MicroRNAs and Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a very aggressive tumor subtype, which still lacks specific markers for an effective targeted therapy. Despite the common feature of negativity for the three most relevant receptors (ER, PgR and HER2), TNBC is a very heterogeneous disease where different subgroups can be recognized, and both gene and microRNA profiling studies have recently been carried out to dissect the different molecular entities. Moreover, several microRNAs playing a crucial role in triple negative breast cancer biology have been identified, providing the experimental basis for a possible therapeutic application. Indeed, the causal involvement of microRNAs in breast cancer and the possible use of these small noncoding RNA molecules as biomarkers has been extensively studied with promising results. Their application as therapeutic tools might represent an innovative approach, especially for a tumor subgroup still lacking an efficient and specific therapy such as TNBC. In this review, we summarize our knowledge on the most important microRNAs described in TNBC.     

Strongly Photosensitive and Fluorescent F8T2 Electrospun Fibers

Electrospun fibers of poly[(9,9‐dioctylfluorenyl‐2,7‐diyl)‐co‐bithiophene] (F8T2) with exceptional electro‐optical performance are obtained. The I/T characteristics measured in fibers with 7–15 µm diameter and 1 mm length show a semiconductor behavior; their thermal activation energy is 0.5 eV and the dark conductivity at RT is 5 × 10^?9 (Ω cm)^?1. Besides exhibiting a photosensitivity of about 60 under white light illumination with a light power intensity of 25 mW · cm^?2, the fibers also attain RT photoluminescence in the cyan, yellow, and red wavelength range under ultraviolet, blue, and green light excitation, respectively. Optical microscope images of F8T2 reveal homogeneous electrospun fibers, which are in good agreement with the uniformly radial fluorescence observed.

     

CRITICAL FLUX DETERMINATION IN ULTRAFILTRATION OF WASTEWATER FROM A FOOD INDUSTRY BY OPTIMIZATION METHOD

Two ultrafiltration membranes with different geometries (spiral polymeric and tubular ceramic) but similar cutoffs were used to treat wastewater from a food industry. Hydrodynamic conditions were optimized by statistical methods as a strategy to get more accurate values of the critical parameters and then to produce higher water flux and minimization of membrane fouling. The validation of the optimization method was obtained by experimental critical flux determination at critical parameters. Membrane fluxes revealed significant differences during filtration. The polymeric membrane showed an optimal flux of 45.60 Lh^?1 m^?2 at 3.21 bar while operating at a stable time of 11.61 h, whereas optimal flux of the ceramic membrane was 32.43 Lh^?1 m^?2 at 3.98 bar for 16.03 h. Experimental critical flux values were only slightly lower than optimal fluxes for both membranes, showing the validity of the statistics models applied. Negligible osmotic pressure was found on the two membranes at critical flux parameters, indicating irreversible fouling for both cases. The polymeric membrane revealed strong fouling behavior and the ceramic membrane showed a weak form; the flux decline occurred first in the polymeric membrane, whereas the ceramic membrane exhibited high stability during the filtration operations. A high degree of purification of wastewater was obtained by this membrane at critical flux conditions.     

Effect of the surface modification of the synthetic meshes used in the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse on the tissue adhesion and clinical functionality

Stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse represent important conditions affecting adult women’s health. Lately, the properties and performance of the polymer materials used in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse have been improved by modulating from their formula. Materials investigated in our study are polypropylene meshes used by clinicians in surgical treatment of urinary incontinence and utero-vaginal prolapse. In order to make a comparative analysis, we confronted the structure and surface morphology of native synthetic polypropylene meshes with explanted fragments from the same mesh type after clinical use. FTIR investigations revealed little change in structure after implantation, somehow insignificant. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrates modification in surface morphology even just by passing through the transobturator passage, whereas after implantation the surface deteriorates. SEM on explanted meshes proves the encapsulation process of the mesh to be more similar to a foreign body reaction rather than to the adhesion and integration of the synthetic mesh into the organism. Histological analysis of the surrounding tissues near explanted mesh was made in some relevant clinical cases, because the tissue response is an important factor in order to evaluate the tissue adhesion at the polypropylene mesh surface. Based on our experiments and clinical experience we’ve designed an adhesion score. It applies to meshes used in pelvic organ prolapse surgery measuring the following important factors: tenacity, extent of adhesion, macroscopic and microscopic aspects and ease of dissection from surrounding tissues.     

Trauma/grief-focused group psychotherapy: School-based postwar intervention with traumatized Bosnian adolescents.

Results of a preliminary effectiveness evaluation of a school-based postwar program for war-exposed Bosnian adolescents are described. The evaluation centered on a manualized trauma/grief-focused group psychotherapy protocol for war-traumatized adolescents based on 5 therapeutic foci: traumatic experiences, trauma and loss reminders, postwar adversities, bereavement and the interplay of trauma and grief, and developmental impact. Fifty-five secondary school students (81% girls; age range?=?15–19 years, M?=?16.81) from 10 Bosnian schools participated in the evaluation. Students completed pregroup and postgroup self-report measures of posttraumatic stress, depression, and grief symptoms and postgroup measures of psychosocial adaptation and group satisfaction. The evaluation yielded preliminary but promising results, including reduced psychological distress and positive associations between distress reduction and psychosocial adaptation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pharmaceuticals Removal by Adsorption with Montmorillonite Nanoclay

The problem of purifying domestic and hospital wastewater from pharmaceutical compounds is becoming more and more urgent every year, because of the continuous accumulation of chemical pollutants in the environment and the limited availability of freshwater resources. Clay adsorbents have been repeatedly proposed as adsorbents for treatment purposes, but natural clays are hydrophilic and can be inefficient for catching hydrophobic pharmaceuticals. In this paper, a comparison of adsorption properties of pristine montmorillonite (MMT) and montmorillonite modified with stearyl trimethyl ammonium (hydrophobic MMT-STA) towards carbamazepine, ibuprofen, and paracetamol pharmaceuticals was performed. The efficiency of adsorption was investigated under varying solution pH, temperature, contact time, initial concentration of pharmaceuticals, and adsorbate/adsorbent mass ratio. MMT-STA was better than pristine MMT at removing all the pharmaceuticals studied. The adsorption capacity of hydrophobic montmorillonite to pharmaceuticals decreased in the following order: carbamazepine (97%) > ibuprofen (95%) > paracetamol (63–67%). Adsorption isotherms were best described by Freundlich model. Within the pharmaceutical concentration range of 10–50 µg/mL, the most optimal mass ratio of adsorbates to adsorbents was 1:300, pH 6, and a temperature of 25 °C. Thus, MMT-STA could be used as an efficient adsorbent for deconta×ating water of carbamazepine, ibuprofen, and paracetamol.     

Recyclable,Flexible, Low‐Power Oxide Electronics

The ability to process and dimensionally scale field‐effect transistors with and on paper and to integrate them as a core component for low‐power‐consumption analog and digital circuits is demonstrated. Low‐temperature‐processed p‐ and n‐channel integrated oxide thin‐film transistors in the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) inverter architecture are seamlessly layered on mechanically flexible, low‐cost, recyclable paper substrates. The possibility of building these circuits using low‐temperature processes opens the door to new applications ranging from smart labels and sensors on clothing and packaging to electronic displays printed on paper pages for use in newspapers, magazines, books, signs, and advertising billboards. Because the CMOS circuits reported constitute fundamental building blocks for analog and digital electronics, this development creates the potential to have flexible form factor computers seamlessly layered onto paper. The holistic approach of merging low‐power circuitry with a recyclable substrate is an important step towards greener electronics.     

Processing influence on dielectric,mechanical, and electrical properties of reduced graphene oxide–TPU nanocomposites

Two different reduced graphene oxides (rGOs) with similar concentration of oxygen and defects and differences in exfoliation were prepared to produce the rGO/thermoplastic polyurethane nanocomposites by solution blending (SB) and melt compounding (MC). Morphology, electrical, and dielectric properties were studied. Large agglomerates have been observed for the composites produced by SB and discrete and low agglomerated rGO particles in the case on the composites produced by MC. These morphological differences justify the observations in hardness, electrical conductivity, and even in the dielectric properties. The composites do not follow Jonscher's universal power law (UPL) and a linear trend between UPL factors (Log A vs n) has been observed for composites produced by SB, however, no trend is observed in the composites produced by MC, being the first time observed. Differences in the tunneling effect and breakage of H-bonds within the polymer can be suggested from the dielectric relaxation characterization. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47220.