Estradiol-17β Injection Induces Ovulation in Llamas

This study aimed to investigate the effect of three different doses of estradiol-17b onovulation and subsequent luteal development and function in llamas. Twenty-three llamaswere examined daily by transrectal ultrasonography until the detection of an ovulatoryfollicle (≥8mm). Thereafter, animals were divided into five groups: Control (n = 3; treatedwith 1.6ml of saline solution), GnRH group (n = 6, treated with an intravenous injectionof 8.4 μg Buserelin), and estradiol groups that received 0.6mg (E1, n = 4), 1mg (E2,n = 4), or 1.6mg (E3, n = 6) of estradiol-17b intravenously. Detection of ovulationwas based on ultrasonographic visualization of disappearance of the largest follicleand subsequent presence of a newly formed corpus luteum (CL) and progesteroneconcentration exceeding 1 ng ml−1. Daily blood samples were collected to determineplasma progesterone concentration. Ovulation rate was 0% for control and E1 groups,25% for E2 group, and 100% for GnRH and E3 groups. Differences in the meanCL diameter between GnRH and E3 groups were not statistically significant. Plasmaprogesterone concentration was similar between groups during the different days inovulated animals. However, the day that the plasma progesterone concentration wasabove 1 ng ml−1 and the day that the highest plasma progesterone concentration wasachieved differed among E3 and GnRH groups, occurring later in females treated withestradiol. In conclusion, an injection of estradiol-17b is capable of inducing ovulation inllamas and the response depends on the dose used. Most of the animals required thehighest tested dose (1.6mg) to induce the ovulatory process. Although the CL diameterin females induced to ovulate with estradiol was similar to that in llamas induced toovulate with a GnRH analog, the rise in plasma progesterone concentration above 1 ngml−1 and the peak progesterone concentration were attained 1 day later in the estradioltreated females.Fil: Bianchi, Carolina Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Benavente, Micaela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Viviani, Florencia. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Gallelli, Maria Florencia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aba, Marcelo Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentin

A novel use of growth factors, CD34 positive cells, and fibrin for fingertip injury: Description of a case

Abstract Traumatic soft tissue injuries of the finger represent a frequent hand injury challenging hand surgeons. We report a case involving a 30-year-old man with a dorsal index finger soft tissue wound failing conservative treatment. The novel use of applied fibrin membranes and concentrated growth factors yielded complete resolution of the injury in 6 months without need for skin grafting

When nutraceuticals reinforce drugs side effects: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Nutraceutical is a term applied for a plethora of products ranging from isolated nutrients, herbal products to dietary supplements and recently, the interest for a nutraceutical approach to lipid and metabolic disorders is growing. Patients with metabolic conditions seem to appreciate a therapeutic management that does not involve drug treatment, particularly for the side effects due to statins, a class of drug used for lipid disorders. Statins directly induce skeletal muscle injury and in the elderly patients, under polytherapy treatments, this risk relies to an increase in adverse drug reactions due to drug interactions. CASE DESCRIPTION: Herein we report a 70-year-old woman under polytherapy who developed rhabdomyolysis after starting the administration of a dietary supplement containing monacolin K. Using the Drug Interaction Probability Scale, we postulated that rhabdomyolysis was possibly related to a drug interaction between sertraline, rosuvastatin and monacolin K. These treatments were discontinued leading to a remission of both clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: This case report highlights how pharmacological treatment must be periodically reassessed, since elderly people could take drugs by themselves when they donot need

Efficacy of a low-dose diosmin therapy on improving symptoms and quality of life in patients with chronic venous disease. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Chronic Venous Disease (CVD) is a common medical condition affecting up to 80% of the general population. Clinical manifestations can range from mild to more severe signs and symptoms that contribute to the impairment of the quality of life (QoL) of affected patients. Among treatment options, venoactive drugs such as diosmin are widely used in the symptomatic treatment in all clinical stages. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a new formulated diosmin in relieving symptoms and improving QoL in patients suffering from CVD. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical study, CVD patients with a Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology (CEAP) classification system between C2 and C4 were randomized to receive a bioavailable diosmin (as μsmin® Plus) 450 mg tablet once daily or a placebo for 8 weeks. Clinical symptoms and QoL were monitored using the measurement of leg circumference, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Global Index Score (GIS) and Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS). A total of 72 subjects completed the study. From week 4, leg edema was significantly decreased in the active group (p < 0.001). An improvement in the VAS score was observed in the active group compared to placebo at the end of treatment (p < 0.05). GIS and VCSS scores were significantly improved in the active group at week 8 (p < 0.001). No treatment related-side effects were recorded. The results of this study showed that the administration of low-dose μsmin® Plus was safe and effective in relieving symptoms and improving QoL in subjects with CVD

Antimicrobial prophylaxis for transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: fosfomycin trometamol, an attractive alternative

OBJECTIVE: To compare fosfomycin trometamol (FT) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) for antibiotic prophylaxis in transrectal prostate biopsy (TR-PB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data for 1109 patients (mean age 66.7 \ub1 8.45) who underwent TR-PB between March to September 2015 in seven Italian urological institutions were retrospectively reviewed, of which 632 received FT (Group 1) and 477 received CIP (Group 2) for prophylaxis. We reviewed all urine culture results obtained after the procedure, all adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to the drug and all febrile and/or symptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs) occurring within 1 month after TR-PB. The rate of symptomatic UTIs and the rate of ADRs were considered the main outcome measures. RESULTS: In the total study population, 72/1109 (6.5 %) patients experienced symptomatic UTIs and among these 11 (0.9 % of total) had urosepsis. Out of 72, 53 (73.6 %) symptomatic UTIs were caused by fluoroquinolone-resistant strains. Out of 632, 10 (1.6 %) patients in Group 1 and 62/477 (12.9 %) patients in Group 2 had symptomatic UTIs (p < 0.001); in particular, 2/632 (0.3 %) patients in Group 1 and 9/477 (1.8 %) patients in Group 2 had urosepsis (p < 0.001). No differences were reported in terms of adverse events (0.6 vs 0.4 %; p = 0.70). A Charlson comorbidity index 641 and type of antimicrobial prophylaxis (FT) were found to be associated with a lower probability of symptomatic UTIs in the multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prophylaxis with FT for TR-PB had a lower rate of adverse events and a lower rate of symptomatic UTIs as compared with CIP. Fosfomycin trometamol appears as an attractive alternative prophylactic regimen in prostate biopsies

La circolazione internazionale di Gramsci. Bibliografia e sociologia delle idee

The article presents and discusses some findings of a research in progress on the social conditions of the international circulation of Gramsci's ideas since 1950s. Specifically, it features some results of a network analysis conducted on a large corpus of bibliographic data assembled in the Gramscian Bibliography (BG), an electronic data base created and managed by the Fondazione Istituto Gramsci in Rome. The logic beneath the article is twofold: on the one side, it is an exercise in describing and measuring the global spread of an author on whose reception has been collected a large amount of data following a more traditional approach in the history of ideas (e.g. the reception of Gramsci in English, or his reception in France); on the other side, the article attempts to test, focusing on a strategic case study, a new methodological tool useful for mapping the international circulation of concepts across different languages. A final objective of the article is to set the stage for an understanding of \uabGramscism\ubb as a global social and cultural phenomenon through the development of an empirical sociology of Gramsci's ideas

Bourdieu inside Europe. The European circulation of Bourdieu\u2019s ideas.

'The Anthem Companion to Pierre Bourdieu' provides an introduction to the French sociologist\u2019s thought and an evaluation of the international significance of his work from a range of national perspectives. This volume assesses Bourdieu\u2019s work as a product of his social situation in France and, more importantly, in relation to his experience as French Algeria gained its independence. The companion then proceeds to ask how the concepts he developed can legitimately be applied to other situations. After presenting Bourdieu's attitude toweard Europe as both a politicla and intellectual space, the chapter tracks the circulation of his works and ideas across European countries, also through a biblometric analysis and a network analysis

An Interpretative Concept for Social Sciences: Agapic Love as a Framework for Poverty

Why sometimes people use their own resources to help unknown others? What drives an entrepreneur to adopt expensive socially responsible behaviours? What prompts a public employee to spend time with a customer outside the working hours

Social love in the study of poverty: a microsocial perspective

In every-day life there many social phenomena based on un-conditionality, disinterestedness, over abound. Such phenomena remain outside the field of explanation of approaches such as rational choice theory or neo-utilitarianism, being described as paradoxes of social action. Drawing from critical theories, we propose to (re)introduce the sociological concept of agape-love as a theoretical frame for those social mechanisms that elude reification, quantifiability, instrumental thinking. We present the case of “suspended goods” and read it with the look of agape. It is a relatively recent practice widespread in various fields (that consists in purchasing goods or services, which will be actually consumed by others who cannot afford them. This is a case of informal or popular welfare for needy people. Starting from this case study the authors will reflect on poverty, wondering if it is possible an action of aid toward poor which is not based on labelling and submission (Simmel 1908/1965). We argue that agape is a powerful concept, capable of linking micro and macro levels