bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Eye on the Dog as the Scientist’s Best Friend for Translational Research in Ophthalmology: Focus on the Ocular Surface
Authors: Sebbag Lionel , Mochel Jonathan P.
Published: May 2020

Preclinical animal studies provide valuable opportunities to better understand human diseases and contribute to major advances in medicine. This review provides a comprehensive overview of ocular parameters in humans and selected animals, with a focus on the ocular surface, detailing species differences in ocular surface anatomy, physiology, tear film dynamics and tear film composition. We describe major pitfalls that tremendously limit the translational potential of traditional laboratory animals (ie., rabbits, mice and rats) in ophthalmic research, and highlight the benefits of integrating companion dogs with clinical analogues to human diseases into preclinical pharmacology studies. This One Health approach can help accelerate and improve the framework in which ophthalmic research is translated to the human clinic. Studies can be conducted in canine subjects with naturally occurring or non-invasively induced ocular surface disorders (eg., dry eye disease, conjunctivitis), reviewed herein, and tear fluid can be easily retrieved from canine eyes for various bioanalytical purposes. In this review, we discuss common tear collection methods, including capillary tubes and Schirmer tear strips, and provide guidelines for tear sampling and extraction to improve the reliability of analyte quantification (drugs, proteins, others).
The Molecular Basis of Gender Variations in Mortality Rates Associated with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak
Authors: Y. Hachim Ibrahim , Y. Hachim Mahmood , Talaat Iman Mamdouh , López-Ozuna Vanessa M. , Saheb Sharif-Askari Narjes , Halwani Rabih , Hamid Qutayba
Published: May 2020

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the end of 2019, the clinical presentation of the disease showed a great heterogeneity with a diverse impact between different subpopulations. Emerging evidence from different parts of the world showed significantly poor outcome among males compared to female patients. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind this difference might be a fundamental step for a more effective and targeted response to the outbreak. For that reason, here we try to investigate the molecular basis of the gender variations in mortality rates related to COVID-19 infection. To achieve this, we used our in-house pipeline to process publicly available lung transcriptomic data from 141 females compared to 286 males. After excluding Y specific genes, our results showed a shortlist of 73 genes that are differentially expressed between the two groups. Our results showed downregulation of a group of genes that are involved in the regulation of hydrolase activity including (AGTR1, CHM, DDX3X, FGFR3, SFRP2, and NLRP2), which is also believed to be essential for lung immune response and antimicrobial activity in the lung tissues in males compared to females. In contrast, our results showed an upregulation of angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1), a member of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that plays a role in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activity modulation. Interestingly, recent reports and experimental animal models highlight an important role of this receptor in SARS-Coronavirus lung damage as well as pulmonary edema, suggesting a possible role of its blockers like losartan and olmesartan as potential therapeutic options for COVID-19 infection. Finally, our results also showed a differential expression of different genes that are involved in the immune response including the NLRP2 and PTGDR2, further supporting the notion of the sex-based immunological differences. Taken together, our results provide an initial evidence of the molecular mechanisms that might be involved in the differential outcomes observed between both genders during the COVID-19 outbreak. This might be essential for the discovery of new targets and more precise therapeutic options to treat COVID-19 patients from different clinical and epidemiological characteristics with the aim of improving their outcome.
Molecular Modelling and Docking Experiments Examining the Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein and Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors
Authors: Farsalinos Konstantinos , Eliopoulos Elias , Leonidas Demetres , Papadopoulos Georgios , Tzartos Socrates , Poulas Konstantinos
Published: May 2020

While SARS-CoV-2 uses angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as the receptor for cell entry, it is important to examine for other potential interactions between the virus and other cell receptors. Based on the clinical observation of low smoking prevalence among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, we recently identified a “toxin-like” amino acid (aa) sequence on the receptor binding domain of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 (aa 375-390) with homology to a sequence of a snake venom toxin, which could interact with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). We now present computational molecular modelling and docking experiments using 3D structures of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and the extracellular domain of the nAChR alpha9 subunit. We identified an interaction between the aa381-386 of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and the aa189-192 of the extracellular domain of the nAChR alpha9 subunit, a region which forms the core of the “toxin-binding site” of the nAChRs. The mode of interaction is very similar to the interaction between the alpha9 nAChR and alpha-bungarotoxin. A similar interaction was observed between the pentameric alpha7 AChR and the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Our findings support the hypothesis that severe COVID-19 may be associated with disruption of the nicotinic cholinergic system which could be caused by an interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and nAChRs.
Orthogonal Gyrodecompositions of Real Inner Product Gyrogroups
Authors: Ferreira Milton , Suksumran Teerapong
Published: May 2020

In this article, we prove an orthogonal decomposition theorem for real inner product gyrogroups, which unify some well-known gyrogroups in the literature: Einstein, M\"{o}bius, Proper Velocity, and Chen's gyrogroups. This leads to the study of left (right) coset partition of a real inner product gyrogroup induced from a subgyrogroup that is a finite-dimensional subspace. As a result, we obtain gyroprojectors onto the subgyrogroup and its orthogonal complement. We construct also quotient spaces and prove an associated isomorphism theorem. The left (right) cosets are characterized using gyrolines (cogyrolines) together with automorphisms of the subgyrogroup. With the algebraic structure of the decompositions, we study fiber bundles and sections inherited by the gyroprojectors. Finally, the general theory is exemplified for the aforementioned gyrogroups.
Modeling and Analysis of The Early-Growth Dynamics of COVID-19 Transmission
Authors: Azad Abul Kalam al , Hussain Asif Mostafa
Published: May 2020

As an on-going pandemic caused by the out-break of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or simply COVID-19 sweeps through the globe at an unprecedented rate leaving behind trails of high infection and mortality, it is crucial to understand the propagation dynamics of the virus in a host population in order to take urgent and effective remedial and mitigating steps to save life. It is already observed in many countries and communities that accurate and timely testing, tracing, and tracking of the infection lead to better containment and slowing down of the spread. In this exploratory research, the early growth dynamics of infection within a population is pursued based on real data. The study posits that the early growth in a homogenous population follows an exponential pattern motivating further rigorous quantitative treatment based on a number of analytical models such as logistic model, Richard’s model, and Gompertz model– the acceleration pattern of the outbreak is ascertained from the daily inflection data, and regression analysis against population models yields dynamic growth indices which allow very accurate prediction of the successive outbreak size when calibrated continually with updated data. The performance of the various models is evaluated with the real dataset. More, the basic reproduction number of the COVID-19 virus propagation in the community is estimated based on the on-set phase dataset using multi-compartmental epidemiological model. Also, the maximum infection size, infection doubling time and the scope of the herd immunity are also inferred for COVID-19 in a population.
Natural and Organic Cosmetics: Definition and Concepts
Authors: Barros Cleber , Barros Rosana Bevenuto Guilhen
Published: May 2020

The market of natural and organic cosmetics has been growing in last decades. The increase in interest in this type of product is a consequence of the concern that consumers have been presenting in relation to the environment and health. In addition to the appreciation the use of sustainable ingredients in cosmetic formulations, the consumers are also concerned about pollution caused by the use of plastics, which leads industries to reinvent themselves and rethink about the composition of packaging. The factor that most drives the purchase of natural and organic cosmetics is the fact that the consumer, in addition to contributing to the preservation of the environment, is also using a sustainable product. The growing demand for natural and organic cosmetics results in a concern of the brands with the organic issue, with the decreased use of animal derived ingredients and with the updating the parameters required for certification of a cosmetic as natural or organic.
A Framework for Assessing Social- and Location-Based Transmission Risk as a Heuristic for Individual Decision-Making
Authors: Diaz Eaton Carrie
Published: May 2020

This paper provides a framework for the assessment of household-level risk, incorporating both a individual social risk perspective and a location-based perspective. We use this framework as a heuristic to explore the effect of social reintegration choices individuals face, which are not be addressed by current policies. For example, we explore how integrating extended family households during COVID-19 without social distancing may affect household and community risk. The goal is to aid individual decision makers, who are seeking to maintain quality-of-life while navigating local policy, with nuance relating to location-specific behavior and disease prevalence.
Comparison of Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System Inhibitors with Other Antihypertensives in Association with Coronavirus Disease-19 Clinical Outcomes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Bezabih Yihienew M. , Bezabih Alemayehu , Admassie Endalkachew , Peterson Gregory M. , Bezabhe Woldesellassie
Published: May 2020

Since the effects of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors on the clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) have been conflicting in different studies, we performed this meta-analysis. A systematic search of published articles was performed in PubMed and EMBASE from January-May 5, 2020. Studies that reported the clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19, stratified by the class of concomitant antihypertensive drug therapy, were included. The Mantel-Haenszel random effects model was used to estimate pooled odds ratio (OR). A total of 6,997 hypertensive patients with COVID-19 were included. The overall risk of poor patient outcomes (severe COVID-19 or death) was lower in patients taking RAAS inhibitors (OR=0.84, 95% CI: [0.73, 0.96]; P=0.017) compared with those receiving non-RAAS inhibitor antihypertensives. Patients taking angiotensin-I-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) were less likely to experience poor clinical outcomes (OR=0.73, 95% CI: [0.58-0.92]; P=0.01) compared with those receiving angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs). Compared to all other antihypertensives, ACEIs decreases the risk poor COVID-19 outcomes (OR=0.77, 95% CI: [0.63-0.93]) while ARBs did not (OR=1.13, 95% CI: [0.95-1.35]). The risk of poor patient outcomes from COVID-19 was lower in patients who received RAAS inhibitors compared with those who took non-RAAS inhibitors. Unlike ARBs, ACEIs might help in decreasing the severity and mortality of COVID-19.
Modification of the Logistic Model for Epidemics and Application to the COVID-19 Epidemic of 2020 in the United States
Authors: Roberts David H.
Published: May 2020

We present a modification of the logistic model of epidemics that takes into account the possibility that an epidemic can develop from multiple physically-distinct hot spots with a range of starting times. This produces an improved understanding of the time evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic taking place in the United States in the spring of 2020.
Phylogenetic and Variant Analysis of 1,040 SARS-CoV-2 Genomes
Authors: Rouchka Eric C. , Chariker Julia H. , Chung Donghoon
Published: May 2020

The severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral genome is an RNA virus consisting of approximately 30,000 bases. As part of testing efforts, whole genome sequencing of human isolates has resulted in over 1,600 complete genomes publicly available from GenBank. We have performed a comparative phylogenetic analysis of the sequences, in order to detect common mutations within the population. Analysis of variants occurring within the assembled genomes yields 417 variants occurring in at least 1% of the completed genomes, including 229 within the 5’ untranslated region (UTR), 152 within the 3’UTR, 2 within intergenic regions and 34 within coding sequences.
Proposed Improvements for Automated Chemical Safety Evaluations Using In-Silico Techniques
Authors: Jordan Bryan
Published: May 2020

The vastness of chemical-space constrains traditional drug-discovery methods to the organic laws that are guiding the chemistry involved in filtering through candidates. Leveraging computing with machine-learning to intelligently generate compounds that meet a wide range of objectives can bring significant gains in time and effort needed to filter through a broad range of candidates. This paper details how the use of Generative-Adversarial-Networks, novel machine learning techniques to format the training dataset and the use of quantum computing offer new ways to expedite drug-discovery.
Gunung Kawi: Olahan Ketela Ungu Memberdayakan Masyarakat
Authors: Kumala Farida Nur , Hudha Muhammad Nur , Aji Sudi Dul
Published: May 2020

Purple sweet potato Gunung Kawi is only sold raw, the price is very cheap. This causes the farmers to suffer losses. On the other hand, quite a lot of Wonosari Gunung Kawi residents become female migrant worker, because there are not enough producers in the village to meet the residents' needs. Based on that, the processing of purple sweet potato Gunung Kawi is needed to be developed into an effort that can absorb labor. The purpose of this service is to produce a purple sweet potato product business for residents of Wonosari Gunung Kawi. The service method used is through three stages, fisrt preparation for coordination and outreach activities to partners. The second stage the implementation phase of the training carried out training on the processing of purple sweet potato Gunung Kawi  into several products such as sticks, bakpia and brownies from purple sweet potato of Gunung Kawi. The third stage is the evaluation and assistance. The instruments used in this service were interview sheets and activity observations. The results of the service show that the community has been able to produce and package products that are ready for sale and according to health standards. 

Selama ini  telo ungu gunung kawi hanya dijual secara mentah sehingga harga jual telo ungu sangat murah. Hal ini menyebabkan petani kebun telo mengalami kerugian khususnya pada musim tertentu. Dilain sisi, warga wonosari gunung kawi cukup banyak yang menjadi TKW karena penghasil di desa yang belum cukup untuk memenuhi kebutuhan warga. Berdasarkan hal tersebut diperlukan pengolahan SDA telo ungu yang dikembangkan menjadi suatu usaha yang dapat menyerap tenaga kerja. Tujuan pengabdian ini adalah menghasilkan usaha pengolahan telo ungu bagi warga Wonosari Gunung Kawi. Metode pengabdian yang digunakan adalah melalui tiga tahapan yakni persiapan dilakukan kegiatan koordinasi dan sosialisasi terhadap mitra, tahap kedua yakni tahap pelaksanaan pelatihan dilakukan pelatihan pengolaha  telo ungu gunung kawi menjadi beberapa produk yakni stik, bakpia dan brownies telo ungu gunung kawi. Tahap ketiga adalah evaluasi daan pendampingan. Instrumen yang digunakan pada kegiatan pengabdian ini adalah lembar wawancara dan observasi kegiatan. Hasil pengabdian menunjukkan bahwa masyarakat telah mampu memproduksi dan mengemas stik, brownies dan bakpia menjadi produk yang siap untuk dijual dan sesuai standar kesehatan.
Blood Loss from Transverse Versus Longitudinal Uterine Incision in Abdominal Myomectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Elguindy Alaa , Hemeda Hosam , Shawky Mohamed Esmat , Elsenity Mohamed , Elsayed Medhat Adel , Fahim Ahmed , Afifi Khaled , Nawara Maii
Published: May 2020

Background: It is unclear whether transverse uterine incision is non-inferior to longitudinal incision during myomectomy with regard to bleeding. Our aim was to compare between transverse and longitudinal uterine incisions in myomectomy. Methods: A parallel randomized controlled single-blinded study in a university affiliated hospital, in the period between January 2017 and April 2018, in which 52 women candidates for abdominal myomectomy were randomized into transverse uterine incision or longitudinal uterine incision groups (26 in each group). Intraoperative blood loss (estimated directly by blood volume in suction bottle and linen towels and indirectly by difference between preoperative and postoperative hematocrit), operative time and postoperative fever were analyzed. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between transverse and longitudinal incisions regarding intraoperative blood loss (389.7 ± 98.56 ml vs 485.04 ± 230.6 ml respectively, p value=0.07), operative time (59.96 ± 16.78 min vs 66.58 ± 17.33 min respectively, p value=0.18), and postoperative fever (4% vs 8.33%, p value=0.6). Conclusion: Transverse uterine incision does not cause more blood loss than longitudinal incision and is a reasonable option during abdominal myomectomy. Trial registration: NCT03009812 at clinicaltrials.gov, registered January 2017
Administration of Glycerol-Based Formulations in Sheep Results in Similar Ovulation Rate to eCG but Red Blood Cell Indices May Be Affected
Authors: Porcu Cristian , Sotgiu Francesca Daniela , Pasciu Valeria , Cappai Maria Grazia , Fernández Alicia Barbero- , Gonzalez-Bulnes Antonio , Dattena Maria , Gallus Marilia , Molle Giovanni , Berlinguer Fiametta
Published: May 2020

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the metabolic and osmotic effects of different doses of glycerol or a glycerol – propylene glycol mixture in Sarda sheep with the aim to identify those able to beneficially modify ewe’s metabolic status without harmful changes in red blood cell (RBC) indices. Thereafter, the selected doses were tested for their effects on ewe’s ovarian activity during an induced follicular phase and compared to the effects of a hormonal treatment with equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG). Results: Glycerol was administered alone (G groups: 90% glycerol and 10% water; % v/v) or in combination with propylene glycol (M groups: 70% glycerol, 20% propylene glycol, 10% water; % v/v). Treatments were formulated to provide 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of the amount of energy supplied in previous experiments. Obtained results showed that the formulations G75 and M75 (22.5% and 18.2% on DM basis, respectively) induce metabolic changes comparable to those induced by M100. The latter dose has been already evaluated for its effects on sheep metabolism and reproductive performance. However, with these high doses, plasma osmolality increased significantly, and RBC indices showed significant alterations. The low dose groups (G25 and M25, 8.6% and 6.9% on DM basis, respectively) did not show any alterations in plasma osmolality and RBC indices, but the metabolic milieu differed markedly from that of M100. Between the medium dose groups, M50 (12.9% on DM basis) showed a more comparable milieu to M100 than G50 (15.9% on DM basis) and no RBC alterations. Therefore, M75, G75 and M50 doses were tested for their effect on ovarian functions and proved to be equally effective as eCG. Conclusion: The results of the present study evidenced an alteration of RBC indices, and possibly of their functions, as a side effect of glycerol administration at high doses in the diet of ewes. Therefore, protocols foreseeing the administration of glycerol should be tested for their effects on RBC indices and functions. In general terms, the medium dose of the glucogenic mixture (12.9% of dietary DM on offer) should be preferred.
Chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting PD-L1 suppress tumor growth
Authors: Qin Le , Zhao Ruocong , Chen Dongmei , Wei Xinru , Wu Qiting , Long Youguo , Jiang Zhiwu , Li Yangqiu , Wu Haipeng , Zhang Xuchao , Wu Yilong , Cui Shuzhong , Wei Wei , Yao Huihui , Liu Zixia , Cao Su , Yao Yao , Zhang Zhenfeng , Li Peng
Published: May 2020

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) therapy has been well recognized for treating B cell-derived malignancy. However, the efficacy of CAR-T cells against solid tumors remains dissatisfactory, partially due to the heterogeneity of solid tumors and T cell exhaustion in tumor microenvironment. PD-L1 is up-regulated in multiple solid tumors, resulting in T cell exhaustion upon binding to its receptor PD-1. Methods: Here, we designed a dominant-negative form of PD-1 , dPD1z, a vector containing the extracellular and transmembrane regions of human PD-1, and a CAR vector against PD-L1, CARPD-L1z, a vector employs a high-affinity single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against human PD-L1. These two vectors shared the same intracellular structure, including 4-1BB and TLR2 co-stimulatory domains, and the CD3ζ signaling domain. Results: dPD1z T and CARPD-L1z T cells efficiently lysed PD-L1 + tumor cells and had enhanced cytokine secretion in vitro and suppressed the growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), gastric cancer and hepatoma carcinoma in patient-derived xenograft (PDX). However, the combination of anti-mesothelin CAR-T cells (CARMSLNz T) with dPD1z T or CARPD-L1z T cells did not repress tumor growth synergistically in PDX, as CARMSLNz T cells upregulated PD-L1 expression upon activation and were subsequently attacked by dPD1z T or CARPD-L1z T cells. Conclusions: In conclusion, we demonstrate CAR-T cells targeting PD-L1 were effective for suppressing the growth of multiple types of solid tumors in PDX models though their safety needs to be carefully examined.
Parenting issues in educating children with adhd in the contex of inclusive education in Ukraine
Authors: Fert Olha
Published: May 2020

The article deals with the most common mental disorders of children in Ukraine in the context of the current international classification. The role of heredity in the etiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is noted. The issue of appropriate family upbringing for the purpose of full inclusion of the child with ADHD is raised. The progress of parents of children with ADHD in the process of family education with the support of non-governmental organizations is analyzed.
Yusufeli Barajı Antropojenik Etkilerinin Peyzaj Planlama Açısından Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: YILMAM Belgin , TURGUT Hilal
Published: May 2020

Yirminci yüzyılın ikinci yarısından sonra önemli seviyelere ulaşan insan kaynaklı doğa tahribatının uzun bir süre daha dünya gündemini meşgul edeceği görünüyor. Dünya nüfusundaki ve buna bağlı olarak enerji ve besin gereksinimindeki artış doğal kaynaklar üzerindeki baskıları ve tahribatları da arttırmıştır. Bu baskı ve tahribatlar ekosistemlerin işleyişinde önemli aksaklıklara ve doğal dengede kimi zaman geriye dönülemez bozulmalara neden olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Yusufeli Barajı’nın yapım ve üretim süreçlerinde ortaya çıkan antropojenik baskıların belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Kılıçkaya, Öğdem ve Yusufeli bölgeleri Yusufeli Barajı’ndan etkilendikleri için çalışma alanı olarak seçilmişlerdir. Antropojenik etkilerin belirlenmesinde uydu görüntüleri ve CBS yazılımları kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda elde edilen verilere göre, Yusufeli Barajı’nın su tutmaya başlamasıyla birlikte yaklaşık 33 km2'lik su yüzeyinin oluşacağı tespit edilmiştir. Yusufeli Barajı’nın tamamlanmasının ardından yaklaşık 612 ha orman ve 62 ha tarım arazisi yok olacaktır. Arazi kabiliyet sınıfları bakımından yapılan değerlendirmelerde, I. sınıf arazilerin %100'ünün, II. sınıf arazilerin %69'unun, III. sınıf arazilerin %81'inin, IV. sınıf arazilerin %7'sinin, VI. sınıf arazilerin %1'inin ve VII. sınıf arazilerin %1'inin baraj rezervuar sahası içinde kalacağı görülmüştür. Yusufeli Barajı’ndan en fazla etkilenen Yusufeli ilçe merkezinin taşınacağı yeni yerleşim alanı yaklaşık 640 ha’lık bir alana sahiptir ve üç bölgeden oluşacaktır. Bu alanların oluşturulması için önemli miktarda kazı-dolgu işlemi yapılmıştır. İmar planına göre yeni yerleşim merkezinde 1300 konut için 21.6 ha, aktif yeşil alanlar için 9.65 ha ve pasif yeşil alanlar için ise 5.1 ha alan planlanmıştır. Bu çalışma ile Yusufeli Barajı ile ortaya çıkan antropojenik etkilerin olumsuz sonuçlarının en aza indirgenmesi için planlama önerileri sunulmuştur.
The Potential Role of Serum Exosomes in Preeclampsia
Authors: Gao Xuelin , Shao Lulu , Ge Xinying , Zhang Long , Chen Dexin , He Rongxia
Published: May 2020

Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy-specific disease that affects about 5%-8% of pregnant women and is
the main reason for the increase in maternal and perinatal mortality. Due to unknown etiology, preeclampsia is still
the main cause of increased mortality in maternal and perinatal infants, which is mainly manifested by new
hypertension after 20 weeks of pregnancy. As the pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, early diagnosis and full
treatment are lacking. Exosomes secreted from the placenta to the peripheral circulation may be involved in the
pathogenesis of preeclampsia and can be detected from the plasma of pregnant women after 6 weeks of pregnancy.
Related studies have shown that the levels of exosomes in preeclampsia have changed, and the protein and miRNA
expression profiles are also different. Therefore, monitoring changes in plasma exosomes and expression profiles
may provide new ideas and new perspectives for the prediction, diagnosis and treatment of preeclampsia.
A Review of Eugenol-based Nanomedicine: Recent Advancements
Authors: Jahangir Mohammed A. , Taleuzzaman Mohamad , Beg Sarwar , Verma Surajpal , Gilani Sadaf J. , Alam Perwaiz
Published: May 2020

Eugenol is a bioactive compound commonly found in many herbal plants. The different
reported sources of eugenol are clove, cinnamon, holy basil, and pepper. Several therapeutic activities
of eugenol like antioxidant, antimicrobial, anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic,
neuroprotective agent, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer activities have been reported. However, due to
limited aqueous solubility, it has poor bioavailability. Its therapeutic potential can be enhanced by
developing eugenol nano-formulations like liposome, nanoparticles, microemulsions and micelles.
This article extensively reviews the chemical and pharmacological properties of eugenol and its
nano-formulations along with their biological activities.
A Perspective of Viruses and the Outbreak of a Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV- 2
Authors: Gupta Satya P.
Published: May 2020

The article presents some introductory remarks on viruses and in general how they lead to
diseases. With reference to same, it discusses the emergence of a fairly novel coronavirus, 2019-
CoV-2 and its possible medication.
Youtube as a Source of Patients’ and Specialists’ Information on Hemorrhoids and Hemorrhoid Surgery
Authors: Sturiale Alessandro , Dowais Raad , Porzio Felipe Celedon , Brusciano Luigi , Gallo Gaetano , Morganti Riccardo , Naldini Gabriele
Published: May 2020

Background:

In the past, most people sought medical information by consulting health care professionals. Nowadays, many people started to use online resources to access medical information.

Objective:

The study aims to investigate whether YouTube videos on hemorrhoids and hemorrhoid surgery can be a useful e-learning source for the general population, surgical trainees and specialists.

Methods:

A YouTube search was performed in October 2019 using the keywords “hemorrhoids” and “hemorrhoid surgery”, and the videos were divided into 2 groups according to the keywords. Three independent researchers assessed the metadata and classified them according to the level of accuracy (hemorrhoid group) and the level of usefulness (hemorrhoid surgery group). Cohen’s test and Kappa (K) value were used to evaluate the inter-investigators agreement.

Results:

A total of 200 videos were analyzed, 100 for each keyword. Regarding the hemorrhoid group, 43 videos (48.3%) were misleading, 9 were accurate (10.1%), 18 were approximate (20.2%), and 19 were considered a personal experience (21.4%). Regarding the hemorrhoid surgery group, around 60% of the videos were lacking a clear explanation, while about 16% were inaccurate. Only the remaining 24% were considered useful for teaching.

Conclusion:

Around half of the YouTube videos regarding hemorrhoids topic were found to be misleading or inaccurate and present a risk of harmful consequences. Credible videos with accurate information need to be uploaded by medical professionals and medical institutions and some sort of filtering, using categories by the staff of YouTube, appears to be necessary. Care must be taken to produce clear, high-quality operative clips with proper scientific commentary.
Radioprotective Effect of Pioglitazone Against Genotoxicity Induced by Ionizing Radiation in Healthy Human Lymphocytes
Authors: Kazemi Roya , Hosseinimehr Seyed J.
Published: May 2020

Objective:

Pioglitazone (PG) is used to control high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes
mellitus. PG acts as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist. In addition to the
insulin-sensitizing effect, PG possesses anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, the protective effect of
PG was evaluated against DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation in healthy human lymphocytes.

Methods:

The microtubes containing human whole blood were treated with PG at various
concentrations (1-50 μM) for three hours. Then, the blood samples were irradiated with X-ray.
Lymphocytes were cultured for determining the frequency of micronuclei as a genotoxicity
biomarker in binucleated lymphocytes.

Results:

The mean percentage of micronuclei was significantly increased in human lymphocytes
when were exposed to IR, while it was decreased in lymphocytes pre-treated with PG. The
maximum reduction in the frequency of micronuclei in irradiated lymphocytes was observed at 5
μM of PG treatment (48% decrease).

Conclusion:

The anti-inflammatory property is suggested the mechanism action of PG for
protection human lymphocytes against genotoxicity induced by ionizing radiation.
A Systematic Literature Review of Curcumin with Promising Antileishmanial Activity
Authors: Saberi Reza , Fakhar Mahdi , Asfaram Shabnam , Akhtari Javad , Nakhaei Maryam , Keighobadi Masoud
Published: May 2020

Background:

Curcumin (CUR) is a bright yellow chemical and it is used as an additive
in foods. Recently CUR and its associated bioactive compounds have received much attention in
the literature review. The aim of this systematic review is to overview the antileishmanial properties
of CUR and its mechanism; perhaps the results of this study will be used for therapeutic and
preventive purposes.

Methods:

Following the PRISMA guidelines, international databases were systematically
searched for studies published until September 2019. Articles related to the subject were selected
and included in this systematic review.

Results:

A total of 15 articles met our eligibility criteria. Then, the effect of CUR and its
associated bioactive compounds on Leishmania species was evaluated. In most studies
CUR/derivatives were tested on L. major and in vitro condition. Most investigations were
conducted on the promastigote rather than the more relevant intracellular amastigote stage. Our
results showed that CUR overcomes the inhibitory effect of nitric oxide (NO) on Leishmania
parasites.

Conclusions:

This review indicated that CUR derivatives instead of alone CUR showed a high
potential to serve as an effective herbal drug against leishmaniasis. Moreover, we concluded that
the antileishmanial activity of CUR/bioactive compounds is mostly due to increasing oxidative
stress and inducing apoptosis.
Overview of Therapeutic Drugs and Methods for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Schneider Andrew , Sari Adam T. , Alhaddad Hasan , Sari Youssef
Published: May 2020

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease involving degeneration of dopaminergic
neurons of the nigrostriatal pathways. Over the past decades, most of the medications for the
treatment of PD patients have been used to modulate dopamine concentrations in the basal ganglia.
This includes levodopa and its inhibitory metabolizing enzymes. In addition to modulating dopamine
concentrations in the brain, there are D2-like dopamine receptor agonists that mimic the action of dopamine
to compensate for the deficit in dopamine found in PD patients. Muscarinic antagonists’ drugs
are used rarely due to some side effects. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are among the first in line, and
are considered popular drugs that reduce the metabolism of dopamine in PD patients. Furthermore, we
discussed in this review the existence of certain glutamate receptor antagonists for the treatment of
PD. Alternatively, we further discussed the potential therapeutic role of adenosine (2A) receptor antagonists,
such as tozadenant and istradefylline in the treatment of PD. We also discussed the important
role of serotonin1A receptor agonist, adrenergic autoreceptors (α2) antagonists and calcium
channel blockers in the treatment of PD. Finally, neurotrophic factors, such as glial cell line-derived
neurotrophic growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor are considered the primary factors
for neuroprotection in PD.
Product Quality Tracing in Manufacturing Supply Chain Based on Big Data Technology
Authors: Huang Yin , Huang Shumin , Zhang Yichen , Yang Xue , Liu Runda
Published: May 2020

Background:

Big data technology has been widely used in manufacturing supply chain management.
However, traditional big data technology has some limitations, and it cannot achieve the continuous
improvement of whole-process product quality tracing.

Objective :

The purpose of this study is to overcome the limitations by patents analysis and provide new
big data technology and technical modes to make the continuous improvements of whole-process product
quality tracing for achieving effective product lifecycle management based on big data technology.

Methods:

The research method, patent analysis, and comparative analysis are employed in this study to
analyze product quality tracing in the manufacturing supply chain based on big data technology.
Moreover, the procedure and steps of the new big data technology - Product Digital Twin (PDT), and
its technical modes are designed by process design methods. Its key technologies are also analyzed and
compared with traditional big data technology by the comparative study.

Results:

The research achieves the continuous improvements of whole-process product quality tracing
based on new big data technology - PDT by patent analysis. The formation process and behavior of
manufactured products in the realistic environment are simulated, monitored, diagnosed, predicted, and
controlled. In this way, the high-efficient coordination in various stages of the product lifecycle is propelled
fundamentally and the continuous improvements of the whole-process product quality tracing
based on big data technology is analyzed.

Conclusion:

Three new technical modes based on big data technology are predicted for future researches
and patents, namely, the immersive development mode integrating big data and the virtual
reality technology, the knowledge-based multivariant coordinated development mode, and the lifecycle
extended development model based on multi-domain interoperability.
Dithranol: An Insight into its Novel Delivery Cargos for Psoriasis Management
Authors: Kadian Varsha , Kumar Sunil , Saini Komal , Kakkar Vandita , Rao Rekha
Published: May 2020

Objective:

Dithranol (DTH) is a well-known moiety that has long been used promisingly
to impede and treat skin disorders, particularly psoriasis. Nowadays, a rekindled interest in the use
of DTH for this disorder has been observed. Side effects associated with conventional topical formulations
of this moiety have aroused the interest of the scientific community in investigating novel
cargos of DTH for psoriasis management.

Results:

Previous research has evidenced the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferating potential of
DTH. Numerous studies have indicated that DTH inhibits polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocyte,
modulates epidermal cell receptors and promotes anti-psoriatic action. However, some deterrent factors
like poor solubility, stability, toxicity, staining and skin irritation hamper its use as a potential
therapeutic agent. With the adoption of novel drug delivery technologies, the above mentioned inherent
limitations of DTH have been compensated to reestablish this drug moiety.

Conclusion:

This article reviews novel drug delivery aspects, safety concerns, clinical evidence,
current status, and future opportunities of DTH in the management of psoriasis. Further, it will update
researchers on this promising drug moiety, which is free from systemic adverse responses in
comparison to other therapeutic molecules like steroids, for psoriasis treatment.
Using Reports of Symptoms and Diagnoses on Social Media to Predict COVID-19 Case Counts in Mainland China: Observational Infoveillance Study
Authors: Shen Cuihua , Chen Anfan , Luo Chen , Zhang Jingwen , Feng Bo , Liao Wang
Published: May 2020

Background

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. This disease poses an extraordinary challenge for public health systems because screening and surveillance capacity is often severely limited, especially during the beginning of the outbreak; this can fuel the outbreak, as many patients can unknowingly infect other people.

Objective

The aim of this study was to collect and analyze posts related to COVID-19 on Weibo, a popular Twitter-like social media site in China. To our knowledge, this infoveillance study employs the largest, most comprehensive, and most fine-grained social media data to date to predict COVID-19 case counts in mainland China.

Methods

We built a Weibo user pool of 250 million people, approximately half the entire monthly active Weibo user population. Using a comprehensive list of 167 keywords, we retrieved and analyzed around 15 million COVID-19–related posts from our user pool from November 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020. We developed a machine learning classifier to identify “sick posts,” in which users report their own or other people’s symptoms and diagnoses related to COVID-19. Using officially reported case counts as the outcome, we then estimated the Granger causality of sick posts and other COVID-19 posts on daily case counts. For a subset of geotagged posts (3.10% of all retrieved posts), we also ran separate predictive models for Hubei province, the epicenter of the initial outbreak, and the rest of mainland China.

Results

We found that reports of symptoms and diagnosis of COVID-19 significantly predicted daily case counts up to 14 days ahead of official statistics, whereas other COVID-19 posts did not have similar predictive power. For the subset of geotagged posts, we found that the predictive pattern held true for both Hubei province and the rest of mainland China regardless of the unequal distribution of health care resources and the outbreak timeline.

Conclusions

Public social media data can be usefully harnessed to predict infection cases and inform timely responses. Researchers and disease control agencies should pay close attention to the social media infosphere regarding COVID-19. In addition to monitoring overall search and posting activities, leveraging machine learning approaches and theoretical understanding of information sharing behaviors is a promising approach to identify true disease signals and improve the effectiveness of infoveillance.
Exploring Features of the Pervasive Game Pokémon GO That Enable Behavior Change: Qualitative Study (Preprint)
Authors: Arjoranta Jonne , Kari Tuomas , Salo Markus
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

Digital gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. While prior literature concluded that digital games can enable changes in players’ behaviors, there is limited knowledge about different types of behavior changes and the game features driving them. Understanding behavior changes and the game features behind them is important because digital games can motivate players to change their behavior for the better (or worse).

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the types of behavior changes and their underlying game features within the context of the popular pervasive game Pokémon GO.

METHODS

We collected data from 262 respondents with a critical incident technique (CIT) questionnaire. We analyzed the responses with applied thematic analysis with ATLAS.ti (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH) software.

RESULTS

We discovered 8 types of behavior changes and 13 game features relevant to those behavior changes. The behavior changes included added activity in life, enhancing routines, exploration, increased physical activity, strengthening social bonds, lowering social barriers, increased positive emotional expression and self-treatment. The game features included reaching a higher level, catching new Pokémon, evolving new Pokémon, visiting PokéStops, exploring PokéStops, hatching eggs, fighting in gyms, collaborative fighting, exploiting special events, finding specific Pokémon, using items, Pokémon theme, and game location tied to physical location. The behavior changes were connected to specific game features, with game location tied to physical location and catching new Pokémon being the most common and connected to all behavior changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that the surveyed players changed their behaviors while or after playing Pokémon GO. The respondents reported being more social, expressed more positive emotions, found more meaningfulness in their routines, and had increased motivation to explore their surroundings.
An Overview of the effectiveness of mhealth technology in the Developing Countries (Preprint)
Authors: Khan Nawaf
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

The healthcare system in most of the developing countries has been struggling to provide high-quality services. This limitation has negatively affected the performance and safety of healthcare personnel, as well as patients’ satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE

To provide an overview of the current knowledge of integrating human factors/ergonomics technology to improve healthcare service delivery in developing nations

METHODS

The authors reviewed the current literature focusing on mhealth interventions in developing countries. This review included the integration of mobile phone applications as well as Short Messaging Service (SMS).

RESULTS

Previous research on the integration of mhealth in developing countries focused on the use of mobile phone applications and SMS text messaging. However, the effectiveness of such programs has not to be reported in most of these studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Although little research was found in the implementation of mhealth technologies such as the Short Messaging Service (SMS) to improve healthcare service delivery in the developing nations, the effectiveness of such programs has not been reported. Therefore, future research should focus on evaluating the outcomes of mhealth interventions to ensure that patients in developing countries have access to high-quality healthcare services.
Effects of Objective and Subjective Health Literacy on Patients’ Accurate Judgment of Health Information and Decision-Making Ability: Survey Study (Preprint)
Authors: Schulz Peter Johannes , Pessina Annalisa , Hartung Uwe , Petrocchi Serena
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

Interpreting health information and acquiring health knowledge have become more important with the accumulation of scientific medical knowledge and ideals of patient autonomy. Health literacy and its tremendous success as a concept can be considered an admission that not all is well in the distribution of health knowledge. The internet makes health information much more easily accessible than ever, but it introduces its own problems, of which health disinformation is a major one.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine whether objective and subjective health literacy are independent concepts and to test which of the two was associated more strongly with accurate judgments of the quality of a medical website and with behavioral intentions beneficial to health.

METHODS

A survey on depression and its treatments was conducted online (n=362). The Newest Vital Sign was employed to measure objective, performance-based health literacy, and the eHealth Literacy Scale was used to measure subjective, perception-based health literacy. Correlations, comparisons of means, linear and binary logistic regression, and mediation models were used to determine the associations.

RESULTS

Objective and subjective health literacy were weakly associated with one another (r=0.06, P=.24). High objective health literacy levels were associated with an inclination to behave in ways that are beneficial to one’s own or others’ health (Exp[B]=2.068, P=.004) and an ability to recognize low-quality online sources of health information (β=–.4698, P=.005). The recognition also improved participants’ choice of treatment (β=–.3345, P<.001). Objective health literacy helped people to recognize misinformation on health websites and improved their judgment on their treatment for depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported, perception-based health literacy should be treated as a separate concept from objective, performance-based health literacy. Only objective health literacy appears to have the potential to prevent people from becoming victims of health disinformation.