When Engagement in Course-Related Social Media Leads to Better Course Self-Efficacy

Learners nowadays bring social media (SM) user’s knowledge to the classrooms with them. Many teachers (researchers, professors, instructors, and people in charge of the learning organizations in general) have to deal with the fact that individuals 1) sometimes adopt a mute behavior in classroom and 2) duplicate their offline social networks in SM spaces. Engagement in course-related SM groups leads to engagement into the course subject, that improves self-efficacy of the learners. This paper seeks to find out why individuals engage in course-related SM groups and how the SM engagement of silent students can mediate their self-efficacy. Results show that experiencing eudaimonism as an emotion and state of flow, positively affects the engagement in course-related SM groups. SM engagement positively affects students’ self-efficacy and mediates the negative effect of selective mutism. This research has implications for educational institutions as well as researchers in the e-learning fields

The Use of Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) for the Treatment of Vascular Lesions

 According to the English literature, various lasers and light sources (i,g. argon ion lasers, pulsed KTP lasers, diode lasers and Nd:YAG lasers, pulsed dye laser(PDL), intense pulsed light sources (IPLS) are applicable for the treatment of different vascular lesions. These conditions are the most important indication for laser therapy. This review summarizes the current literature on IPL with regard to the treatment of vascular lesion

Evaluation of anti-cancer effect of Peganum harmala L hydroalcholic extract on human cervical carcinoma epithelial cell line

زمینه و هدف: سرطان دهانه رحم دومین سرطان شایع در زنان می باشد. اسپند گیاهی طبی بوده و یکی از فراورده های بومی به کار رفته جهت درمان سرطان در ایران می باشد. این گیاه دارای خواص ضد باکتریایی، ضد سرطانی، ضد قارچ، ضد زخم معده می باشد. این مطالعه با هدف بررسی اثر ضد سرطانی عصاره ی هیدروالکلی دانه گیاه اسپند انجام شده است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی پس از کشت و تکثیر سلول های مشتق شده از بافت اپیتلیال گردن رحم انسان (HeLa)، این سلول ها در مجاورت دوزهای مختلف عصاره هیدروالکلی دانه اسپند (5/12،25،50 و g/mlµ 100) قرار گرفتند و به مدت 24،48 و 72 ساعت انکوبه شدند. پس از پایان مدت انکوباسیون، از روش تغییر یافته آزمون رنگ سنجی MTT (3- (4 و 5 دی متیل تیازول 2- ایل)-2،5 - دی فنیل تترازولیوم برماید) جهت تعیین سمیت سلولی عصاره استفاده شد. یافته ها: نتایج حاصل از تست MTT نشان داد که این عصاره اثر ضد سرطانی وابسته به دوز و زمان بر سلول های HeLa دارد، به طوری که با افزایش غلظت عصاره و انکوباسیون 72 ساعت بیشترین درصد مرگ سلولی مشاهده شد (001/0>P). غلظت مهارکنندگی 50 درصد رشد سلول ها (IC50) برای سلول های سرطانی در زمان 24 ساعت g/mlµ 5/12 به دست آمد. نتیجه گیری: عصاره اسپند با اثر وابسته به دوز و زمان بر سلول های سرطانی HeLa می تواند باعث مهار رشد این سلول ها شود؛ لذا به نظر می رسد با تحقیقات بیشتر در آینده، می توان از ترکیبات آن در درمان سرطان بهره جست

Three-dimensional Electrospun Biodegradable Nanofibers Scaffolds Loaded With Amoxicillin For Wound Healing Applications: Preparation & Characterization

Background: The use of electrospinning technology (ET) in fabrication of three-dimensional biodegradable electrospun nanofibers scaffolds (BENS) has recently gained considerable attention in tissue engineering. BENS are superior to other existing scaffolds in tissue regeneration as they provide high surface area-to-volume ratio, possess high porosity, and offer a biomimetic environment in a nanometer scale. Objectives: To fabricate & characterize BENS using polyethylene glycol 35000 (PEG35000) as a biodegradable polymer loaded with Amoxicillin Trihydrate (AT) for use as a wound dressing. Method: Solutions of PEG35000 in chloroform of varying concentrations were used to fabricate BENS using ET. Blank & 10% w/v AT loaded BENS were fabricated & further characterized. Morphology, size and diameter of BENS were assessed using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy was used to identify the interaction between PEG35000 and AT. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to access the crystallinity and thermal behavior of the prepared BENS. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis for the blank and drug loaded electrospun fibers was carried out to identify the changes in their crystalline pattern. Results: Blank & AT loaded 35% w/v PEG35000 solutions produced the most homogenous and intact nanofibers. Major bands of AT in FTIR were clearly observed in the spectrum of AT with PEG35000 post electrospinning. Moreover, DSC thermograms indicated that AT existed in it amorphous dissolved state within PEG fibers supported by the disappearance of its melting peak at 133 C° and confirmed by the complete absence of AT crystals under SEM. Finally, the results of DSC were confirmed by XRD patterns. Characterizing XRD peaks of AT loaded with PEG3500 post electrospinning disappeared as an indication of the complete dispersion of AT in the loaded fibers and its complete conversion to the amorphous form. Conclusion: BENS using PEG35000 loaded with AT were successfully fabricated and characterized. Our findings show that this dressing has features that make it a promising product for wound healing applications. Acknowledgements: This work segment of the project was part of PHAR445 undergraduate course work offered at the College of Pharmacy, Qatar University. It has thankfully been financially supported by Qatar National Research Foundation (QNRF) through its National Priorities Research Program (Grant # NPRP 09 - 969 - 3 - 251) awarded to Dr. Husam M. Younes. The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors."qscienc

Effect of acupressure on constipation in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial

Objective: Constipation is one of the most common digestive problems in patients undergoing hemodialysis. It has a negative effect on quality of life in these patients. As routine treatments are not effective in this regard, complementary therapies may help to overcome this condition. This study aimed to investigate the effect of acupressure on constipation in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Materials and Methods: This was a randomized double- blind placebo- controlled clinical trial conducted in 2014.A convenience sample of 70 patients undergoing hemodialysis was selected from hemodialysis units of three hospitals affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned to intervention or control group. Intervention group received acupressure in acupressure points three times a week for four weeks during hemodialysis. In control group, acupressure was delivered in false points. We assessed the frequency of defecation in the two groups before and after the study. The study instruments consisted of a demographic questionnaire, and a data sheet for documenting constipation frequency. Results: The results indicated a significant difference between intervention group (13.73±3.63) and control group (10.06±3.77) in frequency of defecation during the fourth week of intervention (

Development of a CuCl/phosphine system to catalyze phenylation and methylation of NN-tosyl aldimines with phenylboronic and methylboronic acids

The addition of phenylboronic and methylboronic acids to activated aromatic aldimines was demonstrated in the presence of copper(I)–phosphine complexes. The desired products were obtained using copper chloride/phosphine, and potassium fluoride in under toluene reflux, in moderate-to-good yield and a suitable reaction time

Development of a CuCl/phosphine system to catalyze phenylation and methylation of NN-tosyl aldimines with phenylboronic and methylboronic acids

The addition of phenylboronic and methylboronic acids to activated aromatic aldimines was demonstrated in the presence of copper(I)–phosphine complexes. The desired products were obtained using copper chloride/phosphine, and potassium fluoride in under toluene reflux, in moderate-to-good yield and a suitable reaction time

Prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma hominis isolates among Women with Cervicitis Referred to Karaj Health Care Centers

Background and Objectives: Mycoplasma is a genus of bacteria often found in the normal flora of the mouth, respiratory system and urogenital tract; but potentially pathogenic species also exist which can cause serious respiratory and genital diseases in human including postpartum fever, pelvic inflammatory infections, and pyelonephritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium and Mycoplasma hominis in women who referred to the health centers in Karaj and investigate the susceptibility of M. genitalium strains against Fluoroquinolone antibiotics.Materials & Methods: Endocervical swabs were taken from 200 women with cervicitis. Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) were performed for detecting Mgpa gene in M. genitalium and RNH gene in M. hominis. Mutations in parC and gyrA genes, as well as antibiotic resistance, were studied in positive samples of M. genitalium.Results: 9 M. genitalium and 11 M. hominis positive samples were found among samples obtained from women with cervicitis. Positive samples of M.genitalium were examined for isolating the parC and gyrA genes. Six sequences of these genes were analyzed by MEGA5 software. Mutation in parC gene was observed in one sequence which %16 shows resistance.Conclusion: M. hominis and M. genitalium were detected in 5.5% and 4.5% of samples, respectively. Our findings showed a relatively medium prevalence of M. hominis and M. genitalium in women with cervicitis in Alborz province. The sequencing results of gyrA and parC genes in this study represent the occurrence of mutations which drive fluoroquinolones resistance. Therefore, further studies are necessary in this area and to overcome this problem irregular prescribing limited and antibiotic sensitivity patterns in treatment to be considered

New three-dimensional poly(decanediol-co-tricarballylate) elastomeric fibrous mesh fabricated by photoreactive electrospinning for cardiac tissue engineering applications

Reactive electrospinning is capable of efficiently producing in situ crosslinked scaffolds resembling the natural extracellular matrix with tunable characteristics. In this study, we aimed to synthesize, characterize, and investigate the in vitro cytocompatibility of electrospun fibers of acrylated poly(1,10-decanediol-co-tricarballylate) copolymer prepared utilizing the photoreactive electrospinning process with ultraviolet radiation for crosslinking, to be used for cardiac tissue engineering applications. Chemical, thermal, and morphological characterization confirmed the successful synthesis of the polymer used for production of the electrospun fibrous scaffolds with more than 70% porosity. Mechanical testing confirmed the elastomeric nature of the fibers required to withstand cardiac contraction and relaxation. The cell viability assay showed no significant cytotoxicity of the fibers on cultured cardiomyoblasts and the cell-scaffolds interaction study showed a significant increase in cell attachment and growth on the electrospun fibers compared to the reference. This data suggests that the newly synthesized fibrous scaffold constitutes a promising candidate for cardiac tissue engineering applications