Biotech-Economics: An Analysis of Economic Assessments and Governance Strategies

Biotech-Economics is a new concept in the literature on Sustainable Development implying the revision of production processes using renewable bio-resources and technological innovations. Bioeconomic activities have two common features: resource sustainability and economic efficiency towards Sustainable Development Goals. Theoretical foundations related to the transition to Bio-Economics emphasize the Circular Economy as the theoretical-applied model. Given the growing trend of the Bio-Economics in the world, this research pursues two goals. First, explaining the theoretical foundations of Bio-Economics and evaluating the transition process. Second, to provide a framework for identifying and analyzing variables affecting transition, based on the Circular Economy and on the macroeconomic scale. Indicators of Bio-Economics are based upon the three indices of Sustainable Development including economic-social-environmental variables. Empirical research in Bio-Economics shows that due to data limitations and heterogeneity of index measurement methods, statistical analysis methods using cross-sectional data are the most applied methods. Accordingly, using Factor Analysis method and bio-economic data of the European Circle Economy, the variables explaining the transition process have been identified. The results suggest that the most important economic variables of the transition include the share of investment and value added in the Bio-Economics, the biomaterial trade, and the market sentiment index. The effective variables regarding social and environmental indicators include daily calorie per capita, biowaste recycling, organic farming and innovations, respectively. Finally, the necessity of Iran's economy for transition to Bio-Economics was analyzed from two perspectives: Oil Vulnerability Index and Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the necessity of the transition to the Bio-Economics

Comparing the effect of cardiac biomarkers on the outcome of normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a cardiovascular challenge with potentially fatal consequences. This study was designed to observe the association of novel cardiac biomarkers with outcome in this setting. In this prospective study, from 86 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PE, 59 patients met the inclusion criteria (22 men, 37 women; mean age, 63.36±15.04 y).The plasma concentrations of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), tenascin-C, and D-dimer were measured at the time of confirmed diagnosis. The endpoints of the study were defined as the short-term adverse outcome and long-term all-cause mortality. Totally, 11.8% (7/59) of the patients had the short-term adverse outcome. The mean value of logNT-proBNP was 6.40±1.66 pg/ml. Among all the examined biomarkers, only the mean value of logNT-proBNP was significantly higher in the patients with the short-term adverse outcome (7.88±0.67 vs. 6.22± 1.66 pg/ml; OR, 2.359; 95% CI, 1.037 to 5.367; P=0.041). After adjustment, a threefold increase in the short-term adverse outcome was identified (OR, 3.239; 95% CI, 0.877 to 11.967; P=0.078).Overall, 18.64% (11/59) of the patients had expired by the long-term follow-up. Moreover, adjustment revealed an evidence regarding association between increased logNT-proBNP levels and long-term mortality (HR, 2.163; 95%CI, 0.910 to 5.142; P=0.081). Our study could find evidences on association between increased level of NT-proBNP and short-term adverse outcome and/or long-term mortality in PE. This biomarker may be capable of improving prediction of outcome and clinical care in non-high-risk PE

Wind, waves, and surface currents in the Southern Ocean:Observations from the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition

The Southern Ocean has a profound impact on the Earth's climate system. Its strong winds, intense currents, and fierce waves are critical components of the air-sea interface and contribute to absorbing, storing, and releasing heat, moisture, gases, and momentum. Owing to its remoteness and harsh environment, this region is significantly undersampled, hampering the validation of prediction models and large-scale observations from satellite sensors. Here, an unprecedented data set of simultaneous observations of winds, surface currents, and ocean waves is presented, to address the scarcity of in situ observations in the region-https://doi.org/10.26179/5ed0a30aaf764 (Alberello et al., 2020c) and https://doi.org/10.26179/5e9d038c396f2 (Derkani et al., 2020). Records were acquired underway during the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE), which went around the Southern Ocean from December 2016 to March 2017 (Austral summer). Observations were obtained with the wave and surface current monitoring system WaMoS-II, which scanned the ocean surface around the vessel using marine radars. Measurements were assessed for quality control and compared against available satellite observations. The data set is the most extensive and comprehensive collection of observations of surface processes for the Southern Ocean and is intended to underpin improvements of wave prediction models around Antarctica and research of air-sea interaction processes, including gas exchange and dynamics of sea spray aerosol particles. The data set has further potentials to support theoretical and numerical research on lower atmosphere, air-sea interface, and upper-ocean processes.

An overview of vaccine development for COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to endanger world health and the economy. The causative SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has a unique replication system. The end point of the COVID-19 pandemic is either herd immunity or widespread availability of an effective vaccine. Multiple candidate vaccines - peptide, virus-like particle, viral vectors (replicating and nonreplicating), nucleic acids (DNA or RNA), live attenuated virus, recombinant designed proteins and inactivated virus - are presently under various stages of expansion, and a small number of vaccine candidates have progressed into clinical phases. At the time of writing, three major pharmaceutical companies, namely Pfizer and Moderna, have their vaccines under mass production and administered to the public. This review aims to investigate the most critical vaccines developed for COVID-19 to date

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

In silico raziskava zunajcelične domene receptorja RAGE v interakciji z A-box in B-box proteina HMGB1

HMGB1 protein which is a non-histone chromosomal protein with two functional domains named A-box and B-box can also act as a signaling molecule after releasing from the cell and binding to the cell surface receptors such as RAGE. HMGB1 through its B-box domain binds to extracellular domain of RAGE and activates the signaling pathways involved in various pathological conditions like sepsis and tumor growth and metastasis. Interaction of recombinant HMGB1 A-box with RAGEantagonizes the RAGE activation by HMGB1. In the present study, interaction of human RAGE (hRAGE) extracellular domain (VC1C2) and B-box and A-box of human HMGB1 (hHMGB1) was investigated using a protein-protein docking software, HADDOCK. The results obtained were analyzed by PyMOL and LigPlot softwares. The results show B-box and A-box bind to different sites on the VC1domain of RAGE and one of the B-box binding points is a positively charged groove located on the V domain surface which is also a major binding site for another RAGE ligand, Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). The obtained results can be utilized to design new potent drugs for treatment of HMGB1-RAGE-related diseases such as cancer and sepsis.  Protein HMGB1 je nehistonski kromosomski protein z dvema funkcionalnima domenama, A-box in B-box, ki lahko po sprostitvi iz celice deluje tudi kot signalna molekula in se veže na celično površino preko receptorjev kot je RAGE. HMBG1 se preko domene B-box veže na zunajcelično domeno RAGE in aktivira signalne poti, ki so vključene v različna patološka stanja kot so sepsa, rast tumorja in metastaze. Interakcija rekombinantnega proteina HMGB1 A-box z RAGE deluje antagonistično. V raziskavi smo preučevali interakcijo ekstracelularne domene (VC1C2) humanega RAGE (hRAGE) z B-box ter A-box humanega HMHB1 (hHMGB1). Uporabili smo računalniško orodje HADDOCK, pridobljene rezultate smo analizirali s programoma PyMOL in LigPlot. Rezultati so pokazali, da B-box in A-box vežeta na različna mesta domene VC1 na RAGE. Eno od vezavnih mest B-box je pozitivno nabita vdolbina na površini domene V in je hkrati glavno vezavno mesto za druge RAGE-ligande (Advanced Glycation End products – AGE). Rezultati raziskave so uporabni za načrtovanje novih zdravil za zdravljenje bolezni povezanih z interakcijami HMGB1-RAGE, kot sta rak in sepsa

In silico investigation of extracellular domain of RAGE receptor interaction with A-box and B-box of HMGB1 protein

HMGB1 protein which is a non-histone chromosomal protein with two functional domains named A-box and B-box can also act as a signaling molecule after releasing from the cell and binding to the cell surface receptors such as RAGE. HMGB1 through its B-box domain binds to extracellular domain of RAGE and activates the signaling pathways involved in various pathological conditions like sepsis and tumor growth and metastasis. Interaction of recombinant HMGB1 A-box with RAGEantagonizes the RAGE activation by HMGB1. In the present study, interaction of human RAGE (hRAGE) extracellular domain (VC1C2) and B-box and A-box of human HMGB1 (hHMGB1) was investigated using a protein-protein docking software, HADDOCK. The results obtained were analyzed by PyMOL and LigPlot softwares. The results show B-box and A-box bind to different sites on the VC1domain of RAGE and one of the B-box binding points is a positively charged groove located on the V domain surface which is also a major binding site for another RAGE ligand, Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). The obtained results can be utilized to design new potent drugs for treatment of HMGB1-RAGE-related diseases such as cancer and sepsis.

Platelet Therapy and Ovarian Rejuvenation in Women with Premature Ovarian Failure

Introduction: Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) is a disease that occurs before the age of 40 due to dysfunction of the ovaries. In these women، the production and secretion of estrogen hormone is not done properly. Such a situation causes irregular or interrupted periods، disturbances in the ovulation process and occurrence of menopausal symptoms. Premature ovarian failure makes it difficult for women to get pregnant، so more research in this field is necessary. Conclusion: The results showed that one of the recommended ways to repair and regenerate the failing ovarian tissue was the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The positive effects of PRP were dependent on the high concentration of growth factors in the alpha granules of platelets. The results of this review article showed that the use of platelet-rich plasma in restoring ovarian function could be considered as a treatment method in these patients.  Corresponding Author:Seyed Hossein Shahcheraghi Orcid: 0000-0003-1399-5222 You can search for this author in PubMed     Google Scholar Profil

An Experimental Study on Simultaneous Use of Metal Fins and Mirror to Improve the Performance of Photovoltaic Panels

The world is inconceivable without an everlasting demand for energy. Nowadays, various kinds of renewable energies, such as solar energy, are developing rapidly, since they have the least negative environmental impacts. Irradiation intensity is one the most important parameters in photovoltaic (PV) technology, and so integration of mirrors with a PV module can improve its performance. Mounting mirrors increases the radiation intensity but, at the same time, raises the surface temperature, which in turn reduces the electrical efficiency. The novelty of this study is keeping the cell temperature low despite receiving more radiation by installing 10 aluminum fins on the back of the panel. All tests were experimentally performed in the hot climate of Dezful, Iran. As a result, the best tilt angle of the mirror was found at 30°, where the output power was enhanced by 3.3% and electrical efficiency was reduced by 0.5% compared with the conventional case. When aluminum fins were added as heat sinks, both output power and electrical efficiency were enhanced by 11.4% and 13.1%, respectively. Moreover, comprehensive discussions on both energy and exergy are provided. The entropy generation was also calculated and accordingly, the case of PV 30 + fin generates 1.6% less entropy than the base one