The evaluation of a virtual education system based on the DeLone and McLean model: A path analysis [version 2; referees: 3 approved]

Background: The Internet has dramatically influenced the introduction of virtual education. Virtual education is a term that involves online education and e-learning. This study was conducted to evaluate a virtual education system based on the DeLone and McLean model. Methods: This descriptive analytical study was conducted using the census method on all the students of the Nursing and Midwifery Department of Alborz University of Medical Sciences who had taken at least one online course in 2016-2017. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire based on the DeLone and McLean model in six domains and then analyzed in SPSS-16 and LISREL-8.8 using the path analysis. Results: The goodness of fit indices (GFI) of the model represent the desirability and good fit of the model, and the rational nature of the adjusted relationships between the variables based on a conceptual model (GFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.014).The results showed that system quality has the greatest impact on the net benefits of the system through both direct and indirect paths (β=0.52), service quality through the indirect path (β=0.03) and user satisfaction through the direct path (β=0.73). Conclusions: According to the results, system quality has the greatest overall impact on the net benefits of the system, both directly and indirectly by affecting user satisfaction and the intention to use. System quality should therefore be further emphasized, to use these systems more efficiently

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and the Risk of Bone Fracture: A Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE)‐Assessed Systematic Review and Dose–Response Meta‐Analysis

ABSTRACT Researchers have examined the link between consuming fruit and vegetables and the incidence of fractures for many years. Nevertheless, their findings have been unclear. Furthermore, the dose‐dependent relationship has not been examined, and the level of certainty in the evidence was not evaluated. We carried out a dose‐dependent meta‐analysis examining the relation between fruit and vegetables intake and fracture incidence. PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Scopus were searched until April 2023 for cohort studies evaluating the relation between fruit and vegetables and fracture incidence. Summary relative risks (RRs) were computed from complied data by applying random effects analysis. To examine the level of evidence, we utilized the approach called the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE). Ten cohort studies comprising 511,716 individuals were entered. There was a nonsignificant relation between fruit and vegetables, as well as only fruit intake and any fracture risk. In contrast, high versus low analysis presented that vegetables consumption was linked to a 16% decrease in any type of fracture incidence (RR 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75 to 0.95; I2 = 83.1%; n = 6). Also, per one serving/day (200 g/day) increments in vegetables consumption, there was a 14% decline in the fracture risk (RR 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.97; I2 = 84.7%; n = 5; GRADE = moderate). With moderate certainty, a greater consumption of only vegetables, but not total fruit and vegetables or only fruit, might reduce the risk of fracture. These associations were also evident in dose–response analysis. Large intervention trials are demanded to approve our findings. © 2023 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

A Comparative Study of Essential Oil Constituents and Phenolic Compounds of Arabian Lilac (Vitex Trifolia var. Purpurea): An Evidence of Season Effects

To evaluate the fluctuation of secondary metabolites in Arabian lilac during a year, aerial parts of the plant were harvested in the middle of each month. The essential oils content from fresh and dried plant materials was analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), individually. Phytochemical contents, along with antiradical scavenging potential of the related methanol extracts were separately assessed. The spring and autumn samples (fresh and dried) yielded more essential oil than the other samples. Forty-one compounds were identified totally in the oils and the major constituents characterized were β-caryophyllene, sabinene, and caryophyllene oxide. The extracts obtained from winter and summer plants possessed the highest total phenolics. The maximum amount of total flavonoid content was measured in winter (December and January), whereas the minimum one was observed in spring (March). The summer and winter samples showed the highest and lowest content of flavones and flavanols, respectively, whereas the anthocyanin content was higher in winter than in summer. Moreover, antiradical activity of the extracts in summer and winter samples was higher than in other seasons. Overall, this study can provide useful information regarding the best harvest period of Arabian lilac to yield the desired compounds for application in phytopharmaceutical and food industries

Diastolic Function Changes during Stress Echocardiography in Hypertensive Patients

Background Some hypertensive patients experience dyspnea with exercise due to rise in filling pressures. So, exercise is helpful to determine left ventricular filling tension. Objectives This study aims to evaluate the effect of dobutamine stress echocardiography on diastolic function in hypertensive patients with normal ejection fraction. Methods In this study, 30 hypertensive patients (52.7 ± 3.6 years) and 30 sex and age matched healthy controls (50.8 ± 7.6 years) were examined. Exclusion criteria were patients with coronary artery disease, significant valvular heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, left ventricular systolic dysfunction (EF (ejection fraction) < 50%), atrial fibrillation and bad echogenic view. We performed complete echocardiography and dobutamine stress echocardiography with pulsed wave Doppler tissue imaging at rest and during peak stress to measure primary mitral inflow diastolic wave rate (E), late mitral inflow diastolic wave rate (A), E/A ratio, primary diastolic myocardial wave rate (E′) and late diastolic myocardial wave velocity (A’). Results At rest, E’ was significantly lower in patients than controls (8.2 ± 1.6 vs 14.7 ± 2.6 P value < 0.001) and E/E (early mitral inflow diastolic wave rate/early myocardial diastolic wave rate) was significantly higher in patients (7.6 ± 1.2 vs 4.8 ± 1.0 P value <0.001). At peak stress, E/A ratio was significantly lower in patients (P < 0.001) while E/E′ was significantly higher in patients than controls (8.3 ± 2.1 vs 4.7 ± 0.7 P value < 0.001). Conclusions Dobutamine stress echocardiography with Doppler tissue study is effective in the evaluation of hypertensive patients with dyspnea on exertion with normal resting echocardiography

The relationship between serum ghrelin levels and bone metabolism markers and severity anemia in non-diabetic hemodialysis patients; a pilot study

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a consequence of progressive and irreversible destruction of nephrons, mainly due to uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure. Ghrelin is a peptide hormone which could play a substantial role in hunger sensation, may increase body fat percentage and might adjust the long-term body weight and is mostly secreted in the stomach. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between ghrelin levels and various biochemical and demographic indices in a group of non-diabetic hemodialysis patients. Patients and Methods: Around 39 non-diabetic patients undergoing hemodialysis in Hajar hospital at Shahrekord city were enrolled. Results: The mean age of patients was 57.10±20.20 years. Their mean weight was 56.65 ±16.25 kg. Their hemoglobin level mean was 10.43±1.84 g/dL. The serum ghrelin level had a positive but not significant correlation with the age, dialysis quality, dosage, calcium level, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), parathormone, vitamin D and hemoglobin in these patients. Conclusions: More studies in this subject of hemodialysis patients to define the exact role of ghrelin in hemodialysis patients are recommended

Association of Premorbid Adjustment with Symptom Profile and Quality of Life in First Episode Psychosis in a Tertiary Hospital in Tehran, Iran

"n Objective: Poor premorbid adjustment has been reported to be a predictor of more severe psychotic symptoms and poor quality of life in such psychotic disorders as schizophrenia. However, most studies were performed on chronic schizophrenic patients, and proposed the likelihood of recall biases and the effect of chronicity. The aim of this study was to investigate these factors in a sample of first episode psychotic patients, as a part of Roozbeh first episode psychosis project (RooF). "n "n "nMethod: Premorbid adjustment was assessed using Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS) in 48 patients with the first psychotic episode who were admitted to Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital. The severity of symptoms was measured using Positive and Negative Scale (PANSS) in three subgroups of positive, negative and general subscales. Quality of life was measured using WHO QOL ,and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) was also measured. "nResults: The mean age was 24 years. Poor Premorbid adjustment in late adolescence was significantly associated with more severe symptoms according to PANSS negative symptoms (p=0.019, r=0.44). Furthermore, sociability and peer relationship domains had a positive correlation with PANSS negative subscale scores (r=0.531, p=0.002 and r=0.385, p=0.03, respectively). There were no significant differences between males and females in premorbid adjustment. Furthermore, this study failed to show any differences between affective and non-affective psychosis in premorbid functioning . "nConclusion: Our study confirms poor premorbid adjustment association with more severe negative symptoms and poor quality of life in a sample of Iranian first episode psychotic patients