The white blood cell count is an independent predictor of no-reflow and mortality following acute myocardial infarction in the coronary interventional era.

Background: In the era before the use of coronary reperfusion therapy, an elevated white blood cell (WBC) count was associated with a higher risk of adverse events following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the relationship between WBC count and prognosis after AMI has not been investigated since coronary intervention was introduced.

Aim: To evaluate whether a high WBC count within 48 hours of the onset of AMI predicts future adverse events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction disappears in a rabbit model of cavopulmonary shunt.

Background: Cavopulmonary shunt is widely known as an interim staging procedure in patients with single-ventricle physiology. However, the physiologic characteristics of the pulmonary arterial system after cavopulmonary shunt are not clearly understood. In this article, we developed a rabbit cavopulmonary shunt model and studied the morphologic changes and physiologic characteristics (namely, hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction) of pulmonary arteries after cavopulmonary shunt.

Comprehensive analysis system using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the biosynthetic study of peptides produced by cyanobacteria.

Microcystins are hepatotoxic heptapeptides and general tumor promoters produced by several species of the genera Microcystis, Anabaena, Oscillatoria and Nostoc. They are non-ribosomally synthesized via a mixed polyketide synthase/non-ribosomal peptide synthetase system called microcystin synthetase. We have carried out the detection, isolation and structural determination of non-toxic peptides produced together with microcystins by toxic cyanobacteria, which are classified into several groups on the basis of their structures and some of these non-toxic peptides are also non-ribosomally synthesized as well as microcystins.

SigC, the group 2 sigma factor of RNA polymerase, contributes to the late-stage gene expression and nitrogen promoter recognition in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803.

We examined the role of SigC (Sll0184), a sigma factor of RNA polymerase (RNAP), in a unicellular cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. On the inactivation of sigC, which is an Escherichia coli rpoD homolog, cells were viable but had a low survival rate in the stationary phase of growth under normal physiological conditions, indicating that SigC is a group 2 type sigma factor.

Effects of maternal exposure to diethylstilbestrol on the development of the reproductive system and thyroid function in male and female rat offspring.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was administered subcutaneously at 1.5 or 15 microg/kg/day (DES 1.5 group, DES 15 group) to pregnant SD rats daily on days 7-21 of gestation to investigate its effects on the development and functions of the reproductive system and thyroid gland in their offspring.

Adrenomedullin gene transfer induces therapeutic angiogenesis in a rabbit model of chronic hind limb ischemia: benefits of a novel nonviral vector, gelatin.

Background: Earlier studies have shown that adrenomedullin (AM), a potent vasodilator peptide, has a variety of cardiovascular effects. However, whether AM has angiogenic potential remains unknown. This study investigated whether AM gene transfer induces therapeutic angiogenesis in chronic hind limb ischemia.

[A case of primary pulmonary MALT lymphoma as a nodular shadow on CT scan, and relapsed with diffuse micronodular shadows after surgical resection at 7 years ago].

A 76-year-old man without symptoms was admitted to our hospital for investigation of an abnormal chest shadow in 1994. His chest radiograph showed a nodular shadow in the lingual lobe. Segmentectomy was performed and the histological diagnosis was MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) lymphoma.

Effects of adrenomedullin inhalation on hemodynamics and exercise capacity in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent pulmonary vasodilator peptide. However, whether intratracheal delivery of aerosolized AM has beneficial effects in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension remains unknown. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of AM inhalation on pulmonary hemodynamics and exercise capacity in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Geldanamycin, an inhibitor of Hsp90, sensitizes human tumour cells to radiation.

Purpose: The effects of the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor geldanamycin (GA) were examined on the radiosensitivity and signal transduction pathways in human tumour cell lines.

Materials And Methods: Two human cell lines, SQ-5 and DLD-1, derived from lung carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma, respectively, were incubated for 16 h at 37 degrees C in medium containing 0.2 microM GA.

Molecular mimicry by Helicobacter pylori CagA protein may be involved in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-associated chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

The eradication of Helicobacter pylori often leads to platelet recovery in patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (cITP). Although this clinical observation suggests the involvement of H. pylori, little is known about the pathogenesis of cITP.

Downregulation of androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptor genes and protein is involved in aging-related erectile dysfunction.

We hypothesize that downregulation of sex hormone receptors (androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors) is involved in aging-related erectile dysfunction. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the expression of sex hormone receptors in penile crura of aging rats. A total of 40 rats were divided into four groups based on age (6, 12, 18 and 24 months), and the erectile function was analyzed by the measurement of intracavernous pressure.

The cardiac determination factor, Nkx2-5, is activated by mutual cofactors GATA-4 and Smad1/4 via a novel upstream enhancer.

The mammalian homologue of Drosophila tinman, Nkx2-5, plays an early role in regulating cardiac genes and morphogenesis. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta family of signaling molecules, are involved in numerous developmental processes. BMP signaling is crucial in the regulation of Nkx2-5 expression and specification of the cardiac lineage.

Antagonistic dark/light-induced SigB/SigD, group 2 sigma factors, expression through redox potential and their roles in cyanobacteria.

The expression of group 2 sigma factors is characterized in a cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 grown in culture, changing light conditions (white, red and blue light, and darkness), or the presence of drugs (rifampicin, chloramphenicol, DCMU, and DBMIB), and the roles of these sigma factors are elucidated. The expression of dark/light-induced SigB/SigD was accelerated under opposite redox (oxidation/reduction) states in an electron transport chain of photosynthesis.

Repeated inhalation of adrenomedullin ameliorates pulmonary hypertension and survival in monocrotaline rats.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent vasodilator peptide. We investigated whether inhalation of aerosolized AM ameliorates monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. Male Wistar rats given MCT (MCT rats) were assigned to receive repeated inhalation of AM (n = 8) or 0.

Effects of preinfarction angina pectoris on infarct size and in-hospital mortality after coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction.

We studied the effect of preinfarction angina on in-hospital outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention for anterior and nonanterior acute myocardial infarction. Beneficial effects of preinfarction angina on infarct size and in-hospital outcome are evident in patients with anterior infarction, but not in those with nonanterior infarction.

Enantioselective cyclization of alkene radical cations.

[reaction: see text] Enantiomerically enriched beta-(diphenylphosphatoxy)nitroalkanes undergo radical ionic fragmentation, induced by tributyltin hydride and AIBN in benzene at reflux, to give alkene radical cations in contact radical ion pairs. These contact ion pairs are trapped intramolecularly by amines to give pyrrolidines and piperidines with significant enantioselectivity ( approximately 60% ee), indicative of cyclization competing effectively with equilibration within the ion pairs. Use of an intramolecular N-propargylamine as a nucleophile provides an enantiomerically enriched pyrrolizidine skeleton via a tandem polar/radical crossover sequence.

Two distinct curved DNAs upstream of the light-responsive psbA gene in a cyanobacterium.

A functional intrinsic DNA curvature, CIT, and potential DNA-binding factors for the basal transcription of psbA2 have been reported in a cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa K-81 (Asayama et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 30, 4658-4666 (2002)).

Catalytic ring hydrogenation of phenol under supercritical carbon dioxide.

A charcoal-supported rhodium catalyst was highly active for the ring hydrogenation of phenol and cresols under supercritical carbon dioxide.

Light-responsive psbA transcription requires the -35 hexamer in the promoter and its proximal upstream element, UPE, in cyanobacteria.

We characterized the function of the -35 hexamer in the promoter and an element just upstream, UPE, in the expression in a unicellular cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa K-81, of the light-responsive gene psbA2, which encodes a reaction center key protein for photosynthesis. A series of mutants with mutations at the -35 hexamer (-35 to -30) and a novel conserved upstream element (UPE: -45 to -36, +1 referring to the transcription start point) were constructed. Expression of the mutants was examined in vivo and in vitro by analyses using a beta-galactosidase assay, primer extension, and a DNA-mobility shift assay with RNA polymerases.

Changes in functional and histological distributions of nitric oxide synthase caused by chronic hypoxia in rat small pulmonary arteries.

1. Chronic hypoxia (CH) increases lung tissue expression of all types of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the rat. However, it remains unknown whether CH-induced changes in functional and histological NOS distributions are correlated in rat small pulmonary arteries.

Effects of antiasthma drugs on the growth of Chlamydophila pneumoniae in HEp-2 cells.

A possible link between Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection and adult-onset asthma has been raised recently. To obtain further insight into the association of C. pneumoniae with asthma, we assessed the effects of antiasthma drugs commonly used in Japan on the growth of C.

Diabetes induced erectile dysfunction and apoptosis in penile crura are recovered by insulin treatment in rats.

Purpose: We hypothesized that apoptosis is a downstream event in erectile dysfunction, and pro-apoptotic (Bak and Bax) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bcl-x) factors are involved in the etiology of diabetes induced erectile dysfunction. To test this hypothesis the intracavernous pressure of diabetic and insulin treated rats was measured to assess erectile function. Molecular and immunohistochemical analyses for apoptosis were then performed in rat crura to assess their role in diabetes induced erectile dysfunction and insulin treatment.

The human T-cell factor-4 gene splicing isoforms, Wnt signal pathway, and apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma.

beta-Catenin and transcriptional factor TCF-4 (human T-cell factor-4) genes comprise the Wnt signal. The Wnt signal pathway plays an important role in malignant transformation. We hypothesize that the beta-catenin and TCF-4 gene and Wnt signal are important in the progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Aspirin inhibits Chlamydia pneumoniae-induced NF-kappa B activation, cyclo-oxygenase-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 synthesis and attenuates chlamydial growth.

Infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae has been implicated as a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis. This study was designed to investigate the mechanisms of the anti-chlamydial activity of aspirin. A reporter gene assay for NF-kappa B activity, immunoblot analysis for cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 and radioimmunoassay for prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) were performed.