The role of polymorphisms of thiopurine methyltransferase in therapy with Azathioprine: preliminary study

Azathioprine is an immunosuppressant drug belonging to the class of thiopurines widely used in clinical therapy. Its immunosuppressive action is linked to the substantial action mechanism in the inhibition of the synthesis of nitrogenous bases purine carried out in T-lymphocyte. The level of such medication limit resides in side effects such as myelosuppression and the development of tumours. The occurrence of side effects is linked to the presence of genetic polymorphisms of Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT). To date, 40 allelic variants for TPMT have been detected. However, those responsible for the reduction of enzyme activity are three: *2, *3A, *3C. The presence of one of the three polymorphisms makes the enzyme susceptible to degradation at proteasome level, and exposes the patient to high levels of the active drug that increases the probability of an occurrence of its side effects. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration imposed the execution of a genetic test of TPMT typing in order to determine if the drug therapy is appropriate to the metabolic characteristics of the patient. The study had the aim of identifying the prevalence of the three aforementioned polymorphisms related to TPMT in a sample population in Palermo, Italy, highlighting the differences related to the sex of the patient and highlighting the main phenotypes. The results showed prevalence in the population of the absence of polymorphism. Among the most frequent polymorphisms is the *3A (3%). A percentage of 1.5% was found for the polymorphism *3C. No polymorphism *2 was identified in the population analyzed

Immuno-oncological treatment of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in advanced stage with Nivolumab

Immuno-oncology marked a therapeutic revolution in the treatment of cancer. Thanks to the new strategy that aims to awaken the immune system to fight cancer cells, there has been a change in the clinical course in the treatment of advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Our study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of nivolumab monotherapy in the treatment of patients with advanced stage IIIB/IV non-small cell lung cancer beyond the second line. The results showed a progression-free survival of 7.35 months and an improvement in the quality of life of patients compared to other treatments. In addition, no type 3 and type 4 adverse reactions were detected in patients treated with Nivolumab. We hope that these results, already promising, will lead to an increase in overall survival in the future

METHADONE VERSUS BUPRENORPHINE: DATA DETECTED FROM CALTANISSETTA SER.T

In last years, heroin-addicted have exponentially increased: this has made it necessary to identify a pharmacological strategy as effective as possible. With this purpose, a statistical investigation was conducted in a sample of individuals, aged between 18 and 50. They were diagnosed and subjected to different treatments at Ser.T of Caltanissetta (Sicily-Italy) during the period 2013-2017. The analyzed patients were treated with three different pharmacological therapy: methadone 0.1%, methadone 0.5%, buprenorphine and suboxone. We obtained percentages of RESPONDERS, LOW RESPONDERS and NON RESPONDERS patients from data processing, based on used therapy. Considering pharmacological responses of the sample examined, it is possible to observe that the treatment with buprenorphine has led to 71.98% of RESPONDERS subjects, 23.52% of LOW RESPONDERS and 4.5% of NON RESPONDERS. Instead, the administration of methadone 0.1 % has produced 82.82% of RESPONDERS subjects, 11.08% of LOW RESPONDERS, 6.1% of NON RESPONDERS. The therapy with methadone 0.5% has resulted 88.98% of RESPONDERS subjects, 7.8% of LOW RESPONDERS, 3.22% of NON RESPONDERS.Finally, through the administration of suboxone, we obtained 86.34% of RESPONDERS subjects, 9.84% of LOW RESPONDERS and 3.82% of NON RESPONDERS. In conclusion,although it has emerged that treatment with methadone 0.5% is the most successful therapy, it is preferable to use suboxone. (except in relapsing subjects) since it has also produced a high number of RESPONDER

Methadone versus buprenorphine data detected from Caltanissetta SER.T

In last years, heroin-addicted have exponentially increased: this has made it necessary to identify a pharmacological strategy as effective as possible. With this purpose, a statistical investigation was conducted in a sample of individuals, aged between 18 and 50.They were diagnosed and subjected to different treatments at Ser.T of Caltanissetta (Sicily-Italy) during the period 2013-2017. The analyzed patients were treated with three different pharmacological therapy: methadone 0.1%, methadone 0.5%, buprenorphine and suboxone. We obtained percentages of responders, low responders and non-responders patients from data processing, based on used therapy. Considering pharmacological responses of the sample examined, it is possible to observe that the treatment with buprenorphine has led to 71.98% of responders subjects, 23.52% of low responders and 4.5% of non-responders. Instead, the administration of methadone 0.1 % has produced 82.82% of responders subjects, 11.08% of low responders, 6.1% of nonresponders. The therapy with methadone 0.5% has resulted 88.98% of responders subjects, 7.8% of low responders, 3.22% of nonresponders. Finally, through the administration of suboxone, we obtained 86.34% of responders subjects, 9.84% of low responders and 3.82% of non responders. In conclusion, although it has emerged that treatment with methadone 0.5% is the most successful therapy, it is preferable to use suboxone (except in relapsing subjects) since it has also produced a high number of responders subjects and a good safety profile for heroin addicted patients

DETECTION, ANALYSIS AND PROCESSING OF ACUTE ALCOHOL INTOXICATIONS COLLECTED AT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF THE “GARIBALDI CENTRO” HOSPITAL IN CATANIA

The study we conducted was highlighted the main clinical aspects of voluntary or accidental acute alcohol intoxication. These intoxication were identified over the five-year period between 2015 and 2019, and we evaluated its pharmacological management by statistical analysis of clinical cases detected at the Emergency Department of “Garibaldi Centro” Hospital in Catania. The extrapolated data showed that acute alcohol intoxications are the main reason of access to the Emergency Department (65%) to which drugs (17%), addicted substances (8%), and other substances (caustics, food, gases and vapours, detergents and soaps, benzene and pesticides, 10%). It has been shown that the most commonly used treatment in intervention therapy of acute alcohol intoxications is Metadoxil (methadoxine), a metabolic accelerator that prevents alcohol admixation by facilitating metabolism and increasing urinary elimination of ethanol and its toxic metabolite, acetaldehyde. The prevention study of clinical cases detected shows that the age group most exposed to acute alcohol toxicose is the age range 18-24 years with a greater prevalence of male sex. It is therefore clear that prevention and information campaigns need to be increased by means of different professional channels and professions such as pharmacist

IMMUNO-ONCOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG CANCER IN ADVANCED STAGE WITH NIVOLUMAB

In recent years, significant scientific progress has been made in the therapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC),which has made possible a better knowledge of this pathology and above all the realization of new personalized therapies. The main therapeutic revolution in advanced NSCLC is immunooncology, a new therapeutic strategy that aims to awaken the immune system to fight cancer cells. Our work helped us evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of monotherapy with Nivolumab in the treatment of patients with advanced stage IIIB/IV non-smallcell lung cancer beyond the second line. We can conclude that in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer, the use of Nivolumab improves the prognosis and quality of life of the patients, without causing serious side effects compared to other treatments. We hope that in the future the combination of predictive biomarker research combined with the improvement of Immunoncology protocols will led to ever greater overall survival data

Statistical survey focused on diffusion and knowledge of energy drinks, conducted in Palermo

In recent years energy drinks consumption has increased, due to their ability to improve physical and cognitive performance. Unfortunately, because of poor or incorrect information, people are not always aware of the harmful consequences of these drinks such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, tachycardia until death. Therefore, we conducted a statistical survey in the Palermo area, submitting a paper questionnaire to 1003 people. Data analysis shows that only 29% of the audience never consumed energy drinks, while 71% tried them at least once in their life, especially in adolescence; 81% never or rarely drink them, 14% drink them a few times a month, while 5% drink them several times a week. Energy drinks are mostly consumed in disco, sport and study contexts; 93% of respondents are aware of the risks caused by the excessive consumption of them; 91% know that it is not appropriate to associate them with alcohol, but 9% think it is better to mix them; 72% of interviewees know that people should never drink energy drink with alcohol, 13% do it only in the weekend, while 15% think it is appropriate to do whenever they want. In fact, 14% do not believe it is risky to take energy drinks together with alcohol, and 40% do not know whether it is risky or not, while 46% know it can be risky; 45% associate the idea of cigarettes with alcohol and energy drinks. In conclusion, it is appropriate to highlight their risks to prevent some fatal consequences

Agroecological transformation for sustainable food systems : Insight on France-CGIAR research

This 26th dossier d’Agropolis is devoted to research and partnerships in agroecology. The French Commission for International Agricultural Research (CRAI) and Agropolis International, on behalf of CIRAD, INRAE and IRD and in partnership with CGIAR, has produced this new issue in the ‘Les dossiers d’Agropolis international’ series devoted to agroecology. This publication has been produced within the framework of the Action Plan signed by CGIAR and the French government on February 4th 2021 to strengthen French collaboration with CGIAR, where agroecology is highlighted as one of the three key priorities (alongside climate change, nutrition and food systems)