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Biology Mar 2021Since the early 1990s, in vitro studies have demonstrated that DNA topoisomerase I promotes RNA polymerase II transcription, acting as a cofactor, regardless of its... (Review)
Review
Since the early 1990s, in vitro studies have demonstrated that DNA topoisomerase I promotes RNA polymerase II transcription, acting as a cofactor, regardless of its catalytic activity. Recent studies, carried in vivo, using yeast as a model system, also demonstrate that DNA topoisomerase I is able to recruit, without the involvement of its catalytic activity, the Sir2p deacetylase on ribosomal genes thus contributes to achieve their silencing. In this review, the DNA topoisomerase I capability, acting as a scaffold protein, as well as its involvement and role in several macromolecular complexes, will be discussed, in light of several observations reported in the literature, pointing out how its role goes far beyond its well-known ability to relax DNA.
PubMed: 33802574
DOI: 10.3390/biology10030190 -
Endocrine Connections Aug 2022Testosterone therapy is the cornerstone in the care of men with hypogonadism and transgender males. Gel and intramuscular injections are most frequently used and are... (Review)
Review
Testosterone therapy is the cornerstone in the care of men with hypogonadism and transgender males. Gel and intramuscular injections are most frequently used and are registered and included in the international guidelines. The specific preparation should be selected according to the patient's preference, cost, availability, and formulation-specific properties. As the majority of men with hypogonadism and transgender males require lifelong treatment with testosterone, it is important to utilize a regimen that is effective, safe, inexpensive, and convenient to use with optimal mimicking of the physiological situation. This systematic review reviews current literature on differences between the three most used testosterone preparations in adult men with hypogonadism and transgender males. Although it appeared hardly any comparative studies have been carried out, there are indications of differences between the preparations, for example, on the stability of testosterone levels, hematocrit, bone mineral density, and patient satisfaction. However, there are no studies on the effects of testosterone replacement on endpoints such as cardiovascular disease in relation to hematocrit or osteoporotic fractures in relation to bone mineral density. The effect of testosterone therapy on health-related quality of life is strongly underexposed in the reviewed studies, while this is a highly relevant outcome measure from a patient perspective. In conclusion, current recommendations on testosterone treatment appear to be based on data primarily from non-randomized clinical studies and observational studies. The availability of reliable comparative data between the different preparations will assist in the process of individual decision-making to choose the most suitable formula.
PubMed: 35904217
DOI: 10.1530/EC-22-0112 -
American Family Physician Mar 2001Child victims of sexual abuse may present with physical findings that can include anogenital problems, enuresis or encopresis. Behavioral changes may involve sexual... (Review)
Review
Child victims of sexual abuse may present with physical findings that can include anogenital problems, enuresis or encopresis. Behavioral changes may involve sexual acting out, aggression, depression, eating disturbances and regression. Because the examination findings of most child victims of sexual abuse are within normal limits or are nonspecific, the child's statements are extremely important. The child's history as obtained by the physician may be admitted as evidence in court trials; therefore, complete documentation of questions and answers is critical. A careful history should be obtained and a thorough physical examination should be performed with documentation of all findings. When examining the child's genitalia, it is important that the physician be familiar with normal variants, non-specific changes and diagnostic signs of sexual abuse. Judicious use of laboratory tests, along with appropriate therapy, should be individually tailored. Forensic evidence collection is indicated in certain cases. Referral for psychologic services is important because victims of abuse are more likely to have depression, anxiety disorders, behavioral problems and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Topics: Child; Child Abuse, Sexual; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male; Mandatory Reporting; Medical History Taking; Physical Examination; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Sexually Transmitted Diseases
PubMed: 11261865
DOI: No ID Found -
CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics Mar 2021There is increasing evidence showing the importance of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in the management of schizophrenia, especially in terms of improving patient... (Review)
Review
AIMS
There is increasing evidence showing the importance of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in the management of schizophrenia, especially in terms of improving patient medication compliance. A panel of experienced clinicians in Hong Kong mapped out a set of consensus statements with an aim to facilitate the understanding and use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics among local physicians.
METHODS
Eight discussion areas regarding long-acting injectable antipsychotics were selected by the chairman of the consensus group. A series of meetings were held for the panelists to discuss the published literature and their clinical experience, followed by the drafting of consensus statements. At the final meeting, each consensus statement was voted on anonymously by all members based on its practicability of recommendation in Hong Kong.
RESULTS
A total of 12 consensus statements on the rational use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics were established and accepted by the consensus group.
CONCLUSION
The consensus statements aim to provide practical guidance for Hong Kong physicians on the use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in schizophrenia patients. These statements may also serve as a reference for doctors in other parts of the Asia-Pacific region.
Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Consensus; Hong Kong; Humans; Medication Adherence; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenic Psychology
PubMed: 33555614
DOI: 10.1111/cns.13374 -
Pharmacology 2014Bronchodilators are the cornerstone of the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In particular, the most commonly used drugs are inhaled long-acting... (Review)
Review
Bronchodilators are the cornerstone of the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In particular, the most commonly used drugs are inhaled long-acting agents, including long-acting β2-adrenergic agonists (LABAs) and long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonists (LAMAs). The combination of a LABA with a LAMA, i.e. of molecules characterized by different mechanisms of action, results in a synergistic enhancement of their clinical and functional effects. Therefore, this combined treatment can be implemented in a number of cases in which disease control is not adequately achieved by a single active agent such as a LABA or a LAMA. Several LABA/LAMA fixed-dose combinations, mainly made up of newly developed compounds, are currently in advanced phases of experimental evaluation. Within such a context, the aim of this review is to outline the pharmacological basis of dual bronchodilation as well as to discuss the results of the main trials carried out using the drug combination consisting of indacaterol and glycopyrronium, a LABA and a LAMA recently introduced in the treatment of COPD.
Topics: Acetylcholine; Bronchoconstriction; Bronchodilator Agents; Drug Combinations; Glycopyrrolate; Humans; Indans; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Quinolones
PubMed: 25471458
DOI: 10.1159/000368986 -
Polymers Sep 2023Several analytical methods for the fiber pull-out test have been developed to evaluate the bond strength of fiber-matrix systems. We aimed to investigate the debonding...
BACKGROUND
Several analytical methods for the fiber pull-out test have been developed to evaluate the bond strength of fiber-matrix systems. We aimed to investigate the debonding mechanism of a fiber-silicone pull-out specimen and validate the experimental data using 3D-FEM and a cohesive element approach.
METHODS
A 3D model of a fiber-silicone pull-out testing specimen was established by pre-processing CT images of the typical specimen. The materials on the scans were posted in three different cross-sectional views using ScanIP and imported to ScanFE in which 3D generation was implemented for all of the image slices. This file was exported in FEA format and was imported in the FEA software (PATRAN/ABAQUS, version r2) for generating solid mesh, boundary conditions, and material properties attribution, as well as load case creation and data processing.
RESULTS
The FEM cohesive zone pull-out force versus displacement curve showed an initial linear response. The Von Mises stress concentration was distributed along the fiber-silicone interface. The damage in the principal stresses' directions S11, S22, and S33, which represented the maximum possible magnitude of tensile and compressive stress at the fiber-silicone interface, showed that the stress is higher in the direction S33 (stress acting in the Z-direction) in which the lower damage criterion was higher as well when compared to S11 (stress acting in the XY plane) and S23 (stress acting in the YZ plane).
CONCLUSIONS
The comparison between the experimental values and the results from the finite element simulations show that the proposed cohesive zone model accurately reproduces the experimental results. These results are considered almost identical to the experimental observations about the interface. The cohesive element approach is a potential function that takes into account the shear effects with many advantages related to its ability to predict the initiation and progress of the fiber-silicone debonding during pull-out tests. A disadvantage of this approach is the computational effort required for the simulation and analysis process. A good understanding of the parameters related to the cohesive laws is responsible for a successful simulation.
PubMed: 37765521
DOI: 10.3390/polym15183668 -
Cureus Jun 2021Background Global variation in susceptibility to diabetes, insulin sensitivity, and regimen intensity poses a challenge for clinicians regarding the optimal choice of...
Background Global variation in susceptibility to diabetes, insulin sensitivity, and regimen intensity poses a challenge for clinicians regarding the optimal choice of insulin therapy. The current study was carried out to see the relative safety and efficacy of currently available long-acting insulins among the type 2 diabetic Asian population. Methods A systematic literature search was done using various search engines (PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Embase) and included published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English before December 2019. Further, a manual search was performed by screening the reference list of the identified articles. Results We included four RCTs with 534 participants (349 in the insulin degludec group and 185 in the insulin glargine group) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Results show that both insulin glargine and degludec are equally efficacious in reducing fasting blood glucose (mean difference is -4.45, confidence interval -13.32- 4.43, I=67%) and HbA1c (glycosylated hemoglobin) (mean difference is 0.12, confidence interval -0.12-0.35, I=0%). However, insulin glargine was associated with lower risks of hypoglycemia (risk ratio = 0.9684, confidence interval- 0.8003- 1.1717, I=30%). Conclusion Insulin glargine and degludec are comparable in achieving glycemic control with fewer hypoglycemic episodes in the insulin glargine-treated group.
PubMed: 34345540
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.16046 -
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2019According to a sociological study, the adolescents involved in the "suburban riots" of November 2005 were French nationals with a foreign background, including 55% of...
According to a sociological study, the adolescents involved in the "suburban riots" of November 2005 were French nationals with a foreign background, including 55% of North African descent. Numerous attempts to interpret the "riots" have been made, but none of them has discussed the impact of the "silenced" colonial history on their filiation. For this reason, the present research set out to overcome this shortfall. Using a complementarist, transcultural, qualitative research methodology, 15 interviews with French adolescents of Algerian descent were analysed. The analysis of these interviews highlighted the impact of the past violence in France's colonial history on family dynamics and intergenerational relationships, which seemed to play a crucial role in the unconscious component of transmission within these families. This discovery led us to a new understanding of the 2005 revolt, envisaging it as a symptom of a disorder situated on several levels: on the level of subjectivity, of trans-generational relationships, and also on the level of social cohesion within French society. The interviews showed how the young interviewees related their current anger to French colonial and post-colonial history. These observations led to a new understanding of the "riots" as a form of acting-out of anger linked to contemporary and past experiences of domination and exclusion.
PubMed: 31956314
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00909 -
The Angle Orthodontist Nov 2008To use published data to evaluate quantitatively the dental effects of noncompliance intramaxillary appliances in individuals with Class II malocclusion. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To use published data to evaluate quantitatively the dental effects of noncompliance intramaxillary appliances in individuals with Class II malocclusion.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A literature search was carried out identifing 13 prospective or retrospective clinical studies matching inclusion criteria. Only appliances with conventional anchorage designs were considered for the review. The data provided in these publications were grouped and analyzed in terms of molar distalization, tipping and vertical movements, and incisor and premolar mesialization, tipping, and vertical movements.
RESULTS
Maxillary first molars showed distal crown movement and tipping greater than the mesial crown movement and tipping shown by incisors and premolars. Vertical movements of incisors and premolars were in general extrusive, but molars were intrusive or extrusive, depending on the study and the type of appliance used. Appliances that acted palatally seemed to display a smaller distal tipping movement, as well as smaller incisor and premolar mesial tipping movements, when compared with those that acted buccally. Friction-free appliances, namely the pendulum, produced a large amount of mesiodistal movement and tipping, if no therapeutic uprighting activation was applied.
CONCLUSIONS
Noncompliance intramaxillary molar distalization appliances all act by distalizing molars with a concomitant and unavoidable loss of anchorage, as revealed by incisor and premolar mesial movement. Buccal acting and palatal acting appliances demonstrate almost similar results, with palatal acting appliances showing less tipping. Friction-free palatal acting appliances appear to produce better molar distalizing effects, but with a concomitant notable loss of anchorage.
Topics: Bicuspid; Humans; Incisor; Malocclusion, Angle Class II; Maxilla; Molar; Orthodontic Appliance Design; Orthodontic Appliances; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Tooth Movement Techniques
PubMed: 18947282
DOI: 10.2319/101507-406.1 -
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Jul 2012Aripiprazole (APZ) has a unique pharmacological profile, as a partial agonist at the dopamine D2 and serotonin 5HT1A receptors and an antagonist at the serotonin 5HT2A... (Review)
Review
Aripiprazole (APZ) has a unique pharmacological profile, as a partial agonist at the dopamine D2 and serotonin 5HT1A receptors and an antagonist at the serotonin 5HT2A receptor; this drug has few side effects (such as extrapyramidal syndrome, hyperprolactinemia, weight gain, metabolic disorders, and sedation) which are typical problems with other antipsychotic drugs. Due to its high tolerability, it is possible to safely administer it to children and adolescents. Efficacy and tolerability of APZ in children and adolescents have been well demonstrated in many clinical studies, which supported approvals granted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for schizophrenia, bipolar diseases, and irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and adolescents. APZ is expected to exert sedative, anti-depressive, and anti-anxiety effects, and stabilize emotion. APZ is an antipsychotic drug which could be useful for a wider spectrum of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. There is little risk of deterioration (such as disinhibition and acting out) and rapid stabilization is easy to achieve in children and adolescents without definitive diagnoses or with a combination of more than one spectrum of disorders. The effectiveness of APZ in children and adolescents is reviewed and discussed, given its pharmacological profile and the outcomes of various clinical studies. However, randomized or blind studies are still limited, and the majority of reports referenced here are open-label studies and case reports. Conclusions drawn from such studies must be evaluated with caution, and a further accumulation of controlled studies is thus needed.
Topics: Adolescent; Antipsychotic Agents; Aripiprazole; Autistic Disorder; Bipolar Disorder; Child; Humans; Piperazines; Quinolones; Schizophrenia
PubMed: 22447196
DOI: 10.1007/s00787-012-0270-0