Sequence similarities of human nerve tissue proteins with human virulent factors. Multiple alignments obtained in a single BLAST search could result in identities of the amino acids or substitutions of the amino acids in the same peptide region.
\\n\\n
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Barely three months into the new year and we are happy to announce a monumental milestone reached - 150 million downloads.
\n\nThis achievement solidifies IntechOpen’s place as a pioneer in Open Access publishing and the home to some of the most relevant scientific research available through Open Access.
\n\nWe are so proud to have worked with so many bright minds throughout the years who have helped us spread knowledge through the power of Open Access and we look forward to continuing to support some of the greatest thinkers of our day.
\n\nThank you for making IntechOpen your place of learning, sharing, and discovery, and here’s to 150 million more!
\n\n\n\n\n'}],latestNews:[{slug:"webinar-introduction-to-open-science-wednesday-18-may-1-pm-cest-20220518",title:"Webinar: Introduction to Open Science | Wednesday 18 May, 1 PM CEST"},{slug:"step-in-the-right-direction-intechopen-launches-a-portfolio-of-open-science-journals-20220414",title:"Step in the Right Direction: IntechOpen Launches a Portfolio of Open Science Journals"},{slug:"let-s-meet-at-london-book-fair-5-7-april-2022-olympia-london-20220321",title:"Let’s meet at London Book Fair, 5-7 April 2022, Olympia London"},{slug:"50-books-published-as-part-of-intechopen-and-knowledge-unlatched-ku-collaboration-20220316",title:"50 Books published as part of IntechOpen and Knowledge Unlatched (KU) Collaboration"},{slug:"intechopen-joins-the-united-nations-sustainable-development-goals-publishers-compact-20221702",title:"IntechOpen joins the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Publishers Compact"},{slug:"intechopen-signs-exclusive-representation-agreement-with-lsr-libros-servicios-y-representaciones-s-a-de-c-v-20211123",title:"IntechOpen Signs Exclusive Representation Agreement with LSR Libros Servicios y Representaciones S.A. de C.V"},{slug:"intechopen-expands-partnership-with-research4life-20211110",title:"IntechOpen Expands Partnership with Research4Life"},{slug:"introducing-intechopen-book-series-a-new-publishing-format-for-oa-books-20210915",title:"Introducing IntechOpen Book Series - A New Publishing Format for OA Books"}]},book:{item:{type:"book",id:"5957",leadTitle:null,fullTitle:"Advances in Speech-language Pathology",title:"Advances in Speech-language Pathology",subtitle:null,reviewType:"peer-reviewed",abstract:"Speech-language pathology has different practice and research histories, standards, methods, and challenges in different countries and regions. Awareness of these different realities may contribute to the scientific development of the field and improve the services delivered to different populations. Sharing solutions to similar problems in different contexts can increase evidence-based practice that is relevant in specific situations. The aim of this book was to build a panel of contributions from different countries and several areas of research. Authors were invited to contribute with their newest conclusions and results about the themes they considered most relevant. The result includes discussions about new theoretical trends, research results, and new proposals for assessment and intervention.",isbn:"978-953-51-3510-4",printIsbn:"978-953-51-3509-8",pdfIsbn:"978-953-51-4657-5",doi:"10.5772/66241",price:139,priceEur:155,priceUsd:179,slug:"advances-in-speech-language-pathology",numberOfPages:382,isOpenForSubmission:!1,isInWos:1,isInBkci:!1,hash:"0aa9183a00d31fd1970187a4452a62d8",bookSignature:"Fernanda Dreux M. Fernandes",publishedDate:"September 13th 2017",coverURL:"https://cdn.intechopen.com/books/images_new/5957.jpg",numberOfDownloads:35675,numberOfWosCitations:13,numberOfCrossrefCitations:20,numberOfCrossrefCitationsByBook:0,numberOfDimensionsCitations:75,numberOfDimensionsCitationsByBook:1,hasAltmetrics:1,numberOfTotalCitations:108,isAvailableForWebshopOrdering:!0,dateEndFirstStepPublish:"November 9th 2016",dateEndSecondStepPublish:"January 9th 2017",dateEndThirdStepPublish:"September 18th 2017",dateEndFourthStepPublish:"October 18th 2017",dateEndFifthStepPublish:"December 18th 2017",currentStepOfPublishingProcess:5,indexedIn:"1,2,3,4,5,6",editedByType:"Edited by",kuFlag:!1,featuredMarkup:null,editors:[{id:"28286",title:"Dr.",name:"Fernanda Dreux Miranda",middleName:null,surname:"Fernandes",slug:"fernanda-dreux-miranda-fernandes",fullName:"Fernanda Dreux Miranda Fernandes",profilePictureURL:"https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/intech-files/0030O00002aYOLpQAO/Profile_Picture_1643350340880",biography:"Fernanda Dreux M Fernandes is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist with Ph.D. in Semiotics and Linguistics. Associate Professor at the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program, School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses. She is a former president of the Brazilian SLP & A Association and she received the Life Achievement Honor Award by this association. Dr. Fernandes is also an ASHA fellow and former member of the International Issues Board of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Dr. Fernandes is in her second term as a member of the board of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP). In 2015 was nominated Fellow of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. She published over 150 papers in scientific journals and mentored over 50 Master’s, doctorate, and post-doctorate studies.",institutionString:null,position:null,outsideEditionCount:null,totalCites:0,totalAuthoredChapters:"6",totalChapterViews:"0",totalEditedBooks:"1",institution:{name:"University of Sao Paulo",institutionURL:null,country:{name:"Brazil"}}}],equalEditorOne:null,equalEditorTwo:null,equalEditorThree:null,coeditorOne:null,coeditorTwo:null,coeditorThree:null,coeditorFour:null,coeditorFive:null,topics:[{id:"1244",title:"Communication Disorder",slug:"communication-disorder"}],chapters:[{id:"56266",title:"Discourse: Assessment and Therapy",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69894",slug:"discourse-assessment-and-therapy",totalDownloads:3068,totalCrossrefCites:7,totalDimensionsCites:9,hasAltmetrics:1,abstract:"Discourse is essential for interaction and for the expression of ideas, feelings and opinions. Telling personal stories, such as talking about your day or recounting what happened in the playground, is essential for communication and establishing relationships. However, due to their language impairments, people with aphasia (PWA) and children with developmental language disorder (DLD) often have problems with everyday discourse which impact on their lives more widely. While improvement in language skills is supported by speech-language pathology (therapy), it tends to focus on smaller linguistic components, such as single words and sentences. This chapter outlines how speakers construct discourse in everyday situations and focuses on the meanings that people use discourse to convey, as well as the lexical and grammatical resources they use to convey these meanings. Current methods for discourse analysis will be outlined and key developments in narrative discourse production therapy will be reviewed.",signatures:"Lucy T. Dipper and Madeleine Pritchard",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56266",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56266",authors:[{id:"201158",title:"Dr.",name:"Lucy",surname:"Dipper",slug:"lucy-dipper",fullName:"Lucy Dipper"},{id:"208542",title:"Dr.",name:"Madeleine",surname:"Pritchard",slug:"madeleine-pritchard",fullName:"Madeleine Pritchard"}],corrections:null},{id:"56385",title:"Formulaic Language: The Building Block of Aphasic Speech",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.70038",slug:"formulaic-language-the-building-block-of-aphasic-speech",totalDownloads:1846,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:0,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Aphasia is a condition that may appear when parts of the brain (Broca’s or Wernicke’s area) responsible for language production and processing are damaged. In most cases, patients have the left side of their brain affected. Thus, formulaic language remains intact in most cases. During speech therapy, this can be a solid base to build on. Formulaic language consists of formulas that are fixed phrases, stereotypes that behave as a single-unit lexical item. They have a significant role in language acquisition and fluent discourse production. These ready-made parts of speech are stored in the long-term memory. Studies suggest that the processing of formulaic language engages right hemisphere areas of the brain. Due to their language impairment, people with aphasia often have a lower quality of life, consequently social and professional integration for them being problematic. The investigation of preserved patterns, such as formulaic language and impairments related to different aspects of discourse, may provide insights both for clinical practice and for cognitive science, therefore, facilitating a more efficient approach to treatment.",signatures:"Annamária Győrfi",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56385",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56385",authors:[{id:"200880",title:"Dr.",name:"Annamaria",surname:"Gyorfi",slug:"annamaria-gyorfi",fullName:"Annamaria Gyorfi"}],corrections:null},{id:"56330",title:"Russian Scientific Trends on Specific Language Impairment in Childhood",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69932",slug:"russian-scientific-trends-on-specific-language-impairment-in-childhood",totalDownloads:1925,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:23,hasAltmetrics:1,abstract:"In Russia, there are many decades of experience in the scientific study of the problem of impaired language development in children. Today, the term “Systemic speech-and-language underdevelopment (SLU)” has firmly established in Russian science and practice, implying a complex developmental disorder of speech and language in children with a primary normal hearing and a conserved intellect, in which the main components of the language system are violated: vocabulary, grammar, phonetics, and, as a consequence, dialogic and monologic speech. Traditionally, a differentiated level-by-level analysis of the speech and language abilities of children is used. The variability of the manifestations and severity of speech-and-language disorders were initially systematized and characterized in four levels of underdevelopment: from the complete absence of phrase speech to the availability of simple and complex sentences with lexico-grammatical errors. Effective algorithms of speech therapist work with SLU are introduced. The effectiveness of the application of these models and algorithms on the material of various language groups is proved.",signatures:"Tatiana Tumanova and Tatiana Filicheva",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56330",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56330",authors:[{id:"204529",title:"Dr.",name:"Tatiana Volodarovna",surname:"Tumanova",slug:"tatiana-volodarovna-tumanova",fullName:"Tatiana Volodarovna Tumanova"},{id:"208704",title:"Dr.",name:"Tatiana Borisovna",surname:"Filicheva",slug:"tatiana-borisovna-filicheva",fullName:"Tatiana Borisovna Filicheva"}],corrections:null},{id:"56084",title:"Phonological Problems in Spanish-Speaking Children",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69681",slug:"phonological-problems-in-spanish-speaking-children",totalDownloads:1525,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:1,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Phonological development in some children does not follow the typical trajectory. This may affect their communication processes. The primary aim of this chapter is to characterize the phonological development of Spanish‐speaking children with phonological problems. The characterization is based on the Theory of Natural Phonology, which poses that children with phonological problems produce phonologically simplified words resulting from the application of strategies known as phonological simplification processes. Phonological development implies the progressive elimination of these strategies. It has been observed that children with phonological problems produce phonologically simplified words until advanced age. This chapter focuses on studies involving Chilean children with phonological problems, in an attempt to characterize their phonological performance. Overall, the point can be made that Chilean children with phonological problems have a trajectory of phonological development of their own, with phonological simplification processes equally affecting syllable structure and word structure. Also, these processes tend to consistently decrease with age at a steady rate. Once 5 years of age, however, processes tend to become more persistent and decrease becomes slower. They are also prone to have problems both with the phonological representation of words and lexical comprehension. Finally, they seem to be challenged by phonological awareness and grammar.",signatures:"María Mercedes Pavez and Carmen Julia Coloma",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56084",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56084",authors:[{id:"112573",title:"Prof.",name:"Carmen Julia",surname:"Coloma",slug:"carmen-julia-coloma",fullName:"Carmen Julia Coloma"},{id:"208476",title:"Prof.",name:"Maria Mercedes",surname:"Pavez",slug:"maria-mercedes-pavez",fullName:"Maria Mercedes Pavez"}],corrections:null},{id:"56322",title:"Swallowing Disorders in Newborn and Small Children",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69921",slug:"swallowing-disorders-in-newborn-and-small-children",totalDownloads:1852,totalCrossrefCites:2,totalDimensionsCites:2,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"This chapter reviews the main aspects of dysphagia in children: epidemiology, etiology, physiopathology, bedside assessment, and instrumental assessment in the perspective of planning treatment. More details will be given on the endoscopic assessment in children of different ages in consideration of the information useful in planning treatment. This chapter offers a review of the literature on the topic and a simple diagram of the main aspects of the management of dysphagia in children. This chapter aims to offer a simple and useful guide for students and professionals working in the field and suggestions for the implementation of clinical steps in daily practice when and where managing children with swallowing disorders is a reality.",signatures:"Daniele Farneti and Elisabetta Genovese",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56322",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56322",authors:[{id:"175419",title:"Dr.",name:"Elisabetta",surname:"Genovese",slug:"elisabetta-genovese",fullName:"Elisabetta Genovese"},{id:"203197",title:"M.D.",name:"Daniele",surname:"Farneti",slug:"daniele-farneti",fullName:"Daniele Farneti"}],corrections:null},{id:"56581",title:"Reading Disorders and the Role of Speech-Language Pathologists",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.70234",slug:"reading-disorders-and-the-role-of-speech-language-pathologists",totalDownloads:2169,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:1,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Speech-language pathologists have been actively involved with the assessment and intervention processes of language disorders, especially concerning the child population. Regarding their professional role toward reading disorders, other professionals have been equally involved with the learning process such as educational psychologists, educators, for instance. It is therefore less clear of the involvement and possible role of speech-language pathologists, focused on adolescent and young adults with reading difficulties that may interfere with the learning processes. The aim of this chapter is to discuss the competences of speech-language pathologists and their essential role in the clinical settings with reading disorders, not only with children but also at later stages in the schooling process. Additionally, it will be discussed of the role of these professionals as a part of the school team in order to advice best practices of language-related learning processes, as well as to work with students who need special education adaptations, in all ages.",signatures:"Ana Luiza Navas, Tais Ciboto and Juliana Postigo Amorina Borges",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56581",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56581",authors:[{id:"203355",title:"Ph.D.",name:"Ana Luiza",surname:"Navas",slug:"ana-luiza-navas",fullName:"Ana Luiza Navas"},{id:"211298",title:"MSc.",name:"Tais",surname:"Ciboto",slug:"tais-ciboto",fullName:"Tais Ciboto"},{id:"211299",title:"MSc.",name:"Juliana",surname:"P.A. Borges",slug:"juliana-p.a.-borges",fullName:"Juliana P.A. Borges"}],corrections:null},{id:"56142",title:"Comorbidity of Motor and Sensory Functions in Childhood Motor Speech Disorders",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69710",slug:"comorbidity-of-motor-and-sensory-functions-in-childhood-motor-speech-disorders",totalDownloads:1909,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:1,hasAltmetrics:1,abstract:"Subtypes of speech sound disorders (SSDs) with a sensorimotor origin are known as motor speech disorders (MSDs). The symptoms can be diverse, and the causes of the disorders in children are in many cases unknown. Examples of MSD are childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria. MSD is often seen in neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder (DCD) or autism spectrum disorders (ASD), or it is seen with no obvious diagnosis but usually with comorbid problems. Within all existing comorbidity dysfunctions, the motor and sensory systems are of interest for identifying possible underlying mechanisms of MSD. Namely, soft neurological signs such as hypotonia, decreased speed and low accuracy of motor skills and delayed motor development are given consideration by many researchers for better understanding of underlying motor mechanisms of MSD. Results from comorbidity studies highlight the relationship of MSD with complex sensorimotor tasks and sequential motor tasks. In this chapter, our aim is to frame findings from studies about comorbidity of sensory and motor dysfunctions in MSD in order to theorise affected mechanisms and propose an underlying global motor deficit. We will conclude with implications for therapy models.",signatures:"Helena Björelius and Şermin Tükel",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56142",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56142",authors:[{id:"203489",title:"Ph.D.",name:"Şermin",surname:"Tükel",slug:"sermin-tukel",fullName:"Şermin Tükel"},{id:"204649",title:"MSc.",name:"Helena",surname:"Björelius",slug:"helena-bjorelius",fullName:"Helena Björelius"}],corrections:null},{id:"56728",title:"Information and Impression Regarding ASD Questionnaire Answered by Foreigners Living in Brazil",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.70397",slug:"information-and-impression-regarding-asd-questionnaire-answered-by-foreigners-living-in-brazil",totalDownloads:1432,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:1,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) constitute a group of disorders characterized by changes present at early ages and manifesting in the areas of development of communication, behavior, and interpersonal relationship. Because ASD significantly affects communication and the social skills, all multicultural context needs to be better investigated. There is an urgent need to understand the impact of migratory process, bilingual environment exposure on the language development of children with ASD. The present study aims to present the results of 657 foreign residents in Brazil that answered an online questionnaire to know the consolidated information about ASD. Participants from 23 countries responded to the survey. Bolivia and Argentina were the countries with the highest number of participants. The present study found that 100% of the participants have heard of autism. About 80.6% of the sample had a family member with autism. The sociodemographic diversity identified in this study reflects the sociocultural diversity present in Brazil, besides reinforcing the importance of considering this population when thinking about strategies and behaviors directed at individuals with ASD.",signatures:"Cibelle Albuquerque de la Higuera Amato, Daniela Regina Molini-\nAvejonas and Cristina de Andrade Varanda",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56728",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56728",authors:[{id:"38599",title:"Prof.",name:"Daniela",surname:"Molini-Avejonas",slug:"daniela-molini-avejonas",fullName:"Daniela Molini-Avejonas"},{id:"204612",title:"Prof.",name:"Cibelle",surname:"Amato",slug:"cibelle-amato",fullName:"Cibelle Amato"}],corrections:null},{id:"56087",title:"Comparison of the Results of Token Test and Sentence Comprehension Test in Pre‐school Czech Children with Typical Language Development and with Speech‐Language Disorders",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69709",slug:"comparison-of-the-results-of-token-test-and-sentence-comprehension-test-in-pre-school-czech-children",totalDownloads:1363,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:0,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"27 pre-school (26 native Czech-speaking and 1 native Russian-speaking) children (age 4; 6–7; 9 and gender 18 m; 9 f); 17 children with speech and language disorders from speech and language kindergarten (SLK) and 10 children with typical language development (TLD) from a kindergarten of common type, received two tests of language comprehension, the Token Test (TT) and the subtest from the Heidelberg Language Development Test (H-S-E-T) called The Sentence Comprehension Test (SCT). The results of the TT (success rate of children with TLD was 77%; children from SLK scored 70%) surpassed the results of the SCT (children with TLD 59%; children from SLK 44%) in both groups. The most severe deficiencies have been observed in children with SLI and a boy with severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The observed differences between the means in both groups (TLD, N = 10; SLD, N = 17) were not statistically significant, using Student’s t-test (TT, p = 0.28; SCT, p = 0.11). There were not statistically significant differences between the means in children from three compared groups (TLD, N = 10; SLI, N = 8; articulation disorders, N = 6), using the ANOVA (TT, p = 0.60; SCT, p = 0.23).",signatures:"Renata Mlčáková",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56087",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56087",authors:[{id:"203737",title:"Ph.D.",name:"Renata",surname:"Mlčáková",slug:"renata-mlcakova",fullName:"Renata Mlčáková"}],corrections:null},{id:"56060",title:"Speech Impairment, Phonation, Writing, Salivation, and Swallowing in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69711",slug:"speech-impairment-phonation-writing-salivation-and-swallowing-in-patients-with-parkinson-s-disease",totalDownloads:1594,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:2,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Introduction Parkinson’s disease (PD) can influence the function of respiration, phonation and articulation, quality of speech, swallowing, salivation, and graphomotor skills.",signatures:"Goran Savić",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56060",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56060",authors:[{id:"203214",title:"M.Sc.",name:"Goran",surname:"Savić",slug:"goran-savic",fullName:"Goran Savić"}],corrections:null},{id:"56124",title:"Response Behaviors in Conversational Speech among Japanese- and English-Speaking Parents and Their Toddlers",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69743",slug:"response-behaviors-in-conversational-speech-among-japanese-and-english-speaking-parents-and-their-to",totalDownloads:1027,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:0,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"The present study aimed at exploring the responses of listeners in conversational speech between parents and toddlers. Children’s responses toward parents and parents’ responses toward children were the focus of this study. Participants included five dyads each of typically developing two‐year‐old toddlers and their parents from Japanese‐ and English‐speaking families. Responses of a mother/father toward a child or a child toward a mother/father were classified into three categories: non‐lexical backchannels (e.g., hoo, nn, hai), phrasal backchannels (e.g., hontoo “really,” soo desu ka “is that right?”), and repetition. The results showed that the average ratio of overall backchannels and repetitions produced by parents was quite similar in both languages and was much greater than that produced by children in both languages. Among Japanese‐speaking parents, non‐lexical backchannels and repetitions were preferred to phrasal backchannels, while among English‐speaking parents non‐lexical backchannels were most frequently used. With Japanese‐speaking parents, almost half of the repetitions were exact repetitions. They frequently repeated what a child had said and added the sentence‐final particle “ne” or content words. These findings are expected to be useful in understanding response behaviors in spoken communication between parents and their children.",signatures:"Yuko Yamashita",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56124",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56124",authors:[{id:"202298",title:"Dr.",name:"Yuko",surname:"Yamashita",slug:"yuko-yamashita",fullName:"Yuko Yamashita"}],corrections:null},{id:"56331",title:"Variables That Influence Articulation Accuracy in Children with Down Syndrome and Specific Language Disorder: Similarities and Differences",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69933",slug:"variables-that-influence-articulation-accuracy-in-children-with-down-syndrome-and-specific-language-",totalDownloads:1497,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:2,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Research about speech sound disorders (SSD) in children with Down syndrome (DS) and children with specific language impairment (SLI) suggests similar linguistic profiles with weakness in phonology skills. The question is if these similarities are superficial or share deficits in levels and underlying skills to its speech disorders: phonological memory (PM), coordination motor skills, and articulatory muscular system. Our research involved 24 children divided into four groups: SLI, DS, and two groups of typical development. SLI group presented a mild‐moderate speech disorder and DS group moderate‐severe. Following skills were evaluated: nonverbal intelligence, PM, and oral motor coordination (oral‐DDK). The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) was used for the measurement of physiological variables (strength and endurance of tongue and lips). Percentage of consonants correct (PCC) was found. Phonological memory, motor coordination, and physiological variables are factors associated with SSD in teenagers with DS. However, SSD in children with SLI only are associated to phonological memory. Motor coordination and physiological variables are not involved in their SSD of mild and moderate‐severe levels. We have objectively measured the strength and endurance of tongue and lips. This may have clinical implications. It is necessary to assess objectively all the variables affecting articulatory accuracy to design intervention programs in SSD.",signatures:"Miriam Zarzo-Benlloch, José F. Cervera-Mérida and Amparo Ygual-\nFernández",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56331",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56331",authors:[{id:"204358",title:"Dr.",name:"Amparo",surname:"Ygual Fernández",slug:"amparo-ygual-fernandez",fullName:"Amparo Ygual Fernández"},{id:"210247",title:"Dr.",name:"José F",surname:"Cervera-Mérida",slug:"jose-f-cervera-merida",fullName:"José F Cervera-Mérida"}],corrections:null},{id:"56042",title:"Cross-Cultural Adaption of the GRBAS and CAPE-V Scales for Portugal and a New Training Programme for Perceptual Voice Evaluation",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69644",slug:"cross-cultural-adaption-of-the-grbas-and-cape-v-scales-for-portugal-and-a-new-training-programme-for",totalDownloads:1501,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:3,hasAltmetrics:1,abstract:"Several methods have been proposed for the perceptual evaluation of voice quality, but the GRBAS and Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) scales are the most widely used and recommended as part of standardised voice evaluation protocols. In this study, cross-cultural adaptation and translation of the GRBAS (the first translation from the original Japanese version) and CAPE-V scales to European Portuguese were carried out following international guidelines. Results from a study of the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the perceptual evaluation of voices with the GRBAS and CAPE-V scales, before and after a training programme, designed according to the most recent American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and Japan Society of Logopedics and Phoniatrics guidelines, are also reported.",signatures:"Luis M.T. Jesus, Ana Inês Tavares and Andreia Hall",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56042",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56042",authors:[{id:"202906",title:"Dr.",name:"Luis",surname:"Jesus",slug:"luis-jesus",fullName:"Luis Jesus"},{id:"204680",title:"Mrs.",name:"Ana Inês",surname:"Tavares",slug:"ana-ines-tavares",fullName:"Ana Inês Tavares"},{id:"204681",title:"Dr.",name:"Andreia",surname:"Hall",slug:"andreia-hall",fullName:"Andreia Hall"}],corrections:null},{id:"55960",title:"The Advanced Voice Function Assessment Databases (AVFAD): Tools for Voice Clinicians and Speech Research",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69643",slug:"the-advanced-voice-function-assessment-databases-avfad-tools-for-voice-clinicians-and-speech-researc",totalDownloads:1802,totalCrossrefCites:2,totalDimensionsCites:4,hasAltmetrics:1,abstract:"A new open access resource called Advanced Voice Function Assessment Databases (AVFAD) was developed, based on a sample of 709 individuals (346 clinically diagnosed with vocal pathology and 363 with no vocal alterations) recruited in Portugal. All clinical conditions were registered according to the Classification Manual of Voice Disorders-I. Participants were audio-recorded, producing the following vocal tasks: Sustaining vowels /a, i, u/; reading of six CAPE-V sentences; reading a phonetically balanced text; spontaneous speech. The AVFAD are comprised of 8648 uncompressed audio files and an additional database file with 19 Praat Voice Report parameter values and 16 clinical data entries per participant. An annotated segment of the vowel /a/ for each participant was analysed automatically with a Praat script. Radial graphs were generated considering that all variables had an approximately normal distribution, and using previously calculated average and standard deviation values for all parameters. The normal and pathological f0 mean, Jitter ppq5, Shimmer apq11 and Harmonics-to-Noise-Ratio characteristics were compared. An additional analysis of the relation between the acoustic parameters and gender, age group, smoking habits, body mass index and voice usage, was considered. The AVFAD will allow future cooperative work and testing of non-invasive methods for voice pathology diagnosis.",signatures:"Luis M.T. Jesus, Inês Belo, Jessica Machado and Andreia Hall",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/55960",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/55960",authors:[{id:"202906",title:"Dr.",name:"Luis",surname:"Jesus",slug:"luis-jesus",fullName:"Luis Jesus"},{id:"204681",title:"Dr.",name:"Andreia",surname:"Hall",slug:"andreia-hall",fullName:"Andreia Hall"},{id:"204682",title:"Mrs.",name:"Inês",surname:"Belo",slug:"ines-belo",fullName:"Inês Belo"},{id:"204683",title:"MSc.",name:"Jessica",surname:"Machado",slug:"jessica-machado",fullName:"Jessica Machado"}],corrections:null},{id:"56698",title:"Risk Factors for Speech-Language Pathologies in Children",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.70107",slug:"risk-factors-for-speech-language-pathologies-in-children",totalDownloads:1586,totalCrossrefCites:2,totalDimensionsCites:5,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Risk factors are understood to encompass “aspects of individual behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, hereditary or congenital characteristics that are associated with a health related condition”. These are conditions that increase the chances of the child presenting speech-language disorders and that can be avoided, controlled, or treated. Risk is defined as the chance of a child exposed to certain factors (environmental or biological) to acquire or develop speech-language disorders. The objectives of the present study were: to identify the risk factors for speech-language disorders in children up to five years of age and to verify the relationship between risk factors and speech-language diagnostic hypotheses. The aspects of being male gender, prematurity, shyness, being an only child or youngest child, presenting deleterious oral habits, having a family history of speech-language disorders, and use of licit or illicit drugs during pregnancy seem to be the factors that should draw the attention of the health professionals in child development. Therefore, the monitoring of children who have these risk factors should be performed in order to promote the necessary stimulation and the construction of healthy environments.",signatures:"Daniela Regina Molini-Avejonas, Laís Vignati Ferreira and Cibelle\nAlbuquerque de La Higuera Amato",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56698",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56698",authors:[{id:"38599",title:"Prof.",name:"Daniela",surname:"Molini-Avejonas",slug:"daniela-molini-avejonas",fullName:"Daniela Molini-Avejonas"},{id:"204612",title:"Prof.",name:"Cibelle",surname:"Amato",slug:"cibelle-amato",fullName:"Cibelle Amato"},{id:"210543",title:"Ms.",name:"Laís",surname:"Ferreira",slug:"lais-ferreira",fullName:"Laís Ferreira"}],corrections:null},{id:"56414",title:"Evidence for Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) Assessment",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.70036",slug:"evidence-for-speech-sound-disorder-ssd-assessment",totalDownloads:1612,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:1,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Comprehensive studies on aspects related to the assessment of different biomedical parameters (acoustic and laryngeal signs and oral airflow amplitude), as well as parameters for speech disorders, articulation rate, speech inconsistency, and speech stimulability, are essential for better professional practice and to understand misarticulations in children with speech sound disorders (SSDs). Different equipments that enable noninvasive collection and analysis of data have become more common in speech-language pathology practice. Studies recently conducted by our research group have emphasized the evaluation of auditory-perceptual processing by means of assessments of central auditory processing, electrophysiology of hearing—considering that pure-tone, speech audiometry, and tympanometry are routinely used with children during the diagnostic phase and motor speech production performed by acoustic analysis of speech, electroglottography, aerodynamic measures, and ultrasound tongue imaging. This chapter presents the recent advances observed in studies with Brazilian-Portuguese speakers aiming to improve the assessment of speech sound disorders and to understand better the relationship between the different processing mechanisms involved in speech.",signatures:"Haydée Fiszbein Wertzner, Danira T. Francisco, Tatiane F. Barrozo\nand Luciana O. Pagan-Neves",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56414",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56414",authors:[{id:"204570",title:"Prof.",name:"Haydée",surname:"Wertzner",slug:"haydee-wertzner",fullName:"Haydée Wertzner"},{id:"204572",title:"MSc.",name:"Danira",surname:"Francisco",slug:"danira-francisco",fullName:"Danira Francisco"},{id:"204573",title:"MSc.",name:"Tatiane",surname:"Barrozo",slug:"tatiane-barrozo",fullName:"Tatiane Barrozo"},{id:"204574",title:"Dr.",name:"Luciana",surname:"Pagan-Neves",slug:"luciana-pagan-neves",fullName:"Luciana Pagan-Neves"}],corrections:null},{id:"56105",title:"Superhero Costumes as a Method for Treating Children with Selective Mutism: A Case Study",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69613",slug:"superhero-costumes-as-a-method-for-treating-children-with-selective-mutism-a-case-study",totalDownloads:1516,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:0,hasAltmetrics:1,abstract:"This chapter describes a creative method for treating children with selective mutism. It is a case study of a 5 year, 8 month old child who has been silent since the first day of school for 2.5 years. No one, for 2.5 years, has ever heard him speak. He used to stare at his classmates as they played but did not participate. His mother described his language as normal and behavior as quiet. When the researcher first saw him he was wearing a “Superman” costume. The researcher used the child’s ambition to be superman as a platform to think creatively to treat his deficiency. He spoke in 1 hour and 30 minutes. The single session treatment successfully treated the child and he was observed afterwards for 2 months, no relapses, and he continued speaking. To maintain the success, the teacher and the student-teacher were advised to use the “descriptive language approach.” He was observed regularly.",signatures:"Nada Yousef Alrabiah",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56105",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56105",authors:[{id:"203541",title:"Dr.",name:"Nada",surname:"AlRabiah",slug:"nada-alrabiah",fullName:"Nada AlRabiah"}],corrections:null},{id:"56281",title:"Remote Speech-Language Intervention, with the Participation of Parents of Children with Autism",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.70106",slug:"remote-speech-language-intervention-with-the-participation-of-parents-of-children-with-autism",totalDownloads:1516,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:4,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"The question about the possibility of identifying the best therapeutic approach for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has also been discussed in the literature. The intervention should be individualized, in order to involve the current level of development of the child and to identify the profile of the facilities and difficulties of each child. The families are constantly involved in complex and changeable context and are aware of the importance of access and participation to the treatment chosen, since that service delays can directly affect efficacy. In general, studies on language acquisition and development in autism focus on the child’s communication, and some analyze the mother seeking to understand how the role of parents and caregivers influences the communication of the children with autism. Observing the importance of the active inclusion of parents in the speech and language therapy of children with ASD, a Distance Speech Therapy Intervention project, was developed that would allow language stimulation of a greater number of children and adolescents with autism.",signatures:"Milene Rossi Pereira Barbosa and Fernanda Dreux Miranda\nFernandes",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56281",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56281",authors:[{id:"28286",title:"Dr.",name:"Fernanda Dreux Miranda",surname:"Fernandes",slug:"fernanda-dreux-miranda-fernandes",fullName:"Fernanda Dreux Miranda Fernandes"},{id:"171244",title:"Dr.",name:"Milene Rossi P.",surname:"Barbosa",slug:"milene-rossi-p.-barbosa",fullName:"Milene Rossi P. Barbosa"}],corrections:null},{id:"55924",title:"Recovery from Diffuse Brain Injuries: Two Case Studies",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69624",slug:"recovery-from-diffuse-brain-injuries-two-case-studies",totalDownloads:1158,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:0,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"Subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAHs) are grave medical emergencies, whereas 30–50% of all SAHs may ultimately result in death. Subarachnoid hemorrhages share many resemblances with other neurological traumas such as a cerebral vascular accident, meningitis, and/or traumatic brain injury. Autoimmune encephalopathies (AE) occur when human antibodies assault the body’s cell surfaces and/or synaptic proteins. Consequently, widespread nervous system and diffuse brain involvement may occur. With subarachnoid hemorrhages and autoimmune encephalopathies, multiple areas of cognition and language can be impaired. Case studies in communication sciences and disorders are underutilized, yet are important in evidenced‐based practice. Speech‐language pathologists in medical settings have worked with patients and families with similar types of disorders. Therefore, speech‐language pathologists should be well equipped to provide therapy with these types of injuries. This chapter presents two case studies and cognitive language rehabilitation strategies following diffuse brain injuries.",signatures:"Alejandro E. Brice and Roanne G. Brice",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/55924",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/55924",authors:[{id:"201179",title:"Prof.",name:"Alejandro",surname:"Brice",slug:"alejandro-brice",fullName:"Alejandro Brice"},{id:"217135",title:"Ms.",name:"Jennifer",surname:"Walker",slug:"jennifer-walker",fullName:"Jennifer Walker"}],corrections:null},{id:"56051",title:"Intervention Program for Brazilian Children with Language Delay",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.69757",slug:"intervention-program-for-brazilian-children-with-language-delay",totalDownloads:1489,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:0,hasAltmetrics:0,abstract:"The acquisition and development of language are primary in a child’s life, especially because language is one of the main means of social interaction. Therefore, it is of great importance that good language development has been assured to children and, when necessary, good intervention at their difficulties. Currently, in the field of children’s language in Brazil, different therapeutic approaches are arguable, but the necessity of development of structured therapeutic programs is verified, elaborated with technical and scientific quality so that they may stimulate the different abilities of language, aiming at considering the specificities of each child in order to minimize the difficulties. Such intervention programs would guide speech-language pathologists to plan their therapies and provide more effects in the intervention process. The aim of this study is to elaborate a stimulation program for verbal language for children with language delay. For this reason, the stimulation program was judged by peers (experts) after it was designed. The experts verified if the strategies were coherent about (a) the stimulation target and (b) the complexity level. In conclusion, the program reached the goal, since it could give direction and enhance to speech-language pathologists in cases of difficulties in verbal language.",signatures:"Camilla Guarnieri and Simone Aparecida Lopes-Herrera",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56051",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56051",authors:[{id:"202582",title:"Dr.",name:"Simone",surname:"Lopes-Herrera",slug:"simone-lopes-herrera",fullName:"Simone Lopes-Herrera"},{id:"204676",title:"M.Sc.",name:"Camilla",surname:"Guarnieri",slug:"camilla-guarnieri",fullName:"Camilla Guarnieri"}],corrections:null},{id:"56560",title:"The Role of Speech and Language Therapist in Autism Spectrum Disorders Intervention – An Inclusive Approach",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.70235",slug:"the-role-of-speech-and-language-therapist-in-autism-spectrum-disorders-intervention-an-inclusive-app",totalDownloads:2293,totalCrossrefCites:2,totalDimensionsCites:16,hasAltmetrics:1,abstract:"The chapter describes the possibilities of involving a speech-language therapist in the assessment of the pragmatic level of communication in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), where one of the most frequently impaired areas is communication pragmatics. These difficulties lead to a disruption of social interaction, which might be one of the obstacles to speech-language intervention in these children. The text is based on an originally developed testing material aimed at selected pragmatic-oriented communication situations relating to everyday activities and real life. Based on a comparison of domestic and international resources in this area, as well as mediated and own empirical experience, our assessment approach is based on the conclusion that pragmatics can be understood in different contexts and perspectives. The text presents the results of a partial survey comparing the performance of children with ASD and children with typical development. The assessment focused on the children’s election of the correct picture of a pair of pictures that represent usual communication and social situations. The results of the research suggest fewer incorrect responses in children with ASD and in different areas compared with children with typical development. However, the results of a qualitative analysis indicate a necessity to expand the assessment of communication pragmatics by adding an individually specific qualitative analysis of children’s performance.",signatures:"Kateřina Vitásková and Lucie Kytnarová",downloadPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-download/56560",previewPdfUrl:"/chapter/pdf-preview/56560",authors:[{id:"203061",title:"Associate Prof.",name:"Kateřina",surname:"Vitásková",slug:"katerina-vitaskova",fullName:"Kateřina Vitásková"},{id:"212035",title:"MSc.",name:"Lucie",surname:"Kytnarová",slug:"lucie-kytnarova",fullName:"Lucie Kytnarová"}],corrections:null}],productType:{id:"1",title:"Edited Volume",chapterContentType:"chapter",authoredCaption:"Edited by"},subseries:null,tags:null},relatedBooks:[{type:"book",id:"1591",title:"Infrared Spectroscopy",subtitle:"Materials Science, Engineering and Technology",isOpenForSubmission:!1,hash:"99b4b7b71a8caeb693ed762b40b017f4",slug:"infrared-spectroscopy-materials-science-engineering-and-technology",bookSignature:"Theophile Theophanides",coverURL:"https://cdn.intechopen.com/books/images_new/1591.jpg",editedByType:"Edited by",editors:[{id:"37194",title:"Dr.",name:"Theophile",surname:"Theophanides",slug:"theophile-theophanides",fullName:"Theophile Theophanides"}],equalEditorOne:null,equalEditorTwo:null,equalEditorThree:null,productType:{id:"1",chapterContentType:"chapter",authoredCaption:"Edited by"}},{type:"book",id:"3161",title:"Frontiers in Guided Wave Optics and Optoelectronics",subtitle:null,isOpenForSubmission:!1,hash:"deb44e9c99f82bbce1083abea743146c",slug:"frontiers-in-guided-wave-optics-and-optoelectronics",bookSignature:"Bishnu Pal",coverURL:"https://cdn.intechopen.com/books/images_new/3161.jpg",editedByType:"Edited by",editors:[{id:"4782",title:"Prof.",name:"Bishnu",surname:"Pal",slug:"bishnu-pal",fullName:"Bishnu Pal"}],equalEditorOne:null,equalEditorTwo:null,equalEditorThree:null,productType:{id:"1",chapterContentType:"chapter",authoredCaption:"Edited by"}},{type:"book",id:"3092",title:"Anopheles mosquitoes",subtitle:"New insights into malaria vectors",isOpenForSubmission:!1,hash:"c9e622485316d5e296288bf24d2b0d64",slug:"anopheles-mosquitoes-new-insights-into-malaria-vectors",bookSignature:"Sylvie Manguin",coverURL:"https://cdn.intechopen.com/books/images_new/3092.jpg",editedByType:"Edited by",editors:[{id:"50017",title:"Prof.",name:"Sylvie",surname:"Manguin",slug:"sylvie-manguin",fullName:"Sylvie Manguin"}],equalEditorOne:null,equalEditorTwo:null,equalEditorThree:null,productType:{id:"1",chapterContentType:"chapter",authoredCaption:"Edited by"}},{type:"book",id:"371",title:"Abiotic Stress in Plants",subtitle:"Mechanisms and Adaptations",isOpenForSubmission:!1,hash:"588466f487e307619849d72389178a74",slug:"abiotic-stress-in-plants-mechanisms-and-adaptations",bookSignature:"Arun Shanker and B. 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Bioinformatics is the application of techniques derived from disciplines such as applied mathematics, computer science, and statistics to analyze and interpret biological data. In this chapter, you will learn how to use bioinformatic techniques to identify pathogen virulence factor (VF) peptide sequence similarities to human nerve tissue proteins and then how to identify target peptides that could form the basis for engineering recombinant antibodies. Also, wet experiments could be conducted on the identified overlapping sequences to help us to single out target antibodies to be tested for tissue culture studies [1, 2]. The most ideal targeted peptide sequences for antibody engineering are those physiologically relevant, easy to access, and comprise amino acid sequence regions which have high specificity in pathogenic steps and reduced amino acid string length.
\nThe accessibility to the extensive genomic and proteomic databases and the availability of tools to compare and evaluate the information have given rise to a new interdisciplinary field that combines biology and computer science [3]. Bioinformatics conceptualizes physical and chemical biology in terms of macromolecules and then applies “informatics” techniques (derived from disciplines such as applied mathematics, computer science, and statistics) to assimilate and organize the information associated with these molecules, on a large scale [4]. Bioinformatics is an exciting and exploratory method for peptide discovery in antibody engineering and development of antimicrobial therapies and vaccination strategies [5].
\nThere is significantly growing evidence that a number of neurodegenerative diseases are a result of the association of host cell proteins with viral and bacterial infectious agents [6]. When pathogenic micro organisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi cause an infectious disease, there are many molecular interactions between the host-pathogen proteins and host peptides [7] through all the stages of the disease whether incubation, prodromal illness, decline, and convalescence. There is much experimental evidence identifying the virulence factors (VF) of pathogen and host components such as receptors and tissue-specific proteins [8, 9]. Though the pathogenic pathway of the infectious agent in various host tissues is unknown, many of these processes are suspected to be attributable to the yet undiscovered role of molecular mimics identified in pathogenic microorganisms and its corresponding host tissue proteins. The sequence and structural similarities between the pathogenic VF protein and nerve peptides could impact either directly or indirectly the pathogenesis of the infectious disease [10, 11, 12]. It could contribute to molecular mimicry, steric hindrance, receptor binding, cell signaling, and autoantibody production events (involved in neuro degeneration) in the host.
\nLeprosy patients with peripheral nerve damage develop autoimmunity to myelin P0 (nerve protein). The above conclusion was drawn by gathering known scientific evidence that are as follows: (1) labeling and binding studies found that
Identification of molecular mimics in pathogen-host peptide sequences is one approach to identify target peptides for antibody engineering. There are about 180 extensive biological databases to retrieve information on sequence and functional aspects of biological molecules. The updated list is available in Nucleic Acids Research [17].
\nThis section teaches you how to conduct a search for proteins present in a target host, how to obtain its amino acid sequence/s from the existing databases, how to compare the sequence/s of the host protein to that of the pathogen protein, and finally how to interpret the results based on existing evidential data. In our case study, we identify the virulence factor peptide sequence similarities of a few selected infectious agents with human nerve tissue proteins for selecting peptides to engineer antipeptide antibodies which recognizes corresponding host/viral proteins.
\n63 proteins were extracted from the Human Protein Atlas Database that were enriched and enhanced in the nervous tissue as observed by immunehistochemistry (Figure 1).
\nTo conduct a search for human proteins in the nervous tissue, access the website (www.proteinatlas.org), enter the tissue of study (e.g. nervous tissue) into the search box provided and click on search.
\nConducting a search on the Human Protein Atlas Database.
Manual protein selection was carried out based on their tissue expression (enriched and enhanced) and also on immunohistochemistry evidence (Figure 2).
\nConducting an advanced search on the Human Protein Atlas Database.
The list of selected proteins are as follows: agrin (AGRN_HUMAN, O00468), calbindin (CALB1_HUMAN, P05937), n-chimaerin (CHIN_HUMAN, P15882), secretogranin-2 (SCG2_HUMAN, P13521), neuromodulin (NEUM_HUMAN, P17677), kinesin (KIFC1_HUMAN, Q9BW19), tau (TAU_HUMAN, P10636), 2′,3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CN37_HUMAN, P09543), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG_HUMAN, P20916), myelin P0 (MYP0_HUMAN, P25189), myelin P2 (MYP2_HUMAN, P02689), oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (OMGP_HUMAN, P23515), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF_HUMAN, P23560), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF_HUMAN, P26441), neurotrophin-3 (NTF3_HUMAN, P20783), beta-nerve growth factor (NGF_HUMAN, P01138), nestin (NEST_HUMAN, P48681), neurofilament heavy polypeptide (NFH_HUMAN, P12036), neurogranin (NEUG_HUMAN, Q92686), voltage-dependent T-type calcium channel subunit alpha-1G (CAC1G_HUMAN, O43497), hippocalcin (HPCL1_HUMAN, P37235), neurocalcin-delta (NCALD_HUMAN, P61601), recoverin (RECO_HUMAN, P35243), bombesin receptor subtype-3 (BRS3_HUMAN, P32247), kininogen-1/bradykinin (KNG1_HUMAN, P01042), calcitonin (CALC_HUMAN, P01258), cholecystokinin (CCKN_HUMAN, P06307), galanin peptides (GALA_HUMAN, P22466), pro-neuropeptide Y (NPY_HUMAN, P01303), neurotensin/neuromedin N (NEUT_HUMAN, P30990), protein S100-B (S100B_HUMAN, P04271), synapsin-1 (SYN1_HUMAN, P17600), probable tubulin polyglutamylase (TTLL1_HUMAN, O95922), myelin basic protein (MBP_HUMAN, P02686), protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 1B (PPR1B_HUMAN, Q9UD71), Arf-GAP with GTPase, ANK repeat and PH domain-containing protein 2 (AGAP2_HUMAN, Q99490), cathepsin L2 (CATL2_HUMAN, O60911), D(1A) dopamine receptor (DRD1_HUMAN, P21728), BDNF/NT-3 growth factors receptor (NTRK2_HUMAN, Q16620), melanoma-associated antigen E1 (MAGE1_HUMAN, Q9HCI5), microtubule-associated protein 6 (MAP6_HUMAN, Q96JE9), protocadherin alpha-12 (PCDAC_HUMAN, Q9UN75), carboxypeptidase E (CBPE_HUMAN, P16870), Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM_HUMAN, O60469), dyslexia-associated protein KIAA0319 (K0319_HUMAN, Q5VV43), uncharacterized protein KIAA1211-like (K121L_HUMAN, Q6NV74), microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B_HUMAN, P46821), neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS1_HUMAN, P62166), neurofilament light polypeptide (NFL_HUMAN, P07196), receptor expression-enhancing protein 2 (REEP2_HUMAN, Q9BRK0), secretogranin-3 (SCG3_HUMAN, Q8WXD2), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase isozyme L1 (UCHL_HUMAN, P09936), galactosylgalactosylxylosylprotein 3-beta-glucuronosyltransferase 1 (B3GA1_HUMAN, Q9P2W7), beta-1,4 N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 (B4GN1_HUMAN, Q00973), caprin-2 (CAPR2_HUMAN, Q6IMN6), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DOPO_HUMAN, P09172), FAM81A (FA81A_HUMAN, Q8TBF8), mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MK10_HUMAN, P53779), N-terminal EF-hand calcium-binding protein 1 (NECA1_HUMAN, Q8N987), neuroligin-3 (NLGN3_HUMAN, Q9NZ94), protein kinase C and casein kinase substrate in neurons protein 1 (PACN1_HUMAN, Q9BY11), sodium channel protein type 7 subunit alpha (SCN7A_HUMAN, Q01118), and clathrin coat assembly AP180 (AP180_HUMAN, O60641). The biological accepts of the proteins have been derived from the information presented in UniProt database for each protein [18, 19, 20].
\nFASTA formats for each of the above proteins were retrieved from NCBI PubMed. The FASTA format is a text-based format obtained from the PubMed search and represents either nucleotide sequences or peptide sequences (Figure 3).
\nUpon accessing the website, select the database in which the search is to be conducted (e.g. Protein). Type the name of the protein and its species in brackets into the search text box provided (e.g. Agrin (
Conducting a search on the PubMed database.
List of available sequenced protein information.
The protein with the highest number of amino acids is chosen. Click on the hyperlinked protein to access its gene bank. Upon reaching the gene bank of the selected protein, click on the hyperlinked
Gene information of agrin.
FASTA format of agrin.
Obtain the FASTA format by copying all the information (Starting from the > symbol).
\nAll the FASTA formats of the human proteins are saved in a sequence on Microsoft Notepad (Figure 7).
\nFASTA formats of the 63 proteins in sequence.
Pathogen-protein mimics, nerve protein sequences were BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool; Version 2.7.1; e-value ≤0.01) [21] against a pathogen genome (Figure 8).
\nAccess the BLAST website at https://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi and click on Protein (Protein~Protein) BLAST. The FASTA formats of 63 nerve proteins were copied and pasted from the notepad into the text box provided. Enter the species of the organism against which the blast has to be performed/the sequence comparison has to be carried out specifying its Tax ID (Figure 8).
\nBLAST home page.
The pathogen genome sequences that were compared with the human nerve proteins are as follows: HIV (Tax ID: 11,676), Polio (Tax ID: 138,950), Japanese Encephalitis (Tax ID:64,320),
Select program PSI BLAST as the BLAST algorithm for a more position-sensitive search. It looks deeper into the database to best match to your query. Click on the BLAST button and wait for the results. Take screen shots of your result and also download the provided excel format (Figure 9).
\nBLAST search.
BLAST results of nerve proteins showing similarity to pathogen proteins.
The output of the BLAST identified the significant peptide sequence similarities between the human protein and its pathogenic counterpart Figure 10. These peptide sequence similarities are identified by amino acid positions, in which amino acids exist in single-letter codes. The BLAST provides us with the number of sequence similarities between the pathogenic genomic sequence and its host proteins. It also identifies viral counterpart peptides and the region of similarity on the host proteins.
\nFurther interpretations of the results can be made by referring to the Uniprot database to obtain the biological and functional aspects of the host and the pathogen proteins (Figures 11 and 12).
\nUniProtKB screenshot showing the biological and functional data of the human protein.
Uniprot screenshot showing the biological and functional data of the viral protein.
The results show a number of sequence similarities existing between host proteins and various pathogen proteins. The maximum number of peptide sequence similarities were found between host protein caprin-2 which had 495 similarities with polio; neurogranin had 230 similarities with HHV2; secretogranin-3 had 221 similarities with Japanese encephalitis; agrin had 212 similarities with varicella; caprin-2 had 198 similarities with rabies virus; galanin peptides had 87 similarities with Zika virus; kinesin had 54 similarities with HIV; neurofilament heavy polypeptide had 46 similarities with corona virus; neurogranin had 39 similarities with HHV1; and 2′,3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase had 21 similarities with
This method identifies significant virulent factors which have sequence similarities to human nerve tissue proteins. The nerve proteins that exhibited sequence similarities with four or more pathogenic virulent factors are displayed in Table 1. All 63 proteins are found to have sequence similarities with
S. No | \nQuery No. | \nProteins | \nHIV | \nPolio | \nJE | \nHHV 1 | \nHHV 2 | \nCorona | \nZika | \nRabies | \nVericella | \n|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | \nO00468 | \nAgrin | \n0 | \n0 | \n4 | \n0 | \n0 | \n6 | \n1 | \n0 | \n1 | \n212 | \n
2 | \nP17677 | \nNeuromodulin | \n1 | \n1 | \n0 | \n1 | \n3 | \n6 | \n28 | \n1 | \n0 | \n75 | \n
3 | \nQ9BW19 | \nKinesin | \n54 | \n1 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n9 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n
4 | \nP10636 | \nTau protein | \n0 | \n1 | \n0 | \n0 | \n14 | \n5 | \n9 | \n0 | \n0 | \n19 | \n
5 | \nP25189 | \nMyelin protein P0 | \n2 | \n0 | \n0 | \n1 | \n22 | \n7 | \n1 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n
6 | \nP23515 | \nOligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein | \n0 | \n2 | \n0 | \n1 | \n0 | \n9 | \n0 | \n0 | \n1 | \n23 | \n
7 | \nP48681 | \nNestin | \n0 | \n0 | \n3 | \n2 | \n0 | \n8 | \n2 | \n30 | \n0 | \n22 | \n
8 | \nP04271 | \nProtein S100-B | \n0 | \n26 | \n0 | \n2 | \n11 | \n7 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n12 | \n
9 | \nP17600 | \nSynapsin-1 | \n0 | \n1 | \n7 | \n11 | \n2 | \n13 | \n0 | \n0 | \n5 | \n0 | \n
10 | \nP02686 | \nMyelin basic protein | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n2 | \n9 | \n4 | \n3 | \n0 | \n5 | \n
11 | \nQ16620 | \nBDNF/NT-3 growth factors receptor | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n23 | \n8 | \n11 | \n0 | \n0 | \n1 | \n15 | \n
12 | \nQ5VV43 | \nDyslexia-associated protein KIAA0319 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n37 | \n21 | \n5 | \n5 | \n0 | \n2 | \n1 | \n
13 | \nP07196 | \nNeurofilament light polypeptide | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n1 | \n1 | \n2 | \n4 | \n0 | \n0 | \n77 | \n
14 | \nQ8WXD2 | \nSecretogranin-3 | \n3 | \n5 | \n221 | \n0 | \n10 | \n8 | \n0 | \n0 | \n9 | \n0 | \n
15 | \nQ00973 | \nBeta-1,4 N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 | \n1 | \n29 | \n0 | \n1 | \n2 | \n8 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n0 | \n
Sequence similarities of human nerve tissue proteins with human virulent factors. Multiple alignments obtained in a single BLAST search could result in identities of the amino acids or substitutions of the amino acids in the same peptide region.
Agrin is a heparin sulphate basal lamina glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 217,232 Da. It plays a central role in the formation and maintenance of the neuromuscular junction. It is known to direct events in postsynaptic differentiation. Agrin also induces the phosphorylation and activation of muscle-specific kinase (MUSK), the clustering of Acetyl choline esterase receptor (AChR) in the postsynaptic membrane, regulates calcium ion homeostasis in neurons, and is involved in regulation of neuritis outgrowth [22, 23].
\nAgrin UniProtKB-O00468 (AGRIN_HUMAN) (AA position 1269–1326) (Figure 13) has a similarity to membrane glycoprotein C (Sequence ID: AEW88711.1 AA Position 43–122) of the varicella zoster virus UniProtKB-Q9J3M8 (GE_VZVO) which by its similarity has the potential to bind to the tissue cell receptor. Experimental evidence in epithelial cells shows that the hetero demonization of viral receptors could spread the virus by sorting nascent virion to nerve tissue cell junctions. The virus particles can spread to adjacent cells through interactions with cellular receptors at these cell junctions. The virus at cell junctions spreads extremely rapidly into the tissues [24, 25]. Sequence mimics of agrin to the varicella membrane glycoprotein could have an effect on either viral entry into host cell, evasion or on tolerance of host immune response to the virus and virion attachment to the host cell. These similarities in peptide regions warrant further exploration to understand pathogenesis and to identify target peptides for antibody engineering [26].
\nBLAST output of membrane glycoprotein of HHV3 showing similarity to human protein agrin.
Caprin-2UniProtKB-Q6IMN6 (CAPR2_HUMAN) is a protein of molecular mass 68,429 Da. The structure of caprin-2 was found to be similar to the polio and rabies viruses. Caprin-2 (AA position: 136–176) has a similarity to the polyprotein of polio virus UniProtKB– E0WCG5 (E0WCG5_9ENTO) (polyprotein sequence ID: ACZ05040.1 AA position: 1994–2070) (Figures 14 and 15). Caprin-2 (AA position: 13–54) also has a similarity to the phosphoprotein of rabies virus UniProtKB-Q80JL8 (Q80JL8_9RHAB) (phosphoprotein sequence ID: AAO60615.1 AA position 76–110) (Figure 15). Caprin-2 has a significant role in influencing phosphorylation of the Wnt-signaling pathways (PubMed:18,762,581) [27]. Caprin-2 also facilitates LRP6 phosphorylation by CDK14/CCNY during G2/M stage of the cell cycle, which may potentiate cells for transport or translation of mRNAs, modulate the expression of neuronal proteins involved in synaptic plasticity [28], while simultaneously influencing cell cycle signaling and regulation of viral transcription and replication [29, 30].
\nBLAST output of polyprotein of poliovirus showing similarity to human protein caprin-2.
BLAST output of phosphoprotein of rabies virus showing similarity to human protein caprin-2.
2′, 3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase UniProtKB-P09543 (CN37_HUMAN) is a protein of molecular mass 47,579 Da. 2′, 3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (sequence ID: WP_010908292.1 AA position 191–261) has a similarity to thiamin pyrophosphokinase of
BLAST output of thiamin pyrophosphate of
Galanin peptide UniProtKB-P22466 (GALA_HUMAN) is a protein of molecular mass 13,302 Da. Galanin (AA position 53–99 position) has a similarity to polyprotein envelope protein E of Zika virus UniProtKB-Q73880 (Q73880_9HIV1) sequence ID: ARB07952.1 (AA position: 729–765) (Figure 17). Galanin is involved in the smooth muscle contraction of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract, regulation of growth hormone release, modulation of insulin release, and might also be involved in the control of adrenal secretion [32]. The envelope protein E of the Zika virus is responsible for binding to host cell surface receptors and mediating fusion between viral and cellular membranes. It is synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum with protein prM and forms a heterodimer. Galanin’s similarity with the ZIKA polypeptide could subsequently affect neural regulation of muscle function and play a role in immune evasion pathogenesis and viral replication [33].
\nBLAST output of polyprotein of Zika virus showing similarity to human Galanin peptide.
Kinesin-like protein KIFC1 UniProtKB-Q9BW19 (KIFC1_HUMAN) is a protein of molecular mass 73,748 Da. Kinesin-like protein (AA position: 411–470) has a similarity to HIV virus envelope glycoprotein UniProtKB-D6QPK9 (D6QPK9_9HIV1) sequence ID:ADG63850.1 (AA position:270–387)(Figure 18). KIFC1 along with microtubules contributes to movement of endocytic vesicles. These similarities could affect viral attachment to the host cell, membrane fusion, and entry into the cell and the nucleus [34, 35].
\nBLAST output of envelope glycoprotein of HIV 1 showing similarity to human kinesin-like protein.
Neurofilament heavy polypeptide UniProtKB-P12036 (NFH_HUMAN) is a protein of molecular mass 112,479 Da. Neurofilament heavy polypeptide (AA position: 819–872) has a similarity to ORF1a UniProtKB-A0A0F6SKM6 (A0A0F6SKM6_9GAMC) of Corona virus sequence ID: AKF17723.1 (AA positions: 890 –1031) (Figure 19) neurofilament of the nerve tissue usually contain three intermediate filament proteins: L, M, and H (NFH-human) which is involved in the maintenance of neuronal caliber. NFH-H has an important function in axon maturation. These similarities could affect viral replication, protein processing, and could generate autoantibody production [36, 37].
\nBLAST output of ORF1 of corona virus showing similarity to human neurofilament heavy polypeptide.
Neurogranin UniProtKB-Q92686 (NEUG_HUMAN) is a protein of molecular mass 7618 Da. The structure of neurogranin at identical regions has a similarity to envelope glycoprotein M of HHV1 and envelope glycoprotein M of HHV2 at partially overlapping positions. Neurogranin (AA position: 38–63) has a similarity to the envelope glycoprotein M of HHV1(UniProtKB-A0A181ZHE7 (A0A181ZHE7_HHV11) (sequence ID: SBO07578.1 AA position: 347–376) (Figure 20). Neurogranin (AA position: 38–64) also has a similarity to the envelope glycoprotein M of HHV2 (UniProtKB-A0A0Y0R357 (A0A0Y0R357_HHV2)) (sequence ID: AMB66044.1 AA position 389–416) (Figure 21). Neurogranin functions as a signaling messenger, a substrate for protein kinase C and has affinity to calmodulin in the absence of calcium. These similarities of HHV1 & 2 with neurogranin could have an interaction with viral transport into the host cell Golgi network and subsequently to the host nucleus [38].
\nBLAST output of envelope glycoprotein of HHV 1 showing similarity to human protein neurogranin.
BLAST output of envelope glycoprotein of human alpha herpes virus 2 showing similarity to human protein neurogranin.
Secretogranin-3 UniProtKB-Q8WXD2 (SCG3_HUMAN) is a protein of molecular mass 53,005 Da. Secretogranin-3 (AA position: 139–190) has a similarity to the polyprotein of Japanese encephalitis virus (UniProtKB-G3LHD8 (G3LHD8_9FLAV) (sequence ID: SBO07578.1 AA position: 2744 to (Figure 22). Secretogranin-3 is a member of the chromogranin/secretogranin family of neuroendocrine secretory proteins comprising a number of significant cellular functions. In an experimental mouse model, autoimmunity with secretogranin was associated with encephalitis [39]. These similarities identified in the host-pathogen could affect neuro endocrine secretory protein release and autoimmunity.
\nBLAST output of polyprotein of JE 2 showing similarity to human protein secretogranin-3.
The sequence similarities in agrin,caprin-2,2′,3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase, galanin peptide, kinesin-like protein, neurofilament heavy polypeptide, neurogranin and secretogranin-3 with its corresponding pathogenic peptide/s could have a number of cellular-level implications which include alternations in receptor binding, signaling/synaptic transmission, metabolic alteration, inflammation, resulting in autoimmunity and consequently neuropathy (Figure 23) [11, 40].
\nA model for the modes of host-pathogen interaction and possible intracellular regulation of metabolic activities.
In conclusion, it is important to conduct bioinformatic searches and design wet experiments with the objective of identifying a vast number of functionally significant peptides for further comparison and study. Bioinformatic search tools and various available databases are to be extensively explored to rapidly develop possible neuroprotective or pathogenic peptide sequences. These peptides can be further explored as targets to generate recombinant antibodies. This exercise can also be used to develop an efficacious and safe vaccine against pathogens that demonstrate no autoimmune cross-reactions. It can also contribute to design peptide/drug molecules to neutralize the effects of neurotoxins. Bioinformatics is the key to open the door of understanding medical and biological processes in the future.
\nWe acknowledge short-term project works of Do Eon Lee of York University, 700 Keele St, Toronto, ON M3 J 1P3, Canada and Logeshwaran Vasudevan of Bharathidasan University, Palkalaiperur, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620024, and Dr Sharon Bushi of Morristown Med CtrIntnlMedcn, 100 Madison Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960 on the preliminary work of nerve protein pathogen similarity searches.
\nHypertension is a global health condition of developed and developing countries including South Africa. South Africa has the highest prevalence of people with hypertension (between 42% and 54%) compared with the eastern (15%) and western (25%) parts of Southern Africa. Sadly, the condition of these patients is still not controlled even while on treatment [1]. A recommendation of this study is that a regionally tailored intervention is implemented to prevent disastrous consequences relating to hypertension mortality and morbidity. While hypertension is a chronic, lifelong condition that needs regular and continued follow-up care, it also requires skilled health care providers who are supported by the treatment guidelines of the National Department of Health (NDoH), South Africa.
Approximately 17-million patients diagnosed with hypertension, a chronic, non-communicable and preventable disease, visit South PHC clinics for consultation. Hypertensive patients are initially encouraged to follow lifestyle modifications to promote control and management of the disease as part of its non-treatment management. Thereafter, if condition remains uncontrolled, hypertensive patients are informed to use daily treatment for the rest of their lives [2]. The NDoH of South Africa recommends that health professionals who are practicing in PHC clinics provide health education to enhance compliance with the management and control of hypertension [3].
Before 2006 parallel guidelines were developed by the Southern African Hypertension Society and the South African Department of Health, but the 2006 guideline is the combination task of the two bodies [4]. The guideline outlines dissimilar broad steps that health professionals should adhere on to achieve controlled blood pressure effectively, beginning from the patient risk screening/profiling, the measurements and investigations, the classification and complete treatment of hypertensive patients with or without co-morbidities, to their repeat and continuous plan [5]. A research conducted in Pretoria (Tshwane) on adherence to the hypertension guidelines among private practitioners and PHC physicians found that overall adherence to the hypertension practice guidelines used by generalists in private practice was 55%, while among PHC doctors in public-service, it was 56.4% [6].
Although two guidelines, Adult Primary Care (APC)/ Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) and Essential Medicines List (EML), are available for use in PHC facilities when consulting patients with hypertension, the challenge is whether these guidelines are adhered to or not. To this end, the study sought to assess adherence or non-adherence to these guidelines and to describe the follow-up care received by patients in the Tshwane district of the Gauteng province, South Africa.
As far as the workshop on Diabetes Mellitus was concerned, the former Deputy Minister of Health in South Africa Dr. Joe Phaahla reported concerns about the quality of records in some clinics during auditing of patients’ records. Hypertensive patients’ medical history was recorded in two sentences, for example
Detailed history, physical examination and interpretation of investigations should form an integral part of the routine care of patients with hypertension. Regarding measurements, it is important to ensure that PHC nurses who take blood pressure measurements have adequate initial training and their performance periodically reviewed. Equipment for measuring blood pressure must be correctly checked, serviced and adequately recalibrated according to the companies’ instructors’ manuals. When checking blood pressure, PHC nurses in the clinics should calm the setting and provide a relaxed, temperate atmosphere, with the patients quiet and seated, and arms outstretched and supported. Use of a correct machine for the patient’s arm is important [9]. A community-based study to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors in municipalities of Kathmandu, Nepal [10], found that factors associated with hypertension were smoking, Body Mass Index (BMI), alcohol use, poor physical activity and diabetes.
The guidelines [9] emphasise the importance of the following lifestyle modifications:
Administer continuous lifestyle advice to patients
Promote a healthy diet and regular exercise
Offer guidance and written or audiovisual materials to promote lifestyle changes
Encourage reduced alcohol consumption
Discourage excessive consumption of coffee and other caffeine-rich products
Encourage patients to keep their dietary sodium intake low
Offer advice and help smokers to stop smoking
Inform patients about support groups such as local initiatives, health care teams or patient organisations that provide support and promote life-style change [9].
In South Africa, the following lifestyle modification is also recommended [11]:
Educate patients about adequate dietary fibre intake (fruits, vegetables and unrefined carbohydrate).
The research is quantitative because it sought to measure the phenomenon by attaching numerical values to express quantity [12]. The observation was carried out in the PHC facilities whereby entries of patients’ files were evaluated. Perusal of patients’ files and documentation using checklist was also done. Furthermore, quantitative research is described as a formal, objective, systematic methodology to describe variables, to test relationships, and to examine cause and effect [13]. However, for this study, only the former is applicable. The patients whose files were perused had experienced an event that is a “follow-up consultation for hypertension”. Moreover, the patients were mostly pensioners and depending on old age grant and even the unemployed ones without the medical aids. They resided around the townships and villages of Tshwane.
The study setting was guided by the research questions and the type of data that were required to answer the following questions [14].
How is the follow-up care received by patients with hypertension at PHC facilities in the Tshwane district?
What is the adherence or non-adherence to the National Guidelines by nurses about hypertension follow-up care?
A multi-site approach was used whereby ten different PHC facilities were selected. Using multiple sites offers a larger and more diverse sample [12], which improves external validity. Both provincial and municipal facilities were included. Data collection took place at two community health centres (CHCs) and eight clinics. The total number of PHC facilities was ten. The real-life settings were natural, and uncontrolled; the researcher did not attempt to manipulate them in any way.
The units of analysis were the files of male and female patients above 30-years old, who were diagnosed with hypertension at PHC facilities in the Tshwane district of Gauteng Province. As recommended [12], this was the entire aggregation of cases in which the researcher was interested.
Ten of the 74 PHC facilities in the Tshwane district were randomly selected from the list on the National Health Research Database (NHRD). All clinics in the Tshwane district appear on the NHRD. The names of the facilities were written on pieces of paper that were placed in a bowl, and jumbled. From this, the first facility was chosen. The names were jumbled again, and the second facility was chosen. The process was repeated until all ten facilities had been chosen. According to the monthly statistics, at the time of the study, an average of 300 hypertensive patients were seen in each of the ten facilities per month. Hence, a proportional sample of ten files was conveniently chosen per facility.
The pilot study was done a month prior data collection when the research instrument was tested with ten files which were not utilised in the actual study. This was done to check if it could yield required information. The instrument was then revised and refined after the statistician checked it for validity and reliability.
Reliability of an instrument is a major criterion for assessing quality [12]. It is defined as the consistency and accuracy with which an instrument measures what is intended to measure. When used on repeated trials, an instrument with high reliability will produce the similar results [15]. To determine usefulness reliability of the instrument, the researchers utilised South African NDoH hypertension management guidelines. The guidelines support for a consistent standard of care across all PHC facilities in the country. Thus, the measuring instrument was considered reliable because it entailed attributes that are nationally recommended as the standard of care that hypertensive patients should receive during their follow-up visits.
Content validity was proofed by aligning concepts with the hypertension management guidelines of the country’s NDoH. Prior the actual real research study was conducted, a clinic that was excluded in the final study sample was piloted to test the data collection process. Inputs from clinicians were used to amend the data collection tool where necessary. Piloting was conducted between the first two months of the year 2018.
The ethics approval certificate (HSHDC/839/2018) was granted by the University of South Africa (UNISA).
Data were collected by auditing the files of patients who were consulted for hypertension follow-up using a checklist. A checklist itemises task descriptions in one column and provides a space besides each item to check off items that are done or not done [16]. The checklist contains activities that must be performed on a follow-up visit for hypertension according to the National Guidelines, the APC and the EML. The checklist was distributed by the researcher herself at the chosen PHC facilities. Some amendments and modifications were made to the checklist following the pilot study. Data were collected over a period of two months (June and July 2018), and all 100 checklists were completed.
The managers of the selected PHC clinics were contacted in advance to inform them of the data collection date. Ten files were chosen per PHC clinic, and from these, the data were gathered. Files were physically collected from the filing room with the help of the administrative staff of the PHC facility. The researchers examined each file to check that it belonged to hypertensive adult patient, who was non-diabetic and not pregnant in order to adhere with the inclusion criteria. Once ten files that adhered with the criteria were found, the data gathering started. All 54 questions on the checklist were ticked/not ticked in accordance with either attribute was recorded or not recorded.
Data were coded and checked for correctness before being entered into a Microsoft Excel codebook. The data were analysed according to the following steps:
the last year in which patient was seen at the clinic;
characteristics of the sample;
patient’s history
physical examination;
vital signs;
side room investigations;
routine blood tests;
life style assessment;
management of the patients; and
knowledge and skills of health worker.
Table 1 below indicates whether the attributes listed were assessed, as evidenced by records.
Frequencies | Percentages (%) | |
---|---|---|
Dyspnoea | ||
Yes | 1 | 1.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 98 | 98.0 |
Missing/Incomplete | 1 | 1.0 |
Jugular venous pressure | ||
Yes | 1 | 1.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 99 | 99.0 |
Apex beat recorded | ||
Yes | 0 | 0.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 100 | 100.0 |
Oedema | ||
Yes | 64 | 64.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 36 | 36.0 |
Crepitations | ||
Yes | 17 | 17.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 83 | 83.0 |
Heart sounds | ||
Yes | 53 | 53.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 47 | 47.0 |
Cyanosis | ||
Yes | 28 | 28.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 72 | 72.0 |
Clubbing | ||
Yes | 28 | 28.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 72 | 72.0 |
Blood pressure | ||
Yes | 100 | 100.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 0 | 0.0 |
Pulse rate, rhythm and character | ||
Pulse rate | ||
Yes | 96 | 96.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 4 | 4.0 |
Pulse rhythm | ||
Yes | 0 | 0.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 100 | 100 |
Pulse volume | ||
Yes | 0 | 0.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 100 | 100. |
Waist circumference recorded | ||
Yes | 0 | |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 100 | 100.0 |
Blood glucose measured | ||
Yes | 23 | 23.0 |
No | 77 | 77.0 |
Urine tests | ||
Yes | 32 | 32.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 68 | 68.0 |
Eye test done or recorded | ||
Yes | 0 | 0.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 100 | 100.0 |
eGFR | ||
Yes | 70 | 70.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 30 | 30.0 |
Cholesterol | ||
Yes | 66 | 66.0 |
No | 0 | 0 |
Not recorded | 34 | 34.0 |
Yes | 2 | 2.0 |
No | 8 | 8.0 |
Not recorded | 90 | 90.0 |
Alcohol use | ||
Yes | 1 | 1.0 |
No | 8 | 8.0 |
Not recorded | 91 | 91.0 |
Exercise | ||
Yes | 1 | 1.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 99 | 99.0 |
Salt reduction | ||
Yes | 0 | 0.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 100 | 100.0 |
Fat reduction | ||
Yes | 0 | 0.0 |
No | 0 | 0.0 |
Not recorded | 100 | 100.0 |
Dyspnoea | 99.0 | 1.0 |
Jugular venous pressure | 99.0 | 1.0 |
Apex beat recorded | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Crepitations | 83.0 | 17.0 |
No. of pillows used | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Cyanosis | 72.0 | 28.0 |
Clubbing | 72.0 | 28.0 |
Chest pain recorded | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Walk/climb | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Pulse rhythm | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Pulse volume | 100.0 | 0.0 |
BMI | 82.0 | 18.0 |
Waist circumference recorded | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Blood glucose measured | 77.0 | 23.0 |
Urine tests | 68.0 | 32.0 |
Eye test done or recorded | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Smoking | 98.0 | 2.0 |
Alcohol Use | 99.0 | 1.0 |
Exercise | 99.0 | 1.0 |
Salt reduction | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Fat reduction | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Adherence to medication recorded | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Side effects of treatment | 100.0 | 0.0 |
Heart sounds recorded | 47.0 | 53.0 |
Attributes of physical examination, measurements, routine blood tests and non-adherent attributes.
Antihypertensive drugs are mainly prescribed to reduce blood pressure and the complications associated with the disease. According to a study conducted among South African adult residents of Mkhondo Municipality, clinical guidelines recommend the use of multiple drugs to control blood pressure effectively and reduce the possibility of hypertension related complications [17]. The authors of this study determined that a high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension was noted irrespective of the number of drugs and the combinations administered [17]. A plausible explanation could be non-adherence to treatment by patients. Hence, it is important for clinicians to follow evidence-based guidelines in prescribing antihypertensive drugs for patients. According to a registry-based observational study in two municipalities in Cuba on assessment of hypertension management and control [18], it found that almost half of the patients receiving treatment were taking two or more antihypertensive drugs. Figure 1 below indicates the commonly used antihypertensive medications at PHC facilities in the Tshwane district of Gauteng Province, South Africa as hydrochlorothiazide, enalapril and amlodipine.
Commonly used antihypertensive medications.
In this study, the determination of adherence and non-adherence was done by dichotomizing whether or not nurses complied with clinical guidelines in providing healthcare services regarding hypertension follow-up care. Binary counts showing whether or not nurses made records in compliance with clinical guidelines were done using frequency statistics tables in SPSS. Based on clinical guidelines, adherence was affirmed present if at least 60% of sample records showed that nurses made records in line with guidelines. Conversely, non-adherence was affirmed if less than 60% of sample records showed that nurses made records as per the guidelines. The at least 60% threshold affirming adherence was derived from clinical guidelines. This study’s results on nurses’ adherence and non-adherence to guidelines are as follows:
Moving onwards, the test for presence of significant association between compliance by nurses to clinical guidelines (adherence and non-adherence) and categories of attributes (physical examination, physical measurements, life-style modification, routine blood tests, and history) was done using the chi-square test at 5 percent level of significance. The Pearson chi-square value = 11.654 (p-value = 0.020) and Cramer’s V score = 0.634 (p-value = 0.020) indicate presence of statistically significant and strong association between compliance outcome (adherence and non-adherence) and category of attributes. The results confirm existence of significant difference between adherence and non-adherence proportions at 5 percent level.
The authors of the study conducted in Mkhondo Municipality [17] assert that the high prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension can possibly be attributed to obesity, lack of physical activity and dyslipidaemia. Moreover, the prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension and its association with low HDL-C, inadequate physical activity and obesity were reported [17].
Figure 2 below shows percentages of adherent and non-adherent attributes for this study.
Adherent and non-adherent attributes.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the follow-up care received by patients with hypertension at PHC facilities in the Tshwane district. The study found a significant percentage (93.4%) of non-adherence to hypertension guidelines among consulting nurses at selected PHC facilities. Based on the results of this study, some professional nurses could not interpret the danger related to an elevated eGFR or cholesterol. Where the BMI was measured, it was not interpreted so that interventions could be implemented. In the follow-up visit, there was total misunderstanding of lifestyle modification and how it must be implemented in the management of hypertension. It was clear that PHC facilities require greater assistance and support from the employer, the NDoH of South Africa, to enable PHC nurses in the Tshwane district to adopt more follow-up care of hypertensive patients. Furthermore, in order to assist, guide and motivate the nurses to become active partners in their care, in-service trainings, resources and equipment are needed. There should be a remediation programme for professional nurses who have been trained but are found to be non-adherent to the guidelines. In a study conducted in Kinshasa, Congo, in which knowledge of consulting nurse’s was assessed, 84% of the nurses reported to have received training [19]. The results suggest that training alone may not be enough, but continuous support and remedial actions may be necessary [19].
In addition, nurses of PHC facilities need to be supported by policy and organisational change. The results of the study [19] also supported the earlier observation made by the researcher in the research problem that chronic services are regarded as fast track and sometimes very incompetent nurses are allocated to these services since they are regarded as predominantly treatment collection with no specialised skills required. In accordance with other similar studies, most of the files of hypertensive patients that were audited for this study were found to be demonstrating positive and negative strengths regarding the follow-up care received by patients with hypertension.
A study conducted in Brazil by [16] on the association between follow-up care in health services and adherence to antihypertensive medication indicated that the level of therapeutic adherence in different populations of hypertensive patients is frequently investigated, given the severity of the problem. The adherence identified in the population was high (63%), possibly influenced by the characteristics of the participants, who had cardiovascular disease associated with arterial hypertension and, consequently, needed and sought health care more frequently. The findings indicate that higher consultation attendance has a statistically significant relationship with better medication adherence. This reinforces the notion that accessibility and frequent use of health services significantly affects the health conditions of hypertensive patients with associated cardiovascular disease [16].
Furthermore, the significance of follow-up care in clinics was analysed in relation to the level of therapeutic adherence and the prevalence of acute events [20, 21]. Patients who did not seek emergency services in the last two years had better adherence rates (p = 0.04). Since acute episodes usually lead to the introduction of new drugs in the treatment protocol of hypertensive patients, the lower adherence of the group that sought emergency services may be related to the problem in adapting to combination therapy, which demands post-discharge follow-up [20, 21].
In the study conducted in Brazil [16], the authors sought to advance knowledge concerning the correlation between health services and medication adherence when investigating attendance of hypertensive patients’ at nursing consultations, since these are mainly focused on health education [16]. Regardless of the fact that the respondents had a greater number of medical appointments than nursing consultations, drug adherence was better among those who attended nursing consultations more frequently (p = 0.022). In addition, the study indicated the number of consultations necessary to improve the therapeutic adherence of hypertension patients [16].
Repeated nursing follow-up does not necessarily result in increased therapeutic adherence, and can increase health care costs [22]. The practice revealed by the present chapter of 4 to 6 nursing consultations per annum is the preferred level of nursing follow-ups, to attain better levels of antihypertensive treatment adherence. It was also observed that hypertensive patients who attended medical and nursing consultations or who had received health orientations in the last 6 months presented greater therapeutic adherence, with a statistically significant correlation (p = 0.013). PHC professionals have a high capability and meaningful opportunity to impact the improvement of patients’ treatment adherence, through the support of guidelines and care during visits, home visits, health talk actions and tracking of non-adherent behaviours [23].
Regarding the view of impact of follow-ups in PHC services on therapeutic adherence of hypertensive patients, directed public policies are necessary to enhance this level of attention, and bring it closer to the population. Also meriting consideration is the social capital of the Brazilian population, which assists people overcome obstacles regarding the accessibility and utilisation of clinics by giving information and treatment support. For hypertensive patients, involvement into social health networks encourages them to look for specialised health care, although the decision to take part in treatment follow-up must be from the patients themselves [24]. However, treatment adherence will definitely be influenced by participation in social health networks and presence of follow-up visits in the clinics.
The results of this chapter are valid in the specific context of the Tshwane district and cannot be generalised to the entire Gauteng province or to the whole country.
The objectives of the study were to describe the follow-up care received by patients with hypertension at PHC facilities in the Tshwane district and to determine nurses’ adherence or non-adherence to the guidelines regarding hypertension follow-up care. The conclusion drawn is that follow-up care obtained by hypertensive patients in PHC facilities in the Tshwane district was found to be insufficient, and demonstrated by a trend of non-adherence to the guidelines. This showed a considerable lack of knowledge and practice in the treatment of hypertension in PHC clinics.
It is recommended that unskilled professional nurses should not be allocated to hypertension follow-up care or to a chronic section. Even if guidelines are available, they will yield better results if they are used by professional nurses who understand consultation skills such as history taking, physical examination and interpretation of investigations.
Thanks, are extended to the Tshwane district of Gauteng province, South Africa for granting permission to conducting the study and for providing support. The authors further thank the managers of the selected PHC facilities and their clerical staff for their support.
The authors declare that there are no competing interests regarding the writing of this chapter.
M.J.M., the author of the chapter, conducted the research.
D.S.K.H., the study supervisor, assisted in writing the chapter.
The study was self-funded.
The expressed ideas pertaining to the chapter are of authors and do not indicate the policy or position of any associations with them.
Data sharing is inapplicable to this book chapter since no new data were formulated or interpreted.
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This research branch involves two key points: first, representing traverse environment information as discrete graph form, in particular, occupancy grid cost map at arbitrary resolution, and, second, path planning algorithms calculate paths on these graphs from start to goal by propagating cost associated with each vertex in graph. The chapter will guide researcher through the foundation of motion planning concept, the history of search-based path planning and then focus on the evolution of state-of-the-art incremental, heuristic, anytime algorithm families that are currently applied on practical robot rover. The comparison experiment between algorithm families is demonstrated in terms of performance and optimality. The future of search-based path planning and motion planning in general is also discussed.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"An T. Le and Than D. Le",authors:[{id:"211542",title:"Mr.",name:"Than",middleName:null,surname:"Le",slug:"than-le",fullName:"Than Le"},{id:"211558",title:"Mr.",name:"An",middleName:"T.",surname:"Le",slug:"an-le",fullName:"An Le"}]},{id:"57484",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.71486",title:"Path Planning in Rough Terrain Using Neural Network Memory",slug:"path-planning-in-rough-terrain-using-neural-network-memory",totalDownloads:845,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:1,abstract:"Learning navigation policies in an unstructured terrain is a complex task. The Learning to Search (LEARCH) algorithm constructs cost functions that map environmental features to a certain cost for traversing a patch of terrain. These features are abstractions of the environment, in which trees, vegetation, slopes, water and rocks can be found, and the traversal costs are scalar values that represent the difficulty for a robot to cross given the patches of terrain. However, LEARCH tends to forget knowledge after new policies are learned. The study demonstrates that reinforcement learning and long-short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks can be used to provide a memory for LEARCH. Further, they allow the navigation agent to recognize hidden states of the state space it navigates. This new approach allows the knowledge learned in the previous training to be used to navigate new environments and, also, for retraining. Herein, navigation episodes are designed to confirm the memory, learning policy and hidden-state recognition capabilities, acquired by the navigation agent through the use of LSTM.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"Nancy Arana-Daniel, Roberto Valencia-Murillo, Alma Y. Alanís,\nCarlos Villaseñor and Carlos López-Franco",authors:[{id:"162391",title:"Dr.",name:"Nancy",middleName:null,surname:"Arana-Daniel",slug:"nancy-arana-daniel",fullName:"Nancy Arana-Daniel"},{id:"164571",title:"Dr.",name:"Carlos",middleName:null,surname:"Lopez-Franco",slug:"carlos-lopez-franco",fullName:"Carlos Lopez-Franco"},{id:"212726",title:"Dr.",name:"Roberto",middleName:null,surname:"Valencia-Murillo",slug:"roberto-valencia-murillo",fullName:"Roberto Valencia-Murillo"},{id:"212727",title:"Dr.",name:"Alma Y.",middleName:null,surname:"Alanis",slug:"alma-y.-alanis",fullName:"Alma Y. Alanis"},{id:"220834",title:"Dr.",name:"Carlos",middleName:null,surname:"Villaseñor",slug:"carlos-villasenor",fullName:"Carlos Villaseñor"}]},{id:"58361",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.72573",title:"Path Planning on Quadric Surfaces and Its Application",slug:"path-planning-on-quadric-surfaces-and-its-application",totalDownloads:866,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:1,abstract:"In this chapter, recent near-shortest path-planning algorithms with O(nlog n) in the quadric plane based on the Delaunay triangulation, Ahuja-Dijkstra algorithm, and ridge points are reviewed. The shortest path planning in the general three-dimensional situation is an NP-hard problem. The optimal solution can be approached under the assumption that the number of Steiner points is infinite. The state-the-art method has at most 2.81% difference on the shortest path length, but the computation time is 4216 times faster. Compared to the other O(nlog n) time near-shortest path approach (Kanai and Suzuki, KS’s algorithm), the path length of the Delaunay triangulation method is 0.28% longer than the KS’s algorithm with three Steiner points, but the computation is about 31.71 times faster. This, however, has only a few path length differences, which promises a good result, but the best computing time. Notably, these methods based on Delaunay triangulation concept are ideal for being extended to solve the path-planning problem on the Quadric surface or even the cruise missile mission planning and Mars rover.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"Chi-Chia Sun, Gene Eu Jan, Chaomin Lu and Kai-Chieh Yang",authors:[{id:"36311",title:"Dr.",name:"Chaomin",middleName:null,surname:"Luo",slug:"chaomin-luo",fullName:"Chaomin Luo"},{id:"220894",title:"Prof.",name:"Gene Eu (Ching Yuh)",middleName:"Eu",surname:"Jan",slug:"gene-eu-(ching-yuh)-jan",fullName:"Gene Eu (Ching Yuh) Jan"},{id:"221450",title:"Dr.",name:"Chi-Chia",middleName:null,surname:"Sun",slug:"chi-chia-sun",fullName:"Chi-Chia Sun"},{id:"221451",title:"MSc.",name:"Kai-Chieh",middleName:null,surname:"Yang",slug:"kai-chieh-yang",fullName:"Kai-Chieh Yang"}]},{id:"63374",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.76895",title:"Motion Planning for Mobile Robots",slug:"motion-planning-for-mobile-robots",totalDownloads:1179,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:1,abstract:"This chapter introduces two kinds of motion path planning algorithms for mobile robots or unmanned ground vehicles (UGV). First, we present an approach of trajectory planning for UGV or mobile robot under the existence of moving obstacles by using improved artificial potential field method. Then, we propose an I-RRT* algorithm for motion planning, which combines the environment with obstacle constraints, vehicle constraints, and kinematic constraints. All the simulation results and the experiments show that two kinds of algorithm are effective for practical use.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"Xiangrong Xu, Yang Yang and Siyu Pan",authors:[{id:"217380",title:"Prof.",name:"Xiangrong",middleName:null,surname:"Xu",slug:"xiangrong-xu",fullName:"Xiangrong Xu"}]}],mostDownloadedChaptersLast30Days:[{id:"58561",title:"Search-Based Planning and Replanning in Robotics and Autonomous Systems",slug:"search-based-planning-and-replanning-in-robotics-and-autonomous-systems",totalDownloads:1137,totalCrossrefCites:3,totalDimensionsCites:2,abstract:"In this chapter, we present one of the most crucial branches in motion planning: search-based planning and replanning algorithms. This research branch involves two key points: first, representing traverse environment information as discrete graph form, in particular, occupancy grid cost map at arbitrary resolution, and, second, path planning algorithms calculate paths on these graphs from start to goal by propagating cost associated with each vertex in graph. The chapter will guide researcher through the foundation of motion planning concept, the history of search-based path planning and then focus on the evolution of state-of-the-art incremental, heuristic, anytime algorithm families that are currently applied on practical robot rover. The comparison experiment between algorithm families is demonstrated in terms of performance and optimality. The future of search-based path planning and motion planning in general is also discussed.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"An T. Le and Than D. Le",authors:[{id:"211542",title:"Mr.",name:"Than",middleName:null,surname:"Le",slug:"than-le",fullName:"Than Le"},{id:"211558",title:"Mr.",name:"An",middleName:"T.",surname:"Le",slug:"an-le",fullName:"An Le"}]},{id:"58361",title:"Path Planning on Quadric Surfaces and Its Application",slug:"path-planning-on-quadric-surfaces-and-its-application",totalDownloads:865,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:1,abstract:"In this chapter, recent near-shortest path-planning algorithms with O(nlog n) in the quadric plane based on the Delaunay triangulation, Ahuja-Dijkstra algorithm, and ridge points are reviewed. The shortest path planning in the general three-dimensional situation is an NP-hard problem. The optimal solution can be approached under the assumption that the number of Steiner points is infinite. The state-the-art method has at most 2.81% difference on the shortest path length, but the computation time is 4216 times faster. Compared to the other O(nlog n) time near-shortest path approach (Kanai and Suzuki, KS’s algorithm), the path length of the Delaunay triangulation method is 0.28% longer than the KS’s algorithm with three Steiner points, but the computation is about 31.71 times faster. This, however, has only a few path length differences, which promises a good result, but the best computing time. Notably, these methods based on Delaunay triangulation concept are ideal for being extended to solve the path-planning problem on the Quadric surface or even the cruise missile mission planning and Mars rover.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"Chi-Chia Sun, Gene Eu Jan, Chaomin Lu and Kai-Chieh Yang",authors:[{id:"36311",title:"Dr.",name:"Chaomin",middleName:null,surname:"Luo",slug:"chaomin-luo",fullName:"Chaomin Luo"},{id:"220894",title:"Prof.",name:"Gene Eu (Ching Yuh)",middleName:"Eu",surname:"Jan",slug:"gene-eu-(ching-yuh)-jan",fullName:"Gene Eu (Ching Yuh) Jan"},{id:"221450",title:"Dr.",name:"Chi-Chia",middleName:null,surname:"Sun",slug:"chi-chia-sun",fullName:"Chi-Chia Sun"},{id:"221451",title:"MSc.",name:"Kai-Chieh",middleName:null,surname:"Yang",slug:"kai-chieh-yang",fullName:"Kai-Chieh Yang"}]},{id:"58388",title:"Path Planning Based on Parametric Curves",slug:"path-planning-based-on-parametric-curves",totalDownloads:1208,totalCrossrefCites:3,totalDimensionsCites:5,abstract:"Parametric curves are extensively used in engineering. The most commonly used parametric curves are, Bézier, B-splines, (NURBSs), and rational Bézier. Each and every one of them has special features, being the main difference between them the complexity of their mathematical definition. While Bézier curves are the simplest ones, B-splines or NURBSs are more complex. In mobile robotics, two main problems have been addressed with parametric curves. The first one is the definition of an initial trajectory for a mobile robot from a start location to a goal. The path has to be a continuous curve, smooth and easy to manipulate, and the properties of the parametric curves meet these requirements. The second one is the modification of the initial trajectory in real time attending to the dynamic properties of the environment. Parametric curves are capable of enhancing the trajectories produced by path planning algorithms adapting them to the kinematic properties of the robot. In order to avoid obstacles, the shape modification of parametric curves is required. In this chapter, an algorithm is proposed for computing an initial Bézier trajectory of a mobile robot and subsequently modifies it in real time in order to avoid obstacles in a dynamic environment.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"Lucía Hilario Pérez, Marta Covadonga Mora Aguilar, Nicolás Montés\nSánchez and Antonio Falcó Montesinos",authors:[{id:"213131",title:"Dr.",name:"Lucía",middleName:null,surname:"Hilario Pérez",slug:"lucia-hilario-perez",fullName:"Lucía Hilario Pérez"},{id:"213132",title:"Dr.",name:"Marta Covadonga",middleName:null,surname:"Mora",slug:"marta-covadonga-mora",fullName:"Marta Covadonga Mora"},{id:"213144",title:"Dr.",name:"Nicolás",middleName:null,surname:"Montés Sánchez",slug:"nicolas-montes-sanchez",fullName:"Nicolás Montés Sánchez"},{id:"221922",title:"Dr.",name:"Antonio",middleName:null,surname:"Falcó Montesinos",slug:"antonio-falco-montesinos",fullName:"Antonio Falcó Montesinos"}]},{id:"63374",title:"Motion Planning for Mobile Robots",slug:"motion-planning-for-mobile-robots",totalDownloads:1177,totalCrossrefCites:1,totalDimensionsCites:1,abstract:"This chapter introduces two kinds of motion path planning algorithms for mobile robots or unmanned ground vehicles (UGV). First, we present an approach of trajectory planning for UGV or mobile robot under the existence of moving obstacles by using improved artificial potential field method. Then, we propose an I-RRT* algorithm for motion planning, which combines the environment with obstacle constraints, vehicle constraints, and kinematic constraints. All the simulation results and the experiments show that two kinds of algorithm are effective for practical use.",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"Xiangrong Xu, Yang Yang and Siyu Pan",authors:[{id:"217380",title:"Prof.",name:"Xiangrong",middleName:null,surname:"Xu",slug:"xiangrong-xu",fullName:"Xiangrong Xu"}]},{id:"58572",title:"Design and Implementation of a Demonstrative Palletizer Robot with Navigation for Educational Purposes",slug:"design-and-implementation-of-a-demonstrative-palletizer-robot-with-navigation-for-educational-purpos",totalDownloads:1194,totalCrossrefCites:0,totalDimensionsCites:0,abstract:"Nowadays, many kinds of robots are used in industries to help in manufacturing or placing objects. However, teaching young people and children about robot design and work can be difficult, turning this into a complicated area for them. This chapter provides a detailed description of the design and implementation of a robotic arm mounted on a mobile robot using the LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit® and the starter kit DaNI 2.0, designed by National Instruments®. The mobile palletizer robot takes a box from place A and navigates in the indoor environment until it reaches a predefined place B. The characterization of the robotic arm is based on a parallel structure considering that the end-effector has only two points to hold the object; the gripper is also built using LEGO®. The robot performs the path computed using an A-star algorithm; moreover, actions like moving up and down, opening and closing the gripper and picking up the box and putting it down are executed by the robotic arm using the central unit of the NXT kit. Each stage of the robot design and implementation is explained in detail using diagrams and 3D graphical views with the aim of illustrating the implementation step by step for educational purposes (mainly for young people or children).",book:{id:"6322",slug:"advanced-path-planning-for-mobile-entities",title:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities",fullTitle:"Advanced Path Planning for Mobile Entities"},signatures:"Dora-Luz Almanza-Ojeda, Perla-Lizeth Garza-Barron, Carlos Rubin\nMontoro-Sanjose and Mario-Alberto Ibarra-Manzano",authors:[{id:"182765",title:"Dr.",name:"Dora Luz",middleName:null,surname:"Almanza Ojeda",slug:"dora-luz-almanza-ojeda",fullName:"Dora Luz Almanza Ojeda"},{id:"191783",title:"Dr.",name:"Mario-Alberto",middleName:null,surname:"Ibarra-Manzano",slug:"mario-alberto-ibarra-manzano",fullName:"Mario-Alberto Ibarra-Manzano"},{id:"213261",title:"BSc.",name:"Perla Lizeth",middleName:null,surname:"Garza-Barrón",slug:"perla-lizeth-garza-barron",fullName:"Perla Lizeth Garza-Barrón"},{id:"223872",title:"Dr.",name:"Carlos Rubin",middleName:null,surname:"Montoro-Sanjose",slug:"carlos-rubin-montoro-sanjose",fullName:"Carlos Rubin Montoro-Sanjose"}]}],onlineFirstChaptersFilter:{topicId:"1303",limit:6,offset:0},onlineFirstChaptersCollection:[],onlineFirstChaptersTotal:0},preDownload:{success:null,errors:{}},subscriptionForm:{success:null,errors:{}},aboutIntechopen:{},privacyPolicy:{},peerReviewing:{},howOpenAccessPublishingWithIntechopenWorks:{},sponsorshipBooks:{sponsorshipBooks:[],offset:8,limit:8,total:0},allSeries:{pteSeriesList:[{id:"14",title:"Artificial Intelligence",numberOfPublishedBooks:9,numberOfPublishedChapters:87,numberOfOpenTopics:6,numberOfUpcomingTopics:0,issn:"2633-1403",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.79920",isOpenForSubmission:!0},{id:"7",title:"Biomedical Engineering",numberOfPublishedBooks:12,numberOfPublishedChapters:98,numberOfOpenTopics:3,numberOfUpcomingTopics:0,issn:"2631-5343",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.71985",isOpenForSubmission:!0}],lsSeriesList:[{id:"11",title:"Biochemistry",numberOfPublishedBooks:27,numberOfPublishedChapters:287,numberOfOpenTopics:4,numberOfUpcomingTopics:0,issn:"2632-0983",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.72877",isOpenForSubmission:!0},{id:"25",title:"Environmental Sciences",numberOfPublishedBooks:1,numberOfPublishedChapters:9,numberOfOpenTopics:4,numberOfUpcomingTopics:0,issn:"2754-6713",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.100362",isOpenForSubmission:!0},{id:"10",title:"Physiology",numberOfPublishedBooks:11,numberOfPublishedChapters:139,numberOfOpenTopics:4,numberOfUpcomingTopics:0,issn:"2631-8261",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.72796",isOpenForSubmission:!0}],hsSeriesList:[{id:"3",title:"Dentistry",numberOfPublishedBooks:8,numberOfPublishedChapters:129,numberOfOpenTopics:0,numberOfUpcomingTopics:2,issn:"2631-6218",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.71199",isOpenForSubmission:!1},{id:"6",title:"Infectious Diseases",numberOfPublishedBooks:13,numberOfPublishedChapters:107,numberOfOpenTopics:3,numberOfUpcomingTopics:1,issn:"2631-6188",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.71852",isOpenForSubmission:!0},{id:"13",title:"Veterinary Medicine and Science",numberOfPublishedBooks:10,numberOfPublishedChapters:103,numberOfOpenTopics:3,numberOfUpcomingTopics:0,issn:"2632-0517",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.73681",isOpenForSubmission:!0}],sshSeriesList:[{id:"22",title:"Business, Management and Economics",numberOfPublishedBooks:1,numberOfPublishedChapters:12,numberOfOpenTopics:2,numberOfUpcomingTopics:1,issn:null,doi:"10.5772/intechopen.100359",isOpenForSubmission:!0},{id:"23",title:"Education and Human Development",numberOfPublishedBooks:0,numberOfPublishedChapters:0,numberOfOpenTopics:2,numberOfUpcomingTopics:0,issn:null,doi:"10.5772/intechopen.100360",isOpenForSubmission:!1},{id:"24",title:"Sustainable Development",numberOfPublishedBooks:0,numberOfPublishedChapters:10,numberOfOpenTopics:4,numberOfUpcomingTopics:1,issn:null,doi:"10.5772/intechopen.100361",isOpenForSubmission:!0}],testimonialsList:[{id:"13",text:"The collaboration with and support of the technical staff of IntechOpen is fantastic. The whole process of submitting an article and editing of the submitted article goes extremely smooth and fast, the number of reads and downloads of chapters is high, and the contributions are also frequently cited.",author:{id:"55578",name:"Antonio",surname:"Jurado-Navas",institutionString:null,profilePictureURL:"https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/intech-files/0030O00002bRisIQAS/Profile_Picture_1626166543950",slug:"antonio-jurado-navas",institution:{id:"720",name:"University of Malaga",country:{id:null,name:"Spain"}}}},{id:"6",text:"It is great to work with the IntechOpen to produce a worthwhile collection of research that also becomes a great educational resource and guide for future research endeavors.",author:{id:"259298",name:"Edward",surname:"Narayan",institutionString:null,profilePictureURL:"https://mts.intechopen.com/storage/users/259298/images/system/259298.jpeg",slug:"edward-narayan",institution:{id:"3",name:"University of Queensland",country:{id:null,name:"Australia"}}}}]},series:{item:{id:"24",title:"Sustainable Development",doi:"10.5772/intechopen.100361",issn:null,scope:"