Hasil untuk "Other systems of medicine"

Efraín Polo-Cuadrado, Cristian Rojas-Peña, Karen Acosta-Quiroga et al.

Pyridinium-based compounds have emerged as promising multifunctional agents for Alzheimer's disease therapy, demonstrating remarkable dual inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. This comprehensive analysis of more than 100 derivatives revealed that strategic structural modifications significantly enhance their therapeutic potential. Disubstituted analogues, representing more than half of the reported compounds, show particular promise, with many achieving exceptional potency below 100 nM, surpassing reference drugs such as donepezil, in optimized cases. Molecular Insights confirmed the presence of important interactions within the catalytic active site (CAS) and peripheral active site (PAS), explaining their robust inhibitory activity and highlighting several successful design approaches. Incorporating cationic groups at the 1,3-positions dramatically improves catalytic site binding, as seen in compounds such as Bb4, with an impressive 6.2 nM activity. Bulky aromatic extensions, such as naphthyl moieties, effectively target peripheral sites, while optimal C7-C12 linkers in bivalent structures enable the simultaneous engagement of both catalytic and peripheral sites. Planar fused-ring systems, particularly β-carboline derivatives, demonstrate enhanced blood-brain barrier penetration, which is a crucial challenge in CNS drug development. These compounds showed potential beyond cholinesterase inhibition, with selected derivatives exhibiting additional benefits against β-amyloid aggregation, oxidative stress, and NMDA) receptor modulation. However, their path to clinical application requires overcoming significant hurdles, particularly in demonstrating reliable blood-brain barrier penetration and establishing comprehensive safety profiles. Future progress depends on rigorous in vivo validation using disease-relevant models coupled with systematic optimization of pharmacokinetic properties. By addressing these challenges, pyridinium-based scaffolds could evolve into valuable multifunctional therapeutics, offering new hope for Alzheimer's patients through their unique combination of mechanisms and tunable chemical properties.

Burcu Küçükkaya, Hafsa Kübra Işık, Gülay Rathfısch

Abstract Objectives Haptotherapy fosters a sense of unity between the body, mind, and emotions. In addition, it contributes to expanding the woman’s perception of her pregnancy and developing a more positive attitude towards pregnancy and childbirth. The study aims to examine the Turkish validity and reliability of the Haptotherapeutic Well-Being Scale, which will be used to evaluate the well-being levels of haptonomy and haptotherapy practices in women. Design The study was methodological type. Methods The study conducted between October 20 and December 20, 2023, with 242 women who volunteered to participate by sharing forum pages on social media (Facebook, Instagram) via the web. Data were collected using a personal information form, including sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics and the Haptotherapeutic Well-Being Scale. Results The Haptotherapeutic Well-Being Scale consists of 14 items and five sub-dimensions. In confirmatory factor analysis, all path coefficients were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The overall Cronbach’s Alpha and sub-dimension values of the scale are above 0.90. There is a positive and very strong correlation between all sub-dimensions of the scale (p < 0.001). Conclusion The Haptotherapeutic Well-Being Scale was found to be valid and reliable for the Turkish sample. Trials registration https://clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT06467188; registered June 14, 2024.

Hong-dan Zhan, Hai-yu Zhou, Yun-Peng Sui et al.

Lars Dumke, Sarah Wilker, Hawkar Ibrahim et al.

Only a small proportion of refugees requiring treatment actually receive psychotherapy. Alongside structural barriers, it has been hypothesized that causal attributions for mental health problems that deviate from Western explanatory models may reduce refugees' help-seeking behavior. Prevailing assumptions suggest that refugees predominantly hold causal beliefs that are incompatible with the rationales of psychotherapy. Testing these assumptions requires a reliable assessment tool to evaluate refugees' causal beliefs. Therefore, we developed the Causal Attributions for Mental Health Problems Scale (MH-CAUSE) and validated it in a sample of Middle Eastern refugees living in Germany (N = 429). The outcomes of the psychometric analysis, which included exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency, and convergent validity, indicate that the MH-CAUSE is a suitable instrument for assessing refugees' causal beliefs about mental health problems. Our findings suggest that refugees' causal attributions are in line with a biopsychosocial-spiritual model of mental illness. Contrary to common assumptions, the majority of participants predominantly explained mental illness via psychosocial and biomedical causes, whereas spiritual beliefs were relevant only for a minority of participants. We observed significant associations between causal beliefs and help-seeking attitudes and behavior. However, effect sizes were only small to moderate. While mental health beliefs might contribute to mental health inequities, alleged cultural differences of refugees should not be overemphasized.

Annamária Breznai, Katalin Jámbor, Kata Kulcsár

Visszatekintve az elmúlt néhány évben zajlott világjárvány időszakára szinte mindannyian megtapasztaltuk a magány és az izoláció élményét. A pandémia alatti időszakban jellemző volt a bezártság, a mindennapi ritmus megváltozása. Kevesebbet tudtunk mozogni és ritkábbá váltak a lehetőségek a különböző aktivitások, rekreációs tevékenységek végzésére. A bezártság, a korlátozott mozgáslehetőségek következtében a mozgásszervi funkciók csökkentek. A társas kapcsolatok hiánya pedig sokaknál az érzelmi funkciók beszűkülését eredményezhették. Az izoláció hazánkban is fokozottan érinti az idős embereket. Jelen tanulmányban szeretnénk megszólítani mindenkit, mind a segítő szakmában dolgozó szakembereket, mind a társadalom tagjait, hogy támogassuk együttesen az idősebb korosztály társas aktivitásának növelését a magány és az izoláció elkerülése érdekében. Számos programlehetőség kínálkozik az idősebb korosztály számára is, ahol együtt mozgásra, tanulásra, beszélgetésre, kreativitásra ösztönző társakkal kapcsolódhatnak. A szerzők elsősorban a gyógytornász szakmai szempontokat képviselik jelen tanulmányban. A cikk kiemelten foglalkozik a mozgás, a meditáció, a légzés, illetve a tudatos jelenlét témáival annak érdekében, hogy felhívja a figyelmet az öntörődés, önismeret, önszeretet, a befelé figyelés jelentőségére a jóllét és az egészség szempontjából.

Pranjali Borkar, Vaishali Yadav, RR Tiwari et al.

Background: Due to the toxicity issues of synthetic compounds, herbal medicines are preferred in treating or curing many diseases in recent times. Because of limited treatment options for chronic kidney disease (CKD), the use of traditional herbal medication to alleviate urogenital problems is the alternate therapeutic selection. Purpose: Here, we summarized the research outcomes for the use of herbal medicine in the treatment of CKD and hurdles in the way for further research. Methods: A relevant literature based on combinations of keywords such as herbal medicines, Chinese herbal medicine, CKD, chronic renal failure, nephroprotection, renoprotection, vegetable-based diet, and plant-based diets was searched using Pub med, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases. The original articles published from 2006 to 2021 were taken into consideration. The literature was evaluated by studying the abstract or full text, all irrelevant studies were ignored. Results: About 54 studies were found to describe the utilization of herbal drugs in the treatment of CKD in both human and laboratory animals, 17 studies described the clinical application of about 13 medicinal plants used against CKD in humans and 37 studies demonstrated the beneficial use of 24 medicinal plants in animal models and in vitro studies for CKD treatment explaining possible mechanisms of their action. The herbal treatment displayed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chemopreventive, and immune-mediated properties. The anti-inflammatory action is well implicated via regulation of cyclooxygenase-2, signal transducer, and activation of transcription 3 and IκB kinase β pathways. These pathways are being hypothesized to produce convincing results in CKD. The CKD and gut microbiota is known to be closely related through inflammatory, renal, cardiovascular, and endocrine processes. The various concerns encountered during the use of herbal therapy in CKD are unpredictable pharmacokinetics, herbal and physiological interactions, electrolytic imbalance, and interaction with co-morbid conditions. The combined use of Chinese herbal medicine and Western medicine for the treatment of advanced-stage CKD was found to be effective in delaying dialysis initiation and reducing dialysis incidence. Conclusions: A large number of medicinal plants have shown promising beneficial effects against several diseases including cancer, but only a handful of studies are available on CKD. Several studies explained the possible mechanisms of herbal medications in CKD for therapeutic use; however, the focussed molecular studies for identification of active components of medicinal herbs with their mechanism of action and safety standard are still awaited. The demand for well-designed clinical trials and rigorous pharmacological studies as well as a surge for combined use of herbal medicine and Western medicine for the treatment of CKD has been noticed. The nephrotoxicity issues of medicinal plants should not be ignored.

Erik de Vahl, Ingvar Svanberg

Abstract Background While the utilitarian crops grown in vicarage gardens in pre-industrial Sweden have been fairly well documented, our knowledge of plants cultivated for food among the peasants and crofters is limited. Nevertheless, garden vegetables and herbs played a much more important role in the diet of the rural population from a nutritional point of view than, say, wild plants, at least in the southern part of the country. This study aims to explore the importance of edible cultivated onions, Allium, and their various cultivars and old landraces that were once—and in some cases still are—grown in home gardens. Methods This study is based on documentation collected from national surveys carried out by the Swedish National Programme for Diversity of Cultivated Plants (POM), and from an intense search for references to the cultivation and use of carious onions in the historic garden literature, herbals and ethnographic records found in responses to folklife questionnaires. Results The rural population in pre-industrial Sweden cultivated various kinds of bulb onions. They are known under various folk names, although their taxonomic affiliation has been unclear. Many folk taxa have been classified and named by their use, while other names refer to the practices associated with the cultivation system. These onions were often described as especially well suited for storage over winter. Onions have had a wide range of uses in Sweden. In some parts of Sweden, onions were eaten during church service in order to keep the churchgoers awake. Several types of onion have commonly been used as condiments in pickled herring dishes, spreads, sauces, foods made of blood and offal, dumplings, meat dishes and soups. Garlic was used for medicinal and magical purposes, as well as for ethnoveterinary medicine. Onion skins have traditionally been used for dyeing eggs at Easter. Conclusion Genetic diversity of vegetables and garden crops represents a critical resource to achieve and maintain global food security. Therefore, ethnobiologists studying agricultural societies should place more focus on old landraces, cultivars and cultivation practices in order to understand the importance of garden crops for a society. They are an important element of sustainability.

Carreras-Díaz R, Saavedra-Santana P, Gómez de Tejada-Romero MJ et al.

Objetivo: Los estilos de vida y la historia ginecológica parecen influir en el metabolismo mineral óseo. Existen datos contradictorios sobre los posibles efectos de la lactancia materna en el posterior desarrollo de una osteoporosis densitométrica o la aparición de fracturas por fragilidad. El objetivo de este estudio fue valorar dichos efectos. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional, transversal, abierto, realizado en 758 mujeres postmenopáusicas que fueron clasificadas en dos grupos, dependiendo de que hubieran lactado a sus hijos o no. Se recogieron datos sobre estilos de vida, historia ginecológica y fracturas por fragilidad. Se les realizó una analítica general, con función renal, hepática, lípidos, iones, así como marcadores bioquímicos de remodelado óseo, hormona paratiroidea (PTH) y vitamina D (25HCC). Se les determinó la densidad mineral ósea (DMO) en la columna lumbar y en la extremidad proximal del fémur mediante absorciometría dual de rayos X (DXA). Así mismo se les realizó una medición mediante ultrasonografía cuantitativa (QUS) en el calcáneo del pie dominante. Los datos crudos, después de ser comparados por grupos, fueron ajustados aplicando el método de pareamiento por puntuación de propensión o propensity score matching, realizándose una comparación más precisa de las variables estudiadas. Resultados: Los resultados previos a la aplicación del propensity score fueron ajustados por la edad y el índice de masa corporal (IMC), dado que en el estudio basal se apreciaron diferencias significativas en estas variables entre ambos grupos (prevalencia de las fracturas de cadera y la cifosis y en los siguientes parámetros bioquímicos: concretamente ácido úrico, glucosa, HDL-colesterol, triglicéridos y fósforo). Estas diferencias desaparecieron tras realizar el ajuste por las variables que fueron incluidas en el modelo por la regresión logística lineal aplicada. Tras realizar el ajuste con el propensity score matching y con el modelo de regresión lineal finalmente obtenido, no se obtuvo una influencia de la lactancia materna en la densidad mineral ósea, en la prevalencia de osteoporosis densitométrica o en la aparición de fracturas por fragilidad después de la menopausia. Conclusión: La lactancia materna no se asocia a mayores o menores valores de densidad mineral ósea, a la prevalencia de osteoporosis densitométrica ni a la presencia de fracturas por fragilidad.

Qingxia Xu, Qian lv, Lu Liu et al.

Abstract Background Dried fruits of Psoralea corylifolia L. (Psoraleae Fructus) is one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicine with treatment for nephritis, spermatorrhea, pollakiuria, asthma, and various inflammatory diseases. Bakuchiol is main meroterpenoid with bioactive diversity from Psoraleae Fructus. This study was designed to seek structural diverse bakuchiol derivants with anti-inflammatory activities from this plant. Methods Various column chromatography methods were used for isolation experiment. Structures and configurations of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Their inhibition on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages were evaluated by the Griess reaction. Results Twelve unpresented bakuchiol dimmers, bisbakuchiols M–U (1–9) and bisbakuchiol ethers A–C (10–12), along with five known compounds (13–17), were isolated from the fruits of Psoralea corylifolia L. Compounds 1–3, 10–12, 16 and 17 exhibited inhibitory activities against LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages, and the inhibition of compound 1 (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value = 11.47 ± 1.57 μM) was equal to that of L-N(6)-(1-iminoethyl)-lysine (IC50 = 10.29 ± 1.10 μM) as a positive control. Conclusions Some compounds exhibited inhibitory activities against NO production, and the study of structure–activity relationship suggested that uncyclized compounds with oxygen substitution at C-12/12′ showed strong inhibitory activities, and carbonyl units contributed to enhanced activities.

Ali Amirinejad, Ali Saneei Totmaj, Farzaneh Mardali et al.

Abstract Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of spinach (HES) on hepatic and serum measurements of NAFLD in a rat model. Methods In the prevention phase, 18 Sprague–Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet, a high-fat diet plus 400 mg/kg HES, or a chow diet for seven weeks. For the treatment phase, after the induction of NAFLD, they were fed a high-fat diet, a high-fat diet plus 400 mg/kg HES, a chow diet, or a chow diet plus 400 mg/kg HES for four weeks (n = 6). Results Administration of HES combined with high-fat diet in rats was associated with decreased food intake (P < 0.01), weight loss (P = 0.01), and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P = 0.02) enzyme activity in the liver, at the end of the prevention phase. hs-CRP (P < 0.05), PTX-3 (P < 0.05), and TNF-α (P < 0.05) gene expression in the liver were decreased and PPAR-γ (P < 0.05) gene expression in the liver was increased by spinach intake, both in the prevention and treatment phases. Furthermore, administration of spinach in the treatment phase increased serum TAC (P = 0.03) and hepatic GPX (P = 0.01) enzyme activity. Conclusion Taking into account the potential beneficial effects of HES on prevention and treatment of NAFLD in the present study, to confirm these findings, we propose that further clinical trials be conducted on human subjects with NAFLD.

Feras Jirjees, Ali K Saad, Zahraa Al Hano et al.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has been changing the world since December 2019. A comprehensive search into many COVID-19 treatment guidelines was conducted and reported in this article. This is a review paper to probe differences in COVID-19 managing strategies and explore the most common treatment plans among countries. Published guidelines from 23 countries and three references guidelines—until the end of 2020—were included in this article. The majority of COVID-19 treatment options were reported in this review and it includes antiviral drugs, antimalarial drugs, antibiotics, corticosteroids, immunotherapy, anticoagulants, and other pharmacological treatment. The presence of such information from different countries in a single comprehensive review article could help in understanding and speculation of variation in the recommended treatment in each country. This might be related to the cost of medications, the access to the medications, availability of medication that could potentially be useful in managing COVID-19 cases, and the availability/capacity of healthcare facilities. Finally, although there are various treatment groups listed in the published therapeutic guidelines worldwide, unfortunately, there is no evidence for effectiveness of most of these medications in reducing the COVID-19 mortality curve over more than one year of this global pandemic.

S. Ettinger, E. Feldman

Chencheng Mei, He Yu, Wenlong Li et al.

Objective: To investigate the association between gastrointestinal heat retention syndrome (GHRS) and adult chronic eczema. Methods: This case–control study compared GHRS/GHRS accompanied by damp-heat syndrome (GHRS-DHS) and other patient characteristics between subjects with (cases) and without chronic eczema (controls) to identify potential factors associated with this condition. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data via face-to-face interviews. Participants were recruited from Dongzhimen Hospital affiliated with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. A logistic regression analysis was performed on the collected data, and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. Results: A total of 168 cases and 172 controls were recruited. Among the cases of adult chronic eczema, there were 79 subjects with GHRS and 68 with GHRS-DHS. Sex (P = .02, OR = 0.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32–0.91), GHRS (P = .04, OR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.02–3.51), GHRS-DHS (P < .001, OR = 4.89, 95% CI: 2.36–10.15), high sweet food consumption (P = .04, OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.03–3.97), and mental stress (P = .01, OR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.26–4.47) were each found to be associated with chronic eczema. Furthermore, GHRS had a weak positive correlation with eczema EASI severity as measured by the eczema area and severity index (EASI) (P = .003). Conclusion: GHRS/GHRS-DHS may be associated with adult chronic eczema. In the future, prospective cohort studies with larger samples should be conducted to investigate the cause and effect association between GHRS and adult chronic eczema.

A. Boxall, P. Blackwell, Romina Cavallo et al.

K. S. Benimetskaya, V. S. Shramko, E. M. Stakhneva et al.

Objective was to study the levels and the relationship between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), their relationship with other lipid parameters in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in Russia. Material and methods. The study involved 47 patients (11 males) observed in the Scientific-clinical center of lipidology of Research Institute of Internal and Preventive Medicine - Branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of SB RAS with diagnosis of «possible» or «definite» FH according to the criteria of The Simon Broome Register Group and «probable» or «definite» FH according to the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network Criteria. Patient age was 49.13 ± 12.67 years (mean ± SD); 50.00 [40.00; 59.00] years (median [lower quartile; upper quartile]). Lp-PLA2 and PCSK9 content was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a test systems «Human Proprotein Convertase 9/PCSK9 Immunoassay» («R&D Systems», USA) and «ELISA Kit for Phospholipase A2 Group VII (LpPLA2)» («Cloud-Clone Corp.», USA). Results. Lp-PLA2 level was 73,69 [64,99; 106,53] ng/ ml, PCSK9 – 352,16 [272,94; 416,79] ng/ml. There was a trend to moderate positive correlation between Lp-PLA2 and PCSK9 content (r = 0.614; p = 0.059), the statistical significance value was borderline due to the small number surveyed. Males showed a strong positive correlation of LP-FLA2 concentration with age (r = 0.746; p = 0.008), partial – with triglyceride (TG) content (r = 0.793; p = 0.019). A strong positive correlation of PCSK9 level with apolipoprotein B / apolipoprotein A ratio (r = 0.702; p = 0.007) and a weak positive correlation with TG concentration (r = 0.330; p = 0.033) were shown in the general group. Moderate positive correlation of PCSK9 content with age (r = 0.660; p = 0.038), a strong negative correlation with total cholesterol (r = –0.815; p = 0.004), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = –0.828; p = 0.006) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = –0.851, p = 0.002) concentration were shown. Women with TG level <1.7 mmol/l had lower PCSK9 level then women with TG level ≥1.7 mmol/l (328.45 [231.02; 387.82 and 397.12 [348.45; 531.62] ng/ml, respectively (p = 0.013)). Conclusion. The correlation of PCSK9, the perspective marker of cardiovascular diseases, with the avowed marker Lp-PLA2 confirms the importance of PCSK9 in lipid metabolism and cardiovascular homeostasis and is the basis for its further research as a biological marker of cardiovascular diseases.

Warunsicha Supprasert, Piyatida Khajornchaikul, Kitiphong Harncharoen et al.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors contributing to the competencies and capabilities of Family Development Center (FDC) staff in order to promote pre-school language developmental support amongst parents. Design/methodology/approach - A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 260 FDC staff under the supervision of Thai local authorities in the rural province of Suphanburi in Thailand from July to September 2016. Self-administered questionnaires were used. Eligible participants with at least a year’s experience on the FDC committee were purposively selected. Analyses were performed by descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, Spearman’s correlation, χ2 test and stepwise multiple regression. Findings - Only 23.5 percent of staff had a high level of capability. The respondents’ perceptions of their self-capability were influenced by motivation, attitudes toward promoting language learning amongst parents, self-efficacy, sufficient budget and receiving constructive appraisal support (r=0.387, 0.328, 0.366, 0.106 and 0.104, respectively). Marital status was negatively associated with FDC staff capability (r=−0.172). The multivariate analysis showed that 23.9 percent of the variability of FDC staff’s self-capability could be explained by their motivation for working, attitude, self-efficacy and marital status (p<0.001). Originality/value - Research findings could be used to improve motivation for working, positive attitudes and self-efficacy regarding parenting promotion for pre-school language development to achieve standardized quality performance. Results of this study could also form the basis for designing effective training programs for FDC staff in the context of the specific organization and community.

T. Kaptchuk, D. Eisenberg

Vincent Chin-Hung Chen, Duujian Tsai

Attention deficient hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders worldwide. In Taiwan, its prevalence is estimated at between 7.5% and 9.9%, however, according to analysis of the National Health Insurance dataset, as few as 20% seek medical help for the condition. This action research project consisted of forming a hospital-based ADHD family support group and evaluating how well it functioned. First, the formation of a hospital-based family support group in central Taiwan was announced by newspaper, following a news report on 21 August 2008 of a local teacher tying a hyperactive child to a chair. After attending lectures or receiving services at this hospital, some parents and teachers asked to participate in the ADHD support group. A family support group was organized in 2011 and the research team helped appl y for publ i c educati on fundi ng from pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lily and Janssen. In January 2013, to evaluate the group’s functioning and the program results, we identified core leaders in the group and started interviewing them using an oral history approach. One child psychiatrist, eight family members, and two patients were selected for interviews. This family support group has demonstrated high motivation and efficiency in addressing its members’ concerns, as well as convincing therapeutic benefits. There is a need for pragmatic solutions that cannot be satisfied by purely scientific or therapeutic public discourse. For this reason, the family support group needed autonomy to respond to their own needs and to develop a new sense of identity.

G. Mooney

R. Nahin, S. Straus