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Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are a novel class of porous materials composed of metal ions and imidazole linkers. Here we focus on core-shell particles, where ZIF-67 core particles are covered with ZIF-8 shells (ZIF-67@ZIF-8). However, the synthesis of ZIF-67@ZIF-8 is generally difficult because the nucleation rate of ZIF-8 is so high that self-nucleation is unavoidable. In this study, we propose the following two approaches to overcome this challenge: (1) decreasing the nucleation rate by changing the water to methanol ratio used as solvents; and (2) intensifying the mixing during the synthesis by using a microreactor. Our experiments demonstrated that an increase in the water ratio suppresses the self-nucleation of the ZIF-8 particles, whereas surfaces of the resultant ZIF-67@ZIF-8 particles become irregular. The ZIF-67@ZIF-8 particles with uneven surfaces experienced an approximately 14% decrease in the adsorption amount as compared with that of the ZIF-67 particles. In contrast, the microreactor successfully produced ZIF-67@ZIF-8 particles with a smooth surface and high surface area. Our study revealed that intensive mixing is key to obtain uniform core-shell particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luliconazole (LLCZ), an imidazole derivative with a broad spectrum of potent antifungal activity especially for T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes, is under development as a new drug for treatment of tinea unguium. It is well known that curative effect of an antifungal agent in dermatophytosis is affected by the pharmacokinetics of an agent at the infection loci as well as its antifungal activity, but there is no report about the affinity of LLCZ to nail keratin. We studied LLCZ affinity to keratin powder prepared from healthy human nail and porcine hoof. The LLCZ adsorbed to keratin preparations was washed with phosphate buffer, and its concentration in the buffer supernatant was measured by HPLC. Antifungal titer of the supernatant was also biologically confirmed by disk diffusion assay. Adsorption rate of LLCZ was 80% or more, and LLCZ was gradually liberated into washing buffer. Cumulative liberation rate in 10 times repeated washing against initially adsorbed drug amount was 47.4% for keratin from human nail and was either 52.5% or 50.8% (depending on the LLCZ concentration) for keratin from porcine hoof. The supernatant showed antifungal potential to T. rubrum. These results indicate that LLCZ applied to the nail surface is fully adsorbed to nail keratin and gradually liberated from it. The nail keratin could function as drug reservoir to supply biologically active LLCZ to the nail tissue region of infection loci. The LLCZ delivered to the loci would exert its antifungal potential on tinea unguium. This study also suggests the versatility of porcine hoof powder as an alternative to human nail keratin preparation for non-clinical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 62-year-old female patient was diagnosed with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (WM/LPL) 8 years ago, which was resolved with rituximab (R) monotherapy. Five years ago, she experienced numbness of the lower limbs, followed by diminished lower limb muscle strength and hearing disturbance. PET-CT scans showed accumulations along the peripheral nerves of the upper and lower limbs together with clonal B lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid, thus a diagnosis of relapse with Bing-Neel syndrome (BNS). After a temporal remission by high-dose cytarabine or bendamustine plus R regimens as salvage treatments, WM/LPL recurred for the third time accompanied by gait disturbances due to muscle weakness and urinary retention. Thus, tirabrultinib was started as a subsequent therapy, which significantly improved the neurological condition together with abnormal findings of magnetic resonance imaging or cerebrospinal fluids. This case is valuable since few relapsed BNS was reported in the literature with successful tirabrutinib treatment.

We evaluated the blood pressure( BP) lowering effect and possible suppression of aortic enlargement by olmesartan (OLM) in patients with thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. In this single center prospective, forced titration study, 50 patients were registered between 2008 and 2011. After all patients received any of OLM 10, 20, and 40 mg/day as an initial dose, the dosage of OLM was titrated up to 40 mg as needed during follow-up period. Home BP (HBPs), aortic aneurysm size assessed by computed tomography (CT) scan, indices of renal function were recorded at 3- and 6-months follow-up. Depending on whether 40 mg/day of prescription was continued for more than 4 months or not, the patients were divided into 2 groups:less than 40 mg (<40 mg) and 40 mg groups. Morning HBPs tended to decrease in both groups, and the percent changes in BPs were essentially the same regardless of dosage. The absolute value of aortic diameter tended to slightly enlarge only in <40 mg group. Also in the <40 mg group, the absolute differences in aortic diameter between those at the time of study registration and each follow-up were 0.5±1.8 mm at 3-month and 1.2±2.3 mm at 6-month (p=0.047),whereas the percent changes were 0.9±3.3% and 2.2±4.5% at 3 and 6 months, respectively( p=0.058). As for 40 mg group, the absolute differences and percent changes did not reach statistically significant increase during the follow-up period. No severe renal dysfunction related to OLM 40 mg prescription was observed. Our results imply that OLM 40 mg may suppress aortic aneurysmal dilation independently of blood pressure lowering effect. Further study with larger number of sample size is warranted to assure this observation.

We developed a method of video-rate bioluminescence imaging to visualize proteins secreted from living cells. A protein of interest was fused to Gaussia luciferase (GLase), and the luminescence signals of secreted GLase with coelenterazine (luciferin) were visualized at a video-rate of 30-500 ms/frame by using a water-cooled EM-CCD camera. We established a subclonal rat INS-1E cell line, named iGL cells, stably expressing the fusion protein of insulin and GLase (Insulin-GLase). By stimulation with high glucose, 3D-cultured iGL cells showed synchronized oscillatory secretion of insulin for over 1 h, as similarly observed in an isolated rat pancreatic islet. In 2D-cultured iGL cells, the luminescence images indicated that synchronized insulin secretion was localized in intercellular spaces between cells. Further, the relative amount of insulin secretion from iGL cells was easily determined with a luminometer, and we demonstrated that cell-cell interaction of beta cells is fundamental to increase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by synchronization. Thus, iGL cells would be valuable for studying oscillatory insulin secretion and evaluating anti-diabetic drugs. Our bioluminescence imaging method with GLase could be generally used for investigating protein secretion in 2D and 3D cell culture systems.

Imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib, bosutinib, and ponatinib are tyrosine kinase inhibitors used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and target concentration intervention (TCI) are novel strategies that use concentration-controlled dosing (CCD) to attain a faster and more profound clinical response in patients with CML. The target plasma trough concentration (C 0 ) of imatinib is 1,000 ng/ml to obtain a higher major molecular response (MMR) rate. Target nilotinib and bosutinib C 0 of 900 and 62 ng/ml, respectively, are recommended to attain a better response, whereas a target ponatinib C 0 of 21.3 ng/ml has been proposed to obtain a better response and decrease the risk of adverse events, such as vascular toxicity. Approaches for these four TKIs involve the use of TCI with specific target concentrations rather than TDM with a therapeutic range. Conversely, for dasatinib, a lower C 0 of <4.33 ng/ml is the maximum toxic concentration recommended to avoid pleural effusion. Therefore, precision dosing using CCD of TKIs for CML could maximize the clinical benefit and minimize toxicity.

In metastatic breast cancer the most common metastatic site is bone. Skeletal-related events (SREs) as well as bone pain are well-known characteristics of bone metastasis. Activation of osteoclast is the most important mechanism for the progression of bone metastasis. To treat bone metastasis, not only administration of antitumor drug but also inhibition of osteoclast activity should be required. Bisphosphonates, as potent inhibitors of osteoclast function, reduce the morbidity of metastatic bone disease, decrease the prevalence of SREs, and improve control of bone pain. Molecular targeted agents which inhibit maturity and activity of osteoclast are under development, and some effectiveness has been proved in clinical trials. Long-term survival just like good control of a symptom is expected in future by using new drugs specific to bone metastasis as part of multidisciplinary approach.

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a major role in selective protein degradation and regulates various cellular events. Approval of bortezomib for the treatment of multiple myeloma validated the proteasome as an anticancer target. In order to find drug candidates targeting the ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, we paid an attention to inhibitors against three enzymes, ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2), and ubiquitin-protein ligase (E3), which are required for polyubiquitination of proteins and prerequisite to proteasome-mediated protein degradation. We succeeded in isolating various compounds with three distinct inhibitory activities against an E1 enzyme reaction, Ubc13 (E2)-Uev1A interaction, and p53-HDM2 (E3) interaction as well as the proteasome inhibitors. We also isolated new alkaloids, notoamides, from a marine-derived Aspergillus sp. Among them, notoamide B and stephacidin A contain a bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane ring in their structures. We proposed this ring is constructed from notoamide E by the intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reaction. Recently, the isolation of the antipodes of notoamides from the terrestrial Aspergillus has been reported. We propose that each enantiomer is generated by a distinct face-selective IMDA.

This review describes our recent efforts in the development of acid-base organocatalysts, (S)-3-(N-isopropyl-N-3-pyridinylaminomethyl) BINOL (6a) and (S)-3-[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl] BINOL (13a), with dual activation mechanism for the aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (aza-MBH) reaction. In these catalysts, chiral Brønsted acid units are connected with a Lewis base unit via a spacer. The acid-base moieties act cooperatively as an enzyme-mimetic catalyst to activate substrates in the carbon-carbon bond forming reaction between enones and N-tosylimines with high enantioselectivity.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bone is reduced, leading to an increase in fragility fractures. Osteoporosis is a major health threat affecting more than 10 million people in Japan. Emerging evidence has shown that anti-resorptive drugs such as bisphosphonates and raloxifene efficiently increase bone mass and prevent osteoporotic fractures by maintaining bone homeostasis. In addition, anabolic drugs such as parathyroid hormone and novel anti-resorptive drugs such as anti-RANKL drugs and cathepsin K inhibitors, which directly target osteoclasts are under development. In this review, we would like to summarize the current status of the development of anti-osteoporotic drugs.

Bisphosphonates are widely used, though gastrointestinal tolerance is a problem on daily administration. Intermittent regimen, from once weekly to once yearly, is now available in overseas and can overcome GI adverse events. New generation of anti-resorptive agents (anti-RANKL antibody and a new SERM, bazedoxifene) are promising and will be soon available for the treatment of osteoporosis. Anabolic agents such as teriparatide and strontium ranelate have marked effects on BMD and reduction on fracture risk. While none of these options is suitable for everyone, the range of future available therapies does mean that most patients can find an intervention that is effective and acceptable.

The interactions between miglitol, an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, and six adsorbents (carbon spheres, cholestyramine, colestimide, sevelamer hydrochloride, calcium polystyrene sulfonate, and sodium polystyrene sulfonate) were investigated in vitro. Miglitol corresponding to the minimum dose and adsorbents corresponding to the maximum dose were incubated at 37 degrees C for 180 min in solutions of pH 1.2 (gastric pH condition) and pH 6.8 (enteric pH condition), with and without the presence of carbohydrates, which were added to observe the effects on food adsorption. The adsorption ratio of miglitol to carbon spheres was 13.6% and 0% in pH 1.2 solution and 86.4% and 5.0% in pH 6.8 solution without and with the presence of carbohydrates, respectively. Thus, the adsorption ratio was higher in pH 6.8 solution. Adsorption of miglitol to calcium polystyrene sulfonate was nearly the same, 15.0-21.9%, at both pH. The adsorption ratio of miglitol to sodium polystyrene sulfonate was 43.4% and 45.5%, respectively, in pH 1.2 solution without and with carbohydrates. In the pH 6.8 solutions, however, the respective adsorption ratios were low (5.2% and 11.3%). Miglitol did not adsorb to cholestyramine, sevelamer hydrochloride or colestimide under any pH condition examined. The above results suggest that miglitol adsorbs to carbon spheres and polystyrene sulfonic acid cation exchange resins. However, considering that miglitol is taken just before eating and thus exists in gastointestinal fluids together with food, and that the site of its effect is the upper small intestine, the interactions between miglitol and these adsorbents will most likely not be a problem.

The standard treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is surgery. Partial nephrectomy is often performed for treatment of small RCC. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) offers another nephron-sparing minimally invasive approach. It is most successful for tumors not larger than 3 cm in diameter. The rate of severe complications of RFA is low. Further studies are necessary to determine the long-term efficacy of RFA in RCC. Metastatic RCC is currently mainly treated with cytokine-based therapy. Transient responses and moderate survival advantages have been achieved in a subset of patients. New therapies such as targeted molecular therapies are being developed to improve efficacy and treat those patients who are resistant to systemic immunotherapy. Targeted molecular therapies include inhibition of the Raf kinase pathway, inhibition of its receptor kinases, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monoclonal antibody or the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Further clinical research will be required to develop a more effective therapy and the application of combined treatment modalities.

This review summarizes our recent findings in the syntheses of drug metabolites. The metabolites of Grepafloxacin (1) and OPC-14117 (10) were prepared from the common intermediates (5) and (21), respectively. Moreover, treatment of 10 with a model P450 system led to a benzyl alcohol derivative (11) in one step. OPC-31260 (22) was efficiently N-dealkylated using several metalloporphyrins with oxidants to afford three metabolites (23-25). In addition, I succeeded in obtaining the metabolite (23) in high yield from N-oxide (26) not only as an oxygen donor but also as a substrate, there after, in the model P450 system. Optically active metabolites of OPC-29030 (27) were prepared by enzyme-catalyzed enantioselective transesterification of racemic sulfinyl metabolites. On the other hand, a chiral 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol derivative (38a) was found to be an efficient asymmetric acylating agent for a secondary alcohol (36) which is a valuable intermediate for preparing optically active metabolites of 22. Furthermore, metabolites (45) and (47) of OPC-21268 (44) were prepared using SmI2-induced cyclization and oxidative decarboxylation with Pb(OAc)4 as key steps, respectively.

The blood flow to the kidney averages about 20% of the cardiac output and the renal circulation affects urine formation. The renal microcirculation is unique. Glomerular circulation is mainly regulated by two resistance arterioles, the afferent arteriole and the efferent arteriole. Two capillary beds are arranged in series between the arterial and venous circulation. Many experimental findings show that each arteriole has a different sensitivity to various stimuli. Moreover, several anatomic characteristics of the renal circulation display heterogeneity. Several regional differences in the renal microcirculation may subserve the excretory function of the kidney. Technological advances now permit direct observation of renal arterioles and measurements of microvascular pressure, flows and resistances. In this mini review, we introduce 1) characteristics of renal circulation, 2) techniques for study of renal microcirculation, 3) effects of angiotensin II on the renal microvasculature, and 4) future directions for the study of renal microcirculation.

We investigated the large scale synthesis of monocalcium bis [(2S)-2-benzyl-3-(cis-hexahydroisoindolin-2-ylcarbonyl) propionate] dihydrate (KAD-1229), which has a potent hypoglycemic effect, in a single reaction vessel. (2S)-2-Benzyl-3-(cis-hexahydroisoindolin-2-ylcarbonyl) propionic acid (7) was directly obtainable from (S)-2-benzylsuccinic acid (2) and cis-hexahydroisoindoline (4), without the isolation of intermediates by the method using thionyldiimidazole (9) and/or diimidazolide of the acid 2. Sequential reaction of imidazole with thionyl chloride, 2, and 4, followed by acid catalyzed hydrolysis gave amidecarboxylic acid 7 in 86% overall yield. The acid 7 was treated with 2 N NaOH, followed by the treatment with calcium chloride to give KAD-1229 in 91% yield.

We succeeded in maintaining anesthesia for artificial anus formation in rabbits using a new anesthetic technique of endothoracic anesthesia. The drug injection through a catheter, which was inserted into the endothoracic fascia at the level of the 11th thoracic vertebra, caused an unilateral anesthesia from the chest down to the lower limb. Artificial anus formation was possible by this endothoracic anesthesia with a help of medetomidine and nitrous oxide.