Development of mixed connective tissue disease and Sjögren's syndrome in a patient with trisomy X

Increased risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported in patients with Klinefelter syndrome. Here, we describe a 16-year-old Japanese patient with trisomy X (47,XXX) who developed mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and Sjögren's syndrome. She had polyarthritis, edematous fingers with Raynaud's phenomenon, sicca syndrome, interstitial lung disease, possible myositis, and was positive for anti-nuclear antibody, anti-nRNP antibody and rheumatoid factor. This is the first report in the literature of a case of MCTD with female polysomy X, which further supports the link between the presence of extra X chromosome(s) and the development of autoimmune diseases.

Conditional knockout of smooth muscle sodium calcium exchanger type-1 lowers blood pressure and attenuates Angiotensin II-salt hypertension

The functions of smooth muscle sodium calcium exchanger (NCX) in the vasculature are controversial and poorly understood. To determine the possible roles of NCX in the vascular phenotype and function, we developed a novel mouse model (SM‐NCX1 KO) in which the smooth muscle‐specific NCX type‐1 (NCX1) was conditionally knocked out using tamoxifen‐inducible Cre‐loxP recombination technique. SM‐NCX1 KO mice exhibit significantly lower blood pressure and attenuated angiotensin II (Ang II)‐salt‐induced hypertension (measured by radio telemetry and intra‐arterial catheterization). Isolated, pressurized mesenteric small resistance arteries from SM‐NCX1 KO mice, compared to control arteries, were characterized by the following: (1) ~90% reduced NCX1 protein expression; (2) impaired functional responses to (i) acute NCX inhibition by SEA0400 or SN‐6, (ii) NCX activation by low [Na⁺]_o, and (iii) Na⁺ pump inhibition by ouabain; (3) attenuated myogenic reactivity; and (4) attenuated vasoconstrictor response to phenylephrine but not Ang II. These results provided direct evidence that arterial NCX1 normally mediates net Ca²⁺ influx that helps maintain basal vascular tone in small resistance arteries and blood pressure under physiological conditions. Importantly, NCX1 contributes to blood pressure elevation in Ang II‐salt hypertension, possibly by regulating α‐adrenergic receptor activation.

Smooth muscle‐specific Na/Ca exchanger type‐1 in adult mice was knocked out by the tamoxifen‐inducible Cre‐LoxP technique 3–5 weeks before experiments. This results in (1) attenuated myogenic response and attenuated vasoconstrictor response to alpha‐adrenoceptor activation in pressurized mesenteric small resistance arteries; and (2) lower baseline blood pressure and reduced angiotensin II‐salt‐induced hypertension.

Na/Ca(2+) exchanger 1 transgenic mice display increased relaxation in the distal colon

Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger 1 (NCX1) is a plasma membrane transporter involved in regulating intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations. NCX1 is critical for Ca(2+) regulation in cardiac muscle, vascular smooth muscle and nerve fibers. However, little is known about the physiological role of NCX1 in gastrointestinal motility. To determine the role of NCX1 in gastrointestinal tissues, we examined electric field stimulation (EFS)-induced responses in the longitudinal smooth muscle of the distal colon in smooth muscle-specific NCX1 transgenic mice (Tg). Tg show that NCX1 protein was overexpressed in the distal colon at a level twofold greater than that of endogenous NCX1. We found that the amplitudes of EFS-induced relaxation that persisted during EFS were greater in Tg than in wild-type mice (WT). Under the nonadrenergic, noncholinergic condition, the EFS-induced relaxation in Tg was also greater than that in WT. Inhibition of NO synthase, CO synthase, soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), and protein kinase G (PKG) all attenuated the enhanced relaxation in Tg, demonstrating the importance of NCX1 in NO/sGC/PKG signaling. The action of NOR-1, an NO donor, induced enhanced relaxation in Tg compared with that in WT. Unlike NOR-1, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide induced a similar relaxation in Tg compared with that in WT. In this study, we demonstrate that NCX1 plays an important role in smooth muscle motility in the mouse distal colon.

Arthroscopy of the distal radioulnar joint

Wrist arthroscopy is now widely indicated for diagnosis and treatment of acute or chronic wrist pain, especially for triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) lesions, as a gold standard. In most cases radiocarpal and midcarpal arthroscopy was performed, while DRUJ arthroscopy has been rarely performed because of its difficulties. Recent anatomic and biomechanical studies demonstrated that the radioulnar ligament (RUL), which is the proximal component of the TFCC facing to the DRUJ, is the primary stabilizer of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). Rupture of the radioulnar ligament (RUL) at the fovea area, where it is the main attaching portion to the ulna and is the isometric point during forearm rotation as the rotation axis passes, is responsible for DRUJ instability. Although physical examination and imaging diagnosis may indicate a foveal detachment of the TFCC, DRUJ arthroscopy is potential for visualizing the RUL at the fovea. Role of DRUJ arthroscopy should be more important not only for diagnosis of rupture of the RUL but also for decision making of treatment option for RUL tear. DRUJ arthroscopy also demonstrates the joint surface of both the sigmoid notch and ulnar head, and the proximal surface of the TFCC.

Radical Ions of Cycloparaphenylenes: Size Dependence Contrary to the Neutral Molecules

Cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) have attracted wide attention because of their interesting properties owing to distorted and strained aromatic systems and radially oriented p orbitals. For application of CPPs, information on their charged states (radical cation and radical anion) is essential. Here, we measured absorption spectra of the radical cations and the radical anions of CPPs with various ring sizes over a wide spectral region by means of radiation chemical methods. The peak position of the near-IR bands for both the radical cation and the radical anion shifted to lower energies with an increase in the ring size. This trend is contrary to what is observed for transitions between the HOMO and LUMO of the neutral CPP. The observed spectra of the CPP radical ions were reasonably assigned based on time-dependent density functional theory. These results indicate that the next HOMO and the next LUMO levels are important in the electronic transitions of radical ions.

Properties of triplet-excited [N]cycloparaphenylenes (N = 8-12): excitation energies lower than those of linear oligomers and polymers

Cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs), a class of hoop-shaped conjugated macrocycles, have attracted the attention of researchers in various fields because of their interesting properties. Although their properties in the singlet-excited state have been reported, there is no systematic information on the triplet-excited state. In the present study, the properties of triplet-excited [n]CPP (n = 8-12, where n denotes the number of phenyl rings) were comprehensively investigated. The phosphorescence peak shifted to the shorter-wavelength side with increasing ring size of the CPPs, indicating smaller triplet energy for smaller CPPs. It was found that the triplet energy of a smaller CPP is even smaller than those of poly(p-phenylene)s, indicating that small hoop-shaped conjugated macrocycles are effective in realizing low-band gap materials. By applying laser flash photolysis, the Tn-T1 absorption spectra of CPPs were obtained, from which the size-dependence of energy levels of higher triplet states were also determined. Generation of singlet oxygen by the energy transfer from a triplet-excited CPP was confirmed. The generation yield became smaller with increasing size of the CPP in accordance with the triplet yield. From these observations, the size-dependence of the deactivation pathways is explained.

Properties of sizeable [n]cycloparaphenylenes as molecular models of single-wall carbon nanotubes elucidated by Raman spectroscopy: structural and electron-transfer responses under mechanical stress

[n]Cycloparaphenylenes behave as molecular templates of "perfectly chemically defined" single-wall carbon nanotubes. These [n]CPP molecules have electronic, mechanical, and chemical properties in size correspondence with their giant congeners. Under mechanical stress, they form charge-transfer salts, or complexes with fullerene, by one-electron concave-convex electron transfer.