Search

Developing innovation in medical education is a vital part of improving the learning outcomes. One such learning innovation in medical education is to learn using game as a tool. The Husenynov antihypertensive drug game (HAG) was developed as an innovation to assist the learning process for studying pharmacology. The study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of HAG and traditional educational method (lecture) on knowledge and perception of medical students. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 221 second year students from the Universitas Padjadjaran Faculty of Medicine. There were two subject groups: the game group and the lecture group. Duration (two hours) and learning content were similar for both activities. A pre-post test was performed to compare the percentage of students with increased knowledge between groups, while a questionnaire of perception was distributed at the end of the study. The number of students who experienced increased knowledge (post-test score better than pre-test score) was higher in the game group than the lecture group (68% vs 54%, respectively). Students who played the game had a knowledge score 1.8 times higher compared to those who had the lecture (crosstab, OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.04-3.09)). Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of students had positive perceptions regarding the learning method in the game group (83% vs 45%, p < 0.01). The Husenynov antihypertensive drug game (HAG) promotes better-increased knowledge and positive perceptions than the traditional educational method (lecture).

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) among children aged 24–59 months is one cause of chronic infection that could lead to stunting. The association of 25(OH)D and immune responses during chronic infection in stunted populations has not yet been well established. An association study of case–control data was conducted in Bandung district from October 2019 to January 2023. Sociodemographic factors, stool samples, and serum levels of 25(OH)D, interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-5 (IL-5), and interleukin-13 (IL-13) were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the prevalence and association of 25(OH)D, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 with the burden of STH infection in stunted children. In total, 401 stunted children were recruited. A higher burden of STH infection was found for lower levels of IL-5 (r = −0.477; p = 0.004) and IL-13 (r = −0.433; p = 0.028). Thus, 25(OH)D, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 play a role in the burden of STH infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leprosy, a chronic infectious peripheral neuropathy, is caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This bacterium produces triacylated lipopeptides that can induce the immune system via the Toll-like receptor 2/1 (TLR 2/1) complex. Activation of TLR 2/1 produces proinflammatory cytokines and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), including human beta-defensin-3 (HBD-3) and cathelicidin. Purpose: To analyze differences in gene expression of HBD-3 and cathelicidin in the skin of leprosy patients, household contacts, and healthy individuals. Patients and Methods: An analytic observational study was conducted at the Outpatient Clinic of Dermatology and Venereology of Dr Mohammad Hoesin General Hospital, Palembang, Indonesia, from January 2021 to June 2022. In each group of 18 subjects, 72 samples were collected, including skin lesion in leprosy patients, normal skin in leprosy patients, household contacts, and healthy individuals. A comparison of HBD-3 and cathelicidin gene expression between the four groups was analyzed using Pearson Chi Square, Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney Test. Results: The median value of HBD-3 gene expression on skin lesion in leprosy patients was 260.61 (0.19– 3734.10); normal skin in leprosy patients was 1.91 (0.01– 151.17); household contacts skin was 7.93 (0.27– 121.10); and healthy individuals' skin was 1.00 (1.00– 1.00) is highly significant difference (p < 0.0001). The median value of cathelicidin gene expression on skin lesion in leprosy patients was 38.72 (0.28– 1852.17); normal skin in leprosy patients was 0.48 (0.01– 15.83); household contacts skin was 9.8 (0.04– 128.0); and healthy individual skin was 1.00 (1.00– 1.00), also highly significant difference (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Gene expression of HBD-3 and cathelicidin increased in skin lesions of leprosy patients and household contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breynia cernua has been used as an alternative medicine for wounds, smallpox, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. This plant is a potential source of new plant-derived drugs to cure numerous diseases for its multiple therapeutic functions. An in vitro study revealed that the methanol extract of B. cernua (stem) exhibits antioxidant activity according to DPPH and SOD methods, with IC50 values of 33 and 8.13 ppm, respectively. The extract also exerts antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with minimum bactericidal concentration of 1875 ppm. Further analysis revealed that the extract with a concentration of 1–2 ppm protects erythrocytes from the ring formation stage of Plasmodium falciparum, while the extract with a concentration of 1600 ppm induced apoptosis in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. GC–MS analysis showed 45 bioactive compounds consisting of cyclic, alkyl halide, organosulfur, and organoarsenic compounds. Virtual screening via a blind docking approach was conducted to analyze the binding affinity of each metabolite against various target proteins. The results unveiled that two compounds, namely, N-[β-hydroxy-β-[4-[1-adamantyl-6,8-dichloro]quinolyl]ethyl]piperidine and 1,3-phenylene, bis(3-phenylpropenoate), demonstrated the best binding score toward four tested proteins with a binding affinity varying from −8.3 to −10.8 kcal/mol. Site-specific docking analysis showed that the two compounds showed similar binding energy with native ligands. This finding indicated that the two phenolic compounds could be novel antioxidant, antibacterial, antiplasmodial, and anticancer drugs. A thorough analysis by monitoring drug likeness and pharmacokinetics revealed that almost all the identified compounds can be considered as drugs, and they have good solubility, oral bioavailability, and synthetic accessibility. Altogether, the in vitro and in silico analysis suggested that the extract of B. cernua (stem) contains various compounds that might be correlated with its bioactivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral malaria (CM) is one of the most severe complications of Plasmodium falciparum infection and the leading cause of death from malaria in endemic areas. Natural products with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities have become valuable alternative therapeutic options in CM treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of curcumin and kaempferol in experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA). Methods: After PbA infection, mice were divided into 9 groups, namely Group I (negative control (NC)) with 0.5% HPMC, Group II received chloroquine 20 mg/kg, Group III (normal) with aquadest, Groups IV, V, and VI received curcumin at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg, respectively, Groups VII, VIII, and IX received kaempferol at doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg, respectively. The antimalarial activity was evaluated using Peter's four-day suppressive test. This was conducted to determine the % parasitemia, survival rate, AST and ALT, blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage, and neurobehavioral disorders in mice with CM. Results: The results showed that all treatments had significant antimalarial activity, with the % suppression depending on the dose. It also indicates that PbA-infected mice had a survival rate of 11-19 days after infection, which was higher than those in the NC group. This suggested that curcumin and kaempferol have a protective effect on the survival of PbA-infected mice. Furthermore, they significantly reduced the AST and ALT concentrations in the sample compared to the NC group. The same was observed in cerebral vessel extravasation, where the Evans Blue stain assay showed significantly less dye extravasation in the brains of PbA-infected mice treated with curcumin and kaempferol. This indicated better-protected integrity of the BBB. Additionally, the results also demonstrated a decrease in neurological disorders arising during ECM in the group treated with curcumin and kaempferol. Conclusion: Considering these results, it is concluded that treatments with curcumin and kaempferol could improve animal survival, prevent AST and ALT elevations, as well as protect the BBB and neurobehavioral disorders associated with CM in PbA-infected mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]