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Cervical cancer presents a significant challenge to the global health of women. Despite substantial advances in human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cervical cancer vaccines, non-HPV-related cervical cancer is still waiting novel therapeutic options. Drug repurposing has provided a promising approach to improve cancer therapy in recent years. Our study aimed to explore the potential in vitro antineoplastic effects of levosimendan on cervical cancer cells. The antiproliferative effects of levosimendan were investigated on cervical cancer cells using a standard MTT assay. Fluorescent double staining was performed to identify its ability to induce apoptosis and necrosis. The possible mechanism of action of levosimendan was explored using cell-cycle analysis. Furthermore, antimetastatic effects were investigated using a wound-healing assay and a Boyden chamber assay. Our results revealed that levosimendan exhibited the highest growth-inhibitory effect in the HPV-negative C33A cell line. However, the effects were modest compared to the standard agent, cisplatin. Cell-cycle analysis detected that levosimendan can induce cell-cycle arrest in C33A cells by increasing the G1 and G2/M phases, decreasing the S phase, and enhancing the hypodiploid subG1 population. Levosimendan inhibited cell migration and invasion in a concentration-dependent manner. As levosimendan showed antimetastatic efficacy, it could be considered for repurposing to contribute to overcoming resistance to therapy in cervical cancer.

BackgroundIn-hospital ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with a higher mortality rate than out-of-hospital STEMI. Quality measures and universal protocols for treatment of in-hospital STEMI do not exist, likely contributing to delays in recognition and treatment.HypothesisTo analyze differences in mortality among three subsets of patients who develop in-hospital STEMI.MethodsThis was a multicenter, retrospective observational study of patients who developed in-hospital STEMI at six United States medical centers between 2008 and 2017. Patients were stratified into three groups: (1) cardiac, (2) periprocedure, or (3) noncardiac/nonpostprocedure. Outcomes examined include time from electrocardiogram (ECG) acquisition to cardiac catheterization lab arrival (ECG-to-CCL) and survival to discharge.ResultsWe identified 184 patients with in-hospital STEMI (mean age 68.7 years, 58.7% male). Group 1 (cardiac) patients had a shorter average ECG-to-CCL time (69 minutes) than group 2 (periprocedure, 215 minutes) and group 3 (noncardiac/nonpostprocedure, 199 minutes). Compared to group 1, survival to discharge was lower for group 2 (OR 0.33, P = .102) and group 3 (OR 0.20, P = .016). After adjusting for prespecified covariates, the relationship between group and survival showed a similar trend but did not reach statistical significance.ConclusionsPatients who develop in-hospital STEMI in the context of a preceding procedure or noncardiac illness appear to have longer reperfusion times and higher in-hospital mortality than patients admitted with cardiac diagnoses. Larger studies are warranted to further investigate these observations. Health systems should place an increased emphasis on developing quality metrics and implementing quality improvement initiatives to improve outcomes for in-hospital STEMI.

This study aimed to investigate the phytochemistry of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense and grown in lead (Pb)-contaminated soil to assess its responses to inoculation under different Pb levels. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme: two levels of A. brasilense (absence or presence) and five Pb levels. After four months of treatment, the following were analyzed: total and reducing sugars, total phenolic content, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, antioxidant enzymes, proline, and essential oil (EO) content and composition. Soil Pb levels and A. brasilense inoculation affected phytochemicals in lemongrass plants. Azospirillum inoculation reduced total sugars in the roots at all soil Pb levels, while increasing Pb levels favored a rise in sugar contents. There was an increase in flavonoid content in treatments associated with Pb and inoculated with A. brasilense. Antioxidant capacity was lower at lower Pb levels, regardless of bacterial inoculation. Enzymatic response was mainly affected by Pb concentrations between 50 and 100 mg kg−1 soil. EO content was influenced by soil Pb levels, with higher EO production at 500 mg Pb kg−1 soil and without A. brasilense inoculation. Overall, lemongrass cultivation in Pb-contaminated areas can be an alternative to phytoremediation and EO production for the industry.

Sunflower is grown in different parts of the world and oil from the grain has many uses, including cosmetics and food. Olive leaves are rich in active compounds with potential for industrial use. The simultaneous extraction of raw materials is an economical and sustainable way of using the same extraction process to obtain products with high added value. The aim of this work was to promote the incorporation of bioactive compounds from olive leaves in sunflower oil by two extraction techniques: pressurized propane (PRO) and Soxhlet (SOX) and to evaluate the increase in oxidative stability and antioxidant activity of oils. The techniques used were useful in producing sunflower oil incorporating olive leaf extract (SFO + OLE); 4.3% 1-octacosanol and 5.8% 1-triacontanol were incorporated, and β-sitosterol increased by at least 90%. Also, SFO + OLE showed an increase in the induction time of 2.7 and 3.7 h compared to SFO for the PRO and SOX methods, respectively. The profile of fatty acids was maintained, with the majority in all samples being oleic and linoleic acids. Consequently, with this procedure is possible to produce SFO + OLE with better antioxidant activity and better nutritional characteristics using PRO and SOX. The scaled-up of the simultaneous extraction process via pressurized propane is economically viable according to the process simulation and economic evaluation.

More than 1 million heart failure hospitalizations occur annually, and congestion is the predominant cause. Rehospitalizations for recurrent congestion portend poor outcomes independently of age and renal function. Persistent congestion trumps serum creatinine increases in predicting adverse heart failure outcomes. No decongestive pharmacological therapy has reduced these harmful consequences. Simplified ultrafiltration devices permit fluid removal in lower-acuity hospital settings, but with conflicting results regarding safety and efficacy. Ultrafiltration performed at fixed rates after onset of therapy-induced increased serum creatinine was not superior to standard care and resulted in more complications. In contrast, compared with diuretic agents, some data suggest that adjustment of ultrafiltration rates to patients' vital signs and renal function may be associated with more effective decongestion and fewer heart failure events. Essential aspects of ultrafiltration remain poorly defined. Further research is urgently needed, given the burden of congestion and data suggesting sustained benefits of early and adjustable ultrafiltration.

Olive leaves (OL) are products of olive cultivation with a high commercial value because they contain valuable bioactive compounds. Chia and sesame seeds have a high functional value because of their attractive nutritional properties. When combined in the extraction process, the two products constitute a product of high quality. The use of pressurized propane in vegetable oil extraction is advantageous because it provides solvent-free oil. This study aimed to combine two high-quality products to obtain oils with a unique combination of attractive nutritional properties and high levels of bioactive compounds. The mass percentage yields of the OL extracts with chia and sesame oils were 23.4% and 24.8%, respectively. The fatty acid profiles of the pure oils and their respective OL-enriched oils were similar. There was an aggregation of the 35% and 32% (v/v) bioactive OL compounds in chia and sesame oils, respectively. OL oils exhibited superior antioxidant capacities. The induction times of the OL extracts with the sesame and chia oils increased by 73% and 4.4%, respectively. Incorporating OL active compounds in healthy edible vegetable oils using propane as a solvent promotes the reduction of lipid oxidation, improves the lipid profiles and health indices of the oils, and forms a product with attractive nutritional characteristics.

Recently, the number of new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis has been of concern among health agencies. Research that offers new therapeutic alternatives is advantageous, especially those that develop innovative drugs. Therefore, this paper presents the incorporation of Copaifera reticulata Ducke and chlorophyll extract into Pluronic®® F127 and Carbopol gels, under optimized polymer quantities. The chlorophyll extract (rich in photosensitizing compounds) was obtained by continuous-flow pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), a clean, environmentally friendly method. The system aims to act as as a leishmanicidal, cicatrizant, and antibiotic agent, with reinforcement of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) action. Rheological and mechanical analyses, permeation studies and bioadhesiveness analyses on human skin, and PDT-mediated activation of Staphylococcus aureus were performed. The emulgels showed gelation between 13° and 15 °C, besides pseudoplastic and viscoelastic properties. Furthermore, the systems showed transdermal potential, by releasing chlorophylls and C. reticulata Ducke into the deep layers of human skin, with good bioadhesive performance. The application of PDT reduced three logarithmic colony-forming units of S. aureus bacteria. The results support the potential of the natural drug for future clinical trials in treating wounds and cutaneous leishmania.

Nitrogen is known to have a strong influence on the metabolism of lipids and protein in various microalgae. In the present study, the production of S. platensis was optimized in terms of biomass and protein by using different Nitrogen sources as NH4Cl, NH4NO3 and Urea. S. platensis was grown in Zarrouk’s medium in a 3000 ml Erlenmeyer flask, in which the NaNO3 was replaced by NH4Cl, NH4NO3 and Urea with concentrations of 0.010, 0.025 and 0.050 M. Cultures were incubated at temperature of 30oC, salinity of 25 ppt and initial pH of 9.5 under 12/12 hour light-dark photo period with normal white light. The results clearly showed that S. platensis successfully cultivated by using different Nitrogen regimes, and though the maximum biomass was produced in medium containing NH4NO3, but there is not significant differences between treatments (p>0.05). The maximum protein content was obtained in culture containing NH4NO3 followed by NH4Cl and KNO3, and there is not significant differences between treatments (p>0.05). Moreover, in all S. platensis cultures, increasing in nitrogen concentrations, led to an increase in maximum biomass and protein content. The chl. a content increased with increasing Nitrogen concentrations in all treatments and relatively high values (9.18 µg/ml) were found with KNO3 as a Nitrogen source at 14th day of culturing period. Overall, though the results of present studyclearly showed no significant differences between treatments, but using of NH4NO3 could have relatively more effectiveness than the other Nitrogen sources.

IntroductionIt is unclear whether inpatient heart failure (HF) performance measures reduce post-discharge adverse events. This exploratory study examined the association between systematic adherence to a set of performance measures and outcomes. Measures included all four Joint Commission (JC) HF core measures and AHA recommended beta blockade prescription on discharge.MethodsA retrospective review of a 3-hospital system was performed for all patients discharged with a primary diagnosis of HF in 2008-2009. Patients were included if they met eligibility criteria for one or more measures (n=1270). ‘Perfect care’ was defined as compliance with all eligible measures. Subsequent all-cause 30-day readmission and 1-year mortality was determined via electronic records and social security national database.Results‘Perfect care’ significantly reduced 30-day readmissions (19.2% vs. 24.9%, p=.045; OR=.72, 95% CI 0.52-0.99). ‘Perfect care’ did not influence 1-year mortality.ConclusionsAdherence to this set of composite performance measures positively influenced short-term patient outcomes. Benefit of adherence was found despite the longer LOS and higher severity of illness on index admission for patients receiving ‘perfect care’. The data support the clinical value of a systematic approach towards HF care on patient care quality. ‘Perfect care’ did not influence long term outcomes, which may be because inpatient processes do not extend to long term outpatient medical management.

Anopheles stephensi is an efficient vector of malaria parasites in Iran. Despite its importance in malaria transmission, there is a scarcity of accurate predictive models of its rates of development at different temperatures. A laboratory colony of An. stephensi, collected from Bandar Abbas County, southern Iran, was established, and all its developmental stages were maintained in temperature-controlled incubators so that the water temperature set at 5, 8, 10, 12.5, 14, 28, 38, 39.5, 42, and 45(±0.2) °C for different treatments until subsequent adult emergence. The Lower and Upper Developmental Temperatures (LDT and UDT) and the growth degree-day (GDD) were calculated for each development stage. A 12-mo population dynamics survey of the larvae and adults of An. stephensi was performed in 3 malaria-endemic villages (Geno, Hormoodar, and Sarkhoon) of Bandar Abbas County, and the obtained data were matched with the constructed GDD model. Based on the field meteorological and dynamics data, the model was verified in the field and used to determine the appropriate date to start spraying. The LDT was determined to be 8.19, 9.74, 8.42, 5.6, 13.57, and 10.03 °C for egg hatching, first, second, and third ecdysis, pupation, and eclosion events, respectively. The UDT was 38 °C for all developmental stages. The thermal requirement for the development of all immature stages of An stephensi was determined to be 187.7 (±56.3) GDD above the LDT. Therefore, the appropriate date to start residual spraying is when the region's GDD reaches 187.7 (±56.3). Given the climatic conditions in Bandar Abbas County, it is expected that the first activity peak of adult An. stephensi would be in March. Field observations showed that An. stephensi activity starts in February and peaks in March. The GDD model can provide a good estimate for peak An. stephensi activity and indicate the optimal deployment time of residual spraying operations against the multiplication and development of malaria parasites inside the vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleuropein is the predominant phenolic compound in olive leaves. It presents high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and has antimicrobial action. The objective of this study was to extract the phenolic compounds from dried olive leaves using pressurized ethanol in a continuous flow and characterize them. The flow rate (0.5 to 1.0 mL min-1), temperature (30 to 60 °C) and pressure (10 to 20 MPa) were the operational parameters. The results showed that the temperature was a significant factor in the yield of the extracts, with higher yields at the highest temperature. The oleuropein content in the extracts ranged from 80.5 to 82.9 mg g-1, and the extract presented different classes of compounds. The total phenolic components were in the range of 10.5 to 12.8 mg GAE g-1 of extract. The best condition to obtain an extract with the highest yield and total phenolic compounds, and suitable oleuropein content and antioxidant capacity was 60 °C, 10 MPa and 0.5 mL min-1.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ethanolic extract of green propolis (EEP) in the protection of common bean plants against two main bacterial cultures, bacterial blight (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli) and wildfire (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci). Experiments on antimicrobial activity were performed, inducing phytoalexins, defense-related enzymes, and disease severity, under concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, and 5.0%. The EEP presented antimicrobial activity on both phytobacteria, causing a decrease in their development. It has also promoted a linear accumulation of phaseolin in bean hypocotyls according to the EEP concentration used. There was a reduction in the lesion area, which was caused by bacterial blight on bean leaves treated with EEP, and local and systemic effect were observed. Polyphenoloxidase was activated with 5% EEP, reaching the maximum activation time 62.5 h after application. An increase was observed in the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in plants treated with EEP, with local and systemic effect. Results indicated the potential of EEP in the control of these diseases.