bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigating Neuroprotective Potential of Berberine, Levetiracetam and
their Combination in the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease Utilizing
Drug Repurposing Strategy
Authors: Dhaneshwar Suneela , Singh Anuradha , Mazumder Avijit 
Published: September 2021

Aim:
The aim of the present work was to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of berberine,
levetiracetam and their combination in lead acetate-induced neurotoxicity by applying a
drug repositioning approach

Background:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by impairment
of memory, disturbances in reasoning, planning, language and perception. Currently, there
are only four drugs approved by US-FDA for AD; therefore, there is an extensive need for new
drug development. The drug repositioning approach refers to the development of new uses for existing
or abandoned pharmaceuticals. Several studies support the neuroprotective abilities of anti-oxidants
resulting in neuronal protection against neurotoxins, suppression of oxidative stress and promotion
of memory, learning and cognitive functions. Many natural polyphenols are being investigated
as a potential therapeutic option for AD. Levetiracetam (LEV), a second-generation antiepileptic
drug, is a new molecule that is clearly differentiated from conventional antiepileptic
drugs by its pharmacologic properties. LEV also has been previously demonstrated to protect
against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity in several models of seizures. Berberine (BBR) is an
anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant phytoconstituent.

Objective:
To study the therapeutic effect of berberine, levetiracetam and their physical mixture in
lead acetate-induced neurotoxicity in Swiss albino mice for probable application in the management
of Alzheimer's disease

Methods:
Neurotoxicity was induced in Swiss albino mice by lead acetate. Behavioural parameters,
such as transfer latency time and percentage alternation, were studied using Morris water
maze (MWM), Elevated plus-maze test (EPM) and Y-maze for the assessment of improvement in
learning and memory. Concentrations of acetylcholinesterase, MDA and GSH in the brain were also
estimated. Brain samples were subjected to histopathological studies.

Results:
Results revealed that the combination of BBR and LEV exhibited a significant neuroprotective
effect by decreasing escape latency time and increasing time spent in the target quadrant in
MWM. The combination also decreases transfer latency time in EPM and acetylcholinesterase levels
in the brain as compared to standard donepezil. Reduced neuronal damage was also confirmed
by the histopathological report.

Conclusion:
Leveteracitam, berberin and their combination resulted in the significant conservation
of various behavioural, biochemical, enzymatic and anti-oxidant parameters that were evaluated.
The neuroprotective effect of plain leveteracitam and berberin was significantly better than their
combination. The anticipated synergism or additive effect was not observed with the combination
of leveteracitam and berberin in lead acetate–induced neurotoxicity.
Too Big for the Library
Authors: Rogerson Terra , Ruane Rogers Monica 
Published: September 2021

Outreach is necessary to further the visions and missions of many university libraries, including Manderino Library at California University of Pennsylvania. Organizing events has been used to firmly cement the library’s place in the campus community. However, in the library’s efforts to be part of the larger campus, it has collaborated with other academic departments to create and hold large, well-attended events that require a lot of manpower and hours. After analyzing chat, reference, gate counts, and database usage, librarians found that large and successful events do not increase usage for other library services. This article explores whether the cost is equal to the gain for taking on events that eventually leave the library once they become popular. Results seem to indicate the library might better utilize time and efforts to hold small, focused events, even if attendance is low. Since the bump to actual library services is negligible, the library may want to look at other ways to increase funding instead of continuing to seek out collaborations to offset the cost of attractive events for students. Additionally, we found that while the relationships librarians forge with fellow academic departments are extremely valuable, larger events and collaborations generally relegate librarians to organizer roles that do little for the library’s bottom line.
Organizing and Facilitating Critical Conversations around Systemic Racism: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Hackman Melissa , Crowl Paige , Bruchko Erica , DuVernay Jina , Raza Saira 
Published: September 2021

The Coffee and Critical Conversations Series was organized by Emory Libraries Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) subcommittee on Professional Development for library employees to engage in dialogue and build community around DEI topics. The subcommittee sought to foster understanding and inspire fruitful discussion on institutional racism in libraries, allyship, and the legacy of racialized trauma pervading African American life.
The conversation series began virtually in summer of 2020. Each session was based on a curated collection of shared media (film clips, news articles, TED talks) and was facilitated by volunteers via Zoom. Attendees were given reflection questions to help guide conversation in small breakout groups. As the sessions wrapped up, the facilitators provided further resources for participants to continue their exploration of the topics. We assessed participant responses with an open-ended survey and solicited feedback from participants to inform future sessions.
Like many of our peers, not everyone in our organization has felt informed enough to engage with social justice movements in the library. Our goal was to transform the organizational culture and relieve anxiety around discussing racism and oppression both in our institution and beyond. Coffee and Critical Conversations offers a space for folks to demystify their emotions, find language to express their feelings about current events, and foster authentic connections on our path to creating a more equitable institution.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Smartphone-Based Audiometry for Hearing Loss Detection: Meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Chih-Hao , Lin Heng-Yu Haley , Wang Mao-Che , Chu Yuan-Chia , Chang Chun-Yu , Huang Chii-Yuan , Cheng Yen-Fu 
Published: September 2021

Background
Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities worldwide and affects both individual and public health. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) is the gold standard for hearing assessment, but it is often not available in many settings, given its high cost and demand for human resources. Smartphone-based audiometry may be equally effective and can improve access to adequate hearing evaluations.

Objective
The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize the current evidence of the role of smartphone-based audiometry in hearing assessments and further explore the factors that influence its diagnostic accuracy.

Methods
Five databases—PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus—were queried to identify original studies that examined the diagnostic accuracy of hearing loss measurement using smartphone-based devices with conventional PTA as a reference test. A bivariate random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled sensitivity and specificity. The factors associated with diagnostic accuracy were identified using a bivariate meta-regression model. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool.

Results
In all, 25 studies with a total of 4470 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The overall sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for smartphone-based audiometry were 89% (95% CI 83%-93%), 93% (95% CI 87%-97%), and 0.96 (95% CI 0.93-0.97), respectively; the corresponding values for the smartphone-based speech recognition test were 91% (95% CI 86%-94%), 88% (95% CI 75%-94%), and 0.93 (95% CI 0.90-0.95), respectively. Meta-regression analysis revealed that patient age, equipment used, and the presence of soundproof booths were significantly related to diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions
We have presented comprehensive evidence regarding the effectiveness of smartphone-based tests in diagnosing hearing loss. Smartphone-based audiometry may serve as an accurate and accessible approach to hearing evaluations, especially in settings where conventional PTA is unavailable.
Improving the Follow-up Rate for Pediatric Patients (0-16 years) of an Eye Hospital in Nepal: Protocol for a Public Health Intervention Study
Authors: Shrestha Manisha , Bhandari Gopal , Rathi Suresh Kumar , Gudlavalleti Anirudh Gaurang , Pandey Binod , Ghimire Ramesh , Ale Daman , Kayastha Sajani , Chaudhary Daya Shankar , Byanju Raghunandan ,   Operational Research Capacity Building Study Group
Published: September 2021

Background
The follow-up of pediatric patients ensures regular ocular morbidity monitoring and better treatment outcome. Hiralal Santudevi Pradhan Institute of Ophthalmic Science (Bharatpur Eye Hospital [BEH]) noticed that the follow-up rate was only 22% among its pediatric patients. Several factors like lack of awareness and forgetfulness among patients may contribute to a lower number of follow-up visits. Therefore, BEH decided to find if counseling and reminders through SMS text messaging and phone calls would improve the follow-up rates.

Objective
This study aims to evaluate the impact of interventions like counseling and reminder SMS text messaging and phone calls in improving the follow-up rate of pediatric patients.

Methods
This is a public health intervention study being conducted using quantitative analysis. All children (0-16 years) with ocular conditions requiring at least 3 follow-up visits in the study period will be included. In all, 264 participants will be allocated to 3 groups: routine standard care, counseling, and reminders with SMS text messaging and phone calls. In counseling, patients will take part in 20-minute counseling sessions with trained counselors at each visit, and information leaflets will be provided to them. In the reminder SMS text messaging and phone call group, patients will receive an SMS text message 3 days prior and a phone call 1 day prior to their scheduled visits. Patients attending within 2 days of the scheduled date will be considered compliant to follow-up. The proportion of patients completing all the follow-up visits in each group will be assessed. Informed consent will be taken from parents and children. Univariate and multivariate analyses will be conducted.

Results
The ethical approval for this study has been obtained from the Ethical Review Board (ERB) of Nepal Health Research Council (ERB protocol registration #761/2020 P). The data collection was initiated on January, 24, 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as of September 2021, we have only been able to enroll 154 of the planned 264 participants (58.3% of the sample size).

Conclusions
This study will reliably document not only the factors associated with follow-up rate through an intervention package (counseling and reminders through SMS text messaging and phone calls) but also the cost effectiveness of the intervention package, which can be applied in all the departments of the hospital.

Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04837534; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04837534

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)
DERR1-10.2196/31578
Practical and Emotional Problems Reported by Users of a Self-guided Digital Problem-solving Intervention During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Content Analysis
Authors: Hentati Amira , Forsell Erik , Ljótsson Brjánn , Kraepelien Martin 
Published: September 2021

Background
To better direct assessments and interventions toward the general population during both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and future crises with societal restrictions, data on the types of practical and emotional problems that people are experiencing are needed.

Objective
The aim of this study was to examine the types of practical and emotional problems that the general population is experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic and to construct an empirically derived inventory based on the findings.

Methods
A total of 396 participants, recruited among members of the general public in Sweden who were experiencing practical and/or emotional problems during the pandemic, accessed a self-guided digital problem-solving intervention for a period of 1 week to report and solve the problems they experienced. Prior to accessing the intervention, the participants completed a short self-assessment regarding symptoms of depression and anxiety. Content analysis was used to account for the types of problems participants reported. A set of items for an inventory was later proposed based on the problem categories derived from the analysis.

Results
A majority of participants had clinically relevant symptoms of either depression or anxiety. The problems reported were categorized as 13 distinct types of problems. The most common problem was difficulty managing daily activities. Based on the categories, a 13-item inventory was proposed.

Conclusions
The 13 types of problems, and the proposed inventory, could be valuable when composing assessments and interventions for the general population during the ongoing pandemic or similar crises with societal restrictions. The most common problem was of a practical nature, indicating the importance of including examples of such problems within assessments and interventions.

Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04677270; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04677270
Presencia y valor de los círculos rojos en murales teotihuacanos / Presence and value of red circles in teotihuacan murals
Authors: Ortega Cabrera Verónica , Torres Rodríguez Gloria Dolores 
Published: September 2021

En la pintura mural prehispánica se plasmaron símbolos, escenas reales y ficticias, que nos permiten penetrar el universo ideológico de sus creadores. En Teotihuacán, durante los siglos XIX y XX se recuperó una gran cantidad de vestigios de pintura mural cuyo registro forma parte de la memoria arqueológica de la ciudad. Este trabajo hace un breve recuento de los hallazgos de pintura mural en la urbe del Clásico, hasta los albores del siglo XXI. Gracias al registro detallado, visualizamos la presencia constante de una forma geométrica que podría portar un simbolismo particular: el círculo rojo. Se presenta entonces un recorrido por la arquitectura que ostentó este diseño, para lograr un primer acercamiento al patrón visual que los artistas teotihuacanos alcanzaron con esta forma y al posible valor iconográfico de los círculos rojos en el discurso mural de la ciudad. Abstract: In Teotihuacan during the XIX and XX century many remains of wall paintings were recovered from the inside of houses and public buildings. The goal of this research paper is to give a brief account of the mural paintings discovered at the ancient city till the beginning of the XXI century, we have implemented a systematic registration project, which in the end will constititute one of the most complete memories of this artistic expression. Thanks to the detailed surveys, we have been able to recognize the constant presence of geometric shapes that could carry a particular symbolism: the Red Circle. There is then a tour of the architecture that held this design, whit the aim of achieving a first approach to visual pattern that Teotihuacan artists succeeded whit this form, and the possible iconographic value the red circles in the discourse mural in the city. Keywords: Teotihuacan; architecture of Teotihuacan; mural painting; red circles; solar theme. Résumé : À Teotihuacán, au cours des XIXe et XXe siècles, de nombreux vestiges de peintures murales ont été retrouvés, dont l'archivage fait partie de la mémoire archéologique de la ville. Cet ouvrage retrace brièvement l’évolution des découvertes de la peinture murale dans la période classique de la ville jusqu’a l’aube du XXIe siècle. Grâce à ce registre détaillé, nous visualisons la présence constante d’une forme géométrique pouvant porter un symbolisme particulier: le cercle rouge. Une visite guidée de l’architecture qui a mis en lumière ce dessin est présentée, a fin de réaliser une première approche du motif visuel que les artistes de Teotihuacan ont élaboré avec cette forme et de la valeur iconographique des cercles rouges dans le discours mural de la ville. Mots-clés : Teotihuacan ; architecture Teotihuacan ; peinture murale ; cercles rouges ; thème solaire.
La función de la frontera en la economía política de las plantaciones piñeras en Costa Rica / The function of borders in the political economy of Costa Rican pineapple plantations
Authors: León Araya Andrés , Montoya Tabash Valeria 
Published: September 2021

Costa Rica es actualmente el mayor exportador de piña fresca en el mundo (Harvard’s Growth Lab 2020) y más de la mitad de su producción se ubica en la región fronteriza con Nicaragua. Con base en el trabajo etnográfico realizado en dos comunidades costarricenses que se localizan en dicha zona, en este artículo argumentamos que la frontera entre ambos países cumple tres funciones que la hacen fundamental para explicar tanto la expansión del cultivo como su ubicación en esta región: 1) separa los espacios de producción piñera de los espacios de reproducción social de la fuerza de trabajo; 2) vulnera a los trabajadores migrantes nicaragüenses en Costa Rica, debido a su ingreso irregular al país, y 3) dificulta la organización laboral, tanto por el alto nivel de movilidad de la fuerza de trabajo como por convertir conflictos de clase en conflictos entre naciones. Abstract: Costa Rica is the largest exporter of fresh pineapple in the world (Harvard’s Growth Lab 2020), with more than half of its production located in the border region with Nicaragua. Based on ethnographic research carried out in two Costa Rican communities located near the border, we argue in this article that the border line between both countries accomplishes three functions that are crucial to explain both the expansion of the crop and its location in this region: 1) it separates the spaces of pineapple production, of those of social reproduction of the labor force; 2) it renders migrant Nicaraguan workers in Costa Rica vulnerable, due to their irregular entry into the country; 3) it hinders labor organization, due to both the high mobility of the labor force, and by turning class struggle, into conflicts between nations.Keywords: borders; plantations; transborder labor; pineapple production; Central America. Résumé : De nos jours, le Costa Rica est le plus grand exportateur d’ananas au monde (Harvard’s Growth Lab 2020), plus de la moitié de cette production est située dans la zone frontalière avec le Nicaragua. En nous basant sur le travail ethnographique effectué dans deux communautés costariciennes de cette région frontalière, dans cet article nous démontrerons que la frontière entre les deux pays remplit trois fonctions qui la rendent incontournable ayant pour but d’expliquer, d’une part l’expansion de l’exploitation agricole et d’autre part leur localisation dans cette région : 1) elle sépare les espaces de production d’ananas comme ceux de la reproduction sociale de la force de travail ; 2) elle affaiblit les travailleurs migrants nicaraguayens au Costa Rica à cause de leur entrée irrégulière au pays, 3) elle complique l’organisation du travail en raison de la grande mobilité des ouvriers et transforme les conflits de classe en conflit entre les nations.Mots-clés : frontière ; plantations ; travail transfrontalier ; production d’ananas ; Amérique Centrale.
Presentación / Présentation
Authors: Medina Lucile , Torras Rosa 
Published: September 2021

Explorar la relación entre economías extractivistas y la construcción de fronteras, tanto agrarias como políticas, fue el propósito del grupo de investigadores que plasman sus trabajos en la siguiente sección temática. Como integrantes del Laboratorio Mixto Internacional «Movilidades, Gobernanza y Recursos en la Cuenca Mesoamericana», nos planteamos interrogar de manera crítica y comparativa la dimensión territorial de las actividades extractivas con una mirada interdisciplinaria dirigida a las fronteras de la región mesoamericana. Explorer les rapports entre l’extractivisme économique et la construction des frontières, qu’elles soient agraires ou politiques : tel était l’objectif du groupe de chercheurs et de chercheuses dont nous présentons ici les travaux. En tant que membres du Laboratoire mixte international « Mobilités, Gouvernance et Ressources dans le Bassin Mésoaméricain », nous avons entrepris d’étudier les liens entre extractivisme et construction des frontières, qu’elles soient agricoles ou politiques. Nous proposons ainsi une approche critique et comparative de la dimension territoriale des activités extractives portées par une analyse interdisciplinaire des frontières de la région méso–américaine.
COPD is associated with increased pro-inflammatory CD28null CD8 T and NKT-like cells in the small airways
Authors: al Greg Hodge et 
Published: September 2021

We previously showed increased steroid resistant CD28null CD8+ senescent
lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood from COPD patients. These cells
expressed decreased levels of the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR),
suggesting their contribution to the steroid resistant property of these
cells. COPD is a disease of the small airways. We therefore hypothesized
that there would be a further increase in these steroid resistant
lymphocytes in the lung, particularly in the small airways. We further
hypothesized that the pro-inflammatory/cytotoxic potential of these
cells could be negated using prednisolone with low-dose cyclosporin A.
Blood, bronchoalveolar lavage, large proximal and small distal airway
brushings were collected from 11 COPD patients and 10 healthy
aged-matched controls. The cytotoxic mediator granzyme b,
pro-inflammatory cytokines IFNγ/TNFα, and GCR were determined in
lymphocytes subsets before and after their exposure to 1µM prednisolone
and/or 2.5ng/mL cyclosporin A.
Particularly in the small airways, COPD subjects showed an increased
percentage of CD28null CD8 T-cells and NKT-like cells, with increased
expression of granzyme b, IFNγ and TNFα and a loss of GCR, compared with
controls. Significant negative correlations between small airway GCR
expression and IFNγ/TNFα production by T and NKT-like cells (eg, T-cell
IFNγ R= -.834, p=.031) and with FEV (R= -890) were
shown. Cyclosporine A and prednisolone synergistically increased GCR
expression and inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine production by
CD28null CD8- T and NKT-like cells.
COPD is associated with increased pro-inflammatory CD28null CD8+ T and
NKT-like cells in the small airways. Treatments that increase GCR in
these lymphocyte subsets may improve morbidity in COPD patients.