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Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are cardinal players in numerous physiological and pathological processes. CircRNAs play dual roles as tumor suppressors and oncogenes in different oncological contexts, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Their roles significantly impact the disease at all stages, including initiation, development, progression, invasion, and metastasis, in addition to the response to treatment. In this review, we discuss the biogenesis and regulatory functional roles of circRNAs, as well as circRNA–protein–mRNA ternary complex formation, elucidating the intricate pathways tuned by circRNAs to modulate gene expression and cellular processes through a comprehensive literature search, in silico search, and bioinformatics analysis. With a particular focus on the interplay between circRNAs, epigenetics, and HCC pathology, the article sets the stage for further exploration of circRNAs as novel investigational theranostic agents in the dynamic realm of HCC.

Although primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a major cause of blindness worldwide, patients’ immune response and its relation to the disease course have not been fully unraveled in terms of analyses of circulating B-cell subsets, as well as the association of these subsets with the severity of POAG clinical features. Subjects and Methods: Flow cytometry was used to determine B-cell subset frequencies from 30 POAG patients grouped by hierarchical cluster analysis or the mean deviation (MD) of the visual field (VF) and correlated with the patients’ clinical and pathological data, as well as with BSF-2(IL-6) and CSIF:TGIF(IL-10), which were quantified in peripheral blood samples of patients and controls by ELISA. Results: The total B-cell frequency was increased in the POAG group in comparison to the control group (n = 30). Frequencies of specific B-cell subsets, such as double-negative (DN) and naïve B-cell subsets, were increased in relation to the severity of the POAG disease. However, the unswitched memory B compartment subset decreased in the POAG group. Other non-typical B-cell subsets such as DN B cells also showed significant changes according to the POAG disease severity course. These differences allow us to identify POAG severity-associated inflammatory clusters in patients with specifically altered B-cell subsets. Finally, ocular parameters, biomarkers of inflammation, and other glaucoma-related or non-clinical scores exhibited correlations with some of these B-cell subpopulations. Conclusion: The severity of the POAG disease course is accompanied by changes in the B-cell subpopulation, namely, DN B cells. Furthermore, the existing relationship of the B-cell subset frequencies with the clinical and the inflammatory parameters BSF-2(IL-6), CSIF:TGIF(IL-10), and the BSF-2(IL-6) to CSIF:TGIF(IL-10) ratio suggests that these B lymphocyte cells could serve as potential molecular bio-markers for assessing POAG disease severity and/or progression.

Rainwater harvesting could be a possible solution to decrease the consequences of water scarcity and energy deficiency in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). This study aims to calculate the water and energy (electricity) saved by rainwater harvesting for rooftops and green areas in Sulaimani city, KR, Iraq. Various data were acquired from different formal entities in Sulaimani city. Moreover, Google Earth and ArcMap 10.4 software were used for digitizing and calculating the total rooftop and green areas. The results showed that for the used runoff coefficients (0.8 and 0.95), the harvested rainwater volumes were 2901563 and 12197131 m³ during the study period (2005 – 2006) and (2019-2020). Moreover, by comparing the study area's rainwater harvesting volume and water production, the water-saving percentage was 8.21 to 22.68%. Furthermore, the energy-saving percentage recorded was from 7.70 to 22.5% by implementing rooftop rainwater harvesting. On the other hand, using average daily rainfall data for the year (2005-2020), the total water-saving percentage and the total energy-saving rate for both runoff coefficients were very close. Water and energy-saving results were calculated using year-by-year rainfall data, taking more time and effort for its computation. Moreover, the water-saving percentage for the selected green area was not encouraging, and the results were between 0.73 and 11.15%. Additionally, the storage size for three typical buildings was calculated, and the results show the average storage size required for rainwater harvesting using daily rainfall data was 11.2 to 14.68 m³ (house), 291.42 to 422.33 m³ (school), and 10.5 to 11.41 m³ (hotel) for runoff coefficients of 0.8 and 0.95, respectively.

It is impractical to monitor lakes water quality by conventional field methods because of expense and time consuming. Satellite image is more convenient to be used to collect the required data for monitoring and assessing lakes water quality. This study aims to develop a water clarity estimation model based on remote sensing and GIS techniques to estimate and assess the water clarity within Dokan Lake in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Twenty points in the lake were selected and studied at autumn and spring seasons. For assessing water clarity, the Secchi Disk Transparency (SDT) and the Trophic State Index (TSI) were used at these twenty stations in the lake. Multiple linear regressions are used to obtain mathematical models for estimating the water clarity depending on spectral reflectance of Landsat 8 OLI. In this study, the new band (coastal blue) of Landsat 8 OLI has been undertaken in developing of the monitoring models. Moreover, new Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and new 7 band ratios with 16 band combinations have been investigated. The obtained highest determination coefficient values for SDT and TSI were 0.98 and 0.87 for autumn season and 0.95 and 0.97 for spring season respectively. Generally, for spring season, the performance of all models is reduced due to seasonal change, variance of parameters and other factors. The developed models were used to map the water clarity distribution within Dokan Lake. The results of the developed SDT and TSI models showed that the correlation of all bands of Landsat 8 OLI is appropriate to monitor the water clarity. These models can be effectively used to monitor the water clarity within the lake with conservation of time efforts and cost.

Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a well-validated target for the therapy of adult cancers. Propane-1,3-diphosphonic acid (PDPA) has significant inhibitory properties against human thymidylate synthase (hTS) relative to mouse TS which is not predicted to adopt an inactive conformer. The current research aims to identify novel, lead inhibitors of hTS and examine the prediction that they bind selectively to hTS enzymes existing in different conformational equilibria. Conformer-selectivity was evaluated through performing activity inhibition studies, as well as intrinsic fluorescence (IF) studies in comparison to the known orthosteric inhibitor raltitrexed (RTX). Human TS was isolated from recombinant bacteria expressing either native hTS, capable of conformational switching, or an actively stabilized mutant (R163K-hTS). The examined test compounds were rationally or virtually predicted to have inhibitory activity against hTS. Among these compounds, glutarate, N-(4-carboxyphenyl) succinamic acid, and diglycolic anhydride showed higher selectivity towards native hTS as compared to R163K-hTS. The active site inhibitor RTX showed significantly higher inhibition of R163K-hTS relative to hTS. Targeting hTS via conformational selectivity represents a future approach for overcoming reported resistance towards active-state TS analogs.

Arthritis and related disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are common diseases affecting millions of people. The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of lemon and hot pepper extracts on adjuvant induced arthritis (AIA) in mice. Arthritis was induced by injection of complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) subcutaneously at the planter surface of hind paw, the lemon and hot pepper extracts were administered subcutaneously at the same site twice weekly (100 mg/kg), for 2 weeks starting 2 days after CFA injection. Arthritic scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and paw histopathology were assessed at the end of the experiment. The extract treatments reduced the severity of arthritic scores in the following order: lemon fruit peel (LFP) > lemon leaf (LL) > hot pepper leaf (HL) during the experimental period as compared with positive control (RA). LFP, LL and HL extracts significantly suppressed ESR, ANA, CRP and TNF-α as compared with RA group. HL, LFP and LL reduced the IL-1β by 63.02%, 47.22%, 44.92%, while IL-6 cytokine production significantly decreased by 29.74%, 28.96%, and 23.93% for IL 6 as compared with RA. Hot pepper fruit (HF) extract treated-group showed a significant decrease for ESR on the other hand there was non-significant difference for TNF-α, IL-6, IL1β, CRP and ANA as compared with RA. Histopathological examination indicated that LFP, LL and HL extracts alleviated infiltration of inflammatory cells and synovial hyperplasia as well as protected joint destruction. The data showed that all extracts except HF have significant anti-arthritic and anti-inflammation effects and suggest that these effects may be mediated via the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

This research aims mainly at investigating the relationship between some family variables and the academic achievement of the Saudi female university student. The family variables included the socio-economic status of the family, family life-style and the types of interactions within the family. The present study views the relationship between family variables and academic achievement from a different perspective. for it assumes the presence of some intermediate variables that give functional value to the independent variables investigated in the study. Also, the present study is important in view of the fact that it can be utilized in educational planning for Saudi females. The study group consisted of 500 female students enrolled in the second and third levels in the University Center for Female Students. A questionnaire was designed and implemented to answer the research questions posed in the study. The study concludes that there are some intermediate variables that are responsible for the translation of the effect of the independent family variables into final positive or negative factors in academic achievement.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are cardinal players in numerous physiological and pathological processes. CircRNAs play dual roles as tumor suppressors and oncogenes in different oncological contexts, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Their roles significantly impact the disease at all stages, including initiation, development, progression, invasion, and metastasis, in addition to the response to treatment. In this review, we discuss the biogenesis and regulatory functional roles of circRNAs, as well as circRNA–protein–mRNA ternary complex formation, elucidating the intricate pathways tuned by circRNAs to modulate gene expression and cellular processes through a comprehensive literature search, in silico search, and bioinformatics analysis. With a particular focus on the interplay between circRNAs, epigenetics, and HCC pathology, the article sets the stage for further exploration of circRNAs as novel investigational theranostic agents in the dynamic realm of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Congo red (CR) is an anionic dye that is released from various industries and demonstrates a negative effect on the environment and human health. Dye`s elimination from the environment is an important challenge; therefore, the aim of this study was the application of unhydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse wastes, after acid hydrolysis, drying, grinding and including cellulose acetate to form different composite sheets. The composite sheets were applied in the 3Rs (Removal of Congo red using the composite sheet, Recover of the Congo red after removal using ethanol, and Reuse of the composite sheet many times) processes. The Congo red removal efficiency by the composite sheets was optimized using two statistical methods, One Factor at A Time (OFAT) and General Factorial Design. Afterward, isotherms models and kinetics studies were investigated; moreover, the reusability was also examined. The results exhibited that, the Congo red removal efficiency of 76.27 % was achieved for 500 ppm of the dye using the composite sheet with a concentration of 7 g/L; at a pH value of 7.0 and a contact time of 240 min. Interestingly, the composite sheets have been applied for 3Rs (Removal, Recovery, Reuse) cycles 5 times.