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  • Steen Beasley posted an update 1 day, 10 hours ago

    This study examined conscientiousness and the perceived educational environment as independent and interactive predictors of medical students’ performance within Biggs’ theoretical model of learning. Conscientiousness, the perceived educational environment, and learning approaches were assessed at the beginning of the third year in 268 medical students at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Performance was examined at the end of the third year via a computer-based assessment (CBA) and the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Path analysis was used to test the proposed model, whereby conscientiousness and the perceived educational environment predicted performance directly and indirectly via students’ learning approaches. A second model included interaction effects. The proposed model provided the best fit and explained 45% of the variance in CBA performance, and 23% of the variance in OSCE performance. Conscientiousness positively predicted CBA performance directly (β = 0.19, p less then 0.001) and indirectly via a deep learning approach (β = 0.05, p = 0.012). The perceived educational environment positively predicted CBA performance indirectly only (β = 0.02, p = 0.011). Neither conscientiousness nor the perceived educational environment predicted OSCE performance. Model 2 had acceptable, but less optimal fit. In this model, there was a significant cross-over interaction effect (β = 0.16, p less then 0.01) conscientiousness positively predicted OSCE performance when perceptions of the educational environment were the most positive, but negatively predicted performance when perceptions were the least positive. The findings suggest that both conscientiousness and perceptions of the educational environment predict CBA performance. TNO155 Research should further examine interactions between personality traits and the medical school environment to inform strategies aimed at improving OSCE performance.Olive (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most economically important crop from east to the west around the world. The aim of this research was to investigate the genetic relationship among 41 olive genotypes, including 11 well-known Turkish cultivars and 30 Azerbaijani olive genotypes using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. In this study, 19 SSR markers were amplified 115 polymorphic SSR alleles. The number of polymorphic alleles ranged from 3 to 10 with an average of 6.05. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) varied from 0.05 to 0.93 with an average of 0.63 and expected heterozygosity (He) differed from 0.26 to 0.86 with an average of 0.72. The polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.23 to 0.85 with a mean of 0.68. A UPGMA cluster analysis grouped olive genotypes into two distinct clusters and both clusters were divided into two subgroups. Similarly, STRUCTURE analysis assigned olive genotypes into two different gene pools (K = 2) and four gene pools were identified representing the two subgroups by STRUCTURE analysis for K = 4. The genetic similarity of olive genotypes ranged from 0.36 to 0.95. These results revealed that there was a high genetic variation among 30 Azerbaijani olive genotypes. ‘Ayvalık 1’and ‘Ayvalık 2’ from Azerbaijani olive genotypes were different from Turkish local olive cultivar, “Ayvalık” indicating homonymy. This research also highlighted that Azerbaijani olive genotypes were totally distinct from Turkish olive cultivars demonstrating that these olive genotypes might have been imported to Azerbaijan from different countries other than Turkey. The outcomes of this study indicated that these diverse olive genotypes could be useful for development of new olive varieties in Azerbaijan and future breeding programs between two countries could be enhanced by means of these results.

    Although high doses of proton pump inhibitors can elicit an anticancer effect, this strategy may impair vascular biology. In particular, their effects on endothelial Ca

    signaling and production of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) are unknown. To this end, we investigated the effects of high dosages of omeprazole on endothelial Ca

    responses and EDRF production in primary cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells.

    Omeprazole (10-1000μM) suppressed both bradykinin (BK)- and thapsigargin-induced endothelial Ca

    response in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, omeprazole slightly attenuated Ca

    mobilization from the endoplasmic reticulum, whereas no inhibitory effects on endoplasmic reticulum Ca

    -ATPase were observed. Omeprazole decreased BK-induced phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) at Ser1177 and tended to decrease BK-induced nitric oxide production. Production of prostaglandin I

    metabolites, especially 6-keto-prostaglandin 1α, also tended to be reduced by omeprazole.

    Our results are the first to indicate that high doses of omeprazole may suppress both store-operated Ca

    channels and partially the G protein-coupled receptor/phospholipase C/inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate pathway, and decreased BK-induced, Ca

    -dependent phosphorylation of eNOS(Ser1177). Thus, high dosages of omeprazole impaired EDRF production by attenuating intracellular Ca

    signaling.

    Our results are the first to indicate that high doses of omeprazole may suppress both store-operated Ca2+ channels and partially the G protein-coupled receptor/phospholipase C/inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate pathway, and decreased BK-induced, Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of eNOS(Ser1177). Thus, high dosages of omeprazole impaired EDRF production by attenuating intracellular Ca2+ signaling.

    The tendency to use bioactive peptides has increased in recent decades, and research would be essential for recognizing the therapeutic effects of peptides present in animals or food resource. In this study, the in vivo antioxidant and antihypertensive properties of peptides HL-7 with the sequence of YLYELR and HL-10 with the sequence of AFPYYGHHLG were identified from scorpion venom of H. lepturus were evaluated.

    To study the in vivo effects of peptides, D-galactose-induced and DOCA salt-induced mice models were used. The results of the antioxidant assay for both peptides showed that the activity of serum and liver catalase (CAT), as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes, was significantly decreased in the D-galactose-induced group (NC), while MDA levels were increased in serum and the liver tissue samples (p < 0.01). Compared with the D-galactose-induced mice, the peptide treated mice group had a higher activity of antioxidant enzymes namely CAT and SOD, as well as a lower lipid peroxidation level.