Long Term Cyclic Pamidronate Reduces Bone Growth by Inhibiting Osteoclast Mediated Cartilage-to-Bone Turnover in the Mouse

Bisphosphonates, used to treat diseases exhibiting increased osteoclast activity, reduce longitudinal bone growth through an as yet undefined mechanism. Pamidronate, an aminobisphosphonate, was given weekly to mice at 0, 1.25, or 2.50 mg/kg/wk beginning at 4 weeks of age. At 12 weeks of age, humeral length, growth plate area, regional chondrocyte cell numbers, chondrocyte apoptosis, TRAP stained osteoclast number, and osteoclast function assessed by cathepsin K immunohistochemistry were quantified. Humeral length was decreased in pamidronate treated mice compared to vehicle control mice, and correlated with greater growth plate areas reflecting greater proliferative and hypertrophic chondrocyte cell numbers with fewer hypertrophic cells undergoing apoptosis. Pamidronate treatment increased TRAP stained osteoclast numbers yet decreased cathepsin K indicating that pamidronate repressed osteoclast maturation and function. The data suggest that long term cyclic pamidronate treatment impairs bone growth by inhibition of osteoclast maturation thereby reducing cartilage-to-bone turnover within the growth plate

Credit risk and macroeconomic stress tests in China

This paper examines the vulnerability of commercial banks in China to the changes in macroeconomic conditions by employing a macroeconomic stress test. We particularly focus on how the changes in housing market related variables and the scale of shadow banking influence the credit risks of China’s entire banking system. Based on the result of a Vector Autoregression (VAR) model, we proceed with a five-scenario analysis. Our main finding is the ability of shadow banking to absorb the credit risks of commercial banks rather than there being a spill over effect, according to the data from Q1 2005 to Q2 2016.1 Moreover, the mortgage loan is risky to commercial banks during this period. In addition, our scenario analysis suggests that China’s banking system is relatively stable and that the Central Bank of China is capable of monitoring the credit risks of commercial banks using appropriate credit policies