Development and Characterization of Novel Combinations and Compositions of Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Formulations Loaded with Trans-Resveratrol for Pulmonary Drug Delivery.

Background/objectives: This study aimed to fabricate, optimize, and characterize nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) loaded with trans-resveratrol (TRES) as an anti-cancer drug for pulmonary drug delivery using medical nebulizers.

Methods: Novel TRES-NLC formulations (F1-F24) were prepared via hot, high-pressure homogenization. One solid lipid (Dynasan 116) was combined with four liquid lipids (Capryol 90, Lauroglycol 90, Miglyol 810, and Tributyrin) in three different ratios (10:90, 50:50, and 90:10 /), with a surfactant (Tween 80) in two different concentrations (0.

Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of vamorolone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular disorder, often leading to wheelchair dependence by age 13 with limited treatment options, largely relying on glucocorticosteroids. We assessed the efficacy and safety of vamorolone, a modified synthetic corticosteroid, for DMD.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis using seven databases including prospective studies comparing vamorolone with glucocorticosteroids or placebo in DMD patients.

Identification of Pre-Heart Failure in Early Stages: The Role of Six Stages of Heart Failure.

Despite increased availability of effective drug therapy for treatment of heart failure (HF), the morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure (CHF) are unacceptably high. Therefore, there is an urgent need to ascertain new imaging techniques to identify early sub-clinical forms of cardiac dysfunctions, to guide early relevant treatment. It seems that all the behavioral risk factors-such as tobacco, alcoholism, Western-type diet, sedentary behavior and obesity, emotional disorders, and sleep disorder are associated with early cardiac dysfunction, which may be identified by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE).

Are assisted reproductive technology pregnancies more likely to be exposed to teratogenic medication? A whole-population study.

Background: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) pregnancies are at greater risk of birth defects than non-ART pregnancies. Teratogenic medication exposure is a potential cause of birth defects that has not been compared between ART and non-ART pregnancies.

Aims: To determine whether the prevalence of exposure to teratogenic medicines during pregnancy varies by conception method (ART and three non-ART groups: ovulation induction (OI), subfertile untreated, and fertile naturally conceiving).

REST-dependent glioma progression occurs independently of the repression of the long non-coding RNA HAR1A.

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), HAR1A is emerging as a putative tumour suppressor. In non-neoplastic brain cells, REST suppresses HAR1A expression. In gliomas REST acts as an oncogene and is a potential therapeutic target.

Amphotericin B Ocular Films for Fungal Keratitis and a Novel 3D-Printed Microfluidic Ocular Lens Infection Model.

Fungal keratitis (FK), a severe eye infection that leads to vision impairment and blindness, poses a high risk to contact lens users, and remains the most common underpinning fungal pathogen in temperate climates. Patients are initially treated empirically (econazole 1% drops hourly for 24-48 h), and if there is no response, amphotericin B (AmB) 0.15% eye drops (extemporaneously manufactured to be stable for a week) are the gold-standard treatment.

Taylor dispersion analysis as a tool for size measurement of PAMAM dendrimers: the effect of generation, functionality and pH.

Taylor Dispersion Analysis (TDA) is explored to measure the hydrodynamic sizes of full and half generation PAMAM dendrimers up to generation 4.5 in various buffer solutions. A method was used to minimize the interaction between the capillary and cationic dendrimers.

Heparin-azithromycin microparticles show anti-inflammatory effects and inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial pathogens associated to lung infections.

Pulmonary infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, a situation exacerbated by the COVID-19. Azithromycin (AZM) is used orally to treat pulmonary infections due to its ability to accumulate in lung tissues and immune cells after oral administration. Sulfated polysaccharides, such as heparin, are known to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 entry.

Prognostic factors and treatment choice for stage IV, low-volume metastasis hormone-sensitive prostate cancer: cross-sectional study of real-world data.

Background: Many metastatic prostate cancer prognostics have been suggested, but few are validated. Nodal metastasis burden and baseline biochemical characteristics are overlooked in the currently accepted stratifications for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) is likely to increase the incidence of pelvic nodal and mHSPC undetected by conventional scans.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications in Drug Discovery and Drug Delivery: Revolutionizing Personalized Medicine.

Artificial intelligence (AI) encompasses a broad spectrum of techniques that have been utilized by pharmaceutical companies for decades, including machine learning, deep learning, and other advanced computational methods. These innovations have unlocked unprecedented opportunities for the acceleration of drug discovery and delivery, the optimization of treatment regimens, and the improvement of patient outcomes. AI is swiftly transforming the pharmaceutical industry, revolutionizing everything from drug development and discovery to personalized medicine, including target identification and validation, selection of excipients, prediction of the synthetic route, supply chain optimization, monitoring during continuous manufacturing processes, or predictive maintenance, among others.

Engineering 3D Printed Gummies Loaded with Metformin for Paediatric Use.

In today's pharmaceutical landscape, there's an urgent need to develop new drug delivery systems that are appealing and effective in ensuring therapeutic adherence, particularly among paediatric patients. The advent of 3D printing in medicine is revolutionizing this space by enabling the creation of precise, customizable, and visually appealing dosage forms. In this study, we produced 250 mg metformin paediatric gummies based on the semi-solid extrusion (SSE) 3D printing technique.

A multifaceted approach to investigate interactions of thifluzamide with haemoglobin.

This study explores the interaction between the pesticide thifluzamide (TF) and haemoglobin (Hb) to understand potential structural changes that might affect Hb's function. Using a combination of UV-Visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and electrochemical methods, we investigated these interactions in detail. Spectroscopy results indicated the formation of a stable TF-Hb complex, with a binding constant of 6.

Magnetic nanoparticle-facilitated rapid mass production of high affinity polymeric materials (nanoMIPs) for protein recognition and biosensing.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been investigated extensively for broad applications in diagnostics, imaging and therapeutics due to their antibody-like specificity, high stability, and low-cost and rapid production when compared with biological antibodies. Yet, their wide-scale adoption and commercial viability are limited due to low yields and relatively lengthy preparations of current methods. We report the novel application of protein-functionalised magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to enable the rapid mass production of nanoMIPs for protein recognition.

Bioavailability and interactions of schisandrin B with 5-fluorouracil in a xenograft mouse model of colorectal cancer.

Schisandrin B (Sch B) is a predominant bioactive lignan from the fruit of a Chinese medicine food homology plant, Schisandra chinensis. Previously, we observed potent anti-tumor effect of Sch-B in colorectal cancer (CRC) and enhanced chemotherapy efficacy with fluorouracil (5-FU). However, their bioavailability and reciprocal interactions under CRC conditions are unclear.

Applying whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing in breast cancer: a review of the landscape.

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and whole-exome sequencing (WES) are crucial within the context of breast cancer (BC) research. They play a role in the detection of predisposed genes, risk stratification, and identification of rare single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These technologies aid in the discovery of associations between various syndromes and BC, understanding the tumour microenvironment (TME), and even identifying unknown mutations that could be useful in future for personalised treatments.

Anticancer drug delivery: Investigating the impacts of viscosity on lipid-based formulations for pulmonary targeting.

Pulmonary drug delivery via aerosolization is a non-intrusive method for achieving localized and systemic effects. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of viscosity as a novel aspect (i.e.

Respiratory Pathogens at Exacerbation in Chronic Bronchitis With Airway Bacterial Colonisation: A Cohort Study.

Background And Objective: COPD and bronchiectasis are common causes of morbidity, particularly around exacerbation. Colonisation with respiratory pathogens can increase the frequency and severity of exacerbations. However, bacterial and viral presence at exacerbation in people with airway colonisation has not been well studied.