Melittin: a possible regulator of cancer proliferation in preclinical cell culture and animal models.

Background: Melittin is a water-soluble cationic peptide derived from bee venom that has been thoroughly studied for the cure of different cancers. However, the unwanted interactions of melittin produce hemolytic and cytotoxic effects that hinder their therapeutic applications. To overcome the shortcomings, numerous research groups have adopted different approaches, including conjugation with tumor-targeting proteins, gene therapy, and encapsulation in nanoparticles, to reduce the non-specific cytotoxic effects and potentiate their anti-cancerous activity.

Prospects of earthworm coelomic fluid as a potential therapeutic agent to treat cancer.

Cancer is a major public health concern because it is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. As a result, numerous studies have reported the development of new therapeutic compounds with the aim of selectively treating cancer while having little negative influence on healthy cells. In this context, earthworm coelomic fluid has been acknowledged as a rich source of several bioactive substances that may exhibit promising anticancer activity.

Variations in Primary Molar Contact and Approximal Caries in Children: A Three-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

To evaluate the association between the contact areas of primary molar teeth and approximal caries after three years of observation. This prospective cohort study included 1,119 caries-free children, aged three to four years, from Puducherry, India. At base- line, 4,476 contacts were assessed using the OXIS criteria, which denotes O for open contact and X, I, and S for closed contacts.

Knowledge of Human Monkeypox Infection among Final Year Medical, Pharmacy, and Nursing Students: A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional Analysis from Pakistan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency in June 2022. In Pakistan, positive cases of monkeypox were reported in April 2023. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are considered as a front-line force to combat such outbreaks.

Estimated indirect costs of haemodialysis versus peritoneal dialysis from a patients' perspective at an Academic Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa.

In South Africa (SA), patients with kidney failure can be on either haemodialysis (HD), which is performed by a healthcare professional in a hospital thrice weekly; or peritoneal dialysis (PD), which can performed daily at home. There needs to be more studies within the South African healthcare sector on the cost of kidney failure and especially the indirect costs associated with patients being on dialysis to provide future guidance. This study aimed to determine and compare the indirect costs associated with HD and PD from the patients' perspective at an Academic Hospital in Pretoria.

Insights Into Metformin XR Pharmacotherapy Knowledge Among Community Pharmacists: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: There is a little knowledge on the extent to which healthcare providers understand and accept the professional recommendations and appropriate dosing strategy regarding metformin XR.

Objectives: To evaluate UAE community pharmacists' knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) concerning metformin XR.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional research study conducted amongst licensed community pharmacists.

A computational biology approach to identify potential protein biomarkers and drug targets for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. The sporadic ALS (sALS) is a multigenic disorder and the complex mechanisms underlying its onset are still not fully delineated. Despite the recent scientific advancements, certain aspects of ALS pathogenic targets need to be yet clarified.

Comprehensive Insights into Biological Roles of Rosmarinic Acid: Implications in Diabetes, Cancer and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Phytochemicals are abundantly occurring natural compounds extracted from plant sources. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is an abundant phytochemical of species with various therapeutic implications for human health. In recent years, natural compounds have gained significant attention as adjuvant and complementary therapies to existing medications for various diseases.

Mechanistic insights into MARK4 inhibition by galantamine toward therapeutic targeting of Alzheimer's disease.

Hyperphosphorylation of tau is an important event in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, leading to the generation of "neurofibrillary tangles," a histopathological hallmark associated with the onset of AD and related tauopathies. Microtubule-affinity regulating kinase 4 (MARK4) is an evolutionarily conserved Ser-Thr (S/T) kinase that phosphorylates tau and microtubule-associated proteins, thus playing a critical role in AD pathology. The uncontrolled neuronal migration is attributed to overexpressed MARK4, leading to disruption in microtubule dynamics.

Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of Ketoprofen and Diclofenac Transdermal Patches with Oral Diclofenac Tablet on Postoperative Endodontic Pain- A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Evaluate the efficacy of transdermal patches containing ketoprofen and diclofenac sodium compared to oral diclofenac tablets in reducing post-endodontic pain after single-visit root canal therapy for teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.

Methods: A total of 78 eligible participants with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and preoperative VAS scores of 4 or above were enrolled after obtaining ethical approval (SVIEC/ON/DENT/SRP/22064) and CTRI registration (CTRI/2022/07/044231). Exclusion criteria included pregnancy, lactation, fractured/cracked teeth, developmental anomalies, tooth pathology, or ongoing analgesic/NSAID use.

Optimization and Characterization of a Novel Antioxidant Naringenin-Loaded Hydrogel for Encouraging Re-Epithelization in Chronic Diabetic Wounds: A Preclinical Study.

Nonhealed wounds are one of the most dangerous side effects of type-2 diabetes, which is linked to a high frequency of bacterial infections around the globe that eventually results in amputation of limbs. The present investigation aimed to explore the drug-loaded (naringenin) hydrogel system for chronic wound healing. The hydrogel membranes comprising Na-alginate with F-127 and poly(vinyl alcohol) were developed to treat chronic wounds using the quality-by-design (QbD) approach.

Factors influencing community pharmacists' knowledge about women's issues in epilepsy.

Background: Previous studies have highlighted instances where pharmacists lacked knowledge regarding women's health issues related to epilepsy.

Objectives: To assess UAE community pharmacists' knowledge, toward women's issues in epilepsy.

Methods: a cross-sectional research method was employed.

A Comparative Study of Condylar Bone Pathology in Patients with and without Temporomandibular Joint Disorders Using Orthopantomography.

This study aimed to compare condylar bony pathology in patients with and without temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) using orthopantomography at Ajman University dental clinics between 2017 and 2021. Patient data from the Ajman University archives were collected after obtaining ethical approval. OPG (orthopantomogram) views were evaluated for potential TMJ pathology.

Community pharmacists' perspectives on cardiovascular disease pharmaceutical care in the United Arab Emirates: a questionnaire survey-based analysis.

Community pharmacists play an intermediary role between prescribing physicians and patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and thus are responsible for ensuring that patients receive optimal cardiovascular disease (CVD) pharmaceutical care. we used a cross-sectional design to assess the perceptions and practices of community pharmacists concerning pharmaceutical care for patients with CVD. A trained researcher visited randomly selected community pharmacies and used a structured questionnaire to conduct in-person interviews with pharmacists.

Identifying β-secretase 1 (BACE1) inhibitors from plant-based compounds: an approach targeting Alzheimer's therapeutics employing molecular docking and dynamics simulation.

β-secretase 1 (BACE1) is an enzyme that is involved in generating beta-amyloid peptides and is believed to have a significant role in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, BACE1 has gained attention as a potential therapeutic target for treating AD. Modern drug discovery studies are being conducted to identify potential inhibitors of BACE1, with the goal of reducing the production of beta-amyloid peptides and, thus, slowing the progression of AD.

Community pharmacists' skills and practice regarding dispensing fiscalized substances: a cross-sectional survey.

The use of drugs containing fiscalized substances is essential in different medical areas, including pain management, obstetric emergencies, and the treatment of mental disorders. However, due to their potential for abuse and negative health effects, the dispensing of these substances demands pharmacists with the requisite skills and practice. This study assesses the skills and practices of pharmacy personnel in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding the dispensing of tramadol, a medication containing fiscalized substances, in community pharmacies.

Structure-Based Identification of Natural Compounds as Potential RET-Kinase Inhibitors for Therapeutic Targeting of Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Background: Tyrosine-protein kinase receptor Ret (RET), a proto-oncogene, is considered as an attractive drug target for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objective: We aimed to identify potential inhibitors of RET kinase among natural compounds present in the ZINC database.

Methods: A multistep structure-based virtual screening approach was used to identify potential RET kinase inhibitors based on their binding affinities, docking scores, and interactions with the biologically important residues of RET kinase.

Comparison of conventional preparation with modified access preparation on fracture resistance of primary molars - A finite element analysis.

Objective: To investigate the influence of Conventional Straight (CS) line and Modified Straight (MS) line access preparations with various restorative materials on the fracture resistance of primary molars using Finite Element Analysis (FEA).

Methodology: Three FEA models for each of the primary molars were divided into Group I- Intact tooth model; Group II- Model with CS outline and Group III- Model with MS outline. Based on the restorative material used, Group II and III were further subdivided into subgroup 1- GIC restoration, subgroup 2 - composite resin with GIC base and subgroup 3- Stainless Steel Crown (SSC).

Smart nano-sized extracellular vesicles for cancer therapy: Potential theranostic applications in gastrointestinal tumors.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained tremendous interest in the search for next-generation therapeutics for the treatment of a range of pathologies, including cancer, especially due to their small size, biomolecular cargo, ability to mediate intercellular communication, high physicochemical stability, low immunogenicity and biocompatibility. The theranostic potential of EVs have been enhanced by adopting several strategies such as genetic or metabolic engineering, parental cell modification or direct functionalization to incorporate therapeutic compounds into these nanoplatforms. The smart nano-sized EVs indeed offer huge opportunities in the field of cancer, and current research is set at overcoming the existing pitfalls.

Neuroprotection by agmatine: Possible involvement of the gut microbiome?

Agmatine, an endogenous polyamine derived from L-arginine, elicits tremendous multimodal neuromodulant properties. Alterations in agmatinergic signalling are closely linked to the pathogeneses of several brain disorders. Importantly, exogenous agmatine has been shown to act as a potent neuroprotectant in varied pathologies, including brain ageing and associated comorbidities.

Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance among Pilgrims with Infectious Diseases during Hajj: Lessons Learnt from COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hajj pilgrimage is a large mass gathering global event that may facilitate the spread and emergence of various infectious diseases as well as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a local and global scenario. Planning and preparing for these public health issues is a challenging and complex process for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) health authorities. Despite multiple efforts for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases through longtime funding in education and medical care, the prevalence of infectious disease is still high among Hajj pilgrims.

Knowledge, Practices, and Nasal Carriage Rate of MRSA Amongst Dental Professionals.

Objective: Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) against common antibiotics has been increasing given the rampant use of antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant S.