The Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Including Comparisons to Sildenafil Treatment, Intracavernosal Injection, and Vacuum Devices

In contrast to the impressive advances in somatic research of erectile dysfunction (ED), scientific literature shows contradictory reports on the results of psychotherapy for the treatment of ED. Authors conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions for the treatment of ED compared to oral drugs, local injection, vacuum devices, or other psychological intervention. Distinct sources of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched: electronic databases (between 1966 and 2007), cross checking of references, and contact with scientific societies. For dichotomous outcomes the pooled relative risks were calculated and for continuous outcomes mean differences between interventions. Statistical heterogeneity was addressed. Eleven RCTs involving 398 men met the inclusion criteria. There is evidence that group therapy improves ED. Focused sex group therapy showed greater efficacy than control group. Men randomized to receive psychotherapy plus sildenafil showed significant improvement of ED and were less likely than those receiving only sildenafil to drop out. Regarding to the effectiveness of psychological interventions for the treatment of ED compared to local injection and vacuum devices no difference was found. Melnik T, Soares BGO, and Nasello AG. The effectiveness of psychological interventions for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: Systematic review and meta-analysis, including comparisons to sildenafil treatment, intracavernosal injection, and vacuum devices. J Sex Med 2008;5:2562-2574.

Quantification of terbinafine in pharmaceutical tablets using capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection and batch injection analysis with amperometric detection

Terbinafine hydrochloride (TerbHCl) is an allylamine derivative with fungicidal action, especially against dermatophytes. Different analytical methods have been reported for quantifying TerbHCl in different samples. These procedures require time-consuming sample preparation or expensive instrumentation. In this paper, electrochemical methods involving capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection, and amperometry associated with batch injection analysis, are described for the determination of TerbHCl in pharmaceutical products. In the capillary electrophoresis experiments, terbinafine was protonated and analyzed in the cationic form in less than 1 min. A linear range from 1.46 to 36.4 mu g mL(-1) in acetate buffer solution and a detection limit of 0.11 mu g mL(-1) were achieved. In the amperometric studies, terbinafine was oxidized at +0.85 V with high throughput (225 injection h(-1)) and good linear range (10-100 mu mol L-1). It was also possible to determine the antifungal agent using simultaneous conductometric and potentiometric titrations in the presence of 5% ethanol. The electrochemical methods were applied to the quantification of TerbHCl in different tablet samples; the results were comparable with values indicated by the manufacturer and those found using titrimetry according to the Pharmacopoeia. The electrochemical methods are simple, rapid and an appropriate alternative for quantifying this drug in real samples. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Muscle reorganisation through local injection of stem cells in the diaphragm of mdx mice

Background: The diaphragm is the major respiratory muscle affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and is responsible for causing 80% of deaths. The use of mechanical forces that act on the body or intermittent pressure on the airways improves the quality of life of patients but does not prevent the progression of respiratory failure. Thus, diseases that require tissue repair, such as DMD, represent a group of pathologies that have great potential for cell therapy. The application of stem cells directly into the diaphragm instead of systemic application can reduce cell migration to other affected areas and increase the chances of muscle reorganisation. The mdx mouse is a suitable animal model for this research because its diaphragmatic phenotype is similar to human DMD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the potential cell implantation in the diaphragm muscle after the xenotransplantation of stem cells. Methods: A total of 9 mice, including 3 control BALB/Cmice, 3 5-month-old mdx mice without stem cell injections and 3 mdx mice injected with stem cells, were used. The animals injected with stem cells underwent laparoscopy so that stem cells from GFP-labelled rabbit olfactory epithelium could be locally injected into the diaphragm muscle. After 8 days, all animals were euthanised, and the diaphragm muscle was dissected and subjected to histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Results: Both the fresh diaphragm tissue and immunohistochemical analyses showed immunopositive GFP labelling of some of the cells and immunonegativity of myoblast bundles. In the histological analysis, we observed a reduction in the inflammatory infiltrate as well as the presence of a few peripheral nuclei and myoblast bundles. Conclusion: We were able to implant stem cells into the diaphragm via local injection, which promoted moderate muscle reorganisation. The presence of myoblast bundles cannot be attributed to stem cell incorporation because there was no immunopositive labelling in this structure. It is believed that the formation of the bundles may have been stimulated by cellular signalling mechanisms that have not yet been elucidated.

Fast Determination of Ciclopirox in Pharmaceutical Products by Amperometry in Flow and Batch Injection Systems

Amperometry coupled to flow injection analysis (FIA) and to batch injection analysis (BIA) was used for the rapid and precise quantification of ciclopirox olamine in pharmaceutical products. The favourable hydrodynamic conditions provided by both techniques allowed a very high throughput (more than 300 injections per hour) with good linear range (2.0200 mu mol L-1) and low limits of detection (below 1.0 mu mol?L-1). The results obtained were compared with titration recommended by the American Pharmacopoeia and also using capillary electrophoresis. Good agreement between all results were achieved, demonstrating the good performance of amperometry combined with FIA and BIA.

Phosphorus utilization by corn as affected by green manure, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers

The objective of this work was to evaluate the utilization by corn plants of P from triple superphosphate fertilizer labeled with P-32 (P-32-TSP), and of P from soil as affected by N rates and by the green manures (GM) sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) and millet (Pennisetum glaucum). The experiment was carried out using pots filled with 5 kg Oxisol (Rhodic Hapludox). A completely randomized design was used, in a 4x4x2 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments were: four P rates as TSP (0, 0.175, 0.350, and 0.700 g P per pot); four N rates as urea (0, 0.75, 1.50, and 2.25 g N per pot); and sunn hemp or millet as green manure. The additions of N and P by the GM were taken into account. After grain physiologic maturation, corn dry matter, P contents, accumulated P, and P recovery in the different treatments were measured. P-32-TSP recovery by corn increased with N increasing rates, and decreased with increasing rates of P-32-TSP. The mineral fertilizer provides most of the accumulated P by corn plants. The recovery of P-32-TSP by corn was 13.12% in average. The green manure species influence the assimilation of P-32-TSP by the plants.

Intrahippocampal injection of brain-derived neurotrophic factor increases anxiety-related, but not panic-related defensive responses: involvement of serotonin

Changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)mediated signaling in the hippocampus have been implicated in the etiology of depression and in the mode of action of antidepressant drugs. There is also evidence from animal studies to suggest that BDNF-induced changes in the hippocampus may play a role in another stress-related pathology: anxiety. However, it is still unknown whether this neurotrophin plays a differential role in defensive responses associated with distinguished subtypes of anxiety disorders found in the clinic, such as generalized anxiety and panic disorder. In the present study, we investigated the effect of an acute BDNF injection into the rat dorsal hippocampus (DH) on inhibitory avoidance acquisition and escape expression measured in the elevated T-maze (ETM). We also assessed whether serotonergic neurotransmission may account for such effects. Intra-DH BDNF injection (200 pg) facilitated inhibitory avoidance in ETM. BDNF was equally anxiogenic in the light/dark transition test. Preadministration of the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635 fully counteracted the anxiogenic effect of BDNF in both tests. Intra-DH midazolam administration (10 nmol) impaired avoidance acquisition in ETM, suggesting an anxiolytic effect. Therefore, in the DH, facilitation of BDNF signaling seems to enhance 5-HT1A receptor-mediated neurotransmission to exert an anxiogenic effect associated with generalized anxiety. Behavioural Pharmacology 23:80-88 (C) 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of captopril in pharmaceutical formulations using a new solid-phase reactor containing AgSCN immobilized in a polyurethane resin

A simple flow-injection analysis procedure was developed for determining captopril in pharmaceutical formulations employing a novel solid-phase reactor containing silver thiocyanate immobilized in a castor oil derivative polyurethane resin. The method was based on silver mercaptide formation between the captopril and Ag(I) in the solid-phase reactor. During such a reaction, the SCN- anion was released and reacted with Fe3+, which generated the FeSCN2+ complex that was continuously monitored at 480 nm. The analytical curve was linear in the captopril concentration range from 3.0 x 10(-4) mol L-1 to 1.1 x 10(-3) mol L-1 with a detection limit of 8.0 x 10(-5) mol L-1. Recoveries between 97.5% and 103% and a relative standard deviation of 2% for a solution containing 6.0 x 10(-4) mol L-1 captopril (n = 12) were obtained. The sample throughput was 40 h(-1) and the results obtained for captopril in pharmaceutical formulations using this procedure and those obtained using a pharmacopoeia procedure were in agreement at a 95% confidence level.

Flow injection analysis of free glycerol in biodiesel using a copper electrode as an amperometric detector

The main goal of this work was to develop a simple analytical method for quantification of glycerol based on the electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol on the copper surface adapted in a flow injection system. Under optimal experimental conditions, the peak current response increases linearly with glycerol concentration over the range 60-3200 mg kg(-1) (equivalent to 3-160 mg L(-1) in solution). The repeatability of the electrode response in the flow injection analysis (FIA) configuration was evaluated as 5% (n = 10), and the detection limit of the method was estimated to be 5 mg kg(-1) in biodiesel (equivalent to 250 mu g L(-1) in solution) (S/N = 3). The sample throughput under optimised conditions was estimated to be 90 h(-1). Different types of biodiesel samples (B100), as in the types of vegetable oils or animal fats used to produce the fuels, were analysed (seven samples). The only sample pre-treatment used was an extraction of glycerol from the biodiesel sample containing a ratio of 5 mL of water to 250 mg of biodiesel. The proposed method improves the analytical parameters obtained by other electroanalytical methods for quantification of glycerol in biodiesel samples, and its accuracy was evaluated using a spike-and-recovery assay, where all the biodiesel samples used obtained admissible values according to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Crown Copyright (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TRANSVERSAL DISTRIBUTION COMPARISON OF SOLID FERTILIZERS APPLIED OVER ANNUAL CROPS

Centrifugal spreaders dominate the application of solid materials in agriculture offering expressive operational field capacity and extended range of applied rates. Field tests for characterization of theirperformance are conducted without any physical obstacles (such as the presence of plants) during the parabolic trajectory of the falling particles of fertilizer to the soil. The purpose of this study was to comparatively evaluate the transverse distribution of solid fertilizers applied on cropped corn, soybeans and cotton. Evaluations of the spreaders were designed according to ASAE S341.3/99 Standard. Tests consisted in aligning side by side collectors in-between the cropped rows and weighting the material deposited. The results showed that transverse distribution of solid fertilizers applied over the cotton and corn crops is affected by the crop height, interfering directly on the effective width of the spreader application, which was not observedin the soybean crop, once the fertilizer application is done when the crop was still below the collector's height. The results suggest that evaluation of effective width of the spreaders application need to be done under real crop environment.

Vitreous pharmacokinetics and electroretinographic findings after intravitreal injection of acyclovir in rabbits

OBJECTIVES: Acute retinal necrosis is a rapidly progressive and devastating viral retinitis caused by the herpesvirus family. Systemic acyclovir is the treatment of choice; however, the progression of retinal lesions ceases approximately 2 days after treatment initiation. An intravitreal injection of acyclovir may be used an adjuvant therapy during the first 2 days of treatment when systemically administered acyclovir has not reached therapeutic levels in the retina. The aims of this study were to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of acyclovir in the rabbit vitreous after intravitreal injection and the functional effects of acyclovir in the rabbit retina. METHODS: Acyclovir (Acyclovir; Bedford Laboratories, Bedford, OH, USA) 1 mg in 0.1 mL was injected into the right eye vitreous of 32 New Zealand white rabbits, and 0.1 mL sterile saline solution was injected into the left eye as a control. The animals were sacrificed after 2, 9, 14, or 28 days. The eyes were enucleated, and the vitreous was removed. The half-life of acyclovir was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Electroretinograms were recorded on days 2, 9, 14, and 28 in the eight animals that were sacrificed 28 days after injection according to a modified protocol of the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision. RESULTS: Acyclovir rapidly decayed in the vitreous within the first two days after treatment and remained at low levels from day 9 onward. The eyes that were injected with acyclovir did not present any electroretinographic changes compared with the control eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The vitreous half-life of acyclovir is short, and the electrophysiological findings suggest that the intravitreal delivery of 1 mg acyclovir is safe and well tolerated by the rabbit retina.

Paper-Based Analytical Device for Electrochemical Flow-Injection Analysis of Glucose in Urine

This article describes a new design for a paper-based electrochemical system for flow injection analysis. Capillary wicking facilitates a gravity-driven flow of buffer solution continuously through paper and nitrocellulose, from a buffer reservoir at one end of the device to a sink at the other. A difference in height between the reservoir and the sink leads to a continuous and constant flow. The nitrocellulose lies horizontally on a working electrode, which consists of a thin platinum layer deposited on a solid support. The counter and reference electrodes are strategically positioned upstream in the buffer reservoir. A simple pipetting device was developed for reliable application of (sub)microliter volumes of sample without the need of commercial micropipets; this device did not damage the nitrocellulose membrane. Demonstration of the system for the determination of the concentration of glucose in urine resulted in a noninvasive, quantitative assay that could be used for diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes. This method does not require disposable test strips, with enzyme and electrodes, that are thrown away after each measurement Because of its low cost, this system could be used in medical environments that are resource-limited.

A crucial role for IL-6 in the CNS of rats during fever induced by the injection of live E. coli

Interleukin (IL)-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and IL-6 have been established as important mediators of fever induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria. Whether these pro-inflammatory cytokines are also important in mediating fever induced by live bacteria remains less certain. We therefore investigated the following: (1) the synthesis of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 during E. coli-induced fever and (2) the effect of blocking the action of cytokines within the brain on E. coli-induced fever. Body or tail skin temperature (bT or Tsk, respectively) was measured by biotelemetry or telethermometry, every 30 min, during 6 or 24 h. Depending on the number of colony-forming units (CFU) injected i.p., administration of E. coli induced a long-lasting increase in bT of male Wistar rats. The duration of fever did not correlate with the number of CFU found in peritoneal cavity or blood. Because 2.5 x 10(8) CFU induced a sustained fever without inducing a state of sepsis/severe infection, this dose was used in subsequent experiments. The E. coli-induced increase in bT was preceded by a decrease in Tsk, reflecting a thermoregulatory response. TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 were detected at 3 h in serum of animals injected i.p. with E. coli. In the peritoneal exudates, TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 were detected at 0.5 and 3 h after E. coli administration. Moreover, both IL-1 beta and IL-6, but not TNF-alpha, were found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and hypothalamus of animals injected with E. coli. Although pre-treatment (i.c.v., 2 mu l, 15 min before) with anti-IL-6 antibody (anti-IL-6, 5 mu g) reduced E. coli-induced fever, pre-treatment with either IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra, 200 mu g) or soluble TNF receptor I (sTNFRI, 500 ng) had no effect on the fever response. In conclusion, replicating E. coli promotes an integrated thermoregulatory response in which the central action of IL-6, but not IL-1 and TNF, appears to be important.

Single intravitreal bevacizumab injection effects on contrast sensitivity in macular edema from branch retinal vein occlusion

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection on visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and optical coherence tomography-measured central macular thickness in eyes with macular edema from branch retinal vein occlusion. Methods: Seventeen eyes of 17 patients with macular edema from unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion were treated with a single bevacizumab injection. Patients were submitted to a complete evaluation including best corrected visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and optical coherence tomography measurements before treatment and one and three months after injection. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and optical coherence tomography measurements were compared to baseline values. Results: Mean visual acuity measurement improved from 0.77 logMAR at baseline to 0.613 logMAR one month after injection (P=0.0001) but worsened to 0.75 logMAR after three months. Contrast sensitivity test demonstrated significant improvement at spatial frequencies of 3, 6, 12 and 18 cycles/degree one month after injection and at the spatial frequency of 12 cycles/degree three months after treatment. Mean +/- standard deviation baseline central macular thickness (552 +/- 150 mu m) reduced significantly one month (322 +/- 127 mu m, P=0.0001) and three months (439 perpendicular to 179 mu m, P=0.01) after treatment. Conclusions: Bevacizumab injection improves visual acuity and contrast sensitivity and reduces central macular thickness one month after treatment. Visual acuity returns to baseline levels at the 3-month follow-up, but some beneficial effect of the treatment is still present at that time, as evidenced by optical coherence tomography-measured central macular thickness and contrast sensitivity measurements.

Soil sulfur fractions dynamics and distribution in a tropical grass pasture amended with nitrogen and sulfur fertilizers

Soil sulfur (S) partitioning among the various pools and changes in tropical pasture ecosystems remain poorly understood. Our study aimed to investigate the dynamics and distribution of soil S fractions in an 8-year-old signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf.) pasture fertilized with nitrogen (N) and S. A factorial combination of two N rates (0 and 600?kg N ha1 y1, as NH4NO3) and two S rates (0 and 60?kg S ha1 y1, as gypsum) were applied to signal grass pastures during 2 y. Cattle grazing was controlled during the experimental period. Organic S was the major S pool found in the tropical pasture soil, and represented 97% to 99% of total S content. Among the organic S fractions, residual S was the most abundant (42% to 67% of total S), followed by ester-bonded S (19% to 42%), and C-bonded S (11% to 19%). Plant-available inorganic SO4-S concentrations were very low, even for the treatments receiving S fertilizers. Low inorganic SO4-S stocks suggest that S losses may play a major role in S dynamics of sandy tropical soils. Nitrogen and S additions affected forage yield, S plant uptake, and organic S fractions in the soil. Among the various soil fractions, residual S showed the greatest changes in response to N and S fertilization. Soil organic S increased in plots fertilized with S following the residual S fraction increment (16.6% to 34.8%). Soils cultivated without N and S fertilization showed a decrease in all soil organic S fractions.

INTRAVITREAL INJECTION OF RANIBIZUMAB DURING CATARACT SURGERY IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA

Purpose: To investigate macular thickness and visual acuity changes after 1 intravitreal injection of 0.5-mg ranibizumab during phacoemulsification cataract surgery in eyes with diabetic macular edema refractory to laser treatment. Methods: Eleven eyes of 11 patients with diabetic macular edema refractory to modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study laser therapy received intravitreal during phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation was performed preoperatively and at 1, 4, 8 +/- 1, and 12 +/- 2 weeks postoperatively. Main outcome measures included central subfield thickness and best-corrected Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity. Results: Eleven patients completed the 12-week study visit. Mean central subfield thickness (+/- SEM) was 399.82 +/- 29.50 mu m at baseline and did not change significantly at any postoperative study visit (P > 0.05). Mean (+/- SEM) best-corrected Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity was 0.95 +/- 0.13 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/200) at baseline and was significantly improved at Weeks 1 (0.38 +/- 0.13), 4 (0.38 +/- 0.11), 8 (0.35 +/- 0.08), and 12 (0.46 +/- 0.12) after treatment (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In this case series of patients with diabetic macular edema refractory to laser therapy, intravitreal ranibizumab administered during cataract surgery was associated with no significant change in central subfield thickness postoperatively. Significant improvement in best-corrected Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity was observed after treatment, likely because of cataract removal. RETINA 32:1799-1803, 2012