Relaxation dynamics of photoexcited excitons in rubrene single crystals using femtosecond absorption spectroscopy

The relaxation dynamics of an exciton in rubrene was investigated by femtosecond absorption spectroscopy. Exciton relaxation to a self-trapped state occurs via the coherent oscillation with 78 cm(-1) due to a coupled mode of molecular deformations with phenyl-side-group motions and molecular displacements. From the temperature dependence of the decay time of excitons, the energy necessary for an exciton to escape from a self-trapped state is evaluated to be ~35 meV (~400 K). As a result, a self-trapped exciton is stable at low temperatures. At room temperature, excitons can escape from a self-trapped state and, subsequently, they are dissociated to charged species. The exciton dissociation mechanism is discussed on the basis of the results.

Long-term renoprotective effect of candesartan in renal transplant patients

BACKGROUND

The renoprotective effects of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) have been demonstrated in a number of clinical studies, but there are few evaluations of long-term ARB treatment. We measured blood pressure, urine protein, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among patients under long-term (up to 9 years) treatment with candesartan cilexetil to evaluate its safety and effectiveness to protect renal graft function.

METHODS

This study of 41 patients (31 male and 10 female) who presented with proteinuria and hypertension (blood pressure >140/90 mm Hg) after receiving a renal graft. Their serum creatinine level at baseline was 1.51 ± 0.53 mg/dL. Cyclosporine or tacrolimus were concomitantly prescribed for 18 (43.9%) and 22 (53.7%) subjects, respectively. The ARB treatment period was ≥12 months (up to 9 years, mean 4.8 years). Combination with other antihypertensive drugs (calcium antagonists) was necessary in 14/41 subjects (34.1%).

RESULTS

Significant declines in blood pressure were observed during the treatment period; blood pressure reduction target (blood pressure <130/80 mm Hg) was met in 56.1% for systolic and 68.3% for diastolic pressure. No significant increase in serum creatinine level or eGFR was observed. Urinary protein was reduced to negative or marginal in 63.4% of the subjects, demonstrating a significant decrease.

CONCLUSIONS

Candesartan cilexetil was considered to be safe even for long-term treatment in renal transplant patients, and effective to protect renal graft function.

Activity of retreatment with sorafenib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma

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Background: Treatment options for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have increased. Complete remission is, however, rarely seen and patients are treated with multiple sequential therapies. We assessed clinical activity of sorafenib rechallenge after progressing on other therapies.

Methods: Patients with mRCC who received a second course of sorafenib therapy after failure of prior sorafenib and other agents were retrospectively identified. RECIST-defined objective response rate and progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicity were analyzed.

Results: Fourteen patients with mRCC who were retreated with sorafenib were identified and twelve patients were assessable for this study. 92% were male. Median age at first systemic therapy was 63 years. Prior nephrectomy was performed in 92% of patients. 42% of patients had favorable or intermediate risk, 17% poor, and the rest not available per MSKCC criteria. Eighty-three percent of patients were treated with other agents before initial sorafenib therapy, including 75% interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), 50% interleukin-2 (IL-2), and 17% sunitinib. First sorafenib therapy began a median of 9.0 months after the diagnosis of mRCC and produced a clinical benefit (PR + SD) rate of 75% and a median PFS of 5.0 months. 67% of patients discontinued initial sorafenib for disease progression and 33% for adverse events. Interval between discontinuation of initial sorafenib and rechallenge was a median of 7.6 months. During the intervening period, 50% of patients were treated with sunitinib, 33% with everolimus, 25% with VEGFR1 vaccine, and others. Clinical benefit rate of 67% and a median PFS of 4.3 months were obtained on sorafenib rechallenge. There was no significant difference in outcome to sorafenib rechallenge based on duration between sorafenib treatments or number or type of intervening treatments. No new severe toxicity was observed during rechallenge.

Conclusions: Sorafenib rechallenge has potential to achieve clinical benefits, is well-tolerated, and may be considered after multiple sequential therapies in select mRCC patients.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Direct detection of the ultrafast response of charges and molecules in the photoinduced neutral-to-ionic transition of the organic tetrathiafulvalene-p-chloranil solid

Ultrafast dynamics of charge and molecular degrees of freedom in a photoinduced neutral-ionic transition of an organic solid, tetrathiafulvalene-p-chloranil, were directly detected for the first time by transient reflectivity measurements using 15 fs laser pulses. The results reveal that ionic domains are photogenerated in the neutral lattice via collective charge-transfer processes within 20 fs, and subsequently molecular deformations and bendings occur, giving rise to large changes in the molecular ionicity and charge redistributions in molecules, respectively. We show that such couplings between charge and molecular degrees of freedom play important roles in photoinduced transitions of organic molecular compounds.

Vascular supply with angio-CT for superselective intra-arterial chemotherapy in advanced maxillary sinus cancer

Recently popularised, the combined angiography and CT (angio-CT) system is useful for correctly identifying the feeding arteries and their perfusion in various organs. We applied this system for advanced maxillary cancer to expose its feeding arteries and their supplying territories. In addition to the maxillary artery, extramaxillary feeding arteries were usually observed, including the ophthalmic, accessory meningeal, facial, transverse facial and ascending palatine arteries. These extramaxillary feeding arteries exhibited uniform tendencies, depending on the site of extramaxillary tumour extension.

Effect of edaravone on ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat urinary bladder--changes in smooth muscle cell phenotype and contractile function

Edaravone is a newly developed radical scavenging agent that has been widely used for protection against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in patients with cerebral infarction. The present study investigated the effects of edaravone on the I/R injury in rat urinary bladder. Adult male rats were divided in the four groups: groups 1-3 received 1 hour of ischemia followed by 1 hour of reperfusion with saline and with edaravone (1 and 3 mg/kg body weight), and group 4 were age-matched control rats. The in vivo ischemia was created by clamping the vesical arteries for 1 hour and reperfusion was accomplished by removing the clips and lasted for 1 hour. Edaravone or saline were administered after reperfusion for 30 min. Following reperfusion, the bladder was excised and separated. Bladder smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotypic expression was investigated in the electron microscope. The number of contractile and non-contractile bladder SMC phenotype according to the morphological criteria was counted and the ratio of non-contractile to contractile phenotype was calculated. The responses to electrical field stimulation and carbachol were recorded. Edaravone administration resulted in the protection of the morphological changes and contractile responses to both EFS and carbachol that were affected by the agent. Our findings demonstrate that edaravone has a potentially protective effect on I/R-induced damage in the rat bladder.

Serum selenium and risk of prostate cancer in Japanese men

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Background: Epidemiologic studies suggest that low selenium levels are associated with an increased incidence of prostate cancer, although results are conflicting. We examined the association between serum selenium levels and risk of prostate cancer in men who received a prostate biopsy in our hospital. Methods: Our prospective study included 82 patients who received a prostate biopsy based on elevated PSA levels over 4.0ng/ml. Serum from each patient was sampled to determine the selenium level at the time of biopsy. Of these, 47 patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer (case group) and no malignant lesions in the biopsy specimen were detected in the remains, 35 patients (control group). Results: The mean serum selenium levels in the case and control group were 120.4 (SD, 14.4) ng/mL and 118.5 (SD, 16.1) ng/mL, respectively (p = 0.588). Serum selenium levels at biopsy were not associated with risk of prostate cancer diagnosis. In the case group, the mean serum selenium levels in patients diagnosed with 6 or less in Gleason score and 7 or more were 121.0 (SD, 9.9) ng/mL (n = 14) and 120.1 (SD, 16.1) ng/mL (n = 33), respectively (p = 0.851). Serum selenium levels at biopsy were not associated with Gleason score in the case group. An inverse association between serum selenium and PSA levels at biopsy was observed (p = 0.030). No correlation was observed between serum selenium level and age at biopsy. Conclusions: From this study, serum selenium level cannot predict the result of prostate biopsy. The inverse association between serum selenium and PSA levels may suggest that low selenium levels are associated with an increased incidence of prostate cancer.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

A randomized trial of personalized peptide vaccine (PPV) plus low-dose estramustine (EMP) versus full-dose EMP in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer

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Background: Personalized selection of the right peptides for each patient could be a novel peptide-based immunotherapy for boosting anti-cancer immunity in many patients (pts). This randomized study evaluated the anti-tumor effect and safety of PPV plus a low-dose EMP compared with full dose EMP for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). Methods: This was a randomized (1:1), open labeled, cross-over study in pts with HRPC. Pts were randomized to arm A; PPV plus low-dose EMP (280 mg/day) or arm B; full dose EMP (560 mg/day) according to age and PSA levels. In arm A, prevaccination plasma were measured for their IgG levels for each of the 14 or 12 candidate peptides which can induce HLA-A2 or A24-restricted CTL activity against cancer cells followed by biweekly subcutaneous administration of the top four peptides (3mg each) showing the strongest IgG responses. Disease progression (PD) was defined as three consecutive and 125% increase from baseline PSA levels at least two weeks apart or objective PD by RECIST criteria. After PD, pts were treated with the opposite regime. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoints were overall survival and toxicity. The planned sample size was 80. Results: A total of 54 pts from 4 institutions were enrolled between June 2006 and December 2008. The accural into arms A and B was 27 and 27 pts, respectively. The main pts characteristics are (arm A/B): median age 71/69 years, EOCG performance status 0/1 96%/4% and 100%/0%, HLA A2/A24/A2A24 40%/32%/28% and 54%/27%/19%, median PSA 27/25 ng/ml, and metastatic HRPC 96%/85%. All pts were evaluable for their response at the time of interim analysis. The personalized peptide vaccination was well tolerated with no major adverse effects. Increased levels of IgG responses to the vaccinated peptides were observed in 20 of 23 (87%) patients tested. The median PFS time was 246 days in the arm A group and 85 days in the arm B, respectively. The PFS time in the arm A was statistically longer than that in the arm B (log-rank test: p = 0.0007, hazard ratio: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.12 to 0.615). Conclusions: PPV plus low-dose EMP was associated with improvement in PSA-based PFS compared to full-dose EMP alone.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Efficacy of carvedilol for ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative renal injury in rats

In renal transplantation, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is related to production of reactive oxygen species. In addition to its antihypertensive action due to nonselective beta-adrenergic blocking activity, carvedilol has potent antioxidant activity. This study was designed to investigate the effects of carvedilol on I/R injury in rats. On postoperative days 2 and 4, serum creatinine levels were higher among the control and the metoprolol treatment groups compared with the carvedilol treatment group (P < .005). However, there were no significant differences on postoperative day 7. In conclusion, increased antioxidant modulation by carvedilol attenuated renal I/R injury.