Identification of anti-α-enolase autoantibody as a novel serum marker for endometriosis

Diagnosis of endometriosis needs invasive maneuvers. New serum marker that possesses both high sensitivity and high specificity has long been desired. To establish novel serum marker for endometriosis, serum autoantibodies (autoAbs) were investigated using proteomic approach. AutoAbs in sera of endometriotic patients and healthy controls were analyzed using a mesothelial cell line, 2-DE and Western blotting. Proteins in reacted spots were identified using MALDI TOF-MS with MASCOT analysis. ELISAs were established using recombinant proteins and autoAb-titers were estimated in sera of endometriotic patients, disease and healthy controls. Several autoAbs were identified. Anti-α-enolase (Eno1)-autoAb levels in endometriotic patients were significantly elevated compared with both healthy and disease controls. Sensitivity and specificity of serum anti-Eno1-autoAb was nearly comparable to serum CA125. When anti-Eno1-autoAb and CA125 assays were combined, diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy improved. Serum anti-Eno1-autoAb can be a new serum endometriotic marker and it is useful as a supplement assay for CA125. This study validates further clinical evaluation of this novel marker.     

Curing behavior and properties of epoxy resins cured with the diamine having the quinoxaline or triazine structure

2,3-Bis(4-aminophenyl)quinoxaline (1a), 2,3-bis(4-aminophenyl)-6-methylquinoxaline (1b), and 5,6-bis(4-aminophenyl)-3-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,4-triazine (2) were studied as curing agents of epoxy resins. The exotherms on differential scanning calorimetry thermograms of the mixtures of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) with 1a, 1b, and 2 were observed at higher temperatures than that of the mixture of DGEBA with a commercially used diamine, for example, 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS). However, the epoxy resin cured with 1a (EP-1a) showed higher tensile strength to stainless steel at 20°C than that cured with DDS, and the high tensile strength of EP-1a was maintained even at 180°C. The epoxy resin cured with 1b or 2 also possessed higher tensile strength at 20°C than that cured with DDS, but the high tensile strength lowered somewhat at 120°C. Using diamines 1a, 1b, and 2 as a curing agent improved heat distortion temperatures of the cured epoxy resins. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 69: 1737–1741, 1998     

A soft-error-immune 0.9-ns 1.15-Mb ECL-CMOS SRAM with 30-ps 120 klogic gates and on-chip test circuitry

A soft-error-immune, 0.9-ns address access time, 2.0-ns read/write cycle time, 1.15-Mb emitter coupled logic (ECL)-CMOS SRAM with 30-ps 120 k ECL and CMOS logic gates has been developed using 0.3-μm BiCMOS technology. Four key developments ensuring good testability, reliability, and stability are on-chip test circuitry for precise measurement of access time and for multibit parallel testing, a memory-cell test technique for an ECL-CMOS SRAM, a highly stable current source with a simple design using a current mirror, and a soft-error-immune memory cell using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. These techniques will be especially useful for making the ultrahigh-speed, high-density SRAM's used as cache and control storages in mainframe computers     

Comparison of venodilatory effect of amrinone and theophylline in human subjects

Amrinone, a positive inotropic agent, is a selective phosphodiesterase III inhibitor and exerts vasodilatory effect on venous vessels. The present study was undertaken to compare the venodilatory effect of amrinone and theophylline, a nonselective phosphodiesterase inhibitor, in eight healthy male subjects. In a randomized crossover design, one of these drugs was infused into the dorsal hand vein preconstricted by phenylephrine and its diameter was measured using a linear variable differential transformer. The value of maximum vasodilation for amrinone (mean +/- standard deviation, 106% +/- 17%) was similar to that for theophylline (mean +/- standard deviation, 108% +/- 14%). However, the infusion rate of amrinone needed to induce 50% of maximum vasodilation was significantly less than that of theophylline (25 +/- 15 micrograms/minute vs. 192 +/- 87 micrograms/minute, respectively; P < 0.01). These findings suggest that the venodilatory activity of amrinone is more potent than that of theophylline in human subjects.     

Synthesis of protodolomite from coral reef sand

Protodolomite (calcium carbonate, PD) is widely used in calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) nutritional supplements because it is rich in Ca (>20%) and Mg (>10%). Synthesis of PD usually involves the use of a NaCl solution with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. In this study, we synthesized PD from coral reef sand (CRS) and magnesium chloride (MgCl₂). First, CRS was dissolved in hydrogen chloride (HCl). MgCl₂ was then added to the solution and the concentrations of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the solution were adjusted to 150 and 350 mM, respectively. The solution was mixed with sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃ = 156 mM) and incubated at 40 °C for 2 days in order to precipitate PD. The precipitate was identified as PD by X-ray diffraction analysis and atomic absorption analysis. This is the first study to synthesize PD from CRS, providing a new source of PD for the food industry.     

Chronopharmacology of furosemide in the elderly

The authors have previously reported the time-dependent change in the diuretic effects of furosemide, a loop diuretic agent, in young and middle-aged subjects. The current study was undertaken to examine an influence of aging on this chronopharmacologic phenomenon. Ten milligrams furosemide was given intravenously to 12 elderly subjects (greater than 70 years of age) at 9:00 AM (day trial) or at 9:00 PM (night trial) by a cross-over design. One-hour urine samples were collected for 3 hours after each administration, and urine volume and urinary excretions of sodium and furosemide were determined. Urine volume and urinary sodium excretion increased after furosemide administration. Contrary to the findings in the young and middle-aged subjects, no significant differences were observed in these parameters at any observation period between the day and night trials in the elderly subjects. Urinary furosemide excretion of the day and night trials did not significantly differ. These results suggest that the chronopharmacologic profiles of furosemide are altered in the elderly.     

Role of tachykinins in distilled water-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea-pigs

BACKGROUND: An inhalation of ultrasonically nebulized distilled water (UNDW) induces bronchoconstriction only in asthmatics, but the mechanism underlying the response is not fully understood. We recently showed that bronchoconstriction occurs immediately after UNDW is inhaled 20min after an aerosolized antigen challenge in passively sensitized guinea-pigs. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to examine the role of tachykinins in this response. METHODS: Passively sensitized animals were anaesthetized and artificially ventilated, and changes in pressure at the airway opening (Pao) were measured as an overall index of airway narrowing. A tachykinin NK1 and NK2 dual receptor antagonist, FK224, and a tachykinin NK1 selective antagonist, FK888, were intravenously administered 15 min after the antigen challenge. The effects of capsaicin desensitization and a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, phosphoramidon, were also examined. RESULTS: FK224 and FK888 significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.05, respectively) reduced the time course curve of the increase in Pao caused by UNDW inhalation in a dose-dependent manner. The percentage increase in Pao from the preantigen challenge value at 1 min after the UNDW inhalation was 267.4+/-17.1, 358.0+/-33.7 and 412.4+/-27.6% with 10 mg/kg of FK224, 1.0 mg/kg of FK224 and vehicle, respectively, (P<0.01 between 10 mg/kg of FK224 and vehicle) and the value was 254.4+/-48.5% with 10 mg/kg of FK888, 327.1+/-57.6% with 1.0 mg/kg of FK888 and 418.5+/-39.0% with vehicle, respectively (P < 0.05 between 10 mg/kg of FK888 and vehicle). The capsaicin desensitization, but not phosphoramidon, significantly reduced the UNDW-induced increase in Pao. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that tachykinins, at least substance P, are involved in a part of the UNDW-induced bronchoconstriction in our guinea-pig model.     

Ultrastructural study of isolated rat hepatocyte suspensions incubated in incomplete or complete culture medium.

Ultrastructural changes in isolated rat hepatocytes (IHC) in suspension were examined after 1, 3, 5 and 10 hr incubation, and the influence of Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) buffer as an incomplete medium and GIT culture medium (Nihon Pharmaceutical Co.) as a complete culture medium were investigated. The viability was approximately 60-75% after 1, 3 and 5 hr incubation, and was slightly higher in GIT medium than K-H buffer. Immediately after isolation, IHC showed a cuboidal shape, and after 3 and 5 hr incubation, a round shape with numerous surface microvilli. Cytoplasmic organelles appeared almost normal. After 10 hr incubation, cells reaggregated and the number of autophagic vacuoles increased. Cellular changes, such as slight dilatation of the endosplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, and bleb formation in the cell surface, were more often observed in IHC incubated in K-H buffer than in GIT medium. IHC incubated in GIT medium contained glycogen particles in the cytoplasm, and lipoprotein-like particles were observed in the cisternae of Golgi apparatus and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The lipoprotein-like particles were found in the intercellular spaces after 10 hr incubation. These results suggest that GIT medium is superior to K-H buffer in its ability to preserve normal structure and function of IHC.     

The gel permeation chromatography of phenolic compounds

Gel permeation chromatography, using polystyrene gel and tetrahydrofuran as solvent, has been applied to hydroxybenzophenones, esters of salicylic acid, alkylphenols, alkylated methylenediphenols, and phenol–formaldehyde condensation products. The difference between the calculated molecular volume of these phenolic compounds and that obtained by actual determination with GPC has been ascribed to tetrahydrofuran solvation of the phenolic hydroxyl group. Furthermore, it has become clear that THF solvation is affected by the steric hindrance of ortho-substituted phenol and by inactivation of the phenolic hydroxyl group resulting from internal hydrogen bonding.