TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE ISSUES FOR A MOBILE APPLICATION TO SUPPORT Literature review

TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE ISSUES FOR A MOBILE APPLICATION TO SUPPORT CHRONIC DISEASE PATIENTS IN SAUDI ARABIA - Literature review Example However, the report indicated that in the next two decades non-communicable diseases in Africa would be the leading cause of deaths based on current projections. Apart from deaths, chronic diseases are also the major cause of disabilities among the population. Chronic diseases have further resulted to economic burden on the state government. In addition to non-communicable diseases, developing countries struggle with management of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria epidemics. Jeffreys (2011) argued that the prevalence of chronic diseases in these states does not displace the effects of the infectious diseases but enhances further the deteriorative effects of both diseases. This has led to overburdening of the medical budget, which directly affects medical healthcare services. Increased cases of chronic diseases have been closely linked with poorer healthcare services due to inadequacy of funds and strained medical staff that are often overworked and underpaid. In the end, continual prevalence of non-communicable diseases is likely to deter economic growth of developing countries. This is due to diversion of funds to health care systems as opposed to allocation of the funds to income generating projects. There also exits the burden of managing risk factors associated with chronic diseases. According to Defronzo (2004), chronic diseases can be easily controlled by minimization of associated risk factors. The main risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases include the following: tobacco use in any form, intake of high cholesterol, low fruit and vegetable diet, overweight and obesity, alcohol consumption and sedentary lifestyle. Studies by Centre for Disease Control (2014) indicated that 80% of heart diseases, stroke and Type 2 diabetes could be prevented and controlled by avoiding chronic risk factors.

Proto-oncogene in prevention of cancer is my focus biochemistry Research Proposal

Proto-oncogene in prevention of cancer is my focus biochemistry - Research Proposal Example A mutation at the proto-oncogenes results in the production of oncogenes that can cause the hereditary cancer syndrome. The mutation causes the change in the oncogene protein expression level and a change in the structure of the protein. If more than one oncogene is activated in the cell, then the abnormal cancerous cell production occurs. Proto-oncogenes are activated by three mechanisms. They are point mutations, chromosomal translocations, insert mutations, protein-protein interactions and gene amplification. Ras protein is an important product of proto-onco gene. Ras is one of the most important switches in the cell signaling pathway.1 There are three Ras proteins in the mammals. If any mutation occurs in the ras protein then it will result in the cell proliferation stimulation and finally apoptosis will be inhibited. Thus tumor cells will be produced. The ras mutation is one of the reasons for 30% of all the human cancer. H-ras, K-ras and N-ras mutations are found in almost all types of cancers. 1 Hence research in this field is much essential because of its importance in the carcinogenesis. Anti cancer therapy for the Ras protein is preferred in order to reduce and cure the cancer. Can anticancer therapy cure cancer? Scientific Background: McGlynn et al. (2009) looked up at the Ras/Raf-1/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and looked its role in the development and proliferation of cancer.2 They used chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer. Tamoxifen was used for the treatment. They looked up to know whether MAPK pathway has any major role in the carcinogenesis or not? Tamoxifen is an estrogen antagonist and the study was performed to check whether they can act as a target for the estrogen cancer therapy or not? For these two questions Mcglynn et al have found that Ras pathway responds very less for tamoxifen and good for chemotherapy. pRaf(ser338) is found to be the best marker with great effect for the targeted estrogen therapy. A combinati on of chemotherapy along with tamoxifen is required for the therapy. Further new researches are going on to identify small and simple molecules for the treatment of cancer. The signaling pathway molecules are considered to play a very important role in the cancer therapy. Farnesyltransferase (FTI) is an important inhibitor of small molecules. This enzyme is very important for the prenylation of Ras. Tipifarnib is one of the FTI that are used for the treatment of cancer. Here the role of tipifarnib in the Ras signaling pathway was analysed and the growth arrest and cell death related to the ERK and MAPK pathways were looked upon.3 Tipifarnib treatment was found to inhibit and sensitize the ERK and MAPK pathways. They have concluded that geranyl geranylated N-Ras or K-Ras BÂ  are sensititve to tipifarnib and interact in a different manner in the downstream signal processing at the osteosarcoma cells. This helps to maintain the balance between the cell death and proliferation. 3 The m etasatasis ability of the cells is found to be enhanced by the ras activity. The poor understanding of the Ras protein is a big draw back in the treatment of cancer. Here Varghese et al (2002) have looked up to know whether macroscopic metastases are being affected by Ras or not. They have used Green fluorescent protein-transfected NIH 3T3 and T24 H-ras-transformed (PAP2) fibroblasts in the mouse and looked for the