KAMILA CZUBAK-PROWIZOR^*, MARIA SWIATKOWSKA

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.4, pp. 731-737, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.025677

Abstract Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A), also known as the F11 receptor (F11R), is one of the tight junction components. JAM-A is a transmembrane glycoprotein that regulates many cellular processes, i.e., angiogenesis, leukocyte transendothelial migration, intercellular permeability, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and platelet activation. Of note, it is involved in the pathogenesis of various cancer types, including gynecological cancers. Only a few studies are available about this cancer type. Observed aberrant JAM-A expression in gynecological cancers correlates with poor patient prognosis. To the best of our knowledge, conflicting JAM-A roles in various cancer types suggest that its involvement is complex and tumor-type specific. The… More >

Xuyang Yao^1,*, Kecheng Liu¹, Zenan Zhou¹, Jun Zhou¹, Xianbin Huang², Tiemei Lu¹, Yongsheng Yu¹, He Li²

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.19, No.7, pp. 1775-1787, 2023, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2023.025843

Abstract Water-based drilling fluids can cause hydration of the wellbore rocks, thereby leading to instability. This study aimed to synthesize a hydrophobic small-molecule polymer (HLMP) as an inhibitor to suppress mud shale hydration. An infrared spectral method and a thermogravimetric technique were used to characterize the chemical composition of the HLMP and evaluate its heat stability. Experiments were conducted to measure the linear swelling, rolling recovery rate, and bentonite inhibition rate and evaluate accordingly the inhibition performance of the HLMP. Moreover, the HLMP was characterized through measurements of the zeta potential, particle size distribution, contact angles, and interlayer space testing. As… More > Graphic Abstract

Baohua Zhao¹, Teng Zhang^2,*, Wenwen Liu², Fansong Meng², Chengben Liu¹, Nuo Chen², Zhi Li³, Zhaobin Liu³, Xiyou Li^2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.4, pp. 1533-1554, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.023192

Abstract

Due to the solution processable nature, the prepared perovskite films are polycrystalline with considerable number of defects. These defects, especially defects at interface accelerate the carrier recombination and reduce the carrier collection. Besides, the surface defects also affect the long-term stability of the perovskite solar cells (PVSCs). To solve this problem, surface passivation molecules are introduced at selective interface (the interface between perovskite and carrier selective layer). This review summarizes recent progress of small molecules used in PVSCs. Firstly, different types of defect states in perovskite films are introduced and their effects on device performance are discussed. Subsequently, surface passivation… More > Graphic Abstract

Yangyang Hao, Yue Liu^*, Guorui Cao^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.10, No.12, pp. 3505-3519, 2022, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.023122

Abstract Aiming to reduce the defects of perovskite film and improve carrier transport, an organic small molecule, benzo [d]isothiazol-3(2H)-one 1,1-dioxide (OBS), is introduced as an additive in the solution-processing of perovskite and prepare uniform perovskite films with a continuous distribution of OBS at grain boundaries. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are conducted to reveal the interactions of hydrogen bonding and coordination bonding between OBS and perovskite. Various characterizations (including X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, etc.) are conducted to uncover the effect of OBS on device performance. Consequently, high efficiency of 23.26% is obtained for the OBS-treated… More > Graphic Abstract

Minxi Rong¹, Yong Li^1,*, Xiaoli Guo^1,*, Tao Zong², Zhiyuan Ma², Penglei Li²

Oncologie, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 309-327, 2022, DOI:10.32604/oncologie.2022.021256

Abstract Objectives: The ERα biological activity prediction model is constructed by the compound molecular data of the anti-breast cancer therapeutic target ERα and its biological activity data, which improves the screening efficiency of anti-breast cancer drug candidates and saves the time and cost of drug development. Methods: In this paper, Ridge model is used to screen out molecular descriptors with a high degree of influence on the biological activity of Erα and divide datasets with different numbers of the molecular descriptors by screening results. Random Forest (RF) is trained by Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Coefficient of determination (R²) to… More >

Prasanna Rajagopalan^*†, Abdulrahim Hakami^*†, Mohammed Ragab^*, Ashraf Elbessoumy^*‡

Oncology Research, Vol.27, No.8, pp. 957-964, 2019, DOI:10.3727/096504019X15555428221646

Abstract Arylidene analogs are well proven for biological activities. FCY-302, a novel small molecule belonging to this class, was screened for its biological efficacy in leukemia and myeloma cells. FCY-302 selectively inhibited proliferation of cancer cells with GI50 values of 395.2 nM, 514.6 Nm, and 642.4 nM in HL-60, Jurkat, and RPMI-8226 cells, respectively. The compound also increased sub-G0 peak in the cancer cell cycle and favored apoptosis determined by annexin V assay. The compound decreased the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 levels and increased proapoptotic Bax proteins in leukemia and myeloma cell lines. FCY-302 attenuated the mitochondrial membrane-bound Na⁺ /K⁺ ATPase, Ca²⁺ ATPase,… More >

Qiuyun Luo^*†1, Wentao Pan^*†‡1, Suna Zhou^*†1, Guangfeng Wang^‡, Hanjie Yi^*§, Lin Zhang^*¶, Xianglei Yan^*†, Luping Yuan^*†, Zhenyi Liu^#, Jing Wang^**, Haibo Chen^#, MiaoZhen Qiu^*††, DaJun Yang^*†‡, Jian Sun^*‡‡

Oncology Research, Vol.28, No.4, pp. 331-344, 2020, DOI:10.3727/096504020X15825405463920

Abstract Despite therapeutic advances, the effective treatment for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains a major clinical challenge. Evasion of apoptosis through upregulating antiapoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family members and p53 inactivation, and abnormal activation of B-cell receptor signaling pathway are two important pathogenic factors for DLBCL. In this study, our aim is to explore a rational combination of BCL-2 inhibitor plus Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) blockade or p53 activation for treating DLBCL with the above characteristics. We demonstrated that a novel BCL-2 selective inhibitor APG-2575 effectively suppressed DLBCL with BCL-2 high expression via activating the mitochondrial apoptosis… More >

Daniel Dodzi Yao Setsoafia¹, Kiran Sreedhar Ram¹, Hooman Mehdizadeh-Rad^1,2, David Ompong^1,2, Vinuthaa Murthy^1,2, Jai Singh^1,2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.10, No.10, pp. 2553-2567, 2022, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.020967

Abstract DFT and TD-DFT calculations of HOMO and LUMO energies and photovoltaic properties are carried out on four selected pentathiophene donor and one IDIC-4F acceptor molecules using B3LYP and PBE0 functionals for the ground state energy calculations and CAM-B3LYP functional for the excited state calculations. The discrepancy between the calculated and experimental energies is reduced by correlating them with a linear fit. The fitted energies of HOMO and LUMO are used to calculate the V_oc of an OSC based on these donors and acceptor blend and compared with experimental values. Using the Scharber model the calculated PCE of the donor-acceptor molecules… More >

WEIYU CHEN^1,2, MUHSIN H. YOUNIS³, ZHONGKUO ZHAO^1,*, WEIBO CAI^3,*

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.8, pp. 1789-1801, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018197

Abstract The knowledge of interactions among functional proteins helps researchers understand disease mechanisms and design potential strategies for treatment. As a general approach, the fluorescent and affinity tags were employed for exploring this field by labeling the Protein of Interest (POI). However, the autofluorescence and weak binding strength significantly reduce the accuracy and specificity of these tags. Conversely, HaloTag, a novel self-labeling enzyme (SLE) tag, could quickly form a covalent bond with its ligand, enabling fast and specific labeling of POI. These desirable features greatly increase the accuracy and specificity, making the HaloTag a valuable system for various applications ranging from… More >

Farnaz Nabiya¹, Anchana Devi Chenniappan^1,*, Rajamiriyam Marichamy¹, MubarakAli Davoodbasha^2,3, Jung-Wan Kim^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.91, No.3, pp. 569-582, 2022, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2022.017390

Abstract Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs due to the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. It affects from 5% to 10% of women of reproductive age. High levels of matrix metalloproteinase (especially MMP-9) have been observed in women suffering from endometriosis. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the naturally anti-inflammatory compounds available from an algal source that can target the MMP-9 by various in silico approaches. The target 1L6J (Crystal structure of human matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9) structure was retrieved from the PDB database. Five compounds such as Eckol, Sargafuran, Vitamin E, Docosahexaenoic acid,… More >