Theoretical Study of Physiochemical Properties of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1

The computational approach to studying structural changes in a wide range of physical and biological problems, the empirical force fields, have great difficulty in simulating folding of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). In an effort to understand the conformational preferences that may be attributed to stereoelectronic effects, a number of computational studies were carried out. Monte Carlo, Molecular Dynamics and Langevin simulation methods by MM+, AMBER and OPLS force fields of calculations have been performed on IGF-1 as growth factors. The parameters of a minimized structure of IGF-1, calculated potential energy for important dihedral angles and the effect of temperature on the geometry of optimized structure have been calculated. Prediction simulation methods of lattice model have mostly used different temperatures at gas and water media but we have seen that in simulation approaches, scaling up the interaction energy has a similar effect to lowering temperature. This study has demonstrated that the simple model, which includes an approximate average solvent effect, can simulate the qualitative feature of the IGF-1. The results of this investigation can be tested computationally to see whether the solvent effect can study the aspect of structural changes resulting from the average solvent effect. The main research problem was to find the dynamics of biomolecular structure and an appropriate effective stabilized energy.Keywords: IGF-1, AMBER, MM+, OPLS, MC, MD, LD

Auditory Subliminal Stimuli

The aim was to study whether stimuli that cannot be detected consciously might nevertheless influence subject’s higher cognitive functions, and whether such an effect differs in individuals with different levels of state-trait anxiety, social desirability and “Repressor”. Participants (N = 56) listened to a classical piece of music in which subliminal messages were embedded. These messages could be either positive (“I am clever”) or negative (“I am worthless”). After listening to the music participant had to complete the Standard Progressive Matrices test (Raven, Court & Raven, 1992). Levels of state and trait anxiety and social desirability were evaluated by means of questionnaires, which the subjects filled in before and after they listened to the music. Results revealed an interaction effect between social desirability and the subliminal messages for the dependent variable score on the Matrices test. Different possible explanations for the results are given; and finally suggestions for future research are recommended

Menstrual Disorders in Nongenital Tuberculosis

Menstrual patterns differ even in nongenital tuberculosis. Our objective is to determine whether nongenital tuberculosis makes menstrual dysfunction, before and sustain after treatment. Menstrual patterns were compared in women with pulmonary or extrapulmonary but nongenital tuberculosis with healthy nursing students and also with themselves, before and after treatment in a retrospective cohort study. Subjects were selected by convenient nonrandomized sampling but control groups were selected by random allocation among volunteers of nursing students. Case and control subjects were matched in age group. Menstrual patterns including amount, duration, interval, cessation of period, any menstrual irregularity, and pelvic pain were evaluated. Among 100 cases of proven tuberculosis, 90 patients had pulmonary and 10 cases had extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Secondary amenorrhea (P ≤ .001, RR: 22), spotting during menstrual period (P ≤ .0001, RR: 4.5), decreasing in amount (P ≤ .001, RR: 7.8), shorter duration of menstrual period (P ≤ .001, RR: 12), and pelvic pain (P ≤ .001, RR: 8.6) were more prevalent and significantly different in the cases compared to control subjects (with CI:95% and P < .001), but excessive or prolong vaginal bleeding was not observed. Menstrual disorders occur even in nongenital tuberculosis, but it is manifested with cessation or decrease in menstrual bleeding flow and period

Extending system dynamics simulation and lean thinking for enhancing operational efficiency: a food industry case study

This study examines the operational problems that a mid-sized food production factory faces. It utilizes system dynamics (SD) and lean thinking approaches to analyze various challenges that these companies encounter. Through extensive data analysis and managerial meetings, this study identifies several factors affecting the company’s performance: cash management, delivery delays, product quality impact on customer satisfaction, debt burden from raw materials purchase, and poor product planning. Various scenarios are simulated to significantly improve sales’ stability and liquidity. This paper offers insights into how effective cash flows can be attained, as well as customer satisfaction, managing debts, and strategic plans that lead to business success. Additionally, the potential for extending SD to address similar challenges in the food industry is explored through detailed financial modeling and actionable plans

Design of an Affibody-Based Recognition Strategy for Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) Detection by Electrochemical Biosensors

In this study, we have designed and realized three simple electrochemical bioassays for the detection of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) cancer biomarker using magnetic beads coupling screen-printed arrays. The different approaches were based on a sandwich format in which affibody (Af) or antibody (Ab) molecules were coupled respectively to streptavidin or protein A-modified magnetic beads. The bioreceptor-modified beads were used to capture the HER2 protein from the sample and sandwich assay was performed by adding the labeled secondary affibody or the antibody. An enzyme-amplified detection scheme based on the coupling of secondary biotinylated bioreceptor with streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase enzyme conjugate was then applied. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of the electro-inactive 1-naphthyl-phosphate to the electro-active 1-naphthol, which was detected by means of differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Each developed assay has been studied and optimized. Furthermore, a thorough comparison of the analytical performances of developed assays was performed. Finally, preliminary experiments using serum samples spiked with HER2 protein were also carried out

A Study of Written Grammatical Errors of Iranian EFL Learners at Undergraduate Level

This article is designed to investigate a study of written grammatical errors of Iranian EFL learners at undergraduate level.  The main purpose of error analysis is to express the learners' errors in target language. One of the major topics interested in English language is error analysis by research scholars more than four decades. Today, Error analysis plays an important part in the study of foreign or second language acquisition in over the world. There is, in fact, errors in learning and teaching of language are significant. This project is designed for the students who are studying at Payam Noor University in the first year under graduate level with a Persian language as a native language. The participants for this article were 100 students at undergraduate level at Payam Noor University in Bushehr city, Iran. In this article, the three kinds of tests such as General English Proficiency Test; Background Questionnaire; and Grammatical Test were used in order to show the ability of the students in the field of Error analysis. The outcome of this article indicated that there is a significant difference in types of written grammatical errors by Iranian EFL learners

Bioleaching of Gold from Printed Circuit Boards : Potential Sustainability of Thiosulphate

The rapid consumption and disposal of electronic waste due to technological innovations and changes in living commodities are causing the development of a significant environmental challenge. Among the components of these wastes, spent printed circuit boards are particularly considered to be among the most valuable owing to their content of precious metals, such as gold first and potentially platinum, which may be available in a lower proportion. Effective methods as part of gold recovery strategies by industries and policymakers are developed and envisioned from economic and environmental perspectives. Currently, cyanidation dominates global gold production from e-waste due to its selectivity for gold. The high toxicity of cyanide, however, poses serious environmental issues, leading thiosulphate leaching to emerge as a non-toxic and promising alternative for gold extraction. Its industrial viability has been demonstrated by Barrick Gold Corporation at the Goldstrike site with the pretreatment of acidic or alkaline pressure oxidation. This review introduces bioleaching as a promising economic and environmentally friendly process for gold extraction. This review explores thiosulphate leaching of gold as an alternative to conventional cyanidation, with a particular focus on biothiosulphate production by adapted microorganisms. The factors that affect the pretreatment, chemical reaction mechanism, and design engineering are discussed. The consumption of thiosulphate was identified as one of the main challenges, restricting the reliability of the process. Various solutions for the reduction of its consumption and relevant process costs were discussed, with a particular examination from the engineering aspect of the process design and scalability to industrially relevant operating conditions by using bioreactors adapted to large pulp density loads of electrical waste

Myasthenia Gravis Development and Crisis Subsequent to Multiple Sclerosis

During the last decade, sporadic combination of multiple sclerosis (MS) and myasthenia gravis (MG) has been reported repeatedly. Although these are anecdotal, they are important enough to raise concerns about co-occurrence of MG and MS. Here, we present a case of an MS patient who developed an MG crisis. She had received interferon for relapsing remitting MS. Interestingly, she developed an MG crisis 4 years after the diagnosis of MS. MS and MG have relatively the same distribution for age, corresponding to the younger peak of the bimodal age distribution in MG. They also share some HLA typing characteristics. Furthermore, some evidences support the role of systemic immune dysregulation due to a genetic susceptibility that is common to these two diseases. The association may be underdiagnosed because of the possible overlap of symptoms especially bulbar manifestations in which either MG or MS can mimic each other, leading to underestimating incidence of the combination. The evidence warrants physicians, especially neurologists, to always consider the possibility of the other disease when encountering any patients either with MS or MG. Anecdotal and sporadic reports of combination of multiple sclerosis (MS) and myasthenia gravis (MG) have been raised concerns about co-occurrence of them

Auditing Palliative Care Provided by Nurses for Chronic Pain Management in the Elderly

AbstractIntroduction: Pain is the most common mental pressure in the elderly and its abstract nature makes it a challenging subject to study. Conformity of palliative care management was examined with standards.Methods: Through a descriptive audit study, 210 elderly patients with chronic pain, who were candidates for palliative and curative care, were examined. A researcher-designed checklist of standard health care for pain management and McGill pain questionnaire were used for data gathering. Data analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and estimating conformity of the pain management measures with standards of SPSS (18).Results: Checking records of painkillers (60%) and reporting the patient’s pain to the physician (74.8%) were the most efficient palliative and curative measures, respectively. Surveying pain (41.9%) and introducing oneself to the patient (42.4%) were the least efficient healthcare services. In addition, palliative measures (24.73%) and drug-intervention measures (30.93%) had little conformity with the pain management standards.Conclusions: Pain management care provided for the elderly has a long way to meet standards. This notable difference can be rooted in the abstract nature of pain and lack of knowledge of the medical team about palliative and curative measures for pain managemen

Non- Pharmacological Approaches on the Improvement of Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Objective Autism is a type of neurodegenerative disorder, affected by genetic and environmental factors. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have symptoms of attention deficit and behavioral problems. The amount of sleep has a significant effect on a child's mood. Sleep problems in a child with autism are more common than a normal child. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of non- pharmacological approaches on the improvement of sleep disturbances in patients with ASD. Materials &amp; Methods PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Science Direct databases were systematically searched for articles published between January 2009 and May 2019. All original articles from observational and interventional studies were reviewed. The CONSORT Statement and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist were used to assess the quality of the selected papers. Results &nbsp;A review of 18 eligible articles according to the CONSORT checklist (for interventional studies) and STROBE (for descriptive studies) demonstrated that behavioral interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, bedtime fading with response cost, and functional behavioral assessment, physical activity such as aerobic exercise, swimming, and aquatic exercise and weighted blankets could be effective in the improvement of sleep disturbances. Conclusion Restlessness, tantrum, increased stereotypic activities, reduced learning level and speaking power in children with autism was due to poor sleep quality and sleep deficiency, which could affect their life dimensions. Non- pharmacological approaches to the treatment of sleep disturbances could improve both the sleep quality of these individuals and the quality of their lives in addition to having no adverse effect.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp