Exploring the therapeutic potential of Aloin: unraveling neuroprotective and anticancer mechanisms, and strategies for enhanced stability and delivery.

We investigate the therapeutic potential of Aloin A and Aloin B, two natural compounds derived from Aloe vera leaves, focusing on their neuroprotective and anticancer properties. The structural differences between these two epimers suggest that they may exhibit distinct pharmacological properties. Our investigations revealed that both epimers are not stable in aqueous solution and tend to degrade rapidly, with their concentration decreasing by over 50% within approximately 12 h.

Dose-Response Effects on LBP, Sleep, and Depression of Online Pre-Partum and Post-Partum Pilates-Based Programs.

Pilates-based programs can help pregnant women deal with the physical and psychological burden derived by major changes in their body. This study was designed to primarily test, in pregnant women, the dose-response and health effects of both pre-partum and post-partum, online Pilates-based program on weight control, low back pain (LBP) severity, sleep disturbances, mood and depression levels. A total of 136 pregnant women were screened for eligibility (low-risk pregnancy; aged 18-45 years; single pregnancy; 20-28-week gestational age, normal BMI).

Synthesis, Characterisation, and In Vitro Evaluation of Biocompatibility, Antibacterial and Antitumor Activity of Imidazolium Ionic Liquids.

In recent decades, ionic liquids (ILs) have garnered research interest for their noteworthy properties, such as thermal stability, low or no flammability, and negligible vapour pressure. Moreover, their tunability offers limitless opportunities to design ILs with properties suitable for applications in many industrial fields. This study aims to synthetise two series of methylimidazolium ILs bearing long alkyl chain in their cations (C9, C10, C12, C14, C16, C18, C20) and with tetrafluoroborate (BF) and the 1,3-dimethyl-5-sulfoisophthalate (DMSIP) as counter ions.

A novel cationic β-cyclodextrin decorated with a choline-like pendant exhibits Iodophor, Mucoadhesive and bactericidal properties.

Iodine is a vital microelement and a powerful antiseptic with a rapid and broad spectrum of action. The development of iodophor compounds to improve the solubility and stability of iodine is still challenging. Here, we report the synthesis of a novel cationic β-cyclodextrin bearing a choline-like pendant (β-CD-Chol) designed to complex and deliver iodine to bacterial cells.

Importance of artificial high flows in maintaining the ecological integrity of a regulated river.

Artificial high flows attempt to simulate natural flood pulses in flow-regulated rivers with the intent to improve their ecological integrity. The long-term use of such high flow events have shown beneficial ecological effects on various rivers globally. However, such responses are often non-linear and characterized by underlying feedback mechanisms among ecosystem components.

Aβ Fragment as an Anti-Fibrillogenic and Neuroprotective Agent: Advancing toward Efficient Alzheimer's Disease Treatment.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, characterized by a spectrum of symptoms associated with memory loss and cognitive decline with deleterious consequences in everyday life. The lack of specific drugs for the treatment and/or prevention of this pathology makes AD an ever-increasing economic and social emergency. Oligomeric species of amyloid-beta (Aβ) are recognized as the primary cause responsible for synaptic dysfunction and neuronal degeneration, playing a crucial role in the onset of the pathology.

Calix[4]arene Derivative for Iodine Capture and Effect on Leaching of Iodine through Packaging.

A hydrophobic calix[4]arene derivative was investigated for its iodine (I) capture efficiency from gaseous and liquid phase. The iodine uptake was followed by UV-vis spectroscopy. Additionally, the influence of the calix[4]arene derivative-polyolefin system on the leaching of iodine through packaging from a povidone-iodine-based (PVP-I) formulation was evaluated.

-Sulfonato-Calix[4]arene Micelles Stabilize a Povidone Iodine Solution: Supramolecular Interactions, Iodine Retention, and Bactericidal Activity.

Povidone iodine (PVPI) is an antiseptic widely used against a broad spectrum of pathogens. However, undesired side-effects are still associated with PVPI treatment due to the irritant effect of iodine. Reducing the concentration of a PVPI formulation could provide safer and more friendly formulations, for routine use and applications in very delicate organs such as the eye.

Antibacterial Nanoassembled Calix[4]arene Exposing Choline Units Inhibits Biofilm and Motility of Gram Negative Bacteria.

The high incidence of antibiotic resistance and biofilm-associated infections is still a major cause of morbidity and mortality and triggers the need for new antimicrobial drugs and strategies. Nanotechnology is an emerging approach in the search for novel antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the inherent antibacterial effects of a self-assembling amphiphilic choline-calix[4]arene derivative () against Gram negative bacteria.

A novel facile one-pot synthesis of photothermally responsive carbon polymer dots as promising drug nanocarriers.

Luminescent and photothermic carbon polymer dots (CPDs-PNM), composed of a carbonized core and cross-linked chains of poly(-isopropylacrylamide), were synthetized by a novel, simple, solvent- and reagent-free method. The formation of CPDs-PNM was controlled by both temperature and heating time. The CPDs-PNM exhibited LCST behaviour, high photothermal conversion efficiency, curcumin loading capacity and no toxicity to eukaryotic cells.

Tributary effects on the ecological responses of a regulated river to experimental floods.

Rivers regulated by dams display several ecosystem alterations due to modified flow and sediment regimes. Downstream from a dam, ecosystem degradation occurs because of reduced disturbance, mostly derived from limitations on flow variability and sediment supply. In the last decade, most flow restoration/dam impact mitigation was oriented towards the development of environmental flows.

Co-Loading of Temozolomide and Curcumin into a Calix[4]arene-Based Nanocontainer for Potential Combined Chemotherapy: Binding Features, Enhanced Drug Solubility and Stability in Aqueous Medium.

The co-delivery of anticancer drugs into tumor cells by a nanocarrier may provide a new paradigm in chemotherapy. Temozolomide and curcumin are anticancer drugs with a synergistic effect in the treatment of multiform glioblastoma. In this study, the entrapment and co-entrapment of temozolomide and curcumin in a -sulfonato-calix[4]arene nanoparticle was investigated by NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometry, isothermal titration calorimetry, and dynamic light scattering.

Novel Peptide-Calix[4]arene Conjugate Inhibits Aβ Aggregation and Rescues Neurons from Aβ's Oligomers Cytotoxicity .

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition affecting people in the elderly. Targeting aggregation of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) is considered a promising approach for the therapeutic treatment of the disease. Peptide based inhibitors of β-amyloid fibrillation are emerging as safe drug candidates as well as interesting compounds for early diagnosis of AD.

Binding Affinity and Driving Forces for the Interaction of Calixarene-Based Micellar Aggregates With Model Antibiotics in Neutral Aqueous Solution.

The search for novel surfactants or drug delivery systems able to improve the performance of old-generation antibiotics is a topic of great interest. Self-assembling amphiphilic calix[4]arene derivatives provide well-defined nanostructured systems that exhibit promising features for antibiotics delivery. In this work, we investigated the capability of two micellar polycationic calix[4]arene derivatives to recognize and host ofloxacin, chloramphenicol, or tetracycline in neutral aqueous solution.

Topical Delivery of Curcumin by Choline-Calix[4]arene-Based Nanohydrogel Improves Its Therapeutic Effect on a Psoriasis Mouse Model.

Curcumin (CUR) has shown remarkable efficacy in the treatment of skin diseases, but its effective transdermal delivery is still a major challenge and stimulates interest in the design of novel systems for CUR dispersion, preservation, and delivery facilitation to the deeper layers of the skin. The present work aimed to investigate the potential of a nanohydrogel, formed by a micellar choline-calix[4]arene amphiphile (CALIX) and CUR, in the treatment of skin diseases through an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis model. Psoriasis plaques are associated with aberrant keratinization, abnormal distribution of tight junctions (TJs) proteins, and enhanced expression of inflammatory markers.

Fourier-transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy fingerprints subpopulations of extracellular vesicles of different sizes and cellular origin.

Identification of extracellular vesicle (EV) subpopulations remains an open challenge. To date, the common strategy is based on searching and probing set of molecular components and physical properties intended to be univocally characteristics of the target subpopulation. Pitfalls include the risk to opt for an unsuitable marker set - which may either not represent the subpopulation or also cover other unintended subpopulations - and the need to use different characterization techniques and equipment.

Injectable supramolecular nanohydrogel from a micellar self-assembling calix[4]arene derivative and curcumin for a sustained drug release.

In the search for soft and smart materials for nanomedicine, which is a present challenge, supramolecular nanohydrogels built on self-assembling low-molecular-weight building blocks attract interest for their structural, mechanical and functional properties. Herein, we describe a supramolecular nanohydrogel formed by a biofriendly micellar self-assembling choline-calix[4]arene derivative in the presence of curcumin, a natural and multitarget pharmacologically relevant drug. Morphology and mechanical properties of the nanohydrogel were investigated, and theoretical simulation performed to model the nanohydrogel structure.

Synthesis of a calix[4]arene derivative exposing multiple units of fucose and preliminary investigation as a potential broad-spectrum antibiofilm agent.

Calix[4]arene derivative (1), bearing four α-l-C-fucosyl units linked via a flexible spacer, and a monomeric analogous (2) bearing a single moiety of fucose, were synthesized. Compounds 1 and 2 were assayed for antibiofilm activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (Gram+). The macrocyclic compound 1 showed very high percentage of biofilm inhibition against two different bacterial strains while compound 2, which does not possess a macrocyclic structure, showed only moderate biofilm inhibition against P.

A calix[4]arene-based ternary supramolecular nanoassembly with improved fluoroquinolone photostability and enhanced NO photorelease.

Micellar-like nanoassemblies of a sulfonate amphiphilic calix[4]arene (1) are able to effectively co-entrap the fluoroquinolone antibacterial norfloxacin (2) and a hydrophobic nitric oxide (NO) photodonor (3), leading to a ternary supramolecular complex having a diameter of ca. 150 nm and a zeta potential of -48 mV. Outstanding photochemical stabilization of the otherwise photolabile fluoroquinolone 2 is observed under UVA excitation.