Enzyme applications in baking: From dough development to shelf-life extension.

Enzymes play a vital role in baking, providing significant benefits from dough development to extending shelf life, which enhances product quality and consistency. Acting as biological catalysts, enzymes such as proteases and amylases break down proteins and starches, modifying dough rheology and improving fermentation. Lipases and oxidases further refine dough texture through emulsification and oxidation, while lipases also produce fatty acid derivatives during fermentation, contributing to the flavor and aroma of baked goods.

Pd@GO catalyzed stereo- and regio-selective addition of arenes to alkynes and synthesis of coumarins C-H functionalization.

A stereo- and regio-selective addition of arenes to alkynes C-H bond functionalization has been developed using palladium nanoparticles supported on graphite oxide (Pd@GO) as the reusable catalyst. The prepared catalyst was characterized by various spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, TEM, SEM, EDX, P-XRD, and XPS analysis. The thermal stability of the catalyst was established by TGA.

A sustainable avenue for the synthesis of propargylamines and benzofurans using a Cu-functionalized MIL-101(Cr) as a reusable heterogeneous catalyst.

A heterogeneous copper-catalyzed A coupling reaction of aldehydes, amines, and alkynes for the synthesis of propargylamines and benzofurans has been developed. Here, the modified metal-organic framework MIL-101(Cr)-SB-Cu complex was chosen as the heterogeneous copper catalyst and prepared via post-synthetic modification of amino-functionalized MIL-101(Cr). The structure, morphology, thermal stability, and copper content of the catalyst were determined by FT-IR, PXRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, TGA, XPS, and ICP-OES.

Versatile and Sustainable Approach to Access Biologically Relevant Chromeno[2,3-]pyridine and Benzylpyrazolyl Coumarin Derivatives Using Graphitic Carbon Nitride as a Reusable Heterogeneous Catalyst.

Herein, the synthesis of graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) via the simple heating of cheap and readily available urea as the starting material has been reported. The catalytic activity of the prepared g-CN was investigated for the synthesis of chromeno[2,3-]pyridine and benzylpyrazolyl coumarin derivatives in an ethanol medium. The reactions were performed under mild conditions to achieve widely functionalized target products in a one-pot operation.

A Study to Investigate the Role of Noncoding RNA miR146 Alpha as a Potential Biomarker in Prostate Cancer.

There is a need for additional biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. MicroRNAs are a class of non-protein coding RNA molecules that are frequently dysregulated in different cancers including prostate cancer and show promise as diagnostic biomarkers and targets for therapy. Here we describe the role of micro RNA 146 a (miR-146a) which may serve as a diagnostic marker for prostate cancer, as indicated from the data presented in this report.

Mechanical Properties of Flax Tape-Reinforced Thermoset Composites.

Three thermoset resin systems-bio-epoxy, epoxy, and polyester-with 30 v% flax fiber reinforcement have been studied to identify the optimal fiber-resin combination in a typical composite structure. Tensile, interface and interlaminar shear strength together with flexural and impact damage tolerance were compared in this study. The results revealed that mechanical and interfacial properties were not significantly affected by the different resin systems.

A health disparities study of MicroRNA-146a expression in prostate cancer samples derived from African American and European American patients.

Considering the prevalence of prostate cancer all over the world, it is desired to have tools, technologies, and biomarkers which help in early detection of the disease and discriminate different races and ethnic groups. Genetic information from the single gene analysis and genome-wide association studies have identified few biomarkers, however, the drivers of prostate cancer remain unknown in the majority of prostate cancer patients. In those cases where genetic association has been identified, the genes confer only a modest risk of this cancer, hence, making them less relevant for risk counseling and disease management.

Clinical, radiological and histological features of an unique case of calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor.

Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT), also known as Pindborg tumor, is a rare benign but locally aggressive odontogenic neoplasm, accounts for <1% of all odontogenic tumors. CEOT is usually seen in the posterior area of the mandible in-between 30 and 50 years of age without definite sex predilection. A painless, slow-growing swelling with bone expansion is the most common clinical feature of CEOT.

Pentafluorophenyl Substitution of Natural Di(indol-3-yl)methane Strongly Enhances Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis Induction in Various Cancer Cell Lines.

Di(indol-3-yl)methane (=3,3'-methanediyldi(1H-indole), DIM, 1) is a known weakly antitumoral compound formed by digestion of indole-3-carbinol (=1H-indol-3-ylmethanol), an ingredient of various Brassica vegetables. Out of a series of nine fluoroaryl derivatives of 1, three pentafluorophenyl derivatives 2c, 2h, and 2i were identified that exhibited a two to five times greater anti-proliferative effect and an increased apoptosis induction when compared with 1 in the following carcinoma cell lines: BxPC-3 pancreas, LNCaP prostate, C4-2B prostate, PC3 prostate and the triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma. Compound 2h was particularly efficacious against androgen-refractory C4-2B prostate cancer cells (IC =6.

A new promising way of maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer: a comparative clinical study.

Background: There is an urgent need for more novel and efficacious therapeutic agents and strategies for the treatment of ovarian cancer - one of the most formidable female malignancies. These approaches should be based on comprehensive understanding of the pathobiology of this cancer and focused on decreasing its recurrence and metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of five-year maintenance therapy with indole-3-carbinol (I3C) as well as I3C and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) conducted before, during, and after combined treatment compared with combined treatment alone in advanced ovarian cancer.

Correction to: The versatile role of exosomes in cancer progression: diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

In the title of above mentioned article the word 'versatile' had been replaced by 'multifaceted'.

The multifaceted role of exosomes in cancer progression: diagnostic and therapeutic implications [corrected].

Background: Recent advances in cancer biology have highlighted the relevance of exosomes and nanovesicles as carriers of genetic and biological messages between cancer cells and their immediate and/or distant environments. It has been found that these molecular cues may play significant roles in cancer progression and metastasis. Cancer cells secrete exosomes containing diverse molecules that can be transferred to recipient cells and/or vice versa to induce a plethora of biological processes, including angiogenesis, metastasis formation, therapeutic resistance, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and epigenetic/stemness (re)programming.

Retraction notice to: Sensitization of squamous cell carcinoma to cisplatin induced killing by natural agents.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).

Retraction notice to "Notch-1 induces Epithelial-mesenchymal transition consistent with cancer stem cell phenotype in pancreatic cancer cells".

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).

Stem Cells Derived from Amniotic Fluid: A Potential Pluripotent-Like Cell Source for Cellular Therapy?

Background: Regenerative medicine aims to provide therapeutic treatment for disease or injury, and cell-based therapy is a newer therapeutic approach different from conventional medicine. Ethical issues that rose by the utilisation of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and the limited capacity of adult stem cells, however, hinder the application of these stem cells in regenerative medicine. Recently, isolation and characterisation of c-kit positive cells from human amniotic fluid, which possess intermediate characteristics between hESCs and adult stem cells, provided a new approach towards realising their promise for fetal and adult regenerative medicine.

Folic acid conjugated polymeric micelles loaded with a curcumin difluorinated analog for targeting cervical and ovarian cancers.

The current study utilizes folic acid conjugated poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) block copolymer (FA-SMA) to enhance the solubility of a hydrophobic but very potent synthetic curcumin-difluorinated (CDF) analog and its targeted delivery to folate receptor-alpha overexpressing cancers. The nanomicelles showed high aqueous solubility. Importantly, the encapsulation of CDF in nanomicelles resulted in high photo-stability of the otherwise photo-labile drug.

Synthesis and characterization of folate decorated albumin bio-conjugate nanoparticles loaded with a synthetic curcumin difluorinated analogue.

Albumin-bound paclitaxel colloidal nanoparticle (Abraxane®) is an FDA approved anticancer formulation available in the market. It is a suspension which is currently used therapeutically for treating cancers of the breast, lung, and pancreas among others. CDF is a novel new and potent synthetic curcumin analogue that is widely used for breast and ovarian cancer.

Improved anticancer and antiparasitic activity of new lawsone Mannich bases.

Substituted lawsone Mannich bases 2a-e, 3a-e and 4a-e were prepared and tested for their biological activities. The new fatty alkyl substituted compounds 2a-c exhibited strong and selective growth inhibitory activities in the low one-digit micromolar and sub-micromolar range against a panel of human cancer cell lines associated with ROS formation. In addition, compounds 2a-c revealed sub-micromolar anti-trypanosomal activities against parasitic Trypanosoma brucei brucei cells via deformation of the microtubule cytoskeleton.

Solubility enhancement and targeted delivery of a potent anticancer flavonoid analogue to cancer cells using ligand decorated dendrimer nano-architectures.

Conventional chemotherapy using small molecule drugs is marred by several challenges such as short half-life, low therapeutic index and adverse systemic side effects. In this regard, targeted therapies using ligand directed polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers could be a promising strategy to specifically deliver anticancer drugs to cancer cells overexpressing complementary receptor binding domains. The aim of this study was to utilize folate decorated PAMAM to enhance the aqueous solubility of a highly hydrophobic but very potent anticancer flavonoid analogue, 3,4-difluorobenzylidene diferuloylmethane (CDF) and to deliver it specifically to folate receptor overexpressing cervical cancer cells (HeLa) and ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3).

Anti-androgenic activity of absorption-enhanced 3, 3'-diindolylmethane in prostatectomy patients.

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of developing prostate cancer. Antineoplastic effects of cruciferous vegetables are attributable to bioactive indoles, most prominently, 3, 3'-diindolylmethane (DIM). In addition to effects on proliferation and apoptosis, DIM acts as an antiandrogen in prostate cancer cell lines.

MicroRNA Targeted Therapeutic Approach for Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer remains the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the US and is expected to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. Therefore, it is important to better understand the molecular pathogenesis, phenotypes and features of pancreatic cancer in order to design novel molecularly targeted therapies for achieving better therapeutic outcome of patients with pancreatic cancer. Recently, the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer became a hot topic in the scientific community of pancreatic cancer research.