It is difficult to understand plasmid maintenance in the absence of selection and theoretical models predict the conditions for plasmid persistence to be limited. Plasmid-associated fitness costs decrease bacterial competitivity, while imperfect partition allows the emergence of plasmid-free cells during cell division. Although plasmid conjugative transfer allows mobility into plasmid-free cells, ...

Nucleic acid-based materials showcase an increasing potential for antimicrobial drug delivery. Although numerous reports on drug-loaded DNA nanoparticles outline their pivotal antibacterial activities, their potential as drug delivery systems against bacterial biofilms awaits further studies. Among different oligonucleotide structures, micellar nanocarriers derived from amphiphilic DNA strands ...

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides of natural origin that were discovered more than 100 years ago. The peculiar cone-like conformation of the sugar ring, expressing a lipophilic cavity and a hydrophilic external surface, allows these substances to spontaneously complex poorly soluble compounds in an aqueous environment. For more than 50 years, these substances have found applicability ...

Chitosan is currently proposed to be one of the most promising polymers in wound dressing development. Our research focuses on its potential as a vehicle for nano-delivery systems destined for burn therapy. One of the most important features of wound dressing is its bioadhesion to the wounded site. We compared the bioadhesive properties of chitosan with those of Carbopol, a synthetic origin polymer. ...

Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for development of substance use disorders. Treatment of ADHD with psychostimulants in patients on opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) has been restricted in Norway. We examined use of prescribed drugs for ADHD in OMT patients, and assessed co-medication with other psychotropics. Methods: Data were drawn from the nationwide ...

Introduction. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are used to treat different conditions in elderly patients and are among the drug classes most susceptible to be involved in drug-drug interactions (DDI). The aim of the study was to describe and compare use of AEDs between home care service and nursing home patients, as these patients are not included in nationwide databases of drug utilization. In the ...

Current clinical algorithms are unable to precisely predict which colorectal cancer patients would benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, and there is a need for novel biomarkers to improve the selection of patients. The metastasis-promoting protein S100A4 predicts poor outcome in colorectal cancer, but whether it could be used to guide clinical decision making remains to be resolved. S100A4 exp ...

Over the last five years, X-ray structures of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in complex with three different ligands (the small-molecule antagonist IT1t, the polypeptide antagonist CVX15, and the viral chemokine antagonist vMIP-II) have been released. In addition to the inherent scientific value of these specific X-ray structures, they (i) provide a reliable structural ...

For an effective detection of doping with pseudo-endogenous anabolic steroids, the urinary steroid profile is of high value. In this work, the aim was to investigate steroid metabolism disruption after exogenous intramuscular administration of different testosterone esters. The investigation focused on both sulfo – and glucoro conjugated androgens. A single intramuscular injection of either 1000 mg ...

<p><i>Background</i> - The bioactive metabolites of omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 and ω-6) are known as oxylipins and endocannabinoids (eCBs). These lipid metabolites are involved in prompting and resolving the inflammatory response that leads to the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aims to quantify these bioactive lipids in the colonic mucosa and to ...