Blood–brain barrier disruption and sustained systemic inflammation in individuals with long COVID-associated cognitive impairment

Vascular disruption has been implicated in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis and may predispose to the neurological sequelae associated with long COVID, yet it is unclear how blood–brain barrier (BBB) function is affected in these conditions. Here we show that BBB disruption is evident during acute infection and in patients with long COVID with cognitive impairment, commonly referred to as brain fog. Using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, we show BBB disruption in patients with long COVID-associated brain fog. Transcriptomic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed dysregulation of the coagulation system and a dampened adaptive immune response in individuals with brain fog. Accordingly, peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed increased adhesion to human brain endothelial cells in vitro, while exposure of brain endothelial cells to serum from patients with long COVID induced expression of inflammatory markers. Together, our data suggest that sustained systemic inflammation and persistent localized BBB dysfunction is a key feature of long COVID-associated brain fog

Geometric amplification and suppression of ice-shelf basal melt in West Antarctica

<jats:p>Abstract. Glaciers along the Amundsen Sea coastline in West Antarctica are dynamically adjusting to a change in ice-shelf mass balance that triggered their retreat and speed-up prior to the satellite era. In recent decades, the ice shelves have continued to thin, albeit at a decelerating rate, whilst ice discharge across the grounding lines has been observed to have increased by up to 100 % since the early 1990s. Here, the ongoing evolution of ice-shelf mass balance components is assessed in a high-resolution coupled ice–ocean model that includes the Pine Island, Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves. For a range of idealized ocean-forcing scenarios, the combined evolution of ice-shelf geometry and basal-melt rates is simulated over a 200-year period. For all ice-shelf cavities, a reconfiguration of the 3D ocean circulation in response to changes in cavity geometry is found to cause significant and sustained changes in basal-melt rate, ranging from a 75 % decrease up to a 75 % increase near the grounding lines, irrespective of the far-field forcing. These previously unexplored feedbacks between changes in ice-shelf geometry, ocean circulation, and basal melting have a demonstrable impact on the net ice-shelf mass balance, including grounding-line discharge, at multi-decadal timescales. They should be considered in future projections of Antarctic mass loss alongside changes in ice-shelf melt due to anthropogenic trends in the ocean temperature and salinity. </jats:p&gt

Flood resilient landscapes: area-based solutions combine added value for society with flood risk management

<jats:p>Abstract. Society faces challenges such as caring for sustainable agriculture, clean energy and restoring biodiversity, whilst developing housing and industries. Climate change meanwhile stresses the Dutch water management system, impacts flood risk management and fresh water supply. To ensure making the right decisions, which we will not regret in 100 years, we developed the concept of flood resilient landscapes. The concept of flood resilient landscapes confronts, with a perspective of long term development, desired socio-economic developments with carrying capacity and potential of underlying physical landscape conditions. The underlying principle is to create social added value while promoting or at least maintaining flood risk management, given (future) spatial and societal developments. The first results are so promising that the Dutch Flood Protection Programme aims to incorporate it. The flood resilient landscapes concept offers the prospect of keeping the Netherlands safe beyond 2100 at socially acceptable costs and with public support now and in the future and paves the way towards implementation throughout international deltas. </jats:p&gt

Nutritional properties of raw and cooked Azolla caroliniana Willd., an aquatic wild edible plant

Azolla caroliniana Willd. is an understudied wild edible plant native to the Eastern United States. Other species of Azolla have been used across the world for several thousand years as a livestock feed and as “green manure.” The use of Azolla for human consumption is thought to be limited by its high total polyphenolic content (TPC). However, the TPC and nutritional content of A. caroliniana has not been thoroughly studied. We measured TPC and other nutrients before and after cooking methods designed to lower TPC. We found that TPC was 4.26 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE) kg−1 DW in raw A. caroliniana. All cooking methods significantly lowered TPC. Protein content was 19% DW, and the apparent protein digestibility was 78.45%. Our yield was 173 g FW m−2 day−1 and 5.53 g DW m−2 day−1. Azolla caroliniana is a high-yielding plant with great potential for cultivation and domestication

Application of Pistacia atlantica Pickering emulsion-filled chitosan gel for targeted delivery of curcumin

Emulsion-filled hydrogels are a growing system in the food industry for delivering bioactive compounds. In this study, Baneh gum (BG) particles were prepared as a Pickering emulsion stabilizer for curcumin delivery. Then, BG Pickering emulsion was added to the chitosan solution (1.5%, 2.0%, and 2.5% w/w) in different Pickering emulsion (PE):hydrogel (HYD) ratios (1:3, 1:5, and 1:7) to create an emulsion-filled gel. The highest amount of Cur stability after the 3rd week of storage was observed in the sample containing 2.0% CS and a 1:7 PE:HYD ratio (97.36%). Pickering emulsion and emulsion-filled gel significantly protected the antioxidant activity of curcumin against the thermal process (p < .05). Curcumin loading in the emulsion-filled gel provided better protection against the gastric condition compared to the emulsion system. The chitosan hydrogel swells in an acidic environment, but its combination with the anionic structure of the emulsion causes a lower release of curcumin in the stomach environment, which can help the stability of curcumin in the digestive system and have a controlled release in the gastrointestinal tract

Potential anti-obesity effect of saponin metabolites from adzuki beans: A computational approach

In contrast to its widespread traditional and popular culinary use to reduce weight, Vigna angularis (adzuki beans) was not subjected to sufficient scientific scrutiny. Particularly, its saponins whose role was never investigated before to unveil the beans’ antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects. Four vital pancreatic and intestinal carbohydrate enzymes were selected to assess the potency of the triterpenoidal saponins of V. angularis to bind and activate these proteins through high-precision molecular modeling and dynamics mechanisms with accurate molecular mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MMGBSA) energy calculations; thus, recognizing their anti-obesity potential. Our results showed that adzukisaponin VI and adzukisaponin IV were the best compounds in the α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymatic grooves, respectively. Adzukisaponin VI and angulasaponin C were the best fitting in the N-termini of sucrase-isomaltose (SI) enzyme, and angulasaponin C was the best scoring compound in maltase-glucoamylase C-termini. All of them outperformed the standard drug acarbose. These compounds in their protein complexes were selected to undergo molecular simulations of the drug-bound protein compared to the apo-protein through 100 ns, which confirmed the consistency of binding to the key amino acid residues in the four enzyme pockets with the least propensity of unfolding. Detailed analysis is given of the different polar and hydrophobic binding interactions of docked compounds. While maltase–adzukisaponin VI complex scored the lowest MMGBSA free energy of −67.77 Kcal/mol, α-amylase complex with angulasaponin B revealed the free binding energy of −74.18 Kcal/mol with a dominance of van der Waals energy (ΔEVDW) and the least change from the start to the end of the simulation time. This study will direct researchers to the significance of isolating the pure adzuki saponin components to conduct future in vitro and in vivo experimental works and even clinical trials

Changes in the quality of oil extracted by hot pressing from black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds and by solvent from the obtained cake during refining

In this study, oil was extracted from black cumin (Nigella sativa) seed (BCS) by press, and oil was extracted from the obtained cake with a solvent. The changes in the quality of both crude oils obtained by pressing and by solvent were investigated during refining. Findings revealed that the p-anisidin value (p-AV) and fatty acid profile did not change significantly, but there were significant differences (p < .05) in the peroxide value (PV), reflective index, pigment contents, free fatty acid content (FFA%), and antioxidant activity (total phenol content (TPC), thymoquinone, and DPPH inhibition) of BCS oils obtained by the two different methods. PV and FFA decreased to less than 15 meqO2/kg and 0.3%, respectively, in the refined oil. The TPC (65%), thymoquinone (45–97%), carotenoids (86–89%), and chlorophyll (75–85%) were removed from BCS oil, but the DPPH value was raised by about 33%. The current study gives a clear picture of the changes during refining in BCS oil, which can be a useful guide in food applications

Structure–activity relationship of anticancer and antiplasmodial gold bis(dithiolene) complexes†

<jats:p>Two series of gold(<jats:sc>iii</jats:sc>) bis(dithiolene) complex-based therapeutic agents displaying both anticancer and antiplasmodial activities have been synthesized and characterized.</jats:p&gt

Combining QCM-D with live-cell imaging reveals the impact of serum proteins on the dynamics of fibroblast adhesion on tannic acid-functionalised surfaces†

<jats:p>Graphical abstract demonstrates fibroblast behaviour on tannic acid-coated titanium, highlighting changes in cell adhesion, spreading and motility with increasing serum concentration.</jats:p&gt

Correction: Highly potent and selective phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIβ inhibitors as broad-spectrum anti-rhinoviral agents

<jats:p>Correction for ‘Highly potent and selective phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIβ inhibitors as broad-spectrum anti-rhinoviral agents’ by Avinash G. Vishakantegowda <jats:italic>et al.</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>RSC Med. Chem.</jats:italic>, 2024, <jats:bold>15</jats:bold>, 704–719, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3MD00630A.</jats:p&gt