Fear of Neighborhood Violence During Adolescence Predicts Development of Obesity a Decade Later: Gender Differences Among African Americans

Background: African American youth are more likely than other racial and ethnic groups to be obese. African American youth are also more likely to live in disadvantaged neighborhoods which increase their victimization, observation, and fear of violence. Objectives: This study tested if victimization, observation, and fear of violence in the neighborhood during adolescence predict trajectory of body mass index (BMI) in the 3rd decade of life in African Americans. Patients and Methods: Data came from an 18-year community-based cohort. We used multi-group latent growth curve modeling for data analysis, considering neighborhood violence at age 15 (i.e. victimization, observation, and fear) as predictors, and the linear slope for the average change in BMI from age 21 to 32 as the outcome, with age and socioeconomic status (i.e. intact family and parental employment) as covariates. Results: Fear of neighborhood violence at age 15 was predictive of an increase in BMI from age 21 to 32 among female but not male African Americans. Victimization and observation of violence at age 15 did not predict BMI change from age 21 to 32 among female or male African Americans. Conclusions: Fear of neighborhood violence is a contributing factor to increased risk of obesity for female African American youth who live in disadvantaged areas. This finding has implications for prevention of obesity among African American women who are at highest risk for obesity in the United States. Initiatives that enhance neighborhood safety are critical strategies for obesity prevention among African American women

Investigation of the relationship between urban stress and urban resilience

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Making society resilient is considered a critical and challenging issue in mental health planning or stress-relieving urban planning. However; although in recent years, many studies have separately addressed stress and urban resilience, no study has explained the relationship between the two. Therefore, the present study aims to explain the relationship between urban stress and urban resilience in the Region 8 of the District 1 of Tehran Municipality. METHODS: This study is applied descriptive-analytical research. The required data are collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods and analyzed by regression analysis. First, using the library method, the indicators of urban stress and urban resilience were identified, then the study sample was selected using these indicators and the Delphi method. After; that, the information related to the indicators was collected using questionnaire and library methods, and finally, the relationship between urban stress and urban resilience was investigated through multivariate regression.FINDINGS: The research findings indicate a high correlation between the two abovementioned concepts (correlation coefficient= 0.925). Moreover; the adjusted R2 shows that resilience indicators explain 83% of the total variations in urban stress. Also; the most critical indicators affecting the citizens' stress include the status of open space, gender structure of the population, permeability, average building density, education level, resident participation, spatial diversity, citizen's sense of belonging, social diversity, violence, crime, the safeness of the environment, social capital, social solidarity, the strength of buildings, vulnerability to natural hazards, income status, employment status, environmental pollution, access to services, the age structure of the population, and safety, respectively.CONCLUSION: it is possible to significantly reduce urban stress by enhancing urban resilience and paying attention to its effective indicators

Melatonin pretreated blastocysts along with calcitonin administration improved implantation by upregulation of heparin binding-epidermal growth factor expression in murine endometrium

Objective: Implantation failure is an obstacle in assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Calcitonin is a molecules involved in uterine receptivity and embryo implantation. Melatonin can promote embryo quality and improve implantation. This study examines the effect of pretreatment of blastocysts with melatonin and calcitonin on heparin binding-epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) expression in murine endometrium. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we collected 2-cell embryos from the oviducts of 1.5 day pregnant NMRI mice. Embryos were cultured to the blastocyst in GTM medium with or without 10-9 M melatonin. Pregnant and pseudo-pregnant mice received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of 2 IU calcitonin. After 24 hours, we transferred the cultured blastocysts into the uteri of pseudo-pregnant mice. Two days later, implantation sites were counted and we assessed the levels of HB-EGF mRNA and protein in the uteri of naturally pregnant and pseudo-pregnant mice by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Statistical analysis was performed with one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey post hoc test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Melatonin pretreatment of blastocysts along with calcitonin administration significantly increased HB-EGF mRNA and protein (P<0.001) in the endometrium of pseudo-pregnant mice. Administration of calcitonin in naturally pregnant mice significantly increased HB-EGF mRNA and protein levels (P<0.001). Compared with the control group (2.6 ± 0.5), the average number of implantation sites in the melatonin group (4.6 ± 0.5, P<0.05) and calcitonin group (7 ± 1, P<0.001) significantly increased. There was a significant increase in implantation sites in the combined melatonin and calcitonin group (8.6 ± 0.5, P<0.001). Calcitonin significantly enhanced calcitonin receptor mRNA (P<0.001) and protein (P<0.05) in the uteri of naturally pregnant and pseudo-pregnant mice. Conclusion: Melatonin pretreated blastocysts along with calcitonin increased HB-EGF expression in the uteri of pseudopregnant mice. Calcitonin administration upregulated HB-EGF in uteri of naturally pregnant mice

Melatonin pretreated blastocysts along with calcitonin administration improved implantation by upregulation of heparin binding-epidermal growth factor expression in murine endometrium

Objective: Implantation failure is an obstacle in assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Calcitonin is a molecules involved in uterine receptivity and embryo implantation. Melatonin can promote embryo quality and improve implantation. This study examines the effect of pretreatment of blastocysts with melatonin and calcitonin on heparin binding-epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) expression in murine endometrium. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we collected 2-cell embryos from the oviducts of 1.5 day pregnant NMRI mice. Embryos were cultured to the blastocyst in GTM medium with or without 10-9 M melatonin. Pregnant and pseudo-pregnant mice received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of 2 IU calcitonin. After 24 hours, we transferred the cultured blastocysts into the uteri of pseudo-pregnant mice. Two days later, implantation sites were counted and we assessed the levels of HB-EGF mRNA and protein in the uteri of naturally pregnant and pseudo-pregnant mice by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Statistical analysis was performed with one-way ANOVA followed by the Tukey post hoc test. P&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Melatonin pretreatment of blastocysts along with calcitonin administration significantly increased HB-EGF mRNA and protein (P&lt;0.001) in the endometrium of pseudo-pregnant mice. Administration of calcitonin in naturally pregnant mice significantly increased HB-EGF mRNA and protein levels (P&lt;0.001). Compared with the control group (2.6 ± 0.5), the average number of implantation sites in the melatonin group (4.6 ± 0.5, P&lt;0.05) and calcitonin group (7 ± 1, P&lt;0.001) significantly increased. There was a significant increase in implantation sites in the combined melatonin and calcitonin group (8.6 ± 0.5, P&lt;0.001). Calcitonin significantly enhanced calcitonin receptor mRNA (P&lt;0.001) and protein (P&lt;0.05) in the uteri of naturally pregnant and pseudo-pregnant mice. Conclusion: Melatonin pretreated blastocysts along with calcitonin increased HB-EGF expression in the uteri of pseudopregnant mice. Calcitonin administration upregulated HB-EGF in uteri of naturally pregnant mice

Study of executive function in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy

Background: Chemotherapy as one of the main methods of cancer treatment has many side effects that one of them is the impact of this treatment on the brain. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the executive functions in women diagnosed with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy and healthy counterparts. Methods: In this case-control study, women with breast cancer (n=40) undergoing chemotherapy along with healthy women (n=40) with no history of chronic diseases using available sampling method and were selected from Tehran Shohada Tajrish Hospital (2015-2016). Data was collected using demographic characteristics questionnaire, anxiety and depression test, continuous performance test, and Wisconsin card category collected and was analyzed by the independent t test. Findings: In the continuous performance test, omission and commission errors, with weaknesses in speed tests in patients with breast cancer were higher than those in the control group and this difference was statistically significant. There was a significant difference between the two groups in which reflects the low number of correct answers and cluster with higher preservation in breast cancer patients compared to healthy counterparts. Conclusion: According to the results, deficits in executive functions caused by chemotherapy in cancer patients that require therapeutic measures in this field. Keyword: Executive function, Breast cancer, Chemotherapy, Wome

A Controller Design with ANFIS Architecture Attendant Learning Ability for SSSC-Based Damping Controller Applied in Single Machine Infinite Bus System

Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) is a series compensating Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) controller for maintaining to the power flow control on a transmission line by injecting a voltage in quadrature with the line current and in series mode with the line. In this work, an Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference System controller (ANFISC) has been proposed for controlling of the SSSC-based damping system and applied to a Single Machine Infinite Bus (SMIB) power system. For implementation of the learning process in this controller, we use of the one approach of the learning ability that named as Forward Signal and Backward Error Back-Propagation (FSBEBP) method for improving of the system efficiency. This artificial intelligence-based control model leads to a controller with adaptive structure, improved correctness, high damping ability and dynamic performance. System implementation is easy and it requires 49 fuzzy rules for inference engine of the system. As compared with the other complex neuro-fuzzy systems, this controller has medium number of the fuzzy rules and low number of layers, but it has high accuracy. In order to demonstrate of the proposed controller ability, it is simulated and its output compared with that of classic Lead-Lag-based Controller (LLC) and PI controller

Performance improvement of pulse width-amplitude modulation-based quasi-Z-source inverters: Analysis and implementation

Pulse width-amplitude modulation (PWAM) have been widely used in recent years to mitigate switching losses as well as reducing passive components' size. This paper precisely investigates this modulation approach in quasi-Z-source inverters (qZSI). It will be concluded that the existence of capacitive paths from load to source in such converters causes two undesired behaviors while utilizing PWAM, which increases total harmonic distortion and semiconductor stresses. Bypassing the capacitive paths is proposed in this paper to alleviate these issues. In order to implement this approach, a bidirectional quasi-Z-source inverter is studied. A design procedure is presented to achieve a fast dynamic response for tracking reference voltage. The operation of both conventional and bidirectional qZSI under different loads including resistive and resistive\u2013inductive loads is investigated in the simulation and experiment. According to experimental results, by utilizing bidirectional qZSI, THD is improved from 12.34% to 3.51% for a lag load. Moreover, the voltage stress of the semiconductor no longer exists