bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phytotherapy and Herbal Medicines for Kidney Stones
Authors: Emiliani Esteban , Jara Adrian , Kanashiro Andres Koey
Published: September 2020

Background:

Kidney stones are one of the oldest known and common diseases in the urinary tract with a prevalence that varies from 1% to 20%. Many phytotherapic and herbal medicines for kidney stones have been described for
their treatment and prevention.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to perform a comprehensive review of several phytotherapic and herbal medicines published including clinical and animal studies.

Results:

Phytotherapy may influence the risk of recurrence in calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. The most solid evidence suggest that Phyllanthus niruri is one of the most studied components that appear to interfere with the calcium oxalate crystallization, reduced hyperoxaluria and hiperuricosuria and increased shock wave lithotripsy efficacy due to reduced crystallization without significant adverse effects, also Theobromine have shown to reduce the crystallization of
uric acid in patients and appears to be a promising supplement to treat such stones.

Conclusion:

Many phytoterapic and herbal agents have been studies to treat and present urolithiasis, most of them only
with studies of small number of patients or in animal models. Further randomized clinical trials are needed to evaluate the
effect of these agents in kidney stones.
Antidiabetic and Antioxidative Properties of Novel Zn(II)-cinnamic Acid Complex
Authors: Chukwuma Chika I. , Mashele Samson S. , Swain Shasank S.
Published: September 2020

Background:

The role of zinc in diabetes has been a subject of considerable interest due to
the insulin-mimetic properties associated with this mineral. On the other hand, phenolic acids are
known as plant-derived polyphenols with antioxidative and antidiabetic pharmacological credence.

Objective:

This study was conducted in order to develop a novel therapeutic nutraceutical with an
improved and multi-mode antidiabetic and antioxidative pharmacological property using cinnamic
acid and Zn(II) mineral framework.

Methods:

A Zn(II) acetate complex of cinnamic acid was synthesized and characterized using FT-IR
and 1HNMR spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity evaluation was done using Chang liver cells and differentiated
L6 myotubes. DPPH and ABTS scavenging, as well as Fe3+ reducing effects, were used to evaluate
the antioxidant capacity. The antiglycation, as well as α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory
properties, were evaluated. Insulin mimetic property was evaluated as glucose uptake in L6 myotubes,
while the complex was docked against GLUT-4 and PKB.

Results:

FTIR and 1HMR suggested that Zn(II) complexed with cinnamic acid through a Zn(O4) coordination
mode, thus affording the resulting complex 2 cinnamic acid molecules. Hence, complexation
increased (p ˂ 0.05) the antiglycation effect of cinnamic acid (IC50 = 29.3 μM) by 2 folds (IC50 =
13.9 μM). Also, Zn(II) conferred a potent glucose uptake (EC50 = 31 μM) and α-glucosidase inhibitory
(IC50 = 59.4 μM) property on cinnamic acid; hence the activity of the complex was 162 and 2.1
folds higher than (p ˂ 0.05) its precursor, respectively. Further molecular docking studies showed that
the complex had a stronger interaction with insulin signaling proteins (GLUT-4 and PKB) than its
precursor. Interestingly, the complex showed no severe cytotoxicity.

Conclusion:

Data suggested a structure-activity relationship. Complexation of Zn(II) to cinnamic
acid resulted in a complex with improved and multi-facet pharmacological effects, which may be
further studied as a safe glycemic control nutraceutical for T2D and glycation-induced complications.
Comparison of Isolation, Expansion and Cryopreservation Techniques to Produce Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth (SHED) with Better Regenerative Potential
Authors: Lee Sau H. , Looi Chung Y. , Chong Pei P. , Foo Jhi B. , Looi Qi H. , Ng Chu X. , Ibrahim Zaidah
Published: September 2020

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that are gaining worldwide attention
for their multi-potential use in tissue engineering-based regenerative medicine. They can be obtained
from numerous sources and one of the excellent sources is the dental tissue, such as Stem
cells that are extracted from the Human Exfoliated Deciduous teeth (SHED). SHED are considered
ideal due to their inherent characteristics, including the capability to proliferate quickly with minimal
oncogenesis risk, multipotency capacity and their ability to suppress the immune system. On
top of these positive cell traits, SHED are easily accessible with the patient’s safety assured, posing
less ethical issues and could also provide a sufficient number of cells for prospective clinical uses.
This is primarily attributed to their ability to differentiate into multiple cell linages, including osteoblasts,
odontoblasts, neuronal cells, adipocytes, as well as endothelial cells. Albeit SHED having
a bright future, there still remains an obstacle to develop reliable experimental techniques to retain
the long-term regeneration potential of the stem cells for prospective research and clinical applications.
Therefore, this review aims to describe the various isolation, expansion and cryopreservation
techniques used by researchers in this stem cell field. Optimization of these techniques is
crucial to obtain distinct SHED culture with preserved stem cell properties, which enable more reproducible
results that will be the key for further stem cell therapy development.
Prebiotic Carbohydrates for Therapeutics
Authors: Basavaiah Renuka , Gurudutt Prapulla S.
Published: September 2020

The food industry is constantly shifting focus based on prebiotics as health-promoting
substrates rather than just food supplements. A prebiotic is “a selectively fermented ingredient that
allows specific changes, both in the composition and/or activity in the gastrointestinal microflora
that confers benefits upon host well-being and health.” Prebiotics exert a plethora of health-promoting
effects, which has lead to the establishment of multimillion food and pharma industries. The following
are the health benefits attributed to prebiotics: mineral absorption, better immune response,
increased resistance to bacterial infection, improved lipid metabolism, possible protection against
cancer, relief from poor digestion of lactose, and reduction in the risk of diseases such as intestinal
disease, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, obesity and allergy. Numerous studies in both animals
and humans have demonstrated the health benefits of prebiotics.
Antihyperglycemic Effect of the Moroccan Collard Green (Brassica oleracea var. viridis) in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Amssayef Ayoub , Eddouks Mohamed
Published: September 2020

Aims:

The aim of the study was to assess the antihyperglycemic activity of Brassica oleracea.

Background:

Collard green or Brassica oleracea var. viridis which belongs to Brassicaceae family
is ranked at 10th place of “powerhouse” vegetables, and it is commonly used traditionally for the
treatment of diabetes in Morocco.

Objective:

This current investigation aimed to assess the antihyperglycemic capacity of the aqueous
extract of Collard green leaves.

Methods:

The effect of a single (6 hours) and repeated (seven days of treatment) oral administration
of Collard green aqueous extract (CGAE) at a dose of 60 mg/kg on glucose and lipid profile
was examined in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Additionally, histopathological
examination of liver was carried out according to the Hematoxylin-Eosin method. Furthermore, a
preliminary phytochemical screening, and the quantification of phenolic, flavonoid and tannins contents
as well as the antioxidant activity using DPPH assay were carried out.

Results:

The results demonstrated that Collard green A.E. (CGAE) exhibited a significant antihyperglycemic
effect and positive improvement liver histology in diabetic rats. After a single oral administration
of CGAE, blood glucose levels were lowered from 15±2 mM to 4.9±1 mM
(p<0.0001) at the sixth hour in diabetic rats but no change was observed in normal rats. Repeated
CGAE administration was able to reduce blood glucose levels from 15±2 mM to normal values
(5±1 mM at the seventh day, p<0.0001) while the extract had no effect in normal rats. In addition,
we revealed that CGAE is rich in several phytochemical compounds and exerts an important antioxidant
activity.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Collard green possesses a beneficial effect
against diabetes and can be used in the program diet of diabetic patients.
Curcumin Targets p53-Fibrinolytic System in TGF-β1 Mediated Alveolar Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Authors: Shaikh Sadiya Bi , Prabhu Ashwini , Bhandary Yashodhar P.
Published: September 2020

Aims:

We aim to investigate curcumin interaction with p53-fibrinolytic system, smad
dependent and independent pathways underlying their prime role during lung injury and fibrosis.

Background:

Curcumin, an active component of Curcuma longa plant, substantially modulates respiratory
conditions. TGF-β1 plays a central role in lung remodeling by balancing extracellular matrix
(ECM) production and degradation, which is a hallmark for alveolar EMT. However, the
crosstalk of curcumin is not known yet with TGF- β1 mediated p53-Fibrinolytic system regulating
alveolar EMT leading to IPF. In the present study, the potential molecular mechanism of curcumin
in TGF-β1 mediated p53-fibrinolytic system in basal alveolar epithelial cells was explored.

Objectives:

To understand the potential molecular mechanism of curcumin in TGF-β1 mediated
p53-fibrinolytic system in basal alveolar epithelial cells.

Methods:

Basal alveolar epithelial cells were treated with TGF- β1 to induce alveolar EMT and after
24 hrs curcumin was administered to study its anti-fibrotic effects. Molecular techniques like immunoblot,
RT-PCR and immunofluorescence were performed to assess the anti-fibrotic role of curcumin
on EMT markers, IL-17A, p53-smad interaction to investigate the anti-fibrotic role of curcumin.

Results:

The results indicated that TGF-β1-induced EMT in A549 cells exhibited altered expression
of the IL-17A, p53-fibrinolytic markers and EMT markers at the mRNA and protein level. Intervention
with curcumin attenuated alveolar EMT and inactivated TGF-β1 induced Smad/non
Smad signaling pathways via blocking p53-fibrinolytic system.

Conclusions:

This study provides the first evidence of the dynamic response of curcumin on TGF-
β1 mediated p53-fibrinolytic system during alveolar injury in vitro.
IAEA Activities on 67Cu, 186Re, 47Sc Theranostic Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals
Authors: Jalilian Amir R. , Gizawy Mohamed A. , Alliot Cyrille , Takacs Sandor , Chakarborty Sudipta , Rovais Mohammad R.A. , Pupillo Gaia , Nagatsu Kotaro , Park Jeong H. , Khandaker Mayeen Uddin , Mikolajczak Renata , Bilewicz Aleksander , Okarvi Subhani , Gagnon Katherine , Al Rayyes Abdul H. , Lapi Suzanne E. , Starovoitova Valeriia , Korde Aruna , Osso Joao A.
Published: September 2020

Despite interesting properties, the use of 67Cu, 186Re and 47Sc theranostic radionuclides in
preclinical studies and clinical trials is curtailed by their limited availability due to a lack of widely
established production methods. An IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) was initiated to
identify important technical issues related to the production and quality control of these emerging
radionuclides and related radiopharmaceuticals, based on the request from IAEA Member States.
The international team worked on targetry, separation, quality control and radiopharmaceutical aspects
of the radionuclides obtained from research reactors and cyclotrons leading to preparation of
a standard recommendations for all Member States. The CRP was initiated in 2016 with fourteen
participants from thirteen Member States from four continents. Extraordinary results on the production,
quality control and preclinical evaluation of selected radionuclides were reported in this project
that was finalized in 2020. The outcomes, outputs and results of this project achieved by participating
Member States are described in this minireview.
MiRNA, a New Treatment Strategy for Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Liu Yanhong , Nie Hongguang , Ding Yan , Hou Yapeng , Mao Kejun , Cui Yong
Published: September 2020

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is the most common chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease,
mainly occurring in the elderly, with a median survival of 2-4 years after diagnosis. Its high
mortality rate attributes to the delay in diagnosis due to its generic symptoms, and more importantly,
to the lack of effective treatments. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding
RNAs that are involved in many essential cellular processes, including extracellular matrix remodeling,
alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, etc. We summarized the
dysregulated miRNAs in TGF-β signaling pathway-mediated PF in recent years with dual effects,
such as anti-fibrotic let-7 family and pro-fibrotic miR-21 members. Therefore, this review will set
out the latest application of miRNAs to provide a new direction for PF treatment.
Design and Evaluation of Eudragit RS-100 Based Itraconazole Nanosuspension for Ophthalmic Application
Authors: Pawar Pravin , Duduskar Anita , Waydande Swati
Published: September 2020

Background:

Poor water soluble compounds are difficult to develop as drug products using
conventional formulation techniques.

Objective:

n the present study, the potential of Eudragit RS-100 nanosuspension as a new vehicle
for the improvement of the delivery of drugs to the intraocular level was investigated.

Methods :

Solvent evaporation technique has been employed for nanosuspension preparation. Surfactant
concentration and drug to polymer ratio has been optimized using 32 factorial design to
achieve desired particle size, entrapment efficiency and percent permeation responses as dependent
variables. All the formulations were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index
(PDI), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential scanning calorimetery (DSC),
X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, viscosity, antifungal study and Transmission Electron Microscopy
(TEM). Secondly, itraconazole eye drop was prepared by using sulfobuty ether-β-cyclodextrin
and comparatively studying its antifungal efficacy.

Results:

The nanosuspension had a particle size range of 332.7-779.2nm, zeta potential
+0.609-16.3, entrapment efficiency 61.32 ± 1.36%-76.34 ± 2.04%. Ex vitro corneal permeability
study showed that optimized itraconazole nanosuspension produced higher permeation as compared
to the market formulation and Itraconazole eye drop. Moreover, optimized nanosuspension
was found as more active against Candida albicans & Aspergillus flavus compared to the market
formulation and Itraconazole eye drop.

Conclusion:

The nanosuspension approach could be an ideal, promising approach to increase the
solubility and dissolution of Itraconazole.
Hydroxychloroquine Induced DRESS (Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms Syndrome) Mimicking SARS-COV-2 Illness: A Case Report with Review
Authors: Patel Maitri M. , Patel Dhruvkumar M. , Patel Mukundkumar V. , Gurumukhani Jayanti K. , Patel Suyog Y , Patel Harsh D.
Published: September 2020

Background:

In the current pandemic of COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is recommended as an experimental drug for prophylaxis and treatment of the illness. Although it is a safe drug, it can rarely produce a severe drug reaction ‘drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome (DRESS)’, and to differentiate it from systemic viral infections is challenging.

Case Presentation:

A 45-year old male nurse working in a COVID-19 ward consumed HCQ weekly for two weeks for prevention of SARS-COV-2 illness. He presented with fever, pruritic maculopapular palmar rash, cervical lymphadenopathy for 12 hours and was quarantined as a suspected COVID-19 case. His laboratory tests revealed lymphopenia, eosinophilia, atypical lymphocytes, raised liver enzymes along with IgM negative, IgG positive rapid antibody test of SARS-COV-2. However, his throat swabs for SARS-COV-2 by real-time PCR were negative on day 1 and 7. He was finally diagnosed as definite DRESS based on the RegiSCAR score of six. He responded to levocetirizine 5 mg OD and oral prednisolone 60 mg daily tapered over 7 days.

Conclusion:

DRESS due to HCQ is ‘probable’, ‘of moderate severity’, and ‘not preventable’ adverse effect mimicking SARS-COV-2 illness.
Surgical Treatment of Patient with Advanced Kienböck’s Disease: A Case Report
Authors: Khominets V. V. , Tkachenko M. V. , Ivanov V. S. , Muhkurya D. Yu.
Published: September 2020

Relevance. For more than a century, many methods of treating Kienböck’s disease have been developed, although none of them could achieve consistently good results. The transposition of the pisiform into the lunate location after removal of the latter, as well as the combination of this operation with a shortening osteotomy of the radius, is considered as one of the promising methods of this disease treatment. The purpose of this publication was to demonstrate the options of the modern reconstructive surgery for the treatment the stage IIIb Kienböck’s disease. Case presentation. A clinical case of a successful non-free transplant of a blood-supplied pisiform in aseptic necrosis of the lunate is described. A patient was a 21 year old military serviceman with stage IIIb Kienböck’s disease complicated by persistent pain syndrome and severe dysfunction of the left wrist. He underwent removing the fragmented lunate with replacing it with a pisiform on the tendon feeding pedicle and performing simultaneous shortening osteotomy of the radius. The displaced bone was fixed with an anchor to the dorsal surface of the distal radial metaepiphysis. In 12 months after the surgery, an improvement of the wrist function was achieved in the form of an increase in the range of motion compared with the preoperative period and a significant decrease in the level of pain syndrome. The radiological examination at the same time showed the preservation of the shape, size and intraarticular localization of the bone autograft. Conclusion. The use of transposition of the blood-supplied pisiform on a permanent tendon feeding pedicle into the region of the removed lunate demonstrated, in our opinion, the favorable possibilities of successful surgical treatment of the late stages of Kienböck’s disease. A favorable outcome of such treatment is possible only in a specialized hospital, where there are trained specialists in the field of hand surgery, and there are also opportunities for employment a modern rehabilitation complex aimed at restoring movements in the hand joints, taking into account the strength and coordination parameters of its anatomical structures.
Comparison of the Accuracy and Safety of Pedicle Screw Placement in Thoracic Spine Between 3D Printed Navigation Templates and Free Hand Technique
Authors: Kovalenko R. A. , Ptashnikov D. A. , Cherebillo V. Yu. , Kashin V. A.
Published: September 2020

Relevance. Transpedicular spine fixation is considered the gold standard for posterior stabilization of the spine in various pathological processes. The most common implantation technique is the free hand method. But today the implantation with 3D printed individual navigation templates is gaining popularity. Purpose — to compare results of the pedicle screw placement in thoracic spine with application of 3D printed navigation templates by various design and free hand technique. Materials and Methods. Results of the three group of patients were analyzed based on postoperative CT. In group 1 (free hand) 112 screws were placed to 23 patients. In group 42 screws were placed to 11 patients using bilateral monosegmental navigation templates, in group 3 (13 patients, 42 screws) — using bilateral monosegmental templates with additional support on the spinous process. The safety of implantation was assessed and compared in all groups. In groups 2 and 3 the accuracy was also evaluated based on the difference between the planned and actual screws trajectory. Results. In group 1 safety grade 0 was registered in 66,96%, safety grade 1 in 18,75%, safety grade 2 — in 9,82%, safety grade 3 — in 4,46%. In group 2 grade 0 was registered in 85,71%, safety grade 1 — in 14,29%. In group 3 grade 0 — in 90,74%, safety grade 1 — in 9,26%. There were no cases of the cortical bone perforation for more than the half of the screw diameter in groups 2 and 3. The differences in the safety parameters are significant between free hand and both groups with application of the navigation templates. Assessment of the deviation hasn’t revealed significant difference depending on the type of the templates. Conclusion. The use of the individual navigation templates for pedicular screws implantation in the thoracic spine is safer than the free hand method (p0.05). Single-level bilateral matrices made by FDM technology from polylactide with support on a part of the dorsal vertebral structures make it possible to achieve the high implantation accuracy. Additional support on the spinous process does not lead to a statistically significant improvement in accuracy and safety indicators (p0.05), while requiring extended dissection and resection of the ligamentous elements.
The Medium-Term Results of Complex Treatment of the Children with I-II Stage Dysplastic Osteoarthritis
Authors: Bortulev P. I. , Vissarionov S. V. , Bortuleva O. V. , Baskov V. E. , Barsukov D. B. , Pozdnikin I. Yu. , Baskaeva T. V.
Published: September 2020

Relevance. The frequency of hip dysplasia does not decrease and in different countries of the world ranges from 2 to 50 or more per 1000 newborns. The generally accepted standard for the treatment of children under 1 year of age with hip dysplasia is the functional method. At the same time, the number of patients with untimely revealed hip dysplasia, as well as with an unsatisfactory outcome of functional treatment, for example, according to the A. Lorenz technique, remains at a fairly high level. In this regard, the use of corrective surgical interventions remains relevant. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the medium-term results of the treatment of children with I–II stage dysplastic coxarthrosis using the authors’ rehabilitation algorithm based on the functional state of the hip. Materials and Methods. The study was based on the results of a comprehensive examination of 41 patients (48 hip joints) with stage I–IIa dysplastic coxarthrosis undergone the surgery and rehabilitation according to the authors’ algorithm in the period from 2016 to 2018. To compare the obtained results, we performed a retrospective analysis of the clinical records of 32 patients (39 hip joints) undergone the similar surgery, although with the routine rehabilitation. All patients underwent a clinical examination with a mandatory assessment of step cycle, periarticular muscles endurance, and filling out specialized questionnaires. Radiological evaluation included hip x-ray and multi-spiral computed tomography. To obtain the most objective information of the hip functional state and lower extremities, we used electrophysiological (EMG) and biomechanics (stabilometry) studies. Results. Clinical and functional results were evaluated no earlier than 24 months after the treatment. The patients undergone rehabilitation according to the authors’ algorithm demonstrated the significant (p0.05) increase in the strength and endurance of their hip area muscles, as well as in their electromyographic indicators, resulting in the improvement of their clinical and biomechanical parameters. This did not observed in the patients undergone the routine rehabilitation. Conclusion. The analysis of the medium-term results of the complex treatment of children with stage I–II dysplastic coxarthrosis, including surgical stable fixation and the authors’ rehabilitation method, led to a significant (p0.05) improvement in the static-dynamic function of the lower extremities. This was confirmed by the results of clinical, electrophysiological, biomechanical evaluation, as well as by the employment of specialized scales that took into account the hip function, quality of life, and social adaptation of the patient.
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Views: A Triple Crossover Trial of Visual Abstracts to Examine Their Impact on Research Dissemination
Authors: Oska Sandra , Lerma Edgar , Topf Joel
Published: September 2020

Background

A visual abstract is a graphic summary of a research article’s question, methods, and major findings. Although they have a number of uses, visual abstracts are chiefly used to promote research articles on social media.

Objective

This study aimed to determine if the use of visual abstracts increases the visibility of nephrology research shared on Twitter.

Methods

A prospective case-control crossover study was conducted using 40 research articles published in the American Journal of Nephrology (AJN). Each article was shared by the AJN Twitter account in 3 formats: (1) the article citation, (2) the citation with a key figure from the article, and (3) the citation with a visual abstract. Tweets were spaced 2 weeks apart to allow washout of the previous tweet, and the order of the tweets was randomized. Dissemination was measured via retweets, views, number of link clicks, and Altmetric scores.

Results

Tweets that contained a visual abstract had more than twice as many views as citation-only tweets (1351, SD 1053 vs 639, SD 343) and nearly twice as many views as key figure tweets (1351, SD 1053 vs 732, SD 464). Visual abstract tweets had 5 times the engagements of citation-only tweets and more than 3.5 times the engagements of key figure tweets. Visual abstract tweets were also associated with greater increases in Altmetric scores as compared to citation-only tweets (2.20 vs 1.05).

Conclusions

The use of visual abstracts increased visibility of research articles on Twitter, resulting in a greater number of views, engagements, and retweets. Visual abstracts were also associated with increased Altmetric scores as compared to citation-only tweets. These findings support the broader use of visual abstracts in the scientific community. Journals should consider visual abstracts as valuable tools for research dissemination.
Self-reported Subjective Effects of Analytically Confirmed New Psychoactive Substances Consumed by e-Psychonauts: Protocol for a Longitudinal Study Using a New Internet-Based Methodology (Preprint)
Authors: Grifell Marc , Mir Fuster Guillem , Ventura Vilamala Mireia , Galindo Guarín Liliana , Carbón Mallol Xoán , Hart Carl L , Pérez Sola Víctor , Colom Victoriano Francesc
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

During the last few years, the continuous emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has become an important public health challenge. The use of NPS has been rising in two different ways: buying and consuming NPS knowingly and the presence of NPS in traditional drugs as adulterants. The rise of NPS use is increasing the number of different substances in the market to an extent impossible to study with current scientific methodologies. This has caused a remarkable absence of necessary information about newer drug effects on people who use drugs, mental health professionals, and policy makers. Current scientific methodologies have failed to provide enough data in the timeframe when critical decisions must be made, being not only too slow but also too square. Last but not least, they dramatically lack the high resolution of phenomenological details.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to characterize a population of e-psychonauts and the subjective effects of the NPS they used during the study period using a new, internet-based, fast, and inexpensive methodology. This will allow bridging an evidence gap between online surveys, which do not provide substance confirmation, and clinical trials, which are too slow and expensive to keep up with the new substances appearing every week.

METHODS

To cover this purpose, we designed a highly personalized, observational longitudinal study methodology. Participants will be recruited from online communities of people who use NPS, and they will be followed online by means of a continuous objective and qualitative evaluation lasting for at least 1 year. In addition, participants will send samples of the substances they intend to use during that period, so they can be analyzed and matched with the effects they report on the questionnaires.

RESULTS

The research protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Hospital del Mar Research Institute on December 11, 2018. Data collection started in August 2019 and was still ongoing when the protocol was submitted (September 2020). The first data collection period of the study ended in October 2020. Data analysis began in November 2020, and it is still ongoing. The authors expect to submit the first results for publication by the end of 2021. A preliminary analysis was conducted when the manuscript was submitted and was reviewed after it was accepted in February 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

It is possible to conduct an institutional review board–approved study using this new methodology and collect the expected data. However, the meaning and usefulness of these data are still unknown.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

DERR1-10.2196/24433
Simultaneous Fat Injection for Nasal Contouring in Orthognathic Patients (Preprint)
Authors: Lonic Daniel , Hsiao Yen-Chang , Huang Jung-Ju , Chang Frank Chun-Shin , Chen Jyh-Ping , Kehrer Andreas , Heidekrueger Paul I. , Prantl Lukas , Lo Lun-Jou , Chen Yu-Ray
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Augmentation rhinoplasty with autologous fat grafting is a useful procedure to meet the demand for facial harmonization in the Asian population. We used this procedure during orthognathic surgery to address inadequate dorsum projection.

OBJECTIVE

This prospective study was conducted to determine the fat retention rate in patients with simultaneous autologous fat injection augmentation rhinoplasty and orthognathic surgery.

METHODS

Nineteen patients were treated with simultaneous bimaxillary orthognathic surgery and autologous fat grafting of the nasal dorsum and tip. The paired- t -test was used to compare the nasal volumes before and at least 6 months after surgery measured by 3D CT scans. All measurements were performed twice by the same evaluator at least 2 weeks apart for intra-rater consistency.

RESULTS

Seventeen patients completed the study. The volume means before and after surgery were 22.3 +/- 4.6 cm3 and 23.3 +/-4.7 cm3 respectively with a mean difference of 1.0 +/- 0.3 cm3 (p<0.001). The mean retention rate was calculated to be 50.5 +/- 7.0% (range 40.5% to 64.7%). Intra-rater consistency was high with a Cronbach α of 0.97 (P<0.001) and 0.98 (P<0.001) respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first prospective study that provides objective graft retention measurements based on computer tomography scans for orthognathic surgery combined with fat injection. All patients were satisfied with the results and no complications or additional morbidity was noted in the postoperative course. We consider this procedure to be a safe, reliable and powerful adjunct to improve the aesthetic results of orthognathic surgery.
Development and validation of a candidemia risk prediction (CanDETEC) model among patients with malignancy (Preprint)
Authors: Yoo Junsang , Kim Si-Ho , Hur Sujeong , Ha Juhyung , Huh Kyungmin , Cha Won Chul
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Appropriate empirical treatment for candidemia is associated with reduced mortality. However, timely diagnosis of candidemia for septic patients remains poor.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to use machine learning algorithms to develop and validate a candidemia prediction model for cancer patients.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective study used the cancer registry of a tertiary academic hospital. Adult patients with diagnosed malignancies from January 2010 to December 2018 were included. Our study outcome was the prediction of candidemia events. A stratified under-sampling method was used to extract control groups for algorithm learning. Multiple models were developed through a combination of four variable groups and five algorithms (auto-machine learning, deep neural network, gradient boosting, and logistic regression and random forest). The model with the highest area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) was selected as the Candida species detection (CanDETEC) model and compared with the performance indexes of the candida score.

RESULTS

Among the 273,380 blood culture from 186,404 registered cancer patients, 501 candidemia events and 2000 controls were identified. The AUROC of the developed models varied from 0.771 to 0.889. The random forest model was selected CanDETEC model (AUROC = 0.889, 95% confidence interval: 0.888-0.889). It showed better performance than the candida score (AUROC = 0.677).

CONCLUSIONS

The CanDETEC model could predict candidemia in cancer patients with high discriminative power. This algorithm could be used for the timely diagnosis and appropriate empirical treatment of candidemia.
Japanese-language videos on YouTube as a source of public health information for COVID-19 (Preprint)
Authors: Yasu Takeo
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Serious public health problems, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can cause an infodemic. Sources of information that may cause an infodemic include social networking services; YouTube, which consists of content created and uploaded by individuals, is one such source.

OBJECTIVE

To survey the content and changes in YouTube videos that present public health information about COVID-19 in Japan.

METHODS

We surveyed YouTube content regarding public health information pertaining to COVID-19 in Japan. YouTube searches were performed on March 6, 2020 (before the state of emergency), April 14 (during the state of emergency), and May 27 (after the state of emergency was lifted), with 136, 113, and 140 sample videos evaluated, respectively. The main outcome measures were: (1) The total number of views for each video, (2) video content, and (3) the usefulness of the video.

RESULTS

In the 100 most viewed YouTube videos during the three periods, the number of videos on public health information in March was significantly higher than in May (p = .02). Of the 331 unique videos, 9.1% (n = 30) were released by healthcare professionals. Useful videos providing public health information about the prevention of the spread of infection comprised only 13.0% of the sample but were viewed significantly more often than not useful videos (p = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals need to take care when obtaining information from YouTube before or early in a pandemic, during which time scientific evidence is scarce.
The Collapse Analysis of the Lateral-Torsional Buckling of I-Shaped Stepped Steel Beams
Authors: Kweenisky Kelsen Trista , Pratiwi Naomi , Wijaya Paulus Karta
Published: September 2020

The use of a non-prismatic member such as a stepped beam as a design method has the ability to function as a tool for steel beams optimization. A cover plate is partially welded on the upper and lower flange of the member at the maximum bending moment location to increase its flexural strength and, under critical load, flexural members bend about its strong axis, displace to the lateral direction, and twist coincidentally through a phenomenon known as the Lateral-Torsional Buckling (LTB). There is, however, no equations in the AISC 360-16 specification to calculate the critical moment of a stepped beam (Mst). Therefore, this research focuses on developing Mst for a simply supported stepped beam which deforms on its shear center under static-transverse loading through the use of a collapse analysis and the behavior of the beam. The results showed the welded cover plates consequently increased the LTB resistance of the prismatic I-shaped steel beam from 9.8% to 202% while the critical moment increased more significantly with an increment in the ratio of the cover plate length to the unbraced length (α). The cover plate thickness was observed to have dominantly affected only a large α ratio while the post-buckling characteristic of large α showed a sudden collapse phenomenon. Furthermore, the LTB modification factor was generated in this study due to the initial geometrical imperfection from the first mode of Eigen shape with maximum amplitude Lb/2000 (Cb1) and stepped beam shape (Cst) which were required to estimate the critical moment of a stepped beam based on the AISC equation for a prismatic beam.
Biology and the Statistic Demographic of Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on the Soybean with Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) Treatment
Authors: Triwidodo Hermanu , Agustini Anggun , Listihani Listihani
Published: September 2020

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) applied to different plants may suppress pests population developments. This research was to study the capability of a commercial PGPR product contained Bacillus polymyxa and Pseudomonas fluorescens in suppressing population developments of Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae). The biology and demographic statistics of A. glycines reared on soybean with and without the PGPR applications were compared. The PGPR suspensions of 5 g formulation per liter water were used to soak soybean seed for 15 minutes and to water soybean plant 2 weeks after transplanting. Cohorts of 65 first instar A. glycines of each treatment were observed daily and individual mortality, molting, and fecundity were recorded until the last individual dead. Second instar stadium of A. glycines reared on treated plant lasted longer than those reared on untreated plant, i.e. 1.4 and 1.1 days, respectively. These resulted on a longer life cycle for A. glycines reared on treated plant than on untreated plant, i.e. 4.9 and 4.5 days, respectively. In turn, it caused the A. glycines population to experienceslower growth on treated plants than on untreated plants.  The values of A. glycines GRR, Ro, rm, T and DT on treated plants were 71.834, 57.780, 0.557, 7.287 and 1.245, consecutively; whilst that of untreated plants were 104.861, 63.326, 0.586, 7.084 and 1.184, respectively.
Suppressing Bacterial Wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) by Grafting Tomato Seedlings Grown on Six Comparable Media
Authors: Rahmawati Anggita , Arwiyanto Triwidodo
Published: September 2020

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is an important disease of tomatoes. The grafting method with a resistant rootstock variety is a reliable control technique and has been carried out in many countries. Healthy tomato seedling are needed for grafting so this study was aimed to find a good seedling medium to grow the upper stem and rootstock of tomato for grafting and to know the effect of seed media on the intensity of bacterial wilt). Tomato seeds were grown in coir and rice husk charcoal with ratio A (10:0), B (9:1), C (8:2), D (7:3), E (6:4), F (5:5) (coir : rice husk charcoal, v/v). Seedlings were watered regularly and after seedlings aged 21 days, the grafting was conducted. Agronomic observations were justified by measuring germination style, plant height, leaf area, fresh mass and dry mass of plants at 21 days after planting. Tomato seedlings were grafted by using H-7996 variety as a rootstock and Servo variety as an upper stem. Tomato seedlings were transplanted into polybags and then inoculated with R. solanacearum (108 CFU/ml). The disease intensity and AUDPC (Area Under Disease Progress Curve) were recorded. The results revealed that the media with a ratio of 8:2 (coir : rice husk charcoal, v/v) is the best medium for growing tomatoes and the grafting treatment could reduce the disease intensity of bacterial wilt by 40% compared with non grafted treatment and reduce 16% disease intensity compared to the grafted treatment with seedling sown in other ratio media at the last observation.
Potency of Yeasts to Promote Induced Resistance on Chili Plant (Capsicum annuum L.) against Yellow Leaf Curl Disease
Authors: Hartati Sri , Meliansyah Rika , Djaya Luciana , Nasahi Ceppy , Putra Ramadhan Kamal
Published: September 2020

Yellow leaf curl is a major disease on chili plants. The use of antagonistic yeasts as the control agents is a good alternative in  an environmentally friendly control method. This study was objected to evaluate the potencies of Rhodotorula minuta and Candida tropicalis to promote induced resistance on chili plants against yellow leaf curl disease. The experiment was arranged in the randomized complete block design with 9 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments were the application of the yeasts at three different times of virus inoculation, as follows: A. R. minuta, virus inoculation at 3 days after transplanting (dat), B. R. minuta, virus inoculation at 7 dat, C. R. minuta, virus inoculation at 10 dat, D. C. tropicalis, virus inoculation at 3 dat, E. C. tropicalis, virus inoculation at 7 dat, F. C. tropicalis, virus inoculation at 10 dat, G. control, virus inoculation at 3 dat, H. control, virus inoculation at 7 dat, and I. control, virus inoculation at 10 dat. No treatment was applied to the control.  The yeasts were applied by soaking the chili seeds, and pouring the suspension into the growth media at transplanting. The variables observed were incubation period, disease severity, and disease incidence. Peroxidase activity, phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity, and salicylic acid accumulation were also analyzed. The results showed that the application of R. minuta or C. tropicalis was able to extend the disease incubation period, but did not reduce the yellow leaf curl disease incidence and severity. The treatment of R. minuta, virus inoculation at 7 dat, increased the peroxidase activity from 2590.80 units to 6870.93 units (0.5 minute) and from 577.367 units to 1131.300 units (2.5 minutes), PAL activity from 16.059 to 17.911 A290/mg, and accumulation of salicylic acid from 2.785 to 6.263 ppm. Application of C. tropicalis, virus inoculation at 7 dat, increased the peroxidase activity from 2590.80 units to 6033.067 units (0.5 minute) and from 577.367 units to 950.967 units (2.5 minutes), and accumulation of salicylic acid from 2.785 to 6.982 ppm.
Disease Severity and Molecular Identification of Banana bunchy top virus, Infecting Local Banana in Bali Island
Authors: Wirya Gusti Ngurah Alit Susanta , Sudiarta I Putu , Selangga Dewa Gede Wiryangga
Published: September 2020

Bunchy top symptoms on banana has been reported in Bali Island since early 2011. Symptoms variation were observed in the field similar to infection of Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV). The identity of the BBTV in Bali on the basis of DNA-S nucleotide sequence has not been studied, therefore research was conducted to identify the species of BBTV infecting local banana in Bali based on sequence analysis. Research activities were initiated by collecting field samples from several local banana growing areas in Bali Island. Incidence of bunchy top disease in all locations reached 8% to 44% with disease severity ranged from 2.6% to 30%. Identification of BBTV from field samples were done by polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for BBTV (CPF/CPR) followed by sequence analysis of amplified DNA target. Specific BBTV DNA fragment was successfully amplified from 10 field samples; sequence analysis of DNA fragments showed their highest homology with BBTV. In addition the phylogenetic analysis confirmed the close relationship of  BBTV  isolates from Bali with various BBTV isolates from Indonesia and other isolates from the Asian group in GeneBank.
Empagliflozin and Cardiovascular and Kidney Outcomes across KDIGO Risk Categories
Authors: Levin Adeera , Perkovic Vlado , Wheeler David C. , Hantel Stefan , George Jyothis T. , von Eynatten Maximilian , Koitka-Weber Audrey , Wanner Christoph ,   on behalf of the EMPA-REG OUTCOME Investigators
Published: September 2020

Background and objectives

In the Empagliflozin Cardiovascular Outcome Event Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients (EMPA-REG Outcome), empagliflozin, in addition to standard of care, significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular death by 38%, hospitalization for heart failure by 35%, and incident or worsening nephropathy by 39% compared with placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. Using EMPA-REG Outcome data, we assessed whether the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) CKD classification had an influence on the treatment effect of empagliflozin.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Patients with type 2 diabetes, established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and eGFR≥30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 at screening were randomized to receive empagliflozin 10 mg, empagliflozin 25 mg, or placebo once daily in addition to standard of care. Post hoc, we analyzed cardiovascular and kidney outcomes, and safety, using the two-dimensional KDIGO classification framework.

Results

Of 6952 patients with baseline eGFR and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio values, 47%, 29%, 15%, and 8% were classified into low, moderately increased, high, and very high KDIGO risk categories, respectively. Empagliflozin showed consistent risk reductions across KDIGO categories for cardiovascular outcomes (P values for treatment by subgroup interactions ranged from 0.26 to 0.85) and kidney outcomes (P values for treatment by subgroup interactions ranged from 0.16 to 0.60). In all KDIGO risk categories, placebo and empagliflozin had similar adverse event rates, the notable exception being genital infection events, which were more common with empagliflozin for each category.

Conclusions

The observed effects of empagliflozin versus placebo on cardiovascular and kidney outcomes were consistent across the KDIGO risk categories, indicating that the effect of treatment benefit of empagliflozin was unaffected by baseline CKD status.

Clinical Trial registry name and registration number:

EMPA-REG OUTCOME, NCT01131676
Comparación de estrategias educativas centradas en la sobrecarga del cuidador primario
Authors: Villa Alarcón Oliver Daniel , Paniagua Cortez Mauricio , Reyes Jiménez Olivia
Published: September 2020

Objetivo: comparar dos tipos de estrategias educativas (participativa vs. tradicional) centradas en la disminución de la sobrecarga del cuidador. Métodos: se realizó un estudio cuasiexperimental, con dos grupos de veinte cuidadores primarios cada uno, se les aplicó la escala de Barthel a sus pacientes para determinar algún grado de dependencia, así como la escala Zarit para obtener el grado de sobrecarga del cuidador antes y después de una estrategia educativa; el manejo de la información se realizó mediante estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Se compararon variables independientes mediante la prueba U de Mann-Whitney p<0.05, ic 95% y Mac Nemar para comparar el cambio en la distribución de proporciones p<0.05, ic 95%. Resultados: existió sobrecarga leve al inicio de la intervención en 80% (n=16) del grupo correspondiente a cuidadores con estrategia participativa y 75% (n=15) del grupo B correspondiente a cuidadores con estrategia tradicional; después de la intervención, el grupo A reportó 55% (n=11) y el grupo B, 60% (n=12) de participantes con sobrecarga leve (p<0.05); no se presentaron modificaciones en la sobrecarga intensa después de la estrategia educativa. Conclusiones: la educación participativa es útil para disminuir la sobrecarga del cuidador en la sobrecarga leve. Es importante valorar el apoyo especializado para disminuir el impacto de la sobrecarga intensa en los cuidadores.