Calculating the social impact of home automation for people with disability: A social return on investment study.

INTRODUCTION: Home automation can deliver important outcomes for people with disabilities, including enhanced independence. Despite the millions of dollars spent on home automation in Australia and other developed nations, to date, there has been no economic evaluation of this type of assistive technology. METHOD: A social return on investment analysis of home automation study was undertaken. Primary data were collected using qualitative interviews with home automation consumers and other key stakeholders, including occupational therapists, a spinal rehabilitation physician, peer support advocate, and managers and technical personnel from home automation providers (n = 17). The analysis was supported by (1) secondary data from a scoping review on outcomes from home automation and (2) additional literature searches to identify suitable financial proxies and to make estimates of the proportion of home automation users expected to experience each outcome. A scenario approach was used with three home automation scenarios developed with increasing complexity and costs to calculate the social return on investment. RESULTS: Eight outcomes from the use of home automation were identified, including reduced reliance on carers and family members, increased independence, and improved energy and comfort. The social return on investment ranged from $38.80 (low cost) to $15.10 (high cost) for every $1 invested across a 10-year benefit period, with the financial proxy for reduced care attendant hours contributing the most to the social return ratio. Even the highest cost scenario was repaid in social value within the first year of the benefit period. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that home automation represents a sound investment and has a significant impact on the overall quality of life of people with disabilities. Focusing on the financial savings in care attendant hours alone should be compelling evidence for funders to recognise home automation's value and continue to fund this assistive technology. CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: A consumer representative was a member of the project steering group, which supported the research team at all stages of the project. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: When people get injured, their disability can stop them doing things around the home that they used to be able to do. Technology can help people with disabilities do things like open and close doors and turn off taps by pressing a button, so they do not have to wait for someone to help them. This technology can be expensive, but no one has looked at if it is worth the money. We spoke to some people with disabilities who used this type of technology, and they told us their lives were better now they used this technology. For example, they told us they were able to do things for themselves, they did not need carers as much, and they had better mental health. We spoke to businesses about the costs of different types of technology that can be used in the home. We then put a dollar value on the ways people with disabilities told us their lives were better. For example, for better mental health, we worked out how much it would cost to see a psychologist for 1 year. We found that the dollar value of the ways in which people with disabilities' lives were improved was at least 15 times more than the costs of the technology. This study therefore shows that this technology is worth the money and improves the lives of people with disabilities following serious injury.

Exploring the potential anti-thyroid activity of Acetyl-L-carnitine: Lactoperoxidase inhibition profile, iodine complexation and scavenging power against H2O2. Experimental and theoretical studies.

L-Acetylcarnitine (ALC), a versatile compound, has demonstrated beneficial effects in depression, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive impairment, and other conditions. This study focuses on its antithyroid activity. The precursor molecule, L-carnitine, inhibited the uptake of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), and it is possible that ALC may reduce the iodination process of T3 and T4. Currently, antithyroid drugs are used to control the excessive production of thyroid hormones (TH) through various mechanisms: (i) forming electron donor-acceptor complexes with molecular iodine, (ii) eliminating hydrogen peroxide, and (iii) inhibiting the enzyme thyroid peroxidase. To understand the pharmacological properties of ALC, we investigated its plausible mechanisms of action. ALC demonstrated the ability to capture iodine (Kc = 8.07 ± 0.32 x 105 M-1), inhibit the enzyme lactoperoxidase (LPO) (IC50 = 17.60 ± 0.76 µM), and scavenge H2O2 (39.82 ± 0.67 mM). A comprehensive physicochemical characterization of ALC was performed using FTIR, Raman, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, along with theoretical DFT calculations. The inhibition process was assessed through fluorescence spectroscopy and vibrational analysis. Docking and molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to predict the binding mode of ALC to LPO and to gain a better understanding into the inhibition process. Furthermore, albumin binding experiments were also conducted. These findings highlight the potential of ALC as a therapeutic agent, providing valuable insights for further investigating its role in the treatment of thyroid disorders.

Complexation of the Antihypertensive Drug Olmesartan with Zn: In Vivo Antihypertensive and Cardiac Effects.

This study is based on the premise that the application of chemical synthesis strategies to structurally modify commercial drugs by complexation with biometals is a valid procedure to improve their biological effects. Our purpose is to synthesize a compound with greater efficacy than the original drug, able to enhance its antihypertensive and cardiac pharmacological activity. Herein, the structure of the coordination compound of Zn(II) and the antihypertensive drug olmesartan, [Zn(Olme)(H2O)2] (ZnOlme), is presented. After 8 weeks of treatment in SHR male rats, ZnOlme displayed a better blood pressure-lowering activity compared with olmesartan, with a noticeable effect even in the first weeks of treatment, while ZnCl2 showed similar results than the control. ZnOlme also reduced left ventricle (LV) weight and left ventricle/tibia length ratio (LV/TL), posterior wall thickness (PWT), and intraventricular septum in diastole (IVSd) suggesting its potential to prevent LV hypertrophy. Besides, ZnOlme reduced interstitial fibrosis (contents of collagen types I and III, responsible for giving rigidity and promoting vascular elasticity, respectively). The recovery of heart function was also evidenced by fractional shortening (diastolic left ventricular/systolic left ventricular) diameter determinations. Furthermore, ZnOlme increased the antioxidant capacity and prevented cardiac oxidative stress: it enhanced the reduction of reactive oxygen species generation, exerted a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation and enhanced glutathione contents in heart tissues compared to the control, Zn, and olmesartan treatments. Our results demonstrate that continuous oral administration of ZnOlme causes a better antihypertensive effect and grants enhancement of cardioprotection through antioxidant activity, in combination with hemodynamic improvement.

Improvement of the cardiovascular effect of methyldopa by complexation with Zn(II): Synthesis, characterization and mechanism of action.

BACKGROUND: the antihypertensive drug α-methyldopa (MD) stands as one of the extensively used medications for managing hypertension during pregnancy. Zinc deprivation has been associated with many diseases. In this context, the synthesis of a Zn coordination complex [Zn(MD)(OH)(H2O)2]·H2O (ZnMD) provide a promising alternative pathway to improve the biological properties of MD. METHODS: ZnMD was synthesized and physicochemically characterized. Fluorescence spectral studies were conducted to examine the binding of both, the ligand and the metal with bovine serum albumin (BSA). MD, ZnMD, and ZnCl2 were administered to spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) rats during 8 weeks and blood pressure and echocardiographic parameters were determined. Ex vivo assays were conducted to evaluate levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and nitric oxide (NO). Cross-sectional area (CSA) and collagen levels of left ventricular cardiomyocytes were also assessed. Furthermore, the expression of NAD(P)H oxidase subunits (gp91phox and p47phox) and Superoxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1) was quantified through western blot analysis. RESULTS: The complex exhibited a moderate affinity for binding with BSA showing a spontaneous interaction (indicated by negative ΔG values) and moderate affinity (determined by affinity constant values). The binding process involved the formation of Van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds. Upon treatment with MD and ZnMD, a reduction in the systolic blood pressure in SHR was observed, being ZnMD more effective than MD (122 ± 8.1 mmHg and 145 ± 5.6 mmHg, at 8th week of treatment, respectively). The ZnMD treatment prevented myocardial hypertrophy, improved the heart function and reduced the cardiac fibrosis, as evidenced by parameters such as left ventricular mass, fractional shortening, and histological studies. In contrast, MD did not show noticeable differences in these parameters. ZnMD regulates negatively the oxidative damage by reducing levels of ROS and lipid peroxidation, as well as the cardiac NAD(P)H oxidase, and increasing SOD1 expression, while MD did not show significant effect. Moreover, cardiac nitric oxide levels were greater in the ZnMD therapy compared to MD treatment. CONCLUSION: Both MD and ZnMD have the potential to be transported by albumin. Our findings provide important evidence suggesting that this complex could be a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction.

The experience of using home automation by individuals with disability.

Purpose: People with disability often require long-term support within the home. Advances in technology have made home automation more readily available to support people living with disability. However, few studies describe the perspectives of people using home automation. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of individuals living with long term serious disability using home automation.Materials and methods: A phenomenological approach was adopted. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were analysed using an inductive approach to identify themes.Results: Two overarching categories of themes were identified: 'benefits' and 'challenges'. Benefits captured the outcomes experienced by people living with disability using home automation and the impact upon their lives. Participants described several challenges with using home automation such as self-advocating to receive home automation, long waiting periods in the assessment and installation process, frustrations when home automation did not work, and the challenges experienced from being without home automation.Conclusion: This research identified the benefits and challenges of home automation experienced by people with long term serious disability. The findings can be used to understand the importance of home automation and the impact it has upon the lives of people living with disability.

It is recognised that home automation can have a positive impact upon the lives of people living with disability.Funding for home automation is a complicated process with long waiting times. This process needs to be readdressed in order for people to receive home automation in a timely manner to prevent negative experiences.Home automation within the community could support people living with disability to access the community more.It is important to develop facilities and communities that are accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities.

Copper-flavonoid family of complexes involved in alkaline phosphatase activation.

The flavonoid naringenin and a family of naringenin derivative Cu(II) complexes having phenanthroline-based second ligands were selected to study alkaline phosphatase activation. This enzyme plays a critical role in tissue formation, increasing the inorganic phosphate formation, favoring mineralization, and being essential to producing bone mineralization. The effects of those compounds on the function and structure of the enzyme were evaluated by kinetic measurements, fluorescence, FTIR, and UV-Vis spectroscopies. The results showed that naringenin did not affect alkaline phosphatase activity, having a value of the Michaelis-Menten-constant close to the enzyme (Km = 3.07 × 10-6). The binary complex, Cu(II)-naringenin, and the ternary complex Cu(II)-naringenin-phenanthroline behaved as an enzyme activator in all the concentrations range used in this study. Those complexes increased in c.a. 1.9% the catalytic efficiency concerning enzyme and naringenin. The ternary complex Cu(II)-naringenin-bathophenanthroline, provokes an activator mixed effect, dependent on the substrate concentrations. The different kinetic behavior can be correlated with different conformational changes observed under the interaction with ALP. Fluorescence experiments showed a raising of the binding constant with temperature. FTIR determinations showed that the complex with bathophenanthroline modifies the ALP structure but maintains the helical structure. The other copper complexes provoked a structural unfolding, decreasing the α-helix content. None of them affect the dephosphorylation enzyme ability. Even though the interactions and structural modifications on ALP are different, it is evident that the presence of copper favors enzymatic activity. The observed electrostatic interactions probably benefit the dissociation of the bound phosphate. The results suggest potential biological applications for the studied compounds.

A scoping review to explore the health, social and economic outcomes of home automation for people with disability.

PURPOSE: People with disability often require long-term care. Long-term care is changing with the availability and advances in cost and function of technologies, such as home automation. Home automation has the potential to reduce paid carer hours and can potentially offer many benefits to people with a disability. The aim of this scoping review is to identify the health, social and economic outcomes experienced by people living with a disability who use home automation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two electronic databases were searched by title and abstract to identify international literature that describes home automation experiences from the perspectives of people with disability. A thematic approach was taken to synthesise the data to identify the key outcomes from home automation. RESULTS: The review identified 11 studies reporting home automation outcomes for people living with a disability. Seven outcomes were associated with home automation: independence, autonomy, participation in daily activities, social and community connectedness, safety, mental health, and paid care and informal care. CONCLUSION: Advances in technology and changes in funding to support people living with a disability have made access to home automation more readily available. Overall, the study findings showed that there is a range of potential benefits of home automation experienced by individuals living with a disability.Implications for RehabilitationA wide range of outcomes have been evaluated following the installation of home automation systems for people with disability.Key outcomes evaluated to date include independence, autonomy, participation, safety, mental health, and reduced need for paid carers.Outcomes of home automation appear to be connected; for example, improved participation may lead to improved mental health.

Effect of the structural modification of Candesartan with Zinc on hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy.

Hypertension is the most common cause of left ventricular hypertrophy, contributing to heart failure progression. Candesartan (Cand) is an angiotensin receptor antagonist widely used for hypertension treatment. Structural modifications were previously performed by our group using Zinc (ZnCand) as a strategy for improving its pharmacological properties. The measurements showed that ZnCand exerts a stronger interaction with the angiotensin II receptor, type 1 (AT1 receptor), reducing oxidative stress and intracellular calcium flux, a mechanism implied in cell contraction. These results were accompanied by the reduction of the contractile capacity of mesangial cells. In vivo experiments showed that the complex causes a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure after 8 weeks of treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The reduction of heart hypertrophy was evidenced by echocardiography, the histologic cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes, collagen content, the B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) marker and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and the matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) expression. Besides, the complex restored the redox status. In this study, we demonstrated that the complexation with Zn(II) improves the antihypertensive and cardiac effects of the parental drug.

Home Automation for Adults With Disability Following an Injury: Protocol for a Social Return on Investment Study.

BACKGROUND: People with disability following a serious injury require long-term care. The most common injuries resulting in long-term disability are spinal cord and acquired brain injuries. While the long-term effects are difficult to predict and will vary between individuals, the costs of care and recovery span well beyond the initial treatment phase and include long-term care. Long-term care is changing with the availability and advances in cost and function of technologies, such as home automation. "Home automation" refers to technology that automates or remotely controls household functions. Home automation costs vastly differ, but home automation has the potential to positively impact the lives of people with disabilities. However, there is a dearth of evidence relating to the impact of home automation for people with a disability and few rigorous evaluations about the costs and return on investment. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to describe the impact of home automation for people with long-term disability following a serious injury (such as a motor vehicle accident) using case studies, and by conducting an evaluation of the costs and outcomes for individuals, families, and the wider community using a Social Return on Investment (SROI) approach. METHODS: SROI is a form of economic evaluation that develops a theory of change to examine the relationship among inputs, outputs, and outcomes and, in recent years, has gained popularity internationally, including in Australia. SROI has six phases: (1) identify scope and stakeholders, (2) map outcomes, (3) evidence outcomes and give them value, (4) establish impact, (5) calculate the SROI, and (6) report findings. Individuals with a disability who use home automation and key stakeholders will be interviewed. Stakeholders will be individuals involved in home automation for people with disabilities, such as allied health professionals, medical practitioners, equipment suppliers, engineers, and maintenance professionals. Users of home automation will be people who have a disability following a serious injury, have the capacity to provide consent, and have 1 or more elements of home automation. The impact of home automation will be established with financial proxies and appropriate discounts applied to avoid overestimating the social return. The SROI ratio will be calculated, and findings will be reported. RESULTS: The project was funded in November 2021 by the Lifetime Support Authority. Recruitment is underway, and data collection is expected to be completed by October 2022. The final results of the study will be published in March 2023. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study represents the first study in Australia and internationally to employ SROI to estimate the social, personal, and community outcomes of home automation for people with a disability following a serious injury. This research will provide valuable information for funders, consumers, researchers, and the public to guide and inform future decision-making. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/42493.

Copper(II) cation and bathophenanthroline coordination enhance therapeutic effects of naringenin against lung tumor cells.

The development of new anticancer compounds is one of the challenges of bioinorganic and medicinal chemistry. Naringenin and its metal complexes have been recognized as promising inhibitors of cell proliferation, having enormous potential to act as an antioxidant and antitumorigenic agent. Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed type of cancer. Therefore, this study is devoted to investigate the effects of Cu(II), naringenin (Nar), binary Cu(II)-naringenin complex (CuNar), and the Cu(II)-naringenin containing bathophenanthroline as an auxiliary ligand (CuNarBatho) on adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549 cells) that are used as models for the study of drug therapies against lung cancer. The ternary complex shows selectivity being high cytotoxic against malignant cells. The cell death generated by CuNarBatho involves ROS production, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and depletion of GSH level and GSH/GSSG ratio. The structure-relationship activity was assessed by comparison with the reported Cu(II)-naringenin-phenanthroline complex. The CuNarBatho complex was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, mass spectrometry, thermogravimetric measurements and UV-VIS, FT-IR, EPR, Raman and 1H-NMR spectroscopies. In addition, the binding to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied at the physiological conditions (pH = 7.4) by fluorescence spectroscopy.

Managing electromyogram contamination in scalp recordings: An approach identifying reliable beta and gamma EEG features of psychoses or other disorders.

OBJECTIVE: In publications on the electroencephalographic (EEG) features of psychoses and other disorders, various methods are utilized to diminish electromyogram (EMG) contamination. The extent of residual EMG contamination using these methods has not been recognized. Here, we seek to emphasize the extent of residual EMG contamination of EEG. METHODS: We compared scalp electrical recordings after applying different EMG-pruning methods with recordings of EMG-free data from 6 fully paralyzed healthy subjects. We calculated the ratio of the power of pruned, normal scalp electrical recordings in the six subjects, to the power of unpruned recordings in the same subjects when paralyzed. We produced "contamination graphs" for different pruning methods. RESULTS: EMG contamination exceeds EEG signals progressively more as frequencies exceed 25 Hz and with distance from the vertex. In contrast, Laplacian signals are spared in central scalp areas, even to 100 Hz. CONCLUSION: Given probable EMG contamination of EEG in psychiatric and other studies, few findings on beta- or gamma-frequency power can be relied upon. Based on the effectiveness of current methods of EEG de-contamination, investigators should be able to reanalyze recorded data, reevaluate conclusions from high-frequency EEG data, and be aware of limitations of the methods.

Student Experience and Its Relationship with Campus Mental Well-Being.

This research offers a generalizable Campus Mental Well-being Sense of Coherence Framework for improving student experience by classifying SES variables according to Antonovsky's salutogenic health logic (GRRs and SRRs) and by mapping these variables to the Information Infrastructure to Experience Framework (IEF).

A Novel Privacy Preservation and Quantification Methodology for Implementing Home-Care-Oriented Movement Analysis Systems.

Human movement is generally evaluated through both observations and clinical assessment scales to identify the state and deterioration of a patient's motor control. Lately, technological systems for human motion analysis have been used in clinics to identify abnormal movement states, while they generally suffer from privacy challenges and concerns especially at home or in remote places. This paper presents a novel privacy preservation and quantification methodology that imitates the forgetting process of human memory to protect privacy in patient-centric healthcare. The privacy preservation principle of this methodology is to change the traditional data analytic routines into a distributed and disposable form (i.e., DnD) so as to naturally minimise the disclosure of patients' health data. To help judge the efficacy of DnD-based privacy preservation, the researchers further developed a risk-driven privacy quantification framework to supplement the existing privacy quantification techniques. To facilitate validating the methodology, this research also involves a home-care-oriented movement analysis system that comprises a single inertial measurement sensor and a mobile application. The system can acquire personal information, raw data of movements and indexes to evaluate the risk of falls and gait at homes. Moreover, the researchers conducted a technological appreciation survey of 16 health professionals to help understand the perception of this research. The survey obtains positive feedback regarding the movement analysis system and the proposed methodology as suitable for home-care scenarios.

How Is Quality of mHealth Interventions for Cancer Survivors Defined and Described? An Umbrella Review.

PURPOSE: Although there are commonly accepted criteria of what defines quality of health care including cancer care, less is known about what defines quality of mHealth interventions in health care. The aim of this review was to identify how quality of mHealth interventions for cancer survivors is described and measured. METHODS: CINAHL, EmCare, JBI, Medline, SCOPUS, and ProQuest databases from January 2008 to January 2020 were searched. Review papers with search terms related to mobile devices, quality, and cancer relevant to adults with cancer were included. Interventions needed to consist of mHealth technologies, such as mobile applications or short message service, or wearable devices. Title and abstract screening, full-text screening, and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. Conflicts were resolved by a third reviewer. Reviews were evaluated for coverage of quality according to six metrics defined by the Institute of Medicine: patient-centeredness, equitability, safety, effectiveness, timeliness, and efficiency. Any additional quality items were recorded. A Measurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) was used to rate the quality of the reviews included. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 766 papers with seven systematic reviews meeting the eligibility criteria. Four papers were of AMSTAR moderate quality, with three of low quality. The median number of quality metrics reported in a review was two (the range was 1-4). Efficacy and safety and timeliness and efficiency were most reported (n = 4), followed by usability (n = 3), equitability and access (n = 2), privacy and security (n = 2), and patient-centeredness (n = 2). CONCLUSION: There is great variability in how quality of mHealth interventions is defined with no reviews addressing all quality metrics. A comprehensive approach to measure quality of mHealth interventions is needed.

A Sense of Coherence Approach to Improving Patient Experience Using Information Infrastructure Modeling: Design Science Research.

BACKGROUND: Health care provider organizations are complex and dynamic environments. Consequently, how the physical and social environment of such organizations interact with an individual is a primary driver of an individual's experience. Increasingly, the capabilities required for them to successfully interact with those within their care are critically dependent on the information infrastructure they have in place, which enables people, both patients and staff, to work optimally together to deliver their clinical and operational objectives. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to design a framework to address the challenge of how to assemble information systems in health care to support an improved sense of coherence for patients, as well as potentially innovate patients' experiences, by connecting and orchestrating the synergy among people, processes, and systems. METHODS: It is necessary to understand the needs of health care providers and patients to address this challenge at a level relevant to information process design and technology development. This paper describes the design science research method used to combine the sense of coherence, which is a core concept within the Antonosky salutogenic approach to health and well-being, with an established information infrastructure maturity framework, demonstrating the coalescence of 2 distinct conceptual perspectives on care delivery. This paper provides an approach to defining a positive and supportive health care experience and linking this to the capabilities of an information- and technology-enabled environment. RESULTS: This research delivers a methodology for describing the patient experience in a form relevant to information infrastructure design, articulating a pathway from information infrastructure to patient experience. It proposes that patient experience can be viewed pragmatically in terms of the established sense of coherence concept, with its ability to identify and guide resources to modulate a patient's environmental stressors. This research establishes a framework for determining and optimizing the capability of a facility's information infrastructure to support the sense of coherence defined by the experiences of its patients. CONCLUSIONS: This groundbreaking research provides a framework for health care provider organizations to understand and assess the ability of their information infrastructure to support and improve the patient experience. The tool assists providers in defining their technology-dependent operational goals around patient experience and, consequently, in identifying the information capabilities needed to support these goals. The results demonstrate how a fundamental shift in thinking about the use of information infrastructure can transform the patient experience. This study details an approach to describing information infrastructure within an experience-oriented framework that enables the impact of technology on experience to be designed explicitly. The contribution to knowledge is a new perspective on modeling how information infrastructure can contribute to supportive health-promoting environments. Furthermore, it may significantly affect the design and deployment of future digital infrastructures in health care.

Study on the cytotoxic, antimetastatic and albumin binding properties of the oxidovanadium(IV) chrysin complex. Structural elucidation by computational methodologies.

We have previously synthesized and characterized the chrysin coordination complex with the oxidovanadium(IV) cation (VIVO(chrys)2) and characterized in ethanolic solution and in solid state. Because suitable single crystals for X-ray diffraction determinations could not be obtained, in the present work, we elucidate the geometrical parameters of this complex by computational methodologies. The optimization and vibrational investigation were carried out both in ethanolic solution and in gas phase. The computational results support the experimentally proposed geometries of the VIVO(chrys)2 complex, thus leading to the conclusion that the complex exists as conformers with trans-octahedral geometry in ethanolic solution and as conformers with cis-octahedral geometry in the solid state. The complex also exists as conformers with trans-octahedral geometry in aqueous media. The active species formed after dissolution in DMSO showed anticancer and antimetastatic behavior in human lung cell line A549 with moderate binding (Kaca. 105 M-1) to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The interaction through hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces resulted in a spontaneous process. Site marker competitive experiments showed binding sites for chrysin mainly located in site II (subdomain IIIA) and in site I (subdomain IIIA) for the complex. FT-IR spectral measurements showed evidences of the alterations of protein secondary structure in the presence of chrysin and VIVO(chrys)2.

Health literacy, digital health literacy and the implementation of digital health technologies in cancer care: the need for a strategic approach.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Digital health technologies can potentially reduce health disparities in cancer care. However, the benefits of digital health technology depend partly on users' digital health literacy, that is, "capabilities and resources required for individuals to use and benefit from digital health resources," which combines health and digital literacy. We examined issues for digital health technology implementation in cancer care regarding digital health literacy, via stakeholder consultation. METHODS: Consumers, health care professionals, researchers, developers, nongovernment and government/policy stakeholders (N = 51) participated in focus groups/interviews discussing barriers, enablers, needs and opportunities for digital health implementation in cancer care. Researchers applied framework analysis to identify themes of digital health literacy in the context of disparity and inclusion. RESULTS: Limited digital and traditional health literacy were identified as barriers to digital technology engagement, with a range of difficulties identified for older, younger and socio-economically or geographically disadvantaged groups. Digital health technology was a potential enabler of health care access and literacy, affording opportunities to increase reach and engagement. Education combined with targeted design and implementation were identified means of addressing health and digital literacy to effectively implement digital health in cancer care. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing digital health in cancer care must address the variability of digital health literacy in recipients, including groups living with disadvantage and older and younger people, in order to be effective. SO WHAT?: If cancer outcome disparity is to be reduced via digital health technologies, they must be implemented strategically to address digital health literacy needs. Health policy should reflect this approach.

Antimetastatic effects of VOflavonoid complexes on A549 cell line.

BACKGROUND: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most frequent type of lung cancer and more than 90 % of mortality is due to metastasis-related deaths. Flavonoids are considered nutraceuticals due to the variety of pharmacological properties. In this paper, we studied the effects of baicalin, silibinin, apigenin, luteolin, and its oxidovanadium(IV) cation complexes on the viability, adhesion to fibronectin, invasion, and migration on human lung cancer cell line A549. In addition, in order to complete the study of the interaction of VOflavonoids and bovine serum albumin (BSA), the binding ability of silibinin and VOsil to the protein was evaluated. METHOD: To establish the non-cytotoxic concentration range of the tested compounds, the cancer cell viability was evaluated using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell migration and invasion assays were performed using Boyden chambers and adhesion assay using MTT method. The interaction of compounds with BSA were investigated in physiological buffer (pH = 7.4) by fluorescence spectroscopy. RESULTS: All complexes inhibited the metastatic cascade steps to a greater extent than their respective ligands. Likewise, based on binding constant values (Kb) for BSA-silibinin and BSA-VOsil, we can suggest that both compounds can interact with the protein. CONCLUSION: Although all the complexes suppressed cell adhesion, invasion and migration, VOlut can be considered as a good candidate to continue the trials because it presented encouraging results as a potential antitumor and antimetastatic agent, and can be transported by BSA.

Ternary copper(II) complex of 5-hydroxytryptophan and 1,10-phenanthroline with several pharmacological properties and an adequate safety profile.

We report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a ternary copper complex, [Cu(5HTP)(phen)(H2O)](NO3).2H2O, with the antioxidant agent 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and phenanthroline (phen, added to improve its lipophilicity and membrane transport). The crystal structure of the complex was determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The complex showed antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor and antimetastatic properties with an adequate safety profile. The interaction of the metal with phen promotes cellular copper accumulation and cytotoxicity on human lung A549 cell line (IC50 = 3.6 µM). Furthermore, the viability of the normal human fetal lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5) is not altered by the complex. An oxidative stress mechanism for the anticancer effect has been determined: cellular increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decrease of the glutathione (GSH) and oxidized GSH (GSSG) ratio and alteration of the mitochondrial potential. The complex also displays antimetastatic activities with inhibition of cell adhesion, invasion and migration. It has not mutagenic behavior and no toxicity on Artemia salina indicating its potential to act as an effective and safety antimicrobial and antitumor drug.

Improvement of the Anticancer Activities of Telmisartan by Zn(II) Complexation and Mechanisms of Action.

To improve the anticancer activity of telmisartan, its structure has been modified by Zn(II) complexation giving [Zn(Telm)2(H2O)2]·2H2O (ZnTelm). The cytotoxic effect was measured on the human lung cancer cells (A549) and on the lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5). The complex markedly improved anticancer activity (IC50 75 µM) of telmisartan (IC50 125 µM) or ZnSO4 (IC50 225 µM) and did not show toxicity on non-cancer cells, inducing oxidative stress with cellular ROS generation and GSH/GSSG decrease. Apoptosis was the dominant form of cell death for the complex. The Bax/Bcl-XL ratio was significantly increased as well as caspase-3 activation. Both the complex and the ligand bind to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and can be stored and transported by the protein but the interaction with the complex is greater. Telmisartan binds BSA by hydrophobic interactions while the interaction of ZnTelm occurs through van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding. Therefore, it can be shown that the coordination complex ZnTelm improved the anticancer activity of the antihypertensive drug telmisartan (IC50 75 µM and 125 µM, respectively) and the interaction with BSA. Graphical Abstract Improvement of the anticancer activities of telmisartan by Zn(II) complexation and mechanisms of action. Intrinsic apoptotic pathway: induction ofoxidative stress and regulation of proteins related to apoptosis. The complex interacted with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and can be stored and transported by the protein.