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Objectives: Oral health care providers may discover systemic diseases incidentally from signs observed in the oral cavity. Here, we report a case in which oral health care providers in a hospital discovered a patient with strongly suspected bullous pemphigoid (BP), which is a relatively rare but important disease, in a ward. Methods: The patient was a 78-year-old Japanese woman admitted to our hospital because of severe Alzheimer's disease. We discovered recurrent ulcers in the oral mucosa and skin when performing oral care in her ward. Biopsy could not be performed safely because of involuntary biting. We performed blood tests for anti-BP180-NC16a antibody, which is autoantibody specific for BP. Results: The patient had a very high anti-BP180-NC16a antibody titre. We consulted a dermatologist regarding her clinical course and the clinical features of the oral mucosa and skin along with blood test results. BP was very strongly suspected. Discussion: In cases in which oral health care providers suspect their patients may have BP, appropriate examination and provision of information to the doctor are important. Oral health care providers should have knowledge about systemic diseases, the signs of which appear in oral cavity to avoid missing important systemic diseases.

Background and purpose: α1-Adrenoceptor antagonists are extensively used in the treatment of hypertension and lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Among the side effects, ejaculatory dysfunction occurs more frequently with drugs that are relatively selective for α1A-adrenoceptors compared with other drugs of this class. This suggests that α1A-adrenoceptors may contribute to ejaculation. However, this has not been studied at the molecular level. Experimental approach: The physiological contribution of each α1-adrenoceptor subtype was characterized using α1-adrenoceptor subtype-selective knockout (KO) mice (α1A-, α1B- and α1D-AR KO mice) since the subtype-specific drugs available are only moderately selective. We analysed the role of α1-adrenoceptors in the blood pressure and vascular response as well as ejaculation by determining these variables in α1-adrenoceptor subtype-selective KO mice and in mice with all their α1-adrenoceptor subtypes deleted (α1-AR triple-KO mice). Key results: The pregnancy rate was reduced by 50% in α1A-adrenoceptor KO mice, and this reduction was dramatically enhanced in α1-adrenoceptor triple-KO mice. Contractile tension of the vas deferens in response to noradrenaline was markedly decreased in α1A-adrenoceptor KO mice, and this contraction was completely abolished in α1-adrenoceptor triple-KO mice. This attenuation of contractility was also observed in the electrically stimulated vas deferens. Conclusions and implications: These results demonstrate that α1-adrenoceptors, particularly α1A-adrenoceptors, are required for normal contractility of the vas deferens and consequent sperm ejaculation as well as having a function in fertility. British Journal of Pharmacology (2007) 152, 332–340; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707366; published online 2 July 2007

A Bombyx EST cDNA database was searched using the Drosophila takeout gene and nine cDNAs were obtained. The homology search suggested that these genes are widespread in insects and organize a large gene family, and that they have hydrophobic ligands. A phylogenetic tree indicated that the genes are first divided into two large groups, juvenile hormone binding protein and other protein genes, and the latter group diversified within a short time at an early stage. The expression study of five Bombyx genes indicated that they are expressed in various tissues and are regulated by development and feeding conditions. The Bombyx genes might have roles related to the regulation of metabolism, growth or development related to nutritional conditions.

Complexation-induced chemical shifts and diffusion coefficients (HR-DOSY) of enantiomers with native and derivatized cyclodextrins were used for calculations of the apparent binding constants of three cyclohexanone inclusion complexes. Correlations between these data and high-performance liquid chromatography were established, revealing that this approach can be applied as an alternative method to predict enantiomeric discrimination. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Aims The present study examines the relationship between markers of endothelial dysfunction and diabetic neuropathy or consequent neuropathic foot ulceration in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods We studied 65 Type 2 diabetic patients including 25 diabetic patients without neuropathy, 27 with neuropathy but no history of foot ulceration, and 13 with neuropathic ulceration. Plasma concentrations of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and soluble thrombomodulin (TM), measures of endothelial dysfunction, were determined by enzyme immunoassays. We performed various tests quantifying aspects of diabetic neuropathy including vibration perception threshold (VPT; for sensory neuropathy), coefficient of variation of R–R intervals (CVR–R; for cardiac autonomic neuropathy), and cold-induced vasodilation in the great toe for peripheral sympathetic neuropathy. Results CVR–R and cold-induced vasodilation were significantly diminished in patients with neuropathic foot ulceration compared with patients with neuropathy but no history of foot ulceration. Plasma vWF concentrations were positively correlated with VPT and cold-induced vasodilation test, and were inversely correlated with CVR–R. Multivariate analysis disclosed that VPT and percentage vasodilation were independent factors for plasma vWF. Plasma vWF was significantly elevated in patients with foot ulceration compared with patients without neuropathy or those with neuropathy but not foot ulceration. However, plasma TM concentrations did not differ between the three groups. Conclusions Diabetic patients with neuropathic foot ulceration had severe impairment of cardiac autonomic and peripheral sympathetic nerves. Elevation of vWF in plasma was associated with neuropathic foot ulceration, linking endothelial dysfunction to foot ulceration.

A shell-type superconducting transformer was developed for experiments using Nb3Sn superconducting cables. The designed capacity is 667 kVA (single phase), the voltage is 440/220 V, the current is 1515/3030 A and the percent impedance is 16 percent. Main features of the transformer are as follows: (1) Magnetic field in superconducting coils is decreased by increasing the number of high and low coil groups. (2) Large-scale superconducting cables are not needed when the number of high and low coil groups is increased. (3) Epoxy impregnated coils are used to withstand an electromagnetic force at 120 Hz. The Nb3Sn basic strand was manufactured by the internal tin diffusion process. The cable consists of seven insulated subcables, and the subcable consists of seven strands. The primary (HV) coil of the transformer was excited, in which the secondary (LV) coil was shortened. The primary current reached 1618 Arms without quenching, and the reached capacity corresponds to 712 KA. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 118 (3): 13–21, 1997

The total proton and carbon-13 NMR assignments of quinghaosu I, II and V isolated from Artemisia annua cultivated in Brazil and of the synthetic derivatives quinghaosu alkene, ketone and epoxy are reported. The conformations and conformational equilibria of these compounds in solution were obtained from the spectral data and molecular mechanics calculations.

An efficient and enantiocontrolled synthesis of triptoquinone B and C, which possess interleukin-1 inhibitory activity, has been accomplished employing the lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution and a highly diastereoselective radical cyclization as key synthetic steps. In addition, the first total synthesis of triptocallol has been achieved utilizing the same strategy.

Reduction of the α,β-unsaturated ester moiety of (+)-methyl hardwickiate with magnesium in methanol afforded methyl (4aS,6S,8aS,1R,5R)-5,6,8a-trimethyl-5-[2′-(3″-oxoyl)-ethyl-perhydro-1-naphthalenyl]-carboxaylate, while reduction with sodium in n-propanol, followed by esterification with diazomethane, furnished its C-4 epimer. After comparison of the 1 H - and 13 C -NMR data of these compounds with those reported for crolechinic acid isolated from Croton lechleri, a stereochemical revision for the natural product is suggested.

Spectroscopic analysis of a lanostane derivative, which was synthesized with a view to its application as an intermediate in chiral building block syntheses, is presented together with the conformational analysis of a secolanostane-7-8-9,11-tetraone.

Despite the large number of clerodanes isolated as natural products in the last decade, the correct 13C NMR chemical shift assignments of some carbons are still in doubt. In order to provide unambiguous assign-ments of the chemical shifts of clerodane diterpenes, a complete 13C NMR spectral analysis of methyl (+)-hard-wickiate and 14 hemisynthetic derivatives is reported. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Irradiation of the dibenzocycloheptenes (I) in the presence of the alkenes (II) produces the cycloadducts (III).

Cracks were found on the surface of drawn nylon 6 filaments irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light from a mercury lamp under various humidities at room temperature. The cracks were formed perpendicular to the fiber axis and were of varying sizes. No cracks were observed on undrawn filaments or drawn filaments exposed to UV light in a dry atmosphere. Considerable shrinkage was found in drawn samples by thermomechanical analysis indicating the presence of residual stress in the material. The cracking is explained in terms of the residual stress and plasticization by moisture. The presence of water appears to play an important role in the formation of cracks on nylon fibers which have been subjected either to UV light or to ..gamma..-ray irradiation.

The effect of N,N-dialkyl dithiocarbamate substitution on the radiation stability of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) film was studied. PVC containing 6.5-15.7 mole-percent N,N-dimethyl dithiocarbamate (PDE) was irradiated with ..gamma..-rays from a /sup 60/Co source at room temperature under vacuum. The evolved gaseous products were measured and analyzed with a mass spectrometer. The apparent G values for gas evolution of PDM and PDE decreased remarkably. The external protection was studied using polymer-blended films of PVC and PDE or PDM. The stabilization coefficients for internal protection and external protection in polymer blends were calculated. Although the ESR spectrum of the irradiated PDM, PDE, and PVDE which is synthesized by polymerization of S-vinyl-N,N-diethyl dithiocarbamate (VDE) showed the same sulfur radicals, they were different from those of the irradiated cysteamine hydrochloride and PVC containing N-methyl dithiocarbamate (PMD). From these results, the protection of a polymer by a covalently bound dithiocarbamate was discussed.

The reaction of poly(vinyl chloride) containing N-methyl dithiocarbamate (PMD) with metal ions in a heterogeneous system and the effect of ..gamma..-irradiation on the reactivity were studied. PMD powder suspended in aqueous solutions did not show any reactivity toward metal ions. However, the PMD powder suspended in a methyl alcohol solution formed a chelate with various metal ions. The effects of the reaction time, pH, and the initial concentration of the metal ion were examined. PMD irradiated in methyl alcohol with ..gamma..-irradiation doses up to 28 Mrad was compared with the original PMD. The reactivity of the irradiated PMD toward the metal ions did not show any apparent decrease.

La barriere a la rotation interne du N,N-dimethyl acetamide coordinne a SbCl 3 est determinee a partir d'une analyse de profil de raies en spectrometre RMN. La barriere a la rotation du dimethyl acetamide diminue lors de la complexation avec SbCl 3