Genomic Gigantism is not Associated with Reduced Selection Efficiency in Neotropical Salamanders.

Genome size variation in eukaryotes has myriad effects on organismal biology from the genomic to whole-organism level. Large genome size may be associated with lower selection efficiency because lower effective population sizes allow fixation of deleterious mutations via genetic drift, increasing genome size and decreasing selection efficiency. Because of a hypothesized negative relationship between genome size and recombination rate per base pair, increased genome size could also increase the effect of linked selection in the genome, decreasing the efficiency with which natural selection can fix or remove mutations. We used a transcriptomic dataset of 15 and a subset of six Neotropical salamander species ranging in genome size from 12 to 87 pg to study the relationship between genome size and efficiency of selection. We estimated dN/dS of salamanders with small and large genomes and tested for relaxation of selection in the larger genomes. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find a significant relationship between genome size and selection efficiency or strong evidence for higher dN/dS values in species with larger genomes for either species set. We also found little evidence for relaxation of selection in species with larger genomes. A positive correlation between genome size and range size (a proxy of population size) in this group disagrees with predictions of stronger drift in species with larger genomes. Our results highlight the complex interactions between the many forces shaping genomic variation in organisms with genomic gigantism.

Climacteric and fibromyalgia: a review.

Fibromyalgia (FM) and climacteric conditions share common epidemiological and clinical features, with FM symptoms often beginning during menopause. Musculoskeletal pain, arthralgia, myalgia and other symptoms are frequently seen in both conditions. Some research suggests a link between the cessation of sex hormones and FM symptoms. Women with FM tend to experience more severe symptoms after menopause, and the severity of FM symptoms can worsen in women who have had a hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy. Despite these similarities, it is essential to treat FM and climacteric conditions separately and follow established guidelines for management. However, it is also important to recognize that both conditions can coexist in the same patient. It is crucial to note that there is limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of menopausal hormone therapy for primary FM management. Therefore, menopausal hormone therapy should not be recommended for FM unless the patient also has climacteric syndrome.

E6/E7 from Beta-2-HPVs 122, 38b, and 107 possess transforming properties in a fibroblast model in vitro.

Beta-2 Human papillomaviruses 38b, 107, and 122 have been frequently found in cervical cancer samples in western Mexico. Because their E6/E7 genes functions are not fully elucidated, we deepen into their transformation capabilities. To achieve this goal, primary human fibroblasts (FB) were transduced with E6/E7 genotype-specific viral particles. Additionally, E6/E7 from HPVs 16 and 18 were included as controls. All E6/E7-cell models increased their lifespan; however, it is important to highlight that FB-E6/E7-122 showed growth as accelerated as FB-E6/E7-16 and 18. Furthermore, both FB-E6/E7-38b and 122 exhibited abilities to migrate, and FB-E6/E7-122 presented high invasive capacity. On the other hand, ΔNp73 expression was found in all cell models, except for FB-pLVX (empty-vector). Finally, RNAseq found differentially expressed genes enriched in signaling pathways related to cell cycle, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and cancer, among others. This study shows for the first time, the great transformative potential that genotypes of the Beta-2 also possess, especially HPV122. These Beta-2 HPVs can modulate some of the genes that are well known to be regulated by Alpha-HPVs, however, they also possess alternative strategies to modulate diverse signaling pathways. These data support the idea that Beta-2 HPVs should play an important role in co-infections with Alpha-HPV during carcinogenesis.

RGS14414-Mediated Activation of the 14-3-3ζ in Rodent Perirhinal Cortex Induces Dendritic Arborization, an Increase in Spine Number, Long-Lasting Memory Enhancement, and the Prevention of Memory Deficits.

The remedy of memory deficits has been inadequate, as all potential candidates studied thus far have shown limited to no effects and a search for an effective strategy is ongoing. Here, we show that an expression of RGS14414 in rat perirhinal cortex (PRh) produced long-lasting object recognition memory (ORM) enhancement and that this effect was mediated through the upregulation of 14-3-3ζ, which caused a boost in BDNF protein levels and increase in pyramidal neuron dendritic arborization and dendritic spine number. A knockdown of the 14-3-3ζ gene in rat or the deletion of the BDNF gene in mice caused complete loss in ORM enhancement and increase in BDNF protein levels and neuronal plasticity, indicating that 14-3-3ζ-BDNF pathway-mediated structural plasticity is an essential step in RGS14414-induced memory enhancement. We further observed that RGS14414 treatment was able to prevent deficits in recognition, spatial, and temporal memory, which are types of memory that are particularly affected in patients with memory dysfunctions, in rodent models of aging and Alzheimer's disease. These results suggest that 14-3-3ζ-BDNF pathway might play an important role in the maintenance of the synaptic structures in PRh that support memory functions and that RGS14414-mediated activation of this pathway could serve as a remedy to treat memory deficits.

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I is a biomarker for increased arterial stiffness in systemic lupus erythematous women with normal kidney function.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a main cause of death in patients with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). Algorithms for cardiovascular risk stratification in general population underestimate the risk for CVD in SLE. Our study aimed to determine whether serum high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) might help to identify SLE patients with subclinical atherosclerosis. Arterial stiffness was assessed measuring the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 68 SLE women with a normal or almost normal kidney function and in 71 controls of similar characteristics. None of the participants had a history of an overt CVD. Serum hs-cTnI level was measured using the chemiluminescence method. Factors associated with an increased PWV (iPWV) were identified and multivariate analysis was performed. When detectable, patients tended to have had higher hs-cTnI levels than controls [2.9 (2.3-4.0) vs 2.4 (2.2-4.1); p = 0.098] and were more likely to have detectable hs-cTnI [50% vs 28%, odds ratio (OR) 7.0; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.008-0.013]. Also, patients with iPWV were more likely to have detectable hs-cTnI than those with normal PWV (OR 6.4; 95% CI 0.019-0.026). In the multivariate analysis, the age at SLE diagnosis (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.04-1.48), systolic blood pressure (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.10-1.48) and detectable hs-cTnI level (OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.18-3.50) were independently associated with an iPWV. The negative predictive value of having an iPWV with undetectable hs-cTnI levels was 88%. Hs-cTnI may be a useful biomarker for the identification of SLE patients with iPWV as a surrogated marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. Specifically targeted prospective studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Latin American Initiative for Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline (LatAm-FINGERS): Study design and harmonization.

INTRODUCTION: Latin American Initiative for Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Cognitive Decline (LatAm-FINGERS) is the first non-pharmacological multicenter randomized clinical trial (RCT) to prevent cognitive impairment in Latin America (LA). Our aim is to present the study design and discuss the strategies used for multicultural harmonization. METHODS: This 1-year RCT (working on a 1-year extension) investigates the feasibility of a multi-domain lifestyle intervention in LA and the efficacy of the intervention, primarily on cognitive function. An external harmonization process was carried out to follow the FINGER model, and an internal harmonization was performed to ensure this study was feasible and comparable across the 12 participating LA countries. RESULTS: Currently, 1549 participants have been screened, and 815 randomized. Participants are ethnically diverse (56% are Nestizo) and have high cardiovascular risk (39% have metabolic syndrome). DISCUSSION: LatAm-FINGERS overcame a significant challenge to combine the region's diversity into a multi-domain risk reduction intervention feasible across LA while preserving the original FINGER design.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma and a novel gammaherpesvirus in northern elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris.

Two emaciated male northern elephant seal (NES) Mirounga angustirostris pups were admitted to The Marine Mammal Center (Sausalito, California, USA) and treated for malnutrition. Complete blood counts showed a progressive moderate to marked leukocytosis characterized by a predominance of large monomorphic mononuclear cells of probable lymphoid origin, frequently with flower-shaped nuclei. Both seals were euthanized due to suspected lymphoid neoplasia. At necropsy, most lymph nodes in both pups were markedly enlarged, some with distinct white nodules, the spleens were diffusely enlarged, and the intestinal mucosae were thickened. Histopathologic features consistent with disseminated large cell lymphoma were identified to varying degrees of severity in lymph nodes, bone marrow, liver, tonsils, spleen, liver, intestines, kidneys, lower urinary tract, and several other organs. Immunohistochemical staining of neoplastic cells was most consistent with B lymphocyte origin, with most cells staining positively for Pax 5 and CD20 with admixed small CD3-positive T lymphocytes and CD204-positive macrophages. PCR and sequencing identified a novel gammaherpesvirus, herein called miroungine gammaherpesvirus 3, from affected tissues. This virus is in a clade outside of named genera that utilize hosts in the suborder Caniformia. The present study is the first description of diffuse large B cell lymphoma with leukemic manifestation and concomitant detection of a novel gammaherpesvirus in free-living NESs. Further research regarding the prevalence of this new gammaherpesvirus and its associated pathogenesis in this species is indicated.

Burnout in Rheumatologists in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatology is considered a low-risk specialty, but studies have shown a prevalence of burnout between 42% and 51%. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to determine the prevalence of burnout in rheumatologists in Latin America and the factors associated with it. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on a survey completed through Google Forms platform that was sent by the national rheumatology associations of Latin America. Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Data were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS v.22. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-seven rheumatologists from 15 countries were included, mainly Argentina (28.3%), Brazil (26.3%), and Mexico (12.8%). The majority were women 62%, 42.4% worked in public hospitals with an average of 40.1 ± 14.2 hours per week; 31.3% did research, 13.1% clinical trials, 56.6% teaching, and 42.8% administrative work; 36% received an annual income less than $25,000; 56.6% had burnout in at least 1 dimension. Only 20.2% thought they had burnout, 9.1% were currently receiving professional help, and 15.8% had sought help in the past; 72.1% said they were willing to participate in a program to reduce burnout. The rheumatologists with burnout were younger than those without burnout (46.5 vs 49.9 years, p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Burnout affects near half of rheumatologists in Latin America and was associated with younger age, long working hours, low satisfaction, less happiness, higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, income, presence of comorbidities, and low self-esteem.

Spatial Trends of the Potential Association Between Benthic Macrofauna and non-Source Point Sediment Pollutants in the Yucatán Continental Shelf.

Here we explored the potential association of the benthic macrofauna species composition with aliphatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals concentration detected in the sediments of the Yucatan continental Shelf (YCS), Mexico. The main objective was to provide insights on the temporal and spatial changes of such association in the function of the longitudinal and depth gradient. Benthic species composition, Al, Ni and Pb showed significant differences among YCS sub-regions (Western Caribbean, Mid-Yucatan and West Yucatan), and depth. Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons had similar concentration in all sub-regions. The species composition was significantly associated with the levels of aliphatic hydrocarbons in the shallow sites (15-50 m) of the YCS sub-regions. Our results provide the first insights into the presence and spatial trends of different concentration of non-point source hydrocarbons and metals along the YCS, essential to establish the current ecological condition and to set a reference condition to identify further changes.

Sustainable waste management solutions for the foodservice industry: A Delphi study.

Foodservice businesses influence the sustainability of their natural environment by producing significant amounts of waste. Yet, research has, thus far, been dominated by studies that limit their scope to food waste alone. Few studies have taken a broader look at sustainable waste initiatives, including innovative waste processing techniques, with a view to constructing management indicators for foodservices. This study combines management innovation practices related to resource management, waste prevention, processing and disposal techniques, and stakeholder involvement to offer sustainable standards. It primarily adopts the Delphi technique to propose specific solutions pertaining to waste management. Experts from government, industry, and academia reveal that potential waste management initiatives comprise three facets - service, process (operational), and organisational practices and innovations, 15 sub-facets and 41 indicators. This study thus establishes a catalogue of solutions for food, packaging and other 'non-food' waste that foodservice establishments can implement. In addition to its practical implications, an important contribution is its focus on management systems to establish waste management standards for hospitality, food and beverage (F&B) services, restaurants, and non-commercial catering.

Effect of Ivermectin on Time to Resolution of Symptoms Among Adults With Mild COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Ivermectin is widely prescribed as a potential treatment for COVID-19 despite uncertainty about its clinical benefit. Objective: To determine whether ivermectin is an efficacious treatment for mild COVID-19. Design, Setting, and Participants: Double-blind, randomized trial conducted at a single site in Cali, Colombia. Potential study participants were identified by simple random sampling from the state's health department electronic database of patients with symptomatic, laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 during the study period. A total of 476 adult patients with mild disease and symptoms for 7 days or fewer (at home or hospitalized) were enrolled between July 15 and November 30, 2020, and followed up through December 21, 2020. Intervention: Patients were randomized to receive ivermectin, 300 µg/kg of body weight per day for 5 days (n = 200) or placebo (n = 200). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was time to resolution of symptoms within a 21-day follow-up period. Solicited adverse events and serious adverse events were also collected. Results: Among 400 patients who were randomized in the primary analysis population (median age, 37 years [interquartile range {IQR}, 29-48]; 231 women [58%]), 398 (99.5%) completed the trial. The median time to resolution of symptoms was 10 days (IQR, 9-13) in the ivermectin group compared with 12 days (IQR, 9-13) in the placebo group (hazard ratio for resolution of symptoms, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.87 to 1.32]; P = .53 by log-rank test). By day 21, 82% in the ivermectin group and 79% in the placebo group had resolved symptoms. The most common solicited adverse event was headache, reported by 104 patients (52%) given ivermectin and 111 (56%) who received placebo. The most common serious adverse event was multiorgan failure, occurring in 4 patients (2 in each group). Conclusion and Relevance: Among adults with mild COVID-19, a 5-day course of ivermectin, compared with placebo, did not significantly improve the time to resolution of symptoms. The findings do not support the use of ivermectin for treatment of mild COVID-19, although larger trials may be needed to understand the effects of ivermectin on other clinically relevant outcomes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04405843.

CLINICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF LYMPH NODE ABSCESSATION IN PUP AND YEARLING CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS (ZALOPHUS CALIFORNIANUS) UNDERGOING REHABILITATION IN A MARINE MAMMAL CENTER.

Severe focal to multifocal abscessation of the axillary and inguinal lymph nodes is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in stranded pup and yearling California sea lions (Zalophus californianus; CSLs) at The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC). A retrospective case review was conducted of all pup and yearling CSLs with axillary and/or inguinal lymph node abscesses admitted to this California rehabilitation center between January 2015 and December 2019 (n = 162). Clinical data and cultured isolates were evaluated to (1) characterize the clinical syndrome, (2) report isolated pathogens, and (3) investigate factors associated with clinical outcome (survival to release versus death). Of the 162 CSLs admitted with at least one axillary or inguinal lymph node abscess, almost all were in poor body condition, and overall mortality rate was 63% (102 of 165). Mortality rate was lower for animals presenting with a single abscess and abscess(es) in the inguinal location only; odds of death were significantly lower for animals that had their abscesses surgically drained (P = 0.029) and those that received antimicrobials (P = 0.037). Hematology and serum chemistry parameters at the time of abscess diagnosis reflected inflammation and malnutrition. Radiographic findings associated with abscesses from 45 cases included soft tissue swelling (n = 40), intralesional gas (n = 19), and osteomyelitis (n = 3). Ninety bacterial isolates were recovered from aerobic (n = 48) and anaerobic cultures (n = 17), 48.9% of which were gram negative. The most common gram-negative organisms were Escherichia coli (n = 15), Proteus spp. (n = 8), and Bacteroides ureolyticus (n = 7), and the most common gram-positive organisms were Streptococcus phocae (n = 10) and Staphylococcus spp. (n = 9). Management of lymph node abscesses via surgical drainage and multimodal systemic antimicrobial therapy with a broad-spectrum of activity may be considered to improve survival of these cases.

Immunohematological study of the first pediatric patient with the Bombay phenotype in Medellín, Colombia.

The Bombay (Oh) phenotype is a rare phenotype in which red blood cells lack the H antigen as a result of a point mutation in the H gene. Oh patients are a challenge in transfusion medicine. We present a case of a pediatric patient with the Bombay phenotype who was carried to the emergency department of the Hospital Universitario San Vicente Fundación in Medellín, Colombia. The patient presented gastrointestinal hemorrhage and required transfusion therapy. Pretransfusion and molecular immunohematological analyses identified the Bombay phenotype. The patient was transfused with Oh red blood cells imported to Colombia from the Hematology and Hemotherapy Center of Ceará (Hemoce) in Fortaleza, Brazil. This first case of an Oh individual in Colombia highlights the need to look for donors with rare phenotypes to fulfill the transfusion requirements of the population.

Subconjunctival antimicrobial poloxamer gel for treatment of corneal ulceration in stranded California sea lions (Zalophus californianus).

OBJECTIVE: Corneal ulcers are commonly encountered in pinnipeds. Prolonged oral antibiotics and topical ophthalmic solutions may not be practical to administer, and novel treatment techniques are desired. Thermodynamic gels are a potential solution because they hold antimicrobials at the site of injection, slowly releasing drug. This study investigated the clinical efficacy of antibiotic-impregnated poloxamer gel in management of corneal ulceration. ANIMAL STUDIED: Twenty-six California sea lions undergoing rehabilitation at The Marine Mammal Center. PROCEDURES: A poloxamer gel mixed with 2% enrofloxacin was subconjunctivally injected in the treatment group. Control animals received oral doxycycline. Systemic anti-inflammatories and analgesics were administered as needed. Corneal examinations under general anesthesia were repeated weekly, and included sampling for bacterial culture and corneal cytology, collection of high-quality corneal images, and treatment administration until the ulcers were healed. RESULTS: There was no gross or histologic evidence of a localized tissue reaction to the gel administration in the conjunctiva, and no evidence of systemic reaction to therapy in animals that died due to unrelated causes during the study period (n = 17). In animals that experienced a superficial corneal ulcer involving only epithelium or superficial stroma (n = 12), all lesions resolved completely, in both treatment and control groups. Of those animals with deeper or more complex ulcers involving keratomalacia or descemetoceles (n = 15), four demonstrated complete lesion resolution (all four received gel treatment). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that subconjunctival antibiotic poloxamer gel administration is a safe and effective alternative therapeutic option to traditional treatments for superficial corneal ulceration in pinnipeds.

The Discriminatory Ability of the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST): An International Study in Spain and Four Latin American Countries.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the transcultural equivalency of the Spanish version of the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) and its discriminatory ability in different Latin American samples. DESIGN: Validation study. SETTING: Departments of Rheumatology in general hospitals and private centers; fibromyalgia unit in a university hospital. SUBJECTS: 350 chronic pain patients from Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador. METHODS: The cultural relevance of the Spanish version of the FiRST was evaluated. The ability of the FiRST as a screening tool for fibromyalgia was assessed by logistic regression analysis. To determine the degree to which potential confounders, such as differences in demographics, pain, affective distress, catastrophizing, and disability, might affect the discriminatory ability, the tool was reassessed by hierarchical multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Slightly different versions of the FiRST were recommended for use in each Latin American subsample. The FiRST showed acceptable criterion validity and was able to discriminate between fibromyalgia and non-fibromyalgia patients even after controlling for the effect of potential confounders. However, low specificities were observed in samples from Spain and Mexico. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish version of the FiRST may be used as a screening tool for fibromyalgia in several Latin American subsamples, even in those patients with high scores on potential confounders. In Spain and Mexico, the low specificity of the FiRST suggests, however, that it would be best used to support a suspected diagnosis of fibromyalgia, rather than to exclude the diagnosis.

Fifteen-year trend in information on the World Wide Web for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: evolving, but opportunities for improvement remain.

The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis information on the Internet over a 15-year period and the positioning of Web sites posted by universities, hospitals, and medical associations. We replicated the methods of a 2001 study assessing rheumatoid arthritis information on the Internet using WebCrawler. All Web sites and pages were critically assessed for relevance, scope, authorship, type of publication, and financial objectives. Differences between studies were considered significant if 95 % confidence intervals did not overlap. Additionally, we added a Google search with assessments of the quality of content of web pages and of the Web sites posted by medical institutions. There were significant differences between the present study's WebCrawler search and the 2001-referent study. There were increases in information sites (82 vs 36 %) and rheumatoid arthritis-specific discussion pages (59 vs 8 %), and decreases in advertisements (2 vs 48 %) and alternative therapies (27 vs 45 %). The quality of content of web pages is still dispersed; just 37 % were rated as good. Among the first 300 hits, 30 (10 %) were posted by medical institutions, 17 of them in the USA. Regarding readability, 7 % of these 30 web pages required 6 years, 27 % required 7-9 years, 27 % required 10-12 years, and 40 % required 12 or more years of schooling. The Internet has evolved in the last 15 years. Medical institutions are also better positioned. However, there are still areas for improvement, such as the quality of the content, leadership of medical institutions, and readability of information.

INTRAPERITONEAL DEXTROSE ADMINISTRATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE EMERGENCY TREATMENT FOR HYPOGLYCEMIC YEARLING CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS (ZALOPHUS CALIFORNIANUS).

The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC) cares for malnourished California sea lion (CSL) (Zalophus californianus) pups and yearlings every year. Hypoglycemia is a common consequence of malnutrition in young CSLs. Administering dextrose during a hypoglycemic crisis is vital to recovery. Traditional veterinary approaches to treat hypoglycemia pose therapeutic challenges in otariids, as vascular access and catheter maintenance can be difficult. The current approach to a hypoglycemic episode at TMMC is to administer dextrose intravenously (i.v.) by medically trained personnel. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) dextrose administration is an attractive alternative to i.v. administration because volunteer staff with basic training can administer treatment instead of waiting for trained staff to treat. This study compares the effects of i.v., i.p., and no dextrose administration on serum glucose and insulin in clinically healthy, euglycemic CSL yearlings. Three groups of animals, consisting of five sea lions each, were treated with 500 mg/kg dextrose using one of the following routes: i.v., i.p., or no dextrose (control). A jugular catheter was placed, and blood samples were collected at times 0, 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 min after dextrose administration. I.v. dextrose administration resulted in an increase of serum glucose concentrations from a baseline level of approximately 150 mg/dl to a peak of approximately 350 mg/dl. The resulting hyperglycemia persisted for approximately 2 hr and was associated with an attenuated plasma insulin response compared with most terrestrial mammals. Intraperitoneal dextrose administration resulted in increases of serum glucose to approximately 200 mg/dl, which gradually declined to baseline by 2 hr after dextrose administration. These data suggest that the initial treatment of a hypoglycemic crisis in young malnourished CSLs can be accomplished with i.p. dextrose, thus enabling minimally trained volunteer staff to respond immediately to a crisis. Further studies are needed to determine the most appropriate long-term treatment.

Dulichiella celestun, a new species of amphipod (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Melitidae) from the Gulf of Mexico, with a key and zoogeographic remarks for the genus in the western Atlantic.

The discovery of a new melitid amphipod in the Celestun Biosphere Reserve (northern Yucatan peninsula, SE Gulf of Mexico) is reported. Dulichiella celestun sp. nov. differs from its congeners by an unique set of characteristics: truncated lateral cephalic lobe, mandibular palp article 1 having inner margin produced distally, carpus longer than the propodus of gnathopod 1, gnathopod 2 propodus distolateral crown with four spines, pereopods 3-7 dactylar unguis anterior margin with two accessory spines, and urosomite 3 bearing four dorsal spines. A key to species and zoogeographical affinities among members of the genus in the western Atlantic are also provided.

Development of a Versatile Lipid Core for Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) Using Design of Experiments (DoE) and Raman Mapping.

The objective of this study was to develop a versatile lipid core for the 'brick-dust type of drugs' (poorly water-soluble and poorly lipid-soluble drugs). In the first step, excipients of different polarities were classified according to their behavior in aqueous solutions. Subsequently, binary mixtures were prepared with cetyl palmitate (Crodamol™ CP pharma, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil) as the solid lipid, and its miscibility with other excipients was evaluated using Raman mapping and classical least squares (CLS). Based on the results, the excipients Crodamol™ CP pharma (hydrophobic), Super Refined™ DMI (dimethyl isosorbide; hydrophilic, Mill Hall, PA, USA), and Super Refined™ Lauryl Lactate (lauryl lactate, medium polarity, Mill Hall, PA, USA) were chosen to compose the lipid core. The ideal proportion of these excipients was determined using a mixture design and the standard deviation (STD) of image histograms as the response variables. After statistical evaluation of the DoE results, the final composition was determined, and drugs with different logP (0 to 10) and physicochemical characteristics were evaluated in the optimized mixture. The drugs butamben (Sigma-Aldrich Co., Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO, USA), tacrolimus (NutriFarm, São Paulo, Brazil), atorvastatin calcium, and resveratrol (Botica da Terra, Campinas, Brazil) presented a homogeneous distribution in the optimized lipid core, indicating that this is a promising system to be used in nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) formulations of such types of drugs.

Development of a Versatile Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC) Using Design of Experiments (DoE)-Part II: Incorporation and Stability of Butamben with Different Surfactants.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are typically composed of liquid lipids, solid lipids, and surfactants, enabling the encapsulation of lipophilic drugs. Butamben is a Class II anesthetic drug, according to the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS); it has a log P of 2.87 and is considered a 'brick dust' (poorly water-soluble and poorly lipid-soluble) drug. This characteristic poses a challenge for the development of NLCs, as they are not soluble in the liquid lipid present in the NLC core. In a previous study, we developed an NLC core consisting of a solid lipid (CrodamolTM CP), a lipophilic liquid with medium polarity (SRTM Lauryl lactate), and a hydrophilic excipient (SRTM DMI) that allowed the solubilization of 'brick dust' types of drugs, including butamben. In this study, starting from the NLC core formulation previously developed we carried out an optimization of the surfactant system and evaluated their performance in aqueous medium. Three different surfactants (CrodasolTM HS HP, SynperonicTM PE/F68, and CroduretTM 40) were studied and, for each of them, a 23 factorial design was stablished, with total lipids, % surfactant, and sonication time (min) as the input variables and particle size (nm), polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (mV) as the response variables. Stable NLCs were obtained using CrodasolTM HS HP and SynperonicTM PE/F68 as surfactants. Through a comparison between NLCs developed with and without SRTM DMI, it was observed that besides helping the solubilization of butamben in the NLC core, this excipient helped in stabilizing the system and decreasing particle size. NLCs containing CrodasolTM HS HP and SynperonicTM PE/F68 presented particle size values in the nanometric scale, PDI values lower than 0.3, and zeta potentials above |10|mV. Concerning NLCs' stability, SBTB-NLC with SynperonicTM PE/F68 and butamben demonstrated stability over a 3-month period in aqueous medium. The remaining NLCs showed phase separation or precipitation during the 3-month analysis. Nevertheless, these formulations could be freeze-dried after preparation, which would avoid precipitation in an aqueous medium.