Metabolic syndrome and C-reactive protein in patients with depressive disorder on antidepressive medication

Introduction. Recurrent depression is a psychiatric disorder of which etiology and pathogenesis might be related to immune response. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its components are also strongly associated with elevated inflammatory indicators, as so as the body mass index (BMI) and total cholesterol levels. Objective. Objective of this study was to investigate if there was any difference in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with recurrent depressive disorder, treated with antidepressants, compared to a healthy control group of subjects and if there was an association between increased CRP levels and the presence of MetS in these two groups. Methods. Sixty subjects entered the study; of these 35 patients with the diagnosis of recurrent depressive disorder, while the healthy control group included 25 subjects. MetS was defined according to the NCEP ATP III criteria. The cut-off point for CRP was set at >5 mg /L. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of MetS and CRP values between the studied groups. Waist circumference and total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the experimental group. Patients that fulfilled the criteria for MetS showed significantly higher values of central obesity and arterial hypertension in the experimental group as well. The elevated CRP levels were associated with increased frequency of MetS in depressed patients. Conclusion. Both CRP levels and metabolic risk profile screening, according to the international criteria, may be beneficial in order to obtain better assessment for depressive long term medicated patients

Metabolic Syndrome and C-reactive protein in patients with depressive disorder on antidepressive medication

Introduction Recurrent depression is a psychiatric disorder of which etiology and pathogenesis might be related to immune response. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its components are also strongly associated with elevated inflammatory indicators, as so as the body mass index (BMI) and total cholesterol levels. Objective Objective of this study was to investigate if there was any difference in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with recurrent depressive disorder, treated with antidepressants, compared to a healthy control group of subjects and if there was an association between increased CRP levels and the presence of MetS in these two groups. Methods Sixty subjects entered the study; of these 35 patients with the diagnosis of recurrent depressive disorder, while the healthy control group included 25 subjects. MetS was defined according to the NCEP ATP III criteria. The cut-off point for CRP was set at >5 mg /L. Results There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of MetS and CRP values between the studied groups. Waist circumference and total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the experimental group. Patients that fulfilled the criteria for MetS showed significantly higher values of central obesity and arterial hypertension in the experimental group as well. The elevated CRP levels were associated with increased frequency of MetS in depressed patients. Conclusion Both CRP levels and metabolic risk profile screening, according to the international criteria, may be beneficial in order to obtain better assessment for depressive long term medicated patients

TOWARD A SMART ECOSYSTEM WITH AUTOMATED SERVICES

New ICT architectures enable a better response to constant pressure on the industry and services to improve their business performance and productivity, especially in data processing. At the same time, due to the growing number of sensor modules, the amount of data that needs to be processed, in real time, is growing. Delays in communication with the cloud environment can lead to poor management decisions or user dissatisfaction. In automation and services, one of the new ICT architectures is Edge computing in the data processing. Edge computing is a networking architecture that brings computing close to the source of data in order to reduce latency and bandwidth use. Edge computing brings new power to data processing and the ability to process large amounts of data in real time. This is essential for predicting the behavior of machines, systems, or customers in order to detect errors or provide personalized service as in the case of smart vending machines. In that way, Edge computing enables taking steps toward establishing a smart ecosystem in automation and services

Tailoring Atomoxetine Release Rate from DLP 3D-Printed Tablets Using Artificial Neural Networks: Influence of Tablet Thickness and Drug Loading

Various three-dimensional printing (3DP) technologies have been investigated so far in relation to their potential to produce customizable medicines and medical devices. The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of tailoring drug release rates from immediate to prolonged release by varying the tablet thickness and the drug loading, as well as to develop artificial neural network (ANN) predictive models for atomoxetine (ATH) release rate from DLP 3D-printed tablets. Photoreactive mixtures were comprised of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and poly(ethylene glycol) 400 in a constant ratio of 3:1, water, photoinitiator and ATH as a model drug whose content was varied from 5% to 20% (w/w). Designed 3D models of cylindrical shape tablets were of constant diameter, but different thickness. A series of tablets with doses ranging from 2.06 mg to 37.48 mg, exhibiting immediate- and modified-release profiles were successfully fabricated, confirming the potential of this technology in manufacturing dosage forms on demand, with the possibility to adjust the dose and release behavior by varying drug loading and dimensions of tablets. DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), XRPD (X-ray powder diffraction) and microscopic analysis showed that ATH remained in a crystalline form in tablets, while FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that no interactions occurred between ATH and polymers

Savremeni konflikti i njihove tendencije

U poslednjih 75 godina izbilo je 162 oružana sukoba. Doba Hladnog rata pratili su međudržavni i antikolonijalni ratovi, trka u naoružanju, bipolarni svetski poredak i velika uloga SAD i SSSR u rešavanju sukoba. Padom Berlinskog zida dolazi do unipolarnosti i svetske dominacije zapadnih zemalja, pre svega SAD, što je dovelo do porasta građanskih ratova, prevazilaženja konvencionalnih oblika ratovanja (terorizam, sajber napadi) i brojnih nerešenih sukoba. Jačanjem Rusije, Kine, Indije, Brazila, naziru se obrisi multipolarnosti na globalnom nivou, ali bez efekata na brojnost i rasprostranjenost sukoba. Ono što danas karakteriše svetski poredak nije nedostatak bipolarnosti ili multipolarnosti velikih sila, već podeljenost političkih i ekonomskih interesa geopolitičkim ambicijama manjih i većih svetskih sila, što ostavlja prostor za redefinisanje njihovih uloga u oružanim sukobima širom planete

Powder bed fusion–laser beam (PBF-LB) three-dimensional (3D) printing: Influence of laser hatching distance on the properties of zolpidem tartrate tablets

Laser sintering, known as powder bed fusion–laser beam (PBF-LB), offers promising potential for the fabrication of patient-specific drugs. The aim of this study was to provide an insight into the PBF-LB process with regard to the process parameters, in particular the laser hatching distance, and its influence on the properties of zolpidem tartrate (ZT) tablets. PHARMACOAT® 603 was used as the polymer, while Candurin® Gold Sheen and AEROSIL® 200 were added to facilitate 3D printing. The particle size distribution of the powder blend showed that the layer height should be set to 100 µm, while the laser hatching distance was varied in five different steps (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 µm), keeping the temperature and laser scanning speed constant. Increasing the laser hatching distance and decreasing the laser energy input led to a decrease in the colour intensity, mass, density and hardness of the ZT tablets, while the disintegration and dissolution rate were faster due to the more fragile bonds between the particles. The laser hatching distance also influenced the ZT dosage, indicating the importance of this process parameter in the production of presonalized drugs. The absence of drug-polymer interactions and the amorphization of the ZT were confirmed

Savremeni konflikti i njihove tendencije

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Peritoneal exudate cells from long-lived rats exhibit increased IL-10/IL-1 beta expression ratio and preserved NO/urea ratio following LPS-stimulation in vitro

In humans, usual aging, differently from successful aging, is associated with deregulation of proinflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokine balance. The corresponding data from rat studies are limited. Therefore, we examined (i) cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) profile of fresh peritoneal cells from 6-(adult), 24-(old), and 31-month-old (long-lived) AO rats and (ii) proinflammatory (IL-1 beta and IL-6) and antiinflammatory (IL-10) cytokine, NO, and urea production in their LPS-stimulated cultures. Comparing with adult rats, cells from old ones expressed lower amount of TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNAs, but greater amount of IL-1 beta mRNA. On the other hand, cells fromlong-lived rats exhibited a dramatic increase in IL-10 mRNA expression followed by diminished TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expression, and comparable expression of IL-1 beta mRNA relative to adult rats. Consequently, IL-10/IL-1 beta mRNA ratio was greater in cells from long-lived rats than in adult and old rats. In LPS-stimulated peritoneal cell cultures (contained = 95 % macrophages) from old rats, concentration of common proinflammatory cytokines was higher than in those from adult rats. Comparing with adult and old rats, in LPS-stimulated macrophage cultures from long-lived rats, TNF-alpha and IL-6 concentrations were lower; IL-1 beta concentration was comparable or greater (in respect to adult rats), whereas that of IL-10 was strikingly higher. Consistently, in macrophage cultures from long-lived rats, NO (iNOS activity marker)/urea (arginase activity marker) ratio was less and not different from that in old and adult rats, respectively. The study suggests that macrophages from longlived rats, differently from those of old ones, have substantial ability to limit proinflammatory mediator production, which may contribute to their longevity

Selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing process: Influence of model design on the properties of zolpidem tartrate tablets

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is an innovative additive manufacturing technology in the field of pharmaceuticals that has the potential to provide small batches of patient-tailored medicines (Wang et al., 2021). One of the newest and most advanced 3DP techniques is selective laser sintering (SLS), a one-step manufacturing process that uses a laser to selectively sinter powder particles into layers and create a 3D structure of a solid dosage form. Depending on the 3D design of the object, the laser is focused to draw specific patterns on the surface of the powder. Once the first layer is sintered, a fresh layer of powder is sprinkled on top so that a new layer can be sintered (Allahham et al., 2020). The aim of this study was to formulate and investigate the influence of the model design on the properties of zolpidem tartrate (ZT) tablets produced by the SLS 3DP process.14th Central European Symposium on Pharmaceutical Technology, 28th - 30th September, Ohrid, N. Macedonia, 202

Significance of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) like CD14+B7-H4 cells frequency in blood and tumor microcirculation of lung cancer patients

Background/Aim. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) suppress immune responses via a series of inhibitory mechanisms, which ultimately could lead to tumor growth. B7-H4 expression is significantly associated with poor outcome and promotion of tumor cell proliferation, invasion and migration in patients with various cancers. Data concerning B7-H4 expression in lung cancers (LC), either on tumor or immunological cells, are still sporadic. The aim was to estimate and correlate the number of CD14+B7-H4+MDSCs in blood and lung tumor microcirculation with clinical stage, histology type of tumor, tumor node metastasis (TNM) stadium, nodal status and disease outspread. Methods. The study included 44 lung cancer patients (III and IV clinical stage) and 30 healthy controls. CD14+B7-H4+ MDSC number was estimated by flow cytometry in blood and tumor microcirculation samples of each patient. Results. CD14+B7-H4+ MDSCs number was significantly higher in patients’ samples compared to controls. CD14+B7-H4+ MDSC number was significantly increased in tumor compared to blood sample of the same patient. Clinical stage III patients had the increased number of the CD14+B7-H4+ MDSC compared to stage IV, in both types of samples. According to histology, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients had the highest average CD14+B7-H4+ MDSCs number, significantly increased compared to patients with squamous and large cell LC histology type. Tumor size was directly associated with the number of the CD14+B7-H4+ MDSC, both in blood and tumor samples. Furthermore, nodal involvement was associated with the gradual increase of the CD14+B7-H4+ MDSC number, being the highest in the N3 group, again both in blood and tumor samples. Finally, we detected higher CD14+B7-H4+ MDSCs number in the samples of patients without metastases. Conclusion. CD14+B7-H4+ MDSCs n umber in L C patients is significantly associated with tumor histology type, lymph node involvement, disease extent degree and tumor size. Concerning their large number in LC tumor microenvironment together with immunosuppressive capacities, CD14+B7-H4+ MDSCs could represent important tumor promoting factor in LC pathophysiology