An Analysis of Drug-Related Problems in the Neurology Ward of a Tertiary Teaching Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and objective Drugs that act on the central nervous system have a high potential to cause drug-related problems (DRPs). A clinical pharmacist aided by collaborative efforts within an interdisciplinary healthcare team can prevent, detect, and resolve DRPs, thereby contributing to the promotion of medication safety and improving the quality of life of individuals under care. This study aimed to assess DRPs identified in the neurology ward of a tertiary hospital from February 2016 to November 2019. Methods This was a descriptive study with a cross-sectional and retrospective design involving secondary data collected from pharmaceutical care (PC) records. Student's t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, Poisson models, and logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations between age, number and type of medications, duration of hospitalization, and the occurrence of DRPs. Results A total of 130 patients were included in the study, and a total of 266 DRPs were detected, with 93 patients experiencing more than one DRP and 37 not presenting any DRPs. Necessity-related DRPs were the most prevalent (46.6%) type, followed by safety-related DRPs (28.6%). The prevalence of safety-related DRPs was higher in individuals older than 60 years (p<0.001). Conclusions Of note, 84.6% of the interventions suggested by pharmacists to resolve DRPs were accepted by the healthcare team. The high number of DRPs found underscores the importance of the clinical role of the pharmacist and interprofessional collaboration in the care of neurological patients, especially in the pharmaceutical follow-up of elderly individuals.

Combined Percutaneous and Endoscopic Ureterolithotripsy of Calcified Double J Stent.

In urological practice, the routine procedure of placing a double J stent aims to facilitate drainage of the upper urinary system. Despite its temporary nature and the necessity for timely removal, approximately 12% of these stents are retained in patients for extended durations due to various reasons. Forgotten ureteral stents can lead to complications that increase the morbidity and mortality of patients. This report discusses a case of the double J stent that became calcified due to prolonged use and needed to be removed in a combined procedure.

Portal thrombosis after surgical treatment of schistosomatic portal hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have investigated the correlation between the effects of different surgical treatments and laboratory exams for schistosomal portal hypertension, especially concerning portal system thrombosis. The etiopathogenic factors of this thrombosis are not fully understood. In this study, the correlation between surgical treatment for schistosomal portal hypertension and the occurrence of postoperative portal system thrombosis was investigated. METHODS: A total of 61 patients who underwent surgical treatment for schistosomal portal hypertension were distributed into four groups: Patients in Group 1 (n=12) underwent portal variceal disconnection associated with splenic artery ligation and spleen preservation. Patients in Group 2 (n=20) underwent portal variceal disconnection and total splenectomy. Patients in Group 3 (n=20) underwent portal variceal disconnection with subtotal splenectomy, preserving the upper splenic pole supplied by the splenogastric vessels. Patients in Group 4 (n=9) underwent portal variceal disconnection with total splenectomy and autogenous splenic implants on the greater omentum. Late postoperative portal vein thrombosis was diagnosed using Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: Over the 10-year follow-up, portal vein thrombosis occurred in 26 operated patients (42.6%), with no significant difference observed among the four surgical groups (p=0.217). Most of the thrombi only partially occluded the portal system veins. All the patients presented with a thrombus inside the portal vein. There was no difference in hematological and biochemical tests between groups with or without portal vein thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: Portal vein thrombosis is often observed in the late postoperative period, irrespective of the surgical treatment employed, and is not associated with patient characteristics or any hematological and biochemical tests.

Aerobic Exercise in the Aquatic Environment Suppresses the Plasma Renin Activity in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

To compare the acute effects of aquatic walking/running versus dry-land walking/running on blood glucose and plasma renin activity (PRA) in individuals with type 2 diabetes, participants with type 2 diabetes performed deep-water or dry-land walking and/or running sessions in a swimming pool or on an athletics track, respectively. Both sessions comprised seven blocks of 3 min at 85-90% of the heart rate deflection point (HRDP), interspersed with 2 min at <85% HRDP, totaling 35 min, with a 48 h interval between sessions. PRA and blood glucose were assessed before and immediately after the sessions. Generalized estimation equations were used to verify the session effects, with the Bonferroni post hoc test, considering the significance level as 0.05. Twelve individuals (53.2 ± 8.9 years) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for 6.3 ± 6.34 years participated in the study. A reduction in PRA was found only after the aquatic session (-7.75 ng/mL/h; -69%; p: 0.034), while both aquatic and dry-land sessions similarly reduced the blood glucose levels (aquatic: -38 mg/dL, -21%; dry-land: -26 mg/dL, -14%; time effect, p = 0.007). Despite yielding similar glycemic reductions as dry-land walking/running, aquatic walking/running led to an expressive decrease in PRA among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Assessing Carbohydrate Counting Accuracy: Current Limitations and Future Directions.

Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent chronic autoimmune disease with a high impact on global health, affecting millions of adults and resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Achieving optimal blood glucose levels is crucial for diabetes management to prevent acute and long-term complications. Carbohydrate counting (CC) is widely used by patients with type 1 diabetes to adjust prandial insulin bolus doses based on estimated carbohydrate content, contributing to better glycemic control and improved quality of life. However, accurately estimating the carbohydrate content of meals remains challenging for patients, leading to errors in bolus insulin dosing. This review explores the current limitations and challenges in CC accuracy and emphasizes the importance of personalized educational programs to enhance patients' abilities in carbohydrate estimation. Existing tools for assessing patient learning outcomes in CC are discussed, highlighting the need for individualized approaches tailored to each patient's needs. A comprehensive review of the relevant literature was conducted to identify educational programs and assessment tools dedicated to training diabetes patients on carbohydrate counting. The research aims to provide insights into the benefits and limitations of existing tools and identifies future research directions to advance personalized CC training approaches. By adopting a personalized approach to CC education and assessment, healthcare professionals can empower patients to achieve better glycemic control and improve diabetes management. Moreover, this review identifies potential avenues for future research, paving the way for advancements in personalized CC training and assessment approaches and further enhancing diabetes management strategies.

Immunological Activity of Vaccine Systems Containing Liposomal Nanocarriers against Protozoan-Induced Diseases: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Neglected parasitic diseases constitute a broad spectrum of clinical conditions that, in the chronic phase, lack effective therapies for the target population. The utilization of vaccines based on liposomal nanocarrier systems is emerging, thereby enhancing clinical outcomes in various comorbidities. Consequently, this study aims to assess the immunological activity induced by liposomal nanocarriers against neglected parasitic diseases. METHODS: For the review, the Pubmed, Embase, and Lilacs databases were used using the descriptors vaccine, parasite, and liposome. The following inclusion criteria were adopted: in vivo and in vitro experimental articles. As exclusion criteria: book chapters, editorials, literature reviews and duplicate articles found during the database search. RESULTS: A total of 226 articles were identified, from which 34 were selected for review. The primary diseases identified included Babesia bovis, Entamoeba histolytica, Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania donovani, Leishmania major, Leishmania infantum, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium chabaudi, Plasmodium chabaudi, Plasmodium yoelii, Toxoplasma gondii and Trypanosoma cruzi. An elevation in cytokines such as GM-CSF, MCP-1, INF-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-17 was observed in the studies evaluated regarding the parasitic diseases. Furthermore, cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-ß were diminished with the administration of the vaccine systems in those studies. CONCLUSION: Therefore, the administration of liposomal nanovaccine systems can effectively ameliorate the clinical condition of patients by modulating their immunological profile.

Impact of a legumes diet on the human gut microbiome articulated with fecal and plasma metabolomes: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Legumes intake is known to be associated with several health benefits the origins of which is still a matter of debate. This paper addresses a pilot small cohort to probe for metabolic aspects of the interplay between legumes intake, human metabolism and gut microbiota. METHODS: Untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics of blood plasma and fecal extracts was carried out, in tandem with qPCR analysis of feces, to assess the impact of an 8-week pilot legumes diet intervention on the fecal and plasma metabolomes and gut microbiota of 19 subjects. RESULTS: While the high inter-individual variability hindered the detection of statistically significant changes in the gut microbiome, increased fecal glucose and decreased threonine levels were noted. Correlation analysis between the microbiome and fecal metabolome lead to putative hypotheses regarding the metabolic activities of prevalent bacteria groups (Clostridium leptum subgroup, Roseburia spp., and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii). These included elevated fecal glucose as a preferential energy source, the involvement of valerate/isovalerate and reduced protein degradation in gut microbiota. Plasma metabolomics advanced mannose and betaine as potential markers of legume intake and unveiled a decrease in formate and ketone bodies, the latter suggesting improved energy utilization through legume carbohydrates. Amino acid metabolism was also apparently affected, as suggested by lowered urea, histidine and threonine levels. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high inter-individual gut microbiome variability characterizing the small cohort addressed, combination of microbiological measurements and untargeted metabolomics unveiled several metabolic effects putatively related to legumes intake. If confirmed in larger cohorts, our findings will support the inclusion of legumes in diets and contribute valuable new insight into the origins of associated health benefits.

The HADDOCK2.4 web server for integrative modeling of biomolecular complexes.

Interactions between macromolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, are essential for cellular functions. Experimental methods can fail to provide all the information required to fully model biomolecular complexes at atomic resolution, particularly for large and heterogeneous assemblies. Integrative computational approaches have, therefore, gained popularity, complementing traditional experimental methods in structural biology. Here, we introduce HADDOCK2.4, an integrative modeling platform, and its updated web interface ( https://wenmr.science.uu.nl/haddock2.4 ). The platform seamlessly integrates diverse experimental and theoretical data to generate high-quality models of macromolecular complexes. The user-friendly web server offers automated parameter settings, access to distributed computing resources, and pre- and post-processing steps that enhance the user experience. To present the web server's various interfaces and features, we demonstrate two different applications: (i) we predict the structure of an antibody-antigen complex by using NMR data for the antigen and knowledge of the hypervariable loops for the antibody, and (ii) we perform coarse-grained modeling of PRC1 with a nucleosome particle guided by mutagenesis and functional data. The described protocols require some basic familiarity with molecular modeling and the Linux command shell. This new version of our widely used HADDOCK web server allows structural biologists and non-experts to explore intricate macromolecular assemblies encompassing various molecule types.

Acidochromic Free-Standing Multilayered Chitosan-Pyranoflavylium/Alginate Membranes toward Food Smart Packaging Applications.

Food smart packaging has emerged as a promising technology to address consumer concerns regarding food conservation and food safety. In this context, we report the rational design of azide-containing pyranoflavylium-based pH-sensitive dye for subsequent click chemistry conjugation toward a chitosan-modified alkyne. The chitosan-pyranoflavylium conjugate was characterized by infrared (ATR-FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, and dynamic light scattering (DLS), as well as its thermodynamic parameters related to their pH-dependent chromatic features. The fabrication of thin-films through electrostatic-driven layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technology was first screened by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) onto gold substrates, and then free-standing (FS) multilayered membranes from polypropylene substrate were obtained using a homemade automatic dipping robot. The membranes' characterization included morphology analysis and thickness evaluation, assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pH-responsive color change performance tests using buffer solutions at different pH levels, and biogenic amines-enriched model solutions, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of the chitosan-pyranoflavylium/alginate biomembranes for food spoilage monitoring. This work provides insights toward the development of innovative pH-responsive smart biomaterials for advanced and sustainable technological packaging solutions, which could significantly contribute to ensuring food safety and quality, while reducing food waste.

Unveiling the Structural Properties, Optical Behavior, and Thermoelectric Performance of 2D CsSn2Br5 Halide Obtained by Mechanochemistry.

Metal halide perovskites with a two-dimensional structure are utilized in photovoltaics and optoelectronics. High-crystallinity CsSn2Br5 specimens have been synthesized via ball milling. Differential scanning calorimetry curves show melting at 553 K (endothermic) and recrystallization at 516 K (exothermic). Structural analysis using synchrotron X-ray diffraction data, collected from 100 to 373 K, allows for the determination of Debye model parameters. This analysis provides insights into the relative Cs-Br and Sn-Br chemical bonds within the tetragonal structure (space group: I4/mcm), which remains stable throughout the temperature range studied. Combined with neutron data, X-N techniques permit the identification of the Sn2+ lone electron pair (5s2) in the two-dimensional framework, occupying empty space opposite to the four Sn-Br bonds of the pyramidal [SnBr4] coordination polyhedra. Additionally, diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy unveils an indirect optical gap of approximately ∼3.3 eV, aligning with the calculated value from the B3LYP-DFT method (∼3.2 eV). The material exhibits a positive Seebeck coefficient as high as 6.5 × 104 µV K-1 at 350 K, which evolves down to negative values of -3.0 × 103 µV K-1 at 550 K, surpassing values reported for other halide perovskites. Notably, the thermal conductivity remains exceptionally low, between 0.32 and 0.25 W m-1 K-1.

Assessment of oral hygiene and quality of life of children with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers: an observational clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the degrees of dependence and presence of bacterial plaque in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the quality of life of children and their caregivers. METHOD AND MATERIALS: This was a cross-sectional observational study. This study included 119 individuals with ASD and their caregivers. Data were collected through a sociodemographic questionnaire, WHOQOL-Bref, and Burden interview to measure quality of life and caregiver burden, respectively. The Autoquestionnaire Qualité de Vie Enfant Imagé questionnaire, adapted in game format, was applied to verify quality of life in children with ASD. An oral clinical examination evaluated the visible plaque index. The collected data were tabulated and organized for statistical analysis with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: It was observed that 52% of the children had a severity of ASD level 1; 70% were dependent for general activities, and 65% were dependent for oral hygiene. Of the 77 children who thoroughly answered the questionnaire about their quality of life, 64.9% had good quality of life, and 35.1% had scores below 48, that is, low quality of life. In general, the caregivers generally presented quality of life with a rate of 60.95 (good) points on the scale. It was observed that gingival bleeding greater than 30% is two (ASD 2 + ASD 3) to three (ASD 3) times more likely to occur in patients who have higher levels of ASD (P < .004). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the quality of life of individuals with ASD was good, that most children are dependent for their daily activities and oral hygiene, and that they showed reasonable plaque control. On the other hand, the caregivers presented low quality of life and moderate burden.

Assessment of differentially expressed genes from in vitro matured human oocytes: A bioinformatics approach.

OBJECTIVE: One of the techniques that has gained much attention is the in vitro maturation of oocytes for patients who use assisted reproduction techniques. However, its results are still inferior to controlled ovarian stimulation methodologies. Understanding the maturation mechanisms based on analyses can help improve this methodology's results. The work aims to identify the central genes differentially expressed in oocytes after in vitro maturation in the germinal vesicle and metaphase II stages. METHODS: This work is a computational analysis. The entire search will be conducted using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. To carry out and obtain the data present in the work, an advanced research search was carried out in the GEO database within the period from January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2023. A total of 27 genomic data were available in the GEO database, of which only two were used. RESULTS: Two datasets were identified on the Gene Expression Omnibus database platform: registration data GSE158802 and GSE95477. From the analysis, we identified five downregulated and thirty-six upregulated genes; the central genes that correlated with the main gene proteins found were CLTA and PANK1. CONCLUSIONS: There was a differential regulation of gene expression. The most central ones are related to energy capture.

Multiscale Length Structural Investigation and Thermoelectric Performance of Double-Filled Sr0.2Yb0.2Co4Sb12: An Exceptional Thermal Conductivity Reduction by Filler Segregation to the Grain Boundaries.

Among thermoelectric materials, skutterudites are the most prominent candidates in the mid-temperature range applications. In the multiple-filled Sr0.2Yb0.2Co4Sb12 skutterudite, with Sr and Yb as fillers, we have enhanced the thermoelectric performance of CoSb3 through the reduction of lattice thermal conductivity and the optimization of carrier concentration and electrical conductivity. The high-pressure synthesis of the double-filled derivative promotes filling fraction fluctuation. This is observed by high angular resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction, showing a phase segregation that corresponds to an inhomogeneous distribution of the filler atoms, located at the 2a positions of the cubic space group Im3̅. In addition, scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with EELS spectroscopy clearly shows a segregation of Sr atoms from the surface of the grains, which is compatible with the synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction results. Mean square displacement parameters analysis results in Einstein temperatures of ∼94 and ∼67 K for Sr and Yb, respectively, and a Debye temperature of ∼250 K. The strong effect on resonant and disorder scattering yields a significantly lower lattice thermal conductivity of 2.5 W m-1 K-1 at 773 K. Still, good weighed-mobility values were obtained, with high filling fraction of the Yb and Sr elements. This drives a reduced electrical resistivity of 2.1 × 10-5 Ω m, which leads to a peak zT of 0.26 at 773 K. The analysis and results performed for the synthesized (Sr,Yb)-double filled CoSb3, shed light on skutterudites for potential waste-heat recovery applications.

Models to predict nitrogen excretion from beef cattle fed a wide range of diets compiled from South America.

The objective of this meta-analysis was to develop and evaluate models for predicting nitrogen (N) excretion in feces, urine, and manure in beef cattle in South America. The study incorporated a total of 1,116 individual observations of N excretion in feces and 939 individual observations of N excretion in feces and in urine (g/d), representing a diverse range of diets, animal genotypes, and management conditions in South America. The dataset also included data on dry matter intake (DMI; kg/d) and nitrogen intake (NI; g/d), concentrations of dietary components, as well as average daily gain (ADG; g/d) and average body weight (BW; kg). Models were derived using linear mixed-effects regression with a random intercept for the study. Fecal N excretion was positively associated with DMI, NI, nonfibrous carbohydrates, average BW, and ADG and negatively associated with EE and CP concentration in the diet. The univariate model predicting fecal N excretion based on DMI (model 1) performed slightly better than the univariate model, which used NI as a predictor variable (model 2) with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 38.0 vs. 39.2%, the RMSE-observations SD ratio (RSR) of 0.81 vs. 0.84, and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.53 vs. 0.50, respectively. Models predicting urinary N excretion were less accurate than those derived to predict fecal N excretion, with an average RMSE of 43.7% vs. 37.0%, respectively. Urinary and manure N excretion were positively associated with DMI, NI, CP, average BW, and ADG and negatively associated with neutral detergent fiber concentration in the diet. As opposed to fecal N excretion, the univariate model predicting urinary N excretion using NI (model 10) performed slightly better than the univariate model using DMI (model 9) as predictor variable with an RMSE of 36.0% vs. 39.7%, RSR 0.85 vs. 0.93, and CCC of 0.43 vs. 0.29, respectively. The models developed in this study are applicable for predicting N excretion in beef cattle across a broad spectrum of dietary compositions and animal genotypes in South America. The univariate model using DMI as a predictor is recommended for fecal N prediction, while the univariate model using NI is recommended for predicting urinary and manure N excretion because the use of more complex models resulted in little to no benefits. However, it may be more useful to consider more complex models that incorporate nutrient intakes and diet composition for decision-making when N excretion is a factor to be considered. Three extant equations evaluated in this study have the potential to be used in tropical conditions typical of South America to predict fecal N excretion with good precision and accuracy. However, none of the extant equations are recommended for predicting urine or manure N excretion because of their high RMSE, and low precision and accuracy.

Analysis of clinical outcomes in older individuals who received pharmaceutical care and posthospital discharge follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence underscores the need to assess potential clinical outcomes resulting from pharmaceutical care interventions and to monitor patient's progress to evaluate their clinical evolution, which is crucial for bolstering the relevance of implementing pharmaceutical care in healthcare services. AIMS: To conduct an in-depth analysis of pharmaceutical care practices in a geriatric ward and monitor the clinical outcomes of older people served. METHODS: This interventionist study was conducted in the geriatrics ward of a Brazilian university hospital. The research intervention occurred between January and May 2022, with a follow-up conducted for up to 90 days after patients' hospital discharge. Older patients in the geriatrics ward received pharmaceutical care, including medication reconciliation, medication review, and pharmacotherapeutic follow-up, aimed at identifying and resolving drug-related problems (DRPs). The clinical relevance of DRPs and pharmaceutical recommendations was evaluated. Additionally, analyses were conducted on mortality and rehospitalization outcomes in older patients at 30, 60, and 90 days following initial hospital discharge. RESULTS: Of the patients evaluated, a significant 88.3% exhibited at least one DRP (with an average of 2.6 ± 1.9 DRPs per patient), with the majority classified as need/indication problems (38.9%). The acceptance rate of pharmaceutical recommendations was 80.9%, with the majority categorized as very significant relevance (60.4%). DRPs were predominantly of serious clinical relevance (50.9%). In patients whose clinical indicators could be monitored, 95.5% showed some clinical response (in vital signs, laboratory tests and/or clinical status evolution) potentially related to resolved DRPs. Association analysis revealed that a higher number of medications in use before hospitalization correlated with a greater identification of DRPs during hospitalization (p = 0.03). At hospital discharge, 23.6% of patients were no longer using polypharmacy. In total, 16 patients (26.7%) died during the study period. Among patients who did not die during hospitalization (n = 54), 20 patients (37%) experienced rehospitalizations within 90 days following discharge. CONCLUSION: This study facilitated the consolidation of pharmaceutical care implementation in a geriatric ward. We conducted identification, evaluation, and proposed evidence-based solutions, as well as monitored cases for outcome analysis. It is anticipated that this methodology will inspire future research and the implementation of pharmaceutical care-related services.

Sustainable synthesis of bionanomaterials using non-native plant extracts for maintaining ecological balance: A computational bibliography analysis.

Biological approaches via biomolecular extracts of bacteria, fungi, or plants have recently been introduced as an alternative approach to synthesizing less or nontoxic nanomaterials, compared to conventional physical and chemical approaches. Among these biological methods, plant-mediated approaches (phytosynthesis) are reported to be highly beneficial for large-scale, nontoxic nanomaterial synthesis. However, plant-mediated synthesis of nanomaterials using native plant extract can lead to bioprospecting issues and deforestation challenges. On the other hand, non-native or invasive plants are non-indigenous to a particular geographic location that can grow and spread rapidly, ultimately disrupting the local and endogenous plant communities or ecosystems. Thus, controlling or eradicating these non-native plants before they damage the ecosystem is necessary. Even though mechanical, chemical, and biological approaches are available to control non-native plants, all these methods possess certain limitations, such as environmental toxicity, disturbance in the nutrient cycle, and loss of genetic integrity. Therefore, non-native plants were recently proposed as a novel sustainable source of phytochemicals for preparing nanomaterials via green chemistry, mainly metallic nanoparticles, as an alternative to native, agriculture-based, or medicinal plants. This work aims to cover a literature gap on plant-mediated bionanomaterial synthesis with an overview and bibliography analysis of non-native plants via novel data mining and advanced visualization tools. In addition, the potential of non-native plants as a sustainable, green chemistry-based alternative for bionanomaterial preparation for maintaining ecological balance, the mechanism of formation via phytochemicals, and their possible applications to promote their control and spread were also discussed. The bibliography analysis revealed that only an average of 4 articles have been published in the last 10 years (2013-2023) on non-native/invasive plants for nanomaterial synthesis, which shows the significance of this article.

Natural alkaloids from Dicranostigma leptopodum (Maxim.) Fedde and their G5. NHAc-PBA dendrimer-alkaloid complexes for targeting chemotherapy in breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

Herein, we isolated five natural alkaloids, iso-corydine (iso-CORY), corydine (CORY), sanguinarine (SAN), chelerythrine (CHE) and magnoflorine (MAG), from traditional medicinal herb Dicranostigma leptopodum (Maxim.) Fedde (whole herb) and elucidated their structures. Then we synthesised G5. NHAc-PBA as targeting dendrimer platform to encapsulate the alkaloids into G5. NHAc-PBA-alkaloid complexes, which demonstrated alkaloid-dependent positive zeta potential and hydrodynamic particle size. G5. NHAc-PBA-alkaloid complexes demonstrated obvious breast cancer MCF-7 cell targeting effect. Among the G5. NHAc-PBA-alkaloid complexes, G5.NHAc-PBA-CHE (IC50=13.66 µM) demonstrated the highest MCF-7 cell inhibition capability and G5.NHAc-PBA-MAG (IC50=24.63 µM) had equivalent inhibitory effects on cell proliferation that comparable to the level of free MAG (IC50=23.74 µM), which made them the potential breast cancer targeting formulation for chemotherapeutic application. This work successfully demonstrated a pharmaceutical research model of 'natural bioactive product isolation-drug formulation preparation-breast cancer cell targeting inhibition'.

Magnetoelastic Coupling Evidence by Anisotropic Crossed Thermal Expansion in Magnetocaloric RSrCoFeO6 (R = Sm, Eu) Double Perovskites.

Double perovskite oxides, characterized by their tunable magnetic properties and robust interconnection between the lattice and magnetic degrees of freedom, present an enticing foundation for advanced magnetic refrigeration materials. Herein, we delve into the influence of rare-earth elements on RSrCoFeO6 (R = Sm, Eu) disordered double perovskites by examining their structural, electronic, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties. Temperature-dependent synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the stability of the orthorhombic phase (Pnma) across a wide temperature range. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy revealed that both Sm and Eu are in the 3+ state, whereas multiple states for Co2+/3+ and Fe3+/4+ are identified. The magnetic investigation and magnetocaloric effect (MCE) analysis brought to light the presence of a long-range antiferromagnetic (AFM) order with a second-order phase transition (SOPT) in both samples. The maximum magnetic entropy change ΔSMmax was approximately 0.9 J/kg K for both samples at applied field 0-7 T, manifesting prominently above Neel temperatures TN ≈ 93 K (Sm) and 84 K (Eu). Nevertheless, different relative cooling powers (RCP) of 112.6 J/kg (Sm) and 95.5 J/kg (Eu) were observed. A detailed analysis of the temperature-dependent lattice parameters shed light on a distinct magnetocaloric effect across the magnetic transition temperature, unveiling an anisotropic thermal expansion [αV = 1.41 × 10-5 K-1 (Sm) and αV = 1.54 × 10-5 K-1 (Eu)] wherein the thermal expansion axial ratio αbSm/αbEu = 0.61 became lower with increasing temperature, which suggests that the Eu sample experiences a greater thermal expansion in the b-axis direction. At the atomic bonding level, the evidence for magnetoelastic coupling around the magnetic transition temperatures TN was found through the anomalies along the average Co/Fe-O bond distance, formal valence, octahedral distortion, as well as an anisotropic lattice expansion.

The role of computed tomography with external rotation and dorsiflexion in decision making for acute isolated non-displaced posterior malleolar fractures Bartonícek and Rammelt type II: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to evaluate the syndesmotic and fracture instability using conventional ankle computed tomography (CT) with stress maneuvers. METHODS: A consecutive sample of 123 individuals with an ankle sprain was assessed for eligibility. In total, 33 patients met the inclusion criteria. All patients underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scan with stress maneuvers (CTSM). The patterns of ligament tears f were classified using West Point grades I, IIA, IIB, III. Mann-Whitney test was used to test the differences in the numerical variables between injured and uninjured syndesmoses. The Spearman correlation tested the strength of the association between the tibial joint surface involved in posterior malleolus fracture and syndesmotic instability. RESULTS: In MRI, two patterns of syndesmotic ligament injury predominated. A completely torn anterior inferior tibiofibular (AITFL) and interosseous tibiofibular ligaments (ITFL) and a completely torn AITFL were combined with a partially torn ITFL. In the neutral phase CTSM and during the stress phase the median difference of the narrowest tibiofibular distance between injured and uninjured syndesmoses was 0.2 mm (P = 0.057) and 2.3 mm (P < 0.0001), respectively. There was no association between the percentage of involvement of the posterior tibial joint surface in the posterior malleolar fracture and syndesmotic instability as measured with CTSM. CONCLUSION: The conventional computed tomography with external rotation and dorsiflexion represents a reproducible and accurate diagnostic option for detecting syndesmosis instability and fracture instability in acute isolated non-displaced posterior malleolar fractures Bartonícek and Rammelt type II. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective study among consecutive patients (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.