Drug Review - Rofecoxib: A New Selective COX-2 Inhibitor

Pain is one of the commonest symptoms in many patients. The common causes of pain include musculoskelet al conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. (1) Nonsteroidal antiflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are the first line drugs used in the treatment of such patients for alleviation pf pain. The principal mechanism of action of NSAIDS is via the inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase enzyme (COX) involved in synthesis of prostaglandins. Decrease of prostaglandins can lead to decrease in pain and inflammation as they are one of the mediators involved in inflammation This enzyme exists in 2 isoforms - COX 1 and COX 2. The former is the constitutively expressed form of the enzyme, involved in prostaglandin synthesis in gastrointestinal, renal system and the platelets while the latter is induced by inflammation following inury. Recent studies confirm that inhibition of COX-2 - the other isoform is responsible for antiinflammatory effects of NSAIDS. (2) Rofecoxib is a newer COX-2 inhibitor that is developed for use in patients with osteoarthritis and/or acute pain and is now available in the Indian market

Drug Review - Exemestane: A milestone against breast cancer

Rapid advances in the treatment of breast cancer, especially in the form of hormone therapy have truly increased the hope of longer and better disease-free survival for these patients. Exemestane, a third generation aromatase inhibitor has been extensively evaluated in metastatic as well as adjuvant therapy of breast cancer. It has also been evaluated for its safety profile, especially on bone and lipids. Exemestane provides hope to the patients with breast cancer both in early and metastatic disease. This review analyzes all the aspects of exemestane therapy

A Clinical Perspective on the Automated Analysis of Reflectance Confocal Microscopy in Dermatology

Background and objectivesNon-invasive optical imaging has the potential to provide a diagnosis without the need for biopsy. One such technology is reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), which uses low power, near-infrared laser light to enable real-time in vivo visualization of superficial human skin from the epidermis down to the papillary dermis. Although RCM has great potential as a diagnostic tool, there is a need for the development of reliable image analysis programs, as acquired grayscale images can be difficult and time-consuming to visually assess. The purpose of this review is to provide a clinical perspective on the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) for the analysis and diagnostic utility of RCM imaging.Study design/materials and methodsA systematic PubMed search was conducted with additional relevant literature obtained from reference lists.ResultsAlgorithms used for skin stratification, classification of pigmented lesions, and the quantification of photoaging were reviewed. Image segmentation, statistical methods, and machine learning techniques are among the most common methods used to analyze RCM image stacks. The poor visual contrast within RCM images and difficulty navigating image stacks were mediated by machine learning algorithms, which allowed the identification of specific skin layers.ConclusionsAI analysis of RCM images has the potential to increase the clinical utility of this emerging technology. A number of different techniques have been utilized but further refinements are necessary to allow consistent accurate assessments for diagnosis. The automated detection of skin cancers requires more development, but future applications are truly boundless, and it is compelling to envision the role that AI will have in the practice of dermatology. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC