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A high-performance drilling bit for geothermal well drilling is expected to be developed to reduce the drilling duration and cost. The application of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits to geothermal well drilling has been considered worldwide. In this study, drilling tests on several types of rock were performed in a laboratory using a PDC bit. The drilling parameters changed reasonably in the tests according to the rock properties. The progress of the wear of PDC cutters was quantitatively observed and was found to be associated with some of the indexes of rock abrasivity.

• The drilling performance of PDC and WC-Co percussion bits was experimentally estimated.

Percussion bits, polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits and roller cone bits are widely used in well drilling. The evaluation methods for downhole conditions, such as the wear condition of drill bits and the in situ rock strength, are important issues in improving the drilling efficiency and reducing the drilling cost. In this study, drilling tests were conducted in laboratory using the three types of drill bit and various types of rock. On the basis of the results, a close relation between the bit wear condition and bit torque was found for each bit.

The Blockspruit fluorite prospect, located in North West State of the Republic of South Africa, occurs within an actinolite rock zone that was emplaced into the Kenkelbos-type granite of Proterozoic age. There are a large number of termite mounds in the prospect. For geochemical prospecting for rare earth elements (REEs), in total, 200 samples of termite mound material were collected from actinolite rock and granite zones in the prospect. Geochemical analyses of these termite mound materials were conducted by two methods: portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Comparison of the two methods broadly indicates positive correlations of REEs (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Y), in particular Y and La having a strong correlation. As the result of modal abundance analyses, the actinolite rock at surface mainly consists of ferro-actinolite (89.89 wt%) and includes xenotime (0.26 wt%) and monazite (0.21 wt%) grains as REE minerals. Termite mound materials from actinolite rock also contain xenotime (0.27 wt%) and monazite (0.41 wt%) grains. In addition, termite mound materials from the actinolite rock zone have high hematite and Fe silicate contents compared to those from granite zone. These relationships suggest that REE minerals in termite mound materials originate form actinolite rock. Geochemical anomaly maps of Y, La, and Fe concentrations drawn based on the result of the portable XRF analyses show that high concentrations of these elements trend from SW to NE which broadly correspond to occurrences of actinolite body. These results indicate that termite mounds are an effective tool for REE geochemical prospection in the study area for both light REEs and Y, but a more detailed survey is required to establish the distribution of the actinolite rock body.

高レベル放射性廃棄物地層処分の調査開発時の，作業振動を利用する地下構造推定法の活用実現を目標に，堆積岩質坑道内でのコア採取時掘削音の観測と地層構造イメージング法を検討した．室内模擬掘削音取得実験によるコア採取時の掘削音特性の評価も行い，従来の掘削音信号より低品質であり，周期性ノイズ抑圧の必要があることを明らかにした．適応フィルタ，周波数帯域を分割した放出モード評価，SCOT（Smoothed Coherence Transform）法による相関関数計算等を適用した3軸VSP（Vertical Seismic Profile）法により，地層構造と調和的な反射率分布を得ることができた．本報で述べる多成分信号処理法の活用により，様々な作業振動の活用が可能になり，地下情報の蓄積が低コストで実現する可能性が示された．

In an effort to assess the cardiovascular benefits of combined angiotensin receptor blockage and calcium channel antagonism, we assessed the chronic effects of the angiotensin type 1 receptor blocker candesartan, the calcium channel blocker benidipine, and the use of a combination therapy in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats. DS rats receiving a high salt diet were treated with either benidipine (4 mg/kg), candesartan (1 mg/kg) or both. Rat blood pressure was measured using a tail-cuff method. Following 12 weeks, the effect on heart weight, plasma-oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) level, endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, and histology of the heart and aorta was assessed. Blood pressure, heart weight and plasma ox-LDL levels increased, while endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation decreased in the DS rats. Candesartan and benidipine inhibited the increase in blood pressure and heart weight, and the decrease in endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. The use of benidipine alone or a combination significantly inhibited the increase in ox-LDL levels, whereas candesartan alone had no significant effect on ox-LDL levels. The present findings indicate that, if the monotherapy using ARB could not achieve adequate control of blood pressure, the combination therapy with ARB and benidipine provides the additional reductions in hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, the combination therapy inhibits cardiovascular dysfunction and ox-LDL levels more effectively than use of ARB alone. These results contribute to the possibility of lowering ox-LDL levels as a means of enhancing cardiovascular protection.

We discuss the feasibility of performing SWD (Seismic While Drilling) surveys utilizing a percussion drill as an energy source. This drilling technology is widely used in the drilling industry beca...

We prospected the antidotes from natural oriental drugs for botulinum neurotoxin type A. The crude extracts of Galla Rhois and Geranii Herba showed a potent antidote activity for botulinum neurotoxin type A. The antidote titer of the crude extracts of black tea was higher than those of Galla Rhois and Geranii Herba. No antidote activity was detected in the crude extracts of the followings: Gambir, Rosae Multiflorae Fructus, Scutellariae Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, Sophorae Flos, Puerariae Radix, Houttuyniae Herba, Swertiae Herba, Galla Halepensis. Although both Galla Rhois and Galla Halepensis are gall-apples and contain tannin as the main component, Galla Rhois showed the potent antidote activity while Galla Halepensis did not.

We investigated the effects of benidipine (hydrochloride), a calcium antagonist, on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced injury in Langendorff-perfused rat hearts. The hearts were aerobically perfused at a constant flow and exposed to H2O2 (600 μmol L−1) for 4 min, resulting in the oxidative stress-induced myocardial dysfunction (e.g., decrease in the left ventricular developed pressure) and myocardial cell injury (e.g., increase in the release of lactate dehydrogenase). Pretreatment of the hearts with benidipine or nifedipine was performed for 20 min until the start of H2O2 exposure. Benidipine at 1 nmol L−1 and nifedipine at 10 nmol L−1 decreased the myocardial contractility and perfusion pressure to a similar degree in the hearts under normal conditions. Benidipine (1 nmol L−1) significantly reduced the H2O2-induced myocardial damage. Nifedipine (10 nmol L−1) also tended to exhibit similar effects. Benidipine inhibited the increase in tissue lipid peroxidation induced by H2O2. The results suggest that, in addition to the calcium antagonism, benidipine possesses other actions responsible for the cardioprotective effects, to which the antioxidant activity of benidipine may partly contribute.

We examined the effect of the dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (CCB) benidipine, the angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) candesartan, and the combination of these drugs on blood pressure and kidney and vascular function in rats with salt-induced hypertension. Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats were fed with a high-salt (8% NaCl) diet from 7 weeks of age. Benidipine (1, 3 mg/kg), candesartan (1, 3 mg/kg), benidipine (3 mg/kg) combined with candesartan (3 mg/kg), or vehicle was administered orally after the start of the feeding. Relaxant responses to acetylcholine (an endothelium-dependent vasodilator) and sodium nitroprusside (an endothelium-independent vasodilator) were measured to examine the vascular function. DS rats fed the high-salt diet showed an increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP), which was accompanied by glomerular sclerosis and an increase in urinary albumin excretion. Relaxant responses to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside were impaired in superior mesenteric arterial rings from the hypertensive DS rats. SBP was significantly lower in all of the drug-treated groups than in the vehicle-treated group. The antihypertensive effect of benidipine at 3 mg/kg was more potent than that of candesartan at 3 mg/kg. The albuminuria was significantly decreased in the benidipine and benidipine plus candesartan groups, but not in the candesartan group. The level of SBP in the benidipine plus candesartan group was lower than that by either drug alone. In addition, benidipine alone and benidipine plus candesartan inhibited the glomerular sclerosis and the impairment of relaxant responses in the arteries. These results demonstrate that benidipine is more effective than candesartan in lowering blood pressure and preventing the impairment of kidney and vascular function in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats. In addition, the results suggest that combination therapy with benidipine and an ARB decreases blood pressure more effectively than either drug alone and may be useful for the treatment of hypertension.

We investigated the effects of KW-3902 (8-noradamantan-3-yl-1,3-dipropylxanthine), a potent and selective adenosine A1-receptor antagonist, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reduction of urine volume (UV) in anesthetized dogs, in comparison with those of furosemide. LPS was intravenously administered at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg; and the heart rate (HR), systemic blood pressure (BP), renal blood flow (RBF) and UV were measured every 15 min for 4 h. Administration of LPS continuously decreased HR, BP, RBF and UV. KW-3902, furosemide or their corresponding vehicle was given as a bolus injection 5 min after the LPS injection. Treatment with KW-3902 (1 mg/kg, i.v.) ameliorated the LPS-induced decline of UV and RBF. Furosemide (3.2 mg/kg, i.v.) tended to ameliorate the LPS-induced decline of UV but not RBF, the duration of the effect being shorter than that of KW-3902. These results suggest that KW-3902 can ameliorate the oliguria and the decrease in RBF during the early phase of LPS-induced shock. Endogenous adenosine may be involved in the endotoxin-induced oliguria via the adenosine A1-receptor.

Hybrid peptides were constructed from endothelin B receptor (ET(B)) selective antagonist RES-701-1 (1) and endothelin (ET-1). They have N-terminal 10 amino acids derived from 1 and C-terminal 10 amino acids derived from ET-1. RES-701-1(1-10)-[Ala15]ET-1(12-21) and its analogues substituted or truncated at the residues derived from RES-701-1 had proved to possess high receptor binding activity selective for ETB as well as 1. Substitutions at the residues derived from ET-1 had produced some analogues that possessed high affinity not only for ETB but for ETA. Although all analogues had antagonistic effects on ETA, some analogues had proved to function as agonist on ETB confirmed by the changes in intracellular calcium concentrations of ET receptor-transfected COS-7 cells. We have found four types of ET receptor-binding peptides: (1) ETB-selective agonist with weak ETA antagonism (3, KT7421); (2) ETB-selective antagonist with weak ETA antagonism (29, KT7539); (3) ETB agonist with potent ETA antagonism (27, KT7538); and (4) non-selective ETA/ETB antagonist (26, KT7540).

The main objectives of this report are to confirm the applicability of the methods for the estimation of rock strength and tooth wear to insert bits. These methods were obtained from the test results of the milled tooth bits with different tooth wear as described in the 2nd report. Therefore, drilling tests were conducted using 101.6mm-dia insert bits with different tooth wear. The main results obtained from the tests are as follows: 1. The relation between the effective axial energy per revolution divided by bit diameter (Feu/Nd) and the effective rotary energy per revolution divided by cross-sectional area of bit squared ((8Te/d2)2), is the information which shows the rock strength independent of tooth wear. The drilling strength of rock (Ds) can be obtained from the relation between them.2. The relations between Ds and the penetration strength of rock (Is), Ds and the specific energy calculated from the effective rotary energy (Se), Ds and the threshold weight per unit length of bit diameter (Fc/d), are effective information to estimate the tooth wear quantitatively.From these results, it became clear that the methods for the estimation of rock strength and tooth wear obtained from the milled tooth bits are applicable to the insert bits.

We previously reported that (+/-)-6-(4-(benzylamino)-7-quinazolinyl)-4,5- dihydro-5-methyl-3(2H)-pyridazinone (+/-)-1, KF15232) showed potent cardiotonic activity with a strong myofibrillar Ca(2+)-sensitizing effect. As an extension of our work, we attempted to synthesize optically active 1. (+/-)-4-(4-(Benzylamino)-7-quinazolinyl)-3-methyl-4-oxobutyric acid (-)-menthyl ester (6) was separated into both diastereoisomers, and each was converted to optically pure 1 (99% ee) in an enantioselective manner. In order to determine the absolute configuration of the isomers, an alternative synthesis of optically active 1 was employed. The precursor of (-)-1 ((+)-9) was obtained by enantioselective synthesis from (R)-D-alanine. Consequently, we concluded that the absolute configuration of (-)-1 at the 5-position of the pyridazinone ring was R. The cardiotonic effects and inhibitory activities to PDE III and V of racemic 1 and (-)-1 were more potent than those of (+)-1. These compounds also demonstrated greater vasorelaxant effects in guinea pig aorta. In contrast, (+)-1 showed only weak cardiotonic and vasodilating effects, although the compound displayed potent Ca(2+)-sensitizing activity. Racemic and (-)-1 attracted our interest for the treatment of congestive heart failure.

Structural changes of actomyosin, the major protein of muscle, on heating have been estimated on ATPase activity. We investigated carp actomyosin molecule changes on heating based on biophysical and biochemical techniques. Actomyosin molecules began to unfold at ∼30°C. Hydrophobic amino acid residues and SH groups, which had been inside the molecule, emerged to the surface. Because of hydrophobic interactions and disulfide bonds, actomyosin molecules formed aggregates. At > 40°C, a part of myosin molecules was dissociated from actin filaments. Thus, dissociated myosin and the myosin-lacking molecules co-existed. In addition, fragmentation of actin filaments was observed, which was associated with the dissociation of myosin molecules. At ≥ 60 °C actomyosin molecules formed larger aggregates, in which no filamentous shape was observed. This aggregation occurred mainly by formation of SS bonds.

Drilling tests for several types of rock were conducted to investigate the relationship between bit vibration and rock strength. An insert bit, a tooth bit and a PDC bit of 3-7/8 in. diameter were used for the tests. Rocks drilled are tuff, sandstone, granite and two types of andesite whose uniaxial compressive strength ranges from 16.5 to 167 MPa. The bit vibration while drilling was measured by two accelerometers for horizontal and vertical directions set in a rod above the bit. The magnitude of the bit vibration was obtained by the calculation of RMS (root mean square) value of acceleration. The bit weight, penetration rate, torque and rotary speed were also measured while drilling, in addition to the bit vibration.From the results of tests, it became obvious that the bit vibration reflects well the change of rock strength. Moreover, the bit vibration, penetration rate and torque at the same bit weight were compared to understand the feature of the bit vibration. The comparison revealed that the change of the bit vibration and penetration rate with the change of rock strength are larger as compared to that of the torque in two types of roller cone bit. It also revealed that the increase and decrease of bit vibration for the change of rock strength are opposite to those of the penetration rate in the roller cone bits.

A series of novel xanthine-based tricyclic heterocycles in 1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4(5H)-ones was designed, synthesized, and tested as potential active bronchodilators. Inhibition of the Schulz-Dale (SD) reaction-induced contraction in trachea and inhibition of antigen inhalation-induced bronchospasm in passively sensitized guinea pigs served as primary in vitro and in vivo assays, respectively. Simultaneous measurement of acute lethal toxicity (minimum lethal dose; MLD, po) in mice allowed determination of a safety margin. The bronchodilatory activity of these heterocycles was considerably varied with the nature of substituents at the 5-position. The most active substituents at the 2- and 5-positions and on the aromatic ring were found to be hydrogen, n-butyl, and hydrogen, respectively. There was a bulk tolerance for lipophilic substituents at the 1-position. 5-Butyl-substituted compounds appeared to be less toxic than theophylline on the basis of MLD data. Thus 5-butyl-1-methyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4(5H)-one (10) (IC50 value of the SD assay = 0.25 microM, MLD > 300 mg/kg) was selected for further studies. Compound 10 (KF15570) reduced bronchoconstriction produced by antigen (Konzett-Rossler preparation in anesthetized guinea pigs, ED50 = 0.42 mg/kg, iv) more effectively than aminophylline (ethylenediamine salt of theophylline, ED50 = 7.8 mg/kg, iv) but had fewer side effects on the heart and CNS than theophylline. Compound 10 and its derivatives showed weak adenosine antagonism and phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibition which could not account for their potent bronchodilation. Although their precise mechanism of action remains unclear, this series of novel tricyclic heterocycles represents a new class of bronchodilator.

We examined the effects of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker candesartan, the calcium channel blockers benidipine and amlodipine, hydralazine, and the combination of candesartan and benidipine or amlodipine on blood pressure and renal function in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) hypertensive rats. Male DS rats (5 weeks of age) were fed a high-salt (8% NaCl) diet, resulting in hypertension accompanied by glomerular sclerosis and an increased urinary albumin excretion. Drugs were orally administered from 2 to 6 weeks after the start of the feeding. Although candesartan (1 or 10 mg/kg) had little effect on the blood pressure, benidipine (4 mg/kg), amlodipine (4 mg/kg) and hydralazine (5 mg/kg) had similar hypotensive effects. Benidipine, but not amlodipine, hydralazine, or candesartan, significantly inhibited the increase in the albuminuria and glomerular sclerosis. The combination of candesartan (1 mg/kg) and benidipine (4 mg/kg) lowered the levels of blood pressure and albuminuria more effectively than the combination of candesartan (1 mg/kg) and amlodipine (4 mg/kg). These results indicate that benidipine is effective in preventing the impairment of renal function in DS hypertensive rats, and suggest that additional benefits can be expected by combination therapy with benidipine and an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker. (Hypertens Res 2003; 26: 635-641)

The brain and cardiac isoforms of anion exchanger 3 (AE3) are considered to use their own promoters for their expression. However, little is known as to how the alternative transcription initiation is regulated. As a first step for elucidating the regulation, we obtained a genomic gene of mouse AE3. The 19-kbp clone contains about 6 kbp of 5' flanking region, 23 exons, and 22 introns. We have sequenced the whole region including introns and determined the intron-exon boundaries. Six amino acids are different from those deduced from the reported mouse AE3 cDNA. We measured a promoter activity of the 5' flanking region of the exon 1 for a brain type isoform and that of the exon C1 for a cardiac type isoform. The upstream region of the exon C1 indeed showed a promoter activity in rat cardiomyoblastic H9C2 cells, rat pheochromocyotoma PC12 cells, and human HeLa cells whereas the 5' flanking region of the exon 1 does not in HeLa cells, suggesting that the promoter for the cardiac type is rather ubiquitously active.

During replication, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) takes on a triple-stranded structure called a D-loop. Although their physiological roles are not understood, D-loops are implicated in replication and transcription of mtDNA. Little is known about the turnover of D-loops. We investigated the effects of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and single-stranded DNA-binding protein (mtSSB) on D-loops. In human HeLa cells, TFAM and mtSSB are, respectively, 1700- and 3000-fold more abundant than mtDNA. This level of TFAM is two orders of magnitude higher than reported previously and is sufficient to wrap human mtDNA entirely. TFAM resolves D-loops in vitro if added in similar stoichiometries. mtSSB inhibits the resolution of mtDNA by TFAM but enhances resolution by RecG, a junction-specific helicase from Escherichia coli. Hence, mtSSB functions in both stabilization and resolution. We propose that TFAM and mtSSB are cooperatively involved in stabilizing D-loops and in the maintenance of mtDNA.

The effects of KF31327 (3-ethyl-8-[2-(4-hydroxymethylpiperidino)benzylamino]-2,3-dihydro-1H-imidazo[4,5-g]quinazoline-2-thione dihydrochloride) on phosphodiesterase 5 (cyclic GMP-specific phosphodiesterase) activity and platelet aggregation were investigated and compared with those of sildenafil, a well-known phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor. KF31327 inhibited phosphodiesterase 5 from canine trachea (K(i)=0.16 nM) more potently than sildenafil (K(i)=7.2 nM). The kinetic analysis revealed that KF31327 was a non-competitive inhibitor. In the presence of nitroglycerin (nitric oxide generator), both compounds inhibited the collagen-induced aggregation of rabbit platelets at less than 0.1 microM, augmenting intracellular cyclic GMP level without affecting cyclic AMP. In contrast, in the absence of nitroglycerin, a higher concentration (10 microM) of KF31327 was required to inhibit platelet aggregation and increased both cyclic nucleotide levels. However, 10 microM sildenafil did not affect aggregation despite elevation of cyclic GMP comparable to that in the presence of nitroglycerin. These results indicate that in the presence of nitroglycerin, the inhibition of platelet aggregation by KF31327 is due to the elevation of cyclic GMP, whereas the mechanism underlying the inhibition without nitroglycerin might be related to a rise in intracellular cyclic AMP.

We studied the antioxidant activities of calcium antagonists against autoxidation in rat brain homogenates. The homogenates were incubated for 30 min at 37 degrees C with or without a calcium antagonist and subsequently assayed for lipid peroxide content. Percent inhibition of the lipid peroxidation was used as an index of the antioxidant effect. Dihydropyridine calcium antagonists exhibited concentration-dependent (3-300 micromol/l) inhibitory effects against lipid peroxidation. The relative order of antioxidant potency and associated IC50 values (micromol/l) of the calcium antagonists for inhibition of the lipid peroxidation were as follows: nifedipine (51.5)barnidipine (58.6)benidipine (71.2)nicardipine (129.3)amlodipine (135.5)nilvadipine (167.3)nitrendipine (252.1)diltiazem (300)=verapamil (300). These results suggest that some dihydropyridine calcium antagonists show antioxidant properties. The antioxidant effects of the calcium antagonists may contribute to their pharmacological actions.

We have investigated the effects of benidipine (hydrochloride), a calcium antagonist, against ischaemic acute renal failure in rats. Using histological examination, we studied whether the inhibition of apoptosis was associated with the protective effects of benidipine on the ischaemic renal injury. Acute renal failure was induced by the unilateral clamping of the left renal artery for 60 min, followed by reperfusion and contralateral nephrectomy. Drugs were given intravenously 5 min before the unilateral clamping. Prophylactic administrations of benidipine (10 μg kg−1, i.v.) significantly ameliorated the development of renal failure as estimated by the measurements of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen 24 h after the reperfusion. Amlodipine (besilate, 100 and 300 μg kg−1, i.v.) tended to attenuate renal dysfunction. Lisinopril (300 and 1000 μg kg−1, i.v.), an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, was ineffective in this acute renal failure model. Histological examination using the terminal transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labelling (TUNEL) method to detect apoptotic cells revealed that the TUNEL-positive tubular epithelium was prominent in the renal cortex 24 h after the reperfusion. The TUNEL-positive cells were significantly reduced by pretreatment with benidipine. The results demonstrate that benidipine can ameliorate the ischaemic acute renal failure in rats and suggest that the renoprotective effect of benidipine was at least partly attributable to the reduction of apoptosis in tubular epithelial cells.

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (mtTFA), the only known transcription factor in mitochondria, is also implicated in maintenance of mitochondrial genome although little is elucidated about its molecular basis. mtTFA is a member of HMG box proteins family. Some HMG proteins bind with high affinity to four-way DNA junctions that mimic a Holliday structure, a putative intermediate in DNA recombination. To explore possible involvement of a Holliday-like structure in the maintenance of mitochondrial genome, we examine the binding of recombinant human mtTFA to a synthetic four-way DNA junction. The human mtTFA binds to the four-way DNA junction with an approximately 10-fold higher affinity than to the corresponding linear duplex DNA and with essentially the same affinity as to a 40-mer DNA containing the human mitochondrial light strand promoter sequence. The mtTFA binds to the four-way as a monomer. Both of the two HMG box domains of human mtTFA are required for the high affinity binding to the four-way junction.

A series of novel 4, 5-dihydro-5-methyl-6-(2 or 4-substituted 7-quinazolinyl)-3(2H)-pyridazinones was synthesized and examined for cardiotonic activity in anesthetized dogs. The 4-substituted aminoquinazolines generally showed potent and long-lasting inotropic activity. Fall in the activity was observed on the introduction of substituent at the 2-position of the quinazoline ring. The 3-substituted 4 (3H)-quinazolinimines generally exhibited weak activity. Ca+2 sensitizing effect of the 4-substituted amino derivatives was also examined in chemically skinned fiber from papillary muscle of guinea pig. The alkylamino derivatives exhibited small sensitizing effect, while the benzylamino derivatives exhibited large effect. Among them, KF15232 (Ix) was found to have the most potent cardiotonic and Ca2+ sensitizing activities.

Several benzothiazolyl, imidazobenzothiazolyl, benzothienyl, benzothienopyrimidinyl and quinazolinyl 4,5-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridazinones were synthesized and examined for cardiotonic activity in anesthetized dogs after i.v. administration. Among them, 4-methylamino-7-(2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-5-methyl-3-oxo-6- pyridazinyl)quinazoline (36) showed potent and long-lasting inotropic activity (relative potency = 2.11, milrinone = 1). The activity of 36 was more potent than indolidan (2) (relative potency = 1.53) which is one of the most potent inotropic agents to date.

A series of 1-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-quinazolinyl)piperidines carrying various 5-membered heterocycles at the 4-position was synthesized and examined for cardiotonic activity in anesthesized dogs. The (4-oxo-2-thioxo-3-imidazolindinyl)amino derivatives showed the most potent inotropic activity. Marked loss of activity was observed in the 2,4-dihydro-3-thioxo-3H-1,2,4-triazolyl, the 2,4-dihydro-3-oxo-3H-pyrazolyl and the (2,3-dihydro-2-thioxo-3H-1,3,4-thiadiazol-5-yl)amino derivatives. The synthesis and structure-activity relationships are discussed.

A series of novel 1-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-quinazolinyl)piperidines carrying substituted hydantoin and 2-thiohydantoin rings was synthesized and examined for cardiotonic activity in anesthetized dogs. Introduction of isopropyl and sec-butyl group at the 5-position of the hydantoin and thiohydantoin rings led to potent inotropic activity. Effects of insertion of an alkyl chain between the piperidine and the hydantoin rings were also examined. The structural requirements necessary for optimal cardiotonic activity within the series were investigated.

A series of 1-[1-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-quinazolinyl)-4-piperidinyl]-3-substituted 2-imidazolidinone and 2-imidazolidinethione derivatives was synthesized and examined for cardiotonic activity in anesthetized dogs. Alkylation of the 2-imidazolidinone (1) afforded the N-alkylated products, while alkylation of the 2-imidazolidinethione (12) afforded the S-alkylated derivatives accompanied with a small quantity of the N-alkylated products. The N-alkylated derivatives showed generally potent activity, and the S-alkylated ones exhibited weak activity. Insertion of an alkyl group between the piperidine and the imidazolidinone moiety generally resulted in a fall in activity.