Grape Pomace: A Potential Ingredient for the Human Diet.

The industrial production of wine generates annually tons of waste that can and must be properly reused to reduce its polluting load ad increase the availability of passive ingredients to be used in human nutrition. Grape pomace, a by-product of winemaking, beyond being of nutritional value is a bioactive source with high potential value and benefits for human health. Having as main goal the preliminary perception of the potential use of this by-product, the aim of this study was the characterization of eight different grape pomaces. In this sense, ash content, relative ash, moisture, pH, microorganisms, metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn), and semi-metal (As) were reported. The parameter that limits the daily amount ingested of this product is its arsenic content, a non-essential element that belongs to the group of semi-metal. Considering the obtained results and in the light of the restrictions imposed through the legislation in regulations set by the European Commission, the inclusion of grape pomace in the industrial production of foodstuffs could be a step towards the future of human nutrition and health.

Design and evaluation of novel topical formulation with olive oil as natural functional active.

Currently, the innovative skin research is focused on the development of novel topical formulations loaded with natural functional actives. The health benefits of olive oil are unsurpassed and many others are revealed as research studies allow the understanding of its unlimited properties. Olive oil has a protective toning effect on skin, but it is not transported effectively into its layers. Aiming the development of a cosmetic formulation for skin photoprotection and hydration, we have prepared and characterized macro-sized particles, made of a hydrogel polymer, loaded with olive oil. Alginate beads were uniform in shape, with minimal oil leakage, offering interesting prospects for encapsulation of lipophilic and poorly stable molecules, like olive oil. In vitro photoprotection and in vivo tolerance tests were in favor of this application. Thus, this study suggests that the incorporation of the olive oil-loaded particles into a cream formulation provides strong moisturizing properties and a photoprotective potential, when applied to healthy subjects.

Excessive Weight Favours Skin Physiology - Up to a Point: Another Expression of the Obesity Paradox.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recently classified as an epidemic by the WHO, obesity (as well as the state of being overweight) clearly affects significant populations across all ages. The relationship between obesity and some diseases (e.g. cardiovascular ones) is known, although many paradoxes remain to be explained. Very little information is available, however, regarding its impact on skin physiology and skin disease. This study aims to examine the influence of excessive weight on epidermal hydration and transepidermal water loss, key variables of skin water balance and skin biomechanics. METHODS: A convenience sample of 89 healthy female volunteers was selected and divided into 4 groups, according to their BMI (body mass index), as normal (control), overweight, obese (I and II), and morbid. Skin physiology was quantitatively assessed in all individuals in 4 anatomical areas using non-invasive biometrical analysis by reference instrumentation. Descriptive and comparative statistics were applied, adopting a confidence level of 95%. RESULTS: A non-linear alteration for all variables was detected as a function of BMI. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that excessive weight might favour skin performance within certain limits, reflecting a particular adaptation of the skin to the weight gain and body contour.

Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics.

It is generally assumed that dietary water might be beneficial for the health, especially in dermatological (age preventing) terms. The present study was designed to quantify the impact of dietary water on major indicators of skin physiology. A total of 49 healthy females (mean 24.5±4.3 years) were selected and characterized in terms of their dietary daily habits, especially focused in water consumption, by a Food Frequency Questionnaire. This allowed two groups to be set - Group 1 consuming less than 3,200 mL/day (n=38), and Group 2 consuming more than 3,200 mL/day (n=11). Approximately 2 L of water were added to the daily diet of Group 2 individuals for 1 month to quantify the impact of this surplus in their skin physiology. Measurements involving epidermal superficial and deep hydration, transepidermal water loss, and several biomechanical descriptors were taken at day 0 (T0), 15 (T1), and 30 (T2) in several anatomical sites (face, upper limb, and leg). This stress test (2 L/day for 30 days) significantly modified superficial and deep skin hydration, especially in Group 1. The same impact was registered with the most relevant biomechanical descriptors. Thus, in this study, it is clear that higher water inputs in regular diet might positively impact normal skin physiology, in particular in those individuals with lower daily water consumptions.

Resultados del tratamiento ortóptico-pleóptico en la rehabilitación visual de pacientes ambliopes y estrábicos: Manzanillo 2006-2009 / Results of orthoptic-pleoptics treatment in visual rehabilitation in patients with amblyopia and strabism: Manzanillo, 2006- 2009

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo en la Escuela Especial de rehabilitación visual Ricardo Rodríguez Morales en la ciudad de Manzanillo (septiembre 2006-septiembre 2009) con el objetivo de demostrar los resultados del tratamiento ortóptico y pleóptico en la rehabilitación visual de pacientes ambliopes y estrábicos. Se revisaron las historias clínicas y tomaron datos como: edad, sexo, antecedentes patológicos familiares oculares, agudeza visual inicial y final con cristales. Se clasificaron los pacientes en estrábicos puros, estrábicos­ambliopes y ambliopes, el tratamiento utilizado fue: pleóptico, ortóptico y pleortóptico. Predominaron las edades de 5 y 6 años y el sexo femenino. El estrabismo y la miopía fueron los antecedentes patológicos familiares oculares más importantes. La agudeza visual final mejoró significativamente. La ambliopía fue el diagnóstico más importante y el tratamiento más utilizado el pleóptico. Se demuestra que al realizar pesquisaje oftalmológico en círculos infantiles y escuelas primarias se rehabilita el niño precozmente. Terminología: Estrabismo: Pérdida del paralelismo de los ejes visuales. Ambliopía: Es la disminución de la Agudeza Visual sin lesión orgánica evidente o con una lesión cuya importancia no es proporcional a la intensidad de la desviación. Ortóptica: Rama de la Oftalmología que se ocupa del estudio y tratamiento de las alteraciones de la visión binocular. Pleóptica: Procedimientos reeducativos con los que se intenta devolver la Agudeza Visual normal y la Fijación Foveal a un ojo ambliope(AU)

It was performed a descriptive- retrospective study at Ricardo Rodriguez Morales visual rehabilitation school in Manzanillo city, (September 2005- September 2008) with the objective to show the results of orthoptic and pleoptics treatment in patients with amblyopia and strabism visual rehabilitation. There were checked the clinical antecedents and there were taken some variables like: age, sex, ocular familiar pathological antecedents, initial and final visual acuity with glasses. The patients were classified within these concepts: pure strabismic, strabismic-amblyopic and amblyopic. There were used pleoptics, orthoptic and pleorthoptic treatments, the ages between 5 to 6 years old and the female sex prevailed. The most ocular familiar pathological antecedents were strabismus and myopia. The final visual sharpness got outstandingly better. The amblyopia was the most important diagnosis and the most applied treatment was the pleoptics. When the ophthalmologic searching was made at childrens day care and primary schools, the child was early rehabilitated. Terminology: strabism: loss of the parallelism of the visual axis. Amblyopia: the diminishment of the visual acuity without an evident organic lesion or with a non- proportional lesion to the intensity of the deviation. Orthoptic: an ophthalmology branch that deals with the study and treatment of the alterations of the binocular vision. Pleoptics: Retraining procedures with the purpose to give back the normal visual acuity and pit fixation to an amblyopic eye(EU)

Rehabilitación visual de pacientes ambliopes y estrábicos / Visual rehabilitation of amblyopic and strabismic patients

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo en 88 pacientes egresados de laescuela especial de rehabilitación visual “Ricardo Rodríguez Morales” de Manzanillo(septiembre 1999 septiembre 2002) con el objetivo de mostrar los resultados deltratamiento Ortóptico y Pleóptico en la rehabilitación visual de pacientes ambliopes yestrábicos. Se revisaron las historias clínicas y tomaron datos como: edad, sexo,antecedentes patológicos familiares oculares, agudeza visual inicial y final concristales.Se clasificaron los pacientes en estrábicos puros, estrábicos ambliopes y ambliopes,el tratamiento utilizado fue: Pleoptico, Ortoptico y Peortóptico. Predominaron lasedades de 5 y 6 años y el sexo femenino. El estrabismo y la miopía fueron losantecedentes patológicos familiares oculares más importantes.La agudeza visual final mejoró significativamente. La ambliopía fue el diagnóstico másimportante y el tratamiento más utilizado el Pleoptico. Se concluye que al realizarpesquizaje oftalmológico en círculos infantiles y escuelas primarias se rehabilita el niñoprecozmente (AU)