Is acupuncture as effective as pharmacological management in migraine prophylaxis?

AIM: To assess whether acupuncture is an effective alternative to pharmacological management in the prophylaxis of migraine RATIONALE: Epidemiological studies suggest that migraine has a huge impact on the world population in terms of pain, side-effects and cost of loss productivity at work. METHODS: internet based research of relevant and recent randomized controlled trials and subsequent comparative analysis. RESULTS: Six relevant and recent papers were found to be published on migraine prophylaxis incorporating acupuncture treatment and drug control interventions. All reviewed papers varied considerably in study design and quality, making comparative analysis challenging. Nevertheless, a meta-analysis from the available quantitative data was performed and provided results that are concordant with the cumulative effect of acupuncture treatment. Furthermore, statistically significant increases in the percentage of responders and decreases in rescue medication suggested that acupuncture is an effective prophylaxis for migraines without the adverse events of standard pharmacological management. CONCLUSION: There is evidence to suggest that acupuncture could be considered as a first line treatment for chronic migraine, particularly in patients who cannot tolerate standardized drug therapy. NICE guidelines may need to be updated. Forthcoming trials need to be redesigned to optimize the full potential of acupuncture in the treatment of migraines

Parents just don't understand: Parent-offspring conflict over mate choice

Previous research reveals that children and parents are not in complete agreement over which traits are most important for the mate of the child. Children tend to prefer traits that suggest genetic quality, whereas parents prefer characteristics that suggest high parental investment and cooperation with the ingroup. Using a sample of parents, mothers (n = 234) and fathers (n =240) the hypothesis was supported; parents perceived characteristics indicating a lack of genetic quality as being more unacceptable to the child, while characteristics indicating a lack of parental investment and cooperation with the ingroup were more unacceptable to themselves. Sex differences between mothers and fathers and sons and daughters were explored

An outbreak of hemodialysis catheter-related bacteremia with sepsis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in a hemodialysis unit

AbstractBackgroundRates of invasive group B Streptococcus (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae) disease in adults are on the rise. Invasive GBS disease can be community- or healthcare-associated. We report an outbreak of GBS catheter-related bacteremia in a hemodialysis (HD) unit.Materials and methodsTwo patients undergoing HD at the same outpatient HD unit were admitted on the same day (within a few hours of each other) with catheter-related GBS bacteremia. A retrospective study was undertaken at the HD unit to address risk factors for febrile illness on the last HD session day. A detailed questionnaire was completed by all HD patients treated on the same day as the two GBS patients and by all members of the nursing and medical staff. Medical and nursing records of the HD unit were reviewed, as well as infection control and catheter care practices. Patients and staff members submitted swabs for culture.ResultsNo rectal or vaginal culture of any HD patient or staff member was positive for GBS. The development of recent febrile disease was significantly associated with the presence of a hemodialysis catheter (p=0.028) and care for more than 30min by a specific nurse during the last two HD sessions (p=0.007).ConclusionsWe speculate that the GBS strain was transmitted from one patient to the other through the hands of medical personnel. No such outbreak has ever been reported in HD patients. The importance of strict infection control practices in HD units and the avoidance of catheters for long-term HD should be emphasized

Feasibility studies of time-like proton electromagnetic form factors at PANDA at FAIR

Simulation results for future measurements of electromagnetic proton form factors at \PANDA (FAIR) within the PandaRoot software framework are reported. The statistical precision with which the proton form factors can be determined is estimated. The signal channel $\bar p p \to e^+ e^-$ is studied on the basis of two different but consistent procedures. The suppression of the main background channel, $\textit{i.e.}$ $\bar p p \to \pi^+ \pi^-$, is studied. Furthermore, the background versus signal efficiency, statistical and systematical uncertainties on the extracted proton form factors are evaluated using two different procedures. The results are consistent with those of a previous simulation study using an older, simplified framework. However, a slightly better precision is achieved in the PandaRoot study in a large range of momentum transfer, assuming the nominal beam conditions and detector performance

Guidelines on the management of abdominal aortic aneurysms: updates from the Italian Society of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (SICVE)

The objective of these Guidelines was to revise and update the previous 2016 Italian Guidelines on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Disease, in accordance with the National Guidelines System (SNLG), to guide every practitioner toward the most correct management pathway for this pathology. The methodology applied in this update was the GRADE-SIGN version methodology, following the instructions of the AGREE quality of reporting checklist as well. The first methodological step was the formulation of clinical questions structured according to the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) model according to which the Recommendations were issued. Then, systematic reviews of the Literature were carried out for each PICO question or for homogeneous groups of questions, followed by the selection of the articles and the assessment of the methodological quality for each of them using qualitative checklists. Finally, a Considered Judgment form was filled in for each clinical question, in which the features of the evidence as a whole are assessed to establish the transition from the level of evidence to the direction and strength of the recommendations. These guidelines outline the correct management of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm in terms of screening and surveillance. Medical management and indication for surgery are discussed, as well as preoperative assessment regarding patients' background and surgical risk evaluation. Once the indication for surgery has been established, the options for traditional open and endovascular surgery are described and compared, focusing specifically on patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms as well. Finally, indications for early and late postoperative follow-up are explained. The most recent evidence in the Literature has been able to confirm and possibly modify the previous recommendations updating them, likewise to propose new recommendations on prospectively relevant topics

Overexpression of Protein Kinase C Confers Protection Against Antileukemic Drugs by Inhibiting the Redox-Dependent Sphingomyelinase Activation

ABSTRACT Induction of apoptosis by chemotherapeutic drugs involves the sphingomyelin-ceramide (SM-CER) pathway. This signaling is critically dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and p53/p56 Lyn activation. In this study, we have investigated the influence of protein kinase C (PKC) overexpression on the SM-CER pathway in U937 human leukemia cell line. We show that PKC overexpression resulted in delayed apoptosis and significant resistance to both 1-␤-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) and daunorubicin (DNR), but there was no significant protection against cell-permeant C 6 -CER. Moreover, PKC overexpression abrogated drug-induced neutral sphingomyelinase stimulation and CER generation by inhibiting ROS production. We further investigated p53/p56 Lyn activation in PKC-overexpressing U937 cells treated with ara-C or DNR. We demonstrate that PKC inhibited p53/p56 Lyn phosphorylation and stimulation in drug-or H 2 O 2 -treated cells, suggesting that p53/p56 Lyn redox regulation is altered in PKC-overexpressing cells. Finally, we show that PKC-overexpressing U937 cells displayed accelerated H 2 O 2 detoxification. Altogether, our study provides evidence for the role of PKC in the negative regulation of drug-induced SM-CER pathway

SVIP Induces Localization of p97/VCP to the Plasma and Lysosomal Membranes and Regulates Autophagy

The small p97/VCP-interacting protein (SVIP) functions as an inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. Here we show that overexpression of SVIP in HeLa cells leads to localization of p97/VCP at the plasma membrane, intracellular foci and juxtanuclear vacuoles. The p97/VCP-positive vacuolar structures colocalized or associated with LC3 and lamp1, suggesting that SVIP may regulate autophagy. In support of this possibility, knockdown of SVIP diminished, whereas overexpression of SVIP enhanced LC3 lipidation. Surprisingly, knockdown of SVIP reduced the levels of p62 protein at least partially through downregulation of its mRNA, which was accompanied by a decrease in starvation-induced formation of p62 bodies. Overexpression of SVIP, on the other hand, increased the levels of p62 protein and enhanced starvation-activated autophagy as well as promoted sequestration of polyubiquitinated proteins and p62 in autophagosomes. These results suggest that SVIP plays a regulatory role in p97 subcellular localization and is a novel regulator of autophagy