Outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and poor performance status treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the real-world setting

International Journal of Clinical Oncology - Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are standard treatments for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with poor performance status...     

Cost evolution of biological drugs in rheumatoid arthritis patients in a tertiary hospital: Influential factors on price

ObjectiveTo assess the evolution of cost per patient/year and the cost per patient/year/drug in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving biological treatments. To analyze and quantify the factors influencing this evolution, such as the optimization of the biological drugs, the use of biosimilars, and official discounts and discounts obtained after negotiated procedures. In addition, to assess specific clinical parameters of disease activity in these patients.MethodsRetrospective, observational study conducted in a Spanish tertiary hospital. Adult patients diagnosed with RA under treatment from 2009 to 2017 were included.Results320, 270 and 389 patients were included in 2009, 2013 and 2017, respectively. The patient/year cost decreased from 10,789€ in 2009, 7491€ in 2013 to 7116€ in 2017. In 2017, due to the established competition, discounts of 14% and 29.5% were achieved on etanercept and its biosimilar; 11.5%, 17.8%, 17.9%, 17.3% on adalimumab, certolizumab, golimumab and tocilizumab IV respectively, and 24.6% and 43.1% on infliximab and its biosimilar. The percentage of patients optimized in 2017 was 35.2%. The annual saving in 2017 was 1,288,535€ (830,000€ due to dose optimization and/or administration regimens, 249,666€ corresponding to 7.5% of the official discount and 208,868€ after negotiated procedures).ConclusionThe annual cost per patient in RA decreased considerably due to different factors, such as discounts on the purchase of drugs due to official discounts and negotiated procedures, together with the optimization of therapies, the latter being the factor that contributed most to this decrease.     

Major Cardiac–Psychiatric Drug–Drug Interactions: a Systematic Review of the Consistency of Drug Databases

Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy - Major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders (AD) are both highly prevalent among individuals with arrhythmia, ischemic heart disease, heart failure,...     

Randomized clinical trial comparing monolithic and veneered zirconia three-unit posterior fixed partial dentures in a complete digital flow: three-year follow-up

Clinical Oral Investigations - To evaluate and to compare the clinical performance and survival rate of posterior monolithic and veneered zirconia fixed partial dentures (FPDs). Sixty 3-unit...     

Survival after minimally invasive vs. open radical nephrectomy for stage I and II renal cell carcinoma

International Journal of Clinical Oncology - A recently reported phase III randomized trial comparing open and minimally invasive hysterectomy showed significantly higher rates of local recurrence...     

Food-grade titanium dioxide decreases hematocrit and hemoglobin and increases compulsive-like behavior in male mice

Food-grade titanium dioxide (E171) is widely used as a food additive, and it is known that after oral consumption, E171 is translocated into the bloodstream reaching the highest titanium level at 6 h. E171 is accumulated in some organs triggering toxicity, but the effects on the blood parameters after oral consumption have been less studied. Recently, evidence shows that oral exposure to E171 induces behavioral signs of anxiety and depression. The relation between blood alterations and psychiatric disorders has been previously demonstrated. However, the oral exposure to E171 effects on alterations in blood parameters and effects linked to alterations in animal behavior has not been explored. In this short communication, we aimed to investigate the effects of E171 on specific blood parameters (hematocrit, hemoglobin, number of erythrocytes, and leukocytes) and anxiety and compulsive-like behavior in males and females orally exposed to ~5 mg/kg for 4 weeks. The results showed that E171 decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin in male but not in female mice while leukocyte and erythrocyte count remained unaltered. Oral consumption of E171 decreased the levels of anxiety-like behavior in females but not in male mice, while compulsive-like behavior was increased in both male and female mice.     

Refugee children and body politics. The embodied political self and dance movement therapy

This article looks at the link between social exclusion and migration, in particular for children. It highlights the impact that being a refugee may have on one’s sense of self. Beyond the concept of acartesian self, our working model suggests a dialogical and multi-voiced self: a self that is not isolated from other aspects of the person but involves social, political and embodied dimensions. The term embodied political self is proposed, referring to the self as an active agent, with a sense of physical cohesion and a sense of belonging to the wider social and political environment. We discuss how experiencing social exclusion impacts refugees, in particular children, and their embodied political self. Finally, a two-step dance movement therapy (DMT) intervention that seeks the reconstruction of the embodied political self is proposed.     

Extraction of phenolic components from an Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) crop and their potential as antimicrobials and textile dyes

The present work focuses on the use of solid and agricultural residues from Aloe vera crops, as a source of antimicrobial agents and textile dyes. The roots from an A. vera plantation post-harvest were extracted with ethyl acetate, purified and phytochemically characterized to obtain five metabolites: aloesaponarin-I (1), deoxyerythrolaccin (2), lacaic acid D methyl ester (3), aloesaponarin-II (4), and aloesaponol-I (5). Acid hydrolysis of the solid industrial residue gave aloe-emodin (6) as the main product with a good yield. All of the components were tested for the first time against phytopathogenic bacteria strains, and deoxyerythrolaccin and lacaic acid D methyl ester were active against Xanthomonas campestris with MIC values of 46.86 and 93.75 μg/mL, respectively. Aloesaponarin-I and aloe-emodin, the main products, were tested as dyes for polyester fabrics using different mordants and pH bath conditions. The colour of each material was investigated in terms of the CIELAB L*, a* and b* values, and the colour fastness to light and washing was investigated according to the Mexican standard methods (NMX-A-074-INNTEX-2005; NMX-A-105-B02-INNTEX-2010). Aloesaponarin-I dyed polyester bright yellow but the final colour was very sensitive to the pH of the dye bath. Aloe-emodin dyed polyester deep yellow, and the fabrics showed good colour fastness to light and to domestic laundering. This study provides evidence that the phenolic components obtained from agricultural residues of the aloe industry can be useful organic alternatives as antimicrobial agents and textile dyes.