High-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry for measurement of steroid entrapment in nebulised liposomes generated from proliposomes

A novel approach to the determination of steroid entrapment in the bilayers of aerosolised liposomes has been introduced using high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Proliposomes were dispersed in water within an air-jet nebuliser and the energy produced during atomisation was used to hydrate the proliposomes and generate liposome aerosols. Proliposomes that included the steroid beclometasone dipropionate (BDP) produced lower aerosol and lipid outputs than steroid-free proliposomes. Size analysis and transmission electron microscopy showed an evidence of liposome formation within the nebuliser, which was followed by deaggregation and size reduction of multilamellar liposomes on nebulisation to a two-stage impinger. For each formulation, no difference in thermal transitions was observed between delivered liposomes and those remaining in the nebuliser. However, steroid (5 mole%) lowered the onset temperature and the enthalpy of the pretransition, and produced a similar onset temperature and larger enthalpy of the main transition, with broadened pretransition and main transitions. This indicates that BDP was entrapped and exhibited an interaction with the liposome phospholipid membranes. Since the pretransition was depressed but not completely removed and no phase separation occurred, it is suggested that the bilayers of the multilamellar liposomes can entrap more than 5 mole% BDP. Overall, liposomes were generated from proliposomes and DSC investigations indicated that the steroid was entrapped in the bilayers of aerosolised multilamellar vesicles.

Evaluación de la exposición laboral a material particulado en empresas pertenecientes a diferentes sectores económicos en Colombia, 2014

Introducción El material particulado son partículas sólidas y líquidas emitidas al aire, las cuales pueden generar diferentes alteraciones en la salud, variando desde cuadros respiratorios alérgicos, a episodios asmáticos, dermatitis o inclusive llegar a facilitar la génesis de enfermedades de tipo neoplásico. Estos pueden tener origen natural e industrial, encontrandose en diferentes actividades económicas. Objetivo Evaluar la exposición laboral a material particulado en empresas pertenecientes a diferentes sectores económicos afiliadas a una ARL en Colombia, en el periodo comprendido entre 2011 al 2014 Metodología Es un estudio de corte transversal, analizando una base de datos de 257 empresas con 1108 mediciones de material particulado, recolectados entre 2011 – 2014. Las variables usadas fueron: región, actividad económica, área, oficio, tiempo de exposición y concentración de material particulado. Se realizó distribuciones de frecuencia, medidas de tendencia central y de dispersión. Se evaluaron las diferencias de las distribuciones de los tiempos de exposición y el porcentaje de exposición entre los grupos con y sin riesgo (los que sobrepasaban o no los límites permisibles), con la prueba asintótica no paramétrica de Mann Whitney. Resultados Las principales mediciones ambientales en las empresas fueron en la industria química con un 31%, siendo 2 de cada 3 datos pertenecientes a la región andina, las cuales tienen como principales contaminantes químicos las partículas no fraccionadas con el 70,9%. Respecto a las concentraciones ambientales de material particulado en las empresas participantes, se encontró un promedio de 1,72 mg/m3 ± 3,613, con una mediana de 0,480 mg/m3 y un coeficiente de variación de 210,05%. El 2,9% sobrepasaron los valores límites establecidos por la ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) y el 92,5% según los límites de la EPA (Agencia de Protección del Ambiente), presentando mayor riesgo en el personal operativo con 93,3% (p= 0,002). Conclusión El riesgo según los límites establecidos por la ACGIH para las mediciones realizadas en Colombia fue bajo, aunque al utilizar los parámetros de la EPA, el riesgo fue alto, por lo cual se requiere hacer un seguimiento específico a estas empresas y fomentar la implementación del sistema de gestión en seguridad y salud en el trabajo.

Solar and thermal radiative effects during the 2011 extreme desert dust episode over Portugal

This paper analyses the influence of the extreme Saharan desert dust (DD) event on shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiation at the EARLINET/AERONET Évora station (Southern Portugal) from 4 up to 7 April 2011. There was also some cloud occurrence in the period. In this context, it is essential to quantify the effect of cloud presence on aerosol radiative forcing. A radiative transfer model was initialized with aerosol optical properties, cloud vertical properties and meteorological atmospheric vertical profiles. The intercomparison between the instantaneous TOA shortwave and longwave fluxes derived using CERES and those calculated using SBDART, which was fed with aerosol extinction coefficients derived from the CALIPSO and lidar-PAOLI observations, varying OPAC dataset parameters, was reasonably acceptable within the standard deviations. The dust aerosol type that yields the best fit was found to be the mineral accumulation mode. Therefore, SBDART model constrained with the CERES observations can be used to reliably determine aerosol radiative forcing and heating rates. Aerosol radiative forcings and heating rates were derived in the SW (ARFSw, AHRSw) and LW (ARFLw, AHRLw) spectral ranges, considering a cloud-aerosol free reference atmosphere. We found that AOD at 440 nm increased by a factor of 5 on 6 April with respect to the lower dust load on 4 April. It was responsible by a strong cooling radiative effect pointed out by the ARFSw value (−99 W/m2 for a solar zenith angle of 60°) offset by a warming radiative effect according to ARFLw value (+21.9 W/m2) at the surface. Overall, about 24% and 12% of the dust solar radiative cooling effect is compensated by its longwave warming effect at the surface and at the top of the atmosphere, respectively. Hence, larger aerosol loads could enhance the response between the absorption and re-emission processes increasing the ARFLw with respect to those associated with moderate and low aerosol loads. The unprecedented results derived from this work complement the findings in other regions on the modifications of radiative energy budget by the dust aerosols, which could have relevant influences on the regional climate and will be topics for future investigations.

Avaliação da sensibilidade ao latex em profissionais de saúde num hospital do norte alentejano

Nos profissionais de saúde a alergia ao látex representa um importante problema de saúde ocupacional. Em contexto hospitalar, a principal fonte de exposição alergénica é a utilização de luvas látex empoadas e a inalação dos bioaerossóis que se formam pela manipulação das mesmas. Mediante consentimento informado, os participantes preencheram um inquérito de resposta fechada e realizaram os testes cutâneos (TC). Aqueles que apresentaram reacção foram encaminhados para a consulta de imunoalergologia e realizaram TC para alimentos, doseamentos séricos de imunoglobulinas (lgE total e específica). Foram incluídos no estudo 44 dos 48 participantes (a=0.1). A sensibilidade ao látex foi posta em evidência em 15 dos elementos da amostra, seis dos quais reagem ao extracto de látex utilizado nos TC. A alergia ao látex foi diagnosticada em duas pessoas. A aplicação de questionários na avaliação sensibilização ocupacional ao látex pode vir a constituir ferramenta válida de auscultação deste problema nas instituições prestadoras de cuidados de saúde. ABSTRACT: Latex allergy is a major occupational disease among health care workers. ln hospitals, the main source of allergen exposure is the powdered latex gloves latex and the inhalation of the aerosols formed by its direct manipulation. By means of informed assent, the participants filled an inquiry and carried out the SPT. Those with cutaneous reaction to the latex extract went to an immunoallergology appointment. SPT for fruit and pollen with cross reactivity to latex allergens where performed, and blood levels of total and specific lgE where determined. The study group included 44 of the 48 participants (a=0.1). Fifteen elements showed latex sensitization and six of them had cutaneous reaction to the latex extract used in the SPT. Latex allergy was found in two health care professionals. Questionnaires may provide a reliability tool to access the sensitization due to natural rubber products and the symptoms more commonly associated with it, in health care facilities.

Tracing acidification induced by Deccan Phase 2 volcanism

The Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) was built up by three major phases of eruptions; the most voluminous of which, the Deccan Phase 2, encompassed the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (KT) boundary. Deccan eruptions have been implicated as a contributor to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction, however, mechanism by which volcanic activity affected biota remains poorly understood. We applied a combination of rock magnetic techniques scanning electron microscopy to characterize mineral assemblages of three sections of intertrappean lacustrine sediments from the north-western Maharashtra Deccan Volcanic Provinces. Our results indicate that in sediments deposited during the early stages of the Deccan Phase 2, the Daïwal River and Dhapewada sequences, iron-bearing mineral association is dominated by detrital iron oxides (magnetite and hematite) sourced from the weathering of the surrounding basaltic bedrocks, with minor contribution form authigenic iron sulphides (framboidal pyrite, pyrrhotite and/or greigite). The sediments deposited during the final stages of Phase 2 (the Podgawan sequence) differ significantly in their characteristics. In particular, the Podgawan sediments have 1) very low magnetic susceptibility values, but higher terrigenous fraction (clays and shales) content; 2) more complex assemblage of magnetic minerals, 3) ubiquitous presence of Fe–Ca–Ce vanadates; and 4) unusual lithological variations in the middle part of the section (represented by a charcoal-rich level that is capped by a red clay layer containing fossilized bacterial colonies). We suggest that these unusual characteristics reflect increased acidity in the region during the deposition of the Podgawan sequence, likely due to cumulative effects of volcanic aerosols released during the Deccan Phase 2 eruptions. The combination of these features may be used to recognize episodes of increased acidity in the geological record. Our results also contribute to understanding of local vs. global effects of the Deccan volcanism.

Personalization of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Toxicological impact in in-vivo model

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use has recently grown. E-cig generates carcinogenic chemical compounds and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Carbonyls and ROS are formed when the liquid comes into contact with the heating element. In this study the chemical and biological effects of coil resistance applied on the same device were investigated. A preliminary in-vivo study the new heat-not-burn devices (IQOS®) has been conducted to evaluate the effect of the device on antioxidant biomarkers. The amount of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein was measured by GC-MS analysis. The two e-liquids used for carbonyls detection differed only for the presence of nicotine. The nicotine-free liquid was then used for the detection of ROS in the aerosol. The impact of the non-nicotine vapor on cell viability in H1299 human lung carcinoma cells, as well as the biological effects in a rat model of e-cig aerosol exposure, were also evaluated. After the exposure of Sprague Dawley rats to e-cig and IQOS® aerosol, the effect of 28-day treatment was examined on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant response, lung inflammation, blood homeostasis and tissue damage by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique. The results show a significant correlation between the low resistance and the generation of higher concentrations of the selected carbonyls and ROS in aerosols. Cell viability was reduced with an inverse relation to coil resistance. The experimental model highlighted an impairment of the pulmonary antioxidant and detoxifying machinery. Frames from SEM show disorganization of alveolar and bronchial epithelium. IQOS® exposed animals shows a significant production of ROS related to the unbalance of antioxidant defense and alteration of macromolecule integrity. This research demonstrates how several toxicological aspects can potentially occur in e-cig consumers who use low resistance device coupled with nicotine-free liquid. ENDS may expose users to hazardous compounds, which, may promote chronic pathologies and degenerative diseases.