Papillary thyroid carcinoma: the impact of histologic vascular invasion

BACKGROUND

The American Thyroid Association (ATA) recurrence risk prediction system considers vascular invasion (VI) as a relative indicator for adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment, nevertheless VI final role in PTC management is yet to be defined. This study aims to assess the impact of histologic VI in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODS

A retrospective study with PTC patients admitted in our Thyroid Cancer Unit, between January 1960 and December 2016 was performed. We reviewed 905 patient records with 275 having full information about VI on their pathological reports. Demographic and clinical variables were obtained, and univariate/multivariate analysis was performed in order to obtain potential predictive prognostic factors.

RESULTS

Fifty-one out 275 patients presented VI (18.5%; 95% CI 14.4-23.6%), these individuals had larger tumors (median 19 mm vs. 12 mm, P<0.001) with more frequent extraglandular invasion (54.0% vs. 17.1%, P<0.001), regional lymph nodes involvement (29.8% vs. 12.6%, P=0.003)and distant metastasis (10.9% vs. 1.9%, P=0.003) at diagnosis. VI was an independent predictor for regional lymph node and/or distant metastasis at diagnosis (OR 2.93 [IC 95% 1.16-7.41, P=0.008]). After a median follow-up time was 68.5 months patients with VI presented higher rates of local recurrence and lymph node metastasis recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the presence of VI in PTC is associated to higher rate of lymph node and distant metastasis at diagnosis. Its presence should be probably considered an adverse prognostic factor in PTC, perhaps justifying more aggressive therapeutic and follow-up approaches in such cases.

Food Matrix Design for Effective Lactic Acid Bacteria Delivery

The range of foods featuring lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with potential associated health benefits has expanded over the years from traditional dairy products to meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, chocolate, etc. All these new carriers need to be compared for their efficacy to protect, carry, and deliver LAB, but because of their profusion and the diversity of methods this remains difficult. This review points out the advantages and disadvantages of the main food matrix types, and an additional distinction between dairy and nondairy foods is made. The food matrix impact on LAB viability during food manufacturing, storage, and digestion is also discussed. The authors propose an ideal hypothetical food matrix that includes structural and physicochemical characteristics such as pH, water activity, and buffering capacities, all of which need to be taken into account when performing LAB food matrix design. Guidelines are finally provided to optimize food matrix design in terms of effective LAB delivery.

Multilocus sequence typing of Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strains associated with fish disease and dairy products

AIMS

Carnobacterium maltaromaticum is a lactic acid bacterium of technological interest in the field of dairy ripening and food bioprotection and is generally recognized as safe in the United States. As it is associated with fish infections, the European Food Safety Agency did not include this species in the qualified presumption safety list of micro-organisms. This implies that the risk assessment for the species has to be performed at the strain level.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is a tool that (i) potentially allows to discriminate strains isolated from diseased fish from apathogenic strains and (ii) to assess the genetic relatedness between both groups of strains. In this study, we characterized by MLST 21 C. maltaromaticum strains including 16 strains isolated from diseased fish and 5 apathogenic dairy strains isolated from cheese. The resulting population structure was investigated by integrating these new data to the previously published population structure (available at http://pubmlst.org), which represents an overall of 71 strains.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis revealed that none of the strains isolated from diseased fish is assigned to a clonal complex containing cheese isolates, and that 11 strains exhibit singleton genotypes suggesting that the population of diseased fish isolates is not clonal.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study thus provides a population structure of C. maltaromaticum that could serve in the future as a reference that could contribute to the risk assessment of C. maltaromaticum strains intended to be used in the food chain.

MAO inhibitory activity of bromo-2-phenylbenzofurans: synthesis, in vitro study, and docking calculations

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme responsible for metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitters which play an important role in brain development and function. This enzyme exists in two isoforms, and it has been demonstrated that MAO-B activity, but not MAO-A activity, increases with aging. MAO inhibitors show clinical value because besides the monoamine level regulation they reduce the formation of by-products of the MAO catalytic cycle, which are toxic to the brain. A series of 2-phenylbenzofuran derivatives was designed, synthesized and evaluated against hMAO-A and hMAO-B enzymes. A bromine substituent was introduced in the 2-phenyl ring, whereas position 5 or 7 of the benzofuran moiety was substituted with a methyl group. Most of the tested compounds inhibited preferentially MAO-B in a reversible manner, with IC50 values in the low micro or nanomolar range. The 2-(2'-bromophenyl)-5-methylbenzofuran (5) was the most active compound identified (IC50 = 0.20 μM). In addition, none of the studied compounds showed cytotoxic activity against the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. Molecular docking simulations were used to explain the observed hMAO-B structure-activity relationship for this type of compounds.

Phytochemical profiling as a solution to palliate disinfectant limitations

The indiscriminate use of biocides for general disinfection has contributed to the increased incidence of antimicrobial tolerant microorganisms. This study aims to assess the potential of seven phytochemicals (tyrosol, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamaldehyde, coumaric acid, cinnamic acid and eugenol) in the control of planktonic and sessile cells of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Cinnamaldehyde and eugenol showed antimicrobial properties, minimum inhibitory concentrations of 3-5 and 5-12 mM and minimum bactericidal concentrations of 10-12 and 10-14 mM against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Cinnamic acid was able to completely control adhered bacteria with effects comparable to peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite and it was more effective than hydrogen peroxide (all at 10 mM). This phytochemical caused significant changes in bacterial membrane hydrophilicity. The observed effectiveness of phytochemicals makes them interesting alternatives and/or complementary products to commonly used biocidal products. Cinnamic acid is of particular interest for the control of sessile cells.

Co-cultivation of Synechocystis salina and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata under varying phosphorus concentrations evidences an allelopathic competition scenario

This study suggests growth inhibition ofSynechocystis salinawhen co-cultured withPseudokirchneriella subcapitatathrough the production of an allelochemical – lactic acid.

Progress in the development of small molecules as new human A3 adenosine receptor ligands based on the 3-thiophenylcoumarin core

3-Thiophenylcoumarins are described as adenosine receptor ligands. Synthesis, in vitro pharmacological assays and docking studies were performed.

Discovery of the first A1 adenosine receptor ligand based on the chromone scaffold

The first potent and selective hA₁AR ligand based on the chromone scaffold is reported in this work.

Exploring coumarin potentialities: development of new enzymatic inhibitors based on the 6-methyl-3-carboxamidocoumarin scaffold

Novel 6-methyl-3-carboxamidocoumarins were synthesized by an effective three step synthetic strategy and screened towards MAO, AChE and BuChE enzymes.

Lessons from black pepper: piperine and derivatives thereof

INTRODUCTION

Piperine is a simple and pungent alkaloid found in the seeds of black pepper (Piper nigrum). Following its isolation and full characterization, the biological properties of piperine have been extensively studied, and piperine-like derivatives have shown an interesting range of pharmacological activities. In this context, significant advances have been made in the discovery of new chemical entities based on the piperine scaffold endowed with therapeutic potential.

AREAS COVERED

The aim of this review is to provide a thorough inquiry on the therapeutic potential of piperine and related derivatives. It provides an overview of recent developments in patented processes and applications thereof between 2000 and 2015.

EXPERT OPINION

Cumulative evidence shows that piperine is currently paving its way to become a privileged scaffold for the development of bioactive compounds with therapeutic application in multiple human diseases. In particular, piperine derivatives were shown to modulate the activity of several targets related to neurological disorders, including epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, depression and pain related disorders. Moreover, the efflux pump inhibitory ability of piperine and its analogues tackles important drug resistance mechanisms and may improve the clinical efficacy of antibiotic and anticancer drugs. Although the use of piperine as a scaffold for bioactive compounds is still in its early stages, the continuous exploration of this structure may lead to remarkable advances in drug discovery programs.

Transmission of HIV Drug Resistance and the Predicted Effect on Current First-line Regimens in Europe

Transmitted human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance in Europe is stable at around 8%. The impact of baseline mutation patterns on susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs should be addressed using clinical guidelines. The impact on baseline susceptibility is largest for nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Background. Numerous studies have shown that baseline drug resistance patterns may influence the outcome of antiretroviral therapy. Therefore, guidelines recommend drug resistance testing to guide the choice of initial regimen. In addition to optimizing individual patient management, these baseline resistance data enable transmitted drug resistance (TDR) to be surveyed for public health purposes. The SPREAD program systematically collects data to gain insight into TDR occurring in Europe since 2001.

Methods. Demographic, clinical, and virological data from 4140 antiretroviral-naive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected individuals from 26 countries who were newly diagnosed between 2008 and 2010 were analyzed. Evidence of TDR was defined using the WHO list for surveillance of drug resistance mutations. Prevalence of TDR was assessed over time by comparing the results to SPREAD data from 2002 to 2007. Baseline susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs was predicted using the Stanford HIVdb program version 7.0.

Results. The overall prevalence of TDR did not change significantly over time and was 8.3% (95% confidence interval, 7.2%–9.5%) in 2008–2010. The most frequent indicators of TDR were nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) mutations (4.5%), followed by nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) mutations (2.9%) and protease inhibitor mutations (2.0%). Baseline mutations were most predictive of reduced susceptibility to initial NNRTI-based regimens: 4.5% and 6.5% of patient isolates were predicted to have resistance to regimens containing efavirenz or rilpivirine, respectively, independent of current NRTI backbones.

Conclusions. Although TDR was highest for NRTIs, the impact of baseline drug resistance patterns on susceptibility was largest for NNRTIs. The prevalence of TDR assessed by epidemiological surveys does not clearly indicate to what degree susceptibility to different drug classes is affected.

Electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of herbicide MCPA and its metabolite 4-chloro-2-methylphenol. Application to photodegradation environmental monitoring

The development and application of a polyaniline/carbon nanotube (CNT) cyclodextrin matrix (PANI-β-CD/MWCNT)-based electrochemical sensor for the quantitative determination of the herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) and its main transformation product 4-chloro-2-methylphenol in natural waters are described. A simple cyclic voltammetry-based electrochemical methodology, in phosphate buffer solution at pH 6.0, was used to develop a method to determine both MCPA and 4-chloro-2-methylphenol, without any previous extraction or derivatization steps. A linear concentration range (10 to 50 μmol L(-1)) and detection limits of 1.1 and 1.9 μmol L(-1), respectively, were achieved using optimized cyclic voltammetric parameters. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of MCPA and 4-chloro-2-methylphenol in natural water samples with satisfactory recoveries (94 to 107%) and in good agreement with the results obtained by an established high-performance liquid chromatography technique, no significant differences being found between the methods. Interferences from ionic species and other herbicides used for broad-leaf weed control were shown to be small. The newly developed methodology was also successfully applied to MCPA photodegradation environmental studies.

Navigating in chromone chemical space: discovery of novel and distinct A3 adenosine receptor ligands

One of the major hurdles in the development of effective drugs targeting GPCRs is finding ligands selective for a specific receptor subtype. Here we describe a potent and selective hormone-based hA₃ AR ligand (K_i of 167 nM) with a remarkable selectivity.

Design and discovery of tyrosinase inhibitors based on a coumarin scaffold

A novel series of 3-aryl and 3-heteroarylcoumarins displaying tyrosinase inhibitory activity.

Discovery of two new classes of potent monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors by tricky chemistry

Discovery of monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors based on chromane-2,4-dione and chromone-3-carboxamide scaffolds for the management of neurodegenerative diseases.

Hydroxycinnamic acid as a novel scaffold for the development of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

The most active hydroxycinnamic acid derivative, caffeic acid diethyl ester (CA-DE), demonstrated 88.5/30.5% inhibition at 100/20 μM against COX-2 and negligible COX-1 inhibitory effect. CA-DE showed preferred interactions with COX-2 active site.

Biology-oriented development of novel lipophilic antioxidants with neuroprotective activity

Discovery of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives with enhanced in lipophilicity, blood brain barrier permeability and neuroprotective potential.

Lactic acid bacteria in dairy food: surface characterization and interactions with food matrix components

This review gives an overview of the importance of interactions occurring in dairy matrices between Lactic Acid Bacteria and milk components. Dairy products are important sources of biological active compounds of particular relevance to human health. These compounds include immunoglobulins, whey proteins and peptides, polar lipids, and lactic acid bacteria including probiotics. A better understanding of interactions between bioactive components and their delivery matrix may successfully improve their transport to their target site of action. Pioneering research on probiotic lactic acid bacteria has mainly focused on their host effects. However, very little is known about their interaction with dairy ingredients. Such knowledge could contribute to designing new and more efficient dairy food, and to better understand relationships between milk constituents. The purpose of this review is first to provide an overview of the current knowledge about the biomolecules produced on bacterial surface and the composition of the dairy matter. In order to understand how bacteria interact with dairy molecules, adhesion mechanisms are subsequently reviewed with a special focus on the environmental conditions affecting bacterial adhesion. Methods dedicated to investigate the bacterial surface and to decipher interactions between bacteria and abiotic dairy components are also detailed. Finally, relevant industrial implications of these interactions are presented and discussed.

New insights into the antioxidant activity of hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic systems: spectroscopic, electrochemistry, and cellular studies

A series hydroxycinnamic and gallic acids and their derivatives were studied with the aim of evaluating their in vitro antioxidant properties both in homogeneous and in cellular systems. It was concluded from the oxygen radical absorbance capacity-fluorescein (ORAC-FL), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and cyclic voltammetry data that some compounds exhibit remarkable antioxidant properties. In general, in homogeneous media (DPPH assay), galloyl-based cinnamic and benzoic systems (compounds 7-11) were the most active, exhibiting the lowest oxidation potentials in both dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and phosphate buffer. Yet, p-coumaric acid and its derivatives (compounds 1-3) disclosed the highest scavenging activity toward peroxyl radicals (ORAC-FL assay). Interesting structure-property- activity relationships between ORAC-FL, or DPPH radical, and redox potentials have been attained, showing that the latter parameter can be a valuable antioxidant measure. It was evidenced that redox potentials are related to the structural features of cinnamic and benzoic systems and that their activities are also dependent on the radical generated in the assay. Electron spin resonance data of the phenoxyl radicals generated both in DMSO and phosphate buffer support the assumption that radical stability is related to the type of phenolic system. Galloyl-based cinnamic and benzoic ester-type systems (compounds 9 and 11) were the most active and effective compounds in cell-based assays (51.13 ± 1.27% and 54.90 ± 3.65%, respectively). In cellular systems, hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic systems operate based on their intrinsic antioxidant outline and lipophilic properties, so the balance between these two properties is considered of the utmost importance to ensure their performance in the prevention or minimization of the effects due to free radical overproduction.

Alzheimer's disease and antioxidant therapy: how long how far?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a health problem to societies worldwide affecting millions of people. AD normally ensues in middle and late life but its specific cause remains unknown. Besides amyloid-β deposition and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, increased production of reactive species (RS) has also been described to be a hallmark in early steps of this disorder. Antioxidant therapy has received considerable attention over the last years as a promising approach to delay or slow the neurodegeneration progression in AD either by boosting the pool of endogenous antioxidants (e.g.vitamins, coenzyme Q10 or melatonin) or by the intake of dietary antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds of flavonoid or non-flavonoid type. However, the majority of antioxidants studied so far have limited success in clinical trials, a fact that could be related to their poor distribution and with the inherent difficulties to cross the blood brain barrier and attain the target sites. Despite the evidence that different classes of antioxidants are neuroprotectants in vitro, the clinical data is not consistent. Alzheimer's disease and antioxidant therapy is still an open question: the research is far from the end but the success may not be so time-consuming if the data obtained so far are gathered and rationally analyzed either by checking new targets or by the obtention of new and effective compounds, for instance by the rational modification of the previous ones.

Differentiated thyroid cancer in patients with resistance to thyroid hormone syndrome. A novel case and a review of the literature

Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) represents a syndrome in which patients present elevated circulating thyroid hormones in the presence of non-suppressed TSH. We report a novel case where a patient with RTH presented a differentiated thyroid cancer. A19 year-old female had been referred due to thyroid disease that disclosed features characteristic of a RTH. During the follow up it was detected a follicular tumor that led to the recommendation for thyroid surgical ablation, where an incidental papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (mPTC) was found. The increase of thyroglobulin (TG) levels following thyroid removal referred the patient for radioiodine treatment. Post-treatment, it was detected jugular adenopathies and the patient was subjected to cervical lymph node drainage where metastases of the mPTC were found. RTH syndrome was confirmed by the detection of a THRB germline mutation. A BRAF mutation was also found in the mPTC but not detected in the follicular adenoma or normal adjacent tissue. The young age of the patient, the rarity of BRAF mutations in childhood and the high dissemination of the malignancy, lead us to the speculation that increased TSH stimulation in a RTH background and oncogenic activation of BRAF could have served as (co) drivers and might have triggered an advanced stage of the neoplastic disease. These findings together with a review of published cases add novel information to the management of RTH patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

Topological structural alerts modulations of mammalian cell mutagenicity for halogenated derivatives

Genotoxicity is a key toxicity endpoint for current regulatory requirements regarding new and existing chemicals. However, genotoxicity testing is time-consuming and costly, and involves the use of laboratory animals. This has motivated the development of computational approaches, designed to predict genotoxicity without the need to conduct laboratory tests. Currently, many existing computational methods, like quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, provide limited information about the possible mechanisms involved in mutagenicity or predictions based on structural alerts (SAs) do not take statistical models into account. This paper describes an attempt to address this problem by using the TOPological Substructural MOlecular Design (TOPS-MODE) approach to develop and validate improved QSAR models for predicting the mutagenicity of a range of halogenated derivatives. Our most predictive model has an accuracy of 94.12%, exhibits excellent cross-validation and external set statistics. A reasonable interpretation of the model in term of SAs was achieved by means of bond contributions to activity. The results obtained led to the following conclusions: primary halogenated derivatives are more mutagenic than secondary ones; and substitution of chlorine by bromine increases mutagenicity while polyhalogenation decreases activity. The paper demonstrates the potential of the TOPS-MODE approach in developing QSAR models for identifying structural alerts for mutagenicity, combining high predictivity with relevant mechanistic interpretation.

Reprogramming the epigenome in Arabidopsis pollen

Epigenetic reprogramming in Arabidopsis thaliana occurs in developing pollen. The male gametophyte is derived from haploid microspores via two postmeiotic cell divisions to give rise to the gametes (sperm cells, SC) and the vegetative cell (VC). The purification of individual cell types during pollen development coupled with genome-wide DNA methylation analysis and small RNA sequencing has revealed a dynamic regulation of the epigenome during gametogenesis. Interestingly, imprinted loci and previously identified variable epialleles are hypermethylated in the germline; however, their stability after fertilization appears to require targeted demethylation in the neighboring vegetative cell nucleus, possibly by releasing mobile small RNAs that reinforce transcriptional gene silencing and DNA methylation in the gametes. These results have led to a new model for the establishment and transgenerational maintenance of epigenetic marks in flowering plants.

[Iodine intake in Portuguese school children]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate iodine intake in portuguese school children in order to inform health authorities of eventual measures to be implemented.

INTRODUCTION

Iodine is the key element for thyroid hormone synthesis and its deficiency even mild, as found in other European countries, may have deleterious effects in pregnancy resulting in cognitive problems of offsprings. In Portugal there are no recent data on iodine intake in schoolchildren.

POPULATION AND METHODS

3680 children aged 6-12 years of both sexes, from 78 different schools were studied. Iodine intake was evaluated trough urine iodine (UI) determinations using a colorimetic method.

RESULTS

The global median UI value was 105.5 µg/L; the percentage of children with UI <100 µg/L was 47.1%, corresponding to 41% of the studied schools. The percentage of values <50 µg/L was 11.8%. The male gender, the south region of the country and the distribution of milk in school were significantly linked with a higher iodine elimination.

DISCUSSION

Our global results point to a borderline/ mildly insufficient iodine intake in the portuguese school population. However 47% of the children had UI under 100 µg /L. The comparison of our results with the available data from 30 years ago, point to a considerable improvement, due to silent prophylaxis. Male gender, geographical area and milk distribution influenced positively iodine intake.The importance of milk has been referred in numerous papers.

CONCLUSIONS

The study of UI in the Portuguese school population points to a borderline iodine intake. However, in 47% of children iodine intake was inadequate. Compared with data from the eighties, a considerable increase in iodine elimination was found. Taking into account the potencial deleterious effects of inadequate iodine intake, a global prophylaxis with salt iodization has to be considered.