Search Results (62)

This study critically examines how the deep institutionalization of Islamic thought in Indonesia’s religious educational establishments has fallen short in addressing contemporary challenges for Indonesian Muslims. The central argument is that a significant gap remains between the educational ideals of the Qur’an and Hadith and the lived realities of Muslim life. Employing Muhammad Abed al-Jabiri’s critical-analytical approach, the article advances three main claims: First, Islamic education in Indonesia is still dominated by logocentrism and school-centrism. Second, these paradigms act as obstacles to developing a critically engaged Muslim society capable of responding to global issues. Third, logocentrism encourages dogmatism by promoting a singular truth, while school-centrism entrenches fanaticism, formalism, and, at times, radicalism. The study concludes that only a critical reassessment of these paradigms can drive meaningful educational reform and enable Indonesian Muslims to better confront contemporary realities. Full article

Antioxidant activity is a normal physiological function that is essential for healthy living, and it is maintained by antioxidant dietary nutrients. However, increases in free radical production and oxidative toxicity in many clinical conditions can cause serious and sometimes irreversible damage. Despite many investigations, including hundreds of clinical trials suggesting that there are health benefits obtained from the use of natural antioxidants, no antioxidant drugs have yet been developed for the treatment of any disease associated with free radical pathology. Millions of people choose to use nutraceutical and natural product antioxidants as therapeutics and also for chemoprevention against cancer and other diseases. New academic efforts and strategies are required for the development of antioxidant drugs in clinical practice in the absence of interest by the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. One of the most effective antioxidant therapeutic strategies is inhibition by chelators of iron involved in the catalytic formation of free radical reactions and their associated damage. Hundreds of phytochelators have been shown to inhibit oxidative damage, similar to the iron-chelating drugs deferiprone and deferoxamine. In particular, several nutraceuticals and natural products such as ascorbic acid, quercetin, curcumin, fisetin, lipoic acid, and maltol have been shown to have high antioxidant activity and iron-binding capacity, as well as other effects on iron metabolism, in pre-clinical studies and clinical trials involving different categories of patients. For example, ascorbic acid and maltol–iron complexes are sold as pharmaceutical products for the treatment of iron deficiency. The development of nutraceuticals as antioxidant drugs may involve one or more applications, such as short- or long-term treatments, single-drug or combination therapies, and also different targets, such as the prevention, treatment, or post-treatment of diseases associated with free radical pathology as well as ferroptosis. The academic efforts surrounding the developments of iron-chelating nutraceuticals or natural products into antioxidant pharmaceuticals should fulfill all of the regulatory requirements and include clinical tests of antioxidants in rare or untreatable diseases, as well as the involvement of government translational research institutions and expert groups that specialize in regulatory drug affairs, among others. Full article

Non-thermal plasma has attracted strong interest in medicine and agriculture due to its ability to generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). These species can stimulate wound healing and seed germination, but at higher levels they induce DNA damage—useful in cancer therapy but harmful when healthy cells must be preserved. Direct study of DNA damage in cells is difficult because of repair processes and protective barriers. To address this, we applied a dual-model system combining plasmid DNA and human lymphocytes exposed to plasma from the RPS40 device. Using selective scavengers, we identified hydroxyl radicals, ozone, and reactive nitrogen species as key mediators of DNA strand breaks and structural changes. Our results support a mechanistic model in which long-lived plasma-derived species (NOx, ozone, acids) dissolve in water and subsequently generate short-lived radicals such as hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite. These reactive molecules then directly attack DNA. This integrated approach—linking plasmid and cellular assays with scavenger-based identification of RONS—offers a novel and cost-effective method for dissecting plasma–DNA interactions. The findings provide mechanistic insight into how plasma-activated water damages DNA, guiding the safer and more effective application of plasma technologies in biomedical and agricultural contexts. Full article

There is an urgent need for new approaches and strategies for the introduction of antioxidant drugs in medicine. Despite hundreds of clinical trials with potential antioxidants, no antioxidant drugs have so far been developed for clinical use; this is mainly as a result of commercial reasons, but also due to insufficient data for regulatory authority approval. Antioxidant activity is a physiological process essential for healthy living. However, increased production of toxic free radicals and reactive oxygen species is observed in many clinical conditions, which are associated with serious and sometimes irreversible damage. Antioxidant drug strategies may involve short- to long-term therapeutic applications for the purpose of prevention, treatment, or post-treatment effects of a disease. These strategies are different for each disease and may include the design of protocols for the inhibition of oxidative damage through iron chelation, enhancing antioxidant defences by increasing the production of endogenous antioxidants, and activating antioxidant mechanisms, as well as the administration of synthetic and natural antioxidants. Both the improvement of antioxidant biomarkers and clinical improvement or disease remission are required to suggest effective therapeutic intervention. More concerted efforts, including new academic strategies, are required for the development of antioxidant drugs in clinical practice. Such efforts should be similar to the fulfilment of orphan or emergency drug regulatory requirements, which, in most cases, involve the treatment or clinical improvement of rare or severe diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Promising results of antioxidant therapeutic interventions include mainly the repurposing of the iron chelating/antioxidants drugs deferiprone (L1) and deferoxamine, and also the iron-binding drug N-acetylcysteine (NAC). In some clinical trials, the lack of pharmacodynamic and ferrikinetic data, wrong posology, and insufficient monitoring have resulted in inconclusive findings. Future strategies involving appropriate protocols and drug combinations, such as L1 and NAC, appear to improve the prospect of developing antioxidant drug therapies in different diseases, including those associated with ferroptosis. New strategies may also involve the use of pro-drugs such as aspirin, which is partly biotransformed into iron chelating/antioxidant metabolites with chemopreventive properties in cancer, and also in other therapeutic interventions. A consortium of expert academics on regulatory drug affairs and clinical trials could increase the prospects for antioxidant drug development in medicine. Full article

The paradigm-shift idea of murburn concept is no hypothesis but developed directly from fundamental facts of cellular/ecological existence. Murburn involves spontaneous and stochastic interactions (mediated by murzymes) amongst the molecules and unbound ions of cells. It leads to effective charge separation (ECS) and formation/recruitment of diffusible reactive species (DRS, like radicals whose reactions enable ATP-synthesis and thermogenesis) and emission of radiations (UV/Vis to ELF). These processes also lead to a chemo-electromagnetic matrix (CEM), ascertaining that living cell/organism react/function as a coherent unit. Murburn concept propounds the true utility of oxygen: generating DRS (with catalytic and electrical properties) on the way to becoming water, the life solvent, and ultimately also leading to phase-based macroscopic homeostatic outcomes. Such a layout enables cells to become simple chemical engines (SCEs) with powering, coherence, homeostasis, electro-mechanical and sensing–response (PCHEMS; life’s short-term “intelligence”) abilities. In the current review, we discuss the coacervate nature of cells and dwell upon the ways and contexts in which various radiations (either incident or endogenously generated) could interact in the new scheme of cellular function. Presenting comparative evidence/arguments and listing of systems with murburn models, we argue that the new perceptions explain life processes better and urge the community to urgently adopt murburn bioenergetics and adapt to its views. Further, we touch upon some distinct scientific and sociological contexts with respect to the outreach of murburn concept. It is envisaged that greater awareness of murburn could enhance the longevity and quality of life and afford better approaches to therapies. Full article

In contemporary times, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were recognized as substantial sources of odorous emissions, potentially impacting nearby communities’ sensory experience. This study investigates the half-lives (T½) of odorous compounds emitted from WWTPs and their degradation due to atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (•OH) in different environmental settings. The calculated half-lives of specific odorants in rural areas ranged from 31.36 min to 517.33 days, in urban areas from 42.50 min to 1550 days, and in the marine boundary layer from 42.50 min to 129,861 days. These results show that compounds with high reactivity and short T½, such as methanethiol and ethanethiol, degrade rapidly and are less likely to contribute to long-term odor nuisances. In contrast, compounds with longer half-lives, such as carbonyl sulfide and ammonia, persist longer in the atmosphere, with higher potential for sustained odor issues. The findings suggest that •OH plays a significant role in degrading odorous compounds. These insights into odorant–oxidant kinetics may aid in predicting atmospheric half-lives and their contribution to secondary aerosol formation, thus informing regulatory and mitigation strategies to improve air quality. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been demonstrated as an adjustable device to generate various combinations of short-lived reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and as a promising appliance for cancer therapy. This study investigated the effects of direct and indirect treatments of Argon-based CAP to cancer cells (A2058, A549, U2OS and BCC) and fibroblasts (NIH3T3 and L929) on cell viability. We also aimed to understand whether plasma-generated RONS were involved in this process using genetic evidence. Methods: The intensity of reactive species in the plasma gas and the concentrations of RONS in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and cell culture medium were measured. A viability assay was performed after the cells were treated by plasma in PBS and medium with various volumes to realize the lethal effects of plasma under different conditions. Diverse cells were treated in the same solution to compare the sensitivities of different cells to plasma treatments. The gene expression profiles of A2058 cells after the direct and indirect treatments were analyzed by next generation gene sequencing. Accordingly, we discovered the advantages of sequential treatments on cancer therapy. Results: The cumulative concentration of hydroxyterephthalic acid (HTA) revealed that the pre-existing OH radical (•OH) in PBS increased with the treatment durations. However, there was no significant increase in the concentration of HTA in culture medium. HTA was detected in the treatment interface of PBS but not medium, showing the penetration of •OH through PBS. The concentrations of H₂O₂ and NO₂⁻ increased with the treatment durations, but that of NO₃⁻ was low. The direct treatments caused stronger lethal effects on cancer cells under certain conditions. The fibroblasts showed higher tolerance to plasma treatments. From gene expression analysis, the initial observations showed that both treatments influenced transcription-related pathways and exhibited shared or unique cellular stress responses. The pre-treatments, especially of direct exposure, revealed better cancer inhibition. Conclusions: The anti-cancer efficiency of plasma could be enhanced by pre-treatments and by adjusting the liquid interfaces to avoid the rapid consumption of short-lived RONS in the medium. To achieve better therapeutic effects and selectivity, more evidence is necessary to find optional plasma treatments. Full article

To elucidate the involvement of glutathione in the mitigation of induced oxidative changes and the sequestration of perceived volatiles in cells, we exposed potato plants to French marigold essential oil. The formation of short-lived radicals, the determination of scavenging activity towards ascorbyl and DPPH radicals, and the assessment of the potato plants’ overall intra/extracellular reduction status were performed using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR). The results showed the presence of hydroxyl radicals in potatoes, with significantly reduced accumulation in exposed plants compared to the control group after 8 h. However, the kinetics of EPR signal intensity change for the pyrrolidine spin probe (3CP) in these plants showed very low reducing potential, suggesting that the antioxidant system acts lethargically and/or the probe has been reoxidized. Total glutathione and its reduced/oxidized form ratio, determined spectrophotometrically, showed that the exposed plants initially had lower glutathione levels with diminutive, reduced form compared to the control. Still, after 8 h, both characteristics were similar to those of the control. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that the volatiles altered the expression of glutathione metabolism-involved genes, especially that of glutathione-S-transferase, after 8 h. Glutathione metabolism was affected by volatiles in the initial response of potato plants exposed to French marigold essential oil, and glutathione molecules were involved in the mitigation of induced oxidative burst. Full article

Distributed feedback lasers, which feature rapid wavelength tunability, are not presently available in the yellow and orange spectral regions, impeding spectroscopic studies of short-lived species that absorb light in this range. To meet this need, a rapidly tunable laser system was constructed, characterized, and demonstrated for measurements of the NH₂ radical at 597.4 nm. The system consisted of three main parts: (1) a distributed feedback diode laser operating at 1194.8 nm, (2) a fiber-coupled optical amplifier, and (3) a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide for second-harmonic generation. A phase-matching optical frequency bandwidth of 118 GHz and a second-harmonic generation efficiency of 109%/W were determined for the PPLN waveguide, and the intensity and wavelength stability of the system were measured. The rapid-tuning capabilities of the laser system were characterized to explore its potential for use in scanned-direct absorption and wavelength modulation spectroscopy experiments. The feasibility of scanned-direct absorption up to a scan rate of 900 kHz and wavelength modulation spectroscopy at modulation frequencies up to 800 kHz were demonstrated. Finally, the system was deployed in a series of shock tube experiments in which the concentration of NH₂ radicals was measured during the decomposition of NH₃ behind reflected shock waves. Full article

The sol–gel process enables the preparation of silica-based matrices with tailored composition and properties that can be used in a variety of applications, including catalysis, controlled release, sensors, separation, etc. Commonly, it is assumed that silica matrices prepared via the sol–gel synthesis route are “inert” and, therefore, do not affect the properties of the substrate or the catalyst. This short review points out that porous silica affects the properties of adsorbed/entrapped species and, in some cases, takes an active part in the reactions. The charged matrix affects the diffusion of ions, thus affecting catalytic and adsorption processes. Furthermore, recent results point out that ≡Si-O. radicals are long-lived and participate in redox processes. Thus, clearly, porous silica is not an inert matrix as commonly considered. Full article

A reaction center is a unique biological system that performs the initial charge separation within a Photosystem II (PSII) multiunit enzyme, which eventually drives the catalytic water-splitting in plants and algae. The possible role of quantum coherences coinciding with the energy and charge transfer processes in PSII reaction center is one of the active areas of research. Here, we study these quantum coherences by using a numerically exact method on an excitonic dimer model, including linear vibronic coupling and employing optimal parameters from experimental two-dimensional coherent spectroscopic measurements. This enables us to precisely capture the excitonic interaction between pigments and the dissipation of the energy from electronic and charge-transfer (CT) states to the protein environment. We employ the time nonlocal (TNL) quantum master equation to calculate the population dynamics, which yields numerically reliable results. The calculated results show that, due to the strong dissipation, the lifetime of electronic coherence is too short to have direct participation in the charge transfer processes. However, there are long-lived vibrational coherences present in the system at frequencies close to the excitionic energy gap. These are strongly coupled with the electronic coherences, which makes the detection of the electronic coherences with conventional techniques very challenging. Additionally, we unravel the strong excitonic interaction of radical pair ($P_{D1}$ and $P_{D2}$) in the reaction center, which results in a long-lived electronic coherence of >100 fs, even at room temperature. Our work provide important physical insight to the charge separation process in PSII reaction center, which may be helpful for better understanding of photophysical processes in other natural and artificial light-harvesting systems. Full article

The changes in the properties of three biological events that occur with cerebral aging are discussed. These adverse changes already begin to develop early in mid-life and gradually become more pronounced with senescence. Essentially, they are reflections of the progressive decline in effectiveness of key processes, resulting in the deviation of essential biochemical trajectories to ineffective and ultimately harmful variants of these programs. The emphasis of this review is the major role played by the mitochondria in the transition of these three important processes toward more deleterious variants as brain aging proceeds. The immune system: the shift away from an efficient immune response to a more unfocused, continuing inflammatory condition. Such a state is both ineffective and harmful. Reactive oxygen species are important intracellular signaling systems. Additionally, microglial phagocytic activity utilizing short lived reactive oxygen species contribute to the removal of aberrant or dead cells and bacteria. These processes are transformed into an excessive, untargeted, and persistent generation of pro-oxidant free radicals (oxidative stress). The normal efficient neural transmission is modified to a state of undirected, chronic low-level excitatory activity. Each of these changes is characterized by the occurrence of continuous activity that is inefficient and diffused. The signal/noise ratio of several critical biological events is thus reduced as beneficial responses are gradually replaced by their impaired and deleterious variants. Full article

Persulfate-based advanced oxidation process has been proven to be a promising method for the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPY) degradation in wastewater treatment. However, due to the limitation for the short-lived intermediates detection, a comprehensive understanding for the degradation pathway remains unclear. To address this issue, density functional theory was used to analyze the degradation mechanism of CPY at the M06-2X/6-311++G(3df,3pd)//M06-2X/6-31+G(d,p) level, and computational toxicology methods were employed to explore the toxicity of CPY and its degradation products. Results show that hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and sulfate radicals (SO₄^•−) initiate the degradation reactions by adding to the P=S bond and abstracting the H atom on the ethyl group, rather than undergoing α-elimination of the pyridine ring in the persulfate oxidation process. Moreover, the addition products were attracted and degraded by breaking the P–O bond, while the abstraction products were degraded through dealkylation reactions. The transformation products, including 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridynol, O,O-diethyl phosphorothioate, chlorpyrifos oxon, and acetaldehyde, obtained through theoretical calculations have been detected in previous experimental studies. The reaction rate constants of CPY with ·OH and SO₄^•− were 6.32 × 10⁸ and 9.14 × 10⁸ M⁻¹·s⁻¹ at room temperature, respectively, which was consistent with the experimental values of 4.42 × 10⁹ and 4.5 × 10⁹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. Toxicity evaluation results indicated that the acute and chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms gradually decreased during the degradation process. However, some products still possess toxic or highly toxic levels, which may pose risks to human health. These research findings contribute to understanding the transformation behavior and risk assessment of CPY in practical wastewater treatment. Full article

Questions about which reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS) can escape from the mitochondria and activate signals must be addressed. In this study, two parameters, the calculated dipole moment (debye, D) and permeability coefficient (Pm) (cm s⁻¹), are listed for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide (O₂^•−), hydroperoxyl radical (HO₂•), nitric oxide (•NO), nitrogen dioxide (•NO₂), peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻), and peroxynitrous acid (ONOOH) in comparison to those for water (H₂O). O₂^•− is generated from the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), and several other ROS and RNS can be generated subsequently. The candidates which pass through the mitochondrial membrane include ROS with a small number of dipoles, i.e., H₂O₂, HO₂•, ONOOH, •OH, and •NO. The results show that the dipole moment of •NO₂ is 0.35 D, indicating permeability; however, •NO₂ can be eliminated quickly. The dipole moments of •OH (1.67 D) and ONOOH (1.77 D) indicate that they might be permeable. This study also suggests that the mitochondria play a central role in protecting against further oxidative stress in cells. The amounts, the long half-life, the diffusion distance, the Pm, the one-electron reduction potential, the pK_a, and the rate constants for the reaction with ascorbate and glutathione are listed for various ROS/RNS, •OH, singlet oxygen (¹O₂), H₂O₂, O₂^•−, HO₂•, •NO, •NO₂, ONOO⁻, and ONOOH, and compared with those for H₂O and oxygen (O₂). Molecules with negative electrical charges cannot directly diffuse through the phospholipid bilayer of the mitochondrial membranes. Short-lived molecules, such as •OH, would be difficult to contribute to intracellular signaling. Finally, HO₂• and ONOOH were selected as candidates for the ROS/RNS that pass through the mitochondrial membrane. Full article

The aim of this study was to identify and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients of the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery of the 4th Military Teaching Hospital in Wroclaw for whom oncological treatment was planned by a cancer case board between March 2018 and February 2022. We analysed the medical records of 625 patients. In order to verify whether the relationships between the analysed features were statistically significant, the chi-square test of independence and the Student’s t-test for independent samples were used (p < 0.05). Our analysis showed that the impact of the pandemic on the organization of health service delivery to HNC patients was not uniform. The largest difference in the number of formulated treatment plans was observed at the beginning of the pandemic (22.1% reduction compared with the year before the pandemic). During the pandemic, the proportion of patients admitted on the basis of a DILO (diagnosis and oncological treatment) card issued by a primary care physician, instead of a regular referral to hospital, issued also by a primary care physician, was significantly higher compared with the that during the pre-pandemic period. The majority of cancer patients with a oncological treatment planned during the pandemic lived in urban areas. During the pandemic, the number of patients with more-advanced-stage cancer, assessed on the basis of the type of planned treatment (radical vs. palliative), did not increase compared with that during the pre-pandemic period. However, our follow-up period was quite short. It is necessary to intensify activities aimed at promoting health and increasing health awareness in people living in rural areas and setting long-term priorities and objectives for health policies at the national, regional and local levels, with particular focus on this group of people. Full article