Background: As a master immune system regulator, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is closely linked to the complicated pathophysiology and development of systemic sclerosis (SSc), a multisystem fibrotic disease.
Objective: We aim to evaluate the transcriptional levels of TGF-β1 mRNA in PBMCs, assess the TGF-β1 serum levels of SSc patients, and compare them with those of healthy subjects.
Methods: PBMCs were isolated from whole blood of 50 SSc patients and in 30 healthy controls.
Cureus
November 2024
Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using the computed tomography severity index (CTSI) and the modified CTSI (MCTSI) and to assess their correlation with clinical outcome measures. Additionally, the study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of these indices in predicting moderate to severe COPD, based on patient outcomes. Materials and methods In this prospective study, conducted between November 2023 and March 2024, two radiologists, blinded to clinical outcomes, independently assessed CTSI and MCTSI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Prosopis juliflora has been employed in many traditional treatments. As evidenced by our earlier research, Prosopis juliflora leaf methanol extract (PJME) has a promising future in the fight against lung cancer. It may also be used in conjunction with other treatments to effectively manage lung cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSingle Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are key in understanding complex diseases. Nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) occur in protein-coding regions, potentially altering amino acid sequences, protein structure and function. Computational methods are vital for distinguishing deleterious nsSNPs from neutral ones.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreast cancer is the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in females. There are many side effects due to chemotherapy and traditional surgery, like fatigue, loss of appetite, skin irritation, and drug resistance to cancer cells. Immunotherapy has become a hopeful approach toward cancer treatment, generating long-lasting immune responses in malignant tumor patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBacterial infections emerge as a significant contributor to mortality and morbidity worldwide. Emerging extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) strains provide a greater risk of bacteremia and mortality, are increasingly resistant to antibiotics, and are a major producer of ESBLs. bacteremia-linked mastitis is one of the most common bacterial diseases in animals, which can affect the quality of the milk and damage organ functions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Functional constipation (FC) is a common condition in children, and information on the clinical characteristics of FC in Saudi children is scarce.
Objective: Describe the clinical profile of FC in Saudi children.
Design: Retrospective.
Background: Inflammation is a key biological reaction that comprises a complex network of signals that both initiate and stop the inflammation process.
Purpose: This study targets to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of the leaves of the Plectranthus rugosus (P. rugosus) plant involving both in vitro and in vivo measures.
Breast cancer is a major global health issue for women. Thyme oil, extracted from L., has shown promising anticancer effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have garnered considerable interest in biomedical research primarily owing to their prospective therapeutic implications in combatting pathogenic diseases and microbial infections. The primary objective of this study was to examine the biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanowhiskers (ZnO-NWs) using chicken egg white (albumin) as a bio-template. Furthermore, this study aimed to explore the potential biomedical applications of ZnO NWs in the context of infectious diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolymicrobial mastitis is now becoming very common in dairy animals, resulting in exaggerated resistance to multiple antibiotics. The current study was executed to find drug responses in individual and mixed Culture of and isolated from milk samples, as well as to evaluate the antibacterial potential of tungsten oxide nanoparticles. These isolates (alone and in mixed culture) were further processed for their responses to antibiotics using the disc diffusion method.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMitogen-activated protein kinase 7 (MAPK7) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that belongs to the MAPK family and plays a vital role in various cellular processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, gene transcription, apoptosis, metabolism, and cell survival. The elevated expression of MAPK7 has been associated with the onset and progression of multiple aggressive tumors in humans, underscoring the potential of targeting MAPK7 pathways in therapeutic research. This pursuit holds promise for the advancement of anticancer drug development by developing potential MAPK7 inhibitors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLung cancer is a major global public health issue and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Several medications are commonly used to treat lung cancer, either alone or in combination with other treatments. The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) protein is one of several target proteins that are thought to be potential therapeutic targets in the context of lung cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the current study, we report the synthesis of methotrexate-conjugated zinc oxide nanoparticles (MTX-ZnONPs) and their high efficacy against lung cancer cells. Conjugation of MTX with ZnONPs was authenticated by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This drug-nanoconjugate also showed high drug-loading efficiency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Fungus-derived secondary metabolites are fascinating with biomedical potential and chemical diversity. Mining endophytic fungi for drug candidates is an ongoing process in the field of drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. Endophytic fungal symbionts from terrestrial plants, marine flora, and fauna tend to produce interesting types of secondary metabolites with biomedical importance of anticancer, antiviral, and anti-tuberculosis properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi such as , , , spp., and mushrooms. They are present in the mycelium or in the spores of the fungus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, we successfully synthesized selenium nanoparticles (P-SeNPs) using an environment-friendly approach. This method involves utilizing the aqueous peel extract of Benincasa hispida (ash gourd) in combination with selenium salt. Through our innovative procedure, we harnessed the impressive bio-reduction capabilities, therapeutic potential, and stabilizing attributes inherent in B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFruit of Stapf ex Haines ( is a feed additive and is commonly used against cardiac dysfunction, fever, asthma, diarrhea, gastrointestinal ailments, and skin diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the metabolic profile and antioxidant potential of fruit against carbon tetrachloride (CCl)-induced cardiotoxicity and testicular toxicity in rats. Gas Chromatoghraphy-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of fruit for the identification of potential metabolic profile, followed by methanolic extract of and its derived fractions including n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, butanol, and aqueous were used to assess the antioxidant potential of fruits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe alarming rise in the rate of antibiotic resistance is a matter of significant concern. DNA gyrase B (GyrB), a critical bacterial enzyme involved in DNA replication, transcription, and recombination, has emerged as a promising target for antibacterial agents. Inhibition of GyrB disrupts bacterial DNA replication, leading to cell death, making it an attractive candidate for antibiotic development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSmall organic molecules with interesting optical and electrochemical properties find applications as organic luminescent materials. In this work, we report the synthesis of novel chalcones with D-A-D and D-A-D-A architecture, followed by their optical, electrochemical, and computational studies. The absorption band of these compounds occurs at 360-480 nm with emission maxima appearing around 513-552 nm.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study was conducted in order to describe the assemblage of wood decay fungi and mycomycetes associated with the Hail region in the North of Saudi Arabia by using incubation chambers. There was a collection of coarse woody debris from the study area, AL baithe, which was brought to the laboratory and placed inside a series of incubation chambers in which water was added. Over a period of several weeks, fruiting bodies appeared in these chambers which were morphologically analysed via AmScope stereomicroscope and molecular identification was carried out via ITS-1F and ITS-4R DNA sequencing methods.
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