300 research outputs found

    Applying Knowledge Management Oriented Objectives into Distance E-Learning Process and Strategies

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    Abstract Every day the technology goes forward, many and many applicat ions are developed to solve any problem that the people face and those technologies applied in various domains. One of these domains is called E-learning as a part of two dominated domains knowledge management and networking. In this paper, we suggest a model to solve some challenges of distance e-learning by applying the appropriate concepts of knowledge management and how can mix the specified and true terms of knowledge management together to make a profit fo r our market

    Investigations of the LHC Emittance Blow-Up During the 2012 Proton Run

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    About 30 % of the potential luminosity performance is lost through the different phases of the LHC cycle, mainly due to transverse emittance blow-up. Measuring the emittance growth is a difficult task with high intensity beams and changing energies. Improvements of the LHC transverse profile instrumentation helped to study various effects. A breakdown of the growth through the different phases of the LHC cycle is given as well as a comparison with the data from the LHC experiments for transverse beam size. In 2012 a number of possible sources and remedies have been studied. Among these are intra beam scattering, 50 Hz noise and the effect of the transverse damper gain. The results of the investigations are summarized in this paper. Requirements for transverse profile instrumentation for post LHC long shutdown operation to finally tackle the emittance growth are given as well

    Community engagement in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis research in Brazil, Ethiopia, and Sri Lanka: A decolonial approach for global health.

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    Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease endemic in at least 88 countries where it presents an urgent, albeit often "neglected" public health problem. In this paper, we discuss our model of decolonial community engagement in the ECLIPSE global health research program, which aims to improve physical and mental health outcomes for people with CL. The ECLIPSE program has four interlinked phases and underpinning each of these phases is sustained and robust community engagement and involvement that guides and informs all activities in ECLIPSE. Our decolonial approach implies that the model for community engagement will be different in Brazil, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. Indeed, we adopt a critical anthropological approach to engaging with community members and it is precisely this approach we evaluate in this paper. The data and material we draw on were collected through qualitative research methods during community engagement activities. We established 13 Community Advisory Groups (CAGs): in Brazil ( = 4), Ethiopia ( = 6), and Sri Lanka ( = 3). We identified four overarching themes during a thematic analysis of the data set: (1) Establishing community advisory groups, (2) CAG membership and community representation, (3) Culturally appropriate and context-bespoke engagement, and (4) Relationships between researchers and community members. During our first period of ECLIPSE community engagement, we have debunked myths (for instance about communities being "disempowered"), critiqued our own practices (changing approaches in bringing together CAG members) and celebrated successes (notably fruitful online engagement during a challenging COVID-19 pandemic context). Our evaluation revealed a gap between the exemplary community engagement frameworks available in the literature and the messy, everyday reality of working in communities. In the ECLIPSE program, we have translated ideal(istic) principles espoused by such community engagement guidance into the practical realities of "doing engagement" in low-resourced communities. Our community engagement was underpinned by such ideal principles, but adapted to local sociocultural contexts, working within certain funding and regulatory constraints imposed on researchers. We conclude with a set of lessons learned and recommendations for the conduct of decolonial community engagement in global health research. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2022 Polidano, Parton, Agampodi, Agampodi, Haileselassie, Lalani, Mota, Price, Rodrigues, Tafere, Trad, Zerihun and Dikomitis.

    Alleviation of diabetic nephropathy by zinc oxide nanoparticles in streptozotocin‐induced type 1 diabetes in rats

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    Abstract This study examines the effect of nanoparticles with zinc oxides (ZnONPs) on diabetic nephropathy, which is the primary cause of mortality for diabetic patients with end‐stage renal disease. Diabetes in adult male rats was induced via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. ZnONPs were intraperitoneally administered to diabetic rats daily for 7 weeks. Diabetes was associated with increases in blood glucose level, 24‐h urinary albumin excretion rate, glomerular basement membrane thickness, renal oxidative stress markers, and renal mRNA or protein expression of transforming growth factor‐ÎČ1, fibronectin, collagen‐IV, tumour necrosis factor‐α and vascular endothelial growth factor‐A. Moreover, the expression of nephrin and podocin, and the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 were decreased in the diabetic group. These changes were not detected in the control group and were significantly prevented by ZnONP treatment. These results provide evidence that ZnONPs ameliorate the renal damage induced in a diabetic rat model of nephropathy through improving renal functionality; inhibiting renal fibrosis, oxidative stress, inflammation and abnormal angiogenesis; and delaying the development of podocyte injury. The present findings may help design the clinical application of ZnONPs for protection against the development of diabetic nephropathy

    Dietary Crocin is Protective in Pancreatic Cancer while Reducing Radiation-Induced Hepatic Oxidative Damage

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    Pancreatic cancer is one of the fatal causes of global cancer-related deaths. Although surgery and chemotherapy are standard treatment options, post-treatment outcomes often end in a poor prognosis. In the present study, we investigated anti-pancreatic cancer and amelioration of radiation-induced oxidative damage by crocin. Crocin is a carotenoid isolated from the dietary herb saffron, a prospect for novel leads as an anti-cancer agent. Crocin significantly reduced cell viability of BXPC3 and Capan-2 by triggering caspase signaling via the downregulation of Bcl-2. It modulated the expression of cell cycle signaling proteins P53, P21, P27, CDK2, c-MYC, Cyt-c and P38. Concomitantly, crocin treatment-induced apoptosis by inducing the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol. Microarray analysis of the expression signature of genes induced by crocin showed a substantial number of genes involved in cell signaling pathways and checkpoints (723) are significantly affected by crocin. In mice bearing pancreatic tumors, crocin significantly reduced tumor burden without a change in body weight. Additionally, it showed significant protection against radiation-induced hepatic oxidative damage, reduced the levels of hepatic toxicity and preserved liver morphology. These findings indicate that crocin has a potential role in the treatment, prevention and management of pancreatic cancer

    Efficacy of transoral fundoplication vs omeprazole for treatment of regurgitation in a randomized controlled trial.

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    Background The aim of this randomized, crossover study was to determine if transoral fundoplication (TF) could further improve clinical outcomes in partial responders to high-dose (HD) proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and to evaluate durability of TF. Methods In seven United States centers, patients with hiatal hernia ≀2 cm and abnormal esophageal acid exposure (EAE) were randomized to TF (n = 40) or HD PPIs (n = 23) group. At 6-month follow-up, PPI patients underwent crossover. We assessed clinical outcomes 6-month post TF in crossover patients (COP), as compared to 6-month of HD PPI therapy, and 12-month outcomes in patients initially randomized to TF. The primary outcome was symptom control evaluated by Reflux Disease Questionnaire and Reflux Symptom Index. Secondary outcomes included healing of esophagitis, normalization of EAE and PPI use after TF. We analyzed 21 COP and 39 TF patients. McNemar’s test or Fisher exact test was used to compare proportions. Results Of 63 randomized patients, 3 were lost to follow-up, leaving 39 TF and 21 COP for analyses. In the COP, TF further improved control of regurgitation and of atypical symptoms achieved after six months of HD PPIs. Of 20 patients with GERD symptoms after six months of high-dose PPI therapy, 65% (13/20) reported global elimination of troublesome regurgitation and atypical symptoms post TF off PPIs; 67% (6/9) reported no troublesome regurgitation. Esophagitis further healed in 75% (6/8) of patients. Seventy-one percent of COP patients were off PPIs six months following TF. Normalization of EAE decreased from 52% after HD PPIs (on PPIs) to 33% after TF (off PPIs), p =0.388. In the original TF group, 12-month post TF, 77% of patients achieved complete symptom control, 82% ceased PPI therapy, 100% healed esophagitis and 45% normalized EAE. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that in patients with incomplete symptom control on high-dose PPI therapy TF may provide further elimination of symptoms and esophagitis healing. In the original TF group, the clinical outcomes of TF remained stable between 6- and 12-month follow-up. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01647958

    Synthesis, Characterization, and Assessment of Anti-Cancer Potential of ZnO Nanoparticles in an In Vitro Model of Breast Cancer.

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    Advanced innovations for combating variants of aggressive breast cancer and overcoming drug resistance are desired. In cancer treatment, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) have the capacity to specifically and compellingly activate apoptosis of cancer cells. There is also a pressing need to develop innovative anti-cancer therapeutics, and recent research suggests that ZnO nanoparticles hold great potential. Here, the chemical effectiveness of ZnO NPs has been tested. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized using (L.) Schrad by green methods approach. The generated ZnO was observed to have a hexagonal wurtzite crystal arrangement. The generated nanomaterials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy. The crystallinity of ZnO was reported to be in the range 50-60 nm. The NPs morphology showed a strong absorbance at 374 nm with an estimated gap band of 3.20 eV to 3.32 eV. Microscopy analysis proved the morphology and distribution of the generated nanoparticles to be around 50 nm, with the elemental studies showing the elemental composition of ZnO and further confirming the purity of ZnO NPs. The cytotoxic effect of ZnO NPs was evaluated against wild-type and doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The results showed the ability of ZnO NPs to inhibit the prefoliation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 prefoliation through the induction of apoptosis without significant differences in both wild-type and resistance to doxorubicin

    Itinerario terapéutico de las personas con discapacidad y mediaciones en el cuidado de la salud: la mirada de los familiares

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    Las familias son agentes cualificados de las prĂĄcticas en salud y contribuyen en la bĂșsqueda del cuidado de las personas con discapacidad. Este artĂ­culo presenta los itinerarios que recorren los adultos con discapacidad motriz en torno de su rehabilitaciĂłn y la participaciĂłn de sus familiares en este proceso. A tal fin se analizan las entrevistas semi-estructuradas a familiares que viven con personas con discapacidad motriz de 50 años o mĂĄs en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (AMBA). Para el relevamiento de la informaciĂłn de carĂĄcter cualitativo, se utilizĂł una muestra de tipo intencional (18 casos) por cuotas segĂșn sexo, nivel socioeconĂłmico y tipo de vĂ­nculo (hijo/a o cĂłnyuge). Los hallazgos muestran que los itinerarios terapĂ©uticos en vistas del cuidado y la rehabilitaciĂłn de las personas con discapacidad se dividen en dos etapas centrales: la bĂșsqueda de un diagnĂłstico y la bĂșsqueda del tratamiento. Ambas instancias se configuran de acuerdo a los factores sociales, econĂłmicos y culturales de sus familias. SegĂșn las evidencias se concluyĂł que los servicios de salud pueden funcionar, por momentos, como obstaculizadores de los itinerarios terapĂ©uticos de sus usuarios si desatienden el vĂ­nculo entre sus acciones y la red familiar, en la cual se toman decisiones sobre el tratamiento a seguir y se gestiona cotidianamente el cuidado
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