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Purpose: Eribulin is an inhibitor of microtubule dynamics. It is not as highly protein bound as the taxanes and is less vulnerable to extrusion by P-glycoprotein in the blood–brain barrier (BBB). These features predict that eribulin could play an active role in managing brain tumors. Indeed, the small amount of published clinical data indicates eribulin may have some efficacy against breast cancer brain metastases. To better understand the potential of eribulin for treating brain tumors, we performed an intracerebral microdialysis study to determine the neuropharmacokinetics of eribulin in cancer patients undergoing tumor resection. Methods: After tumor removal, two microdialysis catheters were inserted into peritumoral brain tissue. Approximately 24 h after surgery, a single dose of eribulin 1.4 mg/m2 was administered intravenously. Dialysate samples were collected continuously for 72 h, with plasma samples collected in parallel. Eribulin concentrations were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Dialysate samples from 12 intracerebral microdialysis catheters placed in 7 study participants were included in the analysis. A statistically significant difference was observed between eribulin concentrations in brain tissue where BBB was disrupted versus intact, with a difference in mean maximum concentrations on log2 scale of 3.37 (std err = 0.59, p-value = 0.005). Nonetheless, overall brain to plasma ratios of eribulin only ranged from 0.13 to 1.99%. Conclusion: Although we could detect higher concentrations of eribulin in brain tissue where BBB was disrupted, intracerebral eribulin levels were not sufficient to predict eribulin would have consistent clinically meaningful activity against tumors in the brain. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02338037 (January 9, 2015). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryza sativa) being among the most important food crops in the world is also susceptible to various bacterial and fungal diseases that are the major stumbling blocks in the way of increased production and productivity. The bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and the sheath blight disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani are among the most devastating diseases of the rice crop. In spite of the availability of array of chemical control, there are chances of development of resistance. Thus, there is a need for the nanotechnological intervention for management of disease in the form of copper and silver nano-composites. The copper (CuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using green route and characterized using different high throughput techniques, i.e., UV–Vis, FT-IR, DLS, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM. The particle size and zeta potential of synthesized CuNPs and AgNPs were found 273 nm and − 24.2 mV; 95.19 nm and − 25.5 mV respectively. The nanocomposite of CuNPs and AgNPs were prepared having particle size in the range of 375–306 nm with improved stability (zeta potential − 54.7 to − 39.4 mV). The copper and silver nanoparticle composites evaluated against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and Rhizoctonia solani were found to have higher antibacterial (inhibition zone 13 mm) and antifungal activities (77%) compared to only the copper nanoparticle (8 mm; 62% respectively). Net house trials of nano-composite formulations against the bacterial blight of rice also corroborated the potential of nanocomposite formulation. In silico studies were carried out selecting two disease-causing proteins, peptide deformylase (Xanthomonas oryzae) and pectate lyase (Rhizoctonia solani) to perform the molecular docking. Interaction studies indicatedthat both of these proteins generated better complex with CuNPs than AgNPs. The study suggested that the copper and silver nano-composites could be used for developing formulations to control these devastating rice diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper identification and differentiation of natural polysaccharides is a very crucial task owing to some similarities in their appearance and properties. This research presents an extensive use of FTIR, a well-established and authenticated tool, for identifying and differentiating different classes of gums. Commercially important natural gums including plant exudate gums, seed gums, seaweed gums, microbial gums and animal gums were chosen for the study. For plant exudate gums, a peak at 1424 cm− 1 is common to all, which is absent in other classes of gums. A shoulder peak at 1728 cm− 1 and an ester group vibration peak at 1075 cm− 1 make gum karaya different from other gums. Peaks at 1647 cm− 1 and 1384 cm− 1, common to all seed gums, are absent in other gums and help to set identifying criteria for seed gums. In microbial gums, xanthan and gellan have no peaks in the range of 755–775 cm− 1, unlike other gums. In the case of animal gums (chitosan and gelatin) an intense sharp peak at 1636 cm− 1 is attributed to CONH2 group. Similarly, the paper explains characteristic peaks for gellan, carrageenan, agar, sodium alginate and other gums. Along with the in-depth discussion of major gum's FTIR, this paper also endorses FTIR as a potential technique for identifying and differentiating natural gums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates energy harvesting using piezoelectric elements by exploiting the angular speed variation in high-speed rotating blades. The angular speed of high-speed rotating blades can vary randomly by a small amount depending on the requirement in an application. This variation in angular speed causes a random variation in the centrifugal force. An assembly of piezoelectric cantilever beam connected along the length of a rotating blade can experience variable bending stress due to this variable centrifugal force and can convert the mechanical energy to electrical energy by utilizing its sensing property. For a typical specification, the proposed energy harvester can produce a maximum power of 190 nW. This harvested power can be significantly increased by installing several piezoelectric energy harvesters in each rotating blade. The feasibility of the proposed concept is verified with prototype and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the effect of porous auxetic structure on low-frequency piezoelectric energy harvesting (bimorph cantilever) systems. Two auxetic-based systems are proposed to apply transverse loads: full length auxetic (AS1) and patch auxetic (AS2) piezoelectric energy harvesting system. The objective is to achieve the optimum design solutions for auxetic systems that result in a higher output power than a conventional energy harvesting system (CD) when operated at low resonance frequencies (20–100 Hz). In the present work, Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (PZT-5H), 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3(BZT-BCT) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric materials are considered, while an auxetic sheet made up of brass is used as a substrate for energy harvesting. The results show that the PVDF is a suitable piezoelectric material for AS1 system to improve the power. The maximum power of 211 µW is achieved at optimum auxetic sheet thickness. It is also observed that AS1 can improve power as high as two times compared to CD operating at particular sheet thicknesses. However, AS2 should be used for ceramic-based materials and enhance power by 30.8% and 24.3% at optimum sheet thicknesses when PZT-5H and BZT-BCT are used as piezoelectric material. It is recommended that instead of focusing solely on maximizing power, the maximum stress generated in the piezoelectric layers should be considered as well to look at its practical feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cutaneous lymphomas (CLs) are a group of rare, potentially disfiguring and disabling cancers that can have a significant impact on quality of life (QoL). While previous studies have shown that mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) impair QoL, the effect of other types of CL on QoL has not been evaluated. Objective: To determine the impact of disease on QoL in all CL patients and to assess how QoL between the CL sub-types varies by demographic and clinical factors. Methods: The Cutaneous Lymphoma Distress Questionnaire (CL-DQ) was used to assess QoL. All CL patients seen in a multidisciplinary CL clinic were screened for eligibility. Questionnaire responses were collected over a 22-month period between 2017 and 2019. A cross-sectional analysis of CL-DQ scores from an initial visit was performed to determine the effect of disease on QoL across CL sub-types and the potential impact of patient demographics, CL sub-type, and type of treatment. Results: The study population consisted of 151 patients presenting with distinct types of cutaneous B- and T-cell lymphomas. Notable across the study population were the findings of frustration (44%), worry about progress/spread (43%), itching/pruritus (32%), and embarrassment/shame (28%). QoL was found to be most negatively affected in SS patients, females, younger patients, Black patients, and those with advanced stages of MF/SS. Conclusions: Impairment of QoL due to CL correlates with gender, age, race/ethnicity, and stage of MF/SS. While the negative impact on QoL is most pronounced in SS patients, other CL sub-types also affect QoL and impact psychosocial distress. Our findings highlight the need for QoL assessment in all CL patients and further examination of disparities noted across demographic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic inflammation (CI) is a primary contributing factor involved in multiple diseases like cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, allergy, asthma, autoimmune diseases, coeliac disease, glomerulonephritis, sepsis, hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, reperfusion injury, and transplant rejections. Despite several expansions in our understanding of inflammatory disorders and their mediators, it seems clear that numerous proteins participate in the onset of CI. One crucial protein pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) much studied in cancer is also found to be inextricably woven in the onset of several CI's. It has been found that PKM2 plays a significant role in several disorders using a network of proteins that interact in multiple ways. For instance, PKM2 forms a close association with epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) for uncontrolled growth and proliferation of tumor cells. In neurodegeneration, PKM2 interacts with apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APE1) to onset Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. The cross-talk of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and PKM2 acts as stepping stones for the commencement of diabetes. Perhaps PKM2 stores the potential to unlock the pathophysiology of several diseases. Here we provide an overview of the notoriously convoluted biology of CI's and PKM2. The cross-talk of PKM2 with several proteins involved in stroke, Alzheimer's, cancer, and other diseases has also been discussed. We believe that considering the importance of PKM2 in inflammation-related diseases, new options for treating various disorders with the development of more selective agents targeting PKM2 may appear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thiazole has widespread importance in materials and medicines. Several reviews are reported which cover essential properties of thiazoles such as pharmacological activities, structure-activity relationship studies, and various synthetic routes. However, synthesis based on a greener approaches, particularly metal-free reactions, usage of mild, nontoxic, recyclable catalysts, eco-sustainable protocols, efficient solvents have not been exclusively reviewed. Current review emphasizes green synthetic approaches for substituted thiazoles that have been performed within the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A natural red dye which is produced by the tiny insects Kerria lacca while feeding on host trees is popularly known as lac dye. Lac dye is a mixture of at least five closely related pure compounds all being anthraquinone derivatives designated as laccaic acid A, B, C, D and E. Anthraquinones isolated from different natural sources and reported to have potent antimicrobial activity. The lac dye, which is also a mixture of anthraquinone derivatives, is expected to exhibit antifungal and antibacterial activity. Lac dye cannot be used as antibacterial and antifungal agent due to its low water solubility and high polarity. Therefore, it is modified into its methyl derivative to enhance its bio-efficacy. Methylated lac dye is characterized with the help of TLC, UV-Vis spectroscopy and FT-IR, NMR analysis. An in vitro spore germination assay was carried out to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of methylated lac dye against some phytopathogenic fungi which commonly caused a various foliar diseases in crop plants viz., Alternaria solani, Curvularia lunata, Erysiphe pisi, Helminthosporium oryzae and Verticillium sp. Among the tested fungi, Verticillum sp. showed highest sensitivity, which showed 100% inhibition at 750 and 1000 µg/ml as compared to control. However, E. pisi an obligate parasite also showed varied sensitivity but at 1000 µg/ml showed 100% spore germination as compared to control. Methylated lac dye also showed strong antibacterial properties against Ralstonia solanacearum at very low concentration (40 and 50 µg/ml). Hence, lac dye may serve as potent antifungal and antibacterial agent in plant disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA), the trypanosome mitochondrial genome, is a giant network containing several thousand interlocked DNA rings. Within the mitochondrion, kDNA is condensed into a disk-shaped structure positioned near the flagellar basal body. The disk is linked to the basal body by a remarkable transmembrane filament system named the tripartite attachment complex (TAC). Following kDNA replication, the TAC mediates network segregation, pulling the progeny networks into the daughter cells by their linkage to the basal bodies. So far TAC has been characterized only morphologically with no known protein components. By screening an RNAi library, we discovered p166, a protein localizing between the kDNA and basal body in intact cells and in isolated flagellum–kDNA complexes. RNAi of p166 has only small effects on kDNA replication, but it causes profound defects in network segregation. For example, kDNA replication without segregation causes the networks to grow to enormous size. Thus, p166 is the first reported molecular component of the TAC, and its discovery will facilitate study of kDNA segregation machinery at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kerala, the southern state of India, was severely hit by a massive flood in August 2018 affecting millions of people causing loss to the state exchequer. The aim of this paper was to study the impacts of this flood on mineralogy, geochemistry (grain size, and heavy metal content) and nutrient content (organic carbon, total and available nitrogen, and phosphorus) of sediment of flood affected Pampa river, Kerala. The study indicates that this large-scale flood results in a considerable reduction in the heavy metals and nutrient concentration of sediment. Frequency histograms for most of the sediment particle size showed unimodal distribution curve with the dominance of sand particles which may be due to wash of fine size fraction like silt and clay during flood. FTIR study indicates that Pampa river sediment is dominant with quartz, orthoclase and microcline feldspar, and kaolinite, along with other trace minerals. SEM study also indicates that quartz is the common occurring mineral and its shape varies from highland to downstream due to transportation. Ratio of carbon to nitrogen and phosphorus particularly at downstream stations indicates the considerable influence of macrophyte which leads to accumulation of terrestrial organic matter. The cluster analysis results indicate that there were some similarity in origin and migration behaviour among these metals and nutrients of the sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]