Efficacy and Tolerability of a New Formulation in Rectal Ointment Based on Zn-L-Carnosine (Proctilor®) in the Treatment of Haemorrhoidal Disease

Haemorrhoidal disease (HD) shows high prevalence in western countries, reaching 4.4% per year in the US. Topical preparations are the first-line treatments, which are readily available as "over-the-counter" (OTC) products, often containing a nonstandardised mixture of "natural" remedies, or anaesthetics or cortisol;those latter are not free from undesirable effects. The Zinc-L-Carnosine is a cytoprotective compound, promoting mucosal repair in the gastrointestinal tract and also in mucosal repair, following radiation injuries to the rectum as well as in ulcerative colitis. Our aim was to study the efficacy of Zinc-L-Carnosine in relieving acute symptoms of HD, testing a preparation in the rectal ointment, Proctilor (R), in patients complaining of bleeding or thrombosed piles. In a multicentre open trial, 21 patients older than 18 years of age were enrolled. The symptoms of HD were graded according to the Haemorrhoidal Disease Symptoms Score (HDSS) in association with the Short Health Scale (SHS) to assess the influence of HD on quality of life. The pain was assessed with the VAS score, bowel habit by means of the Bristol scale. The patients were evaluated at enrolment (T0) and 2 (T1) and 4 (T2) weeks of treatment with Proctilor (R) rectal ointment. There were 10 men and 11 women; mean age, 49 years. Pain, bleeding, and thrombosis were all significantly reduced after treatment; the mean VAS score decreased from 4.71 +/- 3.05 at T0 to.52 +/- 0.87 and.05 +/- 0.22 at T1 and T2, respectively; (mean +/- SD; p < 0.001 in both cases). Similarly, the HDSS score showed to be significantly reduced between T0, T1 (8.05 +/- 4.55 vs. 1.14 +/- 1.01), and T2 (8.05 +/- 4.55 vs. 24 +/- 0.44) (mean +/- SD; p < 0.001 in both cases). Quality of life showed to be improved as the SHS score decreased significantly with treatment (7.90 +/- 4.17 at T0 vs. 4.24 +/- 0.44 at T1 vs. 4.05 +/- 0.22 at T2; mean +/- SD; p < 0.001 in both cases). The Bristol score of defecation remained substantially unchanged. No side effects or discontinuation of treatment were reported. Results of our investigation suggest a role of Proctilor (R) rectal ointment in treating symptomatic HD with good results and an excellent safety profile. However, our preliminary results encourage further studies on a larger number of patients to confirm the role of Zinc-L-Carnosine in the rectal ointment for the topical treatment of HD

Nuevos registros de escarabajos longicornios (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) para Venezuela

Se reportan quince especies de escarabajos longicornios (Coleoptera; Cerambycidae) por primera vez para Venezuela: Ambonus electus (Gaham, 1903), Eusapia guyanensis Huedepohl, 1988, Acyphoderes abdominalis (Olivier, 1795), Isthmiade ichneumoniformis Bates, 1870, Drychateres bilineatus (Olivier, 1795), Polyschisis rufi tarsalis Waterhouse, 1880, Carphina petulans (Kirsch, 1875), Lepturges zonula Monné, 1976, Oreodera albata Villiers, 1971, Psapharochrus chrysopus (Bates, 1861), Estola fratercula Galileo y Martins, 1999, Oncideres cephalotes Bates, 1865, Polyrhaphis spinosa (Drury, 1773), Nicias alurnoides (Thomson, 1857) y Ialyssus tuberculatus (Olivier, 1795). Se da la distribución previa conocida para cada especie, así como los métodos de colecta e información adicional sobre los sitios de colecta de cada espécimen. Fifteen species of longhorn beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) are reported for the fi rst time for Venezuela: Ambonus electus (Gaham, 1903), Eusapia guyanensis Huedepohl, 1988, Acyphoderes abdominalis (Olivier, 1795), Isthmiade ichneumoniformis Bates, 1870, Drychateres bilineatus (Olivier, 1795), Polyschisis rufi tarsalis Waterhouse, 1880, Carphina petulans (Kirsch, 1875), Lepturges zonula Monné, 1976, Oreodera albata Villiers, 1971, Psapharochrus chrysopus (Bates, 1861), Estola fratercula Galileo y Martins, 1999, Oncideres cephalotes Bates, 1865, Polyrhaphis spinosa (Drury, 1773), Nicias alurnoides (Thomson, 1857) and Ialyssus tuberculatus (Olivier, 1795). The known prior distributions for each species, collecting methods and additional information on the collection sites of each specimen are also provided

Nuevos registros de escarabajos longicornios (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) para Venezuela

Se reportan quince especies de escarabajos longicornios (Coleoptera; Cerambycidae) por primera vez para Venezuela: Ambonus electus (Gaham, 1903), Eusapia guyanensis Huedepohl, 1988, Acyphoderes abdominalis (Olivier, 1795), Isthmiade ichneumoniformis Bates, 1870, Drychateres bilineatus (Olivier, 1795), Polyschisis rufi tarsalis Waterhouse, 1880, Carphina petulans (Kirsch, 1875), Lepturges zonula Monné, 1976, Oreodera albata Villiers, 1971, Psapharochrus chrysopus (Bates, 1861), Estola fratercula Galileo y Martins, 1999, Oncideres cephalotes Bates, 1865, Polyrhaphis spinosa (Drury, 1773), Nicias alurnoides (Thomson, 1857) y Ialyssus tuberculatus (Olivier, 1795). Se da la distribución previa conocida para cada especie, así como los métodos de colecta e información adicional sobre los sitios de colecta de cada espécimen. Fifteen species of longhorn beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) are reported for the fi rst time for Venezuela: Ambonus electus (Gaham, 1903), Eusapia guyanensis Huedepohl, 1988, Acyphoderes abdominalis (Olivier, 1795), Isthmiade ichneumoniformis Bates, 1870, Drychateres bilineatus (Olivier, 1795), Polyschisis rufi tarsalis Waterhouse, 1880, Carphina petulans (Kirsch, 1875), Lepturges zonula Monné, 1976, Oreodera albata Villiers, 1971, Psapharochrus chrysopus (Bates, 1861), Estola fratercula Galileo y Martins, 1999, Oncideres cephalotes Bates, 1865, Polyrhaphis spinosa (Drury, 1773), Nicias alurnoides (Thomson, 1857) and Ialyssus tuberculatus (Olivier, 1795). The known prior distributions for each species, collecting methods and additional information on the collection sites of each specimen are also provided

O Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) em Perspectiva: Apontamentos e Questões para o Debate

This article aims to examine the Food Acquisition Program (PAA)and its significant contribution to family agriculture, food security, andnutrition. Various approaches to studying PAA have been set forth in an attemptto systematize the existing literature (reviews and analyses of the Program)and this study has shown main factors that have contributed to the changesin production and consumption patterns of either the families farming ortheir beneficiaries; the impacts on agricultural food product prices; farmers'income and the emergence of new markets; and the implications for promotingthe empowerment of social actors and their organizations. This work alsohighlighted the major limitations and difficulties of PAA, which indicatedthat there is a lack of publicity; the beneficiaries are unacquainted with thepurposes of the program and alignment with institutional goals; the difficultiesand challenges of the PAA to reach families in social disadvantage andeconomic vulnerability; operational and logistical problems (delay in fundrelease, transportation problems, difficulty in obtaining DAP, that is thedeclaration of aptitude for PRONAF, and the program does not offer anytechnical support, etc). Finally, some questions that stimulate either evaluationof the Program or research themes for the social sciences were proposed.Keywords: Public Policy; Family Agriculture; Food Security; PAA.Este artigo4 tem o objetivo de discutir as principais contribuições doPrograma de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) à agricultura familiar e à segurançaalimentar e nutricional. A partir da sistematização da literatura existente (avaliações e análises do Programa) são apontados os aportes do PAA à alteração na matriz de produção e consumo tanto das unidades familiares produtoras dos alimentos quanto das beneficiárias; os efeitos sobre os preços dos produtos agroalimentares, a renda dos agricultores familiares e a emergência de novos mercados e; as implicações para o empoderamento dos atores sociais e de suas organizações. Neste trabalho também são sublinhadas as principais limitações e dificuldades do PAA, quais sejam, a pouca divulgação e o desconhecimento dos objetivos e da institucionalidade do programa pelos beneficiários, a dificuldade do PAA chegar até as famílias em maior vulnerabilidade social, e problemas operacionais e logísticos (atraso na liberação dos recursos, dificuldades com o transporte dos produtos, obtenção da DAP, falta de assistência técnica etc.). Finalmente, são propostas algumas questões que instigam tanto avaliações do Programa quanto temas de pesquisa para as ciências sociais

Graphene-Based Ka Band Tunable Antenna for Nanosatellites Applications

The increase in the number of connected objects and the new commercial possibilities associated with nanosatellites for both remote sensing and data relay require communication systems with small volumes, low consumption, and high capacity of data transmission. This work presents preliminary results for the development of a Ka-band tunable antenna for a nanosatellite software defined communication system

Action of formulated rosemary against Meloidogyne incognita in soybean

The damage caused by nematodes has been severe in many crops in Brazil, causing a reduction in agricultural yield. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of a formulation, elaborated with extract of the rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and cassava bark, on the control of nematode Meloidogyne incognita in soybean. The doses evaluated were 0.0; 25; 50; 100; 150 and 200 mL of the dried formulation per pot of 3 L containing soybean plants. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in a randomized block design, with five replications. We evaluated dried and fresh masses of aerial part, fresh mass of root, and the number of egg mass, galls and second stage juveniles (J2) and eggs in root and soil. The soybean plants showed growth reduction resulting from the interaction of the formulation, maybe due a phytotoxic effect from cassava bark. There was allelopathic effect in soybean plants treated with formulated made with cassava bark + aqueous extract of rosemary, evidenced by inhibition in plant development according to the increase in doses of the formulated. Moreover, the formulated was not efficient in the control and or reduction of M. incognita

Grau de conhecimento e controle e hipertensão arterial de uma coorte ambulatorial de cardiopatas isquêmicos

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Candidate biomarkers from the integration of methylation and gene expression in discordant autistic sibling pairs

While the genetics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been intensively studied, resulting in the identification of over 100 putative risk genes, the epigenetics of ASD has received less attention, and results have been inconsistent across studies. We aimed to investigate the contribution of DNA methylation (DNAm) to the risk of ASD and identify candidate biomarkers arising from the interaction of epigenetic mechanisms with genotype, gene expression, and cellular proportions. We performed DNAm differential analysis using whole blood samples from 75 discordant sibling pairs of the Italian Autism Network collection and estimated their cellular composition. We studied the correlation between DNAm and gene expression accounting for the potential effects of different genotypes on DNAm. We showed that the proportion of NK cells was significantly reduced in ASD siblings suggesting an imbalance in their immune system. We identified differentially methylated regions (DMRs) involved in neurogenesis and synaptic organization. Among candidate loci for ASD, we detected a DMR mapping to CLEC11A (neighboring SHANK1) where DNAm and gene expression were significantly and negatively correlated, independently from genotype effects. As reported in previous studies, we confirmed the involvement of immune functions in the pathophysiology of ASD. Notwithstanding the complexity of the disorder, suitable biomarkers such as CLEC11A and its neighbor SHANK1 can be discovered using integrative analyses even with peripheral tissues