally with an antibody against the GBMs. Histaminergic ligands were then injected twice daily for 5 days after which renal function was assessed by proteinuria. Treatment with histamine led to significant dose-dependent reductions in proteinuria compared to the control antibody-injected group and markedly decreased the number of crescentic glomeruli and macrophage infiltration of the glomeruli. Furthermore, histamine significantly decreased the plasma concentration of interleukin-12, a Th1-type cytokine compared to the antibody-injected control animals. Dimaprit, an H(2)/H(4) agonist, mimicked the effects of histamine on proteinuria and crescent formation. Clozapine, an H(4) agonist, tended to mimic the effects of histamine, whereas an H(1), mepyramine, or an H(2) antagonist, ranitidine, did not reverse the protective effect of histamine. We suggest that histamine may alleviate renal injury in anti-GBM glomerulonephritis by suppressing the immune response.

97 CLONED CALF PRODUCTION BY AGGREGATION OF SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR-TRANSFERRED EMBRYOS

A low pregnancy rate and high frequency of abortion are observed in bovine somatic cell cloning. It is suggested that one of the factors is the low cell number of nuclear-transferred (NT) embryos at the blastocyst stage compared with that of in vivo-derived embryos. We reported that aggregation of bovine NT embryos can develop to blastocysts with cell numbers that are equivalent to in vivo-derived embryos (Akagi et al. 2005 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 17, 162 abst). In this study, we examined the in vivo development of aggregates of NT embryos after embryo transfer (ET). Following culture in serum-starved medium for 5 to 7 days, fibroblast cells were used as donor cells for NT. NT was performed as previously described (Akagi et al. 2003 Mol. Reprod. Dev. 66, 264–272). Eight-cell stage embryos on Day 2 or 16- to 32-cell stage embryos on Day 4 were used for embryo aggregation after removal of the zona pellucida. Three NT embryos were placed into the depression in a drop of TCM-199 with 50 µg mL−1 phytohemagglutinin for 20 min, and NT aggregates were then moved into the depression in a drop of IVD-101 (Akagi et al. 2005). On Day 7 after NT, ET was performed nonsurgically. Results are summarized in Table 1. Pregnancy rates obtained with the aggregated NT embryos tended to be high compared with the single NT embryos. All pregnant cows in the single NT embryos and 6 of 8 pregnant cows in the aggregated NT embryos were aborted within 90 days. One cow carrying an aggregate of 3 Day 2 NT embryos went to term, and one carrying an aggregate of 3 Day 4 NT embryos is still pregnant at more than 7 months. These results demonstrate that aggregates of 3 NT embryos can develop to term in cattle. Table 1.In vivo development of aggregated NT embryos

Repair of chronic osteochondral defects in the rat. A bone marrow-stimulating procedure enhanced by cultured allogenic bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells

Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells were aspirated from immature male green fluorescent protein transgenic rats and cultured in a monolayer. Four weeks after the creation of the osteochondral defect, the rats were divided into three groups of 18: the control group, treated with an intra-articular injection of phosphate-buffered saline only; the drilling group, treated with an intra-articular injection of phosphate-buffered saline with a bone marrow-stimulating procedure; and the bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells group, treated with an intra-articular injection of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells plus a bone marrow-stimulating procedure. The rats were then killed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment and examined. The histological scores were significantly better in the bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells group than in the control and drilling groups at all time points (p < 0.05). The fluorescence of the green fluorescent protein-positive cells could be observed in specimens four weeks after treatment.

Decrease in anterior knee laxity by electrical stimulation of normal and reconstructed anterior cruciate ligaments

We have investigated the changes in anterior laxity of the knee in response to direct electrical stimulation of eight normal and 45 reconstructed anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). In the latter, the mean time from reconstruction was 26.7 months (24 to 32). The ACL was stimulated electrically using a bipolar electrode probe during arthroscopy. Anterior laxity was examined with the knee flexed at 20 degrees under a force of 134 N applied anteriorly to the tibia using the KT-2000 knee arthrometer before, during and after electrical stimulation. Anterior tibial translation in eight normal and 17 ACL-reconstructed knees was significantly decreased during stimulation, compared with that before stimulation. In 28 knees with reconstruction of the ACL, in 22 of which the grafts were found to have detectable somatosensory evoked potentials during stimulation, anterior tibial translation was not decreased. These findings suggest that the ACL-hamstring reflex arc in normal knees may contribute to the functional stability and that this may not be fully restored after some reconstructions of the ACL.

Tophaceous gout in the bipartite patella with intra-osseous and intra-articular lesions: a case report

We report a case of a 34-year-old man who had an acute gouty attack with tophi around the accessory bone of the bipartite patella with intra-osseous lesions. As the symptoms did not respond to conservative treatments, the patient was treated surgically. Arthroscopy revealed urate crystals surrounded by inflammatory synovitis on the surface of the bipartite patella. Arthrotomy exposed the abundant crystals around the accessory bone and in the intra-osseous lesion. These findings made us speculate that some pre-existing inflammatory conditions around the accessory bone induced deposition of urate crystals, and the destruction of the barrier between the deposits and the joint led to an acute arthritis. Curettage of the tophi resulted in immediate improvement of knee function. There had been no recurrence of symptoms at the 2-year follow-up.

Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. Single- versus double-bundle multistranded hamstring tendons

A total of 108 patients with unilateral instability of the knee, associated with rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, was prospectively randomised for arthroscopic single- or double-bundle reconstruction of the ligament using hamstring tendons. The same post-operative rehabilitation protocol was used for all. The patients were followed up for a mean of 32 months (24 to 36). We measured the anterior laxity and joint position sense at different angles of flexion of the knee to determine whether both bundles in the double-bundle reconstruction contributed to the stability of the joint and proprioception. No significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to anterior laxity measured by the KT-2000 arthrometer with the knee at 20 degrees or 70 degrees flexion nor with regard to proprioception. A notchplasty was required less often in the double- compared with the single-bundle reconstruction. We did not find any advantage in a double-bundle as opposed to a single-bundle reconstruction in terms of stability or proprioception.

Neuropsychological effects associated with temporal lobectomy and amygdalohippocampectomy depending on Wada test failure

OBJECTIVE

To compare the neuropsychological effects of temporal lobectomy (TL) and amygdalohippocampectomy (AH), depending on whether the patients had passed or failed the Wada test.

METHODS

We compared changes in neuropsychological scores in patients who underwent TL (n = 91) or AH (n = 15), and had passed or failed the Wada test. Comparisons were carried out in all 106 patients and among the 20 patients who failed the Wada test (12 who had TL and 8 who had AH).

RESULTS

No patient became globally amnesic after surgery. Among all patients, no differences were found in pre-surgical or change scores (percentage of change after surgery compared with preoperative values) of neuropsychological tests between patients who underwent TL or AH. Among patients who failed the Wada test, those in the TL group showed higher visual memory impairment (p<0.05). There was a strong trend suggesting that TL is associated with higher verbal memory deficits than AH (p = 0.07). Of those TL patients who failed the Wada test, the contralateral Wada score correlated with change scores in verbal intelligence quotient (p<0.01), and there was a strong trend towards a correlation with the logical memory immediate recall version subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale (p = 0.06).

CONCLUSIONS

No profound changes in intelligence quotient or memory scores were found after TL or AH. Nevertheless, patients who underwent TL and failed the Wada test showed more deficits than those who passed the test or those who had AH. The presence of a correlation between contralateral Wada scores and verbal deficits in TL patients who failed the Wada test but not among AH patients suggests that, if temporal surgery is required, AH might be preferred to TL in patients who fail the Wada test.

Characteristics of postictal headache in patients with partial epilepsy

Migraine-like features sometimes characterize the headache that follows epileptic seizure (postictal headache, PIH). We compared patients with different types of epilepsy to investigate the association between migraine-like PIH and seizure type. Subjects comprised 364 patients with partial epilepsy. Epilepsy types were temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE, n = 177), frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE, n = 116), and occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE, n = 71). Patients participated in a structured interview pertaining to PIH as well as interictal headache and family history of migraine. Headaches were classified according to the International Headache Society criteria, which was modified for this study. Forty percent had PIH and 26% of these patients had migraine-like PIH. Migraine-like PIH occurred significantly more often in cases of TLE and OLE than in cases of FLE. In addition, the incidence of interictal migraine headache was significantly higher in patients with migraine-like PIH. These results suggest that migraine-like PIH is related to particular regions of epileptogenic focus and that susceptibility to migraine headache predisposes to migraine-like PIH.

An apoptotic inducer, aralin, is a novel type II ribosome-inactivating protein from Aralia elata

We recently found that aralin, a novel cytotoxic protein consisting of two subunits, from Aralia elata selectively induces apoptosis in transformed cells as compared to normal cells. Here we report that aralin is a lectin specific for galactose (Gal) and its derivatives, and possesses RNA N-glycosidase activity as a new type II ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP). The RNA N-glycosidase activity of aralin was detected in cell-free and whole cell systems by the generation of an R-fragment from 28S rRNA. Coinciding with appearance of the R-fragment in aralin-treated cells, significant inhibition of protein synthesis was observed prior to the onset of apoptosis. Aralin-evoked cell death was efficiently repressed by the addition of Gal and its derivatives. Interestingly, melibiose preferentially protected normal cells from apoptosis as compared with transformed cells. Using rhodamine-coupled aralin, the aralin receptor could be clearly detected around the cell surface of transformed cells, but to a lesser extent on normal cells. Receptor binding was suppressed by Gal. These results indicate that aralin is incorporated into cells via its Gal-containing cell surface receptor and induces apoptosis through its RIP activity. Moreover, the expression level and/or structural changes of the aralin receptor may affect the sensitivity toward aralin.