Formulating O/W Emulsions with Plant-Based Actives: A Stability Challenge for an Effective Product

Quality, safety, and efficacy concerns added to instability, poor absorption, and the dispersion of actives are common problems while formulating plant-based cosmetics. Furthermore, a correct balance between the stability of the emulsion, the sensory profile, and the high efficacy has to be considered to formulate an effective product. In this paper, we demonstrate that rheology is a methodological tool that can be used while designing a new product. In particular, we developed an O/W emulsion which is easy to spread on irritated skin, and that can soothe the redness and discomfort caused by the exposure to both physical and chemical irritating agents. The green active mixture consists of three natural raw materials: Bosexil\uae, Zanthalene\uae, and Xilogel\uae. Each ingredient has a well-demonstrated efficacy in terms of soothing, anti-itching, and moisturizing properties respectively. Starting from the selection of a new green emulsifying system, through the analysis of the rheological properties, we obtained a stable and easy-to-apply o/w emulsion. The efficacy of the optimized product was assessed in vitro on intact and injured skin using the SkinEthic\u2122 Reconstituted Human Epidermis (RHE) as a biological model

Identificazione e caratterizzazione del gene coinvolto nella Sindrome di Crisponi

Crisponi syndrome is a severe autosomal recessive condition, phenotypically characterized by abnormal, paroxysmal muscular contractions resembling neonatal tetanus, large face, broad nose, anteverted nares,camptodactyly, hyperthermia and sudden death in most cases. We performed homozygosity mapping in five Sardinian and three Turkish families with Crisponi syndrome using high-density SNP arrays and identified a critical region on chromosome 19p12-13.1. The most prominent candidate gene was CRLF1, recently found to be involved in the pathogenesis of cold-induced sweating syndrome type 1 (CISS1). CISS1 belongs to a group of conditions with overlapping phenotypes, also including cold induced sweating syndrome type 2 (CISS2) and Stüve-Wiedemann syndrome (SWS). All these syndromes are caused by mutations of genes of the ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF)receptor pathway. Here we describe the identification of four different CRLF1 mutations in eight different Crisponi families, including a missense mutation, a single nucleotide insertion, a nonsense and an insertion/deletion (indel) mutation, all segregating with the disease trait in the families. Comparison of the mutation spectra of Crisponi syndrome and CISS1 suggests that neither the type nor location of the CRLF1 mutations point to a phenotype/genotype correlation that would account for the most severe phenotype in Crisponi syndrome. Other, still unknown molecular factors may be responsible for the variable phenotypic expression of the CRLF1 mutations. We suggest that the syndromes can comprise a family of “CNTF receptor-related disorders”, of which Crisponi syndrome would be the newest member and allelic to CISS1

Prognostic impact of coronary microcirculation abnormalities in systemic sclerosis: a prospective study to evaluate the role of non-invasive tests

INTRODUCTION: Microcirculation dysfunction is a typical feature of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and represents the earliest abnormality of primary myocardial involvement. We assessed coronary microcirculation status by combining two functional tests in SSc patients and estimating its impact on disease outcome. METHODS: Forty-one SSc patients, asymptomatic for coronary artery disease, were tested for coronary flow velocity reserve (CFR) by transthoracic-echo-Doppler with adenosine infusion (A-TTE) and for left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (WMA) by dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). Myocardial multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) enabled the presence of epicardial stenosis, which could interfere with the accuracy of the tests, to be excluded. Patient survival rate was assessed over a 6.7- ± 3.5-year follow-up. RESULTS: Nineteen out of 41 (46%) SSc patients had a reduced CFR (≤2.5) and in 16/41 (39%) a WMA was observed during DSE. Furthermore, 13/41 (32%) patients showed pathological CFR and WMA. An inverse correlation between wall motion score index (WMSI) during DSE and CFR value (r = -0.57, P <0.0001) was observed; in addition, CFR was significantly reduced (2.21 ± 0.38) in patients with WMA as compared to those without (2.94 ± 0.60) (P <0.0001). In 12 patients with abnormal DSE, MDCT was used to exclude macrovasculopathy. During a 6.7- ± 3.5-year follow-up seven patients with abnormal coronary functional tests died of disease-related causes, compared to only one patient with normal tests. CONCLUSIONS: A-TTE and DSE tests are useful tools to detect non-invasively pre-clinical microcirculation abnormalities in SSc patients; moreover, abnormal CFR and WMA might be related to a worse disease outcome suggesting a prognostic value of these tests, similar to other myocardial diseases

Tecnologias e formação inicial docente: O papel do professor formador na construção do pensamento crítico e da cidadania digital

Este artigo analisa, pela perspectiva de professores formadores de cursos de licenciatura, o uso e a integração de Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação (TDIC) em práticas curriculares de Educação em Ciências no que diz respeito: i) à contribuição desses recursos para a aprendizagem e a formação de professores críticos e reflexivos; ii) ao papel do docente na construção do pensamento crítico e da cidadania no mundo digital. Trata-se de estudo de cunho qualitativo que tem por base dados coletados por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas com nove professores formadores de uma universidade federal do sul de Minas Gerais. Os dados foram analisados a partir de temas emergentes das falas dos participantes. Os resultados indicam que a maioria dos entrevistados entende as TDIC como “ferramentas” a serviço do currículo e da aprendizagem, bem como destacam o papel motivador das TDIC. Entretanto, a visão geral dos professores formadores desconsidera essas tecnologias como bens culturais que interferem diretamente nos processos de ensinar e aprender na cultura digital. O conceito de “cidadania digital” é compreendido em direta articulação com a noção mais ampla de cidadania. Essa, trazida como elemento importante da formação inicial de professores pela maioria dos entrevistados

Land-use history and topographic gradients as driving factors of subalpine Larix decidua forests

none6restrictedMatteo Garbarino;Emanuele Lingua;Peter J. Weisberg;Alessandra Bottero;Fabio Meloni;Renzo MottaMatteo, Garbarino; Lingua, Emanuele; Peter J., Weisberg; Alessandra, Bottero; Fabio, Meloni; Renzo, Mott

AIRE acetylation and deacetylation: effect on protein stability and transactivation activity

The AIRE protein plays a remarkable role as a regulator of central tolerance by controlling the promiscuous expression of tissue-specific antigens in thymic medullary epithelial cells. Defects in AIRE gene cause the autoimmune polyendocrinopathy- candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy, a rare disease frequent in Iranian Jews, Finns, and Sardinian population. AIRE protein is primarily known as a transcriptional regulator and is capable of interacting with numerous proteins. The first characterized partner of AIRE is the ubiquitous transcription factor CREB-binding protein (CBP), which regulates DNA transcription through the acetylation and deacetylation of histones. More recently, the role of p300 in AIRE acetylation, which could influence the selection of AIRE activated genes, has been described. Results: In this study, we have precisely mapped, by mass spectrometry experiments, the sites of protein acetylation and, by mutagenesis assays, we have described a set of acetylated lysines as being crucial in influencing the subcellular localization of AIRE. Furthermore, we have also determined that the de-acetyltransferase enzymes HDAC1-2 are involved in the lysine de-acetylation of AIRE. Conclusions: On the basis of our results and those reported in literature, we propose a model in which lysines acetylation increases the stability of AIRE in the nucleus. In addition, we observed that the interaction of AIRE with deacetylases complexes inhibits its transcriptional activity and is probably responsible for the instability of AIRE, which becomes more susceptible to degradation in the proteasome

The Forkhead Transcription Factor Foxl2 Is Sumoylated in Both Human and Mouse: Sumoylation Affects Its Stability, Localization, and Activity

The FOXL2 forkhead transcription factor is expressed in ovarian granulosa cells, and mutated FOXL2 causes the blepharophimosis, ptosis and epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) and predisposes to premature ovarian failure. Inactivation of Foxl2 in mice demonstrated its indispensability for female gonadal sex determination and ovary development and revealed its antagonism of Sox9, the effector of male testis development. To help to define the regulatory activities of FOXL2, we looked for interacting proteins. Based on yeast two-hybrid screening, we found that FOXL2 interacts with PIAS1 and UBC9, both parts of the sumoylation machinery. We showed that human FOXL2 is sumoylated in transfected cell lines, and that endogenous mouse Foxl2 is comparably sumoylated. This modification changes its cellular localization, stability and transcriptional activity. It is intriguing that similar sumoylation and regulatory consequences have also been reported for SOX9, the male counterpart of FOXL2 in somatic gonadal tissues

Classical and Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Diagnosis

Classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (C-BSE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle, detected in the United Kingdom and many other countries since the 1980s. The origin of C-BSE is uncertain, but epidemiological studies suggest that the source of this disease was cattle feed prepared from prion-infected animal tissues. To date, cattle populations have been monitored through passive and active surveillance programs. From 2004, two different forms of BSE termed as L-BSE, also known as bovine amyloidotic spongiform encephalopathy (BASE), and H-BSE have been discovered in Italy and France. All these atypical cases have been detected in animals over 8 years of age. To date, there is no comprehensive information about the origin of the atypical BSEs (sporadic vs. acquired). Moreover, there are only very limited data available, concerning the pathogenesis of both atypical forms, as compared to C-BSE. This chapter provides a well-organized overview of what is known about classical and atypical BSE. It will review information on the main epidemiological features, pathogenesis, and the criteria for the routine diagnosis based on rapid tests, histological, immunohistochemical, and Western blot examinations

Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs): isolation, enrichment and comparative differentiation of two sub-populations

Human dental pulp represents a suitable alternative source of stem cells for the purpose of cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine, because it is relatively easy to obtain it, using low invasive procedures. This study characterized and compared two subpopulations of adult stem cells derived from human dental pulp (hDPSCs). Human DPSCs, formerly immune-selected for STRO-1 and c-Kit, were separated for negativity and positivity to CD34 expression respectively, and evaluated for cell proliferation, stemness maintenance, cell senescence and multipotency

Off to a good start: environmental imprinting in the childbirth period

Our organism and the expression of our genetic inheritance are conditioned by the environment. This is demonstrated by experimental models on animals, but more and more evidence shows similarities also in humans. Evidence now supports that neonatal and maternal health also depends on the interactions between the environment and the DNA itself. Even though the DNA sequence remains the same over the years, some genetic traits of human beings can be affected by the silencing or activation of some nucleotide sequences, for example by DNA methylation. Today, epigenetics is much more important than we used to think in 1942 when Waddington used the word “epigenetics” for the first time. The environment can modify DNA sequence methylation, affecting protein production and the phenotype. Examples of how epigenetics affects childbirth phenomenon are given and mechanisms are discussed. Four biological mechanisms of epigenetics are presented: genomic imprinting and silencing of the paternal set of chromosomes, the unpredictable “on/off” expression patterns of wild type genes, paramutations, and alternative states of protein folding. Some genes are triggered by stress, maternal nutrition, drugs (namely oxytocin, fentanyl), childbirth modalities, labor, environmental behavior, microorganism colonization. Imprinting theory is a good scientific basis, to explain the permanence of some biological effects at a considerable time after birth. Imprinting is an important mechanism of DNA expression, and different types of imprinting are described. The consequences of antibiotic use in the childbirth period are discussed, along with the importance of awareness in the use of antibiotics for maternal prophylaxis. Prenatal antibiotics and cesarean sections do affect neonatal microbiome considerably and, therefore, may be the causes of inflammatory intestinal disorders, asthma, obesity, diabetes. Mode of delivery, labor, breastfeeding, and skin-to-skin practice are strictly related to future neonatal health, and the effects are shown here. One of the most important factors to explain the diseases mentioned above is probably the lack of “bacterial contamination” through the birth canal. However, this mechanism cannot be the only one to act, and, in fact, here we also discuss other mechanisms that contribute to the development of future pathologies. Last but not least, the culture and education of the operators, as well as maternal and providers’ attendance behavior during childbirth,  can change the relative outcomes of children’s long-term health