Depression unveiled: Insights into etiology and animal models for behavioral assessment, exploring the multifactorial nature and treatment of depression.

Over the past century, significant shifts in daily living have led to an increased prevalence of mental disorders, often linked to hormonal imbalances. Among these, anxiety and depression stand out as prevalent diagnoses, particularly in industrialized nations. Depression, according to the DSM-5, is a heterogeneous condition that affects emotional, cognitive, and physical functioning, with symptoms including insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and weight changes.

Development of chitosan/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-based polyelectrolyte complex of dexamethasone for treatment of anterior uveitis.

Anterior uveitis is one of the most prevalent forms of ocular inflammation caused by infections, trauma, and other idiopathic conditions if not treated properly, it can cause complete blindness. Therefore, this study aimed to formulate and evaluate dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) loaded polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) nanoparticles (NPs) for the treatment of anterior uveitis. DSP-loaded PEC-NPs were formed through complex coacervation by mixing low molecular weight chitosan and the anionic polymer carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC).

Promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the management of Parkinson's disease: recent advancements and contemporary research.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the progressive neurological diseases which affect around 10 million population worldwide. The clinical manifestation of motor symptoms in PD patients appears later when most dopaminergic neurons have degenerated. Thus, for better management of PD, the development of accurate biomarkers for the early prognosis of PD is imperative.

The Association between Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Protein Level and Body Mass Index.

Background and Objectives: Obesity is a major health concern worldwide. Many studies emphasize the important role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in regulating appetite and body weight. We aimed to investigate the association between BDNF protein serum levels and body mass index (BMI).

Nanogels as Potential Delivery Vehicles in Improving the Therapeutic Efficacy of Phytopharmaceuticals.

Nanogel is a promising drug delivery approach to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic prospect of phytopharmaceuticals. In the present review, phytopharmaceuticals with astonishing therapeutic utilities are being explored. However, their in vivo delivery is challenging, owing to poor biopharmaceutical attributes that impact their drug release profile, skin penetration, and the reach of optimal therapeutic concentrations to the target site.

Impact of muscle mass on blood glucose level.

Objectives: At present, diabetes is one of the leading causes of mortality across the world. It was hypothesized that muscle mass could have a significant influence on blood glucose level and this corelation if established successfully could pave way for novel treatment modalities for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the present study, the association between muscle mass and blood glucose level was examined in a healthy population who was not having T2DM at baseline and was undergoing a regular course of exercise.

Nanomedicines in Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer: An Update.

Nanomedicine has revolutionized the field of cancer detection and treatment by enabling the delivery of imaging agents and therapeutics into cancer cells. Cancer diagnostic and therapeutic agents can be either encapsulated or conjugated to nanosystems and accessed to the tumor environment through the passive targeting approach (EPR effect) of the designed nanomedicine. It may also actively target the tumor exploiting conjugation of targeting moiety (like antibody, peptides, vitamins, and hormones) to the surface of the nanoparticulate system.

Poly(lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol) nanoparticles provide sustained delivery of a Chlamydia trachomatis recombinant MOMP peptide and potentiate systemic adaptive immune responses in mice.

Unlabelled: PLA-PEG [poly(lactic acid)-poly (ethylene glycol)], a biodegradable copolymer, is underexploited for vaccine delivery although it exhibits enhanced biocompatibility and slow release immune-potentiating properties. We document here successful encapsulation of M278, a Chlamydia trachomatis MOMP (major outer-membrane protein) peptide, within PLA-PEG nanoparticles by size (~73-100nm), zeta potential (-16 mV), smooth morphology, encapsulation efficiency (~60%), slow release pattern, and non-toxicity to macrophages. Immunization of mice with encapsulated M278 elicited higher M278-specific T-cell cytokines [Th1 (IFN-γ, IL-2), Th17 (IL-17)] and antibodies [Th1 (IgG2a), Th2 (IgG1, IgG2b)] compared to bare M278.

Chlamydia trachomatis recombinant MOMP encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles triggers primarily T helper 1 cellular and antibody immune responses in mice: a desirable candidate nanovaccine.

We recently demonstrated by in vitro experiments that PLGA (poly D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) potentiates T helper 1 (Th1) immune responses induced by a peptide derived from the recombinant major outer membrane protein (rMOMP) of Chlamydia trachomatis, and may be a promising vaccine delivery system. Herein we evaluated the immune-potentiating potential of PLGA by encapsulating the full-length rMOMP (PLGA-rMOMP), characterizing it in vitro, and investigating its immunogenicity in vivo. Our hypothesis was that PLGA-rMOMP triggers Th1 immune responses in mice, which are desirable prerequisites for a C.

Biodegradable PLGA85/15 nanoparticles as a delivery vehicle for Chlamydia trachomatis recombinant MOMP-187 peptide.

Development of a Chlamydia trachomatis vaccine has been a formidable task partly because of an ineffective delivery system. Our laboratory has generated a recombinant peptide of C. trachomatis major outer membrane protein (MOMP) (rMOMP-187) and demonstrated that it induced at 20 μg ml(-1) maximal interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12p40 Th1 cytokines in mouse J774 macrophages.

The anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-10, inhibits inflammatory mediators in human epithelial cells and mouse macrophages exposed to live and UV-inactivated Chlamydia trachomatis.

Chlamydia trachomatis infects macrophages and epithelial cells evoking acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, which, if not controlled, may put patients at risk for major health issues such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic abdominal pain, and infertility. Here we hypothesized that IL-10, with anti-inflammatory properties, will inhibit inflammatory mediators that are produced by innate immune cells exposed to C. trachomatis.

Extracts from salivary glands stimulate aggression and inositol-1, 4, 5-triphosphate (IP3) production in the vomeronasal organ of mice.

Mammals use chemical cues to coordinate social and reproductive behaviors. Chemical cues are detected by the VNO organ (VNO), which is a cartilage-encased elongated organ associated with the vomer bone in the rostral nasal cavity. The resident intruder paradigm was utilized to examine the ability of saliva and its feeder exocrine glands, the submaxillary, parotid, and sublingual glands to mediate aggression in mice.