Int J Med Sci
-
Pirfenidone (PFD) is a non-peptide synthetic molecule issued as a broad-spectrum anti-fibrotic drug with the ability to decrease TGF-β1, TNF-α, PDGF and COL1A1 expression, which is highly related to prevent or remove excessive deposition of scar tissue in several organs. Basic and clinical evidence suggests that PFD may safely slow or inhibit the progressive fibrosis swelling after tissue injuries. ⋯ This review contains current research in which PFD has been used as the treatment of several diseases, and focus mainly in the outcomes related to improve inflammation and fibrogenesis. Therefore, the main goal of this review is to focus on the novel findings of PFD efficacy rather than deepen in the chemical aspects of the molecule.
-
The literature indicates that red wine presents in its composition several substances that are beneficial to health. This study has investigated the antioxidant effects of Tannat red wine on oxidative stress induced by glucose and fructose in erythrocytes in vitro, with the purpose to determine some of its majoritarian phenolic compounds and its antioxidant capacity. Erythrocytes were incubated using different concentrations of glucose and fructose in the presence or absence of wine. ⋯ Erythrocytes incubated with glucose and fructose had an increase in lipid peroxidation and this was prevented by the addition of wine. The wine increased glucose uptake into erythrocytes and was able to decrease the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes incubated with fructose. Altogether, these results suggest that wine leads to a reduction of the oxidative stress induced by high concentrations of glucose and fructose.
-
Observational Study
No Resistance to Penicillin, Cefuroxime, Cefotaxime, or Vancomycin in Pneumococcal Pneumonia.
Group B Streptococcus is a primary source of pneumonia, which is a leading cause of death worldwide. During the last few decades, there has been news of growing antibiotic resistance in group B streptococci to penicillin and different antibiotic agents. This clinical study retrospectively analyzes antimicrobial resistance in inpatients who were diagnosed with group B streptococcal pneumonia. ⋯ No resistance to penicillin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, or vancomycin was detected among inpatients with pneumonia caused by group B streptococci.
-
Although there is nowadays wide agreement on bacteria being the main etiologic agents of periodontal disease, their sole presence cannot damage periodontal tissues in all subjects. This suggests that an individual response and an adaptation to a certain quantity of bacterial biofilm can occur without the disease progressing and vice versa. Depression, stress and anxiety have not been confirmed yet as risk conditions but, in some observational studies, they have been identified as potential risk factors of periodontal disease. The current study aims at investigating the role which these psychological disorder have in the onset and progression of advanced stage periodontitis. ⋯ For each of the psychological variables considered (depression, anxiety, stress), a significant correlation could be observed with periodontal disease, it can be therefore be suggested that the importance these disturbs have in the onset and progress of the dental disease which supports the existing available data in literature. The innovative aspect of this research was the focus on the assessment of compliance, monitoring the ability of periodontal patients to follow oral hygiene instructions aiming at the improving and keeping their own periodontal condition, even though this takes more time than the control group.
-
Antiseptic agents can cause skin irritation and lead to severe problems, especially for individuals with atopic diatheses. We investigated the effect of 4 different antiseptic agents using an atopic dermatitis (AD) model mouse. NC/Nga mice were subcutaneously injected with mite allergen (Dp) to induce AD-like skin lesions (ADSLs), and an application of 0.2% (w/v) benzalkonium chloride (BZK), 10% (w/v) povidone-iodine (PVP-I), 80% (v/v) ethanol (Et-OH), or 0.5% (v/v) chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) was applied to the ear envelope. ⋯ No differences in any parameters were observed between CHG and the vehicle. Collectively, the results suggest the severity of the ADSL was related in part to the strength of the immunoreaction. These findings suggest that CHG could offer the lowest risk of inducing ADSL in individuals with atopic dermatitis and that medical staff and food handlers with AD could benefit from its use.