Dynamic mechanistic modeling of the multienzymatic one-pot reduction of dehydrocholic acid to 12-keto ursodeoxycholic acid with competing substrates and cofactors.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a bile acid which is used as pharmaceutical for the treatment of several diseases, such as cholesterol gallstones, primary sclerosing cholangitis or primary biliary cirrhosis. A potential chemoenzymatic synthesis route of UDCA comprises the two-step reduction of dehydrocholic acid to 12-keto-ursodeoxycholic acid (12-keto-UDCA), which can be conducted in a multienzymatic one-pot process using 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSDH), 7β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7β-HSDH), and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) with glucose as cosubstrate for the regeneration of cofactor. Here, we present a dynamic mechanistic model of this one-pot reduction which involves three enzymes, four different bile acids, and two different cofactors, each with different oxidation states.

Determination of dynamic doxorubicin-EC50 value in an automated high-content workstation for cellular assays.

To overcome the problems of endpoint tests routinely required for EC50 determination, we utilized a novel automated high-content workstation and calculated a time-resolved EC50 value of MCF-7 mamma carcinoma cells treated with a pharmacologic agent. Measuring parameters were the cellular oxygen consumption and the extracellular acidification. These parameters were detected in real-time and label free with optochemical sensor spots in a modified 24-well sensor plate.

The influence of chitosan valence on the complexation and transfection of DNA: the weaker the DNA-chitosan binding the higher the transfection efficiency.

The DNA-chitosan polyplexes have attracted for some years now the attention of physical-chemists and biologists for their potential use in gene therapy, however, the correlation between the physicochemical properties of these polyplexes with their transfection efficiency remains still unclear. In a recent paper we demonstrated by means of DLS that the DNA-chitosan complexation is favored at acidic conditions considering that fewer amounts of chitosan were required to compact the DNA. As a second study, in the present work we analyze the influence of chitosan valence on the complexation and transfection of DNA.

Zoledronic acid and risedronate in the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (HORIZON): a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Persistent use of glucocorticoid drugs is associated with bone loss and increased fracture risk. Concurrent oral bisphosphonates increase bone mineral density and reduce frequency of vertebral fractures, but are associated with poor compliance and adherence. We aimed to assess whether one intravenous infusion of zoledronic acid was non-inferior to daily oral risedronate for prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Clinical evaluation of medicinal products for acceleration of fracture healing in patients with osteoporosis.

Pre-clinical studies indicate that pharmacologic agents can augment fracture union. If these pharmacologic approaches could be translated into clinical benefit and offered to patients with osteoporosis or patients with other risks for impaired fracture union (e.g.

Effects of intravenous zoledronic acid once yearly on bone remodeling and bone structure.

Unlabelled: In a substudy of the HORIZON pivotal fracture trial, in which yearly intravenous zoledronic acid 5 mg was found to significantly reduce risk of various fracture types in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis, 152 patients underwent bone biopsy. Zoledronic acid reduced bone turnover by 63% and preserved bone structure and volume, with evidence of ongoing bone remodeling in 99% of biopsies obtained.

Introduction: In the HORIZON pivotal fracture trial (PFT), enrolling 7,736 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, three annual intravenous infusions of the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid (5 mg) significantly reduced morphometric vertebral, clinical vertebral, hip, and nonvertebral fractures by 70%, 77%, 41%, and 25%, respectively.

Prediction of hip fracture risk by quantitative ultrasound in more than 7000 Swiss women > or =70 years of age: comparison of three technologically different bone ultrasound devices in the SEMOF study.

Unlabelled: To compare the prediction of hip fracture risk of several bone ultrasounds (QUS), 7062 Swiss women > or =70 years of age were measured with three QUSs (two of the heel, one of the phalanges). Heel QUSs were both predictive of hip fracture risk, whereas the phalanges QUS was not.

Introduction: As the number of hip fracture is expected to increase during these next decades, it is important to develop strategies to detect subjects at risk.

[Practical proposals for the use of quantitative bone ultrasound in the management of osteoporosis].

As an emerging alternative to DXA, there is a growing interest in the use of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements for the non invasive assessment of fracture risk in the management of osteoporosis. While the potential of QUS in the management of osteoporosis have been highly recognized by the scientific community and granted by the majority of the international bone disease organizations, it becomes important to develop strategies how to use ultrasound clinically. Our paper is highlighting Swiss operational clinical propositions for 2 QUS devices sold in Switzerland, on how to use the QUS in the management of osteoporosis.