BioMed Research International最新文献

{"title":"A Novel Nutritional, Thirst-Free Drink Alleviates Type 2 Diabetes: From Toxicity Studies to Human Clinical Trials.","authors":"Tai-Chi Hung, Yue-Hua Deng, Yu-Hsin Hung, Win-Ping Deng, Pao-Chang Chiang, Chun-Hao Chan, Fang-Pey Chen, Hong-Jian Wei, Abhinay Kumar Singh, Chi-Sheng Chiou","doi":"10.1155/bmri/8998340","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/8998340","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although extracts from medicine food homologous plants have been widely used as interventions for the prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it remains a major public health concern. Diabetes is also known as a \"thirsting disorder\" because it leads to the depletion of vital biomolecules in the body regardless of food or water intake and interferes with the replenishment of fluids through drinking. We developed a novel thirst-free drink (TF601) that contains a combination of traditional Chinese medicine food homologous plants extracts of Psidium guajava, Momordica charantia, Lycii Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix, and Camellia sinensis. In this study, we investigated TF601's drink subchronic toxicity evaluation in mice and an exploratory, uncontrolled clinical assessment of TF601 in patients with T2DM.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Herein, for toxicity studies, mice (male and female) were divided into a TF601-treated group and a control group. The TF601 drink was orally administered for 90 days to evaluate its toxicity. The mice were monitored daily for the appearance of any clinical signs. Their food intake and body weight changes were measured every week. Hematological, biochemical, and histopathological changes were also evaluated. For the exploratory human study, 14 patients with T2DM were enrolled in an uncontrolled pilot trial and glucose levels, hemoglobin A1c percentage, oral glucose tolerance levels, and body weight were monitored from baseline to 2 months later.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Oral administration of TF601 drink in mice did not develop any clinical signs, nor did they die due to the treatment. No changes were noted in body weight, food intake, or liver, kidney, or brain histology. However, slightly significant changes were observed in the hematological and biochemical parameters only in male mice as compared with control mice. In the human clinical trial, significant improvements were noted in T2DM patients' glucose levels, and liver and kidney functions after a 2-month treatment with TF601. Overall, our toxicity studies in animals and clinical trials in humans revealed that TF601 drink was not toxic, alleviated the blood glucose level, and maintained body weight in T2DM patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that TF601 is well tolerated in a 90-day mouse toxicity study and may exhibit potential glucose-modulating effects in patients with T2DM. However, the human data are preliminary, and controlled clinical trials with larger sample sizes are required to confirm efficacy and safety.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Center for Traditional Medicine of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, IRB of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (2021-08-011C), on August 18, 2021 retrospectively registered. https://vghtpe.cims.tw/wiPtms/index.html.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e8998340"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13072053/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147670348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advances of Green-Synthesized Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications.","authors":"Md Hosne Mobarak, Md Zobair Al Mahmud, Amran Hossain, Md Arman Hossain Abir, Nayem Hossain, Mohammad Asaduzzaman Chowdhury","doi":"10.1155/bmri/9207147","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/9207147","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In biomedical nanotechnology, plant-mediated production of metallic nanoparticles has become a viable and physiologically adaptable method that offers decreased toxicity, enhanced biocompatibility, and functional surface modification by phytochemical capping. In addition to altering physicochemical characteristics, including size, shape, crystallinity, and surface charge, plant extracts also function as reducing, stabilizing, and capping agents, allowing for controlled nanoparticle production. Antimicrobial efficacy, cytotoxic selectivity, antioxidant activity, and interactions with mammalian cells are among the properties that significantly influence biological performance. The mechanistic knowledge of nanoparticle production and structure-activity correlations has been made easier by developments in spectroscopic, microscopic, and surface analytical methods. When taken as a whole, plant-derived nanoparticles show encouraging biomedical potential in antimicrobial therapy, anticancer applications, wound healing, and drug delivery assisted by nanocarriers. However, they also pose issues with standardization, reproducibility, and translational scalability. This semisystematic review summarizes recent advancements in the synthesis, characterization, and biomedical applications of plant-derived nanoparticles, highlighting quantitative trends, mechanistic insights, and important knowledge gaps pertinent to future clinical translation. It covers literature from 2015 to 2024 and analyzes over 120 studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e9207147"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13045281/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147589727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advances in Human and Animal Germinal Center Models In Vitro: New Approaches to Studying Immune Responses.","authors":"Rocio Quinto-Manzanares, Alondra Yareli Martínez-Mora, Velia Verónica Rangel-Ramírez, Jesús Martínez-Barnetche, Hilda Minerva González-Sánchez","doi":"10.1155/bmri/2510652","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/bmri/2510652","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Germinal centers (GCs) are dynamic structures in secondary lymphoid organs where B cells undergo antigen-driven clonal selection, affinity maturation by somatic hypermutation (SHM), and class switch recombination (CSR), resulting in the generation of high-affinity antigen-specific long-lived plasma cells and memory B cells. Reconstructing these processes in vitro is critical for mechanistic studies and for advancing translational applications in vaccinology and immunotherapy. This review examines human and murine approaches to in vitro models of GC-like reactions, including conventional cultures, three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds, organoids, and microfluidic systems. We summarize the stimuli and culture conditions used across studies, highlighting common requirements, as well as model-specific strategies. Most models effectively induced B cell proliferation, CSR, and plasma cell differentiation. In contrast, SHM and clonal selection, key features of the GC, were less frequently shown, reflecting the technical complexity of reproducing these events in vitro. Finally, we outline the main challenges in recreating a fully functional GC and suggest future directions for refining these models to more closely mimic the secondary lymphoid organ environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e2510652"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13636671/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149103602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute Hypoxia Induces Cardiomyocyte Autophagy via SIRT5/mTOR/ULK1 Pathway.","authors":"Yunle Wang, Hongqi Wei, Yuxuan Wu, Yang Luo","doi":"10.1155/bmri/8867024","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/8867024","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of SIRT5 in acute myocardial hypoxia and to further explore its function during this pathological process.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>We analyzed the microarray dataset GSE27975 derived from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between hypoxic and normoxic cardiomyocytes. We divided C57BL/6 J mice into two groups: the sham group and the acute myocardial infarction (MI) group. Heart functions were detected by echocardiogram, and heart tissue was harvested on the 3rd day after MI for the detection of autophagy and SIRT5 expression. To further study the mechanism of Sirt5 in hypoxic cardiomyocytes, we divided H9C2 cells into four groups: the control group, the hypoxia group, the Sirt5-knockdown group and the Sirt5-knockdown + hypoxia group and detected Sirt5 expression, cell autophagy and potential pathway.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 156 genes were highly expressed, and 185 genes were expressed at low levels between hypoxic and normoxic cardiomyocytes. SIRT5 was expressed at low levels in the hypoxia group. In vivo, we generated the MI mouse model, and heart function was decreased. The expression of SIRT5 in heart tissue was decreased after MI, whereas the autophagy level was increased. In vitro, after we knocked down Sirt5 in H9C2 cardiomyocytes, autophagy was significantly increased. Meanwhile the expression of p-mTOR and p-ULK1 changed, whereas both mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory capacity were maintained.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Acute hypoxia reduces SIRT5 expression may be associated with cardiomyocyte autophagy. Knockdown Sirt5 in H9C2s could activate autophagy via mTOR/ULK1 pathway and preserve mitochondrial function.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e8867024"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13651711/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149134812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High Anemia Awareness Does Not Mitigate Insomnia Risk in Ghanaian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Livingstone Agyapong, Jason Brian Apreku, Isaac Acheampong, Godsway Kpeglo, Obed Nana Kwesi Ansaful, Emmanuella Sagoe, Christiana Efua Dadzie, Akrofi Charlotte Sirbah, Mohammed Awal Yusif, Safianu Apalebilah, Gabriel Owusu, David Mawutor Donkor, Dion Siame, Joseph Boachie","doi":"10.1155/bmri/8968775","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/8968775","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Anemia and insomnia represent significant public health concerns among university students. However, their interrelationship and the potential role of anemia prevention knowledge in mitigating these conditions remain unexplored in Ghanaian tertiary institutions.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study determined the prevalence of anemia and insomnia among Ghanaian university students. Likewise, the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding anemia prevention and the association between anemia prevention knowledge and insomnia status were explored.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 undergraduate students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Hemoglobin levels were measured using a HemoCue analyzer. Structured questionnaires assessed sociodemographic characteristics, anemia knowledge, attitudes, and practices, whereas the Insomnia Severity Index evaluated sleep health. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Anemia prevalence was 34.0%, with females disproportionately affected. Moderate-to-severe insomnia affected 13.8% of students. No significant association was found between anemia status and insomnia (χ² = 2.639, p = 0.125). Anemia prevention knowledge was generally high (58.8% good knowledge) but showed no protective effect against insomnia (aOR = 1.08, p = 0.814). Health-related faculty students demonstrated superior anemia knowledge across multiple domains compared to nonhealth peers (p < 0.001). Age ≥ 25 years independently predicted insomnia (aOR = 4.44, p = 0.012). Female sex (aOR = 0.135, p < 0.001) and Christian religious affiliation (aOR = 0.298, p = 0.018) were significant predictors of anemia.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Anemia and insomnia are prevalent but unrelated conditions among Ghanaian university students. Anemia prevention knowledge alone does not confer protection against insomnia. Targeted interventions should address sex-specific nutritional vulnerabilities and age-related sleep disturbances through integrated campus health programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e8968775"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13650385/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149134822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dry Eye Symptoms and Ocular Discomfort Among Palestinian University Students With and Without Contact Lens Use: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Lemar Edhilie, Ayah Yousef, Faten Dawoud, Bisan Ziyada, Hamza Abualhasan, Mustafa Ghanim, Maha Rabayaa, Malik Alqub, Mohammad Abuawad, Ithar M Beshtawi","doi":"10.1155/bmri/7797861","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/7797861","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ocular dryness and discomfort are commonly reported by contact lens wearers, particularly among young adults. This study evaluated self-reported ocular symptoms among Palestinian university students and compared contact lens users with nonusers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Palestinian university students using dry eye symptom (DES) items, the Contact Lens Dry Eye Questionnaire-8 (CLDEQ-8), and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). Descriptive, comparative, and multivariable analyses were performed to examine ocular symptoms and their associations with contact lens use and relevant participant characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 408 students participated, of whom 202 (49.5%) were contact lens users and 87.7% were female. Dryness and sandy/gritty sensation were reported significantly more frequently by contact lens users than nonusers (both p < 0.001). Among contact lens users, 82.7% had OSDI scores ≥ 13, compared with 78.1% of nonusers; however, neither OSDI symptom-category distribution (p = 0.496) nor mean OSDI score (29.18 ± 19.05 vs. 26.84 ± 17.65; p = 0.20) differed significantly between groups. Among contact lens users, CLDEQ-8 responses indicated a high burden of lens-related discomfort and dryness. In multivariable analysis, contact lens use was not independently associated with OSDI score after adjustment for gender and daily screen exposure (B = 2.15, 95% CI -1.46 to 5.77; p = 0.242). Participants reporting > 8 h/day of screen exposure had significantly higher OSDI scores than those reporting 2-4 h/day (B = 10.37, 95% CI 0.45 to 20.29; p = 0.040).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Self-reported ocular dryness and discomfort were common among Palestinian university students. Contact lens users reported some ocular symptoms more frequently and experienced substantial lens-related discomfort, but contact lens use was not independently associated with greater overall OSDI symptom burden after adjustment for gender and screen exposure. Because objective tear-film and ocular-surface assessments were not performed, these findings should not be interpreted as establishing dry eye disease or attributing the reported symptoms specifically to contact lens wear.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e7797861"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13676028/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149215013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ameliorative Effects of Nypa fruticans Leaf Extract on Anxiety and Depression: Evidence From In Vivo and In Silico Studies.","authors":"Farhana Islam, Sabbir Ahmed, Jannatul Ferdous, Mostafa Kamal, Asma Aktar, Fariya Islam Rodru, Md Nurul Islam, Al Riyad Hasan","doi":"10.1155/bmri/1243521","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/1243521","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Ethnopharmacological relevance: </strong>Nypa fruticans (Arecaceae) has long been used in traditional medicine for the management of anxiety, insomnia, and depressive symptoms. However, scientific validation of its neuropharmacological activities and active constituents is limited.</p><p><strong>Aim of the study: </strong>This study evaluated the anxiolytic, antidepressant, and sedative activities of the ethyl acetate fraction of Nypa fruticans (NF) leaves (EaNFL) through in vivo behavioral models and in silico molecular docking (MD) and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) to provide scientific support for its traditional CNS use.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Neuropharmacological activities of EaNFL were assessed in mice using elevated plus maze (EPM), hole board test (HBT), open field test (OFT), hole cross test (HCT), tail suspension test (TST), and forced swimming test (FST). Major phytochemicals identified from EaNFL were subjected to MD analysis against voltage-gated potassium channels (PDB: 4UUJ), GABA-A receptors (PDB: 6X3X), and human serotonin transporter (PDB: 5I6X). Top-binding compounds were further analyzed using MDS to assess receptor-ligand stability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>EaNFL (400 mg/kg) showed significant anxiolytic activity in EPM and HBT, dose-dependent sedative properties in HCT and OFT, and notable antidepressant-like effects in TST and FST. However, reduced locomotor activity may have contributed to some of the observed behavioral outcomes. MD revealed that myricetin (CID 5281672) and quercetin (CID 5280343) predicted stable interactions and favorable binding affinities with major CNS-related receptors, as suggested by MDS analysis. Additionally, (-)-epicatechin (CID 72276) and rosmarinic acid (CID 5281792) exhibited favorable receptor interactions, suggesting therapeutic potential in anxiety, insomnia, and depression.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>EaNFL possesses notable anxiolytic, sedative, and antidepressant-like effects, supporting its traditional use in CNS disorders. MD and MDS findings suggest that myricetin, quercetin, and (-)-epicatechin acid may be key bioactive constituents underlying these effects. Further studies are warranted to elucidate molecular mechanisms and explore its pharmaceutical potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e1243521"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13128989/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147761390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Carboxymethylation and Evaluation of Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Starch as a Potential Super-Disintegrant in Tablet Formulations.","authors":"Tsegay Abraha, Fantahun Molla, Amanuel Teklebrhan, Huria Hussen, Afewerk Getachew","doi":"10.1155/bmri/4575160","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/4575160","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a significant source of starch in Ethiopia, with potential pharmaceutical applications. However, native starches often require modifications to enhance their utility, particularly as disintegrants. Carboxymethylation is a well-known modification that improves swelling and disintegration capacity. Therefore, this study is aimed at evaluating carboxymethylated cassava starch (CMCS) as a tablet disintegrant.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>CMCSs were produced using monochloroacetic acid under varying reaction conditions. Structural modification was confirmed with FTIR spectroscopy. Physicochemical and powder properties, including degree of substitution (DS), swelling power, viscosity, and flow behavior, were characterized using standard methods. Tablets were prepared using the direct compression method. The tablets were assessed for physical characteristics, disintegration, and dissolution to compare the disintegrant performance of CMCS, native cassava starch (NCS), and sodium starch glycolate (SSG).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine CMCS batches were obtained from the modification process and confirmed by FTIR analysis. CMCSs showed improved characteristics such as hydration capacity, swelling power, and solubility compared to NCS. Specifically, CMCS7 (DS = 0.227) exhibited comparable flow, swelling, hydration, and viscosity to SSG. Thus, it was selected as an optimal batch to be used as a disintegrant. Tablets formulated with CMCS7 exhibited superior mechanical strength, low friability, and higher disintegration efficiency ratios compared to NCS while performing comparably to SSG. Tablets containing CMCS showed comparable disintegration to SSG and enhanced initial dissolution.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>CMCS demonstrated promising disintegrant properties and could serve as a potential alternative local super-disintegrant in pharmaceutical tablet formulations.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e4575160"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13355292/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148418417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrophysiological Modeling and Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Cardiac Sodium Channels in Brugada Syndrome.","authors":"F Shakibaei, S H Sabzpoushan","doi":"10.1155/bmri/4900599","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/4900599","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a rare but potentially fatal genetic cardiac disorder, primarily caused by mutations in sodium and potassium ion channels, leading to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Despite advances in computational modeling, the precise effects of ionic environment and channel kinetics on BrS-related action potentials remain incompletely understood. In this study, we developed a flexible electrophysiological model of cardiac sodium channels using a modifiable Richards activation function to simulate major BrS phenotypes and optimized the shape parameter (h) using particle swarm optimization (PSO). In parallel, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to analyze Na⁺ ion behavior in the selectivity filter under varying ionic conditions, providing molecular-level insights into channel function. Results revealed that tuning the h parameter significantly improved key features of the action potential, including amplitude (APA), duration (APD), and time to peak (t_peak), aligning them more closely with physiological profiles. The protein structure was simulated in a solvated box using the AMBER03 force field under transmembrane potentials of 100-200 mV and at an ionic strength of 0.14 M. RMSD analysis confirmed greater structural stability of the protein in the presence of ionic strength; however, the additional ions created localized electric fields that initially disrupted ion flux. Increasing the applied voltage and cutoff radius to 1.4 nm reactivated ion transport, reproducing the \"knock-on\" mechanism. Sensitivity analysis indicated that certain models exhibited stronger responses to changes in the activation function, highlighting their suitability for personalized modeling. The proposed model, without altering the fundamental channel structure, successfully simulates genetic dysfunctions by adjusting a single key parameter. It provides a practical framework for simulation-based analysis of sodium channel dysfunction, arrhythmia risk assessment, and the exploration of personalized cardiac modeling strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e4900599"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13373304/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148454358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rapid Measurement of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Using a Tube Positioned at a 45° Angle Compared With the Westergren Reference Method.","authors":"Francis Agyei Amponsah, Benedicta Serwaa Obeng, Otchere Addai-Mensah, Lilian Antwi Boateng, Benedict Sackey, Isaac Acheampong, Prince Adoba, Edward Yaw Afriyie, Anthony Dwamena, Samuel Kwasi Appiah, Philip Amo-Kodieh, Felicia Broni Nartey","doi":"10.1155/bmri/8860256","DOIUrl":"10.1155/bmri/8860256","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a routine hematological test that can detect and track an increase in the body's inflammatory activity caused by infections, tumors, or autoimmune diseases. Although the test has lower specificity than C-reactive protein in assessing inflammation, it is widely used in resource-limited countries such as Ghana due to its low cost and ease of performance. The conventional Westergren method of ESR estimation takes 1 h, and this could hinder the availability of results in routine clinical workflows. It is in view of this that the present study sought to reduce the turnaround time without compromising on test accuracy by using a method that involved positioning the tube at an angle of 45°.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This experimental analytical method comparison study recruited 100 participants (50 pregnant and 50 healthy blood donors) aged between 15 and 40 years. Five milliliters of venous blood was taken from each participant and added to trisodium citrate anticoagulant in a fixed blood-to-anticoagulant ratio of 4:1. For each study participant, two Westergren-Katz tubes were filled with the diluted blood to the 200 mm mark, and one was held vertically at 90° while the other was set at an angle of 45° at room temperature. The ESR value was recorded after 1 h for the vertically (90°) set tube, while the ESR value was read every minute for 10 min for the tube placed at an angle of 45°.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ESR results obtained from the 6^th to the 10^th minutes for the tubes placed at an angle of 45° showed comparable results to those recorded at the end of an hour for the tubes set vertically at 90° in both pregnant women and the healthy blood donors (p > 0.05). In both study groups, Bland-Altman plots revealed that ESR measurements taken at the 8^th minute at 45° had the best agreement with minimal bias to ESR values at 90° for 1 h.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study proved that the turnaround time for the ESR test could be reduced to 8 min if the tube is positioned at an angle of 45°.</p>","PeriodicalId":9007,"journal":{"name":"BioMed Research International","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e8860256"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13280657/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148275884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}