Does drug dispensing influence patients' medication knowledge and medication adherence? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Inadequate medication knowledge and medication nonadherence by patients are considered an issue in healthcare, as they can lead to negative outcomes, such as therapeutic failures and hospitalization. Even though drug dispensing, which has pharmacist counseling as a core element, is a service traditionally performed by pharmacists, there is still no evidence about the influence of this service on these health outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of drug dispensing on patients' medication knowledge and medication adherence.

Effectiveness and safety of the use of sodium nitrite in patients with hypertension and pulmonary hypertension: a scoping review.

Evidence suggests that sodium nitrite may be effective in the treatment of hypertension and pulmonary hypertension. However, its use remains debated due to safety concerns. In response, a scoping review was conducted to map current knowledge on the efficacy and safety of sodium nitrite in patients with hypertension or pulmonary hypertension, addressing the question: What evidence supports the effectiveness and safety of using sodium nitrite in these patients? The databases MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS were searched for clinical studies on hypertensive patients at any disease stage without restrictions on age, sex, ethnicity, publication date, or status.

Does pregnancy in adolescence increase the chances of osteoporosis among aged women? Findings from the ELSI study.

Objective: Bone mineral density changes during the life span, rising rapidly during adolescence, plateauing around 30 years of age and decreasing in later years. Life events such as pregnancy and lactation temporarily reduce bone density, and their long-term effects on osteoporosis development are still unclear. This study aimed to analyse the association between pregnancy in adolescence and osteoporosis in aged women.

Vascular endothelial growth factor immunoexpression in oral paracoccidioidomycosis.

Background: Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis endemic and limited to Latin America. Brazil is responsible for more than 80% of diagnosed cases in the world. Since PCM is not a notifiable disease, there are still no accurate data on its incidence in Brazil.

Effect of Laser Auriculotherapy on Quality of Life, Fatigue, and Anxiety in Women with Advanced Breast Cancer: Randomized Clinical Trial.

: To evaluate the effect of laser auriculotherapy on health-related quality of life, cancer-related fatigue, and anxiety in women with advanced breast cancer undergoing palliative chemotherapy. : A randomized, parallel, single-blind, single-center clinical trial was conducted in a Brazilian oncology referral hospital. A total of 123 women were randomly divided into groups: 41 in the experimental group (10 weekly laser auriculotherapy sessions), 40 in the sham group (10 weekly sham sessions), and 42 in the control group.

Metabolic signatures by LC-HRMS/MS of jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora) juice, liqueur, and wines reveal the wealthiest sources of bioactive metabolites.

This study aimed to determine the total phenolic content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and metabolomic profiling of Jabuticaba beverages. The metabolomic profiling showed a greater abundance of flavonoids in liqueur samples, while sweet wine predominantly contained phenolic acids. On the other hand, dry wine was characterized by a higher abundance of terpenes.

Spinal Involvement of TRPV1 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway During Chronic Postoperative Pain in Mice.

Background: Chronic postoperative pain (CPOP) is among the main consequences of surgical procedures, directly affecting the quality of life. Although many strategies have been used to treat this symptom, they are often ineffective. Thus, studies investigating CPOP-associated mechanisms may help to develop more effective treatment strategies.

Treatment With Full-Spectrum Cannabidiol Oil Improved the Pathological Findings of Dystrophic Mutant Mice.

Introduction/aims: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by pathogenic variants in the DMD gene, making muscle fibers susceptible to contraction-induced membrane damage. Given the potential beneficial action of cannabidiol (CBD), we evaluated the in vitro effect of full-spectrum CBD oil on the viability of dystrophic muscle fibers and the in vivo effect on myopathy of the mdx mouse, a DMD model.

Methods: In vitro, dystrophic cells from the mdx mouse were treated with full-spectrum CBD oil and assessed with cell viability and cytotoxic analyses.

WT161, a selective HDAC6 inhibitor, decreases growth, enhances chemosensitivity, promotes apoptosis, and suppresses motility of melanoma cells.

Purpose: Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression, contributing to proliferation, chemoresistance, and cell motility by regulating microtubule architecture. Despite its upregulation in melanoma tissues and cell lines, the specific biological roles of HDAC6 in melanoma are not well understood. This study aims to explore the functional effects and underlying mechanisms of WT161, a selective HDAC6 inhibitor, in melanoma cell lines.

The effect of audio distraction in reducing signs of stress and anxiety during pediatric dental treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To perform a systematic review to investigate if the use of audio distraction reduces signs of stress and anxiety in paediatric patients undergoing dental treatment.

Materials And Methods: Search was made in electronic databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Scielo, BVS, Springer Link, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and grey literature) until March 11th, 2024. The eligibility criteria were: paediatric patients under dental treatment; use of audio as a distraction method; comparison between groups with and without use of audio distraction; Clinical trials.

Cobalt tungstate nanoparticles (CoWO NPs) affect the photosynthetic performance of the green microalga Raphidocelis subcapitata.

Innovative applications of cobalt tungstate nanoparticles (CoWO NPs) are directly linked to their increased production and consumption, which can consequently increase their release into aquatic ecosystems and the exposure of organisms. Microalgae are autotrophic organisms that contribute directly to global primary productivity and provide oxygen for maintaining many organisms on Earth. In this paper, we assessed the toxicity of CoWO NPs when in contact with the freshwater microalga Raphidocelis subcapitata (Chlorophyceae).

Enzyme loading in the support and medium composition during immobilization alter activity, specificity and stability of octyl agarose-immobilized Eversa Transform.

Eversa Transform (ETL) was immobilized on octyl agarose beads at two different enzymes loadings (1 mg/g and 15 mg/g) under 18 different conditions, including different pH values, buffers, additives (different solvents, Ca, NaCl). Their activity was analyzed at pH 5 and 7 with p-nitrophenyl butyrate and at pH 5 with triacetin, determining also its stability at pH 5 and 7 (in different media). Ca stabilized ETL biocatalysts while phosphate destabilized them.

Death Anxiety Among Users and Non-Users of Psychedelics.

This study is a survey-type, cross-sectional study conducted in Brazil ( = 517), with online data collection taking place from April to June 2022. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the death anxiety in users and non-users of psychedelics. To this end, we also assessed the validity and reliability of the Death Anxiety Scale in Brazil.

HDAC6: Tumor Progression and Beyond.

Histone Deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is an intriguing therapeutic target in cancer re-search, distinguished as the only HDAC family member predominantly located in the cyto-plasm. HDAC6 features two catalytic domains and a unique ubiquitin-binding domain, which sets it apart from other HDACs. Beyond its role in histone deacetylation, HDAC6 targets vari-ous nonhistone substrates, such as α-tubulin, cortactin, Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90), and Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1).

Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy: A Systematic Review.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease whose prevention is significantly aided by vaccination, which reduces both case severity and mortality. Despite the safety and efficacy of vaccines, acceptance is not universal, and understanding of the factors influencing vaccination decisions and hesitancy remains limited. This review aims to identify and analyze studies addressing two key questions: what influences the decision to vaccinate and what factors are associated with vaccine hesitancy.

Endophytic Fungi Co-Culture: An Alternative Source of Antimicrobial Substances.

Antimicrobial resistance is becoming a critical issue due to the widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics and antifungals to treat common infections, leading to a growing shortage of effective drugs. Moreover, the increase in antimicrobial resistance is enhancing the pathogenicity and virulence of various pathogens. Microorganisms are key sources of chemically diverse specialized metabolites, which are produced in the final stages of their growth cycle.

Mucosal-adapted bacteriophages as a preventive strategy for a lethal Pseudomonas aeruginosa challenge in mice.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an emergent threat due to the antimicrobial resistance crisis. Bacteriophages (phages) are promising agents for phage therapy approaches against P. aeruginosa.

Anthelmintic Potential of Conjugated Long-Chain Fatty Acids Isolated from the Bioluminescent Mushroom .

With praziquantel being the sole available drug for schistosomiasis, identifying novel anthelmintic agents is imperative. A chemical investigation of the fruiting body of the bioluminescent mushroom Berk. resulted in the isolation of new conjugated long-chain fatty acids (8,10,12,13)-12,13-dihydroxy-7-oxo-octadeca-8,10-dienoic acid () and (7,8,9,11)-7,8-dihydroxy-13-oxo-octadeca-9,11-dienoic acid () and three previously described compounds, (7,8,9)-7,8-dihydroxyoctadec-9-enoic acid (), (2)-dec-2-ene-1,10-dioic acid (), and a ketolactone marasmeno-1,15-dione ().

Production of benzyl-based esters from used soybean cooking oil as renewable plasticizers for flexible PVC films: Exploring new applications for lipases in emerging technologies.

The objective of this study was to produce new and renewable bio-based plasticizers from used soybean cooking oil (USCO). First, USCO was completely converted into free fatty acids (FFAs) using lipase from Candida rugosa. Next, these FFAs were enzymatically esterified with benzyl alcohol in solvent-free systems.

Ketoprofen Associated with Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel for Temporomandibular Disorder Treatment: An In Vitro Study.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a public health problem that affects around 12% of the global population. The treatment is based on analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, or arthrocentesis associated with hyaluronic acid-based viscosupplementation. However, the use of hyaluronic acid alone in viscosupplementation does not seem to be enough to regulate the intra-articular inflammatory process.

Turning agro-food waste into resources: Exploring the antioxidant effects of bioactive compounds bioaccessibility from digested jabuticaba tree leaf extract.

The jabuticaba tree leaf, considered an agro-food by-product or waste, was evaluated as a potential unconventional ingredient of bioactive compounds. Its hydroalcoholic extracts were assessed for the phenolic chemical profile by LC-QQQ-MS and antioxidant capacity pre- and post-gastrointestinal digestion (i.e.

Effects of strength training with free weights and elastic resistance in older adults: A randomised clinical study.

Background: The aging process leads to negative changes in various bodily systems, including the neuromuscular system. Strength training, is considered the best strategy to counteract these neuromuscular changes, preventing sarcopenia and frailty in older adults.

Objective: To compare the effects of strength training with elastic resistance and free weights on the muscle strength of knee extensors and flexors and functional performance in the older adults.

Morphophysiological responses of black pepper to recurrent water deficit.

This study investigated the effects of recurrent water deficit on drought tolerance traits in black pepper ( L.) 'Bragantina'. Plants were subjected to three cycles of water deficit followed by recovery periods.