Chong Duan

Phosphine-triggered tandem annulation between Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates and dinucleophiles: facile syntheses of oxazepanes, thiazepanes, and diazepanes.

A new phosphine-triggered tandem [3 + 4] annulation reaction between Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates and 1,4-diheteroatom dinucleophiles has been developed, which provides a facile synthetic method for saturated seven-membered 1,4-heterocycles such as 1,4-oxazepanes, 1,4-thiazepanes, and 1,4-diazepanes. Mechanistic investigation implies that this reaction takes place through a phosphine-catalyzed allylic alkylation followed by a general base-catalyzed intramolecular Michael cyclization.

Hyperthermic Laser Ablation of Recurrent Glioblastoma Leads to Temporary Disruption of the Peritumoral Blood Brain Barrier

Background Poor central nervous system penetration of cytotoxic drugs due to the blood brain barrier (BBB) is a major limiting factor in the treatment of brain tumors. Most recurrent glioblastomas (GBM) occur within the peritumoral region. In this study, we describe a hyperthemic method to induce temporary disruption of the peritumoral BBB that can potentially be used to enhance drug delivery. Methods Twenty patients with probable recurrent GBM were enrolled in this study. Fourteen patients were evaluable. MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy was applied to achieve both tumor cytoreduction and disruption of the peritumoral BBB. To determine the degree and timing of peritumoral BBB disruption, dynamic contrast-enhancement brain MRI was used to calculate the vascular transfer constant (Ktrans) in the peritumoral region as direct measures of BBB permeability before and after laser ablation. Serum levels of brain-specific enolase, also known as neuron-specific enolase, were also measured and used as an independent quantification of BBB disruption. Results In all 14 evaluable patients, Ktrans levels peaked immediately post laser ablation, followed by a gradual decline over the following 4 weeks. Serum BSE concentrations increased shortly after laser ablation and peaked in 1–3 weeks before decreasing to baseline by 6 weeks. Conclusions The data from our pilot research support that disruption of the peritumoral BBB was induced by hyperthemia with the peak of high permeability occurring within 1–2 weeks after laser ablation and resolving by 4–6 weeks. This provides a therapeutic window of opportunity during which delivery of BBB-impermeant therapeutic agents may be enhanced. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01851733

Phosphane-Catalyzed [4+1] Annulation between Nitroalkenes and Morita–Baylis–Hillman Carbonates: Facile Synthesis of Isoxazoline N-Oxides by Phosphorus Ylides

A phosphane-catalyzed [4+1] annulation between nitroalkenes and Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates has been realized; this provides facile and diastereoselective access to polysubstituted isoxazoline N-oxides in moderate to excellent yields. In the annulation, an in situ formed allylic phosphorus ylide presumably serves as a pivotal active intermediate. This reaction accordingly represents the first example of phosphorus ylide initiated [4+1] cyclization of nitroalkenes to give isoxazoline N-oxides.

Tracer kinetic model selection for dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of locally advanced cervical cancer

Abstract Background. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) offers a unique capability to probe tumour microvasculature. Different analysis of the acquired data will possibly lead to different conclusions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate under which conditions the Tofts (TM), extended Tofts (ETM), compartmental tissue uptake model (C-TU) and 2-compartment exchange model (2CXM) were the optimal tracer kinetic models (TKMs) for the analysis of DCE-MRI in patients with cervical cancer. Material and methods. Ten patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (FIGO: IIA/IIB/IIIB/IVA – 1/5/3/1) underwent DCE-MRI prior to radiotherapy. From the two-parameter TM it was possible to extract the forward volume transfer constant (Ktrans) and the extracellular-extravascular volume fraction (ve). From the three-parameter ETM, additionally the plasma volume fraction (vp) could be extracted. From the three-parameter C-TU it was possible to extract information about the blood flow (Fp), permeability-surface area product (PS) and vp. Finally, the four-parameter 2CXM extended the C-TU to include ve. For each voxel, corrected Akaike information criterion (AICc) values were calculated, taking into account both the goodness-of-fit and the number of model parameters. The optimal model was defined as the model with the lowest AICc. Results. All four TKMs were the optimal model in different contiguous regions of the cervical tumours. For the 24 999 analysed voxels, the TM was optimal in 17.0%, the ETM was optimal in 2.2%, the C-TU in 23.4% and the 2CXM was optimal in 57.3%. Throughout the tumour, a high correlation was found between Ktrans(TM) and Fp(2CXM), ρ = 0.91. Conclusion. The 2CXM was most often optimal in describing the contrast agent enhancement of pre-treatment cervical cancers, although this model broke down in a subset of the tumour voxels where overfitting resulted in non-physiological parameter estimates. Due to the possible overfitting of the 2CXM, the C-TU was found more robust and when 2CXM was excluded from comparison the C-TU was the preferred model.

Are complex DCE-MRI models supported by clinical data?

To ascertain whether complex dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI tracer kinetic models are supported by data acquired in the clinic and to determine the consequences of limited contrast‐to‐noise.

Can anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody reverse radiation necrosis? A preclinical investigation

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) antibodies are a promising new treatment for late time-to-onset radiation-induced necrosis (RN). We sought to evaluate and validate the response to anti-VEGF antibody in a mouse model of RN. Mice were irradiated with the Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion™ and then treated with anti-VEGF antibody, beginning at post-irradiation (PIR) week 8. RN progression was monitored via anatomic and diffusion MRI from weeks 4–12 PIR. Standard histology, using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and immunohistochemistry staining were used to validate the response to treatment. After treatment, both post-contrast T1-weighted and T2-weighted image-derived lesion volumes decreased (P < 0.001), while the lesion volumes for the control group increased. The abnormally high apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for RN also returned to the ADC range for normal brain following treatment (P < 0.001). However, typical RN pathology was still present histologically. Large areas of focal calcification were observed in ~50% of treated mouse brains. Additionally, VEGF and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) were continually upregulated in both the anti-VEGF and control groups. Despite improvements observed radiographically following anti-VEGF treatment, lesions were not completely resolved histologically. The subsequent calcification and the continued upregulation of VEGF and HIF-1α merit further preclinical/clinical investigation.

Effect of off-resonance on T1 saturation recovery measurement in inhomogeneous fields

Saturation-recovery measurements with Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequences are commonly employed to measure the longitudinal relaxation time constant, T1, in grossly inhomogeneous fields. We show that in general the off-resonant effect generates unexpected extra signals in the T1 measurement. In the present study, we derive a modified T1 kernel that accounts for this off-resonance effect quantitatively. The new kernel has been tested with numerical simulations and experiments, and excellent agreement is found.