Hippocampal avoidance whole-brain radiotherapy without memantine in preserving neurocognitive function for brain metastases: a phase II blinded randomized trial.

Background: Hippocampal avoidance whole-brain radiotherapy (HA-WBRT) shows potential for neurocognitive preservation. This study aimed to evaluate whether HA-WBRT or conformal WBRT (C-WBRT) is better for preserving neurocognitive function.

Methods: This single-blinded randomized phase II trial enrolled patients with brain metastases and randomly assigned them to receive HA-WBRT or C-WBRT.

A pilot study to determine the timing and effect of bevacizumab on vascular normalization of metastatic brain tumors in breast cancer.

Background: To determine the appropriate time of concomitant chemotherapy administration after antiangiogenic treatment, we investigated the timing and effect of bevacizumab administration on vascular normalization of metastatic brain tumors in breast cancer patients.

Methods: Eight patients who participated in a phase II trial for breast cancer-induced refractory brain metastases were enrolled and subjected to 4 dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) examinations that evaluated Peak, Slope, iAUC 60 , and Ktrans before and after treatment. The treatment comprised bevacizumab on Day 1, etoposide on Days 2-4, and cisplatin on Day 2 in a 21-day cycle for a maximum of 6 cycles.

Clinical Relevance of Liver Kinase B1(LKB1) Protein and Gene Expression in Breast Cancer.

Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is a tumor suppressor, and its loss might lead to activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and tumorigenesis. This study aimed to determine the clinical relevance of LKB1 gene and protein expression in breast cancer patients. LKB1 protein expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry in tumors from early breast cancer patients in two Taiwanese medical centers.

TP53 Mutational Analysis Enhances the Prognostic Accuracy of IHC4 and PAM50 Assays.

IHC4 and PAM50 assays have been shown to provide additional prognostic information for patients with early breast cancer. We evaluated whether incorporating TP53 mutation analysis can further enhance their prognostic accuracy. We examined TP53 mutation and the IHC4 score in tumors of 605 patients diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer at National Taiwan University Hospital (the NTUH cohort).

7-Hydroxydehydronuciferine induces human melanoma death via triggering autophagy and apoptosis.

Melanoma is the deadliest cancer. We identified 7-hydroxydehydronuciferine (7-HDNF) isolated from the leaves of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn cv. Rosa-plena to be a bio-active agent that antagonizes melanoma tumor growth in mice xenograft model in vivo.

A pilot study of bevacizumab combined with etoposide and cisplatin in breast cancer patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis.

Background: Elevated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was associated with poor prognosis in leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and anti-angiogenic therapy was found to prolong the survival of mice in preclinical studies. This prospective pilot study investigated the efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy plus chemotherapy in patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis originating from breast cancer.

Methods: Eligible patients were scheduled to receive bevacizumab combined with etoposide and cisplatin (BEEP) every 3 weeks for a maximum of 6 cycles or until unacceptable toxicity.

High Prevalence of the BIM Deletion Polymorphism in Young Female Breast Cancer in an East Asian Country.

Background: A rapid surge of female breast cancer has been observed in young women in several East Asian countries. The BIM deletion polymorphism, which confers cell resistance to apoptosis, was recently found exclusively in East Asian people with prevalence rate of 12%. We aimed to evaluate the possible role of this genetic alteration in carcinogenesis of breast cancer in East Asians.

Bevacizumab preconditioning followed by Etoposide and Cisplatin is highly effective in treating brain metastases of breast cancer progressing from whole-brain radiotherapy.

Purpose: We hypothesized that a window period between bevacizumab and cytotoxic agents may enhance drug delivery into tumor tissue through bevacizumab-induced vascular normalization in patients with brain metastases of breast cancer (BMBC).

Experimental Design: A single-arm phase II study was conducted in which BMBC patients refractory to whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) were enrolled. In a 21-day cycle, patients received bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) on day 1, which, with a 1-day window period, was followed by etoposide (70 mg/m(2)/day; days 2-4) and cisplatin (70 mg/m(2); day 2; BEEP regimen).

Piper betle leaf extracts induced human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cell death via MAPKs regulating the p73 pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Extracts of Piper betle leaf (PBLs) are rich in bioactive compounds with potential chemopreventive ability. In this study, Hep3B cells which are p53 null were used to investigate the anti-tumor effect of PBLs in the cell and in the xenograft model. The results revealed that PBLs (0.

Investigations of kanuka and manuka essential oils for in vitro treatment of disease and cellular inflammation caused by infectious microorganisms.

Background: Diseases caused by infectious and inflammatory microorganisms are among the most common and most severe nosocomial diseases worldwide. Therefore, developing effective agents for treating these illnesses is critical. In this study, essential oils from two tea tree species, kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) and manuka (Leptospermum scoparium), were evaluated for use in treating diseases and inflammation caused by microorganism infection.

Isophilippinolide A arrests cell cycle progression and induces apoptosis for anticancer inhibitory agents in human melanoma cells.

Three new butanolides, isophilippinolide A, philippinolide A, and philippinolide B, and an amide, cinnaretamine, were isolated from the roots of Cinnamomum philippinense to be identified by spectroscopic analysis. Four isolated compounds were screened to examine their radical-scavenging ability, metal-chelating power, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP). Cinnaretamine showed powerful antioxidative properties in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and a reducing activity; all compounds presented minor inhibition of metal-chelating capacities.

Inhibitory effect of Piper betel leaf extracts on copper-mediated LDL oxidation and oxLDL-induced lipid accumulation via inducing reverse cholesterol transport in macrophages.

Piper betel leaf (PBL) has the biological capabilities of detoxification and can work as an anti-inflammatory agent and an anti-oxidant. In this study, we evaluated the anti-oxidative activity of the extract of Piper betel leaves (PBLs) on the basis of Cu(2+)-mediated oxidation, and its ability to prevent foam cell formation in a model for oxidised low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced lipid accumulation in macrophages. Our data demonstrated that PBLs were able to inhibit LDL oxidation in vitro and are able to reduce the lipid accumulation in macrophages.

Phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (pIGF1R) is a poor prognostic factor in brain metastases from lung adenocarcinomas.

A greater understanding of brain metastases is imperative for developing novel therapeutic strategies. Our previous study showed that insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway was activated in brain-tropic cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the clinical relevance of activated (phosphorylated) IGF-1 receptor (pIGF1R) expression in brain metastases originating from lung adenocarcinomas.

Divergent reactivity of nitric oxide with metal-metal quintuple bonds.

Reactions of NO with the quintuple bonded chromium and molybdenum amidinate dimers, respectively, gave dichromium nitrosyl nitrito amidinato complexes, and the quadruple bonded dimolybdenum nitrito amidinato species with a paddlewheel configuration.

Biofunctional constituents from Liriodendron tulipifera with antioxidants and anti-melanogenic properties.

From the stems of Liriodendron tulipifera, seventeen known compounds have been extracted, isolated and purified. By using spectroscopic analysis, the structures of these pure constituents were determined as three lignans, four steroids and ten benzenoids. Identified compounds were screened for antioxidant abilities using: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazul (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging free radical activity assays; metal chelating power test; and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) examination.

A small sample test of the factor structure of postural movement and bilateral motor integration using structural equation modeling.

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between the validity of postural movement and bilateral motor integration in terms of sensory integration theory. Participants in this study were 61 Chinese children ages 48 to 70 months. Structural equation modeling was applied to assess the relation between measures tapping postural movement and bilateral motor integration: for postural movement, the measures involve the Monkey Task, Side-Sit Co-contraction, Prone on Elbows, Wheelbarrow Walk, Airplane, and Scooter Board Co-contraction from the DeGangi-Berk Test of Sensory Integration, and Standing Balance with Eyes Closed/Opened in Southern California Sensory Integration Tests.

Adherence to the National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidance on parenteral nutrition screening is not enough to improve outcomes.

Background & Aim: Majority of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) nutrition guidance recommendations were based on Grade D evidence due to absence of randomised controlled trials. The aim was to assess outcomes of parenteral nutrition (PN) administration when the guidance was adhered to.

Methods: The prospective study included patients referred for PN.

Bio-functional constituents from the stems of Liriodendron tulipifera.

Four known compounds have been isolated from the stems of Liriodendron tulipifera, and the structures of these pure constituents were determined using spectroscopic analysis. Isolated compounds were screened for free radical scavenging ability, metal chelating power assay and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP). The anti-tyrosinase effects of L.

Subamolide E from Cinnamomum subavenium induces sub-G1 cell-cycle arrest and caspase-dependent apoptosis and reduces the migration ability of human melanoma cells.

The aim of this work was to investigate the anticancer cytotoxic effects of natural compound subamolide E on the human skin cancer melanoma A375.S2 cells. Subamolide E was isolated from Cinnamomum subavenium and demonstrated cytotoxicities in the cell-growth assay at concentration ranges from 0 to 100 μM at 24 h.