Active fluids: rheological properties and response to light of suspensions of Synechocystis sp. CPCC 534

Despite our current understanding of active fluid mechanics, more knowledge is required to fully understand their rheological properties, response to light, and details of the interactions between cells in diluted suspensions. The focus of this thesis is on investigating the rheological properties of suspensions of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. CPCC 534 under shear, induced by stirring. Experiments were conducted at different stirring rates and results are compared with the stationary condition. A notable increase in growth and biomass of Synechocystis sp. under various shear conditions was observed and the yield was nearly doubled. Besides, the data showed Newtonian behavior for suspensions at different cell concentrations. Although cell concentration displayed a perceptible rise in the viscosity of suspensions, this rise is smaller than the one predicted for suspensions of hard spheres. Moreover, experiments were carried out on diluted suspension of Synechocystis sp. CPCC 534 in a microfluidic chamber to investigate the response of cells to the light and cell-cell interactions. The cells were exposed to the light of the laser pointer and a white LED. Cell tracking was performed by image processing in Python programing language. It was observed that cells display an alternating intermittent motion that consists of high motility “run phases” and immobile “tumble phases”. Comparing the probability distributions of the ensembled-averaged mean square displacement (EMSD), and velocity variations with time, revealed that cells detect light and spend more time running with high-speed motility under white LED light, while spending more time tumbling when exposed to laser pointer light. Moreover, the frequency of cell-cell interactions shows that exposure to any light sources decreases the number of interactions significantly. The preliminary design and experimental setup of a multichannel microfluidic device are provided as well

The Effects of Maximum Aerobic Capacity and Ratings of Perceived Exertion on Muscular Strength and Endurance

Grip and pinch strength are the most important factors affecting the hand’s performance. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship among maximum aerobic capacity (Vo2max) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) with grip and pinch strength and endurance and their impact on these factors. This cross-sectional study was performed among 83 male students and office workers by means of simple random sampling. To assess the Vo2max, RPE, grip and pinch strength and endurance the Step Test, Borg scale, dynamometer and pinch gauge were used, respectively. The findings of the study indicate that there is a direct relationship between the Vo2max with grip strength and endurance, pinch strength and endurance and BMI. On the other hand, there is an indirect relationship between RPE with grip and pinch strength and Vo2max. Moreover, there was no relationship between RPE with grip and pinch endurance. It was also found that there is a direct relationship between the BMI with grip and pinch strength, pinch endurance, and Vo2max. Finally, no relationship was observed between BMI and grip endurance. Moreover, the Vo2max was found to have no influence on the grip and pinch strength and pinch endurance, but it has an influence on the grip endurance. In jobs that require high grip and pinch strength and endurance employed those with high Vo2max so that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) would be prevented

The relation between the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and Handgrip Strength among female students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Background: RPE scale can be used for self-assessing worker’s abilities in the workplace. When participants perform a task which transcends their ability, or the grip strength is not appropriate, they experience muscular tension and fatigue. Hand grip is a factor used for preventing muscular skeletal disorders in the upper limb. This study aimed to evaluate the relation between RPE and handgrip strength in female students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed among 82 young female students enrolled using simple random sampling. The Borg Scale, a dynamometer, pinch gauge, and treadmill were used to assess the RPE, grip strength, pinch strength, and workload, respectively. Participant’s grip endurance was specified through determining the maximum time (in seconds) that she could continue applying one-third of the maximum voluntary contraction. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS 20, and using Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients. Results: The findings indicated that there was an inverse relation between RPE with grip (P = 0.011), pinch strength (P= 0.020) and age (P=0.005). Moreover, there was a direct relation between the RPE and heart rate (P=0.048). But, no significant relation was observed between the RPE with grip and pinch endurance, height, or BMI. Conclusion: Based on the results, in jobs that require high grip and pinch strength, people with low RPE should be employed to reduce fatigue and muscular discomfort and improve healt

The Relationship between Physical Activity and Body Mass Index with Reaction Time in the University Administrative Staff

Background: Today, physical activity as an important topic in physiology has attracted the attention of many researchers. The reaction time (simple, diagnostic and selective) which depends on the time of stimulation of sensory receptors, is an important factor in many movement functions. In this study, the authors attempted to evaluate the relation between physical activity and reaction time in adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 82 male administrative staff using simple random sampling. The Iranian version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and a Reaction Timer were used to determine physical activity and reaction time, respectively. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS 20 and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: There was a significant relation between reaction times and physical activity with age (P<0.05), while there was no significant relation between selective reaction time and physical activity with work experience. Also, there was a significant correlation between simple reaction time and physical activity with body mass index (BMI) (P<0.05), but no significant correlation was found between diagnostic and selective reaction time with BMI. Moreover, a significant relation was found between the types of reaction times and physical activity (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, by increased physical activity the reaction time decreases. So, for employees whose jobs require rapid reaction and high precision, increasing physical activity for reducing the reaction time, and ultimately improving the job performance is recommended. Keywords: Physical Activity, Reaction Time, BMI, Administrative Staf

Investigation Effect of Biorhythm on Work-Related Accidents in The Metal Industry (A Short Report)

Biorhythm is one of the newest subjects in the field of cognition of mental ergonomics which can be very effective in reduction of work-related accidents or mistakes with no apparent reason. With evaluating Biorhythm individuals can intervention action to reduce job accidents carried out. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship Biorhythm and work-related accidents in the metal industry. This research is a cross-sectional and analytical-descriptive in the metal industrial Isfahan city of 120 work-related accidents during 2015. The required information was collected from available documents in HSE unit of the company biorhythm charts were drawn based on a date of accidents and participants birthdays, using natural Biorhythm Software V3.02 Conduct. Finally، the data were analyzed using spss version 20 and descriptive statistics.This study showed that the frequency of accidents in critical days and negative section of physical cycle was more than expected. Also the frequency of accidents in critical days and negative section of emotional and intellectual cycles was less than expected. Most type of injury, including cuts to 35.8 percent and the lowest type of injury was torsion with 5 percent. Most limb injury, hands and fingers with 51.7 percent and the lowest limb injury were back at 2.5 percent. Accidents outbreak in physical cycles was 38.3 percent. These 120 accidents in additionally were causing 120 loss of working days in effect accident. Most percent of loss of working days were for 20 to 30 days with of 39.2 percent. Most percent of loss of working days were for 20 to 30 days with of 39.2 percent. Due to the physical nature of the work activities in the metal industry can be stated that the study showed that in physical work activities, frequency of accidents in critical days and negative section of physical cycle in which the person is not physically ready to do the job was more than expected. Therefore, by training and increasing the knowledge of workers regarding biological cycle and its effects on mental, emotional and physical status, each person effects can make some changes to their work plans during days that they do not feel well, physically or mentally, in order to prevent the likely accidents

Early Maladaptive Schemas as Predictors of Child Anxiety: The Role of Child and Mother Schemas

This study investigated the relationship between symptoms of anxiety in children and early maladaptive schemas in children and their mothers. Early maladaptive schemas are dysfunctional ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that develop as a result of adverse experiences with significant others in childhood, and lead to a higher risk of psychopathology. A sample of 200 non-clinical children (aged 9-13 years) completed the SCARED (Birmaher et al., 1997) and SIC (Rijkeboer and De Boo, 2010), their mothers completed the YSQ-SF (Young 1998). The psychometric properties of the SCARED separation anxiety and social phobia scales were inadequate. Regression analyses found that child anxiety scores were mainly predicted by the child schemas of loneliness, submission and vulnerability, which are similar to the anxiety predictors identified in adult samples. The failure schema was strongly related to anxiety symptoms in girls. Differences in schema predictors were found between girls and boys, and between different anxiety scales. Mother schemas were generally poor predictors of child anxiety symptoms. Support was found for the proposal that the schemas of self-sacrifice and enmeshment may not be maladaptive in children. This study identified several early maladaptive schemas that are significantly related to child anxiety symptoms, but further research is required to establish the causal direction of these relationships. Research in clinical samples is recommended to determine whether specific child schemas can differentiate between different types of psychopathology. The reliability and validity of the SCARED in Iranian children is questionable, and requires further examination.

Effect of inulin supplementation in male mice fed with high fat diet on biochemical profile and α-amylase gene expression

Purpose: To evaluate the preventive and therapeutic effects of inulin  supplementation in Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) male mice fed with high fat diet.Methods: NMRI male mice (n = 36) were divided into three groups. Control (C1), obese (O1) and experimental mice (E1) were fed during 8 weeks as follows: C1 with normal rodent pellet, O1 with high fat diet, and E1 with high fat diet plus 20 % inulin. C2, O2, and E2 were fed as follows: C2 with normal rodent pellets for 12 weeks; O2 with high fat diet during 8 weeks and switched to normal rodent pellet during next 4 weeks; and E2 with high fat diet over a period of 8 weeks and switched to normal rodent pellet plus 20 % inulin for 4 weeks. Body weight, serum glucose,  triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density  lipoprotein (LDL), and hepatic α-amylase gene expression were measured.Results: Groups receiving high fat diet showed higher weight (30.71 ± 0.66 g in O2, p &lt; 0.001), nonfasting blood glucose levels (257.69 ± 5.10 mg/dl in O2, p &lt; 0.001), TG (282.15 ± 1.83 mg/dl in O2, (p &lt; 0.001)), and cholesterol levels  (335.72 ± 2.23 mg/dl in O2, (p &lt; 0.001)), compared with control. In C2 group, mean body weight was 25.71 ± 0.54 g, non-fasting blood level 161.54 ± 4.48 mg/dl, TG level 214.29 ± 5.54 mg/dl, and cholesterol level 164.29 ±4.57 mg/dl. Compared to obese group, mice receiving inulin showed lower blood glucose levels (223.10 ± 8.7 mg/dl in E2, p &lt; 0.001), body weight (27.86 ± 0.57 g in E2, p &lt; 0.001), TG (232.14 ± 4.02 mg/dl in E2, p &lt; 0.001) and cholesterol (249.97 ±2.28 in E2, p &lt; 0.001). A slight decrease in hepatic α-amylase gene expression was observed only in E1.Conclusion: Besides its sweetening properties, inulin may also find use as a potential anti-obesity compound.Keywords: High-fat diet, Inulin, Obesity, Blood glucose, Biochemical profil

Relationship between Serum Osteocalcin Level and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND: Osteocalcin (OC) is the most common noncollagenous protein in bone matrix, which is synthesized only in bone tissue and by osteoblasts. The potential role of osteocalcin on glucose and fat metabolism has been previously reported. The aim of this study was to compare the serum OC level in pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).METHODS: In the present case-control study, all pregnant women who were referred to a obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Sari, Iran, and met the inclusion criteria underwent an overall screening with a 75-g glucose tolerance test (GTT) at week 24 to 28 of gestation. The study was conducted between September 2018 and February 2019. Based on criteria, the pregnant women with confirmed GDM were matched with pregnant women without GDM in terms of baseline characteristics such as chronological age and BMI. The serum OC levels were also measured if vitamin D and calcium levels were normal. All data were analyzed using SPSS 21.RESULTS: The two groups with and without GDM had no significant difference in terms of age, BMI and OC level. There was no significant correlation between age and BMI with OC level in healthy pregnant women, respectively (P=0.49 and P=0.58). The correlation between BMI and age with OC level in GTT-positive pregnant women was 0.05 and -0.172, respectively, which was not significant (P=0.77 and P=0.36).CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, there is no significant difference of serum OC levels in pregnant women with GDM compared to healthy pregnancy. Given that the levels of serum insulin or insulin resistance have not been assessed, these indices are recommended to be evaluated in future studies.&nbsp

Proportion of crime and punishment of retaliation for head injuries in Islamic jurisprudence

Retaliation is among the main punishments. In retaliation for retribution, a condition is one of those conditions of proportion between crime and punishment, the fairest punishment is to have more proportionality to crime, if there is no possibility of observance of this equality, the retribution will not be enforced if the penalty has more severe effects on the crime. In the case of a member like the head, it should be stated that if the head is alien to the larger one and that would amount to the total amount of head injury, retaliation is done throughout her head and if the head is smaller, it will be as retaliation, in case the crime is lost as much as possible, in this case, (due to the lost sight) will be paid and retaliation does not come to the forehead or neck or ears. In-depth injuries are based on the total head due to the difference in heads and the likelihood of the injury by the area-based injury. The majority of contemporary jurisprudents consider the need for a comparative legal practice to be reciprocal, there are, of course, differences of opinion

Quality of life model in multiple sclerosis: personality, mood disturbance, catastrophizing and disease severity

Objective: The aim of current study was to investigate the interaction between factors such as personality, catastrophizing, mood disturbance and disease severity, which may affect the quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis. The result of this study can identify the factors that have an impact on quality of life among these patients and hopefully it may lead to improve the services provided for these patients. Design: One hundred and thirteen participants with multiple sclerosis completed the following questionnaires: Type D Personality (DS-14), Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS), Illness Perception (Brief-IPQ) and Quality of Life (SF-36). The Expanded Disability Statue Scale (EDSS) assessed disease severity. Main Outcome Measures: Data was analyzed in structural equation modeling. Results: Type D personality was associated with quality of life and the relationship was mediated by disease severity, catastrophizing and mood status. Conclusion: Results showed a significant relationship between Type D personality and QOL. However, when the variables were added to the model, the relationship ceased to exist. These results suggest that personality traits are indirectly associated with QOL, mediated by another variable. Quality of Life Model in Multiple Sclerosis: Personality, Mood Disturbance, Catastrophizing and Disease Severity