Cationic polymerization of cyclic thioacetals by triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate

Polymerization of 1-oxa-3-thiacyclopentane with catalytic amounts of triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate was studied. The initiation reaction was a fast and quantitative formation of ethylsulfonium salt of monomer. The propagation reaction was a slow and quite complex reaction with sulfonium transfer reactions. The reaction mechanism is discussed.     

Immunochemical properties of free mu-chain protein in a patient with mu-heavy chain disease

We report a case of mu-heavy chain disease. A 56-year-old woman presented with anemia and hemorrhagic diathesis. The serum of the patient was found to have free mu-heavy chain. The patient also had a kappa type-Bence Jones protein in serum and urine. Immunoelectrophoresis showed an abnormal precipitin line in the alpha 2-globulin region which reacted with antiserum to mu-chain but not with antiserum for light chains. The molecular weight of the monomer of the patient's mu-heavy chain protein was approximately 67,000 daltons less than that of the normal mu-heavy chain protein.     

Effect of polychlorinated biphenyl on viral infections in mice.

Mice that were fed a diet containing 400, 200 or 100 microgram of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) per g were significantly more susceptible to Herpes simplex virus than mice that were fed a PCB-free diet. The mortality of mice that were fed a diet containing 400 or 200 microgram of PCB per g and infected with ectromelia virus was higher than that of normal control mice infected with virus. There was no significant difference in inducibility of interferon by polyinosinic acid-polycytoidylic acid between PCB-fed mice and control mice.     

Morphologic Changes in Intercostal Muscle Tissue Associated with a Viper (Agkistrodon halys blomhoffi) Bite

This study examined a 73-year-old woman who had been bitten in the right thumb by a viper (Agkistrodon halys blomhoffi)(dout). She suffered acute renal failure and respiratory failure after the bite. On the 20th day, respiratory failure persisted, although she had recovered from renal failure. Intercostal muscles were obtained by biopsy on the 40th day after the bite. Specimens were observed with enzyme-histochemical and electron microscopic techniques. The size of muscle fibers varied. Most of the smaller muscle fibers were enzyme-histo-chemically type 2C fibers. This was considered to be the regenerative stage of acute rhabdomyolysis. Ultrastructurally, two opposite types of changes, degeneration and regeneration, were mixed in the same areas. Muscle fibers might be continuously degenerated, and the regenerative fibers might also be degenerated. This study suggests that some slow allergic reactions to snake venom might bear some relation to the degenerative changes.     

Effect of pacing mode on sleep disturbance

 The relationship between pacing mode and sleep is not yet known, and therefore polysomnography was used to evaluate the effect. A total of 16 patients (8 men and 8 women; mean age, 72 ± 9 years) with DDD pacemakers made up the study population. Of these 16 patients, 8 patients had complete AV block and 8 patients had sick sinus syndrome. The recording was done twice in VVI and DDD modes. Between VVI mode and DDD mode, sleep latency time (VVI mode: 38 ± 25, DDD mode 23 ± 27 min), frequency of temporary waking (8.3 ± 6.7, 3.7 ± 2.9 times), the number of episodes of apnea (59 ± 84, 36 ± 55 times, the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) (15 ± 18, 10 ± 13), and efficacy of sleep (72% ± 10%, 81% ± 11%) were significantly different. Also, the apnea index improved significantly in DDD mode. There was no significant difference in total sleep time and in total duration of temporary waking between the two groups. From the study results, a reduction in sleep disturbance was achieved when DDD pacing mode was chosen, rather than VVI mode. Furthermore, efficacy of sleep also improved significantly compared with VVI mode. Interestingly, sleep apnea syndrome in four patients with AHI ≧ 15 notably ameliorated when DDD mode was chosen; however, the mechanism involved in amelioration is still ambiguous and needs further assessment. Received: October 4, 2002 / Accepted: February 21, 2003     

Induction of hepatic DT-diaphorase in mice by butylated hydroxyanisole analogs: a structure-activity study

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and its analogs were evaluated for their relative activity to induce hepatic DT-diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2) after dietary administration (at concentrations of 11.1 or 27.7 micromol/g diet for 3 days) to mice. Of the compounds tested, only BHA and 2-tert-amyl-4-methoxyphenol, 4-methoxyphenols with 2-tert-alkyl side chains, were active in inducing DT-diaphorase activity. None of the remaining six compounds showed any significant sign of inducing activity. No simple explanation for these rather strict structural requirements can be offered at the present time.     

X-linked immunodeficient mice spontaneously produce lupus-related anti-RNA helicase A autoantibodies,but are resistant to pristane-induced lupus

Murine lupus can occur spontaneously or be induced by hydrocarbons, such as pristane. Spontaneous disease in MRL and NZB/W F1 mice is suppressed by the xid (X-linked immunodeficiency) mutation, which greatly diminishes T cell-independent type 2 responses as well as the number of peritoneal B1 cells. The present study asked whether lupus induced by i.p. injection of pristane likewise is inhibited by the xid defect. Male CBA/N (xid) mice were refractory to the induction of autoantibodies by pristane, whereas 23% of pristane-treated male CBA/CaJ controls produced anti-nRNP/Sm, -Su and/or -OJ (isoleucyl tRNA synthetase) antibodies. Unexpectedly, 43% (12 of 28) of the xid mice spontaneously produced anti-nuclear antibodies that proved highly specific for the lupus antigen RNA helicase A (RHA). Strikingly, this specificity was absent in CBA/CaJ mice (none of 51). Moreover, pristane treatment suppressed the production of anti-RHA antibodies when administered prior to the onset of autoantibody production, but enhanced anti-RHA levels when given after the onset of autoantibody production, suggesting that pristane interferes with anti-RHA production at an early stage. Large amounts of IgG1 anti-RHA autoantibodies were detected in the sera of xid mice, whereas pristane-induced anti-nRNP/Sm and -Su autoantibodies were almost exclusively IgG2a. Cytokine production within the peritoneal cavity reflected the predominant isotypes: IL-12 and IFN-gamma predominated in pristane-treated mice, whereas IL-4 and IL-6 were more predominant in untreated xid mice. The spontaneous production of anti-RHA by xid mice and its suppression by pristane treatment at the level of autoantibody induction supports the idea that lupus autoantibodies may be generated through a variety of mechanisms.     

Expression of placental leucine aminopeptidase and adipocyte-derived leucine aminopeptidase in human normal and malignant invasive trophoblastic cells

We recently identified two novel aminopeptidases, placental leucine aminopeptidase (P-LAP) and adipocyte-derived leucine aminopeptidase (A-LAP). Enzymatically, P-LAP degrades oxytocin, vasopressin, and angiotensin III, while A-LAP degrades angiotensin II and kallidin. In this study we investigated the expression and localization of P-LAP and A-LAP in human trophoblastic cells in the normal placenta (n = 26), gestational choriocarcinoma (n = 8), and placental site trophoblastic tumor (n = 3). On immunoblot analysis both P-LAP and A-LAP proteins were detected in normal placenta and five choriocarcinoma tissues, as well as in two choriocarcinoma cell lines. Immunohistochemical staining of normal placental tissues demonstrated that P-LAP was not only localized in villous syncytiotrophoblasts but also highly expressed in extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) invading the decidua or maternal spiral arteries. The expression level of P-LAP on these invasive EVTs reached a maximum during the late first to second trimesters of pregnancy, and it decreased in the third trimester. Similarly, A-LAP was strongly expressed in EVTs invading the decidua or spiral arteries in the second trimester of pregnancy, while it was weakly or moderately expressed in villous cytotrophoblasts or EVTs located in the cell columns. These two aminopeptidases were more strongly expressed in all eight choriocarcinomas and three placental site trophoblastic tumors and mainly localized to the intermediate-type trophoblastic tumor cells invading the uterine myometrium or stromal vessels. In summary P-LAP and A-LAP were predominantly expressed in the invasive phenotype of EVTs during placentation, as well as in the invasive tumor cells of trophoblastic neoplasms. These results suggest the involvement of these aminopeptidases in invasiveness of both normal and malignant intermediate-type trophoblasts possibly through degradation of specific peptide substrates.     

A Case of Adenocarcinoma of the Lung with a Spindle Cell Component

We report a 60-year old man, who was admitted to the hospital with complaints of cough and sputum. His chest x-ray showed an abnormal mass in the right upper lobe. After admission he noticed the painful gingival tumor. Right upper lobectomy and resection of the gingival tumor were performed. Their histological features showed that the tumor consisted of a papillary and tubular adenocarcinoma mixed with a component of spindle cells. Immuno-histochemical study demonstrated a positive reaction in the epithelial component for keratin and epithelial membrane antigen, and not only these epithelial markers but also vimentin were expressed in some spindle tumor cells. Electron microscopic study confirmed the biphasic pattern, showing gland formation and undifferentiated cells. We diagnose this case as adenocarcinoma of the lung with a spindle cell component and the gingival tumor was meta-static. Autopsy showed that metastatic lesions were found in the left adrenal gland and in the left kidney. The tumor cells in the left adrenal gland were composed of spindle cells and the tumor in the left kidney showed gland formation. lmmunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings of surgical and autopsy specimen suggest that this tumor is of epithelial origin, and the spindle cells are derived from immature mesenchymal cell transformation of epithelial cells. Acta Pathol Jpn 42: 841–846, 1992.