bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Centro Histórico de Manaus/AM: Subsídios para o Reordenamento Turístico
Authors: Oliveira Sibelle da Silva , Guimarães Márcia Raquel Cavalcante , Maia Karla Cristina Ribeiro
Published: July 2020

O presente artigo é fruto de uma investigação inédita sobre o Centro Histórico de Manaus, no que consiste a inventariação da oferta turística nessa localidade que preserva boa parte dos seus patrimônios edificados, bem como dispõe de atrativos, serviços e equipamentos turísticos. A coleta de dados teve como objetivo inventariar as avenidas Eduardo Ribeiro e Sete de Setembro, bem como as ruas Guilherme Moreira, Dr. Moreira, Marcílio Dias, Marechal Deodoro, Teodoreto Souto e José Paranaguá. Os resultados da pesquisa são considerados preliminares por tratar-se de uma amostra fragmentada do Centro Histórico de Manaus. A pesquisa é em um estudo de caso exploratório e descritivo, com os procedimentos do tipo bibliográficos e documentais, onde foram utilizados como método de coleta de dados os formulários do Ministério do Turismo (2011). Na pesquisa de campo a oferta turística totalizou em 135 itens, distribuídos entre 15 atrativos culturais, 9 espaços de lazer, 14 meios de hospedagem, 6 agências de viagens, 37 empreendimentos gastronômicos, 5 eventos programados, dentre outros serviços de apoio que complementam essa oferta. Deste modo, esse estudo pretende ser um instrumento de planejamento turístico para o reodernamento dessa área central da cidade, capaz de gerar mudanças significativas no cenário atual do turismo.
Palavras-chave: Planejamento Turístico. Inventariação. Centro Histórico.
Possibilidades e realidades em comunidades Quilombolas do Maranhão: o turismo como resgate da memória e identidade
Authors: Santos Saulo Ribeiro dos , Lucas Leite Angela Roberta , Da Conceição Rocha Aurea Helena , De Souza Barbosa Gabriela
Published: July 2020

Este trabalho é parte constitutiva de um projeto de pesquisa com foco na extensão em andamento desde 2018 que tem o intuito de resgatar as memórias identitárias de comunidades quilombolas do Maranhão situada no município de Cururupu, que de alguma forma vem se perdendo desde o declínio econômico das antigas fazendas e com o desinteresse dos jovens em perpetuar a história do lugar. Assim, objetiva-se neste estudo identificar realidades e possibilidades do desenvolvimento turístico em duas comunidades quilombolas em Cururupu como forma de resgate da memória e história do lugar. Utilizou-se como procedimentos metodológicos a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. Caracteriza-se como descritiva e exploratória, com análise qualitativa das conversas informais com os moradores mais antigos durante a pesquisa in loco, pautados em estudos realizados por Aguirre (1997), Barretto (2007), Bosi (1987), Martins (2003), Meneses (1992), Polack (1992) e Rico Cánovas (2014). Os resultados iniciais constatam que a partir de um modelo de desenvolvimento do turismo cultural, este segmento seria capaz de contribuir para a manutenção da identidade local e ser um possível perpetuador sociocultural das identidades, memórias e histórias das comunidades quilombolas de Cururupu.

Palavras-chave: Comunidades quilombolas. Cururupu (Maranhão). Identidade. Memória. Turismo cultural.
Uma análise histórica a partir da Stadtplatz (Centro histórico) de Itapiranga e sua relação com o turismo cultural
Authors: Franzen Douglas Orestes , Badalotti Claudine Machado , Chaves Gabriel Carpes de
Published: July 2020

O texto propõe fazer uma reflexão sobre a história da colonização Porto Novo (Itapiranga) e relacionar esse contexto com a formação do Stadtplatz (Centro Histórico) na cidade. O objetivo é apresentar elementos referenciais arquitetônicos representados por edificações históricas que estão presentes na paisagem a partir do núcleo fundacional da cidade. A partir disso, a análise apresenta uma proposta de vinculação desse centro histórico com a dinâmica do turismo em Itapiranga buscando apresentar referenciais disponíveis para a constituição de práticas turísticas e culturais tendo o centro histórico como elemento gerador no contexto local
Cyclic Nucleotides Signaling and Phosphodiesterase Inhibition: Defying Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sharma Vivek K. , Singh Thakur G. , Singh Shareen
Published: July 2020

Defects in brain functions associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases benefit insignificantly
from existing options, suggesting that there is a lack of understanding of pathological
mechanisms. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is such a nearly untreatable, allied to age neurological deterioration
for which only the symptomatic cure is available and the agents able to mould progression of
the disease, is still far away. The altered expression of phosphodiesterases (PDE) and deregulated cyclic
nucleotide signaling in AD has provoked a new thought of targeting cyclic nucleotide signaling in
AD. Targeting cyclic nucleotides as an intracellular messenger seems to be a viable approach for certain
biological processes in the brain and controlling substantial. Whereas, the synthesis, execution,
and/or degradation of cyclic nucleotides has been closely linked to cognitive deficits. In relation to
cognition, the cyclic nucleotides (cAMP and cGMP) have an imperative execution in different phases
of memory, including gene transcription, neurogenesis, neuronal circuitry, synaptic plasticity and neuronal
survival, etc. AD is witnessed by impairments of these basic processes underlying cognition,
suggesting a crucial role of cAMP/cGMP signaling in AD populations. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors
are the exclusive set of enzymes to facilitate hydrolysis and degradation of cAMP and cGMP thereby,
maintains their optimum levels initiating it as an interesting target to explore. The present work reviews
a neuroprotective and substantial influence of PDE inhibition on physiological status, pathological
progression and neurobiological markers of AD in consonance with the intensities of cAMP and
cGMP.
To Explore the Potential Targets and Current Structure-based Design Strategies Utilizing Co-crystallized Ligand to Combat HCV
Authors: Tarannum Heena , Chauhan Bhumika , Samadder Asmita , Roy Harekrishna , Nandi Sisir
Published: July 2020

Background:

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) belongs to the Hepacivirus family. HCV has been
designated as a very dreadful virus as it can attack the liver, causing inflammation and even may lead
to cancer in chronic conditions. It was estimated that 71 million people around the world have chronic
HCV infection. World Health Organization (WHO) reported that about 399000 people died because of
chronic cirrhosis and liver cancer globally. In spite of the abundance of availability of drugs for the
treatment of HCV, however, the issue of drug resistance surpasses all the possibilities of therapeutic
management of HCV. Therefore, to address this issue of ‘drug-resistance’, various HCV targets were
explored to quest the evaluation of the mechanism of the disease progression.

Methods:

An attempt has been made in the present study to explore the various targets of HCV involved
in the mechanism(s) of the disease initiation and progression and to focus on the mode of binding
of ligands, which are co-crystallized at the active cavity of different HCV targets.

Conclusion:

The present study could predict some crucial features of these ligands, which possibly
interacted with various amino acid residues responsible for their biological activity and molecular signaling
pathway(s). Such binding mode may be considered as a template for the high throughput
screening and designing of active congeneric ligands to combat HCV.
γ-Aminobutyric Acid Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Inducing TNFAIP3
Authors: Li Hanwen , Wu Yongyao , Huang Ning , Zhao Qi , Yuan Quan , Shao Bin
Published: July 2020

Background:

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease. There is still an
unmet need for novel therapeutic agents that could be beneficial as osteoporosis treatments. It has
been reported that the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) might be associated with human
bone formation. However, the precise mechanism remains unclear.

Objective:

To investigate the effect of GABA on bone metabolism and explore the possible role of
TNFAIP3 in this process.

Methods:

GABA had little effect on the proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and
RAW 264.7 cells, as indicated by the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The results showed that
GABA enhanced the intensity of ALP staining, ALP activity, and accumulation of Ca2+ mineralized
nodules in hMSCs during osteogenic induction.

Results:

The qRT-PCR results indicated that GABA treatment significantly increased the mRNA expression
of osteogenic genes in hMSCs. In RAW 264.7 cells, TRAP staining showed that GABA did not alter
the number or size of osteoclasts or the expression of osteoclastic genes, which suggests that GABA
does not affect osteoclastic differentiation. Mechanistically, GABA treatment significantly induced the
sustained expression of TNFAIP3. Furthermore, by knocking down TNFAIP3, the osteogenic effect of
GABA was antagonized, which suggests that TNFAIP3 mediates the effects of GABA in hMSCs.

Conclusion:

Our results suggested that GABA treatment positively regulated osteogenic differentiation
by upregulating TNFAIP3, while no obvious effect on osteoclastic differentiation was detected.
Therefore, our results provide a potential gene therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis and low bone
mineral density.
Neurological Complications in COVID-19 Patients and its Implications for Associated Mortality
Authors: AboTaleb Hanin A.
Published: July 2020

:

Coronavirus is an enveloped, non-segmented, positive-polarity and single-stranded
RNA virus. It has four types of genera that infect mammals and birds, with only alpha and beta
types found to affect humans with varying severity. A specific clade of beta coronaviruses is reported
as lethal zoonotic viruses and has created major epidemic troubles, starting with the severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002, then the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in
2012, and lastly Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2019. However, many neurological
complications reported in COVID-19 patients have highlighted a critical pattern of the severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Awareness of such an association could create
new insight to consider neurological manifestations as a COVID-19 differential diagnosis during
the pandemic period of COVID-19 to avoid delayed diagnosis and prevent further transmission.

:

This mini-review aims to collect the current knowledge regarding the mechanism behind the neuroinvasive
capacity of SARS-CoV-2, to summarize the common documented neurological symptoms
and associated complications in COVID-19 patients, and to review the impact of neurological
manifestations on COVID-19 mortality.
Causes of Hospitalization in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Narrative Review
Authors: da Rosa Gilberto Pires , Cervera Ricard , Espinosa Gerard
Published: July 2020

Hospitalizations are frequent in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and carry a significant
economic burden. The focus of this review was to summarize the information available on the
main causes of SLE hospitalizations over recent decades. A literature review was conducted, using
PubMed and Scopus, for articles related to SLE hospital admissions from 1981 onward. Active disease/
flare and infection were the leading causes of admission across the study period. More recently,
other comorbidities gained relevance, such as cardio and cerebrovascular disease, pregnancy-related
morbidity, adverse drug reactions, thromboembolic events, malignancy and renal, pulmonary and
gastrointestinal disease. African and Southeast Asian studies seemed to display particularly high percentages
of patients admitted with active disease/flare, while European and North American studies
appeared to report more admissions due to comorbidities and accumulated disease/treatment damage.
Some data support a temporal change of certain admission causes, but the limited number, heterogeneity
and variance among studies weakens a consistent analysis. In conclusion, despite the developments
in SLE management, causes of hospitalization have not prominently changed across recent decades.
Review of Bioactive Compounds Extracted from Carica papaya linn
Authors: Chai Yee H. , Yusup Suzana , Ruslan Muhammad S.H.
Published: July 2020

The presence of phytochemical constituents, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols,
fatty acids, etc., within various parts of Carica papaya is highly valuable for various health and
medicinal benefits. This paper aimed to review various sample preparation and extraction methods,
including conventional extraction and greener extraction methods of phytochemical compounds from
Carica papaya. In this review, the methodology used was based on comprehensive data searched
from the Web of Science for literature review and technology benchmarking. An in-depth discussion,
including advantages and drawbacks, of each sample and extraction methods of Carica papaya Linn.
are presented and outlined. Furthermore, key solutions were proposed to overcome issues faced in
conventional extraction methods and the challenges encountered in larger extraction scale ratios were
also presented to complement the movement towards more sustainable and greener extraction
processes.
Role of Biorelevant Media in the Estimation of In Vitro Lipolysis and Food Impact on Self-emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Verma Ravinder , Kaushik Deepak
Published: July 2020

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) include self-microemulsifying drug
delivery system (SMEDDS) and self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) whose
major benefits are reduction of inter/intrasubject variability and food effect that results in a better
pharmacological response of the drug. Oral intake of these formulations triggers the digestion process
because of pancreatic lipase which emulsifies/digests the lipidic ingredients of the formulation
leading to precipitation of the drug. As a tool to foresee in vivo medicament precipitation, in vitro
lipolysis models are established. Biorelevant media play an important role to study the effect of in
vitro lipolysis and food impact on the bioavailability of SEDDS formulations. It is vital to generate
the composition of fluids for both fed and fasting conditions of gastric, small intestine and colon to
investigate the impact of in vitro lipolysis and food on drug’s release behavior from the formulation.
Fed/Fasted state simulated gastric fluid (Fe/FaSSGF), and Fed/Fasted state simulated gastric
fluid (Fe/FaSSIF) (Phosphate buffers) are first-generation. While Fa/FeSSIF-V2 (maleate) are second-
generation biorelevant media utilized for these studies. FaSSIF-V3 belongs to the thirdgeneration
which differs from other generations in the composition and source of bile salts. With
updates in physiological data, it is vital to incorporate changes in dissolution media composition to
make it more biorelevant. This review paper mainly emphasized the compositions of biorelevant
media of gastric and small intestine for both fed and fasting conditions. Besides, applications of
biorelevant media to investigate the effect of in vitro lipolysis and food on SEDDS are discussed
with some recent research reports.
Design, Synthesis, Molecular Docking, and Anticancer Evaluation of Pyrazole Linked Pyrazoline Derivatives with Carbothioamide Tail as EGFR Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Nawaz Farah , Alam Ozair , Perwez Ahmad , Rizvi Moshahid A. , Naim Mohd. Javed , Siddiqui Nadeem , Firdaus Jannat ul , Rahman Shakilur , Jha Mukund , Sheikh Aadil A.
Published: July 2020

Background:

The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (known as EGFR) induces cell differentiation
and proliferation upon activation through the binding of its ligands. Since EGFR is thought to be involved in the
development of cancer, the identification of new target inhibitors is the most viable approach, which recently
gained momentum as a potential anticancer therapy.

Objective:

To assess various pyrazole linked pyrazoline derivatives with carbothioamide for EGFR kinase inhibitory
as well as anti-proliferative activity against human cancer cell lines viz. A549 (non-small cell lung
tumor), MCF-7 (breast cancer cell line), SiHa (cancerous tissues of the cervix uteri), and HCT-116 (colon cancer
cell line).

Methods:

In vitro EGFR kinase assay, in vitro MTT assay, Lactate dehydrogenase release, nuclear staining
(DAPI), and flow cytometry cell analysis.

Results:

Compounds 6h and 6j inhibited EGFR kinase at concentrations of 1.66μM and 1.9μM, respectively.
Furthermore, compounds 6h and 6j showed the most potent anti-proliferative results against the A549 KRAS
mutation cell line (IC50 = 9.3 & 10.2μM). Through DAPI staining and phase contrast microscopy, it was established
that compounds 6h and 6j also induced apoptotic activity in A549 cells. This activity was further confirmed
by FACS using Annexin-V-FITC and Propidium Iodide (PI) labeling. Molecular docking studies performed
on 6h and 6j suggested that the compounds can bind to the hinge region of ATP binding site of EGFR
tyrosine kinase in a similar pose as that of the standard drug gefitinib.

Conclusion:

The potential anticancer activity of compounds 6h and 6j was confirmed and need further exploration
in cancer cell lines of different tissue origin and signaling pathways, as well as in animal models of cancer
development.
New Selenonapthaquinone-Based Copper (II) Complexes as the Next-Generation Photochemotherapeutic Agents
Authors: Devi Longjam R. , Raza Md. Kausar , Musib Dulal , Roy Mithun
Published: July 2020

Background and Objective:

Photoactive transition metal complexes like copper complexes find great
interest in promoting metal-based photochemotherapeutic agents. In the present study, we explored the photocytotoxic
efficacy of new selenylnaphthoquinone-based copper (II) complexes that provide a phenomenal platform
in making an effective photo-chemotherapeutic agent via PDT in the clinical field of cancer therapy.

Methods:

Three new copper(II) complexes (1-3) were synthesized in 40-60% yield and characterized analytically/
spectroscopically. ATCC® Normal Adult Human Primary Epidermal Keratinocytes were grown in Dermal
Cell Basal Media supplemented with Keratinocyte Growth Kit components, to propagate keratinocytes in serum-
free (not animal free) conditions. Anticancer activity of the complexes was studied using MTT (3- [4,5-
dimethyltiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) assay. The intracellular ROS (1O2) generation was studied
by using Flow Cytometric Analysis (FACS) on HaCaT cells using cell accessible non-polar 2′,7′-
Dichlorofluorescein Diacetate (DCFH-DA) dye. The Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide (AO/EB) dual staining
assay was performed for detecting apoptosis in HaCaT cells. Several photophysical studies probing the generation
of singlet oxygen was also carried out. We have performed Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory
(TD-DFT) calculations using unrestricted B3LYP to understand the mechanism of type-II process.

Results:

All the complexes were remarkably cytotoxic in HaCaT cells with IC50, 1-4μM under visible light with
comparing lower dark toxicity. The presence of low-lying and long-lived triplet excited state allowed effective
intersystem crossing and subsequent generation of singlet oxygen, which was the primary cytotoxic species
responsible for oxidative stress and apoptosis. The experimental findings are in good agrrement with the computational
analysis (TD-DFT).

Conclusion:

The remarkably enhanced cytotoxicity of the new selenyl copper (II) complexes under the visible
light probed the role of Se in photosensitized generation of singlet oxygen which was responsible for apoptosis
in HaCaT cells. The results in the present work are of paramount importance in developing next generation
copper(II)-based PDT agents.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research on Lophomonas Spp. in Scopus (1933-2019)
Authors: Keighobadi Masoud , Nakhaei Maryam , Sharifpour Ali , Khasseh Ali Akbar , Safanavaei Sepideh , Tabaripour Rabeeh , Aliyali Masoud , Abedi Siavash , Mehravaran Hossein , Banimostafavi Elham Sadat , Fakhar Mahdi
Published: July 2020

Background:

This study was designed to analyze the global research on Lophomonas spp. using bibliometric
techniques.

Methods:

A bibliometric research was carried out using the Scopus database. The analysis unit was the research articles
conducted on Lophomonas spp.

Results:

Totally, 56 articles about Lophomonas spp. were indexed in the Scopus throughout 1933-2019 ( 87 years ) with the
following information: (A) The first article was published in 1933; (B) 21 different countries contributed in studies related
to Lophomonas spp.; (C) China ranked first with 16 publications about Lophomonas spp.; and (D) “Brugerolle, G” and
“Beams, H.W.” from France and the US participated in 4 articles respectively, as the highest number of publications in the
Lophomonas spp. network.

Discussion:

After 87 years, Lophomonas still remains unknown for many researchers and physicians around the world. Further studies with high quality and international collaboration are urgently needed to determine different epidemiological aspects and the real burden of the mysterious parasite worldwide.
Drug Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium Simiae: An Emerging Pathogen in Iran
Authors: Nasiri Mohammad Javad , Amini Sirus , Nikpor Zahra , Arefzadeh Samaneh , Mousavi Seyyed Mohammad Javad , Goudarzi Hossein
Published: July 2020

Introduction:

Mycobacterium simiae is an emerging pathogen in Iran and little is known about drug susceptibility patterns of this pathogen.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty-five clinical isolates of M. simiae from 80 patients with confirmed NTM pulmonary disease were included in this study. For drug susceptibility testing (DST), proportional and broth microdilution methods were used according to the clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI) guideline.

Results:

All clinical isolates of M. simiae were resistant to isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, streptomycin, amikacin, kanamycin, ciprofloxacin, and clarithromycin. They also were highly resistant to ofloxacin (80%). Susceptibility to ofloxacin was only noted in the 5 isolates.

Conclusions:

Clinical isolates of M. simiae were multidrug-resistant, and had different drug susceptibility patterns than previously published studies. DST results can assist in selecting more appropriate treatment regimens. Newer drugs with proven clinical efficacy correlating with in vitro susceptibility should be substituted with first- and second-line anti-TB drug testing.
Tuning the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of Al-Al2O3 Nanosphere Towards NIR Region by Gold Coating
Authors: Katyal Jyoti , Gautam Shivani
Published: July 2020

Background:

A relatively narrow LSPR peak and a strong interband transition ranging
around 800 nm make Al a strongly plasmonic active material. Usually, Al nanoparticles are preferred
for UV-plasmonic as the SPR of small size Al nanoparticles is located in the deep UV-UV region of
the optical spectrum. This paper focused on tuning the LSPR of Al nanostructure towards the infrared
region by coating the Au layer. The proposed structure has Au as the outer layer, which prevents further
oxidation of Al nanostructure.

Methods:

The Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) and Plasmon Hybridization Theory has been
used to evaluate the LSPR and field enhancement of single and dimer Al-Al2O3-Au MDM nanostructure.

Results:

It is observed that the resonance mode shows dependence on the thickness of the Al2O3 layer
and also on the composition of the nanostructure. The Au layered MDM nanostructure shows two
peaks of equal intensities simultaneously in UV and visible region tuned to the NIR region. The extinction
spectra and electric field distribution profiles of dimer nanoparticles are compared with the
monomer to reveal the extent of coupling. The dimer configuration shows higher field enhancement
~107 at 1049 nm. By optimizing the thickness of the dielectric layer, the MDM nanostructure can be
used over the UV-visible-NIR region.

Conclusion:

The LSPR peak shows dependence on the thickness of the dielectric layer and also on the
composition of the nanostructure. It has been observed that optimization of size and thickness of the
dielectric layer can provide two peaks of equal intensities in the UV and Visible region, which are advantageous
for many applications. The electric field distribution profiles of dimer MDM nanostructure
enhanced the field by ~107 in visible and NIR region showing its potential towards SERS substrate.
The results of this study will provide valuable information for the optimization of LSPR of Al-Al2O3-
Au MDM nanostructure to have high field enhancement.
Application and Patent of Static Mixer in Plastic Processing
Authors: Wang Jiankang , Zhen Yihao
Published: July 2020

Background::

With the improvement of the properties of plastic products, people gradually
realize that the mixing capacity of extruders cannot meet the requirements of fully mixing materials,
especially for nano-composites, colored products. In order to improve the mixing level of materials,
static mixers are widely used. Researchers developed different types of static mixers to meet the purpose
of homogenizing different materials. The mixed materials can achieve different levels of mixing
with different types of static mixers, which provided a favorable research condition to study the change
of the properties of the mixed materials.

Objective::

This paper reviews the research progress of different types of static mixers in polymer processing,
including the improvement of processing equipment, processing methods and static mixers, and
expounds the influence of different types of static mixers and different processing methods on polymers.

Methods:

The paper reviews various patents and research developments about the structure of different
types of static mixers, and the application of static mixers in plastic processing. It also analyzes the
advantages and disadvantages of a variety of patented technologies from the aspects of internal structure,
micro-morphology, test methods, and equipment cost.

Results::

Through the application of static mixer in plastic processing, the current and future development
trend of static mixer in plastic processing is put forward to improve the quality and properties of
composites.

Conclusion::

Static mixers are widely used to improve the performance of mixtures. In recent years,
there are many researches on the application of static mixer to improve the morphology, appearance
and mechanical properties of polymer composites, blends as well as foams. The patents and technologies
about static mixer provide some good references for improving the properties of multicomponent
materials. It is still difficult to improve the properties of some mixtures. In order to further strengthen
the properties of composite materials, better methods and equipment about static mixers are needed.
Hypnotic Activity of Capparis spinosa Hydro-alcoholic Extract in Mice
Authors: Rakhshandeh Hassan , Rashidi Roghayeh , Vahedi Mohammad Mahdi , Khorrami Mohammad Bagher , Abbassian Hassan , Forouzanfar Fatemeh
Published: July 2020

Background:

Sleep disorders are among the most common psychiatric and medical conditions.
Herbal medicine appears to be effective in the treatment of sleep disorders which have been valued
by many of publications and patents.

Objective:

The present study aimed at investigating the hypnotic activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract
of Capparis spinosa (HAE) in mice.

Methods:

Three doses of HAE (30, 60 and 120 mg/kg) and three fractions of it, namely n-hexane fraction
(NHF), water fraction (WF), and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF), were given in comparison with diazepam
(3 mg/kg body weight i.p.) as a positive control and saline as a negative control. After 30 min,
pentobarbital (30 mg/kg body weight i.p.) was administered. In addition, LD50 of HAE was examined
and the cytotoxicity of HAE was assessed in l929 cells using the MTT assay. Moreover, for motorcoordination
ability, 30 mins after administration of HAE, the rotarod test was performed.

Results:

The results exhibited that the HAE and all the fractions significantly augmented pentobarbital
induced sleeping time, which was comparable to that of induced by diazepam. The LD50 value
was 2.4 g/kg. The extract did not induce any cytotoxic effects in L929 fibroblast cells. HAE did not
affect the animals’ performance on the rotarod test.

Conclusion:

Our finding suggests that the hydro-alcoholic extract of C. spinosa possesses a hypnotic
potential that may require further scientific investigations.
Brain-computer Interface Systems for Smart Homes - A Review Study
Authors: Maleki Masoud , Manshouri Negin , Kayikcioglu Temel
Published: July 2020

Brain-computer Interface (BCI) systems, usually using signals taken from users' brain
through electroencephalography (EEG), control various devices around and provide the user's command
by interacting. Improving the quality of life of people with disabilities is the main goal of BCI
systems. The importance of BCI-based smart home systems is further increasing as a smart home
system directly affects the life of a disabled individual. On the other hand, few BCI systems can be
run directly using smart home systems. The importance of the BCI-based smart home and the few
existing systems require more work in this vital field. In addition, no reviews have described BCI
systems in a smart home. In this study, we reviewed all the papers on BCI-based smart home systems
published in the last 6 years. These studies investigated and evaluated BCI systems from nine
different perspectives. In addition, all studies were examined in terms of signal processing methods.
Finally, the problems and challenges of these systems were discussed and new solutions were proposed.
Natural Bioactive Compounds Loaded Eggshell Membrane from Waste Food Industry: Preparation and Characterization
Authors: Köse Merve Deniz , Bayraktar Oguz
Published: July 2020

Objective:

Eggshell membrane (ESM), the protein and collagen-rich membrane between the eggshell and egg
white, has usually been regarded as waste and overlooked. However, its potential is now being highlighted in many
industrial and technological applications. In the literature natural bioactive compounds (NBCs) have been used together
with various proteins.

Methods:

Preparation and characterization methods of the eggshell and eggshell membrane is summarised.

Results:

Various studies showed how to utilize eggshell membranes as an adsorbent, scaffold, wound dressing, and
vascular graft. Due to the chemical composition of the eggshell membrane, its superior binding and adsorptive properties
increase the stability of the bioactive compounds.

Conclusion:

This review focuses on the potential utilization of eggshell membranes as functional food and nutraceutical.
Research Trends in Plant-Derived Oligomers for Health Applications
Authors: Kose Merve Deniz , Hardy John G. , Sheridan Emer , Bozoğlan Feyruz , Bayraktar Oguz
Published: July 2020

Objective:

Epidemiological data illustrates that there is a strong relationship between
dietary intake of natural bioactive compounds and their beneficial properties against various
diseases, and this stimulates academic and industrial interest in using plant-derived compounds for
health and making medicines. For this reason, recent health related studies in the literature have
focused on a variety of many plant-derived bioactive compounds. Even though the bioactivities of
such compounds have widely been investigated, there are few studies about oligomeric species and
their activities.

Methods:

In this review, extraction and isolation methods of the plant-derived oligomers and the
use of such oligomers in health applications are summarised.

Results:

In the literature, many studies state that oligomeric compounds have benefits to human
health. To maximize these beneficial properties, various ways to use oligomeric compounds have
been examined and summarised.

Conclusion:

A better understanding of the specific activities of distinct components of plantderived
oligomers is expected to open new avenues for drug discovery. This review gives an
overview of oligomers with health beneficial properties and their possible applications in
healthcare.
Implementation of a Cohort Retrieval System for Clinical Data Repositories Using the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model: Proof-of-Concept System Validation
Authors: Liu Sijia , Wang Yanshan , Wen Andrew , Wang Liwei , Hong Na , Shen Feichen , Bedrick Steven , Hersh William , Liu Hongfang
Published: July 2020

Background

Widespread adoption of electronic health records has enabled the secondary use of electronic health record data for clinical research and health care delivery. Natural language processing techniques have shown promise in their capability to extract the information embedded in unstructured clinical data, and information retrieval techniques provide flexible and scalable solutions that can augment natural language processing systems for retrieving and ranking relevant records.

Objective

In this paper, we present the implementation of a cohort retrieval system that can execute textual cohort selection queries on both structured data and unstructured text—Cohort Retrieval Enhanced by Analysis of Text from Electronic Health Records (CREATE).

Methods

CREATE is a proof-of-concept system that leverages a combination of structured queries and information retrieval techniques on natural language processing results to improve cohort retrieval performance using the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model to enhance model portability. The natural language processing component was used to extract common data model concepts from textual queries. We designed a hierarchical index to support the common data model concept search utilizing information retrieval techniques and frameworks.

Results

Our case study on 5 cohort identification queries, evaluated using the precision at 5 information retrieval metric at both the patient-level and document-level, demonstrates that CREATE achieves a mean precision at 5 of 0.90, which outperforms systems using only structured data or only unstructured text with mean precision at 5 values of 0.54 and 0.74, respectively.

Conclusions

The implementation and evaluation of Mayo Clinic Biobank data demonstrated that CREATE outperforms cohort retrieval systems that only use one of either structured data or unstructured text in complex textual cohort queries.
Inferring Destinations and Activity Types of Older Adults From GPS Data: Algorithm Development and Validation
Authors: Bayat Sayeh , Naglie Gary , Rapoport Mark J , Stasiulis Elaine , Chikhaoui Belkacem , Mihailidis Alex
Published: July 2020

Background

Outdoor mobility is an important aspect of older adults’ functional status. GPS has been used to create indicators reflecting the spatiotemporal dimensions of outdoor mobility for applications in health and aging. However, outdoor mobility is a multidimensional construct. There is, as of yet, no classification algorithm that groups and characterizes older adults’ outdoor mobility based on its semantic aspects (ie, mobility intentions and motivations) by integrating geographic and domain knowledge.

Objective

This study assesses the feasibility of using GPS to determine semantic dimensions of older adults’ outdoor mobility, including destinations and activity types.

Methods

A total of 5 healthy individuals, aged 65 years or older, carried a GPS device when traveling outside their homes for 4 weeks. The participants were also given a travel diary to record details of all excursions from their homes, including date, time, and destination information. We first designed and implemented an algorithm to extract destinations and infer activity types (eg, food, shopping, and sport) from the GPS data. We then evaluated the performance of the GPS-derived destination and activity information against the traditional diary method.

Results

Our results detected the stop locations of older adults from their GPS data with an F1 score of 87%. On average, the extracted home locations were within a 40.18-meter (SD 1.18) distance of the actual home locations. For the activity-inference algorithm, our results reached an F1 score of 86% for all participants, suggesting a reasonable accuracy against the travel diary recordings. Our results also suggest that the activity inference’s accuracy measure differed by neighborhood characteristics (ie, Walk Score).

Conclusions

We conclude that GPS technology is accurate for determining semantic dimensions of outdoor mobility. However, further improvements may be needed to develop a robust application of this system that can be adopted in clinical practice.
Utilization of Nursing Education Progressive Web Application (NEPWA) Media in an Education and Health Promotion Course Using Gagne’s Model of Instructional Design on Nursing Students: Quantitative Research and Development Study
Authors: Yuliawan Deny , Widyandana Doni , Nur Hidayah Rachmadya
Published: July 2020

Background

Previous studies have proven that web-based learning media that offer interesting features with the learning management system concept could support the learning processes of nursing students. Nonetheless, it is still necessary to conduct further research on its potential as an information media that supports learning using 1 of the mobile learning methods.

Objective

This study aims to develop and use the Nursing Education Progressive Web Application (NEPWA) media in an education and health promotion course for nursing students.

Methods

This is a research and development study aimed at developing the NEPWA media using the Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate approach and a quantitative research with descriptive and pre-experimental 1-group pretest-posttest design conducted in the Study Program of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta. A total of 39 nursing students in their second year of undergraduate studies participated in this study. A pretest-posttest design was used to measure any changes in the dependent variable, whereas a posttest design was used to measure any changes in the independent variables.

Results

After using the NEPWA media, there was a significant increase in the student knowledge variable (N=39; knowledge: P<.001; 95% CI 23.88-33.14). In terms of student satisfaction with the learning process using Gagne’s model of instructional design, most of the students were satisfied, with a mean score of ≥3. In addition, the results of the measurement using the System Usability Scale on the NEPWA media showed that NEPWA has good usability and it is acceptable by users, with a mean score of 72.24 (SD 8.54).

Conclusions

The NEPWA media can be accepted by users and has good usability, and this media is designed to enhance student knowledge.
Smartphone-Based Experience Sampling in People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: Feasibility and Usability Study
Authors: Bartels Sara Laureen , van Knippenberg Rosalia J M , Malinowsky Camilla , Verhey Frans R J , de Vugt Marjolein E
Published: July 2020

Background

Daily functioning of people with cognitive disorders such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is usually depicted by retrospective questionnaires, which can be memory-biased and neglect fluctuations over time or contexts.

Objective

This study examines the feasibility and usability of applying the experience sampling method (ESM) in people with MCI to provide a detailed and dynamic picture of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive patterns in everyday life.

Methods

For 6 consecutive days, 21 people with MCI used an ESM app on their smartphones. At 8 semi-random timepoints per day, participants filled in momentary questionnaires on mood, activities, social context, and subjective cognitive complaints. Feasibility was determined through self-reports and observable human-technology interactions. Usability was demonstrated on an individual and group level.

Results

Of the 21 participants, 3 dropped out due to forgetting to carry their smartphones or forgetting the study instructions. In the remaining 18 individuals, the compliance rate was high, at 78.7%. Participants reported that momentary questions reflected their daily experiences well. Of the 18 participants, 13 (72%) experienced the increase in awareness of their own memory functions as pleasant or neutral.

Conclusions

Support was found for the general feasibility of smartphone-based experience sampling in people with MCI. However, many older adults with MCI are currently not in possession of smartphones, and study adherence seems challenging for a minority of individuals. Momentary data can increase the insights into daily patterns and may guide the person-tailored development of self-management strategies in clinical settings.
Novel Approach to Support Rapid Data Collection, Management, and Visualization During the COVID-19 Outbreak Response in the World Health Organization African Region: Development of a Data Summarization and Visualization Tool
Authors: Ahmed Kamran , Bukhari Muhammad Arish , Mlanda Tamayi , Kimenyi Jean Paul , Wallace Polly , Okot Lukoya Charles , Hamblion Esther L , Impouma Benido
Published: July 2020

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges to the systematic and timely sharing of COVID-19 field data collection and management. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with health partners on the rollout and implementation of a robust electronic field data collection platform. The delay in the deployment and rollout of this electronic platform in the WHO African Region, as a consequence of the application of large-scale public health and social measures including movement restrictions and geographical area quarantine, left a gap between data collection and management. This lead to the need to develop interim data management solutions to accurately monitor the evolution of the pandemic and support the deployment of appropriate public health interventions.

Objective

The aim of this study is to review the design, development, and implementation of the COVID-19 Data Summarization and Visualization (DSV) tool as a rapidly deployable solution to fill this critical data collection gap as an interim solution.

Methods

This paper reviews the processes undertaken to research and develop a tool to bridge the data collection gap between the onset of a COVID-19 outbreak and the start of data collection using a prioritized electronic platform such as Go.Data in the WHO African Region.

Results

In anticipation of the implementation of a prioritized tool for field data collection, the DSV tool was deployed in 18 member states for COVID-19 outbreak data management. We highlight preliminary findings and lessons learned from the DSV tool deployment in the WHO African Region.

Conclusions

We developed a rapidly deployable tool for COVID-19 data collection and visualization in the WHO African Region. The lessons drawn on this experience offer an opportunity to learn and apply these to improve future similar public health informatics initiatives in an outbreak or similar humanitarian setting, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Exploring the Relationship Between Internet Use and Mental Health Among Older Adults in England: Longitudinal Observational Study (Preprint)
Authors: Lam Sabrina Sze Man , Jivraj Stephen , Scholes Shaun
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

There is uncertainty about the impact of internet use on mental health in older adults. Moreover, there is very little known specifically about the impact of particular purposes of internet use.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the longitudinal relationship between two distinct concepts of mental health with the frequency of internet use among older adults: the moderating role of socioeconomic position (SEP) and the association between specific purposes of internet use.

METHODS

Longitudinal fixed and random effects (27,507 person-years) models were fitted using waves 6-8 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing to examine the relationship between different aspects of internet use (frequency and purpose) and two mental health outcomes (depression and life satisfaction). The potential moderating effect of SEP on these associations was tested using interaction terms.

RESULTS

Infrequent internet use (monthly or less vs daily) was predictive of deteriorating life satisfaction (β=−0.512; P=.02) but not depression. Education and occupational class had a moderating effect on the association between frequency of internet use and mental health. The associations were stronger in the highest educational group in both depression (P=.09) and life satisfaction (P=.02), and in the highest occupational group in life satisfaction (P=.05) only. Using the internet for communication was associated with lower depression (β=−0.24; P=.002) and better life satisfaction (β=.97; P<.001), whereas those using the internet for information access had worse life satisfaction (β=−0.86; P<.001) compared with those who did not.

CONCLUSIONS

Policies to improve mental health in older adults should encourage internet use, especially as a tool to aid communication.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with fluorouracil plus leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) for gastric cancer patients in China (Preprint)
Authors: Sah Birendra Kumar , Xu Wei , Zhang Benyan , Zhang Huan , Yuan Fei , Li Jian , Liu Wentao , Yan Chao , Li Chen , Yan Min , Zhu Zhenggang
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with fluorouracil plus leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) has shown significant benefits for gastric cancer patients. However, it has not been well accepted in Asian countries.

OBJECTIVE

So we conducted a prospective study on the safety and feasibility of this regimen in Chinese patients.

METHODS

Patients with adenocarcinoma of the stomach or esophagogastric received 4 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) with the FLOT regimen. The completion status of chemotherapy, adverse events, postoperative morbidities and pathological tumor regression were analyzed. The two-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival are presented. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (number NCT03646591).

RESULTS

Altogether, 10 patients were enrolled, and all patients completed 4 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. There were no severe hematological adverse events (grade 3 or above), except for a case of grade 3 anemia. Four patients had grade 3 or 4 vomiting, and all other non-hematological adverse events were grade 2 or below. All 10 patients underwent radical gastrectomy. There was no anastomotic leakage, reoperation or death due to surgical complications. Nine patients had R0 resection, and 3 patients had complete or subtotal pathological tumor regression. Nine patients completed 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy, but only one patient completed the full dose of adjuvant chemotherapy. The dose of adjuvant chemotherapy was reduced by 25% or less in the other patients. The median follow-up time was 23.13 months, 8 patients achieved the overall survival endpoint, and 7 patients had relapse-free survival for this period. Two patients died of disease progression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that the neoadjuvant FLOT regimen is safe and effective for Chinese patients. Dose adjustment is necessary for adjuvant chemotherapy. The pathological regression and survival rates need reevaluation in a larger cohort.