Objective: CREB1 is an important downstream protein for many signaling pathways. By designing efficient siRNAs against CREB1, it may be possible to assess the role of molecules involved in signaling pathways in different cell types. In this research the efficiency of CREB1 knockdown by two different siRNAs in K562 cells has been studied. Materials and Methods: siRNAs have been designed according to the criteria suggested by Reynolds et al. K562 cells were transfected by siRNA using Lipofectamine 2000. The efficiency of CREB knockdown has been assessed by quantitative relative Real-time PCR. Results: Our results have shown that only one of the siRNAs has a high level of inhibitory effect on CREB1 gene expression. The expression of CREB1 by this siRNA was knocked-down by 87% in K562 cells. Conclusion: In this research, although two siRNAs were designed according to the Reynolds et al. criteria, only one showed an inhibitory effect. Reasons other than the aforementioned criteria may be involved in effectiveness of siRNAs.

One of the factors that can be the link between our intentions and actions and their external consequences is human agency, which indicates the conscious design and intentional execution of actions by the individual in order to influence future events.Objective and Method: This research with a developmental approach of psychometric method and method 1, examines the psychometric indices of the Human Factor Characteristics Scale using the classical theory of test score measurement and the graduated question-answer theory. The purpose of this study, which included high school students in Tehran, was selected by cluster sampling of 500 people as a sample size and statistical analysis was performed on 481 data. To collect the data, the ion Human Agent Characteristics Scale (2011) was used and the research questions were evaluated using IRTPRO and SPSS software.Results:The assumption of local independence based on Pearson x2 index was established by applying Simjima's calibrated question-answer theory and the assumption of being one-dimensional based on the analysis of multidimensional question-answer theory. Diagnosis parameters with question-answer approach and classical approach Test score Both item 25 approach had the lowest and item 2 had the highest diagnosis parameter. The answer thresholds for all the questions were so far apart that no option was covered by the other option, and the options were independently selected by individuals at intervals of theta. The total scale was calculated with Cronbach's alpha of 0.945, intentionality of 0.894, foresight of 0.780, self-reactivity of 0.871 and rethinking of 0.762. Also, the role of each item in internal consistency was investigated by the loop method, which all questions had a favorable role in internal consistency of this scale. The value of the validity coefficient obtained from the question-answer theory was obtained by marginal method for intentionality 0.92, forethought 0.85, self-reaction 0.91, rethinking 0.83..

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant toll on healthcare across the globe. The pandemic caused many other consequences, including economic implications and teaching consequences, notably in higher education throughout the world. COVID-19 and the resulting closure of university campuses have had many impacts on Health Professions Education (HPEd), affecting all aspects, including teaching methods, assessment methods, curricula, student-teacher relationships, student selection processes, and student well-being. It has had significant effects on the setting in which students are required to learn more skills such as psychomotor skills. This manuscript aims to investigate the changes implemented in MEDICAL education during the pandemic and describe one MEDICAL school’ s RESPONSE to MEDICAL education changes during the pandemic. Methods: This study was a combination of a case study done by in-depth investigation of the current context at one MEDICAL school during the pandemic and action research done by gathering information to change a condition in a particular place. Results: Many changes were implemented in MEDICAL education, including online teaching for basic science courses (first two years of the program) and online assessments (video-based remote proctoring) in the program’ s first two years. Such courses as Clinical Skills are using telemedicine/telehealth concepts in training. There were changes such as video-based remote proctoring of NBME shelf-examinations even in the assessments of clerkships/clinical rotations. Conclusions: Adaptations of MEDICAL education during this pandemic is highly dependent on technology. Most of the changes will be practiced until the campuses are open. We need to understand that these changes were made over this unprecedented period, i. e. the pandemic as an emergency rather than as a normal change process.

Introduction: Kojic acid with the chemical structure of 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-ˠ-Piron is an organic acid that is biologically produced through aerobic fermentation process by using various substrates and via the function of variety of fungi. This study was aimed to study the optimization of Kojic acid production by Locally Isolated Fungi Aspergillus sp., using ‘RESPONSE Surface Methodology’.Materials and Methods: Kojic acid was produced by fermentation of isolated strain of genus Aspergillus in submerged culture medium. Initial investigation in Kojic acid production process was performed via Plackett-Burman method and by using different nitrogen sources such as yeast extract, peptone, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, urea as well as different carbon sources, including fructose, sucrose, glucose, lactose and maltose.Results: Based on our study, peptone and glucose were the most effective factors with carbon and nitrogen sources in production of kojic acid (P<0.05). The next step was production of 34.4g/L kojic acid by optimizing the effect of environmental factors such as temperature, pH, glucose and peptones, such as carbon and nitrogen sources, used in production of kojic acid and by employing ‘RESPONSE Surface Methodology’.Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the maximum production of kojic acid can be achieved by using; glucose (%8.71), peptone (37.4%), temperature (29.9oC) and adjusting pH to 6.75 in the production process.