Nanoemulsion containing 8-methoxypsoralen for topical treatment of dermatoses: Development, characterization and ex vivo permeation in porcine skin.

Oral therapy with 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) may cause major side effects, whereas the topical treatment might not be much effective due to the low penetration induced by typical formulations. Therefore, the objectives of this work are the development and characterization of a nanoemulsion (NE) containing 8-MOP together with an ex vivo permeation study, monitored by a validated HPLC-Fluo method, to determine the amount of drug retained in viable skin (epidermis (E) and dermis (D)) and in stratum corneum (SC). The optimized conditions for NE formulation were achieved by full factorial designs (25 and 32): 60 s and 60% of ultrasound time and potency, respectively; 10 mL of final volume; 2% v/v of oil phase (clove essential oil); and 10% m/v of Poloxamer 407. The NE showed mean droplet diameter of 24.98 ±â€¯0.49 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.091 ±â€¯0.23, pH values of 6.54 ±â€¯0.06, refractive index of 1.3525 ±â€¯0.0001 and apparent viscosity of 51.15 ±â€¯3.66 mPa at 20 °C. Droplets with nanospherical diameters were also observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ex vivo permeation study showed that 8.5% of the applied 8-MOP dose permeated through the biological membranes, with flux (J) of 1.35 µg cm-2 h-1. The drug retention in E + D and in SC was 10.15 ±â€¯1.36 and 1.95 ±â€¯0.71 µg cm-2, respectively. Retention in viable skin induced by the NE was almost two-fold higher than a compounded cream (5.04 ±â€¯0.30 µg cm-2). These results suggested that the developed NE is a promising alternative for 8-MOP topical therapy when compared to commercial formulations.

"Mata de tristeza!&": representações sociais de pessoas com vitiligo atendidas na Farmácia Universitária da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / "Sadness kills!": Social representations of people who have vitiligo assisted in the pharmacy of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / "Mata de tristeza!": representaciones sociales de personas que tienen vitiligo y son atendidas en la Farmacia Universitaria de la Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Vitiligo é caracterizado por manchas brancas na pele. Na dispensação do metoxisaleno utilizado para tratá-lo, na Farmácia Universitária/UFRJ, os portadores relatavam mal-estares devido à terapia e à doença. A busca pela compreensão da experiência do adoecer conduziu este estudo que adota perspectiva teórico-metodológica socioantropológica. A apreensão da visão de mundo dos sujeitos foi captada em entrevistas entre usuários da FU/UFRJ. A partir do diagnóstico, os sujeitos consideram o vitiligo "um castigo" sentem-se alvo de "chacotas", "preconceito", "discriminações". A experiência da doença impõe rever seus conceitos e filiação religiosa. O fato de o vitiligo não ser concebido como doença grave estabelece um não-lugar para o sofrimento dos portadores. Aspectos simbólicos, emocionais e socioculturais que circunscrevem a doença devem ser considerados para melhorar a atenção à saúde e vida desses sujeitos. Os profissionais de saúde precisam concebê-los para além de suas "manchas".

Vitiligo is characterized by white spots on the skin. During the dispensation of Methoxypsoralen, a drug used for treating it, patients reported discomfort regarding such therapy and their disease. Thus, the study has the motivation of seeking to understand the experience of being ill, using a socio-anthropological, theoretical and methodological approach. Subjects' worldview after the diagnosis of vitiligo was apprehended by interviews with UFRJ pharmacy users. The subjects tend to consider having vitiligo "punishment", and they feel like a target of "mockery", "prejudice" and "discrimination". It is a fact that vitiligo is not taken as a severe condition, and this establishes a "non-place" for the suffering of its bearers. Symbolic, emotional, and socio-cultural aspects of the disease must be taken into account, in order to improve health care for these subjects and their lives. Health professionals need to perceive vitiligo bearers beyond their "spots".

El vitiligo se caracteriza por manchas blancas en la piel. En el momento de la entrega del medicamento correspondiente a esta enfermedad en la farmacia, los pacientes nos informaron sobre incomodidades por que pasaron. La incomodidad en la cosmovisión de los sujetos fue capturada en entrevistas. A partir del diagnóstico médico, los sujetos comenzaron a considerar al vitiligo como "un castigo", blanco de "burlas", 'prejuicios" y "discriminación". Así mismo, la experiencia de la enfermedad les condujo a revisar sus conceptos y religiones. El hecho de que el vitiligo no se considera una enfermedad graveparece establecer un "no lugar" para el sufrimiento y el "dolor espiritual" de sus portadores. Los aspectos simbólicos, emocionales y socioculturales que circunscriben esta enfermedad deben considerarse para mejorar la atención de la salud y la vida de estos sujetos. Por su parte, los profesionales de la salud deben aprender a concebirlos más allá de sus "manchas".

New features on Pso2 protein family in DNA interstrand cross-link repair and in the maintenance of genomic integrity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Pso2 protein, a member of the highly conserved metallo-ß-lactamase (MBL) super family of nucleases, plays a central role in interstrand crosslink repair (ICL) in yeast. Pso2 protein is the founder member of a distinct group within the MBL superfamily, called ß-CASP family. Three mammalian orthologs of this protein that act on DNA were identified: SNM1A, SNM1B/Apollo and SNM1C/Artemis. Yeast Pso2 and all three mammalian orthologs proteins have been shown to possess nuclease activity. Besides Pso2, ICL repair involves proteins of several DNA repair pathways. Over the last years, new homologs for human proteins have been identified in yeast. In this review, we will focus on studies clarifying the function of Pso2 protein during ICL repair in yeast, emphasizing the contribution of Brazilian research groups in this topic. New sub-pathways in the mechanisms of ICL repair, such as recently identified conserved Fanconi Anemia pathway in yeast as well as a contribution of non-homologous end joining are discussed.