Optimal first-line chemotherapeutic treatment in patients with locally advanced or metastatic esophagogastric carcinoma: triplet versus doublet chemotherapy: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

There is a debate whether triplet or doublet chemotherapy should be used as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic esophagogastric cancer. Therefore, here we will review the available literature to assess the efficacy and safety of triplet versus doublet chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) between 1980 and March 2015 for randomized controlled phase II and III trials comparing triplet with doublet chemotherapy and abstracts of major oncology meetings from 1990 to 2014. Twenty-one studies with a total of 3475 participants were included in the meta-analysis for overall survival. An improvement in overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio (HR) 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83-0.97) and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69-0.93) was observed in favor of triplet. In addition, the use of triplet was associated with better objective response rate (ORR) (risk ratio 1.25, 95% CI 1.09-1.44) compared to doublet. The risks of grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (6.2 vs 3.8%), infection (10.2 vs 6.4%), and mucositis (9.7 vs 4.7%) were statistically significantly increased with triplet compared to doublet. This review shows that first-line triplet therapy is superior to doublet therapy in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer. However, the survival benefit is limited and the risks of grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia, infection, and mucositis are increased.

Physico-Mechanical Properties of Coprocessed Excipient MicroceLac® 100 by DM(3) Approach.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of relative humidity (RH) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) on the physico-mechanical properties of coprocessed MacroceLac(®) 100 using 'DM(3)' approach. METHODS: Effects of RH and 5% w/w HPMC on MacroceLac(®) 100 Compressibility Index (CI) and tablet mechanical strength (TMS) were evaluated by 'DM(3)'. The 'DM(3)' approach evaluates material properties by combining 'design of experiments', material's 'macroscopic' properties, 'molecular' properties, and 'multivariate analysis' tools. A 4X4 full-factorial experimental design was used to study the relationship of MacroceLac(®) 100 molecular properties (moisture content, dehydration, crystallization, fusion enthalpy, and moisture uptake) and macroscopic particle size and shape on CI and TMS. A physical binary mixture (PBM) of similar composition to MacroceLac(®) 100 was also evaluated. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), principle component analysis, and partial least squares (PLS) were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: MANOVA CI ranking was: PBM-HPMC > PBM > MicroceLac(®)100 > MicroceLac(®)100-HPMC (p < 0.0001). MANOVA showed PBM's and PBM-HPMC's TMS values were lower than MicroceLac(®)100 and MicroceLac(®)100-HPMC (p < 0.0001). PLS showed that % RH, HPMC, and several molecular properties significantly affected CI and TMS. CONCLUSIONS: Significant MicroceLac(®)100 changes occurred with % RH exposure affecting performance attributes. HPMC physical addition did not prevent molecular or macroscopic matrix changes.

A Multi-target Drug Designing for BTK, MMP9, Proteasome and TAK1 for the Clinical Treatment of Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by the mutation and overexpression of the cyclin D1 protein by the reciprocal chromosomal translocation t(11;14)(q13:q32). AIM: The present study aims to identify potential inhibition of MMP9, Proteasome, BTK, and TAK1 and determine the most suitable and effective protein target for the MCL. METHODOLOGY: Nine known inhibitors for MMP9, 24 for proteasome, 15 for BTK and 14 for TAK1 were screened. SB-3CT (PubChem ID: 9883002), oprozomib (PubChem ID: 25067547), zanubrutinib (PubChem ID: 135565884) and TAK1 inhibitor (PubChem ID: 66760355) were recognized as drugs with high binding capacity with their respective protein receptors. 41, 72, 102 and 3 virtual screened compounds were obtained after the similarity search with compound (PubChem ID:102173753), PubChem compound SCHEMBL15569297 (PubChem ID:72374403), PubChem compound SCHEMBL17075298 (PubChem ID:136970120) and compound CID: 71814473 with best virtual screened compounds. RESULT: MMP9 inhibitors show commendable affinity and good interaction profile of compound holding PubChem ID:102173753 over the most effective established inhibitor SB-3CT. The pharmacophore study of the best virtual screened compound reveals its high efficacy based on various interactions. The virtual screened compound's better affinity with the target MMP9 protein was deduced using toxicity and integration profile studies. CONCLUSION: Based on the ADMET profile, the compound (PubChem ID: 102173753) could be a potent drug for MCL treatment. Similar to the established SB-3CT, the compound was non-toxic with LD50 values for both the compounds lying in the same range.

Evaluation of the moisture prediction capability of near-infrared and attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using superdisintegrants as model compounds.

The superdisintegrants (SDs) moisture content measurement by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy has been evaluated against thermogravimetric analysis as a reference method. SDs with varying moisture content were used to build calibration and independent model verification data sets. Calibration models were developed based on the water-specific NIR and ATR-FTIR spectral regions using partial least-square regression methods. Because of the NIR water low molar absorptivity, NIR spectroscopy handled higher moisture content (∼81%, w/w) than ATR-FTIR (∼25%, w/w). A two-way ANOVA test was performed to compare R(2) values obtained from measured and predicted moisture content (5%-25%, w/w) of SDs. No statistically significant difference was observed between the predictability of NIR and ATR-FTIR methods (p = 0.3504). However, the interactions between the two independent variables, SDs, and analytical methods were statistically significant (p = 0.0002), indicating that the predictability of the analytical method is material dependent. Thus, it would be important to recognize this highly dependent material and analytical method interaction when using NIR moisture analysis in process analytical technology to analyze and control critical quality and performance attributes of raw materials during processing with the goal of ensuring final product quality attributes.

Niosomes: novel sustained release nonionic stable vesicular systems--an overview.

Vesicular systems are novel means of delivering drug in controlled manner to enhance bioavailability and get therapeutic effect over a longer period of time. Niosomes are such hydrated vesicular systems containing nonionic surfactants along with cholesterol or other lipids delivering drug to targeted site which are non toxic, requiring less production cost, stable over a longer period of time in different conditions, so overcomes drawbacks of liposome. Present review describes history, all factors affecting niosome formulation, manufacturing conditions, characterization, stability, administration routes and also their comparison with liposome. This review also gives relevant information regarding various applications of niosomes in gene delivery, vaccine delivery, anticancer drug delivery, etc.

In Vitro Anthelmintic Activity of Baliospermum montanum Muell. Arg roots.

Alcohol and aqueous extracts from the roots of Baliospermum montanum Muell. Arg were investigated for their anthelmintic activity against Pheretima posthuma and Ascardia galli. Various concentrations (10-100 mg/ml) of each extract were tested in the bioassay, which involved determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worms. Both the extracts exhibited significant anthelmintic activity at highest concentration of 100 mg/ml. Piperazine citrate (10 mg/ml) was included as standard reference and distilled water as control.

DNA topoisomerases I and II in human mature sperm cells: characterization and unique properties.

BACKGROUND: The condensed state of the human sperm's chromatin is essential for the compact structure of the spermatozoon head, which is important for the fertilization process. The enzymes DNA topoisomerases (topo I and topo II) are responsible for the topological structure of the chromatin in somatic cells. The activities and the characterization of topoisomerases in mature human sperm cells have not been previously investigated. METHODS: Sperm cells were purified from the semen of healthy donors by standard procedures and assays measuring the activities, protein size and sensitivity to inhibitors of topoisomerases were performed. RESULTS: Topo I and topo II DNA relaxation activities are present in nuclear extracts derived from human sperm. The sperm topo I activity is inhibited by camptothecin, similarly to the somatic enzyme. An 85 kDa sperm protein, compared with the 100 kDa somatic topo IB enzyme, reacted with anti-human topo I antibody. Sperm topo II lacks the DNA decatenation activity of the somatic enzyme and a 97 kDa protein, compared with the 170 kDa somatic topo IIalpha enzyme, was detected with anti-human topo II antibody. Sperm nuclear extracts contained inhibitors of somatic topo II decatenation activity. CONCLUSIONS: Topoisomerase I and II activities as well as topo I and topo II proteins are present in mature human sperm cells. These enzymes possess unique properties compared with their somatic counterparts.

Affinity and hydrophobic interactions of penicillin amidase.

Binding of penicillin amidase from E. coli 436 to aniline-, benzylamine- and phenylethylamine-Sepharose was studied. Binding of the enzyme to aniline-Sepharose was exclusively due to hydrophobic interactions. Benzylamine-Sepharose binds the enzyme due to affinity interactions in the absence of ammonium sulphate and due to hydrophobic interactions in the presence of ammonium sulphate. A conformational change in the penicillin amidase molecule due to ammonium sulphate there by exposing the side chain binding site as a hydrophobic core is suggested.