Differences in the floral anthocyanin content of red petunias and Petunia exserta.

In order to resolve a conflict between previous papers regarding the floral anthocyanins of red flowers of Petunia exserta, a naturally occurring species, the HPLC profile of this species was compared with that of commercial red garden petunias. Both HPLC profiles extremely superficially resemble each other in terms of relative amounts and retention times of the major anthocyanins. However, co-elution on HPLC of the mixed sample resulted in clear separation of the components. Three major anthocyanins in red petunias were determined to be cyanidin 3-sophoroside, cyanidin 3-glucoside and peonidin 3-glucoside, which exhibited similar behaviors on HPLC to delphinidin 3-glucoside. delphinidin-3-rutinoside and petunidin 3-rutinoside, respectively, the major floral anthocyanins of P. exserta.

Acylated delphinidin 3-rutinoside-5-glucosides in the flowers of Petunia reitzii.

Two acylated anthocyanins were isolated from selected individuals of Petunia reitzii, and identified to be delphinidin 3-O-[6-O-(4-O-(4-O-(6-O-(trans-caffeoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-tr ans-p-coumaroyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside]- 5-O-[beta-D-glucopyranoside] and delphinidin 3-O-[6-O-(4-O-(4-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-trans-p-coumaroyl)-alph a-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside]-5-O-[beta-D-glucopyranoside ]. Nine known anthocyanins were also identified.

[Pharmacokinetics of panipenem in neonates and dosage recommendation].

The pharmacokinetics of panipenem/batamipron (Carbenin; PAPM/BP) was studied in 17 neonates of the postconceptional age (PCA) of 25.6 to 43.1 weeks. PAPM/BP was administered at 10 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg every 12 hours over 60 minutes by intravenous infusion. Blood samples were obtained just prior to the infusion, one or two hours and six hours after the infusion. All the data for the 85 serum PAPM concentrations were analyzed by one-compartment model using a nonlinear mixed-effect model (NONMEM). The pharmacokinetic parameters in these population are given below: CLPAPM; 0.239 +/- 0.206 (L/hr), VdPAPM; 0.97 +/- 0.80 (L), Half Life; 3.1 +/- 0.5 (hr). Half life in the patients with PCA < 34 (2.66 +/- 0.44 hr) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than that with PCA > or = 34 (3.39 +/- 0.23 hr). Our results suggest that postnatal alterations in the PAPM excretion are related to maturational changes in the renal function and that we should consider the values of PCA when determining the initial PAPM/BP dosing regimen in neonates. We conclude that the dosage of 10 mg/kg to 20 mg/kg every 12 hours are adequate treatment for neonatal infectious disease.

[Bypass operation adaptable to stature increase in child with atypical coarctation of the aorta].

A 9-year-old girl was admitted with hypertension and severe congestive heart failure. Upon physical examination, a discrepancy of blood pressure between arm and leg was noted. Aortography revealed narrowing about 5 cm in length at the midportion of the descending thoracic aorta. Bypass operation of the narrow segment was performed under mild hypothermia with the diagnosis of atypical coarctation of the aorta. It was supposed that the patient might outgrow the graft and the graft would become too small for grown-up patient in diameter and length, then the haemodynamics would become less satisfactory and too much tension on the suture line would occur. A woven Dacron graft, 10 mm in diameter, 15 cm in length, was anastomosed proximally and distally to the coarcted segment at a distance of about 6 cm. So, the graft was disposed in a C-shaped configuration. It was expected that the arch of the graft would open more widely with increase of her stature, even if the graft does not increase in length. She has been followed for twelve years. Hypertension of upper extremity and arm-to-leg gradients of the systolic blood pressure were recognized from two years after the operation, particularly with exercise. However, cardiomegaly and left ventricular hypertrophy in ECG were improved. She appears to have been developing normally with no cardiac symptoms. Estimating from angiography, the distance between proximal and distal anastomoses stretched about 2 cm during the period of rapid growth, though calcification of the graft had been seen from four years after the operation, perhaps due to increased calcium turnover in childhood.

[Preoperative treatment of esophageal cancer with oral peplomycin jelly].

Pepleo-jelly, peplomycin (PEP) compounded with sodium polyacrylate (PANa), was used as a local preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer. Thirty milligrams of PEP emulsified in 10 ml of jelly was orally administered for 17 patients on consecutive bed time, and the average total dose was 470 mg. Concentrations of PEP in blood and tissue were measured with a bioassay. PEP was not detected in the blood but was detected in esophageal tissue and regional lymphnodes. A significant difference (p less than 0.05) of tissue concentrations between normal esophageal mucosa (0.11 microgram/g) and malignant region (0.34 microgram/g) was noted. Furthermore, PEP was detected in many regional lymphnodes. Histological antitumor effect (Ef2) was noted in three of the eight metastatic lymphnodes. A side effect of this treatment was not recognized. It is believed that this treatment is safe and useful in combination with other adjuvant cancer therapy.

Insertion and excision of a transposable element governs the red floral phenotype in commercial petunias.

Commercial cultivars of Petunia hybrida with red flowers (red petunias) accumulate cyanidin 3-glucoside as a main floral anthocyanin pigment. The conversion of anthocyanidin 3-glucosides to anthocyanidin 3-rutinosides is catalyzed by a UDP-rhamnose: anthocyanidin 3-glucoside-rhamnosyltransferase (RT). In red petunias, the RT gene is known to be disrupted by the insertion of a transposable element (dTph3). We have cloned the dTph3-like element (called dTph3-C) from a red petunia. Unlike dTph3, dTph3-C harbored a perfect terminal inverted repeat. In addition, an excision product (so-called "footprint") of dTph3/dTph3-C was found in another red petunia. The RT transcripts harboring this footprint could not produce the RT enzyme because a stop codon was created in the footprint sequence. The genotypes of the 42 commercial petunias which exhibit different anthocyanin pigmentation were determined by multiplex PCR. In this technique, the amplified products from normal, dTph3/dTph3-C-inserted, and footprint-retaining RT genes can be separated from one another. Our results indicate that the red-floral phenotype of commercial petunias is governed by insertion and excision events of a transposable element in the coding region of the RT gene.

Direct effects of cyclic AMP and dibutyryl cyclic AMP on renal blood flow.

The direct effects of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (D-cAMP) on renal blood flow were studied in dogs under renal perfusion with constant pressure. Cyclic AMP caused a marked phasic decrease in renal blood flow in doses more than 1 mg, while D-cAMP produced a slight increase in that in doses more than 10 mg. The vasoconstrictive effect of cAMP was not blocked by the pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine, but was markedly depressed during the infusion of aminophylline. On the other hand, the vasodilative effect of D-cAMP was not affected either by the pretreatment with propranolol or during the infusion of aminophylline. These findings indicate that cAMP and D-cAMP have an opposite direct effect on the renal artery, independently of the adrenergic receptors. However, there may be a possibility that cAMP produces its vasoconstrictive effect on the renal artery partly through the action of its metabolites.

Three groups of species in Petunia sensu Jussieu (Solanaceae) inferred from the intact seed.

The intact seed surface morphology in 45 taxa of Petunia sensu Jussieu native to South America (Petunia sensu Wijsman plus Calibrachoa) was compared under scanning electron microscopy. The existence of three groups of species, differentiated in terms of seed morphology, was revealed as follows: (1) all species of Petunia sensu Wijsman, having coarse wavy middle lamellae and anticlinal walls; (2) Calibrachoa parviflora and C. pygmaea, having fine wavy middle lamellae embedded in straight anticlinal walls; and (3) the other species of Calibrachoa, having straight middle lamellae and anticlinal walls. Close relationships between seed morphology and the other characteristics observable in the groups of species are discussed.

Population pharmacokinetics of panipenem in neonates and retrospective evaluation of dosage.

The population pharmacokinetics of panipenem was studied in 23 neonates. Their postconceptional age (PCA) was 24.7-42.6 weeks and their body weight was 530-4455 g at initiation of therapy. Panipenem was infused over a period of 60 min in a dose of 10.2-34.7 mg/kg bd in 21 patients, tid in one patient and four times daily in one patient for a mean of 10.7 days. Blood samples were obtained just before the infusion and 1-2 h after and again 6 h after the infusion. All the data for the 108 serum panipenem concentrations were evaluated with a non-linear mixed-effect model (NONMEM with first-order method), a computer program designed for population pharmacokinetic analysis. One- and two-compartment population pharmacokinetic parameters were measured. The two-compartment parameters were as follows: panipenem clearance CL = 0.150 L/h, central volume of distribution = 0.54 L, intercompartmental clearance = 0.014 L/h and peripheral volume of distribution = 0.28 L. The one-compartment parameters were CL = 0.175 L/h and volume of distribution = 0.55 L. In the fitting process using the one-compartment model, significantly fixed effects related to CL were PCA, postnatal age (PNA), gestational age (GA), body weight (BW) and serum creatinine, and that for the distribution volume (V) was BW. CL showed a logarithmic rise with PCA (CL = 0.00176 x exp(0.14 x PCA)). The CL levels in the patients with PCA < 33 weeks (0.098 L/h) were significantly lower (P < 0.001) than those with PCA > or = 33 weeks (0.25 L/h). The final formulae for the population pharmacokinetic parameters are as follows: CL = 0.0832 (PCA < 33 weeks), CL = 0.179 x BW (PCA > or = 33 weeks), V = 0.53 x BW (coefficient of variation; 23.9% for CL, 28.5% for V). Based on these data, a simulated time-concentration curve was compared with that for adult data in a clinical Phase I study. Our findings suggest that the panipenem dosage regimen of 10-20 mg/kg every 12 h should yield concentrations within the accepted therapeutic range.