Study design: Open label study to determine drug dose for a randomized double-blind placebocontrolled parallel study. Objectives: To assess the efficacy and side effects of oral D 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and rectal THC-hemisuccinate (THC-HS) in SCI patients. Setting: REHAB Basel, Switzerland. Method: Twenty-five patients with SCI were included in this three-phase study with individual dose adjustment, each consisting of 6 weeks. Twenty-two participants received oral THC open label starting with a single dose of 10 mg (Phase 1, completed by 15 patients). Eight subjects received rectal THC-HS (Phase 2, completed by seven patients). In Phase 3, six patients were treated with oral THC and seven with placebo. Major outcome parameters were the spasticity sum score (SSS) using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and self-ratings of spasticity. Results: Mean daily doses were 31 mg with THC and 43 mg with THC-HS. Mean SSS for THC decreased significantly from 16.72 (77.60) at baseline to 8.92 (77.14) on day 43. Similar improvement was seen with THC-HS. We observed a significant improvement of SSS with active drug (P ¼ 0.001) in the seven subjects who received oral THC in Phase 1 and placebo in Phase 3. Major reasons for drop out were increase of pain and psychological side effects. Conclusion: THC is an effective and safe drug in the treatment of spasticity. At least 15-20 mg per day were needed to achieve a therapeutic effect.

Brachycephalus is a frog genus endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and characterized by the bright yellow-orange aposematic colors and the high degree of miniaturization. Herein, we describe a new species of Brachycephalus from Serra do Brigadeiro, Municipality of Ervália, Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. Specimens were collected at high altitudes (i.e., 1266-1498 m above sea level) amidst the leaf litter. The new species is characterized by the presence of black connective tissue covering all dorsal muscles, body completely yellow-orange in life, presence of skull and post-cranial plates, large size (SVL of adults: 14.8-18.5 mm), bufoniform body, absence of metacarpal and metatarsal tubercles, and presence of harmonics in its advertisement call.

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Apresentam-se os casos de duas jovens, com diagnóstico de dermatite atópica grave medicadas com anti-histamínicos orais, corticóides tópicos, ciclos de corticoterapia sistémica em doses elevadas e/ou ciclosporina oral, sem melhoria e com agravamento clínico após redução da dose de corticóides sistémicos e/ou da ciclosporina. Na consulta de imunoalergologia efectuaram-se vários reajustes terapêuticos sem sucesso antes de iniciar terapêutica com omalizumab subcutâneo. Descreve-se a evolução clínica destas 2 doentes sob terapêutica com omalizumab e discute-se o seu papel no tratamento da dermatite atópica.