Analysis of SYK Gene as a Prognostic Biomarker and Suggested Potential Bioactive Phytochemicals as an Alternative Therapeutic Option for Colorectal Cancer: An In-Silico Pharmaco-Informatics Investigation.

BACKGROUND: SYK gene regulates the expression of SYK kinase (Spleen tyrosine kinase), an important non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase for immunological receptor-mediated signaling, which is also considered a tumor growth metastasis initiator. An onco-informatics analysis was adopted to evaluate the expression and prognostic value of the SYK gene in colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most fatal cancer type; of late, it may be a biomarker as another targeted site for CRC. In addition, identify the potential phytochemicals that may inhibit the overexpression of the SYK kinase protein and minimize the human CRC. MATERIALS & METHODS: The differential expression of the SYK gene was analyzed using several transcriptomic databases, including Oncomine, UALCAN, GENT2, and GEPIA2. The server cBioPortal was used to analyze the mutations and copy number alterations, whereas GENT2, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), Onco-Lnc, and PrognoScan were used to examine the survival rate. The protein-protein interaction network of SYK kinase and its co-expressed genes was conducted via Gene-MANIA. Considering the SYK kinase may be the targeted site, the selected phytochemicals were assessed by molecular docking using PyRx 0.8 packages. Molecular interactions were also observed by following the Ligplot+ version 2.2. YASARA molecular dynamics simulator was applied for the post-validation of the selected phytochemicals. RESULTS: Our result reveals an increased level of mRNA expression of the SYK gene in colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD) samples compared to those in normal tissues. A significant methylation level and various genetic alterations recurrence of the SYK gene were analyzed where the fluctuation of the SYK alteration frequency was detected across different CRC studies. As a result, a lower level of SYK expression was related to higher chances of survival. This was evidenced by multiple bioinformatics platforms and web resources, which demonstrated that the SYK gene can be a potential biomarker for CRC. In this study, aromatic phytochemicals, such as kaempferol and glabridin that target the macromolecule (SYK kinase), showed higher stability than the controls, and we have estimated that these bioactive potential phytochemicals might be a useful option for CRC patients after the clinical trial. CONCLUSIONS: Our onco-informatics investigation suggests that the SYK gene can be a potential prognostic biomarker of CRC. On the contrary, SYK kinase would be a major target, and all selected compounds were validated against the protein using in-silico drug design approaches. Here, more in vitro and in vivo analysis is required for targeting SYK protein in CRC.

Factors associated with coverage of vitamin a supplementation among Bangladeshi children: mixed modelling approach.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a prominent and widespread public health problem in developing countries, including Bangladesh. About 2% of all deaths among under-five children are attributable to VAD. Evidence-based information is required to understand the influential factors to increase vitamin A supplementation (VAS) coverage and reduce VAD. We investigated the potential factors affecting VAS coverage and its significant predictors among Bangladeshi children aged 6 to 59 months using the VAS clustered data extracted from the latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014. METHODS: Data were analysed using mixed logistic regression (MLR) modelling approach in the generalised linear mixed model framework. The MLR model performs better than logistic regression for analysing the clustered data because of its minimum Akaike information criterion value. The likelihood ratio test showed that the variance component was significant. Therefore, the clustering effect among children was inevitable to use. RESULTS: VAS coverage among under-five children was 63.6%, which is not optimal and below the WHO's recommendation and the country's target of 90%. Children aged 25 to 36 months (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.711 to 2.513), who had higher educated mothers (AOR = 1.37, p = 0.033, 95% CI: 1.026-1.820) and fathers (AOR = 1.32, p = 0.027, 95% CI: 1.032-1.683), whose mothers had media exposure (AOR = 1.22, p = 0.006, 95% CI: 1.059-1.408) and NGO membership (AOR = 1.24, p = 0.002, 95% CI: 1.089-1.422) were more likely to consume VAS. CONCLUSION: The relevant authorities should create proactive awareness programs for highly vulnerable local communities, specifically targeted to educate the children's mothers about the necessity and benefits of childhood nutrition.

Extraction Methods Affect the Structure of Goji (Lycium barbarum) Polysaccharides.

Polysaccharides are considered to be the most important active substances in Goji. However, the structure of polysaccharides varies according to the extraction methods applied, and the solution used to prepare Goji polysaccharides (LBPs) were limited. Thus, it is important to clarify the connection between extraction methods and structure of Goji polysaccharide. In view of the complex composition of cell wall polysaccharides and the various forms of interaction, different extraction methods will release different parts of the cell wall. The present study compared the effects of different extraction methods, which have been used to prepare different types of plant cell wall polysaccharides based on various sources, on the structure of cell-wall polysaccharides from Goji, by the single separate use of hot water, hydrochloric acid (0.4%) and sodium hydroxide (0.6%), at both high and low temperatures. Meanwhile, in order to explore the limitations of single extraction, sequential extraction methods were applied. Structural analysis including monosaccharide analysis, GPC-MALLS, AFM and 1H-NMR suggested the persistence of more extensively branched rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) domains in the procedures involving low-temperature-alkali, while procedures prepared by high-temperature-acid contains more homogalacturonan (HG) regions and results in the removal of a substantial part of the side chain, specifically the arabinan. A kind of acidic heteropolysaccharide was obtained by hot water extraction. SEC-MALLS and AFM confirmed large-size polymers with branched morphologies in alkali-extracted polysaccharides. Our results provide new insight into the extraction of Goji polysaccharides, which differ from the hot water extraction used by traditional Chinese medicine.

Evaluation of microbial fuel cell (MFC) for bioelectricity generation and pollutants removal from sugar beet processing wastewater (SBPW).

Bioelectricity generation from biodegradable compounds using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offers an opportunity for simultaneous wastewater treatment. This study evaluated the synergy of electricity generation by the MFC while reducing pollutants from sugar beet processing wastewater (SBPW). A simple dual-chamber MFC was constructed with inexpensive materials without using catalysts. Raw SBPW was diluted to several concentrations (chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 505 to 5,750 mg L-1) and fed as batch-mode into the MFC without further modification. A power density of 14.9 mW m-2 as power output was observed at a COD concentration of 2,565 mg L-1. Coulombic efficiency varied from 6.21% to 0.73%, indicating diffusion of oxygen through the cation exchange membrane and other methanogenesis and fermentation processes occurring in the anode chamber. In this study, >97% of the COD and up to 100% of the total suspended solids removals were observed from MFC-treated SBPW. Scanning electron microscopy of anode indicated that a diverse community of microbial consortia was active for electricity generation and wastewater treatment. This study demonstrated that SBPW can be used as a substrate in the MFC to generate electricity as well as to treat for pollutant removal.