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Impacts of biomedical hashtag-based Twitter campaign: #DHPSP utilization for promotion of open innovation in digital health, patient safety, and personalized medicine
Get PDFThe open innovation hub Digital Health and Patient Safety Platform (DHPSP) was recently established with the purpose to invigorate collaborative scientific research and the development of new digital products and personalized solutions aiming to improve human health and patient safety. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a Twitter-based campaign centered on using the hashtag #DHPSP to promote the visibility of the DHPSP initiative. Thus, tweets containing #DHPSP were monitored for five weeks for the period 20.10.2020–24.11.2020 and were analyzed with Symplur Signals (social media analytics tool). In the study period, a total of 11,005 tweets containing #DHPSP were posted by 3020 Twitter users, generating 151,984,378 impressions. Analysis of the healthcare stakeholder-identity of the Twitter users who used #DHPSP revealed that the most of participating user accounts belonged to individuals or doctors, with the top three user locations being the United States (501 users), the United Kingdom (155 users), and India (121 users). Analysis of co-occurring hashtags and the full text of the posted tweets further revealed that the major themes of attention in the #DHPSP Twitter-community were related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), medicine and health, digital health technologies, and science communication in general. Overall, these results indicate that the #DHPSP initiative achieved high visibility and engaged a large body of Twitter users interested in the DHPSP focus area. Moreover, the conducted campaign resulted in an increase of DHPSP member enrollments and website visitors, and new scientific collaborations were formed. Thus, Twitter campaigns centered on a dedicated hashtag prove to be a highly efficient tool for visibility-promotion, which could be successfully utilized by healthcare-related open innovation platforms or initiatives
Nutrigenomic modification induced by anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract in the hippocampus of ApoE-/- mice
Get PDFDietary anthocyanins may slow cognitive decline, improve cognitive performance and exert neuroprotective effects against neurodegenerative disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms of their action are not fully understood. This study investigated the effects of 12-week anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract supplementation (0.02%) on global gene expression in the hippocampus of ApoE-/- mice to help the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin neuroprotective effects. Gene expression analysis identified 1698 differently expressed genes, with 611 downregulated and 1087 upregulated genes. Bioinformatics revealed that these genes regulate different biological processes, including neurogenesis, inflammation, metabolism, cell to cell adhesion, cytoskeleton organization, and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease pathology. The bioinformatic analysis also proposed potential miRNAs and transcription factors that could be involved in the mediation of these nutrigenomic effects. Results from molecular docking also suggested that anthocyanins could bind to top transcription factors with, as potential consequence, an impact on their gene expression regulation. Taken together, integrated analysis revealed a multi-target mode of action of anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract in the hippocampus underlying their neuroprotective properties
DNA, protein and lipid oxidative damage in tissues of spontaneously hypertensive versus normotensive rats
No full textOxidative damage to protein and lipid macromolecules in target organs in hypertension has been recognized as a major factor contributing to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and renal diseases. Data on protein and lipid oxidative damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats are numerous, but there is no information on DNA damage in tissues measured by comet assay. The aim of this study was to determine the baseline damage to DNA, protein, and lipid macromolecules in different organs of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Markers of lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and DNA damage were measured in blood, heart, kidney, and liver of 24-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats. Plasma prooxidant and antioxidant status were determined as well. Age-matched normotensive Wistar rats were used as control. A rise in markers of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, malondialdehyde, and advanced oxidation protein products, was detected in all tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats, with particularly high values in the liver. DNA damage, measured by the comet assay, was significantly higher in all the studied tissues of spontaneously hypertensive rats compared to normotensive control, with more severe damage in the cardiac and renal cells. Significant depletion of the plasma antioxidant barrier in spontaneously hypertensive rats was also observed. This study showed increased damage to all macromolecules in all studied samples of spontaneously hypertensive rats in comparison with control Wistar rats
Exploring rural hospital admissions for diarrhoeal disease, malaria, pneumonia, and asthma in relation to temperature, rainfall and air pollution using wavelet transform analysis
No full textBackground:Climate variables impact human health and in an era of climate change, there is a pressing need to understand these relationships to best inform how such impacts are likely to change.ObjectivesThis study sought to investigate time series of daily admissions from two public hospitals in Limpopo province in South Africa with climate variability and air quality.MethodsWe used wavelet transform cross-correlation analysis to monitor coincidences in changes of meteorological (temperature and rainfall) and air quality (concentrations of PM2.5 and NO2) variables with admissions to hospitals for gastrointestinal illnesses including diarrhoea, pneumonia-related diagnosis, malaria and asthma cases. We were interested to disentangle meteorological or environmental variables that might be associated with underlying temporal variations of disease prevalence measured through visits to hospitals.ResultsWe found preconditioning of prevalence of pneumonia by changes in air quality and showed that malaria in South Africa is a multivariate event, initiated by co-occurrence of heat and rainfall. We provided new statistical estimates of time delays between the change of weather or air pollution and increase of hospital admissions for pneumonia and malaria that are addition to already known seasonal variations. We found that increase of prevalence of pneumonia follows changes in air quality after a time period of 10 to 15 days, while the increase of incidence of malaria follows the co-occurrence of high temperature and rainfall after a 30-day interval.DiscussionOur findings have relevance for early warning system development and climate change adaptation planning to protect human health and well-being
Work-Related Health Disorders and Work Ability among Computer-Operating Workers
No full textComputers are key tools in every aspect of work and learning, from managerial activities to document preparation and electronic communication. The inappropriate use of computers can contribute to the health damage of the exposed operators. The aim of this article is to examine the prevalence of health disorders and to estimate the work ability index among computer operating workers. A total of 353 workers working with computers, aged 25-50 years, from five companies in the city of Nit, were divided into two groups according to the length of computer work during the day. The group 1 consisted of 182 computer-operating workers who worked longer than four hours per day with computer. The group 2 consisted of 171 computer-operating workers who worked less than four hours per day. The disorders of visual and musculoskeletal system, general health symptoms (headaches, fatigue, lack of concentration, and sensitivity to the light), and addiction to computers were statistically significantly more common in the group 1, than in the group 2 of the computer-operating workers (p lt 0,0001). Inappropriate ergonomic conditions, longer exposure time, addiction to computers, and work related visual and musculoskeletal disorders significantly reduced the work ability of computeroperating workers. The factors associated with a degree of working ability reduction were: currentemployment length, every day computer usage, inappropriate ergonomics conditions, and the presence of health disorders. An important finding of this study is that those who had the work-related health symptoms and disorders and reduced working ability were those who used computers for more than four hours per day
Recovery of brain cholinesterases and effect on parameters of oxidative stress and apoptosis in quails (Coturnix japonica) after chlorpyrifos and vitamin B1 administration
No full textChlorpyrifos is a extensively used organophosphate pesticide (OP). In this study, we closely looked into neurotoxicity of CPF and effect of vitamin B1, by checking the levels of cholinesterases, determining the activity of parameters of oxidative stress, inflammation and also level of apoptotic regulator. The study was performed on a total of 80 male Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica), (two control and 6 experimental groups, n = 10). Three group of quails were given by gavage chlorpyrifos (CPF) for 7 consecutive days at doses of 1.50 mg/kg b.w., 3.00 mg/kg b.w., and 6.00 mg/kg b.w. Another three groups were treated with 10 mg/kg b.w. of vitamin B1 i.m. 30 min after CPF application (in above mentioned doses). Our study have proved that all doses of CPF significantly inhibited cholinesterases in brain, while vitamin B1 reactivated them. CPF has led to an increase in the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione5-transferase (GST), while tiamin changed the activity of antioxidant enzymes: CAT, SOD, GST. CPF stimulated apoptosis by decreasing B-cell lymphoma (Bcl-2) in brain, while application of vitamin B1 caused an increase of this parameter. CPF amplified inflammatory effect by elevating levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase (COX-2). Thiamine proved its anti-inflammatory property by decreasing the expression of iNOS and interleukin-1(IL-1) and interleukin-6(IL-6). This study is highly pertinent because there is little defense currently available to humans and animals to prevent toxic effects of pesticides
Refugee Status Determination Procedure and Mental Health of the Applicant: Dynamics and Reciprocal Effects
Get PDFCrosstalk between nitric oxide and gluccocorticoid receptor is dispensible for initial stress-induced erythroid progenitor cell expansion
No full textBackground: Nitric oxide (NO) is an ubiquitous signaling molecule that
interacts with glucocortiocids in response to perturbed tissue homeostasis
under hypoxic or inflammatory conditions. Using a mouse model of
psychological stress, we have recently shown that chronic stress induces
initial erythroid progenitor cell expansion by modulating the production
of NO in the bone marrow. However, it remains unknown whether
this stress-induced effect requires a NO-glucocorticoid receptor (GR)
crosstalk.The Abstract Book of European Hematology Association’s 26th Annual Congress - EHA2021, 9-17June 2021, Virtual Congres
Liver disease and COVID-19: The link with oxidative stress, antioxidants and nutrition
Get PDFVarying degrees of liver injuries have been reported in patients infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). In general, oxidative stress is actively involved in initiation and progression of liver damage. The liver metabolizes various compounds that produce free radicals. Maintaining the oxidative/antioxidative balance is important in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Antioxidant vitamins, essential trace elements and food compounds, such as polyphenols, appear to be promising agents, with effects in oxidative burst. Deficiency of these nutrients suppresses immune function and increases susceptibility to COVID-19. Daily micronutrient intake is necessary to support anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects but for immune function may be higher than current recommended dietary intake. Antioxidant supplements (βcarotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium) could have a potential role in patients with liver damage. Available evidence suggests that supplementing the diet with a combination of micronutrients may help to optimize immune function and reduce the risk of infection. Clinical trials based on the associations of diet and SARS-CoV-2 infection are lacking. Unfortunately, it is not possible to definitively determine the dose, route of administration and best timing to intervene with antioxidants in COVID-19 patients because clinical trials are still ongoing. Until then, hopefully, this review will enable clinicians to understand the impact of micronutrient dietary intake and liver status assessment in COVID-19 patients
Detrimental Effect of Various Preparations of the Human Amniotic Membrane Homogenate on the 2D and 3D Bladder Cancer In vitro Models
Get PDFDespite being among the ten most common cancers with high recurrence rates worldwide, there have been no major breakthroughs in the standard treatment options for bladder cancer in recent years. The use of a human amniotic membrane (hAM) to treat cancer is one of the promising ideas that have emerged in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of hAM homogenate on 2D and 3D cancer models. We evaluated the effects of hAM homogenates on the human muscle invasive bladder cancer urothelial (T24) cells, papillary cancer urothelial (RT4) cells and normal porcine urothelial (NPU) cells as well as on human mammary gland non-tumorigenic (MCF10a) cells and low-metastatic breast cancer (MCF7) cells. After 24 h, we observed a gradual detachment of cancerous cells from the culture surface, while the hAM homogenate did not affect the normal cells. The most pronounced effect hAM homogenate had on bladder cancer cells; however, the potency of their detachment was dependent on the treatment protocol and the preparation of hAM homogenate. We demonstrated that hAM homogenate significantly decreased the adhesion, growth, and proliferation of human bladder invasive and papillary cancer urothelial cells and did not affect normal urothelial cells even in 7-day treatment. By using light and electron microscopy we showed that hAM homogenate disrupted the architecture of 2D and 3D bladder cancer models. The information provided by our study highlights the detrimental effect of hAM homogenate on bladder cancer cells and strengthens the idea of the potential clinical application of hAM for bladder cancer treatment