bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in Availability and Affordability of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies After New Medical Reform in Hubei Province, China
Authors: Ding Yufeng , Zhang Jinwen , Xia Meijun , Wu Guangjie , Li Weijie , Feng Da , Gong Shiwei
Published: April 2020

Background: In 2017, China launched a new round of medical reform (NMR) to solve the problems of "expensive and difficult to use drugs" for patients. The expensive and high-value therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have become the focus of attention. Promoting the availability and affordability of mAbs is an important way to improve the quality of life and health equity of patients. Methods: We used a standard method developed by the World Health Organization to conduct two surveys on mAbs’ availability and price before and after the NMR in the public general hospitals in Hubei province. By interviewing experts from these hospital pharmacies, we identified the factors that contributed to low accessibility and determined the effectiveness of NMR. Results: After the NMR, we found the average availability of 13 mAbs increased by 6.7% in the survey hospitals of Hubei Province. The median per unit price of 10 mAbs dropped by 34.3%. The average cost of a treatment cycle of 10 mAbs dropped from an equivalent of 529 days to 151 days of daily disposable income for a middle-income resident. Only trastuzumab and bevacizumab showed a significant decrease in price and a significant increase in availability, simultaneously. High price, lack of clinical demand and hospital drug procurement list, low income of patients, limited coverage and reimbursement of National Basic Medical Insurance (NBMI) for mAbs, and lack of incentives for generic mAbs were the main obstacles to the accessibility of mAbs. The drug negotiation mechanism of NBMI and the promotion of consistency evaluation of generic and original drugs can effectively promote the accessibility of mAbs. Conclusions: The availability and affordability of mAbs in Hubei Province have improved significantly, but still at a low level. There is currently no synergy between the policies of the NMR to promote the accessibility of the mAbs. In the future, we should implement R & D incentives for high-quality mAbs and generics, conduct medication evaluation and education of therapeutic mAbs, and design a special medical insurance payment method.
Perspectives of Scientists on Disseminating Research Findings to Non-Research Audiences
Authors: McNeal Demetria , Glasgow Russell E. , Brownson Ross C. , Matlock Daniel D. , Peterson Pamela N. , Daugherty Stacie L. , Knoepke Christopher E.
Published: April 2020

Background Little is known about practices used to disseminate findings to non- research audiences. This study describes the perspectives, experience and activities of dissemination & implementation (D&I) researchers around disseminating their research findings.Methods The study explored D&I researchers’ experiences and recommendations for assessment of dissemination activities to non-research audiences. Existing list serves were used to recruit scientist. Respondents were asked three open ended questions on an Internet survey regarding 1) how their dissemination activities are evaluated, 2) how they would recommend changing the system to recognize dissemination activities and 3) how they could improve their own dissemination of their work.Results Surveys were completed by 159 scientists reporting some training, funding, and/or publication history in D&I. Three themes emerged across each of the three open ended questions. Question 1 on evaluation generated the themes of: 1a) promotional review; 1b) funding requirements; and 1c) absence of evaluation of dissemination activities. Question 2 on recommended changes generated the themes of: 2a) dissemination as a distinct component of research; 2b) requirement of dissemination plan; and 2c) dissemination metrics. Question 3 on personal changes to improve dissemination generated the themes of: 3a) allocation of resources for dissemination activities; 3b) utilization of non-traditional (or alternative) dissemination mediums; and 3c) identify and address issues of priority for stakeholders.Conclusions The findings revealed the different types of issues D&I researchers encounter when disseminating findings to non-academic audiences and their suggestions to improve the process. Future research should consider key requirements which determine academic promotion and grant funding as an opportunity to expand dissemination efforts.
Evaluating the Effect of an educational program on increasing cervical cancer screening behavior among rural women in Guilan, Iran
Authors: Eghbal Sedighe Bab , Karimy Mahmood , Kasmaei parisa , Roshan Zahra Atrkar , Valipour Roghieh , Atari Maryam
Published: April 2020

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the major health problems and the third prevalent cancer in women all around the world. As a simple, inexpensive, and with no side-effects test, Pap test is a reliable way to screen cervical cancer. This study aimed to investigate, the effects of educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on doing pap tests in the women living in the rural areas of the north of Iran.Methods: In a quasi-experimental study, 160 rural women were randomly divided into control and experiment groups to experience a three session’s intervention. The experiment group received, educational programs based on the HBM constructs through personal consultation, asking/answering questions, and an educational pamphlet. The control group, received the routine educational programs of the health center. The post-test data were collected two months after the intervention and analyzed on SPSS-18.Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the control and experiment groups in terms of the mean score of knowledge, performance, and the constructs of the HBM. After the intervention, however, there was a significant difference in the mean scores of knowledges, performance, and all constructs of the HBM of the two groups (p<0.001). The rate of doing a pap test in the experimental group increased from 18.7% to 78.7% in the intervention group.Conclusions: The findings supported the effectiveness of cervical cancer prevention programs based on the HBM. Therefore, conducting similar programs in other regions is recommended.
Transcriptomics & copy number variation of radiotoxicity points to altered mitochondrial and DNA repair mechanisms
Authors: Pathak Gita A , Polimanti Renato , Silzer Talisa K , Wendt Frank R , Chakraborty Ranajit , Phillips Nicole R
Published: April 2020

Proctitis is an inflammation of the rectum and may be induced by radiation treatment for cancer. We investigated proctitis as a radiotoxic endpoint in prostate cancer patients who received radiotherapy (n=222). We analyzed the copy number variation and SNP-derived transcriptomic profiles of whole-blood and prostate tissue associated with proctitis. The SNP and copy number data were genotyped on Affymetrix® Genome-wide Human SNP Array 6.0. Following QC measures, the genotypes were used to obtain gene expression by leveraging GTEx, a reference dataset for gene expression association based on genotype and RNA-seq information for prostate (n= 132) and whole-blood tissue (n=369). In prostate tissue, 62 genes were significantly associated with proctitis, and 98 genes in whole-blood tissue. Six genes - CABLES2, ATP6AP1L, IFIT5, ATRIP, TELO2 , and PARD6G were common to both tissues. The copy number analysis identified seven regions associated with proctitis, one of which ( ALG1L2) was also associated with proctitis based on transcriptomic profiles in the whole-blood tissue. The genes identified via transcriptomics and copy number variation association were further investigated for enriched pathways and gene ontology. Some of the enriched processes were DNA repair, mitochondrial apoptosis regulation, cell-to-cell signaling interaction processes for renal and urological system, and organismal injury.
Methodology for assessment of public health preparedness and response synergies between institutional authorities and the community
Authors: de Vries Daniel H. , Kinsman John , Takacs Judit , Tsolova Svetla , Ciotti Massimo
Published: April 2020

Background: This paper describes a participatory methodology that supports investigation of the collaboration between communities affected by infectious disease outbreak events and relevant official institutions. The core principle underlying the methodology is the recognition that synergistic relationships, characterised by mutual trust and respect, between affected communities and official institutions provide the most effective means of addressing outbreak situations. Methods: The methodological approach and lessons learned were derived from four qualitative case studies including (i) two tick-borne disease events: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Spain, and tick-borne encephalitis in the Netherlands (2016); and (ii) two outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis (norovirus in Iceland, 2017, and verocytotoxin-producingEscherichia coli [VTEC] in Ireland, 2018). These studies were conducted in collaboration with the respective national public health authorities in the affected countries by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Results: An after-event qualitative case study approach was taken using mixed methods. Lessons highlight the critical importance of collaborating with national focal points during preparation and planning, and interviewer reflexivity during fieldwork. Field work for each case study was conducted over one working week, which although limiting the number of individuals and institutions involved, still allowed for rich data collection due to the close collaboration with local authorities. The analysis focused on the specific actions undertaken by the participating countries’ public health and other authorities in relation to community engagement, as well as the view from the perspective of the community. Conclusions: The overall objective of the assessment to identify synergies between institutional decision-making bodies and community actors and networks before, during and after an outbreak response to a given public health emergency. The methodology is generic and could be applied to a range of public health emergencies, zoonotic or otherwise. The methodology emphasises reflexivity among fieldworkers, a relatively short time needed for data collection, potential generalisability of findings, insider-outsider perspectives, politically sensitive findings, and how to deal with ethical and language issues.
Guidelines and best practice recommendations on reproductive health services provision amid COVID-19 pandemic: Scoping review.
Authors: Tolu Lemi Belay , Jeldu Wondimu Gudu
Published: April 2020

Introduction: During pandemics, there is uncertainty and information overload. Policymakers and health professionals prefer to use summarized evidence of practice recommendations. The aim of this scoping review is therefore to identify available guidelines, consensus statements, the standard of practice and practice recommendations on reproductive health service provision during the COVID-19 pandemics.Methods: We searched guideline databases and websites of professional associations and international organizations working on sexual and reproductive health. We looked for guidelines, protocols, consensus statements and practice recommendations on sexual reproductive health services (SRH) during COVID-19 pandemics. Additionally, we searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar. Data extraction was done by two independent reviewers using a customized tool that was developed to record the key information of the source that’s relevant to the review question. The difference between the two authors on data extraction was resolved by discussion.Results: A total of 20 records were included in the review. Identified recommendations were classified into thematic areas. The records addressed approaches to the antenatal care, labour and delivery, postnatal care, safe abortion, contraception, gender-based violence and artificial reproduction. We haven’t employed any of the quality assessment tools as the pandemic is new clinical entity and evidences are based on expert opinion and limited clinical evidence.Conclusions: There were consistent consensus statements and recommendations that there should be access to sexual and reproductive health services like antenatal care(ANC), postnatal care(PNC), contraception service, safe abortion care and clinical management of rape survivors during the COVID-19 pandemics with the concerted effort of service re-organization. The practice recommendations focus on innovative ways of service provision to minimize patient and staff exposure to COVID-19 as well as alleviate the burden on the health care system. These include utilizing telemedicine or digital health and community/home-based care or self-care.
Where Is My Place? Authors from the Former Yugoslavia in Contemporary German Literature
Authors: Pajić Ivana , Zarifović Grković Mirjana
Published: April 2020

Until the first half of the twentieth century there were only a few representative authors with a migrant background who wrote in German. Since the 1950s and 60s this number has significantly increased. The terminological determinant of this literature has been debated for decades, as the crucial questions to be answered first are, in fact, what kind of literature it is and what place it should take in the German literary scene. This is evidenced by many names that are used or were used in the discourse on this literature, the most common of which are “gastarbeiter”, “migrant” and “migration” literature. The winner of the most prestigious German literary prize “Deutscher Buchpreis” for 2019 is Sasa Stanisic, an author originally from the former Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who writes in German and is one of the best contemporary German-speaking writers. For this reason, this paper deals with the position of an under-researched group of authors originally from the former Yugoslavia in contemporary German literature from the period when that literature was still called “gastarbeiter”, until today, when it is considered equal to contemporary German literature and when there is no more need for special marginalizing terminological definitions, such as those mentioned above, nor literary awards intended for this literature alone, such as the “Adelbert-von-Chamisso-Preis” prize. The paper clarifies the terminological determinants of gastarbeiter, migrant, migration, hybrid and new world literature, by which some authors characterize this literature, and points out the reasons why the use of these terms is (un)justified. In addition, attention is drawn to representative authors who write in German, originating from the former Yugoslavia, in chronological order, as well as the awards for which some of them were nominated or have won, which testifies to the importance of these writers in the German speaking area and the equality with other German writers which they have achieved in recent years.
The Possibilities and Obstacles to Creating an Inclusive Register of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina – An Anthropological Analysis
Authors: Ćuković Jelena , Milenković Miloš
Published: April 2020

This paper looks at the current situation of the institutional practice of safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in terms of the idea, put forward in anthropological literature, about the need to establish an inclusive ICH register for the entire territory of the Republic of Serbia, and a separate one for the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. In view of the principles of the Unesco Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH and the accompanying Operational Directives for its implementation, the ethnic attribution of heritage, proposed as a solution to the problem of underrepresentation of minority heritage in the state register, is analytically shown to be possible, yet insufficient. Although neither Unesco methodology nor global cultural policies present an obstacle to the creation of parallel registers, the existing Safeguarding Network, as well as the problem of underrepresentation of minority identities, would not be resolved in a way that would not at present demand excessive theoretical and moral concessions from anthropology, and particularly from applied ethnology. An analysis of the disharmonies between the theoretical apparatus of anthropology, the practice of applying ethnology within the safeguarding system, the legal framework for the protetion of ethnic minorities, and the results of qualitative research among minority communities, suggests the need for further mutual adjustment between science, the administration and the non-governmental sector through intersectoral collaboration.
The Image and the Cult: The Icon of Joyful Lady of Bač
Authors: Piperski Nikola
Published: April 2020

This paper focuses on the development of the cult of the late 17th century icon of the Virgin with the Child, known as Joyful Lady of Bač, from its origins to the present day. Painted in the manner of late Byzantine art, and preserved in the Franciscan monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in Bač, this Italo-Cretan icon was and still is highly venerated by local Slavic population of both Catholic and Orthodox denominations. At one point this icon also started to be venerated as the icon of Our Lady of Gradovrh, miraculous icon from the Franciscan monastery in Gradovrh near Tuzla in Bosnia. Through this case study, the paper aims at highlighting the fact that in the areas, where during many centuries population of both Catholic and Orthodox denominations lived together, the ways of veneration of holy images differed little among them in both form and essence.
Viennese Hallways in Darko Markov's Bleak Vision
Authors: Antonijević Dragana
Published: April 2020

This paper analyzes the novel Twilight in the Viennese Hallway 2 (Old Boska) (2013) by Darko Markov, a migrant-writer from Vienna. The novel describes the way of life and culturological characteristics of Serbian immigrants in Austria through two generations – the gastarbeiter as the older immigrant stratum of migrant workers  in the 1970s and 1980s, and the younger, well-educated people who immigrated in the 1990s, fleeing the wars in the former Yugoslavia and the dire economic situation in Serbia due to inflation and international sanctions. Through the seemingly simple storyline about the marital and romantic problems of the protagonist – a young intellectual from Belgrade who arrived in Vienna in the 1990s, the author constructs a dense narrative network of the main character's various experiences, describing the difficulties of adjusting and coping in a foreign country. The protagonist simultaneously comes up against two worlds with different value systems – on the one hand, that of the gastarbeiter, his compatriots, whose way of life, attitudes and behaviors he often finds strange and unacceptable, sometimes even irrational, and on the other hand, the prejudices, intolerance and lack of understanding exhibited by Austrians not only towards him but also towards other immigrants. His path crossing that of various other characters, the protagonist himself undergoes changes in his search for meaning and for his place in a foreign land.

In his description of characters and their actions Darko Markov uses the literary technique of realism, relying to a great extent, by his own admission, on real-life persons and events. His mimetic narrative technique can thus be characterized as faction – a blend of fiction and facts, enriched with numerous ethnographic descriptions of the traits, behavior, appearance, speech and value system of the gastarbeiter and other migrants in the Austrian capital. In that sense Markov's novel belongs to the genre of ethnographic prose as it abounds in anthropologically and ethnologically relevant themes and motifs. In a wider sense, the novel belongs to migrant literature defined in terms of the theme, characters and content relating to the life of migrants, and, secondly, the author who is himself an immigrant.

The paper first provides a literary-ethographic analysis through the structural elements of its composition – the plot, the characters (attributes, actions and motivation), the narrative time frame and the space that Serbian immigrants in Vienna inhabit and move around in. It then proceeds to analyze through anthropological interpretation some of the novel' motifs and themes, specifically, the problems of ethnic prejudice, integration into the host society, the marginal position of immigrants through two types of marginalization – exterior marginalization in the form of their socio-economic status, and interior marginalization through exoticization and stigmatization, and also the question of language as an important ethnic and cultural marker.
Inbetween the Worlds – Gastarbeiter Novel Taxi Driver of Munich: An Anthropological Analysis
Authors: Banić Grubišić Ana
Published: April 2020

From the perspective of the anthropology of migrations and literature, the paper analyzes The Taxi Driver of München, a novel with autobiographical elements by the Croatian author and gastarbeiter Romano Mrkić. After outlining the basic genre characteristics of "migrant literature" and the so-called gastarbeiter novel, the paper proceeds to analyze the dominant themes and motifs in the novel The Taxi Driver of München. This work, written in the tradition of realist narration, deals with the immediate experience of migranthood and represents a prototype of the first-generation gastarbeiter novel. It is narrated from the perspective of a "guest worker" in Germany – through the character of the protagonist, the taxi driver Marko Mandić, Romano Mrkić writes about himself and his immigrant experience, about important Others and the complex modalities of migrant identity and (non)belonging. In addition to depicting the everyday experience of the gastarbeiter in Germany and their struggle to integrate into a new and different social environment, and describing the native population's ethnic prejudice and stereotypes in relation to the guest workers, Mrkić speaks from an insider perspective of "Yugo-Germans'" "adversities" of identity. His characters remain perpetually stuck between "two worlds", between "here" and "there", and between the past and the present, while the "myth of return" expressed through an overemphatic nostalgia for the homeland is the foundation of Mrkić's narrative. Through a thematic analysis of the novel, the paper explores the ideas of integration and assimilation of guest workers, as well as the cultural meanings that the author assigns to these processes.
Elusive Better Future: Identity Crisis Among Immigrants in Yesterday’s People
Authors: Ćuk Maja
Published: April 2020

Reminiscences of the past and melancholic feelings have often been present in the literature of the diaspora, which illustrates the fact that the life of an immigrant has never been easy since s/he has to deal with many unfavourable circumstances. Immigrant identity cannot remain exactly the same after arrival in a new cultural milieu. Elements of the original identity may be lost or transformed into new forms. Old selves cannot be completely assimilated into the new cultural pattern. Apart from this, there are other obstacles, which are presented in a symbolic way in Goran Simić’s collection of short stories Yesterday’s People. This Canadian author of Serbian origin has compiled a dossier of Yugoslavian immigrants in Canada who left the country in the last decade of the twentieth century due to the horrors of the war in Bosnia. Since they emigrated in a tumultuous social climate when the foundations of the old cultural identity had been destabilized and called into question, they cannot deal in a productive way with a new phase of their life in the diaspora and find their purpose at the moment . Similarly, to his protagonists, Goran Simić was affected by the Bosnian conflict, but he has succeeded in reshaping himself in his new surroundings, reworking his memories in a creative way and integrating into Canadian literature as a writer. However, scarred and traumatized yesterday’s people in his stories cannot grapple successfully with the existential problems and their identity crises, and they are constantly wedged between the haunting past and the elusively better future. The aim of this paper is to discuss the possible problems at the “meeting point” between the discourses and practices which shaped immigrants’ identity in their native land and the processes which construct them as subjects in the present, by relying on Stuart Hall’s theoretical views in “Who needs an Identity”.
Ičvič's Travels: Representations of Identity in Petar Milošević's Novel London, Pomaz
Authors: Prelić Mladena
Published: April 2020

The paper offers a reading of the novel London, Pomaz by Petar Milošević (b. 1952 in Kalaz, Hungary) in the key of individual and collective identity positionings, from the aspect of sociocultural anthropology. The novel, published in 1993, is framed as a love story spanning the East and West, until recently divided by the Cold War, and the protagonists are Serbs from the area around Budapest, a community to which both the author and his main character Ičvič belong. The character's surname, which is actually non-existent, has been formed from the suffixes -ić and -vić characteristic of patronymic Serbian surnames, in the Hungarianized version of -ič and -vič. Through a series of sequences, the novel describes the protagonist's life cycle from Pomaz, a small town between Budapest and Szentendre, where Ičvič was born, and Budapest, to Slovakia, the former Yugoslavia, Venice and London, and finally back to Pomaz, from the 1950s to the 1990s. Ičvič encounters different people and situations, others' stereotypes and prejudices as well as his own, unfulfilled expectations and the illusion of freedom in a world that has supposedly risen above ideological divisions, while next door, his (former) country is riven by ethnic war, the small community to which he belongs by birth is gradually disappearing, and in the supposed democratization processes following the fall of the Berlin wall, power and control merely take new forms. The situations in which the protagonist finds himself provide the possibility of reading/reading into them the relationship we:others or I:others, in other words, of different identity formations and positionings, not only of Ičvič himself but also of other characters and the collectivities to which they actually or supposedly belong. The assumption is that, despite the significant differences between a literary text and ethnography, a literary work can be used, with due methodological caution, as a source in anthropological research.
“We All Carry Inside Us Many Identities, a Multitude of These Selves of Ours”: Anthropological Analysis of Bekim Sejranović’s Novel the Diary of a Nomad
Authors: Kulenović Nina
Published: April 2020

This paper offers an anthropological analysis of Bekim Sejranović’s last novel, The Diary of a Nomad, approaching it as the ethnography of the novelist’s own migrant experience. The goal of the paper is, on the one hand, to answer the question how, in the process of constant movement between cultural boundaries, the identity of the author himself is being constructed and reconstructed, and how it is being shaped through the very process of writing. On the other hand, the paper looks at how the author imagines Norway, and thus potentially participates in the way in which a region is imagined in the context in which the reception of the novel takes place. Finally, it sheds light on the reasons why the author feels like a stranger in his “new/Scandinavian homeland”, even though he has spent more than twenty years there and has Norwegian citizenship, how he perceives himself as being externally categorized as a stranger, why he self-identifies relationally as a non-Norwegian, and also why he strategically self-identifies as a Norwegian when this particular self-identification is to serve as a basis for building legitimacy for his criticism of Norwegian society.
O estigma da feminilidade nas organizações: um estudo a partir da visão de sujeitos gays
Authors: Moura Renan Gomes de , Nascimento Rejane Prevot
Published: April 2020

Tratados muitas vTratados muitas vezes como minorias ou excluídos, os homossexuais, assim como outras categorias marginalizadas da sociedade, estão submetidos ao controle social por parte de um grande grupo hegemônico, que determina o que é tido como “normal” na sociedade (Pereira, 2009). Neste sentido, este trabalho se propõe compreender a estigmatização da feminilidade nas organizações, pela perspectiva do sujeito gay. Foram entrevistados nove (09) sujeitos gays masculinos assumidos, residentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro, inseridos em diferentes atividades profissionais e com diferentes níveis de formação. O corpus da pesquisa foi analisado por meio da análise de conteúdo. Constatou-se que o estigma da feminilidade pode ser compreendido a partir do momento em que o “ser feminino” é visto como inferior ao homem pela sociedade e pelas organizações, seja por meio das palavras ou por meio de comportamentos, com o objetivo de manter o poder heteromasculino.
Parkinsonlu Bireylerde Fonksiyonel Mobilite ve Aktivite Limitasyonuna Yönelik Hasta Bildirimli ve Performansa Dayalı Sonuç Ölçümleri
Authors: YENİŞEHİR Semiha , BATUR Veli , ÇITAK KARAKAYA İlkim , KARAKAYA Mehmet Gürhan
Published: April 2020

Motor ve motor olmayan semptomlarla karakterize Parkinson hastalığı Alzheimer hastalığından sonra ikinci en
sık görülen nörodejeneratif hastalıktır. Patofizyolojisinde genetik faktörler,
doğumsal anomaliler, toksik ajan maruziyeti, travma, inflamasyon, oksidatif
stres ve beynin derin kısmında yer alan substansiya nigrada dopamin üreten
hücrelerin hasarı yer almaktadır. Parkinson
hastalığı ortalama 55-60 yaşlarında başlamakta, görülme sıklığı 15-250/100.000
arasında değişmektedir. Türkiye'de yapılan çalışmalarda görülme sıklığı
202/100.000 olarak belirtilmiştir. Başlıca belirtileri bradikinezi, istirahat
tremoru, rijidite ve postüral instabilite olan Parkinson
hastalığında serotonerjik, noradrenerjik, kolinerjik ve otonomik sistemin de
etkilenmesi hastada nöropsikiyatrik semptomlara, otonom bozukluklara, uyku
bozukluklarına ve duyusal belirtilere yol açmaktadır. Bu durum postür, denge ve
yürüyüş bozukluklarına neden olmaktadır. Parkinson
hastalığına özgü yürüyüş bozuklukları kas zayıflığı, aktivite limitasyonu,
fiziksel inaktivite ve fonksiyonel açıdan kısıtlılık meydana getirerek
bireylerin yaşam kalitesini olumsuz yönde etkilemektedir. Parkinson hastalığında hasta merkezli rehabilitasyonu
sağlamak için hasta tercihlerine cevap veren tedavi yaklaşımını hedeflemek
gerekir. Bu nedenle günlük yaşam aktivitelerinde algılanan zorlukların değerlendirilmesi aşamasında performansa yönelik ve hasta
bildirimli sonuç ölçümlerinin bir arada ele alınması büyük önem taşımaktadır.
Bu çalışmanın amacı, Parkinsonlu bireylerde aktivite limitasyonu ve fonksiyonel
mobiliteyi değerlendiren en uygun hasta bildirimli sonuç ölçümleri ve
performansa yönelik sonuç ölçümleri ile ilgili literatür bilgisini derlemek ve
ileride yapılacak klinik ve araştırma çalışmalarına ışık tutmaktır.
İki Kadın Bir Bebek: Tıbbi, Etik ve Hukuki Yönleri ile Mitokondri Değiştirme Tedavileri
Authors: METİN Sevtap , AZ Adem , ERTIN Hakan
Published: April 2020

Mitokondriler, neredeyse tüm insan hücrelerinde bulunan hücre içi organellerdir ve nükleusta bulunan çekirdek DNA molekülü haricinde özgül bir genetik materyale sahip yegâne organeldir. Mitokondriyal gen defektine bağlı olarak gelişen mitokondrinin işlevinin bozulması, semptom ve ağırlıkları değişen çeşitli mitokondriyal hastalığa ve sendromlara neden olur. Mitokondriyal hastalıklarda bugün için kesin küratif bir tedavi yoktur. Sağaltımı olmayan bu mitokondri hastalıklarında dönüm noktası; 2008 yılında Newcastle Üniversitesi’nden bilim insanlarının, mitokondriyal hastalıkları artık geçmişte bırakan bir kırılmanın müjdesini vermesi olmuştur: Bu kırılma “Mitokondri değiştirme tedavisi”dir. Bu yöntemle dünyaya gelen bebekler -kamuoyunda daha çok bilinen ismiyle üç ebeveynli bebek- üremeye yardımcı teknolojiler ve bilhassa manipüle edilmiş mitokondri kullanılarak, iki kadının ve bir erkeğin genetik materyalleri ile doğan bebeklerdir. Bu çalışmamızda mitokondri değiştirme tedavilerini tıbbi, etik ve hukuki yönleri ile ele alacağız.
COVID-19 Pandemisinin Sosyal Yaşam ve Etik Düzlem Üzerine Etkileri: Bir Değerlendirme Çalışması
Authors: ÜSTÜN Çağatay , ÖZÇİFTÇİ Seçil
Published: April 2020

Dünya genelinde yaygın bir pandemi oluşturan COVID-19 salgını yaşamı ciddi anlamda tehdit etmeye devam etmektedir. Aslında beklenmeyen bir zamanda, Aralık 2019’da Çin’in Hubei eyaleti Wuhan kentinden başlayan bu hastalık hakkında var olan bilgiler her gün değişirken, hastalığın hızlı bulaşma şekli, hasta ve ölüm sayılarının sürekli artması sebebiyle var olan panik ve endişe bir tür korkuya dönüşmüş durumdadır. Makalemizi yazdığımız sırada geçen 4 ay içerisinde COVID-19 hakkında literatüre kazandırılan ve çoğunlukla bilimsel verilere dayandırılan makaleler, hastalık hakkında doğru bilgilenmenin sağlanmasına yardımcı olmaktadır. Bu nedenle makalenin belirtilen amaca yönelik hazırlanmasına özen gösterilmiştir. Hastalığın farklı seyreden klinik prognozu, görüldüğü yaş grupları ve yayılışı dikkate alındığında; konunun sadece tıbbi boyutla sınırla kalmayacağı, sosyokültürel, etik ve ahlâk, hukuk, eğitim, turizm, ekonomi, tarım, halk sağlığı açısından olumsuz bazı etkileri olabileceği tahmin edilebilir. Çıkış noktası burası olan bu makalede, internet üzerinden doğruluk payı fazla olan haber kaynaklarına ve bilimsel literatüre dayalı olarak, COVID-19 pandemisinin sosyal yaşam ve etik düzlemi etkileyen olumsuzluklarını inceleyen ve değerlendiren bir içeriğe yer verilmiştir. Hastalığın ilk etki dalgasındaki durumunu özetleyen bu tür makalelerin COVID-19’un ortaya çıkardığı tıbbi ve sosyal sorunların doğru algılanacağına ve yeni çalışmalara kaynak teşkil edeceğine inanıyoruz.
Büyük Verinin Etkin Yönetiminde Stratejik Uyum ve Veri Odaklı Kültür
Authors: Karaboğa Tuğba , Zehir Cemal
Published: April 2020

2000’li yılların sonlarına doğru büyük veriye ilgi her alanda olduğu gibi yönetim alanında da artmıştır. Büyük veri kullanımının yaygınlaşması yönetim alanında büyük bir devrim olarak kabul edilmiştir. Dünya çapında birçok işletme büyük veri yatırımları yaparak performanslarını arttırmayı amaçlamıştır. Bu doğrultuda yapılan araştırmalara göre bazı işletmeler büyük veri girişimlerinde başarılı olurken işletmelerin büyük çoğunluğu büyük veri yatırımlarından planladıkları sonucu elde edemeyerek başarısız olmuştur. Küresel ölçekte yapılan çalışmalar, büyük veri yatırımlarını sadece teknolojik altyapıyla ve analitik bilgisi yüksek nitelikli çalışanlarla desteklemenin yüksek performans elde etmek için yeterli olmadığını göstermiştir. İşletmelere büyük veri girişimlerinde başarıyı getiren asıl kritik husus ise şirketlerin büyük veriyi yönetebilme kabiliyetleridir. Yapılan literatür incelemelerinde, büyük veri stratejilerinin işletme stratejileriyle entegrasyonunun sağlanamaması ve veri odaklı kültürün olmayışı şirketlerin büyük veri girişimlerinin başarısızlıkla sonuçlanmasında etkili olan en büyük iki unsur olarak yer almaktadır. Bu çalışmada işletmelerin büyük veri yatırımlarında yüksek başarı elde edebilmesi için büyük veri stratejilerinin işletme stratejileriyle uyumlaştırılması ve veri odaklı bir kültür oluşturulmasının önemine vurgu yapılarak bir yol haritası önerilmiştir. Ayrıca, literatürdeki çalışmalardan hareketle işletmelerin stratejik ve kültürel uyumu gerçekleştirebilmesi için nelere dikkat etmesi gerektiğiyle ilgili önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
Review about Structure and Evaluation of Reactivators of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibited with Neurotoxic Organophosphorus Compounds
Authors: Figueroa-Villar José Daniel , Petronilho Elaine C. , Kuca Kamil , Franca Tanos C.C.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Neurotoxic chemical warfare agents can be classified as some of the most dangerous
chemicals for humanity. The most effective of those agents are the Organophosphates (OPs) capable
of restricting the enzyme Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which in turn, controls the nerve impulse
transmission. When AChE is inhibited by OPs, its reactivation can be usually performed through cationic
oximes. However, until today, it has not been developed one universal defense agent, with complete
effective reactivation activity for AChE inhibited by any of the many types of existing neurotoxic OPs.
For this reason, before treating people intoxicated by an OP, it is necessary to determine the neurotoxic
compound that was used for contamination, in order to select the most effective oxime. Unfortunately,
this task usually requires a relatively long time, raising the possibility of death. Cationic oximes also
display a limited capacity of permeating the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB). This fact compromises their
capacity to reactivating AChE inside the nervous system.

Methods:

We performed a comprehensive search on the data about OPs available on the scientific literature
today in order to cover all the main drawbacks still faced in the research for the development of
effective antidotes against those compounds.

Results:

Therefore, this review about neurotoxic OPs and the reactivation of AChE, provides insights for
the new agents’ development. The most expected defense agent is a molecule without toxicity and effective
to reactivate AChE inhibited by all neurotoxic OPs.

Conclusion:

To develop these new agents, the application of diverse scientific areas of research, especially
theoretical procedures as computational science (computer simulation, docking and dynamics),
organic synthesis, spectroscopic methodologies, biology, biochemical and biophysical information, medicinal
chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, is necessary.
The Association between Depression and Gastroesophageal Reflux based on Phylogenetic Analysis of miRNA Biomarkers
Authors: Chen Yi-Hau , Wang Hsiuying
Published: April 2020

A number of clinical studies have revealed that there is an association between major
depression (MD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Both the diseases are
shown to affect a large proportion of the global population. More advanced studies for understanding
the comorbidity mechanism of these two diseases can shed light on developing new
therapies of both diseases. To the best of our knowledge, there has not been any research
work in the literature investigating the relationship between MD and GERD using their
miRNA biomarkers. We adopt a phylogenetic analysis to analyze their miRNA biomarkers.
From our analyzed results, the association between these two diseases can be explored
through miRNA phylogeny. In addition to evidence from the phylogenetic analysis, we also
demonstrate epidemiological evidence for the relationship between MD and GERD based on
Taiwan biobank data.
Recent Breakthroughs in Various Antimicrobial Resistance Induced Quorum Sensing Biosynthetic Pathway Mediated Targets and Design of their Inhibitors
Authors: Kumar Mohit , Saxena Mridula , Saxena Anil K. , Nandi Sisir
Published: April 2020

Objective:

The world is under the grasp of dangerous post-antibiotics and antimicrobials
attack where common infections may become untreatable, leading to premature deaths due to
antimicrobial resistance (AMR). While an estimated 7,00,000 people die annually due to AMR,
which is a public health threat to all communities in different parts of the world regardless of their
economic status; however, this threat is serious in low- and middle-income countries having lack
of sanitation and health infrastructure. The 68th World Health Assembly endorsed the Global
Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance. Consequently, many countries started drafting and
committing to National Action Plans against AMR. As strong as National Action Plans are in terms
of prescribing rational use of antimicrobials, infection control practices, and related public health
measures, without strong healthcare systems, these measures will have a limited impact on AMR in
developing countries.

Methods:

The major reason for AMR is microbial quorum sensing (QS) that may strengthen the
microbial community to generate inter-communication and virulence effects via quorum sensing
mechanisms. Global stewardship to combat antimicrobial resistance aims to develop anti-quorum
sensing compounds that can inhibit the biosynthetic pathway mediated different quorum sensing targets.

Results:

It may pave an effective attempt to minimize microbial quorum sensing mediated
antimicrobial resistance. The present review describes QS mediated various potential target enzymes,
their connection to AMR, and finds out the corresponding QS biosynthetic target inhibitors.

Conclusion:

These potential inhibitors can be derivatized to design and develop next-generation
antimicrobial agents.
Identification of 2’-O-methylation Site by Investigating Multi-feature Extracting Techniques
Authors: Huang Qin-Lai , Wang Lida , Han Shu-Guang , Tang Hua
Published: April 2020

Background:

RNA methylation is a reversible post-transcriptional modification
involving numerous biological processes. Ribose 2'-O-methylation is part of RNA methylation. It
has shown that ribose 2'-O-methylation plays an important role in immune recognition and other
pathogenesis.

Objective:

We aim to design a computational method to identify 2'-O-methylation.

Methods:

Different from the experimental method, we propose a computational workflow to
identify the methylation site based on the multi-feature extracting algorithm.

Results:

With a voting procedure based on 7 best feature-classifier combinations, we achieved
Accuracy of 76.5% in 10-fold cross-validation. Furthermore, we optimized features and input the
optimized features into SVM. As a result, the AUC reached to 0.813.

Conclusion:

The RNA sample, especially the negative samples, used in this study are more
objective and strict, so we obtained more representative results than state-of-arts studies.
Potential of Mirabegron and its Extended-release Formulations for the Treatment of Overactive Bladder Syndrome
Authors: Mandpe Pankaj , Prabhakar Bala , Shende Pravin
Published: April 2020

Background:

Overactive bladder syndrome is a broadly occurring urological disorder with a distressing
impact on the quality of life. The commonly used antimuscarinic drugs show poor patient compliance because of
unsatisfactory potency, tolerability and high occurrence of adverse effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation,
dizziness etc. Mirabegron is the first approved β3-adrenoreceptor agonist, used as mono or in combination
therapies for overactive bladder syndrome.

Objective:

The present review provides an insight into the mechanism, pharmacokinetics, toxicokinetics, clinical
trials and the development of various conventional and modified-release dosage forms of mirabegron for the treatment
of overactive bladder syndrome.

Results:

The clinical trials of phase II and phase III of mirabegron demonstrated symptomatic relief from the overactive
bladder without disturbing the micturition cycle. To date, mirabegron showed promising results for safety, tolerability
and efficacy in patients with overactive bladder syndrome. The modified-release tablet dosage form of mirabegron
appear to be a proficient and suitable replacement for antimuscarinics and revealed the tremendous potential
to overcome the adverse effects of conventional antimuscarinic drugs like Oxybutyline chloride ER, Detrol LA,
VESIcare, etc.

Conclusion:

Mirabegron shows a distinct mode of action, i.e., targeting β3-adrenoreceptors and improving bladder
storage without altering void contractions. The limited side effects, high safety, efficacy and tolerability of mirabegron
present an adequate substitute to antimuscarinics. However, long-term analysis and clinical studies are prerequisites
for assessing the safety, tolerability and efficacy profile of mirabegron.
Is HE4 Superior over CA-125 in the Follow-up of Patients with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer?
Authors: El Bairi Khalid , Afqir Said , Amrani Mariam
Published: April 2020

Notwithstanding important advances in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC),
this disease is still a leading cause of global high mortality from gynecological malignancies. Recurrence
in EOC is inevitable and it is responsible for poor survival rates. There is a critical need for novel
effective biomarkers with improved accuracy compared to the standard carbohydrate antigen-125
(CA-125) for follow-up. The human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is used for early detection of EOC
(ROMA algorithm) as well as for predicting optimal cytoreduction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy
and survival outcomes. Notably, the emerging HE4 is a promising prognostic biomarker that has displayed
better accuracy in various recent studies for detecting recurrent disease. In this mini-review, we
discussed the potential of HE4 as an accurate predictor of EOC recurrence.
The Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR): Novel Considerations as an Antiviral Treatment
Authors: Maiese Kenneth
Published: April 2020

Multiple viral pathogens can pose a significant health risk to individuals. As a recent
example, the β-coronavirus family virion, SARS-CoV-2, has quickly evolved as a pandemic leading
to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has been declared by the World Health Organization
as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. To date, no definitive treatment or
vaccine application exists for COVID-19. Although new investigations seek to repurpose existing
antiviral treatments for COVID-19, innovative treatment strategies not normally considered to
have antiviral capabilities may be critical to address this global concern. One such avenue that may
prove to be exceedingly fruitful and offer exciting potential as new antiviral therapy involves the
mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its associated pathways of mTOR Complex 1
(mTORC1), mTOR Complex 2 (mTORC2), and AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK). Recent
work has shown that mTOR pathways in conjunction with AMPK may offer valuable targets to
control cell injury, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the onset of hyperinflammation,
a significant disability associated with COVID-19. Furthermore, pathways that can activate
mTOR may be necessary for anti-hepatitis C activity, reduction of influenza A virus replication,
and vital for type-1 interferon responses with influenza vaccination. Yet, important considerations
for the development of safe and effective antiviral therapy with mTOR pathways exist. Under
some conditions, mTOR can act as a double edge sword and participate in virion replication and
virion release from cells. Future work with mTOR as a potential antiviral target is highly warranted
and with a greater understanding of this novel pathway, new treatments against several viral
pathogens may successfully emerge.
Studies on the pIC50 of 4,5-Diarylisoxazole as HSP90 Inhibitors
Authors: Ouyang Jing , Liu Xiaoqian , Zhao Yutao , Liu Ying , Si Hongzong , Zhai Honglin
Published: April 2020

Background:

Heat Shock Protein 90(HSP90) inhibitors are involved in multiple anticancer
pathways, which indicate many important novel molecular targets for cancer therapy. However,
the characteristics of poor water solubility, liver toxicity and finite bioavailability of the present
inhibitors limit clinical application. Hence, it is crucial to evaluate the characteristics of compounds
and develop new drugs with hypotoxicity and high-bioactivity.

Methods:

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) has been an effective method for
screening novel structures and predicting various properties of the synthesized compounds. Heuristic
Method (HM) and Gene Expression Programming (GEP) algorithm were used to establish linear and
nonlinear models severally.

Results:

The results showed that HM has good correlation coefficients of R2 and lower S2 as 0.79
and 0.29 for the training set and GEP has better values of 0.89 and 0.05, respectively.

Conclusion:

Both models have the capability of prediction but the nonlinear model developed by
GEP has a more excellent predictive ability and indicates further optimization of the HSP90 inhibitors.