Combined ipilimumab and nivolumab first‐line and after BRAF‐targeted therapy in advanced melanoma

The combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab is a highly active systemic therapy for metastatic melanoma but can cause significant toxicity. We explore the safety and efficacy of this treatment in routine clinical practice, particularly in the setting of serine/threonine‐protein kinase B‐Raf (BRAF)‐targeted therapy. Consecutive patients with unresectable stage IIIC/IV melanoma commenced on ipilimumab and nivolumab across 10 tertiary melanoma institutions in Australia were identified retrospectively. Data collected included demographics, response and survival outcomes. A total of 152 patients were included for analysis, 39% were treatment‐naïve and 22% failed first‐line BRAF/MEK inhibitors. Treatment‐related adverse events occurred in 67% of patients, grade 3–5 in 38%. The overall objective response rate was 41%, 57% in treatment‐naïve and 21% in BRAF/MEK failure patients. Median progression‐free survival was 4.0 months (95% CI, 3.0–6.0) in the whole cohort, 11.0 months (95% CI, 6.0‐NR) in treatment‐naïve and 2.0 months (95% CI, 1.4–4.6) in BRAF/MEK failure patients. The combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab can be used safely and effectively in a real‐world population. While first‐line efficacy appears comparable to trial populations, BRAF‐mutant patients failing prior BRAF/MEK inhibitors show less response.     

脓毒症急性肾损伤患者血液净化时机选择对治疗期间微循环系统的影响研究

目的:探究脓毒症急性肾损伤患者血液净化时机选择对治疗期间微循环系统的影响。方法:选取2016年2月～2017年2月期间来我院治疗的脓毒症急性肾损伤患者200例作为研究对象,依据急性肾损伤的诊断和分级(RIFLE)标准将脓毒症急性肾损伤患者分为1期(A组,n=56)、2期(B组,n=70)、3期(C组,n=74),所有患者皆采取连续性肾脏替代疗法。观察不同时期治疗前后微循环的变化。结果:三组脓毒症急性肾损伤患者在性别、年龄、空腹血糖浓度、急性生理功能和慢性健康状况(APACHE)评分、体温、心率指标上差异无统计学意义(P0.05);治疗后,A组患者微血管流动指数低于B组和C组,而灌注血管比例、灌注血管密度及总血管密度显著高于B组和C组(P0.05);A组患者血液流态积分、襻周状态积分、管襻形态积分及总积分显著低于B组和C组(P0.05),而襻顶血管直径显著大于B组和C组(P0.05)。结论:在RLFLE诊断标准1期对脓毒症急性肾损伤患者实施血液净化,可以明显地改善治疗效果,促进微循环系统的恢复。     

人Semaphorin 4D慢病毒载体的构建及鉴定

目的:构建并制备能够有效表达Semaphorin 4D的重组慢病毒。方法:从人急性T细胞白血病Jurkat细胞DNA 扩增人Semaphorin 4D基因,克隆至pWPI GW慢病毒载体上,与pVSVG及pSPAX质粒共转染人胚肾293T细胞,包装出重组慢病毒,将纯化后的重组病毒直接感染293T和HUVEC细胞,通过免疫印迹、免疫荧光染色和血管内皮细胞迁移分析等方法检测Semaphorin 4D的表达和诱导血管内皮细胞迁移的作用。结果: 重组慢病毒介导Semaphorin 4D在293T和HUVEC内获得表达,能介导血管内皮细胞迁移。结论:成功构建了表达Semaphorin 4D的重组慢病毒载体。     

贝伐单抗对ALA—PDT诱导的新生血管形成和胶质瘤生长的影响

探讨贝伐单抗对低剂量5-氨基乙酰丙酸（5-Aminolevulinicacid,ALA）介导的光动力学疗法（photodynamic therapy,PDT）诱导的脑组织新生血管形成和U87脑胶质瘤生长的影响。通过将裸小鼠随机分为对照组、ALA．PDT预处置组（ALA：2．3×10-3mol／kg,能量密度：10J／cm2）、贝伐单抗预处置组（1．6×10-5mol／kg）和联合预处置组（ALA—PDT＋贝伐单抗）,并接受相应处置。第10d,检测PDT照射及相应区域内新生血管形成和VEGF表达并种植U87脑胶质瘤细胞,21d后观察肿瘤体积。与对照组比较,低剂量ALA-PDT预处置后新生血管增多、VEGF表达增高,肿瘤体积增大,这些变化在联合预处置组被抑制;贝伐单抗预处置组的血管形态和VEGF表达虽无明显变化,但肿瘤体积减小。研究结果表明低剂量ALA-PDT可通过刺激VEGF表达诱导照射区新生血管形成,这种微环境的改变有利于U87胶质瘤细胞生长,但这些作用可被贝伐单抗所抑制。     

The effects of probiotics on PPI-triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication

Background: This study was performed to evaluate whether the addition of probiotics to proton pump inhibitor (PPI)‐based triple therapy increases the likelihood of successful Helicobacter pylori eradication. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and forty‐seven H. pylori‐infected patients were randomized into a triple‐plus‐yogurt group (yogurt group, n = 168) or a triple‐only group (control group, n = 179). Triple therapy consisted of PPI b.i.d., clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d., and amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d. for 7 days. Yogurt group received triple therapy for 1 week and one bottle of Will yogurt per day for at 3 weeks, starting on the first day of triple therapy. Will yogurt (a Korean brand) contains Lactobacillus acidophilus HY2177, Lactobacillus casei HY2743, Bifidobacterium longum HY8001, and Streptococcus thermophilus B‐1. ¹³C‐urea breath test was performed at least 4 weeks after completion of triple therapy. Eradication rates, compliances, and adverse events were compared. Results: By intention‐to treat analysis the H. pylori eradication rates in the yogurt group 79.2% (133 of 168) was similar to that in the control group 72.1% (129 of 179) (p = .124). However, by per‐protocol (PP) analysis, the eradication rate in the yogurt group, 87.5% (133 of 152) was higher than that in the control group, 78.7% (129 of 164) (p = .037). Common adverse events were metallic taste (11.8%) and diarrhea (8.6%). The frequency of adverse effects in the yogurt group 41.1% (69/168) were higher than in the control group, 26.3% (47 of 179) (p = .003). However, most adverse events were mild to moderate in intensity, and the severities of adverse effects were similar in both groups (p = .401). Conclusions: The addition of Will yogurt to triple therapy did not reduce the side‐effects of triple therapy. But it increased the H. pylori eradication rate by PP analysis, encouraging more research in this field.     

Meta-analysis: Four-Drug, Three-Antibiotic, Non-bismuth-Containing "Concomitant Therapy" Versus Triple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication

Background: Low success rates with triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infections have prompted search for alternatives. In one, a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) and amoxicillin was followed by the PPI plus clarithromycin and a nitroimidazole (sequential therapy); in another, these four drugs were given concomitantly (concomitant therapy).
Aim: To compare concomitant therapy with standard triple therapy for H. pylori infection.
Methods: By searching PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and abstracts of major gastrointestinal meeting, two independent reviewers systemically identified randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing concomitant quadruple to standard triple therapies as well as studies reporting eradication rates of concomitant quadruple therapy in treatment of H. pylori . Pooled eradication rates and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and univariable metaregression analysis for all extracted variables was conducted.
Results: We identified nine studies (10 treatment arms) including five qualifying RCTs (576 subjects) comparing concomitant (293 subjects, duration 3 to 5 days) and triple therapy (283 subjects, duration 5 to 10 days) and four other studies evaluating concomitant therapy (478 subjects, duration 3 to 7 days). Pooled estimates of the five RCTs showed superiority of concomitant therapy over triple therapy; with intention-to-treat) pooled OR of 2.86 (95% CI: 1.73–4.73) and per-protocol (PP) pooled OR of 3.52 (95% CI: 1.95–6.38). Considering all 10 treatment arms, the ITT eradication rate was 89.7% (95% CI: 86.8–92.1%) and PP was 92.9% (95% CI: 90.2–94.8%).
Conclusion: Concomitant therapy appears to be an effective alternative to triple therapy and is less complex than sequential therapy.     

Investigation of PDE5/PDE6 and PDE5/PDE11 selective potent tadalafil-like PDE5 inhibitors using combination of molecular modeling approaches,molecular fingerprint-based virtual screening protocols and structure-based pharmacophore development

The essential biological function of phosphodiesterase (PDE) type enzymes is to regulate the cytoplasmic levels of intracellular second messengers, 3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and/or 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). PDE targets have 11 isoenzymes. Of these enzymes, PDE5 has attracted a special attention over the years after its recognition as being the target enzyme in treating erectile dysfunction. Due to the amino acid sequence and the secondary structural similarity of PDE6 and PDE11 with the catalytic domain of PDE5, first-generation PDE5 inhibitors (i.e. sildenafil and vardenafil) are also competitive inhibitors of PDE6 and PDE11. Since the major challenge of designing novel PDE5 inhibitors is to decrease their cross-reactivity with PDE6 and PDE11, in this study, we attempt to identify potent tadalafil-like PDE5 inhibitors that have PDE5/PDE6 and PDE5/PDE11 selectivity. For this aim, the similarity-based virtual screening protocol is applied for the “clean drug-like subset of ZINC database” that contains more than 20 million small compounds. Moreover, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of selected hits complexed with PDE5 and off-targets were performed in order to get insights for structural and dynamical behaviors of the selected molecules as selective PDE5 inhibitors. Since tadalafil blocks hERG1 K channels in concentration dependent manner, the cardiotoxicity prediction of the hit molecules was also tested. Results of this study can be useful for designing of novel, safe and selective PDE5 inhibitors.