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Consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) can trigger neuroinflammation, which may contribute to and increase the risk of neurodegenerative disease progression, ultimately leading to memory impairment. In the current study, the curative impact of a novel therapy combining Olea europaea leaf extract (OLE) encapsulated in a liposomal hydrogel (Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel) and mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) was evaluated against HFD-induced brain dysfunction in a rat model. This assessment involved analyzing behavioral tasks, neurotransmitter levels, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, endoplasmic reticulum-related markers, histopathological lesions, and immunostaining markers in brain tissues. The experimental groups were arranged for a 14-week study as follows: the first group received a control diet; the second group was fed an HFD; the third group was fed an HFD and treated with Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel; the fourth group was fed an HFD and treated with MSC-Exo; and the fifth group was fed an HFD and treated with both Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel and MSC-Exo. The findings of this study demonstrated that the neuroprotective effect of the combined Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel and MSC-Exo treatment was associated with a significant reduction in oxidative stress, as evidenced by the restoration of total antioxidant capacity and the marked decrease in oxidative biomarkers, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), H 2 O 2 , and malondialdehyde (MDA). The HFD-fed group exhibited greater glucose intolerance and increased body weight gain; however, these effects were significantly reversed in the group treated with the combination of Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel and MSC-Exo, even after long-term HFD induction. Impairments in behavioral tasks and memory were significantly improved in the group treated with the combined MSC-Exo and Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel therapy, with the MSC-Exo-alone group showing moderate improvement. The excessive inflammatory response and expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes were markedly attenuated following administration of Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel and MSC-Exo. This effect was mediated through the downregulation of pro-inflammatory and stress-related genes, including IL-6, COX-2, iNOS, TLR2, TLR4, NLRP3, CHOP, JNK, XBP1, and ATF6 . The severity of the histopathological changes in the brain tissues, including the development of neoplastic epithelium and the invasion of some neoplastic masses, was significantly attenuated in the group treated with the combined Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel + MSC-Exo therapy. Immunohistochemical staining displayed that Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly restored to near normal levels, while TNF-α expression was significantly reduced in the group treated with the combined MSC-Exo and Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel therapy. Taken together, these findings highlight a novel and promising therapeutic approach that combines a natural protective agent (Lipo-OLE-Hydrogel) with regenerative medicine (MSC-Exo) to effectively combat the progression of HFD-induced neuroinflammation.

Chronic high-fat diet (HFD) feeding in male rats causes significant metabolic as well as inflammatory disturbances, including obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, liver and kidney dysfunction, oxidative stress, and hypothalamic dysregulation. This study assessed the therapeutic effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA), a natural polyphenol, administered at 10 mg and 100 mg/kg/day for the last 4 weeks of a 12-week HFD protocol. Both CGA doses reduced body weight gain, abdominal circumference, and visceral fat accumulation, with the higher dose showing greater efficacy. CGA improved metabolic parameters by lowering fasting glucose and insulin and enhancing lipid profiles. CGA suppressed orexigenic genes (Agrp, NPY) and upregulated anorexigenic genes (POMC, CARTPT), suggesting appetite regulation in the hypothalamus. In abdominal white adipose tissue (WAT), CGA boosted antioxidant defenses (SOD, CAT, GPx, HO-1), reduced lipid peroxidation (MDA), and suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-1β, while increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. CGA modulated inflammatory signaling via upregulation of miR-146a and inhibition of IRAK1, TRAF6, and NF-κB. It also reduced apoptosis by downregulating p53, Bax, and Caspase-3, and restoring Bcl-2. These findings demonstrate that short-term CGA administration effectively reverses multiple HFD-induced impairments, highlighting its potential as an effective therapeutic for obesity-related metabolic disorders.

Honey is a natural product which has been used throughout time as a food, spice, and medicine. Its therapeutic use has its origins in direct empirical observations of various beneficial actions in terms of its anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects, to which an antiproliferative effect is added. In the context of malignant transformation, reductions in chronic inflammation, antioxidant action, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis activation contribute to this antiproliferative effect, achievements attributed mainly to the polyphenols in its composition. A multitude of in vitro studies performed on malignant cell cultures try to elucidate the real mechanism(s) that can scientifically explain this action. In addition, its use as an adjuvant in association with cytostatic therapy demonstrates a promising effect in enhancing its cytotoxic effect, but also in reducing some adverse effects. Highlighting these actions allows for further perspectives to be opened regarding the use of honey for therapeutic and also prophylactic purposes, as a food supplement. Future studies will support the identification of real antiproliferative effects in patients with malignant tumors in terms of actions on the human body as a whole, moving from cell cultures to complex implications.

Some protein food supplements intended for athletes may be adulterated with pharmacologically active substances, including anabolic steroids and prohormones. The addition of these substances is aimed at enabling manufacturers to achieve rapid sales growth by promising quick increases in strength and muscle mass. However, the consumption of these products will lead to a positive result in a routine anti-doping test, along with all of the consequences that will directly affect an athlete’s career and reputation. At the same time, the illicit use of anabolic steroids continues to evolve across numerous sport disciplines. Moreover, vicious cheaters try to cover up their illegal actions by using various pharmacological agents to mask detection in anti-doping tests. This narrative review focuses on two situations—the innocent athlete and the vicious cheater. The athlete involved in inadvertent doping will suffer the consequences of doping, making close collaboration with medical staff extremely important. The analytic strategies described here address anabolic steroid doping detection and cheating using masking agents. This approach, based on biochemical changes, examines how these substances interfere with the testosterone pathway, from synthesis to elimination. Using masking agents alters the steroid profile, and the modifications produced by each agent are the subject of a detailed presentation. For most honest athletes, these findings support the initiation, development, and refinement of strategies for identifying food supplements with added illegal substances. Every athlete must have access to these approaches in order to avoid becoming vulnerable to sports fraud.

Background/Objectives: Accurate assessment of tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer is critical for optimizing treatment strategies. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mammography are commonly used for response evaluation, they have inherent limitations. Ultrasound (US) has emerged as a promising, cost-effective, and real-time alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of US in tracking tumor regression during NAC and its correlation with pathologic tumor regression grade (TRG). Methods: This study included 282 breast cancer patients undergoing NAC. Tumor size was measured using ultrasound at three key time points: pre-chemotherapy, after four cycles, and post-chemotherapy. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the relationship between US-measured tumor changes and TRG. Multinomial logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to determine the predictive accuracy of the measurements from our US in identifying pathologic complete response (pCR). Conclusions: Ultrasound is a reliable, real-time imaging tool for monitoring NAC response in breast cancer patients. Its ability to predict pCR and track tumor shrinkage highlights its potential for treatment adaptation. Standardization of US protocols and integration with AI-based analysis may further improve its clinical utility, making it a valuable adjunct in breast cancer treatment monitoring.

Trichosporon asahii, though rare in neonatal oral infections, can mimic Candida spp. in presentation and enzyme activity. In cases unresponsive to prophylactic antibiotics, herbal alternatives like Boswellia carterii and Rosmarinus officinalis may offer effective and safe alternative treatments.

Background and objectives: Regenerative medicine, with its massive development over the years, has the potential to solve some of the most problematic medical issues, such as functional organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to create a human meniscal shape 3D-printed enriched with human adipose-derived mesenchymal cells. Materials and Methods: Human infrapatellar fat pad was harvested, and mesenchymal cells were isolated. The mesenchymal stem cells were differentiated to the chondrocite lineage and a hydrogel (a nanofibrillar cellulose, sodium alginate, D-mannitol, and Hepes buffer solution combination) cell mixture was bioprinted to create three human-size meniscus structures. The obtained structures were evaluated regarding the cell viability, appropriate size in relation to a native meniscus, and some mechanical characteristics. Results: The human meniscal shape created respected the anatomic characteristic of a native structure. Cell viability of approximately 97% and extracellular matrix formation after the printing process were observed. The mean maximum force for the meniscus with mesenchymal cells was 6.5 N (+/−0.5 N) compared to the mean maximum force for the native meniscus of 10.32 N (+/−0.7 N), which is statistically relevant (p < 0.01). Conclusion: This paper presents the potential of bioprinting viable cell structures that could in the future present enough mechanical strength to replace a human organ, such as a meniscus. There are still limitations regarding the ink and the printing process, but we are confident that these problems will soon be solvable.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and the leading cause of cancer death in women. Less than 1% of breast cancer cases are male breast cancers. Although there has been significant progress made in the management of breast cancer, due to its rarity among men, the question of whether men and women with breast cancer have the same treatment response and survival rate still needs to be answered. The primary goal of this study is to compare survival outcomes between male and female breast cancer patients. Material and Method: This cohort study represents a retrospective and anonymized data analysis of 2162 breast cancer cases (19 males and 2143 females), registered over a period of 12 years, from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2021, in the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Diakoneo Diak Klinikum Schwäbisch Hall, Germany. Results: According to the Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, the estimated overall 3-year survival rate was 91.1% for women and 88.9% for men. The log-rank test of equality of survival distributions indicated a statistically significant difference in survival times between the two groups (p = 0.009). In the subsequent age-matched Kaplan–Meier analysis, the p-value was below the significance threshold (p = 0.068). Conclusions: Male breast cancer is a rare disease that may show some particularities in terms of survival compared to female breast cancer.

SGLT2 inhibitors have become increasingly used due to their effectiveness in improving not only type 2 diabetes but also cardiovascular, renal and hepatic diseases, as well as the obesity found in metabolic syndrome. Starting from the structure of gliflozins, modifications of the carbohydrate part, aglycone, and also the glycosidic bond between them can determine variations in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. SGLT2 inhibitors, in addition to reducing blood glucose levels, improve alterations in lipid metabolism by diverting excessively accumulated lipids in tissues towards mobilization, lipolysis, β-oxidation, ketogenesis and the utilization of ketone bodies. This enhances anti-inflammatory properties by decreasing the levels of some proinflammatory mediators and by modulating some cell signaling pathways. Thus, in this review, the intimate mechanisms by which SGLT2 inhibitors achieve these therapeutic effects in the various conditions belonging to metabolic syndrome and beyond were described, along with the structure–effect relationship with some specific features of each gliflozin. Starting from these findings, further modeling of these molecules may lead to the creation of new therapeutic uses. Further research is needed to broaden the range of indications and also eliminate adverse effects, such as phenomena leading to lower limb amputations.

Obesity is not only an aesthetic problem but also an important comorbidity in metabolic syndrome and other types of pathologies. Currently discussed adjuvants are turmeric and curcumin, used as food supplements. Starting from synthesis in turmeric plant up to the use of turmeric as a spice, a significant amount of turmeric and its derivatives are lost during the processing procedure. In oral administration, the reduced bioavailability of these compounds must be taken into account, an aspect that can be improved by using different combinations and dosages. As for their pharmacodynamic effects, through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, curcumin improves mitochondrial function and promotes the browning of white adipose tissue. Another mechanism of action of curcumin in weight loss is enzymatic modulation, leading to a decrease in the activity of key enzymes involved in lipogenesis and an increase in the activity of lipolytic enzymes. These properties are enhanced by the synergistic action of the other polyphenols present in turmeric, especially calebin A, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid. Summarizing these effects, curcumin is a promising food supplement, opening new directions for further research to discover possibilities to improve or even eliminate the calamity of obesity that is currently wreaking havoc.