bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Chitosan-Based Liquid Scaffold and Hyaluronic Acid–Based Soft Scaffold for Treatment of Talus Osteochondral Lesions
Authors: Akmeşe Ramazan , Ertan Mehmet Batu , Kocaoğlu Hakan
Published: July 2020

Background:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic results of 2 different scaffolds with hyaluronan or chitosan-based structure used in the treatment of talus osteochondral lesions.

Methods:

Eighty-one patients who underwent chondral lesion repair with hyaluronan (n = 42) or chitosan-based (n = 39) scaffold were included. American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were evaluated within and between groups preoperatively and at the 3rd, 12th, and 24th month postoperatively. In all patients, magnetic resonance imaging was performed between the 12 and 18th month postoperatively and compared with magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) scoring.

Results:

Within-group evaluations revealed significant improvements in AOFAS and VAS scores at postoperative 3 and 12 months. The postoperative 24th-month results of AOFAS scores in any group did not differ significantly from the 12th-month results. There was no significant difference between the groups in comparison of AOFAS, VAS, and MOCART scores at any time period.

Conclusion:

Both scaffolds were found to be effective in cartilage healing but had no clinical or radiologic superiority to each other. This is the first study to compare the use of different cell-free scaffold types in osteochondral defects of the talus.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Rate of Delayed Union With Early Weightbearing Following Intramedullary Screw Fixation of Jones Fractures
Authors: Looney Austin M. , Renehan John R. , Dean Daniel M. , Murthy Anu , Sanders Thomas H. , Neufeld Steven K. , Cuttica Daniel J.
Published: July 2020

Background:

Jones fractures of the proximal fifth metatarsal are predisposed to delayed union and nonunion due to a tenuous blood supply. Solid intramedullary (IM) screw fixation is recommended to improve healing, traditionally followed by delayed weightbearing (DWB). However, early weightbearing (EWB) postoperatively may facilitate functional recovery. The purpose of this study was to compare union rates and time to union after solid IM screw fixation of Jones fractures in patients treated with an EWB protocol to those treated with a DWB protocol, as well as to identify any factors that may be predictive of delayed or nonunion.

Methods:

True Jones (zone 2 fifth metatarsal base) fractures treated from April 2012 through January 2018 with IM screw fixation and 6 months follow-up were identified (41 fractures in 40 patients; mean ± SD age, 45.3 ± 17.9 years). Patients were divided into EWB and DWB cohorts (within or beyond 2 weeks, respectively). Delayed union (12.5 weeks) was statistically derived from established literature. Union times were compared between cohorts. Regression analyses were conducted to investigate possible confounders contributing to delayed union. There were 20 fractures in the EWB cohort and 21 fractures in the DWB cohort.

Results:

There was no significant difference in healing times (EWB: 25% by 6th week, 55% by the 12th week, 20% delayed; DWB: 33% by 6th week, 43% by 12th week, 24% delayed; P = .819) or delayed unions (EWB, 20% vs DWB, 24%; P > .999). There were no nonunions. No significant confounding risk factors were identified.

Conclusion:

Postoperative protocols using early weightbearing following solid IM screw fixation of Jones fractures appear to be safe and do not delay fracture healing or increase the risk of delayed union. Older age may be a risk for delayed union, but larger studies are needed to evaluate this with appropriate power in light of possible confounders. EWB protocols may allow better functional recovery without compromising outcomes by increasing the risk of delayed union.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic level III, retrospective comparative study.
Fault diagnosis via a dynamical sparse recovery method and application to a gearbox system
Authors: Derbel Syrine , Nicolau Florentina , Feki Nabih , Barbot Jean-Pierre , Abbes Mohamed Slim , Haddar Mohamed
Published: July 2020

With the ever-increasing complexity and importance of industrial systems, diagnosis techniques allowing to detect, locate, and identify any abnormalities in the system as early as possible have attracted a lot of attention over the past years. In this article, we present a diagnosis method for nonlinear dynamical systems, called sparse recovery diagnosis, based on a dynamical algorithm that estimates a sparse fault vector from few system measurements. The term sparse means that many faults can be considered, but only few of them can occur simultaneously. To illustrate the performances of this diagnosis method, we apply it to a gear power transmission. This dynamical system is among the most important mechanical components in industrial systems. The gear power transmission model considered in this article is composed by a two-stage gear for which we take into account the torsional effect of the gears. Different sensor and mechanical faults perturbing its operating mode will be modeled and detected by the sparse recovery diagnosis method.
Force identification under unknown initial conditions by using concomitant mapping matrix and sparse regularization
Authors: Ye Xijun , Pan Chudong
Published: July 2020

Unknown initial conditions can affect the identified accuracy of dynamic forces. Direct measurement of initial conditions is relatively difficult. This study proposes a sparse regularization–based method for identifying forces considering influences of unknown initial conditions. The initial conditions are embedded in a classical governing equation of force identification. The key idea is to introduce a concept of concomitant mapping matrix for reasonably expressing the initial conditions. First, a dictionary is introduced for expanding the dynamic forces. Then, the concomitant mapping matrix is formulated by using free vibrating responses, which correspond to structural responses happening after the structure is subjected to each atom of the force dictionary. A sparse regularization strategy is applied for solving the ill-conditioned equation. After that, the problem of force identification is converted into an optimization problem, and it can be solved by using a one-step strategy. Numerical simulations are carried out for verifying the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. Illustrated results clearly show the applicability and robustness of the proposed method for dealing with force reconstruction and moving force identification.
Potential voriconazole associated posterior reversible leukoencephalopathy in children with malignancies: Report of two cases
Authors: Amanati Ali , Lotfi Mehrzad , Manen Rob Van , Faghihi Mohammad Ali , Yavarian Majid , Zekavat Omidreza , Badiee Parisa , Mazinani Nazafarin Hatami , Bozorgi Haleh
Published: July 2020

Introduction

The fungal infection has become severe morbidity amongst patients with malignancy. Voriconazole, a new generation of triazole, has shown excellent results in treating invasive fungal infections.

Case report

Herein, we report two cases of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), which induced after voriconazole exposure. Management and outcome: Magnetic resonance imaging, and the serum level of voriconazole were investigated in both patients to assess toxicity. The role of methotrexate, as one of the possible causes of PRES, is weakened significantly through precise assessing diffusion-weighted images on magnetic resonance imaging.

Discussion

These unique cases emphasize that voriconazole can induce PRES even at therapeutic levels. Therefore, in the case of neurotoxicity, PRES must be considered, and voriconazole should discontinue. The prognosis seemed promising when voriconazole stopped immediately after clinical suspicion.
A sociology of the Covid-19 pandemic: A commentary and research agenda for sociologists
Authors: Ward Paul R
Published: July 2020

During the early part of 2020, there has been an abundance of critically important research on Covid-19 from medical, epidemiological and virological disciplines. There is now an urgent need for sociologists to engage theoretically and empirically on the social impact of issues related to Covid-19. As we have moved further into 2020, governments around the world have imposed different types of restrictions on social life, in order to quell the spread of Covid-19 and ‘flatten the curve’. These have included imposing various degrees of social isolation and restrictions on things like social gatherings, travel, sport and leisure activities, and going to work/school/university. This commentary explores the ways in which different branches of social theory can shed light on the implications of Covid-19 restrictions for social life ‘as we know it’. The broad fields of social theory in the commentary cover concepts such as risk, trust, fear, uncertainty and happiness. The process of developing the social theory driven research agenda contained within this commentary took a rather unusual route – it started by re-reading Jean-Paul Sartre’s ideas on existentialism, which led to me painting a visual sociology of Covid-19 (an image of my painting is provided), and ultimately to this piece.
Mobile health interventions in developing countries: A systematic review
Authors: Hoque Md Rakibul , Rahman Mohammed Sajedur , Nipa Nymatul Jannat , Hasan Md Rashadul
Published: July 2020

This study reviews the quality of evidence reported in mobile health intervention literature in the context of developing countries. A systematic search of renowned databases was conducted to find studies related to mobile health applications published between a period of 2013 and 2018. After a methodological screening, a total of 31 studies were included for data extraction and synthesis. The mobile health Evidence Reporting and Assessment checklist developed by the World Health Organization was then used to evaluate the rigor and completeness in evidence reporting. We report several important and interesting findings. First, there is a very low level of familiarity with the mobile health Evidence Reporting and Assessment checklist among the researchers and mobile health intervention designers from developing countries. Second, most studies do not adequately meet the essential criteria of evidence reporting mentioned in the mobile health Evidence Reporting and Assessment checklist. Third, there is a dearth of application of design science–based methods and theory-based frameworks in developing mobile health interventions. Fourth, most of the mobile health interventions are not ready for interoperability and to be integrated into the existing health information systems. Based on these findings, we recommend for robust and inclusive study plans to deliver highly evidence-based reports by mobile health intervention studies that are conducted in the context of developing countries.
Tweeted, deleted: An exploratory study of the US government’s digital memory holes
Authors: McCammon Muira
Published: July 2020

Deletion is part of the Internet’s history and predates Twitter. Today, research on the laws underlying and facilitating government social media use and deletion practices has remained limited. The question of how government agencies create their own Twitter archives and subsequently institutionalize cultural memory has also been largely unexplored. Drawing on a US case study, I argue that the lack of a standardized federal policy has led to the creation of myriad digital “memory holes” of varying porosities. I show that, when systematically drafted and deployed, research based on the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) can serve as a generative method of unearthing deleted tweets and memory narratives that might otherwise be inaccessible. Finally, I build on the US case study by offering pathways for other new media scholars to examine and trace tweeting and deleting by government employees in other jurisdictions.
Analytical and experimental analysis of axial force generated by a drive shaft system
Authors: Feng Huayuan , Rakheja Subhash , Shangguan Wen-Bin
Published: July 2020

The drive shaft system with a tripod joint is known to cause lateral vibration in a vehicle due to the axial force generated by various contact pairs of the tripod joint. The magnitude of the generated axial force, however, is related to various operating factors of the drive shaft system in a complex manner. The generated axial force due to a drive shaft system with a tripod joint and a ball joint was experimentally characterized considering ranges of operational factors, namely, the input toque, the shaft rotational speed, the articulation angle, and the friction. The data were analyzed to establish an understanding of the operational factors on the generated axial force. Owing to the observed significant effects of all the factors, a multibody dynamic model of the drive shaft system was formulated for predicting generated axial force under different operating conditions. The model integrated the roller–track contact model and the velocity-based friction model. Based on a quasi-static finite element model, a new methodology was proposed for identifying the roller–track contact model parameters, namely, the contact stiffness and force index. To further enhance the calculation accuracy of the multibody dynamic model, a new methodology for identifying the friction model parameters and the force index was proposed by using the measured data. The validity of the model was demonstrated by comparing the model-predicted and measured magnitudes of generated axial force for the ranges of operating factors considered. The results showed that the generated axial force of the drive shaft system can be calculated more accurately and effectively by using the identified friction and contact parameters in the paper.
Marketing the construction of reality: Multiplatform production routines and the renegotiation of journalistic role identities in a legacy local television newsroom
Authors: Henderson Keren
Published: July 2020

Times have changed since Warren Breed published his famous study, ‘Social Control in the Newsroom’. Today, corporate owners are requiring newsroom managers to adopt marketing strategies, launching many television newsrooms into routines similar to those of their newspaper-turned-online colleagues. This exploratory case study presents data from 6 months of observations of digital training in a legacy television newsroom, including interviews with the managers who underwent the training, conversations with newsroom staff, and a survey of that staff, all to explore how managers moderate between these corporate and journalistic needs by learning what corporations require as marketing-based multiplatform production routines and by helping journalists to reconcile their traditional role identities within these new newsroom requirements.
Integrating expertise and parametric analysis for a data-driven decision-making practice
Authors: Bernal Marcelo , Okhoya Victor , Marshall Tyrone , Chen Cheney , Haymaker John
Published: July 2020

This study explores the integration of expert design intuition and parametric data analysis. While traditional professional design expertise helps to rapidly frame relevant aspects of the design problem and produce viable solutions, it has limitations in addressing multi-criteria design problems with conflicting objectives. On the other hand, parametric analysis, in combination with data analysis methods, helps to construct and analyze large design spaces of potential design solutions and tradeoffs, within a given frame. We explore a process whereby expert design teams propose a design using their current intuitive and analytical methods. That design is then further optimized using parametric analysis. This study specifically explores the specification of geometric and material properties of building envelopes for two typically conflicting objectives: daylight quality and energy consumption. We compare performance of the design after initial professional design exploration, and after parametric analysis, showing consistently significant performance improvement after the second process. The study explores synergies between intuitive and systematic design approaches, demonstrating how alignment can help expert teams efficiently and significantly improve project performance.
The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on Men’s Sexual Function: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gewirtz-Meydan Ateret , Opuda Eugenia
Published: July 2020

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is strongly associated with sexual dysfunction. However, research about male survivors’ sexual functioning after CSA is lacking. The current systematic review searched for all studies that reported on CSA and sexual function among male survivors to answer the following questions: Do male survivors of CSA experience sexual dysfunctions, and if so, to what extent? Does CSA increase the risk of developing sexual dysfunctions in adulthood among men? Studies were identified by searching seven databases and sources of gray literature. The selection criteria included empirical studies involving a population of adult men who experienced CSA before the age of 18. Studies focused on sexual functioning and sexual development after the abuse. Twelve studies met the selection criteria. While some studies confirmed that CSA is a risk factor for sexual dysfunction in adult male survivors, including low sexual drive, problems with arousal, and difficulties with orgasm and pain, other studies failed to find a correlation between sexual dysfunction and CSA. The wide range in quality, methodology, and definitions of CSA and sexual function presented challenges to consistent analysis of the studies and to determine the impact of CSA. Further research is required to fully understand the effect of CSA on adult men’s sexual function.
An Iterative Approach to Qualitative Data Analysis: Using Theme, Cultural Models, and Content Analyses to Discover and Confirm a Grounded Theory of How Gaming Inculcates Resilience
Authors: Snodgrass Jeffrey G. , Clements Kaylin R. , Nixon William Cody , Ortega Cynthia , Lauth Samantha , Anderson Michelle
Published: July 2020

We present a qualitative data analysis framework that integrates perspectives from theme analysis, cultural models analysis, grounded theory, and content analysis. We demonstrate how these research traditions are united in their aim to, first, uncover meaningful themes and, subsequently, to understand those themes’ relationships to each other. To illustrate our approach, we present research on video gamers’ understandings of productive and detrimental responses to failure. Initial themes, cultural models, and grounded theory analysis of 10 semi-structured interviews led us to the theory that video games help players learn to cope more productively with failure, which we confirmed in a subsequent content analysis of text extracts from an online survey ( N = 64). Overall, we propose that commonly employed approaches for analyzing qualitative data can be usefully conceptualized as research steps or stages, which move from the initial identification of themes to understanding their relationships, and from inductive exploration to deductive confirmation.
Preparation of certified reference materials for cotton fabric’s dye transfer inhibition performance test of household washing machines
Authors: Guo Mingqi , He Yun , Jiang Li , Yang Qingbo , Liu Jianli , Gao Weidong
Published: July 2020

At present, many well-known brands of washing machines in the market are equipped with dye transfer inhibition washing procedures. However, there is no standardized sample available for the evaluation of the dye transfer inhibition washing procedure, and there is no comparability and access standard of the high-quality washing machine with the related functions. In this article, the certified reference materials for the evaluation of the dye transfer inhibition function will be prepared, which consist of certified reference material of white cotton fabric and that of dyed cotton fabric. The certified reference material of white fabric is made of bleached plain fabric, and that of dyed fabric is made with different reactive red dyes and dyeing processes. The size and manufacturing process of the whole set of standardized samples for the evaluation of dye transfer inhibition are selected and determined through experiments. The preparation of the standardized sample for the evaluation of dye transfer inhibition will improve the research and design of the functional washing procedure, which can better solve the pain point when dark and light clothes are washed together.
Intracranial venous malformations: Incidence and characterization in a large pediatric cohort
Authors: Chen Karen S , Montaser Alaa , Ashour Ramsey , Orbach Darren B
Published: July 2020

Background

Significant advances have been reported recently in the genetic and mechanistic characterization of extracranial venous malformations. However, intracranial purely venous malformations (icVM) analogous to those outside the CNS have not been systematically described.

Purpose

We sought to ascertain whether such an entity as icVM could in fact be identified, distinct from previously described CNS venous anomalies and analogous to extracranial venous malformations.

Methods

Our prospectively collected pediatric cerebrovascular database was reviewed to identify patients with icVM; 1458 consecutive angiograms and/or angiographic interventions performed on 706 children at our institution from October, 2006 through May, 2019 were evaluated, in addition to outside imaging studies on 192 additional patients sent to our Vascular Anomalies Center for cerebrovascular review during the same time period. Thus, the cohort consisted of 898 children.

Results

Nineteen of 898 patients (2.1%) were found to harbor icVM, including 9 (47.3%) with sinus pericranii, 15 (78.9%) with associated large, complex extracranial venous malformations, and 3 (15.7%) with neurocognitive delay. There was no intracranial hemorrhage or venous hypertension seen in the cohort. Asymptomatic venous thrombosis in the superior sagittal sinus was seen in three patients.

Conclusion

Venous malformations, both extracranial and icVM, share many characteristics that are distinct from developmental venous anomalies. icVM were not associated with venous hypertension. The underlying genetic mutations involved in the development of icVM, germ-line or somatic, remain to be elucidated, but may very well involve shared mechanisms and pathways with extracranial venous malformations.
Documenting Syrian Refugee Children’s Memories: Methodological Insights and Further Questions
Authors: Ali Mehrunnisa Ahmad , Gibran Gina
Published: July 2020

Several scholars advocate for children’s experiences to be articulated by children themselves, and some have offered strategies on how to facilitate this. Yet there are hardly any studies that record children’s memories while they are children and offer methodological guidance on how to do so. None that we know of have recorded the unique memories of Syrian refugee children, possibly because of ethical, relational, and practical challenges of working with children considered especially vulnerable due to their age, ethnicity, and experiences as refugees. This article offers an account of how we engaged 13 Syrian refugee children (5–13 years old) in creating their autobiographies—based on memories of their lives in Syria, a transit country, and Canada—which they presented to other children in the study, in the presence of their parents, a school principal, and the researchers. In this article, we identify insights we gained by addressing issues raised by our Research Ethics Board; negotiating our roles and relationships with the children, their parents, and each other; and collecting data from the children in multiple forms. We also raise many questions, which we hope will engage other researchers in developing our collective expertise for recording understudied children’s memories.
Students with mild intellectual disability engaging in proportions word problems
Authors: Hord Casey , Koenig Kathleen , Zydney Janet Mannheimer , DeJarnette Anna F , Gibboney Daniel P , McMillan Leah A
Published: July 2020

The researchers conducted a qualitative case study to describe the experiences of two seventh grade students with mild intellectual disability as they engaged in mathematics word problems involving proportions. The researchers analyzed student performance in large group settings and with individualized instruction to gain perspective on the students’ tendencies with challenging mathematics content. During the teaching sessions in this study, one of the participants initially struggled with the proportions word problems, but demonstrated success after teachers connected new information in the tasks to students’ long-term memory and utilized gestures and diagrams to facilitate the students’ processing of information. Another participant succeeded more easily with proportions word problems which, along with the success of the other participant, provides support that students with a mild intellectual disability can succeed with challenging topics, such as proportions word problems.
Predictors of access to healthcare professionals for people with intellectual disability in Ireland
Authors: Doyle Anne , O’Sullivan Michael , Craig Sarah , McConkey Roy
Published: July 2020

The Irish National Intellectual Disability Database is updated annually and in 2017 contained records for nearly 22,000 persons aged 15 years and over. Information was extracted on the contacts each person had with one of eight health professionals in the years 2007, 2012 and 2017. Over these years, there was an increase in the number of people in contact with any professional or with four and more professionals. Nevertheless, the people less likely to have contact were those with milder forms of intellectual disability, persons living with family carers or independently and those linked to smaller provider agencies. By contrast, the odds of people with more severe disability in residential settings were up to eight times greater for having contact with four or more different professionals. As demand for healthcare grows due to increased longevity and service models shift to the community, redeployment of existing professional resources will be needed along with a review of the skill mix.
Australian clinical consensus guideline for the subacute rehabilitation of childhood stroke
Authors: Greenham M , Knight S , RoddaPhD J , Scheinberg A , Anderson V , Fahey MC , Mackay MT ,   the Victorian Subacute Childhood Stroke Advisory Committee
Published: July 2020

Childhood stroke results in long-term, multifaceted difficulties, affecting motor, cognitive, communication, and behavioral domains of function which impact on participation and quality of life. The Childhood Stroke Consensus Rehabilitation Guideline was developed to improve the care of children with stroke by providing health professionals with recommendations to assist in their rehabilitative treatment. Clinical questions were formulated to inform systematic database searches from 2001 to 2016, limited to English and pediatric studies. SIGN methodology and the National Health and Medical Research Council system were used to screen and classify the evidence. The Grade of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system was used to grade evidence as strong or weak. Where evidence was inadequate or absent, a modified Delphi consensus process was used to develop consensus-based recommendations. The guideline provides 56 recommendations (1 evidence-based recommendation and 55 consensus recommendations). These relate to the framework of rehabilitation service delivery as well as domain-specific rehabilitation treatment strategies for each domain of function. It is anticipated that this guideline will provide health professions with recommendations to improve the subacute care of children with stroke both in Australia and internationally.
Substituent effects on the structure and properties of (para-C5H4X)Ir(PH3)3 complexes in the ground state (S0) and first singlet excited state (S1): DFT and TD-DFT investigations
Authors: Ghane Shalmani Gholamreza , Ghiasi Reza , Marjani Azam
Published: July 2020

The ground and lowest singlet excited state geometries of selected ( para-C5H4X)Ir(PH3)3 iridabenzene complexes ( para-substituent = NH2, OMe, Me, H, F, Cl, CCl3, CF3, NO2) are optimized using the MPW1PW91 procedure employing the LanL2DZ(Ir) and 6-311G(d, p) (C, H, N, O, P, F, Cl, P) basis sets. The excited state is generated using the time-dependent density function method. The effects of electron-donating groups and electron-withdrawing groups on the energy, atomization energy, rotational constants, and frontier orbital energies in the first singlet excited state (S1) of iridabenzene are investigated and compared to those of the ground state (S0). The Ir–C and Ir–P bonds in the studied molecules are analyzed by electron localization function and localized-orbital locator methods. The correlations between the Ir-C and Ir–P bond distances, electron localization function, and localized-orbital locator values Hammett constants (σp) and dual parameters (σI and σR) are given for the two studied states. The para-delocalization index is used for investigation of the aromaticity of the studied complexes.
The impact of the economic crisis on media corruption: A comparative study in South and North Europe
Authors: Maniou Theodora A , Ketteni Elena
Published: July 2020

Although extensive research has been conducted into the role of the media in fighting corruption, media organisations and journalists themselves are not immune to it. The issue of corruption in the media remains understudied and has thus far mainly focused on case-studies of specific countries characterised by corruption as a core societal characteristic, as well as of under-developed and developing countries. This study focuses on the issue of media corruption in Europe, based on a comparative analysis between countries of the South and North, investigating the impact of the global economic crisis on media corruption. The research presents clear evidence of increased indications of media corruption in the North of Europe in comparison to the media systems of the European South, the area most affected by the global economic crisis.
The balance of power and the power struggles of the polis
Authors: Blachford Kevin
Published: July 2020

The balance of power is fundamental to the discipline of international relations, but its accuracy in explaining the historical record has been disputed. For international relations, balance of power theory represents a distinct approach which details the behaviour of states to counter hegemonic threats within an anarchic system. This article reimagines the balance of power tradition by highlighting its early modern foundations. Through providing a historical contextualization of the balance of power, this article shows how republican thinkers sought to balance against concentrations of power in order to safeguard political liberty. Early modern republics grappled with the challenge of maintaining a division of power within the polis in a co-constitutive relationship with the international. A republican polis could not secure liberty if under external domination or if the polis itself expanded to imperial proportions. Imperial expansion and the martial politics this entailed have traditionally been understood as incompatible to the safeguarding of political liberty. Recognizing this republican influence can uncover the co-constitutive connections between the internal power dynamics of the polis and the international sphere.
A Novel Cytotoxic Compound From the Endolichenic Fungus, Xylaria psidii Inhabiting the Lichen, Amandinea medusulina
Authors: Santhirasegaram Sinthujah , Wickramarachchi Suranga R. , Attanayake Renuka N. , Weerakoon Gothamie , Samarakoon Sameera , Wijeratne Kithsiri , Paranagama Priyani A.
Published: July 2020

The lichen host, Amandinea medusulina, collected from mangrove habitats in Sri Lanka, and its associated endolichenic fungi were isolated and identified by rDNA-ITS sequence analysis and morphological features. One of the fungal strains frequently isolated from the lichen thalli was identified as Xylaria psidii. This study aimed at the isolation and identification of the cytotoxic compounds present in this fungus. Secondary metabolites of X. psidii were first extracted into ethyl acetate and subsequently subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation to isolate the bioactive compounds. Sulforhodamine B assay against a lung cancer (NCI-H292) cell line was used to determine the differential cytotoxic activity. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of an active compound, SS/02/29/08, showing moderate cytotoxicity (IC50 = 27.2 µg/mL). Its structure was elucidated by IR, 1D- and 2D-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectrophotometry and MS, in combination with HRMS, 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, and DQF-COSY. The structure of SS/02/29/08 was determined as ( Z)-3-{(3-acetyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)diazenyl}-2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and identified as a new compound. This novel compound has promising differential cytotoxic activity against human lung cancer cell line (NCI-H292).
Chemical Constituents and Their Activities From the Twigs of Euscaphis konishii Hayata
Authors: Chen Jingxin , Ni Lin , Zhang Yao , Zhu Yingsa , Huang Wei , Zou Shuangquan
Published: July 2020

A new ellagic acid derivative 3,3′-di- O-methylellagic acid 4 ′-α-l-arabinopyranoside (1), with 9 known compounds identified as 3,3′-di- O-methylellagic acid (2), 3,3′-di- O-methylellagic acid 4′-α-d-arabinofuranoside (3), 3,3′-di- O-methylellagic acid 4′ -β-d-glucopyranoside (4), 3,3′-di- O-methylellagic acid 4 ′-β-d-xylopyranoglucoside (5), 3,3′,4-tri- O-methylellagic acid 4′-β-d-glucopyranoside (6), tormentic acid (7), ursolic acid (8), euscaphic acid (9), and betulinic acid (10), was isolated from the twigs of Euscaphis konishii Hayata. Compounds 1, 3, and 5 to 7 were isolated from this plant for the first time, and compounds 1 and 5 were obtained from the plant genus for the first time. The structure of the new compound was confirmed by HRESIMS, NMR, and compared with data from the literature . The cytotoxicities of 10 isolated compounds were tested, with compounds 1 to 6 showing moderately inhibited activity against the Human Hepatocarcinoma cell line (HepG2 cells) with an IC50 value ranging from 69.7 to 181.8 μM.
Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution Study of Modified Xiaochaihu Granules Against Gastric Ulcer Induced by Ethanol in Rats by UPLC-MS/MS
Authors: Chen Xin , Ma Yuan-Chun , Yang Mengling , You Pengtao , Liu Dan , Ye Xiaochuang , Yanfang Yang , Zhou Aijun , Liu Yanwen
Published: July 2020

Gastric ulcer (GU) is one of the major gastrointestinal disorder diseases, with increasing incidence and prevalence globally. Modified Xiaochaihu granules (MXCHG) have been used effectively for treating chronic gastritis and GU clinically. To investigate the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of MXCHG, an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method was established for the simultaneous determination of 8 bioactive ingredients (baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid, berberine hydrochloride, saikosaponin a, and saikosaponin d) in rat plasma and various tissues using puerarin as an internal standard (IS). The biological samples were pretreated by protein precipitation with acetonitrile. The chromatographic separation was carried out on a C18 column with a gradient mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in water. All analytes and IS were quantitated through ESI in the positive/negative ion multiple reaction monitoring mode. The mass transitions were as follows: m/z 445.0 → 268.5 for baicalin, m/z 458.7 → 282.8 for wogonoside, m/z 269.2 → 222.6 for baicalein, m/z 417.0 → 254.8 for liquiritin, m/z 822.1 → 350.8 for glycyrrhizic acid, m/ z 336.0 → 319.9 for berberine hydrochloride, m/z 780.3 → 618.5 for saikosaponin, and m/z 415.0 → 294.6 for the IS. The validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study of 8 compounds in rat plasma and tissues after the intragastric administration of MXCHG. The results demonstrated that 8 components were distributed widely and rapidly in various rat tissues after intravenous administration. Tissue deposition of the compounds in the rats was mainly in the small intestine and stomach. The present study can provide more useful information to guide the clinical use of MXCHG and the developed analytical method can also be applied for further clinical pharmacokinetic studies.
A Validated UPLC-PDA Method for Simultaneous Determination of 3 Biologically Active Isoflavans in Trigonella stellata Extract
Authors: Shams Eldin Safa M. , Radwan Mohamed M. , Wanas Amira S. , Habib Abdel-Azim M. , Kassem Fahima F. , Hammoda Hala M. , ElSohly Mahmoud A.
Published: July 2020

In this study, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)/photodiode array method was developed for the simultaneous determination of trigonellan glucoside (1), isotrigonellan (2), and methoxy-isotrigonellan (3) in Trigonella stellata extract using an external standard method. The extract was prepared using a standardized method by maceration of the dried plant material in ethanol. The 3 isoflavans (1-3) were separated on an Acquity UPLC C18 column using gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% (v/v) formic acid aqueous solution and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in acetonitrile, and ultraviolet detection. The method provides a linear correlation for all analytes over the investigated ranges with all correlation coefficients greater than 0.998. The validated lower limits of quantitation were 53, 127, and 5 μg/mL for isoflavans 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Intraday and interday precisions (percent relative SD [RSD%]) were less than 8.3% and accuracy (RE%) ranged from 90% to 100%. The method’s capability to remain unaffected by small, but deliberate variations in method parameters (method’s reliability during normal usage) described by the robustness showed RSD% less than 4.6% measured by varying 3 different parameters. The validated method was successfully applied to simultaneously determine the concentration of the 3 new isoflavans having anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activities. The results revealed that the validated method can be used for quality control of herbal preparations containing these or similar isoflavans that are marketed for the prevention of inflammation and as antidiabetics.
Phlorotannins Remarkably Suppress the Formation of Nε-(Carboxymethyl)lysine in a Collagen-Glyoxal Environment
Authors: Murata Naoki , Azuma Mitsuhiro , Yamauchi Kousuke , Miyake Hideo , Tanaka Reiji , Shibata Toshiyuki
Published: July 2020

N ε-(Carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), which is formed by the glycation of collagen, is a skin-accumulating advanced glycation end product and has been shown to be deeply involved in diabetic osteopenia and skin aging. In this study, we prepared the phlorotannins of marine algal polyphenols from Japanese Lessoniaceae ( Ecklonia cava, Ecklonia kurome, cultured E. kurome, Ecklonia stolonifera, Eisenia nipponica, and Eisenia bicyclis) and evaluated their inhibitory activities against CML formation in a collagen-glyoxal environment. The level of CML formed from the glycation of collagen by glyoxal was detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Except for E. stolonifera, the level of CML formation in the treatment with crude phlorotannins at 0.16 µg/mL was found to be comparable to that in the treatment with 0.40 mM aminoguanidine hydrochloride (AG) which is a typical antiglycation agent. In the test using phloroglucinol and isolated eckols (eckol, fucofuroeckol A, phlorofucofuroeckol A, dieckol, and 8,8’-bieckol) at a concentration of 0.80 µg/mL, the level of CML formed was lower for each compound, except for phlorofucofuroeckol A, than the data obtained with the addition of 2.0 mM AG. The mass concentration of 0.80 µg/mL was converted to 6.3 µM for phloroglucinol, 2.2 µM for eckol, 1.7 µM for fucofuroeckol A, 1.3 µM for phlorofucofuroeckol A, and 1.1 µM for dieckol and 8,8’-bieckol. From a comparison of the molar concentrations, it was found that phloroglucinol and the eckols inhibited the formation of CML resulting from glycation of collagen by glyoxal at concentrations of approximately 317 to 1818 times lower than AG.
Coronavirus Treatments: What Drugs Might Work Against COVID-19?
Authors: Bourhia Mohammed , Amrati Fatima Ez-Zahra , Ullah Riaz , Alqahtani Ali S. , Bousta Dalila , Ibenmoussa Samir , Khlil Naima
Published: July 2020

The World Health Organization declared the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV)-2 virus outbreak as a pandemic on May 27, 2020. Since then, more than 5 488 825 cases across the world have been recorded at the time of revising this article. Governments around the world have imposed serious containment measures, meanwhile, the healthcare system is overburdened due to large increases in COVID-19 cases. However, no specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 virus drugs or vaccines have yet been shown to be effective to fight this causative virus of acute infectious pneumonia. The current review was conducted to look for potential natural and synthesized drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Previously published data in journals, textbooks, periodicals, websites, and sources, including data about the treatment of human coronavirus with natural and synthesized drugs, were taken from the online bibliographical databases. The results showed that syndic drugs approved for other human diseases have been used to improve the symptoms of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Several clinical trials across the world evidenced beneficial effects of natural and synthesized drugs in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. On the other hand, many studies have provided a deep understanding of the therapeutic effects of conventional and traditional medicine in identifying naturally occurring drugs effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Both natural and synthesized drugs should come together to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus and other potential emerging dangerous viral diseases since they have shown promising findings in clinical trials conducted with COVID-19 patients.
Tales of Precarious Digital Empowerment
Authors: Doshi Marissa Joanna
Published: July 2020

This critical cyber-autoethnography delves into the processes of adopting a wearable device, specifically a smartwatch. As I contemplate various moments during which my foreign body (by virtue of being an immigrant) relies on another foreign body (smartwatch) to feel at “home” in spaces ranging from hostile to uncomfortable, I articulate how the status of the wearable shifts from that of an accessory to an intimate interface. The narratives presented here center intersectionality by exploring the racialized and gendered dimensions of my immigrant experience in the United States by focusing on how my brown, female body processes/filters everyday microaggressions through my smartwatch. By joining my body with a digital device, that is, becoming a cyborg, I explain how my experiences of marginalization are qualitatively modified. Articulating the shifting privileges I enjoy in the form of economic stability and linguistic competency prevents fetishizing the digital and avoids technological determinism. In conclusion, this autoethnography uses the concept of the cyborg to map the connections between embodied experience; symbolic, sensory potential of digital devices; and intersectional identities.
Reflections on Active Learning in Leadership Development
Authors: Orr Margaret Terry
Published: July 2020

This article provides conclusions and reflection on the three articles in this special issue. It unpacks how and in what ways active learning prepares educational leaders and draws lessons for future use: the action within context, reflection, frameworks, the intended learning, and how learning is structured and facilitated. It concludes with a discussion of challenges and implications, particularly for future research.
Endogenous glucocorticoids may serve as biomarkers for migraine chronification
Authors: Woldeamanuel Yohannes W. , Sanjanwala Bharati M. , Cowan Robert P.
Published: July 2020

Aims:

The aims of this study were to: (a) identify differences in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucocorticoids among episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) patients compared with controls; (b) determine longitudinal changes in serum glucocorticoids in CM patients; and (c) determine migraine-related clinical features contributing to glucocorticoid levels.

Methods:

Serum and CSF levels of cortisol and corticosterone were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry among adult patients with EM, CM, and controls. Serum and CSF samples were collected from 26 and four participants in each group, respectively. Serum glucocorticoids were measured at a second timepoint after 2 years among 10 of the CM patients, six of whom reverted to EM while four persisted as CM. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was made to assess the migraine diagnostic performance of glucocorticoids. Regression analysis was conducted to determine the link between glucocorticoid levels and migraine-related clinical variables.

Results:

CM patients exhibited significantly elevated serum and CSF levels of cortisol and corticosterone compared with controls and EM patients (age, sex, body mass index adjusted; Kruskal–Wallis p < 0.05). ROC showed area-under-curve of 0.89 to differentiate CM from EM. CM patients with remission had their serum glucocorticoids return to control or near EM levels ( p < 0.05). Persistent CM showed unremitting serum glucocorticoids. Migraine frequency and disability contributed to increased cortisol, while pain self-efficacy predicted lower cortisol levels ( p < 0.005).

Conclusion:

Endogenous glucocorticoids may be biomarkers for migraine progression and for monitoring treatment response. Improving pain self-efficacy skills may help optimize endogenous glucocorticoid levels, which in turn may prevent migraine attacks.
Online paediatric chronic pain management: assessing the needs of UK adolescents and parents, using a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Hurley-Wallace Anna , Schoth Daniel E , Lilley Suzanne , Williams Glyn , Liossi Christina
Published: July 2020

Background:

Adolescent chronic pain is prevalent, and interdisciplinary treatment is recommended. Although it is well known that technology is a key part of adolescents’ daily lives, there have not been any online, interdisciplinary interventions developed for adolescents with chronic pain in a UK healthcare context. Little is known about how adolescents currently use online resources to manage chronic pain, or what guidance they seek.

Methods:

Ninety-five participants from the community answered this mixed-methods, online survey (adolescent n = 54, parent n = 41), which assessed the needs of UK-based adolescents for a new online chronic pain management resource.

Results:

Findings indicated that, at the time of the survey, adolescents frequently used social media platforms, such as Instagram, for chronic pain management. Desired techniques for a new interdisciplinary resource for adolescents included ‘advice on explaining chronic pain to others’ (86.7% of adolescents) and sleep hygiene (82.2% of adolescents), though access to a range of pain management techniques was desired. Qualitative results indicated endorsement of a new programme by adolescents and parents.

Conclusions:

Adolescents and parents had a positive outlook towards the development of a UK-specific online resource to help manage chronic pain. Such an intervention should aim to be made accessible via the National Health Service. Adolescent use of social media platforms to seek support for chronic pain requires further exploration in future research.