Artificial intelligence ethics in precision oncology: balancing advancements in technology with patient privacy and autonomy

Precision oncology is a rapidly evolving field that uses advanced technologies to deliver personalized cancer care based on a patient’s unique genetic and clinical profile. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in precision oncology has shown great potential to improve diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment outcomes. However, the integration of AI in precision oncology also raises important ethical considerations related to patient privacy, autonomy, and protection from bias. In this opinion paper, an overview is provided of previous studies that have explored the use of AI in precision oncology and the ethical considerations associated with this technology. The conclusions of these studies are compared, and the importance of approaching the use of AI in precision oncology with caution is emphasized. It is stressed that patient privacy, autonomy, and protection from bias should be made central to the development and use of AI in precision oncology. Clear guidelines and regulations must be established to ensure that AI is used ethically and for the benefit of patients. The use of AI in precision oncology has the potential to revolutionize cancer care, but it should be ensured that it striked a balance between advancements in technology and ethical considerations. In conclusion, the use of AI in precision oncology is a promising development that has the potential to improve cancer outcomes. However, ethical considerations related to patient privacy, autonomy, and protection from bias must be central to the development and use of AI in precision oncology

A Review on biomedical application of polysaccharide-based hydrogels with a focus on drug delivery systems

Over the last years of research on drug delivery systems (DDSs), natural polymer-based 18 hydrogels have shown many scientific advances due to their intrinsic properties and a wide variety 19 of potential applications. While drug efficacy and cytotoxicity play a key role, adopting a proper 20 DDS is crucial to preserve the drug along the route of administration and possess desired therapeu-21 tic effect at the targeted site. Thus, drug delivery technology can be used to overcome the difficulties 22 of maintaining drugs at a physiologically related serum concentration for prolonged periods. Due 23 to their outstanding biocompatibility, polysaccharides have been thoroughly researched as a bio-24 logical material for DDS advancement. To formulate a modified DDS, polysaccharides can cross-25 link with different molecules, resulting in hydrogels. According to our recent findings, targeted 26 drug delivery at a certain spot occurs due to external stimulation like temperature, pH, glucose, or 27 light. As an adjustable biomedical device, the hydrogel has tremendous potential for nanotech ap-28 plications in the involved health area like pharmaceutical and biomedical engineering. An overview 29 of hydrogel characteristics and functionalities is provided in this review. We focus on discussing 30 the various kinds of hydrogel-based on their potential for effectively delivering drugs that are made 31 of polysaccharides

Synthesis and Characterization of Tetracycline Loaded Methionine-Coated NiFe2O4 Nanoparticles for Anticancer and Antibacterial Applications

In the present study, nickel ferrite (NiFe(2)O(4))-based smart magnetic nanoparticles were fabricated and coated with methionine. Physiochemical characterization of the obtained Met-NiFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles revealed the presence of methionine coating over the nanoparticle surface. Drug release study indicated that Tet-Met-NiFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles possess pH-responsive controlled drug release behavior for tetracycline (Tet). The drug loading content for Tet was found to be 0.27 mg/L of nanoparticles. In vitro cytotoxicity test showed that the Met-NiFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles is biocompatible. Moreover, this magnetic nanostructured material shown strong anticancer property as these nanomaterials significantly reduced the viability of A375 cells when compared to free Tet solution. In addition, Tet-Met-NiFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles also showed strong antibacterial activity against different bacterial pathogens

Folate-Targeted Curcumin-Loaded Niosomes for Site-Specific Delivery in Breast Cancer Treatment: In Silico and In Vitro Study

As the most common cancer in women, efforts have been made to develop novel nanomedicine-based therapeutics for breast cancer. In the present study, the in silico curcumin (Cur) properties were investigated, and we found some important drawbacks of Cur. To enhance cancer therapeutics of Cur, three different nonionic surfactants (span 20, 60, and 80) were used to prepare various Cur-loaded niosomes (Nio-Cur). Then, fabricated Nio-Cur were decorated with folic acid (FA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) for breast cancer suppression. For PEG-FA@Nio-Cur, the gene expression levels of Bax and p53 were higher compared to free drug and Nio-Cur. With PEG-FA-decorated Nio-Cur, levels of Bcl2 were lower than the free drug and Nio-Cur. When MCF7 and 4T1 cell uptake tests of PEG-FA@Nio-Cur and Nio-Cur were investigated, the results showed that the PEG-FA-modified niosomes exhibited the most preponderant endocytosis. In vitro experiments demonstrate that PEG-FA@Nio-Cur is a promising strategy for the delivery of Cur in breast cancer therapy. Breast cancer cells absorbed the prepared nanoformulations and exhibited sustained drug release characteristics

Achillea millefolium: Mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic, clinical drug-drug interactions and tolerability

Background: Achillea millefolium, known as Yarrow, is a medicinal plant in the Asteraceae family which is one of the oldest known botanicals used by humans and itis one of the most important medicinal plants in the pharmaceutical field. Purpose: This review discusses pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and mechanism of action of the most important component of Achillea millefolium. There are a variety of same species such as white, red and yellow yarrow and all of these species have been discussed in this manuscript. We focus on previously discovered hormonal, antibiotic, and anticancer drug interactions with Achillea millefolium that may decrease or increase the concentration of certain drugs. We categorized different interactions of this herb into minor and serious ones, such as affecting Cytochromes P450 metabolism enzyme, resulting in a concentration rise in drugs such as Erythromycin, Diazepam, and Cyclosporine.The reason of writing a review article in this field is our enthusiasm for pharmacology of herbal ingredients and also, we want to gather other scientists’ and our knowledge in this review for future researchers who like to know more about this plant pharmacological criteria in order to make their way. Method: Pharmacological and phytochemical-specific details of Achillea millefolium, as well as related keywords, were used to conduct a literature search across the following essential collections of electronic databases: Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct. Outcome: Achillea millefolium medical indications are the treatment of spasmodic gastrointestinal ulcers, inflammation, wound healing, and cancers, as well as excellent antioxidant activity. Camphene, Limonene, Apigenin and some other components show anti-inflammatory effects by cyclooxygenase inhibition, prostaglandin E2 inhibition and other mechanisms. Studies showed 90 % of its essential oil consists of monoterpenes which can be mutually beneficial with extract components. Conclusion: A. millefolium can play a significant role as a strong antioxidant and anticancer source, positively affecting gastrointestinal inflammations

Bioengineered DNA-decorated UiO-66-based nanocarriers for combined administration of doxorubicin and sorafenib: Hepatocellular carcinoma treatment and chemotherapy

Natural biomaterials were used to decorate UiO-66-NH2 to develop a platform for co-drug delivery of doxorubicin and sorafenib as a cost-effective and easy way to use a drug delivery system (DDS). To properly characterize the modified MOFs, standard analytical methods were used. Then doxorubicin and sorafenib were loaded into and onto the porosity of the MOF, UiO-66-NH2. The surface morphological analysis, FESEM, and TEM images revealed the hexagonal structure of the UiO-66-NH2, demonstrating the successful synthesis of these green MOFs. Internalization and loading of doxorubicin on the MCF-7 cell line was investigated with two-dimensional fluorescence microscopy, which shows that drug internalizations on the cancerous cells were successful and promising. The drug payload of 49.5% and 31.2% for doxorubicin and sorafenib were attained, respectively. Study on the MCF-7 HT-29 and HEK-293 cell lines exhibited excellent cell viability when subjected to both low and high concentrations of 0.1 µg.mL−1 and 50 µg.mL−1, respectively. After 24 h of treatment, the relative cell viability of 85.1%, 88.1%, and 76.8% was achieved for the HT-29, HEK-293, and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively. In addition, after 48 h of treatment, the relative cell viability of 82.5%, 83.5%, and 68.5% was recorded, respectively. However, the percentage of cell viability was dramatically reduced by coating the nanocarrier with Ginkgo biloba leaf extract and E. Coli DNA (62.6%, 40.9%, and 45.1% for 24 h treatment and 62.1%, 38.5%, and 38.9% for 48 h treatment in HEK-293, HT-29, and MCF-7 cell lines, respectively)

The interplay between vitamin C and thyroid

Abstract Introduction Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water‐soluble vitamin, that plays a key role in the prevention and treatment of scurvy. As vitamin C is an antioxidant and thyroid function may be affected and may affect vitamin C levels, for the first time, we aimed to provide a detailed review of all human studies evaluating the different roles of vitamin C in the thyroid gland. Thyroid cancers, goitre, Graves' disease and other causes of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were the conditions discussed in this study. Furthermore, vitamin C addition to other medications such as levothyroxine was also reviewed. Methods In this study, we reviewed the relevant literature regarding the association between vitamin C and thyroid diseases using original studies from PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. Results In this review, we found anti‐cancer effects for intravenous (IV) administration of vitamin C in addition to the beneficial effects of using it in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. As autoimmune diseases affect some antioxidant markers, some studies reported a significant difference in blood vitamin C levels in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Graves' disease. Despite many studies evaluating the effects of IV administration of vitamin C in mentioned diseases, there is a lack of evidence for oral consumption of vitamin C. Conclusions To conclude, there is a lack of evidence, especially clinical trials, for the therapeutic effects of vitamin C on thyroid diseases; however, promising results were reported in some studies in the literature

Dose COVID-19 Uncovered a New Feature of Metronidazole Drug?Dose COVID-19 Uncover a New Feature of Metronidazole Drug?

Studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a current global health problem shown the initial plasma levels of most pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during the infection, which leads to patient countless complications. Previous studies also demonstrated that the metronidazole (MTZ) administration reduced related cytokines and improved treatment in patients. However, the effect of this drug on cytokines has not been determined. In the present study, the interaction of MTZ with cytokines was investigated using molecular docking as one of the principal methods in drug discovery and design. According to the obtained results, the IL12-metronidazole complex is more stable than other cytokines, and an increase in the surface and volume leads to prevent to bind to receptors. Moreover, ligand-based virtual screening of several libraries showed metronidazole phosphate, metronidazole benzoate, 1-[1-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-5- nitroimidazol-2-yl]-N-methylmethanimine oxide, acyclovir, and tetrahydrobiopterin (THB or BH4) like MTZ by changing the surface and volume prevents binding IL-12 to the receptor. Finally, the inhibition of the active sites of IL-12 occurred by modifying the position of the methyl and hydroxyl functional groups in MTZ. <br /

Formulation and Characterization of Poly (Ethylene Glycol)-Coated Core-Shell Methionine Magnetic Nanoparticles as a Carrier for Naproxen Delivery: Growth Inhibition of Cancer Cells

An efficient and selective drug delivery vehicle for cancer cells can remarkably improve therapeutic approaches. In this study, we focused on the synthesis and characterization of magnetic Ni1−xCoxFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) coated with two layers of methionine and polyethylene glycol to increase the loading capacity and lower toxicity to serve as an efficient drug carrier. Ni1−xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs were synthesized by a reflux method then characterized by FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TEM, and VSM. Naproxen was used as a model drug and its loading and release in the vehicles were evaluated. The results for loading efficiency showed 1 mg of Ni1−xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs could load 0.51 mg of the naproxen. Interestingly, Ni1−xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG showed a gradual release of the drug, achieving a time-release up to 5 days, and demonstrated that a pH 5 release of the drug was about 20% higher than Ni1−xCoxFe2O4@Methionine NPs, which could enhance the intracellular drug release following endocytosis. At pH 7.4, the release of the drug was slower than Ni1−xCoxFe2O4@Methionine NPs; demonstrating the potential to minimize the adverse effects of anticancer drugs on normal tissues. Moreover, naproxen loaded onto the Ni1−xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs for breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 showed more significant cell death than the free drug, which was measured by an MTT assay. When comparing both cancer cells, we demonstrated that naproxen loaded onto the Ni1−xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs exhibited greater cell death effects on the MCF-7 cells compared with the MDA-MB-231 cells. The results of the hemolysis test also showed good hemocompatibility. The results indicated that the prepared magnetic nanocarrier could be suitable for controlled anticancer drug delivery

Formulation and Characterization of Poly (Ethylene Glycol)-Coated Core-Shell Methionine Magnetic Nanoparticles as a Carrier for Naproxen Delivery: Growth Inhibition of Cancer Cells

An efficient and selective drug delivery vehicle for cancer cells can remarkably improve therapeutic approaches. In this study, we focused on the synthesis and characterization of magnetic Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) coated with two layers of methionine and polyethylene glycol to increase the loading capacity and lower toxicity to serve as an efficient drug carrier. Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs were synthesized by a reflux method then characterized by FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TEM, and VSM. Naproxen was used as a model drug and its loading and release in the vehicles were evaluated. The results for loading efficiency showed 1 mg of Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs could load 0.51 mg of the naproxen. Interestingly, Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG showed a gradual release of the drug, achieving a time-release up to 5 days, and demonstrated that a pH 5 release of the drug was about 20% higher than Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4@Methionine NPs, which could enhance the intracellular drug release following endocytosis. At pH 7.4, the release of the drug was slower than Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4@Methionine NPs; demonstrating the potential to minimize the adverse effects of anticancer drugs on normal tissues. Moreover, naproxen loaded onto the Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs for breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 showed more significant cell death than the free drug, which was measured by an MTT assay. When comparing both cancer cells, we demonstrated that naproxen loaded onto the Ni1&minus;xCoxFe2O4@Methionine@PEG NPs exhibited greater cell death effects on the MCF-7 cells compared with the MDA-MB-231 cells. The results of the hemolysis test also showed good hemocompatibility. The results indicated that the prepared magnetic nanocarrier could be suitable for controlled anticancer drug delivery