Protective Effects of Propolis and Chitosan Nanoparticles against Ibuprofen-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Albino Rats.

Post-marketing hepatotoxicity findings are more common or occur much later. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen are consumed in large quantities around the world. NSAIDs have a low incidence of hepatotoxicity but their wide use makes them a major contributor to drug-induced liver injury. Hepatitis is linked to systemic oxidative stress which results in cellular necrosis and fibrosis, as well as tissue lipoprotein peroxidation and glutathione depletion. Given the lack of safe and effective anti-hepatitis drugs in medicine today, natural substances appear to be a promising and safe alternative. Propolis and chitosan are considered natural substances that have a protective effect on the hepatocytes. The purpose of this study was to validate the protective effect of propolis/chitosan nanoparticle extracts on ibuprofen-induced hepatotoxicity. Thirty (30) albino rats were used for the experiment. Animals were exposed to ibuprofen (400 mg/kg body weight/day) for 4 weeks (7 days/week) followed by treatment with propolis (200 mg/kg body weight/day) and chitosan extract (200 mg/kg body weight/day) separately and also in combination for consecutive 4 weeks. This study revealed a significant increase in serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, and total bilirubin in serum, as well as an increase in lipid peroxidation (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO). Furthermore, GSH, GST, and SOD decreased significantly in the group that was exposed to ibuprofen. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in pro-inflammatory parameters such as IL-1ß and NF-ĸB, as well as low levels of anti-inflammatory parameters such as IL-6 and BCl-2. These alterations were improved by propolis and chitosan extracts, which was further confirmed in experimental animals. This study demonstrated that propolis and chitosan nanoparticle extracts have the potential to protect against hepatotoxicity induced by ibuprofen, due to their ability to regulate anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative defense activities.

Face mask-induced skin changes: a new common phenomenon during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Coronavirus disease 2019 is a severe acute respiratory syndrome, and wearing a mask is an important preventive measure. However, long-term use can cause maskne, or mask-induced acne. This study evaluated the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and severity of mask-induced acne and its effect on pre-existing dermatosis using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 15 questions on 6 primary topics: demographic data, type of face mask, dermatological symptoms after using a mask, preexisting dermatological conditions, the duration of use, and the effects of mask use on existing dermatological conditions. We included 1,025 participants; 48.6% had dermatological symptoms after using masks. The most common symptoms were red papules (33.8%) and itching (27.2%). Individuals who wore masks for more than 4 hours daily experienced more dermatological symptoms, for example, healthcare providers, who had a higher risk of maskrelated dermatosis than participants with other occupations. Moreover, masks significantly increased the severity of rosacea, contact dermatitis, and seborrheic dermatitis. These results suggest that board-certified dermatologists should assess patients in larger-scale studies to determine adequate management strategies.

A Systematic Review Evaluating the Effectiveness of Several Biological Therapies for the Treatment of Skin Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin illness that has the potential to manifest at any stage of life, it is most frequently observed in early adulthood. Biological drugs have significantly transformed the landscape of psoriasis treatment through the provision of focused therapy, which effectively mitigates inflammation and regulates the overproduction of skin cells. Notwithstanding the accessibility of these biological drugs, rigorous evaluations that juxtapose their safety and efficacy profiles are necessary. The objective of this study is to conduct a thorough investigation of the relative efficacy of these drugs in alleviating psoriasis symptoms and increasing the quality of life for patients by synthesizing the existing evidence. A comprehensive review was conducted to evaluate and compare the safety and effectiveness of different biochemical medicines utilized in the management of psoriasis. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations, the review process was conducted among the available studies. A search was conducted across electronic databases, such as Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase, utilizing a combination of keywords and Mesh phrases pertaining to psoriasis, biological medications, and particular names of pharmaceuticals. In total, 475 studies were ascertained by the preliminary search of the database. After eliminating duplicate research, 358 distinct studies remained. After meticulous screening of titles and abstracts against the predefined inclusion criteria, 281 papers were deemed ineligible and thus excluded. For final inclusion, the whole texts of the remaining 77 studies were evaluated. Forty additional papers were removed during the full-text evaluation for a variety of reasons, including improper research design, or insufficient outcome data. Finally, 37 studies were included in this systematic review since they satisfied all inclusion criteria. The results of the current systematic review showed that all biological medications showed high efficacy in the treatment of skin psoriasis compared with placebo based on the clinical assessment outcomes using different tools such as PASI.

Generalized Ensemble Sampling of Enzyme Reaction Free Energy Pathways.

Free energy path sampling plays an essential role in computational understanding of chemical reactions, particularly those occurring in enzymatic environments. Among a variety of molecular dynamics simulation approaches, the generalized ensemble sampling strategy is uniquely attractive for the fact that it not only can enhance the sampling of rare chemical events but also can naturally ensure consistent exploration of environmental degrees of freedom. In this review, we plan to provide a tutorial-like tour on an emerging topic: generalized ensemble sampling of enzyme reaction free energy path. The discussion is largely focused on our own studies, particularly ones based on the metadynamics free energy sampling method and the on-the-path random walk path sampling method. We hope that this minipresentation will provide interested practitioners some meaningful guidance for future algorithm formulation and application study.

Occupational exposure to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate-based polyisocyanates in the state of Oregon, 1980-1990.

Monitoring of exposure to 1,6-hexamethylene (HDI) monomers and HDI polyisocyanates in Oregon was initiated in 1980 and covered primarily spray painting and related activities. A total of 562 air samples were collected from 60 workplaces during the years 1980-1990 and analyzed for HDI and HDI polyisocyanate content. Of the total, only a small fraction (6%) of the samples exceeded the state of Oregon permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.02 ppm for HDI monomer; however, a much higher number (42%) of the samples exceeded the Oregon PEL of 1 mg/m3 for HDI polyisocyanates. Spray finishing operations were divided into three categories: continuous industrial spraying, auto body repair shops, and intermittent spray operations of large objects. The highest exposures among all three categories for both HDI and HDI polyisocyanates were measured during spray finishing. The geometric mean for HDI in the industrial spray operations was 0.001 ppm and for HDI polyisocyanates was 3.78 mg/m3. Frequently, the peak exposures exceeded the Oregon PEL for polyisocyanates, reaching as high as 12.2 mg/m3. In auto body shops, the mean for HDI was 0.002 ppm and for HDI polyisocyanates was 1.60 mg/m3 with peak concentrations of 0.049 ppm for HDI and 18.4 mg/m3 for HDI polyisocyanates. In the third category of spray finishing of large objects, the geometric means for three subcategories ranged from 0.001 to 0.017 ppm for HDI with a peak concentration of 0.069 ppm. The geometric means for HDI polyisocyanates ranged from 2.09 to 15.9 mg/m3 with a peak of 29.5 mg/m3. In all the surveys, the ventilation facilities and personal protective equipment were evaluated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)