The role of fibromodulin in cancer pathogenesis: Implications for diagnosis and therapy

Fibromodulin (FMOD) is known as one of very important extracellular matrix small leucine-rich proteoglycans. This small leucine-rich proteoglycan has critical roles in the extracellular matrix organization and necessary for repairing of tissue in many organs. Given that the major task of FMOD is the modulation of collagen fibrillogenesis. However, recently observed that FMOD plays very important roles in the modulation of a variety of pivotal biological processes including angiogenesis, regulation of TGF-β activity, and differentiation of human fibroblasts into pluripotent cells, inflammatory mechanisms, apoptosis and metastatic related phenotypes. Besides these roles, FMOD has been considered as a new tumor-related antigen in some malignancies such as lymphoma, leukemia, and leiomyoma. Taken together, these findings proposed that FMOD could be introduced as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers in treatment of various cancers. Herein, for first time, we highlighted the various roles of FMOD in the cancerous conditions. Moreover, we summarized the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of FMOD in cancer therapy. © 2019 The Author(s)

Biosynthesis of highly monodispersed, spherical gold nanoparticles of size 4–10 nm from spent cultures of Klebsiella pneumoniae

The development of eco-friendly approach for the preparation of monodispersed gold nanoparticles (GNPs) has received much attention for their easy application. Most of the current methods involve known protocols which employ toxic chemicals and hazardous byproducts. This greatly limits their use in biomedical fields, particularly in clinical applications. Recent research has been focused on green synthesis methods to produce different nanoparticles with suitable commercial viability. The biosynthesis of monodispersed GNPs using the spent cultures of Klebsiella pneumoniae as reducing and stabilizing agent has been reported. The gold salt concentration to improve monodispersity and stability of GNPs has been optimized. Synthesized GNPs were characterized by UV–Visible spectroscopy showed absorption spectra in the range of 530–560 nm at different concentrations of HAuCl(4). At the optimum reaction concentration of 1.5 mM HAuCl(4), absorption peak was obtained at 535 nm. The GNPs have been further characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR, DLS and TEM analysis. The DLS graph showed that the particles were more monodispersed. The TEM image showed the formation of spherical shaped GNPs in the range of 4–10 nm. The effect of gold salt concentration on dispersity, size and stability of the biosynthesized GNPs has been reported

Webometrics benefitting from web mining? An investigation of methods and applications of two research fields

Webometrics and web mining are two fields where research is focused on quantitative analyses of the web. This literature review outlines definitions of the fields, and then focuses on their methods and applications. It also discusses the potential of closer contact and collaboration between them. A key difference between the fields is that webometrics has focused on exploratory studies, whereas web mining has been dominated by studies focusing on development of methods and algorithms. Differences in type of data can also be seen, with webometrics more focused on analyses of the structure of the web and web mining more focused on web content and usage, even though both fields have been embracing the possibilities of user generated content. It is concluded that research problems where big data is needed can benefit from collaboration between webometricians, with their tradition of exploratory studies, and web miners, with their tradition of developing methods and algorithms

Compatibilization of poly (ethylene terephthalate)/ polypropylene blends via nanostructured silica aerogel

The specific surface areas and pore structure of hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica aerogel particles were determined using the Nitrogen adsorption analysis (Micromeritics -model TriStar II Plus) and Brunaure–Emmitt–Teller (BET) and Barrett–Joyner–Halendar (BJH) methods. The WAXS patterns for samples were performed using Asenware AW-DX 300 (XRD instrument). X-ray spectrometer was used Cu K_a radiation with a wavelength of 1.54 Å that operated at voltage 40 kV and current 30 mA. The data were obtained from 10 to 90 (2θ) at scan range of 0.05°∙min^(-1). The crystallite size was calculated using Debye-Scherrer analyze based on the following equation in X'Pert High Score Plus software. Rheometric Mechanical Spectrometer (RMS) instrument with parallel plate geometry, 25 mm plate diameter, and 1 mm gap (Physica MCR 501) was used to performing the dynamic rheological experiments on binary blends samples. The oscillatory tests in the linear viscoelastic region were done at a set frequency of 1 Hz and 0.3% strain. The frequency was swept from 0.1 to 100 rad∙s-1. All the measurements were accomplished at 270℃ under the nitrogen atmosphere. The storage and loss modulus data obtained from small-angle oscillatory shear (SAOS) experiments can be expressed as a function of relaxation time spectrum H(λ). The continuous relaxation time spectrum for the PP/PET/silica aerogel samples, which are extracted by Matlab software. The solid-like rheological behavior of the PP/PET filled samples can be described by five-parameter Fractional Zener Model (FZM). By fitting the dynamic modulus equation to the experimental data using the nonlinear least-square in Matlab software, the fitting parameters were obtained

Compatibilization of poly (ethylene terephthalate)/ polypropylene blends via nanostructured silica aerogel

The specific surface areas and pore structure of hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica aerogel particles were determined using the Nitrogen adsorption analysis (Micromeritics -model TriStar II Plus) and Brunaure–Emmitt–Teller (BET) and Barrett–Joyner–Halendar (BJH) methods. The WAXS patterns for samples were performed using Asenware AW-DX 300 (XRD instrument). X-ray spectrometer was used Cu K_a radiation with a wavelength of 1.54 Å that operated at voltage 40 kV and current 30 mA. The data were obtained from 10 to 90 (2θ) at scan range of 0.05°∙min^(-1). The crystallite size was calculated using Debye-Scherrer analyze based on the following equation in X'Pert High Score Plus software. Rheometric Mechanical Spectrometer (RMS) instrument with parallel plate geometry, 25 mm plate diameter, and 1 mm gap (Physica MCR 501) was used to performing the dynamic rheological experiments on binary blends samples. The oscillatory tests in the linear viscoelastic region were done at a set frequency of 1 Hz and 0.3% strain. The frequency was swept from 0.1 to 100 rad∙s-1. All the measurements were accomplished at 270℃ under the nitrogen atmosphere. The storage and loss modulus data obtained from small-angle oscillatory shear (SAOS) experiments can be expressed as a function of relaxation time spectrum H(λ). The continuous relaxation time spectrum for the PP/PET/silica aerogel samples, which are extracted by Matlab software. The solid-like rheological behavior of the PP/PET filled samples can be described by five-parameter Fractional Zener Model (FZM). By fitting the dynamic modulus equation to the experimental data using the nonlinear least-square in Matlab software, the fitting parameters were obtained

Synthesis, crystal structure, and biological activity of a multidentate calix[4]arene ligand doubly functionalized by 2-hydroxybenzeledene-thiosemicarbazone

The design and synthesis of a novel tert-butyl-calix[4]arene functionalized at 1, 3 positions of the lower rim with two terminal 2-hydroxybenzeledene-thiosemicarbazone moieties is reported. The new ligand with multi-dentate chelating properties was fully characterized by several techniques: ESI-Mass spectroscopy, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The solid state structure confirms that the calix[4]arene macrocycle has the expected open cone conformation, with two opposite phenyl rings inclined outwards with large angles. The conformation of the two alkoxythiosemicarbazone arms produces a molecule with a C2 point group symmetry. An interesting chiral helicity is observed, with the two thiosemicarbazone groups oriented in opposite directions like a two-blade propeller. A water molecule is encapsulated in the center of the two-blade propeller through multiple H-bond coordinations. The antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and cytotoxic activities of the calix[4]arene-thiosemicarbazone ligand and its metal derivatives (Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+) were investigated. A considerable antibacterial activity (in particular against E. coli, MIC, and MBC = 31.25 \ub5g/mL) was observed for the ligand and its metal derivatives. Significant antifungal activities against yeast (C. albicans) were also observed for the ligand (MIC = 31.25 \ub5g/mL and MBC = 125 \ub5g/mL) and for its Co2+ derivative (MIC = 62.5 \ub5g/mL). All compounds show cytotoxicity against the tested cancerous cells. For the Saos-2 cell line, the promising anticancer activity of ligand L (IC50 < 25 \ub5g/mL) is higher than its metal derivatives. The microscopic analysis of DAPI-stained cells shows that the treated cells change in morphology, with deformation and fragmentation of the nuclei. The hemo-compatibility study demonstrated that this class of compounds are suitable candidates for further in vivo investigations

Compatibilization of poly (ethylene terephthalate)/ polypropylene blends via nanostructured silica aerogel

This file contains data as that obtained from theoretical and experimental characterization of synthesized silica aerogel particles and PP/PET binary blends. The specific surface areas and pore structure of hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica aerogel particles were determined using the Nitrogen adsorption analysis (Micromeritics -model TriStar II Plus) and Brunaure–Emmitt–Teller (BET) and Barrett–Joyner–Halendar (BJH) methods. The WAXS patterns for samples were performed using Asenware AW-DX 300 (XRD instrument). X-ray spectrometer was used Cu K_a radiation with a wavelength of 1.54 Å that operated at voltage 40 kV and current 30 mA. The data were obtained from 10 to 90 (2θ) at scan range of 0.05°∙min^(-1). The crystallite size was calculated using Debye-Scherrer analyze based on the following equation in X'Pert High Score Plus software. Rheometric Mechanical Spectrometer (RMS) instrument with parallel plate geometry, 25 mm plate diameter, and 1 mm gap (Physica MCR 501) was used to performing the dynamic rheological experiments on binary blends samples. The oscillatory tests in the linear viscoelastic region were done at a set frequency of 1 Hz and 0.3% strain. The frequency was swept from 0.1 to 100 rad∙s-1. All the measurements were accomplished at 270℃ under the nitrogen atmosphere. The storage and loss modulus data obtained from small-angle oscillatory shear (SAOS) experiments can be expressed as a function of relaxation time spectrum H(λ). The continuous relaxation time spectrum for the PP/PET/silica aerogel samples, which are extracted by Matlab software. The solid-like rheological behavior of the PP/PET filled samples can be described by five-parameter Fractional Zener Model (FZM). By fitting the dynamic modulus equation to the experimental data using the nonlinear least-square in Matlab software, the fitting parameters were obtained