Next-generation nanoparticles for cancer and autoimmune therapy.

Immune modulation is a critical therapeutic approach for cancer and autoimmune diseases, aiming to balance immune activation and suppression within specific disease environments. Next-generation nanoparticles (NPs) offer a promising method for precisely delivering cytokines and other immune modulators, addressing challenges such as systemic toxicity and limited specificity. This review explores the dual function of NPs in modulating pro- and anti-inflammatory responses, enhancing immune detection and tumor elimination in cancer, while promoting immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases.

Emerging Approaches in Data-Driven Drug Discovery for Rare Diseases.

Rare diseases present unique challenges in drug discovery and development, primarily due to small patient populations, limited clinical data, and significant variability in disease mechanisms. The primary objective of this review is to examine the integration of pharmacokinetics (PK) and drug metabolism data into data-driven drug discovery approaches, particularly in the context of rare diseases. By incorporating advanced computational techniques such as Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), researchers can better predict PK parameters, optimize drug candidates, and identify personalized therapeutic strategies.

Unlocking therapeutic potential: Exploring nuclear receptors in brain cancer treatment.

Brain cancer remains among the most lethal malignancies worldwide, with approximately 321,476 new cases and 248,305 deaths reported globally in 2022. The treatment of malignant brain tumors presents substantial clinical challenges, primarily due to their resistance to standard therapeutic approaches. Despite decades of intensive research, effective treatment strategies for brain cancer are still lacking.

Performance of Prehospital Antibiotic Administration and Blood Culture Collection in a Physician-Staffed Mobile Unit: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: Prehospital antibiotic administration prior to emergency department (ED) admission could reduce the delay of effective antibiotic treatment and thus mortality of septic patients. Additionally, collecting blood cultures early could improve microbial identification. We assessed the effect of ceftriaxone administration before ED admission on mortality.

Protein iron transporters as potential therapeutic targets in cancer: A review.

Iron is an essential trace element crucial for DNA synthesis, oxygen transport, and redox processes. In mammals, its homeostasis is strictly regulated by protein transporters like transferrin, solute carriers, and ATP-binding cassette proteins. They are specialized transmembrane proteins that facilitate iron uptake, export and intracellular trafficking.

Lateral flow and colorimetric assay for ketamine detection reinforced with deep learning model interfaced with mobile app for smart alert.

Point-of-care (POC) devices have grown in popularity due to their ease of use, low cost, and speedy on-site diagnostic capabilities. This study focuses on ketamine detection by colorimetric and lateral flow assays (LFA), with aptamer-based LFA emerging as a potential alternative to antibody-based approaches due to its stability, repeatability, and simplicity of modification. Two methods were investigated: (1) This approach used gold nanoparticles and an in-solution adsorption technique to create colorimetric aptasensors integrated with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer for the detection of the drug ketamine, and (2) innovative LFA tests with a detection limit of 0.

Harnessing Liquiritigenin: A Flavonoid-Based Approach for the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer.

Background/objectives: The integration of natural compounds in cancer research marked a crucial shift in the modern medical landscape, through a growing acknowledgment of their potential as efficient, less toxic, and cost-effective alternatives to contemporary chemotherapeutics. Liquiritigenin (LIQ) is a compound obtained from different plants, the most important being the species, commonly known as licorice.

Methods: This review compiles findings from previously published preclinical studies and experimental research articles focusing on LIQ's pharmacological effects, with particular attention to its anticancer potential.

An efficient intelligent transportation system for traffic flow prediction using meta-temporal hyperbolic quantum graph neural networks.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) necessitate scalable, real-time, and adaptive traffic flow prediction models to enhance urban mobility and alleviate congestion. Conventional Graph Neural Network methodologies encounter difficulties in managing extensive road networks, long-range temporal relationships, and computing efficiency for real-time applications. An innovative deep learning framework named Meta Temporal Hyperbolic Quantum Graph Neural Networks that integrates hyperbolic embeddings, meta learning, quantum graph, Neural Ordinary Differential Equation (NODEs) to improve the ITS Performance.

A Case of Complicated Hiatus Hernia Rupture Causing Tension Hydropneumothorax.

A 95-year-old female presented to the emergency department with chest pain and difficulty breathing. She had a left-sided tension hydropneumothorax secondary to a spontaneous rupture of a hiatus hernia close to the gastro-oesophageal junction. This has not previously been described in the literature and therefore, the purpose of this report is to pique clinicians' interest and highlight this rare phenomenon as a possible differential diagnosis in patients with a hiatus hernia who present with chest pain.

Mechanical performance analysis of a 3D printing-based transtibial prosthetic socket against the gait cycle using the finite element method.

In order to restore near-normal gait patterns and increase patients' mobility post-amputation, prosthetic sockets are crucial. Currently, few 3D-printed prosthetic sockets are available, and little research has been conducted on their mechanical performance. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess and characterize the performance of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), and polyamide 6/Nylon 6 (PA6) materials in prosthetic sockets fabricated 3D printing.

The association of age and left atrial dysfunction in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is common in atrial fibrillation (AF), driven by an underlying left atrial (LA) cardiomyopathy. We hypothesize that advancing age is a key risk factor for the development of LA cardiomyopathy and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in patients with AF.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of age on invasive and noninvasive measures of LA structure and function.

The solute carrier family 11 transporters: a bridge between iron homeostasis and tumor biology.

Iron is an essential trace element in the human body, and its imbalance is closely linked to the initiation and progression of various malignancies. The solute carrier family 11 (SLC11) transporters, comprising SLC11A1 and SLC11A2, play pivotal roles in iron metabolism and cellular homeostasis, processes intricately linked to oncogenesis. SLC11A1, primarily expressed in macrophages, modulates immune responses and reshapes the tumor microenvironment, while SLC11A2, a ubiquitous iron transporter, regulates dietary iron absorption and ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death.

Cytokine symphony: Deciphering the tumor microenvironment and metastatic axis in oral cancer.

Oral cancer remains one of the deadliest diseases due to its aggressive nature, high metastatic potential, and limited therapeutic success. The tumor microenvironment (TME) serves as a central regulator in the metastasis of oral cancer by shaping tumor-stroma interactions, immune modulation, and metastatic dissemination. Among the key regulators of the TME, cytokines act as one of the molecular orchestrators, mediating inflammation, immune suppression, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, and metastatic niche formation.

Machine Learning for Predicting the Transition From Gestational Diabetes to Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) significantly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) postpartum. Early identification of high-risk women using machine learning (ML) models could enable targeted interventions and improve outcomes. This systematic review aims to evaluate the performance, predictive features, and methodological quality of ML models designed to predict the transition from GDM to T2D.

Portable and reusable HHSS@LaVO:Eu/polyacrylamide/sodium alginate for dynamic fluorescence switching detection of Fe and secure information encryption.

Portable and reusable solid-state fluorescence sensors have received much attention in the field of metal ion detection as a superior alternative to traditional liquid-based fluorescence sensors. In this study, a novel HHSS@LaVO:Eu/polyacrylamide/sodium alginate (HLE/PS) hydrogel was successfully constructed for portable dynamic fluorescence switching detection of Fe and encryption of security information. The HLE/PS hydrogel was synthesized from HHSS@LaVO:Eu fluorescent nanofillers embedded in a semi-IPN network of polyacrylamide (PAM) and sodium alginate (SA).

Gut microbiota and their influence in brain cancer milieu.

Microbial communities are not simply remnants of the past but dynamic entities that continuously evolve under the selective pressures of nature, reflecting the intricate and adaptive processes of evolution. The microbiota residing in the various regions of the human body has numerous roles in different physiological processes such as nutrition, metabolism, immune regulation, etc. In the zeal of achieving empirical insights into the ambit of the gut microbiome, the research over the years led to the revelation of reciprocal interaction between the gut microbiome and the cognitive functioning of the human body.

Pulsed-field ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Background: Multiple studies have demonstrated the safety of pulsed-field ablation (PFA) systems; however, patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) have been excluded because of concerns about the impact of strong electrical fields on device function and integrity.

Objective: This study assesses the effect of PFA on the function and integrity of CIEDs.

Methods: Patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing ablation were studied at 2 sites.

Left bundle area pacing in hypertrophied hearts: An ex vivo ovine model to study deployment of pacing leads in thick septum.

Background: Knowledge of lead biomechanics in a hypertrophied interventricular septum (IVS) may improve the success rate of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) in these patients.

Objectives: We sought to investigate the biomechanics of lead penetration in an ex vivo ovine model of a hypertrophied IVS and compare the behavior of lumenless leads (LLL) vs stylet-driven leads (SDL) in terms of torque transfer and penetrating capacity.

Methods: Twenty fresh ex vivo ovine interventricular septae were excised to create a virtual hypertrophied IVS model by having 2 septae sandwiched together and placed in a custom-made clamp.

Effect of Alkali and Permanganate Treatments on Leaf Fibers: Efficient Reinforcements to Be Used in Eco-Friendly Composites.

Natural fiber-reinforced composites could be obtained by utilizing agricultural wastes, fallen leaves, or abandoned materials as reinforcements after their usage as a way to reduce environmental impacts such as to stop deforestation, i.e., cutting down of plants and trees for their fibers, and in waste management, which includes recyling of natural wastes and minimizing the use of nonbiodegradable synthetic composites by replacing it with their natural fiber counterparts.

Nanoformulations: Reforming treatment for non-small cell lung cancer metastasis.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, with 20 % of cases presenting as localized disease, 25 % with regional metastasis, and 55 % with distant metastasis, contributing significantly to increased morbidity and mortality rates. Current treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy, have shown therapeutic efficacy but are limited by issues such as lack of specificity, cytotoxicity, and therapeutic resistance. Nanoparticles (NPs) offer promising solutions to these challenges by enhancing drug penetration and retention, improving biocompatibility and stability, and achieving greater precision in targeting cancer cells.

Diabetic retinopathy detection based on mobile maxout network and weber local descriptor feature selection using retinal fundus image.

Retinal screening provides for earlier detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR) as well as prompt diagnosis. Recognizing DR utilizing color fundus imaging needs qualified specialists to know about the presence and significance of a few insignificant features that when it linked with complicated categorization structure create this as an engaging and difficult task. The automatic progression of DR detection consumes more time and cost.

Enhancing durum wheat growth and productivity in arid soils via seed irradiation with gamma rays and the foliar application of nano Cu.

The current study aims at increasing durum wheat productivity under arid-conditions via following two strategies: seed irradiation with γ-rays and spraying plants with nano Cu. Wheat seeds were irradiated in aCo Gamma Irradiation Unit to achieve 0Gy (R), 50Gy (R),100Gy (R), 150Gy (R) and 200Gy (R), while nano Cu-was prepared in lab. A field study of a split-plot design was then conducted for 2-seasons, in which foliar applications with nano-Cu were applied in main plots i.

Comprehensive review of leonurine: harnessing its therapeutic potential for chronic diseases.

Chronic diseases (CD) pose a significant global health challenge, affecting millions of individuals and contributing to substantial morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. Therapeutic approaches primarily aim at symptom management through pharmacotherapy, lifestyle modifications, dietary interventions, and regular physical activity. Given the persistent challenge of limited treatment options, scientific research has increasingly focused on exploring natural compounds for their therapeutic potential.

Caesarean sections among east African refugees and their host population: a 20-year retrospective study in western Tanzania.

Background: Half of the 35.3 million refugees worldwide are women and a third are of childbearing age, making reproductive healthcare in humanitarian settings indispensable. Caesarean section (CS) is the most common operation worldwide, accounting for 18.