bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geroprotective potential of in vitro bioactive compounds isolated from yarrow (Achilleae millefolii L.) cell cultures
Authors: Asyakina Lyudmila , Fotina Natal’ya , Izgarysheva Natalia , Slavyanskiy Anatoliy , Neverova Olga
Published: April 2021

Introduction. There is an urgent need for geroprotectors that prevent premature aging, especially antioxidants of plant origin. Due to the shortage of medicinal plant materials, scientists look for alternative sources of bioactive compounds of phenolic nature, for example, cell cultures and organs of higher plants. This paper describes a study of the geroprotective potential of in vitro bioactive compounds isolated from yarrow (Achilleae millefolii L.) cell cultures.

Study objects and methods. Callus, suspension and hairy root cultures of A. millefolii were obtained by in vitro cultivation on modified nutrient media. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze the composition of the cell cultures and ethanol extracts. The extracts’ antimicrobial activity was studied by the disk diffusion method and their antioxidant activity was measured based on titration of a potassium permanganate solution.

Results and discussion. The biomass of all yarrow cell cultures contained essential oils, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolic acids, carotenoids, as well as vitamins C and E. The suspension culture had a higher content of essential oils, flavonoids and glycosides than the callus and hairy root cultures. The extracts of the A. millefolii suspension culture also contained geroprotectors – phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and simple phenols, with a prevalence of caffeic acid, cynaroside, 4,5-dicofeylquinic acid, apigenin, and luteolin. In addition, HPLC revealed the presence of cumic aldehyde, umbelliferone, 3-caffeylquinic acid, and caffeic acid – the bioactive compounds previously not reported in yarrow. In vitro experiments with the extracts proved their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.

Conclusion. The complex of bioactive compounds isolated from the biomass of yarrow suspension culture provides this plant with potential geroprotective properties. Thus, yarrow can be used to create nutraceuticals that prevent premature aging.
Investigation of Association with First-Trimester Free Human Chorionic Gonadotropin - ß, Pregnancy - Associated Plasma Protein-A, and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Gonen Gokhan , Kemal Akpak Yasam , Muhcu Murat
Published: April 2021

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the association between first-trimester screening maternal serum markers (free human chorionic gonadotropin-beta (β-hCG), pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A, and adverse pregnancy outcomes (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, preterm delivery, intrauterine growth restriction, oligohydramnios, intrauterine ex-fetus, abruptio placentae, and gestational diabetes mellitus).
STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study including 1516 women who delivered a singleton pregnancy at GATA Haydarpasa Education Hospital from 2006 to 2009. Patients with multiple pregnancies, chromosome aberrations, or fetal anomalies were excluded. Extreme values of corrected- pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A and free β-hCG, and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes were analyzed.
RESULTS: Adverse pregnancy outcomes at the cutoff level of ≤0.25 c-pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A MOM values positive likelihood ratio (+LR) was 7.5 (95%CI 2.426-19.836) and had a significant correlation (r=0.108, p<0.01). It was also a significant correlation with adverse pregnancy outcomes (r=0.189, p<0.01) at the cut-off level of ≤0.50 corrected-pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A MOM values and the +LR was 2.388 (95%CI 1.889-2.991). Association between low corrected-pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A MOM values and adverse pregnancy outcomes were statistically significant and had a poor association (AUC, 0.630 95%CI 0.596-0.663, p<0.01). Preeclampsia was statistically significant, however had a fair association (AUC, 0.74 95% CI 0.690-0.802, p<0.01). Preterm birth was statistically significant but had a poor association (AUC, 0.568 95% CI 0.512-0.624, p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: First-trimester maternal serum low pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A values are significantly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. It may be a useful tool to predictive not only chromosome anomalies but also adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Atrial fibrillation: review of the European Society of Cardiology guidelines and national guidelines 2020
Authors: Mescherina Natalia S. , Khardikova Elena M. , Saraev Igor A.
Published: April 2021

The review presents the key provisions of the recommendations of the Russian society of cardiology and the guidelines of the European society of cardiology for the diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), updated in 2020. The recommendations clearly state the requirements for atrial fibrillation diagnosis verification, and propose an approach to the formation of a complex characteristic of the disease in four positions, which is designated as 4S-AF (Stroke risk, Symptom severity, Severity of AF burden, Substrate severity). The authors analyzed the strategy "CC To ABC" (Confirm AF, Characterize AF, Treat AF: the ABC pathway) proposed by European experts, the issues of modern terminology and requirements for verifying the diagnosis of AF, complex characteristics of the disease and stratification of the risk of stroke and bleeding, a new ABC approach in the treatment of AF, where A is anticoagulant prevention of thromboembolic complications, B is the control of symptoms of the disease and C is the detection and treatment of comorbid pathology. The General principles that have changed in comparison with the previous versions of guidelines of 2016 on the initiation and tactics of anticoagulant therapy, pharmacological and non-drug cardioversion, catheter ablation in patients with AF, affecting the prognosis and outcomes in patients with AF, are outlined. It is emphasized that the pattern of atrial fibrillation (first diagnosed, paroxysmal, persistent, long-term persistent, permanent) should not determine the indications for anticoagulant prevention. The solution to this issue is determined by the level of risk according to the CHA2DS2-VASc scale. The introduction of the considered methods of diagnosis and treatment of AF into clinical practice will optimize the burden on the health care system and reduce the costs associated with the burden of AF.
An evaluation of CMIP5 precipitation simulations using ground observations over ten river basins in China
Authors: Yang Xiuqin , Yong Bin , Yu Zhiguo , Zhang Yuqing
Published: April 2021

Using the precipitation measurements obtained from 2,419 ground meteorological stations over China from 1960 to 2005 as benchmark, the performance of 21 single-mode precipitation data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) were evaluated using Taylor diagrams and several statistical metrics. Based on statistical metrics, the models were ranked in terms of their ability to reproduce similar patterns in precipitation relative to the observations. Except in Southeast and Pearl river basins, research results show that all model ensemble means overestimate in the rest of the river basins, especially in Southwest and Northwest. The performance of CMIP5 models is quite different among each river basin; most models show significant overestimation in Northwest and Yellow and significant underestimations in Southeast and Pearl. The simulations are more reliable in Songhua, Liao, Yangtze, and Pearl than in other river basins according to spatial distribution and interannual variability. No individual model performs well in all the river basins both spatially and temporally. In Songhua, Liao, Yangtze, and Pearl, precipitation indices are more consistent with observations, and the spread among models is smaller. The multimodel ensemble selected from the most reasonable models indicates improved performance relative to all model ensembles.
The study on the time lag of water level in the Three Gorges Reservoir under the regulation processes
Authors: He Kunlong , Shi Hongwei , Chen Chenchen , Cheng Yao , Liu Jiao
Published: April 2021

The identification of the water level time lag (WLTL) under the regulation processes is of great significance for environmental impact, flood control, and sediment transport of huge reservoirs. The traditional hydrodynamic method can calculate the flood inflow process and the water level change process along the river channel, but it is difficult to estimate the time difference of the reservoir water level fluctuation to the dispatching process. To quantitatively evaluate the reservoir regulation effect on the WLTL in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), the daily water level data from 2011 to 2017 of five stations in the TGR are analyzed in this paper. The results revealed that there is a significant water level difference along the reservoir from April 1 to October 31. The gap between the end of the reservoir and the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) is the largest, reaching 23.67 m on July 2. The longer the distance from the TGD, the longer the time lag. Furthermore, the WLTL is also different at the four different operating periods of the reservoir in a year. During the low water level operation period and high water level operation period, the time lag is 3 days which is the greatest, while in the water level decline period and water level rise period, the time lag is within 2 days.
Treatment of drinking water for rural households using Moringa seed and solar disinfection
Authors: Marobhe Nancy Jotham , Sabai Shadrack Mwita
Published: April 2021

Rural populations in Tanzania use unsafe drinking water from unimproved water sources which are inadequately treated using plant seed powder. The effectiveness of defatted crude seed extract (dCSE) of Moringa oleifera along with water filtration and solar disinfection (SODIS) for rural household water treatment was investigated. The performance of dCSE in turbidity and bacteria reduction was evaluated in 20 L buckets using river water with varied turbidities. Coagulation–flocculation processes were conducted using different dosages of 5% (Weight/Volume) dCSE. Optimum dosage for maximum turbid removal was established after 2–6 h of settling time. Optimum dosages of dCSE were 20, 30 and 80 mL/20 L for water with a turbidity of 150, 450 and 1,000 NTU with turbidity removal efficiencies of 98, 99 and 99%, respectively. The filtration process was able to remove about 66% of suspended solids from pretreated water by dCSE after coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation. SODIS of pretreated water in black painted and unpainted bottles removed 99 and 97.6%; 99.9 and 98.6% of total and fecal coliforms after 6 h of sunlight exposure, respectively. The pH and color of treated water were within Tanzania Standards. This study recommends dCSE, filtration and SODIS for use at household level for water treatment and storage using pots.
Nitrogen removal by different riparian vegetation buffer strips with different stand densities and widths
Authors: Lv Jian , Wu Yongbo
Published: April 2021

The migration of nitrogen (N) from farmland to lake aggravates eutrophication. Riparian buffer strips (RBSs) are crucial in alleviating nitrogen into water bodies. This study examined the impacts of different RBS patterns on nitrogen removal. The effects of different RBSs of various widths (5, 15, 30, and 40 m), with different vegetation types (Taxodium hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan’, poplar (Nanlin-95), and a mixed forest of T. hybrid ‘Zhongshanshan’ and poplar) and at different densities (400, 1,000, and 1,600 plants·hm−2) on the TN, NH4+-N and NO3−-N removal rates in different depths of runoff water were studied. The results showed that the 15 m-wide RBS removed nitrogen the most effectively, with average removal rates of NH4+-N, NO3−-N and TN reaching 67.79%, 65.93% and 65.08%, respectively. Among the RBSs with different vegetation types, the poplar forest RBS removed the most NH4+-N (74.28%) and NO3−-N (61.71%). The mixed-forest RBS removed the most TN (65.57%). The RBS with 1,000 plants·hm−2 was more suitable in terms of the removal of NH4+-N (74.25%), NO3−-N (71.08%) and TN (62.67%). The conclusion can provide the basis of vegetation and width optimization for the design and construction of an RBS for maximum eutrophication nutrient removal.
Investigation of sesame processing wastewater treatment with combined electrochemical and membrane processes
Authors: Isik Zelal , Bouchareb Raouf , Saleh Mohammed , Dizge Nadir
Published: April 2021

This study aims to investigate the treatability of the wastewater generated from the sesame seeds dehulling process by a combination of electrochemical techniques with a membrane filtration system. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and phenol removal performances were studied for four different cathodes material (iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), and boron-doped diamond (BDD)) at different current densities in the electrochemical treatment stage. The maximum removal efficiency was obtained when the BDD electrodes were used. The optimum conditions were 100 A/m2 of current density and 120 min of electrolysis period, where 40% and 85% of COD and phenol removals subsequently were achieved. The generated water from the first stage was passed through two different membrane systems. The membrane systems were microfiltration and ultrafiltration. The uptake performance for microfiltration was 22% and 17% for COD and phenol reduction subsequently. The ultrafiltration performed well and has given an additional removal of 27% and 20% of both COD and phenol reduction, respectively. The final results showed the importance of the studied combined systems and the additional value to the final obtained water quality.
A TEORIA DA PRÁTICA DE PIERRE BOURDIEU À LUZ DA NOÇÃO WEBERIANA DE TIPO IDEAL
Authors: Soares Rumbelsperger Rodrigues Daniel
Published: April 2021

O artigo apresenta uma intepretação da teoria da prática e da epistemologia de Pierre Bourdieu a partir da pressuposição realista e da epistemologia neokantiana de Max Weber. Para isso, o trabalho expõe a noção de tipo ideal – sobretudo enquanto a forma conceitual por excelência das ciências sociais – no interior mais amplo da teoria do conhecimento weberiana. Num segundo momento, o artigo interpreta, com Vandenberghe (2011), a epistemologia bourdieusiana como uma espécie de síntese sofisticada do racionalismo de Bachelard com o relacionismo de Cassirer. Por fim, o artigo defende a tese de que tanto a epistemologia weberiana quanto o recurso de Bourdieu à “filosofia do como se” devem ser interpretados a partir da pressuposição realista de que as (re)descrições científicas podem corresponder (em medidas

variáveis) à realidade empírica. Com isso, o artigo procura ler a sociologia bourdieusiana menos como uma teoria da reprodução e mais como uma aposta na reflexividade e na mudança social.

 

 

Palavras - chave: Epistemologia. Teoria da Prática. Max Weber. Pierre Bourdieu
Nivel de dominio de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación en docentes de escuelas primarias privadas
Authors: León-Valdez Rosario Berenice , García-López Ramona Imelda , Cuevas-Salazar Omar
Published: April 2021

La presente investigación pretende identificar el nivel de dominio e incorporación de las Tecnologías de Información y comunicación (TIC) en los docentes de escuelas primarias privadas de la zona urbana de una ciudad del sur de Sonora, México. Se utilizó un diseño cuantitativo de tipo transeccional donde participaron 152 profesores. Se aplicó una encuesta dividida en tres secciones: datos generales, condiciones laborales para el uso de las TIC y competencias digitales que debe tener el docente; esta última sección evaluaba las dimensiones: conocimientos y usos básicos, búsqueda y organización de la información, medios de comunicación, ciudadanía digital y responsabilidad. Los resultados muestran que el nivel de dominio más alto de los docentes es en la dimensión de conocimientos y usos básico de las TIC y el más bajo, creación, transformación y presentación de la información, por lo que un área de oportunidad que se presenta es el diseño de un curso de capacitación que permita reforzar o contribuir al desarrollo de las deficiencias encontradas.
Mudanças curriculares e formação docente: desafios e possibilidades
Authors: Voigt Jane Mery Richter , Haracemiv Sonia Maria Chaves , Camargo Nivia Moreira de , Ratti Leiri Aparecida
Published: April 2021

Políticas curriculares promovem mudanças nos currículos escolares, na prática e na formação docente. Considerando o contexto social e cultural em que a escola está inserida, os ajustes curriculares devem atender às identidades e características da realidade escolar, exigindo uma construção curricular coletiva e formação permanente do professor. Com base nesse contexto, esta produção tem como objetivo discutir os desafios em relação aos enfrentamentos dos professores diante de novas propostas curriculares prescritas e a formação docente. De perspectiva metodológica qualitativa, a pesquisa apresenta uma discussão teórica sobre conceitos e percepções acerca da formação docente e dos estudos curriculares. Os estudos evidenciam que a possibilidade de avanços na Educação Básica nacional implica investimentos na reorganização da formação de professores, buscando uma residência docente pautada na autonomia curricular, que considere o apoio teórico metodológico aos professores como intelectuais críticos e transformadores, visando à desconstrução/reconstrução de agendas e planejamentos que ressignifiquem a profissionalidade docente.
A trajetória das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para a formação docente no Brasil: uma análise dos textos oficiais
Authors: Fichter Filho Gustavo Adolf , Oliveira Breynner Ricardo de , Coelho Jianne Ines Fialho
Published: April 2021

O artigo analisa a trajetória das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais (DCN, 2002; 2015; 2019) no campo da formação docente no Brasil ao longo de um ciclo circunscrito por cinco governos (Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, Dilma Rousseff, Michel Temer e Jair Bolsonaro). Os documentos foram codificados a partir de quatro dimensões; (i) motivação e participação, (ii) diretrizes para temporalidade e estrutura dos cursos, (iii) profissionalidade docente e (iv) valorização profissional. Ao articular os textos oficiais ao longo de quase 20 anos, as análises reconstituem sua trajetória no campo da formação de professores, marcada por avanços, retrocessos e rupturas. Entre 2002 e 2015, as DCN enfatizam uma formação mais crítica, conjugando a formação inicial e a continuada, além da valorização profissional. O pós golpe de 2016 revela um agravamento do processo de desvalorização e enfraquecimento do status profissional da docência, manifesto nas DCN/2019.
Regulating Inflammation Associated Ferroptosis - A Treatment Strategy for Parkinson Disease
Authors: Shibu Marthandam Asokan , Bharath Mahalakshmi , Velmurugan Bharath Kumar
Published: April 2021

Ferroptosis plays a critical regulatory role as a new kind of cell death, initiating
and developing an array of disorders like neurological diseases, acute injury of kidney,
tumors, and ischemia, etc. Although selective deposition of iron is one of the pathogenic
reasons for PD, it’s underlying mechanism is still unknown. In this review, the role
of neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s disease (PD) leading to neurodegeneration has been
discussed in detail. The accumulation of brain iron has been found in many chronic neurological
disorders, including PD. We have also discussed the unique features of ferroptosis
, and it links in aggravating the pathology of PD. Further, the concept of targeting ferroptosis
for PD pathology and inducers and inhibitors, pharmacological drugs and clinical
trials for PD candidates in phase IV stage in completed status are detailed in the respective
sections.
Characterizing the Relationship Between the Chemical Structures of Drugs and their Activities on Primary Cultures of Pediatric Solid Tumors
Authors: Simeon Saw , Ghislat Ghita , Ballester Pedro
Published: April 2021

Background:

Despite continued efforts to develop new treatments, there is an
urgent need to discover new drug leads to treat tumors exhibiting primary or secondary
resistance to existing drugs. Cell cultures derived from patient-derived orthotopic xenografts
are promising pre-clinical models to better predict drug response in cancer recurrence.

Objective:

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the physiochemical
properties of drugs and their in vitro potency as well as identifying chemical
scaffolds biasedtowards selectivity or promiscuity of such drugs.

Methods:

The bioactivities of 158 drugs screened against cell cultures derived from 30
cancer orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (O-PDX) models were considered. Drugs
were represented by physicochemical descriptors and chemical structure fingerprints. Supervised
learning was employed to model the relationship between features and in vitro
potency.

Results:

Drugs with in vitro potency for alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and osteosarcoma
tend to have a higher number of rings, two carbon-hetero bonds and halogens. Selective
and promiscuous scaffolds for these phenotypic targets were identified. Highly-predictive
models of in vitro potency were obtained across these 30 targets, which can be applied
to unseen molecules via a webserver (https://rnewbie.shinyapps.io/Shobek-master).

Conclusion:

It is possible to identify privileged chemical scaffolds and predict the in vitro
potency of unseen molecules across these 30 targets This information and models
should be helpful to select which molecules to screen against these primary cultures of pediatric
solid tumors.
Cardiovascular Complications in Major 21st Century Viral Epidemics and
Pandemics: an Insight into COVID-19
Authors: Hussain Muzna , Collier Patrick , Moudgil Rohit
Published: April 2021

:

There have many major history-defining epidemics and pandemics in the 21st century. It
is well known that acute infections can cause cardiovascular (CV) complications, especially in
those with underlying cardiac disease. The variation in rates and types of CVD complications in
major 21st century epidemics and pandemics varies greatly. The coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) pandemic has caused the turmoil of the century and has COVID-19 has resulted in
substantial human and economic loss. The novelty of COVID-19 and emerging CV effects is a new
entity. In this review, we discuss the major epidemics and pandemics of the 21st century and associated
CVD complications.
Prospects of Delivering Natural Compounds by Polymer-Drug Conjugates in Cancer Therapeutics
Authors: Mthimkhulu Nompumelelo , Mosiane Karabo S. , Nweke Ekene E. , Balogun Mohammed , Fru Pascaline N.
Published: April 2021

Synthetic chemotherapeutics have played a crucial role in minimizing mostly palliative symptoms
associated with cancer; however, they have also created other problems such as system toxicity due to a lack of
specificity. This has led to the development of polymer-drug conjugates amongst other novel drug delivery
systems. Most of the formulations designed using delivery systems consist of synthetic drugs and face issues
such as drug resistance, which has already rendered drugs such as antibiotics ineffective. This is further
exacerbated by toxicity due to the long-term use. Given these problems and the fact that conjugation of synthetic
compounds to polymers has been relatively slow with no formulation on the market after a decade of extensive
studies, the focus has shifted to using this platform with medicinal plant extracts to improve solubility, specificity
and increase drug release of medicinal and herbal bioactives. In recent years, various plant extracts such as
flavonoids, tannins and terpenoids have been studied extensively using this approach. The success of
formulations developed using novel drug-delivery systems is highly dependent on the tumour microenvironment
especially on the enhanced permeability and retention effect. As a result, the compromised lymphatic network
and ‘leaky’ vasculature exhibited by tumour cells act as a guiding principle in the delivery of these formulations.
This review focuses on the state of the polymer-drug conjugates and their exploration with natural compounds,
the progress and difficulties thus far, and future directions concerning cancer treatment.
A Critical Review of Obesity in Healthcare Systems in Brazil and Portugal: Pathways, Guidelines and Strategies
Authors: da Graça da Costa Luciane , de Oliveira Barbosa Adriana Aparecida , Weber Thabata Koester , Correia Flora , Monteiro Isabel , de Oliveira Maria Rita Marques
Published: April 2021

Background:

Obesity and its associated diseases in the 21st century has led to new public policies with international commitments.

Objective:

The objective of this review was to examine public initiatives and policies to tackle obesity in Brazil and Portugal over the past two decades, identifying frameworks, guidelines and strategic actions.

Methods:

Official documents Brazilian and Portuguese public health policies were analyzed for international guidelines from 1999 to 2019. The documents were organized and analyzed by date. Additionally, they were evaluated for frameworks and actions proposed for individuals, communities, and the population across all levels of healthcare.

Conclusion:

This study shows that Portugal and Brazil have taken different paths when it comes to the creation and implementation of their strategies to manage obesity. In Brazil, actions aimed at promoting healthy eating have been introduced to children and are implemented by many government agencies. Portugal, on the other hand, has provided greater access to individualized healthcare services and has involved different sectors in addressing these issues.
Sustainable Organo-Inorganic Metal Composites for Catalytic Degradation of Industrial Persistent Toxic Substances and Energy Storage
Authors: Mayani S.V.
Published: April 2021

Colossal quantity of wastewater contaminated with persistent hazardous substances and degradable toxic compounds to the atmosphere are generated annually. Amongst the particular pollutant, chemicals, organic dyestuffs are of a considerable significance by virtue of its applications in fibers, fabric, coloring element, printed matter and manuring production. The present chapter comprises a complete perspective of green and sustainable organic-inorganic metal nanocomposites for heterogeneous chemical curtail of precarious organic noxious tinge (Chromotrope-2R, Eosin-Y and Methylene Blue) and energy storage (H2 and C2H4). The nanocomposites were designed by simple strategy adopting nanostructured porous carbon material developed from reasonable pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO) related pitch remains.
Optimation of Combination of N-Hexane Solution and Ethyle Acetate on Secondary Metabolite Compounds Profile of Streptomyces hygroscopicus
Authors: Ariel Dio Giovanni , Winarsih Sri , Putri Fitria Febriliani , Erwan Nabila Erina , Putri Ajeng Maharani , Cahyono Alfian Wika , Mardhiyyah Kana , Fitri Loeki Enggar , Nugraha Rivo Yudhinata Brian
Published: April 2021

Streptomyces hygroscopicus (S.hygroscopicus) is a Gram-positive soil bacterium that can produce secondary metabolites from fermentation that have a therapeutic effect. The fermented S. hygrocospicus metabolites that are still in the form of crude extracts are difficult to develop as drug preparations because the active compounds are not yet known, so it will be challenging to determine the dosage of drugs that have a therapeutic effect. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out exploratory research to narrow down the secondary metabolite profile from the fermentation of S. hygroscopicus, using extraction and fractionation methods, which are then identified by Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) using a combination of solvents. This study used the extraction method with a separating funnel. The fractionation was carried out using the BUCHI (SepacoreÂ®) Flash Chromatography and RevelerisÂ® PREP Purification System column chromatography gradually using ethyl acetate and n-hexana.Â  47 and 60 of the fractionation results were taken as samples, that further were profiled using TLC and given the appearance of 10% KOH stains and p-Anisaldehyde - sulfuric acid, so that various classes of compounds with different Rf values were obtained, namely Monoterpenes, Triterpenes, Steroids, Saponins, Coumarin, Scopoletin, and Alkaloids.
Learning the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 in the United States With Explainable Artificial Intelligence: Observational Study
Authors: Jha Indra Prakash , Awasthi Raghav , Kumar Ajit , Kumar Vibhor , Sethi Tavpritesh
Published: April 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health, economic, and social fabric of many nations worldwide. Identification of individual-level susceptibility factors may help people in identifying and managing their emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Objective

This study is focused on learning a ranked list of factors that could indicate a predisposition to a mental disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

In this study, we have used a survey of 17,764 adults in the United States from different age groups, genders, and socioeconomic statuses. Through initial statistical analysis and Bayesian network inference, we have identified key factors affecting mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Integrating Bayesian networks with classical machine learning approaches led to effective modeling of the level of mental health prevalence.

Results

Overall, females were more stressed than males, and people in the age group 18-29 years were more vulnerable to anxiety than other age groups. Using the Bayesian network model, we found that people with a chronic mental illness were more prone to mental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new realities of working from home; homeschooling; and lack of communication with family, friends, and neighbors induces mental pressure. Financial assistance from social security helps in reducing mental stress during the COVID-19–generated economic crises. Finally, using supervised machine learning models, we predicted the most mentally vulnerable people with ~80% accuracy.

Conclusions

Multiple factors such as social isolation, digital communication, and working and schooling from home were identified as factors of mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regular in-person communication with friends and family, a healthy social life, and social security were key factors, and taking care of people with a history of mental disease appears to be even more important during this time.
Estimation of Psychological Distress in Japanese Youth Through Narrative Writing: Text-Based Stylometric and Sentiment Analyses (Preprint)
Authors: Manabe Masae , Liew Kongmeng , Yada Shuntaro , Wakamiya Shoko , Aramaki Eiji
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

Internalizing mental illnesses associated with psychological distress are often underdetected. Text-based detection using natural language processing (NLP) methods is increasingly being used to complement conventional detection efforts. However, these approaches often rely on self-disclosure through autobiographical narratives that may not always be possible, especially in the context of the collectivistic Japanese culture.

OBJECTIVE

We propose the use of narrative writing as an alternative resource for mental illness detection in youth. Accordingly, in this study, we investigated the textual characteristics of narratives written by youth with psychological distress; our research focuses on the detection of psychopathological tendencies in written imaginative narratives.

METHODS

Using NLP tools such as stylometric measures and lexicon-based sentiment analysis, we examined short narratives from 52 Japanese youth (mean age 19.8 years, SD 3.1) obtained through crowdsourcing. Participants wrote a short narrative introduction to an imagined story before completing a questionnaire to quantify their tendencies toward psychological distress. Based on this score, participants were categorized into higher distress and lower distress groups. The written narratives were then analyzed using NLP tools and examined for between-group differences. Although outside the scope of this study, we also carried out a supplementary analysis of narratives written by adults using the same procedure.

RESULTS

Youth demonstrating higher tendencies toward psychological distress used significantly more positive (happiness-related) words, revealing differences in valence of the narrative content. No other significant differences were observed between the high and low distress groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth with tendencies toward mental illness were found to write more positive stories that contained more happiness-related terms. These results may potentially have widespread implications on psychological distress screening on online platforms, particularly in cultures such as Japan that are not accustomed to self-disclosure. Although the mechanisms that we propose in explaining our results are speculative, we believe that this interpretation paves the way for future research in online surveillance and detection efforts.
A Word Pair Dataset for Semantic Similarity and Relatedness in Korean Medical Vocabulary: Reference Development and Validation (Preprint)
Authors: Yum Yunjin , Lee Jeong Moon , Jang Moon Joung , Kim Yoojoong , Kim Jong-Ho , Kim Seongtae , Shin Unsub , Song Sanghoun , Joo Hyung Joon
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

The fact that medical terms require special expertise and are becoming increasingly complex makes it difficult to employ natural language processing techniques in medical informatics. Several human-validated reference standards for medical terms have been developed to evaluate word embedding models using the semantic similarity and relatedness of medical word pairs. However, there are very few reference standards in non-English languages. In addition, because the existing reference standards were developed a long time ago, there is a need to develop an updated standard to represent recent findings in medical sciences.

OBJECTIVE

We propose a new Korean word pair reference set to verify embedding models.

METHODS

From January 2010 to December 2020, 518 medical textbooks, 72,844 health information news, and 15,698 medical research articles were collected, and the top 10,000 medical terms were selected to develop medical word pairs. Attending physicians (n=16) participated in the verification of the developed set with 607 word pairs.

RESULTS

The proportion of word pairs answered by all participants was 90.8% (551/607) for the similarity task and 86.5% (525/605) for the relatedness task. The similarity and relatedness of the word pair showed a high correlation (ρ=0.70, P<.001). The intraclass correlation coefficients to assess the interrater agreements of the word pair sets were 0.47 on the similarity task and 0.53 on the relatedness task. The final reference standard was 604 word pairs for the similarity task and 599 word pairs for relatedness, excluding word pairs with answers corresponding to outliers and word pairs that were answered by less than 50% of all the respondents. When FastText models were applied to the final reference standard word pair sets, the embedding models learning medical documents had a higher correlation between the calculated cosine similarity scores compared to human-judged similarity and relatedness scores (namu, ρ=0.12 vs with medical text for the similarity task, ρ=0.47; namu, ρ=0.02 vs with medical text for the relatedness task, ρ=0.30).

CONCLUSIONS

Korean medical word pair reference standard sets for semantic similarity and relatedness were developed based on medical documents from the past 10 years. It is expected that our word pair reference sets will be actively utilized in the development of medical and multilingual natural language processing technology in the future.

CLINICALTRIAL
Agreement and Reliability Analysis of Machine Learning Scaling in the Assessment of Acute Proximal Weakness by Experts and Non-Experts: Clinical Feasibility Study (Preprint)
Authors: Park Eunjeong , Lee Kijeong , Han Taehwa , Nam Hyo Suk
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

Assessing the symptoms of proximal weakness caused by neurological deficits requires expert knowledge and experienced neurologists. Recent advances in artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things have resulted in the development of automated systems that emulate physicians’ assessments.

OBJECTIVE

This study provides an agreement and reliability analysis of using an automated scoring system to evaluate proximal weakness by experts and non-experts.

METHODS

We collected 144 observations from acute stroke patients in a neurological intensive care unit to measure the symptom of proximal weakness of upper and lower limbs. A neurologist performed a gold standard assessment and two medical students performed identical tests as non-expert assessments for manual and machine learning-based scaling of Medical Research Council (MRC) proximal scores. The system collects signals from sensors attached on patients’ limbs and trains a machine learning assessment model using the hybrid approach of data-level and algorithm-level methods for the ordinal and imbalanced classification in multiple classes. For the agreement analysis, we investigated the percent agreement of MRC proximal scores and Bland-Altman plots of kinematic features between the expert- and non-expert scaling. In the reliability analysis, we analysed the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) of kinematic features and Krippendorff’s alpha of the three observers’ scaling.

RESULTS

The mean percent agreement between the gold standard and the non-expert scaling was 0.542 for manual scaling and 0.708 for IoT-assisted machine learning scaling, with 30.63% enhancement. The ICCs of kinematic features measured using sensors ranged from 0.742 to 0.850, whereas the Krippendorff’s alpha of manual scaling for the three observers was 0.275. The Krippendorff’s alpha of machine learning scaling increased to 0.445, with 61.82% improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Automated scaling using sensors and machine learning provided higher inter-rater agreement and reliability in assessing acute proximal weakness. The enhanced assessment supported by the proposed system can be utilized as a reliable assessment tool for non-experts in various emergent environments.
Bridging the Digital Divide in Psychological Therapies: Observational Study of Engagement With the SlowMo Mobile App for Paranoia in Psychosis (Preprint)
Authors: Hardy Amy , Ward Thomas , Emsley Richard , Greenwood Kathryn , Freeman Daniel , Fowler David , Kuipers Elizabeth , Bebbington Paul , Garety Philippa
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

Marginalized groups are more likely to experience problems with technology-related access, motivation, and skills. This is known as the “digital divide.” Technology-related exclusion is a potential barrier to the equitable implementation of digital health. SlowMo therapy was developed with an inclusive, human-centered design to optimize accessibility and bridge the “digital divide.” SlowMo is an effective, blended digital psychological therapy for paranoia in psychosis.

OBJECTIVE

This study explores the “digital divide” and mobile app engagement in the SlowMo randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

Digital literacy was assessed at baseline, and a multidimensional assessment of engagement (ie, adherence [via system analytics and self-report] and self-reported user experience) was conducted at 12 weeks after therapy. Engagement was investigated in relation to demographics (ie, gender, age, ethnicity, and paranoia severity).

RESULTS

Digital literacy data demonstrated that technology use and confidence were lower in Black people and older people (n=168). The engagement findings indicated that 80.7% (96/119) of therapy completers met the a priori analytics adherence criteria. However, analytics adherence did not differ by demographics. High rates of user experience were reported overall (overall score: mean 75%, SD 17.1%; n=82). No differences in user experience were found for ethnicity, age, or paranoia severity, although self-reported app use, enjoyment, and usefulness were higher in women than in men.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified technology-related inequalities related to age and ethnicity, which did not influence engagement with SlowMo, suggesting that the therapy design bridged the “digital divide.” Intervention design may moderate the influence of individual differences on engagement. We recommend the adoption of inclusive, human-centered design to reduce the impact of the “digital divide” on therapy outcomes.

CLINICALTRIAL

ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN32448671; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN32448671
Out of the frying pan, into the fire: Lessons from a medical student from Hurricane Maria to COVID-19 (Preprint)
Authors: Altiery De Jesus Vivian Valeria , Gross Marielle Sophia
Published: April 2021

UNSTRUCTURED

Medical education plays an essential role in formation of professional identity. Crises, either by a natural force or pandemic, present challenges for medical education which may be urgently de-prioritized in deference to immediate public health needs. Though crises are unexpected, they are also bound to occur. We discuss the experience of a student whose medical education coincided with two crises: Hurricane María and COVID-19. Her lived experience demonstrates the need for flexible guidelines and “disaster preparedness” to optimize medical education that occurs against the backdrop of local, national or international crises. We conclude with specific recommendations.
Evaluasi Management Support pada Pengelolaan Obat di RSUD Kabupaten Ngawi
Authors: Yuniarti Fita Dewi , Satibi Satibi , Andayani Tri Murti
Published: April 2021

Pengelolaan obat yang efektif dan efisien di instalasi farmasi rumah sakit meliputi tahap seleksi, pengadaan, distribusi dan penggunaan yang didukung oleh manajemen pendukung (management support) yang terdiri dari perencanaan administrasi, organisasi, sumber daya manusia, sistem informasi.Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui gambaran management support terhadap pengelolaan obat di Instalasi Farmasi RSUD Kabupaten Ngawi. Penelitian ini bersifat deskriptif menggunakan metode wawancara dan telaah dokumen. Data kuantitatif diambil secara retrospektif (tahun 2018); dan data kualitatif diperoleh dari wawancara dengan informan yang dipilih secara purposive sampling. Data hasil penelusuran dokumen dan wawancara diklasifikasikan menjadi 2 kelompok yaitu data kualitatif dan data kuantitatif. Data kualitatif berupa hasil wawancara disajikan dalam bentuk tekstual berupa narasi. Data kuantitatif dibandingkan dengan standar, kemudian disajikan dalam bentuk tabel.Dari hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan perencanaan dan administrasi pada persentase kesesuaian jumlah permintaan dan perencanaan 103,18%; persentase stok obat mati 0,4%; persentase obat ED 0,36%. dari manajemen organisasi, sudah terdapat struktur organisasi yang jelas sesuai dengan tugas, pokok dan fungsinya. Dari manajemen sumber daya manusia, memerlukan penambahan SDM apoteker. Dari manajemen sistem informasi: SIM yang ada hanya lokal untuk instalasi farmasi. Dari hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa pengelolaan obat di IFRS RSUD Kabupaten Ngawi  belum efisien, karena belum didukung sepenuhnya oleh management support yang baik.
Rasionalitas Terapi Antibiotik Empiris Pada Pasien Pneumonia di Instalasi Rawat Inap RSUP Dr. Kariadi Semarang
Authors: Aljufri Achmad Quraisy , Yasin Nanang Munif , Wahyono Djoko
Published: April 2021

Pneumonia adalah infeksi saluran pernafasan bagian bawah yang dapat diperoleh di lingkungan komunitas atau rumah sakit. Di Indonesia sendiri terdapat peningkatan prevalensi pneumonia selama beberapa tahun terakhir dari 1,6% (2013) menjadi 2,0% (2018), dengan prevalensi di provinsi Jawa Tengah adalah sebesar 1,8%. Hal ini disebabkan oleh banyaknya pemberian antibiotik empiris yang tidak rasional. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui rasionalitas terapi antibiotik empiris serta hubungannya dengan clinical outcome pasien dengan pneumonia di Instalasi Rawat Inap RSUP Dr. Kariadi Semarang. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain cross-sectional retrospektif untuk meneliti rasionalitas terapi antibiotik empiris pada pasien pneumonia di Instalasi Rawat Inap RSUP Dr. Kariadi Semarang. Sampel yang diambil adalah seluruh pasien dengan pneumonia selama periode Januari 2017-Mei 2019. Analisis terhadap rasionalitas terapi antibiotik empiris dilakukan dengan menggunakan kategori Gyssens dan dilanjutkan dengan uji Chi-square. Terdapat 86 pasien yang diuji pada penelitian ini. Sebanyak 80 pasien telah diberikan terapi antibiotik empiris yang rasional dengan 77,5% clinical outcome pasien dinyatakan membaik dan sebanyak 6 pasien telah diberikan terapi antibiotik empiris yang tidak rasional dengan 33,3% clinical outcome pasien dinyatakan membaik. Hasil analisis statistik menunjukkan bahwa pemberian antibiotik empiris yang rasional dapat meningkatkan clinical outcome pasien dengan pneumonia (p=0,035).
Faktor yang Memengaruhi Luaran Klinik Kemoterapi dengan Protokol Tahun 2013 pada Anak dengan Leukemia Limfoblastik Akut
Authors: Pasala Metamalik , Ihsan Mawardi , Ikawati Zullies
Published: April 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan mempelajari hubungan antara beberapa faktor dicurigai dengan status remisi, relaps, dan mortalitas pada pasien LLA anak yang menjalani kemoterapi sesuai Protokol Kemoterapi LLA anak tahun 2013. Penelitian ini merupakan studi observasi dengan rancangan cross sectional yang mana proses pengambilan data dilakukan secara retrospektif pada bulan Oktober s.d. November 2018. Sumber dari seluruh data pada penelitian ini adalah rekam medik pasien anak dengan LLA yang pernah berobat di rumah sakit tempat penelitian dalam kurun waktu 1 Januari 2014-31 Desember 2015. Status remisi ditetapkan setelah pasien menyelesaikan kemoterapi fase I, sedangkan status relaps dan mortalitas ditetapkan ketika pasien telah menyelesaikan kemoterapi fase IV. Remisi dan relaps masing-masing ditetapkan berdasar nilai limfoblas hasil pemeriksaan BMP pasien pada akhir fase I dan fase IV, sedangkan status mortalitas ditetapkan berdasar diagnosis terakhir sebelum pasien meninggal setelah menyelesaikan fase IV. Analisis data yang dilakukan dalam penelitian ini adalah analisis deskriptif, dan analisis hubungan menggunakan uji Chi-Square. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa tidak ada satu pun faktor yang berhubungan dengan status remisi dan mortalitas pasien, tetapi faktor usia >10 tahun dan kategori risiko tinggi masing-masing menunjukkan adanya suatu hubungan dengan peningkatan risiko terjadinya relaps (p=0,005; OR 11,5 [1,93-68,52] dan p=0,001; OR 15,33 [2,56-91,94]).
A Case Study for a Hybrid Model of Behavior Modification
Authors: , PhD Wade Smith
Published: April 2021

Schools have an obligation to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment. Additionally, schools have an obligation to foster productive behaviors in their students that will mitigate for the need to suspend students. In an effort to reduce student suspensions, many schools and school systems are turning to Positive Behavioral Intervention Systems (PBIS) for solutions. The full paper provides a case study for an alternative discipline strategy that provides teachers with greater autonomy while reducing the need to monitor individual student behavior.