V-ToCs (Venom Toxin Clustering): A tool for the investigation of sequence and structure similarities in snake venom toxins.

Recently, there has been a major push toward the development of next-generation treatments against snakebite envenoming. However, unlike current antivenoms that rely on animal-derived polyclonal antibodies, most of these novel approaches are reliant on an in-depth understanding of the over 2000 known snake venom toxins. Indeed, by identifying similarities (i.

A Prospective, Multicenter, Open-label Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of a Cream Containing Xyloglucan, Pea Protein, and Extract Versus Calcipotriol/Betamethasone in Adult Patients with Mild-to-moderate Psoriasis.

Objective: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease, requiring local and systemic drugs according to disease severity. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of a topical treatment containing xyloglucan, pea proteins and extracts (XPO) compared to calcipotriol 50mcg/betamethasone 0.5mg ointment (CB).

Unemployment Status Subsequent to Cancer Diagnosis and Therapies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The purpose of our study is to examine whether cancer and treatments are associated with job loss or changes in employment status. Eight prospective studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis, with a population aged 18-65 years, analyzing treatment regimen and psychophysical and social status in post-cancer follow-up of at least 2 years. In the meta-analysis, a comparison was made between recovered unemployed cases and cases from a standard reference population.

Influence of Woven-Fabric Type on the Efficiency of Fabric-Reinforced Polymer Composites.

The greatest advantage of fiber-reinforced composite materials is the freedom to tailor their strength and stiffness properties, while the most significant disadvantage consists in their high costs. Therefore, the design process and especially the optimization phase becomes an important step. The geometry of the fabric of each lamina as well as their stacking sequence need to be carefully defined, starting from some basic geometric variables.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study of CO electro-oxidation on Pt(111) in alkaline media.

In this work we investigate the electro-oxidation of CO on Pt(111) in alkaline solution by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS), to determine the adsorption sites of the CO, the intermediate species and the final oxidation product as a function of the applied potential. Multiple CO vibration bands (on-top, bridge and 3-fold hollow site) are observed on the Pt(111) electrode, their distribution and potential dependence being strongly dependent on the surface treatment. Spectroscopic results show that the final reaction product is carbonate and suggest that adsorbed carbonate blocks the access of CO from the (111) terrace to the active sites (i.

Mechanism of electrocatalytic reduction of nitric oxide on Pt(100).

The mechanism of electrocatalytic reduction of nitric oxide on Pt(100)-(1 x 1) in acidic media has been studied using voltammetry, in-situ infrared spectroscopy, and on-line mass spectroscopy, considering the effect of surface defects, NO coverage, and the nature of the supporting electrolyte (sulfate vs perchlorate). Related mechanistic aspects of hydroxylamine (HAM) transformations on the same surface have been also examined. The adsorption of nitric oxide on Pt(100) results in the formation of an adlayer with a structure similar to that formed under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of ammonia on Pt(111) and Pt(100) surfaces.

The electrocatalytic oxidation of ammonia on Pt(111) and Pt(100) has been studied using voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and in situ infrared spectroscopy. The oxidative adsorption of ammonia results in the formation of NH(x) (x = 0-2) adsorbates. On Pt(111), ammonia oxidation occurs in the double-layer region and results in the formation of NH and, possibly, N adsorbates.

Reduction of NO adlayers on Pt(110) and Pt(111) in acidic media: evidence for adsorption site-specific reduction.

We present a combined in situ Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy and voltammetric study of the reduction of saturated and subsaturated NO adlayers on Pt(111) and Pt(110) single-crystal surfaces in acidic media. The stripping voltammetry experiments and the associated evolution of infrared spectra indicate that different features (peaks) observed in the voltammetric profile for the electrochemical reduction of NO adlayers on the surfaces considered are related to the reduction of NO(ads) at different adsorption sites and not to different (consecutive) processes. More specifically, reduction of high- and intermediate-coverage (ca.

Time-related variations of some biochemical parameters in patients with short- or long-lasting post-traumatic coma.

The variation in time of some blood biochemical parameters was investigated in 100 patients with acute head injury and coma of variable duration, in parallel with the clinical course. The purpose of this study was to establish possible correlations between the severity of the trauma (assessed according to the coma classification proposed by C. Arseni) and the variation of the parameters studied.

Acupuncture treatment of discopathic pain.

The authors present the effects of acupuncture in 50 patients showing discopathic pain. It is concluded that acupuncture treatment favours the reduction of drug consumption, and, implicitly, of iatrogenic pathology.

[A comparative study of plasma converting enzyme and renin in sarcoidosis].

The paper reports on a comparative study of the conversion enzyme and plasmatic renin performed on a group of 55 patients, with clinical diagnosis of sarcoidosis and other lung diseases. Whereas the conversion enzyme showed important increases in active sarcoidosis and a tendency to the normal state after treatment with corticoids, the activity of the plasmatic renin remained the same, both before and after corticotherapy. The result obtained prove the practical usefulness of the dosage test of the conversion enzyme, in agreement with the literature data.

[The cardioprotective action of captopril during atrial electrostimulation].

The presence of R-A-A system components in all organs (heart included) has suggested a possible cardio-protective effect of the angiotensin conversion enzyme inhibitors as a result of coronary flow improvement. This effect would act irrespective of the well-known peripheral vascular effects: vasodilation, blood pressure decrease, pre- and postload reduction. By using the atrial pacing in the quantitative assessment of the anginal threshold and of the associated ECG alterations before and after the i.

[The involvement of adenosine and adenosine deaminase in experimental myocardial infarct].

By the ligature of the left coronary artery in the rat anesthetized with nembutal (10 mg/100 i.p.) a significant increase of the 5'-nucleotidase activity (Wooton method) was noticed 10 minutes after the left ventricle infarction (from an average value of 1038.

[Variations in plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme and renin in sarcoidosis].

A comparative study of plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme and renin activity was carried out in 55 patients with sarcoidosis and other pulmonary diseases. The converting enzyme activity was significantly increased in active sarcoidosis, showing a tendency to return to normal values after corticoid treatment, while plasma renin activity remained unaltered both before and after corticotherapy. The obtained results confirm the usefulness of the converting enzyme measurements, as already shown by others.

The ontogenetic evolution of cerebral renin and cathepsin D in the rat.

Renin and Cathepsin D activities were measured in different cerebral structures in foetuses, during the first month of life and in the adult rats. There are differences in the renin activity and cathepsin D activity both in the cerebral structures and during the ontogenetic development. While the cathepsin D was much increased in newly born animals as compared to foetuses and remained fairly constant during the rest of life, the cerebral renin activity was constantly decreasing toward adulthood.

Evidence for the involvement of cerebral renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in stress analgesia.

Studies concerning variations of the central renin-angiotensin system (RAS) during immobilization stress in rats have shown a significant increase in renin-like activity in the hypothalamus and fronto-parietal cortex, together with a definite decrease in the hypophysis and pineal gland. The resultant stress analgesia is blocked by the previous administration of naloxone and saralasin (angiotensin II antagonist). The intracerebral administration of renin and angiotensin II produces an increase in latencies to thermoalgesic stimuli; this is reduced, as is immobilization stress, by naloxone and saralasin.