Novel Titanocene Y derivative with albumin affinity exhibits improved anticancer activity against platinum resistant cells

The antitumor activity of Ti(IV)-based compounds put them in the spotlight for cancer treatment in the past, but their lack of stability in vivo due to a high rate of hydrolysis has hindered their development as antitumor drugs. As a possible solution for this problem, we have reported a synthesis strategy through which we combined a titanocene fragment, a tridentate ligand, and a long aliphatic chain. This strategy allowed us to generate a titanium compound (Myr-Ti) capable of interacting with albumin, highly stable in water and with cytotoxic activity in tumor cells[1]. Following a similar strategy, now we report the synthesis of a new compound (Myr-TiY) derived from titanocene Y that shows antitumoral activity in a cisplatin resistant model with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 41-76 μM. This new compound shows high stability and a strong interaction with human serum albumin. Myr-TiY has a significant antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect on the tested cancer cells and shows potential tumor selectivity when assayed in non-tumor human epithelial cells being more selective (1.3-3.8 times) for tumor cells than cisplatin. These results lead us to think that the described synthesis strategy could be useful to generate compounds for the treatment of both cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant cancers.

New titanocene derivative with improved stability and binding ability to albumin exhibits high anticancer activity

Titanium-based therapies have emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of cancer patients, particularly those with cisplatin resistant tumors. Unfortunately, some titanium compounds show stability and solubility problems that have hindered their use in clinical practice. Here, we designed and synthesized a new titanium complex containing a titanocene fragment, a tridentate ligand to improve its stability in water, and a long aliphatic chain, designed to facilitate a non-covalent interaction with albumin, the most abundant protein in human serum. The stability and human serum albumin affinity of the resulting titanium complex was investigated by UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. Complex [TiCp₂{(OOC)₂py-O-myr}] (3) (myr = C₁₄H₂₉, py = pyridine) and its analogous [TiCp₂{(OOC)₂py-OH}] (4), lacking the aliphatic chain, showed improved stability in phosphate saline buffer compared with [TiCp₂Cl₂] (1). 3 showed a strong interaction with human serum albumin in a 1:1 stoichiometry. The cytotoxic effect of 3 was higher compared to [TiCp₂Cl₂] in tumor cell lines and showed potential tumor selectivity when assayed in non-tumor human epithelial cells. Finally, 3 showed an antiproliferative effect on cancer cells, decreasing the population in the S phase, and increasing apoptotic cells in a significant manner. All this makes the novel Ti(IV) compound 3 a firm candidate to continue further studies of its therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo.

Music Therapy in the Treatment of Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Dementia is a neurological condition characterized by deterioration in cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional functions. Pharmacological interventions are available but have limited effect in treating many of the disease's features. Several studies have proposed therapy with music as a possible strategy to slow down cognitive decline and behavioral changes associated with aging in combination with the pharmacological therapy. Objective: We performed a systematic review and subsequent meta-analysis to check whether the application of music therapy in people living with dementia has an effect on cognitive function, quality of life, and/or depressive state. Methods: The databases used were Medline, PubMed Central, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. The search was made up of all the literature until present. For the search, key terms, such as "music," "brain," "dementia," or "clinical trial," were used. Results: Finally, a total of eight studies were included. All the studies have an acceptable quality based on the score on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) scales. After meta-analysis, it was shown that the intervention with music improves cognitive function in people living with dementia, as well as quality of life after the intervention and long-term depression. Nevertheless, no evidence was shown of improvement of quality of life in long-term and short-term depression. Conclusion: Based on our results, music could be a powerful treatment strategy. However, it is necessary to develop clinical trials aimed to design standardized protocols depending on the nature or stage of dementia so that they can be applied together with current cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological therapies.

Organic loading rate effect on the acidogenesis of cheese whey: a comparison between UASB and SBR reactors

Volatile fatty acids (VFA) production and degree of acidification (DA) were investigated in the anaerobic treatment of cheese whey by comparison of two processes: a continuous process using a laboratory upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and a discontinuous process using a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The main purpose of this work was to study the organic loading rate (OLR) effect on the yield of VFA in two kinds of reactors. The predominant products in the acidogenic process in both reactors were: acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate. The maximum DA obtained was 98% in an SBR at OLR of 2.7 g COD L^-1 d^-1, and 97% in the UASB at OLR at 15.1 g COD L^-1 d^-1. The results revealed that the UASB reactor was more efficient at a medium OLR with a higher VFA yield, while with the SBR reactor, the maximum acidification was obtained at a lower OLR with changes in the VFA profile at different OLRs applied.

Descompresión endoscópica del túnel cubital, técnica y experiencia

Objetivo: Presentar la técnica de liberación endoscópica del nervio cubital en el codo así como los resultados obtenidos en nuestra experiencia.

Material y métodos: Se recogieron prospectivamente datos de 16 pacientes a los que se realizó una descompresión endoscópica del nervio cubital en el codo en un período de tres años. Se empleó la clasificación de McGowan modificada y la electromiografía para el estadiaje preoperatorio. Los resultados postoperatorios fueron evaluados mediante la clasificación de Wilson & Krout y la escala de valoración de la Clínica Mayo. En la clasificación preoperatoria un paciente (6,25%) correspondía al grado 1, 9 (56,2%) al grado 2A, 4 (25%) al grado 2B y 2 (12,5%) al grado 3.

Resultados: 6 pacientes (37,5%) presentaban resultados excelentes, 8 (50%) buen resultado y 2 (12,5%) resultados regulares o aceptables según la clasificación de Wilson & Krout. Según la escala de valoración de la Clínica Mayo,12 pacientes (75%) presentaban resultados excelentes, 3 (18,75%) buenos resultados y 1 (6,25%) resultado regular. El tiempo medio desde la cirugía hasta la reincorporación laboral fue de 36 días (rango de 17 a 52).

Conclusión: La descompresión endoscópica del nervio cubital es una técnica poco invasiva, segura, fiable y con buenos resultados.

Synergistic anti-tumor effect of 17AAG with the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 on human melanoma

Drug resistance by MAPK signaling recovery or activation of alternative signaling pathways, such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, is an important factor that limits the long-term efficacy of targeted therapies in melanoma patients. In the present study, we investigated the phospho-proteomic profile of RTKs and its correlation with downstream signaling pathways in human melanoma. We found that tyrosine kinase receptors expression correlated with the expression of pivotal downstream components of the RAS/RAF/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in melanoma cell lines and tumors. We also found high expression of HSP90 and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway proteins, 4EBP1 and AKT compared with healthy tissue and this correlated with poor overall survival of melanoma patients. The combination of the HSP90 inhibitor 17AAG with the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 showed a synergistic activity decreasing melanoma cell growth, inducing apoptosis and targeting simultaneously the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. These results demonstrate that the combination of HSP90 and PI3K/mTOR inhibitors could be an effective therapeutic strategy that target the main survival pathways in melanoma and must be considered to overcome resistance to BRAF inhibitors in melanoma patients.

Sunitinib suppress neuroblastoma growth through degradation of MYCN and inhibition of angiogenesis

Neuroblastoma, a tumor of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system, is the most common and deadly extracranial tumor of childhood. The majority of high-risk neuroblastoma exhibit amplification of the MYCN proto-oncogene and increased neoangiogenesis. Both MYCN protein stabilization and angiogenesis are regulated by signaling through receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Therefore, inhibitors of RTKs have a potential as a treatment option for high-risk neuroblastoma. We used receptor tyrosine kinase antibody arrays to profile the activity of membrane-bound RTKs in neuroblastoma and found the multi-RTK inhibitor sunitinib to tailor the activation of RTKs in neuroblastoma cells. Sunitinib inhibited several RTKs and demonstrated potent antitumor activity on neuroblastoma cells, through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Treatment with sunitinib decreased MYCN protein levels by inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling and GSK3β. This effect correlates with a decrease in VEGF secretion in neuroblastoma cells with MYCN amplification. Sunitinib significantly inhibited the growth of established, subcutaneous MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma xenografts in nude mice and demonstrated an anti-angiogenic effect in vivo with a reduction of tumor vasculature and a decrease of MYCN expression. These results suggest that sunitinib should be tested as a treatment option for high risk neuroblastoma patients.

A case control study: Testing a new technique of rehabilitation in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders using fiction films

Introduction

Fiction films offer unexplored support for rehabilitation in patients with schizophrenia and other psychoses. Schizophrenia produces deficits and distortions in perception and understanding of reality, also expressed in the perception and comprehension of films. After two years of experience “ad hoc” we have designed an experimental case-control study in order to study the effectiveness of the proposed technique compared with conventional “cinema-forum”

Methodology

20 patients treated at the Psychiatric Day Hospital in Puerta de Hierro Hospital (Majadahonda) will participate in the study. Initially, the researcher will collect information on socio-demographic and clinical data of all participants, as well as a written informed consent. There will be an initial assessment using the following instruments:

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The material used will be the 12 chapters of the first season of TV series “The Sopranos” by David Chase (2004). Specific techniques of cognitive and affective work are compared against a “cinema-forum”. For the evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed technique, it will be used a measurement tool designed specifically for the activity, which includes:

1.

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Relación entre variables subjetivas e informatizadas del movimiento espermático de morueco

En este trabajo se analizan las relaciones existentes entre las variables de movilidad espermática en eyaculados de moruecos de raza Île de France a lo largo de un año, obtenidas mediante análisis subjetivo y por el sistema informatizado ISAS® (Integrated Semen Analysis System). Los resultados muestran una fuerte asociación entre parámetros del mismo tipo, siendo el coeficiente de correlación r>0,80 (p

Abstract 3630: In vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of multi-tyrosine Kinase inhibitors in neuroblastoma

Background: Despite Neuroblastoma (NB) is a curable tumor in its early stages, high risk patients continue to have a bad prognosis and a poor survival. Tyrosine kinase receptors mediate proliferation and survival and have been associated with oncogenic transformation in many human tumour types including NB. Sorafenib and sunitinib are two multityrosine kinase inhibitors that have shown antitumor activity in some solid tumours, like renal cell carcinoma. Evaluation of approved multi TK inhibitors in NB is a main goal in order to identify novel therapeutic options of treatment.

Methods: Here, we tested the antitumor activity of sorafenib and sunitinib, two multityrosine kinase inhibitors, in NB cell lines and in an animal model. To this end, we have used cancer cell lines and an in vivo xenografted mouse model. MTT proliferation, apoptosis assays, immunohistochemical analysis, and biochemical experiments were performed to investigate the molecular bases of the action of both compounds, of sunitinib alone, or of sunitinib in combination with standard chemotherapy.

Results: Using a representative panel of NB cell lines, we report that sunitinib exhibits a potent antitumor activity in vitro (IC50 0.8-2.6 µM) and a better growth inhibition profile compared with sorafenib (IC50 0.5-5.2 µM). Sunitinib also shows a high therapeutic index, when tested in non-transformed cells, and is synergic at very low doses (0.1 µM) with chemotherapies used for the treatment of NB tumors. Mechanistically sunitinib inhibits several tyrosine kinase receptor proteins and the downstream PI3-AKT pathway. Administration of sunitinib to NB cells induces cell cycle arrest and stimulates apoptosis. In vivo xenograft studies revealed a significant antitumor activity of sunitinib compared with the control group in two types of cell lines (SH-SY5Y, P=0.02 and SK-N-BE, P=0.08). Sunitinib demonstrated an anti-angiogenic effect in vivo with a reduction of markers associated with angiogenesis (e.g. factor VIII).

Conclusion: These results demonstrate the antitumor activity of sunitinib in NB tumors and support their further development in clinical studies alone or in combination with chemotherapy.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3630.

Intussusception in children: current concepts in diagnosis and enema reduction

Intussusception cannot be reliably ruled out with clinical examination and plain radiography. However, a contrast material enema study and ultrasonography (US) allow definitive diagnosis of intussusception. The components of an intussusception produce characteristic appearances on US scans. These appearances include the multiple concentric ring sign and crescent-in-doughnut sign on axial scans and the sandwich sign and hayfork sign on longitudinal scans. Indicators of ischemia and irreducibility are trapped fluid at US and absence of blood flow at Doppler imaging. The aim of enema therapy is to reduce the greatest number of intussusceptions without producing perforation. Barium, water-soluble contrast media, water, electrolyte solutions, or air may be used with radiographic or US guidance. The differences in reduction and perforation rates between the various types of enemas are probably due more to perforations that occurred before enema therapy and the pressure exerted within the colon than to the contrast material used. The pressure within the colon is more constant with hydrostatic reduction than with air reduction; this fact may explain the lower risk of perforation with hydrostatic reduction. Radiation exposure is lower with air enema therapy than with barium enema therapy and is absent in US-guided enema therapy.