Tishk International University Repository
Not a member yet
1579 research outputs found
Sort by
NATURAL AND CHEMICAL ADMIXTURES IN CONCRETE- A REVIEW
Full text linkTo understand the effect of different natural and chemical admixtures on the properties of conventional and high strength concrete, an extensive literature review was done. It is known that chemical admixtures are composed of substances that are added to concrete to improve different aspects in fresh and hardened states and polycarboxylate PCE is one of the admixtures that have significantly contributed to the development of conventional concrete. Since the effect of different types of chemical admixtures can arise when concrete particles containing admixtures is dumped after a building has been demolished or when they are thrown out into the surroundings, Therefore, it is required to identify alternative admixtures that improve the qualities of concrete without negatively impacting the environment. Various natural organic elements have been studied incorporated in concrete and mortar in the past and recently. There are Organic admixtures such as molasses, black gram, potato starch, egg white, and cactus adhesive juice etc. are among the organic substances that enhance the workability, compressive strength, tensile strength, plasticity, and durability, etc. throughout this work the behaviour of natural plant extracts used as admixtures and fibres in concrete with and without the combination of certain types of other admixtures have been explored
Exploring The Impact of Principals’ Safety Management On Safety Performance: A Case Study of the Private Education Sector
Full text linkThe aim of this paper is to analyze the effect of safety management practices on safety performance of staff working at private schools in education sector in Erbil city of Kurdistan region, Iraq. This research is unique as it contributes to the literature on safety management in schools. It is one of the earliest research projects on occupational safety conducted in the Kurdistan region. The research methodology used a quantitative approach, utilizing a survey questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 200 staff members. A total of 172 completed questionnaires were returned and analyzed using SPSS ver. 25. The results of the study showed a positive effect of management commitment and safety training on safety performance. However, the study also concluded that there is no statistically significant effect of safety policy, safety communication, and safety incentive on safety performance, the results also showed that male staff are more prone to experience incidents and injuries during work compared to female staff. This study recommends the leadership of schools to pay utmost attention to commitment to the implementation of measures and procedures of safety and continuously provide training programs to keep staff aware of safety measures and procedures
Nanotechnology-mediated delivery of resveratrol as promising strategy to improve therapeutic efficacy in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC): progress and promises
Full text linkIntroduction
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents unique challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Resveratrol exhibits potential as a therapeutic intervention against TNBC by regulating various pathways such as the PI3K/AKT, RAS/RAF/ERK, PKCδ, and AMPK, leading to apoptosis through ROS-mediated CHOP activationand the expression of DR4 and DR5. However, the clinical efficacy of resveratrol is limited due to its poor biopharmaceutical characteristics and low bioavailability at the tumor site. Nanotechnology offers a promising approach to improving the biopharmaceutical characteristics of resveratrol to achieve clinical efficacy in different cancers. The small dimension (<200 nm) of nanotechnology-mediated drug delivery system is helpful to improve the bioavailability, internalization into the TNBC cell, ligand-specific targeted delivery of loaded resveratrol to tumor site including reversal of MDR (multi-drug resistance) condition.
Areas covered
This manuscript provides a comprehensive discussion on the structure-activity relationship (SAR), underlying anticancer mechanism, evidence of anticancer activity in in-vitro/in-vivo investigations, and the significance of nanotechnology-mediated delivery of resveratrol in TNBC.
Expert opinion
Advanced nano-formulations of resveratrol such as oxidized mesoporous carbon nanoparticles, macrophage-derived vesicular system, functionalized gold nanoparticles, etc. have increased the accumulation of loaded therapeutics at the tumor-site, and avoid off-target drug release. In conclusion, nano-resveratrol as a strategy may provide improved tumor-specific image-guided treatment options for TNBC utilizing theranostic approach
Immunoglobulin A response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity
Full text linkThe novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its infamous “Variants” of the etiological agent termed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has proven to be a global health concern. The three antibodies, IgA, IgM, and IgG, perform their dedicated role as main workhorses of the host adaptive immune system in virus neutralization. Immunoglobulin-A (IgA), also known as “Mucosal Immunoglobulin”, has been under keen interest throughout the viral infection cycle. Its importance lies because IgA is predominant mucosal antibody and SARS family viruses primarily infect the mucosal surfaces of human respiratory tract. Therefore, IgA can be considered a diagnostic and prognostic marker and an active infection biomarker for SARS CoV-2 infection. Along with molecular analyses, serological tests, including IgA detection tests, are gaining ground in application as an early detectable marker and as a minimally invasive detection strategy. In the current review, it was emphasized the role of IgA response in diagnosis, host defense strategies, treatment, and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The data analysis was performed through almost 100 published peer-reviewed research reports and comprehended the importance of IgA in antiviral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and other related respiratory viruses. Taken together, it is concluded that secretory IgA- Abs can serve as a promising detection tool for respiratory viral diagnosis and treatment parallel to IgG-based therapeutics and diagnostics. Vaccine candidates that target and trigger mucosal immune response may also be employed in future dimensions of research against other respiratory viruses
Application of in-silico drug discovery techniques to discover a novel hit for target-specific inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro’s revealed allosteric binding with MAO-B receptor: A theoretical study to find a cure for post-covid neurological disorder
Full text linkSeveral studies have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 damages brain function and produces significant neurological disability. The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, may infect the heart, kidneys, and brain. Recent research suggests that monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) may be involved in metabolomics variations in delirium-prone individuals and severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. In light of this situation, we have employed a variety of computational to develop suitable QSAR model using PyDescriptor and genetic algorithm-multilinear regression (GA-MLR) models (R2 = 0.800–793, Q2LOO = 0.734–0.727, and so on) on the data set of 106 molecules whose anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity was empirically determined. QSAR models generated follow OECD standards and are predictive. QSAR model descriptors were also observed in x-ray-resolved structures. After developing a QSAR model, we did a QSAR-based virtual screening on an in-house database of 200 compounds and found a potential hit molecule. The new hit’s docking score (-8.208 kcal/mol) and PIC50 (7.85 M) demonstrated a significant affinity for SARS-CoV-2’s main protease. Based on post-covid neurodegenerative episodes in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s-like disorders and MAO-B’s role in neurodegeneration, the initially disclosed hit for the SARS-CoV-2 main protease was repurposed against the MAO-B receptor using receptor-based molecular docking, which yielded a docking score of -12.0 kcal/mol. This shows that the compound that inhibits SARS-CoV-2’s primary protease may bind allosterically to the MAO-B receptor. We then did molecular dynamic simulations and MMGBSA tests to confirm molecular docking analyses and quantify binding free energy. The drug-receptor complex was stable during the 150-ns MD simulation. The first computational effort to show in-silico inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and allosteric interaction of novel inhibitors with MAO-B in post-covid neurodegenerative symptoms and other disorders. The current study seeks a novel compound that inhibits SAR’s COV-2 Mpro and perhaps binds MAO-B allosterically. Thus, this study will enable scientists design a new SARS-CoV-2 Mpro that inhibits the MAO-B receptor to treat post-covid neurological illness
Estrogen Receptor Alpha Binders for Hormone-Dependent Forms of Breast Cancer: e-QSAR and Molecular Docking Supported by X-ray Resolved Structures
Full text linkCancer, a life-disturbing and lethal disease with a high global impact, causes significant economic, social, and health challenges. Breast cancer refers to the abnormal growth of cells originating from breast tissues. Hormone-dependent forms of breast cancer, such as those influenced by estrogen, prompt the exploration of estrogen receptors as targets for potential therapeutic interventions. In this study, we conducted e-QSAR molecular docking and molecular dynamics analyses on a diverse set of inhibitors targeting estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α). The e-QSAR model is based on a genetic algorithm combined with multilinear regression analysis. The newly developed model possesses a balance between predictive accuracy and mechanistic insights adhering to the OECD guidelines. The e-QSAR model pointed out that sp2-hybridized carbon and nitrogen atoms are important atoms governing binding profiles. In addition, a specific combination of H-bond donors and acceptors with carbon, nitrogen, and ring sulfur atoms also plays a crucial role. The results are supported by molecular docking, MD simulations, and X-ray-resolved structures. The novel results could be useful for future drug development for ER-α
Too Little, Not Enough: Impact of Safety Nets on Food Security Among Households with Disabled Members in Nigeria
Full text linkThis study assessed the impact of safety nets on food insecurity in households with people with disabilities (PWD) in Nigeria. Using data from the 2019 Nigeria General Household Survey, we assessed the risk of experiencing food insecurity among households and the moderating role of safety nets using households without PWDs as a reference. PWD households were three times more likely to experience severe food insecurity compared to households without PWDs. The impact of the safety net program on the risk of food insecurity showed that receiving social benefits had little effect among households with disabled members experiencing severe food insecurity
Development of numerical code for mathematical simulating of unsteady solidification phenomena in existence of nanomaterial
Full text linkThis research zeroes in on improving the freezing process by synergistically employing a wavy wall and fins. To enhance cold penetration, the phase change material (PCM) is enriched with nanoparticles, and a single-phase model is adopted due to the low nanoparticle concentration. The numerical simulations leverage the Galerkin method and the validation procedure affirms the precision of the code, extensively evaluating the impacts of φ (concentration of additives) and dp (particle diameter). With an increase in particle diameter (dp), there is an initial 19.76% decrease in the required time, succeeded by a subsequent 50.56% increase when φ = 0.04. Furthermore, an escalation in φ results in an 11.04%, 40.91%, and 26.36% reduction in completion time for dp values of 50, 40, and 30 nm, respectively. Without the inclusion of powders, the solidification process lasts for 84.8 s. However, with the introduction of the optimal powder size, this duration significantly reduces to 50.1 s. This emphasizes the efficiency improvements attained through the strategic integration of a wavy wall, fins, and PCM infused with nanoparticles
Femoral Head Avascular Necrosis Due to Brucella Infection: A Case Report
Full text linkBrucellosis remains a widespread disease in endemic regions worldwide and is not adequately controlled. It is a common zoonotic disease worldwide, a systemic infection, and a major health problem in endemic countries. Femoral head avascular necrosis (FHAVN) as a consequence of brucellosis is exceedingly unusual and has seldom been recorded. The case reports a 21-year-old female patient was hospitalized due to severe pain in both lower limbs, particularly in the anterior portion of the hip joint, accompanied by a low-grade fever persisting for six months. Movement of the right hip was painful, and the patient limped at the beginning of walking after a few steps. Rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody test results were negative. The right hip joint was aspirated, and a small quantity of fluid was sent for Gram staining and culture. Synovial joint fluid culture confirmed Brucella abortus infection after four weeks. The source of infection in the present case was the consumption of raw milk. Based on laboratory tests and radiographic images, FHAVN was diagnosed. Owing to misdiagnosis, she had not received standard treatment for brucellosis in the previous months. The patient was diagnosed early, and she was in the third stage. After the patient received medical treatment, the left and right hip joints partly recovered. The right hip joint required replacement; however, the patient refused. Attending physicians should consider brucellosis as an alternative to arthritis for hip joint pain in Brucella-endemic locations. Medication-based therapy may be effective for early avascular necrosis, emphasizing the need for early diagnosis and treatment
“But how true that is, I do not know”: the influence of written sources on the medicinal use of fungi across the western borderlands of the former Soviet Union
Full text linkFungi have been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries. This study, based on 35 historical written sources and 581 in-depth semi-structured interviews from eight countries in the western borderlands of the former Soviet Union, investigates the medicinal use of fungi by local communities. We compared the taxa and uses obtained from fieldwork and historical sources with works that advocated fungi use within Soviet herbals, representing the centralised medical system. During fieldwork, we identified eight locally used fungi and one lichen. The highest numbers of medicinal uses were documented in Russia, Estonia and Ukraine. Studies published before the Soviet era listed 21 fungal taxa and one lichen species used in the study region. However, only six of these taxa were mentioned as used by people in our field studies (Amanita muscaria, Boletus edulis, Lycoperdon, Morchella, Phallus impudicus and Cetraria islandica). Notably, these same six taxa were consistently endorsed in Soviet herbals. Of the remaining three taxa recorded in the fieldwork, none were mentioned in historical written sources. However, they were promoted either in Soviet herbals (Inonotus obliquus, Kombucha) or later popular publications (Cantharellus cibarius). This highlights the significant influence of written sources on the use of fungi for medicinal purposes within the studied local communities