Effect of genistein and oestradiol on the adrenal cortex of the ovariectomised adult female albino rats

Background: Genistein, a naturally occurring soy isoflavone, attracts interest as an effective and safe alternative to hormone replacement therapy for menopausal problems. The aim of the current study was to compare between the effect of genistein and oestradiol on the adrenal cortex of the ovariectomised adult female albino rats. Materials and methods: Twenty rats were used in the current study and divided into four groups, 5 rats in each group; group 1 (control non-ovariectomised), group 2 (ovariectomised), group 3 (ovariectomised + genistein) and group 4 (ovariectomised + oestradiol). The rats were sacrificed after 4 weeks. Both adrenal glands were removed for light microscope using haematoxylin and eosin stain, ultrastructural study and immunohistochemical examination using proliferating cell nuclear antigen, caspase-3, and oestrogen receptor-b. Results: Ovariectomised rats showed signs of degeneration in all zones of adrenal cortex. On the other hand, treatment with genistein showed restoration of the adrenal cortex with less proliferative effect than oestradiol. Conclusions: So, genistein can be used as effective therapy to decrease the symptoms of menopause without fear of cancer development

Management of infantile hemangiomas during the COVID pandemic

This article is made available for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.The COVID‐19 pandemic has caused significant shifts in patient care including a steep decline in ambulatory visits and a marked increase in the use of telemedicine. Infantile hemangiomas (IH) can require urgent evaluation and risk stratification to determine which infants need treatment and which can be managed with continued observation. For those requiring treatment, prompt initiation decreases morbidity and improves long‐term outcomes. The Hemangioma Investigator Group has created consensus recommendations for management of IH via telemedicine. FDA/EMA‐approved monitoring guidelines, clinical practice guidelines, and relevant, up‐to‐date publications regarding initiation and monitoring of beta‐blocker therapy were used to inform the recommendations. Clinical decision‐making guidelines about when telehealth is an appropriate alternative to in‐office visits, including medication initiation, dosage changes, and ongoing evaluation, are included. The importance of communication with caregivers in the context of telemedicine is discussed, and online resources for both hemangioma education and propranolol therapy are provided

Ocular medicines in children: the regulatory situation related to clinical research

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many ocular medications are prescribed for paediatric patients, but the evidence for their rational use is very scant. This study was planned to compare the availability and the licensing status of ocular medications marketed in Italy, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (USA) related to the amount of published and un-published RCTs testing these drugs in the paediatric population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A quantitative analysis was performed to evaluate the number of ocular medications with a paediatric license in Italy, the UK, and the USA. A literature search was also performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on ophthalmic pharmacological therapy in children aged < 18 years, published up to December 2010. A search in the international clinical trial registries, the list of paediatric investigation plans (PIPs) approved by European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the table of medicines with new paediatric information approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was also performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In all, of 197 drugs identified, 68 (35%) single drugs are licensed for paediatric use at least in one considered country, while 23 (12%) were marketed in all three countries. More specifically, in Italy 43 single drugs (48% of those marketed) had a paediatric license, while 39 (64%) did in the UK and 22 (54%) did in the USA. Only 13 drugs were marketed with a paediatric license in all countries.</p> <p>The percentage of drugs licensed for paediatric use and for which at least one RCT had been performed ranged between 51% in Italy and 55% in the USA. No published RCTs were found for 11 (48%) drugs licensed for paediatric use in all three countries. In all, 74 (35%) of the retrieved RCTs involved mydriatic/cycloplegic medications.</p> <p>A total of 62 RCTs (56% completed) on 46 drugs were found in the international clinical trial registries. Cyclosporin and bevacizumab were being studied in many ongoing trials. Twenty-six drugs had new paediatric information approved by FDA based on new paediatric clinical trials, while only 4 PIPs were approved by EMA.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There is a pressing need for further research and clinical development in the pediatric ophthalmic area, where effective up-to-date treatments, and additional research and education on use in children, remain priorities.</p

Low haemoglobin levels increase unilateral spatial neglect in acute phase of stroke

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between unilateral spatial neglect (USN) and haemoglobin (Hb) level in acute phase of stroke. Method Cross-sectional study was performed after right hemisphere ischemic stroke. Independent variable: Hb level (mg/dL); Outcome: USN; Potential confounding factors: Age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and glycaemia (mg/dL); Characterization variables were obtained from electronic medical records, Hb, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and glycaemia by laboratory exams, and USN by cancellation and bisection tasks. The relationship between Hb and USN was assessed by Spearman correlation and linear regression model. Results 40 individuals were evaluated; it was observed that the higher the Hb level, the better the USN test performance, with the two being negatively correlated. There was no significant correlation between VCM level and USN performance. Conclusion Low hemoglobin levels may indicate a worse performance in USN cancellation and bissection tests in acute phase of stroke

Brazilian Consensus on Photoprotection

Brazil is a country of continental dimensions with a large heterogeneity of climates and massive mixing of the population. Almost the entire national territory is located between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Earth axial tilt to the south certainly makes Brazil one of the countries of the world with greater extent of land in proximity to the sun. The Brazilian coastline, where most of its population lives, is more than 8,500 km long. Due to geographic characteristics and cultural trends, Brazilians are among the peoples with the highest annual exposure to the sun. Epidemiological data show a continuing increase in the incidence of nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancers. Photoprotection can be understood as a set of measures aimed at reducing sun exposure and at preventing the development of acute and chronic actinic damage. Due to the peculiarities of Brazilian territory and culture, it would not be advisable to replicate the concepts of photoprotection from other developed countries, places with completely different climates and populations. Thus the Brazilian Society of Dermatology has developed the Brazilian Consensus on Photoprotection, the first official document on photoprotection developed in Brazil for Brazilians, with recommendations on matters involving photoprotection

ナンキョク チョウルイ ノ セッケッキュウ 二 タンカスイソ タイシャ:IP5, 2,3-DPG リョウトニワトリノ ヘキソキナーゼ ニタイスル コウカ

本文は鳥類赤血球中のグルコース代謝における, 有機燐酸代謝産物である, イノシトール5リン酸(IP5), 2,3ジホスホグリセリン酸(2,3-DPG)のもつ意味を知ることを目的とするものである。使用したヘキソキナーゼは, セファローズ-N-アミノヘキサノイルグルコサミンを用いたアフィニティクロマトグラフィを用いて精製した。IP5のヘキソキナーゼ抑制作用は, Mg^に対して競争的であるが, グルコース, MgATP^に対しては競争的ではない。一方, ヘキソキナーゼの活性はATP^によって抑制される。赤血球中のMg^値(2.76μmol/ml)は, 赤血球標準懸濁液中のATP, IP5の総量に比べて低い。The aim of the present study is to show the possible implication of organic phosphate metabolites=namely inositol pentaphosphate (IP5) and 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG)=in the glucose metabolism displayed by birds erythrocytes. For this purpose, a preparation of hexokinase (HK) has been purified from chicken erythrocytes (RBC) by affinity chromatography in Sepharose-N-aminohexanoyl glucosamine and used for kinetic experiments. It has been shown that IP5 is a competitive inhibitor of HK in regard to Mg^, but not in regard to glucose and MgATP^. On the other hand, this preparation of HK is also competitively inhibited by ATP^. It has been found that the total intracellular content of Mg^ (2.76μmol/ml) is lower than the total value for the content of ATP and IP5 found in a standard packed red blood cell suspension