Relationship Between the Bee Venom Therapy and Tumor Necrosis Factor-308 Variation in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis, a Prospective Study

Bee venom (BV) was traditionally used to treat various inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current study aims to assess the anti-arthritic effect of BV and the relation between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-308 polymorphism and BV treatment response in RA. Methods: 50 RA patients received BV injection for 6 months, with an evaluation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), visual analog scale (VAS), disease activity score (DAS28-ESR), TNF-α, at baseline and after 6ms. Genotyping assay for TNF-α G308A rs1800629 gene polymorphism. Results: The mean age was 36.0 (29.0 -40.0) years; 90% were females and 10% were males with a mean disease duration 8 (5-10 years). Most of the studied patients (64%) had high disease activity and 37% had moderate disease activity with a mean 5.5 (4.7 -6.8) at baseline. Treatment with BV was associated with a significant improvement in ESR, CRP, VAS, and significant decline in the DAS28-ESR score with p-value \u3c0.005. Most of cases achieved moderate and good EULAR response and a significant reduction of (TNFα) Level. TNF-α-308 genetic variant showed that the GG genotype (32 patients, 64 %) was more prevalent followed by AA genotypes (14 patients, 28 %). There was no difference between TNF-α G308 genotypes regarding the post-treatment response. Conclusion: Treatment with Bee venom can improve joint pain, disease activity, reduce ESR, CRP, and TNFα levels in RA patients. No difference between TNF-α G308 genotypes regarding treatment response

Preterm Small Gestational Age Newborns: Impact on Renal Size and Function

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the size and function of the kidney in high-risk premature small gestational age (PT/SGA) newborns. Furthermore, estimation of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was done by comparing Cystatin C-based method with the creatinine –based method in those preterm newborns. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 20 PT/SGA and controls (20 preterm appropriate for gestational age [PT/AGA] and 20 full-term [FT] newborns). Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and cystatin C were determined on days 3 and 7 of the study for all newborn infants. GFR was assessed by cystatin C-based method and creatinine-based method. Evaluation of the renal size by ultrasound was done on day 7 of neonatal life. RESULTS: A significant difference was found in the length and transverse diameter of both kidneys, comparing PT/SGA group with PT/AGA and FT group. Cystatin C on day 3 of PT/SGA group had a significant difference than PT/AGA and FT group. Estimation of GFR (eGFR) calculated by filler Zappitelli, Grubb, Larsson, and Dorum formulae of PT/SGA group had a significant difference comparing with PT/AGA and FT group on days 3 and 7. CONCLUSION: PT/SGA newborns have reduced renal size and immature renal function. Cystatin C is a marker for renal function superior to creatinine as it is not affected by body mass index, gestational age, and birth weight. Cystatin C-based eGFR is more accurate and more sensitive to minor changes in GFR than creatinine-based equation

EFFECT OF PEGYLATED EDGE ACTIVATOR ON SPAN 60 BASED- NANOVESICLES: COMPARISON BETWEEN MYRJ 52 AND MYRJ 59

Objective: In recent years, Span 60 based nanovesicles have been the object of growing scientific attention as an alternative potential drug delivery system to conventional liposomes. Surface modification of nanovesicles can adjust the drug release rate and the affinity for the target site. The aim of present work was firstly to study the effects of different PEGylated edge activator (Myrj 52 and Myrj 59) on Span 60 based nanovesicles.Methods: Nanovesicles were prepared using Span 60 alone or in combination with Myrj 52 (polyethylene glycol 2000 monostearate) or Myrj 59 (polyethylene glycol 4400 monostearate) by employing the ethanol injection method. Myrj 52 and Myrj 59 are hydrophilic nonionic surfactants were used to modify the surface of the developed vesicles. Dynamic light scattering was used to determine the size, zeta potential and polydispersity index of the nanovesicles formulation. The vesicles were also characterized for entrapment efficiency and in vitro release.Results: In current work, the modified nanovesicles size (ranging from 54.32 to 141.7 nm), zeta potential (ranging from -5.67 to -27.1 mV) and polydispersity index (ranging from0.248 to 0.531) indicated that the surface modified nanovesicles vesicles are a homogenous and mono-disperse nanovesicles dispersions. The non-modified nanovesicles are showed higher particles size (>2 times) compared to modified nanovesicles. The modified nanovesicles were showed entrapment efficiency ranging from 36.42 to 78.13 %. All the modified nanovesicles showed accepted in vitro release of TN from nanovesicles (>70% released after 8 h), followed Higuchi models as drug release mechanism.Conclusion: In conclusion, these surface modified nanovesicles could be used as a potential drug carrier for a variety of drugs.                     Peer Review History: Received 16 July 2019;   Revised 12 August; Accepted 9 September, Available online 15 September 2019 Academic Editor: Prof. Dr. Gorkem Dulger, Duzce University, Turkey, [email protected] UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file:                Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 9.5/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Dr. Robert Tungadi, State University of Gorontalo, Indonesia, [email protected] Prof. Dr. Kapil Kumar, Global Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kashipur, US Nagar, Uttarakhand, India, [email protected] Similar Articles: SCREENING STUDY FOR FORMULATION VARIABLES IN PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CANDESARTAN CILEXETIL LOADED NANOSTRUCTURED LIPID CARRIER

Qualitative difference between the angular anisotropy parameters in fast electron scattering and photoionization

It is demonstrated for the first time that in spite of well known big similarities between atomic ionization by photons and fast electrons, a qualitative difference exists in angular anisotropy parameters of electrons knocked out in these processes. The difference is disclosed here and attributed to distinction between normal (transverse) and virtual (longitudinal) photons. Formulas are derived for dipole and non-dipole angular anisotropy parameters in fast electronatom scattering. The ratio of quadrupole-to-dipole matrix elements is determined by the parameter \omega R/v << 1 where \omega is the transferred in collision energy, R is the ionized shell radius and v is the speed of projectile. This factor can be much bigger than in the case of photoionization, where one has the speed of light c that is much bigger than v . We illustrate general formulas by concrete results for outer s-subshells of noble gas atoms Ar and Xe. Even for very small transferred momentum q, in the so-called optical limit, the deviation from photoionization case is prominent and instructive.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1012.546

Global burden of human brucellosis : a systematic review of disease frequency

BACKGROUND: This report presents a systematic review of scientific literature published between 1990-2010 relating to the frequency of human brucellosis, commissioned by WHO. The objectives were to identify high quality disease incidence data to complement existing knowledge of the global disease burden and, ultimately, to contribute towards the calculation of a Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) estimate for brucellosis.METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Thirty three databases were searched, identifying 2,385 articles relating to human brucellosis. Based on strict screening criteria, 60 studies were selected for quality assessment, of which only 29 were of sufficient quality for data analysis. Data were only available from 15 countries in the regions of Northern Africa and Middle East, Western Europe, Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central Asia. Half of the studies presented incidence data, six of which were longitudinal prospective studies, and half presented seroprevalence data which were converted to incidence rates. Brucellosis incidence varied widely between, and within, countries. Although study biases cannot be ruled out, demographic, occupational, and socioeconomic factors likely play a role. Aggregated data at national or regional levels do not capture these complexities of disease dynamics and, consequently, at-risk populations or areas may be overlooked. In many brucellosis-endemic countries, health systems are weak and passively-acquired official data underestimate the true disease burden.CONCLUSIONS: High quality research is essential for an accurate assessment of disease burden, particularly in Eastern Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Central and South America and Africa where data are lacking. Providing formal epidemiological and statistical training to researchers is essential for improving study quality. An integrated approach to disease surveillance involving both human health and veterinary services would allow a better understand of disease dynamics at the animal-human interface, as well as a more cost-effective utilisation of resources