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The role of nutrition education in the pharmacy curriculum using the example of knowledge about the health benefits of nuts
No full textIn recent years, nuts have gained importance because of their nutritional benefits in promoting health and preventing chronic diseases. Despite their recognized role as part of healthy dietary patterns, global consumption is below recommended levels, necessitating an investigation of factors influencing consumption and the impact of nutrition education. Objective: To investigate the attitudes, knowledge and consumption habits of students in Serbia regarding the consumption of nuts and to examine the role and importance of food- or nutrition-related topics in academic curricula in promoting positive attitudes and habits regarding the consumption of nuts among pharmacy students. Methods: An electronic questionnaire was used to collect data for this cross-sectional study. A total of 509 responses were collected, including 382 from pharmacy students (75.0%) and 127 from non-pharmacy students (25.0%). Results: Attitudes toward eating nuts were generally positive, with statistically significant differences found between pharmacy students and non-pharmacy students for 10 statements. The knowledge levels differed, with the mean total number of correct answers in the total sample being 3.9 ± 2.5 (R: 0-11, Mdn: 4) out of 13, and there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between pharmacy students and non-pharmacy students on 8 out of 13 knowledge questions. The study revealed that students obtained information about the health benefits of nuts, mainly from college lectures (51.9%) and mass media (60.9%). More than half of the students (57.8%) expressed a desire for additional information about nuts, which influenced their attitudes significantly more than their level of knowledge. Conclusion: The results showed that pharmacy students had better knowledge and more positive attitudes toward the consumption of nuts compared to non-pharmacy students. Although completion of nutrition-related courses showed some positive influence, this was not statistically significant for most attitudes and beliefs. These findings underscore the potential value of integrating comprehensive nutrition education into pharmacy curricula, as the combination of knowledge and positive attitudes fostered by pharmacy and nutrition education will enable future health professionals to play a critical role in promoting healthier and sustainable eating habits in the population
Chitosan–Glucan Biopolymer Design: Extraction from Champignons with Improved Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Features
No full textIn this study, biopolymer chitosan–glucan from fruiting bodies of Agaricus bisporus (Cs-Agrif) was extracted and characterized as a sustainable alternative to commercial low molecular weight (LMW) chitosan obtained from crab shells (Cs-1). Cs-Agrif was prepared through an alkaline treatment process that included deproteination and deacetylation in the same step. The obtained sample was evaluated for its molecular weight, rheological behavior, degree of deacetylation (DD), crystallinity, and β-glucan and phenolic contents. Furthermore, the antioxidant properties of the prepared chitosan were determined under in vitro conditions using four spectrophotometric methods. Finally, its antimicrobial activity was tested against two pathogenic bacteria, one yeast, and mycotoxigenic fungi. Cs-Agrif had low molecular weight, of 45.70 ± 5.20 kDa, with pseudoplastic flow behavior. The degree of deacetylation was 92.7%. FT-IR and XRD analyses confirmed a chitosan-like structure and lower crystallinity in Cs-Agrif compared to pure commercial chitosan. The mushroom-derived chitosan contained β-glucans and phenols, indicating a chitosan–glucan complex. Antimicrobial assays showed low Cs-Agrif microbicidal concentrations (≤2.5 mg mL−1) for Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. The growth of Aspergillus flavus was significantly reduced after five days of incubation. The laboratory-prepared Cs-Agrif exhibited strong antioxidant activity at 5 mg mL−1, comparing to standards. Mushroom-derived chitosan–glucan biopolymer displays excellent physicochemical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, confirming its potential use in biomedicine, food, and the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, among many others
A Sustainable Microextraction of Hallucinogenic New Psychoactive Substances for Clinical and Forensic Applications
No full textFeatured Application: This study presents a microextraction method for selected synthetic hallucinogenic compounds developed in accordance with the principles of green, sustainable, and white chemistry. The method minimizes the use of toxic organic solvents, reduces the overall environmental footprint, and enhances laboratory safety. By employing hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs), the approach enables efficient extraction from polar biological matrices, including urine, making it suitable for both clinical and forensic toxicology. It is also applicable to wastewater analysis for monitoring population-level consumption of novel psychoactive substances (NPS), thereby supporting public health surveillance. The proposed extraction procedure is simple, rapid, and cost-effective, and is well-suited for routine implementation in analytical laboratories. The application of Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC) principles in method development aims to reduce waste and replace hazardous solvents with environmentally friendly alternatives. Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADESs) have recently emerged as sustainable replacements for traditional organic solvents. In this study, hydrophobic NADESs were used in dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) to extract four synthetic hallucinogenic phenethylamines (2C-B, 25B-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe, and 25I-NBOMe) in urine samples. Nine NADESs were formed using menthol and different organic acids, with menthol–decanoic acid (1:1 molar ratio) providing the best extraction efficiency. A fractional factorial design identified pH, vortex speed, and vortex time as key factors, which were then optimized using a Box–Behnken design. The statistical model showed strong validity and high predictive power, and the optimal conditions (pH 12, vortex time 20 s, vortex speed 30,000 rpm, centrifugation at 14,000 rpm for 3 min) resulted in the highest recoveries. Greenness and operational sustainability, evaluated using ComplexGAPI, AGREEprep, BAGI, and SPRS tools, revealed clear advantages over existing extraction approaches. Overall, the proposed method represents a sustainable, white-chemistry–driven microextraction strategy suitable for clinical and forensic toxicological applications
Real-life metal mixtures: the impact on male reproductive health in Wistar rats
No full textThis study examined the effect of a mixture of toxic metals (Cd, Pb, As, Hg, Cr, Ni) on the male reproductive system of Wistar rats. Specifically, the research included the analysis of the level of toxic metals and minerals in testicular tissue, histological analysis of testicular tissue, monitoring of testosterone, FSH and LH levels in serum, as well as measurement of aromatase enzyme activity in testicular tissue. The parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in the testicular tissue were also investigated, including the analysis of Nrf2 levels after 28 and 90 days of exposure to the mixture. The doses with which the animals were treated were based on a previously conducted human biomonitoring study. After 28 days, increased levels of Cd, Ni, As, and Cr were recorded, while after 90 days, only Cd and As levels increased. Changes in minerals were observed for Ca and Mg. Histological analysis of testicular tissue showed the existence of different morphological changes depending on the dose and length of exposure. Of the examined hormones, the most changes were observed for LH. Significant oxidative stress and antioxidant parameter changes in the testes highlighted Nrf2 signaling's role in maintaining redox balance. Although doses were considered safe, this realistic metal mixture disrupted male reproductive health, emphasizing the need to reevaluate safe exposure levels to improve overall healt
Epitranscriptomics in atherosclerosis: Unraveling RNA modifications, editing and splicing and their implications in vascular disease
No full textAtherosclerosis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, driven by complex molecular mechanisms involving gene regulation and post-transcriptional processes. Emerging evidence highlights the critical role of epitranscriptomics, the study of chemical modifications occurring on RNA molecules, in atherosclerosis development. Epitranscriptomics provides a new layer of regulation in vascular health, influencing cellular functions in endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and macrophages, thereby shedding light on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and presenting new opportunities for novel therapeutic targets. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the epitranscriptomic landscape, focusing on key RNA modifications such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), pseudouridine (Ψ), RNA editing mechanisms including A-to-I and C-to-U editing and RNA isoforms. The functional implications of these modifications in RNA stability, alternative splicing, and microRNA biology are discussed, with a focus on their roles in inflammatory signaling, lipid metabolism, and vascular cell adaptation within atherosclerotic plaques. We also highlight how these modifications influence the generation of RNA isoforms, potentially altering cellular phenotypes and contributing to disease progression. Despite the promise of epitranscriptomics, significant challenges remain, including the technical limitations in detecting RNA modifications in complex tissues and the need for deeper mechanistic insights into their causal roles in atherosclerotic pathogenesis. Integrating epitranscriptomics with other omics approaches, such as genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, holds the potential to provide a more holistic understanding of the disease
Patient safety and the second victim phenomenon in nursing and medical curricula: A qualitative study
No full textBackground: The second victim phenomenon—emotional and psychological distress experienced by healthcare professionals following adverse events—is increasingly recognized. However, its integration into formal nursing and medical curricula remains limited across Europe, despite its relevance to patient safety, as well as student and clinician well-being. Objectives: To explore how patient safety and second victim content are incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate nursing and medical curricula and to identify the barriers and facilitators influencing such integration across Europe. Design: A qualitative cross-national interview study. Settings: Medical and nursing education institutions in 10 European countries representing northern, southern, central, and eastern regions. Participants: Nineteen healthcare education leaders (department heads or senior faculty) from nursing and medical programs were selected purposefully based on their leadership roles and curricular oversight responsibilities. Inclusion criteria required at least 5 years of experience in curriculum development at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels; there were no dropouts. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in participants' native languages, translated to English, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes were developed inductively by a multidisciplinary research team across countries. Results: Five major themes were identified: (1) Recognition of patient safety and the second victim phenomenon; (2) Curriculum development and implementation; (3) Training content and delivery; (4) Student and educator engagement; and (5) Continuous professional development. Although awareness of the second victim concept was high, formal curricular integration was rare. Barriers included curriculum overload, regulatory rigidity, and limited faculty preparedness. Facilitators included interdisciplinary collaboration, student advocacy, and openness to innovative pedagogies. Conclusions: Despite broad recognition of the second victim phenomenon, its integration into European healthcare curricula remains minimal. Strategic curriculum reforms supported by interdisciplinary collaboration, institutional leadership, and student engagement may be essential to bridge the gap between awareness and educational practice. We have offered actionable guidance for advancing patient safety and clinician resilience through formal education
Application of PAMPA technique and in silico blood-brain barrier permeation prediction of protein kinase inhibitors and selected CNS drugs
No full textObjective
The study and prediction of blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability is an important part of drug
discovery, both for drugs that target central nervous system (CNS) disorders and those that do not
[1]. One of the most widely used experimental methods for permeation determination is the Parallel
Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay (PAMPA). After calculating the effective permeability
from PAMPA, various quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR) can be developed
using in silico calculated descriptors of compounds. In this study, we developed and analyzed
several QSPR models for two groups of compounds – a group of protein kinase (PK) inhibitors and
a set of CNS-active compounds.
Methods
The group of PK inhibitors consisted of 17 commercially available substances and 17 experimental
compounds [2], while the set of CNS drugs comprised 12 commercially available and 6 experimental
compounds [3]. The effective permeabilities of all compounds were determined using PAMPA followed
by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). For the set of PK inhibitors, multiple linear
regression (MLR), support vector machine regression (SVM) and artificial neural networks (ANN) were
used to develop QSPR models with effective permeability as the dependent variable, while for the set of
CNS drugs, MLR, SVM and partial least squares (PLS) regression methods were used and all of the
developed models were validated.
Results
According to the effective permeabilities determined with PAMPA, the group of PK inhibitors contained
a variety of low, medium and high permeability compounds. As expected, almost all CNS drugs were
classified as highly permeable. For the set of PK inhibitors, all 3 mathematical methods yielded QSPR
models with comparable performances, with the SVM model meeting all critical validation parameters.
For the set of CNS drugs, PLS and SVM methods provided optimal QSPR models, with the SVM model
being the better one.
Conclusions
In this study, the PAMPA-BBB technique was used to determine the effective permeability of a series
of PK inhibitors as well as a series of CNS drugs. Based on these results, different QSPR models were
developed for the prediction of effective permeability through the BBB, with the QSPR-SVM models
being the best for both groups of drugs. The developed models can be used to predict the effective
permeability of novel compounds within the defined applicability domains of the QSPR models
Production of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles with tunable diameter using herringbone micromixer: impact of formulation and process parameters
No full textThe aim of this work was to explore the suitability of a novel microfluidic device based on a herringbone micromixer for developing PEGylated LPHNPs as carriers for GL-II-73, a positive allosteric modulator of α5GABAA receptors, suitable for targeting the lymphatic system. The effects of process parameters (total flow rate (TFR) and flow rate ratio (FRR)) and formulation parameters (concentration of polymer/lipids, lipid/GL-II-73 to polymer mass ratio) on critical quality attributes were investigated
Cost-utility analysis of nusinersen–risdiplam switch in patients with spinal muscular atrophy in Croatia: A discrete event simulation model
No full textIntroduction: In recent years, the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare disease, has significantly progressed, improving patients' survival and overall quality of life. However, current SMA treatments are expensive, and some (nusinersen) are very inconvenient for patients. There is reason to believe that there are economic benefits of switching patients from nusinersen to risdiplam, especially because real-world analysis has shown non-inferiority in clinical outcomes along with a favourable safety profile of switching. Aim: To conduct the cost-utility analysis of switching from nusinersen to risdiplam. Methods: A discrete event simulation model was created for three different groups of patients with SMA (types 1–3), comparing the cost-utility of nusinersen to the risdiplam switch and continuing nusinersen therapy. Analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund for the time horizon of 80 years. A deterministic, one-way, one-factor sensitivity analysis was carried out using the Monte Carlo simulation. Results: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of nusinersen to risdiplam switch versus staying on nusinersen was EUR-136930 ± 82 336 for type 1 SMA (i.e. the switch dominated), for type 2 SMA it was EUR 2681860 ± 321 859, and for type 3 SMA it was EUR 2576667 ± 676 078. For all three types of SMA, switching to risdiplam showed positive net monetary benefit (type 1: EUR 35449 ± 17 113; type 2: EUR 799264 ± 30 765; type 3: EUR 767498 ± 7283). Market forces may substantially impact pricing dynamics; therefore, these results should be interpreted with consideration of inherent uncertainties. Conclusion: The cost-effectiveness of switching from nusinersen to risdiplam is evident across all SMA types. Further research on the long-term impact of switching treatments in SMA is essential to address uncertainties and optimize cost-effective therapeutic strategies
Potential role of Aliskiren in cancer modulation compared to other Renin-Angiotensin inhibitors: an in-depth review
No full textBackground Renin Angiotensin System inhibitors (RASi) are widely used in cancer patients to treat high prevalence comorbidities such as hypertension, proteinuric nephropathies and cardiopathies. Emerging research has raised concerns about their potential role in oncogenesis, while uncovering promising anti-tumor properties. Objective This systematic review investigates the effects of RASi, specifically angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and the direct renin inhibitor (DRI) Aliskiren, on cancer risk and progression. Emphasis is placed on underlying molecular pathways and potential impact of RASi on cancer development and growth. Results Evidence from the analyzed studies remains heterogeneous. ACEi and ARBs may contribute to oncogenic processes through bradykinin accumulation and renin activation, both of which are known to drive mechanisms associated with cancer development and progression, particularly in lung cancer. Conversely, Aliskiren may potentially exhibit a more favorable anticancer profile by interfering with neo-angiogenesis, oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, tumor growth, and metastasis. Moreover, existing studies suggest that Aliskiren may help reduce cancer cachexia, further supporting its potential relevance in oncologic settings, although the available literature on Aliskiren remains limited. Conclusion While the oncogenic effects of ACEi and ARBs on cancer remain inconclusive, Aliskiren emerges as an antihypertensive drug potentially able to interfere with pro-oncogenic signaling. Nonetheless, its limited evidence base underscores the urgent need for well-designed prospective studies to clarify the differential oncologic impact of various RASi classes across populations. Indeed, cancer patients undergoing long-term RASi deserve close monitoring and multidisciplinary approach for assessment of personalized therapy