Current state of biologic pharmacovigilance in the European Union: improvements are needed

Introduction: Pharmacovigilance is essential to monitoring the safety profiles of authorized medicines. Compared with small-molecule drugs, biological drugs are more complex, more susceptible to structural variability due to manufacturing processes, and have the potential to induce immune-related reactions, underscoring the importance of safety monitoring for these products. Although highly similar to reference products, biosimilars are not expected to be structurally identical. For these reasons, proper reporting of potential adverse drug reactions (ADRs) using distinguishable names and batch numbers is essential for accurate tracing of all biological drugs. To address the need for robust pharmacovigilance, the European Parliament and Council of the European Union provided legislation regarding pharmacovigilance of biologics in 2010.

Areas covered: This narrative review examines the current state of pharmacovigilance for biologics in the European Union (EU) and discusses relevant information on pharmacovigilance of biosimilars, the current EU pharmacovigilance system, and areas that could be improved.

Expert opinion: Although steps have been taken to improve pharmacovigilance of biologics in the EU, several enhancements can still be made, including additional training for healthcare professionals on ADR reporting, the use of 2D barcodes that enhance traceability, and an open discussion of potentially missed opportunities in the pharmacovigilance of biosimilars.     

“T” is for “transgender”: an analysis of children’s picture books featuring transgender protagonists and narrators

ABSTRACT

This project examined 55 picture books featuring transgender, gender expansive or genderqueer protagonists or narrators published between 2008 and 2018. The purpose of the study was to determine how this genre of children’s literature supports and challenges four gender assumptions: the gender binary, gender essentialism, sex/gender congruency and gender stability. Additionally, this critical analysis explored misgendering within this genre and themes of social rejection and acceptance. Protagonists and narrators were permitted a degree of gender nonconformity, however, the majority of picture books missed opportunities for a more complete exploration of gender possibilities.     

川陈皮素对糖尿病肾病大鼠AMPK和eNOS表达的影响研究

【摘要】目的 观察川陈皮素对糖尿病肾病大鼠的治疗作用，并从腺苷酸蛋白活化激酶（AMPK）和内皮型一氧化氮酶（eNOS）途径探讨其作用机理。方法 采用高脂高糖饲料喂养+链脲佐菌素（STZ）腹腔注射复制2型糖尿病肾脏损害大鼠模型，模型构建成功后，将其随机分为正常组、模型组、贝那普利干预组以及川陈皮素低、中和高剂量治疗组（n=20）。实验中密切监测大鼠一般情况，治疗期结束后收集尿液检测24h蛋白尿，收集血液检测肾功能指标、抗氧化指标，收集肾脏观察肾脏病理学，同时检测肾脏组织中AMPK及eNOS蛋白和mRNA的表达结果。结果 正常组肾小球正常，无明显病理特征；模型组出现肾小球增大，系膜和肾间质纤维组织增生；贝那普利组和川陈皮素三个剂量组相较于模型组明显减轻。与正常组相比，模型组24h尿蛋白定量、UREA、CREA和MDA明显升高(P＜005)；SOD和GSH明显降低(P＜005)，与模型组相比，贝那普利和川陈皮素三个剂量组24h尿蛋白定量、UREA、CREA和MDA明显降低(P＜005)，SOD和GSH明显升高(P＜005)。与正常组相比，模型组p AMPK、AMPK和eNOS蛋白和mRNA表达均明显降低(P＜005)；与模型组相比，贝那普利组和川陈皮素低、中和高剂量组AMPK和eNOS蛋白和mRNA表达明显升高(P＜005)。结论 川陈皮素可保护肾功能，提高血清和肾脏抗氧化指标，同时增加AMPK和eNOS蛋白和mRNA表达，最终保护糖尿病肾脏损害。     

Recall of emotional and neutral words and paragraphs in traumatic brain injury

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in verbal recall deficits and impaired processing of emotion encoded in facial appearance, prosody and the linguistic content of messages. Emotion facilitates memory (emotional memory advantage) for non-brain injured (NBI) individuals but the impact of emotion on verbal recall for linguistically encoded stimuli in TBI has not been explored.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of stimulus emotional content on verbal recall of words and paragraphs in TBI compared to NBI individuals.

Methods and procedures: Six 10-item lists, each with five emotional and five neutral words, and six paragraphs (three emotional, three neutral) were counterbalanced and presented in random order to 20 individuals with TBI and 44 NBI. The number of words from lists and the number of content units from paragraphs were compared for the two groups.

Outcomes and results: The NBI participants recalled more words from the lists and content units from the paragraphs than the individuals with TBI. Both groups recalled significantly more emotional than neutral words. NBI but not TBI participants had significantly greater recall for information in paragraphs with emotional content.

Conclusions: Participants with TBI showed impaired recall of words and paragraph content. Emotion facilitated word and paragraph content recall for neurotypical individuals but emotional memory advantage was limited to words for the TBI participants.     

The behaviour change techniques used by Australian physiotherapists to promote non-treatment physical activity to patients with musculoskeletal conditions

Objectives

To determine: (i) the behaviour change techniques used by a sample of Australian physiotherapists to promote non-treatment physical activity; and (ii) whether those behaviour change techniques are different to the techniques used to encourage adherence to rehabilitation exercises.

Effects of age,gender and menstrual cycle on platelet function assessed by impedance aggregometry

Platelets are needed to prevent or arrest bleeding and aggregate at the site of injury upon vascular damage. Platelets express receptors for estrogens which might affect the function of the platelets and their hemostatic ability. The aim was to identify possible differences in platelet function related to age, gender, and phases of the menstrual cycle by use of impedance aggregometry with Multiplate. In the first part of the study, platelet function was assessed in 60 healthy individuals (30 men and 30 women) in each of three age groups (20–25, 40–45, and 60–65 years). In the second part of the study, the platelet function was analyzed on four occasions during the menstrual cycle in women without oral contraceptives (OCs) (n = 17) and compared to 19 women on OCs and 18 men of similar age (20–40 years). For the women on OCs, aggregation was analyzed once during the tablet-free week and once late during the period with OCs. The men were sampled once. Women of younger age (<45 years) had significantly higher agonist-induced aggregation response than both men and post-menopausal women (60–65 years). The agonist-induced aggregation response did not differ between phases of the menstrual cycle or OC use. The results suggest that estradiol and/or progesterone affect spontaneous aggregation since it was found to be lowest in the mid-luteal phase. Spontaneous aggregation was significantly lower in women on OCs than in both men and women without OCs. Our findings indicate that fertile age is associated with higher aggregation response capacity of the platelets, possibly to prevent excessive bleeding during menstruation, but this response capacity is not altered during the menstrual cycle or by use of OCs.