Treatment Alternatives Research Articles

Current Combinatorial Therapeutic Aspects: The Future Prospect for Glioblastoma Treatment.

There are several types of brain tumors but glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the highly malignant tumors. A primary concern with GBM is that the treatment is inadequate. Even after giving many multi-stacked combinations of therapies to patients, inclusive of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, the median survival rate remains poor. Due to its heterogeneous nature, the use of selective therapy for specific targeting of tumor cells is of particular importance. Although many treatment alternatives which include surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are available, the prognosis of the disease is very poor. Combination therapy is becoming the foundation of modern antitumor therapy and it is continuously evolving and developing innovative drug regimens as evidenced by ongoing preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the current treatment options and emerging therapeutic approaches for the treatment of GBM. The prospects for alternative glioblastoma therapy are also discussed.

The Beneficial Roles of Seaweed in Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition characterized by severe pruritus and recurrent flare-ups, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life. Current treatments, such as corticosteroids and immunomodulators, often provide symptomatic relief but can lead to adverse effects with prolonged use. Seaweed, a sustainable and nutrient-dense resource, has emerged as a promising alternative due to its rich bioactive compounds—polysaccharides, phlorotannins, polyphenols, and chlorophyll—that offer anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. This review explores the therapeutic potential of brown, red, and green algae in alleviating AD symptoms, highlighting the effects of specific species, including Undaria pinnatifida, Laminaria japonica, Chlorella vulgaris, and Sargassum horneri. These seaweeds modulate immune responses, reduce epidermal thickness, and restore skin barrier function, presenting a novel, safe, and effective approach to AD management. Further clinical studies are needed to confirm their efficacy and establish dosing strategies, paving the way for seaweed-derived therapies as natural alternatives in AD treatment.

Recent Advances of Metal Complexes in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Chemotherapy has long been used in the clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), driving the development of anticancer chemotherapy drugs. Platinum complexes have attracted significant attention and have led to the creation of a series of platinum-based drugs used in diverse cancer treatments, including HCC. However, the clinical use of platinum drugs faces critical challenges due to drug resistance and side effects. Consequently, ongoing efforts have been devoted to the continuous development of new metal complexes with antitumor properties, aiming to serve as effective alternatives for HCC treatment. In this Perspective, we summarize and highlight the progress and relevant mechanisms related to new metal complexes in the treatment of HCC over the past decade. The development of metal complexes has the potential to further expand the scope of chemotherapy applications for HCC.

Study on duration of symptoms of anal fissure and its impact on response to conservative treatment – A systemic review

Conservative treatment is the main course of action for anal fissure. The goal of this review was to see how symptom duration affected the anal fissure's responsiveness to conservative treatment.In this systematic review, We evaluated the duration of symptoms related to anal fissure as well as their effect on the response to conservative treatment. The study was done by referring journals and articles from PUBMED, Scopus, web of science and Elsevier for a systemic review and references for additional studies. All the articles and literature other than in English language are excluded. Atypical fissures which occur due to conditions like cancer, anal infection and inflammatory bowel disease are excluded. The key search words used are Anal fissure , Fissure in anal and conservative treatment, symptoms of anal fissure , Anal fissure and Glycery l Tri Nitrate (GTN), Anal fissure and Botox, Anal fissure and pathophysiology, Anal fissure and calcium channel Blockers, classification of anal fissure. A total yielded 1048 articles on initial search; first 614 duplicate publications were removed. After screening additional 467 articles were excluded and 147 full articles were assessed for the study. After performing complete screening data analysis of total 14 literature were involved in this present systematic review.This Systemic review can be concluded by the above mentioned finding that if symptom duration is less or in other words in acute anal fissures conservative treatment methods can work very effectively especially with GTN. However, as the duration of symptoms exceed the healing rate decreases attributing to the chronicity of the anal fissures. This renders the conservative treatment modalities less effective and making surgical treatment alternatives like Lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) the mainstay for chronic anal fissure.

Essential oil constituents of regional ethnomedicinal plants as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro: an integrated molecular docking, molecular dynamics and QM/MM study

The scientific community has achieved a remarkable milestone by creating efficacious vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The treatment alternatives are still restricted, though. The bioactive ingredients present in natural plants are known to exhibit diverse pharmacological effects against many diseases. Using computational techniques such as molecular docking, drug-likeness, ADMET study, MD simulation, and our own N-layered Integrated molecular Orbital and Molecular mechanics (ONIOM) calculations, this study aimed to investigate essential oil constituents of Lindera neesiana, Litsea cubeba and Zanthoxylum armatum DC plants as a potential natural inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). To determine their binding affinity, 107 phytochemical substances in total were docked inside the binding pocket of Mpro. Copaene showed the highest binding affinity among the 107 compounds, with an energy of −7.90 kcal/mol. Furthermore, physiochemical and ADMET properties were evaluated for the top five phytocompounds. The studied phytocompounds showed good physiochemical and pharmacokinetic behaviour with no associated toxicity. MD simulation further provided evidence for stable interaction of phytocompounds within the binding pocket of Mpro. Subsequently, ONIOM calculation was done on the best-hit complex, wherein the hydrogen bonding interactions were retained with appreciable negative energy. These in silico results indicate that the specific phytocompounds present in essential oils of L. neesiana, L. cubeba, and Z. armatum DC have significant inhibitor ability against SARS-CoV-2 main protease and could be explored for future therapeutic investigations.

Value of Innovative Multiple Myeloma Treatments from Patient and Healthcare Provider Perspectives: Evidence from a Discrete Choice Experiment.

Although innovation generally provides measurable improvements in disease characteristics and patient survival, some benefits can remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate patient and healthcare provider (HCP) preferences for the innovative attributes of multiple myeloma (MM) treatments. A cross-sectional, web-based, discrete choice experiment (DCE) survey was conducted among 200 patients with MM and 30 HCPs of patients with MM in the USA. A literature review, followed by interviews with patients with MM and HCPs, was undertaken to select five attributes (progression-free survival [PFS], chance of severe side effects, how patients live with MM treatments, scientific innovation, and monthly out-of-pocket [OOP] cost) and their levels. A Bayesian efficient design was used to generate DCE choice sets. Each choice set comprised two hypothetical MM treatment alternatives described by the selected attributes and their levels. Each patient and HCP was asked to choose a preferred alternative from each of the 11 choice sets. Mixed logit and latent class models were developed to estimate patient and HCP preferences for the treatment attributes. Overall, patients and HCPs preferred increased PFS, less chance of severe side effects, a treatment that offered life without treatment, scientific innovation, and lower OOP cost. From patients' perspectives, PFS had the highest conditional relative importance (44.7%), followed by how patients live with MM treatments (21.6%) and scientific innovation (16.0%). In addition to PFS, patients and HCPs also valued innovative MM treatments that allowed them to live without treatments and/or offered scientific innovation. These attributes should be considered when evaluating MM treatments.

Anti‑proliferative effects of Drynaria fortunei in a model for triple negative breast cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the absence of hormones and growth factor receptors. It is typically responsive to anthracycline/taxol-based conventional chemotherapy. However, major therapeutic limitations include systemic toxicity and acquired resistance to chemotherapeutics. To combat this, nutritional herbs from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with limited reported toxicity may represent treatment alternatives for TNBC. Such herbs can effectively target multiple signaling pathways in numerous breast cancer models. The efficacy of various nutritional herbs in a cellular model of TNBC is associated with the downregulation of retinoblastoma (RB) signaling through the cyclin D-CDK4/6-RB axis. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine the effects of Drynaria fortunei (DF) in the same cellular model of TNBC to identify potential mechanistic leads for its efficacy. DF is a nutritional herb that represents a common component of herbal formulations used in TCM. The estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma-derived cell line was used as the cellular model for TNBC in the present study. Non-fractionated aqueous extract from the bark of DF represented the test agent. Quantitative end-point biomarkers for the efficacy of DF assessed in the present study included cell cycle progression, RB signaling and caspase 3/7 activity. Treatment with DF at cytostatic concentration induced S phase cell cycle arrest and inhibited RB signaling as evidenced by the downregulated expression of cyclin E, CDK2, E2F1 and RB phosphorylation. DF treatment increased pro-apoptotic caspase 3/7 activity which was inhibited by the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. DF treatment also exhibited increased expression of cleaved ADP-ribose) polymerase-1. These data identify potential mechanistic leads for anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of DF in the present TNBC model. The present experiments validated a mechanism-driven experimental approach to identify efficacious nutritional herbs and/or their bioactive constituents as treatment alternatives for TNBC.

Expensive today but cheaper tomorrow: lifetime costs of an active middle ear implant compared to alternative treatment options.

When choosing between different treatment options, implants often appear too costly. However, this perspective does not take future costs into account. This article evaluates lifetime costs for different surgical interventions to treat hearing loss. The analysis focused on three groups from the perspective of health insurers. Group 1 comprises patients who have only been implanted with a middle ear implant. Patients in Group 2 had already undergone middle ear surgery to improve hearing prior to the implantation of a middle ear implant. Group 3 consists of patients who were treated exclusively with hearing-improvement surgeries (no implant). The lifetime costs were calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation. The inputs were based on medical data from a maximum-care hospital and data from the German healthcare system. Based on an average observation period of 26.73years, the lifetime costs amounted to 28,325€ for group 1, 32,187€ for group 2 and 28,381€ for group 3. While the mean values between groups 1 and 3 appear comparable, group 1 has a significantly lower standard deviation (G1 vs. G3: 6120€ vs. 10,327€). Choosing a treatment option can be a complex medical decision and impose a substantial economic burden for the statutory health insurance. Hence, treatment decisions should be patient-centred at first but also including a shared-decision making on economic feasibility, whether proposed treatment alternatives are likely to be successful and economically reasonable.

Ensuring quality information for patients tool to assess patient information on CABG websites: Systemic search and evaluation.

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is the most common cardiac surgical procedure worldwide. The Internet is often the first place for patients to obtain medical information and may influence their health-seeking behaviour. This study aimed to assess the quality of online CABG information for patients. A review was conducted on the available CABG information online using four search terms in Google: "coronary artery bypass grafting", "CABG", "bypass surgery", and "coronary surgery". Websites on the first three pages of each search term were assessed by two independent assessors using the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool (score 0-36). 71 websites in total were eligible for the evaluation. Most websites originated from the USA and the UK (35% for both). The median EQIP score was 16.5. Most websites used everyday language (94%) in short sentences (83%). More than half (60%) of the websites addressed qualitative complications and risks of surgery. Only 1/3 of the websites described treatment alternatives, precautions before surgery, and warning signs after surgery. Only about 1/10 of websites could address quality-of-life issues and resolution of complications. Most online sites concerning CABG scores were low in EQIP tool assessment in terms of quality and readability with insufficient sources. Minimal information is provided regarding the quantitative risks and complications. Enhancement of the credibility and informativeness of websites is needed to reduce patients' anxiety about surgical procedures and help with treatment options for coronary artery disease. Education and investigation on the consistency of high-quality websites may help patient identify high quality medical information.

In vitro antidiabetic evaluation of Bombax buonopozense methanol leaf extract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major worldwide health burden that requires research into cost-effective treatment alternatives. It has been claimed that herbal medicines, have improved glucose metabolism in diabetics. It has been showed that several plant extracts are useful in preserving glucose homeostasis. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical and antidiabetic activities of Bombax buonopozense methanol leaf extracts. Standard methods were used for the identification of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, phenolics, cardiacglycosides and steroids. The enzyme inhibitory activities of the extracts of B. buonopozense was evaluated on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The crude leaf extract of B. buonopozense exhibited a more effective inhibition on α-glucosidase with IC50 (Half maximal inhibitory concentration) values 888.20±35.06 μg/mL when compared to control (ascorbic acid) with values 1076±2.77 μg/mL. Fractions of ethyl acetate showed lower inhibitory property of alpha glucosidase with IC50 value 18.44±2.63 μg/mL compared to the control (ascorbic acid with IC50 value 16325±1318 μg/mL). This study showed the scientific basis for the traditional therapeutic usage of B. buonopozense by proven its antidiabetic activity in vitro. This is the first time that B. buonopozense’s antidiabetic efficacy and possible mechanisms have been documented.

Anti-nociceptive effects of non-antibiotic derivatives of demeclocycline and doxycycline against formalin-induced pain stimulation

In previous studies, some tetracycline (TC) antibiotics showed potential as analgesic. We investigated here the analgesic activity of new non-antibiotic TC derivatives using the formalin-induced nociceptive pain model in adult C57BL/6 mice. Specifically, we tested the effects of i.p. injections of DDMC (5, 10, 20 mg.kg-1) and DDOX (10, 20, 40 mg.kg-1), which are non-antibiotic derivatives of demeclocycline and doxycycline, respectively. Repeated treatments with DDMC remarkably reduced nociceptive pain in both phases of the test, at 10 mg.kg-1 its efficacy was comparable to that of 10 mg.kg-1 of morphine. DDOX was also effective in this paradigm but intrinsically less potent than DDMC, exerting analgesic effects between 20 and 40 mg.kg-1. Interestingly, a single injection of DDMC (10 mg.kg-1) was sufficient to produce a robust anti-nociceptive effect similar to that of morphine. A single injection of DDOX (40 mg.kg-1) also produced anti-nociceptive effects but only in the second phase of the test. Noticeably, male mice exhibited a better analgesic response to DDMC (10 mg.kg-1) than females. A single injection of DDMC (10 mg.kg-1) and morphine but not of DDOX (40mg.kg-1), powerfully inhibited formalin-induced spinal cord c-Fos expression whereas both TC derivatives restrained the activation of Iba-1-immunoreactive cells, indicating a potential indirect effect on inflamed microglial cells. In summary, the non-antibiotic TCs, DDMC and DDOX, demonstrated notable analgesic efficacy against formalin-induced pain, suggesting their potential as alternatives for analgesic treatment.

Current Concepts in the Molecular Mechanisms and Management of Diabetic Neuropathy by Pharmacotherapeutics and Natural Compounds.

One of the most crippling effects of diabetes mellitus is diabetic neuropathy, which can cause discomfort, loss of movement, and even amputation. Diabetic neuropathy manifests in a variety of ways, ranging from pain to death. Diagnosing diabetic neuropathy can be challenging since it often goes unnoticed for many years following the onset of diabetes. In addition to oxidative stress in neurons, hyperglycemia activates a number of metabolic pathways that are important sources of damage and possible targets for treatment in diabetic neuropathy. Downstream metabolic cascades caused by prolonged hyperglycemia include activation of protein kinase C, increased production of advanced glycation end products, excessive release of cytokines, increased oxidative stress, and injury to peripheral nerves. Despite the fact that these metabolic anomalies are considered the main cause of diabetes-related microvascular issues, the diverse mechanistic processes of neuropathy are characterized by organ-specific histological and biochemical features. Although the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy can be treated, there are few options to correct the underlying problem. Diabetic neuropathy exerts a tremendous financial, psychological, and physical burden on society, emphasizing the need for efficient and focused treatment. The major goal of this review is to shed light on the multiple mechanisms and pathways that contribute to the onset of diabetic neuropathy and to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of emerging therapeutic strategies to postpone or reverse various forms of diabetic neuropathy. The article discusses available medications and provides the latest guidelines for the treatment of pain and distal symmetric polyneuropathy, including diabetic autonomic neuropathy, which may help the patients control pain well and assess alternatives for treatment that might be more successful in preventing or delaying the course of a disease.

High-rate Activated Sludge Process as a Pre-Treatment Alternative to Direct Filtration with Microfiltration/Ultrafiltration for Municipal Wastewater Reclamation to Produce Cooling Water

Industries use reclaimed water for their makeup water requirements of cooling towers to decrease their water footprints. Makeup water quality depends on the type of cooling tower design; however, total suspended solids (TSS), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), fecal coliform, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), some ions (sulphate, chloride, ammonium) and heavy metals (aluminum, silica, manganese, iron) are important parameters to prevent contamination, scaling, and corrosion. In the first part of this study, cooling water production from municipal wastewater was experimentally investigated, in the second part of this study cost of treatment alternatives was estimated. Six different treatment configurations (C1: microfiltration (MF)+nanofiltration (NF); C2: ultrafiltration (UF)+NF; C3: high-rate activated sludge (HRAS)+NF; C4: MF+reverse osmosis (RO); S5: UF+RO; C6: HRAS+RO) were analyzed. Thanks to the high treatment performances of NF and RO membranes, reclaimed water in each scenario met the suggested cooling water quality. The effluent of the HRAS process showed the worst effluent quality in terms of turbidity (42.1±2.6 NTU of turbidity) compared to MF and UF direct filtration (turbidity of DMF permeates were below 5 NTU). However, since HRAS process is less costly than direct membrane filtration (DMF) via MF or UF membranes, the lowest treatment cost was achieved with the C3 (HRAS+NF) treatment configuration (0.52 €/m3 reclaimed water). This study demonstrates that the HRAS+NF configuration can produce water suitable for cooling tower makeup, highlighting its potential as a sustainable solution to reduce water footprints and promote water circularity in industries.

TransCatheter aortic valve implantation and fractional flow reserve-guided percutaneous coronary intervention versus conventional surgical aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass grafting for treatment of patients with aortic valve stenosis and complex or multivessel coronary disease (TCW): an international, multicentre, prospective, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial

Patients with severe aortic stenosis present frequently (∼50%) with concomitant obstructive coronary artery disease. Current guidelines recommend combined surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) as the preferred treatment. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) represent a valid treatment alternative. We aimed to test the non-inferiority of FFR-guided PCI plus TAVI versus SAVR plus CABG in patients with severe aortic stenosis and complex coronary artery disease. This international, multicentre, prospective, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial was conducted at 18 tertiary medical centres across Europe. Patients (aged ≥70 years) with severe aortic stenosis and complex coronary artery disease, deemed feasible for percutaneous or surgical treatment according to the on-site Heart Team, were randomly assigned (1:1) to FFR-guided PCI plus TAVI or SAVR plus CABG according to a computer-generated sequence with random permuted blocks sizes stratified by site. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, disabling stroke, clinically driven target-vessel revascularisation, valve reintervention, and life-threatening or disabling bleeding at 1 year post-treatment. The trial was powered for non-inferiority (with a margin of 15%) and if met, for superiority. The primary and safety analyses were done per an intention-to-treat principle. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03424941) and is closed. Between May 31, 2018, and June 30, 2023, 172 patients were enrolled, of whom 91 were assigned to the FFR-guided PCI plus TAVI group and 81 to the SAVR plus CABG group. The mean age of patients was 76·5 years (SD 3·9). 118 (69%) of 172 patients were male and 54 (31%) patients were female. FFR-guided PCI plus TAVI resulted in favourable outcomes for the primary endpoint (four [4%] of 91 patients) versus SAVR plus CABG (17 [23%] of 77 patients; risk difference -18·5 [90% CI -27·8 to -9·7]), which was below the 15% prespecified non-inferiority margin (pnon-inferiority<0·001). FFR-guided PCI plus TAVI was superior to SAVR plus CABG (hazard ratio 0·17 [95% CI 0·06-0·51]; psuperiority<0·001), which was driven mainly by all-cause mortality (none [0%] of 91 patients vs seven (10%) of 77 patients; p=0·0025) and life-threatening bleeding (two [2%] vs nine [12%]; p=0·010). The TCW trial is the first trial to compare percutaneous treatment versus surgical treatment in patients with severe aortic stenosis and complex coronary artery disease, showing favourable primary endpoint and mortality outcomes with percutaneous treatment. Isala Heart Centre and Medtronic.

TRATAMENTO DA LEISHMANIOSE TEGUMENTAR NO BRASIL

Objective: To describe the efficacy of treatment for tegumentary leishmaniasis in Brazil, its CE and alternative treatments. Methods: This is a qualitative, retrospective and cross-sectional study carried out through an integrative literature review. The regional portal of the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and the National Library of Medicine of the United States (PubMed) were used. Articles published in the last 10 years (2014-2024); Controlled clinical trial type, free and full text. After reading the articles and using the criteria, a total of 20 articles were maintained. Results: It was observed that in Brazil they are used for the first line of treatment for TL, which are high-cost drugs that present limitations in patient management due to toxicity, need for parenteral administration and hospitalization. New treatment alternatives, such as miltefosine, pentoxifylline, liposomal amphotericin B, thermotherapy, and tamoxifen, have been used with similar cure rates and lower CE and could be recommended as a treatment option. Conclusion: The CE of the treatments interfere with the follow-up of the therapy, and it is necessary to use new drugs to bring comfort to the patients, increase efficacy and adherence.

Integrating Spatial Computing with Clinical Pathology for Enhanced Diagnosis and Treatment Informatics in Healthcare

This paper investigates spatial computing, which is a pathological transformational modern technology that integrates the physical and digital realms and has the potential to revolutionize pathology healthcare. Pathology as a medical specialist plays a crucial role in patient care by providing essential information for diagnosis, treatment planning, and disease monitoring. It studies and diagnoses diseases by examining tissues, organs, bodily fluids, and cells. Pathology is a broad field with three main branches: Anatomic pathology, Clinical pathology, and Molecular pathology. This study investigates the possibilities of spatial computing in radiography and clinical pathology with emphasis on diagnosis accuracy, medical education, workflow efficiency, and the outcomes in the patients. Augmented Reality (AR) medical devices guide pathologists in real-time during diagnostics procedures. The digital reproduction of tissue samples to allow pathologists to examine specimens in three dimensions is a significant utilization of spatial computing in virtual microscopy. This process allows remote collaboration between pathologists and laboratories, provides health informatics as seen in electronic health records (EHRs), improves diagnosis, and presents a platform with learning experiences in the medical field. Patients can interact with three-dimensional simulations of their anatomy, which helps them make more educated treatment decisions provided via the pathology findings and treatment alternatives in an immersive format. As this technology advances, its potential to transform pathology practice and improve patient care remains high. This review describes technological perspectives and discusses the statistical methods, clinical applications, potential obstacles, and directions of spatial computing in clinical pathology.

22. SEXUAL PROBLEMS AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN ASIA AND AFRICA: A REVIEW

The aim of this review was to explore the prevalence of sexual problems among older adults in Asia and Africa; and to analyze how difficult it was for them to seek help. Sexual problems are characterized by diminished or absent of sexual interests and by disturbances in the physiological or psychosocial patterns associated with sexual response cycle. Male sexual dysfunction (ED) and female sexual dysfunction increase with age. Studies show that about 33% of the elderly population has at least one complaint with their sexual functioning. Old people face shame and hesitancy when consulting health-care professionals for sexual problems due to the taboos surrounding sex, compounded by a lack of knowledge of older sexuality and ageism in healthcare. The General Practitioners (GP) on the other hand, tend to ignore older adult’s complaints due to lack of training, or just perceiving sexual problems is a norm at old age. However, GP should always give their clients’ opportunity to voice out their concerns with sexual function and offer them various health care regimen and alternatives for evaluation and treatments.

Flow Cytometry Analyses of Meningioma Immune Cell Composition Using a Short, Optimized Digestion Protocol.

Current challenges in meningioma treatment, including post-surgical complications and cognitive impairments, highlight the need for new treatment alternatives. Immunological interventions have shown promise. However, there is a knowledge gap in characterizing infiltrating immune cells in meningioma and their interplay. Further studies on immune cells in single-cell suspensions from digested meningioma tissues could identify targetable mechanisms for non-surgical treatment options with fewer side effects. This study aimed to optimize a protocol for faster digestion of meningioma tissues into viable single-cell suspensions and to identify infiltrating immune cell populations. We modified a commercial kit intended for whole skin dissociation to digest resected meningioma tissues into viable single-cell suspensions. Tumor-infiltrating immune cell populations were characterized using flow cytometry. Flow cytometry analyses revealed that the digested tissue was composed of viable immune cells, including predominantly CD14+ macrophages and CD3+ T cells, with minor populations of CD56+ NK cells and CD19+ B cells. In both of the two patient samples tested, half of the tumor-associated macrophages were TIM-3+, with a small proportion co-expressing CD83. Women were more likely to have a lower proportion of immune cells, B cells, and NK cells. Female patients with a high proportion of immune cells had a higher proportion of macrophages. We successfully optimized a protocol for generating single-cell suspensions with viable immune cells from meningioma tissues, revealing infiltrating antigen-presenting cells with an immunosuppressive phenotype, and lymphocytes. This short protocol allows advanced analyses of tumor-infiltrating cells using techniques such as single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry, which require live, dissociated cells.

Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles as a Drug Delivery System of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane with Potential Antiobesogenic Activity.

Obesity is a global disease characterized by excessive lipid accumulation in the adipose tissue. There is an urgent need to explore alternative compounds to treat obesity. Low-molecular-weight compounds from plants, like 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), are emerging as potential alternatives for obesity treatment. In this work, DIM is encapsulated into silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNP) to evaluate the antiobesogenic potential. The obtained spherical-like SFNPs have a particle size between 165 and 200 nm, a polydispersity index between 0.11 and 0.15, and a zeta potential from -27 to -37 mV. DIM does not modify the nanoparticle shape but changes the secondary structure of fibroin and generates smaller nanoparticles (145 nm). DIM-loaded SFNP (SFNP-DIM) enhance their antioxidant capacity by 4.4-fold compared to SFNP. SFNP-DIM does not show cytotoxicity on white-like adipocytes, unlike 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, where cell viability decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The SFNP-DIM treatment (5 μM, 0.03 mg SFNP mL-1) does not modify the morphology of white-like adipocytes. It produces an apparent augmentation in the size and number of intracellular lipid droplets and increases by 2.18 ± 0.4-fold of triglyceride content. These findings demonstrated that SFNPs could be a potential delivery system of DIM, suggesting a potential therapeutic agent for treating obesity.

Removal of nutrients from synthetic wastewater by different Brazilian chlorophyte strains in batch bioreactors under various light regimes.

With the increase in pollution and improper waste disposal, aquatic ecosystems are experiencing escalating degradation leading to various detrimental effects, including eutrophication and adverse impacts on the health of the population reliant on these water resources. Consequently, microalgae have demonstrated efficacy in nutrient removal, minimal environmental disruption, and superior cost-effectiveness in comparison to traditional treatment methods. Thus, this study aimed to investigate wastewater treatment in an aerobic batch system, using two strains of non-axenic mixotrophic chlorophytes, Chlorella sp. and Desmodesmus sp., across distinct light regimes: continuous light exposure for 24h, a photoperiod of 12h light and 12h darkness, and complete absence of light for 24h. The Desmodesmus sp. strain exhibited superior efficiency in the proposed biological treatment, yielding more favorable nutrient removal results across all conditions, except for total nitrogen removal under the 24-h continuous light condition in which Chlorella sp. removed 0.199 ± 0.02% by biomass. In other parameters, Desmodesmus sp., remediated by biomass 0.408 ± 0.013% of inorganic phosphorus in 24h light, 0.372 ± 0.011% of COD and 0.416 ± 0.004% of carbohydrate in 24h dark. While Chlorella sp. removed 0.221 ± 0.01% of inorganic phosphorus in 24h light, 0.164 ± 0.02% of COD in 24h light and 0.214 ± 0.002% of carbohydrates in 24h dark. Nevertheless, both strains displayed potential as viable alternatives for wastewater biological treatment, indicating that nutrient removal is achievable across all tested light conditions, albeit with variations in efficiency depending on the specific nutrient type.