Evidence-based Practice in Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy

book review

Eyes open to stem cells: safety trial may pave the way for cell therapy to treat retinal disease in patients

A clinical trial using human embryonic stem cell (hESC) therapy for an inherited retinal degenerative disease is about to commence. The Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) trial will treat patients with Stargardt's macular dystrophy using transplanted retinal pigment epithelium derived from hESCs. Currently, no effective treatment is available for Stargardt's disease so a stem cell-based therapy that can slow progression of this blinding condition could represent a significant breakthrough. While there are some hurdles to clear, the ACT trial is a fine example of translational research that could eventually pave the way for a range of stem cell therapies for the retina and other tissues.

Nanodosimetric effects of gold nanoparticles in megavoltage radiation therapy

Background and purpose: The addition of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to tumours leads to an increase in dose due to their high density and energy absorption coefficient, making it a potential radiosensitiser. However, experiments have observed radiosensitisations significantly larger than the increase in dose alone, including at megavoltage energies where gold's relative energy absorption is lowest. This work investigates whether GNPs create dose inhomogeneities on a sub-cellular scale which combine with non-linear dose dependence of cell survival to be the source of radiosensitisation at megavoltage energies.

Optimised microwave-assisted synthesis of methylcarbonate salts: a convenient methodology to prepare intermediates for ionic liquid libraries

The reaction of 1-butylpyrrolidine with dimethyl carbonate to yield the ionic liquid precursor, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium methylcarbonate, has been investigated under microwave heating conditions and the reaction parameters optimised to achieve 100% yield of the pyrrolidinium salt with no by-products in under 1 h. The reactions of tributylamine, trioctylphosphine, and 1-butylimidazole with dimethyl carbonate under comparable conditions have also been evaluated, yielding the corresponding methylcarbonate salts which can be used as intermediates for the preparation of halide-free ionic liquids without generating any undesirable salt wastes.

Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose and cellulosic waste using a microwave reactor system

A microwave reactor system was investigated as a potential technique to maximize sugar yield for the hydrolysis of municipal solid waste for ethanol production. Specifically, dilute acid hydrolysis of a-cellulose and waste cellulosic biomass (grass clippings) with phosphoric acid was undertaken within the microwave reactor system. The experimental data and reaction kinetic analysis indicate that the use of a microwave reactor system can successfully facilitate dilute acid hydrolysis of cellulose and waste cellulosic biomass, producing high yields of total sugars in short reaction times. The maximum yield of reducing sugars was obtained at 7.5% (w/v) phosphoric acid and 160 degrees C, corresponding to 60% of the theoretical total sugars, with a reaction time of 5 min. When using a very low acid concentration (0.4% w/v) for the hydrolysis in the microwave reactor, it was found that 10 g of total sugars/100 g dry mass was produced, which is significant considering the low acid concentration. When hydrolyzing grass clippings using the microwave reactor, the optimum conditions were an acid concentration of 2.5% (w/v), 175 degrees C with a 15 min reaction time, giving 18 g/100 g dry mass of total sugars, with xylose being the sugar with the highest yield. It was observed that pentose sugars were more easily formed but also more easily degraded, these being significantly affected by increases in acid concentration and temperature. Kinetic modeling of the data indicated that the use of microwave heating may account for an increase in reaction rate constant, k(1), found in this study in comparison with conventional systems described in the literature.

Sequential antimicrobial therapy: treatment of severe lower respiratory tract infections in children

Although there have been a number of studies in adults, to date there has been little research into sequential antimicrobial therapy (SAT) in paediatric populations. The present study evaluates the impact of a SAT protocol for the treatment of severe lower respiratory tract infection in paediatric patients. The study involved 89 paediatric patients (44 control and 45 SAT). The SAT patients had a shorter length of hospital stay (4.0 versus 8.3 days), shorter duration of inpatient antimicrobial therapy (4.0 versus 7.9 days) with the period of iv therapy being reduced from a mean of 5.6 to 1.7 days. The total healthcare costs were reduced by 52%. The resolution of severe lower respiratory tract infection with a short course of iv antimicrobials, followed by conversion to oral therapy yielded clinical outcomes comparable to those achieved using longer term iv therapy. SAT proved to be an important cost-minimizing tool for realizing substantial healthcare costs savings.

Group art therapy as an adjunctive treatment for people with schizophrenia: multicentre pragmatic randomised trial

Objectives To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of group art therapy for people with schizophrenia and to test whether any benefits exceed those of an active control treatment.

Rescue of glandular dysmorphogenesis in PTEN-deficient colorectal cancer epithelium by PPARγ-targeted therapy

Disruption of glandular architecture associates with poor clinical outcome in high-grade colorectal cancer (CRC). Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) regulates morphogenic growth of benign MDCK (Madin Darby Canine Kidney) cells through effects on the Rho-like GTPase cdc42 (cell division cycle 42). This study investigates PTEN-dependent morphogenesis in a CRC model. Stable short hairpin RNA knockdown of PTEN in Caco-2 cells influenced expression or localization of cdc42 guanine nucleotide exchange factors and inhibited cdc42 activation. Parental Caco-2 cells formed regular hollow gland-like structures (glands) with a single central lumen, in three-dimensional (3D) cultures. Conversely, PTEN-deficient Caco-2 ShPTEN cells formed irregular glands with multiple abnormal lumens as well as intra- and/or intercellular vacuoles evocative of the high-grade CRC phenotype. Effects of targeted treatment were investigated. Phosphatidinylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) modulating treatment did not affect gland morphogenesis but did influence gland number, gland size and/or cell size within glands. As PTEN may be regulated by the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? (PPAR?), cultures were treated with the PPAR? ligand rosiglitazone. This treatment enhanced PTEN expression, cdc42 activation and rescued dysmorphogenesis by restoring single lumen formation in Caco-2 ShPTEN glands. Rosiglitazone effects on cdc42 activation and Caco-2 ShPTEN gland development were attenuated by cotreatment with GW9662, a PPAR? antagonist. Taken together, these studies show PTEN-cdc42 regulation of lumen formation in a 3D model of human CRC glandular morphogenesis. Treatment by the PPAR? ligand rosiglitazone, but not PI3K modulators, rescued colorectal glandular dysmorphogenesis of PTEN deficiency.