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In vitro and in silico studies and a systematic literature review of antiglycation properties of amlodipine

Abstract Protein glycation is crucial in the pathogenesis of diabetes and its cardiovascular complications. Little is known about the antiglycation properties of amlodipine, a long-acting calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure. In our study, amlodipine’s antiglycoxidant activity was assayed in sugars (glucose, fructose, and ribose), aldehydes (glyoxal), and chloramine T-modified bovine serum albumin (BSA). Aminoguanidine and N-acetylcysteine were used as standard glycation/oxidation inhibitors. The content of oxidation, glycoxidation, and glycation protein products was measured colorimetrically and fluorimetrically. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post hoc test was used for statistical analysis. The mechanism of amlodipine’s antiglycoxidant activity was also evaluated using in-silico molecular docking. Amlodipine protects against BSA oxidation, as evidenced by enhanced total thiol content and mitigated protein carbonyls/advanced oxidation protein products. Amlodipine also increased the fluorescence of tryptophan and decreased the contents of kynurenine, N-formylkynurenine, and dityrosine. In addition, amlodipine effectively prevents protein glycation, as evidenced by a reduction in amyloid-beta structure, Amadori products, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). In in silico analysis, amlodipine’s antiglycation properties were indicated during its interaction with BSA, glycosidases, and AGEs/receptor for AGEs (RAGE) pathway proteins. Among all proteins, amlodipine docked best with c-Jun N-terminal kinases. Summarizing, we have demonstrated the anti-glycation and antioxidant activity of amlodipine in vitro. This effect may be particularly important in patients with diabetes and atherosclerosis, where excessive glycation accelerates the development of vascular complications. Further studies are needed to confirm the antidiabetic activity of amlodipine in vivo.

An adaptive fall detection system based on ensemble learning using variants of YOLO V8 retinanet and DETR

Bio decolorization of the oil soluble azo dye toluidine Red by Halomonas strain A3

Comparison of low vs high tidal volumes in one-lung ventilation during thoracic surgery: a propensity-weighted cohort study

Influence of sole and consortia application of micronutrients for biofortification of zinc, iron and boron for improving maize productivity

Spatial and temporal patterns of precipitation concentration and their associated risks

Enhancing cyberthreat defense mechanisms using ensemble of representation learning with binary Ebola optimization search in internet of things environment

Effects of octogen on the crystallization and solidification behaviors of DNAN through microcalorimetry

Applying the SFIC synergistic governance model to analyze determinants of multisectoral collaborative chronic disease management in Beijing’s district H

AI literacy predicts computational thinking through multidimensional interactions among Chinese high school students

Computational investigation of thermodynamic properties of gas phase vanadium nitride using Python

Abstract This study examines the thermodynamic characteristics of gas-phase diatomic vanadium nitride (VN(g)) utilizing the Kratzer potential model and Python as the computational tool. By solving the Schrödinger equation for the vibrational energy spectrum, we compute the vibrational partition function, which serves as the foundation for determining essential thermodynamic functions such as heat capacity ( $$C_p$$ ), entropy ( $$S^\circ$$ ), internal energy, and enthalpy. The calculated thermodynamic parameters are juxtaposed with experimental data from the NIST Chemistry WebBook to evaluate the precision of the Kratzer potential in simulating the thermal behavior of diatomic VN(g). Our results indicate that the Kratzer potential serves as a dependable approximation for the thermodynamic properties of molecular VN(g), especially in forecasting entropy and enthalpy over an extensive temperature range. The calculated heat capacity exhibits strong concordance with experimental data in the intermediate temperature range, though deviations appear at both low and high temperatures due to effects not captured by the model. Despite these limitations, the overall agreement validates the application of quantum molecular models, such as the Kratzer potential, in the thermodynamic analysis of transition-metal-containing diatomic molecules. This framework may be extended to similar gas-phase systems to support predictive modeling in molecular thermodynamics.

AI verification for spirulina’s antimicrobial power in total coliform and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from tilapia fillet

Adverse effects and SARS-CoV-2 infection after COVID-19 vaccination among the vaccinated people of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a pilot study

Novel selective indole based histone deacetylase 10 inhibitors as anticancer therapeutics

Optimized YOLO based model for photovoltaic defect detection in electroluminescence images

A novel open-source ultrasound dataset with deep learning benchmarks for spinal cord injury localization and anatomical segmentation

Day 6 vitrified blastocyst transfer on day 5 vs. day 6 of progesterone shows similar outcomes in HRT-FET cycles: a cohort study

Social determinants of self-medication with leftover antibiotics in Lebanese households: A cross-sectional study

Background Self-medication with leftover antibiotics (LA) is a global health crisis, particularly in contexts of economic and political instability. This study examines the social determinants of health (SDOH) influencing LA use among Lebanese households, focusing on how individuals are born, grow, live, and work. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 368 Lebanese adults to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, self-medication practices related to LA, and key SDOH such as socioeconomic status (SES), perceived discrimination in medical settings (DMS), political and economic instability, drug shortages, and trusted sources of health information. Data were analyzed using bivariate tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results Bivariate analysis showed that LA use was significantly associated with male gender (45.0% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.024), lower educational levels (58.7% vs. 35.1%, p = 0.002), presence of chronic disease (54.7% vs. 32.2%, p < 0.001), older age (p = 0.028), and a higher household crowding index (p = 0.018). LA use was also more prevalent among participants impacted by political instability, economic crisis, and drug shortages (all p < 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression, chronic disease (OR = 2.711, p = 0.002), economic crisis (OR = 2.013, p < 0.001), and prior experience with the same illness (OR = 4.085, p < 0.001) were identified as significant predictors for LA use. Conclusion These findings show the critical role of socio-economic instability, healthcare access challenges, and experiential factors as key SDOH driving LA practices. The study highlights the urgent need for multi-sectoral interventions addressing economic hardship, improving healthcare access, and enhancing public awareness to mitigate LA misuse and its contribution to antimicrobial resistance in Lebanon.

Interpersonal capitalization in esports enhances players’ psychological resources and well-being

Abstract Interpersonal capitalization refers to psychosocial benefits derived from communicating personal accomplishments to others and receiving active-constructive (enthusiastic) feedback. Little is known about the extent to which interpersonal capitalization generalizes to the digital environment of esports. In esports, players compete through video games, seeking accomplishments and often communicating with other players. Building upon interpersonal capitalization theory, we hypothesized that players who more frequently communicate their accomplishments to others and perceive more active-constructive responses would experience enhanced psychological resources (self-esteem, self-efficacy, and optimism), thereby improving both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. In contrast, perceived active-destructive feedback (e.g., demeaning feedback pointing out the downsides of the accomplishment) would be associated with lower psychological resources and well-being. Esports players (N = 291, 50.2% male) completed a two-wave online survey with measurements four weeks apart. We found that players who perceived more active-constructive feedback were more likely to increase optimism (direct effect) and positive emotions (indirectly via increased optimism) over the next month. Perceived active-destructive feedback predicted decreases in self-esteem, and players with lower self-esteem were more likely to exhibit more gaming addiction symptomatology. These findings are the first to present specific pathways through which esports players benefit from shared accomplishments and feedback. It highlights the viability of interpersonal capitalization in digital social environments.

Cultural stigma, psychological distress and help-seeking: Moderating role of self-esteem and self-stigma in Lebanon

Background/Objective Mental illness is a common and often stigmatized condition. Stigma around mental illness refers to the negative attitudes and beliefs society holds about individuals with mental health conditions and can sometimes prevent those individuals from seeking adequate therapy. This study aims to explore the intricate relation between stigma, psychological distress, self-esteem, and help-seeking attitudes among young adults with diagnosed mental illnesses and further investigates the moderating effect of self-esteem and self-stigma. Method A cross-sectional online survey was shared via digital platforms between February 2023 and August 2024. A final sample of 245 participants with clinical mental health diagnoses, from predominantly bachelor-level backgrounds and located in different Lebanese regions, participated in the study and filled demographics data as well as assessments for stigma (Stigma Scale), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale), help-seeking(Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help-short form (ATSPPH-SF)), distress (Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K6)), and self-stigma (Self-Stigma Questionnaire (SSQ)). Results Results revealed that self-esteem and self-stigma moderated the association between stigma, psychological distress, and help-seeking attitude. At low and moderate levels of self-esteem, higher psychological distress was significantly associated with lower help-seeking attitude, while at moderate and high levels of self-stigma, higher psychological distress was associated with lower help-seeking attitude. Conclusion Stigma remains a pervasive condition closely related to increased psychological suffering, decreased self-esteem and lower tendencies to seek help. These inaccurate beliefs and stereotypes are associated with overall discomfort in people with mental disorders perceived as unpredictable, impulsive, and dangerous. It is important for public policy makers within collectivist cultures to better address these misconceptions and promote help-seeking attitudes.