The power of diversity over large solution spaces

We consider a team of agents with limited problem-solving ability facing a disjunctive task over a large solution space. We provide sufficient conditions for the following four statements. First, two heads are better than one: a team of two agents will solve the problem even if neither agent alone would be able to. Second, teaming up does not guarantee success: if the agents are not sufficiently creative, even a team of arbitrary size may fail to solve the problem. Third, "defend it numerous": when the agent's problem-solving ability is adversely affected by the complexity of the solution space, the solution of the problem requires only a mild increase in the size of the team. Fourth, groupthink impairs the power of diversity: if agents' abilities are positively correlated, a larger team is necessary to solve the problem

Receptor-Specific Mechanisms Regulate Phosphorylation of AKT at Ser473: Role of RICTOR in β1 Integrin-Mediated Cell Survival

A tight control over AKT/PKB activation is essential for cells, and they realise this in part by regulating the phosphorylation of Ser473 in the “hydrophobic motif” of the AKT carboxy-terminal region. The RICTOR-mTOR complex (TORC2) is a major kinase for AKT Ser473 phosphorylation after stimulation by several growth factors, in a reaction proposed to require p21-activated kinase (PAK) as a scaffold. However, other kinases may catalyse this reaction in stimuli-specific manners. Here we characterised the requirement of RICTOR, ILK, and PAK for AKT Ser473 phosphorylation downstream of selected family members of integrins, G protein-coupled receptors, and tyrosine-kinase receptors and analysed the importance of this phosphorylation site for adhesion-mediated survival. siRNA-mediated knockdown in HeLa and MCF7 cells showed that RICTOR-mTOR was required for phosphorylation of AKT Ser473, and for efficient phosphorylation of the downstream AKT targets FOXO1 Thr24 and BAD Ser136, in response to β1 integrin-stimulation. ILK and PAK1/2 were dispensable for these reactions. RICTOR knockdown increased the number of apoptotic MCF7 cells on β1 integrin ligands up to 2-fold after 24 h in serum-free conditions. β1 integrin-stimulation induced phosphorylation of both AKT1 and AKT2 but markedly preferred AKT2. RICTOR-mTOR was required also for LPA-induced AKT Ser473 phosphorylation in MCF7 cells, but, interestingly, not in HeLa cells. PAK was needed for the AKT Ser473 phosphorylation in response to LPA and PDGF, but not to EGF. These results demonstrate that different receptors utilise different enzyme complexes to phosphorylate AKT at Ser473, and that AKT Ser473 phosphorylation significantly contributes to β1 integrin-mediated anchorage-dependent survival of cells

Electrochemical determination of ?-lactoglobulin in whey proteins

2-s2.0-85073938067Determination of ?-lactoglobulin in milk products is very important because ?-lactoglobulin is the main ingredient in whey-based protein powders. However, ?-lactoglobulin is a dangerous food allergen. On such an occasion, the determination of ?-lactoglobulin is coming into prominence and electrochemistry is a good alternative for this purpose because of its simple, economic and rapid response. In this work, a graphene oxide modified pencil graphite electrode is developed to determine ?-lactoglobulin based on the current signal of known concentration of hydrogen peroxide. Cyclic voltammetry technique is performed to obtain the electrochemical behavior of ?-lactoglobulin. Linear range, limit of detection and limit of quantification were calculated according to the calibration curve of various amounts of ?-lactoglobulin. Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy technique is also used to investigate the absorption behavior of ?-lactoglobulin in various biological macromolecules including whey proteins. The proposed graphene oxide modified pencil graphite surface is successfully applied to determine ?-lactoglobulin in real milk sample, so a new methodology based on a newly developed electrochemical technique is described as a promising alternative in diary products. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

Sexual function and quality-of-life-related problems during the menopausal period

PubMedID: 29243521This study aims to evaluate the relationship between the sexual functions and quality of life and the problems during menopausal period. This descriptive, cross-sectional study included a total of 317 women. The mean total Female Sexual Function Index score was 18.8 ± 8.7, while the mean total Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female score was 72.7 ± 13.7. Sexual dysfunction was found in 82 percent. There was a positive significant correlation between the total Female Sexual Function Index scores and total Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire-Female scores (p < 0.05). Our study results suggest that women do not often experience serious menopausal symptoms, but have sexual dysfunction with a moderate sexual quality of life. © The Author(s) 2017.TSA-2015-4763The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/ or publication of this article: This study was supported by research fund from Cukurova University with the project number TSA-2015-4763

Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the PEER-U scale

PubMedID: 30836012Background: Antenatal care is necessary for mother and infant by reducing or eliminating the risks which may occur in the antenatal and postnatal period. Ultrasound is one of the most commonly used examination methods in antenatal monitoring. Evaluating the expectations, experiences and reactions of both parents during routine ultrasound examinations is essential to provide the best antenatal care. Objective: This study aims to test the validity and reliability of the PEER-U scale developed for Sweden by Ekelin et al. Method: The PEER-U scale consists of before and after ultrasound scales. Four hundred and thirty-six parents participated in the study. Interviews were conducted with all participating parents in a private room 15 minutes before and five minutes after the ultrasound. Researchers analysed the PEER-U scale for language, content, construct, criterion-referenced validity and internal consistency reliability. Results: The Turkish version of PEER-U has 21 items in the before ultrasound scale and 21 items in the after ultrasound scale. Cronbach's alpha was 0.65 for the before ultrasound scale and 0.89 for the after ultrasound scale. Conclusion: The study determined that the Turkish version of the PEER-U scale is a valid and reliable scale for Turkish society. © 2019, © 2019 Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology

The effectiveness of erector spinae plane block in patients with chronic low back pain

OBJECTIVE: The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) has been widely used as a treatment strategy for a variety of acute and chronic painful conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the analgesic efficacy of ESPB in patients with chronic low back pain and radicular symptoms who had lumbar disc herniation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients aged 18 to 80 years who had chronic low back pain with radicular symptoms associated with pain from lumbar disc herniation and had undergone ESPB were included in the study retrospectively. As part of a routine clinical procedure, the patient’s age, gender, weight, height, body mass index, injection site, level of the injection, disc herniation level and visual analog scale score, Oswestry Disability Index, and five-point patient satisfaction questionnaire were recorded before and following the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 96 patients were included in this study. The mean age was 52.28±14.12 and 55 (57.3%) of the patients were female. The mean visual analog scale value and Oswestry Disability Index score were significantly decreased consecutively after the procedure (p<0.05). The mean patient satisfaction questionnaire score increased gradually compared to the baseline scores (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that ESPB is an effective strategy to reduce the intensity of chronic low back pain with radicular symptoms in patients with lumbar disc herniation

The Effect of Music on Pain and Anxiety of Women During Labour on First Time Pregnancy: A Study from Turkey

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at analyzing the effect of music on pain and anxiety felt by women in labor during their first pregnancy. METHOD: When the pregnant women in the experimental group progressed into the active phase of the labor, they were made to listen to music in Acemasiran mode with earplugs for 3h (20min of listening with 10-min breaks). FINDINGS: It was observed that after the first-hour women indicated that their pain was statistically less in the experimental group. Trait anxiety scores of the women in labor were similar for experimental and control groups. Following the practice, state anxiety average scores became lower in favor of the experimental group and the correlation was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In order to facilitate women\u27s coping with labor pain and improve their wellbeing with the activity during the labor, musicotherapy, a non-pharmacological method, is an effective, simple and economical method