Effect of Terpenes on the Enhancement of Skin Permeation of Lipophilic Drugs: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: The stratum corneum (SC) remains an obstacle to the passage of drugs applied topically. Several investigations have focused on enhancing the penetration of drugs through the SC by integrating permeation enhancers (PE) into the drug formulation. Terpenes are among the PE utilized in formulations and are categorized by the regulatory bodies as generally recognized as safe (GRAS).

Language abilities and associated risk factors of school-aged children with cleft lip and palate.

Previous research on children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) reported unequivocal findings with regard to language skills, with the majority suggesting persistent difficulties in early childhood. While expressive language deficits improved with age, receptive language skills were consistently lower than peers. Further study investigating the long term and persistent impact of language deficits amongst school-aged children with CLP is warranted.

Development of an Auraptene-Loaded Transdermal Formulation Using Non-ionic Sugar Ester Surfactants.

Auraptene (Aur) is a naturally occurring monoterpene coumarin ether that exhibits numerous therapeutic properties. Its high lipophilicity and low skin penetration, however, limit its potential application for local and transdermal delivery. Biocompatible non-ionic sugar esters (SEs) possess beneficial properties for the development of transdermal formulations in delivering pharmaceutically challenging molecules such as graphene and Aur.

Factors Affecting Early and Late Cochlear Implantation.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the factors affecting early and late cochlear implantation.

Materials And Methods: A total of 159 patients from the Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) Cochlear Implant Programme were recruited in this retrospective cross-sectional study. All paediatric Cochlear Implant (CI) recipients with pre-lingual deafness were included in this retrospective study.

Strategies for accommodating gene-edited sires and their descendants in genetic evaluations.

Gene editing has the potential to expedite the rate of genetic gain for complex traits. However, changing nucleotides (i.e.

An Updated Checklist of Sea Slugs (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) from Hong Kong Supported by Citizen Science.

Research on heterobranch sea slug diversity in Hong Kong was flourishing in the 1980-90s, with the first checklist and guidebook published and many new species and records documented later. This golden era of sea slug research ended abruptly, and no review nor any extensive collection has been done in the past 20+ years. In view of the extensive revision in heterobranch systematics in recent years, the current checklist can be considered out of date in both nomenclature and composition.

Preparation, Characterization, and In Vitro Evaluation of Inclusion Complexes Formed between -Allylcysteine and Cyclodextrins.

The present study prepared inclusion complexes of -allylcysteine (SAC) and cyclodextrin (α, β, γ) by the freeze-drying (FD) method and verified the inclusion behavior of the solid dispersion. Also, the study investigated the effect of SAC/CD complex formation on liver tumor cells. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements confirmed the exothermic titration curve for SAC/αCD, suggesting a molar ratio of SAC/αCD = 1/1, but no exothermic/endothermic reaction was obtained for the SAC/βCD and SAC/γCD system.

Preparation and Spectroscopic Characterization of Inclusion Complexes of 3D Ball-Milled Rifampicin with β-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin : 3D Ball-Milled Rifampicin with β-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin.

Rifampicin (RFP) solutions, intended to reduce incidence of prosthetic graft infection, were prepared as three-dimensional ground mixtures (3DGMs) using β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and γ-cyclodextrin (γCD) and characterized for their spectroscopic properties and solubility. Phase solubility diagrams revealed that 3DGMs (RFP/βCD and RFP/γCD) produced a complex at 1:1 molar ratio. Pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance experiments indicated that the diffusion coefficients for RFP/βCD and RFP/γCD were similar to the respective diffusion coefficients for βCD and γCD.

Preparation, Characterization, Solubility, and Antioxidant Capacity of Ellagic Acid-Urea Complex.

Ellagic acid (EA), a natural polyphenol found in berries, has high antioxidant capacity. This study aimed to improve EA solubility by complex formation with urea (UR) using solvent evaporation method and evaluate its solubility, antioxidant capacity, and physical properties. The solubility test (25 °C, 72 h) showed that the solubility of EVP (EA/UR = 1/1) was approximately two-fold higher than that of EA (7.

Imputation of non-genotyped F1 dams to improve genetic gain in swine crossbreeding programs.

This study investigated using imputed genotypes from non-genotyped animals which were not in the pedigree for the purpose of genetic selection and improving genetic gain for economically relevant traits. Simulations were used to mimic a 3-breed crossbreeding system that resembled a modern swine breeding scheme. The simulation consisted of three purebred (PB) breeds A, B, and C each with 25 and 425 mating males and females, respectively.

A Rare Tumor in the Neck of a Child: Plexiform Neurofibroma.

Plexiform neurofibroma represents an uncommon variant of neurofibromatosis type 1, constituting only 5%-30% of all cases. Plexiform neurofibroma is usually diagnosed during childhood and arises from multiple nerves, manifesting as bulging and deforming masses that can also involve connective tissue and skin folds. We report a case of a two-year-old girl who presented with worsening stridor since birth and later exhibited progressively increasing left neck swelling at the age of 10 months old.

Preparation and Characterization of a Hybrid Complex of Cyclodextrin-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks-1 and Ascorbic Acid Derivatives.

Cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks-1 (CD-MOF-1) prepared using potassium hydroxide, ethanol, and γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) has been reported as a new type of MOF for the development of pharmaceutical formulations. The present study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of ascorbic acid derivatives (L-ascorbyl 6-palmitate (ASCP); L-ascorbyl 2,6-palmitate (ASCDP)) complexed with CD-MOF-1 by a solvent evaporation method. Powder X-ray diffraction revealed that the crystal diffraction pattern of CD-MOF-1 changed from α-type to β-type when prepared by a solvent evaporation method.

Inclusion Complexes of Daidzein with Cyclodextrin-Based Metal-Organic Framework-1 Enhance Its Solubility and Antioxidant Capacity.

Daidzein, an aglycone-type isoflavone, is useful in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. However, the solubility of daidzein remains relatively low even with pharmaceutical interventions (e.g.

Bias in variance component estimation in swine crossbreeding schemes using selective genotyping and phenotyping strategies.

Selective genotyping of crossbred (CB) animals to include in traditionally purebred (PB) dominated genetic evaluations has been shown to provide an increase in the response to selection for CB performance. However, the inclusion of phenotypes from selectively genotyped CB animals, without the phenotypes of their non-genotyped cohorts, could cause bias in estimated variance components (VC) and subsequent estimated breeding values (EBV). The objective of the study was to determine the impact of selective CB genotyping on VC estimates and subsequent bias in EBV when non-genotyped CB animals are not included in genetic evaluations.

Selective genotyping and phenotypic data inclusion strategies of crossbred progeny for combined crossbred and purebred selection in swine breeding.

Inclusion of crossbred (CB) data into traditionally purebred (PB) genetic evaluations has been shown to increase the response in CB performance. Currently, it is unrealistic to collect data on all CB animals in swine production systems, thus, a subset of CB animals must be selected to contribute genomic/phenotypic information. The aim of this study was to evaluate selective genotyping strategies in a simulated 3-way swine crossbreeding scheme.

Impact of inclusion rates of crossbred phenotypes and genotypes in nucleus selection programs.

Numerous methods have been suggested to incorporate crossbred (CB) phenotypes and genotypes into swine selection programs, yet little research has focused on the implicit trade-off decisions between generating data at the nucleus or commercial level. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of altering the proportion of purebred (PB) and CB phenotypes and genotypes in genetic evaluations on the response to selection of CB performance. Assuming CB and PB performance with moderate heritabilities (h2=0.

Auditory Performance in Early Implanted Children with Cochleovestibular Malformation and Cochlear Nerve Deficiency.

Objectives: This study aimed to report the auditory performance in children with cochleovestibular malformation (CVM)/cochlear nerve deficiency (CND) who were implanted early at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, using Categorical Auditory Performance (CAP)-II score and Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR) scales, and to compare the outcome of their matched counterparts.

Materials And Methods: A total of 14 children with CVM/CND with unilateral cochlear implant (CI) implanted before the age of 4 years old were matched and compared with 14 children with normal inner ear structures. Their improvement in auditory performance was evaluated twice using CAP-II score and SIR scales at 6-month intervals, with the baseline evaluation done at least 6 months after implantation.

Prolonged Distribution of Tranilast in the Eyes after Topical Application onto Eyelid Skin.

Tranilast, a lipophilic drug with various ophthalmic applications, was used as a model drug to establish the possibility of delivering lipophilic drugs through the eyelid skin. Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution studies were conducted employing three application methods (topical application onto eyelid skin, eye drops, and intravenous injection in rats) to broaden the significance of delivering drugs through the eyelids. A two-compartment open model analysis was used for intravenous route while a non-compartmental evaluation was used for topical applications to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters.

Enhanced nose-to-brain delivery of tranilast using liquid crystal formulations.

Intranasal administration is poised as a competent method in delivering drugs to the brain, because the nasal route has a direct link with the central nervous system bypassing the formidable blood-brain barrier. C-monoglycerol ester (MGE) and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) as liquid crystal (LC)-forming lipids possess desirable formulation characteristics as drug carriers for intranasally administered drugs. This study investigated the effect of LC formulations on the pharmacokinetics of tranilast (TL), a lipophilic model drug, and its distribution in the therapeutic target regions of the brain in rats.

Prediction of skin permeation and concentration of rhododendrol applied as finite dose from complex cosmetic vehicles.

Finite dose experiments represent clinical use wherein depletion of dose, evaporation of excipients, and gradual change in vehicle composition may occur. In the present study, we attempted a mathematical approach for predicting skin permeation and concentration of a cosmetic active, rhododendrol (RD), from complex vehicle-based formulations applied in finite dose. In vitro skin permeation and concentration studies of RD were conducted from formulations containing water and polyols with concentrations ranging from 10 to 100% under infinite and finite dose conditions using vertical Franz diffusion cells.

Usefulness of Artificial Membrane, Strat-M, in the Assessment of Drug Permeation from Complex Vehicles in Finite Dose Conditions.

The ban on the use of animals in testing cosmetic products has led to the development of animal-free in vitro methods. Strat-M is an artificial membrane engineered to mimic human skin and is recommended as a replacement for skin. However, its usefulness in the assessment of the permeation of cosmetics in in-use conditions remains unverified.

Stridor Secondary to Acquired Subglottic Cyst: Rarity Makes it Missed.

Subglottic cysts (SGCs) are a rare cause of airway obstruction in children. Medical advances, higher survival rates for preterm infants, and improved diagnostic equipment have increased the number of reported cases of SGCs over the last three decades, the majority occurring in infants who had been extremely premature neonates and had suffered from respiratory distress, therefore having been intubated and managed in neonatal ICUs. Symptoms of laryngeal cysts depend on the size and the location of the cyst and include a change in the tone of voice, dysphonia, hoarseness, dysphagia, stridor, and dyspnea.

A genome-wide association study for gestation length in swine.

Selection for increased litter size in swine has potentially resulted in a correlated increase in preweaning mortality. Additional selection criteria should be considered when selecting for increased litter size to account for associated decreases in piglet quality, specifically piglet survival, initial weight and growth. Traits such as gestation length (GL), which have been associated with piglet performance, could be utilized to improve piglet development and survivability.

Associations with four generations of divergent selection for age at puberty in swine.

The objective was to evaluate 4 generations of divergent selection for age at puberty (young age at puberty = YOUNG; old age at puberty = OLD) in swine. Composite Landrace × Large White animals (n = 4,941) were reared at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Tidewater Research Station. At 130 d of age, gilts were exposed to mature boars for 7 min daily.