Advanced Research Techniques Research Articles

Advancements in Multiple Myeloma Research: High-Throughput Sequencing Technologies, Omics, and the Role of Artificial Intelligence

Multiple myeloma is a complex and challenging type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. In recent years, the development of advanced research techniques, such as omics approaches—which involve studying large sets of biological data like genes and proteins—and high-throughput sequencing technologies, has allowed researchers to analyze vast amounts of genetic information rapidly and gain new insights into the disease. Additionally, the advent of artificial intelligence tools has accelerated data analysis, enabling more accurate predictions and improved treatment strategies. This review aims to highlight recent research advances in multiple myeloma made possible by these novel techniques and to provide guidance for researchers seeking effective approaches in this field.

Diagnostic tests for primary immunodeficiency disorders: Classic and genetic testing.

Primary immunodeficiency diseases encompass a variety of genetic conditions characterized by a compromised immune system and typically results in increased susceptibility to infection. In fact, they also manifest as autoimmunity, autoinflammation, atopic diseases, and malignancy. Currently, the number of recognized monogenic primary immunodeficiency disorders is set at ∼500 different entities, owing to the exponential use of unbiased genetic testing for disease discovery. In addition, the prevalence of secondary immunodeficiency has also been on the rise due to the increased use of immunosuppressive drugs to treat diseases based on immune dysregulation, an increase in the number of individuals undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and other chronic medical conditions, including autoimmunity. Although the clinical symptoms of immunodeficiency disorders are broad, an early diagnosis and tailored management strategies are essential to mitigate the risk of infections and prevent disease-associated morbidity. Generally, the medical history and physical examination can provide useful information that can help delineate the possibility of immune defects. In turn, this makes it feasible to select focused laboratory tests that identify immunodeficiency disorders based on the specific immune cells and their functions or products that are affected. Laboratory evaluation involves quantitative and functional classic testing (e.g., leukocyte counts, serum immunoglobulin levels, specific antibody titers in response to vaccines, and enumeration of lymphocyte subsets) as well as genetic testing (e.g., individual gene evaluation via Sanger sequencing or unbiased evaluation based on next-generation sequencing). However, in many cases, a diagnosis also requires additional advanced research techniques to validate genetic or other findings. This article updates clinicians about available laboratory tests for evaluating the immune system in patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders. It also provides a comprehensive list of testing options, organized based on different components of host defense.

D2-like dopamine receptors blockade within the dentate gyrus shows a greater effect on stress-induced analgesia in the tail-flick test compared to D1-like dopamine receptors.

Acute stress, as a protective mechanism to respond to an aversive stimulus, can often be accompanied by suppressing pain perception via promoting consistent burst firing of dopamine neurons. Besides, sensitive and advanced research techniques led to the recognition of the mesohippocampal dopaminergic terminals, particularly in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). Moreover, previous studies have shown that dopamine receptors within the hippocampal DG play a critical role in induced antinociceptive responses by forced swim stress (FSS) in the presence of inflammatory pain. Since different pain states can trigger various mechanisms and transmitter systems, the present experiments aimed to investigate whether dopaminergic receptors within the DG have the same role in the presence of acute thermal pain. Ninety-seven adult male albino Wistar rats underwent stereotaxic surgery, and a stainless steel guide cannula was unilaterally implanted 1 mm above the DG. Different doses of SCH23390 or sulpiride as D1- and D2-like dopamine receptor antagonists were microinjected into the DG 5-10 min before exposure to FSS, and 5 min after FSS exposure, the tail-flick test evaluated the effect of stress on the nociceptive response at the time-set intervals. The results demonstrated that exposure to FSS could significantly increase the acute pain perception threshold, while intra-DG administration of SCH23390 and sulpiride reduced the antinociceptive effect of FSS in the tail-flick test. Additionally, it seems the D2-like dopamine receptor within the DG plays a more prominent role in FSS-induced analgesia in the acute pain model.

Paying Tribute: Returning to the Story of the “Qur‘ān of ‘Uthmān

Objectives: The Qur’an occupies a central position in a religious and philosophical system that has had a significant and emblematic impact on human history, influencing Arabic studies worldwide. Such is particularly true for Russian Arabic studies, where the '‘Uthmanic Qur’an', with copies in Saint Petersburg and Uzbekistan, has played a crucial role. This study aims to honour our teachers and the Arab community of Qashqadarya, who continue to preserve their language and culture. Methodology: Synthetic, Comparative. Findings: The history of these manuscripts spans over twelve centuries, providing rich material linked to the fate of human lineages, nations, cities, peoples, and Islamic civilisation since its emergence in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century until the triumph of Islam. This Islam endured against the communist regime in the Islamic republics of the Soviet Union. The Russian School of Arabic Studies survived the 1917 Revolution due to its concentration on research areas that were of particular importance at the time. These included the study of Arabic sources on the history of the USSR territories and the living Arabic dialects used in the Central Asian republics. Such led to the publication of significant works on the language, ethnography, and history of the Arabs of Qashqadarya, whose ancestors brought the '‘Uthmanic Qur’an' from the Arabian Peninsula via the Silk Road to their land in Uzbekistan. Originality: Today, advanced research techniques must be used to study and analyse the '‘Uthmanic Qur’an' manuscript and reconstruct the origin, culture, and dialects of the Arab population in Qashqadarya, Uzbekistan. These include DNA analysis and modern linguistic methods based on big data and artificial intelligence technology.

An Insight into Fluorinated Imines and Hydrazones as Antibacterial Agents.

Fluorinated imines (Schiff bases) and fluorinated hydrazones are of particular interest in medicinal chemistry due to their potential usefulness in treating opportunistic strains of bacteria that are resistant to commonly used antibacterial agents. The present review paper is focused on these fluorinated molecules revealing strong, moderate or weak in vitro antibacterial activities, which have been reported in the scientific papers during the last fifteen years. Fluorinated building blocks and reaction conditions used for the synthesis of imines and hydrazones are mentioned. The structural modifications, which have an influence on the antibacterial activity in all the reported classes of fluorinated small molecules, are highlighted, focusing mainly on the importance of specific substitutions. Advanced research techniques and innovations for the synthesis, design and development of fluorinated imines and hydrazones are also summarized.

Advanced flow simulations of estuarine water resources responding to changes in societal demands

Water resources of rivers and estuaries have traditionally been managed for local societal demands, including municipal, agricultural, and industrial usages, as well as for transportation as navigational channels. However, as societal demands have changed including urban expansion, economic growth, cultural transition, etc., the land uses also should be changed, and the civil necessities of water have been diversified, and this has raised concerns about the ecology, environment, and water quality issues. This study attempted to address three water resource management issues in South Korean rivers and estuaries, which occurred recently due to the changes in societal demands for water and explained how the most advanced scientific research techniques had been applied. The main issues were 1) agricultural water security and ecological environment restoration in Nakdong River Estuary, 2) water and soil quality degradation due to industrial effluents in Hyeongsan River Estuary, and 3) utilization of rivers as waterways and water quality and ecology issues in the ARA waterway. To find solutions to conflicts of water resources, the series of numerical simulations validated by the field observations allowed 1) assessments of the impact and extent of salt intrusion upon the opening of estuary dam gates, 2) estuarine physical processes to investigate the influence of industrial effluent, and 3) analysis water quality variations resulting from changes in the function of artificial channels. These analyses are expected to provide appropriate and science-based strategies of regional water management.

Translational neurobiology of zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>)

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a small freshwater teleost fish species that is increasingly utilized in biomedical research, particularly in neuroscience and biological psychiatry. Currently, zebrafish is the second-most utilized model organism in biomedicine globally, after mice, based on the number of animals tested each year. The model’s significance results from its experimental ease of use, affordability, conservation of fish physiology, relatively high genetic homology with humans (70%), rapid development, and potential for high-throughput bioscreening of drugs and genetic mutations. Over the past 15 years, our laboratory has conducted extensive experimental work to establish the principles behind using zebrafish to study various brain pathologies, including acute and chronic stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as probing their molecular mechanisms. In addition, existing behavioral models to study the central nervous system (CNS) development and new data on the zebrafish’s critical role in memory research were reviewed. Furthermore, this study will illustrate the effectiveness of integrating zebrafish models with advanced biological research techniques, such as molecular biology, bioinformatics, omics technologies, and chemical biology methods. For example, adult zebrafish experiencing chronic stress exhibit behavioral affective syndromes along with changes in neurochemistry, specifically in the metabolism of serotonin and dopamine in the telencephalon. Moreover, alterations in the expression of genes regulating neurotransmitter receptors, glial biomarkers, cytoskeleton, and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, occur in the brain. In particular, we will focus on neuroimmune and epigenetic mechanisms of CNS pathogenesis in zebrafish models, including changes in the expression of apoptotic genes in the brain. Additionally, our own findings on using artificial intelligence (AI) systems to study zebrafish behavior after administering various neurotropic drugs, such as anxiolytics, antidepressants, psychostimulants, and hallucinogens will be presented. In general, zebrafish is a strategic and promising model organism for translational neuroscience research, creating new models of CNS pathogenesis and finding new drugs to treat various human brain diseases. Studies of CNS pathogenesis in zebrafish are critical because of their evolutionary conservatism and ease of laboratory application, revealing novel brain disease biomarkers and potential remediation targets. Meanwhile, certain distinctive aspects of the biology and neurophysiology of zebrafish facilitate the resolution of supplementary experimental issues, thereby enhancing data and discoveries attained in typical animal models using rodents.

Familiarizing Undergraduate Students with Advanced Mass Spectrometry Techniques: An Example of Detailed Lipid Structure Characterization

This study highlights the importance of incorporating modern mass spectrometry techniques into undergraduate education. By focusing on the structure-characterizing capability of MS, students are able to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge techniques and better understand how MS can be used to solve real-world problems. The three-step lipid structure analysis strategy presented in the study is a great example of this, as it allows students to understand the process of lipid analysis from headgroup identification to the determination of fatty acyl chain composition and the location of C═C double bonds. The use of chemical derivatization to preactivate a structural moiety for MS/MS analysis is also emphasized in the study. This provides students with a deeper understanding of the limitations of MS/MS analysis and how chemical modifications can be used to overcome these limitations. The demonstration of a [2 + 2] photochemical reaction to locate a C═C in unsaturated lipids is a practical example of this concept. Overall, this study supports the idea that incorporating advanced research techniques into undergraduate education can not only enhance students' understanding of scientific instruments but also promote their interests in research and innovation.

CANCER MECHANISM, MOLECULAR TARGETS AND CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC PHYTOCHEMICALS; A REVIEW

The uncontrolled proliferation of cells leads to cellular accumulation, structural transformation and genetic instabilities ultimately result in the formation of malignant cells. Present day clinical manifestations for cancer management have several adverse effects including limited bioavailability, non-specificity, toxic effect on other cells or tissue. These therapies involve chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery of tumours and radiotherapy and stem cell therapy. By exploring Chemotheapeutic potential of medicinal plants search for new, novel drug candidates can be explored from the thousands of year’s successful traditional medicinal system verified by the present day, advanced modern research techniques and technology. This would be beneficial for sustainable, conservable, natural resource that can result in cost management, drug production enhancement and medicine provision or excess to the suffering population.

A review of crude oil emulsification and multiphase flows in chemical flooding

AbstractChemical flooding has become an important method to enhance oil recovery in high‐water cut reservoirs. Crude oil emulsification often occurs during chemical flooding, and it plays a very positive role in increasing crude oil production. Crude oil emulsification increases the complexity of fluid flow in the reservoir including multifield coupling characteristics and multiphase flow and multiphase form characteristics. This paper discusses advanced research techniques and the status of multiphase fluid flows in chemical flooding, including the interfacial rheological properties of emulsions, physical simulation of emulsion seepage, and mathematical models and numerical simulations of seepage. Studies on the mechanism of seepage have analyzed the macroscopic and microscopic aspects of seepage during chemical flooding. Prospective directions for future research are indicated including the study of the interfacial rheological characteristics of emulsions, methods for the evaluation of the seepage characteristics of chemical flooding, and mathematical models of multiphase seepage during chemical flooding.

Iodine-Ion-Assisted Galvanic Replacement Synthesis of Bismuth Nanotubes for Ultrafast and Ultrastable Sodium Storage.

Bismuth (Bi) has emerged as a promising anode material for fast-charging and long-cycling sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, its dramatically volumetric variations during cycling will undesirably cause the pulverization of active materials, severely limiting the electrochemical performance of Bi-based electrodes. Constructing hollow nanostructures is recognized as an effective way to resolve the volume expansion issues of alloy-type anodes but remains a great challenge for metallic bismuth. Here, we report a facile iodine-ion-assisted galvanic replacement approach for the synthesis of Bi nanotubes (NTs) for high-rate, long-term and high-capacity sodium storage. The hollow tubular structure effectively alleviates the structural strain during sodiation/desodiation processes, resulting in excellent structural stability; the thin wall and large surface area enable ultrafast sodium ion transport. Benefiting from the structural merits, the Bi NT electrode exhibits extraordinary rate capability (84% capacity retention at 150 A g-1) and outstanding cycling stability (74% capacity retention for 65,000 cycles at 50 A g-1), which represent the best rate performance and longest cycle life among all reported anodes for SIBs. Moreover, when coupled with the Na3(VOPO4)2F cathode in full cells, this electrode also demonstrates excellent cycling performance, showing the great promise of Bi NTs for practical application. A combination of advanced research techniques reveals that the excellent performance originates from the structural robustness of the Bi NTs and the fast electrochemical kinetics during cycling.

Role of Plant-Derived Active Constituents in Cancer Treatment and Their Mechanisms of Action.

Despite significant technological advancements in conventional therapies, cancer remains one of the main causes of death worldwide. Although substantial progress has been made in the control and treatment of cancer, several limitations still exist, and there is scope for further advancements. Several adverse effects are associated with modern chemotherapy that hinder cancer treatment and lead to other critical disorders. Since ancient times, plant-based medicines have been employed in clinical practice and have yielded good results with few side effects. The modern research system and advanced screening techniques for plants’ bioactive constituents have enabled phytochemical discovery for the prevention and treatment of challenging diseases such as cancer. Phytochemicals such as vincristine, vinblastine, paclitaxel, curcumin, colchicine, and lycopene have shown promising anticancer effects. Discovery of more plant-derived bioactive compounds should be encouraged via the exploitation of advanced and innovative research techniques, to prevent and treat advanced-stage cancers without causing significant adverse effects. This review highlights numerous plant-derived bioactive molecules that have shown potential as anticancer agents and their probable mechanisms of action and provides an overview of in vitro, in vivo and clinical trial studies on anticancer phytochemicals.

Analysis of Supply Chain Management in the Automotive Industry

Over the years, there has been a plethora of changes in the international automotive world. The advancement in production and management systems have revolutionized the automobile industry. Several marketplaces have opened up and grown since the industry started. Now, the auto industry is facing new and crucial problems. The industry is changing because of globalisation, digitalization, and more competition in the market. The purpose of this study is to understand the development of supply chain management in the automotive industry. This study analyses the developments and the problems faced by the automotive industry from the year 1995 to 2022 in supply chain management. We see it develop from using traditional techniques such as built to stock method to transitioning to build to order technique using advanced technology, planning systems and operations research techniques. The industry uses a wide array of methods to create an integrated pipeline to streamline the flow of goods. They also incorporate Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) procedures and green supply chain management techniques into the conventional supply chain to create a sustainable supply chain and reduce the carbon footprint. This review paper contributes to the literature by analysing existing research, identifying existing research gaps and proposing new future research opportunities in the area of supply chain management in the automotive industry. Keywords: Supply Chain Management, Automotive Industry, Sustainable, Blockchain, Automotive Industry

Gesture Controlled Robotic Hand Using RF Unit and Accelerometer

In the race of man v/s machine, automation comes as a companion of man and machine. Taking the technology to the next level from the mobile driven world to an automation driven world, will increase manufacturers their production rates, productivity and efficiency with materials, product quality, and worker safety. From ancient times the ingenuity and the brain power human beings have astonished researchers with engineering and mechanical marvels like the wheel, bow and arrow, cross bows, etc. What started from the wheel did not end there but evolved into the complex mechatronics systems that we see around us today. The robotics is one such human marvel that will be one-day equal human beings themselves. The robots thus have far more use in the daily life than any other systems. The robotics and automation is a rising piece of technology which could lessen the loads of work and solve the problems exponentially. As robotics is finding its place on every sector in this globe, the aim this project is to introduce robotics in the field of industry. The title of the system is ‘Gesture controlled robotic arm’. The aim of the system is to provide safety and to increase productivity in our industries. The research project should be designed in such a way that it should occupy minimum space, should possess high maneuverability and high agility. The project in discussion is types of robots which needs minimum space and are proved to be highly maneuverable and highly agile. The robot contains two main units, one is the robotic arm and second is the data glove with accelerometer using a RF controller. The robotic arm unit is responsible for the hand functions of the whole structure of the robot. The data glove is responsible for the input feedback to the robotic arm. The robotic unit will be controlled by an Arduino platform to improve its stability. The angle tilt will be measured using ADXL335 sensor. The ADXL335 uses angle, tilt and yaw values with Arduino for data transfer. Through advanced primary and secondary research techniques, system implementation hurdles and potential risks involved in developing such a system are identified. The project is fully planned using advanced project management techniques like PERT chart and Gantt chart in order to identify the critical activities and the timeline related with it.

Machine learning in airline crew pairing to construct initial clusters for dynamic constraint aggregation

The crew pairing problem (CPP) is generally modelled as a set partitioning problem where the flights have to be partitioned in pairings. A pairing is a sequence of flight legs separated by connection time and rest periods that starts and ends at the same base. Because of the extensive list of complex rules and regulations, determining whether a sequence of flights constitutes a feasible pairing can be quite difficult by itself, making CPP one of the hardest of the airline planning problems. In this paper, we first propose to improve the prototype Baseline solver of Desaulniers et al. (2020) by adding dynamic control strategies to obtain an efficient solver for large-scale CPPs: Commercial-GENCOL-DCA. These solvers are designed to aggregate the flights covering constraints to reduce the size of the problem. Then, we use machine learning (ML) to produce clusters of flights having a high probability of being performed consecutively by the same crew. The solver combines several advanced Operations Research techniques to assemble and modify these clusters, when necessary, to produce a good solution. We show, on monthly CPPs with up to 50 000 flights, that Commercial-GENCOL-DCA with clusters produced by ML-based heuristics outperforms Baseline fed by initial clusters that are pairings of a solution obtained by rolling horizon with GENCOL. The reduction of solution cost averages between 6.8% and 8.52%, which is mainly due to the reduction in the cost of global constraints between 69.79% and 78.11%.

Data-Driven Computational Social Science: A Survey

Social science concerns issues on individuals, relationships, and the whole society. The complexity of research topics in social science makes it the amalgamation of multiple disciplines, such as economics, political science, and sociology, etc. For centuries, scientists have conducted many studies to understand the mechanisms of the society. However, due to the limitations of traditional research methods, there exist many critical social issues to be explored. To solve those issues, computational social science emerges due to the rapid advancements of computation technologies and the profound studies on social science. With the aids of the advanced research techniques, various kinds of data from diverse areas can be acquired nowadays, and they can help us look into social problems with a new eye. As a result, utilizing various data to reveal issues derived from computational social science area has attracted more and more attentions. In this paper, to the best of our knowledge, we present a survey on data-driven computational social science for the first time which primarily focuses on reviewing application domains involving human dynamics. The state-of-the-art research on human dynamics is reviewed from three aspects: individuals, relationships, and collectives. Specifically, the research methodologies used to address research challenges in aforementioned application domains are summarized. In addition, some important open challenges with respect to both emerging research topics and research methods are discussed.

“Research Methodology in Ayurveda Samhita with special reference to Vadamargas.”

In Ayurveda Aacharya has given equal importance to theoretical as well as practical knowledge to gain the practical skill and competency. Vaadmarga is one of the way of scientific discussion among Ayurveda fraternity. When we go through Vaadmarga it is observed that these where our ancient Ayurveda Research Methodology mentioned in different Samhita’s. With the help of critical studies and grammatical analysis we come to know that these are most advanced research techniques followed by different Ayurveda scholars to explore and establish new facts. It is also noticed that modern research methodology has many loophole by which data can be easily fabricated and misinterpreted. Such practices can be prevented by following Ayurveda Research Methodology i.e. vaadmarga. In ancient era, vaadmarga was universal method accepted by Acharyas for getting establishment and approval of genuine research. Current article will explore concept of vaadmarga in the light of modern research methodology.

What PD Research in China Tells Us.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) was introduced in China later than in most Western countries, and PD research activity was quite limited until the 1990s. However, in the 2000s, and even more so during the last decade, there has been an unsurpassed increase in the number of PD patients, paralleled by a substantial increase in PD research activity reflected by an increasing number of PD papers from China. In this brief review, we describe some of the factors that may explain the dramatic developments in PD research in mainland China, such as the focus on basic research using scientific approaches that subsequently could be applied also in clinical studies. Another important factor was the growing interactions with international PD research centers in Hong Kong and in Western countries. Thanks to strong support from Chinese national and regional funding sources, a growing number of young Chinese researchers went to key international PD centers to learn about novel advanced research techniques. This paved the way for long-lasting, productive collaborations with benefits also for the foreign host institutions. Finally, we present some current research projects, including basic research that may contribute to the understanding of mechanisms behind complications such as peritonitis, and clinical projects aiming at improving PD management guidelines and better understanding of the potential of PD in China. Because of the size of the PD population, now the largest in the world, and the increasing number, and quality, of researchers in the PD field, PD research in China is destined to be a major contributor to advancements in PD in the near future.

Teaching Strategies of Chinese Language History Class Based on Brain Science

Brain science and education are both new emerging research fields which received much international attention. At present, there have set up research organizations and institutions of bigger children, in their studies there are several characteristics as follows: choosing different research entry points, exploring the research mode connecting brain science and education, paying attention to application research questions, and adopting advanced research tools and techniques. In this study, we attempt to analyze and sort out the advanced teaching research materials from abroad, start from the perspective of brain science, and probe into scientific and effective classroom teaching strategies. According to the physiological characteristics of the brain and the latest relevant research, this study explores and presents teaching strategies that are suitable for the Chinese language history classes.

Determinants of Students' Response to Pedagogy of Advanced Research Techniques in Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwuashiuku, Nigeria

Determinants of Students' Response to Pedagogy of Advanced Research Techniques in Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwuashiuku, Nigeria