Imbalances in T Cell-Related Transcription Factors Among Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Objectives: Imbalances in effector T cell functioning have been associated with a number of autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). Differentiation of effector T helper (Th) 1, Th2, Th17 and regulatory T cell (Treg) lymphocytes is regulated by transcription factors, including Th1-specific T box (T-bet), GATA binding protein-3 (GATA3), retinoid-related orphan receptor (ROR)-α and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3). This study aimed to investigate Th1/Th2, Th1/Treg, Th2/Treg and Th17/Treg balances at the level of these transcription factors. Methods: This study took place between October 2015 and August 2016. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from a control group of 40 healthy women recruited from the Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran, and a patient group of 40 women with HT referred to the Hazrat Ali Asghar Hospital, Zahedan. Total ribonucleic acid extraction was performed and the gene expression of transcription factors was quantitated using a real-time polymerase chain reaction technique. Results: Expression of T-bet and GATA3 was significantly elevated, while FOXP3 expression was significantly diminished among HT patients in comparison with the controls (P = 0.03, 0.01 and 0.05, respectively). Expression of RORα was higher among HT patients, although this difference was not significant (P = 0.15). Expression of T-bet/FOXP3, GATA3/FOXP3 and RORα/FOXP3 ratios were increased among HT patients in comparison with the controls (P <0.02, <0.01 and <0.01, respectively). Conclusion: These results indicate that HT patients have imbalances in Th1/Treg, Th2/Treg and Th17/Treg lymphocytes at the level of the transcription factors, deviating towards Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells. Correction of these imbalances may therefore be therapeutic

Can smartwatches replace smartphones for posture tracking?

This paper introduces a human posture tracking platform to identify the human postures of sitting, standing or lying down, based on a smartwatch. This work develops such a system as a proof-of-concept study to investigate a smartwatch's ability to be used in future remote health monitoring systems and applications. This work validates the smartwatches' ability to track the posture of users accurately in a laboratory setting while reducing the sampling rate to potentially improve battery life, the first steps in verifying that such a system would work in future clinical settings. The algorithm developed classifies the transitions between three posture states of sitting, standing and lying down, by identifying these transition movements, as well as other movements that might be mistaken for these transitions. The system is trained and developed on a Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, and the algorithm was validated through a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation of 20 subjects. The system can identify the appropriate transitions at only 10 Hz with an F-score of 0.930, indicating its ability to effectively replace smart phones, if needed

Optimizing the coefficients of the particle swarm optimization algorithm to solve the problem of economic dispatching to reduce the emission of environmental pollutants

Environmental issues due to the emission of pollutants produced by fossil fuel power plants have recently become an important issue. In this study, the coefficients of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to solve the problem of economic dispatching to reduce the emission of environmental pollutants were obtained. According to Clerk method, personal learning coefficient was equal to 1.4962, global learning coefficient was equal to 1.4962 and inertia coefficient was equal to 0.73. Also, the penalty coefficient according to the Co evolution particle swarm (CPSO) optimization algorithm was 15.8. As a result, optimization of coefficients by Taguchi method, it showed that the optimal value of personal learning coefficient is equal to 1.5, global learning coefficient is equal to 1.5, inertia coefficient is equal to 0.70 and penalty coefficient is equal to 15, in this case the amount emission of environmental pollutants were reduced by 6.5% compared to the coefficients determined by Clerk and 1.2% compared to the coefficients determined by the Co evolution particle swarm (CPSO) optimization algorithm

Simulation of Dehydration Unit with a Pre-cooler to Improve the Hydrate Formation Temperature of Natural Gas

The presence of water vapor in natural gas can cause several problems such as corrosion in transmission pipelines, blockage of equipment, and reduction of pipeline capacity. Dehydration is a critical step to reduce the water content to prevent these serious drawbacks. The adsorption process is one of the efficient technologies for producing natural gas with low water content. In this study, the industrial molecular sieve-based dehydration unit is simulated. After validating the simulation results with the plant data, the effect of feed gas cooling before entering the dehydrator on the hydrate formation temperature of the produced dry gas is investigated. To do so, we simulate the dehydration unit with a pre-cooler and design the heat exchanger to reduce the feed gas temperature. In addition, we investigate the effect of temperature reduction on the temperature of hydrate formation and water content for dry gas products. On the other hand, the effect of heating time in the regeneration step on the unit performance is discussed. Because of sufficient cooling operation, the temperature of hydrate formation reduces significantly. For the reduction of 15℃ in the feed temperature, about 50% reduction in the product water content is attained. As a result, the improvement of 6 to 7˚C in the temperature of hydrate formation is achieved for the proposed dehydration process with the pre-cooler in comparison with a simple dehydrator scheme depending on pressure. For the proposed heating time of 8000s, the rise of 6.8% in the total amount of the removed water is achieved

On neural network modeling to maximize the power output of PEMFCs

Article number 136345Optimum operating conditions of a fuel cell will provide its maximum efficiency and the operating cost will be minimized. Thus, operation optimization of the fuel cell is essential. Neural networks can simulate systems without using simplifying assumptions. Therefore, the neural network can be used to simulate complex systems. This paper investigates the effects of important parameters, i.e., temperature, relative humidity in the cathode and anode, stoichiometry on the cathode and anode sides, on the po larization curve of a PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) having MPL (Micro Porous Layer) by ANN (artificial neural network). For this purpose, an analytical model validated using laboratory data is applied for prediction of the operating conditions providing maximum (and/or minimum) output power of a PEM fuel cell for arbitrary values of the current. The mean absolute relative error was calculated to 1.95%, indicating that the network results represented the laboratory data very accurately. The results show 23.6% and 28.9% increase of the power by the model and the network, respectively, when comparing the maximum and minimum power outputs

Flexural-slip folding in buckling phases of orogenic belts: Insight into the tectonic evolution of fault splays in the East Iran orogen

Introduction: The East Iran orogen has experienced multiple buckling phases resulting in the formation of strike-slip fault splays. The geometric and kinematic characteristics of these splays are influenced by folding mechanisms. This study focuses on investigating the structural characteristics and tectonic evolution model of the Khousf splay, located in the northern terminus of the Nehbandan right-lateral strike-slip fault system. Methods: Field visits and geometrical properties from map views were used to analyze the structural features of the Khousf splay. The splay was found to consist of a multi-plunging anticline and syncline, referred to as the Khousf anticline and Khousf syncline, respectively. Flexural slip was identified as a significant mechanism for the formation of these structures. Structural evidence, including parasitic folds, active folds, and strike-slip duplexes, suggested that flexural slip occurred on discrete movement horizons among the rock units. Results: Analysis of the parasitic folds in the cores and limbs of the Khousf anticline and syncline revealed M, W, Z, and S shapes, with complex slicken-line patterns observed on faults parallel to the beds at the limbs. The analysis results indicated strain partitioning and inclined left- and right-lateral transpressional zones. Shortening estimates obtained from profiles in the Shekarab inclined transpressional zone were approximately 33%, 65%, and 68% for NE-SW, N-S, and NW-SE profiles, respectively. In the Arc area, which is the core of the anticline, shortening estimates from NE-SW and N-S profiles ranged from 14% to 10%. Structural analysis of the folds in this area revealed broad, close, semi-elliptical, and parabolic shapes, suggesting that secondary folds with NW-SE axis directions have been superimposed on the first-generation folds with E-W axis directions in the Khousf refolded splay. Discussion: The findings of this study highlight the structural characteristics and tectonic evolution model of the Khousf splay in the northern terminus of the Nehbandan right-lateral strike-slip fault system. The results suggest that flexural slip played a crucial role in the formation of the multi-plunging anticline and syncline in the Khousf splay. The presence of parasitic folds and complex slicken-line patterns on faults indicate the complexity of deformation processes. The observed strain partitioning and inclined transpressional zones suggest a complex tectonic history in the study area. The superimposition of secondary folds with different axis directions on first-generation folds adds further complexity to the structural evolution of the Khousf refolded splay. Overall, this study provides new insights into the structural characteristics and tectonic evolution of the Khousf splay in the East Iran orogen

Paleostress Analysis in the Northern Birjand, East of Iran: Insights from Inversion of Fault-Slip Data

This research assessed stress regimes and fields in eastern Iran using fault-slip data and the tectonic events associated with these changes. Our stress analysis of the brittle structures in the Shekarab Mountains revealed significant changes in stress regimes from the late Cretaceous to the Quaternary. Reconstructing stress fields using the age and sense of fault movements showed that during the late Cretaceous, the direction of the maximum horizontal stress axes (σ1) under a compressional stress regime was ~N290°. This stress regime led to the uplifting of ophiolites and peridotites in eastern Iran. During the Eocene, the σ1 direction was NE-SW. The late Eocene and Oligocene stress states showed two distinct transpression and transtension stress regimes. This transition from transpression to transtension in the eastern Shekarab Mountains was the consequence of regional variations in stress regimes. The Quaternary stress state indicates that the tectonic regime in the Quaternary is strike-slip and the σ1 direction is ~N046°, which coincides with the current convergence direction of the Arabia–Eurasia plates. Our paleostress analysis revealed that four distinct stress regimes have been recognized in the area, including compressional, transtensional, transpressional, and strike-slip regimes. Our findings indicated that the diversity of the tectonic regimes was responsible for the formation of a variety of geological structures, including folds with different axes, faults with different mechanisms, and the current configuration of the Sistan suture zone

Mediating Role Hardiness in relation Early Maladaptive Schemas With Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Women Freed from Substance use Disorder in VakilAbad Central Prison Mashhad

The present research is concerned with the role of mediating hardiness about early maladaptive scheme with cognitive emotion regulation in the case of women who have been abandoned by drug abuse disorder. The purpose of this research is considered as fundamental research and the descriptive correlation method has been used.Method:The statistical population of this research is women in mashhad vakilabad central prison in 1396, who have been abandoned by drug abuse disorder.According to the official reports of Mashhad centeral prison, their number was 425, which 202 were randomly selected. Field method has been used to collect information and because of the subject nature, data was collected through questionnaire. Also, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.On the other hand, in order to confirm or reject the research hypothesis, the correlation method and the path analysis of multivariate regression was used.It should be noted that all statistical analyzes have been used with SPSS software

Calculation of the Transport and Relaxation Properties of the Ar···HCl van der Waals Complex Using a New Potential Energy Surface: Comparison of the Classical and Full Quantum Mechanical Kinetic Theory Results with Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) of the Ar···HCl complex was calculated at the RCCSD(T)/aug-cc-pvQz-BF level of theory. The obtained potential was expanded in terms of Legendre polynomials and fitted to a mathematical model. The fitting results are highly correlated with the ab initio PES data with SD = 5.9 × 10–3 cm–1 and average absolute deviation (AAD) = 4.0 × 10–6 cm–1. The interaction second virial coefficients (B12) in the temperature range of 190–480 K were calculated by considering classical and first quantum corrections and compared with the available experimental data. A reasonable agreement with the experimental and calculated B12 was obtained. The PES was also used to obtain the rovibrational energy levels, and the spectroscopic rovibrational constants were obtained. It was found that the D0 values differ ∼2.25 cm–1 from the experimental values of the ground rovibrational state. Furthermore, the obtained potential was used to calculate the transport and relaxation properties using full quantum close-coupling (CC) formalism and the classical kinetic theory methods based on the Mason–Monchik approximation (MMA). It was found that the deviation between MMA and CC calculations is increased with increasing the temperature due to the higher influence of the rotational degrees of freedom on the transport properties. Also, the contribution of the inelastic (off-diagonal) transitions for diffusion coefficient is higher than the viscosity. Furthermore, the classical molecular dynamics simulations were performed using LJ(12,6) and Vashishta models, to calculate the interaction diffusion and viscosity coefficients, and compared with the results of the full quantum CC calculations. The obtained results confirm that the Vashishta model is better fitted to the ab initio potentials and is more accurate than LJ(12,6) in calculation of the diffusion coefficients