Acquired resistance to a nucleopolyhedrovirus in the smaller tea tortrix Adoxophyes honmai (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) after selection by serial viral administration

A laboratory colony of Adoxophyes honmai was selected for resistance over 156 generations by feeding neonate larvae of every generation with the LC₆₀ or LC₇₀ of its nucleopolyhedrovirus, Adoxophyes honmai nucleopolyhedrovirus (AdhoNPV). A significant difference in LC₅₀ values between the selected (R-strain) and unselected (S1- and S2-strain) strains was first observed after three generations of selection, and the resistance level then increased continuously. The highest degree of acquired resistance, based on the ratio of the LC₅₀ values of R- and S1-strains, was more than 400,000-fold. After selection was stopped at either the 21st or the 149th generation, LC₅₀ values did not decrease significantly, suggesting that resistance of the R-strain to AdhoNPV was stable. To assess which of the two routes of baculovirus infection is affected by resistance to AdhoNPV, 5th instar larvae of the R-strain were inoculated orally and intrahemocoelically with AdhoNPV and their susceptibility was compared to that of S-strain. The ratio of the LC₂₅ values of selected and unselected strains was 91-fold when budded viruses were injected into 5th instar larvae, but was 107,000-fold after oral inoculation. These results indicate that the resistance mechanism of the R-strain of A. honmai disrupts both midgut primary infection and hemocoelic secondary infection.

[Evaluation of family function in home care]

Quantitative and qualitative analyses of a caring family are needed to improve home care. We propose a three-dimensional quantitative evaluation of family functioning. The first dimension is food, clothing, and shelter; the second dimension is patient, medical, and caring conditions; and the third dimension is the caring family condition. We used the home care score and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale at Kwansei Gakuin(FACESKG)IV for the quantitative evaluation of family functioning. Narrative medicine and ethnography are valuable for the qualitative evaluation of a caring family.

[2 cases of successful symptom management at home by using opioid rotation from a fentanyl preparation to a continuous subcutaneous injection of morphine hydrochloride, at a dose less than the equivalent dose based on the conversion table]

We report our experiences of 2 cases of successful pain management at home by using opioid rotation from a fentanyl preparation to a continuous subcutaneous injection of morphine hydrochloride, at a dose less than the equivalent dose based on the conversion table. Our experiences also suggested that opioid rotation according to the conversion ratios might be associated with the risk of delay in the detection of adverse reactions to opioid overdose in patients under home care, whose conditions cannot be checked frequently by health care providers.

Evaluation of translation in the normal and dysplastic hip using three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based registration

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate in vivo hip instability by comparing normal hips to hips with acetabular dysplasia by evaluating three-dimensional (3D) translations of the femoral head center (FHC) at different hip positions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

DESIGN

Forty normal hips and 22 dysplastic female hips were examined. MRI was performed at four different positions bilaterally: neutral, 45° of flexion, 15° of extension, and the Patrick position. Femoral and pelvic bones were separately extracted at the neutral position and superimposed over the images of each different position using voxel-based registration. The distance between the acetabular center and FHC at neutral position was defined as 3D-migration. The distance between FHC at neutral position and that at each different position was defined as 3D-translation. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to consider the dependency between right and left-side data, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess independent relationships.

RESULTS

The center-edge (CE) angle was the determinant for 3D-migration (β=-0.415, P=0.001), and there was a statistical significant difference in 3D-migration between normal female hips and dysplastic hips (P=0.047). From neutral to the Patrick position, the FHC of normal and dysplastic hips translated postero-infero-medially by 1.12±0.39mm (0.45-1.85mm) and 1.97±0.84mm (0.95-4.34mm), respectively, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (P=0.005). CE angle was the determinant for 3D-translation from neutral to the Patrick position (β=-0.730, P<0.001). The average root mean square error in 3D-translation was 0.172mm and 0.193mm for intra- and interobserver reproducibility, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Hip instability was increased in proportion to the severity of acetabular dysplasia. A 3D MRI voxel-based registration technique can show in vivo morphology and kinematics of the native hip without exposure to radioactivity.

Three-dimensional distribution of articular cartilage thickness in the elderly cadaveric acetabulum: a new method using three-dimensional digitizer and CT

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of the acetabular articular cartilage thickness in cadaveric elderly individuals, measured using a new method with a 3D-digitizer and computed tomography (CT) and to validate this method using a thresholding technique.

DESIGN

Twenty cadaveric hemipelves without fracture, previous hip surgery, or macroscopic degenerative changes were digitized by a 3D-digitizer to make 3D cartilage surface models, and scanned by 3D-CT to create 3D bone surface models. These two surface models were then merged using a surface registration method. Acetabular articular cartilage thickness was evaluated as the distance between the two surface models, and the distribution was mapped. Tests for accuracy and reproducibility were performed by comparing the cartilage thickness of five human femoral heads measured by stereomicroscopy with the distance between the cartilage and bone surface models.

RESULTS

The superolateral cartilage tended to be the thickest in all acetabula. The smallest category (0-0.5 mm) of articular cartilage thickness existed at the posteroinferior lunate surface. In this new method, the mean measurement error was 0.018+/-0.044 mm for the average optimum threshold and the intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.99 in surface registration and 0.94 in data acquisition for reproducibility, indicating high accuracy and reproducibility.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed method for measuring articular cartilage using a 3D-digitizer and 3D-CT was accurate and reproducible. In the elderly individuals, acetabular articular cartilage tended to be thicker in the superolateral area and there was the thinnest category (0-0.5 mm) on the posteroinferior lunate surface of the acetabulum. The contour generated along 480 Hounsfield units (HU) was closest to the subchondral bone contour in the elderly hip.

Brominations of steroidal hormone having alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone, 17-O-acetyltestosterone, in the presence of silver triflate

Bromination of 17-O-acetyltestosterone (17beta-acetoxyandrost-4-en-3-one) (1) was performed with 1, 5, and 10 eq of Br2 in AcOH-Et2O at room temperature. In all cases 2alpha,6beta- (2) and 2alpha,6beta-dibromo-17beta-acetoxyandrost-4-en-3-one (3) were obtained, although the yields were dependent upon the conditions used. Bromination of compound 1 with 10 eq of Br2 in the presence of silver trifluoromethanesulfonate (silver triflate, AgOTf) at room temperature for 12 h gave 2,7alpha-dibromo- (4) and 2,4,7alpha-tribromo-17beta-acetoxy-3-hydroxy-1-methylestra-1,3,5(10)-triene-6-one (5). The formations of the products were inferred on the basis of products obtained under controlled brominations of 1 in the presence of AgOTf, and of those obtained by the brominations of compounds 9-13 also in the presence of AgOTf.

Spirostanols obtained by cyclization of pseudosaponin derivatives and comparison of anti-platelet agglutination activities of spirostanol glycosides

Naturally occurring saponins 3 and 4 have a normal type F ring and alpha-arranged CH(3)-21 group. Treatments of pseudosaponin peracetates 18 and 19 derived from 3 and 4, respectively, with alcoholic KOH, followed by acidification with acetic acid, gave spirostanols 20 and 22 having iso type F rings as major products. Structural analyses of sapogenins and saponins derived from pseudo derivatives 11, 12, 18 and 19 were performed by comparisons of their 1H-NMR spectral data and the X-ray analytical data of 3-O-p-bromobenzoyl sarsasapogenin 7, 3-O-acetyl diosgenin 13 and saponin 20. The mechanisms of ring-closure reaction of the side chain at C-22 of pseudosapogenins and pseudosaponins were deduced using stereomodels of the spirostanols derived from 11 under various reaction conditions. Inhibitory activities of saponin diglycosides 3, 4, 20, 21 and 25 on human platelet agglutinations induced by ADP and ristocetin were compared.

[Chronic intravenous toxicity studies of potassium clavulanate and BRL28500 in dogs]

The chronic toxicity of potassium clavulanate (CVA-K) and BRL28500 were evaluated using dogs in 26-week intravenous administration studies followed by a 5-week off-dose period. The doses for CVA-K and BRL28500 were 10, 20, 50 and 100 mg/kg (p.f.a.), and 80, 160, 320 and 800 mg/kg (p.f.a.) respectively. There were no deaths in either of the groups. For general condition, dogs dosed with CVA-K at 100 mg/kg showed reddening of the skin and mucous membranes, shaking of the head, facial oedema, a decrease in food intake and a reduction in body weight. Also some dogs of the same group showed decreased spontaneous activity, emaciation and signs of dehydration. In the BRL28500 treatment groups, there was reddening of the skin and mucous membranes, vomiting and salivation at 800 mg/kg. Urinalysis of dogs dosed with CVA-K showed occasional dark yellow coloration of the urine. There was also a very weak and equivocal response or positive reaction for protein, occult blood, and urine sugar in some animals at 100 mg/kg. Some dogs dosed with BRL28500 also showed either a very weak and equivocal response or slight positive reaction for occult blood at 320 mg/kg and above, and dark yellow coloration of the urine at 800 mg/kg. Haematological examination of the CVA-K groups showed increases in leukocyte count and platelet count at the highest dose of 100 mg/kg. No haematological abnormalities were noted in any of the BRL28500 groups. Serum biochemical studies of dogs dosed with CVA-K revealed a decrease in total protein at 50 mg/kg and above, and increases in Al-P, total bilirubin, GPT, BUN and creatinine at 100 mg/kg. In the BRL28500 treatment groups, there were increases in total cholesterol and triglyceride at 160 mg/kg and above. In dogs dosed with CVA-K there was an increase in liver weight at 100 mg/kg. Histopathological examination showed a ground glass-like appearance of the hepatocyte cytoplasm and also altered distribution of PAS positive material at 50 mg/kg and above. In the BRL28500 groups, there was an increase in liver weight at 320 mg/kg and above. There were the same ground glass-like appearance in hepatocytes and altered distribution of PAS positive material at 800 mg/kg. In view of the above results, the maximum non-effect dose levels in the present studies were considered to be 20 mg/kg for CVA-K and 80 mg/kg for BRL28500.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)