The role of long noncoding RNA DGCR5 in cancers: Focus on molecular targets.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are major components of cellular transcripts that are emerging as important players in various biological pathways. Due to their specific expression and functional diversity in a variety of cancers, lncRNAs have promising applications in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Studies have shown that lncRNA DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 5 (DGCR5) with high specificity and accuracy has the potential to become biomarkers in cancers. LncRNA DGCR5 can be noninvasively extracted from body fluids, tissues, and cells, and can be used as independent or auxiliary biomarkers to improve the accuracy of diagnosis or prognosis. Now, the underlying mechanisms of lncRNAs such as DGCR5 were explored as therapeutic targets, which have been investigated in clinical trials of several cancers. The DGCR5 lacks an appropriate animal model, which is necessary to gain greater knowledge of their functions. While some studies on the uses of DGCR5 have been carried out, the small sample size makes them unreliable. In this review, we presented a compilation of recent publications addressing the potential of lncRNA DGCR5 that could be considered as biomarkers or therapeutic targets, with the hopes of providing promised implications for future cancer therapy.

Multiobjective optimization of a hybrid electricity generation system based on waste energy of internal combustion engine and solar system for sustainable environment.

In recent years, the interest in generating power through hybrid power generation systems has increased. In this study, a hybrid power generation system including an internal combustion engine (ICE) and a solar system based on flat plate collectors to generate electricity is investigated. To benefit from the thermal energy absorbed by solar collectors, an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is considered. In addition to the solar energy absorbed by the collectors, the heat source of the ORC is the wasted heat through exhaust gases and the cooling system of the ICE. A two-pressure configuration for ORC is proposed for optimal heat absorption from the three available heat sources. The proposed system is installed to produce power with a capacity of 10 kW. A bi-objective function optimization process is carried out to design this system. The objective of the optimization process is to minimize the total cost rate and maximize the exergy efficiency of the system. The design variables of the present problem include the ICE rated power, the number of solar flat plate collectors (SFPC), the pressure of the high-pressure (HP) and low-pressure (LP) stage of the ORC, the degree of superheating of the HP and LP stage of the ORC, and its condenser pressure. Finally, it is observed among the design variables the most impact on total cost and exergy efficiency is related to the ICE rated power and the number of SFPCs.

The value of diffusion-weighted imaging in diagnosing gallbladder malignancy: performance of a new parameter.

AIM: To assess the value of the ratio of signal intensities at high and low b-values (b800/b0 ratio) during diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for gallbladder cancer diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients presenting with suspicious gallbladder lesions between January 2011 and December 2016 who underwent DWI and histopathological diagnoses of the lesions were assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (24 men, eight women) were identified. Eighteen patients had benign gallbladder lesions while 14 had malignant lesions. The mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value was 1.62 (±0.57)×10-3 mm2/s for benign cases and 1.27 (±0.39)×10-3 mm2/s for malignant cases; this difference was not significant (p=0.0773). The mean b800/b0 ratio was 0.31 (±0.19) for benign cases and 0.48 (±0.13) for malignant cases; this difference was significant (p=0.007). The ROC curve for b800/b0 had an AUC of 0.782 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.616-0.947) with a sensitivity and specificity of 85.7% and 72.2%, respectively, at a cut-off point of 0.33. CONCLUSION: The b800/b0 ratio can help differentiate benign and malignant gallbladder lesions and may be more reliable than ADC values in quantitative DWI assessments.

Calculations of the thermal and fast neutron fluxes in the Syrian miniature neutron source reactor using the MCNP-4C code.

The MCNP-4C code, based on the probabilistic approach, was used to model the 3D configuration of the core of the Syrian miniature neutron source reactor (MNSR). The continuous energy neutron cross sections from the ENDF/B-VI library were used to calculate the thermal and fast neutron fluxes in the inner and outer irradiation sites of MNSR. The thermal fluxes in the MNSR inner irradiation sites were also measured experimentally by the multiple foil activation method ((197)Au (n, gamma) (198)Au and (59)Co (n, gamma) (60)Co). The foils were irradiated simultaneously in each of the five MNSR inner irradiation sites to measure the thermal neutron flux and the epithermal index in each site. The calculated and measured results agree well.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic sphincterotomy: experience in the Sudan.

Over a 5 year period 626 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) examinations were attempted in Khartoum, Sudan. The relevant duct was successfully cannulated and visualized in 94% of cases of biliary tract disease and in 73% of cases of pancreatic disease. This was due to the large number of cases with advanced pancreatic cancer. The commonest abnormal finding was stones in the biliary tree in 214 cases (35% of all cases). Cholangiocarcinoma was seen in 18 cases, pancreatic cancer in 64 cases, chronic pancreatitis in 48 cases and periampullary carcinoma in 20 cases. ERCP was considered normal in 100 cases. Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) was performed in 48 cases; 44 had common duct stones. ERCP and EST are feasible and useful procedures in a developing country. However they are expensive and should be carried out in referral centres.