Urban sustainability; the issue of transportation and mobility. A benchmarking analysis between Amsterdam and Zurich

LAUREA MAGISTRALEUno dei cambiamenti più significativi nel corso dei secoli è stato il fenomeno dell'urbanizzazione o del passaggio dalle aree rurali alle grandi città. Ha avuto importanti conseguenze per molti aspetti della vita sociale, politica ed economica, non comuni solo a un particolare paese o regione, ma che attualmente visitano ogni nazione del mondo. D'altro canto, le temperature superficiali globali sono aumentate più velocemente dal 1970 che in qualsiasi altro periodo di 50 anni negli ultimi 2000 anni. Le temperature potrebbero aumentare fino a 4,4°C entro la fine del secolo se le emissioni di anidride carbonica continueranno al ritmo attuale. Le quantità di gas serra hanno raggiunto nuovi massimi nel 2019. Di fronte a questi fenomeni con cui si confronta la nostra epoca, per far fronte alla situazione è indispensabile una risposta rapida ed efficace. Una delle opzioni chiave sul tavolo è costruire città e comunità sostenibili. Questa tesi copre sette temi ricorrenti e significativi in forma urbana. Lo scopo è creare un riferimento a un'idea di far funzionare la sostenibilità nelle aree urbane. Questa ricerca esamina sette principi di progettazione che contribuiscono alla creazione di una città o di un'area urbana sostenibile. Mobilità, compattezza e densità, cambiamento climatico, efficienza energetica, approvvigionamento idrico sostenibile, inverdimento e uso misto del suolo sono tra i concetti di design. Inoltre, la mobilità e i trasporti sostenibili svolgono un ruolo fondamentale nella riduzione delle emissioni di gas serra. Questa ricerca esamina i requisiti per l'adozione di politiche di trasporto sostenibile in una città o in un'area urbana, con un focus sul nuovo paradigma di "E-Mobility".One of the most significant changes over the centuries has been the phenomenon of urbanization or the shift from rural areas to large cities. It has had important consequences for many aspects of social, political, and economic life, not common only to a particular country or region, but currently visiting each nation in the world. On another side, global surface temperatures have risen faster since 1970 than in any other 50-year period in the last 2000 years. Temperatures could rise by as much as 4.4°C by the end of the century if carbon dioxide emissions continue at their current rate. The quantities of greenhouse gases reached new highs in 2019. Concerning these phenomena that our era is confronted with, to deal with the situation, a quick and effective response is essential. One of the key options on the table is to build sustainable cities and communities. This master dissertation covers some recurring and significant themes in urban form. The purpose is to create a reference to an idea of making sustainability work in urban areas. This research looks at seven design principles that go into creating a sustainable city or urban area. Mobility, compactness and density, climate change, energy efficiency, sustainable water supply, greening, and mixed land use are among the design concepts. Furthermore, sustainable mobility and transportation play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This research looks at the requirements for adopting Sustainable Transportation Policies in a city or urban area, with a focus on the new paradigm of "E-Mobility"

Decentralized Task Allocation: fair, private, and secure

Task allocation, the essential process of matching tasks with agents, plays a pivotal role across numerous sectors including project management, supply chain logistics, and workforce coordination. The optimization of this process is crucial for improving productivity, maximizing resource efficiency, and ensuring timely task completion. However, traditional centralized approaches to task allocation encounter significant hurdles related to scalability, privacy, and security. These challenges necessitate the exploration and development of innovative, more effective solutions. This thesis investigates decentralized algorithms and blockchain technology to create a decentralized service marketplace. We propose decentralized algorithms, eliminating central authority reliance, and introduce the Fair Consensus-Based Auction Algorithm to improve convergence and social welfare. Our theoretical analysis strikes a balance between efficiency and fairness, suggesting a payment function for envy-free transactions and a Consensus-Based Auction Swap for reassignment-stable allocations, enhancing decentralized system flexibility. By integrating blockchain technology, we offer a privacy and security focused task allocation solution. This approach utilizes blockchain for agent and organization negotiations, a Proof of Work mechanism for security, temporary public keys for privacy, and adapts to multi-agent systems. Moreover, we explore a blockchain and smart contracts-powered decentralized service marketplace. This innovation overcomes traditional model limitations, ensuring a transparent, secure, and trustworthy environment for participants. It marks a significant advancement towards fair, efficient, and private service marketplaces. In summary, this thesis contributes to the field of decentralized systems by offering comprehensive solutions to the challenges of task allocation and service marketplaces. By integrating decentralized algorithms with blockchain technology, this work not only advances the theoretical understanding of these systems but also provides a practical framework for their implementation. The innovations presented herein hold significant potential for revolutionizing how tasks are allocated and exchanged, marking a significant stride towards a decentralized, efficient, and equitable digital future

The effectiveness of choice theory group therapy of glasser on divorced women self-efficacy

The purpose of the present research was to study the effectiveness of choice theory group therapy by William Glasser (1998) on divorced women self-efficacy between 18 to 23 years old. The research was semi experimental type along with pretest-past test. Using self-efficacy questionnaire (SGSES), 30 women who was of low self-efficacy were chosen on simple random and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Experiment group received 8 sessions treatment of Choice Theory group therapy for two months while the control group did not receive any training. After receiving training, self-efficacy was measured for next time. The collected data was analyzed by SPSS v.21 and by applying multivariate analysis covariance. The results revealed self-efficacy (P<0.05) significant effect. The present investigation clarified choice theory group therapy increased divorced women self-efficacy

An Overview‏ ‏of the B iological Function of Selenium and Selenoproteins in the Body and Its ‎Effect on Diabetes

Propose:Selenium is an essential ultra-trace element that regulates many biological processes including cellular response to oxidative stress, redox signaling, cell differentiation, and immune response. In addition, selenium is also involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which regulates the basal metabolism in all body tissues. In this article, the function of selenium and selenoproteins as well as their role in various processes and the occurrence of diabetes are investigated.Methods: In this research, 79 articles between 1984 and 2023 from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SID databases were reviewed regarding the function of selenium and selenoproteins.Results:The biochemical and cellular effects of selenium are obtained through the activity of selenoproteins containing selenocysteine. In this article, some of the protective effects of selenium and selenoproteins in different parts, such as antioxidant defense, cardiovascular system, brain function, cell differentiation, cancer prevention, immune system regulation and detoxification of heavy metals were mentioned. The effects of selenium on health are complex, and consuming super-nutritional doses of selenium can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. In recent decades, optimizing selenium intake to prevent diseases related to selenium deficiency or excess has been recognized as an important issue in global health. Considering that the basic level of selenium is not the same in different populations, including in Iran, there is a need for separate studies to determine the reference range.Conclusion:Selenium as a redox center plays different roles in selenoproteins. More relevant basic and clinical studies are expected to maximize the benefits of selenium use and help reduce its potential risks. Also, the investigation of hidden mechanisms in the field of selenium effects on various diseases requires more studies

The effect of women's sexual functioning on quality of their sexual life

Introduction: Considering the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women and the role of quality of sexual life in women's life and health, in addition to the important role of sexual function evaluation in measuring quality of life, this study aimed to determine the effect of female sexual function on the quality of sexual life. Material and Methods: This research was a descriptive and cross-sectional. The population of this study was 420 women from Qazvin in 2020, who were selected by multi-stage sampling. The data collection tool was a demographic questionnaire and Persian version of the Female Sexual Function Assessment questionnaire (FSFI) and Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire (SQOL-F). Data were analyzed using SPSS 23, and descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied. Results: The mean (SD) of sexual function score (83.4) was 56.21 out of 36, therefore, it was at an unfavorable level. Also, the mean (SD) score of sexual quality of life (21.19) was 71.59 out of 108 (moderate). The results of logistic regression test showed that the variables of sexual function, age and level of education of women were the factors affecting the quality of women's sexual life (p &lt;0.05). Conclusions: Young women with lower sexual function, and lower level of education had lower quality of sexual life. Hence, it is necessary to pay more attention to these women in designing educational programs for improving the quality of their sexual life

Fucoxanthin Inhibits the Proliferation of ABCC2-Over Expressing Cisplatin-Resistance Ovarian Cancer Cells via Inducing Apoptosis

Background: The development of multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major barrier to achieving effective chemotherapy in cancer. Studies have shown that epithelial ovarian cancer initially responds to platinum-based therapy, however, the recurrent type is often resistant to treatment and is associated with high mortality. Fucoxanthin, a natural component found in marine algae, possesses various pharmacologic properties. This study evaluated the cytotoxicity and resistance reversal activity of fucoxanthin on multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2)- overexpressing, cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells (A2780RCIS) and their parental cells (A2780). Methods: Cell viability was evaluated in the presence of different concentrations of fucoxanthin or cisplatin or fucoxanthin/cisplatin combination using the MTT assay. Propidium iodide staining and subG1 analysis were used to evaluate fucoxanthin potential for cell cycle modification and apoptosis induction in cancer cell lines. Results: The results showed that fucoxanthin was able to cause similar toxicity in both cell lines via apoptosis induction. Co-treatment of cells with cisplatin (3.125 to 100 µM) and nontoxic concentrations of fucoxanthin (1 and 2.5 µM) did not reverse resistance to cisplatin in A2780RCIS cells. Conclusion: Although fucoxanthin was not able to modify cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells, it was equally effective in inducing apoptosis and death in both A2780 and A2780RCIS cells, indicating it is not an MRP2 substrate

The effect of sexual health literacy on the sexual life quality of women referring to healthcare centers in Qazvin, Iran

BACKGROUND: Considering the role of sexual quality of life in public satisfaction, improving interpersonal relationships, promoting the general quality of life, especially in women, and ultimately maintaining, consolidating, and promoting family and community health, the need to explain the factors affecting it, such as sexual health literacy, is felt from the perspective of women. This study aimed to determine the relationship of sexual health literacy on the sexual life quality of women referring to health-care centers in Qazvin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The population of this study was 420 women of Qazvin in 2020 who were selected by multistage sampling. The data collection tool was a demographic questionnaire and the standard questionnaire sexual health literacy for adults and Sexual Quality of Life-Female questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22 and descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) of the sexual health literacy score was 78.47 (17.85) and sexual quality of life was 59.71 (19.21). The results of logistic regression test showed that the variables of sexual health literacy, education level, age of marriage, and number of sexual intercourses per week were effective factors on the sexual quality of life (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Women with lower sexual health literacy, lower education level, higher marriage age, and women who had sex less per week had a lower sexual quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to these women in designing educational programs to improve the quality of sexual life

Oleic Acid Induces MiR-7 Processing through Remodeling of Pri-MiR-7/Protein Complex

MicroRNAs (miRs) play a vital role in governing cell function, with their levels tightly controlled at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Different sets of RNA-binding proteins interact with primary miRs (pri-miRs) and precursor-miR transcripts (pre-miRs), controlling their biogenesis post-transcriptionally. The Hu antigen R (HuR)-mediated binding of Musashi homolog2 (MSI2) to the conserved terminal loop of pri-miR-7 regulates the levels of brain-enriched miR-7 formation in a tissue-specific manner. Here, we show that oleic acid (OA) inhibits the binding of proteins containing RNA recognition motifs (RRM) to the conserved terminal loop of pri-miR-7. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays in HeLa cell extracts, we show that OA treatment disrupts pre-miR/protein complexes. Furthermore, OA rescues in vitro processing of pri-miR-7, which is otherwise blocked by HuR and MSI2 proteins. On the contrary, pri-miR-16 shows reduced processing in the presence of OA. This indicates that OA may inhibit the binding of other RRM-containing protein/s necessary for miR-16 processing. Finally, we demonstrate that OA induces mature miR-7 production in HeLa cells. Together, our results demonstrate that OA can regulate the processing of pri-miRs by remodeling their protein complexes. This provides a new tool to study RNA processing and a potential lead for small molecules that target the miR-7 biogenesis pathway