The physicochemical properties and molecular docking study of plasticized amphotericin B loaded sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, and gelatin-based films.

Plasticizers are employed to stabilize films by safeguarding their physical stability and avoiding the degradation of the loaded therapeutic drug during processing and storage. In the present study, the plasticizer effect (glycerol) was studied on bioadhesive films based on sodium alginate (SA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gelatin (GE) polymers loaded with amphotericin B (AmB). The main objective of the current study was to assess the morphological, mechanical, thermal, optical, and barrier properties of the films as a function of glycerol (Gly) concentration (0.5-1.5 %) using different techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Texture analyzer (TA), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Fourier Transforms Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The concentration increase of glycerol resulted in an increase in Water Vapor Permeability (WVP) (0.187-0.334), elongation at break (EAB) (0.88-35.48 %), thickness (0.032-0.065 mm) and moisture level (17.5-41.76 %) whereas opacity, tensile strength (TS) (16.81-0.86 MPa), and young's modulus (YM) (0.194-0.002 MPa) values decreased. Glycerol incorporation in the film-Forming solution decreased the brittleness and fragility of the films. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra showed that intermolecular hydrogen bonding occurred between glycerol and polymers in plasticized films compared to control films. Furthermore, molecular docking was applied to predict the binding interactions betweem AmB, CMC, gelatin, SA and glycerol, which further endorsed the stabilizing effects of glycerol in the complex formation between AmB, CMC, SA, and gelatin. The Findings of the current study demonstrated that this polymeric blend could be used to successfully prepare bioadhesive films with glycerol as a plasticizer.

Migrant workers with COVID-19: a major challenge for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to curb the spread of infection.

The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar) host the majority of the estimated 23 million international migrants working in the Arab states. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve across the GCC states, the health authorities have reported a considerable number of non-national confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region. In Gulf countries, where more than half of the population are foreigners, migrant workers are more likely to contract and spread the disease due to numerous contributing factors. In this regard, unhygienic and overcrowded living conditions, barriers in accessing national or private health services, challenges in accessing accurate health information related to COVID-19, and lack of facemasks and hand hygiene facilities in their housing camps are the major factors that we identified and discuss in this paper. Moreover, we formulated specific recommendations for relevant authorities to overcome the challenges related to migrant workers during this pandemic situation. Because the migrant workers with COVID-19 infection could subsequently lead to more widespread community transmission, protecting this vulnerable group means reducing the risk of transmission for the entire population. It is essential to include migrant workers in all aspects of the response to COVID-19, such as prevention, detection, access to treatment, and containment measures.

Hit optimization by dynamic combinatorial chemistry on Streptococcus pneumoniae energy-coupling factor transporter ECF-PanT.

Herein, we present the first application of target-directed dynamic combinatorial chemistry (tdDCC) to the whole complex of the highly dynamic transmembrane, energy-coupling factor (ECF) transporter ECF-PanT in Streptococcus pneumoniae. In addition, we successfully employed the tdDCC technique as a hit-identification and -optimization strategy that led to the identification of optimized ECF inhibitors with improved activity. We characterized the best compounds regarding cytotoxicity and performed computational modeling studies on the crystal structure of ECF-PanT to rationalize their binding mode. Notably, docking studies showed that the acylhydrazone linker is able to maintain the crucial interactions.

Prevalence and Impact of Fatigue on Quality of Life (QOL) of Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a typical consequence of cancer that can affect one's quality of life (QOL). The goal of this review is to provide comprehensive data on the impact of fatigue on QOL of cancer patients. METHODS: An electronic data search in Web of Science, SCOPUS, and PubMed for relevant papers; those written in English; those reporting quantitative data; and those including more than one hundred patients who received just chemotherapy were included. Studies involving participants that received other kinds of anti-neoplastic therapies were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 35 papers published between January 2000 and December 2021 were retrieved from the search databases of which (11612 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Findings showed that fatigue negatively affected QOL with a pooled prevalence of 49% (95% CI; 25.00-74.00) and the significant heterogeneity between articles was (I²=98%, P <0.001). Further, breast cancer contributed to the majority of selected articles with about 55 % (95%CI; 9:00- 94:00), followed by cancer (unspecified) 44% (95%CI; 5:00 - 92:00). Most studies (71%) (95%CI; 4:00 - 99:00) used the brief fatigue inventory (BFI) tool to assess severity of fatigue and 39% (95%CI; 17:00 -68:00) employed the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire to evaluate QOL among cancer survivors. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of fatigue in cancer patients is high and fatigue has a negative impact on QOL of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Directionality, fatigue needs to be addressed and treated properly for better improvement of health status and QOL in cancer patients.

Cyperus esculentus L. (tigernut) mitigates high salt diet-associated testicular toxicity in Wistar rats by targeting testicular steroidogenesis, oxidative stress and inflammation.

High salt diet (HSD) impairs testicular function via oxidative stress. Cyperus esculentus contains antioxidants and improves testicular function. We investigated the protective effect of hydro-ethanolic extract of Cyperus esculentus on testicular function in HSD-fed Wistar rats. Twenty-five male Wistar rats (125-135 g) 8-9 weeks old were divided into five groups (n = 5): control, HSD-fed (8 % NaCl in feed), extract-treated (500 mg kg-1  day-1 ), HSD-fed +500 mg kg-1  day-1 of extract and HSD-fed +1,000 mg kg-1  day-1 of extract groups. Treatment lasted for 6 weeks. HSD decreased (p < .05) sperm parameters and serum reproductive hormones levels, while Cyperus esculentus extract improved (p < .05) sperm parameters, and serum testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in HSD-fed rats. The extract upregulated intra-testicular testosterone level and activities of 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3ß-HSD) and 17ß-HSD, downregulated malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels, and exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines, upregulation of activities of enzymatic antioxidants and increase in total antioxidant capacity in testes of HSD-fed rats. The extract at both doses improved Johnsen's score, Leydig and Sertoli cell counts and seminiferous tubular diameter in HSD-fed rats. Cyperus esculentus exhibited a dose-dependent mitigation of HSD-associated testicular dysfunction by targeting testicular steroidogenesis, oxidative stress and inflammation.

Resveratrol Supplementation in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Resveratrol is a potential treatment option for management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties, and calorie restriction-like effects. We aimed to synthesise evidence from published randomized clinical trials (RCTs) about the efficacy of resveratrol in the management of NAFLD. METHODS: A computer literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central was conducted using relevant keywords. Records were screened for eligible studies and data were extracted and synthesized using Review Manager Version 5.3 for windows. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Four RCTs (n=158 patients) were included in the final analysis. The overall effect estimates did not favor resveratrol group in terms of: serum ALT (MD -2.89, 95%CI [-15.66, 9.88], p=0.66), serum AST (MD -3.59, 95%CI [-13.82, 6.63], p=0.49), weight (MD -0.18, 95%CI [-0.92, 0.55], p=0.63), BMI (MD -0.10, 95 %CI [-0.43, 0.24], p=0.57), blood glucose level (MD -0.27, 95%CI [-0.55, 0.01], p=0.05), insulin level (MD -0.12, 95%CI [-0.69, 0.46], p=0.69), triglyceride level (MD 0.04, 95%CI [-0.45, 0.53], p=0.87), and LDL level (MD 0.21, 95%CI [-0.41, 0.83], p=0.51). Pooled studies were heterogeneous. CONCLUSION: Current evidence is insufficient to support the efficacy of resveratrol in the management of NAFLD. Resveratrol does not attenuate the degree of liver fibrosis or show a significant decrease in any of its parameters.

Social media in communicating health information: an analysis of Facebook groups related to hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: We studied Facebook groups related to hypertension to characterize their objectives, subject matter, member sizes, geographical boundaries, level of activity, and user-generated content. METHODS: We performed a systematic search among open Facebook groups using the keywords "hypertension," "high blood pressure," "raised blood pressure," and "blood pressure." We extracted relevant data from each group's content and developed a coding and categorizing scheme for the whole data set. Stepwise logistic regression was used to explore factors independently associated with each group's level of activity. RESULTS: We found 187 hypertension-related Facebook groups containing 8,966 members. The main objective of most (59.9%) Facebook groups was to create hypertension awareness, and 11.2% were created primarily to support patients and caregivers. Among the top-displayed, most recent posts (n = 164), 21.3% were focused on product or service promotion, whereas one-fifth of posts were related to hypertension-awareness information. Each Facebook group's level of activity was independently associated with group size (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.03), presence of "likes" on the most recent wall post (AOR, 3.55, 95% CI, 1.41-8.92), and presence of attached files on the group wall (AOR, 5.01, 95% CI, 1.25-20.1). CONCLUSION: The primary objective of most of the hypertension-related Facebook groups observed in this study was awareness creation. Compared with the whole Facebook community, the total number of hypertension-related Facebook groups and their users was small and the groups were less active.

Epidemiological analysis of notified measles cases and review of surveillance system during an outbreak in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

PURPOSE: In response to a measles outbreak occurred in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, we conducted a case-based active-surveillance, and analyzed all surveillance data to identify the epidemiology of notified measles cases and to review the surveillance system. METHODS: Suspected and confirmed measles cases were defined according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Household-based investigation was conducted for all suspected cases using standard measles notification form. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out on serum samples collected from all suspected cases to detect measles specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. Surveillance system was assessed by preselected performance indicators consistent with WHO guidelines. Logistic regression was used to calculate crude and adjusted odds ratios from the surveillance data. RESULTS: Of 242 suspected measles cases notified between 3rd and 48th calendar weeks of the study-year, laboratory result was IgM-positive for 46% cases, IgM-negative for 49% cases, and unknown for 5% cases. Suspected and confirmed cases separately showed urban-predominance (>77%), male-majority (>51%), and high-proportion among Saudis (>92%). The highest proportion (93%) of suspected cases that received "at least one dose" of measles-containing vaccine (MCV) was found among those aged 12-17 years, whereas the lowest proportion (17%) was observed among the adult individuals (> or =18 years). Elderly (> or =18 years) individuals were significantly less likely to be vaccinated than younger (1-5 years) children (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 15.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.82-52.56). The vaccine failure rate for "at least one dose" of MCV was 35%. The individuals vaccinated with "at least one-dose" of MCV were at 3.6 times lower risk of contracting measles than the nonvaccinated group (adjusted OR = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.55-8.38). Of five surveillance performance indicators, three were found as per WHO target. CONCLUSIONS: More efforts are essential to prevent future outbreaks and to reach the goal of measles elimination in the country.