Cardioprotective action of apocynin in isoproterenol-induced cardiac damage is mediated through Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

This investigation evaluated the therapeutic benefit of apocynin in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac damage in rats. ISO-administered male Wistar rats were treated with apocynin for 2 weeks. Blood plasma and left ventricle of heart tissues were collected and analyzed for oxidative stress-related parameters such as malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP), and nitric oxide (NO).

Simultaneously quantifying a novel five-component anti- migraine formulation containing ergotamine, propyphenazone, caffeine, camylofin, and mecloxamine using UV spectrophotometry and chemometric models.

This study presents a new method for simultaneously quantifying a complex anti-migraine formulation containing five components (ergotamine, propyphenazone, caffeine, camylofin, and mecloxamine) using UV spectrophotometry and chemometric models. The formulation presents analytical challenges due to the wide variation in component concentrations (ERG: PRO: CAF: CAM: MEC ratio of 0.075:20:8:5:4) and highly overlapping UV spectra.

Transdermal Delivery of Tofacitinib Citrate via Mannose-Decorated Transferosomes Loaded with Tofacitinib Citrate in Arthritic Joints.

Transdermal drug delivery systems are a promising option for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) because they can lower systemic adverse effects of immunosuppressants. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors were found to be effective for the treatment of RA by inhibiting the JAK-STAT pathway and preventing autoimmune joint destruction. The aim of this study is to deliver tofacitinib (a JAK 1 and 3 inhibitor) through mannose-decorated transferosomes (MDTs) directly to inflamed joints.

A novel phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, RF26, improves memory impairment and ameliorates tau aggregation and neuroinflammation in the P301S tauopathy mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors are primarily used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, but have also been reported to have a potential therapeutic effect for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This is likely to be through stimulation of nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling by elevating cGMP, a secondary messenger involved in processes of neuroplasticity. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of a novel PDE5 inhibitor, RF26, using P301S tauopathy mice model.

Efficacy and tolerability of subcutaneous repository corticotropin injection in refractory ocular inflammatory diseases.

Background: Repository corticotropin injection (RCI) has been suggested to exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects in ocular inflammation. The index retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of subcutaneous RCI in patients with active scleritis or uveitis.

Main Body: Medical records of patients who were diagnosed with different types of active scleritis or uveitis and received RCI for more than six months at a tertiary eye center were reviewed.

Functional yogurt: a comprehensive review of its nutritional composition and health benefits.

Functional yogurt, renowned for its enhanced nutritional profile and potential health benefits, has emerged as a promising functional food. This review meticulously examines the nutritional composition of functional yogurt, highlighting its enriched content of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other bioactive compounds, which contribute to its health-promoting properties. Functional yogurt has positively affected digestive health, immune function, metabolic health, and mental well-being.

16S rRNA metagenomics data on the bacterial communities in Poring Hot Spring, Sabah, Malaysia.

Hot springs are known to harbor potentially unique microorganisms due to the extreme temperatures in which they thrive and their biotechnologically important enzymes that are active at high temperature, which are beneficial for various industries. Sabah, Malaysia, houses several hot springs, yet knowledge of their microbiological diversity remains limited. Here, the raw sequence data of bacterial communities in a hot spring through metagenomic analysis are revealed.

A preliminary study of carbon dioxide and methane emissions from patchy tropical seagrass meadows in Thailand.

Background: Seagrass meadows are a significant blue carbon sink due to their ability to store large amounts of carbon within sediment. However, the knowledge of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from seagrass meadows is limited, especially from meadows in the tropical region. Therefore, in this study, CO and CH emissions and carbon metabolism were studied at a tropical seagrass meadow under various conditions.

Structure-Guided Antiviral Peptides Identification Targeting the HIV-1 Integrase.

HIV-1 integrase (IN), a major protein in the HIV life cycle responsible for integrating viral cDNA into the host DNA, represents a promising drug target. Small peptides have emerged as antiviral therapeutics for HIV because of their facile synthesis, highly selective nature, and fewer side effects. However, selecting the best candidates from a vast pool of peptides is a daunting task.

Discovery of 1,3-disubstituted prop-2-en-1-one derivatives as inhibitors of neutrophilic inflammation via modulation of MAPK and Akt pathways.

Targeting neutrophil function has gained attention as a propitious therapeutic strategy for diverse inflammatory diseases. Accordingly, a series of enone-based derivatives were developed to inhibit neutrophil-mediated inflammation, showing promise for treating inflammatory diseases. These compounds fall into two clusters with distinct effects: one inhibits neutrophilic superoxide (SO) anion production and elastase release triggered by N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF), with compound being most effective (IC values of 1.

Strategic insights for sustainable growth of mushroom farming industry in Bangladesh: A comprehensive evaluation using SWOT-AHP and TOPSIS frameworks.

Mushroom farming using agri-waste as substrates can offer a sustainable solution to the food security challenges of inadequate and imbalanced diets. Developing strategies to exploit the potential of the mushroom industry fully is yet to be explored in Bangladesh. We, thus, conducted this study to investigate the challenges and opportunities associated with mushroom farming, as well as the characteristics of farms and employees engaged in this industry.

The mineralocorticoid system, cardiometabolic health and its interplay with adipose tissue.

The mineralocorticoid system, comprising the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and associated receptors, is traditionally viewed as a regulator of sodium and fluid balance and blood pressure (BP), with the main mineralocorticoid hormone aldosterone acting via the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in distal renal tubules. Over the past few decades, there has been a wider understanding of the role of the mineralocorticoid system in regulating both classical BP-dependent and non-BP-dependent systemic effects. Mounting evidence indicates the novel role of the mineralocorticoid system in cardiometabolic health, with excess mineralocorticoid system activity being associated with adiposity, diabetes, insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases independent of its effect on BP, and RAAS blockade and MR antagonists offering protection against cardiometabolic dysfunction.

Novel Celecoxib Derivative, RF26, Blocks Colon Cancer Cell Growth by Inhibiting PDE5, Activating cGMP/PKG Signaling, and Suppressing β-catenin-dependent Transcription.

Background: Previous studies have reported that the cGMP-specific PDE5 isozyme is overexpressed in colon adenomas and adenocarcinomas and essential for colon cancer cell proliferation, while PDE5 selective inhibitors (e.g., sildenafil) have been reported to have cancer chemopreventive activity.

Wild-caught adult black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from various ecological landscapes in Malaysia.

Most studies on black flies focus on the taxonomy and ecology of their aquatic stages. Despite posing a public health threat, the adults remain poorly studied in many countries, including Malaysia. The present study represents the first investigation of the distribution of wild-caught black flies from various ecological landscapes and climatic conditions in Malaysia.

Fallopian tube rheology regulates epithelial cell differentiation and function to enhance cilia formation and coordination.

The rheological properties of the extracellular fluid in the female reproductive tract vary spatiotemporally, however, the effect on the behaviour of epithelial cells that line the tract is unexplored. Here, we reveal that epithelial cells respond to the elevated viscosity of culture media by modulating their development and functionality to enhance cilia formation and coordination. Specifically, ciliation increases by 4-fold and cilia beating frequency decreases by 30% when cells are cultured at 100 mPa·s.

The Lateral Antebrachial Neurocutaneous Flap: Case Series.

Background: The neurocutaneous flap was developed based on the understanding that every superficial cutaneous nerve includes vessels, also known as vasa nervorum or paraneural vessels, which run around and inside the nerves and deliver blood to the skin above. A cutaneous perforator connected to paraneural vessels that vascularize the skin and nerves is referred to as a neurocutaneous perforator. The lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LACN), the most dependable blood supply from the primary underlying veins of the neurocutaneous flap, is the subject of this study.

Loose Intraperitoneal Spiral Tack Causing Small Bowel Obstruction Following Laparoscopic Intraperitoneal Onlay Mesh Repair of Ventral Incisional Hernia: A Case Report.

This case report discusses a rare complication of small bowel obstruction occurring in the early course following Intraperitoneal Onlay Mesh (IPOM) repair for an incisional hernia. The bowel obstruction, which failed to respond to conservative measures, was caused by band adhesions resulting from the presence of a loose intraperitoneal migrated surgical tack. This was successfully managed laparoscopically resulting in complete recovery.

Green micellar UPLC and complementary eco-friendly spectroscopic techniques for simultaneous analysis of anti-COVID drugs: a comprehensive evaluation of greenness, blueness, and whiteness.

The development of sustainable analytical methodologies that minimize hazards, waste generation, and energy consumption has become crucial. This study introduces pioneering green‒blue-white approaches for the simultaneous quantification of montelukast sodium (MLK) and fexofenadine hydrochloride (FEX) in combination formulations. The first approach employs an ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method (UPLC) with a green micellar mobile phase of 0.

Nanoparticles in liposomes: a platform for increased antibiotic selectivity in multidrug resistant bacteria in respiratory tract infections.

Antibiotic resistance is a cause of serious illness and death, originating often from insufficient permeability into gram-negative bacteria. Nanoparticles (NP) can increase antibiotic delivery in bacterial cells, however, may as well increase internalization in mammalian cells and toxicity. In this work, NP in liposome (NP-Lip) formulations were used to enhance the selectivity of the antibiotics (3C and tobramycin) and quorum sensing inhibitor (HIPS-1635) towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa by fusing with bacterial outer membranes and reducing uptake in mammalian cells due to their larger size.

Reply.

We wrote the letter in response to the insightful comments made by Dr. Vassallo J regarding our recently published study, “Association of Oral Montelukast with Reduced Odds of Developing Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration.” Our study underscored the potential treatment for AMD through managing mast cell activation.

Health and wellbeing of staff working at higher education institutions globally during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period: evidence from a cross-sectional study.

Background: The ongoing global crisis of Higher Education (HE) institutions during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period has increased the likelihood of enduring psychological stressors for staff. This study aimed to identify factors associated with job insecurity, burnout, psychological distress and coping amongst staff working at HE institutions globally.

Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 with staff at HE institutions across 16 countries.

Development of 5-hydroxybenzothiophene derivatives as multi-kinase inhibitors with potential anti-cancer activity.

Chemoresistance in cancer challenges the classical therapeutic strategy of 'one molecule-one target'. To combat this, multi-target therapies that inhibit various cancer-relevant targets simultaneously are proposed. We introduce 5-hydroxybenzothiophene derivatives as effective multi-target kinase inhibitors, showing notable growth inhibitory activity across different cancer cell lines.