Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Qods Branch

Parkinson’s disease (PD) involves the loss of dopamine neurons and accumulation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn), leading to Lewy bodies. While α-syn-targeting immunotherapies show promise, clinical application is challenging. Emerging strategies include nano-platforms for targeted delivery and imaging, and cell-based therapies with patient-specific dopaminergic neurons, aiming to enhance treatment effectiveness despite challenges. Exosome-based methodologies are emerging as a promising area of research in PD due to their role in the spread of α-syn pathology. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that can carry misfolded α-syn and transfer it between cells, contributing to the progression of PD. They can be isolated from biological fluids such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid, making them valuable biomarkers for the disease. Additionally, engineering exosomes to deliver therapeutic agents, including small molecules, RNA, or proteins, offers a novel approach for targeted therapy, capitalizing on their natural ability to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Ongoing studies are evaluating the safety and efficacy of these engineered exosomes in clinical settings. This review explores the role of exosomes in PD, focusing on their potential for diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of pathology. It highlights advancements and future directions in using exosomes as biomarkers and therapeutic tools.

According to the research, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF‐67) and graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were synthesized with a guar gum (GG) biopolymer substrate to form two‐component hybrid biocomposites: GO/ZIF‐67 (GOZ), GG/ZIF‐67 (GZ), and three‐component hybrid with GO/GG/ZIF‐67 (GGZ) substrate polymer. These composites were used to adsorb malachite green (MG) cationic dye from an aqueous solution at room temperature. The chemical fractions, morphological and structural properties of the hybrid biocomposites were determined using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analyses. The adsorption of MG dye was carried out on the two‐component and three‐component hybrid biocomposites with a polymer substrate under different experimental conditions. The high surface area of GZ, GOZ, and GGZ was 1362.89, 754.89, and 833.67 m² g⁻¹, respectively, and the total pore volume was 0.90 cm³ g⁻¹ for GZ, and 0.51 cm³ g⁻¹ for GOZ and GGZ, respectively. The removal of MG pollutant follows the pseudo‐second order model and the Langmuir model. The adsorption mechanism involves hydrogen bonding, π‐π stacking, and electrostatic interactions. The GOZ, GZ, and GGZ hybrid biocomposites showed the maximum removal efficiency at 66.6%, 74.4%, and 90.1%, respectively. The data show that the removal of MG after 3 cycles was 90%, 86%, and 82%.

The research was conducted in order to evaluate the management of irrigation in different stages of growth on the yield of the cowpea plant using the DSSAT model. The experiment was conducted in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications in the north of Iran during 2017 and 2018. The main treatments included irrigation with the management of 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120% of the plant's water requirements (WRs), and the secondary treatment included irrigation in the vegetative, reproductive and complete stages (vegetative and reproductive). The outcomes indicated that the maximum yield of biomass, pod and seeds when supplying 100% of the water supply in 2017 was 4588, 3222 and 1005 kg/ha, respectively, in both vegetative and reproductive stages. In the interaction of year × WR × growth stages, the maximum water use efficiency based on yield of biomass, pod and seeds in 2018 were under irrigated conditions in the vegetative stage and in dry conditions with the average of 3.57, 2.37 and 0.75 kg/m 3. The average values of water productivity components based on irrigation, irrigation and rainfall, evapotranspiration, transpiration and evapotranspiration and deep percolation altogether (WPI, WPI + R, WPET, WPT and WPETQ) was obtained as 0.61, 0.41, 0.39, 0.67 and 0.32 kg per cubic meter, respectively. The outcomes of evaluating DSSAT model showed that the values of RMSE and RMSE n in calibration conditions were, respectively, 130 kg/ha and 5.91% for biomass yield and 92 kg/ha and 12.62% for seed yield. In the validation conditions, these indicators were, respectively, 129 kg/ha and 5.29% for biomass yield and 73 kg/ha and 8.61% for seed yield. Based on the results, treating 100% of the water requirements in the vegetative and reproductive stages and with transpiration rate of 188 mm is suggested as suitable management for the studied area.

This paper presents high-performance quaternary circuit cells, including adders and a multiplier, based on carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNTFETs). The proposed circuits consist of two separate parts, each of which is designed independently. The first part is a new quaternary decoder, and the second part is the main circuit body constructed by pass-transistor logic (PTL) and transmission-gate logic (TGL). These circuit methodologies result in novel quaternary designs with fewer transistors compared to the existing circuits in the literature. Several simulations by HSPICE and the 32nm CNTFET library are performed to evaluate the performance of the new circuits. Compared to previous works, the proposed designs reduce power-delay product (PDP) and energy-delay product (EDP) considerably. For example, the new quaternary full adder (QFA), with 46 fewer transistors, decreases the PDP and EDP of the best existing competitor by 32.6% and 65.3%, respectively.

Frying serves as a critical process in doughnut production, fundamentally affecting their porous texture, flavor, color, and sensory properties. However, the oil content in the product creates significant challenges, particularly due to the risks associated with oxidation. This research investigates the impact of varying concentrations of Nasunin extract derived from eggplant skin (0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) on the formation of malondialdehyde in doughnuts for 1, 7, and 14 days. Observations indicated that doughnuts prepared with higher concentrations of Nasunin exhibited increased moisture content. Furthermore, the acidity levels of the doughnut samples significantly (p < 0.05) decreased with rising Nasunin concentrations. There was no significant variation (p > 0.05) in the fat content, which ranged from 19.36 to 18.80%. Peroxide values were found to decrease with higher Nasunin levels in the doughnut formulation (p < 0.05). The findings revealed that elevated concentrations of Nasunin caused a significant (p < 0.05) difference in the p-anisidine value and totox index of the doughnut samples in comparison to the control. An inverse linear correlation was observed between Nasunin concentration and malondialdehyde levels. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was noted among treatments concerning color changes, which became more pronounced with higher Nasunin concentrations. During 7 days, no significant variations were detected in the sensory properties (flavor, texture, color, aroma, and acceptability) between the control sample and the one containing 0.2% Nasunin. However, On the 14th day, the sample containing 0.2% Nasunin was found to possess the most enhanced sensory attributes and received the highest acceptability, thus being recognized as the superior sample.

A creative application of reinforced soil technology is for back-to-back mechanically stabilized earth (BBMSE) walls, commonly used for bridge approaches and width-restricted highway and railway embankments. Despite the widespread use of BBMSE walls, available experiments and analyses for these walls are limited, and existing design guidelines provide little information about their interaction behavior. Delineating the uncertainties associated with BBMSE walls compared to stand-alone mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls, this paper presents a numerical investigation of the behavior of geogrid-reinforced modular-block BBMSE walls at the end of construction. In addition, the effect of distance between two opposing walls and fill friction angle are investigated as the major determinants of the behavior of BBMSE walls. To this end, a series of detailed plane strain models are developed using a commercially available 2D finite-difference program, where the modeling process is verified against one large-scale geogrid-reinforced retaining wall. The models simulate construction stages and consider the interaction of wall components, i.e., soil-geogrid, soil-block, geogrid-block, and block-block. Finally, the results of facing displacements, maximum tensile load in reinforcements, lateral earth pressures, and bearing stresses are presented, discussed, and compared with those of a simple MSE wall. Moreover, the effect of reducing reinforcement length and their connection in the middle of the wall is investigated, and some design recommendations are offered.

The potential applicability of the C24 nanocage and its boron nitride-doped analogs (C18B3N3 and C12B6N6) as pyrazinamide (PA) carrier was investigated using density functional theory. Geometry optimizations and energy calculations...

Introduction: Breast cancer has the second worldwide rank and is expected to reach more than 3.2 million new cases by 2050. In Afghanistan, Prangos pabularia plant is used for many purposes, including cancer treatment with no scientific evidence. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of root extract of P. pabularia collected from Afghanistan on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Methods: The hydro-alcoholic extract of P. pabularia roots at the concentrations of 50, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 µg/mL was studied on MCF7 breast cancer cell line after 24, 48, and 72 hours. The cytotoxicity assessment was done by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide tetrazolium (MTT) assay, spectrophotometry, and Annexin-A5 apoptotic-flow cytometry. Results: The cytotoxic effect of the extract exhibited dose-dependent at 24 hours exposure time with IC50 of 756 µg/mL. However, at 48 and 72 hours exposure, the cytotoxicity effects were observed in high extract concentrations with IC50 of 682 and 450 µg/mL, respectively. The extract concentration at 600 µg/mL after 72 hours decreased the cell viability below 50%. This concentration was selected for apoptosis assay. The flow cytometric analysis indicated that the extract had significant cytotoxic effects (P<0.01) by inducing early apoptosis on the cell line. Conclusion: This research revealed that P. pabularia extract represented cell toxicity against the MCF-7 cell line. In addition to the claimed therapeutic uses, proliferative activity was observed in some conditions. Further studies are necessary to confirm this plant’s efficacy and safety.

Editorial: Gut microbiota and immunity in health and disease: dysbiosis and eubiosis’s effects on the human body

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an important public health issue and is the third most common cancer, accounting for approximately 10% of all cancer cases worldwide. CRC results from the accumulation of multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations in the normal epithelial cells of the colon and rectum, leading to the development of colorectal polyps and invasive carcinomas. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) pathway is regulated in many diseases, such as cancer. This factor can show tumor suppressant function in the early stages in healthy and cancer cells. It can be regulated and affected by different factors, including noncoding RNAs, which are the remarkable regulators for this pathway. The most prominent functions of this factor are cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in cancer cells. However, activating at the final stages of the cell cycle can cause tumor metastasis. Thus, the dual function of TGF-β and the pleiotropic nature of this signaling make it a crucial challenge for cancer treatment. Accurately studying the TGF-β signaling pathway is critical to determine its role. One of the roles of TGF-β signaling is its significant effect on colorectal polyp malignancy and cancer. In this article, we review the published scientific papers regarding the TGF-β signaling pathway, its related genes, and their contribution to precancerous conditions and colorectal cancer progression. The complex interaction of the TGF-β signaling pathway with noncoding RNAs, such as lncRNA TUG1 and miR-21, significantly influences colorectal polyp and cancer progression. Identifying dysregulated TGF-β-related noncoding RNAs offers promising therapeutic avenues for colorectal cancer. Comprehending TGF-β’s connection to other molecular mechanisms is crucial for advancing effective therapeutic strategies.

Stone columns are a well-known, effective, and efficient method for increasing the bearing capacity of soft soils. The most common application is in the form of a group of stone columns. A simple analytical formula is necessary to estimate the bearing capacity of a group of stone columns. In this study, the problem's geometry is simplified by first homogenizing the soil and stone column, then applying the imaginary retaining wall method to evaluate the ultimate bearing capacity of the stone column group. The proposed analytical approach requires the Mohr–Coulomb shear strength parameters of the stone column material and soft soil, the area replacement ratio, and the stress concentration ratio to estimate the ultimate load-bearing capacity. The bearing capacity is verified against laboratory test data and numerical simulations. Comparison of the analytical formula with numerical results shows an average difference ranging from + 4 to 25%. When compared with experimental data, the difference ranges from − 21 to + 24%, with an average variation between − 5 and 8%. Design steps and a practical example are also provided.

The comparative efficacy of silicon (Si) and zinc (Zn) nanoparticles (NPs) in mitigating drought stress in fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated the impact of Si NPs and Zn NPs on enhancing plant growth and physiological-biochemical attributes of fennel under varying irrigation regimes. The 2-year study was a split-pot design with irrigation at three irrigation levels (100, 75, and 50% field capacity, FC) and five treatments of foliar application of Si and Zn NPs (control, 1 mM Si NP, 2 mM Si NP, 1 mM Zn NP, 2 mM Zn NP). Results showed that drought stress reduced plant performance. Increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD, 131%) and catalase (CAT, 276%) were seen after a 50% FC drought without the use of Si and Zn NPs. Conversely, biological yield (34%), seed yield (44%), chlorophyll a + b (26%), relative water content (RWC, 21%), and essential oil (EO) yield (50%) were all reduced. However, application of Zn and Si, particularly 1 mM Si and 2 mM Zn, greatly mitigated drought stress via lowering CAT and SOD activity and enhancing plant yield, chlorophyll content, RWC, and EO. The composition of the EO consisted primarily of anethole, followed by limonene, fenchone, and estragole. During drought conditions, monoterpene hydrocarbons increased while oxygenated monoterpenes decreased. The opposite trend was observed for Si and Zn NPs. Our results suggest that applying Zn NPs at 2 mM followed by Si NPs at 1 mM improved plant resilience and EO yield in fennel plants under water stress.