Development and antimicrobial activity of composite edible films of chitosan and nisin incorporated with perilla essential oil-glycerol monolaurate emulsions.

Aquatic products are highly susceptible to spoilage, and preparing composite edible film with essential oil is an effective solution. In this study, composite edible films were prepared using perilla essential oil (PEO)-glycerol monolaurate emulsions incorporated with chitosan and nisin, and the film formulation was optimized by response surface methodology. These films were applied to ready-to-eat fish balls and evaluated over a period of 12 days. The films with the highest inhibition rate against Staphylococcus aureus were acquired using a polymer composition of 6 µL/mL PEO, 18.4 µg/mL glycerol monolaurate, 14.2 mg/mL chitosan, and 11.0 µg/mL nisin. The fish balls coated with the optimal edible film showed minimal changes in appearance during storage and significantly reduced total bacterial counts and total volatile basic nitrogen compared to the control groups. This work indicated that the composite edible films containing essential oils possess ideal properties as antimicrobial packaging materials for aquatic foods.

An integrative pharmacology-based study on the efficacy and mechanism of essential oil of Chaihu Guizhi Decoction on influenza A virus induced pneumonia in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chaihu Guizhi Decoction (CGD) has a long history of use in China for the treatment of influenza, which involves the use of a variety of aromatic herbs. Our previous studies have found that the contents of aromatic constituents in CGD affected the efficacy of treatment of influenza-infected mice, suggesting a clue that essential oil from CGD may play a relatively important role in ameliorating influenza induced pneumonia. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the anti-influenza potential of essential oil derived from Chaihu Guizhi Decoction (CGD-EO), to characterize and predict the key active components in CGD-EO, and to explore the mechanism of action of CGD-EO. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CGD-EO was obtained by steam distillation, and the components of the essential oil were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in conjunction with the retention index. The constituents absorbed into the blood of mice treated with CGD-EO were analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS). The potential anti-influenza active constituents and their possible action pathway were predicted by simulation using a network pharmacology approach. The protective effect of CGD-EO and its major components on H1N1/PR8-infected cells was determined using the CCK8 assay kit. Mice infected with influenza A virus H1N1/PR8 were administered different doses of CGD-EO orally and the body weights and lung weights were recorded. Mice with varying degrees of H1N1/PR8 infection were administered CGD-EO orally, and their daily weight, water consumption, and clinical indicators were recorded. Necropsies were conducted on days 3 and 5, during which lung weights were measured and lung tissues were preserved. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of the H1N1/PR8 virus and inflammatory factors in lung tissue was analyzed using RT-qPCR. RESULTS: (E)-cinnamaldehyde was the most abundant compound in the CGD-EO. The results of serum medicinal chemistry combined with network pharmacological analysis indicated that (E)-cinnamaldehyde and 3-phenyl-2-propenal may be potential active components of the CGD-EO anti-influenza, and may be involved in the NF-κB signalling pathway. In vitro studies have demonstrated that both CGD-EO and cinnamaldehyde exert a protective effect on MDCK cells infected with H1N1/PR8. In a 0.5 TCID50 H1N1/PR8-induced influenza model, mice treated with CGD-EO at a dose of 63.50 µg/kg exhibited a reduction in lung index, pathological lung lesions, and H1N1/PR8 viral gene levels. In addition, CGD-EO treatment was found to regulate the levels of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ. Moreover, following three days of administration, an upregulation of NF-κB mRNA levels in mouse lung tissue was observed in response to CGD-EO treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study indicate CGD-EO exerts a protective effect against H1N1-induced cytopathic lesions in vitro and is capable of alleviating H1N1-induced pneumonitis in mice. Moreover, it appears to be more efficacious in the treatment of mild symptoms of H1N1 infection. Studies have demonstrated that CGD-EO has antiviral potential to attenuate influenza-induced lung injury by modulating inflammatory cytokines and NF-κB signalling pathways during the early stages of influenza infection. It is possible that (E)-cinnamaldehyde is a potential active ingredient in the anti-influenza efficacy of CGD-EO.

α-Glucosidase Inhibiting Chromene Derivatives from Ageratum conyzoides L. Essential Oil Extracted via NADES-Assisted Hydrodistillation.

This work employed a green approach utilizing natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES)-assisted hydrodistillation for EO extraction from the aerial part of Ageratum conyzoides. Out of seven eutectic combinations used, glycerol-lactic acid (GLY:LA) (1:1) mixture significantly enhanced the yield from 0.78 mg/g (water as extraction media) to 1.00 mg/g. GC and GC-MS analysis revealed that EOs mainly contain (E)-ß-caryophyllene (15.2-25.3%), (E)-ß-farnesene (2.7-8.2 %), and notably, precocene-I (8.5-18.0 %) and precocene-II (31.8-51.4 %), which varied significantly across different extraction media. Further column chromatography-based purification of EO led to the isolation of two known chromene derivatives precocene-I (1) and precocene-II (2). Precocene-I exhibited potent anti-diabetic activity (IC50 0.26 mg/mL) compared to the standard drug acarbose. Among the EO samples, USK-N7, which had the highest percentage of precocene-I, showed the highest activity. The present study demonstrated the potential use of this weed plant as an anti-diabetic agent.

Life's Essential 8 Trajectories and Risk of Stroke: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence is lacking regarding long-term patterns of change in Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and their association with the risk of stroke. We aim to evaluate LE8 trajectories and examine their association with the risk of stroke in China. METHODS: This study, conducted in a workplace setting, recruited 26 719 participants (average age, 46.02±11.27 years and a male population of 73.73%) who had no history of stroke and consecutively participated in 6 surveys from 2006 to 2016. Repeated LE8 measurements were determined by taking the unweighted average of the 8 component scores ranging from 0 to 100. People with higher scores had better overall cardiovascular health. By examining the medical records of the participants, stroke cases were identified for the period from 2016 to 2020. A latent mixture model was applied to classify the trajectory clusters of LE8 from 2006 to 2016, and Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Five LE8 trajectories were detected between 2006 and 2016. Four hundred ninety-eight incident strokes including 55 (11.04%) hemorrhagic and 458 (91.97%) ischemic strokes were documented. After adjusting for covariates, the hazard ratios and 95% CIs for the association between stable-low, moderate-increasing, moderate-stable, and high-stable trajectories and incident stroke, compared with the moderate-decreasing trajectory, were 1.42 (1.11-1.84), 0.73 (0.56-0.96), 0.49 (0.39-0.62), and 0.19 (0.11-0.32), respectively. Individuals with high LE8 status (LE8≥80) exhibited a significantly reduced risk of stroke compared with those with low one (LE8≤49; P-trend <0.001). A faster annual growth in LE8 was related to a lower risk of stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining high LE8 over an extended period and high baseline LE8 status were related to a decreased risk of stroke. Despite the initial low level of LE8, improvement in LE8 attenuates or even reverses the risk of stroke.

Fate and impact at molecular level of diatrizoic acid and iohexol contrast agents in Dreissena polymorpha mollusks.

Iodinated contrast media (ICMs) used in X-ray imaging for medical diagnostics are released into wastewater and then encountered in river water at concentrations ranging from several dozen to hundreds of µg/L, and even thousands of µg/L in hospital effluents. ICMs are considered as emerging pollutants as their occurrence and impact on ecosystems and the environment are poorly documented. Even if they are considered inert for humans, aquatic organisms are continuously exposed to ICMs, and their potential deleterious effects are therefore questioned as we have recently demonstrated that they enter into organisms such as the zebra mussels. To answer this question, Dreissena polymorpha were exposed to two ICMs of different osmolality, diatrizoic acid and iohexol, at an environmental concentration (100 µg/L) for 21 days before a depuration phase of 4 days. The occurrence, fate, and impact of both ICMs in these organisms were studied using a metallomic approach. Thus, iodine as well as endogenous copper and zinc were quantified and analyzed in cytosolic extracts of digestive glands, gills, and gonads of mussels by size exclusion chromatography coupled to ICP MS. This work shows that a subcellular fractionation is necessary to distinguish variations in total element content. The cytosolic iodoprotein chromatographic pattern was consistent for the three organs and confirmed the presence of ICMs in cytosols. Additionally, this exploratory work tends to show a weak biological effect of ICMs with a substantial variation of the profile of Cu-binding proteins mostly in the gill cytosol and to a lesser extent, in the digestive gland cytosol.

Beyond borders: The global impact of violating reproductive human rights.

A fundamental component of the basic right to health is the right to sexual health, encompassing an individual's right to decide freely on matters of sexual and reproductive health without discrimination. Provision of these rights is inextricably linked with a wide range of other internationally agreed upon human rights, including the right to information, participation, and equality. Evidence has shown that provision of these rights not only improves maternal and neonatal health, but also healthcare worker safety and the provision of a vast array of critical and necessary medical care. And yet, too often-and with increasing frequency-sexual and reproductive rights are being violated worldwide, with rising taboos, stigma, and discrimination, particularly within abortion, contraception, and fertility care. FIGO strongly supports comprehensive, equitable, and accessible sexual and reproductive health care for all individuals, recognizing that these rights are essential components of global health and fundamental human rights. This includes a particular emphasis on special populations, healthcare workers, and women and girls in crisis zones. FIGO encourages its member societies to deliver comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, advocate for coverage for sexual and reproductive health care, become involved in analyzing barriers to access within health systems, and provide nonjudgemental, confidential, person-centered care.

Relation of JAK2 V617F allele burden and coronary calcium score in patients with essential thrombocythemia.

BACKGROUND: JAK2 V617F (JAK2) mutation is associated with clonal hemopoiesis in myeloproliferative neoplasms as well as with faster progression of cardiovascular diseases. Little is known about the relationship between allele burden and the degree of atherosclerotic alteration of coronary vasculature. We previously reported that carotid artery stiffness progressed faster in patients with JAK2 positive essential thromocythemia (ET) patients. After a four-year follow-up we investigated whether mutation burden of a JAK2 allele correlates with a higher coronary calcium score. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-six patients with JAK2 positive ET and 38 healthy matched control subjects were examined twice within four years. At each visit clinical baseline characteristics and laboratory testing were performed, JAK2 mutation burden was determined, and coronary calcium was measured. RESULTS: JAK2 allele burden decreased in 19 patients, did not change in 5 patients, and increased in 4 patients. The coronary calcium Agatston score increased slightly in both groups. Overall, there was no correlation between JAK2 allele burden and calcium burden of coronary arteries. However, in patients with the JAK2 mutation burden increase, the coronary calcium score increased as well. CONCLUSIONS: The average JAK2 allele burden decreased in our patients with high-risk ET during the four-year period. However, in the small subgroup whose JAK2 mutation burden increased the Agatston coronary calcium score increased as well. This finding, which should be interpreted with caution and validated in a larger group, is in line with emerging evidence that JAK2 mutation accelerates atherosclerosis and can be regarded as a non-classical risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Comprehensive review on the potential of ultrasound for blue food protein extraction, modification and impact on bioactive properties.

Food security for the increasing global population is a significant challenge of the current times particularly highlighting the protein deficiencies. Plant-based proteins could be considered as alternate source of the protein. The digestibility and PDCASS value of these proteins are still a concern. Blue proteins, the new approach of utilizing the proteins from aquatic sources could be a possible solution as it contains all the essential amino acids. However, the conjugation of these proteins with fats and glycogen interferes with their techno-functional properties and consequently their applicability. The application of power ultrasound for extraction and modification of these proteins from aquatic sources to break open the cellular structure, increase extractability, alter the protein structure and consequently provide proteins with higher bioavailability and bioactive properties could be a potential approach for their effective utilization into food systems. The current review focuses on the application of power ultrasound when applied as extraction treatment, alters the sulphite and peptide bond and modifies protein to elevated digestibility. The degree of alteration is influenced by intensity, frequency, and exposure time. The extracted proteins will serve as a source of essential amino acids. Furthermore, modification will lead to the development of bioactive peptides with different functional applications. Numerous studies reveal that blue proteins have beneficial impacts on amino acid availability, and subsequently food security with higher PDCAAS values. In many cases, converted peptides give anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, and anti-oxidant activity. Therefore, researchers are concentrating on ultrasound-based extraction, modification, and application in food and pharmaceutical systems.

Chitosan coatings containing thyme essential oil enhance the quality of snakehead (Channa striata) during chilled storage verified by metabolomics approaches.

In the present study, we investigated the preservative effects of chitosan (CS) coatings, with and without thyme essential oil (TEO), combined with vacuum impregnation (VI) on maintaining the quality of snakehead fillets during chilled storage. The results showed that the VI treatment significantly inhibited drip loss, discoloration, microbial proliferation, and the accumulation of biogenic amines (BAs) in the sneakhead fillets. Compared to the control, the fillets treated with VI of 1% (w/w) CS and 1.5% (w/w) TEO (i.e., CSTEO) showed significant reductions in both psychrophiles and mesophiles, with a 2.66 log CFU/g decrease in total viable count (TVC) on day 3 and a 1.89 log CFU/g decline in TVC on day 9, respectively. In addition, the content of histamine and putrescine in the CSTEO groups was maintained at ∼1.14 and 3.23 mg/kg during the 12-day chilled storage, respectively. A total of 100 chemical compounds were tentatively identified using untargeted metabolomics approaches. The multivariate analysis further revealed that the combination of VI and CSTEO maintained fish quality mainly through preventing lipid oxidation and protein degradation. Overall, the VI-CSTEO treatment effectively maintained the fish quality during storage at 4°C, with minimum microbial proliferation and accumulation of BAs. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The preservative effect of chitosan coatings containing thyme essential oil combined with vacuum impregnation on snakehead quality during the 12-day chilled storage was verified, and the underlying mechanisms were deciphered through integrated metabolomics approaches. Our study could provide a promising strategy for the preservation of aquatic products.

Essential oils from Cuminum cyminum and Laurus nobilis and their principal constituents: evaluation of antifungal and antimycotoxigenic potential in Aspergillus species.

The antifungal and antimycotoxigenic activities of the essential oils (EO) from Cuminum cyminum and Laurus nobilis, and their respective principal compounds, cuminaldehyde and 1,8-cineole, were evaluated against fungi of the genus Aspergillus: A.carbonarius, A.niger, A.ochraceus and A.westerdijkiae. The antifungal activity was determined by the contact method and the mycelial growth of the fungi was evaluated. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) images were obtained to suggest modes of action of the compounds analyzed. The antimycotoxigenic activity was determined by HPLC. A.carbonarius was completely inhibited by cumin EO (500 µL L-1), by laurel EO and by cuminaldehyde (5000 µL L-1). The cumin EO (500 µL L-1) completely inhibited the growth of A.niger. All the samples inhibited the mycelial growth of A.ochraceus, especially cumin EO and cuminaldehyde (250 µL L-1). A.westerdijkiae was completely inhibited by cumin EO and cuminaldehyde (1000 µL L-1), by laurel EO and 1,8-cineole (10000 µL L-1). A decrease in the production of ochratoxin A (OTA) was observed post-treatment, except in A. ochraceus, only inhibited by laurel EO. SEM images showed morphological changes in fungal structures and spore inhibition post-treatment. The results confirmed the antifungal and antimycotoxigenic effect of EO and their principal constituents on fungi evaluated.

Study of Hyssop Essential Oil from Southeastern Serbia.

The aim of the present study was a chemical, microbiological and statistics analysis of Hyssopus officinalis L. subsp. aristatus (Godr.) Nyman essential oil during different stages of development from three natural populations of plant collected in southeastern Serbia. In addition, using statistical tools, we also tried to explain the effect of dominant components' content on antimicrobial activity. Oxygenated monoterpenes were the most abundant compound class in the H. officinalis oil during examined phenological stages (27.32-92.25%). The four most abundant essential oil components are eucalyptol, cis-pinocamphone, ß-pinene and ß-ocimene. H. officinalis essential oils demonstrated minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum microbicidal concentrations values from 2.4 to 160 mg/mL. Maximum antimicrobial activity, in total, was recorded in November, after the flowering stage. The percentage of dominant compounds of essential oils, eucalyptol, and cis-pinocamphone, affects essential oils' antibacterial activity. The essential oil with most closely matched research criteria was extracted from a plant in Kravlje village.

A neural circuit for lavender-essential-oil-induced antinociception.

Lavender essential oil (LEO) has been shown to relieve pain in humans, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we found that inhalation exposure to 0.1% LEO confers antinociceptive effects in mice with complete Freund adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain through activation of projections from the anterior piriform cortex (aPir) to the insular cortex (IC). Specifically, in vivo fiber photometry recordings and viral tracing data show that glutamatergic projections from the aPir (aPirGlu) innervate GABAergic neurons in the IC (ICGABA) to inhibit local glutamatergic neurons (ICGlu) that are hyperactivated in inflammatory pain. Optogenetic or chemogenetic activation of this aPirGlu→ICGABA→Glu pathway can recapitulate the antinociceptive effects of LEO inhalation in CFA mice. Conversely, artificial inhibition of IC-projecting aPirGlu neurons abolishes LEO-induced antinociception. Our study thus depicts an LEO-responsive olfactory system circuit mechanism for alleviating inflammatory pain via aPir→IC neural connections, providing evidence to support development of aroma-based treatments for alleviating pain.

Frailty and outcomes after unilateral MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for tremor.

OBJECTIVE: Frailty is recognized as an important predictor of neurointerventional outcomes. MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy is a treatment option for patients with refractory essential tremor (ET) and tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease (TdPD). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether frailer MRgFUS thalamotomy patients had worse tremor outcomes or more complications. METHODS: The authors performed a cohort analysis of patients treated with MRgFUS between 2020 and 2023. Inclusion criteria were unilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy for ET or TdPD with available follow-up data (minimum 3-month follow-up). Frailty was assessed using the 11-item modified frailty index (mFI-11), which includes 11 medical comorbidities. Tremor outcomes were assessed using the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor Part B. Complications assessed included disturbances of sensation, speech and swallowing, balance and gait, and strength. RESULTS: In total, 169 eligible patients were identified, including 135 (79.9%) ET and 34 (20.1%) TdPD patients. Frailty did not result in significant differences in tremor outcomes in the combined (p = 0.833), ET (p = 0.902), or TdPD (p = 0.501) cohort, or in any adverse events at the last follow-up (all p > 0.05). The combined mean follow-up was 10.3 ± 5.8 months (range 3-24 months), with cohort-specific mean follow-ups of 10.8 ± 6.0 months for ET and 8.6 ± 4.6 months for TdPD. Between the ET and TdPD cohorts, no significant differences existed in age, sex, handedness, side treated, skull density ratio, number of sonications, peak and average temperatures, energy delivered, BMI, or American Society of Anesthesiologists classification. For medical comorbidities, only hypertension was significantly different (65.9% ET, 47.1% TdPD; p = 0.043). The ET patients were significantly frailer overall, with 20.7% ET and 35.3% TdPD patients considered robust (mFI-11 score of 0), 14.8% ET and 32.4% TdPD patients prefrail (mFI-11 score of 1), 25.9% ET and 8.8% TdPD patients frail (mFI-11 score of 2), and 38.5% ET and 23.5% TdPD patients severely frail (mFI-11 score ≥ 3) (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing frailty is not associated with worse outcomes, suggesting that MRgFUS may be appropriate even for frailer patients. ET patients are frailer than TdPD patients selected for MRgFUS.

Quantitative Tractography-Based Evaluations in Essential Tremor Patients after MRgFUS Thalamotomy.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) targeting the thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) is an innovative treatment for drug-refractory essential tremor (ET). The relationship between lesion characteristics, dentate-rubro-thalamic-tract (DRTT) involvement and clinical benefit remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether clinical outcome is related to lesion volume and/or its overlap with the DRTT. To compare the reliability of probabilistic versus deterministic tractography in reconstructing the DRTT and improving VIM targeting. METHODS: Forty ET patients who underwent MRgFUS thalamotomy between 2019 and 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical outcomes and adverse effects were recorded at 1/6/12 months after the procedure. The DRTT was generated using deterministic and probabilistic tractography on preoperative diffusion-tensor 3 T-images and location and volume of the lesion were calculated. RESULTS: Probabilistic tractography identified both decussating (d-DRTT) and non-decussating (nd-DRTT) components of the DRTT, whereas the deterministic approach only identified one component overlapping with the nd-DRTT. Despite the lesions predominantly intersecting the medial portion of the d-DRTT, with a significantly greater overlap in responder patients, we observed only a non-significant correlation between tremor improvement and increased d-DRTT-lesion overlap (r = 0.22, P = 0.20). The lesion volume demonstrated a significant positive correlation with clinical improvement at 1-day MRI (r = 0.42, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Variability in the reconstructed DRTT position relative to the lesion center of mass, even among good responders, suggests that this fiber bundle is unlikely to be considered the sole target for a successful MRgFUS thalamotomy in ET. Indirect individualized targeting allows for more precise and reproducible identification of actual treatment coordinates than the direct method.

Homogenization-circulating ultrasound in combination with aqueous enzymatic pretreatment for microwave-assisted extraction of kernel oil and essential oil from the fruit of Litsea cubeba.

Homogenization-circulating ultrasound in combination with an aqueous enzymatic pretreatment microwave-assisted extraction (HCUEPM) technique was successfully applied to extract kernel oil and essential oil from Litsea cubeba fruits. After screening the types and concentrations of enzymes, a 3 % pectinase aqueous solution was chosen. The Plackett-Burman design was used to screen eight parameters that might affect the yield of kernel oil and essential oil to identify significant variables. The best conditions were then predicted by further optimizing statistically significant factors via the Box-Behnken design. The optimal conditions were as follows: stirring speed of 1000 r/min, environmental pH of 5, homogenization time of 4 min, duty cycle of 20 %, ultrasound irradiation power of 400 W, incubation temperature of 52.78 °C, liquid-solid ratio of 9.31 mL/g, and incubation time of 2.53 h. Three parallel experiments were conducted under these conditions, yielding actual kernel oil at 240.56 ± 11.07 mL/kg DW and essential oil at 64.89 ± 3.1 mL/kg DW, which are close to the theoretical values. Compared with the HCUEPM method, the homogenization-microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (HMHD) method yielded 65.63 ± 3.2 mL/kg DW of essential oil but could not extract kernel oil. These findings demonstrate that the HCUEPM used in this study can efficiently extract a significant amount of kernel oil and essential oil from L. cubeba fruits in a short period of time. GC-MS analysis of the kernel oil and essential oil extracted via different methods revealed no significant differences in composition. The main components of the essential oil were D-limonene, trans-citral, cis-citral, and citronellal. The main components of the kernel oil were C10 and C12 medium-chain fatty acids, laying the foundation for the potential application of L. cubeba kernel oil and essential oil in the field of human health.

New insights on pentadecanoic acid with special focus on its controversial essentiality: a mini-review.

Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0, PDA) is an odd and minor fatty acid that has been neglected in the literature until the last decade. Indeed, as a specific fatty acid of dairy fat, PDA was only used as a biomarker of dairy fat consumption. Lately, PDA was first correlated negatively with the incidence of metabolic syndrome disorder, then its physiological effects have been investigated as a protective FA. PDA supplementation has been demonstrated as negatively correlated with elevated levels of leptin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and insulin, and has been shown to exhibit sensitizing insulin effects with activation of AMPK pathway. PDA also reduced the severity of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), notably through reduced alanine transaminase and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels. The final effect described for PDA is its ability to display anti-inflammatory properties in several pathology models. Hence, considering these multiple effects, the presence of PDA could be associated with a healthier physiological state, this raises the question of whether the presence of PDA in the body, in adequate quantities, is needed to participate to health maintenance. PDA is not synthesized in sufficient quantities endogenously, so it must be provided by the diet, mainly through dairy fat, although other types of food can also contribute to the dietary intake of PDA. Essential fatty acids are described as not being endogenously synthesized in sufficient and required quantities to maintain physiological health. Thus, PDA might gather both conditions to be described as essential, yet further investigations on both criteria are needed to enhance knowledge on this odd chain fatty acid with promising impact as potential protective supplement nutrient.

Eucalyptus essential oil exerted a sedative-hypnotic effect by influencing brain neurotransmitters and gut microbes via the gut microbiota-brain axis.

Sleep disorders are becoming more and more common, leading to many health problems. However, most of current available medications to treat sleep disorders are addictive and even impair cognitive abilities. Therefore, it is important to find a natural and safe alternative to treat sleep disorders. In this study, twenty-four 8-week-old male ICR mice (25 ± 2 g) were equally divided into three groups: the control group (gavage of 0.9% saline), the eucalyptus essential oil (EEO) group (10 mg/kg B.W.), and the diazepam group (1 mg/kg B.W.). Firstly, open field test and sleep induction test were used to determine the sedative-hypnotic effect of EEO. Secondly, the effect of EEO on neurotransmitters in the mice brain was determined. Finally, based on the gut microbiota-brain axis (GMBA), the effect of EEO on the intestinal flora of mice was explored. It was found that EEO significantly reduce the activity and prolong the sleep duration of mice, exhibiting a good sedative-hypnotic effect. In the brain, EEO could increase the levels of sleep-promoting neurotransmitters, such as glutamine, Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, tryptophan, N-acetylserotonin, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). In the intestine, EEO was found to increase the diversity of gut microbes, the abundance of short chain fatty acid (SCFA) producing flora, and the abundance of functional flora synthesizing GABA and glycine neurotransmitters. These studies suggested that EEO exerted a sedative-hypnotic effect by acting on gut microbes and neurotransmitters in the brain. EEO has the potential to become a natural and safe alternative to traditional hypnotic sedative drugs.

Lemongrass essential oil and DEET inhibit attractant detection in infected and non-infected Ixodes scapularis ticks.

Blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say (Arachnida: Ixodidae), is a growing health concern for humans as vectors the causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, and many other pathogens. Given the potential health threat I. scapularis entails, and the need to find effective strategies to prevent tick bites, it is pivotal to understand the chemosensory system of ticks and their host-seeking behaviour when exposed to repellents. In this study, we investigated whether the exposure to synthetic and plant-derived repellents impairs the ability of I. scapularis to detect attractants and host volatiles (butyric acid), and ultimately how these repellents interfere with host-seeking behaviour in both wild and lab-reared ticks. Furthermore, we screened wild ticks used in electrophysiology and Y-tube behavioural assays for presence of pathogens (Borrelia, Anaplasma, and Babesia) to evaluate if the bacterial infection status would affect the detection of butyric acid under the exposure to repellents. We determined that the exposure to DEET, lemongrass essential oil, citral, and geraniol significantly inhibited the ability of both lab-reared and wild adult female I. scapularis to detect and respond to butyric acid. We found that tick infection status does not significantly impact host-seeking behaviour in adult female I. scapularis. The knowledge gained from our study contributes to advance our understanding of host-seeking behaviour in ticks and the impact that the exposure to repellent has on the tick chemosensory system. These findings will be important for elucidating the mechanism of repellence in ticks and for the development of effective tick repellent management tools.

Thymus algeriensis essential oil: Phytochemical investigation, bactericidal activity, synergistic effect with colistin, molecular docking, and dynamics analysis against Gram-negative bacteria resistant to colistin.

Due to the increasing resistance prevalence to the last line of antibiotics, such as colistin, and the rising threat of multi-drug resistant bacteria, it is crucial to find alternative therapeutic options. The current study focuses on evaluating antibacterial activities alone and in combination with colistin of Thymus algeriensis essential oil (TA-EO) against colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli co-harboring mcr-1 gene. GC/MS was used to determine the chemical composition of TA-EO. Disc diffusion and microdilution techniques were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activities of TA-EO. Synergism between colistin and TA-EO was evaluated by checkerboard assay. The major compounds of TA-EO were docked with known enzymes involved in resistance to colistin, as well as the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan and amino acids. GC/MS revealed that TA-EO was of carvacrol chemotype (67.94 %). The TA-EO showed remarkable antibacterial activities against all Gram-negative bacterial strains, with the diameter of inhibition zones varied between 30 and 50 mm and a ratio MBC/MIC equal to 1 for the vast majority of bacterial isolates. Interestingly, the checkerboard showed synergism between TA-EO and colistin against colistin-resistant Escherichia coli co-harboring mcr-1 gene (FICI˂1) and reduced the MIC of colistin by 16- to 512-fold and those of TA-EO by 4- to 16-fold. The docking study demonstrated that carvacrol had high binding free energies against MCR-1, a phosphoethanolamine transferase extracellular domain, and its catalytic domain implicated in resistance to colistin, and undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase in complex with magnesium which is involved in bacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis. The molecular dynamics study for 100-ns also revealed the stability of the MCR-1/carvacrol complex with a constant surface area over the simulation. These results support using carvacrol or TA-EO as a bactericidal agent, either alone or in combination with colistin, to treat infections caused by colistin-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

The care of non-institutionalized ADL-dependent people in the Orcasitas neighborhood of Madrid (Spain) during the Covid-19 pandemic and its relationship with social inequalities, intergenerational dependency and survival.

Background: Mortality among people with dependency to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL) is higher than that of non-dependent people of the same age. Understanding the evolutionary course and factors involved in non-institutionalized ADL dependency, including the influence of the family structure that supports this population, would contribute to improved health planning. Methods: A longitudinal study carried out in the ADL-dependent population of the Orcasitas neighborhood, Madrid (Spain), between June 2020, when the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown ended, and June 2023. A total of 127 patients participated in the study, 78.7% of whom were women and 21.3% were men. Risk analysis was performed via odds ratios (OR) and hazard ratios (HR). Survival analysis was performed using Cox regression. Results: A total of 54.33% of the ADL-dependent persons did not live with their adult children and 45.67% did, being associated living independently with economic capacity and the married marital status but not with the dependency level. In women, being married increased the probability of living independently of their adult children (OR = 12.632; 95% CI = 3.312-48.178). Loss of mobility (OR = 0.398; 95% CI = 0.186-0.853), economic capacity of the dependent (HR = 0.596; 95% CI = 0.459-0.774), and living independently and having better economic capacity (HR = 0.471; 95% CI = 0.234-0.935) were associated with 3-year survival. Those who lived with their adult children had a worse autonomy profile and higher mortality (HR = 1.473; 95% CI = 1.072-2.024). Not being employed, not being married, and not owning a home were significantly associated with being an essential family caregiver. Caregivers were mostly women (OR = 1.794; 95% CI = 1.011-3.182). Conclusion: Among ADL-dependent persons, economic capacity influenced the ability to living independently and affected survival after 3 years. Loss of mobility (wheelchair use) was a predictor of mortality. Social inequalities promote that adult children end up as essential family caregivers. This generates reverse dependency and maintains a vulnerability that is transmitted from generation to generation, perpetuating social and gender inequalities. Dependent parent care in this cohort maintained an archaic pattern in which the eldest daughter cared for her parents. This study made it possible to show that ADL dependence is accompanied by complex interrelationships that must be considered in socio-health planning.