Facile fabrication of amorphous Al/Fe based metal-organic framework as effective heterogeneous fenton catalyst for environmental remediation.

This study presents a facile preparation and durable amorphous Fe and Al-based MOF nanoplate (AlFe-BTC MOFs) catalyst with notable stability in Fenton reactions. Rigorous characterization using XRD, HR-TEM, and BET confirms the amorphous nature of the synthesized AlFe-BTC MOFs, revealing mesopores (3.4 nm diameter), a substantial surface area (232 m2/g), and a pore volume of 0.69 cc/g. XPS analysis delineates distinct Al2p and Fe2p binding energy values, signifying specific chemical bonding. FE-SEM elemental mapping elucidates the distinctive distribution of Fe and Al within the framework of AlFe-BTC MOFs. In catalytic activity testing, the amorphous AlFe-BTC MOFs exhibited outstanding performance, achieving complete degradation of Methylene blue (MB) dye and 78% TOC removal over 45 min of treatment under mild reaction conditions. The catalyst's durability was assessed, revealing about 75% TOC removal and complete dye decomposition over five successive recycles, with less than 1 mg/L of Fe and Al leaching. UV-Vis spectra revealed the destruction of MB dye over multiple recycling studies. Based on this finding, the amorphous AlFe-BTC MOF nanoplates emerge as a promising solution for efficient dye removal from industrial wastewater, underscoring their potential in advanced environmental remediation processes.

Regulatory effects of noncoding RNAs on the interplay of oxidative stress and autophagy in cancer malignancy and therapy.

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) regulation of various diseases including cancer has been extensively studied. Reactive oxidative species (ROS) elevated by oxidative stress are associated with cancer progression and drug resistance, while autophagy serves as an ROS scavenger in cancer cells. However, the regulatory effects of ncRNAs on autophagy and ROS in various cancer cells remains complex. Here, we explore how currently investigated ncRNAs, mainly miRNAs and lncRNAs, are involved in ROS production through modulating antioxidant genes. The regulatory effects of miRNAs and lncRNAs on autophagy-related (ATG) proteins to control autophagy activity in cancer cells are discussed. Moreover, differential expression of ncRNAs in tumor and normal tissues of cancer patients are further analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. This review hypothesizes links between ATG genes- or antioxidant genes-modulated ncRNAs and ROS production, which might result in tumorigenesis, malignancy, and cancer recurrence. A better understanding of the regulation of ROS and autophagy by ncRNAs might advance the use of ncRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers as well as therapeutic targets in cancer therapy.

Gracilaria salicornia as potential substratum for green synthesis of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles coupled hydrogel: An effective antimicrobial thin film.

Sodium alginate based (SA) hydrogel supplemented Cerium Oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) was produced to fabricate an antimicrobial thin film using an aqueous extract of G. salicornia (Gs). The Gs-CeO2NPs were characterized via SEM, FT-IR, EDX, XRD and DLS, the particle size was 200 nm, agreed with XRD. Gs-SA powder was extracted and incorporated with CeO2NPs. The Gs-SA and its composite thin film (Gs-CeO2NPs-SATF) were characterized including viscosity, FT-IR, TGA, and SEM. The adhesion of Gs-SA coating around Gs-CeO2NPs confirmed via FTIR. The antimicrobial properties of Gs-CeO2NPs and CeO2NPs-SATF were proved in MICs for E. coli and Candida albicans at 62.5 and 250.0 µg/mL. The biofilm inhibition efficiency of CeO2NPs-SATF was 74.67 ± 0.98% and 65.45 ± 0.40% for E. coli and Candida albicans. The CeO2NPs-SATF was polydisperse in nature and film structure gets fluctuated with NPs concentration. Increased NPs into SATF enhances pore size of gel and corroborated with viscous behaviour. The cytotoxicity of Gs-CeO2NP-SA in Artemia salina at higher concentration 100 µg/mL provides less lethal effect into the adult. The antioxidant activity of Gs-CeO2NP-SA in DPPH assay was noticed at 0.6 mg ml-1 with radical scavenging activity at 65.85 ± 0.81%. Thus the Gs-CeO2NP-SATF would be suitable in antimicrobial applications.

Global variability in seawater Mg:Ca and Sr:Ca ratios in the modern ocean.

Seawater Mg:Ca and Sr:Ca ratios are biogeochemical parameters reflecting the Earth-ocean-atmosphere dynamic exchange of elements. The ratios' dependence on the environment and organisms' biology facilitates their application in marine sciences. Here, we present a measured single-laboratory dataset, combined with previous data, to test the assumption of limited seawater Mg:Ca and Sr:Ca variability across marine environments globally. High variability was found in open-ocean upwelling and polar regions, shelves/neritic and river-influenced areas, where seawater Mg:Ca and Sr:Ca ratios range from ∼4.40 to 6.40 mmol:mol and ∼6.95 to 9.80 mmol:mol, respectively. Open-ocean seawater Mg:Ca is semiconservative (∼4.90 to 5.30 mol:mol), while Sr:Ca is more variable and nonconservative (∼7.70 to 8.80 mmol:mol); both ratios are nonconservative in coastal seas. Further, the Ca, Mg, and Sr elemental fluxes are connected to large total alkalinity deviations from International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO) standard values. Because there is significant modern seawater Mg:Ca and Sr:Ca ratios variability across marine environments we cannot absolutely assume that fossil archives using taxa-specific proxies reflect true global seawater chemistry but rather taxa- and process-specific ecosystem variations, reflecting regional conditions. This variability could reconcile secular seawater Mg:Ca and Sr:Ca ratio reconstructions using different taxa and techniques by assuming an error of 1 to 1.50 mol:mol, and 1 to 1.90 mmol:mol, respectively. The modern ratios' variability is similar to the reconstructed rise over 20 Ma (Neogene Period), nurturing the question of seminonconservative behavior of Ca, Mg, and Sr over modern Earth geological history with an overlooked environmental effect.

Synthesis of Bimetallic BiPO4/ZnO Nanocomposite: Enhanced Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Antibacterial Applications.

Multidrug-resistant strains (MDRs) are becoming a major concern in a variety of settings, including water treatment and the medical industry. Well-dispersed catalysts such as BiPO4, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), and different ratios of BiPO4/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized through hydrothermal treatments. The morphological behavior of the prepared catalysts was characterized using XRD, Raman spectra, PL, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), SEM, EDX, and Fe-SEM. MDRs were isolated and identified by the 16s rDNA technique as belonging to B. flexus, B. filamentosus, P. stutzeri, and A. baumannii. The antibacterial activity against MDRs and the photocatalytic methylene blue (MB) dye degradation activity of the synthesized NPs and NCs were studied. The results demonstrate that the prepared BiPO4/ZnO-NCs (B1Z4-75:300; NCs-4) caused a maximum growth inhibition of 20 mm against A. baumannii and a minimum growth inhibition of 12 mm against B. filamentosus at 80 µg mL-1 concentrations of the NPs and NCs. Thus, NCs-4 might be a suitable alternative to further explore and develop as an antibacterial agent. The obtained results statistically justified the data (p ≤ 0.05) via one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). According to the results of the antibacterial and photocatalytic study, we selected the best bimetallic NCs-4 for the photoexcited antibacterial effect of MDRs, including Gram ve+ and Gram ve- strains, via UV light irradiation. The flower-like NCs-4 composites showed more effectiveness than those of BiPO4, ZnO, and other ratios of NCs. The results encourage the development of flower-like NCs-4 to enhance the photocatalytic antibacterial technique for water purification.

Green Synthesis of Endolichenic Fungi Functionalized Silver Nanoparticles: The Role in Antimicrobial, Anti-Cancer, and Mosquitocidal Activities.

Green nanotechnology is currently a very crucial and indispensable technology for handling diverse problems regarding the living planet. The concoction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has opened new insights in cancer therapy. The current investigation caters to the concept of the involvement of a novel eco-friendly avenue to produce AgNPs employing the wild endolichenic fungus Talaromyces funiculosus. The synthesized Talaromyces funiculosus-AgNPs were evaluated with the aid of UV visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The synthesized Talaromyces funiculosus-AgNPs (TF-AgNPs) exhibited hemo-compatibility as evidenced by a hemolytic assay. Further, they were evaluated for their efficacy against foodborne pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Listeria innocua, and Micrococcus luteus and nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, and Bacillus subtilis bacterial strains. The synthesized TF-AgNPs displayed cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner against MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells and eventually condensed the chromatin material observed through the Hoechst 33342 stain. Subsequent analysis using flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy provided the inference of a possible role of intracellular ROS (OH-, O-, H2O2, and O2-) radicals in the destruction of mitochondria, DNA machinery, the nucleus, and overall damage of the cellular machinery of breast cancerous cells. The combined effect of predation by the cyclopoid copepod Mesocyclops aspericornis and TF-AgNPS for the larval management of dengue vectors were provided. A promising larval control was evident after the conjunction of both predatory organisms and bio-fabricated nanoparticles. Thus, this study provides a novel, cost-effective, extracellular approach of TF-AgNPs production with hemo-compatible, antioxidant, and antimicrobial efficacy against both human and foodborne pathogens with cytotoxicity (dose dependent) towards MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma.

Self-Assembly of Poly(ethyleneimine)-Modified g-C3N4 Nanosheets with Lysozyme Fibrils for Chromium Detoxification.

We disclose a straightforward approach to fabricate nanocomposites for efficient capture of Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution through the self-assembly of poly(ethyleneimine)-modified graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (PEI-g-C3N4 NSs) and lysozyme fibrils (LFs). The as-made PEI-g-C3N4 NSs@LFs exhibited mesoporous structures with a high specific surface area of 39.6 m2 g-1, a large pore volume of 0.25 cm3 g-1, several functional groups (e.g., -N, -NH, -NH2, and -COOH), and a zero-point charge at pH 9.1. These merits allow the PEI-g-C3N4 NSs@LFs to further enhance their physical adsorption and electrostatic attraction with the negatively charged Cr(VI) species of HCrO4- and CrO42-, which is beneficial for the uptake of Cr(VI), >80%, from an aqueous solution in a wide pH range. Interestingly, X-ray photoelectron spectra indicate that the PEI-g-C3N4 NSs@LFs converted Cr(VI) to Cr(III) through visible-light-induced photoreduction. The adsorption of Cr(VI) on the surface of PEI-g-C3N4 NSs@LFs was found to obey the Freundlich isotherm model, signifying that they have a heterogeneous surface for the multilayer uptake of Cr(VI). In contrast, the PEI-g-C3N4 NSs and LFs as Cr(VI) adsorbents followed the Langmuir isotherm model. Adsorption kinetic studies showed that the uptake of Cr(VI) through the PEI-g-C3N4 NSs@LFs was highly correlated with a pseudo-first-order model, suggesting that physisorption dominates the interaction of Cr(VI) and the PEI-g-C3N4 NSs@LFs. In real-life applications, the PEI-g-C3N4 NSs@LFs were used for the detoxification of the total chromium in the industrial effluent and sludge samples.

Evaluation of SARS-COV-2 transmission through indoor air in hospitals and prevention methods: A systematic review.

Hospitals are the places for COVID-19 treatment but on the other hand, they are a dangerous source for SARS-COV-2 transmission. If we assume that the SARS-COV-2 is transmitted by air to hospitals, what are the strategies to reduce the SARS-COV-2 transmission and its removal? Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate SARS-COV-2 transmission through indoor air in hospitals and its prevention methods.This study is a systematic review by searching among published articles in reputable international databases such as Scopus, Google scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and ISI (Web of Science). Data were collected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and by searching for relevant keywords. Qualitative data were collected using the PRISMA standard checklist. Information was entered into the checklist, such as the name of the first author, the year of the study publication, the country, the type of study, the number of samples, the type of air sample, the results, the methods for SARS-COV-2 transmission prevention in the hospital. After reviewing the information and quality of articles, 11 articles were included in this study. An analysis of the articles showed that Asian countries (Iran, China, Singapore) were more concerned with the SARS-COV-2 transmission through hospital air. Four articles did not confirm SARS-COV-2 in the air, but seven articles reported the SARS-COV-2 from air samples. The results of this study showed that many factors could affect the positive or negative SARS-COV-2 detection in the air, such as environmental conditions in hospitals, sampling methods, sampling height and distance from patients, flow rate and sampling time, efficiency and functionality of ventilation systems, use of disinfectants.Therefore, due to the possibility of SARS-COV-2 in the air of hospitals, preventive measures should be taken such as physical distance, personal hygiene, ventilation, and air filtration. We hope that this research will help to reduce the transmission of SARS-COV-2 and cut the airborne transmission pathway of SARS-COV-2 in hospitals.

Evaluation of organizational and social commitments and related factors during the coronavirus pandemic of healthcare workers in northern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Serious conditions caused by the coronavirus epidemic are expected to affect the mental and physical health, organizational and social commitments of healthcare workers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the organizational and social commitments and related factors during the coronavirus pandemic of healthcare workers in northern Iran. METHODS: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2020 among 260 healthcare workers of Babol health centers by a stratified-random sampling method. Data were collected according to a valid and reliable questionnaire consisting of three parts: 8 questions about personal and job characteristics, 15 questions from Porter Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), 15 questions from Carroll's social responsibility. Each question was scored on the Likert scale of organizational and social commitment questionnaires. Data were analyzed by chi-square and logistic regression. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: None of the healthcare workers belonged to the category of low organizational commitments. A portion of 27.7% of the healthcare workers had moderate organizational commitments and 72.3% had high organizational commitments. A portion of 9.2% of the healthcare workers had moderate social commitments and 90.8% had high social commitments. Chi-square showed that education (p = 0.001), job position (p = 0.001) and the area in which healthcare workers were present for service (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with organizational commitments. According to OR in the logistic regression model, healthcare workers with master's and doctoral education levels had 3.482 times more social commitments than others and the health group had 2.455 times more social commitments compared to the treatment group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that at the time of the coronavirus outbreak, the healthcare workers in Babol had very positive and high organizational and social commitments. As the world struggles with the coronavirus pandemic, employee and organizational productivity may decline due to the fear and anxiety of healthcare workers in various organizations. It is expected that managers of health-related organizations, social, economic, and cultural organizations use the results of this study to identify factors affecting the organizational and social commitments of employees and strengthen them.

Shallow Hydrothermal Vent Bacteria and Their Secondary Metabolites with a Particular Focus on Bacillus.

Extreme environments are hostile for most organisms, but such habitats represent suitable settings to be inhabited by specialized microorganisms. A marine shallow-water hydrothermal vent field is located offshore in northeast Taiwan, near the shallow shore of the southeast of Kueishantao Island (121°55' E, 24°50' N). Research on extremophilic microorganisms makes use of the biotechnological potential associated with such microorganisms and their cellular products. With the notion that extremophiles are capable of surviving in extreme environments, it is assumed that their metabolites are adapted to function optimally under such conditions. As extremophiles, they need specific culture conditions, and only a fraction of species from the original samples are recovered in culture. We used different non-selective and selective media to isolate bacterial species associated with the hydrothermal vent crab Xenograpsus testudinatus and the sediments of its habitat. The highest number of colonies was obtained from Zobell marine agar plates with an overall number of 29 genetically distinct isolates. 16sRNA gene sequencing using the Sanger sequencing method revealed that most of the bacterial species belonged to the phylum Firmicutes and the class Bacilli. The present study indicates that hydrothermal vent bacteria and their secondary metabolites may play an important role for the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of the phylum Procaryota.

Role of model organisms and nanocompounds in human health risk assessment.

Safeguarding the environment is one of the most serious modern challenges, as increasing amounts of chemical compounds are produced and released into the environment, causing a serious threat to the future health of the Earth as well as organisms and humans on a global scale. Ecotoxicology is an integrative science involving different physical, chemical, biological, and social aspects concerned with the study of toxic effects caused by natural or synthetic pollutants on any constituents of ecosystems, including animals (including humans), plants, or microorganisms, in an integral context. In recent decades, this science has undergone considerable development by addressing environmental risk assessments through the biomonitoring of indicator species using biomarkers, model organisms, and nanocompounds in toxicological assays. Since a single taxon cannot be representative of complex ecotoxicological effects and mechanisms of action of a chemical, the use of test batteries is widely accepted in ecotoxicology. Test batteries include properly chosen organisms that are easy to breed, adapt easily to laboratory conditions, and are representative of the environmental compartment under consideration. One of the main issues of toxicological and ecotoxicological research is to gain a deeper understanding of how data should be obtained through laboratory and field approaches using experimental models and how they could be extrapolated to humans. There is a tendency to replace animal tests with in vitro systems and to perform them according to standardized analytical methods and the rules of the so-called good laboratory practice (GLP). This paper aims to review this topic to stimulate both efforts to understand the toxicological and ecotoxicological properties of natural and synthetic chemicals and the possible use of such data for application to humans.

Diapolycopenedioic-acid-diglucosyl ester and keto-myxocoxanthin glucoside ester: Novel carotenoids derived from Exiguobacterium acetylicum S01 and evaluation of their anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities.

Inflammation is pivotal for the development of gastrointestinal cancer and linked to poor survival and limited therapeutic options. In this study, six structurally different carotenoids were isolated and identified from the methanolic extract of Exiguobacterium acetylicum S01 namely lycopene (Car-I), diapolycopenedioic-acid-diglucosyl-ester (Car-II), ß-carotene (Car-III), zeaxanthin (Car-IV), astaxanthin (Car-V), and keto-myxocoxanthin glucoside-ester (Car-VI). Further, their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant potentials were evaluated. The MTT assay was used to determine the effect of carotenoids on viability of colorectal cancer (HT-29) as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Results revealed that all the six carotenoids were demonstrated a significant inhibition of HT-29 cells viability in a dose-dependent manner whereas there was no cytotoxic effect in PBMCs. The study also recorded that six carotenoids considerably inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and lipid peroxidation in PBMCs. Moreover, antioxidant potentials of Car-II and Car-VI were significantly (p = 0.001) higher than ascorbic acid as determined by a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. Therefore, our results ascertained the role of carotenoids derived from E. acetylicum S01 in developing potential therapeutic agents for inflammation-associated cancer.

Effectiveness of wastewater treatment systems in removing microbial agents: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Due to unrestricted entry of wastewater into the environment and the transportation of microbial contaminants to humans and organisms, environmental protection requires the use of appropriate purification systems with high removal efficiency for microbial agents are needed. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of current wastewater treatment systems in removing microbes and their contaminants. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted for all articles published in 5 Iranian environmental health journals in 11 years. The data were collected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and by searching the relevant keywords in the articles published during the years (2008-2018), with emphasis on the efficacy of wastewater treatment systems in removing microbial agents. Qualitative data were collected using a preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyzes (PRISMA) standard checklist. After confirming the quality of the articles, information such as the name of the first author and the year of publication of the research, the type of study, the number of samples, the type of purification, the type of microbial agents and the rate of removal of microbial agents were entered into the checklist. Also the removal rates of the microbial agents mentioned in the studies were compared with united states environmental protection agency (US-EPA) standards. RESULTS: In this study, 1468 articles retrieved from 118 issues of 5 environmental health journals were reviewed. After reviewing the quality of the articles in accordance with the research objectives, 14 articles were included in the study that were published between 2010 and 2018. In most studies, two main indicators Total coliforms and Fecal coliforms in wastewater were investigated. Removing fungi and viral contamination from wastewater was not found in any of the 14 studies. Different systems (activated sludge, stabilization ponds, wetlands, and low and medium pressure UV disinfection systems were used to remove microbial agents in these studies. Most articles used active sludge systems to remove Total coliforms and Fecal coliforms, which in some cases were not within the US-EPA standard. The removal of Cysts and Parasitic eggs was only reporte from stabilization pond systems (SPS) where removal efficiency was found in accordance with US-EPA standards. CONCLUSIONS: Different types of activated sludge systems have higher efficacy to remove microbial agents and are more effective than other mentioned systems in removing the main indicators of sewage contamination including Total coliforms and Fecal coliforms. However, inappropriate operation, maintenance and inadequate handling of activated sludge can also reduce its efficiency and reduce the removal of microbial agents, which was reported in some studies. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct research on how to improve the operation, maintenance, and proper management of activated sludge systems to transfer knowledge to users of sludge systems and prevent further health issues related to microbial agents.

Antibacterial Activity of Halophilic Bacteria Against Drug-Resistant Microbes Associated with Diabetic Foot Infections.

Bacteria causing diabetic foot infections (DFI) are chronic and generally multidrug resistant (MDR), which calls urgently for alternative antibacterials. The present study focused on potential metabolite producing bacteria from a saltpan environment and screened against MDR pathogens isolated from DFI patients. Molecular identification of the DFI pathogens provided Klebsiella quasivariicola, Staphylococcus argenteus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus hominis subsp. novobiosepticus, Bacillus australimaris, and Corynebacterium stationis. Among 34 isolated halophilic bacteria, the cell-free supernatant of strain PSH06 provided the largest inhibition zone of 23 mm against K. quasivariicola [D1], 21 mm against. S. argenteus [D2], 19 mm against E. coli [D3], and a minimum inhibition zone was found to be 14 mm against C. stationis [D8]. The potent activity providing stain confirmed as Pseudomonas aeruginosa through molecular identification. On the other hand, ethyl acetate extract of this strain showed excellent growth inhibition in MIC at 64 µg/mL against K. quasivariicola. Distressed cell membranes and vast dead cells were observed at MIC of ethyl acetate extract by SEM and CLSM against K.quasivariicola and E. coli. GC-MS profile of ethyl acetate extract exposed the occurrence of Bis (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate and n-Hexadecanoic acid and shows 100% toxic effect at 24 mg/mL by Artemia nauplii. The active extract fraction with above compounds derived from saltpan bacteria provided highest antibacterial efficacy against DFI-associated pathogens depicted with broad spectrum activity compared to standard antibiotics.

Reduced camptothecin sensitivity of estrogen receptor-positive human breast cancer cells following exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is associated with DNA methylation changes.

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) has been considered as an estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) agonist due to its ability to interact with ERα and promote the cell proliferation of ERα-positive breast cancer cells. The impact of DEHP on the chemical therapy in breast cancer is little known. Two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 (ERα-dependent) and MDA-MB-231 (ERα-independent) were examined. We found that DEHP impaired the effectiveness of camptothecin (CPT) and alleviated the CPT-induced formation of reactive oxygen species in ERα-positive MCF-7 cells, but not in ERα-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. DEHP also significantly protected MCF-7 cells against the genotoxicity of CPT. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling revealed that after 48 hours of exposure to 100 µM DEHP, MCF-7 cells exhibited a significant change in their DNA methylation pattern, including hypermethylation of 700 genes and hypomethylation of 221 genes. The impaired therapeutic response to CPT in DEHP-exposed MCF-7 cells is probably mediated by epigenetic changes, especially through Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. A zebrafish xenograft model confirmed the disruptive effect of DEHP on CPT-induced anti-growth of MCF-7 cells. In summary, DEHP exposure induces acquired CPT-resistance in breast cancer cells and epigenetic changes associated with Wnt/ß-catenin signaling activation are probably depending on an ER-positive status.

Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) in Survival, Dormancy, Immunosuppression, Metastasis, and Treatments of Cancer Cells.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has diverse functions, and especially misfolded protein modification is in the focus of this review paper. With a highly regulatory mechanism, called unfolded protein response (UPR), it protects cells from the accumulation of misfolded proteins. Nevertheless, not only does UPR modify improper proteins, but it also degrades proteins that are unable to recover. Three pathways of UPR, namely PERK, IRE-1, and ATF6, have a significant role in regulating stress-induced physiological responses in cells. The dysregulated UPR may be involved in diseases, such as atherosclerosis, heart diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and cancer. Here, we discuss the relation between UPR and cancer, considering several aspects including survival, dormancy, immunosuppression, angiogenesis, and metastasis of cancer cells. Although several moderate adversities can subject cancer cells to a hostile environment, UPR can ensure their survival. Excessive unfavorable conditions, such as overloading with misfolded proteins and nutrient deprivation, tend to trigger cancer cell death signaling. Regarding dormancy and immunosuppression, cancer cells can survive chemotherapies and acquire drug resistance through dormancy and immunosuppression. Cancer cells can also regulate the downstream of UPR to modulate angiogenesis and promote metastasis. In the end, regulating UPR through different molecular mechanisms may provide promising anticancer treatment options by suppressing cancer proliferation and progression.

Ethyl Acetate Extract of Scindapsus cf. hederaceus Exerts the Inhibitory Bioactivity on Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells through Modulating ER Stress.

Unfolded protein response (UPR) is a cytoprotective mechanism that alleviates the protein-folding burden in eukaryotic organisms. Moderate activation of UPR is required for maintaining endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis and profoundly contributes to tumorigenesis. Defects in UPR signaling are implicated in the attenuation of various malignant phenotypes including cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as angiogenesis. This suggests UPR as a promising target in cancer therapy. The pharmacological effects of the plant Scindapsus cf. hederaceus on human cancer cell lines is not understood. In this study, we identified an ethyl acetate extract from Scindapsus cf. hederaceus (SH-EAE), which markedly altered the protein expression of UPR-related genes in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Treatment with the SH-EAE led to the dose-dependent suppression of colony forming ability of both H1299 and H460 cells, but not markedly in normal bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells. SH-EAE treatment also attenuated the migration and invasion ability of H1299 and H460 cells. Moreover, SH-EAE strikingly suppressed the protein expression of two ER stress sensors, including inositol requiring enzyme-1α (IRE-1α) and protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), and antagonized the induction of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression by thapsigargin, an ER stress inducer. SH-EAE induced the formation of massive vacuoles which are probably derived from ER. Importantly, SH-EAE impaired the formation of intersegmental vessels (ISV) in zebrafish larvae, an index of angiogenesis, but had no apparent effect on the rate of larval development. Together, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that the ability of SH-EAE specifically targets the two sensors of UPR, with significant anti-proliferation and anti-migration activities as a crude extract in human NSCLC cells. Our finding also indicates potential applications of SH-EAE in preventing UPR activation in response to Tg-induced ER stress. We suggest that SH-EAE attenuates UPR adaptive pathways for rendering the NSCLC cells intolerant to ER stress.

Trace Metal Inference on Seaweeds in Wandoor Area, Southern Andaman Island.

Trace metals concentrations were studied for three different seasons on four seaweed species (Halimeda gracilis, Padina pavonica, Sargassum swartzii and Turbinaria ornata) from Wandoor area of southern Andaman Island. Though diversified seaweed population records in the study area, the studied four species were predominantly present in all the seasons. The observed average levels on trace metals concentrations were Cd 0-0.311 µg/g, Cr 0.002-0.334 µg/g, Cu 0.003-0.291 µg/g, Mn 0.118-7.736 µg/g, Pb 0-0.165 µg/g and Zn 0.019-5.537 µg/g respectively. Brown seaweed P. pavonica showed higher level of Mn concentration as 7.73 µg/g during northeast monsoon reflects physiological properties and sequestrative nature. Our result suggests, the metal concentrations were not higher with reference to Dadolahi's metal pollution index. Based on univariate analysis of variance, there is no significant variation found in both species and seasons. To maintain the tradition of the study area, continues monitoring is essential for better understanding and ecosystem conservation.

Antifouling Compounds from Marine Macroalgae.

Marine macroalgae produce a wide variety of biologically-active metabolites that have been developed into commercial products, such as antibiotics, immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic agents, and cosmetic products. Many marine algae remain clean over longer periods of time, suggesting their strong antifouling potential. Isolation of biogenic compounds and the determination of their structure could provide leads for the development of environmentally-friendly antifouling paints. Isolated substances with potent antifouling activity belong to fatty acids, lipopeptides, amides, alkaloids, lactones, steroids, terpenoids, and pyrroles. It is unclear as yet to what extent symbiotic microorganisms are involved in the synthesis of these compounds. Algal secondary metabolites have the potential to be produced commercially using genetic and metabolic engineering techniques. This review provides an overview of publications from 2010 to February 2017 about antifouling activity of green, brown, and red algae. Some researchers were focusing on antifouling compounds of brown macroalgae, while metabolites of green algae received less attention. Several studies tested antifouling activity against bacteria, microalgae and invertebrates, but in only a few studies was the quorum sensing inhibitory activity of marine macroalgae tested. Rarely, antifouling compounds from macroalgae were isolated and tested in an ecologically-relevant way.

Oxidative damage, ultrastructural alterations and gene expressions of hemocytes in the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense exposed to cadmium.

Toxicity of Cd was tested with the hemocytes of the freshwater crab, Sinopotamon henanense, which were exposed to concentrations of 0, 0.725, 1.450, and 2.900mgL-1 Cd for 7, 14 and 21 d. We investigated the effects of Cd on the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and oxidative damage of biomarkers, such as malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl derivates (PCO), and DNA-protein crosslink (DPC). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was applied to assess ultrastructural changes of hemocytes. The mRNA expression levels of prophenoloxidase (proPO), lysozyme (LSZ), metallothionein (MT), and the activity of phenoloxidase (PO) were also determined. Our results showed that TAC was inhibited by Cd, resulting in an increase of MDA contents, PCO contents, and DPC levels in hemocytes, respectively. Ultrastructural observations revealed that chromatin condensation, nucleus deformation, mitochondrial dilation, rough endoplasmatic reticulum (rER) degranulation and secondary or tertiary lysosomes were observed in hemocytes of crabs exposed to Cd. Meanwhile, the expression levels of proPO were down-regulated, while the activity of PO was up-regulated in hemocytes. The expression levels of LSZ and MT were up-regulated to some extent. Our findings suggest these parameters could be used as biomarkers in the monitoring of heavy metal pollution and quantitative risk assessments of pollutant exposure.