Sensitive skin: correlation with skin surface microrelief appearance

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Sensitive skin is a condition associated with reduced tolerance to environmental factors and/or the application of topical products, such as cosmetics. Its pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated and few data are available on its prevalence. The aim of this study was to investigate possible correlation between objective sensitivity and skin surface microrelief. METHODS: During an epidemiological survey conducted for a campaign promoted by International Society of Plastic Dermatology in Italy, 243 adult healthy subjects of both sexes with no evident dermatological disorder but positive to the lactic acid stinging test, were submitted to cyanoacrylate stratum corneum stripping from the volar forearm for the determination of the irregularity of the skin surface microrelief (irregularity skin index (ISI)). RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between intensity of symptoms in stingers and ISI (r(s)=-0.47; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Sensitive skin is common in the healthy population. ISI can contribute towards the identification of subjects with sensitive skin and the development of more specific skin treatments for this prevalent condition.     

Physical laws of cholesterol gallstone fragmentation

Efficient fragmentation is the most important prerequisite for successful treatment of gallstones by extracorporeally induced shock waves. No data are available on the amount of energy necessary for stone disintegration and on the threshold energy below which no further fragmentation occurs. We therefore performed an in vitro investigation on human cholesterol gallstones to elucidate physical laws governing shock-wave lithotripsy. First, the focal pressure of the lithotripter was measured to calculate the energy traversing a stone. Second, 96 gallstones from 16 gall bladders were analysed with respect to physicochemical composition, radiological features and ultrasound before fragmentation was performed. Energy for stone disintegration was constant within each stone family but varied between 4.6 J mL^?1 and 36.8 J mL^?1 in different families. This energy correlated linearly with stone volume. None of the radiological and physicochemical factors revealed a clear-cut correlation of the different energies necessary for similar stone disintegration. The threshold energy differed between 0.26 mJ and 1.04 mJ per pulse. In conclusion, stone volume was the best parameter predicting stone fragmentation. However, in cholesterol stones with a similar composition the required energy per volume varies considerably together with the threshold energy. Radiological and ultrasound parameters appear to be of minor importance in explaining these differences.     

Synthesis and Properties of Haptens for the Development of Radioimmunoassays for Thioridazine,Mesoridazine, and Sulforidazine

For the separate development of radioimmunoassay procedures for thioridazine and its two major active metabolites, mesoridazine and sulforidazine, three haptens, respectively, 2-methylthio-, 2-methylsulfinyl-, and 2-methylsulfonyl-substituted 10-[2-[l-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-piperidinyl]ethyl]-10H-phenothiazine, were synthesized and characterized. Thioridazine hapten was coupled to bovine serum albumin, whereas the haptens for mesoridazine and sulforidazine were coupled to porcine thyroglobulin. The number of hapten residues per mole of carrier protein was determined in each case by an ultraviolet spectrophotometric method. Polyclonal antibodies to each hapten–protein conjugate were obtained in rabbits, and titers of the antisera were checked by evaluating their binding characteristics to the appropriate tritiated analyte. A hapten for the ring sulfoxide metabolite of thioridazine was also synthesized.     

Oral administration of methylergometrine shows a late and unpredictable effect on the non-pregnant human menstruating uterus

Objective: To study the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of oral and intravenous methylergometrine upon uterine motility during menstruation. Study-design: Intra-uterine pressure was measured in six volunteers with a fluid-filled sponge-tipped catheter during menstruation. Methylergometrine was given orally (0.5 mg) or intravenously (0.2 mg) in a cross-over design. Results: After intravenous administration, a fast increase of the frequency of uterine contractions and basal tone occurred with a decrease of amplitude, lasting at least 30 min. Oral administration had a late and less marked effect on uterine motility. An intravenous dose administered 24 h after an oral dose had no effect on uterine motility. Pharmacokinetic data, such as the maximum plasma concentration (C_max), the time at which C_max is reached (t_max) and the half-life of absorption (t_1/2abs) also demonstrated large individual variations after oral administration. Conclusion: Oral administration of methylergometrine had an unpredictable and late effect on uterine motility on the menstruating uterus, probably due to an unpredictable bioavailability, in contrast with the fast and predictable effect after intravenous administration.     

聚丙烯改性研究

采用马来酸酐、二甲基丙烯酸乙二醇酯、三羟甲基丙烷三基丙烯酸酯对聚丙烯进行改性。以自由基反应机理为基础，讨论了引发剂用量、反应时间、改性试剂的种类、用量等因素对改性ＰＰ凝胶含量及性能的影响，提出了力学性能的优选条件。得到了力学性能优良的改性ＰＰ，为其进一步功能化提供了理论参考。     

溶剂在嵌段共聚高分子膜中的溶解与传递现象

利用石英弹簧称重法测定了308．15K时乙醇和苯在含端羟基聚丁二烯(HTPB)和端羟基聚丁二烯／丙烯腈共聚物(HTBN)的嵌段共聚聚氨酯膜中的吸收动力学曲线。结合吸收-络合吸附双模式传递模型，研究了聚氨酯膜的微相分离程度、软硬段的比例和组成以及软段分子量等因素对溶剂在膜中溶解和传递性质的影响。     

聚苯醚热固性改性及其性能研究

通过溴化聚苯醚和格利雅试剂反应，将不饱和基团烯丙基引入聚苯醚中实现其热固性改性，由^1H-NMR和FTIR进行结构表征。确定了烯丙化聚苯醚的固化工艺，并对其固化产物性能进行测试。结果表明：按合成新工艺制备的热固性聚苯醚，其固化产物具有优异的介电性能(低介电常数、低介电损耗因子)，良好的耐溶剂性能和低吸湿性。     

葡萄糖酸内酯为凝固剂时大豆蛋白的胶凝特性

测定了以葡萄糖酸内酯(GDL)作为凝固剂时不同热处理条件下大豆蛋白主要组分———7S和11S单独胶凝时的流变学曲线,证实了蛋白质的充分变性是GDL引发大豆蛋白胶凝的前提,且已充分热变性的7S和11S组分在单独胶凝时具有大致相当的凝胶强度.通过测定7S和11S组分的物理化学性质,解释了在以GDL作为凝固剂时两组分表现出基本相似的胶凝能力,与7S组分较高的疏水性和11S组分较高的巯基含量有关.     

甲壳素溶液流变性能的初步研究

用热重分析仪和高级流变扩展系统分别研究了提纯工艺对甲壳素的影响和甲壳素／二氮乙酸溶液的流变特性。结果表明，提纯后的甲壳素为纯白色，且杂质含量减少。甲壳素／二氯乙酸溶液的表观粘度随剪切速率的增加而减小，结构粘度指数随浓度的增加而减小。剪切应力一剪切速率的曲线随着溶液浓度的增加而上移，浓度越大，其非牛顿指数n越小。该结构为确定合理的甲壳素纤维原丝生产工艺提供了科学依据。     

The effect of the synthetic neuroprotective dipeptide noopept on glutamate release from rat brain cortex slices

The level of spontaneous and K⁺-stimulated release of endogenous glutamate was studied in experiments on slices of brain cortex of Wistar rats. Pronounced spontaneous release of the neuromediator and its increase under conditions of stimulation were registered by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The effect of the nootropic and neuroprotective dipeptide Noopept (GVS-111) on release of glutamate was investigated. The peptide in concentrations of 10^?5 and 10^?6 M caused a statistically significant decrease in spontaneous and K⁺-stimulated glutamate release. This effect could be the basis of the neuroprotective action of the peptide, suggesting that further studies of Noopept as neuroprotector are very promising.