Diet-related stomach cancer behavior among iranian college students: A text messaging intervention

Background: Stomach cancer is one of the five most common cancers in Iran. This study examined the effectiveness of a mobile telephone short-message service (SMS) based-education intervention using Health Belief Model (HBM) variables in improving dietary behavior in terms of stomach cancer prevention among a sample of Iranian female college students. Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 124 female college students in the dormitories of Yazd University, Yazd, Iran were randomly selected and assigned to either the intervention (n = 62) or the control group (n=62). Information (data) regarding HBM variables and dietary behavior related to stomach cancer prevention was collected by a self-administrated questionnaire. Forty eight messages were designed and sent to the participants' phones in the intervention group during the 48-day intervention period. Two groups were followed-up one month after the intervention delivered via SMS. Results: There were significant differences in HBM variables (except for the perceived severity) and the preventive dietary behaviors for stomach cancer in the intervention group compared to the comparison group following the education intervention delivered via SMS. Conclusions: SMS-delivered nutrition education intervention can be a practical strategy to improve dietary behavior related to stomach cancer prevention

Symmetric scalars

We provide a complete classification of Poincar\'e-invariant scalar field theories with an enlarged set of classical symmetries to leading order in derivatives, namely for the so-called $P(X,\phi)$ theories, in two or more spacetime dimensions. We find only three possibilities: Dirac-Born-Infeld, Cuscuton and Scaling theories. The latter two classes of actions involve an arbitrary function of the scalar field. As an application, we use the scaling symmetry to derive an infinite set of constraints on the Wilsonian coefficients of the low-energy Effective Field Theory. Furthermore, we study the extension of these results to cosmological (FLRW) and (Anti-)de Sitter spacetimes. We find in particular that the Cuscuton action has a generic set of symmetries around any background spacetime that possesses Killing vector fields, while the DBI actions have well-known analogues that we summarize explicitly

Spatial curvature at the sound horizon

The effect of spatial curvature on primordial perturbations is controlled by  ΩK,0/cs2 , where  ΩK,0  is today's fractional density of spatial curvature and  cs  is the speed of sound during inflation. Here we study these effects in the limit  cs≪ 1 . First, we show that the standard cosmological soft theorems in flat universes are violated in curved universes and the soft limits of correlators can have non-universal contributions even in single-clock inflation. This is a consequence of the fact that, in the presence of spatial curvature, there is a gap between the spectrum of residual diffeomorphisms and that of physical modes. Second, there are curvature corrections to primordial correlators, which are not scale invariant. We provide explicit formulae for these corrections to the power spectrum and the bispectrum to linear order in curvature in single-clock inflation. We show that the large-scale CMB anisotropies could provide interesting new constraints on these curvature effects, and therefore on  ΩK,0/cs2 , but it is necessary to go beyond our linear-order treatment

A Handbook of Early Arabic Kufic Script: Reading, Writing, Calligraphy, Typography, Monograms

A comprehensive textbook of the early Arabic Kufic script, written as a complete reference book for calligraphers, designers, and students of art history and the history of Arabic language and scripts. This beautiful and powerful script was derived from the earlier Hijazi Mashq style of Mecca and Medina, which was invented by early Muslim scribes to record the Quran. Today, the many historical manuscripts displayed in numerous museums around the world can attest to development and evolution of this remarkable and versatile script. Authored by master calligrapher, Mousavi Jazayeri, this book is the first book written in English that is solely dedicated to the study, learning and revival of the fascinating script behind the first mature Arabic calligraphic style, which was the official script of the Islamic Near East for centuries, before being replaced by the modern Naskh style. In this handbook, Mousavi Jazayeri who had discovered the lost art of cutting the qalam (pen) for early Kufic more than twenty years ago, explains with detailed, clear illustrations how to write early Kufic using a calligraphic pen and even a regular pen. He guides students patiently through the process involved in creating amazing, modern monograms. With clear, ample examples taken from the old Quranic manuscripts, art history students, font designers, and scholars of the history of the Arabic language and scripts can use this reference book to learn the key aspects of the early Kufic script as a writing system

Development of universal influenza vaccines targeting conserved viral proteins

Vaccination is still the most efficient way to prevent an infection with influenza viruses. Nevertheless, existing commercial vaccines face serious limitations such as availability during epidemic outbreaks and their efficacy. Existing seasonal influenza vaccines mostly induce antibody responses to the surface proteins of influenza viruses, which frequently change due to antigenic shift and or drift, thus allowing influenza viruses to avoid neutralizing antibodies. Hence, influenza vaccines need a yearly formulation to protect against new seasonal viruses. A broadly protective or universal influenza vaccine must induce effective humoral as well as cellular immunity against conserved influenza antigens, offer good protection against influenza pandemics, be safe, and have a fast production platform. Nanotechnology has great potential to improve vaccine delivery, immunogenicity, and host immune responses. As new strains of human epidemic influenza virus strains could originate from poultry and swine viruses, development of a new universal influenza vaccine will require the immune responses to be directed against viruses from different hosts. This review discusses how the new vaccine platforms and nanoparticles can be beneficial in the development of a broadly protective, universal influenza vaccine

Delayed Effects of Radiofrequency Energy on Accessory Atrioventricular Connections

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74618/1/j.1540-8159.1993.tb04574.x.pd

Evaluation of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance patterns in clinical urine isolates of klebsiella pneumoniae in Semnan, Iran

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae as an opportunistic pathogen can be the cause of a range of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Many virulence factors help these bacteria overcome an immune system and cause various diseases. K1 and K2 capsular antigens, also magA, wcaG, and rmpA are well-known K. pneumoniae virulence factors. Klebsiella pneumoniae has been revealed to have the ability to acquire resistance to many antibiotics, which cause treatment failure. Objectives: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of magA, wcaG, rmpA, Capsular type K1, Capsular type K2, TEM, and SHV in K. pneumoniae isolates. Methods: A total of 173 non-duplicate K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from two different hospitals in Semnan, Iran, from urine specimens. Klebsiella pneumoniae was identified by conventional bacteriological tests. Disk diffusion test was performed according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Detection of virulence factors, TEM, and SHV gene was performed by specific primers. Results: Frequency of virulence factors was as follow: capsular type K2: 32.9, rmpA: 20.2, capsular type K1: 6.9, and wcaG: 16.2. Also, the SHV and TEM were observed in 46.8 and 33.5, respectively. Antibiotics resistance rates were as follow, imipenem: 7.5, ciprofloxacin: 16.1, levofloxacin: 17.3, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid: 30, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: 32.9, cefepime: 34.1, nitrofurantoin: 35.8, amikacin: 36.4, aztreonam: 39.3, ceftazidime: 42.7. Conclusions: Frequency of some virulence factors including capsular type K2, rmpA, wcaG, and also resistant rate to imipenem, amikacin, and ceftazidime were significantly higher than similar studies. Presence of virulence factors accompanied by drug resistance should make bacteria an infectious agent and lead to treatment failure. © 2018, Author(s)

Wheat seed contamination with seed-borne diseases in cold climatic zone of Iran

Abstract In order to evaluate the informal wheat seed contamination with seed-borne diseases, two most important provinces (East Azarbaijan and Khorasan Razavi) for wheat production were selected in cold region of Iran in 2008-2009 crop seasons and ten different locations (city or village) were considered in each province and ten informal seed farmers were selected randomly. A seed sample (1 kg) was taken from planting source of each farmer. Different analysis including purity, germination and seed health (head blight, common bunt and loose smut disease) tests carried out on seed samples according to ISTA rules. Fusarium graminearum was identified as the main disease in provinces. Blotter test showed significant differences (P<0.05) among the towns but there was no meaningful difference between provinces. Washing test for T. caries showed significant difference between the two provinces (P<0.1) but there was no meaningful difference among towns in each province. Furthermore there was significant difference between and among provinces and towns with respect to T. leavis infection. Also the data showed clear dispersal of these two species (T. caries and T. leavis). Negative and high significant correlation was observed between U. tritici and germination. So the precision study of seed borne disease in different areas of the country for producing healthy seed is recommended