Recent developments in sustainable arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea Linn) starch biopolymers, fibres, biopolymer composites and their potential industrial applications: A review

Raising environmental awareness had forced researchers to explore the potential and implementation of environmentally friendly materials as alternatives for conventional materials. Environmentally friendly materials are biodegradable, safer, non-toxic, lightweight, cheap, and readily available. Arrowroot starch has a high content of amylose (~35.20%) which makes it suitable for better film production. Starch extracted from arrowroot rhizomes can be blended, plasticized with other polymers, or reinforced with fibres to improve their properties. The melt blended glycidyl methacrylate-grafted polylactide (PLA-g-GMA) and treated arrowroot fiber (TAF) treated with coupling agent developed PLA-g-GMA/TAF composite, which showed better properties than the PLA/AF composite. To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive review paper was published on arrowroot fibres, starch biopolymer, and its biocomposites before. The present review focuses on recent works related to the properties of arrowroot fibres and starch, and their fabrication as biocomposites. The review also reveals the vast potential of arrowroot fibres and starch for food industries, medicines, textiles, biofuel, pulp, and paper-making industries, bioenergy, packaging, automotive, and many more

Toll-Like Receptor-4 Antagonist Enhances the Repair of Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced DNA Damage and Augments Anti-Tumor Immune Responses in Mice

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of the skin is related to the development of skin cancer. UVB also causes DNA damage in the form of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), which can result in stable mutations. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a component of innate immunity, plays a key role in cancer. Previous studies from our laboratory have observed that TLR4 deficiency resulted in the repair of UVB-induced DNA damage, inhibition of UVB-induced immune suppression, and carcinogenesis. In this study, we determined the efficacy of TLR4 antagonist TAK-242 in regulation of UVB-induced DNA damage, inflammation, and tumor development. Our results indicate that TAK-242 treatment increased the expression of xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA) mRNA, resulting in the repair of UVB-induced CPDs in skin of SKH-1 mice. Treatment with TAK-242 also inhibited the activation of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) in UVB-exposed skin of SKH-1 mice. Cutaneous carcinogenesis was significantly reduced in mice treated with TAK-242 in comparison to vehicle-treated mice. The proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were also found to be significantly greater in vehicle-treated mice than TAK-242-treated mice. Finally, treatment with TAK-242 augmented anti-tumor immune responses in mice. Our data provide further evidence that activation of the TLR4 pathway promotes the development of UV-induced non-melanoma skin cancer mediated at least in part on its negative effects on DNA damage. Moreover, treatment with the TLR4 inhibitor TAK-242 may be effective for prevention of skin cancer

Recent developments in sustainable arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea Linn) starch biopolymers, fibres, biopolymer composites and their potential industrial applications: a review

Raising environmental awareness had forced researchers to explore the potential and implementation of environmentally friendly materials as alternatives for conventional materials. Environmentally friendly materials are biodegradable, safer, non-toxic, lightweight, cheap, and readily available. Arrowroot starch has a high content of amylose (~35.20%) which makes it suitable for better film production. Starch extracted from arrowroot rhizomes can be blended, plasticized with other polymers, or reinforced with fibres to improve their properties. The melt blended glycidyl methacrylate-grafted polylactide (PLA-g-GMA) and treated arrowroot fiber (TAF) treated with coupling agent developed PLA-g-GMA/TAF composite, which showed better properties than the PLA/AF composite. To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive review paper was published on arrowroot fibres, starch biopolymer, and its biocomposites before. The present review focuses on recent works related to the properties of arrowroot fibres and starch, and their fabrication as biocomposites. The review also reveals the vast potential of arrowroot fibres and starch for food industries, medicines, textiles, biofuel, pulp, and paper-making industries, bioenergy, packaging, automotive, and many more

Primary Retroperitoneal Hydatid Cyst: a Rare Case Report

Hydatid disease is a parasitic tapeworm infestation that usually involves liver and lungs. Primary retroperitoneal hydatid without liver and lung involvement is very rare. Surgery is the principle method of treatment for large retroperitoneal hydatid, whenever feasible. We report a case of primary retroperitoneal hydatid cyst in 29-year-old male patient

Type I Interferons Enhance the Repair of Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced DNA Damage and Regulate Cutaneous Immune Suppression

Type I interferons (IFNs) are important enhancers of immune responses which are downregulated in human cancers, including skin cancer. Solar ultraviolet (UV) B radiation is a proven environmental carcinogen, and its exposure contributes to the high prevalence of skin cancer. The carcinogenic effects of UV light can be attributed to the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) and errors in the repair and replication of DNA. Treatment with a single dose of UVB (100 mJ/cm2) upregulated IFNα and IFNβ in the skin of C57BL/6 mice. IFNα and IFNβ were predominantly produced by CD11b+ cells. In mice lacking the type I IFN receptor 1 (IFNAR1), the repair of CPD following cutaneous exposure to a single dose of UVB (100 mJ/cm2) was decreased. UVB induced the expression of the DNA repair gene xeroderma pigmentosum A (XPA) in wild-type (WT) mice. In contrast, such treatment in IFNAR1 (IFNAR1-/-) mice downregulated XPA. A local UVB regimen consisting of UVB radiation (150 mJ/cm2) for 4 days followed by sensitization with hapten 2,4, dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) resulted in significant suppression of immune responses in both WT and IFNAR1-/- mice. However, there were significantly higher CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T-cells in the draining lymph nodes of IFNAR1-/- mice in comparison to WT mice. Overall, our studies reveal a previously unknown action of type I IFNs in the repair of photodamage and the prevention of UVB-induced immune suppression