Ovarian cancer is frequently associated with recurrence and chemoresistance, representing a major clinical challenge. Among the mechanisms underlying treatment resistance, ATP-binding cassette subfamily G Member 2 (ABCG2) plays an important role in drug efflux and tumor adaptation. At the same time, radiomics has emerged as a non-invasive approach for identifying imaging biomarkers that may reflect tumor molecular characteristics. This study investigated the relationship between computed tomography (CT)-derived radiomic features and ABCG2 expression in ovarian cancer. This retrospective radiogenomic study included 70 patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas with available contrast-enhanced CT images and matched gene expression data. A single axial CT slice showing the largest tumor area was selected for analysis. Tumors were manually segmented using Horos, and the statistical analysis included univariate testing with false discovery rate correction and exploratory multivariable modeling using Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and ridge logistic regression. Five radiomic features showed nominally significant differences between ABCG2-positive and ABCG2-negative tumors, mainly involving tumor shape and attenuation characteristics. However, none remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Multivariable models showed limited predictive performance, with area under the curve values of 0.508 for LASSO and 0.598 for ridge regression. Although predictive performance was modest, CT-derived radiomic features appeared to capture subtle imaging differences associated with ABCG2 expression. These findings support the potential role of radiomics as a non-invasive tool for exploring molecular tumor phenotypes in ovarian cancer.
COVID-19 remains a major global health challenge, highlighting the urgent need for more effective treatments. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems provide a promising platform for overcoming the limitations of traditional antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory therapies. Carefully designed nanocarriers can improve how drugs move through the body, reach target cells, and are taken up, increasing antiviral effectiveness and potentially lowering systemic toxicity. In addition to serving as carriers for approved antiviral drugs, many nanomaterials possess their own antiviral properties. Since dysregulated inflammation and cytokine storms are key factors in severe COVID-19, nanomedicine also offers ways to deliver anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents directly to sites of immune activation, enabling more precise control of interleukin and cytokine release. This review covers recent developments in the design and use of nanocarriers and nanomaterials for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19, and discusses future prospects for nanotechnology in the management of viral infections.
Brain-linked pathologies such as neurodegenerative diseases, malignant brain tumors, cerebrovascular and infectious neuropathologies remain difficult to diagnose and treat because of the restrictive and disease-dependent nature of biological barriers in the central nervous system. Although nanotechnology has achieved considerable preclinical success, the clinical implementation of nanoparticle-based brain treatments has been inconsistent, and a significant gap exists between experimental models and clinical reality. Nanoparticle strategies to overcome delivery barriers are critically analyzed with particular emphasis on theranostic systems and emerging biomimetic approaches. In addition to categorizing nanoparticles by class, we incorporate blood-brain barrier (BBB) structural and functional heterogeneity along with post-BBB transport constraints, including interstitial diffusion, cellular uptake variability, and intracellular trafficking, together with nanoparticle physicochemical design parameters such as size, surface charge, and functionalization, to explain why delivery outcomes are disease- and stage-dependent. Major nanoparticle platforms, including polymeric, liposomal, dendrimeric, metallic, carbon-based, and biomimetic systems, are being considered for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, glioblastoma, stroke, and infectious brain pathologies. Integration of recent preclinical findings with emerging clinical trial evidence indicates that immune clearance, pharmacokinetic variability, limited tissue distribution, manufacturing complexity, and regulatory challenges are key contributors to translational failure. To address the trade-offs between multifunctional complexity and clinical feasibility, a disease-informed and regulation-aware framework is proposed to guide future nanoparticle development. Advancing brain nanomedicine will require coordinated progress across materials science, neuropharmacology, and translational research to move from proof of concept toward effective patient therapies.
The widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics is increasing drug resistance. The study iso-lated, characterized, and assessed the bioactivity of bacteriophages against some multi-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Using standard protocols, eight wastewater samples were obtained and used to isolate and characterize potential host enteric bacteria and bacteriophages. The wound-healing effect of the phage cocktail (PC) was evaluated by treating coinfected incision 4-cm wounds in animal groups. One hundred bacterial isolates were obtained. Six: U1, U2, S1, S2, P1, and P2, resulted in polyvalent bacteriophages. The cocktailing increased the host range to seventeen. Morphologically, the six bacterial colony sizes ranged from 1 to 6 mm and exhibited different responses to biochemical tests. The PC characterization indicated the presence of constituent phages of the host bacteria. The observed plaque morphology included small, medium, and large-sized plaques, as well as diffuse and clear plaques. The PC concentrations ranged from 3.6 × 103 to 5 × 105 PFU/ml. The adsorption times ranged from 9 to >10 min, with different burst sizes and latent periods. The bacterial isolates showed high resistance, with high multi-antibiotic resistance indices. The host bacteria were identified as Klebsiella aerogenes (U1), Citrobacter freundii (U2), Salmonella enterica (S1 and S2), and Escherichia coli (P1 and P2). Phage therapy with the PC showed significant differences in wound size (p = 0.000), with the PC groups outperforming the negative control groups. The study provides promising evidence for the potential use of phages as alternatives to antibiotics, though further research and clinical trials are necessary to establish their efficacy and safety.
Liposomal synthetic cannabidiol (LPT-CBD) is an injectable drug designed for sustained CBD release into the bloodstream. While Epidiolex, an oral CBD drug, is FDA-approved for epilepsy, the safety of its major human metabolite, 7-carboxy-CBD (7-COOH-CBD), remains unclear. To further investigate the safety of this major metabolite, a suitable animal model is needed that ac-curately reflects human levels. This study investigated the pharmacokinetics (PK) and prelimi-nary safety of subcutaneous LPT-CBD injection in rabbits and minipigs, predicted to emulate CBD human metabolism by producing high 7-COOH-CBD levels. Rabbits received doses of 12, 24, and 30 mg/kg LPT-CBD, with PK monitoring at 24 mg/kg, demonstrating sustained CBD release over 10 days. Peak CBD plasma concentra-tions were observed within 2 days; however, 7-COOH-CBD levels did not accurately mimic hu-man metabolism. The brain distribution of CBD was evaluated in all rabbits, presenting a dose-proportional level. Minipigs, administered doses of 5, 7.5, and 10 mg/kg, exhibited prolonged CBD PK, with plasma concentrations peaking within a day, and a half-lives of 4.4–7.6 days. Im-portantly, 7-COOH-CBD plasma levels exceeded those of CBD at all doses, with area under the curve values 19-100 times higher than those of CBD, aligning with human data. Safety evalua-tions in minipigs, including clinical assessments and histopathology, confirmed good tolerability with minimal injection site reactions. This study supports the prolonged PK profile of CBD fol-lowing a single subcutaneous injection of LPT-CBD, accompanied by detectable levels in the brain. Minipigs exhibited similar CBD metabolism to 7-COOH-CBD as humans do, offering a promising translational model. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of LPT-CBD and provide initial data on PK and safety profiles.
