Search Results (16)

Lobelia nummularia Lam. is a traditional medicinal herb of which the anticancer mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that its ethanolic extract (LNE) exerts potent anti-breast cancer activity by inducing ROS-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells, a mechanism confirmed via rescue experiments with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). This pro-apoptotic program is driven by a dual mechanism: potent suppression of the pro-survival EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and simultaneous activation of the TP53-mediated apoptotic cascade, culminating in the cleavage of executor caspase-3. Phytochemical analysis identified numerous flavonoids, and quantitative HPLC confirmed that key bioactive compounds, including luteolin and apigenin, are substantially present in the extract. These mechanisms translated to significant in vivo efficacy, where LNE administration suppressed primary tumor growth and lung metastasis in a 4T1 orthotopic model in BALB/c mice. Furthermore, a validated molecular docking protocol provided a plausible structural basis for these multi-target interactions. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive, multi-layered validation of LNE’s therapeutic potential, establishing it as a mechanistically well-defined candidate for natural product-based anticancer drug discovery. Full article

Niclosamide, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug, has demonstrated significant potential as a repurposed anti-cancer agent due to its ability to interfere with multiple oncogenic pathways. However, its clinical application has been hindered by poor solubility and bioavailability. Lipid-based nanocarrier systems such as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), and lipid nanoemulsions (LNE), along with lipid prodrugs, have successfully been employed by researchers to overcome these limitations and improve niclosamide’s pharmacokinetic profile. Lipids are the core organic compounds which serve as the foundation of these advanced drug delivery methods and in turn play a critical role in enhancing niclosamide’s therapeutic efficacy through improving drug solubility and bioavailability. Lipid-based nanoparticles encapsulate niclosamide, protect it from degradation, facilitate drug delivery and release, and may facilitate targeted delivery in the future. While niclosamide holds significant potential as an anticancer agent due to its multi-pathway inhibitory effects, the challenges associated with its poor bioavailability and rapid clearance underscore the need for innovative delivery methods and chemical modifications to unlock its full therapeutic potential. This review aims to present the latest instances of lipid-based delivery of niclosamide and to compile successful strategies which may be employed when aiming to develop effective anticancer therapies. Full article

Supplementing essential amino acids (EAAs) without considering non-EAA (NEAA) and energy contents in reduced-crude protein (CP) diets may alter EAA-to-true protein (E:T) and energy-to-protein ratios, potentially compromising growth. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of CP, E:T, and net energy (NE) on broiler performance. The treatments were as follows: T1—reduced CP (16%, RP), low NE (9.9 MJ/kg, LNE), low E:T (0.56, LE:T); T2—RP, LNE, high E:T (0.60, HE:T), with imbalanced EAA (excess Met and deficient Thr); T3—RP, high NE (10.4 MJ/kg, HNE), LE:T; T4—RP, HNE, HE:T; T5—normal CP (18%, NP), LNE, LE:T; T6—NP, LNE, HE:T; T7—NP, HNE, LE:T; and T8—NP, HNE, HE:T. The study employed as-hatched Cobb 500 broilers in two experiments. Exp.1 studied the broiler performance from d19 to 35, with eight replicates per treatment and 16 birds per replicate (n = 1024). Birds were randomly assigned to different treatments, and at the end of their lives, all were dissected to determine their sex and account for any gender-related effects. Exp.2 measured NE values in respiration chambers from d25 to 28, with six replicates per treatment, and two birds (a male and a female) per replicate (n = 96). The bird gender was determined through high-resolution melting curve analysis of feather DNA. The measured NE values were used to calculate NE intake (NEi) in Exp.1. The results showed that T4 improved (p < 0.001) weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and NEi relative to T1, T2, and T3, and protein efficiency (WG/CP intake) relative to all treatments. The live performance (feed intake, WG, FCR) and NEi of birds fed T4 reached a level equal to those of birds fed NP diets (T5 to T8). These results suggest that a dietary E:T ratio of 0.60 is necessary to maximize nutrient utilization and to restore growth rate in broilers fed RP diets. Full article

The concept of measurement traceability is crucial for ensuring the data reliability and the comparability of measurement results provided by different instruments and operators. In the field of nanoparticle metrology, determining the size of nanoparticles using electron microscopy-based techniques remains a real challenge. In laboratory settings, the establishment of traceability regarding the instrument calibration procedures, the assessment of uncertainties associated with instruments/operators/samples/environments, as well as the complexities related to electron–sample interactions, are often neglected. In this article, we describe the calibration procedure set up at the LNE (Laboratoire National de métrologie et d’Essais) and propose an evaluation method for determining the uncertainties in measuring nanoparticle size by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). This study investigates the impact of the energy of the primary electrons (PEs) generated by the electron beam and accelerating voltage on the reliability of size measurements. The convolution between the signals coming from a nanoparticle and the substrate on which the particle is deposited induces edge effects that can have a negative impact on the measurement results. Finally, a diagram describing the various stages involved in establishing traceability for SEM measurements of nanoparticle size is proposed to facilitate the work of future operators. Full article

The aim of this paper is to compare the power measurement capabilities in millimetre- and sub-millimetre-wave frequency bands of several national metrology institutes and one research institute. The first comparison, in WR-6.5 waveguide (110 GHz to 170 GHz), involved NPL, TUBITAK UME and PTB. The second comparison, in WR-1.5 waveguide (500 GHz to 750 GHz), involved NPL, METAS, TUBITAK UME, LNE, WAT, GUM and VDI. Two types of travelling standards were used for these comparisons: a thermoelectric power sensor in the WR-6.5 band and a calorimetric power sensor in the WR-6.5 and WR-1.5 bands. The thermoelectric power sensor was characterised by the participants against their own standards and a generalised effective efficiency was calculated. The calorimetric power sensor operating in the WR-6.5 band was measured to observe its behaviour during the comparison and was also measured in the WR-1.5 band after being fitted with a suitable waveguide taper and used in conjunction with a frequency multiplier. The participants measured the output of the calorimetric power sensor and their own power sensor standard. A normalised power ratio method was used as a comparison parameter for the WR-1.5 band measurements. In addition, a pyroelectric power standard was used by METAS to measure absolute power, and a frequency of 650 GHz was used as a link between the absolute power and the power ratios. Finally, all but two of the measurement points compared between the participants achieved agreement in terms of $\left|E_n\right|$ scores less than 1. For the first time, an interlaboratory comparison of power measurements at sub-millimetre frequencies has been performed and, overall, good agreement was achieved between the different laboratories. Full article

Background: Lymph node metastases (LNM) are rare in early-stage endometrial cancer, but a diagnostic systematic lymphadenectomy (LNE) is often performed to achieve reliable N-staging. Therefore, this prospective study aimed to evaluate the benefit of [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/MRI complementary to SPECT/CT guided sentinel lymphonodectomy (SLNE) for a less invasive N-staging Methods: 79 patients underwent a whole-body FDG-PET/MRI, SLN mapping with ^99mTc-Nanocolloid SPECT/CT and indocyanine green (ICG) fluoroscopy followed by LNE which served as ground truth. Results: FDG-PET/MRI was highly specific in N-staging (97.2%) but revealed limited sensitivity (66.7%) due to missed micrometastases. In contrast, bilateral SLN mapping failed more often in patients with macrometastases. The combination of SLN mapping and FDG-PET/MRI increased the sensitivity from 66.7% to 77.8%. Additional SLN labeling with dye (ICG) revealed a complete SLN mapping in 80% (8/10) of patients with failed or incomplete SLN detection in SPECT/CT, reducing the need for diagnostic systematic LNE up to 87%. FDG-PET/MRI detected para-aortic LNM in three out of four cases and a liver metastasis. Conclusions: The combination of FDG-PET/MRI and SLNE can reduce the need for diagnostic systematic LNE by up to 87%. PET/MRI complements the SLN technique particularly in the detection of para-aortic LNM and occasional distant metastases. Full article

For this study, a substitution principle-based impedance bridge has been developed to calibrate AC resistors in a four-terminal-pair (4TP) configuration. The calibration is performed in the full complex plane for resistances ranging from 100 mΩ to 400 Ω and frequencies of between 50 Hz and 20 kHz. The automated bridge is based on four resistors associated with two high-impedance stages. The balancing of the bridge is achieved by means of PXI modules. The bridge is automatically balanced via a simplex top-down algorithm. The new bridge is primarily used for the measurement chain of AC standard resistors defined in a 4TP configuration at LNE, which are used for routine customer calibrations. The traceability of LNE’s standard resistors when defined in a 4TP configuration is ensured by a measurement chain from a 1 kΩ reference resistor using the new bridge. The reference resistor was calibrated previously via comparison with a calculable resistor up to 20 kHz. The bridge was validated via comparison with calibration results obtained in 1983 and 2009. For a resistor of 1 Ω at 1 kHz, the uncertainty of the series resistance variation and the phase shift are less than 6 µΩ/Ω (k = 1) and 6 µrad (k = 1), respectively. Full article

This study explored the effects of the sowing stage and nitrogen application rate on the grain yield and its allocation of light-temperature resources over a 9-year experiment from 2011 to 2019. Measurement indicators include the effective accumulative temperature on different growth durations, leaf area index (LAI), above-ground biomass production, and harvest index (HI). Methods: A split-plot design was arranged in the treatment, with N supply as the main plot and the sowing stage as the subplot. The main plots consisted of two nitrogen treatments: low nitrogen (LN: 120 kg ha⁻¹) and high nitrogen (HN: 180 kg ha⁻¹). The subplots contained two sowing stages: the early sowing stage (ES) and the late sowing stage (LS). Results: Compared with LNLS, LNES, and HNLS from 2011 to 2019, HNES of HHZ increased the grain yield by 9.5%, 2.5%, and 5.3%, while the difference in grain yield in YY8 was higher than HHZ, especially under HNES. Compared with LNLS, LNES, and HNLS from 2011 to 2019, HNES of HHZ increased the panicle number by 6.0%, 5.9%, and 1.0%, and HNES of YY8 increased by 12.7%, 11.4%, and 3.8%. Compared with HNLS of HHZ, LNES, LNLS, and HNES decreased the spikelets per panicle by 2.3%, 2.9%, and 1.1%, and decreased by 3.5%, 1.9%, and 2.2% in YY8. The early sowing or increasing N supply significantly increased the dry matter accumulated, grain weight, LAI, and HI. The higher grain yield in LNES was more closely related to the average temperature and the number of spikelets per panicle. The grain yield in HNES was more dependent on the effective accumulative temperature. Conclusions: Sowing in mid-May and increasing the N application (180 kg ha⁻¹) are beneficial to the allocation of light temperature and the increase in yield. Therefore, this research provides a theoretical basis for improving rice yield and optimizing the utilization of light-temperature resources in the future. Full article

The composition of the filler electrodes, as well as the shielding gases, has a strong impact on the static and dynamic properties of welded joints in HSLA steels. The content of Cr, Ni, and Mo, along with the shielding gases, helps maintain the hardness values in the HAZ of HSLA steels welded using the GMAW process, resulting in a positive impact on the fatigue life of the joints. Maintaining fatigue properties in the regions of the heat-affected zone is crucial. The increase in the size of the HAZ, coupled with microstructural changes, leads to a reduction in the hardness values in this region, contributing to a decrease in the fatigue life of welded joints. In this study, the effects of using different filler electrodes and shielding gases on the fatigue properties of welded joints in LNE 600 steel with a thickness of 4.75 mm, welded using the GMAW process, were evaluated. It was possible to observe a reduction in the hardness values in the HAZ region and a similar static resistance behavior for all evaluated conditions, except for the ER70S-6 electrode with 5% O₂ gas, where the fatigue life showed better results with the application of the ER120S-G electrode. Full article

Combined ultrasound–microwave techniques and pre-enzymatic treatment (hemicellulase and cellulase) enhance essential oil isolation from Citrus reticulata Blanco (tangerine) leaves (CrBL). Subsequently, synergistic effects of modified amorphous octenyl succinic anhydride starch (OSA-MS), almond oil, and high-energy microfluidics were studied in synergy with ultrasound techniques in the production of CrBL essential oil (CrBL-EO) nanoemulsion (CrBL-EONE). GC–MS was used to study the extraction technique. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis was used with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) techniques to investigate the nanoemulsion matrices’ physical and chemical properties. The D-limonene nanoemulsion (D-LNE) reached the optimal size of droplets (65.3 ± 1.1 r.nm), polydispersity index (PDI) (0.167 ± 0.015), and ζ-potential (−41.0 ± 0.4 mV). Besides, the CrBL-EONE obtained the optimal size of droplets (86.5 ± 0.5 r.nm), PDI (0.182 ± 0.012), and ζ-potential (−40.4 ± 0.8 mV). All the nanoparticle treatments showed significant values in terms of the creaming index (CI%) and inhibition activity (IA%) in the β-carotene/linoleate system with a low degradation rate (DR). The current study’s findings showed that integrated ultrasound–microwave techniques and pre-enzymatic treatment could enhance the extraction efficiency of the CrBL-EO. In addition, OSA-MS and almond oil can also be employed to produce CrBL-EONE and D-LNE. Full article

Considerable uncertainties in the mechanical properties of composites not only prevent them from having efficient applications but also threaten the safety and reliability of structures. In order to determine the uncertainty in the elastic properties of unidirectional CFRP composites, this paper develops a probabilistic analysis method based on a micromechanics theoretical model and the Monte Carlo simulation. Firstly, four commonly used theoretical models are investigated by calculating the deterministic elastic parameters of three unidirectional CFRP composites, which are compared with experimental outcomes. According to error analyses, the bridging model is the most brilliant one, with errors lower than 6%, which suggests that it can be used in probabilistic analyses. Furthermore, constituent parameters are regarded as normally distributed random variables, and the Monte Carlo simulation was used to obtain samplings based on the statistics of constituent parameters. The predicted probabilistic elastic parameters of the T800/X850 composite coincide with those from experiments, which verified the effectiveness of the developed probabilistic analysis method. According to the probabilistic analysis results, the statistics of the elastic parameters, the correlations between the elastic parameters, and their sensitivity to the constituent’s properties are determined. The moduli E₁₁, E₂₂, and G₁₂ of the T800/X850 composite follow the lognormal distribution, namely, ln(E₁₁)~N[5.15, 0.028²], ln(E₂₂)~N[2.15, 0.024²], and ln(G₁₂)~N[1.48, 0.038²], whereas its Poisson’s ratio, v₁₂, obeys the normal distribution, namely, v₁₂~N(0.33, 0.012²). Additionally, the correlation coefficients between v₁₂ and E₁₁/E₂₂/G₁₂ are small and thus can be ignored, whereas the correlation coefficients between any two of E₁₁, E₂₂, and G₁₂ are larger than 0.5 and should be considered in the reliability analyses of composite structures. The developed probabilistic analysis method based on the bridging model and the Monte Carlo simulation is fast and reliable and can be used to efficiently evaluate the probabilistic properties of the elastic parameters of any unidirectional composite in the reliability design of structures in engineering practice. Full article

(1) Background: Locoregional lymphadenectomy (LND) in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) may impact oncological outcome, but the findings from individual studies are conflicting. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the oncological value of LND in ACC by summarizing the available literature. (2) Methods: A systematic search on studies published until December 2020 was performed according to the PRISMA statement. The primary outcome was the impact of lymphadenectomy on overall survival (OS). Two separate meta-analyses were performed for studies including patients with localized ACC (stage I–III) and those including all tumor stages (I–IV). Secondary endpoints included postoperative mortality and length of hospital stay (LOS). (3) Results: 11 publications were identified for inclusion. All studies were retrospective studies, published between 2001–2020, and 5 were included in the meta-analysis. Three studies (N = 807 patients) reported the impact of LND on disease-specific survival in patients with stage I–III ACC and revealed a survival benefit of LND (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.42, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.26–0.68). Based on results of studies including patients with ACC stage I–IV (2 studies, N = 3934 patients), LND was not associated with a survival benefit (HR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.70–1.42). None of the included studies showed an association between LND and postoperative mortality or LOS. (4) Conclusion: Locoregional lymphadenectomy seems to offer an oncologic benefit in patients undergoing curative-intended surgery for localized ACC (stage I–III). Full article

The directional polarimetric camera (DPC) on-board the GF-5A satellite is designed for atmospheric or water color detection, which requires high radiometric accuracy. Therefore, in-flight calibration is a prerequisite for its inversion application. For large field optical sensors, it is very challenging to ensure the consistency of radiation detection in the whole field of view in the space environment. Our work proposes a vicarious in-flight calibration method based on sea non-equipment sites (visible bands) and land non-equipment sites (all bands). Combined with environmental parameters and radiation transmission calculations, we evaluated the radiation detection accuracy of the 0° to 60° view zenith angle of the DPC in each band. Our calibration method is based on the single-day normalized radiance data measured by the DPC. Through data selection, enough calibration samples can be obtained in a single day (the number of desert samples is more than 5000, and the number of calibration samples of the ocean is more than $2.8\times {10}^6$). The measurements are compared with the simulation of 6SV VRT code or look-up tables. The massive amount of data averages the uncertainty of a single-point calculation. Although the uncertainty of a single sample is significant, the final fitting of the curve of the variation in the radiometric calibration coefficient with the observation angle can still keep the root mean squared error at approximately 2–3% or even lower, and for visible bands, the calibration results for both ocean sites and desert sites are in good agreement regarding the non-uniformity of the sensor. Full article

Aim: This historical medical literature review aims at understanding the evolution of the medical existence of oral cancer over times, particularly better comprehending if the apparent lower prevalence of this type of cancer in antiquity is a real value due to the absence of modern environmental and lifestyle factors or it is linked to a misinterpretation of ancient foreign terms found in ancient medical texts regarding oral neoplasms. Methods: The databases MedLne, PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier’s EMBASE.com, Cochrane Review, National Library of Greece (Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Athens) and the Library of the School of Health Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece) were extensively searched for relevant studies published during the past century on the history of oral cancer and its treatment from antiquity to modern times, in addition to the WHO website to analyse the latest epidemiological data. In addition, we included historical books on the topic of interest and original sources. Results: Historical references reveal that the cradle of the oral oncology was in ancient Egypt, the Asian continent and Greece and cancer management was confined to an approximate surgical practice, in order to remove abnormal masses and avoid bleeding with cauterization. In the Medieval Age, little progress occurred in medicine in general, oral cancers management included. It is only from the Renaissance to modern times that knowledge about its pathophysiological mechanisms and histopathology and its surgical and pharmacological treatment approaches became increasingly deep all over the world, evolving to the actual integrated treatment. Despite the abundant literature exploring oncology in past civilizations, the real prevalence of oral cancer in antiquity is much less known; but a literature analysis cannot exclude a consistent prevalence of this cancer in past populations, probably with a likely lower incidence than today, because many descriptions of its aggressiveness were found in ancient medical texts, but it is still difficult to be sure that each single description of oral masses could be associated to cancer, particularly for what concerns the period before the Middle Ages. Conclusions: Modern oncologists and oral surgeons must learn a lot from their historic counterparts in order to avoid past unsuccessful efforts to treatment oral malignancies. Several descriptions of oral cancers in the antiquity that we found let us think that this disease might be linked to mechanisms not strictly dependent on environmental risk factors, and this might guide future research on oral cavity treatments towards strategical cellular and molecular techniques. Full article

Acne is an inflammatory skin disorder in puberty with symptoms including papules, folliculitis, and nodules. Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is the main anaerobic bacteria that cause acne. It is known to proliferate within sebum-blocked skin hair follicles. P. acnes activates monocytic cell immune responses to induce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Although the anti-inflammatory function of the Laurus nobilis (L. nobilis) extract (LNE) on several immunological disorders have been reported, the effect of LNE in P. acnes-mediated skin inflammation has not yet been explored. In the present study, we examined the ability of the LNE to modulate the P. acnes-induced inflammatory signaling pathway, and evaluated its mechanism. LNE significantly suppressed the expression of P. acnes-mediated proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and NLRP3. We also found that LNE inhibited the inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB in response to P. acnes. In addition, eucalyptol, which is the main constituent of LNE, consistently inhibited P. acnes-induced inflammatory signaling pathways. Moreover, LNE significantly ameliorated P. acnes-induced inflammation in a mouse model of acne. We suggest for the first time that LNE hold therapeutic value for the improvement of P. acnes-induced skin inflammation. Full article