Proton magnetic resonance of the bovine spleen green heme-protein

AbstractThe ferric spleen green heme-protein exhibits hyperfine-shifted proton resonances between 90 and 20 ppm for the high-spin resting form and the chloride complex, and between 46 and −9.4 ppm for the low-spin nitrite complex. The proton NMR spectral profile of the enzyme is similar to that of lactoperoxidase, but different from those of common heme-proteins. The appearance of a resonance at 76 ppm in the ferrous enzyme shows the presence of a proximal histidine residue linked to the iron. The proton relaxation rates of bulk water indicate that chloride binds to the sixth position of the iron in the chloride complex of the enzyme

Spontaneous Volume Magnetostriction of (Fe_<1-x>Co_x)_<0.89> Cr_<0.11> Alloys

To make clear the origin of the Invar property, some physical properties of fcc (Fe_Co_x)_Cr_ alloys which are most typicall Invar alloys in the Fe-Co-Cr system (Stainless Invar) have been studied so far. In the present experiment, the temperature and composition dependences of thermal expansion for the alloys were measured and the following results were obtained : It has been ascertained that these alloys have the same remarkable Invar characteristics as reported by Masumoto. Thermal expansions measurements at sufficiently high temperatures made it clear that the Invar property is caused by the effect of the spontaneous volume magnetostriction in the temperature range below the Curie point of short-range magnetic ordering. And the spontaneous volume magnetostriction at 0°K has been estimated from the normal thermal expansion curves (only lattice vibration), compared with thermal expansion of Ni. The value obtained on an alloy of x=0.6 was 12±1×10^, about three times greater than that for Fe-Ni Invar alloys. The microscopic mechanism or the cause of this large spontaneous volume magnetostriction may be ascribed to (1) the magnetic mechansim due to the characteristic electronic state of Invar alloys and (2) the elastic mechanism due to peculiar lattice properties of Invar alloys associated with the α⇌γ martensitic transformation process which is common in each system having the Invar region

Five Prognostic Factors for Readmission in Patients Over 75 Years Old with Worsening Heart Failure

Heart failure （HF） is a common disease in elderly patients, particularly in those presenting as readmission for worsening HF. While recent studies have revealed mortality-associated factors in this population, little is known about prognostic factors associated with worsening HF. To investigate this clinical evidence gap in patients aged over 75 years, we retrospectively investigated 165 patients hospitalized for HF at Showa University Hospital, of whom 65 （39.4％） were readmitted for worsening HF. We extracted the candidate variables based on univariate analysis, and then elucidated the independent prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. Compared with non-readmitted patients, readmitted patients with worsening HF had lower left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） （39％ vs. 50％, P＝0.002） and body mass index （BMI） （19.9kg/m2 vs. 21.4kg/m2, P＝0.007）, higher levels of B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP） （478pg/ml vs. 198pg/ml, P＜0.001）, and heart rate （HR） （71.0 beats/min vs. 67.0 beats/min, P＝0.021） upon discharge during the primary admission. Multivariate logistic analysis identified LVEF ＜40％, BMI ＜21kg/m2, BNP ≥500pg/ml, Charlson score ≥3, and HR ≥70 beats/min upon initial discharge as independent prognostic factors. Based on these factors, readmission for worsening HF was more frequent in those with our proposed risk score of ≥3.0 than in those with a risk score ＜3.0 （P＜0.001）, and we suggested five prognostic factors for HF patients over 75 years old. Our proposed risk score combines these factors and might predict readmission for worsening HF in the elderly population

Mitral valve repair in patient with absent right superior vena cava in visceroatrial situs solitus

We report on a 74-year-old woman with an absence of right superior vena cava in visceroatrial situs solitus who underwent mitral valve plasty for severe mitral regurgitation. Preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography revealed an absent right and persistent left superior vena cava that drained into the right atrium by way of the coronary sinus. Perioperaively, placement of pulmonary artery catheter, site of venous cannulation, and management of associated rhythm abnormalities were great concern. Obtaining the information about this central venous malformation preoperatively, we performed mitral valve plasty without any difficulties related to this anomaly

Analysis of Clinical Outcome of Patients with Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma

Background. We retrospectively analyzed whether poor differentiation is the independent prognostic factor for thyroid carcinoma or not. Methods. The subjects were 29 patients with PDTC who were treated between April 1996 and March 2006 to compare with those of well-differentiated papillary carcinoma patients (n = 227). Results. The relapse free (RFS), distant relapse-free survival and cause-specific survival, rates were significantly lower in patients with PDTC (P < .0001, P < .001, and P < .05). After classification into focal (<10%) and diffuse type (over 10%) of PDTC, there were no significant differences in RFS and cause-specific survival due to component type or proportion of poorly differentiated component. On multivariate analysis, poor differentiation (P < .0005, RR = 4.456, 95% CI; 1.953–10.167) and extrathyroidal infiltration (P < .05, RR = 2.898, 95% CI; 1.278–6.572) showed a significant impact on DFS, and poor differentiation (P < .05, RR = 9.343, 1.314–66.453) and age (P < .005, RR = 1.306, 1.103–1.547) significantly impacted cause-specific survival. Conclusion. Poor differentiation was an independent factor for survival. Distant relapse was significantly more common among PDTC patients, and systemic therapy might be warranted

A49T, V89L and TA repeat polymorphisms of steroid 5α-reductase type II and breast cancer risk in Japanese women

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is hormone related, as are cancers of the endometrium, ovary, and prostate. Several studies have suggested that higher extracellular levels of androgens are associated with breast cancer risk, while biological evidence indicates that androgens are protective. The codon 49 alanine to threonine substitution (A49T), codon 89 valine to leucine substitution (V89L) and TA repeat polymorphisms of the steroid 5α-reductase type II (SRD5A2) gene are considered functional with respect to enzyme activity converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. To test the hypothesis that these three polymorphisms are associated with risk of breast cancer, a case–control study was conducted with patients of Aichi Cancer Center Hospital. METHODS: The cases were 237 patients histologically diagnosed with breast cancer, and the controls were 185 noncancer outpatients. DNA from peripheral blood was genotyped by PCR methods. RESULTS: The threonine allele of A49T was not found in our subjects. Compared with the V/V genotype of V89L, the L/L genotype was associated with a decreased risk (crude odds ratio [OR] = 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.36–1.05). This was also the case for the TA(9/9) genotype, with an OR of 0.58 (95% CI = 0.13–2.63) relative to TA(0/0). Among women with the TA(0/0) genotype, however, the OR for the L/L genotype was 0.46 (95% CI = 0.24–0.88) compared with the V/V genotype, and those with the V/V and TA(0/0) genotypes had the highest risk. The haplotype with the L and TA(9) repeat alleles was not found. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to our knowledge focusing on Japanese women, suggesting that SRD5A2 polymorphisms might have an association with breast cancer risk. Further large-sample studies will be required to confirm the association and to assess any interactions with environmental factors

Combined treatment with β3-adrenergic receptor agonist and a muscarinic receptor antagonist inhibits detrusor overactivity induced by cold stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats

AimsThis study determined if combined treatment with the muscarinic receptor (MR) antagonist solifenacin and the (3)-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist mirabegron could inhibit detrusor overactivity induced by cold stress in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). MethodsThirty-two female 10-week-old SHRs were fed an 8% NaCl-supplemented diet for 4 weeks. Cystometric measurements of the unanesthetized, unrestricted rats were performed at room temperature (RT, 272 degrees C) for 20min. The rats were then intravenously administered vehicle, 0.1mg/kg solifenacin alone, 0.1mg/kg mirabegron alone, or the combination of 0.1mg/kg mirabegron and 0.1mg/kg solifenacin (n=8 each group). Five minutes later, the treated rats were exposed to low temperature (LT, 42 degrees C) for 40min. Finally, the rats were returned to RT. After the cystometric investigations, the (3)-ARs and M-3-MRs expressed within the urinary bladders were analyzed. ResultsJust after transfer from RT to LT, vehicle-, solifenacin-, and mirabegron-treated SHRs exhibited detrusor overactivity that significantly decreased voiding interval and bladder capacity. However, treatment with the combination of solifenacin and mirabegron partially inhibited the cold stress-induced detrusor overactivity patterns. The decreases of voiding interval and bladder capacity in the combination-treated rats were significantly inhibited compared to other groups. Within the urinary bladders, there were no differences between expression levels of M-3-MR and (3)-AR mRNA. The tissue distribution of M-3-MRs was similar to that of the (3)-ARs. ConclusionsThis study suggested that the combination of solifenacin and mirabegron act synergistically to inhibit the cold stress-induced detrusor overactivity in SHRs. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:1026-1033, 2017. (c) 2016 The Authors. Neurourology and Urodynamics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.ArticleNEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS.36(4):1026-1033(2016)journal articl