337 research outputs found

    The Principles behind Targeted Therapy for Cancer Treatment

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    The advent of molecular and genetic advancement in the field of oncology research has led to a shift in the treatment of various forms of cancer from traditional chemotherapeutics to targeted therapy. The principle behind targeted therapy is utilizing therapeutics designed to interfere with specific molecules that have a relatively specific or higher expression profile in cancer cells and are critical for cancer growth and progression. These were designed as mechanistic therapeutics in the form of small molecules and monoclonal antibodies. Currently, they have been modified to incorporate passive or active targeting delivery systems to improve their specific distribution and enhance cytotoxicity towards cancer cells while simultaneously reducing their systemic toxicity profile. Passive targeting employs encapsulated delivery systems to take advantage of the enhanced permeation and retention effect of the tumor microenvironment, while active targeting relies on receptor mediated interactions, such as cell surface ligands conjugated to the therapeutic moiety. A synergistic strategy for cancer therapy is evolving, where precision medicine acts as a diagnostic prerequisite for targeted therapy via prognostic biomarkers and tumor genotyping. Despite the plethora of research undertaken in targeted therapy, limited numbers were approved for clinical use, and significant challenges remain to be addressed

    The pharmacokinetics and milk residual behaviour of tylosin in lactating Najdi ewes

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    Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate kinetics and the residual decline of tylosin in milk and plasma of lactating Najdi ewes following single intramuscular injection of tylosin at the dose of 10 mg/kg. Blood and milk samples were collected from the ewes before and at different time intervals after treatment. Tylosin concentrations were determined by microbiological agar plate assay using Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 as the test organism. The pharmacokinetic parameters were processed using the methods of least square and statistical moments. The plasma levels of tylosin against time were adequately described by a onecompartment open model. The mean obtained values indicated a fairly low area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) (3.0 µg.h/ml) and the maximum plasma concentration (C max ) of 0.63 µg/ml with T max of 1.33 h. The plasma elimination half-life (t 1/2el ) and the mean residence time (MRT) were 2.3 h and 3.9 h, respectively. A different pattern was shown for milk, in which measurable residual levels are found in all animals up to 72 h after treatment. The mean value of milk AUC was 88.1 µg.h/ml and the t 1/2el was 3.3 h. In vitro mean plasma and milk proteins binding of tylosin were 19.3 and 30.2%, respectively. The milk withdrawal period of tylosin in lactating Najdi ewes should be at least 72 h to avoid risks in consumers

    Antiulcerogenic effect of camel milk against ethanol induced gastric ulcers

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    Abstract The effect of oral administration of raw camel milk (5 ml/kg b.wt.) on ethanol-and aspirin-induced gastric ulcers was tested in rats. Oral administration of camel milk in rats with ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, significantly (P < 0.05) redudced the number of long ulcers, average length of ulcers, ulcer index and the volume of gastric juice. The total protein was significantly (P < 0.05) increased and the pH of gastric juice was not significantly changed. The curative ratio was 70.70% in camel milk treated group compared to 45.12% in ranitidine-treated rats. Oral administration of camel milk in rats with aspirin-induced gastric ulcers exhibited, significantly (P < 0.05), same actions with curative ratio of 65.03% compared to 34.03% in ranitidine-treated rats. In conclusion a significant protective effect of camel milk against ethanol-and aspirin-induced gastric ulcers was reported in rats

    Biochars as Potential Adsorbers of CH4, CO2 and H2S

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    Methane gas, as one of the major biogases, is a potential source of renewable energy for power production. Biochar can be readily used to purify biogas contaminants such as H2S and CO2. This study assessed the adsorption of CH4, H2S, and CO2 onto four different types of biochars. The adsorption dynamics of biochars were investigated in a fixed-bed column, by determining the breakthrough curves and adsorption capacities of biochars. The physicochemical properties of biochars were considered to justify the adsorption performance. The results showed that CH4 was not adsorbed well by the subjected biochars whereas CO2 and H2S were successfully captured. The H2S and CO2 breakthrough capacity were related to both the surface adsorption and chemical reaction. The adsorption capacity was in the following order: perilla > soybean stover > Korean oak > Japanese oak biochars. The simultaneous adsorption also leads to a competition of sorption sites. Biochars are a promising material for the biogas purification industry

    Biochar immobilizes soil-borne arsenic but not cationic metals in the presence of low-molecular-weight organic acids

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    A batch experiment was conducted to examine the effects of biochar on the behaviour of soil-borne arsenic and metals that were mobilized by three low-molecular-weight organic acids. In the presence of citric acid, oxalic acid and malic acid at a molar concentration of 0.01 M, the surface of biochar was protonated, which disfavours adsorption of the cationic metals released from the soil by organic acid-driven mobilization. In contrast, the oxyanionic As species were re-immobilized by the protonated biochar effectively. Biochar could also immobilize oxyanionic Cr species but not cationic Cr species. The addition of biochar increased the level of metals in the solution due to the release of the biochar-borne metals under attack by LMWOAs via cation exchange. Biochar could also have the potential to enhance reductive dissolution of iron and manganese oxides in the soil, leading to enhanced release of trace elements bound to these oxides. The findings obtained from this study have implications for evaluating the role of biochar in immobilizing trace elements in rhizosphere. Adsorption of cationic heavy metals on biochar in the presence of LMWOAs is unlikely to be a mechanism responsible for the impeded uptake of heavy metals by plants growing in heavy metal-contaminated soils

    Biochar has no effect on soil respiration across Chinese agricultural soils

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    This work was supported by NSFC (41371298 and 41371300), Ministry of Science and Technology (2013GB23600666 and 2013BAD11B00), and Ministry of Education of China (20120097130003). The international cooperation was funded under a “111” project by the State Agency of Foreign Expert Affairs of China and jointly supported under a grant for Priority Disciplines in Higher Education by the Department of Education, Jiangsu Province, China; The work was also a contribution to the cooperation project of “Estimates of Future Agricultural GHG Emissions and Mitigation in China” under the UK-China Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network (SAIN). Pete Smith contributed to this work under a UK BBSRC China Partnership Award. The authors are grateful to Yuming Liu, Bin Zhang, Xiao Li, Gang Wu, Jinjin Qu and Yinxin Ye and Dongqi Liu for their contribution to field experiments, and to Rongjun Bian and Qaiser Hussain for their participation in discussions of the data analysis and interpretation, and to Xinyan Yu and Jiafang Wang for their assistance in lab works.Peer reviewedPostprin

    Biochars as Potential Adsorbers of CH4, CO2 and H2S

    Get PDF
    Methane gas, as one of the major biogases, is a potential source of renewable energy for power production. Biochar can be readily used to purify biogas contaminants such as H2S and CO2. This study assessed the adsorption of CH4, H2S, and CO2 onto four different types of biochars. The adsorption dynamics of biochars were investigated in a fixed-bed column, by determining the breakthrough curves and adsorption capacities of biochars. The physicochemical properties of biochars were considered to justify the adsorption performance. The results showed that CH4 was not adsorbed well by the subjected biochars whereas CO2 and H2S were successfully captured. The H2S and CO2 breakthrough capacity were related to both the surface adsorption and chemical reaction. The adsorption capacity was in the following order: perilla > soybean stover > Korean oak > Japanese oak biochars. The simultaneous adsorption also leads to a competition of sorption sites. Biochars are a promising material for the biogas purification industry

    Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia

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    BACKGROUND: Digital clubbing is a sign of chest disease known since the time of Hippocrates. Its association with tuberculosis (TB) has not been well studied, particularly in Africa where TB is common. The prevalence of clubbing in patients with pulmonary TB and its association with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), severity of disease, and nutritional status was assessed. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among patients with smear-positive TB recruited consecutively from the medical and TB wards and outpatient clinics at a public hospital in Uganda. The presence of clubbing was assessed by clinical signs and measurement of the ratio of the distal and inter-phalangeal diameters (DPD/IPD) of both index fingers. Clubbing was defined as a ratio > 1.0. Chest radiograph, serum albumin and HIV testing were done. RESULTS: Two hundred patients (82% HIV-infected) participated; 34% had clubbing by clinical criteria whilst 30% had clubbing based on DPD/IPD ratio. Smear grade, extensive or cavitary disease, early versus late HIV disease, and hypoalbuminemia were not associated with clubbing. Clubbing was more common among patients with a lower Karnofsky performance scale score or with prior TB. CONCLUSION: Clubbing occurs in up to one-third of Ugandan patients with pulmonary TB. Clubbing was not associated with stage of HIV infection, extensive disease or hypoalbuminemia
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