Physically targeted intravenous polyurethane nanoparticles for controlled release of atorvastatin calcium

Background: Intravenous drug delivery is an advantageous choice for rapid administration, immediate drug effect, and avoidance of first-pass metabolism in oral drug delivery. In this study, the synthesis, formulation, and characterization of atorvastatin-loaded polyurethane [PU] nanoparticles were investigated for intravenous route of administration

Method: First, PU was synthesized and characterized. Second, nanoparticles were prepared in four different ratios of drug to polymer through two different techniques, including emulsion-diffusion and single emulsion. Finally, particle size and polydispersity index, shape and surface morphology, drug entrapment efficiency [EE], drug loading, and in vitro release were evaluated by dynamics light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and UV visible spectroscopy, respectively

Results: Within two methods, the prepared nanoparticles had a spherical shape and a smooth surface with a diversity of size ranged from 174.04 nm to 277.24 nm in emulsion-diffusion and from 306.5 nm to 393.12 in the single-emulsion method. The highest EE was 84.76%, for [1:4] sample in the emulsion-diffusion method. It has also been shown that in vitro release of nanoparticles, using the emulsion-diffusion method, was sustained up to eight days by two mechanisms: drug diffusion and polymer relaxation

Conclusion: PU nanoparticles, that were prepared by the emulsion-diffusion method, could be used as effective carriers for the controlled drug delivery of poorly water soluble drugs such as atorvastatin calcium

763C>G polymorphism of the secretory PLA2IIa gene is associated with endometriosis in Iranian women

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease resulting from complex interactions between genetic, hormonal, environmental and oxidative stress and intrinsic inflammatory components. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association of the 763C>G polymorphism in the secretory phospholipase A2 group IIa gene [PLA2G2A] with the risk of endometriosis in Iranian women. Ninety seven patients with endometriosis along with 107 women who were negative for endometriosis after laparoscopy and laparatomy, and served as the control group, were enrolled for this cross-sectional study. Samples were genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Multivariate analysis was used to examine the association between the risk of endometriosis and the 763C>G polymorphism of PLA2G2A. Genotype distributions of PLA2G2A were significantly different between patients and the controls [p<0.001, OR=0.22, 95% CI=0.21-0.39]. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant association between the normal homozygous genotype and susceptibility to endometriosis [p<0.001]. The present study suggests that the 763C>G polymorphism of PLA2G2A plays an important role as an independent factor in the risk of endometriosis in Iranian women

Is CD19 an immunological diagnostic marker for acute appendicitis?

The appendix is considered as part of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue; however, lymphocyte subsets in this tissue are not fully defined. To investigate and compare the function and phenotype of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood and appendix of patients with normal and inflamed appendix tissues. Peripheral blood samples and appendiceal mononuclear cells were obtained from 81 patients [mean age; 23 +/- 10.5 years], clinically suspected of having appendicitis. The phenotypic characteristics of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood [before and 48-72 hrs after appendectomy] and in appendix tissue were analyzed by three color-flow cytometry. The proliferative response of mononuclear cells was assessed by MTT method. The frequency of CD19+DR+, HLA-DR+ and CD19+ cells in the appendix tissue were significantly higher than that of the peripheral blood in all the groups [p<0.001]. The percentage of CD19+ cells and HLA-DR+CD19+ cells significantly decreased after appendectomy in the peripheral blood of the patients with acute appendicitis [p=0.047 and p=0.03, respectively]. CD19 and HLA-DR plus CD19 had better diagnostic efficiency compared with T cell markers [area under the ROC curve [AUC]= 0.76 and 0.73, respectively]. These results indicate a significant difference in CD19+ and HLA-DR+ lymphocytes between peripheral blood and the appendix tissue.

Preincisional ipsilateral stellate ganglion block for acute post operative pain control in unilateral mastectomy

To evaluate the effect of preincisional ipsilateral stellate ganglion block for acute post operative pain control in unilateral mastectomy. In a randomized clinical trial, 62 patients selected for unilateral mastectomy were recruited in Tabriz Imam Reza educational Hospital during 18-month period. They were randomly divided into two equal groups; receiving either preincisional ipsilateral stellate ganglion block using bupivacaine [study group] or without these blocks [control group]. Postoperative pain was evaluated based on visual analogue scale [VAS]. The total dose of analgesics were also compared between the two groups. Thirty one female patients with a mean age of 48.7 +/- 7.4 [36-60] years and 31 other female patients with a mean age of 50.7 +/- 6.9 [36-60] years were enrolled in the study and control groups, respectively [p=0.292]. The number of patients with decrease in postoperative pain was significantly higher in the case study group comparing with that of the control group [p < 0.001]. Decrease in total dose of postoperative analgesics was also significantly lower in the case study group compared with control group [P < 0.001]. Forty eight hours after operation, there were 15 pain-free patients in the study group with no pain-free patients in the control group. This difference was statistically significant [P < 0.001]. Based on our findings, the preincisional ipsilateral stellate ganglion block is an effective method in controlling the postoperative pain after unilateral mastectomy. This approach had also got a considerable analgesic-sparing effect