Understanding the evidence for medical cannabis and cannabis-based medicines for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain.

The use of medical cannabis and cannabis-based medicines has received increasing interest in recent years; with a corresponding surge in the number of studies and reviews conducted in the field. Despite this growth in evidence, the findings and conclusions of these studies have been inconsistent. In this paper, we outline the current evidence for medical cannabis and cannabis-based medicines in the treatment and management of chronic non-cancer pain.

Isotope-shift spectroscopy of the → and → transitions in strontium.

Isotope-shift spectroscopy with narrow optical transitions provides a benchmark for atomic structure calculations and has also been proposed as a way to constrain theories predicting physics beyond the standard model. Here we measure frequency shifts of the → and → transitions between Sr,Sr, and Sr, relative to Sr. Using the isotope-shift measurements of the two transitions, a King plot analysis is performed, revealing a nonlinearity in the measured values.

What does the ecological and epidemiological evidence indicate about the potential for cannabinoids to reduce opioid use and harms? A comprehensive review.

Pre-clinical research supports that cannabinoids reduce opioid dose requirements, but few studies have tested this in humans. This review evaluates ecological and epidemiological studies that have been cited as evidence that medical cannabis use may reduce opioid use and opioid-related harms. Medline and Embase were searched for relevant articles.

Chemotherapy in older adult gynecologic oncology patients: Can a phenotypic frailty score predict tolerance?

Objective: Evaluate the ability of an office-administered phenotypic frailty assessment to predict chemotherapy tolerance in older adult gynecologic oncology patients, and describe practice patterns for chemotherapy administration in this population.

Methods: Prospective, single-institution cohort study of gynecologic oncology patients 65 or older initiating chemotherapy. Phenotypic frailty testing at an office visit encompassed components of two validated frailty assessments: Fried Score (physical testing and patient response) and FRAIL Scale (patient response only).

Politics, economics, how about our health? Impacts of large-scale land acquisitions on therapeutic spaces and wellbeing in coastal Tanzania.

One question that has remained unexplored in the global land rush debate is how large-scale land acquisitions affect health and wellbeing of local populations. As part of a larger study, this study advances our understanding in this area by applying the concept of therapeutic landscapes to analyze interviews conducted in two coastal communities in Tanzania where land investments have been prevalent. Our analysis found that local populations perceived traditional lands with sacred sites as therapeutic spaces, which embodied cultural values, and promoted health and wellbeing when protected.

Plexiform Schwannoma of the Tongue in a Pediatric Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 2: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Introduction: Plexiform schwannoma is a rare variant of schwannoma that accounts for only 5% of all schwannomas. Herein, we present a rare case of plexiform schwannoma of the tongue in a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2).

Case Presentation: A 13-year-old female presented with a growing left-sided tongue mass.

SMAC Mimetics Induce Autophagy-Dependent Apoptosis of HIV-1-Infected Resting Memory CD4+ T Cells.

Long-lived resting memory CD4+ T cells (T) are a major reservoir of latent HIV infection. We hypothesized that latent HIV-T cells are maintained by aberrant expression of cell survival factors, including XIAP, BIRC2/cIAP1, and beclin-1. DIABLO/SMAC mimetics are therapeutic agents that compromise cell survival by hijacking host apoptotic machinery.

Multiparameter optimisation of a magneto-optical trap using deep learning.

Machine learning based on artificial neural networks has emerged as an efficient means to develop empirical models of complex systems. Cold atomic ensembles have become commonplace in laboratories around the world, however, many-body interactions give rise to complex dynamics that preclude precise analytic optimisation of the cooling and trapping process. Here, we implement a deep artificial neural network to optimise the magneto-optic cooling and trapping of neutral atomic ensembles.

Thy-1 Deficiency Augments Bone Loss in Obesity by Affecting Bone Formation and Resorption.

Healthy bone remodeling results from a balanced bone formation and bone resorption realized by bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts, respectively. Recently, Thy-1 (CD90) was identified as positive regulator of osteoblast differentiation and activation, thus, promoting bone formation while concurrently inhibiting adipogenesis and obesity in mice. Additionally, Thy-1 did not affect bone resorption.

Caregiving Is a Marathon, Not a Road Race: Reenvisioning Caregiver Support Services in Gynecologic Oncology.

Objectives: As gynecologic cancer care shifts to the outpatient setting, caregivers are instrumental in helping patients navigate the demands of the disease and treatment. Through social media, we aimed to understand the needs of caregivers of patients with gynecologic cancers and support services necessary to meet these needs.

Methods: On January 10, 2018, a monthly Twitter discussion session was hosted by the GYNecologic Cancer Social Media community (handle @GYNCSM) using the hashtag #GYNCSM.

Glycaemic Index of Maternal Dietary Carbohydrate Differentially Alters and Expression in Offspring in C57BL/6 Mice.

Maternal diet and gestational hyperglycaemia have implications for offspring health. Leptin () and fat mass and obesity-associated () alleles are known to influence body fat mass in humans, potentially via effects on appetite. We hypothesized that expression of , , and other appetite-related genes () in the offspring of female mice are influenced by the glycaemic index (GI) of carbohydrates in the maternal diet.

Improved accuracy in the assessment of vertebral cortical thickness by quantitative computed tomography using the Iterative Convolution OptimizatioN (ICON) method.

Vertebral whole bone strength is substantially affected by cortical bone properties. Disease and therapy may affect cancellous and cortical bone differently. Unlike Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) permits selective assessment of cortical and cancellous bone, but image quality limits the accuracy.

Thy-1 (CD90) promotes bone formation and protects against obesity.

Osteoporosis and obesity result from disturbed osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation and present emerging challenges for our aging society. Because of the regulatory role of Thy-1 in mesenchyme-derived fibroblasts, we investigated the impact of Thy-1 expression on mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate between osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation and consequences for bone formation and adipose tissue development in vivo. MSCs from Thy-1-deficient mice have decreased osteoblast differentiation and increased adipogenic differentiation compared to MSCs from wild-type mice.

Effect of cannabis use in people with chronic non-cancer pain prescribed opioids: findings from a 4-year prospective cohort study.

Background: Interest in the use of cannabis and cannabinoids to treat chronic non-cancer pain is increasing, because of their potential to reduce opioid dose requirements. We aimed to investigate cannabis use in people living with chronic non-cancer pain who had been prescribed opioids, including their reasons for use and perceived effectiveness of cannabis; associations between amount of cannabis use and pain, mental health, and opioid use; the effect of cannabis use on pain severity and interference over time; and potential opioid-sparing effects of cannabis.

Methods: The Pain and Opioids IN Treatment study is a prospective, national, observational cohort of people with chronic non-cancer pain prescribed opioids.

Determining the Glycaemic Index of Standard and High-Sugar Rodent Diets in C57BL/6 Mice.

The glycaemic index (GI) is a useful tool to compare the glycaemic responses of foods. Numerous studies report the favorable effects of low GI diets on long term metabolic health compared with high GI diets. However, it has not been possible to link these effects to the GI itself because of other components such as macronutrients and dietary fibre, which are known to affect GI.

Risk Factors for Falls in Adult Cancer Survivors: An Integrative Review.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for falls among cancer survivors.

Design: Integrative literature review.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PEDro for studies investigating fall risk in cancer.