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Proximity effects allow for the adjustment of magnetic properties in a physically elegant way. If two thin ferromagnetic (FM) films are brought into contact, electronic coupling alters their magnetic exchange interaction at their interface. For a low- T C rare-earth FM coupled to a 3d transition metal FM, even room temperature magnetism is within reach. In addition, magnetic proximity coupling is particularly promising for increasing the magnetic order of metastable materials such as europium monoxide (EuO) beyond their bulk T C , since neither the stoichiometry nor the insulating properties are modified. We investigate the magnetic proximity effect at Fe/EuO and Co/EuO interfaces using hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. By exciting the FM layers with circularly polarized light, magnetic dichroism is observed in angular dependence on the photoemission geometry. In this way, the depth-dependence of the magnetic signal is determined element-specifically for the EuO and 3d FM parts of the bilayers. In connection with atomistic spin dynamics simulations, the thickness of the EuO layer is found to be crucial, indicating that the observed antiferromagnetic proximity coupling is a short-ranged and genuine interface phenomenon. This fact turns the bilayer into a strong synthetic ferrimagnet. The increase in magnetic order in EuO occurs in a finite spatial range and is therefore particularly strong in the 2D limit—a counterintuitive but very useful phenomenon for spin-based device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endodontic microbial flora plays a pivotal role in the development and persistence of periodontal endodontic lesions (PELs). Understanding the composition and prevalence of microbial species in PELs is essential for effective treatment strategies. Materials and Methods: Microbial samples were collected from 50 teeth diagnosed with PELs. Sterile paper points were used to obtain samples from the root canals. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene to identify bacterial species. The obtained data were analyzed using statistical methods. Results: The microbial analysis revealed a diverse range of bacterial species in PELs. The most prevalent species were Porphyromonas gingivalis (32.5%), Treponema denticola (28.0%), and Fusobacterium nucleatum (22.5%). Streptococcus mutans (9.0%) and Actinomyces naeslundii (8.0%) were also frequently detected. Additionally, Prevotella intermedia (7.0%), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (3.5%), and Enterococcus faecalis (2.5%) were present in lower frequencies. Conclusion: The presence of a diverse microbial flora in teeth with PELs underscores the polymicrobial nature of these lesions. The predominance of periodontal pathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Fusobacterium nucleatum suggests a strong association between periodontal and endodontic infections. A comprehensive understanding of the microbial profile in PELs is crucial for tailored therapeutic approaches targeting the specific pathogens involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer, one of the most frequently occurring cancers in men, is a heterogeneous disease involving multiple cell types within tumors. This tumor heterogeneity at least partly results from genomic instability leading to sub-clonal cellular differentiation. The differentiated cell populations originate from a small subset of cells with tumor-initiating and stem-like properties. These cells, termed prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs), play crucial roles in disease progression, drug resistance, and relapse. This review discusses the origin, hierarchy, and plasticity of PCSCs; methods for isolation and enrichment of PCSCs; and various cellular and metabolic signaling pathways involved in PCSC induction and maintenance, as well as therapeutic targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of fluorescent imaging probes is an important topic of research for the early diagnosis of cancer. Based on the difference between the cellular environment of tumor cells and normal cells, several "smart" fluorescent probes have been developed. In this work, a glycopolymer functionalized Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) based fluorescent sensor is developed, which can monitor the pH change in cellular system. One‐pot sequential reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)polymerization technique is employed to synthesize fluorescent active triblock glycopolymer that can undergo FRET change on the variation of pH. A FRET pair, fluorescein o‐acrylate (FA) and 7‐amino‐4‐methylcoumarin (AMC) is linked via a pH‐responsive polymer poly [2‐(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDPAEMA), which can undergo reversible swelling/deswelling under acidic/neutral condition. The presence of glycopolymer segment provides stability, water solubility, and specificity toward cancer cells. The cellular FRET experiments on cancer cells (MDA MB 231) and normal cells (3T3 fibroblast cells) demonstrate that the material is capable of distinguishing cells as a function of pH change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a two-photon responsive drug delivery system (DDS), namely, p-hydroxyphenacyl–naphthalene–chlorambucil (pHP–Naph–Cbl), having a two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section of ≥20 GM in the phototherapeutic window (700 nm). Our DDS exhibited both AIE and ESIPT phenomena, which were utilized for the real-time monitoring of anti-cancer drug release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we depleted glutathione (GSH) by releasing SO2 with internal stimulus GSH itself, and also selectively marked the cancer cells followed by release of anticancer drug using another orthogonal stimulus i.e., two-photon (TP) NIR light by a single naphthalene based chromophore (TP absorbance 77 GM and uncaging cross-section 21 GM). We demonstrated the improved therapeutic efficacy of chlorambucil by the stepwise dual stimuli approach and dual surveillance of both the drug uncaging process in real-time using in vitro studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is one of the most perplexing cancers because of its infiltrating nature, molecular signaling, and location in central nervous system. Blood-brain barrier acts as a natural barrier to the glioma making it difficult to access by conventional chemotherapy. Clinicians are using natural compounds or their derivatives for several diseases including different cancers. However, the feasibility of using natural compounds in glioma is not explored in details. Natural compounds can act over a wide variety of signaling pathways such as survival and metabolic pathways and induce cell death. Some of the natural agents have additional benefits of crossing biological barriers such as blood-brain barrier with ease having few or no impact on the surrounding healthy cells. All of these benefits make natural compounds a prospective candidate for the glioma management. This article evaluates the benefits of using natural compounds for glioma therapy and their possible mechanism of actions. We have discussed the natural compounds assessed currently for glioma therapy and proposed a few novel natural compounds with potential antiglioma effect based on their mechanism of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is difficult-to-treat because of its infiltrative nature and the presence of the blood-brain barrier. Temozolomide is the only FDA-approved drug for its management. Therefore, finding a novel chemotherapeutic agent for glioma is of utmost importance. Magnolol, a neolignan, has been known for its apoptotic role in glioma. In this work, we have explored a novel anti-glioma mechanism of Magnolol associated with its role in autophagy modulation. We found increased expression levels of Beclin-1, Atg5-Atg12, and LC3-II and lower p62 expression in Magnolol-treated glioma cells. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway proteins were also downregulated in Magnolol-treated glioma cells. Next, we treated the glioma cells with Insulin, a stimulator of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, to confirm that Magnolol induced autophagy by inhibiting this pathway. Insulin reversed the effect on Magnolol-mediated autophagy induction. We also established the same in in vivo glioma model where Magnolol showed an anti-glioma effect by inducing autophagy. To confirm the cytotoxic effect of Magnolol-induced autophagy, we used Chloroquine, a late-stage autophagy inhibitor. Chloroquine efficiently reversed the anti-glioma effects of Magnolol both in vitro and in vivo. Our study revealed the cytotoxic effect of Magnolol-induced autophagy in glioma, which was not previously reported. Additionally, Magnolol showed no toxicity in non-cancerous cell lines as well as rat organs. Thus, we concluded that Magnolol is an excellent candidate for developing new therapeutic strategies for glioma management. [Display omitted] • Magnolol causes no toxicity in rat organs. • Magnolol induces autophagy in glioma by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. • Magnolol causes cytotoxic autophagy in glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the novel The Shadow Lines, the author Amitav Ghosh has not only fulfilled his implicit agenda of subverting and problematising the European concept of a nation state by exposing it to be a mere conglomeration of arbitrary lines, 'shadow lines' drawn on maps and minds, he has also presented remarkable portrayals of 'shadows' in and within the characters, as looked at in the light of Analytical Psychology, propounded by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961). In Jungian psychology, the 'shadow aspect' may refer to the entirety of the unconscious or an unconscious aspect of one's own personality which the conscious mind does not recognize in itself. Here two of Jung's very famous principles have been used: the principle of the Collective Unconscious and the principle of the Personal Unconscious to explore and explain the shadowy areas of the four major characters of the novel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF- β1) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is the major cytokine that acts as a mediator of tumor-stroma crosstalk, which in fact has a dual role in either promoting or suppressing tumor development. The cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the major cell types in the TME, and the interaction with most of the epithelial cancers is the prime reason for cancer survival. However, the molecular mechanisms, associated with the TGF- β1 induced tumor promotion through tumor-CAF crosstalk are not well understood. In the Reverse Warburg effect, CAFs feed the adjacent cancer cells by lactate produced during the aerobic glycolysis. We hypothesized that the monocarboxylate transporter, MCT4 which is implicated in lactate efflux from the CAFs, must be overexpressed in the CAFs. Contextually, to explore the role of TGF- β1 in the hypoxia-induced autophagy in CAFs, we treated CoCl 2 and external TGF- β1 to the human dermal fibroblasts and L929 murine fibroblasts. We demonstrated that hypoxia accelerated the TGF- β1 signaling and subsequent transformation of normal fibroblasts to CAFs. Moreover, we elucidated that synergistic induction of autophagy by hypoxia and TGF- β1 upregulate the aerobic glycolysis and MCT4 expression in CAFs. Furthermore, we showed a positive correlation between glucose consumption and MCT4 expression in the CAFs. Autophagy was also found to be involved in the EMT in hypoxic CAFs. Collectively, these findings reveal the unappreciated role of autophagy in TME, which enhances the CAF transformation and that promotes tumor migration and metastasis via the reverse Warburg effect. [Display omitted] • The crosstalk between the tumor and CAFs via TGF-β1 promotes tumor progression. • TGF-β1 from the tumors induces the transformation of normal fibroblast to CAFs. • Synergistically, TGF-β1, and hypoxia induce autophagy in the CAFs. • CAFs metabolically support tumor growth via lactate production and MCT4 upregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative condition, is characterized by the slow and progressive deterioration of the cognitive functions of geriatric patients. It occurs due to exacerbation of neurons in the brain, indicated by loss of memory, mood instability, and even death. The aggregation of amyloid β protein and neurofibrillary tangles-atypical forms of tau protein is the major cause of this disease. Phytoconstituents have been frequently employed in treating Alzheimer's disease. These natural compounds act through different molecular mechanisms to treat the disease. However, their potential in Alzheimer's disease therapy may be limited due to poor blood-brain barrier permeability, off-target effects, low bioavailability, etc. In recent times, nanotechnology has gained attraction to overcome these challenges. This article focuses on the potential phytoconstituents for Alzheimer's disease treatment and the associated limitations. Moreover, it highlights various nanoformulation strategies employed to penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, avoid side effects, improve bioavailability, and target specificity in treating Alzheimer's disease. The integration of nanotechnology with plant-derived compounds has the potential to revolutionize the therapeutic landscape for Alzheimer's disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Achieving a reliable seal in root canal obturation is essential for the success of endodontic treatment. Despite the availability of multiple techniques, the comparative sealing abilities of these methods remain a topic of investigation, particularly in permanent molars., Materials and Methods: This in vitro study involved 60 extracted permanent molars, divided randomly into three groups: Group A (lateral compaction), Group B (thermoplasticized gutta-percha), and Group C (single cone). After instrumentation and obturation, the sealing ability was assessed using a dye penetration method. Arbitrary values were assigned to quantify the extent of dye penetration., Results: The mean dye penetration values were as follows: Group B (thermoplasticized gutta-percha) had the lowest penetration (2.1 ± 0.3 mm), followed by Group A (lateral compaction) (3.5 ± 0.4 mm), and Group C (single cone) exhibited the highest penetration (5.2 ± 0.6 mm)., Conclusion: In this study, thermoplasticized gutta-percha demonstrated superior sealing ability compared to lateral compaction and single cone techniques in permanent molars. These findings underscore the importance of selecting an effective obturation technique to ensure optimal seal integrity in root canal therapy., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences.)

Breast cancer, the most frequent female malignancy, is often curable when detected at an early stage. The treatment of metastatic breast cancer is more challenging and may be unresponsive to conventional therapy. Immunotherapy is crucial for treating metastatic breast cancer, but its resistance is a major limitation. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is vital in modulating the immunotherapy response. Various tumor microenvironmental components, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), are involved in TME modulation to cause immunotherapy resistance. This review highlights the role of stromal cells in modulating the breast tumor microenvironment, including the involvement of CAF-TAM interaction, alteration of tumor metabolism leading to immunotherapy failure, and other latest strategies, including high throughput genomic screening, single-cell and spatial omics techniques for identifying tumor immune genes regulating immunotherapy response. This review emphasizes the therapeutic approach to overcome breast cancer immune resistance through CAF reprogramming, modulation of TAM polarization, tumor metabolism, and genomic alterations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)