Clinical evaluation of the BioFire® Respiratory Panel 2.1 and detection of SARS-CoV-2.

We evaluated the performance of the BioFire® Respiratory Panel 2.1 (RP2.1) in the detection of SARS CoV-2 in comparison against three other SARS CoV-2 EUA assays. In these studies, the RP2.1 panel had 98 % positive percent agreement (48/49) and 100 % negative percent agreement (49/49). Since 30 % of nasopharyngeal swab specimens have a SARS CoV-2 Ct >30 and thus detection of virus in low titers is clinically relevant, a sample with a high titer was diluted and each 10 fold dilution was tested in triplicate and compared against 6 other EUA approved SARS CoV-2 assays. These data suggested that the BioFire® RP2.1 panel, along with four other SARS CoV-2 assays (Roche cobas, Cepheid Xpert Xpress, BioFire® Defense COVID19, and NECoV19), consistently detected viral RNA at the 10-7 dilution. Overall, these studies suggest that the BioFire® RP2.1 assay can be used to detect acute cases of SARS CoV2 in addition to patients with low viral titer later in disease presentation.

1H-NMR and protection studies of interactions between ligands and bovine pancreatic phospholipase A2.

A number of long-chain amines and naphthylamine sulfonates have been studied for their ability to inhibit bovine pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and to protect PLA2 against alkylation of the active site histidine by p-bromophenacyl bromide. Their areas of interaction on the enzyme were further delineated using observations of chemical shift changes of assigned aromatic signals in the 1H-NMR spectrum of PLA2, while the bound conformations of two amine inhibitors were revealed using transferred nuclear Overhauser effects. The alkyl amines bind rather non-specifically on the surface of the enzyme, over the active site cleft and the interface recognition site.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of novel 4-demethoxyanthracyclines.

A versatile and efficient synthetic route to 4-demethoxyanthracyclinones has been utilized in the preparation of a number of aglycons having 9-alkyl, 9-(hydroxylalkyl), or 9-carbamoyl substituents. Silver trifluoromethanesulfonate catalyzed coupling of these aglycons with various daunosamine derivatives has yielded a series of novel anthracyclines which have been evaluated as antitumor agents. 9-Alkylanthracyclines 22, 23, 33, and 34 have higher efficacy vs L-1210 leukemia than the parent 4-demethoxydaunorubicin (21), or the natural anthracyclines daunorubicin (1) and doxorubicin (2). 9-(Hydroxyalkyl) derivatives have in most cases high efficacy but are slightly less potent than 21. 9-Methyl analogue 22 has higher efficacy vs P388 leukemia than other anthracyclines tested, while 9-(hydroxymethyl) derivative 37 retains similar efficacy to anthracyclines 1, 2, and 21 but is considerably more potent. The N-substituted 9-carbamoylanthracyclines are devoid of antitumor activity.

Synthesis and antitumor activity of 9-[(carbamoyloxy)alkyl]anthracyclines: a novel class of anthracycline derivatives.

A number of 4-demethoxyanthracyclines having hydroxylalkyl functions at the 9-position have previously been synthesized and shown to have potent antitumor activity. A series of carbamate derivatives of these (hydroxyalkyl)anthracyclines have now been prepared, many of which possess considerably greater efficacy in an L-1210 leukemia test system than do the parent alcohols or the known anthracyclines daunorubicin (1), doxorubicin (2), and 4-demethoxydaunorubicin (3). Phenylcarbamate 8a was more active than methyl analogue 8b, while the 4'-deoxy and 4'-epi phenylcarbamates 17 and 18 showed particularly high efficacy at optimal dose levels similar to that of doxorubicin. Secondary carbamates were more potent, with the 13R isomer 23 having significantly higher efficacy than 13S analogue 24.

Ro 32-3555, an orally active collagenase inhibitor, prevents cartilage breakdown in vitro and in vivo.

1. Ro 32-3555 (3(R)-(cyclopentylmethyl)-2(R)-[(3,4,4-trimethyl-2,5-dioxo-1- imidazolidinyl)methyl]-4-oxo-4-piperidinobutyrohydroxamic acid) is a potent, competitive inhibitor of human collagenases 1, 2 and 3 (Ki values of 3.0, 4.4 and 3.4 nM, respectively). The compound is a selective inhibitor of collagenases over the related human matrix metalloproteinases stromelysin 1, and gelatinases A and B (Ki values of 527, 154 and 59 nM, respectively). 2. Ro 32-3555 inhibited interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha)-induced cartilage collagen degradation in vitro in bovine nasal cartilage explants (IC50 = 60 nM). 3. Ro 32-3555 was well absorbed in rats when administered orally. Systemic exposure was dose related, with an oral bioavailability of 26% at a dose of 25 mg kg-1. 4. Ro 32-3555 prevented granuloma-induced degradation of bovine nasal cartilage cylinders implanted subcutaneously into rats (ED50 = 10 mg kg-1, twice daily, p.o.). 5. Ro 32-3555 dosed once daily for 14 days at 50 mg kg-1, p.o., inhibited degradation of articular cartilage in a rat monoarthritis model induced by an intra-articular injection of Propionibacterium acnes. 6. Ro 32-3555 is a potential therapy for the treatment of the chronic destruction of articulating cartilage in both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

Potent collagenase inhibitors prevent interleukin-1-induced cartilage degradation in vitro.

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) collagenase, gelatinase and stromelysin, contribute to the destruction of articular cartilage which occurs during rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Ro 31-4724, a substrate analogue containing a hydroxamic acid function, is a potent but non-selective inhibitor of all three MMPs (I50, collagenase = 10 nM), whereas Ro 31-7467, a phosphinic acid transition-state analogue, shows 14-fold and 12-fold selectivity for collagenase (I50 = 17 nM) over gelatinase and caseinase (stromelysin) respectively. The effects of these inhibitors on interleukin-1-induced bovine nasal cartilage degradation were examined. The hydroxamate Ro 31-4724 inhibits proteoglycan and collagen loss, whereas the phosphinic acid Ro 31-7467 selectively inhibits collagen breakdown in this model. This represents the first demonstration of potent and selective inhibition of IL1-induced cartilage degradation in vitro by MMP inhibitors. These results suggest that collagenase is responsible for collagen loss and that a different enzyme, possibly stromelysin, is responsible for proteoglycan degradation in this model.

Comparison of rocking edge spacing for two common designs of swivel walkers.

Two commonly used designs of swivel walker are the Consort 800 and the ORLAU 1000. This paper examines how the footplate rocking edge spacing varies between these two designs and then considers how lateral stability might be influenced if reduced separation is introduced to facilitate ambulation for less able users. In general it is shown that there should be no obstacles to such variation on the part of an orthotist thereby improving access to these devices and function for disabled individuals.

Mechanical feeding aids for patients with ataxia: design considerations.

A mechanism has been designed which transforms steady, vertical hand motion into the scooping motion of a spoon. The mechanism incorporates vibration isolation through a spring-damper system to attenuate the transmission of low frequency (2-8 Hz) hand tremor to the spoon. A series arrangement of spring and damper has produced spoon amplitudes of between 5 and 12% of the hand amplitude at the lowest ataxic tremor frequencies. A prototype has been tested by four ataxic patients. The degree of vibration isolation and the ability to pick up food were adequate but the mechanism was felt to be unacceptable as a feeder for social reasons. Two other mechanisms have also been considered.

9-alkyl anthracyclines. Absence of cross-resistance to adriamycin in human and murine cell cultures.

Four cell lines of human (CCRF CEM and U266BL) or murine (L1210 and P388D1) origin, resistant to the anthracycline antibiotic Adriamycin (doxorubicin) were selected in vitro from cultured cells by serial passage in the presence of Adriamycin. The resistant sublines were also cross-resistant to Mitoxantrone, 4'-epi Adriamycin and a number of novel anthracyclines including 4'-deoxy and 4'-methoxy analogues. However, a series of 9-alkyl substituted 4-demethoxyanthracyclines retained full activity against all the resistant sublines as did Aclacinomycin A. These results suggest that 9-alkyl substitution of 4-demethoxy-anthracyclines is an important determinant of activity against Adriamycin-resistant cell lines in vitro.

Structure of the catalytic domain of human fibroblast collagenase complexed with an inhibitor.

In rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, degradation of articular cartilage is mediated by the matrix metalloproteinases collagenase, stromelysin and gelatinase. The key event in this process is the cleavage of triple helical collagen by collagenase. We have determined the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of human recombinant fibroblast collagenase complexed with a synthetic inhibitor at 2.2 A resolution. The protein fold is similar to the amino termini of the zinc endopeptidases astacin thermolysin and elastase despite a lack of primary sequence homology. The conformation of the bound inhibitor provides a molecular basis for the design of inhibitors of collagenase and other matrix metalloproteinases. Such inhibitors should be useful in the treatment of a variety of diseases including arthritis and cancer.

The in vitro effects and cross-resistance patterns of some novel anthracyclines.

A range of new anthracyclines, structurally related to adriamycin (ADM), has been synthesised and studied in vitro. Three compounds described in this paper (Ro 31-1215; Ro 31-1741; Ro 31-2035) are all 4-demethoxyanthracyclines. In the mouse mammary tumour cell line, EMT6/Ca/VJAC, using a 1 h drug exposure followed by colony formation as the response endpoint, we found Ro 31-1215 and Ro 31-1741 to be 2-3 x and 4-7 x more potent then ADM, whilst Ro 31-2035 was 3-4 x less potent. For continuous drug exposure and suppression of population growth as the endpoint, the potency of Ro 31-1741 was similar to that of ADM, whereas that of Ro 31-1215 was 1.5-2 x higher and that of Ro 31-2035 was 10-20 x lower. The potency ratios for continuous drug exposure of a human small cell lung cancer line were similar to those for continuous exposure of EMT6. Variants of the two cell lines selected for resistance to ADM were also studied. These variants also showed considerable resistance to Ro 31-1741 and Ro 31-2035 but much less resistance to Ro 31-1215 (a 9-methyl derivative). A variant of EMT6 made resistant to Ro 31-1215 by continuous growth in this drug was more resistant to ADM than it was to Ro 31-1215. Human cells resistant to ADM contained 6 x less ADM after 24 h exposure than did the parent line, whereas the ratio of drug content for Ro 31-1215 was only 2.

Inhibition of bovine nasal cartilage degradation by selective matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors.

N-terminal analysis of aggrecan fragments lost from bovine nasal cartilage cultured in the presence of recombinant human interleukin 1alpha revealed a predominant ARGSVIL sequence with an additional ADLEX sequence. Production of the ARGSVIL-containing fragments has been attributed to the action of a putative proteinase, aggrecanase. The minor sequence (ADLEX) corresponds to a new reported cleavage product; comparison of this sequence with the available partial sequence of bovine aggrecan indicates that this is the product of a cleavage occurring towards the C-terminus of the protein. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors inhibited aggrecan loss from bovine nasal explants incubated in the presence of recombinant human interleukin 1alpha. A strong correlation between inhibition of aggrecan metabolism and inhibition of stromelysin 1 (MMP 3) (r=0.93) suggests a role for stromelysin or a stromelysin-like enzyme in cartilage aggrecan metabolism. However, the compounds were approx. 1/1000 as potent in inhibiting aggrecan loss from the cartilage explants as they were in inhibiting stromelysin. There was little or no correlation between inhibition of aggrecan metabolism and inhibition of gelatinase B (MMP 9) or inhibition of collagenase 1 (MMP 1). Studies with collagenase inhibitors with a range of potencies showed a correlation between inhibition of collagenase activity and inhibition of collagen degradation in the cartilage explant assay. This indicates that in interleukin 1alpha-driven bovine nasal cartilage destruction, stromelysin (or a closely related enzyme) is involved in aggrecan metabolism, whereas collagenase is principally responsible for collagen degradation.