Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Atten Percept Psychophys 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1202 W. Johnson St., Madison, WI, 53706, USA.

Recent research suggests that humans perceive quantity using a non-symbolic "number sense." This sense is then thought to provide a foundation for understanding symbolic numbers in formal education. Given this link, there has been interest in the extent to which the approximate number system (ANS) can be improved via dedicated training, as this could provide a route to improving performance in symbolic mathematics. Read More

Sleep Breath 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Center for Sleep and Vigilance Disorders, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 8b, Box 421, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Background: The relationship between insomnia and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, has not been extensively studied. We aimed to assess the independent association between insomnia and CRF in a population-based cohort of subjects aged 50 to 64 years.

Methods: Subjects participating in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImaging Study (SCAPIS) pilot cohort (n = 603, men 47. Read More

Can J Public Health 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, S113-750 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0W3, Canada.

Objective: This study investigated whether a move to public housing affects people's use of healthcare services.

Method: Using administrative data from Manitoba, the number of hospitalizations, general practitioner (GP), specialist and emergency department (ED) visits, and prescription drugs dispensed in the years before and after the housing move-in date (2012/2013) were measured for a public housing and matched cohort. Generalized linear models with generalized estimating equations tested for differences between the cohorts in utilization trends. Read More

EJNMMI Res 2018 Dec 13;8(1):110. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Division of Nuclear Medicine, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.

Background: F-FDG brain PET measures metabolic changes in neurodegenerative disorders and may discriminate between different diseases even at an early stage. The objective of this study was to classify patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson plus syndromes (PP). To this end, different approaches were evaluated using generalized linear models and corresponding glucose metabolic brain patterns. Read More

Cureus 2018 Oct 8;10(10):e3421. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.

Background The hormones of the hypophysis-thyroid axis (HTA), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroid hormones, L-thyroxine (T4) and 3, 3', 5-L-triiodothyronine (T3), modulate the metabolism, differentiation, and proliferation of almost every cell in the body. Several studies have examined the effect of HTA hormones on platelet count and mean platelet volume (MPV), but have reported inconsistent results. Our aim was to examine the association between HTA hormones and platelet count and MPV in a large cohort of the adult population of the United States. Read More

Atmos Environ (1994) 2018 May 10;181:70-81. Epub 2018 Mar 10.

Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.

Research efforts to better characterize the differential toxicity of PM (particles with aerodynamic diameters less than or equal to 2.5 μm) speciation are often hindered by the sparse or non-existent coverage of ground monitors. The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) aboard NASA's Terra satellite is one of few satellite aerosol sensors providing information of aerosol shape, size and extinction globally for a long and continuous period that can be used to estimate PM speciation concentrations since year 2000. Read More

J Perinatol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

Objective: The primary objective was to determine the association between preconception insurance and initiation of prenatal care.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort uses data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2009-2013). Self-reported preconception insurance status was the primary exposure. Read More

JMIR Ment Health 2018 Dec 13;5(4):e64. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

X2AI Inc, San Francisco, CA, United States.

Background: Students in need of mental health care face many barriers including cost, location, availability, and stigma. Studies show that computer-assisted therapy and 1 conversational chatbot delivering cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offer a less-intensive and more cost-effective alternative for treating depression and anxiety. Although CBT is one of the most effective treatment methods, applying an integrative approach has been linked to equally effective posttreatment improvement. Read More

ISA Trans 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Research Unit of Industrial Systems Study and Renewable Energy (ESIER), National Engineering School of Monastir (ENIM), Ibn El Jazzar, 5019, Monastir, University of Monastir, Tunisia. Electronic address:

In this paper an adaptive control for a coupled two-tank system is proposed. This control strategy uses a generalized predictive controller, whose main method is to minimize a multistage cost function defined over a prediction horizon. Furthermore, to implement this controller in the framework of the sensorless control from the only measurement of the liquid level in the bottom tank, an adaptive interconnected high gain observer is developed for estimating the liquid level in the upper tank and the two constant parameters of the system. Read More

Phys Med 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Medical Physics, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.

Purpose: To develop and apply a stepping approach for the validation of Knowledge-based (KB) models for planning optimization: the method was applied to the case of concomitant irradiation of pelvic nodes and prostate + seminal-vesicles bed irradiation in post-prostatectomy patients.

Methods: The clinical VMAT plans of 52 patients optimized by two reference planners were selected to generate a KB-model (RapidPlan, v.13. Read More

J Adolesc Health 2018 Nov 28. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

The British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Barnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address:

Purpose: We assessed differences in optimal adherence between youth (aged 15-29 years) and adults (aged ≥30 years) enrolled in the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Program from 2010 to 2016.

Methods: Population-level clinical data were used to compare optimal antiretroviral therapy adherence (≥95%), based on pharmacy refill data, among youth and adults. Unadjusted and adjusted generalized estimating estimates were performed to examine the independent relationship between time-dependent age categories and optimal adherence, adjusting for confounders. Read More

J Pediatr 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Kentucky Department of Medicaid Services, Frankfort, KY, USA.

Objectives: To describe trends in the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and prescribing of stimulants in preschool-age children receiving Medicaid and to identify factors associated with the receipt of psychosocial care.

Study Design: Data were extracted from 2012-2016 Kentucky Medicaid claims for children aged <6 years. ADHD was identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes F90. Read More

Arthritis Res Ther 2018 Dec 13;20(1):275. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Department of Rheumatology, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Carrer Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.

Background: Calprotectin is a biomarker of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and predicts relapse in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Higher drug trough serum levels are associated with a good response in patients treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi). Power Doppler ultrasound synovitis is predictive of relapse and structural damage progression in patients in clinical remission. Read More

J Clin Med 2018 Dec 12;7(12). Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.

Background: Interpretation of hemoglobin A (HbA) levels may be confounded by spurious results in anemic persons, but its degree is not well-established.

Methods: We used an employer-based health insurance database, containing health checkup data and medical claims data; both were linked via a unique identifier of each beneficiary. This study included persons aged 18⁻75 years who participated in health checkups, with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of diabetes. Read More

Nutrients 2018 Dec 11;10(12). Epub 2018 Dec 11.

General Medical Hospital 'Sveti Duh', 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.

Background: Evidence shows that diet is associated with physical activity. However, there has been a lack of studies addressing it in a population of older adults. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to explore associations between various frequencies of dietary intake and physical activity in older adults. Read More

Molecules 2018 Dec 11;23(12). Epub 2018 Dec 11.

AgroBioSciences Research Division, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660⁻Hay Moulay Rachid, 43150 Ben-Guerir, Morocco.

Lyn kinase, a member of the Src family of protein tyrosine kinases, is mainly expressed by various hematopoietic cells, neural and adipose tissues. Abnormal Lyn kinase regulation causes various diseases such as cancers. Thus, Lyn represents, a potential target to develop new antitumor drugs. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(49):e13460

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Rationale: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an uncommon autoimmune disease mediated by antibodies that attack the postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors (AchRs) at the neuromuscular junction, causing fluctuating muscle weakness, aggravated with use, and relieved with rest.

Patient Concerns: A 32-year-old woman with a diagnosis of MG based on clinical findings, eletroneuromyography, and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was admitted to our hospital with dysphagia, dysphonia, diplopia, and intense weakness, associated with a 2-day viral gastroenteritis.

Diagnoses: Physical examination revealed globally reduced deep tendon reflexes, and tetraparesis, with muscle strength grade 4 in the left limbs and grade 2 in the right limbs. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(49):e13225

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wuhan Medical & Health Center for Women and Children, Wuhan, Hubei.

Rationale: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) refers to a group of rare inherited mechanobullous disorders that present with great clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Its severity ranges from mild blistering to life-threatening. However, the clinical symptoms of different types of EB overlap significantly, especially at an early stage. Read More

J Neurosurg Pediatr 2018 Dec 1:1-9. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

OBJECTIVEThe goal in the study was to describe the clinical outcomes associated with robot-assisted stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) in children.METHODSThe authors performed a retrospective, single-center study in consecutive children with medically refractory epilepsy who were undergoing robot-assisted SEEG. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to calculate the probability of seizure freedom. Read More

Int J Epidemiol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel.

Background: Natural environments may have beneficial impacts on pregnancy outcomes. However, longitudinal evidence is limited and the associations with variance in surrounding greenness is unknown. Our objective was to evaluate these associations among 73 221 live births in Tel Aviv, Israel. Read More

Environ Res 2018 Dec 1;169:510-516. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China. Electronic address:

Background: The impacts of air pollution on asthma attacks have become a hotspot. Previous studies mainly focused on the developed countries or cities. There have been very limited studies in less-developed region to quantify the effects of air pollutants on asthma admissions in children. Read More

Sci Total Environ 2018 Dec 6;657:213-221. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Electronic address:

Background: Few studies have explored PM's connection with specific respiratory and cardiovascular emergency department admissions (EDAs). This study aimed to examine the overall effects of PM on EDAs for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including specifically, cerebrovascular events (CVE), ischemic heart disease (IHD), arrhythmia, heart failure (HF), upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.

Methods: We collected daily data for EDAs from the 10 largest hospitals in Beijing, between January 2013 and December 2013 as well as daily measurements of PM from 17 stations in Beijing. Read More

Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Dept. Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany; Dept. Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.

The interest in the use of non-invasive brain stimulation for enhancing neural functions and reducing symptoms in anxiety disorders is growing. Based on the DSM-V classification for anxiety disorders, we examined all available research using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment of specific phobias, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and generalized anxiety disorder. A systematic literature search conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar databases provided 26 results: 12 sham-controlled studies and 15 not sham-controlled studies. Read More

Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2018 Dec 10. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of a participation-focused therapy (ParticiPAte CP) on leisure-time physical activity goal performance and satisfaction and habitual physical activity (HPA) in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Design: Randomized waitlist-controlled trial.

Setting: Home and community. Read More

PLoS Comput Biol 2018 Dec 13;14(12):e1006309. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

We present a simple model for coherent, spatially correlated chaos in a recurrent neural network. Networks of randomly connected neurons exhibit chaotic fluctuations and have been studied as a model for capturing the temporal variability of cortical activity. The dynamics generated by such networks, however, are spatially uncorrelated and do not generate coherent fluctuations, which are commonly observed across spatial scales of the neocortex. Read More

Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove) 2018 ;61(3):111-113

Department of Medicine E, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Duodenal Switch procedure is a type of bariatric surgery that was reserved for severely morbid obese people. Patients undergoing this procedure are at high risk for nutrient deficiencies. In this report we present a case of a patient who had developed polyneuropathy, generalized muscle weakness, Wernicke encephalopathy, myocardial dysfunction and pericardial effusion six years following this operation. Read More

Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Section of Neonatology-Pediatric Gastroenterology, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, United States.

Objective: Aims were to: 1) examine pharyngo-esophageal and cardio-respiratory responses to provoking pharyngeal stimuli, and 2) determine potential contributory factors impacting heart rate (HR) changes to provide insight into cardio-respiratory events occurring in preterm infants.

Methods: Forty-eight neonates (29 males, born at 27.7 ± 0. Read More

Curr HIV Res 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Y. R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, VHS Hospital Campus, Taramani, Chennai. India.

Background: Anti-viral cytokine expressions by cytotoxic T-cells and lower activation rates have been reported to correlate with suppressed HIV replication in long-term non-progressors (LTNP). Immune mechanisms underlying disease non-progression in LTNP might vary with HIV-1 subtype and geographical locations.

Objective: This study evaluates cytokine expression and T-cells activation in relation to disease non-progression in LTNP. Read More

J Neurotrauma 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

University of Eastern Finalnd , Neulaniementie 2 , Kuopio, Finland , 70211 ;

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces seizures or status epilepticus (SE) in 20%-30% of patients during the acute phase. We hypothesized that severe TBI induced with lateral fluid-percussion injury (FPI) triggers post-impact SE. Adult Sprague-Dawley male rats were anesthetized with isoflurane and randomized into sham-operated experimental control or lateral FPI-induced severe TBI groups. Read More

Turk J Med Sci 2018 12 12;48(6):1293-1301. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey

Background/aim: Epileptic seizure leads to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) among affected patients. The causes of SUDEP are still unclear. The aim of this study was to research the effect of epilepsy on myocardial injury and arrhythmias during experimentally induced acute myocardial ischemia. Read More

Qual Life Res 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Optum Insights, Inc., Johnston, RI, USA.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between SF-12v2® Health Survey (SF-12v2) scores and subsequent health care resource utilization (HCRU) among patients with cancer.

Methods: We analyzed 18+ year participants in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, diagnosed with active cancer or malignancy (n = 647). HCRU was measured by total medical expenditures (MEs) and number of medical events (EVs) in the 6 months following the SF-12v2 assessment. Read More

Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie komplexer Systeme, Wilhelm-Ostwald-Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Universität Leipzig, Linnéstr. 2, 04103 Leipzig, Germany and Technische Universität Dresden, Fakultät Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften, Fakultät Chemie und Lebensmittelchemie, Bergstraße 66, 01069 Dresden, Germany. and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Abteilung Ressourcenökologie, Forschungsstelle Leipzig, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are coordination networks with organic ligands containing potential voids. Some MOFs show pronounced structural flexibility that may result in closing and re-opening these pores. Here, we show that collective flexibility in a MOF-DUT-8(Ni) - is controlled by conformational isomerism. Read More

Cureus 2018 Oct 8;10(10):e3425. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Psychiatry, Nishtar Medical College & Hospital, Multan, PAK.

Pregabalin is used for the treatment of neuropathic pain, partial seizures, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and insomnia. The discontinuation symptoms of pregabalin are mild to moderate which resolve in about one week after the discontinuation of pregabalin. This case report describes the withdrawal symptoms in a 62-year-old patient despite a slow titration over a period of several weeks. Read More

Mol Psychiatry 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Medical Research Council - Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Chronic peer victimization has long-term impacts on mental health; however, the biological mediators of this adverse relationship are unknown. We sought to determine whether adolescent brain development is involved in mediating the effect of peer victimization on psychopathology. We included participants (n = 682) from the longitudinal IMAGEN study with both peer victimization and neuroimaging data. Read More

Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi 2018 ;55(4):612-623

Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology.

Aim: To improve preventive strategies for readmission within 30 days after discharge among older patients receiving home medical care services, we examined the associations between readmission within 30 days and the medical institute factors among patients over 75 years of age.

Methods: All patients over 75 years of age receiving home medical care services and who had been admitted to hospital or clinic and discharged between September 2013 and July 2014 in Tokyo, Japan, were participants of this study (n=7,213). The primary outcome was readmission within 30 days after discharge. Read More

J Neurosci 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester NY 14642 USA

Attention is a critical component of visual perception, however the mechanisms of attention at the granular level are poorly understood. One possible mechanism by which attention modulates neuronal activity is to control the efficacy of communication between connected neurons, however it is unclear whether attention alters communication efficacy across a variety of neuronal circuits. In parallel, attentional modulation of neuronal firing rate is not uniform, but depends upon the match between neuronal feature selectivity and the feature required for successful task completion. Read More

Neurology 2018 Dec 12. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

From the Epilepsy Research Centre (D.R.M.V., B.J.S., R.B., M.F.B., S.F.B., M.S.H., I.E.S.), Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Australia; Departments of Genetics (D.R.M.V., C.M.A.v.R.-A.) and Neurology (D.R.M.V.), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands; Pediatric Neurology Unit and Laboratories (D.M., M.M.) and Pediatric Neurology (R.G.), Neurogenetics and Neurobiology Unit and Laboratories, A. Meyer Children's Hospital, University of Florence, Italy; Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Epilepsy Centre (H.X., W.X.W., Y.J.), Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China; Department of Pediatrics (C.T.M., H.C.M.), Division of Genetic Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.F.B.), Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medical Biology (M.F.B.), University of Melbourne, Australia; Caulfield (D.W.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Genetics (S.M.M.), Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics (A.S.B., G.M.S.M., I.M.B.H.v.d.L.), Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics (J.M.v.H.), VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Tasmanian Health Service (T.L.W.), Women's and Children's Services, Launceston General Hospital, Tasmania, Australia; TY Nelson Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery (R.I.W.) and Institute of Neuroscience and Muscle Research (R.I.W.), Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Neurosciences (S.M.), Lady Cilento Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia; Department of Anatomical Pathology (R.M.K.), Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation (F.S., R.G.), Pisa, Italy; Klinikum Oldenburg (G.C.K.), Zentrum für Kinder-und Jugendmedizin, Klinik für Neuropädiatrie u.angeborene Stoffwechselerkrankungen, Germany; Centre of Epilepsy (Y.J.), Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China; Department of Paediatrics (I.E.S.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Australia; and Florey Institute of Neurosciences and Mental Health (I.E.S.), Australia.

Objective: To delineate the epileptology, a key part of the phenotypic spectrum, in a large patient cohort.

Methods: Patients were recruited via investigators' practices or social media. We included patients with (likely) pathogenic variants or chromosome 6p21. Read More

mSphere 2018 Dec 12;3(6). Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Plum Island Animal Disease Center, Greenport, New York, USA

The pathogenesis of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in cattle was investigated through early and late stages of infection by use of an optimized experimental model for controlled contact exposure. Time-limited exposure of cattle to FMDV-infected pigs led to primary FMDV infection of the nasopharyngeal mucosa in both vaccinated and nonvaccinated cattle. In nonvaccinated cattle, the infection generalized rapidly to cause clinical disease, without apparent virus amplification in the lungs prior to establishment of viremia. Read More

J Neuroeng Rehabil 2018 Dec 12;15(1):117. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.

Background: Although physical activity and exercise is known to benefit people with multiple sclerosis (MS), the ability of these individuals to participate in such interventions is difficult due to the mobility impairments caused by the disease. Keeogo is a lower-extremity powered exoskeleton that may be a potential solution for enabling people with MS to benefit from physical activity and exercise.

Methods: An open-label, randomized, cross-over trial was used to examine the immediate performance effects when using the device, and the potential benefits of using the device in a home setting for 2 weeks. Read More

Respir Res 2018 Dec 12;19(1):246. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250021, Shandong, China.

Background: Few studies have investigated the associations between outdoor air pollution and outpatient visits for respiratory diseases (RDs) in general population.

Methods: We collected daily outpatient data of primary RDs from five hospitals in Jinan during January 2012 and December 2016, as well as daily measurements of air pollutants from the Jinan Environmental Monitoring Center and daily meteorological variables from the China Meteorological Data Sharing Service System. A generalized additive model (GAM) with quasi-Poisson regression was constructed to estimate the associations between daily average concentrations of outdoor air pollutants (PM,PM, SO, NO, CO and O) and daily outpatient visits of RDs after adjusting for long-time trends, seasonality, the "day of the week" effect, and weather conditions. Read More

BMC Med Res Methodol 2018 Dec 12;18(1):168. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.

Background: Multiple imputation (MI) is now widely used to handle missing data in longitudinal studies. Several MI techniques have been proposed to impute incomplete longitudinal covariates, including standard fully conditional specification (FCS-Standard) and joint multivariate normal imputation (JM-MVN), which treat repeated measurements as distinct variables, and various extensions based on generalized linear mixed models. Although these MI approaches have been implemented in various software packages, there has not been a comprehensive evaluation of the relative performance of these methods in the context of longitudinal data. Read More

Int J STD AIDS 2018 Dec 12:956462418802142. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Unprotected sex, common among people who inject drugs, puts them and their partners at risk of sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This analysis assesses the changes in sexual risk behavior with regular female partners (RFPs), among married men who inject drugs, before and after implementation of a HIV prevention intervention, and identifies correlates of unprotected sex. People who inject drugs (PWID) were assessed at three points: baseline, preintervention follow-up visit (FV)1, and postintervention FV2. Read More

Cesk Slov Oftalmol 2018 ;74(1):9-14

Purpose: The objective of the study is to evaluate of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) with the use of EX-PRESS drainage implant. Evaluated was the decrease of intraocular pressure (IOP), visus stabilization, perimeter Humphrey - related finding (T 30-2), Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) and possibility of reducing the local drug therapy.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective data analysis was performed in 40 eyes with POAG in 28 subjects (14 female- and 14 male patients) average-aged 69. Read More

J Appl Behav Anal 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Southern Illinois University.

The present study evaluated the efficacy of a set of procedures for bringing tact extensions of abstract tactile properties under stimulus control. Two participants with disabilities who communicated via a picture-based communication system received reinforcement for tacts of tactile properties of four wet/dry and four hard/soft stimuli. Test trials were conducted to evaluate the extent to which the participants' correct responding generalized to novel stimuli with the same tactile properties. Read More

Nanoscale 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260, USA.

Colloidal metal sulphide (MS) nanocrystals (NCs) have recently attracted considerable attention because of their tunable properties that can be exploited in various physical, chemical and biological applications. In this work, we present a novel and general method for synthesis of monodispersed binary (CuS, Ag2S, CdS, PbS, and SnS), ternary (Ag-In-S, Cu-In-S and Cu-Sn-S) and quaternary (Cu-Zn-Sn-S) MS NCs. The synthesis is conducted at room temperature, with an immediate crystallization process and up to 60 seconds of growth time, enabling rapid synthesis without external heating. Read More

Epilepsia Open 2018 Dec 1;3(4):495-502. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Pediatrics Showa University School of Medicine Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Japan.

Objective: Vitamin B-dependent epilepsies are treatable disorders caused by variants in several genes, such as ,, and others. Recently, biallelic variants in formerly known as , were identified as a novel cause of vitamin B-dependent epilepsies. Our objective was to further delineate the phenotype of mutation. Read More

Epilepsia Open 2018 Dec 23;3(4):485-494. Epub 2018 Aug 23.

Department of Neurology and Epileptology Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany.

Objective: Genetic generalized epilepsies (GGEs) are characterized by generalized spike-wave discharges (GSWDs) in electroencephalography (EEG) recordings without underlying structural brain lesions. The origin of the epileptic activity remains unclear, although several studies have reported involvement of thalamus and default mode network (DMN). The aim of the current study was to investigate the networks involved in the generation and temporal evolution of GSWDs to elucidate the origin and propagation of the underlying generalized epileptic activity. Read More

Epilepsia Open 2018 Dec 29;3(4):474-484. Epub 2018 Sep 29.

UCB Pharma Tokyo Japan.

Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive levetiracetam (LEV) in Chinese and Japanese adults with generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures (N01159; NCT01228747).

Methods: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase III trial comprised: 4-week retrospective and 4-week prospective baseline, 12-week dose-adjustment, and 16-week evaluation periods. Chinese and Japanese patients ≥16 years old with idiopathic generalized, symptomatic generalized, or undetermined epilepsy with GTC seizures received a single-blind placebo during the prospective baseline, and then were randomized 1:1 to placebo or LEV 1,000 mg/day administered twice daily. Read More

Epilepsia Open 2018 Dec 30;3(4):427-436. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Department of Physiology & Medical Physics Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) Dublin Ireland.

There is a major unmet need for biomarkers of epilepsy. Biofluids such as blood offer a potential source of molecular biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) fulfill several key requirements for a blood-based molecular biomarker being enriched in the brain and dysregulated in epileptic brain tissue, and manipulation of miRNAs can have seizure-suppressive and disease-modifying effects in preclinical models. Read More

BMC Obes 2018 3;5:37. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

1Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON Canada.

Background: A major contributor to the growing obesity crisis is screen based sedentary behaviour among young children. Media parenting practices may be an important determinant of children's screen time, however published research exploring the influence of parenting practices on children's screen time has mainly focused on children's television use and the parenting practices of the mother. This study examined children's use of mobile media devices (as well as television use) and included the role of fathers in media parenting, allowing a fuller understanding of the role mothers' and fathers' media parenting practices play on children's screen time in the current media environment. Read More