Asymmetric synthesis of podophyllotoxin analogs

Two analogs of podophyllotoxin, with the same absolute stereochemistry as the natural product, have been synthesized from the cycloadduct between α-hydroxy-α′-phenyl-o-quinodimefhane and the fumarate of S-methyl lactate. After initial attempts to produce the cycloadduct from photochemically generated α-hydroxy-α′-phenyl-o-quinodimethane failed, a study of the thermal generation and reaction of α-hydroxy-o-quinodimethane with the fumarate and acrylate of S-methyl lactate was made. A comparison was made of the diastereoselectivity of these cycloaddition reactions to those previously reported, in which the o-quinodimethane was generated photochemically. The α-hydroxy-o-quinodimethane was produced both by the known thermolysis of benzocyclobutenol and by thermolysis of 1-hydroxy-1,3-dihydrobenzo[c]thiophene-2,2-dioxide. The diastereomeric excess for the cycloaddition reactions was found to be greater than 95% with modest (ca. 55%) isolated yields of the major cycloadducts. Following these model studies, it was found that α-hydroxy-α′-phenyl-o-quinodimethane produced thermally from 1-hydroxy-3-phenyl-1,3-dihydrobenzo[c]thiophene-2,2-dioxide could be added to the fumarate of S-methyl lactate with high diastereoselectivity and good yield. The product of this reaction was converted to the podophyllotoxin analogs 7 and 17. Keywords: o-quinodimethanes, asymmetric, Diels–Alder, lactate, podophyllotoxin, lignan.

[An experimental study of the gastrointestinal motility in conscious dogs with strain gauge force transducers]

Interdigestive motor complex (IMC) from the stomach to the ileum and colonic migrating motor complex (CMMC), and the effects of motilin and PYY to them were studied in conscious dogs with strain gauge force transducers (SG). In fasted dogs, IMC cycle times were 100.5 +/- 7.5 min in from the antrum to the ileum and propagation velocity of the small intestine was fastest in the proximal jejunum (4.85 +/- 0.81 cm/min), slowest in the distal ileum (0.81 +/- 0.08 cm/min). The duration of postprandial interruption of motor complex (DIMC) was longer in the antrum and duodenum in 8 dogs of the twelves than the middle and lower intestines. Ileo-colonic propagation rates of IMC that reached to the terminal ileum were 95/116 (81.9%), but the frequency of CMMCs was about 4 times higher than that of IMCs. Each colonic motor complex were classified into four patterns, such as aboral migrating complex (A), oral migrating complex (O), discrete complex (D) and giant migrating contractions (G), and the starting point of migrating complex was marked with -, like A, O or G. Thus, independency index (I I) in each site was defined as: I I = (sum of number of A, O, G and D)/(total number of colonic motor complex). I I was highest in colon 1 (70-80%) and next in colon 4. Motilin (0.5 microgram/kg.hr) elicited IMC like activities in the antrum, duodenum and proximal jejunum, but no effects in the middle and lower small intestine, and the colon. PYY infusion caused dose dependent inhibitions of IMC in the antrum and duodenum, but no effects in the below intestines as same as motilin. These findings suggest that IMCs are basal rhythms of gastrointestinal motility and IMCs occurring from the antrum to the proximal jejunum are more sensitive to the factors as eating or gut peptides.

Retinal folds in the shaken baby syndrome

We examined two children with presumed shaken baby syndrome. Both children suffered severe, indirect closed head trauma with intracranial hemorrhage, sharply increased intracranial pressure, and extensive neurologic damage. In addition to extensive retinal and preretinal hemorrhages, bilateral symmetric white ring-shaped retinal folds were seen encircling the macula outside the vascular arcades. These retinal folds may be a hallmark of shaking injuries in child abuse victims.

[A case of advanced gallbladder carcinoma of a 77-year-old female successfully resected with extended right hepatic lobectomy with caudate lobectomy and pancreatoduodenectomy]

A 77-year-old woman was admitted with obstructive jaundice. US and CT demonstrated a solid mass 2.5cm in diameter in the hepatic hilum. Cholangiography revealed not only severe stenosis of the hilar hepatic duct but also involvement of the right-posterior-inferior-ventral branch and right caudal branch. Angiography showed almost normal appearance except cystic artery. Duodenal invasion was also detected by per oral duodenography. These findings forced to plan extended right hepatic lobectomy with caudate lobectomy and pancreatoduodenectomy for radicality. In spite of the aged and her complications such as DM, hypertension, scoliosis and bradyacusia, liver function was good and she was mentally very active for life. Therefore, planned operation was performed and the suitability of this operation was proved by histological examination. She underwent resection of the abdominal wall for recurrence 8 months after and now alive without the disease 27 months after the first operation. It is stressed that the most suitable operation should be selected conceiving the mode and severity of cancer extension which is revealed by precise preoperative examinations and extended operation may be indicated in even the elderly if various conditions are good.

Expression of the gene for main intrinsic polypeptide (MIP): separate spatial distributions of MIP and beta-crystallin gene transcripts in rat lens development

The main intrinsic polypeptide (MIP) is the major protein present in the lens fiber cell membrane and is the product of a gene which, as far as is known, is expressed only in the lens. We have used in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence microscopy to characterize the expression of this gene during the course of development in the rat. At progressive stages of lens morphogenesis, we find that synthesis of the protein is closely tied to the accumulation of MIP mRNA in cells that are committed to terminal differentiation, first in the elongating presumptive primary lens fibers and later in the secondary fibers as they differentiate from the anterior epithelial cells. The transcripts accumulate in the basal cytoplasm of the primary fibers and in the cytoplasm which surrounds the cell nucleus in the secondary fibers. We have compared this pattern of expression with that of a gene for a cytoplasmic protein, beta-crystallin beta-A1/A3. In sharp contrast to the localized concentrations seen for the MIP mRNA, beta-A1/A3 transcripts are relatively uniformly distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Neither MIP nor crystallin gene appears to be transcriptionally active in the undifferentiated epithelial cell, but transcripts from the beta-A1/A3 gene appear earlier in fiber cell differentiation than do those from the gene for MIP.

Incorporation of intraportal ammonia-N into blood and tissue nitrogenous compounds in chickens fed low and high protein diets

1. 15N-Percentage of the amide of glutamine in total blood non-protein-15N was 42 and 48% in chickens fed 5 and 20% protein diets, respectively, when 15N-ammonia was intraportally-infused for 6 hr. 2. The infused ammonia-15N also appeared in the amide of free glutamine in the liver and kidney in large amounts at both levels of protein intake. 3. The 15N incorporated into glutamine-amide in the blood, liver and kidney and non-protein-15N in plasma were greater in chickens fed the low protein diet than in those fed the high protein diet (P less than 0.05 except kidney of P less than 0.01). 4. About 60% of the amide-N of the glutamine which was increased during 6 hr infusion of ammonia was derived from infused ammonia-N and the remainder from endogenous nitrogen, irrespective of protein intake. 5. These results suggest that glutamine is the most important intermediate in detoxication of intraportal ammonia in chickens.

Effect of insulin on excretion and retention of infused glutamine amide-N in chickens (Gallus domesticus)

1. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of insulin on urinary excretion and retention of the intravenously infused glutamine amide-15N in chickens. 2. Insulin pretreatment reduced urinary total 15N excretion (P less than 0.05) and enhanced 15N retention in chicken body (P less than 0.05), but it did not affect non protein-15N retained in the liver and blood. 3. Insulin decreased the incorporation of the infused glutamine amide-15N into urinary uric acid as well as the excretion of other N-derived urinary uric acid (P less than 0.05), which resulted in a significant decrease in total urinary uric acid (P less than 0.05). 4. There was no effect of insulin on urinary appearance of the infused glutamine amide-15N in the form of ammonia.

[Function-preserving operation in rectal cancer]

Function preservation in rectal cancer surgery consists of preservation of the anal function, the urinary function and the male sexual function. Low anterior resection (manual or instrumental), invagination technique and pull-through are selected as the sphincter saving operation for cancer of the upper and middle rectum. It is reported that more than 60% of rectal cancers are treated by these operations and that a favorable function are obtained. Autonomic nerves such as hypogastric, pelvic and pudendal nerves are anatomically preserved in Dukes A cancer to prevent the urinary and male sexual dysfunction. The post-operative disturbances of urination and male sexual potency decreased to 10% or less by the autonomic nerves preservation.

An update of the indications for penetrating keratoplasty. 1979 through 1983

We performed a retrospective analysis of the clinical and pathologic diagnoses of 497 corneal buttons that had been submitted to the Estelle Doheny Eye Pathology Laboratory, Los Angeles, during the five-year period 1979 through 1983. The leading indications, in order of decreasing frequency, were pseudophakic bullous keratopathy (17.5%), regrafts (15.1%), aphakic bullous keratopathy (10.9%), corneal trauma (9.3%), and Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy (9.1%). The emergence of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy as the most common cause for penetrating keratoplasty correlates well with the dramatic increase in the number of cataract extractions with intraocular lens implantations performed since the mid-1970s. Less frequent indications for penetrating keratoplasty included the following: corneal scars (6%); active ulcerative keratitis (7%); keratoconus (6%); keratitis secondary to virus (5%); non-Fuchs' corneal dystrophies (3%); congenital corneal opacities (3%); interstitial keratitis (2%); and chemical burns (1%).

Anaerobic bacterial endophthalmitis in the rabbit

Anaerobic bacterial endophthalmitis was studied in rabbits following intravitreal injection of live Fusobacterium necrophorum. Clinical response, bacterial recovery, and histopathology were studied. An inoculum of approximately 50 organisms produced endophthalmitis in 59% of injected eyes, while 1000 or more organisms produced endophthalmitis in 100% of injected eyes. The course and severity of disease seemed to be independent of the concentration of bacteria above a minimal inoculum size. Affected eyes showed progressive endophthalmitis. Histopathologic changes corresponded to the clinical gradation of endophthalmitis, including progressive retinal necrosis.

Depression of glutamine-stimulated uric acid production and blood glutamine accumulation by insulin in chickens

This experiment was conducted to examine effects of insulin on glutamine accumulation in blood and uric acid production in the chicken infused with glutamine. Insulin pretreatment eliminated the stimulatory effect of glutamine infusion on urinary uric acid excretion in the chicken fed a 5% protein diet, which resulted in no increase in urinary total nitrogen excretion by the infusion. In the chicken fed a 20% protein diet the pretreatment with insulin did not have such clear depressive effects on the increases in urinary uric acid and total nitrogen excretion caused by the glutamine infusion. Insulin tended to depress the increases in plasma glutamine concentration caused by the infusion of glutamine at both levels of dietary protein intake.

The autonomy of prolactin secretion in patients with prolactin producing tumor

To examine the responsiveness of prolactin (PRL) secretion in patients with PRL-producing tumor (PRL-noma), TRH (500 micrograms), arginine (0.5 g/kg, b. wt.), and sulpiride (100 mg) were administered to 13 patients with PRL-noma. Seven of these patients responded to TRH or other agents with an increase in their plasma PRL levels of 50% or more above the basal values (categorized as Group I). The remaining six patients, however, showed no response to any of these agents (categorized as Group II). After the administration of L-dopa (500 mg, p.o.), Group I patients showed significantly greater decreases in plasma PRL (-68.9 +/- 6.6%) from the basal value than did Group II (-37.4 +/- 8.6%; p less than 0.02). The mean basal PRL levels were higher in Group II than in Group I, although these differences failed to reach statistical significance. Moreover, there were no differences in age, sellar volume, or the presence of bitemporal hemianopsia between the two groups of patients. It is concluded that there are two patterns of PRL-secretory responses to pharmacological stimuli in patients with PRL-noma. The differences between the two patterns might be characterized by the properties of the lactotroph cells themselves rather than by the relation of these cells to the hypothalamus.

[A study on the significance of bromocriptine (CB-154) administration in normoprolactinemic anovulatory women (author's transl)]

The ovulation-inducing effect of bromocriptine (CB-154) and the underlying mechanism in the management of anovulatory infertility with normoprolactinemia were investigated. Thirty-seven normoprolactinemic women (anovulatory cycle, 11 cases; 1st grade amenorrhea, 18; and 2nd grade amenorrhea 8) with anovulia showing plasma prolactin levels of less than 25 ng/ml were give CB-154 daily in doses of 2.5 mh from the second day of menstruation or withdrawal bleeding (1) to assess the ovulatory induction rate, (2) to determine the serum PRL, LH, FSH and E2 levels before and during the drug administration, (3) to measure the serum PRL concentration by TRH test prior to CB-154 medication and (4) to assess size heterogeneity of serum PRL with the use of lyophilization.

RESULTS

(1) Ovulation occurred in 21 of the 37 patients, of a total of 42 menstrual cycles studied, 33 were ovulatory, indicating a high rate of repeated success. (2) There was a significant decrease of serum PRL following administration of CB-154, and the finding was the same in the group of women with successful ovulatory induction. Serum LH, FSH and E2 levels did not show any significant change following CB-154 therapy. (3) Prl concentrations were suppressed more in cases of unsuccessful induction than those in successful induction. (4) PRL responses to TRH tended to be lower in cases of successful induction than those in unsuccessful cases. (5) The Little PRL content ratio decreased after administration of CB-154, and this data have suggested that not only the problem of immunologically measured serum PRL levels but the qualitative problems also bear relations to the effect of this hormone on the endocrinological environment.