The influence of red laser irradiation timeline on burn healing in rats

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) promotes biomodulation of wound healing and literature reports that light delivery during the inflammation could play a different role compared with latter phases of the healing process. The objective of this study was to investigate whether single dose of a red laser (λ?=?660 nm) is different from fractionated delivery protocol in full thickness burns. Two lesions were inflicted on the back of 36 rats. In the fractionated dose group (FG), the lesions were irradiated with 1 J/cm² on days 1, 3, 8, and 10 post-wounding. In the single dose group (SG), the lesions were irradiated with 4 J/cm² on day 1, immediately after injury. Control lesions (CG) received no light and were left to heal spontaneously. Blood flow was measured on days 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, and 21 using laser Doppler flowmetry. Animals were killed on days 3, 8, 10, 15, and 21. Skin specimens were obtained and routinely processed for hematoxylin and eosin. The specimens were evaluated according to differential leukocyte counting and angiogenesis. Statistical analysis was performed, and significance was accepted at p?<?0.05. Irradiated groups showed a peak of new vessels on day 15 while, for CG, the peak was on day 21. On day 21, FG exhibited a significantly greater number of cumulative neutrophils while SG showed a higher number of mononuclear cells. Our results confirm that both protocols used accelerate angiogenesis and stimulate leukocyte chemotaxis on burn treatment. In addition, this work suggests that a single-dose LLLT accelerates the inflammatory phase of skin repair.     

Dietary Phosphorus Excess: A Risk Factor in Chronic Bone,Kidney, and Cardiovascular Disease?

There is growing evidence in the nephrology literature supporting the deleterious health effect of excess dietary phosphorus intake. This issue has largely escaped the attention of nutrition experts until this symposium, which raised the question of whether the same health concerns should be extended to the general population. The potential hazard of a high phosphorus intake in the healthy population is illustrated by findings from acute and epidemiologic studies. Acute studies in healthy young adults demonstrate that phosphorus intakes in excess of nutrient needs may significantly disrupt the hormonal regulation of phosphorus contributing to disordered mineral metabolism, vascular calcification, bone loss, and impaired kidney function. One of the hormonal factors acutely affected by dietary phosphorus loading is fibroblast growth factor-23, which may be a key factor responsible for many of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) complications of high phosphorus intake. Increasingly, large epidemiological studies suggest that mild elevations of serum phosphorus within the normal range are associated with CVD risk in healthy populations. Few population studies link high dietary phosphorus intake to mild changes in serum phosphorus due to study design issues specific to phosphorus and inaccurate nutrient composition databases. The increasing phosphorus intake due to the use of phosphorus-containing ingredients in processed food and the growing consumption of processed convenience and fast foods is an important factor that needs to be emphasized.     

New clinical trials regulation in Spain: analysis of royal decree 1090/2015

The coming into force of Directive 2001/20/EC represented a step forward in harmonising clinical trial regulation in European countries, guaranteeing a uniform protection of subjects participating in clinical research across Europe. However, it led to a disproportionate increase in the bureaucratization, and thus, it became evident that procedures needed to be simplified without detriment to patient’s safety. Thus, Regulation 536/2014, that repealed Directive 2001/20/EC, with the aim of decreasing the growing bureaucratization and stimulating clinical research in Europe, established simplified procedures, such as regulating a common procedure for authorising trials in Europe, the institution of strict assessment timelines, or the definition of new concepts, such as “low-intervention clinical trial”. The legal form of a Regulation allowed the norm to be directly applied to Member States without the need for transposition. By means of the new Royal Decree, the national legislation is adapted to make the application of the regulation feasible and it allows the development of the aspects that the Regulation leaves to national legislation. Both documents seek to stimulate clinical research with medicinal products to foster knowledge, facilitate transparency, and reinforce subjects’ safety. This will surely be the case, but with this revision, we will look at the novelties and key aspects that are most relevant to investigators and we will analyse the consequences for all parties involved in clinical research.