Long-Acting Strategies for Antibody Drugs: Structural Modification, Controlling Release, and Changing the Administration Route.

Because of their high specificity, high affinity, and targeting, antibody drugs have been widely used in the treatment of many diseases and have become the most favored new drugs for research in the world. However, some antibody drugs (such as small-molecule antibody fragments) have a short half-life and need to be administered frequently, and are often associated with injection-site reactions and local toxicities during use. Increasing attention has been paid to the development of antibody drugs that are long-acting and have fewer side effects. This paper reviews existing strategies to achieve long-acting antibody drugs, including modification of the drug structure, the application of drug delivery systems, and changing their administration route. Among these, microspheres have been studied extensively regarding their excellent tolerance at the injection site, controllable loading and release of drugs, and good material safety. Subcutaneous injection is favored by most patients because it can be quickly self-administered. Subcutaneous injection of microspheres is expected to become the focus of developing long-lasting antibody drug strategies in the near future.

Efficacy and safety of pregabalin vs carbamazepine in patients with central post-stroke pain.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of pregabalin and carbamazepine in patients with central post-stroke pain (CPSP). METHODS: Patients included in the study were randomly assigned to either flexible-dose pregabalin treatment group or carbamazepine treatment group. The primary efficacy variable was face visual analog scale (F-VAS), the second efficacy assessment was used to assess the effect of treatment on mental health by Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD). RESULTS: The mean baseline pain score F-VAS was 6.47 in the pregabalin group and 6.58 in carbamazepine treatment group. F-VAS was significantly lower in the pregabalin group (1.64) than (3.94) carbamazepine treatment group after treatment. Pregabalin was significantly superior to carbamazepine in endpoint assessments on the HAMA and HAMD after treatment. F-VAS and HAMD were showed efficacy as early as week 2 and maintained for whole duration of the study. The average pregabalin dose in the 12-week study was 214.6 (150-375) mg/day. The mean dose (range) of carbamazepine received by the patients was 275.0 (200-400) mg/day. Mild or moderate, typically transient, somnolence and dizziness were the most common adverse events (AES). The differences of the side effects between the two groups were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Pregabalin, but not carbamazepine, may be effective in improving F-VAS, HAMA and HAMD in patients with CPSP.

Zinc supplementation promotes oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development in sheep.

Zinc plays a crucial role in the growth and reproductive functions of animals. Despite the positive effects of zinc that have been reported in oocytes of cows, pigs, yaks, and other animals, the influence of zinc on sheep is little known. To investigate the effect of zinc on the in vitro maturation of sheep oocytes and subsequent parthenogenesis-activated embryonic development, we added different concentrations of zinc sulfate to the in vitro maturation (IVM) culture medium. The IVM culture medium with zinc improved the maturation of sheep oocytes and the subsequent blastocyst rate after parthenogenesis activation. Notably, it also enhanced the level of glutathione and mitochondrial activity while reducing levels of reactive oxygen species. Thus, zinc addition to the IVM medium improved the quality of oocytes with a positive effect on the subsequent development of oocytes and embryos.

Hyperparathyroidism and cerebral calcifications:a case report.

The evidence of hyperparathyroidism associated with cerebral calcifications is rare. We report a case with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and cerebral calcifications. A 63-year-old female patient with a history of hypertension presented to the neurology department due to bradykinesia and declining memory for one year.   Cranial CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed symmetrical calcifications in the basal ganglia, dentate nucleus of the cerebellum and in the gray and white matter junction. In the literature review, a total of 6 patients with PHPT had cerebral calcifications. Parathyroidectomy may provide a significant remission of cerebral calcifications in a patient with PHPT.

Vitamin E in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia: a meta-analysis.

Long-term use of antipsychotic drugs is associated with tardive dyskinesia. At present, there is no satisfactory treatment for tardive dyskinesia. Some randomized trials suggested that vitamin E can improve tardive dyskinesia. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of vitamin E treatment for tardive dyskinesia. We searched internet databases for randomized controlled trials. A total of 21 studies including 854 patients with tardive dyskinesia were included in this meta-analysis. Eighteen studies reported the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale (AIMS) as the primary outcome. After vitamin E treatment, a decrease of 2.36 (95% CI = -3.27 to -1.45; P < 0.00001) in the AIMS was observed in the treatment group, compared with the control group. Vitamin E may offer a new avenue treatment for tardive dyskinesia.