Prognostic value of the metabolic syndrome for long-term outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS), regarded as an important risk factor for coronary artery disease, is growing. However, the relationship between MS and long-term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Japanese patient population remains unknown.

Methods And Results: Seven-hundred and forty-eight consecutive patients who underwent PCI were assessed.

Establishment of a high sensitivity plasma assay for human pentraxin3 as a marker for unstable angina pectoris.

Objective: Plasma pentraxin 3 (PTX3) levels are increased in patients with acute myocardial infarction, yet its involvement in unstable angina pectoris (UAP) remains unclear. To critically evaluate the role of PTX3 in UAP, a sensitive and precise measurement of PTX3 concentration is needed.

Methods And Results: We established a high sensitive plasma ELISA assay system for the detection of PTX3 using monoclonal antibodies.

Rapid propagation of low-fitness drug-resistant mutants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by a streptococcal metabolite sparsomycin.

Here we report that sparsomycin, a streptococcal metabolite, enhances the replication of HIV-1 in multiple human T cell lines at a concentration of 400 nM. In addition to wild-type HIV-1, sparsomycin also accelerated the replication of low-fitness, drug-resistant mutants carrying either D30N or L90M within HIV-1 protease, which are frequently found mutations in HIV-1-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Of particular interest was that replication enhancement appeared profound when HIV-1 such as the L90M-carrying mutant displayed relatively slower replication kinetics.

The complete genome of Rhodococcus sp. RHA1 provides insights into a catabolic powerhouse.

Rhodococcus sp. RHA1 (RHA1) is a potent polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading soil actinomycete that catabolizes a wide range of compounds and represents a genus of considerable industrial interest. RHA1 has one of the largest bacterial genomes sequenced to date, comprising 9,702,737 bp (67% G+C) arranged in a linear chromosome and three linear plasmids.

Amlodipine versus angiotensin II receptor blocker; control of blood pressure evaluation trial in diabetics (ADVANCED-J).

Background: The coexistence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The U.K.

Myosin II activity is not essential for recruitment of myosin II to the furrow in dividing HeLa cells.

To elucidate whether phosphorylation of myosin II regulatory light chain (MRLC) is essential for myosin II recruitment to the furrow during cytokinesis, HeLa cells transfected with three types of GFP-tagged recombinant MRLCs, wild-type MRLC, non-phosphorylated form of MRLC, and phosphorylated form of MRLC, were examined. Living cell-imaging showed that both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated form of MRLCs were recruited to the equator at the same time after anaphase onset, suggesting that phosphorylation of MRLC is not responsible for recruitment of myosin II to the equator. Moreover, the treatment with an inhibitor of myosin II activity, blebbistatin, induced no effect on recruitment of those three recombinant MRLCs.

Insulin and nateglinide reduce monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells in Goto-Kakizaki rats exhibiting repetitive blood glucose fluctuation.

Epidemiological studies demonstrated the importance of postprandial hyperglycemia on the progression of atherosclerosis. However, whether treatment of postprandial hyperglycemia by insulin or insulin secretagogues has a beneficial effect on atherosclerosis has not been elucidated. To elucidate the effects of reduction of postprandial rise of blood glucose by insulin and nateglinide on monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells, we used non-obese type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats fed twice daily, as a model of repetitive postprandial hyperglycemia.

Evaluation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity with film in situ zymography for improved cytological diagnosis of breast tumors.

Background: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of breast tumors is a reliable diagnostic method for identifying breast carcinoma. However, it is sometimes difficult to definitely distinguish malignant from benign lesions. To improve the cytological diagnosis of breast tumors, we investigated the expression of active matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), as detected by film in situ zymography (FIZ).

Multiple-subunit genes of the aromatic-ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase play an active role in biphenyl and polychlorinated biphenyl degradation in Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1.

A gram-positive strong polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) degrader, Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1, can degrade PCBs by cometabolism with biphenyl or ethylbenzene. In RHA1, three sets of aromatic-ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase genes are induced by biphenyl.

Long-term (11-year) statin therapy following percutaneous coronary intervention improves clinical outcome and is not associated with increased malignancy.

Background: Statins have been proven to reduce cardiac events and mortality. However, there are few studies dealing with the long-term efficacy of statin therapy following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We collected data from 575 consecutive patients who underwent PCI between 1987 and 1992.

Influence of administration methods on the accumulation of ALA-induced Pp-IX in mouse tongue tumors.

Objective: 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) has been used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT) for oral cancer. This study investigates the optimal method of administrating ALA by analyzing PpIX fluorescence in tongue tumor tissue.

Methods: Protoporphyrin IX intensities in the mouse (C3H)-transplanted tongue cancer (NR-S1) were compared with those in normal tongue after intraperitoneal (i.

Occult fractures of articular eminence and glenoid fossa presenting as temporomandibular disorder: a case report.

We report an unusual case of occult fractures of the articular eminence and glenoid fossa due to a previous traffic accident presenting as a temporomandibular disorder. A 24-year-old Japanese man was referred for trismus and pain in the right temporomandibular joint, and was suspected of having temporomandibular disorder. Although the magnetic resonance image did not show displacement of the articular disk, T2-weighted images revealed disruption of the cortical low-intensity line of the right articular eminence.

Mutations of conserved glycine residues within the membrane-spanning domain of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp41 can inhibit membrane fusion and incorporation of Env onto virions.

The membrane-spanning domain (MSD) of HIV-1 envelope protein (Env) has an additional glycine residue within a well-conserved putative transmembrane helix-helix interaction motif, GXXXG, and forms a G(690)G(691)XXG(694) sequence (G, glycine; X, any residues; the numbering indicates the position within the Env of an infectious molecular clone, HXB2). Different from vesicular stomatitis virus G (VSV-G), the glycine residues of the GXXXG motif of HIV-1 showed higher tolerance against mutations, and a simultaneous substitution of G690 and G694 with leucine residues only modestly decreased fusion activity and replication capacity of HIV-1. When G691 was further substituted with alanine, phenylalanine or leucine residue while G690 and G694 were substituted with leucine residues, the efficiency of membrane fusion decreased, with the decrease greatest occurring with the leucine substitution, a less severe decrease with phenylalanine, and the least severe decrease with alanine.

Total synthesis of ent-dihydrocorynantheol by using a proline-catalyzed asymmetric addition reaction.

[reaction: see text] 9-Tosyl-3,4-dihydro-beta-carboline reacted with 3-ethyl-3-buten-2-one in the presence of (S)-proline to give (3R,12bR)-3-ethyl-12-tosyl-3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,12b-decahydro-1H-indolo[2,3-a]quinolizin-2-one in complete enantio- and diastereoselectivity. The compound thus obtained was readily transformed to ent-dihydrocorynantheol in three steps.

Characterization of the terephthalate degradation genes of Comamonas sp. strain E6.

We isolated Comamonas sp. strain E6, which utilizes terephthalate (TPA) as the sole carbon and energy source via the protocatechuate (PCA) 4,5-cleavage pathway. Two almost identical TPA degradation gene clusters, tphRICIA2IA3IBIA1I and tphRIICIIA2IIA3IIBIIA1II, were isolated from this strain.

Impact of aspirin treatment on long-term outcome (over 10 years) after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Aspirin has been shown to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, its effects on long-term (over 10 years) mortality have not been fully elucidated. This retrospective study recorded the patient characteristics and admission medication for all patients undergoing PCI over an 8-year period from 1984 to 1992.

Pitavastatin prevents bacterial translocation after nonpulsatile/low-pressure blood flow in early atherosclerotic rat: inhibition of small intestine inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Background: Cardiopulmonary bypass decreases intestinal mucosal blood flow because of nonpulsatile and low-pressure blood flow resulting in bacterial translocation (BT) and atherosclerosis also has peripheral blood flow deficiency. The risk of nonpulsatile and low-pressure blood flow for atherosclerotic animals and the effect of statin administration, which has pleiotropic effects, were studied.

Methods: Wistar rats were divided into four groups: group N (normal diet), group C (high-cholesterol diet), group S (group C plus pitavastatin therapy), and group I [group C plus inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) inhibitor therapy].

Localization and changes of diamine oxidase during cardiopulmonary bypass in rabbits.

Background: We previously observed increased serum diamine oxidase activity during clinical cardiopulmonary bypass, indicating small intestinal mucosal ischemia followed by bacterial translocation.

Materials And Methods: In seven female rabbits undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for 1 h, we analyzed the localization of diamine oxidase immunohistochemically, and measured its activity in serum and abdominal organs before and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Results: Preoperatively, diamine oxidase activity and immunoreactivity were high in the small intestine, localized to villus tips.

Efficacy of peroxisome proliferative activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha ligands, fenofibrate, on intimal hyperplasia and constrictive remodeling after coronary angioplasty in porcine models.

Constrictive remodeling and intimal hyperplasia play a prominent role in restenosis after angioplasty. It has been reported that the severity of constrictive remodeling and intimal hyperplasia correlate with adventitial angiogenesis and inflammation. Experimental evidence indicates that inflammation participates in angiogenesis, and therefore inhibition of inflammation may impair neovascularization.

[Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation detected by prenatal sonography; report of 2 cases].

We report 2 cases of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) detected by prenatal sonography. The first CCAM was diagnosed by fetal sonography in a female fetus at 30 weeks' gestation. The infant was born at 37 weeks' gestation, with a body weight of 2,770 g.

Characterization of almond alpha-mannosidase and its application for structure analysis of sugar chain.

Almond alpha-mannosidase was purified by separation on columns of DEAE-Sephadex A50 and hydroxyapatite, and characterized. Its optimum pH was approximately 3.8.

A second 5-carboxyvanillate decarboxylase gene, ligW2, is important for lignin-related biphenyl catabolism in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6.

A lignin-related biphenyl compound, 5,5'-dehydrodivanillate (DDVA), is degraded to 5-carboxyvanillate (5CVA) by the enzyme reactions catalyzed by DDVA O-demethylase (LigX), meta-cleavage oxygenase (LigZ), and meta-cleavage compound hydrolase (LigY) in Sphingomonas paucimobilis SYK-6. 5CVA is then transformed to vanillate by a nonoxidative 5CVA decarboxylase and is further degraded through the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway. A 5CVA decarboxylase gene, ligW, was isolated from SYK-6 (X.

Arterial air embolism during percutaneous pulmonary marking under computed tomography guidance.

Percutaneous pulmonary marking under computed tomography (CT) guidance is often used to identify the location of small nodules prior to pulmonary wedge resection by video assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Although pneumothorax and pulmonary hemorrhage are known complications that accompany this method, arterial air embolism is an extremely rare and occasionally fatal complication. We report a case of arterial air embolism during percutaneous pulmonary marking under CT guidance.