Search

Recently, jellyfish venom has gained attention as a promising reservoir of pharmacologically active compounds, with potential applications in new drug development. In this investigation, novel peptides, isolated from the hydrolysates of Nemopilema nomurai jellyfish venom (NnV), demonstrate potent inhibitory activities against angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). Proteolytic enzymes—specifically, papain and protamex—were utilized for the hydrolysis under optimized enzymatic conditions, determined by assessing the degree of hydrolysis through the ninhydrin test. Comparative analyses revealed that papain treatment exhibited a notably higher degree of NnV hydrolysis compared to protamex treatment. ACE inhibitory activity was quantified using ACE kit-WST, indicating a substantial inhibitory effect of 76.31% for the papain-digested NnV crude hydrolysate, which was validated by captopril as a positive control. The separation of the NnV-hydrolysate using DEAE sepharose weak-anion-exchange chromatography revealed nine peaks under a 0–1 M NaCl stepwise gradient, with peak no. 3 displaying the highest ACE inhibition of 96%. The further purification of peak no. 3 through ODS-C18 column reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography resulted in five sub-peaks (3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5), among which 3.2 exhibited the most significant inhibitory activity of 95.74%. The subsequent analysis of the active peak (3.2) using MALDI–TOF/MS identified two peptides with distinct molecular weights of 896.48 and 1227.651. The peptide sequence determined by MS/MS analysis revealed them as IVGRPLANG and IGDEPRHQYL. The docking studies of the two ACE-inhibitory peptides for ACE molecule demonstrated a binding affinity of −51.4 ± 2.5 and −62.3 ± 3.3 using the HADDOCK scoring function.

A novel preparation of silver nanoparticles using Morus nigra leaves extract, as opposed to the physical and chemical methods had been used in this work. Their active phytochemical compounds will reduce Ag+ and form AgNPs (Ag0). A peak spectrum at 460 nm was formed and confirmed as the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). Vibration at 1643 cm-1 and 3286 cm-1 which characteristic of C=C bonds and (-OH) hydroxyl groups, respectively. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) examination of silver with good crystallinity revealed its distinctive pattern. According to the results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the produced AgNPs-Morus nigra leaves extract were between 10 and 20 nm in size. Using L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) as the substrate, the synthesized AgNPs-Morus nigra were tested for their tyrosinase inhibitory activity, and the results are substantial when compared to kojic acid as a control. The percentages of inhibition from crude extract, AgNPs, and kojic acid at 100 µg/mL are to be found at 12.10 %, 64.80 %, and 59.84 %, respectively. Based on the results of this work, AgNPs can be produced by utilizing a green synthesis method with leaves extract, making them a promising candidate for use in medicine and cosmetics.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a low-virulence opportunistic pathogen that causes human infections, especially in profound ill patients. Even if the bacterial genomes seem understood, the activities of many proteins are unknown. The purpose of our current research is to unravel the functional characteristics i.e. functional domain search and valuable regions of a hypothetical protein that would aid in the identification of potential drug targets in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The hypothetical protein of S.maltophilia was located and annotated using different in silico techniques. Our target protein was predicted to be Transcrip Reg superfamily YebC/PmpR based on motif and domain analysis by functional annotation tools. The regulator proteins of the YebC family are part of a vast collection of widely conserved hypothetical proteins with unclear functions. Examining and reviewing the function of YebC family protein, they repress Quorum sensing by directly binding to the promoter region of QS master regulator pqrS. It has also been reported that T3SS expression is regulated by YebC, to activate the virulence expression direct interaction with one of the T3SS promoters is needed.

This article aimed to analyze the factors that influence the pros and cons of the community regarding the COVID-19 vaccine policy and discuss the formulation of the Indonesian Government's policy regarding the distribution of an effective vaccine to realize the right to life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the methodology of this research is normative, in the hope that the research approach was carried out for researchers to obtain information from various aspects in order to find the issues to be addressed. Normative research uses legal materials obtained through scientific literature or the law. The results of the conclusion show that the factors influencing the pros and cons of the community regarding the fulfillment of the right to life through vaccine policies consisted of multicultural settings that affected the mindset and perspective of the community in perceiving the COVID-19 virus outbreak so that there were differences of opinion regarding government policies that echoed mass vaccines to aggravate the number of the positive cases. Besides, the government's consistency factor in the form of data disclosure regarding COVID-19 led the public to obtain inaccurate information from various sources, giving rise to diverse public opinions. The formulation of government policies related to the provision of effective vaccines to realize the right to life amid the COVID-19 pandemic was done through the 3S vaccine policy, namely before the vaccine, during the vaccine, and after the vaccine. These included campaigns of the main objectives of the COVID-19 vaccine, priority allocation of COVID-19 vaccinations, and efforts to supervise COVID-19 vaccinations.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implants are becoming an interesting subject in implant design research and development activities due to their complexity. They should be able to facilitate knee movement while supporting body weight during daily usage. Meanwhile, incidents such as hyperflexion in TKA implants outside their designated configuration can lead to subluxation and dislocation in this study, a polyethylene component of a posterior-stabilized right knee joint implant was developed to facilitate a high range of motion (ROM). Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to analyze the contact area on the polyethylene component. FEA was used to simulate weight-bearing conditions at 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, 120°, and 150° of knee flexion. The modified polyethylene component resulted in better performance in terms of contact area, especially at 120° of knee flexion. The two dominant contact areas on the polyethylene component were 733 mm² at 0° of knee flexion and 576 mm² at 120° of knee flexion. Furthermore, the current design of the polyethylene component can maintain a contact area of 65 mm² at 150° of knee flexion. The current design is expected to accommodate deep knee flexion movement in daily activities and reduce the possibility of subluxation and dislocation at the polyethylene component during deep knee flexion. In addition, a large contact area can reduce the potential wear on or fracture of the polyethylene component. Finally, the result of FEA was validated using a simulator of knee kinematic motion; there was no indication of subluxation and dislocation at any degree of knee flexion.

Phong A Tran,1–3 Neil O’Brien-Simpson,4 Jason A Palmer,5 Nathalie Bock1,6 Eric C Reynolds,4 Thomas J Webster,7 Anand Deva,8 Wayne A Morrison,5 Andrea J O’Connor31School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engeneering, Faculty of Science and Engeneering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia; 2Interface Science and Materials Engineering Group, School of Chemistry, Physics & Mechanical Engineering, QUT, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia; 3Departments of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, The Particulate Fluid Processing Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; 4Oral Health Cooperative Research Centre, Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; 5O’ Brien Institute, St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia; 6School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, QUT, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; 7Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; 8Surgical Infection Research Group, Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaBackground: Bacterial infection is a common and serious complication in orthopedic implants following traumatic injury, which is often associated with extensive soft tissue damage and contaminated wounds. Multidrug-resistant bacteria have been found in these infected wounds, especially in patients who have multi trauma and prolonged stay in intensive care units.Purpose: The objective of this study was to develop a coating on orthopedic implants that is effective against drug-resistant bacteria.Methods and results: We applied nanoparticles (30-70nm) of the trace element selenium (Se) as a coating through surface-induced nucleation-deposition on titanium implants and investigated the antimicrobial activity against drug resistant bacteria including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) in vitro and in an infected femur model in rats.The nanoparticles were shown in vitro to have antimicrobial activity at concentrations as low as 0.5ppm. The nanoparticle coatings strongly inhibited biofilm formation on the implants and reduced the number of viable bacteria in the surrounding tissue following inoculation of implants with biofilm forming doses of bacteria.Conclusion: This study shows a proof of concept for a selenium nanoparticle coatings as a potential anti-infective barrier for orthopedic medical devices in the setting of contamination with multi-resistant bacteria. It also represents one of the few (if only) in vivo assessment of selenium nanoparticle coatings on reducing antibiotic-resistant orthopedic implant infections.Keywords: orthopedic, implants, antimicrobial, biofilm, selenium, nanoparticles

This paper presents a study on the effect of the mixed volume fraction of Jatropha curcas Oil (JCO) and Olea europea or extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) on the physical properties of the oil, especially viscosity, density and water content. This study also presents the mechanical properties examination result, especially its effect on the wear rate of the pin on disc tribometer results on ST 41 steel specimens, using optical microscopy. The independent variables used were variations of the oil mixture: 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% EVOO. With the increase in the percentage of the EVOO mixture in JCO, the density decreases. The result of water content in a higher percentage of JCO, the higher the water content value of 0.1217%. Pure JCO has the higher viscosity value of 1.9084 m2/s. The higher the percentage of JCO, the lower the wear rate value obtained. In the tribometer test, the pin on disk mixture of pure JCO has the lower wear value of 5.09 m2/s.