Measurement devices allocation in distribution system using state estimation: A multi‐objective approach

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Effective Medicinal Plant in Cancer Treatment, Part 2.

Cancer is the second cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. With due attention to rapid progress in the phytochemical study of plants, they are becoming popular because of their anticancer effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effective medicinal plants in the treatment of cancer and study their mechanism of action. In order to gather information the keywords "traditional medicine," "plant compounds," "medicinal plant," "medicinal herb," "toxicity," "anticancer effect," "cell line," and "treatment" were searched in international databases such as ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Scopus and national databases such as Magiran, Sid, and Iranmedex, and a total of 228 articles were collected. In this phase, 49 nonrelevant articles were excluded. Enhancement P53 protein expression, reducing the expression of proteins P27, P21, NFκB expression and induction of apoptosis, inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway, and reduction of the level of acid phosphatase and lipid peroxidation are the most effective mechanisms of herbal plants that can inhibit cell cycle and proliferation. Common treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy can cause some complications. According to results of this study, herbal extracts have antioxidant compounds that can induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation by the investigated mechanisms

Case Report: Mutation in AIMP2/P38, the Scaffold for the Multi-Trna Synthetase Complex, and Association With Progressive Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background: Leukodystrophies constitute a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders primarily affecting the white matter of the central nervous system. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the attachment of an amino acids to their cognate transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Pathogenic variants in both cytosolic and mitochondrial ARSs have been linked to a broad range of neurological disorders, including hypomyelinating leukodystrophies and pontocerebellar hypoplasias (PCH). Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase-interacting multifunctional protein 2 (AIMP2), one of the three non-catalytic components of multi ARS complex, harbors anti-proliferative activity and functions as a proapoptotic factor thus promoting cell death. We report a case of a 7-month-old infant with a complex clinical presentation, including weight loss, severe anemia, skeletal abnormalities, microcephaly and MR imaging features of leukodystrophy with a novel mutation in AIMP2. Methods: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the proband. Parental samples were analyzed by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. Results: Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel variant c.A463T in the homozygous state in exon 3 (NM_001,326,607) of AIMP2 [p.(K155X)] in the proband. Parental carrier status was confirmed by target sequencing. Conclusion: Here, we present an Iranian case with leukodystrophy with a novel AIMP2 mutation. This finding broadens the mutational and phenotypic spectra of AIMP2-related leukodystrophy and offers guidance for proper genetic counselling for pre- and post-natal screenings as well as for disease management

Trajectory Improvement of Railway Mobile Mapping System using Monocular Visual Inertial SLAM

Nowadays, Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS) have been widely used in railway, with integrated Inertial Navigation System (INS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) system as the common approach. For environments where GNSS signals become unavailable, additional aiding sources need to be considered to preserve the quality of measurement. Typically, in most applications, a Distance Measurement Indicator (DMI) is combined with the INS/GNSS system to ensure the desired accuracy. Nevertheless, as this approach is physically less feasible for railway, alternative solutions would be preferred. To bridge this gap, we investigate the applicability of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) integration with INS/GNSS for the case of a railway MMS. In particular, we aim to propose a solution for adapting a Monocular Visual (Inertial) SLAM method for railway application and further evaluate our solution using real-world data based on the RILA system (Fugro’s rail MMS). Accordingly, this dissertation consists of the following three research activities. Firstly, we have conducted a literature review on the existing monocular Visual Inertial SLAM methods to identify the technique which fulfils the key requirements of the rail application. Considering the results of the study, we selected the ORB-SLAM3 method and proposed an end-to-end pipeline that covers all the phases to adapt it for RILA system.Secondly, the impact of adapting ORB-SLAM3 technique on performance of the trajectory estimation has been evaluated using two criteria: Absolute Position Error (APE) and Relative Position Error (RPE). Accordingly, a case study using RILA dataset was developed for the experimental evaluations. In this case study, we have simulated a scenario in which the train entered the station, stayed there stationary for 1 minute, and then left the station slowly and manually inserted GNSS blockages before and after the station. Furthermore, a ground-truth trajectory was generated to evaluate the quality of the estimated SLAM-based trajectory. The results revealed that both APE and RPE increases with significant fluctuations in the first 15 seconds due to the lack of SLAM initialization time. Therefore, we introduced an strategy for fine-tuning the accuracy by allocating sufficient time for SLAM initialization phase. The APE and RPE were significantly reduced after fine-tuning and the expected estimated error at each time was equal to 4.3% of the travelled path length.Finally, we presented the effect of using Zero Velocity Update (ZUPT) signals as aiding information on the accuracy of the estimated trajectory in the areas with poor GNSS coverage. Consequently, we manually inserted the extracted ZUPT signals to the INS/GNSS integration process and then compared the positional accuracy of the generated trajectories with and without this information. The results show that the estimated positional accuracy was improved by 30% with only 51 seconds of stationary condition in our case study.Overall, based on the obtained results from the evaluations, it is possible to claim that our proposed ORB-SLAM3 technique has great potential to improve the estimated positional accuracy and in particular can be used as a standalone ZUPT detector in railway application.Aerospace Engineerin

Curcumin (Extracted from Tumeric) and its Therapeutic Effects

Background and Objectives:  The application of herbal medicine has been rising in recent years. Therefore, it is logical to revise and revive these traditional drugs while identifying their mechanisms of action can result in developing new treatments for many diseases. Curcumin is the most important component of Turmeric with numerous therapeutic properties. We aimed to review the anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of Curcumin and introduce it as a therapeutic molecule in the present article. Methods: In this review, 121 articles were selected from authenticated electronic resources and scientific library databases such as Pubmed, Medline, Sciencedirect, WOS, DOAJ, SID, Iranmedex, Magiran and Google Scholar search engine in which Curcumin (Turmeric) had been evaluated as a therapeutic molecule from differeny aspects. Results: Our findings from the literature revealed that immune responses against infectious and inflammatory factors could be fascilitated by Curcumin. However, the low solubility in water and minimal bioavailability which may lead to poor absorbance from gastrointestinal tract, quick metabolization and elimination from blood circulation are the most important problems during oral consumption. Conclusion: According to the results of the present review article, Curcumin possesses efficient anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-parasitic properties. However, the low bioavailability of this substance has limited its treatment properties. Nowadays, several mechanisms have been proposed to increase the bioavailability which can improve its absorption

Measurement devices allocation in distribution system using state estimation: A multi-objective approach

Optimal allocation of measurement devices is a necessity in order to carry out state estimation of a distribution system. In this paper, the placement problem of power measurement devices is modeled using a multi-objective method. The objectives of the problem are to minimize measurement devices' costs while increasing the accuracy of state estimation and improving the state estimation quality. Also, operational priorities are considered as another objective, which are based on power losses, lines' capacities, the number of lines connected to a specific line, and the change in lines' flows direction. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (MOEA/D) is used to optimize the allocation of measurement devices within the problem of distribution system state estimation. The state estimation problem is optimized by particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and the Monte Carlo simulation is used to develop some conditions within the network to guarantee the robustness of the proposed method. The method is tested by simulation results on an IEEE 33-bus and IEEE 123-bus radial network

Chromosomal aneuploidies and associated rare genetic syndromes involved in male infertility

Background and objectives: Recent investigations have reported more than 70 genetic syndromes involved in male infertility; however, the majority of these syndromes are extremely rare. We aimed to report the most common chromosomal abnormalities and associated rare genetic syndromes in the context of human male infertility. Materials and Methods: We performed a review of published articles considering the most common chromosomal aneuploidies and rare genetic syndromes associated with male infertility on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Results: Chromosomal abnormalities are frequently found in infertile men, with an incidence rate of 2-15%. The chromosomal aberrations include the sex and autosomal chromosome abnormalities, as well as numerical and structural defects in chromosomes. There are various rare genetic syndromes involved in male infertility that are caused by structural and numerical abnormalities in chromosomes. Klinefelter syndrome is the most common type of sex chromosome aneuploidy in infertile males. Besides, Y chromosome microdeletions, particularly in azoospermia factor regions, serve as the second most common genetic cause of impaired spermatogenetic in infertile men. These molecular genetic abnormalities not only can be inherited, but also they may transmit to the next generation through assisted reproductive techniques and result in the birth of boys with higher risk of congenital abnormalities and infertility. Despite the normal secondary male sexual characteristics, some patients are azoospermic or severe oligozoospermic men. Therefore, identification of these molecular genetic factors and rare genetic disorders is essential in men with unexplained infertility. Discussion and conclusion: Since most of molecular genetic abnormalities can be transmitted to the next generation, identification of these rare genetic disorders is crucial for men with unexplained infertility. It is also essential for clinicians and physicians of reproductive medicine and andrologists to initiate genetic evaluation, aneuploidy screening and counseling prior to any therapeutic procedures

Normal and dusty days comparison of culturable indoor airborne bacteria in Ahvaz, Iran

Important sources of chemical and biological indoor pollutants include outdoor air, the human body and human activities, emission from materials, furnishings, appliances and use of commodities. The main purpose of this study was to identify culturable indoor airborne bacteria in normal and dust event days in indoor environments of a school, a hospital and a university in Ahvaz city, which individuals such as children, teenagers, adolescences and old people had activity there. Samples were collected using the biostage sampler, an Andersen-based method, with a flow rate of 28.3 l/min, from July 2010 to March 2011. Temperature and humidity were measured and registered in each time of sampling. The identification of bacteria was performed to genus level by using appropriate methods and standard biochemical tests. Gram-positive bacteria in both normal and dust event days with more than 90 had the highest concentration and frequency. Predominant bacteria in normal and dust event days were Staphylococcus spp. (72.9, 87.9 ), Streptomyces spp. (60.9, 62.1 ), Bacillus spp. (94, 89 ) and Micrococcus spp. (65.4, 71.2 ), respectively. The highest concentrations of bacteria in normal and dust event days were in winter. The range of bacteria in normal and dust event days were 0�4,800 and 210�10,000 cfu/m3, respectively. There was a significant difference between the concentration of bacteria in normal and dust event days (p = 0.001) and also a significant association was found between the concentration of total bacteria with temperature and humidity (p < 0.05). The concentration of bacteria in dust event days was 1.8 times higher than normal days. Consequently, the concentrations of bacteria in all three sampling sites were higher in dust event days than normal days indicating the impact of dust storms on increased bacterial concentration in indoor environment. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

A significant association between CXCL10 -1447 A > G and IL18 -607 C > A gene polymorphism with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM-TSP), a case-control report from city of Mashhad, Iran

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the first isolated retrovirus from humans, and 2�3 of infected individuals suffer from HTLV-1 associated myelopathy tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM-TSP). Previous studies indicated that the risk of HAM-TSP could be correlated with the individuals� genetic alterations. Mashhad is one of the areas infected with HTLV-1 in Iran. This study designed to examine the association between several important gene polymorphisms and HAM-TSP. Genotypes of 232 samples from controls, HTLV-1 carriers, and HAM-TSP patients were examined for FAS-670 (A > G), CXCL10-1447 (A > G), Foxp3-3279 (C > A), IL-18 -137 (C > G), and IL-18 -607 (C > A) gene polymorphisms by different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. A non-significant association was observed between FAS-670 A > G, Foxp3-3279 C > A, and IL-18 -137 C > G gene polymorphisms and HAM-TSP. Nevertheless, a significant (P G and IL-18 -607 C > A gene polymorphisms with HAM-TSP was observed in our study population. As previous studies revealed that the CXCL10 level in the cerebrospinal fluid of HAM-TSP patients was associated with the disease progression, and as we noticed, a direct association was observed between CXCL10-1447 A > G polymorphism and HAM-TSP. These polymorphisms might be recommended as a valuable prediction criterion for the severity of the disease. The contradiction between our findings and other studies regarding IL-18 -607 C > A gene polymorphism might be associated with various factors such as genotypes frequency in diverse races and population heterogeneity in the city of Mashhad. © 2021, Journal of NeuroVirology, Inc