Journals
2025 EN
Balata Mahmoud · Becher Marc Ulrich · Hassan Marwa
+6 more
ABSTRACT Background Sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) reduce cardiovascular mortality and heart failure (HF)‐related hospitalizations in HF patients. However, the mechanisms underlying these benefits remain unclear, and it is uncertain whether empagliflozin and dapagliflozin have differential effects on cardiac structure and function. Aim This study aims to compare the effects of these two SGLT2is on left ventricular echocardiographic parameters in HF patients over 1 year. Methods This retrospective study included 558 consecutive HF patients newly prescribed either dapagliflozin or empagliflozin. Key echocardiographic parameters, such as peak E‐wave velocity, E/e' ratio, left atrial volume index (LAVI), LV end‐diastolic and end‐systolic volumes (LV‐EDVI, LV‐ESVI), LV mass index (LV‐MI), relative wall thickness (RWT), LV sphericity index (LV‐SI), and ejection fraction (LVEF), were measured at baseline and after 1 year. Results At 1‐year, significant reductions were observed only in the empagliflozin group for peak E‐wave velocity (mean difference = −12.76 cm/s, 95% CI: −16.26 to −9.27, p < 0.001), E/e' ratio (mean difference = −3.04, 95% CI: −4.17 to −1.91, p < 0.001), and LV sphericity index (LV‐SI; mean difference = −0.01, 95% CI: −0.02 to −0.0005, p = 0.040). Both SGLT2is significantly improved E‐wave deceleration time, LAVI, LV‐EDVI, LV‐ESVI, LV‐MI, and LVEF. Neither medication produced significant changes in RWT, and no significant differences were noted between groups regarding HF hospitalizations or all‐cause mortality. Conclusion Empagliflozin demonstrated more pronounced effects on LV remodeling markers, including peak E‐wave velocity, E/e' ratio, and LV‐SI, compared to dapagliflozin. These findings suggest potential efficacy differences between SGLT2is, highlighting the need for future randomized comparative studies.
Journals
2025 EN
Khalil Ibrahim · Islam M. Rafiqul · Promi Sunjida Amin
+13 more
ABSTRACT Background Hyperlipidemia, a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is characterized by elevated low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), triglycerides, and reduced high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C). Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors, such as anacetrapib, obicetrapib, evacetrapib, dalcetrapib, and torcetrapib, aim to improve lipid profiles by increasing HDL‐C and reducing LDL‐C, but their comparative efficacy remains unclear. Methods This systematic review and frequentist network meta‐analysis, conducted per PRISMA‐NMA guidelines, included 33 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 120,292 adults with hyperlipidemia. We compared CETP inhibitors, alone or with statins, against placebo or other lipid‐lowering therapies. Primary outcome was LDL‐C reduction; secondary outcomes included HDL‐C, triglycerides, and total cholesterol changes. Random‐effects models calculated mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and P‐scores ranked interventions. Results Atorvastatin + obicetrapib showed the largest reduction in LDL‐C levels (MD: −69.00, 95% CI: −95.96 to −42.04, p < 0.0001), followed by rosuvastatin + obicetrapib (MD: −60.70, 95% CI: −99.28 to −22.12, p = 0.0020). Atorvastatin + obicetrapib yielded highly significant increase in HDL‐C levels (MD: 149.90, 95% CI: 121.70 to 178.10, p < 0.0001), but rosuvastatin + obicetrapib showed the greatest increase (MD: 158.90, 95% CI: 118.59 to 199.21, p < 0.0001) and obicetrapib monotherapy (MD: 139.00, 95% CI: 129.05 to 148.96, p < 0.0001), while rosuvastatin + evacetrapib led triglyceride reductions (MD: −31.70 mg/dL). Rosuvastatin was most effective for total cholesterol (MD: −31.60 mg/dL). Conclusion CETP inhibitors, particularly anacetrapib and obicetrapib combined with statins, significantly improve lipid profiles, offering potential therapeutic benefits for hyperlipidemia management and cardiovascular risk reduction. Trial Registration: The study was registered with PROSPERO to ensure transparency and adherence to methodological rigor (Registration ID: CRD420250652666).
Journals
2025 EN
M Vinitha · Mohammed Adnan Ibrahim · Briot Chelsea
+2 more
Abstract The Alanine, Serine, and Cysteine Transporter 2 (ASCT2) transports glutamine into cells and is upregulated in many cancers. Attachment to glutamine to enable ASCT2 to transport anticancer agents into cells has been proposed, but the impact of such modifications is a critical determinant of the potential of this strategy. Transport via ASCT2 of two glutamine analogues modified in ways that reflect possible mechanisms for attaching anticancer agents was studied. The aim was to determine if the modification of glutamine interferes with its transport via ASCT2 and thereby establish whether the conjugation of drugs to glutamine can facilitate the accumulation of anticancer drugs in cancer cells. L‐theanine and a glutamine derivative modified at the carboxylate ( 7 ) were applied to Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing ASCT2. Two‐electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology was used to measure substrate‐elicited currents over a range of membrane potentials. Compound 7 was identified as neither a substrate nor an inhibitor while L‐theanine was identified as an inhibitor of ASCT2. Thus, modification of glutamine in these ways prevents it from acting as a substrate and suggests that ASCT2 may not be a suitable target for delivery of anticancer drugs attached via either the carboxylate or side chain positions.
Journals
2025 EN
Alonso Dayana · Reguera Leslie · Rennert Robert
+7 more
Dolastatins are a class of naturally occurring antimitotic peptides that have inspired the development of some of the most active and widely used anticancer agents. Here, we report on the development of synthetic methodologies for the preparation of parallel libraries of small peptides inspired by dolastatin 15 and its analogs cemadotin and tasidotin. The approaches rely on the use of either one or multiple Ugi‐multicomponent reactions to generate amide N ‐substituted dolastatin‐like skeletons, which allow the exploration of tertiary amide chemical spaces that have not been assessed previously. Evaluation of the anticancer activity in a variety of cancer cells showed that introducing a tertiary amide at the C ‐terminal fragment or by replacement of a proline residue does not lead to an increment in the anti‐proliferative activity. The microtubule‐disrupting capacity of the new dolastatin analogs was studied and compared with other potent antimitotic agents, thereby shedding light on mechanistic details of their anti‐proliferative activity.
Journals
2025 EN
Cimmino Wanda · Raucci Ada · Miglione Antonella
+11 more
In recent years, the medical use of Cannabis sativa ( C. sativa ), particularly cannabidiol (CBD), has gained significant attention. The expanding CBD market reflects growing consumer demand for natural remedies and wellness products. This study aimed to develop an electrochemical sensor for quantifying CBD in C. sativa extracts using a homemade polyester screen‐printed electrode. The sensor's performance was evaluated against liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry, achieving an accuracy of approximately 80%. A key challenge was the electrochemical overlap between CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). To address this, a novel quality control approach was introduced using principal component analysis. This statistical method effectively distinguished samples based on cannabinoid content, revealing structural insights. The electrochemical platform exhibited a limit of detection of 0.3 μg mL −1 and a limit of quantification of 1.15 μg mL −1 , with strong reproducibility (relative standard deviation < 7%). This method successfully classified real samples of Hashish, Marijuana, and C. sativa extracts, distinguishing CBD‐rich from THC‐dominant samples. The study underscores the value of integrating sensors with statistical techniques to improve cannabis product quality assessment. Future research may extend this method to other cannabinoids and terpenes, expanding its potential in the cannabis industry.
Journals
2025 EN
Mericoz Cisel Aydin · Caylak Gulsum · Sanioglu Elif Sevin
+3 more
Abstract Background High‐quality RNA is essential for accurate molecular testing. This study evaluates the impact of cytological preparation techniques (May–Grünwald–Giemsa [MGG], Papanicolaou [PAP], Diff‐Quik, and air‐dried) on RNA quality in smear slides. Methods A total of 182 smears were prepared from fresh surgical specimens of 26 patients using seven different techniques. RNA was isolated, reverse‐transcribed, and analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RNA quality was assessed using ΔCt (ΔCt = 45 – Ct, cycle threshold), where higher ΔCt indicates better RNA quality. Results RNA quality, measured by ΔCt, showed clear differences ( p < .001) in‐between preparation methods, whereas RNA concentration did not differ significantly among smear types ( p = .07). MGG‐stained smears (both film‐ and coverslip‐mounted) demonstrated the highest and most consistent ΔCt values. PAP‐stained smears yielded the lowest ΔCt values, indicating the poorest RNA quality. Air‐dried unstained smears showed highly variable ΔCt values and frequent amplification failures. Diff‐Quik preparations had intermediate performance. Mounting method (film vs. coverslip) did not significantly affect RNA quality. Conclusion Among cytology smear techniques, MGG provided the best RNA preservation, PAP the worst, and air‐dried slides yielded inconsistent results. These findings highlight the critical role of smear preparation in preserving RNA for molecular testing, especially RNA‐based next‐generation sequencing.
Journals
2025 EN
Mohamed Nurul Balqis · Ngadi Norzita · Rushdan Ahmad Ilyas
+7 more
Abstract The increasing levels of ammonium in wastewater pose serious environmental issues, highlighting the urgent need for effective adsorbents to facilitate its removal. Although conventional biological treatment methods have certain drawbacks, adsorption using carbonaceous materials, such as carbon black produced from waste tires, presents a promising alternative for ammonium removal. However, the use of these materials has not been thoroughly investigated. This study focuses on optimizing the synthesis of carbon black modified with anionic surfactants to improve its capacity for ammonium adsorption. Utilizing Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and a Box‐Behnken design, the optimization process examined key variables, including reaction time, surfactant concentration, carbon black dosage, and surfactant type. Comprehensive characterization of the adsorbent was conducted to analyze its surface properties, functional groups, morphology, and elemental composition. The regression models produced highly accurate results with an R 2 value of 0.9437. The optimal synthesis conditions were identified as a 12.30‐hour reaction time, a surfactant concentration of 8 mmol/L of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, and a carbon black dosage of 30 g, achieving an ammonium removal efficiency of 84.80 %. This study offers a scalable solution for ammonium removal in wastewater, promising practical applications and future sustainable waste management research.
Journals
2025 EN
Zhou Feng · Lim Hong Ngee · Ibrahim Izwaharyanie
+3 more
Herein, the application of nickel–fumarate metal‐organic frameworks (Ni‐fum MOFs) adorned with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a promising platform for the sensitive detection of dopamine (DA) and paracetamol (PA) in aqueous solutions is explored. The AuNPs are incorporated into the Ni–fumarate MOF composite, resulting in a novel composite biosensor, PVP–Au/Ni–fum MOF. The enhanced signal transmission capacity for DA and PA is also attributed to the strong interface between Ni–fum MOFs and AuNPs. Interestingly, this unique interface exhibits distinct catalytic properties for the redox reactions of DA and PA, thereby widening the oxidation potential discrepancy between them. The Au/Ni–fum MOF electrode displays well‐resolved cyclic voltammetry peak potentials of 95.2 mV for DA and 207.5 mV for PA, with respective limit of detections of 0.0078 and 0.01 μM, respectively. In parallel, density‐functional theory is employed to investigate the adsorption behavior of DA and PA on these composite materials. These results indicate enhanced adsorption energies and shorter bond lengths for the simultaneous detection of DA and PA on these composite surfaces, pointing toward the potential for dual analyte sensing. This research advances the development of advanced sensors, offering improved selectivity and sensitivity, and underscores the utility of MOFs in electrochemical sensor applications.
Journals
2025 EN
Mahmood Peshawa H. · Amiri Omid · Babakr Karukh Ali
+1 more
This article explores the enhancement of piezocatalytic performance in barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) through doping with iron (Fe) and copper (Cu). Density functional theory calculations using the Spanish Initiative for Electronic Simulations with Thousands of Atoms method are conducted to evaluate formation energies for interstitial and substitutional doping. In the interstitial case, a single Fe or Cu atom is inserted into a BaTiO 3 matrix of 135 molecules, while substitutional doping involved replacing barium (Ba) or titanium (Ti) atoms, yielding Ba 0 . 97 Fe 0 . 03 TiO 3 , BaTi 0 . 97 Fe 0 . 03 O 3 , and the corresponding Cu analogs. Results showed that substitution at the Ba site is energetically most favorable. Hydrothermal synthesis, followed by X‐ray diffraction field emission scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed successful Fe and Cu incorporation predominantly at the Ba site. Piezocatalytic performance is assessed by Congo red dye degradation, where doped samples demonstrated superior activity compared to pure BaTiO 3 with Cu doping showing the highest efficiency. Scavenger experiments confirmed that degradation is mainly driven by piezocatalysis. The enhanced activity is attributed to increased charge carrier density and improved catalytic sites, highlighting the promise of Fe‐ and Cu‐doped BaTiO 3 for environmental remediation applications.
Journals
2025 EN
Anjum Sumaira · Hashim Mariam · Imran Maham
+4 more
ABSTRACT Background Cancer represents a complex group of diseases characterized by abnormal cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. These features pose significant challenges to conventional therapeutic approaches, necessitating the development of more targeted and effective treatment strategies. Objective This review aims to explore the potential of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) as a novel therapeutic tool in cancer treatment, emphasizing their cytotoxic mechanisms and advantages over conventional therapies and other nanoparticles. Methods The review synthesizes findings from recent studies investigating the therapeutic properties of SeNPs in cancer models. Emphasis is placed on their ability to selectively target malignant cells, modulate redox status, and influence tumor‐associated cellular processes such as autophagy and microRNA regulation. Results SeNPs demonstrate intrinsic antioxidant properties that counteract oxidative stress commonly observed in cancer cells. They modulate critical cellular pathways and exhibit selective toxicity, damaging cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. Additionally, their biocompatibility and capacity to deliver therapeutic agents contribute to improved safety and efficacy compared to other nanoparticle platforms. Conclusion Selenium nanoparticles hold significant promise as a next‐generation cancer treatment modality. Their dual function—serving as both therapeutic agents and drug delivery vehicles—positions them as a powerful tool in precision oncology. By minimizing off‐target effects and enhancing targeted drug delivery, SeNPs have the potential to advance the landscape of cancer theragnostics.