Publications by authors named "Ana Paula Perez"

In view of the strong anti-inflammatory activity of glucocorticoids (GC) they are used in the treatment of almost all inflammatory lung diseases. In particular, inhaled GC (IGC) allow high drug concentrations to be deposited in the lung and may reduce the incidence of adverse effects associated with systemic administration. However, rapid absorption through the highly absorbent surface of the lung epithelium may limit the success of localized therapy.

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Background: The wide spectrum of antitumoral mechanisms of imiquimod (IMQ), made it a good candidate for topical therapy of melanoma. However, physicochemical properties make IMQ formulation a difficult task. Solubility and skin penetration of IMQ are increased when loaded into ultradeformable nanovesicles.

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Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in the respiratory tract of patients with an excessive inflammatory context are difficult to eradicate. New medicines that simultaneously target biofilms and inflammation should be developed.

Hypothesis: Co-delivery of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (EOT) and tobramycin (TB) by nanostructured archaeolipids carriers (NAC) could support nebulization as well as improve EOT and TB antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibiofilm activity.

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Background: Thymus vulgaris essential oil (T) could be an alternative to classical antibiotics against bacterial biofilms, which show increased tolerance to antibiotics and host defence systems and contribute to the persistence of chronic bacterial infections.

Hypothesis: A nanovesicular formulation of T may chemically protect the structure and relative composition of its multiple components, potentially improving its antibacterial and antibiofilm activity.

Study Design: We prepared and structurally characterized T in two types of nanovesicles: nanoliposomes (L80-T) made of Soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC) and Polysorbate 80 (P80) [SPC:P80:T 1:0.

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Development of needle and pain free noninvasive immunization procedures is a top priority for public health agencies. In this work the topical adjuvant activity of the immunomodulator imiquimod (IMQ) carried by ultradeformable archaeosomes (UDA) (nanovesicles containing sn-2,3 ether linked phytanyl saturated archaeolipids) was surveyed and compared with that of ultradeformable liposomes lacking archaeolipids (UDL) and free IMQ, using the model antigen ovalbumin and a seasonal influenza vaccine in Balb/c mice. UDA (250 ± 94 nm, -26 ± 4 mV Z potential) induced higher IMQ accumulation in human skin and higher production of TNF-α and IL-6 by macrophages and keratinocytes than free IMQ and UDL.

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 Long latency auditory evoked potentials, especially P300, have been used for clinical evaluation of mental processing. Many factors can interfere with Auditory Evoked Potential - P300 results, suggesting large intra and inter-subject variations.  The objective of the study was to identify the reliability of P3 components (latency and amplitude) over 4-6 weeks and the most stable auditory stimulus with the best test-retest agreement.

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Ultradeformable archaeosomes (UDA) are nanovesicles made of total polar archaeolipids (TPA) from the archaea Halorubrum tebenquichense, soybean phosphatidylcholine and sodium cholate (3:3:1w/w). Fresh dispersions of UDA including different type of antigens are acknowledged as efficient topical vaccination agents. UDA dispersions however, if manufactured for pharmaceutical use, have to maintain colloidal stability upon liposomicidal processes such as sterilization and lyophilization (UDA), needed to extend shelf life during storage.

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Total antigens from Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes, solubilized with sodium cholate (dsLp), were formulated within ultradeformable nanovesicles (dsLp-ultradeformable archaeosomes, (dsLp-UDA), and dsLp-ultradeformable liposomes (dsLp-UDL)) and topically administered to Balb/c mice. Ultradeformable nanovesicles can penetrate the intact stratum corneum up to the viable epidermis, with no aid of classical permeation enhancers that can damage the barrier function of the skin. Briefly, 100 nm unilamellar dsLp-UDA (soybean phosphatidylcholine: Halorubrum tebenquichense total polar lipids (TPL): sodium cholate, 3:3:1 w:w) of -31.

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Aiming to improve the topical delivery of AmB to treat cutaneous fungal infections and leishmaniasis, ultradeformable liposomes containing amphotericin B (AmB-UDL) were prepared, and structural and functional characterized. The effect of different edge activators, phospholipid and AmB concentration, and phospholipid to edge activator ratio on liposomal deformability, as well as on AmB liposomal content, was tested. Liposomes having Tween 80 as edge activator resulted of maximal deformability and AmB/phospholipid ratio.

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Introduction The Gaps-in-Noise (GIN) test assesses the hearing ability of temporal resolution. The development of this ability can be considered essential for learning how to read. Objective Identify temporal resolution in individuals diagnosed with reading and writing disorders compared with subjects with dyslexia.

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In this work, the in vitro anti-Leishmania activity of photodynamic liposomes made of soybean phosphatidylcholine, sodium cholate, total polar archaeolipids (TPAs) extracted from the hyperhalophile archaea Halorubrum tebenquichense and the photosensitizer zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPcAL) was compared to that of ultradeformable photodynamic liposomes lacking TPAs (ZnPcUDLs). We found that while ZnPcUDLs and ZnPcALs (130 nm mean diameter and -35 mV zeta potential) were innocuous against promastigotes, a low concentration (0.01 μM ZnPc and 7.

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Background: Molecules taken up by olfactory and trigeminal nerve neurons directly access the brain by the nose-to-brain pathway. In situ-forming mucoadhesive gels would increase the residence time of intranasal material, favoring the nose-to-brain delivery. In this first approach, brain radioactivity after intranasal administration of (32)P-small interference RNA (siRNA) complexed with poly(amidoamine) G7 dendrimers (siRNA dendriplexes) within in situ-forming mucoadhesive gels, was determined.

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Unlabelled: Ultradeformable archaeosomes (UDA) are vesicles made of soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC), sodium cholate (NaChol) and polar lipids from Halorubrum tebenquichense (3:1:3 wt/wt). Although ultradeformable liposomes (UDL, made of SPC and NaChol at 6:1 wt/wt) and UDA were neither captured nor caused cytotoxicity on keratinocytes, UDA was avidly captured by macrophages, their viability being reduced by 0.4-1.

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Background: Gene silencing using small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising new therapeutic approach for glioblastoma. The endocytic uptake and delivery of siRNA to intracellular compartments could be enhanced by complexation with polyamidoamine dendrimers. In the present work, the uptake mechanisms and intracellular traffic of siRNA/generation 7 dendrimer complexes (siRNA dendriplexes) were screened in T98G glioblastoma and J774 macrophages.

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Background: gap detection in 11 and 12-year-old children.

Aim: to investigate temporal resolution through the Gap in Noise test in children of 11 and 12 years in order to establish criteria of normal development.

Method: participants were 92 children, with ages of 11 and 12 years, enrolled in elementary school, with no evidences of otologic, and/or neurologic, and/or cognitive disorders, as well as with no history of learning difficulties or school failure.

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