1,10-Phenanthroline- or Electron-Promoted Cyanation of Aryl Iodides

A 1,10-phenanthroline-promoted cyanation of aryl iodides has been developed. 1,10-Phenanthroline worked as an organocatalyst for the reaction of aryl iodides with tetraalkylammonium cyanide to afford aryl cyanides. A similar reaction occurred through an electroreductive process

Required Elements in tRNA for Methylation by the Eukaryotic tRNA (Guanine-N2-) Methyltransferase (Trm11-Trm112 Complex)

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Trm11 and Trm112 complex (Trm11-Trm112) methylates the 2-amino group of guanosine at position 10 in tRNA and forms N2-methylguanosine. To determine the elements required in tRNA for methylation by Trm11-Trm112, we prepared 60 tRNA transcript variants and tested them for methylation by Trm11-Trm112. The results show that the precursor tRNA is not a substrate for Trm11-Trm112. Furthermore, the CCA terminus is essential for methylation by Trm11-Trm112, and Trm11-Trm112 also only methylates tRNAs with a regular-size variable region. In addition, the G10-C25 base pair is required for methylation by Trm11-Trm112. The data also demonstrated that Trm11-Trm112 recognizes the anticodon-loop and that U38 in tRNAAla acts negatively in terms of methylation. Likewise, the U32-A38 base pair in tRNACys negatively affects methylation. The only exception in our in vitro study was tRNAValAAC1. Our experiments showed that the tRNAValAAC1 transcript was slowly methylated by Trm11-Trm112. However, position 10 in this tRNA was reported to be unmodified G. We purified tRNAValAAC1 from wild-type and trm11 gene deletion strains and confirmed that a portion of tRNAValAAC1 is methylated by Trm11-Trm112 in S. cerevisiae. Thus, our study explains the m2G10 modification pattern of all S. cerevisiae class I tRNAs and elucidates the Trm11-Trm112 binding sites

Aortic Dissection in a Patient with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection That was Diagnosed at Autopsy : A Case Report.

A 43-year-old homosexual man was referred to our hospital for chest pain and loss of consciousness. He was hypertensive, and had an uncontrolled viral load. Serum creatinine revealed acute renal failure, and he died 3 days later. On autopsy, aortic dissection (TypeB) was found. No obvious inflammatory change, granulation, bacterial or fungal infection, or medionecrosis were seen at the dissection site. To our knowledge, this was the first case with HIV in whom aortic dissection was diagnosed at autopsy. Aortic dissection is a potential differential diagnosis even in young patients presenting with hypertension and chest pain

Involvement of Bird-related IgG Antibodies in Interstitial Pneumonia

Background and Objective:Chronic interstitial pneumonia (IP) might include chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and chronic bird-related hypersensitivity pneumonitis (BRHP). A specific antigen is difficult to identify in these diseases, and such evidence would provide important clues suggesting a diagnosis of HP. In this study, we used an ImmunoCAP analysis system to measure specific IgG antibodies against pigeons and budgerigars in the sera of patients with IP and investigated the involvement of bird-related IgG antibodies in IP.Methods:The study group comprised 22 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), 8 with chronic IP, 7 with subacute HP, 7 with chronic HP, and 10 with control diseases. All cases were diagnosed from 2000 through 2011 at the Institute of Pulmonary Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Dokkyo Medical University. Clinical features, results of laboratory examinations, and levels of serum IgG antibodies against pigeons and budgerigars were compared.Results:There were no significant differences among the disease groups in C-reactive protein, leukocyte count, lactate dehydrogenase, and the results of blood gas analysis. KL-6 and surfactant protein D were significantly higher in subacute HP and chronic HP. The levels of anti-pigeon IgG antibodies and anti-budgerigar IgG antibodies in each disease group were respectively as follows:IPF, 11.02±5.97&#8200;mg/l, 5.03±3.97&#8200;mg/l;chronic IP, 10.04±8.55&#8200;mg/l, 3.30±1.47&#8200;mg/l;subacute HP, 14.39±9.13&#8200;mg/l, 7.96±6.47&#8200;mg/l;chronic HP, 24.97±16.19&#8200;mg/l, 11.50±13.80&#8200;mg/l;and control diseases, 8.66±3.15&#8200;mg/l, 3.77±1.05&#8200;mg/l. The mean levels of anti-pigeon IgG antibodies and anti-budgerigar IgG antibodies were significantly higher in chronic HP. There was a positive correlation between anti-pigeon IgG antibodies and anti-budgerigar IgG antibodies (R2 = 0.715, p<0.001). Conclusions:In patients with clinically diagnosed chronic HP, high levels of anti-pigeon IgG antibodies or anti-budgerigar IgG antibodies were confirmed using an ImmunoCAP analysis system. In general, HP (especially chronic HP) is difficult to diagnose definitively, and this analysis system is expected to facilitate diagnosis

Clinical Characteristics of Acute Exacerbations of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Involvement of Viral, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae Infections

Background and Objective:To clarify the clinical characteristics of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonaryfibrosis (IPF) and the involvement of infections with pathogenic microorganisms and viruses inacute exacerbation.Methods:During the 12 years from 2000 through 2011, we studied 50 patients who were admitted andreceived treatment for acute exacerbation of IPF in our department. Demographic characteristics, imagingfindings, laboratory findings, changes in antibody titers against bacteria, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophilapneumoniae, and known viruses, and outcomes were studied.Results:Among the 50 patients with acute exacerbation of IPF( 41 men and 9 women) 29 patients died(mortality rate, 58.0%). Computed tomography showed subpleural peripheral ground-glass opacities( GGO)in 5 patients, multiple patchy GGO in 19, and diffuse GGO in 26. Only the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was significantlylower in the non-survivors compared with survivors. Three patients had high titers of IgM antibodiesagainst C. pneumoniae, but acute infection was ruled out by the changes in IgA and IgG antibodies in pairedserum samples. Antibody titers against known viruses significantly increased in 2 patients( respiratory syncytialvirus in 1 and adenovirus 11 in 1). In acute-phase serum samples, 7 patients had increased antibodytiters against parainfluenza virus 3, resulted in no significant change in paired serum samples.Conclusions:Our results suggest that known pathogens do not play a role in acute exacerbation of IPF.The outcomes of IPF remain poor, and the elucidation of the causes and pathological features of acute exacerbationof IPF, including the identification of unknown pathogens, is awaited

首都圏・近畿圏における大都市圏地殻構造調査

Deep seismic profiling was performed in the Kanto and Kinki areas to obtain a better estimation of strong ground motions. In the Kanto area, we identify the seismogenic source fault on the upper surface of the Philippine Sea plate. The depth to the top of this plate, 4 to 26 km, is much shallower than previously estimated from the distribution of seismicity. This shallower plate geometry changes the location of the maximum finite slip of the 1923 Kanto earthquake, and its location corresponds to a zone of poor reflection on the mega-thrust, namely, a strong reflectivity zone along the mega-thrust coincidences with aseismic slip zone. In the Kinki area, 120-km-long seismic reflection profiling was carried out from Osaka to Suzuka across the Osaka and Ise basins and several active faults. Deep sub-horizontal reflectors are found at 26 and 16km in depth. The shallower re flectors correspond to the base of the seismogenic zone. Dipping reflectors, probably deeper extensions of active faults, merge into the mid-crustal reflectors

キョウクウ センパ ニヨル ノウキョウ ガッペイ オ ミトメタ セイジュクガタ ジュウカク キケイシュ ノ 1レイ

症例は16 歳女性,咳嗽,発熱,左前胸部痛を主訴に来院.胸部CT にて内部不均一な径7 cm の前縦隔腫瘍及び左舌区・下葉の完全無気肺を確認,また,MRI にて前縦隔腫瘍内に脂肪組織と同一の吸収域を認め,成熟型奇形腫穿破による膿胸と診断.膿胸に対し胸腔内繊維素溶解療法,ドレナージ及び抗生剤にて加療,膿胸改善を確認した上で,前縦隔腫瘍摘出術施行,病理にて嚢胞性成熟型奇形腫と診断した.病理組織にて膵類似の腺組織を確認,穿破の原因として,腫瘍内膵酵素の存在が考えられた.成熟型縦隔奇形腫は穿破により重篤な合併症発生の危険性があり,また経過中悪性転化する可能性もあることから,早期の外科治療が重要と考えられた.A 16-year-old female visited our hospital, complaining ofcough, fever, and left precordial pain. Chest computed tomographyshowed a heterogeneous anterior mediastinal tumormeasuring 7 cm in diameter and complete atelectasis inthe lingula and lower lobe of the left lung. Magnetic resonanceimaging also showed an area of intensity identical tothat of adipose tissue in the anterior mediastinal tumor.Thus, empyema due to rupture of a mature teratoma wasdiagnosed. The empyema was treated with intra-pleural fibrinolytictherapy, drainage, and antibiotics. After confirmingresolution of the empyema, we resected the anteriormediastinal tumor and pathologically diagnosed it as cysticmature teratoma. Histopathological examination showedglandular tissue resembling the pancreas, suggesting thatthe rupture had been caused by pancreatic enzymes in thetumor. Mediastinal mature teratoma carries a risk of seriouscomplications developing due to rupture and the possibilityof malignant transformation during the diseasecourse. Thus, early surgical treatment is important