Control of chromophore symmetry by positional isomerism of peripheral substituents.

The first example of the control of porphyrinoid chromophore symmetry based on the positional isomerism of peripheral substituents has been achieved by preparing tetraazaporphyrins (TAPs) with C(4h), D(2h), C(2v), and C(s) symmetry due to the relative arrangement of peripheral tert-butylamino and cyano groups as push and pull substituents, respectively. The four structural isomers were successfully isolated and characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The band morphology in the Q-band region varies depending on the molecular symmetry due to the significant perturbation introduced into the chromophore by the push and pull substituents.

β2-adrenergic receptor haplotype may be associated with susceptibility to desensitization to long-acting β2-agonists in COPD patients.

Purpose: Τhat β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) haplotypes may play a key role in clinical response to β2-agonists and haplotype Cys-19Gly16Gln27 (CysGlyGln) is reported to be associated with desensitization of β2AR to β-agonists in lymphocytes isolated from patients with asthma and septic shock. We sought to determine whether haplotypic variation of the β2AR affects the functional outcomes of long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) when used as monotherapy.

Methods: Treatment-naïve patients with COPD (n = 36) were prospectively treated with two kinds of LABA--inhaled salmeterol and transdermal tulobuterol patch--for 12 weeks in crossover study, and changes in pulmonary function data and 6-minute walk distance (6 MWD) were compared between groups stratified by the CysGlyGln.

Two cases with solitary pulmonary nodule due to non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection showing intense 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography scan.

We report an 81-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman with a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) due to infection with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). In each case, the nodule showed a high (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake with the maximum standardized uptake values (SUV) of 13.2 and 4.

A retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes of patients older than or equal to 80 years with small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: The optimal treatment for patients older than 80 years with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is unknown.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for 45 patients aged 80 years or older with SCLC, and therapeutic indices and toxicities of anticancer treatment were compared with those of 38 patients aged 70 to 79 years. Subgroup analyses according to the levels of performance status (PS) and comorbidity were also performed.

Lower incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome in community-acquired pneumonia patients aged 85 years or older.

Unlabelled: Clinical variables and laboratory data were compared to elucidate the risk factors associated with the development of ARDS among elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The predictors for ARDS appeared to differ from the determinants of severity of CAP. ARDS developed less frequently among patients aged>or=85 years.

Curcumin suppresses increased bone resorption by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

Curcumin is a potent inhibitor of the transcription factor activator protein-1 which plays an essential role in osteoclastogenesis. However, the effects of curcumin on bone metabolism have not been clarified in vivo. We reported herein the inhibitory effects of curcumin on the stimulated osteoclastic activity in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus using rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.

ERC/mesothelin as a marker for chemotherapeutic response in patients with mesothelioma.

Background: It has been recently reported that soluble mesothelin-related protein (SMRP), serum mesothelin, and osteopontin (OPN) are considered as relevant biomarkers for the diagnosis of mesothelioma. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum N-ERC/mesothelin, an NH3-terminal fragment of mesothelin, and plasma OPN reflect chemotherapeutic effect in patients with mesothelioma.

Materials And Methods: Serum N-ERC/mesothelin and plasma osteopontin were determined with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system.

[Evaluation of clinical effectiveness of Pazufloxacin Mesilate in acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory diseases].

Patients with chronic respiratory disease have increased susceptibility to infection, because of impairment of the local immunologic defense mechanism in the airway system, which often results in acute exacerbation. Acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease is one of the most important predictors of increased morbidity and mortality, and thus the management in the acute phase is essential for better prognosis. Although the clinical guidelines for the management of respiratory tract infections published by the Japanese Respiratory Society recommend administering fluoroquinolones intravenously in case of hospitalized patients, the clinical evidence is still limited.

Pulmonary paragonimiasis with coincidental malignant mesothelioma.

A 72-year-old man patient was referred to our institution for evaluation and treatment of right pleural effusion. Eosinophilic pleural effusion and peripheral eosinophilia were identified during the course of hospitalization. Pulmonary paragonimiasis was confirmed by the presence of paragonimus-specific IgG antibodies for Paragonimus (P.

[A patient with pleural thickening of sarcoidosis].

We report a 51-year-old woman with characteristic pleural involvement of sarcoidosis. Video-assisted thoracoscopic examination identified diffuse pleural thickening in the right lung, which coincided in distribution with parenchymal reticular shadows demonstrated with high-resolution thoracic CT scan. Biopsied specimens revealed epithelioid cell granuloma with noncaseating necrosis and multi-nucleated giant cells in the parenchymal lung tissue.