Tyrosine kinase inhibitor combination therapy in first-line treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer: systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Introduction: The introduction of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has improved the outlook for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with + mutations. However, most patients develop resistance, with the result that median progression-free survival (PFS) iŝ12 months. Combining EGFR-TKIs with other agents, such as bevacizumab, is a promising approach to prolonging remission.

Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Bevacizumab Plus First-Line Topotecan-Paclitaxel or Cisplatin-Paclitaxel Versus Non-Bevacizumab-Containing Therapies in Persistent, Recurrent, or Metastatic Cervical Cancer.

Objective: Despite advances in cervical cancer prevention and diagnosis, outcomes for patients given a diagnosis of advanced and recurrent disease are poor. In the GOG240 trial, the addition of bevacizumab to paclitaxel-topotecan or paclitaxel-cisplatin has been shown to prolong survival compared with paclitaxel-topotecan or paclitaxel-cisplatin in patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic disease. However, standards of care vary between regions and countries.

The impact of brain metastasis on quality of life, resource utilization and survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

This systematic review aims to improve understanding of the burden of disease associated with brain metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in terms of survival, quality of life (QoL) and economic impact. PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane collaboration and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published in English from 2000 to 2014. Of 3288 abstracts retrieved, 3156 were eliminated without a full-text review.

Vulnerabilities and rights of migrant sex workers in Europe.

In recent years, Europe has witnessed a rise in the number of migrant sex workers, in part because of increased mobility for citizens of European Union member states. However, migrant sex workers find themselves in a highly vulnerable position in regard to having their rights respected and accessing HIV prevention services. In this article, based on a presentation at AIDS 2010, Licia Brussa and Veronica Munk outline the current situation of migrant sex workers in Europe and the steps that need to be taken to ensure that their rights are respected.

Effects on blood pressure and cardiovascular risk of variations in patients' adherence to prescribed antihypertensive drugs: role of duration of drug action.

Aim: To determine the effects of imperfect adherence (i.e. occasionally missing prescribed doses), and the influence of rate of loss of antihypertensive effect during treatment interruption, on the predicted clinical effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs in reducing mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Photocytotoxic trans-diam(m)ine platinum(IV) diazido complexes more potent than their cis isomers.

The photocytotoxicity of a series of anticancer trans-dihydroxido [Pt(N(3))(2)(OH)(2)(NH(3))(X)] (X = alkyl or aryl amine) platinum(IV) diazido complexes has been examined, and the influence of cis-trans isomerism has been investigated. A series of photoactivatable Pt(IV)-azido complexes has been synthesized: The synthesis, characterization, and photocytotoxicity of six mixed-ligand ammine/amine Pt(IV) diazido complexes, cis,trans,cis-[Pt(N(3))(2)(OH)(2)(NH(3))(X)] where X = propylamine (4c), butylamine (5c), or pentylamine (6c) and aromatic complexes where X = pyridine (7c), 2-methylpyridine (8c), or 3-methylpyridine (9c) are reported. Six all-trans isomers have also been studied where X = methylamine (2t), ethylamine (3t), 2-methylpyridine (8t), 4-methylpyridine (10t), 3-methylpyridine (9t), and 2-bromo-3-methylpyridine (11t).

Cost-effectiveness of aliskiren in type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and albuminuria.

The Aliskiren in the Evaluation of Proteinuria in Diabetes (AVOID) trial demonstrated that adding aliskiren, an oral direct renin inhibitor, at a dosage of 300 mg/d to the highest approved dosage of losartan and optimal antihypertensive therapy reduces albuminuria over 6 mo among patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and albuminuria. The cost-effectiveness of this therapy, however, is unknown. Here, we used a Markov model to project progression to ESRD, life years, quality-adjusted life years, and lifetime costs for aliskiren plus losartan versus losartan.

Angiotensin II induces angiogenesis in the hypoxic adult mouse heart in vitro through an AT2-B2 receptor pathway.

Angiotensin II is a vasoactive peptide that may affect vascularization of the ischemic heart via angiogenesis. In this study we aimed at studying the mechanisms underlying the angiogenic effects of angiotensin II under hypoxia in the mouse heart in vitro. Endothelial sprout formation from pieces of mouse hearts was assessed under normoxia (21% O(2)) and hypoxia (1% O(2)) during a 7-day period of in vitro culture.

Reactions of PtII diamine anticancer complexes with trypanothione and octreotide.

The products formed in reactions of the square-planar platinum(II) anticancer complexes, [Pt(en)Cl(2)] and [Pt(R,R-dach)Cl(2)] where en=ethylenediamine and dach=diaminocyclohexane, with trypanothione, a glutathione analogue found in some parasites, and octreotide, a synthetic analogue of the hormone somatostatin, have been investigated. Mononuclear and binuclear platinum adducts were formed in reactions of the cyclic disulfides in their oxidised and reduced forms, and were analysed by UV-visible spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). NMR and molecular modelling studies were carried out on the mononuclear adducts.

A versatile in vitro assay for investigating angiogenesis of the heart.

Neovascularization in the heart is usually investigated with models of angiogenesis in vivo. Here we present a simple model that allows investigating heart angiogenesis in mice and rats in vitro. Small pieces of left ventricular myocardium were cultured in three-dimensional fibrin gels for 10 days.

Palladium(II) diamine complex induces reduction of glutathione disulfide.

Reaction of [Pd(1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane)Cl(2)] with the oxidised form of the tripeptide glutathione ([gamma]-l-glutamyl-l-cysteinyl-glycine) in aqueous solution leads to reductive cleavage of the disulfide bond.

Hypertension and angiogenesis.

Arterial Hypertension (AH) is characterized by reduced nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis, activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosteron-System (RAAS), vasoconstriction, and microvascular rarefaction. The latter contributes to target organ damage, especially in left ventricular hypertrophy, and may partially be due to impaired angiogenesis. Angiogenesis, the formation of new microvessels and microvascular networks from existing ones, is a highly regulated process that arises in response to hypoxia and other stimuli and that relieves tissue ischemia.

Investigations into the interactions between DNA and conformationally constrained pyridylamineplatinum(II) analogues of AMD473.

The syntheses of [PtCl(2)(amp)] (amp = 2-pyridylmethylamine) and enantiomerically pure [PtCl(2)(R-pea)] and [PtCl(2)(S-pea)] (pea = 1-(2-pyridyl)ethylamine) and the crystal structure of [PtCl(2)(R-pea)] are reported. The reactions of [PtCl(2)(amp)] and of the enantiomers of [PtCl(2)(pea)] with d(GpG) and with a 52-base-pair oligonucleotide were investigated. Each of the reactions with d(GpG) resulted in the formation of three platinated bifunctional d(GpG) species in a ratio of 1:2:1.

Stereospecificity and enantioselectivity in the binding of the platinum(II) complex [PtCl2(tmdz)] (tmdz = 5,5,7-trimethyl-1,4-diazacycloheptane) to dinucleotides and oligonucleotides.

The two stereoisomers formed on reaction of each of the enantiomers of [PtCl2(tmdz)] with d(GpG) have been identified by using one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy. For both isomers formed with the R enantiomer the 3'-H8 shifts are downfield from those for the 5'-H8. For the S enantiomer the reverse is observed, showing that the bulky tmdz ligand determines the pattern of shifts.

[(3)H]-M-MPEP, a potent, subtype-selective radioligand for the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5.

The synthesis of a new potent, subtype-selective radioligand [(3)H]-M-MPEP (2-methyl-6-((3-methoxyphenyl)ethynyl)-pyridine) and its in vitro pharmacological characteristics are described. Science Ltd.

Steric control of stereoselective interactions between the platinum(II) complex [PtCl2(1,4-diazacycloheptane)] and DNA: comparison with cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2] and [PtCl2(ethane-1,2-diamine)] using DNA binding and molecular modeling studies.

The rate and extent of binding of [PtCl2(hpip)] (hpip=homopiperazine-1,4-diazacycloheptane) and cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2] to calf thymus DNA was measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy and it was found that [PtCl2(hpip)] bound both more rapidly and to a greater extent than did cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2]. The binding of [PtCl2(hpip)] and [PtCl2(en)] (en=ethane-1,2-diamine) to salmon sperm DNA and to synthetic, self-complementary 10-base-pair and 52-base-pair oligonucleotides was studied using enzymatic digestion and HPLC analysis of the products. [PtCl2(hpip)] forms approximately two-fold fewer GpG and ApG intrastrand adducts and concomitantly more monofunctional adducts than does [PtCl2(en)].