Background and Objectives: Ulcerative colitis is chronic and/or progressive inflammation of the colorectal mucosa and submucosa and represents one of two major inflammatory bowel diseases. Ulcerative colitis has been associated with increased risk of arteriosus and venous thrombosis. There are numerous factors responsible for this; one of them is platelet activation and aggregation. The objective of our study was to determine if different treatment options for ulcerative colitis have an impact on platelet aggregation. Materials and Methods: This research was a prospective, observational study and included 94 newly diagnosed patients with UC divided into four treatment groups. For all patients, we measured platelet aggregability by using an impedance aggregometry method with a multiplate analyzer before and after treatment with infliximab, adalimumab, vedolizumab and azathioprine. A Paired Samples t test was performed in order to determine the difference in platelet aggregability before and after a certain therapy, since the data followed a normal distribution. Taking into account the impact of some clinical characteristics, multiple linear regression was conducted for the purpose of estimating the effect of therapy on the level of reduction in platelet aggregability. Results: All four drugs significantly reduced platelet aggregability. After we excluded the influence of clinical and endoscopic scores and disease localization on the results, we found that infliximab had the greatest anti-platelet activity. Conclusions: In addition to the well-known traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis, activation and aggregation of platelets play a significant role in the development of arterial thrombosis, and our results suggested that therapy use for the treatment of UC, especially infliximab, can have a great impact on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality by decreasing platelet aggregability.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness with a poor quality of life (QoL). The main aim of this study was to measure the QoL and factors that affect the QoL of patients with schizophrenia placed in a social welfare institution. This cross-sectional study included 287 patients with schizophrenia who were treated in a long-stay social care institution in which QoL was assessed using five different instruments: the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale, the EuroQoL Five-Dimension-Five-Level scale (including the visual analog scale), the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire – Short Form, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. To determine the impact of patients’ characteristics on score values, multiple linear regression using backward elimination was employed. Due to non-normality in the distribution of the dependent variables, a Box–Cox power transformation was applied to each dependent variable prior to conducting multiple linear regression analysis. Results revealed that patients with schizophrenia have lower QoL. Our study revealed that age, level of education, type of accommodation, type of pavilion, age of onset of the disease, number of prescribed antipsychotics, number of psychiatric comorbidities, duration of therapy, and the number of daily doses of antipsychotics are dominant contributors to the QoL in patients with schizophrenia who were treated in social welfare institution.

This study utilizes data from the fourth National Health Survey conducted in 2019. in the Republic of Serbia, aiming to contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the mobility of the elderly population. It examines the sociodemographic and psychosocial factors associated with functional limitations in older adults. By analyzing variables such as age, gender, marital status, education, income, social support, and mental health, the study seeks to explain their impact on the prevalence of walking limitations.Questionnaires were employed as a research instrument in line with the methodology of the European Health Survey (EHIS). The analysis is based on a sample of 3,705 participants aged 65 and above. Statistical significance between variables was assessed using the Chi-square test. Post-hoc comparisons were performed using pairwise z-tests. Univariate logistic regression was employed to identify predictors of walking difficulties. Additionally, multivariable logistic regression was conducted to further explore predictors while adjusting for potential confounding variables, with odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals estimated.Women exhibit significantly higher prevalence of walking difficulties compared to men (p < 0.001). There is a significant variation in the prevalence of walking difficulties among different age groups. Individuals aged 75-84 show the highest prevalence in all categories of walking difficulties, with particular significance in the categories of "no difficulty," "some difficulty," and "unable to walk at all" (p < 0.001). Higher levels of education generally correlate with lower prevalence of walking difficulties. Married or partnered individuals have 0.522 times lower odds of reporting difficulties in walking compared to singles (p < 0.05). Individuals with lower wealth index (1-Least affluent) have significantly higher prevalence of walking difficulties.This knowledge can inform targeted interventions to enhance mobility and improve the overall well-being of older individuals.

N-myristoyl transferase has a key role in the myristoylation of vital proteins and is necessary for the growth and synthesis of material for the survival of various fungi. Due to the difference in the structure of fungal and mammalian N-myristoyl transferase, the crystal structure of the N-myristoyl transferase originating from Candida albicans was used as the target molecule. The present in silico study aims to design compounds, benzofuran derivatives, and simulate the interactions of the compounds and the amino acid sequences of the active center N-myristoyl transferases from Candida albicans using the molecular docking method. The highest number of significant binding interactions is realized by the derivative 4. Affinity toward the N-myristoyl transferase active site was very similar to the co-crystallized ligand, and important hydrogen interactions were retained. Based on the obtained results of molecular docking, it can be concluded that derivative 4 has the potential to inhibit N-myristoyl transferase, on which future research of its antifungal activity can be based.

Background: Cydonia oblonga Mill. is a promising plant-derived ingredient for topical formulations due to its phytochemical composition and potential biological and technological properties. This study aimed to evaluate C. oblonga extract as a multifunctional cosmetic ingredient and investigate its concentration-dependent effects on the physicochemical, rheological, and sensory properties of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. Materials and Methods: Aqueous and 70% ethanolic extracts were prepared by maceration and reflux extraction and evaluated for phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity. The selected extract was assessed for in vitro biocompatibility and antibacterial activity and incorporated at increasing concentrations (1%, 3%, and 5%) into O/W emulsion creams prepared by a conventional hot emulsification method, involving separate heating of the oil and aqueous phases, followed by their combination under mechanical stirring and subsequent addition of the extract during cooling. The formulations were evaluated for pH, steady-shear, oscillatory and thixotropic rheological properties, and sensory characteristics. Results: Ethanolic reflux extraction yielded the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the strongest DPPH radical-scavenging activity, with chlorogenic acid identified as the predominant phenolic compound. The extract maintained cell viability above 70% in HaCaT keratinocytes and MRC-5 fibroblasts and showed concentration-dependent antibacterial activity. Increasing extract concentration lowered formulation pH and increased structural strength and resistance to deformation, while all formulations retained shear-thinning behavior. Sensory evaluation revealed significant differences in thickness, stickiness, and spreadability. Conclusions: C. oblonga extract demonstrated favorable biocompatibility and multifunctional technological potential for the development of topical semisolid formulations.

Background and Objectives: This study examined changes in hearing handicap and quality of life following hearing amplification in older adults and associations of hearing aid outcomes and healthcare communication satisfaction with post-amplification quality of life. Materials and Methods: This prospective, multicenter study included 117 adults aged over 60 years with bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss and no previous hearing aid use. Hearing handicap, quality of life, hearing aid outcomes, and healthcare communication satisfaction were assessed using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE), WHOQOL-BREF, International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA), and a 12-item communication satisfaction measure, respectively. Results: Hearing amplification was associated with significantly reduced hearing handicap and improved quality of life across all WHOQOL-BREF domains (p < 0.01). Healthcare communication satisfaction also improved significantly (p < 0.001). Better hearing aid outcomes were associated with higher post-amplification quality of life across all domains, remaining independently associated after adjustment for baseline quality of life and participant characteristics. Greater healthcare communication satisfaction was positively associated with all quality-of-life domains but remained independently associated only with social relationships after adjustment. Conclusions: Hearing amplification was associated with reduced hearing handicap, improved quality of life, and greater healthcare communication satisfaction. Better hearing aid outcomes were independently associated with higher quality of life across all domains, whereas communication satisfaction was independently associated only with social relationships. This finding warrants caution given the lower internal consistency of that domain.