Cyclodextrins in Polymer Synthesis: Free Radical Polymerization of β‐Cyclodextrin Complexes of Photosensitive Mesoionic 6‐Oxo‐1,6‐dihydropyrimidin‐3‐ium‐4‐olates in Aqueous Medium

Solid mesoionic 2‐[2‐(isopropenylcarbonyloxy)ethylthio]‐1‐methyl‐6‐oxo‐3‐phenyl‐5‐propyl‐1,6‐dihydropyrimidin‐3‐ium‐4‐olate was complexed in water using β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) and randomly methylated β‐CD, which resulted in polymerizable complexes with 2:1 stoichiometry. The β‐CD complex was characterized using ¹H NMR, ROESY NMR and UV spectroscopy. Polymerization of the complex prepared from methylated β‐CD led to a photosensitive polymer, which precipitated during polymerization and was nearly free of CD. Polymerization was carried out with a water‐soluble redox initiator. In addition, a copolymer with methyl methacrylate was prepared from the complexes, which showed a different mass‐dependent distribution in the incorporation in comparison to a copolymer prepared without CD in organic solvents.

     

A Novel Macroinitiator for the Synthesis of Triblock Copolymers via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization: Polystyrene‐block‐poly(bisphenol A carbonate)‐block‐polystyrene and Poly(methyl methacrylate)‐block‐poly(bisphenol A carbonate)‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate)

Summary: Bis(hydroxy)telechelic bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) was prepared via melt polycondensation of bisphenol A (BPA) and diphenyl carbonate (DPC) using lanthanum(III ) acetylacetonate as a catalyst for transesterification. Subsequently, the polycarbonate was converted to a bifunctional macroinitiator for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with the reagent, α‐chlorophenylacetyl chloride. The macroinitiator was used for the polymerization of styrene (S) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) to give PS‐block‐PC‐block‐PS and PMMA‐block‐PC‐block‐PMMA triblock copolymers. These block copolymers were characterized by NMR and GPC. When styrene and methyl methacrylate were used in large excess, significant shifts toward high molecular weights were observed with quantitative consumption of the macroinitiator. Several ligands were studied in combination with CuCl as the ATRP catalyst. Kinetic studies reveal the controlled nature of the polymerization reaction for all the ligands used.

Formation of a bifunctional ATRP macroinitiator by esterification of bis(hydroxy)telechelic PC with α‐chlorophenylacetyl chloride.     

Association between HLA and Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were observed to have a statistical association with HLA-DR4, MT3. Strong association between the clinical severity of RA and HLA was also observed. Male patients had a stronger association with HLA than female patients. Males are more resistant to RA than females. This suggested that the threshold of liability for RA is higher in males than in females. Japanese patients with RA with systemic vasculitis were negative for HLA-Bw44 and had antilymphocytotoxic autoantibody, indicating that RA with systemic vasculitis is different in etiology from RA without systemic vasculitis.     

Narrative review of prostate cancer grading systems: will the Gleason scores be replaced by the Grade Groups?

The Gleason grading system, proposed by Dr. Donald F. Gleason in 1966, is one of the most important prognostic factors in men with prostate cancer (PCa). At consensus conferences held in 2005 and 2014, organized by the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP), the system was modified to reflect the current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In particular, in the 2014 Conference, it was recognized that there were weaknesses with the original and the 2005 ISUP modified Gleason systems. Based on the results of a research conducted by Prof. JI Epstein and his group, a new grading system was proposed by the ISUP in order to address some of such deficiencies: i.e., the five distinct Grade Groups (GGs). Since 2014, results of studies have been published by different groups and societies, including the Genitourinary Pathology Society (GUPS), giving additional support to the prognostic role of the architectural Gleason patterns and, in particular, of the GGs. A revised GG system, taking into account the percentage of Gleason pattern (GP) 4, cribriform and intraductal carcinoma, tertiary GP 5, and reactive stroma grade, has shown to have some advantages, however not ready for adoption in the current practice. The aim of this contribution was to review the major updates and recommendations regarding the GPs and GSs, as well as the GGs, trying to give an answer to the following questions: “How has the grade group system been used in the routine?” and “will the Gleason scoring system be replace by the grade groups?” We also discussed the potential implementation in the future of molecular pathology and artificial intelligence in grading to further define risk groups in patients with PCa.     

Coronary endothelium-protective effects of defibrotide in ischaemia and reperfusion

Summary Defibrotide is known to enhance prostacyclin (PGI₂) release from the vascular endothelium. We investigated the vasoactive effects of defibrotide in isolated rat hearts perfused at constant flow subjected to ischaemia and reperfusion. Defibrotide at 10^–7 or 100 g/ml did not exert any direct vasoactive effect on normal rats hearts. However, ischaemia and reperfusion resulted in an impaired vasodilation to acetylcholine, an endothelium-dependent vasodilator. In contrast, the vasodilator response to the endothelium-independent dilator, nitroglycerin, was unaffected. Defibrotide, at 10^–7 or 100 g/ml, markedly restored the vasodilation to acetylcholine 10^–7 nmol/l to 1 mol/l (P < 0.01) without influencing the vasodilator response to nitroglycerin (2 to 200 g/1). Haemoglobin (150 nmol/l) inhibited the dilation to acetylcholine in response to defibrotide. However, no evidence of (PGI₂) release was observed with acetylcholine-induced vasodilation in the presence or absence of defibrotide. Additionally, 10–100 g/ml of defibrotide did not significantly decrease superoxide radicals generated by a xanthine-xanthine oxidase synthetic system under conditions in which superoxide dismutase was effective. Thus, defibrotide appears to exert an endothelium-protective effect preserving endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) without directly scavenging free signals.Supported in part by Research Grant No. HL-25575 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the NIH Send offprint requests to A. M. Lefer at the above address     

改良式剖宫产术50例临床分析

探讨改良式剖宫产术的临床价值。方法：采用香港周杰医师１９９１年创立的一套改式剖宫产术对５０例产妇进行手术并与同期腹部横切口传统剖宫产术进行比较。结果：改良式剖宫产术所用时间短,术中出血小,术后排气暗暗科痛轻、产褥病发生率低。住院时间短,与对照组比较有明显差异。     

上颌窦纵切口经唇龈沟填塞术腔止血研究

目的：减轻柯－陆上颌窦根治术术后并发症,减少手术步骤。方法：采用唇龈粘膜纵切口经唇龈沟填塞术腔止血术腔止血纱条填塞经唇龈沟径路行上颌窦根治术。结果：纵切口手术后出现上唇麻木、牙齿酸痛２例（５％）。切口处轻度肿胀１７例（４５％）,面颊前部局限性肿胀５例（１３％）,波及眼脸或整个面颊部１例（２％）。无肿胀１５例（３９．５％）抽去填塞物后有０．５ｍｌ～２ｍｌ渗血,无出血不止现象,切口均一期愈合。与传统术式３８例相比,经统计学处理后,两者有明显差别,Ｐ值〈０．０５。结论：经该上颌窦根治术治疗上颌窦疾病,术后并发症出现较少、程度较轻、持续时间较短、消失亦快,手术步骤减少,更符合鼻窦生理,减轻病人的痛苦。     

乳癌保留乳房手术的探讨

①目的 探讨乳癌保留乳房手术的可行性。②方法 将９０例Ⅰ,Ⅱ期乳癌病人随机分为两组,保留乳房手术组４２例,采用乳腺区段切除加腋窝淋巴结清扫术;改良根治术组４８例,采用乳腺全切加腋窝淋巴结清扫术,术后两组均行放疗、化疗和内分泌治疗。比较两组治疗效果及并发症发生情况。③结果 乳癌保留乳房手术组３年生存率为９５．２％,５年生存率为９１．７％,发生并发症４例,改良根治术组３年生存率为９５．８％,５年生存率