Instruções em bulas destinadas ao uso de medicamentos para dispepsia e constipação durante a lactação / Instructions in package inserts intended for the use of medicines for dyspepsia and constipation during lactation / Instrucciones en prospectos destinados al uso de medicamentos para la dispepsia y el estreñimiento durante la lactancia

Introdução: A segurança e eficácia do uso de medicamentos durante a lactação são preocupações para mães e profissionais de saúde. Esta pesquisa analisa as orientações das bulas de medicamentos comumente prescritos para dispepsia e constipação, que visa fornecer informações essenciais para orientar as decisões terapêuticas durante esse período crucial da maternidade. Objetivos: Analisar as informações das bulas sobre contraindicações de medicamentos para dispepsia e constipação durante a amamentação, verificando se estão de acordo com as evidências científicas. Métodos: Medicamentos para dispepsia e constipação foram selecionados de acordo com a classificação da Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) e o registro ativo no Brasil. A presença de contraindicações para o uso de medicamentos nas bulas do profissional de saúde e do paciente foi comparada com as informações contidas no manual técnico do Ministério da Saúde, Medicamentos e Leite Materno, LactMed, UptoDate, Micromedex, Documento Científico da Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria e Reprotox. Resultados: Nenhuma informação sobre o uso durante a amamentação foi encontrada em 20,0 e 24,3% das bulas para dispepsia e constipação, respectivamente. A concordância entre as bulas dos medicamentos para dispepsia e as fontes consultadas foi baixa (27,2% das bulas contraindicavam o medicamento na lactação, enquanto nas fontes o percentual de contraindicação variou de 0 a 8,3%). Com relação a medicamentos para constipação, 26,3% das bulas os contraindicavam, enquanto nas fontes o percentual variou de 0 a 4,8%. Conclusões: O estudo mostrou que pelo menos duas em cada dez bulas para dispepsia e constipação não fornecem informações adequadas sobre o uso desses medicamentos em lactentes, e também que houve baixa concordância entre o texto das bulas e as fontes de referência quanto à compatibilidade do medicamento com a amamentação.

Introduction: The safety and effectiveness of medication use during lactation are concerns for mothers and healthcare professionals. This research analyzes the instructions on the leaflets of medications commonly prescribed for dyspepsia and constipation, which aims to provide essential information to guide therapeutic decisions during this crucial period of motherhood. Objectives: To analyze the information in package inserts about contraindications of drugs for dyspepsia and constipation during breastfeeding, verifying whether these are consistent with scientific evidence. Methods: Drugs for dyspepsia and constipation were selected according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and active registry in Brazil. The presence of contraindications for the use of medications in the health professional's and patient's package inserts was compared with the information in the technical manual of the Ministry of Health, Medications and Mothers' Milk, LactMed, UptoDate, Micromedex, Documento Científico da Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria and Reprotox. Results: No information about use during breastfeeding was found in 20.0 and 24.3% of leaflets for dyspepsia and constipation, respectively. The agreement between the leaflets of medications for dyspepsia and the sources consulted was low (27.2% of the leaflets contraindicated the medication during lactation, while in the sources the percentage of contraindication varied from 0 to 8.3%). In relation to medicines for constipation, 26.3% of the leaflets contraindicated them, while in the sources the percentage ranged from 0 to 4.8%. Conclusions: The study pointed out that at least two out of every ten package inserts for dyspepsia and constipation do not provide adequate information on the use of these drugs in infants, and also shows low concordance between the text of the package inserts and the reference sources regarding compatibility of the drug with breastfeeding.

Introducción: La seguridad y eficacia del uso de medicamentos durante la lactancia son preocupaciones para las madres y los profesionales de la salud. Esta investigación analiza las instrucciones contenidas en los prospectos de medicamentos comúnmente recetados para la dispepsia y el estreñimiento, con el objetivo de proporcionar información esencial para guiar las decisiones terapéuticas durante este período crucial de la maternidad. Objetivos: Analizar la información contenida en los prospectos sobre las contraindicaciones de los medicamentos para la dispepsia y el estreñimiento durante la lactancia, verificando si estas son consistentes con la evidencia científica. Métodos: Se seleccionaron medicamentos para la dispepsia y el estreñimiento de acuerdo con la clasificación ATC y el registro activo en Brasil. Se comparó la presencia de contraindicaciones para el uso de medicamentos en los prospectos del profesional de la salud y del paciente con la información del manual técnico del Ministerio de Salud, Medicamentos y Leche Materna, LactMed, UptoDate, Micromedex, Documento Científico da Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria y Reprotox. Resultados: No se encontró información sobre su uso durante la lactancia en el 20% y el 24,3% de los prospectos para dispepsia y estreñimiento, respectivamente. La concordancia entre los prospectos de los medicamentos para la dispepsia y las fuentes consultadas fue baja (el 27,2% de los prospectos contraindicaba el medicamento durante la lactancia, mientras que en las fuentes el porcentaje de contraindicación variaba del 0% al 8,3%). Con relación a los medicamentos para el estreñimiento, el 26,3% de los prospectos los contraindicaba, mientras que en las fuentes el porcentaje osciló entre el 0% y el 4,8%. Conclusiones: El estudio señaló que al menos dos de cada diez prospectos para dispepsia y estreñimiento no brindan información adecuada sobre el uso de estos medicamentos en lactantes, y también muestra la baja concordancia entre el texto de los prospectos y la referencia. fuentes sobre la compatibilidad del fármaco con la lactancia.

Percepções e ações da equipe multiprofissional em saúde sobre a medicina tradicional indígena / Perceptions and actions of the multi-professional health team on traditional indigenous medicine / Percepciones y acciones del equipo multidisciplinario de salud sobre la medicina tradicional indígena

Objetivo: compreender as percepções e as ações de uma equipe multiprofissional em saúde quanto à prática da medicina tradicional indígena em uma Casa de Atenção à Saúde Indígena. Método: estudo qualitativo descritivo, realizado em uma de Casa de Apoio à Saúde Indígena em um município do Pará, que incluiu oito profissionais de uma equipe multiprofissional. A coleta de dados foi realizada no ano de 2018 e estes foram examinados pelo método da análise de conteúdo. Resultados: inserção e prática do cristianismo; ritos e lideranças xamânicas; e postura da equipe de multidisciplinar foram as categorias elencadas, que apontam os entendimentos e atuações da equipe multiprofissional e da organização espacial da Casa de Saúde do município. Considerações finais: há novos costumes e valores entre as etnias, em virtude da aproximação de grupos religiosos, cujas ações foram registradas e apreendidas pela equipe de trabalhadores em saúde.

Objective: understanding the perceptions and actions of a multi-professional health team regarding the practice of traditional indigenous medicine in an Indigenous Health Care Center. Method: this is a descriptive qualitative study carried out in an Indigenous Health Support Center in a municipality in the state of Pará, which included eight professionals from a multi-professional team. Data was collected in 2018 and examined using the content analysis method. Results: insertion and practice of Christianity; shamanic rites and leadership; and the attitude of the multidisciplinary team were the categories listed, which point to the understandings and actions of the multi-professional team and the spatial organization of the Health Center in the municipality. Final considerations: there are new customs and values among ethnic groups, due to the approach of religious groups, whose actions were recorded and apprehended by the team of health workers.

Objetivo: comprender las percepciones y acciones de un equipo multidisciplinario de salud sobre la práctica de la medicina tradicional indígena en una Casa de Atención para la Salud Indígena. Método: estudio descriptivo cualitativo, realizado en una Casa de Apoyo a la Salud Indígena de un municipio de Pará, que incluyó ocho profesionales de un equipo multidisciplinario. La recolección de datos se realizó en 2018 y los datos fueron sometidos al método de análisis de contenido. Resultados: inserción y práctica del cristianismo; ritos y líderes chamánicos; y actitud del equipo multidisciplinario fueron las categorías enumeradas, que indican la percepción y las acciones del equipo multidisciplinario y la organización espacial de la Casa de Salud del municipio. Consideraciones finales: existen nuevas costumbres y valores entre las etnias, debido a la presencia de grupos religiosos, el equipo de los trabajadores de la salud registró y aprendió las acciones de los indígenas.

Exploring the potential of omics technologies in medicinal plant research: a review in Colombia / Explorando el potencial de las tecnologías ómicas en la investigación de plantas medicinales: una revisión en Colombia

This review presents advances in the implementation of high - throughput se quencing and its application to the knowledge of medicinal plants. We conducted a bibliographic search of papers published in PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and analyzed the obtained data using VOSviewer (versi on 1.6.19). Given that medicinal plants are a source of specialized metabolites with immense therapeutic values and important pharmacological properties, plant researchers around the world have turned their attention toward them and have begun to examine t hem widely. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have reduced cost and time demands and accelerated medicinal plant research. Such research leverages full genome sequencing, as well as RNA (ribonucleic acid) sequencing and the analysis of the transcr iptome, to identify molecular markers of species and functional genes that control key biological traits, as well as to understand the biosynthetic pathways of bioactive metabolites and regulatory mechanisms of environmental responses. As such, the omics ( e.g., transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and genomics, among others) have been widely applied within the study of medicinal plants, although their usage in Colombia is still few and, in some areas, scarce. (185)

El extracto de cloroformo (CE) y las fracciones obtenidas de las raíces de Aldama arenaria se evaluaron para determinar su actividad antiproliferativa in vitro contra 10 líneas ce lulares tumorales humanas [leucemia (K - 562), mama (MCF - 7), ovario que expresa un fenotipo resistente a múltiples fármacos (NCI/ADR - RES), melanoma (UACC - 62), pulmón (NCI - H460), próstata (PC - 3), colon (HT29), ovario (OVCAR - 3), glioma (U251) y riñón (786 - 0)]. CE presentó actividad antiproliferativa débil a moderada (log GI 50 medio 1.07), mientras que las fracciones 3 y 4, enriquecidas con diterpenos de tipo pimarane [ent - pimara - 8 (14), ácido 15 - dien - 19 - oico y ent - 8(14),15 - pimaradien - 3 ß - ol], presentaron activid ad moderada a potente para la mayoría de las líneas celulares, con un log GI 50 medio de 0.62 y 0.59, respectivamente. Los resultados mostraron una acción antiproliferativa in vitro prometedora de las muestras obtenidas de A. arenaria , con los mejores resul tados para NCI/ADR - RES, HT29 y OVCAR - 3, y valores de TGI que van desde 5.95 a 28.71 µg.mL - 1, demostrando que los compuestos de esta clase pueden ser prototipos potenciales para el descubrimiento de nuevos agentes terapéuticos

Ethnobotanical knowledge on non-conventional food plants and medicinal plants in Extractivist Reserve in the Brazilian Amazon / Conocimiento etnobotánico sobre plantas alimenticias no convencionales y plantas medicinales en una Reserva Extractivista en la Amazonía Brasileña

Information on the knowledge and ways of using food and medicinal plants by traditional populations, family farmers and Brazilian native population in the Amazon is essential to guarantee the food sovereignty of these groups. This study was conducted using semi-structured interviews applied to local respondents. A total of 269 species of both non-conventional food plants and medicinal plants were identified, distributed in 83 botanical families and 198 genera. The Arecaceae and Lamiaceae families had the highest species richness (11 and 7, respectively). The Shannon-Wiener (H') and Pielou (J') diversity indices were considered high (5.02 and 0.9, respectively) when compared to other ethnobotanical works. In the environment in which these families are found, these species become the only food and medicinal resources available.

La información sobre los saberes y formas de uso de las plantas alimenticias y medicinales por parte de las poblaciones tradicionales, agricultores familiares e indígenas brasileños en la Amazonía es fundamental para garantizar la soberanía alimentaria de estos grupos. Este estudio se realizó utilizando entrevistas semiestructuradas aplicadas a encuestados locales. Se identificaron un total de 269 especies tanto de plantas alimenticiasno convencionales como de plantas medicinales, distribuidas en 83 familias botánicas y 198 géneros. Las familias Arecaceae y Lamiaceae tuvieron la mayor riqueza de especies (11 y 7, respectivamente). Los índices de diversidad de Shannon-Wiener (H') y Pielou (J') fueron considerados altos (5,02 y 0,9, respectivamente) en comparación con otros trabajos etnobotánicos. En el ambiente en que se encuentran estas familias, estas especies se convierten en los únicos recursos alimenticios y medicinales disponibles.

Animal Models of Chronic Migraine: From the Bench to Therapy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic migraine is a disabling progressive disorder without effective management approaches. Animal models have been developed and used in chronic migraine research. However, there are several problems with existing models. Therefore, we aimed to summarize and analyze existing animal models to facilitate translation from basic to clinical. RECENT FINDINGS: The most commonly used models are the inflammatory soup induction model and the nitric oxide donor induction model. In addition, KATP openers have also been used in model induction. Based on the above models, some molecular targets have been identified, such as glutamate receptors. However, each model has its shortcomings and characteristics, and there are still some common problems that need to be solved, such as spontaneous headache, evaluation criteria after model establishment, and identification methods. In this review, we summarized and highlighted the advantages and limitations of the currently commonly used animal models of chronic migraine with a special focus on drug discovery and current therapeutic strategies, and discussed the directions that can be worked on in the future.

Huanglian Wendan Decoction Improves Insomnia in Rats by Regulating BDNF/TrkB Signaling Pathway Through Gut Microbiota-Mediated SCFAs and Affecting Microglia Polarization.

Insomnia is a typical type of sleep disorder. Huanglian Wendan Decoction (HWD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with the effects of regulating Qi, drying dampness and resolving phlegm, calming the mind, and relieving irritation. This study aims to investigate the effect of HWD on insomnia in rats and its mechanism. Para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-induced insomnia in rats was used for in vivo experiments and then treated with HWD. Behavioral tests, Western blot, real-time PCR, immunofluorescent staining, 16S rRNA sequencing were conducted. The content of SCFAs was determined by GC-MS. Acetic acid-pretreated rat hippocampal nerve cells were used for in vitro experiments. The results showed that HWD significantly improved the learning memory ability, decreased sleep latency, and prolonged sleep duration in insomniac rats. HWD reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels and increased IL-10 and Foxp3 levels. HWD also promoted the polarization of macrophages from M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype to M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype. In addition, HWD increased the expression levels of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus. Administration of the TrkB receptor agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) confirmed the mechanism by which HWD activates BDNF/TrkB signaling to ameliorate insomnia. Furthermore, HWD restored gut microbiota richness and diversity and promoted short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in insomniac rats. In vitro experiments confirmed that the acetic acid-treated SCFA group could activate the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway in neuronal cells, further promoting neuronal cell growth. In conclusion, HWD alleviated insomnia by maintaining gut microbiota homeostasis, promoting SCFA production, reducing neuroinflammatory response and microglia activation, and activating BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.

How does sutures pattern influence stomach motility after endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty? A computational study.

The relatively recent adoption of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) amongst obese patients has gained approval within the surgical community due to its notable benefits, including significant weight loss, safety, feasibility, repeatability, and potential reversibility. However, despite its promising clinical outcomes and reduced invasiveness, there is still a lack of standardised procedures for performing ESG. Multiple suture patterns and stitching methods have been proposed over time, yet rational tools to quantify and compare their effects on gastric tissues are absent. To address this gap, this study proposed a computational approach. The research involved a case study analyzing three distinct suture patterns (C-shaped, U-shaped and Z-shaped) using a patient-specific computational stomach model generated from magnetic resonance imaging. Simulations mimicked food intake by placing wire features in the intragastric cavity to replicate sutures, followed by applying a linearly increasing internal pressure up to 15 mmHg. The outcomes facilitated comparisons between suture configurations based on pressure-volume behaviours and the distribution of maximum stress on biological tissues, revealing the U-shaped as the more effective in terms of volume reduction, even if with reduced elongation strains and increased tissues stresses, whereas the Z-shaped is responsible of the greatest stomach shortness after ESG. In summary, computational biomechanics methods serve as potent tools in clinical and surgical settings, offering insights into aspects that are challenging to explore in vivo, such as tissue elongation and stress. These methods allow for mechanical comparisons between different configurations, although they might not encompass crucial clinical outcomes.

The relationship between psychological burden and providing assistance with taking medication among caregivers of patients with dementia: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have examined the psychological burden of caregivers of patients with dementia. However, although many caregivers struggle to assist patients with dementia with medication management, the relationship between assisting such patients with taking their medicines and the caregiver psychological burden is understudied. Therefore, this study identified the association between caregivers' psychological burden and assisting patients with dementia with taking medication. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among caregivers of patients with dementia in Japan. The survey questionnaire included questions that assessed the symptoms of patients with dementia, their status of taking medication through medication assistance from caregivers, and caregivers' psychological burden using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and the Japanese version of the Perceived Stress Scale. KEY FINDINGS: A total of 57 caregivers participated in the study. Higher Kessler Psychological Distress Scale scores were significantly associated with unsuccessful assistance with taking regular medication (ß = 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.23-12.0, P < .05), depressive symptoms (ß = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.10-8.53, P < .05), and irritability (ß = 0.38, 95% CI: 2.71-11.5, P < .05). Likewise, higher scores on the Japanese version of the Perceived Stress Scale were significantly associated with irritability (ß = 0.37, 95% CI: 1.87-12.5, P < .05) among patients with dementia. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that caregiver psychological burden is associated with unsuccessful assistance with taking regular medication for patients with dementia.

Student personality type and preferred rounding methods in an internal medicine advanced pharmacy practice experience.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy students completing Internal Medicine rotations may be exposed to different stylistic approaches from providers on routine activities like patient rounds. This may be beneficial as students can learn in different ways. Conversely, extensive exposure to approaches that do not suit them may hinder student learning or lead students to feel they don't belong in a clinical setting. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: This study sought to assess how students of different personality types perceived benefits to their learning based on the rounding styles of two providers. One provider (Dr. Bedside) used a team-based, bedside rounding method with direct patient interaction, while the other (Dr. Table) used a tableside team-based discussion for each patient. In the final week of a 5-week Internal Medicine APPE rotation, a cohort of ten students completed a 12-item survey that collected details on two personality assessments and assessed perspectives of the two rounding styles. EVALUATION FINDINGS: Ten students completed the personality assessments and survey. Students represented a diverse set of StrengthsFinder strengths and DOPE personality types, with the highest concentration (60%) of students receiving the Executing strength. All students agreed or strongly agreed that the exposure to two different rounding styles was valuable to their learning, with 80% of students preferring Dr. Bedside's approach. ANALYSIS OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY: Overall, no trends were identified between preference of rounding style and results from personality assessments, which indicates the current approach of exposing students to two rounding styles does not negatively impact certain learners based on DOPE and StrengthsFinders personality types.

Ectopic pregnancy in uterosacral ligament following in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in a patient with Allen-Masters syndrome.

We describe the case of a woman with mild endometriosis and Allen-Masters syndrome after in vitro fertilisation (IVF), presenting at 7 weeks 2 days gestation with abdominal pain. A transvaginal ultrasound revealed a gestational sac with a non-viable fetus near the right ovary. Laparoscopy was performed due to escalating abdominal pain which revealed a ruptured ectopic pregnancy at the right uterosacral ligament (USL) and blood in the pouch of Douglas. A peritoneal incision along the USL facilitated drainage and removal of the ectopic pregnancy. A pathological investigation described the presence of endometrial tissue directly adjacent to products of conception, which suggested a retroperitoneal implantation that may have been facilitated by the presence of an endometriotic lesion. This case underscores the distinctive clinical trajectory of unconventional ectopic pregnancies, provides novel insights into the pathophysiological mechanism of ectopic implantation and underscores the crucial role of comprehensive patient assessment during IVF and subsequent pregnancy in ensuring effective management.

Pseudomonas and aspergillus symbiotic coinfections in a case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes mellitus.

Coinfection of Pseudomonas and Aspergillus has not been previously reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A middle-aged, thinly built woman (Body Mass Index: 18.1 kg/m²) who smokes bidi (a type of tobacco) and has a history of exposure to open log fires for cooking, has been suffering from COPD for the last 4 years. She has been taking inhaled betamethasone and tiotropium. Additionally, she had uncontrolled diabetes for a few months. She presented with fever, productive cough, shortness of breath and chest pain for 5 days. She required non-invasive ventilation support for type-2 respiratory failure. Chest X-ray and CT confirmed pneumonia, cavities and abscesses in both lungs. Repeated sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage confirmed coinfections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus, respectively. Along with supportive therapy, she was treated with tablet levofloxacin and injection amikacin for 6 weeks based on culture sensitivity reports, and capsule itraconazole for 6 months. She recovered completely to her baseline COPD and diabetes status. This case study confirms that coinfections can occur in COPD and diabetes, highlighting the need for clinicians to be vigilant for the possibility of such symbiotic coinfections.

Mortality and cancer incidence in a population exposed to TCDD after the Seveso, Italy, accident (1976-2013).

OBJECTIVES: The Seveso accident (1976) caused the contamination with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) in an area north of Milan, Italy. We report the results of the update of mortality and cancer incidence in the exposed population through 2013. METHODS: The study cohort includes subjects living in three contaminated zones with decreasing TCDD soil concentrations (zone A, B and R) and in a surrounding uncontaminated territory (reference). Poisson models stratified/adjusted for gender, age and period were fitted to calculate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: In zone A in males, we found elevated mortality from circulatory diseases in the first decade after the accident (17 deaths, RR 2.00, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.23). In females, mortality from diabetes mellitus was increased, with a positive trend across zones. Incidence of soft tissue sarcoma was increased in males in zone R in the first decade (6 cases, RR 2.62, 95% CI 1.01 to 6.83). In females in zone B, there was an excess of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after 30 years (6 cases, RR 2.87, 95% CI 1.14 to 7.23). Multiple myeloma was increased in the second decade in females in zone B (4 cases, RR 5.09, 95% CI 1.82 to 14.2) and in males in zone R (11 cases, RR 2.15, 95% CI 1.08 to 4.26). In males in zone R, there was a leukaemia excess after 30 years (23 cases, RR 2.02, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.93). CONCLUSIONS: Although with different patterns across gender, zone and time, we confirmed previous results of increased cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, soft tissue sarcoma, and lymphatic and haematopoietic cancers.

Molecular Evidence of the Bio-activities of Traditional Home Medicine Ingredients.

For many centuries, traditional medicine has played an essential role in health care. The treatment of many illnesses, including cancer, has greatly benefited from using herbal remedies derived from traditional medicine. The bioactive compounds, such as curcumin, silibinin, berberine, ginseng, and others present in traditional medicine have shown a wide range of properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant as well as potent anti-cancer properties both in laboratory studies and animal experiments (in vitro and in vivo). In this review, we mainly emphasized the anticancer role of bioactive compounds present in traditional medicine, such as curcumin, cardamonin, piperine, berberine, ginseng, silibinin, epigallocatechin gallate, and asafoetida. We also discussed molecular evidence of these compounds in chemoprevention and anticancer effects. These compounds have the potential to interfere with cancer growth, proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis and induce apoptosis by targeting different pathways and the cell cycle. This review article also focuses on how these compounds can help overcome drug resistance and enhance the availability of other clinically approved drugs. The usage of these compounds synergistically with other forms of treatment is also of great fascination to new and upcoming research. Finally, we have discussed the bioavailability of these compounds and strategies employed to improve them so their full potential can be exploited.

Revolutionary Point-of-Care Wearable Diagnostics for Early Disease Detection and Biomarker Discovery through Intelligent Technologies.

Early-stage disease detection, particularly in Point-Of-Care (POC) wearable formats, assumes pivotal role in advancing healthcare services and precision-medicine. Public benefits of early detection extend beyond cost-effectively promoting healthcare outcomes, to also include reducing the risk of comorbid diseases. Technological advancements enabling POC biomarker recognition empower discovery of new markers for various health conditions. Integration of POC wearables for biomarker detection with intelligent frameworks represents ground-breaking innovations enabling automation of operations, conducting advanced large-scale data analysis, generating predictive models, and facilitating remote and guided clinical decision-making. These advancements substantially alleviate socioeconomic burdens, creating a paradigm shift in diagnostics, and revolutionizing medical assessments and technology development. This review explores critical topics and recent progress in development of 1) POC systems and wearable solutions for early disease detection and physiological monitoring, as well as 2) discussing current trends in adoption of smart technologies within clinical settings and in developing biological assays, and ultimately 3) exploring utilities of POC systems and smart platforms for biomarker discovery. Additionally, the review explores technology translation from research labs to broader applications. It also addresses associated risks, biases, and challenges of widespread Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in diagnostics systems, while systematically outlining potential prospects, current challenges, and opportunities.

Oxidized Melanoma Antigens Promote Activation and Proliferation of Cytotoxic T-Cell Subpopulations.

Increasing evidence suggests the role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in regulating antitumor immune effects and immunosuppression. RONS modify biomolecules and induce oxidative post-translational modifications (oxPTM) on proteins that can alarm phagocytes. However, it is unclear if and how protein oxidation by technical means could be a strategy to foster antitumor immunity and therapy. To this end, cold gas plasma technology producing various RONS simultaneously to oxidize the two melanoma-associated antigens MART and PMEL is utilized. Cold plasma-oxidized MART (oxMART) and PMEL (oxPMEL) are heavily decorated with oxPTMs as determined by mass spectrometry. Immunization with oxidized MART or PMEL vaccines prior to challenge with viable melanoma cells correlated with significant changes in cytokine secretion and altered T-cell differentiation of tumor-infiltrated leukocytes (TILs). oxMART promoted the activity of cytotoxic central memory T-cells, while oxPMEL led to increased proliferation of cytotoxic effector T-cells. Similar T-cell results are observed after incubating splenocytes of tumor-bearing mice with B16F10 melanoma cells. This study, for the first time, provides evidence of the importance of oxidative modifications of two melanoma-associated antigens in eliciting anticancer immunity.

Considerations for the development of iPSC-derived cell therapies: a review of key challenges by the JSRM-ISCT iPSC Committee.

Since their first production in 2007, human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have provided a novel platform for the development of various cell therapies targeting a spectrum of diseases, ranging from rare genetic eye disorders to cancer treatment. However, several challenges must be tackled for iPSC-based cell therapy to enter the market and achieve broader global adoption. This white paper, authored by the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine (JSRM) - International Society for Cell Therapy (ISCT) iPSC Committee delves into the hurdles encountered in the pursuit of safe and economically viable iPSC-based therapies, particularly from the standpoint of the cell therapy industry. It discusses differences in global guidelines and regulatory frameworks, outlines a series of quality control tests required to ensure the safety of the cell therapy, and provides details and important considerations around cost of goods (COGs), including the impact of automated advanced manufacturing.

Advance on Chinese Medicine for Hypertensive Renal Damage: Focus on the Complex Molecular Mechanisms.

Hypertensive renal damage (HRD) is a major cause of end-stage renal disease. Among the causes of end-stage renal disease, HRD accounts for nearly 34% of the total number of cases. Antihypertensive treatment is primarily drug-based, but therapeutic efficacy is less effective and can have serious side effects. Chinese medicine (CM) has significant advantages in the treatment of HRD. CM is rich in various active ingredients and has the property of targeting multiple targets and channels. Therefore, the regulatory network of CM on disease is complex. A large number of CM have been employed to treat HRD, either as single applications or as part of compound formulations. The key possible mechanisms of CM for HRD include regulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, antioxidation, anti-inflammation, rescue of endothelial function, regulation of vasoactive substance secretion and obesity-related factors, etc. This review summarized and discussed the recent advance in the basic research mechanisms of CM interventions for HRD and pointed out the challenges and future prospects.

Chinese Medicine for Treatment of COVID-19: A Review of Potential Pharmacological Components and Mechanisms.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease that has been prevalent since December 2019. Chinese medicine (CM) has demonstrated its unique advantages in the fight against COVID-19 in the areas of disease prevention, improvement of clinical symptoms, and control of disease progression. This review summarized the relevant material components of CM in the treatment of COVID-19 by searching the relevant literature and reports on CM in the treatment of COVID-19 and combining with the physiological and pathological characteristics of the novel coronavirus. On the basis of sorting out experimental methods in vivo and in vitro, the mechanism of herb action was further clarified in terms of inhibiting virus invasion and replication and improving related complications. The aim of the article is to explore the strengths and characteristics of CM in the treatment of COVID-19, and to provide a basis for the research and scientific, standardized treatment of COVID-19 with CM.