The escalating prevalence of metabolic and cardiometabolic disorders, often characterized by oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, poses significant health challenges globally. As the traditional therapeutic approaches may sometimes fall short in managing these health conditions, attention is growing toward nutraceuticals worldwide; with compounds being obtained from natural sources with potential therapeutic beneficial effects being shown to potentially support and, in some cases, replace pharmacological treatments, especially for individuals who do not qualify for conventional pharmacological treatments. This review delves into the burgeoning field of nutraceutical-based pharmacological modulation as a promising strategy for attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation in metabolic and cardiometabolic disorders. Drawing from an extensive body of research, the review showcases various nutraceutical agents, such as polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, which exhibit antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. All these can be classified as novel nutraceutical-based drugs that are capable of regulating pathways to mitigate oxidative-stress- and inflammation-associated metabolic diseases. By exploring the mechanisms through which nutraceuticals interact with oxidative stress pathways and immune responses, this review highlights their potential to restore redox balance and temper chronic inflammation. Additionally, the challenges and prospects of nutraceutical-based interventions are discussed, encompassing bioavailability enhancement, personalized treatment approaches, and clinical translation. Through a comprehensive analysis of the latest scientific reports, this article underscores the potential of nutraceutical-based pharmacological treatment modulation as a novel avenue to fight oxidative stress and inflammation in the complex landscape of metabolic disorders, particularly accentuating their impact on cardiovascular health.

Precision nutrition has emerged as a promising strategy for the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by targeting molecular pathways underlying insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. Accumulating evidence indicates that dietary patterns, caloric intake, and specific nutrients can modulate gene expression and epigenetic mechanisms involved in insulin signaling, inflammation, and energy homeostasis. This narrative review synthesizes recent human and experimental studies (2025–2026) examining how dietary components influence transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of insulin signaling and glucose metabolism in the context of T2DM prevention. A total of 29 peer-reviewed studies were included, encompassing dietary patterns, macronutrient manipulation, micronutrient and bioactive supplementation, and gene–diet interactions. Very-low-calorie diets consistently induced coordinated modulation of key metabolic genes, including downregulation of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) and upregulation of PDK4, CPT1, and AMPK, reflecting a metabolic shift toward enhanced fatty acid oxidation and improved insulin sensitivity. In contrast, high-fat and fructose-rich diets promoted proinflammatory gene expression and immune activation, contributing to insulin resistance. Plant-based and vegan dietary patterns were associated with reduced epigenetic aging and improved insulin sensitivity through DNA methylation changes. Targeted interventions, including vitamin D combined with probiotics, dietary fiber, nucleotides, and trace elements such as copper, further demonstrated favorable transcriptional and epigenetic effects linked to improved glycemic control. Collectively, these findings highlight diet-driven modulation of insulin signaling and glucose metabolism at the molecular level and support nutrigenomics-guided precision nutrition as a viable preventive approach for T2DM. Integrating genetic and epigenetic insights into dietary strategies may enable more personalized and effective interventions to curb the growing global burden of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are among the most serious and costly complications of diabetes, characterised by delayed healing, frequent infections, and a high risk of recurrence. Despite advances in wound care, many current therapies fail to address the multifactorial pathophysiology of diabetic wounds, including vascular dysfunction, immune dysregulation, chronic inflammation, and microbial imbalance. In this context, topical probiotics have emerged as a promising microbiome-based strategy aimed at restoring microbial balance while promoting tissue repair. This review summarises current evidence on the use of topical probiotics in diabetic wound healing, with a particular focus on DFUs, outlining key pathophysiological barriers to healing and examining how probiotic therapies may counteract these processes through antimicrobial, antibiofilm, immunomodulatory, and pro-angiogenic mechanisms. Preclinical studies suggest that topical probiotics may promote accelerated wound closure, reduce bacterial burden, modulate inflammatory responses, and enhance collagen deposition and angiogenesis following topical probiotic application. Early clinical studies investigations remain limited to small pilot studies and case series but have reported preliminary signals of enhanced healing and acceptable short-term tolerability in small exploratory cohorts. In addition, recent advances in probiotic delivery, such as bioengineered dressings, postbiotic formulations, and nano-enabled systems designed to improve stability and therapeutic performance, are also discussed. While existing data indicate biological plausibility and early clinical feasibility, larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials and deeper mechanistic investigations are still required to confirm efficacy, clarify safety in high-risk populations, and enable responsible clinical translation.

Introduction: The world faced serious health and socioeconomic issues with the advent of COVID-19. Along with handwashing, social distancing, and the wearing of masks, vaccination was considered by medical authorities as a key way to curb the spread of the virus. One of the measures that have been proposed to increase vaccinations is the mandatory policy. The purpose of this study was to compare the determinants of voluntary and mandatory vaccination among students at Albanian University. Methodology: This cross-sectional study, conducted by means of an online survey, was conducted among students enrolled at the private Albanian University, Tirana, Albania during the last week of the winter semester, 7–14 February 2022. Results: In sum, 878 students participated in this study, among whom 612 (69.7%) were females and 266 (30%) were males. Of the participants, 506 (57%) were enrolled in medical science (MS) and 372 (42.3%) were in the non-medical science (Non-MS) group. A total of 773 (88%) were vaccinated against COVID-19, and 105 (11.8%) were not vaccinated. A total of 466 (53%) reported voluntary vaccination, and 412 (46.9%) reported mandatory vaccination. Among the students who were vaccinated voluntarily, 266 (57%) were from the MS group and 200 (42.9%) were from the Non-MS group. A total of 237 (57.5%) of students in the mandatory vaccination group were from the MS group, and 175 (42.4%) were from the Non-MS group. Conclusions: Vaccine safety and efficacy were hindering factors in vaccination. Additionally, based on the results of this study, the students felt encouraged by the academic staff to vaccinate. This clearly demonstrates that the staff does not lack the skills to enhance students’ knowledge about the risk of infectious diseases and the importance of vaccination. Therefore, to influence students’ attitudes as much as possible toward vaccination, comprehensive educational programs, including modifications of existing curricula, should be considered.

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of phenolic compounds in surface water samples from the main rivers in the Tirana area and to evaluate a rapid UV–Vis spectrophotometric approach as a screening technique. Phenolic compounds are recognized environmental pollutants originating from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The absorption spectrum of phenol was recorded and the wavelength of maximum absorbance (270.1 nm) was selected for spectrophotometric measurements. Method performance was evaluated in terms of linearity, repeatability, reproducibility and recovery following ISO 17025 recommendations. Because several organic substances present in natural waters may also absorb in the 250–280 nm region, the UV–Vis technique was applied as a rapid screening method for UV‑absorbing aromatic compounds potentially related to phenolic substances. To evaluate selectivity, selected samples were additionally analyzed using a High‑Performance Liquid Chromatography system with photodiode array detection (HPLC‑PDA) after pressurized solvent extraction (PSE). Comparison between the two techniques showed that UV–Vis results were generally 1.5–2 times higher than HPLC values, indicating the contribution of other UV‑absorbing organic compounds present in the river water matrix. The results show that the studied rivers are influenced by urban and anthropogenic activities and contain detectable levels of aromatic organic compounds. The UV–Vis method can be used as a rapid and inexpensive screening tool, while confirmatory analysis with more selective techniques such as HPLC is recommended for accurate phenol determination.