Common fixed point of a power graphic (F,psi)-contraction pair on partial b-metric spaces with application

The aim of this paper is to inaugurate power graphic (F,ψ)-contraction pair and to establish fixed point results for such mappings defined on partial b-metric spaces endowed with a graph. It is mentioning that, first time, we launch a class of fixed point results in the frame of partial b-metric spaces involving a graph. Results of this paper extend and generalize known results from metric, partial metric, and partial b-metric spaces in partial b-metric spaces with a graph. Further, appropriate examples are presented to emphasize the utility of the obtained results. At the end, an attempt to correlate the given work with application is turned out as solution for an integral equation

Engineered Exosomes for the Multimodal Imaging Directed Photo-Immunotherapy of Colorectal Cancer

Background: Rio Grande Valley experience severe cancer health disparity. A novel therapeutic modality may serve as better therapeutic option. Nanohybrids endowed with multifunctionality, longer circulation time, large surface area have emerged as an active preference for cancer research. However, rising concern of nanomaterials toxicity and scalability issues has slowed their translation to clinics. Exosomes (Exo) are endogenous endocytic origin 40-100 nm vesicles found in various body fluids, which in comparison to synthetic nanoparticles, are biodegradable, highly biocompatible as well as immunocompatible in nature. Although bulk isolation of exosomes from human body fluids is still a problem and engineering of exosomes to harness its potential is still in infancy. Methods: The Exo were isolated from dairy milk using EDTA precipitation method, and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized by ammonium hydroxide co-precipitation method. The Exo were sonicated (60 sec) with MNPs and near-infrared (NIR) light-absorbing dye indocyanine green (ICG) and then incubated overnight at 37 oC. The characterization of ICG@Exo-MNPs was done using several techniques. The targeting nature of ICG@Exo-MNPs was determined on colorectal cancer cells SW480 and SW680. The phototransduction and in-vitro photothermal therapy were performed using 1W, 808 nm NIR laser. Results: The ICG@Exo-MNPs nanohybrid found to have size around 100 nm with good dispersity. The coating of exosomes and magnetic field actuation increased the targeting efficacy of ICG@Exo-MNPs in colorectal cancer cells by 10% in SW40 and 30% in SW680. ICG@Exo-MNPs killed the SW480 cells to more than 80% within 2 min. of NIR light irradiation. Conclusions: This study shows enhanced photothermal therapeutic behavior of ICG@Exo-MNPs for near-infrared fluorescence imaging directing killing of colorectal cancer cells

Mucins in ovarian cancer diagnosis and therapy

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy and the five-year survival rate is only 35% after diagnosis. Epithelial ovarian cancer is a highly metastatic disease characterized by widespread peritoneal dissemination and ascites. The death incidences from ovarian cancer could be significantly lowered by developing new methods for the early diagnosis and treatment of this fatal disease. Several potential markers have been identified recently. However, mucins are the most promising markers for ovarian cancer diagnosis. Mucins are large extracellular, heavily glycosylated proteins and their aberrant expression has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of cancers, including ovarian cancer. This review will summarize known facts about the pathological and molecular characteristics of ovarian cancer, the current status of ovarian cancer markers, as well as general information about mucins, the putative role of mucins in the progression of ovarian cancer and their potential use for the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease

When Eagle Stares into The Eye

Retinal pigment epithelial detachment (PED) is the separation of the retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) from the Bruch’s membrane(BM). Eagle syndrome(ES) is characterized by an abnormally elongated styloid process with/without abnormal direction and/or ossification of the styloid ligament. Presence of both the above entities together is a rarest of rare sight. It may be a coincidence, or the diseases may have an association. Hence, further studies are warranted

A Novel Exo-Glow Nano-system for Bioimaging

Background: Milk exosomes are widely used to improve the performance of various small macromolecules, oligonucleotides, and imaging agents for delivery and imaging applications. Indocyanine green (ICG) based Near-Infrared (NIR) fluorescent imaging is an attractive and safer technique used for number of clinical applications. However, ICG tend to have poor photostability, short half-life, non-specific proteins binding, and concentration-dependent aggregation. Therefore, there is an unmet clinical need to develop newer modalities to package and deliver ICG. Bovine milk exosomes are natural, biocompatible, safe, and feasible nanocarriers that facilitate the delivery of micro and macro molecules. Herein, we developed a novel exosomes based ICG nano imaging system that offers improved solubility and photostability of ICG. Methods: Following acetic acid based extracellular vesicles (EV) extraction method, we extracted the bovine milk exosomes from a variety of pasteurized fat-free milks. The EVs were screened for their physicochemical properties such as particle size and concentration, and zeta potential. Stability of these exosomes was also determined under different conditions including storage temperatures, pH, and salt concentrations. Next, ICG dye was loaded into these exosomes (Exo-Glow) via sonication method and further assessed for its fluorescence intensity and photostability using an IVIS imaging system. Results: Initial screening suggested that size of the selected bovine milk exosomes was from 100 - 135 nm with an average particle concentration of 5.8x102 particles/mL. Exo-Glow (ICG loaded exosomes) further showed higher fluorescence intensity of ~ 2x1010 MFI compared to free ICG (~ 8.1x109 MFI). Conclusions: These results showed that Exo-Glow has the potential to improve solubility, photostability, and biocompatibility of ICG and may serve as a safer NIR imaging tool for cells/tissues

A Novel Exo-Glow Nano-system for Cellular Imaging

Background: Indocyanine green (ICG) based Near-Infrared (NIR) fluorescent imaging is an attractive and safer technique used for number of clinical applications. However, ICG tend to have poor photostability, short half-life, non-specific proteins binding, and concentration-dependent aggregation. Therefore, there is an unmet clinical need to develop newer modalities to package and deliver ICG. Bovine milk exosomes are natural, biocompatible, safe, and feasible nanocarriers that facilitate the delivery of micro and macro molecules. Herein, we developed a novel exosomes based ICG nano imaging system that offers improved solubility and photostability of ICG. Methods: Following acetic acid based extracellular vesicles (EV) extraction method, we extracted the bovine milk exosomes from a variety of pasteurized fat-free milks. The EVs were screened for their physicochemical properties such as particle size and concentration, and zeta potential. Stability of these exosomes was also determined under different conditions including storage temperatures, pH, and salt concentrations. Next, ICG dye was loaded into these exosomes (Exo-Glow) via sonication method and further assessed for its fluorescence intensity and photostability using an IVIS imaging system. Results: Initial screening suggested that size of the selected bovine milk exosomes was from 100 - 135 nm with an average particle concentration of 5.8x102 particles/mL. Exo-Glow (ICG loaded exosomes) further showed higher fluorescence intensity of ~ 2x1010 MFI compared to free ICG (~ 8.1x109 MFI). Conclusions: These results showed that Exo-Glow has the potential to improve solubility, photostability, and biocompatibility of ICG and may serve as a safer NIR imaging tool for cells/tissues

Integrative transcriptomics data analysis of TRPV1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a nonselective Ca2+ channel protein that is widely expressed and plays a significant role in cancer initiation and progression. However, the biological significance of TRPV1 in HCC has not been systematically and comprehensively investigated. Using deep data mining and transcriptomics analyses, in this study, we described the significance of TRPV1 expression and its association with HCC prognosis. Methods: TRPV1 mRNA expression in HCC was examined using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Genotype Tissue Expression Atlas (GTEx), the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), and the UALCAN databases to examine the relationship between the expression of TRPV1 and the clinicopathological characteristics of HCC. The genetic alterations and frequency of TRPV1 were analyzed using the cBioPortal and COSMIC databases. The correlations between TRPV1 and tumor-infiltrating immune cells were examined using the TIMER 2.0, TISIDB, and GEPIA databases. The data processing analysis is based on the R language. LinkedOmics was used for TRPV1 co-expression network analysis. Results: TRPV1 mRNA expression was upregulated in HCC samples as compared to normal liver tissues. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that high expression of TRPV1 is associated with better prognostic significance for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC patients. The mutation landscape analysis confirms that TRPV1 genetic alterations reached 6%, of which missense substitutions accounted for the highest proportion of 16.16%. The findings of the TIMER analysis indicated a correlation between immune cell infiltration and TRPV1 copy number alterations (CNA). The expression level of TRPV1 was positively correlated with the infiltration level of CD4+ T cells but negatively correlated with CD8+ T cells, B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cell infiltration. Additionally, TRPV1 expression was also found to be associated with certain immunosuppressive cells, chemokines, and receptors. Through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, TRPV1 expression was found to be closely related to some immune pathways, including drug metabolism, PPAR signaling pathway, and chemical carcinogenesis. Conclusion: Our observation demonstrates that TRPV1 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and is linked to prognosis of HCC patients and tumor immune responses

Echinococcosis of spleen causing the displacement of left kidney: A case report

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection caused by the Echinococcus genus. Giant isolated splenic hydatid cyst is very rare inoccurrence. In this case report, we present a 50-year-old female with a giant splenic hydatid cyst displacing the ipsilateral kidneyand aorta from its normal position. The clinical, imaging and laparotomy findings are discussed