Clinical evaluation of anaesthetic-like effect of two dermocosmetic formulations containing Aquaphilus dolomiae extract-G3 in subjects with sensitive facial skin.

BACKGROUND: Sensitive skin is a common condition of hyper-reactivity to external stimuli, e.g. heat or abrasion. The symptoms are subjective but can be measured using validated emotional and technical methods. Avène water has several beneficial effects on the skin. In vitro studies indicated that the active component of this natural spring water, Aquaphilus dolomiae extract-G3 (ADE-G3), modulates cutaneous sensitivity via an anaesthetic-like mechanism. OBJECTIVES: To assess facial skin reactivity after repeated application of two formulations containing ADE-G3. METHODS: In open-label studies, healthy subjects with sensitive facial skin applied cream or balm twice daily for 84 days. The severity of skin sensitivity was measured using the Sensitive Scale (based on quantifying visible or subjective signs). Subjective responses associated with pain or uncomfortable feeling were assessed by measuring electrodermal response (EDR). This involves measuring variations in skin electrical resistance due to non-conscious physiological changes in activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Subjects were also evaluated for beneficial effects according to a quantitative approach using semantic assessment of a question regarding their skin quality. Evaluations were performed before and after the first application, and after 29/30, 56 and 84 days of twice daily use. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the EDR after stimuli immediately after the application of both ADE-G3 formulations, which continued to decrease over 84 days (40-50% decrease by D85). Likewise, all physical and functional signs of the Sensitive Scale were significantly decreased immediately after the first application and at all time points tested after treatment. Verbatim analysis revealed a semantic shift, from mainly negative terms on D1 to mainly positive terms at D85 for both tested products. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that two formulations containing ADE-G3 reduced skin sensitivity, indicating a decreased activation of the sympathetic nervous system associated with this condition.

In vitro characterization and clinical evaluation of skin hydration by two formulations mimicking the skin's natural components.

BACKGROUND: We have developed innovative base formulations that were designed to mimic the skin with respect to its components and galenic structure. Components include water, proteins, lipids, sugars and minerals. OBJECTIVES: We characterized formulations and their skin penetration using in vitro methods and evaluated their impact on skin hydration in a clinical trial. METHODS: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and X-ray diffraction were used to analyse formulations as well as formulation impact on the stratum corneum (SC) structure. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) was used to compare formulation ingredients with SC components and to detect their distribution in the skin. Clinical studies were performed to confirm effects on skin hydration and investigate potential adverse skin effects (irritation and sensitization). RESULTS: SEM and X-ray diffraction of the formulations showed that lipids were organized in sheets similar to SC lipids. MSI demonstrated similarities between formulation components and skin constituents, as well as a good penetration into the skin. The formulations did not modify the lamellar organization of the SC lipids, but they increased the relative proportion of the crystallized lipids and some of the amorphous lipids. In in vivo studies, a high level of hydration was maintained over 24 h after application with an intense and 'very good hydration'. Both formulations were shown to be non-(photo)sensitizers with excellent tolerance. Sensorial evaluation indicated the formulations were not oily or sticky and maintained the skin's suppleness over time. Formulations had a 'nude skin' touch and created a natural protective film. CONCLUSIONS: The two formulations were well-tolerated and increased skin hydration in clinical subjects, an effect that could contribute to the alleviation of sensitive skin. The formulations were shown to resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum, as well as penetrate the skin without disrupting the lipid lamella organization.

Respiratory pandemic and indoor aeraulics of classrooms.

Respiratory pandemics, such as COVID19, may be transmitted by several modes. The present work focuses on the transmission through small droplets released by people from their mouth by breathing, speaking, coughing, sneering, and possibly aspirated by other people around through their respiration. An analysis of droplet evolution in simplified situations shows that the droplets reach very quickly a quasi-equilibrium temperature before encompassing an isothermal evaporation process. The removal of droplets from suspension is thus piloted by balance between evaporation and sedimentation. It is shown that ambient relative humidity is a major factor influencing the lifetime of droplets and the distance they may travel. As a consequence, and independently of any other health consideration linked to ambient humidity, it is seen that a dry air is a favourable factor for limiting risk of contamination from COVID19. Further investigation is made using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in a classroom geometry. Several ventilation strategies are investigated: classical regulatory mechanical ventilation, open window natural ventilation and displacement natural ventilation. Ventilation has several effects which influence contamination risk: by introducing fresh air, it reduces droplet concentration; humidity released by human occupants is also limited. However, these effects are not uniform in space, and depend on ventilation strategy. Application of a dose-effect model calibrated for COVID19 to CFD results allows to estimate contamination risk. It is shown that contamination risk is higher for regulatory mechanical ventilation, and may be reduced, using natural ventilation in the absence of wind, by a factor 2.3 to nearly 3 when the teacher is sick, and by a factor 6 to 500 when a student is sick. In the presence of wind, the reduction factor is as high as 13 when the teacher is sick and 17 when a student is sick.

Chain dynamics of human dermis by Thermostimulated currents: A tool for new markers of aging.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical study was to identify dielectric markers to complete a previous thermal and vibrational study on the molecular and organizational changes in human dermis during intrinsic and extrinsic aging. METHODS: Sun-exposed and non-exposed skin biopsies were collected from 28 women devised in two groups (20-30 and ≥60 years old). The dielectric relaxation modes associated with localized and delocalized dynamics in the fresh and dehydrated state were determined by the Thermostimulated currents technique (TSC). RESULTS: Intrinsic and extrinsic aging induced significant evolution of some of the dielectric parameters of localized and delocalized dynamics of human skin. With photo-aging, freezable water forms a segregated phase in dermis and its dynamics is close to free water, what evidences the major role of extrinsic aging on water organization in human skin. Moreover, TSC indicators highlight the restriction of localized mobility with intrinsic aging due to glycation, and the cumulative effect of chronological aging and photo-exposition on the molecular mobility of the main structural proteins of the dermis at the mesoscopic scale. CONCLUSION: TSC is a well-suited technique to scan the molecular mobility of human skin. It can be uses as a relevant complement of vibrational and thermal characterization to follow human skin modifications with intrinsic and extrinsic aging.

Identification of ageing biomarkers in human dermis biopsies by thermal analysis (DSC) combined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR/ATR).

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The purpose of this clinical study was to identify suitable biomarkers for a better understanding of the molecular and organizational changes in human dermis during intrinsic and extrinsic ageing. METHODS: Sun-exposed and non-exposed skin biopsies were collected from twenty-eight women devised in two groups (20-30 and ≥60 years old). The hydric organization and thermal transitions were determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify the absorption bands of the dermis and to quantify the different absorbance ratio. RESULTS: The amounts of total, freezable and unfreezable water were determined. A significant increasing amount of freezable water is evidenced in sun-exposed area skin of aged group compared with young group (P=.0126). Another significant effect of extrinsic ageing (P=.0489) is the drastic decrease of fibrillary collagen, the main protein component of dermis. The only significant effect of intrinsic ageing (P=.0184) is an increase of the heat-stable fraction of collagens in dermis. CONCLUSION: DSC and FTIR are well-suited techniques to characterize human skin, giving accurate results with a high reproducibility. The combination of these techniques is useful for a better understanding of human skin modifications with intrinsic and extrinsic ageing.

Improvement in survival of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: An international collaborative study.

BACKGROUND: An association between the survival of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) and advancements in diagnosis and therapy has not been established. METHODS: This was a retrospective, longitudinal, international, population-based study of 2738 patients who underwent resection of OCSCC during 2 different decades. Characteristics of patients from 7 international cancer centers who received treatment between 1990 and 2000 (group A; n = 735) were compared with patients who received treatment between 2001 and 2011 (group B; n = 2003). RESULTS: Patients in group B had more advanced tumors and tended to develop distant metastases more frequently than patients in group A (P = .005). More group B patients underwent selective neck dissection and received adjuvant radiotherapy (P < .001). Outcome analysis revealed a significant improvement in 5-year overall survival, from 59% for group A to 70% for group B (P < .001). There was also a significant improvement in disease-specific survival associated with operations performed before and after 2000 (from 69% to 81%, respectively; P < .001). Surgery after 2000, negative margins, adjuvant treatment, and early stage disease were independent predictors of a better outcome in multivariate analysis. The decade of treatment was an independent prognostic factor for cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.3-0.6). CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate of patients with OCSCC improved significantly during the past 2 decades despite older age, more advanced disease stage, and a higher rate of distant metastases. The current results suggest that the prognosis for patients with OCSCC has improved over time, presumably because of advances in imaging and therapy.

Isolated sphenoid inflammatory diseases associated with visual impairment: 15-year experience at a single institution.

We present a retrospective series of 11 patients treated for isolated sphenoid inflammatory disease (ISID) with visual impairment in the period between 1994 and 2008. The series included 7 females and 4 males. All patients, preoperatively assessed by CT or MR, underwent endoscopic sinus surgery and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. The procedure was always performed in an emergency setting, with an interval from the onset of visual impairment ranging between 1 and 40 days (mean 9 days). The possibility of recovery was related to both the modality of onset and severity of the deficit. All patients with reduction of the visual field reported significant improvement after surgery. Patients with decreased visual acuity obtained partial or complete resolution, while in patients with preoperative blindness no improvement was observed. Moreover, no postoperative improvement was noticed in the case of severe deficits with sudden onset, whereas the treatment of mild deficits was successful even some weeks after their occurrence. In conclusion, although some factors may predict the likelihood of recovery, any patient with ISID associated with visual impairment should receive immediate medical and surgical treatment. Endoscopic surgery should be considered the technique of choice.

Nasopharyngeal endoscopic resection in the management of selected malignancies: ten-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of endoscopic surgery in the management of selected nasopharyngeal cancers. Three different types of nasopharyngeal endoscopic resections (NER) are described. METHOD OF STUDY: From January 1997 to October 2008, 17 consecutive patients (mean age: 50 years) with previously untreated (5) or recurrent nasopharyngeal tumours (12) were treated with curative intent by pure endoscopic resection. The extent of surgical resection was classified as follows: type I NER: resection limited to the postero-superior nasopharyngeal wall; type 2 NER: resection superiorly extended to the sphenoid sinus; type 3 NER: resection with lateral extension including the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube and parapharyngeal space. RESULTS: Type 1 NER was performed in 4 cases, type 2 in 6, and type 3 in 7. No intra- or post-operative complications were observed. Mean hospitalization time was 4 days (range: 1-7). Follow-up ranged from 10 to 138 months (mean: 41.2±38). At the time of writing, 12 (71/%) patients were free of disease, 3 (17%) alive with disease, and 2 (12%) dead of disease. CONCLUSIONS: NER is a feasible surgical technique that can be tailored in relation to tumour extension. Larger series and longer follow-up are needed to further validate the long-term results.

Intraconal orbital displacement of a dental implant treated with an endoscopically-assisted approach.

Foreign bodies in the orbit are uncommon, and dental intraconal displacement is even more rare. We aim to present and discuss what is to our knowledge the first case and its management. A 55-year-old woman had a dental implant placed in the upper right maxilla, but during the procedure it was displaced into the orbit. It was removed reliably and safely through an enlarged endoscopic medial maxillectomy.

Quality of life in patients treated for cancer of the oral cavity requiring reconstruction: a prospective study.

Surgical treatment for cancer of the oral cavity can result in dramatic aesthetic and functional sequelae partially avoidable by reconstructive techniques. Many studies concerning quality of life have been carried out in order to retrospectively assess outcomes after such major oncological procedures. Aim of this study was to evaluate, in a prospective fashion, the quality of life as a primary endpoint in patients treated for cancers involving the oral cavity and requiring reconstruction. The study design consisted of a prospective evaluation of pre- and post-operative quality of life at 3, 6, and 12 months to assess variations during follow-up using two different questionnaires: the University of Washington Quality of Life and the Head and Neck Performance Status Scale. Between May 1999 and October 2004, 92 patients with oral cancer requiring reconstruction were treated. All were included in the study, but only 35 (38%) concluded the evaluation protocol at one year after surgery without evidence of disease. The mean pre- and post-operative (3, 6, and 12 months) scores of the questionnaires and the scores of specific University of Washington Quality of Life categories (disfigurement, chewing, swallowing, comprehension of speech) were evaluated. The impact on residual quality of life of different factors such as gender, extension of tongue and mandibular defects, type of reconstruction, and radiotherapy was statistically quantified with a Wilcoxon non-parametric test and logistic regression for multivariate analysis. Comparison of mean pre- and post-operative scores between the University of Washington Quality of Life and Head and Neck Performance Status Scale, showed a similar trend during the study period with a significant decrease at 3 months after surgery and subsequent gradual improvement at 6 and 12 months. The majority of patients (77%) preserved normal or near normal functions at 12 months after surgery. The chewing domain worsened considerably (p <0.05), with poorer outcome in patients undergoing segmental mandibulectomy (p <0.05). By multivariate analysis, mandibular resection maintained its statistical significance in the chewing domain (p = 0.038). Moreover, the type of reconstruction was an independent factor (p = 0.038) that influenced the University of Washington Quality of Life total score, with better functional results after free flap reconstruction. Despite the dismal prognosis of patients affected by advanced oral cavity cancer, reconstructive techniques play a crucial role in maintenance of satisfactory quality of life.

Solitary fibrous tumour of the supraglottic larynx.

Solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) is a rare, benign, mesenchymal neoplasm that usually arises in the pleura, but rarely involves other sites outside the serosal space (mediastinum, lung, liver, thyroid gland); larynx involvement is very rare with only sporadic cases reported in the literature. We report a case of SFT in a 41-year-old woman with supraglottic laryngeal invovlement; symptoms included dysphonia and mild odynophagia lasting 2 years, and fibre-optic laryngeal evaluation showed a sub-mucosal mass involving the left supraglottis and medial wall of the pyriform sinus. MRI represents the gold standard tool for differential diagnosis (with schwannoma, paraganglioma and haemangioma) and correct staging, while immunohistochemical and cytomorphologic analysis (bcl-2 and CD34 positivity in 90% of cases) is needed for definitive diagnosis. Surgery is the main treatment (endoscopic and open conservative technique), and its goal is a balance between safe oncological resection and good preservation of laryngeal functions; in this particular case an open laryngeal approach was scheduled due to the size of the tumour. Prognosis is good and in only a few cases (especially in pleural SFT) does the biological behaviour take a malignant course.

Endoscopic ultrasonic curette-assisted removal of frontal osteomas.

Indications for endoscopic resection of fronto-ethmoidal osteomas have been progressively expanded thanks to optimization of surgical exposure and the development of dedicated instruments. Curved cutting drills are still suboptimal to treat hard osseous neoplasms of the frontal sinus. We present two patients affected by frontal osteoma treated with an endoscopic procedure using an ultrasonic bone curette. The ultrasonic bone curette may be considered an effective tool to reduce soft tissue manipulation, optimize surgical time and accelerate the healing process. However, the technique requires significant shape innovations to reach the lateral recesses and to manage pure intrasinusal lesions.

Narrow band imaging and high definition television in evaluation of oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer: a prospective study.

Narrow band imaging (NBI) is an optical technique in which filtered light enhances superficial neoplasms based on their neoangiogenic pattern. The accuracy of NBI can be augmented by combining it with high definition television (HDTV). The aim of this study was to prospectively assess the diagnostic value of NBI in combination with HDTV in evaluation of oral (O) and oropharyngeal (OP) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Between April 2007 and December 2009, we analyzed 96 patients who were divided into 2 groups: Group A included 35 patients previously biopsied and diagnosed with OSCC or OPSCC and subjected to pre- and intraoperative HDTV white light (WL) and HDTV NBI endoscopy; Group B included 61 subjects already treated for OSCC or OPSCC and followed-up with HDTV WL and HDTV NBI. Fourteen of 35 (40%) patients in Group A showed adjunctive findings with NBI compared to standard WL. All of these findings were histologically confirmed. Twelve of 61 (20%) patients in Group B showed positive NBI findings, which were all confirmed by histology. The sensitivity, specificity, positive, negative predictive values, and accuracy for HDTV WL were 51%, 100%, 100%, 87%, and 68%, respectively, whilst for HDTV NBI were 96%, 100%, 100%, 93%, and 97%, respectively. Overall, 26 of 96 (27%) patients had a diagnostic advantage in applying NBI and HDTV: 6 patients received a diagnosis of recurrence and 1 of persistence after previous treatments; 5 showed a metachronous tumour; in 4 a synchronous tumour was diagnosed; 9 lesions were upstaged; in 1 patient previously diagnosed with an unknown primary by fine needle aspiration cytology on the neck, an anterior tonsillar pillar cancer was identified.