Results From a Large,Multicenter, Retrospective Analysis On Radium223 Use in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) in the Triveneto Italian Region

Background

Radium 223 was introduced for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer based on the results of a randomized controlled trial showing risk reduction for death and skeletal events. Our aim was to evaluate the outcome of patients receiving radium 223 in a real-world setting.

Effects of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on Rhizobium sp. in pure culture

The effects of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on the growth rate, chemical composition, ¹⁴C-2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ uptake by Rhizobium sp. M 4 able to nodulate Arachis hypogaea were determined. Cellular growth was diminished by the presence of 10^?3 M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the medium. Alterations in cellular chemical composition, in ¹⁴C-2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and in ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ uptake were found.     

A model for sustainable short-term international medical trips.

The health status of many people in developing countries is often dismal compared with the norms in industrialized countries. Increasingly, medical practitioners in the United States and other industrialized countries have become interested in global health issues, an interest that often takes the form of short-term international medical trips. We discuss several ethical issues associated with participation in such trips and use our experiences in developing the Children's Health International Medical Project of Seattle (CHIMPS) to outline and illustrate a set of 7 guiding principles for making these trips. CHIMPS is a resident-run, faculty-supported international medical program founded in 2002 by pediatric residents at the University of Washington in Seattle. Members of CHIMPS work with a rural community in El Salvador to support ongoing public health interventions there and provide sustainable medical care in collaboration with the community and a local nongovernmental organization. The 7 principles developed as a result of this work-mission, collaboration, education, service, teamwork, sustainability, and evaluation-can be used as a model for health practitioners as they develop or select international medical trips. The importance of partnering with the community and working within the existing medical and public health infrastructure is emphasized. Many of the challenges of doing international medical work can be overcome when efforts are guided by a few specific principles, such as those we have outlined.     

Assessment of risk behaviors for HIV infection among psychiatric inpatients.

A 13-item questionnaire was constructed to assess risk factors for HIV infection among 476 patients newly admitted over a one-year period to a state psychiatric hospital in New York City. Because psychopathology can affect patients' self-reports, the validity of the instrument was established by HIV antibody tests in a subset of 352 patients. Results of the questionnaire indicated that the 352 patients were almost equally divided between the high-risk and low-risk categories. HIV seroprevalence was .6 percent among the low-risk patients, but 14.4 percent among the high-risk patients. The findings suggest that a screening program to detect HIV-positive patients should be undertaken in this population, that it should be focused on the high-risk subgroup, and that the questionnaire can be used to define that subgroup. However, results of the study may not generalize to other geographic areas.     

Impaired postural control in patients affected by tension-type headache

Sixteen subjects, affected by chronic tension-type headache (TTH) accordingly to the International Headache Society Classification (1988) criteria, in presence of tenderness in pericranial muscles,with a mean age of 37+/-11.8 years, and ten healthy volunteer subjects, age and sex matched, were submitted to postural analysis by Static Posturography (S.Ve.P. Amplaid). Aim of the study was to evaluate whether patients with TTH have disturbed postural control, as compared to normal subjects. Postural analysis considered all posturographic variables but focused on spectral frequency analysis of body sway. In both open (OE) and closed eyes (CE) condition, spectral frequency analysis showed a significantly increased body sway at low (OE= p < or = 0.01; CE= p < or = 0.01) and middle (OE= p < or = 0.01; CE= p < or = 0.01) frequencies on the antero-posterior (y) plane and at low frequencies (OE= p < or = 0.05; CE= p < or = 0.05) on the lateral (x) plane. Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test for unpaired data, p value 0.05 defined significant. The proprioceptive input seems to be predominant at middle and high frequencies in maintaining posture, our results seem then to suggest a proprioceptive disturbance in TTH patients. The disturbance is likely related to chronic pericranial muscle contraction and tenderness. Posturography and spectral analysis may help not only in the diagnosis of a postural disturbance but even more in the follow-up of TTH patients, during and after a medical and/or a rehabilitative treatment.     

Ultrastructure of endocrine cells from the abdominal midgut epithelium of Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to study two types of endocrine cells front the midgut of adult female Luttzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva). Endocrine cells rarely have been observed in Nematocera, even using TEM, and were present in small numbers dispersed among the monolayer of midgut digestive epithelial cells. Triangular shaped "closed" cells were observed along the basement membrane, bounded on each side by digestive cells; these cells closed distally before reaching the epithelial lumen. These endocrine cells appeared to deliver active granules that were secreted through a cellular membrane into the hemolymph. A second cell type occupied a similar position to the closed cells, but opened into the midgut lumen via microvilli, where the secretory products may be delivered. Each cell type possessed both electron-lucent and electron-dense vesicles with secretory granules which may indicate different stages in maturation and activity. These granular secretory products are probably peptidergic substances, with secretion mediated by diet via basal and baso-lateral receptors that were bound to membranes or microvilli.     

Photobiomodulation therapy on expression of HSP70 protein and tissue repair in experimental acute Achilles tendinitis

Lasers in Medical Science - The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy on the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and tissue repair in...     

Intoxication by non-protein nitrogen compounds in rat feed

Last year our white rats (Wistar origin) showed acute behavioral and physiological changes followed by death in 70% of the animals. We detected that the malfunctions could be attributed to the new batch of laboratory rat pellets provided two weeks before. High levels of urea (260 mg/kg) and ammonia (540 mg/kg) were found in the feed while usual values in other similar feed were 48 mg/kg and 82 mg/kg respectively. Suspecting an ammonia intoxication, concentrations of ammonia and urea were determined in blood, brain and liver. Brain neurotransmitters and blood tryptophan and serotonine (5-HT) were also determined. Blood ammonia in rats fed the contaminated feed was about 100% higher than those fed the normal feed while liver and brain ammonia were three and four fold high respectively. Liver and brain urea were four to five fold and about 100% higher in the exposed group than in the group fed the control diet respectively. Blood 5-HT increased 62.33% in females and 99% in males whereas brain 5-HT increased 83.13% in females and 70.47% in males. But, we detected a 59.8% decrease in brain dopamine levels in females and a 38.65% decrease in males. Liver histology showed small droplets of fat stores mainly in centrolobular hepatocyte. No differences in blood or liver cholesterol concentrations were observed whereas liver triacylglycerides were significantly higher in intoxicated females. This study illustrates a problem of food borne intoxication that justifies the need for exhaustive analyses of even not usual compounds in every feed batch; moreover, it is demonstrated that rat behavior appears to be the earliest biomarker of ammonia exposure.     

Antimycotic activity in vitro and in vivo of a new hydrosoluble polyene antibiotic.

The in vitro and in vivo activity of a new water soluble polyene antibiotic, anmed SPA-S-222, has been studied on numerous Candida and Cryptococcus species. The in vitro tests were carried out in comparison with nystatin and amphotericin B whose antimycotic properties are already well known. The inhibition of "germination" of various strains of Candida albicans was also investigated. The results show that SPA-S-222 has greater antimycotic activity than nystatin or amphotericin B. Tests on the protection afforded by SPA-S-222 in Swiss albino mice infected with C, albicans were satisfactory as regards both the total protective dose and the partial protective dose (P.D. 50%).