Contents of lecithin and choline in crude drugs.

The determination of lecithin and choline in crude drugs was established by a combination of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detector (ECD) and enzyme reaction. Lecithin in crude drugs extracted with a mixture of chloroform-methanol (2:1) at room temperature was hydrolyzed by phospholipase D. The hydrolyzate was injected to HPLC, and choline was separated from impurities by reverse phase column.

Application of electrokinetic chromatography to pharmaceutical analysis.

Electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) is one branch of capillary electrophoresis that permits the separation of electrically neutral solutes by the electrophoretic technique. The separation principle of EKC is based on that of chromatography, and various modes of EKC have been developed along with the partition mechanism. Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), in which an ionic surfactant solution is employed instead of a buffer solution in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) at a higher concentration than the critical micelle concentration (CMC), has become the most popular technique among various EKC modes.

A missense mutation of cardiac beta-myosin heavy chain gene linked to familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in affected Japanese families.

A novel missense mutation of the cardiac beta-myosin heavy chain gene was detected in five unrelated Japanese patients and their affected family members with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-DNA conformation polymorphism (DCP) analysis. Sequencing analysis revealed an A to G transition at codon 778 leading to replacement of the Asp residue, which is adjacent to the interaction sites of myosin heavy chain (MHC) with actin and is a conserved amino acid residue in various MHC across species, to the Gly residue. Linkage study of the mutation and two dinucleotides repeat markers of the cardiac beta-MHC gene in three affected families showed that the mutation was on the same haplotype of the cardiac beta-MHC gene and linked to HCM.

[Structural analysis of cardiac beta myosin heavy chain gene in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease of unknown etiology characterized by cardiac hypertrophy and disarrays of myocardial fiber and fibrils. More than half of patients with HCM show an apparent family history consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. Mutations in the cardiac beta myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene have recently been identified in several Caucasian HCM families and suspected to be causative.

Localization of the human alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor gene (PLI) to 17p13.

We previously assigned the human alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor gene (PLI) to 18p11.1-->q11.2 by isotopic in situ hybridization.

[Pharmacokinetic, bacteriological and clinical studies on cefprozil in pediatric patients].

Cefprozil (CFPZ, BMY-28100), a new oral cephem antibiotic, was studied for its antibacterial activities, absorption and excretion upon administration. Its clinical efficacies were also studied in pediatric patients with infections. A study on antibacterial activities of CFPZ against 11 clinical isolates including 6 species found that its activities against Staphylococcus aureus, alpha-hemolytic Streptococcus, Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae were equal or superior to those of CCL.

Novel missense mutation in cardiac beta myosin heavy chain gene found in a Japanese patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

We have analyzed the exon 9, 13, 14, 15, and 16 of cardiac beta myosin heavy chain gene in 96 Japanese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by using PCR-DNA conformation polymorphism analysis. The analysis revealed a sequence variation of the exon 16 in one patient. The sequence variation of a G to C transversion with replacement of Asn by Lys at the codon 615 was confirmed by sequencing and by dot-blot hybridization with an allele-specific oligonucleotide probe.

Genetic analysis of dilated cardiomyopathy--HLA and immunoglobulin genes may confer susceptibility.

To identify genetic factors in the immune system which control the susceptibility to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), HLA class II DNA typing was performed in 61 Japanese patients, using PCR/SSO probe analyses. The frequencies of HLA-DQB1*0503 (15% vs 5%; RR = 3.06, chi 2 = 7.

Novel variant transthyretin gene (Ser50 to Ile) in familial cardiac amyloidosis.

We detected a point mutation in the transthyretin (TTR) gene in a patient with familial cardiac amyloidosis by using PCR-DCP (DNA conformation polymorphism) analysis that is based on the diversity in electrophoretic mobility of single-stranded DNAs and/or heteroduplex DNAs in PCR products. The PCR products of the transthyretin gene were denatured in the presence of formamide and electrophoresed in a non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel to detect an electrophoretic change due to a sequence variation. An unusual DNA fragment was visualized by silver staining in the PCR products of the exon 3 from the patient.

Metabolic Fate of β-Aspartyl-(14)C-glycine in Normal Young Rats.

The metabolic fate of α- and β-L-aspartyl-[U-(14)C]glycine was investigated in normal young rats in vivo and in vitro. The radioactive dipeptides were synthesized from L-aspartic acid and [U-(14)C]glycine in our laboratory. When labeled β-aspartylglycine was given intraperitoneally, about 66% of the dose was excreted in the urine and 8% was recovered in the expired carbon dioxide over a 24-hr period.

Nucleotide sequence of the third cytokine LD78 gene and mapping of all three LD78 gene loci to human chromosome 17.

Cytokine LD78 is a member of a newly identified cytokine superfamily. We cloned the third human gene for the LD78, termed LD78 gamma and the sequence analysis showed that it is a 5'-truncated pseudogene. Exons 2 and 3 and the intron between them are highly homologous to those of the LD78 beta gene, hence, the gamma gene was probably derived from the beta gene.

[Pharmacokinetic and clinical evaluations of flomoxef in neonates].

To evaluate pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of flomoxef (6315-S, FMOX) in neonates, FMOX was administered to 21 neonates. With 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg of intravenous drip-infusion of FMOX 60 minutes, half lives (T 1/2's) was 64.9 minutes and 130.

A new monoclonal antibody directed to sialyl alpha 2-3lactoneotetraosylceramide and its application for detection of human gastrointestinal neoplasms.

A new monoclonal antibody (NS24) directed to the N-acetylneuraminyl alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc residue in type II sugar chain of N-acetylneuraminyllactoneotetraosylceramide [sialylparagloboside, IV3(NeuAc)nLc4Cer] was prepared by hybridoma technique. Liposomes composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, IV3(NeuAc)nLc4Cer, and lipopolysaccharides from Salmonella minnesota R595 were used for immunization with IV3(NeuAc)nLc4Cer isolated from human erythrocytes. This method allowed the fusion of spleen cells of immunized mouse with myeloma cells only three days after immunization.

Application of micellar electrokinetic chromatography to pharmaceutical analysis.

Electrokinetic chromatography is a new type of analytical separation method which belongs to the group of high performance capillary electrophoretic techniques but whose separation principle is based on that of chromatography. The solute distributes itself between a carrier and the surrounding medium. The carrier, which corresponds to the stationary phase in conventional chromatography, can be transported by electrophoresis with a different velocity from the surrounding medium.

Separation and determination of aspoxicillin in human plasma by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with direct sample injection.

Both the separation and determination of aspoxicillin in human plasma by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) were investigated. Selectivity in the separation of seven penicillin antibiotics was improved by using MEKC in comparison with capillary zone electrophoresis. Plasma proteins, which might interfere with drug analysis in conventional chromatography, were solubilized by the micelles employed in MEKC and eluted later than the drugs.

Chiral separation of diltiazem, trimetoquinol and related compounds by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with bile salts.

The separation of optically isomeric diltiazem hydrochloride, trimetoquinol hydrochloride and related compounds by micellar electrokinetic chromatography was investigated employing four bile salts as chiral surfactants. The chiral separation of diltiazem hydrochloride and timetoquinol hydrochloride was successfully achieved by use of sodium taurodeoxycholate under neutral conditions, although enantiomers of carboline derivatives A and B and 2,2'-dihydroxy-1,1'-dinaphthyl were resolved with all the bile salts under conditions from neutral to alkaline. The chiral separation of diltiazem-related compounds was affected by the structure of the samples in addition to the effects of bile salt structures and pH of the buffer solutions.

Separation and determination of lipophilic corticosteroids and benzothiazepin analogues by micellar electrokinetic chromatography using bile salts.

The separation of corticosteroids and benzothiazepin analogues by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (micellar EKC) was studied in comparison with capillary zone electrophoresis. The separation of these substances was not successful under neutral and alkaline conditions because they migrated with the same velocity as that of the electroosmotic flow. Micellar EKC with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) solutions was also not successful because these substances migrated with almost the same velocity as that of the SDS micelle, owing to their high lipophilicity.

Effect of surfactant structures on the separation of cold medicine ingredients by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

Using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (micellar EKC or MEKC) the retention behavior of twelve active ingredients used in cold medicines was investigated. The role of five different anionic surfactants was investigated by MEKC and the results were compared with those obtained by conventional capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). The relative retention order of the 12 ingredients was significantly different among the five surfactants; the different elution orders were ascribed to the differences in the hydrophilic groups of the surfactants.

Separation and determination of the ingredients of a cold medicine by micellar electrokinetic chromatography with bile salts.

The separation of fourteen active ingredients used in a cold medicine was investigated by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) employing bile salts. Basic drugs were also successfully separated by micellar EKC using bile salts with high theoretical plate numbers (2.0 x 10(5)-3.

[Concentric left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with aortic regurgitation].

Chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) is a disease incorporating volume overload of the left ventricle (LV) which is characterized by hyperactive left ventricular dilatation (LVD). However, we have encountered several patients who had concentric LV hypertrophy (LVH) instead of LVD. We therefore studied 50 consecutive patients with isolated AR but without aortic stenosis and found seven patients with concentric LVH having LV wall thickness (determined by summing ventricular septal and posterior wall thicknesses) exceeding 30 mm and LV diastolic diameters of less than 60 mm.

Effect of MCI-186 on ischemia-induced changes in monoamine metabolism in rat brain.

We examined the effects of MCI-186 (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one), a novel free radical scavenger and an inhibitor of ischemia-induced brain edema, on monoamine metabolism in the brains of both normal and ischemic rats. In normal rats, 3 mg/kg i.v.

Effect of MCI-186 on brain edema in rats.

We induced brain edema in 72 rats by injecting 5 microliters of 3.0% wt:vol polyvinyl acetate into the left internal carotid artery, producing permanent embolization in the left cerebral hemisphere, which developed ipsilateral brain edema reproducibly. Edema was assessed 24 hours after embolization by determining the brain water content and the sodium and potassium concentrations.

Separation of beta-lactam antibiotics by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

The retention behaviour of beta-lactam antibiotics in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) was investigated. Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and sodium N-lauroyl-N-methyltaurate were used an anionic surfactants at concentrations of 0.05-0.