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Arezou Sayad,1 Mohammad Taghi Akbari,2 Rezvan Noroozi,3 Mir Davood Omrani,1,4 Hidetoshi Inoko,5 Mohammad Taheri,6 Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard1 1Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; 3Photochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 5Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Japan; 6Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders known by impaired social interaction and activities and abnormal repetitive behavior. As a multifactorial disorder, several genetic and immunological factors have been shown to be implicated in its pathogenesis. Methods: Among them are certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles. In the current study, we genotyped HLA-A, -B & DRB alleles in 103 Iranian ASD patients and 180 age, gender, and ethnic-matched healthy controls. Results: After Boferroni correction no allele or haplotype was associated with genetic susceptibility to ASD in Iranian population. Conclusion: Future studies are needed to assess contribution of immunological factors such as HLA alleles in ASD pathogenesis. Keywords: autism, HLA typing, immune response

Background: DNA methylation profiling may provide a more accurate measure of the smoking status than self-report and may be useful in guiding clinical interventions and forensic investigations. In the current study, blood DNA methylation profiles of nearly 800 Polish individuals were assayed using Illuminia EPIC and the inference of smoking from epigenetic data was explored. In addition, we focused on the role of the AHRR gene as a top marker for smoking and investigated its responsiveness to other lifestyle behaviors., Results: We found > 450 significant CpGs associated with cigarette consumption, and overrepresented in various biological functions including cell communication, response to stress, blood vessel development, cell death, and atherosclerosis. The model consisting of cg05575921 in AHRR (p = 4.5 × 10 -32 ) and three additional CpGs (cg09594361, cg21322436 in CNTNAP2 and cg09842685) was able to predict smoking status with a high accuracy of AUC = 0.8 in the test set. Importantly, a gradual increase in the probability of smoking was observed, starting from occasional smokers to regular heavy smokers. Furthermore, former smokers displayed the intermediate DNA methylation profiles compared to current and never smokers, and thus our results indicate the potential reversibility of DNA methylation after smoking cessation. The AHRR played a key role in a predictive analysis, explaining 21.5% of the variation in smoking. In addition, the AHRR methylation was analyzed for association with other modifiable lifestyle factors, and showed significance for sleep and physical activity. We also showed that the epigenetic score for smoking was significantly correlated with most of the epigenetic clocks tested, except for two first-generation clocks., Conclusions: Our study suggests that a more rapid return to never-smoker methylation levels after smoking cessation may be achievable in people who change their lifestyle in terms of physical activity and sleep duration. As cigarette smoking has been implicated in the literature as a leading cause of epigenetic aging and AHRR appears to be modifiable by multiple exogenous factors, it emerges as a promising target for intervention and investment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Second to fourth digit ratio is widely known indicator of prenatal sex hormones proportion. Higher prenatal androgenization results in longer fourth finger and lower 2D:4D index. The aim of this study was to determine whether the 2D:4D digit ratio is associated with DNA methylation (DNAm) age dependently on sex., Material and Methods: The study included 182 adults (106 females and 76 males) with a mean age of 51.5 ± 13 years. The investigation consisted of three main parts: a survey, anthropometric dimensions measurements (fingers length) and methylome analysis using collected blood samples. Genome-wide methylation was analyzed using EPIC microarray technology. Epigenetic age and epigenetic age acceleration were calculated using several widely applied algorithms., Results: Males with the female left hand pattern had more accelerated epigenetic age than those with the male pattern as calculated with PhenoAge and DNAmTL clocks., Conclusions: Finger female pattern 2D:4D above or equal to 1 in males is associated with epigenetic age acceleration, indicating that prenatal exposure to estrogens in males may be related to aging process in the later ontogenesis., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The wound healing process, restoring the functionality of the damaged tissue, can be accelerated by various compounds. The recent experimental analysis highlights the beneficial effects of phytochemicals in improving skin regeneration and wound healing. In traditional medicine, one of the widespread plants used for treating different injuries or skin afflictions is Galium aparine L. (GA). Besides, previously reported chemical compounds of GA suggested its therapeutic effects for the wound healing process, yet its regulatory effects on the cellular and molecular stages of the wound healing process have not been investigated., Methods: In the present study, the phytochemical profile of the GA extract was analyzed using HPTLC fingerprinting, and further scientific evaluation of its phytochemicals was done. The wound-healing effects of GA extract were explored at the cellular and molecular levels while accounting for cell toxicity. The wound closure enhancing effect, antibacterial activity, and antioxidant activity were assessed., Results: The HPTLC fingerprinting of the GA extract proved its previously reported phytochemical profile including phenols, flavonoids, tannins, plant acids, ergot alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, terpenoids, sterols, salicin, lipophilic compounds, saponins, iridoids, and heterocyclic nitrogen compounds. Antimicrobial assessment, of the extract, indicated the more susceptibility of S. aureus to the inhibitory effects of GA rather than E. coli and S. epidermidis. DPPH test results revealed the antioxidant property of GA extract, which was comparable to ascorbic acid. The results of the viability assay showed no cytotoxicity effects on human umbilical endothelial cell (HUVEC) and normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cell lines treated with different concentrations of whole plant extract and cell viability increased in a dose-dependent manner. The results of the scratch assay showed improved cell migration and wound closure., Conclusions: This study shows the anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, and in vitro wound healing wound-healing effects of GA hydroalcoholic extract, which aligns with its use in traditional medicine. No cytotoxicity effects were shown. The results from this study can be the basis for further investigations such as animal models and phytochemical studies. Further evaluation of its effects on mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the wound healing processes such as angiogenesis and cell proliferation can provide novel insights into the potential therapeutic effects of the GA extract., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

DNA methylation (DNAm) clocks hold promise for measuring biological age, useful for guiding clinical interventions and forensic identification. This study compared the commonly used DNAm clocks, using DNA methylation and SNP data generated from nearly 1000 human blood or buccal swab samples. We evaluated different preprocessing methods for age estimation, investigated the association of epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) with various lifestyle and sociodemographic factors, and undertook a series of novel genome-wide association analyses for different EAA measures to find associated genetic variants. Our results highlighted the Skin&Blood clock with ssNoob normalization as the most accurate predictor of chronological age. We provided novel evidence for an association between the practice of yoga and a reduction in the pace of aging (DunedinPACE). Increased sleep and physical activity were associated with lower mortality risk score (MRS) in our dataset. University degree, vegetable consumption, and coffee intake were associated with reduced levels of epigenetic aging, whereas smoking, higher BMI, meat consumption, and manual occupation correlated well with faster epigenetic aging, with FitAge, GrimAge, and DunedinPACE clocks showing the most robust associations. In addition, we found a novel association signal for SOCS2 rs73218878 (p = 2.87 × 10 -8 ) and accelerated GrimAge. Our study emphasizes the importance of an optimized DNAm analysis workflow for accurate estimation of epigenetic age, which may influence downstream analyses. The results support the influence of genetic background on EAA. The associated SOCS2 is a member of the suppressor of cytokine signaling family known for its role in human longevity. The reported association between various risk factors and EAA has practical implications for the development of health programs to improve quality of life and reduce premature mortality associated with age-related diseases., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Aging Association.)

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have gained significant attraction from both industrial and academic sectors, thanks to their biodegradability, non-toxicity, and renewability with remarkable mechanical characteristics. Desirable mechanical characteristics of CNCs include high stiffness, high strength, excellent flexibility, and large surface-to-volume ratio. Additionally, the mechanical properties of CNCs can be tailored through chemical modifications for high-end applications including tissue engineering, actuating, and biomedical. Modern manufacturing methods including 3D/4D printing are highly advantageous for developing sophisticated and intricate geometries. This review highlights the major developments of additive manufactured CNCs, which promote sustainable solutions across a wide range of applications. Additionally, this contribution also presents current challenges and future research directions of CNC-based composites developed through 3D/4D printing techniques for myriad engineering sectors including tissue engineering, wound healing, wearable electronics, robotics, and anti-counterfeiting applications. Overall, this review will greatly help research scientists from chemistry, materials, biomedicine, and other disciplines to comprehend the underlying principles, mechanical properties, and applications of additively manufactured CNC-based structures., 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 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this research, the photocatalytic degradation of CIP from aqueous solutions using CQD decorated on N-Cu co-doped titania (NCuTCQD) was made during two synthesis steps by sol-gel and hydrothermal methods. The fabricated catalysts were analyzed using various techniques, including XRD, FT-IR, BET, FESEM, EDX, and DRS. The results showed that N and Cu atoms were doped on TiO 2 and CQD was well deposited on NCuT. The investigation of effective operational parameters demonstrated that the complete removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP: 20 mg/L) could be achieved at pH 7.0, NCuTCQD 4wt% : 0.8 g/L, and light intensity: 100 mW/cm 2 over 60 min reaction time. The O 2 •- and OH˙ radicals were identified as the primary reactive species during the decontamination process. The synthesized photocatalyst could be recycled after six consecutive cycles of CIP decomposition with an insignificant decrease in performance. Pharmaceutical wastewater was treated through the optimum degradation conditions which showed the photocatalytic degradation eliminated 89% of COD and 75% of TOC within 180 min. In the effluent toxicity evaluation, the EC 50 values for treated and untreated pharmaceutical wastewater increased from 62.50% to 140%, indicating that the NCuTCQD 4wt% /Vis system can effectively reduce the toxic effects of pharmaceutical wastewater on aquatic environments., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: DNA methylation analysis has proven to be a powerful tool for age assessment. However, the implementation of epigenetic age prediction in diagnostics or routine forensic casework requires appropriate laboratory methods. In this study, we aimed to compare the performance of large-scale DNA methylation analysis protocols that show promise in terms of accuracy, throughput, multiplexing capacity, and high sensitivity., Results: The protocols were designed to target a predefined panel of 161 genomic CG/CA sites from four known estimators of epigenetic age-related parameters, optimized and validated using artificially methylated controls or blood samples. We successfully targeted 96% of these loci using two enrichment protocols: Ion AmpliSeq™, an amplicon-based method integrated with Ion Torrent S5, and SureSelect XT Methyl-Seq, a hybridization-based method followed by MiSeq FGx sequencing. Both protocols demonstrated high accuracy and robustness. Although hybridization assays have greater multiplexing capabilities, the best overall performance was observed for the amplicon-based protocol with the lowest variability in DNA methylation at 25 ng of starting DNA, mean observed marker coverage of ~ 6.7 k reads, and accuracy of methylation quantification with a mean absolute difference between observed and expected methylation beta value of 0.054. The Ion AmpliSeq method correlated strongly with genome-scale EPIC microarray data (R = 0.91) and showed superiority in terms of methylation measurement accuracy. Method-to-method bias was accounted for by the use of linear transformation, which provided a highly accurate prediction of calendar age with a mean absolute error of less than 5 years for the VISAGE and Hannum age clocks used. The pace of aging (PoAm) and the mortality risk score (MRS) estimators included in our panel represent next-generation clocks, were found to have low to moderate correlations with the VISAGE and Hannum models (R < 0.75), and thus may capture different aspects of epigenetic aging., Conclusions: We propose a laboratory tool that allows the quantification of DNA methylation in cytosines underlying four different clocks, thus providing broad information on epigenetic aging while maintaining a reasonable number of CpG markers, opening the way to a wide range of applications in forensics, medicine, and healthcare., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Bioprinting is an innovative and emerging technology of additive manufacturing (AM) and has revolutionized the biomedical sector by printing three-dimensional (3D) cell-laden constructs in a precise and controlled manner for numerous clinical applications. This approach uses biomaterials and varying types of cells to print constructs for tissue regeneration, e.g., cardiac, bone, corneal, cartilage, neural, and skin. Furthermore, bioprinting technology helps to develop drug delivery and wound healing systems, bio-actuators, bio-robotics, and bio-sensors. More recently, the development of four-dimensional (4D) bioprinting technology and stimuli-responsive materials has transformed the biomedical sector with numerous innovations and revolutions. This issue also leads to the exponential growth of the bioprinting market, with a value over billions of dollars. The present study reviews the concepts and developments of 3D and 4D bioprinting technologies, surveys the applications of these technologies in the biomedical sector, and discusses their potential research topics for future works. It is also urged that collaborative and valiant efforts from clinicians, engineers, scientists, and regulatory bodies are needed for translating this technology into the biomedical, pharmaceutical, and healthcare systems., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Biomedical Engineering Society.)

Biopolymers are promising environmentally benign materials applicable in multifarious applications. They are especially favorable in implantable biomedical devices thanks to their excellent unique properties, including bioactivity, renewability, bioresorbability, biocompatibility, biodegradability and hydrophilicity. Additive manufacturing (AM) is a flexible and intricate manufacturing technology, which is widely used to fabricate biopolymer-based customized products and structures for advanced healthcare systems. Three-dimensional (3D) printing of these sustainable materials is applied in functional clinical settings including wound dressing, drug delivery systems, medical implants and tissue engineering. The present review highlights recent advancements in different types of biopolymers, such as proteins and polysaccharides, which are employed to develop different biomedical products by using extrusion, vat polymerization, laser and inkjet 3D printing techniques in addition to normal bioprinting and four-dimensional (4D) bioprinting techniques. This review also incorporates the influence of nanoparticles on the biological and mechanical performances of 3D-printed tissue scaffolds. This work also addresses current challenges as well as future developments of environmentally friendly polymeric materials manufactured through the AM techniques. Ideally, there is a need for more focused research on the adequate blending of these biodegradable biopolymers for achieving useful results in targeted biomedical areas. We envision that biopolymer-based 3D-printed composites have the potential to revolutionize the biomedical sector in the near future., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 Shenyang Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The three-dimensional printing (3DP) also known as the additive manufacturing (AM), a novel and futuristic technology that facilitates the printing of multiscale, biomimetic, intricate cytoarchitecture, function-structure hierarchy, multi-cellular tissues in the complicated micro-environment, patient-specific scaffolds, and medical devices. There is an increasing demand for developing 3D-printed products that can be utilized for organ transplantations due to the organ shortage. Nowadays, the 3DP has gained considerable interest in the tissue engineering (TE) field. Polylactide (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) are exemplary biomaterials with excellent physicochemical properties and biocompatibility, which have drawn notable attraction in tissue regeneration. Herein, the recent advancements in the PLA and PCL biodegradable polymer-based composites as well as their reinforcement with hydrogels and bio-ceramics scaffolds manufactured through 3DP are systematically summarized and the applications of bone, cardiac, neural, vascularized and skin tissue regeneration are thoroughly elucidated. The interaction between implanted biodegradable polymers, in-vivo and in-vitro testing models for possible evaluation of degradation and biological properties are also illustrated. The final section of this review incorporates the current challenges and future opportunities in the 3DP of PCL- and PLA-based composites that will prove helpful for biomedical engineers to fulfill the demands of the clinical field., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease with variable clinical manifestations. Recent studies highlighted the contribution of epigenetic alterations to HD progress and onset. The potential crosstalk between different epigenetic layers and players such as aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs and methylation alterations has been found to affect the pathogenesis of HD or mediate the effects of trinucleotide expansion in its pathophysiology. Also, microRNAs have been assessed for their roles in the modulation of HD manifestations, among them are miR-124, miR-128a, hsa-miR-323b-3p, miR-432, miR-146a, miR-19a, miR-27a, miR-101, miR-9*, miR-22, miR-132, and miR-214. Moreover, long non-coding RNAs such as DNM3OS, NEAT1, Meg3, and Abhd11os are suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of HD. An accelerated DNA methylation age is another epigenetic signature reported recently for HD. The current literature search collected recent findings of dysregulation of miRNAs or lncRNAs as well as methylation changes and epigenetic age in HD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ghafouri-Fard, Khoshbakht, Hussen, Taheri, Ebrahimzadeh and Noroozi.)

In this study photo-catalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) from aqueous solutions using carbon quantum dot (CQD)-decorated Cu-TiO 2 was investigated. The as-prepared photo-catalyst samples were characterized by various FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, EDX, BET, and DRS techniques. The investigation of effective photo-catalytic operational parameters confirmed that the complete removal of SMX (20 mg/L) can be accomplished at pH: 6.0 and light intensity: 75 mW/cm 2 over a 30-min reaction time. DRS analysis demonstrated adding CQD to the Cu-TiO 2 reduced its bandgap energy from 2.97 to 2.90 eV. The photo-catalytic degradation kinetics of SMX fit well with the pseudo-first-order model. The radical trapping experiment indicates that HO • and O 2 •- active species were more effective species for SMX degradation, and the higher inhibition effect on the SMX degradation efficiency was assigned to O 2 •- ions. The water matrix species-inhibited effect in SMX removal was as follows: SO 4 2-  > Cl -  > NO 3 -  > CO 3 -  > no ions. The synthesized photo-catalyst could be recycled after six consecutive cycles of SMX degradation with an insignificant decrease in performance. The total organic carbon (TOC) analysis suggested the mineralization of SMZ by composite photo-catalysts. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Escherichia coli remained at 12.5 mg L -1 SMX. A possible mechanism and pathway of SMX degradation in the photo-catalytic system was presented., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: There is evidence that fully recovered COVID-19 patients usually resume physical exercise, but do not perform at the same intensity level performed prior to infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 infection and recovery as well as muscle fatigue on cardiorespiratory fitness and running biomechanics in female recreational runners. Methods: Twenty-eight females were divided into a group of hospitalized and recovered COVID-19 patients (COV, n = 14, at least 14 days following recovery) and a group of healthy age-matched controls (CTR, n = 14). Ground reaction forces from stepping on a force plate while barefoot overground running at 3.3 m/s was measured before and after a fatiguing protocol. The fatigue protocol consisted of incrementally increasing running speed until reaching a score of 13 on the 6-20 Borg scale, followed by steady-state running until exhaustion. The effects of group and fatigue were assessed for steady-state running duration, steady-state running speed, ground contact time, vertical instantaneous loading rate and peak propulsion force. Results: COV runners completed only 56% of the running time achieved by the CTR ( p < 0.0001), and at a 26% slower steady-state running speed ( p < 0.0001). There were fatigue-related reductions in loading rate ( p = 0.004) without group differences. Increased ground contact time ( p = 0.002) and reduced peak propulsion force ( p = 0.005) were found for COV when compared to CTR. Conclusion: Our results suggest that female runners who recovered from COVID-19 showed compromised running endurance and altered running kinetics in the form of longer stance periods and weaker propulsion forces. More research is needed in this area using larger sample sizes to confirm our study findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Jafarnezhadgero, Noroozi, Fakhri, Granacher and Oliveira.)

The aim of this paper was to design and fabricate a novel composite scaffold based on the combination of 3D-printed polylactic acid-based triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMSs) and cell-laden alginate hydrogel. This novel scaffold improves the low mechanical properties of alginate hydrogel and can also provide a scaffold with a suitable pore size, which can be used in bone regeneration applications. In this regard, an implicit function was used to generate some gyroid TPMS scaffolds. Then the fused deposition modeling process was employed to print the scaffolds. Moreover, the micro computed tomography technique was employed to assess the microstructure of 3D-printed TPMS scaffolds and obtain the real geometries of printed scaffolds. The mechanical properties of composite scaffolds were investigated under compression tests experimentally. It was shown that different mechanical behaviors could be obtained for different implicit function parameters. In this research, to assess the mechanical behavior of printed scaffolds in terms of the strain-stress curves on, two approaches were presented: equivalent volume and finite element-based volume. Results of strain-stress curves showed that the finite-element based approach predicts a higher level of stress. Moreover, the biological response of composite scaffolds in terms of cell viability, cell proliferation, and cell attachment was investigated. In this vein, a dynamic cell culture system was designed and fabricated, which improves mass transport through the composite scaffolds and applies mechanical loading to the cells, which helps cell proliferation. Moreover, the results of the novel composite scaffolds were compared to those without alginate, and it was shown that the composite scaffold could create more viability and cell proliferation in both dynamic and static cultures. Also, it was shown that scaffolds in dynamic cell culture have a better biological response than in static culture. In addition, scanning electron microscopy was employed to study the cell adhesion on the composite scaffolds, which showed excellent attachment between the scaffolds and cells., (© 2022 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Tissue engineering, whose aim is to repair or replace damaged tissues by combining the principle of biomaterials and cell transplantation, is one of the most important and interdisciplinary fields of regenerative medicine. Despite remarkable progress, there are still some limitations in the tissue engineering field, among which designing and manufacturing suitable scaffolds. With the advent of additive manufacturing (AM), a breakthrough happened in the production of complex geometries. In this vein, AM has enhanced the field of bioprinting in generating biomimicking organs or artificial tissues possessing the required porous graded structure. In this study, triply periodic minimal surface structures, suitable to manufacture scaffolds mimicking bone's heterogeneous nature, have been studied experimentally and numerically; the influence of the printing direction and printing material has been investigated. Various multi-morphology scaffolds, including gyroid, diamond, and I-graph and wrapped package graph (I-WP), with different transitional zone, have been three-dimensional (3D) printed and tested under compression. Further, a micro-computed tomography (μCT) analysis has been employed to obtain the real geometry of printed scaffolds. Finite element analyses have been also performed and compared with experimental results. Finally, the scaffolds' behavior under complex loading has been investigated based on the combination of μCT and finite element modeling., Competing Interests: 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: © 2022 Noroozi, et al.)

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) embrace a diverse set of neurodevelopmental diseases with a multifaceted genetic basis. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are among putative loci with critical participation in the development of ASD. Expression of some lncRNAs, namely RP11-466P24.2, SYP-AS1, STXBP5-AS1, and IFNG-AS1 has been decreased in ASD, while AK128569, CTD-2516F10.2, MSNP1AS, RPS10P2-AS1, LINC00693, LINC00689, NEAT1, TUG1, and Shank2-AS lncRNAs have been over-expressed in ASD. Expression of several miRNAs which are implicated in the immunological developmental, immune responses, and protein synthesis as well as those participating in the regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and EGFR signaling pathways is dysregulated in the context of ASD. In the present article, we describe investigations which appraised the role of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs in the pathobiology of ASD., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The objective of the study was to assess the amount of aflatoxin M 1 (AFM 1 ) and aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) during fermentation, drying, and storage of Tarkhineh-a traditional Persian fermented food-over four months. Tarkhineh samples were produced based on a traditional method. Various concentrations of AFB 1 (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 µg/kg) and AFM 1 , stood at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 µg/kg, were added to Iranian yogurt drink, called doogh, samples. Tarkhineh samples were evaluated for AFB 1 and AFM 1 on days 0, 2, 6, and 8 and also after drying and four months of storage. In cases of repeatability, recovery, and reproducibility, the high-performance liquid chromatography through fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD) method was successfully done to demonstrate aflatoxins (AFs) in Tarkhineh samples. The fermentation process had a considerable consequence on the reduction in AFM 1 and AFB 1 as compared to the control group, evidenced by 65.10%-81.20% and 55.80%-74.10%, respectively, after eight days of fermentation ( p  < .05). The highest reduction in AFB 1 existed in samples containing 2.5 µg/kg toxin, followed by 5, 7.5, and 10 µg/kg, respectively. A similar trend was found for AFM 1 , as the highest concentration was found in samples containing 0.25 µg/kg toxin, followed by 0.5, 0.75, and 1 µg/kg, respectively., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest found in this study., (© 2022 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The Ras homolog (Rho) family of small GTPases comprise several proteins with prominent roles in regulation of cell cycle transition, cell migration, and remodeling of actin cytoskeleton. Expression of these proteins is regulated by several factors among them are long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The impact of lncRNAs on Rho GTPases signaling can be exerted through direct modulation of expression of these proteins or influencing expression of miRNAs that negatively regulate Rho GTPases. LINC00974/miR-122/RhoA, MALAT1/miR-429/RhoA, ZFAS1/miR-3924/RhoA/ROCK2, PCAT6/miR-326/RhoA/ROCK, SMILR/miR-141/RhoA/ROCK, DAPK1/miR-182/RhoA, GAS5/miR663a/RhoB, H19/miR-15b/CDC42/PAK1, TDRG1/miR-93/RhoC, TUG1/miR-498/CDC42, UCA1/miR-18a/Cdc42 and UCA1/miR-182/Cdc42 are examples of lncRNAs/miRNAs axes that regulate Rho GTPases. In the present manuscript, we describe the role of lncRNAs on Rho GTPases., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Aging as an irretrievable occurrence throughout the entire life is characterized by a progressive decline in physiological functionality and enhanced disease vulnerability. Numerous studies have demonstrated that epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation (DNAm), correlate with aging and age-related diseases. Several investigations have attempted to predict chronological age using the age-related alterations in the DNAm of certain CpG sites. Here we categorize different studies that tracked the aging process in the DNAm landscape to show how epigenetic age clocks evolved from a chronological age estimator to an indicator of lifespan and healthspan. We also describe the health and disease predictive potential of estimated epigenetic age acceleration regarding different clinical conditions and lifestyle factors. Considering the revealed age-related epigenetic changes, the recent age-reprogramming strategies are discussed which are promising methods for resetting the aging clocks., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Prostate cancer is the second cancer diagnosed in males. It accounts for about 4% of cancer-related mortality in men. Several genetic polymorphisms in different genes have been identified that alter the risk of this kind of malignancy., Materials and Methods: We used the random forest (RF) algorithm for prediction of prostate cancer risk in Iranian population using 13 different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in four genes (ANRIL, HOTAIR, IL-6 and IL-8). The samples were divided into a training set (n=320) and a test set (n=80) to evaluate the generalization power for training algorithm. For hyper-parameters tuning, we used randomized search with 5-fold cross-validation for the following hyper-parameters: (1) Number of trees or estimators in the forest (set from 3 to 500); (2) The maximum number of leaf nodes (set from 2 to 32); (3) The maximum number of features used for the best split (set from 5 to 13); and (4) Using bootstrap samples in the trees building (True or False). Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and F1-score in both training and test sets were reported., Results: The most important SNP was ANRIL-rs1333048: A/A (Gini index= 0.096) followed by ANRIL- rs10757278: G/G (Gini index= 0.059). Training Dataset Outcomes were as follow: Accuracy: 0.896, Sensitivity: 0.85, Specificity: 0.944 and F1 Score: 0.891. Test Dataset Outcomes were as follow: Accuracy: 0.787, Sensitivity: 0.775, Specificity: 0.800 and F1 Score: 0.784. The AUC Scores were 0.966 and 0.841 for training and test datasets, respectively., Conclusion: The proposed panels of SNPs can predict risk of prostate cancer in Iranian population with appropriate accuracy.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes a heterogeneous group of disorders with different contributing genetics and epigenetics factors. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been detected in ASD children compared with normally developed children. Due to the heterogeneity of this disorder, there is no consensus on ASD-associated miRNAs; thus, it is necessary to develop a model for comprehensive assessment of the role of miRNAs in ASD. We interrogated the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases until the end of 2019 to identify ASD-associated miRNAs. In addition, mRNA-coding genes that contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD were downloaded from the SFARI GENE ( https://gene.sfari.org/ ). The obtained 201 miRNAs and 478 target mRNAs were imported into the Cytoscape software suite to construct a miRNA-mRNA network. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed for target mRNAs using the CluPedia program in Cytoscape. Using this approach, we detected five modules that were associated with neurexins and neuroligins, glutamatergic synapse, cell adhesion molecules, NOTCH, MECP2 and circadian clock pathways, L1CAM interactions, and neurotransmitter release cycle. Taken together, functional analysis of these genes led to determination of critical pathways related to CNS disorders. Thus, the suggested approach in the current study resulted in the identification of the most relevant pathways in the pathogenesis of ASD that can be used as biomarkers or therapeutic targets.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been shown to have a complex inheritance. Several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been shown to be associated with risk of this neurodevelopmental disorder. In the current study, we genotyped four SNPs in a genomic hotspot for human disorders. The selected SNPs were located in adjacency of the antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL) and have been shown to be associated with a number of human disorders. Genotyping was performed in 420 ASD cases and 420 normally developed children. After correction of P values for multiple comparisons, there was no significant difference in frequencies of rs1333045, rs1333048, rs4977574, and rs10757278 alleles, genotypes, or haplotypes between ASD children and children with normal development. However, one estimated haplotype (T A A A haplotype corresponding to rs1333045, rs1333048, rs4977574, and rs10757278 SNPs, respectively) tended to be more prevalent among cases compared with controls (OR (95% CI) = 1.77 (1.19-2.64), adjusted P value = 0.07). Besides, the T A G G tended to be less common among ASD cases compared with controls (OR (95% CI) = 0.64 (0.47-0.87), adjusted P value = 0.07). Although we could not detect significant difference in alleles, genotypes, or haplotypes frequencies between cases and controls, the trend toward association between two haplotypes and ASD risk implies that there might be a putative causative variant in the mentioned haplotypes whose association with ASD could be determined in larger cohorts of patients.

Background: The methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a folate-dependent enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within this gene namely rs1801133 (C677T) and rs1801131 (A1298C) have been associated with elevated risk of ischemic stroke and total serum homocysteine in some populations. Aim: To assess associations between MTHFR SNPs and risk of ischemic stroke in Iranian population. Methods: In the current case-control study, we genotyped rs1801133 and rs1801131 SNPs in 318 Iranian patients with history of ischemic stroke and 400 age- and sex-matched controls using tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction method. Results: The rs1801133 was significantly associated with risk of stroke in recessive model (OR (95% CI) = 1.89 (1.12-3.20), p  = 0.03). The CT haplotype (rs1801131 and rs1801133, respectively) was significantly over-represented in patients compared with controls (OR (95% CI) = 1.71 (0.25-2.32), p  = 0.002). Conclusion: Consequently, our data demonstrate contribution of MTHFR variants in risk of ischemic stroke in Iranian population.

Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) incidence in cereal, especially in wheat products, is a serious worldwide challenge for human health. The objective of the current study was to survey the effect of various factors, including fermentation times, yeast levels, ingredients, and time/temperature combinations of the baking process on aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) reduction in order to modify parameters of the traditional cookie-making process. AFB 1 levels were analyzed by an HPLC-fluorescence detector. The results revealed AFB 1 levels significantly decreased during fermentation (%23.7), depending on an increase in the yeast level (2%) and fermentation time (90 min). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between pH reduction and AFB 1 decomposition. However, the formulation of the recipe did not show a significant effect on the detoxification of AFB 1 . The baking temperature increase in an admissible technological range (280°C for 15 min) more effectively reduced AFB 1 content (%53.9). As a result, the exact control of the traditional process was able to significantly decreased AFB 1 content as a serious health-threatening toxin in the final product (%75.9). However, AFB 1 toxicity reduction should be considered seriously in the raw materials and such products., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© 2020 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Application of magnetite nanoparticles (CuFe 2 O 4 /GO) were anchored on graphene oxide (GO), as a Heterogeneous nanocomposite for activating of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) into Metronidazole (MNZ) destruction. The effect of solution pH, reaction time, effectiveness of water matrix components and trapping factors, different catalyst concentrations, PMS and contaminants were evaluated as operating factors on the efficiency of MNZ degradation. Also, mineralization, stability, reactivity and Recycling tests of the catalyst, and the degradation kinetics were performed. MNZ degradation and mineralization were obtained under optimal conditions (0.2 g/L catalyst, pH = 5, 30 mg/L MNZ and 2 mM PMS), 100% and 41.02%, respectively over 120 min. Leaching of Fe and Cu was found <0.2 mg/L for CuFe 2 O 4 /GO showed a high stability of catalyst, and a significant recyclability was achieved CuFe 2 O 4 /GO within 5 times consecutive use. MNZ degradation affected by anions was reduced as follows: HCO 3 -  > NO 3 -  > Cl -  > SO 4 2- . The experimental data were very good agreement with pseudo-first-order kinetic model, and during quenching tests SO 4 •- radicals played a dominant role in the degradation process of MNZ. As a result, the CuFe2O4/GO/PMS system can be described as a promising activation of PMS in MNZ degradation, due to its high stability, reusability and good catalyst reactivity, and the production of reactive species simultaneously., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors of this article declare that they have no conflict of interests., (© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.)

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global pandemic in early 2020. The infection has been associated with a wide range of clinical symptoms. In the severely affected patients, it has caused dysregulation of immune responses including over-secretion of inflammatory cytokines and imbalances in the proportion of naïve helper T cells, memory helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Identification of the underlying mechanism of such aberrant function of immune system would help in the prediction of disease course and selection of susceptible patients for more intensive cares. In the current review, we summarize the results of studies which reported alterations in cytokine levels and immune cell functions in patients affected with SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses., 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 © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Neuronal differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, both in 2D models and 3D systems in vitro, allows for the study of disease pathomechanisms and the development of novel therapies. To verify if the origin of donor cells used for reprogramming to iPS cells can influence the differentiation abilities of iPS cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and keratinocytes were reprogrammed to iPS cells using the Sendai viral vector and were subsequently checked for pluripotency markers and the ability to form teratomas in vivo. Then, iPS cells were differentiated into dopaminergic neurons in 2D and 3D cultures. Both PBMC and keratinocyte-derived iPS cells were similarly reprogrammed to iPS cells, but they displayed differences in gene expression profiles and in teratoma compositions in vivo. During 3D organoid formation, the origin of iPS cells affected the levels of FOXA2 and LMX1A only in the first stages of neural differentiation, whereas in the 2D model, differences were detected at the levels of both early and late neural markers FOXA2, LMX1A, NURR1, TUBB and TH. To conclude, the origin of iPS cells may significantly affect iPS differentiation abilities in teratomas, as well as exerting effects on 2D differentiation into dopaminergic neurons and the early stages of 3D midbrain organoid formation.

The recent outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has created a global crisis, necessitating the identification of genetic factors that modulate the risk of disorder or its severity. The current data about the role of genetic risk factors in determination of rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection in each ethnic group and the severity of disorder is limited. Moreover, several confounding parameters such as the number of tests performed in each country, the structure of the population especially the age distribution, the presence of risk factors for respiratory disorders such as smoking and other environmental factors might be involved in the variability in disease course or prevalence of infection among different ethnic groups. However, assessment of the role of genetic variants in determination of the course of other respiratory infections might help in recognition of possible candidate for further analysis in patients affected with SARS-CoV-2. In the current review, we summarize the data showing the association between genomic variants and risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory infections or severity of these conditions with an especial focus on the SARS-CoV-2., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and its homologue, ACE2, have been mostly associated with hypertensive disorder. However, recent pandemia of SARS-CoV-2 has put these proteins at the center of attention, as this virus has been shown to exploit ACE2 protein to enter cells. Clear difference in the response of affected patients to this virus has urged researchers to find the molecular basis and pathophysiology of the cell response to this virus. Different levels of expression and function of ACE proteins, underlying disorders, consumption of certain medications and the existence of certain genomic variants within ACE genes are possible explanations for the observed difference in the response of individuals to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the current review, we discuss the putative mechanisms for this observation., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) pathways participate in regulation of several cellular processes involved in breast carcinogenesis. A number of non-coding RNAs including both microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate or being regulated by MAPKs. We performed an in-silico method for identification of MAPKs with high number of interactions with miRNAs and lncRNAs. Bioinformatics approaches revealed that MAPK14 ranked first among MAPKs. Subsequently, we identified miRNAs and lncRNAs that were predicted to be associated with MAPK14. Finally, we selected four lncRNAs with higher predicted scores (NORAD, HCG11, ZNRD1ASP and TTN-AS1) and assessed their expression in 80 breast cancer tissues and their adjacent non-cancerous tissues (ANCTs). Expressions of HCG11 and ZNRD1ASP were lower in tumoral tissues compared with ANCTs (P values < 0.0001). However, expression levels of MAPK14 and NORAD were not significantly different between breast cancer tissues and ANCTs. A significant association was detected between expression of HCG11 and estrogen receptor (ER) status in a way that tumors with up-regulation of this lncRNA were mostly ER negative (P value = 0.04). Expressions of ZNRD1ASP and HCG11 were associated with menopause age and breast feeding duration respectively (P values = 0.02 and 0.04 respectively). There was a trend towards association between ZNRD1ASP expression and patients' age of cancer diagnosis. Finally, we detected a trend toward association between expression of NORAD and history of hormone replacement therapy (P value = 0.06). Expression of MAPK14 was significantly higher in grade 1 tumors compared with grade 2 tumors (P value = 0.02). Consequently, the current study provides evidences for association between lncRNA expressions and reproductive factors or tumor features.

Recent studies have demonstrated the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathophysiology of autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Among these transcripts is HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) whose contribution in MS has been verified both in animal models and in human studies. In the current study, we genotyped three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with this lncRNA (rs12826786, rs1899663 and rs4759314) in 403 Iranian MS patients and 420 healthy subjects. After correction of P values for multiple comparisons, the rs4759314 SNP was associated with risk of MS in allelic model (OR (95% CI)= 1.34 (1.08-1.67), adjusted P value=0.02). The other SNPs were not associated with risk of MS in any inheritance model. The C G A haplotype (rs12826786, rs1899663 and rs4759314, respectively) was less prevalent in cases compared with controls (OR (95% CI)= 0.73 (0.59-0.90), adjusted P value=0.03). The T G A haplotype was more common among cases compared with controls (OR (95% CI)= 1.58 (1.20-2.08), adjusted P value=0.01). Taken together, HOTAIR might be regarded as a risk locus for MS in Iranian population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) as a progressive chronic disease of the central nervous system (CNS) is characterized by demyelination and axonal loss. Results of genetic studies and clinical trials have proved a key role for the immune system in the pathogenesis of MS. Glucocorticoids (GR) are regarded as potent therapeutic compounds for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases which act through their receptors encoded by Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 3 Group C Member 1 ( NR3C1 ) gene. Meanwhile, the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest specific 5 ( GAS5 ) interacts with GR through binding to the DNA-binding domain (DBD) region and reduces GR transcriptional activity. Methods: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the association between MS and polymorphisms within NR3C1 (rs6189/6190, rs56149945, rs41423247) and GAS5 (rs55829688) genes in 300 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 300 healthy subjects. Results: We demonstrated significant differences in distribution of genotype, allele and haplotype frequencies of rs6189, rs41423247 and rs55829688 between the study groups. Conclusion: Our data may suggest that rs6189, rs41423247 and rs55829688 are associated with the increased risk of MS development. Future studies are needed to verify our results in larger sample sizes and elaborate the underlying mechanisms for contribution of these variants in MS disease.

Down-regulation of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) has a pathogenic role in bladder cancer. Moreover, genomic variants of this lncRNA have been associated with risk of diverse cancers. In the present project, we genotyped two putative functional SNPs (rs2067079 and rs6790) in 122 bladder cancer patients and 150 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. The rs2067079 was associated risk of bladder cancer in recessive inheritance model (TT vs.CC + CT: OR (95% Confidence interval (CI)) = 2.67 (1.27-5.62), adjusted P value = 0.02). The T G haplotype (rs2067079 and rs6790) increased the risk of bladder cancer in the assessed population (OR (95% CI) = 1.73 (1.18-2.56), adjusted P value = 0.02). Consequently, in the current project we introduced a novel risk locus for bladder cancer in Iranian population.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory neuronal damages and consequent disabilities. Episodic relapses of the disease which lead to brain lesions and irreversible neurological dysfunctions could be decreased by the interferon-beta (IFN-β) therapy in most of the MS patients. However, the efficiency of the drug response is highly variable among patients and the precise mechanism of action of the IFN-β is not clear. To investigate the role of RORA gene as a biomarker of patient's responsiveness, the present study have analyzed the frequency of two polymorphisms (rs4774388 and rs11639084) within this gene between responder (n = 105) and nonresponder (n = 65) groups of MS patients in comparison with 200 healthy controls. The tetra primers-Amplification Refractory Mutation System-PCR method was used for genotyping. The obtained result of the current study showed a significant association between nonresponsiveness and the rs4774388 in dominant model (p = 0.03). However, the allele and genotype frequencies of rs11639084 were not different between controls, nonresponder, and responder patients. In addition, the frequencies of the estimated haplotype blocks were not different between examined groups. The obtained results of the present study suggested the rs4774388 as a possible effective factor in determination of response to IFN-β. However, further studies are needed to confirm the results in a larger sample size.

This article shows how four-dimensional (4D) printing technology can engineer adaptive metastructures that exploit resonating self-bending elements to filter vibrational and acoustic noises and change filtering ranges. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is implemented to fabricate temperature-responsive shape-memory polymer (SMP) elements with self-bending features. Experiments are conducted to reveal how the speed of the 4D printer head can affect functionally graded prestrain regime, shape recovery and self-bending characteristics of the active elements. A 3D constitutive model, along with an in-house finite element (FE) method, is developed to replicate the shape recovery and self-bending of SMP beams 4D-printed at different speeds. Furthermore, a simple approach of prestrain modeling is introduced into the commercial FE software package to simulate material tailoring and self-bending mechanism. The accuracy of the straightforward FE approach is validated against experimental observations and computational results from the in-house FE MATLAB-based code. Two periodic architected temperature-sensitive metastructures with adaptive dynamical characteristics are proposed to use bandgap engineering to forbid specific frequencies from propagating through the material. The developed computational tool is finally implemented to numerically examine how bandgap size and frequency range can be controlled and broadened. It is found out that the size and frequency range of the bandgaps are linked to changes in the geometry of self-bending elements printed at different speeds. This research is likely to advance the state-of-the-art 4D printing and unlock potentials in the design of functional metastructures for a broad range of applications in acoustic and structural engineering, including sound wave filters and waveguides., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Molybdenum cofactor sulfurase (MOCOS) gene encodes an enzyme which is involved in purine metabolism. Recent experiments have shown down-regulation of MOCOS in adult nasal olfactory stem cells of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the current study, we genotyped two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within coding regions of MOCOS gene (rs594445 and rs1057251) in 406 ASD patients and 411 age and sex-matched controls. The A allele of the rs594445 SNP was more prevalent among ASD cases compared with controls (OR (95% CI) = 1.33 (1.07-1.64), adjusted P value = 0.02). This SNP was associated with risk of ASD in co-dominant (AA vs. CC: OR (95% CI) = 2.00 (1.22-3.23), adjusted P value = 0.04) and recessive (AA vs. CC + AC: OR (95% CI) = 1.86 (1.16-2.98), adjusted P value = 0.02) models. The other SNP was not associated with risk of ASD in any inheritance model. There was no LD between rs594445 and rs1057251 SNPs (D' = 0.03, r 2  = 0.14). The C T haplotype (rs594445 and rs1057251, respectively) had a protective role against ASD (OR (95% CI) = 0.76 (0.62-0.92), adjusted P value = 0.02). Other estimated haplotypes distributed equally between cases and controls. Based on the results of current study, the rs594445 SNP might be regarded as a risk locus for ASD in Iranian population.

Dielectric actuators (DEAs), because of their exceptional properties, are well-suited for soft actuators (or robotics) applications. This article studies a multi-stimuli thermo-dielectric-based soft actuator under large bending conditions. In order to determine the stress components and induced moment (or stretches), a nominal Helmholtz free energy density function with two types of hyperelastic models are employed. Non-linear electro-elasticity theory is adopted to derive the governing equations of the actuator. Total deformation gradient tensor is multiplicatively decomposed into electro-mechanical and thermal parts. The problem is solved using the second-order Runge-Kutta method. Then, the numerical results under thermo-mechanical loadings are validated against the finite element method (FEM) outcomes by developing a user-defined subroutine, UHYPER in a commercial FEM software. The effect of electric field and thermal stimulus are investigated on the mean radius of curvature and stresses distribution of the actuator. Results reveal that in the presence of electric field, the required moment to actuate the actuator is smaller. Finally, due to simplicity and accuracy of the present boundary problem, the proposed thermally-electrically actuator is expected to be used in future studies and 4D printing of artificial thermo-dielectric-based beam muscles.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with complex pattern of inheritance. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within coding or non-coding regions of genome have been associated with risk of this disorder. In the current study, we genotyped rs12826786, rs1899663, and rs4759314 SNPs within HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) in 427 ASD cases and 430 normally developed children. The rs12826786 was associated with ASD in allelic (T vs. C: OR (95% CI) = 1.29 (1.07-1.57), adjusted P value = 0.03) and recessive (TT vs. TC + CC: OR (95% CI) = 1.60 (1.10-2.32), adjusted P value = 0.04) models. However, the other SNPs were not associated with ASD in any inheritance model. No estimated haplotype within HOTAIR was associated with risk of ASD in the assessed population. Based on the results of the current investigation, the rs12826786 can be regarded as a risk locus for ASD in Iranian population.

Modeling and analyzing the sports equipment for injury prevention, reduction in cost, and performance enhancement have gained considerable attention in the sports engineering community. In this regard, the structure study of on-water sports board (surfboard, kiteboard, and skimboard) is vital due to its close relation with environmental and human health as well as performance and safety of the board. The aim of this paper is to advance the on-water sports board through various bio-inspired core structure designs such as honeycomb, spiderweb, pinecone, and carbon atom configuration fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Fused deposition modeling was employed to fabricate complex structures from polylactic acid (PLA) materials. A 3D-printed sample board with a uniform honeycomb structure was designed, 3D printed, and tested under three-point bending conditions. A geometrically linear analytical method was developed for the honeycomb core structure using the energy method and considering the equivalent section for honeycombs. A geometrically non-linear finite element method based on the ABAQUS software was also employed to simulate the boards with various core designs. Experiments were conducted to verify the analytical and numerical results. After validation, various patterns were simulated, and it was found that bio-inspired functionally graded honeycomb structure had the best bending performance. Due to the absence of similar designs and results in the literature, this paper is expected to advance the state of the art of on-water sports boards and provide designers with structures that could enhance the performance of sports equipment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.