Role of miRNA in Melanoma Development and Progression

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive and progressive skin cancers. It develops from normal pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes, so it is important to know the mechanism behind such transformations. The study of metastasis mechanisms is crucial for a better understanding the biology of neoplastic cells. Metastasis of melanoma, or any type of cancer, is a multi-stage process in which the neoplastic cells leave the primary tumour, travel through the blood and/or lymphatic vessels, settle in distant organs and create secondary tumours. MicroRNA (miRNA) can participate in several steps of the metastatic process. This review presents the role of miRNA molecules in the development and progression as well as the immune response to melanoma.     

CTLA-4 Expression Is a Promising Biomarker of Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Allows Differentiation of the Type of Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an increasingly frequently diagnosed disease, the molecular mechanisms of which have not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of our study was to investigate subpopulations of lymphocytes to better understand their role in the molecular pathomechanisms of various types of PAH and to find a suitable biomarker that could be useful in the differential diagnosis of PAH. Using flow cytometry, we measured the frequencies of lymphocyte subpopulations CD4+CTLA-4+, CD8+ CTLA-4+ and CD19+ CTLA-4+ in patients with different types of PAH, namely pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease (CHD-PAH), pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with connective tissue disorders (CTD-PAH), chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (iPAH), and in an age- and sex-matched control group in relation to selected clinical parameters. Patients in the iPAH group had the significantly highest percentage of CD4+CTLA-4+ T lymphocytes among all PAH groups, as compared to those in the control group (p < 0.001), patients with CTEPH (p < 0.001), CTD-PAH (p < 0.001) and CHD-PAH (p < 0.01). In iPAH patients, the percentages of CD4+CTLA-4+ T cells correlated strongly positively with the severity of heart failure New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification (r = 0.7077, p < 0.001). Moreover, the percentage of B CD19+CTLA-4+ cells strongly positively correlated with the concentration of NT-proBNP (r = 0.8498, p < 0.001). We have shown that statistically significantly higher percentages of CD4+CTLA-4+ (p ≤ 0.01) and CD8+ CTLA-4+ (p ≤ 0.001) T cells, measured at the time of iPAH diagnosis, were found in patients who died within 5 years of the diagnosis, which allows us to consider both of the above lymphocyte subpopulations as a negative prognostic/predictive factor in iPAH. CTLA-4 may be a promising biomarker of noninvasive detection of iPAH, but its role in planning the treatment strategy of PAH remains unclear. Further studies on T and B lymphocyte subsets are needed in different types of PAH to ascertain the relationships that exist between them and the disease.     

Mezcal: indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains and their potential as starter cultures

Food Science and Biotechnology - In this study, 19 indigenous mezcal Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were screened for their tolerance to grow under different stress conditions and their potential...     

The evaluation of extensional viscosity of highly filled polyolefins composites films with calcium carbonate

This article reports the results of the extensional viscosity ( ) of polyolefins composites films. The test material was composed of ternary MDPE/iPP/CaCO₃ composites with a calcium carbonate content of 48–72% by mass. The concentrations of the composites and reference materials that were PE‐MD/iPP mixtures are summarized in Table 1. For all materials the viscosity curves (rotational rheometer) and the change in mass flow rate were determined. Two types of investigated films were produced: cast films and blow films. The extensional viscosity of films (thickness ≈ 80 μm) was performed on a SER‐2 Universal Testing Platform. The influence of the addition of calcium carbonate, extrusion techniques and the direction of sample cut (MD and TD) to change the extensional viscosity were discussed. The extensional viscosity measurements ( ) were taken at a temperature of 140°C and for a strain rate (Hencky strain rate) of = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 s^?1. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E155–E163, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Physico-chemical and proteolytic changes during cold storage of dry-cured pork loins with probiotic strains of LAB

Selected physico-chemical and proteolysis-related parameters were evaluated in dry-cured loins inoculated with probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus LOCK900, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB12) and potentially probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus Bauer Ł0938) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains and compared with a control sample at five different storage times (28, 90, 180, 270 and 360 days). Physico-chemical parameters of dry-cured loins were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by treatment, storage time and the interaction between them. The count of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in dry-cured loins was in accordance with their pH. Higher intensity of proteolysis, as assessed by non-protein nitrogen content (NPN) and proteolysis index (PI), occurred in inoculated samples. Based on the SDS-PAGE analysis, the modifications produced during storage on the sarcoplasmic proteins were more pronounced than those exerted on the myofibrillar protein fraction. However, inoculation effect was absent from SDS-PAGE protein patterns.     

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Electrochemical and Mechanical Behavior of the Ti6Al4V Alloy

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - The effects of heat treatment on the hardness and electrochemical behavior of the Ti6Al4V alloy were studied. Two heat treatments were performed: one...     

Antioxidant properties of apple slices stored in starch-based films

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of apple slices stored in edible starch films enriched with white and green tea extracts. All results were compared to that obtained for apple slices stored in polyethylene films. The use of starch films, as carrier of antioxidants, prolonged the storage life and improved quality of fresh-cut apples at the end of storage; however, deteriorated their lightness and increased their browning. Apple slices coated in starch films enriched with tea extracts exhibited higher antioxidant properties than those without these additives, as well as those in polyethylene films.     

Citizen monitoring: Testing hypotheses about the interactive influences of eutrophication and mussel invasion on a cyanobacterial toxin in lakes

An existing volunteer monitoring network in the state of Michigan was exploited to conduct a statewide survey of the cyanobacterial toxin, microcystin, and to test hypotheses about the interactive influences of eutrophication and dreissenid mussel invasion. A total of 77 lakes were sampled by citizen volunteers for microcystin, total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll a. Microcystin was measured in depth-integrated samples collected from the euphotic zone as well as in surface-water samples collected along the shoreline. Average microcystin in samples collected by volunteers was not different from samples collected side-by-side by professionals. Euphotic-zone microcystin was positively related to TP in lakes without dreissenids (uninvaded) but not in lakes with dreissenids (invaded). Regression-tree analysis indicated that euphotic-zone microcystin was eight times higher in the presence of dreissenids for lakes with TP between 5 and 10 μg L⁻¹. In contrast, euphotic-zone microcystin was almost identical in invaded and uninvaded lakes with TP between 10 and 26 μg L⁻¹. Across all lakes, microcystin concentrations at the surface were on average more than double, and in some cases an order-of-magnitude greater than, concentrations in the euphotic-zone. Given these results, it seems prudent to include dreissenid invasion status in forecasting models for microcystin, and to include shoreline sampling in monitoring programs aimed at assessing recreational exposure to cyanobacterial toxins.