Population dynamics of anaerobic microbial consortia in thermophilic methanogenic sludge treating paper-containing solid waste.

To maintain a stable thermophilic (55 degrees C) anaerobic digestion treating toilet paper-containing garbage, it is necessary to operate the digester at long hydraulic retention time (HRT) and low organic loading rate (OLR). Critical conditions of the digestion were investigated by operating the digester at HRT 23 days and OLR 3.4 gCOD(Cr)/L/d (R1) or HRT 14 days and OLR 5.6 gCOD/Cr)/L/d (R2) separately. Characteristics of methanogenesis of the two digesters were examined by measuring gas generation volume and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration, and the populations of four anaerobic acidogens and three methanogens were analyzed using quantitative PCR method. In digester R1, methanogenic activity was unstable but it could be recovered by stopping feeding as though VFA accumulation occurred. The population of acidogens and two methanogens were maintained at 10(11) - 10(13) copies/L, however, the population of Methanoculleus could not be recovered after methanogenesis recovering. In digester R2, the period of methanogenesis was significantly shorter than that in digester R1. Both the acidogens and the methanogens could not be maintained at a stable concentration. It is suggested that the critical HRT to sustain the population of acidogens in this process should be longer than 14 days and for all kinds of methanogens, HRT should be longer than 23 days.

Benzolactams. 4. Reaction of 3',4'- or 4',5'-dialkoxy-substituted 1-(2'-Bromobenzyl)-2-ethoxycarbonyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines with alkyllithium. 1,2 and 1,4 additions of alkyllithium to benzolactams.

Treatment of 1-(2'-bromo-3',4'-dialkoxybenzyl)-1,2,3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline carbamates, 1a,c, with excess alkyllithium gave 8-oxoberbines, 2a,c, which were successively attacked in situ with another molecule of alkyllithium to give 1,2 and/or 1,4 addition products. A primary alkyllithium, such as MeLi or BuLi, gave a 1,2 addition product, 8-methyleneberbine 9a or 8-butylideneberbine 3a. t-BuLi preferred 1,4 addition, followed by elimination of the alkoxy group, to give 9-tert-butyl-8-oxoberbine 6a or 7c. s-BuLi gave a mixture of 1,2 and 1,4 addition products, 1-[2'-(2' '-methylbutyryl)benzyl]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline 4a and 9-s-butyl-8-oxoberbine 5a. Similar treatments of carbamate 1b having no alkoxy group at its 3' position gave 1,2 addition products, 8-butylideneberbine 3b, 1-[2'-(2' '-methylbutyryl)benzyl]-1,2,3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline 4b, and 1-(2'-pivaloylbenzyl)-1,2,3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinoline 6b, in all cases. Reactions of 1a with s-BuMgCl and isoPrMgCl also gave the 1,4 adduct, 5a, and its 9-isoPr analogue, 12a. Treatment of 9a with excess NaBH(4) in AcOH gave (+/-)-coralydine (10b).

Aryl radical cyclizations of 1-(2'-bromobenzyl)isoquinolines with AIBN-Bu3SnH: formation of aporphines and indolo

[reaction: see text] Radical cyclization of alkoxy-substituted 1-(2'-bromobenzyl)-3,4-dihydroisoquinolines 1 with AIBN-Bu3SnH gave 6a,7-dehydroaporphines 2 preferentially. A steric repulsion between the respective alkoxy groups at the 7- and 3'-positions gave 5,6-dihydroindolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines 3 in a "disfavored" 5-endo cyclization mode. Radical cyclizations of the related substrates, such as 1-(2'-bromobenzoyl)isoquinolines or 1-(2'-bromo-alpha-hydroxybenzyl)isoquinolines, were also found to give the corresponding oxoaporphines or oxyaporphines.

[A case of left lung cancer associated with an aneurysm of the thoracic aorta].

A 61-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of a left lung cancer. The chest x-ray film showed an irregular mass in the left upper lung field and the ill-defined left upper mediastinal border. A large portion of the aorta seen in the CT section above the aortic arch was understood to be aortic elongation. When a left pneumonectomy was performed, a saccular aneurysm of the distal aortic arch was found and resected under partial aortic clamping. Following the aneurysmectomy mediastinal dissection was performed in the normal way. The patient recovered uneventfully. The pathological specimens showed a pT2N1M0 squamous cell carcinoma with obstructive pneumonia and an arteriosclerotic aneurysm. There was no report of lung cancer associated with aneurysm of the thoracic aorta. In a patient with left lung cancer obliterating the left upper mediastinal border (the "silhouette sign") the aortic arch should be closely examined by MRI and/or angiography.

[Three cases of catamenial pneumothorax].

Three cases of catamenial pneumothorax were presented. A 42-year-old woman with intrapelvic endometriosis had recurrent right-sided pneumothorax with menstruation more than six times. At the operation only a bleb was noted at the apex of the right lung. In a 16-year-old woman who already had been operated on for recurrent right-sided pneumothorax one year ago, left-sided pneumothorax occurred on the day of the beginning of each menstruation four times. A small bleb was noted at the apex. A 29-year-old woman with cesarean section at the age of 25 had recurrent right-sided pneumothorax occurring on the day before the beginning of menstruation three times. Though the operation was performed during her menstrual period, neither air leakage nor any lesions were found. In all cases each lesion was resected and did not prove endometriosis, and partial parietal pleurectomy was performed for pleurodesis. No pneumothorax has recurred.

[A study on preoperative administration of doxifluridine in carcinoma of the colon and rectum].

The usefulness of preoperative administration of Doxifluridine (5'-DFUR) for treating carcinoma of the colon and rectum was studied through a determination of 5-FU concentration in carcinoma, normal intestine, serum and lymph nodes concerned. 1,200 mg/day of 5'-DFUR was administrated orally to 16 patients with carcinoma of the colon and rectum over four days before surgery, and the specimens obtained by resecting the carcinoma were subjected to the mass spectrometry using a gas chromatography to determine 5-FU concentrations. The time needed for collection of the specimen from the final administration of 5'-DFUR was 3.0 to 20.5 hours (10.7 +/- 6.6 hrs). 5-FU concentrations were as follows: 75.8 +/- 61.2 ng/g in the carcinoma, 39.9 +/- 63.5 ng/g in the normal intestine and 26.8 +/- 52.4 ng/g in the lymph nodes concerned, which were significantly high as compared to serum level of 2.3 +/- 4.9 ng/ml (p less than 0.05). Further, a high level of 90.1 +/- 29.3 ng/g (n = 6) of the carcinoma was sustained even at 12 hours or more since final administration of 5'-DFUR. In view of histological patterns, the levels were 139.5 +/- 69.5 ng/g (n = 5) in well differentiated carcinoma and 46.9 +/- 27.4 ng/g (n = 11) in moderately differentiated carcinoma, the level being significantly high in the former (p less than 0.05). A histologic therapeutical effect was shown in one out of 16 cases, with the improvement that remained the score to grade 1. This was deemed due to the small dosage and a short duration of 5'-DFUR.

Transpericardial bronchial closure with omentopexy for postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula.

We report a case of successful closure of a postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula by means of the transpericardial approach with omentopexy through a median sternotomy incision. This method minimizes problems of infection, healing, and pulmonary function.

[A case of traumatic subclavian steal syndrome].

A 44-year-old man who had sustained injuries to the chest and left upper extremity was admitted to our hospital. The radial pulse was not palpated at the left wrist. Angiography showed occlusion of the left subclavian artery with mediastinal hematoma. The left vertebral artery filled in a retrograde direction and the distal left subclavian artery could be visualized by filling from the left vertebral artery. He had no ischemic neurological symptom but was immediately operated on to prevent hemorrhage. Through a median sternotomy the injured portion of the left subclavian artery was removed and replaced by a dacron prosthesis. The specimen represented that the artery was completely divided and occluded with thrombus. Recovery was uneventful. This was the seventh case of traumatic subclavian steal syndrome. Vascular repair should be made soon in traumatic subclavian steal syndrome because collateral circulation is poor compared with that in arteriosclerotic obstruction.

Giant arteriosclerotic aneurysm of the axillary artery.

A case of a rare giant arteriosclerotic aneurysm of the axillary artery is reported. Reconstruction was successfully performed with end-to-end anastomosis after resection of the aneurysm. The surgical technique is discussed.

[Su-polysaccharide skin test and immunotherapy with OK-432 in postoperative gastric cancer--the effect of a splenectomy].

A SU-polysaccharide skin test (SU-PS test) has been employed and studied as a parameter for monitoring the immunological status of OK-432 treated patients who had undergone a curative gastrectomy for a gastric cancer in stages II and III. The median diameter of the erythema (SU-PS value) was found to have no relation to the number of lymphocytes and the serum protein level and was depressed by combined chemotherapy. The SU-PS value was significantly higher in patients not given a splenectomy than in patients who had undergone a patients splenectomy. The spleen is considered the essential organ to focus on in OK-432 immunotherapy.

[Hematoma of the pineal region: a case report].

A 44-year-old man came to our clinic, complaining of slowly progressive disturbance of visual acuity and of ocular movement. This patient suffered from headache, narrowing of visual field and polyuria about 20 years ago, and received surgical and radiation therapy under the diagnosis of pituitary adenoma. Clinical symptoms and signs of this patient, except for bitemporal hemianopsia, almost completely disappeared after these treatment. The detailed information about the histology and radiation dose are not available at the present time. CT scan in our clinic revealed a round low-density area at the suprasellar region and a high density area at the left quadrigeminal cistern. Pineal calcification was compressed to the right about 2-3 mm from midline. This high density mass were not enhanced with contrast medium. Vertebral angiography showed a slight lateral displacement of the left medial posterior choroidal artery. Specimen of tissue removed 20 years ago was reexamined but definitive diagnosis could not be established. Presumptive diagnosis of an ectopic pinealoma in the suprasellar region treated successfully 20 years ago, and its recurrence in the pineal region was made. On May 24, the patient underwent a posterior fossa craniectomy and the pineal region was explored via the infratentorial supracerebellar approach. On sectioning the precentral cerebellar vein, yellowish mass was seen in the quadrigeminal cistern. Aspiration of this mass yielded dark red liquid hematoma. Incising into the capsule, a dark brownish mass of about 4g was removed en bloc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)