Garnering support for smoke-free policies is critical for their successful adoption, particularly in countries with high smoking prevalence, such as Armenia and Georgia. In 2018, we surveyed 1456 residents (ages 18-64) of 28 cities in Armenia (n = 705) and Georgia (n = 751). We examined support for cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)/heated tobacco product (HTP) smoke-free policies in various locations and persuasiveness of pro- and anti-policy messaging. Participants were an average age of 43.35, 60.5% female, and 27.3% current smokers. Nonsmokers versus smokers indicated greater policy support for cigarette and ENDS/HTP and greater persuasiveness of pro-policy messaging. Armenians versus Georgians generally perceived pro- and anti-policy messaging more persuasive. In multilevel linear regression, sociodemographics (e.g., female) and tobacco use characteristics (e.g., smoking less frequently, higher quitting importance) correlated with more policy support. Greatest policy support was for healthcare, religious, government, and workplace settings; public transport; schools; and vehicles carrying children. Least policy support was for bar/restaurant outdoor areas. The most compelling pro-policy message focused on the right to clean air; the most compelling anti-policy message focused on using nonsmoking sections. Specific settings may present challenges for advancing smoke-free policies. Messaging focusing on individual rights to clean air and health may garner support.Phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R1) expression and its role in the initiation and progression of breast cancer are an unresolved issue. PLA2R1 was found to endorse several tumor suppressive responses, including cellular senescence and apoptosis. Previous in vitro studies demonstrated that DNA hypermethylation was highly associated with the epigenetic silencing of PLA2R1 in breast cancer cell lines. Our objective was to study the level of PLA2R1 mRNA expression and the methylation of its promoter in different histological grades and molecular subtypes of breast cancer. We performed bioinformatics analyses on available human breast cancer expression datasets to assess the PLA2R1 mRNA expression. We used qRT-PCR to evaluate the PLA2R1 mRNA expression and its promoter's methylation in breast cancer tissue in comparison to breast fibroadenomas. Our results describe, for the first time, the expression of PLA2R1 and the methylation of its promoter in human breast cancer tissues.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/gsk-3008348-hydrochloride.html  A significant downregulation of PLA2R1, together with hypermethylation of the promoter was detected in breast cancers of different histological grades and molecular subtypes when compared to benign breast tissues. PLA2R1 promoter hypermethylation was associated with aggressive subtypes of breast cancer. In conclusion, PLA2R1 promoter hypermethylation is a potentially useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and could serve as a possible therapeutic target in breast cancer.Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa, Korth) is a tree-like plant that is indigenous to Southeast Asia. Kratom leaf products have been used in traditional folk medicine for their unique combination of stimulant and opioid-like effects. Kratom is being increasingly used in the West for its reputed benefits in the treatment of pain, depression and opioid use disorder. Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control have raised concerns regarding the contamination of some kratom products with toxic metals (Pb and Ni) and microbes such as Salmonella. To further explore this issue, eight different kratom products were legally purchased from various "head"/"smoke" shops in the Western Suburbs of Chicago and then tested for microbial burden, a panel of metals (Ni, Pb, Cr, As, Hg, Cd), and levels of the main psychoactive alkaloid mitragynine. All of the samples contained significant, but variable, levels of mitragynine (3.9-62.1 mg/g), indicating that the products were, in fact, derived from kratom. All but two of the samples tested positive for the presence of various microbes including bacteria and fungi. However, none of the samples tested positive for Salmonella. Seven products showed significant levels of Ni (0.73-7.4 µg/g), Pb (0.16-1.6 µg/g) and Cr (0.21-5.7 µg/g) while the other product was negative for metals. These data indicate that many kratom products contain variable levels of mitragynine and can contain significant levels of toxic metals and microbes. These findings highlight the need for more stringent standards for the production and sale of kratom products.(1) Background The microRNA (miR)-directed control of gene expression is correlated with numerous physiological processes as well as the pathological features of tumors. The focus of this study is on the role of miRs in the regulation of RSU1 and proteins in the IPP (integrin linked kinase, PINCH and parvin) complex. Because the IPP adaptor proteins link β integrins to actin cytoskeleton, and the RSU1 signaling protein connects the complex to the activation of cJun, ATF2 and the transcription of PTEN, their reduction by miRs has the potential to alter both adhesion and survival signaling. (2) Methods Multiple database analyses were used to identify miRs that target RSU1 and PINCH1. miR transfection validated the effects of miRs on RSU1, PINCH1 and downstream targets in breast cancer cell lines. (3) Results The miRs targeting RSU1 mRNA include miR-182-5p, -409-3p, -130a-3p, -221-3p, -744-5p and -106b-5p. Data show that miR-182-5p and -409-3p reduce RSU1, PINCH1 and inhibit the ATF2 activation of PTEN expression. miR-221-3p and miR-130a-3p target RSU1 and PINCH1 and, conversely, RSU1 depletion increases miR-221-3p and miR-130a-3p. (4) Conclusions miRs targeting RSU1 and PINCH1 in mammary epithelial or luminal breast cancer cell lines reduced RSU1 signaling to p38 MAP kinase and ATF2, inhibiting the expression of PTEN. miR-221-3p, known to target PTEN and cell cycle regulators, also targets RSU1 and PINCH1 in luminal breast cancer cell lines.Drug-decorated nanoparticles (DDNPs) have important medical applications. The current work combined Perturbation Theory with Machine Learning and Information Fusion (PTMLIF). Thus, PTMLIF models were proposed to predict the probability of nanoparticle-compound/drug complexes having antimalarial activity (against Plasmodium). The aim is to save experimental resources and time by using a virtual screening for DDNPs. The raw data was obtained by the fusion of experimental data for nanoparticles with compound chemical assays from the ChEMBL database. The inputs for the eight Machine Learning classifiers were transformed features of drugs/compounds and nanoparticles as perturbations of molecular descriptors in specific experimental conditions (experiment-centered features). The resulting dataset contains 107 input features and 249,992 examples. The best classification model was provided by Random Forest, with 27 selected features of drugs/compounds and nanoparticles in all experimental conditions considered. The high performance of the model was demonstrated by the mean Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUC) in a test subset with a value of 0.