Selected mitochondrial DNA landscapes activate the SIRT3 axis of the UPR(mt) to promote metastasis

By causing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations and oxidation of mitochondrial proteins, reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to perturbations in mitochondrial proteostasis. Several studies have linked mtDNA mutations to metastasis of cancer cells but the nature of the mtDNA species involved remains unclear. Our data suggests that no common mtDNA mutation identifies metastatic cells; rather the metastatic potential of several ROS-generating mutations is largely determined by their mtDNA genomic landscapes, which can act either as an enhancer or repressor of metastasis. However, mtDNA landscapes of all metastatic cells are characterized by activation of the SIRT/FOXO/SOD2 axis of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR(mt)). The UPR(mt) promotes a complex transcription program ultimately increasing mitochondrial integrity and fitness in response to oxidative proteotoxic stress. Using SOD2 as a surrogate marker of the UPR(mt), we found that in primary breast cancers, SOD2 is significantly increased in metastatic lesions. We propose that the ability of selected mtDNA species to activate the UPR(mt) is a process that is exploited by cancer cells to maintain mitochondrial fitness and facilitate metastasis.Oncogene advance online publication, 3 April 2017; doi:10.1038/onc.2017.52

Vampires in the village Žrnovo on the island of Korčula: following an archival document from the 18th century

Središnja tema rada usmjerena je na raščlambu spisa pohranjenog u Državnom arhivu u Mlecima (fond: Capi del Consiglio de’ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) koji se odnosi na događaj iz 1748. godine u korčulanskom selu Žrnovo, kada su mještani – vjerujući da su se pojavili vampiri – oskvrnuli nekoliko mjesnih grobova. U radu se podrobno iznose osnovni podaci iz spisa te rečeni događaj analizira u širem društvenom kontekstu i prate se lokalna vjerovanja.The main interest of this essay is the analysis of the document from the State Archive in Venice (file: Capi del Consiglio de’ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) which is connected with the episode from 1748 when the inhabitants of the village Žrnove on the island of Korčula in Croatia opened tombs on the local cemetery in the fear of the vampires treating. This essay try to show some social circumstances connected with this event as well as a local vernacular tradition concerning superstitions

Composition of Bioactive Carotenoid, Flavonoid, and Terpene compounds in Selected Fruits: A Mini Review

Bioactive substances are secondary metabolites that are produced by plants to protect their body; yet, such substances are able to control metabolic functions and have beneficial effects on the human body. Vitamins, minerals, phenolics, antioxidants,     flavonoids, carotenoids, and micronutrients and fiber appear to be responsible for beneficial health effects such as curing diabetics, cardiac ailments, etc. Fruit-extracted/isolated bioactive components are considered to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective activities, according to research data from a variety of in vitro and in vivo studies. As a result, fruits have the potential to be turned into medications and functional foods that may be used to avoid or alleviate a variety of chronic issues. The nutritional and phytochemical composition of fruits is determined by their maturation level, variety, environmental conditions, agricultural practices, and post-harvest handling and processing. This review aims to describe the importance of different fruits as a significant source of phytocompounds, which are being studied in clinical trials to create drugs for curing various human ailments, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiac, and cancer conditions. The vast and varied wealth of fruits may yet include undiscovered and extremely strong bioactive chemicals, which require more investigation

Intermediate Shapes in Closed-Die Forging By the Backward Deformation Optimization Method (BDOM)

During closed-die forging, the billet is deformed through one or more intermediate shapes before achieving the final forged shape. Designers rely on handbooks and experience to choose a few of the limitless number of intermediate shapes that are possible. A finite element method and optimization- based design technique for tracing the deformation back from the final to the initial shape is developed. Because plastic deformation is an irreversible process, no unique path exists between the initial and final shapes. Unlike previous backward tracing methods, the backward deformation optimization method (BDOM) selects the optimum path based on constraints placed on the deformation of the workpiece. Minimization of the variation in effective strain rate within the workpiece is used to determine the sequence of workpiece nodes to be detached from the die. Examples of intermediate shapes for the forging of a disk and a ball-joint socket demonstrate this design technique

Cu Doping in Ligand Free CdS Nanocrystals: Conductivity and Electronic Structure Study

Ligand-free Cu-doped CdS nanocrystals (NCs) have been synthesized to elucidate their surface electronic structure. The Cu-doped ligand-free NCs unlike their undoped counterparts are shown to be luminescent. We used this Cu-related emission as a probe to study the nature of the surface trap states that results in negligible luminescence in the undoped NCs. The concentration of the sulfide ligands is shown to play a crucial role in the surface passivation of the NCs. Electrical conductivity of these NCs was also studied, and they were shown to exhibit significant conductivity of ∼10^–4 S cm^–1. Further we have shown that the electrical conductivity is closely correlated to the surface charge and hence the trap states of the individual NCs have far-reaching consequences in the device optimization

Metal Halide Perovskite@Metal-Organic Framework Hybrids:Synthesis, Design, Properties, and Applications

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have excellent optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications because of their cost-effectiveness, tunable emission, high photoluminescence quantum yields, and excellent charge carrier properties. However, the potential applications of the entire MHP family are facing a major challenge arising from its weak resistance to moisture, polar solvents, temperature, and light exposure. A viable strategy to enhance the stability of MHPs could lie in their incorporation into a porous template. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have outstanding properties, with a unique network of ordered/functional pores, which render them promising for functioning as such a template, accommodating a wide range of MHPs to the nanosized region, alongside minimizing particle aggregation and enhancing the stability of the entrapped species. This review highlights recent advances in design strategies, synthesis, characterization, and properties of various hybrids of MOFs with MHPs. Particular attention is paid to a critical review of the emergence of MHP@MOF for comprehensive studies of next-generation materials for various technological applications including sensors, photocatalysis, encryption/decryption, light-emitting diodes, and solar cells. Finally, by summarizing the state-of-the-art, some promising future applications of reported hybrids are proposed. Considering the inherent correlation and synergic functionalities of MHPs and MOFs, further advancement; new functional materials; and applications can be achieved through designing MHP@MOF hybrids.</p

Social Determinants of Suboptimal Cardiovascular Health Among Pregnant Women in the United States

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal cardiovascular health (CVH) and social determinants of health (SDOH) have a significant impact on maternal morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate the association of SDOH with suboptimal CVH among pregnant women in the United States. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined cross-sectional data of pregnant women aged 18 to 49 years from the National Health Interview Survey (2013– 2017). We ascertained optimal and suboptimal CVH based on the presence of 0 to 1 and ≥2 risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, current smoking, obesity, and insufficient physical activity), respectively. We calculated an aggregate SDOH score representing 38 variables from 6 domains (economic stability; neighborhood, physical environment, and social cohesion; community and social context; food; education; and healthcare system) and divided into quartiles. We used Poisson regression model to evaluate the association of SDOH with suboptimal CVH and risk factors. Our study included 1433 pregnant women (28.8±5.5 years, 13% non-Hispanic Black). Overall, 38.4% (95% CI, 33.9– 43.0) had suboptimal CVH versus 51.7% (95% CI, 47.0– 56.3) among those in the fourth SDOH quartile. Risk ratios of suboptimal CVH, smoking, obesity, and insufficient physical activity were 2.05 (95% CI, 1.46– 2.88), 8.37 (95% CI, 3.00– 23.43), 1.54 (95% CI, 1.17– 2.03), and 1.19 (95% CI, 1.01–1.42), respectively among those in the fourth SDOH quartile compared with the first quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Over 50% of pregnant women with the highest SDOH burden had suboptimal CVH, highlighting the public health urgency for interventions in socially disadvantaged pregnant women with renewed strategies toward improving modifiable risk factors, especially smoking and insufficient physical activity. © 2022 The Authors.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]