The Interplay of Astrocytes and Neurons in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by an impairment in social interaction, involving communication deficits and specific patterns of behaviors, like repetitive behaviors. ASD is clinically diagnosed and usually takes time, typically occurring not before four years of age. Genetic mutations affecting synaptic transmission, such as neuroligin and neurexin, are associated with ASD and contribute to behavioral and cognitive deficits. Recent research highlights the role of astrocytes, the brain's most abundant glial cells, in ASD pathology. Aberrant Ca2+ signaling in astrocytes is linked to behavioral deficits and neuroinflammation. Notably, the cytokine IL-6 overexpression by astrocytes impacts synaptogenesis. Altered neurotransmitter levels, disruptions in the blood-brain barrier, and cytokine dysregulation further contribute to ASD complexity. Understanding these astrocyte-related mechanisms holds promise for identifying ASD subtypes and developing targeted therapies.

Genipa americana L.: A New Phytochemical for White Hair Coloring.

This work describes a new hair dyeing methodology using a chemical reaction between geniposide, an iridoid glycoside extracted from the fruit of Genipa americana (geniposide extract, GE) and the amine group of hair keratin. The influence of reaction conditions (pH, temperature, and extract concentration) on the staining of hair fibers, color development, fiber morphology, and mechanical hair properties of black and white human hair samples, was evaluated before and after GE dyeing treatment. Eye contact safety of GE was also studied using HET-CAM. The treatment of white hair fibers using GE at 20 mg mL-1 , temperature of 80 °C and pH 5.5 presented the greatest color change (ΔE=54.0). The higher pH influence was observed at pH 10.0 on white hair tresses (ΔE=6.8), using an GE concentration of 20 mg mL-1 and room temperature (25 °C). Treated samples showed marked changes on mechanical and morphological properties. The HET-CAM did not show any change, thus demonstrating that using GE is safe. In conclusion, the temperature and concentration of the extract were the variables that mostly influenced the color and hair damage. A new approach for hair dyeing was established where iridoids may potentially be useful as a natural hair dyeing.

Hydrophilic Scaffolds Containing Extracts of Stryphnodendron adstringens and Abarema cochliacarpa for Wound Healing: In Vivo Proofs of Concept.

The present work aimed to evaluate the healing effect of hydrophilic polymeric resorbable biomembrane scaffolds containing plant extracts obtained from two different species, both popularly known as Stryphnodendron adstringens or Barbatimão. The hydrogel-based scaffolds were characterized and submitted to biological tests using Wistar rats to evaluate their healing capacity. The wound retraction index and the evaluation of the inflammatory process and tissue collagenization were recorded. The extracts showed antioxidant activity with IC50 between 10 and 20 µg/mL (DPPH assay) and 4-6 mmol Trolox/g (FRAP assay). The extract of Stryphnodendron adstringens (SA) presented gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, and O-methylpigalocatechin, while the extract of Abarema cochliacarpa (AC) presented catechin, dimers of procyanidins, di-O-hydroxide, O-deoxyhexosi-hexoside, and epicatechin. The membranes containing SA extract (GELSA) were more rigid, with a more intense color, but less thick, with a more compact structure and few pores. The membranes containing AC extract (GELAC) presented a mechanical profile like the gelatin membrane (GEL), with greater permeability to water vapor. The GELAC and GELSA membranes showed similar thermal degradation profiles. The wounds treated with the membranes containing the extracts obtained high levels of retraction of the wounds with values around 60% and 80% in three and seven days, respectively. These data indicate that the compounds of both species have promising biological activities in the repair process, showing that the extracts accelerated the healing process due to the lower intensity of the inflammatory reaction and the presence of compounds such as catechin and epigallocatechin.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) as a potential therapeutic target for neurological disorders.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a typical member of the PTP family, considered a direct negative regulator of several receptor and receptor-associated tyrosine kinases. This widely localized enzyme has been involved in the pathophysiology of several diseases. More recently, PTP1B has attracted attention in the field of neuroscience, since its activation in brain cells can lead to schizophrenia-like behaviour deficits, anxiety-like effects, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation and depression. Conversely, PTP1B inhibition has been shown to prevent microglial activation, thus exerting a potent anti-inflammatory effect and has also shown potential to increase the cognitive process through the stimulation of hippocampal insulin, leptin and BDNF/TrkB receptors. Notwithstanding, most research on the clinical efficacy of targeting PTP1B has been developed in the field of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (TD2M). However, despite the link existing between these metabolic alterations and neurodegeneration, no clinical trials assessing the neurological advantages of PTP1B inhibition have been performed yet. Preclinical studies, though, have provided strong evidence that targeting PTP1B could allow to reach different pathophysiological mechanisms at once. herefore, specific interventions or trials should be designed to modulate PTP1B activity in brain, since it is a promising strategy to decelerate or prevent neurodegeneration in aged individuals, among other neurological diseases. The present paper fails to include all neurological conditions in which PTP1B could have a role; instead, it focuses on those which have been related to metabolic alterations and neurodegenerative processes. Moreover, only preclinical data is discussed, since clinical studies on the potential of PTP1B inhibition for treating neurological diseases are still required.

Photoprotection and skin irritation effect of hydrogels containing hydroalcoholic extract of red propolis: A natural pathway against skin cancer.

The use of natural products in sunscreen formulations as a prophylactic measure against skin cancer is receiving special attention attributed to the photoprotective and antioxidant properties of their chemical components. In this work, we describe the development of topical hydrogel formulations containing hydroalcoholic extract of red propolis (HERP), and the evaluation of the dermal sensitizing effect of the developed products. Sunscreen formulations composed of HERP in different concentrations (1.5, 2.5 or 3.5% w/w) alone or in combination with a chemical (octyl methoxycinnamate) and/or physical (titanium dioxide) filters were developed using poloxamer 407 as gel basis. The preliminary and accelerated stability tests, texture analysis and spreadability tests were performed. All formulations revealed to be stable in preliminary stability assessment. The formulations containing HERP 1.5 and 2.5% alone or associated with the filters showed intense modifications during accelerated stability test, which were confirmed by rheological analyses. The incorporation of HERP and filters in the poloxamer hydrogel decreased the toughness of product (p < 0.05) and the formulation containing HERP alone presented the lowest adhesivity (p < 0.001). The incorporation of HERP in the hydrogel decreased the poloxamer transition temperature, showing different rheological behavior with the increase of HERP concentration. The developed formulations were stable, exhibited non-Newtonian and pseudoplastic behavior, showing in vivo skin compatibility and no skin irritancy.

Liposomal formulations of oxybutynin and resiniferatoxin for the treatment of urinary diseases: improvement of drug tolerance upon intravesical.

The use of liposomes for drug release has demonstrated to be a promising therapeutic platform for biomedical applications. In this study, intravesical administration of OXI (1.5 mM) and RTX (100 nM) was used to compare histological changes caused in Wistar female rats by the drugs both unloaded and loaded in liposomes. After instillation of formulations by intravesical catheter, bladders were removed and histological analysis carried out at pre-determined time intervals over a period of 60 days. Urinalysis was performed to verify the presence of infection and of liposomes. Results showed that RTX caused a higher bladder damage, with inflammatory reaction that reached all bladder layers. After 60 days, RTX-treated group showed urothelial alterations, collagen replacement by fibrosis and also abdominal adherence, but not the OXI-treated group. At the end of the assay, the liposomal-treated groups showed a minimal inflammatory reaction and significantly increased bladder size. Moreover, urinalysis confirmed the presence of liposomes in rat urine. RTX promoted higher bladder damage than OXI. Intravesical administration of liposomal OXI or RTX formulations minimized inflammatory reaction, with an extended drug effect on bladders. After a single intravesical administration, liposomes were found in rat urine samples after 60 days.

Encapsulation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Lipid Micro/Nanoparticles for Oral Administration by Spray-Cooling.

Nanoencapsulation via spray cooling (also known as spray chilling and spray congealing) has been used with the aim to improve the functionality, solubility, and protection of drugs; as well as to reduce hygroscopicity; to modify taste and odor to enable oral administration; and many times to achieve a controlled release profile. It is a relatively simple technology, it does not require the use of low-cost solvents (mostly associated to toxicological risk), and it can be applied for lipid raw materials as excipients of oral pharmaceutical formulations. The objective of this work was to revise and discuss the advances of spray cooling technology, with a greater emphasis on the development of lipid micro/nanoparticles to the load of active pharmaceutical ingredients for oral administration.

Epidemiology of COVID-19 in the State of Sergipe/Brazil and Its Relationship with Social Indicators.

A pandemic is capable of generating a great impact, not only from the point of view of health, but also socioeconomically. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that a new pandemic situation had arisen, due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, whose probable origin was zoonotic. The largest number of cases of this disease is concentrated in the United States of America (USA), India, and Brazil. The mortality rate is estimated at 3.4%, but regional differences may exist, and places with a high demographic density have become true epicentres and may be related to higher rates of transmission. In addition to the above, lower human development indexes (HDI) can be related to worse outcomes, especially in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil since they are the least developed places. The Northeast region is the second-most-affected place in the number of COVID-19 cases in Brazil. An analytical observational study of an ecological type was carried out from April to October 2020 to assess the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in the state of Sergipe and specifically to analyse the incidence of cases and deaths resulting from COVID-19 in the different health regions of the state of Sergipe, in relation to the values of the HDI and demographic density. During the study period, 84,325 cases of COVID-19 were identified, in which 2205 resulted in death. In most of the regions studied, there was a positive association between the number of cases and deaths and the greater the demographic density, but there was no increase in the risk of becoming ill, nor of dying the lower the HDI. Large and crowded cities are places of greatest vulnerability to illness, due to their greater capacity of transmitting the virus; however, further studies are needed to identify other factors that are decisive in the outcomes of this new disease.