Preparation and characterization of structural and antifouling properties of chitosan/polyethylene oxide membranes.

It aims to prepare the chitosan (CS) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) hydrogel membranes with different CS/PEO blend ratios (100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 80:20 and 70:30) via solvent casting. The physicochemical properties of these membranes were investigated using various characterization techniques: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), contact angle, and tensile testing. The interaction of PEO and chitosan was investigated by DSC in terms of freezing bound, freezing free, and non-freezing PEO fraction. The cross-sectional surface morphology of membranes displayed a smoother surface with increasing PEO content up to 20 %, beyond which nonhomogeneity on the surface was visible. The antifouling behavior of membranes was investigated by bacterial adherence study, which showed an enhanced antifouling nature of membranes with the increase in the PEO content. The peeling strength of the membranes was measured using a 90° angle peeling test, and it was found that 20 % and more PEO content promotes easy removal from the gelatin slab. In addition to this, live/ dead assay of the CS was performed to visualize the presence of live and dead bacteria on the surface. The CS/PEO blend with 20 % PEO content has properties makes it suitable for use as a protective layer on wound dressings to prevent bacterial growth. It's use in wound dressings has the potential to reduce the pain during the time of dressing removal and improve patient outcomes. The present investigation leads to the development of a CS hydrogel matrix which exhibits very interesting interaction with the PEO moiety along with its innovative feature of antifouling and antimicrobial nature.

Isolation and biological evaluation of demethylcassiarin B from Senna siamea Lam.

In search of potential natural products for the amelioration of obesity, phytochemical investigation of leaves of Senna siamea Lam. was carried out. It led to the isolation of demethycassiarin B (1), 6,8-dihydroxy-3-methyl-1H isochromenone (2), and 6-hydroxymellein (3). The structures were elucidated by a detailed analysis of spectral data. Compound 1 was found to possess a similar structural skeleton as that of cassiarin B except for a methoxyl substitution. Detailed HPLC and HPTLC analysis of methanolic extract for the presence of compound 1 and cassiarin B were performed. Cassiarin B was not detected in extract. Compounds 2 and 3 have been reported for the first time from the genus Senna. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their antiadipogenic activity in murine 3T3L1 cells.

Fluid as a critical biomarker in neovascular age-related macular degeneration management: literature review and consensus recommendations.

Current guidelines on the management of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) lack clear recommendations on the interpretation of fluid as seen on optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and the incorporation of this information into an ongoing disease treatment strategy. Our objective was to review current guidelines and scientific evidence on the role of fluid as a biomarker in the management of nAMD, and develop a clinically oriented, practical algorithm for diagnosis and management based on a consensus of expert European retinal specialists. PubMed was searched for articles published since 2006 relating to the role of fluid in nAMD. A total of 654 publications were screened for relevance and 66 publications were included for review. Of these, 14 were treatment guidelines, consensus statements and systematic reviews or meta-analyses, in which OCT was consistently recommended as an important tool in the initial diagnosis and ongoing management of nAMD. However, few guidelines distinguished between types of fluid when providing recommendations. A total of 52 publications reported primary evidence from clinical trials, studies, and chart reviews. Observations from these were sometimes inconsistent, but trends were observed with regard to features reported as being predictive of visual outcomes. Based on these findings, diagnostic recommendations and a treatment algorithm based on a treat-and-extend (T&E) regimen were developed. These provide guidance on the diagnosis of nAMD as well as a simple treatment pathway based on the T&E regimen, with treatment decisions made according to the observations of fluid as a critical biomarker for disease activity.

Communication frequency between visits is associated with improved glycemic control in pediatric diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Children with diabetes are advised to see their diabetes team every 3 months, with interim communication to address insulin dose adjustments. Despite increasing digital accessibility, there is limited data on whether provider-patient communication frequency is associated with glycemic control in pediatric diabetes. We assessed patterns of communication between diabetes clinic visits and whether communication frequency via electronic messaging (EM) and telephone was associated with glycemic control in pediatric diabetes. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 267 children with type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) over a 1-year period (July 2018-June 2019) at an urban academic pediatric diabetes center. Association between frequency of communication (via EM and telephone) and HbA1c was analyzed using regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 267 participants, 224 (84%) had T1DM, 43 (16%) had T2DM, mean age 11.6 years (SD 4), mean duration of diabetes 3.5 years (SD 3.4), and mean HbA1c 73.8 ± 23 mmol/mol (8.9 ± 2.2%). Most participants (82%) communicated with their diabetes team at least once per year, with a mean number of overall communications of 10.3 ± 13.6 times. Communications were via EM (48%), phone (40%), or both (53%). Participants with more frequent communication had lower HbA1c values (p=0.007), even when controlling for age, sex, provider, and number of clinic visits per year. We determined that a threshold of three communications per year was associated with a lower HbA1c (p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: More frequent communication with the diabetes team between visits is associated with improved glycemic control. Initiatives to contact diabetes patients between clinic visits may impact their overall glycemic control.

Origanum vulgare L.: In vitro Assessment of Cytotoxicity, Molecular Docking Studies, Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activity in LPS Stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation involves a dynamic network that is highly regulated by signals that initiate the inflammation process as well as signals that downregulate it. However, an imbalance between the two leads to tissue damage. Throughout the world, inflammatory disease becomes common in the aging society. The drugs which are used clinically have serious side effects. Natural products or compounds derived from natural products show diversity in structure and play an important role in drug discovery and development. OBJECTIVE: Oreganum Vulgare is used in traditional medicine for various ailments including respiratory and rheumatic disorders, severe cold, suppression of tumors. The current study aims to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential by evaluating various in vitro parameters. METHODS: Inflammation-induced in macrophages via LPS is the most accepted model for evaluating the antiinflammatory activity of various plant extracts and lead compounds. RESULTS: The extracts (OVEE, OVEAF) as well as the isolated compound(OVRA)of Oreganum Vulgare inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-α) and NO without affecting cell viability. CONCLUSION: Our study established that the leaf extracts of Oreganum vulgare L. exhibit anti-inflammatory activity and thus confirm its importance in traditional medicine.

Brolucizumab: A Newly Developed Anti-VEGF Molecule for the Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

BACKGROUND: Despite the success of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs), currently, there is a need for highly effective compounds that can alleviate the burden of managing neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). PURPOSE: To review the milestones in the molecular and clinical development of brolucizumab, the first single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) designed specifically for intraocular use in humans. METHODS: In this article, we summarize the preclinical and current clinical evidence of brolucizumab administration with an overview of the other treatment regimens and additional indications under investigation. RESULTS: The unique molecular design of brolucizumab led to a low molecular weight of only 26 kDa, allowing for a concentrated molar dose of 1 intravitreal injection compared with other anti-VEGF agents. Phase I and II clinical trial outcomes validated the efficacy of brolucizumab in the treatment of nAMD with signals of a more durable treatment effect. The pivotal phase III trials, HAWK and HARRIER, which included a total of 1,817 patients, established that brolucizumab can be administered every 3 months while maintaining disease control. CONCLUSIONS: The preclinical and clinical data on brolucizumab provide evidence of sustained disease control with longer injection intervals, thus potentially reducing the treatment burden in patients with nAMD.

A systematic review of the clinical performance of tooth-retained and implant-retained double crown prostheses with a follow-up of ≥ 3 years.

PURPOSE: The objective of this review was to systematically screen the literature for data related to the survival and complication rates observed with dental or implant double crown abutments and removable prostheses under functional loading for at least 3 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of the dental literature from January 1966 to December 2009 was performed in electronic databases (PubMed and Embase) as well as by an extensive hand search to investigate the clinical outcomes of double crown reconstructions. RESULTS: From the total of 2412 titles retrieved from the search, 65 were selected for full-text review. Subsequently, 17 papers were included for data extraction. An estimation of the cumulative survival and complication rates was not feasible due to the lack of detailed information. Tooth survival rates for telescopic abutment teeth ranged from 82.5% to 96.5% after an observation period of 3.4 to 6 years, and for tooth-supported double crown retained dentures from 66.7% to 98.6% after an observation period of 6 to 10 years. The survival rates of implants were between 97.9% and 100% and for telescopic-retained removable dental prostheses with two mandibular implants, 100% after 3.0 and 10.4 years. The major biological complications affecting the tooth abutments were gingival inflammation, periodontal disease, and caries. The most frequent technical complications were loss of cementation and loss of facings. CONCLUSIONS: The main findings of this review are: (I) double crown tooth abutments and dentures demonstrated a wide range of survival rates. (II) Implant-supported mandibular overdentures demonstrated a favorable long-term prognosis. (III) A greater need for prosthetic maintenance is required for both tooth-supported and implant-supported reconstructions. (IV) Future areas of research would involve designing appropriate longitudinal studies for comparisons of survival and complication rates of different reconstruction designs.