Should biochemical markers of bone turnover be considered standard practice for safety pharmacology?

The success in biomedical sciences such as genomics and proteomics is not paralleled in the medical product development methods. The consequence of this is a lack of translation into improved drug safety and efficacy. Therefore the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced the Critical Path Initiative in 2004 to modernize drug development and safety pharmacology. Bone is that largest tissue by weight, and is continuously remodelled. Changes in bone turnover lead to complications such as osteoporosis and fracture, that is associated with an increased mortality. Recent findings have identified bone as a possible endocrine organ and the availability of valid biochemical bone markers suggests that assessing bone turnover should also play an important role in general safety pharmacology.     

A combination of genome-wide association study and selection signature analysis dissects the genetic architecture underlying bone traits in chickens

The bones of chicken play an important role in supporting and protecting the body. The growth and development of bones have a substantial influence on the health and production performance in chickens. However, genetic architecture underlying chicken bone traits is not well understood. The objectives of this study are to dissect the genetic basis of bone traits in chickens and to identify valuable genes and genetic markers for chicken breeding. We performed a combination of genome-wide association study (GWAS) and selection signature analysis (fixation index values and nucleotide diversity ratios) in an F₂ crossbred experimental population with different genetic backgrounds (broiler × layer) to identify candidate genes and significant variants related to femur, shank, keel length, chest width, metatarsal claw weight, metatarsal length, and metatarsal circumference. A total of 545 individuals were genotyped based on the whole genome re-sequencing method (26 F₀ individuals were re-sequenced at 10 × coverage; 519 F₂ individuals were re-sequenced at 3 × coverage). A total of 2 028 112 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) remained to carry out analysis after quality control and imputation. The integration of GWAS and selection signature analysis indicated that all significant SNPs responsible for bone traits were mainly localized on chicken chromosomes 1, 4, and 27. Finally, we identified 21 positional candidate genes that might regulate chicken bone growth and development, including LRCH1, RB1, FNDC3A, MLNR, CAB39L, FOXO1, LHFP, TRPC4, POSTN, SMAD9, RBPJ, PPARGC1A, SLIT2, NCAPG, NKX3-2, CPZ, SPOP, NGFR, SOST, ZNF652, and HOXB3. Additionally, an array of uncharacterized genes was identified. The findings provide an in-depth understanding of the genetic architecture of chicken bone traits and offer a molecular basis for applying genomics in practical chicken breeding.     

A factor synthesized by rabbit periosteal fibroblasts stimulates bone resorption and collagenase production by connective tissue cells in vitro

Unstimulated monolayer cultures of confluent rabbit periosteal fibroblasts synthesize a factor that stimulates bone resorption in vitro. Furthermore it stimulates rabbit chondrocytes and mouse osteoblasts to synthesize collagenase. The factor has no effect on dead bone in culture, and its activity on live bone is mediated principally by osteoclasts, since it is 75% inhibited by salmon calcitonin. Characterization of the factor by gel filtration and isoelectric focusing indicates an M_r in the range 15 000–25 000 and a pI corresponding to approx. pH 4.7. These biological and physicochemical properties are similar to those reported for a factor released by peripheral blood monocytes. However, whereas human monocyte factor in both the crude and partially-purified state exhibits interleukin-1 activity, crude and fractionated periosteal fibroblast-conditioned medium does not. This is the first report of a conditioned medium containing a molecule like the monocyte-factor which appears to have no interleukin 1 activity. The factor may be synthesized by a wide range of cell types, and could have an important role in mediating connective tissue degradation during both physiological and pathological resorption.     

不同剂量舒芬太尼对心脏瓣膜置换术患者应激反应、炎性因子及心肌损伤的影响

目的:探讨不同剂量舒芬太尼对心脏瓣膜置换术患者应激反应、炎性因子及心肌损伤的影响。方法:根据随机数字表法将100例行心脏瓣膜置换术的患者分为低剂量组(n=33,舒芬太尼剂量为1.0μg/kg)、中剂量组(n=33,舒芬太尼剂量为1.5μg/kg)以及高剂量组(n=34,舒芬太尼剂量为2.0μg/kg),比较三组患者应激反应、炎性因子、心肌损伤等指标的变化以及围术期指标情况。结果:中剂量组、高剂量组麻醉诱导后(T1)、插管后1 min(T2)、插管后5 min(T3)、插管后10 min(T4)时间点心率(HR)、平均动脉压(MAP)均低于低剂量组同时间点,且高剂量组低于中剂量组(P<0.05)。与低剂量组比较,中剂量组、高剂量组阻断后30 min(T6)、开主动脉后2h(T7)以及术后1d(T8)时间点白介素-6(IL-6)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)均降低(P<0.05)。与低剂量组比较,中剂量组、高剂量组体外循环停机2h(T9)、体外循环停机8h(T10)、体外循环停机24h(T11)、体外循环停机48h(T12)时间点心肌肌钙蛋白I(cTnI)、肌酸磷酸激酶同工酶(CK-MB)均降低(P<0.05)。低剂量组、中剂量组重症监护室(ICU)滞留时间、拔管时间显著短于高剂量组(P<0.05),而三组心血管不良事件发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:给予1.0μg/kg舒芬太尼麻醉的患者应激反应小,1.5μg/kg、2.0μg/kg舒芬太尼可更好地控制心脏瓣膜置换术患者炎性反应,同时对患者心肌损伤有一定的保护作用,但2.0μg/kg舒芬太尼会延长患者ICU滞留时间、拔管时间。     

乌司他丁联合连续性肾脏替代治疗对严重脓毒症患者炎症反应和血流动力学的影响

目的:探讨乌司他丁联合连续性肾脏替代(CRRT)治疗对严重脓毒症患者炎症反应和血流动力学的影响。方法:选取2015年5月～2019年4月期间我院收治的严重脓毒症患者119例,将所有患者根据随机数字表法分为对照组(n=59)和研究组(n=60),对照组给予CRRT治疗,研究组在对照组基础上联合乌司他丁治疗,比较两组患者临床疗效、炎症反应指标、血流动力学参数,记录两组患者住院时间及28d内病死率。结果:研究组治疗7 d后的临床总有效率高于对照组(P0.05)。两组治疗7 d后血清白介素-6(IL-6)、降钙素原(PCT)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)水平均下降,且研究组低于对照组(P0.05)。两组患者治疗7 d后心率、平均动脉压(MAP)、血乳酸下降,氧合指数升高(P0.05),研究组治疗7 d后氧合指数高于对照组,血乳酸则低于对照组(P0.05)。研究组住院时间短于对照组(P0.05),两组28d内病死率比较无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:乌司他丁联合CRRT治疗严重脓毒症患者的疗效确切,可有效抑制机体炎症反应,改善血流动力学,减少住院时间,具有一定的临床应用价值。     

不同浓度罗哌卡因腰硬联合麻醉用于人工髋关节置换手术对患者麻醉效果和术后运动功能的影响

摘要 目的：探讨不同浓度罗哌卡因腰硬联合麻醉用于人工髋关节置换手术对患者麻醉效果和术后运动功能的影响。方法：2017年2月至2019年12月选择在本院进行人工髋关节置换手术的患者84例,根据随机数字表法把患者分为观察组与对照组各42例。两组都给予腰硬联合麻醉,对照组采用常规浓度0.5 %罗哌卡因麻醉观察组采用低浓度0.375 %罗哌卡因麻醉,记录患者麻醉效果和术后运动功能变化情况。结果：观察组的麻醉持续时间、运动恢复时间和感觉运动时间都显著短于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组麻醉后10 min、30 min、60 min的Bromage评分都低于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组术后7 d的低血压、恶心呕吐、头晕头痛、尿潴留等不良反应发生率为7.1 %,显著低于对照组的19.0 %(P<0.05)。两组所有患者在术后2 h、术后4 h、术后24 h的呼吸、心率均在正常范围内波动,组间与组内对比都无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论：低浓度罗哌卡因腰硬联合麻醉用于人工髋关节置换手术能改善患者的麻醉效果和运动功能,提高麻醉效果,并不影响患者的生命体征,且能减少术后不良反应的发生。     

The synergistic role of Pu.1 and Fms in zebrafish osteoclast-reducing osteopetrosis and possible therapeutic strategies

Osteoclasts are bone resorption cells of myeloid origin. Osteoclast defects can lead to osteopetrosis, a genetic disorder characterized by bone sclerosis for which there is no effective drug treatment. It is known that Pu.1 and Fms are key regulators in myelopoiesis, and their defects in mice can lead to reduced osteoclast numbers and consequent osteopetrosis. Yet how Pu.1 and Fms genetically interact in the development of osteoclasts and the pathogenesis of osteopetrosis is still unclear. Here, we characterized pu.1^G242D;fms^j4e1 double-deficient zebrafish, which exhibited a greater deficiency of functional osteoclasts and displayed more severe osteopetrotic symptoms than the pu.1^G242D or fms^j4e1 single mutants, suggesting a synergistic function of Pu.1 and Fms in the regulation of osteoclast development. We further demonstrated that Pu.1 plays a dominant role in osteoclastogenesis, whereas Fms plays a dominant role in osteoclast maturation. Importantly, treatment with the drug retinoic acid significantly relieved the different degrees of osteopetrosis symptoms in these models by increasing the number of functional osteoclasts. Thus, we report the development of valuable animal models of osteopetrosis, and our results shed light on drug development for antiosteopetrosis therapy.     

Eco‐efficiency assessment of calcium sulfoaluminate clinker production

Calcium sulfoaluminate‐based cements (CSA) are proposed as a cement alternative with a low carbon footprint. The nature of CSA makes the manufacturing process to require lower temperature, less fuel, and less calcite. However, it requires aluminum oxide, Al₂O₃, which would be originated from bauxite and bauxite‐derived wastes, and sulfur, coming from calcium sulfate or elemental sulfur. An eco‐efficiency assessment of CSA cements, benchmarked against the conventional Portland cement, has been performed following the principles of ISO 14045 on eco‐efficiency for a total of 240 CSA clinker production scenarios. The eco‐efficiency indicator relates an environmental indicator with a product system value indicator, and it is calculated for each of the studied parameters: bauxite geographical origin, the fuel used for clinkering, the source of sulfur, and the composition of the clinker. Eco‐efficiency results show a strong dependence on the origin of bauxite, while other parameters, as the fuel used, its content in sulfur, or the supply of other raw materials, are of less importance. The most eco‐efficient solutions are those with certain closeness to bauxite sources. To achieve global solutions, that is, cement‐making based on CSA independently of the origin of the raw materials, the amount of bauxite needs to be minimized and CSA composition restricted.     

Divergent effects of peripheral and global neuropeptide Y deletion

Objectives:Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in the coordination of bone mass and adiposity. However, multiple NPY sources exist and their individual contribution to the skeleton and adiposity not known. The objectives of our study were to evaluate the effects of peripheral mesenchymal derived NPY to the skeleton and adiposity and to compare them to the global NPY^KO model.Methods:To study the role of mesenchymal-derived NPY, we crossed conditional NPY (NPY^fl/fl) mice with Prx1cre to generate PrxNPY^KO mice. The bone phenotype was assessed using micro-CT. The skeletal phenotype of PrxNPY^KO mice was subsequently compared to global NPY^KO model. We evaluated body weight, adiposity and functionally assessed the feeding response of NPY neurons to determine whether central NPY signaling was altered by Prx1cre.Results:We identified the increase in cortical parameters in PrxNPY^KO mice with no changes to cancellous bone. This was the opposite phenotype to global NPY^KO mice generated from the same conditional allele. Male NPY^KO mice have increased adiposity, while PrxNPY^KO mice showed no difference, demonstrating that local mesenchymal-derived NPY does not influence adiposity.Conclusion:NPY mediates both positive and negative effects on bone mass via separate regulatory pathways. Deletion of mesenchymal-derived NPY had a positive effect on bone mass.     

Dual-curing resin cement with colour indicator for adhesively cemented restorations to dental tissues: Change of colour by curing and some physical properties

The study was aimed to investigate a color indicator containing dual curing resin composite luting cement and to plot the color change to the time of solidification of the cement. In addition some physical properties were studied. Specimens were made of a dual-cure resin cement (Maxcem Elite™ Chroma, Kerr, Orange, CA, USA) and polymerized by autopolymerization only, or with light initiated polymerization. A spectrophotometer was used to quantify the color change of the cement as plotted with the curing time. The efficacy of the curing process was studied by measuring water sorption and the ultimate flexural properties of the cement. The results showed that the flexural strength of cement after autopolymerization was 27.3 MPa and after light initiated polymerization 48.1 MPa. Young’s modulus of bending was 2089.3 MPa and 3781.5 MPa respectively for the same cement samples. Water sorption after two weeks for the autopolymerization cement samples was −1.12 wt% and for the light initiated polymerization samples 0.56 wt%. Non-parametric Spearman’s correlation was measured for autopolymerized cement samples between variables for color and solidification load (N), which showed a strong correlation between curing process and color change (p < 0.05). There was a correlation between the color change and degree of monomer conversion of the dual curing resin composite luting cement which contained a color indicator system for polymerization reaction. The study also suggested that autopolymerization only resulted in suboptimal polymerization of the cement. By additional light curing considerably higher flexural properties were obtained.