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This research is devoted to developing a finite element model using Abaqus code for the computer simulation of an in-house developed and manufactured rubber bearing subjected to static vertical and cyclic horizontal loads. A high-damping rubber compound was designed. The material behavior of the rubber was assumed to be described by the hyper-viscoelastic model. Both linear (Prony series) and nonlinear (strain hardening power law) viscoelastic relationships were used in conjunction with the Ogden-Roxburgh equation to take the addition of the stress softening phenomenon or Mullins effect into consideration. The parameters of the material model were determined using MCalibration code in which an optimization technique was used, and data obtained in experiments carried out on test specimens were fitted into the selected model. The results of the simulations were compared with their corresponding experimental data carried out on the rubber bearing. The force-displacement behavior, stress and strain fields, and computed energy were presented and discussed. It is shown that the nonlinear viscoelastic model accompanied by the Mullins effect gives the best results. Moreover, the model could accurately predict the energy variations during the earthquake loading.

Abstract Regarding the important role of α-glucosidase enzyme in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the current study was established to design and synthesize aryl-quinoline-4-carbonyl hydrazone bearing different 2-methoxyphenoxyacetamide (11a–o) and the structure of all derivatives was confirmed through various techniques including IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and elemental analysis. Next, the α-glucosidase inhibitory potentials of all derivatives were evaluated, and all compounds displayed potent inhibition with IC50 values in the range of 26.0 ± 0.8–459.8 ± 1.5 µM as compared to acarbose used as control, except 11f and 11l. Additionally, in silico-induced fit docking and molecular dynamics studies were performed to further investigate the interaction, orientation, and conformation of the newly synthesized compounds over the active site of α-glucosidase.

Purpose: The study determines employee perception of risk management practices and organizational commitment in Private Banks of Balochistan. Earlier studies in the field highlight the importance of HR practices during organizational transition since it may be necessary to influence employee behavior to support the change's direction. By implementing HR practices that encourage change, The HR department is in an excellent position to effect positive perception. Methodology: Using a quantitative research approach, this study evaluates the relationship between employee perception of risk management practices and organizational commitment in the banking sector. Findings: The study's findings for banking sector organizations, supporting them in better understanding the elements that influence employee perceptions of risk management practices and their commitment to the organization. The study's findings could be used to design focused initiatives to improve risk management practices and increase employee happiness and organizational effectiveness. Implications: This study may provide a foundation for future research in related domains by contributing to existing knowledge on risk management and organizational commitment. Finally, the study hopes to promote a risk-aware culture within the banking sector, resulting in a more engaged and resilient workforce and boosting these organizations' long-term prosperity and stability.

The purpose of the current research was to determine the level of physical activity of the male employees of the police guard and also to investigate the relationships between physical activity and mental and social wellbeing in the male employees of the police guard. The current research was descriptive-correlation research. The statistical population of this research included all the male employees of police guard of Tehran in 2021. The statistical sample of the current research included 146 men who were selected through convenience sampling. Physical activity was measured using the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), mental health was measured using depression anxiety and stress scale 21 (DASS-21), and social health was measured using the Keyes's social well-being questionnaire (KSWBQ). Pearson’s correlation test and structural equations were used for data analysis. Results showed that the research subjects had a body mass index with an average of 24.40 which is at an average level, but close to overweight. Also, a total of 52% of the subjects had moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. In addition, the mental and social health scores were in the average range. Moreover, physical activity had significant relationships with mental health and social health. The results of the model fit showed that the research model had a good fit. Our findings indicated the positive effects of physical activity on psycho-social health components in the male employees of police guard. These findings show that the use of strategies and interventions to improve the physical activity status of the staff of police guard is of special importance.

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown that CD134 (OX40) co-stimulation is involved in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models and the antigen is expressed within multiple sclerosis lesions in humans. OX40 (CD134) is thought to be a secondary co-stimulatory immune checkpoint molecule that is expressed by T cells. This study aimed to evaluate the mRNA expression of OX40 and its serum levels in the peripheral blood of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO). Methods Patients with MS (n = 60), NMO (n = 20), and 20 healthy subjects were recruited from Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The diagnoses were confirmed by a specialist in clinical neurology. Peripheral venous blood was obtained from all subjects, and mRNA quantification of OX40 was conducted using real-time PCR. Serum samples were also obtained and the concentration of OX40 was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results There was a significant correlation between the mRNA expression and serum levels of OX40 and disability as assessed using the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) in the patients with MS, but not in the patients with NMO. Expression of OX40 mRNA was significantly higher in the peripheral blood of MS patients compared to healthy individuals and NMO patients (*P

The cytoskeleton is a fundamental component found in all eukaryotic organisms, serving as a critical factor in various essential cyto-biological mechanisms, particularly in the locomotion and morphological transformations of plant cells. The cytoskeleton is comprised of three main components: microtubules (MT), microfilaments (MF), and intermediate filaments (IF). The cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in the process of cell wall formation and remodeling throughout the growth and development of cells. It is a highly organized and regulated network composed of filamentous components. In the basic processes of intracellular transport, such as mitosis, cytokinesis, and cell polarity, the plant cytoskeleton plays a crucial role according to recent studies. The major flaws in the organization of the cytoskeletal framework are at the root of the aberrant organogenesis currently observed in plant mutants. The regulation of protein compartmentalization and abundance within cells is predominantly governed by the process of vesicle/membrane transport, which plays a crucial role in several signaling cascades.The regulation of membrane transport in eukaryotic cells is governed by a diverse array of proteins. Recent developments in genomics have provided new tools to study the evolutionary relationships between membrane proteins in different plant species. It is known that members of the GTPases, COP, SNAREs, Rabs, tethering factors, and PIN families play essential roles in vesicle transport between plant, animal, and microbial species. This Review presents the latest research on the plant cytoskeleton, focusing on recent developments related to the cytoskeleton and summarizing the role of various proteins in vesicle transport. In addition, the report predicts future research direction of plant cytoskeleton and vesicle trafficking, potential research priorities, and provides researchers with specific pointers to further investigate the significant link between cytoskeleton and vesicle trafficking.

Background: The rapid development of modern technologies renders a convenient and efficient solution to implement Electronic Health Records (EHRs) systems. The rapid growth of healthcare data has a distinctive attribute of digital transformations. The big datasets of healthcare, their complexity and their dynamic nature have posed severe challenges associated with the analysis, pre-processing, privacy, security, storage, usability and data exchange. Material and Methods: We have performed the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and followed the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) methodology. SLR refers to the methodology that discovers, analyses and accesses recent research literature related to the subject field. The research papers were searched from academic repositories like IEEE, WOS, Scopus and PubMed for the previous five years on March 2023. Results: The designed search string provides 199 research articles in total. We filter the research articles based on inclusion-exclusion strategies and quality assessment metrics. Six main criteria for research inclusion-exclusion for SLR are formulated. These works of literature insight into 1) the issues associated with interoperability and security of EHRs by using the Blockchain (BC) technology, 2) different frameworks and tools to improve privacy and security in the healthcare domain, 3) the open issues of using BC technology in the electronic healthcare domain, 4) the standardized ways to store EHRs, 5) various ways to handle the big data using the BC systems and 6) the usage of Federated Learning (FL) to preserve the privacy of EHRs in the healthcare domain. We acquired 46 research articles based on the criteria (inclusion-exclusion) that investigate the above-mentioned issues. Conclusion: The SLR will serve as the state-of-the-art (SOTA) for future researchers in the field of BC in healthcare. Additionally, the paper provides insights to the new researchers to revolutionize the healthcare domain by adopting the latest digitalized technologies. The proposed study identified various reflections. It analyzed the architectural mechanism that supports the security and interoperability of EHRs. Secondly, the study described different tools and frameworks to improve the privacy and security of EHRs using the BC. Thirdly, the open issues of storing and preserving the EHRs using BC in the healthcare system were determined. Fourth, it analyzed and provided a detailed view of using standardized ways for storing and handling big data by using the BC system. Lastly, the usage of FL to preserve the privacy of EHRs was analyzed.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of teaching style in physical education on prosocial and antisocial behaviors of children. We used a descriptive-correlational method for this study. The participates of the present study included 384 primary school students (mean age of 9.17 years old), including 192 boys and 192 girls which were selected by using a convenience sampling method. For collecting data, teacher as social context (TASC) Questionnaire, sport climate questionnaire (SCQ) and prosocial and antisocial behavior in sport scale (PABSS) were used. Correlation test and structural equation method were used for da analysis. The results showed that perceived need support directly affected prosocial behaviors. In addition, perceived need thwarting indirectly affected prosocial behaviors. Moreover, perceived need support indirectly affected antisocial behaviors. Finally, perceived need thwarting directly affected antisocial behaviors. These findings demonstrate that needs supportive teaching style would lead to increase the prosocial behaviors and decrease antisocial behaviors in the physical education class among children.

The effects of motor imagery and physical practice on motor learning in individuals with ADHD received very little attention. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to examine the effects of motor imagery and physical practice on motor performance and learning dart-throwing in adolescents with ADHD. The current research was based on a causal-comparative approach. The participants included 60 adolescents with ADHD (with the age range of 12 to 17 years) randomly and equally assigned into four groups: 1) motor imagery, 2) physical practice, 3) combination of motor imagery and physical practice, and 4) control. The motor task involved dart-throwing, in which the accurate throw score was measured as the dependent variable. The participants performed the pre-test (ten throws) and the retention test (ten throws). ANOVA was run to analyze the throwing accuracy. Results showed that all groups had similar throwing scores in the pretest, however, in the retention test, the results indicated that combination group had significantly better throwing scores than all other groups (in all groups, P=0.000). In addition, physical practice group had significantly better throwing scores than motor imagery and control groups (both P=0.000). Finally, motor imagery group had significantly better throwing scores than control group (P=0.000). Individuals with ADHD benefit from motor imagery, indicating that they have the necessary mechanisms to learn new skills through motor imagery. Moreover, a combination of motor imagery and physical practice would be a better strategy for learning new motor skills.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the beneficial effects of dietary thiamine supplementation on physiological, immunological and antioxidant responses in juvenile beluga, Huso huso. The juvenile fish (∼ 3 g) were fed four times a day with diets containing 0 (control), 5 (5 T), 10 (10 T), and 20 (20 T) mg kg−1 thiamine for 12 weeks. Significant increases were observed in growth performance indicators of the fish fed different levels of thiamine, compared to the control group and the best performance was observed in 10 T treatment. The carcass protein content significantly increased in the thiamine-treated fish and the highest protein content was observed in the 10 T treatment. Digestive enzymes’ activities (pepsin, trypsin, lipase, and amylase) significantly increased in the fish fed the thiamine-supplemented diets. The serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities significantly decreased in the 10 T and 20 T treatments, compared to the control group. Dietary thiamine supplementation significantly increased the serum lysozyme, alternative complement activities, and IgM level, compared to the control diet and the highest lysozyme activity and IgM level were observed in the 10 T and 20 T treatments. The hepatic superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-s-transferase, transketolase activities of 10 T and 20 T treatments were significantly higher than those of the control treatment. The hepatic catalase activities in the thiamine-treated fish were significantly higher than that of the control fish. Contrastingly, the hepatic malondialdehyde contents of the 5 T, 10 T, and 20 T treatments were significantly lower than the control treatment. Although all the dietary thiamine levels (5–20 mg kg−1) showed beneficial effects on different tested parameters, 10 mg kg−1 was the most beneficial level and is recommended for dietary inclusion to improve the growth and health of juvenile beluga.

Introduction Radiation therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is constrained by radiotoxicity to normal tissue. We demonstrate 100 nm theranostic nanoparticles for image-guided radiation therapy planning and enhancement in rat head and neck squamous cell carcinoma models. Methods PEG conjugated theranostic nanoparticles comprising of Au nanorods coated with Gadolinium oxide layers were tested for radiation therapy enhancement in 2D cultures of OSC-19-GFP-luc cells, and orthotopic tongue xenografts in male immunocompromised Salt sensitive or SS rats via both intratumoral and intravenous delivery. The radiation therapy enhancement mechanism was investigated. Results Theranostic nanoparticles demonstrated both X-ray/magnetic resonance contrast in a dose-dependent manner. Magnetic resonance images depicted optimal tumor-to-background uptake at 4 h post injection. Theranostic nanoparticle + Radiation treated rats experienced reduced tumor growth compared to controls, and reduction in lung metastasis. Conclusions Theranostic nanoparticles enable preprocedure radiotherapy planning, as well as enhance radiation treatment efficacy for head and neck tumors.

Abstract A novel series of diphenylquinoxaline-6-carbohydrazide hybrids 7a–o were rationally designed and synthesized as anti-diabetic agents. All synthesized compounds 7a–o were screened as possible α-glucosidase inhibitors and exhibited good inhibitory activity with IC50 values in the range of 110.6 ± 6.0 to 453.0 ± 4.7 µM in comparison with acarbose as the positive control (750.0 ± 10.5 µM). An exception in this trend came back to a compound 7k with IC50 value > 750 µM. Furthermore, the most potent derivative 7e bearing 3-fluorophenyl moiety was further explored by kinetic studies and showed the competitive type of inhibition. Additionally, the molecular docking of all derivatives was performed to get an insight into the binding mode of these derivatives within the active site of the enzyme. In silico assessments exhibited that 7e was well occupied in the binding pocket of the enzyme through favorable interactions with residues, correlating to the experimental results.

Global solar radiation can theoretically be approximated in terms of tilt and azimuth of the surface regarding the impossibility of simultaneous measurement of solar radiation at various surface tilt and azimuth angles. Moreover, the random and anisotropic nature of diffuse radiation in a tropical climate makes it extremely difficult to estimate global solar radiation accurately as a function of surface tilt and azimuth angles. This study aims to develop a novel experimental and theoretical approach in the form of a computational network in order to determine a precise combined model integrated with global horizontal solar radiation to evaluate global tilted solar radiation in a tropical climate. Obtained results revealed that precisely estimation of the global tilted solar radiation was possible, by combining geometric factors for the tilted beam solar radiation, a combination of Gueymard and Louche models for the tilted diffuse solar radiation, and isotropic ground reflectance model for the ground reflected radiation, along with global horizontal solar radiation. It was observed that the accuracy of the model developed was higher for the partly sunny sky compared to the cloudy and rainy sky, estimates were more accurate on south-facing surfaces, and the model's accuracy declined with the increasing tilt angle of the surface. The statistical analysis exhibited excellent agreement between the measured data and simulation results, considering the value of normalized mean absolute error (nMAE %), normalized root mean squared error (nRMSE %), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE %), which were in the ranges 0.22–0.94, 0.27–1.11, and 0.23–1.02, respectively for estimating global tilted solar radiation in various regions of Peninsular Malaysia, and they were respectively found in the range of 10.2–27.5%, 16.1–38.9%, and 6.0–17.8%, for evaluating the monthly optimum tilt angle towards the south, that leads to a loss of solar energy from 1.3 to 5.4 kWh/m2/year in Peninsular Malaysia. This search revealed that the experimental and theoretical approach employed in this study can be extended to more climatic regions.

Our previous microscopic observations on the wet mount of cultured Candida yeast showed release of large extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contained intracellular bacteria (∼500–5000 nm). We used Candida tropicalis, to examine the internalization of nanoparticles (NPs) with different properties to find out whether the size and flexibility of both EVs and cell wall pores play role in transport of large particles across the cell wall.Candida tropicalis was cultured in N-acetylglucoseamine-yeast extract broth (NYB) and examined for release of EVs every 12 h by the light microscope. The yeast was also cultured in NYB supplemented with of 0.1%, 0.01% of Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled NPs; gold (0.508 mM/L and 0.051 mM/L) (45, 70 and 100 nm), albumin (0.0015 mM/L and 0.015 mM/L) (100 nm) and Fluospheres (0.2 and 0.02%) (1000 and 2000 nm). Internalization of NPs was recorded with fluorescence microscope after 30 s to 120 min. Release of EVs mostly occurred at 36 h and concentration of 0.1% was the best for internalization of NPs that occurred at 30 s after treatment. Positively charged 45 nm NPs internalized into >90% of yeasts but 100 nm gold NPs destroyed them. However, 70 nm gold and 100 nm negatively-charged albumin were internalized into

Background: The style of teaching in physical education classes is very important for students’ participation in physical activity. However, the impact of teaching styles in online physical education classes during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well understood. The purpose of the current research was to investigate the associations between teaching style in online physical education with needs satisfaction, motivation, enjoyment, and intention to be physically active in adolescent students. Gender differences were also computed.Methods: The current study applied a descriptive-correlation approach. The participants were 384 high-school students (192 boys and 192 girls) from Golestan province, Iran in 2020. Data was gathered using standard questionnaires. Correlation test and structural equation modeling were used to examine the associations among variables and Mann-Whitney U test was utilized to examine gender differences.Results: Descriptive data demonstrated that boys and girls had almost identical age. Results demonstrated that perceived needs support was positively associated with psychological need satisfaction (T=12.169), motivation (T=4.467), enjoyment (T=7.257), and intention (T=4.657). Moreover, psychological need satisfaction was associated with motivation (T=7.019), enjoyment (T=5.607), and intention (T=4.230). Furthermore, motivation was associated with enjoyment (T=6.967) and intention (T=7.128). Finally, enjoyment was associated with intention to physical activity (T=15.130).Conclusion: Perceived needs support is directly associated with motivating students to be physically active during online physical education.

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica syndrome disease (NMOSD) are inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. The pathogenesis and treatments for these two conditions are very different. Natural killer (NK) and natural killer T (NKT) cells are immune cells with an important role in shaping the immune response. B cells are involved in antigen presentation as well as antibody and cytokine production. There is conflicting evidence of the roles of NK, NKT, and B cells in the two conditions. We aimed to compare the frequency of CD3−CD16+CD56+NK, CD3+ CD56+ NKT, and CD5+CD19+ B cells in the peripheral blood and serum Interleukin-10 (IL-10) in patients with MS and NMOSD. Methods CD19+CD5+ B, CD3− CD16+CD56+ NK, and CD3+CD56+ NKT cells were quantitated by flow cytometry in 15 individuals with Interferon-Beta (IFN-β) treated relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS), 15 untreated RRMS, and 15 NMOSD patients as well as 30 healthy controls (HC). Serum IL-10 was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The percentage of CD3−CD56+CD16+ NK cells in the peripheral blood of IFN-treated MS (1.81 ± 0.87) was significantly lower than for untreated RRMS (4.74 ± 1.80), NMOSD (4.64 ± 1.26) and HC (5.83 ± 2.19) (p

Existing navigation applications such as Google Maps, Apple maps provide a core service to users to find the shortest path or the path that takes the least amount of time towards a user’s destination. The applications and other research efforts have been sought to include other features such as 3D maps, neighboring facilities, traffic information, and multi-modal alternate route suggestion based on user constraints. None of these, however, take into account an important factor: “user safety while commuting”. Although the common perception of street crime is that it is primarily a problem in the third-world countries, current popular hashtags or topics (e.g. “blacklifematters”) indicate that it is now prevalent in other parts of the world as well. Even existing multi-modal alternative route recommender systems are incapable of adapting to a dynamic set of safety features, are unable to provide new safe path updates in response to real-time commuter responses, and take little or no account of historical on-road events when designing the safe algorithm. In light of the above background, we begin by developing a generic framework, namely On-road Risk Minimization Problem (ORMP). We then introduce a dynamic population-based algorithm, that we call Safe Path for Everyone (SPaFE), that solves ORMP using multi-modal historical and crowdsourced data. Finally, our extensive empirical results demonstrate that SPaFE markedly outperforms the state-of-the-art.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the clonal expansion of mature CD5+ B cells and the most common lymphoproliferative disease in adults (B1-CLL). B1 cells' anti-inflammatory effects include the production of natural IgM (nIgM) by the spleen and bone marrow, decreased inflammatory cytokines as a primary response to maintaining tissue homeostasis, and enhanced release of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ). We used the flow cytometry technique in peripheral blood from patients with CLL and multiple sclerosis (MS) to immunophenotype B cells and their subpopulations. Whole blood from CLL and MS patients, as well as healthy controls, was used to detect nIgM using the VH4-34 gene copy number and real-time RT-PCR. We found that the proportion of CD5+ B cells was significantly lower in MS patients than in the control group and that CD5+ B lymphocytes were significantly higher in CLL patients than in the control group. Compared to the control group, CLL patients had significantly higher levels of the VH4-34 gene copy number. On the contrary, MS patients had significantly lower VH4-34 gene copy number levels compared to the control group. As the number of antibodies in CLL patients increases due to the high number of B1 cells, we propose a new way to treat MS by extracting this natural antibody from the sera of CLL patients and injecting it into MS patients.

BackgroundPornography exposure, particularly among students, in Bangladesh, has increased in the twenty-first century. However, pornography exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were compelled to “stay at home” and relied extensively on the internet for all forms of activities, including academia, socializing, and communication, has remained unexplored. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of pornography exposure among students during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the associated predictors.MethodsA web-based cross-sectional study was carried out among students with certain specifications, i.e., current students at high school/college/university with access to the internet and valid social media accounts. By administering a semi-structured e-questionnaire using Google Forms, a total of 646 valid responses were retained for this study. The data were analyzed in two phases by Pearson's Chi-square and multiple logistic regression model, using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 25. The results were expressed as an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI).ResultsThe findings suggest that 75.9% of students were exposed to pornography during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and preferred to watch the amateur/professional genre of pornography. Pornography exposure was significantly associated with age and relationship status, as students aged 22–24 years (95% CI: 1.01–2.41; p = 0.045) and over 25 years (95% CI: 1.61–10.03; p = 0.003) were more likely to watch pornography, while married students and those in relationships (95% CI: 1.24–3.49; p = 0.006) also watched pornography during the pandemic. In contrast, students who were living alone (95% CI: 0.38–0.92; p = 0.021), were living in the Khulna division (95% CI: 0.16–0.52; p < 0.001) or had a negative attitude toward pornography (95% CI: 0.94–0.99; p = 0.002) were less likely to be exposed to pornography.ConclusionPornography exposure was higher among students in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic, and religiosity and disapproving attitudes toward pornography negatively influenced the pornography exposure. For a better understanding of the complex dynamics of socio-demographic issues with pornography exposure among students, extensive research is required for policymakers to devise appropriate strategies and interventions to ensure healthy and safe sex life for the younger population.

Solar energy is an accessible and sustainable energy source to meet the rising air conditioning demand. This study investigated the performance of solar thermal assisted sorption cooling systems, namely, solar absorption (SABC) and adsorption cooling (SADC) systems. A novel analytical approach to determine the techno-economic potential for specific climate conditions has been developed. The climatic conditions of Malaysia were used as a case study. Both cooling systems were simulated using TRNSYS coupled with VISUAL BASIC and optimized using a multi-objective optimization algorithm implemented in MATLAB. The results show that the COPchiller and collector area have the most significant impact on the performance and primary energy consumption of SABC and SADC systems. On average, 36 % and 27 % of the useful energy gain of solar collectors was converted to the cooling effect in SABC and SADC systems, respectively. Meanwhile, the minimum amount of non-renewable primary energy, the non-renewable primary energy savings ratio, and the least payback period are 0.57 and 0.39, 7.6 % and 7.5 %, and 4 and 9 years, for the SABC and SADC systems, respectively.

Background: New mutations of COVID-19 and a lack of adequate vaccination necessitate finding certain methods to enhance mental health of adolescents during the pandemic. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on mental health of adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The present research applied an experimental design with pretest and posttest in 2020. The subjects herein included 65 high-school students, randomly divided into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received three months of intervention based on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy while the control group performed regular daily activities. Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using standard questionnaires before and after the intervention as well as three months later. Independent t test and ANCOVA were utilized for data analysis. Results: At the baseline, 58 students (89.2%) had moderate depression, 37 students (56.9%) had severe anxiety, and 45 students (69.2%) had moderate stress. No significant differences were observed between the groups at the baseline (all P>0.05). Following the intervention, 53 students (81.6%) had moderate depression, 37 students (56.9%) had moderate anxiety, and 31 students (47.7%) had moderate stress. These results remained almost the same in the follow-up test. Moreover, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy significantly reduced depression (p

Abstract Effects from nonstandard corrections to Newtonian gravity, at large scale, can be investigated using the cosmological structure formation. In particular, it is possible to show if and how a logarithmic correction (as that induced from nonlocal gravity) modifies the clustering properties of galaxies and of clusters of galaxies. The thermodynamics of such systems can be used to obtain important information about the effects of such modification on clustering. We will compare its effects with observational data and it will be demonstrated that the observations seem to point to a characteristic scale where such a logarithmic correction might be in play at galactic scales. However, at larger scales such statistical inferences are much weaker, so that a fully reliable statistical evidence for this kind of corrections cannot be stated without further investigations and the use of more varied and precise cosmological and astrophysical probes.

Extended Spectrum beta lactamase producing pathogens are reported in many clinical samples and pose an emerging threat health. To find the prevalence of ESBL producing Enterobactriacea pathogens isolated from inpatients (Medical and Surgical Wards; Hospital stay > 72 h) admitted to Prince, Mutib, Hospital Sakaka, Jouf. A total of 1043 Enterobactriacea were isolated during April 2015 to October 2016 study period. Vitek -2 compact (biomeriux Leon, France) was used for identification and antimicrobial sensitivity (AST) test. A Total of 115/1043 (11.02%) ESBL producing pathogens were isolated from urine 15.07% (n=242), sputum 13.6 % (n=220), wound 10.8% (n=287) and blood 5.4 % (n=294). Klebsiella pneumonia is most dominant followed by E coli and Proteus miribilis. Cephamycins and carbapenems were found most effective (100% sensitivity) against the pathogens isolated. The aminoglycosides, beta lactams and Fluroquinolnes class of antibiotics, microorganisms have gained the resistance of 20%, 22.7%, 40-70% respectively. The infection control measures should be taken seriously and making of effective use of antibiotics is need of hour.

Background: In recent years, research has witnessed an exciting change toward well-being and health instead of emphasizing disorders and inefficiency. The current study aimed to assess the effect of a mindfulness-based resilience training program on the psychological well-being of medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The current study was quasi-experimental with a control group and a pre/post design. A sample of 30 students was randomly selected from a community of medical students at the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2021-2022. These students were randomly divided into two groups of 15 participants. The tools used in this research included Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire (PWB-18) and an integrated training program for resilience and mindfulness. Results: The findings showed an integrated training program of resilience and mindfulness positively affected students’ psychological well-being. In addition, this intervention was able to explain 59% of the combined variance of psychological well-being variables. Conclusion: The results of the current study found that an integrated training program of resilience and mindfulness can improve individuals’ psychological well-being during a difficult situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: There are some antibodies which are present in healthy individuals without any former exposure to foreign antigens; they are known as natural autoantibodies (NAAbs). In recent years, it was shown that they probably contribute to the homeostasis of the whole body and might be present before beginning of some diseases. Thus, as new biomarkers, they are promising factors to diagnose diseases. Materials and Methods: In this study, we drew upon samples of 924 individuals (600 controls and 324 cases) with underlying diseases of anemia, polycythemia, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytosis, and pancytopenia. For detection of NAAbs against red blood cell, plasma samples were incubated with their own red cell suspension in 4°C for 18 h. Then, positive samples were evaluated for antibody screening and titration. Results: Fifty-two (8.6%) controls and 58 (17.9%) cases showed positive reaction (Pv < 0.001). The prevalence of positive antibody screens among auto-positive controls was 53% and 100% among cases; moreover, strength of antibody screen reaction had a mean rank of 22.5 in controls and a mean rank of 38.5 in cases (Pv < 0.001). A significant relation was also observed between ABO blood group and prevalence of NAAbs in controls but not in cases (Pv < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence and potency of NAAbs increased along with hematological changes; moreover, the antibody reactions' pattern and titration showed significant differences between the two groups and these may be useful as biomarker for monitoring and prediction of some hematological diseases.

Background: Finding behavioral changes in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic may provide a better image of the negative impact of quarantine on their mental and physical health. The purpose of the present research was to examine the smartphone usage status, sleep pattern, health-related quality of life, and physical activity among adolescents from before to during the COVID-19 confinement. Methods: The present study used a descriptive-comparative design. The participants were 384 male and female students aged 16 to 18 years (mean age of 16.84±1.06 years) in grades 11 and 12 from the high-schools of Golestan province, Iran, in 2020. Screen time, sleep pattern, health-related quality of life, and physical activity were measured using standard questionnaires. Paired-Sample t test was employed to compare the means of the constructs of the study from “before” to “during” the COVID-19 pandemic. Independent t test was used to measure gender differences. Results: Results shed light on the increments in smartphone use and decrements in sleep quality, health-related quality of life, and physical activity among adolescents from “before” to “during” the COVID-19 pandemic (all p 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed the effects of policies related to COVID-19 pandemic on health-related behaviors among adolescents and emphasized the importance of adopting appropriate coping strategies to promote healthy lifestyle during confinement.

A data buoy for measuring coastal wave-action has been designed and constructed. The buoy is essentially a 0.6 m diameter sphere that is made of fiber-glass with aluminum, steel and polymer parts. While the overall geometry of the buoy is superficially similar to that of existing commercial spherical buoys (e.g. Wave-Rider by Datawell), the present design is based on a simple robust structure and mass-market electronics. A significant dual-use feature of this design is that the structure is usable as a float in a wave-energy generation device. This is possible due to the essentially isolated central structure and an electronics enclosure that is sealed both from the external environment and from the bulk shell of the buoy. This also allows the electronics to be mounted in an easily- modified, rack configuration that can be removed from the buoy shell. In a wave-energy generation set-up the electronics rack would be removed and the central cylinder will become part of a linear-motion type generator, with at least +/- 25 cm of internal movement available to it that is waterproof (for near surface or shallow immersions). Alternatively, for large wave motions, the buoy can couple to an energy-generating device using flanges that mate with its bolt circle pattern. However, at the moment, the buoy enclosure is dedicated to wave-action measurement, i.e., a data buoy with an onboard inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a radio-link to send real-time data to a receiving unit that can be on a boat or at the seashore. Basic GPS data are also transmitted. This is of interest if the buoy is being deployed in a drifting (un-moored) mode. This paper will only discuss the mechanical design and fabrication of the structure.

Background: An important issue for pediatric health is to understand how to enhance the level of physical activity of children and adolescents during the pandemic. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a physical education- based online intervention on promoting motivation and physical activity of adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The present study used an experimental design with pre-test and post-test conducted in Iran, 2020. The participants were 68 high school students who were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. The participants of the intervention group were exposed to a three-month intervention based on Self-Determination theory within the online physical education classes while those in the control group followed their regular online physical education classes. Perceived autonomy support, motivation, intention, and physical activity behavior were measured using standard questionnaires. Independent t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were utilized to analyze the data. Results: The pre-test showed that the participants of both groups had similar perceived autonomy support, motivation, intention, and physical activity behavior at baseline. However, the participants in the intervention group reported higher perceived autonomy support (3.2 vs. 1.48, p

The application of residues of agricultural products as low-cost biosorbents for removing heavy metal from water, is particularly appropriate for developing countries. This study was conducted to compare the removal efficiency of lead (Pb (II)) from aqueous solutions with initial concentration of lead (0- 100 mg/L) by some raw (unmodified) biosorbents (sunflower stalks, wheat straw and corn stalks) and chemically modified of these biosorbents with NaHCO3 0.5 mol/L and NaOH 0.5 mol L. Also in this study, lead adsorption isotherms and lead removal efficiency by these biosorbents was investigated. Biochemical composition analysis of the studied biosorbents showed that sunflower stalks had the highest cellulose, lignin and ash content. Hemicellulose were highest in wheat straw but lowest in sunflower stalks. Langmuir and Freundlich models had a better fitness than the Temkin model for removal of lead by unmodified and modified biosorbents. The removal efficiency (RE) for unmodified sunflower stalks, wheat straw and corn stalks were obtained 94-99%, 85-97% and 55-95%, respectively. Also, by modification of biosorbents with NaHCO3, the removal efficiency (RE) of sunflower stalks, wheat straw and corn stalks were 94-99%, 85-97% and 55-95%, respectively. Maximum mono layer adsorption (qmax) of modified sunflower stalks, wheat straw and corn stalks increased 293, 305, 394 and 226, 265 and 363 percent compared to unmodified biosorbents, respectively. Separation factor of Langmuir (RL) increased from 0.014-0.73 (for unmodified biosorbents) to 0.065-0.93 (for modified biosorbents by NaHCO3) and 0.023-0.56 (for modified biosorbents by NaOH), indicated that the sorption reaction of lead by studied biosorbents are favorable. Chemical modification of the biosorbents with NaHCO3 could significantly increase the efficiency and capacity removal of lead from aqueous solutions. The ease of preparation of these chemically modified low-cost biosorbents and its high removal capacity for lead makes these biosorbents a good practical candidate for removal of lead from aqueous solutions.

Abstract In this paper, we analyze the clustering of galaxies using a modified theory of gravity, in which the field content of general relativity has been be increased. This increasing in the field content of general relativity changes the large distance behavior of the theory, and in weak field approximation, it will also modify the large distance behavior of Newtonian potential. So, we will analyzing the clustering of multi-component system of galaxies interacting through this modified Newtonian potential. We will obtain the partition function for this multi-component system, and study the thermodynamics of this system. So, we will analyze the effects of the large distance modification to the Newtonian potential on Helmholtz free energy, internal energy, entropy, pressure and chemical potential of this system. We obtain also the modified distribution function and the modified clustering parameter for this system, and hence observe the effect of large distance modification of Newtonian potential on clustering of galaxies.

In this study, the seismic inter-story drift of structures is estimated by a combination of mode-acceleration equations with the modelling of high-rise buildings with flexural and shear cantilever beams. In the equation presented for calculating the inter-story drift, having less knowledge of the building is adequate and this issue is of significance in estimating the nonstructural component forces, especially in high-rise buildings and also in the initial design of structures. Also, a comparison of inter-story drift estimated by the approximation method with an exact method indicates that the application of the mode-acceleration method compared to mode-displacement with a fewer number of modes comes close to the exact calculation, which facilitates and expedites the analysis. In order to carry out an exact evaluation of the presented equation, inter-story drift is calculated and compared in 10, 15 and 50 story buildings during three seismic records using approximate relations. Exact analysis of those structures is done in finite element Opensees software. The results of comparisons show that the presented equation provides an adequate estimation without the need for modelling and lengthy software analysis.

Context: Periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO) combines alveolar corticotomy, bone graft materials, and the application of orthodontic forces for rapid correction of malocclusions. Aims: The present study aims to primarily assess differences in orthodontic treatment duration, bone quality around corticotomy sites, postoperative healing, and subjective pain when corticotomy was done conventionally and with the placement of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2). Settings and Design: Thirty individuals participated in this study. Individuals were randomly assigned into each of the following experimental groups; C + BMP: Corticotomy with 0.5 μg/mL rhBMP-2 and C: Corticotomy only. Materials and Methods: Clinical parameters included recording the duration of the treatment period, visual analog scale scores and early wound healing index scores. The evaluation of bone density was performed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months by using RVG. Statistical Analysis Used: Two-way analysis of variance and post hoc multiple comparison tests were used to compare data between test and control groups at different time points. Results: rhBMP-2 application was effective in reducing the overall treatment time and resulted in an increase in bone density around corticotomy sites at the end of the treatment period when compared to conventional corticotomy procedure. Placement of rhBMP-2 neither delayed wound healing nor affected participant pain scores. Conclusions: From this trial conducted over a period of 6 months, rhBMP-2 has the potential to function as a regenerative material in PAOO.

The reclaiming process of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) using a twin-screw extruder was studied and the effect of reclaiming conditions including screw speed (40, 80 and 120 rpm) and reclaiming agent content (0, 1.5 and 3 phr) at 280 °C (barrel temperature) on swelling, curing, mechanical properties as well as stress relaxation of virgin EPDM/40 phr reclaimed rubber blends was evaluated. According to the results of swelling test, the reclaiming process led to both crosslinks breakage and main chain scission. The appropriate reclaiming conditions were determined as the highest screw speed (120 rpm) and reclaiming agent content (3 phr). Compared to virgin EPDM vulcanizates, the curing behavior of prepared blends showed that the addition of reclaimed rubber had no effect on the scorch time but increased the optimum cure time and decreased the cure rate index. The results obtained for mechanical properties demonstrated that the tensile strength, modulus at 100% and 200% elongation and hardness decreased while the elongation at break of the blends showed no particular trend. The analysis of stress relaxation behavior using the Generalized Maxwell Model (GMM) revealed that the initial and final moduli of all blends decreased, and surprisingly the relaxation times were shorter or showed no change compared to the reference sample. Further, the Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA) results exhibited that the Tg of blends decreased but the maximum loss tangent presents no change following the addition of 40 phr reclaimed rubber to the virgin EPDM. Finally, the frequency sweep test indicated that the storage modulus of all blends was lower than that of the virgin sample.

BackgroundAbout 26% of the world's population may have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Health care workers are a high-risk category because of their professional exposure.MethodsThis cross-sectional study assessed the LTBI burden among health care workers in Afghanistan, a high-TB-burden country. We selected health facilities using a systematic sampling technique and invited all workers at the targeted health facilities to participate. Participants were interviewed about sociodemographic and exposure variables and received tuberculin skin tests for LTBI.ResultsOf the 4,648 health care workers invited to participate, 3,686 had tuberculin skin tests. The prevalence of LTBI was found to be 47.2% (1,738 workers). Multivariate analysis showed that a body mass index of ≥ 30 and marriage were associated with an increased risk of LTBI. Underweight (body mass index of ≤ 18 and below) and normal body mass index had no association with increased risk of LTBI.ConclusionLTBI is high among health care workers in Afghanistan. We recommend instituting infection control measures in health facilities and screening workers for timely TB diagnosis.

In this study, the effects of NBR polarity and organoclay addition on the curing, rheological, mechanical, and thermal properties of an NBR/phenolic resin blend were investigated. The samples were prepared using a two-roll mill. The results showed that rheological and tensile properties improved due to the good distribution of nanoparticles, as well as the good compatibility of nitrile butadiene rubber with phenolic resin. The addition of 1.5 phr of nanoparticles to blends containing 33% and 45% acrylonitrile increased the curing torque difference by approximately 12% and 28%, respectively. In addition, the scorch time and curing time decreased in nanocomposites. Adding nanoparticles also increased the viscosity. The addition of phenolic resins and nanoparticles has a similar trend in modulus changes, and both of these factors increase the stiffness and, consequently, the elastic and viscous modulus of the specimens. Adding 1.5 phr of organoclay increased the tensile strength of the blends by around 8% and 13% in the samples with low and high content of acrylonitrile, respectively. Increasing the temperature of the tensile test led to a reduction in the tensile properties of the samples. Tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus, and hardness of the samples increased with increasing organoclay content. In addition, with increasing nanoparticle concentration, the samples underwent lower deterioration in tensile strength and Young’s modulus at different temperatures compared to the blends. In the samples containing 1.5 phr of organoclay, the thermal decomposition temperatures were enhanced by around 24 and 27 °C for low and high acrylonitrile content.

Food supply chain plays a vital role in human health and food prices. Food supply chain inefficiencies in terms of unfair competition and lack of regulations directly affect the quality of human life and increase food safety risks. This work merges Hyperledger Fabric, an enterprise-ready blockchain platform with existing conventional infrastructure, to trace a food package from farm to fork using an identity unique for each food package while keeping it uncomplicated. It keeps the records of business transactions that are secured and accessible to stakeholders according to the agreed set of policies and rules without involving any centralized authority. This paper focuses on exploring and building an uncomplicated, low-cost solution to quickly link the existing food industry at different geographical locations in a chain to track and trace the food in the market.

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs), due to their unique physical and chemical properties, including optical properties, are highly regarded and have extensive applications in biomedical. One of the applications of gold nanoparticles is detection of chemical and biological material, so that these particles are used in detection of materials based on gold nanoparticles being in aggregate and non- aggregate modes and the change in the color of the nanoparticle solution as a result of this change of mode. In the interaction of gold nanoparticles (Bare nanoparticles or functionalized with different compositions) with analytes, aggregate and non-aggregate mode of nanoparticles changes and finally the change in the color of the solution is seen with naked eye without the need for advanced and costly equipment, indicating the presence or absence of target analytes. This change of mode and the subsequent color change is the basis of colorimetric detection based on gold nanoparticles in detection of various analytes. Various analytes can be detected by this method include ion, nucleic acid, proteins and peptides. In this study, we have reviewed various studies performed based on colorimetric detection using gold nanoparticles in detection of various analytes. According to these studies, simplicity, speed, time and cost savings are of considerable benefits of this method, compared to other detection methods. Keywords: Gold nanoparticles, Colorimetric detection, Aggregation, SPIA, Colorimetric immunoassay

Introduction: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) or fauvism is the most common enzyme deficiency in human, so that 400 million people are living with this disease worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the role of some neonatal factors among newborns suffering from G6PD deficiency and neonatal outcomes associated with this disease. Materials and methods: In this study, two methods including case-control and retrospective cohort regarding some neonatal factors associated with G6PD deficiency were used. These methods were performed on 142 children with this kind of deficiency and 142 healthy infants in the city of Marvdasht during 2013- 2014. The analysis of data was based on chi-square tests, t-test, logistic regression, descriptive statistics and estimation of odds ratios or relative risks via SPSS16 software. Results: Totally 284 newborns including 132 (46.6%)/ 152 (53.4%) boys/girls and mean weight on birth of 3163 ± 471 (gr) were analyzed. Comparison of case and control samples did not show any significant differences between sex and involving with G6PD deficiency but the chance of having a baby with this defect in pregnancy intervals between 6 to 8 years was increased (95% CI: 1- 4.4, OR: 2). Relative risk of jaundice in infected and healthy infants was estimated as 3.73, which demonstrated a statistically significant association (95% CI: 1.33- 10.4). The frequency of low birth weight, birth order and type of delivery was associated with the disease, but their differences were insignificant compared to the healthy group. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the number of hospitalization is increased due to jaundice in infants with G6PD. There is also an insignificant relation between low birth weight, rank of birth and type of delivery. Thus, it is recommended that other consequences of this deficiency need to be revealed by screening other populations with more samples.

We considered the canonical gravitational partition function Z associated to the classical Boltzmann–Gibbs (BG) distribution e−βHZ. It is popularly thought that it cannot be built up because the integral involved in constructing Z diverges at the origin. Contrariwise, it was shown in (Physica A 497 (2018) 310), by appeal to sophisticated mathematics developed in the second half of the last century, that this is not so. Z can indeed be computed by recourse to (A) the analytical extension treatments of Gradshteyn and Rizhik and Guelfand and Shilov, that permit tackling some divergent integrals and (B) the dimensional regularization approach. Only one special instance was discussed in the above reference. In this work, we obtain the classical partition function for Newton’s gravity in the four cases that immediately come to mind.

Thevetia peruviana is a medicinal plant used in the treatment of external wounds, infected area, ring worms, tumours etc. in traditional system of medicine. The aim of the study was to evaluate the wound healing potentials of T. peruviana leaves hexane (LH) and fruit rind (FW) water extracts and to prove the folkloric claims. The antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials could be important strategies in defining potent wound healing drug. Based on these approaches the current study was designed using incision, excision and dead space wound models with the biochemical, antioxidant enzymes and inflammatory marker analysis. The fruit rind water extract showed highest WBS of 1133 ± 111.4 g. The extracts in excision model retrieved the excised wound i.e. complete healing of wound at day 14. The hydroxyproline content of FW and LH treated dry granuloma tissue was increased to 65.73 ± 3.2 mg/g and 53.66 ± 0.38 mg/g, accompanied by elevations of hexosamine and hexauronic acid with upregulation of GSH, catalase, SOD, peroxidase and the down regulation of the inflammatory marker (NO) and oxidative stress marker (LPO) in wet granulation tissue was documented. Conclusively, both the extracts showed enhanced WBS, rate of wound contraction, skin collagen tissue development, and early epithelisation. Therapeutic wound healing effect was further proven by reduced free radicals and inflammatory makers associated with enhanced antioxidants and connective tissue with histological evidence of more collagen formation. The present research could establish T. peruviana as potential source of effective wound healing drugs.

Abstract Biotherapeutic agents must be administered parenterally to obtain therapeutic blood concentrations, lowering patient compliance and complicating care. An oral delivery platform (ODP) was developed to deliver drugs into the small intestinal wall. This proof‐of‐concept study was performed in 17 anesthetized, laparotomized swine. In 8 swine weighing 17.4 ± 1.2 kg (mean ± SEM), 20 IU of recombinant human insulin (RHI) were auto‐injected into the jejunal wall by placing the ODP inside the jejunum via an enterotomy. In 9 control swine weighing 17.0 ± 0.4 kg, 20 IU of RHI were injected subcutaneously. In both groups, under a 60‐80 mg/dL euglycemic glucose clamp, blood glucose was measured with a handheld glucometer and serum insulin was measured using ELISA, at 10‐minute intervals between −20 and +420 minutes after RHI delivery. The peak serum concentration of RHI was 517 ± 109 pmol/L in the ODP and 342 ± 50 pmol/L in the subcutaneous group (ns). The areas under the insulin concentration curves (83 ± 18 and 81 ± 10 nmol/L·min) were also similar in both groups. The mean time to peak serum concentration of insulin was 139 ± 42 minutes in the ODP and 227 ± 24 minutes in the subcutaneous group (ns). In conclusion, (a) The bioactivity of RHI was preserved after its delivery into the jejunal wall, (b) the intrajejunal route delivered insulin as rapidly and physiologically as the subcutaneous route, and (c) these pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of RHI after intrajejunal delivery suggest that drugs currently administered parenterally, such as basal insulin, could be successfully delivered into the proximal intestinal wall via the ingestible capsule.

One important light in which to perceive the pendulum swings of the world of language teaching is the waning of the concept of method and its replacement by Kumaravadivelu’s post-method pedagogy, which is free from the constraints of methods. For several years, researchers working on the familiarity of EFL teachers with Post-method and its role in second and foreign language learners’ productions have pointed out that the opportunity to plan for a task generally contributes to language learners’ development. Such a post-method thinking has yet to find some prominent place with language teaching practitioners. This study principally sets out to explore any correlation between the field of study taught and the teachers’ attitudes towards the post-method strategies at hand today. One hundred and thirt one teachers from an English language institute located in Tabriz, Iran (i.e. Faseleh) were selected as participants. The attitudes of language teachers towards the Post-Method condition were assessed via a questionnaire that consisted of two main parts: the first part tapped into the participants’ personal information, and the second part included some questions on a 5- point Likert scale about the role of Post Method, their familiarity with it, and how it impacted their teaching and learning. The findings support the hypothesis that language teachers’ knowledge and awareness of post-method seems to play out as an important factor in their teaching, while they also carry certain pedagogical and theoretical implications in second language teaching as well as relevance to second language learning assessment.

The unique properties of gold nanoparticles, their rich surface chemistry, and low toxicity as well as easy methods of synthesis have promoted conjugation of the particles with numerous biomolecules for site-specific delivery. Gold nanoparticles have multiple applications including photoablation, diagnostic imaging, radiosensitization, vaccine development, antioxidant, and multifunctional drug-delivery vehicles.These applications require an increasingly complex level of surface decoration in order to achieve efficacy, and limit off-target toxicity. This review will discuss the chemical and physical approaches commonly utilized in relation to surface decoration and the powerful system used to indicate success of the conjugation. Finally, we review the range of recent studies about covalent and noncovalent modes for conjugation of antibodies to the particle surface that aim to advance gold nanoparticle treatments and diagnostics toward the clinic. Keywords: Gold nanoparticle, Bioconjugation, Chemical interaction, Physical interaction-covalent mode, Noncovalent mode

A two-dimensional single particle finite element model was used to examine the effects of particle fragmental pattern on the average molecular weights, polymerization rate and particle overheating in heterogeneous Ziegler-Natta olefin polymerization. A two-site catalyst kinetic mechanism was employed together with a dynamic two-dimensional molecular species in diffusion-reaction equation. The initial catalyst active sites distribution was assumed to be uniform, while the monomer diffusion coefficient was considered to be different inside the fragments and cracks. In other words, the cracks were distinguished from fragments with higher monomer diffusion coefficient. To model the particle temperature a lumped heat transfer model was used. The fragmentation pattern was considered to remain unchanged during the polymerization. A Galerkin finite element method was used to solve the resulting two-dimensional (2-D) moving boundary value, diffusion-reaction problem. A two-dimensional polymeric flow model (PFM) was implemented on the finite element meshes. The simulation results showed that the fragmentation pattern had effects on the molecular properties, reaction rate and the particle temperature at early stages of polymerization.

Helical coil heat exchangers are widely used in industrial applications ranging fromcryogenic processes, air-conditioning, and nuclear reactors to waste heat recovery due totheir compact size and high heat transfer coefficient. In this kind of heat exchangers, flowand heat transfer are complicated. This paper reports a numerical investigation of theinfluence of different parameters such as coil radius, coil pitch and diameter of tubeon the characteristics of heat transfer in helical double tube heat exchangers usingthe well-known Fluent CFD software. Modeling of the study was implemented based onprinciples of heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics. By imposing boundaryconditions and selecting of an appropriate grid, whereby the results are independent ofmeshing, the obtained results were compared and validated with existing experimentalresults in the open literature. The results indicate that heat transfer augments by increasingof the inner Dean number, inner tube diameter, curvature ratio, and by the reduction of thepitch of the heat exchanger coil.

Objective: To assess and describe the call services delivered by drug and poison information call center (DPIC) of 13-Aban pharmacy, which is closely operated by the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: All calls services including counseled and follow-up calls provided by 13-Aban DPIC to health care professionals and public were collected, documented, and evaluated in a 2 years period from July 2010 to June 2012 using the designed software. Data analysis was done by SPSS version 16.0. Findings: Totally 110,310 calls services delivered during a 2 years period. Among healthcare professionals, pharmacists, general physicians, and nurses requested more call services respectively (P = 0.001). DPIC could detect 585 potential cases of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and 420 cases of major drug-drug interactions (DDIs). Conclusion: This study by analyzing and reporting the two-years activities of one of the major DPICs in Iran, showed that DPICs can offer drug consultation for healthcare professional and public as well as detect and prevent ADRs and DDIs, and therefore can promote patients′ health regarding drug therapy.

Dividend yield plays an important role for decision-making in the stock market. Stock returns alone are informational content used by investors in financial analysis and forecasting. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the effect of different types of notes and conditions on the performance audit report on the Tehran Stock Exchange over the period 2005-2011 for 65 selected firms. We have used statistical tests to examine the effects of disagreement, restriction and ambiguity issued by auditors. The results show that there is no relationship between stock returns and audit reports provided and capital market does not respond to the audit report. This could be due to unfamiliarity with the terminology of the users of the audit report to be audited.

Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrinopathy in dog. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) is a secreted protein, which is involved in glucose homeostasis. We speculate that the recombinant canine FGF-21 (cFGF-21) has the potential to become a powerful therapeutics to treat canine diabetes. The cFGF-21 gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli Rosetta (DE3). After purification, a cFGF-21 protein with the purity exceeding 95% was obtained. Mouse 3T3-L1 adipocytes and type 1 diabetic mice/dogs induced by STZ were used to examine the biological activity of cFGF-21 in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Results showed that cFGF-21 stimulated glucose uptake in adipocytes significantly in a dose-dependent manner, and reduced plasma glucose significantly in diabetic mice/dogs. After treatment with cFGF-21, the serum insulin level, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level and the expressions of the hepatic gluconeogenesis genes (glucose-6-phosphatase, G6Pase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, PCK) of the diabetic mice/dogs were attenuated significantly. In the mouse experiment, we also found that the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) were up-regulated significantly in the livers after treatment. Histopathological and immunohistochemical results showed that treatment with cFGF-21 promoted recovery of pancreatic islets from STZ-induced apoptosis. Besides, we also found that treatment with cFGF-21 protected liver against STZ or hyperglycemia induced damage and the mechanism of this action associated with inhibiting oxidative stress. In conclusion, cFGF-21 represents a promising candidate for canine diabetes therapeutics. The mechanism of cFGF-21 ameliorates hyperglycemia associated with inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis by regulation of STAT3 signal pathway and improving pancreatic beta-cell survival.

NR is the major constituent in the rubber compound used for the tread on the truck tires. A general compound formulation of the tire tread includes NR and BR as polymer base and carbon black as the reinforcing filler, and curative components. In this paper the effects of dual filler system (carbon black and precipitated silica) on the dynamic properties of tire treat has been studied. The results show by increasing of precipitated silica, significant improvement was observed in fatigue resistance, rolling resistance and heat buildup of the tire. Tensile strength and modulus and wet grip of tire tread decrease with increasing of silica in rubber compound formulation.

Background: Inappropriate body composition represents impaired energy and nutrient intake and can be a risk factor for many diseases, especially for cardiovascular disease. Different methods have been suggested for the estimation of body fat volume and its distribution. However, they may be either expensive or hazardous for some groups of patients. Sonography is a very accessible technique, which may be used for the evaluation of visceral and subcutaneous fat volume. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sonographic prediction of body fat and its distribution in subcutaneous and visceral compartments.Methods: During a three-month period, we conducted sonographic evaluations for visceral and subcutaneous fat in 106 patients who were admitted to our hospital. The subcutaneous fat was measured at the para-umbilical region and visceral fat was measured in the right para-renal space. The results were compared with the data obtained from the body mass index(BMI) and bioelectric impedance analysis.Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.8 years, and the mean BMI was26.48 ± 0.33. The mean values of fat percent and fat mass obtained by the electric-method were 31.07 ± 0.81% and 22.12 ± 0.68 kg, respectively. The respective mean values of subcutaneous and visceral fat obtained by sonography were 20.50±0.56 mm and 24.14 ± 0.58 mm. The correlationbetween BMI and subcutaneous fat was 0.85 (p value < 0.0001) and the correlation between BMI and visceral fat was0.46(p value < 0.0001).Conclusion: Sonography is a reliable and available method for the estimation of body fat and its distribution in cardiovascularpatients, in subcutaneous and visceral compartments.