Advances in Chitosan-Based CRISPR/Cas9 Delivery Systems.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and the associated Cas endonuclease (Cas9) is a cutting-edge genome-editing technology that specifically targets DNA sequences by using short RNA molecules, helping the endonuclease Cas9 in the repairing of genes responsible for genetic diseases. However, the main issue regarding the application of this technique is the development of an efficient CRISPR/Cas9 delivery system. The consensus relies on the use of non-viral delivery systems represented by nanoparticles (NPs).

Metabolites of Cannabis Induce Cardiac Toxicity and Morphological Alterations in Cardiac Myocytes.

Cannabis is one of the most commonly used recreational drugs worldwide. Rrecent epidemiology studies have linked increased cardiac complications to cannabis use. However, this literature is predominantly based on case incidents and post-mortem investigations.

Quercetin loaded cosm-nutraceutical electrospun composite nanofibers for acne alleviation: Preparation, characterization and experimental clinical appraisal.

In the cosmeceutical field, it is essential to develop topical delivery systems which would allow drugs to create a depot and permeate within the skin. The aim of the present study was to develop composite nanofibers of polyvinyl alcohol/quercetin/essential oils using the electrospinning technique, and assess their efficiency in acne alleviation. Quercetin was chosen due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antibacterial activities.

Overcoming the protein corona in chitosan-based nanoparticles.

Numerous properties of chitosan have led to its extensive use in the formulation of nanomaterials for drug delivery. However, the cationic surface of chitosan-based nanoparticles adsorbs proteins upon exposure to biological fluids, forming a phenomenon known as 'protein corona'. This causes several effects such as decreased bioavailability and limited in vivo clinical applications of chitosan nanoparticles.

Efficacy of cannabinoids against glioblastoma multiforme: A systematic review.

Introduction: The increased incidence of Glioblastoma Multiforme, the most aggressive and most common primary brain tumour, is evident worldwide. Survival rates are reaching only 15 months due to its high recurrence and resistance to current combination therapies including oncotomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Light has been shed in the recent years on the anticancer properties of cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa.

Cocaine Induces Cytoskeletal Changes in Cardiac Myocytes: Implications for Cardiac Morphology.

Cocaine is one of the most widely abused illicit drugs worldwide and has long been recognised as an agent of cardiac dysfunction in numerous cases of drug overdose. Cocaine has previously been shown to up-regulate cytoskeletal rearrangements and morphological changes in numerous tissues; however, previous literature observes such changes primarily in clinical case reports and addiction studies. An investigation into the fundamental cytoskeletal parameters of migration, adhesion and proliferation were studied to determine the cytoskeletal and cytotoxic basis of cocaine in cardiac cells.

Overcoming the Blood-Brain Barrier: Functionalised Chitosan Nanocarriers.

The major impediment to the delivery of therapeutics to the brain is the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB allows for the entrance of essential nutrients while excluding harmful substances, including most therapeutic agents; hence, brain disorders, especially tumours, are very difficult to treat. Chitosan is a well-researched polymer that offers advantageous biological and chemical properties, such as mucoadhesion and the ease of functionalisation.

Biomedical and Pharmacological Uses of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Chitosan-Based Nanocarriers.

Chitosan-based nanocarriers (ChNCs) are considered suitable drug carriers due to their ability to encapsulate a variety of drugs and cross biological barriers to deliver the cargo to their target site. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled chitosan-based NCs (FITC@ChNCs) are used extensively in biomedical and pharmacological applications. The main advantage of using FITC@ChNCs consists of the ability to track their fate both intra and extracellularly.

Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Chitosan Nanoparticles in Oral Drug Delivery Studies.

Oral administration of drugs is one of the most patient-friendly drug delivery routes. However, drug bioavailability via the oral route remains poor due to the harsh gastrointestinal environment. In recent years, many nanocarriers have been designed to overcome this limitation.

Cosm-nutraceutical nanovesicles for acne treatment: Physicochemical characterization and exploratory clinical experimentation.

The full exploration of the 'nutraceuticals' therapeutic potential in cosmetics has been hindered by their poor stratum corneum permeation. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to formulate a nutraceutical; quercetin, in novel vitamin C based nanovesicles (aspasomes), and to explore their beneficial effects in the treatment of acne. Aspasomes were characterized for their particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency (EE%), 3-months storage stability, skin deposition/permeation, antioxidant potential, and morphology.

Cocaine addicted to cytoskeletal change and a fibrosis high.

Cocaine is one of the most widely abused illicit drugs due to its euphoric and addictive properties. Cocaine-mediated cognitive impairments are the result of dynamic cytoskeletal rearrangements involved in mediating structural and behavioural plasticity. Cytoskeletal changes initiated following cocaine abuse are regulated by the Rho family of GTPases with significant downstream activity in key actin binding proteins.

Stainless steel with tailored porosity using canister-free hot isostatic pressing for improved osseointegration implants.

Porous biomedical implants hold great potential in preventing stress shielding while improving bone osseointegration and regeneration. In this paper, a novel approach is introduced to control the porosity of 316L stainless steel implants by using canister-free hot isostatic pressing (CF-HIPing). The proposed approach uses cold isostatic pressing (CIPing) to generate powder compacts with various particle sizes, followed by CF-HIPing.

Investigation of the mycobacterial enzyme HsaD as a potential novel target for anti-tubercular agents using a fragment-based drug design approach.

Background And Purpose: With the emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, there is a need for new anti-tubercular drugs that work through novel mechanisms of action. The meta cleavage product hydrolase, HsaD, has been demonstrated to be critical for the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages and is encoded in an operon involved in cholesterol catabolism, which is identical in M. tuberculosis and M.

GSTP1 and CYP2B6 Genetic Polymorphisms and the Risk of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Neonates.

 Antioxidant response plays a key role in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) pathogenesis. The glutathione-S-tranferases pi 1 (GSTP1) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) detoxification enzymes protect cells from oxidative damage. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the AG GSTP1 and GT CYP2B6 inactivating polymorphisms could be associated with BPD susceptibility.

Association of C609T-Inborn Polymorphism of NAD(P)H: Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 with the Risk of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Neonates.

Unlabelled: Objectives In bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), direct exposure to oxygen therapy can damage the pulmonary epithelium via oxidative stress. The

Nad(p)h: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) enzyme detoxifies genotoxic products of oxidative stress. The corresponding gene is subject to an inactivating single-nucleotide polymorphism (C(609)T), which reduces detoxifying ability.

Identification of novel members of the bacterial azoreductase family in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Azoreductases are a family of diverse enzymes found in many pathogenic bacteria as well as distant homologues being present in eukarya. In addition to having azoreductase activity, these enzymes are also suggested to have NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity which leads to a proposed role in plant pathogenesis. Azoreductases have also been suggested to play a role in the mammalian pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Identification of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase activity in azoreductases from P. aeruginosa: azoreductases and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductases belong to the same FMN-dependent superfamily of enzymes.

Water soluble quinones are a group of cytotoxic anti-bacterial compounds that are secreted by many species of plants, invertebrates, fungi and bacteria. Studies in a number of species have shown the importance of quinones in response to pathogenic bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas. Two electron reduction is an important mechanism of quinone detoxification as it generates the less toxic quinol.

Resveratrol 3-O-D-glucuronide and resveratrol 4'-O-D-glucuronide inhibit colon cancer cell growth: evidence for a role of A3 adenosine receptors, cyclin D1 depletion, and G1 cell cycle arrest.

Scope: Resveratrol is a plant-derived polyphenol with chemotherapeutic properties in animal cancer models and many biochemical effects in vitro. Its bioavailability is low and raises the possibility that the metabolites of resveratrol have biological effects. Here we investigate the actions of resveratrol 3-O-D-glucuronide, resveratrol 4-O-D-glucuronide, and resveratrol 3-O-Dsulfate on the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro.

Enteral L-arginine supplementation for prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight neonates: a double-blind randomized pilot study of efficacy and safety.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common acquired gastrointestinal disease in premature infants and has high mortality and morbidity. Endothelial nitric oxide is an important regulator of vascular perfusion and is synthetized from the amino acid L-arginine. Hypoargininemia is frequently observed in preterm neonates and may predispose them to NEC.

Oral L-arginine supplementation and faecal calprotectin levels in very low birth weight neonates.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the potential effect of oral L-arginine supplementation on intestinal inflammation in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates, as estimated by faecal calprotectin levels.

Study Design: The study enrolled 83 VLBW neonates with birth weight ≤1500 g and gestational age ≤34 weeks. In this double-blind study, 40 neonates received daily oral L-arginine supplementation of 1.