Variations in the viral NS5B region in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1b infection. No specific amino acid substitution was identified as determinants of treatment response to interferon/ribavirin combination therapy.

Objective: A recent study suggested that the substitution of amino acid 415 of HCV NS5B from phenylalanine to tyrosine in patients with HCV genotype 1a infection is induced by ribavirin and responsible for resistance to ribavirin therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether specific variations in the HCV NS5B sequence in Japanese patients with HCV genotype 1b (HCV/1b) infection are associated with treatment response or selected by treatment with interferon-alpha/ribavirin combination therapy.

Methods: Eighteen Japanese patients with HCV/1b infection receiving interferon-alpha/ribavirin combination therapy for 24 weeks were studied.

Intracellular Ca2+ contributes to K+-induced increase in renal kallikrein secretion.

We have reported that natriuretic effects of K(+) are involved in enhancement of renal kallikrein-kinin system. The study was aimed to examine 1) comparison of augmentative effects of K(+) on urinary KK excretion with non-specific washout effects by trichlormethiazide (thiazide), polyethyleneglycol 200 (PEG) and rapid physiological saline infusion, 2) contribution of Ca(2+) on the K(+)-induced increase in renal kallikrein secretion. Renal kallikrein activities were measured as fluorescence activities of methylcoumarinylamide-labeled synthetic substrate of tissue kallikrein (TK).

Improved wear performance with crosslinked UHMWPE and zirconia implants in knee simulation.

Background: Suggestions for improved wear performance of total knee replacements have included replacement of standard CoCr femoral components with ceramic and replacement of 3.5-Mrad ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) inserts with 5- or 7-Mrad UHMWPE inserts. The ceramic materials used clinically have included alumina, zirconia ceramic and oxidized zirconium.

Small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus associated with a paraneoplastic neurological syndrome: a case report documenting a complete response.

We describe a case of small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus associated with a paraneoplastic neurological syndrome. Sensorimotor neuropathy had developed 3 years earlier, and neurological symptoms had slowly worsened. Small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus was incidentally diagnosed while investigating the cause of the neurological symptoms.

Interfacial behavior of fatty-acylated sericin prepared by lipase-catalyzed solid-phase synthesis.

Fatty-acylated sericin {1:0.7 molar ratio of sericin (Mr 18,700) to oleic acid} was prepared by lipase-catalyzed solid-phase synthesis in n-hexane containing oleic acid to endow sericin with interfacial properties. Acylation with oleic acid was confirmed by 1H-NMR.

Alpha 2 integrin +807 polymorphism in drug-induced gingival overgrowth.

Alpha2 integrin on fibroblasts is reported to play an important role in the induction of drug-induced gingival overgrowth, which is characterized by excessive accumulation of type I collagen in gingival connective tissue. Silent polymorphism 807 T/C within the alpha2 integrin gene is associated with high/low alpha2 integrin expression. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that expression of alpha2 integrin 807 T/C polymorphism correlates with drug-induced gingival overgrowth.

Establishment of a prediction method for premature rupture of membranes in term pregnancy using active ceruloplasmin in cervicovaginal secretion as a clinical marker.

Aim: Term pregnancy complicated by premature rupture of membranes (PROM) is thought to be associated in part with subclinical infection, and places mothers and neonates at an increased risk for several complications. Therefore, perinatal care would be greatly helped if a reliable clinical measure were available for predicting the incidence of PROM.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-six pregnant women who consented to enter this study were screened using a method developed to assess active ceruloplasmin in cervicovaginal secretion as a clinical marker for predicting the incidence of PROM.

Enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral biaryls through rhodium-catalyzed complete intermolecular cross-cyclotrimerization of internal alkynes.

[reaction: see text] We have developed a cationic rhodium(I)/H8-BINAP complex-catalyzed complete intermolecular cross-cyclotrimerization of internal alkynes with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates. This reaction was successfully applied to enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral biaryls utilizing internal alkynes bearing ortho-substituted phenyl and acetoxymethyl in each terminal position. The axial chirality is constructed at the formation of benzene rings with high enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee).

Template-directed DNA photoligation via alpha-5-cyanovinyldeoxyuridine.

[reaction: see text] We describe an efficient template-directed photoligation of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) using alpha-5-cyanovinyldeoxyuridine (alpha(C)U). An efficient photoligation was produced by photoirradiation of an ODN containing alpha(C)U at the 3' end with an ODN containing thymine at the 5' end in the presence of a template ODN. This photoligation method is a new and efficient way to synthesize branched ODNs.

Selective suppressions of human CYP3A forms, CYP3A5 and CYP3A7, by troglitazone in HepG2 cells.

Troglitazone is an insulin sensitizer and also known as an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma). In the present study, we have studied the influence of troglitazone on CYP3A form expressions in HepG2 cells for a model of human tissue. Interestingly, constitutively expressed forms of cytochrome P450, CYP3A5 and CYP3A7, were suppressed by the pretreatment of troglitazone but not of the related thiazolidinediones, pioglitazone and rosiglitazone in this cell line.

Differences in transactivation between rat CYP3A1 and human CYP3A4 genes by human pregnane X receptor.

In an assay system using a human CYP3A4 reporter constructed with the promoter (+11 nt to -362 nt) and enhancer (-7.2 knt to -7.8 knt) regions including everted repeat separated by six nucleotides (ER-6) and direct repeat separated by three nucleotides (DR-3) motifs, the CYP3A4 transactivation was detected without overexpression of any nuclear receptors in rifampicin-treated HepG2 cells.

Cell fusion activities of Hantaan virus envelope glycoproteins.

Hantaan virus (HTNV)-infected Vero E6 cells undergo cell fusion with both infected and uninfected cells under low-pH conditions. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy of HTNV-infected Vero E6 cells showed that envelope glycoproteins (GPs) were located both on the cell surface and in the cytoplasm. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the G1 and G2 envelope GPs inhibited cell fusion, whereas nonneutralizing MAbs against G1 or G2 and MAbs against the nucleocapsid protein (NP) did not.

High-Resolution X-ray Diffraction of Muscle Using Undulator Radiation from the Tristan Main Ring at KEK.

High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba, Japan.High-resolution X-ray diffraction studies on striated muscle fibres were performed using a hard X-ray undulator installed in the Tristan main ring at KEK, Tsukuba, Japan. The performance of the undulator, along with an example experiment which exploited the unique characteristics of undulator radiation, are reported.

Tryptophan-immobilized column-based immunoadsorption as the choice method for plasmapheresis in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Plasmapheresis is widely performed as treatment for patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in the acute phase. As tryptophan-immobilized column-based immunoadsorption (Tr-IA) is a safer method than either double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) or plasma exchange (PE), we investigated whether or not Tr-IA is as effective as other methods, and should be selected as the procedure of choice in patients with GBS. We retrospectively compared clinical outcomes, using Hughes grading, in GBS patients treated with Tr-IA, DFPP or PE.

Association of the nucleocapsid protein of the Seoul and Hantaan hantaviruses with small ubiquitin-like modifier-1-related molecules.

We performed yeast two-hybrid screening of a human kidney cell cDNA library to study the biological role of the hantavirus nucleocapsid protein (NP). We found that Seoul virus (SEOV) and Hantaan virus (HTNV) NPs were associated with small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-1-interacting proteins PIAS1, PIASxbeta, HIPK2, CHD3, and TTRAP, which interacted with the SUMO-1 conjugating enzyme (Ubc-9) and SUMO-1 in the yeast two-hybrid assay. Interactions between the HIPK2, CHD3, and TTRAP proteins and SEOV NP were also shown in a mammalian two-hybrid assay.

Detection of antibody for the serodiagnosis of hantavirus infection in different rodent species.

Peroxidase-labeled staphylococcal protein A, streptococcal protein G, and antibodies directed against Mus musculus (mouse), Rattus norvegicus (rat), Mesocretus auratus (hamster), and Peromyscus leucopus were examined for their reactivity with immunoglobulin G (IgG) from various rodent species. The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal secondary antibodies or reagents for specific serodiagnosis of hantavirus infection in various rodent species. Using ELISA, a total of 65 sera from 29 rodent species of the family Muridae and one serum sample from family Octodontidae were compared for IgG reactivity with the six different reagents.

Photochemical ligation of DNA "words" for DNA computing.

The photochemical DNA computing of 5-vinyluracil ((V)U) containing oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) tethered multiple "DNA words" is demonstrated. A new MARK and UNMARK operation based on the (V)U mediated reversible DNA photoligation has been developed for multiple-word DNA computing. The utility of this operation for DNA computing is demonstrated by solving a small Satisfiability problem (SAT problem) in which information was encoded in three tandem words.

Axilloaxillary bypass for the treatment of subclavian artery stenosis complicated by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion: technical case report.

Objective And Importance: We successfully treated a patient with stenosis of the left subclavian artery, complicated by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, via axilloaxillary bypass surgery.

Clinical Presentation: A 67-year-old patient with a history of hypertension and cerebral infarction underwent neck irradiation for treatment of a vocal cord tumor. Three months later, he began to experience transient tetraparesis several times per day.

Detection of serum anti-ganglioside antibodies by latex agglutination assay in Guillain-Barré syndrome: comparison with ELISA.

Objective: Rapid detection of serum anti-ganglioside antibodies in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) could facilitate early diagnosis and early initiation of treatment, which might shorten the term of illness and reduce sequelae. We examined serum anti-ganglioside antibodies in patients with GBS using the latex agglutination assay developed by Alaedini and Latov (J Immunoassay 21: 377-386, 2000) with some modifications.

Materials And Methods: We used 75 sera from GBS patients, which exhibited IgG anti-GM1, GD1b, or GQ1b, or IgM anti-GM2 antibodies on previous enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Postischemic hypothermia inhibits the generation of hydroxyl radical following transient forebrain ischemia in rats.

A small reduction of body temperature during reperfusion following cerebral ischemia has been known to ameliorate neuronal injury. However, the mechanisms underlying postischemic hypothermia-induced neuroprotection are poorly understood. The burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation that occurs during reperfusion has been documented to be involved in ischemic neuronal degeneration.

Family history and risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage: a case-control study in Nagoya, Japan.

Background And Purpose: We sought to examine the relation between a family history of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and the risk of SAH by using a case-control study.

Methods: Case subjects consisted of a consecutive series of 195 patients with spontaneous SAH, aged 30 to 79 years, with aneurysms confirmed by angiography and/or CT scan. Hospital and community control subjects were identified and matched to each case by sex and age (+/-2 years).

Use of vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotypes bearing hantaan or seoul virus envelope proteins in a rapid and safe neutralization test.

A vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotype bearing hantavirus envelope glycoproteins was produced and used in a neutralization test as a substitute for native hantavirus. The recombinant VSV, in which the enveloped protein gene (G) was replaced by the green fluorescent protein gene and complemented with G protein expressed in trans (VSVDeltaG*G), was kindly provided by M. A.