BACKGROUND/AIMS: The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of add-on therapy with certolizumab pegol (CZP) in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of a single ethnicity. METHODS: In this 24-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, eligible patients (n = 127) were randomized 2:1 to subcutaneous CZP + methotrexate (MTX; 400 mg at week 0, 2, and 4 followed by 200 mg every 2 weeks) or placebo + MTX. RESULTS: At week 24, the American College of Rheumatology criteria for 20% (ACR20) response rate was significantly greater with CZP + MTX than with placebo (66.7% vs. 27.5%, p < 0.001). Differences in ACR20 response rates for CZP vs. placebo were significant from week 1 (p < 0.05) and remained significant through week 24. The CZP group reported significant improvement in physical function and disability compared to the placebo group (p < 0.001) at week 24, as assessed by Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (KHAQ-DI). Post hoc analysis indicated that the proportion of patients who had ACR70 responses, Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) low disease activity, and DAS28 remission at week 24 was greater in CZP + MTX-treated patients who achieved a decrease in DAS28 ≥ 1.2 (43.8%) at week 4 than in nonresponders. Among 18 (22.2%) and 14 patients (35.0%) in CZP and placebo groups who had latent tuberculosis (TB), none developed active TB. Most adverse events were mild or moderate. CONCLUSIONS: CZP treatment combined with MTX in active RA patients with moderate to severe disease activity and an inadequate response to MTX resulted in rapid onset of efficacy, which is associated with better clinical outcome at week 24 and has an acceptable safety profile, especially in an intermediate TB-burden population.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Certolizumab Pegol ; Humans ; Latent Tuberculosis ; Methotrexate* ; Rheumatology

Intestinal Behçet's disease is a rare, immune-mediated chronic intestinal inflammatory disease; therefore, clinical trials to optimize the management and treatment of patients are scarce. Moreover, intestinal Behçet's disease is difficult to treat and often requires surgery because of the failure of conventional medical treatment. Administration of anti-tumor necrosis factor–α, a potential therapeutic strategy, is currently under active clinical investigation, and evidence of its effectiveness for both intestinal Behçet's disease and inflammatory bowel diseases has been accumulating. Here, we review updated data on current experiences and outcomes after the administration of anti-tumor necrosis factor–α for the treatment of intestinal Behçet's disease. In addition to infliximab and adalimumab, which are the most commonly used agents, we describe agents such as golimumab, etanercept, and certolizumab pegol, which have recently been shown to be effective in refractory intestinal Behçet's disease. This review also discusses safety issues associated with anti-tumor necrosis factor–α, including vulnerability to infections and malignancy.
Adalimumab ; Behcet Syndrome ; Certolizumab Pegol ; Etanercept ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Infliximab ; Necrosis*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The spectrum of clinical features of chronic liver disease bas wide range from asymptomatic cases to hepatic failure, The natural course and long-term prognosis of chronic liver disease also varies greately, and this diversity makes it diflicult to predict the clinical course of individual patient. The two majar approaches to the treatment of chronic liver disease are 1) directed toward the eradication of the virus and 2)designed to modulate cellular and humeral immunity. Progress has been made in the development of antiviral chernotherapeutic agents for hepatitis. But as yet no safe and reliably effective treatment or combination of treatrnents is available. In tkis study, we performed trial of diphenyl-dimethyl-dicarboxylate to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of it. METHODS: The ciinical trials of DDB(complex capsule of diphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate 7.5mg and polysorbate 80 1,5mg and polyethylene glycol 6000 66mg) were carried out in 30 patients with chronic liver disease for 6 months. All patients had abnormal liver function test ouer a period of 6 months. RESULTS: In selected groups mean serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotrans- ferase dropped from pretreatment level of' 115.9+/-74.1 IU/L and 201.6+/-173.0 1U/L to posttreatment level of46.6+/-21.6 UU/L and 28.7+/-15.4IU/L, respectively(p<0.01). There was no significant hernatological and biochemical change after administration of DDB. Untoward side effects were easily controlled by discontinuing the drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of DDB(for 6 months) appears to be effective for decrement of transaminase level and safe for the treatment of patients with chronic liver disease.
Alanine ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Liver Diseases* ; Liver Failure ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver* ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Polysorbates ; Prognosis

Lichen-forming fungal proteins have been seldom searched due to many difficulties in their extraction. Phenols, quinones, proteases, and other components released during cell disruption have been known to be the greatest challenges related to protein extraction from lichens. To overcome these problems and maintain good electrophoretic resolution and high protein concentration, an extraction buffer containing polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, ascorbic acid, Triton X-100, polyethylene glycol, proteinase, and oxidase inhibitors in sodium phosphate buffer was developed. This extraction buffer showed high efficiency for all lichen species tested in the study.
Ascorbic Acid ; Electrophoresis ; Fungal Proteins ; Lichens* ; Octoxynol ; Oxidoreductases ; Peptide Hydrolases ; Phenol ; Phenols ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Quinones ; Sodium

PURPOSE: In this study we compared the surface wettability of ocular prosthesis and depositions depending on different types of artificial tear eye drops. METHODS: The artificial tear eye drops contain sodium hyaluronate (HA) 0.1%, 0.18%, 0.3%, carboxylmethylcellulose sodium (CMC), hydroxymethylcelluose + dextran (HMC), propylene glycol + polyethylene glycol (PG), polysorbate 80 (PS) povidone (Pov) were evaluated. Flat rectangular parallelepiped blocks consisting of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or silicone materials were made. One artificial tear eye drop was applied on the surface of two different blocks of artificial eyes using a 23-gauge needle. Then, the static method contact angle was measured by using a contact angle goniometer. To measure the deposits, a petri dish was covered with 3 mL of artificial tear eye drops and dried for 48 hours at room temperature. Then, the light transmittance at the center of the petri dish was measured to investigate the amount of the residue. RESULTS: The contact angles of HA 0.1%, 0.18%, 0.3%, CMC, HMC, PG, PS and Pov on PMMA were 78.69degrees, 84.29degrees, 75.46degrees, 80.93degrees, 66.29degrees, 71.26degrees, 58.40degrees and 70.24degrees, respectively. The contact angles on silicone were 53.68degrees, 60.87degrees, 64.46degrees, 62.78degrees, 38.89degrees, 63.58degrees, 30.68degrees and 51.41degrees, respectively. The largest decrease in transparency was observed in the artificial tear eye drops containing HMC. CONCLUSIONS: The wettability and deposits on the surface of ocular prosthesis can vary based on the components and concentration of artificial tear eye drops. The results from this study should be considered when choosing the right artificial tear eye drops for improving dry eye symptoms in patients wearing ocular prostheses.
Anophthalmos ; Dextrans ; Dry Eye Syndromes ; Eye, Artificial* ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Needles ; Ophthalmic Solutions* ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Polysorbates ; Povidone ; Propylene Glycol ; Silicones ; Sodium ; Tears* ; Wettability*

PURPOSE: In this study we compared the surface wettability of ocular prosthesis and depositions depending on different types of artificial tear eye drops. METHODS: The artificial tear eye drops contain sodium hyaluronate (HA) 0.1%, 0.18%, 0.3%, carboxylmethylcellulose sodium (CMC), hydroxymethylcelluose + dextran (HMC), propylene glycol + polyethylene glycol (PG), polysorbate 80 (PS) povidone (Pov) were evaluated. Flat rectangular parallelepiped blocks consisting of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or silicone materials were made. One artificial tear eye drop was applied on the surface of two different blocks of artificial eyes using a 23-gauge needle. Then, the static method contact angle was measured by using a contact angle goniometer. To measure the deposits, a petri dish was covered with 3 mL of artificial tear eye drops and dried for 48 hours at room temperature. Then, the light transmittance at the center of the petri dish was measured to investigate the amount of the residue. RESULTS: The contact angles of HA 0.1%, 0.18%, 0.3%, CMC, HMC, PG, PS and Pov on PMMA were 78.69degrees, 84.29degrees, 75.46degrees, 80.93degrees, 66.29degrees, 71.26degrees, 58.40degrees and 70.24degrees, respectively. The contact angles on silicone were 53.68degrees, 60.87degrees, 64.46degrees, 62.78degrees, 38.89degrees, 63.58degrees, 30.68degrees and 51.41degrees, respectively. The largest decrease in transparency was observed in the artificial tear eye drops containing HMC. CONCLUSIONS: The wettability and deposits on the surface of ocular prosthesis can vary based on the components and concentration of artificial tear eye drops. The results from this study should be considered when choosing the right artificial tear eye drops for improving dry eye symptoms in patients wearing ocular prostheses.
Anophthalmos ; Dextrans ; Dry Eye Syndromes ; Eye, Artificial* ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Needles ; Ophthalmic Solutions* ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Polysorbates ; Povidone ; Propylene Glycol ; Silicones ; Sodium ; Tears* ; Wettability*

Sonogenic microbubble agent is a newly developed drug targeting delivery system, which uses ultrasonic beam to enhance the delivery of drug and gene to targeted cells and tissues. In this paper, the preparation of sonogenic phospholipids-based microbubbles was optimized by using central composite experimental design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Hydrogenated egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC), Tween 80 and polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG 1500) were important components affecting the concentration of 2 - 8 microm microbubbles in the preparation. The combined effects of these three factors were analyzed by CCD and optimized by RSM. Evaluation variable was the concentration of 2 - 8 microm microbubbles. Overall desirability was fitted to a second-order polynomial equation, through which three dimensional response surface graphs were produced. Optimal experimental conditions were selected from the stationary point of the response surfaces. The stability of the sonogenic phospholipids-based microbubbles by the optimal formulation was investigated by accelerated experiment. The contrast effect in vivo of the optimal formulation was investigated. Foreign market product SonoVue was used as the control. From the results, all the three factors had positive effects on the concentration of 2 - 8 microm microbubbles. The optimal condition in the preparation of phospholipids-based microbubbles was obtained as following: EPC 8.35 mg, Tween 80 21.68 mg and PEG 1500 201 mg. The mean value of the concentration of 2 - 8 microm microbubbles in rechecking experiment reached 8.60 x 10(9) x mL(-1). From the accelerated experiment, phospholipids-based microbubbles showed good physical stability. The intensity (relative unit) and duration of the contrast effect by the optimal formulation were 4.47 +/- 0.15 and (302 +/- 7) s respectively, which showed little difference with foreign market product SonoVue [4.28 +/- 0.13, (309 +/- 8) s]. The optimal formulation selected by CCD and RSM showed high microbubble concentration, good physical stability and effective sonogenic contrast effect.
Animals ; Contrast Media ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Compounding ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Design ; Male ; Microbubbles ; Particle Size ; Phosphatidylcholines ; chemistry ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Polysorbates ; chemistry ; Rabbits ; Ultrasonics

The rapid technological progress in the fields of computer and engineering has accelerated the medical society to introduce a new advanced paradigm in handling medical information. This paper describes a fully integrated Computer Aided Diagnosis, Speech Recognition/PACS system running on a single platform. We feel that the combination of Computer Aided Diagnosis, Speech Recognition and PACS in a fully integrated single platform has created a tremendous synergy, with process improvements that maximize the advantage s of three systems. The Computer Aided Diagnosis and the Speech Recognition included marked improvement in experiments turnaround time and cost saving for departments because of decreased transcription costs. Proposed system should help others complete the task of digitalizing a hospital information system and may be adaptable to other systems as well.
Cost Savings ; Diagnosis* ; Hospital Information Systems ; Nonoxynol ; Running ; Societies, Medical

The one event on signaling mechanism is the cleavage by adenyl cyclase of ATP into second messenger, cyclic AMP. The other transfer system of inositol metabolism, it is widely recognized that hydrolysis of the minor membrane lipid phosphoinositide bisphosphate (PIP₂) initiated by occupation of certain receptors and catalyzed by phospholipase C, lead to toe generation of the two intracellular messengers, inositol triphosphate (IP₃) and diacylglycerol (DG). IP₃ is converted to inositol tetrakisphosphate (IP₄) by IP₃ kinase. In the present study, it is that purification of calmodulin is used by phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B chromatography, it's molecular weigh, 17,000 in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In order to observe the affinity between calmodulin (CaM)-Affigel 15 and IP₃ kinase, and isolated IP₃ kinase, was applied in CaM-Affigel with Ca²⁺ equilibrium buffer and EGTA equilibrium buffer. We compared with binding and elution effect of IP₃ kinase in several condition of buffer. In affinity of binding, Ca²⁺ equilibrium buffer was in the most proper condition, and elution, CaM/Ca²⁺buffer (CE 1 10.36, CE2 12.76pM/min/mg of protein) was effected much more than EGTA buffer (E2 1.48, E 2.43pM/min/mg of protein), but CaM/Ca²⁺stimulate the activity of IP₃ kinase. And then, several detergents such as sodium deoxycholate, tween 20, cholic acid, polyethylene glycol, chaps were applied. The 0.2% chaps buffer (E2 23.19, E3 8.05pnM/min/mg of protein) was the most effective in elution of IP3 kinase.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adenylyl Cyclases ; Brain* ; Calmodulin ; Cholic Acid ; Chromatography ; Cyclic AMP ; Deoxycholic Acid ; Detergents ; Egtazic Acid ; Electrophoresis ; Hydrolysis ; Inositol* ; Membranes ; Metabolism ; Occupations ; Phosphotransferases* ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Polysorbates ; Second Messenger Systems ; Toes ; Type C Phospholipases

The present study was performed to evaluate the comedogenicity of several cosmetic ingredients, vegetable oils, steroid and sulfur. The test materials were applied to one ear canal of rabbits for 6 weekdays for 2 weeks. The results were as follows: l. Among the 14 cosmetic ingredients, no comedogenicity was shown in propylene glycol and petrolatum, mild comedogencity in squalene, acetylated lanolin, polyethylene glycol, cetyl aIcohol and Tween 80. Propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate and oleic acid showed moderate comedogenicity. Severe comedogenicity was observed in myristyl myristate, isopropyl myristate, butyl stearate and myristyl lactate. 2. Moderate to severe comedogenicity was shown in olive oil, sesame oil and corn oil and moderate comedogenicity in sulfur (8%) and betamethasone dipropionate (0.06%) R. Histopathologic grading were paralleled the findings of the naked eye.
Betamethasone ; Corn Oil ; Ear Canal ; Lactic Acid ; Lanolin ; Myristic Acid ; Olea ; Oleic Acid ; Petrolatum ; Plant Oils ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Polysorbates ; Propylene Glycol ; Rabbits ; Sesame Oil ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; Squalene ; Sulfur ; Olive Oil