Efficacy and Safety of an Antioxidant-Enriched Medical Device for Topical Use in Adults with Eczematous Dermatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Emollients reduce the severity of dermatitis-associated symptoms. Antioxidant supplementation may be helpful to control inflammatory processes and consequential skin damage. The clinical performance and safety of an emollient medical device for topical treatment enriched with antioxidant ingredients in adults with mild-to-moderate dermatitis is presented in this manuscript. METHODS: We performed a monocenter, open-label, uncontrolled clinical trial. Participants applied the product twice a day for 28 days. No other medication or moisturizer was allowed. Changes in dermatitis severity were assessed at days 14 and 28 by study investigators. Subjects self-assessed pruritus, Dermatology Life Quality Index, and product satisfaction. At the end of the study, a global evaluation of the product was done both by patient-reported outcomes and investigators' evaluations. RESULTS: Forty subjects were enrolled in the study (mean age 35 years). Treatment success was achieved in 87.5% of subjects (p < 0.0001) after 28 days. Mean Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores decreased at days 14 and 28 (p < 0.0001). Subjects reported a reduction in pruritus severity and improvement of quality of life (p < 0.0001), along with satisfaction with the product. At the end of the study, skin condition improved in more than 90% of subjects. No safety issues were identified. CONCLUSION: The medical device studied for topical use in this clinical trial is considered safe and reduces pruritus in adults with atopic and contact dermatitis.

Cognitive, neurological and psychiatric disorders occurring in Hepatitis C Virus infection.

Chronic Hepatitis C is associated with many extrahepatic manifestations. Central nervous system is frequently involved, but the pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood. Local and systemic inflammation, ischemia, immune-mediated phenomena have been described in this context. Clinical manifestations include cognitive alterations, stroke, depression and demyelinating phenomena. It is unclear if cognitive deficits can be improved or resolved with viral eradication and to understand this, could have important therapeutical implications.

A1-3 chromosomal translocations in Italian populations of the peach potato aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) not linked to esterase-based insecticide resistance.

Esterase-based resistance in the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), is generally due to one of two alternative amplified carboxylesterase genes, E4 or FE4 (fast E4). The E4 amplified form is distributed worldwide and it is correlated with a particular translocation between autosomes 1 and 3, whereas the FE4 form, which has hitherto not been found to be associated with chromosomal rearrangements, is typical of the Mediterranean regions. In this study, we present for the first time cytogenetic and molecular data on some M. persicae parthenogenetic lineages, which clearly show a chromosomal A1-3 translocation associated with esterase FE4 genes and unrelated to high levels of esterase-based resistance.