This study examined the correlation between osteoporosis and the degeneration of intervertebral discs. Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained up to 22 or 28 months. The femoral bone, tibial bone and lumbar vertebra were histologically studied and the expression of collagen type II and X in intervertebral discs was immunohistochemiscally determined. Several indices for the degeneration of intervertebral discs and osteoporosis and the correlation among them were then analyzed. Close correlations were found among the indices for the degeneration of intervertebral discs, including the relative area of the vascular bud, the ratio of the uncalcified and the calcified layers, the expression of collagen type II and X. The correlation with collagen type X was negative. There existed positive correlations among the indices for osteoporosis, including the thickness ratio of cortical bone, the relative area of bone trabecula, the density of femoral and vertebral body bones, and the maximum stress and strain on bone. Analysis on the relationship of osteoporosis and the disease on disc showed that the indices of osteoporosis were negatively correlated with the indices of the degeneration of intervertebral discs but the expression of collagen type X was positively correlated, with the density of vertebral body bones having the strongest dependence on collagen type X. The maximum stress and strain bore no correlation with the degeneration of intervertebral discs. These results suggest that osteoporosis was negatively correlated with the degeneration of intervertebral discs.

Objective To evaluate the anatomic changes and dosimetric variations of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) during the course of simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) by comparison of the dosimetric differences with or without replanning.Methods Twelve cases with NPC treated with SIB-IMRT underwent repeated CT scans after 20- 25 fractions of the initiation of therapy.The original treatment plan ( Plan1 ) based on the first CT scan ( CT1 ) and the second IMRT plan (Plan 2) based on the second CT scan (CT2) were calculated with an inverse planning system (Pinnacle3,Philips Medical System).In addition,the hybrid IMRT plan,Planl (CT2),was generated by deformable registration with MIMVISTA software,and the doses in Plan 1 ( CT1 ) and Plan 2 ( CT2 ) were accumulated based on CT2.The dosimetric differences were compared among the Plan 1 ( CT1 ),Plan 1 (CT2) and Plan 1 + 2(CT2).Results Compared with CT1,the mean volumes of the right and left parotid glands in the CT2 were significantly smaller by ( 24.6 ± 11.9 ) ％ and ( 35.1 ± 20.1 ) ％,respectively.Compared with Plan 1 ( CT1 ),the dose received by 95％ of the target ( D9s ) to PGTV,PTV1 and PTV2,and mean dose (D ) to PGTV,and PTV2 were all significantly lower in the Plan 1 (CT2),indicating that the doses to targets decreased without replanning.With repeated CT and replanning after 25 fractions as shown in Plan 1 + 2 (CT2),the doses to targets would be improved.The doses to normal tissue were increased without replanning,although no statistical significance was observed.In 5 of 12 cases,the doses to the spinal cord and brainstem exceeded the constraint without replanning,while the corresponding values decreased with replanning.Conclusions During the course of IMRT for cases with NPC,the volumes of the targets and parotid glands decrease significantly.Mid-treatment CT scanning and replanning should be recommended to ensure adequate doses to the targets and safe doses to the normal tissues.

This study examined the correlation between osteoporosis and the degeneration of intervertebral discs.Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained up to 22 or 28 months.The femoral bone,tibial bone and lumbar vertebra were histologically studied and the expression of collagen type Ⅱ and X in intervertebral discs was immunohistochemiscally determined.Several indices for the degeneration of intervertebral discs and osteoporosis and the correlation among them were then analyzed.Close correlations were found among the indices for the degeneration of intervertebral discs,including the relative area of the vascular bud,the ratio of the uncalcified and the calcified layers,the expression of collagen type Ⅱ and X.The correlation with collagen type X was negative.There existed positive correlations among the indices for osteoporosis,including the thickness ratio of cortical bone,the relative area of bone trabecula,the density of femoral and vertebral body bones,and the maximum stress and strain on bone.Analysis on the relationship of osteoporosis and the disease on disc showed that the indices of osteoporosis were negatively correlated with the indices of the degeneration of intervertebral discs but the expression of collagen type X was positively correlated,with the density of vertebral body bones having the strongest dependence on collagen type X.The maximum stress and strain bore no correlation with the degeneration of intervertebral discs.These results suggest that osteoporosis was negatively correlated with the degeneration of intervertebral discs.

The mitochondrial respiratory chain consists of 5 enzyme complexes that are responsible for ATP generation. The paradigm of the electron transport chain as discrete enzymes diffused in the inner mitochondrial membrane has been replaced by the solid state supercomplex model wherein the respiratory complexes associate with each other to form supramolecular complexes. Defects in these supercomplexes, which have been shown to be functionally active and required for forming stable respiratory complexes, have been associated with many genetic and neurodegenerative disorders demonstrating their biomedical significance. In this review, we will summarize the functional and structural significance of supercomplexes and provide a comprehensive review of their assembly and the assembly factors currently known to play a role in this process.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; metabolism ; Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase ; metabolism ; Cardiolipins ; metabolism ; Electron Transport ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Multienzyme Complexes ; chemistry ; metabolism