762 research outputs found

    On Teaching Quality Improvement of a Mathematical Topic Using Artificial Neural Networks Modeling (With a Case Study)

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    This paper inspired by simulation by Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) applied recently for evaluation of phonics methodology to teach children "how to read". A novel approach for teaching a mathematical topic using a computer aided learning (CAL) package applied at educational field (a children classroom). Interesting practical results obtained after field application of suggested CAL package with and without associated teacher''s voice. Presented study highly recommends application of a novel teaching trend based on behaviorism and individuals'' learning styles. That is to improve quality of children mathematical learning performance

    HDAC3 is essential for Human Leukemic Cell Growth and the Expression of β-catenin, MYC, and WT1

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    Therapy of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is unsatisfactory. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are active against leukemic cells in vitro and in vivo. Clinical data suggest further testing of such epigenetic drugs and to identify mechanisms and markers for their efficacy. Primary and permanent AML cells were screened for viability, replication stress/DNA damage, and regrowth capacities after single exposures to the clinically used pan-HDACi panobinostat (LBH589), the class I HDACi entinostat/romidepsin (MS-275/FK228), the HDAC3 inhibitor RGFP966, the HDAC6 inhibitor marbostat-100, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) indomethacin, and the replication stress inducer hydroxyurea (HU). Immunoblotting was used to test if HDACi modulate the leukemia-associated transcription factors beta-catenin, Wilms tumor (WT1), and myelocytomatosis oncogene (MYC). RNAi was used to delineate how these factors interact. We show that LBH589, MS-275, FK228, RGFP966, and HU induce apoptosis, replication stress/DNA damage, and apoptotic fragmentation of beta-catenin. Indomethacin destabilizes beta-catenin and potentiates anti-proliferative effects of HDACi. HDACi attenuate WT1 and MYC caspase-dependently and -independently. Genetic experiments reveal a cross-regulation between MYC and WT1 and a regulation of beta-catenin by WT1. In conclusion, reduced levels of beta-catenin, MYC, and WT1 are molecular markers for the efficacy of HDACi. HDAC3 inhibition induces apoptosis and disrupts tumor-associated protein expression

    A Massive Tuberculosis Abscess at the Erector Spinae Muscles and Subcutaneous Tissues in a Young Man

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    Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic granulomatous infection which can present in an atypical form. Isolated muscle involvement is very rare. We report a 25-year-old man who presented with a massive cystic swelling on the right side of his back, extending from the lower thoracic to the gluteal region. He had a history of contact with a friend who was suspected of having TB. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that the origin of the cyst was from the erector spinae muscles. The result of a fluid aspirate showed acid fast bacilli. The swelling disappeared after treatment with anti-tuberculous medications. Muscular involvement in TB is very rare. In our patient, the reports of an ultrasound and MRI confirmed isolated muscle and subcutaneous involvement without bony lesions. This case is reported to increase physician awareness regarding soft tissue TB. Although it is rare, similar cases may be seen in the future

    Genotyping of HLA-class-I and II by PCR-SSP of Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

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    Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis is a common condition characterised by recurrent episodes of oral ulceration. Genetic factors have been implicated by numerous studies on the association of recurrent aphthous stomatitis and the genetically determined HLA subtypes. Objectives: Current study was established to shed light on the possible association of HLA class I and II alleles with recurrent aphthous stomatitis in Iraqi patients. Subjects and Methods: The study included 55 subjects: 30 recurrent aphthous stomatitis patients and 25 apparently healthy subjects as control. Polymerase chain reaction-specific sequence primers (PCR- SSP) assay was conducted to assess HLA- typing. Results: The present study showed a significant association of HLA-Cw*12:02:01-and HLADQB1* 02:01:01- alleles with recurrent aphthous stomatitis as compared with healthy control (P= 0.041and P=0.028 respectively). Another interesting finding in this study was the significant low frequency of HLA-DQB1*05:01:01- allele in patients when compared with healthy control (P=0.036). Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that HLA-Cw*12:02:01- and HLA-DQB1*02:01:01-alleles may play a role in the etiology of the disease. Whereas HLA-DQB1*05:01:01-05 may confer protective effects against recurrent aphthous stomatitis

    Correlation between Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-6 and auto antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

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    Background: There is a general acceptance which illustrated that auto antibodies act as a central immunological disturbance in most of the auto immune diseases, among these auto immune diseaselies the SLE Patients and Methods: Thirty five patients with SLE were compared to twenty age and sex matched, control subjects and studied for the presence of auto antibodies, plus IL-4 and IL-6 using Elisa method and immune fluorescent method (for ANA only) Results: Data showed that IL-6 detectable levels were statistically significant in patients with positive anti ds-DNA, but not significant statistically in ANA positive patients although it was detected in 24 (70.6%) of positive ANA patients, while there was no statistically significant correlation between IL- 4 detectable level and autoantibodies production. Conclusion: There is apparently a positive correlation between IL-6 and anti ds DNA production in lupus patients

    Molecular Screening of <i>VAX1</i> Gene Polymorphisms Uncovered the Genetic Heterogeneity of Non-Syndromic Orofacial Cleft in Saudi Arabian Patients

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    Objective: Nonsyndromic orofacial cleft (NSOFC) including cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL±P) and cleft palate (CP) are multifactorial developmental disorders with both genetic and environmental etiological factors. In this study we investigated the association between CL±P and CP, and two polymorphisms previously determined using genome-wide association studies, as well as the association between consanguinity and CL±P and CP. Methods: DNA was extracted from saliva specimens from 171 triads consisting of affected individuals and their parents, as well as 189 control triads (matched for age, gender, and location) that were recruited from 11 referral hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Two polymorphisms, rs4752028 and rs7078160, located in the VAX1 gene were genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction. A transmission disequilibrium test was carried out using the Family-Based Association Test and PLINK (genetic tool-set) to measure the parent-of-origin effect. Results: Significant differences were found between affected individuals and the control group. In the case of the rs4752028 risk allele in cleft, the phenotypes were: CL±P (fathers: odds ratio [OR] 2.16 [95% CI 1.38–3.4]; mothers: OR 2.39 [95% CI 1.53–3.71]; and infants: OR 2.77 [95% CI 1.77–4.34]) and CP (fathers: OR 2.24 [95% CI 1.15–4.36] and infants: OR 2.43 [95% CI 1.25–4.7]). For CL±P and the rs7078160 risk allele, the phenotypes were: (fathers: OR 1.7 [95% CI 1.05–2.86]; mothers: OR 2.43 [95% CI 1.49–3.97]; and infants: OR 2.34 [95% CI 1.44–3.81]). In terms of consanguinity, we found significant association between consanguinity and the rs4752028 polymorphism minor allele among CL±P compared with controls (p = 0.001). Conclusion: This is the first study to find a relationship between these two loci on 10q25 (rs4752028 and rs7078160) and NSOFC in a population with high levels of consanguinity

    A New Collaborative Multi-Agent Monte Carlo Simulation Model for Spatial Correlations Air Pollutions Global Risk Assessment

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    Air pollution risk assessment is complex due to dynamic data change and pollution source distribution. Air quality index concentration level prediction is an effective method of protecting public health by providing the means for an early warning against harmful air pollution. However, air quality index-based prediction is challenging as it depends on several complicated factors resulting from dynamic nonlinear air quality time-series data, such as dynamic weather patterns and the verity and distribution of air pollution sources. Subsequently, some minimal models have incorporated time series-based predicting air quality index at a global level (for a particular city or various cities). These models require interaction between the multiple air pollution sensing sources and additional parameters like wind direction and wind speed. The existing methods in predicting air quality index cannot handle short-term dependencies. These methods also mostly neglect the spatial correlations between the different parameters. Moreover, the assumption of selecting the most recent part of the air quality time series is not valid considering that pollution is cyclic behavior according to various events and conditions due to the high possibility of falling into the trap of local minimum and poor generalization. Therefore, this pa-per proposes a new air pollution global risk assessment (APGRA) model for predicting spatial correlations air quality index risk assessment to address these issues. The APGRA model incorporates autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), Monte-Carlo simulation, and collaborative multi-agent system, and prediction algorithm for reducing air quality index prediction error and processing time. The proposed APGRA model is evaluated based on Malaysia and China real-world air quality datasets. The proposed APGRA model improves the average root mean squared error by 41%, mean and absolute error by 47.10% compared with the conventional ARIMA and ANFIS models
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