Use of GIS to Estimate Recharge and Identification of Potential Groundwater Recharge Zones in the Karstic Aquifers,West of Iran

Estimating and studying groundwater recharge is necessary and important for the management of water resources.The main aim of this work is to estimate the value of the annual recharge in some parts of the Kermanshah and Kurdistan province located in the west of Iran.There are many ap­proaches available for estimation of the recharge,but RS(remote sensing)and GIS(geographic information system)have provided and combined a lot of effective spatial and temporal data of large areas within a short time.For this purpose,nine information layers including the slope,aspect of slope,lithology,lineament density,drainage density,precipitation,vege­tation density,soil cover,and karst features were prepared and imported to the ArcMap software.After preparing the information layers,they have to weigh based on their effects on the value of the recharge.In order to be weighted the different parameters,methods of judgment expert,reciprocal influences of parameters,and AHP were used.Using GIS,the results ob­tained from the final map indicated the average value for the recharge based on the average calculated coefficient of recharge.The annual recharge coef­ficient in the study area was estimated to be between 30%and 80%.

Effect of Regulatory Network of Exosomes and microRNAs on Neurodegenerative Diseases

Objective： A comprehensive review of the network regulation of exosomes and microRNAs （miRNAs） in neurodegenerative diseases was done, centering on the mechanism of the formation of exosomes and miRNAs and the sorting mechanism of exosomal miRNAs, with the aim to provide a theoretical basis in the search of biomarkers and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Data Sources： The comprehensive search used online literature databases including NCBI PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Baidu Scholar. Study Selection- The study selection was based on the following keywords： exosomes, miRNAs, central nervous system （CNS）, and neurodegenerative diseases. The time limit for literature retrieval was from the year 2000 to 2018, with language restriction in English. Relevant articles were carefully reviewed, with no exclusions applied to study design and publication type. Results： Exosomes are the smallest nanoscale membranous microvesicles secreted by cells and contain important miRNAs, among other rich contents. In the CNS, exosomes can transport amyloid β-protein, α-synuclein, Huntington-associated protein 1, and superoxide dismutase I to other cells. These events relieve the abnormal accumulation of proteins and aggravating neurological diseases. In some neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer＇s disease, Parkinson＇s disease, Huntington＇s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, miRNAs are pathologically altered as an inexorable course, suggesting that miRNAs may contribute neurodegeneration. Exosomes and miRNAs form a network to regulate the homeostasis of the CNS, both synergistically and individually. Conclusion： The network of exosomes and miRNAs that regulates CNS homeostasis is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Circular RNAs: from biogenesis and function to diseases

Objective:Evidence suggests that various diseases may contribute to the circular RNAs (circRNAs) expression disorder. This review was aimed at looking for appropriate biomarkers for the treatment of diseases.Data sources:The comprehensive search used online literature databases including PubMed of National Center for Biotechnology Information and Web of Science.Study selection:The study selection was based on the following keywords: circRNAs, biogenesis, biologic function, and disease. The time limit for literature retrieval was from the year 1976 to 2019, with language restriction in English. Relevant articles were carefully reviewed, with no exclusions applied to study design and publication type.Results:CircRNAs are one of the critical non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are covalently closed continuous loops that do not possess 5' and 3' ends. This makes them resistant to exoribonuclease activity and potentially more stable than their cognate linear transcripts, thus making them ideal candidates for biomarker development. Due to the stable and extensive tissue-specific expression of circRNAs, they can function as microRNA sponges and bind to RNA-binding proteins, regulate transcription and splicing, and translate into proteins to participate in the regulation of physiologic and pathologic processes. Moreover, the expression disorders of circRNAs in diseases, such as neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, make them have potential applications for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.Conclusions:Changes in circRNA expression profiles related to various diseases, and circRNAs often exhibit low expression in cancer tissues. In addition, circRNAs can be detected in patient’s body fluids to indicate that circRNAs are effective biomarkers for disease diagnosis. These characteristics make circRNAs have potential applications as novel therapeutic targets for diseases.