Theranostic Interpolation of Genomic Instability in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a diverse disease caused by mutations in multiple genes accompanying epigenetic aberrations of hazardous genes and protein pathways, which distress tumor-suppressor genes and the expression of oncogenes. Alteration in any of the several physiological mechanisms such as cell cycle checkpoints, DNA repair machinery, mitotic checkpoints, and telomere maintenance results in genomic instability. Theranostic has the potential to foretell and estimate therapy response, contributing a valuable opportunity to modify the ongoing treatments and has developed new treatment strategies in a personalized manner. “Omics” technologies play a key role while studying genomic instability in breast cancer, and broadly include various aspects of proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, and tumor grading. Certain computational techniques have been designed to facilitate the early diagnosis of cancer and predict disease-specific therapies, which can produce many effective results. Several diverse tools are used to investigate genomic instability and underlying mechanisms. The current review aimed to explore the genomic landscape, tumor heterogeneity, and possible mechanisms of genomic instability involved in initiating breast cancer. We also discuss the implications of computational biology regarding mutational and pathway analyses, identification of prognostic markers, and the development of strategies for precision medicine. We also review different technologies required for the investigation of genomic instability in breast cancer cells, including recent therapeutic and preventive advances in breast cancer.     

Nanomedicine-Based Delivery Strategies for Breast Cancer Treatment and Management

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women globally. It is caused by mutations in the estrogen/progesterone receptors and conventional treatment methods are commonly utilized. About 70–80 percent of individuals with the early-stage non-metastatic disease may be cured. Conventional treatment is far less than the optimal ratio, as demonstrated through the high mortality rate of women with this cancer. However, conventional treatment methods like surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are not as effective as expected and lead to concerns about low bioavailability, low cellular uptake, emerging resistance, and adverse toxicities. A nanomedicine-based approach is a promising alternative for breast cancer treatment. The present era is witnessing rapid advancements in nanomedicine as a platform for investigating novel therapeutic applications and modern intelligent healthcare management strategies. This paper focuses on nanomedicine-based therapeutic interventions that are becoming more widely accepted for improving treatment effectiveness and reducing undesired side effects in breast cancer patients. By evaluating the state-of-the-art tools and taking the challenges involved into consideration, various aspects of the proposed nano-enabled therapeutic approaches have been discussed in this review.     

Polyphenols of tea. IV.—Qualitative and quantitative study of the polyphenols of different organs and some cultivated varieties of tea plant

A method is described for the estimation of individual polyphenols of tea leaf. Polyphenols separated by two-way paper chromatography of a methanolic extract of the material were located under ultra-violet light. The excised spots were eluted with water and estimated from extinctions at 275 nm. Three of the polyphenols, (?)-epigallocatechin gallate, (?)-epigallocatechin and (?)-epicatechin gallate, which comprise 10-19% of the dry matter of tea shoots from Assam, are partly consumed during the manufacture of black tea. Seasonal variation in the polyphenolic content of some jats and clones grown in North East India are described. The phenolic content of the tea shoots was higher during rains. Changes in the phenolic pattern during the growth and development of tea flower, fruit and seed are described. Organs of tea, such as sepals, petals and pericarp with closer morphological affinities to the leaf, showed a greater degree of similarity in their phenolic pattern compared with other organs such as stigma, style, carpel, anther and testa. The gallates were mostly confined to the chlorophyll-bearing organs.     

Thermal behaviour and crystallization analysis of ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer and EP-styrene terpolymer

Polyolefin copolymers have been an important commercial product since their invention. Hence, it is crucial to study their co- and terpolymers due to their extensive use. In this paper, in situ synthesis of ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer, its terpolymer with styrene, and composites with nickel-chromium (NiCr) layered double hydroxide (LDH) has been reported along with their thermal properties. Styrene had a significant impact on the activity, increasing the yield by 195% and 235% with an addition of 0.5 and 1.0 mL styrene, respectively, compared to neat EP. The crystallinity, melting temperature, and thermal stability decreased due to styrene; nevertheless, it performed better compared to a similar work of terpolymer where α-olefin was the third monomer. The incorporation of NiCr LDH as a drop-in filler during in situ polymerization affected adversely the thermal stability of the terpolymer. However, the ultrasonication treatment improved the thermal stability of the final product.     

Study on the preparation and properties of novel block copolymeric materials based on structurally modified organometallic as well as organic polyamides and polydimethylsiloxane

Some novel ferrocene‐containing polyamide‐based block copolymer materials with telechelic polydimethylsiloxane oligomer and their organic analogues were prepared by solution‐phase polycondensation of ferrocene‐based organometallic and terephthaloyl‐ as well as isophthaloyl‐based organic acyl chlorides with a series of semi‐aromatic diamines having ether linkages together with variable aliphatic character. The corresponding polyamides of the synthesized materials, without polydimethylsiloxane segment, were also prepared for comparison of physicochemical properties. None of the synthesized organometallic and organic block copolymers along with their respective polyamides melted below 300 °C and their structural features were confirmed by their physical properties and spectroscopic studies. The weight‐average molecular weights and molecular parameters of all these materials were determined by the static laser light scattering technique. The materials were soluble in sulfuric acid and partially soluble in common organic solvents, and yet became readily soluble upon N‐trifluoroacetylation. The synthesized materials were further characterized by their water absorption characteristics, X‐ray diffraction studies and surface morphology (SEM and AFM) and thermal (DSC and TG) analyses, and their structure–property relationships were elucidated from these studies. The energies of pyrolysis for these materials were calculated by the Horowitz and Metzger method. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Graphene modified Nd/TiO2 photocatalyst for methyl orange degradation under visible light irradiation

A novel nanoscale GR–Nd/TiO₂ composite photocatalyst was synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Its crystal structure, surface morphology, chemical composition and optical properties were studied using XRD, TEM, and XPS, DRS and PL spectroscopy. It was found that graphene and neodymium modification shifts the absorption edge of TiO₂ to visible-light region. The results of photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra show that GR–Nd/TiO₂ composites possess better charge separation capability than do Nd/TiO₂ and pure TiO₂. The photocatalytic activity of prepared samples was investigated by degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye under visible light irradiation. The results show that the GR–Nd/TiO₂ composite can effectively photodegrade MO, showing an impressive photocatalytic activity enhancement over that of pure TiO₂. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the composite catalyst might be attributed to the large adsorptivity of dyes, extended light absorption range and efficient charge separation due to Nd doping and graphene incorporation.     

Lipid‐derived monomer and corresponding bio‐based nanocomposites

Fatty acid based monomer and corresponding hybrid polymer layered silicate nanocomposites have successfully been prepared by using in situ polymerizations. The hybrid materials were prepared by adding different ratios of nanoclay during free radical homopolymerization of 2‐(acryloyloxy)ethyl stearate (AOES) monomer and copolymerization of AOES with styrene. AOES monomer was synthesized by treating stearic acid with 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate. The formation of AOES monomer, homopolymer and copolymer was confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopic analysis. Further analysis and characterization of the nanocomposites were carried out by XRD, transmission electron microscopy, AFM and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. TGA of the polymer nanocomposites was also carried out to evaluate their thermal stability, while flammability tests were conducted to investigate the effect of layered silicate on flame retardancy. Nanofiller addition into the polymer matrix substantially improved the thermal properties and fire retardancy of the composites. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Eco-friendly electronics,based on nanocomposites of biopolyester reinforced with carbon nanotubes: a review

ABSTRACT

Fabrication of electronic materials from nanocomposite of biopolyesters reinforced with carbon nanotubes can be regarded as the effective alternative for conventional nanocomposites consisting of non-biodegradable polymers. Commercial availability of biopolyester-based nanocomposites is limited because of their high cost compared to other polymers, but the factor of their compostable nature is worthless for environmental protection. Such nanocomposites have potential applications in biodegradable sensors, EMI materials, etc. In this review, the current progress of biopolyester/CNTs nanocomposites in the field of biodegradable electronics is reviewed and also the impact of CNTs dispersion on electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of eco composites is stipulated.