Identification and preclinical evaluation of MMV676558 as a promising therapeutic candidate against Clostridioides difficile.

Clostridioides difficile, a gram-positive, toxin-producing, spore-forming anaerobe, is a major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. The bacterium's intrinsic drug resistance limits current treatment options to fidaxomicin and vancomycin for initial episodes, with anti-toxin B monoclonal antibody or faecal microbiota transplantation recommended for complicated or recurrent cases. This underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutics.

Corrigendum: Epigallocatechin gallate decreases plasma triglyceride, blood pressure, and serum kisspeptin in obese human subjects.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1177/1535370220962708.].

Cissus Quadrangularis enhances UCP1 mRNA, indicative of white adipocyte browning and decreases central obesity in humans in a randomized trial.

Obesity is associated with the growth and expansion of adipocytes which could be decreased via several mechanisms. Cissus Quadrangularis (CQ) extract has been shown to reduce obesity in humans; however, its effect on human white adipocytes (hWA) has not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of CQ on obesity, lipolysis, and browning of hWA.

Roles of kisspeptin in IVF/ICSI-treated infertile women and in human granulosa cells.

Kisspeptin, a crucial central regulator of reproduction, has been used as a trigger in fertilization (IVF) treatment. This study aimed to investigate the roles of kisspeptin in IVF treatment in infertile females ( = 30); and in steroidogenesis in human granulosa-like tumor cell line (KGN). In the human study, blood was collected at three time points including (1) the beginning of gonadotropin stimulation (Phase I), (2) around eight days after gonadotropin stimulation (Phase II), and (3) on the day of ovum pick-up (Phase III).

Epigallocatechin gallate decreases plasma triglyceride, blood pressure, and serum kisspeptin in obese human subjects.

Obesity is one of major risk factors increasing chronic diseases including type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension. The effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major active compound in green tea, on reduced obesity and improved metabolic profiles are still controversial. Furthermore, the effects of EGCG on human adipocyte lipolysis and browning of white adipocytes have not been elucidated.

Placental expressions and serum levels of adiponectin, visfatin, and omentin in GDM.

Aims: Adiponectin, visfatin, and omentin have been shown to be associated with insulin sensitivity and might have a role in the pathophysiology of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study aimed to (1) compare adiponectin, visfatin, and omentin mRNA expressions in placenta and their serum levels between normal pregnancy (NP) and GDM class A1 (GDMA1) pregnancy and (2) determine correlations between placental gene expressions as well as serum levels with maternal and neonatal clinical parameters in all, NP, and GDM subjects.

Methods: NP subjects (n = 37), who had normal medical history during their pregnancies without diagnosis of any abnormalities and GDMA1 subjects (n = 37), who were diagnosed since they had antenatal care, were recruited when they were in labor with a gestational age of at least 34 weeks.

Placental Neuropeptide Y ( NPY) and NPY receptors expressions and serum NPY levels in preeclampsia.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been reported as a vasoconstrictive substance which might be associated with preeclampsia. The novel findings of this study were that Y1R, Y2R, and Y5R expressions were significantly lower in the PE than the NP group. Moreover, the NPY receptor expression ratio between the PE/NP groups was lowest for Y2R (0.

Na/H exchanger 3 inhibitor diminishes hepcidin-enhanced duodenal calcium transport in hemizygous β-globin knockout thalassemic mice.

Recent investigation has shown that the liver-derived iron-regulating hormone, hepcidin, can potentiate intestinal calcium absorption in hemizygous β-globin knockout thalassemic (BKO) mice. Since the upregulation of Fe and H cotransporter, divalent metal transporter (DMT)-1, has been shown to correlate with thalassemia-induced intestinal calcium absorption impairment, the inhibition of the apical Na/H exchanger (NHE)-3 that is essential for cytoplasmic pH regulation and transepithelial sodium absorption was hypothesized to negatively affect hepcidin action. Herein, the positive effect of hepcidin on the duodenal calcium transport was evaluated using Ussing chamber technique.

Intestinal mucosal changes and upregulated calcium transporter and FGF-23 expression during lactation: Contribution of lactogenic hormone prolactin.

As the principal lactogenic hormone, prolactin (PRL) not only induces lactogenesis but also enhances intestinal calcium absorption to supply calcium for milk production. How the intestinal epithelium res-ponses to PRL is poorly understood, but it is hypothesized to increase mucosal absorptive surface area and calcium transporter expression. Herein, lactating rats were found to have greater duodenal, jejunal and ileal villous heights as well as cecal crypt depths than age-matched nulliparous rats.

Fibroblast growth factor-23 abolishes 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃-enhanced duodenal calcium transport in male mice.

Despite being widely recognized as the important bone-derived phosphaturic hormone, whether fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 modulated intestinal calcium absorption remained elusive. Since FGF-23 could reduce the circulating level of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ [1,25(OH)₂D₃], FGF-23 probably compromised the 1,25(OH)₂D₃-induced intestinal calcium absorption. FGF-23 may also exert an inhibitory action directly through FGF receptors (FGFR) in the intestinal cells.