Propanediol (and) Caprylic Acid (and) Xylitol as a New Single Topical Active Ingredient against Acne: In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy Assays

In addition to dermatological complications, acne can affect the quality of life of individuals in numerous ways, such as employment, social habits and body dissatisfaction. According to our expertise, caprylic acid and propanediol would not have a direct action on Cutibacterium acnes. Despite this, we investigated the existence of a synergistic effect among xylitol, caprylic acid and propanediol as a mixture of compounds representing a single topical active ingredient that could benefit the treatment against acne. In vitro and in vivo assays were performed to challenge and to prove the efficacy of propanediol, xylitol and caprylic acid (PXCA) against acne. PXCA had its MIC challenged against C. acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes) and Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in concentrations of 0.125% and 0.25%, respectively, and it also developed antimicrobial activity against C. acnes (time-kill test). PXCA was able to reduce the 5-alpha reductase expression in 24% (p < 0.01) in comparison with the testosterone group. By the end of 28 days of treatment, the compound reduced the skin oiliness, porphyrin amount and the quantity of inflammatory lesions in participants. According to the dermatologist evaluation, PXCA improved the skin’s general appearance, acne presence and size.     

Zn-doping effect on the energy barrier to magnetization reversal in superparamagnetic nickel ferrite nanoparticles

Measurements of ac-susceptibility and dc-magnetization were carried out on samples of Ni_1-xZn_xFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (x=0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75) with average diameters 〈D〉≈7 nm. Values of the superparamagnetic blocking temperature T̄_B were obtained from the characteristic temperature behavior of the imaginary susceptibility χ_imag. An Arrhenius-type law, which accurately describes the relationship between the observation time τ_obs and the blocking temperature, was used to determine the effective energy barrier to magnetization reversal U_eff. A Zn-content dependence of the energy barrier is observed, where U_eff changes little for 0≤x≤0.25, it peaks at x=0.5, and decreases back upon further Zn-doping. The large increase of U_eff at x=0.5 is attributed to an enhanced magnetic anisotropy induced by the crossover between two spatial arrangements of spins in the A and B sub-lattices of the ferrimagnetic inverse spinel. PACS 75.50.Bb; 75.50.Gg; 75.30.Et     

A new algorithm for computing the Geronimus transformation with large shifts

A monic Jacobi matrix is a tridiagonal matrix which contains the parameters of the three-term recurrence relation satisfied by the sequence of monic polynomials orthogonal with respect to a measure. The basic Geronimus transformation with shift α transforms the monic Jacobi matrix associated with a measure dμ into the monic Jacobi matrix associated with dμ/(x − α) + Cδ(x − α), for some constant C. In this paper we examine the algorithms available to compute this transformation and we propose a more accurate algorithm, estimate its forward errors, and prove that it is forward stable. In particular, we show that for C = 0 the problem is very ill-conditioned, and we present a new algorithm that uses extended precision.     

Application of passive sampling devices for screening of micro-pollutants in marine aquaculture using LC-MS/MS

Knowledge on the presence of micro-pollutants, in particular emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, biocides or some pesticides, in semi-enclosed coastal areas, where fish farms are installed, is very limited. This article shows data on the presence of micro-pollutants over 1 year monitoring campaign carried out in a fish farm placed on the Mediterranean Sea. With this work, the results of the development of an analytical procedure which, makes use of passive sampling techniques (with polar organic chemical integrative samplers, POCIS, pharmaceutical configuration) and of the LC-QLIT-MS system, are presented. The development of the analytical procedure entail laboratory-based calibration with the samplers POCIS, for calculating uptake rates and sampling rates of compounds representative of a wide range of polarity (4.56 ≥ log K_ow ≥ −0.12). The uptake of the target compounds in the sampler POCIS, follows a linear pattern for most compounds, and sampling rates varied from 0.001 to 0.319 l/d. The calibration experiments have shown that POCIS pharmaceutical configuration could be used for sampling other non-target compounds, such as pesticides and biocides with a log K_ow ≤ 4. The sampling rates for each selected compound were obtained using spiked seawater for further estimation of time-weighted average (TWA) concentration of micro-pollutants in the water column, during the field study. An analytical method was developed with the LC-QLIT-MS system and validated to ensure a satisfactory performance for the detection of the target micro-pollutants in water. The limits of detection (LODs) achieved were between 0.01 and 1.50 μg/l. During the monitoring campaign, among the selected compounds, metronidazole, erythromycin, simazine, atrazine, diuron, terbutryn, irgarol, trimethoprim, carbaryl, flumequine, TCMTB and diphenyl sulphone (DPS) were detected. Most of target compounds found were at average concentrations which ranged from 0.01 to 75 ng/l. Irgarol, simazine, diuron, atrazine and DPS were the micro-pollutants most frequently detected over the period of the monitoring programme carried out.     

Evaluation of porous graphitic carbon stationary phase for simultaneous preconcentration and separation of organic and inorganic selenium species in "clean" water systems

A high performance liquid chromatography procedure, based on porous graphitic carbon stationary phase, was evaluated for simultaneous on-line preconcentration and separation of organic and inorganic selenium species. Detection was achieved by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with collision/reaction cell (ICP-CRC-MS). Different concentrations of formic acid were tested as mobile phase. A 240 mmol L(-1) concentration with pH adjusted to 2.6, allowed the separation of five species, i.e. selenite, selenate, selenomethionine, selenocystine and selenoethionine. On-line preconcentration of these five species was achieved when heptafluorobutyric acid was used as injection medium, inducing an enrichment of solutes at the top of the column which allowed large volumes (up to 1 mL) to be injected. Combining these injection conditions and 80Se monitoring with ICP-CRC-MS, detection limits between 2 and 8 ng (Se)L(-1), depending on the species, were obtained. Because of the extremely low detection limits obtained, the method was successfully applied to mineral waters.     

On hvLif -like solutions in gauged Supergravity

We perform a thorough investigation of Lifshitz-like metrics with hyperscaling violation (hvLif) in four-dimensional theories of gravity coupled to an arbitrary number of scalars and vector fields, obtaining new solutions, electric, magnetic, and dyonic, that include the known ones as particular cases. After establishing some general results on the properties of purely hvLif solutions, we apply the previous formalism to the case of ${\mathcal {N}}=2,~d=4$ supergravity in the presence of Fayet–Iliopoulos terms, obtaining particular solutions to the $t^3$ -model, and explicitly embedding some of them in Type-IIB string theory.     

Nonlinear control in an electromechanical transducer with chaotic behaviour

The electromechanical transducer considered in this work is composed of a mechanical oscillator linked to an electronic circuit. Simulations results have determined that for some combination of parameters the electromechanical system is subject to chaotic motion with resonant transient behavior, and after the resonant transient the mechanical system (MS) synchronizes with the electrical system (ES). In order to improve the transient response, avoiding both the chaotic and resonant behaviors, a nonlinear control system is designed, a feedback control strategy is used to drive the system into the desired periodic orbit, and a nonlinear feedforward strategy is used to keep the system into the periodic orbit, obtained by the Fourier series. Two control techniques are used and compared, namely: the state dependent Ricatti equation and the optimal linear feedback control. Numerical simulations results are shown in order to compare the results, considering parametric uncertainties. Additionally, the energy transfer “pumping” between the ES and the MS is also analysed.     

Synthesis and electrochromic behavior of lithium-doped WO3 films

The electrochromic properties of amorphous peroxotungsten films prepared via the sol–gel route were determined. By means of the addition of LiCF₃SO₃ to the precursor solutions, films with different electrochemical properties were obtained. The electrochromic properties of the films were investigated using in situ spectroelectrochemical method and impedance measurements in propylene carbonate (PC) with 0.1 M LiClO₄ as electrolyte. During the cathodic polarization at −0.7 V, a blue color was observed with a reversible variation between 25% and 80% of the transmittance in the visible and near infrared range in the 5 mol% doped film. It reached a maximum cathodic charge density of 8 mC/cm². The bleaching process in the lithium-doped films was complete, whereas in the films without Li⁺, a residual color was observed. The impedance response of the WO₃ films showed the influence of the doping level on the electronic conduction and ionic transport of Li⁺ through the films.     

Interaction-Free Measurement with Matter Waves

In the early 1990′s, A. Elitzur and L. Vaidman proposed an interaction-free measurement (IFM) that allows researchers to find infinitely fragile objects without destroying them. But the Elitzur-Vaidman IFM has been used only to determine the position of opaque objects. We propose a non-trivial extension of such a technique with matter waves, which allows measurement of classical fields. And we show severe limitations when we talk about gravitational fields.