Radiotherapy plus nimotuzumab or placebo in the treatment of high grade glioma patients: results from a randomized, double blind trial

Background The prognosis of patients bearing high grade glioma remains dismal. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is well validated as a primary contributor of glioma initiation and progression. Nimotuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that recognizes the EGFR extracellular domain and reaches Central Nervous System tumors, in nonclinical and clinical setting. While it has similar activity when compared to other anti-EGFR antibodies, it does not induce skin toxicity or hypomagnesemia. Methods A randomized, double blind, multicentric clinical trial was conducted in high grade glioma patients (41 anaplastic astrocytoma and 29 glioblastoma multiforme) that received radiotherapy plus nimotuzumab or placebo. Treatment and placebo groups were well-balanced for the most important prognostic variables. Patients received 6 weekly doses of 200 mg nimotuzumab or placebo together with irradiation as induction therapy. Maintenance treatment was given for 1 year with subsequent doses administered every 3 weeks. The objectives of this study were to assess the comparative overall survival, progression free survival, response rate, immunogenicity and safety. Results The median cumulative dose was 3200 mg of nimotuzumab given over a median number of 16 doses. The combination of nimotuzumab and RT was well-tolerated. The most prevalent related adverse reactions included nausea, fever, tremors, anorexia and hepatic test alteration. No anti-idiotypic response was detected, confirming the antibody low immunogenicity. The mean and median survival time for subjects treated with nimotuzumab was 31.06 and 17.76 vs. 21.07 and 12.63 months for the control group. Conclusions In this randomized trial, nimotuzumab showed an excellent safety profile and significant survival benefit in combination with irradiation.

Alkene selenenylation: A comprehensive analysis of relative reactivities, stereochemistry and asymmetric induction, and their comparisons with sulfenylation

A broad perspective of various factors influencing alkene selenenylation has been developed by concurrent detailed analysis of key experimental and theoretical data, such as asymmetric induction, stereochemistry, relative reactivities, and comparison with that of alkene sulfenylation. Alkyl group branching a to the double bond was shown to have the greatest effect on alkene reactivity and the stereochemical outcome of corresponding addition reactions. This is in sharp contrast with other additions to alkenes, which depend more on the degree of substitution on C=C or upon substituent electronic effects. Electronic and steric effects influencing asymmetric induction, stereochemistry, regiochemistry, and relative reactivities in the addition of PhSeOTf to alkenes are compared and contrasted with those of PhSCl.

Genero ezberdintasunaren ebaluazioa Asti Leku ikastolako DBH eta Batxilergoko Gorputz Hezkuntzan

Egungo gizartean, nahiz eta azken urteetan aurrerapauso handiak egin diren berdintasunerantz, jarduera fisiko eta kirolaren munduan ezberdintasunak daude oraindik ere generoen artean, nesken kalterako. Nelson Mandelak zioenez, hezkuntza mundua aldatzeko erabili daitekeen armarik indartsuena da. Beraz, zerbait aldatu nahian, kasu honetan, gizartean ematen diren genero ezberdintasun hauek ekiditeko, hezkuntzaz baliatzea aukera paregabea da, arrazoi honengatik, hezkuntzan, heziketa fisikoan bereziki, berdintasuna bilatuko da. Eskola, gizartearen ispilua da, eta ondorioz, bertan ere genero arteko ezberdintasun horiek Heziketa Fisikoarekiko nabarmenak dira. Hezkidetza arazo hau Portugaleteko Asti Leku ikastolan agerikoa da: zentro honetako Heziketa Fisikoko klaseetan genero arteko ezberdintasuna nabaria da arlo honekiko ikasleen jarreran, orokorrean nesken jarrera negatiboagoak eraginda. Zer egin daiteke Asti Leku ikastolan ezberdintasun horiek saihesteko? Galdera honi erantzuna bilatu nahian, genero ezberdintasunean garrantzitsuak izan daitezkeen faktore batzuk aztertuko dira, hala nola, ebaluazioa, eskola, ezberdintasun fisikoak, espazioa, irakasleak, ezkutuko curriculuma eta kirol eskaintza. Ondoren, horiek Asti Leku ikastolan zer nolako eragina duten aztertuko da, horrela zentroko DBH eta Batxilergoan Heziketa Fisikoan ematen den hezkidetza arazoari aurre egiteko zein aldaketa egin daitezkeen ondorioztatzeko, hala nola, kirol-eskaintzan, espazioan eta programazioan.