Hideo Nigi

Recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor accelerates fracture healing by enhancing callus remodeling in experimental dog tibial fracture

Effect of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on fracture healing was investigated using a tibial fracture in beagle dogs. Transverse fractures in the middle of the diaphyses were created in the right tibiae and bFGF was injected into the fracture sites at a single dose of 200 μg. The time course of changes in callus volume and morphology of the fracture sites were evaluated at weeks 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 after treatment, and the fracture strength was analyzed at weeks 16 and 32. At week 2, a radiogram of the fracture site showed obvious membranous ossification in the group injected with bFGF. Basic FGF extended the callus area at week 4 and increased the bone mineral content (BMC) in the callus at week 8. bFGF also increased the osteoclast number in the periosteal callus at weeks 2 and 4. In the bFGF group, a maximal increase in the osteoclast index was found at week 4, and an identical increase was recognized in the control group at weeks 8 and 16. These findings strongly suggested that bFGF stimulated not only callus formation but osteoclastic callus resorption. BMC in the bFGF group was followed by a rapid decrease from week 8, while that in the control group was identical from week 4. Fracture strength of the bFGF group showed significant recovery by week 16, and recovery was still evident by week 32. We conclude that bFGF promotes the fracture healing in dogs by the stimulation of bone remodeling.

Sensitivity to two major allergens (Cry j I and Cry j II) in patients with Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis

Background: Japanese cedar (Cryptmeria japonica: CJ) pollinosis is one of the most important allergic diseases in Japan. Recently, the second major allergen (Cry j II) was isolated from CJ pollen. There have been no prevalence studies of sensitivity to Cry j I and Cry j II among a large number of patients with pollinosis.

Sexual maturation and seasonal changes in reproductive phenomena of male Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) at Takasakiyama

The authors examined testis tissues and blood which were collected from free-ranging Japanese monkeys of the Takasakiyama troop during four periods in 1971 (mating season: late January-early February; early birth season: June; late birth season: August; and intermediate season between birth season and mating season: October), and studied their sexual maturation and seasonal changes in reproductive phenomena.Results of observations on the testis and plasma testosterone concentration were in agreement with each other. Except in a few cases, the testis was infantile until October at 4 years old and developed rapidly during the following two months, and spermatogenesis started in the mating season at 4 years old (in exceptional cases, it started one year earlier). After the following two-year process of sexual maturation, monkeys attained full maturation in the mating season at 6 years old.For seasonal changes in reproductive phenomena also, results of observations on the testis and the plasma testosterone were in agreement with each other. Activity of the testis repeated an annual cycle of being maximal in the mating season, regressing in the birth season, and redeveloping toward the following mating season. Such seasonal changes were noticeably observed with 4- to 6-year-old animals, which are in the process of sexual maturation.

Some aspects related to conception of the Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata)

The season of birth, age of the first parturition, gestation period, and vaginal bleeding and mating after conception were surveyed with Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata). The analyses of the former two items were dependent on the birth records in the Ohirayama troop collected from 1957 to 1973, and the analyses of the latter two items were dependent on data obtained by a 48-hour mating in a laboratory.Birth in the Ohirayama troop converged into the months from March to July, especially from April to June. The age of the first parturition was three years and 11 months at the earliest, and nine years and two months at the latest. The monkeys giving their first birth at the age of five or thereabouts were most frequently observed (68.6%), and most of the monkeys had their first parturition from about the age of four years to about the age of six years.The gestation period calculated from 17 cases, which was defined as the period from the first day of a 48-hour mating to the day before parturition, was 173 ± 6.9 days ranging from 161 to 188 days.In 25 out of 28 cases, the vaginal bleeding was observed after conception. It began slightly later (between 16 and 24 days after mating) than the forecasted time of the next menstrual hemorrhage, and usually lasted longer than bleeding of the usual menses.Each of three female monkeys caged together with a male monkey 30 days after conception was observed to have copulated, and the male was observed to have ejaculated.

Distribution of the electrophoretic variants of serum alpha1-antitrypsin in six species of the macaques

Individual variations ofα1-antitrypsin of the macaques were investigated by means of starch gel electrophoresis. The material comprised a total of 1,084 plasma samples taken from six species, namely,Macaca irus, mulatta, cyclopis, nemestrina, speciosa, andfuscata, including several geographical groups. At least ten phenotypes which were assumed in analogy to human Pi-system to be under genetic control of five codominant alleles tentatively denoted byPiMacA, B, C, D, Ewere identified. It was considered that these alleles are commonly possessed by different macaque species. A marked difference in the distribution of allele frequencies was found both within and between species groups. Several aspects of this new polymorphic variation in the macaques were discussed with special reference to the geographical distribution of the alleles and the origins of the Japanese macaque,M. fuscata.

Menstrual cycle and some other related aspects of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata)

The menstrual cycle and some other related aspects of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) were dealt with in this paper. Almost all the monkeys had regular menstrual cycles only in the mating season, and had no menstrual cycles, or only irregular ones, in the non-mating season. The average length of the menstrual cycle in the mating season was 26.3 ±5.4 days. Many monkeys had a tendency to have their own individual and relatively regular cycles. Ninety out of 108 monkeys kept in the air-conditioned quarters for five years showed “periodical changes” essentially coincident with the changes of outdoor season, and this fact suggests that the rhythm of the seasonal change of Japanese monkeys remains for a relatively long period even if the monkeys are kept in air-conditioned quarters where room temperature and lighting are kept constant throughout the year. Vaginal smear, cervical mucus, sexual skin, etc. were observed in relation to ovulation. These characters showed cyclic changes with menstrual cycles in about half of all cases observed, but ovulation occurred even in the cases in which no cyclic change was observed. Therefore, it was not necessarily easy to estimate the ovulation by observing these characters.

Birth rate and mortality rate of infants with congenital malformations of the limbs in the Awajishima free-ranging group of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata)

The birth rate and mortality rate of infants with congenital malformations of the limbs were examined in the Awajishima free‐ranging group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Of the 606 infants born between 1978 and 1995, 86 (14.2%) were malformed. The male‐female ratio did not differ between malformed and normal infants. Most kin‐groups included females who gave birth to malformed infants at least once. The mortality rate within the first year after birth for malformed infants (28.2%) was significantly higher than that for normal infants (10.0%). However, this indicates that more than 70% of malformed infants were able to survive for the first year of life, even though they were unable to cling to their mothers ventrum due to their limb deformities. This finding indicates that maternal care‐taking is sufficient to enable malformed infants to survive during the early stages of development and that clinging by the infant is not necessary for the display of maternal care. Am. J. Primatol. 42:225–234, 1997.

Epitope specificity of IgE antibodies to a major allergen (Cry j 1) of Japanese cedar pollen in sera of humans and monkeys with pollinosis

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis has been reported to occur naturally in Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) as well as humans. Using monoclonal antibodies (mAb) specific to Cry j 1, a major allergen in Japanese cedar pollen, we identified five independent epitopes (EP‐1 to EP‐5) on the molecule. The epitopes recognized by IgE antibodies in the sera of humans and monkeys with the pollinosis were analysed by an IgE enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay inhibition method with these mAb. In human patients, the mAb to EP‐1 strongly blocked the binding of IgE antibodies in all patients’ sera to Cry j 1. The reaction patterns of IgE antibodies in monkeys, however, varied among the troops of monkeys. In some troops, the mAb to EP‐1 showed a blocking pattern similar to that for human patients. In other troops, mAb to EP‐4 and EP‐5 blocked binding of IgE. These results indicate that some, but not all, monkeys have antibody responses to the major allergen similar to those of humans.

Hemoglobin variation in macaques

A total of 1,333 hemolysates obtained from six different species of macaques,M. fuscata, M. cyclopis, M. mulatta, M. speciosa, M. nemestrina, andM. irus, were examined by starch gel electrophoresis. Three major hemoglobins, tentatively designated S, F, and P, and one minor component were found among the samples, in which P and a minor component were observed only in some samples ofM. irus. The hemoglobin types observed and their incidence in each species agreed, on the whole, with results reported by earlier workers. However, in addition to marked differences among macaque species, there existed striking geographical differences in the distribution of hemoglobin components within the same species. The distribution of hemoglobin types observed among the species are presented, together with the results of the determination of hemoglobin concentration in a two-band type and those of the alkali-resistant pigment of the macaques.

Urine Collection in the Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and Its Applicability to Endocrinological Studies

We investigated a new method of urine collection in the common marmoset. We entered the cage as soon as the light cycle started in the breeding room and collected urine from the animal directly without any restraint. We were able to take separate samples from completely different individuals housed together for behavioral studies in the same cage. Urine and blood samples were taken from individuals from late pregnancy through postpartum nursing period. Cortisol and prolactin concentrations measured in urine were compared to those measured in blood to evaluate this collection method. LH/CG level in the urine samples was also measured. Urine data in females indicated a tendency toward high cortisol values during late pregnancy, a sharp drop before parturition, and increase after delivery. In females cortisol levels measured in blood closely resembled concentrations measured in urine. Urine cortisol in males clearly indicated an increase postpartum, but the increase was not indicated in plasma. Plasma and urine prolactin concentrations in females made a similar increase during lactation. Males plasma prolactin clearly indicated an increase directly proportional to strong behavioral contact with the infant. We also confirmed hormonal changes during pregnancy, and postpartum ovulation and subsequent pregnancies, from urine LH/CG data. We found this method extremely useful because of the high correlation between cortisol, prolactin and LH/CG data from blood and urine. Additionally, we collected urine samples with little stress to the animal from fear, irritation, pain, etc.