bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A traffic light control method based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning algorithm
Authors: Liu Dongjiang , Li Leixiao
Published: March 2023

An efficient way to cope with traffic congestion is Intelligent Traffic Light Control (ITLC). Particularly, multi-agent based intelligent traffic light control algorithms are more popular and efficient than others. But there are still some problems in these algorithms. Firstly, an efficient communication mechanism is needed. As current traffic condition of an intersection can impact other intersections' future traffic condition, every agent should know the traffic condition of other intersections through communication. Thus, a new communication mechanism should be designed. By using this mechanism, traffic condition of an intersection can be passed to several relevant agents easily. And traffic condition of an intersection can be described simply and clearly. Secondly, asynchronization of message should be considered while processing received messages. As duration time of traffic lights' cycles is different from agent to agent and message sending event happens at the end of each traffic light cycle, different agents will send message at different time. Moreover, every agent tries to process the received messages at the end of each traffic light cycle as well. So it is hard for an agent to decide which message is the latest one and the most valuable. Thirdly, a new reward calculating method should be designed. In the traditional reinforcement learning based ITLC algorithms, only queue length of congested cars or waiting time of these cars is considered while calculating reward value. But, both of them are very important for measuring the level of traffic congestion. So a new reward calculation method is needed. To solve all these problems, in this paper, a new ITLC algorithm is proposed. At the same time, a new message sending and processing method is proposed and adopted by this ITLC algorithm. The first and the second problems described above are tried to be solved by using this new method. Besides, to measure traffic congestion in a more reasonable way, a new reward calculation method is proposed and used. This method takes both waiting time and queue length into consideration.
In silico discovery of potential sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors from natural products for Prevent Kidney Failure in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Shakour Neda , Hoseinpoor Saeideh , Iranshahi Mehrdad , Badpeyma Mohaddeseh , Hadizadeh Farzin
Published: March 2023

Associated with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), renal dysfunction contributes to an increased death rate. Consequently, it would appear that preventing the advancement of renal disease is crucial in the treatment of diabetic patients. SGLT2 inhibitors have been linked to reduced renal mortality, decreased hospitalization, and slowed the progression of renal impairment and albuminuria. The objective of this study was aimed to identify natural SGLT2 inhibitors using an in silico evaluation of the compounds of zinc database using structure-based virtual screening. Using pharmacophore modelling of the standard drug, a total of 1,1336 natural compounds that have the potential to act as SGLT2 inhibitors were identified; six of these compounds,580,1131,212,357,822, and306, had a similar docking affinity to the four known SGLT2 inhibitors. The top two finds,580and306, were chosen due to the convenience of the pharmacokinetic characteristics from the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME), oral bioavailability, and parameters from molecular dynamics simulation (MD). Compound580was discovered as a potential treatment candidate after estimations of the metabolic processes and cardiotoxicity. This study may assist in the advancement of both in vitro and in vivo validation, as well as the development of new SGLT2 inhibitors.
Applications of Boron cluster Supramolecular Frameworks as Metal-free Chemodynamic Therapy Agents
Authors: Xu Xiaoran , Deng Xuefan , Li Yi , Xia Shiying , Baryshnikov Glib , Bondarchuk Sergey , Ågren Hans , Wang Xin Yu , Liu Pan , Tan Yujia , Huang Tianhe , Zhang Haibo , Wei Yongchang
Published: March 2023

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a highly targeted approach to treat cancer since it converts hydrogen peroxide into harmful hydroxyl radicals (•OH) through Fenton or Fenton-like reactions in tumor microenvironments. However, the systemic toxicity of metal-based CDT agents has limited their clinical use due to harmful side effects and low efficiency. Herein, we generate a novel CDT agent: 2,4,6-tri(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPT)/ [closo-B12H12]2−(TPT@ B12H12), which is metal-free and may avoid cumulative toxicity during long-term therapy. We investigated the Fenton-like catalytic activity and anti-melanoma effects of the synthesized boron cluster supramolecular framework TPT@B12H12, and the results showed that it could effectively suppress the melanoma growth both in vitro and in vivo through ROS generation. The favorable properties of the TPT@B12H12 system were rationalized by means of quantum chemistry DFT calculations revealing that TPT@B12H12 substantially decreases the activation barrier compared to the effective Fe2+ ion commonly used in Fenton reactions. This study highlights the great clinical translational potential of TPT@B12H12 as a CDT agent, potentially serving as a prelude to the rapid development of metal-free CDT agents.
Directional excitation of acoustic graphene plasmons using oblique incidences
Authors: SUN BIN , XIE FEIFENG , ZHOU WEILU , TU FEIQUAN , TAN ZHIYUN , KANG SHUAI , FANG ZHENXING , LIU JIANQIANG
Published: March 2023

In this work, the directional excitation of acoustic graphene plasmons (AGPs) are numerically studied using Finite Element Methods. In our proposed hybrid graphene-metal structure under oblique incidences, not only are AGPs excited efficiently, but also they are unidirectional propagating along a graphene monolayer. Although the symmetry AGPs dispersion relations are broken by oblique incidence, both left and right moved AGPs are excited simultaneously at a resonant wavelength due to almost equaled wavenumbers of directional propagated AGPs. Based on the fact that great AGPs excitation efficiency can’t guarantee high EM energy propagating in one direction, we will focus on how the directional propagating net energy are affected by geometrical parameters. Due to the tunable graphene conductivity, AGPs propagation with great unidirectional net energy can be dynamically controlled by a relatively low externally applied bias voltage (electrostatic gating). The prototype structure may find applications in ultra-confined plasmons launchers and switchers in integrated optics.
Carcinosarcoma of Parotid Gland: An extremely rare malignancy with an unusual carcinomatous component- A case report with review of literature
Authors: Jain Swachi , Abdelwahed Mohammed , Chavarria Daniel Hector , Pereira Lucio , Stone Gary , Johnson Alan , Li Jian Yi
Published: March 2023

Background
Carcinosarcoma of the parotid gland is an extremely rare malignancy comprising of 0.04-0.16% of all salivary gland tumors. They consist of distinct carcinomatous and sarcomatous components and may arise de novo or from a preexisting pleomorphic adenoma.
Methods and results
Herein we present a case of an 80-year-old female who presented with progressively increasing left facial swelling over 6 weeks. Magnetic Resonance Imagining revealed a mass (3.4 cm) in the parotid gland with a predominant cystic/necrotic component. The cytology was atypical (Milan3) and a total parotidectomy and selective lymph node dissection was done. The resection showed extensive necrosis with high grade sarcomatous (chondrosarcoma) areas. The epithelial component was adenoid cystic carcinoma with perineural invasion. The patient is currently undergoing radiotherapy of the tumor bed and skull base due to propensity of perineural invasion of the adenoid cystic component. The most common carcinomas in carcinosarcomas of salivary glands are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Conclusion
This is the first case of an adenoid cystic carcinoma with chondrosarcoma to the best of our knowledge. Carcinosarcoma is a high-grade aggressive lesion with a poor prognosis and should be treated aggressively. More studies are needed to understand the origin of these tumors.
Morphologic, phenotypic, and genotypic similarities between primary tumors and corresponding 3D cultures grown in a repeatable system
Authors: Muscatello Luisa Vera , Frabetti Stella , Avallone Giancarlo , Gobbo Francesca , Pasquini Arianna , D'Annunzio Giulia , Pisoni Luciano , Marconato Laura , Terragni Rossella , Biase Dario , Candini Olivia , Sarli Giuseppe
Published: March 2023

Background:Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures are the new frontier for reproducing the tumor micro-environmentin vitro. The aims of the study were (1) to establish primary 3D cell cultures from canine spontaneous neoplasms and (2) to demonstrate the morphological, phenotypic and genetypic similarities between the primary canine neoplasms and the corresponding 3D cultures, through the expression of tumor differentiation markers.Results:Seven primary tumors were collected, including 4 carcinomas and 3 soft tissue sarcomas. 3D cell cultures reproduced the morphological features of the primary tumors and showed an overlapping immunophenotype of the primary epithelial tumors. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the growth of stromal cells and macrophages admixed with the neoplastic epithelial component, reproducing the tumor microenvironment. Mesenchymal 3D cultures reproduced the immunophenotype of the primary tumor completely in 2 out of 3 examined cases while a discordant expression was documented for a single marker in one case. No single nucleotide variants or small indel were detected in TP53 or MDM2 genes, both in primary tumors and in 3D cell cultures specimens. In one sample, MDM2 amplicons were preferentially amplified compared to TP53 ones, indicating amplification of MDM2, detectable both in the primary tumor and in the corresponding cell culture specimen.Conclusion: Here we demonstrate a good cell morphology, phenotype and genetic profile overlap between primary tumors and the corresponding 3D cultures grown in a repeatable system.
A key component of the early divisome, SepF, integrates spatial cues and directly links polar growth and cell division in Streptomyces
Authors: Cassettari Gemma , Tan Xiao , Lau Pak , Moye Daniel , Harper Stefan , Lézé Bertrand , Burrows Lucy , Alcock Emily , Bywater-Brenna Kavana , Bone Benjamin , Jonylaite Dovile , Kelemen Gabriella
Published: March 2023

The complex life-cycle of Streptomyces bacteria begins with filamentous growth governed by a polar assembly of proteins, including Scy. Following growth phase, the key division protein FtsZ initiates synchronous septation that transforms the multi-nucleoidal hyphae into uni-nucleoidal pre-spore compartments. The assembly of regularly-spaced FtsZ rings during sporulation is a fascinating example of bacterial cellular organisation, yet to be fully understood.
Here we establish that in this filamentous model bacterium the formation of the cytokinetic ring requires not only FtsZ but also SepF. Moreover, despite the temporal and spatial separation of cell division and polar growth during the cell cycle, we demonstrate a direct interaction between SepF and Scy, both in vivo and in vitro. We propose that the dynamic interplay between Scy and SepF is not only critical for the nucleation of the cytokinetic ring but also for positioning the polarity centres for the emergence of future germ tubes.
Mother’s Late Return Home from Work, Family Relationship, and Non-cognitive Skills of Children: Evidence from Japanese Adolescents
Authors: Seki Mai , Shoji Masahiro , Yamasaki Izumi
Published: March 2023

Although previous studies examine the association between maternal employment status and child development, their findings are mixed and the mechanisms are not well understood. A potential explanation for the mixed results could be the omission of the time of returning home from work among working mothers, but this conjecture has not been tested in the literature. Using a nationwide child–parent survey in Japan (N=4,757), this study examines the association between mothers’ time of returning home and their children’s locus of control. The results of the entropy balancing method demonstrate that the daughters of mothers who return after 7 pm are more likely to believe that they cannot control their life outcomes, while such an association is not observed for mothers who return by 7 pm. This relationship is mediated by the deterioration of family relationships. In line with theoretical predictions, the negative association is more severe among households with high socioeconomic status, while it is mitigated if fathers return home early or children co-habit with their grandparents. These findings are relevant for policymakers, given the increasing number of married women in full-time and managerial positions and the diffusion of teleworking.
JEL Classification: D91, J13, J22
Stromal cells associated with soft tissue augmentation by a volume stable collagen matrix (VCMX) are predominated by anti-inflammatory/reparative macrophages
Authors: Artzi Zvi , Vered Marilena , Maymon-Gil Tal , Renert Uri , Netanely Erez , Thoma Daniel S.
Published: March 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Effect of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Quality Characteristics and Shelf Life of 'California' Plum
Authors: Shirvani Ayda , Sadrnia Hassan , Rohani Abbas
Published: March 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Two-step Inertial Method for Solving Split Common Null Point Problem With Multiple Output Sets in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: OKEKE C. C. , ADAMU A
Published: March 2023

In this paper, two-step inertial extrapolation and self-adaptive step sizes is proposed to solve the split common null point problem with multiple output sets in Hilbert spaces. Weak convergence analysis are obtained under some easy to verify conditions on the iterative parameters in Hilbert spaces. Preliminary numerical tests are performed to support the theoretical analysis of our proposed method.
The Accuracy of Intravascular Ultrasound-Derived Virtual Fractional Flow Reserve and FFR Derived from Computed Tomography for Functional Assessment of Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Huang Wenhao , Zhang Jingyuan , Yang Lin , Hu Yumeng , Leng Xiaochang , Liu Yajun , Jin Hongfeng , Tang Yiming , Wang Jiangting , Liu Xiaowei , Guo Yitao , Ye Chen , Feng Yue , Xiang Jianping , Tang Lijiang , Du Changqing
Published: March 2023

Background: Coronary computed tomography-derived fractional reserve fraction (CT-FFR) and intravascular ultrasound-derived fractional reserve fraction (IVUS-FFR) are methods of functional assessment based on coronary imaging; however, the calculation algorithms are substantially different between them. The aim of this study was to compare diagnostic performance between CT-FFR and IVUS-FFR using invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) as the reference standard.
Method: Our retrospective study enrolled 40 patients (41 lesions) with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) between January 2020 and July 2021. Patients who completed coronary CT angiography (CCTA) within six months underwent intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) evaluation. We used a novel CFD-based model (AccuFFRct, ArteryFlow Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China) to compute the CT-FFR values, and a novel software (AccuFFRivus, ArteryFlow Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China) to calculate the IVUS-FFR values coupled with angiography. The diagnostic performance of CT-FFR and IVUS-FFR was evaluated using invasive FFR≤0.8 as the reference standard.
Result: AccuFFRivus demonstrated a strong correlation with invasive FFR (R=0.7913, P<0.0001), and AccuFFRct was also highly associated with invasive FFR (R=0.6296, P<0.0001). Both AccuFFRivus and AccuFFRct showed good agreement with FFR. The area under the ROC curve was 0.960 (95%CI:0.833-0.997, P<0.001) for AccuFFRivus and 0.897 (95%CI:0.740-0.974, P<0.05) for AccuFFRct. A critical value of 0.80 for AccuFFRivus predicted FFR≤0.80 with high sensitivity (96.6%), specificity (85.7%), and the Youden index (0.823). AccuFFRct with predicted FFR≤0.80 demonstrated good diagnostic performance (sensitivity 89.7%, specificity 85.7% and Youden index 0.754).
Conclusions: IVUS-FFR may also become a new clinically meaningful functional evaluation method for diagnosing myocardial ischemia and may be as important as CT-FFR, Angio-FFR, OCT-FFR, and invasive FFR in the future as a method for evaluating coronary artery disease.
Standardization of grocott`s methenamine (hexamine) silver method for glycogen demonstration in liver tissue
Authors: Idris Atheelah Mohammed , Elgamri Hibatalla Elshazli , Batran Samah Abdelrahim , Zakout Yosef Mohamed-Azzam
Published: March 2023

Purpose
Demonstration of glycogen can be done in different lesions and is considered diagnostically significant, mainly in some tumors. Glycogen staining is affected by the type of fixative, the temperature of fixation, and the staining technique.
Methods
Grocott`s methenamine (Hexamine) silver technique quality was assessed after 4 different types of fixatives at 2 different temperatures (Bouin's solution, 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF), 80% alcohol, and Rossman's solution at room temperature (RT) and 4°C; for 24 hours). These variables were studied to optimize this technique for glycogen demonstration. Archived paraffin blocks were used in this study. They were prepared from one rabbit`s liver and thirty-two paraffin sections were prepared and stained with Grocott`s methenamine (hexamine) silver technique.
Results
Eighty percent ethanol gave better results at both RT and 4°C in comparison to the other fixatives.
Conclusion
80% alcohol at 4°C seems to provide the best staining results for glycogen with the Grocott methenamine (hexamine) silver technique at the level of this study.
Metabolic delineation of IDH1 wild-type Glioblastoma surgical anatomy: how to plan the tumor extent of resection
Authors: Altieri Roberto , Certo Francesco , Pacella Daniela , Cammarata Giacomo , Garozzo Marco , Broggi Giuseppe , Caltabiano Rosario , Magro Gaetano , Russo Giorgio , Cosentino Iano , Ippolito Massimo , Barbagallo Giuseppe
Published: March 2023

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current standard for preoperative planning of glioblastoma (GBM) surgery. However, recent data on the use of 11C-methionine positron emission tomography (11[C]-MET PET) suggest its role in providing additional information beyond MRI. The purpose of this study is to establish if there is a correlation between anatomical and metabolic data.
Methods: We retrieved all GBM cases treated at our institution from 2014 to January 2021. Preoperative MRI (Enhancing Nodule -EN-, FLAIR and Total Tumor Volume -TTV-) and PET volumes were evaluated to analyze potential correlations between anatomical and metabolic data. These findings were then correlated with pathological results obtained from the different radiological tumor regions.
Results: 150 patients underwent surgery for GBM and 49 of these were also studied preoperatively with 11[C]-MET PET; PET volume was evaluated in 47 patients. In 33 patients (70.21%) preoperative 11[C]-MET PET volume > preoperative EN volume and in 11 (23.4%) preoperative 11[C]-MET PET volume > preoperative TTV. We found a significant correlation between preoperative TTVs and PET volumes (p = 0.016) as well as between preoperative EN volumes and PET volumes (p = <0.001). Histologically, samples from ENs exhibited the conventional GBM morphology while samples from the FLAIR regions showed white matter tissue, with focal to diffuse tumor cells infiltration and areas of reactive astrogliosis.
Conclusion: In our series PET volumes correlated with EN and TTV on preoperative MRI, indicating that PET should be considered in the presurgical planning to achieve a supratotal resection.
Two Approaches to Estimate the Shapley Value for Superadditive Partially Defined Games
Authors: Masuya Satoshi
Published: March 2023

By Willson [1993], partially defined cooperative games (PDGs in short) are first considered. A PDG is a cooperative game in which the worth of some coalitions is unknown. We investigated superadditive games and Shapley values on a class of PDGs in Masuya [2016]. We showed that the set of the superadditive full games that can be obtained from a given PDG is a polytope and showed all its extreme points (Theorem 2, Masuya [2016]). However, it is not correct despite being a very important theorem in the paper. However, in this paper, we consider alternative approaches to resolve this problem.
JEL Classification Code: C710
Voice Patterns for Classification and Regression of Atherosclerotic Coronary Disease
Authors: Patrício Mélissa , Ferreira Nuno Dias , Morais Gustavo , Coelho Luís
Published: March 2023

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of mortality in both genders, being coronary artery disease the most prevalent type. Risk factors provide a limited help to estimate the presence of disease, acknowledging the need to investigate new techniques or biomarkers. In this study, it is our aim to evaluate the feasibility of using acoustic patterns of European Portuguese to infer about coronary disease;
Methods: By collecting audio signals from patients diagnosed with heart disease and healthy subjects, a new database was developed, consisting of audio recordings and clinical metadata from a total of 84 participants. Using a combination of acoustic features, risk factors and clinical information, with distinct machine learning models, we explored binary classification and regression;
Results: The Random Forests algorithm allowed to achieve a top accuracy of 88% for a binary classification (healthy vs disease) and ElasticNet allowed to achieve the minimum mean absolute error, 0.14, in a regression task. Fewer observations in higher CAD-RADS categories were limiting challenges;
Conclusions: A combination of speech biomarkers and medical information can be used for identifying patterns of atherosclerotic coronary disease.
FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN ONLINE CLASS
Authors: Hamidah Nuriyatul
Published: March 2023

Some components of learning environment might affect learner behaviors during the teaching and learning process in both face-to-face and virtual learning environments. One of those components is students’ motivation which is the best variable that affects students’ learning. Research literature consistently suggests that EFL (English as a foreign language) students’ motivation is affected by some teaching factors (Lamb, 2017). This study aims at determining the factors that increase students’ motivation in their online courses at higher education levels. In this framework, the students who were in the fourth and sixth semesters were asked to explain their opinions about the factors increasing their motivation and what can be done to increase their motivation. The students have been having online classrooms for almost four semesters. The writer employs qualitative research as the method to conduct this study. To collect the data, an interview guide is designed. Then, the research results show that the teaching- learning process, teacher’s competency, students’ engagement, online learning environment/technical infrastructure and time management could affect students’ motivation in their online courses. Besides, it is also stated that interactive assessment and evaluation would increase their motivation.
Estimation of the Housing Wealth Effect
Authors:   Korea Urban & Real Estate Association, Jeon HyoenJin , Kim MinJae
Published: March 2023

This study estimates housing wealth effects on consumption in Korea using Fully Modifided OLS. The data used for analysis are times series data from the first quarter of 1991 to the first quarter of 2022. According to the analysis results, an increase in the housing price only increases consumption expenditures for durable goods such as automobiles, home appliances, and furniture, and other households' consumption expenditures and final consumption expenditures decrease. Due to the relatively high housing price compared to the past, it is difficult for households with houses to increase their mortgage value due to the increase in housing prices, and the effect of capital gains from housing disposal is also insignificant. On the other hand, in the case of households without housing, an increase in housing prices leads to an increase in housing costs, resulting in a contraction in consumption. Thus, in terms of macroeconomics, a device for stabilizing the housing market is required.
Perspectives by green financial instruments – a case study in the Hungarian banking sector during COVID-19
Authors: Boros Anita , Lentner Csaba , Nagy Vitéz , Tőzsér Dávid
Published: March 2023

Recently, the management of the green financial sector has been widely influenced by global socio-economic concerns such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate, besides their environmental attitude, what opinions and experiences the affected stakeholders have about the sustainability-related processes in the Hungarian banking sector in the early 2020s. To assess this subject extensively, two questionnaire surveys were conducted in two consecutive years (2020/2021 and 2021/2022), involving 600 and 1,600 participants randomly chosen from banking databases, respectively. The results indicate that both residential and corporate participants have various but broadening knowledge of green financial instruments. Hungarian residential customers have pointed out the inconveniences of the most popular green loan product (Green Home Program), while there appears a distinct difference in green investment preferences between the two groups of respondents. Hungarian stakeholders are quite eco-conscious, and so are banks adopting sustainability and climate risk assessment actions, however, the implementations have much potential to exploit. Respondents also identify the energy crisis-related risks, while their trust in the banking system remains high even under volatile circumstances. These findings demonstrate that the Hungarian green banking sector has a high degree of crisis resistance with residential and corporate stakeholders behind giving trust and thereby the driving force toward the successful green transition.
Typology of misunderstanding of a realistic text and the tasks of commenting
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Stepanov Andrei D.
Published: March 2023

The article discusses some problems of the modern theory of commenting, in particular, the problem of the boundaries between interpretation and commentary. The author believes that the last should avoid introducing into the metatext additional meanings that are not obligatory for understanding, since such misreadings lead to poetic interpretation of the text-object. The scholarly validity of the commentary can be achieved, firstly, by applying the idea of total commentary proposed by Alexandre Chudakov, and secondly, by the classification of comments depending on the types of misunderstanding of the literary text, developed Yuri I.Levin. The commentary is dialogic, it contains replies to possible questions about the meaning of textual elements, and awareness of the degree and nature of interpreter’s own or someone else’s erroneous understanding allows him or her to formulate the tasks of commenting in a new way. Developing Levin’s system, the author of the article suggests two types of misunderstanding, which correspond to certain forms of commenting. Firstly, this is a pun misunderstanding — a special kind of factual errors that occur when a word or thing is transferred to a different (modern) context. An example of eliminating this kind of error in interpretation of Chekhov’s story Thick and Thin with the help of “total commentary” allows to offer a fundamentally different approach to the genre nature of the text and the main event of it: the story turns out to be a novella, and its main event is an incredible incident, possible only with the direct intervention of the supreme power. Second type of misunderstanding is a semantic ellipsis, which is the omission of some thing or its deliberately careless mention as unimportant, although filling of such a gap can change the perception of the text. The examples of Chekhov’s stories Trouble and Student demonstrate how useful may be attention to seemingly very small and even superfluous details.
Analysis of precipitation and drought trends by a modified Mann–Kendall method: a case study of Lorestan province, Iran
Authors: Lornezhad Ehsan , Ebrahimi Hossein , Rabieifar Hamid Reza
Published: March 2023

In this study, to evaluate the trend of precipitation change, the Mann–Kendall method has been used. The studied area is Lorestan province located in the western part of Iran. To achieve this goal, time series of annual and monthly rainfall data were collected for different statistical periods. Moreover, in order to analyze the drought, the standard precipitation index and the non-parametric Mann–Kendall test were used. To predict the meteorological drought in this province, the monthly time series of the precipitation parameter was incorporated. The results showed that most parts of Lorestan province are facing an extreme drought and such conditions will happen again in the future. Furthermore, the amount of precipitation was predicted until 2032, and the trend of predicted precipitation data in the entire Lorestan province showed that there is a significant trend in most months. The results of the research on an annual scale showed that all stations have a significant negative trend at the level of 5%, which indicates the existence of a negative trend, or in other words, a decrease in irrigation in the studied stations. Therefore, according to the obtained results, it is necessary to plan water consumption in Lorestan province toward sustainable management.
Circulating Tumor Cells and Cell-free Nucleic Acids as Biomarkers in Colorectal
Cancer
Authors: Pourali Ghazaleh , Khalili-Tanha Ghazaleh , Nazari Elham , Maftooh Mina , Nassiri Mohammadreza , Hassanian Seyed Mahdi , Mobarhan Majid Ghayour , Khazaei Majid , Ferns Gordon , Avan Amir
Published: March 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently the second most prevalent cancer diagnosed in women and the
third most common kind of cancer in men. Despite tremendous efforts and advancements in diagnostic approaches
and treatment options, the mortality rate of CRC accounts for around one million each year globally.
The five-year survival rate of CRC is reported to be approximately 14 percent for patients diagnosed at an advanced
stage. Due to its significant associated mortality and morbidity, diagnostic tools to identify the disease
at its early stages are urgently required. Early diagnosis may lead to better outcomes. The gold standard approach
for CRC diagnosis is colonoscopy with biopsy. However, it is an invasive process with a risk of complications
and discomfort for the patient. Moreover, it is usually performed in symptomatic or high-risk individuals
and therefore, asymptomatic patients might be missed. Thus, alternative non-invasive diagnostic techniques
are required to improve CRC outcomes. The new era of personalized medicine is identifying novel biomarkers
associated with overall survival and clinical outcomes. Recently, liquid biopsy, a minimally invasive analysis of
body fluid biomarkers, has gained attention for diagnosis, evaluation of prognosis, and follow-up of patients
with CRC. Several previous studies have demonstrated that this novel approach allows for better understanding
of CRC tumor biology and leads to an improvement in clinical outcomes. Here, we explain the enrichment
and detection methods of circulating biomarkers, including CTCs, ctDNA, miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA.
Furthermore, we provide an overview on their clinical potential as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive
biomarkers for CRC.
Unveiling Role of MicroRNAs in Metastasizing Triple Negative Breast
Cancer: From Therapeutics to Delivery
Authors: Arya Vedpriya , Balkrishna Acharya , Mittal Rashmi
Published: March 2023

Triple negative breast cancers are malignant, heterogeneous tumors with high histological
grades, increased reoccurrence, and cancer-related death rates. TNBC metastasis to the brain,
lungs, liver, and lymph nodes is a complex process regulated by epithelial to mesenchymal transition,
intravasation, extravasation, stem cell niche, and migration. Aberrant expression of miRNAs,
also known as a transcriptional regulators of genes, may function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors.
In this review, we systematically elucidated the biogenesis and tumor suppressor role of miRNA
in targeting distant metastasis of TNBC cells and the above-mentioned underlying mechanisms
involved in complicating the disease. Apart from their therapeutic implications, the emerging roles
of miRNAs as prognostic markers have also been discussed. To overcome delivery bottlenecks,
RNA nanoparticles, nano-diamonds, exosomes, and mesoporous silica nanoparticle-mediated delivery
of miRNAs have been contemplated. Altogether, the present review article uncovers the potential
role of miRNA in antagonizing distant metastasis of TNBC cells, and highlights their clinical
significance as prognostic markers and possible drug delivery strategies to enhance the likely outcome
of miRNA-based therapy against the disease.
Point-of-Care HIV Test for a Promising Simple and Rapid Clinical HIV
Definite Diagnosis Process
Authors: Yao Chunyan , Xue Zhenrui , Song Min , Peng Ping
Published: March 2023

Background:

This study compared and evaluated the performance of a commercially available HIV POC rapid test with assays commonly used in clinical laboratories, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot (WB), and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Methods:

500 patients’ samples were detected by the POC rapid test and clinically common tests (WB, ELISA, and RT-PCR) to compare detection performance, test time, and test cost.

Results:

Taking the WB results as the gold standard, the results of RT-PCR were completely consistent with WB. The concordance of ELISA and POC with WB was 82.00% and 93.80%, respectively, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05).

Conclusion:

This study provides evidence that rapid HIV POC assays are superior to ELISA and that WB and RT-PCR have equal detection performance in detecting HIV. As a result, a rapid and cost-effective HIV definition process based on the POC assays can be proposed.
Application of Nanotechnology for Herbal Medicine Development: A Review
Authors: Anand Anubhav , Gautam Preety , Ojha Smriti
Published: March 2023

Background:

Herbal medicines have been extensively used to treat diseases since the prehistoric
era, but written records date back more than 5,000 years only. All civilizations developed their
knowledge of herbal medicines in a well-ordered system, such as Ayurveda, Unani, Traditional Chinese
Medicine, etc. The interest in traditional medicine declined after the discovery of modern medicine. However,
in the 21st century, herbal medicines are staging a comeback as the dangers and limitations of modern
medicine have become more apparent and herbal medicines are viewed as a balanced and moderate
approach to healing.

Methods:

This review includes the nanoformulations of phytoconstituents and extract. Advancements in
analysis and clinical research prove the efficacy of nano-herbal medicines in preventing and treating diseases.
This review is mostly about how nanotechnology can be used to help herbal medicines work better.

Result:

The major problems with herbal medicines are their poor solubility and stability. New technological
advancements are capable of removing the problems associated with herbal medicine. Novel drug
delivery systems such as microemulsion, liposome, niosome, and nano-drug delivery systems are used to
enhance the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines.

Conclusion:

Nanotechnology has significant merit for herbal medicines, such as improving solubility,
bioavailability, pharmacological activity enhancement, and stability enhancement.
Trace Element Levels in Rice Varieties Consumed in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ashraf Muhammad Waqar , Alanezi Faisal
Published: March 2023

Background:

Rice is the most available and consumed food in the world, and is considered
one nutritious food. Due to the same reason, rice is the popular food in Saudi Arabia, being
consumed with vegetables and non-vegetable recipes.

Methods:

Taking the nutritive value of rice into consideration, the metal analysis was performed,
and both essential and heavy elements were detected in seven varieties of rice, viz, Paddy Rice,
Brown Rice, White Rice, Broken Rice, Parboiled Rice, Black Rice and Red Cargo Rice. Among
the heavy elements arsenic, cadmium, iron, lead and mercury were analysed and the concentration
of these elements was found within the value of tolerance.

Results:

The maximum concentration of all these elements was found below the limits set by
NSU and the FDA. The essential elements, which were analyzed in all seven varieties of rice, include
cobalt, magnesium, copper, selenium, manganese and zinc.

Conclusion:

All these elements were found in rice quantity, required for the normal metabolic
activities of the body. The varieties of rice analyzed have essential element concentrations in a
normal range.
Research Progress of Aging-related MicroRNAs
Authors: Chen Zhongyu , Li Chenxu , Huang Haitao , Shi Yi-Ling , Wang Xiaobo
Published: March 2023

Senescence refers to the irreversible state in which cells enter cell cycle arrest due to internal or
external stimuli. The accumulation of senescent cells can lead to many age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative
diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs
that bind to target mRNA to regulate gene expression after transcription and play an important regulatory
role in the aging process. From nematodes to humans, a variety of miRNAs have been confirmed to alter
and affect the aging process. Studying the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in aging can further deepen
our understanding of cell and body aging and provide a new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment
of aging-related diseases. In this review, we illustrate the current research status of miRNAs in aging and
discuss the possible prospects for clinical applications of targeting miRNAs in senile diseases.
Choice and Timing of Antithrombotic after Ischemic Stroke,
Intracerebral Hemorrhage or Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Ryan Dylan , Girotra Tarun , Feng Wuwei
Published: March 2023

Stroke is a multifactorial vascular disease and remains a leading cause of disability in the
United States. Strokes can be ischemic or hemorrhagic in nature and secondary to arterial or venous
disease, making determining the etiology and secondary prevention strategy important for preservation
of the injured brain, prevention of recurrent strokes, and in the maintenance of good functional outcomes
for patients impacted by stroke. In this narrative review, we provide a synopsis of the available
medical evidence surround selection, timing, and choice of therapy, including utilization of left atrial
appendage closure, in patients with ischemic, hemorrhagic or venous stroke.
Metabolic Syndrome: The Constellation of Co-morbidities, A Global Threat
Authors: Madan Kirtika , Paliwal Sarvesh , Sharma Swapnil , Kesar Seema , Chauhan Neha , Madan Mansi
Published: March 2023

Background:

Metabolic syndrome, also referred to as Syndrome X or obesity syndrome
is a cluster of diseases prevalent worldwide in both developed and developing countries. According
to WHO, it is referred to as a pathological condition wherein multiple disorders are manifested in the
same individual. These include hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity.

Aims::

Metabolic syndrome is one of the most serious non-communicable health
hazards that have gained pivotal importance in the present scenario. The increasing prevalence affecting
around 25 % of the world populace, mainly attributes to the acceptance of western culture,
i.e. the intake of high-calorie food along with a substantial decrease in manual labor and adoption of
sedentary lifestyles. Therefore, its timely prevention and management are the dire need in the present
scenario.

Methods:

For successful accomplishment of the present review, an exhaustive analysis was performed
utilizing a pool of previous related literature. The terms used during the search included ‘metabolic
syndrome, prevalence, etiology, current pharmacotherapy for metabolic syndrome, etc. PUBMED,
Medline and SCOPUS were explored for the study of abstracts, research and review papers in
the quest for related data. The articles were downloaded and utilized for a meta-analysis study approach.

Conclusion:

In this review, an attempt was made to apprehend and summarize the epidemiology and
treatment strategies for metabolic syndrome with a better understanding of its pathogenesis. It was
postulated that an early diagnostic approach and subsequent line of treatment is required to prevent
the deterioration of an individual’s health and life.
Beyond the Synthetic Drugs: Fungal Endophytes Derived Bioactive Compounds in the Management of Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Verma Ashish , Rai Nilesh , Kamble Swapnil C. , Mishra Pradeep , Barik Suvakanta , Kumar Rajiv , Singh Santosh Kumar , Salvi Prafull , Gautam Vibhav
Published: March 2023

Fungal endophytes are a group of fungi that reside in plant tissues and show a symbiotic relationship with the host plants. They protect against pathogens and increase food availability without causing any harmful effects on the host plant. Fungal endophytes are known to produce a wide range of bioactive compounds with several biological activities, including neuroprotective effects. Neurodegenerative disorders lead to miscommunication between nerve cells, damage or loss in structure and function of the central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS). Reactive oxygen species, neuroinflammation, protein degradation or aggregation, familial history, mutation in mitochondrial genes, and aging contribute to neurodegenerative disorders. Plant-associated fungal endophytes produce bioactive compounds, which show anti-neuroinflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cholinesterase activities. Several pro-inflammatory (TNF-α and NF-κB) and depressant (serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline) molecules or neuronal signaling pathways leading to neurodegenerative disorders are known to be inhibited or down-regulated by fungal endophyte-derived bioactive compounds. Therefore, bioactive compounds produced from fungal endophytes could be a promising approach to treating various health ailments. The present chapter discusses selected fungal endophyte-derived potential bioactive compounds with neuroprotective effects for managing neurodegenerative disorders.
Mucuna pruriens and Parkinson’s Disease: A Natural Approach to Treat PD
Authors: Tiwari Mamta , Pandey Anurag
Published: March 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative
disease after Alzheimer’s disease affecting the aged population. The variable loss of
dopaminergic neurons within substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of the brain,
which controls movement, and the presence of intracellular protein aggregates called
Lewy bodies are major pathological findings. The recent years’ research in PD is
directed to herbal drug discovery for PD as a large number of patients, particularly in
western countries, prefer to use “natural therapies” and drugs instead of
pharmaceuticals. Kapikachhu (Mucuna pruriens Linn.) is one of the popular drugs in
Ayurveda, the classical system of medicine in India. The seeds of M. pruriens contain
5% L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), and it has emerged as a promising
single drug treatment of PD. The present manuscript is an attempt at obtaining
complete knowledge regarding Parkinson’s disease as mentioned in Ayurveda for
achieving a natural and holistic approach to better management and prevention of
disease with herbal drugs, such as M. pruriens. 
Resveratrol: A Novel Drug for the Management of Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Bala Sapna , Misra Anamika , Kaur Upinder , Chakrabarti Sankha Shubhra
Published: March 2023

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol (stilbenoid) that works as a phytoalexin, a part of plants’ defense system against infection, ultraviolet radiation, stress and injury. Common dietary sources of resveratrol include grapes, berries, peanuts, red wine, and some herbal preparations. In animal models, resveratrol exhibits a wide spectrum of potential therapeutic activities, including antioxidant, antiinflammatory, neuroprotective, and longevity-promoting properties. Resveratrol mimics the antioxidant, anti-aging, and neuroprotective effects of caloric restriction, mainly mediated through the increased expression of genes encoding antioxidants and the anti-aging factors (AMPK and Sirtuin 1). Therapeutic strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases currently have several shortcomings. Naturally occurring compounds may play a significant role in augmenting these therapeutic options. Resveratrol has been shown to maintain homeostasis, protect the brain against oxidative stress, preserve neuronal function, and ultimately minimize age-related neurological decline. It has shown positive effects in animal models and cell culturebased experiments in treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Resveratrol enhances learning memory and neurogenesis and alleviates neural apoptosis in the hippocampus of AD mice. Beneficial effects of resveratrol in PD result from the inhibition of α-synuclein aggregation and cytotoxicity, lowering of total and oligomeric α-synuclein levels, reduction of neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. Clinical trials are also evaluating the role of the drug in the major neurodegenerative disorders.
Anti-Microbial Drugs for Emerging and Re-emerging Microbial Diseases: Paradigm in the 21stCentury
Authors: Swaroop Shiv , Verma Nidhi , Yadav Jay Kant , Pandey Janmejay
Published: March 2023

Infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of human deaths worldwide. They have devastated human life for a very long time; however, with advancements in diagnostics, prevention, and therapeutic approaches, they were controlled to a manageable extent during the second half of the 20th century. It was assumed that humankind has successfully defeated the threat of infectious diseases. However, many infectious diseases have undergone re-emergence and are now a major cause of concern. Besides, there is the emergence of several new infectious diseases. These diseases are termed re-emerging and emerging infectious diseases, and collectively account for more than 20 infectious diseases. World Health Organization has identified these diseases as the predominant health hazard faced by human beings. Owing to this situation, there is an urgent need to revisit infectious diseases and make efforts towards the development of anti-microbial drugs for emerging and reemerging microbial diseases. The present book chapter aims to provide a comprehensive account of re-emerging and newly emerging infectious diseases and the paradigm shift of antimicrobial drugs in the 21st century. It is expected to provide useful insight into this important research and development area.