Ru(0)-catalysed cross-dimerisation and -trimerisation of alkynyl- with butadienylheteroarenes.

Ru(0)-catalysed cross-dimerisation and -trimerisation give a series of di- and triheteroaryl compounds cross-linked by π-conjugated trienyl groups. Their photochemical behaviour is studied using UV-visible absorption spectra, fluorescence emission spectra, and TD-DFT calculations. The cross-trimer prepared from 2,5-dialkynylthiophene with 2 equiv.

Developments of real-time emittance monitors.

Under the upgrade program of an azimuthally varying field (AVF) cyclotron in progress at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), an emittance monitor is being developed to improve the beam injection efficiency from ion sources to the AVF cyclotron. In order to evaluate the quality of the beams extracted from ion sources quickly, we developed the Pepper-Pot type Emittance Monitor at the RCNP. After improving an analysis method for emittance estimation using LabVIEW, we achieved a measurement frequency of 4 Hz.

[Twenty-year follow-up study of antiglycolipid antibodies and electrophysiological findings in a 36-year-old patient with an axonal variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome].

We describe a twenty-year follow-up study of antiglycolipid antibodies and electrophysiological results in a 36-year-old man with Campylobacter jejuni-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). The patient had a high titer of IgG antibodies to GM1 and GA1 20 years ago. Plasma exchange resulted in full recovery from a bedridden status to independent walking in three weeks, except for residual mild weakness of the bilateral extensor hallucis longus muscles and atrophy of the plantar muscles.

White matter lesions and cognitive impairment may be related to recovery from unilateral spatial neglect after stroke.

Background: Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) is frequently found in ischemic stroke patients. Because USN is related to poor functional outcomes, evaluating recovery from USN after stroke is critical.

Methods: Patients with acute ischemic stroke with lesions in the right cerebral hemisphere on MRI and exhibiting left USN were administered the Behavior Inattention Test (BIT) at 1 and 3weeks after admission.

Developments of fast emittance monitors for ion sources at RCNP.

Recently, several developments of low energy beam transport line and its beam diagnostic systems have been performed to improve the injection efficiency of ion beam to azimuthally varying field cyclotron at Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University. One of those is the fast emittance monitor which can measure within several seconds for the efficient beam development and a Pepper-Pot Emittance Monitor (PPEM) has been developed. The PPEM consists of pepper-pot mask, multichannel plate, fluorescent screen, mirror, and CCD camera.

ABCG2 variant has opposing effects on onset ages of Parkinson's disease and gout.

Uric acid (urate) has been suggested to play a protective role in Parkinson's disease onset through its antioxidant activity. Dysfunction of ABCG2, a high-capacity urate exporter, is a major cause for early-onset gout based on hyperuricemia. In this study, the effects of a dysfunctional ABCG2 variant (Q141K, rs2231142) were analyzed on the ages at onset of gout patients (N = 507) and Parkinson's disease patients (N = 1015).

[A 53-year-old man with herpes encephalitis showing acceleration of improvement in higher brain function after general anesthesia with sevoflurane: a case report].

We experienced a right-handed 53-year-old man who presented with disturbance of consciousness and fever. Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) was diagnosed based on the detection of herpes simplex virus DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid. The administration of acyclovir for 42 days improved his consciousness level.

Studies of extraction and transport system for highly charged ion beam of 18 GHz superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source at Research Center for Nuclear Physics.

An 18 GHz superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source is installed to increase beam currents and to extend the variety of ions especially for highly charged heavy ions which can be accelerated by cyclotrons of Research Center for Nuclear Physics (RCNP), Osaka University. The beam production developments of several ions from B to Xe have been already done [T. Yorita, K.

A new maneuver for repetitive nerve stimulation testing in the trapezius muscle.

Introduction: The repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) test in the trapezius muscle is used widely for the evaluation of myasthenia gravis. However, pseudofacilitation is often difficult to avoid in this muscle and may compromise the detection of small decremental responses. We have devised a new maneuver to reduce pseudofacilitation.

Rimmed vacuoles in Becker muscular dystrophy have similar features with inclusion myopathies.

Rimmed vacuoles in myofibers are thought to be due to the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles, and can be characteristic in certain myopathies with protein inclusions in myofibers. In this study, we performed a detailed clinical, molecular, and pathological characterization of Becker muscular dystrophy patients who have rimmed vacuoles in muscles. Among 65 Becker muscular dystrophy patients, we identified 12 patients who have rimmed vacuoles and 11 patients who have deletions in exons 45-48 in DMD gene.

An antibody to the GM1/GalNAc-GD1a complex correlates with development of pure motor Guillain-Barré syndrome with reversible conduction failure.

Antibodies to a ganglioside complex consisting of GM1 and GalNAc-GD1a (GM1/GalNAc-GD1a) are found in sera from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). To elucidate the clinical significance of anti-GM1/GalNAc-GD1a antibodies in GBS, clinical features of 58 GBS patients with IgG anti-GM1/GalNAc-GD1a antibodies confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and thin layer chromatography immunostaining were analyzed. Compared to GBS patients without anti-GM1/GalNAc-GD1a antibodies, anti-GM1/GalNAc-GD1a-positive patients more frequently had a preceding respiratory infection (n=38, 66%, p<0.

[A case of Sjögren syndrome with subacute combined degeneration-like posterior column lesion on cervical MRI].

We report a case of a 67 year-old man with bilateral sensory ataxia of the upper extremities. He was diagnosed as having ANCA-related angitis and Sjögren syndrome at age 60. On admission to our hospital at age 67, he presented with severe sensory ataxia in his upper extremities, while his lower extremity neurological symptoms were limited to the absence of tendon reflexes.

Common defects of ABCG2, a high-capacity urate exporter, cause gout: a function-based genetic analysis in a Japanese population.

Gout based on hyperuricemia is a common disease with a genetic predisposition, which causes acute arthritis. The ABCG2/BCRP gene, located in a gout-susceptibility locus on chromosome 4q, has been identified by recent genome-wide association studies of serum uric acid concentrations and gout. Urate transport assays demonstrated that ABCG2 is a high-capacity urate secretion transporter.

[Case of pure motor Guillain-Barré syndrome with motor conduction block and anti-GM1/GalNAc-GD1a antibody].

A 38-year-old man presented with distal-dominant limb weakness two weeks after an upper respiratory infection. He had no sensory and autonomic signs and no cranial nerve involvement during the course of the disease. Tendon reflexes were preserved except for an absent Achilles' tendon reflex.

Antibodies to ganglioside complexes consisting of asialo-GM1 and GQ1b or GT1a in Fisher and Guillain-Barré syndromes.

To determine the epitopes of ganglioside complexes (GSCs) containing GQ1b or GT1a, we investigated their reactivity to GSCs consisting of asialo-GM1 (GA1) and GQ1b or GT1a using IgG anti-GQ1b- or anti-GT1a-positive sera. Nine anti-GQ1b-positive sera had higher activity to GA1/GQ1b than to GQ1b, only five of which reacted with GM1/GQ1b and GD1b/GQ1b. Five of 14 sera positive for GA1/GT1a and GM1/GT1a were negative for GA1/GQ1b and GM1/GQ1b.

Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in Salmonella isolated from patients with overseas travelers' diarrhea in Japan.

Twenty-eight of the 302 Salmonella strains isolated from patients with overseas travelers' diarrhea who were examined at Kansai Airport Department Station during the 6-year period between 2001 and 2007 showed decreased susceptibility to both nalidixic acid (NA) and ciprofloxacin (CPFX) (MIC of NA, 16-64 microg/mL; MIC of CPFX, 0.064-2.0 microg/mL).

Mutations in glucose transporter 9 gene SLC2A9 cause renal hypouricemia.

Renal hypouricemia is an inherited disorder characterized by impaired renal urate (uric acid) reabsorption and subsequent low serum urate levels, with severe complications such as exercise-induced acute renal failure and nephrolithiasis. We previously identified SLC22A12, also known as URAT1, as a causative gene of renal hypouricemia. However, hypouricemic patients without URAT1 mutations, as well as genome-wide association studies between urate and SLC2A9 (also called GLUT9), imply that GLUT9 could be another causative gene of renal hypouricemia.

GM1/GalNAc-GD1a complex: a target for pure motor Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Background: GM1 and GalNAc-GD1a are located on the axolemma of the motor nerves and are believed to be the antigens associated with pure motor Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Furthermore, GM1 and GalNAc-GD1a may exist nearby and colocalize on the axolemma. Ganglioside complex (GSC) antigens associated with GM1 or GalNAc-GD1a can be target antigens in pure motor GBS.

GD1b-specific antibody induces ataxia in Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Background: Rabbit ataxic neuropathy and several case reports have suggested a close association of IgG anti-GD1b antibodies with ataxia in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). However, about half of the patients with GBS having IgG anti-GD1b antibodies with no reactivities against other gangliosides (GD1b-mono IgG) do not exhibit ataxia. Antibodies specific to ganglioside complexes (GSCs) containing GD1b have been found in sera from some patients with GBS.

Asymptomatic self-limiting diffuse white matter lesions in subacute to chronic stage of herpes simplex encephalitis.

This study evaluated white matter changes in the subacute and chronic stages of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Subjects comprised 15 patients with HSE. All patients were examined using MRI at onset, and then at seven to ten days, three to five weeks and two to three months after onset.

Clinical features of opticospinal multiple sclerosis with anti-aquaporin 4 antibody.

Background: We have followed 9 Japanese patients with opticospinal multiple sclerosis (OSMS), some of whom showed longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesions, deep sensory disturbances and resistance to treatment. We investigated the patients for anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibodies and related this to their neuroimaging, clinical and laboratory features.

Methods: We studied the clinical course, neurological findings, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and electrophysiological findings, and determined the presence of anti-AQP4 antibody and human leukocyte antigen DPB1 and DRB1 alleles.

Ganglioside complexes containing GQ1b as targets in Miller Fisher and Guillain-Barre syndromes.

Background: Serum antibodies to GQ1b are associated with Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) with ophthalmoplegia. Antibodies to ganglioside complexes (GSCs) have not yet been examined in a large population of patients with MFS or GBS. This study aimed to determine the clinical significance of antibodies to GSCs in MFS and GBS.