Flavonoids and Alzheimer's disease: reviewing the evidence for neuroprotective potential.

Neurodegeneration, which manifests as several chronic and incurable diseases, is an age-related condition that affects the central nervous system (CNS) and poses a significant threat to the public's health for the elderly. Recent decades have experienced an alarming increase in the incidence of neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs), a severe public health issue due to the ongoing development of people living in modern civilizations. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading trigger of age-related dementia.

Natural products as non-covalent and covalent modulators of the KEAP1/NRF2 pathway exerting antioxidant effects.

By controlling several antioxidant and detoxifying genes at the transcriptional level, including NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs), UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) and modifier (GCLM) subunits, glutathione S-transferase (GST), sulfiredoxin1 (SRXN1), and heme-oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), the KEAP1/NRF2 pathway plays a crucial role in the oxidative stress response. Accordingly, the discovery of modulators of this pathway, activating cellular signaling through NRF2, and targeting the antioxidant response element (ARE) genes is pivotal for the development of effective antioxidant agents. In this context, natural products could represent promising drug candidates for supplementation to provide antioxidant capacity to human cells.

Functional outcomes for speech-in-noise intelligibility of NAL-NL2 and DSL v.5 prescriptive fitting rules in hearing aid users.

Purpose: The primary aim of this research study is to assess whether differences exist in the application of the NAL-NL2 and DSL v.5 prescription formulas in terms of speech-in-noise intelligibility.

Methods: Data from 43 patients, were retrospectively evaluated and analyzed.

Barriers to and Facilitators for Accessing HPV Vaccination in Migrant and Refugee Populations: A Systematic Review.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted virus globally and a primary cause of cervical cancer, which ranks fourth among tumors in both incidence and mortality. Despite the availability of effective vaccines worldwide, HPV vaccination rates vary, especially among migrant and refugee populations. Indeed, migrant status may act as a determinant against accessing vaccinations, among many other factors.

Hybrid Green Materials Obtained by PCL Melt Blending with Diatomaceous Earth.

In this work, diatomaceous earth (Diat) was explored as filler for polycaprolactone (PCL) to obtain composite green materials with promising viscoelastic and thermal properties. The composites were prepared by blending variable Diat amounts (5, 15 and 50 wt%) with a molten PCL matrix. The viscoelastic characteristics of PCL/Diat hybrids were studied by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) under an oscillatory regime, while the thermal properties were determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA).

Glucose Uptake-Stimulating Metabolites from Aerial Parts of .

A comprehensive phytochemical investigation of aerial parts obtained from L. led to the isolation of 14 terpenoids (-) and nine polyphenols (-). The sesquiterpenoid group (-) included three structural families, namely, elemanolides (-), eudesmanolides ( and ), and germacranolides (-) with four unreported secondary metabolites (-), whose structure has been determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D/2D NMR, HR-MS, and chemical conversion.

Indicaxanthin prevents eryptosis induced by cigarette smoke extract by interfering with active Fas-mediated signaling.

A physiological mechanism of programmed cell death called eryptosis occurs in aged or damaged red blood cells (RBCs). Dysregulated eryptosis contributes to abnormal microcirculation and prothrombotic risk. Cigarette smoke extract (CSE) induces a p38 MAPK-initiated, Fas-mediated eryptosis, activating the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC).

Hermitian and non-Hermitian topology from photon-mediated interactions.

As light can mediate interactions between atoms in a photonic environment, engineering it for endowing the photon-mediated Hamiltonian with desired features, like robustness against disorder, is crucial in quantum research. We provide general theorems on the topology of photon-mediated interactions in terms of both Hermitian and non-Hermitian topological invariants, unveiling the phenomena of topological preservation and reversal, and revealing a system-bath topological correspondence. Depending on the Hermiticity of the environment and the parity of the spatial dimension, the atomic and photonic topological invariants turn out to be equal or opposite.

Novel half Salphen cobalt(III) complexes: synthesis, DNA binding and anticancer studies.

While platinum(II)-based drugs continue to be employed in cancer treatments, the escalating occurrence of severe side effects has spurred researchers to explore novel sources for potential therapeutic agents. Notably, cobalt(III) has emerged as a subject of considerable interest due to its ubiquitous role in human physiology. Several studies investigating the anticancer effects of Salphen complexes derived from cobalt(III) have unveiled intriguing antiproliferative properties.

Computational Approaches and Drug Discovery: Where Are We Going?

Science is a point of view [...

Molecular Crowding: The History and Development of a Scientific Paradigm.

It is now generally accepted that macromolecules do not act in isolation but "live" in a crowded environment, that is, an environment populated by numerous different molecules. The field of molecular crowding has its origins in the far 80s but became accepted only by the end of the 90s. In the present issue, we discuss various aspects that are influenced by crowding and need to consider its effects.

Productivity of two oilseed crops in a Mediterranean environment and assessment of the qualitative characteristics of raw materials for bioenergy purposes.

Rapeseed ( var. D.C.

Kinetics and functional consequences of BK channels activation by N-type Ca channels in the dendrite of mouse neocortical layer-5 pyramidal neurons.

The back-propagation of an action potential (AP) from the axon/soma to the dendrites plays a central role in dendritic integration. This process involves an intricate orchestration of various ion channels, but a comprehensive understanding of the contribution of each channel type remains elusive. In this study, we leverage ultrafast membrane potential recordings (V) and Ca imaging techniques to shed light on the involvement of N-type voltage-gated Ca channels (VGCCs) in layer-5 neocortical pyramidal neurons' apical dendrites.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: automatic lung and liver MRI segmentation with nnU-Net, reproducibility of pyradiomics features, and a machine learning application for the classification of liver herniation.

Prenatal assessment of lung size and liver position is essential to stratify congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) fetuses in risk categories, guiding counseling, and patient management. Manual segmentation on fetal MRI provides a quantitative estimation of total lung volume and liver herniation. However, it is time-consuming and operator-dependent.

Controlling the charge-transfer dynamics of two-level systems around avoided crossings.

Two-level quantum systems are fundamental physical models that continue to attract growing interest due to their crucial role as a building block of quantum technologies. The exact analytical solution of the dynamics of these systems is central to control theory and its applications, such as that to quantum computing. In this study, we reconsider the two-state charge transfer problem by extending and using a methodology developed to study (pseudo)spin systems in quantum electrodynamics contexts.

Deciphering amyloid fibril molecular maturation through FLIM-phasor analysis of thioflavin T.

The investigation of amyloid fibril formation is paramount for advancing our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and for exploring potential correlated therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the self-assembling properties of amyloid fibrils show promise for the development of advanced protein-based biomaterials. Among the methods employed to monitor protein aggregation processes, fluorescence has emerged as a powerful tool.

Comparative Study of and subsp. In Vitro Infection in Bovine Bone Marrow Derived Macrophages: Preliminary Results.

Bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis are endemic in many areas worldwide. This work aims to study cytokines production and gene expression profiles of bovine macrophages infected with and subsp. (MAP) strains to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers.

Cross-Linked Hyaluronan Derivatives in the Delivery of Phycocyanin.

An easy and viable crosslinking technology, based on the "click-chemistry" reaction copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (click-crosslinking), was applied to graft copolymers of medium molecular weight (i.e., 270 kDa) hyaluronic acid () grafted with ferulic acid () residues bearing clickable propargyl groups, as well as caffeic acid derivatives bearing azido-terminated oligo(ethylene glycol) side chains.

Hydrothermal liquefaction of sewage sludge: use of HCOOH and KOH to improve the slurry pumpability in a continuously operated plant.

We studied the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of digested sewage sludge (DSS) as model of waste biomass in batch and continuous reactors. HCOOH and KOH were used to improve the slurry pumpability. HTL experiments were conducted at the same kinetic severity factor in a batch reactor of 25 mL of volume and in a continuously operated tubular reactor with 350 mL of volume.

Photoactivatable Ruthenium Complexes Containing Minimal Straining Benzothiazolyl-1,2,3-triazole Chelators for Cancer Treatment.

Ruthenium(II) complexes containing diimine ligands have contributed to the development of agents for photoactivated chemotherapy. Several approaches have been used to obtain photolabile Ru(II) complexes. The two most explored have been the use of monodentate ligands and the incorporation of steric effects between the bidentate ligands and the Ru(II).

Tracking electron motion within and outside of Floquet bands from attosecond pulse trains in time-resolved ARPES.

Floquet engineering has recently emerged as a technique for controlling material properties with light. Floquet phases can be probed with time- and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (Tr-ARPES), providing direct access to the laser-dressed electronic bands. Applications of Tr-ARPES to date focused on observing the Floquet-Bloch bands themselves, and their build-up and dephasing on sub-laser-cycle timescales.

Modulating the release of bioactive molecules of human mesenchymal stromal cell secretome: Heparinization of hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels.

An amine derivative of hyaluronic acid (HA) was crosslinked to obtain a 3D dried sponge. The sponge was subsequently rehydrated using secretome from human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), resulting in the formation of a hydrogel. The release kinetics analysis demonstrated that the hydrogel effectively sustained secretome release, with 70% of the initially loaded wound-healing-associated cytokines being released over a 12-day period.

Modeling of Optical Band-Gap Values of Mixed Oxides Having Spinel Structure ABO (A = Mg, Zn and B = Al, Ga) by a Semiempirical Approach.

Spinel oxides with the general formula ABO comprise a large family of compounds covering a very wide range of band-gap values (1 eV < < 8 eV) as a function of the nature of the metallic cations A and B. Owing to this, the physical properties of these materials have been largely exploited both from a fundamental point of view, for their variable electronic properties, and for their possible use in numerous engineering applications. Herein, the modeling of ZnAlO, ZnGaO, MgAlO, and MgGaO cubic spinel oxides has been carried out by using the semiempirical approach based on the difference of electronegativity between oxygen and the average electronegativity of cations present in the oxides.

The Phenotype of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell and Articular Chondrocyte Cocultures on Highly Porous Bilayer Poly-L-Lactic Acid Scaffolds Produced by Thermally Induced Phase Separation and Supplemented with Hydroxyapatite.

Bilayer scaffolds could provide a suitable topology for osteochondral defect repair mimicking cartilage and subchondral bone architecture. Hence, they could facilitate the chondro- and osteogenic lineage commitment of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with hydroxyapatite, the major inorganic component of bone, stimulating osteogenesis. Highly porous poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffolds with two layers of different pore sizes (100 and 250 µm) and hydroxyapatite (HA) supplementation were established by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) to study growth and osteogenesis of human (h) MSCs.