The effects of androgen therapy on the endometrium of transgender men

Individuals who identify themselves as transgender have gender identities that do not match their anatomical sex. Females who identify as male, also known as female-to-male transgender (FTM), may opt to undergo hormonal and surgical treatment in order to transition to the male phenotype, including high-dose testosterone treatment to develop male secondary sexual characteristics and surgical procedures. Currently, the recommendation is for the patient to have a hysterectomy within five years of initiating testosterone therapy to decrease the risk of developing endometrial cancer. However, long-term testosterone treatment has not been proven to cause an increased risk of endometrial cancer. With the use of gene expression and immunohistochemical studies, this study aimed to show no upregulation of genes associated with proliferation (Ki-67) and endometrial cancer (ZIC2) in endometrial tissue from FTM individuals treated with long-term testosterone compared to endometrial tissue from postmenopausal women, premenopausal women with benign endometrium, and women with endometrial cancer. Our findings showed that Ki-67 and ZIC2 expression in the FTM samples was significantly lower than in the endometrial cancer samples. Our findings call into question the concept that long-term testosterone treatment causes neoplastic changes in endometrial tissue and the need for routine hysterectomy in these patients.2018-07-11T00:00:00

Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Practitioners: Training Coastal Zone Managers

This article describes how a Masters Coastal Zone Management (CZM) course has been designed to ensure the gap between academia and practitioners has been bridged to develop students who are well-equipped for the workplace. The course has a robust underpinning of science, but it is strongly vocational to ensure students develop a wide range of knowledge and skills. The MSc CZM in Bournemouth has been guided by practitioners in the field, including placement hosts and employers, to ensure that skills development is embedded into the curriculum. Existing best practice is discussed and evaluated with a view to providing recommendations for postgraduate level courses requiring a fine balance of academic content and vocational relevance

Enhancing the dissolution rate of poorly soluble drug Febuxostat using spray dried amorphous solid dispersion technique

Introducción: El febuxostat pertenece a los fármacos clase II del Sistema de Clasificación Biofarmacéutica, los cuales presentan baja solubilidad y alta permeabilidad. La dispersión sólida amorfa es una de las técnicas que pueden ser útiles para mejorar la solubilidad y las características del polvo. Objetivo: optimizar la concentración de polímeros hidrofílicos e hidrofóbicos para mejorar la velocidad de disolución y la solubilidad de las tabletas de febuxostat. Métodos: La dispersión sólida amorfa de febuxostat se preparó mediante el método de secado por aspersión utilizando Kolliphor P237 (1:2). Esta dispersión sólida amorfa se utilizó además para comprimir el comprimido. Para mejorar la solubilidad y la tasa de disolución, se aplicó un diseño factorial completo para optimizar la concentración crítica de KollidonSR e hidroxi propil metil celulosa (HPMC K4M). Los comprimidos preparados se caracterizaron por parámetros de precompresión y poscompresión. Resultados: La velocidad de liberación del fármaco se mantuvo mediante la formulación de una técnica de dispersión sólida amorfa. Se encontró que el lote optimizado (FSRT-OB) era apto para la liberación promedio del 93,30 % del fármaco en forma de liberación sostenida hasta 12 horas. Los datos de la cinética de liberación sugieren que la liberación del fármaco estuvo controlada por una combinación de mecanismo de relajación de cadena y difusión. Se encontró que la concentración optimizada para Kollidon SR y HPMC K4M era 38,50 % y 7,72 % respectivamente. Conclusión: La técnica de dispersión sólida amorfa es útil para mejorar la solubilidad, la velocidad de disolución y la biodisponibilidad de la tableta de Febuxostat.Introduction: Febuxostat belongs to Biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS) class II drugs, which have low solubility and high permeability. Amorphous solid dispersion is one of the techniques which can be useful to improve solubility and powder characteristics. Objective: To optimize the concentration of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers to improve the dissolution rate and solubility of febuxostat tablets. Methods: The amorphous solid dispersion of febuxostat was prepared by spray drying method using Kolliphor P237 (1:2). This amorphous solid dispersion was further used to compress the tablet. To improve solubility and dissolution rate, a full factorial design was applied to optimize the critical concentration of Kollidon SR and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC K4M). The prepared tablets were characterized by pre-compression and post-compression parameters. Result: The rate of drug release was sustained by formulating an amorphous solid dispersion technique. The optimized batch (FSRT-OB) was found to be fit for release average 93.30 % of the drug in sustain release manner up to 12hrs. The release kinetic data suggests that the drug release was controlled by combination of diffusion and chain relaxation mechanism. The optimized concentration for Kollidon SR and HPMC K4Mwas found to be 38.50 % and 7.72 % respectively. Conclusion: Amorphous solid dispersion technique is useful to enhance solubility, dissolution rate, and bioavailability of the Febuxostat tablet

A case of synchronous papillary and clear cell carcinoma in the same kidney

Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) comprises 2-3% of all cancers. Bilateral coexistent benign and malignant renal tumors have been defined in many reports. However, unilateral synchronous malignant tumors of different histologic subtypes are very rare and only a few such cases have been reported. Herein we describe a 56 year old male patient with coexistent clear cell RCC and papillary RCC in his left kidney that were successfully treated with radical nephrectomy

Study of psycho-social impairment in patients presenting with age related macular degeneration in a tertiary eye care hospital

Background: Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is an eye condition affecting old age people causing severe vision loss. This study was carried out to assess the psycho-social impairment in the ARMD patients and compare it with the normal eye patients.Methods: A Two study groups were made: 1. ARMD patients. 2. Control group patients. Patients of both the groups were made to fill “The validated Gujarati version of: General Health Quality Questionnaire-28 (GHQ 28)”. Self-scoring was done according to 0-1-2-3 lower to higher disability respectively.Results: Prevalence GHQ Mean score of ARMD patients was 34.27 and that of normal eye patients was 24.66. 80.85% of ARMD patients and 26.73% of normal eye patients were psychosocially impaired.Conclusion: ARMD patients are psychosocially more impaired as compared to control group patients (p value <0.001, highly significant).

Studies on new substituted pyridazinones: synthesis and biological evaluation

We report herein the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of a new series of 6-aryl-2-(imidazol1-yl/1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-2-methyl-4,5-dihydro-(2H)-pyridazin-3-one (3a-j) as potential anticonvulsant and antitubercular agents. The title compounds were prepared by reacting 6-aryl-4,5-dihydro-(2H)- pyridazin-3-one (2a-e) with formaldehyde and secondary cyclic amine imidazole or 1,2,4-triazole as per Mannich reaction. Anticonvulsant activity of pyridazinone derivatives was tested at 50 mg.kg-1 dose level against maximal electroshock (MES), isoniazid (INH, 250 mg.kg-1) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ at 80 mg.kg-1) induced seizure methods. Phenytoin sodium (25 mg.kg-1) and sodium valproate (100 mg. kg-1) were used as reference drugs for comparison purpose. In-vitro antitubercular activity was tested by Microplate Alamar Blue assay (MABA) method and the results were compared with clinically used antitubercular agents such as INH, Pyrazinamide (PZA) and Streptomycin (STM). None of the screened compounds were found to be neurotoxic at a dose level of 100 mg.kg-1. All the screened compounds (3a-j) significantly reduced the MES, INH and PTZ induced convulsions and thus showed good anticonvulsant activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the title compounds against M. tuberculosis ranged from 1.6 µg/mL to 6.25 µg/mL in comparison to INH, PZA (3.125 µg/mL) and STM (6.25 µg/ mL) which indicated good antitubercular activity

Assessing the Burden of Unnecessary Central Venous Catheters in Patients on Medical-Surgical Floors

Project goals: Our project goals are to: a) assess the burden of unnecessary PICCs and other non-tunneled central lines on med-surg units at TJUH and b) understand the underlying reasons behind the problem. In the first phase of our project we conducted an audit of med-surg unit PICCs and other non-tunneled central lines with the goal of obtaining a rough estimate of the number of line days that are unnecessary. SMART AIM By December 31, 2017, the TJUH medical-surgical floors will reduce the number of unnecessary PICC lines by 30%.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/patientsafetyposters/1024/thumbnail.jp

Synthesis and Characterization of some Transition metal complexes derived from Bidentate Schiff Base Ligand

Abstract: A new Schiff base has been synthesized from 3-(3-nitrophenyl)-1-phenyl-1

Effect of prenap coffee on daytime sleepiness in university students

Background: Daytime sleepiness impairs academic performance in college students. Napping is a counter to daytime sleepiness, but often causes sleep inertia on waking up. Caffeine absorption from beverages peaks 30 minutes after their ingestion presenting a window of opportunity to have a short nap such that the time of waking up is in synchrony with onset of action of caffeine; thereby abolishing post-nap inertia and achieving synergistic mitigation of fatigue.Objective of this study to assess effect of nap, coffee, ‘coffee and nap’ and ‘wakeful break without coffee’ on daytime sleepiness using Psychomotor Vigilance Tests (PVTs) and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) score.Methods: After Institutional Review Board clearance, 10 subjects (aged 19-21 years) were selected using their Epworth Sleepiness Scale score (ESS >5) and called to the study site 8 times on different days to be exposed to these four conditions twice - only coffee (standardized), only nap (30min), coffee immediately followed by 30min nap, wakeful break (30min) without coffee or nap. Pre and post scores were recorded for electronic PVT (Reaction Time and Motor Responsiveness) and KSS for each attempt.Results: Test outcome was associated with intervention used (p=0.00001). ‘Nap only’ group was associated with deterioration in outcomes (p=0.00001), accounting for highest percentage (41%) of all deteriorated test outcomes. ‘Coffee only’ group was associated with improvement in test scores (p=0.00001), responsible for highest share (38.8%) of all improved test outcomes. ‘Nap only’ and ‘Coffee-nap’ group showed improvement in 11.67% and 21.67% of outcomes respectively. Conclusions: Pre-nap coffee is a proactive counter-measure to post nap sleep inertia

Emotional and spiritual quotient for sustainable education’s service quality

A sustainable ecosystem of universities needs to show outstanding performance in the areas of employability, institutional social responsibility, and creative and performing arts. Thus, this study determined the influential role of emotional quotient (EQ) and spiritual quotient (SQ) on the lecturers’ excellence service quality (ESQ), which eventually led to effective classroom teaching. The data of 127 respondents were analyzed using the structural equation model with partial least square. The results confirmed that both types of quotients positively influence the lecturers’ teaching progression at the university. EQ and SQ have the encouraging power to motivate the academicians for the best service to the university through a quality learning experience. It can be concise that institutions that practice EQ and SQ values can perform better and blend a harmonious working spirit and tandem with the university’s growth. Support for sustainable development goal (SDG-4) via EQ and SQ is now required in humanizing education to ensure academicians’ competency and well-being, particularly in the aftermath of the Corona Virus Disease-19 disruption. Policymakers in the university should now capitalize the intelligence through professional initiatives. This study could have been better with a bigger sample size, but the investigation had limited access due to the university's policy on privacy