Bridging the gap: From petri dish to patient - Advancements in translational drug discovery.

Translational research serves as the bridge between basic research and practical applications in clinical settings. The journey from "bench to bedside" is fraught with challenges and complexities such as the often-observed disparity between how compounds behave in a laboratory setting versus in the complex systems of living organisms. The challenge is further compounded by the limited ability of in vitro models to mimic the specific biochemical environment of human tissues.

Preparation, antioxidant, antibacterial, and in vivo evaluation of pomegranate flower extract nanofibers based on thiolated chitosan and thiolated gelatin for treating aphthous stomatitis.

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common condition that manifests as ulcerative lesions in the oral mucosa. In this study, bilayer, mucoadhesive nanofibers loaded with pomegranate flower extract (PFE) were prepared using thiolated gelatin (TGel) and thiolated chitosan (TCS) as the active layer and drug-free polycaprolactone (PCL) as the backing layer. Gelatin (Gel) and chitosan (CS) were successfully thiolated (proven by Ellman's assay, solubility, H NMR, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and XRD) and electrospun into active nanofibrous layers with a diameter of 356.

Effect of ultrasound on the physical, biochemical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of industrial Iranian honey.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ultrasound at two different frequencies, namely 30 kHz and 42 kHz, on various aspects of industrial Iranian honey, including its physical, biochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Samples were subjected to ultrasound treatment at 30 kHz or 42 kHz for a duration of 1, 5 or 10 minutes at temperatures of 20 °C or 45 °C, respectively. The following parameters were then evaluated on days 1, 30, 90, and 180: HMF content, pH, acidity, proline concentration, total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, diastase activity, moisture content, sucrose concentration, fructose concentration, glucose concentration, fructose- glucose ratio, ABTS (antioxidant activity) content, number of osmophiles, phenol concentration, reducing sugar concentration and total sugar concentration.

Right ventricular outflow tract stenting in children with tetralogy of Fallot beyond one year of age: indications and immediate outcomes.

Introduction: Right ventricular outflow tract stenting has emerged as a key palliative intervention for infants with tetralogy of Fallot who are not suitable candidates for complete repair. Although the Blalock-Taussig shunt remains the standard palliative approach for tetralogy of Fallot patients over one year of age, the potential of right ventricular outflow tract stenting in this older age group has not been widely explored. In this study, we present our experience with right ventricular outflow tract stenting in children beyond one year of age.

Circadian rhythms and cancer: implications for timing in therapy.

Circadian rhythms, intrinsic cycles spanning approximately 24 h, regulate numerous physiological processes, including sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, and metabolism. These rhythms are orchestrated by the circadian clock, primarily located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Disruptions in circadian rhythms, whether due to genetic mutations, environmental factors, or lifestyle choices, can significantly impact health, contributing to disorders such as sleep disturbances, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases.

Periodontal and Caries Status in Relation to Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior of Medical and Dental Students in Taxila, Pakistan.

Background The importance of oral health in general well-being is widely acknowledged. It is expected that students belonging to dental and medical fields maintain a strong awareness of oral health and participate in public oral health awareness and initiatives, particularly in low-income nations such as Pakistan. Objectives The objective of the study was to assess the relation of periodontal status and dental caries status of medical and dental students in Taxila, Pakistan, with their oral health knowledge, attitude, and behavior.

How is health equity considered in policy evaluations employing quasi-experimental methods? A scoping review and content analysis.

Public health researchers employ quasi-experimental methods (QEM) to evaluate the effects of policies. Whilst some policies are designed to improve (health) equity, others may intentionally or unintentionally have detrimental effects on disadvantaged populations. We thus sought to investigate how health equity is addressed in policy evaluations which employ QEM.

Toxic Dye Degradation Employing Phoenix dactylifera Seed Extract for the Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles: Characterization and Application.

This research highlights the facile green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Phoenix dactylifera seed extracts and its photocatalytic application for the degradation of toxic dyes. The AgNPs synthesis was confirmed by the appearance of its representative absorption peak at 416 nm in UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Moreover, the reduction of silver ions to Ag was justified through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

Novel Single Perovskite Material for Visible-Light Photocatalytic CO Reduction via Joint Experimental and DFT Study.

Developing advanced and economically viable technologies for the capture and utilization of carbon dioxide (CO) is crucial for sustainable energy production from fossil fuels. Converting CO into valuable chemicals and fuels is a promising approach to mitigate atmospheric CO levels. Among various methods, photocatalytic reduction stands out for its potential to reduce emissions and produce useful products.

Attention-based Imputation of Missing Values in Electronic Health Records Tabular Data.

The imputation of missing values (IMV) in electronic health records tabular data is crucial to enable machine learning for patient-specific predictive modeling. While IMV methods are developed in biostatistics and recently in machine learning, deep learning-based solutions have shown limited success in learning tabular data. This paper proposes a novel attention-based missing value imputation framework that learns to reconstruct data with missing values leveraging between-feature (self-attention) or between-sample attentions.

Envisioning Glucose Transporters (GLUTs and SGLTs) as Novel Intervention against Cancer: Drug Discovery Perspective and Targeting Approach.

Metabolic reprogramming and altered cellular energetics have been recently established as an important cancer hallmark. The modulation of glucose metabolism is one of the important characteristic features of metabolic reprogramming in cancer. It contributes to oncogenic progression by supporting the increased biosynthetic and bio-energetic demands of tumor cells.

The Appropriateness of Empirical Uses of Antibiotics Based on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Results for Inpatients at a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

The optimal use of antibiotics represents a cornerstone in controlling antibiotic resistance. Strategies such as antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) have been developed to influence the rational use of antibiotics. This study evaluated the appropriateness of the empirical use of antibiotics based on antibiotic susceptibility results with the aim of participating effectively in improving local ASPs.

Phytochemicals and Nanotechnology: A Powerful Combination against Breast Cancer.

Considerable advancements have been made in breast cancer therapeutics in the past few decades. However, the advent of chemo-resistance and adverse drug reactions coupled with tumor metastasis and recurrence posed a serious threat to combat this lethal disease. Novel anti-cancer agents, as well as new therapeutic strategies, are needed to complement conventional breast cancer therapies.

Tirzepatide: unveiling a new dawn in dual-targeted diabetes and obesity management.

Introduction: Incretin-based therapies have emerged as effective treatments for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. However, not all patients achieve optimal outcomes with existing treatments, highlighting the need for more effective solutions.

Areas Covered: We present a comprehensive evaluation of Tirzepatide (TZP), a novel dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide/glucagon-like peptide-1 (GIP/GLP-1) receptor agonist, for managing obesity and T2D.

Treatment patterns and factors associated with discontinuation of monoclonal antibodies.

Background: Biological agents have revolutionized care in specialties such as oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, and genetic disorders, offering targeted actions on specific molecules or select immune cells. Monoclonal antibodies, known for their high specificity and precision, represent one of the most significant and rapidly expanding categories of these agents. Understanding the drug utilization patterns of monoclonal antibodies is crucial to ensure their optimal use, especially given their high cost and potential adverse effects.

A standardized extract shows improvements in knee osteoarthritis within five days-a double-blind, randomized, three-arm, parallel-group, multi-center, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Boswellin Super is a standardized extract of Roxb gum resin, standardized to contain 30% 3-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid along with other β-boswellic acids (BSE). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted at two doses of BSE to understand its safety and efficacy in supporting joint health and improving mobility and symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Methods: Based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 105 newly diagnosed participants with degenerative hypertrophy OA were recruited and randomized into Placebo, BSE-150 mg or BSE-300 mg (n = 35 in each group) to receive either 150 mg or 300 mg BSE or a placebo tablet twice a day for 90 days.

Strengthening an Intramolecular Non-Classical Hydrogen Bond to Get in Shape for Binding.

In this research article, we report on the strengthening of a non-classical hydrogen bond (C-H⋅⋅⋅O) by introducing electron withdrawing groups at the carbon atom. The approach is demonstrated on the example of derivatives of the physiological E-selectin ligand sialyl Lewis (1, sLe). Its affinity is mainly due to a beneficial entropy term, which is predominantly caused by the pre-organization of sLe in its binding conformation.

Correction: Firoozi et al. A Cell-Free SDKP-Conjugated Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogel Sufficient for Improvement of Myocardial Infarction. 2020, , 205.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...

Deep Clustering of Electronic Health Records Tabular Data for Clinical Interpretation.

Machine learning applications are widespread due to straightforward supervised learning of known data labels. Many data samples in real-world scenarios, including medicine, are unlabeled because data annotation can be time-consuming and error-prone. The application and evaluation of unsupervised clustering methods are not trivial and are limited to traditional methods (e.

Metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer: A new therapeutic strategy.

Cancer metabolism is now a key area for therapeutic intervention, targeting unique metabolic reprogramming crucial for tumor growth and survival. This article reviews the therapeutic potential of addressing metabolic vulnerabilities through glycolysis and glutaminase inhibitors, which disrupt cancer cell metabolism. Challenges such as tumor heterogeneity and adaptive resistance are discussed, with strategies including personalized medicine and predictive biomarkers to enhance treatment efficacy.

Development of topical silver nano gel formulation of Bixin: Characterization, and evaluation of anticancer activity.

Objective: Skin cancer refers to the pathological condition characterized by the proliferation of atypical skin cells in an uncontrolled manner. Plant-based products such as bixin although show promising anticancer properties, but maintaining their stability in a formulation is a difficult task. The objective of the research is to formulate a silver nanoparticle gel preparation of bixin and evaluate its anticancer properties.

Antidepressant prescription patterns and polypharmacy in outpatient psychiatry: a cross-sectional study.

Prescription patterns of antidepressants have changed over the years with a shift towards newer antidepressants with better tolerability and safety. Polypharmacy is common in psychiatry settings. The study aimed to evaluate the antidepressant drug prescription pattern and polypharmacy in a psychiatry outpatient setting.