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The allostatic load (AL) index constitutes a useful tool to objectively assess the biological aspects of chronic stress in clinical practice. AL index has been positively correlated with cumulative chronic stress (physical and psychosocial stressors) and with a high risk to develop pathological conditions (e.g., metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular pathology, inflammatory disorders) and the so-called stress-related psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depressive disorders. Chronic stress has negative effects on brain neuroplasticity, especially on hippocampal neurogenesis and these effects may be reversed by antidepressant treatments. Several evidences indicate that non-pharmacological interventions based on physical activity and yoga practice may add synergizing benefits to classical treatments (antidepressant and benzodiazepines) for depression and anxiety, reducing the negative effects of chronic stress. The aim of this review is to provide a general overview of current knowledge on AL and chronic stress in relation to depression and anxiety, physical activity and yoga practice.

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INTRODUCTION: The allostatic load model explains the additive effects of multiple biological processes that accelerate pathophysiology related to stress, particularly in the central nervous system. Stress-related mental conditions such as anxiety disorders and neuroticism (a well-known stress vulnerability factor), have been linked to disturbances of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal with cognitive implications. Nevertheless, there are controversial results in the literature and there is a need to determine the impact of the psychopharmacological treatment on allostatic load parameters and in cognitive functions. Gador study of Estres Modulation by Alprazolam, aims to determine the impact of medication on neurobiochemical variables related to chronic stress, metabolic syndrome, neurocognition and quality of life in patients with anxiety, allostatic load and neuroticism. METHODS/ANALYSIS: In this observational prospective phase IV study, highly sympthomatic patients with anxiety disorders (six or more points in the Hamilton-A scale), neuroticism (more than 18 points in the Neo five personality factor inventory (NEO-FFI) scale), an allostatic load (three positive clinical or biochemical items at Crimmins and Seeman criteria) will be included. Clinical variables of anxiety, neuroticism, allostatic load, neurobiochemical studies, neurocognition and quality of life will be determined prior and periodically (1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks) after treatment (on demand of alprazolam from 0.75 mg/day to 3.0 mg/day). A sample of n=55/182 patients will be considered enough to detect variables higher than 25% (pretreatment vs post-treatment or significant correlations) with a 1-ß power of 0-80. t Test and/or non-parametric test, and Pearson's test for correlation analysis will be determined. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study protocol was approved by an Independent Ethics Committee of FEFyM (Foundation for Pharmacological Studies and Drugs, Buenos Aires) and by regulatory authorities of Argentina (ANMAT, Dossier # 61 409-8 of 20 April 2009), following the law of Habeas Data and psychotherapeutic drug control. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: GEMA 20811.

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The bioequivalence and upper digestive tract transit time of a drinkable solution of 70 mg/100 mL alendronate was compared to reference tablets. A randomized, single- dose, two-way crossover study of the rate of urinary recovery of alendronate during 36 h (AE((0-36 h))) by HPLC, in 104 healthy young male volunteers, showed that AE((0-36 h)) and the maximum excretion rate (R (max)) were within the accepted range of bioequivalence 81.8-105.7 and 81.7-106.2, respectively. To characterize the oesophageal passage time of the two alendronate formulations, we performed a randomized, controlled study, in 24 healthy men and women (mean 52 years old), who took the formulations standing or lying down, by an X-ray video deglutition system. When taken in the standing position, both formulations had equal mean transit times from mouth to stomach and tablet disintegration but data dispersion was significantly smaller with the liquid form. When taken in lying position, drinkable alendronate had shorter and less variable median transit times compared to the tablets. These results show that the drinkable alendronate formulation is bioequivalent to the tablets and may be advantageous in patients in whom the transit or disintegration of the tablets is impaired.

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Biomedicine is a vast field in philately or stamp collecting. It opens the topic the image of the goddess Hygeia, issued in a stamp from Nevis Island dated 1861. The first physicians to appear printed in stamps, in 1869, were three American constitutionalists, but only in 1937 there appear Dutch physicians as an acknowledgement of their contribution to public health. In Argentina the first stamp officially related to the topic was issued in 1944, to raise funds for the victims of the San Juan earthquake. Florentino Ameghino was the first scientist included in 1954, and in 1967 a stamp was issued in honour of Dr. Cecilia Grierson. Afterwards, Argentinean philately has recognized several of our scientists and physicians, congresses, universities, health campaigns, dentistry topics, chemistry, and nursery, among others, promoting a large amount of philatelic material in acknowledgement of the social value that Argentinean biomedical science has gained locally and abroad. Probably, it is a scientist, Dr. Bernardo Houssay, the Argentinean who has more often appeared in international philately.

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La temática biomédica es un capítulo extendido de la filatelia o coleccionismo de sellos postales. Inaugura la temática la imagen de la diosa Hygeia, en un sello de la isla Nevis de 1861. Los primeros médicos retratados en una estampilla son tres constitucionalistas americanos, en un ejemplar de 1869, pero recién en 1937 aparecen médicos holandeses en reconocimiento específico de sus aportes a la salud. En la Argentina la primera estampilla que oficialmente se ocupa del tema es de 1944, en ayuda de las víctimas del terremoto de San Juan. Florentino Ameghino es el primer científico incluido en 1954, y en 1967 se edita un sello conmemorativo de la Dra. Cecilia Grierson. La filatelia argentina luego reconoce varios de nuestros científicos y médicos, congresos, universidades, campañas sanitarias, temas de odontología, farmacia, enfermería y otros, generando un amplio material filatélico en reconocimiento del valor social que la ciencia biomédica argentina ha logrado en el contexto propio e internacional. Posiblemente sea un científico, el Dr. Bernardo Houssay, uno de los argentinos más veces editado en distintos sellos postales de la filatelia mundial.

Biomedicine is a vast field in philately or stamp collecting. It opens the topic the image of the goddess Hygeia, issued in a stamp from Nevis Island dated 1861. The first physicians to appear printed in stamps, in 1869, were three American constitutionalists, but only in 1937 there appear Dutch physicians as an acknowledgement of their contribution to public health. In Argentina the first stamp officially related to the topic was issued in 1944, to raise funds for the victims of the San Juan earthquake. Florentino Ameghino was the first scientist included in 1954, and in 1967 a stamp was issued in honour of Dr. Cecilia Grierson. Afterwards, Argentinean philately has recognized several of our scientists and physicians, congresses, universities, health campaigns, dentistry topics, chemistry, and nursery, among others, promoting a large amount of philatelic material in acknowledgement of the social value that Argentinean biomedical science has gained locally and abroad. Probably, it is a scientist, Dr. Bernardo Houssay, the Argentinean who has more often appeared in international philately.

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Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) systems measure bone parameters noninvasively using low radiation doses. This limits image resolution but is practical for the diagnosis and quantitative monitoring of the properties of the peripheral human skeleton. pQCT determines volumetric bone mineral density separately in trabecular and cortical bone. It may combine densitometry determinations with geometric estimates and use strain-stress indexes, and it may be used to analyze muscle variables in some areas, allowing the study of regional fragility. Experimental and clinical ex vivo studies show that pQCT variables correlate with biomechanical predictors of fragility and/or fractures. Since pQCT was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1997, new skeletal regions (human femur and mandible) have been considered in the development of the system. Basically, pQCT explores intraindividual and interindividual variations in greater detail and compares the impact of skeletal diseases, risk factors, and anabolic and catabolic treatments within a given bone cross section.

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BACKGROUND: Intravenous disodium pamidronate has been described in the treatment of several osteopathies. Although tolerability has been found to be good in clinical trials, some mild to serious adverse events (AEs) have been reported. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to analyze the toelrability of IV pamidronate in patients being treated for osteoporosis and other metabolic osteopathies and to describe particular patients with relative contraindications, because such cases are not commonly seen in daily clinical practice. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with different osteopathies who were administered IV infusions of pamidronate at doses ranging from 15 to 90 mg/infusion and 15 to 900 mg/year. The study was conducted in patients who had received treatment at the Institute of Metabolic Investigations, University of Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina, between January 1995 and December 2003. To rule out dose-related AEs, a comparison was made between patients who received fewer IV infusions and had cumulative doses of 120 to 180 mg/y (less frequent administration [LFA] group) and those patients who received regular infusions and had cumulative doses of >180 mg/year (frequent administration [FA] group). To confirm data obtained from medical records and to assess the occurrence of AEs, attempts were made to interview all patients by phone. The following information was verified for each patient included in the study: the reason for treatment, documented evidence of current diagnostic criteria, and whether the dose administered was adequate to treat the patient's condition. RESULTS: Six hundred eight patients (464 [76.3%]women, 144 [23.7%]men; mean [SD] age, 69 [10] years) with various osteopathies (osteoporosis, 367 [60.4%] of the patients; Paget's disease, 172 [28.3%]; Sudeck's disease, 63 [10.4%]; multiple myeloma, 3 [0.5%]; and bone metastases, 3 [0.5%]) were administered a total of 2933 IV infusions of pamidronate during the study period. We were able to confirm the clinical records of 69.4% (422/608) of the patients by telephone survey; 29.9% (124/415) of those patients experienced extraskeletal AEs (most commonly fever and flu-like symptoms [eg, headache, malaise, fatigue, chills, and asthenia]). The percentage of patients reporting AEs was significantly higher for the LFA group than that of the FA group (91.2 vs 19.5; P < 0.001), although factors other than the frequency of treatment might have had a bearing on this finding. All AEs were mild and transient in both groups of patients, and there were no reports of jaw osteonecrosis in either group. It should be noted that although LFA patients received lower doses of pamidronate per infusion than the FA group, they had higher cumulative doses/year. Biochemical variables for the entire study population were compared with baseline measurements, and no significant changes in mean values were observed. Both serum calcium and 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels remained within normal ranges. On the other hand, there was a transient decrease in white blood cell count (WBCC) in 73 (12.0%) patients, and leukopenia was observed in 8 (1.3%) patients. However, 5 of the 6 patients who were leukopenic at the beginning of treatment had normal WBCCs during follow-up. Platelet count decreased significantly in 20 (3.3%) patients, and 5 (0.8%) patients developed thrombocytopenia. Serum creatinine (sCreat) levels increased significantly in 91 (15.0%) patients. This increase was transient and within normal limits (0.6-1.2 mg/dL) in 79 (86.8%) of those patients but persistent in the other 12 (13.2%), all of whom received higher doses of pamidronate or had other risk factors for renal failure such as advanced age, diabetes, multiple myeloma, or an obstructor disease. Baseline sCreat level for 7 of these 12 patients was >1.20 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: Pamidronate administered IV was well tolerated when used for treating osteoporosis or other metabolic osteopathies in our study population. The clinical AEs observed with IV pamidronate administration were not serious and hematologic changes were mild, transient, and not associated with dose, time of treatment, or any particular underlying disease. An increase in sCreat level was the most frequent biochemical complication and was found in patients with additional risk factors for renal failure and particular diseases. Whether certain patients with risk factors for osteoporosis may require even fewer IV administrations of the drug is an issue that remains to be elucidated.

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Se describen las características farmacéuticas de un nuveo gel persistente de clorhexidina, administrado en forma localizada en el sitio específico de lesiones periodontales o de placas dentales (Bucogel). La fórmula presenta acción antibacteriana Gram(-) y Gram(+), previene la formación de placa (componente bacteriano) y gingivitis. Utilizado en forma apropiada el gel permanece en el foco de la lesión aproximadamente 40 veces más tiempo que otras formulaciones, optimizando la interacción entre la clorhexidina y las proteínas bacterianas. La exposición de los tejidos sanos (mucosas, tejidos duros y materiales protéticos) es prácticamente nula, como así también la probabilidad de pasaje al sistema digestivo superior y eventual absorción, por lo que se amplía en varias veces el margen de seguridad clínica. La preparación ha demostrado ser efectiva en pruebas clínicas, presenta todas las indicaciones habituales de la clorhexidina y brinda perspectivas para intervenir eficientemente en la prevención secundaria de las osteopatías derivadas de las periodontopatías más comunes

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Se describen las características farmacéuticas de un nuveo gel persistente de clorhexidina, administrado en forma localizada en el sitio específico de lesiones periodontales o de placas dentales (Bucogel). La fórmula presenta acción antibacteriana Gram(-) y Gram(+), previene la formación de placa (componente bacteriano) y gingivitis. Utilizado en forma apropiada el gel permanece en el foco de la lesión aproximadamente 40 veces más tiempo que otras formulaciones, optimizando la interacción entre la clorhexidina y las proteínas bacterianas. La exposición de los tejidos sanos (mucosas, tejidos duros y materiales protéticos) es prácticamente nula, como así también la probabilidad de pasaje al sistema digestivo superior y eventual absorción, por lo que se amplía en varias veces el margen de seguridad clínica. La preparación ha demostrado ser efectiva en pruebas clínicas, presenta todas las indicaciones habituales de la clorhexidina y brinda perspectivas para intervenir eficientemente en la prevención secundaria de las osteopatías derivadas de las periodontopatías más comunes (AU)

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