Age-related changes of elements in human ureter

To elucidate changes of the ureter with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of element contents in human ureters. The subjects consisted of seven men and seven women, ranging in age from 61 to 97 yr. The contents of calcium, sulfur, and iron in the ureters increased progressively with aging, whereas the contents of phosphorus and magnesium did not increase with aging. Significant relationships were found both between calcium and sulfur contents and between calcium and iron contents in the ureters, but not between calcium and either phosphorus or magnesium contents. It was noteworthy that a significant relationship was also found between sulfur and iron contents in the ureters. It remains uncertain whether calcium forms a compound with sulfur or iron in aged human ureters or not.     

Relationships among element contents in the medial meniscus

To elucidate compositional changes of elements in the meniscus with aging, the authors investigated the relationships among elements in the medial meniscus by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 16 men and 7 women, ranging in age from 65 to 93 yr. In the left medial meniscus, extremely significant correlations were found both between calcium and phosphorus contents and between sulfur and magnesium contents, whereas significant correlations were found between calcium and either iron or zinc contents, between phosphorus and either iron or zinc contents, and between iron and zinc contents. On the other hand, in the right medial meniscus, there were only an extremely significant correlation between calcium and phosphorus contents and a significant correlation between sulfur and magnesium contents. The common finding between the left and right medial menisci was an extremely significant correlation between calcium and phosphorus contents and a significant correlation between sulfur and magnesium contents.     

Age-related changes of elements in human thoracic ducts and azygos veins and relationships among elements

To elucidate compositional changes of the thoracic duct with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the thoracic ducts in comparison with the azygos veins. The subjects consisted of 22 men and 1 woman, ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. After ordinary dissection, the thoracic ducts and azygos veins were resected from the subjects and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that calcium appeared to increase in the thoracic duct with aging, but the other elements, such as phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, iron, zinc, and sodium, did not change significantly with aging. In the azygos vein, both calcium and sulfur increased significantly with aging. Regarding the relationship among elements, extremely significant direct correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in the thoracic ducts, except for phosphorus and magnesium contents with a very significant direct correlation. In the azygos veins, significant direct correlations were found between calcium and sulfur contents and between sulfur and magnesium contents. However, no significant correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the azygos veins. These results revealed that with regard to the relationship among calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, the thoracic duct was similar to the arteries, but not to the azygos vein.     

Age-dependent increases of calcium and phosphorus in human epiglottal cartilage

To elucidate compositional changes of the elastic cartilage with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the epiglottal cartilages by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After the ordinary dissection by medical students at Chiang Mai University was finished, the epiglottises were resected from the subjects. The epiglottal cartilages were isolated and the element contents were determined. The subjects consisted of 11 men and 14 women, ranging in age from 39 to 92 yr old. It was found that although the extent of accumulation of calcium and phosphorus was slight, calcium and phosphorus increased progressively in the epiglottal cartilages with aging. In contrast, sulfur, magnesium, zinc, iron and sodium did not change significantly in them. Regarding the relationships among elements, it was found that there were significant correlations among calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in the epiglottal cartilages, with one exception between calcium and sodium contents. In comparison between men and women, no significant differences were found in the predominant elements such as calcium, sulfur, and phosphorus in the epiglottal cartilages.     

Simultaneous accumulation of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in various human arteries

To elucidate compositional changes of the arteries with aging, the authors investigated the relationships among average contents of calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in the arteries by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The arteries used were the thoracic and abdominal aortas, coronary, common carotid, anterior, middle and posterior cerebral, vertebral, basilar, internal thoracic, axillary, radial, truncus celiacus, common, internal and external iliac, femoral, popliteal, and umbilical arteries. It was found that high correlations were found between the average contents of calcium and phosphorus, between the average contents of calcium and magnesium, and between the average contents of phosphorus and magnesium in the arteries, but not between the average contents of sulfur and the other elements. These correlations revealed that as the content of calcium and phosphorus increased in the arteries, the magnesium content increased simultaneously in the arteries, but the sulfur content did not. It is likely that magnesium forms compounds with phosphorus in the arteries.     

Accumulation of calcium and phosphorus accompanied by increase of magnesium and decrease of sulfur in human arteries

To elucidate the accumulation of elements in the arteries with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in human arteries, such as the thoracic aorta, femoral, basilar, coronary, radial, and common iliac arteries by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 17 men and 9 women, ranging in age from 55 to 92 yr in the cases of the five arteries, except for the common iliac arteries, in which the subjects consisted of 16 men and 8 women, ranging in age from 65 to 93 yr. It was found that there were significantly direct correlations between calcium and phosphorus contents and between calcium and magnesium contents in all of the six arteries: thoracic aorta, femoral, basilar, coronary, radial, and common iliac arteries. Significantly direct correlations were also found between phosphorus and magnesium contents in the five arteries, except for the basilar artery. In contrast, significantly inverse correlations were found between calcium and sulfur contents and between phosphorus and sulfur contents in the four arteries, except for the coronary and radial arteries. These revealed that the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the arteries was accompanied by an increase of magnesium in the arteries and by a decrease of sulfur in the arteries.     

Relationships among element contents in the internal jugular vein similar to the arteries

To elucidate compositional changes of the veins with aging, the authors investigated the relationships among element contents in the internal jugular veins, in which a higher accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred with aging. The subjects consisted of 15 men and 10 women, ranging in age from 40 to 98 yr. The element contents of the internal jugular veins were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that there were extremely significant direct correlations among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in the internal jugular vein. In addition, very significant direct correlations were also found both between zinc and either iron or silicon contents and between sulfur and iron contents in the vein. As calcium and phosphorus increased in the internal jugular vein, the mass ratios of Mg/Ca and Mg/P decreased gradually in the vein, whereas the mass ratio of Ca/P hardly decreased. These results indicated that with regard to both the relationships among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium and the changes of the mass ratios of Mg/Ca and Mg/P, the internal jugular vein was very similar to the arteries.     

Age-related changes of elements in human anterior cruciate ligaments and ligamenta capitum femorum

To elucidate compositional changes of human ligaments by aging, the content of elements in anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) and ligamenta capitum femorum (LCFs) was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 11 men and 7 women, ranging from 59 to 91 yr of age. With regard to the content of elements, the content of sulfur and iron was significantly higher in the LCFs than in the ACLs. It was found in the ACLs that the content of sulfur decreased gradually with aging, whereas the content of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium increased progressively with aging. On the other hand, it was found in the LCFs that the content of magnesium decreased gradually with aging, whereas the content of phosphorus increased progressively with aging. The common finding that the content of phosphorus increased with aging, but the content of iron decreased, was obtained in the ACL and LCF. Regarding sexual difference, it was found in both the ACLs and LCFs that the content of phosphorus was higher in women’s ligaments than in men’s.     

Differences in accumulation of elements in human cardiac valves

To elucidate changes of human cardiac valves with aging, the authors determined age-related changes of element contents in the four human cardiac valves by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and attempted to examine the relationships in the element contents among the four cardiac valves. The subjects consisted of 10 men and 15 women, ranging in age from 65 to 102 yr. The accumulation of calcium and phosphorus was the highest in the aortic valve, and decreased in the order mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid valves. The contents of calcium and phosphorus in the aortic valves corresponded to about 12 and 19 times the amounts of those in the tricuspid valves, in which the contents were very low. The contents of calcium and phosphorus in the aortic valves were about 2.5-fold the amounts of those in the mitral valves. An examination was attempted to determine whether or not there were relationships in element contents among the four cardiac valves. As for the aortic and mitral valves, there were no relationships in the contents of calcium and phosphorus between them, but there were relationships in the contents of sulfur and magnesium between them. Three out of 24 cases contained high contents of calcium and phosphorus in both the mitral and aortic valves, whereas 16 out of 24 cases contained high contents of calcium and phosphorus in the aortic valves alone, without the high contents in the mitral valves. Likewise, there were no relationships in the element contents, such as calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium, between the mitral and pulmonary valves or between the mitral and tricuspid valves. It is suggested that the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the cardiac valve occurs independent of the other cardiac valves.     

Accumulation of elements in the arteries and cardiac valves of Thai with aging

To elucidate whether the extent of element accumulation in the arteries and cardiac valves with aging was different between different races, the authors investigated the accumulation of elements in the arteries and cardiac valves of the Thai with aging and the relationships among elements in the cardiac valves. After ordinary dissection at Chiang Mai University was finished, 16 arteries and 4 cardiac valves were resected and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. In the 16 arteries, the average content of calcium was the highest in the site of the abdominal aorta ramifying into the common iliac arteries, and it decreased in the order internal iliac, coronary, abdominal aorta, common iliac, external iliac, superior mesenteric, inferior mesenteric, thoracic aorta, brachial, radial, common carotid, subclavian, ulnar, axillary, renal, and internal thoracic arteries. The average contents of phosphorus and magnesium in respective arteries were parallel with the average contents of calcium, except for the coronary artery. In comparison with the arteries of the Japanese, the trend of calcium accumulation in the arteries of the Thai was almost similar to that in the arteries of the Japanese, except for the coronary artery and thoracic aorta. The calcium accumulation in the coronary artery was much higher in the Thai than in the Japanese, whereas that in the thoracic aorta was lower in the Thai than in the Japanese. Regarding elements in the cardiac valves, the calcium content increased remarkably in the seventies in the aortic valve and in the nineties in the pulmonary valve, but it hardly increased in both the mitral and tricuspid valves with aging. The average content of calcium was the highest in the aortic valve, and it decreased in the order pulmonary, tricuspid, and mitral valves. Regarding the relationship among elements in the aortic valves, it was found that there were extremely significant direct correlations among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, whereas there were significant direct correlations between zinc and either calcium or phosphorus contents. Although significant correlations were found between sulfur and the other element contents in the aortic valves of the Japanese, no significant correlations were found between them in the aortic valves of the Thai. In the mitral valves, extremely or very significant direct correlations were found among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sulfur, with some exceptions that there were no significant correlations between phosphorus and either magnesium or sulfur contents. In addition, no significant correlation was found in the calcium content between the aortic valve and coronary artery in the same individuals.     

Accumulation of magnesium as well as calcium and phosphorus in Japanese monkey arteries with aging

To examine whether an accumulation of elements in the arteries with aging differs between human and animal, the authors investigated the relationships among element contents in the arteries of the Japanese monkeys. The Japanese monkeys consisted of five males and four females, ranging in age from 2 to 29 yr. The aorta, common and external iliac, femoral, common carotid, subclavian, and axillary arteries were resected from the monkeys and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that there were very high correlations between calcium and phosphorus contents, between calcium and magnesium contents, and between phosphorus and magnesium contents in all of the monkey arteries. In addition, significant correlations were found among the other element contents in some, but not all of the arteries. These results were consistent with the foregoing findings of the human arteries. It is likely that magnesium forms compounds with phosphorus or calcium in the monkey arteries.     

Compositional changes of the aortic valve similar to the artery with aging

To elucidate compositional changes of the cardiac valves with aging, the authors investigated the relationships among element contents in the aortic valves, in which the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus was the highest. The subjects consisted of 10 men and 14 women, ranging in age from 65 to 102 yr. Extremely significant direct correlations were found among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and zinc in the aortic valves. In contrast, significant inverse correlations were found between the contents of sulfur and the other elements, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium. It should be noted that these correlations present in the aortic valves were very similar to those in the arteries, especially those in the thoracic aortas. The changes of the mass ratios of Mg/Ca and Mg/P in the aortic valves were similar to those in the thoracic aortas. As calcium and phosphorus increased in the aortic valve, the mass ratios Mg/Ca and Mg/P decreased reversely in the aortic valve. These results suggest that the compositional change of the aortic valve is very similar to that of the thoracic aorta.     

Increases of calcium and magnesium and decrease of iron in human posterior longitudinal ligaments of the cervical spine with aging

To elucidate compositional changes of ligaments with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the posterior longitudinal ligaments (PLLs) by inductively coupled plasma—atomic emission spectrometry. After the ordinary dissection, PLLs were resected from the subjects ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. The PLLs of the cervical spine were resected between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, the PLLs of the thoracic spine between the fifth and seventh thoracic vertebrae, and the PLLs of the lumbar spine between the second and third lumbar vertebrae. Calcium and magnesium increased progressively with aging in the PLLs of the cervical spine, but they did not increase with aging in the PLLs of the thoracic and lumbar spine. In contrast, iron decreased gradually with aging in the PLLs of the cervical spine. Regarding the relationships among elements, significant correlations were found among the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and sodium in the PLLs of the cervical spine.     

Compositional changes of the muscular layers of the stomach with aging

To elucidate compositional changes of the stomach with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of the elements and relationships among the elements in the muscular layers of the pylorus, cardia, lesser curvature, and greater curvature by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. After ordinary dissection by medical students, the pylori, cardias, lesser curvatures, and greater curvatures were removed from the subjects, consisting of 19 men and 1 woman, ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. The muscular layers were isolated and the element contents were determined.The calcium content increased progressively with aging in the muscular layers of the pylorus, cardia, and lesser curvature, whereas it tended to increase in the muscular layer of the greater curvature with aging. Regarding sulfur, the content increased significantly in the muscular layer of the pylorus with aging, but not significantly in the muscular layers of the cardia, lesser curvature, and greater curvature with aging.Regarding the relationships among the elements, significant direct correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in both the muscular layers of the pylori and cardias, with some exceptions.     

Age-dependent decreases of phosphorus and magnesium in human achilles’ tendons

To elucidate changes of human tendons with aging, the authors studied age-related changes of elements in human Achilles’ tendons by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of seven men and seven women, ranging in age from 61 to 97 yr. It was found that the content of calcium increased progressively with aging in the Achilles’ tendons, whereas the contents of phosphorus and magnesium decreased gradually with aging. The previous investigations demonstrated that the content of calcium and phosphorus increased progressively with aging in most, but not all, human tissues, except for the bones. In ligaments, such as the anterior cruciate ligament and the ligament of the head of the femur, which are histologically similar to the Achilles’ tendon, it was previously found that both the contents of calcium and phosphorus increased with aging in the ligaments. It should be noted that the content of phosphorus in the Achilles’ tendons decreased during the aging process. In addition, it was found that there was a very high direct correlation between phosphorus and magnesium contents in the tendons, but not between calcium and phosphorus contents.     

Simultaneous accumulation of magnesium with calcium and phosphorus in aorta and iliac arteries of thai

To elucidate compositional changes of arteries with aging, the authors previously investigated age-related changes of mineral contents in the various arteries of Japanese and Japanese monkey. To examine whether there were differences between races in regard to age-related changes of mineral contents and the relationships among element contents in the arteries, the authors investigated the arteries of Thai. The subjects consisted of 13 men and 3 women, ranging in age from 39 to 84 yr. After the ordinary dissection at Chiang Mai University was finished, abdominal aortas, common iliac, internal iliac, and external iliac arteries were resected and the element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium became the highest in the fifties in the abdominal aorta, common iliac, and external iliac arteries, whereas the contents of calcium and magnesium became the highest in the sixties in the internal iliac artery, and decreased thereafter. In regard to relationships among element contents, it was found that there were high correlations between calcium and phosphorus contents, between calcium and magnesium contents, and between phosphorus and magnesium in all of the abdominal aortas and three iliac arteries. The mass ratios of magnesium to calcium and phosphorus were each similar in the abdominal aorta, common iliac, and internal iliac arteries, except for the external iliac artery, in which it was slightly high. These revealed that as calcium and phosphorus increased in the arteries with aging, magnesium increased in the arteries as well. The differences between the arteries of Thai and Japanese were discussed in the present article.     

Elements of calcified sites in human thoracic aorta

To elucidate the manner of element accumulation in the arteries with aging, the authors investigated the element contents in the calcified and surrounding sites of the thoracic aortas by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of three men and five women, ranging in age from 45 to 99 yr. The calcified, calcification-surrounding, and control (which appeared normal) sites were removed from the thoracic aortas and the element contents were determined. It was found that the contents of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and aluminum were higher in the calcified site than in the control site, whereas the contents of sulfur, iron, and lead were lower in the calcified site than in the control site. The contents of the elements in the surrounding site were intermediate between those of the calcified and control sites, except for the magnesium and lead contents, which were the lowest. The mass ratios of magnesium to calcium and phosphorus were lower in the calcified site compared with the surrounding and control sites, and as calcium and phosphorus increased in the aorta, the mass ratios lowered gradually in the aorta.     

Accumulation of calcium and phosphorus accompanied by inevitable accumulation of magnesium in human arteries

To examine whether there were differences between races in regard to the relationships among element contents in the arteries, the authors investigated the relationships among the average contents of calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in the 18 kinds of the Thai artery. After ordinary dissection by medical students at Chiang Mai University was finished, the thoracic and abdominal aortas, ramifying site of the abdominal aorta into the common iliac arteries, coronary, common carotid, internal thoracic, subclavian, axillary, brachial, radial, superior and inferior mesenteric, renal, common iliac, internal iliac, and external iliac arteries were resected from the subjects who consisted of 12 men and 3 women, ranging in age from 39 to 84 yr. The femoral and posterior tibial arteries were resected from the subjects, consisting of 15 men and 5 women, ranging in age from 25 to 88 yr. The element content of the arteries was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that there were extremely significant direct correlations among the average contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the 18 kinds of the Thai artery, but no significant correlations were found between the average contents of sulfur and elements, such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These results were in agreement with those of the Japanese arteries. Therefore, it was suggested that there was no significant difference between the arteries of the Thai and the Japanese in the relationships among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium.     

Age-related changes of element contents in the human meniscus

The relative contents (RCs) of elements in the human menisci from 23 subjects in the age range between 65 and 93 yr were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The RCs of sulfur, calcium, and phosphorus in menisci increased progressively until the 80s, being the highest in the 80s, and thereafter decreased. The RCs of magnesium in menisci increased progressively until the 90s. Regarding the medial and lateral menisci, higher RCs of magnesium and iron, and a lower RC of phosphorus were found in lateral menisci in comparison with those in medial menisci. There were sexual differences in the RCs of calcium and phosphorus of medial and lateral menisci. The RCs of calcium and phosphorus were about 50% higher in women’s menisci than in men’s. Histological examinations showed that structureless mucoid masses were observed in the menisci, with very high RCs of calcium and phosphorus being detected.     

High accumulations of calcium and phosphorus in women’s pubic symphysis

To elucidate compositional changes of the pubic symphysis (PS) by aging, elements of pubic symphyses (PSs) removed from 26 cadavers were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry. It was found that the relative contents (RCs) of calcium and phosphorus in women’s PSs were about three-and five-fold amounts as compared with those in men’s PSs, respectively. In contrast, the RCs of sulfur, magnesium, sodium, and iron in women’s PSs were somewhat lower than those in men’s PSs. The accumulations of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) in women’s PSs occurred mainly beyond the age of 70-yr-old, but did not occur in men’s PSs.