New strong fibrates with piperidine moiety.

New fibrates containing piperidine, 4-hydroxypiperidine, piperidin-3-ene, and piperazine moieties in the structures were synthesized and evaluated. Among the synthesized compounds, 2-[3-[1-(4-fluorobenzoyl)-piperidin-4yl]phenoxyl-2-methylpropanoic acid (9aA: AHL-157) showed very superior activities in decreasing triglyceride, cholesterol, and blood sugar compared to bezafibrate in mice and rats.

Fetal liver length in diabetic pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to investigate whether liver size is increased in the fetuses of pregnant women with diabetes and whether there is any relationship between fetal liver size and maternal glycemic control. STUDY DESIGN: Eighty pregnant women with diabetes had ultrasonographic measurement of fetal liver length made at 18, 28, and 36 weeks' gestation. Twenty-four obese, nondiabetic women were studied at 36 weeks as controls. RESULTS: Fetal liver length measurements were significantly greater than normal by 18 weeks' gestation (12% above normal mean values; p < 0.001) and increased further (19%, p < 0.02) by 36 weeks. In the obese controls liver length was increased 9% and was significantly lower than in the diabetic subjects (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Fetal liver size in increased in pregnant women with diabetes and cannot be explained solely by maternal obesity. The major increase in liver size occurs early in pregnancy but appears to be modifiable by glycemic control later in gestation.

Risk factors for neonatal infection.

A retrospective case-control study was designed to assess risk factors for neonatal infection. Nonprivate patients (8,215) who delivered in a period from January 1, 1983 to June 30, 1988 were studied. Ninety three cases of conjunctivitis (incidence 2.4/1,000), 104 cases of pneumonia (incidence 2.8/1,000), and 50 cases of sepsis (incidence 1.3/1,000) were identified. Group B streptococcus was cultured from septic neonates in 46%. Calculated Odds ratio's indicated prematurity/low birth-weight (OR 6.9) and antepartum fetal tachycardia (OR 6.3) as important risk factors for pneumonia/sepsis. Prematurity/low birth-weight (OR 3.0) and an abnormal presentation in the birth canal (OR 2.8) were identified as risk factors for conjunctivitis. After testing all the risk factors found by univariate analysis in a logistic regression model tachycardia (chi 2 35.21, p less than 0.001) remained an independent predictor for neonatal pneumonia/sepsis and abnormal vaginal presentation (chi 2 7.58, p 0.006) for conjunctivitis.

[IgA RIPA inhibitor in a case of acquired von Willebrand syndrome].

Acquired inhibitor of von Willebrand factor-platelet interaction occurring in a 57 year-old female has been partially characterized. She had no personal or familial bleeding tendencies, but presented a subcutaneous hematoma of recent origin. She was diagnosed as having an acquired von Willebrand syndrome because she had low levels of FVIII complex in plasma, with platelet adhesiveness to glassbeads and RIPA decreased. This inhibitor was classified as an IgA immunoglobulin, and had no activity against any component of FVIII complex. The purified IgA by the chromatographic technology interacted with normal platelets to inhibit RIPA. Following 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) infusion, she had higher immediate rise in all components of FVIII complex in plasma, with no rapid decline. Plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimers analyzed by 1.5% SDS-AGE technology revealed to be identical with those of normal plasma. These studies suggest that the abnormality of ristocetin-induced vWF-platelet interaction by IgA RIPA inhibitor and the reduction of all vWF multimers (like type IA von Willebrand disease) may have a relationship with the pathogenesis of bleeding diathesis in this case.

[Acquired von Willebrand syndrome associated with Hashitoxicosis and pernicious anemia combined].

A new case of acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS) with Hashitoxicosis and pernicious anemia combined in a 73-years-old male is reported. He was admitted because of appetite loss and general malaise. Physical examination showed severe anemia and general edema. The red-cell count was 103 X 10(4)/microliters with a MCV of 122 fl; the white-cell count was 2,900/microliters with 24.5% hypersegmented neutrophils; the platelet count was 17.2 X 10(4)/microliters. the lactate dehydrogenase was 9,513 U/ml and vitamin B12 was 87 pg/dl. An aspirated specimen of bone marrow was diagnostic of megaloblastic anemia. The thyroid hormones were decreased with the thyroid stimulating hormone increased. From the immunological findings, the thyroid-test, microsome-test, and anti-intrinsic factor were positive, but M proteinemia and Bence Jones proteinuria were absent. Histology of the thyroid gland and the gastric mucosa established the diagnosis of chronic thyroiditis and chronic atrophic gastritis. Subcutaneous hemorrhages after veni-puncture were observed on admission. He had a normal bleeding time, but the coagulation studies indicated the presence of von Willebrand disease, but as his family and past history were negative, this suggested the presence of an AvWS. The analysis of von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimeric composition had showed the lack of the larger multimers in the plasma, but it was normalized after the administration of levothyroxine sodium and hydroxocobalamin with vWF: Ag/RCo ratio paralleled. As far as we know, this is the first report of AvWS with Hashitoxicosis and pernicious anemia combined.

Immobilization of glucose oxidase on polymer membranes treated by low-temperature plasma.

Low-temperature plasma was employed for activation of polymer membranes as a carrier for enzyme immobilization. Glucose oxidase was immobilized on polypropylene (PP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane surfaces treated by nitrogen or ammonia gas plasma using glutaraldehyde as a linking agent. Enzyme activity was evaluated by the response of glucose sensor composed of the immobilized enzyme membrane and a dissolved oxygen electrode. The sensor response was found to depend on the kind of carrier membrane and to become maximum at suitable conditions of plasma treatment.

Abnormalities in the contact activation through factor XII in Fujiwara trait: a deficiency in both high and low molecular weight kininogens with low level of prekallikrein.

Fujiwara trait, the first case of kininogen deficiency in Japan previously reported which did not show any clinical symptom except the prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time was further examined. The activated partial thromboplastin time of the patient was corrected by addition of normal, Factor XII deficient or Fletcher plasma, but not corrected by Fitzgerald or Williams plasma. It was also corrected by addition of highly purified bovine or human high molecular weight (HMW) kininogen, but not by low molecular weight (LMW) kininogen. When total kininogen was measured as the amount of bradykinin released by trypsin, only a trace amount was detected in Fujiwara as well as Williams plasma. No immunoreactive protein against anti-human-HMW-kininogen nor anti-human-LMW-kininogen was found in Fujiwara plasma. Acetone-kaolin-activated plasma kallikrein was not generated by Fujiwara plasma. Substitution with normal plasma in various ratios showed the generation of various plasma kallikrein activities. Calculations with these activities of mixed plasma gave the prekallikrein content of Fujiwara trait plasma about 30% of the normal level. These results suggest that Fujiwara trait is very similar to Williams trait in that both plasmas were deficient in HMW and LMW kininogens with reduced content of prekallikrein.

The first cases of Fitzgerald factor deficiency in the Orient: three cases in one family.

Asymptomatic, female, 56-year-old identical Japanese twins were found to have a severe abnormality in the surface-mediated intrinsic coagulation, fibrinolysis and esterolytic activity. These defects were thought to be due to the lack of Fitzgerald factor, because of the prolongations of kaolin-activated partial thromboplastin time and kaolin-activated euglobulin lysis time that were not corrected by the addition of Fitzgerald trait-plasma but were corrected to normal levels by the addition of isolated bovine high-molecular-weight kininogen, Fletcher trait-plasma or Hageman trait-plasma.

Fujiwara trait: the first case of kininogen deficiency in Japan.

Asymptomatic identical twins were found to show the prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, which was corrected by addition of normal, Hageman factor deficient or Fletcher trait plasma but not corrected by Fitzgerald or Williams plasma. The prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time was also corrected by addition of highly purified bovine high molecular weight kininogen but not by low molecular weight kininogen. When total kininogen was measured as the amount of bradykinin released by trypsin on acid treated plasma, only trace amount was detected in Fujiwara and Williams plasmas, although Fitzgerald plasma showed approximately 50% of the total kininogen of normal plasma level. Acetone-kaolin activated amidase activity of plasma kallikrein was not generated by Fujiwara plasma. Substitution with normal plasma in various ratios showed plasma kallikrein activity proportionally to the normal plasma contents. Extrapolation with the values at 120 min after activation gave the prekallikrein content of Fujiwara plasma as 30% of the normal value.

Coagulation factor deficiency apparently related to the Fitzgerald trait: the first cases in Japan.

A blood coagulation deficiency was found at the contact phase in identical Japanese female twins. Of the four possible factors involved, Factor XI or XII can be ruled out according to cross-correction studies. The problem factor was probably not Fletcher factor, because the abnormal partial thromboplastin time was not significantly shortened by increasing the incubation period of plasma with kaolin. The deficiency is most likely due to the lack of Fitzgerald factor.