Isoflavones as apoptosis inducers in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells

Nine flavonoids isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Pycnanthus angolensis were assayed for their potential apoptosis induction activities in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells. These flavonoids include eight isoflavones, namely irilone (1), tectorigenine (2), formononetin (3), genistein (4), 2'-hydroxybiochanin A (5), mixture of biochanin A (6) and prunetin (7), and 4',7-dihydroxy-2'-methoxyisoflavan (8), and the flavanone liguiritigentin (9). Their chemical structures were characterized by spectroscopic methods including 2D NMR experiments. Methodology for cell death detection included the LDH assay, Hoechst staining, TUNEL staining and general caspase-3-like activity assay. The compounds tested showed higher apoptosis induction profiles in HuH-7 cells compared with the control. Caspase activity assays confirmed the apoptosis inducing activity of these flavonoids.     

Psychoanalysis and University: the potential interface through psychoanalytic clinical research. Alice Glass-breaker

The relationships between Psychoanalysis, Science and Universities have been discussed since Freud and gained relevance over the 21st century as an important subject for Psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysts who work in Universities are supposed to conduct research. This article comments on possible psychoanalytical research models and supports individual case clinical research through the psychoanalytical method itself, added on qualitative research elements. The authors study the psychoanalytical psychotherapy process and the mental functioning of a borderline patient treated for four years in a public university institution. Approximately 120 of 340 sessions were registered. They were read and re-read by the investigator-psychoanalyst as if they were narratives and revealed some meaningful developments from the psychoanalyst-patient.     

Molecular modeling of the Toxoplasma gondii adenosine kinase inhibitors

Toxoplasma gondii is the most common cause of secondary central nervous system infection in immunocompromised people such as AIDS patients. Since purine salvage is essential for T. gondii and other parasitic protozoa, inhibition of its salvage pathway, by blocking adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20), the main responsible for the metabolism of adenosine (purine nucleoside) can block the parasite growth. Having this in mind, four-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (4D-QSAR) analysis was applied to a series of 41 inhibitors of T. gondii adenosine kinase. Optimized 4D-QSAR models were constructed by genetic algorithm (GA) optimization and partial least squares (PLS) fitting, and evaluated by the leave-one-out cross-validation method. Moreover, we have used docking approaches to study the binding orientations and predict the interaction energies of some benzyladenosines with adenosine kinase.     

Cystic fibrosis and jejunoileal atresia: A clinical case

We present a case report of a fetal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis after ultrasound abnormalities. After delivery, a type 3A intestinal atresia was diagnosed. Segmental enterectomy with end‐to‐end anastomosis was performed. This case report highlights the diagnosis complexity of a fetal intestinal atresia associated with cystic fibrosis.