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We report a 79-year-old woman with collision cancer in the right middle lobe of the lung. She had a persistent abnormal shadow after treatment for pneumonia pointed out in right middle lung field on chest radiogram, and referred to our hospital. On examination, the chest computed tomography showed a pure-solid mass of 7.6 cm in diameter in right middle lobe of the lung which was thought to invade the superior pulmonary vein. She underwent a successful right pneumonecomty, and the postoperative course was uneventful. The tumor proved to be a collision cancer consisting of poor differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and invasive adenocarcinoma, lepidic predominanat by pathological examination. Epidermal growth factor receptor mutations (L858R) were found in both squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the tumor, possibly suggesting the same origin of both histological types.

Galectin-3 is a β-galactoside-binding protein implicated in diverse biological processes. We found that galectin-3 induced human monocyte migration in vitro in a dose-dependent manner, and it was chemotactic at high concentrations (1.0 μM) but chemokinetic at low concentrations (10–100 nM). Galectin-3-induced monocyte migration was inhibited by its specific mAb and was blocked by lactose and a C-terminal domain fragment of the protein, indicating that both the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of galectin-3 are involved in this activity. Pertussis toxin (PTX) almost completely blocked monocyte migration induced by high concentrations of galectin-3. Galectin-3 caused a Ca2+ influx in monocytes at high, but not low, concentrations, and both lactose and PTX inhibited this response. There was no cross-desensitization between galectin-3 and any of the monocyte-reactive chemokines examined, including monocyte chemotactic protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, and stromal cell-derived factor-1α. Cultured human macrophages and alveolar macrophages also migrated toward galectin-3, but not monocyte chemotactic protein-1. Finally, galectin-3 was found to cause monocyte accumulation in vivo in mouse air pouches. These results indicate that galectin-3 is a novel chemoattractant for monocytes and macrophages and suggest that the effect is mediated at least in part through a PTX-sensitive (G protein-coupled) pathway.

We compared apoptosis in eosinophils from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL-Eos) with that in eosinophils from peripheral blood (PB-Eos) of 4 patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP). The survival rate of the BAL-Eos on the 3rd day of the culture was significantly higher than that of the PB-Eos (39.1 vs. 1.3%). The percentage of apoptotic cells in the PB-Eos after a 24-hour incubation was higher than that in the BAL-Eos (21.7 vs. 10.6%) according to an analysis with annexin V. We further found that ECF-PI9, an eosinophil chemotactic factor (ECF) derived from an established T cell line (STO-2), significantly suppressed the apoptosis of both PB-Eos and BAL-Eos and prolonged their survival. The expression of Fas on PB-Eos was significantly suppressed by ECF-PI9 (18.5 to 7.37%, p < 0.05), whereas ECF-PI9 failed to suppress the Fas expression on BAL-Eos (3.3 to 3.6%). In addition, an ECF with similar physicochemical properties and biological functions was isolated from the BAL fluid of patients with CEP. These data demonstrate differences between PB-Eos and BAL-Eos, and indicate that ECF-PI9 is involved in the pathogenesis of CEP.

We report a novel fabrication technique for multilayer light-emitting diodes composed of new polyoxadiazole, POD, conjugated polymers for the first time. The fabrication technique called vapor deposition polymerization is described. Chemical modification of monomers brought about the enhancement of reactivity and the production of high molecular weight of POD. Emission color with photoexcitation was controllable from violet-blue to green by varying the chemical structures of PODs. It was found that PODs could be employed as either electroluminescent or carrier-injecting layers by the optimization of the device structure. Two types of bilayer devices, which are constructed with POD/tris (8-quinolinoato) aluminum, Alq3, and with two POD layers with different chemical structures, were investigated. Carrier injection begins in the POD/Alq3 bilayer device near 7 V, and the device emitted green light from Alq3. The maximum luminance of the POD/Alq3 device reached 3500 cd/m2. The POD/POD bilayer device emitted blue light with maximum luminance of 21 cd/m2. Electroluminescence spectra of the devices coincided with photoluminescence spectra of each emitting material used. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) is an 80-kD serum protein with homology to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Its receptor, RON tyrosine kinase, is a new member of the HGF receptor family. The MSP-RON signaling pathway has been implicated in the functional regulation of mononuclear phagocytes. However, the function of this pathway in other types of cells has not been elucidated. Here we show that in contrast to the HGF receptor, which was expressed at the basolateral surface, RON was localized at the apical surface of ciliated epithelia in the airways and oviduct. In addition, MSP was found in the bronchoalveolar space at biologically significant concentrations. MSP bound to RON on normal human bronchial epithelial cells with a high affinity (Kd = 0.5 nM) and induced autophosphorylation of RON. Activation of RON by MSP led to a significant increase in ciliary beat frequency of human nasal cilia. These findings indicate that the ciliated epithelium of the mucociliary transport apparatus is a novel target of MSP. Ciliary motility is critical for mucociliary transport. Our findings suggest that the MSP-RON signaling pathway is a novel regulatory system of mucociliary function and might be involved in the host defense and fertilization.

The rapid detection method of Escherichia coli O157 in feces by using the latex agglutination test kit (Prolex; Pro Lab Diagnostics) and the immunochromatic assay kit (NOW EH. E. coli; Binax) was studied. 176 fecal samples obtained from 154 healthy men and 22 patients who had diarrhea by E. coli O157 were examined. Tellurite cefixim sorbitol MacConkey (TC-SMAC), Prolex and NOW were used for studies and also these were done after the enriched culture by tellurite cefixime vancomycin toriptic soy broth (TCV-TSB). In the direct inoculation, 5 (23%) of 22 samples, 7 (32%) and 9 (41%), and after the enriched culture, 7 (32%), 10 (46%) and 11 (50%) were positive by culture, Prolex and NOW, respectively. On the other hand, 154 samples from healthy men were all negative in the direct inoculation, but in the enriched culture, 7 of 40 (18%) were positive by NOW. These samples were negative by boiled (100 degrees C, 15 minutes). Our results indicated that Prolex and NOW were useful for accurate and rapid diagnosis of E. coli O157 enteritis, and more sensitivity results were obtained with the enrichment broth.

We report a case of tuberculous pleurisy that required differentiation from pleurisy caused by Mycoplasma infection. A 28-year-old woman presented to a clinic with fever and pain on the left side of her chest. A chest radiograph revealed pleural effusion in the left thorax, and the condition was diagnosed as bacterial pleurisy. The patient was referred to our hospital because of an increase in the pleural effusion despite antibiotic treatment. Mycoplasma infection was suspected because the patient was young, the white blood cell count was not elevated, and the result of the ImmunoCard Mycoplasma test (IC) for Mycoplasma pneumoniae-specific IgM antibodies was positive. However, the fever persisted even after treatment with azithromycin and pazufloxacin. The left pleural effusion was exudative, with lymphocytosis and high adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels. The results of the QuantiFERON test were positive. Therefore, tuberculous pleurisy was diagnosed, and the effusion subsided after treatment with standard anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. Although detection of Mycoplasma infection using the IC is rapid and simple, the accuracy of this test is poor. The patient was first diagnosed with pleurisy of Mycoplasma origin because of a single high-particle agglutination titer of 1: 320 and because of the presence of exudative pleural effusion with lymphocytosis and elevated ADA levels, which has been reported in patients with Mycoplasma infection. The results of the IC test and the ADA level of the pleural effusion might not be reliable when distinguishing between tuberculous pleurisy and pleurisy caused by Mycoplasma infection.

We established two human thyroid tumor cell lines. One cell line (hPTC) was established from the tissue of a papillary thyroid carcinoma surgically excised from a 27-year-old female patient. The other cell line (hAG) was established from the tissue of an adenomatous goiter excised from a 59-year old female patient. Synthesis of cAMP by hPTC and hAG increased when they were stimulated by TSH. hPTC and hAG continued to divide as a monolayer in a tissue culture for three years and two years, respectively. We assessed the efficacy of anticancer drugs (doxorubicin:ADR, cisplatin:CDDP, nimustine:ACNU, bleomycin:BLM, cyclophosphamide:CPA, aclarubicin:ACR) with resard to hPTC. The hPTC cells were cultured in 24-well plates in the presence of the anticancer drugs for 48 hours, and the cellular DNA of the live cells was measured with diaminobenzoic acid. ADR had the lowest ED50 (0.029 mu g/ml) and the clinical blood concentration was 13.8 times that of the ED50. The clinical blood concentration divided by ED50 for the other anticancer drugs are, in order of higher values, 2.3 for CPA, 1.7 for BLM, 1.2 for CDDP, 0.5 for ACR, and less than 0.1 for ACNU. ADR showed time-independent effects since a 2-hour exposure of ADR to the hPTC cells resulted in the significant reduction of the cellular DNA content of the live cells even after 48 hours. The effects of the other anticancer drugs were time-dependent. We then studied the difference of the effects of ADR on hPTC and hAG. ED50 for hPTC was significantly low (0.035 mu g/ml) compared to that for hAG (0.460 mu g/ml). Since free radical formation is one of the major anticancer mechanisms of ADR the effects of free radicals on ED50's for hPTC and hAG were measured by adding glutathione (GSH), N-acetylcystein (NAC), buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), and alpha-tocopherol (alpha-toco) into the culture media. GSH catches up with free radicals in the extracellular fluid. NAC promotes production of GSH in the cytoplasm, but BSO interferes with the production of GSH in the cytoplasm. alpha-toco catches up with free radicals on the plasma membrane. GSH and alpha-toco did not effect ED50 for hPTC and hAG. However, NAC increased ED50 for hPTC and hAG, and BSO reduced ED50 for hPTC and hAG. The effects of NAC and BSO on ED50 for hPTC were greater than those for hAG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Ocular tuberculosis is rare. We report a case of orbital myositis suspected to be infected with tuberculosis. In January 2008, a 34-year-old man experienced discomfort in the right eye. In May 2008, this patient developed right exophthalmos, diplopia, and pain in the right eye, and he was diagnosed with idiopathic orbital myositis. The patient underwent 2 courses of steroid pulse therapy; after which, the dosage of steroids was reduced. The steroid treatment reduced the eye pain, but his diplopia and exophthalmos persisted. By November of the same year, his general malaise had increased, and chest X-ray radiography and computed tomography were performed on 3rd December. On the basis of the imaging results, we suspected active pulmonary tuberculosis of the right upper lobe. The smear made by using the sample obtained after bronchial brushing was negative for acid-fast bacilli, but a Mycobacterium tuberculosis nucleic acid amplification test of the post-bronchoscopic sputum yielded positive results. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. After the 2HREZ/7HR regimen of treatment, the extent of the tuberculosis lesions of the lung was reduced and the exophthalmos and eye pain were alleviated. Orbital myositis is inflammation of the extraocular muscles and can be either idiopathic, without a known etiology, or secondary to conditions such as tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, or hyperthyroidism. Our patient was not definitively diagnosed with tuberculosis of the eye. A definitive diagnosis of tuberculosis of the eye would require detection of granulomatous lesions in the eye or isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by puncturing the eye muscles; however, our findings suggested the possibility that it was secondary to tuberculosis. We think that a careful examination of the chest should be performed for patients with ocular abnormalities.

The present paper proposes a new feedback control strategy of mobile robots with nonholonomic constraints. This method includes a function generator called a Time Base Generator (TBG) as a time varying feedback gain, and synchronizing linear and angular velocities of the mobile robot with a scalar variable generated by the TBG, the mobile robot can be positioned to the origin in the state space for any initial condition. The time behavior of the generated trajectory such as the velocity profile and the movement time from the initial position to the goal can be controlled through adjusting the parameters of the TBG without any change of the control law itself. In this paper, mechanism and stability of the proposed method are described using a particular type of the TBG with a bell shaped velocity profile and it is shown that the method can naturally generate straight and circular trajectories for certain initial conditions and provide a robust position control of the mobile robot for external disturbances.

Abdominal wall tuberculosis is rare. We report a case of abdominal wall tuberculosis that relapsed after surgery. A 40-year-old man without a past history of tuberculosis visited our hospital complaining of an abdominal wall mass. The mass was resected in the department of orthopedics of our hospital. No bacteriological or histological examination of the resected specimen was done. After 5 months, the patient found swelling of the axillary lymph node. CT revealed left axillary lymph node swelling and chest wall nodules of various sizes. As the pus aspirated from the left axillary lymph node was positive for PCR-TB, the patient was diagnosed with relapsed chest wall tuberculosis and tuberculous lymphadenopathy. Antituberculosis drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide) were administered, but resistance to both isoniazid and ethambutol were revealed afterward. So, isoniazid and ethambutol were replaced with levofloxacin and streptomycin. After 6 months of this therapy, the left axillary lymph node decreased remarkably and became scarred. Abdominal tuberculosis should be considered in cases of an abdominal wall mass, regardless of whether the patient has a history of tuberculosis. This case stresses the importance of postoperative anti-tuberculosis treatment, as well as the need for bacteriological and histological examinations of resected specimens.

This study was intended to evaluate the utility of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (second generation, anti-CCP2) as a diagnostic marker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients with active tuberculosis. Among 89 patients with active tuberculosis, anti-CCP2 was detected in six (6.7%), and three of these (3.4%) were strongly positive for anti-CCP2. The positive rate of anti-CCP2 in patients with newly diagnosed RA was 82.1% (87 of 106 cases), while the rate in healthy control subjects was 0.4% (one of 237 individuals). The mean level of anti-CCP2 among the RA group was 159.3 U/ml, which was significantly higher than both that among the tuberculosis group (15.4 U/ml) and that among the healthy controls (0.7 U/ml). IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) was detected in 16 patients from the tuberculosis group (18.0%) with a mean serum level of 18.6 IU/ml and in 77 patients of the RA group (72.6%) with a mean level of 164.0 IU/ml. Only two cases in the tuberculosis group were positive for both anti-CCP2 and IgM RF. These observations show that measurement of anti-CCP2 seems to be a reliable serological tool for identifying early RA in patients with active tuberculosis.

A radioimmunoassay method for endothelin was developed. Antisera raised against endothelin 1 showed significant crossreaction with endothelin 2 and 3 (45 and 13%, respectively). Considerable endothelin immunoreactivity was shown to be present in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with a subarachnoid hemorrhage, ranging from 0.3 pmol/l cerebrospinal fluid to 4.5 pmol/l cerebrospinal fluid, though no endothelin immunoreactivity was observed in the cerebrospinal fluid of controls and patients with cerebral infarction, subdural haematoma or brain tumours. Endothelin immunoreactivity was also observed in two out of five cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients with cerebral bleeding. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography showed that the main immunoreactive component in cerebrospinal fluid appeared to elute at the same position. There was, however, an immunoreactive component which eluted at the same position as endothelin 3. These results may support the idea that endothelin immunoreactivity in the cerebrospinal fluid originate mainly from endothelial and neural tissues and that endothelin may contribute to the generation of the vasospasm often observed in subarachnoid hemorrhage, a conclusion based on the exceptionally high endothelin immunoreactivity in cerebrospinal fluid observed in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage.

We examined the expression of apoptosis-related antigens Fas and bcl-2 on eosinophils from peripheral blood (PB) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP). The expression of those antigens was assessed before and after culture with or without eosinophil chemotactic factors derived from an established T-cell line (STO-2-derived ECFs; ECF-PI5, 6, 7, 8, and 9), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, and interleukin 5 (IL-5). We found that the expression of these antigens on eosinophils from PB increased after 24 h culture without any stimulation. In contrast, little or no change was observed even after 24 h culture in eosinophils from BAL. All STO2-derived ECFs and IL-5 suppressed Fas expression on eosinophils from PB. Furthermore, we found that eosinophils which were attracted by ECF-PI9 expressed Fas and bcl-2 more highly than those attracted by other ECFs and IL-5. Such a heterogeneous response of eosinophils to respective ECFs suggests the possibility of a heterogeneous population of eosinophils in patients with CEP.

It has previously been shown that patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia can be divided into 2 groups according to the chemotactic response of their eosinophils to 5 different eosinophil chemotactic factors (ECFs) and laboratory findings. In contrast, eosinophils obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from both groups responded to all 5 ECFs. The correlation between the two groups and the expression of several antigens (VLA-4, CD69, ICAM-1 and CD11b) on eosinophils. The VLA-4 expression of group 1 eosinophils was higher than that of group 2 eosinophils. More interestingly, eosinophils that migrated towards ECF-PI9 expressed less CD69 than those that migrated towards other STO-2-derived ECF. The heterogeneous response of eosinophils to STO-2-derived ECFs suggests that the population of eosinophils is heterogeneous.

To clarify the pathogenesis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP), the apoptosis of eosinophils from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL-Eos) was compared with that of eosinophils from peripheral blood (PB-Eos) in six cases of CEP.The survival rate of eosinophils and the percentage of apoptotic cells of both types of eosinophils were examined, and the effects of interleukin 5 (IL-5) were evaluated. The role of Fas expression in apoptosis of these eosinophils was also studied.The survival rate of BAL-Eos on the third day of culture was significantly higher than that of PB-Eos (pThese data suggested that Fas seemed to be involved in the apoptosis of PB-Eos, whereas BAL-Eos were Fas-resistant in chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. In conclusion, apoptosis of eosinophils might be suppressed by proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-5 leading to their accumulation in the lung. Chronic stimulation of eosinophils in the alveolar space with IL-5 may play a crucial role chronic eosinophilic disorders.

A study was made of 366 feces for detection of extended spectrum beta-lactamases producing Enterobacteriaceae from feces. The selective agar was used for modified drigalski agar (Eiken Chemical Co., LTD) with 2 micrograms/ml cefotaxime (ESBL screen agar). 92 strains of Enterobacteriaceae, 41 Escherichia coli, 15 Citrobacter freundii, 13 Enterobacter cloacae, 11 Klebsiella pneumoniae, and other 12, were isolated from ESBL screen agar. And, R-plasmid that were selected by 2 micrograms/ml cefotaxime were transferred by conjugation from two of the 92 strains. These strain were E. coli TH9809927 and Proteus mirabilis TH9808262 that were amplified by "Toho-1 type" primer. The clude enzyme from two strains (donor) and transconjugants were especially hydrolysed cepharoridine and cefotaxime. Accordingly, two strains (0.5%) were detected as ESBL producers. We think that the result of our survey suggests the increase of ESBLs producing bacterial infection in Japan, and believe that there is a trend of infection of its by surveilance of the feces.

A rapid detection for Shiga-like toxin in feces was developed with the nucleic acid extraction method by silicondioxide-guanidine thiothianate and rapid-cycle polymerase chain reaction by RapidCycler (model 1002; Idaho Technology, RC-PCR here after). Twenty-two fecal samples that were collected from patients with diarrhoea caused by E. coli O157:H7 and frozen for 6 months were examined directly by RC-PCR, conventional PCR assay using by ThermalCycler 9600-R (Roche, TC-PCR here after) and by the culture method using tellurite-cefixime sorbitol MacConkey (direct method). These examinations were done also after being injected into TCV-TSB and incutated at 35 degrees C overnight (indirect method). The sensitivity of RC-PCR and TC-PCR using a diluted suspension of broth enriched at 35 degrees C overnight were 4.1 pg and 410 fg, respectively. Positive results in the direct method were obtained in 7 for RC-PCR, 10 for TC-PCR and 5 for culture. Positive results on indirect assay were obtained in 9 for RC-PCR, 9 for TC-PCR and 7 for culture. It was demonstrated that the RC-PCR assay was able to detect Shiga-like toxin gene in feces in less than 90 minutes after being received at the laboratory.

To study the growth control of human thyroid cells in different stages of differentiation, we established two human thyroid cell lines of adenomatous goiter and papillary carcinoma. A 59-year-old female patient with adenomatous goiter was operated in September 1991, and a 27-year-old female patient with papillary carcinoma in May 1990. The thyroid cell lines were established by successive passage without cellular or genetic manipulations such as fusing other cell lines or oncogenic viral infection. These cell lines, human adenomatous goiter cells (hAG) and human papillary thyroid carcinoma cells (hPTC), exhibited a flattened polygonal shape and proliferated as a monolayer in cell culture. The doubling time of the hAG cells was 60 h in Ham's F12 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, and that of the hPTC cells, 18 h in the same medium. Both cell lines expressed mRNA for TSH receptor and secreted cAMP into the medium during incubation with thyrotropin (TSH) at concentrations as low as 0.01 mU/mL. The effects of activators of protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC), tyrosine kinase (TK), and estradiol (E2) on proliferation of the hAG cells and the hPTC cells were assessed by measuring cellular DNA content in 24-well plates with diaminobenzoic acid. TSH stimulated proliferation of the hAG cells, but it inhibited proliferation of the hPTC cells. Since TSH activates two signaling pathways, the adenyl cyclase-PKA system and phospholipase C-PKC system, we tested effects of dibutylyl cAMP (dBC) and phorbol myristate 13-acetate (PMA), separately. dBC stimulated proliferation of the hAG cells, but it inhibited that of the hPTC cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

We established a cell line (hPTC) from the tissue of papillary thyroid cancer surgically excised from a 27-year old female patient. Synthesis of cAMP by the hPTC cells was stimulated by TSH. This cell line has continued to divide as a monolayer in a tissue culture for three years. We assessed growth regulation of the hPTC cells by protein tyrosine kinase and cAMP-dependent protein kinase by measuring the DNA content of the hPTC cells in 24-well plates with 3, 5-diaminobenzoic acid after incubation in various growth factors. Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), all of which bind to their respective receptors with tyrosine kinase activity, stimulated DNA synthesis in the hPTC cells. Neutralizing antibodies to basic FGF and EGF suppressed the growth stimulation by basic FGF and EGF, respectively. Genistein, a specific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited proliferation of the hPTC cells. On the other hand, thyrotropin, dibutyryl cAMP (dBC) and forskolin inhibited proliferation. KT5720, a specific cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor, restored the growth of the hPTC cells even in the presence of dBC. This study shows that stimulation of the protein tyrosine kinase activity by basic FGF, EGF, and IGF-1 promoted DNA replication by the human thyroid cancer cell line. However, activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibited proliferation of this cell line.

Exclusive therapy with sulfamonomethoxine, exclusive therapy with chloroquine, and the therapy with the combination of sulfamonomethoxine and pyrimethamine have individually been applied to 118 patients with malaria in Laos, and the effects were comparatively evaluated on the basis of quantitative progress in asexual parasitemia. The results are summarized as follows : 1) The presence of chloroquine-resistant type of malaria was suspected. 2) It was confirmed that sulfamonomethoxine has therapeutic efficacy comparable to that of chloroquine. 3) The therapeutic efficacy of sulfamonomethoxine was of a delayed type. 4) The combination of sulfamonomethoxine and pyrimethamine showed 100% effectiveness in the disappearence of parasitemia on blood film. 5) The following method was established on the ground of the above findings for the prophylaxis and therapy of malaria : For prophylaxis of malaria, 500 mg of sulfamonomethoxine should be administered twice a week, provided that the MP-therapy is at any time available. For the treatment of malaria, exclusive therapy with sulfamonomethoxine should be used as the first choice, and the progress in the number of asexual parasitemia should be observed for at least one week while this therapy is being applied. Until the number of asexual parasitemia increases or is found to remain unexpelled even one week after its administration, no other therapy such as chloroquine or the combination of sulfamonomethoxine and pyrimethamine should be applied.

Various chlorodifluoromethyl ketones underwent the aldol-type reaction with aldehydes or ketones by the action of titanium tetrachloride and zinc reagent in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature to give moderate to good yields of α,α-difluorinated β-hydroxy ketones.

We examined the functional heterogeneity of eosinophils from an adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patient with eosinophilia. A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of lymphadenopathy. The leukocyte count was 10 400 /mm 3 , with 36.0% eosinophils and 3.0% abnormal lymphocytes. The diagnosis of ATL was based on the presence in serum of anti- human T-cell lymphotrophic virus-1 antibody and on histologic demonstration of ATL cells. The mononuclear cells spontaneously produced eosinophil-related cytokines (granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, 5600 pg/mL; interleukin (IL)-5, 375 pg/mL). Peripheral eosinophils were fractionated into normodense eosinophils (NE) and hypodense eosinophils (HE) by a Percoll density gradient method, and these cells were compared in terms of several heterogeneous functions. The NE were more chemotactically attracted to IL-5 than the HE. More apoptotic cells appeared among the NE than among the HE and this difference was correlated with the positive rate of Fas antigen on eosinophils. Survival of the HE was longer than that of the NE. Survival of the HE was prolonged by IL-5 stimulation, but survival of the NE was not. These data suggest that functionally heterogeneous eosinophils were present in this ATL patient with eosinophilia and that IL-5 enhanced this heterogeneity. The response of eosinophils to IL-5 may have contributed to the patho- genesis of eosinophilia in this patient.

Various chlorodifluoromethyl ketones underwent the aldol-type reaction with aldehydes or ketones by the action of titanium tetrachloride and zinc reagent in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature to give moderate to good yields of α,α-difluorinated β-hydroxy ketones.

A practical expression for reflectances below the energy gap of GaP was determined from measured reflectances in the region of visible light at 300 K by the Kramers-Kronig technique. The temperature dependence of the reflectances was taken into account in the expression.