Understanding and misunderstanding of neuroimaging: some data from first year undergraduates

• In recent years, neuroimaging research has become a popular and exciting source of news in the press and media but claims are often exaggerated and people’s understanding of the techniques appears poor. • In this study, 207 first year undergraduates in psychology completed a True/False questionnaire in which 28 statements about neuroimaging were presented • Respondents showed a very skeptical attitude to some of the claims made for neuroimaging but showed poor understanding of the methods • 82% correctly judged that neuroimaging could not be used to read minds; 88% correctly thought neuroimaging could detect brain abnormalities; and 77% thought that newspapers and media did not report neuroimaging studies accurately • However, 76% incorrectly thought that neuroimaging allowed us to see behaviour in the brain as and when it happens; 80% incorrectly thought that babies, children and adults could be studied with all types of imaging; 84% incorrectly thought neuroimaging could identify a person suffering from mental illnes

Casimir effect in a weak gravitational field and the spacetime index of refraction

In a recent paper [arXiv:0904.2904] using a conjecture it is shown how one can calculate the effect of a weak stationary gravitational field on vacuum energy in the context of Casimir effect in an external gravitational field treated in 1+3 formulation of spacetime decomposition.. In this article, employing quntum field theory in curved spacetime, we explicitly calculate the effect of a weak static gravitational field on virtual massless scalar particles in a Casimir apparatus. It is shown that, as expected from the proposed conjecture, both the frequency and renormalized energy of the virtual scalar field are affected by the gravitational field through its index of refraction. This could be taken as a strong evidence in favour of the proposed conjecture. Generalizations to weak {\it stationary} spacetimes and virtual photons are also discussed.Comment: 11 pages, RevTex, typos corrected (combined with arXiv:0904.2904 published in PRD

In vitro inhibition of Helicobacter pylori urease with non and semi fermented Camellia sinensis

Purpose: Helicobacter pylori is the etiological agent in duodenal and peptic ulcers. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance by the organism demands the search for novel compounds, especially from natural sources. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Camellia sinensis extracts on the urease enzyme that is a major colonization factor for H. pylori. Methods: Minimum inhibitory concentrations of nonfermented and semifermented C. sinensis methanol: water extracts were assessed by broth dilution method. Examination of the urease function was performed by Mc Laren method, and urease production was detected on 12% SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from whole cell and membrane bound proteins. Results: Both extracts had inhibitory effects against H. pylori and urease production. At a concentration of 2.5 mg/ml of nonfermented extract and 3.5 mg/ml of semifermented extract the production of Ure A and Ure B subunits of the urease enzyme were inhibited completely. A concentration of 4 mg/ml of nonfermented and 5.5 mg/ml of semifermented extract were bactericidal for H. pylori. Conclusions: C. sinensis extracts, especially the nonfermented, could reduce H. pylori population and inhibit urease production at lower concentrations. The superior effect of nonfermented extract is due to its rich polyphenolic compounds and catechin contents

Comparision of the estimation of the least square and genetic algorithm throuth serval function in R

R software is considered software in which various available functions make it possible to conduct extensive statistical calculations. Genetic algorithm is a method through which we search for approximate solution in optimization. This article aims at evaluating the functions existed in the R software which are employed for approximate solution in optimization. As a result, there has been produced least squares by usual methods for linear and non-linear models through genetic algorithm in this research.Keywords: Least Squares, Genetic Algorithm, Linear Model, Nonlinear Model, Squares Averag

General Health Status and Its Related Factors in the Nurses Working in the Educational Hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, 2011

Background: Nursing is an extremely stressful profession. Nurses are confronted with a variety of personal, communicational and organizational stresses, which affect their health. Objectives: The current study aimed to assess general health level and its related factors in employed nurses in educational hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of medical sciences. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 126 nurses and practical nurses who work in educational hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of medical sciences selected by multi stage sampling method. Data collecting tools included demographic characteristics and General Health Questionaire-28 (GHQ-28). Descriptive statistics are presented and Chi-square test, t-test, and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Results: Of 126 subjects 75 (59.5%) cases were suspects of mental disorders. Also 12.7% had physical disorders, 15.9% had anxiety and sleep disorders, 8.7% had social dysfunction and 6.3% had depression. Average score of mental health was 28.4 .In this study mental health was significantly associated with job satisfaction and economic satisfaction (P < 0.05). Conclusions: With regard to significant relation between mental health, job satisfaction, and economic satisfaction, a system for educating and stress reduction counseling should be established to help nurses effectively coping with stress. Also, improving the work environment, increasing staff, increasing salary, and decreasing working hours may reduce the nurses' exposure to stressful risk factors

Relationship of some risk factors and symptoms in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is one of the major causes of death in the worldwide. Clinical manifestations are different. So it's necessary to have knowledge about the types of symptoms experienced by patients with ACS. This study was performed to assay the Relationship of some risk factors and symptoms in patients with acute coronary syndrome. This cross-sectional study, were studied 294 patients with acute coronary syndrome at least 24 hours after admission had survived. Data was collected by a questionnaire that included demographic data form and check list of some symptoms and history of risk factors. There was a significant relationship between STEMI with vomiting (OR=1.94) and anxiety (OR=1.83) and UA with vomiting (OR=0.42). Between sex with weakness (OR=2.29) and anxiety (OR=1.82), diabetes with dyspenea (OR=1.8), weakness (OR=1.02) and tinnitus (OR=2.06) and hyperlipidemia with weakness (OR=2.35) and tinnitus (OR=2.49) was available significant difference. The findings of this study indicate that the appearance of symptoms of acute coronary syndrome were different as for ECG changes and risk factors, and more focused on those symptoms that they are common with any other diseases. Since, many of the symptoms of acute coronary syndrome can be potentially dangerous and life threatening, accurate diagnosis and timely action is crucial for the patients

Vasopressin attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury via reduction of oxidative stress and inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening in rat hearts

Aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) and oxidative stress in the cardioprotective effect of vasopressin (AVP) on ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Anesthetized male wistar rats were subjected to regional 30 min ischemia and 120 min reperfusion and randomly divided into nine groups: (1) Control; saline was administered intravenously before ischemia, (2) vasopressin was administrated 10 min prior to ischemia, (3, 4) Atractyloside as MPTP opener, was injected 5 min prior to reperfusion without and with vasopressin, (5, 6) Cyclosporine A as a MPTP closer, was injected 5 min prior to reperfusion without and with vasopressin, (7) mitochondria were isolated from control group and CaCl2 was added as MPTP opener and swelling inducer, (8) isolated mitochondria from Control hearts was incubated with Cyclosporine A before adding the CaCl2 (9) CaCl2 was added to isolated mitochondria from vasopressin group. Infusion of vasopressin decreased infarct size (18.6±1.7% vs. control group 37.6±2.4%), biochemical parameters [LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase), CK-MB (Creatine Kinase-MB) and MDA (Malondialdehyde) plasma levels, PAB (Prooxidant-antioxidant balance)] compared to control group. Atactyloside suppressed the cardioprotective effect of vasopressin (32.5±1.9% vs. 18.6±1.7%) but administration of the Cyclosporine A without and with vasopressin significantly reduced infarct size to 17.7±4% (P<0.001) and 22.7±3% (P<0.01) respectively, vs. 37.6±2.4% in control group. Also, vasopressin, similar to Cyclosporine A, led to decrease in CaCl2-induced swelling. It seems that vasopressin through antioxidant effect and MPTP inhibition has created a cardioprotection against ischemia/reperfusion injuries. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved