Nanoemulsions and dermatological diseases: contributions and therapeutic advances

Skin disease is one of the most common human diseases and affects between 30% and 70% of individuals, which requires a lot of attention to their treatments. The delivery of active pharmacological ingredients at the topical level is a challenge because of the difficulties in overcoming the mechanical barrier created by the skin and reaching greater depths, since delivery specificities are decisive for the degree of effectiveness. In this way, the nanoemulsions emerge as a potential system for the incorporation of active substances in the cells and for the controlled release of active principles. The present article intends to review the main treatments for which the nanoemulsions were used in the field of dermatology. In addition, it discusses the results and advantages over the other dermatological therapies that are being used. The results showed that the particle size in nanoemulsions increased the contact surface area, resulting in increased drug efficacy, even in comparison with other existing pharmaceutical formulations. In conclusion, it has been shown that nanoemulsions have a better performance in efficacy, safety, permeability profile, and bioavailability compared with other formulations studied.     

Modifiable behavioral factors in a biopsychosocial model predict inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain

OBJECTIVE: The research addresses two questions: Are potentially modifiable psychosocial and behavioral factors related to gestational weight gain? Do the same factors relate to both excessive and insufficient weight gain? DESIGN: Prospective cohort study that followed women from early pregnancy until two years postpartum. Data were collected through mailed questionnaires and an audit of the medical record. Subjects/setting The sample included 622 healthy adult women who gave birth to live singleton infants. Subjects were recruited from all women who registered for prenatal care in a hospital and primary care clinic system serving a 10-county area of Upstate New York. Statistical analyses performed Multiple linear and logistic regression with adjustment for timing of measurements and length of gestation were performed. RESULTS: Only 38% of women gained an amount of weight in pregnancy that was within the range recommended by the Institute of Medicine. Valid and easily implemented measures of change in food intake and physical activity from prepregnancy and cigarette smoking during pregnancy were each significantly (P<.05) and independently related to gestational weight gain. Along with other variables in a biopsychosocial regression model, these variables accounted for 27% of the variance in gestational weight gain and were also significantly related to risk of inadequate and excessive gain. APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: The findings facilitate the design of more effective nutrition interventions to promote appropriate gestational weight gain and the long-term health of women and their infants.     

Fetal safety of loratadine use in the first trimester of pregnancy: a multicenter study

BACKGROUND: Women in their childbearing years often require drug therapy for allergic conditions. Loratadine, a newer nonsedating antihistamine, is often used because of its preferred side effect profile. To date no published data exist on the safety of loratadine use in pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether the use of loratadine in the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for major malformations. Secondary outcomes included rates of miscarriage, birth weights, and gestational age at delivery. METHODS: All women were prospectively enrolled from 4 participating centers. Detailed maternal medical history and drug exposures were collected at intake, whereas pregnancy complications and outcomes were collected at follow-up. A group of unexposed control subjects were recruited and followed up in a similar manner. RESULTS: This report includes follow-up on 161 loratadine exposed pregnancies and an equal number of unexposed control subjects. Maternal characteristics (age, pregnancy history, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits) were not different between the 2 groups. There were 5 malformations observed in the exposed group and 6 in the control group, which was not significantly different (P =.9) Similarly, the live birth rate, gestational age at delivery, and birth weights were not different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that loratadine use in pregnancy is not associated with a large risk for major malformations. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to increase study power.     

Effect of dietary vitamin A or N-acetylcysteine on ethylnitrosourea-induced rat gliomas

It is our hypothesis that low grade gliomas are the glial counterparts of other precancerous lesions such as colon polyps and, therefore, suitable targets for chemoprevention. Steps in the molecular progression of gliomas have been described, indicating that an accumulation of abnormalities is required for progression to a high grade and interruption of this progression might be possible. An animal model of chemical glial carcinogenesis was used to test this hypothesis. Pregnant rats were injected intravenously with ENU (ethylnitrosourea) on the 18th day of gestation to induce gliomas in the offspring, which were randomized to receive control diet, diet supplemented with vitamin A palmitate, or diet supplemented with N-acetylcysteine. Animals exposed to ENU and receiving a control diet developed brain tumors and had a shortened life expectancy compared with rats unexposed to ENU. The animals treated with NAC showed no statistically significant delay in the time to tumor and no change in the histologic grade of the tumors when compared with animals receiving control diet, but the time to death from any cause of NAC treated animals differed significantly from untreated animals. Animals receiving high dose VA had statistically significantly prolonged time to tumor, survived significantly longer than untreated animals, but had no reduction in the total number of tumors or change in the histologic grade of their tumors. The theoretical basis of these results is likely due to the putative mechanism of action of these agents. These data indicate that glioma chemoprevention is possible and deserves further exploration.     

Discovering a new part of the phenotypic spectrum of Coffin-Siris syndrome in a fetal cohort

PurposeGenome-wide sequencing is increasingly being performed during pregnancy to identify the genetic cause of congenital anomalies. The interpretation of prenatally identified variants can be challenging and is hampered by our often limited knowledge of prenatal phenotypes. To better delineate the prenatal phenotype of Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS), we collected clinical data from patients with a prenatal phenotype and a pathogenic variant in one of the CSS-associated genes.MethodsClinical data was collected through an extensive web-based survey.ResultsWe included 44 patients with a variant in a CSS-associated gene and a prenatal phenotype; 9 of these patients have been reported before. Prenatal anomalies that were frequently observed in our cohort include hydrocephalus, agenesis of the corpus callosum, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, persistent left vena cava, diaphragmatic hernia, renal agenesis, and intrauterine growth restriction. Anal anomalies were frequently identified after birth in patients with ARID1A variants (6/14, 43%). Interestingly, pathogenic ARID1A variants were much more frequently identified in the current prenatal cohort (16/44, 36%) than in postnatal CSS cohorts (5%-9%).ConclusionOur data shed new light on the prenatal phenotype of patients with pathogenic variants in CSS genes.     

Quantitative DNA ploidy analysis of breast carcinoma: A study of the effects of joint photographer experts group (JPEG) compression on DNA ploidy images

Telepathology usage in the past has typically been a qualitative procedure rather than a quantitative measurement. DNA ploidy using image analysis has been favorably compared to DNA ploidy analysis by flow cytometry in numerous publications. A step from DNA ploidy analysis using conventional image analysis to DNA ploidy analysis using stored images allows DNA ploidy analysis by image cytometry to become a powerful tool in telepathology. Remote DNA ploidy analysis using stored images has an impact on the field of pathology, as not every hospital or laboratory can afford to perform this type of specialized testing. However, images have large data files and require lengthy transmission times over communication systems to other computers. Joint Photographer Experts Group (JPEG) compression is a computer algorithm that allows the file size of an image to be reduced in order to decrease transmission times to another computer. A study was initiated to investigate the effects of JPEG compression on images of Feulgen stained breast tumor touch preps and the resulting DNA ploidy histograms. Diagn Cytopathol 1996;15:231–236. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The safety of quinolones—A meta-analysis of pregnancy outcomes

Objective

We conducted a meta-analysis of all published data in order to evaluate the risk for birth defects, stillbirths, preterm births and low birth weight following exposure to quinolones in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Study design

Medline, Embase, Scopus, Biological Abstracts and Proquest Thesis Dissertation databases were searched. Other papers and abstracts were located from the retrieved articles’ references, meeting booklets, internet web sites and books on teratology.

Results

Five studies met the inclusion criteria. The summary odds ratio for all the included studies was 1.05 (95% CI 0.90–1.22) for major malformations, 2.6 (95% CI 0.36–18.67) for stillbirths, 1.15 (95% CI 0.69–1.91) for preterm births and 0.73 (95% CI 0.30–1.79) for low birth weight. In an additional analysis including only fluoroquinolones (nalidixic acid was removed), the summary odds ratio for major malformations remained non-significant (1.11, 95% CI 0.57–2.15).

Conclusions

The use of quinolones during the first trimester of pregnancy does not appear to represent an increased risk for major malformations recognized after birth, stillbirths, preterm births or low birth weight.