Handwriting style classification

This paper describes an independent handwriting style classifier that has been designed to select the best recognizer for a given style of writing. For this purpose a definition of handwriting legibility has been defined and a method implemented that can predict this legibility. The technique consists of two phases. In the feature-extraction phase, a set of 36 features is extracted from the image contour. In the classification phase, two nonparametric classification techniques are applied to the extracted features in order to compare their effectiveness in classifying words into legible, illegible, and middle classes. In the first method, a multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) is used to transform the space of extracted features (36 dimensions) into an optimal discriminant space for a nearest mean based classifier. In the second method, a probabilistic neural network (PNN) based on the Bayes strategy and nonparametric estimation of probability density function is used. The experimental results show that the PNN method gives superior classification results when compared with the MDA method. For the legible, illegible, and middle handwriting the method provides 86.5% (legible/illegible), 65.5% (legible/middle), and 90.5% (middle/illegible) correct classification for two classes. For the three-class legibility classification the rate of correct classification is 67.33% using a PNN classifier

Optimization of expression, purification and handling anti bacteria feature protein of bovine neutrophil B-defensing BNBD2

زمینه و هدف: دیفنسین‎ها یکی از بزرگ‎ترین خانواده‎ی پپتید‎های ضد میکروب می‎باشند که به واسطه‎ی فعالیت بر علیه باکتری‎ها، قارچ‎ها و بسیاری از ویروس‎ها به عنوان آنتی‎بیوتیک‎های نسل جدید منفعت بسیاری دارند. هدف از این مطالعه بهینه سازی بیان، تخلیص و بررسی خاصیت ضد میکروبی پروتئین بتا دیفنسین 2 نوتروفیل‎های گاو (BNBD2) بوده است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه‎ی تجربی-آزمایشگاهی باکتری اشرشیاکلی B‏L21(DE3) حامل وکتور pET-32a(+) که ژن BNBD2 در آن همسانه سازی شده بود جهت مطالعات مورد استفاده قرار گرفت. بیان پروتئین BNBD2 با تغییر در پارامترهای دانسیته‎ی سلولی، دمای رشد، مدت زمان القاء با استفاده از سیستم الکتروفورز عمودی (SDS-PAGE) و تست برادفورد به صورت کمی و کیفی بررسی گردید. مراحل تخلیص پروتئین نوترکیب با کمک روش شیمیایی شکافت در جایگاه فرمیک اسید و عبور از سانتریکون و اثر ضد باکتری پروتئین تخلیص شده بر چند نمونه‎ی باکتریایی گرم مثبت و گرم منفی مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. یافته ها: با استفاده از محیط کشت Luria–Bertani، شروع القاء در جذب نوری 8/0 در طول موج 600 نانومتر، غلظت یک میلی مولار ماده‎ی القاء کننده‎ی IPTG، دمای رشد 30 درجه و مدت زمان 4 ساعت پس از القاء بیشترین میزان بیان پروتئین به دست آمد. پروتئین نوترکیب با استفاده از شکافت در جایگاه فرمیک اسید و عبور از سانتریکون تخلیص گردید. نتایج آزمایش وسترن بلاتینگ نیز نشان داد که پروتئین نوترکیب به طور اختصاصی به آنتی‎بادی mouse anti-(His)6 peroxidase متصل می‎گردد. تشکیل هاله‎ی عدم رشد در محیط‎های کشت مولر هینتون آگار حاوی کشت سطحی باکتری های مورد آزمایش خاصیت ضد باکتری این پروتئین را نشان داد. نتیجه گیری: با توجه به خاصیت ضد میکروبی پروتئین BNBD2و امکان بیان پروتئین در باکتری E. coli می توان به تولید انبوه این پروتئین نوترکیب اقدام نمود

The effect of occupational therapy on positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients

Background and aim: Poor social, self-care, and vocational functioning are criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia in most diagnostic systems. Consequently, improving the social behaviors of persons with schizophrenia has been a key target of psychiatric rehabilitation. The occupational therapy is a non organic therapeutic that causes elevated self stem, foppishness and strengthening of occupational behaviour. The aim of this survey is the effect of occupational therapy on the positive and negative symptom’s of schizophrenic patients with bear out their symptoms. Methods: This survey is an experimental study that, positive and negative symptom’s of schizophrenic patients assessed with scale for the assessment of positive and negative symptoms. Then the samples consisted of schizophrenic patients divided randomly into case (30) and control (30) groups. Occupational therapy was performed in case group within a period 20 hours in week for 6 months, then patiants assessed repeatly with SAPS.SANS. Quantative analysis of data was undertaken by using paired and dependent t students tesats and Willcoxon test . Results: Results demonestrated the mean of the total score of negative symptom 72.5±19.5 and posetive symptom 112±32.57. Also occupational therapy effected on the posetive and negative symptom’s of schizophrenic patiants. In posetive symptom occupational therapy effected on the hallusination and bizzare behaviour (P<0.001), for all noeffected on dellusions and thought. In negative symptom occupational therapy effected on the apathy and involition, attention disorders, anhedonia and thought disorders (P<0.001), for all noeffected on inappropiate affect. Conclusion: The occupational therapy is a non organic therapuitic that causes elevated self steem, foppishness and strengthening of occupational behaviou

Identification of chemical compounds of <em>Nardostachys Jatamansi </em>essence available in Iran

Introduction: With regard to using drugs with plant origin and with the aim of suitable use of these types of drugs and preventing them to be abused, it is necessary to determine the standards of these plants. The aim of the present study was to identify and study chemical compounds of Nardostachys Jatamansi essence in Iran and define monograph of this plant for the Iranian plant pharmacopeia. Methods: In an experimental study the Nardostachys Jatamansi specimen was prepared from the market in Iran. The essence of the plant was prepared by the hydro-distillation in Clevenger apparatus. Essence was obtained as a greenish yellow oil layer with the 0.07 yield. The essence compounds were identified quantitatively by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) method. Results: Totally, 29 compounds were identified in Nardostachys Jatamansi essence. The retention indexes (RI) were only similar with overall standard values in two compounds like mesitylene and P-cymene. In this line the RI values about three compounds of valerenic acid, palmitic acid, and valerenyl isovalerate were determined significantly higher than standard values of RI. Conclusion: The essence prepared from the Nardostachys Jatamansi plant in Iran was different in terms of some compounds and components including valerenic acid, palmitic acid, and valerenyl isovalerate and so it is necessary to identify and register quality and quantity characteristics of compounds available in this plat in the Iranian medicinal plants pharmacopeia.</p

Comparison of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) growth rate in culture media supplemented with or without basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) is a member of the FGF family secreted by different kinds of cells like HDFs and it is an important nutritional factor for cell growth and differentiation. The HDFs release bFGF in culture media at very low. The present study aims to investigate the HDFs growth rate in culture media supplemented either with or without bFGF. In brief, HDFs were isolated from human foreskin sample and were cultured in vitro in media containing bFGF and lack of this factor. The cells growth rate was calculated by trypan blue. The karyotyping was performed using G-banding to investigate the chromosomal abnormality of HDFs in both groups. Total RNA of each groups were extracted and cDNA samples were synthesized then, real-time Q-PCR was used to measure the expression level of p27kip1 and cyclin D1 genes normalized to internal control gene (GAPDH). The karyotype analysis showed that HDFs cultured in media or without bFGF had normal karyotype (46 chromosomes, XY) and chromosomal abnormalities were not observed. The cell growth rates in both groups were normal with proliferated exponentially but the slope of growth curve in HDFs cultured in media containing bFGF was increased. Karyotyp test showed that bFGF does not affect on cytogenetic stability of cells. The survey of p27kip1 and cyclin D1 genes by real-time Q-PCR showed that the expression level of these genes were up-regulated when adding bFGF in culture media (p < 0.05). The findings of the present study demonstrate that appropriate supplementation of culture media with growth factor like bFGF could enhance the proliferation and differentiation capacity of cells and improve cells growth rate. Similarly, fibroblast growth factors did not induce any chromosomal abnormality in cells. Furthermore, in HDFs cultured in bFGF supplemented media, the p27kip1 and cyclin D1 genes were up-regulated and suggesting an important role for bFGF in cell-cycle regulation and progression and fibroblast division stimulation. It also suggests that the effects of bFGF on different cell types with/or without production of bFGF or other regulation factors be investigated in future

The effect of occupational therapy on some aspects of quality of life in schizophrenic patients

چکیده: زمینه و هدف: بیماری اسکیزوفرنیا شدیدترین و مزمن شونده ترین بیماری روانپزشکی است که با اختلال در تواناییهای اجتماعی و شغلی همراه است. کار درمانی باعث افزایش اعتماد به نفس، خودسازی و تقویت رفتارهای کاری در بیمار می شود. این پژوهش با هدف تعیین تاثیر کاردرمانی بر ابعاد مختلف کیفیت زندگی بیماران اسکیزوفرنیک مزمن بستری در بیمارستان سینا انجام شده است. روش بررسی: این پژوهش یک مطالعه کار آزمایی بالینی است که ابتدا بیماران اسکیزوفرن مزمن بستری در بیمارستان سینای فارسان در استان چهارمحال و بختیاری بصورت سرشماری انتخاب و کیفیت زندگی آنان بوسیله پرسشنامه کیفیت زندگی بررسی و سپس بیماران بصورت تصادفی به دو گروه مورد (32 نفر) و شاهد (30 نفر) تقسیم گردیدند. کاردرمانی به مدت 20 ساعت در هفته در طی 6 ماه برای گروه مورد اجرا شد. بعد از اجرای کاردرمانی مجدداً کیفیت زندگی بیماران بررسی و اطلاعات با استفاده از آمار توصیفی و استنباطی (t مستقل) تجزیه و تحلیل شد. یافته ها: نتایج نشان داد در بدو مطالعه، تفاوت معنی داری بین میانگین نمره کیفیت زندگی گروه مورد و شاهد، وجود نداشت، بعد از مطالعه این تفاوت در حیطه انگیزه و انرژی و نمره کل کیفیت زندگی بین گروه مورد و شاهد معنی دار بود (001/0

ABC-transporter blockage mediated by xanthotoxin and bergapten is the major pathway for chemosensitization of multidrug-resistant cancer cells.

Furanocoumarins derived from herbal and citrus extracts can act as antibacterial, antioxidant, immunomodulator, apoptotic, and selective anticancer agents, prompting a biological investigation to determine and predict their clinical therapeutic significance. Here, the cell cytotoxic effects of bergapten and xanthotoxin were analyzed alone and in combination with standard chemotherapeutics on three multidrug resistant cells and their nonresistant parental counterparts. The furanocoumarins modulatory effects on MDR1, BCRP, and MRP pump expression and function were investigated. Although quantitative real time PCR demonstrated that the MDR transcript level changes in a time dependent manner, flow cytometric analyses using fluorescent-labeled antibodies have indicated that bergapten and xanthotoxin had no significant effect on the protein levels. FACS analyses indicated that these prominent anticancer agents significantly blocked MDR1, BCRP, and MRP transporter function. Maximum furanocoumarin-mediated pump activity blockage in the MDR-resistant cells was quantified as 87% of normal and consequently, chemotherapeutic accumulation increased up to 2.7-fold and cytotoxicity tension increased 104-fold. MDR1 efflux kinetics also revealed that the maximum velocity and the pump affinity to daunorubicin were uncompetitively decreased. We conclude that bergapten and xanthotoxin are cytotoxic agents capable of preventing daunorubicin, mitoxantrone, and cisplatin binding to ABC-transporters and subsequently inhibiting their efflux out of cells and they may be a potential combination therapy for malignant cancers

Total phenolic content, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the extract of ephedra procera fisch. et mey

Ephedra procera belonging to the family Ephedraceae is a poison and medicinal plant. The main aim of the present study was to determine total phenolic content and antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ethanolic extract from the aerial parts of E. procera collected from a natural habitat in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province, Southwestern Iran. The total phenolic content of the extract by Folin-Ciocalteu method and the antioxidant activity using DPPH assay were determined. The antibacterial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extract were evaluated against five bacteria, including Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. Total phenolic content in the extract of E. procera was 0.718 mg tannic acid/g dry weight extract. The results indicated that the ethanolic extract of E. procera exhibited radical scavenging activity. In addition, the results of this study confirmed that the ethanolic extract of E. procera exhibited antibacterial activity. In conclusion, the extract of E. procera could be an important source of phenolic components with antioxidant capacity and antibacterial activity.Naser Vahed Dehkordi, Mehrdad Ataie Kachouie, Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti, Fatemeh Malekpoor and Mohammad Rabe