Biological Investigation of Nano-Organometallic Agents against Bacteria and Chilo polychrysus

Nanotechnology is the new hope, and is hailed as having the potential to increase the efficiency of energy consumption, help clean the environment, and solve major health problems. This research aims to increase the biological activities of natural syringaldehyde. The synthesis of syringaldehyde derivatives and controls the size of the material particles in the nanometer ranges. Nano-organic compounds (L1 - L2) and nano-organometallic compounds (C1 - C4) are used for the study of physicochemical characterization and biological activities. Antioxidant capacities were the DPPH and FRAP techniques, and bacterial abilities against Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. The syringaldehyde salicylic hydrazone (L2) showed a high scavenging ability to DPPH. Free radical exhibited with IC50 values as low as 51.109 ppm. The ability of antioxidants by FRAP showed that substances are capable of reducing Fe3+ and most of C3, the ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria with the lowest MIC and MBC values and the ability to Chilo polychrysus (Meyrick) found that C1 and C2 showed LT50 at 24 h and 48 h (19.00 and 19.33). These particles should develop as biological agents to reduce the use of chemicals that are harmful to humans and the environment.

Adenocarcinoma arising from heterotopic pancreas at the third portion of the duodenum

A 62-year-old Japanese man presented to our hospital with a history of weight loss of 6 kg in 4 mo. Imaging examinations revealed a tumor located on the third portion of the duodenum with stenosis. We suspected duodenal carcinoma and performed pancreas-preserving segmental duodenectomy. Adenocarcinoma arising from a heterotopic pancreas at the third portion of the duodenum was finally diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining. Malignant transformation in the duodenum arising from a heterotopic pancreas is extremely rare; to our knowledge, only 13 cases have been reported worldwide, including the present case. The most common location of malignancy is the proximal duodenum at the first and descending portion. Herein, we describe the first case of adenocarcinoma arising from a heterotopic pancreas, which was located in the third portion of the duodenum, with a review of the literature.

Propofol sedation during endoscopic treatment for early gastric cancer compared to midazolam

Endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)has been proposed as the gold standard in the treatment of early gastric cancer because it facilitates a more accurate histological assessment and reduces the risk of tumor recurrence.However,the time course of ESD for large gastric tumors is frequently prolonged because of the tumor size and technical difficulties and typically requires higher doses of sedative and pain-controlling drugs.Sedative or anesthetic drugs such as midazolam or propofol are used during the procedure.Therapeutic endoscopy of early gastric cancers can often be performed with only moderate sedation.Compared with midazolam,propofol has a very fast onset of action,short plasma half-life and time to achieve sedation,faster time to recovery and discharge,and results in higher patient satisfaction.For overall success,maintaining safety and stability not only during the procedure but also subsequently in the recovery room and ward is necessary.In obese patients,it is recommended that the injected dose be based on a calculated standard weight.Cooperation between gastroenterologists,surgeons,and anesthesiologists is imperative for a successful ESD procedure.

Effects of 5-HT2B, 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor antagonists on gastrointestinal motor activity in dogs

AIM:To study the effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)receptor antagonists on normal colonic motor activity in conscious dogs.METHODS:Colonic motor activity was recorded using a strain gauge force transducer in 5 dogs before and after 5-HT2B,5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor antagonist administration.The force transducers were implanted on the serosal surfaces of the gastric antrum,terminal ileum,ileocecal sphincter and colon.Test materials or vehicle alone was administered as an intravenous bolus injection during a quiescent period of the whole colon in the interdigestive state.The effects of these receptor antagonists on normal gastrointestinal motor activity were analyzed.RESULTS:5-HT2B,5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor antagonists had no contractile effect on the fasting canine terminal ileum.The 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor antagonists inhibited phaseⅢof the interdigestive motor complex of the antrum and significantly inhibited colonic motor activity.In the proximal colon,the inhibitory effect was dose dependent.Dose dependency,however,was not observed in the distal colon.The 5-HT2B receptor antagonist had no contractile effect on normal colonic motor activity.CONCLUSION:The 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor antagonists inhibited normal colonic motor activity.The5-HT2B receptor antagonist had no contractile effect on normal colonic motor activity.

Relationship between clinicopathological features and mucin phenotypes of advanced gastric adenocarcinoma

AIM: To investigate a relationship between the clinicopathological features and mucin phenotypes in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma (AGA). METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the mucin phenotypes in 38 patients with differentiated adenocarcinomas (DACs), 9 with signet-ring cell carcinomas (SIGs), and 48 with other diffuse-type adenocarcinomas (non-SIGs) of AGA. The mucin phenotypes were classified into 4 types: gastric (G), gastrointestinal (GI), intestinal, and unclassified. RESULTS: The G-related mucin phenotypes were highly expressed in all the histological subtypes of AGA. The expression of the GI phenotype in SIG patients was lower than that in DAC patients (P = 0.02), and this phenotype was observed in 56% of the non-SIG patients in the intramucosal layer. Among non-SIG cases, the expression of the GI phenotype was significantly higherin patients with extended adenocarcinomas and those with positive rates of lymph node metastasis. There was no difference between the expressions of the G and other GI phenotypes factors. Among DAC and non-SIG patients, there were no differences between the survival rates of the corresponding patient groups. CONCLUSION: The GI phenotype might possess more invasive characteristics than the G phenotype in nonSIG. Neither of the phenotypes indicated a poor prognosis of DAC and non-SIG.

Reconstruction of the hepatic artery with the middle colic artery is feasible in distal pancreatectomy with celiac axis resection: A case report

Despite the advance of diagnostic modalities, carcinoma in the body and tail of the pancreas are commonly presented at a late stage. With unresectable lesions, long-term survival is extremely rare, and surgery remains the only curative option for pancreatic cancer. An aggressive approach by applying extended distal pancreatectomy with the resection of the celiac axis may increase the resectability and analgesic effect but great care must be taken with the arterial blood supply to the liver and stomach. Sometimes, accidental injury to the pancreatoduodenal artery compromises collateral blood flow and leads to fatal complications. Therefore, knowledge of any alternative restoration of the compromised collateral flow before surgery is essential. The present case report shows a patient with a pancreatic body cancer in whom the splenic, celiac, and common hepatic arteries were involved with the tumor, which extended almost to the root of the gastroduodenal artery. We modified the procedure by reanastomosis between the proper hepatic artery and middle colic artery without vascular graft. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on post-operative day 19. The patient was immediately free of epigastric and back pain.

An Absolute Standardized Uptake Value Is More Useful than the Decreased Rate of Uptake of FDG-PET to Predict Responses to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Esophageal Cancer

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is frequently performed for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, we retrospectively assessed the standardized uptake value (SUV) of FDG-PET against decreased rates of SUV to assess the response of advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients to neoadjuvant CRT, and the correlation of this response with histopathological findings. Patients and Methods: Thirty-three patients receiving CRT followed by surgery were analyzed. Results: Using the decreased rate of maximum SUV, the sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing complete responders (CR) from non-CR patients was 63% and 44%. Using the maximum SUV before surgery, the sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing pathological CR from non-CR was 88% and 56%. Conclusions: To identify complete responders of CRT for esophageal cancer, absolute maximum SUV value is a better predictor than decreased rate of the maximum SUV.

Stabilization versus decomposition in alpine ecosystems of the Northwestern Caucasus:The results of a tea bag burial experiment

Mountainous areas exhibit highly variable decomposition rates as a result of strong local differences in climate and vegetation type. This paper describes the effect of these factors on two major determinants of the local carbon cycle: litter decomposition and carbon stabilization. In order to adequately reflect local heterogeneity, we have sampled 12 typical plant communities of the Russian Caucasus. In order to minimize confounding effects and encourage comparative studies, we have adapted the widely used tea bag index(TBI) that is typically used in areas with low decomposition. By incubating standardized tea litter for a year, we investigated whether(1) initial litter decomposition rate(k) is negatively correlated with litter stabilization(S) and(2) whether k or S exhibit correlations with altitude and other environmental conditions. Our results show that S and k are not correlated. Altitude, p H, and water content significantly influenced the stabilization factor S, while soil-freezing had no influence. In contrast, none of these factors predicted the decomposition rate k. Based on our data, we argue that collection of decomposition rates alone, as is now common practice, is not sufficient to understand carbon input to soils and can potentially lead to misleading results. Our data on community-specific decomposition and stabilization rates further constrain estimates of litter accumulation in subalpine communities and the potential effects of climate change.

Immunotherapy of Malignant Tumors Using Antisense Anti-IGF-I Approach: Case of Glioblastoma

The review article describes the criteria established for methodology of antisense anti IGF-I therapy of malignant tumors, particularly of glioblastoma. The cancer patients, after classical therapy of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have undergone the injection of genetically modified autologous malignant cells—transfected by IGF-I antisense/triple helix expression vectors. For all cancer patients supervised for up to 19 months, the period corresponding to minimum survival of glioblastoma patients, the following common immune criteria for “anti IGF-I” strategy were admitted: 1) characteristics of cell “vaccines”—absence of IGF-I and expression of MHC-I in cloned transfected cells;2) the peripheral blood lymphocytes, PBL cells, removed after every of two successive vaccinations, demonstrate an increasing level of CD8+ and CD8+28+ molecules (with a switch from CD8+11b+ to CD8+11b-).

Characterization of Household Solid Waste and Management in Tripoli City—Libya

Waste stream characteristics must be understood to tackle waste management problem in Tripoli city, Libya. It is recognized that information on both quantity and composition of generation waste is important for the effective planning of household waste handling infrastructure. So, this study is aimed to evaluating the generation, composition and density of household solid waste in Tripoli city, Libya. The study is carried out according to the Annex 2.1 of: WHO 1996. It was conducted during one week in summer, autumn and winter 2011/2012. The daily household solid waste generation assessment has been carried out for 150 Libyan families where 947 people in three main parts of Tripoli city have been chosen randomly. A questionnaire was prepared according to Buenrostro et al. 2001 and Raje et al. 2001 using door-to-door surveying. The result showed that the average of total generation quantity, daily generation rate, total volume and density were 1415 kg, 0.64 kg/person/day, 19.3 m3 and 74.4 kg/m3 respectively in Tripoli city. Household solid waste contains 36.3% organic matter and 32.5% recyclable materials (glass, paper, plastic, metals). The total generation quantity, daily generation rate, total volume and density were in Tripoli city agreed with those for African and Arabic countries. But the problem is that Tripoli suffers from insufficient municipal solid waste management and lack of sanitary landfills.

Mechanism of gastrointestinal abnormal motor activity induced by cisplatin in conscious dogs

AIM: To investigate whether 5-hydroxytryptamine(serotonin; 5-HT) is involved in mediating abnormal motor activity in dogs after cisplatin administration.METHODS: After the dogs had been given a 2-wk recovery period, all of them were administered cisplatin, and the motor activity was recorded using strain gauge force transducers. Blood and intestinal fluid samples were collected to measure 5-HT for 24 h. To determine whether 5-HT in plasma or that in intestinal fluids is more closely related to abnormal motor activity we injected 5-HT into the bloodstream and the intestinal tract of the dogs.RESULTS: Cisplatin given intravenously produced abnormal motor activity that lasted up to 5 h. From 3 to 4 h after cisplatin administration, normal intact dogs exhibited retropropagation of motor activity accompanied by emesis. The concentration of 5-HT in plasma reached the peak at 4 h, and that in intestinal fluids reached the peak at 3 h. In normal intact dogs with resection of the vagus nerve that were administered kytril, cisplatin given intravenously did not produce abnormal motor activity. Intestinal serotonin administration did not produce abnormal motor activity, but intravenous serotonin administration did.CONCLUSION: After the intravenous administration of cisplatin, abnormal motor activity was produced in the involved vagus nerve and in the involved serotonergic neurons via another pathway. This study was the first to determine the relationship between 5-HT and emesis-induced motor activity.

Hyperbaric oxygenation promotes regeneration of biliary cells and improves cholestasis in rats

AIM:To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygenation(HBO) on regeneration of the biliary ductal system and postoperative cholestasis in hepatectomized rats.METHODS:HBO was performed in Wistar rats daily starting 12 h after a 70% partial hepatectomy.Regenerated liver weight,serum parameters and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index of hepatocytes and biliary ductal cells were measured.Hepatocyte growth factor(HGF),c-Met and transforming growth factor(TGF) β-1 mRNA expression levels were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS:HBO improved the postoperative serum levels of total bile acid but not transaminase levels.HBO promoted hepatocyte and biliary ductal cell proliferation.The hematoxylin and eosin-stained specimens revealed fewer ballooned hepatocytes and higher cell densities in the HBO group compared to the control group.HBO suppressed c-Met mRNA levels at 15 h but did not modulate HGF or TGF β-1 mRNA expression levels.

Structural and Optical Properties of GaAs_(0.5)Sb_(0.5) and In_(0.5)Ga_(0.5)As_(0.5)Sb_(0.5):ab initio Calculations for Pure and Doped Materials

We perform a first-principles study to evaluate the structural,electronic and optical properties of GaAs_(x)Sb_(1-x) ternary and In_(y)Ga_(1-y)As_(x)Sb_(1-x) quaternary semiconductor alloys up to x=0.5,y=0.5.We employ the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof form of the generalized gradient approximation(GGA)within the framework of density functional theory(DFT)by using a simulation program.Calculations are carried out in different configurations.For these alloys,lattice parameters and optical band gap energy are calculated.The optical band gaps varywith increasing and decreasing As and In concentrations,respectively.The optical conductivity,absorption and the real part of the dielectric function ε1(ω) are discussed.Our results agree well with the theoretical and experimental data available in the literature.

Simulation Mechanical Properties of Lead Sulfur Selenium under Pressure

The elastic properties of lead sulfur selenium are studied using first-principles calculations. The geometry optimized structural parameters for PbS0.5Se0.5 under different pressures are listed. The lattice parameter increase with increasing pressure, but enthalpy is constant. However, parameter B and Y decrease and parameter S increase with increasing pressure. The elastic constants satisfy the traditional mechanical stability conditions for these ternary mixed crystals. The elastic modulus as two functions of pressure from 0 - 10 GPa are obtained. The calculated elastic constants Cij decrease but with different rates under increasing pressure.

Influence of the Annealing Temperature on the Thickness and Roughness of La<SUB>2</SUB>Ti<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>7</SUB>Thin Films

In this work, the impact of the substrate annealing temperature on the thickness and roughness of La2Ti2O7 thin films was verified. A group of LTO Thin films was grown on Si (100) substrates successfully via pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD) at various annealing temperatures with a constant numbers of pulses and energy per pulse. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) were used to investigate the thickness and roughness of the deposited La2Ti2O7 thin films. The average thickness of the thin films was decreased due to the increasing in the annealing temperature linearly;the maximum thickness was found (231 nm) when LTO thin film deposited at 500°C. The root mean square roughness was increased linearly with increasing the substrate Temperatures. The minimum roughness was found (0.254 nm) when LTO deposited at (500°C). From the obtained results, its clear evidence that the annealing temperature has an influence on the thickness and roughness of the LTO thin films.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts in hepatocellular carcinoma

The hepatic stellate cells in the liver are stimulated sustainably by chronic injury of the hepatocytes, activating myofibroblasts, which produce abundant collagen. Myofibroblasts are the major source of extracellular proteins during fibrogenesis, and may directly, or secreted products, contribute to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Cancer-associated fibroblasts(CAFs) are one of the components of the tumor microenvironment that promote the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells by secreting various growth factors and cytokines. CAFs crosstalk with cancer cells stimulates tumor progression by creating a favorable microenvironment for progression, invasion, and metastasis through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Basic studies on CAFs have advanced, and the role of CAFs in tumors has been elucidated. In particular, for hepatocellular carcinoma, carcinogenesis from cirrhosis is a known fact, and participation of CAFs in carcinogenesis is supported. In this review, we discuss the current literature on the role of CAFs and CAF-related signaling in carcinogenesis, crosstalk with cancer cells, immunosuppressive effects, angiogenesis, therapeutic targets, and resistance to chemotherapy. The role of CAFs is important in cancer initiation and progression. CAF-targeted therapy may be effective for suppression not only of fibrosis but also cancer progression.

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis:Difficulty in differentiating from gallbladder cancer

AIM: To compare cases of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis(XGC) and advanced gallbladder cancer and discuss the differential diagnoses and surgical options.METHODS: From April 2000 to December 2013, 6 XGC patients received extended surgical resections. During the same period, 16 patients were proven to have gallbladder(GB) cancer, according to extended surgical resection. Subjects chosen for analysis in this study were restricted to cases of XGC with indistinct borders with the liver as it is often difficult to distinguish these patients from those with advanced GB cancer. We compared the clinical features and computed tomography findings between XGC and advanced GB cancer. The following clinical features were retrospectively assessed: age, gender, symptoms, and tumor markers. As albumin and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio(NLR) are prognostic in several cancers, we compared serum albumin levels and the NLR between the two groups. The computerized tomography findings were used to compare the two diseases, determine the coexistence of gallstones, the pattern of GB thickening(focal or diffuse), the presence of a hypoattenuated intramural nodule, and continuity of the mucosal line.RESULTS: Based on the preoperative image findings, we suspected GB carcinoma in all cases includingXGC in this series. In addition, by pathological examination, we found that the group of patients with XGC developed inflammatory disease after surgery. Patients with XGC tended to have abdominal pain(4/6, 67%). However, there was no significant difference in clinical symptoms, including fever, between the two groups. Serum albumin and NLR were also similar in the two groups. Serum tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9), tended to increase in patients with GB cancer. However, no significant differences in tumor markers were identified. On the other hand, gallstones were more frequently observed in patients with XGC(5/6, 83%) than in patients with GB cancer(4/16, 33%)(P = 0.0116). A hypoattenuated intramural nodule was found in 3 patients with XGC(3/6, 50%), but in only 1 patient with GB cancer(1/16, 6%)(P = 0.0024). The GB thickness, continuous mucosal line, and bile duct dilatation showed no significant differences between XGC and GB cancer.CONCLUSION: Although XGC is often difficult to differentiate from GB carcinoma, it is possible to obtain an accurate diagnosis by careful intraoperative gross observation, and several intraoperative frozen sections.