Transformation of Carbonyl Compounds into Homologous Alkynes under Neutral Conditions: Fragmentation of Tetrazoles Derived from Cyanophosphates.

Cyanophosphates (CPs) can be easily prepared from either ketones or aldehydes, and their reaction with NaN3-Et3N·HCl results in the formation of azidotetrazoles. Under microwave irradiation, successive fragmentation of the azidotetrazoles generates alkylidene carbenes that undergo [1,2]-rearrangement and are transformed into homologous alkynes. Treatment of ketone-derived CPs with TMSN3 and Bu2SnO as catalyst in toluene at reflux directly yields the corresponding internal alkynes, whereas the reaction of aldehyde-derived CPs with NaN3-Et3N·HCl in THF at reflux or TMSN3-Bu2SnO (cat.) in toluene at reflux provides homologous terminal alkynes in good yields. These reactions take place under neutral conditions and can be successfully extended to obtain alkynes that are not usually accessible from the corresponding carbonyl compounds by the Ohira-Bestmann or Shioiri procedures, which require basic conditions.

Risk of spilling cancer cells during total laparoscopic hysterectomy in low-risk endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of spilling cancer cells during total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) using a uterine manipulator in early-stage endometrial cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective study among women undergoing TLH for Clinical Stage IA endometrial cancer between March 2015 and November 2015. Peritoneal washings before the insertion of the uterine manipulator and after TLH were obtained. The two sets of washings were reviewed by a cytopathologist to determine the presence or absence of malignant cells in a blinded manner. RESULTS: Thirteen endometrial cancer patients (age 39-79 years, median: 62.2 years) were enrolled. The postoperative tumor grades were: G1: 11 (84.6%) and G2: 2 (15.4%). All patients underwent TLH and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Pelvic/para-aortic lymph node dissection was not performed in all cases. Only one patient showed positive peritoneal cytology in the pre-TLH sample. There was high agreement (92.3%) between the two sets of washings in all patients. No patients received postoperative treatment. CONCLUSION: We conclude that fallopian tubal cauterization is sufficient to provide protection from the dissemination of cancer cells into the peritoneal cavity at the time of TLH for endometrial cancers in early stages.

Cardiac arrest during spinal anesthesia for cervical conization: a case report.

Spinal anesthesia is regularly performed worldwide and is an integral part of the modern day anesthesia practice. Although unexpected cardiac arrests during this procedure are very rare, medical professionals should be aware of the potential for this complication. In making the decision to use spinal anesthesia, judicious patient selection, adequate preventive measures, and strict monitoring are important.

Evaluation of changes in the taste of cooked meat products during curing using an artificial taste sensor.

The purpose of this study was to assess an evaluation method using an artificial taste sensor, in comparison with chemical analysis and sensory evaluation of the taste of meat during curing. Samples of Canadian pork were treated with salt, nitrite and phosphate. Curing time ranged from 0 to 168 h. In the sensory evaluation, there were no significant differences in the all characteristic items at 72-h cured sample compared to the 0-h sample. Some of the characteristic items for the 168-h sample (umami, overall taste, richness and overall palatability) showed significant difference (P < 0.05) compared to the 0-h sample. Taste sensor analysis indicated that the sensor outputs of bitterness and saltiness were significantly correlated with curing time (R = 0.98 and 0.97, respectively), and total free amino acids (R = 0.91 and 0.96, respectively). The sensor output of bitterness was significantly correlated (R = 0.96) with the sum of amino acids corresponding to bitter taste. The increase in the chemical components contributing to bitterness and/or saltiness was indicated as the cause of the characteristic taste. Taste sensor analysis may be applicable as a qualitative method for evaluating taste characteristics generated during the curing of manufactured cooked meat products.

Simple method for isolation of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase and the improvement of myofibril gel properties.

Porcine glycolytic enzyme, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PD) was prepared effectively by a combination of ethylene diamine tetra-acetate (EDTA) pretreatment and affinity purification. After salting out of porcine sarcoplasmic proteins (SP) with ammonium sulfate at 75% saturation, the obtained supernatant (SP-f3) was treated with EDTA, leaving G3PD in the supernatant (G3PD-E) and most other SPs in the precipitate. At that time, the separation of G3PD-E required more than 20 mmol/L EDTA. G3PD-E was then subjected to affinity purification by batchwise method using blue-sepharose CL-6B, and purified G3PD (G3PD-AP) was obtained using 2 mol/L potassium chloride (KCl) as an eluent. Texture analysis showed that the hardness, adhesiveness and gumminess of the myofibril gel at 0.2-mol/L NaCl increased with the addition of G3PD-AP. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the G3PD-AP reinforced the gel network of the myofibril. However, scanning electron micrograph analysis showed that the network-structure of the gel by the addition of G3PD-AP developed in a different manner from that by adding 0.6 mol/L NaCl. These results showed that glycolytic enzyme, G3PD, contributes to the improvement of the rheological properties of meat products.

Morgagni hernia with massive pericardial effusion diagnosed in the second trimester: prenatal diagnosis and perinatal management.

Morgagni hernia is an extremely rare form of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Only 6 cases of this condition have been reported in the English literature, as diagnosed prenatally. The prognosis of the disease is determined by the severity of the pulmonary hypoplasia and associated anomalies. Here we report a case of Morgagni hernia with massive pericardial effusion diagnosed by ultrasonography and MRI during the second trimester, enabling planning of appropriate treatment in the pre- and perinatal periods.

Large pseudocyst of the umbilical cord detected in the second trimester.

We present a case of a large umbilical cord cyst detected at 21 weeks of gestation. Serial ultrasonographic examination revealed a single umbilical artery and progression of the cystic mass. A 2,842-g male infant was delivered at 37 weeks of gestation, and we confirmed that the umbilical cord cyst was a pseudocyst in our pathological examination. This case demonstrated an uneventful course of pregnancy despite the large umbilical cord pseudocyst.

A cattle heart protein hydrolysate ameliorates hypercholesterolemia accompanied by suppression of the cholesterol absorption in rats and Caco-2 cells.

The mechanism for the hypocholesterolemic action of a cattle heart protein hydrolysate (HPH) is clarified. The micellar solubility of cholesterol in vitro was significantly lower in the presence of HPH than in the presence of casein. The suppression of cholesterol uptake by Caco-2 cells was significantly higher in the cholesterol micelles containing HPH than in the cholesterol micelles containing casein. The serum cholesterol concentrations and atherogenic index were significantly lower in the rats fed with HPH than in those fed with casein. The cholesterol absorption measured by [(3)H]-cholesterol was significantly lower by HPH feeding than by casein feeding in rats in vivo accompanying the changes in fecal steroid excretion. Thus, the hypocholesterolemic action of HPH involved the inhibition of jejunal cholesterol absorption. The cattle heart protein hydrolysate ultra-filtrate (HPHU, MW < ca. 1,000 Da peptide fraction) derived from HPH imparted stronger hypocholesterolemic activity than HPH in rats.

Conservative treatment of stage IA1 adenocarcinoma of the cervix during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of glandular neoplasms of the uterine cervix has been steadily increasing over the past 2 decades. These lesions tend to arise in women of childbearing age. Few reports have described the treatment of glandular neoplasms of the cervix in gravid women. This report describes the preliminary results of treating stage IA1 cervical adenocarcinoma by cervical conization during pregnancy. METHODS: All patients diagnosed to have FIGO stage IA1 cervical adenocarcinoma between 1990 and 2006 were reviewed and patients diagnosed during pregnancy were identified. Information was abstracted on the clinical data including the presence or absence of disease at the margins of conization, pregnancy outcome, and the follow-up. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with stage IA1 cervical adenocarcinoma were identified. Four out of the 16 patients were diagnosed during pregnancy. Four women ages 29-37 underwent KTP LASER conization and vaporization at 16 to 23 weeks' gestation. The histology showed that all of the tumors were endocervical type adenocarcinoma. None had lymph-vascular space invasion. All of these patients expressed a strong desire to continue their pregnancy. Two patients had positive conization margins for invasive cancer and underwent a second conization at 20 weeks' gestation and 5 weeks after delivery, respectively. No residual disease was identified in the second conization specimens. All patients delivered at term. One patient was treated with cervical conization alone and 3 patients were treated with an extended radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph nodes dissection after delivery. No patient had residual invasive cancer in a subsequent surgical specimen. None of the patients had developed recurrent disease after a 2-13-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: These preliminary data suggest that patients with FIGO stage IA1 cervical adenocarcinoma may be treated conservatively by cervical conization during pregnancy. Although a hysterectomy should be considered at the completion of childbearing, fertility sparing postpartum management could be an option for selected patients.

Heme synthase (ferrochelatase) catalyzes the removal of iron from heme and demetalation of metalloporphyrins.

The red pigments in meat products, including cooked cured ham, arise from the reaction of myoglobin with nitric oxide generated from exogenous nitrite. Since carcinogenic nitrosoamines may be generated by the treatment of meats with nitrite, the production of nitrite-free meat products is an attractive alternative. Raw dry-cured (Parma) hams are produced by the treatment of meats with salts other than nitrite. Analysis of pigments in raw dry-cured hams reveals that the main pigment is zinc protoporphyrin, suggesting that the conversion of heme to zinc protoporphyrin occurs via an iron-removal reaction from myoglobin heme during the processing of raw hams. Purification of the iron-removal enzyme showed that it was identical to ferrochelatase. Recombinant ferrochelatase in combination with NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase catalyzed NADH-dependent iron-removal reaction from hemin and hemoproteins. Metal ions such as zinc and cobalt were also removed from the corresponding metalloporphyrins. The addition of zinc ions led to the formation of zinc protoporphyrin. In cultured cells, the conversion of zinc mesoporphyrin to mesoheme was observed to be dependent on ferrochelatase and could be markedly induced during erythroid differentiation. This is the first demonstration of a new enzyme reaction, the reverse reaction of ferrochelatase, which may contribute to a new route of the recycling of protoporphyrin and heme in cells.

An experience of laser surgery for feto-fetal transfusion syndrome complicated with unexpected feto-fetal hemorrhage in a case of monochorionic triamniotic triplets.

Feto-fetal transfusion syndrome (FFTS) in monochorionic triplets is a rare clinical entity which may share the principal adverse perinatal outcomes of twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Recently, favorable prognoses regarding morbidity and mortality in twins after selective laser photocoagulation of placental communicating vessels (SLPCV) have been described. But descriptions of this procedure in monochorionic triplet cases are limited. This is the case report of an experience of SLPCV applied to monochorionic triamniotic triplets with FFTS. Triplet A had polyhydramnios, while absent end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery of triplet B, the triplet with anhydramnios, was persistent. Triplet C looked normal, vertical amniotic pocket and Doppler studies yielding normal results. At the beginning of the SLPCV procedure, feto-fetal hemorrhage, subsequent to the fetal death of the donor triplet, occurred. Both surviving cofetuses showed persistent bradycardia; and 1 fetus died while the other recovered from the fetal bradycardia. All vascular anastomoses between the 3 triplets could be identified and obliterated, requiring two trocars. Our fetoscopic observation revealed feto-fetal hemorrhage after demise of monochorionic triplet, which led to injury of other fetuses due to hypovolemia in an instant. In conclusion, SLPCV might be a valid option for FFTS in triplet cases, while further experience is required in order to evaluate the risks and benefits of this procedure in triplet cases.