Search results for "AGENTS"
showing 10 items of 7330 documents
Trehalose-hydroxyethylcellulose microspheres containing vancomycin for topical drug delivery.
2001
Abstract A new formulation, in which vancomycin is entrapped into trehalose and hydroxyethylcellulose (Natrosol ® ) spherical matrices, is described. Microspheres were produced by the solvent evaporation method. The entrapped drug was fully recovered following microspheres dissolution. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses proved that Natrosol maintains trehalose in its amorphous form. The stabilizing effects of trehalose on vancomycin were evaluated even after long storage and heating of microspheres. Calorimetric data indicated no decomposition of the entrapped drug. In vitro drug release, already performed by using a general two-compartment linear time-invariant open model, suggests…
Is the nonREM–REM sleep cycle reset by forced awakenings from REM sleep?
2002
In selective REM sleep deprivation (SRSD), the occurrence of stage REM is repeatedly interrupted by short awakenings. Typically, the interventions aggregate in clusters resembling the REM episodes in undisturbed sleep. This salient phenomenon can easily be explained if the nonREM–REM sleep process is continued during the periods of forced wakefulness. However, earlier studies have alternatively suggested that awakenings from sleep might rather discontinue and reset the ultradian process. Theoretically, the two explanations predict a different distribution of REM episode duration. We evaluated 117 SRSD treatment nights recorded from 14 depressive inpatients receiving low dosages of Trimipram…
IMPROVE-IT: what have we learned?
2016
Purpose of review: Recent studies and dyslipidemia treatment guidelines indicate that combination lipid-lowering therapy is frequently needed and its use has increased in recent years. Ezetimibe and simvastatin as a fixed dose is an efficacious treatment choice based on positive results of the recent IMProved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial (IMPROVE-IT). In this review, we discuss recent controversies surrounding ezetimibe and provide clinical perspective on the results of the IMPROVE-IT study. Recent findings: IMPROVE-IT is the first trial that demonstrates a significant clinical benefit of a nonstatin hypolipidemic agent (ezetimibe) used in combination with sta…
Biology and management of therapy-related acute promyelocytic leukemia.
2013
Therapy-related acute promyelocytic leukemia (t-APL) has been increasingly reported after exposure to cytotoxic and/or immunosuppressive agents given for prior malignancies or autoimmune diseases. t-APL represents both a model for better understanding human leukemogenesis and an interesting therapeutic subset which requires specific adaptations for optimal management.We discuss here potential risk factors for t-APL development and the main biologic and clinical characteristics of t-APL as compared to de-novo APL.In addition, we review therapeutic results obtained in patients with t-APL receiving conventional retinoic acid and chemotherapy and discuss new treatment opportunities with minimal…
Total synthesis and biological evaluation of the natural product (−)-cyclonerodiol, a new inhibitor of IL-4 signaling
2014
In a screening program of natural compounds from fungi, the known cyclopentanoid sesquiterpene (-)-cyclonerodiol was identified as a specific inhibitor of the IL-4 induced STAT6 signaling pathway (IC50 = 9.7 μM) which is required for the differentiation of naive CD4 T cells to T helper type 2 (Th2) lymphocytes. As many allergic conditions, including allergic asthma and atopic diseases, are driven by an excessive Th2 response, STAT6 is a promising target for the development of new therapeutics. The compound was synthesized in six steps from (-)-linalool using an epoxide radical cyclization as the key step.
Chromoendoscopy with indigocarmine improves the detection of adenomatous and nonadenomatous lesions in the colon.
2001
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS Depressed early cancers and flat adenomas have a high potential for malignancy with possible infiltrating growth, despite the small size of the lesion. Japanese investigators have shown that early diagnosis and classification of these lesions is possible with the help of chromoendoscopy. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the usefulness of chromoendoscopy during routine colonoscopy. PATIENTS AND METHODS During routine colonoscopy, vital staining with indigocarmine solution (0.4 %, 1 - 10 ml) was performed on all visible lesions in 100 consecutive patients without visible inflammatory changes. If findings on macroscopic examination were unremarkable, …
Toxic adenoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma in a patient with Graves' disease.
1999
A case of a very rare association of toxic adenoma and papillary carcinoma with Graves’ disease is presented. A 34-year-old woman developed Graves’ disease with mild ophthalmopathy. An ultrasound revealed diffuse thyroid enlargement with a hypoechoic pattern and a hypoechoic nodule with regular edges of 1.6 cm in diameter at the lower pole of the left lobe. A thyroid 131I scintiscan showed a diffuse and homogeneous 131I distribution. The 131I uptake (RAIU) was elevated. One year later, while still on a low dose of methimazole, the patient had a recurrence of hyperthyroidism following an iodine load from a contrast agent. A further thyroid ultrasound confirmed the previously described patter…
Immunochemical faecal occult blood tests are superior to guaiac-based tests for the detection of colorectal neoplasms
2008
The aim of this study was to compare the performance of a guaiac-based faecal occult blood test (G-FOBT) with that of an immunochemical faecal occult blood test (I-FOBT). A total of 17,215 average risk individuals aged 50 to 74 enrolled in a population-based organised screening programme and performed a 3-day G-FOBT and a 2-day I-FOBT simultaneously. Among participants, 3.1% were found positive for the G-FOBT and 6.9% for the I-FOBT (p<10(-4)). Among the 1205 participants who tested positive and underwent a colonoscopy, the number of detected cancers and advanced adenomas was respectively 2.6 times higher and 3.5 times higher with the I-FOBT than with the G-FOBT. The positive predictive val…
Chromoendoscopy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
2012
Chromoendoscopy with methylene blue or indigo carmine significantly increases the diagnostic yield of finding intraepithelial neoplasia in patients with longstanding colitis. The number needed to treat is 14 for panchromoendoscopy to identify 1 additional patient with dysplasia. Chromoendoscopy can greatly facilitate the identification of flat lesions harboring intraepithelial neoplasia. Chromoendoscopy can guide biopsies and clearly reduces the amount of biopsies that are needed per patient. Magnifying endoscopy or CLE are additional techniques, which can be used in conjunction with chromoendoscopy to further reduce the amount of biopsies and to further increase the diagnostic yield. Chrom…
CD73-generated extracellular adenosine in chronic lymphocytic leukemia creates local conditions counteracting drug-induced cell death
2011
Abstract Extracellular adenosine (ADO), generated from ATP or ADP through the concerted action of the ectoenzymes CD39 and CD73, elicits autocrine and paracrine effects mediated by type 1 purinergic receptors. We have tested whether the expression of CD39 and CD73 by chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells activates an adenosinergic axis affecting growth and survival. By immunohistochemistry, CD39 is widely expressed in CLL lymph nodes, whereas CD73 is restricted to proliferation centers. CD73 expression is highest on Ki-67+ CLL cells, adjacent to T lymphocytes, and is further localized to perivascular areas. CD39+/CD73+ CLL cells generate ADO from ADP in a time- and concentration-dependen…