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Chemoselective hydrogenation of aldehydes to alcohols is of importance in synthetic chemistry. Here, we report a reusable CeO 2 -supported Au nanoparticle catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of aldehydes using syngas as the hydrogen source for which CO in syngas works as a site blocker to prevent side reactions. In particular, the hydrogenation of aldehydes with an easily reducible alkene, alkyne, or halogen moiety under syngas gave the corresponding alcohols with high selectivity, while the hydrogenation under pure hydrogen resulted in overreduction or dehalogenation. Of particular interest is that CO works as a site blocker but does not affect the hydrogenation rate significantly. A potential application of the present catalyst system was demonstrated by the conversion of terminal alkenes to alcohols via a one-pot hydroformylation/hydrogenation sequence.

Background: Since gastric cancers (GCs) detected after Helicobacter pylori ( HP ) eradication present with different morphological characteristics from conventional HP -positive GCs, delayed detection of early-stage GCs may be observed. This study aimed to investigate the clinical impact of HP eradication on diagnosing GC during screening endoscopy., Methods: Eleven health checkup institutions in Japan participated in the present study. All GC cases newly diagnosed by screening endoscopy between January 2016 and December 2020 were included. After propensity score matching, multivariable regression analysis was performed to estimate the effect of HP eradication on deep tumor invasion among HP -eradicated and HP -positive GC cases., Results: A total of 231 patients with GCs (134 HP -eradicated and 97 HP -positive cases) were enrolled. After propensity score matching, there were 81 cases in each group. The distribution of the depth of tumor invasion (pT1a, pT1b1, pT1b2, and pT2) between the HP -eradicated group and HP -positive group was similar ( p = 0.82). In the propensity analysis, with HP -positive as the reference value, HP eradication was not significantly associated with T1b-T4-GCs and T1b2-T4-GCs, with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 1.16 (0.48-2.81) and 1.16 (0.42-3.19), respectively., Conclusions: HP eradication does not adversely affect the clinical course of GCs, supporting the recommendation of HP eradication in screening programs to reduce the total number of GC cases without delaying diagnosis.

A 63-year-old man was admitted to a hospital owing to shortness of breath. He was diagnosed as having gastric cancer with pulmonary carcinomatous lymphangitis(PCL)and disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow(DCBM). Regarding tumor markers, carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)and carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9)levels increased to 332 ng/ mL and 921 U/mL, respectively. Since the disease was also accompanied by disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC), S- 1 plus cisplatin chemotherapy was started immediately(S-1 120 mg/body administered for 21 days and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 administered on day 8, 35 days for a course). Approximately 2 weeks after the initiation of chemotherapy, the patient's respiratory symptoms improved, and he recovered from DIC. After 2 chemotherapy courses, tumor marker levels decreased (CEA 9.3 ng/mL and CA19-9 314 U/mL), and the patient continued to receive chemotherapy without the deterioration of his physical condition for 5 months. However, he experienced fatigue after 4 courses, because of the progression of gastric cancer. Although the regimen was changed to ramucirumab plus paclitaxel chemotherapy, the patient died 8 months after the initiation of chemotherapy. An accumulation of cases is needed to establish treatment strategies for gastric cancer with PCL and/or DCBM.

Although oophorectomy for ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer is encouraged to improve the prognosis, that is also performed to relieve the symptom such as abdominal distention. We report a surgical case of intestinal obstruction due to ovarian metastasis after ileocecal resection for cecal cancer diagnosed at 77 years old., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Clinical Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The dynamics of nucleosomes containing either canonical H3 or its centromere-specific variant CENP-A were investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations showed that the histone cores were structurally stable during simulation periods of 100 ns and 50 ns, while DNA was highly flexible at the entry and exit regions and partially dissociated from the histone core. In particular, approximately 20-25 bp of DNA at the entry and exit regions of the CENP-A nucleosome exhibited larger fluctuations than DNA at the entry and exit regions of the H3 nucleosome. Our detailed analysis clarified that this difference in dynamics was attributable to a difference in two basic amino acids in the αN helix; two arginine (Arg) residues in H3 were substituted by lysine (Lys) residues at the corresponding sites in CENP-A. The difference in the ability to form hydrogen bonds with DNA of these two residues regulated the flexibility of nucleosomal DNA at the entry and exit regions. Our exonuclease III assay consistently revealed that replacement of these two Arg residues in the H3 nucleosome by Lys enhanced endonuclease susceptibility, suggesting that the DNA ends of the CENP-A nucleosome are more flexible than those of the H3 nucleosome. This difference in the dynamics between the two types of nucleosomes may be important for forming higher order structures in different phases.

The centromere-specific histone H3 variant, CENP-A, is overexpressed in particular aggressive cancer cells, where it can be mislocalized ectopically in the form of heterotypic nucleosomes containing H3.3. In the present study, we report the crystal structure of the heterotypic CENP-A/H3.3 particle and reveal its "hybrid structure", in which the physical characteristics of CENP-A and H3.3 are conserved independently within the same particle. The CENP-A/H3.3 nucleosome forms an unexpectedly stable structure as compared to the CENP-A nucleosome, and allows the binding of the essential centromeric protein, CENP-C, which is ectopically mislocalized in the chromosomes of CENP-A overexpressing cells.

Nucleosomes containing a human histone variant, H2A.B, in an aqueous solution were analyzed by small-angle neutron scattering utilizing a contrast variation technique. Comparisons with the canonical H2A nucleosome structure revealed that the DNA termini of the H2A.B nucleosome are detached from the histone core surface, and flexibly expanded toward the solvent. In contrast, the histone tails are compacted in H2A.B nucleosomes compared to those in canonical H2A nucleosomes, suggesting that they bind to the surface of the histone core and/or DNA. Therefore, the histone tail dynamics may function to regulate the flexibility of the DNA termini in the nucleosomes., (Copyright © 2014 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The cytotoxic effect of eugenol on the expression of molecular markers related to the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp cells such as collagen synthesis and the expression of two osteogenesis-related genes, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone sialoprotein (BSP), was studied using human dental pulp cells (D824 cells). Cellular growth and survival were decreased by treatment of cells with eugenol in a concentration-dependent manner. The incorporation rate of [(3)H] proline into the acid-insoluble fraction and the synthesis of type I-V collagens were also reduced by treatment of cells with eugenol in a concentration-dependent fashion. The mRNA expression of ALP was scarcely affected in cells exposed to eugenol, whereas the mRNA and protein expression of BSP was down-regulated depending on the concentrations of eugenol. The results suggest that because collagen synthesis and BSP expression play a critical role in hard tissue formation, eugenol used for endodontic treatment may give rise to cytotoxic effects to the normal function of stem cells reported to exist in human dental pulp tissue and periodontal ligament.

To investigate the stimulating effect of endodontic medications on the mRNA expression of some osteogenesis-related genes associated with reparative dentinogenesis and hard-tissue formation, human dental pulp cells (D824 cells) were treated with calcium hydroxide (Ca (OH)(2)), formocresol, or guaiacol. The effect on growth was determined by growth curves of D824 cells treated for 1-3 days with 0.03-0.3 mM Ca (OH)(2), 0.0007%-0.0014% formocresol, or 0.24-2.43 mM guaiacol. The mitotic activity of individual cells and the mRNA expression of the osteogenesis-related genes for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), type I collagen (COL-1), and bone sialoprotein (BSP) in the cells treated for 24 h with the same concentrations of the medications as described above were determined by colony-forming efficiency and by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, respectively. Cellular growth and mitotic activity were scarcely affected by Ca (OH)(2), but were significantly reduced by formocresol or guaiacol. The mRNA expression of the osteogenesis-related genes was little affected by Ca (OH)(2) or formocresol, but was significantly enhanced by guaiacol. The results indicate that guaiacol may stimulate the mRNA expression of genes associated with reparative dentinogenesis and hard-tissue formation in human dental pulp cells, suggesting that the novel property of guaiacol provides new insights into the utilization of guaiacol in endodontic therapy.

Nontyphoidal salmonellosis has a wide variety of clinical presentations. With the aim of describing the detailed clinical presentations of gastroenteritis caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella spp., findings for 126 patients (1-94 years of age; 37.0 years on average) were analyzed. Nontyphoidal salmonellosis is prevalent from April to October in Akita, when the mean atmospheric temperature exceeds 10 degrees C. On physical examination, 3 patients had rebound tenderness and muscle guarding on their abdominal wall; 1 of these patients underwent surgery for associated acute appendicitis. Elderly patients tended to be more seriously affected, resulting in severe dehydration. Elevation of the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level correlated well with a decline in the platelet count. Although nontyphoidal salmonellosis is a common cause of acute gastroenteritis, thorough investigation and meticulous care are required so that conditions requiring surgical treatment or those that are potentially fatal are not overlooked.

We analyzed the primary tumors, sonographic findings, clinical manifestations, and prognosis in five cases of isolated splenic metastases to determine in what situations these rare metastases should be suspected. The metastases were detected by ultrasonography in all five patients, and the primary tumors were colonic cancer in four patients and renal cancer in one patient. Splenectomy was performed and the postoperative course was uneventful in all patients. We conclude that preoperative and follow-up examinations must be performed with special attention given to the spleen in colonic or renal cancer patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to establish a simple technique to evaluate anorectal motility and the dynamics of defecation., Methods: Pressure fluctuations in the rectum and anal canal during 500 ml of saline infusion in the rectum and then a saline evacuation curve were recorded using manometer and uroflowmeter., Results: This study consisted of 37 patients with a mean age of 49.6 years. All patients without problems with defecation showed periodic relaxation of the anal canal, which was synchronized with rectal contractions during saline infusion. The saline evacuation curves of these patients were characterized by short evacuation time and high-peak flow. Of the 13 patients with constipation, 9 showed no rectoanal synchronization and had segmental evacuation curves. The patients with incontinence tended to have poor ability for holding saline in the rectum, resulting in low-peaked evacuation curves., Conclusions: This simple and noninvasive technique for recording anorectal pressure fluctuations and dynamics of saline evacuation from the rectum enables quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the ability to defecate.

A 12-year-old girl with massive hemoperitoneum caused by a ruptured hemorrhagic ovarian cyst (HOC) is described. Although HOC is not common in early adolescence, it should be included in the differential diagnosis of any adnexal mass or lower abdominal pain in a girl.

The objective of this study was to develop an easy and simple experimental rat model of total hepatectomy, hepatic ischemia and extrahepatic portal obstruction. The first operation involved transposing the spleen with its scarified capsule in a subcutaneous pouch to produce portasystemic anastomosis. Total hepatectomy was easily performed in a lobe-by-lobe fashion 2 weeks following the first stage operation. Anhepatic rats receiving a glucose infusion survived for about 10 hours and all died of acute hepatic failure. Hepatic support systems can be accurately evaluated in this anhepatic rat model because of its uniformity. Sixty minutes of hepatic ischemia was able to be performed in rats with a transposed spleen for a portasystemic shunt and no complicated or technically involved procedure was required for the ischemic model. No rats died due to technical difficulties, suggesting the reliability and reproducibility of this ischemic model. An animal model resembling extrahepatic portal vein obstruction was also obtained by ligation of the portal vein; a simple maneuver which was able to produce collateral veins to the liver and cavernous transformation, as similarly seen in clinical patients with extrahepatic portal obstruction. Because these 3 animal models were so easily achieved in the rat, and since the changes in hepatic function and formation of the collaterals to the liver after portal vein occlusion are still poorly understood, this model should prove valuable for future study.

Obstructive jaundice model was created using rats by the ligation of bile duct. One, 2, 3 weeks later, the respiratory function and morphology of the hepatic mitochondria were comparatively evaluated between mitochondria directly fractionated from liver tissue and mitochondria from isolated hepatocytes. Respiratory function of the former deteriorated with the duration of jaundice. ATP synthesis decreased to 75% of the control at 1 and 2 weeks, and 58% at 3 weeks after ligation. On the contrary, it was 97%, 88% and 87% of the control. On the contrary, it was 97%, 88% and 87% of the control at 1, 2 and 3 weeks in the latter. By electron microscopic examination, the size of mitochondria of the jaundiced liver is inconsistent and smaller in general than the control. These data suggest that the deterioration of mitochondrial function in the jaundiced liver is not caused mainly by the disturbance of mitochondria themselves, but caused by the respiratory inhibitory factors which exist around the mitochondria.