bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Naringin as a natural bitter tastant promotes proliferation of cultured human bronchial epithelial cells via activation of TAS2R signaling
Authors: Ni Kai , Luo Mingzhi , Bu Bing , Guo Jia , Pan Yan , Li Jingjing , Liu Lei , Deng Linhong
Published: May 2020

Bitter tastants can activate bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and thus initiate the relaxation of airway smooth muscle cells, which have great potential in the development of novel asthma therapy. However, recent study shows that canonical bitter substance denatonium induces apoptosis of bronchial epithelial cells (BECs), indicating the toxic effect of bitter tastants on airways. Considering the diversity of bitter tastants in nature and TAS2Rs expressed in airway cells, it is thus necessary to carefully evaluate the bitter tastant for its effect on the proliferation of BECs, if aimed to treat airway disease. Here we first screened a group of bitter flavonoids, including apignenin, hespretin, kaempferol, naringenin, naringin and quercetin which are commonly used in food and traditional medicine, and then quantitatively evaluated the effects of this group of bitter flavonoids on the proliferation of BECs (i.e. 16HBE14o- cells) cultured in vitro. The results show that five of the six tested bitter tastants inhibited, but only naringin promoted the proliferation of 16HBE14o- BECs in vitro at the dose of a few hundred micromoles. Furthermore, the naringin-promoted cell proliferation was associated with enhanced cell cycle progression, mRNA expression of cyclin E, and evoked calcium signaling/ERK signaling. Inhibition of the TAS2R signaling pathways with specific blockers attenuated the naringin-enhanced cell proliferation, cyclin E expression and calcium signaling/ERK activation. Taken together, these findings indicate that although many bitter flavonoids may inhibit the proliferation of BECs, naringin emerges as one of the kind that promotes the proliferation of BECs via cell cycle progression and TAS2R-activated intracellular signaling. Only such bitter tastant proven to be unharmful to the epithelial structure and function could be further developed as safe and effective TAS2Rs-based bronchodilator in asthma therapy.
Prediction of a potential drug target based on protein druggability for thyroid cancer
Authors: Yang YiFei , Yu Bin , Zhang Xiu-Xia , Zhu Yun-Hua
Published: May 2020

Background: Thyroid cancer is a common endocrine malignancy; however, its treatment is still surgical. With the development and application of targeted therapy in cancer treatment, there are great development prospects in researching targeted drugs for thyroid cancer. Methods: Differentially expressed mRNAs between thyroid cancerous tissue and normal thyroid tissues were screened from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Using weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to build co-expression modules and combined with differentially methylated gene (DMG) analysis. The druggability was analyzed by PockDrug-Server. Due to drug repositioning to seek targeted drugs to treat thyroid cancer we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and screened out a drug target of thyroid cancer. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) were used to analysis the protein enrichment of PPI network. Results: In the present study, the red module was significantly correlated with thyroid cancer. With DMG analysis, we screened out three genes: HEY2 , TNIK and LRP4 . These three genes were hypomethylation in tumors. The druggability based on PockDrug-Server predicted that only TNIK had protein pocket druggability. With PPI model for TNIK, there were ten genes interacted with TNIK. These genes were enriched in the MAPK and Wnt pathways, which are correlated with tumor proliferation, differentiation, and development. Upon searching for drugs against these 10 genes in Drugbank, it was determined that the targeted drug Binimetinib which is MEK1/2 inhibition. Therefore, we hypothesized that Binimetinib can be used as a targeted drug and TNIK can be regard as drug target for thyroid cancer therapy. Conclusion: Our research provides a bioinformatics method for screening drugs target and provides a theoretical basis for targeted therapy for thyroid cancer.
Development of Prognostic Signature Based on Pan-cancer Proteomics
Authors: Huang Weiguo , Weng Wanqing , Xiang Yukai , Shi Hongqi
Published: May 2020

Background: Utilizing genomic data to predict cancer prognosis was insufficient. Proteomics can improve our understanding of the etiology and progression of cancer and improve the assessment of cancer prognosis. Based on CPTAC (Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium) which has generated extensive proteomics data of the vast majority of tumors, we can perform a proteomic pan-carcinoma analysis.Methods: The proteomics data and clinical features of cancer patients were collected from CPTAC. We screened 69 differentially expressed proteins with R software. GO and KEGG analysis were performed to clarify the function of these proteins. The DEPs-based prognostic model was identified by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression model. The time-dependent receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to evaluate the ability of the prognostic model to predict overall survival.Results: A total of 69 differentially expressed proteins were screened in five different types of cancers: hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), children's brain tumor tissue consortium (CBTTC), clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRC) and uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC). Furthermore, the differentially expressed proteins were related to cell metabolism, cell proliferation and extracellular matrix. Then 24 DEPs-based classifiers for predicting OS was developed by LASSO-Cox regression model in training cohort, which was validated in validation cohort. Conclusions: In the present study, we identified DEPs-based survival-predictor model to predict most cancers. We are the first group to utilize proteomics to construct a pan-cancer prognosis model, which could accurately and effectively predict the survival rate of most cancers.
Improving communication between the general practitioner and the oncologist: a key role in coordinating care for patients suffering from cancer.
Authors: Druel Vladimir , Gimenez Laetitia , Paricaud Kim , Delord Jean-Pierre , Grosclaude Pascale , Boussier Nathalie , Rougé-Bugat Marie-Eve
Published: May 2020

Background: Patients suffering from cancers are increasingly numerous in general practice consultations. The General Practitioner (GP) should be at the heart of the management of patients. Several studies have examined the perceptions of GPs confronted with the patient suffering from cancer and the relationships of GPs with oncologists, but few studies have focused on the patients’ perspective. We studied the three-way relationship between the oncologist, the GP, and the patient, from the patient’s point of view. Methods: A questionnaire validated by a group consisting of GPs, oncologists, nurses, an epidemiologist and quality analyst, was administered over a three-week period to patients suffering from cancer receiving chemotherapy in a day hospital. Results: The analysis was based on 403 questionnaires. Patients had confidence in the GP’s knowledge of oncology in 88 % of cases; 49 % consulted their GP for pain, 15 % for cancer-related advice, and 44 % in emergencies. Perceived good GP/oncologist communication led patients to turn increasingly to their GP for cancer-related consultations (RR = 1.14; p = 0.01) and gave patients confidence in the GP’s ability to manage cancer-related problems (RR = 1.30; p < 0.01). Mention by the oncologist of the GP’s role increased the consultations for complications (RR = 1.82; p < 0.01) as well as recourse to the GP in an emergency (RR = 1.35; p < 0.01). Conclusion: Patients suffering from cancer considered that the GP was competent, but did not often consult their GP for cancer-related problems. There is a discrepancy between patients’ beliefs and their behaviour. When the oncologist spoke to patients of the GP’s role, patients had recourse to their GP more often. Systematically integrating a GP consultation to conclude cancer diagnosis disclosure, could improve management and care coordination.
The Functional Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Rapid Review
Authors: Hitch Danielle , Cramer Emma , Adcock Emily , Sayers Taylah , Nelson Helen , Farley Allison , Browning Laura , Thorpe Matthew
Published: May 2020

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic is having a severe and unprecedented impact on human functioning, due to its influence on bodily functions and structures, the activities we participate in and the environments in which we live. The aim of this rapid review is to inform health services planning and decision making, by identifying and synthesizing the potential functional impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on human health and wellbeing.Methods: This rapid review was completed within four weeks during April – May 2020. The review focused on primary sources describing and evaluating the functional impact of the SARS, MERS and Covid-19 coronavirus pandemics, published since January 2000 in peer reviewed journal articles. All included sources were evaluated for quality, and the International Classification of Function provided a theoretical structure for synthesizing the available evidence.Results: A total of 65 sources met the inclusion criteria for this review. The majority (n=42, 61.6%) were related to the SARS pandemic, and originated from Asia for North America. Almost half of the reviewed sources (n=32, 49.2%) investigated the impact of coronavirus pandemics on the community, with smaller evidence bases related to people with coronaviruses and their families (n=19, 29.2%) and healthcare workers (n=17, 26.1%). Of the research sources available, the majority utilized descriptive quantitative methods via cross sectional data collection.The functional impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to spread far beyond infected patients, to influence the wellbeing of healthcare workers and the entire community in both positive and negative ways. The findings of this review indicate that health services must engage with the inter-sectionality of pandemic experiences, collaborate with other sectors as part of society-wide responses and prioritize function as a key outcome.Conclusions:Based on the experience of past coronavirus pandemics, and the experience to date of the current Covid-19 outbreak, every health service in all health systems must be prepared to prevent and manage the functional impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, possibly for decades to come. This review highlights the multitude of avenues available for health service prioritization and planning, and emphasized that a multi-dimensional, multi-service (and ideally multi-systems) approach is needed.
Identification of SARS-CoV2-mediated suppression of NRF2 signaling reveals a potent antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity of 4-octyl-itaconate and dimethyl fumarate
Authors: Olagnier David P. , Farahani Ensieh , Thyrsted Jacob , Cadanet Julia B. , Herengt Angela , Idorn Manja , Hait Alon , Hernaez Bruno , Knudsen Alice , Iversen Marie Beck , Schilling Mirjam , Jørgensen Sofie E. , Thomsen Michelle , Reinert Line , Lappe Michael , Hoang Huy-Dung , Gilchrist Victoria H. , Hansen Anne Louise , Ottosen Rasmus , Gunderstofte Camilla , Møller Charlotte , Huang Jinrong , Jakobsen Martin , Poulsen Thomas B. , Bartsch Lydia , Thielke Anne L. , Luo Yonglun , Alain Tommy , Rehwinkel Jan , Alcamí Antonio , Hiscott John , Mogensen Trine , Paludan Søren R. , Holm Christian K.
Published: May 2020

Antiviral strategies to inhibit Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) and the pathogenic consequences of COVID-19 are urgently required. Here we demonstrate that the NRF2 anti-oxidant gene expression pathway is suppressed in biopsies obtained from COVID-19 patients. Further, we uncover that NRF2 agonists 4-octyl-itaconate (4-OI) and the clinically approved dimethyl fumarate (DMF) induce a potent cellular anti-viral program, which potently inhibits replication of SARS-CoV2 across cell lines. The anti-viral program extended to inhibit the replication of several other pathogenic viruses including Herpes Simplex Virus-1 and-2, Vaccinia virus, and Zika virus through a type I interferon (IFN)-independent mechanism. In addition, induction of NRF2 by 4-OI and DMF limited host inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV2 infection associated with airway COVID-19 pathology. In conclusion, NRF2 agonists 4-OI and DMF induce a distinct IFN-independent antiviral program that is broadly effective in limiting virus replication and suppressing the pro-inflammatory responses of human pathogenic viruses, including SARS-CoV2. One Sentence Summary: NRF2 agonists 4-octyl-itaconate (4-OI) and dimethyl fumarate inhibited SARS-CoV2 replication and virus-induced inflammatory responses, as well as replication of other human pathogenic viruses.
Simulation for Enhancement in Sensitivity of Chalcogenide Glasses-Based Fibre Optic Evanescent Absorption Sensor for Malignant Tissue Detection
Authors: Dwivedi Dilip Kumar , Singh Ritesh Kumar , Mishra Adarsh Chandra , Lohia Pooja
Published: May 2020

Background:

Refractive index determination of biological tissues is a challenging issue.
Many biological species also show vibrational signature in the infrared domain. The chalcogenidebased
glasses can be used to make the fibree optic evanescent wave sensors for the detection of the
analyte.

Objectives:

The primary objective is to study the effect of various parameters on the sensitivity of
chalcogenide glass-based evanescent-wave sensor for biological tissue detection.

Methods:

An evanescent wave sensor has been proposed with collimated source illumination and uniform
tapering. The chalcogenide materials are chosen such that the weakly guiding approximation
could be followed. Complex refractive indices of liver tissue samples have been taken for the analysis
of sensitivity via the method of the evanescent absorption coefficient. Equations for sensitivity have
been solved analytically using MATLAB software.

Results:

The simplification of the formula for sensitivity leads to the inference that the sensitivity is a
function of core radius, refractive indices of sample tissues and wavelength used. Moreover, since the
refractive indices of the materials are also a function of temperature, therefore a change in temperature
results in a change in the profile of guiding mode. Hence, the effect of temperature must also be observed.
The initial simulation parameters are taken; core radius 100 μm, sensing length 4 cm and
wavelength 1.0 μm. In the NIR region, we have a better sensitivity of detection for all the tissue samples
and the risk of photodamage of the bio-samples is reduced to a good extent. It has been found that
sensitivity decreases with wavelength and core radius, whereas increases with temperature. It has also
been shown that sensitivity is found to be better with collimated in comparison with the diffused
source.

Conclusion:

The comparative study results that one should operate at a shorter NIR region of wavelength
for higher sensitivity. The collimated source illumination should be preferred over diffused one
for launching the light within the fibree to have high sensitivity. Further, the length of the sensing region
should be larger, but the fibree core radius should be smaller. The proposed biosensor is robust
and can also be used many times if the probe (sensing region) is cleaned properly. Moreover, a small
amount of analyte is enough for detection. Thus, the proposed sensor is very useful for biomedical applications
with its high performance, accuracy and robustness.
Munkajogi és gazdasági kihívások a jövő munkaerőpiacán
Authors: Mélypataki Gábor , Lipták Katalin
Published: May 2020

A tanulmány célja megvizsgálni azt, hogy a globalizáció hatásai milyen módon érintik a globális munkaerőpiacot, hogyan befolyásolja a nagyfokú automatizáció és digitalizáció a munkaerőpiac szereplőivel szembeni elvárásokat, a munkajog világát. Elemezzük az ipar új kihívásaival kapcsolatos kompetenciák megszerzésének jogi kereteit és közgazdasági, társadalmi hasznosságát. Részletesebben vizsgáljuk az alacsony képzettségű munkaerő jövőjét a változó munkaerőpiacon, az új kompetenciák megszerzésének a függvényében. Feltevésünk szerint a munkaerőpiacon végbemenő változások és újszerű folyamatok új kihívásokat támasztanak a munkaadók és a munkavállalók számára is. A munkaerő-piaci változások felvetik azokat a kérdéseket, hogy az állását elvesztő munkavállaló az új kompetenciák megszerzéséig milyen ellátásban részesüljön. A mai értelemben vett szociális ellátó rendszer képes-e támogatni az élethosszig tartó tanulást, vagy szükséges-e olyan alternatív megoldási lehetőségek vizsgálata, mint az alapjövedelem? Mindezeknek a jogi és közgazdasági vizsgálata, a hatékonyság és gazdaságosság fogalmainak tükrében szükséges megvalósítani. Ennek oka, hogy az új munkavállaló kompetenciák megszerzése, új hozzáadott értéket is jelent.
The Propensity for Mandatory Audit Rotation and its Impact on Earnings Management in Europe
Authors: Reicher Regina , Bao Ngo Tran Nguyen
Published: May 2020

The doubt of investors for the accuracy of financial reporting statements and the credibility of external audit functions has becoming more and more severe in the recent years due to a variety of booming accounting scandals related to earnings management occurring around the world. To cope with these serious frauds in the world of financial market, many countries have adopted Mandatory Audit Rotation (MAR) rules. Although the MAR rule has been valid around European Union (EU) members since 2016, the effectiveness of this rule has not been examined in any academic papers yet. As a result, the aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and the necessity of the latest MAR rule in the EU by testing the influence of audit rotation activities and audit tenure on earnings management of companies in the STOXX Europe 600 Index. Practical implications of this study will not also prove whether companies in STOXX Europe 600 Index should be required to shorten their audit tenure by rotating their audit engagement more often in order to decline the degree of earnings management, but they will also help to strengthen support for the essentiality of MAR legislations in the EU if the result indicates that longer audit tenure actually leads to more earnings management of STOXX Europe 600 Index companies.
Az európai klubfutball meghatározó bajnokságainak összehasonlító elemzése
Authors: Bács Bence András
Published: May 2020

Napjainkban a sport már nemcsak a szórakoztatásról szól, már nemcsak egy társadalmi összetartó erő, hanem komoly gazdasági és üzleti vonatkozásai is vannak. A sportgazdaságról különálló fogalomként, ágazatként beszélhetünk. A sportvállalkozások egy-egy állam nemzeti jövedelméhez egyre nagyobb mértékben járulnak hozzá.  A futballvállalkozások rendkívül fontos részei ennek a szerte ágazó és összetett rendszernek, a sportgazdaságnak. Vizsgálatomban az európai futball árbevételének 74%-át adó Big 5 bajnokság gazdasági elemzésére, illetve összehasonlításukra vállalkozok. Az UEFA 2019-es pénzügyi jelentésének elemzése alapján megállapítható, hogy a nagy bajnokságok mindegyikében legalább a klubok 60%-a pozitív eredménnyel zárta a 2017-es évet, de a bevételek összetétele arra figyelmeztet, hogy a jövőben a kluboknak a működésükből származó bevételeikre kell nagyobb figyelmet fordítaniuk. Az adatok alapján nyilvánvaló, hogy az ágazat legmeghatározóbb költségeleme a bérköltség. A top5 ligában az árbevétel 53-68%-át ezek a költségek fedik le. Ezek a megállapítások kijelölik az európai labdarúgás gazdasági fejlődésének irányait, illetve a kiemelkedő labdarúgó klubok gazdálkodása példát adhat a tőlük még elmaradottabbaknak, köztük a magyar futballvállalkozásoknak is.
Controlling módszerek ismerete és alkalmazásuk az Észak-alföldi régió kis- és középvállalkozásainak gyakorlatában
Authors: Lakatos Vilmos , Béresné Mártha Bernadett , Tömöri Gergő
Published: May 2020

A nagyvállalatokhoz hasonlóan a kis- és középvállalkozói kör is igényli mindazokat az információkat, amelyek a vállalkozási tevékenység eredményességét és hatékonyságát tudják biztosítani az általuk hozott megalapozott vezetői döntésekkel. A nagyvállalatokhoz képest a kkv-k jelentős fejlődési potenciállal rendelkeznek, amelyet részben maguk a vállalkozások ki tudnak alakítani esetlegesen új-modern menedzsmenti – üzleti adminsztrációs módszerek bevezetésével, illetve gazdaságpolitikai intézkedések révén (=célzott és hatékony támogatási rendszerrel) lehetővé válhat számukra az a finanszírozási forrástömeg, amely a K+F+I folyamatok gerjesztésével szolgálja a versenyképesség növekedését és a hazai GDP-hez, exporthoz való nagyobb mértékű és arányú hozzájárulásukat. A tanulmányban bemutatásra kerülő elemzésben kitérünk a vizsgálati körbe bevont Észak-alföldi régióba tartozó kkv-k kvezetőinek controlling ismereteire, a controlling eszközök tudatos vagy éppen nem tudatos alkalmazására, az utódlás megítélésére, a vevői és beszállítói értékelésre és a vezetői számvitel egyes területeire. Összességében megállapítható a kis elemszámú minta alapján is, hogy a controlling eszközök használata arányos a vállalkozási mérettel, de ennek ellenére sok közepes méretű vállalkozás vezetője nem igényli a belső információk olyan mértékű gyűjtését és elemzését, amely kifejezetten tudná segíteni a döntéselőkészítés hatékonyságát, pl. a korszerű önköltségszámítási eljárások révén.
Alkalmazott matematikai feladatok egy középiskolásoknak tartott foglalkozáson
Authors: Kézi Csaba
Published: May 2020

Az EFOP-3.6.1-16-2016-00022 azonosítószámú „Debrecen Venture Catapult Program" pályázat támogatásával 2019. májusában középiskolások számára három tanórás foglalkozást tartottam Mátészalkán, az Esze Tamás Gimnáziumban. Ezen a foglalkozáson a tanulók számára több olyan feladatot prezentáltam, amely a matematika különböző területeken való alkalmazásait mutatja.
Járművek menetdinamikai szimulációs lehetőségei AVL Cruise M környezetben
Authors: Nemes Dániel , Pálfi Tibor , Hajdu Sándor
Published: May 2020

A járműdinamikai szimulációk készítésekor a legtöbb esetben szükségünk van egy szoftverre, amellyel meggyorsíthatjuk a modell készítését és szimulációját. Erre a célra számos program van a piacon, azonban ezek eltérő tudással és felhasználói felülettel rendelkeznek. Cikkünkben röviden bemutatjuk a piac egyik vezető járműszimulációs szoftverének használatát, az AVL Cruise M-et.
Use of ANSYS Software for the Acetabular Cup Structure Analysis out of the Hip Implant
Authors: Rashwan Alkentar
Published: May 2020

Modelling the hip implant has been one of the most important researches over the past few decades. In addition, using the ANSYS software for this purpose is well-known procedure to understand the real reaction of the hip implant parts during the daily life of the installed part. This study is to focus on the practical part of the use of ANSYS software to analyse the performance of the hip implant through the feature of structure analysis available in the ANSYS. The research applies the static loads behaviour only with the help of the static structural analysis to view the advantages and the disadvantages of every design, which helps us estimate the implant’s behaviour. The study investigates the optimization of the acetabular cup using the lattice optimization along with the infill option available in the ANSYS software in order to optimize the stress and the fixture of the cup inside the pelvis.
Simulation of Hot Rolling by Cellular Automata
Authors: Hegyes Tibor , Barkóczy Péter , Stefán V. M.
Published: May 2020

Our research is focusing to one of the most complex and important production step of flat rolled products that is the simulation of hot rolling. During hot rolling two phenomena as work hardening and the process of regeneration of crystals has strong influence for physical properties of microstructure of aluminium alloys. It needs to be taken into account in case of rolling technology steps and development. When we talk about aluminium the dynamic softening in fact it is dynamic recovery that is followed by dynamic recrystallization. It goes in the same order of magnitude rate. But in steels the recovery has only a minor effect. Hot rolled and newly modified grain structure is influenced by these dynamic phenomena. Hot rolled grain structure goes through significant changes under further production steps like cold rolling and heat treatments. But aside from these intermediate production steps the microstructure that we get after hot rolling has significant effect for mechanical and grains structure of the final flat rolled product. Proper technology planning is essential that for cellular automata simulation method can ensure useable and good solution for the simulation of recrystallization.
Trends in Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Renewable Energy Policies in the EU and USA, with Special Emphasis on the Transportation Sector
Authors: T. Kiss Judit , Bellér Gábor , Árpád István , Kocsis Dénes
Published: May 2020

The aim of this work is to review recent trends in the field of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and renewable energy policies of the European Union and the United States of America. During the last few decades, there was a significant shift within the political attitude towards these fields, therefore important changes were realized in the electricity production and the climate policy. In the present paper, we discuss the current situation focusing on the transportation segment.
Topology Optimization of Acetabular Cup by Finite Element Simulation
Authors: Abdullah Muhammad Ahmed
Published: May 2020

Hip replacements typically consist of a four-part piece. Our research will focus primarily on the acetabular component. Several different types of materials can be used when creating a hip replacement implant ranging from plastic to titanium. Different materials are used to accommodate for allergic reactions or circumventing potential health risks. Aside from the material, the size of the components plays a factor in terms of durability; a larger diameter head might avoid dislodgement though it could increase wear and tear on the stems through constant friction. A patient’s force applied to the hip replacement is usually measured through a number of physical assessments. Finite element analysis (FEA), a computer-based method of data observation, allows for us to accurately simulate hip forces and their impact on the hip replacements. Through this, it becomes easier to predict and calculate the performance of specific designs. Generative systems can also be used to support performance analysis and optimization through assessing a multitude of cases, many of which apply in real-world scenarios. By applying both systems, we designed and modeled an acetabular cup that when measured decreased the mass from 129 grams initially down to 52 grams, a 60% decrease in total mass. Furthermore, the design we created lessened the trauma on the piece through distributing force across the entirety of the piece rather than specific segments only. This shows an increased durability and life expectancy when compared to usual acetabular cups.
Optimáló módszerek alkalmazhatósága járműipari gumitermékek tervezésében
Authors: Huri Dávid
Published: May 2020

A gumitermékek tervezése során a velük szemben támasztott követelmények teljesítése céljából általánosan használt a méret, az alak vagy a topológia optimálási módszer. A vizsgált termék alakja a legtöbb esetben igen bonyolult, továbbá működése közben érintkezésbe lép egyéb alkatrészekkel is. Jellemzően nagy deformációnak van kitéve, melyre a gumi alapanyag erősen nemlineáris tulajdonságot mutat. Ezen feladat analitikus megoldására nincs lehetőség ezért azt numerikus úton kell keresni, melynek futtatása igen időigényes folyamat. Ebből adódik a kutatásom célja, mely a különböző optimálási eljárások hatékonyságának és számítási költségének összehasonlítása. Jelen dolgozat célja az elérhető optimáló algoritmusok alkalmazási lehetőségeinek felkutatása járműipari gumitermékek alakoptimálására. Ismertetésre kerül több helyettesítő modellen végzett optimum kereső eljárás továbbá számos direkt kereső módszer is.
Verificación de tres componentes del programa Control de Vectores. Municipios de Córdoba, 2015
Authors: Barrios Valverde Julieth Paola , Giraldo G Libardo
Published: May 2020

Objective. Verify the operability of three components of the Vectors Control Program of Vector-Communicable Diseases (VCD): Program Management, Health Promotion, Primary Prevention of transmission, in two municipalities of the coastal ecoregion in Córdoba, 2015. Material and methods. It is a descriptive, retrospective study with a quantitative approach. The population was of 29 families affected, whose cases of VTE were notified to the Surveillance System, the sample was 20. In the statistical analysis the data were processed in SPSS version 21 software. A p <0.05 was used, which is equivalent to 5 % Error and 95% confidence level. Results. Verification of the first component the Program Management, showed a low compliance, of 36.4%. In the other two components were evidences of operational failures related to the education axis. Twenty-one percent of the families did not receive education on the disease and 68% of the teaching was not consistent with prevention. Conclusions. In characterizing the population, it was found that sociodemographic conditions bring barriers to equitable access to health, such as rurality and unmet basic needs (NBI), characteristics that conditioned social participation low, in the social mobilization of the program.
Twitter-Derived Social Neighborhood Characteristics and Individual-Level Cardiometabolic Outcomes: Cross-Sectional Study in a Nationally Representative Sample
Authors: Huang Dina , Huang Yuru , Khanna Sahil , Dwivedi Pallavi , Slopen Natalie , Green Kerry M , He Xin , Puett Robin , Nguyen Quynh
Published: May 2020

Background

Social media platforms such as Twitter can serve as a potential data source for public health research to characterize the social neighborhood environment. Few studies have linked Twitter-derived characteristics to individual-level health outcomes.

Objective

This study aims to assess the association between Twitter-derived social neighborhood characteristics, including happiness, food, and physical activity mentions, with individual cardiometabolic outcomes using a nationally representative sample.

Methods

We collected a random 1% of the geotagged tweets from April 2015 to March 2016 using Twitter’s Streaming Application Interface (API). Twitter-derived zip code characteristics on happiness, food, and physical activity were merged to individual outcomes from restricted-use National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) with residential zip codes. Separate regression analyses were performed for each of the neighborhood characteristics using NHANES 2011-2016 and 2007-2016.

Results

Individuals living in the zip codes with the two highest tertiles of happy tweets reported BMI of 0.65 (95% CI –1.10 to –0.20) and 0.85 kg/m2 (95% CI –1.48 to –0.21) lower than those living in zip codes with the lowest frequency of happy tweets. Happy tweets were also associated with a 6%-8% lower prevalence of hypertension. A higher prevalence of healthy food tweets was linked with an 11% (95% CI 2% to 21%) lower prevalence of obesity. Those living in areas with the highest and medium tertiles of physical activity tweets were associated with a lower prevalence of hypertension by 10% (95% CI 4% to 15%) and 8% (95% CI 2% to 14%), respectively.

Conclusions

Twitter-derived social neighborhood characteristics were associated with individual-level obesity and hypertension in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Twitter data could be used for capturing neighborhood sociocultural influences on chronic conditions and may be used as a platform for chronic outcomes prevention.
Prevalence of facemask use among general public when visiting wet market during Covid-19 pandemic: An observational study. (Preprint)
Authors: Hariyanayagam Gobi , Gunasekaran Sera Selvanthan Sundram , Gunasekaran Shargunan Selvanthan , Zaimi Nur Syafina Insyirah , Abdul Halim Nor Amirah
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

In late December 2019, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19; previously known as 2019-nCoV) was epidemiologically linked to seafood and wet animal market in Wuhan, Hubei, China. This event has instigated negative stigma among the general population to view the wet market as a high-risk location for potential transmission of coronavirus.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the prevalence of facemask use among general population visiting the wet market as well as factors contributing to unacceptable facemask practice.

Setting
The visitors to a district wet market selling range of live or freshly slaughtered animals during COVID-19 pandemic outbreak was observed for facemask practice.

METHODS

All Individuals visiting the market were observed for the type, category and practice of wearing facemas. Subjects were categorized into two groups of acceptable and unacceptable facemask practice. The Pearson chi-square was used to test for differences in investigated variables in the univariate setting and Binary Logistic regression model was used in the multivariate setting.

Main outcome measure
Prevalence, acceptance practice and odds ratio of unacceptance of facemask use.

RESULTS

Among 1697 individuals included in the final analysis, 1687 (99.7%) was observed wearing facemask with 1338 (78.8%) using medical-grade facemask. Among them, 1615 (95.7%) individuals facemask practice was acceptable while the reaming 72 (4.3%) individuals were observed with unacceptable facemask practice. Individuals using medical-grade facemask and high-risk age group are 6.4 times (OR=6.40; 95% CI, 2.00-20.43; p=.002) and 2.06 times practice (OR=2.06; 95% CI, 1.08-3.94; p=.028) more likely to have unacceptable facemask practice respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

High saturation of facemask among the general population is an adequate indicator of public hygiene measures strategy which can help to mitigate the COVID-19 epidemic impact. Alarmingly, the unacceptable facemask practice among high-risk population raises the need for a targeted approach by healthcare authorities to ensure satisfactory facemask use.
How to design a Mobile Health Application for Women: Case Development and Practical Report (Preprint)
Authors: Thinnukool Orawit
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

Many people use mobile healthcare applications and several of them have been developed for prevention, medication, education, etc. However, only a few have been developed based on research evidence and a semantics analysis. According to preliminary studies, these mobile health applications lack development design in terms of a graphical user interface. Therefore, this raises the questions of what a mobile health application should be, what the graphical and functional design should be, and how best to design the app.

OBJECTIVE

To resolve the defect of the graphic user interface (GUI) design and functionality of the women’s health application

METHODS

To answer these questions, design thinking methodology was used to resolve the defect of the graphic user interface (GUI) design and functionality of the application. This research is focused on designing an application associated with women’s health based on analysing the top fifty mobile applications in the Google Play Store to identify problems and solve them. Thirty end users were invited to complete a questionnaire and thirteen IT experts were asked to provide feedback about the GUI design and functionality. Focus group interviews and the Delphi technique process were used to analyse the feedback and design a process taxonomy to address the problem.

RESULTS

A design framework to improve the functionality and graphical user interface of a mobile application for women’s health was produced based on the evaluation of end-users and IT experts. The final design of the application development, which was composed of five major functions: period calendar, self-assessment, self-note, counselling, reminder and notification, was launched. Modifications were made to the prototype application and a revised version was produced based on the feedback from the end users and experts with the result that the relevant problems with the GUI design and functionality were resolved, leading to more efficient use and users’ satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

It can be concluded from the results of this study that the design thinking method led to the exploration of a potential framework to develop a mobile application for women’s health using a systematic process as a guide to analyse different kinds of study to establish a suitable development strategy. In addition, the incorporation of end-users, experts and a literature design principle were crucial to the usefulness of the application.
Nowcasting Sexually Transmitted Infections in Chicago: Predictive Modeling and Evaluation Study Using Google Trends (Preprint)
Authors: Johnson Amy Kristen , Bhaumik Runa , Tabidze Irina , Mehta Supriya D
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose a significant public health challenge in the United States. Traditional surveillance systems are adversely affected by data quality issues, underreporting of cases, and reporting delays, resulting in missed prevention opportunities to respond to trends in disease prevalence. Search engine data can potentially facilitate an efficient and economical enhancement to surveillance reporting systems established for STIs.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to develop and train a predictive model using reported STI case data from Chicago, Illinois, and to investigate the model’s predictive capacity, timeliness, and ability to target interventions to subpopulations using Google Trends data.

METHODS

Deidentified STI case data for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and primary and secondary syphilis from 2011-2017 were obtained from the Chicago Department of Public Health. The data set included race/ethnicity, age, and birth sex. Google Correlate was used to identify the top 100 correlated search terms with “STD symptoms,” and an autocrawler was established using Google Health Application Programming Interface to collect the search volume for each term. Elastic net regression was used to evaluate prediction accuracy, and cross-correlation analysis was used to identify timeliness of prediction. Subgroup elastic net regression analysis was performed for race, sex, and age.

RESULTS

For gonorrhea and chlamydia, actual and predicted STI values correlated moderately in 2011 (chlamydia: r=0.65; gonorrhea: r=0.72) but correlated highly (chlamydia: r=0.90; gonorrhea: r=0.94) from 2012 to 2017. However, for primary and secondary syphilis, the high correlation was observed only for 2012 (r=0.79), 2013 (r=0.77), 2016 (0.80), and 2017 (r=0.84), with 2011, 2014, and 2015 showing moderate correlations (r=0.55-0.70). Model performance was the most accurate (highest correlation and lowest mean absolute error) for gonorrhea. Subgroup analyses improved model fit across disease and year. Regression models using search terms selected from the cross-correlation analysis improved the prediction accuracy and timeliness across diseases and years.

CONCLUSIONS

Integrating nowcasting with Google Trends in surveillance activities can potentially enhance the prediction and timeliness of outbreak detection and response as well as target interventions to subpopulations. Future studies should prospectively examine the utility of Google Trends applied to STI surveillance and response.
The Epidemiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome in Thailand over 13 years (2005 – 2017): A nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study (Preprint)
Authors: Kasemsap Narongrit , Vorasoot Nisa , Kongbunkiat Kannikar , Tiamkao Somsak , Chotmongkol Veerajit , Sawanyawisuth Kittisak , Panitchote Anupol
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

There have been no published studies examining the epidemiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in large populations in Thailand.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the incidence, patient characteristics, seasonality, and geographical distribution of GBS in Thailand.

METHODS

The National Health Security Office (NHSO) provided data on inpatient admission between 2005 and 2017. We selected all in-patients with a primary diagnosis of GBS based on the International Classification of Disease-10 (ICD-10) codes. The ICD-9 codes were used for plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). We retrieved data regarding the total population in Thailand from the Department of Provincial Administration.

RESULTS

A total of 5,688 patients with GBS were included. The median age was 42 years, and 61.6% were male. The incidence rate increased from 0.54 to 1.22 per 100,000 population over the 13 years. The incidence was higher in late rainy season and early winter, although no pattern of seasonality was observed (P = .53). Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.2% and was significantly higher in elderly patients (5.4%) than in younger adults (3.4%) and children (1.4%; P < .001). Treatment with IVIg increased from 4.72% through 25.12% over the 13-year period (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence rate of GBS gradually increased over the study period, especially in elderly patients, who also had a higher rate of mortality than patients in other age groups. There was no seasonal variation in the incidence of GBS in Thailand. Treatment with IVIg drastically increased over time and was more common than treatment with PE.
Leveraging the Power of Nondisruptive Technologies to Optimize Mental Health Treatment: Case Study (Preprint)
Authors: Sadeh-Sharvit Shiri , Hollon Steven D
Published: May 2020

UNSTRUCTURED

Regular assessment of the effectiveness of behavioral interventions is a potent tool for improving their relevance to patients. However, poor provider and patient adherence characterize most measurement-based care tools. Therefore, a new approach for measuring intervention effects and communicating them to providers in a seamless manner is warranted.
This paper provides a brief overview of the available research evidence on novel ways to measure the effects of behavioral treatments, integrating both objective and subjective data. We highlight the importance of analyzing therapeutic conversations through natural language processing. We then suggest a conceptual framework for capitalizing on data captured through directly collected and nondisruptive methodologies to describe the client’s characteristics and needs and inform clinical decision-making. We then apply this context in exploring a new tool to integrate the content of therapeutic conversations and patients’ self-reports. We present a case study of how both subjective and objective measures of treatment effects were implemented in cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression and anxiety and then utilized in treatment planning, delivery, and termination. In this tool, called Eleos, the patient completes standardized measures of depression and anxiety. The content of the treatment sessions was evaluated using nondisruptive, independent measures of conversation content, fidelity to the treatment model, and the back-and-forth of client-therapist dialogue.
Innovative applications of advances in digital health are needed to disseminate empirically supported interventions and measure them in a noncumbersome way. Eleos appears to be a feasible, sustainable, and effective way to assess behavioral health care.
Feasibility of a Commercially Available Virtual Reality System to Achieve Exercise Guidelines in Youth With Spina Bifida: Mixed Methods Case Study (Preprint)
Authors: Lai Byron , Davis Drew , Narasaki-Jara Mai , Hopson Betsy , Powell Danielle , Gowey Marissa , Rocque Brandon G , Rimmer James H
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

Access to physical activity among youth with spina bifida (SB) is much lower than it is for children without disability. Enjoyable home-based exercise programs are greatly needed.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to examine the feasibility of a virtual reality (VR) active video gaming system (ie, bundle of consumer-available equipment) to meet US physical activity guidelines in two youth with SB.

METHODS

Two youth with SB—a 12-year-old female and a 13-year-old male; both full-time wheelchair users—participated in a brief, 4-week exercise program using a popular VR head-mounted display: Oculus Quest (Facebook Technologies). The system included a Polar H10 (Polar Canada) Bluetooth heart rate monitor, a no-cost mobile phone app (VR Health Exercise Tracker [Virtual Reality Institute of Health and Exercise]), and 13 games. The intervention protocol was conducted entirely in the homes of the participants due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The VR system was shipped to participants and they were instructed to do their best to complete 60 minutes of moderate-intensity VR exercise per day. Exercise duration, intensity, and calories expended were objectively monitored and recorded during exercise using the heart rate monitor and a mobile app. Fatigue and depression were measured via self-report questionnaires at pre- and postintervention. Participants underwent a semistructured interview with research staff at postintervention.

RESULTS

Across the intervention period, the total average minutes of all exercise performed each week for participants 1 and 2 were 281 (SD 93) and 262 (SD 55) minutes, respectively. The total average minutes of moderate-intensity exercise performed per week for participants 1 and 2 were 184 (SD 103) (184/281, 65.4%) and 215 (SD 90) (215/262, 82.1%) minutes, respectively. One participant had a reduction in their depression score, using the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) test, from baseline to postintervention, but no other changes were observed for fatigue and depression scores. Participants reported that the amount of exercise they completed was far higher than what was objectively recorded, due to usability issues with the chest-worn heart rate monitor. Participants noted that they were motivated to exercise due to the enjoyment of the games and VR headset as well as support from a caregiver.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that two youth with SB who used wheelchairs could use a VR system to independently and safely achieve exercise guidelines at home. Study findings identified a promising protocol for promoting exercise in this population and this warrants further examination in future studies with larger samples.