The Efficacy of Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Iranian Students with Autism Spectrum Disorderon Their Social Skills and Willingness to Communicate

AbstractObjectivesThis applied research is the first practical study of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Iran. We examined the effect of a well-designed foreign language learning setting in facilitation of social skills and willingness to communicate in children with ASD.Materials & MethodsA mixed-method research design was used. Using stratified sampling, a limited sample of 18 students were chosen from Kerman Province, southeastern Iran in 2014 categorized in three levels of ASD for each group of experimental and control; matched pairs were used to ensure homogeneity of participants in two groups. Each participant received 15 sessions with totaling 67 h of language learning. First 10 sessions were in the form of tutorials and the last 5 sessions were held in the form of paired classes with a peer. Before and after the sessions, caregivers and parents completed a questionnaire on students' social skills; the English instructor also rated participants' willingness to communicate.ResultsTeaching a foreign language had a positive main effect on social skills from caregivers’ and parents’ view compared to those of controls, significantly (P<0.05). From the instructor's view, there was additionally a significant improvement in the students with ASD’s willingness to communicate in classroom settings compared to the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionOptimum foreign language pedagogy for students with ASD is applied as an effective context enhancing children’s capabilities in social skills and willingness to communicate, provoked through a motivational foreign setting modulation in a novel environment. Suggestions on enhancing joint attention during the curriculum are provided

Abortificient effects of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl in mice

زمینه و هدف: مطالعات مختلف نشان داده اند که خانم ها بدون توجه به تاثیرات سقط آور و ناهنجاری زایی بیشتر گیاهان دارویی به استفاده از این گیاهان در دوران حاملگی می پردازند. از جمله این گیاهان که دارای خواص متعدد درمانی مثل اضطراب چای کوهی (Stachys lavandulifolia) است که تا به حال اثر سقط زایی آن بررسی نشده است. لذا این مطالعه با هدف بررسی تاثیر عصاره چای کوهی در غلظت های مختلف در ایجاد سقط در موش های سوری انجام شد. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه، 36 سر موش سوری بالغ ماده پس از جفت گیری و مشاهده پلاک واژنی، به صورت تصادفی به شش گروه تقسیم شدند. دو گروه به عنوان کنترل و چهار گروه به عنوان مورد که از روز 7 تا 12 حاملگی به مدت 6 روز عصاره چای کوهی با غلظت های 50، 100، 150 و 200 میلی گرم بر کیلوگرم به صورت داخل صفاقی دریافت کردند. در روز 16 حاملگی عمل سزارین انجام و تعداد جنین های جذب شده شمارش و به عنوان سقط در نظر گرفته شد. تجزیه و تحلیل داده ها با تست آماری کروسکال والیس و آزمون تعقیبی دان صورت گرفت. یافته ها: میانگین نسبت جنین های سقط شده در غلظت های 50، 100، 150 و 200 mg/kg به ترتیب 108/0±136/0، 151/0±263/0، 391/0±583/0 و 172/0±353/0 بود و در دو گروه کنترل جنین سقط شده مشاهده نشد. بر اساس آزمون کروسکال والیس اثرات سقط زایی گیاه وابسته به دوز است (05/0>P). نتیجه گیری: عصاره گیاه چای کوهی دارای خواص سقط آور می باشد و لازم است مصرف این گیاه در دوران بارداری با احتیاط صورت گیرد

Insulin Can Improve the Normal Function of the Brain by Preventing the Loss of the Neurons

Background: Insulin promotes the expression of genes related to brain function, thus preventing the neurodegeneration process. The present study was designed to find the neuroprotective effect of insulin by reducing neuron loss in the brain. Materials and Methods: In this study, 20 adult male NMRI mice were divided into two groups: control and insulin. The control group was intact, and the insulin group received 100 µL of insulin at a 72-hour interval by intraperitoneal (I.P.) injection for 30 days. At the end of the study, the brain was removed. The volume of the brain and the total number of neurons and glia were estimated by stereological techniques, and also the gene expression of NSR, PI3K, AKT, IGF-1, and FOXO-1 was measured using real-time PCR. Results: The results showed that the total number of neurons decreased in the control group compared to the experimental group. Furthermore, the expression of NSR, PI3K, AKT, IGF-1, and FOXO-1 genes was lower in the control group than in the insulin group. Conclusion: The results showed that treating mice with insulin prevented reducing the number of neurons and gene expression related to normal brain function. So, insulin could have neuroprotective effects against neuron loss. Insulin may be beneficial as a new approach to avoiding neuron loss in regenerative medicine

Assessing sex differential in COVID-19 mortality rate by age and polymerase chain reaction test results: an Iranian multi-center study

Background The aim of this study is to evaluate the sex differential effect in the COVID-19 mortality by different age groups and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results. Research design In a multicenter cross-sectional study from 55 hospitals in Tehran, Iran, patients were categorized as positive, negative, and suspected cases. Results A total of 25,481 cases (14,791 males) were included in the study with a mortality rate of 12.0%. The mortality rates in positive, negative, and suspected cases were 20.55%, 9.97%, and 7.31%, respectively. Using a Cox regression model, sex had a significant effect on the hazard of death due to COVID-19 in adult and senior male patients having positive and suspected PCR test results. However, sex was not found as significant factor for mortality in patients with a negative PCR test in different age groups. Conclusions Regardless of other risk factors, we found that the effect of sex on COVID-19 mortality varied significantly in different age groups. Therefore, appropriate strategies should be designed to protect adult and senior males from this deadly infectious disease. Furthermore, owing to the considerable death rate of COVID-19 patients with negative test results, new policies should be launched to increase the accuracy of diagnosis tests

Morphometric evaluation of external root resorption of mandibular second molar teeth adjacent to the impacted third molars in CBCT imaging of Tehran\'s population between 2011-2014

Introduction: Presence of external root resorption in second molars associated with impacted mandibular third molars was not rare. The neglect of this issue may leads to penetration of the pulp and loss of the second molars. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors affecting the external root resorption in second molars associated with mandibular impacted third molars were inclined mesially and horizontally by Cone Beam Computer Tomography (CBCT) images. Methods: In this cross sectional study the samples consisted of 231 scans with mesially and horizontally impacted mandibular third molars. Incidence of external root resorption of second molars and the effects of age, gender and clinical parameters such as location and intensity of external root resorption were considered. Moreover, depth and inclination of impacted mandibular third molar were evaluated by CBCT. The data were analyzed by Chi-square test. Results: The overall incidence of external root resorption in the second molars was 22.08%. Incidence of external root resorption in second molars was significantly related to gender and inclination of third molar. The relations between external root resorption and impaction depth of third molar or the patient's age was not statistically significant. However, the relationship between external root resorption and the intensity or depth of impacted third molar and location of root resorption was statistically meaningful. Conclusion: Patient’s gender and horizontal inclination of third molars are the most important factors affecting the presence of external root resorption in the second molars associated with mesially and horizontally impacted mandibular third molars

Biosynthesis of Ag nanoparticles using Salicornia bigelovii and its antibacterial activity

Background and aim: In recent years, the field of nanotechnology has become the most active area of research in modern material science. While many chemical- as well as physical methods are also used, green synthesis of nanoparticles is becoming the most evolved method of synthesis. In this study, we synthesized silver nanoparticles from the seed extract of Salicornia bigelovii. Methods: This experimental study was conducted from December 2017 to January 2018 in Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. The effects of two concentrations (1m M and 4mM) on the synthesis of nanoparticles were studied. Characterizations were done using different methods including ultraviolet (UV) visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Antibacterial activity of Ag nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was studied using microdilution method. The data were analyzed using Probit test in SPSS (Version 20, USA). Results: Formation of the AgNPs was confirmed by surface plasmon spectra using UV–Vis spectrophotometer and absorbance peaks at 434 nm. The FTIR spectra showed the possible role of the functional group like carbonyl groups in reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles. The XRD analysis showed that the synthesized silver nanoparticles are of face-centered cubic structure. The TEM showed the formation of silver nanoparticles ranging in diameter from 1 to 50 nm. The minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration of AgNPs were determined for both S. aureus and E. coli 6.25 and 12.5 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: An environmentally friendly approach is more affordable than chemical methods. Physicochemical approaches can be harmful to the environment and to human health. Thus, the green synthesis methods are simple, less expensive, and can cut consumption of energy; they can be used for synthesis of fixed nanoparticles with preferred shape and size, without the use of toxic chemical agents

Acceptance and commitment therapy’s effectiveness in reducing depression in women leaving crystal

The aim of this research was to study the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy in decreasing depression of women leaving crystal. Our research method was quasi-experimental of the kind of pre-test-post-test with the control group. The findings showed that acceptance and commitment therapy for reducing depression in women who have been leaving crystal is effective and there is a significant difference between the scores of experiment and control groups of depressed women leaving crystal and the acceptance and commitment therapy shows therapeutic effects in the field of reducing depression of women consuming crystalEl objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar la efectividad de la terapia de aceptación y compromiso para disminuir la depresión de las mujeres que abandonan el cristal. Nuestro método de investigación fue cuasi-experimental del tipo de prueba-prueba-post-prueba con el grupo de control. Los resultados mostraron que la terapia de aceptación y compromiso para reducir la depresión en mujeres que han abandonado el cristal es efectiva y hay una diferencia significativa entre las puntuaciones de los grupos experimental y control de mujeres deprimidas que abandonan el cristal y la terapia de aceptación y compromiso muestra efectos terapéuticos en el campo de reducción de la depresión de las mujeres que consumen cristal

Adsorption kinetics of methylene blue from wastewater using pH-sensitive starch-based hydrogels

Abstract In this work, starch/poly(acylic acid) hydrogels were synthesized through a free radical polymerization technique. The molar ratios of acrylic acid to N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide were 95:5, 94:6, and 93:7. The samples exhibited an amorphous porous structure, indicating that the size of the pores was contingent upon the amount of cross-linking agent. The quantity of acrylic acid in structure rose with a little increase in the amount of the cross-linking agent, which improved the hydrogels’ heat stability. The swelling characteristics of the hydrogels were influenced by both the pH level and the amount of cross-linking agent. The hydrogel with a ratio of 94:6 exhibited the highest degree of swelling (201.90%) at a pH of 7.4. The dominance of the Fickian effect in regulating water absorption in the synthesized hydrogels was demonstrated, and the kinetics of swelling exhibited agreement with Schott's pseudo-second order model. The absorption of methylene blue by the hydrogels that were developed was found to be influenced by various factors, including the concentration of the dye, the quantity of the cross-linking agent, the pH level, and the duration of exposure. The hydrogel 95:5 exhibited the highest adsorption effectiveness (66.7%) for the dye solution with a concentration of 20 mg/L at pH 10.0. The examination of the kinetics and isotherms of adsorption has provided evidence that the process of physisorption takes place on heterogeneous adsorbent surfaces and can be explained by an exothermic nature