Review Articles 2020
Permanent URI for this collection
News
Editors
- J. G. Hengstler
Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors
Ardeystr. 67
D-44139 Dortmund
Germany
Editorial Board
- B. C. Behera, Pune, India
- T. Chen, Stanford, CA/USA
- E. Corsini, Milan, Italy
- P. Diel, Cologne, Germany
- C. Esser, Duesseldorf, Germany
- P. B. Farmer, Leicester/UK
- S. Hammad, South Valley/Egypt
- P. Jennings, Innsbruck, Austria
- M. Lotti, Bonn, Germany / Padova, Italy
- P. Micke, Uppsala, Sweden
- A. N. Misra, Ranchi, Jharkhand State, India
- B. Ponugoti, Pennsylvania, PA/USA
- C. Pope, Stillwater, OK/USA
- K. Renganathan, Johnstown, PA/USA
- S. D. Ray, Fort Wayne, IN/USA
- M. Schwarz, Tuebingen, Germany
- J. Timmer, Freiburg, Germany
- H. van Steeg, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- A. Winterpacht, Erlangen, Germany
- Y. Zhou, New Haven, CT/USA
Address & Contact:
Susanne LindemannManaging editor/EXCLI Journal
Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors
Ardeystraße 67
D-44139 Dortmund
Germany
Fon +49 231 1084 251
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Potential role of exosome in post-stroke reorganization and/or neurodegeneration(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-12-11) Azizi, Fateme; Askari, Sahar; Javadpour, Pegah; Hadjighassem, Mahmoudreza; Ghasemi, RasoulCurrently, stroke is a common and devastating condition, which is sometimes associated with permanent cerebral damages. Although in early time after stroke, the related treatments are mainly focused on the restoration of cerebral blood flow (CBF), at the same time, some changes are commencing that continue for a long time and need to be specially noticed. Previous studies have proposed several molecular mechanisms in these post-stroke events. Exosomes are a type of vesicle, which are formed and secreted by most cells as a mean to transfer cellular constituents such as proteins, DNA and/or RNA to distant cells. Therefore, they are considered as a novel mechanism of cellular communication. Herein, we reviewed the current knowledge on cascades, which are activated after stroke and consequently lead to the reorganization and/or continuance of tissue damage and development of other disorders such as Neurodegenerative diseases (ND). Thereafter, we summarized the latest proofs about the possible participation of exosomes in transferring some components such as proteins and micro-RNAs (miRs), from the affected areas to other parts of the brain and eventually cause the above-mentioned post-stroke events.Item Immunology of IL-12(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-12-11) Ullrich, Karen Anne-Marie; Schulze, Lisa Lou; Paap, Eva-Maria; Müller, Tanja Martina; Neurath, Markus F.; Zundler, SebastianAs its first identified member, Interleukin-12 (IL-12) named a whole family of cytokines. In response to pathogens, the heterodimeric protein, consisting of the two subunits p35 and p40, is secreted by phagocytic cells. Binding of IL-12 to the IL-12 receptor (IL-12R) on T and natural killer (NK) cells leads to signaling via signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) and subsequent interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production and secretion. Signaling downstream of IFN-γ includes activation of T-box transcription factor TBX21 (Tbet) and induces pro-inflammatory functions of T helper 1 (TH1) cells, thereby linking innate and adaptive immune responses. Initial views on the role of IL-12 and clinical efforts to translate them into therapeutic approaches had to be re-interpreted following the discovery of other members of the IL-12 family, such as IL-23, sharing a subunit with IL-12. However, the importance of IL-12 with regard to immune processes in the context of infection and (auto-) inflammation is still beyond doubt. In this review, we will provide an update on functional activities of IL-12 and their implications for disease. We will begin with a summary on structure and function of the cytokine itself as well as its receptor and outline the signal transduction and the transcriptional regulation of IL-12 secretion. In the second part of the review, we will depict the involvement of IL-12 in immune-mediated diseases and relevant experimental disease models, while also providing an outlook on potential translational approaches.Item Artificial Intelligence and its future potential in lung cancer screening(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-12-11) Joy Mathew, Christopher; David, Ashwini Maria; Joy Mathew, Chris MariyaArtificial intelligence (AI) simulates intelligent behavior as well as critical thinking comparable to a human being and can be used to analyze and interpret complex medical data. The application of AI in imaging diagnostics reduces the burden of radiologists and increases the sensitivity of lung cancer screening so that the morbidity and mortality associated with lung cancer can be decreased. In this article, we have tried to evaluate the role of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening, as well as the future potential and efficiency of AI in the classification of nodules. The relevant studies between 2010-2020 were selected from the PubMed database after excluding animal studies and were analyzed for the contribution of AI. Techniques such as deep learning and machine learning allow automatic characterization and classification of nodules with high precision and promise an advanced lung cancer screening method in the future. Even though several combination models with high performance have been proposed, an effectively validated model for routine use still needs to be improvised. Combining the performance of artificial intelligence with a radiologist’s expertise offers a successful outcome with higher accuracy. Thus, we can conclude that higher sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of lung cancer screening and classification of nodules is possible through the integration of artificial intelligence and radiology. The validation of models and further research is to be carried out to determine the feasibility of this integration.Item Why we do what we do(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-10-28) Galmarini, Carlos MariaThe goal of all medical activity is to preserve health in fit people, and to restore the sick into a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. In an effort to determine whether we are achieving this last goal in oncology, herein we review the biological and clinical framework that has led to the foundations of the current anticancer treatment paradigm. Currently, cancer therapy is still based on the ancient axiom that states that the complete eradication of the tumor burden is the only way to achieve a cure. This strategy has led to a substantial improvement in survival rates as cancer mortality rates have dropped in an unprecedented way. Despite this progress, more than 9 million people still die from cancer every year, indicating that the current treatment strategy is not leading to a cancer cure, but to a cancer remission, that is “the temporary absence of manifestations of a particular disease”; after months or years of remission, in most patients, cancer will inevitably recur. Our critical analysis indicates that it is time to discuss about the new key challenges and future directions in clinical oncology. We need to generate novel treatment strategies more suited to the current clinical reality.Item Interplay between reactive oxygen species and autophagy in the course of age-related macular degeneration(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-09-25) Nita, Małgorzata; Grzybowski, AndrzejPathological biomolecules such as lipofuscin, methylglyoxal-modified proteins (the major precursors of advanced glycationend products), misfolding protein deposits and dysfunctional mitochondria are source of oxidative stress and act as strong autophagic stimulators in age-related macular degeneration. Disturbed autophagy accelerates progression of the disease, since it leads to retinal cells’ death and activates inflammation by the interplay with the NLRP3 inflammasome complex. Vascular dysfunction and hypoxia, as well as circulating autoantibodies against autophagy regulators (anti-S100A9, anti-ANXA5, and anti-HSPA8, A9 and B4) compromise an autophagy-mediated mechanism as well. Metformin, the autophagic stimulator, may act as a senostatic drug to inhibit the senescent phenotype in the age-related macular degeneration. PGC-1α , Sirt1 and AMPK represent new therapeutic targets for interventions in this disease.Item A review on biogenic synthesis, applications and toxicity aspects of zinc oxide nanoparticles(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-09-22) Sharma, Rajat; Garg, Rajni; Kumari, AvneshNanoparticles (NPs) have become an important field of research over the past several decades with applications in various sectors, such as biomedical, cosmetic, food and many others, because of their unique characteristics. The green synthesis of nanoparticles has been preferred because of the naturally occurring reductants present in biological systems that decreases exposure to toxic chemicals compared with physico-chemical methods and is eco-friendly. Zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs exhibit broad and potential applications in different fields with their specific characteristics such as surface area, size, shape, low toxicity, optical properties, high binding energy and large band gap. This paper focuses on the bio-synthesis of ZnO NPs by utilizing extracts of different plant parts (stem, flower, fruit, peel, and leaves) through efficient, economical, simple, pure, and eco-friendly green routes. In this process, zinc salts have been used as precursor and phytochemicals in the plant extract reduce the metal salt to lower oxidation state as well as stabilize the ZnO NPs. The morphological and physico-chemical properties of obtained NPs analyzed by various characterization techniques have been discoursed. Further, antimicrobial activity and potential photocatalytic application in terms of the degradation of dyes have also been reviewed in addition to the toxicity aspects of these NPs on human beings and animals.Item Insulin secretion(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-09-08) Gheibi, Sevda; Ghasemi, AsgharNitric oxide (NO) is a gas that serves as a ubiquitous signaling molecule participating in physiological activities of various organ systems. Nitric oxide is produced in the endocrine pancreas and contributes to synthesis and secretion of insulin. The potential role of NO in insulin secretion is disputable – both stimulatory and inhibitory effects have been reported. Available data indicate that effects of NO critically depend on its concentration. Different isoforms of NO synthase (NOS) control this and have the potential to decrease or increase insulin secretion. In this review, the role of NO in insulin secretion as well as the possible reasons for discrepant findings are discussed. A better understanding of the role of NO system in the regulation of insulin secretion may facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies in the management of diabetes.Item Biomaterials based on noncovalent interactions of small molecules(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-08-05) Guo, Jiaqi; Tian, Changhao; Xu, BingUnlike conventional materials that covalent bonds connecting atoms as the major force to hold the materials together, supramolecular biomaterials rely on noncovalent intermolecular interactions to assemble. The reversibility and biocompatibility of supramolecular biomaterials render them with diverse range of functions and lead to rapid development in the past two decades. This review focuses on the noncovalent and enzymatic control of supramolecular biomaterials, with the introduction to various triggering mechanism to initiate self-assembly. Representative applications of supramolecular biomaterials are highlighted in four categories: tissue engineering, cancer therapy, drug delivery, and molecular imaging. By introducing various applications, we intend to show enzymatic control and noncovalent interactions as a powerful tool for achieving spatiotemporal control of biomaterials both in vitro and in vivo for biomedicine.Item State-dependent memory and its modulation by different brain areas and neurotransmitters(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-08-03) Zarrindast, Mohammad-Reza; Khakpai, FatemehThe state-dependent memory defines as a state that the retrieval of recently obtained information may be potential if the subject exists in a similar physiological situation as for the period of the encoding stage. Studies revealed that exogenous and endogenous compounds could induce state-dependent memory. The state-dependent memory made it probable to differentiate the effects of drugs per se on learning from the effects due to alterations in drug state during the task. Studies proposed the role of regions beyond the limbic formation and illustrated that state-dependent memory produced by various neurotransmitter systems and pharmacological compounds. Our review of the literature revealed that: (a) re-administration of drugs on the same state induce state-dependent memory; (b) many neurotransmitters induce endogenous state-dependent memory; (c) there are cross state-dependent learning and memory between some drugs; (d) some sites of the brain including the CA1 areas of the hippocampus, central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), septum, ventral tegmental area (VTA), and nucleus accumbens (NAC) are involved in state-dependent memory.Item Osteoporosis(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-07-20) Föger-Samwald, Ursula; Dovjak, Peter; Azizi-Semrad, Ursula; Kerschan-Schindl, Katharina; Pietschmann, PeterOsteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease that, on a cellular level, results from osteoclastic bone resorption not compensated by osteoblastic bone formation. This causes bones to become weak and fragile, thus increasing the risk of fractures. Traditional pathophysiological concepts of osteoporosis focused on endocrine mechanisms such as estrogen or vitamin D deficiency as well as secondary hyperparathyroidism. However, research over the last decades provided exiting new insights into mechanisms contributing to the onset of osteoporosis, which go far beyond this. Selected mechanisms such as interactions between bone and the immune system, the gut microbiome, and cellular senescence are reviewed in this article. Furthermore, an overview on currently available osteoporosis medications including antiresorptive and bone forming drugs is provided and an outlook on potential future treatment options is given.Item Current coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-07-20) Nabil, Ahmed; Uto, Koichiro; Elshemy, Mohamed M.; Soliman, Reham; Hassan, Ayman A.; Ebara, Mitsuhiro; Shiha, GamalCoronaviruses are a group of enveloped viruses with non-segmented, single-stranded, and positive-sense RNA genomes. In December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in Wuhan City, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic in March 2020. Fever, dry cough and fatigue are found in the vast majority of all COVID-19 cases. Early diagnosis, treatment and future prevention are keys to COVID-19 management. Currently, the unmet need to develop cost-effective point-of-contact test kits and efficient laboratory techniques for confirmation of COVID-19 infection has powered a new frontier of diagnostic innovation. No proven effective therapies or vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 currently exist. The rapidly increasing research regarding COVID-19 virology provides a significant number of potential drug targets. Remdesivir may be the most promising therapy up till now. On May 1, 2020, Gilead Sciences, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational Remdesivir as a potential antiviral for COVID-19 treatment. On May 7, 2020, Gilead Sciences, announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted regulatory approval of Veklury® (Remdesivir) as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19 acute respiratory syndrome, under an exceptional approval pathway. Also, Corticosteroids are recommended for severe cases only to suppress the immune response and reduce symptoms, but not for mild and moderate patients where they are associated with a high-risk side effect. Based on the currently published evidence, we tried to highlight different diagnostic approaches, side effects and therapeutic agents that could help physicians in the frontlines.Item Inorganic nitrate, a natural anti-obesity agent(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-07-06) Bahadoran, Zahra; Jeddi, Sajad; Gheibi, Sevda; Mirmiran, Parvin; Kashfi, Khosrow; Ghasemi, AsgharEvidence for potential effects of inorganic nitrate (NO3) on body weight is limited to inconsistent findings of animal experiments. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to quantify the overall effect of inorganic NO3, administered via drinking water, on body weight gain in rats. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases, and the reference lists of published papers. Experiments on male rats, reported data on body weight in NO3-treated animals and controls, were included for quality assessment, meta-analyses, subgroup analyses, and meta-regressions. Of 173 initially obtained studies, 11 were eligible to be included in the analyses, which covered the years 2004 to 2019 and included a total of 43 intervention (n=395) and 43 control (n=395) arms. Overall, the final body weights were significantly lower in the NO3-supplemented groups compared to controls (WMD= –16.8 g, 95 % CI= –27.38, –6.24; P=0.002). Doses of NO3 higher than the median (> 72.94 mg L-1 d-1) and longer NO3 exposure (> 8 weeks) resulted in greater mean differences (WMD= –31.92 g, 95 % CI= –52.90, –10.94 and WMD= –23.16 g, 95 % CI= –35.64, –10.68 g). After exclusion of experiments using high doses of NO3 (> 400 mg L-1 d-1), the overall mean differences in body weights between the groups decreased by approximately 37 % but remained statistically significant (WMD= –10.11 g, 95 % CI= –19.04, –1.19, P=0.026). Mean changes in body weight were affected by age, baseline values in body weight, and the duration of the studies. These preliminary experimental findings strongly support the hypothesis that NO3 can be considered as a natural anti-obesity agent.Item Sulforaphane treatment for autism spectrum disorder(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-06-26) McGuinness, Greer; Kim, YeonsooAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined as a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication impairment, delayed development, social function deficit, and repetitive behaviors. The Center for Disease Control reports an increase in ASD diagnosis rates every year. This systematic review evaluated the use of sulforaphane (SFN) therapy as a potential treatment option for individuals with ASD. PubMed.gov, PubMed Central, Natural Medicines, BoardVitals, Google Scholar and Medline were searched for studies measuring the effects of SFN on behavior and cognitive function. All five clinical trials included in this systematic review showed a significant positive correlation between SFN use and ASD behavior and cognitive function. The current evidence shows with minimal side effects observed, SFN appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for treating ASD.Item Pathophysiology and therapy of systemic vasculitides(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-06-18) Ralli, Massimo; Campo, Flaminia; Angeletti, Diletta; Minni, Antonio; Artico, Marco; Greco, Antonio; Polimeni, Antonella; de Vincentiis, MarcoSystemic vasculitides represent uncommon conditions characterized by the inflammation of blood vessels that can lead to different complex disorders limited to one organ or potentially involving multiple organs and systems. Systemic vasculitides are classified according to the diameter of the vessel that they mainly affect (small, medium, large, or variable). The pathogenetic mechanisms of systemic vasculitides are still partly unknown, as well as their genetic basis. For most of the primary systemic vasculitides, a single gold standard test is not available, and diagnosis is often made after having ruled out other mimicking conditions. Current research has focused on new management protocol and therapeutic strategies aimed at improving long-term patient outcomes and avoiding progression to multiorgan failure with irreversible damage. In this narrative review, authors describe different forms of systemic vasculitides through a review of the literature, with the aim of highlighting the current knowledge and recent findings on etiopathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy.Item Anaplastic thyroid cancer(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-06-15) Amaral, Mariana; Afonso, Ricardo A.; Gaspar, Maria Manuela; Reis, Catarina PintoGlobally, thyroid cancer accounts for 2 % of all cancer diagnoses, and can be classified as well-differentiated or undifferentiated. Currently, differentiated thyroid carcinomas have good prognoses, and can be treated with a combination of therapies, including surgical thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine therapy and hormone-based therapy. On the other hand, anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, a subtype of undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma characterized by the loss of thyroid-like phenotype and function, does not respond to either radioactive iodine or hormone therapies. In most cases, anaplastic thyroid carcinomas are diagnosed in later stages of the disease, deeming them inoperable, and showing poor response rates to systemic chemotherapy. Recently, treatment courses using multiple-target agents are being explored and clinical trials have shown very promising results, such as overall survival rates, progression-free survival and tumor shrinkage. This review is focused on thyroid carcinomas, with particular focus on anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, exploring its undifferentiated nature. Special interest will be given to the treatment approaches currently available and respective obstacles or drawbacks. Our purpose is to contribute to understand why this malignancy presents low responsiveness to current treatments, while overviewing novel therapies and clinical trials.Item 3Rs toxicity testing and disease modeling projects in the European Horizon 2020 research and innovation program(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-06-09) Vinken, MathieuThe 3Rs concept, calling for replacement, reduction and refinement of animal experimentation, is receiving increasing attention around the world, and has found its way to legislation, in particular in the European Union. This is aligned by growing efforts of the European Commission to support development and implementation of 3Rs methods. The present paper gives an overview of European 3Rs initiatives as part of the different pillars of the Horizon 2020 framework program for research and innovation. Focus is hereby put on projects that address the 3Rs concept in the context of toxicity testing, chemical risk assessment and disease modeling.Item Prognostic role of immune cells in hepatocellular carcinoma(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-06-03) Sachdeva, Meenakshi; Arora, Sunil K.Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with rising incidence rates, is the most commonly occurring malignancy of the liver that exerts a heavy disease burden particularly in developing countries. A dynamic cross-talk between immune cells and malignant cells in tumor microenvironment governs the hepatocarcinogenesis. Monitoring immune contexture as prognostic markers is quite relevant and essential to evaluate clinical outcomes and to envisage response to therapy. In this review, we present an overview of the prognostic value of various tumor infiltrating immune cells and the continually evolving immune checkpoints as novel biomarkers during HCC. Tumor infiltration by immune cells such as T cells, NK cells and dendritic cells is linked with improved prognosis and favorable outcome, while the intra-tumoral presence of regulatory T cells (Tregs) or myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) on the other hand is associated with poor clinical outcome. In addition to these, the overexpression of negative regulatory molecules on tumor cells also provides inhibitory signals to T cells and is associated with poor prognosis. The limitation of a single marker can be overcome by advanced prognostication models and algorithms that evaluate multiple prognostic factors and ultimately aid the clinician in improving the disease free and overall survival of HCC patients.Item Artificial sweeteners are related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-05-12) Emamat, Hadi; Ghalandari, Hamid; Tangestani, Hadith; Abdollahi, Afsoun; Hekmatdoost, AzitaNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a systemic and wide-spread disease characterized by accumulation of excess fat in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. Artificial sweeteners (ASs) or sugar substitutes are food additives that provide a sweet taste, and are also known as low-calorie or non-calorie sweeteners. Recently people consume increasingly more ASs to reduce their calorie intake. Gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem where 1014 microorganisms play several roles in host nutrition, bone mineralization, immune system regulation, xenobiotics metabolism, proliferation of intestinal cells, and protection against pathogens. A disruption in composition of the normal microbiota is known as ‘gut dysbiosis’ which may adversely affect body metabolism. It has recently been suggested that dysbiosis may contribute to the occurrence of NAFLD. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ASs on the risk of NAFLD. The focus of this review is on microbiota changes and dysbiosis. Increasing evidence shows that ASs have a potential role in microbiota alteration and dysbiosis. We speculate that increased consumption of ASs can further raise the prevalence of NAFLD. However, further human studies are needed to determine this relationship definitively.Item Serotonergic system modulation holds promise for L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesias in hemiparkinsonian rats(IfADo - Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, 2020-03-02) Farajdokht, Fereshteh; Sadigh-Eteghad, Saeed; Majdi, Alireza; Pashazadeh, Fariba; Vatandoust, Seyyed Mehdi; Ziaee, Mojtaba; Safari, Fatemeh; Karimi, Pouran; Mahmoudi, JavadThe alleged effects of serotonergic agents in alleviating levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs) in parkinsonian patients are debatable. To this end, we systematically reviewed the serotonergic agents used for the treatment of LIDs in a 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson’s disease in rats. We searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Proquest for entries no later than March 2018, and restricted the search to publications on serotonergic agents used for the treatment of LIDs in hemiparkinsonian rats. The initial search yielded 447 citations, of which 49 articles and one conference paper met our inclusion criteria. The results revealed ten different categories of serotonergic agents, including but not limited to 5-HT1A/BR agonists, 5-HT2AR antagonists, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), all of which improved LIDs without imposing considerable adverse effects. Although there is promising evidence regarding the role of these agents in relieving LIDs in hemiparkinsonian rats, further studies are needed for the enlightenment of hidden aspect of these molecules in terms of mechanisms and outcomes. Given this, improving the quality of the pre-clinical studies and designing appropriate clinical trials will help fill the bench-to-bedside gap.Item The survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma in Asian countries(2020-01-13) Hassanipour, Soheil; Vali, Mouhebat; Gaffari-fam, Saber; Nikbakht, Hossein-Ali; Abdzadeh, Elham; Joukar, Farahnaz; Pourshams, Akram; Shafaghi, Afshin; Malakoutikhah, Mahdi; Arab-Zozani, Morteza; Salehiniya, Hamid; Mansour-Ghanaei, FariborzHepatocellular carcinoma or Liver cancer (LC) is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth cause of death worldwide in 2018. There has not been a comprehensive study on the survival rate of patients with LC in Asia yet. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the survival rate of patients with LC in Asian countries. The methodology of the present study is based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) statement. The researchers searched five international databases including Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Knowledge and ProQuest until July 1, 2018. We also searched Google Scholar for detecting grey literature. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Form was used to evaluate the quality of selected papers. A total of 1425 titles were retrieved. 63 studies met the inclusion criteria. Based on the random-effect model one-year, three-year and five-year survival rate of LC were 34.8 % (95 % CI; 30.3-39.3), 19 % (95 % CI ; 18.2-21.8) and 18.1 % (95 % CI ;16.1-20.1) respectively. According to the results of our study, the LC survival rate in Asian countries is relatively lower than in Europe and North America.