Future Perspectives Research Articles

Recent Advances in Protein Folding Pathway Prediction through Computational Methods.

The protein folding mechanisms are crucial to understanding the fundamental processes of life and solving many biological and medical problems. By studying the folding process, we can reveal how proteins achieve their biological functions through specific structures, providing insights into the treatment and prevention of diseases. With the advancement of AI technology in the field of protein structure prediction, computational methods have become increasingly important and promising for studying protein folding mechanisms. In this review, we retrospect the current progress in the field of protein folding mechanisms by computational methods from four perspectives: simulation of an inverse folding pathway from native state to unfolded state; prediction of early folding residues by machine learning; exploration of protein folding pathways through conformational sampling; prediction of protein folding intermediates based on templates. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of the protein folding problem by computational methods are also discussed.

Asymmetric Effects of Development Finance Institutions Funding (DFIs) on Investment in Zimbabwe: A Futuristic Perspective

Introduction - This study aimed to explore the anticipated asymmetric effects of developmental finance institutions (DFIs) funding on investment in Zimbabwe. Given the volatile nature of development finance, Zimbabwe has faced challenges in effectively mobilizing aid, often struggling to persuade donors due to government spending plans and political factors. The research sought to investigate the potential asymmetrical linkages between DFIs funding and investment in Zimbabwe. Methodology: Model and Variables - To examine the futuristic asymmetric relationship between DFIs funding and investment in the Zimbabwean economy, a non-linear NARDL modelling approach will be employed. This methodology will estimate the projected non-linear co-integrating association between positive and negative shocks to DFIs funding and investment. The data set consisted of projected annual macroeconomic variables for Zimbabwe obtained from world bank and IMF. Results - In the short run, it was found that both positive and negative shocks influence future investment, with negative shocks expected to have a larger effect. These negative shocks arise from economic downturns or external shocks, while positive shocks could result from increased funding or favourable policy changes. In the long run, it was found that positive shocks to DFIs funding have a positive impact on investment, leading to increased economic growth and development. Conclusion and Recommendations - Based on the results, DFIs funding should exhibit an asymmetric relationship with investment in Zimbabwe. It is crucial for the government of Zimbabwe to proactively plan for these anticipated asymmetric effects and develop strategies to maximize the benefits of DFIs funding. By implementing the recommendations, Zimbabwe can be able to ensure a more favourable environment for future DFIs funding, fostering sustainable investment and economic growth.

A Review on Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as Promising Drug Delivery Vehicle to Target Various Cancers via Oral Route: A Step towards “Chemotherapy at Home”

Abstract: Oral drug administration is largely preferred owing to enhanced patient compliance, convenience of self-intake of dose, non-invasiveness, and low manufacturing cost. Cancer is a condition that starts with aberrant cell division at an uncontrolled rate. The clinical effectiveness of many anticancer drugs is limited by their physicochemical characteristics and physiological circumstances in the GI tract. Nanostructured lipid carriers have the potential to enhance the bio-availability of anticancer drugs by entrapping them. The NLCs, by virtue of their nanosize and their biocompatibility, can bypass the first-pass metabolism and be taken up by M cells of Peyer’s patches to deliver the drug to the deeper tumours. The proposed review highlights the potential of NLCs in oral drug delivery for the management of various cancers. It discusses various strategies, method of preparation, mechanism of uptake, and their applications in the treatment of cancer via oral delivery. Further, it explains the recent advances and future perspectives.

Future Perspectives of Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Soluble Factors in Radioprotection.

Acute radiation syndrome (ARS) is also known as triple syndrome, which develops after whole-body radiation exposure. During unforeseen exposures, these syndromes are set in depending on the dose of radiation. Cell-based therapy, especially using stem cells and their soluble factors, is gaining wide attention in the field of regenerative medicine to treat various diseases, including degenerative diseases. Stem cells attract prime attention because of their profound inherent tissue repair capability and regeneration potential. Further, stem cell therapy can be one of the promising strategies for the amelioration of ARS because of its ability to lodge in damaged tissue and release regenerative cytokines by sensing the local injury. In this regard, human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ-MSCs) have gained substantial attention for their applications in the treatment of various human diseases due to several advantages offered by them. This article is intended to provide future perspective on the use of WJ-MSCs for the management of accidental radiation injury in pre-clinical models, and finally, their utility in regeneration of damaged tissues and organs.

Role of self-curing mechanism in lightweight concrete: A state-of-the-art report

AbstractWorldwide, precast and hybrid construction methods are becoming increasingly popular in the construction industry. But many problems occur during the fabrication, such as segregation, bleeding, scaling, plastic shrinkage, dust formation, honeycombing, sintering, high sorptivity, and high permeability and transportation. This problem may be caused by an ineffective curing process that affects the quality of concrete and construction. In addition, it provides inadequate and incomplete cement hydration that has a 20% negative effect on the desired properties of the concrete. Various researchers have demonstrated the components of self-curing lightweight concrete that can enhance strength and physicochemical properties, and address the above-mentioned issues. In this review, the role of the self-curing mechanism in lightweight concrete based on the various self-curing chemical admixtures such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), superabsorbent polymer (SAP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), sodium lignosulfonate and calcium lignosulfonate as self-curing agents are discussed in detail. Also, this paper briefly reports on the scope, significance, mechanisms, and tests for self-curing lightweight concrete. Overall, this review analyzes the possibilities of future research perspectives on self-curing lightweight concrete with sustainable materials and fibres with comparative technical information.

Current use of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis.

Acute appendicitis is a common and time-sensitive surgical emergency, requiring rapid and accurate diagnosis and management to prevent complications. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in healthcare, offering significant potential to improve the diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis. This review provides an overview of the evolving role of AI in the diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis, highlighting its benefits, challenges, and future perspectives. We performed a literature search on articles published from 2018 to September 2023. We included only original articles. Overall, 121 studies were examined. We included 32 studies: 23 studies addressed the diagnosis, five the differentiation between complicated and uncomplicated appendicitis, and 4 studies the management of acute appendicitis. AI is poised to revolutionize the diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis by improving accuracy, speed and consistency. It could potentially reduce healthcare costs. As AI technologies continue to evolve, further research and collaboration are needed to fully realize their potential in the diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis.

A Review of Antidiabetic Medicinal Plants as a Novel Source of Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors: Future Perspective of New Challenges Against Diabetes Mellitus.

Intracellular glucose concentration plays a crucial role in initiating the molecular secretory process of pancreatic β-cells through multiple messengers and signaling pathways. Cyclic nucleotides are key physiological regulators that modulate pathway interactions in β -cells. An increase of cyclic nucleotides is controled by hydrolysed phosphodiesterases (PDEs), which degrades cyclic nucleotides into inactive metabolites. Despite the undeniable therapeutic potential of PDE inhibitors, they are associated with several side effects. The treatment strategy for diabetes based on PDE inhibitors has been proposed for a long time. Hence, the world of natural antidiabetic medicinal plants represents an ideal source of phosphodiesterase inhibitors as a new strategy for developing novel agents to treat diabetes mellitus. This review highlights medicinal plants traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus that have been proven to have inhibitory effects on PDE activity. The contents of this review were sourced from electronic databases, including Science Direct, PubMed, Springer Link, Web of Science, Scopus, Wiley Online, Scifinder and Google Scholar. These databases were consulted to collect information without any limitation date. After comprehensive literature screening, this paper identified 27 medicinal plants that have been reported to exhibit anti-phosphodiesterase activities. The selection of these plants was based on their traditional uses in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The review emphasizes the antiphosphodiesterase properties of 31 bioactive components derived from these plant extracts. Many phenolic compounds have been identified as PDE inhibitors: Brazilin, mesozygin, artonin I, chalcomaracin, norartocarpetin, moracin L, moracin M, moracin C, curcumin, gallic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, quercitrin, quercetin, catechin, kaempferol, chlorogenic acid, and ellagic acid. Moreover, smome lignans have reported as PDE inhibitors: (+)-Medioresinol di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, (+)- Pinoresinol di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, (+)-Pinoresinol-4-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl (1→6)-β-dglucopyranoside, Liriodendrin, (+)-Pinoresinol 4'-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and forsythin. This review provides a promising starting point of medicinal plants, which could be further studied for the development of natural phosphodiesterase inhibitors to treat diabetes mellitus. Therefore, it is important to consider clinical studies for the identification of new targets for the treatment of diabetes.

The Advent of Molecular Targeted Therapies Against Cancer. Toward Multi‐Targeting Drugs Through Materials Engineering: A Possible Future Scenario

The authors, actively engaged in the development of mesoporous silica‐based solutions, initially for modified drug release, later for the smart administration of conventional chemotherapeutic cytotoxic drugs, present the evolution of the concept of targeted therapy across different disciplines. They also discuss the diverse therapeutic needs and related challenges (adverse drug effects) that have unfolded over the last 30 years. Nanomedicine potentialities, mainly against cancers, that have emerged globally during the intense research activity of the last few decades, are critically discussed. The authors glimpse the growing potential of immune‐based therapeutic solutions, including those assisted by nanotechnology, as well as molecular targeted therapies (MTT) on which they focus. The advantages offered by targeted molecular therapies, despite the limits of monotargeted therapies, suggest the engineering of multi‐targeted therapies. Nanomedicine solutions such as ligand‐specific internalization and pH‐sensitive drug release that they have extensively tested and recently presented in open literature, still remain available instruments. According to the authors, MTT can offer shining perspectives in the near future that will depend on a thorough comprehension of nanostructures synthesis and tumor physiology. This article gives an interdisciplinary point of view tailored for non‐specialist readers imagining possible future scenarios in the field.

Inflammation, Autoimmunity and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Therapeutics and Beyond.

Neurodegenerative disease (ND) incidence has recently increased due to improved life expectancy. Alzheimer's (AD) or Parkinson's disease (PD) are the most prevalent NDs. Both diseases are poly genetic, multifactorial and heterogenous. Preventive medicine, a healthy diet, exercise, and controlling comorbidities may delay the onset. After the diseases are diagnosed, therapy is needed to slow progression. Recent studies show that local, peripheral and age-related inflammation accelerates NDs' onset and progression. Patients with autoimmune disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) could be at higher risk of developing AD or PD. However, no increase in ND incidence has been reported if the patients are adequately diagnosed and treated. Autoantibodies against abnormal tau, β amyloid and α- synuclein have been encountered in AD and PD and may be protective. This discovery led to the proposal of immune-based therapies for AD and PD involving monoclonal antibodies, immunization/ vaccines, pro-inflammatory cytokine inhibition and anti-inflammatory cytokine addition. All the different approaches have been analysed here. Future perspectives on new therapeutic strategies for both disorders are concisely examined.

Unveiling Diabetes: Categories, Genetics, Diagnostics, Treatments, and Future Horizons.

Diabetes mellitus is a global epidemic affecting millions of individuals worldwide. This comprehensive review aims to provide a thorough understanding of the categorization, disease identity, genetic architecture, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes. The categorization of diabetes is discussed, with a focus on type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as the lesser-known types, type 3 and type 4 diabetes. The geographical variation, age, gender, and ethnic differences in the prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are explored. The impact of disease identity on disease management and the role of autoimmunity in diabetes are examined. The genetic architecture of diabetes, including the interplay between genotype and phenotype, is discussed to enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms. The importance of insulin injection sites and the insulin signalling pathway in diabetes management are highlighted. The diagnostic techniques for diabetes are reviewed, along with advancements for improved differentiation between types. Treatment and management approaches, including medications used in diabetes management are presented. Finally, future perspectives are discussed, emphasizing the need for further research and interventions to address the global burden of diabetes. This review serves as a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers, providing insights to develop targeted strategies for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of this complex disease.

Current State and Future Perspective of Diabetic Wound Healing Treatment: Present Evidence from Clinical Trials.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition that is becoming more common and is characterised by sustained hyperglycaemia and long-term health effects. Diabetes-related wounds often heal slowly and are more susceptible to infection because of hyperglycaemia in the wound beds. The diabetic lesion becomes harder to heal after planktonic bacterial cells form biofilms. A potential approach is the creation of hydrogels with many functions. High priority is given to a variety of processes, such as antimicrobial, pro-angiogenesis, and general pro-healing. Diabetes problems include diabetic amputations or chronic wounds (DM). Chronic diabetes wounds that do not heal are often caused by low oxygen levels, increased reactive oxygen species, and impaired vascularization. Several types of hydrogels have been developed to get rid of contamination by pathogens; these hydrogels help to clean up the infection, reduce wound inflammation, and avoid necrosis. This review paper will focus on the most recent improvements and breakthroughs in antibacterial hydrogels for treating chronic wounds in people with diabetes. Prominent and significant side effects of diabetes mellitus include foot ulcers. Antioxidants, along with oxidative stress, are essential to promote the healing of diabetic wounds. Some of the problems that can come from a foot ulcer are neuropathic diabetes, ischemia, infection, inadequate glucose control, poor nutrition, also very high morbidity. Given the worrying rise in diabetes and, by extension, diabetic wounds, future treatments must focus on the rapid healing of diabetic wounds.

Interleukin-38 and Insulin Resistance.

Insulin resistance, i.e., decreased biological response to insulin, is a risk factor for many diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, some forms of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. One of its main causes is chronic low-grade inflammation, mediated by the proinflammatory pathways, such as the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway and the nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) pathway. Interleukin (IL)-38 (IL-38) is a newly discovered cytokine that belongs to the IL-1 family. There are three hypothetical pathways through which IL-38 may bind to the specific receptors and inhibit their proinflammatory activity. Those pathways are associated with IL-36 receptor (IL-36R), IL-1 receptor accessory protein-like 1 (IL1RAPL1) and IL-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1). There are studies linking IL-38 to improve insulin sensitivity through the difference in serum IL-38 in patients with insulin resistance or the correlation of IL-38 concentrations with insulin resistance indexes. However, many questions still remain regarding the biological activity of IL-38 itself and its role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. The goal of this study is to showcase IL-38, its biological activity, hypothesized signaling pathways, connection with insulin resistance and future perspectives of research on IL-38. We present that IL-38 associated signaling can be a potential target for the treatment of insulin resistance and associated diseases.

Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensing and its Interplay with Fluidics.

In this Feature Article, we discuss the interplay between fluidics and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensing technique, primarily focusing on its applications in the realm of bio/chemical sensing within fluidic environments. Commencing with a foundational overview of LSPR principles from a sensing perspective, we subsequently showcase the development of a streamlined LSPR chip integrated with microfluidic structures. This integration opens the doors to advanced experiments involving fluid dynamics, greatly expanding the scope of LSPR-based research. Our discussions then turn to the practical implementation of LSPR and microfluidics in real-time biosensing, with a specific emphasis on monitoring DNA polymerase activity. Additionally, we illustrate the direct sensing of biological fluids, exemplified by the analysis of urine, while also shedding light on a unique particle assembly process that occurs on LSPR chips. We not only discuss the significance of LSPR sensing but also explore its potential to investigate a plethora of phenomena at liquid-liquid and solid-liquid interfaces. This is particularly noteworthy, as existing transduction methods and sensors fall short in fully comprehending these interfacial phenomena. Concluding our discussion, we present a futuristic perspective that provides insights into potential opportunities emerging at the intersection of fluidics and LSPR sensing.

Harmonizing smart technologies with building resilience and sustainable built environment systems

Given the escalating concerns posed by climate change-related disasters, there is an urgent need for a more sustainable and resilient built environment. The developing digital revolution in recent years has the potential to harness its superior features to achieve sustainable and resilient building sector goals. This paper aims to present a futuristic perspective on the three basic pillars of a more sustainable and resilient built environment. These pillars comprise sustainability, resilience, and the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for monitoring and managing structural health and performance. This is evident in the context of smart buildings and their ability to enhance energy consumption efficiency, improve quality of life, and strengthen structural health monitoring in terms of reducing damage and facilitating timely maintenance operations. Through comparing the components of the virtual city designed from two types of alkali-activated binder concrete (AABC) and ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete, all components of the city designed from AABC showed a reduction in the amount of emitted CO2. The highest decrease was observed in the schools designed from AABC, where the reduction was about 25 %, while the lowest decrease was for the villas and infrastructure; about 11 % and 10 % respectively, compared to those designed from OPC concrete. The results also indicated that the utilization of sustainable concrete instead of traditional varieties has the potential to decrease CO2 emissions by up to 25 %. The importance of this work resides in establishing a basis for forthcoming research that combines intelligent, environmentally friendly, and resilient building practices.

Electrocatalytic Applications of Carbon Dots and Their Composites

AbstractCarbon dots (CDs) have attracted much attention in the field of electrocatalysis due to their many advantages. These reactions are of great significance for energy conversion and storage, as well as environmental remediation. In this review, we summarize the latest achievements in the electrochemical applications of CDs and their composites, with a focus on environmentally relevant electrocatalysis. We present some representative examples of CDs‐based electrocatalysts for different reactions and analyze the catalytic mechanisms and the factors that affect the electrocatalytic performance. Furthermore, we conclude with some challenging issues and future perspectives of this emerging material. This review aims to help readers better understand the application of CDs in the field of electrocatalysis, reveal the reasons that affect electrocatalytic performance, and guide further constructing more efficient, stable, and green electrocatalysts.

Smart Textiles to Enable In-Home Health Care: State of the Art, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Smart Textiles to Enable In-Home Health Care: State of the Art, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Antioxidant Activity of Medicinal Plants and Herbs of North Aegean, Greece: Current Clinical Evidence and Future Perspectives

Background: Medicinal plants and herbs constitute rich sources of flavoring, and aromatic compounds, namely phytochemicals, which have many positive impacts on human health, such as antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective properties. Such bioactive compounds may be considered lead compounds that can be introduced in the drug design process to obtain novel drug candidates with better bioavailability and therapeutic efficiency. The Islands of the North Aegean have rich biodiversity and many medicinal plants and herbs with multiple health benefits. Objective: This study aims to summarize and scrutinize the antioxidant activity of medicinal plants and herbs of the North Aegean islands. Methods: A thorough search of the existing literature was performed in the most accurate scientific databases, using a set of effective and relative keywords and including only clinical human studies written in English. Results: Several clinical studies have highlighted the potential antioxidant activity of phytochemicals from plants such as St. John's wort, chamomile, rosemary, spearmint, mastiha, mountain tea, oregano, sage, and thyme, as measured in the blood and saliva of human individuals, after administration of extracts and solutions of these plants. Decreased levels of oxidized lipoproteins, increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, and an enhanced total antioxidant capacity were observed. Conclusions: Current clinical trials remain still limited, and an enhanced series is needed with a better methodology design, larger sample size, longer intervention periods, using controlled groups and randomization to unravel the antioxidant activity of these North Aegean endemic plants in human individuals.

A Critical Review of Recent Industrial Developments, Trends, and Future Perspectives of Power Electronic Systems: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

A Critical Review of Recent Industrial Developments, Trends, and Future Perspectives of Power Electronic Systems: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles

Compliance with IFRS17 Standards in Takaful Insurance: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Perspectives for Egyptian Market

Compliance with IFRS17 Standards in Takaful Insurance: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Perspectives for Egyptian Market

Magnetic Nanoparticles with Aspects of their Use in Cancer Therapy

Abstract: Cancers remain the leading cause of death worldwide, despite significant advances in their diagnosis and treatment. The inadequacy and ineffectiveness of standard treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery), their severe side effects, and the resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapeutics have forced researchers to investigate alternative therapeutic strategies. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been evaluated as one of the promising strategies in treating cancers, a major public health problem. Due to their intrinsic magnetic properties, MNPs are tools that can be designed to be multifunctional in medicine, including cancer therapy. Multifunctionality can be achieved with various drug/agent loadings, such as chemotherapeutic drugs, radionuclides, nucleic acids, and antibodies. This provides a multimodal theranostics platform for cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy. These substances can then be delivered to the tumor tissue using an external magnetic field (EMF). Magnetic or photothermal applications kill cancer cells at the tumor site by inducing local hyperthermia, whereas photodynamic therapy kills them by producing reactive oxygen species. MNP applications also prevent drug resistance. In addition, alone or with different combination options, MNP applications provide synergistic effects and reduce side effects. Functionalized MNPs can be used to remove unwanted cells from blood, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which are key factors in the metastatic process and leukemia cells. Despite numerous successful studies, there are some unpredictable obstacles to be discovered in routine usage. This review focuses mainly on the application of MNPs in cancer treatment, covering future perspectives and challenges.