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To characterize the renal handling of CS-023 (RO4908463), a novel parenteral carbapenem antibiotic, and meropenem in humans, we examined their affinities as substrates to human renal transporters. In vitro studies on the uptake of [14C]CS-023 and [14C]meropenem were conducted using HEK293 cells expressing human organic anion transporters (hOAT) 1, hOAT3, hOAT4, and the human organic cation transporters (hOCT) 1 and hOCT2. CS-023 did not serve as the substrate for any of the transporters tested. On the other hand, meropenem was transported by hOAT1 and hOAT3. The Km value of the hOAT3-mediated transport was 847 microM, and the uptake was inhibited by probenecid, p-aminohippurate and benzylpenicillin with Ki values of 3.76, 712, and 202 microM, respectively. One of the reasons why CS-023 is not a substrate of hOATs, and vice versa for meropenem, would be that a very small proportion of CS-023 exists as the anionic form at the physiological pH, whereas 50% of meropenem exists as the anionic form. These findings indicate that the lack of recognition of CS-023 by renal transporters is one of the reasons for its long plasma half-life in humans compared with meropenem which undergoes renal tubular secretion mediated by hOAT1 and hOAT3.

We investigated the tissue distribution of a humanized anti-human Fas monoclonal antibody, R-125224, in SCID mice transplanted with synovial tissues from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (SCID-HuRAg mice). The binding kinetics of R-125224 was also determined, using isolated human synovial cells.Tissue distribution was assessed at 1, 24 and 168 h after intravenous administration of (125)I-R-125224 to SCID-HuRAg mice (0.4 mg/kg). The in vitro binding of (125)I-R-125224 to isolated human synovial cells was investigated.After intravenous administration of (125)I-R-125224 to SCID-HuRAg mice, the radioactivity distributed to various tissues at 1 h. Thereafter, the radioactivity in the tissues gradually decreased except for the transplanted synovial tissues, in which the radioactivity increased in a time-dependent manner, and at 168 h, the tissue/plasma concentration ratio was about 1. The in vitro binding affinity of (125)I-R-125224 to human synovial cells was high with a dissociation constant of 1.32 +/- 0.62 nM and the binding was inhibited by non-labeled R-125224 in a concentration-dependent manner.R-125224, a candidate compound for treating rheumatoid arthritis, specifically distributed to the pharmacological target site, human synovium transplanted in SCID mice, with high affinity.

We identified human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms responsible for producing dihydrotestosterone (DHT) diglucuronide, a novel glucuronide in which the second glucuronosyl moiety is attached at the C2' position of the first glucuronosyl moiety, leading to diglucuronosyl conjugation of a single hydroxyl group of DHT at the C17 position. Incubation of the DHT monoglucuronide with 12 cDNA-expressed recombinant human UGT isoforms and uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid resulted in a low but measurable DHT diglucuronidation activity primarily with UGT1A8, a gastrointestinal UGT, and to a lesser extent with UGT1A1 and UGT1A9. In contrast, the activity of DHT monoglucuronidation was high and was found in UGT2B17, UGT2B15, UGT1A8, and UGT1A4 in descending order. Among the 12 UGT isoforms tested, only UGT1A8 was capable of producing DHT diglucuronide from DHT. The kinetics of DHT diglucuronidation by microsomes from human liver and intestine fitted the Michaelis-Menten model, and the V(max)/K(m) value for the intestinal microsomes was approximately 4 times greater than that for the liver microsomes.

Hepatic uptake and biliary excretion of olmesartan, a new angiotensin II blocker, were investigated in vitro using human hepatocytes, cells expressing uptake transporters and canalicular membrane vesicles, and in vivo using Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats (EHBR), inherited multidrug resistance-associated protein (mrp2)-deficient rats. The uptake by human hepatocytes reached saturation with a Michaelis constant (K(m)) of 29.3 +/- 9.9 microM. Both Na(+)-dependent and Na(+)-independent uptake of olmesartan by human hepatocytes were observed. The uptake by Na(+)-independent human liver-specific organic anion transporters OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes was also saturable, with K(m) values of 42.6 +/- 28.6 and 71.8 +/- 21.6 microM, respectively. The Na(+)-dependent taurocholate-cotransporting polypeptide expressed in HEK 293 cells did not transport olmesartan. The cumulative biliary excretion in EHBR was one-sixth compared with that in Sprague-Dawley rats. ATP-dependent uptake of olmesartan was observed in both human canalicular membrane vesicles (hCMVs) and MRP2-expressing vesicles. An MRP inhibitor, MK-571 ([[[3-[2-(7-chloro-2-quinolinyl)ethenyl]phenyl][3-(dimethylamino)-3-oxopropyl]thio]methyl]thio]-propanoic acid) completely inhibited the uptake of olmesartan by hCMVs. In conclusion, the hepatic uptake and biliary excretion of olmesartan are mediated by transporters in humans. OATP1B1 and OATP1B3 are involved in hepatic uptake, at least in part, and MRP2 plays a dominant role in the biliary excretion.

Many industrial instruments use rubber; NBR(Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) is especially used for the packing attached to pneumatic equipment. Recently, with the spread of dry pneumatic pumps, the deterioration of NBR by ozone has become a serious problem. However, the process of the ozone degradation of NBR has not been sufficiently clarified. When examining the ozone degradation of NBR, it is very important to control the ozone concentration. In general, it is difficult to get a low ozone concentration using an ozonizer with an ultraviolet ray lamp. Therefore, we attempted the optimum control of the ozone concentration with dilution by adjusting the air flow rate through the ozonizer using the flow proportional valve. As a result, the ozone concentration in the testing chamber is controlled with greater accuracy than the method based on supplying voltage to the ozonizer.

Article, JSME INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL SERIES B-FLUIDS AND THERMAL ENGINEERING. 49(4): 988-994 (2006)

Idiosyncratic drug toxicity is a rare, toxic drug reaction found only in the drug-treated patients clinically, and is not reproducible in animal experiments. In many cases, this toxicity is initiated quite likely by a production of chemically reactive metabolites, which covalently bind to macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids unless otherwise detoxified by glutathione S-transferases or other scavenging enzymes. Drug-modified proteins, particularly those present in the supernatant fraction, are generally processed to peptide fragments by a proteasome. These peptides are transported to the cell surface after binding to the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I), and presented to the immune system. It is believed that abnormal peptides, when recognized by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes as non-self peptides, induce the toxic immune reaction finally leading to the cell death. Idiosyncrasy would reside on 1) production of the chemically reactive metabolites, 2) degradation of the reactive metabolites, and 3) recognition of drug-modified proteins as non-self proteins by the immune system. In order to prevent the idiosyncratic drug toxicity, organic chemists need to establish a strategy donating the structural nature being hardly converted to the reactive forms to the drug molecules. To detect the chemically reactive metabolites, highly sensitive detection of glutathione conjugate, produced by incubating the parent drug with liver microsomes in the presence of NADPH and glutathione, by a neutral loss scan set at 129 using LC/MS/MS could be utilized. A high pharmacological potency of the drug that eventually leads to a reduced dose level not higher than 10 mg/body would be another avenue to circumvent the idiosyncratic drug toxicity.

To obtain basic data for ballast water management, we examined the lethal effects of shock waves on a marine Vibrio. In the present experiment, shock waves were generated by hitting a projectile, which had been accelerated with a single-stage light gas gun, in an aluminum container having a cylindrical well where cell suspension was tightly maintained. We compared the shock wave effects to the isolate by use of two types of target containers with 5 and 25 mm well depths respectively. In the case of the shallow well, a lethal effect of shock compression was readily observed, but this did not occur for the deep well. Detailed pressure histories showed completely different peak patterns for the two well types. The propagation process of the shock wave was also analyzed theoretically and numerically. Results suggested that the lethal effects of shock waves are closely related to a narrow, rapid pressure change that occurs initially or a broad pressure change after the initial peak, rather than to the maximum pressure value.

The development of a large vortex structure in fluid flow is responsible for some of the most fascinating aspects of fluid dynamics, such as mixing, transport, and instability. This paper describes an experimental study on the vortex nature of a pulsating jet issuing from a rectangular nozzle of an aspect ratio of 5 which has short parallel section upstream of the jet exit. The visualized images by hydrogen bubble method revealed the influence of the bounded plates upon the vortex nature.

Androgens (androsterone, dihydrotestosterone and testosterone) and estrogens (estradiol, estriol and estrone) were incubated with liver microsomes from rats, dogs, monkeys and humans in the presence of uridine diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDPGA), and the glucuronides produced were structurally characterized by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. After 2-h incubation with dog liver microsomes, all substrates tested were converted (approximately 2-10%) to structurally novel diglucuronides, where two glucuronosyl groups are bound to a single hydroxyl group in tandem. Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy unambiguously elucidated the chemical structures of the 3-O-diglucuronide of estrone and the 17-O-diglucuronide of testosterone isolated from the incubation mixture. Monkey and human liver microsomes were also found to have the activity to form this type of diglucuronide, albeit more slowly than the dog liver microsomes, but rat liver microsomes produced no detectable diglucuronides. The rate of formation of estrone 3-O-diglucuronide from the corresponding monoglucuronide in dog liver microsomes followed classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics at substrate concentrations from 50 to 1000 microM, with a K(m) value of 127.1 microM and a V(max) value of 47.0 pmol/min/mg protein.

Phase control of a jet impinging on a wedge has been attempt using an external sound wave. The sound wave irradiating the flow around the exit of the nozzle enables 'phase-lock' which means the synchronization between the flow oscillation and the external sound. Hot-wire measurements with phase locking directly provide a part of the phase averaged flow fields and they illustrate appearance of the jet swing in front of the wedge and collision of the jet on one side of the wedge. These are in good agreement with flow visualization in the water. At the collision amplitude of the periodic velocity component abruptly increases. This phenomenon may contribute the feedback mechanism of the flow oscillation.

Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and liquid chromatography/nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LC/NMR) were applied to the identification of the positional isomers of gemfibrozil metabolites produced in vitro by human liver microsomes. Gemfibrozil was metabolized to two major oxidative metabolites (M1 and M2) by human liver microsomes in the presence of an nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, reduced form (NADPH)-generating system. M1 and M2 were characterized as metabolites formed by the oxidation of the 2′,5′-dimethylphenoxy moiety, which has potentially 5 different positions for hydroxylation, based on the results of negative-ion tandem mass spectrometry in combination with those of accurate mass measurements by quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Separation and identification of M1 and M2 were conducted by LC/NMR analyses at 500 MHz. An on-flow 1H NMR analysis demonstrated that M1 was produced by hydroxylation at either the 2′-methyl group or the 5′-methyl group and M2 by hydroxylation at either the 3′-C or the 4′-C position of the aromatic ring. A stop-flow nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) analysis demonstrated that M1 and M2 were metabolites hydroxylated at the 5′-methyl group and the 4′-C position of the aromatic ring, respectively.

Summary: RS-7897, a novel organic nitrate, structurally contains aminoethylnitrate (AEN) and L-2oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (L-OTCA), which are linked together via an amide bond. Vasodilating activity of RS-7897 was 130 times weaker than that of AEN in vitro , while in vivo it was comparable to but longer lasting than those of AEN and nitroglycerin in anesthetized dogs. Intravenous administration of RS-7897 to dogs resulted in the appearance in plasma of AEN, which decreased with about 2.5 times longer t 1/2 (0.49 h) than that after administration of AEN itself. The T max value of AEN (0.25 h) after RS-7897 dosing agreed with the time showing the maximum vasodilating effect, indicating that RS-7897 serves as a prodrug releasing AEN slowly in vivo . The activity to hydrolyze RS-7897 to AEN and L-OTCA was localized in the cytosolic fractions of dog tissues, inhibited by thiol-blocking agents and was strongly inhibited by thyrotropin-releasing hormone, a substrate of pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase I (PAP-I). Furthermore, the RS-7897-hydrolyzing activity in dog liver cytosol was completely inhibited by an antibody against rat PAP-I. Therefore, it was found that PAP-I is involved in bioactivation of RS-7897 by amide bond hydrolysis, recognizing the sulfur-substituted L-pyroglutamyl moiety (L-OTCA) of this xenobiotic substrate.

Pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase I (PAP-I) is a cytosolic cysteine peptidase, which hydrolytically removes the L-pyroglutamate residue from the amino terminus of endogenous proteins and peptides. L-Pyroglutamyl p-nitroanilide serves as the synthetic substrate of this enzyme, while there is a possibility of other hydrolases being involved in the hydrolysis of this xenobiotic substrate. We cloned a full-length cDNA encoding rat PAP-I from a rat liver cDNA library and expressed this cDNA in Escherichia coli to obtain a recombinant PAP-I as a single protein. The cDNA encoded a sequence of 209 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 22913 Da. The homology of the deduced amino acid sequence of rat PAP-I was 98.6 and 94.3% to mouse and human PAP-Is, respectively. The biochemical properties of the recombinant rat PAP-I were almost identical to those of the recombinant mouse and human PAP-Is and the purified rat liver cytosolic PAP-I in terms of the molecular weight, subunit structure, affinity to the substrate, inhibitor profile and pH optimum. Immunoblot analysis using an antibody raised against recombinant rat PAP-I showed that rat PAP-I is present almost exclusively in the cytosolic fraction of the rat liver. Moreover, the hydrolyzing activity for L-pyroglutamyl p-nitroanilide in rat liver cytosolic fraction was completely inhibited by the antibody, strongly suggesting that this xenobiotic substrate is hydrolyzed solely by PAP-I.

Control of a cavity tone has been done using triangle projections attached at an exit of two-dimensional jet. Experimental results of sound pressure level show that the projections obviously reduce both total sound pressure level and sound level of the dominant frequency of the cavity tone. The sound dumping effect is increasing with increasing number and/or height of projections though this dumping effect saturates with the certain number of projections at the nearly same sound level as that in the wall jet case. The spanwise distribution of pressure fluctuation at the downstream cavity edge has the minima at the right downstream position of the projections and at the other spanwise positions pressure fluctuation is homogeneously reduced. This result suggests that the mechanism of sound dumping is not only breaking two-dimensionality of flows.

Prasugrel, a thienopyridine antiplatelet drug, is converted in animals and humans to the pharmacologically active metabolite R-138727 [(2Z)-{1-[(1RS)-2-cyclopropyl-1-(2-fluorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl]-4-sulfanylpiperidin-3-ylidene}ethanoic acid], which has two chiral centers, occurring as a mixture of four isomers. The RS and RR isomers are more active than the SS and SR isomers (RS > RR > > SR = SS). The pharmacologically active metabolite is further metabolized to an S-methylated metabolite that is the major identified inactive metabolite in humans. In rat, dog, and human liver microsomes supplemented with S-adenosyl methione, the SS and SR isomers of the active metabolite were extensively S-methylated while the RS and RR isomers were not. Addition of 2,3-dichloromethyl benzylamine (50 µM) completely inhibited the S-methylation reaction, indicating that the microsomal and cytosolic thiol methyltransferase but not the cytosolic thiopurine S-methyltransferase is involved in the methylation. The hepatic intrinsic clearance values for methylation of the RS, RR, SS, and SR isomers (ml/min/kg) were 0, 0, 40.4, and 37.6, respectively, in rat liver microsomes, 0, 0, 11.6, and 2.5, respectively, in dog liver microsomes, and 0, 0, 17.3, and 17.7, respectively, in human liver microsomes, indicating that the RS and RR isomers are not methylated in vitro and that the methylation of SS and SR isomers is high with rat > human > dog. This finding in vitro agreed well with the in vivo observation in rats and dogs, where the S-methylated SS and SR isomers were the major metabolites in the plasma whereas negligible amounts of S-methylated RS and RR isomers were detected after intravenous administration of the pharmacologically active metabolites.

Protocols for evaluating drug interaction caused by enzyme inhibition were established by the Drug Interaction Database Working Group of the Human and Animal Bridge Discussion Group (HAB). Basically, procedures for measurements of the inhibition constant (Ki) of the test article were methodically investigated. 7-Ethoxyresorufin (CYP1A1&2), coumarin (CYP2A6), 7-benzyloxyresorufin (CYP2B6), tolbutamide (CYP2C8&9), S-mephenytoin (CYP2C19), bufuralol (CYP2D6), chlorzoxazone (CYP2E1), nifedipine (CYP3A4) and testosterone (CYP3A4) were used as specific substrates for various isoforms of human liver cytochrome P450 (P450). At least 3 concentrations of the test article were appropriately selected in experiment on concentration-dependency of enzyme inhibition, and used in measurement of apparent Ki value by Dixon plot. In Ki measurements, the P450 substrate was added to the assay system at 3 different concentrations (Km, 1/2 Km and 2 Km). To correct the apparent Ki value of the test article by the binding to the liver microsomes, free concentration of the test article in the system for Ki measurements was determined most conveniently by ultracentrifugation. In this HAB-protocol, method to judge the mechanismbased inhibitor by detecting increased inhibition by the test article after preincubation in the presence of NADPH was also included. Magnitude of drug interaction (R) was estimated according to the equation: R=1+I/Ki, where I represents the concentration of the test article, most preferably the Cmax value either in the peripheral or the portal blood.

Purpose. To evaluate an interaction between simvastatin and itraconazole in in vitro studies and to attempt a quantitative prediction of in vivo interaction in humans.

The mutant catalase purified previously from acatalasemic dog liver was heat-labile but possessed normal activity, suggesting a mutation within the coding region distal from the catalytic site. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of acatalasemic beagle dog catalase were determined by analysis of cDNA obtained by 5'- and 3'-RACE and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods. Comparative analysis of cDNA sequences of normal and acatalasemic dog catalases indicated a single nucleotide difference where alanine(327) (G macro CT) was substituted with threonine (ACT). The mutant catalase, which was overexpressed in COS-1 cells, was heat-labile as previously observed with the purified enzyme from acatalasemic dog liver, indicating that this amino acid substitution can lead to structural instability. No catalase protein and activity were detected by immunoblotting and spectrophotomeric assay in acatalasemic dog reticulocytes although almost the same level of mRNA expression as that in the normal reticulocytes was observed. Pulse-labeling and immunoprecipitation examination indicated that the level of catalase synthesis in the acatalasemic dog reticulocytes was almost the same (approximately 80%) as that in the normal reticulocytes. On the other hand, the synthesized mutant catalase in reticulocytes was rapidly degraded (t(1/2): 1.8 h) compared with the normal catalase (t(1/2): 14.0 h) and this degradation was almost completely inhibited by lactacystin (LC). These results suggested that the proteolytic degradation mediated most likely by proteasome might be involved in disposing of the mutant catalase in acatalasemic erythroid cells.

Microdialysis combined with tandem mass spectrometry was used to monitor the rapid hydrolysis of CS-866, a new prodrug-type angiotensin II receptor antagonist, in vitro in rat and human plasma as well as in hepatic and intestinal preparations. No chromatographic separation was conducted, and the ion intensity of CS-866 in MS/MS was directly used to perform data acquisition at intervals not longer than several seconds. A methanol-dialyzing medium, flow rate of dialysate, and adoption of sheath liquid were contrived to facilitate this method of measurement. The use of the methanol-dialyzing medium resulted in the effective extraction of the lipophilic analyte through the dialyzing membrane and a substantial reduction of inorganic substances introduced into the ion source. The calibration curve for CS-866 was linear over a concentration range from 0.2 to 20 microM (R(2) = 0.9998), and the intraassay precision was at an acceptable level of not more than 15% in coefficient of variation percentage. CS-866 was hydrolyzed very rapidly to RNH-6270, the pharmacologically active metabolite, in rat and human plasma and rat liver microsomes, and the hydrolysis proceeded extremely rapidly in human plasma with a half-life of less than several seconds.

Catalase from acatalasemic dog liver was purified to homogeneity and its properties were compared with those of normal dog liver catalase. The purified acatalasemic and normal dog liver catalases were found to have the same molecular weight (230,000 Da) and isoelectric point (pI: 6.0-6.2) and both enzymes contained four hematins per molecule. The catalytic activity of catalase from acatalasemic dog was normal. Furthermore, there was no difference between the acatalasemic and normal dog catalases in the binding affinity to NADPH (apparent Kd: 0.11-0.12 microM) and in the sensitivity to oxidative stress by hydrogen peroxide, the normal substrate of catalase. The acatalasemic dog enzyme was stable only in a narrow pH range (pH 6-9) although the normal enzyme was stable in a wide pH range (pH 4-10). Acatalasemic dog liver catalase also showed a slight low thermal stability at 37 degrees C and the heat-lability was remarkable at 45 degrees C, compared to the normal dog enzyme. These results indicated that the acatalasemic dog catalase is catalytically normal although it is associated with an unstable molecular structure.

14C-Troglitazone was administered to male cynomolgus monkeys (monkey) orally or intraduodenally, and the time course of the plasma concentrations of the radioactivity and of the biliary excretions of the metabolites were investigated. The same was investigated for male marmosets after oral administration of 14C-troglitazone.1. The main metabolite in the plasma after oral administration to monkeys was the sulfoconjugate of troglitazone (M1). The quinone form metabolite (M3) and glucuronide (M2) of troglitazone were also detected in the plasma.2. The ratio of the biliary excretion of the radioactivity over a 24-hr period after intraduodenal administration to a bile-fistula cynomolgus monkey was 54.4%, which was as high as that observed in rats and dogs. The main metabolites in the bile were M1 and M2, each accounting for about 40% of the biliary radioactivity. An unknown metabolite, U3, was also detected at a ratio of about 6%. U3 was also detected in the bile after administration of M3, and was show to contain the quinone-like structure.3. The plasma metabolites after oral administration to marmosets were almost the same as those in the plasma of monkeys. U3 was also observed in the plasma of marmosets.4. U3 was isolated from the bile and urine of monkey and marmoset after administration of 14C-M3 or M3. According to the MS and NMR spectra, the chemical structure of U3 was determined as the glucuronide of the hydroquinone form of troglitazone, and its was conjugated at position 8"a.

Background and Objectives: The quality of life of patients with vertebral metastases from breast cancer treated with surgery was evaluated. Methods: Seven such patients underwent surgery for vertebral metastases following chemoendocrine treatment. They presented with pain and some with neurological compromise. Results: Following posterior stabilization with a segmental instrument, pain was alleviated in all seven women, two showed improvements in neurological compromise, and performance status was improved in five. In no patient was there neurological deterioration secondary to surgical intervention. They were out of bed on the 4th postoperative day and discharged on the 14th day on average. Conclusions: The quality of life was improved for these surgically treated patients. We recommend surgical stabilization for selected patients with a vertebral metastasis from breast cancer.

Catalase was purified to an apparent homogeneity from dog erythrocytes and its properties were compared with those of human erythrocyte catalase. Purification was unsuccessful without the use of glycerol as the stabilizing agent. Molecular weight of the purified dog catalase was estimated to be about 63,000 Da in monomer and about 230,000 Da in native tetramer form. The ratio of A405/A280, the index of hematin content relative to protein, was 1.15. The isoelectric point was in the range of 5.8 to 6.4. These properties of dog catalase were very similar to those of human catalase. Dog catalase also possessed the same partial amino acid sequence as human catalase. However, the specific activity of dog enzyme was about threefold less than that of human enzyme. The amount of catalase protein in dog erythrocytes determined by immunoblotting analysis was about tenfold less than that of human erythrocytes. This was consistent with the fact that the catalase activity in dog hemolysate was about 1/30 of that in human hemolysate.

Despite the growing number of major surgical procedures being performed for patients on maintenance hemodialysis, few reports focus on the management and outcome of such patients, especially those undergoing major abdominal surgery. We conducted a retrospective review of 30 patients on maintenance hemodialysis who underwent abdominal surgery, 20 of whom underwent an elective operation and 10, an emergency operation. The indications of elective surgery included gastrointestinal cancer, biliary tract disease, and abdominal aortic aneurysm, while those for emergency surgery mainly involved gastrointestinal perforation or bleeding. There were no statistically significant differences between the elective group and the emergency group regarding either the mean time on hemodialysis or the preoperative clinical data. The morbidity and mortality rates were 15% and 10%, respectively, for the patients who underwent elective surgery and 50% and 70%, respectively, for those who underwent emergency surgery (P

This paper presents an experimental investigation of characteristics of the two kinds of wall jets issuing from a rectangular orifice with an aspect ratio of 5. One is the jet with a flat plate set along the long side of the exit (long side wall jet), and the other along the short side of the exit (short side wall jet). Measured results include mean velocities, intensities of streamwise turbulence and visualization of jet flow and the surface flow on the flat plate. The following results are obtained. The maximum mean velocities on the symmetric plane decay similarly as the free jet at the downstream region. In the case of the long side wall jet, the intermediate region between the potential core region and the downstream region appears longer than the others and the spread is strongly restricted near the wall. The saddlebacked mean velocity profiles are observed also for both of the wall jets. The visualizations of the flow by the smoke of dry-ice are consistent with the measured results, and the reattachments following the separation at the exit are confirmed on the plate by the oil-film method.

The nucleotide sequence of dog catalase was determined from cDNA obtained by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and 5'- and 3'- rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) using dog liver mRNA. The deduced amino acid sequence was compared with the sequences of other mammalian catalases and was found to show 93.0, 92.0, 93.3 and 91.7% similarity with mouse, rat, bovine and human catalases, respectively.

Sulpho-conjugation and glucuronic acid conjugation of 4 stereoisomers of troglitazone, a new anti-diabetic agent, were comparatively investigated in vitro using microsomal and cytosolic fractions of livers from male KK and male RFVL mice, male and female F344 rats, male cynomolgus monkeys and male and female humans. Isomerization at the 5-position of the thiazolidinedione ring was relatively rapid in the incubation medium, while there was no marked difference in the conjugation reactions between the stereoisomers at this position. Therefore, the comparison was made between the stereoisomers at the 2-position, i.e., 2S(5S or 5R) isomer and 2R(5S or 5R) isomer. Following results were obtained: 1. There was no marked species difference in the sulpho-conjugation reaction. The 2S isomers were more rapidly sulpho-conjugated than the 2R isomers. Rats exhibited a sex-related difference in this conjugation reaction, and the activity in male rats was about two times greater than that in female rats. 2. There was a species difference in the glucuronic acid conjugation reaction, as revealed by much higher activities in mice and monkeys than in other animal species. KK mice showed a higher glucuronidation activity for the 2R isomers than the 2S isomers. In contrast, other animal species, including the human, showed a higher activity for the 2S isomers than the 2R isomers.

The purpose of this paper is to control edge tone generated by flow of a jet-wedge system. An attempt to control the edge tone has been carried out by attaching projecting objects to the nozzle exit. It is found that the edge tone is reduced even though a pair of projecting objects is attached to the nozzle exit. In addition, the effect of attached projecting objects upon the spectrum intensity of predominant frequency of the pressure fluctuation at the wedge is examined. We also found that the spectrum intensity decreases with the increase of the number of projecting objects. The spectrum intensity is minimized at the point which is located downstream from the position of the attached projecting objects.

Functionalized fullerenes, such as polyhydroxy fullerenes (PHF), have attracted particular attention due to their water solubility and their potential application in tumor imaging and therapy as carbon nanomaterials. In this study, the sonodynamically-induced antitumor effect of PHF was investigated.Sonodynamically-induced antitumor effects of PHF in combination with ultrasound were investigated using isolated sarcoma 180 cells and solid tumor from colon 26 carcinoma cells.The cell damage induced by sonication was enhanced by two-fold in the presence of 80 μM PHF. Histidine significantly inhibited this enhancement. This inhibitory effect suggests that the sonodynamically-induced antitumor effect was mediated by sonodynamically-generated reactive oxygen species. The combined treatment of ultrasonic exposure with PHF suppressed the growth of implanted colon 26 tumors. The destruction of tumor tissue was observed with the ultrasonic treatment in combination with PHF, while neither the treatment with PHF alone nor that with ultrasound alone caused necrosis.These results suggest that PHF is a potential sonosensitizer for sonodynamic treatment of solid tumors.

Background: In this study, we investigated the induction of apoptosis by ultrasound in the presence of the photochemically active chlorine, 4-formyloximeetylidene-3-hydroxyl-2-vinyl-deuterio-porphynyl (IX)-6-7-diaspartic acid (ATX-S10). Methods: HL-60 cells were exposed to ultrasound for up to 3 min in the presence and absence of ATX-S10, and the induction of apoptosis was examined by analyzing cell morphology, DNA fragmentation, and caspase-3 activity. Results: Cells treated with 80μM ATX-S10 and ultrasound clearly showed membrane blebbing and cell shrinkage, whereas significant morphologic changes were not observed in cells exposed to either ultrasound or ATX-S10 alone. Also, DNA ladder formation and caspase-3 activation were observed in cells treated with both ultrasound and ATX-S10 but not in cells treated with ultrasound or ATX-S10 alone. In addition, the combination of ATX-S10 and the same acoustical arrangement of ultrasound substantially enhanced nitroxide generation by the cells. Sonodynamically induced apoptosis, caspase-3 activation, and nitroxide generation were significantly suppressed by histidine. Conclusions: These results indicate that the combination of ultrasound and ATX-S10 induces apoptosis in HL-60 cells. The significant reduction in sonodynamically induced apoptosis, nitroxide generation, and caspase-3 activation by histidine suggests active species such as singlet oxygen are important in the sonodynamic induction of apoptosis. General significance: The results reported in this paper are experimental, but they significantly support the possibility of sonodynamic treatment for cancer using the induction of apoptosis.

In this study, the sonodynamically induced antitumor effect of pyrrolidine tris-acid fullerene (PTF) was investigated. Sonodynamically induced antitumor effects of PTF by focused ultrasound were investigated using isolated sarcoma-180 cells and mice bearing ectopically-implanted colon 26 carcinoma. Cell damage induced by ultrasonic exposure was enhanced by 5-fold in the presence of 80 µM PTF. The combined treatment of ultrasound and PTF suppressed the growth of the implanted colon 26 carcinoma. Ultrasonically induced 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone-1-oxyl (4oxoTEMPO) production in the presence and absence of PTF was assessed, and it was shown that 80 µM PTF enhanced 4oxoTEMPO production as measured by ESR spectroscopy. Histidine, a reactive oxygen scavenger, significantly reduced cell damage and 4oxoTEMPO generation caused by ultrasonic exposure in the presence of PTF. These results suggest that singlet oxygen is likely to be involved in the ultrasonically induced cell damage enhanced by PTF.

思春期以降のアトピー性皮膚炎患者に認められる顔面紅皮症型皮疹に関与している証を, 〓血と熱証が主役と考えて, 駆〓血剤と清熱剤の合方による効果を検討した。顔面紅皮症型皮疹を有するAD患者20例中15例 (75%) が全身的〓血状態, 5剤 (25%) が全身的非〓血状態であった。15剤の全身的〓血状態の症例のうち, 著明な便秘傾向を有する7例 (46.7%) に清熱剤 (白虎加人参湯あるいは黄連解毒湯) と桃核承気湯を合方して使用した結果, 全例で有効以上が示された。便秘傾向がないか, 明らかでない8例 (53.3%) では, 清熱剤 (白虎加人参湯あるいは黄連解毒湯) と桂枝茯苓丸を合方して全例で有効以上が示された。全身的非〓血状態であっても, 駆〓血剤を清熱剤に合方した方が有効な症例が認められたことから, アトピー性皮膚炎の顔面紅皮症型皮疹には, 原則として駆〓血剤と清熱剤の合方を考慮すべきと思われた。

RS-1541 is a 13-O-palmitoyl derivative of rhizoxin, an inhibitor of tubulin polymerization. RS-1541 has been shown to bind preferentially to plasma lipoproteins and to exhibit selective and sustained uptake by tumors in mice. To elucidate a mechanism of RS-1541 cytotoxicity, the cellular uptake and the cytotoxicity of a complex of RS-1541 with human low-density lipoprotein (RS-1541/LDL complex) were investigated in cultured St-4 human gastric cancer cells. Both the cellular uptake and the cytotoxicity of the RS-1541/LDL complex were greater in cells with higher LDL-receptor activities than in control cells. Excess amounts of LDL or 1 microM of monensin, a proton ionophore, significantly inhibited both the uptake and the cytotoxicity of the complex. Chloroquine, an inhibitor of lysosomal enzymes, decreased the intracellular level of rhizoxin liberated from RS-1541 and suppressed the cytotoxicity of the RS-1541/LDL complex. However, a detergent-aided solution of RS-1541 showed very low cellular uptake and cytotoxicity, irrespective of the LDL-receptor activities of these cells. These results demonstrate that the RS-1541/LDL complex is incorporated into the cells via the LDL receptor and that it manifests its cytotoxic activity after forming rhizoxin, the original antitumor agent, in the lysosomes.

RS-1541 is a 13-O-palmitoyl derivative of rhizoxin, an inhibitor of tubulin polymerization. After intravenous administration of RS-1541 to mice bearing M5076 sarcoma, the maximal inhibitory effect of RS-1541 on DNA synthesis in the tumor was observed 24 h after administration, in agreement with the Cmax of rhizoxin produced from RS-1541, but not with the Cmax of RS-1541. The inhibitory effect after RS-1541 was much higher than that after rhizoxin itself. In the spleen, thymus and bone marrow, DNA synthesis was strongly inhibited by rhizoxin but not by RS-1541. After administration of RS-1541, no significant amounts of rhizoxin were detected in the tissues, except for the tumor. In acute toxicity tests, RS-1541 appeared to be less toxic than rhizoxin. These results indicate that RS-1541 possesses a high tumor-selective effect compared with rhizoxin, because of the selective production of rhizoxin in the tumor after administration of RS-1541.

Microdose study enables us to understand the pharmacokinetic profiles of drugs in humans prior to the conventional clinical trials. The advantage of microdose study is that the unexpected pharmacological/toxicological effects of drugs caused by drug interactions or genetic polymorphisms of metabolic enzymes/transporters can be avoided due to the limited dose. With a combination use of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and (14)C-labaled compounds, the pharmacokinetics of both parent drug and its metabolites can be sensitively monitored. Thus, to demonstrate the usability of microdose study with AMS for the prediction of the impact of genetic polymorphisms of CYP enzyme on the pharmacokinetics of unchanged drugs and metabolites, we performed microdose pharmacogenetic study using tolbutamide as a CYP2C9 probe drug. A microdose of (14)C-tolbutamide (100 μg) was administered orally to healthy volunteers with the CYP2C9(∗)1/(∗)1 or CYP2C9(∗)1/(∗)3 diplotype. Area under the plasma concentration-time curve for the (14)C-radioactivity, determined by AMS, or that for the parent drug, determined by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, was about 1.6 times or 1.7 times greater in the CYP2C9(∗)1/(∗)3 than in the CYP2C9(∗)1/(∗)1 group, which was comparable to the previous reports at therapeutic dose. In the plasma and urine, tolbutamide, carboxytolbutamide, and 4-hydroxytolbutamide were detected and practically no other metabolites could be found in both diplotype groups. The fraction of metabolites in plasma radioactivity was slightly lower in the CYP2C9(∗)1/(∗)3 group. Microdose study can be used for the prediction of the effects of genetic polymorphisms of enzymes on the pharmacokinetics and metabolic profiles of drugs with minimal care of their pharmacological/toxicological effects.

Microdose (MD) clinical trials have been introduced to obtain human pharmacokinetic data early in drug development. Here we assessed the cost-effectiveness of microdose integrated drug development in a hypothetical model, as there was no such quantitative research that weighed the additional effectiveness against the additional time and/or cost. First, we calculated the cost and effectiveness (i.e., success rate) of 3 types of MD integrated drug development strategies: liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, accelerator mass spectrometry, and positron emission tomography. Then, we analyzed the cost-effectiveness of 9 hypothetical scenarios where 100 drug candidates entering into a non-clinical toxicity study were selected by different methods as the conventional scenario without MD. In the base-case, where 70 drug candidates were selected without MD and 30 selected evenly by one of the three MD methods, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per one additional drug approved was JPY 12.7 billion (US$ 0.159 billion), whereas the average cost-effectiveness ratio of the conventional strategy was JPY 24.4 billion, which we set as a threshold. Integrating MD in the conventional drug development was cost-effective in this model. This quantitative analytical model which allows various modifications according to each company's conditions, would be helpful for guiding decisions early in clinical development.

Clopidogrel is a thienopyridine antiplatelet agent that is converted to the active metabolite, R-361015, in vivo. Clopidogrel is first oxidized to a thiolactone intermediate R-115991. R-115991 is thought to be metabolized to a GSH conjugate of R-361015 (R-361015-SG) and then is reduced to R-361015 in the presence of GSH. In this study, we investigated the enzyme-mediated formation of R-361015 from R-361015-SG in human liver microsomes and cytosols. After incubation of R-115991 in human liver microsomes, the formation of R-361015-SG, and subsequently of R-361015, was observed. The apparent formation rate of R-361015-SG was markedly decreased when human liver cytosols were added. Fitting the data to the kinetic model showed that the rate constant of R-361015-SG reduction to R-361015 in human liver microsomes was approximately 20-fold higher in the presence of human liver cytosols (6.56 min⁻¹) than in the absence of cytosols (0.326 min⁻¹). In addition, the formation rate of R-361015 from R-361015-SG was higher in human liver cytosols (2843 ± 1176 pmol · min⁻¹ · mg⁻¹) compared with in human liver microsomes (508 ± 396 pmol · min⁻¹ · mg⁻¹). The formation of R-361015 from R-361015-SG in human liver microsomes or cytosols was inhibited by anti-human glutaredoxin antibody in a concentration-dependent manner. Recombinant human glutaredoxin mediated the formation of R-361015 from R-361015-SG with the K(m) and V(max) values of 30.0 ± 1.3 μM and 381.6 ± 209.8 pmol · min⁻¹ · μg⁻¹, respectively. The intrinsic clearance value (V(max)/K(m)) was 12.9 ± 7.5 μl · min⁻¹ · μg⁻¹. In conclusion, we found that human glutaredoxin is a main contributor to the formation of the pharmacologically active metabolite of clopidogrel from its GSH conjugate in human liver.

The single dose pharmacokinetics of temocapril, a prodrug type angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor with a thiazepin ring, were studied in nephrectomised rats and compared with those of enalapril. The nephrectomised rats had much higher serum levels of creatinine (1.1 mg/dl) and blood urea nitrogen (73.5 mg/dl) than the control rats (0.6 and 18.6 mg/dl, respectively). Concentrations of RS-5139 and enalaprilat, the active metabolites of temocapril and enalapril, respectively, in the plasma, bile and urine were measured by the ACE inhibition assay or a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system (GC/MS). There was no significant difference in the maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of RS-5139 between the nephrectomised (243.3 μg/L) and control rats (342.8 μg/L). On the other hand, the Cmax of enalaprilat in nephrectomised rats was significantly higher (399.3 μg/L) than in the control group (158.6 μg/L; p

To assess the features of multicentric occurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma, we analyzed 10 of 72 patients (14%) who had undergone hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma from May 1989 to October 1992 both clinically and pathologically. The multicentric occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma was defined among the simultaneously detected small tumors as (a) at least one tumor consisting of extremely well-differentiated (grade I) hepatocellular carcinoma growing in a replacing pattern or (b) one of a group of hepatocellular carcinomas growing in an area of adenomatous hyperplasia. Of the 10 patients, the tumors in 9 were diagnosed as synchronous multicentric hepatocellular carcinomas, whereas the tumor in 1 was considered metachronous. All patients had cirrhosis; one of them had hepatitis B virus infection and nine patients had HCV infection. The inflammatory findings in the parenchyma were determined on the basis of serum enzyme values (AST, 89 +/- 27 IU/L; ALT, 96 +/- 43 IU/L). One or two tumors in 9 of 10 patients had thin trabecular or trabecular patterns showing replacing growth. In addition, one of the two tumors in two of nine patients was observed growing in areas of adenomatous hyperplasia. Recurrences were found in 4 of 10 patients. The 3-yr disease-free survival rate was 23%. Multiple recurrences were recognized in the two patients, and in the patients who underwent repeat surgery, grade I tumors were also found. Even though these tumors were small and well-differentiated, the recurrence rate was high. Therefore to detect the recurrence of metachronous multicentric hepatocellular carcinoma at an earlier stage, careful follow-up after surgery should be carried out.

The tumour uptake as well as the anti-tumour activity of RS-1541 (palmitoyl rhizoxin), a potent antineoplastic agent, were investigated in mice bearing M5076 sarcoma. After intravenous administration, 14C-RS-1541 preferentially bound to the lipoproteins, to which 14C-rhizoxin did not bind. 14C-RS-1541 showed persisting high concentrations of radioactivity in the plasma (T 1/2 alpha, 4.9 h). The uptake of radioactivity by the tumour was second to those by the liver and spleen, and several times greater than those by the other tissues. Selective and sustained uptake by the tumour was also demonstrated by whole-body autoradiography. A considerable amount of rhizoxin was detected only in the tumour after administration of 14C-RS-1541, and the area under the tissue-concentration-time curve (AUCt) and the mean residence time (MRT) of rhizoxin in the tumour were much higher than those after administration of 14C-rhizoxin itself. The rhizoxin formation in the tumour was significantly reduced by chloroquine, a lysosomal enzyme inhibitor. RS-1541 showed a higher therapeutic activity than rhizoxin. At a 4 mg kg-1 dose, the maximum growth inhibition was 92% for RS-1541 and 41% for rhizoxin. These results indicate that RS-1541, but not rhizoxin, is taken up by the tumour via endocytosis, most likely via the low-density-lipoprotein receptor, after binding to lipoproteins. Thus, RS-1541 was considered to exhibit sustained high concentration in tumours and potent anti-tumour activity.

The uptake mechanism of tetramethylammonium (TMA) and tetraethylammonium (TEA) ions was investigated using the isolated rat hepatocytes. TMA and TEA were trans ported against concentration gradient into the isolated hepatocytes. The cellular uptake of TMA and TEA was inhibited by their structural analogs and metabolic inhibitors, and was also temperature-dependent. The uptake of these compounds showed saturation with in creasing extracellular concentration. Thiamine, the endogenous quaternary ammonium, and hemicholinium-3 markedly inhibited the cellular uptake of TMA and TEA. The inhibition by choline was moderate. The mode of uptake inhibition by thiamine and choline was the competitive type of inhibition. These results suggested that TMA and TEA are trans ported into the hepatocytes by the common carrier system same as most likely that for thiamine.

In this study, we investigated the induction of apoptosis by ultrasound in the presence of the novel porphyrin derivative DCPH-P-Na(I). HL-60 cells were exposed to ultrasound for up to 3 min in the presence and absence of DCPH-P-Na(I), and the induction of apoptosis was examined by analyzing cell morphology, DNA fragmentation, and caspase-3 activity. Reactive oxygen species were measured by means of ESR and spin trapping technique. Cells treated with 8 μM DCPH-P-Na(I) and ultrasound clearly showed membrane blebbing and cell shrinkage, whereas significant morphologic changes were not observed in cells exposed to either ultrasound or DCPH-P-Na(I) alone. Also, DNA ladder formation and caspase-3 activation were observed in cells treated with both ultrasound and DCPH-P-Na(I) but not in cells treated with ultrasound or DCPH-P-Na(I) alone. In addition, the combination of DCPH-P-Na(I) and the same acoustical arrangement of ultrasound substantially enhanced nitroxide generation by the cells. Sonodynamically induced apoptosis, caspase-3 activation, and nitroxide generation were significantly suppressed by histidine. These results indicate that the combination of ultrasound and DCPH-P-Na(I) induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells. The significant reduction in sonodynamically induced apoptosis, nitroxide generation, and caspase-3 activation by histidine suggests active species such as singlet oxygen are important in the sonodynamic induction of apoptosis. These experimental results support the possibility of sonodynamic treatment for cancer using the induction of apoptosis.

Null mutation of glutathione transferase (GST) M1 and GSTT1 was reported to correlate statistically with an abnormal increase in the plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase caused by troglitazone in diabetic patients (Clin Pharmacol Ther, 73:435-455, 2003). This clinical evidence leads to the hypothesis that GSH conjugation catalyzed by GSTT1 and GSTM1 has a role in the elimination of reactive metabolites of troglitazone. However, the contribution of GST isoforms expressed in human liver to the detoxification of reactive metabolites of troglitazone has not yet been clarified. We investigated the involvement of human GST isoforms in the GSH conjugation of reactive metabolites of troglitazone using recombinant GST enzymes. Five reported GSH conjugates of reactive metabolites were produced from troglitazone after incubation with liver microsomes, NADPH, and GSH in a GSH concentration-dependent manner. Addition of human recombinant GSTA1, GSTA2, GSTM1, or GSTP1 protein to the incubation mixture further increased the GSH conjugates. However, the addition of GSTT1 did not show any catalytic effect. It is of interest that one of the reactive metabolites with a quinone structure was predominantly conjugated with GSH by GSTM1. Thus, we demonstrated that the GST isoforms contributed differently to the GSH conjugation of individual reactive metabolites of troglitazone, and GSTM1 is the most important GST isoform in the GSH conjugation of a specific reactive metabolite produced from the cytotoxic, quinone-form metabolite of troglitazone.

The sonodynamically-induced in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of mono-l-aspartyl chlorin e6 (NPe6) was investigated.Both in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects were tested in combination with ultrasound at 2 MHz.The rate of ultrasonically-induced damage on isolated sarcoma 180 cells in air-saturated suspension was enhanced two-fold with 80 μM NPe6. The co-administration of 25 mg/kg NPe6 followed by ultrasonic exposure at 2 MHz suppressed the growth of implanted colon 26 cell tumors at an intensity at which ultrasound alone showed only a slight antitumor effect.These in vitro and in vivo results suggest that NPe6 is a potential sensitizer for sonodynamic tumor treatment. The enhancement of cell damage by NPe6 was significantly inhibited by histidine, which may suggest reactive oxygen species plays a primary role in sonodynamically-induced antitumor effect.