A conventional LC-MS method developed for the determination of plasma raltegravir concentrations.

Raltegravir belongs to a new class of antiretrovirals acting for a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 integrase inhibition. Clinical trials of this drug have demonstrated potent antiviral activity in both therapy naïve and experienced patients. Thus, raltegravir has become an important component of combination treatment regimens used to treat patients with multidrug-resistant HIV-1.

[Analysis of antibody reactivity for FDP D-dimer fragments by Western blotting].

We evaluated three test kits for fibrin degradation products (FDP) D-dimer. We found that six of 217 plasma sample values obtained by Nanopia test were markedly higher than the values obtained using the other two kits. The regression equation for 211 samples (excluding six) was y=0.

Polymerization-defective fibrinogen variant gammaD364A binds knob "A" peptide mimic.

Fibrin polymerization is supported in part by interactions called "A:a". Crystallographic studies revealed gamma364Asp is part of hole "a" that interacts with knob "A" peptide mimic, GPRP. Biochemical studies have shown gamma364Asp is critical to polymerization, as polymerization of variants gammaD364A, gammaD364H, and gammaD364V is exceptionally impaired.

Localization of phospho-tyrosine489-beta-adducin immunoreactivity in the hypothalamic tanycytes and its involvement in energy homeostasis.

beta-Adducin is a cytoskeletal protein that interacts with the actin filaments to suppress actin polymerization and facilitate actin-spectrin binding. We have previously shown that beta-adducin is phosphorylated by Fyn at tyrosine489 in the rat brain and bound to its Src-homology 2 domain. In the present study, we examined the immunohistochemical localization of the tyrosine489-phosphorylated form of beta-adducin (pY489-beta-adducin) in the rat brain.

Primary chylopericardium with pulmonary lymphedema.

Primary chylopericardium is an uncommon entity, and its association with pulmonary lymphedema has been rarely reported.We describe a case of primary chylopericardium with pulmonary lymphedema developing into hypoxemia. The pulmonary lesions were histologically diagnosed as pulmonary lymphangiectasis and lymphedema on lung biopsies.

Postrecurrence survival in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: Postoperative recurrence is a major obstacle to achieving a cure and long-term survival in patients with non-small lung cancer. However, prognostic factors and the efficacy of therapy after recurrence remain controversial. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients with resected lung cancer for postrecurrence prognostic factors.

Structural basis for substrate recognition and hydrolysis by mouse carnosinase CN2.

L-carnosine is a bioactive dipeptide (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) present in mammalian tissues, including the central nervous system, and has potential neuroprotective and neurotransmitter functions. In mammals, two types of L-carnosine-hydrolyzing enzymes (CN1 and CN2) have been cloned thus far, and they have been classified as metallopeptidases of the M20 family. The enzymatic activity of CN2 requires Mn(2+), and CN2 is inhibited by a nonhydrolyzable substrate analog, bestatin.

Pediculate mucinous cystadenoma difficult to differentiate from pleural tumor.

We present a case of benign pediculate mucinous cystadenoma in a 60-year-old man. The tumor, which was connected with the lung parenchyma, was difficult to distinguish from a pleural tumor radiographically. Initially, computed tomographic-guided needle aspiration biopsy was performed to confirm the diagnosis, but this was unsuccessful.

A novel exogenous concentration-gradient collagen scaffold augments full-thickness articular cartilage repair.

Objectives: A collagen scaffold has been long used in order to enhance the regeneration of articular cartilage. In the present study, we investigate the effectiveness of a concentration-gradient (CG) collagen that is designed to recruit efficiently the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the central region of the full-thickness cartilage defects via haptotaxis.

Methods: The present study used Cellmatrix (0.

Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura with a minute malignant component and diaphragmatic vascular supply: report of a case.

We resected a fist-sized, solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura (SFTP) with a minute malignant component, following percutaneous embolization of its feeding artery. The tumor had macroscopic characteristics of a benign SFTP, and most parts of it were microscopically benign. However, further careful pathological examination revealed a minute malignant component in its periphery.

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-mediated hypercalcemia in ovarian dysgerminoma.

Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) is a rare complication of malignant pediatric tumors, specifically those that secrete humoral factor(s), such as parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP). The authors report a case of severe hypercalcemia associated with ovarian dysgerminoma in a 10-year-old girl. In this case, the humoral factor was considered to be 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.

[Analysis of hypofibrinogenemias found on routine coagulation screening tests and identification of heterozygous dysfibrinogenemia or fibrinogen deficiency].

We analyzed the clinical factors resulting in hypofibrinogenemia, which is defined as less than 100mg/dl of plasma fibrinogen values determined by a procedure based on the Thrombin-time method. Within a 12-month period, we assayed 5,746 patients (19,309 plasmas) and found 113 patients (1.97%) with hypofibrinogenemia.

Interaction of alpha1-syntrophin with multiple isoforms of heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunits.

Syntrophins are components of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex of the plasma membrane in muscular and neuronal cells, and recruit signaling proteins such as neuronal nitric oxide synthase via their multiple protein-protein interaction motifs. In this study, we found that alpha1-syntrophin binds to various subtypes of guanine nucleotide-binding protein alpha subunits (Galpha). A pull-down analysis using full-length recombinant alpha1-syntrophin and MS analysis showed that alpha1-syntrophin was coprecipitated with several isoforms of Galpha proteins in addition to known binding partners such as dystrobrevin and neuronal nitric oxide synthase.

Sialic acid moiety of apolipoprotein E3 at Thr(194) affects its interaction with beta-amyloid(1-42) peptides.

Background: The interaction between apolipoprotein (apo) E and beta-amyloid (Abeta) is associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the details remain unknown. ApoE in cerebrospinal fluid is extensively sialylated, and sialylation of certain proteins are known to modulate biological function. We investigated the effects of a sialic acid moiety of apoE on the apoE-Abeta interaction.

In vitro expression of beta-thalassaemia gene (IVS1-1G>C) reveals complete inactivation of the normal 5' splice site and alternative aberrant RNA splicing.

We previously reported a case of heterozygous beta-thalassaemia with IVS1-1G > C substitution in the beta-globin gene and a non-detectable level of mutant mRNA in the patient's reticulocytes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the transcription and RNA splicing and processing of the mutant gene occurred. We analysed the expression of the mRNA encoded by the cloned mutant gene in COS-1 cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction followed by agarose gel electrophoresis and nucleotide sequencing.

B:b interactions are essential for polymerization of variant fibrinogens with impaired holes 'a'.

Background: Fibrin polymerization is mediated by interactions between knobs 'A' and 'B' exposed by thrombin cleavage, and holes 'a' and 'b' always present in fibrinogen. The role of A:a interactions is well established, but the roles of knob:hole interactions A:b, B:b or B:a remain ambiguous.

Objectives: To determine whether A:b or B:b interactions have a role in thrombin-catalyzed polymerization, we examined a series of fibrinogen variants with substitutions altering holes 'a': gamma364Ala, gamma364His or gamma364Val.

The validation of plasma darunavir concentrations determined by the HPLC method for protease inhibitors.

Darunavir (DRV) is a new protease inhibitor used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type-1. The aim of this study was to validate the determination of plasma DRV concentrations using the HPLC method, a simple procedure for simultaneous determination of seven HIV protease inhibitors and efavirenz. The calibration curve was linear (range of 0.

Cultivated corneal endothelial cell sheet transplantation in a primate model.

Purpose: To examine the feasibility of cultivated corneal endothelial cell transplantation in a primate model.

Methods: Monkey corneal endothelial cells (MCECs) obtained from three cynomolgus monkeys were cultivated, with subcultures grown on collagen type I carriers for 4 weeks. The corneal endothelium of the right eye of six monkeys was mechanically scraped, after which a cultivated MCEC sheet was brought into the anterior chamber of four eyes and fixed to Descemet's membrane by air.

Hydrogen generation from weak acids: electrochemical and computational studies of a diiron hydrogenase mimic.

Extended investigation of electrocatalytic generation of dihydrogen using [(mu-1,2-benzenedithiolato)][Fe(CO)3]2 has revealed that weak acids, such as acetic acid, can be used. The catalytic reduction producing dihydrogen occurs at approximately -2 V for several carboxylic acids and phenols resulting in overpotentials of only -0.44 to -0.

Determination of plasma tenofovir concentrations using a conventional LC-MS method.

The quantification of tenofovir, a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor prescribed once daily, in human plasma is important due to a recent increase in its use. HPLC, however, can not easily detect and quantify tenofovir because of interfering peaks. Therefore, we developed a rapid and conventional LC-MS method, validated by estimating the precision and accuracy for inter- and intraday analysis in the concentration range of 0.

No observable correlation between central nervous system side effects and EFV plasma concentrations in Japanese HIV type 1-infected patients treated with EFV containing HAART.

The present study assessed the relationship between central nervous system (CNS) side effects and plasma concentrations of efavirenz (EFV) in Japanese HIV-1-infected patients. Subjects consisted of 69 HIV-1-infected patients (57 therapy-naive and 12 therapy-experienced patients) being treated using EFV in combination with other antiretroviral agents at the outpatient HIV clinic. Successful virological treatment was achieved in 61 patients.

Retrospective study of patients with pathologic N1-stage II non-small cell lung cancer.

The population of patients with N1-stage II disease is small among non-small cell lung cancer patients and there have been relatively few studies regarding prognostic factors for the disease. We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathological features of the disease to identify prognostic factors. The clinical records of 85 patients with N1-stage II non-small cell lung cancer who underwent lobectomy or pneumonectomy with systematic lymph node dissection or sampling were retrospectively reviewed.