Search results for: active medical implants

Authors: S. Jayalakshmi, Gayathri S., Subiksa V., Nithyasri P., Agasthiya

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Paleochannels are the buried part of an active river system which was separated from the active river channel by the process of cutoff or abandonment during the dynamic evolution of the active river. Over time, they are filled by young unconsolidated or semi-consolidated sediments. Additionally, it is impacted by geo morphological influences, lineament alterations, and other factors. The primary goal of this study is to identify the paleochannels in Periyar river basin for the year 2023. Those channels has a high probability in the presence of natural resources, including gold, platinum,tin,an duranium. Numerous techniques are used to map the paleochannel. Using the optical data, Satellite images were collected from various sources, which comprises multispectral satellite images from which indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI),Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Soil Adjusted Vegetative Index (SAVI) and thematic layers such as Lithology, Stream Network, Lineament were prepared. Weights are assigned to each layer based on its importance, and overlay analysis has done, which concluded that the northwest region of the area has shown some paleochannel patterns. The results were cross-verified using the results obtained using microwave data. Using Sentinel data, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Image was extracted from European Space Agency (ESA) portal, pre-processed it using SNAP 6.0. In addition to that, Polarimetric decomposition technique has incorporated to detect the paleochannels based on its scattering property. Further, Principal component analysis has done for enhanced output imagery. Results obtained from optical and microwave radar data were compared and the location of paleochannels were detected. It resulted six paleochannels in the study area out of which three paleochannels were validated with the existing data published by Department of Geology and Environmental Science, Kerala. The other three paleochannels were newly detected with the help of SAR image.

Keywords: paleochannels, optical data, SAR image, SNAP

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Authors: R. Reshma srilakshmi, S. Shalini, P. Yogeeswari, D. Sriram

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Lysine aminotransferase is a crucial enzyme for dormancy in M. tuberculosis. It is involved in persistence and antibiotic resistance. In present work, we attempted to develop benzthiazole derivatives as lysine aminotransferase inhibitors. In our attempts, we also unexpectedly arrived at an interesting compound 21 (E)-4-(5-(2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-2-cyanovinyl)thiophen-2-yl)benzoic acid which even though has moderate activity against persistent phase of mycobacterium, it has significant potency against active phase. In the entire series compound 22 (E)-4-(5-(2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-2-cyanovinyl)thiophen-2-yl)isophthalic acid emerged as potent molecule with LAT IC50 of 2.62 µM. It has a significant log reduction of 2.9 and 2.3 fold against nutrient starved and biofilm forming mycobacteria. It was found to be inactive in MABA assay and M.marinum induced zebra fish model. It is also devoid of cytotoxicity. Compound 22 was also found to possess bactericidal effect which is independent of concentration and time. It was found to be effective in combination with Rifampicin in 3D granuloma model. The results are very encouraging as the hit molecule shows activity against active as well as persistent forms of tuberculosis. The identified hit needs further more pharmacokinetic and dynamic screening for development as new drug candidate.

Keywords: benzothiazole, latent tuberculosis, LAT, nutrient starvation

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Authors: Pedro G. Morouço

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One utmost challenge in Tissue Engineering is the production of 3D constructs capable of mimicking the functional hierarchy of native tissues. This is well stated for osteochondral tissue due to the complex mechanical functional unit based on the junction of articular cartilage and bone. Thus, the aim of the present study was to develop a new additive manufacturing system coupling micro-extrusion with hydrogels printing. An integrated system was developed with 2 main features: (i) the printing of up to three distinct hydrogels; (ii) in coordination with the printing of a thermoplastic structural support. The hydrogel printing module was projected with a ‘revolver-like’ system, where the hydrogel selection was made by a rotating mechanism. The hydrogel deposition was then controlled by pressured air input. The use of specific components approved for medical use was incorporated in the material dispensing system (Nordson EDF Optimum® fluid dispensing system). The thermoplastic extrusion modulus enabled the control of required extrusion temperature through electric resistances in the polymer reservoir and the extrusion system. After testing and upgrades, a hydrogel modulus with 3 syringes (3cm3 capacity each), with a pressure range of 0-2.5bar, a rotational speed of 0-5rpm, and working with needles from 200-800µm was obtained. This modulus was successfully coupled to the extrusion system that presented a temperature up to 300˚C, a pressure range of 0-12bar, and working with nozzles from 200-500µm. The applied motor could provide a velocity range 0-2000mm/min. Although, there are distinct printing requirements for hydrogels and polymers, the novel system could develop hybrid scaffolds, combining the 2 moduli. The morphological analysis showed high reliability (n=5) between the theoretical and obtained filament and pore size (350µm and 300µm vs. 342±4µm and 302±3µm, p>0.05, respectively) of the polymer; and multi-material 3D constructs were successfully obtained. Human tissues present very distinct and complex structures regarding their mechanical properties, organization, composition and dimensions. For osteochondral regenerative medicine, a multiphasic scaffold is required as subchondral bone and overlying cartilage must regenerate at the same time. Thus, a scaffold with 3 layers (bone, intermediate and cartilage parts) can be a promising approach. The developed system may give a suitable solution to construct those hybrid scaffolds with enhanced properties. The present novel system is a step-forward regarding osteochondral tissue engineering due to its ability to generate layered mechanically stable implants through the double-printing of hydrogels with thermoplastics.

Keywords: 3D bioprinting, bone regeneration, cartilage regeneration, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering

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Authors: Imine Zakaria, Meftah Sidi Mohamed El Amine

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One of the most vital aerodynamic organs of a flying machine is the wing, which allows it to fly in the air efficiently. The flow around the wing is very sensitive to changes in the angle of attack. Beyond a value, there is a phenomenon of the boundary layer separation on the upper surface, which causes instability and total degradation of aerodynamic performance called a stall. However, controlling flow around an airfoil has become a researcher concern in the aeronautics field. There are two techniques for controlling flow around a wing to improve its aerodynamic performance: passive and active controls. Blowing and suction are among the active techniques that control the boundary layer separation around an airfoil. Their objective is to give energy to the air particles in the boundary layer separation zones and to create vortex structures that will homogenize the velocity near the wall and allow control. Blowing and suction have long been used as flow control actuators around obstacles. In 1904 Prandtl applied a permanent blowing to a cylinder to delay the boundary layer separation. In the present study, several numerical investigations have been developed to predict a turbulent flow around an aerodynamic profile. CFD code was used for several angles of attack in order to validate the present work with that of the literature in the case of a clean profile. The variation of the lift coefficient CL with the momentum coefficient

Keywords: CFD, control flow, lift, slot

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Authors: Anjana Sreedharan, Harish Rao

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Background: India has the world’s third largest population of people living with HIV/AIDS, with a prevalence rate of 0.69 in the state of Karnataka. This study aims at assessing the HIV/AIDS related knowledge, attitude and behavior of the medical personnel in 3 hospitals in the city of Mangalore. Methods: Surgeons, Anesthetists, OT staff nurses, ward nursing staff, House surgeons working in the hospitals associated with Kasturba Medical college, Mangalore were given questionnaires and interviewed. Their knowledge about HIV, their attitude towards HIV positive patients and bias in management of the patients was assessed. Conclusion: So far, it has been found that amongst doctors, discrimination was mainly in the form of HIV testing without consent and a lack of confidentiality. However, the doctors rarely changed the treatment plan on knowing the HIV status of the patient. Amongst the nursing staff and interns, there is a serious lacuna of knowledge regarding HIV transmission, as compared to consultants. The patient seldom faced verbal abuse from the team. Use of universal precautions is less among the entire team due to insufficient availability of the same.

Keywords: discrimination, HIV/ AIDS, medical colleges, stigma

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Authors: Kathleen Joy Hingan, Jessiraye Luienne Catubigan, Carlo Mercado, Janisse RañEses

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In this research, the researchers wanted to explore how specialists and resident doctors in the fields of surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology handle their medical errors. They are interested in understanding the factors that contributed to the disclosure of medical error, the feelings after the occurrence of an error, and the way they coped with it given the power relations in place. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews, transcribed the recordings, and analyzed the transcripts using thematic analysis. They found that doctors disclosed to their superiors and co-residents to cope with and to learn from the errors. In terms of disclosure to patients, the participants told them about the adverse event, but not about the error because of fear for themselves, their colleagues, their institution, and their patient. Doctors also performed compensatory actions to make up for the error and the nondisclosure of its occurrence. These actions functioned as a form of damage control too. Resident doctors and specialists receive different sanctions because of the power structures in the system.

Keywords: coping, disclosure, doctors, interviews, medical errors, thematic analysis

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Authors: Emmanuel Chibuogu Asogwa, Tochukwu Sunday Belonwu

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An urgent demand for creative solutions has been created by the rapid expansion of medical knowledge, the complexity of patient care, and the requirement for more precise decision-making. As a solution to this problem, the creation of a Medical Intelligent Process Model (MIPM) utilizing ontology-based appears as a promising way to overcome this obstacle and unleash the full potential of healthcare systems. The development of a Medical Intelligent Process Model (MIPM) using ontology-based techniques is motivated by a lack of quick access to relevant medical information and advanced tools for treatment planning and clinical decision-making, which ontology-based techniques can provide. The aim of this work is to develop a structured and knowledge-driven framework that leverages ontology, a formal representation of domain knowledge, to enhance various aspects of healthcare. Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Methodology (OOADM) were adopted in the design of the system as we desired to build a usable and evolvable application. For effective implementation of this work, we used the following materials/methods/tools: the medical dataset for the test of our model in this work was obtained from Kaggle. The ontology-based technique was used with Confusion Matrix, MySQL, Python, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), Cascaded Style Sheet (CSS), JavaScript, Dreamweaver, and Fireworks. According to test results on the new system using Confusion Matrix, both the accuracy and overall effectiveness of the medical intelligent process significantly improved by 20% compared to the previous system. Therefore, using the model is recommended for healthcare professionals.

Keywords: ontology-based, model, database, OOADM, healthcare

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Authors: Michael Joseph Passmore

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Euthanasia, or assisted suicide (EAS), refers to the provision of medical assistance to individuals seeking to end their own lives. In Canada, the issue of EAS has been the subject of debate and legislative action for many years. In 2016, the Canadian government passed the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) Act. This legalized EAS in Canada is subject to certain eligibility criteria. In 2023, debate in Canada continues regarding the scope of MAID practice and associated legislation. Dementia is an illness that causes suffering at the end of life. Persons suffering due to dementia deserve timely and effective palliative care.

Keywords: palliative care, neurocognitive disorder, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, euthanasia, assisted suicide, medical ethics, bioethics

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Authors: Nurgul A. Abenova, Gaukhar S. Dilmagambetova, Lazzat M. Zhamaliyeva

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Professionalism is a core competency that all medical students must achieve throughout their studies. Clinical knowledge, good communication skills and an understanding of ethics form the basis of professionalism. Patients, medical societies and accrediting organizations expect future specialists to be professionals in their field, which in turn leads to the best clinical results. Currently, there are no studies devoted to the study of medical professionalism in the Republic of Kazakhstan. As a result, medical education in the Kazakhstani system has a limited perception of the concept of professionalism compared to many Western medical schools. Thus, the primary purpose of this study is to analyze the perception of medical professionalism among residents and teachers of family medicine at the West Kazakhstan Marat Ospanov Medical University. А qualitative research method was used based on the content analysis methodology. A focus group discussion was held with 60 residents and 12 family medicine teachers to gather participants' views and experiences in the field of medical professionalism. The received information was processed using the MAXQDA-2020 software package. Respondents were selected for the study based on their age, gender, and educational level. The results of the conducted survey confirmed the respondents’ acknowledgment of the basic attributes of professionalism, such as medical knowledge and skills (more than 40% of the answers), personal and moral qualities of the doctor (more than 25% of the answers), respect for the interests of the patient (15% of the answers), the relationship between the doctor and the patient and among professionals themselves (15% of responses). Another important discovery of the survey was that residents are five times more likely to define the relationship between a doctor and a patient in a model “respect for the interests of the patient” in comparison with teachers of family medicine, who primarily reported responsibility and collegiality to be the basis for the development of professionalism and traditionally view doctor-patient relationship to be formed on the basis of paternalism defined by a high degree of control over patients. This significant difference demonstrates a rift among specialists in the field of family medicine, which causes a lot of problems. For example, nowadays, professional family doctors regularly face burnout problem due to many reasons and factors that force them to abandon their jobs. In addition to that, elements of professionalism such as reflective skills, time management and feedback collection were presented to the least extent (less than 1%) by both groups, which differs from the perception of the Western medical school and is a significant issue that needs to be solved. The qualitative nature of our study provides a detailed understanding of medical professionalism in the context of the Central Asian healthcare system, revealing many aspects that are inferior to the Western medical school counterparts and provides a solution, which is to teach the attributes and skills required for medical professionalism at all stages of medical education of family doctors.

Keywords: family medicine, family doctors, medical professionalism, medical education

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Authors: Radik D. Aglyamov, Alexander K. Naumov, Alexey A. Shavelev, Oleg A. Morozov, Arsenij D. Shishkin, Yury P.Brodnikovsky, Alexander A.Karabutov, Alexander A. Oraevsky, Vadim V. Semashko

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The development of medical optoacoustic tomography with the using human blood as endogenic contrast agent is constrained by the lack of reliable, easy-to-use and inexpensive sources of high-power pulsed laser radiation in the spectral region of 750-900 nm [1-2]. Currently used titanium-sapphire, alexandrite lasers or optical parametric light oscillators do not provide the required and stable output characteristics, they are structurally complex, and their cost is up to half the price of diagnostic optoacoustic systems. Here we are developing the lasers based on Cr:LiCaAlF6 crystals which are free of abovementioned disadvantages and provides intensive ten’s ns-range tunable laser radiation at specific absorption bands of oxy- (~840 nm) and -deoxyhemoglobin (~757 nm) in the blood. Cr:LiCAF (с=3 at.%) crystals were grown in Kazan Federal University by the vertical directional crystallization (Bridgman technique) in graphite crucibles in a fluorinating atmosphere at argon overpressure (P=1500 hPa) [3]. The laser elements have cylinder shape with the diameter of 8 mm and 90 mm in length. The direction of the optical axis of the crystal was normal to the cylinder generatrix, which provides the π-polarized laser action correspondent to maximal stimulated emission cross-section. The flat working surfaces of the active elements were polished and parallel to each other with an error less than 10”. No any antireflection coating was applied. The Q-switched master oscillator-power amplifiers laser system (MOPA) with the dual-Xenon flashlamp pumping scheme in diffuse-reflectivity close-coupled head were realized. A specially designed laser cavity, consisting of dielectric highly reflective reflectors with a 2 m-curvature radius, a flat output mirror, a polarizer and Q-switch sell, makes it possible to operate sequentially in a circle (50 ns - laser one pulse after another) at wavelengths of 757 and 840 nm. The programmable pumping system from Tomowave Laser LLC (Russia) provided independent to each pulses (up to 250 J at 180 μs) pumping to equalize the laser radiation intensity at these wavelengths. The MOPA laser operates at 10 Hz pulse repetition rate with the output energy up to 210 mJ. Taking into account the limitations associated with physiological movements and other characteristics of patient tissues, the duration of laser pulses and their energy allows molecular and functional high-contrast imaging to depths of 5-6 cm with a spatial resolution of at least 1 mm. Highly likely the further comprehensive design of laser allows improving the output properties and realizing better spatial resolution of medical multispectral optoacoustic tomography systems.

Keywords: medical optoacoustic, endogenic contrast agent, multiwavelength tunable pulse lasers, MOPA laser system

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Authors: Fatima Faraz

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BACKGROUND: While Artificial intelligence (AI) provides new opportunities across a wide variety of industries, healthcare is no exception. AI can lead to advancements in how the healthcare system functions and improves the quality of patient care. Developing countries like Pakistan are lagging in the implementation of AI-based solutions in healthcare. This demands increased knowledge and AI literacy among health care professionals. OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of awareness among medical students and faculty about AI in preparation for teaching AI basics and data science applications in clinical practice in an integrated medical curriculum. METHODS: An online 15-question semi-structured questionnaire, previously tested and validated, was delivered among participants through convenience sampling. The questionnaire composed of 3 parts: participant’s background knowledge, AI awareness, and attitudes toward AI applications in medicine. RESULTS: A total of 182 students and 39 faculty members from Rawalpindi Medical University, Pakistan, participated in the study. Only 26% of students and 46.2% of faculty members responded that they were aware of AI topics in clinical medicine. The major source of AI knowledge was social media (35.7%) for students and professional talks and colleagues (43.6%) for faculty members. 23.5% of participants answered that they personally had a basic understanding of AI. Students and faculty (60.1%) were interested in AI in patient care and teaching domain. These findings parallel similar published AI survey results. CONCLUSION: This survey concludes interest among students and faculty in AI developments and technology applications in healthcare. Further studies are required in order to correctly fit AI in the integrated modular curriculum of medical education.

Keywords: medical education, data science, artificial intelligence, curriculum

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Authors: Elizabeth Parrott, Harry Pointon, Frederic Bezombes, Heather Panter

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) are making a profound effect within policing, forensic and fire service procedures worldwide. These intelligent devices have already proven useful in photographing and recording large-scale outdoor and indoor sites using orthomosaic and three-dimensional (3D) modelling techniques, for the purpose of capturing and recording sites during and post-incident. UAV’s are becoming an established tool as they are extending the reach of the photographer and offering new perspectives without the expense and restrictions of deploying full-scale aircraft. 3D reconstruction quality is directly linked to the resolution of captured images; therefore, close proximity flights are required for more detailed models. As technology advances deployment of UAVs in confined spaces is becoming more common. With this in mind, this study investigates the effects of UAV operation within active crimes scenes with regard to the dispersal of particulate evidence. To date, there has been little consideration given to the potential effects of using UAV’s within active crime scenes aside from a legislation point of view. Although potentially the technology can reduce the likelihood of contamination by replacing some of the roles of investigating practitioners. There is the risk of evidence dispersal caused by the effect of the strong airflow beneath the UAV, from the downwash of the propellers. The initial results of this study are therefore presented to determine the height of least effect at which to fly, and the commercial propeller type to choose to generate the smallest amount of disturbance from the dataset tested. In this study, a range of commercially available 4-inch propellers were chosen as a starting point due to the common availability and their small size makes them well suited for operation within confined spaces. To perform the testing, a rig was configured to support a single motor and propeller powered with a standalone mains power supply and controlled via a microcontroller. This was to mimic a complete throttle cycle and control the device to ensure repeatability. By removing the variances of battery packs and complex UAV structures to allow for a more robust setup. Therefore, the only changing factors were the propeller and operating height. The results were calculated via computer vision analysis of the recorded dispersal of the sample particles placed below the arm-mounted propeller. The aim of this initial study is to give practitioners an insight into the technology to use when operating within confined spaces as well as recognizing some of the issues caused by UAV’s within active crime scenes.

Keywords: dispersal, evidence, propeller, UAV

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Authors: Dmitry Yu. Korulkin, Raissa A. Muzychkina, Evgenii N. Kojaev

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In review the generalized data about biological activity of anthraquinone-containing plants and specimens on their basis is presented. Data of traditional medicine, results of bioscreening and clinical researches of specimens are analyzed.

Keywords: anthraquinones, physiologically active substances, phytopreparation, Ramon

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Authors: Mariam Dianat Sabet Gilani, Lars M. Blank, Birgitta E. Ebert

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Plant-derived lupane-type, pentacyclic triterpenoids are biologically active compounds that are highly interesting for applications in medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Due to the low abundance of these valuable compounds in their natural sources, and the environmentally harmful downstream process, alternative production methods, such as microbial cell factories, are investigated. Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, harboring the heterologous genes for betulinic acid synthesis, can produce up to 2 g L-1 triterpenoids, showing high potential for large-scale production of triterpenoids. One limitation of the microbial synthesis is the intracellular product accumulation. It not only makes cell disruption a necessary step in the downstream processing but also limits productivity and product yield per cell. To overcome these restrictions, the aim of this study is to develop an in-situ extraction method, which extracts triterpenoids into a second organic phase. Such a continuous or sequential product removal from the biomass keeps the cells in an active state and enables extended production time or biomass recycling. After screening of twelve different solvents, selected based on product solubility, biocompatibility, as well as environmental and health impact, isopropyl myristate (IPM) was chosen as a suitable solvent for in-situ product removal from S. cerevisiae. Impedance-based single-cell analysis and off-gas measurement of carbon dioxide emission showed that cell viability and physiology were not affected by the presence of IPM. Initial experiments demonstrated that after the addition of 20 vol % IPM to cultures in the stationary phase, 40 % of the total produced triterpenoids were extracted from the cells into the organic phase. In future experiments, the application of IPM in a repeated batch process will be tested, where IPM is added at the end of each batch run to remove triterpenoids from the cells, allowing the same biocatalysts to be used in several sequential batch steps. Due to its high biocompatibility, the amount of IPM added to the culture can also be increased to more than 20 vol % to extract more than 40 % triterpenoids in the organic phase, allowing the cells to produce more triterpenoids. This highlights the potential for the development of a continuous large-scale process, which allows biocatalysts to produce intracellular products continuously without the necessity of cell disruption and without limitation of the cell capacity.

Keywords: betulinic acid, biocompatible solvent, in-situ extraction, isopropyl myristate, process development, secondary metabolites, triterpenoids, yeast

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Authors: Antonio Montes, Antonio Cozar, Clara Pereyra, Diego Valor, Enrique Martinez de la Ossa

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Tissues and organs can be damaged because of traumatism, congenital illnesses, or cancer and the traditional therapeutic alternatives, such as surgery, cannot usually completely repair the damaged tissues. Tissue engineering allows regeneration of the patient's tissues, reducing the problems caused by the traditional methods. Scaffolds, polymeric structures with interconnected porosity, can be promoted the proliferation and adhesion of the patient’s cells in the damaged area. Furthermore, by means of impregnation of the scaffold with beneficial active substances, tissue regeneration can be induced through a drug delivery process. The objective of the work is the fabrication of a PVA scaffold coated with Gallic Acid and polypyrrole through a one-step foaming and impregnation process using the SSI technique (Supercritical Solvent Impregnation). In this technique, supercritical CO₂ penetrates into the polymer chains producing the plasticization of the polymer. In the depressurization step a CO₂ cellular nucleation and growing to take place to an interconnected porous structure of the polymer. The foaming process using supercritical CO₂ as solvent and expansion agent presents advantages compared to the traditional scaffolds’ fabrication methods, such as the polymer’s high solubility in the solvent or the possibility of carrying out the process at a low temperature, avoiding the inactivation of the active substance. In this sense, the supercritical CO₂ avoids the use of organic solvents and reduces the solvent residues in the final product. Moreover, this process does not require long processing time that could cause the stratification of substance inside the scaffold reducing the therapeutic efficiency of the formulation. An experimental design has been carried out to optimize the SSI technique operating conditions, as well as a study of the morphological characteristics of the scaffold for its use in tissue engineerings, such as porosity, conductivity or the release profiles of the active substance. It has been proved that the obtained scaffolds are partially porous, conductors of electricity and are able to release Gallic Acid in the long term.

Keywords: scaffold, foaming, supercritical, PVA, polypyrrole, gallic acid

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Authors: G. V. Novikov, V. S. Sivozhelezov, S. S. Kolesnikov, K. V. Shaitan

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The study reports about the influence of binding of orthosteric ligands as well as point mutations on the conformational dynamics of β-2-adrenoreceptor. Using molecular dynamics simulation we found that there was a little fraction of active states of the receptor in its apo (ligand free) ensemble corresponded to its constitutive activity. Analysis of MD trajectories indicated that such spontaneous activation of the receptor is accompanied by the motion in intracellular part of its alpha-helices. Thus receptor’s constitutive activity directly results from its conformational dynamics. On the other hand the binding of a full agonist resulted in a significant shift of the initial equilibrium towards its active state. Finally, the binding of the inverse agonist stabilized the receptor in its inactive state. It is likely that the binding of inverse agonists might be a universal way of constitutive activity inhibition in vivo. Our results indicate that ligand binding redistribute pre-existing conformational degrees of freedom (in accordance to the Monod-Wyman-Changeux-Model) of the receptor rather than cause induced fit in it. Therefore, the ensemble of biologically relevant receptor conformations is encoded in its spatial structure, and individual conformations from that ensemble might be used by the cell in conformity with the physiological behaviour.

Keywords: seven-transmembrane receptors, constitutive activity, activation, x-ray crystallography, principal component analysis, molecular dynamics simulation

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Authors: Jing-Yang Chung, Chi-Wei Liao, Jing Li, Bor Kae Chang, Cheng-Yu Wang

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Chemical hydride ammonia borane (AB, NH3BH3) draws attentions to hydrogen energy researches for its high theoretical gravimetrical capacity (19.6 wt%). Nevertheless, the elevated AB decomposition temperatures (Td) and unwanted byproducts are main hurdles in practical application. It was reported that the byproducts and Td can be reduced with nanoconfinement technique, in which AB molecules are confined in porous materials, such as porous carbon, zeolite, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), etc. Although nanoconfinement empirically shows effectiveness on hydrogen generation temperature reduction in AB, the theoretical mechanism is debatable. Low Td was reported in AB@IRMOF-1 (Zn4O(BDC)3, BDC = benzenedicarboxylate), where Zn atoms form closed metal clusters secondary building unit (SBU) with no exposed active sites. Other than nanosized hydride, it was also observed that catalyst addition facilitates AB decomposition in the composite of Li-catalyzed carbon CMK-3, MOF JUC-32-Y with exposed Y3+, etc. It is believed that nanosized AB is critical for lowering Td, while active sites eliminate byproducts. Nonetheless, some researchers claimed that it is the catalytic sites that are the critical factor to reduce Td, instead of the hydride size. The group physically ground AB with ZIF-8 (zeolitic imidazolate frameworks, (Zn(2-methylimidazolate)2)), and found similar reduced Td phenomenon, even though AB molecules were not ‘confined’ or forming nanoparticles by physical hand grinding. It shows the catalytic reaction, not nanoconfinement, leads to AB dehydrogenation promotion. In this research, we explored the possible criteria of hydrogen production temperature from nanoconfined AB in MOFs with different pore sizes and active sites. MOFs with metal SBU such as Zn (IRMOF), Zr (UiO), and Al (MIL-53), accompanying with various organic ligands (BDC and BPDC; BPDC = biphenyldicarboxylate) were modified with AB. Excess MOFs were used for AB size constrained in micropores estimated by revisiting Horvath-Kawazoe model. AB dissolved in methanol was added to MOFs crystalline with MOF pore volume to AB ratio 4:1, and the slurry was dried under vacuum to collect AB@MOF powders. With TPD-MS (temperature programmed desorption with mass spectroscopy), we observed Td was reduced with smaller MOF pores. For example, it was reduced from 100°C to 64°C when MOF micropore ~1 nm, while ~90°C with pore size up to 5 nm. The behavior of Td as a function of AB crystalline radius obeys thermodynamics when the Gibbs free energy of AB decomposition is zero, and no obvious correlation with metal type was observed. In conclusion, we discovered Td of AB is proportional to the reciprocal of MOF pore size, possibly stronger than the effect of active sites.

Keywords: ammonia borane, chemical hydride, metal-organic framework, nanoconfinement

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Authors: T. Thein, S. Kalyar Myo

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Human uses visual information for understanding the speech contents in noisy conditions or in situations where the audio signal is not available. The primary advantage of visual information is that it is not affected by the acoustic noise and cross talk among speakers. Using visual information from the lip movements can improve the accuracy and robustness of automatic speech recognition. However, a major challenge with most automatic lip reading system is to find a robust and efficient method for extracting the linguistically relevant speech information from a lip image sequence. This is a difficult task due to variation caused by different speakers, illumination, camera setting and the inherent low luminance and chrominance contrast between lip and non-lip region. Several researchers have been developing methods to overcome these problems; the one is lip reading. Moreover, it is well known that visual information about speech through lip reading is very useful for human speech recognition system. Lip reading is the technique of a comprehensive understanding of underlying speech by processing on the movement of lips. Therefore, lip reading system is one of the different supportive technologies for hearing impaired or elderly people, and it is an active research area. The need for lip reading system is ever increasing for every language. This research aims to develop a visual teaching method system for the hearing impaired persons in Myanmar, how to pronounce words precisely by identifying the features of lip movement. The proposed research will work a lip reading system for Myanmar Consonants, one syllable consonants (င (Nga)၊ ည (Nya)၊ မ (Ma)၊ လ (La)၊ ၀ (Wa)၊ သ (Tha)၊ ဟ (Ha)၊ အ (Ah) ) and two syllable consonants ( က(Ka Gyi)၊ ခ (Kha Gway)၊ ဂ (Ga Nge)၊ ဃ (Ga Gyi)၊ စ (Sa Lone)၊ ဆ (Sa Lain)၊ ဇ (Za Gwe) ၊ ဒ (Da Dway)၊ ဏ (Na Gyi)၊ န (Na Nge)၊ ပ (Pa Saug)၊ ဘ (Ba Gone)၊ ရ (Ya Gaug)၊ ဠ (La Gyi) ). In the proposed system, there are three subsystems, the first one is the lip localization system, which localizes the lips in the digital inputs. The next one is the feature extraction system, which extracts features of lip movement suitable for visual speech recognition. And the final one is the classification system. In the proposed research, Two Dimensional Discrete Cosine Transform (2D-DCT) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) with Active Contour Model (ACM) will be used for lip movement features extraction. Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier is used for finding class parameter and class number in training set and testing set. Then, experiments will be carried out for the recognition accuracy of Myanmar consonants using the only visual information on lip movements which are useful for visual speech of Myanmar languages. The result will show the effectiveness of the lip movement recognition for Myanmar Consonants. This system will help the hearing impaired persons to use as the language learning application. This system can also be useful for normal hearing persons in noisy environments or conditions where they can find out what was said by other people without hearing voice.

Keywords: feature extraction, lip reading, lip localization, Active Contour Model (ACM), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Two Dimensional Discrete Cosine Transform (2D-DCT)

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Authors: Ruwani N. Nugara, Masashi Inafuku, Kensaku Takara, Hironori Iwasaki, Hirosuke Oku

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Pteryxin from the partially purified hexane phase (HP) of Peucedanum japonicum Thunb (PJT) was identified as the active compound related to anti-obesity. Thus, in this study we investigated the mechanisms related to anti-obesity activity in-vitro. The HP was fractionated, and effect on the triglyceride (TG) content was evaluated in 3T3-L1 and HepG2 cells. Comprehensive spectroscopic analyses were used to identify the structure of the active compound. The dose dependent effect of active constituent on the TG content, and the gene expressions related to adipogenesis, fatty acid catabolism, energy expenditure, lipolysis and lipogenesis (20 μg/mL) were examined in-vitro. Furthermore, higher dosage of pteryxin (50μg/mL) was tested against 20μg/mL in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The mRNA were subjected to SOLiD next generation sequencer and the obtained data were analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). The active constituent was identified as pteryxin, a known compound in PJT. However, its biological activities against obesity have not been reported previously. Pteryxin dose dependently suppressed TG content in both 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 hepatocytes (P < 0.05). Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP1 c), Fatty acid synthase (FASN), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1 (ACC1) were downregulated in pteryxin-treated adipocytes (by 18.0, 36.1 and 38.2%; P < 0.05, respectively) and hepatocytes (by 72.3, 62.9 and 38.8%, respectively; P < 0.05) indicating its suppressive effects on fatty acid synthesis. The hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), a lipid catabolising gene was upregulated (by 15.1%; P < 0.05) in pteryxin-treated adipocytes suggesting improved lipolysis. Concordantly, the adipocyte size marker gene, paternally expressed gene1/mesoderm specific transcript (MEST) was downregulated (by 42.8%; P < 0.05), further accelerating the lipolytic activity. The upregulated trend of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2; by 77.5%; P < 0.05) reflected the improved energy expenditure due to pteryxin. The 50μg/mL dosage of pteryxin completely suppressed PPARγ, MEST, SREBP 1C, HSL, Adiponectin, Fatty Acid Binding Protein (FABP) 4, and UCP’s in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The IPA suggested that pteryxin at 20μg/mL and 50μg/mL suppress obesity in two different pathways, whereas the WNT signaling pathway play a key role in the higher dose of pteryxin in preadipocyte stage. Pteryxin in PJT play the key role in regulating lipid metabolism related gene network and improving energy production in vitro. Thus, the results suggests pteryxin as a new natural compound to be used as an anti-obesity drug in pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords: obesity, peucedanum japonicum thunb, pteryxin, food science

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Authors: Lisa Fox, Jill Aylott

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There is a global need to identify ways to engage doctors in non-clinical matters such as medical leadership, service improvement and health system transformation. Using the core principles of Realistic Evaluation (RE), this study examined what works, for doctors of different grades, specialities and experience in an acute NHS Hospital Trust in the UK. Realistic Evaluation is an alternative to more traditional cause and effect evaluation models and seeks to understand the interdependencies of Context, Mechanism and Outcome proposing that Context (C) + Mechanism (M) = Outcome (O). In this study, the context, mechanism and outcome were examined from within individual medical leaders to determine what enables levels of medical engagement in a specific improvement project to reduce hospital inpatient mortality. Five qualitative case studies were undertaken with consultants who had regularly completed mortality reviews over a six month period. The case studies involved semi-structured interviews to test the theory behind the drivers for medical engagement. The interviews were analysed using a theory-driven thematic analysis to identify CMO configurations to explain what works, for whom and in what circumstances. The findings showed that consultants with a longer length of service became more engaged if there were opportunities to be involved in the beginning of an improvement project, with more opportunities to affect the design. Those that are new to a consultant role were more engaged if they felt able to apply any learning directly into their own settings or if they could use it as an opportunity to understand more about the organisation they are working in. This study concludes that RE is a useful methodology for better understanding the complexities of motivation and consultant engagement in a trust wide service improvement project. The study showed that there should be differentiated and bespoke training programmes to maximise each individual doctor’s propensity for medical engagement. The RE identified that there are different ways to ensure that doctors have the right skills to feel confident in service improvement projects.

Keywords: realistic evaluation, medical leadership, medical engagement, patient safety, service improvement

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Authors: Ambachew Simreteab Gebremedhn

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Context: The paper explores the use of synchronous reference frame theory (SRFT) and instantaneous reactive power theory (IRPT) based control of Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) for improving power quality in distribution systems. Research Aim: To investigate the performance of different control configurations of UPQC using SRFT and IRPT for mitigating power quality issues in distribution systems. Methodology: The study compares three control techniques (SRFT-IRPT, SRFT-SRFT, IRPT-IRPT) implemented in series and shunt active filters of UPQC. Data is collected under various control algorithms to analyze UPQC performance. Findings: Results indicate the effectiveness of SRFT and IRPT based control techniques in addressing power quality problems such as voltage sags, swells, unbalance, harmonics, and current harmonics in distribution systems. Theoretical Importance: The study provides insights into the application of SRFT and IRPT in improving power quality, specifically in mitigating unbalanced voltage sags, where conventional methods fall short. Data Collection: Data is collected under various control algorithms using simulation in MATLAB Simulink and real-time operation executed with experimental results obtained using RT-LAB. Analysis Procedures: Performance analysis of UPQC under different control algorithms is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SRFT and IRPT based control techniques in mitigating power quality issues. Questions Addressed: How do SRFT and IRPT based control techniques compare in improving power quality in distribution systems? What is the impact of using different control configurations on the performance of UPQC? Conclusion: The study demonstrates the efficacy of SRFT and IRPT based control of UPQC in mitigating power quality issues in distribution systems, highlighting their potential for enhancing voltage and current quality.

Keywords: power quality, UPQC, shunt active filter, series active filter, non-linear load, RT-LAB, MATLAB

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Authors: Jinliang Yuan, Jong-Sung Yu, Bengt Sundén

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A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed for rechargeable non-aqueous electrolyte lithium-air batteries with a partial opening for oxygen supply to the cathode. Multi-phase transport phenomena occurred in the battery are considered, including dissolved lithium ions and oxygen gas in the liquid electrolyte, solid-phase electron transfer in the porous functional materials and liquid-phase charge transport in the electrolyte. These transport processes are coupled with the electrochemical reactions at the active surfaces, and effects of discharge reaction-generated solid Li2O2 on the transport properties and the electrochemical reaction rate are evaluated and implemented in the model. The predicted results are discussed and analyzed in terms of the spatial and transient distribution of various parameters, such as local oxygen concentration, reaction rate, variable solid Li2O2 volume fraction and porosity, as well as the effective diffusion coefficients. It is found that the effect of the solid Li2O2 product deposited at the solid active surfaces is significant on the transport phenomena and the overall battery performance.

Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), modeling, multi-phase, transport phenomena, lithium-air battery

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Authors: Peramachi Sathiyamoorthy, Jacop Gopas, Avi Golan Goldhirsh

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Corchorus olitorius is a leafy vegetable and an industrial crop. The herb has antioxidant, anti inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. To assay the pharmaceutical properties, aqueous extracts of leaves and seeds from C. olitorius were tested against drug resistant melanoma cell line. The test showed LC50 of the extract was 0.08µg/ml. Aqueous seed extract exhibited higher melanoma inhibiting activity than leaf extract. Dialysis of seed extract showed that the active compound is less than 12 KDa. The compound with <3 KDa MW separated by microconcentration of seed extract showed 70.5 % inhibition of melanoma cell growth. Among the two fractions obtained by Gel filtration with G10 column, the first fraction at 1:2000 dilutions exhibited 100% inhibition of melanoma growth. The compound with Rf value 0.86 (MA4) isolated by TLC separation showed about 98% cytotoxicity against melanoma at 1: 1000 dilutions. Furthermore, HPLC separation of MA4 compound with Superdex 75 column resulted in 4 compounds. Out of 4, one compound showed melanoma inhibition. The active compound is identified by reagent methods as Strophanthidin. Further toxicological and clinical studies will lead to the development of a potential drug to treat drug resistant melanoma.

Keywords: corchorus olitorius, melanoma, drug development, strophanthidin

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Authors: Mariam Mojally, Randa Abdou, Wisal Bokhari, Sultan Sab, Mohammed Dawoud, Amjad Albohy

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Secondary metabolites produced by endophytes are an excellent source of biologically active compounds. In our current study, we evaluated terezine E and 14-hydroxyterezine D for binding to the active site of histone deacetylase (PDB ID: 4CBT) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (PDB ID: 4H3X) by molecular docking using AutoDock Vina software after having tested their cytotoxic activities on three cell lines (human ductal breast epithelial tumor cells (T47D)-HCC1937), human hepatocarcinoma cell line (HepG2)-HB8065), and human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116)-TCP1006, purchased from ATCC, USA)). Additionally, their antimicrobial activities were investigated, and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined against P. notatum and S. aureus by the broth microdilution method. Higher cytotoxicity was observed for terezine E against all tested cell lines compared to 14-hydroxyterezine D. Molecular docking results supported the high cytotoxicity of terezine E and showed higher binding affinity with 4CBT with an energy score of 9 kcal/mol. Terezine E showed higher antibacterial and antifungal activities than 14-hydroxyrerezine D: MIC values were 15.45 and 21.73 mg/mL against S. aureus and 8.61 and 11.54 mg/mL against P. notatum, respectively

Keywords: Terezine E, 14-Hydroxyterezine D, cytotoxicity, antimicrobial activity, molecular docking

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Authors: Patrick Mkhanyiseli Zimu

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A sedentary lifestyle and insufficient physical activity (PA) increases the risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Knowing the PA levels and patterns of adolescents from different socio-economic backgrounds is important to direct programs at schools and in communities to prevent NCDs risk factors, which can have long-term effects on the health of the adolescents. The study aimed to investigate adolescent PA levels, patterns, and influencing factors (age, gender, socio-economic status). The 353 participants (203 females and 150 males) from eight low socio-economic (LSES) and middle socio-economic (MSES) public secondary schools completed a Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). The PAQ-A is a seven day recall instrument that assesses general estimates of PA levels and patterns for high school learners in Grades 9-12 and provides a summary of physical activity scores derived from seven items, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale. The seven items were PA during spare time and five domains (during physical education, lunch break, after school, in the evenings, on the weekend) and selecting one statement that described participant’s physical activity behaviour. The PA Levels (x̄=2.61, SD=.74) were below the international PA cut-off points of x̄=2.75. Physical education (PE) showed the highest PA score (x̄=3.05, SD=1.21) and lunch break showed the lowest PA score (x̄=2.09, SD=1.14). Positive correlations occurred between PA levels and SES (r=.122, p=0.022), and PA and gender (r=.223, p= 0.0001). LSES participant’s PA score was significantly lower (x̄=2.52; SD=.73) than those from MSES (x̄=2.70; SD=.74, p=0.022). Adolescents from low and middle socio-economic status communities are not sufficiently active. Their average PA score of 2.61 is below the PAQ-A global criterion referenced cut-off points of 2.75, which is considered sufficiently physically active for adolescents to ensure both short- and long-term health benefits. As adolescents are not sufficiently active, collaborative school and community PA programs need to be implemented to supplement physical education in order to prevent short- and long-term health problems.

Keywords: adolescents, health promotion, physical activity, physical education

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Authors: Noorh Albadi, Salha Khayyat

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People's moods and well-being are affected by their environment. The built environment impacts one's level of activity and health. In order to enhance users' physical health, sustainable design strategies have been developed for the physical environment to improve users' health. This study aimed to determine whether adult resorts in Saudi Arabia meet standards that ensure physical wellness to identify the needed requirements. It will be significant to the Ministry of Tourism, Sports, developers, and designers. Physical activity affects human health physically and mentally. In Saudi Arabia, the percentage of people who practiced sports in the Kingdom in 2019 was 20.04% - males and females older than 15. On the other hand, there is a lack of physical activity in Saudi Arabia; 90% of the Kingdom's population spends more than two hours sitting down without moving, which puts them at risk of contracting a non-communicable disease. The lack of physical activity and movement led to an increase in the rate of obesity among Saudis by 59% in 2020 and consequently could cause chronic diseases or death. The literature generally endorses that leading an active lifestyle improves physical health and affects mental health. Therefore, the United Nations has set 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages. One of SDG3's targets is reducing mortality, which can be achieved by raising physical activity. In order to support sustainable design, many rating systems and strategies have been developed, such as WELL building, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, (LEED), Active design strategies, and RIPA plan of work. The survey was used to gather qualitative and quantitative information. It was designed based on the Active Design and WELL building theories targeting beach resorts visitors, professional and beginner athletes, and non-athletics to ask them about the beach resorts they visited in the Kingdom and whether they met the criteria of sports resorts and healthy and active design theories, in addition to gathering information about the preferences of physical activities in the Saudi society in terms of the type of activities that young people prefer, where they prefer to engage in and under any thermal and light conditions. The final section asks about the design of residential units in beach sports resorts, the data collected from 127 participants. Findings revealed that participants prefer outdoor activities in moderate weather and sunlight or the evening with moderate and sufficient lighting and that no beach sports resorts in the country are constructed to support sustainable design criteria for physical activity. Participants agreed that several measures that lessen tension at beach resorts and enhance movement and activity are needed by Saudi society. The study recommends designing resorts that meet the sustainable design criteria regarding physical activity in Saudi Arabia to increase physical activity to achieve psychological and physical benefits and avoid psychological and physical diseases related to physical inactivity.

Keywords: sustainable design, SDGs, active design strategies, well building, beach resort design

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Authors: Min Bae

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Hygiene had traditionally meant ways of healthy and right living. However, the nineteenth century was the time when a gradual shift in medical and hygienic paradigms took place from holism to reductionism. Against this medical and social background, E. W. Lane (MD, Edinburgh, 1853) formulated his own medical philosophies in his book Hydropathy: Or Hygienic Medicine (1859). Until the 1880s when he published his last book on the hygienic medicine, he consistently intended to raise the importance of hygienic holism in medicine, while adopting hydropathy as his main therapeutic measure. Lane’s case reflects the mid-nineteenth century trend in which since the 1840s, the rational and holistic facets in medicine had significantly transferred to hydropathy, which was the most naturalistic healing system in the medical market. Hygiene for Lane was no longer the ancient form of ‘six non-naturals’. He emphasised physiology as the rational grounds for his project of the medicalisation of hygiene. His medical philosophy was profoundly naturalistic and holistic against the opposite trend of the contemporary hygiene and medicine. Conflicting aspects may often be best embodied in persons who stood on the boundaries between inside and outside. Lane’s theories on hygienic medicine did not develop into a new medical system which he believed would reconciliate orthodox medicine and hydropathy of his time had also adopted increasingly reductionist approaches since 1860s. Nevertheless, the naturalistic philosophies and approaches in Lane’s hygienic medicine demonstrates a continuous effort for a theoretical reformulation of hydropathy during its stagnant and declining period to constantly fit into the holistic paradigm of medicine and hygiene. Considering the fact that the nature cure concept in hydropathy and its individualistic approach were succeeded by naturopathy at the end of the century, analysis of Lane’s medical thoughts reveals part of a ‘thin red line’ of naturalism in the battleground between reductionism and holism during the nineteenth century in the history of medicine and hygiene.

Keywords: E. W. Lane, hygienic medicine, hydropathy, naturopath

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Authors: Rihab Gamaoun, Cynthia El Hage, Laura Ruiz, Erin Prosk, Antonio Vigano

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Introduction: Santé Cannabis (SC), a Canadian medical cannabis-specialized group of clinics based in Montreal and in the province of Québec, has served more than 5000 patients seeking cannabis-based treatment prescription for medical indications over the past five years. Within a research frame, data on the use of medical cannabis products from all the above patients were prospectively collected, leading to a large real-world database on the use of medical cannabis. The aim of this study was to gather information on the profiles of both patients and prescribed medical cannabis products at SC clinics and to assess the safety of medical cannabis among Canadian patients. Methods: Using a retrospective analysis of the database, records of 2585 patients who were prescribed medical cannabis products for therapeutic purposes between 01-November 2017 and 04-September 2019 were included. Patients’ demographics, primary diagnosis, route of administration, and chemovars recorded at the initial visits were investigated. Results: At baseline: 9% of SC patients were female, with a mean age of 57 (SD= 15.8, range= [18-96]); Cannabis products were prescribed mainly for patients with a diagnosis of chronic pain (65.9% of patients), cancer (9.4%), neurological disorders (6.5%), mood disorders (5.8 %) and inflammatory diseases (4.1%). Route of administration and chemovars of prescribed cannabis products were the following: 96% of patients received cannabis oil (51% CBD rich, 42.5% CBD:THC); 32.1% dried cannabis (21.3% CBD:THC, 7.4% THC rich, 3.4 CBD rich), and 2.1% oral spray cannabis (1.1% CBD:THC, 0.8% CBD rich, 0.2% THC rich). Most patients were prescribed simultaneously, a combination of products with different administration routes and chemovars. Safety analysis is undergoing. Conclusion: Our results provided initial information on the profile of medical cannabis products prescribed in a Canadian population and the experienced adverse events over the past three years. The Santé Cannabis database represents a unique opportunity for comparing clinical practices in prescribing and titrating cannabis-based medications across different centers. Ultimately real-world data, including information about safety and effectiveness, will help to create standardized and validated guidelines for choosing dose, route of administration, and chemovars types for the cannabis-based medication in different diseases and indications.

Keywords: medical cannabis, real-world data, safety, pharmacovigilance

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Authors: Abram Zoltan

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Over the past hundred years, human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have released enough carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to dissipate additional heat into the lower atmosphere and affect the global climate. Climate change affects many social and environmental determinants of health: clean air, safe drinking water, and adequate food. Our aim is to draw attention to the effects of climate change on the health and health care system. Improving climate awareness and the knowledge related to climate change's health impacts are essential among medical students and practicing medical doctors. Therefore, in their everyday practice, they also need some assistance and up-to-date knowledge of how climate change can endanger human health and deal with these novel health problems. Our activity, based on the cooperation of more universities, aims to develop new curriculum outlines and learning materials on climate change's health impacts for medical schools. Special attention is intended to pay to the possible preventative measures against these impacts. For all of this, the project plans to create new curriculum outlines and learning materials for medical students, elaborate methodological guidelines and create training materials for medical doctors' postgraduate learning programs. The target groups of the project are medical students, educational staff of medical schools and universities, practicing medical doctors with special attention to the general practitioners and family doctors. We had searched various surveys, domestic and international studies about the effects of climate change and statistical estimation of the possible consequences. The health effects of climate change can be measured only approximately by considering only a fraction of the potential health effects and assuming continued economic growth and health progress. We can estimate that climate change is expected to cause about 250,000 more deaths. We conclude that climate change is one of the most serious problems of the 21st century, affecting all populations. In the short- to medium-term, the health effects of climate change will be determined mainly by human vulnerability. In the longer term, the effects depend increasingly on the extent to which transformational action is taken now to reduce emissions. We can contribute to reducing environmental pollution by raising awareness and by educating the population.

Keywords: climate change, health impacts, medical students, education

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: Sara Mercedes Barroso Pinzón, Álvaro Jesús Caicedo Castro, Antonio Javer Sánchez Herencia

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In recent years there has been increased academic and industrial research into the development of orthopaedic implants with structural properties and functionality similar to mechanical strength, osseointegration, thermal stability and antibacterial capacity similar to bone structure. Hydroxyapatite has been considered for decades as an ideal biomaterial for bone regeneration due to its chemical and crystallographic similarity to the mineral structure bioapatites. However, the lack of trace elements in the hydroxyapatite structure confers very low mechanical and biological properties. Under this scenario, the objective of the research is the synthesis of hydroxyapatite with Mg from the francolite mineral present in phosphate rock from the central-eastern region of Colombia, taking advantage of the extraction of mineral species as natural precursors of Ca, P and Mg. The minerals present were studied, fluorapatite as the mineral of interest associated with magnesium carbonates and quartz. The chemical and mineralogical composition was determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX); the optimum conditions were established using the acid leaching mechanism in the wet concentration process. From the products obtained and characterised by XRD, XRF, SEM, FTIR, RAMAN, HAp-Mg biocomposite scaffolds are fabricated and the influence of Mg on morphometric parameters, mechanical and biological properties in the formed materials is evaluated.

Keywords: phosphate rock, hydroxyapatite, magnesium, biomaterials

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