Showing 30 results for Sabah
Volume 0, Issue 0 (Articles accepted for Publication 2024)
Abstract
Aim and Introduction:
Vulnerable employment, a segment of the informal economy, includes home-based businesses that emerge due to a lack of opportunities for formal employment. These businesses often operate without essential benefits such as medical insurance, social security, bonuses, and pensions, which exposes workers to economic instability. Consequently, many individuals engaged in vulnerable employment seek loans and financial assistance to expand their business activities and transition to the formal sector. Banks, as the primary providers of such loans, request collateral from borrowers – typically in the form of property documents – to ensure repayment and mitigate financial risk. Strengthening legal rights related to loan collateral enhances banks’ confidence in issuing loans, thereby increasing access to credit for vulnerable workers.
Due to the oil-dependent nature of OPEC economies and their reliance on oil revenues, many of these countries often lack robust production infrastructures capable of generating sufficient formal employment opportunities. This study aims to analyze the effect of strengthening loan-related legal rights on vulnerable employment in OPEC member countries, including Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Angola, Congo, Gabon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Guinea, Libya, and Nigeria, during the period from 2013 to 2021.
Methodology:
Following the approach of Herkenhoff et al. (2021), this study employs a model in which the independent variables include the strength of legal rights related to loans, oil revenues, secondary school enrollment rates, and the urbanization ratio. Given the study’s objective of analyzing the threshold effects of legal loan rights on vulnerable employment, the Panel Smooth Transition Regression (PSTRmouseout="msoCommentHide('_com_1')" onmouseover="msoCommentShow('_anchor_1','_com_1')">[A1] ) method is used to estimate the model.
Results and Discussion:
The analysis identifies a 6.22% threshold in the legal rights index, distinguishing two distinct regimes. In the first regime, the strength of legal loan rights does not significantly impact vulnerable employment. However, in the second regime, a higher index value reduces vulnerable employment, suggesting that more substantial legal loan rights facilitate the transition of workers from the vulnerable to the formal sector. Additionally, oil revenues and secondary school enrollment rates exhibit a negative effect on vulnerable employment, while the urbanization ratio has a positive effect.
Conclusion:
The findings of this study indicate that strengthening legal loan rights has contributed to a reduction in vulnerable employment, which is a subset of informal employment. This shift has contributed to growth in formal sector employment. Banking regulations and enhanced requirements for obtaining collateral have increased banks’ confidence in lending, as they are better able to mitigate the risk of non-repayment. However, this system primarily benefits individuals who can pledge valid collateral, such as real estate and housing documents. Given the high value of such collateralized assets, borrowers are more likely to invest their loans in business development, transitioning their employment from the informal to the formal sector. In addition to securing stable employment, they also gain access to social benefits such as insurance and social security. This financial stability enables them to make timely loan repayments, preventing defaults and preserving their financial credibility.
Based on these findings, it is recommended that governments and banking authorities in the investigated countries implement strict laws and regulations to guarantee loan security and identify factors contributing to bank insolvency. Such measures would help prevent financial resource mismanagement in the banking sector and reduce the probability of bank failures. Strengthening financial regulations and risk management strategies would facilitate lending, ultimately promoting employment growth in the formal sector and reducing the prevalence of vulnerable employment.
Furthermore, the study reveals that oil revenues negatively impact vulnerable employment, which may be attributed to increased government spending on productive investments and formal job creation. This suggests that redirecting oil revenues toward investment, production, and employment generation—rather than short-term expenditures—can facilitate the transition of workers from the informal to the formal sector. Thus, policymakers are encouraged to prioritize long-term economic strategies that allocate oil revenues to sectors that foster sustainable employment opportunities.
The findings also highlight the positive effect of education on labor force transition. Higher levels of education and training result in a more skilled workforce, increasing their acceptance and employability in formal job markets. Therefore, governments should allocate additional resources to public education, provide free schooling, and expand access to higher education for economically disadvantaged groups. Promoting scientific education and fostering a culture that values learning can further enhance workforce skills and economic mobility.
Finally, the study finds that urbanization has had a positive effect on vulnerable employment, indicating that increasing urbanization has not been accompanied by industrial advancements or skill development, thereby failing to support the expansion of the formal sector. Instead, urbanization in the studied countries has often been driven by unfavorable business environments, weak regulatory frameworks, and a lack of political transparency, contributing to the growth of the informal economy. To address these challenges, policymakers should focus on improving governance, strengthening legal and economic structures, and fostering a business-friendly environment that supports formal employment
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mouseover="msoCommentShow('_anchor_1','_com_1')" style="text-align: justify;"> [A1]The written abbreviation is for “the Panel Smooth Transition Regression”
Volume 1, Issue 1 (12-2010)
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is commonest demyelinating disease among young adults. It demonstrates neurological dysfunctions in females more than males. Gonadal hormones have essential roles in maturation and differentiation of neurons and glial cells in both genders. The role of some gonadal female hormones such as progesterone has been well characterized on demyelination and remyelination in animal models. The role of androgens on neural system development and myelin maturation were identified. We previously observed that castration decreases the brain resistance against demyelinating insults and also reduces the subsequent repair. As the optic nerves and chiasm demyelination shows the hallmark characteristic in MS, inducing demyelination in optic apparatus, we have tried to find whether the effects of elimination of male gonadal hormones using gonadectomy could show the same, more or less changes in patterns of demyelination and repair comparing demyelinated females? Thus, to evaluate these alternations castrated male and female rats were compared by using visual evoked potentials and histological assessments on 2,7,14, and 28 days post lysolecithine (LPC) injection. Interestingly, we observed demyelination was started 2 day post lesion (dpl), reached to a maximum level at 7 and 14 dpl and then it partially but significantly reversed on 28 dpl. Demyelination and subsequent repair processes in both gonadectomized and female groups were shown almost the same patterns temporarily and in quality.
Elimination of gonadal androgens could cause the male animals to undergone the same shape of de/remyelination compared female ones. In conclusion, differences between male and female demyelination and remyelination are substantially depending on male gonadal androgens. This work could be useful for understanding of the effects of sex hormones on demyelinating diseases and could offer fundamental information for repairing therapies in Multiple Sclerosis.
Volume 1, Issue 1 (4-2014)
Abstract
Background:Accumulative research is in progress to clarify clinical aspects of GBV-C. The possibility of interaction between HCV and GBV-C as well as its consequence on development of liver diseases is the most important clinical aspect which encourages researchers to develop a rapid and cost effective technique for simultaneous detection of both viruses. Methods: In this study, a SYBR Green real time multiplex RT-PCR technique as a new economical and sensitive method was designed and validated for simultaneous detection of HCV/GBV-C in HCV positive plasma samples. SYBR green real time RT-PCR technique optimization was performed separately for each virus. Multiplex PCR was established next. Standard sera with known concentrations of HCV RNA and dual HCV/GBV-C positive control samples along with negative control samples were used to validate the assay. Results and Conclusions: Fifty six non cirrhotic HCV positive plasma samples [29 of genotype 3a and 27 of genotype 1a] were collected from patients before receiving treatment. 20.6% of genotype 3a and 18.7% of genotype 1a showed HCV/GBV-C co-infection. As a result, 19.6% of 56 samples had HCV/GBV-C co-infection that was compatible with other results from all over the world. SYBR Green real time multiplex RT-PCR technique can be used to detect HCV/GBV-C co-infection in plasma samples. Furthermore, with application of this method more time and cost could be saved in clinical-research settings.
Volume 1, Issue 4 (Fall 2023)
Abstract
Aggregation and concentration of industries and the production of more complex products due to economies of scale can cause technology spillover. The development of industrial and complex processes requires energy, and the use of energy causes carbon emissions. Now this question arises, what are the effects of technology and industrial agglomeration on the environment? The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of economic complexity and industrial agglomeration on carbon emissions in a panel of emerging economies during the period 1990–2022. For this purpose, first, the industrial agglomeration was calculated based on the location entropy index, and then, in the new panel approach, the method of moment quantile regression (MMQREG) was used to investigate the effects of economic complexity and industrial agglomeration on carbon emissions. The results showed that increasing the economic complexity index has different effects on carbon emissions. The results of parameter estimation showed that industrial agglomeration increases carbon emissions in high quantiles. The results show that economic growth and energy consumption increase carbon emissions in all quantiles, and urbanization helps to preserve the environment. The results of Dumitrescu and Hurlin's panel causality test show a two-way relationship between industrial agglomeration and carbon emissions and a one-way relationship between economic complexity and carbon emissions.
Volume 2, Issue 1 (Issue 1 (Tome 2)- 2012)
Abstract
The purpose is examining factors that promote satisfaction for student in the school. This research is fundamental both quantitative and qualitative in nature. In this study, two methods have been used: a) Survey research methods (survey) b) Correlation method. For a multistage cluster sampling method was used. In order to assess the individual's perspective, creating table of contents based on studies and interviews with architects and experts, will be discussed. According to this table question naive was designed and distributed among the population. After classifying data using the software SPSS, the analysis is discussed. Five factors were extracted on patient satisfaction. These factors include: physical comfort, perceived environmental, psychological security, environmental attractiveness, sense of belonging. Operating resultant T-test analysis was located. Finally, it was found that 95% of the sample mean is greater than from average. At least 70% percent of the population had an agreement with the agent.
Volume 7, Issue 4 (9-2018)
Abstract
The effects of four insecticides, abamectin (1500 and 750mgl-1), emamectin benzoate (1000 and 500mgl-1), acetamiprid (500 and 250mgl-1), and flubendiamide (500 and 250mgl-1), were studied on different preimaginal stages of T. brassicae and T. evanescens, the egg parasitoids of tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Parasitized eggs of the Angoumois grain moth Sitotroga cerealella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) were treated by the dipping method at the larval, prepupal, and pupal stages of the parasitoid. For persistence evaluation, the insecticides were applied at the recommended concentration on tomato plants by a hand sprayer till runoff point. Plants were maintained under a transparent polyethylene rain cover in the field. Leaves of the treated tomato plants were sampled and transferred to the laboratory at time intervals of 3, 5, 16, and 31 days after application. Based on our study, abamectin was the most harmful insecticide for immature stages of both parasitoids T. brassicae and T. evanescence. Treatment by abamectin at the pupal stage had more adverse effects compared to prepupal or larval stages. Acetamiprid with 30.5% and 31.6% mortality in less than five days was classified as the short-lived insecticide for T. brassicae and T. evanescens, respectively. The same result was obtained in flubendiamide treatment which caused 27.2% and 26.1% mortality to the parasitoids, respectively. Abamectin with 16.1% and 13.8% mortality in less than 16 days was slightly persistent. However, emamectin benzoate with 13.3% and 15.5% mortality in less than 30 days was classified as moderately persistent for those two species, respectively. Therefore, flubendiamide and acetamiprid were non-harmful to both T. brassicae and T. evanescence wasps and are good candidates to be incorporated into IPM programs in combination with biological agents for the control of tomato leaf miner T. absoluta. By contrast, emamectin and abamectin should be used with greater care as a part of an IPM procedure.
Volume 7, Issue 7 (No.7 (Tome 35), (Articles in Persian) 2016)
Abstract
The present study intended to investigate the impact of using the two reflective practices of Personal Experience Narrative (PEN) versus Reflective Journal (RJ) writing in English on enhancing the in-service EFL teachers’ Critical Thinking Ability (CTA) in Iran. Sixty (36 female and 24 male) EFL teachers selected based on the convenience sampling were randomly divided into equal numbers making up two independent experimental PEN and RJ groups. The participants were initially pre-tested on the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal-Form A (WGCTA-FA) by Watson and Glaser (1980). The comparison of the pre-test scores via the independent samples t-test indicated no statistically significant difference between the CTA of the two groups at the onset of the study. Then the participants were given five short stories including Chopin’s The story of an hour (1894), O. Henry’s The last leaf (1907), Colby’s Confessions of a gallomaniac (1941), Achebe’s Dead men’s path (1953), and Grace’s Butterflies (1987). The PEN participants wrote PENs in response to themes of stories, whereas the RJ participants inscribed their reflections on the same stories in RJs. Subsequently, the participants in both groups were post-tested on the WGCTA-FA. The comparison of the post-test scores via the independent samples t-test showed that the PEN participants significantly improved in their inference and deduction ability. It should be mentioned that no statistically significant difference was observed between the post-test scores on recognition of assumptions, interpretation, and evaluation of arguments sub-components.
Volume 8, Issue 1 (1-2019)
Abstract
During the last decade, plant and microbial-derived metabolites have received growing attention as potential tools for pest management in agriculture. Pederin (C25H45NO9) is a vesicant toxin produced by Pseudomonas-like bacterial symbionts of rove beetles within the genus Paederus (Col: Staphylinidae). In this study, the toxicity of pederin to two stored product pests, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lep: Pyralidae) and Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val (Col: Tenebrionidae) was evaluated using laboratory bioassays. Probit analysis estimated the median lethal concentrations of pederin as 1311.96 and 596.36ppm for E. kuehniella fourth larval instar and T. confusum adults, respectively. We also measured the activity of two major digestive enzymes (amylases and proteases) as well as three major detoxifying enzymes (P450s monooxygenases, glutathione S-transferases, and carboxyl esterases) in insects treated orally with pederin. Feeding on pederin resulted in significant decrease in the activity of amylolytic, proteolytic, and carboxyl esterase enzymes, but significant increase in the activity of P450s and glutathione S-transferases. Results of this study may highlight pederin as a novel source of pesticides with unique mode of action for use in pest management programs.
Volume 9, Issue 0 (بهار 85- 2010)
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major cause of acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Because of increasing number of infected patients throughout the world, various studies are concentrated on development of high quality diagnostic tests and genotyping in various regions of the world.
Methods: In this study, we used RT-PCR to isolate and amplify the core gene sequence of the hepatitis C virus that is very conserved among various genotypes, from an isolate derived from an Iranian patient with chronic hepatitis. Then it was cloned in pUC18 vector and sequenced with universal primers. In order to produce recombinant core protein, the core gene was cloned in PET28A expression vector and the recombinant plasmid was transformed into BL21 (DE3) bacteria.
Results and Discussion: The results of sequencing showed that the core gene of the hepatitis C virus from an isolate derived from an Iranian patient with chronic hepatitis has a higher similarity with 1a (96%) and 1b (95%) strains of the virus. This result is similar to those obtained by previous studies. The presence of a 23.5 KD band in SDS-PAGE and Western blot using monoclonal antibody, proved the expression of Core protein in PET28A vector. Mass production of this protein could lead to its use in detection of anti-HCV antibodies in infected patients by immunoassays.
Volume 9, Issue 1 (12-2009)
Abstract
In this paper linear aeroelastic analysis of a swept wing with two degrees of freedom in an incompressible flow is investigated in time - domain. The equations of the motion of an elastic wing are derived from Lagrange’s equations in time - domain. The wing is modeled as a cantilever beam rigidly connected to the root. Considering assumed modes of cantilever beam, aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the wing are derived using strip - theory in an unsteady incompressible potential fluid flow. The governing aeroelastic equations of the system have been introduced in dimensionless form. These equations are solved via a numerical method. Comparisons between obtained results and both available experimental data and the results of some cited references indicate a close agreement.
Volume 10, Issue 0 (بهار 86- 2008)
Abstract
Objectives: Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 is the causative agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome “AIDS” in human and demonstration of HIV-1 genome in samples is accepted as evidence of infection. Transmission of Infection during window period in blood transfusion settings is a world wide concern. Also there is a need for a rapid, sensitive and accurate technique to detect HIV-1 infection prior to antibody appearance in patients and new borns.
Material and Method: A rapid Visual DNA Chip based on RT-Nested PCR and Enzyme-Substrate detection system was developed. At first a specific RT-Nested PCR was developed and the products were confirmed in gel electrophoresis and the products were labeled with DIG (Digoxigenin).
The labeled products were then hybridized with the pre-prepared chip with an anchored specific probe. After the washing procedure an antibody against DIG conjugated with alkaline phosphates enzyme was used. After the second washing procedure the BCIP/NBT substrate was used and development of color was interpreted as positive while the negative samples developed no color.
Results: 35 sera samples from different stages of HIV infection (AIDS, Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Infection) as well as 20 confirmed negative sera samples were collected and checked with the developed assay. All the positive samples developed reaction while the negative samples had no reaction.
Conclusion: In the current study the developed assay showed high sensitivity and specificity to detect HIV-1 infection. It seems that the viral genome could be detected prior to antibody appearance and hence the window period could be shortened. Also the assay could be used to detect infection in new borns from infected mothers, because the maternal antibody could pass the placenta and antibody based assay have false positive results. Because of the high sensitivity, the developed assay could also detect infection in very low viral load conditions.
Volume 10, Issue 0 (تابستان 86- 2008)
Abstract
Objective: Hepatitis C virus is the major cause of viral hepatitis and its diagnosis in suspected specimens is of great importance. The risk of transfusion- transmitted virus infection is primarily the result of failure in serological screening tests to detect recently infected donors in the pre-seroconversion window period of infection. Therefore, sensitive and accurate diagnosis of HCV prior to antibody production to reduce window period is necessary.
Materials and Methods: In the present study, a sensitive and specific RT-Nested PCR method for detection of a conserved HCV 5'UTR sequence was developed. Two pairs of primers for amplification of the target sequence in two rounds of PCR were selected. The developed RT-Nested PCR assay was performed on HCV-antibody confirmed positive samples as well as negative controls and standard samples. In order to compare the results, One Step RT-PCR kit was used in this study.
Results: 25 HCV-positive plasma samples whose positivity were confirmed by ELISA and Western Blot tests, also as well as 10 fold dilutions of a high viral load plasma sample obtained from a HCV-positive patient as standard samples and 25 negative control plasmas from healthy blood donors were collected and tested by this assay. In all of positive samples a 175bp band was observed on agarose gel electrophoresis, but no band could be detected in negative control plasma. Results from developed RT-PCR assay and One Step RT-PCR kit showed a good correlation.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the developed RT-Nested PCR assay has a good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of HCV infection. It has the advantage of viral genome detection prior to seroconversion and can be used to detect HCV infection during window period
Volume 10, Issue 0 (تابستان 86- 2008)
Abstract
Objective: In this study, a SYBR Green real-time RT-PCR assay for quantification of HIV-1 viral RNA was developed.
Materials and Methods: This assay was performed based on amplification of the pol region of HIV-1 and product analysis by an ABI 7500 system. We quantified HIV-1 viral load in 26 seropositive patients by this system and the data were subsequently compared with results obtained with a reference technique represented by COBAS AMPLICOR HIV-1 Monitor test.
Results: The results demonstrated that this technique could detecte up to 500 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml of plasma. The linearity of this approach was conserved over a wide range of HIV-1 copy numbers (5×102-5×109). Since no positive signal was observed in seronegative volunteers, the specificity of the test was calculated as 100%. Comparison of the results with those obtained by the reference quantification method, revealed a significant correlation between the results (R2= 0.95).
Conclusion: On the basis of the most recent recorded cases for HIV-1 infection and AIDS in Iran, the prevalence of this disease is rising rapidly and the situation has been called to be alarming by national health representatives. Determination of HIV-1 viral load in plasma has been considered as the most effective single prediction tool of clinical outcome. Indeed, the development and stabilization of HIV-1 RNA assays have given physicians a unique tool for monitoring HIV-1 patients treated with antiviral drugs.
In this study, we have developed a SYBR-Green Real Time RT-PCR assay for quantitative analysis of HIV-1 in infected patients. Since a synthetic RNA standard was used in this assay, the upper limit of detection was detected to be higher than the standard test (5×10 9 versus 7.5×10 5). This can be important in patients with acute high viral load infections. Reproducibility was assessed by Intra assay and Inter assay analysis. Coefficient of variations Ct, in reproducibility tests for Intra assay and Inter assay variability were less than
Volume 10, Issue 0 (پاییز و زمستان86- 2008)
Abstract
Objective: The global HIV epidemic continues to expand and exceeding previous predictions. An effective vaccine represents the best hope to curtail the HIV epidemic. DNA vaccines induce humoral and cellular responses and mimic live vaccines without their pathogenic potential. The importance of CD8+ CTL responses in controlling HIV and SIV viremia has led to production of a series of vaccine candidates that effectively induce these responses. It is now widely believed that an HIV vaccine strategy must stimulate both a strong humoral (antibody) as well as cell-mediated (CTL) immune response.The p24 and gp41 play many important roles in host-virus interaction and pathogenesis. These proteins are considered as attractive vaccine candidate in which their immunogenecity and immunomodulatory effects have been confirmed.
Materials and Methods: In this study, a construct, pcDNA3.1Hygro- (p24-gp41), was evaluated as a DNA vaccine candidate in Balb/C mice for generation of effective cellular immune responses. For immunizing, we used dendrosome, a novel family of vehicles for transfection and therapy. IFN-γ cytokine production and total antibody were detected by ELISA. Lymphoprolifration assay was performed by MTT test.
Results: ELISA and MTT assays confirmed that the cited p24-gp41 fusion gene is able to enhance immune responses in mice.
Conclusion: The construct that was used in this research can be a good candidate for DNA vaccine against HIV-1, if the future complementary tests demonstrate the same trends of immunogenic responses shown in this study.
Volume 11, Issue 2 (Spring 2023)
Abstract
Aims: Electronic health can lead to health preservation and promotion using information and communication technologies to receive and record accurate data, appropriate storage, and retrieval, as well as the health information management approach. The present systematic review aimed to assess the E-health application during the COVID-19.
Information & Methods: The present systematic review was done based on PRISMA protocols. The study data were retrieved using the E-health and COVID-19 keywords in the related studies from August 4, 2021, in PubMed, Scopus, Magiran, and Sid databases. Moreover, the inclusion criteria were original research studies that used E-health to manage patients with COVID-19.
Findings: A total of 10 articles were included in the study, 40% of which focused on the impact of E-health on reducing fear and anxiety caused by COVID-19, 30% on the E-health in early diagnosis and progression of the disease, 10% on the E-health application in the field of prevention, 10% on E-health in the field of disease control, and 10% on E-health for quick investigations of the disease process and access new medical information. The used technologies included virtual training through WhatsApp video calling, Instagram, iGap and Telegram voice and text messaging, artificial intelligence, and data mining techniques.
Conclusion: E-health tools played a prominent role during the COVID-19 in the prevention, diagnosis, control, and fear reduction of coronavirus disease. Various practical strategies such as financing, implementation and legal requirements can be considered to effectively use the capabilities of eHealth tools in disease management.
Volume 12, Issue 2 (Spring 2024)
Abstract
Aims: One of the most common types of diabetes is type 2 diabetes (T2D). Self-management can play a significant role in controlling the disease. The positive effects of mobile health (m-Health) applications on self-care and knowledge enhancement among patients with diabetes have been established. This study was conducted to investigate the e-Health literacy of patients with T2D in using self-care m-Health applications in Kerman City in 2023.
Instrument & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023. Patients referred to a selected clinic in Kerman City were the research population of this study. A total of 198 patients were included in the study using available sampling and the questionnaire was distributed among them. Frequency, mean, and standard deviation were used to describe the data. Analytical statistical methods such as Mann-Whitney were also employed.
Findings: 188 individuals participated in this research, of which 103 (54.8%) were men and the rest were women. The average age of the participants in the research was 50.17±12.91 years. The average health literacy score of the participants in the study was 24.75±9.04. Among the patients, only 39 participants used diabetes applications to manage their disease and 33 patients (82.5%) reported the daily blood glucose level monitoring feature as the most useful feature of the application.
Conclusion: The participants have a low level of e-health literacy. About one-third of patients use diabetes applications to control their disease. The most helpful component of the studied apps is the daily blood glucose level report.
Volume 13, Issue 1 (1-2010)
Abstract
Objective: The use of bacterial plasmids carrying specific genes of pathogens as genetic vaccines is a relatively new technique for induction of cellular immune responses against microbial pathogens. Mechanisms of production of specific immune responses against these vaccines are not still completely understood. Therefore, it is necessary to examine various routes of inoculation to find the best way of immunization for specific antigens. In this research, intramuscular method of inoculation of influenza vaccine nucleoprotein (NP) encoding vector was compared with that of intra-dermal method.
Materials and Methods: In this study, the ability of two different methods of immunization (intramuscular and intra-dermal) in induction of CTL responses as well as their efficiency in clearance of influenza virus from the lung of BALB/c mice was compared. Female BALB/c mice were immunized with influenza virus NP expressing plasmids on days 0, 14 and 28. CTL activity of mice was evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase technique two weeks after the last inoculation. In addition, the mice were challenged by live influenza virus and the viral titer was measured 4 days post-challenge in the lungs of animals. The results of experiments demonstrated that intramuscular immunization of mice induces a stronger CTL response. Mice immunized by intramuscular route also showed a higher ability in virus clearance from the lungs.
Conclusion: Results of this study showed that different routes of immunization of influenza NP genetic vaccine induce different levels of cell-mediated immune responses and protection from the live virus.
Volume 13, Issue 1 (March & April 2022 2022)
Abstract
This study investigated the quantitative and qualitative impacts of shifting the narrative point of view on the representation of critical thinking (CT) in Iranian EAP learners’ written narratives. Sixty (30 women and 30 men) students of psychology who were selected based on convenience sampling were randomly divided into two equal experimental groups of the first-person group (FPG) and third-person summary group (TPSG). The researchers initially administered Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal-form A questionnaire (Watson & Glaser, 1980). The independent samples t-test showed no statistically significant difference between the CT of the groups. Then the participants were given the short story of Butterflies (Grace, 1987). The TPSG participants inscribed their reflections on the story in narratives from the third-person perspective, whereas the FPG participants shifted the point of view and wrote first-person stories. The content analysis of the first- and third-person data based on Hatton and Smith’s (1995) taxonomy of writing types illustrated a statistically significant difference between the length and the number of descriptive writing and dialogical reflection clauses in first-person stories versus the number of the same clauses in third-person narratives. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups’ mean ranks of descriptive reflection and critical reflection clauses. The dialogicality principle of both first- and third-person storylines was shown to be more descriptive, less descriptive reflective, less and less dialogic reflective, and still less critical reflective. The qualitative analysis confirmed that the writings demonstrated a heteroglossia of different writing types.
1. Introduction
ESP aims to help learners use the L2 as a tool to communicate effectively in their professional workplaces or fields of study (Basturkmen, 2010). EAP is a text-based approach that identifies different types of discourses related to education in the university and encourages EAP learners to analyze the intended discourses and their contexts (Hyland, 2018). However, as a combination of critical pedagogy and EAP, critical EAP has expanded the scope of EAP and taken into account the socio-historical context of teaching and learning. This view does not mean that the field of critical EAP ignores the prerequisites of genre-based practice types and classroom interactions. However, it examines them from the complex and intertwined social identities of EAP teachers’ and EAP learners’ viewpoints (Benesch, 2009, 2012).
Despite the current emphasis on the role of critical thinking (CT) in EAP, teaching and practicing critical writing in EAP classes have been rarely considered (Williams, 2019). According to Bakhtin (1981, 1986), since every word, phrase, term, or narrative is polyphonic, its meaning is revealed in its intertextuality and context of use. The text-oriented tendencies to CT rely on overt representations of reflection in written passages and define it in terms of interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and composition of words in the text (Tang, 2009).
The research literature on CT in the writing of EAP students has shown the effectiveness of using the activity of inscribing narratives of personal experience and autobiography in the early stages of EAP courses (Ong, 2017). Thus, this study explored the quantitative and qualitative impacts of shifting the narrative point of view on the reflectivity of first- and third-person stories written by Iranian EAP learners. Sixty EAP learners of psychology who participated in this research were equally divided into the third-person summary group (TPSG) and the first-person group (FPG). The CT ability of the TPSG and FPG participants was pre-tested using the Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal-form A (Watson & Glaser, 1980) through the independent samples t-test procedure. Then they were given the short story of Butterflies (Grace, 1987). The TPSG participants wrote their reflections on the story in narratives from the third-person perspective, whereas the FPG participants shifted the point of view and inscribed first-person stories. The content of the first- and third-person narratives were analyzed based on Hutton and Smith’s (1995) classification of reflective writing types. The analysis and comparison of the number of reflective clause types found in the narratives written by the FPG and TPSG were performed via the Mann-Whitney U test procedure. Excerpts from the stories of both groups were analyzed qualitatively to discover the heteroglossia of various reflective writing types in both the first- and third-person narratives.
Research Questions:
1. Is there a significant difference between the length and number of descriptive writing, descriptive reflection, dialogic reflection, and critical reflection of first- and third-person narratives written by Iranian EAP learners according to Hutton and Smith’s classification of writing type?
2. What is the dialogicality principle of the first- and third-person narratives written by Iranian EAP learners?
3. How is heteroglossia represented in the first- and third-person narratives written in English by Iranian EAP learners?
2. Literature Review
The growth and development of English as the primary language of academic knowledge dissemination has affected the educational experiences of many university students because they have to master English language contracts in the academic discourse to understand not only their fields of study but also their learning process (Hyland & Hamp-Lyons, 2002). Given that EAP learners are intellectually mature enough when entering EAP courses and familiar with the problem-solving activities, this area may be a good platform for teaching the CT skills to them. Nevertheless, EAP education in Asia has been seriously criticized due to its lack of focus on teaching CT, as little research has been conducted on the instruction of CT and its relevance to EAP in Asia (Gunawardena & Petraki, 2014). There is no one right way to teach CT, and thus EAP teachers and educational institutions take a variety of approaches to design a CT-based curriculum. However, by supporting and engaging EAP learners, they can be helped to become more critical readers and thinkers in the process of achieving their study goals (Wilson, 2016). Thus, critical reviews of EAP courses should go beyond merely criticizing the theoretical foundations of the field and provide opportunities for change at the applied level and its implementation (Pearson, 2017).
The study by Catterall and Ireland (2010) examined the effects of a CT-based approach on improving international students’ reflective writing at Huddersfield University’s School of Business during a critical EAP course. The EAP students participating in this experiment were introduced to design and justify a claim in English writing during several sessions. The EAP student participants explored various topics in the related academic discourses. The results of this study, while specifying the lack of CT in student participants’ writings, confirmed the positive effects of this approach on improving their critical writing skills.
The study by Eastman and Maguire (2016) explored the positive effects of writing autobiographies on strengthening the reflective writing of 300 Ph.D. students in the UK during several workshops. To increase the critical voice of these EAP student participants, they were provided with a number of texts representing the genre of autobiography as role models. Eastman and Maguire acknowledged that vocational training is not limited to learning specialized knowledge in the relevant field of science and includes skills and concerns related to talking about oneself and one’s experiences and interactions with others. Writing first-person narratives improved the EAP student participants’ writing skills and deepened their ability to think critically.
Xu and Li’s (2018) study examined the impacts of taking a genre- and process-based approach to the writing skills of Ph.D. students in a two-year course of EAP in China. Their study showed the lack of criticality in the English writings of these student participants as they had never been educated to master reflective writing. Thus, they merely made unsubstantiated claims; their writings were full of borrowed ideas and lacked any personal views or voices.
2.1. Critical EAP in Iran
Very limited research studies have examined the issue of critical EAP in Iran (Atai, Babaii, & Nili-Ahmadabadi, 2018). The main problems of EAP courses in Iran are the students’ low level of English language skills, the weak link between the policy and practice areas, the scattered and discrete goals, and the uninteresting activities that make students tired. Iranian university students do not learn English to the fullest in schools. Regardless of their fields of study, they enter universities with little L2 proficiency. Instead of being empowered to articulate their concerns about the goals of EAP courses, they are forced to do a series of exhausting tasks. Thus, significant issues such as critical EAP education, distribution of power and freedom in expression and practice in the classroom, polyphony, and the like have been neglected in EAP teaching in Iran (Tavakoli & Tavakol, 2018). Also, the role and agency of Iranian students in EAP courses have been very trivial, and due to their low level of English language skills, L2 skills are to be taught as the content of the EAP course (Vosoughi, Ghahremani Ghajar, & Navarchi, 2019). Zand-Moghadam and Khanlarzadeh’s (2020) study indicated the EAP teachers’ call for the need to improve the Iranian students’ CT skills. However, no study has explored which activity types cultivate and improve the CT ability and reflective writing skills of EAP students in Iran. Thus, considering the positive effects of writing narratives of personal experience on enhancing the CT and critical writing of EAP learners, the present study, for the first time, investigated the quantitative and qualitative impacts of shifting the point of view in the narrative on the CT and reflective writing skills of Iranian EAP students.
3. Methodology
Sixty participants (30 females and 30 males) who were randomly divided into two equal experimental groups took part in the study. They were selected from a range of students of psychology who entered the Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad Branch in the 97-98 academic year. The sampling was carried out based on the availability (convenience) procedure. The research was performed in October 2017. The participants’ age was between 19 and 25 years.
The FPG and TPSG participants were given Butterflies (Grace, 1987) short story. First- and third-person stories written by the participants were collected and used to determine the CT level reflected in the writings of Iranian EAP students. The FPG participants identified themselves with the protagonist of the story and retold the events from their own point of view, looking at their personal experiences. The TPGS participants narrated a summary of the same story from the third-person perspective. In order to analyze the content of first- and third-person stories in terms of the EAP participants’ use of reflective writing types, the well-known Hutton and Smith’s (1995) classification of reflective writing types was used because it clearly defines the four essential levels of critical thinking in writing. The first type of writing is descriptive, non-critical and provides only a report of the course of events. The second type is called descriptive reflection, which describes the author’s personal judgments of events. The third type is dialogic reflection, which expresses the author’s current assessment of past events and their views on the story. Critical reflection is the fourth type of critical writing, which shows the highest CT level and indicates the author’s historical and socio-cultural analysis of past events.
The narratives obtained from this study were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative analysis of the data was based on calculating and comparing the number of different reflective writing clause types in the participants’ written stories via the independent t-test sampling procedure. Also, the mean scores obtained for each writing type were compared to determine the dialogicality principle of the first- and third-person stories. The qualitative analysis of the participants’ written stories was based on revealing their transitions between the different types of reflective writing clause types to express their feelings and thoughts. For this purpose, excerpts from first- and third-person stories were selected to indicate the heteroglossia in the written narratives.
4. Results
This study analyzed and compared the impacts of shifting the narrative point of view on the quantity and quality of reflective writing of Iranian EAP students. The related past research on inscribing personal narratives and autobiographies has confirmed the positive effects of using these tasks on developing the EAP learners’ CT skills and reflective writing. However, the results of the quantitative analysis showed that writing the first-person narrative by shifting the point of view of the original short story from the third-person to the first-person augmented the length of the stories written in English by the FPG participants. Also, the task of shifting the point of view significantly increased the number of descriptive writing and dialogic reflective writing clause types in the first-person stories compared to the number of clauses of descriptive writing and dialogic reflective writing in the third-person stories. Thus, the results of the present study that confirmed the greater degree of the effectiveness of using the task of shifting the point of view in the narrative and rewriting the storyline from the perspectives of and based on the EAP learners’ personal experiences are consistent with the findings of previous relevant research (Rashtchi, 2019; Sabah & Rashtchi, 2017). However, the statistical results showed that shifting the point of view did not make a statistically significant difference between the number of descriptive and critical reflective writing clause types in the stories written by both FPG and TPSG participants. Thus, the study indicated the effectiveness of both first- and third-person narrative writing activities in strengthening the Iranian EAP learners’ willingness to express their thoughts, emotions, and perspectives in the L2 and their CT ability. Also, despite the heteroglossia of the obtained written narratives, the dialogicality principle of both first- and third-person stories was more descriptive, less descriptive reflective, less and less dialogic reflective, and much less critical reflective. This result is consistent with the findings of previous studies (Shokouhi, Daram, & Sabah, 2011; Sabah & Rashtchi, 2016), which indicates that the promotion of CT and critical EAP in Iran has been rather neglected, and appropriate tasks and activities for achieving this goal have not been designed in EAP textbooks. This result confirmed the statement of Kiyani, Momenian, and Navidinia (2011) that there is a contradiction and lack of communication and needs assessment in the goals set in the national program for teaching foreign languages in Iran. Atai, Iranmehr, and Babaii (2018) have also stated that there is a serious gap in the EAP policies in Iran, and thus the set goals need critical evaluation, meticulous analysis, and review.
The qualitative analysis of the data revealed the heteroglossia in first- and third-person stories in English by Iranian EAP students participating in this research. The following excerpts selected from the stories of both groups serve as examples of the claim that the collected written narratives were not monolithic and enjoyed dialogicity. In order to differentiate different writing types, descriptive writing clauses are not marked in a particular way. Descriptive reflective clauses are underlined, dialogic reflective clauses are italicized, and critical reflective clauses are typed in bold, respectively.
Excerpt (1) is an excerpt from the first-person story of one of the participants. It shows a transition from critical reflective writing to dialogic reflective writing. The subsequent two descriptive reflective clauses ultimately lead to critical reflective writing. Thus, the EAP student participant has put different types of writing and different levels of reflection in dialogue with each other to express the character’s thoughts and feelings.
… I was always told to listen to the teacher. Now my teacher’s opinion is different from my grandfather’s. And I do not know which opinion is correct. The difference of opinion causes a person to suffer. Something that has been experienced for years is different from something that has been taught to his. (1)
Passage (2) is taken from a third-person story written by one of the EAP student participants in the TPSG. In this piece of writing, various types of reflective writing are evident. Five descriptive writing clauses follow each other, and a critical reflective phrase is used to connect the chain of descriptions to express the EAP student author’s point of view.
… She opened her book. She read: “I killed all the butterflies.” Her grandparents enjoyed her story, but her teacher did not like it. External factors can affect our perceptions. … (4)
Volume 13, Issue 4 (1-2011)
Abstract
Objective: In this project, our aim was to construct a novel expressing vector harboring a new sequence from overlapping region of NS3 gene of HCV from infected Iranian patient.
Materials and Methods: The partial NS3 (pNS3) gene was amplified by Nested-RT-PCR method using sera of HCV infected patients harboring genotype 1a. After purification and cloning the pNS3 into TA-cloning vector, the best colony was selected based on Blue/White screening and colony-PCR following by confirmation with sequencing and restriction digestion with BglII. The sequenced gene was compared with other reference sequences using alignment softwares. The resultant pNS3 gene subcloned into the expression vector, IRES vector, followed by selection the suitable clones by 2 different colony-PCRs. The gene expression was evaluated using GFP detection, RT-PCR and western blotting techniques after transfection of the IRES-pNS3 vector into the 293 cell line.
Results: After pNS3 sequence amplification by RT-PCR, sequencing results showed high homology among the sequences with other reference sequences. This result also showed that it belonged to genotype 1 of HCV. Colony-PCR showed the insertion of gene into expressing vector with the right orientation. GFP expression, RT-PCR and western blotting confirmed transfection of vector, expression of pNS3 gene and production of its protein in 293 cells respectively.
Conclusion: This novel expressing vector harboring partial region of NS3 gene in compare to full NS3 gene maybe more useful in immune induction by antigen presenting cells due to absence of genes responsible for protease activity of the protein in the setting of HCV vaccine.
Volume 14, Issue 1 (5-2014)
Abstract
There is a great resolution calling for smart grids in recent years. Introduction of new technologies, that make the network flexible and controllable, is a main part of smart grid concept and a key factor to its success. Transmission network as a part of system network has drawn less attention. Transmission switching as a transmission service can release us from load shedding and remove the constraints’ violations.
In addition to removing the congestion and decreasing the system cost, transmission switching may damage generating units due to transient states in instance of reconfiguration. Therefore, in optimal transmission switching, the system security, practical limitations and possible damages should be considered.
Considering dynamic constraints in proposed model avoid the occurrence of transient instability when opening the line in transmission switching action.
A network reduction method based on modified Jacobean AC Newton-Raphson technique power flow considering switchable line in technique is used for speeding up the calculation, efficiency and simplicity.
An approach for selecting the best lines in switching operation in the network is proposed. Based upon this approach, the lines with the highest effect on cost reduction are considered as the candidate switchable line.
To investigate the efficiency of the proposed strategy IEEE 57 bus test system is studied.