scholarly journals The Application of Nanotechnology for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Diseases and Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebenezeri Erasto Ngowi ◽  
Yi-Zhen Wang ◽  
Lei Qian ◽  
Yasmeen Ahmed Saleheldin Hassan Helmy ◽  
Bright Anyomi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Systems ◽  
The Body ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Brain Diseases ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Subject ◽  
New Research ◽  
Causes Of Deaths ◽  
The Brain

Brain is by far the most complex organ in the body. It is involved in the regulation of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional activities. The organ is also a target for many diseases and disorders ranging from injuries to cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Brain diseases are the main causes of disability and one of the leading causes of deaths. Several drugs that have shown potential in improving brain structure and functioning in animal models face many challenges including the delivery, specificity, and toxicity. For many years, researchers have been facing challenge of developing drugs that can cross the physical (blood–brain barrier), electrical, and chemical barriers of the brain and target the desired region with few adverse events. In recent years, nanotechnology emerged as an important technique for modifying and manipulating different objects at the molecular level to obtain desired features. The technique has proven to be useful in diagnosis as well as treatments of brain diseases and disorders by facilitating the delivery of drugs and improving their efficacy. As the subject is still hot, and new research findings are emerging, it is clear that nanotechnology could upgrade health care systems by providing easy and highly efficient diagnostic and treatment methods. In this review, we will focus on the application of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases and disorders by illuminating the potential of nanoparticles.

Mortal Body, Immortal Mind

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-26
Author(s):  
Hans Goller
Keyword(s):  
Brain Activity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Body Experiences ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Near Death Experiences ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Alternative Theories

Neuroscientists keep telling us that the brain produces consciousness and consciousness does not survive brain death because it ceases when brain activity ceases. Research findings on near-death-experiences during cardiac arrest contradict this widely held conviction. They raise perplexing questions with regard to our current understanding of the relationship between consciousness and brain functions. Reports on veridical perceptions during out-of-body experiences suggest that consciousness may be experienced independently of a functioning brain and that self-consciousness may continue even after the termination of brain activity. Data on studies of near-death-experiences could be an incentive to develop alternative theories of the body-mind relation as seen in contemporary neuroscience.

‘Untying the Knot’: Achieving Integrative and Collaborative Care within Trauma and Fear Saturated Systems – A Practice-Focused Discussion Paper

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilip Balu
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Traumatic Experience ◽  
Ripple Effect ◽  
Discussion Paper ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Trauma Informed ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Mental Health Care Systems

The author's clinical experience with the Child Protection and Mental Health Care systems informs this brief practice-focused paper. The author posits that Secondary Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Trauma are central to understanding the impact of relationally traumatic material and the experience of individuals, families, team and the wider ecology of care systems. In particular, the author hypothesises that the tendency of systems to become fragmented in operation, with silos of sub-parts working parallel to each other, may be a natural adaptation to the ways in which traumatic experience ripples across system boundaries. This ‘ripple effect’ may lead to increasing emotional and relational reactivity, and survival-oriented inward focus of energies and efforts. The metaphor of the brain and nervous system is used to explore ideas of connection and integration in care systems. Trauma-informed leadership by individuals and teams is also touched upon in relation to reducing fear-driven clinical practice.

scholarly journals Identification and management of prediabetes: results of the Latin America Strategic Prediabetes Meeting

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricio López-Jaramillo ◽  
Ramfis E. Nieto-Martínez ◽  
Gestne Aure-Fariñez ◽  
Carlos O. Mendivil ◽  
Rodolfo A. Lahsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Preventive Treatment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
The Status ◽  
Care Systems

To understand the status of prediabetes diagnosis and treatment in Latin America and to evaluate the use of metformin for diabetes prevention in this context. A panel of 15 diabetes experts from seven countries in Latin America met on 14 – 15 August 2014 in Lima, Peru, to review the available literature, discuss the role of prediabetes in type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, analyze collected information, and make conclusions for prediabetes diagnosis and treatment in Latin America. Prediabetes diagnosis, screening, and treatment, including lifestyle changes, pharmacological treatment, and cost-effectiveness were discussed. Five resulting statements were issued for Latin America: prediabetes is a clinical and public health problem; health care systems do not currently diagnose/treat prediabetes; use of prediabetes risk detection tools are needed region-wide; treatment includes lifestyle changes, multidisciplinary education, and metformin; and registries of patient records and further studies should be supported. The expert panel concluded that in Latin America, preventive treatment through lifestyle changes and metformin are cost-effective interventions. It is important to improve prediabetes identification and management at the primary care level.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Review of Cardiovascular Involvement in COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e19
Author(s):  
Ruff Joseph Macale Cajanding
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Involvement ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cardiac Pathology ◽  
Current State ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Cardiovascular Involvement ◽  
Disease Causation ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Clinically Significant

COVID-19 has emerged as one of the most devastating and clinically significant infectious diseases of the last decade. It has reached global pandemic status at an unprecedented pace and has placed significant demands on health care systems worldwide. Although COVID-19 primarily affects the lungs, epidemiologic reports have shown that the disease affects other vital organs of the body, including the heart, vasculature, kidneys, brain, and the hematopoietic system. Of importance is the emerging awareness of the effects of COVID-19 on the cardiovascular system. The current state of knowledge regarding cardiac involvement in COVID-19 is presented in this article, with particular focus on the cardiovascular manifestations and complications of COVID-19 infection. The mechanistic insights of disease causation and the relevant pathophysiology involved in COVID-19 as they affect the heart are explored and described. Relevant practice essentials and clinical management implications for patients with COVID-19 with a cardiac pathology are presented in light of recent evidence.

Problems and Barriers related to the Use of Digital Health Applications: A Scoping Review Protocol (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Godwin Denk Giebel ◽  
Christian Speckemeier ◽  
Carina Abels ◽  
Kirstin Börchers ◽  
Jürgen Wasem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Review Protocol ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Health Applications

BACKGROUND Usage of digital health applications (DHA) is increasing internationally. More and more regulatory bodies develop regulations and guidelines to enable an evidence-based and safe use. In Germany, DHA fulfilling predefined criteria (Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen (="DiGA")) can be prescribed and are reimbursable by the German statutory health insurance scheme. Due to the increasing distribution of DHA problems and barriers should receive special attention. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify relevant problems and barriers related to the use of DHA fulfilling the criteria of DiGA. The research done in this area will be mapped and research findings will be summarized. METHODS Conduct of the scoping review will follow published methodological frameworks and PRISMA-Scr criteria. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO), reference lists of relevant articles and grey literature sources will be searched. Two reviewers will assess eligibility of articles by a two-stage (title/abstract and full-text) screening process. Only problems and barriers related to DHA fulfilling the criteria of DiGA are included for this research. RESULTS This scoping review serves to give an overview about the available evidence and to identify research gaps with regards to problems and barriers related to DiGA. Results are planned to be submitted to an indexed, peer-reviewed journal in the fourth quarter of 2021. CONCLUSIONS This is the first review identifying problems and barriers specifically to the use of the German definition of DiGA. Nevertheless, our findings can presumably be applied to other contexts and health care systems as well.

Imaging and the Human Brain Project: A Review

2002 ◽  
Vol 41 (04) ◽  
pp. 245-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Rosse ◽  
J. F. Brinkley
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Imaging Informatics ◽  
The Body ◽  
Human Brain Project ◽  
The Us ◽  
Physical Organization ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Brain

Summary Objectives: Survey current work primarily funded by the US Human Brain Project (HBP) that involves substantial use of images. Organize this work around a framework based on the physical organization of the body. Methods: Pointers to individual research efforts were obtained through the HBP home page as well as personal contacts from HBP annual meetings. References from these sources were followed to find closely related work. The individual research efforts were then studied and characterized. Results: The subject of the review is the intersection of neuroinformatics (information about the brain), imaging informatics (information about images), and structural informatics (information about the physical structure of the body). Of the 30 funded projects currently listed on the HBP web site, at least 22 make heavy use of images. These projects are described in terms of broad categories of structural imaging, functional imaging, and image-based brain information systems. Conclusions: Understanding the most complex entity known (the brain) gives rise to many interesting and difficult problems in informatics and computer science. Although much progress has been made by HBP and other neuroinformatics researchers, a great many problems remain that will require substantial informatics research efforts. Thus, the HPB can and should be seen as an excellent driving application area for biomedical informatics research.

scholarly journals Key for crossing the BBB with nanoparticles: the rational design

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 866-883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia M Lombardo ◽  
Marc Schneider ◽  
Akif E Türeli ◽  
Nazende Günday Türeli
Keyword(s):  
Rational Design ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Nervous System Diseases ◽  
Central Nervous System Diseases ◽  
Carrier System ◽  
Cerebral Microvessels ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Heavy Burden ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Nanoparticle Material

Central nervous system diseases are a heavy burden on society and health care systems. Hence, the delivery of drugs to the brain has gained more and more interest. The brain is protected by the blood–brain barrier (BBB), a selective barrier formed by the endothelial cells of the cerebral microvessels, which at the same time acts as a bottleneck for drug delivery by preventing the vast majority of drugs to reach the brain. To overcome this obstacle, drugs can be loaded inside nanoparticles that can carry the drug through the BBB. However, not all particles are able to cross the BBB and a multitude of factors needs to be taken into account when developing a carrier system for this purpose. Depending on the chosen pathway to cross the BBB, nanoparticle material, size and surface properties such as functionalization and charge should be tailored to fit the specific route of BBB crossing.

Health Policy

2020 ◽  
pp. 463-480
Author(s):  
Christy Ford Chapin
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Private Health Insurance ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
Government Programs ◽  
Economic Framework ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject

This article reviews the history of the U.S. health care system and important themes in the scholarly literature pertaining to the subject. It argues that understanding the politics of health care, including the structure of government programs such as Medicare, requires careful attention to the private sector’s economic framework. This essay traces the development of modern medicine, health care systems in the 20th century, private health insurance, and federal and state health care policy.

scholarly journals When Far Becomes Near: Remapping of Space by Tool Use

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Berti ◽  
Francesca Frassinetti
Keyword(s):  
Tool Use ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
The Body ◽  
Line Bisection ◽  
Human Studies ◽  
Bisection Task ◽  
Near Space ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Line Bisection Task ◽  
The Brain

Far (extrapersonal) and near (peripersonal) spaces are behaviorally defined as the space outside the hand-reaching distance and the space within the hand-reaching distance. Animal and human studies have confirmed this distinction, showing that space is not homogeneously represented in the brain. In this paper we demonstrate that the coding of space as “far” and “near” is not only determined by the hand-reaching distance, but it is also dependent on how the brain represents the extension of the body space. We will show that when the cerebral representation of body space is extended to include objects or tools used by the subject, space previously mapped as far can be remapped as near. Patient P.P., after a right hemisphere stroke, showed a dissociation between near and far spaces in the manifestation of neglect. Indeed, in a line bisection task, neglect was apparent in near space, but not in far space when bisection in the far space was performed with a projection lightpen. However, when in the far space bisection was performed with a stick, used by the patient to reach the line, neglect appeared and was as severe as neglect in the near space. An artificial extension of the patient's body (the stick) caused a remapping of far space as near space.

scholarly journals Structural Barriers to Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The Urgent Need for Scaling Up

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Cazap ◽  
Ian Magrath ◽  
T. Peter Kingham ◽  
Ahmed Elzawawy
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Care ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Noncommunicable diseases are now recognized by the United Nations and WHO as a major public health crisis. Cancer is a main part of this problem, and health care systems are facing a great challenge to improve cancer care, control costs, and increase systems efficiency. The disparity in access to care and outcomes between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries is staggering. The reasons for this disparity include cost, access to care, manpower and training deficits, and a lack of awareness in the lay and medical communities. Diagnosis and treatment play an important role in this complex environment. In different regions and countries of the world, a variety of health care systems are in place, but most of them are fragmented or poorly coordinated. The need to scale up cancer care in the low- and middle-income countries is urgent, and this article reviews many of the structural mechanisms of the problem, describes the current situation, and proposes ways for improvement. The organization of cancer services is also included in the analysis.

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