Innovative superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles coated with silica and conjugated with linoleic acid: Effect on tumor cell growth and viability

One of the goals for the development of more effective cancer therapies with reduced toxic side effects is the optimization of innovative treatments to selectively kill tumor cells. The use of nanovectors loaded with targeted therapeutic payloads is one of the most investigated strategies. In this paper superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) coated by a silica shell or uncoated, were functionalized with single-layer and bi-layer conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Silica was used to protect the magnetic core from oxidation, improve the stability of SPIONs and tailor their surface reactivity. CLA was used as novel grafting biomolecule for its anti-tumor activity and to improve particle dispersibility. Mouse breast cancer 4T1 cells were treated with these different SPIONs. SPIONs functionalized with the highest quantity of CLA and coated with silica shell were the most dispersed. Cell viability was reduced by SPIONs functionalized with CLA in comparison with cells which were untreated or treated with SPIONs without CLA. As regards the types of SPIONs functionalized with CLA, the lowest viability was observed in cells treated with uncoated SPIONs with the highest quantity of CLA. In conclusion, the silica shell free SPIONs functionalized with the highest amount of CLA can be suggested as therapeutic carriers because they have the best dispersion and ability to decrease 4T1 cell viability

Innovative superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles coated with silica and conjugated with linoleic acid: Effect on tumor cell growth and viability

One of the goals for the development of more effective cancer therapies with reduced toxic side effects is the optimization of innovative treatments to selectively kill tumor cells. The use of nanovectors loaded with targeted therapeutic payloads is one of the most investigated strategies. In this paper superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) coated by a silica shell or uncoated, were functionalized with single-layer and bi-layer conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Silica was used to protect the magnetic core from oxidation, improve the stability of SPIONs and tailor their surface reactivity. CLA was used as novel grafting biomolecule for its anti-tumor activity and to improve particle dispersibility. Mouse breast cancer 4T1 cells were treated with these different SPIONs. SPIONs functionalized with the highest quantity of CLA and coated with silica shell were the most dispersed. Cell viability was reduced by SPIONs functionalized with CLA in comparison with cells which were untreated or treated with SPIONs without CLA. As regards the types of SPIONs functionalized with CLA, the lowest viability was observed in cells treated with uncoated SPIONs with the highest quantity of CLA. In conclusion, the silica shell free SPIONs functionalized with the highest amount of CLA can be suggested as therapeutic carriers because they have the best dispersion and ability to decrease 4T1 cell viability

Personalità e Funzione Riflessiva: un'indagine empirica

I deficit della funzione riflessiva caratterizzano diversi disturbi tra cui: depressione (Taubner, Kessler, Buchheim, Kächele, & Staun, 2011), disturbi d’ansia (Rudden, Milrod, Aronson & Target, 2008), disturbi del comportamento alimentare (Skarderud, 2007), disturbi di personalità (Fonagy et al., 2008). Per quel che riguarda i disturbi di personalità, deficit nella capacità di mentalizzare sono particolarmente evidenti nel disturbo borderline di personalità. I dati presenti in letteratura, tuttavia, non sono ancora numerosi e spesso appaiono incoerenti. Non abbiamo, inoltre, una conoscenza specifica su come i deficit nella capacità di mentalizzare possano contribuire allo sviluppo di una determinata sintomatologia e/disturbo di personalità, anche se la mentalizzazione resta un elemento importante per comprendere i diversi tipi di psicopatologia. Scopo di questo lavoro è indagare la relazione esistente tra struttura di personalità, attaccamento e funzione riflessiva in un campione clinico composto da 60 giovani adulti in cura presso due servizi territoriali e un consultorio universitario. Per indagare lo stile di personalità e l’eventuale presenza di disturbi di personalità è stata utilizzata la Shedler Westen Assessment Procedure-200 (Westen & Shedler, 1999 a, 1999 b, 2007), per rilevare lo stato della mente rispetto l’attaccamento è stata somministrata l’Adult Attachment Interview (George, Kaplan, Main, 1985), mentre per valutare la capacità di mentalizzare è stata utilizzata la Scala della funzione riflessiva (Fonagy, Steele, Steele, Target, 1998) applicata ai trascritti delle AAI. Gli strumenti sono stati somministrati/applicati durante i colloqui di intake. Abbiamo ipotizzato che ci sia una convergenza tra il livello di funzione riflessiva e la scala di Alto Funzionamento della SWAP-200; che uno stile di attaccamento sicuro corrisponda a maggiore capacità di mentalizzare rispetto gli attaccamenti insicuri e che i diversi stili di personalità/disturbi di personalità siano in relazione ai diversi valori RF. I risultati, in linea con le ipotesi, hanno messo in evidenza che uno stile di attaccamento sicuro corrisponde a una maggiore capacità di funzione riflessiva; che una buona funzione riflessiva è spesso in relazione a uno stile di personalità “depressivo a alto funzionamento”; che scarse capacità riflessive sono in relazione a disturbi di personalità: “schizoide” e “schizotipico”

Innovative superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles coated with silica and conjugated with linoleic acid: Effect on tumor cell growth and viability

One of the goals for the development of more effective cancer therapies with reduced toxic side effects is the op- timization of innovative treatments to selectively kill tumor cells. The use of nanovectors loaded with targeted therapeutic payloads is one of the most investigated strategies. In this paper superparamagnetic iron oxide nano- particles (SPIONs) coated by a silica shell or uncoated, were functionalized with single-layer and bi-layer conju- gated linoleic acid (CLA). Silica was used to protect the magnetic core from oxidation, improve the stability of SPIONs and tailor their surface reactivity. CLA was used as novel grafting biomolecule for its anti-tumor activity and to improve particle dispersibility. Mouse breast cancer 4T1 cells were treated with these different SPIONs. SPIONs functionalized with the highest quantity of CLA and coated with silica shell were the most dispersed. Cell viability was reduced by SPIONs functionalized with CLA in comparison with cells which were untreated or treat- ed with SPIONs without CLA. As regards the types of SPIONs functionalized with CLA, the lowest viability was ob- served in cells treated with uncoated SPIONs with the highest quantity of CLA. In conclusion, the silica shell free SPIONs functionalized with the highest amount of CLA can be suggested as ther- apeutic carriers because they have the best dispersion and ability to decrease 4T1 cell viability

A randomized clinical study on the impact of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) based interventions on the quality of life of elderly, frail, onco-hematologic patients candidate to anticancer therapy: protocol of the ONCO-Aging study

Background: Age is considered as one of the most important risk-factor for many types of solid and hematological cancers, as their incidence increases with age in parallel to the ever-growing elderly population. Moreover, cancer incidence is constantly increasing as a consequence of the increase in life expectancy that favors the process of cellular senescence. Geriatric assessment has been increasingly recognized as predictive and prognostic instrument to detect frailty in older adults with cancer. In particular, the G8 score is a simple and reproducible instrument to identify elderly patients who should undergo full geriatric evaluation. Due to their frailty, elderly patients may be often under-treated and a therapeutic choice based also on a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is recommended. With these premises, we aim to test the impact of the CGA based interventions on the quality of life (QoL) of frail elderly onco-hematological patients, identified by the G8 screening, candidate for innovative target directed drugs or treatments including the combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy (RT + CT). Methods: Patients aged > 65 years, candidate to target directed agents or to RT + CT treatments are screened for frailty by the G8 test; those patients classified as frail (G8 ≤ 14) are randomized to receive a CGA at baseline or to conventional care. The primary endpoint is QoL, assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30C. As collateral biological study, the potential prognostic/predictive role of T-cell senescence and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are evaluated on plasma samples. Discussion: This trial will contribute to define the impact of CGA on the management of frail elderly onco-hematologic patients candidate to innovative biological drugs or to integrated schedules with the association of RT + CT. Furthermore, the use of plasma samples to assess the potential prognostic value of imbalance of immune-competent cells is expected to contribute to the individualized care of elderly patients, resulting into a fine tuning of the therapeutic strategies