Photodegradation of 2-naphthol Using Nanocrystalline TiO2

The kinetics of the photocatalytic degradation of 2-naphthol has been investigated in aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide (TiO2) under a variety of conditions, which is essential from application point of view. The degradation was studied using different parameters such as types of TiO2, catalyst concentration, substrate concentration, reaction pH and in the presence of different electron acceptors such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium bromate (KBrO3) and potassium persulphate (K2S2O8) besides molecular oxygen. The degradation rates were found to be strongly influenced by all the above parameters. The photocatlyst ″Degussa P-25″ was found to be more efficient as compared with other photocatalysts. The results indicate the process follows Langmuir-Hinshelwood-type kinetics and inference is made of the reaction taking place on the semiconductor particle surface. An analysis of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) showed that a complete mineralization of 2-naphthol can be easily achieved.The kinetics of the photocatalytic degradation of 2-naphthol has been investigated in aqueous suspensions of titanium dioxide (TiO2) under a variety of conditions, which is essential from application point of view. The degradation was studied using different parameters such as types of TiO2, catalyst concentration, substrate concentration, reaction pH and in the presence of different electron acceptors such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium bromate (KBrO3) and potassium persulphate (K2S2O8) besides molecular oxygen. The degradation rates were found to be strongly influenced by all the above parameters. The photocatlyst ″Degussa P-25″ was found to be more efficient as compared with other photocatalysts. The results indicate the process follows Langmuir-Hinshelwood-type kinetics and inference is made of the reaction taking place on the semiconductor particle surface. An analysis of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) showed that a complete mineralization of 2-naphthol can be easily achieved

The 'Ins and Outs' of Early Preclinical Models for Brain Tumor Research: Are They Valuable and Have We Been Doing It Wrong?

In this perspective, we congratulate the international efforts to highlight critical challenges in brain tumor research through a recent Consensus Statement. We also illustrate the importance of developing more accurate and clinically relevant early translational in vitro brain tumor models-a perspective given limited emphasis in the Consensus Statement, despite in vitro models being widely used to prioritize candidate therapeutic strategies prior to in vivo studies and subsequent clinical trials. We argue that successful translation of effective novel treatments into the clinic will require investment into the development of more predictive early pre-clinical models. It is in the interest of researchers, clinicians, and ultimately, patients that the most promising therapeutic candidates are identified and translated toward use in the clinic. Highlighting the value of early pre-clinical brain tumor models and debating how such models can be improved is of the utmost importance to the neuro-oncology research community and cancer research more broadly

A retrospective study of high mobility group protein I(Y) as progression marker for prostate cancer determined by in situ hybridization.

In a previous study using RNA in situ hybridisation (RISH), we found a significant correlation between high mobility group protein I/Y, [HMG-I(Y)] mRNA expression and tumour stage and grade in prostate cancer patients, suggesting that HMG-I(Y) might be a potential prognostic marker in prostate cancer. However, our clinical follow-up was limited because cryopreserved material was used. Assessing the potential prognostic value of this molecule is of importance because the clinical course of prostate cancer patients remains unpredictable. Here we describe our results on paraffin-embedded archival material from a group of 102 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. These were evaluated for the presence of HMG-I(Y) using RISH, and a follow-up of 12-92 months (average 53 months) was available. In 2 of 14 prostate cancers in which the predominant histological pattern was of Gleason grade 1-2, a high HMG-I(Y) expression was observed, whereas in 19 of 23 Gleason grade 3, and 34 of 35 Gleason grade 4-5 tumours, high HMG-I(Y) mRNA levels were detected (chi-square = 38.78, P < 0.0001). Moreover, of tumours that expressed high HMG-I(Y) levels, 25% were organ confined (T1-2), in contrast to 74.5% of the invading tumours (T3, chi-square = 15.8, P < 0.001). Furthermore, 87% of recurrent tumours showed high HMG-I(Y) expression. However, a multivariate regression analysis including Gleason grade, clinical tumour stage, HMG-I(Y) expression and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels showed Gleason grade as the most accurate predictor of progression. High HMG-I(Y) levels measured by RISH were indicative of a worse prognosis, albeit that additional value over the more subjective grading methods was not evident

p16 mutations/deletions are not frequent events in prostate cancer.

Cyclin-dependent kinase-4 inhibitor gene (p16INK4) has recently been mapped to chromosome 9p21. Homozygous deletions of this gene have been found at high frequency in cell lines derived from different types of tumours. These findings suggested therefore, that p16INK4 is a tumour-suppressor gene involved in a wide variety of human cancers. To investigate the frequency of p16INK mutations/deletions in prostate cancer, we screened 20 primary prostate tumours and four established cell lines by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis for exon 1 and exon 2. In contrast to most previous reports, no homozygous deletions were found in prostate cancer cell lines, but one cell line (DU145) has revealed to a mutation at codon 76. Only two SSCP shifts were detected in primary tumours: one of them corresponds to a mutation at codon 55 and the other one probably corresponds to a polymorphism. These data suggest that mutation of the p16INK4 gene is not a frequent genetic alteration implicated in prostate cancer development

Tumour treating fields therapy for glioblastoma : current advances and future directions

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumour in adults and continues to portend poor survival, despite multimodal treatment using surgery and chemoradiotherapy. The addition of tumour-treating fields (TTFields)—an approach in which alternating electrical fields exert biophysical force on charged and polarisable molecules known as dipoles—to standard therapy, has been shown to extend survival for patients with newly diagnosed GBM, recurrent GBM and mesothelioma, leading to the clinical approval of this approach by the FDA. TTFields represent a non-invasive anticancer modality consisting of low-intensity (1–3 V/cm), intermediate-frequency (100–300 kHz), alternating electric fields delivered via cutaneous transducer arrays configured to provide optimal tumour-site coverage. Although TTFields were initially demonstrated to inhibit cancer cell proliferation by interfering with mitotic apparatus, it is becoming increasingly clear that TTFields show a broad mechanism of action by disrupting a multitude of biological processes, including DNA repair, cell permeability and immunological responses, to elicit therapeutic effects. This review describes advances in our current understanding of the mechanisms by which TTFields mediate anticancer effects. Additionally, we summarise the landscape of TTFields clinical trials across various cancers and consider how emerging preclinical data might inform future clinical applications for TTFields

Alcohol Intake Between Menarche and First Pregnancy: A Prospective Study of Breast Cancer Risk

Background: Adult alcohol consumption during the previous year is related to breast cancer risk. Breast tissue is particularly susceptible to carcinogens between menarche and first full-term pregnancy. No study has characterized the contribution of alcohol consumption during this interval to risks of proliferative benign breast disease (BBD) and breast cancer. Methods: We used data from 91005 parous women in the Nurses’ Health Study II who had no cancer history, completed questions on early alcohol consumption in 1989, and were followed through June 30, 2009, to analyze breast cancer risk. A subset of 60093 women who had no history of BBD or cancer in 1991 and were followed through June 30, 2001, were included in the analysis of proliferative BBD. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression. Results: We identified 1609 breast cancer cases and 970 proliferative BBD cases confirmed by central histology review. Alcohol consumption between menarche and first pregnancy, adjusted for drinking after first pregnancy, was associated with risks of breast cancer (RR = 1.11 per 10g/day intake; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00 to 1.23) and proliferative BBD (RR = 1.16 per 10g/day intake; 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.32). Drinking after first pregnancy had a similar risk for breast cancer (RR = 1.09 per 10g/day intake; 95% CI = 0.96 to 1.23) but not for BBD. The association between drinking before first pregnancy and breast neoplasia appeared to be stronger with longer menarche to first pregnancy intervals. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption before first pregnancy was consistently associated with increased risks of proliferative BBD and breast cancer

Cyperus spp.: A Review on Phytochemical Composition, Biological Activity, and Health-Promoting Effects

Cyperaceae are a plant family of grass-like monocots, comprising 5600 species with a cosmopolitan distribution in temperate and tropical regions. Phytochemically, Cyperus is one of the most promising health supplementing genera of the Cyperaceae family, housing ˜950 species, with Cyperus rotundus L. being the most reported species in pharmacological studies. The traditional uses of Cyperus spp. have been reported against various diseases, viz., gastrointestinal and respiratory affections, blood disorders, menstrual irregularities, and inflammatory diseases. Cyperus spp. are known to contain a plethora of bioactive compounds such as a-cyperone, a-corymbolol, a-pinene, caryophyllene oxide, cyperotundone, germacrene D, mustakone, and zierone, which impart pharmacological properties to its extract. Therefore, Cyperus sp. extracts were preclinically studied and reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, neuroprotective, antidepressive, antiarthritic, antiobesity, vasodilator, spasmolytic, bronchodilator, and estrogenic biofunctionalities. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence is still sparse regarding its clinical applications on human diseases. Further studies focused on toxicity data and risk assessment are needed to elucidate its safe and effective application. Moreover, detailed structure-activity studies also need time to explore the candidature of Cyperus-derived phytochemicals as upcoming drugs in pharmaceuticals.NM acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the Horizon 2020 Program (PTDC/PSI-GER/28076/2017)

Salinity tolerance loci revealed in rice using high-throughput non-invasive phenotyping

High-throughput phenotyping produces multiple measurements over time, which require new methods of analyses that are flexible in their quantification of plant growth and transpiration, yet are computationally economic. Here we develop such analyses and apply this to a rice population genotyped with a 700k SNP high-density array. Two rice diversity panels, indica and aus, containing a total of 553 genotypes, are phenotyped in waterlogged conditions. Using cubic smoothing splines to estimate plant growth and transpiration, we identify four time intervals that characterize the early responses of rice to salinity. Relative growth rate, transpiration rate and transpiration use efficiency (TUE) are analysed using a new association model that takes into account the interaction between treatment (control and salt) and genetic marker. This model allows the identification of previously undetected loci affecting TUE on chromosome 11, providing insights into the early responses of rice to salinity, in particular into the effects of salinity on plant growth and transpiration.Nadia Al-Tamimi, Chris Brien, Helena Oakey, Bettina Berger, Stephanie Saade, Yung Shwen Ho, Sandra M. Schmöckel, Mark Tester and Sónia Negrã

Sex steroids, growth factors and mammographic density: a cross-sectional study of UK postmenopausal Caucasian and Afro-Caribbean women

INTRODUCTION: Sex steroids, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and prolactin are breast cancer risk factors but whether their effects are mediated through mammographic density, one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer, is unknown. If such a hormonal basis of mammographic density exists, hormones may underlie ethnic differences in both mammographic density and breast cancer incidence rates. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of 270 postmenopausal Caucasian and Afro-Caribbean women attending a population-based breast screening service in London, UK, we investigated whether plasma biomarkers (oestradiol, oestrone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone, prolactin, leptin, IGF-I, IGF-II and IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP3)) were related to and explained ethnic differences in mammographic percent density, dense area and nondense area, measured in Cumulus using the threshold method. RESULTS: Mean levels of oestrogens, leptin and IGF-I:IGFBP3 were higher whereas SHBG and IGF-II:IGFBP3 were lower in Afro-Caribbean women compared with Caucasian women after adjustment for higher mean body mass index (BMI) in the former group (by 3.2 kg/m(2) (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8, 4.5)). Age-adjusted percent density was lower in Afro-Caribbean compared with Caucasian women by 5.4% (absolute difference), but was attenuated to 2.5% (95% CI: -0.2, 5.1) upon BMI adjustment. Despite ethnic differences in biomarkers and in percent density, strong ethnic-age-adjusted inverse associations of oestradiol, leptin and testosterone with percent density were completely attenuated upon adjustment for BMI. There were no associations of IGF-I, IGF-II or IGFBP3 with percent density or dense area. We found weak evidence that a twofold increase in prolactin and oestrone levels were associated, respectively, with an increase (by 1.7% (95% CI: -0.3, 3.7)) and a decrease (by 2.0% (95% CI: 0, 4.1)) in density after adjustment for BMI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that sex hormone and IGF levels are not associated with BMI-adjusted percent mammographic density in cross-sectional analyses of postmenopausal women and thus do not explain ethnic differences in density. Mammographic density may still, however, be influenced by much higher premenopausal hormone levels

Breast cancer susceptibility loci and mammographic density

Introduction Recently, the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) conducted a multi-stage genome-wide association study and identified 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with breast cancer risk. Given the high degree of heritability of mammographic density and its strong association with breast cancer, it was hypothesised that breast cancer susceptibility loci may also be associated with breast density and provide insight into the biology of breast density and how it influences breast cancer risk. Methods We conducted an analysis in the Nurses\u27 Health Study (n = 1121) to assess the relation between 11 breast cancer susceptibility loci and mammographic density. At the time of their mammogram, 217 women were premenopausal and 904 women were postmenopausal. We used generalised linear models adjusted for covariates to determine the mean percentage of breast density according to genotype. Results Overall, no association between the 11 breast cancer susceptibility loci and mammographic density was seen. Among the premenopausal women, three SNPs (rs12443621 [TNRc9/LOC643714], rs3817198 [lymphocyte-specific protein-1] and rs4666451) were marginally associated with mammographic density (p \u3c 0.10). All three of these SNPs showed an association that was consistent with the direction in which these alleles influence breast cancer risk. The difference in mean percentage mammographic density comparing homozygous wildtypes to homozygous variants ranged from 6.3 to 8.0%. None of the 11 breast cancer loci were associated with postmenopausal breast density. Conclusion Overall, breast cancer susceptibility loci identified through a genome-wide association study do not appear to be associated with breast cancer risk