Nutritional Sources and Anticancer Potential of Phenethyl Isothiocyanate: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Insights

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, has garnered attention for its anticancer properties. This review synthesizes existing research on PEITC, focusing on its mechanisms of action in combatting cancer. PEITC has been found to be effective against various cancer types, such as breast, prostate, lung, colon, and pancreatic cancers. Its anticancer activities are mediated through several mechanisms, including the induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death), inhibition of cell proliferation, suppression of angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors), and reduction of metastasis (spread of cancer cells to new areas). PEITC targets crucial cellular signaling pathways involved in cancer progression, notably the Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), Protein Kinase B (Akt), and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways. These findings suggest PEITC's potential as a therapeutic agent against cancer. However, further research is necessary to determine the optimal dosage, understand its bioavailability, and assess potential side effects. This will be crucial for developing PEITC-based treatments that are both effective and safe for clinical use in cancer therapy.

Selective synthesis of turbostratic polyhedral carbon nano-onions by arc discharge in water

Carbon nano-onions (CNOs), in their spherical or polyhedral forms, represent an important class of nanomaterials, due to their peculiar physical and electrochemical properties. Among the different methods of production, arc discharge between graphite electrodes sustained by deionized water is one of the most promising to obtain good quality CNOs in gram quantities. We applied the method with the aim to optimize the production of CNOs, using an innovative experimental arrangement. The discharges generate dispersed nanomaterials and a black hard cathodic deposit, which were studied by transmission electron microscopy-high-resolution TEM, scanning electron microscopy, Raman, thermogravimetric analysis and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. A simple mechanical grinding of the deposits permitted us to obtain turbostratic polyhedral CNOs that exhibited higher stability towards burning in air, compared to CNOs found in water. We propose a mechanism for the formation of the CNOs present in the deposit, in which the crystallization is driven by a strong temperature gradient existing close to the cathode surface at the beginning of the process, and subsequently close to the deposit surface whenever it is growing.

Liquid gallium-lead mixture phase diagram, surface tension near the critical mixing point, and prewetting transition

Quite recently, we reported a semianalytical equation of state (EOS) for the Ga-Pb alloy [Phys. Rev. B 78, 024205 (2008)], which was based on the first-order perturbation theory of fluid mixtures, within the simplified random phase approximation, in conjunction with the Grosdidier et al. model pair potentials for Ga-Ga and Pb-Pb with a suitable nonadditive pair potential between Ga-Pb unlike pairs. In the present work, we employ the present EOS to calculate the Ga-Pb phase diagram along the immiscibility gap region. The accuracy of the EOS is tested by consulting the empirical binodal curve. A statistical-mechanical-based theory for the surface tension is employed to obtain an analytical expression for the alloy surface tension. We calculated the surface tension along the bimodal curve and at extreme conditions of temperatures and pressures. The surface tension exhibits reasonably well the prewetting transition of Pb atoms at the surface of the Ga-rich liquid alloy and could qualitatively explain the prewetting phenomena occurring in the Ga-rich side of the phase diagram. The predicted prewetting line and wetting temperature qualitatively agree with the empirical measurements.

Phase diagram and thermodynamic properties of H2

A statistical mechanical-based theory is used to develop the equation of state for the molecular fluid of H(2). We incorporate in this equation the long-range correlations through the double Yukawa potential, dimerization of the H(2) molecule by treating the fluid as a hard convex body fluid, and first-order quantum correction which is important at low temperatures. We use this to calculate the liquid-vapor equilibrium of H(2), including the temperature and pressure dependence of compressibility factor, entropy, specific heat, compressibility, and sound velocity.

Thermodynamic properties of He-H2 fluid mixtures over a wide range of temperatures and pressures

The effect of pressure P and temperature T on the properties of mixing of helium-hydrogen (He-H2 ) fluid mixture is studied based on statistical mechanical perturbation theory. The constituent species are considered to be interacting via a pair potential consisting of short range repulsion and a long range attraction which has been included through a double Yukawa (DY) potential. He and H2 are the lightest elements; therefore, the quantum effect is included via first-order quantum correction in the framework of Wigner-Kirkwood expansion. The dimerization of the H2 molecule is treated as a hard convex body fluid for which the equation of state (EOS) can be derived from hard sphere system based on scaled particle theory. An advanced and most recent EOS has been used for our investigation. The use of the DY potential, which can readily be simulated to empirical potentials, has enabled us to obtain analytical expressions for attractive and quantum energy contributions in terms of Laplace transforms. With a view to ensure internal consistency of the various thermodynamic functions to extract information on segregation and order in the mixture, different functions, such as compressibility factor, Gibbs free energy of mixing, entropy of mixing, and concentration fluctuations in the long wavelength limit, have been calculated as functions of composition of the mixture over an extended region of P and T. The results suggest that segregation, heterocoordination, or both may occur in the He-H2 mixture depending upon its composition, pressure, and temperature.

Microanalysis of lipids in discrete brain areas of the rabbit following intramuscular administration of steroid contraceptive

The effects of 60- and 90-day administration of a pill containing 0.05 mg ethinylestradiol and 0.5 mg norgestrel on the regional lipid levels of female albino rabbit brains have been investigated. Decreased levels of total lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol, free fatty acids and esterified fatty acids were observed in hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygadaloid nucleus, midline nuclei of thalamus and gyrus cinguli. However, the levels of esterified fatty acids only in the amygdaloid nucleus and that of cholesterol in hypothalamus were significantly increased.