Photocatalytic degradation of gaseous perchloroethylene: products and pathway.

Batch photocatalytic degradation of 1000-ppm gaseous perchloroethylene (PCE) was conducted with UV irradiation such that nearly 100% was decomposed within 10 min. The main intermediate and final product were identified as trichloroacetylchloride (TCAC) and hydrogen chloride (HCl), respectively, and minor ones as dichloroacetic acid (DCAC), monochloroacetic acid (MCAC), carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and phosgene. More than 90% of Cl- equivalent, i.e., the sum of the chlorine number in PCE, intermediates, and HCl, was compensated for during the time of PCE degradation; a result indicating that no other major chlorinated intermediates are present during the time of PCE degradation. In a similar experiment, 500 ppm of gaseous TCAC degraded into HCl within 3 h without producing DCAC or MCAC, where like PCE, more than 90% of Cl- equivalent, i.e., the sum of the chlorine number in TCAC and HCl, was compensated for during time of TCAC degradation. Accordingly, gaseous PCE is concluded to predominantly follow a degradation pathway of PCE --> TCAC --> HCl.

[Detection of isotype-specific autoantibodies to calpastatin in sera from patients with rheumatic diseases using heat-treated HeLa cell extract as an antigen source for immunoblotting].

To detect immunoglobulin isotype-specific autoantibodies to native human calpastatin in patients with rheumatic diseases, we performed immunoblot analysis using the heated HeLa cell extracts to enrich heat-resistant calpastatin. The calpastatin molecule that was apparently migrated to 110 kD by SDS-PAGE was confirmed to react with monoclonal anti-human calpastatin antibody in immunoblotting. IgG antibodies to calpastatin were detected in 22 of 48 sera (46%) from patients with RA, whereas only 20% (5/25), 11% (2/19) and 13% (2/15) of sera from SLE, SSc and PM/DM had IgG anti-calpastatin antibodies, respectively. IgM antibodies were also found in 40% (19/48) of RA and 12% (3/25) of SLE patients but not detected in sera from patients with other rheumatic diseases. IgA antibodies were found in only one RA and one SLE serum. In RA, 7 of 48 sera (15%) had IgM antibodies alone, but all SLE sera with IgM antibodies had IgG antibodies. Thus, anti-calpastatin autoantibodies were detected by using the native human calpastatin. Although these autoantibodies were found in patients with various rheumatic diseases, they were present in RA patients at the highest frequency. In particular, the presence of IgM antibodies appeared to be more specific in RA patients.

Development and application of an enzyme immunoassay for karasurin A, an effective protein component of Trichosanthes kirilowii Max. var. japonicum Kitam.

A method was developed for specific estimation of the content of a non-enzymatic protein, karasurin A, in fractions taken during the extraction and purification processes from a natural source. Anti-karokon serum was elicited in rabbits immunized with fragments of karokon, a dried root tuber of Trichosanthes kirilowii Max. var. japonicum Kitam. Rabbit antibody specific for karasurin A was identified in anti-karokon serum by the Western blotting method. After separation by SDS-PAGE, protein bands of purified karasurin A and extracted proteins from a medicinal herb which is a karasurin A source were reacted with anti-karokon serum followed by treatment with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled Fab' of goat anti-rabbit IgG, and then bound HRP-labeled second antibody on protein bands was developed to brown by reaction with a substrate solution of the used enzyme. A novel selected antibody enzyme immunoassay (SAEIA) for karasurin A was developed using selective binding of anti-karasurin A antibody in anti-karokon serum to solid phase karasurin A and HRP-labeled Fab' of the second antibody as the tracer. Specific estimation of the content of karasurin A in several fractions taken during the isolation and purification processes of the protein were possible using the SAEIA method.

[Familial occurrence of myelodysplastic syndrome concomitant with monoclonal gammapathy].

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) combined with monoclonal gammopathy or multiple myeloma has rarely been reported. In this article, two siblings, a brother and his sister who showed simultaneous occurrence of MDS and monoclonal gammopathy are reported. The first case, a 73-year-old male, was admitted to our hospital in November, 1987. Analysis of peripheral blood revealed pancytopenia without blast cells. Bone marrow was hypocellular with 14.9% of myeloblasts and 2.8% of plasma cells characterized by 2 to 4 nuclei. Serum IgA level was 635 mg/dl and serum immunoelectrophoresis revealed a monoclonal IgA lambda band. The second case, a 70-year-old female, younger sister of the first case, was admitted to our hospital in January, 1988. Bone marrow was normocellular with 23% of peroxidase-negative myeloblasts and 12.8% of atypical plasma cells. Serum IgG level was 1,901 mg/dl with monoclonal IgG kappa band. Hematological findings have remained unchanged for 12 months. The first case was regarded as hypoplastic MDS with monoclonal gammopathy and the second case was MDS with smoldering myeloma. These cases were very similar with in respect to age, time of onset, clinical course, hematological findings and especially, association with M-protein. There are no reports concerning the familial incidence of MDS with M-protein. These findings supported the hypothesis that an initial event selects a clone of stem cells which retain the capability to differentiate into mature myeloid and lymphoid cells, in these cases B-cells.