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1-Amidoalkyl-2-naphthol derivatives have been synthesized via solvent-free three-component reac-tion between various aldehydes, β-naphthol, and urea or benzamide by using 2 mol % of Ag-TiO2 nanocomposite as an efficient benign heterogeneous catalyst at 110°C. The catalyst was easily recycled and reused up to three times without significant loss in activity. The proposed method provides significant benefits, including benign conditions, atom economy, low amount of the catalyst, the use of low-cost, accessible, and recyclable nanocom-posite catalyst, and no need of chromatographic purification of the target products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of a digital twin is increasingly applied to a wide range of physical assets as it offers spatial contextualisation, temporal contextualisation, simulation, and optimisation. For the Southern Ports Authority (SPA) of Western Australia one important asset class is breakwater walls. SPA has implemented a spatial contextualisation for their breakwater facilities using a Geographic Information System (GIS) including the breakwater wall condition. This proof-of-concept study aims to validate that timely mapping of breakwater conditions using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and the information derived from the images captured by UAVs is possible. Three failure modes have been investigated using single and multiple epoch data. The failure modes are slope defects, breach or loss of crest elevation and armour movement or loss of armour interlocking. The highest potential for an automatic assessment was concluded for the Breach or loss of crest elevation failure mode. Armour movement or loss is likely to be detected as well, as long as the point spacing of the point clouds in different epochs is comparable. Further investigations are required for the loss of armour interlocking as well as for multi-epoch slope defect assessment. Hence, while it is a proof-of-concept study only, it is the first step to develop a more automated assessment of breakwater walls. Consequently, this data can then be used for simulation and optimisation and the integration of the data in business processes, i.e., the maintenance cycle for the breakwater walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in the biofortification of lentil seedlings and subsequently improve the Zn status in rats. In the first phase of the study, the effects of various ZnO NPs concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 ppm) on the lentil growth, Zn accumulation, and other physiological parameters were investigated. Subsequently, the rats were fed ZnO NP-biofortified lentil seedlings (20 and 160 ppm) to assess their impact on animal health and Zn status. The results highlighted a concentration-dependent response of lentil seedlings to ZnO NPs, with optimal growth observed at 20 ppm, whereas higher concentrations inhibited lentil growth. Pigment and biochemical analyses revealed a complex interplay between chlorophyll, carotenoids, soluble sugars, and proteins with distinct responses to nanoparticle concentrations. Elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde of lentil seedlings at high concentrations of ZnO NPs suggest oxidative stress, countered by the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes and increased phenolic compounds. On the other hand. animal studies have showed that ZnO NP-biofortified lentil seedlings enhance serum zinc and magnesium levels in rats without affecting body weight. While serum triglyceride levels of rats decreased in both treatment groups, an elevation in creatinine and a marked increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were observed at a higher ZnO NP concentration (160 ppm), indicative of potential kidney and liver stress. Paradoxically, serum iron levels were lower in all groups consuming lentil seedlings than in the control group, suggesting a potential interaction between lentil components and iron metabolism. These findings suggest that ZnO NP-biofortified lentils may be a promising approach to enhance Zn nutrition; however, further investigation is needed to optimize ZnO NPs concentration and assess long-term safety., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, a realistic model of the respiratory tract obtained from CT medical images was used to solve the flow field and particle motion using the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach to obtain the maximum particle deposition in the bronchial tree for the main purpose of optimizing the performance of drug delivery devices. The effects of different parameters, including particle diameter, particle shape factor, and air velocity, on the airflow field and particle deposition pattern in different zones of the lung were investigated. In addition, a genetic algorithm was employed to obtain the maximum particle deposition in the bronchial tree and the effect of the aforementioned parameters on particle deposition. Reverse flow, vortex formation, and laryngeal jet all affect the airflow structure and particle deposition pattern. The mouth-throat region had the highest deposition fraction at various flow rates. A change in the deposition pattern with an increased deposition fraction in the throat was observed owing to the increased diameter and shape factor of the particles, resulting from the higher inertia and drag force, respectively. The particle deposition analysis showed that three parameters, shape factor, diameter, and velocity, are directly related to particle deposition, and the diameter is the most effective parameter for particle deposition, with an effect of 60% compared to the shape factor and velocity. Finally, the prediction of the genetic algorithm reported a maximum particle deposition in the bronchial tree of 17%, whereas, based on the numerical results, the maximum particle deposition was reported to be 16%. Therefore, there is a 1% difference between the prediction of the genetic algorithm and the numerical results, which indicates the high accuracy of the prediction of the genetic algorithm., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: In brain tumors, the complexity of the pathophysiological processes such as oxidative stress, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis have seriously challenged the definitive treatment. Rosmarinic acid (RA), as a polyphenolic compound, has been found to prevent tumor progression in some aggressive cancers. This study was designed to evaluate the anticancer effects of RA on brain tumors., Method: Rats were divided into six groups. Implantation of C6 glioma cells was carried out in the caudate nucleus of the right hemisphere. RA at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg (i.p.) was administered to the treatment groups for seven days. Tumor volume (by MRI imaging), locomotor ability, survival time, histological alterations (by H & E staining), expression of p53 and p21 mRNAs (by RT-PCR), activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD] and catalase [CAT] by assay kits), expression of caspase-3 and VEGF (by immunohistochemical analysis), and TUNEL-positive cells (by tunnel staining) were analyzed., Results: The results indicated that the RA at a dose of 20 mg/kg reduced the tumor volume, prolonged survival time, increased p53 and p21 mRNAs, attenuated SOD and CAT activities in tumor tissue, elevated caspase-3, and increased the number of TUNEL-positive cells. Furthermore, histological analysis revealed less invasion of tumor cells into the normal parenchyma in rats treated with RA (20 mg/kg)., Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that the ability of RA to reduce tumor volume could be related to factors that modulate oxidative stress (SOD and CAT enzymes), cell proliferation (p53 and p21), and apoptosis (caspase-3)., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: To compare survival of patients who received LDR prostate brachytherapy relative to that of peers in the general population of England, UK., Patients and Methods: Net survival was estimated for 2472 cases treated between 2002 and 2016 using population-based analysis guidelines. Life tables adjusted for social deprivation in England from the Office for National Statistics were used to match patients by affluence based on their postcode., Results: The median (range) age at time of brachytherapy was 66 (55-84) years, 84% resided in Southeast England, 51% under an index of deprivation quintile 5 (most affluent), 55% were clinical stage T1 and the remainder T2. Death from any cause occurred in 270 patients at a median (range) of 7 (1-17) years postimplant. Five and 10-year estimates (95% CI) of overall survival were 96% (95-97) and 90% (89-92), and net survival 103% (102-104) and 109% (107-110) respectively. The net survival remained above 100% in all age-at-treatment and clinical stage groups., Conclusion: Net survival above 100% indicates patients survive longer than the matched general population. The study shows for the first time the net survival of patients treated with a radical therapy for localized prostate cancer in England. The impact of treatment choice on the long-term net survival advantage requires further investigation., (Copyright © 2024 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Copper is a necessary micronutrient for maintaining the well-being of the human body. The biological activity of organic ligands, especially their anticancer activity, is often enhanced when they coordinate with copper(I) and (II) ions. Copper and its compounds are capable of inducing tumor cell death through various mechanisms of action, including activation of apoptosis signaling pathways by reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibition of angiogenesis, induction of cuproptosis, and paraptosis. Some of the copper complexes are currently being evaluated in clinical trials for their ability to map tumor hypoxia in various cancers, including locally advanced rectal cancer and bulky tumors. Several studies have shown that copper nanoparticles can be used as effective agents in chemodynamic therapy, phototherapy, hyperthermia, and immunotherapy. Despite the promising anticancer activity of copper-based compounds, their use in clinical trials is subject to certain limitations. Elevated copper concentrations may promote tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis by affecting cellular processes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Quorum sensing enables cell-cell communication in bacteria and regulates biofilm formation. Biofilm production promotes pathogenicity of Escherichia coli and causes infections. However, antibiotic resistance limits conventional treatment efficacy against biofilm infections. Quorum quenching offers an alternative by disrupting quorum sensing signals. Allicin, extracted from garlic, possesses antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing properties. This study employed molecular docking and dynamics simulations to investigate allicin's interaction with the E. coli quorum sensing system, specifically targeting the cytoplasmic SidA receptor protein. SidA binds to N-acyl-homoserine lactone ligands and regulates quorum sensing in E. coli . The crystal structure of SidA was obtained from the PDB. Molecular docking revealed that allicin competitively binds to the ligand-binding pocket of SidA. Simulations analyzed the effects of allicin binding on SidA stability and affinity for N-acyl-homoserine lactones over 200 ns. Parameters like RMSD, RMSF, and hydrogen bonding indicated SidA was more stable when bound to allicin compared to unbound. Binding free energies suggested allicin reduced SidA's affinity for native ligands. Therefore, allicin binding to SidA alters its conformation and inhibits interaction with N-acyl-homoserine lactones, disrupting quorum sensing signaling and biofilm production in E. coli .Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

5-Fluorouracil (5FU) is a chemotherapy drug used to treat various cancers, such as colorectal, prostate, skin, pancreas, and stomach, as an ointment or solution. However, its consumption has several side effects. Therefore, a new derivative of fluorouracil containing 5-Amino-1H-tetrazole was designed and synthesized through multi-step synthesis to reduce urea excretion and toxicity. The effectiveness of the synthesized drug on the Adenocarcinoma gastric cell line (AGS) gastric cancer cell line was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test, which showed that the new 5-fluorouracil (5FU) analog, with an IC 50 of 15.67 µg/mL, is more effective in inhibiting the proliferation of AGS cells after 24 h compared to both synthesized and reported 5FU. In addition, In-silico studies showed that the new 5FU derivative based on amino tetrazole, with a binding energy of -7.2 kcal/mol, exhibits greater anti-cancer activity against the BCL2 enzyme than 5FU, with a binding energy of - 4.8 kcal/mol. It is predicted that the new 5FU derivative will be effective in treating gastric and colorectal cancers. The new derivative of the 5-fluorouracil drug was characterized and identified using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.