Antihypertensive and Antioxidant Action of Amlodipine and Vitamin C in Patients of Essential Hypertension

The etiology of essential hypertension includes increased oxidative stress. The role of antihypertensive drug amlodipine as an antioxidant and the benefit of addition of vitamin C, an antioxidant to antihypertensive therapy were studied. Forty male patients of essential hypertension were randomly divided into two groups and treated with 5 mg amlodipine. In addition one group also received 1000 mg vitamin C (as two 500 mg tablets) once daily for three months. Although blood pressure decreased in both groups, the systolic blood pressure in patients given vitamin C was less (126.4 ± 7.47) compared to the other group (130.9 ± 7.27). A decrease in malondialdehyde, an increase in erythrocyte sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na+ K+ ATPase) and an increase in the superoxide dismutase levels were observed in both groups. The increase in SOD was statistically more in the patients given vitamin C in addition to amlodipine (0.1717 ± 0.0150 compared to 0.152 ± 0.0219 units/100 ml assay). In spite of the known antihypertensive, antioxidant activity, similarity in correcting endothelial dysfunction independently, giving the two drugs together and early introduction of vitamin C perhaps decreases oxidative stress and augments the antioxidant status. This may prevent further vascular damage due to oxidative stress, leading to a better prognosis in essential hypertension patients

Lymphangioma Circumscriptum of the Vulva- A Case Series

Vulval dermatoses pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the dermatologists. Lymphangioma Circumscriptum (LC) is a form of lymphangioma affecting the skin and subcutaneous tissues that is characterised by benign dilation of lymphatic channels. This uncommon condition is known to occur over the chest, mouth, axilla, tongue, and rarely in the vulva. In this series, authors present three cases of LC of vulva in women between the age group of 45 to 60 years with late-onset fluid-filled lesions over the vulva. The first case had history of hysterectomy prior to onset of lesions, the second case had a spontaneous onset of lesions while the third was a suspected case of pelvic tuberculosis with secondary lymphangioma

Genetic variant effects on gene expression in human pancreatic islets and their implications for T2D

Most signals detected by genome-wide association studies map to non-coding sequence and their tissue-specific effects influence transcriptional regulation. However, key tissues and cell-types required for functional inference are absent from large-scale resources. Here we explore the relationship between genetic variants influencing predisposition to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related glycemic traits, and human pancreatic islet transcription using data from 420 donors. We find: (a) 7741 cis-eQTLs in islets with a replication rate across 44 GTEx tissues between 40% and 73%; (b) marked overlap between islet cis-eQTL signals and active regulatory sequences in islets, with reduced eQTL effect size observed in the stretch enhancers most strongly implicated in GWAS signal location; (c) enrichment of islet cis-eQTL signals with T2D risk variants identified in genome-wide association studies; and (d) colocalization between 47 islet cis-eQTLs and variants influencing T2D or glycemic traits, including DGKB and TCF7L2. Our findings illustrate the advantages of performing functional and regulatory studies in disease relevant tissues.Peer reviewe

Reproductive rights approach to reproductive health in developing countries

Research on reproductive health in developing countries focuses mostly on the role of economic development on various components of reproductive health. Cross-sectional and empirical research studies in particular on the effects of non-economic factors such as reproductive rights remain few and far between.This study investigates the influence of two components of an empowerment strategy, gender equality, and reproductive rights on women's reproductive health in developing countries. The empowerment strategy for improving reproductive health is theoretically situated on a number of background factors such as economic and social development.Cross-national socioeconomic and demographic data from a number of international organizations on 142 developing countries are used to test a model of reproductive rights and reproductive health.The findings suggest that both economic and democratic development have significant positive effects on levels of gender equality. The level of social development plays a prominent role in promoting reproductive rights. It is found that reproductive rights channel the influences of social structural factors and gender equality on reproductive health

The Early Growth Genetics (EGG) and EArly Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology (EAGLE) consortia : design, results and future prospects

The impact of many unfavorable childhood traits or diseases, such as low birth weight and mental disorders, is not limited to childhood and adolescence, as they are also associated with poor outcomes in adulthood, such as cardiovascular disease. Insight into the genetic etiology of childhood and adolescent traits and disorders may therefore provide new perspectives, not only on how to improve wellbeing during childhood, but also how to prevent later adverse outcomes. To achieve the sample sizes required for genetic research, the Early Growth Genetics (EGG) and EArly Genetics and Lifecourse Epidemiology (EAGLE) consortia were established. The majority of the participating cohorts are longitudinal population-based samples, but other cohorts with data on early childhood phenotypes are also involved. Cohorts often have a broad focus and collect(ed) data on various somatic and psychiatric traits as well as environmental factors. Genetic variants have been successfully identified for multiple traits, for example, birth weight, atopic dermatitis, childhood BMI, allergic sensitization, and pubertal growth. Furthermore, the results have shown that genetic factors also partly underlie the association with adult traits. As sample sizes are still increasing, it is expected that future analyses will identify additional variants. This, in combination with the development of innovative statistical methods, will provide detailed insight on the mechanisms underlying the transition from childhood to adult disorders. Both consortia welcome new collaborations. Policies and contact details are available from the corresponding authors of this manuscript and/or the consortium websites.Peer reviewe

Centrality evolution of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density over a broad pseudorapidity range in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76TeV

Peer reviewe

Vaccines in dermatology

A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a specific disease. More than two centuries have passed since the first successful vaccine for smallpox was developed. We′ve come a long way since. Today′s vaccines are among the 21 st century′s most successful and cost-effective public health tools for preventing diseases

Asymptomatic papular eruption in a 60 year old man

Este trabajo es una lectura y comentario de algunas ideas sobre la naturaleza del deseo y la subjetividad, las cuales son leídas desde un campo problemático que produce a la categoría de subjetividad como objeto trasdisciplinario, y que señala a nosotros mismos, lo que somos y nuestra constitución, como la materialidad de dicho objeto. El psicoanálisis de Freud es una de las fuentes más precisas en el análisis de las diferentes teorías que aportan insumos al pensamiento sobre la subjetividad, teoría aquella que, mediante los conceptos de inconsciente, aparato psíquico y economía sexual, baliza un recorrido posible para embarcarse en la problemática de la subjetividad. Se presentan primero algunas de las conceptualizaciones de Freud acerca de la naturaleza del deseo y su funcionamiento en la constitución de aparato psíquico, incluyendo la función y características del complejo de Edipo como proceso interviniente. Luego se exponen algunas partes seleccionadas de la crítica que Deleuze y Guattari realizan en su libro El Antiedipo, selección que pretende acentuar la crítica respecto del familiarismo, y la consecuente operación de reducción, en las teorizaciones del psicoanálisis freudiano sobre el deseo y la constitución psíquica. Finalmente, sintetizando las consecuencias de la crítica esquizoanalítica, se describe someramente una noción de subjetividad maquínica, en donde el deseo como principio inmanente, en su circulación, rebasa y determina a la familia, escenario del complejo de Edipo, pensando al deseo como conectado al campo social en su conjunto.This work is a reading and exegesis of some ideas about the nature of desire and subjectivity, which are read from a problematic field that produces the category of subjectivity as a transdisciplinary object, and that points to ourselves what we are and our constitution, such as materiality of said object. Freud's Psychoanalysis is one of the most precise sources in the analysis of the different theories that contribute to think about subjectivity, a theory that, through the concepts of the unconscious, psychic apparatus and sexual economy, marks a possible route to embark in the problematic of subjectivity. Some of Freud's conceptualizations about the nature of desire and its functioning in the constitution of psychic apparatus are presented, including the function and characteristics of the Oedipus complex as an intervening process. Then some parts of the criticism that Deleuze and Guattari make in their book The Anti-oedipus are exposed, a selection that aims to accentuate the criticism regarding familiarity, and the consequent operation of reduction, in the theorizations of the Freudian psychoanalysis on desire and the psychic constitution. Finally, synthesizing the consequences of schizoanalytic criticism, a notion of machinic subjectivity is briefly described, where desire as an immanent principle, in its circulation, goes beyond and determines the family, scenario of the Oedipus complex, thinking of the desire connected to the social field as a whole.Facultad de Psicologí