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The microgrid (MG) is described as an electrical network of small modular distributed generation, energy storage devices and controllable loads. In order to maximize the output of solar arrays, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique is used by artificial neural network (ANN), and also, control of turbine output power in high wind speeds is proposed using pitch angle control technic by fuzzy logic. To track the maximum power point (MPP) in the photovoltaic (PV), the proposed ANN is trained by the genetic algorithm (GA). In other word, the data are optimized by GA, and then these optimum values are used in ANN. The simulation results show that the ANN-GA in comparison with the conventional algorithms with high accuracy can track the peak power point under different insolation conditions and meet the load demand with less fluctuation around the MPP; also it can increase convergence speed to achieve MPP. Moreover, pitch angle controller based on fuzzy logic with wind speed and active power as inputs that have faster responses which leads to have flatter power curves enhances the dynamic responses of wind turbine. The models are developed and applied in Matlab/Simulink. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increasing amount of populations all over the world are reported to have no access to clean and fresh water. Some traditional chemical disinfectants (free chlorine, chloramines, and ozone) are already widely used in the water industry; alarmingly, many of these are carcinogens. Furthermore, the resistance of microorganisms to these common chemical disinfectants is increasing; superior alternatives are therefore necessary. The development of nanoscience and nanotechnology within the last decades provides opportunities to deal with this problem. Objectives: In this study, the solvothermal method was employed to synthesize SnO2 nanoparticles with spherical morphology in the absence of templates or structure-directing agents under mild conditions. The nanoparticles used to in the inactivation efficiencies for two microorganisms under UV irradiation and dark conditions. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles have been synthesized via a simple solvothermal method in the absence of templates or structure-directing agents under mild conditions. The prepared SnO2 sample was employed for the inactivation of Gram-negative Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213) in MilliQ water under dark and UV illumination. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized SnO2 nanoparticles was evaluated using bacterium as per colony count method. Results: SnO2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized via solvothermal method under mild condition. SEM image showed SnO2 nanoparticles were spherical when a mixture of water and ethanol used as solvent. The prepared SnO2 nanoparticles were employed for the inactivation of gram-negative Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and gram-positive S.aureus (ATCC 29213) in MilliQ water. It was found that SnO2 nanoparticles show much higher activity against E. coli than S.aureus. Conclusions: According to the result of this study, SnO2 nanoparticles are an excellent antibacterial agent for bactericidal applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women. This tumor is hormone dependent tumor and oncologists use estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 for treatment of this malignancy. Androgens like testosterone and their receptors (AR) have a role in the pathophysiology of breast cancer but their clinical values are not clear. Method: AR expression was evaluated in 49 patients with breast cancers using immunohistochemistry. Testosterone was evaluated with ELISA. The relation of clinical characteristics and biomarkers with AR and testosterone were analyzed. According to the percentage of stained cells AR categorized to: AR-absent (0%), AR-poorly (1%-10%), AR-moderately (>10%-50%), and AR-highly (>50%) positive. Results: Among 49 patients with breast cancer, 34% were AR-positive and 44% of ER-positive and 22% of ER negative patients were AR-positive. There was no significant association between mean of testosterone and AR, ER, PR and HER2. AR was positive more frequently but not significantly statistically in older patients and patients less than 45 years of age. Testosterone level was higher in ER positive patients than ER negative and lower in AR positive patients than AR negative patients, but these findings were not statistically significant. ten percent of breast cancers were triple negative and AR was negative in all of them. Conclusion: Androgens and AR have role in pathophysiology of breast cancer and in the future one can use the potency of this pathway for the treatment of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) systems have one of the highest potentials and operating ways for generating electrical power by converting solar irradiation directly into the electrical energy. The aim of this study is to simulate and control of a grid-connected PV source using artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA) controller. Also, for tracking the maximum power point (MPP), ANN and GA are used. Data are optimized by GA and then these optimized data are applied in the neural network training. The simulation results are presented by using Matlab/Simulink and show that the ANN–GA controller can meet the need of the load easily and have less fluctuations around the maximum power point (MPP), also it can increase convergence speed to achieve the MPP. Moreover, to control both line voltage and current, a grid side P-Q controller has been applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, dynamic performance enhancement of grid connected hybrid system consists of wind turbine using PMSG and photovoltaic systems are investigated under different circumstances. In order to maximize the output of solar arrays, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique is used by an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and also control of turbine output power in high speeds wind using pitch angle control technic by fuzzy logic are proposed. For tracking the maximum point, the proposed ANFIS is trained by optimum values. The simulation results show that the ANFIS controller of grid-connected mode can easily meet the load demand and have less fluctuation around the maximum power point (MPP), also it can increase convergence speed to achieve MPP. Also pitch angle controller based on fuzzy logic with inputs such as wind speed and active power can have faster responses which lead us to have flatter power curves, enhance the dynamic performance of wind turbine and prevent the both frazzle and mechanical damages to PMSG. The thorough wind power generation system, PV system and power electronic converter interface by using Matlab/Simulink are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Bioactive glass air abrasion is a conservative technique to remove initial decalcified tissue and caries. This study examined the shear bond strength of composite resin to sound and decalcified enamel air-abraded by bioactive glass (BAG) or alumina using etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesives. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight permanent molars were root-amputated and sectioned mesiodistally. The obtained 96 specimens were mounted in acrylic resin; the buccal and lingual surfaces remained exposed. A demineralizing solution was used to decalcify half the specimens. Both sound and decalcified specimens were divided into two groups of alumina and bioactive glass air abrasion. In each group, the specimens were subdivided into two subgroups of Clearfil SE Bond or OptiBond FL adhesives (n=12). Composite resin cylinders were bonded on enamel surfaces cured and underwent thermocycling. The specimens were tested for shear bond strength. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 and three-way ANOVA (α=0.05). Similar to the experimental groups, the enamel surface of one specimen underwent SEM evaluation. Results: No significant differences were observed in composite resin bond strength subsequent to alumina or bioactive glass air abrasion preparation techniques (P=0.987). There were no statistically significant differences between the bond strength of etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesive groups (P=1). Also, decalcified or intact enamel groups had no significant difference (P=0.918). However, SEM analysis showed much less enamel irregularities with BAG air abrasion compared to alumina air abrasion. Conclusion: Under the limitations of this study, preparation of both intact and decalcified enamel surfaces with bioactive glass air abrasion results in similar bond strength of composite resin in comparison with alumina air abrasion using etch-&-rinse or self-etch adhesives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flip chip thermo-compression bonding (TCB) involves the use of heat and pressure to simultaneously form interconnections for microelectronic packaging. In-situ measurements of thermo-mechanical stresses that arise during this bonding process could provide unique insight to help better understand the TCB process. A 4 mm × 3 mm × 500 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor chip with an 8 × 8 array of Au-bumped sensor pads was developed for this purpose. It was designed to record XYZ force and temperature signals from bump locations, during a simulated flip chip process similar to TCB. In-situ measurements during simulated TCB events proved useful for tilt detection, thermal gradient characterization, and thermal expansion measurements. Further interpretation of the signals proved tilt and other thermo-mechanical effects were induced by thermal expansion mismatches. The most thermo-mechanically stressful stage of bonding was found to occur during thermal transients, specifically during bond head ramping. Further analysis concluded the actual time necessary to heat the bumps was less than 0.5 s. Finally, the lateral thermal gradient across the sensor chip was calculated to be smallest in the central bump locations, and largest in the bump array corners due to warpage, tilt, and heat sink effects of the digital logic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power systems have been accommodating solar energy to a large extent, particularly when it comes to photovoltaic (PV) systems. In this regard, a number of parameters, including temperature and solar irradiance, have a significant impact on the power output of such systems. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) strategies have been devised and deployed in PV systems as a successful remedy to boost efficiency in response to varying climate parameters. Accordingly, a promoted MPPT strategy is designed in this paper deploying the incremental conductance (INC) method optimized by employing the grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA)-based adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). This technique includes two stages: specifying the optimal values of voltage by deploying the GOA taking into consideration various scenarios of temperature and solar irradiance. Afterward, the ANFIS would give the optimal value of the voltage by using solar irradiance on PV panels. It is noteworthy that the INC technique would initialize at this value and seek the maximum power point (MPP). One of the merits associated with using the ANFIS-based INC technique is the smaller dataset needed for the training purpose. In this regard, in case the ANFIS does not specify the definite point, the INC approach would do it. Simulations are performed to validate the usefulness of the suggested GOA-ANFIS-based INC MPPT technique and compared with conventional MPPT schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years due to the decreasing fossil fuel reserves and the increasing social stress, complex power networks have no other choices except to seek for alternative energy sources to eliminate the environmental issues caused by the traditional power systems. Thus, the scheduling of energy sources in a complex Micro-Grid (MG) comprising Micro Turbine (MT), Photo Voltaic (PV), Fuel Cell (FC), battery units and Wind Turbine (WT) has been investigated in this paper. Furthermore, a multi-objective framework is presented to simultaneously handle the two objective functions including minimization of total operation cost and minimization of emission. In this regard, Normal Boundary intersection (NBI) technique is employed to solve the proposed multi-objective problem and generate the Pareto set. Besides, a fuzzy satisfying method is used for decision making process. Afterward, the results obtained from the presented method are compared to the ones derived from other methods. Finally, it is verified that the proposed solution method results in better solutions for operation cost, emission and the execution time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past years, hybrid solar-wind power systems containing photovoltaic (PV) and wind generators are used to minimize the intermittency problem of renewable power generation units. The improved modeling and control schemes for a grid-tied hybrid PV–wind system is presented in the current research work. The maximum power point tracking namely "MPPT" algorithm together with controlling the pitch angle are used, respectively, for the PV system and wind power generation to attain the maximum power for any given external weather conditions. A radial basis function network sliding mode known as the RBFNSM method is used to control the pitch angle in the wind energy system, while the PV system uses a proportional–integral–derivative controller equipped with the fuzzy gain scheduling in order to enhance the transient state and mitigate the settling time to ensure the stability of the mentioned system. To test the suggested control scheme's effectiveness, MATLAB simulations are carried out under various scenarios of the wind speed as well as solar irradiation. The obtained results show the efficiency of the adaptive MPPT method to harness the highest power under very challenging scenarios. The merits of the developed schemes are quickly and precisely tracking the maximum power output of the hybrid PV–wind system. Besides, the power flowing between the utility grid and the hybrid source with a fast transient response and improved stability performance is effectively controlled using the offered schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a proposed bevacizumab biosimilar to those of the reference product in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). This Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind (patient- and assessor-blind), active-controlled, 2-armed, parallel-group, noninferiority trial was conducted in patients with histologically verified colorectal cancer with evidence of at least 1 metastasis. Patients with mCRC were randomized 2:1 to receive 5 mg/kg IV of either study drug plus FOLFIRI-3 (with repeated irinotecan 100 mg/m2 60-min infusion on day 3) or the reference drug plus FOLFIRI-3 every 2 weeks for 1 year. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary end point, and overall survival, objective response rate, and time to treatment failure as well as safety and immunogenicity were secondary end points. The population assessable for PFS was per protocol, and the intention-to-treat population was used for sensitivity analysis. Safety was assessed based on reports of adverse events, laboratory test results, and vital sign measurements. A total of 126 patients were enrolled; PFS values in the biosimilar and reference arms were 232 days (7.7 months) and 210 days (7 months), respectively (P = 0.47). The hazard ratio of the biosimilar arm versus the reference arm was 0.79 in the per-protocol population (90% CI, 0.46–1.35; P = 0.47). The upper limit for the 2-sided 90% CI was lower than the margin of 1.44, indicating that the biosimilar drug was noninferior to the reference drug. The hazard ratio for overall survival in the intent-to-treat population was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.55–1.80; P = 0.99). The difference between other efficacy end points among the groups was not statistically significant. No significant difference was observed in the comparison of the two arms for safety. The antidrug antibody was positive in 1 patient in each arm. The proposed biosimilar BE1040V was noninferior to the reference product in terms of efficacy in the treatment of mCRC, and tolerability was comparable between the 2 drugs. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03288987. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• By inducing long-lasting responses, cancer vaccination is a promising strategy. • In terms of BC, vaccination trials have shown discrepant data. • The majority trials of BC vaccination were in phase I and II. • The majority of utilized vaccine platforms are peptide- and cell-based vaccines. • Utilizing combination therapies might improve BC vaccine efficiency. Breast cancer (BC) is one of the main causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The heterogenicity of breast tumors and the presence of tumor resistance, metastasis, and disease recurrence make BC a challenging malignancy. A new age in cancer treatment is being ushered in by the enormous success of cancer immunotherapy, and therapeutic cancer vaccination is one such area of research. Nevertheless, it has been shown that the application of cancer vaccines in BC as monotherapy could not induce satisfying anti-tumor immunity. Indeed, the application of various vaccine platforms as well as combination therapies like immunotherapy could influence the clinical benefits of BC treatment. We analyzed the clinical trials of BC vaccination and revealed that the majority of trials were in phase I and II meaning that the BC vaccine studies lack favorable outcomes or they need more development. Furthermore, peptide- and cell-based vaccines are the major platforms utilized in clinical trials according to our analysis. Besides, some studies showed satisfying outcomes regarding carbohydrate-based vaccines in BC treatment. Recent advancements in therapeutic vaccines for breast cancer were promising strategies that could be accessible in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current close-to-smart power systems, renewable energies are the most significant elements that need to be carefully addressed in power system studies. In this regard, microgrids (MGs) have been introduced recently to activate the large penetration of renewables. However, integration of such generation technologies that are associated with severe uncertainty in their power output would significantly impact the scheduling of energy resources in MGs. Thus, efficient energy management systems are required to be employed in MGs. Therefore, this paper presents a day-ahead scheduling framework for an MG equipped with a solar photovoltaic (PV) unit. In this respect, different climate conditions and their impacts on the power output of the PV unit and the optimal scheduling of the MG have been investigated in this paper. To this end, four different days from the four seasons have been used to extract the data of solar irradiance. The scheduling problem has been formulated in a single-objective optimization framework, where the objective function is defined as minimizing the total operating cost over the scheduling period. An effective optimization algorithm named "modified krill herd (MKH)" algorithm is proposed to solve the mentioned day-ahead scheduling problem, while there are renewable and non-renewable generating units, besides an energy storage system. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison has been made between the MKH algorithm and some well-known optimization algorithms to verify the superior performance of the suggested method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the tendency towards employing a combined system for generating electricity has significantly increased. In this respect, the combination of a photovoltaic (PV) system and an energy storage system has captured the attention. In this respect, this paper develops a control system for a combined energy system, comprised of a PV and a battery in the grid-connected mode. There are several research works being carried out to exploit the highest power from PV systems, due to their high investment costs. An interesting and effective approach is utilizing a maximum power point tracking so-called "MPPT" algorithm for the PV panel to raise efficiency. This paper proposes the fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and the modified shuffled frog leaping algorithm (MSFLA) to optimally tune the parameters of the controller and follow the maximum power point (MPP). In this respect, an efficient theoretical framework has been developed for the MPPT algorithm to assess its performance under various conditions. Besides, a comprehensive comparison has been made to evaluate the model in different weather conditions, the method developed in this paper is associated with 99% efficiency while other methods result in 95%–97% efficiency with low speed at reaching the MPP that highlight the superior performance of the presented technique and other methods. Accordingly, the techniques studied are ranked as follows based on their performance: MSFLA-FLC > FLC > IC > P&O while their response times are 0.13s, 0.18s, 0.26s and 0.32s,respectively. Image 1 • Combination of a photovoltaic system and an energy storage system. • Proposing the fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and the modified shuffled frog leaping algorithm (MSFLA) for MPPT. • Desirable results compared to other approaches in terms of the transient and steady-state performance. • Effective power flow plan between the grid and the combined energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is a highly lethal malignancy that poses a significant burden on public health worldwide. There have been numerous therapeutic approaches, among which cancer vaccines have emerged as a promising approach to harnessing the patient's immune system to induce long-lasting anti-tumor immunity. The current study aims to provide an overview of cancer vaccination in the context of lung cancer to establish a clearer landscape for lung cancer treatment. To provide a comprehensive review, we not only gathered the published studies of lung cancer vaccination and discussed their effectiveness and safety profile but also analyzed all the relevant clinical trials registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov until March 2024. We demonstrated all utilized vaccine platforms along with having a glance at novel technologies such as mRNA vaccines. The present review discussed the challenges and shortcomings of lung cancer vaccination, as well as the way they could be managed to pave the way for reaching the most optimized vaccine formulation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is a huge disparity in cancer incidence and mortality around the globe. A considerable share of this disparity can be explained by human development. Particularly in many less developed countries, women have been hindered in their human development. In this ecological study, we hypothesize that, notwithstanding acceptable overall development in countries, gender inequalities might affect the incidence and mortality of women's malignancies, and there is a distinct association between them., Method: The data on the incidence and mortality of gynecologic and female breast cancers were retrieved from the GLOBOCAN database, and the data on the Human Development Index (HDI), Gender Development Index (GDI), and Gender Inequality Index (GII) were obtained from the United Nations Human Development Report. The Poisson regression modeling was then used to fit four models for each cancer., Result: GII and GDI are both significantly associated with incidences of women's cancers, except for the insignificant association between GDI and the incidence of ovarian cancer. However, the association between GDI and the mortality of women's cancer is not strong. At the same time, there are significant direct relationships between GII and the mortality of breast, cervical, and endometrial cancer., Conclusion: The incidence and mortality of women's cancers are ecologically associated with the country-level gender inequality captured with GDI and GII., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Highly permeable polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes are desirable for reducing the energy burden and ensuring future water resources in arid and semiarid regions. One notable drawback of thin film composite (TFC) polyamide RO/NF membranes is the polyamide's sensitivity to degradation by free chlorine, the most used biocide in water purification trains. This investigation demonstrated a significant increase in the crosslinking-degree parameter by the m-phenylenediamine (MPD) chemical structure extending in the thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane without adding extra MPD monomers to enhance the chlorine resistance and performance. Membrane modification was carried out according to monomer ratio changes and Nanoparticle embedding into the PA layer approaches. A new class of TFN-RO membranes incorporating novel aromatic amine functionalized (AAF)-MWCNTs embedded into the polyamide (PA) layer was introduced. A purposeful strategy was carried out to use cyanuric chloride (2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine) as an intermediate functional group in the AAF-MWCNTs. Thus, amidic nitrogen, connected to benzene rings and carbonyl groups, assembles a structure similar to the standard PA, consisting of MPD and trimesoyl chloride. The resulting AAF-MWCNTs were mixed in the aqueous phase during the interfacial polymerization to increase the susceptible positions to chlorine attack and improve the crosslinking degree in the PA network. The characterization and performance results of the membrane demonstrated an increase in ion selectivity and water flux, impressive stability of salt rejection after chlorine exposure, and improved antifouling performance. This purposeful modification resulted in overthrowing two tradeoffs; i) high crosslink density-water flux and ii) salt rejection-permeability. The modified membrane demonstrated ameliorative chlorine resistance relative to the pristine one, with twice the increase in crosslinking degree, more than four times the enhancement of the oxidation resistance, negligible reduction in the salt rejection (0.83 %), and only 5 L/m2.h flux loss following a rigorous static chlorine exposure of 500 ppm.h under acidic conditions. The excellent performance of new chlorine resistant TNF RO membranes fabricated via AAF-MWCNTs together with the facile membrane manufacturing process offered the possibility of postulating them in the desalination field, which could eventually help the current freshwater supply challenge., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85% of lung cancer cases, with smoking being a critical risk factor. The identification of NSCLC patients harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, sensitized to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, has revolutionized treatment plans, resulting in improved clinical responses and reduced chemotherapy toxicity. This study aimed to assess the relationship between EGFR mutations and smoking patterns in patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma referred to major pathologic laboratories., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 217 NSCLC patients aged above 18 years. Molecular abnormalities of the EGFR gene were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction amplification of exons 18-21 accompanied by Sanger sequencing. Then, the data were analyzed using the SPSS 26 software. Logistic regression analysis, χ 2 test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used to evaluate the relation between EGFR mutations and smoking patterns., Results: EGFR mutations were identified in 25.3% of patients, predominantly involving deletion in exon 19 (61.8%). For most of the mutant EGFR patients, the majority were nonsmokers (81.8%), and 52.7% were female patients. Besides, the median duration of smoking was 26 years and the median frequency of smoking was 23 pack-years in the mutant EGFR group, both of which were lower compared to the wild mutant group. Moreover, female gender, current, and heavy smoking were significantly correlated with EGFR mutations based on the univariate logistic regression analysis ( p : 0.004, 0.005, and 0.001, respectively)., Conclusions: Female gender and nonsmoker status were strongly associated with positive EGFR mutations. While guidelines traditionally recommended EGFR testing primarily for female nonsmokers with advanced NSCLC, our study in line with the recently published evidence has shown a significant prevalence of positive EGFR mutations among male patients and smokers. Therefore, routine mutation testing is suggested for all NSCLC patients. Considering the limited access to EGFR testing laboratories in developing countries, the results of such epidemiological surveys can assist oncologists in choosing the most suitable treatment plan., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Health Science Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Currently, breast carcinoma is the most common form of malignancy and the main cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. The metastasis of cancer cells from the primary tumor site to other organs in the body, notably the lungs, bones, brain, and liver, is what causes breast cancer to ultimately be fatal. Brain metastases occur in as many as 30% of patients with advanced breast cancer, and the 1-year survival rate of these patients is around 20%. Many researchers have focused on brain metastasis, but due to its complexities, many aspects of this process are still relatively unclear. To develop and test novel therapies for this fatal condition, pre-clinical models are required that can mimic the biological processes involved in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM). The application of many breakthroughs in the area of tissue engineering has resulted in the development of scaffold or matrix-based culture methods that more accurately imitate the original extracellular matrix (ECM) of metastatic tumors. Furthermore, specific cell lines are now being used to create three-dimensional (3D) cultures that can be used to model metastasis. These 3D cultures satisfy the requirement for in vitro methodologies that allow for a more accurate investigation of the molecular pathways as well as a more in-depth examination of the effects of the medication being tested. In this review, we talk about the latest advances in modeling BCBM using cell lines, animals, and tissue engineering methods., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background & Objective: Some of the patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are categorized as good prognosis based on the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R). However, these patients may have poor clinical outcomes. It seems that the current diagnostic tools and IPSS-R cannot consider genetic factors for determining the prognosis of MDS patients., Methods: This cross-sectional study included all adult MDS patients of both genders who were admitted from March 2015 to March 2020 to the Hematology wards of two educational tertiary hospitals in Iran (Namazi and Faghihi, affiliated with Shiraz University of medical sciences). Study data included relevant retrospective data from medical records and the results of immunohistochemical p53 staining on bone marrow biopsies., Results: Of the 84 patients, 65 (77.4%) showed p53 expression in bone marrow. They had shorter median survival than those without p53 expression. Considering both variables of P53 IHC results and IPSS-R score, the patients who died with low-risk IPSS-R score presented high p53 expression., Conclusion: This study shows that the investigation of p53 expression by IHC at the time of diagnosis is a valuable indicator of survival rate in MDS patients. These data suggest that the immunohistochemical analysis of p53 can be a prognostic tool for MDS and should be used as an adjunct test to make decisions on the best therapeutic choice., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest.

A new mixed-ligand Cu(II) complex formulated as [Cu(dipic)(amp)(H 2 O)].H 2 O (dipic: pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, amp: 2-amino-4-methylpyridine), was synthesized and structurally characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, CHN analysis, and the single-crystal X-ray crystallographic method. The complex crystallizes in an orthorhombic space group Pna2 1, and the coordination environment around the metal center was found to be a pentacoordinate CuN 2 O 2 O W distorted square-pyramidal geometry. In order to systematically explore a detailed in vitro and in silico study of the DNA binding of the title complex, various biophysical (UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence, competitive binding with ethidium bromide) and theoretical (DFT, molecular docking simulation, and QM/MM) methods were applied which revealed that the complex could intercalate with the insertion of the amp ligand between the DNA base pairs. The experimental thermodynamic parameters of the interaction revealed the spontaneity of the process and the domination of the hydrophobic interactions in the association and stabilization of the DNA-Cu(II) complex adduct, which was in line with the docking and QM/MM data. In vitro cytotoxic potential of the complex against the human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells was examined using MTT assay, which indicated that cancerous cells showed inhibition in presence of the complex., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The important association of erythropoietin (EPO) serum levels and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with anemia has been inadequately studied and remains a controversial issue. We aimed to shed light on this matter by comparing EPO levels in anemic and non-anemic COPD patients, along with a review of published literature. This cross-sectional study was conducted on COPD patients referred to the pulmonary clinic of Shahid Faghihi Hospital and Motahari clinic, Shiraz, Iran, for one year. We measured complete blood count, red blood cell indices, serum iron, TIBC and ferritin levels, serum EPO levels, and body mass index. Among 35 patients in this study, 28 males and 7 females were enrolled with a mean age of 54.57 ± 8.07 years. The average Forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) was 37.26 ± 7.33% and FEV1/FVC was 0.46 ± 0.12. Mean EPO levels were 30.29 ± 2.066 mU/mL. No statistically significant association was observed among erythropoietin levels and Hb, COPD severity, and age. There was no significant difference in EPO levels between anemic and non-anemic patients. EPO level, against the traditional expectation, didn't increase in COPD patients. EPO production also didn't compensate for the anemia of chronic disease which considers as a common comorbid disorder in these patients., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

A new mixed-ligand Ag(I) complex, [Ag(daf)(phen)]NO 3 (daf = 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one and dian = N-(4,5-diazafluoren-9-ylidene)aniline), was synthesized. The elemental analysis, FTIR, 1 HNMR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and DFT (Density Functional Theory) geometry optimization method were applied in order to predict the Ag(I) complex structure which concluded to a distorted tetrahedral N4 coordination around the Ag(I) center. A detailed in silico analysis of the bioaffinity of the complex to DNA and human DNA-Topoisomerase I was conducted using molecular docking simulations and ONIOM (Our own N-layered Integrated molecular Orbital and molecular Mechanics) techniques. In this overall scenario, the results suggest the dominance of π-π stacking interactions of the heteroaromatic ligands in the intercalating pocket of DNA and the active site of the enzyme and the rational correlation between being a good intercalator and a potent Topoisomerase I inhibitor. In vitro DNA-binding experiments by spectrophotometric, spectrofluorometric, Voltammetric, and viscometric techniques at physiological pH also confirmed the computational results. The complex inhibited MCF-7 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner while being nontoxic on HUVEC normal cells., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is an indolent chronic lymphoproliferative disorder and first-line treatment with either intravenous or subcutaneous cladribine generally leads to long-lasting remissions., Method: All 131 patients with hairy-cell leukemia (HCL) were analyzed, with a median follow-up of 91 months. Data is from 2007 to 2020. We evaluated the response rate to cladribine as the first line and the response rate to cladribine with or without rituximab in relapsed patients. Further, we assessed relapse-free survival, complications, and secondary malignancy., Results: After a median follow-up of 91 months, the recurrence rate was 24%. The 5-year and 10-year RFS rates were 85% and 66%, respectively. Adding rituximab to 2-CDA leads to a better response rate than just cladribine (90% vs. 27.3%, p-value = 0.002) in the relapsed patients., Conclusion: HCL patients have long-term survival when cladribine is the first line of treatment. Furthermore, adding rituximab to cladribine leads to a higher response rate.

Background: Recurrence of multiple myeloma is among the most challenging issues for patients and treating physicians reported after autologous stem cell transplantation. However, extramedullary involvement after chemotherapy and transplantation has been rarely reported, especially as pleural manifestations. Protein electrophoresis indicated immunoglobulin A monoclonal kappa plasma cell neoplasm in our case., Case Presentation: A 48-year-old middle-eastern man was referred to our clinic with cough, dyspnea, fever, and left side pleural effusion. A year after chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation, the patient presented with features in favor of pleural relapse, without bone marrow involvement. Protein electrophoresis demonstrated immunoglobulin A monoclonal kappa plasma cell neoplasm in our case. The patient was effectively treated with dexamethasone, thalidomide, cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide with no notable adverse effects., Conclusion: Physicians should be aware of various presentations of multiple myeloma relapse, especially in autologous stem cell transplantation patients. Atypical and unique presentations such as the pleural involvement warrant further reporting of evidence to provide early management and treatment options., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Although life-threatening hemorrhage is a usual manifestation of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), thrombotic events seem to be more common in APL compared to other subtypes of acute leukemia. The treatment and prophylaxis of thrombosis are controversial due to the high risk of bleeding caused by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and thrombocytopenia. To the best of our knowledge we report the first case of APL in a patient with prosthetic heart valves successfully treated with a combination of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). We hope this case report helps clinicians to manage different spectra of coagulopathy in APL successfully., Case Presentation: A 38-year-old Asian man presented with diagnosis of APL confirmed by bone marrow biopsy. He was on warfarin due to prosthetic mitral and aortic valves. He was at risk of both hemorrhagic events due to DIC and life-threatening valve thrombosis. Our management regimen included unfractionated heparin adjusted according to the platelet count to prevent both valve thrombosis and bleeding events. The patient tolerated treatment well without any hemorrhagic or thrombotic events, and complete molecular remission was achieved by ATRA and ATO without the need for chemotherapeutic agents., Conclusion: Although this case is exceptional, a precise evaluation may be needed to select the appropriate dose and type of anticoagulant to treat a patient with APL.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is the prime approach to the management of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Influenced by different factors such as pathologic tumor characteristics, hormone receptor status, HER2 and proliferation marker expressions, response to therapy cannot be easily predicted. Pathologic complete response (pCR) has been considered as an endpoint to NACT; however, pCR rates have been unsatisfactory in such patients. In this randomized trial, we studied the efficacy of carboplatin/gemcitabine as second-line NACT while evaluating the impact of different factors affecting response., Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 52 clinically non-responsive (confirmed by palpation and/or ultrasonography) LABC patients to 4 cycles of doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide followed by 4 cycles of paclitaxel ± trastuzumab were randomly allocated to two groups. "Control" group underwent breast surgery and were further evaluated for pCR (ypT0/is ypN0). "Intervention" group received 2 cycles of carboplatin/gemcitabine and patients were further evaluated for pCR following surgery., Results: In a total of 52 patients, pCR rate was 30.7%. pCR and response rate in lymph nodes were higher in carboplatin/gemcitabine recipients (32% vs 29.7 and 44% vs 40.7% respectively), however differences were insignificant. In both the "intervention" group and total study population, most pCR cases were of the hormone receptor (HR)+/HER2+ subtype (87.5% and 75% respectively). HER2 positivity, ki67 expression, lower extent of ER positivity, higher tumor grade and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) lead to higher pCR rates. Adverse events following addition of carboplatin/gemcitabine were mostly hematologic and none required hospitalization. Anemia was the most common grade 3 adverse event observed. No grade 4 toxicity was evident., Conclusion: Although the proposed carboplatin/gemcitabine combination could not improve pCR rates as expected, probability of immune activation following use of carboplatin in achieving response to NACT may be considered. Accounting for the highest number of pCR cases in the "intervention" group, the HR+/HER2+ subtype with high TILs may be considered as most responsive to the proposed regimen in this study. It is noteworthy that the proposed combination imposed minimal toxicity., Trial Registration: This trial was prospectively registered in IRCT.ir ( IRCT2017100136491N1 ). Date of registration: 19 November 2017.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease with various genetic and epigenetic factors leading to difficulties in response to both the therapy and drug resistance. Moreover, even in tumors with similar histopathological characteristics, different responses and molecular features could be observed because of the genetic basis and its interactions with the living environment. Through personalized medicine, we can classify patients into separate groups according to their genetic and epigenetic features and their susceptibility for a specific disease which could help with choosing the best therapeutic approach. In this review, genetic and epigenetic factors that cause heterogeneity in colorectal cancer are evaluated and proper drug administration in both chemotherapy and target therapy are suggested., (©2020 RIGLD, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases.)

Nanoparticles of two new 0D, lead(II) coordination supramolecular compounds, [Pb(L) 2 (I) 2 ] (1) and [Pb(L)(L / )(H 2 O)]·3H 2 O (2), (L=1,10-phenanthroline monohydrate, L / =2,6-pyridinedicarboxlic acid), have been synthesized by a sonochemical process and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The single crystal X-ray data of compounds show that the Pb ion is six coordinated in both 1 and 2. The thermal stability of compound 1 and 2 has been studied by thermal gravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA). The role of temperature, reaction time and ultrasound irradiation power on the size and morphology of the nano-structured compound obtained from 1 and 2, have been investigated. Results indicate that an increase of temperature and sonication power and a decrease in time reaction led to a decrease of particle size. Topological analysis shows that the compound 1 and 2 are new topology for net: 1,4M5-1 and nch, respectively., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nowadays, photovoltaic (PV) generation is growing increasingly fast as a renewable energy source. Nevertheless, the drawback of the PV system is its dependence on weather conditions. Therefore, battery energy storage (BES) can be considered to assist for a stable and reliable output from PV generation system for loads and improve the dynamic performance of the whole generation system in grid connected mode. In this paper, a novel topology of intelligent hybrid generation systems with PV and BES in a DC-coupled structure is presented. Each photovoltaic cell has a specific point named maximum power point on its operational curve (i.e. current-voltage or power-voltage curve) in which it can generate maximum power. Irradiance and temperature changes affect these operational curves. Therefore, the nonlinear characteristic of maximum power point to environment has caused to development of different maximum power point tracking techniques. In order to capture the maximum power point (MPP), a hybrid fuzzy-neural maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method is applied in the PV system. Obtained results represent the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method, and the average tracking efficiency of the hybrid fuzzy-neural is incremented by approximately two percentage points in comparison to the conventional methods. It has the advantages of robustness, fast response and good performance. A detailed mathematical model and a control approach of a three-phase grid-connected intelligent hybrid system have been proposed using Matlab/Simulink., (Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Bioactive glass air abrasion is a conservative technique to remove initial decalcified tissue and caries. This study examined the shear bond strength of composite resin to sound and decalcified enamel air-abraded by bioactive glass (BAG) or alumina using etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesives., Materials and Methods: Forty-eight permanent molars were root-amputated and sectioned mesiodistally. The obtained 96 specimens were mounted in acrylic resin; the buccal and lingual surfaces remained exposed. A demineralizing solution was used to decalcify half the specimens. Both sound and decalcified specimens were divided into two groups of alumina and bioactive glass air abrasion. In each group, the specimens were subdivided into two subgroups of Clearfil SE Bond or OptiBond FL adhesives (n=12). Composite resin cylinders were bonded on enamel surfaces cured and underwent thermocycling. The specimens were tested for shear bond strength. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 and three-way ANOVA (α=0.05). Similar to the experimental groups, the enamel surface of one specimen underwent SEM evaluation., Results: No significant differences were observed in composite resin bond strength subsequent to alumina or bioactive glass air abrasion preparation techniques (P=0.987). There were no statistically significant differences between the bond strength of etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesive groups (P=1). Also, decalcified or intact enamel groups had no significant difference (P=0.918). However, SEM analysis showed much less enamel irregularities with BAG air abrasion compared to alumina air abrasion., Conclusion: Under the limitations of this study, preparation of both intact and decalcified enamel surfaces with bioactive glass air abrasion results in similar bond strength of composite resin in comparison with alumina air abrasion using etch-&-rinse or self-etch adhesives.

Purpose: Bioactive glass air abrasion is a conservative technique for removal of initial decalcified enamel superficial layer and caries vs alumina air abrasion. This study evaluated shear bond strength of composite resin to sound and decalcified deciduous enamel using etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesives after alumina and bioactive glass air abrasion., Materials and Methods: Ninety-six fat enamel surfaces, mounted in acrylic resin, were prepared from 48 deciduous molars. Half of the specimens were decalcified with a demineralizing solution. Both intact and decalcified specimens were assigned to two groups for alumina and bioactive glass air abrasion. In each group, the specimens were subdivided into two groups for application of Clearfil SE Bond or Optibond FL adhesives (n = 12). After composite resin bonding, the specimens underwent shear bond test. Data were analyzed using three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regression model and independent-sample t-test (α = 0.05)., Results: No significant differences were noted in bond strength of composite resin after alumina or bioactive glass air abrasion (p = 0.272). Optibond FL adhesive and enamel decalcification produced higher bond strength (p = 0.000, p = 0.001 respectively)., Conclusion: In this study, bioactive glass air abrasion produced bond strength comparable to the conventional method. This technique might be an alternative method for preparation of normal and/or decalcified enamel of deciduous teeth for resin bonding.