Mechanistic aspects of rearrangement of 16alpha-hydroxy-17-keto steroids to the 17beta-hydroxy-16-keto isomers.

The mechanistic aspects of the alkali-catalyzed rearrangement of 16alpha-hydroxy-17-keto steroid 1 to 17beta-hydroxy-16-keto steroid 2 are elucidated by use of (18)O- and deuterium-labeling experiments. The (18)O-labeling experiments refute the gem-hydration-quasi-diaxial dehydration mechanism for the rearrangement previously proposed and support the conventional enolization mechanism. Moreover, equilibrium by gem-hydration-dehydration occurs at the C-17 carbonyl more efficiently than at the C-16 carbonyl.

Clinical course and significance of the clear zone around the pedicle screws in the lumbar degenerative disease.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Objective: To report the clinical course and significance of postoperative radiolucent zones around pedicle screws.

Summary Of Background Data: Radiolucent zones around pedicle screws have been considered to indicate loss of fixation, delayed union, or pseudarthrosis.

Diels-alder reaction of 2(1H)-pyridones acting as dienes.

Diels-Alder reactions between N-phenylmaleimide, acting as the dienophile, and 2(1H)-pyridones having a methoxy or a chloro substituent, were carried out, under atmospheric and high pressure conditions, to give the corresponding isoquinuclidine derivatives. Stereoselectivity of the Diels-Alder reactions was studied using molecular orbital calculations.

High-phosphorus diet induces osteopontin expression of renal tubules in rats.

High-phosphorus (P) diet induces nephrocalcinosis in rats; however, the mechanism for onset of this disorder is unclear. The calcium (Ca) deposits in kidney are a form of hydroxyapatite, while osteopontin is combined with hydroxyapatite. Based on these observations, we speculated that the osteopontin play an important role in the formation of the Ca deposits induced by high-P diet.

Electronic structure of Co(III) doped bromo-bridged Ni complexes, [Ni1-xCox(chxn)2Br]Br2.

This article describes the electronic structure of the Co(III) doped Br bridged Ni(III) complexes, [Ni(1-x)Cox(chxn)2Br]Br2 (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.

Genetic analyses of roundabout (ROBO) axon guidance receptors in autism.

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder diagnosed in early childhood. Abnormalities of serotonergic neurotransmission have been reported in autism. Serotonin transporter (SERT) modulates serotonin levels, and is a major therapeutic target in autism.

Current trends in bone grafting and the issue of banked bone allografts based on the fourth nationwide survey of bone grafting status from 2000 to 2004.

Background: The Japanese Orthopaedic Association Committee on Tissue Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine has conducted a nationwide survey of the status of bone grafting in Japan every 5 years from 1985. We report here the status of bone grafting from 2000 to 2004, show the trends in bone grafting from 1985 to 2004, and draw attention to the issues affecting banked bone allografts.

Methods: Questionnaires devised by the Committee were sent to all educational and training hospitals (2239 institutions) approved by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association.

One-dimensional bromo-bridged Ni III complexes [Ni(S,S-bn)2Br]Br2 (S,S-bn=2S,3S-diaminobutane): synthesis, physical properties, and electrostatic carrier doping.

A new bromo-bridged Ni III compound has been synthesized. This compound displayed a strong antiferromagnetic interaction between spins located on Ni III species (J=(2350+/-500) K) that result from the strong covalency of the Ni--Br bond and the spin-Peierls transition below 150 K. This was shown by the results of magnetic susceptibility and 81Br nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy analysis.

[Prevertebral hematoma and traumatic atlantooccipital dislocation with survival--case report].

Traumatic atlantooccipital dislocation is usually fatal. Few case reports surviving this injury appeared in the literature. We report a rare case of a retropharyngeal hematoma and an atlantooccipital dislocation with survival.

Epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylates protein kinase C {delta} at Tyr332 to form a trimeric complex with p66Shc in the H2O2-stimulated cells.

Protein kinase C (PKC) delta is phosphorylated at Tyr311 and Tyr332 and its catalytic activity is enhanced in the H(2)O(2)-stimulated cells, but the enzymes that recognize these tyrosine residues, especially Tyr332, have been remained to be clarified. The analysis of the endogenous proteins in COS-7 cells revealed that PKCdelta binds to p66Shc, an adaptor protein containing two phosphotyrosine-binding domains, in a manner dependent on its tyrosine phosphorylation upon H(2)O(2) stimulation. The studies using the mutated PKCdelta clarified that PKCdelta associates with p66Shc through the phosphorylated Tyr332 residue.

Decreased expression of reelin receptor VLDLR in peripheral lymphocytes of drug-naive schizophrenic patients.

Reelin, a secretory protease that plays major roles in neurodevelopment and synaptic plasticity, may also play a role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The present study was undertaken to examine whether the expression of two receptors for reelin, very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and apolipoprotein E receptor type 2 (ApoER2), were abnormal in peripheral blood lymphocytes of schizophrenic patients. In this study, we measured the mRNA levels of VLDLR and ApoER2 in blood lymphocytes from patients with schizophrenia (drug-naive patients (n=20) and medicated patients (n=20)) and age-and gender-matched healthy controls (n=40) using quantitative real-time RT-PCR.

Gene and expression analyses reveal enhanced expression of pericentrin 2 (PCNT2) in bipolar disorder.

Background: DISC1 has been suggested as a causative gene for psychoses in a large Scottish kindred. PCNT2 has recently been identified as an interacting partner of DISC1. In this study, we investigated the role of PCNT2 in bipolar disorder, by gene expression analysis and genetic association study.

p53AIP1 expression can be a prognostic marker in non-small cell lung cancer.

Aims: p53AIP1 is a potential mediator of p53-dependent apoptosis that is mutated in many kinds of carcinoma. To investigate the role of this gene for non-small cell lung cancer, we compared the relationship between p53AIP1 gene expression and clinicopathological status of lung cancer.

Materials And Methods: Seventy samples from non-small cell lung cancer patients were obtained between 1997 and 2003.

Down-regulation of the human PRL-3 gene is associated with the metastasis of primary non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Phosphatase of the regenerating liver (PRL)-3 protein tyrosine phosphatase gene is expressed in colon cancer metastasis. To investigate the role of this gene in metastatic lung cancer, we compared PRL-3 gene expression between primary cancers, metastatic lung cancer, and normal lung tissue.

Materials And Methods: Five metastatic tumor and normal samples from non-small cell lung cancer patients were obtained at the National Hospital Organization Kumamoto Medical Center (Kumamoto, Japan).

Why does the disorder of R-pn and rac-pn ligands in the quasi-one-dimensional bromo-bridged NiIII complexes, [Ni(pn)2Br]Br2 (pn=1,2-diaminopropane) afford similar STM patterns?

The disordered patterns of R- and rac-1,2-diaminopropane (pn) in quasi-one-dimensional bromo-bridged Ni(III) complexes, [NiIII(pn)2Br]Br2, have been investigated by single-crystal X-ray structure determination and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). X-ray structure determination shows that the methyl moieties are disordered on the right- and left-hand sides with half occupancies in both compounds, while the carbon atoms of the ethylene moieties of pn ligands are disordered in [Ni(rac-pn)2Br]Br2 and not disordered in [Ni(R-pn)2Br]Br2. In the STM images of both compounds, the bright spots are not straight but fluctuated with the similar patterns.

SNP analyses of growth factor genes EGF, TGFbeta-1, and HGF reveal haplotypic association of EGF with autism.

Autism is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed in early childhood. Growth factors have been found to play a key role in the cellular differentiation and proliferation of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is detected in several regions of the developing and adult brain, where, it enhances the differentiation, maturation, and survival of a variety of neurons.

Disruption of reelin signaling attenuates methamphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion.

To clarify whether reelin signaling is involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission in the adult mouse brain, we investigated dopamine function in mice lacking reelin (reeler). We found that methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity is significantly attenuated in reeler mice. To elucidate the mechanism of this phenomenon, we first investigated presynaptic dopamine release; however, there were no significant differences in wildtype, heterozygous reeler and homozygous reeler mice.

Damaging fatigue loading stimulates increases in periosteal vascularity at sites of bone formation in the rat ulna.

Bone formation in a variety of contexts depends on angiogenesis; however, there are few reports of the vascular response to osteogenic skeletal loading. We used the rat forelimb compression model to characterize vascular changes after fatigue loading. The right forelimbs of 72 adult rats were loaded cyclically in vivo to one of four displacement levels, to produce four discrete levels of ulnar damage.

Linear distance from the locus control region determines epsilon-globin transcriptional activity.

Enhancer elements modulate promoter activity over vast chromosomal distances, and mechanisms that ensure restrictive interactions between promoters and enhancers are critical for proper control of gene expression. The human beta-globin locus control region (LCR) activates expression of five genes in erythroid cells, including the proximal embryonic epsilon- and the distal adult beta-globin genes. To test for possible distance sensitivity of the genes to the LCR, we extended the distance between the LCR and genes by 2.

Decreased serum levels of platelet-endothelial adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) in subjects with high-functioning autism: a negative correlation with head circumference at birth.

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that the immune system plays a role in the pathophysiology of autism, and that the adhesion molecules play an important role in the process of inflammation. This study was undertaken to determine whether serum levels of the adhesion molecules in subjects with high-functioning autism are altered as compared with those of normal controls.

Methods: Seventeen male subjects with high-functioning autism and 22 male age-matched unrelated healthy control subjects were enrolled.

[A case report of 3 patients treated at home with ulcers in the lower extremities, illustrating the difficulty in differential diagnosis between ASO and pressure sores].

It is difficult to diagnostically differentiate pressure sores and cutaneous ulcers that occur at the tip of an appendicular. There are many ways to treat them based on the cause of the problems. However, an inadequate treatment had resulted in limb amputation cases.

[The current status and problems associated with outpatient chemotherapy at our hospital].

Administration of outpatient chemotherapy cases at a community-based General Private Hospital such as ours has been increasing year after year. Therefore, we present a current status of cancer chemotherapy at the outpatient department of General Surgery in our hospital and to review the problems and solutions. There were 30 cases where our surgical department administered outpatient chemotherapy in March 2006.

Biochemical assays for multiple activation states of protein kinase C.

This protocol describes biochemical procedures to monitor the activation of the protein kinase C (PKC) family using PKCdelta as the representative. The PKC family is composed of ten isoforms divided into cPKC, nPKC and aPKC groups, and their catalytic activity is regulated by multiple mechanisms. For example, PKCdelta in the nPKC group is activated by diacylglycerol as a second messenger in the receptor-coupled manner, through tyrosine phosphorylation and protein complex formation in stress-stimulated cells, and by the caspase-catalyzed cleavage during apoptosis.

Photosensitive function of encapsulated dye in carbon nanotubes.

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) exhibit resonant absorption localized in specific spectral regions. To expand the light spectrum that can be utilized by SWCNTs, we have encapsulated squarylium dye into SWCNTs and clarified its microscopic structure and photosensitizing function. X-ray diffraction and polarization-resolved optical absorption measurements revealed that the encapsulated dye molecules are located at an off center position inside the tubes and aligned to the nanotube axis.

Onset of nephrocalcinosis depends on dietary phosphorus concentration in male rats fed a magnesium-deficient diet.

Although a magnesium (Mg)-deficient diet is generally known to induce nephrocalcinosis, our previous study observed that despite the administration of a Mg-deficient diet, the kidney calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) concentrations were not increased in male rats. We speculated that this result was due to the P concentration of the experimental diet based on the AIN-93G formula used in the previous study. In the present study, male rats were fed modified AIN-93G diets containing the two different Mg concentrations [0.