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A rhodium-based multicomponent catalytic system for well-controlled living polymerization of phenylacetylenes has been developed. The catalytic system is composed of readily available and bench-stable [Rh(nbd)Cl]2 , aryl boronic acid derivatives, diphenylacetylene, 50 % aqueous KOH, and PPh3 . This system offers a method for the facile and versatile synthesis of various end-functionalized cis-stereoregular poly(phenylacetylene)s because components from aryl boronic acids and diphenylacetylene were introduced to the initiating end of the polymers. The polymerization reaction shows a typical living nature with a high initiation efficiency, and the molecular weight of the resulting poly(phenylacetylene)s can be readily controlled with very narrow molecular-weight distributions (Mw /Mn =1.02-1.09). The experimental results suggest that the present catalytic system has a higher polymerization activity than the polymerization activities of other rhodium-based catalytic systems previously reported.

This case report concerns a hemodialysis patient with arrhythmia. A 71-year-old man had undergone hemodiafiltration (HDF) for 17 years for the treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis. Because of repeated heart failure and chronic atrial fibrillation, he could not continue receiving standard hemodialysis, which is hemodialysis using bicarbonate dialysate including a small amount of acetate. Neither elevating the sodium concentration of the dialysate nor changing the HDF modality was effective. Acetate-free biofiltration (AFB) was initiated and this treatment dramatically ameliorated the patient's intradialytic acute hypotension and arrhythmia. The patient's quality of life subsequently improved and his scores on the Short-form 36 questionnaire (a measure of quality of life) increased. AFB is an HDF technique based on the continuous postdilution infusion of a sterile isotonic bicarbonate solution. Previous studies have reported that acetate induces chemical cytokines and vasodilator substances. AFB may be effective for preventing acute hypotension and arrhythmia during dialysis and may improve quality of life, including mental status.

Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenously administered theophylline (IAT) for the treatment of an acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. The theophylline was solubilized and not combined with ethylenediamine. Methodology: The subjects were 22 asthmatic patients with mild acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. All patients had been taking oral sustained-release theophylline and their serum concentrations of theophylline were measured. The 16 patients whose serum theophylline concentrations were

The carbomagnesiation reaction proceeds on only one triple bond for both symmetrical and unsymmetrical diynes.

Rat p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cDNA was isolated from rat kidney cDNA library using a PCR cloning strategy. The deduced amino acid sequence consists of 360 amino acids and shares 95.3% similarity with human p38 MAP kinase. The message for rat p38 MAP kinase was about 3.4 kilobases and was highly expressed in the kidney. In water-deprived rat kidneys, the steady-state levels of p38 MAP kinase mRNA increased about 2.7-fold as compared with those of control rats. This result suggests that p38 MAP kinase may play an important role in the osmoregulation in the kidney.

Diarylalkynes are chemo- and stereoselectively hydromagnesiated in high yields at room temperature with an iron species generated in situ from FeCl2and EtMgBr. Functional groups such as bromide, iodide, amine, phenoxide, and alkene are well tolerated. Under similar conditions, diynes are chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectively hydromagnesiated. The resulting alkenylmagnesium compounds are a platform for further functionalization as a one-pot reaction.

The major sphingolipid metabolite, sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P), has important biological functions. S1P serves as a ligand for a family of five G‐protein‐coupled receptors with distinct signaling pathways regulating important biological pathways. S1P induces renal fibrosis through an inflammatory pathway. However, its direct fibrosis‐inducing effect on the kidney has not been shown. The role of S1P as a direct mediator of renal fibrosis was investigated in normal rat kidney interstitial fibroblast (NRK‐49F) cells (in vitro) and kidneys of a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model (in vivo). To clarify the role of S1P in renal fibrosis, we adopted nude UUO mice with immune response deficits. NRK‐49F cells were stimulated with various concentrations of exogenous S1P and FTY720 (a S1P receptor agonist) or N,N‐dimethylsphingosine (DMS; a sphingosine kinase inhibitor). C57BL6 and nude UUO mice were pretreated with FTY720, DMS, or saline. Expression levels of alpha‐smooth muscle actin (a‐SMA), E‐cadherin, collagen type 1 (COL1), collagen type 4 (COL4), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (TIMP1), and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI1) were examined. S1P stimulated fibrosis in NRK‐49F cells and UUO mice. Increased a‐SMA, COL1, COL4, TIMP1, and PAI1 and decreased E‐cadherin expression levels were observed in both the S1P‐stimulated cells and UUO mice. Nude UUO mouse kidneys expressed fibrotic markers. Fibrotic changes were successfully induced in both UUO and nude UUO mice, evident through prominent fibronectin and COL1 staining. These S1P‐induced fibrotic changes were suppressed by FTY720 and DMS both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, S1P essentially and directly mediates renal fibrosis., Sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (S1P) stimulated fibrosis both in vitro and in vivo. Fibrotic changes were successfully induced in both unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and nude mice with UUO. These results suggest that S1P is a pivotal fibrotic mediator in renal fibrosis that acts, in part, through direct fibrotic effects.