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BACKGROUND: Dependency is defined as a person's inability to meet basic human needs. In the context of aging, biopsychosocial changes compromise functionality, predisposing older adults to rely on others to perform daily activities. Fear of dependency describes the fear people have of appearing and/or being weak and/or reliant on others. The Fear of Dependency Scale (FDS), developed by Adams-Price and Ralston in 2016, aims to assess the fear of dependency by measuring an individual's attitudes toward being helped. OBJECTIVE: This study presents a European Portuguese version of the FDS and examines its psychometric properties (internal consistency reliability and content validity). METHODS: The translation and both cultural and linguistic adaptation of the FDS were performed by a panel of experts. A cross-sectional study was then performed to evaluate the psychometric properties (in terms of its reliability and validity) of the translated version of the FDS among a sample of 100 community-dwelling older adults. RESULTS: The European Portuguese version of the FDS exhibited good psychometric properties. The scale's internal consistency was 0.84. CONCLUSIONS: The European Portuguese version of the FDS is a reliable, valid, and practical instrument for assessing the fear of dependency in older adults in the Portuguese population. It can be used in the context of health care provision and research.

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Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of density-33 (D33) sealed foam in preventing skin injuries from surgical positioning. Approach: The study, reported according to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials, is characterized as a randomized clinical trial, double mask, with 64 adult patients undergoing elective surgery, 35 allocated to the control group (CG), positioned on a conventional surgical table, and 29 to the experimental group (EG), positioned on a conventional surgical table overlaid with a D33 sealed foam support surface (SS) in the occipital, sacral, and heel regions. Simple randomization was carried out, as was masking of the researcher who evaluated the skin of the patient and the statistician. Data collection was carried out immediately preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively until the third day or until patient discharge. Statistical analysis included measures of association in contingency tables, χ2, and relative risk to compare the incidence of injuries between groups. Results: Skin injuries were greater in the CG, with blanchable erythema being the main injury. The use of D33 sealed foam reduced the incidence of injury in the EG by 61.2% (relative risk: 0.39; 95% confidence interval: 0.220-0.684; p < 0.001). Innovation: One of the first clinical studies to demonstrate that using a D33 sealed foam SS decreased the incidence of blanchable erythema from surgical positioning. Conclusion: D33 sealed foam was effective in preventing skin injury from surgical positioning in patients undergoing elective surgeries.

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Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive bacterium, is an opportunistic pathogen and one of the most frequent causes for community acquired and nosocomial infections that has become a major public health threat due to the increased incidence of its drug resistance. Although being a prominent pathogen, its energetic metabolism is still underexplored, and its respiratory enzymes have been escaping attention. S. aureus can adapt to different environmental conditions by performing both aerobic and anaerobic respirations, which is particularly important as it frequently colonizes niches with different oxygen concentrations. This adaptability is derived from the composition of its respiratory chain, specifically from the presence of terminal electron acceptor reductases. The plasticity of S. aureus energy metabolism is enlarged by the ten quinone reductases encoded in its genome, eight of them being monotopic proteins. The role of these proteins is critical as they connect the different catabolic pathways to the respiratory chain. In this work, we identify, describe, and revise the monotopic quinone reductases present in S. aureus, providing an integrated view of its respiratory chain.

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OBJECTIVE: to assess the effectiveness of an educational video on hospitalized patients' knowledge of safe practices in the perioperative period. METHOD: randomized, double-blind controlled trial carried out in a teaching hospital in the countryside of Minas Gerais. 100 participants undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery were randomly allocated (50 participants in the experimental group and 50 participants in the control group). Patient knowledge was assessed using a questionnaire constructed by the researchers and validated by specialists, before and after the intervention (educational video) or standard guidelines were applied. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative variables and Student's t-test for independent samples to analyze the mean difference in knowledge between the experimental and control groups (α = 0.05). RESULTS: 100 participants took part in the study, 50 participants in the experimental group and 50 participants in the control group. The experimental group showed a significantly higher gain in knowledge (t =3.72 ±1.84; p<0.001) than the control group. Cohen's d was 1.22, indicating a large magnitude of the effect. CONCLUSION: the educational video was effective in improving patients' knowledge and can contribute to nurses in the practice of health education, optimizing time and disseminating knowledge about safe practices in the perioperative period. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBEC): RBR-8x5mfq. (1) Development of a valid patient knowledge assessment questionnaire. (2) Production of a valid educational video on perioperative safety. (3) The final version of the educational video is 7 minutes and 50 seconds long. (4) The educational video was effective in improving patient knowledge. (5) It contributes to patient involvement in safe care.

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Despite past efforts towards therapeutical innovation, cancer remains a highly incident and lethal disease, with current treatments lacking efficiency and leading to severe side effects. Hence, it is imperative to develop new, more efficient, and safer therapies. Bee venom has proven to have multiple and synergistic bioactivities, including antitumor effects. Nevertheless, some toxic effects have been associated with its administration. To tackle these issues, in this work, bee venom-loaded niosomes were developed, for cancer treatment. The vesicles had a small (150 nm) and homogeneous (polydispersity index of 0.162) particle size, and revealed good therapeutic efficacy in in vitro gastric, colorectal, breast, lung, and cervical cancer models (inhibitory concentrations between 12.37 ng/mL and 14.72 ng/mL). Additionally, they also revealed substantial anti-inflammatory activity (inhibitory concentration of 28.98 ng/mL), effects complementary to direct antitumor activity. Niosome safety was also assessed, both in vitro (skin, liver, and kidney cells) and ex vivo (hen's egg chorioallantoic membrane), and results showed that compound encapsulation increased its safety. Hence, small, and homogeneous bee venom-loaded niosomes were successfully developed, with substantial anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects, making them potentially promising primary or adjuvant cancer therapies. Future research should focus on evaluating the potential of the developed platform in in vivo models.

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Despite the advantages of topical administration in the treatment of skin diseases, current marketed preparations face the challenge of the skin's barrier effect, leading to low therapeutic effectiveness and undesirable side effects. Hence, in recent years the management of skin wounds, the main morbidity-causing complication in hospital environments, and atopic dermatitis, the most common inflammatory skin disease, has become a great concern. Fortunately, new, more effective, and safer treatments are already under development, with chitosan, starch, silk fibroin, agarose, hyaluronic acid, alginate, collagen, and gelatin having been used for the development of nanoparticles, liposomes, niosomes and/or hydrogels to improve the delivery of several molecules for the treatment of these diseases. Biocompatibility, biodegradability, increased viscosity, controlled drug delivery, increased drug retention in the epidermis, and overall mitigation of adverse effects, contribute to an effective treatment, additionally providing intrinsic antimicrobial and wound healing properties. In this review, some of the most recent success cases of biopolymer-based drug delivery systems as part of nanocarriers, semi-solid hydrogel matrices, or both (hybrid systems), for the management of skin wounds and atopic dermatitis, are critically discussed, including composition and in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo characterization, showing the promise of these external drug delivery systems.

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OBJECTIVE: The link between the systemic vasculature system and tumor biology is here investigated by studying the contribution of CßS (844ins68), MTHFR (677C > T), NOS3 (4a/4b), CYBA (C242T), and ACE1 (I/D) genes to leiomyoma onset, uterus and leiomyoma volumes. METHODS: DNA samples from 130 women with leiomyomas and 527 from healthy women were genotyped by PCR or PCR-RFLP. Qui-square (χ2) or Fisher's exact test were used to test associations. All the mentioned tests were performed in IBM® SPSS® Statistics Version 28. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Results revealed that CßS (in the codominant and allelic models, p = 0.044 and, p = 0.015, OR = 1.791 [1.114-2.879], respectively), MTHFR (in the codominant, allelic and dominant models, p = 0.009, p = 0.002, OR = 0.585 [0.416-0.824] and p = 0.003, OR = 0.527 [0.346-0.802], respectively) and ACE1 (dominant model, p = 0.045, OR = 0.639 [0.411-0.992]) genes are associated with leiomyoma onset. NOS3 4a4a genotype is associated with a lower uterus volume (p = 0.004). This study also uncovers intriguing epistatic interactions among some genes that further accentuate their roles in disease modulation. Indeed, the epistatic interactions between the CC genotype (MTHFR) and (+/+) (CßS; p = 0.003), 4b4b (NOS3; p = 0.006, OR = 2.050 [1.223-3.439]) or DD (ACE1; p < 0.001, OR = 2.362 [1.438-3.880]) were shown to be associated with the disease, while 4a presence (NOS3) in epistasis with I presence (ACE1), increased the effect protection having just the I allele presence (p = 0.029, OR = 0.446 [0.214-0.930]). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that variation in genes related to the systemic vascular system can play a role in the onset and development of leiomyoma.

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Topical and transdermal drug delivery are advantageous administration routes, especially when treating diseases and conditions with a skin etiology. Nevertheless, conventional dosage forms often lead to low therapeutic efficacy, safety issues, and patient noncompliance. To tackle these issues, novel topical and transdermal platforms involving nanotechnology have been developed. This review focuses on the latest advances regarding the development of nanoemulgels for skin application, encapsulating a wide variety of molecules, including already marketed drugs (miconazole, ketoconazole, fusidic acid, imiquimod, meloxicam), repurposed marketed drugs (atorvastatin, omeprazole, leflunomide), natural-derived compounds (eucalyptol, naringenin, thymoquinone, curcumin, chrysin, brucine, capsaicin), and other synthetic molecules (ebselen, tocotrienols, retinyl palmitate), for wound healing, skin and skin appendage infections, skin inflammatory diseases, skin cancer, neuropathy, or anti-aging purposes. Developed formulations revealed adequate droplet size, PDI, viscosity, spreadability, pH, stability, drug release, and drug permeation and/or retention capacity, having more advantageous characteristics than current marketed formulations. In vitro and/or in vivo studies established the safety and efficacy of the developed formulations, confirming their therapeutic potential, and making them promising platforms for the replacement of current therapies, or as possible adjuvant treatments, which might someday effectively reach the market to help fight highly incident skin or systemic diseases and conditions.

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PURPOSE: To identify pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions adopted for pain relief in the postoperative period of coronary artery bypass graft surgery. DESIGN: Integrative review. METHODS: Studies published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese from January 2010 to December 2019 in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Science, PubMed, and Web of Science. Two hundred studies were identified and eleven were included. Methodological analysis was performed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument. FINDINGS: The studies found were organized into three thematic categories: pharmacological interventions (methadone, morphine, lidocaine gel, remifentanil, sufentanil, and nefopam), nonpharmacological interventions (low-level laser therapy, light-emitting diode, Class IV laser, and transcutaneous nerve stimulation) and anesthetic techniques (dexmedetomidine, ultrasound-guided pectoral nerve block, high thoracic epidural analgesia, and perioperative parasternal block with levobupivacaine). CONCLUSIONS: A greater tendency to use drug strategies for postoperative pain relief was identified. The drugs used demonstrated efficacy and safety in the treatment of pain, with the exception of nefopam, which showed little benefit in this population. Nonpharmacological interventions, used as adjuvants to drug treatment, were shown to be safe, effective, and well tolerated by the patients.

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ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pectis elongata, a herbaceous species that is known in northern Brazil as "cominho" or "limãozinho", is traditionally used in the region for the treatment of fevers, colds, hypotension, genitourinary and gastric disorders, and pain. AIM OF THE STUDY: Determine the chemical composition and acute oral toxicity and evaluate whether Pectis elongata essential oil (PeEO) has antiedema and antinociceptive activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The chemical composition was determined using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and the degree of toxicity determined by the LD50. The antiedema and antinociceptive potential was evaluated via the λ-carrageenan-induced paw edema test and formalin test, respectively. RESULTS: Citral (geranial and neral) was characterized as a major component of the PeEO, representing 89% of the total identified compounds. According to OECD criteria (2002), the EO was considered non-toxic since it presented LD50 values over 2000 mg kg-1. Its antiedema potential was observed at doses of 200 and 400 mg kg-1 (p ≤ 0.05). At a dose of 400 mg kg-1, PeEO also showed antinociceptive potential (p ≤ 0.05), both in the neurogenic phase and in the inflammatory phase. CONCLUSIONS: PeEO, which is rich in citral, did not induce any characteristic signs of acute oral toxicity and was also efficient in reducing carrageenan-induced paw edema, in addition to presenting antinociceptive potential and acting on both central and peripheral pain. It is thus a promising candidate for the development of a new herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory and analgesic action.

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ABSTRACT Objective: To develop and validate serious game for teaching-learning regarding surgical site infection prevention. Method: This is a methodological study conducted in stages: game content development and validity based on virtual simulation (preparation, participation and debriefing) and challenges; game development, following the concept, pre-production, prototype, production and post-production stages; and usability validity, using an instrument called Heuristic Evaluation for Digital Educational Games. To assess the game content and usability, 12 nurses and 08 experts in digital games were involved. Results: The serious game script contained three sequential pre-, intra- and post-operative periods, focusing on nursing interventions aimed at preventing surgical site infections. A Content Validity Coefficient above 0.80 was obtained for game content. Regarding gameplay assessment using the assessed heuristics, all statements present in game script were considered adequate, and adjustments were implemented regarding feedback, access to the theoretical framework on preventing surgical site infections, the inclusion of images in the study material and directing players to the debriefing session. Conclusion: The serious game developed was considered valid and a potential pedagogical tool in nursing for learning how to prevent surgical site infections.

RESUMEN Objetivo: desarrollar y validar el serious game para la enseñanza-aprendizaje sobre la prevención de infecciones del sitio quirúrgico. Método: estudio metodológico realizado por etapas: desarrollo y validación del contenido del juego, basado en simulación virtual (preparación, participación y debriefing) y desafíos; desarrollo de juegos, siguiendo las etapas de concepto, preproducción, prototipo, producción y postproducción; y validación de usabilidad mediante el instrumento Heuristic Evaluation for Digital Educational Games. Para evaluar el contenido y usabilidad del juego participaron 12 enfermeros y 08 expertos en juegos digitales. Resultados: el guión del serious game contenía tres períodos pre, intra y postoperatorios secuenciales, centrándose en intervenciones de enfermería destinadas a prevenir infecciones del sitio quirúrgico. Se obtuvo un Coeficiente de Validez de Contenido superior a 0,80 para el contenido del juego. En cuanto a la evaluación de la jugabilidad mediante las heurísticas evaluadas, todas las afirmaciones presentes en el guión del juego fueron consideradas adecuadas y se implementaron ajustes en cuanto a retroalimentación, acceso al marco teórico sobre prevención de infecciones del sitio quirúrgico, inclusión de imágenes en el material de estudio y orientación del jugador en la sesión de debriefing. Conclusión: el serious game desarrollado se consideró válido y potencial herramienta pedagógica en el área de enfermería para aprender a prevenir infecciones del sitio quirúrgico.

RESUMO Objetivo: desenvolver e validar serious game para o ensino-aprendizagem referente à prevenção de infecção de sítio cirúrgico. Método: estudo metodológico conduzido por etapas: desenvolvimento e validação do conteúdo do jogo, baseados na simulação virtual (preparação, participação e debriefing) e desafios; desenvolvimento do jogo, seguindo as etapas de conceito, pré-produção, protótipo, produção e pós-produção; e, validação da usabilidade, por meio do instrumento Heuristic Evaluation for Digital Educational Games. Para avaliação do conteúdo e usabilidade do jogo, contou-se com 12 enfermeiros e 08 especialistas em jogos digitais. Resultados: o script do serious game conteve três períodos sequenciais pré, intra e pós-operatório, com enfoque em intervenções de enfermagem voltadas para prevenção de infecção de sítio cirúrgico. Obteve-se um Coeficiente de Validade de Conteúdo acima de 0,80 para o conteúdo do jogo. Referente à avaliação da jogabilidade pelas heurísticas avaliadas, todas as afirmativas presentes no script do jogo foram consideradas adequadas e houve a implementação de ajustes no que se refere ao feedback, ao acesso ao referencial teórico sobre prevenção de infecção de sítio cirúrgico, à inclusão de imagens no material de estudo e ao direcionamento do jogador à sessão de debriefing. Conclusão: o serious game desenvolvido foi considerado válido e potencial ferramenta pedagógica na área de enfermagem para aprendizagem da prevenção de infecção de sítio cirúrgico.

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Objective: to assess the effectiveness of an educational video on hospitalized patients' knowledge of safe practices in the perioperative period. Method: randomized, double-blind controlled trial carried out in a teaching hospital in the countryside of Minas Gerais. 100 participants undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery were randomly allocated (50 participants in the experimental group and 50 participants in the control group). Patient knowledge was assessed using a questionnaire constructed by the researchers and validated by specialists, before and after the intervention (educational video) or standard guidelines were applied. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative variables and Student's t-test for independent samples to analyze the mean difference in knowledge between the experimental and control groups (α = 0.05). Results: 100 participants took part in the study, 50 participants in the experimental group and 50 participants in the control group. The experimental group showed a significantly higher gain in knowledge (t =3.72 ±1.84; p<0.001) than the control group. Cohen's d was 1.22, indicating a large magnitude of the effect. Conclusion: the educational video was effective in improving patients' knowledge and can contribute to nurses in the practice of health education, optimizing time and disseminating knowledge about safe practices in the perioperative period. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBEC): RBR-8x5mfq.

Objetivo: evaluar la efectividad de un video educativo en el conocimiento de pacientes hospitalizados sobre las prácticas seguras en el período perioperatorio. Método: ensayo clínico aleatorizado, doble ciego, realizado en un hospital docente en el interior de Minas Gerais. Se asignaron aleatoriamente 100 pacientes sometidos a cirugía ortopédica electiva (50 en el grupo experimental y 50 en el control). El conocimiento del paciente se evaluó mediante un cuestionario, construido por los investigadores y validado por especialistas, antes y después de la aplicación de la intervención (video educativo) o instrucciones estándar. Se adoptó estadística descriptiva para variables cuantitativas y prueba t de Student para muestras independientes en el análisis de la media de la diferencia de conocimiento entre los grupos experimental y control (α = 0,05). Resultados: participaron en el estudio 100 pacientes, 50 en el grupo experimental y 50 en el control. El grupo experimental mostró una ganancia de conocimiento significativamente superior ( t =3.72 ±1,84; p <0,001) al grupo control. Se obtuvo un d de Cohen de 1,22, indicando una gran magnitud del efecto. Conclusión: el video educativo fue efectivo en mejorar el conocimiento de los pacientes y puede contribuir con el enfermero, en la práctica de educación en salud, en la optimización del tiempo y en la difusión del conocimiento sobre las prácticas seguras en el perioperatorio. Registro Brasileño de Ensayos Clínicos (REBEC): RBR-8x5mfq.

Objetivo: avaliar a efetividade de um vídeo educativo no conhecimento de pacientes hospitalizados acerca das práticas seguras no período perioperatório. Método: ensaio clínico randomizado, duplo-cego, realizado em hospital de ensino no interior de Minas Gerais. Foram alocados aleatoriamente 100 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia ortopédica eletiva (50 no grupo experimental e 50 no controle). O conhecimento do paciente foi avaliado por meio de questionário, construído pelos pesquisadores e validado por especialistas, antes e após a aplicação da intervenção (vídeo educativo) ou orientações-padrão. Adotou-se estatística descritiva para variáveis quantitativas e teste t de Student para amostras independentes na análise da média da diferença do conhecimento entre os grupos experimental e controle (α = 0,05). Resultados: participaram do estudo 100 pacientes, 50 no grupo experimental e 50 no controle. O grupo experimental apresentou ganho de conhecimento significativamente superior ( t =3.72 ±1,84; p <0,001) ao grupo controle. Obteve-se d de Cohen de 1,22, indicando grande magnitude do efeito. Conclusão: o vídeo educativo foi efetivo na melhora do conhecimento dos pacientes e pode contribuir com o enfermeiro, na prática de educação em saúde, na otimização do tempo e na disseminação do conhecimento quanto às práticas seguras no perioperatório. Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (REBEC): RBR-8x5mfq.

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a necessary but not sufficient factor for the development of invasive cervical cancer (ICC) and high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). Oxidative stress is known to play a crucial role in HPV infection and carcinogenesis. In this study, we comprehensively investigate the modulation of HPV infection, HSIL and ICC, and ICC through an exploration of oxidative stress-related genes: CßS, MTHFR, NOS3, ACE1, CYBA, HAP, ACP1, GSTT1, GSTM1, and CYP1A1. Notably, the ACE1 gene emerges as a prominent factor with the presence of the I allele offering protection against HPV infection. The association of NOS3 with HPV infection is perceived with the 4a allele showing a protective effect. The presence of the GSTT1 null mutant correlates with increased susceptibility to HPV infection, HSIL and ICC, and ICC. This study also uncovers intriguing epistatic interactions among some of the genes that further accentuate their roles in disease modulation. Indeed, the epistatic interactions between the BB genotype (ACP1) and DD genotype (ECA1) were shown to increase the risk of HPV infection, and the interaction between BB (ACP1) and 0.0 (GSTT1) was associated with HPV infection and cervical lesions. These findings underscore the pivotal role of four oxidative stress-related genes in HPV-associated cervical lesions and cancer development, enriching our clinical understanding of the genetic influences on disease manifestation. The awareness of these genetic variations holds potential clinical implications.

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Psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders are amongst the most prevalent and debilitating diseases, but current treatments either have low success rates, greatly due to the low permeability of the blood-brain barrier, and/or are connected to severe side effects. Hence, new strategies are extremely important, and here is where liposome-derived nanosystems come in. Niosomes, transfersomes, and ethosomes are nanometric vesicular structures that allow drug encapsulation, protecting them from degradation, and increasing their solubility, permeability, brain targeting, and bioavailability. This review highlighted the great potential of these nanosystems for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression. Studies regarding the encapsulation of synthetic and natural-derived molecules in these systems, for intravenous, oral, transdermal, or intranasal administration, have led to an increased brain bioavailability when compared to conventional pharmaceutical forms. Moreover, the developed formulations proved to have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects, including brain neurotransmitter level restoration and brain oxidative status improvement, and improved locomotor activity or enhancement of recognition and working memories in animal models. Hence, albeit being relatively new technologies, niosomes, transfersomes, and ethosomes have already proven to increase the brain bioavailability of psychoactive drugs, leading to increased effectiveness and decreased side effects, showing promise as future therapeutics.

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Rosacea is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory dermatosis characterized by flushing, nontransient erythema, papules and pustules, telangiectasia, and phymatous alterations accompanied by itching, burning, or stinging, the pathophysiology of which is not yet fully understood. Conventional topical treatments usually show limited efficacy due to the physical barrier property of the skin that hinders skin penetration of the active ingredients, thereby hampering proper drug skin delivery and the respective therapeutic or cosmetic effects. New advances regarding the physiopathological understanding of the disease and the underlying mechanisms suggest the potential of new active ingredients as promising therapeutic and cosmetic approaches to this dermatosis. Additionally, the development of new drug delivery systems for skin delivery, particularly the potential of nanoparticles for the topical treatment and care of rosacea, has been described. Emphasis has been placed on their reduced nanometric size, which contributes to a significant improvement in the attainment of targeted skin drug delivery. In addition to the exposition of the known pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and preventive measures, this Review covers the topical approaches used in the control of rosacea, including skin care, cosmetics, and topical therapies, as well as the future perspectives on these strategies.

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Formulating low-solubility or low-permeability drugs is a challenge, particularly with the low administration volumes required in intranasal drug delivery. Nanoemulsions (NE) can solve both issues, but their production and physical stability can be challenging, particularly when a high proportion of lipids is necessary. Hence, the aim of the present work was to develop a NE with good solubilization capacity for lipophilic drugs like simvastatin and able to promote the absorption of drugs with low permeability like fosphenytoin. Compositions with high proportion of two lipids were screened and characterized. Surprisingly, one of the compositions did not require high energy methods for high droplet size homogeneity. To better understand formulation factors important for this feature, several related compositions were evaluated, and their relative cytotoxicity was screened. Optimized compositions contained a high proportion of propylene glycol monocaprylate NF, formed very homogenous NE using a low-energy phase inversion method, solubilized simvastatin at high drug strength, and promoted a faster intranasal absorption of the hydrophilic prodrug fosphenytoin. Hence, a new highly homogeneous NE obtained by a simple low-energy method was successfully developed, which is a potential alternative for industrial application for the solubilization and protection of lipophilic actives, as well as (co-)administration of hydrophilic molecules.

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The human skin is a recurring target of external aggressions, such as UV radiation, leading to exacerbation of the aging process and the occurrence of skin diseases, such as cancer. Hence, preventive measures should be taken to protect it against these aggressions, consequently decreasing the chance of disease development. In the present study, a topical xanthan gum nanogel containing gamma-oryzanol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) and nanosized UV filters TiO2 and methylene bis-benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT) was developed to assess their synergistic potential in having multifunctional skin beneficial properties. The developed NLCs contained the natural-based solid lipids shea butter and beeswax, liquid lipid carrot seed oil, and the potent antioxidant gamma-oryzanol, with an optimum particle size for topical application (<150 nm), good homogeneity (PDI = 0.216), high zeta potential (-34.9 mV), suitable pH value (6), good physical stability, high encapsulation efficiency (90%), and controlled release. The final formulation, a nanogel containing the developed NLCs and the nano UV filters, showed high long-term storage stability and high photoprotection ability (SPF = 34) and resulted in no skin irritation or sensitization (rat model). Hence, the developed formulation showed good skin protection and compatibility, demonstrating promise as a new platform for the future generation of natural-based cosmeceuticals.

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Introdução: O processo de envelhecimento vem acompanhado de mudanças fisiológicas e estruturais, o isolamento social apresenta impacto negativo na vida dos longevos. Objetivo: Mapear as evidências sobre o impacto da pandemia da COVID-19 no estado funcional dos idosos. Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão de escopo, cuja pesquisa foi realizada até dia 27 de janeiro de 2022, em cinco bases de dados. Foram incluídos 22 estudos nesta revisão, majoritariamente, os artigos foram desenvolvidos na Espanha, Itália, Israel e Polônia. Quanto aos periódicos eram especializados em saúde do idoso, como também saúde pública, medicina geral e nutrição. Os estudos eram do tipo coorte, ensaio clínico randomizados, observações clínicas, exploratório, retrospectivos e prospectivos. Participaram desses estudos 8741 pessoas. Resultados: Esta revisão permitiu mapear os principais impactos da pandemia COVID-19 sobre o estado funcional dos idosos, ficou evidente nos estudos a vulnerabilidade dessa população à doença, foi identificado que a idade é um fator de risco para aumento da mortalidade e os idosos que apresentavam o estado funcional preservado pré-COVID-19 tiveram um melhor desfecho em relação à recuperação hospitalar como também pós-COVID.

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Melanoma is a highly lethal type of cancer that has had an increase in incidence in the last decades. Nevertheless, current therapies lack effectiveness and have highly disabling side effects, which calls for new therapeutic strategies. Norcantharidin (NCTD) is an acid derivative with potential antitumor activity isolated from natural blister beetles. However, its solubility limitations restrict its use. To address this issue, we developed an oil-in-water nanoemulsion using commonly available cosmetic ingredients, which increased NCTD solubility 10-fold compared to water. The developed nanoemulsion showed a good droplet size and homogeneity, with adequate pH and viscosity for skin application. In vitro drug release studies showed a sustained release profile, ideal for prolonged therapeutic effects. Accelerated stability studies proved that the formulation was reasonably stable under stress conditions, with particle separation fingerprints, instability index, particle size, and sedimentation velocity analyses being conducted. To assess the therapeutic potential of the developed formulation, in vitro studies were conducted on melanoma B16F1 cells; results showed an IC50 of 1.026 +/- 0.370 mg/kg, and the cells' metabolic activity decreased after exposure to the NCTD nanoemulsion. Hence, a new "easy-to-make" nanoformulation with therapeutic potential on melanoma cells was developed, as a possible adjuvant for future melanoma treatment.

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Depression and anxiety are high incidence and debilitating psychiatric disorders, usually treated by antidepressant or anxiolytic drug administration, respectively. Nevertheless, treatment is usually given through the oral route, but the low permeability of the blood-brain barrier reduces the amount of drug that will be able to reach it, thus consequently reducing the therapeutic efficacy. Which is why it is imperative to find new solutions to make these treatments more effective, safer, and faster. To overcome this obstacle, three main strategies have been used to improve brain drug targeting: the intranasal route of administration, which allows the drug to be directly transported to the brain by neuronal pathways, bypassing the blood-brain barrier and avoiding the hepatic and gastrointestinal metabolism; the use of nanosystems for drug encapsulation, including polymeric and lipidic nanoparticles, nanometric emulsions, and nanogels; and drug molecule functionalization by ligand attachment, such as peptides and polymers. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic in vivo studies' results have shown that intranasal administration can be more efficient in brain targeting than other administration routes, and that the use of nanoformulations and drug functionalization can be quite advantageous in increasing brain-drug bioavailability. These strategies could be the key to future improved therapies for depressive and anxiety disorders.