Diet And Lifestyle In Renal Carcinoma- A Possible Relation

The most lethal malignancy of the urinary system, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), makes up around 3% of all adult malignancies. Developed nations have a greater amount of RCC. Multiple investigations have demonstrated that food and RCC carcinogenesis are closely connected. The research on the connections between several dietary components, such red meat, vegetables, and vitamin B6, and the risk of RCC has been compiled. Furthermore, results from previously published meta-analyses linking a particular dietary component with the prevalence of RCC have been inconclusive. Three main dietary patterns have been identified in the cohort: Healthy (vegetables, tomato, fish, fruits, poultry, whole grains), Western (sweets, processed meat, refined grains, margarine/butter, high-fat dairy products, fried potatoes, soft drinks, meat), and Drinker (wine, hard liquor, beer, snacks). The use of cigarettes, body mass index, nutrition, diet and a history of hypertension and chronic renal disease are all recognized risk factors. Targeting modifiable risk factors, such as smoking cessation and body weight management, as well as treatments throughout the diagnostic process to promote early detection, are opportunities to prevent kidney cancer. RCC prevalence rises with age and is greater in males than in women. Obesity and hypertension are two recognized risk factors for RCC; a causal link between RCC and cigarette use is well established. The review deals with the probable effects of dietary and lifestyle factors on the incidence of renal carcinoma

Revolutionizing the Biological Landscape: the Power of Genome Editing

In recent decades, the advent of genome editing has brought about profound transformations in biology, allowing for precise modifications to the genetic material of living organisms beyond traditional genetic manipulation methods. This summary explores the vast potential, diverse applications, and ethical considerations associated with genome editing. Led by CRISPR-Cas9, this technology revolutionizes genetic engineering by providing unparalleled accuracy and versatility. Scientists can now manipulate genes with unprecedented precision, impacting various fields such as agriculture and medicine. Genome editing facilitates the creation of genetically modified organisms with desirable traits, from enhancing crop disease resistance to pioneering human therapies. Moreover, it sheds light on gene function, offering crucial biological insights. Despite its transformative potential, ethical concerns accompany genome editing, especially in terms of editing the germ line and its implications for future generations. This necessitates ongoing discussions to address unintended consequences, highlighting the importance of responsible use. Ultimately, genome editing represents a revolutionary advancement with the potential to transform agriculture, medicine, and our understanding of life. Moving forward, inclusive dialogues involving scientists, ethicists, policymakers, and the public are essential to ensure the responsible application of genome editing for the benefit of humanity and the environment

Low-dimensional semiconducting materials for next-generation nanoelectronics

This thesis focuses on the fabrication and characterisation of silicon nanocrystal (SiNC), and two-dimensional gallium chalcogenides, namely, gallium selenide (GaSe) and gallium telluride (GaTe) for next-generation nanoelectronics and nanophotonics applications.  In the first part, silicon nanocrystal (SiNC)-based thin-film devices have been fabricated, where the idea of scaling down of channel length was implemented in such a way that very few SiNCs can be fitted inside the channel in the channel length direction in order to decrease the number of barriers to increase electrical conductivity. In this study, we have demonstrated the scaling down of channel length to 20 nm in order to reduce the number of barriers provided by each of the SiNCs, which are fabricated using a very high-frequency (VHF) plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (CVD) system with a diameter of 10 ±1 nm. A high electrical conductivity has been achieved by optimising channel length. In addition, we have demonstrated the surface nitridation of SiNCs to protect the highly reactive surface of SiNCs from further native oxidisation and successfully suppressed the degradation of transport properties.  In the second part, we report on the nonlinear optical properties of few-layer GaTe studied by multiphoton microscopy. Second and third harmonic generation from few-layer GaTe flakes were observed in this study with the laser pump wavelength of 1560 nm. These processes were found to be sensitive to the number of GaTe layers. The second- and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities of 2.7 x 10-9 esu and 1.4 x 10-8 esu were estimated, respectively.  In the third part, we have established Raman fingerprint of GaTe and GaSe to investigate their crystal quality. Unencapsulated GaTe (GaSe) oxidises in ambient conditions which are well detected in their Raman analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of GaTe (GaSe) shows a good agreement with Raman analysis. 50 nm-thick Al2O3 deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to encapsulate GaTe (GaSe) inhibits degradation in ambient conditions

Regulation of Legionella pathogenesis by meta-effector-effector interactions exemplified by the LubX-SidH pair

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia in humans. It utilizes a multiprotein complex called the Dot/Icm secretion system to translocate a diverse set of bacterial proteins known as effectors into host cells during infection. L. pneumophila's effector arsenal comprises over 330 proteins, accounting for more than 10% of this bacterium's proteome. The functional redundancy and sheer number of L. pneumophila effectors complicate the characterization of their specific functions during infection, which remains poorly understood. Recent research has revealed that Legionella bacteria have a unique mechanism of controlling the activity of other effectors by utilizing a subset of effectors called meta-effectors. These meta-effectors modify the function of other effectors by targeting them within the host cell. One such example is LubX, a meta-effector encoded by the lpg2830 gene in L. pneumophila, which targets another effector, SidH (encoded by lpg2829), for ubiquitination and degradation by host proteasome. A large-scale analysis of effector-meta-effector interactions has identified nineteen such pairs, indicating that this type of regulation plays a crucial role in Legionella's pathogenic strategy. This study investigates the functional diversification of SidH across different Legionella strains, its interaction with the meta-effector LubX, and its potential mechanisms underlying SidH-mediated toxicity. A combination of structural analysis, in vitro experiments, and in cellulo assays was employed to investigate the characteristics of the SidH protein. The study also evaluated the interactions between SidH and LubX and the toxicity of SidH orthologs across Legionella species using a yeast model system. The C-terminus portion of SidH adopts an alpha-helical fold with no structural similarity to other characterized proteins and co-precipitates with host Rab11A. The research findings also indicate that LubX specifically ubiquitinates the N-terminal region of SidH, and LubX mutants, which lack E3 ubiquitin ligase function, are incapable of ubiquitinating the N-terminal region of SidH. The results provide insights into the functional diversification of SidH and the species-specific mechanisms of effector-meta-effector interactions in bacterial pathogenesis, highlighting the importance of meta-effectors in the pathogenic strategy and emphasizing the need for both effector interaction and functional regulation

Crystal quality of two-dimensional gallium telluride and gallium selenide using Raman fingerprint

We have established Raman fingerprint of GaTe and GaSe to investigate their crystal quality. As unencapsulated, they both oxidise in ambient conditions which can be detected in their Raman analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis shows a good agreement with Raman analysis. 50-nm-thick Al2O3 encapsulation layer deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) inhibits degradation in ambient conditions.Peer reviewe

Insulin–Mimetic Dihydroxanthyletin-Type Coumarins from Angelica decursiva with Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities and Docking Studies of Their Molecular Mechanisms

As a traditional medicine, Angelica decursiva has been used for the treatment of many diseases. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential of four natural major dihydroxanthyletin-type coumarins—(+)-trans-decursidinol, Pd-C-I, Pd-C-II, and Pd-C-III—to inhibit the enzymes, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and α-glucosidase. In the kinetic study of the PTP1B enzyme’s inhibition, we found that (+)-trans-decursidinol, Pd-C-I, and Pd-C-II led to competitive inhibition, while Pd-C-III displayed mixed-type inhibition. Moreover, (+)-trans-decursidinol exhibited competitive-type, and Pd-C-I and Pd-C-II mixed-type, while Pd-C-III showed non-competitive type inhibition of α-glucosidase. Docking simulations of these coumarins showed negative binding energies and a similar proximity to residues in the PTP1B and α-glucosidase binding pocket, which means they are closely connected and strongly binding with the active enzyme site. In addition, dihydroxanthyletin-type coumarins are up to 40 µM non-toxic in HepG2 cells and have substantially increased glucose uptake and decreased expression of PTP1B in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. Further, coumarins inhibited ONOO−-mediated albumin nitration and scavenged peroxynitrite (ONOO−), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Our overall findings showed that dihydroxanthyletin-type coumarins derived from A. decursiva is used as a dual inhibitor for enzymes, such as PTP1B and α-glucosidase, as well as for insulin susceptibility

Structural Bases for Hesperetin Derivatives: Inhibition of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B, Kinetics Mechanism and Molecular Docking Study

In the present study, we investigated the structure-activity relationship of naturally occurring hesperetin derivatives, as well as the effects of their glycosylation on the inhibition of diabetes-related enzyme systems, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and α-glycosidase. Among the tested hesperetin derivatives, hesperetin 5-O-glucoside, a single-glucose-containing flavanone glycoside, significantly inhibited PTP1B with an IC50 value of 37.14 ± 0.07 µM. Hesperetin, which lacks a sugar molecule, was the weakest inhibitor compared to the reference compound, ursolic acid (IC50 = 9.65 ± 0.01 µM). The most active flavanone hesperetin 5-O-glucoside suggested that the position of a sugar moiety at the C-5-position influences the PTP1B inhibition. It was observed that the ability to inhibit PTP1B is dependent on the nature, position, and number of sugar moieties in the flavonoid structure, as well as conjugation. In the kinetic study of PTP1B enzyme inhibition, hesperetin 5-O-glucoside led to mixed-type inhibition. Molecular docking studies revealed that hesperetin 5-O-glucoside had a higher binding affinity with key amino residues, suggesting that this molecule best fits the PTP1B allosteric site cavity. The data reported here support hesperetin 5-O-glucoside as a hit for the design of more potent and selective inhibitors against PTP1B in the search for a new anti-diabetic treatment