Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Mol Graph Model 2018 Nov 29;87:89-97. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address:

New therapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis are desirable, since the treatment against disease presents problems, such as the toxicity, high cost and/or parasite resistance. As consequence, new antileishmanial compounds are necessary to be identified, as presenting high activity against Leishmania, but low toxicity in mammalian hosts. In the present study, a Leishmania proteome mining strategy was developed, in order to select new drug targets with low homology to human proteins, but that are considered relevant for the parasite' survival. Read More

Eur J Med Chem 2018 Nov 28;163:207-214. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Neurosurgery, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan. Electronic address:

Ischemia-reperfusion injuries produce reactive oxygen species that promote the peroxide lipid oxidation process resulting in the production of an endogenic lipid peroxide, 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (4-HNE), a highly cytotoxic aldehyde that induces cell death. We synthesized a novel 4-HNE scavenger - a carnosine-hydrazide derivative, l-carnosine hydrazide (CNN) - and examined its neuroprotective effect in a model of transient ischemia. PC-12 cells were pre-incubated with various doses (0-50 mmol/L) of CNN for 30 min, followed by incubation with 4-HNE (250 μM). Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2018 Dec 3;170:47-54. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Key laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance (Ministry of Education) & School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China. Electronic address:

Because the application of Bisphenol A (BPA) was restricted, many substitutes, such as Bisphenol F (BPF) and Bisphenol S (BPS), were developed as BPA substitutes. Therefore, environmental impacts of BPA and its substitutes on aquatic organisms should be concerned, especially their combined toxicity. In this study, the impacts of BPA, BPF, BPS and their mixture on the feeding behavior, reproduction and physiological function of daphnids were synthetically evaluated, involving the duration and mode of exposure. Read More

Aquat Toxicol 2018 Nov 27;207:52-62. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Ulica cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia. Electronic address:

This paper aims to evaluate the effects of a product containing colloidal silver in the aquatic environment, using duckweed Lemna gibba as a model plant. Therefore, growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments content and protein content as physiological indices were evaluated. Changes in the content of non-enzymatic antioxidants and activity of several antioxidant enzymes, alongside with the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation end-products were assessed to explore the potential of colloidal silver to induce oxidative stress. Read More

J Inorg Biochem 2018 Nov 28;191:135-142. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Environmental Ecology, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province 224007, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

In this work, we designed polysaccharide-metal complex of dopamine-modified pectin linking ruthenium compound, which exhibited a certain inhibition specificity to human renal cell adenocarcinoma cell line 786-O. The chemical structure and physical properties of the polysaccharide-metal complex were well characterized by multiple analysis methods. The multi-spectral results revealed that pectin-dopamine have been successfully coordinated by ruthenium complex to form nano-conjugates, which self-assembled into relatively regular nanospheres of approximately 200 nm. Read More

Int J Biol Macromol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

University of Sfax Tunisia, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems, Ecology and Planktonology, Unit UR 11 ES 72/Street of Soukra Km 3,5, B.P. 1171, CP 3000 Sfax, Tunisia.

Periploca angustifolia has numerous biological properties and also used against various diseases. In our study, this plant has been used for biotechnological production of polysaccharides. The prevention action of polysaccharides isolated from P. Read More

Int J Biol Macromol 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Laboratory of Enzyme engineering and Microbiology, National Engineering School in Sfax, University of Sfax, B.P. 1173, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia. Electronic address:

The present study aims to investigate the physicochemical and the structural features of polysaccharide isolated from the red marine macro alga Chondrus canaliculatus (C.C.P) using FT-IR, gel filtration high-pressure chromatograph, HPLC-FID and solid state C NMR analysis. Read More

Pharmacol Ther 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Medical Oncology, CAncer Research for PErsonalized Medicine (CARPEM), Paris Centre Teaching Hospitals, Paris Descartes University, USPC, Paris, France.

Body composition has gained increasing attention in oncology in recent years due to fact that sarcopenia has been revealed to be a strong prognostic indicator for survival across multiple stages and cancer types and a predictive factor for toxicity and surgery complications. Accumulating evidence over the last decade has unraveled the "pharmacology" of sarcopenia. Lean body mass may be more relevant to define drug dosing than the "classical" body surface area or flat-fixed dosing in patients with cancer. Read More

Biotechnol Adv 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China. Electronic address:

For centuries, fermented soy foods have been dietary staples in Asia and, now, in response to consumer demand, they are available throughout the world. Fermentation bestows unique flavors, boosts nutritional values and increases or adds new functional properties. In this review, we describe the functional properties and underlying action mechanisms of soy-based fermented foods such as Natto, fermented soy milk, Tempeh and soy sauce. Read More

Toxicon 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW, 2000, Australia.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a potent cyanobacterial toxin responsible for animal and human poisonings worldwide. MC-LR is found in organisms throughout the foodweb, however there is conjecture regarding whether it biomagnifies. Few studies have investigated how MC-LR interacts with lipid membranes, a determinant of biomagnification potential. Read More

Steroids 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China. Electronic address:

In this study, eighteen novel steroidal-furoxan derivatives with 3-glycosyl or 3-methoxy moiety (12a-c, 13a-c, 17a-c, 26a-c, 27a-c and 28a-c) were synthesized and their anti-proliferative activity was evaluated against eight drug-sensitive and three drug-resistant cancer cell lines HeLa, A2780, LNCaP, PC-3, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, SW480, A549, MCF-7/ADR, A2780/CDDP and A2780/T. Most of them displayed significant anti-cancer potency in vitro with IC values at the nanomole level. Among them, 3-methoxy steroidal-furoxan hybrids expressed much better activity than that of 3-glycosyl substitute ones, while estrane and 5α-H-androstane scaffold were slightly more favorable to the improvement of anti-proliferative activity. Read More

PLoS One 2018 6;13(12):e0208201. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India.

Development of antifilarial drug from the natural sources is considered as one of the most efficacious, safe, and affordable approaches. In this study, we report the antifilarial activity of a leguminous plant Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars. Read More

PLoS One 2018 6;13(12):e0207789. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelos, Mexico.

Helicoverpa armigera is a polyphagous pest sensitive to Cry1Ac protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). The susceptibility of the different larval instars of H. armigera to Cry1Ac protoxin showed a significant 45-fold reduction in late instars compared to early instars. Read More

Biomacromolecules 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Delivery of clinically approved nonfluorescent drugs is facing challenges because it is difficult to monitor the intracellular drug delivery without incorporating any integrated fluorescence moiety into the drug carrier. The present investigation reports the synthesis of a pH-responsive autofluorescent polymeric nano-scaffold for the administration of nonfluorescent aromatic nitrogen mustard chlorambucil (CBL) drug into the cancer cells. Copolymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) appended styrene and CBL conjugated N-substituted maleimide monomers enables the formation of well-defined luminescent alternating copolymer. Read More

FEBS J 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India.

Abrin, an extremely cytotoxic Type-II ribosome inactivating protein (RIP), is a potential bio-warfare agent. Abrin A-chain (ABA) depurinates an adenosine of sarcin-ricin loop (SRL) from eukaryotic 28S rRNA thereby arresting protein synthesis and leading to cell death. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) D6F10 is the only known antibody that neutralizes ABA's activity in cell-free systems as well as abrin's toxicity in vitro and in vivo. Read More

Cancer 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.

Background: Combined BRAF and MEK inhibition (BRAF-MEK) is a standard therapy for patients with BRAF V600-mutant melanoma, but to the authors' knowledge, the tolerance, adverse event (AE) profile, and efficacy have not been well defined in the post-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) setting.

Methods: Patients with BRAF V600-mutant melanoma who received combined BRAF-MEK after prior PD-1-based therapy were assembled from 4 tertiary care centers in the United States and Australia. Dose modification was defined as a treatment break, dose reduction, or intermittent dosing. Read More

Paediatr Anaesth 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Departments of Outcomes Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States.

Background: Surgical wound infiltration with local anesthetics is common as part of multimodal analgesia and enhanced recovery pathways in pediatric surgical patients. Liposomal bupivacaine can provide up to 92 hours of pain relief, and was approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration for local infiltration in adults. Read More

Toxicol Sci 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

BIOBIDE, Donostia - San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain.

The standard methods for toxicity testing using rodent models cannot keep pace with the increasing number of chemicals in our environment due to time and resource limitations. Hence, there is an unmet need for fast, sensitive and cost-effective alternate models to reliably predict toxicity. As part of Tox21 Phase III's effort, a 90-compound library was created and made available to researchers to screen for neurotoxicants using novel technology and models. Read More

Hum Mol Genet 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy.

Mutations of the SPAST gene, which encodes the microtubule-severing protein spastin, are the most common cause of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. Haploinsufficiency is the prevalent opinion as to the mechanism of the disease, but gain-of-function toxicity of the mutant proteins is another possibility. Here, we report a new transgenic mouse (termed SPASTC448Y mouse) that is not haploinsufficient but expresses human spastin bearing the HSP pathogenic C448Y mutation. Read More

J Immunother 2019 Jan;42(1):1-10

Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II.

The Tyrosine Kinase Receptor ErbB2 (HER2) when overexpressed in breast cancer (BC) is associated with poor prognosis. The monoclonal antibody Trastuzumab has become a standard treatment of ErbB2+BC. The antibody treatment has limited efficacy, often meets resistance and induces cardiotoxicity. Read More

Ther Drug Monit 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Analytical Services International (ASI), St George's-University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK.

Background: Measurement of flecainide is useful to optimize dosage and minimize risks of toxicity. Further, there is a need for urgent sample analysis when flecainide is used in transplacental therapy for fetal tachycardia. To this end, we have developed and validated a rapid assay for the measurement of flecainide in human plasma or serum, using a small sample volume (50 µL). Read More

Anticancer Drugs 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Medical Oncology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital.

The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin (TFL) as first-line treatment in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). One hundred and thirteen patients were enrolled in the study who were confirmed to have AGC by histopathology. These patients were treated with TFL: paclitaxel at a dose of 135 mg/m as a 3-h intravenous infusion on day 1, LV 400 mg/m as an intravenous infusion over 2 h on day 1, followed by 5-fluorouracil 2400 mg/m as an infusion over a 46-h period on 3 consecutive days. Read More

Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Regio Klinikum Pinneberg, Pinneberg, Germany.

Purpose Of Review: Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) are key regulatory enzymes that control cell cycle and cell division. In the recent years, new therapeutic options selectively targeting CDK 4 and 6 have shown promising clinical activity in several solid tumors. Since 2015, three CDK 4/6 inhibitors have been approved for treatment of hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer: palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib. Read More

Curr Opin Infect Dis 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Medical and infectious diseases ICU (MI2) APHP Bichat University Hospital.

Purpose Of Review: We reviewed recent data about epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii, resistance mechanisms, and therapeutic options for severe infections caused by multidrug-resistant strains.

Recent Findings: A. baumannii is a major cause of nosocomial infections affecting mainly to debilitating patients in the ICU, although the spread to regular wards and to long-term care facilities is increasing. Read More

Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Fluoro and Agrochemicals Division (Organic Chemistry Division-II), CSIR - Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, India.

Influenza remains a highly pathogenic and hardly controlled human infection. The ability of selecting drug-resistant variants necessitates the search and development of novel anti-influenza drugs. Herein, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of a series of novel 2-substituted 7,8-dihydro-6H-imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]benzothiazol-5-ones 3a-k for their virus-inhibiting activity against influenza A virus. Read More

Cell Transplant 2018 Dec 6:963689718816990. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

1 Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Discipline of Neuroscience, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Stroke is the result of blockage or rupture of blood vessels in the brain and is the leading cause of death and disability in the world. Currently only a very limited number of therapeutic approaches are available for treatment of stroke patients, and the vast majority of neuroprotective agents that tested positively in pre-clinical studies failed in clinical trials. In recent years, the clinical value of the use of exosomes for stroke treatment has received widespread attention due their unique characteristics such as low immunogenicity, low toxicity and biodegradability, ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and their important role in communication between cells. Read More

Environ Toxicol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Laboratory of Enzyme Engineering and Microbiology, National Engineering School of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.

The risk of pesticides on the human health and environment has drawn increasing attention. Today, new tools are developed to reduce pesticide adverse effects. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity induced by, thiamethoxam (TMX), and the cytoprotective effect of a novel polysaccharide, named fenugreek seed water polysaccharide (FWEP) in vitro using H9c2 cardiomyoblastes and in vivo using Wistar rat model. Read More

Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Corteva AgriscienceTM, Agriculture Division of DowDuPontTM, 3B Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4RN, UK.

The European Commission intends to protect vertebrate wildlife populations by regulating Plant Protection Product (PPP) active substances that have endocrine disrupting properties with a hazard-based approach. In this paper we consider how the Commission's hazard-based Regulation and accompanying Guidance can be operationalised to ensure that a technically robust process is used to distinguish between substances with adverse population level effects and those for which it can be demonstrated that adverse effects observed (typically in the laboratory) do not translate into adverse effects at the population level. Our approach is to use population models within the adverse outcome pathway framework to link the non-linear relationship between adverse effects at the individual and population levels in the following way: (1) Use Specific Protection Goals for focal wildlife populations within an ecosystem services framework; (2) Model the effects of changes in population-related inputs on focal species populations using individual-based population models to determine thresholds between negligible and non-negligible (i. Read More

Pest Manag Sci 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Entomology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.

Background: The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae) is an important pest of stored grains worldwide. Chemical control is the main method used to manage this pest, but the continuous use of insecticides can lead to the selection of resistant R. Read More

Wound Repair Regen 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.

Antiseptics are being used for prevention of infections in acute wounds and for treatment of infections in acute and chronic wounds. However, some antiseptics' high tissue toxicity might delay the healing process. The aim of this study was to investigate the tissue toxicity of preferentially used wound antiseptics and the influence of antiphlogistic additives via the hen's egg test on the chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM). Read More

Environ Toxicol Chem 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

ECIMAT, Universidade de Vigo, Illa de Toralla, E-36331, Vigo, Galicia.

A two-tier standardized protocol was designed in order to test the toxicity of microplastics to planktonic organisms. The protocol uses sea-urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) and copepod (Acartia clausi) larvae since they are common biological models in marine research, and standard methods for toxicity testing with regulatory applications are available. In Tier I, leachates obtained at a 100:1 liquid to solid ratio are tested, and toxic units (TU) are calculated using a probit dose:response model in order to quantify the toxicity of the plastics. Read More

Proteins 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3E1, Canada.

Peptide-based therapeutics are an alternative to small molecule drugs as they offer superior specificity, lower toxicity and easy synthesis. Here we present an approach that leverages the dramatic performance increase afforded by the recent arrival of GPU accelerated thermodynamic integration (TI). GPU TI facilitates very fast, highly accurate binding affinity optimization of peptides against therapeutic targets. Read More

Br J Haematol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Oncology & Hematology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.

Relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) often carry poor prognosis and pose management challenges. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of dasatinib, a broad-spectrum multi-kinase inhibitor in relapsed/refractory NHL with correlative genomic analysis in a Phase I/II trial. The study included 33 patients with various sub-types of NHL who had received at least one prior therapy. Read More

Cell Biol Toxicol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Neurovascular Regulation, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.

The effects of teas on embryonic development are still known little. The objective of this study was to compare and analyze developmental effects of green tea, delicate flavor oolong tea, strong flavor oolong tea, black tea, and pu'er tea using zebrafish embryos. Embryos were exposed in tea solutions from one-cell stage; the morphology, locomotor capacity, and gene expression of embryos or larvae were analyzed. Read More

Neurochem Res 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.

Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of disability among the working-age population worldwide. Despite attempts to develop neuroprotective therapeutic approaches, including pharmacological or cellular technologies, significant advances in brain regeneration have not yet been achieved. Development of silk fibroin-based biomaterials represents a new frontier in neuroregenerative therapies after brain injury. Read More

Neotrop Entomol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Embrapa Uva e Vinho, Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

The development of appropriate methodologies for bioassays is of paramount importance to study the methodological factors that may interfere in the experimental design. Thus, laboratory bioassays have become increasingly important for the determination of data that are realistic and replicable. The objective of the study was to develop a bioassay methodology with the ready-to-use toxic bait Success™ 0. Read More

Apoptosis 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Chemical Biology Research Center, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.

Pyroptosis is a novel manner of cell death that can be mediated by chemotherapy drugs. The awareness of pyroptosis is significantly increasing in the fields of anti-tumor research and chemotherapy drugs. Invoking the occurrence of pyroptosis is an attractive prospect for the treatment of lung cancer. Read More

Mol Cell Biochem 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Stomatology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.

Fluorosis and bone pathologies can be caused by chronic and/or excessive fluoride intake. Despite this, few studies have been conducted on the cellular mechanisms underlying osteoblast toxicity in the presence of NaF. Here, we investigated the effects of fluoride on MC3T3-E1 cells. Read More

Med Oncol 2018 Dec 5;36(1):13. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Tenon Hospital, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

Since 1996, the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLWHIV) has improved, while their risk of cancer is 2-3 times higher than in the general population. HIV-associated cancers remain a critical issue in this population and represent a particular care challenge due to the high risk of drug interactions and additive toxicity. The new standards of care with immunotherapy will also become a major issue for PLWHIV because of the potential impact on immunology and virology. Read More

Data Brief 2018 Dec 6;21:1842-1847. Epub 2018 Nov 6.

Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.

In the present data article, the presence and amount of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were surveyed in Iranian roasted and fried chicken in Bushehr restaurants. For data collection, 73 samples (including 36 Roasted chicken and 37 Fried chicken samples) were collected from local restaurants and various retail outlets of Bushehr, Iran. The concentrations of 16 PAHs were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Read More

Front Oncol 2018 21;8:535. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.

The purpose of this investigation was to explore patient perception regarding the importance of efficacy, toxicity, and logistics in the choice of regimen of taxane-based chemotherapy (CHT) for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). This dual-center study analyzed data of 100 women diagnosed with MBC, who were asked for their preferences regarding chemotherapy by means of conjoint analysis. Included attributes were progression free survival (PFS), application form, time and frequency, need of premedication, risk of alopecia, fatigue, febrile neutropenia, and neuropathy. Read More

Front Oncol 2018 21;8:532. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide with a poor prognosis and high mortality. More than two-thirds of HNSCC patients still have no effective control of clinical progression, and the five-year survival rate is < 50%. Moreover, patients with platinum-refractory HNSCC have a median survival of < 6 months. Read More

IEEE J Transl Eng Health Med 2018 1;6:4300108. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUT84112USA.

An optically-based injection control system has been developed for preclinical use for an intravenous drug delivery application. Current clinical drug delivery for oncology typically provides for intravenous administration without an awareness of achieved plasma concentration, yet interpatient variability produces consequences ranging from toxicity to ineffectual treatments. We report a closed-loop injection system integrating a pulse-photoplethysmograph to measure the concentration of an injected agent in the circulating blood system using a previously described technique. Read More

PeerJ 2018 29;6:e5523. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

College of Biological Science and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China.

The swamp eel () is an important commercial farmed fish species in China. However, it is susceptible to infections, resulting in high mortality and considerable economic loss. Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) is a widely used chemical disinfectant in aquaculture, which can decrease the occurrence of diseases and improve the survival. Read More

J Cancer 2018 11;9(23):4536-4546. Epub 2018 Nov 11.

Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

: Docetaxel (DOC), or Taxotere, is an anthracycline antibiotic used to treat multiple types of cancer. It is a first-line chemotherapy treatment for patients with metastasized, hormone-resistant prostate cancer (PCa) or for patients with high-risk, localized PCa that could benefit from early chemotherapy treatment. Previously, we showed that stearidonic acid (SDA), an omega-3 fatty acid, enhances the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin (DOX) in human PCa cells. Read More

J Cancer 2018 31;9(23):4527-4535. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Department of General Surgery, Wujiang No.1 People's Hospital affiliated to Nantong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215200, PR China.

Cisplatin (CDDP) has been extensively used for gastric cancer (GC) treatment but limited by drug resistance and severe toxicity. The chemo-sensitizers that enhance its efficiency and overcome its limitation are urgently needed. Oxymatrine (OMT), a primary active ingredient from the dry roots of Sophora favescens, has shown powerful anti-cancer property with little side-effect. Read More

J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 2018 29;24:35. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

1Laboratório de Bioquímica de Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCUZ, Av. Brasil, 4365, Pavilhao Leonidas Deane, sala 405A, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-900 Brazil.

Background: Despite the development of new therapies for leishmaniasis, among the 200 countries or territories reporting to the WHO, 87 were identified as endemic for Tegumentary Leishmaniasis and 75 as endemic for Visceral Leishmaniasis. The identification of antileishmanial drug candidates is essential to fill the drug discovery pipeline for leishmaniasis. In the hit molecule LQB-118 selected, the first generation of pterocarpanquinones was effective and safe against experimental visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis via oral delivery. Read More