Atorvastatin and diacerein reduce insulin resistance and increase disease tolerance in rats with sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death among hospitalized patients. At the onset of this condition, there is an over-production of pro-inflammatory mediators that contribute to organ failure and death. The excess production of pro-inflammatory mediators also impairs insulin signaling, which may be a pathophysiological tissue marker of proinflammatory cytokine action before organ failure. Statins and diacerein have pleiotropic effects, such as the blockage of inflammatory signaling pathways, suggesting that these drugs may be an attractive therapeutic or prophylactic strategy against sepsis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a statin or diacerein can improve insulin signaling, disease tolerance and survival in sepsis by inhibiting inflammatory pathways. METHODS: We investigated the effect of these drugs on survival, tissue insulin signaling and inflammatory pathways in the liver and muscle of rats with sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). RESULTS: The results showed that administration of medications, with anti-inflammatory ability, to septic animals increased survival and improved disease tolerance and insulin resistance in the liver and muscle. The treatment also attenuated ER stress, NF-κB, JNK activation and restored glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) levels in the liver. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that atorvastatin and diacerein treatment can modulate inflammatory pathways and, in parallel, attenuate insulin resistance in sepsis. Since these two drugs have safety profiles and minimal side effects, we suggest that these drugs may be alternative therapies for the prevention or therapies for the treatment of insulin resistance in sepsis, which could potentially reduce mortality in patients with sepsis.

Extruded films of blended chitosan, low density polyethylene and ethylene acrylic acid.

The obtaining of chitosan extruded films was possible by using low density polyethylene (LDPE) as a matrix polymer and ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer as an adhesive, in order to ensure adhesion in the interphase of the immiscible polymers. The obtained blend films were resistant; however, a reduction in the mechanical resistance was observed as chitosan concentration increased. The thermal stability of the films showed a certain grade of interaction between polymers as seen in FTIR spectra. The antifungal activity of the extruded films was assessed against Aspergillus niger and high inhibition percentages were observed, which may be mainly attributed to barrier properties of the extruded films and the limited oxygen availability, resulting in the inability of the fungi to grow. A low adherence of fungal spores to the material surface was observed, mainly in areas with chitosan clumps, which can serve as starting points for material degradation.

The treatment of eruptive syringomas in an African American patient with a combination of trichloroacetic acid and CO2 laser destruction.

BACKGROUND: Eruptive syringomas are uncommon benign adnexal neoplasms. They are numerous and disseminated and often have a predilection for the neck, face, chest, and axillary fossae. Because they are persistent, usually numerous, and often on exposed sites, the lesions may be disfiguring and often pose significant cosmetic concerns for patients. Many treatment modalities such as dermabrasion, electrodesiccation with curettage, and scissors excision have been tried with some success, but more recently lasers have provided good to excellent results. OBJECTIVE: To describe an approach to the treatment of eruptive syringomas in an African American patient with a combination of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and CO2 laser resurfacing, providing acceptable cosmetic results without significant side effects. METHODS: We describe an African American patient with eruptive syringomas of the face treated with a combination of TCA and CO2 laser resurfacing with good results. RESULTS: While the syringomas were not completely ablated, the combination of TCA and CO2 laser resurfacing provided acceptable cosmetic results without significant side effects. CONCLUSION: The TCA pretreatment probably removed some of the bulk of the surface of the lesions, thereby reducing the number of laser passes required to flatten the remainder of the lesions and thus lessening the potential for thermal damage at the treated sites and of surrounding normal skin.