Cutaneous permeation and penetration of sunscreens: formulation strategies and in vitro methods

Sunscreens are the most common products used for skin protection against the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. However, as frequent application is recommended, the use of large amount of sunscreens could reflect in possible systemic absorption and since these preparations are often applied on large skin areas, even low penetration rates can cause a significant amount of sunscreen to enter the body. An ideal sunscreen should have a high substantivity and should neither penetrate the viable epidermis, the dermis and the systemic circulation, nor in hair follicle. The research of methods to assess the degree of penetration of solar filters into the skin is nowadays even more important than in the past, due to the widespread use of nanomaterials and the new discoveries in cosmetic formulation technology. In the present paper, different in vitro studies, published in the last five years, have been reviewed, in order to focus the attention on the different methodological approaches employed to effectively assess the skin permeation and retention of sunscreens

Clinical Presentation of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Survey of 800 Cases

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and potentially fatal disease that is still underdiagnosed. The objective of our study was to reappraise the clinical presentation of PE with emphasis on the identification of the symptoms and signs that prompt the patients to seek medical attention. Methodology/Principal Findings: We studied 800 patients with PE from two different clinical settings: 440 were recruited in Pisa (Italy) as part of the Prospective Investigative Study of Acute Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PISAPED); 360 were diagnosed with and treated for PE in seven hospitals of central Tuscany, and evaluated at the Atherothrombotic Disorders Unit, Firenze (Italy), shortly after hospital discharge. We interviewed the patients directly using a standardized, self-administered questionnaire originally utilized in the PISAPED. The two samples differed significantly as regards age, proportion of outpatients, prevalence of unprovoked PE, and of active cancer. Sudden onset dyspnea was the most frequent symptom in both samples (81 and 78%), followed by chest pain (56 and 39%), fainting or syncope (26 and 22%), and hemoptysis (7 and 5%). At least one of the above symptoms was reported by 756 (94%) of 800 patients. Isolated symptoms and signs of deep vein thrombosis occurred in 3 % of the cases. Only 7 (1%) of 800 patients had no symptoms before PE was diagnosed. Conclusions/Significance: Most patients with PE feature at least one of four symptoms which, in decreasing order of frequency, are sudden onset dyspnea, chest pain, fainting (or syncope), and hemoptysis. The occurrence of such symptoms

In vitro evaluation of some parameters involved in mucoadhesion of aqueous polymeric dispersions

Context: The mucoadhesive formulations are constantly developing due to their relevance in the drug delivery to various districts of the organism. Objective: The purpose of this study was to find a direct link between physicochemical properties of the polymers and their adhesive ability in order to offer guidelines for the development of mucoadhesive semisolid formulations. Materials and methods: Twelve polymers were dispersed in water and characterized with regard to their mucoadhesiveness, apparent viscosity, contact angle on solid surface, and hydrodynamic diameter of their molecules. The adhesive properties were related to the other measured parameters. Results and discussion: The data seem to indicate the existence of an optimal value of viscosity, around 5–6 Pa s, to obtain the highest mucoadhesiveness of the polymeric dispersions. Regarding the molecular sizes, the best mucoadhesive performances seem to be given from polymers with a hydrodynamic diameter lower than 350–400 nm. In any case, the ability to wet the surface by the polymeric dispersion seems to play an essential role in bioadhesion process, capable of strongly limiting the phenomenon. Conclusions: Performing simple in vitro measurements, it seems possible to identify the best polymeric concentration to obtain a semisolid formulation with good mucoadhesive properties

The down-regulation of pank2 gene in zebrafish as a model of Pantothenate Kinase Associated Neurodegeneration.

open9siThe increased iron deposition is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, but its pathogenic role is still unclear. A strong link between iron and neurodegeneration is evident in a set of heterogeneous neurological disorders, known as Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA). The most common form of inherited NBIA is associated with mutations in hPank2 gene (PKAN). Pank2 is the rate limiting enzyme in CoA biosynthesis and its downregulation in mammalian cells leads to perturbation of cellular iron homeostasis. Here we explore Pank2 biological function in Danio rerio, and propose this system as an important new tool for the study of PKAN disease.openZizioli, Daniela; Tiso, Natascia; Busolin, Giorgia; Khatri, Deepak; Giuliani, Roberta; Borsani, Giuseppe; Monti, Eugenio; Argenton, Francesco; Finazzi, DarioZizioli, Daniela; Tiso, Natascia; Busolin, Giorgia; Khatri, Deepak; Giuliani, Roberta; Borsani, Giuseppe; Monti, Eugenio; Argenton, Francesco; Finazzi, Dari

Revisión sistemática del género <i>Parabolinella</i> Brøgger (Olenidae, Trilobita) del Cámbrico tardío - Ordovícico Temprano del noroeste argentino y Famatina

Se llevó a cabo una revisión sistemática de las especies argentinas del género Parabolinella Brøgger en base a material del Cámbrico tardío y Tremadociano proveniente de diferentes localidades de la Cuenca del Noroeste Argentino y Famatina. El mismo forma parte de la "Colección Harrington y Leanza", incluida dentro de la Colección de Paleontología de Invertebrados (Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires). Dicha revisión brindó una mayor precisión en la diagnosis de estas especies y su variabilidad intraespecífica. Se diferenciaron dos morfologías en la especie P. argentinensis Kobayashi a partir de ejemplares provenientes de la localidad tipo (Estación Purmamarca, ?Furongiano cuspidal - Tremadociano temprano) y material adicional del Tremadociano de otras localidades de la Cordillera Oriental y del Furongiano tardío de Famatina. Las mismas fueron consideradas como subespecies: P. argentinensis argentinensis corresponde a la morfología originalmente descripta por Kobayashi en 1936, mientras que P. argentinensis subespecie 2 se diferencia de la anterior por presentar un campo preglabelar menos desarrollado, el margen anterior del céfalo acuminado y los ojos ubicados más cerca de la glabela. Al acotarse la definición de P. argentinensis, parte del material anteriormente asignado a este taxón es ahora descripto como nuevas morfoespecies. La especie Parabolinella sp. nov. 1 del Tremadociano temprano de río San Pedro (Iruya), quebrada Colorada de Fundición y Santa Victoria (Santa Victoria) se caracteriza por la presencia de un campo preglabelar formando una protuberancia que se encuentra separada del borde cefálico anterior. La especie Parabolinella sp. nov. 2 del ?Furongiano cuspidal - Tremadociano temprano de Purmamarca y Tremadociano de cerro Alto del Pajonal (quebrada del río Reyes, Jujuy) presenta un campo preglabelar menos desarrollado que las formas anteriores, cruzado por surcos y una rama anterior de la sutura facial menos divergente.Simposio I: 2º Simposio de bioestratigrafía y eventos del Paleozoico inferior.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Playing with Dragons: A ludic experience as an introduction to phylogenetic concepts in biodiversity teaching

Se propone una actividad lúdica que tiene como fin introducir a los alumnos en el pensamiento de árbol. Los árboles filogenéticos son la forma adecuada de expresar la biodiversidad en el marco teórico de las actuales hipótesis evolutivas, por lo que deberían tomar un lugar central en el entendimiento público de la evolución. Su mala interpretación, sumada a la escasa disponibilidad de material didáctico en idioma español para docentes conduce a la repetición sistemática de errores. De esta manera, los alumnos terminarán por incorporar nociones equivocadas que se verán acrecentadas por los problemas epistemológicos en el aprendizaje de teorías evolutivas. La actividad lúdica como proceso de aprendizaje proporciona herramientas potentes a la hora de adquirir conceptos que requieren abstracción. Los juegos en la enseñanza de ciencias naturales, tanto con enfoques clásicos o más modernos, como el aprendizaje basado en juegos, proporcionan a los jugadores/aprendices una sensación de logro y mejoran la adquisición de conocimientos. En este contexto, la presente propuesta invita a acercarse al trabajocientífico y permite asimilar conceptos abstractos mediante la resolución de acertijos evolutivos. La actividad ofrece los conceptos adecuados para la introducción al estudio de procesos evolutivos y muestra una forma simple de presentarle al alumno la diversidad de la vida en nuestro planeta según los paradigmas actuales dentro del diseño curricular de enseñanza media.The aim of the present paper is to introduce students to tree-thinking through a ludic activity. Phylogenetic trees are the appropriate way to explain biodiversity under the theoretical framework of current evolutionary hypothesis and they should take a central place in public understanding of evolution. Misinterpretation of phylogenies plus the unavailability of didactic material in Spanish for teachers ends up in the reproduction of misunderstandings on the evolutionary theory. The combination of these errors with epistemological problems of evolutionary theories learning generates even more confusion in these subjects. The ludic activity as a learning process provides powerful tools when it comes to acquiring concepts that require abstraction in contents. Educational natural science games, both classical and modern approaches as Game-based learning theory, provide a sense of achievement to players/apprentices and they improve knowledge acquisition. In this context, the activity proposed here invites students to think under the scientific method and it allows them to assimilate abstract concepts by the resolution of evolutionary riddles. This activity gives the concepts to introduce scholars to the study of evolutionary processes, and the diversity of life on Earth under the current educational paradigms

Análisis filogenético del género <i>Parabolinella</i> Brøgger (Olenidae, Trilobita) del Cámbrico tardío y Tremadociano

Tradicionalmente, las relaciones filogenéticas entre las especies de la familia Olenidae Burmeister (Ptychopariida, Trilobita) han sido establecidas mediante la comparación morfológica directa y estratigráficamente. En el presente trabajo, se lleva a cabo un análisis cladístico del género Parabolinella Brøgger con el fin de establecer las relaciones entre las especies del mismo y poner a prueba su monofilia. Se codificaron 33 caracteres para un total de 20 especies, de las cuales 16 corresponden al género en cuestión, provenientes del Cámbrico tardío y Tremadociano de Báltica, Avalonia, Laurentia, China Sur y Gondwana, y cuatro especies asignadas a otros géneros de la misma familia. Los caracteres fueron considerados como no ordenados y consisten en 28 caracteres del cranidio, dos del pigidio y uno del tórax, de los cuales, algunos han sido creados especialmente para el grupo en estudio. Se realizó una búsqueda heurística, mediante el programa TNT, bajo pesos iguales, siguiendo el criterio de máxima parsimonia.Simposio I: 2º Simposio de bioestratigrafía y eventos del Paleozoico inferiorFacultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Una asociación de trilobites del Furongiano tardío del sector este de la Cordillera Oriental (Formación Santa Rosita; Jujuy, Argentina) y su significado bioestratigráfico

La Zona de trilobites de Parabolina frequens argentina está ampliamente representada en el Furongiano superior del noroeste argentino. En este trabajo se describe una asociación fosilífera del tramo inferior de la Formación Santa Rosita aflorante en la Quebrada de Abra Blanca, Provincia de Jujuy. Parabolina frequens argentina (Kayser) y Parabolinella coelatifrons Harrington & Leanza fueron previamente citados en otras localidades de la biozona, mientras que Lotagnostus hedini (Troedsson) es descripto aquí por primera vez para Sudamérica. Este último taxón aporta datos precisos sobre la edad de la Zona de P. frequens argentina en el sector este de la Cordillera Oriental, en donde aún no se han hallado rocas portadoras de faunas de conodontes. Lotagnostus hedini posee un rango bioestratigráfico corto, limitado al Furongiano más tardío de China (Xinjiang, Zona de Bulbolenus; oeste de Zhejiang, Zona de Lotagnostus hedini), Kazakstán (Zona de Euloma limitaris-Taoyuania) y ?Canadá (oeste de Newfoundland, Fauna de Phylacterus saylesi). En China y Kazakstán se registra asociado a, o unos pocos metros por debajo de la primera aparición del conodonte Cordylodus proavus, lo cual incrementa el potencial para realizar correlaciones globales.The trilobite Parabolina frequens argentina Zone is widely represented in the upper Furongian of northwestern Argentina. A fossil assemblage from the lower Santa Rosita Formation at Quebrada de Abra Blanca, Jujuy Province, is described herein. Parabolina frequens argentina (Kayser) and Parabolinella coelatifrons Harrington & Leanza have previously been reported from other localities of the biozone, whereas Lotagnostus hedini (Troedsson) is here described from South America for the first time. The latter provides high resolution data on the age of the P. frequens argentina Zone in the eastern Cordillera Oriental, where conodont-bearing strata have not been found yet. L. hedini exhibits a short biostratigraphic range, restricted to the latest Furongian of China (Xinjiang, Bulbolenus Zone; western Zhejiang, Lotagnostus hedini Zone), Kazakhstan (Euloma limitarisTaoyuania Zone) and ?Canada (western Newfoundland, Phylacterus saylesi Fauna). In China and Kazakhstan, it occurs in association with, or a few meters below, the first appearance of the conodont Cordylodus proavus; a fact that increases the potential for global correlation.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Una asociación de trilobites del Furongiano tardío del sector este de la Cordillera Oriental (Formación Santa Rosita; Jujuy, Argentina) y su significado bioestratigráfico

La Zona de trilobites de Parabolina frequens argentina está ampliamente representada en el Furongiano superior del noroeste argentino. En este trabajo se describe una asociación fosilífera del tramo inferior de la Formación Santa Rosita aflorante en la Quebrada de Abra Blanca, Provincia de Jujuy. Parabolina frequens argentina (Kayser) y Parabolinella coelatifrons Harrington & Leanza fueron previamente citados en otras localidades de la biozona, mientras que Lotagnostus hedini (Troedsson) es descripto aquí por primera vez para Sudamérica. Este último taxón aporta datos precisos sobre la edad de la Zona de P. frequens argentina en el sector este de la Cordillera Oriental, en donde aún no se han hallado rocas portadoras de faunas de conodontes. Lotagnostus hedini posee un rango bioestratigráfico corto, limitado al Furongiano más tardío de China (Xinjiang, Zona de Bulbolenus; oeste de Zhejiang, Zona de Lotagnostus hedini), Kazakstán (Zona de Euloma limitaris-Taoyuania) y ?Canadá (oeste de Newfoundland, Fauna de Phylacterus saylesi). En China y Kazakstán se registra asociado a, o unos pocos metros por debajo de la primera aparición del conodonte Cordylodus proavus, lo cual incrementa el potencial para realizar correlaciones globales.The trilobite Parabolina frequens argentina Zone is widely represented in the upper Furongian of northwestern Argentina. A fossil assemblage from the lower Santa Rosita Formation at Quebrada de Abra Blanca, Jujuy Province, is described herein. Parabolina frequens argentina (Kayser) and Parabolinella coelatifrons Harrington & Leanza have previously been reported from other localities of the biozone, whereas Lotagnostus hedini (Troedsson) is here described from South America for the first time. The latter provides high resolution data on the age of the P. frequens argentina Zone in the eastern Cordillera Oriental, where conodont-bearing strata have not been found yet. L. hedini exhibits a short biostratigraphic range, restricted to the latest Furongian of China (Xinjiang, Bulbolenus Zone; western Zhejiang, Lotagnostus hedini Zone), Kazakhstan (Euloma limitarisTaoyuania Zone) and ?Canada (western Newfoundland, Phylacterus saylesi Fauna). In China and Kazakhstan, it occurs in association with, or a few meters below, the first appearance of the conodont Cordylodus proavus; a fact that increases the potential for global correlation.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Weekly versus three weeks chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. A meta-analysis

Aim: Three weeks paclitaxel and carboplatin has been considered the standard of care for primary treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). Whether weekly therapy will further improve the clinical outcomes or not is still unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis to compare the two regimens. Method: Articles were selected with a systematic approach, using PubMed databases. Trials concerning comparison between carboplatin plus weekly paclitaxel (dose-dense regimen) and carboplatin plus paclitaxel every 3 weeks were considered. Outcomes included overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS) and severe acute toxicity. Results: Dose-dense regimen was associated with significant improvement of PFS compared with standard schedule, with HR of 0.73 (95% CI 0.61-0.88, p = 0.001). There was no difference in OS between treatment regimens (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.77-1.16, p=0.06), as well as in term of severe acute toxicity. Conclusion: Dose-dense regimen is superior to standard schedule in terms of PFS. Further studies are necessary to firmly confirm this evidence in advanced OC treatment