Asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-quinocarcin.

(-)-Quinocarcin (1) has been synthesized in a longest linear sequence of 22 steps from 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde in 16% overall yield. The Pictet-Spengler reaction of L-tert-butyl-2-bromo-5-hydroxy phenylalanate (17), synthesized according to Corey-Lygo's enantioselective alkylation process, with benzoxyacetaldehyde (12) under mild acidic conditions afforded 1,3-cis tetrahydroisoquinoline 20 as an only isolable stereomer in 91% yield. The diazabicycle[3,2,1]-octane ring system of 28 was constructed by a silver tetrafluoroborate-promoted intramolecular Mannich reaction using amino thioether as a latent N-acyliminium species and tethered silyl enol ether as a nucleophile.

Protein electrophoretic markers in Israel: compilation of data and genetic affinities.

Background: A considerable body of data has been accumulated since the 1960s on protein electrophoretic markers in the Jewish populations of Israel. However, in some Jewish communities and for some markers insufficient information has been available. In addition, studies that tried to explore the genetic affinities of various Jewish populations mainly employed antigenic markers and frequently used a small and unrepresentative number of non-Jewish populations as comparisons.

Prescribing pattern of antihypertensive drugs in the community.

The selection of the most appropriate therapy for hypertension remains a controversial issue. Little information is available regarding the prescribing patterns of antihypertensives in the primary care setting in Israel. The use of antihypertensives in 200 patients of the Maccabi Health Fund was, therefore, examined from April to June 1994.

Clearance of chylomicron remnants in normolipidaemic patients with coronary artery disease: case control study over three years.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that subjects who clear chylomicron remnants slowly from plasma may be at higher risk of coronary artery disease than indicated by their fasting plasma lipid concentrations.

Design: Case control study over three years.

Setting: An 800 bed general municipal hospital.

Orosomucoid (ORM1) polymorphism in Arabs and Jews of Israel: more evidence for a middle eastern origin of the Jews.

A study of 8 Israeli population groups for the ORM1 polymorphism included 1242 serum samples: 156 samples from Arab Moslems, 139 from Arab Druzes, and 947 from 6 Jewish groups. The two most frequent alleles in Europeans and Asians, ORM1*F1 (ORM1*1) and ORM1*S (ORM1*2) were found in Jews and Arabs at frequencies similar to those in Europe. Unique to Arab and Jewish populations were polymorphic frequencies of two ORM1 slow electrophoretic variants, designated ORM1*S1 and ORM1*S2.

Continuous intravenous heparin administration in humans causes a decrease in serum lipolytic activity and accumulation of chylomicrons in circulation.

Heparin is a well-known, widely used anticoagulant drug. In addition to its anticoagulant properties, however, it also has a marked influence on fat metabolism. Postprandial lipoproteins may contribute significantly to the development of coronary heart disease.

Severe defect in clearing postprandial chylomicron remnants in dialysis patients.

Lipid abnormalities have been suggested as a major cause of the accelerated atherosclerosis and the high incidence of coronary heart disease in chronic renal failure patients. In the present work the postprandial lipoprotein metabolism was studied in chronic dialysis patients with or without fasting hypertriglyceridemia using the vitamin A loading test. This method investigates specifically postprandial lipoprotein metabolism.

Octogenarian subjects have low postprandial levels of chylomicron remnants: a possible explanation for protection against atherosclerosis.

Postprandial lipoprotein metabolism may play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. It is widely believed that in healthy octogenarians, the atherogenic process occurs very slowly. In the present study, postprandial lipoprotein metabolism was examined in 14 octogenarian subjects (mean age, 84 +/- 4.

Vitamin A loading--an indicator of post-prandial lipoprotein clearance in healthy and hypertriglyceridemic subjects.

To study post-prandial lipoprotein metabolism in normolipidemic and hypertriglyceridemic subjects, a vitamin A fat loading test was used. This method specifically labels dietary fat particles with retinyl palmitate (RP). Following RP concentrations, metabolic behavior of chylomicrons and chylomicron remnants were studied.

Bulgarian Jews in Israel: genetic blood markers. Red-cell antigens, serum proteins and red-cell isozymes.

Two hundred and sixteen unrelated Bulgarian Jews were typed for the following genetic systems: ABO, MNS, Rh, Kell and Duffy of the blood groups; ADA, AK1, ACP1, ESD, GLO, PGD, PGM1 and PGM2 of the red-cell enzymes, and for the serum proteins HP, GC and PI. A comparison of observed gene frequencies with those of two other Sephardi Jewish groups, from Libya and Morocco, disclosed significant heterogeneity in several systems. This was mostly due to Moroccan Jews differing from Bulgarian or from both the Libyan and Bulgarian Jews.

Calcific constrictive pericarditis in pregnancy. A case report.

A woman developed congestive heart failure after a normal delivery. The underlying disease was diagnosed as calcific constrictive pericarditis, and the patient underwent pericardiectomy.

Scleredema adultorum associated with localized myositis.

A 70-year-old man presented with large areas of brawny edema of the skin and neck and weakness of the muscles of the forearm. Biopsy revealed scleredema adultorum with inflammatory changes in the forearm muscle. An electromyogram showed a mixed pattern compatible with myositis.

Herpes zoster encephalitis: isolation of virus from cerebrospinal fluid.

Two elderly female patients developed symptoms and signs of encephalitis, coincident with a cutaneous zoster eruption ("shingles"). One recovered slowly with mild residual motor dysfunction, and the other died. Varicella-zoster virus was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of the two patients.

Nephrotic syndrome with reversible severe renal failure after gold therapy.

A patient with rheumatoid arthritis developed nephrotic syndrome with reversible renal failure following gold therapy. Histological examination of renal biopsy disclosed the typical picture of membranous nephropathy. After prolonged treatment with steroids and cyclophosphamide, complete recovery was achieved.

Histiocytic hemophagocytosis in miliary tuberculosis.

The signs, symptoms, and bone marrow findings of the recently described virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome was seen in a patient we treated. The manifestations of this syndrome may not be specific to viral infections and may possibly occur in other infectious processes. Autopsy findings in the present case showed it to be associated with disseminated miliary tuberculosis.