Impact of combinatorial immunotherapies in breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Breast cancer has the highest mortality rate among all cancers affecting females worldwide. Several new effective therapeutic strategies are being developed to minimize the number of breast cancer-related deaths and improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. However, resistance to conventional therapies in breast cancer patients remains a challenge which could be due to several reasons, including changes in the tumor microenvironment.

Turn-on detection of Al ions using quinoline-based tripodal probe: mechanistic investigation and live cell imaging applications.

In this study, an easily synthesizable Schiff base probe TQSB having a quinoline fluorophore is demonstrated as a fluorescent and colorimetric turn-on sensor for Al ions in a semi-aqueous medium (CHCN/water; 4 : 1; v/v). Absorption, emission and colorimetric studies clearly indicated that TQSB exhibited a high selectivity toward Al, as observed from its excellent binding constant ( = 3.8 × 10 M) and detection limit (7.

Fluorescent and chromogenic organic probes to detect group 10 metal ions: design strategies and sensing applications.

Group 10 metals including Ni, Pd and Pt have been extensively applied in various essential aspects of human social life, material science, industrial manufactures, medicines and biology. The ionic forms of these metals are involved in several biologically important processes due to their strong binding capability towards different biomolecules. However, the mishandling or overuse of such metals has been linked to serious contamination of our ecological system, more specifically in soil and water bodies with acute consequences.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-based Soft Materials: Applications in Fluorescent Detection, Gelation, AIEE and Mechanochromism.

The present review discusses selected compounds based on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); mainly those containing naphthalene, anthracene, fluorene, pyrene, triphenylene and perylene rings. The focus has been placed to highlight both properties and applications of such PAH-containing compounds in gelation, aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) and mechanochromism as well as in fluorescence sensing of assorted analytes.

Night melatonin levels affect cognition in diurnal animals: Molecular insights from a corvid exposed to an illuminated night environment.

This study investigated the role of nocturnal melatonin secretion in the cognitive performance of diurnal animals. An initial experiment measured the cognitive performance in Indian house crows treated for 11 days with 12 h light at 1.426 W/m (∼150 lux) coupled with 12 h of 0.

Tumor reversion: a dream or a reality.

Reversion of tumor to a normal differentiated cell once considered a dream is now at the brink of becoming a reality. Different layers of molecules/events such as microRNAs, transcription factors, alternative RNA splicing, post-transcriptional, post-translational modifications, availability of proteomics, genomics editing tools, and chemical biology approaches gave hope to manipulation of cancer cells reversion to a normal cell phenotype as evidences are subtle but definitive. Regardless of the advancement, there is a long way to go, as customized techniques are required to be fine-tuned with precision to attain more insights into tumor reversion.

Mediative fuzzy logic mathematical model: A contradictory management prediction in COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper presents a model based on mediative fuzzy logic in this COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 (novel coronavirus respiratory disease) has become a pandemic now and the whole world has been affected by this disease. Different methodologies and many prediction techniques based on various models have been developed so far.

Recognition, mechanistic investigation and applications for the detection of biorelevant Cu/Fe/Fe ions by ruthenium(II)-polypyridyl based fluorescent sensors.

The present article focuses on fluorescent probes based on Ru(ii)-polypyridyl fragments connected to different chelates, their significant roles in coordination chemistry and their applications in the selective recognition of biorelevant Cu2+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ ions. A critical analysis of the detection of metal ions by both "turn-on" and "turn-off" emission, properties, mechanism and applications of these sensors is presented. Emphasis has also been laid on the efficiency, selectivity and specificity of these sensors towards biologically important Cu2+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ ions.

A novel fabrication of electrospun polyacrylonitrile/NaYF:Eu light emitting nanofibers.

Polyacrylonitrile/NaYF:Eu nanophosphor composite nanofibers have been successfully prepared using the electrospinning technique. The electrospun nanofibers exhibited intense emission of gradient blue ( = 0.254, = 0.

Sleep in unnatural times: illuminated night negatively affects sleep and associated hypothalamic gene expressions in diurnal zebra finches.

We investigated the effects of exposure at ecologically relevant levels of dim light at night (dLAN) on sleep and the 24 h hypothalamic expression pattern of genes involved in the circadian timing (, , , , ) and sleep regulatory pathways (cytokines: , -, , ; Ca-dependent pathway: , , ; cholinergic receptor, ) in diurnal female zebra finches. Birds were exposed to 12 h light (150 lux) coupled with 12 h of absolute darkness or of 5 lux dim light for three weeks. dLAN fragmented the nocturnal sleep in reduced bouts, and caused sleep loss as evidenced by reduced plasma oxalate levels.

Developmental effects of daily food availability times on song behaviour and neuronal plasticity of song-control system in male zebra finches.

Food availability is a major ecological factor and affects body condition and sexual traits. Here, we investigated whether males' song behaviour, a trait for female mate choice, was sensitive to the food availability period and its timing in songbirds. We manipulated daily food availability to 4 h in the morning or evening, with controls on food ad libitum, and assessed its effects on song behaviour and forebrain song control system in male zebra finches that were held as adult (parent) or offspring (since birth) at 24 ± 2 °C under 12 h daily photoperiod.

Changes in brain peptides associated with reproduction and energy homeostasis: Putative roles of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-II and tyrosine hydroxylase in determining reproductive performance in response to daily food availability times in diurnal zebra finches.

Previous studies have demonstrated 'quality-quantity' trade-offs with daily food availability times in zebra finches. Compared with food access ad lib., zebra finch pairs with restricted food access for 4 hours in the morning produced poor quality offspring, whereas those with the same food access in the evening produced fewer but better quality offspring.

The DEAD-box RNA helicase eIF4A regulates plant development and interacts with the hnRNP LIF2L1 in Physcomitrella patens.

eIF4A is a RNA-stimulated ATPase and helicase. Besides its key role in regulating cap-dependent translation initiation in eukaryotes, it also performs specific functions in regulating cell cycle progression, plant growth and abiotic stress tolerance. Flowering plants encode three eIF4A paralogues, eIF4A1, eIF4A2 and eIF4A3 that share conserved sequence motifs but differ in functions.

Bacterial Compatibility/Toxicity of Biogenic Silica (b-SiO) Nanoparticles Synthesized from Biomass Rice Husk Ash.

Biogenic silica (b-SiO) nanopowders from rice husk ash (RHA) were prepared by chemical method and their bacterial compatibility/toxicity was analyzed. The X-ray diffractometry (XRD) patterns of the b-SiO nanopowders indicated an amorphous feature due to the absence of any sharp peaks. Micrographs of the b-SiO revealed that sticky RHA synthesized SiO nanopowder (S1) had clustered spherical nanoparticles (70 nm diameter), while b-SiO nanopowder synthesized from red RHA (S2) and b-SiO nanopowder synthesized from brown RHA (S3) were purely spherical (20 nm and 10 nm diameter, respectively).

Cd + Cr causes toxic effects on chromosomal development of microspore in .

Intra-category hybrids of were analyzed for the genetic toxicity in detail for effect of Cd + Cr on reproductive biology of . Five partially tolerant and five non-tolerant accessions of after screening were crossed to produce intra-category hybrid. These two heavy metals in combination influenced antagonistically first as well as second meiotic divisions inducing various kinds of anomalies and reduced the number of pollen grains per anther and significantly increased pollen sterility.

Infodemiological data concerning silicosis in the USA in the period 2004-2010 correlating with real-world statistical data.

This article reports data concerning silicosis-related web-activities using Google Trends (GT) capturing the Internet behavior in the USA for the period 2004-2010. GT-generated data were then compared with the most recent available epidemiological data of silicosis mortality obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the same study period. Statistically significant correlations with epidemiological data of silicosis (=0.

Persistence of protective anti-HBs antibody levels and anamnestic response to HBV booster vaccination: A cross-sectional study among healthcare students 20 years following the universal immunization campaign in Italy.

Vaccination against Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) became mandatory in Italy for all newborns and 12 years-old individuals in the 1991. The immunogenicity of HBV vaccine and the effectiveness of the universal immunization strategy have been widely demonstrated. However the need to assess the antibody concentrations above the well known serological correlate of protection for HBV infection (≥10 mIU/mL), established in individuals immunized with a 3 doses vaccination course, is still recommended in subjects exposed to occupational risks in different settings, particularly the healthcare services.

Safety and tolerability of cell culture-derived and egg-derived trivalent influenza vaccines in 3 to <18-year-old children and adolescents at risk of influenza-related complications.

Background: This descriptive, non-comparative, phase III study evaluated the safety and tolerability of cell culture-derived (TIVc) and egg-derived (TIV) seasonal influenza vaccines in children at risk of influenza-related complications.

Methods: Four hundred and thirty subjects were randomized 2:1 to TIVc or TIV. Subjects aged 3 to <9 years received one dose (if previously vaccinated, n=89) or two doses (if not previously vaccinated, n=124) of the study vaccines; the 9 to <18-year-olds (n=213) received one dose.

Vaccine-preventable infections in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by abnormal autoantibody production and clearance. Infections are among the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in SLE patients; they have an increased frequency of severe bacterial and viral infections possibly due to inherited genetic and immunologic defects and to immunosuppressive therapies. In addition, infectious agents can switch on lupus disease expression and activity.

Studies on formulation of whey protein enriched concentrated tomato juice beverage.

Whey protein components derived from cheese whey and heat and acid coagulated Indian products (paneer, chhana, chakka) possess valuable functional and nutritional properties. Tomato products rich in lycopene are reported to be anticarcinogenic and antioxidative. The main objective of this study was to formulate a whey protein enriched tomato juice concentrate for use as beverage by employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM) engaging the Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD).

Influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in Italy.

Influenza vaccination is a fundamental tool for the prevention of influenza in healthcare settings and its administration to healthcare workers (HCWs) is recommended in more than 40 countries including United States of America and many countries of the European Union. Despite these recommendations, the compliance of HCWs to influenza vaccination is largely inadequate in Italy. Since 2005/06 season, a comprehensive multifaceted intervention project aimed at increasing the seasonal influenza vaccination coverage rates among HCWs was performed at the IRCCS AOU San Martino IST teaching hospital in Genoa, Italy, the regional tertiary adult acute-care reference center with a 1300 bed capacity.

Routine surveillance of adverse events following immunization as an important tool to monitor vaccine safety.

Post licensure surveillance of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) is a fundamental activity to improve safety and maintain public confidence in vaccines.   Since 2011, the Liguria Region has been involved in the inter-regional project of post-marketing surveillance of AEFI, coordinated by the Italian Medicine Agency and the Veneto region. The main objectives of the project are: (1) to coordinate the surveillance activities in the 8 Italian Regions included in the project; (2) to encourage the signal of AEFI by healthcare workers and patients; (3) to organize education activities addressed to health care workers, and, finally; (4) to establish vaccination counseling services in each Region.

Perspectives in endocrine toxicity of heavy metals--a review.

An attempt has been made to review the endocrine/hormonal implications of a few environmentally significant metals, viz, lead, mercury, cadmium, copper, arsenic and nickel, in man and animals. Special emphasis has been given to the adrenals, thyroid, testis, ovary and pancreas. Toxic metals can cause structural and functional changes in the adrenal glands.

High temperature unfolding of a truncated hemoglobin by molecular dynamics simulation.

Heme containing proteins are associated with peroxidase activity. The proteins like hemoglobin, myoglobins, cytochrome c and micro-peroxidase other than peroxidases have been shown to exhibit weak peroxidase-like activity. This weak peroxidase-like activity in hemoglobin-like molecules is due to heme moiety.