The Association Between the 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 2A Gene Variants rs6311 and rs6313 and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the Iranian Kurdish Population

Introduction: Sleep is one of the most significant parts of everyone's life. Most people sleep for about one-third of their lives. Sleep disorders negatively impact the quality of life. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a severe sleep disorder that significantly impacts the patient's life and their family members. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between rs6313 and rs6311 polymorphisms in the serotonin receptor type 2A gene and OSA in the Kurdish population. Materials and Methods: The study's population comprises 100 OSA sufferers and 100 healthy people. Polysomnography diagnostic tests were done on both the patient and control groups. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to investigate the relationship between OSA and LEPR gene polymorphisms. Results: Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between genotype frequencies of patient and control groups of rs6311 with OSA in dominant [odds ratio (OR) = 5.203, p < 0.001) and codominant models (OR = 9.7, p < 0.001). Also, there was a significant relationship between genotype frequencies of patient and control groups of rs6313 with OSA in dominant (OR = 10.565, p < 0.001) and codominant models (OR = 5.938, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Findings from the study demonstrated that the two polymorphisms rs6311 and rs6313 could be effective at causing OSA; however, there was no correlation between the severity of the disease and either of the two polymorphisms.

Interplay of miRNAs and lncRNAs in STAT3 signaling pathway in colorectal cancer progression

In recent decades, colorectal cancer (CRC) has turned into one of the most widespread malignancies, and the incidence of this malignancy is expected to increase. Despite considerable improvements in therapeutic approaches, the prognosis, and the management of CRC face many problems. Likely, the main limitation in the successful treatment of CRC is the lack of appropriate clinical therapeutic targets. As an effective target, the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) are regulated by a wide range of genes and involved in cellular processes, including cell growth, migration, invasion, immunosuppression, and angiogenesis. Aberrant regulation of STAT3 signaling leads to cellular dysfunction, diseases, and malignancies, including CRC. Consequently, targeting this signaling pathway is considered one of the therapeutic strategies used in CRC treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNA molecules with partial or no protein-coding activity that participate in gene regulation at epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels and regulate multiple signaling pathways, including STAT3 signaling (especially JAK/STAT). Therefore, these regulatory molecules are suggested to be very promising targets to present new insights into overcoming the limitations of conventional therapeutic strategies. Therefore, the current review study aimed to summarize the therapeutic and diagnostic significance of miRNAs and lncRNAs and their therapeutic and diagnostic significance related to the expression and activity of STAT3 in CRC.

Improvement of 5-fluorouracil chemosensitivity in colorectal cancer cells by siRNA-mediated silencing of STAT6 oncogene

Objectives

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major health concern worldwide due to its high incidence, mortality rate, and resistance to conventional treatments. The discovery of new targets for cancer therapy is essential to improve the survival of CRC patients. Here, this study aims to present a finding that identifies the STAT6 oncogene as a potent therapeutic target for CRC.

Materials and Methods

HT-29 CRC cells were transfected with STAT6 siRNA and treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) alone and combined. Then, to evaluate cellular proliferation and apoptosis percentage, MTT assay and annexin V/PI staining were carried out, respectively. Moreover, the migration ability of HT-29 cells was followed using a wound-healing assay, and a colony formation assay was performed to explore cell stemness features. Gene expression was quantified via qRT-PCR. Afterward, functional enrichment analysis was used to learn in-depth about the STAT6 co-expressed genes and the pathways to which they belong.

Results

Our study shows that silencing STAT6 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) enhances the chemosensitivity of CRC cells to 5-FU, a commonly used chemotherapy drug, by inducing apoptosis, reducing proliferation, and inhibiting metastasis. These results suggest that combining 5-FU with STAT6-siRNA could provide a promising strategy for CRC treatment.

Conclusion

Our study sheds light on the potential of STAT6 as a druggable target for CRC cancers, the findings offer hope for more effective treatments for CRC patients, especially those with advanced stages that are resistant to conventional therapies.

Association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of Chemoattractant Receptor23 (ChemR23) Gene with Susceptibility to Allergic Rhinitis

The chemoattractant Receptor23 (ChemR23) plays an essential role in triggering and resolving acute inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the association between four potentially functional SNPs of the chemR23 gene (rs4373981 G > C, rs73201532 C > T, rs35121177 G > A, and rs4964676 G > A) with susceptibility to Allergic rhinitis (AR). 130 patients with allergic rhinitis and 130 healthy individuals were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Our findings showed that genotypes and alleles frequencies were not significantly different between patient and control groups (p > 0.05). Furthermore, haplotype analysis (rs4373981, rs73201532, and rs4964676, respectively) revealed a protective effect of CTG, GTA, and GTG haplotypes against AR (p = 0.009, p = 0.0001, p = 0.001, respectively), and CCG, GCA, and GCG haplotypes of ChemR23 polymorphisms were associated with increased risk of AR (p = 0.03, p = 0.02, p = 0.0002, respectively). These findings suggested a possible role for ChemR23 in the pathogenesis of AR.

Association of Rs7217186 Polymorphism of Arachidonic Acid 15-Lipoxygenase (ALOX15) Gene with Susceptibility to Allergic Rhinitis

Background

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory disorder of the nasal mucosa, caused by exposure to environmental allergens. It is known that 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX) is involved in the biosynthetic pathways of anti-inflammatory lipid mediators, including resolvins and protectins.

Methods

In this study, which was performed on 130 AR patients and 130 healthy controls, we aimed to investigate the association of susceptibility to AR with two selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), that is, rs2619112:A>G and rs7217186:C>T, in the intron regions of arachidonic acid 15-LOX (ALOX15) gene, using SNPinfo and Regulome DB tools.

Results

The results showed that the CT genotype of rs7217186: C>T was significantly associated with the increased risk of AR compared to the CC genotype (P= 0.037, OR=1.943, CI: 1.038-0.638). However, there was no strong evidence of the association of rs2619112: A>G with susceptibility to AR (P> 0.05).

Conclusions

The present results indicated that rs7217186 polymorphism of ALOX15 gene might be a potential biomarker for susceptibility to AR.

Preparation of PLA-TPU-Nanoclay composites and characterization of their morphological, mechanical, and shape memory properties

In this study, a combination of polylactic acid polymer and thermoplastic polyurethane with the addition of nano-clay particles was used. The reason for using clay nanoparticles and their strength is the low price and availability of this material. Adding nano-clay particles to the polymer composition improves the mechanical properties of the composite as they will interact with functional groups of the polymer. The results of the FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of three components in the compound indicating that no chemical reactions occurred among the three components during the compounding process. The FE-SEM images taken from the compounds showed that TPU and nano-clay particles were evenly distributed in the PLA matrix. The DMTA results were utilized to determine the transfer temperature of the compounds as well as the storage and loss modulus and the shape memory properties. The XRD spectroscopy was used to determine the crystallinity and exfoliation of the nanoparticles. The mechanical properties of the fabricated polymer compounds were determined. It was found that the sample with 3% by weight of clay nanoparticles had the highest strength, and the sample with 5 wt% of clay nanoparticles had the highest toughness among nanocomposites. According to the hardness measurement, the sample with 5% by weight of clay nanoparticles has the highest hardness amongst all prepared composites. The memory properties of the prepared nanocomposites showed a significant improvement with increasing the amount of nanoparticles. This study showed the suitability and efficiency of PLA, TPU, and clay nanoparticle melt mixing methods in achieving a relatively tough shape memory composite. At the same time, this method is also inexpensive and scalable.

Knockout of caspase-7 gene improves the expression of recombinant protein in CHO cell line through the cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase

Background

Chinese hamster ovary cell line has been used routinely as a bioproduction factory of numerous biopharmaceuticals. So far, various engineering strategies have been recruited to improve the production efficiency of this cell line such as apoptosis engineering. Previously, it is reported that the caspase-7 deficiency in CHO cells reduces the cell proliferation rate. But the effect of this reduction on the CHO cell productivity remained unclear. Hence, in the study at hand the effect of caspase-7 deficiency was assessed on the cell growth, viability and protein expression. In addition, the enzymatic activity of caspase-3 was investigated in the absence of caspase-7.

Results

Findings showed that in the absence of caspase-7, both cell growth and cell viability were decreased. Cell cycle analysis illustrated that the CHO knockout (CHO-KO) cells experienced a cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase. This cell cycle arrest resulted in a 1.7-fold increase in the expression of luciferase in CHO-KO cells compared to parenteral cells. Furthermore, in the apoptotic situation the enzymatic activity of caspase-3 in CHO-KO cells was approximately 3 times more than CHO-K1 cells.

Conclusions

These findings represented that; however, caspase-7 deficiency reduces the cell proliferation rate but the resulted cell cycle arrest leads to the enhancement of recombinant protein expression. Moreover, increasing in the caspase-3 enzymatic activity compensates the absence of caspase-7 in the caspase cascade of apoptosis.

Comparison of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Neurofeedback on Quality of Life of Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders and is usually associated with abdominal pain. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness and neurofeedback on quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Materials & Methods: The present study was a pretest-posttest control group design with a two-month follow-up. The study population included all women with irritable bowel syndrome referred to gastroenterology centers and clinics of Qazvin city in 2019. Patients were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned into two experimental and one control groups (n=45). The experimental groups underwent Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Neurofeedback (NFB). The Rome-III diagnostic criteria form and the WHOQOLBREF were administered. Data were analyzed using repeated measure analysis of variance. Results: There was significant difference between NFB and control group for total quality of life and all its components. The mean between-group difference (MD) of total quality of life score in NFB compared to control group was 21.2±2.58 in post-test and 15.4±2.35 in follow-up (P<0.05). MBCT group was significantly different with the control group in component of general health both in post-test (MD= 0.93±0.53) and follow-up (MD=0.73±0.53), (P<0.05). Conclusion: NFB therapy considerably improved the quality of life of patients with IBS that was remained after two months of follow-up, while MBCT was only effective on improvement of general health in comparison with the control group.

Immunotoxins and nanobody-based immunotoxins: review and update

Immunotoxins (ITs) are protein-based drugs that compose of targeting and cytotoxic moieties. After binding the IT to the specific cell-surface antigen, the IT internalises into the target cell and kills it. Targeting and cytotoxic moieties usually include monoclonal antibodies and protein toxins with bacterial or plant origin, respectively. ITs have been successful in haematologic malignancies treatment. However, ITs penetrate poorly into solid tumours because of their large size. Use of camelid antibody fragments known as nanobodies (Nbs) as a targeting moiety may overcome this problem. Nbs are the smallest fragment of antibodies with excellent tumour tissue penetration. The ability to recognise cryptic (immuno-evasive) target antigens, low immunogenicity, and high-affinity are other fundamental characteristics of Nbs that make them suitable candidates in targeted therapy. Here, we reviewed and discussed the structure and function of ITs, Nbs, and nanobody-based ITs. To gain sound insight into the issue at hand, we focussed on nanobody-based ITs.

Paper Title "Hu7CG2: A Novel Humanized Anti-Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Biparatopic Nanobody"

Targeted therapy is an effective and appropriate approach with low side effects in cancer therapy compared with other treatment approaches. Epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR, is a favorable biomarker as targeted therapy because it overexpresses in several cancers. Monoclonal antibodies are common agents for targeted therapy. Nanobody is the smallest format of monoclonal antibodies with unique properties that include hiding epitope targeting, high stability, low production cost, and ease of connection to other components. The main challenge in targeted therapy by monoclonal antibodies is their immunogenicity due to their non-human nature. In this study, we designed, constructed, and evaluated a novel humanized anti- EGFR biparatopic nanobody, hu7CG2. The hu7CG2 was designed by grafting the complementarity-determining regions of two camelid anti- EGFR nanobodies known as 7C12 and EG2 to a universal scaffold and then connected with a glycine-serine linker. The results of antigen-binding activity and cell viability assays showed that the hu7CG2 inhibited the growth of EGFR overexpression tumor cells. The data showed that hu7CG2 might be a useful tool in the targeting and treatment of tumor cells.

The interaction of phages and bacteria: the co-evolutionary arms race

Since the dawn of life, bacteria and phages are locked in a constant battle and both are perpetually changing their tactics to overcome each other. Bacteria use various strategies to overcome the invading phages, including adsorption inhibition, restriction-modification (R/E) systems, CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR-associated proteins) systems, abortive infection (Abi), etc. To counteract, phages employ intelligent tactics for the nullification of bacterial defense systems, such as accessing host receptors, evading R/E systems, and anti-CRISPR proteins. Intense knowledge about the details of these defense pathways is the basis for their broad utilities in various fields of research from microbiology to biotechnology. Hence, in this review, we discuss some strategies used by bacteria to inhibit phage infections as well as phage tactics to circumvent bacterial defense systems. In addition, the application of these strategies will be described as a lesson learned from bacteria and phage combats. The ecological factors that affect the evolution of bacterial immune systems is the other issue represented in this review.

Comparison of Resilience, Cognitive Emotion Regulation and Metacognitive Beliefs of Primiparous and Multiparous Women

Background: The aim of this present study was the comparison of resilience, cognitive emotion regulation, and metacognitive beliefs of primiparous and multiparous women in Rasht. Methods: The current research was a cross-sectional analytic study. The participants of this research were all of the primiparous and multiparous women who referred to Rasht hospitals between June and October in 2016. A total of 120 persons (60 primiparous and 60 multiparous women) selected by the random clustering sampling method. The Connor-Davidson resilience scale assessed the participants, cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire by Granfsky et al and Wells et al. metacognition questionnaire. Data analysis have done by using the multivariate variance analysis by SPSS v. 22 software. Results: The findings showed that there were significant differences in resilience, cognitive emotion regulation, and metacognitive beliefs between primiparous and multiparous women (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results illustrated that there were significant differences in primiparous and multiparous women in resilience, cognitive emotion regulation, and metacognitive beliefs. It seems that training and practical steps to upgrade them as necessary.

Expression and Evaluation of HuscFv Antibody -PE40 Immunotoxin for Target Therapy of EGFR-Overexpressing Cancers

Background

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in the progression and tumorigenesis of the various cancers. In this regards, anti-EGFR antibodies are valuable approved therapeutics for the EGFR over-expressing cancers. However, the occurrence of mutations in the EGFR and/or KRAS genes; a common phenomenon which is seen in many cancers, lead to the resistance to the EGFR-directed antibodies. EGFR based immunotoxins are capable of overcoming this limitation by directing the toxin moieties to the cancer cells resulting in cell death.

Objectives

In the present study, a novel immunotoxin consisting of the truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE-40) and anti-EGFR huscFv was developed and evaluated for the induction of cell death in EGFR positive A431tumoral cells.

Materials and Methods

PE-40 fragment of the exotoxin A was amplified by using PCR and ligated to pET22b-huscFv. The reaction was confirmed by PCR and restriction digestion. The immunotoxin was expressed in E. coli BL21 (plysS) and then was purified by Ni-NTA affinity column. Subsequently, the toxicity of the purified immunotoxin was evaluated on EGFR over-expressing epidermoid carcinoma of skin, A431 cell line.

Results

PCR and restriction digestion experiments have verified the integrity of the immunotoxin construct. Purification by affinity column resulted in a highly purified recombinant immunotoxin. MTT assay revealed the growth inhibitory effect of the huscFv-PE40 immunotoxin on EGFR-over-expressing A431 cells with an IC50 value of 250 ng.mL^-1.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the results indicated that the immunotoxin developed in this study has a high toxicity on the EGFR-over-expressing tumor cells and could be considered as a promising candidate for the treatment of the EGFR positive cancers.

S-FLN: A sequence-based hierarchical approach for functional linkage network construction

The functional linkage network (FLN) construction is a primary and important step in drug discovery and disease gene prioritization methods. In order to construct FLN, several methods have been introduced based on integration of various biological data. Although, there are impressive ideas behind these methods, they suffer from low quality of the biological data. In this paper, a hierarchical sequence-based approach is proposed to construct FLN. The proposed approach, denoted as S-FLN (Sequence-based Functional Linkage Network), uses the sequence of proteins as the primary data in three main steps. Firstly, the physicochemical properties of amino-acids are employed to describe the functionality of proteins. As the sequence of proteins is a more comprehensive and accurate primary data, more reliable relations are achieved. Secondly, seven different descriptor methods are used to extract feature vectors from the proteins sequences. Advantage of different descriptor methods lead to obtain diverse ensemble learners in the next step. Finally, a two-layer ensemble learning structure is proposed to calculated the score of protein pairs. The proposed approach has been evaluated using two biological datasets, S.Cerevisiae and H.Pylori, and resulted in 93.9% and 91.15% precision rates, respectively. The results of various experiments indicate the efficiency and validity of the proposed approach.

Soluble Expression of Humanized Anti-CD20 Single Chain Antibody in Escherichia coli by Cytoplasmic Chaperones Co-expression

BACKGROUND

CD20 is an important cell surface receptor that is used for target therapy of B cell lymphoma and some related blood diseases due to vital function of CD20. In previous studies, a Rituximab based humanized single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody showed good reactivity against B cell related cancer cells. But this recombinant protein produced Inclusion Bodies (IBs) in Escherichia coli (E. coli) cytoplasm. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of coexpression with cytoplasmic chaperones on expression and solubility of humanized anti-CD20 scFv in E. coli.

METHODS

For this purpose, the fragment coding for anti-CD20 huscFv subcloned into the pET22b (+) and transformed into the E. coli BL21 (DE3) was evaluated. In order to inhibit the production of IBs, the effects of co-expression with cytoplasmic chaperones GroEL, DnaK, GroES, Tig, DnaJ and GrpE were investigated.

RESULT

Coexpression with cytoplasmic chaperones led to increased soluble expression of anti-CD20 recombinant protein. Among investigated chaperones, pKJE7 chaperone plasmid containing DnaJ, GrpE, DnaK chaperone genes had significant effects with an expression yield of 325 μg/ml soluble anti-CD20 scFv.

CONCLUSION

The result of this study demonstrated remarkable effect of pKJE7 chaperone on enhancement of soluble expression of anti-CD20 huscFv antibody in E. coli.

Construction, expression, and activity of a novel immunotoxin comprising a humanized antiepidermal growth factor receptor scFv and modified Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A

Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a significant role in the development and metastasis of many solid tumors. Strategies based on anti-EGFR immunotoxins have shown promising results in several studies, but immunogenicity of antibody and toxin moieties is a limitation of this type of therapeutics. In the present study, a novel humanized anti-EGFR immunotoxin (huscFv-PE25) was developed by genetic fusing of a humanized anti-EGFR single-chain variable fragment (huscFv) with a modified Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (PE25KDEL). The reactivity and toxicity of this immunotoxin with tumor cells were assessed by dot-blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and MTT procedures. Results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and dot-blot assay indicated that the immunotoxin recognizes and efficiently binds to EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells. MTT assay showed a specific growth-inhibitory effect of huscFv-PE25 on EGFR-overexpressing A431 cells, without any inhibitory effect on EGFR-negative cells. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that huscFv-PE25 can recognize and exert an inhibitory effect on EGFR-overexpressing cancer cells, despite its smaller size and lower immunogenicity. This may provide a basis for the development of novel clinical therapeutic agents against EGFR-overexpressing tumor cells.

Development of a Novel Human Single Chain Antibody Against EGFRVIII Antigen by Phage Display Technology

Purpose: EGFRvIII as the most common mutant variant of the epidermal growth factor receptor is resulting from deletion of exons 2-7 in the coding sequence and junction of exons 1 and 8 through a novel glycine residue. EGFRvIII is highly expressed in glioblastoma, carcinoma of the breast, ovary, and lung but not in normal cells. The aim of the present study was identification of a novel single chain antibody against EGFRvIII as a promising target for cancer therapy. Methods: In this study, a synthetic peptide corresponding to EGFRvIII protein was used for screening a naive human scFv phage library. A novel five-round selection strategy was used for enrichment of rare specific clones. Results: After five rounds of screening, six positive scFv clones against EGFRvIII were selected using monoclonal phage ELISA, among them, only three clones had expected size in PCR reaction. The specific interaction of two of the scFv clones with EGFRvIII was confirmed by indirect ELISA. One phage clone with higher affinity in scFv ELISA was purified for further analysis. The purity of the produced scFv antibody was confirmed using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analyses. Conclusion: In the present study, a human anti- EGFRvIII scFv with high affinity was first identified from a scFv phage library. This study can be the groundwork for developing more effective diagnostic and therapeutic agents against EGFRvIII expressing cancers.

Development and evaluation of a single domain antibody against human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in cell growth, multiplication and differentiation. Over expression of EGFR is associated with carcinogenesis and seen in variety of cancers. Anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies can block EGFR downstream signaling pathway resulting in inhibition of uncontrolled cell proliferation. Antibody fragments have a variety of advantages. In comparison to full length antibodies they have smaller size and therefor exhibit better tumor penetration ability. The aim of this study was to prepare a single domain antibody to target extracellular domain of EGFR. mRNA was extracted from C225 hybridoma cells producing anti-EGFR antibody and subjected to reverse transcription reaction (RT-PCR) to obtain cDNA molecules encoding VH domain of mAb C225. The cDNA encoded VH domain was in frame introduced into the pET-22b(+) vector and expressed in BL21 (DE3) bacterial cells. The resultant antibody was purified via Ni- NTA column and its reactivity was assessed by ELISA and western blot techniques using A431 cell lysate. Analysis by ELISA revealed that this single domain antibody was able to bind EGFR on A431cells. This result was further confirmed by western blotting. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that single domain antibody can identify and bind to EGFR of A431 carcinoma cells. This recombinant fragment antibody would potentially be used for targeting of cancer cells with high EGFR expression.

Screening of OTOF mutations in Iran: a novel mutation and review

OBJECTIVE

Mutations in OTOF have been reported to cause nonsyndromic hearing loss in different populations. The purpose of this study is screening of OTOF mutations in Iranian population.

METHODS

Thirty-eight consanguineous families affected with autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) and negative for GJB2 or GJB6 mutations were screened by autozygosity mapping and Sanger sequencing to find OTOF mutations.

RESULTS

A novel homozygous frameshift mutation (c.1981dupG) was found to cause hearing loss in one family and no other OTOF variants were detected in the remaining families. The affected individuals were homozygous forp. D661GfsX2 causing defect in long isoform of otoferlin.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that OTOF mutations are not the major cause of ARNSHL in the Iranian population but still may play an important role in HL; therefore evaluation the OTOF gene is of concern.

Study of calendula and Gaillardia growth in two composts prepared from agroindustrial wastes

Two composts prepared from agroindustrial wastes were assayed as substrates: C1 from brewing waste (yeast and malt) plus lemon tree pruning and C2 from the solid fraction of olive mill wastewater plus olive leaves. Sixteen substrates were prepared by combining each compost with Sphagnum peat or a Commercial Substrate (CS) in different proportions. The nutrients (N and K) provided by the composts, which acted as slow-release fertilizers, influenced especially the development of calendula, although the physical and physicochemical properties such as total pore space and Electrical Conductivity (EC) were also relevant. On the other hand, in the salt-sensitive Gaillardia hybrid, EC and chloride concentration were the main factors influencing growth. The best results were found in substrates prepared by mixing C1 at up to 75% with peat, or at up to 50% with CS, or by mixing C2 at up to 50% with peat or CS, for calendula. For salt-sensitive species such as Gaillardia, adequate substrates for plant development were found for C1 at up to 50% with peat or CS, but the use of C2 should be limited to 25% in mixtures with peat or CS. Therefore, composts of agroindustrial origin such as these can be used as an alternative to peat and CSs for growing ornamental plants, provided the mixture contains at least 25% peat or CS.

The single-dose pharmacokinetics of midazolam and its primary metabolite in pediatric patients after oral and intravenous administration

The first-dose pharmacokinetics of midazolam and its primary alpha-hydroxymetabolite were studied after single-dose administration. Eligible study patients were enrolled into one of three study arms: Arm I (midazolam/metabolite pharmacokinetic evaluation after oral administration of a syrup formulation), Arm II (the absolute bioavailability of midazolam syrup), and Arm III (midazolam and metabolite pharmacokinetics after IV administration). Complete blood sampling for pharmacokinetic analysis was available in 87 subjects. Midazolam absorption after administration of the oral syrupformulation was rapid, with adolescents absorbing the drug at approximately half the rate observed in younger children (ages 2 to < 12 years). Furthermore, midazolam t 1/2 was prolonged and CL/F reducedin adolescents as compared with younger children. Although the midazolam Vd/F appeared larger in the youngest age group after oral administration, this observation was not apparent after IV dosing, suggesting subject differences in bioavailability rather than distribution. Like midazolam, the disposition characteristics for a-hydroxymidazolam were also highly variable, with the greatest formation of metabolite (reflected by the AUC ratio) observed in children ages 2 to < 12 years. The A UC ratios of alpha-hydroxymidazolam to midazolam after IV dosing were similar across all age groups and were smaller than corresponding values following oral administration. The absolute bioavailability of midazolam averaged 36% with a very broad range (9%-71%). No relationship between midazolam bioavailability and age was observed. Overall, the disposition characteristics of midazolam and its a-hydroxy metabolite were highly variable, appeared independent of age and dose administered, and were linear over the dose range studied (0.25 to 1 mg/kg). These data suggest that an initial oral dose of 0.2 to 0.3 mg/kg should be adequateforsuccessful sedation of most pediatric patients. The inherent variability in midazolam bioavailability and metabolism underscores the importance of titrating midazolam dose to desired effect.

Pediatric pharmacodynamics of midazolam oral syrup. Pediatric Pharmacology Research Unit Network

In this study, the authors evaluate the pharmacodynamics, safety, and acceptability of a new cherry-flavored oral syrup formulation of midazolam. This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, dose-ranging clinical trial of oral midazolam was conducted at seven U.S. health care institutions focused on pediatric clinical pharmacology research (i.e., the PPRU Network). Pediatric patients (n = 85, ages 6 months through 15 years) underwent invasive procedures and were randomized to a single oral dose of midazolam syrup (0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 mg/kg). Patient taste acceptability of midazolam syrup was evaluated at the time of oral administration. Pharmacodynamic measurements included (1) sedation score using a 5-point scale at baseline and 10-, 20-, and 30-minute postdose intervals and (2) anxiety score using a 4-point scale at the time of separation from caretakers and, when applicable, at the time of mask anesthetic induction. Midazolam and alpha-hydroxymidazolam plasma concentrations were measured at all pharmacodynamic measurement time points. Adverse events were monitored continuously during the study. Most patients (99%) accepted the syrup without difficulty. Satisfactory sedation was achieved within 30 minutes by 81% of patients. The anxiety score at the time of caretaker separation and mask anesthetic induction was satisfactory for 87% and 91% of patients, respectively. A significant linear relationship between plasma drug concentration and maximal sedation score, but not anxiety score, was observed. The occurrence of adverse events was consistent with the known safety profile of midazolam. The most commonly reported adverse events were hiccoughing, hypoxemia, nausea, and emesis. It was concluded that a new oral syrup formulation of midazolam, 0.25 to 1.0 mg/kg, effectively induced rapid-onset, dose-related, adequate, and safe sedation and anxiolysis in pediatric patients who underwent operative procedures. Sedative effects were related to plasma concentrations of both midazolam and the primary metabolite, alpha-hydroxymidazolam. Oral midazolam, 1.0 mg/kg, administered within 30 minutes of the expected procedure or anesthetic induction should provide safe and effective sedation to a majority of children ages 6 months to 16 years.