Underground transportation system risk assessment to mitigate vulnerability against natural disasters through intelligent urban management

Quantitative and qualitative monitoring and evaluation of risk management programs will play an important role in the development of Tehran metropolitan railway transport. Considering the tectonic studies, seismic zones, land degradation and faults in north and south of Tehran, the development of underground railway lines, the assessment of the vulnerability of subway stations and the escalation of the crisis with the destruction of urban exhausted earthquakes is very important with the occurrence of earthquake and flood. This study, focusing on the issue of risk assessment and vulnerability of the development of the rail transport network and the approach to physical and aerospace hazard monitoring of metro stations. For this purpose, three selected metro stations in Tehran were studied. In the research, a combined method based on library studies, review of records and records, Delphi technique, AHP method, and overlaying of layers have been used. The results of the vulnerability assessment indicate that each of Tajirish, Nawab and Darvazeh Shemiran, with a risk number of 5.10, 5.76, and 5.79, are in the risk limit range, respectively. In fact, all stations need to adopt smart measures and management and executive solutions to reduce potential damage

Apigenin as Tumor Suppressor in Cancers: Biotherapeutic Activity, Nanodelivery, and Mechanisms With Emphasis on Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to its propensity for early local and distant spread, affected patients possess extremely poor prognosis. Currently applied treatments are not effective enough to eradicate all cancer cells, and minimize their migration. Besides, these treatments are associated with adverse effects on normal cells and organs. These therapies are not able to increase the overall survival rate of patients; hence, finding novel adjuvants or alternatives is so essential. Up to now, medicinal herbs were utilized for therapeutic goals. Herbal-based medicine, as traditional biotherapeutics, were employed for cancer treatment. Of them, apigenin, as a bioactive flavonoid that possesses numerous biological properties (e.g., anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects), has shown substantial anticancer activity. It seems that apigenin is capable of suppressing the proliferation of cancer cells via the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Besides, apigenin inhibits metastasis via down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases and the Akt signaling pathway. In pancreatic cancer cells, apigenin sensitizes cells in chemotherapy, and affects molecular pathways such as the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1). Herein, the biotherapeutic activity of apigenin and its mechanisms toward cancer cells are presented in the current review to shed some light on anti-tumor activity of apigenin in different cancers, with an emphasis on pancreatic cancer. © Copyright © 2020 Ashrafizadeh, Bakhoda, Bahmanpour, Ilkhani, Zarrabi, Makvandi, Khan, Mazaheri, Darvish and Mirzaei

Self-Assembly Techniques for Nanofabrication

Article introduces a special issue of the Journal of Nanomaterials that addresses the research studies on fabrication, processing, and applications of self-assembled nanostructures