PEGylated solid lipid nanoparticles for the intranasal delivery of combination antiretroviral therapy composed of Atazanavir and Elvitegravir to treat NeuroAIDS.

Intranasal drug administration offers a promising strategy for delivering combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) directly to the central nervous system to treat NeuroAIDS, leveraging the nose-to-brain route to bypass the blood-brain barrier. However, challenges such as enzymatic degradation in the nasal mucosa, low permeability, and mucociliary clearance within the nasal cavity must first be addressed to make this route feasible. To overcome these barriers, this study developed solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with varying PEGylation levels (0 %, 5 %, 10 %, and 15 % w/w of PEGylated lipid), co-encapsulated with Elvitegravir (EVG) and Atazanavir (ATZ) as an integrase and protease inhibitor, respectively.

Quality-by-design principles applied to the development and optimisation of lidocaine-loaded dissolving microneedle arrays - a proof-of-concept.

The use of dissolving microneedle arrays (dMNA) for intradermal and transdermal drug delivery has been a growing trend in the field for the past decades. However, a lack of specific regulatory standards still hinders their clinical development and translation to market. It is also well-known that dMNA composition significantly impacts their performance, with each new formulation potentially presenting a challenge for developers, manufacturers and regulatory agencies.

Myosteatosis is associated with adiposity, metabolic derangements and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background/objectives: Myosteatosis has been associated with sarcopenia, and increased mortality risk in patients on hemodialysis. We aimed to explore the associations between myosteatosis, as assessed by computed tomography (CT), with demographic parameters, body composition metrics, muscle strength, metabolic parameters and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Subjects/methods: We enrolled 216 patients (age 60.

Recruitment maneuvers in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and metanalysis.

Objective: To systematically review the effects of recruitment maneuvers on patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis using the PICO methodology with keywords (respiratory distress syndrome, recruitment maneuvers, lung recruitment, acute respiratory distress syndrome, alveolar recruitment, and adult acute respiratory distress syndrome). Studies involving patients >18 years, regardless of sex, with acute respiratory distress syndrome, mechanically ventilated for at least 24 h, published in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, with no year restrictions, were included.

Lactic acid bacteria: A sustainable solution against phytopathogenic agents.

Biological control agents (BCAs) are beneficial living organisms used in plant protection to control pathogens sustainably. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have gained attention in biopesticides due to their safety as recognized by the Food and Drug Administration. These bacteria possess antifungal properties, demonstrating inhibitory effects through nutrient competition or the production of antimicrobial metabolites.

Intimate partner violence, behaviours associated with risk of HIV acquisition and condom use in married women in Manicaland, East Zimbabwe: An HIV prevention cascade analysis.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread in the WHO African region with generalised HIV epidemics and may contribute to ongoing HIV transmission through its associations with behaviours associated with HIV acquisition risk and low use of prevention methods particularly in marital relationships.

Methods: We conducted a male condom HIV prevention cascade analysis using data from a general-population survey in Manicaland, Zimbabwe (July 2018-December 2019) to develop an understanding of how interventions that reduce IPV might be built upon to also reduce HIV incidence. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure associations between currently-married HIV-negative women's experience of IPV and: (1) being in the priority population for HIV prevention methods (i.

Phase-transition of hydrophobic dipeptide l-phenylalanyl-l-alanine under high pressure via Raman spectroscopy.

The study conducted on l-Phenylalanyl-l-Alanine (CHNO) dehydrated crystals under high-pressure conditions up to 7.0 GPa using Raman spectroscopy revealed significant modifications in both lattice and internal modes. Particularly, alterations were observed in modes associated with carbonyl and NH functionalities around 1600 cm.

Light and temperature signals are integrated through a phytochrome B-dependent gene regulatory network in rice.

Angiosperms are the most dominant land plant flora and have colonized most of the terrestrial habitats, thriving in different environmental conditions, among which light and temperature play a crucial role. In the eudicot Arabidopsis thaliana, light and temperature are integrated into a phytochrome B (phyB)-dependent signalling network that regulates development. However, whether this signal integration controls the development in other angiosperm lineages and whether phyB is a conserved hub of this integratory network in angiosperms is unclear.

Doxorubicin and 4-nitrochalcone loaded in beeswax-based nanostructured lipid carriers: In vitro antitumoral screening and evaluation of synergistic effect on HepG-2 cells.

Cancer is the second most deadly disease worldwide, and the most traditional approaches such as chemotherapy still face limitations associated to drug dosage and off-target side effects. To address these issues, we propose the simultaneous administration of 4-Nitrochalcone (4NC) and Doxorubicin (DOX) using beeswax based nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). The co-encapsulation of 4NC and DOX in the beeswax based NLCs was performed using the water/oil/water double emulsion technique in association with the melt dispersion approach.

Effects of Cycloergometer on Cardiopulmonary Function in Elderly Patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Despite all the improvements in surgical and anesthetic techniques, this procedure is still associated with pulmonary and cardiovascular complications in the postoperative period, and early rehabilitation, done through the use of cycloergometer, can minimize such complications, besides reducing the length of hospital stay.

Objective: Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the impact of cardiovascular exercise on lung function, respiratory muscle strength, and functional capacity in elderly patients after heart bypass surgery.

Methods: To this purpose, a randomized and controlled clinical trial was conducted.

Cyanocobalamin-loaded dissolving microneedles diminish skin inflammation in vivo.

Inflammatory diseases of the skin have a considerable high prevalence worldwide and negatively impact the patients' quality of life. First-line standard therapies for these conditions inherently entail important side effects when used long-term, particularly complicating the management of chronic cases. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel therapeutic strategies to offer reliable alternative treatments.

Functional performance of patients submitted to cardiac surgery with different levels of sleep quality: an observational study.

Objective: To describe pulmonary function, muscle strength and functional performance in the different qualities of sleep and the impact of this on the number of physiotherapeutic assistances.

Methods: This is an observational study. In the pre and post operative period, sleep behavior was evaluated using the Pittsburgh questionnaire.

Intraperitoneal Administration of 17-DMAG as an Effective Treatment against Infection in BALB/c Mice: A Preclinical Study.

Background: Leishmaniasis is a significant global public health issue that is caused by parasites from genus. With limited treatment options and rising drug resistance, there is a pressing need for new therapeutic approaches. Molecular chaperones, particularly Hsp90, play a crucial role in parasite biology and are emerging as promising targets for drug development.

Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate trihydrate: an effective and selective compound for hematological malignancies.

Myeloid leukemias and lymphomas are among the most common and well-studied hematological malignancies. However, due to the aggressiveness and rapid progression of certain subtypes, treating these diseases remains a challenge. Considering the promising results of diethyldithiocarbamates in preclinical and clinical oncology trials, this study aimed to investigate the potential of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate trihydrate (DETC) as a prototype for developing new drugs to treat hematological malignancies.

Tracheostomy care for adults and the elderly in the home environment: a scoping review.

Objective: To map out scientific knowledge regarding tracheostomy care for adults and the elderly carried out by individuals, famies or caregivers in home environments.

Method: Scoping review, conducted in February 2023, according to the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The guiding question was: what and how should adult/elderly tracheostomy care be carried out by the individual/family/caregiver in the home environment? Studies published in Portuguese, English and Spanish were considered.

Early Toxicity and Efficacy of Four Different Conditioning Regimens for Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Patients With Lymphoma: Impact of Drug Shortages in a Resource-Constrained Country.

High-dose therapy followed by autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT) remains a viable consolidation strategy for a subset of patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) lymphomas. BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan) is widely recognized as the predominant conditioning regimen due to its satisfactory efficacy and tolerability. Nevertheless, shortages of carmustine and melphalan have compelled clinicians to explore alternative conditioning regimens.

Practical guidance for the early recognition and follow-up of patients with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease.

Background: The early detection and management of (progressive) interstitial lung disease in patients with connective tissue diseases requires the attention and skills of a multidisciplinary team. However, there are currently no well-established standards to guide the daily practice of physicians treating this heterogenous group of diseases.

Research Question: This paper aimed to identify gaps in scientific knowledge along the journey of patients with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease and to provide tools for earlier identification of interstitial lung disease and progressive disease.

Tropical root responses to global changes: A synthesis.

Tropical ecosystems face escalating global change. These shifts can disrupt tropical forests' carbon (C) balance and impact root dynamics. Since roots perform essential functions such as resource acquisition and tissue protection, root responses can inform about the strategies and vulnerabilities of ecosystems facing present and future global changes.

Aging and cognitive resilience: Molecular mechanisms as new potential therapeutic targets.

As the global population ages, the need to prolong lifespan and healthspan becomes increasingly imperative. Understanding the molecular determinants underlying cognitive resilience, together with changes during aging and the (epi)genetic factors that predispose an individual to decreased cognitive resilience, open avenues for researching novel therapies. This review provides a critical and timely appraisal of the molecular mechanisms underlying cognitive resilience, framed within a critical analysis of emerging therapeutic strategies to mitigate age-related cognitive decline.

Equal rates of bone healing and reduced surgical time with iliac crest allograft compared to autograft in medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Introduction: Iliac crest autograft is frequently used to fill in bone defects after osteotomies. Nonetheless, surgery for bone autograft procurement is associated with morbidity and pain at the donor site. Alternatives to it have been explored, but there is no consensus to guide their application as a routine practice in several orthopedic procedures.