How representative are clinical trial cohorts of the general CF population? Implications for trial planning.

Understanding the number of patients eligible to participate in research is important to design protocols and define research priorities. We reviewed the records of all patients with CF, age 12+, who receive care at our centre. We assessed their eligibility for trial participation based on common trial inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Migration is not the perfect answer: How the cross-talk error correction for multiple breath nitrogen washout (MBWN ) parameters differs on directly collected vs. legacy data.

Recently, a cross-talk error with commercial multiple breath nitrogen washout (MBWN ) software was discovered, which produced an absolute over-reading of N of approximately 1%, i.e., 2% N read as 3%.

Calcofluor white combination antifungal treatments for Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans.

Superficial mycoses caused by dermatophyte fungi are among the most common infections worldwide, yet treatment is restricted by limited effective drugs available, drug toxicity, and emergence of drug resistance. The stilbene fluorescent brightener calcofluor white (CFW) inhibits fungi by binding chitin in the cell wall, disrupting cell wall integrity, and thus entails a different mechanism of inhibition than currently available antifungal drugs. To identify novel therapeutic options for the treatment of skin infections, we compared the sensitivity of representative strains of the dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans to CFW and a panel of fluorescent brighteners and phytoalexin compounds.

Protective effects of a topical antioxidant mixture containing vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin against ultraviolet-induced photodamage in human skin.

Background: Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of the skin leads to acute inflammatory reactions, such as erythema, sunburn, and chronic reactions, including premature skin aging and skin cancer.

Aim: In this study, the effects of a topical antioxidant mixture consisting of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin on attenuating the harmful effects of UV irradiation on normal healthy volunteers were studied using biomarkers of skin damage.

Subjects/methods: Ten subjects (age, 18-60 years; Fitzpatrick skin types II and III) were randomized and treated with antioxidant product or vehicle control on the lower back for four consecutive days.

A topical antioxidant solution containing vitamins C and E stabilized by ferulic acid provides protection for human skin against damage caused by ultraviolet irradiation.

Background: Skin cancer and photoaging changes result from ultraviolet (UV)-induced oxidative stress. Topical antioxidants may protect skin from these effects.

Objective: We sought to determine whether a stable topical formulation of 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% alpha-tocopherol, and 0.

Bioavailability of selenium from the selenotrisulphide derivative of lipoic acid.

Background/purpose: Selenium is a required micronutrient in mammals, needed for the activity of enzymes that contain selenocysteine at their active site. Several isoenzymes of glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase contain selenocysteine and thus the nutritional status of selenium in tissues can have significant impact on the steady state level of reactive oxygen species. The aims of this study were to evaluate the bioavailability of selenium derived from the selenotrisulfide derivative of lipoic acid (LASe) and determine the ability of this compound to be absorbed into skin.

Ferulic acid stabilizes a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection of skin.

Ferulic acid is a potent ubiquitous plant antioxidant. Its incorporation into a topical solution of 15%l-ascorbic acid and 1%alpha-tocopherol improved chemical stability of the vitamins (C+E) and doubled photoprotection to solar-simulated irradiation of skin from 4-fold to approximately 8-fold as measured by both erythema and sunburn cell formation. Inhibition of apoptosis was associated with reduced induction of caspase-3 and caspase-7.

Carotid arteries: contrast-enhanced US angiography--preliminary clinical experience.

B-mode ultrasonographic (US) angiography enhanced with a microbubble-based US contrast agent (FS069) was evaluated in human subjects with carotid artery disease. Results at contrast material-enhanced US angiography and duplex US were compared with those at conventional angiography. Both US angiography and duplex US accurately depicted stenoses of 70% or more compared with those depicted at conventional angiography.

UV photoprotection by combination topical antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E.

Background: Virtually all plants and animals protect themselves from the sun using vitamins C and E.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to see if a combination of topical vitamins C and E is better for UV protection to skin than an equivalent concentration of topical vitamin C or E alone.

Methods: We developed a stable aqueous solution of 15% L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and 1% alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E).

Cutaneous photodamage, oxidative stress, and topical antioxidant protection.

Unlabelled: New methods to protect skin from photodamage from sun exposure are necessary if we are to conquer skin cancer and photoaging. Sunscreens are useful, but their protection is not ideal because of inadequate use, incomplete spectral protection, and toxicity. Skin naturally uses antioxidants (AOs) to protect itself from photodamage.

Evidence supporting zinc as an important antioxidant for skin.

Antioxidants play a critical role in keeping skin healthy. The antioxidant benefits of vitamin C and E are well known, but the importance of the trace mineral, zinc, has been overlooked. This article reviews the evidence supporting zinc's antioxidant role in protecting against free radical-induced oxidative damage.

Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studies.

Background: Reactive oxygen species generated by ultraviolet light result in photocarcinogenic and photoaging changes in the skin. Antioxidants protect skin from these insults.

Objective: This study defines formulation characteristics for delivering L-ascorbic acid into the skin to supplement the skin's natural antioxidant reservoir.

Modern approaches to photoprotection.

UV light reacts with skin to produce undesirable changes, including photoaging and skin cancer. Sunscreen strategies are useful for protection against UV-B and short-wave UV-A, but complete protection against long-wave UV-A has not been achieved. Because UV-A is especially efficient at generating reactive oxygen species, it is being recognized increasingly as an important cause of photoaging and skin cancer.

Microfine zinc oxide is a superior sunscreen ingredient to microfine titanium dioxide.

Background: Microfine zinc oxide and microfine titanium dioxide are particulate sunscreen ingredients that absorb broad-spectrum ultraviolet (UV) irradiation.

Objective: We compare microfine zinc oxide and microfine titanium dioxide for their abilities to attenuate UVA radiation and their relative whiteness in cosmetic formulations.

Methods: UVA attenuation was measured by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy on normal human skin in vivo.

Microfine zinc oxide (Z-cote) as a photostable UVA/UVB sunblock agent.

Background: Microfine zinc oxide (Z-Cote) is used as a transparent broad-spectrum sunblock to attenuate UV radiation (UVR), including UVA I (340-400 nm).

Objective: Our purpose was to assess the suitability of microfine zinc oxide as a broad-spectrum photoprotective agent by examining those properties generally considered important in sunscreens: attenuation spectrum, sun protection factor (SPF) contribution, photostability, and photoreactivity.

Methods: Attenuation spectrum was assessed by means of standard spectrophotometric methods.

Pharmacokinetics of three doses of once-weekly fluconazole (150, 300, and 450 mg) in distal subungual onychomycosis of the toenail.

Background: Preliminary clinical data suggest that fluconazole is effective in the treatment of patients with onychomycosis. To design optimum dosage regimens, a better understanding of fluconazole's distribution into and elimination from nails is needed.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine plasma and toenail concentrations of fluconazole.

Once-weekly fluconazole (150, 300, or 450 mg) in the treatment of distal subungual onychomycosis of the toenail.

Background: Onychomycosis is a prevalent infection of the nail caused primarily by dermatophytes. Fluconazole is active in vitro against the most common pathogens of onychomycosis, penetrates into the nail bed, and is clinically effective in the treatment of a wide variety of superficial fungal infections.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of three different doses of fluconazole (150, 300, and 450 mg) given orally once weekly to that of placebo in the treatment of distal subungual onychomycosis of the toenail caused by dermatophytes.

A common duplication in the lysyl hydroxylase gene of patients with Ehlers Danlos syndrome type VI results in preferential stimulation of lysyl hydroxylase activity and mRNA by hydralazine.

Patients with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome type VI (EDS VI) are biochemically characterized by a deficiency of lysyl hydroxylase (LH), an enzyme that hydroxylates lysine residues required in the formation of stable crosslinks in collagen biosynthesis. Recently, in 19% of 35 EDS VI families, a duplication of seven exons in the LH gene has been identified as a common cause of EDS VI. We have observed that in fibroblasts from patients with this duplication mutation, administration of hydralazine, an iron-chelating agent, and ascorbate, a cofactor for LH activity, stimulates LH activity and its mRNA significantly more than in other EDS VI patients who do not have this duplication.

Vitamin C abrogates the deleterious effects of UVB radiation on cutaneous immunity by a mechanism that does not depend on TNF-alpha.

Acute low-dose treatment of murine skin with ultra violet B (UVB) light impairs induction of contact hypersensitivity (CH) to dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) in certain inbred strains of mice (termed UVB-susceptible), but not in others (termed UVB-resistant), and promotes tolerance. These deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are mediated in part by TNF-alpha, which is released from UVR-exposed epidermal and dermal cells. Because UVR damage to skin has also been ascribed in part to the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) such as superoxide anion (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical (OH-), and singlet oxygen ((1)O2), we investigated whether vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which can nullify ROIs, prevents the deleterious effects of UVR on the cutaneous immune system.

Effectiveness of antioxidants (vitamin C and E) with and without sunscreens as topical photoprotectants.

Considerable interest has been recently generated concerning the use of natural compounds, anti-oxidants in particular, in photoprotection. Two of the best known anti-oxidants are vitamins C and E, both of which have been shown to be somewhat effective in different models of photodamage. Very little has been reported, however, on the effectiveness of a combination of the two (known to be biologically the more relevant situation); nor have there been detailed studies on the ability of these antioxidants to augment commercial sunscreen protection against UV damage.