Search Results (26)

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a unique ecosystem that surrounds tumor tissues. The TME is composed of extracellular matrix, immune cells, blood vessels, stromal cells, and fibroblasts. These environments enhance cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Recent success in immune checkpoint blockade also supports the importance of the TME and immune cells residing in the tumor niche. Although the TME can be identified in almost all cancer types, the role of the TME may not be similar among different cancer types. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a pivotal role in immune homeostasis and are frequently found in the TME. Owing to their suppressive function, Tregs are often considered unfavorable factors that allow the immune escape of cancer cells. However, the presence of Tregs is not always linked to an unfavorable phenotype, which can be explained by the heterogeneity and plasticity of Tregs. In this review, the current understanding of the role of Tregs in TME is addressed for each cancer cell type. Moreover, recently a therapeutic approach targeting Tregs infiltrating in the TME has been developed including drug antibody conjugate, immunotoxin, and FOXP3 inhibiting peptide. Thus, understanding the role of Tregs in the TME may lead to the development of novel therapies that directly target the TME. Full article

Upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) carcinomas have a high and rapidly increasing incidence, particularly in industrialized countries. The identification of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers remains a key objective in oncological research. However, conflicting data have been reported regarding Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2 or NGAL), Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and the MMP-9/NGAL complex in UADT carcinomas. For this reason, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the involvement and modulation of the LCN-2 system in UADT cancer by selecting patients at first diagnosis and excluding any pharmacological or interventional treatments that could act as confounding factors. In this clinical retrospective pilot study, we investigated LCN-2 and MMP-9 tissue gene expression, as well as circulating levels of LCN-2, MMP-9, and the MMP-9/NGAL complex. Our findings revealed a downregulation of LCN-2 and an upregulation of MMP-9 gene expression in tumor tissues compared to healthy counterparts. A similar trend was observed in circulating levels, with decreased LCN-2 and increased MMP-9 in cancer patients compared to healthy controls. Additionally, serum levels of the MMP-9/NGAL complex were significantly elevated in UADT cancer patients relative to controls. Our study suggests a potentially distinct role for the free form of LCN-2 and its conjugated form (MMP-9/NGAL complex) in UADT tumors. These findings not only provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor progression but also highlight the potential clinical relevance of these biomarkers. The differential expression patterns observed suggest that the LCN-2 and MMP-9/NGAL complex could serve as valuable tools for improving early diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, and potentially guiding therapeutic strategies. Further research is needed to validate their utility in clinical settings and to explore their prognostic and predictive value in personalized treatment approaches. Full article

This study selected three approved folate sources—folic acid (FA), L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate (MTFA), and calcium 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (CMTFA)—to explore their interaction mechanisms with soy protein isolate (SPI) through spectrofluorometric analysis and molecular docking simulations. We investigated how these interactions influence the structural and physicochemical stability of folates and SPI. Three folates spontaneously bound to SPI, forming complexes, resulting in a decrease of approximately 30 kJ·mol⁻¹ in Gibbs free energy and an association constant (K_a) of 10⁵ L·mol⁻¹. The thermodynamic parameters and molecular docking study revealed the unique binding mechanisms of FA and MTFA with SPI. FA’s planar pteridine ring and conjugated double bonds facilitate hydrophobic interactions, whereas MTFA’s reduced ring structure and additional polar groups strengthen hydrogen bonding. Although the formation of SPI–folate complexes did not result in substantial alterations to the SPI structure, their binding has the potential to enhance both the physical and thermal stability of the protein by stabilizing its conformation. Notably, compared with free FA, the FA-SPI complexes significantly enhanced FA’s stability, exhibiting 71.1 ± 1.2% stability under light conditions after 9 days and 63.2 ± 2.6% stability in the dark after 60 days. In contrast, no similar effect was observed for MTFA. This discrepancy can be ascribed to the distinct degradation pathways of the Fa and MTFA molecules. This study offers both theoretical and experimental insights into the development of folate-loaded delivery systems utilizing SPI as a matrix. Full article

For the first time, N-modified analogues of VV-hemorphin-5 (Valorphin) were synthesised and conjugated with three different 4-substitured-1,8-naphthalimides (H-NVal without substituent, Cl-NVal with chloro-substituent, and NO₂-NVal with nitro-substituent). Cotton fabric was modified with these peptides by soaking it in their ethanol solution, and the colourimetric properties of the obtained fabric were measured. The fluorescent analysis shows that peptide immobilisation on a solid matrix as fabric decreases the molecule flexibility and spectrum maxima shift bathocromically with the appearance of a vibrational structure. The peptides’ contact antimicrobial activity, and the resulting fabrics, have been investigated against model Gram-positive B. cereus and Gram-negative P. aeruginos bacteria. For the first time, the influence of light on bacterial inactivation was investigated by antibacterial photodynamic therapy of similar peptides. Slightly more pronounced activity in liquid media and after deposition on the cotton fabric was obtained for the peptide containing 4-nitro-1,8-naphthalimide compared to the other two peptides. Immobilisation of a peptide on the surface of fibres reduces their antimicrobial activity since their mobility is essential for good contact with bacteria. Cotton fabrics can be used in medical practice to produce antibacterial dressings and materials. Full article

This paper presents a fast focusing inversion algorithm of magnetic data based on the conjugate gradient method, which can be used to describe the underground target geologic body efficiently and clearly. The proposed method realizes an effect similar to matrix compression by changing the computation order, calculating the inner product of vectors and equivalent expansion of expressions. Model tests show that this strategy successfully reduces the computation time of a single iteration of the conjugate gradient method, so the three-dimensional magnetic data inversion is realized under a certain number of iterations. In this paper, the detailed calculation steps of the proposed inversion method are given, and the effectiveness and high efficiency of the proposed fast focusing inversion method are verified by three theoretical model tests and a set of measured data. Finally, the fast focus inversion algorithm is applied to the magnetic data of Gonghe Basin, Qinghai Province, to describe the spatial distribution range of deep hot dry rock, which provides a direction for the continuous exploration of geothermal resources in this area. Full article

Beeswax oleogels (OGs), with a mechanical strength similar to pork backfat, were formulated with avocado (A), sunflower (S), and linseed (L) oils, applying a central composite design plus star point, and were evaluated as oral delivery vehicles of curcuminoids (OGACur, OGSCur, OGLCur). The incorporation of curcumin into the OG matrix significantly delayed both the formation of peroxides and conjugated trienes (K₂₆₈ values), and the degradation rate of curcumin decreased with the increase of the oil polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content. The oil structuring did not affect the bioaccessibility of curcuminoids (>55% in all the OGs, regardless of the oil type), but it did reduce the release of fatty acids (~10%) during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. The intestinal absorption, evaluated in Caco-2 cell monolayers, was higher for the micelle-solubilized curcumin from the digested OG than from unstructured oils, and it showed high anti-inflammatory potential by inhibiting the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production compared to the positive control, both before and after the stimulation of ThP-1 cells with LPS. Regardless of the oil type, these beeswax-based OGs with gel-like behavior designed as fat replacers may be promising vehicles for the oral delivery of curcuminoids. Full article

In this paper, we introduce the “Walk on Equations” (WE) Monte Carlo algorithm, a novel approach for solving linear algebraic systems. This algorithm shares similarities with the recently developed WE MC method by Ivan Dimov, Sylvain Maire, and Jean Michel Sellier. This method is particularly effective for large matrices, both real- and complex-valued, and shows significant improvements over traditional methods. Our comprehensive comparison with the Gauss–Seidel method highlights the WE algorithm’s superior performance, especially in reducing relative errors within fewer iterations. We also introduce a unique dominancy number, which plays a crucial role in the algorithm’s efficiency. A pivotal outcome of our research is the convergence theorem we established for the WE algorithm, demonstrating its optimized performance through a balanced iteration matrix. Furthermore, we incorporated a sequential Monte Carlo method, enhancing the algorithm’s efficacy. The most-notable application of our algorithm is in solving a large system derived from a finite-element approximation in constructive mechanics, specifically for a beam structure problem. Our findings reveal that the proposed WE Monte Carlo algorithm, especially when combined with sequential MC, converges significantly faster than well-known deterministic iterative methods such as the Jacobi method. This enhanced convergence is more pronounced in larger matrices. Additionally, our comparative analysis with the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) method shows that the WE MC method can outperform traditional methods for certain matrices. The introduction of a new random variable as an unbiased estimator of the solution vector and the analysis of the relative stochastic error structure further illustrate the potential of our novel algorithm in computational mathematics. Full article

The use of template molecules as chemical scaffolds that significantly influence the course of the reaction has recently been intensively studied. Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) are molecules that mimic natural nucleic acids. They are a promising matrix in such reactions because they possess high affinity and specificity in their interactions. The manner of PNA interaction is predictable based on sequence complementarity. Recently, we report the visible light-induced metathesis reaction in peptides containing a diselenide bond. Herein, we present an efficient and straightforward method of the visible light-driven diselenide-based metathesis of peptide–nucleic acid conjugates. Compared to a similar photochemical transformation in peptides, a significant increase in the metathesis efficiency was obtained due to the template effect. Full article

The study in this paper presents a new material that was produced as a thin film by the Pulsed Laser Deposition technique (PLD) using a 532 nm wavelength and 150 mJ/pulse laser beam on the hemp stalk as target. The analyses performed by spectroscopic techniques (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy—FTIR, Laser—Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy—LIF, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray—SEM-EDX, Atomic Force Microscopy—AFM and optical microscope) evidenced that a biocomposite consisting of lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, waxes, sugars and phenolyc acids p-coumaric and ferulic, similar to the hemp stalk target was obtained. Nanostructures and aggregated nanostructures of 100 nm to 1.5 μm size were evidenced. Good mechanical strength and its adherence to the substrate were also noticed. It was noticed that the content in calcium and magnesium increased compared to that of the target from 1.5% to 2.2% and from 0.2% to 1.2%, respectively. The COMSOL numerical simulation provided information on the thermal conditions that explain phenomena and processes during laser ablation such as C-C pyrolisis and enhanced deposition of calcium in the lignin polymer matrix. The good gas and water sorption properties due to the free OH groups and to the microporous structure of the new biocomposite components recommends it for studies for functional applications in medicine for drug delivery devices, filters in dialysis and for gas and liquid sensors. Functional applications in solar cells windows are also possible due to the conjugated structures of the contained polymers. Full article

Synthetic aperture radar with polarimetric diversity is a powerful tool in remote sensing. Each pixel is described by the scattering matrix corresponding to the emission/reception polarization states (usually horizontal and vertical). The algebraic real representation, a block symmetric matrix form, is introduced to adopt a more comprehensive framework (non-restricted by reciprocity assumptions) in mapping the scattering matrix by the consimilarity equivalence relation. The proposed representation can reveal potentially new information. For example, its eigenvalue decomposition, which is itself a necessary step in obtaining the consimilarity transformation products, may be useful in characterizing the degree of reciprocity/nonreciprocity. As a consequence, it can be employed in testing the reciprocity compliance assumed with monostatic PolSAR data. Full-wave simulated polarimetric data confirm that oriented scatterers can present complex eigenvalues, even with the monostatic geometry. Full article

The pursuit of artificial structures exhibiting unusual acoustic properties is a major scientific endeavor, in which anti-parity-time ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry has been coming into view recent years. At the same time, with the emergence of new acoustic metamaterials, the classical Fabry–Perot resonance mode also exhibits fascinating scattering features similar to those of the anti-$\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system. We derive the generalized relation for the scattering parameters of an acoustic anti-$\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system with a transfer matrix, including conjugate bidirectional reflection coefficients and pure real feature of transmission coefficient. In the absence of the real or the imaginary (representing gain/loss) part of the refractive index, the anti-$\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system degrades into a pair of complementary media, resulting in the bidirectional total transmission. Moreover, a Fabry–Perot resonance mode exhibiting conjugate bidirectional reflection coefficients and a pure imaginary transmission coefficient has been demonstrated. Our results are meaningful for guiding the experimental test of an acoustic anti-$\mathcal{PT}$-symmetric system and the design of associated bidirectional response prototype devices. Full article

Biodegradable nanomedicines are widely studied as candidates for the effective treatment of various cancerous diseases. Here, we present the design, synthesis and evaluation of biodegradable polymer-based nanomedicines tailored for tumor-associated stimuli-sensitive drug release and polymer system degradation. Diblock polymer systems were developed, which enabled the release of the carrier drug, pirarubicin, via a pH-sensitive spacer allowing for the restoration of the drug cytotoxicity solely in the tumor tissue. Moreover, the tailored design enables the matrix-metalloproteinases- or reduction-driven degradation of the polymer system into the polymer chains excretable from the body by glomerular filtration. Diblock nanomedicines take advantage of an enhanced EPR effect during the initial phase of nanomedicine pharmacokinetics and should be easily removed from the body after tumor microenvironment-associated biodegradation after fulfilling their role as a drug carrier. In parallel with the similar release profiles of diblock nanomedicine to linear polymer conjugates, these diblock polymer conjugates showed a comparable in vitro cytotoxicity, intracellular uptake, and intratumor penetration properties. More importantly, the diblock nanomedicines showed a remarkable in vivo anti-tumor efficacy, which was far more superior than conventional linear polymer conjugates. These findings suggested the advanced potential of diblock polymer conjugates for anticancer polymer therapeutics. Full article

Photoluminescence (PL) is one of the key experimental characterizations of optoelectronic materials, including conjugated polymers (CPs). In this study, a simplified model of an undoped cis-polyacetylene (cis-PA) oligomer was selected and used to explain the mechanism of photoluminescence (PL) of the CPs. Using a combination of the ab initio electronic structure and a time-dependent density matrix methodology, the photo-induced time-dependent excited state dynamics were computed. We explored the phonon-induced relaxation of the photoexcited state for a single oligomer of cis-PA. Here, the dissipative Redfield equation of the motion was used to compute the dissipative excited state dynamics of electronic degrees of freedom. This equation used the nonadiabatic couplings as parameters. The computed excited state dynamics showed that the relaxation rate of the electron is faster than the relaxation rate of the hole. The dissipative excited-state dynamics were combined with radiative recombination channels to predict the PL spectrum. The simulated results showed that the absorption and emission spectra both have a similar transition. The main result is that the computed PL spectrum demonstrates two mechanisms of light emission originating from (i) the inter-band transitions, corresponding to the same range of transition energies as the absorption spectrum and (ii) intra-band transitions not available in the absorption spectra. However, the dissipative Redfield equation of the motion was used to compute the electronic degrees of freedom of the nonadiabatic couplings, which helped to process the time propagation of the excited dynamic state. This excited dynamic state shows that the relaxation rate of the electron is faster than the relaxation rate of the hole, which can be used for improving organic semiconductor materials for photovoltaic and LED applications. Full article

In order to solve the problems of long-term image acquisition time and massive data processing in a terahertz time domain spectroscopy imaging system, a novel fast terahertz imaging model, combined with group sparsity and nonlocal self-similarity (GSNS), is proposed in this paper. In GSNS, the structure similarity and sparsity of image patches in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional space are utilized to obtain high-quality terahertz images. It has the advantages of detail clarity and edge preservation. Furthermore, to overcome the high computational costs of matrix inversion in traditional split Bregman iteration, an acceleration scheme based on conjugate gradient method is proposed to solve the terahertz imaging model more efficiently. Experiments results demonstrate that the proposed approach can lead to better terahertz image reconstruction performance at low sampling rates. Full article

The treatment for mosquito-borne viral diseases such as dengue virus (DENV), zika virus (ZIKV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has become difficult due to delayed diagnosis processes. In addition, sharing the same transmission media and similar symptoms at the early stage of infection of these diseases has become more critical for early diagnosis. To overcome this, a common platform that can identify the virus with high sensitivity and selectivity, even for the different serotypes, is in high demand. In this study, we have attempted an electrochemical impedimetric method to detect the ZIKV, DENV, and CHIKV using their corresponding antibody-conjugated sensor electrodes. The significance of this method is emphasized on the fabrication of a common matrix of gold–polyaniline and sulfur, nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dot nanocomposites (Au-PAni-N,S-GQDs), which have a strong impedimetric response based only on the conjugated antibody, resulting in minimum cross-reactivity for the detection of various mosquito-borne viruses, separately. As a result, four serotypes of DENV and ZIKV, and CHIKV have been detected successfully with an LOD of femtogram mL⁻¹. Full article