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ニホンキバチのヒノキ生立木への産卵に対する,ヒノキ生立木の生育状態(胸高直径,樹皮厚),ニホンキバチ雌成虫の体サイズおよび昆虫寄生線虫感染の影響を,ニホンキバチの産卵試験によって検証した。線虫の感染によりニホンキバチの蔵卵数は体サイズの小型化によるもの以上に減少し,産卵率も半減した。ヒノキの生育状態とニホンキバチ産卵率との関係は,線虫が感染していないニホンキバチでは相関関係はなかったが,感染したニホンキバチでは負の相関が示唆された。ヒノキの生育状態,ニホンキバチの体サイズおよび線虫感染の有無に対する産卵数と産卵率の重回帰分析の結果,ヒノキの生育状態は産卵数や産卵率の大小に寄与しておらず,線虫感染の有無とニホンキバチの体サイズが産卵に大きく関わっていることが判明した。従って,ヒノキの成長促進によるニホンキバチの産卵回避効果は低いものと考えられる。

A combination of sulfanyl radical addition-cyclization of dienes connected with hydroximates and subsequent conversion of the resulting cyclic hydroximate to the lactones provides a novel method for the construction of alpha,beta-disubstituted gamma-lactones. Upon treatment with thiophenol in the presence of AIBN, dienes connected with hydroximates smoothly underwent sulfanyl radical addition-cyclization to give cyclic cis- and trans-hydroximates. Hydrolysis of cyclic hydroximates gave the desired cis- and trans-lactones in high yield. This method was successfully applied to the practical synthesis of (+/-)-oxo-parabenzlactone.

Sulfanyl radical addition–cyclization–elimination of diallylamines in the presence of thiophenol and AIBN gave the 2,3,4-trisubstituted pyrrolidine in high yield. This reaction was extended to a radical cyclization using a catalytic amount of thiophenol. A successful application was demonstrated by the asymmetric synthesis of (−)-kainic acid.

A combination of 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition of Z-nitrones to the chiral dipolarophile and subsequent ring transformation of the resulting adducts to the piperidinols has provided a new practical synthesis of 2, 6-disubstituted 3-piperidinol alkaloids, (+)-azimic acid, (+)-julifloridine, and the proposed structure ofN-methyljulifloridine. Download : Download full-size image

(±)-Anantine, (±)-isoanatine and related compounds were synthesized via two key reactions, sulfanyl radical addition-cyclization and stereoselective construction of the E-benzylidene moiety.

Pseudodistomins A and B, piperidine alkaloids isolated from the Okinawan tunicate Pseudodistoma kanoko, have been synthesized as their racemic acetates via a route involving Grignard coupling reaction to provide unambiguous proof of their structures.

The aim of this study was to estimate the technical and oncologic feasibility of video-assisted thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy (VATS) in the left lateral position. From January 2003 to December 2011, 132 patients with esophageal cancer underwent VATS. The mean duration of the thoracic procedure and the entire procedure was 294 ± 88 and 623 ± 123 minutes, respectively. Mean blood loss during the thoracic procedure and the entire procedure was 313 ± 577 and 657 ± 719 g, respectively. The mean number of dissected thoracic lymph nodes was 32.6 ± 12.9. There were four in-hospital deaths (3.0%); two patients (1.5%) died of acute respiratory distress syndrome and two patients (1.5%) died of tumor progression. Postoperative unilateral or bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy, or pneumonia was found in 33 (25.0%), 21 (15.9%), and 27(20.5%) patients, respectively. The patients were divided into the first 66 patients who underwent VATS (Group 1) and the subsequent 66 patients (Group 2). The numbers of cases who underwent neoadjuvant or induction chemotherapy for T4 tumor and intrathoracic anastomosis were higher in Group 2 than in Group 1. The duration of the procedure, amount of blood loss, and the number of dissected thoracic lymph nodes were not different between the two groups. The total number of dissected lymph nodes was higher in Group 2 than in Group 1 (72.6 ± 27.8 vs. 62.6 ± 21.6, P = 0.023). The rate of bilateral RLN palsy was less in Group 2 than in Group 1 (7.6% vs. 24.2%, P = 0.042). The mean follow-up period was 38.7 months. Primary recurrence consisted of hematogenous, lymphatic, peritoneal dissemination, pleural dissemination, and locoregional in 15 (11.3%), 20 (15.1%), 3 (2.3%), 4 (3.0%), and 5 patients (3.8%), respectively. The rate of regional lymph node recurrence within the dissection field was only 4.5%. The prognosis of patients with lymph node metastasis was significantly poorer than that of patients without lymph node metastasis. However, the prognosis of the 11 cases that had metastasis only around RLNs was similar to that of node-negative cases. Thirteen patients with pathological remnant tumor (R1 or R2) did not survive longer than 5 years at present. The overall 5-year survival rate of stage I, II, and III disease after curative VATS was 82.2%, 77.0%, and 52.3%, respectively. Expansion of VATS criteria for patients after induction chemotherapy for T4 tumor or thoracoscopic anastomosis did not adversely affect the surgical results by experience. Although the VATS procedure is accompanied by a certain degree of morbidity including RLN palsy and pulmonary complications, VATS has an excellent locoregional control effect. In addition, the favorable survival after VATS shows that the procedure is oncologically feasible.

The authors examined the contribution of the noradrenergic system to central cardiovascular regulation in the dorso-medial region of the medulla oblongata, including the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) area, in anaesthetized rabbits. First, to determine the modulation of the carotid sinus baroreflex system by alpha-blocker, which blocks the action of noradrenaline, the open loop relationship between isolated carotid sinus pressure (CSP) and renal nerve activity (RNA) was examined before and after injection of alpha-blocker (phentolamine, 10 micrograms, bilateral). alpha-Blocker injected to the NTS area caused a decrease in RNA at low CSP level (40-50 mmHg), and RNA response remained higher at high CSP levels (130 mmHg), in comparison with control. Baroreflex sensitivity was attenuated significantly from 10.9 +/- 2.2 to 5.0 +/- 0.5% (mmHg-1). The data show that the NTS area is one of the important sites in central modulation of the carotid sinus baroreflex function. It is suggested that the noradrenergic system in the NTS area contributed to facilitating carotid sinus baroreflex function. Second, using the dialysis technique, a dialysis probe was implanted in the dorso-medial region of the medulla oblongata, including the NTS area, and perfused with Ringer's solution. Dialysates were collected from this region and noradrenaline (NA) output was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrochemical methods. Drug-induced hypotension caused a 30% decrease in arterial pressure and an increase in dialysate NA levels from 6.8 +/- 0.2 to 9.0 +/- 0.4 pg sample-1. The results show that noradrenaline in the NTS area is involved in the regulation of arterial pressure through the central modulation of arterial baroreflex function.

Attainment of proficiency in video-assisted thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy (VATS) for thoracic esophageal cancer requires much experience. We have mastered this procedure safely under the direction of an experienced surgeon. After adoption of the procedure, the educated surgeon directed induction of this surgical procedure at another institution. We evaluated the efficacy of instruction during the induction period by comparing the results at the two institutions in which VATS had been newly induced. We defined the induction period as the time from the beginning of VATS to the time when the last instruction was carried out. From January 2003 to December 2007, 53 patients were candidates for VATS at Kanazawa University (institution 1). Of these, 46 patients underwent curative VATS by a single operator. We divided this period into three parts: the induction period of VATS, post-induction period, and proficient period when the educated surgeon of institution 1 directed the procedure at Maebashi Red Cross Hospital (institution 2). At institution 1, 12 VATS were scheduled, and nine procedures (75%) (group A) including eight instructions were completed during the induction period (from January 2003 to August 2004). Thereafter, VATS was performed without instruction. In the post-induction period, nine VATS were scheduled, and eight procedures (88.8%) (group B) were completed from September 2004 to August 2005. Subsequently, 32 VATS were scheduled, and 29 procedures (90.6%) (group C) were completed during the proficient period (from September 2005 to December 2007). The surgeon at Maebashi Red Cross Hospital (institution 2) started to perform VATS under the direction of the surgeon who had been educated at institution 1 from September 2005. VATS was completed in 13 (76.4%) (group D) of 17 cases by a single surgeon including seven instructions during the induction period at institution 2 from September 2005 to December 2007. No lethal complication occurred during the induction period at both institutions. We compared the results of VATS among four groups from the two institutions. There were no differences in the background and clinicopathological features among the four groups. The number of dissected lymph nodes and amount of thoracic blood loss were similar in the four groups (35 [22-52] vs 41 [26-53] vs 32 [17-69] vs 29 [17-42] nodes, P = 0.139, and 170 [90-380] vs 275 [130-550] vs 220 [10-660] vs 210 [75-543] g, P = 0.373, respectively). There was no difference in the duration of the thoracic procedure during the induction period at the two institutions. However, the duration of the procedure was significantly shorter in the proficient period of institution 1 (group C: 266 [195-555] minutes) than in the induction period of both institutions (group A: 350 [280-448] minutes [P = 0.005] and group D: 345 [270-420] mL [P = 0.002]). There were no surgery-related deaths in any of the groups. The incidence of postoperative complications did not differ among the four groups. Thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy can be mastered quickly and safely with a flat learning curve under the direction of an experienced surgeon. The educated surgeon can instruct surgeons at another institution on how to perform thoracoscopic esophagectomy. The operation time of thoracoscopic surgery is shortened by experience.

The expression of the c-erbB-2 mRNA in human embryonic lung fibroblasts, a gastric cancer cell line, mature placenta, and 25 gastric cancer tissues was examined by using the polymerase chain reaction following reverse transcription. This technique can be used to examine c-erbB-2 mRNA expression in a small endoscopic biopsy specimen before surgery. Images Figure 1 Figure 3

Sivelestat sodium hydrate (Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Osaka, Japan) is a selective inhibitor of neutrophil elastase (NE) and is effective in reducing acute lung injury associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We conducted a prospective randomized controlled study to investigate the efficacy of perioperative administration of sivelestat sodium hydrate to prevent postoperative acute lung injury in patients undergoing thoracoscopic esophagectomy and radical lymphadenectomy. Twenty-two patients with thoracic esophageal cancer underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy with extended lymph node dissection in our institution between April 2007 and November 2008. Using a double-blinded method, these patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups preoperatively. The active treatment group received sivelestat sodium hydrate intravenously for 72 hours starting at the beginning of surgery (sivelestat-treated group; n= 11), while the other group received saline (control group; n= 11). All patients were given methylprednisolone immediately before surgery. Postoperative clinical course was compared between the two groups. Two patients (one in each group) were discontinued from the study during the postoperative period because of surgery-related complications. Of the remaining 20 patients, 2 patients who developed pneumonia within a week after surgery were excluded from some laboratory analyses, so data from 18 patients (9 patients in each group) were analyzed based on the arterial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio, white blood cell count, serum C-reactive protein level, plasma cytokine levels, plasma NE level, and markers of alveolar type II epithelial cells. In the current study, the incidence of postoperative morbidity did not differ between the two groups. The median duration of SIRS in the sivelestat-treated group was significantly shorter than that in the control group: 17 (range 9-36) hours versus 49 (15-60) hours, respectively (P= 0.009). Concerning the parameters used for the diagnosis of SIRS, the median heart rates on postoperative day (POD) 2 were significantly lower in the sivelestat-treated group than in the control group (P= 0.007). The median arterial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio of the sivelestat-treated group were significantly higher than those of the control group on POD 1 and POD 7 (POD 1: 372.0 [range 284.0-475.0] vs 322.5 [243.5-380.0], respectively, P= 0.040; POD 7: 377.2 [339.5-430.0] vs 357.6 [240.0-392.8], P= 0.031). Postoperative white blood cell counts, serum C-reactive protein levels, plasma interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels, and plasma NE levels did not differ significantly between the two groups at any point during the postoperative course, nor did serum Krebs von den Lungen 6, surfactant protein-A, or surfactant protein-D levels, which were used as markers of alveolar type II epithelial cells to evaluate the severity of lung injury. Plasma interleukin-8 levels were significantly lower in the sivelestat-treated group than in the control group on POD 3 (P= 0.040). In conclusion, perioperative administration of sivelestat sodium hydrate (starting at the beginning of surgery) mitigated postoperative hypoxia, partially suppressed postoperative hypercytokinemia, shortened the duration of SIRS, and stabilized postoperative circulatory status after thoracoscopic esophagectomy.

A stereoselective route to (±)-oxo-parabenzlactone has been developed by the combination of thiyl radical addition-cyclization of dienylhydroximate and subsequent conversion of the resulting cyclic hydroximate to lactone.

In Japan, hospital or welfare office home helpers provide home welfare and care services, such as cooking, bathing, washing, cleaning and shopping, for the elderly. We have developed a Web-based home welfare and care services request system using wireless Internet mobile phones and Internet client computers; it employs a pen type image sensor for the elderly people to enter their handwritten care requests. The client computer sends the requests to the server computer in the home helper central office, and then the server computer automatically transfers them to the home helper's mobile phone. This newly-developed home welfare and care services request system is easily operated by elderly persons.

An ECG R-R interval recording system has been developed for a heart rate variability monitor. The recording system, which employs a low power 8-bit single chip microcontroller (SMC) and a 512 KB EEPROM, is constructed on three ECG chest electrodes. The ECG from the electrodes is converted to an 8-bit serial digital format by a 8-bit A/D converter in the SMC. The SMC detects the R wave and calculates the R-R interval, which is stored by the EEPROM. The system is powered by a small 3 V lithium battery, which provides 100 hours of continuous operation. The 28.5 cc system weighs 28 grams.

A computerized segmentation algorithm for detecting synchronized sympathetic nerve activity has been developed for cardiovascular neural control research. The algorithm consists of two signal processing techniques which involve: (1) discriminating a interval between onset and end of the synchronized sympathetic nerve activity from recorded compound action potentials and (2) separating individual synchronized sympathetic nerve activities by a cluster analysis. This algorithm can detect the synchronized sympathetic nerve activity automatically.

A method of segmenting synchronized sympathetic nerve activity has been developed for cardiovascular neural control research. The segmentation algorithm consists of three signal processing techniques which involve: (1) extracting an approximate region containing synchronized sympathetic nerve activity, (2) separating individual neural spikes from recorded compound nerve activity and (3) detecting the onset and end of each synchronized neural signals. By this process, the algorithm can precisely segment synchronized sympathetic nerve activity.

TS-1 is an oral anticancer drug that produces biochemical modulation. TS-1 is composed of FT (tegafur), CDHP (gimestat), and Oxo (ostat potassium), in a molar ratio of 1:0.4:1. We administered TS-1 to a patient with liver and pulmonary metastasis of rectal cancer (phase II study). Each treatment course consisted of a four-week administration followed by two drug-free weeks. The daily dose was 120-150 mg/day. Before the administration, hepatic metastasis was 30 x 20 mm. After 2 courses, it was reduced to 20 x 15 mm (reduction rate: 50%). Three pulmonary metastases that were recognized in chest radiographs before the administration tended to reduction after 3 courses. The reduction rate after 4 courses was 42.5%. The reduction was judged PR for the hepatic metastasis and MR for pulmonary metastases. There was no side effect and hospitalization was not required during the treatment. Thus, the administration of TS-1 enhanced the quality of life of this patient.

Oxime ethers connected by a tether to aldehydes or ketones efficiently cyclize via stannyl radical addition−cyclization to provide a new entry to cyclic amino alcohols. Upon treatment with tributyltin hydride in the presence of AIBN, oxime ethers connected with either an aldehyde or a ketone via a nitrogen atom smoothly underwent stannyl radical addition−cyclization to give five- to seven-membered cis- and trans-heterocyclic amino alcohols of which the trans-isomers were major products. The newly found radical cyclization provides a novel method for preparing not only bifunctionalized heterocyclic compounds but also adjacently functionalized amino alcohols carrying two quaternary carbons.

Peritoneal dissemination is the most common cause of death associated with gastric cancer. In this study, we report the significance of molecular diagnosis of peritoneal dissemination by means of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) assay using preoperative peritoneal wash fluid.Preoperative peritoneal lavage by paracentesis was performed on 152 patients with gastric cancer. The peritoneal lavaged fluid was subjected to RT-PCR analysis with primers specific for MMP-7 and conventional cytological Papanicolaou examination.The MMP-7 RT-PCR assay was able to detect cancer cells at densities even lower than 10 cells/sample. There was no signal of MMP-7 mRNA from mesothelial cells, fibroblasts, peripheral blood, and lavaged fluid from patients with benign disease. Cytological examination and MMP-7 RT-PCR assay results were positive for 27 (18%) and 28 (18%) samples, respectively. The sensitivity for the prediction of peritoneal dissemination by cytology and MMP-7 RT-PCR assay were 46% and 33%, but the combination analysis using both parameters improved the sensitivity rate with 62%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the cytological examination and MMP-7 RT-PCR assay are independent predictors of peritoneal dissemination.The combination of cytological examination and RT-PCR assay of preoperative peritoneal lavaged fluid is a highly efficient and reliable method for the selection of patients for adjuvant i.p. chemotherapy.

S100A4 is known to be involved in cancer cell motility by virtue of its ability to activate nonmuscle myosin. E-cadherin has an important role in the homophilic cell-cell adhesion and is called an invasion suppressor gene. In the current study, we investigate the histological type and metastatic potential of gastric cancer from the aspect of the interrelationship of E-cadherin and S100A4 expression. Expression of E-cadherin and S100A4 in gastric cancer cell lines, primary gastric cancers, and their normal counterparts were analyzed by reverse transcription-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical methods. S100A4 protein and E-cadherin were expressed in five of eight gastric cancer cell lines, and inverse expression of the two proteins are found in four cell lines. In the clinical specimens, E-cadherin mRNA expression in differentiated adenocarcinomas (88%, 14 of 16) was significantly more frequent than that in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (50%, 22 of 44; P = 0.015). Western blot analysis demonstrates that S100A4 protein expression in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas was 1.6-fold higher than in well differentiated adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemically, S100A4 expression was detected in 51 (55%) of 92 primary gastric cancers. Reduced expression of E-cadherin in primary tumors was found in 66 (72%) of 92 tumors. S100A4 expression in the poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas had a strong relation to positive lymph node involvement or peritoneal dissemination. Reduced E-cadherin expression showed a strong relationship with positive serosal involvement and infiltrating type. Tumors classified as a group with reduced E-cadherin and high expression of S100A4 reveal positive peritoneal dissemination, serosal involvement, and infiltrating type in the growth pattern. Furthermore, these tumors showed a strong correlation with the poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. In contrast, tumors with preserved E-cadherin and low expression of S100A4 have a close relation to the well differentiated adenocarcinoma and a favorable prognosis. By the Cox proportional hazard model, S100A4 and E-cadherin tissue status was judged as an independent prognostic factor. S100A4 and E-cadherin tissue status may be a powerful aid in evaluating metastatic potential or the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

A 55-year-old man had a metastasis in segment 3 of the liver 5 months after surgery for non-functioning islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas. The metastatic lesion increased in size in a short period, and other liver micro-metastases that could not be detected by imaging may exist, so hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy was scheduled for 3 months. The patient underwent hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil (250 mg/day/body for 5 days/week) and adriamycin (10 mg/day/body for 2 days/week) and cisplatin (10 mg/day/body for 5 days/week) and he was put on Leucovorin 30 mg/day as a biochemical modulator of 5-FU and tamoxifen 40 mg/day as a biochemical modulator of ADM. A total 6,000 mg of 5-FU, 100 mg of ADM and 240 mg of CDDP had been administered, until hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy was discontinued because of complicated gastric ulcer. Three months later, the size of the metastatic liver tumor was reduced remarkably and no other metastasis was detected on CT scan, so he underwent partial hepatectomy of the metastatic lesion. No recurrence was found and he has survived in good physical condition during the follow-up period of 5 months after the second operation.

beta-catenin regulates cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion and also functions as a signaling molecule. In this study, we examined the expression pattern of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin and beta-catenin in 22 cases of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma by Western-blot analysis. Expression of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin and beta-catenin was lower in carcinomas than in normal esophageal mucosa in 4 cases (18.2%) for E-cadherin, 6 cases (27.3%) for alpha-catenin and 9 cases (40.9%) for beta-catenin. Expression of beta-catenin was not always correlated with that of E-cadherin. Over-expression of beta-catenin was observed in 3 cases (13.6%). Of 3 cases that presented with over-expression of beta-catenin, 2 showed cytoplasmic staining by immunohistochemistry. Nuclear localization of beta-catenin was observed in one case that had higher beta-catenin level in tumor tissue (1.4-fold higher than normal mucosa). The genomic DNA sequences of the beta-catenin and the APC gene were analyzed. No mutation of the beta-catenin gene was observed in any cases. Silent mutation of the APC gene was found in all the cases that showed over-expression or nuclear localization of the beta-catenin protein. These results indicate that alterations of the cadherin-catenin complex may play an important role in a sub-set of esophageal carcinogenesis. Furthermore, it is suggested that beta-catenin over-expression is not caused by genetic alteration of either the beta-catenin or the APC gene.

A 65-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to the swelling of bilateral inguinal lymph nodes and anal discomfort. Sigmoidoscopy revealed a type-1 tumor of the lower rectum which was histologically diagnosed as a poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma, and inguinal lymph node biopsy showed metastatic adenocarcinoma. An abdominal CT scan revealed swelling of the paraaortic lymph nodes. After a full explanation of the treatment options, the patient chose chemotherapy. Treatment by intravenous infusion of 7.5 mg/body/day of cisplatin for 5 days a week and oral administration of 600 mg/day of UFT was carried out. After 4 weeks of treatment, the primary tumor and swelling of the paraaortic lymph nodes had disappeared, and there was a 61% reduction in the inguinal lymph nodes. Four months later, the primary lesion recurred but vanished again following the same treatment regimen for 6 weeks. The patient has been in good health for over 9 months with no adverse effects from the chemotherapy.

Neogenesis of lymphatic vessel and lymphatic invasion is frequently found in the stroma of cancers, but the mechanisms of this phenomenon remain unclear. Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is known to be the only growth factor for the lymphatic vascular system, and its receptor has been identified as Flt4. To clarify the mechanism of lymphatic invasion in cancer, we studied the expression of VEGF-C and flt4 genes in gastric cancer tissues. VEGF-C mRNA was mainly expressed in primary tumors (15 of 32; 47%), but the frequency of VEGF-C mRNA expression was low in normal mucosa (4 of 32; 13%). In primary tumors, there was a significant relationship between VEGF-C and flt4 mRNA expression. In contrast, Flt4 was mainly expressed on the lymphatic endothelial cells but not in cancer cells. A strong correlation was found between VEGF-C expression and lymph node status, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, and tumor infiltrating patterns. Cancer cells in the lymphatic vessels frequently showed intracytoplasmic VEGF-C immunoreactivity. Furthermore, there was a close correlation between VEGF-C tissue status and the grade of lymph node metastasis. Patients with high expression of VEGF-C protein had a significantly poorer prognosis than did those in low VEGF-C expression group. By the Cox regression model, depth of wall invasion, lymph node metastasis, and VEGF-C tissue status emerged as independent prognostic parameters, and the VEGF-C tissue status was ranked third as an independent risk factor for death. These results strongly suggest that cancer cells producing VEGF-C may induce the proliferation and dilation of lymphatic vessels, resulting in the development of invasion of cancer cells into the lymphatic vessel and lymph node metastasis.

Changes in the monophasic action potential may be used for detecting early acute rejection in the transplanted rat heart.Heterotopic heart transplantations were performed in allogeneic and syngeneic rats. During atrial pacing, monophasic action potentials were simultaneously recorded in the right atrium and ventricle of the transplanted hearts on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5. The amplitude and duration of monophasic action potentials, atrioventricular conduction time, and cardiac intervals were analyzed. Histopathologic examination for rejection was performed on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5.In the allogeneic group, monophasic action potential amplitude progressively decreased, and monophasic action potential duration gradually increased after heart transplantation in the atrium and ventricle. With rejection, the amplitude decreased to a greater extent, and monophasic action potential duration increased to a greater extent in the atrium than in the ventricle on day 3. The atrioventricular conduction time increased on day 5, but the cardiac interval did not change. An inverse correlation between histopathologic grade and the monophasic action potential amplitude, and a positive correlation between histopathologic grade and the monophasic action potential duration existed for both the atrium and ventricle. These electrophysiologic and histopathologic changes were not observed in the syngeneic group.We conclude that right atrial monophasic action potentials may be a useful and reliable indicator of early acute heart transplant rejection.

Publisher Summary The chapter discusses pseudodistomins, their occurrence, structure, synthesis, and pharmacology. The first paper regarding the series of natural products appeared in 1987 on the isolation and structure proposal of pseudodistomins A and B. The structures of pseudodistomins A and B were proposed based mainly on the assignment of their 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra. Pseudodistomins A and B were readily hydrogenated at the dienyl group in their side chains to afford an identical tetrahydro-pseudodistomin, which played a key role in their initial structure determination. Four syntheses of this structure have been reported, almost at the same time, in 1992–1994. Natsume e t al. had developed a new type of carbon–carbon bond forming reaction using singlet oxygen and succeeded in applying this reaction to hydropyridines and then to tetrahydro-pseudodistomin. Pharmacological results were reported on the components from the other tunicates, such as Pseudodistoma cruciparta , Pseudodistoma novaezelandiae, and Pseudodistoma crucigaster .

We compared the change in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RNA) during hemorrhage in young and old rats. Young (10 weeks) and old (80 weeks) male Wistar rats were anesthetized, and RNA together with arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate (HR) were measured under spontaneous respiration. Acute arterial bleeding, 1ml/100g body weight, was carried out to induce hypotension and hypovolemia. With bleeding, mean AP (MAP) decreased from 110 +/- 12 to 23 +/- 11mmHg (mean +/- SEM) and from 93 +/- 15 to 15 +/- 6mmHg in young and old rats, respectively. The difference in the change of MAP between the young and old rats was not significant. With bleeding, mean RNA increased by 46 +/- 21% and 20 +/- 16% in young and old rats, respectively. The increase in mean RNA of the old rats was significantly lower than that of the young rats. We estimated the gain of the baroceptor-renal sympathetic nervous system by using the formula delta RNA/RNA/delta MAP/MAP. The gain was 0.61 +/- 0.34 and 0.23 +/- 0.18 in young and old rats, respectively. The difference in the gain was statistically significant (p0.05). We concluded that the gain of baroceptor-sympathetic nerve system in acute arterial hemorrhage is attenuated with aging.

1. This study was conducted to determine adrenomedullin (AM) action sites in the pulmonary vascular bed and the relation between its vasodilator effects and vascular tone. Moreover, an examination was made into whether calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptors mediate pulmonary vasodilatations induced by AM. To this end, we directly measured internal diameter (i.d.) changes in small pulmonary arteries and veins (100-1100 microns i.d.) by use of an X-ray television system on the in vivo cat lung. 2. Under control (resting vascular tone) conditions, AM injections into the left main pulmonary artery caused dose-related i.d. increases in both small arteries and veins. The mean i.d. increase of the 100-1100 microns arteries (4 +/- 1, 11 +/- 2, and 17 +/- 2% with 0.01, 0.1, and 1 nmol kg-1 AM, respectively) was significantly larger than that for the veins (1 +/- 1, 5 +/- 2, and 7 +/- 2% with 0.01, 0.1 and 1 nmol kg-1 AM, respectively) whatever the injected dose of AM. 3. When unilobar hypoxia (5% O2) had decreased the i.d. of the 100-1100 microns arteries and veins by 16 +/- 3 and 6 +/- 3%, respectively, AM (0.1 nmol kg-1) was able to induce significantly larger i.d. increases in the arteries (28 +/- 3%) and veins (11 +/- 3%) than those under control conditions. 4. The AM-induced i.d. response pattern in the serially connected pulmonary arteries was quite different from that induced by CGRP; AM caused a greater increase in smaller vessels (100-500 microns) than in larger vessels (500-1100 microns). In the case of CGRP, a greater increase was observed in the larger vessels. 5. CGRP8-37 (100 nmol kg-1, i.v., followed by a continuous infusion of 0.2 nmol kg-1 min-1) had no significant effect on the i.d. increase induced by AM (0.1 nmol kg-1) in any serial segments of the arteries and veins. 6. The results indicate that, in the cat, AM induces greater vasodilatation in small pulmonary arteries and lesser vasodilatation in small veins, the maximum dilatation being in the more peripheral arterial segment (100-500 microns). The vasodilator effect of AM was enhanced when vascular tone was elevated. The data suggest that the AM-induced pulmonary vasodilatation is not mediated by CGRP receptors but by its own specific receptor.

Lipids and oxidized lipids were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the erythrocyte membranes of alcoholic and control subjects. Cholesta-3,5-dien-7-one and cholesta-trienes were detected in alcoholic samples examined, but not in significant amounts in controls. Levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (arachidonic acid, 20:4; docosahexaenoic acid, 22:6; and docosatetraenoic acid, 22:4) in alcoholic samples declined significantly, whereas cholesta-3,5-dien-7-one levels increased. A high level of total bilirubin was observed in most patients. A possible mechanism of the accumulation of cholesta-3,5-dien-7-one in the erythrocyte membrane of alcoholics is discussed.

The paper describes how a complete system has been designed and implemented to offer the makers of video productions a complete end to end solution, streamlining the activities of planning, shooting and post production and the key enabling technologies are highlighted.

We introduced intrathoracic hyperthermochemotherapeutic perfusion to two patients with intrathoracic lesions in gastric cancer, one patient with pleural dissemination and the other with left lung metastases.Heated saline containing cisplatin, mitomycin C, and etoposide was circulated through the patient's thorax by a magnetic pump for an hour.The effects of this procedure were estimated complete respose in the former and no change in the latter. There were no complications. While the intrathoracic temperatures were stable between 42.0 and 42.5 degrees C, systemic temperatures measured at esophagus, urinary bladder, pulmonary artery, and tympanic membrane very gradually increased and peaked under 38.6 degrees C. The drug concentration in the perfusate was much lower than the peak plasma concentration, though concentration in the plasma was higher than the peak plasma concentration.This procedure is one of the preferable methods for treatment of intrathoracic lesions in gastric cancer because of easy temperature control, pharmacological advantage, and lack of side effects.