The relationship between energy provided and growth during severe wasting treatment.

Treatment of severe acute malnutrition aims at producing quick catch-up growth in children to decrease their short-term mortality risk. The extent to which catch-up growth is influenced by the amount of energy provided is unclear. This study assessed whether energy provided at admission is associated with catch-up ponderal growth among children with mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) < 115 mm at admission.

In Silico and In Vitro Studies on an Asymmetrical Porphyrin Derivative with Therapeutic Potential in Skin Disorders.

For developing novel photosensitizers with therapeutic potential in non-malignant and malignant cutaneous disorders, the unsymmetrical porphyrin, 5-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-10, 15, 20--(4-carboxymethylphenyl) porphyrin, was evaluated and The cellular uptake of the investigated porphyrin and its ability to perform photodynamic therapy were investigated in terms of the viability, proliferation, and necrosis of human HaCaT keratinocytes and human Hs27 skin fibroblasts, in correlation with the predictions regarding diffusion through cell membranes, ADMET profile (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, toxicity), and potential pharmacological mechanism. Molecular docking and 250 ns molecular dynamics simulations revealed that P5.2 has the potential to form a relatively stable complex with the carbonic anhydrase IX catalytic site, the lowest predicted free energy of binding (MM/PBSA) being -39.

Assessment of Some Unsymmetrical Porphyrins as Promising Molecules for Photodynamic Therapy of Cutaneous Disorders.

In order to select for further development novel photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy in cutaneous disorders, three unsymmetrical porphyrins, namely 5-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(4-acetoxy-3-methoxyphenyl) porphyrin (P2.2), 5-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(4-carboxymethylphenyl) porphyrin (P3.2), and 5-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(4-acetoxy-3-methoxyphenyl) porphyrin (P4.

Effect of fatty acid profiles in varying recipes of ready-to-use therapeutic foods on neurodevelopmental and clinical outcomes of children (6-59 months) with severe wasting: a systematic review.

Context: In 2020, 13.6 million children under 5 years suffered from severe acute malnutrition (SAM)/wasting. Standard ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) improve polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status but contain suboptimal amounts of omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs with unbalanced n-6-to-n-3 PUFA ratios.

Modifications in cellular viability, DNA damage and stress responses inflicted in cancer cells by copper-64 ions.

Due to combined therapeutical emissions, a high linear energy transfer Auger-electrons with the longer ranged β particles, Cu-based radiopharmaceuticals raise particular theragnostic interest in cancer, by joined therapeutic and real-time PET imaging properties. The study aimed to investigate the biological and molecular background of CuCl therapy by analyzing the damages and stress responses inflicted in various human normal and tumor cell lines. Colon (HT29 and HCT116) and prostate carcinoma (DU145) cell lines, as well as human normal BJ fibroblasts, were treated up to 72 h with 2-40 MBq/mL CuCl.

Interaction of Some Asymmetrical Porphyrins with U937 Cell Membranes-In Vitro and In Silico Studies.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects exerted in vitro by three asymmetrical porphyrins (5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(4-acetoxy-3-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin, 5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(4-acetoxy-3-methoxyphenyl)porphyrinatozinc(II), and 5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(4-acetoxy-3-methoxyphenyl)porphyrinatocopper(II)) on the transmembrane potential and the membrane anisotropy of U937 cell lines, using bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)trimethine oxonol (DiBAC4(3)) and 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene p-toluenesulfonate (TMA-DPH), respectively, as fluorescent probes for fluorescence spectrophotometry. The results indicate the hyperpolarizing effect of porphyrins in the concentration range of 0.5, 5, and 50 μM on the membrane of human U937 monocytic cells.

Outcomes of Wilms tumor therapy in Lilongwe, Malawi, 2016-2021: Successes and ongoing research priorities.

Introduction: Wilms tumor therapy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) relies on treatment protocols adapted to resource limitations, but these protocols have rarely been evaluated in real-world settings. Such evaluations are necessary to identify high-impact research priorities for clinical and implementation trials in LMICs. The purpose of this study was to identify highest priority targets for future clinical and implementation trials in sub-Saharan Africa by assessing outcomes of a resource-adapted treatment protocol in Malawi.

Porphyrin Macrocycles: General Properties and Theranostic Potential.

Despite specialists' efforts to find the best solutions for cancer diagnosis and therapy, this pathology remains the biggest health threat in the world. Global statistics concerning deaths associated with cancer are alarming; therefore, it is necessary to intensify interdisciplinary research in order to identify efficient strategies for cancer diagnosis and therapy, by using new molecules with optimal therapeutic potential and minimal adverse effects. This review focuses on studies of porphyrin macrocycles with regard to their structural and spectral profiles relevant to their applicability in efficient cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Pros and cons of NRF2 activation as adjunctive therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with an important inflammatory component accompanied by deregulated redox-dependent signaling pathways that are feeding back into inflammation. In this context, we bring into focus the transcription factor NRF2, a master redox regulator that exerts exquisite antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The review does not intend to be exhaustive, but to point out arguments sustaining the rationale for applying an NRF2-directed co-treatment in RA as well as its potential limitations.

Altered Blood and Brain Expression of Inflammation and Redox Genes in Alzheimer's Disease, Common to APP × TAU Mice and Patients.

Despite intensive research, the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still not fully understood, and currently there are no effective treatments. Therefore, there is an unmet need for reliable biomarkers and animal models of AD to develop innovative therapeutic strategies addressing early pathologic events such as neuroinflammation and redox disturbances. The study aims to identify inflammatory and redox dysregulations in the context of AD-specific neuronal cell death and DNA damage, using the APP× TAU (AT) mouse model of AD.

The Burden of Malnutrition in Childhood Cancer in Malawi - Risk Regardless of Age.

Malnutrion among children with childhood cancer in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is prevelant. While national nutrition programs focus on children under 5 years, childhood cancer can occur regardless of their age. Through a single-center retrospective cohort in Lilongwe, Malawi, we aim to characterize the burden of age-related malnutrition among children diagnosed with cancer in Lilongwe, Malawi, and evaluate them for any associations with mortality.

Sulfiredoxin-1 blood mRNA expression levels negatively correlate with hippocampal atrophy and cognitive decline.

Cognitive decline, correlating with hippocampal atrophy, characterizes several neurodegenerative disorders having a background of low-level chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. In this cross-sectional study, we examined how cognitive decline and hippocampal subfields volume are associated with the expression of redox and inflammatory genes in peripheral blood. We analyzed 34 individuals with different cognitive scores according to Mini-Mental State Examination, corrected by age and education (adjMMSE).

Increased MYD88 blood transcript in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Neuroinflammation plays a prominent role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), both in pathogenesis and disease progression. It has been shown that TLR/MYD88 signaling is involved in the chronic low-grade sterile inflammation associated with AD. Several studies have evidenced high levels of MYD88 in the brain of patients and animal models of AD, but no study has assessed so far its levels in blood.

In vitro study of the orthodontic mini-implants influence on the growth of human osteoblasts.

This study aimed to assess the in vitro biocompatibility of titanium (Ti) alloy orthodontic mini-implants by correlating human osteoblasts (HOb) response with chemical composition and surface morphology of mini-implants. HOb were cultivated with or without custom-made and commercial mini-implants, discs and filings. The surface morphology and chemical composition of the implants were assessed under the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis system.

Palliative Care Services within a Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Program in a Low-Resource Setting.

Context: Outcomes for children with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa (SAA) are dismal due to delayed diagnosis and limited access to curative therapy. When establishing a pediatric hematology-oncology (PHO) program in low-resource settings, early integration of palliative care services becomes essential. While palliative care is a human right, equitable distribution is lacking.

Reduced Blood Expression in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients.

Regulator of G protein signaling 2 () is a gene involved in neuronal plasticity and synaptic signaling, whose expression in the brain is altered in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Microarray data from large datasets suggested reduced mRNA levels in the post-mortem brain tissue and blood of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The results were previously confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) only in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from AD patients and controls.

Insight into the Web of Stress Responses Triggered at Gene Expression Level by Porphyrin-PDT in HT29 Human Colon Carcinoma Cells.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a highly targeted therapy with acceptable side effects, has emerged as a promising therapeutic option in oncologic pathology. One of the issues that needs to be addressed is related to the complex network of cellular responses developed by tumor cells in response to PDT. In this context, this study aims to characterize in vitro the stressors and the corresponding cellular responses triggered by PDT in the human colon carcinoma HT29 cell line, using a new asymmetric porphyrin derivative (P2.

Pediatric lymphoma patients in Malawi present with poor health-related quality of life at diagnosis and improve throughout treatment and follow-up across all Pediatric PROMIS-25 domains.

Background: Patient-reportedoutcomes (PROs) that assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are increasingly important components of cancer care and research that are infrequently used in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: We administered the Chichewa Pediatric Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Pediatric (PROMIS)-25 at diagnosis, active treatment, and follow-up among pediatric lymphoma patients in Lilongwe, Malawi. Mean scores were calculated for the six PROMIS-25 HRQoL domains (Mobility, Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms, Fatigue, Peer Relationships, Pain Interference).

Preparation and Preliminary Evaluation of Neurotensin Radiolabelled with Ga and Lu as Potential Theranostic Agent for Colon Cancer.

The neurotensin is a tridecapeptide involved in the proliferation of colon cancer, the overexpression of neurotensin receptors occurring at an early stage development of many tumours. Targeting neurotensin receptors by using the same biological active molecule is an effective approach for both imaging quantification and treatment. The present work aimed to demonstrate the ability of radiolabelled neurotensin to specifically target colon cancer cells, and substantiate its usefulness in targeted imaging and radiotherapy, depending on the emission of the coupled radioisotope.

Knowledge, attitude and practices of COVID-19 among medical laboratory professionals in Zambia.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel disease that has spread to nearly every country worldwide. Medical laboratory professionals are key in the fight against COVID-19 as they provide confirmatory diagnosis for subsequent management and mitigation of the disease.

Objective: This study investigated the knowledge, attitude and practices of COVID-19 and their predictors among medical laboratory personnel in Zambia.