Controlled Release of Multiple Therapeutics From Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses for Post-Cataract/Post-Refractive Surgery and Uveitis Treatment.

PURPOSE: This work demonstrates seven-day controlled and extended in vitro physiological flow dual release of multiple post-ocular surgery therapeutics from extended-wear contact lenses as a dropless alternative for treatment of uveitis and corneal inflammation, pain, and infection. Lens replacement each week optimizes treatment matching patient recall time with the ability to increase or decrease dosage. METHODS: Lenses were synthesized using molecular imprinting to create lenses with macromolecular memory for diclofenac sodium (DS) and dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DMSP), as well as bromfenac sodium (BS) and moxifloxacin (MOX). Drug uptake and release were analyzed, and physical properties were measured and compared to commercial standards. RESULTS: DS + DMSP-loaded lenses demonstrated seven-days-plus release of each, whereas controls released more than 85% of their payload within the first day. Lenses loaded with BS + MOX demonstrated release of BS and MOX for 11 and eight days, respectively. Structural analysis demonstrated statistically similar mesh size and average molecular weight between crosslinks between imprinted lenses and controls, suggesting that release extension was due to formation of macromolecular memory sites rather than a tighter polymer architecture. CONCLUSIONS: Lenses demonstrated in this work have significant clinical applications as an eye drop alternative, possessing the ability to be worn continuously for one week while delivering a consistent amount of therapeutic for the duration of wear. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: In vitro physiological flow release results demonstrate the clinical potential of therapeutic contact lenses as a dropless vehicle for ocular drug delivery

Fathers’ parenting self-efficacy during the transition to parenthood

"Published online: 09 Jun 2016"Background: Little is known about the development of fathers’ parenting self-efficacy during the transition to parenthood. Objectives: To analyse (1) fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path and (2) the effects of anxious and depressive symptoms and coparenting support on fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path, from the first trimester of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. Methods: Eighty-six fathers recruited at the first trimester of pregnancy completed self-report measures of anxious and depressive symptoms, coparenting support and parenting self-efficacy at the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, and at 1 and 6 months postpartum. Growth curve models were performed. Results: An increase in fathers’ parenting self-efficacy was found from the first trimester of pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. The main effects of anxious symptoms and interaction effects of anxious symptoms and time were found on fathers’ parenting self-efficacy. Fathers with higher anxious symptoms revealed lower levels of parenting self-efficacy at the first trimester of pregnancy and a lower increase of parenting self-efficacy from this time to 6 months postpartum. The main effects of coparenting support were found in fathers’ parenting self-efficacy. At the first trimester of pregnancy, fathers who perceived more coparenting support revealed higher levels of parenting self-efficacy. Conclusion: The present study may contribute to the literature by describing fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path and the effects of anxious symptoms and coparenting support on fathers’ parenting self-efficacy developmental path during the transition to parenthood.PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/201

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Pt-Au Nanoparticles with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity for the Oxidation of Formic Acid

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) is gratefully acknowledged for financial support under Research Project BJT-2014/400117/2014-2 and for the research support (HV: grant #306151/2010-3). Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) is also acknowledged for financial support (grants #2013/07296-2 and #2013/16930-7), and scholarship (FWH: grant #2014/08030-9). GC gratefully acknowledges R. Camargo for his collaboration in the acquisition of the HR-TEM images and for useful discussion and suggestions.Peer reviewedPostprin

Sleep during the third trimester of pregnancy: the role of depression and anxiety

Depression has been associated with sleep disturbances in pregnancy; however, no previous research has controlled the possible confounding effect of anxiety on this association. This study aims to analyze the effect of depression on sleep during the third trimester of pregnancy controlling for anxiety. The sample was composed by 143 depressed (n = 77) and non-depressed (n = 66) pregnant women who completed measures of depression, anxiety, and sleep. Differences between groups in sleep controlling for anxiety were found. Depressed pregnant women present higher number of nocturnal awakenings and spent more hours trying falling asleep during the night and the entire 24 h period. Present findings point out the effect of depression on sleep in late pregnancy, after controlling for anxiety.This research was supported by FEDER Funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE and by National Funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the project: PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/2010

Paternal Adjustment and Paternal Attitudes Questionnaire: Antenatal and postnatal portuguese versions

The Paternal Adjustment and Paternal Attitudes Questionnaire (PAPA) was designed to assess paternal adjustment and paternal attitudes during the transition to parenthood. This study aimed to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese versions of the PAPA-Antenatal (PAPA-AN) and -Postnatal (PAPA-PN) versions. A nonclinical sample of 128 fathers was recruited in the obstetrics outpatient unit, and they completed both versions of the PAPA and selfreport measures of depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and the postpartum period, respectively. Good internal consistency for both PAPA-AN and PAPA-PN was found. A three-factor model was found for both versions of the instrument. Longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good model fit. The PAPA-AN and PAPA-PN subscales revealed good internal consistency. Significant associations were found between PAPA (PAPA-AN and PAPA-PN) and depressive and anxiety symptoms, suggesting good criterion validity. Both versions also showed good clinical validity, with optimal cutoffs found. The present study suggested that the Portuguese versions of the PAPA are reliable multidimensional self-report measures of paternal adjustment and paternal attitudes that could be used to identify fathers with adjustment problems and negative attitudes during the transition to parenthood.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by FEDER Funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade–COMPETE and by National Funds through FCT–Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the project PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/2010. This research was also supported by FEDER funding from the Operational Programme Factors of Competitiveness–COMPETE and by national funding from the FCT–Foundation for Science and Technology (Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science) within the project “Health, Governance and Accountability in Embryo Research: Couples’ Decisions About the Fates of Embryos” (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-014453), and a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/75807/2011), cofunded by the POPH (Programa Operacional de Potencial Humano) Programme

100 Gbit/s electro-optic modulator and 56 Gbits/s wavelength converter for DQPSK data in silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) technology

CMOS-compatible silicon photonics combined with covers of chi (2) or chi (3)-nonlinear organic material allows electro-optic modulators and all-optical wavelength converters for data rates of 100 Gbit/s and beyond. The devices are not impaired by free carriers