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Objective: Recent evidence reported that some dietary compounds like quercetin and apigenin as the most well-known flavonoids with anti-inflammatory effects may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 main protease. The hypothesis of the promising effects and possible mechanisms of action of quercetin against COVID-19 were assessed in this article. Materials and Methods: Related papers on the inhibitory effects of quercetin against COVID-19 were collected using the following search strategy: "corona or coronavirus or COVID or COVID-19 or viral or virus" AND "nutrient or flavonoid or Quercetin". Results: The findings indicated that quercetin can be considered an effective agent against COVID-19 because of its SARS-CoV-2 main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitory effects. In addition, quercetin may attenuate angiotensinconverting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptors leading to a reduction of SARS-CoV-2 ability to enter host cells. Moreover, the antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities of quercetin have been frequently reported. Conclusion: Quercetin may be an effective agent for managing the complications of COVID-19. Further longitudinal human studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The cytokine storm, triggered by the activation of certain pro-inflammatory genes in the second phase of COVID-19, is associated with severe acute respiratory disorder. Evidence suggests that microRNAs (miR) and cytokine levels can play pivotal roles in host cell antiviral defense mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the changes in IFN-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and miR-296-5p expression, as well as their relationship with some inflammatory cytokines and biochemical variables in COVID-19 patients. Methods: This retrospective single-center study was conducted on 30 COVID-19 patients and 30 controls. The expression of miR-296-5p and IP-10 genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was evaluated using real-time PCR. Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP were measured by ELISA. Results: Higher expression levels of miR-296-5p and IP-10 genes were observed in COVID-19 patients compared to controls (P=0.001). Furthermore, IP-10, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were significantly higher (P<0.01) in COVID-19 patients than in controls. The results also showed positive correlations between miR-296-5p expression and serum levels of IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α in patients with COVID-19. ROC curve analysis of miR-296-5p in COVID-19 patients showed an area under the curve of 0.830, 95% CI (0.658-0.815), P<0.001, with an optimal cut-off point of 0.32965. Conclusion: Our results suggest a regulatory role for miR-296-5p in cytokine secretion in COVID-19. The results indicate that the expression of miR-296-5p and IP-10 genes in PBMCs might serve as convenient novel biomarkers for the prognosis of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global burden of metabolic diseases is increasing, but estimates of their impact on primary liver cancer are uncertain. We aimed to assess the global burden of primary liver cancer attributable to metabolic risk factors, including high body mass index (BMI) and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, between 1990 and 2021., Methods: The total number and age-standardized rates of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from primary liver cancer attributable to each metabolic risk factor were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2021. The metabolic burden trends of liver cancer across regions and countries by sociodemographic index (SDI) and sex were estimated. The annual percentage changes in age-standardized DALYs rate were also calculated., Results: Globally, in 2021, primary liver cancer attributable to high BMI and/or high FPG was estimated to have caused 59,970 deaths (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 20,567 to 104,103) and 1,540,437 DALYs (95% UI: 540,922 to 2,677,135). The age-standardized rates of death and DALYs were 0.70 (95% UI: 0.24 to 1.21) and 17.64 (95% UI: 6.19 to 30.65) per 100,000 person-years. A consistent global rise in liver cancer attributable to metabolic risks was observed from 1990 to 2021, with high BMI identified as the major contributing risk factor. The highest burden of deaths and DALYs of liver cancer consistently occurred in high SDI countries, while the fastest growth trends were observed in low-middle SDI countries. The burdens of high levels of BMI and FPG were higher in men than in women., Conclusions: Primary liver cancer attributable to high BMI and/or high FPG imposes an increasingly substantial clinical burden on global public health, particularly in high SDI countries. Rapid growth trends are also found in middle-SDI countries., (Copyright © 2025 by The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Natural products have historically driven pharmaceutical discovery, but their reliance has diminished with synthetic drugs. Approximately 35% of medicines originate from natural products. Scopoletin, a natural coumarin compound found in herbs, exhibits antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties through diverse intracellular signaling mechanisms. Furthermore, it also enhances the activity of antioxidants. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes viral pneumonia through cytokine storms and systemic inflammation. Cellular autophagy pathways play a role in coronavirus replication and inflammation. The Silent Information Regulator 1 (SIRT1) pathway, linked to autophagy, protects cells via FOXO3, inhibits apoptosis, and modulates SIRT1 in type-II epithelial cells. SIRT1 activation by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) enhances the autophagy cascade. This pathway holds therapeutic potential for alveolar and pulmonary diseases and is crucial in lung inflammation. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) activation, inhibited by reduced expression, prevents COVID-19 virus entry into type-II epithelial cells. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus binds ACE-2 to enter into the host cells, and XBB.1.5 COVID-19 displays high ACE-2-binding affinity. ACE-2 expression in pneumocytes is regulated by signal transducers and activators of transcription-3 (STAT3), which can increase COVID-19 virus replication. SIRT1 regulates STAT3, and the SIRT1/STAT3 pathway is involved in lung diseases. Therapeutic regulation of SIRT1 protects the lungs from inflammation caused by viral-mediated oxidative stress. Scopoletin, as a modulator of the SIRT1 cascade, can regulate autophagy and inhibit the entry and life cycle of XBB.1.5 COVID-19 in host cells., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Introduction Congenital heart defects (CHD) are one of the most common congenital anomalies, and their association with assisted reproductive technology (ART) is controversial in different populations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this association and to provide information about the necessity of specialized echocardiography during pregnancy with ART. Methods This retrospective study was performed on all pregnancies conceived by ART and referred for fetal echocardiography to the Rasoul Akram and Akbar Abadi hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A total of 109 patients were enrolled in the study (56 in the ART group and 53 in the non-ART). Two-dimensional and color Doppler echocardiography were performed on all patients to identify heart problems and anomalies and medical records of the patients were reviewed. The outcome was considered the presence of functional and structural heart defects on echocardiography. Results The study groups were similar in terms of maternal age and GA. The ART group consisted of 31 singletons (55%) and 25 multiples (45%). All pregnancies in the non-ART group were singletons. Following in vitro fertilization (33%), ovulation induction (25%) was the next most used method. The findings of echocardiography were one atrial septal defect (ASD) in ART and one in non-ART, six ventricular septal defects (VSD) in ART and three in non-ART, and one ASD and VSD in the ART group. These structural abnormalities showed no difference in the two groups (P value = 0.58). There was no significant difference in rhythm between the two groups (P = 0.51). Echocardiographic indices of both groups did not differ statistically except in the TR-PG index (P value = 0.02). Conclusions The structural defects of the two groups were not different, and no heart dysfunction was observed in ART fetuses. There was no association between ART and CHD in our study. We concluded that echocardiography by pediatric cardiologists is not necessary for these fetuses., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Rasouli et al.)

Metabolic dysfunction-associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a chronic liver disease characterized by the accumulation of fat in the liver and hepatic steatosis, which can progress to critical conditions, including Metabolic dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), liver fibrosis, hepatic cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Galectin-3, a member of the galectin family of proteins, has been involved in cascades that are responsible for the pathogenesis and progression of liver fibrosis in MAFLD. This review summarizes the present understanding of the role of galectin-3 in the severity of MAFLD and its associated liver fibrosis. The article assesses the underlying role of galectin-3-mediated fibrogenesis, including the triggering of hepatic stellate cells, the regulation of extracellular degradation, and the modulation of immune reactions and responses. It also highlights the assessments of the potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications of galectin-3 in liver fibrosis during MAFLD. Overall, this review provides insights into the multifaceted interaction between galectin-3 and liver fibrosis in MAFLD, which could lead to the development of novel strategies for diagnosis and treatment of this prevalent liver disease., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)