Agents In Management Research Articles

Endophytic Trichoderma: Potential and Prospects for Plant Health Management.

The fungus Trichoderma is widely regarded as the most common fungal biocontrol agent for plant health management. More than 25 Trichoderma species have been extensively studied and have demonstrated significant potential in inhibiting not only phytopathogen growth but also insect pest infestations. In addition to their use as biopesticides, there is increasing evidence that several Trichoderma species can function as fungal endophytes by colonizing the tissues of specific plants. This colonization enhances a plant's growth and improves its tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. In recent decades, there has been a proliferation of literature on the role of Trichoderma endophytes in crop protection. Although the mechanisms underlying plant-fungal endophyte interactions are not yet fully understood, several studies have suggested their potential application in agriculture, particularly in the mitigation of plant pests and diseases. This review focuses on the diversity of Trichoderma endophytic strains and their potential use in controlling specific diseases and pests of crop plants. Trichoderma endophytes are considered a potential solution to reduce production costs and environmental impact by decreasing reliance on agrochemicals.

Omarigliptin/rosinidin combination ameliorates cyclophosphamide-induced lung toxicity in rats: The interaction between glucagon-like peptide-1, TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, and PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 axis

Cyclophosphamide is an anti-neoplastic drug that has shown competence in the management of a broad range of malignant tumors. In addition, it represents a keystone agent for management of immunological conditions. Despite these unique properties, induction of lung toxicity may limit its clinical use. Omarigliptin is one of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors that has proven efficacy in management of diabetes mellitus. Rosinidin is an anthocyanidin flavonoid that exhibited promising results in management of diseases characterized by oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. The present work investigated the possible effects of omarigliptin with or without rosinidin on cyclophosphamide-induced lung toxicity with an exploration of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to these effects. In a rodent model of cyclophosphamide elicited lung toxicity, the potential efficacy of omarigliptin with or without rosinidin was investigated at both the biochemical and the histopathological levels. Both omarigliptin and rosinidin exhibited a synergistic ability to augment the tissue antioxidant defenses, mitigate the inflammatory pathways, restore glucagon-like peptide-1 levels, modulate high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)/receptors of advanced glycation end products (RAGE)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) axis, downregulate the fibrogenic mediators, and create a balance between the pathways involved in apoptosis and the autophagy signals in the pulmonary tissues. In conclusion, omarigliptin/rosinidin combination may be introduced as a novel therapeutic modality that attenuates the different forms of lung toxicities induced by cyclophosphamide.

Glaucarubinone from Simarouba glauca DC. as a potential biocontrol agent for mosquito vector management

The study explored Simarouba glauca DC. for mosquito larvicidal potential by performing bioactivity-guided chemical investigation of its root extract resulting in isolation of the known bioactive metabolite glaucarubinone (1). Mosquito larvicidal activity of glaucarubinone (1) against the three vector species viz. Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus was determined using a modified WHO 2005 protocol. It was observed that Culex quinquefasciatus larvae were the most susceptible species with LC50 13.88 ppm and LC90 70.01 ppm followed by Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi at 24 h of exposure. The mode of action as observed microscopically is the lysis of midgut and thorax cells of the third instar larvae. The crystal structure of the glaucarubinone (1) is reported for the first time using X-ray crystallography. This phytochemical product has the potential to act as a green alternative to existing chemical-based insecticides for integrated vector management.

GINS1 as a Novel Biomarker of Survival in Colon Adenocarcinoma Patients — A Secondary Publication

The study focused on elaborating the role of GINS1 expression and its regulatory mechanisms in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). Using the UALCAN informational index, GINS1 expression assessment unveiled a critical up-regulation in malignant cells that stood out from normal controls, suggesting its contribution to COAD expansion. Further dismantling GINS1 expression across various boundaries revealed unsurprising up-regulation in different malignant development stages, racial groups, genders, and age classes in COAD patients, characteristics for its imperative role in cancer progression. Moreover, this study investigated the promoter methylation status of GINS1, uncovering a critical uniqueness between COAD samples and normal controls. Analyzing promoter methylation across various clinical boundaries uncovered powerful variations, with particular methylation patterns seen across cancer stages, race groups, genders, and age groups. Survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter tool showed a colossal connection between GINS1 expression levels and overall survival (OS) in COAD patients, with low GINS1 expression interfacing with higher OS. Additionally, mutational examination using the cBioPortal stage revealed that no critical change was found in COAD. Overall, these findings revealed the complex contribution of GINS1 in COAD pathogenesis, underlining its actual limit as a prognostic biomarker and supportive therapeutic agent in COAD management.

GEN-RWD Sandbox: bridging the gap between hospital data privacy and external research insights with distributed analytics

BackgroundArtificial intelligence (AI) has become a pivotal tool in advancing contemporary personalised medicine, with the goal of tailoring treatments to individual patient conditions. This has heightened the demand for access to diverse data from clinical practice and daily life for research, posing challenges due to the sensitive nature of medical information, including genetics and health conditions. Regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the U.S. and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe aim to strike a balance between data security, privacy, and the imperative for access.ResultsWe present the Gemelli Generator - Real World Data (GEN-RWD) Sandbox, a modular multi-agent platform designed for distributed analytics in healthcare. Its primary objective is to empower external researchers to leverage hospital data while upholding privacy and ownership, obviating the need for direct data sharing. Docker compatibility adds an extra layer of flexibility, and scalability is assured through modular design, facilitating combinations of Proxy and Processor modules with various graphical interfaces. Security and reliability are reinforced through components like Identity and Access Management (IAM) agent, and a Blockchain-based notarisation module. Certification processes verify the identities of information senders and receivers.ConclusionsThe GEN-RWD Sandbox architecture achieves a good level of usability while ensuring a blend of flexibility, scalability, and security. Featuring a user-friendly graphical interface catering to diverse technical expertise, its external accessibility enables personnel outside the hospital to use the platform. Overall, the GEN-RWD Sandbox emerges as a comprehensive solution for healthcare distributed analytics, maintaining a delicate equilibrium between accessibility, scalability, and security.

Role of Amyloidogenic and Non-Amyloidogenic Protein Spaces in Neurodegenerative Diseases and their Mitigation Using Theranostic Agents.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) refer to a complex heterogeneous group of diseases which are associated with the accumulation of amyloid fibrils or plaques in the brain leading to progressive loss of neuronal functions. Alzheimer's disease is one of the major NDD responsible for 60-80 % of all dementia cases. Currently, there are no curative or disease-reversing/modifying molecules for many of the NDDs except a few such as donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, carbidopa and levodopa which treat the disease-associated symptoms. Similarly, there are very few FDA-approved tracers such as flortaucipir (Tauvid) for tau fibril imaging and florbetaben (Neuraceq), flutemetamol (Vizamyl), and florbetapir (Amyvid) for amyloid imaging available for diagnosis. Recent advances in the cryogenic electron microscopy reported distinctly different microstructures for tau fibrils associated with different tauopathies highlighting the possibility to develop tauopathy-specific imaging agents and therapeutics. In addition, it is important to identify the proteins that are associated with disease development and progression to know about their 3D structure to develop various diagnostics, therapeutics and theranostic agents. The current article discusses in detail the disease-associated amyloid and non-amyloid proteins along with their structural insights. We comprehensively discussed various novel proteins associated with NDDs and their implications in disease pathology. In addition, we document various emerging chemical compounds developed for diagnosis and therapy of different NDDs with special emphasis on theranostic agents for better management of NDDs.

Insulin Management for Gestational and Type 2 Diabetes in Pregnancy.

Insulin is preferred as the first-line agent for glucose management of gestational diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes in pregnancy when nutritional and lifestyle modifications are unable to achieve pregnancy-specific glucose targets. Individual heterogeneity in defects of insulin secretion or sensitivity in liver and muscle, unique genetic influences on pregnancy glycemic regulation, and variable cultural and lifestyle behaviors that affect meal, activity, sleep, and occupational schedules necessitate a personalized approach to insulin regimens. Newer insulin preparations have been developed to mimic the physiologic release of endogenous insulin, maintaining appropriate basal levels to cover hepatic gluconeogenesis and simulate the rapid, meal-related, bolus rise of insulin. Such physiologic basal-bolus dosing of insulin can be administered safely, achieving tighter glycemic control while reducing episodes of hypoglycemia. Insulin initiation and titration require understanding the pharmacodynamics of different insulin preparations in addition to a patient's glycemic profiles, effect of variable nutritional intake and mealtimes, physical activity, stress, timing of sleep cycles, and cultural habits. Educating and empowering patients to learn how their glucose responds to insulin, portion and content of meals, and physical activity can increase personal engagement in therapy, flexibility in eating patterns, and improved glycemic control. This Clinical Expert Series article is focused on optimizing insulin management (initiation, dosing, and titration) of gestational and type 2 diabetes in pregnancy.

Steer Clear: Inadvertent Use Of Antimicrobials Can Cause Unintentional Harm To Wound Healing

This article aims to raise awareness regarding the inadvertent misuse and/or overuse of antimicrobial agents in wound management and provide the correct indications, concentrations, and application techniques for commonly used antimicrobials to enhance wound care outcomes. A literature review revealed that misuse of topical antimicrobials can compromise wound healing and lead to adverse effects. Each antimicrobial presents unique benefits and challenges, necessitating careful consideration of indications, concentrations, and duration of use to optimize therapeutic outcomes. To mitigate the misuse of antimicrobials, wound care professionals must continually assess the wound and make changes to treatment based on the assessment finding. Moreover, by advocating for policy changes and access to specialized wound care services, health-care providers can further enhance patient care and reduce the risk of complications associated with improper

Self-assembling dendrimer nanosystems for specific fluorine magnetic resonance imaging and effective theranostic treatment of tumors

Fluorine magnetic resonance imaging (19F-MRI) is particularly promising for biomedical applications owing to the absence of fluorine in most biological systems. However, its use has been limited by the lack of safe and water-soluble imaging agents with high fluorine contents and suitable relaxation properties. We report innovative 19F-MRI agents based on supramolecular dendrimers self-assembled by an amphiphilic dendrimer composed of a hydrophobic alkyl chain and a hydrophilic dendron. Specifically, this amphiphilic dendrimer bears multiple negatively charged terminals with high fluorine content, which effectively prevented intra- and intermolecular aggregation of fluorinated entities via electrostatic repulsion. This permitted high fluorine nuclei mobility alongside good water solubility with favorable relaxation properties for use in 19F-MRI. Importantly, the self-assembling 19F-MRI agent was able to encapsulate the near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) agent DiR and the anticancer drug paclitaxel for multimodal 19F-MRI and NIRF imaging of and theranostics for pancreatic cancer, a deadly disease for which there remains no adequate early detection method or efficacious treatment. The 19F-MRI and multimodal 19F-MRI and NIRF imaging studies on human pancreatic cancer xenografts in mice confirmed the capability of both imaging modalities to specifically image the tumors and demonstrated the efficacy of the theranostic agent in cancer treatment, largely outperforming the clinical anticancer drug paclitaxel. Consequently, these dendrimer nanosystems constitute promising 19F-MRI agents for effective cancer management. This study offers a broad avenue to the construction of 19F-MRI agents and theranostics, exploiting self-assembling supramolecular dendrimer chemistry.

Novel naphthoquinones as potent aromatase inhibitors: Synthesis, anticancer, and in silico studies

A set of 26 naphthoquinone derivatives (3-28) were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution or Michael addition of various amines with 1,4-naphthoquinones and were investigated for their aromatase inhibitory and anticancer activities. The 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives with amino substituents (14-16 and 24) and the N-alkylated products (25-28) showed promising aromatase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.006–2.6 µM). Interestingly, 2-((4-aminophenyl)amino)-3-chloronaphthalene-1,4-dione 14 was noted as a highly potent aromatase inhibitor (IC50 = 6 nM) possessing preferable selective anticancer effect against the breast cancer T47D cell line (IC50: cytotoxic T47D = 24.3 µM, non-cytotoxic to MRC-5 normal cell line, selective index > 6.9). Findings from molecular docking study also suggested that the hydrogen bond formation with Asp309 as well as the pi-sulfur interaction with Met374 residues may be essential for a striking inhibitory effect of the most potent compound 14. Moreover, the in silico drug-likeness prediction indicated that all active naphthoquinone-based compounds are drug-like molecules with potential to be further developed as dual-action anticancer agents for breast cancer management.

Injectable exosome-loaded quaternized chitosan/oxidized sodium alginate hydrogel with self-healing, bioadhesive, and antibacterial properties for treating combined radiation-wound injury

The management of combined radiation-wound injury (CRWI) is a major clinical challenge owing to the delayed and prolonged wound-healing process. Moreover, the mechanisms underlying the healing of CRWI are complex, and chronic wounds can increase vulnerability to multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, vascular disease, and other adverse conditions. Although exosomes from iPSC-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs) can promote injury repair, the feasibility of encapsulating them within polysaccharide-based hydrogels to treat CRWI remains to be explored. Here, iMSC-derived exosomes were encapsulated within an injectable hydrogel (HACC/OSA) consisting of quaternized chitosan (HACC) and oxidized sodium alginate (OSA). The HACC/OSA hydrogel exhibited good self-healing properties, excellent injectability, and good biocompatibility. In mouse models of CRWI, the HACC/OSA hydrogel could form a protective barrier covering the wound. Due to the presence of quaternary ammonium salts, the hydrogel could provide long-term antimicrobial protection to the wound, which was favorable for wound healing. In addition, the hydrogel could also promote CRWI repair by stabilizing exosome release. The exosome-loaded hydrogel (HACC/OSA@Exos) significantly inhibited bacterial growth and promoted the repair of CRWI, as indicated by enhanced wound healing efficiency, rapid re-epithelialization, favorable collagen deposition, and abundant angiogenesis at the wound site. Together, the in vivo and in vitro results indicated that the exosome-loaded polysaccharide-based hydrogel (HACC/OSA@Exos) can promote the healing of CRWI and potentially serve as a valuable clinical agent for CRWI management.

Guardians of Oral Health: Antioxidants as Promising Allies in Periodontal Wellness.

Periodontitis, a prevalent chronic inflammatory condition affecting the supporting structures of teeth, is closely associated with oxidative stress, characterized by an imbalance between reactive oxygen species generation and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Antioxidants have garnered significant attention as potential therapeutic agents in periodontal management due to their ability to counteract oxidative damage and inflammation. This brief review provides an overview of the role of antioxidants in periodontitis, highlighting recent developments. Key topics covered include the mechanisms of action of antioxidants, recent preclinical and clinical studies evaluating their efficacy, challenges, and future directions in antioxidant-based periodontal therapy. Recent advancements in antioxidant research offer promising avenues for improving periodontal treatment outcomes and patient care.

"Behavioral rescue: Naringenin's neuroprotective effects against PTZ-induced seizures by mitigating oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in zebrafish larvae"

IntroductionEpilepsy is a complex neurological disorder affecting approximately 70 million people worldwide, accounting for about 1 % of the global population. Despite significant advancements in pharmaceutical therapies, the molecular mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis remain poorly understood, leading to symptomatic treatment being ineffective for about 30 % of patients. Recent evidence implicates oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used for millennia across Asia and beyond to treat conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and neurological diseases, owing to its proven effectiveness. Naringenin is a traditional Chinese component commonly found in citrus fruits and is a naturally occurring flavonoid. MethodsThe present investigation aimed to examine the neuroprotective properties of Naringenin in mitigating PTZ-induced seizures in zebrafish larvae. Zebrafish were administered Naringenin (50 µM) for 24 h at 6 days post-fertilization (dpf), followed by exposure to 15 mM PTZ for 30 min. The study assessed c-fos expression and synaptic activity, oxidative damage, antioxidant defence mechanisms, apoptosis, and levels of nrf2, ho-1, and nqo-1 in the head regions of zebrafish larvae. Additionally, the expression of inflammatory cytokines (cox-2, tnfα, il-1β, and il-6) was evaluated. ResultsNaringenin pretreatment restored c-fos expression and synaptic activity in epileptic zebrafish larvae. The study observed high levels of oxidative damage, reduced antioxidant defences, and increased apoptosis in the larvae with epilepsy. Specifically, levels of nrf2, ho-1, and nqo-1 were decreased in the head regions of the epileptic zebrafish larvae. Naringenin administration mitigated oxidative stress, reduced neuronal apoptosis, and increased the expression of nrf2, ho-1, and nqo-1. Additionally, during seizures, inflammatory cytokines such as cox-2, tnfα, il-1β, and il-6 were upregulated, but naringenin pretreatment was shown to mitigate this effect. DiscussionThe findings collectively underscore the potential neuroprotective effects of Naringenin against PTZ-induced seizures. Naringenin modulates behavioural patterns, reduces oxidative stress, and dampens neuroinflammation, highlighting its promise as a therapeutic agent in epilepsy management. The comprehensive findings of this study serve as a foundation for further research into the mechanisms through which Naringenin confers its protective effects. Furthermore, it paves the way for exploring the potential clinical applications of Naringenin in treating epilepsy.

MicroRNAs as promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic agents in breast cancer management: a comprehensive review

Breast cancer (BC), a complex and varied ailment, poses a significant global health burden. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as vital regulators in BC progression, with potential implications for diagnosis and treatment. This review aims to synthesize current insights into miRNA dysregulation in BC. MiRNAs, small RNA molecules, govern gene expression post-transcriptionally and are implicated in BC initiation, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Differential expression of specific miRNAs in BC tissues versus normal breast tissue sheds light on underlying molecular mechanisms. MiRNAs also offer promise as diagnostic biomarkers due to their stable nature, accessibility in bodily fluids, and altered expression patterns in early-stage disease, augmenting conventional diagnostic methods. Beyond diagnosis, miRNAs also hold promise as therapeutic targets in BC. By modulating the expression of specific dysregulated miRNAs, it may be possible to restore normal cellular functions and overcome treatment resistance. However, several challenges need to be addressed before miRNA-based therapies can be translated into clinical practice, including the development of efficient delivery systems and rigorous evaluation through preclinical and clinical trials. MiRNAs represent a promising avenue in BC research, offering potential applications in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic interventions. As our understanding of miRNA biology deepens and technology advances, further research and collaborative efforts are needed to fully exploit the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of miRNAs in BC management. Ultimately, the integration of miRNA-based approaches into clinical practice may lead to more personalized and effective strategies for combating this devastating disease.

Delineating the Antiapoptotic Property of Apigenin as an Antitumor Agent: A Computational and In Vitro Study on HeLa Cells.

Apigenin, a flavonoid, is reported to have multiple health benefits including cancer prevention; this study evaluates the drug likeliness and Swiss ADME properties of apigenin. Apoptosis, which is a key hallmark of cancer, is associated with the deregulation of the balance between proapoptotic proteins and antiapoptotic proteins such as BCL-2,BCL-xl, BFL-1, BCL-w, BRAG-16, and MCL-1. The docking studies of apigenin with the mentioned proteins was performed to identify the interactions between the ligand and proteins, which suggested that apigenin was able to bind to most of the proteins similar to the inhibitory molecules of its native structure. A remarkable reduction in the total energy after energy minimization of apigenin-antiapoptotic protein complexes suggested increased stability of the docked complexes. The same complexes were found to be stable over a 10 ns period of molecular simulation at 300 K. These findings advocated the study to evaluate apigenin's potential to inhibit the HeLa cells at 5, 10, and 15 μM concentrations in the clonogenic assay. Apigenin inhibited the colony-forming ability of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner over a fortnight. Light microscopy of the treated cells displayed the morphological evidence characteristic of apoptosis in HeLa cells such as blebbing, spike formation, cytoplasmic oozing, and nuclear fragmentation. Thus, these results clearly indicate that apigenin may be used as a potential chemopreventive agent in cervical cancer management.

Biocontrol potential of cell-free supernatant of Paenibacillus chitinolyticus against Plasmodiophora brassicae in two important Brassica species

Plasmodiophora brassicae is a serious threat to Brassica crops worldwide, resulting in substantial economic losses for growers. Biocontrol with chitinolytic bacteria producing chitinase is gaining attention as a natural alternative to chemicals. This approach is favored due to the essential role chitinases play in protecting against chitin-containing pathogens. Given that chitin is a major component in the resting spores of P. brassicae and plays a crucial role during pathogenesis, it is probable that Paenibacillus chitinolyticus, producing a high level of chitinase, could suppress P. brassicae by targeting chitin in a critical stage of this pathogen’s life cycle. Our research aimed to evaluate the effect of various applications of P. chitinolyticus on clubroot suppression in two economically important Brassica species: Chinese cabbage and rapeseed. The effectiveness of the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of an endemic strain of P. chitinolyticus from the Czech Republic at five different time points was studied in the greenhouse by measuring the disease severity index. Early application of P. chitinolyticus decreased the disease index significantly within both plant species resulting in increased shoot dry weight. In conclusion, the CFS of P.chitinolyticus has significant antagonistic activity against clubroot in Chinese cabbage and rapeseed in the early developmental stages of clubroot occurrence and holds the potential as a biofertilizer as well as bioprotectant agent in clubroot management of P. brassicae.

Harposporium incensis sp. nov. a South American cordycipitoid species exhibiting inter-phylum host-jumping and having potential as a biological control agent for pest management

ABSTRACT Macro- and microscopic morphological studies and multilocus phylogenetic analysis were made on larval specimens of a ghost moth collected from a pigeon pea plantation in Huánuco, Peru. DNA sequences from the cadaver and the fungal isolates obtained represented a monophyletic clade based on the phylogeny. All morphological characters and molecular data showed that the pathogenic fungus infecting the ghost moth larvae was an unknown cordycipitoid species, herein described as, Harposporium incensis sp. nov. based on morphological features and multilocus phylogenetic analysis on the cadaver and fungus isolated from the same specimen. The far-related and ecologically different hosts of teleomorph and anamorph of this new species display a peculiar inter-phylum host jumping between the insect Trichophassus giganteus of the phylum Arthropoda and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans of the phylum Nematoda and have biological control potential.

Construction of janus mesenchymal stem cell-hitchhiked melanin nanoparticles to modulate the Th17/Treg balance for rheumatoid arthritis therapy

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic inflammatory disease capable of causing the disability. Although various antioxidant strategies have been attempted for prevention and treatment of RA through scavenging the free radicals, the therapeutic effect is limited. Recently, it is reported that the unremitting course of RA intensely correlates with the persistence of immunologic memory, in which the imbalance of T helper 17 (Th17) cells/regulatory T (Treg) cells plays an important role. Herein, we constructed Janus mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-hitchhiked melanin nanoparticles (MSCFM) for RA therapy, where one half of MSC kept intact for chemotactically migrating towards the RA inflammatory sites and efficiently restoring the Th17/Treg balance based on the property of MSCs, while the other half hitchhiked the iron-doped melanin (FM) nanoparticles (NPs) and release them to scavenge free radicals for maintaining the durability of Th17/Treg balance. In vitro studies indicated MSCFM could migrate towards CXCL12 inflammatory cytokine, scavenge reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, inhibit Th17 cell proliferation and induce Treg cell production. Further in vivo studies corroborated that intravenously injected MSCFM could target the RA site of collagen-induced arthritis mouse model and alleviate the pathological progression of RA. MSCFM holds great potential as an anti-inflammatory agent for RA management.

Inhibitory effects of Belamcanda extract on inflammatory response and antiviral mechanism in H9N2 Avian influenza virus: insights from in vitro and in vivo studies

Avian influenza, particularly the H9N2 subtype, presents significant challenges to poultry health, underscoring the need for effective antiviral interventions. This study explores the antiviral capabilities of Belamcanda extract, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, against H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) in Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) chicks. Through a comprehensive approach, we evaluated the impact of the extract on cytokine modulation and crucial immunological signaling pathways, essential for understanding the host-virus interaction. Our findings demonstrate that Belamcanda extract significantly modulates the expression of key inflammatory cytokines, including Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin-1 (IL-1), Interleukin-2 (IL-2), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are pivotal to the host's response to H9N2 AIV infection. Western blot analysis further revealed that the extract markedly reduces the expression of critical immune signaling molecules such as Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR3), TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β (TRIF), and Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB). These insights into the mechanisms by which Belamcanda extract influences host immune responses and hinders viral replication highlight its potential as an innovative antiviral agent for poultry health management. The study advances our comprehension of natural compounds' antiviral mechanisms and lays the groundwork for developing strategies to manage viral infections in poultry. The demonstrated ability of Belamcanda extract to modulate immune responses and inhibit viral replication establishes it as a promising candidate for future antiviral therapy development, especially in light of the need for effective treatments against evolving influenza virus strains and the critical demand for enhanced poultry health management strategies.

Bedsore Healing Using Selenium-Enriched Lactobacillus brevis LSe: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Bedsores impose an important challenge to the healthcare system. Se-baring probiotics are considered effective agents in wound healing and inflammation reduction via several pathways. The present study focused on the administration of a Se-enriched probiotic, originally obtained from a traditional dairy product for bedsore healing. Daily doses of the probiotic were administered to 20 ICU patients for 14 days and the wound healing criteria were compared with those of the same group of ICU patients as control, both groups suffering from stages I and II bedsore (a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial). The administered Se-enriched probiotic decreased the bedsore healing period significantly (on average by 2.4 days, P-value: 0.039), as well as bedsore size (on average by 7 mm2, nonsignificant) and bedsore grade (10%, nonsignificant) in the treatment group more efficiently than the control group. Some key laboratory parameters associated with inflammation were also improved in patients receiving the Se-supplemented probiotic. The limitations of this study include the low number of patients meeting inclusion criteria within the timeframe of the study, and the impossibility of following up patients after discharge from the ICU. In summary, this study revealed the effectiveness of the Se-enriched probiotic in bedsore improvement, suggesting consideration of the enriched probiotic as an auxiliary agent in bedsore management.