7973 research outputs found
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Improved Therapeutic Efficacy: Liposome-Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Delivering Thymoquinone to MCF-7 Cells
No full textBackground: Breast cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with thymoquinone showing promise as a therapeutic agent, but hindered by poor solubility. Objective: This study aimed to enhance TQ delivery to MCF-7 breast cancer cells using mesitylene- mesoporous silica nanoparticles coated with liposomes, designed for controlled drug release. Methods: Nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method and coated with phosphatidylserine- cholesterol liposomes. Different nanocharacterization techniques and in vitro assays were employed to assess the drug release kinetics, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis. Results: The nanoparticles exhibited favorable properties, including a large pore size of 3.6 nm, a surface area of 248.96 m(2)/g, and a hydrodynamic size of 171.571 +/- 8.342 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.182 +/- 0.017, indicating uniformity and stability. The successful lipid bilayer coating was confirmed by a zeta potential shift from +6.25 mV to -5.65 mV. The coated nanoparticles demonstrated a slow and sustained drug release profile, with cellular uptake of FITC-formulated nanoparticles being approximately 5-fold higher than free FITC (P < 0.0001). Cytotoxicity assays revealed a significant reduction in cell viability (P < 0.0001), reaching an IC50 value of 25 mu M at 48 hours. Apoptosis rates were significantly higher in cells treated with the formulated TQ compared to the free drug and control at both 24 and 48 hours (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: This nanoformulation significantly enhanced TQ delivery, offering a promising strategy for targeted breast cancer therapy. Further preclinical studies are recommended to advance this approach in cancer treatment
A hybrid 3D-printed and electrospun bilayer pharmaceutical membrane based on polycaprolactone/chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol for wound healing applications
No full textSkin injuries resulting from physical trauma pose significant health risks, necessitating advanced wound care solutions. This investigation introduces an innovative bilayer wound dressing composed of 3D-printed propolis-coated polycaprolactone (PCL/PP) and an electrospun composite of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polycaprolactone, and diltiazem (PVA/CTS/PCL/DTZ). SEM analysis revealed a bilayer structure with 89.23 ± 51.47 % porosity and uniformly distributed nanofibers. The scaffold tensile strength, with pore sizes of 100, 300, and 500 μm, was comparable to native skin. However, smaller pore sizes reduced water vapor transmission from 4211.59 ± 168.53 to 2358.49 ± 203.63 g/m2. The incorporation of DTZ lowered the contact angle to 35.23 ± 3.65°, while the addition of PCL reduced the degradation rate and modulated the release of DTZ by approximately 50 %. Moreover, lower pH increased the degradation rate and decreased swelling. The inclusion of propolis enhanced antibacterial activity, and 10 % DTZ promoted the viability, proliferation, and migration of fibroblasts and adipose-derived stem cells. However, increasing DTZ concentration to 12 % reduced cell viability. In vivo tests on rats demonstrated effective wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties of the bilayer samples. Regarding the aforementioned results, the PCL/PP-PVA/CTS/PCL/DTZ (10 % w/w) bilayer wound dressing is a promising candidate for wound healing applications
Determining the minimum data set of geriatric assessment at the Iran primary health care referral system: shifting from fragmentation to integration care for older people
No full textBackground: Geriatric assessment (GA) is a multidimensional process that disrupts the primary health care (PHC) referral system. Accessing consistent data is central to the provision of integrated geriatric care across multiple healthcare settings. However, due to poor-quality data and documentation of GA, developing an agreed minimum data set (MDS) is required. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a GA-MDS in the PHC referral system to improve data quality, data exchange, and continuum of care to address the multifaceted necessities of older people. Methods: In our study, the items to be included within GA-MDS were determined in a three-stepwise process. First, an exploratory literature search was done to determine the related items. Then, we used a two-round Delphi survey to obtain an agreement view on items to be contained within GA-MDS. Finally, the validity of the GA-MDS content was evaluated. Results: Sixty specialists from different health geriatric care disciplines scored data items. After, the Delphi phase from the 230 selected items, 35 items were removed by calculating the content validity index (CVI), content validity ratio (CVR), and other statistical measures. Finally, GA-MDS was prepared with 195 items and four sections including administrative data, clinical, physiological, and psychological assessments. Conclusions: The development of GA-MDS can serve as a platform to inform the geriatric referral system, standardize the GA process, and streamline their referral to specialized levels of care. We hope GA-MDS supports clinicians, researchers, and policymakers by providing aggregated data to inform medical practice and enhance patient-centered outcomes
Toxicity of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) toward isolated human blood lymphocytes: Apoptosis initiated from intracellular calcium enhancement and mitochondrial/lysosomal cross talk
No full textDibutyl phthalate (DBP) is a phthalate ester with wide application in industrial products, so human exposure can happen in workplaces and environment. Conflicting results have been acquired in researches which measured the influences of phthalates contact on immune responses in laboratory animals. Nevertheless, the straight influence of DBP on human lymphocytes and entire mechanisms of its effect against these cells continue to be unexplored. The major purpose of present research was to evaluate the mechanisms which lead to the DBP toxicity on human lymphocytes using accelerated cytotoxicity mechanisms screening (ACMS) technique. Cell viability was determined following12h incubation of lymphocytes with 0.05–1 mM DBP, and mechanistic parameters were assessed after 2, 4 and 6 h of lymphocyte treatment with ½ the IC5012h (0.3 mM), the IC5012h (0.6 mM) and twice the IC5012h (1.2 mM) of DBP. The IC5012 h of a chemical/toxicant is defined as concentration that kills 50 % of cells after 12 h of exposure. The results indicate that DBP exerts toxic effects on isolated human lymphocytes, probably through mitochondrial and lysosomal damage induced by glutathione depletion and oxidative stress. In this study, suppression of cytokines (IL2, INF-gamma and TNF-alpha) production and increase in intracellular calcium were also related to DBP induced lymphocyte toxicity
The impact of climatic conditions on the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of BTEX compounds: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textClimatic conditions are one of the most important factors affecting the risk level associated with exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) compounds. This systematic review and meta-analysis study aimed to investigate the impact of climatic conditions on carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk value changes during exposure to BTEX compounds. Five electronic bibliographic databases (Scopus, PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science) were systematically searched. The search algorithm consisted of three sets of keywords and their possible combinations. For different climatic conditions, the overall mean and 95 % confidence interval (CI) of the effect size related to the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of BTEX were calculated using a random effect model. 26 articles passed the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in this review. The highest values of the hazard quotient (HQ) for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were in the summer season (53.3 %, 47.1 %, 73.3 %, 68.8 % of the studies) and in the winter season (33.3 %, 47.1 %, 20 %, and 25 % of the studies), respectively. Additionally, the highest values of carcinogenic risk (CR) for benzene and ethylbenzene were revealed in the summer season (50 % and 75 % of the studies) and in the winter season (33.3 % and 25 % of the studies), respectively. Based on the results of the meta-analysis also, risk values related to occupational and environmental exposures in summer were often higher than those in winter. These results can be used by policymaking to focus on decreasing exposure to BTEX, particularly in climatic conditions with higher hazard
Respiratory complications of propofol, sevoflurane, and dexmedetomidine anesthesia for fiberoptic bronchoscopy in children aged 1 month to 3 years: a randomized trial
No full textOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of propofol, sevoflurane, and dexmedetomidine on respiratory complications in children undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB). METHODS: This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted among 120 children aged 1 month to 3 years undergoing FOB. The patients were randomized into 3 groups (n=40) for anesthesia induction with sevoflurane inhalation, 1 mg/kg propofol, or 1 μg/kg dexmedetomidine before bronchoscopy, and the changes in hemodynamic parameters, sedation level, and respiratory complications during and after the procedure were assessed. RESULTS: The patients' heart rate during bronchoscopy was significantly lower and the mean arterial blood pressure significantly higher in dexmedetomidine group than in sevoflurane and propofol groups (P < 0.05). Cough during bronchoscopy did not occur in any of the cases in propofol group, while the highest frequency of cough was recorded in dexmedetomidine group. The incidence of laryngospasm in the propofol group (12.5) was significantly lower than those in sevoflurane and dexmedetomidine groups (30 and 32.5, respectively) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sevoflurane and propofol are safe and suitable for anesthesia induction in children below 3 years of age undergoing diagnostic FOB and can achieve better sedative effect and lower the incidences of cough and respiratory complications as compared with dexmedetomidine
Nectin-4-directed antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs): Spotlight on preclinical and clinical evidence
No full textNectin-4 (Nectin cell adhesion molecule 4), a type I transmembrane cell adhesion protein, was demonstrated to be overexpressed in a variety of tumors, making it an attractive antigen for targeted therapies such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Of great note, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approval of the first Nectin-4-directed ADC, enfortumab vedotin (EV), in urothelial cancer (UC) not only introduced Nectin-4 as a clinically validated and reliable target antigen but also confirmed the evolving role of Nectin-4-directed ADCs as novel and promising cancer therapeutics. In addition to EV, there have been or are currently being seven and eleven Nectin-4-directed ADCs, respectively, in various stages of clinical trials and preclinical development, offering a promising future for the treatment of Nectin-4-positive cancer patients. This study reviewed clinical- and preclinical-stage Nectin-4-directed ADCs
Fabrication and Evaluation of a Soy Protein Isolate/Collagen/Sodium Alginate Multifunctional Bilayered Wound Dressing: Release of Cinnamaldehyde, Artemisia absinthium, and Oxygen
No full textChronic wounds, such as diabetic ulcers and pressure sores, pose significant challenges in modern healthcare due to their prolonged healing times and susceptibility to infections. This study aims to engineer a bilayered wound dressing (BLWD) composed of soy protein isolate/collagen with the ability to release Cinnamaldehyde, Artemisia absinthium (AA), and oxygen. Cinnamaldehyde, magnesium peroxide (MgO2), and AA extract were encapsulated. Nanoparticles were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering, and ZETA potential tests. Swelling, degradation, water vapor penetration, tensile, MTT, SEM, oxygen release, AA extract release, and antibacterial properties were performed. An in vivo study was carried out to assess the final wound dressing under Hematoxiline&Eosin and Masson trichrome staining analysis and compared to a commercial product. According to the results, the synthesized nanoparticles had an average diameter of about 20 nm with a zeta potential in the range of −20 to −30 mV. The layers had uniform and dense surfaces. The maximum swelling and degradation of the dressing was about 130 and 13% respectively. Generally, better mechanical properties were observed in BLWD than in the single-layer case. More than 90% biocompatibility for the wound dressing was reported. The BLWD could inhibit the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. Histopathological analysis showed an acceptable wound-healing property. To sum up, the engineered wound dressing can be a good candidate for more clinical trials
Optimization of extraction of liquid extract from microalgae Chlorella vulgaris via cavitation‐based techniques
No full textMicroalgae are a high-potential source of biomolecules. Therefore, extracting bioactive components from microalgae with efficient and green extraction techniques is an important objective in many research. Cavitation-based extraction is gaining widespread attention as an environmentally friendly method due to its reduced energy and solvent consumption, enhanced extraction yield, improved extract quality, and reduced extraction time to extract bioactive products. This study aims to examine and optimize the extraction method for bioactive products from Chlorella vulgaris using Cavitation-based techniques compared with the traditional method to enhance the efficiency of extracting liquid extract. This experiment examined the extraction of bioactive components using various extraction methods, including Maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) (2–8 min) and hydrodynamic cavitation extraction (HCE) (1–5 min) was investigated regarding the extract's minerals, vitamins, amino acids, phytohormones, and total carbohydrates. The experimental design followed a response surface methodology to assess the effects of ultrasound-assisted and hydrodynamic cavitation extraction of liquid extract. The optimum time for maximum content of bioactive components using UAE and HCE was obtained at 7.87 and 1.76 min, respectively. This study showed that in comparing the three methods, Maceration (ME), UAE, and HCE, the UAC method was more useful and had a shorter extraction time compared with the ME and HCE methods for extracting bioactive products from C. vulgaris. Also HCE was more useful compared with the ME method. These results demonstrate that the cavitation-based extraction methods are more effective and efficient than traditional extraction methods. Practical applications: Extract of Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris is a high-potential source of bioactive compounds. Ultrasonic is one of the most effective techniques for the extraction of bioactive compounds of microalgae. The Hydrodynamic cavitation technology can be considered a green technology for large-scale extraction of bioactive compounds of microalgae. The cavitation-based extraction methods are more efficient than traditional extraction methods. Optimization of the extraction techniques can promote reductions in cost and tim