Expanded potential of seleno-carbohydrates as a molecular tool for X-ray structural determination of a carbohydrate-protein complex with single/multi-wavelength anomalous dispersion phasing.

Seleno-lactoses have been successfully synthesized as candidates for mimicking carbohydrate ligands for human galectin-9 N-terminal carbohydrate recognition domain (NCRD). Selenium was introduced into the mono- or di-saccharides using p-methylselenobenzoic anhydride (Tol2Se) as a novel selenating reagent. The TolSe-substituted monosaccharides were converted into selenoglycosyl donors or acceptors, which were reacted with coupling partners to afford seleno-lactoses.

Dehydriding reaction of AlH3: in situ microscopic observations combined with thermal and surface analyses.

The dehydriding reaction of single-phase alpha- AlH3 was investigated by in situ microscopic observations combined with thermal and surface analyses. Before the dehydriding reaction, primary AlH3 particles of size 100 nm-1 microm were thought to be covered by an oxide layer with a thickness of less than 5 nm. Both the precipitation/grain-growth of metallic Al of size 1-50 nm and an increase in 'boundary space' were clearly observed inside the particles, while the morphologies of the particles covered by the layer did not change during the dehydriding reaction.

Postoperative delirium and melatonin levels in elderly patients.

Background: Melatonin, a hormone produced in the pineal gland, is involved in circadian rhythms and the sleep-wake cycle. Postoperative delirium is encountered frequently in elderly patients after major surgery; whether changes in the pattern of melatonin secretion are associated is unclear.

Methods: Plasma samples were obtained every 2 hours from 19 patients without delirium and 10 with delirium after major abdominal surgery.

Cdk4 activation is dependent on the subunit rearrangement in the complexes.

Although several factors have been implicated in the regulation of Cdk4 activity, little is known regarding the contributions of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) in Cdk4 activation in the mid G1 phase. Using a mouse macrophage cell line (Bac1.2F5), we found that most of Cdk4 bound to p15 when cells were in a quiescent state.

Responsiveness to thyroid hormone is enhanced in rat hepatocytes cultured as spheroids compared with that in monolayers: altered responsiveness to thyroid hormone possibly involves complex formed on thyroid hormone response elements.

We previously reported that the expression of type I iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase (5'DI) gene was increased by 3,3,',5-triiodothyronine (T3) in isolated rat hepatocytes when cultured as spherical aggregates (spheroids), whereas this effect was greatly attenuated in conventional monolayer cultures. In the current study, we examined whether the enhanced T3 responsiveness in spheroid cultures extends to other T3-responsive genes. As observed for 5'DI, T3 increased spot 14, malic enzyme and fibronectin messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by fourfold to fivefold in spheroid cultures, while the effect in monolayer cultures was blunted.

Ten-year survival after pancreatoduodenectomy for advanced gastric cancer--report of two cases.

We performed pancreatoduodenectomy for 5 patients with gastric cancer, and here we present 2 who have survived for more than 10 years. Patient one had a large antral tumor tightly adherent to the head of the pancreas. Pancreatoduodenectomy with lymph node dissection was performed.

Critical role for p27Kip1 in cell cycle arrest after androgen depletion in mouse mammary carcinoma cells (SC-3).

The molecular mechanisms underlying androgen-regulated cancer growth and the frequent development of refractoriness to endocrine therapy remain unknown. In this study functional and quantitative alterations in cell cycle regulators after androgen depletion were examined in androgen-dependent mouse mammary carcinoma cells (SC-3) as a model system to clarify the initial response of cancer cells to anti-androgen therapy. FACS analysis of SC-3 cells cultured with or without 10(-7) M testosterone revealed that suppression of cell growth after hormone withdrawal was due to GI arrest.

Regulation of G1 cyclin-dependent kinases in liver regeneration.

The liver serves as a suitable model for studying tissue regeneration. Although various growth factors have been implicated in the promotion of this process, their precise role in liver regeneration remains to be elucidated. Whatever the extracellular signals may be, they all converge on cell cycle regulators in the nucleus, where the sequential activation of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk) takes place.

Regulation of G cyclin-dependent kinases in liver regeneration.

The liver serves as a suitable model for studying tissue regeneration. Although various growth factors have been implicated in the promotion of this process, their precise role in liver regeneration remains to be elucidated. Whatever the extracellular signals may be, they all converge on cell cycle regulators in the nucleus, where the sequential activation of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk) takes place.

Effects of thyroid and glucocorticoid hormones on the level of messenger ribonucleic acid for iodothyronine type I 5'-deiodinase in rat primary hepatocyte cultures grown as spheroids.

The activity of type I 5'-deiodinase (5'DI) is known to correlate with thyroid status; it is high in hyperthyroidism and low in hypothyroidism. Recently, it was shown that the increased activity of type I 5'DI in hyperthyroidism is associated with an increase in enzyme contents as well as its mRNA in liver. However, it remains unknown whether thyroid hormone directly regulates the expression of 5'DI mRNA in hepatocytes.

The effect of thyroid hormone on fibronectin messenger ribonucleic acid levels in primary cultured rat hepatocytes.

Our previous in vivo studies demonstrated that thyroid hormone promotes the expression of the fibronectin (FN) gene in the rat liver, while it inhibits the synthesis in cultured human skin fibroblasts. These results can be interpreted as either different regulation of FN synthesis or gene expression among tissues, or divergent results of experiments performed in vivo or in vitro. Here we report on the action of thyroid hormone on FN gene expression in vitro using primary cultured hepatocytes compared to that in cultured skin fibroblasts.

Ribonuclease and ribonuclease inhibitor in the human pancreas.

Previous investigations have failed to confirm any specificity of elevated serum ribonuclease (RNase) in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Although RNase had been known to be present in two forms (free and inhibitor-bound) in various rat tissues, little was known about its presence in the human pancreas. This report investigates the presence of RNase inhibitor in the human pancreas through the assay of both active (=free) and total (=sum of free and inhibitor-bound) RNases.

[Histopathological evaluation of minute stomach cancer].

We histologically examined 17 lesions from minute gastric cancer (less than 5 mm in diameter). Flat or IIb type was frequently seen in minute cancer (47%); the depressed type was predominant in ordinary early gastric cancer (72%). Differentiated adenocarcinoma was noted more often in minute cancer (88%) than in ordinary early gastric cancer (61%) or advanced cancer (45%).

Ribonuclease and ribonuclease inhibitor in the human pancreas.

Several investigators have failed to confirm any specificity of elevated serum ribonuclease (RNase) in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Although RNase had been known to be present in two forms, free and inhibitor-bound, in various tissues of the rat, little was known about it in the human pancreas. The object of this report was to explore the presence of RNase inhibitor in the human pancreas through the assay of both active (= free) and total (= sum of free and inhibitor-bound) RNases.

Diagnostic and pathological considerations in the popliteal artery entrapment syndrome.

Four cases of the popliteal artery entrapment syndrome including two with bilateral lesions are reported. All limbs of these patients showed classical arterial entrapment due to the anomalous course of the popliteal artery in relation to the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. All cases were diagnosed preoperatively, and computed tomography demonstrated apparent separation of the popliteal artery and vein at the site of the insertion of the gastrocnemius muscle.

[Phase II study on peplomycin for esophageal cancer].

For the purpose of verifying the effectiveness of peplomycin, one of the derivatives of bleomycin, against carcinoma of the esophagus and the safety of it, the analysis of the data for total 113 cases collected from 25 institutions in Japan was made. The results are as follows. It was effective in 19 out of 74 evaluable cases of carcinoma of the esophagus (25.