Iota-Carrageenan from Marine Alga Prevents Naproxen-Induced Gastrointestinal Injury via Its Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used in therapy due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. However, their clinical use is often associated with gastrointestinal complications. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the protective effect of a sulfated iota-carrageenan isolated from the marine alga (IC-Sf) against naproxen-induced gastrointestinal injury.

Structural characterization of a sulfated polysaccharide from Gracilariadomingensis and potential anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects.

Seaweeds are natural sources of sulfated polysaccharides (SPs), biopolymers with remarkable pharmacological properties, including biological actions capable of attenuating components of the inflammatory process such as edema, cytokines, cell migration and pain. Our results confirm that SPs obtained from Gracilaria domingensis (SP-GD) are agarans, primarily composed of residues of β-d-galactopyranose 6-sulfate and 3,6-anhydro-α-l-galactopyranose. Specifically, SP-GD at a dose of 10 mg/kg was effective in significantly reducing paw edema induced by carrageenan or histamine, serotonin, bradykinin, 48/80 and prostaglandin E2.

A polyphenol-rich açaí seed extract protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice through the TLR-4/MyD88/PI3K/mTOR/NF-κBp65 signaling pathway.

Açaí seed extract (ASE) is obtained from Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açaí) plant (Amazon region) has high nutritional and functional value. ASE is rich in polyphenolic compounds, mainly proanthocyanidins.

The annonalide diterpene extracted from Casimirella ampla (Miers) reduces inflammatory and antinociceptive events in general models of inflammation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The plants of the genus Casimirella ampla (Miers) (C. ampla) are extensively used in folk medicine. For a long time, rural communities have been using extracts from its roots for food and therapeutic purposes.

Recapitulation of Perturbed Striatal Gene Expression Dynamics of Donors' Brains With Ventral Forebrain Organoids Derived From the Same Individuals With Schizophrenia.

Objective: Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that originates during neurodevelopment and has complex genetic and environmental etiologies. Despite decades of clinical evidence of altered striatal function in affected patients, studies examining its cellular and molecular mechanisms in humans are limited. To explore neurodevelopmental alterations in the striatum associated with schizophrenia, the authors established a method for the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into ventral forebrain organoids (VFOs).

Effectiveness of Light-Emitting Diode Epilation on Different Skin Types: A Pilot Study.

This study analyzed the histological and immunohistochemical changes in hair follicles submitted to epilation with light-emitting diode (LED). The use of specific wavelengths of LED leads to the absorption of photons by chromophore tissues, enabling different photophysical and photochemical events, bringing therapeutic benefits such as removing body hair. The sample included five participants, with phototypes II-V, divided into two groups.

Coupled Urban Change and Natural Hazard Consequence Model for Community Resilience Planning.

This paper presents a new coupled urban change and hazard consequence model that considers population growth, a changing built environment, natural hazard mitigation planning, and future acute hazards. Urban change is simulated as an agent-based land market with six agent types and six land use types. Agents compete for parcels with successful bids leading to changes in both urban land use-affecting where agents are located-and structural properties of buildings-affecting the building's ability to resist damage to natural hazards.

Thermooptical PDMS-Single-Layer Graphene Axicon-like Device for Tunable Submicron Long Focus Beams.

Submicron long focusing range beams are gaining attention due to their potential applications, such as in optical manipulation, high-resolution lithography and microscopy. Here, we report on the theoretical and experimental characterization of an elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane/single layer graphene (PDMS/SLG) axicon-like tunable device, able to generate diffraction-resistant submicrometric spots in a pump and probe configuration. The working principle is based on the phase change of an input Gaussian beam induced in the elastomer via the thermo-optical effect, while the heating power is produced by the optical absorption of the SLG.

Temperature and pressure dependent rate constants of the reactions of OH• with cyclopentene from variational TST and SS-QRRK methods.

In this work, the pressure- and temperature-dependent reaction rate constants for the hydrogen abstraction and addition of hydroxyl radicals to the unsaturated cyclopentene were studied. Geometries and vibrational frequencies of reactants, products, and transition states were calculated using density functional theory, with single-point energy corrections determined at the domain-based local pair natural orbital-coupled-cluster single double triple/cc-pVTZ-F12 level. The high-pressure limit rate constants were calculated using the canonical variational transition state theory with the small-curvature tunneling approximation.

Analysis of the caudate nucleus transcriptome in individuals with schizophrenia highlights effects of antipsychotics and new risk genes.

Most studies of gene expression in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia have focused on cortical regions, but subcortical nuclei such as the striatum are prominently implicated in the disease, and current antipsychotic drugs target the striatum's dense dopaminergic innervation. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the genetic and transcriptional landscape of schizophrenia in the postmortem caudate nucleus of the striatum of 443 individuals (245 neurotypical individuals, 154 individuals with schizophrenia and 44 individuals with bipolar disorder), 210 from African and 233 from European ancestries. Integrating expression quantitative trait loci analysis, Mendelian randomization with the latest schizophrenia genome-wide association study, transcriptome-wide association study and differential expression analysis, we identified many genes associated with schizophrenia risk, including potentially the dopamine D2 receptor short isoform.

Analysis of the Immunohistochemical Expression of Ghrelin in the Gastric Mucosa and Correlation with Weight Loss After Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Introduction: Sleeve gastrectomy is one of the main techniques used to treat severe obesity. The study of the immunohistochemical expression of ghrelin in the gastric mucosa has already been related to weight loss and can be a promising method to predict the surgical outcome.

Purpose: To analyze the immunohistochemical expression of ghrelin in the gastric mucosa and its correlation with weight loss, comorbidities, and inflammatory changes after sleeve gastrectomy.

Sex differences in gene regulatory networks during mid-gestational brain development.

Neurodevelopmental disorders differ considerably between males and females, and fetal brain development is one of the most critical periods to determine risk for these disorders. Transcriptomic studies comparing male and female fetal brain have demonstrated that the highest difference in gene expression occurs in sex chromosomes, but several autossomal genes also demonstrate a slight difference that has not been yet explored. In order to investigate biological pathways underlying fetal brain sex differences, we applied medicine network principles using integrative methods such as co-expression networks (CEMiTool) and regulatory networks (netZoo).

Bromazepam increases the error of the time interval judgments and modulates the EEG alpha asymmetry during time estimation.

Aim: This study investigated the bromazepam effects in male subjects during the time estimation performance and EEG alpha asymmetry in electrodes associated with the frontal and motor cortex.

Material And Methods: This is a double-blind, crossover study with a sample of 32 healthy adults under control (placebo) vs. experimental (bromazepam) during visual time-estimation task in combination with electroencephalographic analysis.

SARS-CoV-2 infection causes intestinal cell damage: Role of interferon's imbalance.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the newly emerging lung disease pandemic COVID-19. This viral infection causes a series of respiratory disorders, and although this virus mainly infects respiratory cells, the small intestine can also be an important site of entry or interaction, as enterocytes highly express in angiotensin-2 converting enzyme (ACE) receptors. There are countless reports pointing to the importance of interferons (IFNs) with regard to the mediation of the immune system in viral infection by SARS-CoV-2.

Modulatory Role of Carbon Monoxide on the Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress Linked to Gastrointestinal Disorders.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous gaseous mediator that plays an important role in maintaining gastrointestinal (GI) tract homeostasis, acting in mucosal defense, and providing negative modulation of pathophysiological markers of clinical conditions. Preclinical studies using animal models and/or cell culture show that CO can modulate the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in GI mucosal injuries and pathological conditions, reducing proinflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species, while increasing antioxidant defense mechanisms. CO has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

30-Day Morbidity and Mortality of Bariatric Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Multinational Cohort Study of 7704 Patients from 42 Countries.

Background: There are data on the safety of cancer surgery and the efficacy of preventive strategies on the prevention of postoperative symptomatic COVID-19 in these patients. But there is little such data for any elective surgery. The main objectives of this study were to examine the safety of bariatric surgery (BS) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to determine the efficacy of perioperative COVID-19 protective strategies on postoperative symptomatic COVID-19 rates.

Intratumoral Intensity in T2-weighted MRI and the Association With Histological and Molecular Prognostic Factors in Women With Invasive Breast Cancer.

Objective: To compare the intratumoral T2 signal intensity on MRI and histopathological and molecular expression of biomarkers of aggressiveness (histological grade, hormonal status, HER2, and Ki-67).

Methods: This retrospective study included all women with invasive breast cancer undergoing MRI from January 2014 to October 2016. The intratumoral T2 signal as interpreted at consensus by two radiologists was compared to histopathological and molecular prognostic factors from the surgical specimen.

Food restriction reduces hepatic alterations associated with experimental periodontitis.

Background: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory and multifactorial disease that affects the periodontal structures and can cause alterations in the hepatic tissue. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether a diet with food restriction can decrease oral and liver alterations associated with ligature-induced periodontitis.

Methods: Twenty-four female Wistar rats were used in this study, randomized into three groups (n = 8 for each group): control (regular food); periodontitis (regular food + periodontitis induced with ligatures); and food restriction (diet with food restriction and periodontitis induction).

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gamma participates in nimesulide-induced hepatic damage.

Objective: To evaluate the participation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in the liver damage caused by nimesulide.

Methods: Liver damage been induced by nimesulide. Mice were treated with either 2% dimethyl sulfoxide or AS605240, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gamma pathway antagonist.

Structural health monitoring data collected during construction of a mass-timber building with a data platform for analysis.

The George W. Peavy Forest Science Complex, or "Peavy Hall," is a mass-timber university building that is the subject of a structural health monitoring (SHM) program to create a comprehensive building performance dataset. The building substructure consists of cross-laminated timber (CLT)-concrete composite floors, a mass plywood panel (MPP) roof system, and the world's first application of CLT post-tensioned (PT) self-centering shear walls.

McN-A-343, a muscarinic agonist, reduces inflammation and oxidative stress in an experimental model of ulcerative colitis.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory response mediated of the M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) during experimental colitis.

Material And Methods: After the induction of 6% acetic acid colitis, mice were treated with McN-A-343 0.5, 1.