The effect of Candida cell wall beta-glucan on treatment-resistant LL/2 cancer cell line: in vitro evaluation

Candida albicans (C. albicans) cell wall beta-glucan has been considered as a potential agent in the treatment of cancers due to its anti-tumor properties. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of Candida cell wall beta-glucan on Lewis lung carcinoma cell line (LL/2) cells. Beta-glucan of C. albicans cell wall was extracted. LL/2 cell line was cultured, then sphere cells and parental cells were exposed to the different concentrations of beta-glucan extracted from C. albicans (10–6000 μg/ml), for 24, 48 and 72 h. Cytotoxicity of beta-glucan was assayed by MTT test, then RNA extracted from cells population (treated and untreated cells), cDNA synthetized and expression level of Sox2, Oct4, C-myc, Nanog genes were also investigated using Real-time methods. At optimal concentrations of 800 and 1000 μg/ml, the extracted beta-glucan showed a significant cytotoxic effect on both parental and sphere cell populations (p?<?0.05). Real-time PCR analysis revealed a decreased expression of Oct4 and Sox2 genes in treatment of cells with beta-glucan compared with control group. Since the extracted beta-glucan showed an inhibitory effect on the expression of Oct4 and Sox2 genes involved in LL/2 metastasis, therefore, beta-glucan can be considered as an anti-tumor agent because of its anti-metastatic properties, however, more in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to provide further evidence on this topic in the future.

     

Sporadic Retinoblastoma and Parental Smoking and Alcohol Consumption before and after Conception: A Report from the Children’s Oncology Group

Background

Retinoblastoma is the most frequent tumor of the eye in children and very little is known about the etiology of non-familial (sporadic) retinoblastoma. In this study we examined whether parental tobacco smoking or alcohol consumption (pre- or post-conception) contribute to the two phenotypes (bilateral or unilateral) of sporadic retinoblastoma.

Methods

Two large multicenter case-control studies identified 488 cases through eye referral centers in the United States and Canada or through the Children’s Oncology Group. Controls (n = 424) were selected from among friends and relatives of cases and matched by age. Risk factor information was obtained via telephone interview. We employed multivariable logistic regression to estimate the effects of parental tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption on retinoblastoma.

Findings

Maternal smoking before and during pregnancy contributed to unilateral retinoblastoma risk in the child: year before pregnancy conditional Odds Ratio (OR), 8.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–51, and unconditional OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3–4.7; month before or during pregnancy, conditional OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 0.5–20.8, and unconditional OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.1–7.0. No association was found for maternal or paternal alcohol consumption.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that maternal active smoking during pregnancy may be a risk factor for sporadic retinoblastoma. Our study supports a role for tobacco exposures in embryonal tumors.     

Tunable Extraordinary Transmission through a Graphene-Covered Hole Array: an Analytical Equivalent-Circuit Modeling Approach

Plasmonics - We study two-dimensional (2D) hole arrays drilled into a perfect conductor slab covered with a graphene sheet. Such arrays support the extraordinary transmission of electromagnetic...     

(E)- and (Z)-1,2,4-triazolylchromanone oxime ethers as conformationally constrained antifungals

A series of 1,2,4-triazolylchromanone oxime ethers were synthesized and tested for in vitro antifungal activity. Many of these derivatives exhibit high activity against Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger and Microsporum gypseum.     

Length–weight relationships for four Aphanius species of Iran (Teleostei: Cyprinodontidae)

Length–weight parameters are presented for four endemic tooth‐carps of the genus Aphanius from Iran.     

Analysis of Stacked Structures Composed of Arrays of Thick Slits: an Accurate Analytical Circuit Model

In this paper, a stacked structure composed of periodic arrays of one-dimensional thick slits embedded in a conventional dielectric medium is investigated in the subwavelength regime. Arrays of thick slits are known to support extraordinary transmission resonances. When periodically embedded in multilayered structures, they demonstrate band gap properties, which can produce flat passband regions in some structures, applicable to filter designs. In addition, by adjusting the parameters of the structures, they can be designed to create epsilon-near-zero and negative permittivity metamaterials. The analysis is carried out based on a simple and accurate analytical solution. The employed circuit model includes a transmission line corresponding to the slits, terminated by two surface admittances at the interfaces. The surface admittances assume the role of the diffractive modes and dominate the limitations of the usual analytical surface admittances obtained through heuristic approaches. A Π network of lumped elements equivalent to this circuit model is introduced in the present paper. This network helps to find the source of extraordinary resonances. Finally, the electromagnetic wave transmission through the stacked structure is studied and the effects of the thickness of the slits and dielectric slabs on the transmission spectra are analyzed. The results are compared to those obtained by full wave simulations, showing good agreement.