Clinical health research in India: is there a way forward?

<span>India is considered as a preferred site for conducting global clinical trials taking into consideration its abundant clinical material, available highly skilled English-speaking medical fraternity. India holds its elite position for being the most preferred medical tourist destination in the world. Clinical trials hold importance in strengthening the country’s economy as it’s expected to generate business worth over US $ 1.5-2 billion.</span>

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#WhyWeDoResearch: Raising research awareness and opportunities for patients, public and staff through Twitter

Research for All ◽

10.18546/rfa.03.1.02 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 7-17

Author(s):

Emma Yhnell ◽

Hazel A Smith ◽

Kay Walker ◽

Claire L. Whitehouse

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Social Media ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Health Research ◽

University Hospitals ◽

Intended Audience ◽

Playing Field ◽

The World ◽

Patient Groups ◽

Set Up

The #WhyWeDoResearch campaign was set up in 2014 and was originally planned to run locally, in Norfolk, at the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (JPUH) for 12 days in December. Within four days, the campaign was being utilized nationally by other trusts and charities. By the New Year of 2015 it became international and had reached Australia and Canada. The intended audience for the campaign is broad and includes: patients, the general public, all staff working in health care and/or research including (but not limited to) National Health Service (NHS), commercial companies, charities and schools. The campaign has become a community where patients, staff and public alike can share their voices about health research on an equal playing field. Each year, to coincide with International Clinical Trials Day (ICTD) on 20 May, a #WhyWeDoResearch 'Tweetfest' is hosted. This includes a number of 'tweetchats' at set times throughout the Tweetfest. Tweetchats are hosted by experts in particular diseases or other areas. Patients and patient groups are included in this group of experts. This article uses the #WhyWeDoResearch campaign annual Tweetfest to demonstrate how social media can be utilized to raise awareness of health research around the world.

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Extraction the Dayak Onion (Eleutherine sp): Scientific Based Herbal Medicine (OHT) Production Protocol

Berkala Kedokteran ◽

10.20527/jbk.v15i2.7263 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 133

Author(s):

Hery Poerwosusanta ◽

Zairin Noor ◽

Karyono Mintaroem ◽

Edi Widjajanto ◽

Mulyohadi Ali

Keyword(s):

Wound Healing ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Herbal Medicine ◽

Clinical Research ◽

Health Research ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Phase 0 ◽

The World ◽

Healing Agent

Abstract: Indonesia has the second largest tropical forest and the richest in flora biodiversity in the world. Based on the Basic Health Research 2010, 59.29% of Indonesian had consumed herbal medicine, noted that Indonesian had consumed herb since the VIII century. Dayak onion (Eleutherine sp) widely used as traditional medicine, as a bahimang /wound healing agent. Dayak onion is not reassured as a medical treatment and lacked scientific evidence. Until 2018, thousands of herbs consumed by Indonesian, only 85 ingredients clinically tested. Sixty-four herbs have been pre-clinically tested and designated as Scientific based Herbal Medicines/Obat Herbal Terstandar (OHT) and 21 herbs have been tested clinically and determined as Phytopharmaca by the Badan Pengawasan Obat dan Makanan Republik Indonesia (BPOM-RI). Based on the data, the Dayak onion appointed as a Scientific based Herbal medicine (OHT) based on pre-clinical and phase 0 clinical research. Potential and promising for the treatment of metabolic, degenerative, catastrophic, neoplasmic, genetic and infectious diseases, Dayak onions can be developed into phytopharmaca in the future. The study aim is to make guidelines for the standardized herbal medicines development according to the rules and regulations. Keywords: Dayak Onion, Eleutherine sp, Scientific based Herbal Medicines, Phytopharmaca, Pre Clinic and Clinical Trials phases

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ACE-2-Receptors of the Epidermis, Dermal Vascular Walls and Sebaceous Gland Cells: The Way of COVID-19 Entry into the Body?

Journal of Regenerative Biology and Medicine ◽

10.37191/mapsci-2582-385x-2(3)-029 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Stefan Bittmann

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Viral Infection ◽

Sebaceous Gland ◽

The Body ◽

Viral Agent ◽

Therapy Options ◽

Vascular Walls ◽

Fish Market ◽

The World ◽

The Usa

Since the outbreak near a fish market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, researchers have been searching for an effective therapy to control the spreading of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and inhibit COVID-19 infection. Many countries like Italy, Spain, and the USA were ambushed by this viral agent. To date, more than 2.5 million people were infected with SARS-CoV-2. There is no clear answer, why SARS-CoV-2 infects so many people so fast. To date of April 2020, no effective drug has been found to treat this new severe viral infection. There are many therapy options under review and clinical trials were initiated to get clearer information, what kind of drug can help in this devastating and serious situation. The world has no time.

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A Cohesive Analysis of Factors Affecting the Tourist Destination Image of Delhi

ATITHYA A Journal of Hospitality ◽

10.21863/atithya/2015.1.2.014 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Usha Arora ◽

Deepti Dabas Hazarika

Keyword(s):

National Income ◽

Destination Image ◽

Pertinent Literature ◽

Tourist Destination ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Tourism Marketing ◽

The World ◽

National Capital ◽

Destination Management Organizations ◽

The City

Economies all over the world are moving towards a focus on services. Tourism has emerged as a major contributor to economies all over the world. This is why specific focus is being placed on tourism, as Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) concentrate their efforts on tourism. India has been one of the countries where the share of tourism in national income has steadily been increasing. As the national capital, the city of Delhi has a major role to play in the tourist inflow to the country, as well as within the country. Successful tourism marketing requires that the concepts of tourist destination and underlying factors are comprehended in detail. An analysis of the available, pertinent literature on the area shows the manner in which numerous factors come together to form the image of a tourist destination. In fact, it needs to be understood that image formation may be done differently for different consumers. This further necessitates a detailed study of the factors influencing tourist destination image.

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COVID-19: Role of Nutrition and Supplementation

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13030976 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 976

Author(s):

Fiorenzo Moscatelli ◽

Francesco Sessa ◽

Anna Valenzano ◽

Rita Polito ◽

Vincenzo Monda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Shortness Of Breath ◽

Nutritional Interventions ◽

The World ◽

Diet Regimen ◽

Specific Diet

At the end of 2019, a new coronavirus (COVID-19) appeared on the world scene, which mainly affects the respiratory system, causing pneumonia and multi-organ failure, and, although it starts with common symptoms such as shortness of breath and fever, in about 2–3% of cases it leads to death. Unfortunately, to date, no specific treatments have been found for the cure of this virus and, therefore, it is advisable to implement all possible strategies in order to prevent infection. In this context, it is important to better define the role of all behaviors, in particular nutrition, in order to establish whether these can both prevent infection and improve the outcome of the disease in patients with COVID-19. In the literature, it is widely shown that states of malnutrition, overweight, and obesity negatively affect the immune system, leading to viral infections, and several studies have shown that nutritional interventions can act as immunostimulators, helping to prevent viral infections. Even if several measures, such as the assumption of a specific diet regimen, the use of dietary supplements, and other similar interventions, are promising for the prevention, management, and recovery of COVID-19 patients, it is important to highlight that strong data from randomized clinical trials are needed to support any such assumption. Considering this particular scenario, we present a literature review addressing several important aspects related to diet and SARS-CoV-2 infection, in order to highlight the importance of diet and supplementation in prevention and management of, as well as recovery from COVID-19.

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A North–South-South partnership in higher education to develop health research capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: the challenge of finding a common language

Health Research Policy and Systems ◽

10.1186/s12961-021-00728-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Christiane Horwood ◽

Sphindile Mapumulo ◽

Lyn Haskins ◽

Vaughn John ◽

Silondile Luthuli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Low Income ◽

Health Research ◽

Democratic Republic ◽

Academic Staff ◽

Research Capacity ◽

Nutritional Epidemiology ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

English Speaking

Abstract Background Globally, increasing numbers of higher education institutions (HEIs) in non-English-speaking countries have adopted English as a medium of instruction (EMI), because of the perception that this provides opportunities to attract high-calibre students and academic staff, and engage with the international research community. We report an evaluation of a North–South-South collaboration to develop health research capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by establishing a postgraduate programme in nutritional epidemiology at the Kinshasa School of Public Health (KSPH), where EMI was adopted. We report experiences and perceptions of stakeholders, facilitators and students about using EMI. Methods In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted between October and December 2019 among convenience sampled stakeholders (8), facilitators (11) and students (12) involved in the programme from all three partner institutions (University of Kinshasa; University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; University of Bergen, Norway). Interviews were conducted in participants’ language of preference (English or French), audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English when required. Analysis employed a thematic approach. Results Most participants viewed EMI positively, reporting that studying in English created opportunities to access relevant literature, improve interactions with the scientific community and advance their careers. As a result of adopting EMI, some students had opportunities to present research findings at international conferences and publish their research in English. English-speaking researchers from partner institutions were able to participate in supervision of students’ research. However, inadequate English competency, particularly among students, was challenging, with some students reporting being unable to understand or interact in class, which negatively affected their academic performance. Further, EMI created barriers at KSPH among academic staff who were not proficient in English, leading to poor participation among non-English-speaking staff and lack of integration with other postgraduate programmes. Participants suggested additional English language support for EMI. Conclusion Partnerships between HEIs could be a powerful tool to develop research capacity in low-income countries in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. EMI could be a solution to language barriers faced by many such partnerships, but wide-ranging support to develop English proficiency among staff and students is essential to ensure that the challenges do not outweigh the benefits.

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Principles for the production and dissemination of recruitment material for three clinical trials of an online intervention

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-021-05412-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Stefan Rennick-Egglestone

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Health Research ◽

Online Intervention ◽

Ethics Committee ◽

Promotional Material ◽

Media Campaigns ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Ethical Oversight ◽

Research Studies

AbstractSome health research studies recruit participants through electronic mechanisms such as the placement of messages on social media platforms. This raises questions for ethics committee oversight, since effective social media campaigns might involve the production and dissemination of hundreds of contemporaneous messages. For the Narrative Experiences Online (NEON) study, we have developed nine principles to control the production and dissemination of promotional material. These have been approved by an ethics committee and enable the audit of our recruitment work. We propose that the drafting for approval of recruitment principles by health research studies may, in many cases, strike an appropriate balance between enabling ethical oversight of online recruitment work and the potential burden of message review.

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Recombinant Human Adenovirus-p53 Therapy for the Treatment of Oral Leukoplakia and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina57050438 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (5) ◽

pp. 438

Author(s):

Jagadish Hosmani ◽

Shazia Mushtaq ◽

Shahabe Saquib Abullais ◽

Hussain Mohammed Almubarak ◽

Khalil Assiri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Oral Cancer ◽

Adverse Events ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Oral Leukoplakia ◽

Research Articles ◽

Original Research ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

The World

Background and Objectives: Oral cancer is the 6th most common cancer in the world and oral leukoplakia is an oral potentially malignant disorder that could develop into oral cancer. This systematic review focusses on randomized clinical trials for recombinant adenovirus p-53 (rAD-p53) therapy for the treatment of oral leukoplakia and cancer. Materials and Methods: We searched for research articles on various databases such as Pubmed/Medline, Embase, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infra-structure), Springerlink, cochrane and Web of sciences from 2003 to 2020. MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms were used for the search. Inclusion criteria included original research, randomized clinical trials and articles only in English language. Exclusion criteria were any articles that were not research articles, not randomized trials, non-human studies, etc. The articles were further graded on the Jadad scale. Results: 578 articles were assessed from various databases; only 3 articles were found to be appropriate for this review. Thus, meta-analysis was not performed because of heterogeneity and lack of data. In the three studies, whether rAD-p53 was used as a standalone therapy or with other therapies, there was a beneficial effect of the therapy. Furthermore, there were no serious adverse events and the only adverse events reported were fever, pain at the local injection site, flu-like symptoms and lowered WBC count. Conclusions: Thus, we can conclude that this therapy has a potential for beneficial therapeutic effects and further clinical trials with more patients need to be performed to get better understanding of the effect of rAD-p53 therapy, which probably will pave the way to its approval in other parts of the world.

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Twenty Years of Men and Masculinities by the Numbers: An Analysis of Publications and Article Keywords

Men and Masculinities ◽

10.1177/1097184x18805349 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 5-15

Author(s):

Robert T. Cserni ◽

Lee W. Essig

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

The World ◽

English Speaking ◽

Men And Masculinities

In this article we begin to map the field of Men and Masculinities Studies by examining 20 years of publications in the journal of Men and Masculinities. We conduct a content analysis of 458 articles and 2115 keywords from 1998 to 2017. Our findings indicate similar numbers of women and men published sole-authored articles. The most prevalent themes among published articles were related to theory, sexualities, and family. Furthermore, non-English speaking regions in the world are under-represented compared to English speaking regions. We hope that our discussion of these, and other findings, will help (re)shape the field and the journal of Men and Masculinities into a more diverse and inclusive academic space.

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Virus Eradication and Synthetic Biology: Changes with SARS-CoV-2?

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13040569 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 569

Author(s):

Jean-Nicolas Tournier ◽

Joseph Kononchik

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Synthetic Biology ◽

Viral Disease ◽

Virus Eradication ◽

Disease Eradication ◽

The Public ◽

The Past ◽

The World ◽

Significant Effort

The eradication of infectious diseases has been achieved only once in history, in 1980, with smallpox. Since 1988, significant effort has been made to eliminate poliomyelitis viruses, but eradication is still just out of reach. As the goal of viral disease eradication approaches, the ability to recreate historically eradicated viruses using synthetic biology has the potential to jeopardize the long-term sustainability of eradication. However, the emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 pandemic has highlighted our ability to swiftly and resolutely respond to a potential outbreak. This virus has been synthetized faster than any other in the past and is resulting in vaccines before most attenuated candidates reach clinical trials. Here, synthetic biology has the opportunity to demonstrate its truest potential to the public and solidify a footing in the world of vaccines.

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