BioMed Research International最新文献

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and hypertension (HTN) tend to be comorbidities and mutually influence each other; however, the mechanisms underlying their association remain unclear. This study was aimed at identifying genes associated with susceptibility to these three diseases and their mechanisms of action using integrated network modularization analysis.

Methods: The transcriptome data of T2DM, AD, and HTN were downloaded from the GEO database to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and the coexpression modules of each disease were detected by WGCNA. Z _summary algorithm was used to identify the common modules of three diseases, and the driver genes of their comorbidity were identified by flow centrality (FC) and shortest distance indexes. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to define the biological functions and pathways for each module and driver genes. The HPA database and CIBERSORT method were used to analyze the mechanisms of the shared key genes from the types of single cells and immune infiltration analysis.

Results: Based on the 343 overlapping DEGs that were identified, four common modules between AD, T2DM, and HTN were identified using Z _summary. GSEA revealed that the DEGs were mainly involved in the MAPK and mTOR signaling pathways. Eight key genes (ACTN4, BGN, PRELP, TSFM, UBC, ELAVL1, NRF1, and SUMO2) related to the comorbidities AD, T2DM, and HTN were identified by integrating the shared genes at the levels of DEGs, common modules, and FC-based driver genes. As potential biomarkers, the expression of these key genes was significantly different between the three disease groups, and they were mainly expressed in endothelial cells, Langerhans cells, smooth muscle cells, and T cells. Immune infiltration analysis revealed that five different types of immune cells were related to these three diseases, including T-regs and nonclassical monocytes.

Conclusions: Common modules between T2DM, AD, and HTN and eight key susceptibility genes were identified, which may reflect the underlying mechanism of the comorbidity of T2DM, AD, and HTN. These results provide insights for the development of clinical therapies for these diseases.

Environmental change can alter the species occurrence and seasonal distribution of malaria vectors to higher altitudes and latitudes. Highlands remain dynamic due to factors that favor their growth and development. Invasive species have proliferated into new ecological niches, increased. These studies aimed to determine the species occurrence and seasonal variation of malaria vectors in the selected study area. Entomological surveys were conducted in different types of larval habitats from October 2023 up to June 2024 within four purposively selected study villages. The species were morphologically identified using a stereomicroscope, and then data was analyzed using R version 4.3.1 (2023-06-16 ucrt) statistical analysis software. A total of 721 malaria vector larvae were collected, representing Anopheles gambiae s.l., An. funestus s.l., An. coustani, and An. pharoensis. An. gambiae s.l. was the dominant species, accounting for 43.82% (n = 316) of all collections, while An. pharoensis was the least abundant (7.9%, n = 57). Spatial variation was observed, with Shemo Boyo recording the highest number of larvae (45.50%, n = 328), whereas Kemecho Borara had the lowest (9.57%, n = 69). Among the habitat types, ditches had the highest mean larval density (2.61 larvae per sample), followed by swamps (1.5) and riverbeds (0.8), whereas water pans had the lowest density (0.14). Overall mean larval density was 1.11 larvae per sample, and larval abundance significantly differed across habitat categories (f (3,647) = 4.005, p = 0.012). These findings indicate that An. gambiae s.l. is the predominant malaria vector in the area and likely plays a primary role in local transmission. Further studies on spatial mapping, physicochemical characterization, habitat preference, and isolation of malaria parasites are recommended to guide targeted larval source management and reduce the burden of mosquito-borne diseases.

Breast cancer, particularly estrogen receptor-positive subtypes, is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Aromatase inhibitors, which target estrogen biosynthesis, are a cornerstone of therapeutic intervention. Panax ginseng, a widely recognized medicinal herb, contains bioactive compounds known as ginsenosides, which possess various pharmacological activities, including anticancer properties. This study is aimed at evaluating the potential of ginsenosides and their derivatives from Panax ginseng as aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer treatment through in silico methods. Molecular docking studies were conducted to investigate the binding affinities of ginsenosides to aromatase, a critical enzyme in estrogen biosynthesis. The results indicated that several ginsenosides exhibited strong binding affinities, with Protopanaxadiol demonstrating the highest affinity (-10.0 kcal/mol) and an estimated K i value of 46.77 nM. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of the protopanaxadiol-aromatase complex, highlighting its consistent binding interactions and minimal structural fluctuations. Pharmacokinetic evaluations suggested that most ginsenosides adhered to drug-likeness criteria, although certain derivatives showed deviations that may affect bioavailability. However, toxicity predictions revealed a predominantly low toxicity profile, with some concerns related to hepatotoxicity and mutagenicity for specific compounds. The findings from this study highlight the potential of ginsenosides and their derivatives as viable candidates and protopanaxadiol as a promising lead compound for further experimental investigation as aromatase inhibitors, offering a promising alternative or adjunct to conventional breast cancer therapies.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the anticancer, potential antiepileptic agents, and antioxidant potentials of 10 methyl-substituted halogenated and methoxy conduritols, which had been previously synthesized and characterized. The presence of active functional groups within their structures suggested their potential as bioactive molecules. Both in vitro and in silico approaches were employed to assess their biological activities and therapeutic relevance.

Methods: Anticancer activity was tested using the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and the L929 fibroblast cell line, with IC₅₀ values calculated to evaluate cytotoxicity. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH, FRAP, and TAS assays. The effects of methyl-substituted mono- and dimethoxy halogenated conduritol derivatives (A and B forms) on the activities of carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes hCA I and hCA II were examined spectrophotometrically. Additionally, molecular docking studies were performed against hCA I (PDB ID: 3LXE), hCA II (PDB ID: 5AML), and breast cancer proteins (PDB ID: 1JNX, 1A52). ADME/T properties of the compounds were also evaluated to predict their pharmacokinetic and safety profiles.

Results: Among the synthesized derivatives, only compound 6 demonstrated notable anticancer activity, with an IC₅₀ of 20.22 μM against MCF-7 cells and moderate selectivity over healthy fibroblasts. The other compounds were largely inactive at the tested concentrations. Antioxidant assays demonstrated considerable free radical scavenging and reducing power. The synthesized conduritols showed strong inhibition of carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes, with Ki values ranging from 0.2083 ± 0.11 to 1.4944 ± 1.06 μM for hCA I and 0.0857 ± 0.06 to 2.2098 ± 0.68 μM for hCA II, outperforming standard inhibitors. Docking studies confirmed strong binding affinities to the investigated proteins, while ADME/T analysis suggested favorable pharmacokinetic properties.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that methyl-substituted halogenated and methoxy conduritols possess anticancer, potential antiepileptic agents, and antioxidant potentials. Their strong carbonic anhydrase inhibitory activities highlight their promise as potential therapeutic agents for epilepsy and glaucoma. Overall, these compounds demonstrate considerable potential as multifunctional bioactive molecules and represent promising candidates for further preclinical studies.

Background: Bloodstream infections cause substantial morbidity and mortality, increasingly exacerbated by antimicrobial resistance. We investigated the prevalence and resistance profiles of bloodstream pathogens in Feni, Bangladesh.

Methods: Between October 2024 and March 2025, we conducted a 6-month cross-sectional study at a diagnostic center in Feni, Bangladesh. Blood cultures from 498 patients with suspected bloodstream infections were analyzed, and bacterial isolates were identified and tested for antibiotic susceptibility using standard methods.

Results: Among 498 blood samples, 49 (9.84%) yielded positive bacterial growth. Infections were most common in patients aged over 49 years (36.7%), with near-equal distribution between males (51.0%) and females (49.0%). Gram-negative bacteria predominated (73.5%), including Salmonella spp. (28.6%), Escherichia coli (20.4%), and Salmonella Typhi (14.3%), whereas Staphylococcus aureus (10.2%) was the leading gram-positive isolate. Gram-negative isolates exhibited high resistance to ampicillin, amoxyclav, and cefuroxime, whereas amikacin maintained > 70% sensitivity. Gram-positive isolates were largely resistant to third-generation cephalosporins but were very susceptible to gentamicin and ciprofloxacin.

Conclusion: This study reveals the predominance of gram-negative bloodstream infections and extensive β-lactam resistance in Feni, Bangladesh. Amikacin demonstrated the highest efficacy, supporting its empirical consideration pending susceptibility results. These findings highlight the urgent need for local antibiogram development and strengthened regional resistance surveillance.

Background: Bibliometrics plays a critical role in supporting decision-making within the scientific community. It is widely used to evaluate the merit of applications for academic positions and to assess the standing of journals and institutions. This bibliometric analysis is aimed at identifying the growth and trends of nasogastric tube (NGT) research in pediatric settings, evaluating source productivity, and examining the scholarly impact of NGT research.

Methods: We conducted a bibliometric analysis of pediatric NGT nursing literature indexed (search executed 02 March 2024; updated 10 September 2025). Records were retrieved from Scopus and analyzed with Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny (R). To enhance interpretability with a modest corpus, we reported year-normalized citations, h-/g-/m-indices, and used fractional counting for co-authorship and country analyses. We mapped co-citation, bibliographic coupling, co-word/thematic evolution, and performed robustness checks (parameter thresholds, field restrictions, and time-window trims).

Results: Seventy-nine publications were identified. Annual production showed peaks in 2001, 2007, and 2018, with one publication in 2025. The most cited paper was ASPEN Safe Practices for Enteral Nutrition Therapy by Boullata et al., which had 335 citations as of 2025. The United States emerged as the leading contributor, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada.

Conclusion: Pediatric NGT research has expanded and diversified over the past 4 decades. The findings highlight the need for sustained investment and stronger international collaboration to improve clinical outcomes and drive innovation in pediatric healthcare. Findings should be interpreted with caution given the niche scope and corpus size, although sensitivity analyses suggested stable high-level patterns.

Background: The use of alternative technique such as rapid antigen diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) is needed in countries with limited resources for fast tracking of COVID-19 cases. This study evaluated the performance of the STANDARD Q COVID-19 antigen test compared with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) among suspected COVID-19 cases using nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swabs in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to September 2021. The respiratory secretions of suspected COVID-19 cases were collected at the Virology Laboratory of Sourô Sanou University Hospital in Bobo-Dioulasso. The respiratory secretions consisted of nasopharyngeal or combined nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs. Each sample was analyzed using the STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag test and RT-PCR on the Abbott m2000 RealTime system.

Results: A total of 152 respiratory specimens were collected from suspected COVID-19 cases and processed in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of the Ag-RDT were 26.32% (9.15-57.20) and 98.65% (92.7-99.9), respectively, in the suspected cases with nasopharyngeal swabs from suspected cases, while a sensitivity of 25.0% (3.2-65.1) and a specificity of 98.65% (92.7-99.9) were shown with combined nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs from suspected cases. The accuracy and Cohen's kappa of the test were 83.87% and 0.36 in suspected cases with nasopharyngeal swabs from suspected cases, while they were 83.37% and 0.32 in oropharyngeal swabs. In our study, Ag-RDT was not sensitive on the specimens of suspected COVID-19 cases with Ct values ≥ 20, whereas its sensitivity increased to 41.18% (18.4-67.1) on specimens with Ct < 20.

Conclusion: The study findings have shown that the Ag-RDT is useful in suspected COVID-19 cases. However, the sensitivity of the STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag test was low with minimal agreement in comparison to RT-PCR on the Abbott m2000rt system.

Currently available drugs for trypanosomiasis are few, and their use is limited by toxicity and growing resistance. This highlights the need for safer and more effective alternatives. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo antitrypanosomal activities of an 80% methanol root extract of Lobelia rhynchopetalum and its major constituent were evaluated against Trypanosoma congolense field isolates. Phytochemical separation of the extract yielded lobetyolin (a polyacetylene compound), confirmed through spectroscopic analysis. At 4 mg/mL, both the crude extract and lobetyolin inhibited parasite motility, with lobetyolin acting slightly faster (25 min) than the extract (30 min). The blood incubation assay demonstrated dose-dependent protection, with 4 mg/mL of DA, the lobetyolin-rich extract, or pure lobetyolin preventing infection, while lower doses only delayed parasitemia. In vivo testing showed that lobetyolin at 100 mg/kg exhibited stronger activity than the crude extract at 400 mg/kg. Molecular docking demonstrated that lobetyolin binds strongly to the homology-modeled trypanothione reductase (TR) enzyme of T. congolense, achieving a Glide score of -8.002 kcal/mol, which is close to that of the native ligand (-8.307 kcal/mol). This suggests that lobetyolin may inhibit TR, thereby disrupting the parasite's redox balance essential for survival. Overall, these findings provide the first evidence supporting the antitrypanosomal activity of L. rhynchopetalum root extract and lobetyolin, providing scientific support to the plant's traditional use. Further studies are needed to fully validate its therapeutic potential.

Infections are a cause of delayed wound healing, and the development of effective therapeutic strategies remains a key challenge. This study is aimed at developing and evaluating Zea mays leaf extract-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnZM NPs) for their antibacterial, antioxidant, and wound-healing potential. Z. mays leaf extract was utilized for the green synthesis of ZnZM NPs, which were characterized using multiple analytical techniques. The UV-visible spectrum exhibited a characteristic sharp absorption peak at 390 nm, and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometry confirmed the presence of zinc and oxygen. FT-IR confirmed that the phytochemicals from Z. mays extract were involved in the reduction and capping of NPs. The ZnZM NPs were slightly aggregated, partially spherical, and crystalline, with an average crystallite size of 10.86 nm. The nanoparticles exhibited significant antibacterial activity against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae. They also exhibited notable ferric ion-reducing power and free radical-scavenging ability. Topical gels containing 1% ZnZM NPs accelerated wound healing in rats compared with the control and standard (commercial product). Histopathological studies further confirmed enhanced tissue regeneration and accelerated wound healing in rats treated with NPs compared with the control and standard groups. Our findings suggest that biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and accelerated wound-healing properties and can serve as an economic, safe, and sustainable nanomedicine for use in clinical settings.

Background: According to the World Health Organization 2024 bacterial priority pathogens list, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) were listed among the critical priority pathogens. Heteroresistance (i.e., a bacterial isolate that appears susceptible but harbors resistant subpopulations) represents a challenge in traditional laboratory testing, which may lead to treatment failure with colistin. This phenomenon has been studied in many bacteria, including K. pneumoniae. To our knowledge, this is the first report of colistin heteroresistance in K. pneumoniae isolates using population analysis profiles (PAPs) in Iran.

Methods: Between 2019 and 2020, 100 K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from various samples of hospitalized patients in Iran. This study primarily determined antibiotic resistance by antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Thereafter, the prevalence of colistin heteroresistance in K. pneumoniae isolates was evaluated by the PAP test. Heteroresistant isolates were typed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST).

Results: The MIC test showed that 79 (79%) of the 100 K. pneumoniae isolates were susceptible to colistin. Overall, 2/79 colistin-susceptible isolates were classified as heteroresistant isolates by the PAP method, with a colistin MIC of 0.5 μg/ml. Importantly, after 5 serial passaging on colistin-free plates, there was no increase in the MIC of the colistin-resistant subpopulations, showing that heteroresistance cases were unstable. MLST revealed that heteroresistant isolates belong to ST377 and ST15.

Conclusions: In conclusion, the current study contributes to our understanding of the challenges posed by heteroresistant isolates in clinical laboratories. Since heteroresistant isolates may be misidentified as susceptible by standard tests, these findings raise concerns regarding the interpretation of colistin susceptibility results.