« Older Entries

The Complement System in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Overview and Outlook

The Complement system is a participant in many diseases such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), hereditary angioedema (HAE), etc. Among these rheumatic diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is proved to have the closest relationship with the complement system.

In 1896, Jules Bordet discovered the complement system, and related research earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1919. At that time, it happened that World War I caused the Nobel Prize to cease for four consecutive years. Jules Bordet became the first recipient of the Physiology Award after the re-award.

After this, complement-related research has experienced many developments and even subversions. Compared to Jules Bordet’s study back then, today’s understanding of complement system is beyond recognition. This article will discuss the relationship between complement and SLE.

Defects in the Complement System Lead to SLE

Congenital defects in the complement system make people more vulnerable to bacterial viruses. This is a major category of congenital immunodeficiency. Interestingly, this not only leads to a decline in resistance to pathogens, but also brings autoimmune diseases.

About 93% of C1q-deficient people will suffer from SLE. Similarly, 75% of those with C4 deficiency and over 30% of those with C2 defects also lead to SLE. Most of the C1r and C1s defecting will also result in SLE. However, due to their low prevalence, it is not appropriate to accurately determine the strength of their association. No stronger innate factors related to SLE have been found. Fortunately, the incidence of such birth defects is low.

Secondary Complement Deficiency and SLE

Bacterial infections, SLE, etc. will cause the level of complement to drop. SLE brings a lot of immune complexes, which combine with complement to cause damage to the body. This is particularly evident in lupus nephritis.

Except that the combination of immune complex and complement leads to the decrease of complement, there are also antibodies against complement. The most widely used is anti-C1q antibody. About 30% of patients with SLE have anti-C1q antibodies, and it is 68% of patients with lupus nephritis. Therefore, a positive anti-C1q antibody indicates a high possibility of lupus nephritis.

Complement-related Drugs and SLE Treatment

The complement system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The pharmaceutical industry has also developed many drugs in a targeted manner.

(1) Eculizumab

Eculizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody. The antibody binds to complement component 5 and prevents it from cleaving into C5a and C5b, and C5b is necessary to form a membrane attack complex (MAC), which is an important link for complement to participate in body damage, so eculizumab can be used to treat PNH and HUS. However, it is a pity that the clinical practical significance has not been seen in the clinical drug experiments for the treatment of SLE.

(2) Avacopan

The latest major breakthrough in the rheumatology research is Avacopan, a small molecule compound that targets the complement C5a receptor.

Recent clinical randomized double-blind controlled trials have confirmed that Avacopan can successfully replace hormones in combination with other drugs. The biggest problem of this experiment is that the number of cases participating in the experiment is not enough, and the observation time is not long enough. Can Avacopan replace hormones during SLE treatment? There is no reliable clinical controlled trial to verify.

Clinical experience tells us that compared with SLE, ANCA-associated vasculitis tends to rely more on hormones. Since ANCA-associated vasculitis can get out of hormones during treatment, it is possible to look forward to hormone replacement during SLE treatment. The complement therapeutics might the hope of the hormonal-free era of lupus treatment.

Tags:

Keys to Mobile Application Development

Here is a precise list of things which one needs to consider while going for mobile app development.

Areas of Mobile Development
Mobile phone works on three different platforms. So one needs to develop the application which is compatible with all the below listed platforms. The application owner can either go from one platform to another (which is the most preferred way) or he can launch the application on all the platforms simultaneously.

iOs App Development: An iOs is a special kind of platform developed for the Apple iPhone users. There are many users under this category. Thus, it becomes necessary taking them into consideration while mobile app development.

Android App Development: With the help of this platform one can develop the application which can run on the Android mobiles. There are a significant number of Android mobile users who are eager to download the mobile application.

Cross Platform Development: This platform lets one form an application as per their requirement for any kind of niche. Whether it is gaming or data security of the business. In this platform, the developer can take help of tools like Corona.

Basics of Providing Mobile Application Development
It is essential for the developer that his mobile application reaches out to the maximum number of customers. In order for increasing the reach of the application, the developer has to pick up a right approach for developing the application. As it is the main factor which might affect the business. Here is a list of some of the common factors which might affect the performance of the mobile application.

Quick Results: In order to get the results quickly, it is required to develop the application in such a manner that the time to market is reduced. To stay in competition with the other competitors, one must enforce on the incremental software development and rapid prototyping. In this way, one can get quicker results from their mobile application.
Clarity: It is necessary for the developer to be crystal clear in his approach while dealing with the clients. He must keep the client updated about every minute detail of his application. About how his project is going, Recording back his feedback and making the changes in the application according to the requirement of their client. He is making the application for the client so it is necessary he develops it according to the needs of the client.
Quality: Quality is the most important aspect while mobile development services. It is necessary checking out all the aspects of the mobile application before it is launched in the market. He has to remove all the bugs and errors which the application might be facing. Prior to release, there shouldn’t be any kind of issue and proper testing must be carried out before launching the mobile application.
Business Value: The developer must provide his client with the appropriate business value. There are lots of changes to be done while developing any application. Apart from that, customer feedback is a critical component. So the developer must develop the essential features first, and the later one can be done accordingly.
Guarantee: Guarantee here relates to the resolving of any defect which might occur after handing over the application to the client. After finishing the project completely and handing over the application to the client, the application developer must provide the client with a warranty period in which if any kind of defect occurs he will resolve them. Each project should me made risk-free it is the job of the application developer.
Conclusion:

In the present article on Keys to Mobile Application Development, we’d explain you about the various platforms on which you can launch your mobile application. We also briefed you out on some of the key considerations to be kept while getting mobile development services.

Tags:

Enhance the Value of Your Money: Invest in the Small-Cap Funds

Don’t you know that you can increase the value of your money manifold? If you already know about it, then why you are left out of the amazing world of mutual fund investments! And if you don’t have any idea about what the starting line is all about, then read below to understand the concepts of small-cap funds so that you too can reap multiple benefits from them.

What Are Small-Cap Funds?

The mutual fund schemes which invest in the stocks of small companies or basically start-ups are termed as small-cap funds. The small-cap companies are those who have a market capitalisation ranging from Rs. 500 crore to Rs. 1000 crore. There are several unique features in this category which make them the most opted one among the others. They are also known for generating high capital appreciation in the long term. Here are some of the amazing facts about the small-cap stocks which you will love to know.

Small-Cap Stocks: The Facts

Temporary Price Dis-connectivity : Mostly the small-cap schemes are known for their highly rewarding nature, but there is a contradictory fact which reveals the other face. Basically, in the initial years, the small companies keep competing for their survival in the industry. But, at that time least people bother to invest in their stocks as they do not see any growth opportunity in them. When one or the other such small company start chasing the growth, it comes under the notice of the investors. It attracts the herd to invest in these stocks, and in this way, with time it turns into a bigger entity resulting in the increase in value of the assets. The investors who stay invested in the small caps since their inception earns the utmost benefits. However, they face temporary price dis-connectivity in the initial years, they may also get enriched with extreme capital growth in the long run.
Thinly Traded Market : The small companies experience a phase in their initial stage where least people are aware of them. However, the shrewd investors know the benefits of investing in such stocks and rest remains unaware. That is why, initially, the traffic of the flocks remains less in the small cap mutual funds, and they provide a thinly traded market to the potential investors. Over time, when the value of these stocks grow, more people become aware of them and start deploying their money in them. The increasing demand for investments in these stocks kicks up their value, thus helping them achieve new heights of growth.
Hidden Gems : One of the amazing facts about the small companies is that they can be proved to be a hidden gem for you. Yes, you heard it right. They can turn your small capital investment into an impressive corpus. It is also because of the same reason that the small entities remain undiscovered from the eyes of the herd. And their growth keeps rolling over time and burst out attaining new heights in the long run. The wise investors always keep an eye on the whereabouts of the targeted small-cap stocks to reap benefits from their growth.
So, what are you going to do now? The best is to know about all the small-cap funds so that you can recognise one as per your investment requirements. Do it before you miss it! And fetch the big returns from the small-cap funds in the long-term period.

Tags: