Scopus Research — Ali Jihad Hamid Al-Athari

Objective: This work aims to estimate the effectiveness of topically administered ezetimibe on an imiquimod-evoked psoriasis-like mouse model. Methods: Twenty-four albino mice were assorted equally into four groups (6 animals in every group), comprising controls, induction, calcipotriol 0.05% (standard drug), and ezetimibe 3%. The topical medications were administered for 7 successive days. Disease intensity scores, histomorphological alterations, and biochemical mediators of inflammation, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress were evaluated. Results: Topical ezetimibe significantly ameliorated cumulative Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) grades and histological changes versus the induction (imiquimod) group. It significantly deregulated the generation of inflammatory signaling molecules, specifically IL-17A, IL-23, and TNF-α, together with enhancing the anti-inflammatory component IL-10. This finding was also paralleled by a remarkable decrement in angiogenic indices like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), reduction of oxidative stress indices such as malondialdehyde (MDA), and strengthening of the actions of the antioxidative molecules superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Conclusion: Ezetimibe demonstrates remarkable anti-psoriatic activity, as proved by the suppression of inflammatory, angiogenic, and oxidative measures. © Copyright Al-Athari AJH et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) presents a formidable challenge in the realm of hematologic malignancies, characterized by the unregulated proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells, leading to severe disruptions in normal hematopoiesis. This review examines the multifaceted role of Galectin-9, a crucial glycan-binding protein in the pathophysiology of AML, emphasizing its potential as both a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target. Recent insights into the molecular underpinnings of AML, particularly those involving genetic mutations and cytogenetic abnormalities, illuminate the complex landscape of this disease, where patient outcomes are significantly influenced by individual biological markers. Galectin-9, initially recognized for its involvement in fundamental biological processes such as cell proliferation and immune modulation, has emerged as a pivotal molecule in AML, with expression levels correlating with leukemic cell behavior and clinical prognosis. This review consolidates the extensive literature on Galectin-9, elucidating its role in leukemic transformation and the therapeutic implications of manipulating this pathway. By investigating the intricate relationship between Galectin-9 and AML, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding that could lead to innovative strategies for managing this aggressive malignancy, offering hope for improved survival outcomes through targeted therapeutic interventions. © The Author(s) 2025.

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-related dermatosis characterized by inflamed, thickened, brownish-red, peeling skin patches. Vildagliptin is an anti-diabetic drug with novel anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-proliferative activities. This study aimed to assess the anti-psoriatic activity of topical vildagliptin. 40 Swiss albino mice were sorted into five groups, each with 8 animals. The control group obtained no treatment. The induction group obtained imiquimod cream (5%) at a dose of 62.5 mg per day. The vehicle group obtained imiquimod (as did the induction group), accompanied by topical vehicle application. The clobetasol group obtained imiquimod cream (as did the induction group), and two hours later, clobetasol ointment (0.05%) was administered. The vildagliptin group obtained imiquimod (as in the induction group), followed by topical vildagliptin ointment (3%), two hours after induction. The experiment lasts for 8 consecutive days. Evaluations were conducted on the results of biochemical indicators, histological assessments, and clinical observations. Vildagliptin administered topically effectively corrected psoriatic histological irregularities, improved the psoriasis-like skin lesions such as erythema, flacking, and acanthosis, and attenuated the imiquimod-provoked elevations of PASI and Baker’s score. Further, overexpression of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-17 A, IL-23, and IL-22), angiogenic markers (VEGF), oxidative-stress components (MDA and SOD), and proliferative factors (Ki-67) were dramatically mitigated by vildagliptin treatment. Topical vildagliptin has profound anti-psoriatic effects. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2025.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is triggered by immune-mediated, genetic, and environmental factors. Moxifloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic with extended non-expected anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating effects. This study aims to investigate the possible influence of two different concentrations of moxifloxacin emulgel on psoriasis induced via imiquimod in mice. Dividing 48 mice into six groups (8 mice for each group), all groups gated imiquimod to induce psoriasis (except group I) for 7 days. The induction group (Group II) received imiquimod cream for 7 days. The vehicle group obtained emulgel base for 7 days. The rest of the groups got calcipotriol 0.005% ointment, moxifloxacin 3% emulgel, and moxifloxacin 5% emulgel, respectively, once daily for a further 7 days after the induction period. Topical moxifloxacin had important anti-psoriatic activity by diminishing the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores and improving histological alterations during imiquimod application. Moreover, moxifloxacin significantly lowered the levels of inflammatory biomarkers like TGF-β, TNF-α, IL-17, IL-1β, IL-23, and VEFG while increasing levels of anti-inflammatory biomarkers IL-10 and IL-37. Moxifloxacin also suppressed oxidative indicators such as MDA and elevated antioxidant enzyme levels, such as catalase. Moxifloxacin has substantial anti-psoriatic action against imiquimod-induced psoriasis through its anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, moxifloxacin has a restorative effect on the histopathological alterations of mice’s skin induced by imiquimod. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025.

The field of hematology has experienced a substantial evolution with the acknowledgment of epigenetic processes as essential factors in the development of hematological malignancies. This review article examines the influence of epigenetic alterations, namely DNA methylation and histone modifications, on the onset and advancement of conditions such as acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. We discuss how these epigenetic modifications lead to the deregulation of gene expression, eventually promoting leukemogenesis. The emergence of epigenetic therapies, such as DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (e.g., azacitidine and decitabine), histone deacetylase inhibitors (e.g., vorinostat and romidepsin), and enhancer of zeste homologue 2 inhibitors (e.g., tazmetostat), demonstrates the potential to reverse aberrant epigenetic modifications and restoring normal cellular functions. Moreover, we highlight innovative therapeutic approaches, including combination therapies and CRISPR-based epigenetic editing tools, which are influencing the future of treatment for hematological malignancies. Despite promising results, challenges such as off-target effects, drug resistance, and the need for personalized approaches remain significant barriers to effective treatment. We emphasize that further study is required to improve delivery systems, comprehend resistance mechanisms and develop precision medicine strategies that can tailor therapies to individual patient profiles. By integrating benchside discoveries with clinical applications, this review aims to illuminate the transformative potential of epigenetic therapies in improving patient outcomes in hematology. © The Author(s) 2025.

The chromones found in the dried roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata include cimifugin; in fact, Saposhnikovia divaricata is a main source of cimifugin. Vinpocetine is a synthetic version of vincamine derived from periwinkle; it is characterized by potent anti-inflammatory properties that allow it to reduce immune cell infiltration and suppress the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential influence of a topically-applied combination of cimifugin and vinpocetine gels on a model of a psoriasis-like inflammatory skin reaction. To this end, we divided 48 albino BALB/c mice into six groups. All groups except for the negative control group received imiquimod topically (daily, for 7 days) for the induction of psoriasis-like skin lesions. A group received imiquimod (5%) only (positive control), while four other groups were also treated with a clobetasol (0.05%) cream, a cimifugin (3%) gel, a vinpocetine (3%) gel, or a combination of cimifugin (3%) and vinpocetine (3%) gels, once daily, for 7 days; the aforementioned treatments were first applied 7 days after the pharmacological induction of the lesions. Our findings revealed that the topically-applied combination of cimifugin-and vinpocetine-containing gels had an important anti-psoriatic effect, as seen by the diminishing of the skin levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-17, and interleukin-23, thereby improving the imiquimod-induced histological changes in mice. We conclude that a topically-applied combination of cimifugin and vinpocetine can exert substantial anti-psoriatic activity. © 2025, ZITA Medical Management. All rights reserved.

Introduction and aim. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a life-long inflammatory dermatosis that features dry, erythematous skin. Ezetimibe is a lipid-lowering agent with enhanced anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative capacities. This work attempted to evaluate the anti-eczematous action of topically administered ezetimibe in a mouse prototype of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-evoked AD. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the topical use of ezetimibe in an experimental model of AD. Material and methods. Thirty male Swiss albino mice were randomly allocated into five groups: healthy control, DNCB-induced model, vehicle, tacrolimus (0.1% ointment), and ezetimibe (2% ointment). Treatments were applied daily for 21 days. Clinical severity scores, total and differential leukocyte counts, histopathological changes, immunohistochemical expression of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, and tissue levels of IgE, malondialdehyde (MDA), IL-17, IL-31, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were assessed. Results. DNCB increased dermatitis severity (EASI score 9.8±0.7 vs. 0.5±0.1 in controls, p<0.001), total leukocytes (14.2±1.6 ×103/mL vs. 3.9±0.6 ×103/mL p<0.001), and IgE (356±42 ng/mL vs. 92±15 ng/mL, p<0.001). Ezetimibe treatment significantly reduced EASI scores (2.1±0.4, p<0.01 vs. DNCB), leukocytes (5.9±0.3 ×103/mL p<0.01 vs. DNCB), IgE (128±18 ng/mL, p<0.01 vs. DNCB), and MDA (2.3±0.4 µmol/L vs. 5.9±0.7 µmol/L in DNCB, p<0.001). Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-13, IL-17, IL-31, TGF-β, and TNF-α were also markedly decreased (all p<0.05), with effects comparable to tacrolimus. Conclusion. Topical ezetimibe significantly alleviated DNCB-induced AD-like lesions by reducing histopathological changes, leukocyte infiltration, IgE, oxidative stress, and key inflammatory cytokines. These findings support ezetimibe as a potential adjunctive topical therapy for immune-mediated dermatoses, warranting future clinical evaluation. © 2025 Rzeszow University Press. All rights reserved.

A cytokine storm is a severe and potentially fatal condition resulting from an excessive immune response. Epicatechin and huperzine A have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, suggesting their potential utility in mitigating tissue damage and cytokine storm severity. This study aimed to compare the protective effects of huperzine A and epicatechin in a cytokine storm-like murine model. Sixty male Swiss albino mice were randomly allocated into six groups. Except for the control group, all animals received a single intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 mg/kg) in order to induce a cytokine storm. The induction group received LPS without further intervention. The remaining groups were pre-treated for three consecutive days prior to LPS administration as follows: vehicle group (1% dimethyl sulfoxide), methylprednisolone group (50 mg/ kg/day methylprednisolone), huperzine A group (0.2 mg/kg/day huperzine A), and epicatechin group (25 mg/kg/day epicatechin). The histological analysis of lung tissues and the quantification of serum cytokines – interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) – revealed that all pre-treated groups exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects. Notably, epicatechin conferred a more pronounced protective effect than either methylprednisolone or huperzine A, as evidenced by reduced pulmonary histopathological alterations and lower serum cytokine concentrations. In conclusion, both huperzine A and epicatechin demonstrated protective efficacy against the LPS-induced cytokine storm, with epicatechin showing superior performance in attenuating systemic inflammation and lung injury. © 2025, ZITA Medical Management. All rights reserved.

Methotrexate is an antimetabolite used in the treatment of various cancers and autoinflammatory disorders. However, it can adversely affect oral tissues, particularly impairing salivary gland function. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of rutin may counteract these toxic effects. This study aimed at examining whether rutin confers protective effects on the salivary glands of rats exposed to methotrexate. Twenty-four male rats were randomly assigned to three groups. The control group received normal saline intraperitoneally for 10 days. On day six of the experiment, the methotrexate group was administered methotrexate intraperitoneally at a dose of 20 mg/kg. The methotrexate + rutin group also received rutin intraperitoneally at 50 mg/kg once daily for 10 days. On day 11, the animals were euthanized, and their salivary gland tissues were harvested for histological and biochemical analyses. Rutin markedly ameliorated the methotrexate-induced histopathological changes and biochemical alterations, as indicated by reduced levels of the tumour necrosis factor-α and malondialdehyde, alongside elevated levels of interleukin-10 and superoxide dismutase. These findings suggest that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of rutin may offer a promising strategy for mitigating the methotrexate-associated toxicity in submandibular gland tissues. © 2025, ZITA Medical Management. All rights reserved.

Background: Stomach ulceration is a common side effect of long-term NSAID use. Lithospermic acid B (LAB, sometimes identified as salvianolic acid B) is a phytochemical extracted from Salvia species and has been shown to possess strong antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and tissue-regenerative capacities. Objective: This research intended to assess the therapeutic effect of LAB on diclofenac-driven gastric injury in male rats. Methods: Forty rats (n = 10/group) were arbitrarily assigned to four groups as follows: normal control (DMSO), induction/model (single diclofenac 100 mg per kg + DMSO), LAB (LAB 20 mg per kg daily), and esomeprazole (Eso; 20 mg per kg each day) for 2 weeks. Results: Diclofenac remarkably (p < 0.05) raised MDA and LPO levels 2.6 and 2.3 times, correspondingly (p < 0.05), while decreasing SOD and CAT activity by 48% and 42%, respectively. LAB treatment resulted in a substantial decrement of MDA and LPO production (45% and 39%), while restoring SOD and CAT activities back to the control (p < 0.05). It further reduced IL-6 (−52%) and increased IL-10 (+63%), in addition to the marked increase of VEGF (+57%) and HGF (+49%) versus diclofenac induction. A marked reduction of mucosal sloughing, edema, and vascular congestion was supported by histopathological outcomes. Conclusion: The pro-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant capacities of LAB suggest that it offers effective defense against gastric damage caused by NSAIDs. These results validate LAB as a potential natural treatment for NSAID-evoked stomach ulcers. Copyright Jaafar FR et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

In recent years, water shortages and pollution of these finite resources have emerged as major worldwide problems. Pharmaceutical pollutants make up the largest percentage of all water pollutants. According to empirical evidence, the adsorption method was the most effective way to eliminate pharmaceutical pollutants from aquatic environments. The adsorption process was divided into three sections: Three diffusion and adsorption in adsorbent pores in the liquid bulk, and two mass transfer in the boundary layer. In the last step of adsorption, the mechanism of the adsorption process is formed by diffusion inside the adsorbent. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in modeling to solve mass transfer equations and estimate attributes, mostly because it is less expensive and riskier than experimental methods. In this study, the Langmuir kinetics model was used to match the Dp of naproxen and doxycycline on the HKUST-1/ZnO/SA nanocomposite adsorbent, which was calculated using MATLAB. The desired data were also collected, and the case model was fitted using experimental data. Using the formulae and fitting the graphs, the modeling results show that the external film mass transfer coefficient (kf) and Langmuir second-order forward rate coefficient (k1) were comparable to 1.53 × 10−6 cm/s and 4.6 × 10−3 cm3/mg.s, respectively. Using the determined k1 and kf, the Dp of doxycycline was within the range of Dp in solids and was 2.13 × 10−10 cm2/s. Given that the obtained k1 and kf equaled 2.10 × 10−10 cm2/s, the Dp of naproxen was within the range of Dp in solids. Until it reached its maximum value on the adsorbent surface, the concentration rose in tandem with the radius. © 2025

We studied the impact of dopants Al, Ga and In atoms on the dacarbazine (DAC) drug delivery performance of a BC3 nanosheet (BCNS) using the density functionals τ-HCTHhyb, M06-2X and B3LYP. It was found that the pristine BCNS is not a good choice for this drug delivery. Doping of the Al, Ga and In atoms into the BCNS surface raised the energy of adsorption of DAC from −6.7 to −26.4, −27.8 and −32.1 kcal/mol, respectively. According to the analysis of the partial density of states, the dopant atoms considerably contributed to the generation of virtual orbitals of doped BCNS. This showed that the dopants are more suitable for nucleophilic attack than the B atoms. Finally, the adsorption performance and capacity of the DAC are increased by dopants, making the nanosheet more favourable for drug delivery. A drug release mechanism was introduced in cancerous tissues, showing substantial protonation of the DAC in cancerous cells with low pH, leading to the separation of DAC from the sheet surface. The reaction mechanism of DAC with the BCNS changed from covalent bonding in the natural environment to H-bonding in the acidic environment of the cancer tissues. © Indian Academy of Sciences 2024.

Here, we employed machine learning models to predict how well Capecitabine drug would dissolve in supercritical carbon dioxide as the green solvent. The vision is to investigate the drug suitability for processing of nanodrugs with enhanced bioavailability in the body. In the employed data set, P (pressure) and T (temperature) serve as inputs, and Y, the solubility, is the only output for building the models. This study uses DT (Decision Tree) and MLP (Multilayer perceptron) as the core models. However, the raw and individual form of conventional algorithms may not provide accurate and general results. Ensemble methods like boosting improve the model performance. Also, single and ensemble models mounted on these models have hyper-parameters whose optimization affects the final models. Meta-heuristic algorithms are popular for tuning hyper-parameters. In this research, we used a new hybrid framework by coupling the basic models with the Adaboost algorithm (as an ensemble method) and PO and CS algorithms (as optimizers) to obtain four different models. The MLP model boosted with Adaboost and tuned with PO algorithm showed the best fitting accuracy among all models. This model reduces the RMSE error rate to 1.71, MSE to 2.92, and MAE to 1.42. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.

An intrauterine system (IUS) is a type of contraception tool that is used in order to control fertility and prevent conception in women for a long period. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of copper-versus levonorgestrel-releasing IUSs on women’s health. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of 75 women that were randomly selected (50 women that used a copper-releasing IUS and the remaining 25 that used a levonorgestrel-releasing IUS) amongst those attending out patient’s clinics at Hillah, Iraq, from March to July 2016. All women were between 18 to 46 years of age, and have had an IUS for at least three months. The measurement of serum ceruloplasmin (SCerP), haemoglobin, vitamin D (VD), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels was undertaken. Our results revealed that the copper-releasing IUS group has low haemoglobin and VD levels, along with high levels of SCerP and proinflammatory cytokines. One the other hand, the levonorgestrel-releasing IUS group displayed no significant changes on the above markers. We can conclude that the levonorgestrel-releasing IUS is free of any adverse effect when compared to a copper-releasing IUS, at least with regard to the parameters examined by our study. © 2024 by the authors.

In this study, we report the synthesis of a novel nanomagnetized [Bis-Schiff base-Cu(II)] complex through a simple, multi-step post-synthetic modification approach. This method involves the eco-friendly Hugo Schiff-type condensation of o-Phenylenediamine and 4-Hydroxy-2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles and CuCl2 using a template Schiff base complex synthesis method under mild conditions. The structural characterization of this novel nanomagnetic catalyst is confirmed through various analytical techniques. Catalytic studies demonstrate the remarkable efficiency of the [Fe3O4@Bis-Schiff base-Cu(II)] complex in facilitating the multicomponent synthesis of a diverse range of pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles. The experiments were conducted under optimal conditions, resulting in good to excellent yields within a suitable reaction time. Notably, the [Fe3O4@Bis-Schiff base-Cu(II)] complex exhibited magnetic recoverability and retained its efficiency even after eight cycles of reuse. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2024.

We scrutinized the impact of doping of X atoms (X = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) on the metformin (MF) drug delivery performance of a BP nanotube (BPNT) using density functional B3LYP calculations. The pristine BPNT was not ideal for the drug delivery of MF because of a weak interaction between the drug and nanotube. Doping of the Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, and Fe into the BPNT surface raised the adsorption energy of MF from −5.3 to –29.1, −28.7, −29.8, −32.1, and −26.9 kcal/mol, respectively, demonstrating that the sensitiveness of the metal-doped BPNT increased after increasing the radius atomic of metals. Ultimately, there was an increase in the adhesion performance and capacity of the MF after X (especially Co atom) doping, making the nanotube suitable for MF drug delivery. The mechanism of MF reaction with the BPNT changed from covalent bonding in the natural environment to hydrogen bonding in the cancerous cells with high acidity. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The wide occurrence of medicines and textiles pollutants in water bodies, as well as their by-products, has raised concerns about the impact of damage to the environment and human health. In this study, the photocatalytic effect of Lanthanum nickelate (LaNiO3), strontium cerate (SrCeO3), and LaNiO3/SrCeO3 nanocomposite were studied using the co-precipitation method at room temperature. Various techniques were used to analyze the structural, morphological, optical properties of these synthesized nanoparticles. The results indicates uniform growth of LaNiO3 nanoparticles on the surface of SrCeO3 nanoparticles in sphere-shaped forms which confirms the formation of a p-n type junction catalyst. The energy bandgap of SrCeO3, LaNiO3 and LaNiO3/SrCeO3 was found to be 2.79, 2.06, and 1.65 eV, respectively. The photocatalytic activity was studied by degradation of Methylene Blue dye under visible light. As a result, reusability test shows the stability of catalysts for long-term period. The LaNiO3/SrCeO3 composites depicts the effective degradation for MB dye was 93.5% at 100 min. The rate constant (K, min−1) of SrCeO3, LaNiO3, and LaNiO3/SrCeO3 was 0.0050, 0.0088, and 0.0156, respectively. The antibacterial action of LaNiO3/SrCeO3 versus Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus cereus observed by using the antimicrobial test. The peroxidase activity of LaNiO3/SrCeO3 was performed for colorimetric detection of dopamine. The linear range of the method is 1-200 nM via the detection limit of 3.48 μM. The LaNiO3/SrCeO3 has high potential in analysis of dopamine. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

The adsorption of Fluorouracil on C82 and Si82 nanocages is investigated by theoretical methods. The main parameters of adsorption of C82, Si82, Ti-C82 and Ti-Si82 nanocages on Fluorouracil are calculated. The Si82 has higher ability to adsorb the Fluorouracil than C82. Energy of adoption (Eadoption), cohesive energy, HOMO-LUMO energy difference, Gibbs free energy (ΔG) and recovery time (τ) values of Fluorouracil-nanocage complexes are calculated. The τ index of Ti-C82-Fluorouracil and Ti-Si82-Fluorouracil are higher than C82-Fluorouracil and Si82-Fluorouracil. Ti adoption of Ti-C82 and Ti-Si82 can improve the adsorption of C82 and Si82 with Fluorouracil. Finally, the Ti-Si82 is acceptable nanocage to deliver and adsorb the Fluorouracil with high performance. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Ifosfamide (ISF) has been known as an anticancer drug. It attacks fast growing cancer cells and unfortunately, it also attacks other quickly growing cells such as hair roots. Therefore, it is essential to find a method for delivering of this drug to the targeted tumor cells to reduce its side effects. To this aim, here, we applied a new kind of fullerenes to this purpose and introduce a new strategy based on the drug release in cancer cells. We studied the interaction of C48, C60, and C70 fullerenes with this drug using density functional theory calculations. Based on the results, the pure fullerenes are not suitable for the drug delivery of ISF because of a weak interaction. We found that Al doping into the C48, C60, and C70 leads to an increase in the ISF adhesion energy of from −4.3, −4.8, and − 5.3 kcal/mol to −28.2, −29.1, and − 30.7 kcal/mol, respectively. This shows that Al atom significantly increases the drug loading capacity and reactivity of fullerenes, making them more suitable for drug delivery. We introduced a drug release mechanism in cancerous tissues with a low pH. The strategy is based on the protonation of ISF, which separated it from the fullerene surface. The interaction mechanism of ISF with the fullerene changes from covalent to H-bonding in the acidic environment of cancerous cells. We also showed that the water solvent has a negligible effect on the adsorption process. © 2023

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) may stimulate airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma, which is also affected by neutrophils activity. The latter can be determined indirectly by evaluating myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. The insufficient studies that investigated the combined association of serum TNF-α and MPO with asthma was objective of this study. Methods: A case-control study included 110-asthmatics besides 92-controls. All participants underwent venous sampling for TNF-α and MPO immunoassays. A percentage of predicted ''forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%)'', and the ''peak expiratory flow rate (PEF/L)'' of all participants were verified. The statistical analyses had done using SPSS V-25. The accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and significance of both biomarkers to distinguish asthma examined ''under the ROC-curves''. Results: High TNF-α levels observed among the controls(p-0.006), opposing the higher MPO levels among the patients(p-0.00). There were nonsignificant variations of two biomarkers between the treatment groups and nonsignificant correlations of MPO with FEV1 and PEF. There was a significant correlation of MPO with the TNF-α levels of all participants. The TNF-α showed lower sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy to diagnose asthma. There were no MPO differences according to asthma levels. The TNF-α was higher among the severe asthmatics significantly. Conclusions: TNF-α may be a contributory particle for neutrophilic inflammation of severe asthma. MPO levels were significantly higher among asthmatics, whereas TNF-α levels were lower. TNF-α levels were higher among those with severe compared to mild/moderate asthma. The MPO level has a significant predictive capacity compared to TNF-α for distinguishing asthma from healthy subjects © 2022. Reports of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.All Rights Reserved.

The immunotherapeutic approaches based on checkpoint inhibitors, tumor vaccination, immune cell-based therapy, and cytokines were developed to engage the patient's immune system against cancer and better survival of them. While potent, however, preclinical and clinical data have identified that abnormalities in the tumor microenvironment (TME) can affect the efficacy of immunotherapies in some cancers. It is therefore imperative to develop new therapeutic interventions that will enable to overcome tumor-supportive TME and restrain anti-tumor immunity in patients that acquire resistance to current immunotherapies. Therefore, recognition of the essential nature of the tolerogenic TME may lead to a shift from the immune-suppressive TME to an immune-stimulating phenotype. Here, we review the composition of the TME and its effect on tumor immunoediting and then present how targeted monotherapy or combination therapies can be employed for reprogramming educated TME to improve current immunotherapies outcomes or elucidate potential therapeutic targets. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Within this work, we scrutinized the use of BeO nanotube (BeONT) as a nanocarrier for the anticancer drug hydroxyurea (HU) through density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We utilized the functional ꞷB97XD and the basis set 6-31G**. Based on a detailed surface analysis, HU was adsorbed on the surface of the nanotube through 4 different orientations. Also, no vibrational spectra exhibited imaginary frequencies, showing the minimum energy of the relaxed structures. The maximum adsorption energy and the minimum adsorption energy are in strong physical adsorption. The BeONT exhibited p-type semiconducting characteristics in all orientations since it received electronic charge from HU. The results demonstrate the possibility of using the BeONT as a promising carrier for HU drugs. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Background: Bronchial asthma (BrA), recognized lately as an umbrella, covers various subtypes rather than only one disease. Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airways, in which cytokines could play a crucial role in its pathogenesis. Hence, labors to progress noninvasive markers for asthma had centered through this era. Presently, the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), serum C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin levels are emerging analytical biomarkers in this field. FeNO is a noninvasive and practical tool even in mild asthma. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of serum IL-1β and CRP together with fractional exhaled nitric oxide in the diagnosis of adult bronchial asthma. Method: The study was a case control, including 150-patients and 100-healthy controls. FeNO tests, measurements of plasma levels IL-1β and HS-CRP had undertaken for all the participants. The statistical data had examined by SPSS (V/27) for Windows. Descriptive data of the variables had compatibly used. A significance lower than or identical to 0.05 had intended. ROC curve examination of FeNO tests, IL-1β, and HS-CRP, to predict asthma from healthy control had applied. Results: there was a significant difference in the FeNo test, HS-CRP levels, and BMI, while no significant difference in all other variables between the groups. The FeNo results correlate positively, though not significantly, with the levels of IL-1β in asthmatic patients (> 0.05). There was a nonsignificant negative correlation between the FeNo results with the level of HSCRP. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the IL-1β to distinguish asthma were 68.6% and 58% at 95% CI [0.41-0.745], respectively, which was not significant (p>0.05). However, ROC analysis of HS-CRP revealed predictability for asthma patients (p-0.000), with higher accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity: 89.9%, and 68.1% at 95% CI [0.820-0.979], respectively. The FeNo tests revealed highly significant (0.000), high sensitivity, and specific (91% for both) with high 95% CI [0.938-1.000] predictability for asthma. Conclusion: The utility of circulating HS-CRP is more valuable than IL-1β when combined with fractional exhaled nitric oxide in the diagnosis of asthma. Novel biomarkers could improve the precision of this field. © 2021, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.

Diabetic nephropathy is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease among young adults with DM Type (II), one of the more common microvascular complications, which influence the survival and quality of life of the patient. Research currently is underway to establish if there is a link between the effect of 1-Alpha (OH) D3 and Type II Diabetic Nephropathy patients and whether the Type II regulated diabetic nephropathy patient is related to 1-Alpha (OH) D3 and to oxidative stress conditions. In diabetic patients, no relationship has been established between the effect of alfacalcidol and antioxidant and/or prooxidant. The clinical applicability of our research will be to identify a correlation between diabetic nephropathy and oxidative stress. This will lead to the development of new guidelines to assess if this vitamin can be substituted or supplemented to treat this high mortality disease in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. © 2020 EManuscript Technologies. All rights reserved.