Copaiba oil minimizes inflammation and promotes parenchyma re-epithelization in acute allergic asthma model induced by ovalbumin in BALB/c mice.

Introduction: Asthma is a condition of airflow limitation, common throughout the world, with high mortality rates, especially as it still faces some obstacles in its management. As it constitutes a public health challenge, this study aimed to investigate the effect of copaiba oil (e.g., Copaifera langsdorffii), as a treatment resource, at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg on certain mediators of acute lung inflammation (IL-33, GATA3, FOXP3, STAT3, and TBET) and early mechanisms of lung remodeling (degradation of elastic fiber tissues, collagen deposition, and goblet cell hyperplasia). Methods: Using an ovalbumin-induced acute allergic asthma model in BALB/c mice, we analyzed the inflammatory mediators through immunohistochemistry and the mechanisms of lung remodeling through histopathology, employing orcein, Masson's trichrome, and periodic acid-Schiff staining. Results: Copaiba oil treatment (CO) reduced IL-33 and increased FOXP3 by stimulating the FOXP3/GATA3 and FOXP3/STAT3 pathways. Additionally, it upregulated TBET, suggesting an additional role in controlling GATA3 activity. In the respiratory epithelium, CO decreased the fragmentation of elastic fibers while increasing the deposition of collagen fibers, favoring epithelial restructuring. Simultaneously, CO reduced goblet cell hyperplasia. Discussion: Although additional research is warranted, the demonstrated anti-inflammatory and re-epithelializing action makes CO a viable option in exploring new treatments for acute allergic asthma.

Impact of palliative care at end-of-life Covid-19 patients - a small-scale pioneering experience.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, the outbreak caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus was declared a pandemic, resulting in numerous fatalities worldwide. To effectively combat the virus, it would be beneficial to involve professionals who specialize in symptom control for advanced illnesses, working closely with other specialties throughout the illness process. This approach can help manage a range of symptoms, from mild to severe and potentially life-threatening. No studies have been conducted in Portugal to analyse the intervention of Palliative Medicine at the end of life of Covid-19 patients and how it differs from other specialties. This knowledge could help determine the importance of including it in the care of people with advanced Covid-19. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to examine potential differences in the care provided to patients with Covid-19 during their Last Hours and Days of Life (LHDOL) between those who received care from Palliative Medicine doctors and those who did not. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study spanning three months (Dec 2020 to Feb 2021), the duration of the Support Unit especially created to deal with Covid-19 patients. The database included clinical files from 181 patients admitted to the Support Unit, 27 of which died from Covid-19. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were identified in the care provided. Specifically, fewer drugs were administered at the time of death, including drugs for dyspnoea, pain and agitation, suspension of futile devices and use of palliative sedation to control refractory symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: End-of-life care and symptomatic control differ when there's regular follow-up by Palliative Medicine, which may translate less symptomatic suffering and promote a dignified and humane end of life.

Baccharis dracunculifolia DC Consumption Improves Nociceptive and Depressive-like Behavior in Rats with Experimental Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) persistently activates nociceptors, leading to chronic pain, which is often accompanied by the comorbid development of emotional impairments (anxiety and depression), an effect associated with microgliosis. Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (Asteraceae), a Brazilian edible plant, is an important source of active compounds with anti-inflammatory abilities. Thus, we evaluated its ability to reverse OA-induced nociceptive and emotional-like impairments in osteoarthritic ovariectomized female rats using the kaolin/carrageenan (K/C) model. Four weeks after OA induction, mechanical hyperalgesia was confirmed, and the treatment started. Control animals (SHAMs) were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), while arthritic animals (ARTHs) either received PBS or B. dracunculifolia 50 mg/kg (Bd50) and 100 mg/kg (Bd100), via gavage, daily for five weeks. At the end of the treatment, anxiety-like behavior was assessed using the Open Field Test (OFT), anhedonia was assessed using the Sucrose Preference Test (SPT), and learned helplessness was assessed using the Forced Swimming Test (FST). After occision, microglia were stained with IBA-1 and quantified in brain sections of target areas (prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and periaqueductal grey matter). Treatment with B. dracunculifolia extract reversed OA-induced mechanical hyperalgesia and partly improved depressive-like behavior in OA animals' concomitant to a decrease in the number of M1 microglia. Our findings suggest that B. dracunculifolia extracts can potentially be used in the food industry and for the development of nutraceuticals and functional foods.

Genista tridentata Phytochemical Characterization and Biological Activities: A Systematic Review.

Genista tridentata (L.) Willk., known as "prickled broom", is a Leguminosae (Fabaceae) species native to the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. It is used in folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory, for gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders, rheumatism, and headaches, to lower blood pressure, against hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia. This study aimed to systematically review the literature on the bioactivities and phytochemical profile of Genista tridentata to understand its pharmacological potential. For this, four electronic databases (PubMed, GoogleScholar, Repositórios Cientificos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCCAP), and ScienceDirect) were searched from inception up to 31 December 2022. From a total of 264 potentially eligible studies considered for screening, 34 papers were considered eligible for this systematic review. The sampling included 71 extracts, collected mainly in Portugal. Genista tridentata extracts present a high level of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The flowers and aerial parts of the plant were the most studied, and aqueous extracts were the most used. The results predict a high potential for the application of Genista tridentata as a new source of natural antioxidants and preservatives for the food industry with subsequent health benefits, such as the production of nutraceuticals. Moreover, the results indicate that the plant can be collected at all seasons of the year, which represents a benefit for the industry.

Sucrose preference test: A systematic review of protocols for the assessment of anhedonia in rodents.

Anhedonia is described as a decreased ability to experience rewarding and enjoyable activities, a core symptom of major depressive disorder. The sucrose preference test (SPT) is a widely used and reliable behavioural test to assess anhedonia in rodents, based on a two-bottle choice paradigm. To date, different protocols are in use, inducing variability between researchers and hampering comparisons between studies. We performed a systematic review of the SPT protocols used in 2021 to identify the parameters in which they differ and their potential impact. We searched a total of four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct), from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021, and screened a total of 1066 articles. After screening by title and abstract, a total of 415 articles were included in this review. We extracted and analysed the different procedures used, the type of sweet solution and the habituation, deprivation, and testing protocols. The overall quality of the studies was considered very good, however, SPT protocols were extremely variable between studies with a total of 65 different habituation protocols and 104 combinations of food/water deprivation and preference testing duration. As the SPT is one of the most used tests to assess anhedonia in rodents, this work raises awareness of the great variability in SPT protocols being currently used. Furthermore, we call for standardization in the protocol used, and overall improvement of data reporting of methodologies and results, to increase the consistency between studies and allow a better comparison of results between different labs.

Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Regulation of Metabolic Homeostasis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Health and Metabolic-Related Disorders.

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an emerging dietetic intervention that has been associated with improved metabolic parameters. Nowadays, the most common IF protocols are Alternate-Day Fasting (ADF) and Time-Restricted Fasting (TRF), but in this review and meta-analysis we have also considered Religious Fasting (RF), which is similar to TRF but against the circadian rhythm. The available studies usually include the analysis of a single specific IF protocol on different metabolic outcomes. Herein, we decided to go further and to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the advantages of different IF protocols for metabolic homeostasis in individuals with different metabolic status, such as with obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Systematic searches (PubMed, Scopus, Trip Database, Web of Knowledge and Embase, published before June 2022) of original articles in peer-review scientific journals focusing on IF and body composition outcomes were performed. Sixty-four reports met the eligibility criteria for the qualitative analysis and forty-seven for the quantitative analysis. Herein, we showed that ADF protocols promoted the major beneficial effects in the improvement of dysregulated metabolic conditions in comparison with TRF and RF protocols. Furthermore, obese and MetS individuals are the most benefited with the introduction of these interventions, through the improvement of adiposity, lipid homeostasis and blood pressure. For T2D individuals, IF impact was more limited, but associated with their major metabolic dysfunctions-insulin homeostasis. Importantly, through the integrated analysis of distinct metabolic-related diseases, we showed that IF seems to differently impact metabolic homeostasis depending on an individual's basal health status and type of metabolic disease.

Comparative neurotoxicity of dietary methylmercury and waterborne inorganic mercury in fish: Evidence of optic tectum vulnerability through morphometric and histopathological assessments.

This work investigated the effects of inorganic mercury (iHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) on the fish optic tectum morphology, viz. in relation to: (i) vulnerability of specific optic tectum layers; (ii) preferential targeting of Hg forms to neurons or glial cells; (iii) comparative toxicity of iHg and MeHg in this brain area that is in the maintenance of several fish behaviors. Two experiments exposing juvenile white seabream (Diplodus sargus) to waterborne iHg [HgCl2 (2 µg L-1)] and dietary MeHg (8.7 µg g-1) were performed, comprising both exposure (7 and 14 days; E7 and E14, respectively) and post-exposure (28 days; PE28) periods. Morphometric assessments were performed using stereological methods where the layers of the optic tectum were outlined, while its area and the number of neurons and glial cells were estimated. A histopathological assessment was also performed per section and per layer of optic tectum. iHg exposure did not trigger the loss of neurons during the exposure periods, while a decrease of glial cells was detected in a single layer of the optic tectum at E14. Differently, upon MeHg exposure, a decrease on the number of neurons and glial cells was found in several layers of optic tectum. In the post-exposure, both Hg forms triggered the loss of neurons, while only MeHg exposure led to a decrease on the number of glia cells. The histopathological assessment pointed out a higher toxicity of MeHg in the optic tectum layers, particularly in the post-exposure period, while no significant alterations were found in fish exposed to iHg. Hg forms targeted preferentially neurons. iHg and MeHg are relevant neurotoxicants to fish, with MeHg exposure leading to a higher toxicity than iHg in the optic tectum. After 28 days of post-exposure, iHg and MeHg neurotoxicity remained prominent, suggesting long-term effects of these toxicants.

Injection of kaolin/carrageenan in the rat knee joint induces progressive experimental knee osteoarthritis.

ABSTRACT: Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disorder worldwide, is characterized by progressive degeneration of articular and periarticular structures, leading to physical and emotional impairments that greatly affect the quality of life of patients. Unfortunately, no therapy has been able to halt the progression of the disease. Owing to the complexity of OA, most animal models are only able to mimic a specific stage or feature of the human disorder. In this work, we demonstrate the intraarticular injection of kaolin or carrageenan leads to the progressive degeneration of the rat's knee joint, accompanied by mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia, gait impairments (reduced contact area of the affected limb), and radiological and histopathological findings concomitant with the development of human grade 4 OA. In addition, animals also display emotional impairments 4 weeks after induction, namely, anxious and depressive-like behaviour, important and common comorbidities of human OA patients. Overall, prolonging kaolin or carrageenan-induced monoarthritis mimics several important physical and psychological features of human OA in both male and female rodents and could be further applied in long-term studies of OA-associated chronic pain.

Prognostic Value of Monocarboxylate Transporter 1 Overexpression in Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Energy production by cancer is driven by accelerated glycolysis, independently of oxygen levels, which results in increased lactate production. Lactate is shuttled to and from cancer cells via monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). MCT1 works both as an importer and an extruder of lactate, being widely studied in recent years and generally associated with a cancer aggressiveness phenotype. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the prognostic value of MCT1 immunoexpression in different malignancies. Study collection was performed by searching nine different databases (PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, OVID, TRIP and PsycINFO), using the keywords "cancer", "Monocarboxylate transporter 1", "SLC16A1" and "prognosis". Results showed that MCT1 is an indicator of poor prognosis and decreased survival for cancer patients in sixteen types of malignancies; associations between the transporter's overexpression and larger tumour sizes, higher disease stage/grade and metastasis occurrence were also frequently observed. Yet, MCT1 overexpression correlated with better outcomes in colorectal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer patients. These results support the applicability of MCT1 as a biomarker of prognosis, although larger cohorts would be necessary to validate the overall role of MCT1 as an outcome predictor.

An Insight on the Biomedical Potential of Portuguese Propolis from Gerês.

Osteoarthritis (OA), a progressive degenerative disease of weight-bearing joints, is the second leading cause of disability in the world. Despite all the advances and research over the last years, none of the proposed strategies has been effective in generating functional and long-lasting tissue. Due to the high prevalence of OA and the urgent need for an effective and successful treatment, interest in natural products as anti-inflammatory agents, such as propolis and its components, has emerged. In this work, we estimate the biomedical potential of Portuguese propolis, evaluating the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of single hydroalcoholic extracts prepared with propolis from Gerês sampled over a five-year period (2011-2015) (G.EE70 and G.EE35). The in vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory potential of the hydroalcoholic extract of mixtures of the same samples (mG.EE70 and mG.EE35) was evaluated for the first time too. DPPH• radical scavenging and superoxide anion scavenging assays showed the strong antioxidant potential of both hydroalcoholic extracts, either prepared from single propolis samples or from the mixtures of the same samples. Results also revealed an anti-inflammatory effect of mG.EE35, both in vitro by inhibiting BSA denaturation and in vivo in the OA-induced model by improving mechanical hyperalgesia as well as the gait pattern parameters. Results further support the use of propolis blends as a better and more efficient approach to take full advantage of the bioactive potential of propolis.

Sucrose intake and preference by Wistar Han rats are not influenced by sex or food/water deprivation.

Anhedonia is the decreased ability to experience pleasure from rewarding or enjoyable activities, a core symptom of depression. The sucrose preference test (SPT), based on a two-bottle choice paradigm, is a widely used behavioural paradigm for the evaluation of anhedonia in rodents. Up to now, different protocols have been reported regarding water/food deprivation and duration of exposure to the water/sucrose solutions. In this work, by comparing six of the most used SPT protocols regarding sucrose preference and total intake, in both male and female Wistar Han rats, we showed (i) food/water deprivation does not significantly impact sucrose intake and preference; (ii) increasing the duration of the test is associated with an increased sucrose preference and (iii) no sex-specific differences in the basal sucrose preference of Wistar Han rats. Our results call for standardization of protocols and suggest a protocol without food/water deprivation and a 12-hour duration (lights out) as more efficacious in the measurement of anhedonia in rodents. This protocol not only reduces the confounding factors of drinking patterns and the stress-inducing food/water deprivation but also is not sensitive to sex-specific differences in the total intake of liquid in Wistar Han rats.

A New Gal in Town: A Systematic Review of the Role of Galanin and Its Receptors in Experimental Pain.

Galanin is a neuropeptide expressed in a small percentage of sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia and the superficial lamina of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. In this work, we systematically reviewed the literature regarding the role of galanin and its receptors in nociception at the spinal and supraspinal levels, as well as in chronic pain conditions. The literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, OVID, TRIP, and EMBASE using "Galanin" AND "pain" as keywords. Of the 1379 papers that were retrieved in the initial search, we included a total of 141 papers in this review. Using the ARRIVE guidelines, we verified that 89.1% of the works were of good or moderate quality. Galanin shows a differential role in pain, depending on the pain state, site of action, and concentration. Under normal settings, galanin can modulate nociceptive processing through both a pro- and anti-nociceptive action, in a dose-dependent manner. This peptide also plays a key role in chronic pain conditions and its antinociceptive action at both a spinal and supraspinal level is enhanced, reducing animals' hypersensitivity to both mechanical and thermal stimulation. Our results highlight galanin and its receptors as potential therapeutic targets in pain conditions.

A biocompatible and injectable hydrogel to boost the efficacy of stem cells in neurodegenerative diseases treatment.

AIMS: Stem cell therapies emerged as treatment modalities with potential to cure neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). However, despite high expectations, their clinical use is still limited. Critical issues in treatment outcomes may be related to stem cells formulation and administration route. We develop a hydrogel as a cell carrier, consisting of compounds (phospholipids and hyaluronic acid-HA) naturally present in the central nervous system (CNS). The HA-based hydrogel physically crosslinked with liposomes is designed for direct injection into the CNS to significantly increase the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) bioavailability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hydrogel compatibility is confirmed in vitro with BMSCs and in vivo through its intracerebroventricular injection in rats. To assess its efficacy, the main cause of chronic neurologic disability in young adults is selected, namely multiple sclerosis (MS). The efficacy of the developed formulation containing a lower number of cells than previously reported is demonstrated using an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) rat model. KEY FINDINGS: The distribution of the engineered hydrogel into corpus callosum can be ideal for NDs treatment, since damage of this white matter structure is responsible for important neuronal deficits. Moreover, the BMSCs-laden hydrogel significantly decreases disease severity and maximum clinical score and eliminated the relapse. SIGNIFICANCE: The engineering of advanced therapies using this natural carrier can result in efficacious treatments for MS and related debilitating conditions.

Correlation between pain severity and levels of anxiety and depression in osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal disease that causes articular damage and chronic pain, with a prevalence of up to 50% in individuals >60 years of age. Patients suffering from chronic painful conditions, including OA, also frequently report anxiety or depression. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess the correlation between pain severity and depressive and anxious symptomatology in OA patients. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted using four databases (PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science) from inception up to 14 January 2020. We included original articles evaluating pain severity and anxiety and/or depression severity in OA-diagnosed patients. Detailed data were extracted from each study, including patients' characteristics and pain, anxiety, and depression severity. When available, the Pearson correlation coefficient between pain and depression severity and pain and anxiety severity was collected, and a meta-analysis of random effects was applied. RESULTS: This systematic review included 121 studies, with a total of 38 085 participants. The mean age was 64.3 years old, and the subjects were predominantly female (63%). The most-used scale to evaluate pain severity was the Western Ontario and the McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, while for anxiety and depression, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was the most used. The meta-analysis showed a moderate positive correlation between pain severity and both anxious (r = 0.31, P <0.001) and depressive symptomatology (r = 0.36, P <0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate a significant correlation between pain and depression/anxiety severity in OA patients, highlighting the need for its routine evaluation by clinicians.

Modulating inflammation through the neutralization of Interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α by biofunctionalized nanoparticles.

Biological agents that neutralize the activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines are revolutionizing the treatment of inflammatory conditions. However, the antibodies (Abs) short half-life and off-target distribution critically limit their efficacy and safety. Therefore, this work proposes the immobilization of anti-TNF-α and anti-IL-6 Abs at the surface of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) in order to extend and increase the Abs therapeutic efficacy, owing to the protection from degradation that the NPs provide, and to avoid off-target side effects through local administration. In an in vitro model of inflammation, biofunctionalized NPs were able to reduce the harmful effects on human chondrocytes provided by inflammatory macrophages, being demonstrated the additive effects of the dual neutralization. Significantly, biofunctionalized NPs ameliorated inflammation more efficiently than soluble Abs in an in vivo experimental model of inflammation, exhibiting a safe profile, a prolonged action, and a stronger efficacy. Hence, as this strategy is able to increase the therapeutic efficacy of the currently available treatments, it is a promising potential therapeutic option for inflammatory conditions.

In Vivo Anticancer Activity of AZD3965: A Systematic Review.

Proliferating cancer cells have high energy demands, which is mainly obtained through glycolysis. The transmembrane trafficking of lactate, a major metabolite produced by glycolytic cancer cells, relies on monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). MCT1 optimally imports lactate, although it can work bidirectionally, and its activity has been linked to cancer aggressiveness and poor outcomes. AZD3965, a specific MCT1 inhibitor, was tested both in vitro and in vivo, with encouraging results; a phase I clinical trial has already been undertaken. Thus, analysis of the experimental evidence using AZD3965 in different cancer types could give valuable information for its clinical use. This systematic review aimed to assess the in vivo anticancer activity of AZD3965 either alone (monotherapy) or with other interventions (combination therapy). Study search was performed in nine different databases using the keywords "AZD3965 in vivo" as search terms. The results show that AZD3965 successfully decreased tumor growth and promoted intracellular lactate accumulation, which confirmed its effectiveness, especially in combined therapy. These results support the setup of clinical trials, but other important findings, namely AZD3965 enhanced activity when given in combination with other therapies, or MCT4-induced treatment resistance, should be further considered in the clinical trial design to improve therapy response.

Nociceptive, emotional, electrophysiological, and histological characterization of the chronic constriction injury model in female Wistar Han rats.

Chronic neuropathic pain affects 7-10 % of the population and is often accompanied by comorbid emotional disorders, which greatly reduce the quality of life of the patients, impairing physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. Despite the higher prevalence and severity of chronic pain in women, the number of publications using female animals remains scarce. While in the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model the development of mechanical/thermal hyperalgesia, allodynia and spontaneous pain has been shown in both sexes, little is known on CCI-induced emotional impairments and sciatic nerve histopathology in female rats, as well as on the contributions of ovarian hormones to peripheral nerve injury. In this work, young adult rats (Wistar Han) were assigned to one of five groups: gonadally intact females (SHAM/SHAM), ovariectomized females (SHAM/OVX), gonadally intact females with CCI (CCI/SHAM); ovariectomized females with CCI (CCI/OVX) and males with CCI (CCIM). In the postoperative period, CCI animals, both females and males, displayed visible gait abnormalities, limping and guarding the affected hind paw although locomotion was not affected. Neuropathic females developed sustained mechanical allodynia, with CCI/OVX animals displaying symptoms two weeks before CCI/SHAM females. Interestingly, regarding mechanical and cold allodynia, CCI males slowly recovered from week 3 onwards. While CCI induced neither anxiety- nor depressive-like behaviour in females, ovariectomy per se induced anhedonic-like behaviour, regardless of CCI surgery. Histopathological analysis of the sciatic nerve showed CCI induced nerve damage, fibrosis, myelin sheath degradation and inflammation. Single-cell electrophysiological data from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) suggests this area is partly involved in descending facilitation associated with experimental neuropathic pain. Altogether, our findings demonstrate CCI females display distinct sensory, emotional, electrophysiological, and histopathological impairments from males, and that ovariectomy aggravates females' responses to peripheral nerve injury.

Emotional and cognitive impairments in the peripheral nerve chronic constriction injury model (CCI) of neuropathic pain: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Emotional and cognitive impairments are common comorbidities of chronic neuropathic pain that significantly impact the quality of life of patients. While the nociceptive components of the peripheral nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) animal model have been extensively analyzed, data related to the development of mood and cognitive disorders, and especially its impact on female rats remains fragmented. We systematically reviewed the literature analyzing the methods used to induce and evaluate the development of emotional- and cognitive-like impairments and sex-specific differences in the CCI model. DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT: We searched PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science from inception to September 30th, 2019, and a total of 44 papers were considered eligible for inclusion. We included animal studies assessing nociception, locomotion, anxious-like, depressive-like and cognitive behaviours after the CCI induction. RESULTS: The overall quality of the studies was considered moderate to high. Overall, the induction of CCI leads to the development of emotional impairments, namely anxiety- and depressive-like behaviours, as well as cognitive impairments. With the majority of the studies using male subjects, the lack of evidence on female animals prevents the evaluation of sex-specific differences. CONCLUSIONS: This review supports the development of an anxiodepressive-like phenotype, associated with cognitive impairments, in CCI-induced animals. These results support the use of this animal model for the study of the mechanisms underlying these comorbidities, as well as a screening tool for the development/repurposing of drugs that tackle both the neuropathy-induced nociceptive and emotional impairments, such as tricyclic antidepressants. Importantly, our review also highlights the need for studies performed in female rodents as these are almost non-existent.

Self-Sampling as a Plausible Alternative to Screen Cervical Cancer Precursor Lesions in a Population with Low Adherence to Screening: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world. A raised incidence and mortality parallel a low participation rate in screening, namely screening in poor countries and among specific populations of developed countries. Cervical or vaginal self-sampling may increase adherence to screening due to its low costs and elevated sensibility and specificity. Our main goal was to compare self-sampling with physician sampling and to evaluate the participation rate of women formerly non-adherent to cervical cancer screening. STUDY DESIGN: We identified relevant studies from PubMed. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they fulfilled the following criteria: women aged between 16 and 80 years, poor and developed countries that use self-sampling, women with a low participation rate in screening and studies published since 2013. After fully reading the articles, data were extracted to an Excel sheet to -display all relevant information in an organized manner. -Results: We identified 18 studies, which altogether enrolled 22,118 women. Self-sampling and physician sampling are quite similar regarding the HPV detection rate. Women have a low participation rate mainly because of limited access to health services, religious and culture beliefs, and lack of time due to several demanding tasks in daily life. Self-sampling shows a significant increase in acceptability and preference compared to physician sampling. CONCLUSION: Self-sampling is a reliable method to involve women in opportunistic or organized screening programs for cervical cancer prevention.