Anti-TNF-α Therapy for Refractory Uveitis Associated with Behçet's Syndrome and Sarcoidosis: A Single Center Study of 131 Patients.

Purpose: The efficacy of infliximab (IFX) and adalimumab (ADA) for treating Behçet's syndrome (BS) and sarcoidosis has not been compared adequately.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients with uveitis diagnosed at Tokyo Medical University Hospital and compared the efficacy of IFX and ADA for BS and the efficacy of ADA for sarcoidosis and BS.

Results: 68 patients in IFX group and 63 patients in ADA group were analyzed.

An unusual case of Behcet disease with posterior scleritis: A case report.

Rationale: Posterior scleritis is an ocular inflammatory disorder that can be associated with both infectious and non-infectious immune reactions. Behcet disease is a chronic, relapsing, multisystemic inflammatory disorder with uveitis. There are no reported cases of posterior scleritis with Bechet disease.

Clinical features of anterior uveitis caused by three different herpes viruses.

Purpose: To compare the clinical findings in patients with anterior uveitis (AU) caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical profiles of HSV-AU (14 patients), VZV sine herpete (ZSH-AU: 21 patients), and CMV-AU (17 patients) diagnosed by the detection of corresponding viral DNA in aqueous humor samples by polymerase chain reaction. Further, five patients with Posner-Schlossman (P-S) syndrome were selected as controls for CMV-AU.

The structure of a new cardenolide diglycoside and the biological activities of eleven cardenolide diglycosides from Nerium oleander.

A new cardenolide diglycoside (1) was isolated from Nerium oleander together with ten known cardenolide diglycosides 2-11. The structure of compound 1 was established on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of compounds 1-11 was examined on the basis of inhibitory activity against the induction of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1).

[Pars plana vitrectomy in patients with acute retinal necrosis syndrome: surgical results in 52 patients].

Purpose: To analyze results of pars plana vitrectomy for acute retinal necrosis (ARN) syndrome.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 52 eyes with ARN syndrome who underwent pars plana vitrectomy at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital from 1989 to 2007. The mean age was 50.

Immune responses to interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein and S-antigen in Behcet's patients with uveitis.

Purpose: Immune responses to retina-specific autoantigens, including S antigen (S-Ag) and interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP), have been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of human uveitis, including Behçet's disease (BD). In this study, the authors examined whether immune responses to IRBP and S-Ag in BD patients can be characterized by cytokine production profiles.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from BD patients with uveitis and healthy controls, and each sample was cultured with IRBP, S-Ag, or purified protein derivative (PPD).

Biphenylene-substituted ruthenocenylphosphine for Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of sterically hindered aryl bromides.

A highly general, active, and stable catalytic system was realized in the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura reactions of sterically hindered aryl bromides with arylboronic acids using biphenylene-substituted di-tert-butylruthenocenylphosphine (R-Phos) as a supporting ligand.

Biphenylene-substituted ruthenocenylphosphine for Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of aryl chlorides.

High activity in the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura reactions of aryl chlorides with arylboronic acids was furnished using biphenylene-substituted di- tert-butylruthenocenylphosphine (R-Phos) as a supporting ligand. Substrate combinations even for the construction of highly hindered tetra- ortho-substituted biaryls can be achieved in good to excellent yields with low catalyst loadings in short reaction times.

Bid truncation mediated by caspases-3 and -9 in vinorelbine-induced apoptosis.

Vinorelbine is a chemotherapeutic vinca alkaloid clinically prescribed for non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer. Here we studied the mechanism for vinorelbine-induced apoptosis in a human T-cell lymphoma. Although vinorelbine induces DNA fragmentation that is inhibited by specific peptide inhibitors for caspases-9 and -3 in Jurkat cells, caspase-8 deficiency retards vinorelbine-induced apoptosis.

Bioactive triterpene saponins from the roots of Phytolacca americana.

Five new triterpene saponins named phytolaccasaponins N-1 (1), N-2 (2), N-3 (3) N-4 (4), and N-5 (5) were isolated from the roots of Phytolacca americana together with seven known triterpene saponins (6-12). The structures of the five new saponins were established as shown in structures 1-5 on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The MDR-reversal activity of 1-12 was evaluated on the basis of the amount of calcein accumulated in MDR human ovarian cancer 2780 AD cells in the presence of each compound.

Molecular and Serological Characterization of Cucumber mottle virus, a New Cucurbit-Infecting Tobamo-like Virus.

A new tobamo-like virus was isolated from a greenhouse-grown cucumber that showed severe mosaic distortion on leaves and fruit, in the southern part of Japan. The virus was tentatively designated Cucumber mottle virus (CuMoV) and further characterized. The size and antigenicity of the coat protein (CP) and the complete sequence of the genome were compared with those of the known cucurbit-infecting tobamoviruses: the W and SH strains of Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), the C and Y strains of Kyuri green mottle mosaic virus (KGMMV), Cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus (CFMMV), and Zucchini green mottle mosaic virus (ZGMMV).

A case of hypertensive keratouveitis with endotheliitis associated with cytomegalovirus.

Aim: While cytomegalovirus is well known as a pathogenic organism of retinitis, especially associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection, there are few reports of anterior uveitis associated with cytomegalovirus.

Methods: The authors present a case of keratouveitis associated with cytomegalovirus.

Results: A 70-year-old Japanese man was referred to the authors because of poorly controlled hypertensive keratouveitis in the left eye.

Circulating neutrophils in Behçet disease is resistant for apoptotic cell death in the remission phase of uveitis.

Background: Behçet disease (BD) is manifested by recurrent acute iridocyclitis with hypopyon in the active phase, which regresses spontaneously. Hypopyon consists of inflammatory cells infiltrating the eye, with polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) as the main component. The present study was conducted to investigate the apoptosis property of PMNs in BD patients with uveitis.

Bioactive cardenolides from the stems and twigs of Nerium oleander.

Four new cardenolide monoglycosides, cardenolides N-1 (1), N-2 (2), N-3 (3), and N-4 (4), were isolated from Nerium oleander, together with two known cardenolides, 5 and 12, and seven cardenolide monoglycosides, 6-11 and 13. The structures of compounds 1-4 were established on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of compounds 1-13 was examined on the basis of inhibitory activity against the induction of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1).

Bioactive polyketides from Peperomia duclouxii.

Four new compounds (1-4) were isolated along with 16 known compounds from whole plants of Peperomia duclouxii. The new structures were elucidated as 4-hydroxy-2-[(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)nonanoyl]cyclohexane-1,3-dione (1), 4-hydroxy-2-[(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)undecanoyl]cyclohexane-1,3-dione (2), 4-hydroxy-2-[(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)tridecanoyl]cyclohexane-1,3-dione (3), and 2-[(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)dodecyl]-4-hydroxy-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-1-benzopyran-5-one (4), by analysis of their spectroscopic data. The known polyketides, surinone A and oleiferinone, showed cell growth inhibitory activity against the WI-38, VA-13, and HepG2 cell lines with IC50 values that ranged from 4.

Bioactive lignans from Peperomia duclouxii.

Six new lignans (1-6), along with 14 known compounds, were obtained from Peperomia duclouxii. The new structures were elucidated mainly by the analysis of their NMR and MS data. The absolute configurations of 1-6 were determined by comparing their optical rotations or CD spectra with those of known compounds.

Fracture of Ni-Ti superelastic alloy under sustained tensile load in physiological saline solution containing hydrogen peroxide.

The fracture of Ni-Ti superelastic alloy has been investigated by a sustained tensile-loading test in physiological saline solution containing hydrogen peroxide (0.15M NaCl + 0.3M H(2)O(2)).

Bioactive guaianolides from siyekucai (Ixeris chinensis).

Two new guaianolides, named chinensiolides D (5) and E (6), were isolated from Ixeris chinensis Nakai, and their structures were determined to be 10alpha-hydroxy-3-oxoguaia-11(13)-eno-12,6alpha-lactone (5) and 10alpha-hydroxy-3beta-O-[2,6-di(p-hydroxyphenylacetyl)-beta-glucopylanosyl]guaia-4(15),11(13)-dieno-12,6alpha-lactone (6). The first isolation of (11S)-10alpha-hydroxy-3-oxoguaia-4-eno-12,6alpha-lactone (4) from natural sources and its characterization are also reported. Chinenciolide E (6) showed significant growth inhibitory activity toward VA-13 malignant lung tumor cells (IC50 = 0.