Nanoparticles carrying fingolimod and methotrexate enables targeted induction of apoptosis and immobilization of invasive thyroid cancer

Metastatic tumors are the main cause of cancer-related death, as the invading cancer cells disrupt normal functions of distant organs and are nearly impossible to eradicate by traditional cancer therapeutics. This is of special concern when the cancer has created multiple metastases and extensive surgery would be too dangerous to execute. Therefore, combination chemotherapy is often the selected treatment form. However, drug cocktails often have severe adverse effects on healthy cells, whereby the development of targeted drug delivery could minimize side-effects of drugs and increase the efficacy of the combination therapy. In this study, we utilized the folate antagonist methotrexate (MTX) as targeting ligand conjugated onto mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for selective eradication of folate receptor-expressing invasive thyroid cancer cells. The MSNs was subsequently loaded with the drug fingolimod (FTY720), which has previously been shown to efficiently inhibit proliferation and invasion of aggressive thyroid cancer cells. To assess the efficiency of our carrier system, comprehensive in vitro methods were employed; including flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, viability assays, invasion assay, and label-free imaging techniques. The in vitro results show that MTX-conjugated and FTY720-loaded MSNs potently attenuated both the proliferation and invasion of the cancerous thyroid cells while keeping the off-target effects in normal thyroid cells reasonably low. For a more physiologically relevant in vivo approach we utilized the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, showing decreased invasive behavior of the thyroid derived xenografts and an increased necrotic phenotype compared to tumors that received the free drug cocktail. Thus, the developed multidrug-loaded MSNs effectively induced apoptosis and immobilization of invasive thyroid cancer cells, and could potentially be used as a carrier system for targeted drug delivery for the treatment of diverse forms of aggressive cancers that expresses folate receptors.

Hydrolysis and composition of recovered fibres fractionated from solid recovered fuel

Fibres fractionated from solid recovered fuel (SRF), a standardised market combustion fuel produced from sorted waste, were considered as a source of lignocellulosic fermentable sugars. The fibre yield from four samples of SRF was 25-45%, and the separated material consisted of 52-54% carbohydrates, mainly glucan, with a high content of ash (12-17%). The enzymatic digestibility of recovered fibres was studied at low and high solids loading and compared with model substrates containing only chemical and mechanical pulps. Above 80% hydrolysis yield was reached at 20% solids loading in 48 h, but variation was observed between different samples of recovered fibres. Surfactants were found to improve the hydrolysis yield of recovered fibres especially in tumbling-type of mixing at low solids loading, where hydrolysis was found to stagnate without surfactants. The results suggest that SRF is a potential source of easily digestible lignocellulosic carbohydrates for use in biorefineries.

Serum amino acid concentrations in aging men and women

The age and gender related differences in serum amino acid concentrations have been assessed in 72 (23-92 years) medically screened healthy men and women who were divided into three male and three female groups according to age. Free-time physical activity and food intake were analysed from the 5-day diaries. The subjects were instructed to eat according to their normal dietary habits and to avoid any clinical complementary nutritional products or other products that could increase protein or energy intake. The blood samples (5 ml) taken from the antecubital vein after an over-night fast were analysed for their amino acid contents by chromatography. In total nutrient intake of energy (P < 0.001), protein (P < 0.001), alcohol (P < 0.05), water (P < 0.01), sodium (P < 0.001) and fiber P < 0.001) decreased significantly with age. The concentration of total amino acids (P < 0.01), essential amino acids (P < 0.001), non-essential amino acids (P < 0.05) and branched-chain amino acids (P < 0.05) decreased, whereas citrulline (P < 0.001) and cysteine (P < 0.001) were the only amino acids, which increased with aging. In addition, men had significantly higher concentrations than women of essential amino acids (P < 0.001), branched-chain amino acids (P < 0.001), and 10 of the 22 individual amino acids assayed (P < 0.01). Women had significantly higher concentrations of aspartate (P < 0.05), glycine (P < 0.01), serine (P < 0.001) and taurine (P < 0.01) than men. It is concluded that the decrease in serum total amino acid concentration is associated with decreased energy and protein intake with aging and men have higher essential amino acid concentration in serum than women.

Importance of anatomical reduction for subjective recovery after ankle fracture

237 patients with ankle fractures treated during 1977 were evaluated with the object of studying the treatment results and the factors influencing the results. About one half of the patients were treated conservatively and the other half operatively. The type of treatment was determined by the type of injury; hence the milder injuries were usually treated conservatively and the more severe cases operatively. A good radiological primary result was obtained in 82 per cent of the malleoli with operative treatment and in 34 per cent with conservative treatment. The evaluation of the end-result was based on a questionnaire study made 1.5-2.5 years after the accident. All those employed before their injuries had returned to their previous occupations. 27 per cent of the patients responded that they had recovered completely. The subjective end-result was found to correlate with the radiological result at the end of the treatment, but not with the type of injury, the type of treatment, or the patient's age.