ALGEBRA UNIVERSALIS

Complex cesarean section: Surgical approach to reduce the risks of intraoperative complications and postpartum hemorrhage
Nieto-Calvache AJ, Ramasauskaite D, Palacios-Jaraquemada JM, Hussein AM, Jauniaux E, Ubom AEB, Rivera-Torres LF, Nunes I, Schlembach D, Beyeza-Kashesya J, Wright A and
The incidence of cesarean section is dramatically increasing worldwide, whereas the training opportunities for obstetrician/gynecologists to manage complex cesarean section appear to be decreasing. This may be attributed to changing working hours directives and the increasing use of laparoscopy for gynecological surgical procedures, including in gynecological oncology. Various situations can create surgical difficulties during a cesarean section; however, two of the most frequent are complications from previous cesarean (myometrial defects, with or without placental intrusion and peritoneal adhesions) and the high risk of postpartum hemorrhage (uterine overdistension, abnormal placentation, uterine fibroids). Careful surgical dissection, with safe mobilization of the bladder and exposure of the anterior and lateral surfaces of the uterus, are pivotal steps for resolving the technical difficulties inherent in performing a complex cesarean section. We propose a standardized surgical protocol for women at risk of complex cesarean, including the antenatal identification of increased surgical risk, paramedian access to the pelvis, bladder dissection and mobilization, and the selection of a bleeding control strategy, considering uterine anatomy and the arterial pedicles involved in blood loss, which should be tailored to the individual case. We propose preoperative surgical planning to include consideration of the most common situations encountered during a complex cesarean, which facilitates anticipating an appropriate response for common possible scenarios, and can be adapted for low-, middle-, and high-resource settings. This protocol also highlights the importance of self-evaluation, continuous learning, and improvement activities within surgical teams.
Borrelial phosphomannose isomerase as a cell surface localized protein that retains enzymatic activity and promotes host-pathogen interaction
Dutta S, Rana VS, Backstedt BT, Shakya AK, Kitsou C, Yas OB, Smith AA, Ronzetti MH, Lipman RM, Araujo-Aris S, Yang X, Rai G, Lin Y-P, Herzberg O and Pal U
All organisms produce an intracellular Zn-dependent enzyme, phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) or mannose-6 phosphate isomerase, that catalyzes the reversible conversion of mannose-6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate during sugar metabolism and polysaccharide biosynthesis. Unexpectedly, we discovered an additional PMI function in , the pathogen of Lyme disease, where the enzyme is localized on the cell surface and binds to collagen IV-a host extracellular matrix component predominantly found in the skin. The AlphaFold 3-based structural model of PMI (BbPMI) retains the active site with tetrahedrally-coordinated Zn seen in other PMIs of known structure, residing in an elongated crevice. Ligand docking shows that the crevice can accommodate the tip trisaccharide moiety of a glycosylated asparagine residue on the collagen IV 7S domain. Low doses of a well-known PMI benzoisothiazolone inhibitor impair the growth of diverse strains of in culture, but not other tested Gram-negative or Gram-positive pathogens. cells are even more susceptible to several other structurally related benzoisothiazolone analogs. The passive transfer of anti-BbPMI antibodies in ticks can impact spirochete transmission to mice, while the treatment of collagen IV-containing murine skin with PMI inhibitors impairs spirochete infectivity. Taken together, these results highlight a newly discovered role for BbPMI in mediating host-pathogen interactions during the spirochete infectivity process. In turn, this discovery offers an opportunity for the development of a novel therapeutic strategy to combat Lyme disease by preventing the BbPMI interaction with its host receptor, collagen IV.
The Engineering Screen of Photoactive Nanozymes Based on N-Containing Covalent Organic Frameworks for Antibacterial Application
Zhao J, Wang L, Jia L, Liu Y, Cao S, Wen J, Li W and Yang K
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of highly efficient photocatalytic organic semiconductor materials, which have been developed for the design of photoactive nanozymes. Nitrogen (N)-heterocycles could effectively improve their photocatalytic activity of COFs. However, the systematic exploration of photoactive nanozymes based on N-containing COFs is still lacking. In this work, a series of N-containing Schiff-base linkages of COFs are designed and synthesized to explore high-performance photoactive nanozymes. In addition, Fe ions are introduced through post-modification of COFs, which can not only effectively extend the band-edge absorption of COFs to the red-light region and thereby broaden its biological applications, but also introduce single site of Fe to enrich the types of free radicals in the catalytic products. The activities of photoactive nanozymes based on N-containing COFs are systematically studied, and their catalytic mechanisms are uncovered. Interestingly, it is not as commonly recognized that the more content of N, the better for photocatalysis or the construction of photoactive nanozyme. Furthermore, the selected photoactive nanozymes are used for antibacterial applications, which showed good activity against Escherichia coli.
Continent-Wide Drivers of Spatial Synchrony in Breeding Demographic Structure Across Wild Great Tit Populations
Woodman JP, Vriend SJG, Adriaensen F, Álvarez E, Artemyev A, Barba E, Burgess MD, Caro SP, Cauchard L, Charmantier A, Cole EF, Dingemanse N, Doligez B, Eeva T, Evans SR, Grégoire A, Lambrechts M, Leivits A, Liker A, Matthysen E, Orell M, Park JS, Rytkönen S, Senar JC, Seress G, Szulkin M, van Oers K, Vatka E, Visser ME, Firth JA and Sheldon BC
Variation in age structure influences population dynamics, yet we have limited understanding of the spatial scale at which its fluctuations are synchronised between populations. Using 32 great tit populations, spanning 4° W-33° E and 35°-65° N involving > 130,000 birds across 67 years, we quantify spatial synchrony in breeding demographic structure (subadult vs. adult breeders) and its drivers. We show that larger clutch sizes, colder winters, and larger beech crops lead to younger populations. We report distance-dependent synchrony of demographic structure, maintained at approximately 650 km. Despite covariation with demographic structure, we do not find evidence for environmental variables influencing the scale of synchrony, except for beech masting. We suggest that local ecological and density-dependent dynamics impact how environmental variation interacts with demographic structure, influencing estimates of the environment's effect on synchrony. Our analyses demonstrate the operation of synchrony in demographic structure over large scales, with implications for age-dependent demography in populations.
Comparison of Hydrogen Bonded Organic Framework with Reduced Graphene Oxide-Pd Based Nanocatalyst: Which One Is More Efficient for Entrapment of Nitrophenol Pollutants?
Alehosein L, Hoseini SJ, Bahrami M and Nabavizadeh SM
In this study, a Pd nanoparticles@hydrogen-bonded organic framework (Pd NPs@HOF) thin film was fabricated at the toluene-water interface. The HOF was formed through the interaction of trimesic acid (TMA) and melamine (Mel) in the water phase, while Pd(0) was produced from the reduction of [PdCl(cod)] in the organic phase. The as-synthesized Pd NPs@HOF thin film was demonstrated to be an effective catalyst for the selective reduction of -nitrophenol and -nitrophenol to -aminophenol and -aminophenol. The porous network of the Pd NPs@HOF introduced strong active sites between Mel, TMA, and Pd(0). Kinetic studies showed that the Pd NPs@HOF catalyst exhibited an enhanced rate of -nitrophenol and -nitrophenol reduction in comparison with Pd@reduced-graphene oxide (r-GO) with rates that were 1.7 times faster for -nitrophenol and 1.5 times faster for -nitrophenol or even 10 times faster than some Pd-based catalysts, with a maximum conversion of 97.1% which was attributed to the higher porosity and greater surface-to-volume ratio of the Pd NPs@HOF material. Furthermore, π-π stacking interactions enhance the catalytic activity of the Pd NPs@HOF catalyst by increasing the active sites, stabilizing the NPs and trapping the nitrophenols, facilitating the electron transfer, and providing the synergistic effect. Also, contributions of hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, and π-σ noncovalent interactions are reasons for better performance of Pd NPs@HOF than Pd/r-GO catalyst with the reduced functional groups.
Function of Interferon Lambda Receptor 1 Variants in Stem Cell-Derived Hepatocytes with Abrogated Endogenous
Novotny LA, Kappler CS and Meissner EG
Distinct transcriptional isoforms of the interferon lambda receptor 1 () are expressed in hepatocytes, but whether corresponding full-length and truncated IFNLR1 protein variants have discrete function is unclear. We quantitated isoforms in liver and blood from individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection before and after antiviral treatment, hypothesizing their relative expression may differentially change during resolution of virus-induced inflammation. We also expressed FLAG-tagged IFNLR1 variants in stem cell-derived hepatocytes (iHeps) with abrogated endogenous to evaluate their function. isoforms decreased in liver and blood during treatment of HCV, but no distinct pattern of decline was observed for any individual isoform. Expression of full-length IFNLR1 enabled lambda interferon (IFNL)-induced expression of antiviral and proinflammatory genes and augmented inhibition of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication relative to wild-type (WT) iHeps. A noncanonical IFNLR1 variant missing part of the JAK1 binding domain enabled IFNLs to induce antiviral genes but could not support induction of proinflammatory genes or augmented HBV inhibition beyond that observed in WT iHeps with intact endogenous . A secreted IFNLR1 variant had no identified function in iHeps lacking endogenous . Although relative expression of individual isoforms did not distinctly change during HCV treatment, functional studies in iHeps suggest IFNLR1 variants could function to titrate antiviral versus proinflammatory responses in hepatocytes in the context of viral hepatitis.
Lignin and Nanolignin: Next-Generation Sustainable Materials for Water Treatment
Camargos CHM, Yang L, Jackson JC, Tanganini IC, Francisco KR, Ceccato-Antonini SR, Rezende CA and Faria AF
Water scarcity, contamination, and lack of sanitation are global issues that require innovations in chemistry, engineering, and materials science. To tackle the challenge of providing high-quality drinking water for a growing population, we need to develop high-performance and multifunctional materials to treat water on both small and large scales. As modern society and science prioritize more sustainable engineering practices, water treatment processes will need to use materials produced from sustainable resources via green chemical routes, combining multiple advanced properties such as high surface area and great affinity for contaminants. Lignin, one of the major components of plants and an abundant byproduct of the cellulose and bioethanol industries, offers a cost-effective and scalable platform for developing such materials, with a wide range of physicochemical properties that can be tailored to improve their performance for target water treatment applications. This review aims to bridge the current gap in the literature by exploring the use of lignin, both as solid bulk or solubilized macromolecules and nanolignin as multifunctional (nano)materials for sustainable water treatment processes. We address the application of lignin-based macro-, micro-, and nanostructured materials in adsorption, catalysis, flocculation, membrane filtration processes, and antimicrobial coatings and composites. Throughout the exploration of recent progress and trends in this field, we emphasize the importance of integrating principles of green chemistry and materials sustainability to advance sustainable water treatment technologies.
Clinical Relevance of the Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold and μ as Measures of Upper Limb Spasticity and Motor Impairment After Stroke
Piscitelli D, Khayat J, Feldman AG and Levin MF
After a central nervous system lesion, the ability to control muscle activation and relaxation in specific joint ranges may be impaired. The underlying mechanism of this sensorimotor impairment is related to a decreased ability to regulate the tonic stretch reflex threshold (TSRT) through descending and peripheral control processes. In dynamics, the reflex threshold and its velocity-sensitivity (μ) describe how movement in specific upper limb (UL) joint ranges is impaired after stroke.
Community health learning experiences of Colombian undergraduate medical students. A phenomenographic research study
Jaimes-Peñuela CL, Lamus-Lemus F and Reinoso-Chávez N
Medical students' perceptions of their community learning experiences can provide valuable insights for evolving and improving healthcare professional education curricula to better respond to health needs. This study aims to explore the learning experiences of undergraduate medical students in a community health course at a Colombian University. Fifteen students who had completed the Family Medicine and Community Health course participated in this qualitative study, employing a phenomenographic approach and interview technique. The phenomenographic analysis, informed by the transformative service-learning theoretical framework, resulted in the construction of categories of description, organized hierarchically, based on levels of understanding. The findings revealed five main community health learning experiences: Fulfilling the requirements, Educating the community, Solving health problems, Joint construction, and Personal transformation. Students experienced learning in diverse hierarchical learning levels, with their understanding around community health evolving over time. Transformative learning experiences were identified among only some students, indicating the potential for everyone to reach such levels of complexity and depth. Educationally critical aspects for achieving more complex levels of learning include exposure to intense and major challenges in longer periods of community services, reflection guided by teacher in intentional pedagogical spaces, feedback, and meaningful relationships between key stakeholders. These findings hold significance for medical programs that offer community medicine or related courses, since they present pedagogical opportunities to create and improve similar learning contexts in other domains.
Identification and characterization of the functional tetrameric UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase from
Ramón Roth I, Kats P, Fiebig T, Routier F, Fedorov R, Dirr L and Führing JI
In all kingdoms of life, the enzyme uridine diphosphate-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) occupies a central role in metabolism, as its reaction product uridine diphosphate-glucose (UDP-Glc) is involved in various crucial cellular processes. Pathogens, including fungi, parasites, and bacteria, depend on UGP for the synthesis of virulence factors; in particular, various bacterial species utilize UDP-Glc and its derivatives for the synthesis of lipopolysaccharides, capsular polysaccharides, and biofilm exopolysaccharides. UGPs have, therefore, gained attention as anti-bacterial drug target candidates, prompting us to study their structure-function relationships to provide a basis for the rational development of specific inhibitors. UGP function is tied to its oligomeric state, and the majority of bacterial homologs have been described as tetramers encoded by the gene. Uniquely, enterobacterial species harbor a second gene, , encoding a protein with high homology to UGP, whose function is somewhat controversial. Here, we show that the gene of the opportunistic pathogen encodes a dimeric protein that has lost UGP activity, likely due to a combination of active site mutations and an inability to tetramerize, whereas the functional UGP, encoded by , is an active tetramer. Our AlphaFold-assisted structure-function relationship studies underline that tetramerization is essential for bacterial UGP function and is facilitated by a common mechanism utilizing conserved key residues. Targeting the respective molecular interfaces, which are absent in human UGP, could provide a means of selectively inhibiting the bacterial virulence factor UGP and potentially rendering pathogenic species avirulent.IMPORTANCEThe enzyme uridine diphosphate-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) is important for the virulence of bacterial pathogens and, therefore, a potential drug target. In this study, we identify the gene encoding the functional UGP in , a bacterium notoriously causing severe antibiotic-resistant infections in humans, and reveal structural and functional features that may aid in the development of new antibiotics.
Quantitative NMR for detection of spinosad residues in agricultural soils
Pawar TJ, Ramos-Cruz SX, Bonilla-Landa I, Muteeb G, Delgado-Alvarado E, Patil SV, Perez-Landa ID and Olivares-Romero JL
Monitoring pesticide residues in soil is crucial for ensuring food safety and environmental sustainability. Spinosad, widely used in sustainable agriculture due to its selective toxicity and reduced environmental impact, poses detection challenges with traditional chromatographic methods, which require extensive sample preparation and are destructive. This study evaluates quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) as a non-destructive, efficient method for spinosad quantification in soil samples, emphasizing its potential for routine environmental monitoring. The qNMR method was validated with an 88% recovery rate for spinosad in agricultural soils, a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0414 mg mL, and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1254 mg mL. The method exhibited linearity across a 2-8 mg mL concentration range ( = 0.9928) and high precision, with coefficients of variation below 1% for both intraday and interday analyses. It was adaptable to diverse soil types, achieving consistent quantification in red loamy soil from Veracruz and black organic soil from Querétaro, Mexico. These results establish qNMR as a reliable, cost-effective alternative to chromatographic methods for spinosad residue analysis in soil, supporting routine environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance in sustainable agriculture.
Advancing Principled Pharmacoepidemiologic Research to Support Regulatory and Healthcare Decision Making: The Era of Real-World Evidence
Hernandez RK, Critchlow CW, Dreyer N, Lash TL, Reynolds RF, Sørensen HT, Lange JL, Gatto NM, Sobel RE, Lai EC, Schoonen M, Brown JS, Christian JB, Brookhart MA and Bradbury BD
A compilation of factors over the past decade-including the availability of increasingly large and rich healthcare datasets, advanced technologies to extract unstructured information from health records and digital sources, advancement of principled study design and analytic methods to emulate clinical trials, and frameworks to support transparent study conduct-has ushered in a new era of real-world evidence (RWE). This review article describes the evolution of the RWE era, including pharmacoepidemiologic methods designed to support causal inferences regarding treatment effects, the role of regulators and other health authorities in establishing distributed real-world data networks enabling analytics at scale, and the many global guidance documents on principled methods of producing RWE. This article also highlights the growing opportunity for RWE to support decision making by regulators, health technology assessment groups, clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders and provides examples of influential RWE studies. RWE holds promise to address important questions that clinical trials typically do not answer about treatment benefits and risks, and to ultimately impact public health by helping to guide decision making across the healthcare ecosystem.
Detection of DNA in Deer Keds: Massachusetts, USA
Pearson P, Xu G, Siegel EL, Ryan M, Rich C, Feehan MJR, Dinius B, McAuliffe SM, Roden-Reynolds P and Rich SM
Deer keds ( spp. and ) are hematophagous ectoparasites that primarily infest white-tailed deer () and other cervids in the United States. The distribution of deer keds in the northeastern United States and the pathogens they harbor remains relatively unexplored. In this study, we examined the geographical distribution and pathogen prevalence of deer keds in Massachusetts by collecting samples from white-tailed deer and testing for tick-borne pathogens. Deer keds were collected across the state, including in four previously unrecorded counties, indicating a wide distribution. Pathogen screening revealed the presence of DNA in 30% of the keds, but no other pathogens were detected. The medical and biological significance of detecting DNA in deer keds requires future studies. This research provides a baseline for the distribution and pathogen prevalence of deer keds in Massachusetts and highlights the potential of deer keds as sentinels for monitoring deer-associated microbes.
Change in glucose, insulin and serum lipids due to ultra-processed food consumption in children with obesity
Cortes C, Brandão JM, Cunha DB, Paravidino VB and Sichieri R
While the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and chronic non-communicable diseases in adults is well-established, its relationship with serum markers of chronic diseases in children remains underexplored. This research investigates changes in serum markers in children with obesity during a trial aimed at reducing UPF consumption. The study is a prospective cohort, based on a parallel randomized controlled trial conducted between August 2018 and February 2020, with children aged 7-12 years. Over 6 months, children and their guardians attended monthly consultations and educational activities aimed at reducing UPF consumption. Body weight, height, and 24-h dietary recall were measured at all visits. Serum markers were collected at baseline and at the 2- and 5-month visit (during the intervention). Data from 95 children were analysed. Body mass index (BMI), UPF consumption in grams and energy, and percentage of UPF in grams showed a quadratic trend, initially decreasing, followed by an increase in the following months. Glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR decreased throughout the study, but after adjustment for BMI, the associations no longer persisted, except for glucose levels, which decreased linearly by 2.25 mg/dL. Reducing UPF consumption may lower blood glucose levels in children with obesity, independent of BMI changes.
De novo design of peptide binders to conformationally diverse targets with contrastive language modeling
Bhat S, Palepu K, Hong L, Mao J, Ye T, Iyer R, Zhao L, Chen T, Vincoff S, Watson R, Wang TZ, Srijay D, Kavirayuni VS, Kholina K, Goel S, Vure P, Deshpande AJ, Soderling SH, DeLisa MP and Chatterjee P
Designing binders to target undruggable proteins presents a formidable challenge in drug discovery. In this work, we provide an algorithmic framework to design short, target-binding linear peptides, requiring only the amino acid sequence of the target protein. To do this, we propose a process to generate naturalistic peptide candidates through Gaussian perturbation of the peptidic latent space of the ESM-2 protein language model and subsequently screen these novel sequences for target-selective interaction activity via a contrastive language-image pretraining (CLIP)-based contrastive learning architecture. By integrating these generative and discriminative steps, we create a Peptide Prioritization via CLIP (PepPrCLIP) pipeline and validate highly ranked, target-specific peptides experimentally, both as inhibitory peptides and as fusions to E3 ubiquitin ligase domains. PepPrCLIP-derived constructs demonstrate functionally potent binding and degradation of conformationally diverse, disease-driving targets in vitro. In total, PepPrCLIP empowers the modulation of previously inaccessible proteins without reliance on stable and ordered tertiary structures.
Cell polarity proteins promote macropinocytosis in response to metabolic stress
Lambies G, Lee SW, Duong-Polk K, Aza-Blanc P, Maganti S, Galapate CM, Deshpande A, Deshpande AJ, Scott DA, Dawson DW and Commisso C
Macropinocytosis has emerged as a scavenging pathway that cancer cells exploit to survive in a nutrient-deprived microenvironment. Tumor cells are especially reliant on glutamine for their survival, and in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, glutamine deficiency can enhance the stimulation of macropinocytosis. Here, we identify the atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) enzymes, PKCζ and PKCι, as regulators of macropinocytosis. In normal epithelial cells, aPKCs associate with the scaffold proteins Par3 and Par6 to regulate cell polarity, affecting several targets, including the Par1 kinases and we find that each of these proteins is required for macropinocytosis. Mechanistically, aPKCs are regulated by EGFR signaling or by the transcription factor CREM to promote the Par3 relocation to microtubules, facilitating macropinocytosis in a dynein-dependent manner. Importantly, cell fitness impairment caused by aPKC depletion is rescued by the restoration of macropinocytosis and aPKCs support PDAC growth in vivo. Our findings enhance our understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings that control macropinocytic uptake in the context of metabolic stress.
Prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in females with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Khorashad BS, Kaabi O, Gardner MD, Getahun D, Goodman M, Lash TL, Lee PA, May J, McCracken C, Muzik M, Vupputuri S, Yacoub R and Sandberg DE
Although the increased burden of mental health problems among patients with classic 46,XX congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is well-documented, it remains unclear if this comorbidity is attributable to the burden of living with a chronic medical condition or the potential psychosocial/sexual consequences of being born with a difference of sex development (DSD) and its associated clinical management.
Fruit Extract Ameliorates High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity in Mice and Alleviates Macrophage-Induced Inflammation in Adipocytes In Vitro
Munkong N, Jantarach N, Yoysungnoen B, Lonan P, Makjaroen J, Pearngam P, Kumpunya S, Ruxsanawet K, Nanthawong S, Somparn P and Thim-Uam A
(EL) is a wild fruit known for containing several health-promoting compounds. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of EL fruit extract on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. Mice fed an HFD and given EL fruit extract for 10 weeks exhibited significantly lower body weight, reduced lipid accumulation, diminished oxidative stress in adipocytes, and decreased macrophage infiltration compared to those not receiving the EL extract. Moreover, the EL fruit extract activated the transcription factors and , initiating adipogenesis and modulating the expression of NF-κB/Nrf-2-induced target genes. This resulted in smaller adipocyte size, reduced inflammation, and less oxidative stress in HFD-fed mice. In vitro, the EL extract induced a shift in macrophage phenotype from M1 to M2, reduced IκBα/NF-κB phosphorylation, and effectively decreased energy production in macrophages by downregulating the expression of several proteins involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This mechanistic study suggests that administering EL fruit extract could be an effective strategy for managing obesity and its associated pathologies.
Validation and expansion of Baveno VII criteria for cACLD and CSPH based on liver stiffness and platelet count: Correlation with risk of hepatic decompensation and death
Vutien P, Barnard Giustini A, Kim NJ, Moon AM, Hsu CN, Mezzacappa C, Borgerding JA, Johnson KM, VoPham T, Berry K, Beste LA, Kaplan DE, Taddei TH and Ioannou GN
Recently proposed "Rule-of-Five" criteria define compensated advanced chronic liver disease (cACLD) and clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) using liver stiffness (LS) and platelet count. We aimed to validate these criteria by determining whether they are associated with risk of adverse outcomes.
Determinants of Self-Medication in Immigrants: A Systematic Review
Thin SM, Phanudulkitti C, Zaw MT, Saengungsumalee S, Sorofman BA, Theeraroungchaisri A and Kittisopee T
Immigrants intended to more rely on self-medication because of the difficulty of accessing formal healthcare in host countries. Negative consequences could occur when self-medication was inappropriate. This study aimed to systematically explore the prevalence, sources and determinants of immigrants' self-medication and the extent of their inappropriate self-medication episodes. PubMed, Scopus, SpringerLink, and ScienceDirect were used for data searching. The search date was 10th June 2023, with no beginning date to limit searching articles. Thirty-two studies were included. The prevalence of immigrants' self-medication presented from 18 studies ranged between 20.2% and 94.6%. Major sources of immigrants' self-medication were commonly obtained from their home countries, local markets or shops, and informal networks. The determinants of immigrants' self-medication were systematically collated into four themes: (1) illness and self-medication perception, (2) access to healthcare and medication, including 6 dimensions: accessibility, availability, affordability, acceptability, awareness and accommodation, (3) worry, and (4) predisposing factors of immigrants. About 46% of immigrant's self-medication episodes were inappropriate, especially antibiotic use. About 66% of the included studies described antibiotic self-medication. Prevalence rates of self-medication among different immigrantsvaried based on different time frames, context of diseases and migrated countries. Immigrants' cultural health belief, facing significant worry about job security, legal status, and cultural barriers influenced their self-medication. When immigrants have greater availability, accommodation, awareness, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability of health services in host countries, they are less likely to use self-medication. The predisposing factors like age, income, work status and immigrants' language also influenced their self-medication.
Impact of and Extracts on UVA-Irradiated on 3D Cultured Melanoma Cells: A Proteomic Insight
Gęgotek A, Conde T, Domingues MR, Domingues P and Skrzydlewska E
Melanoma is one of the most malignant forms of skin cancer, characterised by the highest mortality rate among affected patients. This study aims to analyse and compare the effects of lipid extracts from the microalgae () and () on the intra and extracellular proteome of UVA-irradiated melanoma cells using a three-dimensional model. Proteomic analysis revealed that UVA radiation significantly increases the levels of pro-inflammatory proteins in melanoma cells. Treatment with algae extracts reduced these protein levels in both non-irradiated and irradiated cells. Furthermore, untreated cells released proteins responsible for cell growth and proliferation into the medium, a process hindered by UVA radiation through the promotion of pro-inflammatory molecules secretion. The treatment with algae extracts effectively mitigated UVA-induced alterations. Notably, UVA radiation significantly induced the formation of 4-HNE and 15-PGJ2 protein adducts in both cells and the medium, while treatment with algae extracts stimulated the formation of 4-HNE-protein adducts and reduced the level of 15-PGJ2-protein adducts. However, both algae extracts successfully prevented these UVA-induced modifications. In conclusion, lipid extracts from and appear to be promising agents in supporting anti-melanoma therapy. However, their potent protective capacity may limit their applicability, particularly following cells exposure to UVA.