Method-Dependent Epidemiological Cutoff Values for Detection of Triazole Resistance in Candida and Aspergillus Species for the Sensititre YeastOne Colorimetric Broth and Etest Agar Diffusion Methods.

Although the Sensititre Yeast-One (SYO) and Etest methods are widely utilized, interpretive criteria are not available for triazole susceptibility testing of Candida or Aspergillus species. We collected fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole SYO and Etest MICs from 39 laboratories representing all continents for (method/agent-dependent) 11,171 Candida albicans, 215 C. dubliniensis, 4,418 C. glabrata species complex, 157 C.guilliermondii (Meyerozyma guilliermondii), 676 C. krusei (Pichia kudriavzevii), 298 C.lusitaniae (Clavispora lusitaniae), 911 C.parapsilosissensu stricto, 3,691 C.parapsilosis species complex, 36 C.metapsilosis, 110 C.orthopsilosis, 1,854 C.tropicalis, 244 Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 1,409 Aspergillus fumigatus, 389 A.flavus, 130 A.nidulans, 233 A.niger, and 302 A.terreus complex isolates. SYO/Etest MICs for 282 confirmed non-wild-type (non-WT) isolates were included: ERG11 (C. albicans), ERG11 and MRR1 (C. parapsilosis), cyp51A (A. fumigatus), and CDR2 and CDR1 overexpression (C. albicans and C. glabrata, respectively). Interlaboratory modal agreement was superior by SYO for yeast species and by the Etest for Aspergillus spp. Distributions fulfilling CLSI criteria for epidemiological cutoff value (ECV) definition were pooled, and we proposed SYO ECVs for S. cerevisiae and 9 yeast and 3 Aspergillus species and Etest ECVs for 5 yeast and 4 Aspergillus species. The posaconazole SYO ECV of 0.06 µg/ml for C. albicans and the Etest itraconazole ECV of 2 µg/ml for A. fumigatus were the best predictors of non-WT isolates. These findings support the need for method-dependent ECVs, as, overall, the SYO appears to perform better for susceptibility testing of yeast species and the Etest appears to perform better for susceptibility testing of Aspergillus spp. Further evaluations should be conducted with more Candida mutants.

Heterogeneous responses to ozone and nitrogen alter the species composition of Mediterranean annual pastures.

Air pollution represents a threat to biodiversity throughout the world and particularly in the Mediterranean area, where high tropospheric ozone (O3) concentrations and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition are frequently recorded. Mediterranean annual pastures are among the most important ecosystems in southern Europe due to their high biodiversity and extension. Aiming to study the responses of these communities to the main atmospheric pollutants in the Mediterranean region, an experimental study was performed in an open-top chamber (OTC) facility. A mixture of six species representative of annual pastures was grown under field conditions inside the OTC. Plants were exposed for 39 days to four O3 treatments and three doses of N. The species responded heterogeneously to both factors. Legumes did not react to N but were very sensitive to O3: Trifolium species responded negatively, while Ornithopus responded positively, taking advantage of the greater sensitivity of clovers to O3. The grasses and the herb were more tolerant of O3 and grasses were the most responsive to N. Significant interactions between factors indicated a loss of effectiveness of N in O3-polluted atmospheres and an ability of O3 to counterbalance the damage induced by N input, but both effects were dependent on O3 and N levels. The inclusion of plant competition in the experimental design was necessary to reveal results that would otherwise be missed, such as the positive growth responses under elevated O3 levels. Surprisingly, competition within the legume family played the most important role in the overall response of the annual community to O3. Both tropospheric O3 and N deposition should be considered important drivers of the structure and biodiversity of Mediterranean annual pastures.

Visual odometry in the wolf spider Lycosa tarantula (Araneae: Lycosidae).

The wolf spider Lycosa tarantula homes using path integration. The angular component of the displacement is measured using a polarized-light compass associated with the functioning of the anterior median eyes. However, how L. tarantula estimates the linear component of the displacement was not known prior to this investigation. The ability of L. tarantula to gauge the distance walked after being displaced from its burrow was investigated using experimental channels placed in an indoor setup. Firstly, we manipulated the perception of visual stimuli by covering all the spider's eyes. Secondly, we changed the optic flow supplied by a black-and-white grating (λ=2 cm) perceived either in the lateral or in the ventral field of view. Finally, the period of the lateral or ventral grating was changed from λ=2 cm to λ=1 cm. Our results indicate that visual information contributes to distance estimation because when the spider's eyes were covered, the spiders tended to search for the burrow at very variable distances. This visual information is created by the motion of the image as the spider walks, the motion in the lateral field of view being the most important. The preference of a lateral optic flow over the ventral flow can be explained by the difference in the resolution capacity of the posterior lateral eyes and the anterior lateral eyes.

Assessing the genotoxicities of sparteine and compounds isolated from Lupinus mexicanus and L. montanus seeds by using comet assay.

The genus Lupinus is widely distributed. Its seeds are used for animal and human food, and Lupinus possesses pharmacological potential because of its high content of quinolizidine alkaloids and flavonoids; however, there is little available information about its genotoxicity. We used the comet assay and staminal nuclei of Tradescantia (clone 4430) to evaluate the in vitro genotoxicity of 4 concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mM) of alkaloid extracts of Lupinus mexicanus and Lupinus montanus, flavonoids of L. mexicanus, and commercial sparteine; nitrosodiethylamine was used as a positive control and untreated nuclei were used as a negative control. All concentrations of L. mexicanus and L. montanus showed significant genotoxic activity (P ≤ 0.05). A similar behavior was observed for flavonoid extracts of L. montanus except the 1.0 mM concentration. Sparteine showed genotoxic activity only at 0.5 mM. The order of genotoxicity of the compounds studied was as follows: L. mexicanus > L. montanus > flavonoids of L. montanus > sparteine. There is evident genotoxic activity in the compounds that were studied, particularly at lower concentrations (0.01 and 0.1 mM). Given the limited information about the genotoxicity of the compounds of L. mexicanus and L. montanus, further studies are necessary.

Genetic structure of a phytophagous mite species affected by crop practices: the case of Tetranychus urticae in clementine mandarins.

Tetranychus urticae Koch is a cosmopolitan mite considered as the most polyphagous species among spider mites. This mite is a key pest of clementine mandarins in Eastern Spain, where Spanish clementine production concentrates. Crop management practices can affect the population dynamics of this mite and, consequently, its impact on the orchard. Microsatellite markers were used to study mite population genetics from two commercial orchards which had been managed differently following Integrated Pest Management (IPM) or Organic Pest Management (OPM) schemes during four consecutive years. A multiplex system including 20 microsatellite loci was designed specifically and allowed an efficient and inexpensive genotyping of individual mites. We found that the IPM population had a stronger fluctuation of population structure and higher genetic diversity compared to OPM population. Thus, our study concludes that crop management has an impact on the population genetics of T. urticae which may be related to the alternation of some acaricides under IPM.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the esophagus treated by endoscopy.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors are rare lesions that have been described in virtually every organ including the gastrointestinal tract. The esophagus is an extremely unusual site for these tumors, with only a few cases described in the literature. Surgery has been the most common therapeutic approach used for the resection of these lesions. In the present case, a patient diagnosed with an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the upper esophagus was reported, and it was successfully removed by endoscopy with no complications.

Frequencies of -308G/A (TNFA) and -509C/T (TGFB1) polymorphisms in sickle cell anemia patients from Brazil.

Sickle cell anemia is an affection that causes chronic inflammation, with consequences for vaso-occlusion, oxidative stress and cytokine production. Genetic polymorphisms in markers involved in this process can modulate the inflammatory response, including polymorphisms -308G/A of TNFA (tumor necrosis factor alpha) and -509C/T of TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1), reported to increase TNF-α and TGF-ß1 production, respectively. Changes in the cytokine balance are important risk factors for clinical events; consequently, we examined the frequencies of these polymorphisms in 240 Brazilian sickle cell anemia patients from southeast Brazil. PCR-RFLP was used to detect these polymorphisms. The -509C/T (TGFB1) polymorphism was more frequent than -308G/A (TNFA), with allelic frequency of 0.3 for the mutant allele T (TGFB) agaist 0.1 for the mutant allele A (TNFA). These allelic frequencies are similar to those known from populations with ethnicity similar to the Brazilian population. Inheritance of these polymorphisms does not seem to be associated with that of the Hb S mutation; however, this information could be useful in analyses of specific clinical characteristics of sickle cell anemia.

Incidence of hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria and related factors in patients treated with recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-84).

AIM: The aim of this paper was to determine the incidence of hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria (and related factors) in 22 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with PTH (1-84) in daily practice. METHODS: Osteoporosis was defined as history of osteoporotic fracture or a T score less than -3 SD on bone densitometry. Patients were treated with PTH (1-84), 100 mcg/daily, for 12 months. Clinical and laboratory data at baseline and after 6 months of treatment were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age was 71.9 years. The incidence of hypercalcemia and the hypercalciuria were 6 events. Increase in serum calcium levels showed a statistically significant correlation with 24-hour urinary calcium (rho [ρ]=0.83, P<0.001), serum alkaline phosphatase (ρ=0.76, P=0.001), total proteins (ρ=0.77, P=0.005), and ß-CTx (ρ=0.82, P=0.002). On the other hand, 24-hour urinary calcium excretion correlated significantly with ß-CTx (ρ=0.83, P=0.002), alkaline phosphatase (ρ=0.73, P=0.005), total proteins (ρ=0.73, P=0.02), and serum phosphate (ρ=0.58, P=0.04). When the group of patients with and without hypercalcemia were compared, there were statistically significant differences in increases of ß-CTx and baseline ß-CTx values, whereas the group of patients with and without hypercalciuria showed significant differences in serum calcium increases and baseline values of T score at the femoral neck. CONCLUSION: The incidence of hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria after treatment with PTH (1-84) is similar to that expected according to the product's technical specifications. There was a significant correlation between increases of serum calcium, urinary calcium excretion, serum alkaline phosphatase, and ß-CTx after treatment with PTH (1-84). Baseline ß-CTx values were significantly lower in patients who developed hypercalcemia than in those with normal serum calcium levels.

[A comparative study of recreational screen time in neurodevelopmental disorders]. / Estudio comparativo del tiempo de pantallas recreativas en los trastornos del neurodesarrollo.

INTRODUCTION: Digital screen time has been largely studied in children populations, but few have focused on children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Our main objective was to study the characteristics of use of recreational screens (television (TV) and video games), in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study in which children with neurodevelopmental disorders under the age of 6 were compared with controls of the same age range. We analysed TV and video game exposure through a designed questionnaire for parents that included daily time exposure, sociodemographic characteristics, home media environment, sociocultural habits, attitudes and beliefs about TV. RESULTS: Sixty-one individuals with developmental and 153 controls were enrolled. Children with developmental problems spend more time watching TV than controls (124,4 ± 83,4 vs 71,5 ± 47,4 min / day p <0,001), while video game time was similar in both groups (37,6 ± 39, 6 vs 31,7 ± 32,6 min / day p = 0,138). Children with neurodevelopmental disorders began earlier to watch TV than controls. There were no relevant differences between groups in demographics, Sociocultural, environmental and attitudinal and belief variables. CONCLUSIONS: Children with neurodevelopmental disorders start watching TV at an earlier age and consume more screen time than healthy children. Our findings indicate that Children with neurodevelopmental disorders are more vulnerable to screen abuse, and stress the importance to offer anticipatory guidance to their parents.

TITLE: Estudio comparativo del tiempo de pantallas recreativas en los trastornos del neurodesarrollo.Introducción. En poblaciones infantiles, el tiempo de consumo de pantallas recreativas se ha estudiado ampliamente, pero se dispone de menos información en niños con trastornos del neurodesarrollo. Nuestro principal objetivo era estudiar las características de uso de las pantallas recreativas (televisión y videojuegos) en niños con trastornos del neurodesarrollo. Sujetos y métodos. Realizamos un estudio de casos y controles, comparando niños con y sin trastornos del neurodesarrollo menores de 6 años. A través de un cuestionario rellenado por los progenitores, se analizó el tiempo de exposición diaria a pantallas recreativas, las características sociodemográficas y ambientales, los hábitos socioculturales y las actitudes relacionadas con las pantallas recreativas. Resultados. Se analizó a 61 individuos con trastorno del neurodesarrollo y a 153 controles. Los casos pasaron más tiempo mirando la televisión (124,4 ± 83,4 frente a 71,5 ± 47,4 minutos/día; p menor de 0,001), mientras que el tiempo de videojuegos fue similar en ambos grupos (37,6 ± 39, 6 frente a 31,7 ± 32,6 minutos/día; p = 0,138). Los niños con trastorno del neurodesarrollo empezaron a una edad más temprana a ver televisión. No hubo diferencias relevantes entre los dos grupos en características sociodemográficas, socioculturales, ambientales y de actitud relacionadas con las pantallas recreativas. Conclusiones. Los niños con trastorno del neurodesarrollo empiezan a ver la televisión a una edad más temprana y consumen más tiempo que sus coetáneos sanos. Nuestros hallazgos indican que los niños con trastornos del neurodesarrollo son más vulnerables al abuso de la televisión, por lo que consideramos relevante ofrecer una guía anticipada a sus progenitores.

Effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant among elderly residents from a long-term care facility, South of France, May 2021.

OBJECTIVE: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Delta variant was classified as a variant of concern in May 2021 due to its increased transmissibility. It became dominant in Europe during the summer, raising concerns on the effectiveness of vaccines. We assessed the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of mRNA BNT162b2 (BioNTech-Pfizer) against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant during an outbreak affecting long-term care facility (LTCF) residents in southern France, May 2021. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among LTCF residents. We described sex, age, dependency level, reverse transcription PCR and sequencing results, clinical evolution, vaccination status. We compared attack rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection, symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and severe COVID-19 (respiratory support, hospitalization, and/or death) by vaccination status (two doses administered vs. none) to estimate VE (1 - Relative Risk [RR]) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). VE was adjusted by age (Poisson regression). RESULTS: Among 72 LTCF residents, 75.0% (n=54) were women, mean age was 88.7 (SD 8.1) years, 69% (n=49/71) were severely dependent. SARS-CoV-2 infections were identified in 39 residents (54.2%), 11 with symptomatic, and eight with severe COVID-19. All sequenced samples (n=19, 48.7%) had the same Delta variant genomic sequence. Age-adjusted BNT162b2 VE against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant infection was 11.2% (95% CI: 0.0-61.1%), it was 88.4% (95% CI: 59.9-96.7%) against symptomatic, and 93.5% (95% CI: 67.2-98.7%) against severe COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: We found a high BNT162b2 VE against symptomatic and severe COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant among LTCF elderly residents, but not against Delta variant infection. This supports vaccination rollout and the implementation of control measures for close contacts among vaccinated LTCF elderly residents.

The second Mexican consensus on hepatocellular carcinoma. Part I: Epidemiology and diagnosis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is more frequently manifesting as one of the main complications of cirrhosis of the liver, its principal risk factor. There have been modifications in its incidence over the past decade, related to an epidemiologic transition in the etiology of cirrhosis, with a decrease in the prevalence of hepatitis C and an increase in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a cause, as well as the development of HCC in the non-cirrhotic liver due to NAFLD. Genetic markers associated with the disease have been identified, and surveillance and diagnosis have improved. Regarding treatment, surgical techniques, in both resection and transplantation, have advanced and radiologic techniques, at the curative stage of the disease, have enhanced survival in those patients. And finally, there have been radical changes in the systemic approach, with much more optimistic expectations, when compared with the options available a decade ago. Therefore, the Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología decided to carry out the Second Mexican Consensus on Hepatocellular Carcinoma, which is an updated review of the available national and international evidence on the epidemiology, risk factors, surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease, to offer the Mexican physician current information on the different topics regarding hepatocellular carcinoma. In this first part of the document, the topics related to epidemiology and diagnosis are presented.

The second Mexican consensus on hepatocellular carcinoma. Part II: Treatment.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is more frequently manifesting as one of the main complications of cirrhosis of the liver, its principal risk factor. There have been modifications in its incidence over the past decade, related to an epidemiologic transition in the etiology of cirrhosis, with a decrease in the prevalence of hepatitis C and an increase in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a cause, as well as the development of HCC in the non-cirrhotic liver due to NAFLD. Genetic markers associated with the disease have been identified, and surveillance and diagnosis have improved. Regarding treatment, surgical techniques, in both resection and transplantation, have advanced and radiologic techniques, at the curative stage of the disease, have enhanced survival in those patients. And finally, there have been radical changes in the systemic approach, with much more optimistic expectations, when compared with the options available a decade ago. Therefore, the Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología decided to carry out the Second Mexican Consensus on Hepatocellular Carcinoma, which is an updated review of the available national and international evidence on the epidemiology, risk factors, surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease, to offer the Mexican physician current information on the different topics regarding hepatocellular carcinoma. In this second part of the document, the topics related to the treatment of HCC are presented.

Oral suspensions of morphine hydrochloride for controlled release: rheological properties and drug release.

Recent developments in pharmaceutical technology have facilitated the design and production of modified release formulas for drugs whose physical, chemical or biological properties impede release and thus might compromise their efficacy or safety. One such drug is morphine, whose short half-life requires repeated doses at short intervals. The use of biocompatible polymers such as ethylcellulose has made it possible to develop microencapsulated formulations which facilitate liquid, sustained-release pharmaceutical formulas for oral administration. We developed a stable final formulation of morphine with an acceptable release profile by comparing the rheological properties and stability of formulations with different thickeners (xanthan gum, Carbopol, and carboxymethylcellulose with microcrystalline cellulose) at different concentrations from 0.25% to 1.0%. Release assays in a Franz-type cell were done to determine the most suitable release profile for the formulation.

Carbon nanotubes/pentacyaneferrate-modified chitosan nanocomposites platforms for reagentless glucose biosensing.

The design, characterization and applicability of a nanostructured biosensor platform are described. The biosensor is developed through the immobilization of three components: a polymeric chitosan network previously modified with a redox mediator (denoted as PCF-Pyr-Ch), an enzyme (glucose oxidase, chosen as a model) and carbon nanotubes onto a solid glassy carbon electrode (C). In order to assess the influence of the nanomaterial in the performance of the resulting analytical device, a second biosensor, free of carbon nanotubes, is developed. The characterization of both biosensing platforms was performed in aqueous phosphate buffer solutions using atomic force microscopy technique. In the presence of glucose, both systems exhibit a clear electrocatalytic activity, and glucose could be amperometrically determined at +0.35 V versus Ag/AgCl. The performance of both biosensors was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, detection limit and linear response range. Finally, the enhancement of the analytical response induced by the presence of carbon nanotubes was evaluated.

Elaboration, characterization, and stability study of a sunscreen emulsion for use as a towelette application in pediatric photoprotection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that as much as 80% of the solar radiation that an adult receives throughout his/her life is received during the first 18 years (1). Skin protection against harmful solar radiation during this early stage of life is therefore a highly important factor in the prevention of future skin-related diseases. In this respect, recent developments in pediatric dermatology and cosmetic technology have led to remarkable improvements in child skin protection products. However, in spite of these scientific breakthroughs, many currently available commercial sunscreen formulations have not been well received by the general public, due to inadequate sensory properties, chemical instability, undesirable side effects, and low effectiveness. These disadvantages are not only attributable to the formulations themselves, active principle, and excipients, but also, to a large extent, galenic aspects. The objective of this work was to develop and characterize a sunscreen emulsion for pediatric use, using a towelette as vehicle, to overcome problems of ineffectiveness and formulation instability, and to improve skin-sensory properties. The composition of the towelette, the emulsion, and the presentation format were selected on the basis of the differences between children's and adult skin. In order to evaluate the chemical stability of the formulation, a study of the organoleptic, physicochemical, microbiological, and rheological characteristics was carried out at 4°, 25°, and 40°C over a period of 30 days. Tests were performed on both the sunscreen emulsion only and the same formulation impregnated within a towel, to test the influence the towel may have on the stability of the emulsion.

[Diaphragmatic pacemaker as an alternative to mechanical ventilation in patients with cervical spinal injury]. / Marcapasos diafragmático como alternativa a la ventilación mecánica en el paciente con lesión medular cervical.

OBJECTIVE: To verify that the diaphragmatic pacemaker is a form of respiratory support that can be used to replace a volumetric respirator in cervical spinal injury patients with cervical spinal lesion and diaphragmatic paralysis by means of its comparison with the traditional volumetric respirator. DESIGN: Retrospective study of a prospective database and age-matched case-control study. SETTING: Intensive Care Unit and Intermediate Care Respiratory Unit, Paraplegics National Hospital, Toledo (Spain). PATIENTS: We collected data on all patients discharged from the Hospital with permanent respiratory support by volumetric respirator or diaphragmatic pacemaker during a follow-up period of 25 years. Personal interviews were conducted to evaluate health-related quality of life. Comparison and survival tests were used for statistical comparisons. INTERVENTIONS: Quality of life questionnaire. MAIN VARIABLES: The main variables collected were demographic data, hospital stay, mortality, family reintegration and health-related quality of life. RESULTS: We evaluated the clinical records of 101 patients, 37 in the pacemaker-group and 64 in the volumetric respirator-group. Our results show that ICU admission duration and hospitalization as well as family reintegration, without significant differences, with a tendency to greater survival in pacemaker patients (18.18 versus 9.67 years by the Kaplan-Meier method, p<0.001). However, this difference becomes non-significant (p=0.06) after adjustment of the groups by age. Furthermore, better quality of life was found in these same patients with pacemakers in terms of security, communication, sociability, comfort and mobility in the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Diaphragmatic pacemaker ventilation is an effective alternative to mechanical ventilation with similar efficacy that improve quality of life in patients with severe respiratory failure due to cervical spinal cord injury.

[Evaluation of the experience of children and parents in a Pediatric service]. / Evaluación de la experiencia de niños y padres en un servicio de Pediatría.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pediatric patient care implies a duplication of user, the children who receive assistance and their parents. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the perception and compared experience between children seen in pediatric observation and their parents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study using a survey prior to discharge, to children aged 4-13 years admitted between April 2017 and November 2018 and their parents. A random sample of 125 child-parent pairs was taken. Both groups were compared with the Chi-square test and the child-father agreement with the Kappa index (KI), using SPSS v.25. RESULTS: Overall satisfaction was 99.2% in children and 100% in adults, with no significant differences between the two (p=0.314). There were also no significant differences between children and parents in the best valued aspects: staff interest (100% and 100%; p=not calculable); treatment of staff (100% and 99.2%; p=0.318); space (99.2% and 99.2%; p=1); information (98.4% and 100%; p=0.993); time with relatives (98.4% and 98.4%; p=0.993); cleaning (98.4% and 97.6%; p=0.651). The worst valued aspects in children: food (83.2% and 93.2%; p=0.016) and entertainment (89.5% and 94.2%; p=0.179); in adults: comfort (96.8% and 90.2%; p=0.036). There was moderate child-parent concordance in speed of attention (IK 0.561; p<0.001), time with relatives (0.492; p<0.001) and entertainment (0.489; p<0.001). In four questions, the IK could not be calculated because there were no dissatisfied adults and / or children. CONCLUSIONS: The global satisfaction of children and adults was high and consistent in most items. Parent surveys reflect the views of children.

Maternal caffeine intake during gestation and lactation down-regulates adenosine A1 receptor in rat brain from mothers and neonates.

Even though caffeine can be excreted in breast milk, few studies have analyzed the effect of maternal caffeine consumption during lactation on neonatal brain. In the present work pregnant rats were treated daily with 1 g/L of caffeine in their drinking water during pregnancy and/or lactation and the effect on adenosine A(1) receptor in brains from both lactating mothers and 15 days-old neonates was assayed using radioligand binding and real time PCR assays. Mothers receiving caffeine during gestational period developed motor activation in gestational days 8-10 which was associated with a significant decrease of total adenosine A(1) receptor number (84%). A similar decrease was detected in mothers treated with caffeine during lactation (76%) and throughout gestation and lactation (73%); this was accompanied by a significant decrease in mRNA level coding adenosine A(1) receptor (28%). In male neonates, adenosine A(1) receptor was also decreased after chronic caffeine exposure during gestation (80%), lactation (76%) and gestation plus lactation (80%). In female neonates, adenosine A(1) receptor tended to decrease in response to caffeine exposure although no significant variations were found. No variation in the level of mRNA coding adenosine A(1) receptor was detected in neonates in any case. Concerning adenosine A(2A) receptor, radioligand binding assays revealed that this receptor remains unaltered in maternal and neonatal brain in response to caffeine exposure. However, caffeine consumption during gestation and lactation evoked a significant decrease in mRNA level coding A(2A) receptor (32%) in mothers' brain.

Development of oral suspensions of microparticles of ethylcellulose with tramadol.

BACKGROUND: Although tramadol has less analgesic power than morphine, it presents fewer side effects and consequently is currently considered as a drug of choice in the treatment of chronic pain. The objective of this work was to obtain a sustained-release liquid preparation for oral administration, using pseudolatex of ethylcellulose as a delivery vehicle of the active principle. METHODS: Once an appropriate microencapsulation had been achieved, different formulations with different viscosing agents were designed and subsequently subjected to in vitro release studies, using Franz-type diffusion cells. RESULTS: The pseudolatex with tramadol showed an encapsulation efficiency of 82% but was found to be dependent on the quantity of the drug. The images obtained through scanning electron microscopy showed sphere-shaped particles with a porous surface and diameter sizes of 3.5 and 5.5 microm. Infrared spectrophotometry and calorimetric analysis revealed the formation of a drug-polymer complex. Of the formulations proposed, that with xanthan gum released 46% of the drug, whereas Carbopol, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and Avicel gave 50% and 55%, respectively. All followed a release kinetic of cube root, with the release mechanism of the active principle occurring through anomalous transport. CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with the studies performed, we can confirm a liquid pharmaceutical preparation for oral use, capable of providing a sustained release of tramadol.

Structural characterization and stability of dimethylaminoethanol and dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate for possible use in cosmetic firming.

2-Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) (also known as deanol) has been used as an ingredient in skin care, and in cognitive function- and mood-enhancing products. It is marketed as a free base or salt, and in theory, the two forms should be equally effective and able to substitute for each other in pharmaceutical formulations. Detecting possible alterations in the active principle is a basic part of preformulation studies. Accordingly, this study compared DMAE and DMAE bitartrate to identify potential alterations or differences between the free base and the salt that might compromise the long-term stability of cosmetic preparations at different temperatures, and also compared the behavior of the base substance and derivative alone and in solution. Samples were analyzed with different physicochemical methods such as differential scanning calorimetry, ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.