Vitamin D and calcium are required at the time of denosumab administration during osteoporosis treatment

To evaluate the differences in outcomes of treatment with denosumab alone or denosumab combined with vitamin D and calcium supplementation in patients with primary osteoporosis. Patients were split into a denosumab monotherapy group （18 cases） or a denosumab plus vitamin D supplementation group （combination group; 23 cases）. We measured serum bone alkaline phosphatase （BAP）, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase （TRACP）-5b and urinary N-terminal telopeptide of type-I collagen （NTX） at baseline, 1 week, as well as at I month and 2, 4, 8 and 12 months. We also measured bone mineral density （BMD） of L1-4 lumbar vertebrae （L）-BMD and bilateral hips （H）-BMD at baseline and at 4, 8 and 12 months. There was no significant difference in patient background. TRACP-5b and urinary NTX were significantly suppressed in both groups from I week to 12 months （except at 12 months for NTX）. In the combination group, TRACP-5b was significantly decreased compared with the denosumab monotherapy group at 2 and 4 months （P 〈 0.05）. BAP was significantly suppressed in both groups at 2-12 months. L-BMD significantly increased at 8 and 12 months （8.9%） in the combination group and at 4, 8 and 12 months （6.0%） in the denosumab monotherapy group, compared with those before treatment. H-BMD was significantly increased in the combination group （3.6%） compared with the denosumab group （1.2%） at 12 months （P 〈 0.05）. Compared with denosumab monotherapy, combination therapy of denosumab with vitamin D and calcium stopped the decrease in calcium caused by denosumab, inhibited bone metabolism to a greater extent, and increased BMD （especially at the hips）.

Night-time Rise in Rat Pineal N-Acetyltransferase due to Carbaryl Administration Is Reduced by Propranolol Treatment

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of administration of sublethal doses of carbaryl on nighttime rat pineal melatonin synthesis in the presence and absence of propranolol, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist. Two groups of adult male albino rats were administered orally N-methyl-l-naphthylcarbamate (carbaryl) (8. 33mg/kg BW daily in corn oil) for six successive days; another two groups received corn oil only.On the last day of carbaryl treatment, half of the animals received an intraperitoneal injection of propranolol (20 mg/kg body weight, one hour before lights off). The other two groups were given a saline injection. Four hours after darkness onset, pineal N-acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) activities as well as pineal concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP), serotonin (5HT),5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5HIAA) and pineal and serum melatonin levels were measured. Nocturnal NAT activity was increased due to carbaryl administration but the pesticide was ineffective in stimulating NAT activity in rats treated with propranolol.Pineal 5HT was decreased due to carbaryl administration but 5HTP and 5HIAA levels were unaffected. Pineal and serum melatonin levels were decreased due to propranolol treatment. The results indicate that carbaryl may influence pineal NAT activity by a mechanism that involves β-adrenergic neural transmission.

Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Oral Administration of Chinese Medicines and Retention-Enema——A Report of 50 Cases

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common disease of intestinal dysfunction, is also called emotional enteritis, mucous enteritis, irritable colon and so on1. It is often lingering with a long disease course and is easy to recur. The author has in recent years treated 50 cases of the disease by oral administration of Chinese medicines and retention-enema, with satisfactory results reported as follows.