Diagnostics of nanodisperse polycrystals based on the polarization bremsstrahlung of relativistic electrons

The spectra of polarization bremsstrahlung are measured in the backscattering geometry during the interaction of 7 MeV electrons with a polycrystalline Ni foil. Measurement is conducted under condi tions such that the size of the region of coherent Xray radiation scattering in a target is on the order of 10 nm. The obtained results make it possible to suggest that using polarization bremsstrahlung as a new method for the diagnostics of the atomic structures of nanodisperse polycrystals is effectiv

Extradition under the legislation of the Russian federation and member spates of the European union

The document analyzes the legislation of the Russian Federation and the member states of the European Union on extradition from the point of view of its compliance with the current European Convention on Extradition. It also makes proposals to improve the rules of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation that regulates the extradition procedur

Efficacy and safety of the anti-IL-12/23 p40 monoclonal antibody, ustekinumab, in patients with active psoriatic arthritis despite conventional non-biological and biological anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy: 6-month and 1-year results of the phase 3, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised PSUMMIT 2 trial

Objective: Assess ustekinumab efficacy (week 24/week 52) and safety (week 16/week 24/week 60) in patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) despite treatment with conventional and/or biological anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents. Methods: In this phase 3, multicentre, placebo-controlled trial, 312 adults with active PsA were randomised (stratified by site, weight (≤100 kg/>100 kg), methotrexate use) to ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg at week 0, week 4, q12 weeks or placebo at week 0, week 4, week 16 and crossover to ustekinumab 45 mg at week 24, week 28 and week 40. At week 16, patients with <5% improvement in tender/swollen joint counts entered blinded early escape (placebo→45 mg, 45 mg→90 mg, 90 mg→90 mg). The primary endpoint was ≥20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) criteria at week 24. Secondary endpoints included week 24 Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) improvement, ACR50, ACR70 and ≥75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI75). Efficacy was assessed in all patients, anti-TNF-naïve (n=132) patients and anti-TNF-experienced (n=180) patients. Results: More ustekinumab-treated (43.8% combined) than placebo-treated (20.2%) patients achieved ACR20 at week 24 (p<0.001). Significant treatment differences were observed for week 24 HAQ-DI improvement (p<0.001), ACR50 (p≤0.05) and PASI75 (p<0.001); all benefits were sustained through week 52. Among patients previously treated with ≥1 TNF inhibitor, sustained ustekinumab efficacy was also observed (week 24 combined vs placebo: ACR20 35.6% vs 14.5%, PASI75 47.1% vs 2.0%, median HAQ-DI change −0.13 vs 0.0; week 52 ustekinumab-treated: ACR20 38.9%, PASI75 43.4%, median HAQ-DI change −0.13). No unexpected adverse events were observed through week 60. Conclusions: The interleukin-12/23 inhibitor ustekinumab (45/90 mg q12 weeks) yielded significant and sustained improvements in PsA signs/symptoms in a diverse population of patients with active PsA, including anti-TNF-experienced PsA patients

Cytokine profile in psoriatic arthritis: search for relationships with inflammation and blood rheological properties

Objective. To estimate the serum levels of interleukins (IL) 6 and 10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PSA) and their relationship with the clinical and laboratory parameters of inflammation and with erythrocyte aggregation (EA). Material and methods. The authors measured the serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) by immunonephelometry (BN, ProSPEC, Siemens) and those of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10, and VEGF by X-MAP technology using a BioPlex-200 system (Panel Human 27-Plex Bio-Rad, USA) in 80 patients with PSA [45 women and 35 men; mean age 41.7±10.5 years, mean duration of PSA and psoriasis was 5.0 (2.0; 12,5) and 15 (4; 26) years, respectively; DAS 3.9 (3.09; 5.16)]. The blood samples from 16 healthy donors matched to the examinees for gender and age served as a control. The parameters of EA [Т1(с); Кt (arb. units); β (с-1), I2,5 (%)] were estimated, by recording the rate of back light scattering. The median (Me) and interquartile range [Q25; Q75], and mean and standard deviations (M±σ) were calculated; the indicators were compared by the Mann-Whitney test and Student's t test. Correlation analysis was made using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (R); p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. There were significantly higher serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10, TNF-α, and VEGF in patients with PSA than in the controls, and impaired blood rheological properties. There were significant correlations of the level of most cytokines (IL-6 and IL-10, VEGF) with both the values of the clinical and laboratory activity of PSA (self-rated pain, the number of swollen and tender joints, a physician's assessment of disease activity, DAS, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and fibrinogen) and most parameters of EA (Т1, Kt и I2.5). No significant relationships were found between VEGF and CRP. Conclusion. The enhanced clinical and laboratory activity of PSA is attended by the systemic activation of immunological mediators of inflammation and neoangiogenesis and by impaired blood rheological properties, which supports the interaction of these factors in the immunopathogenesis of the diseases