Quality of Animal Experiments in Anti-Angiogenic Cancer Drug Development--A Systematic Review.

Translation from preclinical animal research to clinical bedside has proven to be difficult to impossible in many fields of research (e.g. acute stroke, ALS and HIV vaccination development) with oncology showing particularly low translation rates (5% vs.

Help-seeking in people with exceptional experiences: results from a general population sample.

Background: Exceptional experiences (EE) are experiences that deviate from ordinary experiences, for example precognition, supernatural appearances, or déjà vues. In spite of the high frequency of EE in the general population, little is known about their effect on mental health and about the way people cope with EE. This study aimed to assess the quality and quantity of EE in persons from the Swiss general population, to identify the predictors of their help-seeking, and to determine how many of them approach the mental health system.

Tumor imaging in patients with advanced tumors using a new (99m) Tc-radiolabeled vitamin B12 derivative.

Unlabelled: Targeting cancer cells with vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is hampered by unwanted physiologic tissue uptake mediated by transcobalamin. Adhering to good manufacturing practice, we have developed a new (99m)Tc-cobalamin derivative ((99m)Tc(CO)3-[(4-amido-butyl)-pyridin-2-yl-methyl-amino-acetato] cobalamin, (99m)Tc-PAMA-cobalamin). The derivative shows no binding to transcobalamin but is recognized by haptocorrin, a protein present in the circulation and notably expressed in many tumor cells.

Impact of inherent variability and experimental parameters on the reliability of small animal PET data.

Background: Noninvasive preclinical imaging methodologies such as small animal positron emission tomography (PET) allow the repeated measurement of the same subject which is generally assumed to reduce the variability of the experimental outcome parameter and to produce more robust results. In this study, the variability of tracer uptake in the rodent brain was assessed within and between subjects using the established radiopharmaceuticals 18F-FDG and 18F-fallypride. Moreover, experimental factors with potential impact on study outcome were elicited, and the effect of their strict homogenization was assessed.

Assessment of serotonin release capacity in the human brain using dexfenfluramine challenge and [18F]altanserin positron emission tomography.

Although alterations of serotonin (5-HT) system functioning have been proposed for a variety of psychiatric disorders, a direct method quantitatively assessing 5-HT release capacity in the living human brain is still lacking. Therefore, we evaluated a novel method to assess 5-HT release capacity in vivo using dexfenfluramine challenge and [(18)F]altanserin positron emission tomography (PET). Thirteen healthy male subjects received placebo and single oral doses of 40 mg (n = 6) or 60 mg (n = 7) of the potent 5-HT releaser dexfenfluramine separated by an interval of 14 days.

New derivatives of vitamin B12 show preferential targeting of tumors.

Rapidly growing cells show an increased demand for nutrients and vitamins. The objective of our work is to exploit the supply route of vitamin B12 to deliver new derivatives of this vital vitamin to hyperproliferative cells. To date, radiolabeled ((57)Co and (111)In) vitamin B12 derivatives showed labeling of tumor tissue but also undesired high accumulation of radioactivity in normal tissue.

Stabilization of neurotensin analogues: effect on peptide catabolism, biodistribution and tumor binding.

Neurotensin (NT) receptors in pancreatic and other neuroendocrine tumors are promising targets for imaging and therapeutic purposes. Here, we report on the effect of distinct changes in the peptide chain on catabolism in vitro for five radiolabeled [99mTc] neurotensin analogues having high affinity for neurotensin receptors. Substitution of NT(1-7) by (NalphaHis)Ac--the Tc-binding moiety--combined with a reduced bond 8-9 (CH2NH), N-methylation of peptide bonds or replacement of Ile(12) by tertiary leucin (Tle) led to peptide stabilization of various degrees.