A New Approach to Identifying the Human Rights of Women Victim of Sexual Violence in the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention

The international community has come a long way in recognizing women's human rights. Efforts to address sexual violence as an independent human rights crime and its reflection in international and regional instruments continue. Sexual violence and its instances before entering directly into international documents have been considered in the rulings of international criminal courts and under the criminal headings of war crimes, crimes against humanity in the framework of a systematic and widespread attack. However, its formulation as a crime against humanity due to the gross human rights abuses, irrespective of it having been perpetrated in peace or war or the aggression-victim relationship, are noteworthy innovations recognized in the 2011 Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the Istanbul Convention. This research, with a qualitative approach and descriptive-analytical method, will examine the provisions of this convention on identifying the dimensions of violence against women, the conceptual development of the crime of rape, the envisaged mechanisms including legislative, judicial and executive, the analysis and the process from globalization to the humanization of human rights, and the changing role of international law and its impact on the protection of women against violence

Phenotypic and Genotypic Detection of Metallo-Beta-Lactamases in Carbapenem Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Background: Carbapenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii has become a major concern for treating physicians. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of metallo β-lactamase (MBL) genes (bla VIM , and blaIMP) among isolated multidrug-resistant A. baumannii . Methods: Fifty non-repetitive carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii isolates were collected. Antibiotic susceptibility was performed by disk diffusion method. MICs were determined by E test method. The resistant strains were tested for the production of carbapenemases by the Modified Hodge Test (MHT) followed by EDTA-disk synergy test was performed for metallo-β-lactamases (MBL) phenotypic detection. Detection of bla VIM , and blaIMP was performed by PCR followed by sequencing. Results: All isolates had a multidrug resistant profile, and were all resistant to all antibiotics including the carbapenems but remained susceptible to colistin. Among these isolates, Carbapenemase production was confirmed by the Modified Hodge test for 42 (84) isolates. Phenotypic method showed the production of MBL in 15 (30) isolates. PCR techniques revealed that out of 50 isolates, 13 (26) were positive for blaVIM and all were negative for blaIMP. Conclusion: Our study concludes that the high prevalence of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter species with MBL production is one of the main concerns in our country and this situation needs strict infection control measures

In Vitro Efficacy of Curcumin-Loaded Amine-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles against MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Purpose: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have drawn substantial interest as drug nanocarriers for breast cancer therapy. Nevertheless, because of the hydrophilic surfaces, the loading of well-known hydrophobic polyphenol anticancer agent curcumin (Curc) into MSNs is usually very low. Methods: For this purpose, Curc molecules were loaded into amine-functionalized MSNs (MSNs-NH2 -Curc) and characterized using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). MTT assay and confocal microscopy, respectively, were used to determine the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of the MSNs-NH2 - Curc in the MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Besides, the expression levels of apoptotic genes were evaluated via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot. Results: It was revealed that MSNs-NH2 possessed high values of drug loading efficiency and exhibited slow and sustained drug release compared to bare MSNs. According to the MTT findings, while the MSNs-NH2 -Curc were nontoxic to the human non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells at low concentrations, it could considerably decrease the viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells compared to the free Curc in all concentrations after 24, 48 and 72 hours exposure times. A cellular uptake study using confocal fluorescence microscopy confirmed the higher cytotoxicity of MSNs-NH2 -Curc in MCF-7 cells. Further, it was found that the MSNs-NH2 -Curc could drastically affect the mRNA and protein levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase 3, caspase 9, and hTERT relative to the free Curc treatment. Conclusion: Taken together, these preliminary results suggest the amine-functionalized MSNs-based drug delivery platform as a promising alternative approach for Curc loading and safe breast cancer treatment

Hydraulic Evaluation of Center Pivot Irrigation Systems Performance in Different Climate Conditions

One of the most important issues in increasing the efficiency of modern irrigation systems is their field evaluation after exploiting. Irrigation efficiency is the main indicator in measuring and managing agricultural water consumption. This study was carried out in order to evaluate the hydraulic performance of center pivot irrigation system at Shahriar and Eshtehard cities in Tehran and Alborz Provinces respectively. In order to measure water consumption, the systems were evaluated using application efficiency (Ea) and potential application efficiency of low quarter (PELQ) indicators.  Moreover, the irrigation distribution uniformity was evaluation through using coefficient of uniformity (CU) and distribution uniformity (DU). For calculating these indicators, the field measurement was used to collect water under each system. It was found that the Herman and Hein CU for the Shahriar and Eshtehard center pivot systems were 70.2 and 88% respectively and the DU for these systems were, 47.87 and 81.3 % respectively. The adequacy rates and Ea were 36 and 12% and 85, 81% respectively. In terms of efficiency, these systems are in good condition. The calculated PELQ is calculated 85.3 and 66.5% respectively, which are acceptable

Efficiency Comparison of Bayesian and MLP Neural Networks in Predicting Runoff to the Taleghan Dam

The importance of regulating the supply and demand regime shows the need for planning in the exploitation of surface water resources. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two models of Bayesian network (BN) with a probabilistic approach and MLP neural network for flow prediction and selection of the best structural model. Monthly meteorological data including rainfall, monthly average temperature, evaporation, and the volume of water transferred from five hydrometric stations were introduced as input data to the models, and runoff to the dam was considered as predictable. Input data with different layouts were introduced to BN and MLP models. The results were obtained by comparing 17 selected models according to the index criteria: Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (NS), mean square error (MSE), mean square error root (RMSE), and MEAN absolute prediction error (MAPE). The best model in BN model with 43.3% similarity and index criteria was estimated to be -3.98, 300, 17.3, and 0.06, respectively. The MLP model with 80% similarity and index criteria were introduced as -10.3, -8266, 23.9, and 122.3 in the best model, respectively. As a result, both models performed well in runoff estimation, but the BN model had much better accuracy in forecasting. Finally, a structural pattern with acceptable results in both MLP and BN models was identified

An Effective Concentration of 5-Aza-CdR to Induce Cell Death and Apoptosis in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line through Reactivating RASSF1A and Up-Regulation of Bax Genes

Background: Promoter hyper-methylation of tumor suppressor genes is a common event that occurs in cancer. As methylation is a reversible modification, agents capable of reversing an abnormal methylation status should help to combat cancer. 5-Aza-CdR is a DNA methyl-transferase inhibitor. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of 5-Aza-CdR on the proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cell line (PANC-1) and the expression of RASSF1A and Bax genes. Methods: PANC-1 cells were cultured and treated with 5 and 10 µM/L of 5-Aza-CdR for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours and the percentages of cell viability and apoptosis were measured by MTT and flow cytometry. RASSF1A gene promoter methylation was assessed by methyl-specific primer-PCR (MSP-PCR) and the expression of RASSF1A and Bax genes was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). All quantitative data are presented as mean±SD (standard deviation). The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the LSD post hoc test was performed for statistical analysis using the SPSS software package, version 16.0. Results: 3-[4,5-dimethythiaziazol-2yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbr omide (MTT) assay revealed that 5-Aza-CdR significantly inhibit the growth and proliferation of PANC-1. The flow cytometry results showed over 40% and 70% of early and late apoptotic cells after treatment with 5 and 10 µm/L of 5-Aza-CdR, respectively. MSP-PCR data indicated that the treatment of cells with 10 µm/L 5-Aza-CdR resulted in partial demethylation of RASSF1A gene promoter. qPCR results showed significant re-expression of RASSF1A and up-regulation of Bax genes after 96 hours treatment of cells with 10 µm/L 5-Aza-CdR versus control cells (P<0.01). Conclusion: The result demonstrated that 5 and 10 µM of 5-Aza-CdR induce cell death and apoptosis by epigenetic reactivation of RASSF1A and up-regulation of Bax genes

Mapping 123 million neonatal, infant and child deaths between 2000 and 2017

Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2—to end preventable child deaths by 2030—we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends. Here we quantified, for the period 2000–2017, the subnational variation in mortality rates and number of deaths of neonates, infants and children under 5 years of age within 99 low- and middle-income countries using a geostatistical survival model. We estimated that 32% of children under 5 in these countries lived in districts that had attained rates of 25 or fewer child deaths per 1,000 live births by 2017, and that 58% of child deaths between 2000 and 2017 in these countries could have been averted in the absence of geographical inequality. This study enables the identification of high-mortality clusters, patterns of progress and geographical inequalities to inform appropriate investments and implementations that will help to improve the health of all populations

Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980-2017 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Global development goals increasingly rely on country-specific estimates for benchmarking a nation's progress. To meet this need, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016 estimated global, regional, national, and, for selected locations, subnational cause-specific mortality beginning in the year 1980. Here we report an update to that study, making use of newly available data and improved methods. GBD 2017 provides a comprehensive assessment of cause-specific mortality for 282 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2017. Methods The causes of death database is composed of vital registration (VR), verbal autopsy (VA), registry, survey, police, and surveillance data. GBD 2017 added ten VA studies, 127 country-years of VR data, 502 cancer-registry country-years, and an additional surveillance country-year. Expansions of the GBD cause of death hierarchy resulted in 18 additional causes estimated for GBD 2017. Newly available data led to subnational estimates for five additional countries Ethiopia, Iran, New Zealand, Norway, and Russia. Deaths assigned International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for non-specific, implausible, or intermediate causes of death were reassigned to underlying causes by redistribution algorithms that were incorporated into uncertainty estimation. We used statistical modelling tools developed for GBD, including the Cause of Death Ensemble model (CODErn), to generate cause fractions and cause specific death rates for each location, year, age, and sex. Instead of using UN estimates as in previous versions, GBD 2017 independently estimated population size and fertility rate for all locations. Years of life lost (YLLs) were then calculated as the sum of each death multiplied by the standard life expectancy at each age. All rates reported here are age-standardised. Findings At the broadest grouping of causes of death (Level 1), non-communicable diseases (NC Ds) comprised the greatest fraction of deaths, contributing to 73.4% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 72.5-74.1) of total deaths in 2017, while communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional (CMNN) causes accounted for 186% (17.9-19.6), and injuries 8.0% (7.7-8.2). Total numbers of deaths from NCD causes increased from 2007 to 2017 by 22.7% (21.5-23.9), representing an additional 7.61 million (7. 20-8.01) deaths estimated in 2017 versus 2007. The death rate from NCDs decreased globally by 7.9% (7.08.8). The number of deaths for CMNN causes decreased by 222% (20.0-24.0) and the death rate by 31.8% (30.1-33.3). Total deaths from injuries increased by 2.3% (0-5-4-0) between 2007 and 2017, and the death rate from injuries decreased by 13.7% (12.2-15.1) to 57.9 deaths (55.9-59.2) per 100 000 in 2017. Deaths from substance use disorders also increased, rising from 284 000 deaths (268 000-289 000) globally in 2007 to 352 000 (334 000-363 000) in 2017. Between 2007 and 2017, total deaths from conflict and terrorism increased by 118.0% (88.8-148.6). A greater reduction in total deaths and death rates was observed for some CMNN causes among children younger than 5 years than for older adults, such as a 36.4% (32.2-40.6) reduction in deaths from lower respiratory infections for children younger than 5 years compared with a 33.6% (31.2-36.1) increase in adults older than 70 years. Globally, the number of deaths was greater for men than for women at most ages in 2017, except at ages older than 85 years. Trends in global YLLs reflect an epidemiological transition, with decreases in total YLLs from enteric infections, respirator}, infections and tuberculosis, and maternal and neonatal disorders between 1990 and 2017; these were generally greater in magnitude at the lowest levels of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI). At the same time, there were large increases in YLLs from neoplasms and cardiovascular diseases. YLL rates decreased across the five leading Level 2 causes in all SDI quintiles. The leading causes of YLLs in 1990 neonatal disorders, lower respiratory infections, and diarrhoeal diseases were ranked second, fourth, and fifth, in 2017. Meanwhile, estimated YLLs increased for ischaemic heart disease (ranked first in 2017) and stroke (ranked third), even though YLL rates decreased. Population growth contributed to increased total deaths across the 20 leading Level 2 causes of mortality between 2007 and 2017. Decreases in the cause-specific mortality rate reduced the effect of population growth for all but three causes: substance use disorders, neurological disorders, and skin and subcutaneous diseases. Interpretation Improvements in global health have been unevenly distributed among populations. Deaths due to injuries, substance use disorders, armed conflict and terrorism, neoplasms, and cardiovascular disease are expanding threats to global health. For causes of death such as lower respiratory and enteric infections, more rapid progress occurred for children than for the oldest adults, and there is continuing disparity in mortality rates by sex across age groups. Reductions in the death rate of some common diseases are themselves slowing or have ceased, primarily for NCDs, and the death rate for selected causes has increased in the past decade. Copyright (C) 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background: Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. Methods: We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0–100, with 0 as the 2\ub75th percentile and 100 as the 97\ub75th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator. Findings: The global median health-related SDG index in 2017 was 59\ub74 (IQR 35\ub74–67\ub73), ranging from a low of 11\ub76 (95% uncertainty interval 9\ub76–14\ub70) to a high of 84\ub79 (83\ub71–86\ub77). SDG index values in countries assessed at the subnational level varied substantially, particularly in China and India, although scores in Japan and the UK were more homogeneous. Indicators also varied by SDI quintile and sex, with males having worse outcomes than females for non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality, alcohol use, and smoking, among others. Most countries were projected to have a higher health-related SDG index in 2030 than in 2017, while country-level probabilities of attainment by 2030 varied widely by indicator. Under-5 mortality, neonatal mortality, maternal mortality ratio, and malaria indicators had the most countries with at least 95% probability of target attainment. Other indicators, including NCD mortality and suicide mortality, had no countries projected to meet corresponding SDG targets on the basis of projected mean values for 2030 but showed some probability of attainment by 2030. For some indicators, including child malnutrition, several infectious diseases, and most violence measures, the annualised rates of change required to meet SDG targets far exceeded the pace of progress achieved by any country in the recent past. We found that applying the mean global annualised rate of change to indicators without defined targets would equate to about 19% and 22% reductions in global smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively; a 47% decline in adolescent birth rates; and a more than 85% increase in health worker density per 1000 population by 2030. Interpretation: The GBD study offers a unique, robust platform for monitoring the health-related SDGs across demographic and geographic dimensions. Our findings underscore the importance of increased collection and analysis of disaggregated data and highlight where more deliberate design or targeting of interventions could accelerate progress in attaining the SDGs. Current projections show that many health-related SDG indicators, NCDs, NCD-related risks, and violence-related indicators will require a concerted shift away from what might have driven past gains—curative interventions in the case of NCDs—towards multisectoral, prevention-oriented policy action and investments to achieve SDG aims. Notably, several targets, if they are to be met by 2030, demand a pace of progress that no country has achieved in the recent past. The future is fundamentally uncertain, and no model can fully predict what breakthroughs or events might alter the course of the SDGs. What is clear is that our actions—or inaction—today will ultimately dictate how close the world, collectively, can get to leaving no one behind by 2030

Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

BACKGROUND: Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of 'leaving no one behind', it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990-2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. METHODS: We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0-100, with 0 as the 2·5th percentile and 100 as the 97·5th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator