MRI Findings and Prediction of Time to Progression of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Drug-eluting Bead Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of MRI findings after drug-eluting beads (DEB) - transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma in predicting time to progression (TTP). This study included 48 patients with 60 lesions who underwent liver MRI within 3 months after DEB-TACE. MRI was assessed for arterial enhancement pattern, late washout, arterioportal shunt, signal intensity on T2-weighted image, intratumoral septa, enhancing tissue on subtraction images, and treatment response. Cox-regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors to predict TTP. TTP was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test. Per lesion, 30 achieved complete remission, 22 had a partial response, and the remaining 8 lesions displayed stable disease on MRI. Arterial enhancement pattern, washout and enhancing tissue on subtraction images from MRI were associated with viable tumor on the last follow-up computerized tomography. Arterial enhancement, washout and enhancing tissue on subtraction images were significant predictors of TTP, but only enhancing tissue on subtraction images remained a significant predictor of TTP (P=0.018) in the multivariate analysis. TTP was longer in the group without enhancing tissue on subtraction images compared to the group with enhancing tissue (601 days vs. 287 days, P<0.001). Enhancing tissue on subtraction images from MRI after DEB-TACE is predictive for longer TTP.

Proniosomes as a drug carrier for transdermal delivery of meloxicam

The current investigation aims to evaluate the potential of proniosomes as a carrier for transdermal delivery of a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, meloxicam. Meloxicamloaded proniosomes were prepared and characterized for entrapment efficiency, surface morphology and in-vitro permeation across excised rat skin from various proniosome gel formulations using Franz diffusion cells. Various non-ionic surfactants were used to achieve optimum encapsulation efficiency. Niosomes formed from using Spans and Tweens exhibited high encapsulation efficiency. The prepared proniosomes significantly improved drug permeation and reduced the lag time [p<0.05]. Proniosomes prepared with Span 60 provided a higher meloxicam flux across the rat skin than did those prepared with Tween 80. Testing of the anti-inflammatory effect of meloxicam proniosomal gel showed better pharmacological activity when compared with the standard meloxicam gel. The results suggest that proniosomes can act as promising carriers offer an alternative approach for transdermal delivery of meloxicam

O polietilenoglicol aumenta a penetração do vírus da diarréia viral bovina, do vírus da estomatite vesicular e do vírus sincicial respiratório bovino em células de cultivo / Polyethylene glycol increases the penetration of bovine viral diarrhea virus, vesicular stomatitis virus and bovine respiratory syncytial virus in cultured cells

A baixa eficiência de penetração de alguns vírus em células de cultivo pode representar uma dificuldade para o isolamento e a multiplicação viral in vitro. No presente estudo investigou-se o efeito do polietilenoglicol (PEG) na replicação de sete vírus bovinos em células de linhagem de rim bovino (MDBK). A eficiência de penetração e replicação foi mensurada pela contagem do número de placas virais produzidas em tapetes celulares, após adsorção do inóculo viral (100 DICC50 mL-1) com ou sem a adição de PEG a 5 por cento (peso molecular 6.000). A adição de PEG ao inóculo resultou em aumentos significativos do número de placas para o vírus da diarréia viral bovina (BVDV) (aumento de 3,4 vezes), vírus da estomatite vesicular (VSV) (2,2 vezes) e vírus respiratório sincicial bovino (BRSV) (1,5 vezes). A adição de PEG não produziu aumento significativo no número de placas dos herpesvírus bovinos 1, 2 e 5 (BoHV-1, BoHV-2 e BoHV-5). Por outro lado, o PEG produziu uma redução do número de placas (1,4 vezes) produzidas pelo vírus da parainfluenza bovina (bPI-3V). A adição de PEG a 5 por cento também aumentou a sensibilidade de detecção (entre 10 e 100 vezes) do BVDV no soro de três bezerros persistentemente infectados. Para o BRSV, a adição de PEG aumentou em duas vezes a sensibilidade do isolamento viral de secreções nasais de duas ovelhas infectadas experimentalmente. Esses resultados demonstram que o PEG aumenta a eficiência de infecção do BVDV, VSV e BRSV em células de cultivo, podendo ser utilizado para aumentar a sensibilidade de detecção desses vírus em amostras clínicas (isolamento viral) e/ou, para aumentar os títulos de vírus produzidos em cultivo celular.

The low efficiency of penetration of some viruses in cultured cells may represent an obstacle for viral isolation and/or viral multiplication in tissue culture. This study investigated the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the penetration and replication of seven bovine enveloped viruses in culture cells. Penetration efficiency was measured by counting the number of viral plaques produced in bovine kidney cells (MDBK). The addition of 5 percent PEG (molecular weight 6.000) to the viral inoculum containing 100 TCID50 mL-1 (tissue culture median infectious dosis) of each virus, during adsorption for 2h at 37ºC, resulted in a significant increase in the number of plaques for bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) (increase of 3.4-fold), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) (2.2-fold) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) (1.5-fold). The addition of 5 percent PEG to the inoculum of bovine herpesviruses 1, 2 and 5 (BoHV-1, BoHV-2 and BoHV-5) did not increase the number of viral plaques. On the other hand, PEG produced a reduction in the number of plaques by bovine parainfluenza virus (bPI-3V) (1.4-fold). Furthermore, the addition of 5 percent PEG produced a 10- to 1000-fold increase in the sensitivity of BVDV detection in the serum of three persistently infected calves; and doubled the sensitivity of detection of BRSV in nasal secretions of two experimentally infected sheep. These results demonstrate that PEG enhances the efficiency of infection by BVDV, VSV and BRSV in cultured bovine cells and therefore may be used to increase the sensitivity of virus detection in clinical samples (viral isolation), and/or to increase virus titers in cell cultures.

Assessment of bovine biomaterials containing bone morphogenetic proteins bound to absorbable hydroxyapatite in rabbit segmental bone defects

PURPOSE: To evaluate the osteo-regenerative capacity of two proprietary bone grafting materials, using a segmental defect model in both radial diaphyses of rabbits. METHODS: The right defect was filled with pooled bone morphogenetic proteins (pBMPs) bound to absorbable ultrathin powdered hydroxyapatite (HA) mixed with inorganic and demineralized bone matrix and bone-derived collagen, derived from bovine bone (Group A). The left defect was filled with bovine demineralized bone matrix and pBMPs bound to absorbable ultrathin powdered HA (Group B). In both groups, an absorbable membrane of demineralized bovine cortical was used to retain the biomaterials in the bone defects, and to guide the tissue regeneration. The rabbits were euthanized 30, 90 and 150 days after surgery. Radiographic, tomographic and histologic evaluations were carried out on all specimens. RESULTS: At 30 days, the demineralized cortical bone cover was totally resorbed in both groups. HA was totally resorbed from Group A defects, whereas HA persisted in Group B defects. A prominent foreign body reaction was evident with both products, more pronounced in sections from Group B. At 90 days, the defects in Group B exhibited more new bone than Group A. However, at 150 days after surgery, neither treatment had stimulated complete repair of the defect. CONCLUSION: The partial bone healing of the segmental defect occurred with low or none performance of the biomaterials tested.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a capacidade osteo-regenerativa de dois biomateriais utilizando um modelo de defeito segmentar efetuado nas diáfises do rádio de coelhos. MÉTODOS: O defeito direito foi preenchido com pool de proteínas morfogenéticas ósseas (pBMPs) e hidroxiapatita em pó ultrafina absorvível (HA) combinada com matriz óssea inorgânica desmineralizada e colágeno, derivados do osso bovino (Grupo A). O defeito esquerdo foi preenchido com matriz óssea desmineralizada bovina com pBMPs e hidroxiapatita em pó ultrafina absorvível (Grupo B). Em ambos os defeitos utilizou-se membrana reabsorvível de cortical bovina desmineralizada para reter os biomateriais no defeito ósseo e guiar a regeneração tecidual. Os coelhos foram submetidos à eutanásia aos 30, 90 e 150 dias após a cirurgia. Foram efetuados exames radiográficos, tomográficos e histológicos em todos os espécimes. RESULTADOS: Aos 30 dias de pós-cirúrgico, o osso cortical desmineralizado foi totalmente reabsorvido em ambos os grupos. A HA tinha reabsorvido nos defeitos do Grupo A, mas persistiu nos do Grupo B. Uma reação de corpo estranho foi evidente com ambos os produtos, porém mais pronunciada no Grupo B. Aos 90 dias os defeitos do grupo B tinham mais formação óssea que os do Grupo A. Entretanto, aos 150 dias após a cirurgia, nenhum tratamento havia promovido o completo reparo do defeito. CONCLUSÃO: Os biomateriais testados contribuíram pouco ou quase nada para a reconstituição do defeito segmentar.