Prevalence of Pain Syndromes,Mood Conditions,and Asthma in Adolescents and Young Women with Endometriosis

Study ObjectiveAdult women with endometriosis are often diagnosed with comorbid pain, mood, and autoimmune conditions. This study aims to describe the occurrence of pain syndromes, mood conditions, and asthma in adolescents and young women with endometriosis evaluated at our medical center.DesignRetrospective review of medical records.SettingDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a tertiary referral center.Participants138 adolescents/young women who were less than age 24 years at the time of their initial visit at our medical center, and whose surgical diagnosis of endometriosis was made at our institution or by outside institutions by the age of 21.InterventionsNone.Main Outcome MeasuresPrevalence of comorbid pain syndromes (defined as interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic headaches, chronic low back pain, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint disease, and chronic fatigue syndrome), mood conditions (defined as depression and anxiety), and asthma.ResultsComorbid pain syndromes were found in 77 (56%) women, mood conditions in 66 (48%) women, and asthma in 31 (26%) women. Comparing endometriosis patients with and without comorbid pain syndromes, no differences were found in age at time of diagnosis, endometriosis symptoms, and endometriosis stage. Patients with comorbid pain syndromes were more likely to report mood conditions (62% vs 30% respectively, P < .001) and smoking (31% vs 10% respectively, P = .003), underwent more surgeries for endometriosis (median of 2 [range, 1–7] vs 1 [range, 1-5], P < .005), and were more likely to undergo appendectomy or cholecystectomy (30% vs 13%, P = .02).ConclusionsComorbid pain syndromes, mood conditions and asthma are common in adolescents and young women with endometriosis.     

Potato Disc Bioassay for Some Jordanian Medicinal Plants

Fifteen different plants representing different species, genera and families were used to test the effect of their aqueous extracts on tumor inhibition with a rapid, inexpensive, safe, animal sparing technique, and statistically reliable prescreen for in vivo murine leukemia antitumor activity, which is known as potato disc technique. The inoculum used contains the extract with the bacterium (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) that was known to cause crown gall tumor to different plant species especially dicotyledons and some gymnosperms. After 12 to 21 days of incubation the tumors appeared and were counted, and the maximum inhibition was then calculated. Thirteen species out of fifteen showed a good antitumor effect, and three of them showed a maximum inhibition of 80%. More experiments are necessary to determine the exact mechanism of action.     

Metoclopramide does not decrease the incidence of nausea and vomiting after alfentanil for outpatient anaesthesia

Sixty patients were studied in a randomized, double-blind manner to determine whether metoclopramide added to droperidol decreased further the incidence of emetic symptoms (nausea, retching, vomiting) in outpatients receiving alfentanil anaesthesia for nasal surgery. Group 1 (n = 30) received metoclopramide 0.15 mg.kg-1 and Group 2 (n = 30) received placebo. In addition, both groups received droperidol 0.02 mg.kg-1 immediately before anaesthesia which was supplemented by alfentanil 20 micrograms.kg-1 at induction followed by an infusion of 0.25-1 micrograms.kg-1.min-1. Emetic symptoms were assessed 0-3 hr, 3-6 hr and 6-24 hr after surgery. Both groups received similar doses of alfentanil (mean +/- SD; Group 1 4641 +/- 1894 micrograms, Group 2 4714 +/- 1640 micrograms). The percentage of patients who had either nausea or vomiting at 0-3, 3-6 or 6-24 hr was 23%, 14% and 13% in Group 1; and 20%, 17% and 10% in Group 2. The overall incidence for each group was 8/30 (27%). There was no difference in the incidence of emetic symptoms between the groups at any time interval or throughout the study. Metoclopramide did not improve upon the antiemesis of droperidol during alfentanil anaesthesia for outpatient nasal surgery.     

Biocompatible hydrogel based on aldehyde-functionalized cellulose and chitosan for potential control drug release

The present study aimed to prepare cellulose-based biodegradable hydrogel that revealing a potential control of drug release. To achieve this purpose, activation of cellulose was achieved firstly by pretreatment stage using ZnCl₂. Then, selective oxidation of activated cellulose was performed by using sodium periodate to achieve cleavage of the bond between C2 – C3 in the glucose unit generating two active aldehyde groups. The modified cellulose (Dialdehyde cellulose, DAC) was reacted with chitosan, in different molar ratios, via condensation between aldehyde and primary amine groups situated onto cellulose and chitosan, respectively. The activated cellulose, DAC, and produced hydrogels were characterized via FTIR, XRD, and SEM to detect the emerging functional groups as well as the variation of crystallinity and surface morphology features of activated cellulose, DAC, and hydrogels. The swelling capacities of hydrogels showed the optimum value at pH = 7.0. The prepared hydrogels cytotoxicity was investigated toward normal skin fibroblast by MTT assay. It was found that the cells treated with chitosan/DAC hydrogels with ratio 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 affected by 1.3, 1.8, and 0%, respectively. Streptomycin was incorporated in the prepared hydrogels and its release was evaluated. The DAC ratio was played a key role in controlling the release process. Moreover, further studies were carried out on chitosan (PDB: 2RVA) to evaluate its potential interaction with DAC and streptomycin with binding energies ?4.4 and - 4.3 kcal/mol with short bond lengths 1.3 and 1.944 Å, respectively.