Release of rifampicin from chitosan, PLGA and chitosan-coated PLGA microparticles.

Recently three groups of rifampicin (RIF)-loaded microparticles (MPs), consisting of chitosan (CHT), PLGA and PLGA/CHT mixtures, were assessed in terms of RIF-loading and retention during nebulisation. The CHT-coated PLGA MPs were found to exhibit high RIF-loading ability together with nebulisation ability, stability, and mucoadhesive properties. All MP types had comparable toxicity towards alveolar cells which was significantly lower than that of the free drug.

Semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase/vascular adhesion protein 1: recent developments concerning substrates and inhibitors of a promising therapeutic target.

SSAO/VAP-1 is not only involved in the metabolism of biogenic and xenobiotic primary amines and in the production of metabolites with cytotoxic effects or certain physiological actions, but also plays a role, for example, as an adhesion molecule, in leukocyte trafficking, in regulating glucose uptake and in adipocyte homeostasis. Interest in the enzyme has been stimulated by the findings that the activities of the SSAOs are altered (mostly increased) in various human disorders, including diabetes, congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, Alzheimer's disease and several inflammatory diseases, although the underlying causes are often unknown. On the basis of their insulin-mimicking effect, SSAO substrates are possibly capable of ameliorating metabolic changes in diabetes, while SSAO inhibitors (somewhat of a contradiction) are of potential benefit in preventing diabetes complications, atherosclerosis and oxidative stress contributing to several disorders or modulating inflammation, and hence may be of substantial therapeutic value.

Pichia angusta is an effective biocontrol yeast against postharvest decay of apple fruit caused by Botrytis cinerea and Monilia fructicola.

The efficacy of eight isolates of Pichia angusta against three common postharvest pathogens of apple fruit was evaluated for the first time. All tested strains showed significant biocontrol activity against both Botrytis cinerea and Monilia fructicola, whereas efficacy against Penicillium expansum was poor. A leucine-auxotrophic mutant had no significant biocontrol activity against brown rot of apple, while the addition of 0.

Technical assessment of the HELLODOC service.

A technical assessment activity has been conducted by Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) in the European project HELLODOC (Healthcare service linking tele-rehabilitation to disabled people and clinicians) for evaluating the tele-rehabilitation service. The activity was mainly focussed on architectural aspects and a step by step monitoring of the service. It was mainly related to the following aspects: service implementation, service performances, service integration and fault management.

Liposomes as carriers for verbascoside: stability and skin permeation studies.

In this study the influence of liposomal incorporation on both the stability and the in vitro (trans) dermal delivery of verbascoside was evaluated. The effect of drug entrapment into vesicles on its radical scavenging activity was also studied. Liposomes were obtained from soy phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol according to the film hydration method.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of some new heterocycles incorporating antipyrine moiety.

2-cyano-N-(1,5-dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)acetamide (1) was utilized as key intermediate for the synthesis of some new coumarin 2, pyridine 3, pyrrole 4, thiazole 7, pyrido[2',3':3,4][pyrazolo[5,1-c]triazine and aminopyrazole 9. Treatment of aminopyrazole 9 with nitrous acid, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, enaminone, and DMF-DMA led to the formation of pyrazolo[3,4-d]triazine 10, pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines 11, 12, 14, and pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine 13, respectively. Condensation of 9 with isatin afforded Schiff base 16.

PLGA, chitosan or chitosan-coated PLGA microparticles for alveolar delivery? A comparative study of particle stability during nebulization.

Various types of rifampicin (RIF)-loaded microparticles were compared for their stability during nebulization. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), chitosan (CHT) and PLGA/CHT microparticles (MPs) were prepared by emulsion or precipitation techniques. MPs ability to be nebulized (NE%) as well as stability during freeze-drying or/and nebulization (NEED%), were evaluated after RIF extraction from MPs and determination by light spectroscopy.

SLN as a topical delivery system for Artemisia arborescens essential oil: in vitro antiviral activity and skin permeation study.

The effect of SLN incorporation on transdermal delivery and in vitro antiherpetic activity of Artemisia arborescens essential oil was investigated. Two different SLN formulations were prepared using the hot-pressure homogenization technique, Compritol 888 ATO as lipid, and Poloxamer 188 and Miranol Ultra C32 as surfactants. Formulations were examined for their stability for two years by monitoring average size distribution and zeta potential values.

Artemisia arborescens L essential oil loaded beads: preparation and characterization.

The purpose of this work was to prepare sodium alginate beads as a device for the controlled release of essential oil for oral administration as an antiviral agent. Different formulations were prepared with sodium alginate as a natural polymer and calcium chloride or glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. Loading capacities of between 86% and 100% were obtained in freshly prepared beads by changing exposure time to the cross-linking agent.

Temporal response properties of the macular cone system: effect of normal aging and age-related maculopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of aging and age-related maculopathy (ARM) on the temporal frequency response function (TFR) of macular focal electroretinography.

Methods: Macular (18 degrees ) focal electroretinograms (FERGs) in response to sinusoidal flicker, modulated at TFs between 3.7 and 52 Hz, were recorded from 13 young (age range, 14-29 years) and 9 old (age range, 55-80 years) healthy subjects and from 18 patients with ARM (stage 2 disease; age range, 55-80 years; visual acuity >/=0.

Liposomes for drug delivery to the lungs by nebulization.

Preparation of drug-loaded freeze-dried (FD) liposomes, designed for delivery to lungs after rehydration/nebulization was investigated. Rifampicin (RIF) incorporating multilamelar (MLV) and dried rehydrated vesicles (DRV); composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC), dipalmitoyloglycero-PC (DPPC) or distearoyloglycero-PC (DSPC), containing or not Cholesterol (Chol), were prepared. Vesicles were characterized for encapsulation efficiency (EE%), size distribution, zeta-potential, stability during freeze drying (FD) and nebulization (nebulization efficiency (NE%) and retention of RIF after nebulization (NER%)).

Delineation of the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium HilA regulon through genome-wide location and transcript analysis.

The Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium HilA protein is the key regulator for the invasion of epithelial cells. By a combination of genome-wide location and transcript analysis, the HilA-dependent regulon has been delineated. Under invasion-inducing conditions, HilA binds to most of the known target genes and a number of new target genes.

Liposomes and niosomes as potential carriers for dermal delivery of minoxidil.

The aim of this work was to formulate minoxidil loaded liposome and niosome formulations to improve skin drug delivery. Multilamellar liposomes were prepared using soy phosphatidylcholine at different purity degrees (Phospholipon 90, 90% purity, soy lecithin (SL), 75% purity) and cholesterol (Chol), whereas niosomes were made with two different commercial mixtures of alkylpolyglucoside (APG) surfactants (Oramix NS10, Oramix CG110), Chol and dicetylphosphate. Minoxidil skin penetration and permeation experiments were performed in vitro using vertical diffusion Franz cells and human skin treated with either drug vesicular systems or propylene glycol-water-ethanol solution (control).

Intracellular distribution of fluorescent probes delivered by vesicles of different lipidic composition.

In order to study mechanisms involved in liposome-cell interaction, this work attempted to assess the influence of vesicle composition on the delivery of liposomal content to Hela cells. In particular, to evaluate pH-sensitive properties and cell interaction of the prepared liposomes, the lipid formulations contained cholesterol (Chol) and they were varied by using phosphatidylcholines with different purity degree: soy lecithin (SL; 80% phosphatidylcholine), a commercial mixture of soy phosphatidylcholine (P90; 90% phosphatidylcholine) or dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC; 99% of purity). A second series of liposomes also contained stearylamine (SA).

Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of some new thiazole, thiazolidinone and thiazoline derivatives starting from 1-chloro-3,4-dihydronaphthalene-2-carboxaldehyde.

The thiosemicarbazones (3 and 6) and N-arylidene cyanoacetohydrazide (12) were prepared and used as key intermediates for the synthesis of 4-thiazolidinones (4, 5, 7-9), thiazoles (10a,b and 11a-d) and thiazoline (13) derivatives. Treatment of 13 with a mixture of triethylorthoformate and acetic anhydride afforded thiazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidinone derivative (14). The newly synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, (1)H NMR and mass spectral studies.

Functional analysis of luxS in the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG reveals a central metabolic role important for growth and biofilm formation.

Quorum sensing is involved in the regulation of multicellular behavior through communication via small molecules. Given the high number and diversity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, it is postulated that members of this community communicate to coordinate a variety of adaptive processes. AI-2 is suggested to be a universal bacterial signaling molecule synthesized by the LuxS enzyme, which forms an integral part of the activated methyl cycle.

Artemisia arborescens L essential oil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for potential agricultural application: preparation and characterization.

The aim of this study was to formulate a new delivery system for ecological pesticides by the incorporation of Artemisia arborescens L essential oil into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). Two different SLN formulations were prepared following the high-pressure homogenization technique using Compritol 888 ATO as lipid and Poloxamer 188 or Miranol Ultra C32 as surfactants. The SLN formulation particle size was determined using Photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and laser diffraction analysis (LD).

More robust detection of motifs in coexpressed genes by using phylogenetic information.

Background: Several motif detection algorithms have been developed to discover overrepresented motifs in sets of coexpressed genes. However, in a noisy gene list, the number of genes containing the motif versus the number lacking the motif might not be sufficiently high to allow detection by classical motif detection tools. To still recover motifs which are not significantly enriched but still present, we developed a procedure in which we use phylogenetic footprinting to first delineate all potential motifs in each gene.

Artemisia arborescens L essential oil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles for potential agricultural application: Preparation and characterization.

The aim of this study was to formulate a new delivery system for ecological pesticides by the incorporation of Artemisia arborescens L essential oil into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). Two different SLN formulations were prepared following the high-pressure homogenization technique using Compritol 888 ATO as lipid and Poloxamer 188 or Miranol Ultra C32 as surfactants. The SLN formulation particle size was determined using Photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and laser diffraction analysis (LD).

Retinal function following transpupillary thermotherapy for occult choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration: a short-term study by focal electroretinography.

Purpose: To assess short-term changes in macular function after transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) in patients with occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), using focal electroretinography (FERG).

Methods: Twenty-five patients with occult subfoveal CNV due to AMD were treated with TTT delivered using an infrared (810 nm) diode laser (spot size 3.0 mm, laser power 400-600 mW, duration 60 seconds).

Niosomes as carriers for tretinoin. III. A study into the in vitro cutaneous delivery of vesicle-incorporated tretinoin.

The influence of drug thermodynamic activity and niosome composition, size, lamellarity and charge on the (trans)dermal delivery of tretinoin (TRA) was studied. For this purpose, tretinoin was incorporated at saturated and unsaturated concentrations in both multilamellar (MLV) and unilamellar (UV) vesicular formulations using two different commercial mixtures of alkyl polyglucosides: octyl-decyl polyglucoside and decyl polyglucoside. Positively and negatively charged vesicular formulations were prepared using either stearylamine or dicetylphosphate as a charge inducer.

Diclofenac-beta-cyclodextrin binary systems: physicochemical characterization and in vitro dissolution and diffusion studies.

The aim of this work was to study the influence of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) on the biopharmaceutic properties of diclofenac (DCF). To this purpose the physicochemical characterization of diclofenac-beta-cyclodextrin binary systems was performed both in solution and solid state. Solid phase characterization was performed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder x-ray diffractometry (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

Phospholipid vesicles as carriers in aquaculture: preparation and stability study of thiamine hydrochloride-loaded liposomes.

The aim of this work is to study liposomes as carriers of nutrients and therapeutic agents in aquaculture with Venerupis decussatus and Venerupis pullastra larvae. Multilamellar (MLVs) and large unilamellar (LUVs) vesicles were prepared from a commercial mixture of soy phosphatidylcholine, rich in unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, and hydrated with a solution of vitamin B1 both in distilled and sea water. Carboxyfluorescein-loaded liposomes were also prepared in order to test the uptake of vesicles by larvae.

Regional assessment of cone system function following uncomplicated retinal detachment surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate regional cone system function after uncomplicated retinal detachment (RD) surgery, by recording focal electroretinograms (FERGs) from the central and paracentral regions of the posterior pole.

Methods: FERGs in response to either a central (eccentricity: 0-2.25 deg) or a paracentral annular (2.