Machine Learning Algorithms in Analysis, Diagnosing and Predicting COVID-19: A Systematic Literature Review

Since the COVID-19 corona virus first appeared at the end of 2019, in Wuhan province, China, the analysis, diagnosis, and prognosis of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has attracted the greatest attention. Since then, every part of the world needs some sort of system or instrument to assist judgments for prompt quarantine and medical treatment. For a variety of uses, including prediction, classification, and analysis, machine learning (MLR) have demonstrated their accuracy and efficiency in the fields of education, health, and security. In this paper, three main questions will be answered related to COVID-19 analysis, predicting, and diagnosing. The performance evaluation, fast process and identification, quick learning, and accurate results of MLR algorithms make them as a base for all models in analyzing, diagnosing, and predicting COVID-19 infection. The impact of using supervised and unsupervised MLR can be used for estimating the spread level of COVID-19 to make the proper strategic decisions. The researchers next compared the effects of various datatypes on diagnosing, forecasting, and assessing the severity of COVID-19 infection in order to examine the effects of MLRs. Three fields are associated with COVID-19, according to the analysis of the chosen study (analysis, diagnosing, and predicting). The majority of researches focus on the subject of COVID-19 diagnosis, where they use their models to identify the infection. In the selected studies, several algorithms are employed, however, a study revealed that the neural network is the most used method when compared to other algorithms. The most used method for identifying, forecasting, and evaluating COVID-19 infection is supervised MLR

The platinum coordination complex inhibits cell invasion-migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by altering the TGF-β-SMAD pathway in colorectal cancer

Introduction: There is a steady increase in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidences worldwide; at diagnosis, about 20 percent of cases show metastases. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway is one of the critical pathways that influence the expression of cadherins allowing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is involved in the progression of the normal colorectal epithelium to adenoma and metastatic carcinoma. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of a novel coordination complex of platinum (salicylaldiminato) PT(II) complex with dimethyl propylene linkage (PT-complex) on TGF-β and EMT markers involved in the invasion and migration of the human HT-29 and SW620 CRC cell lines.Methods: Functional study and wound healing assay showed PT-complex significantly reduced cell motility and the migration and invasion of CRC cell lines compared to the untreated control. Western blot performed in the presence and absence of TGF-β demonstrated that PT-complex significantly regulated the TGF-β-mediated altered expressions of EMT markers.Results and Discussion: PT-complex attenuated the migration and invasion by upregulating the protein expression of EMT-suppressing factor E-cadherin and suppressing EMT-inducing factors such as N-Cadherin and Vimentin. Moreover, PT-complex significantly suppressed the activation of SMAD3 in both CRC cell lines. Further, the microarray data analysis revealed differential expression of genes related to invasion and migration. In conclusion, besides displaying antiproliferative activity, the PT complex can decrease the metastasis of CRC cell lines by modulating TGF-β-regulated EMT markers. These findings provide new insight into TGF-β/SMAD signaling as the molecular mechanism involved in the antitumoral properties of novel PT-complex

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Nanostructured Photocatalysts - 1st Edition,

International audienc

Size-Dependent Photocatalytic Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Embedded in ZX-Bi Zeolite Supports

International audienceIn this study, the photocatalytic activity of highly dispersed silver embedded into ZX-Bi zeolite during methanol photooxidation under visible light and at room temperature is investigated. The size and dispersion of Agn δ+ sub-nanoclusters (< 1 nm) is studied by HR/TEM, DR-UV-Vis, in situ FTIR, etc. The catalytic tests were performed using the operando FTIR technique during methanol photooxidation as a model reaction. The results show that the as-prepared Ag/ZX-Bi was very low active, while the activated sample at 200 °C (Ag/ZX-Bi_200) exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity (49.60 mmol.g-1 .cm-2 after 12 h of reaction) during methanol photooxidation, more than 6 times higher than the TiO2-P25 used as reference. This activity originates from the migration and agglomeration of sub-nanosized Agn d+ clusters into Ag nanoparticles with a size of 6 nm. However, the catalyst experienced a partial desactivation when the particle size of sintered Ag NPs is below 20 nm. The activity and the deactivation of Ag/ZX-Bi will be discussed on the basis of operando FTIR results and HRTEM analysis at different stages of the reaction

Photo-assisted SCR over highly dispersed silver sub-nanoparticles in zeolite T under visible light: An Operando FTIR study

International audienceIn this study, the photo-assisted SCR-NH3 activities of vanadium containing zeolite X (ZX-V) and Ag@ZX-V catalysts are investigated under visible-light and soft temperature conditions (RT and T = 150 °C). The highly dispersed silver was incorporated into the zeolite structure as Agnδ+ nano and sub-nano-clusters with small particle size using a new photochemical concept. The catalysts were characterized using different techniques such as XRD, N2 sorption, H-TEM, and DR–UV–Vis. An in situ FTIR study of adsorbed CO was also performed for the characterization of the metal sites and their accessibility. The catalytic reaction was investigated using the operando FTIR technique allowing the study of both Ag@ZX-V and ZX-V catalytic surfaces, and the gas phase of the reaction in real time. Both catalysts are not active in dark and only Ag@ZX-V exhibits a photocatalytic activity under visible light. At RT, the results show that silvers clusters promote the photocatalytic oxidation of NH3/NO, and no SCR is observed. This probably due to an energy transfer from the metallic site to the triplet oxygen and the formation of highly oxidant singlet oxygen. However, at T = 150 °C a significant photo-assisted SCR activity is observed under visible light irradiation with more than 18% of additional NOx removal. The different behavior of the material at 150 °C in respect to its activity at RT is mainly attributed to the additional formation of silver nanoparticles and to the possible formation and conversion of intermediates that are not formed and or converted at RT (thermodynamic limitation). Basing on this study, a possible mechanism of the photo-assisted SCR reaction over Ag@ZX-V catalyst is proposed

Characterization and antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-proliferative activities of green synthesized magnesium oxide nanoparticles with shoot extracts of Plicosepalus curviflorus

Objective: To synthesize magnesium oxide nanoparticles using ethanol extract of shoots of Plicosepalus curviflorus (PC-MgONPs) and evaluate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-proliferative activities of PC-MgONPs. Methods: The green synthesized PC-MgONPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential, energy dispersive X-ray, and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, we investigated total antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial and anti-proliferative activities using breast cancer cell lines (MDA-231). Results: The UV spectrum of PC-MgONPs showed a sharp absorption peak at 300 nm. The presence of magnesium, oxygen, and sodium was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Scanning electron microscopy revealed PC-MgONPs as roughly spherical granular structures with sizes ranging from 20.0 to 76.4 nm. PC-MgONPs showed considerable antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans with zones of inhibition of 11-17 mm. In addition, total antioxidant capacity and anti-proliferative activity of PC-MgONPs against MDA-231 cells were dose-dependent. Conclusions: The synthesized PC-MgONPs could be a potent antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-cancer agent, which needs further investigation