Microwave-assisted extraction of green coffee oil and quantification of diterpenes by HPLC.

The microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of 13 different green coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.) was compared to Soxhlet extraction for oil obtention. The full factorial design applied to the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), related to time and temperature parameters, allowed to develop a powerful fast and smooth methodology (10 min at 45°C) compared to a 4h Soxhlet extraction. The quantification of cafestol and kahweol diterpenes present in the coffee oil was monitored by HPLC/UV and showed satisfactory linearity (R(2)=0.9979), precision (CV 3.7%), recovery (<93%), limit of detection (0.0130 mg/mL), and limit of quantification (0.0406 mg/mL). The space-time yield calculated on the diterpenes content for sample AT1 (Arabica green coffee) showed a six times higher value compared to the traditional Soxhlet method.

Primary retroperitoneal ganglioneuroblastoma in an adult.

A case of retroperitoneal ganglioneuroblastoma in a 60-year-old man is reported. This retroperitoneal tumor was surgically removed and pathologic diagnosis was ganglioneuroblastoma. Ganglioneuroblastoma usually occurs in children and is extremely rare in adults. The characteristics are described of an unusual tumor based on the published reports.

Activity of anthocyanins from fruit extract of Ribes nigrum L. against influenza A and B viruses.

Earlier, we have detected antiviral activity in an extract from Ribes nigrum L. fruits ("Kurokarin", name of the one species of black currant in Japanese) against influenza A and B viruses, and herpes simplex virus 1 (Knox et al., Food Processing 33, 21-23, 1998). In the present study, the antiviral activity of constituents of a Kurokarin extract and the mechanism of its antiviral action were examined. Kurokarin extracts were separated to fractions A to D by column chromatography. The major constituents of the fraction D were estimated as anthocyanins. The fraction D was further fractionated by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) to fractions A' to G'. The fraction E' consisted of 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-cyanidin and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-cyanidin, and the fraction F' consisted of 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-delphinidin and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-delphinidin, identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with standards and by high resolution mass spectrometry. The fractions D' to G' showed potent antiviral activity against influenza viruses A and B. The additive antiviral effect of a combination of the fractions E' and F' was assessed. Anthocyanins in the fraction F' did not directly inactivate influenza viruses A and B, but they inhibited virus adsorption to cells and also virus release from infected cells.

Studies on Lewis acid-mediated intramolecular cyclization reactions of allene-ene systems.

The Lewis acid-mediated reactions of allene-ene compounds, derived from 3-methylcitronellal or dimethyl malonate, were carried out using various Lewis acids such as ethylaluminum dichloride, diethylaluminum chloride, titanium chloride, zinc chloride etherate, or boron trifluoride etherate, affording unexpectedly intramolecular [2+2]cycloaddition products under some particular reaction conditions without any formation of intramolecular ene reaction products.

[Two patients who recovered fully from profound circulatory and respiratory failure after cardiac arrest].

Two patients who were both 62-year-old males, also with various complications fully recovered from profound circulatory and respiratory failure. Both patients had experienced cardiac arrest one week or three months previously. Ischemic insult of brain produced from the prior cardiac arrest may be related to these excellent outcomes, because induction of tolerance to brain ischemia was demonstrated in animals which had undergone prior sublethal brain ischemia.

[Brain death committees of university hospitals in Japan].

We carried out a questionnaire survey on the brain death committees of university hospitals in Japan. Fewer than a half of university hospitals have independent brain death committees. However, a tendency was observed from this survey that the university hospitals established independent brain death committees from the pre-existing ethical committees. The role of anesthesiologists seems to become more important for decision of the brain death.

Aortic aneurysm in a four-year-old child with tuberous sclerosis.

We present a case of aortic aneurysm in a four-year-old child complicated with tuberous sclerosis. We used the same general principles as for adult patients and successfully managed our patient. Our methods included the use of isoflurane plus epidural anaesthesia, dopamine to maintain blood pressure, and induced mild hypothermia to reduce brain metabolism and to prevent spinal cord damage during aortic cross-clamping. Intensive monitoring including EEG was beneficial to the anaesthetic management.

Hypoxia modifies the vasodilatory effects of nitroglycerin, prostaglandin E1, and hydralazine on isolated porcine coronary arteries.

To evaluate the potency of vasodilatory drugs in hypoxia, we studied the effects of nitroglycerin (NTG), prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), and hydralazine on porcine coronary artery constricted with endothelin-1 (ET-1) in both oxygenated and hypoxic conditions. Removal of endothelium potentiated NTG-induced relaxation in oxygenated conditions. Hypoxia potentiated relaxation of endothelium-intact arteries induced by NTG, but not relaxation of endothelium-denuded arteries. These findings suggest that hypoxia may modify endothelial function in NTG-induced relaxation. The relaxation of endothelium-intact and -denuded arteries induced by PGE1 in hypoxia was significantly greater than that in the oxygenated condition. PGE1 significantly increased the content of cyclic AMP in the hypoxic condition; it was much greater than that in the oxygenated condition, suggesting that hypoxia may enhance PGE1-induced relaxation by increasing cyclic AMP levels. Hypoxia attenuated hydralazine-induced relaxation in both endothelium-intact and denuded arteries. Indomethacin and aspirin attenuated hydralazine-induced relaxation in the oxygenated condition, suggesting that cyclooxygenase-related eicosanoid(s) may be involved in hydralazine-induced relaxation. However, indomethacin did not alter relaxation of hypoxic arteries induced by hydralazine. These findings suggest that hypoxia may inactivate cyclooxygenase in hydralazine-induced relaxation. Hypoxia may greatly modify the action of vasodilators on porcine coronary smooth muscle.

[The effects of hemodilution on cerebral hemodynamics and oxygen consumption during nonpulsatile hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass].

The effects of hemodilution on cerebral hemodynamics and oxygen consumption during nonpulsatile hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were investigated in 16 patients undergoing elective open heart surgery under CPB. They were divided into 2 groups; high (25%) (H) and low hematocrit (15%) (L) groups according to the hematocrit values during CPB. Simultaneous measurements of blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (VMCA) and oxygen tension in the jugular venous bulb (PjvbO2) were performed at prebypass, bypass, and post bypass periods. There were no significant differences in nasopharyngeal temperature (NPT), cerebral perfusion pressure, pump flow rate, and PaCO2 between the two groups at any period. VMCA changed in correlation with NPT in both groups, and VMCA in the L group was faster than that in the H group at any period. PjvbO2 increased during aortic cross clamp, and decreased on rewarming in both groups. However, there were no significant differences in VMCA and PjvbO2 between the two groups at any period. These findings suggest that increased cerebral blood flow may compensate the decreased oxygen content due to the hemodilution during CPB. Therefore, the profound hemodilution up to 15% of hematocrit is considered to be a safe technique during CPB.

[Clinical evaluation of the long-term treatment with chlormadinone acetate in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy].

Fifty patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy were treated with chlormadinone acetate (CMA) at the dose of 50 mg/day for 12 months. Subjective symptoms and objective findings were evaluated before, and after 4 and 12 months of treatment. Better improvement was observed in all of the subjective symptoms and in almost all the parameters of objective findings, in proportion to the period of CMA treatment. Generally speaking, 12 months of treatment was more effective than 4 months of treatment. Two patients had impotence (4.0%). Both of them complained of side effects within 4 months after treatment, but they were not severe. In conclusion, long-term treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy with CMA was useful.

Modification by CO2 of endothelin-1-induced contraction of isolated guinea pig trachea.

To investigate the effect of changes in CO2 tension on airway smooth muscle tone induced by various agonists, contractile responses to acetylcholine, histamine and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were studied in isolated guinea pig tracheae at very low PCO2 (16 +/- 0 mmHg, n = 38), moderately low PCO2 (28 +/- 0 mmHg, n = 23), normal PCO2 (38 +/- 1 mmHg, n = 70) or high PCO2 (94 +/- 1 mmHg, n = 32). The minimum concentration of ET-1 (10(-10) M) needed to induce contractions was lower than that of acetylcholine (10(-7) M) and histamine (10(-7) M) at normal PCO2. Changes in PCO2 did not significantly affect acetylcholine- or histamine-induced contractions. In contrast, very low and moderately low PCO2 attenuated the contractions induced by ET-1, but high PCO2 potentiated those induced by a high concentration of ET-1. Very low PCO2 with normal pH and with high pH attenuated the contractions caused by ET-1, whereas normal PCO2 with high pH did not. These results suggest that ET-1-induced airway smooth muscle contraction can be modified by PCO2 per se. Aspirin and indomethacin potentiated the responses to ET-1 at very low PCO2 more than at normal PCO2, but attenuated the responses to low concentration of ET-1 at high PCO2. These results also suggest that cyclooxygenase-related eicosanoids are involved in the effects of PCO2 on ET-1-induced contractions.

Heterogeneous responses of canine basilar and middle cerebral arteries to serotonin at normal and high CO2 tension.

The responses of basilar arteries (BAs) to serotonin were attenuated by high PCO2 (86 +/- 1 mm Hg) and the pH matched acidotic solution (PCO2 37 +/- 1 mm Hg), whereas the responses of middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) were not. High PCO2 decreased the basal tone of both arteries, and the changes in basal tone due to high PCO2 were not influenced by 3 x 10(-7) M imipramine, 10(-5) M pargyline or 10(-4) M aspirin. The responses of BAs to serotonin were attenuated by high PCO2 in the presence of imipramine, pargyline and aspirin. The responses of MCAs to serotonin were not influenced by high PCO2 in the presence of pargyline and aspirin, but attenuated by high PCO2 in the presence of imipramine.

Effects of thiopental, pentobarbital, and ketamine on endothelin-induced constriction of porcine cerebral arteries.

Contractile mechanisms of endothelin, a newly isolated vasoactive substance from endothelium, were evaluated in anterior cerebral arteries (ACA). Furthermore, the effects of thiopental, pentobarbital, ketamine, and diltiazem on the endothelin-induced cerebral vasoconstriction were also studied. Endothelin induced cerebral arterial contractions in concentrations above 3 X 10(-10) M. The median effective concentration (ED50: X10(-9) M) of endothelin was 2.1 +/- 0.7 (n = 6). Endothelin did not elicit contractions in preparations soaked in Ca2(+)-free solution, but addition of 2.5 mM Ca2+ to the baths induced marked contractions. Thiopental and pentobarbital attenuated endothelin-induced contractions at concentrations above 3 X 10(4) M, while ketamine was effective above 10(-3) M. In contrast, diltiazem decreased endothelin-induced vasoconstriction at 10(-6) M. The findings suggest that endothelin may cause contractions of porcine cerebral arteries by influx of Ca2+ through Ca2+ channels. The cerebral vasomotion induced by endothelin, however, does not seem to be influenced by clinical doses of barbiturates and ketamine.

Prostaglandin E1 modifies porcine cerebral arterial tone through cyclooxygenase related eicosanoid(s) release.

The effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on porcine cerebral arteries were studied in the absence and presence of cyclooxygenase inhibitors, 5 x 10(-6) M indomethacin or 10(-4) M aspirin. In preparations placed at a resting tension, 3 x 10(-9) to 10(-6) M PGE1 caused dose-dependent contractions. In prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha)- contracted preparations, low concentrations of 10(-9) and 3 x 10(-9) M PGE1 did not modify arterial tone and higher concentrations of 10(-8) to 10(-6) M PGE1 further increased the arterial tone in all preparations tested. In contrast, in the presence of the cyclooxygenase inhibitors, low concentration of 10(-9) and 3 x 10(-9) M PGE1 markedly decreased the arterial tone induced by PGF2 alpha and higher dose of 10(-8) to 10(-6) M PGE1 increased the arterial tone in 15 of 18 preparations (83%). These findings suggest that PGE1 modifies porcine cerebral vascular tone at least partly through cyclooxygenase-related eicosanoid(s) production.

[Clinical evaluation of cefmenoxime in chronic complicated urinary tract infection].

The efficacy of cefmenoxime (CMX), which is a third generation, beta-lactamase-resistant cephem with a broad antibacterial spectrum, was examined in 43 patients with chronic complicated urinary tract infections. The usual dosage regimen was given 2 approximately 4 g/day of CMX by intravenous drip infusion over 1 hour. The duration of treatment was 5 days. Fifteen patients were cured and 21 improved, and the effective rate was 83.7%. Bacterial eradication rate in these cases was 88.2%, especially eradication of the original pathogens such as Serratia marcescens, Proteus species and Klebsiella species, occurred in high frequency. Laboratory abnormalities were slight elevation of serum GOT and GPT in 2 cases. From these findings, CMX was considered to be very effective in complicated urinary tract infections.