Virtual screening of a library of natural compounds against COX-2 protein

The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in treating inflammatory diseases has been widespread, especially in treating rheumatoid arthritis. NSAIDs act mainly by promoting the inhibition of cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2), inducing significant anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activity. However, recent data show that prolonged use of NSAIDs can lead to cardiovascular side effects. Thus, the present work aims to identify COX-2 inhibitors alternatives from natural sources, specifically mushrooms, as an alternative to conventional inhibitorsThe authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to the CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program for financial support to the project 100% Figo (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-064977). S. Heleno and M. Carocho thank FCT for their individual employment program–contract (CEECIND/ 00831/2018, CEECIND/03040/2017), and L.Barros also thanks to the national funding by FCT through the institutional scientificemployment program–contract for her contract. C. Shirashi thank the project 100% Figos.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Investigation on River Section Shape Considering Both Spawning Environment of Ayu, Plecoglossus Altivelis, and Flood Control

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Stiffness and Damping Coefficients of Liquid Crystal Film Under Electric Field

Abstract This paper describes the stiffness and damping properties of liquid crystal film under electric field in a slide bearing. Liquid crystal is known as a homogeneous organic liquid characterized by the long-range order of its molecular orientation. When an electric field is applied to a liquid crystal, the orientational order of molecules becomes parallel to the applied electric field, which causes apparent viscosity variation. Applying liquid crystal as lubricant, a controllable bearing system may be realized by the external electric signal. In this paper, a controllable sliding bearing system in which liquid crystal was applied as lubricant was constructed and its controllability and dynamic properties were studied experimentally. In the present bearing system, a sinusoidal load was applied to the bearing pad by a magnetic exciter and the equivalent spring and damping constant were identified under various electric field, sliding velocity and film thickness. The results show that the applied electric field strength has little effects on the equivalent spring constant of the liquid crystal film, whereas it has large effects on the damping properties

Prognostic significance of mesothelin expression in colorectal cancer disclosed by area-specific four-point tissue microarrays

I.P.N. is the recipient of a Medical Research Scotland PhD Studentship awarded to P.D.C.Mesothelin (MSLN) is a cell surface glycoprotein present in many cancer types. Its expression is generally associated with an unfavorable prognosis. This study examined the prognostic significance of MSLN expression in different areas of individual colorectal cancers (CRCs) using tissue microarrays (TMAs) by enrolling 314 patients with stage II (T3-T4, N0, M0) CRCs. Using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from patients, TMA blocks were constructed. Tissue core specimens were obtained from submucosal invasive front (Fr-sm), subserosal invasive front (Fr-ss), central area (Ce), and rolled edge (Ro) of each tumor. Using these four-point TMA sets, MSLN expression was immunohistochemically surveyed. The area-specific prognostic significance of MSLN expression was evaluated. A deep learning convolutional neural network algorithm was used for imaging analysis and evaluating our judgment's objectivity. MSLN staining ratio was positively correlated between the manual and machine-learning analyses (r = 0.71). The correlation coefficient between Ro and Ce, Ro and Fr-sm, and Ro and Fr-ss was r = 0.63, r = 0.54, and r = 0.61, respectively. Disease-specific survival curves for the MSLN-positive and MSLN-negative groups in Fr-sm, Fr-ss, and Ro were significantly different (five-year survival rates 88.1% and 95.5% (P = 0.024), 85.0 and 96.2% (P = 0.0087), 87.8 and 95.5% (P = 0.051), and 77.9 and 95.8% (P = 0.046) for Fr-sm, Fr-ss, Ce, and Ro, respectively). The analysis performed using area-specific four-point TMAs clearly demonstrated that MSLN expression in stage II CRC was relatively homogeneous within tumors. Additionally, high MSLN expression showed or tended to show unfavorable prognostic significance regardless of the tumor area.PostprintPeer reviewe

Successful Preservation of the Bladder in a Case of Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor with the Diagnostic Efficacy of ALK/p80 Immunohistochemistry and FISH Analysis: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a rare benign entity of unclear etiology. It can present with histological features that include a mixture of spindle cells, myofibroblasts and inflammatory cells. Positive immunohistochemical staining for ALK/p80 is often observed, and this marker has been considered diagnostically effective. Despite having these histological features, a previous case was incorrectly diagnosed as malignant disease and was treated with extensive surgical resection. Here we present a case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in the bladder, diagnosed in part based on immunohistochemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of ALK/p80. The patient was successfully treated with bladder-preserving partial cystectomy

Bacterial Communities in Various Parts of Air-Conditioning Units in 17 Japanese Houses

HVAC systems have a significant impact on the indoor environment, and microbial contamination in HVAC systems has a significant effect on the indoor air quality. In this study, to gain a better understanding of the microbial contamination inside ACs, we used NGS to analyze the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria adhering to AC filters, cooling coils, fans, and air outlet surfaces. The five phyla in terms of the highest relative abundance were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. The surface of an AC filter provides a history of indoor airborne bacterial contamination, and of the 10 bacterial genera we detected with the highest abundance (in the following order: Pseudomonas > Staphylococcus > Paracoccus > Corynebacterium > Acinetobacter > Streptococcus > Methylobacterium > Enhydrobacter > Sphingomonas > Actinotignum) on the filter surface, the top 6 genera were Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, the seventh-most abundant genus adhering to the filter surface (Methylobacterium) was the second-most abundant genus on the cooling coil and fan, and the ninth-most abundant genus on the air filter (Sphingomonas) was the third-most abundant genus on the cooling coil. Various factors impact the bacterial flora inside AC units, including the location of the house, AC unit usage, and occupant activity