Biological therapies in Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is one of the chronic inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract. Pathophysiology of this disease involves the genetic and environmental factors, but the most important causative factor is anti-inflammatory reaction of the organism, which eventually leads to inflammatory changes, fibrosis and necrosis. Glucocorticosteroids are commonly used in therapy and may cause many negative side effects. Nowadays, new biological medicines are being tested, which are supposed to be an alternative method of treating Crohn’s disease. Infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, natalizumab, etanerecept, vedolizumab and ustekinumab are the examples of those drugs, on which the research was already carried out. They lead to healing of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, and thus to remission of the disease

Current nosological status, pathomechanism and treatment of catatonia

Catatonia, otherwise known as catatonic syndrome is a frequent neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized mainly by motor disorders. There are many somatic and psychiatric dysfunctions, and the multitude of symptoms included in it make a problem in diagnosis. Moreover, until now the mechanism of pathophysiology of catatonia has not been recognized. Among the hypotheses proposed, one may find theories concerning dysregulation of neurotransmission within the dopamineergic D2 or GABA-A-ergic receptors. For years, catatonia was closely related to schizophrenia, but with the publication of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders - DSM-5, these disorders were separated, creating the hope that catatonia would be considered as a separate disease entity in the future. Pharmacotherapy involves the use of benzodiazepines in the first line, which are effective in most patients. An alternative is N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) antagonists and atypical antipsychotic drugs, the use of which is controversial due to the high risk of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which is a direct threat to life. In the case of catatonia resistant to benzodiazepines, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective. At the same time, in order to increase the effectiveness of treatment, electroconvulsive therapy and benzodiazepines are used in parallel, which brings satisfactory results

Sofosbuvir as a drug in recurrent HCV therapy occurring after liver transplantation

Sofosbuvir is a drug, which has been found useful in HCV (Hepatis C Virus) therapy. It replaced the previously used interferon, the applied of which has shown many side effects or lack of response to treatment. The usage of sofosbuvir with ribavirin shortens the time of treatment and minimizes the number of side effects. It is taken as a single dose of 400 mg for 12 or 24 weeks. The only place of activation of this prodrug is hepatocytes, where its active metabolite is formed (GS-461203). It should not be used together with P-glycoprotein inductors that can reduce the efficiency of its action and with amiodarone, because application of both of them together slows down the heart rate. Numerous tests have demonstrated the effectiveness of sofosbuvir in the treatment of patients who have relapsed disease after liver transplantation. A high percentage of sustained virologic response obtained in all phases of clinical trials has proven the efficacy of sofosbuvir in combination with ribavirin or another HCV drug in the therapy of hepatitis C infection

Metallo-Beta-Lactamases: NDM

New Delhi, an enzyme belonging to the Metallo-beta-lactamases and Carbapenemases group, is most commonly found in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. It determines these bacteria resistance to the majority of known antibiotics. NDM-1 was discovered in 2008 in a man treated in New Delhi for E. coli infection. Since the first appearance, 17 subtypes of this enzyme have been discovered. Its occurrence has been reported in Europe (Great Britain, France, Belgium - where even a national alert has been issued) as well as in the United States and in Africa. Most cases of New Delhi enzyme bacterial infections are reported in India or in people who have traveled to this country. There is no treatment method described so far. Therapy is based on antibiotic susceptibility test results. Colistin shows the highest effectiveness against NDM. There are also tests suggesting that Isomargololone and Nimbolide may be effective in most cases of NDM infection

A novel type of biochar from chitinous Hermetia illucens waste with a built-in stimulating effect on plants and soil arthropods

Abstract The breeding of insects generates waste in the form of insect excrement and feed residues. In addition, a specific chitinous waste in the form of insect larvae and pupae exuvia is also left. Recent research tries to manage it, e.g., by producing chitin and chitosan, which are value-added products. The circular economy approach requires testing new, non-standard management methods that can develop products with unique properties. To date, the possibility of biochar production from chitinous waste derived from insects has not been evaluated. Here we show that the puparia of Hermetia illucens are suitable for biochar production, which in turn exhibits original characteristics. We found that the biochars have a high nitrogen level, which is rarely achievable in materials of natural origin without artificial doping. This study presents a detailed chemical and physical characterization of the biochars. Moreover, ecotoxicological analysis has revealed the biochars’ stimulation effect on plant root growth and the reproduction of the soil invertebrate Folsomia candida, as well as the lack of a toxic effect on its mortality. This predisposes these novel materials with already built-in stimulating properties to be used in agronomy, for example as a carriers for fertilizers or beneficial bacteria