Sorghum used to fodder production in dry farming

In Italy water deficient increase forward to cultivate resistant crops for forage production. In the present research it has been studied the opportunity of using 2 varieties of sorghum: the "Sweet Creek", used as green forage and for silage and the "True", with thinner stalks, used as hay. The fodder production and the dhurrin content during the vegetative phase of the 2 varieties were recorded. Production and chemical characteristics of green and preserved fodders (hay and silage) were determined; moreover the nutritive value and the in vitro digestibility of DM were measured. Results confirm the good adaptation of the sorghum to the water limited conditions as those ones in which the test has been carried out; green and preserved fodders yield were high, however during the hay harvest problems due to the different drying dynamics of leaves and stalks were found. The dhurrin content of these two varieties, even in the young phase, allows the use for grazing of the regrown, which have good bunching

Efficacy and safety of felbamate in children under 4 years of age: a retrospective chart review.

Background and purpose: To review our experience of the efficacy and tolerability of felbamate in children younger than 4 years. Methods: We used a retrospective chart review to identify 53 children with seizures who were younger than 4 years. Efficacy was evaluated based on the occurrence of responsiveness, defined as seizure frequency reduction of more than 50% for a minimum period of 4 months. Tolerability was based on parent-reported side effects. Results: Twenty-two (41%) patients resulted to be responders and 31 (59%) did not. By univariate analysis, those achieving seizure remission were probably much older, to have a shorter history of epilepsy and a lower frequency of seizures before felbamate therapy. The number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) used before felbamate therapy was the only significant predictor of the duration of response to felbamate, with a longer responsiveness to the drug seen in those who were placed under fewer than three AEDs before felbamate compared with those who had taken more than three (median, 16 months vs. 7 months; P < 0.0084). Side effects occurred in 30% of the subjects, but these did not require discontinuation of the drug. Discussion: Felbamate is an effective medication for a wide range of epilepsy syndromes in children younger than 4 years. Although caution is necessary when the drug is used in children, felbamate might represent a possible option for the treatment of epilepsy in this age group. Introduction The incidence of epilepsy is high during the first year of life and it declines steadily during childhood and adolescence. Few of the new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are indicated officially for children younger than 4 years [1–3]. None of them is approved for children younger than 2 years [1,3,4]. There is a striking discrepancy between the high incidence of epilepsy in infancy and the relatively few approved AEDs available for this age group [5]. Felbamate (2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol dicarbamate) is a derivative of the anti-anxiety drug meprobamate, exerting additional anticonvulsant and neuroprotective properties [6–8]. The drug has been approved since 1993 for the treatment of several types of epilepsy. Experimental studies suggested that felbamate might inhibit voltage-dependen

L-Idose: an attractive substrate alternative to d-glucose for measuring aldose reductase activity

Although glucose is one of the most important physio-pathological substrates of aldose reductase, it is not an easy molecule for in vitro investigation into the enzyme. In many cases alternative aldoses have been used for kinetic characterization and inhibition studies. However these molecules do not completely match the structural features of glucose, thus possibly leading to results that are not fully applicable to glucose. We show how aldose reductase is able to act efficiently on L-idose, the C-5 epimer of D-glucose. This is verified using both the bovine lens and the human recombinant enzymes. While the kcat values obtained are essentially identical to those measured for D-glucose, a significant decrease in KM was observed. This can be due to the significantly higher level of the free aldehyde form present in L-idose compared to D-glucose. We believe that L-idose is the best alternative to D-glucose in studies on aldose reductase

Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in infants and young children with refractory epilepsy

SummaryThe aim of this multicentric, retrospective, and uncontrolled study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam (LEV) in 81 children younger than 4 years with refractory epilepsy. At an average follow-up period of 9 months, LEV administration was found to be effective in 30% of patients (responders showing more than a 50% decrease in seizure frequency) of whom 10 (12%) became seizure free. This efficacy was observed for focal (46%) as well as for generalized seizures (42%). In addition, in a group of 48 patients, we compared the initial efficacy (evaluated at an average of 3 months of follow-up) and the retention at a mean of 12 months of LEV, with regard to loss of efficacy (defined as the return to the baseline seizure frequency). Twenty-two patients (46%) were initial responders. After a minimum of 12 months of follow-up, 9 of 48 patients (19%) maintained the improvement, 4 (8%) of whom remained seizure free. A loss of efficacy was observed in 13 of the initial responders (59%). Maintained LEV efficacy was noted in patients with focal epilepsy and West syndrome. LEV was well tolerated. Adverse events were seen in 18 (34%) patients. The main side effects were drowsiness and nervousness. Adverse events were either tolerable or resolved in time with dosage reduction or discontinuation of the drug.We conclude that LEV is safe and effective for a wide range of epileptic seizures and epilepsy syndromes and, therefore, represents a valid therapeutic option in infants and young children affected by epilepsy

Dual targeting of ptp1b and aldose reductase with marine drug phosphoeleganin: A promising strategy for treatment of type 2 diabetes

An in-depth study on the inhibitory mechanism on protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and aldose reductase (AR) enzymes, including analysis of the insulin signalling pathway, of phosphoeleganin, a marine-derived phosphorylated polyketide, was achieved. Phosphoeleganin was demonstrated to inhibit both enzymes, acting respectively as a pure non-competitive inhibitor of PTP1B and a mixed-type inhibitor of AR. In addition, in silico docking analyses to evaluate the interaction mode of phosphoeleganin with both enzymes were performed. Interestingly, this study showed that phosphoeleganin is the first example of a dual inhibitor polyketide extracted from a marine invertebrate, and it could be used as a versatile scaffold structure for the synthesis of new designed multiple ligands

Rufinamide in refractory childhood epileptic encephalopathies other than Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Background: To report on the first multicenter Italian experience with rufinamide as adjunctive drug in children, adolescents and young adults with refractory childhoodonset epileptic encephalopathies other than Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. Methods: Thirty-eight patients (19 males, 19 females), aged between 4 and 34 (mean 13.7 ± 8.3, median 12.5), all affected by different types of childhood-onset refractory epileptic encephalopathies other than Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, were treated with rufinamide as adjunctive drug for a mean period of 11.4 months (range 3–26 months). Results: Fifteen of 38 patients (39.5%) had a ‡50% seizure reduction in countable seizures. Complete seizure freedom was achieved in one of these patients (2.6%). Three patients (7.9%) had a 25–49% seizure reduction, whilst seizure frequency remained unchanged in 15 (39.5%) and increased in five patients (13.1%). Eleven patients (28.9%) reported adverse side effects. Vomiting was reported in five patients (13.1%); drowsiness, decreased appetite and irritability with migraine manifested in other four patients. They were transient and mild in all cases. Conclusion: Rufinamide may be an effective and well-tolerated adjunctive drug for the treatment of refractory childhood-onset epileptic encephalopathies other than Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. Rufinamide was most effective in patients with dropattacks and (bi)frontal spike–wave discharges. Introduction Rufinamide is a structurally triazole-derivative (1-[2,6- difluorophenyl)methyl]-1hydro-1,2,3-triazole-carboxamide) novel antiepileptic drug, structurally unrelated to the existing antiepileptic drugs, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Lennox–Gastaut syndrome in patients aged 4 and over, and for the treatment of partial seizures in adults and adolescents. The proposed mechanism of action is the limitation of excessiv

Clinical‐epidemiological aspects of the Monkeypox 2022 epidemic: a multicenter study by the Italian SIDeMaST Group of Sexually Transmitted, Infectious and Tropical Diseases

Dear Editor,In spring 2022, an increase of monkeypox (mpox) cases was reported in Europe. Mpox is a zoonotic virus of the Poxviridae family, is endemic in the Congo Basin and just few cases outside Africa were reported before 2022. Its cutaneous presentation is similar to smallpox, usually preceded by a prodromal phase of fever, lymphadenopathy, headache and asthenia. Infection can occur through various means, including skin-to-skin contact, respiratory droplets or contact with fomites. The new outbreak is unique due to the increased human-to-human transmission, without an animal reservoir, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). As of February 13, 2023, 85.860 confirmed cases have been reported in 110 countries

BIOPSY IN COELIAC DISEASE DIAGNOSIS: WHEN IS IT NECESSARY?

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