212 research outputs found

    A study on the ethical components of nursing practice (moral distress, ethical sensitivity, ethical decision)

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    This paper is an applied research in terms of objective and a descriptive research in terms of method. Having prepared the research plan, a questionnaire was designed based on goals and hypotheses of the research and was sent to the statistical universe. Also this paper is a field research in terms of data collection. As regards theoretical bases of the research, library data collection method has been applied. So, the required data has been gathered by referring to the related references, books, libraries and so on. To design a questionnaire and gather the opinions of the statistical universe members, field study method and researcher-made questionnaire have been used. The statistical universe comprises nurses and head of ICU and head nurses of Najmieh Hospital in Tehran. The respondents were selected by random sampling method. Also to estimate sample size, Morgan table was applied. The statistical universe consists of 65 members and according to the table, 56 questionnaires were determined for the research. So 60 questionnaires were sent and 58 ones were returned. Face and content validity of the research tool were approved by experts. The test reliability was estimated 0.777 by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In this paper, factor analysis based on partial least squares structural equations method has been applied to analyze more important factors and coefficients, estimate independent variables coefficients and even determine effectiveness of each independent variable on each other and determine appropriateness of the questions and their coefficients in explaining the related index. The main result of this paper presents a proper model for the relation of effective variables on nurse performance by using regression model. © IDOSI Publications, 2014

    The Olive Ridley Project (ORP): A successful example of how to engage researchers, conservation practitioners and civil society

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    The Olive Ridley Project (ORP) was set up to protect sea turtles and their habitats. The project was formed in 2013, and it became a registered charity in the UK in 2016. From its inception, ORP took a multidisciplinary approach to achieve its goals. Part of its objectives, and the reason why the charity came to fruition, are related to the issue of olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) entanglement in abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (also known as ‘ghost gear’ or ‘ghost nets’), and the search for ghost gear and turtle entanglement ‘hot spots’ throughout the Indian Ocean. The initial ORP research questions were soon challenged by societal interests to develop inclusive educational programmes in local communities and tourist resorts that could raise awareness about the need for conservation of all sea turtle species. In February 2017, ORP opened the first veterinarian-run, fully equipped Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in the Maldives, bringing together the work of researchers, citizen scientists, volunteers, environmentalists, marine biologists and veterinarians. The present work of ORP sits on a strong and scientifically robust collaborative plan. Current ORP research projects range from sea turtle population analyses, spatial ecology, rehabilitation of injured and sick individuals, epibiont parasite analyses, precise turtle identification through photo-ID research, linking ghost gear to responsible fisheries, and analyses of ghost gear drift patterns. The programme enhances community education and outreach by engaging schoolchildren, organizing workshops, promoting sustainable use of ghost gear waste, and training citizen scientists and local fishing communities. The ORP programme encompasses many principles of research engagement, effectively combining scientific knowledge, education and action. This article explores all stages of the process (from research planning and design, to knowledge exchange and inter- and trans-disciplinary impact assessments), describing the active engagement originated by the ORP initiative. A reflective insight into the learning, enrichment and challenges of engaging researchers and community actors is also included, considering the current social and scientific framework

    Prognostic Role and Clinical Significance of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) and Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Expression in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Study

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    This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), their associations with the clinicopathological characteristics, and the association between their levels in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to obtain the relevant papers. Seven studies with 1152 patients were included in this study. Like the level of TILs, there were no significant associations between PD-L1 expression and tumor size, tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, histological grade, and Ki67 (All p-values ≥ 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant association between PD-L1 expression with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). In assessment of TILs and survival relationship, the results showed that a high level of TILs was associated with long-term OS (hazard ratios (HR) = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.77, p-value < 0.001) and DFS (HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.78, p-value < 0.001). The results displayed that tumoral PD-L1 expression was strongly associated with high levels of TILs in TNBC patients (OR = 8.34, 95% CI: 2.68 to 25.95, p-value < 0.001). In conclusion, the study has shown the prognostic value of TILs and a strong association between tumoral PD-L1 overexpression with TILs in TNBC patients

    Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version of the Food Thought Suppression Inventory for Obese University Students

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    Objectives: To determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the Food Thought Suppression Inventory (FTSI) in overweight university students in Iran. Methods: A sample of 233 overweight students were recruited from five universities in Tehran. Participants were asked to complete the Persian versions of FTSI, Binge Eating Scale, Thought Control Questionnaire, Rumination Response Scale, and Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics of participants were also collected. Results: Validity of the Persian version of the FTSI was verified by the fitting indices of the proposed single-factor model of the main makers (Χ2= 112.75, df = 90, p = 0.052, Χ2/df = 1.25, goodness-of-fit index = 0.93, comparative fit index = 0.96, non-normed fitness index = 0.96, root mean score of error approximation = 0.032, and standardised root mean residual = 0.052). Internal consistency of the instrument was high, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.88. Conclusion: The Persian version of the FTSI is a valid and reliable tool for screening patients in obesity clinics and for evaluating treatment outcomes. © 2020 Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Press. All rights reserved

    Evaluation of Agricultural Characteristics and Yield of Different Populations of Dragon's Head (Lallemantia iberica Fisch. et Mey) Collected from Different Regions of Iran

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    Introduction The great importance of identifying, studying, evaluating, and protecting native ecotypes of medicinal plants as human heritage, collecting agricultural medicinal plants and ecological evaluation of their native ecotypes, and introducing their compatible ecotypes is a necessity for farmers. Considering the few studies in the field of the agricultural role of non-native plants such as Dragon's head in Iran to meet the country's nutritional needs, the present research aims to study and evaluate the performance of local medicinal and multi-purpose plant stands of urban sycamore and also to obtain new scientific materials in the case of these local masses has been done in the research farm of University of Tabriz Faculty of Agriculture. It is necessary to explain that in recent years, due to the crisis of water shortage and drought, this plant is in line with changing the cultivation pattern of the region from plants with high water requirement to plants with low water requirement or dry land has been added to the official cultivation pattern of East Azerbaijan province and is being promoted among the farmers of the region.Materials and Methods To evaluate and investigate the agronomic characteristics and performance of 49 selected Dragon’s head stands from different regions of the country, an experiment was carried out in the form of a simple 7*7 square lattice design with three replications. A field experiment was carried out at the research station of the Faculty of Agriculture of University of Tabriz, located in building number 2 of the Faculty of Agriculture in Basmanj. According to meteorological maps, the climate of this region is among the steppe and semi-arid climates of the world. In this area, although rain sometimes occurs in the summer season, it generally has a dry season in the summer. The area is located at an altitude of 1360 meters above sea level, with a latitude of 38 degrees and five minutes north and a longitude of 46 degrees and 17 minutes east, and its annual rainfall is 285 millimeters. The average annual temperature is 10 degrees Celsius, the average annual maximum temperature is 16.6 degrees Celsius, and the average annual minimum temperature is 4.2 degrees Celsius.Results and DiscussionIn the comparison of the average traits, the best ecotypes in terms of yield were the ecotypes of Kolvang local population 10 and 15, Tabriz local population 3 and 4 and Ahar local population 1 respectively, simple correlation analysis, stepwise regression, and causality showed that biomass traits, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds in capsule and weight of 1000 seeds are the most important factors affecting the increase of seed yield. By analyzing it into components, the first four components explained 80.44% of the changes related to primary traits. Ecotypes Kolvang 10, Tabriz 3, and number Tabriz 4 yield 1661, 1464, and 1404 kg ha-1 respectively, and 3848, 4119, and 3848 kg ha-1 respectively. They produced 4581 kg ha-1 of biomass and were superior in most traits related to economic performance.ConclusionTaking into account the crisis of Lake Urmia and the lack of water in most regions, especially the Azerbaijan region, the medicinal plant Dragon’s head is one of the few plants that can be placed in the spring cycle in most areas of rainfed and irrigated cultivation and in improving the water balance. Lake Urmia and agriculture in the region can play a positive role. Therefore, the ecotypes of Tabriz native population 3, Kolvanagh native population 10, and Tabriz native population 4, which had more grain yield and were superior in most of the traits related to yield, can be considered the most suitable ecotypes of Dragon’s head for use in water conditions and the air of the region advised the farmers for the next crops.AcknowledgementsWe are grateful to all the colleagues located in the Agricultural Research Station of the Faculty of Agriculture

    Molecular dynamics simulation and experimental study of the surface-display of SPA protein via Lpp-OmpA system for screening of IgG

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    Staphylococcal protein A (SpA) is a major virulence factor of Staphylococcus aureus. S. aureus is able to escape detection by the immune system by the surface display of protein A. The SpA protein is broadly used to purify immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. This study investigates the fusion ability of Lpp�-OmpA (46�159) to anchor and display five replicate domains of protein A with 295 residues length (SpA295) of S. aureus on the surface of Escherichia coli to develop a novel bioadsorbent. First, the binding between Lpp�-OmpA-SPA295 and IgGFc and the three-dimensional structure was investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. Then high IgG recovery from human serum by the surface-displayed system of Lpp�-OmpA-SPA295 performed experimentally. In silico analysis was demonstrated the binding potential of SPA295 to IgG after expression on LPP-OmpA surface. Surface-engineered E. coli displaying SpA protein and IgG-binding assay with SDS-PAGE analysis exhibited high potential of the expressed complex on the E. coli surface for IgG capture from human serum which is applicable to conventional immune precipitation. © 2020, The Author(s)

    The Olive Ridley Project (ORP): a successful example of how to engage researchers, conservation practitioners and civil society

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    The Olive Ridley Project (ORP) was set up to protect sea turtles and their habitats. The project was formed in 2013, and it became a registered charity in the UK in 2016. From its inception, ORP took a multidisciplinary approach to achieve its goals. Part of its objectives, and the reason why the charity came to fruition, are related to the issue of olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) entanglement in abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (also known as ‘ghost gear’ or ‘ghost nets’), and the search for ghost gear and turtle entanglement ‘hot spots’ throughout the Indian Ocean. The initial ORP research questions were soon challenged by societal interests to develop inclusive educational programmes in local communities and tourist resorts that could raise awareness about the need for conservation of all sea turtle species. In February 2017, ORP opened the first veterinarian-run, fully equipped Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in the Maldives, bringing together the work of researchers, citizen scientists, volunteers, environmentalists, marine biologists and veterinarians. The present work of ORP sits on a strong and scientifically robust collaborative plan. Current ORP research projects range from sea turtle population analyses, spatial ecology, rehabilitation of injured and sick individuals, epibiont parasite analyses, precise turtle identification through photo-ID research, linking ghost gear to responsible fisheries, and analyses of ghost gear drift patterns. The programme enhances community education and outreach by engaging schoolchildren, organizing workshops, promoting sustainable use of ghost gear waste, and training citizen scientists and local fishing communities. The ORP programme encompasses many principles of research engagement, effectively combining scientific knowledge, education and action. This article explores all stages of the process (from research planning and design, to knowledge exchange and inter- and trans-disciplinary impact assessments), describing the active engagement originated by the ORP initiative. A reflective insight into the learning, enrichment and challenges of engaging researchers and community actors is also included, considering the current social and scientific framework

    Effect of Al2O3 and Cr2O3 on loquidus temperatures in the cristobalite and tridymite primary phase fields of the MgO-"FeO"-SiO2 ststem in equilibrium with metallic iron

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    The effects of alumina and chromite impurities on the liquidus temperatures in the cristobalite/tridymite (SiO2) primary phase fields in the MgO-FeO-SiO, system in equilibrium with metallic iron have been investigated experimentally. Using high temperature equilibration and quenching followed by electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA), liquiclus isotherms have been determined in the temperatures range 1 673 to 1 898 K. The results are presented in the form of pseudo-ternary sections of the MgO-FeO-SiO, system at 2, 3 and 5 wt% Al2O3, 2 wt% Cr2O3, and 2 wt% Cr2O3+2 wt% Al2O3. The study enables the liquidus to be described for a range of SiO2/MgO and MgO/FeO ratios. It was found that liquiclus temperatures in the cristobalite and tridymite primary phase fields, decrease significantly with the addition of Al2O3 and Cr2O3

    The Evolution of a Female Genital Trait Widely Distributed in the Lepidoptera: Comparative Evidence for an Effect of Sexual Coevolution

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    Sexual coevolution is considered responsible for the evolution of many male genital traits, but its effect on female genital morphology is poorly understood. In many lepidopterans, females become temporarily unreceptive after mating and the length of this refractory period is inversely related to the amount of spermatophore remaining in their genital tracts. Sperm competition can select for males that delay female remating by transferring spermatophores with thick spermatophore envelopes that take more time to be broken. These envelopes could select for signa, sclerotized sharp structures located within the female genital tract, that are used for breaking spermatophores. Thus, this hypothesis predicts that thick spermatophore envelopes and signa evolve in polyandrous species, and that these adaptations are lost when monandry evolves subsequently. Here we test the expected associations between female mating pattern and presence/absence of signa, and review the scant information available on the thickness of spermatophore envelopes.We made a literature review and found information on female mating pattern (monandry/polyandry), presence/absence of signa and phylogenetic position for 37 taxa. We built a phylogenetic supertree for these taxa, mapped both traits on it, and tested for the predicted association by using Pagel's test for correlated evolution. We found that, as predicted by our hypothesis, monandry evolved eight times and in five of them signa were lost; preliminary evidence suggests that at least in two of the three exceptions males imposed monandry on females by means of specially thick spermatophore envelopes. Previously published data on six genera of Papilionidae is in agreement with the predicted associations between mating pattern and the characteristics of spermatophore envelopes and signa.Our results support the hypothesis that signa are a product of sexually antagonistic coevolution with spermatophore envelopes
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