Vascular branches from cutaneous nerve of the forearm and hand: Application to better understanding raynaud's disease.

Cutaneous nerves have branches called vascular branches (VBs) that reach arteries. VBs are thought to be involved in arterial constriction, and this is the rationale for periarterial sympathectomy as a treatment option for Raynaud's disease. However, the branching patterns and distribution areas of the VBs remain largely unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anatomical structures of the VBs of the cutaneous nerves. Forty hands and forearms were examined to assess the branching patterns and distribution areas of the VBs of the superficial branch of the radial nerve (SBRN), the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LACN), the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve (MACN), and the palmar cutaneous branch of the ulnar nerve (PCUN). VBs reaching the radial and ulnar arteries were observed in all specimens. The branching patterns were classified into six types. The mean distance between the radial styloid process and the point where the VBs reached the radial artery was 34.3 ± 4.8 mm in the SBRN and 38.5 ± 15.8 mm in the LACN. The mean distance between the ulnar styloid process and the point where the VBs reached the ulnar artery was 60.3 ± 25.9 mm in the MACN and 43.8 ± 26.0 mm in the PCUN. This study showed that the VBs of the cutaneous nerves have diverse branching patterns. The VBs of the SBRN had a more limited distribution areas than those of the other nerves. Clin. Anat. 31:734-741, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Short-term exposure to ethanol causes a differential response between nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor ligand/receptor systems in the mouse cerebellum.

Alcohol ingestion affects both neuropsychological and motor functions. We hypothesized that one of the key factors involved in such functions are neurotrophins and their receptors. We have therefore examined the effects of short-term ethanol exposure on the mRNA expression and protein levels of neurotrophin ligands and receptors in the cerebellum using real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting techniques. Male BALB/C mice were fed a liquid diet containing 5% (v/v) ethanol. The pair-fed control mice were fed an identical liquid diet except that sucrose was substituted isocalorically for ethanol. The cerebellum of mice exhibiting intoxication signs of stage 1 or 2 were used in the present study. We found that exposure to ethanol resulted in elevated levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) and TrkA mRNA expression but a decreased level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression. The expression of TrkB and p73 mRNA was unchanged. Changes in the level of these proteins were found to mirror these mRNA expression levels. We conclude that exposure to ethanol for a short period can cause a differential responsive in the various neurotrophin ligand/receptor systems. The functional consequences of these changes are unknown at present.

Effect of Bcl-2 overexpression on establishment of ipsilateral retinocollicular projection in mice.

During perinatal development in rodents, ipsilateral retinofugal projection spreading over the superior colliculus is eventually restricted to the rostromedial region. Since this restriction is accompanied by the apoptotic death of more than half of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), cell death is believed to play a major role in the restriction of transient ipsilateral projection from the retina to the superior colliculus. To determine the role of RGC death in the establishment of ipsilateral retinofugal projection, we examined the projection pattern in the superior colliculus and the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of transgenic mice overexpressing the human bcl-2 gene, which protects against cell death in the CNS. Retrograde labeling of RGCs showed that the number of ipsilaterally projecting RGCs in adult transgenic mice was approximately twice that in adult wild-type mice, indicating that the naturally occurring death of RGCs was prevented in these mutant mice. However, anterograde labeling of ipsilateral retinofugal pathways revealed that the innervation of retinogeniculate and retinocollicular projections was as restricted in transgenic mice as in wild-type mice. From these results we suggest that restriction of ipsilateral retinofugal projection during development is due to retraction or elimination of excessive terminals rather than to naturally occurring RGC death.

[Stereoselective synthesis of cyclopentanones using dirhodium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular C-H insertion reaction].

This review summarizes novel stereoselective syntheses of 3,4-cis- and 3,4-trans-3-alkyl-4-silyloxycyclopentanones using a dirhodium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular C-H insertion reaction as a key reaction. Treatment of diazoketoesters (20a-e) with 1 mol % of dirhodium(II) tetraacetate gave 2,3-trans-3,4-cis-cyclopentanones (21a-e) as major products. The presence of both the keto and ester groups in the precursors was found to be essential for this chemo- and stereoselective intramolecular C-H insertion reaction to take place. A possible interpretation for the observed stereoselectivity is presented. Optically active Corey lactone (38) was synthesized using a similar reaction of chiral alpha-diazo-beta-ketoester (33). Next, reactions of 5,6-bisoxygenated diazoketones with Rh2(OAc)4 were investigated. An acetonide derivative (39), upon treatment with Rh2(OAc)4, gave 3,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane (42) via oxonium ylide formation/1,2-shift. On the other hand, similar treatment of 5,6-bis(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy) derivative (47) gave a C-H insertion product (51) which was purified by silica gel column chromatography to give 4-silyloxycyclopentenone (48). Direct reduction of 51 with lithium aluminum hydride gave stereoselectively diol (52) in 52% yield from 47. Reaction of 2-methoxycarbonylcyclopentenone (48) and a 2-benzenesulfonyl congener (50) with R2CuLi or RMgBr-CuI stereoselectively gave 2,3-trans-3,4-trans-cyclopentanones (22, 57) as a major diastereoisomer. On the other hand, reaction with R3 Al in toluene exclusively gave the corresponding 3,4-cis-adducts (21 and 58).

A formal total synthesis of (-)-cephalotaxine.

A formal total synthesis of (-)-cephalotaxine (1) has been achieved. The key step is an intramolecular aldol condensation of the diketone 9, which in turn was obtained in three steps from the azabicyclic compound 6 derived from D-proline according to Seebach's procedure. Treatment of 9 with a catalytic amount of sodium 2-methyl-2-butanolate in benzene at room temperature gave the alpha, beta-unsaturated ketone 8 in 43% yield. Catalytic hydrogenation of 8 followed by reduction of the ketone 22 with sodium borohydride and acetylation of the resulting alcohol 23 gave the acetoxy derivative 24, which, after deprotection, was acylated with (methylthio)acetic acid to give the amide 26. Compound 26 was converted into optically active ketolactam 4 following the synthetic operations developed for the synthesis of the racemic compound.

Two cases of multiple hormone-producing small cell carcinoma of the lung: coexistence of tumor ADH, ACTH, and beta-MSH.

Two cases of small cell carcinoma of the lung associated with the ectopic production of multiple hormones are reported. Both tumors were shown to contain significant amounts of ADH, ACTH, and beta-MSH. Biologic, immunologic, and gel chromatographic properties of these ectopic hormones were found to be very similar to those of pituitary origin. The effect of excessive secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) dominated the clinical manifestations in both cases, i.e., syndrome of inappropriate secretion of ADH (SIADH). The clinical manifestations of the ectopic ACTH-MSH syndrome were minimal. These data suggest that multiple hormone production without clinically overt sequelae of excess hormone is not uncommon in small cell (oat cell) carcinoma of the lung.