Kawasaki Disease in a Father and Son

The pathogenesis and etiology of Kawasaki disease are unknown, but some studies suggest increased genetic susceptibility. The case is presented of an infant with Kawasaki disease whose father suffered from the same illness 21 years previously. The A, B and C loci of the HLA antigens were examined.     

Mucosal interleukin-1β production and acid secretion in enlarged fold gastritis

Background : We have previously shown that eradication of Helicobacter pylori increases acid secretion in H. pylori -associated enlarged fold gastritis.
Aim : To investigate whether locally produced interleukin-1β is possibly involved in the inhibition of acid secretion in H. pylori gastritis.
Methods : IL-1β release from the gastric body mucosa was determined by short-term culture of biopsy specimens in 13 patients with enlarged fold gastritis (all H. pylori -positive), five H. pylori -positive and 10 H. pylori -negative patients without enlarged folds. The acid-inhibitory effect of locally produced IL-1β was examined by [¹⁴C]-aminopyrine uptake assay using isolated rabbit gastric glands.
Results : IL-1β release was significantly greater in patients with enlarged fold gastritis, significantly correlated with both basal and tetragastrin-stimulated acid outputs in the H. pylori -positive patients ( r  = −0.591 and r  = −0.641, respectively; P  < 0.01), and significantly decreased with concomitant increases in acid secretions after eradication of H. pylori . [¹⁴C]-aminopyrine uptake was inhibited by IL-1β in a dose-dependent manner.
Conclusions : Increased production of IL-1β caused by H. pylori infection is possibly involved in the inhibition of acid secretion in enlarged fold gastritis.     

An immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic study of adhesion molecules in synovial pannus formation in rheumatoid arthritis

To investigate the mechanism of synovial pannus formation in rheumatoid arthritis, immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic studies with monoclonal antibodies against the adhesion molecules, CD54 (ICAM-1), CD 11a (LFA-1), CDw49a (VLA-1), CDw49b (VLA-2), CDw49c (VLA-3), Cdw49d (VLA-4) and CDw49e (VLA-5), were carried out to determine the pattern of distribution of these molecules at the rheumatoid synovial cartilage junction. Treatment with anti-ICAM-1 resulted in membrane staining of most of the macrophages and fibroblasts infiltrating the synovial tissue and bordering the pannus-cartilage junction, suggesting the possibility that ICAM-1 may function to facilitate the adhesion of synovial type A cells bearing ICAM-1 to type B cells of the pannus. ICAM-1-positive macrophages and fibroblasts were often found to be in contact with lymphoid cells, suggesting also that a cellular immune reaction occurs in the formation of the pannus. In addition, VLA-3, VLA-4 and, particularly, VLA-5 were the predominant1 integrins expressed by rheumatoid synovial pannus. Since these three integrins all function as fibronectin receptors, it is possible that the fibronectin-rich environment of the rheumatoid cartilage surface effectively traps pannus cells expressing high levels of these molecules. The VLA-5 molecule was found in a pericellular and interterritorial matrix distribution in the present study, strongly suggesting that a recepfor-ligand interaction between VLA-5 and cartilage matrix may occur at the early stage of pannus formation. Furthermore, an increase in1 integrin may be necessary for the growth of the pannus and also for the upregulation of the VLA molecules, leading secondarily to increased attachment.     

Fish to meat intake ratio and cooking oils are associated with hepatitis C virus carriers with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels

Aim: Dietary habits are involved in the development of chronic inflammation; however, the impact of dietary profiles of hepatitis C virus carriers with persistently normal alanine transaminase levels (HCV‐PNALT) remains unclear. The decision‐tree algorithm is a data‐mining statistical technique, which uncovers meaningful profiles of factors from a data collection. We aimed to investigate dietary profiles associated with HCV‐PNALT using a decision‐tree algorithm. Methods: Twenty‐seven HCV‐PNALT and 41 patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled in this study. Dietary habit was assessed using a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. A decision‐tree algorithm was created by dietary variables, and was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (AUROC). Results: In multivariate analysis, fish to meat ratio, dairy product and cooking oils were identified as independent variables associated with HCV‐PNALT. The decision‐tree algorithm was created with two variables: a fish to meat ratio and cooking oils/ideal bodyweight. When subjects showed a fish to meat ratio of 1.24 or more, 68.8% of the subjects were HCV‐PNALT. On the other hand, 11.5% of the subjects were HCV‐PNALT when subjects showed a fish to meat ratio of less than 1.24 and cooking oil/ideal bodyweight of less than 0.23 g/kg. The difference in the proportion of HCV‐PNALT between these groups are significant (odds ratio 16.87, 95% CI 3.40–83.67, P = 0.0005). Fivefold cross‐validation of the decision‐tree algorithm showed an AUROC of 0.6947 (95% CI 0.5656–0.8238, P = 0.0067). Conclusion: The decision‐tree algorithm disclosed that fish to meat ratio and cooking oil/ideal bodyweight were associated with HCV‐PNALT.     

Synthesis of 1,2,4-azadiphosphole derivatives based on vanadium-catalyzed [2+2+1] cycloaddition reactions of azobenzenes with phosphaalkynes

A new synthetic method is described to construct 1,2,4-azadiphosphole derivatives based on vanadium-catalyzed [2+2+1] cycloaddition reactions. Reactions of azobenzenes as nitrogen sources with phosphaalkynes as phosphorous counterparts in the presence of VCl₂(thf)₂ as a catalyst afford the corresponding 1,2,4-azadiphospholes.

Vanadium-catalyzed [2+2+1] cycloaddition reactions opened a new access to phosphorous-heterocycles.

Phosphorus heterocycles have provided important structural motifs to explore materials science and coordination chemistry.¹ To access diverse skeletons, development of new and efficient synthetic methods is quite important. In addition to the conventional synthetic methods typically forming carbon–phosphorous single bonds, the use of phosphaalkynes as substrates is beneficial to construct phosphorous-containing π-systems.² Stoichiometric reactivity of phosphaalkynes with transition metal complexes has been studied extensively,³ but catalytic reactions of phosphaalkynes under transition metal catalysis have been limited to several sporadic examples.^4,5 Recently, our group has reported catalytic [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions to produce phosphabenzenes and [3+2] cycloaddition reactions to produce 1,3-azaphospholes based on the use of phosphaalkynes as substrates.⁵ To investigate further utility of phosphaalkynes to prepare aromatic compounds containing phosphorus atoms, we have focused on the synthesis of 1,2,4-azadiphospholes as next targets.Synthetic examples of 1,2,4-azadiphospholes have been limited to only a few reports.^6,7 To the best of our knowledge, the first synthesis of the 1,2,4-azadiphosphole skeleton was reported in 1991, where a 1,2,4-azadiphosphole derivative was prepared based on a thermal dimerization of an amino-substituted phosphaalkyne.^6a Later, other groups reported stoichiometric reactions of titanium- and vanadium-imide complexes as nitrogen sources with phosphaalkynes.^6b–d Although these stoichiometric reactions provided effective synthetic methods of 1,2,4-azadiphospholes, transition metal-catalyzed synthesis of 1,2,4-azadiphospholes has never been achieved until now.Recently, titanium-catalyzed [2+2+1] cycloaddition reactions have been reported by Tonks and co-workers to prepare pyrroles from reactions of azobenzenes with alkynes (Scheme 1a).⁸ In this reaction system, titanium-imide species generated from azobenzenes worked as a key intermediate. More recently, a similar pyrrole synthesis using vanadium-catalyzed reaction system has been reported by Tonks, Mashima, Tsurugi and co-workers.⁹Open in a separate windowScheme 1Catalytic [2+2+1] cycloaddition reactions with azobenzenes as nitrogen sources in heterocycle synthesis.Based on the research background, we have envisaged metal-catalyzed [2+2+1] cycloaddition reactions of azobenzenes with phosphaalkynes to produce 1,2,4-azadiphospholes (Scheme 1b). As a result, we have found that some vanadium complexes worked as effective catalysts toward the formation of 1,2,4-azadiphospholes. Herein, we report experimental results in detail.First, investigation of reaction conditions was carried out with the use of azobenzene (1a) and 1-adamantylphosphaethyne (2a) as typical substrates. When the reaction of 1a (1 equiv.) with 2a (2 equiv.) in the presence of 20 mol% of VCl₃(thf)₃ was carried out in toluene at 110 °C for 16 hours, the desired 1,2,4-azadiphosphole (3a) was obtained in 48% yield (

Improved On-Site Characterization of Arsenic in Gypsum from Waste Plasterboards Using Smart Devices

The impurities in waste plasterboards, a product of ethical demolition, are a serious problem for their recycling. Plasterboards, the wall materials used in old buildings, are often recycled into gypsum powder for various applications, including ground stabilization. However, this powder contains various chemical impurities from the original production process of the gypsum itself, and such impurities pose a risk of polluting the surrounding soil. Here, we present a simple method for verifying the presence of arsenic, a harmful element in recycled gypsum that is suitable for use at demolition sites. First, we developed a simple pretreatment method using a cation-exchange resin to dissolve insoluble gypsum suspended in water by exploiting a chemical equilibrium shift, and we estimated the quantity suitable for releasing the arsenic from arsenic-containing gypsum. This pretreated solution could then be tested with a conventional arsenic test kit by observing the color changes in the test paper using the image sensor of a smart device. This simple method could determine a wide range of arsenic quantities in the gypsum, which would be helpful for monitoring arsenic in recycled gypsum powder, thereby supporting the development of a safe circular economy for waste plasterboards.     

Intradural lumbar disc herniation. Report of three cases with a review of the literature

Intradural lumbar disc herniation (ILDH) is rare. Three new cases of this condition are reported, adding to the 70 previously documented cases. An incidence of ILDH in between 0.04 and 0.33 percent of lumbar disc protrusions has been reported. More than one third of ILDH were observed at L1-2 to L3-4 levels, while only a tenth of cases occurred at L5-S1. The mechanism of ILDH is not known with certainty. Adhesions between the ventral wall of the dura and posterior longitudinal ligament could act as a preconditioning factor. A diagnosis of ILDH may be made with difficulty, and it is seldom suspected preoperatively. Prompt surgery is necessary because the neurologic prognosis appears to be closely linked with preoperative duration of neurologic symptoms.     

Pineal Germinoma with granulomatous reaction: case report

A 20-year-old man presented with diplopia. Neurological examination revealed mild skew deviation and upbeat nystagmus. Computed tomography showed a clover-shaped isodense mass in the pineal region with homogeneous enhancement. The lesion was isointense on both T(1)- and T(2)-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with homogeneous enhancement by gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid. Cerebral angiography showed no tumor staining. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid were negative for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, alpha-fetoprotein, and placental alkaline phosphatase. Open biopsy was performed using a right occipital transtentorial approach. Histological examination revealed a tumor consisting of clusters of germinoma cells, but with prominent infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages, and proliferation of small vessels. The histological diagnosis was germinoma with granulomatous reaction. MR imaging showed complete disappearance of the tumor after chemoradiotherapy. Neurosurgeons should be aware of this rare tumor to avoid misdiagnosis as granulomatous inflammation.