The last few months of 2019 witnessed the emergence, rise and rapid spread of a novel coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing an acute respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19. Severe pathological manifestations of the disease in the infected population with comorbidities are linked to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), associated with an exaggerated synthesis and expression of cytokines, leading to a systemic inflammatory response also known as a cytokine storm (CS). Elderly patients (> 60 years of age) showed more deaths in Covid-19 infection. Age-related immune imbalance increases patient susceptibility to CS. In acute Covid-19 infection, it is difficult to minimize or control the overproduction of cytokines; hence, limited medical treatments are effective. This review aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge of involvement of cytokines in SARS-CoV-2 infection, susceptibility factors for the accompanying cytokine storm in severe Covid-19 cases and possible treatment strategies.

Aging causes gradual changes in free radicals, antioxidants, and immune-imbalance in the elderly. This study aims to understand links among aging, gluco-oxidative stress, and autoantibodies in asymptomatic individuals. In vitro glycation of human serum albumin (Gly-HSA) induces appreciable biochemical changes. Significant inhibition of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation was achieved using garlic extract (53.75%) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea (72.5%). Increased amounts of serum carbonyl content (2.42 ± 0.5) and pentosidine (0.0321 ± 0.0029) were detected in IV-S (S represent smokers) vs. IV group individuals. Direct binding ELISA results exhibited significantly high autoantibodies against Gly-HSA in group IV-S (0.55 ± 0.054; p < 0.001) and III-S (0.40 ± 0.044; p < 0.01) individuals as compared to the age matched subjects who were non-smokers (group IV and III). Moreover, high average percent inhibition (51.3 ± 4.1%) was obtained against Gly-HSA in IV-S group individuals. Apparent association constant was found to be high for serum immunoglobulin-G (IgG) from group IV-S (1.18 × 10⁻⁶ M) vs. serum IgG from IV group (3.32 × 10⁻⁷ M). Aging induced gluco-oxidative stress and AGEs formation may generate neo-epitopes on blood-proteins, contributing to production of autoantibodies in the elderly, especially smokers. Use of anti-glycation natural products may reduce age-related pathophysiological changes.

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by green synthesis using plant leaf extraction of Ochradenus baccatus and characterized by XRD, FESEM, HRTEM, and Raman spectroscopy techniques. Since elevated CO levels have been associated with inflammatory conditions, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory disorders and the methane gas primarily produced by gut microbiota and linked to gastrointestinal disorders and other abnormal methane levels in breath samples, the nanoparticles were applied for gas sensor fabrication. Thus, the gas sensors fabricated using ZnO nanoparticles were investigated for CH₄, H₂, CO, and NO₂ gases. The gas sensing was performed for the fabricated sensors at various operating temperatures and gas concentrations. Interestingly, leaf-extracted green synthesized ZnO NPs were more sensitive to CH₄, CO, and NO₂ gases than to H₂. The results of sensing studies revealed that the nanoparticles exhibit a selectivity toward gas depending on the gas type. The sensor response was also studied against the humidity. These findings bridge between the laboratory and industry sectors for future gas sensors development, which can be used for exhaled breath analysis and serve as potential diagnostic tools for highly sensitive contagious diseases.

Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent, proinflammatory disease that can cause various dysfunctions. The main clinical manifestations of endometriosis include chronic pelvic pain and impaired fertility. The disease is characterized by a spectrum of dysfunctions spanning hormonal signaling, inflammation, immune dysregulation, angiogenesis, neurogenic inflammation, epigenetic alterations, and tissue remodeling. Dysregulated hormonal signaling, particularly involving estrogen and progesterone, drives abnormal growth and survival of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. Chronic inflammation, marked by immune cell infiltration and inflammatory mediator secretion, perpetuates tissue damage and pain. Altered immune function, impaired ectopic tissue clearance, and dysregulated cytokine production contribute to immune dysregulation. Enhanced angiogenesis promotes lesion growth and survival. Epigenetic modifications influence gene expression patterns, e.g., HSD11B1 gene, affecting disease pathogenesis. Endometriosis related changes and infertility lead to depression in diagnosed women. Depression changes lifestyle and induces physiological and immunological changes. A higher rate of depression and anxiety has been reported in women diagnosed with endometriosis, unleashing physiological, clinical and immune imbalances which further accelerate chronic endometriosis or vice versa. Thus, both endometriosis and depression are concomitantly part of a vicious cycle that enhance disease complications. A multidimensional treatment strategy is needed which can cater for both endometrial disease and depression and anxiety disorders.

Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive cancer with high microvascular proliferation, resulting in accelerated invasion and diffused infiltration into the surrounding brain tissues with very low survival rates. Treatment options are often multimodal, such as surgical resection with concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The development of resistance of tumor cells to radiation in the areas of hypoxia decreases the efficiency of such treatments. Additionally, the difficulty of ensuring drugs effectively cross the natural blood–brain barrier (BBB) substantially reduces treatment efficiency. These conditions concomitantly limit the efficacy of standard chemotherapeutic agents available for GB. Indeed, there is an urgent need of a multifunctional drug vehicle system that has potential to transport anticancer drugs efficiently to the target and can successfully cross the BBB. In this review, we summarize some nanoparticle (NP)-based therapeutics attached to GB cells with antigens and membrane receptors for site-directed drug targeting. Such multicore drug delivery systems are potentially biodegradable, site-directed, nontoxic to normal cells and offer long-lasting therapeutic effects against brain cancer. These models could have better therapeutic potential for GB as well as efficient drug delivery reaching the tumor milieu. The goal of this article is to provide key considerations and a better understanding of the development of nanotherapeutics with good targetability and better tolerability in the fight against GB.

Objective: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the backbone of the healthcare system and a skilled and healthy workforce is vital during a health crisis, such as the present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Healthcare workers are at higher risk of exposure to and transmission of the severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Hence, HCWs should possess good knowledge and attitudes toward COVID-19 to protect not only themselves but also their colleagues, families and the larger community. Thus, the current study aims to assess the knowledge and practice of protective measures by HCWs in Saudi Arabia during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify awareness of the disease, potential trends and associated predictors. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based study was conducted among HCWs about knowledge related to COVID-19 and practice of protective measures, such as social distancing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic. A Fisher exact test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to investigate the level of association among variables. Results: A total of 674 HCWs were recruited in the study (51.8% male, 42.7% aged 28– 37 years old and 52% specialists). The Saudi Ministry of Health (MoH) was the main source of knowledge for most of the HCWs (89%) followed by the WHO (44.5%) and social media (42.3%). Washing hands before touching the face was the most selected choice (97.9%) as a precautionary method to limit SARS-CoV2 transmission. Most of the HCWs (74.6%) scored low for staying at home while the majority (71.2%) showed a high practice of personal protective methods, with pharmacists and general physicians scoring the highest. Conclusion: Saudi HCWs showed high knowledge and practice of protective measures for COVID-19. Good knowledge correlates with adoption of appropriate practices to prevent spread of infection. The current findings highlight the importance of interventions such as tailored education and training courses for those with low scores to improve overall knowledge and practice.