Assessment of Osteoprotegerin and Receptor Activator of Nf-Κb Ligand in Malaysian Male Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Limited information exists regarding the pathophysiological interactions between osteoporosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective: To study the association of Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) in male COPD patients. Methods: An observational clinical study was conducted at Penang General Hospital in Malaysia.

Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Nonsteroidal Tricyclic Ligands as Modulators of GABA Receptors.

GABA receptors (GABARs) are the major elements of inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS). They are established targets for regulation by endogenous brain neuroactive steroids (NASs) such as pregnanolone. However, the complexity of de novo synthesis of NAS derivatives has hindered attempts to circumvent the principal limitations of using endogenous NASs, including selectivity and limited oral bioavailability.

Plant-derived Pembrolizumab in conjugation with IL-15Rα-IL-15 complex shows effective anti-tumor activity.

Anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have proven to be effective in treating various cancers, including colorectal, lung, and melanoma. Despite their clinical success, some patients develop resistance to mAbs, requiring co-treatments with radio- or chemotherapy. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is an immunostimulatory cytokine that promotes immune cell production and proliferation.

Mycotoxin exposure through the consumption of processed cereal food for children (< 5 years old) from rural households of Oshana, a region of Namibia.

Mycotoxin exposure from contaminated food is a significant global health issue, particularly among vulnerable children. Given limited data on mycotoxin exposure among Namibian children, this study investigated mycotoxin types and levels in foods, evaluated dietary mycotoxin exposure from processed cereal foods in children under age five from rural households in Oshana region, Namibia. Mycotoxins in cereal-based food samples (n = 162) (mahangu flour (n = 35), sorghum flour (n = 13), mahangu thin/thick porridge (n = 54), oshikundu (n = 56), and omungome (n = 4)) were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The effects of bone marrow humoral components of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients on natural killer cell suppression.

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in children. While the majority of patients survive with conventional treatment, chemotherapeutic agents have adverse effects and the potential for relapse persists even after full recovery. Given their pivotal function in anti-cancer immunity, there has been a surge in research exploring the potential of natural killer (NK) cells in immunotherapy, which has emerged as a promising avenue for treating leukemia.

Exploring the neuroprotective benefits of phytochemicals extracted from indigenous edible fruits in Bangladesh.

The increasing incidence of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and the constraints of existing treatment methods have spurred a keen interest in investigating alternative therapies. Medicinal plants, renowned for their long-standing use in traditional medicine, offer a hopeful avenue for discovering new neuroprotective agents. This study emphasizes the potential neuroprotective characteristics of edible fruit plants in Bangladesh, specifically focusing on their traditional folk medicine uses for neurological disorders.

Polyphenols as Wnt/β-catenin pathway modulators: A promising strategy in clinical neurodegeneration.

Polyphenols, a diverse group of naturally occurring compounds found in plants, have garnered significant attention for their potential therapeutic properties in treating neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). The Wnt/β-catenin (WβC) signaling pathway, a crucial player in neurogenesis, neuronal survival, and synaptic plasticity, is involved in several cellular mechanisms related to NDs. Dysregulation of this pathway is a hallmark in the development of various NDs.

Effects of tryptophan-selective lipidated GLP-1 peptides on the GLP-1 receptor.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are widely used as antidiabetic and anti-obesity agents. Although conventional GLP-1 RAs such as liraglutide and semaglutide are acylated with fatty acids to delay their degradation by dipeptidylpeptidase-4 (DPP-4), the manufacturing process is challenging. We previously developed selectively lipidated GLP-1 peptides at their only tryptophan residue (peptide A having one 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoic acid (miniPEG) linker and peptide B having three miniPEG linkers).

Respiratory delivered vaccines: Current status and perspectives in rational formulation design.

The respiratory tract is susceptible to various infections and can be affected by many serious diseases. Vaccination is one of the most promising ways that prevent infectious diseases and treatment of some diseases such as malignancy. Direct delivery of vaccines to the respiratory tract could mimic the natural process of infection and shorten the delivery path, therefore unique mucosal immunity at the first line might be induced and the efficiency of delivery can be high.

Electronic and magnetic properties of GeP monolayer modulated by Ge vacancies and doping with Mn and Fe transition metals.

In this work, Ge vacancies and doping with transition metals (Mn and Fe) are proposed to modulate the electronic and magnetic properties of GeP monolayers. A pristine GeP monolayer is a non-magnetic two-dimensional (2D) material, exhibiting indirect gap semiconductor behavior with an energy gap of 1.34(2.

Photo-curing hyaluronic acid-Janus antibacterial packs as O generator precisely modulate the infectious microenvironment for antibiotic-free periodontal therapy.

Periodontal disease stands the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. While scaling and root planning is considered the "gold standard" treatment, it is often insufficient in efficiently eliminating anaerobic bacteria from deep periodontal pockets. In this work, an antibiotic-free and photo-curing hyaluronic acid-Janus (H-Janus) antibacterial pack was developed to inhibit the growth and colonization of residual bacteria within the pockets for reducing the recurrence of periodontitis.

Comparison of 4-factor fixed dose versus 4-factor weight-based dose prothrombin complex concentrate for emergent warfarin reversal: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy, safety, time to INR reversal, total volume of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) administered of fixed-dose versus weight-based dosing strategies in patients requiring urgent warfarin reversal, with specific focus on clinical outcomes such as hemostatic efficacy, thromboembolic events, and mortality rates.

Methods: A comprehensive systematic review was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases from inception through October 2023. We searched for randomized clinical trials or observational studies that compared efficacy or safety outcomes of fixed-dose vs.

Pyrazoline Derivatives: Exploring the Synthesis and Development of New Ligands for Anti-Cancer Therapy.

Pyrazoline is a 5-membered ring that has two adjacent nitrogen. It has gained advanced attention from medical and organic chemists due to very low cytotoxic activities. It is applicable and more applied in research fields and has various pharmacological activities, including cardiovascular, anti-tumor, and anti-cancer properties.

Electrically Active Biomaterials for Stimulation and Regeneration in Tissue Engineering.

In the human body, bioelectric cues are crucial for tissue stimulation and regeneration. Electrical stimulation (ES) significantly enhances the regeneration of nerves, bones, cardiovascular tissues, and wounds. However, the use of conventional devices with stimulating metal electrodes is invasive and requires external batteries.

Individual Assembly of Radical Molecules on Superconductors: Demonstrating Quantum Spin Behavior and Bistable Charge Rearrangement.

High-precision molecular manipulation techniques are used to control the distance between radical molecules on superconductors. Our results show that the molecules can host single electrons with a spin 1/2. By changing the distance between tip and sample, a quantum phase transition from the singlet to doublet ground state can be induced.

Incremental cost of treating antimicrobial-resistant infections among hospitalised patients in India: a cohort study.

Background: Accurate estimates of incremental cost (IC) attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) provide information of immense public health importance to the policy makers. Here, we present the IC from patient perspective for treating antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in India.

Methods: This cohort study was conducted in eight hospitals including government (GH), private (PH) and trust hospitals (TH), considering their ownership, geographical location and categories of cities.

Eco-Friendly and Green Biochar Sorbent-Extraction Techniques for Pharmaceuticals, Environmental, and Food Analysis-A Review.

The most important aspect of sorbent-based approaches is the use of a sustainable, readily available, and cost-effective sorbent material for sample analysis. Biochar is an emerging and prominent sorbent material for various applications in sorbent-based techniques due to its availability, affordability, eco-friendly nature, porosity, pore structure, abundance of aliphatic and aromatic carbon structures, and abundant oxygen-containing functional groups. On the basis of the numerous benefits of biochar, this review discusses why biochar is the preferred sorbent in sorptive-based techniques.

Harnessing the tumor microenvironment: targeted cancer therapies through modulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is integral to cancer progression, impacting metastasis and treatment response. It consists of diverse cell types, extracellular matrix components, and signaling molecules that interact to promote tumor growth and therapeutic resistance. Elucidating the intricate interactions between cancer cells and the TME is crucial in understanding cancer progression and therapeutic challenges.

Bridging the gap: understanding the perspective of healthcare professional students towards precision medicine in a Nigerian tertiary institution (a cross-sectional study).

Background: Individuals often respond differently to medications, giving rise to the field of precision medicine (PM), which focuses on tailoring treatments to individual genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. This study examined the level of comfort healthcare professional students have with their knowledge of precision medicine, alongside their attitudes and perceptions toward precision medicine, at a tertiary institution in Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among healthcare professional students (400-600 level) at the University of Nigeria Nsukka between January and March 2024.

Preclinical and First-in-Human Study of a Compact Radionuclide Labeled Self-Assembly Nanomedicine for Chemo-Radio-Theranostics of Cancer.

The emerging combination of chemotherapy and radionuclide therapy has been actively investigated to overcome the limitations of monotherapy and augment therapeutic efficacy. However, it remains a challenge to design a single delivery vehicle that can incorporate chemotherapeutics and radionuclides into a compact structure. Here, a chelator DOTA- or NOTA-modified Evans blue conjugated camptothecin molecule (EB-CPT) nanoprodrug was synthesized, which could self-assemble into nanoparticles due to its inherent amphiphilicity.

A Prototype of Ultrasensitive Time-Resolved Fluoroimmunoassay with Enhanced Fluorescence System for the Trace Determination of Urinary 8-Hydroxy-2`-Deoxyguanosine, the DNA Oxidative Stress Biomarker.

This study presents a new highly sensitive and specific time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) for the measurement of trace amounts of the urinary 8-hydroxy-2`-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) which is a biomarker for oxidative stress on DNA. The assay relied on a competitive binding approach and a mouse monoclonal antibody which recognized 8-OHdG with high specificity. In this assay, 8-OHdG conjugated with bovine serum albumin protein (8-OHdG-BSA) was employed as a solid phase antigen.

Anthocyanins from a new hybrid sweet potato peel cultivated in Northern Thailand mitigate LPS-induced inflammation and RANKL-induced osteoporosis by regulating ROS-mediated pathways.

Maejo 341 Sweet potato (MSP) is a new purple sweet potato variety cultivated in Northern Thailand, but its health benefits are unknown. This study aimed to investigate its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-osteoporotic activities, as well as its anthocyanin content. The peel and flesh of MSP were extracted with ethanol and water.

Substituted piperazine conjugated to quinoline-thiosemicarbazide as potent α-glucosidase inhibitors to target hyperglycemia.

Diabetes mellitus, particularly type 2 diabetes, is a growing global health challenge characterized by chronic hyperglycemia due to insulin resistance. One therapeutic approach to managing this condition is the inhibition of α-glucosidase, an enzyme involved in carbohydrate digestion, to reduce postprandial blood glucose levels. In this study, a series of thiosemicarbazide-linked quinoline-piperazine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, to identify new agents for type 2 diabetes management.

Dysregulated autoantibodies targeting AGTR1 are associated with the accumulation of COVID-19 symptoms.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents a wide spectrum of symptoms, the causes of which remain poorly understood. This study explored the associations between autoantibodies (AABs), particularly those targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and renin‒angiotensin system (RAS) molecules, and the clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Using a cross-sectional analysis of 244 individuals, we applied multivariate analysis of variance, principal component analysis, and multinomial regression to examine the relationships between AAB levels and key symptoms.