Possibility Of Long-term Effects Research Articles

Endocrine disruptors and additives in cosmetic makeup products: Alert to users

Introduction: Cosmetic products contain a wide range of chemicals that we are exposed to daily. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of potentially hazardous substances that could cause adverse health effects by reviewing product labels facilitated by Capture images using Android phone. Materials and methods: In total, 105 makeup products were collected in different stores in the city of Lubumbashi, mainly mascaras, nail polishes, powders, lipsticks, liquid and powder foundations, blush. eyeshadow and blush as well as eyelid pencils. Each product's label was reviewed and a list including additives, preservatives, colorings, Endocrine Disruptors and Allergens, and chemicals of concern was created. Results: eyeshadows and blushes, foundations, and lipsticks contained the most additives and endocrine disruptors, followed by eyelid pencil and liquid foundation, nail polishes were the least supplied. This distribution seems to be the same for colorings and additives with allergic potential were numerous mainly in powders. In these makeup products; Mineral oils, parabens, black iron oxide, mica, titanium dioxin and synthetic perfumes were successively the most present. Added to this category are dyes (carbon black, brilliant red green, etc.) and additives with allergenic potential (limonene, citral, etc.) Conclusions: The use of many of these substances is authorized within certain limits, due to their toxicity at higher concentrations. Other important aspects must be taken into account, such as the possibility of long-term effects. On the other hand, other substances can cause several acute undesirable side effects, namely contact dermatitis and allergic reactions. For these reasons, improvement in the criteria used for cosmetic formulation is necessary since many chemicals used individually or in combination are potentially dangerous.

Maternal and fetal outcome of administration of corticosteroids in late preterm period

The role of antenatal corticosteroids before 34 weeks has been extensively studied and proven to be effective. However of the 15 million preterm births annually worldwide an important segment, late preterm births that is birth between 34 weeks to 36.6 weeks remains unaddressed. While it is true that the incidence of respiratory complications is less in these babies the morbidity is still higher than term infants. The role of antenatal corticosteroids here is controversial as there needs to be a balance between respiratory complications and long term morbidity associated with antenatal corticosteroids. Background: Late preterm birth comprise 72% of preterm births yet adequate studies regarding this period are still lacking. We conducted this study at MGM medical College and Hospital, A tertiary care centre.Objectives: To determine effectiveness of antenatal corticosteroids in late preterm period. Methods: A total of 50 patients with gestational age between 34.1to 36.6 weeks were included in this study, they were divided into cases and controls of 25 patients each. Case group received antenatal corticosteroids and control group did not receive corticosteroids. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were then studied. Results: There was a significant reduction in neonatal respiratory morbidity in the case group over a short term period. Conclusion: Antenatal corticosteroids are effective in late preterm period in reducing short term respiratory morbidity however the possibility of long term effects should be weighed against the benefits. Decision to administer steroids should be made on a case by case basis.

Effects of Low Dose Space Radiation Exposures on the Splenic Metabolome.

Future space missions will include a return to the Moon and long duration deep space roundtrip missions to Mars. Leaving the protection that Low Earth Orbit provides will unavoidably expose astronauts to higher cumulative doses of space radiation, in addition to other stressors, e.g., microgravity. Immune regulation is known to be impacted by both radiation and spaceflight and it remains to be seen whether prolonged effects that will be encountered in deep space can have an adverse impact on health. In this study, we investigated the effects in the overall metabolism of three different low dose radiation exposures (γ-rays, 16O, and 56Fe) in spleens from male C57BL/6 mice at 1, 2, and 4 months after exposure. Forty metabolites were identified with significant enrichment in purine metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, fatty acids, acylcarnitines, and amino acids. Early perturbations were more prominent in the γ irradiated samples, while later responses shifted towards more prominent responses in groups with high energy particle irradiations. Regression analysis showed a positive correlation of the abundance of identified fatty acids with time and a negative association with γ-rays, while the degradation pathway of purines was positively associated with time. Taken together, there is a strong suggestion of mitochondrial implication and the possibility of long-term effects on DNA repair and nucleotide pools following radiation exposure.

Skin safety and health prevention: an overview of chemicals in cosmetic products.

SummaryIntroductionCosmetic products contain a wide range of chemicals to which we are exposed every day. The aim of the study was to determine the presence of potential dangerous substances which can cause adverse health effects by examining product labels.Materials and methodsA total of 283 products were collected from various shops in Lecce (Italy) and divided into 3 categories: rinse-off, leave-on and make-up. The label of every product was examined and a list including fragrances, preservatives and other chemicals of concern was created.ResultsFragrances were present in 52.3% of the examined products, mostly limonene (76.9%) and linalool (64.6%) but also citronellol (34.1%), geraniol (31.5%), coumarin (30%) and hexyl cinnamal (29.2%). Preservatives showed a rate of 60% and the most frequently identified were phenoxyethanol (48.7%), sodium benzoate (35.6%), potassium sorbate (22%), methylparaben (15.2%) and MI/MCI (9.9%). The other chemicals of concern were detected in 58% of products; included PEGs (62.3%), acrylate copolymer (34%), petrolatum (17.2%), polysorbates (14,8%), BHT (14.7%), ethylhextyl methoxycinnamate (13.6%), benzophenone-1 (3.7%), benzophenone-3 (4.9%), BHA (1.6%), cocamide DEA and toluene (1.2%).ConclusionsThe use of many of these substances is allowed within certain limits, due to their toxicity at higher concentrations. Other important aspects should be considered as, for instance, the possibility of long-term effects. On the other hand, other substances may induce several acute adverse side-effects, i.e. contact dermatitis and allergic reactions. For these reasons, an enhancement of the criteria used for cosmetics formulation is required since many chemicals used singularly or combined are potentially unsafe.

Inhaled insulin for diabetes mellitus

Pharmacokinetic and safety data related to the use of inhaled insulin for the management of diabetes mellitus are discussed. The various pulmonary insulin delivery systems under development are also reviewed. Several pharmaceutical companies are developing pulmonary insulin delivery systems. These products fall into two main groups: solution and drug powder formulations, which are delivered through different patented inhaler systems. Exubera, a rapid-acting insulin in powder form, has been studied extensively in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The AERx Insulin Diabetes Management System delivers a liquid form of human insulin. Preliminary data indicate that patients converting from insulin injections to this system showed higher compliance to therapy, demonstrated by improved glycemic control. Other pulmonary insulin delivery systems, including ProMaxx, AIR, Spiros, and Technosphere, are also under investigation. In humans, inhaled regular insulin is more rapidly absorbed than insulin from the subcutaneous injection site. The efficiency of inhaled insulin is lower than that of subcutaneous injection because pulmonary delivery of insulin involves some loss of drug within the inhaler or mouth during inhalation. A concern of many clinicians is the possibility of long-term effects from the intraalveolar deposition of insulin within the lung, since insulin is known to have growth-promoting properties. The long-term safety of these products has not been established. Several inhaled insulin products are under development. If these products receive marketing approval, the pulmonary delivery of insulin may offer patients with diabetes an alternative to repeated insulin injections.

One in the eye for river blindness

This Journal Club article also appears in Trends in ParasitologyChemotherapy is the principal intervention in the control of filariasis. For Onchocerca volvulus, the species responsible for ‘river blindness’, the current approach is to treat with ivermectin (Mectizan), a drug highly effective at clearing the juvenile microfilarial stage of the parasite, which lives in the skin awaiting transmission by the blackfly vector. Unfortunately, Mectizan has no effect on the survival of adult worms, which can live for a decade or more in subcutaneous nodules, giving birth to millions of microfilariae. Consequently, treatment has to be repeated on an annual basis for several years and cover sufficient numbers of people to have any hope of interrupting transmission. For years, scientists have been searching for that elusive drug that can kill or permanently sterilize the long-lived adult nematodes, but with little success. Recently, a new target for anti-filarial chemotherapy has emerged from the revelation that intracellular Wolbachia bacteria have evolved an obligate symbiosis with their nematode hosts. Treatment of filarial nematodes with the antibiotics tetracycline or rifampicin leads to the depletion of Wolbachia, and results in long-term sterility and inhibition of worm development and viability. In the few years since this discovery, the first clinical trial to test the effect of antibiotics on the depletion of Wolbachia in human onchocerciasis has been completed in Ghana 1xDepletion of Wolbachia endobacteria in Onchocerca volvulus by doxycycline and microfilaridermia after ivermectin treatment. Hoerauf, A. et al. Lancet. 2001; 357: 1415–1416Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (167)See all

A Risk-Benefit Assessment of Zidovudine in the Prevention of Perinatal HIV Transmission

Mother-to-child transmission is the main mode of acquisition of HIV infection for children, and the estimated rate of vertical transmission ranges from 15 to 20% in Europe, 15 to 25% in the US and 25 to 35% in Africa. Vertical transmission is associated with clinical and immunological progression of disease in the mother, breastfeeding and possibly with vaginal delivery. Recently, the findings of the American/French AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG) trial 076 showed that in women with mildly symptomatic HIV disease and no prior treatment with antiretroviral drugs during the pregnancy, zidovudine (ZDV, 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, AZT) reduced the risk of vertical transmission when administered during pregnancy and delivery and to the infant in the first 6 weeks of life. No significant adverse effects were observed in either the mothers or neonates. Although the results of the American/French trial on the use of zidovudine to prevent vertical transmission are encouraging, many questions remain unanswered. The optimal timing of administration of zidovudine is unknown, as is its effectiveness in women with clinical characteristics that differ from those of the women in the trial. Concern has been expressed about the possibility of long term effects of exposure of zidovudine during pregnancy, both for the mother and the infant (of whom 4 out of 5 are uninfected anyway) and the implications for antenatal screening. Further trials with different zidovudine regimens and other strategies to prevent vertical transmission are being planned in several countries.

Biological Effects of Ultrasound

In summary, there are many deficiencies and gaps in the current data base for ultrasound-induced bioeffects. More information is needed on the effects of low intensity ultrasound, the effects of pulsed ultrasound, the relationship between peak intensities and average intensities of pulsed ultrasound, the possibility of cumulative effects, and the possibility of long-term effects. Also, very little of the data, either positive or negative, has been verified by other laboratories. Although there is presently no evidence to indicate that diagnostic ultrasound involves a significant risk, the evidence is insufficient to justify an unqualified acceptance of safety. The potential for acute adverse effects has not been systematically explored, and the potential for delayed effects has been virtually ignored. Because of the difficulties involved in searching for and defining potential risks from exposure to low levels of chemicals, radiation, or other forms of energy, it is unreasonable to expect that in the near future, the degree of risk, if any, will be clearly defined for diagnostic ultrasound. As in other areas (e.g., the effects of ionizing radiation) no single study, epidemiological or experimental, can accomplish this goal. In the meantime, a prudent public health policy calls for judicious use of diagnostic ultrasound, using it only when diagnostic benefits to patients are indicated, and keeping any exposure to diagnostic ultrasound as low as practicable, consistent with its intended purpose.