Better Peptides via Chemical Glycosylation: Somatostatin Analogues Having a Human Complex-Type N-Glycan with Improved Drug Properties.

Somatostatin (somatotropin release-inhibiting factor, SRIF) is a growth hormone inhibitory factor in the form of a 14- or 28-amino acid peptide. SRIF affects several physiological functions through its action on five distinct SRIF receptor subtypes (sst1-5). Native SRIF has only limited clinical applications due to its rapid degradation in plasma.

Atrioventricular septal defect with an absent or tiny ostium primum defect: a case series of three surgical cases.

Although atrioventricular septal defects are categorized according to the anatomical atrioventricular orifice, the location of the intracardiac shunt in atrioventricular septal defects is important from a surgical perspective. Herein, we report three cases of atrioventricular septal defects with a small or no ostium primum defect. Case 1 (3-month-old girl) was diagnosed preoperatively with a ventricular septal defect, secundum atrial septal defect, and mitral valve cleft.

Incidentally detected atrioventricular septal defect in an adult.

A 34-year-old woman, a liver transplantation donor for her son, was referred to our hospital for preoperative evaluation. She was diagnosed with an incomplete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD). She underwent double valve repair and patch closure of the defect.

Surgical repair of ostial obstruction of the coronary artery for quadricuspid aortic valve in an infant.

A congenital quadricuspid aortic valve accompanied by ostial obstruction of the left coronary artery is extremely rare and has not yet been reported in an infant. We herein describe an infant with ostial obstruction of the left coronary artery caused by a small left coronary cusp that formed a pouch. The patient's cardiac function deteriorated due to progressive myocardial ischaemia, and translocation of the ostium of the left coronary artery was performed.

Impact of bilateral superior venae cavae on outcome of staged Fontan procedure.

Background: The presence of bilateral superior venae cavae may add complexity to the performance of a bidirectional Glenn procedure (BDG). Stagnation of blood flow between the two cavopulmonary anastomoses may increase the risk of thrombosis and impair central pulmonary artery growth.

Methods: Forty patients underwent BDG from January 2004 to April 2011.

[An adult case of tricuspid valve endocarditis with ventricular septal defect; report of a case].

A 50-year-old man was admitted to hospital because of an elevated fever. He had been diagnosed with ventricular septal defect in his childhood, but surgery had not been recommended. An echocardiogram showed vegetations on the tricuspid valve, severe tricuspid regurgitation and perimembranous ventricular septal defect.

Chemical synthesis of homogeneous human glycosyl-interferon-β that exhibits potent antitumor activity in vivo.

Chemical synthesis of homogeneous human glycoproteins exhibiting bioactivity in vivo has been a challenging task. In an effort to overcome this long-standing problem, we selected interferon-β and examined its synthesis. The 166 residue polypeptide chain of interferon-β was prepared by covalent condensation of two synthetic peptide segments and a glycosylated synthetic peptide bearing a complex-type glycan of biological origin.

[Surgical results of Fontan procedure in hypoplastic left heart syndrome].

Background: We reviewed the preoperative hemodynamic factors, surgical results and intermediate outcome of Fontan procedure in hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).

Method: From 1990 to 2006, 34 patients with HLHS completed Fontan procedure in our hospital. We compared preoperative hemodynamic factors, surgical results and postoperative course between HLHS group and functional single right ventricle (SRV) group who had undergone Fontan procedure.

Spin-phonon coupling in multiferroic YbMnO(3) studied by Raman scattering.

Hexagonal YbMnO(3) bulk polycrystals were prepared and studied by Raman scattering in the temperature range of 15-300 K. A total of 15 phonon modes of A(1), E(1) and E(2) type were identified. Some E(2) phonon modes showed anomalous temperature variations in frequency at T(N)∼80 K, suggesting a coupling between the spin and phonon systems below T(N).

Magnetic and dielectric properties of Yb(Mn1-xAlx)O3 thin films.

Hexagonal RMnO(3) is known as one of the candidates for multiferroic materials. We have focused on YbMnO(3), which has ferroelectricity along the c axis below 1000 K and antiferromagnetic ordering below 80 K. We have reported that magnetic, field-induced ferromagnetism in YbMnO(3) epitaxial thin films.

Intermediate-term results after the aortic valve replacement using bileaflet mechanical prosthetic valve in children.

Objective: Intermediate/long-term results after aortic valve replacement using bileaflet mechanical valve in children should be clarified as a standard of treatment of aortic valve disease in children.

Methods: Forty-five patients aged under 15 years underwent 46 aortic valve replacements using bileaflet mechanical prosthetic valve. Patients' ages ranged from 1 to 15 years (9 years as a median value), and follow-up period was 9.

2D selective-TOCSY-DQFCOSY and HSQC-TOCSY NMR experiments for assignment of a homogeneous asparagine-linked triantennary complex type undecasaccharide.

The assignment of (1)H and (13)C NMR signals of a complex type triantennary asialooligosaccharide was examined using 2D selective-TOCSY-DQFCOSY and HSQC-TOCSY experiments. The 2D selective-TOCSY-DQFCOSY experiment exhibits a 2D DQFCOSY spectrum of an individual monosaccharide in the undecasaccharide, although the NMR signals of several monosaccharides in the triantennary undecasaccharide are heavily overlapped. Selective excitation of each anomeric proton signal and subsequent TOCSY experiment afforded transverse magnetization corresponding to all of the proton signals of the monosaccharide.

Follow-up study of pulmonary artery configuration in hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Objective: Pulmonary artery (PA) distortion significantly compromises the outcome of the staged approach to the Fontan operation in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). This retrospective study was designed to investigate the influence of the initial operation on postoperative PA anatomy.

Methods: Forty-nine patients with HLHS and its variant were enrolled in this study.

Three hundred and thirty-three experiences with the bidirectional Glenn procedure in a single institute.

Objectives: Introduction of the bidirectional Glenn procedure (BDG) in low-risk Fontan candidates would improve clinical outcomes. Over the last decade, not only high-risk Fontan candidates, but all candidates underwent BDG and staged Fontan operation (TCPC) in our hospital.

Methods: Three hundred and thirty-three consecutive patients (age range, 42 days to 16 years old) underwent BDG at Fukuoka Children's Hospital Medical Center from 1992 to 2004.

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene valved conduit and patch with bulging sinuses in right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction.

Objectives: No specific prosthetic material is currently recognized as being the most suitable for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction for congenital heart defects. Prosthetic valves are subject to wear and stress because they do not create vortex flow, which helps natural valves to close. We designed a fan-shaped expanded polytetrafluoroethylene valved conduit and patch with bulging sinuses that create vortex flow, making them more reliable over the long term.

Comparison of hemodynamics between Norwood procedure and systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt for single right ventricle patients.

Objective: Despite that surgical outcomes of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome have improved, one of the problems remaining is the high interstage mortality after a stage I Norwood procedure. The purpose of this study was to determine the hemodynamic characteristics of hypoplastic left heart syndrome after a Norwood procedure. We examined the perioperative hemodynamic differences of the staged operation between the first stage of the Norwood procedure and systemic pulmonary shunt for single right ventricle patients.

Does Down syndrome affect the long-term results of complete atrioventricular septal defect when the defect is repaired during the first year of life?

Background: Down syndrome is known to affect the natural history of complete atrioventricular septal defect. We analyzed whether Down syndrome affect the long-term results of complete atrioventricular septal defect when the defect is repaired during the first year of life.

Methods: Repairs of complete atrioventricular septal defect were performed in 64 infants.

Midterm results of mitral valve repair with artificial chordae in children.

Objective: We have used artificial chordal replacement with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures for mitral valve repair in children and reported favorable early clinical results. In this article we evaluate the midterm results of mitral valve repair with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures in 39 children.

Methods: From April 1995 through September 2003, mitral valve repair with chordal replacement using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sutures was performed in 39 patients.

Modified Ross procedure using a conduit with a synthetic valve.

Objective: In the Ross procedure, a homograft conduit is commonly used in place of an autotransplanted pulmonary valve. Homograft availability may be a problem and has resulted in a search for alternatives. We performed a modified Ross procedure for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with a synthetic valved conduit as an alternative to homograft.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of diverse asparagine-linked alpha-(2,3)-sialyloligosaccharides.

Partial sialyl transfer reaction by alpha-(2,3)-sialyltransferase toward (Gal-beta-1,4-GlcNAc-beta-1,2-Man-alpha-1,6/1,3-)(2)Man-beta-1,4-GlcNAc-beta-1,4-GlcNAc-beta-1-asparagine-Fmoc 1 was examined to obtain mono-alpha-(2,3)-sialyloligosaccharides and then branch-specific exo-glycosidase digestion (beta-D-galactosidase, N -acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and alpha-D-mannosidase) toward the asialo-branch was performed to obtain diverse asparagine-linked complex type alpha-(2,3)-sialyloligosaccharides. In addition, two kinds of disialyloligosaccharides in which the sialyl linkage was a mixture of alpha-(2,3)- and alpha-(2,6)-types were also specifically prepared by an additional alpha-(2,6)-sialyltransferase reaction toward mono-alpha-(2,3)-sialyloligosaccharides thus obtained.

The low resistance strategy for the perioperative management of the Norwood procedure.

Background: Postoperative course of the Norwood procedure is fragile because of an unstable pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio caused by fluctuation of systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who underwent the Norwood procedure from June 1998 to February 2002 were managed with the following low-resistance strategy. Intraoperative high-flow and low-resistance cardiopulmonary bypass was achieved with total avoidance of circulatory arrest and a large dose of chlorpromazine.

Total cavopulmonary connection with an extracardiac conduit: experience with 100 patients.

Background: In the Fontan procedures total cavopulmonary connection with an extracardiac conduit is a concern. The potential benefits of an extracardiac conduit may be the avoidance of postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias over the long-term, hemodynamic benefits due to laminar flow, possibility of completion without anoxic arrest, and applicability to anomalous systemic or pulmonary venous return, or both anomalous systemic and pulmonary venous return. We demonstrate early to midterm results of total cavopulmonary connection with an extracardiac conduit.

Surgical results of double-orifice left atrioventricular valve associated with atrioventricular septal defects.

Background: Double-orifice left atrioventricular valve (LAVV) is a rare but surgically important anomaly, which is regarded as a risk factor for surgical correction of atrioventricular septal defects (AVSDs).

Methods: Of 209 consecutive patients with AVSDs, double-orifice LAVV was identified in 19 patients (9.1%, including 7 infants).

[Reoperation for obstructed extracardiac valved conduit after Rastelli operation].

Between July 1988 and November 2000, 61 patients who were 11.3 +/- 3.8 years old underwent reoperation for obstructed extracardiac valved conduit at 7.