Cucurbita moschata Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae) is a plant food highly appreciated for the content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and carotenoids, which contribute to its ...antioxidant and antimicrobial capacities. The purpose of this study was to identify phenolic acids and flavonoids of Cucurbita moschata Duchesne using high-performance liquid chromatography–diode array detection–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–DAD–ESI-MS) at different ripening stages (young, mature, ripened) and determine its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. According to the results, phenolic acids and flavonoids were dependent on the maturity stage. The mature fruits contain the highest total phenolic and flavonoids contents (97.4 mg GAE. 100 g−1 and 28.6 mg QE. 100 g−1).A total of 33 compounds were identified. Syringic acid was the most abundant compound (37%), followed by cinnamic acid (12%) and protocatechuic acid (11%). Polyphenol extract of the mature fruits showed the highest antioxidant activity when measured by DPPH (0.065 μmol TE/g) and ABTS (0.074 μmol TE/g) assays. In the antimicrobial assay, the second stage of ripening had the highest antibacterial activity. Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive strain with an inhibition zone of 12 mm and a MIC of 0.75 mg L−1. The lowest inhibition zone was obtained with Salmonella typhimurium (5 mm), and the MIC value was 10 mg L−1.
A potential therapeutic strategy to inhibit tau protein aggregation in neurons has substantial effects on preventing or controlling Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this work, we designed a covalent and ...noncovalent conjugation of β-boswellic acid (BA) to gold nanoparticles (GNPs). We provided the opportunity to investigate the effect of the surface composition of BA-GNPs on the aggregation of the tau protein 1N/4R isoform in vitro. HR-TEM and FESEM micrographs revealed that GNPs were spherical and uniform, smaller than 25 nm. According to UV–visible and FTIR data, BA was successfully conjugated to GNPs. The finding illustrates the effect of the surface charge, size, and hydrophobicity of BA-GNPs on the kinetics of tau protein aggregation. The size and surface area of U-G-BA demonstrated that inhibited tau aggregation more effectively than covalently linked BA. The proposed method for preventing tau aggregation was monomer reduction. At the same time, a chaperone-like feature of GNP-BA while sustaining a tau native structure prevented the additional formation of fibrils. Overall, this study provides insight into the interaction of GNP-BAs with a monomer of tau protein and may suggest novel future therapies for AD.
•Caused by a knife.•A midline incision ismade with a No.10 scalpel and the dorsal spine approached through the subcutaneous tissue using monopolar cautery. Self-retaining retractors are used ...throughout to ensure adequate visualization.•An informed consent have been obtained from patient for this case presentation.•Discussion.•It is frequently due to one-way pass of air generating advanced accumulation within the cranium and making mass effect. The most frequent way of air entry into the cranial cavity is through a rupture in the dura and connection with the outer environment. Air enters the subdural space and gets collected most usually in the frontal region like in our case. This can have two explanations: first, the frontal region is the highest point even in the patient’s supine position; and second, the dura is thinner and more attached to the bone in the frontal region 20–22.•We believe that this theory can explain the pathophysiology of our case.•Based on reverse bottle mechanism like in cases of CSF fistula, continuous CSF loss makes a negative pressure that sucks in air, creating progressive air accumulation and pneumocephalus.
Pneumocephalus refers to the presence of air inside the cranial cavity. The presence of air in the cranial cavity without spinal involvement following penetrating trauma to the spine is a very rare condition. In this report, we present a rare case of pneumocephalus after penetrating spine injury. Moreover, the pathophysiology of pneumocephalus, as well as its recommendations for diagnosis and treatment, will be explained.
Case presentation.
A 24-year-old man who was transferred to the hospital emergency room following a penetrating back trauma. Physical examination showed a horizontally oriented, deep, and sharp confined wound of about 4 to 5 cm in length, located at the thoracic midline area around the T5 vertebra.Brain CT scan revealed intracranial pneumocephallus.
All patients with headache, nausea, vomiting, seizures, dizziness, confusion and focal FNDs after spinal trauma and suspicion of CSF leakage should be managed as having the clinical diagnosis of a tension pneumocephalus.
Craniosynostosis is the premature closure of one or more of the cranial sutures, which leads to skull deformities and other complications. Non-syndromic craniosynostosis (NSCS) usually involves only ...one cranial suture. Unicoronal (UCS) and metopic craniosynostosis (MS) are two common types of NSCS. Correction of fronto-orbital deformity is the main aim of surgical intervention in patients of UCS and MS. In this article, we express our novel technique of bone increment to use a bone graft for reshaping of the orbital rim deformity in patients diagnosed with UCS and MS.
20 patients (10 UCS and 10 MS) were treated surgically at our institute, between 2020 and 2022. The degree of the needed fronto-orbital advancement was determined preoperatively using full history, preoperative examination, three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) and longitudinal orbital projection.
The mean hospital stay, operative time, anesthetic duration, intraoperative blood loss and transfusion showed significantly lower results than the literature.
The bone increment technique for fronto-orbital reshaping of patients diagnosed with UCS and MS, is an innovative and efficient reconstructive technique and may provide a valuable and alternative technique and addition in selected cases in craniofacial surgery.
Background
Functional and structural complexities associated with craniosynostosis present challenges for families of affected individuals. Additionally, these patients undergo childhood surgeries ...that significantly impact the role of the family/caregiver. Consequently, multiple therapeutic teams have provided various guidelines, with the most recent version in 2023 introducing the patient/family guide. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness among the patient’s family/caregiver regarding the treatment plan.
Methods
The descriptive-analytical study sample consisted of 117 caregivers (parents) of children diagnosed with craniosynostosis between 2013 and 2023, who were conveniently selected for participation. The self-designed questionnaire was based on the 2023 guidelines and underwent reliability and validity testing. It comprised 14 chapters derived from the literature, with a total of 55 yes/no questions.
Results
Based on the results obtained from this study, the total correct response rate is 62.3%. The highest level of respondent awareness was associated with Chapter 12, with a correct response rate of 69%. The lowest level of awareness, at 41.8%, was related to Chapter 10.
Conclusion
It is better to use appropriate educational aids such as educational podcasts based on the latest guidelines for craniosynostosis to educate parents.
•LAB have been successfully used in the last years as safe mucosal delivery vectors.•L. lactis is considered as the model LAB and an excellent vector of medical proteins.•We report on the development ...of a Stress-Inducible Controlled Expression (SICE) system.•We validated SICE system in a model of therapy against IBD.•We validated SICE system in a model of mucosal vaccination against HPV-16.
In recent years, recombinant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been successfully used as safe mucosal delivery vectors. Herein, we report on the development of a Stress-Inducible Controlled Expression (SICE) system in L. lactis for the production and delivery of proteins of health interest (both therapeutic and vaccine related) at mucosal surfaces. This system is episomal in nature and is composed of a vector carrying an expression cassette under the transcriptional control of a stress-inducible promoter. The functionality of the SICE system was validated in vivo using two different routes of administration: oral and intranasal, and in two different murine models of human pathologies: (i) a model of therapy against inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and (ii) a model of vaccination against human papillomavirus type-16 (HPV-16).
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the world's most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, and current treatments do not meet patients' demands. This study aimed to investigate melatonin's ...therapeutic effects on IBS score, GI symptoms, quality of life, and sleep parameters in both groups of IBS patients with and without sleep disorders.
In this randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial study, 136 patients with a diagnosis of IBS based on ROME IV criteria were enrolled and then divided into two groups respecting having sleep disorders or not. Patients of each group were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive melatonin 6 mg daily (3 mg fasting and 3 mg at bedtime) for 2 months (8 weeks). Blocked randomization was used in this process. All patients were evaluated both at the beginning and the end of the trial regarding IBS score, GI symptoms, quality of life, and sleep parameters through valid questionnaires.
In both groups of patients with and without sleep disorders, a significant improvement was observed in IBS score and GI symptoms, including the severity and the frequency of abdominal pain, the severity of abdominal bloating, satisfaction with bowel habits, disease's impact on patient's life, and stool consistency; however, there was no significant improvement in the frequency of defecations per week. In patients with sleep disorders, significant improvement in sleep parameters, including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and daytime dysfunction, was observed, while in patients without sleep disorders, there was no significant improvement in sleep parameters. In addition, quality-of-life improvement was observed in a significant number of melatonin recipients compared to placebo in both groups of patients.
Melatonin can be considered an effective treatment for improving IBS score, GI symptoms, and quality of life in IBS patients with and without sleep disorders. It is also effective to improve sleep parameters in IBS patients with sleep disorders.
This study has been registered to the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with the approval number IRCT20220104053626N2 on the date of 13/02/2022.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Galactomannans are the main component of locust bean gum from the fruit of the carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua L. They are a reserve of polysaccharides, found in the translucent endosperm of the seeds. ...They are designated as the best gels with thickening capacity and are, therefore, widely used as a natural food additive (E410) in many food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations. In this study, we aim to exploit this gelling property of carob galactomannans in the microencapsulation of lactic bacteria in order to protect them from the negative effects of simulated digestive conditions. Two beneficial bacteria are used: Lactobacillus rhamnosus LBRE-LSAS and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb12. Their survival in the free state or encapsulated in pure carob galactomannan gel combined with xanthan, was determined after residence in simulated in vitro digestive conditions (gastric: pH 2, pepsin 3 g/l and intestinal: bile 0.3%: W/V, pH 6.5. The results obtained show that gel encapsulation of carob galactomannans combined with xanthan improves the survival of these two beneficial strains to simulated digestive hostilities. the loss under gastric conditions 36.79% (3.55 log CFU/mL) for the non-encapsulated cells and only 12% (1.2 log CFU/mL) for the encapsulated ones. However, galactomannans alone do not appear to be effective in keeping a minimum of 106 bacterial cells viable when confronted with the hostile conditions of the digestive tract where they will be called upon to exert their positive effect on health.
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