Slanted versus Augmented Recession for Horizontal Strabismus

Purpose: To compare the surgical outcomes of slanted versus augmented recession in patients with horizontal strabismus. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, a total of 100 esotropic (ET) and exotropic (XT) patients with a high AC/A ratio which was defined as a difference of ≥ 10 prism diopters (pd) between the distance and near deviations were included if the patients had a distance deviation ≥ 15 pd. Patients were randomly assigned into the slanted (n = 26 in ET and n = 24 in XT group) and augmented recession groups (n = 25 in ET and n = 25 in XT group). In the slanted group, recession was performed on the superior and inferior poles of the muscle based on the distance and near deviations, respectively, while in the augmented recession group, the muscles were recessed 1.00 or 1.50 mm more than the standard amount according to the distance and near difference between 10 and 20 pd or > 20 pd, respectively. Results: The mean age was 9.8 ± 9.6 years and 63% were female. There was a significant postoperative reduction of difference in convergence excess in ET cases compared to patients who underwent the augmented recession procedure (12.65 ± 6.16 vs 8.64 ± 6.1 pd, P = 0.014). Among our XT groups, there was no significant difference in postoperative reduction in the XT angle in the slanted group compared with the augmented group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Slanted recession is recommended in convergence excess ET patients. In XT patients, either slanted or augmented recession may be chosen according to the priority and experience of the surgeon

Severe Persistent Eczema in a Recipient of the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts have been made to design safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.Numerous vaccines have been designed and tested in limited clinical trials in various countries. Among them, the Sputnik V vaccine has shown a relatively safe profile and, to our knowledge, has no associated major side effects. We describe the case of a 40-year-old female healthcare worker who developed severe persistent eczematous lesions on the second day after she received the first dose of the Sputnik vaccine. The eczematous lesions were refractory to an antihistamine and persisted at the 1 month follow-up. Severe persistent eczematous lesions should be viewed as a potential side effect of vaccination with the Sputnik V vaccine. Moreover, a severe allergic reaction to a COVID-2019 vaccine may indicate the vaccine is ineffective in the recipient

In vitro polyphenol effects on apoptosis: An update of literature data

Polyphenols are secondary plant metabolites which have been studied extensively for their health-promoting properties, and which could also exert pharmacological activities ranging from anti-inflammatory effects, to cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. The main mechanism for programmed cell death is represented by apoptosis, and its dysregulation is involved in the etiopathology of cancer. As such, substances able to induce apoptosis in cancer cells could be used as new anticancer agents. The aim of this paper is to review literature data on the apoptotic effects of polyphenols and the molecular mechanisms through which they induce these effects in cancer cells. In addition, a brief summary of the new delivery forms used to increase the bioavailability, and clinical impact of polyphenols is provided. The studies reported show that many polyphenol rich plant extracts, originating from food and herbal medicine, as well as isolated polyphenols administered individually or in combination, can regulate cell apoptosis primarily through intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of action in in vitro conditions. Due to these promising results, the use of polyphenols in the treatment of cancer should therefore be deeply investigated. In particular, because of the low number of clinical trials, further studies are required to evaluate the anticancer activity of polyphenols in in vivo conditions