-
Journal of Alternative and... Dec 2020Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common inflammatory skin disease with a major psychological and socioeconomic impacts on patients' quality of life (QoL) and work... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common inflammatory skin disease with a major psychological and socioeconomic impacts on patients' quality of life (QoL) and work ability. To the best of knowledge, this study is the first randomized-controlled trial conducted to evaluate the effect of paraffin bath therapy in management of hand eczema and its related symptoms. This study was a parallel-group, active-control, randomized clinical trial with measures at pretreatment, 6th week, and 12th week of treatment. The study took place at the Outpatient Clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, and some licensed rehabilitation centers in Cairo for a 1-year period. Sixty patients with moderate to severe CHE were randomly assigned into two groups of equal number; the paraffin bath therapy group and the control group. The paraffin group received paraffin bath therapy for 5 days a week for 12 weeks, in addition to the routine skin care program, while the control group only received the routine skin care program. SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) was used to assess the severity of atopic dermatitis and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) to assess the effect of CHE on quality of patients' life. All measurements were obtained before, at the 6th week, and at the 12th week of treatment. Marked improvement in the severity of the disease symptoms was observed, reflected by a highly decrease in objective SCORAD score in the paraffin group over time more than the control group. The percentage of reduction was 28.6% in paraffin group versus 0.41% in control group. Subjective item score (itching and sleepiness) was reduced in the paraffin group more than the control group with a percentage of improvement (47% and 5.5%), respectively. Regarding QoL measure, there were highly positive changes in DLQI in paraffin group more than the control group. The percentage of improvement was 60% in paraffin group and 3.8% in control group. Paraffin bath therapy applied for a 12-week duration seems to be effective, both in reducing severity of eczema symptoms and improving QoL in patients with CHE.
Topics: Adult; Complementary Therapies; Eczema; Female; Hand; Humans; Male; Paraffin; Quality of Life; Single-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 33196289
DOI: 10.1089/acm.2020.0356 -
Acta Histochemica Oct 2023Situated in the oral cavity, the rabbit palatine tonsils are part of the mucosal immune system and help to defend the body against foreign pathogens. Expressed as two...
Situated in the oral cavity, the rabbit palatine tonsils are part of the mucosal immune system and help to defend the body against foreign pathogens. Expressed as two oval protrusions in the wall of the oropharynx, the rabbit palatine tonsils are characterized by excretory ducts and trabeculae. We here compare paraffin embedded and cryosections of the healthy rabbit tonsils. This analysis centers on evaluating the differential outcomes resulting from the application of these fixation methodologies in conjunction with immunohistochemical assays targeting collagen I, collagen III, fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and ki67. Subsequent recommendations are provided based on our findings. Furthermore, we demonstrate the advantage of an antigen retrieval step in immunohistochemical labeling of paraffin sections. Basic classical histological stainings as HE, GT and elastin were also performed. Comparison of different stainings and labelings was furthermore performed in serial sections, showing that adjacent to the excretory ducts, the tonsillar tissue was particularly composed of collagen I and fibronectin, while the vessel walls were predominantly α-SMA positive. Moreover, PAR-2 immunohistochemical staining was performed, where a small fraction of the cells found in the tonsillar connective tissue were PAR-2 positive (probably a subpopulation of mast cells), as well as the lumen of some excretory ducts and trabeculae. Collagen III on the other hand was only weakly expressed in the tonsils. Proliferating ki67 positive cells were rare. This endeavor serves to furnish the scientific community with reference imagery pertinent to researchers opting for the rabbit palatine tonsil model. The diversity of staining techniques employed herein establishes a foundational repository of images, primed for comparative analysis against pathological conditions. Furthermore, these images hold the potential to illustrate inter-species variations. For instance, they can be juxtaposed against murine or rodent tonsils, or even offer insights into the human context.
Topics: Humans; Rabbits; Animals; Mice; Palatine Tonsil; Immunohistochemistry; Fibronectins; Ki-67 Antigen; Paraffin; Collagen
PubMed: 37804548
DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2023.152098 -
Chemosphere Feb 2023Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) were massively produced for varied industrial purposes, of which improper handling and consequent environmental release resulted in worldwide...
Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) were massively produced for varied industrial purposes, of which improper handling and consequent environmental release resulted in worldwide contamination. The present study investigated the occurrence and spatial distribution of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP/MCCPs) in 171 sediment samples from black-odorous urban rivers across China. Total SCCP and MCCP concentrations ranged from 8.3 to 9.4 × 10 (median: 1.1 × 10) ng/g dw, and from not-detected-value to 1.0 × 10 (median: 1.3 × 10) ng/g dw, respectively. No clear spatial distribution of SCCPs and MCCPs was observed since black-odorous urban rivers were polluted by point-sources of the SCCP/MCCPs. Significant positive correlations were identified between SCCP/MCCPs and total organic carbon, and between SCCP/MCCPs and other persistent organic matter, including polybrominated diethyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, antibiotics, and plasticizers. The average ratios of MCCPs to SCCPs in most samples were divided into 11 and 16, implying the manufacturing and use of at least two types of CP technical mixtures in China. The composition of SCCP/MCCPs were similar to that in their commercial products. Ecological risk assessments by two approaches, including the Federal Environmental Quality Guidelines and Risk Quotient, both revealed that SCCP/MCCP in surface sediments confer an ecological risk. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: SCCPs and MCCPs can be considered "hazardous materials" because of their massive production and their potential persistence, long-distance transfer, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicity. This research conducted a comprehensive study on SCCP/MCCP in black-odorous urban river sediments across China and revealed their environmental risk, which may improve understanding of SCCP/MCCP contamination characteristics.
Topics: Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Paraffin; Rivers; Environmental Monitoring; China; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 36470357
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137454 -
Pharmaceutical Development and... Dec 2022This study was designed to evaluate paraffin wax as a potential controlled release matrix for spray congealing and its impact on drug release and stability of the...
This study was designed to evaluate paraffin wax as a potential controlled release matrix for spray congealing and its impact on drug release and stability of the microparticles. Paraffin wax can form a hydrophobic barrier to moisture and reduce drug degradation besides retarding drug release in the gastrointestinal tract. More hydrophilic lipid-based additives can be incorporated to modulate the drug release through the paraffin wax barrier. This study reports the findings of lipid-wax formulations at preserving the stability of moisture-sensitive drugs in spray-congealed microparticles. Aspirin-loaded microparticles formulated with different drug loads, lipid additives, and lipid:wax ratios were produced by spray congealing. Stearic acid (SA), cetyl alcohol (CA), and cetyl ester (CE) were the lipid additives studied. The microparticles were evaluated for yield, encapsulation efficiency, particle size, drug stability, and release. CE exhibited the greatest effect on increasing drug release, followed by CA and SA. Dissolution profiles showed the best fit to Weibull kinetic model. The degree of drug degradation was low, with CA imparting the least protective effect, followed by SA and CE. Paraffin wax is useful for preserving the stability of moisture-sensitive aspirin and retarding its release from spray-congealed microparticles. The addition of lipid additives modulated drug release without compromising drug stability.
Topics: Drug Liberation; Paraffin; Drug Compounding; Fatty Alcohols; Particle Size
PubMed: 36422997
DOI: 10.1080/10837450.2022.2152048 -
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Apr 2019Macromolecular crystallization is crucial to a large number of scientific fields, including structural biology; drug design, formulation, and delivery; manufacture of...
Macromolecular crystallization is crucial to a large number of scientific fields, including structural biology; drug design, formulation, and delivery; manufacture of biomaterials; and preparation of foodstuffs. The purpose of this study is to facilitate control of crystallization, by investigating hydrophobic interface-assisted protein crystallization both theoretically and experimentally. The application of hydrophobic liquids as nucleation promoters or suppressors has rarely been investigated, and provides an underused avenue to explore in protein crystallization. Theoretically, crystal nucleation is regarded as a two-step process, the first step being a local increase in protein concentration due to its adsorption on the hydrophobic surface. Subsequently, the protein is ordered in a crystal lattice. The energetic aspect of crystal nucleation on water/hydrophobic substance interfaces is approached by calculating the balance between the cohesive energy maintaining integrity of the two-dimensional crystal nucleus and the sum of destructive energies tending to tear up the crystal. This is achieved by comparing the number of bonds shared by the units forming the crystal and the number of unshared (dangling) bonds on the crystal surface pointing toward the solution. The same approach is extended to three-dimensional protein crystal nucleation at water/hydrophobic liquid interfaces. Experimentally, we studied protein crystallization over oils and other hydrophobic liquids (paraffin oil, FC-70 Fluorinert fluorinated oil, and three chlorinated hydrocarbons). Crystallizations of α-lactalbumin and lysozyme are compared, and additional information is acquired by studying α-crustacyanin, trypsin, an insulin analogue, and protein Lpg2936. Depending on the protein type, concentration, and the interface aging time, the proteins exhibit different crystallization propensities depending on the hydrophobic liquid used. Some hydrophobic liquids provoke an increase in the effective supersaturation, which translates to enhancement of crystal nucleation at their interface with the crystallization solution, leading to the formation of crystals.
Topics: Crystallization; Crystallography, X-Ray; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Models, Chemical; Oils; Paraffin; Proteins
PubMed: 30860355
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b20995 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Sep 2023The short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) are complex mixtures of persistent compounds used mainly as plastic additives. They can have a...
The short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) are complex mixtures of persistent compounds used mainly as plastic additives. They can have a negative impact on human health as they are suspected of disrupting the endocrine system and being carcinogenic, which is why monitoring their presence in the human environment is desirable. Clothing was selected for this study because they are produced in large quantities worldwide and the final products are worn for long periods throughout the day, in direct contact with human skin. The concentrations of CPs in this type of sample have not been sufficiently reported. We determined SCCPs and MCCPs in 28 samples of T-shirts and socks by gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry in negative chemical ionisation mode (GC-NCI-HRMS). CPs were found above the limits of quantification in all samples, with concentrations ranging from 33.9 to 5940 ng/g (mean 1260 ng/g, median 417 ng/g). The samples with a substantial proportion of synthetic fibres contained higher CP concentrations (22 times higher mean for SCCPs and 7 times higher mean for MCCPs) than garments composed exclusively of cotton. Finally, the effect of washing in the washing machine was investigated. The individual samples behaved differently: (i) excessively emitting CPs; (ii) being contaminated; (iii) retaining the original CP levels. The CP profiles also changed for some samples (with a substantial proportion of synthetic fibres and samples composed exclusively of cotton).
Topics: Humans; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Paraffin; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Environmental Monitoring; Mass Spectrometry; China
PubMed: 37330183
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122065 -
Chemosphere Jul 2023Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are synthetic organic compounds of growing environmental and social concern. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) were listed under the...
Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are synthetic organic compounds of growing environmental and social concern. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) were listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in 2017. Further, in 2021, medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) were proposed to be listed as POPs. We investigated SCCP and MCCP amounts and homolog profiles in four wild fish species from Bahía Blanca Estuary, a South Atlantic Ocean coastal habitat in Argentina. SCCPs and MCCPs were detected in 41% and 36% of the samples, respectively. SCCP amounts ranged from <12 to 29 ng g wet weight and <750-5887 ng g lipid weight, whereas MCCP amounts ranged from <7 to 19 ng g wet weight and <440-2848 ng g lipid weight. Amounts were equivalent to those found in fish from the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans and from some North American and Tibetan Plateau lakes. We performed a human health risk assessment and found no direct risks to human health for SCCP or MCCP ingestion, according to present knowledge. Regarding their environmental behavior, no significant differences were observed among SCCP amounts, sampling locations, species, sizes, lipid content, and age of the specimens. However, there were significant differences in MCCP amounts across species, which could be attributed to fish size and feeding habits. Homolog profiles in all fish were dominated by the medium-chlorinated (Cl and Cl) CPs and shorter chain length CPs were the most abundant, with CCl (12.8%) and CCl (10.1%) being the predominant SCCPs and CCl (19.2%) and CCl (12.4%) the predominant MCCPs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the presence of CPs in the environment in Argentina and the South Atlantic Ocean. CP occurrence in the environment, particularly in the food chain, promotes the need for further research on their occurrence and behavior, and the impact of CPs in marine ecosystems in Argentina.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Paraffin; Ecosystem; Estuaries; Argentina; Brazil; Environmental Monitoring; Lipids; China
PubMed: 37011823
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138575 -
Environment International Sep 2022Paddy plants provide staple food for 3 billion people worldwide. This study explores the environmental fate and behavior of a high-volume production emerging...
Paddy plants provide staple food for 3 billion people worldwide. This study explores the environmental fate and behavior of a high-volume production emerging contaminants chlorinated paraffins (CPs) in the paddy ecosystem. Very-short-, short-, medium-, and long-chain CPs (vSCCPs, SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs, respectively) were analyzed in specific tissue of paddy plants at four main growth stages and soils from the Yangtze River Delta, China throughout a full rice growing season. The total CP concentrations in the paddy roots, stalks, leaves, panicles, hulls, rice, and soils ranged from 181 to 1.74 × 10, 21.7-383, 19.6-585, 108-332, 245-470, 59.6-130, and 99.6-400 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The distribution profile indicated the translocation of SCCPs and MCCPs from soils to paddy tissue, highlighting their elevated bioaccumulative potential. The evolution of CP level/mass/pattern during the whole growth cycle suggested atmospheric CPs deposition on leaves and hulls, as well as stalk-rice transfer. CSOIL plant uptake model well predicted the level, distribution pattern, and bioconcentration factors (BCFs) of SCCPs and MCCPs in paddy shoot and recognized the soil-air-shoot pathway as the major contributor. Moreover, risk evaluation indicated that MCCPs intake and subsequent risks dominated the total exposure to CPs via rice ingestion. This is the first report on the occurrence, fate and risk assessment of all CPs classes in paddy ecosystems, and the results underline the potential health effects caused by the in-use MCCPs via rice ingestion.
Topics: China; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Oryza; Paraffin; Risk Assessment; Soil
PubMed: 35868077
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107404 -
Chemosphere Jun 2022Short-chain (SC) and medium-chain (MC) chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are found widely in the environment. Little research into air-soil exchange of SCCPs and MCCPs has...
Short-chain (SC) and medium-chain (MC) chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are found widely in the environment. Little research into air-soil exchange of SCCPs and MCCPs has been performed. In this study, CP concentrations, congener group profiles, and air-soil exchange in a typical contaminated area were investigated. A total of 10 soil samples and 10 air samples were collected from Zhoushan, an island in China. The samples were analyzed by two-dimensional gas chromatography electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry. The SCCP and MCCP concentrations in the soil samples were 72-3842 and 117-8819 ng/g, respectively, and the SCCP and MCCP concentrations in the air samples were 57-208 and 1.8-25 ng/m, respectively. The highest CP concentrations in both soil and air were found in samples from near shipyards, possibly because of CPs being emitted from metal cutting fluids and marine paints used at the shipyards. C-Cl were the dominant CP congener groups in the soil samples. CCl were the dominant CP congener groups in the air samples. Chlorinated decane and undecane and penta-, hexa-, and hepta-chlorinated CPs were enriched in the air relative to the soil. These congeners may have been released from the commercial CP-42 and CP-52. The fugacity fractions (ffs) of 48 homologs decreased as Koa increased. The ffs indicated that SCCPs and MCCPs dominated deposition. The net air-soil exchange fluxes of CPs were 201-769 ng/(m·h). A preliminary risk assessment indicated that CPs pose low ecological risk except at sampling site S7 and do not pose significant health risks.
Topics: China; Culture Media; Environmental Monitoring; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; Paraffin; Soil
PubMed: 35257700
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134230 -
Biotechnology Journal Aug 2019During crude oil extraction, the reduction in temperature and pressure results in the precipitation of paraffin wax that contains 20-40 carbon chain hydrocarbons. The...
During crude oil extraction, the reduction in temperature and pressure results in the precipitation of paraffin wax that contains 20-40 carbon chain hydrocarbons. The paraffin wax may accumulate inside production tubes, pipelines, and processing facilities, and also in tankers during petroleum transportation. There are few bacterial strains that are able to degrade solid substrates. In the present study, the biodegradation of paraffin is evaluated using Rhodococcus erythropolis cells. This bacterium is able to grow using paraffin wax from an oil refinery plant as the sole carbon source. The cells grow as a thick biofilm over the solid substrate, make scale-like structures that increase the area of the initially smooth surface of paraffin, produce biosurfactants, and become more negatively charged than ethanol- or glucose-grown cells. When paraffin wax is supplied as microparticles, to increase the cell-substrate contact area and to simulate paraffin precipitation, the cells also adjust the composition of the fatty acids of the phospholipids of the cellular membrane to decrease its fluidity and paraffin biodegradation increases considerably. The study suggests that the phenotypic adaptation of R. erythropolis cells may be used to degrade paraffin wax under real conditions.
Topics: Adaptation, Biological; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biofilms; Cell Membrane; Hydrocarbons; Lipid Metabolism; Lipids; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Paraffin; Rhodococcus
PubMed: 31125157
DOI: 10.1002/biot.201800598