The efficacy of an association of palmitoylethanolamide and alpha-lipoic acid in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complex condition, characterized by uncertain etiology and by limited response to therapy. The definition of CP/CPPS includes genitourinary pain with or without voiding symptoms in the absence of uropathogenic bacteria, as detected by standard microbiological methods, or another identifiable cause such as malignancy. The efficacy of various medical therapies, has been evaluated in clinical studies, but evidence is lacking or conflicting. We compared Serenoa Repens in monotherapy versus Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) in combination with Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and evaluated the efficacy of these treatments in patients with CP/CPPS. Methods: We conducted a randomized, single-blind trial. 44 patients diagnosed with CP/CPPS (mean age 41.32 ± 1.686 years) were randomly assigned to treatment with Palmitoylethanolamide 300 mg plus Alpha-lipoic acid 300 mg (Peanase®), or Serenoa Repens at 320 mg. Three questionnaires (NIH-CPSI, IPSS and IIEF5) were administered at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment in each group. Results: 12 week treatment with Peanase significantly improved the IPSS score compared to the same period of treatment with Serenoa Repens, and significantly reduced NIH-CPSI score. Similar results were observed in the different NIH-CPSI subscores break down. However, the same treatment did not result in significant improvement of the IIEF5 score. Both treatments did not produce undesired effects. Conclusions: The present results document the efficacy of an association of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) administered for 12 weeks for treating patients with CP/CPPS, compared with Serenoa Repens monotherapy

Comparing nursery behavior, field plant yield and fruit quality of in vitro and in vivo propagated strawberry mother plants

n/

ESPAÇO COLABORATIVO COMO FERRAMENTA DE GESTÃO: UM ESTUDO DE CASO EM UMA INSTITUIÇÃO DE ENSINO SUPERIOR

A proposta central deste artigo está na sistematização do espaço colaborativo como meio para o gerenciamento das atividades dos tutores presenciais, voltado para o suporte das atividades administrativas dos cursos de graduação em Administração e Administração Pública na modalidade a distância, ofertados pela Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC). Em relação aos procedimentos metodológicos a pesquisa classificou-se como descritiva, aplicada, estudo de caso, documental e bibliográfica. Para a coleta de dados foram realizadas entrevistas com os envolvidos (tutores presenciais, coordenadores de pólo e supervisora). Observou-se que o espaço colaborativo constitui-se em um elemento facilitador das atividades de ordem administrativa, no sentido de melhoria na qualidade do feedback, bem como agilidade no tempo de resposta e, principalmente, pela facilidade de acesso as informações, tornando-as comuns a toda a equipe

Human Dental Pulp Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Soluble Factors Combined with a Nanostructured Scaffold Support theGeneratio of a Vascular Network In Vivo

Among all strategies directed at developing new tools to support re-vascularization of damaged tissues, the use of pro-angiogenic soluble factors, derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), appears a promising approach for regenerative medicine. Here, we compared the feasibility of two devices, generated by coupling soluble factors of human dental pulp mesenchymal stem cells (DPSCs), with a nanostructured scaffold, to support angiogenesis once transplanted in mice. DPSCs were obtained from impacted wisdom tooth removal, usually considered surgical waste material. After 28 days, we verified the presence of active blood vessels inside the scaffold through optical and scansion electron microscopy. The mRNA expression of surface antigens related to macrophage polarization (CD68, CD80, CD86, CD163, CD206), as well as pro-angiogenic markers (CD31, CD34, CD105, Angpt1, Angpt2, CDH5) was evaluated by real-time PCR. Our results demonstrate the capability of DPSC–scaffold and DPSC soluble factors–scaffold to support angiogenesis, similarly to adipose stem cells, whereas the absence of blood vessels was found in the scaffold grafted alone. Our results provide evidence that DPSC-conditioned medium can be proposed as a cell-free preparation able to support angiogenesis, thus, providing a relevant tool to overcome the issues and restrictions associated with the use of cells

Recurrent microdeletion at 17q12 as a cause of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome: two case reports

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) consists of congenital aplasia of the uterus and the upper part of vagina due to anomalous development of Müllerian ducts, either isolated or associated with other congenital malformations, including renal, skeletal, hearing and heart defects. This disorder has an incidence of approximately 1 in 4500 newborn girls and the aetiology is poorly understood.</p> <p>Methods and Results</p> <p>we report on two patients affected by MRKH syndrome in which array-CGH analysis disclosed an identical deletion spanning 1.5 Mb of genomic DNA at chromosome 17q12. One patient was affected by complete absence of uterus and vagina, with bilaterally normal ovaries, while the other displayed agenesis of the upper part of vagina, right unicornuate uterus, non cavitating rudimentary left horn and bilaterally multicystic kidneys. The deletion encompassed two candidate genes, <it>TCF2 </it>and <it>LHX1</it>. Mutational screening of these genes in a selected group of 20 MRKH females without 17q12 deletion was negative.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Deletion 17q12 is a rare albeit recurrent anomaly mediated by segmental duplications, previously reported in subjects with developmental kidney abnormalities and diabetes. The present two patients expand the clinical spectrum associated with this imbalance and suggest that this region is a candidate locus for a subset of MRKH syndrome individuals, with or without renal defects.</p

Exogenous miRNAs from Moringa oleifera Lam. recover a dysregulated lipid metabolism

A balanced diet is critical for human health, and edible plants play an important role in providing essential micronutrients as well as specific microRNAs (miRNAs) that can regulate human gene expression. Here we present the effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) miRNAs (mol-miRs) on lipid metabolism. Through in silico studies we identified the potential genes involved in lipid metabolism targeted by mol-miRs. To this end, we tested the efficacy of an aqueous extract of MO seeds (MOES), as suggested in traditional African ethnomedicine, or its purified miRNAs. The biological properties of MO preparations were investigated using a human derived hepatoma cell line (HepG2) as a model. MOES treatment decreased intracellular lipid accumulation and induced apoptosis in HepG2. In the same cell line, transfection with mol-miRs showed similar effects to MOES. Moreover, the effect of the mol-miR pool was investigated in a pre-obese mouse model, in which treatment with mol-miRs was able to prevent dysregulation of lipid metabolism

Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined. For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4, while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than 90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined. For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4, while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than 90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO