Proguanil Suppresses Breast Tumor Growth In Vitro and In Vivo by Inducing Apoptosis via Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Breast cancer, ranking as the second leading cause of female cancer-related deaths in the U.S., demands the exploration of innovative treatments. Repurposing FDA-approved drugs emerges as an expedited and cost-effective strategy. Our study centered on proguanil, an antimalarial drug, reveals notable anti-proliferative effects on diverse breast cancer cell lines, including those derived from patients. Proguanil-induced apoptosis was associated with a substantial increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, leading to reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, respiration, and ATP production. Proguanil treatment upregulated apoptotic markers (Bax, p-H2AX, cleaved-caspase 3, 9, cleaved PARP) and downregulated anti-apoptotic proteins (bcl-2, survivin) in breast cancer cell lines. In female Balb/c mice implanted with 4T1 breast tumors, daily oral administration of 20 mg/kg proguanil suppressed tumor enlargement by 55%. Western blot analyses of proguanil-treated tumors supported the in vitro findings, demonstrating increased levels of p-H2AX, Bax, c-PARP, and c-caspase3 as compared to controls. Our results collectively highlight proguanil's anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo in breast cancer, prompting further consideration for clinical investigations.

Essential Oil Disinfectant Efficacy Against SARS-CoV-2 Microbial Surrogates

Reports of COVID-19 cases potentially attributed to fomite transmission led to the extensive use of various disinfectants to control viral spread. Alternative disinfectants, such as essential oils, have emerged as a potential antimicrobial. Four essential oil blends were tested on three different surfaces inoculated with a coronavirus surrogate, bacteriophage Phi 6, and a bacterial indicator, Staphylococcus aureus. Log10 concentration reductions were analyzed using GraphPad Prism software. Data collected in this study show that the application of dilute essential oil disinfectants using a spray delivery device is an effective way to reduce concentrations of bacterial and viral microorganisms on ceramic, stainless steel, and laminate surfaces. Surrogate viruses were reduced up to 6 log10 PFU and bacterial were reduced up to 4 log10 CFU. Although surfaces are no longer considered a high risk fomite for COVID-19 transmission, the disinfection of microorganisms on surfaces remains an important consideration for high touch areas in hospitals, waiting rooms, etc. The application of spray disinfectants, based on essential oil blends, provides a rapid and effective means to reduce microbial contamination on high-touched surfaces.

Risk characterization for mercury, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and polychlorinated biphenyls associated with fish consumption in Serbia

The aim of this work was to assess the risk due to mercury (Hg), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (ndl PCBs) intake via fish consumption in Serbia. We have developed 24 scenarios using four concentration levels (mean, maximum, 50th and 95th percentile) of contaminants, determined in 521 samples of fish products available on Serbian market; two consumption levels (Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization data and recommendation of American Heart Association); and three body weights (5th, 50th and 95th percentile). All the values concerning the intake of DDT are below the corresponding health based guidance value. Calculated weekly intake of Hg using maximal concentration, intake of 340g/week and 5th percentile of body weight exceeded the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). When maximal and 95th percentile concentration of ndl PCBs was used, weekly intakes exceeded a "guidance value" with one exception i.e., when 95th percentile of concentration along with 95th percentile of body weight were used. Concerning Hg and ndl PCBs, when extreme concentrations were used, HIs exceeded the value of 1, indicating that fish and fishery products may pose a threat to consumer's health.

Conventional microsurgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms: state of the art with the use of the selective extradural anterior clinoidectomy SEAC

Surgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms is considered to be difficult due to their complicated anatomical location in the vicinity of important neural, vascular and bony structures. We present our clinical experience of the past 10 years of conventional microsurgical treatment of 81 paraclinoid aneurysms in 75 patients with the use of selective extradural anterior clinoidectomy SEAC and discuss the method of therapy option by reviewing recent reports on results of endovascular coiling method and the combination of these with conventional microsurgical therapy. The favorable surgical results with the use of SEAC and no recurrence of the treated aneurysm after clipping procedure in our series indicate that direct surgery can still be a standard technique for paraclinoid aneurysms in view of the fact that the endovascular aneurysm coiling methods are still associated with a considerable percentage of incomplete occlusion and present the problem of coil packing.

Three cases of AVM at eloquent areas finally treated with conventional microsurgical method

Three special cases of AVM finally treated with conventional microsurgical method are presented. Two cases of medium sized AVMs were located at the central region, one of them was primarily treated with Gamma-knife followed by endovascular embolization having been complicated with growing cyst formation followed ultimately by microsurgical removal. The AVM of another case was embolized three times, followed by removal of the residual nidus under awake surgery. The third AVM located at the hypothalamus in the vicinity of the optic nerve was considered unsuitable for embolization and Gamma-knife therapy, and therefore removed by microsurgery using special approaches after a trial of embolization. In terms of microsurgical removal, preoperative embolization, embolization material, awake surgery and selection of special approaches are discussed.

Supracerebellar transtentorial approach to posterior temporomedial structures

The supracerebellar transtentorial (SCTT) approach, a modification of the infratentorial supracerebellar approach, facilitates simple and minimally invasive access to posterior temporomedial structures without requiring retraction of the temporal or occipital lobe. The SCTT approach was used in 16 patients over a 3-year period. Eleven patients harbored tumors confined to, or located mainly within, the posterior hippocampal formation, three patients harbored aneurysms (one ruptured posterior cerebral artery [PCA] aneurysm at the P2-P3 junction, one ruptured giant PCA [P2] aneurysm, and one giant basilar artery-superior cerebellar artery aneurysm), one patient had juvenile-type moyamoya disease, and one patient suffered from medically intractable epilepsy. In these patients, the SCTT approach enabled tumor removal, aneurysm clipping, and vascular bypass procedures. The authors' experience suggests that this approach can be used routinely in treating lesions in the posterior temporomedial region.

Posterior circulation aneurysms. Technical strategies based on angiographic anatomical findings and the results of 60 recent consecutive cases

Ninety-eight patients with aneurysms of the posterior circulation were admitted to our department from 1993 to 1997. Sixty of them underwent microsurgical treatment, mostly in the acute stage of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Peri- and intraoperative management were carried out according to a structured treatment strategy. Special aspects of surgical technique included extradural selective anterior clinoidectomy for basilar head aneurysms, lateral suboccipital craniotomy and partial condylectomy without laminectomy for aneurysms of the vertebral artery or posterior inferior cerebellar artery, and a trans-Sylvian approach, as used in selective amygdalohippocampectomy, for aneurysms of the posterior cerebral artery. A careful angiographic evaluation of the aneurysms in relation to the neighboring important arteries and bony structures was essential for optimal surgical planning. Forty-nine patients (82%) made a good recovery by 3 months after surgery. The mortality was 7%.

Total removal of craniopharyngiomas. Approaches and long-term results in 144 patients

The clinical features, perioperative course, and postoperative outcomes of 144 patients who underwent microsurgical resection of craniopharyngioma were reviewed. Overall, 90% of the tumors were completely resected and 7% recurred. Evaluation of those patients who underwent primary resection revealed much better results. The operative techniques and approaches are reviewed in detail. The results of this series suggest that primary total removal of craniopharyngiomas yields the best long-term outcome for the patient. Experience has shown that the larger the tumor the greater will be the damage, both preoperatively and intraoperatively, to vital intracranial structures. Consequently, early diagnosis, at a stage when the tumor is still small, improves the chances of accomplishing complete removal and of achieving good operative results. The early diagnosis of craniopharyngioma, before it can produce devastating neurological defects, continues to be the principal goal of our medical and pediatric colleagues.

Auditory brain stem responses in patients with posterior fossa tumors

Twenty patients suffering from space-occupying lesions of the posterior fossa were investigated with the help of brain stem auditory evoked potentials. The results were compared with the findings of computerized tomography (CT) and with the operative findings. In large cerebellopontine angle tumors, there was severe attenuation of all components ipsilateral to the lesion, which may or may not include wave I. In patients with intrinsic pontine tumors, severe degradation of the components subsequent to wave III was found. In cerebellar tumors, caudal distortion of the brain stem seems to cause an increase of the interpeak separation of III-V, whereas rostral compression did not alter the responses. No consistent pattern appears to be recorded in extrinsic brain stem tumors. In only 2 of 8 patients in whom postoperative observations were made did the postoperative responses parallel the overall clinical course of the early postoperative period.