Serenoa repens and its effects on male sexual function. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

Background: Serenoa repens (SR) is a plant used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis. We know that SR act as a 5\u3b1-reductase inhibitor, moreover, several studies have proved that SR has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. There is some belief among patients that SR may negatively impact male sexual function. Such belief is circulating in non-medical social networks and is perhaps maintained by patients as a result of incorrect web surfing. However, it is also possible that SR may exert a "nocebo" effect thus negatively impacting on the general well-being of patients. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate whether SR is causing negative effects on male sexual function. Methods: To ascertain the effect of SR on male sexual function, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, by performing an electronic database search in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Results: Out of 20 included papers, 8 papers reported comparisons of SR with placebo, and 7 studies reported comparisons of SR with tamsulosin. The standardized mean difference of changes from baseline scores of sexual function was not significantly different between SR and placebo (SMD: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.18 to 1.05; I^2 = 95%). Similarly, no significant mean differences in the Male Sexual Function-4 (MSF-4) test scores were found between SR and tamsulosin (SMD: -0.31, 95% CI: -0.82 to 0.19; I^2 = 90%). Conclusions: We found no statistically significant differences between negative effects on sexual function in patients treated with SR compared to patients who received placebo. The results of our meta-analysis are similar to those of other systematic reviews. Studies are warranted to ascertain whether any such effects might occur as a result of a nocebo effect

Attēlu līniju atpazīšana eksperimentālā sistēmā ar paralēlas apstrādes elementiem

Aprakstīts algoritmisks eksperiments, kas veikts ar nolūku pārliecināties, ka ļoti vienkārša, pat primitīva, bet būtiski paralelizēta, redzes datu primārā apstrāde ir pietiekoši spēcīga, lai tiktu detektētas svarīgas attēla ģeometriskās īpašības, proti, līnijas digitālā attēlā. Eksperiments aprobežojas tikai ar pašu līniju konstatējumu, bet pieļaujot principā patvaļīgu un pat mainīgu katras līnijas platumu, liekumu, spožuma intensitāti, attēla spožuma nevienmērību un trokšņus. Līnijas tiek detektētas, paralēlā apstrādē atrodot lokālus līniju elementus. Apstrāde organizēta trijos viens otram sekojošos apstrādes līmeņos, katrā līmenī risinot specifisku matemātisku uzdevumu: - līniju elementu detektēšana – pie dažādiem izmēriem analizē katra pikseļa apkārtni nolūkā noteikt, vai šajā apkārtnē ir saskatāms līnijas elements, - līniju elementu grupēšana – noskaidro, kuri līniju elementu pāri der par speciāla grafa šķautni un atrod uzbūvētā grafa sakarīgās komponentes, - līniju elementu ķēdēšana – atrod speciālā grafa sakarīgo komponenšu raksturīgas ģeometriski sakārtotas apakškopas. Apstrādes līmeņu dati sakārtoti atbilstošos slāņos, un informācija pirmā līmeņa apstrādē tiek ņemta no dotā attēla dažādu izmēru pikseļu apgabaliem, tā nodrošinot dažāda izmēra detaļu detektēšanu. Katra līmeņa apstrādājošos elementus var uzskatīt par pēc vajadzības spēcīgiem procesoriem, kas katra līmeņa ietvaros darbojas maksimāli paralelizēti. Nobeigumā doti eksperimentu rezultāti, imitējot piedāvāto paralēlo apstrādi uz tradicionāla procesora

The Response Of A General Circulation Climate Model Tohigh Latitude Freshwater Forcing In The Atlantic Basinwith Respect Totropi

The current cycle of climate change along with increases in hurricane activity, changing precipitation patterns, glacial melt, and other extremes of weather has led to interest and research into the global correlation or teleconnection between these events. Examination of historical climate records, proxies and observations is leading to formulation of hypotheses of climate dynamics with modeling and simulation being used to test these hypotheses as well as making projections. Ocean currents are believed to be an important factor in climate change with thermohaline circulation (THC) fluctuations being implicated in past cycles of abrupt change. Freshwater water discharge into high-latitude oceans attributed to changing precipitation patterns and glacial melt, particularly the North Atlantic, has also been associated with historical abrupt climate changes and is believed to have inhibited or shut down the THC overturning mechanism by diluting saline surface waters transported from the tropics. Here we analyze outputs of general circulation model (GCM) simulations parameterized by different levels of freshwater flux (no flux (control), 0.1 Sverdrup (Sv) and 1.0 Sv) with respect to tropical cyclone-like vortices (TCLVs) to determine any trend in simulated tropical storm frequency, duration, and location relative to flux level, as well as considering the applicability of using GCMs for tropical weather research. Increasing flux levels produced fewer storms and storm days, increased storm duration, a southerly and westerly shift (more pronounced for the 0.1 Sv level) in geographic distribution and increased activity near the African coast (more pronounced for the 1.0 Sv level). Storm intensities and tracks were not realistic compared to observational (real-life) values and is attributed to the GCM resolution not being fine enough to realistically simulate storm (microscale) dynamics

Future Needs in Mast Cell Biology.

The pathophysiological roles of mast cells are still not fully understood, over 140 years since their description by Paul Ehrlich in 1878. Initial studies have attempted to identify distinct "subpopulations" of mast cells based on a relatively small number of biochemical characteristics. More recently, "subtypes" of mast cells have been described based on the analysis of transcriptomes of anatomically distinct mouse mast cell populations. Although mast cells can potently alter homeostasis, in certain circumstances, these cells can also contribute to the restoration of homeostasis. Both solid and hematologic tumors are associated with the accumulation of peritumoral and/or intratumoral mast cells, suggesting that these cells can help to promote and/or limit tumorigenesis. We suggest that at least two major subsets of mast cells, MC1 (meaning anti-tumorigenic) and MC2 (meaning pro-tumorigenic), and/or different mast cell mediators derived from otherwise similar cells, could play distinct or even opposite roles in tumorigenesis. Mast cells are also strategically located in the human myocardium, in atherosclerotic plaques, in close proximity to nerves and in the aortic valve. Recent studies have revealed evidence that cardiac mast cells can participate both in physiological and pathological processes in the heart. It seems likely that different subsets of mast cells, like those of cardiac macrophages, can exert distinct, even opposite, effects in different pathophysiological processes in the heart. In this chapter, we have commented on possible future needs of the ongoing efforts to identify the diverse functions of mast cells in health and disease

Childhood Obesity in Primary Care : Not yet General Practice

The prevalence of childhood obesity has at least doubled the last 30 years. Childhood obesity is associated with an increased likelihood to develop adult obesity, which translates into increased risk for chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. A complex interaction between the environment and risk factors at a personal level causes childhood obesity. Because of this situation, there is not one e$ective prevention or treatment strategy to tackle childhood obesity. It has been suggested that primary care could be a suitable setting to manage childhood obesity since access is easy and children are frequently seen. However, little is known on overweight and obese children in primary care. We wanted to reveal if overweigh

Aspetti linguistici e culturali del sincretismo cristiano-pagano nella Sardegna bizantina.

Sin resume

How to draw combinatorial maps?

In this article we consider the combinatorial map (rendered by permutations) approach to graphs on surfaces and how between both could be establish some terminological uniformity in favor of combinatorial maps in the way rotations were set as fundamental structural elements, and other necessary notions were derived from them. We call this the rotational prevalence with respect to how to build a graph drawing environment. We deal here with simple operations of how to draw combinatorial maps and partial maps. One of our aims would be to advocate a wider use of combinatorial maps in the graph drawing applications. Besides, we advocate to use corners of halfedges where upon permutations act in place of halfedges