Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Neurochem 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Medical Experimental Center, Jiangxi Mental Hospital/Affiliated Mental Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330029, P.R. China.

Cognitive deficits are the core feature of schizophrenia and effective treatment strategies are still missing. Previous studies have reported that fisetin promotes long-term potentiation (LTP) and cognitive function in normal rodents and other model animals of neurological diseases. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of fisetin on synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits caused by a brief disruption of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) with dizocilpine (MK-801) during early development in rats. Read More

Small 2021 Apr 21:e2008059. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.

Aqueous zinc (Zn) metal batteries (ZMBs) are considered a promising candidate for grid-scale energy storage due to their freedom from fire hazards. However, a limited reversibility of Zn metal electrode caused by dendritic Zn growth has hindered the advent of high-capacity Zn metal batteries (>4 mAh cm ). Herein, it is reported that fast electrokinetic Zn-ion transport extremely improves the Zn metal reversibility. Read More

Yearb Med Inform 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Objectives: The emerging COVID-19 pandemic has caused one of the world's worst health disasters compounded by social confusion with misinformation, the so-called "Infodemic". In this paper, we discuss how open technology approaches - including data sharing, visualization, and tooling - can address the COVID-19 pandemic and infodemic.

Methods: In response to the call for participation in the 2020 International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Yearbook theme issue on Medical Informatics and the Pandemic, the IMIA Open Source Working Group surveyed recent works related to the use of Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) for this pandemic. Read More

Shock 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200433, China Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Abstract: Acute lung injury (ALI) is caused by direct pulmonary insults and indirect systemic inflammatory responses that result from conditions such as sepsis and trauma. Alveolar macrophages are the main and critical leukocytes in the airspace, and through the synthesis and release of various inflammatory mediators critically influence the development of ALI following infection and non-infectious stimuli. There is increasing recognition that inflammation and cell death reciprocally affect each other, which forms an auto-amplification loop of these two factors, and in turn, exaggerates inflammation. Read More

Shock 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Departments of Surgery, State University of New York (SUNY), Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA.

Abstract: During sepsis the normal induction of circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) by growth hormone (GH) action on liver is attenuated, a phenomenon called hepatic GH resistance. Hepatic GH resistance can be caused by cytokine-mediated activation of the NF-κB pathway which interferes with normal GH-signaling. The afferent and efferent fibers of the vagus nerve are integral to the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) which attenuates hepatic TNFα production by activating the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). Read More

Dev Neurosci 2021 Apr 21:1-11. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) include a broad spectrum of disorders that disrupt normal brain development. Though some NDDs are caused by acquired insults (i.e. Read More

Phys Med Biol 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

MinFound Medical Systems Co., Ltd., Hangzhou , Zhejiang, CHINA.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a promising medical imaging technology that provides non-invasive and quantitative measurement of biochemical process in the human bodies. PET image reconstruction is challenging due to the ill-poseness of the inverse problem. With lower statistics caused by the limited detected photons, low-dose PET imaging lead to noisy reconstructed images with much quality degradation. Read More

Multisens Res 2021 Apr 20:1-40. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Division of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK.

Virtual Reality (VR) experienced through head-mounted displays often leads to vection, discomfort and sway in the user. This study investigated the effect of motion direction and eccentricity on these three phenomena using optic flow patterns displayed using the Valve Index. Visual motion stimuli were presented in the centre, periphery or far periphery and moved either in depth (back and forth) or laterally (left and right). Read More

Int Immunopharmacol 2021 Apr 1;96:107630. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Solid Tumor Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran. Electronic address:

The novel SARS-CoV-2 which was first reported in China is the cause of infection known as COVID-19. In comparison with other coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV and MERS, the mortality rate of SARS-CoV-2 is lower but the transmissibility is higher. Immune dysregulation is the most common feature of the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 that leads to hyperinflammation. Read More

Stem Cell Res 2021 Apr 9;53:102331. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Pediatric Research Institute, Qilu Children's Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250022, China. Electronic address:

Here we describe the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a patient diagnosed as hereditary tyrosinemia type I (HT1) caused by FAH gene mutation. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were developed using non-integrating episomal vectors containing OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, BCL-XL and MYC. The established iPSC line (SDQLCHi026-A) displayed pluripotent cell morphology, high expression levels of pluripotency markers, differentiation potential in vitro, normal karyotype, and remaining the original FAH gene mutation. Read More

Neuroimage 2021 Apr 18:118089. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address:

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are a prominent feature of cerebral small vessel disease and are associated with cognitive impairment. These deficits in cognition may be caused by the disruption of large-scale functional networks due to the presence of WMHs. However, knowledge regarding the relevance of these lesions on functional networks remains inconclusive. Read More

Cell Rep 2021 Apr;35(3):109010

Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B152TT, UK. Electronic address:

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is caused by recurrent mutations in members of the gene regulatory and signaling machinery that control hematopoietic progenitor cell growth and differentiation. Here, we show that the transcription factor WT1 forms a major node in the rewired mutation-specific gene regulatory networks of multiple AML subtypes. WT1 is frequently either mutated or upregulated in AML, and its expression is predictive for relapse. Read More

Brain Res 2021 Apr 18:147489. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address:

Visual segregation of moving objects is a considerable computational challenge when the observer moves through space. Recent psychophysical studies suggest that directionally congruent, moving auditory cues can substantially improve parsing object motion in such settings, but the exact brain mechanisms and visual processing stages that mediate these effects are still incompletely known. Here, we utilized multivariate pattern analyses (MVPA) of MRI-informed magnetoencephalography (MEG) source estimates to examine how crossmodal auditory cues facilitate motion detection during the observer's self-motion. Read More

Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

University of Nottingham, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Biodiscovery Institute and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;

Rationale: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a multisystem disease causing lung cysts and respiratory failure. Loss of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) gene function results in a clone of 'LAM cells' with dysregulated mTOR activity. LAM cells and fibroblasts form lung nodules that also contain mast cells although their significance is unknown. Read More

ACS Chem Neurosci 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China.

Glutamate excitotoxicity is caused by dysfunctional glutamate transporters and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the mechanisms that underlie the regulation of glutamate transporters in PD are still not fully elucidated. MicroRNAs(miRNA), which are abundant in astrocytes and neurons, have been reported to play key roles in regulating the translation of glutamate-transporter mRNA. In this study, we hypothesized that the miR-30a-5p contributes to the pathogenesis of PD by regulating the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1). Read More

J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Operating Unit of Internal and Metabolic Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena and University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Civil Hospital of Baggiovara, Modena, Italy.

Objectives: Statins have proved to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in high-risk population and are generally well tolerated, although adverse events can occur. Up to 3% of patients develop aminotransferases elevation, which usually normalizes with continued treatment and hardly is associated with clinical symptoms. Serious statin-related liver injury is exceedingly rare. Read More

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objectives: Wolfram syndrome (WS) is a rarely seen autosomal recessive multisystem neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the gene.

Case Presentation: Three sisters with WS had diabetes mellitus (DM) at 4 years of age and optic atrophy. In addition, the first case had hearing impairment, and the second case had diabetes insipidus and urinary incontinence. Read More

Contact Dermatitis 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Information Network of Departments of Dermatology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.

Background: Allergic contact dermatitis caused by shoes is common and new relevant allergens have been identified.

Objectives: To investigate the pattern of type IV sensitization in patients with suspected allergic contact dermatitis of the feet related to shoes as presumed culprit trigger.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of data of the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), 2009-2018. Read More

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

D epart ment of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.

Background: Human opisthorchiasis, caused by Opisthorchis viverrini, is a public health problem in Southeast Asia and a major risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma. In Lao PDR, seroprevalence and the relationship between the number of O. viverrini eggs in infected people and specific antibody responses are still unknown. Read More

J Burn Care Res 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Plastic Surgery Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo.

Background: Patients with great clinical impairment, due to extensive burns, need to be admitted to intensive care units, in these treatment sites, indices are used to classify the severity of patients. The aim of the study was to compare the accuracy of the FLAMES score in relation to the Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), the Simplified Acute Physiologic Score II (SAPS II), the Logistic Organ Dysfunction System (LODS) and the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) applied to the severe burn patient facing mortality in an ICU of a reference center for burns in Brazil.

Methods: A retrospective study conducted in ICU comparing the accuracy the APACHE II, SAPS II, LODS, ABSI and FLAMES instruments were applied to all the selected medical records. Read More

PLoS Pathog 2021 Apr 21;17(4):e1009064. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Max von Pettenkofer Institute Virology, and Gene Center, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.

Vaccines of outstanding efficiency, safety, and public acceptance are needed to halt the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Concerns include potential side effects caused by the antigen itself and safety of viral DNA and RNA delivery vectors. The large SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein is the main target of current COVID-19 vaccine candidates but can induce non-neutralizing antibodies, which might cause vaccination-induced complications or enhancement of COVID-19 disease. Read More

PLoS One 2021 21;16(4):e0250374. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Sciences, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York, New York, NY, United States of America.

Interaction of iron responsive elements (IRE) mRNA with the translational machinery is an early step critical in the initiation of protein synthesis. To investigate the binding specificity of IRE mRNA for eIF4F, kinetic rates for the eIF4F·IRE RNA interactions were determined and correlated with the translational efficiency. The observed rate of eIF4F·FRT IRE RNA interactions was 2-fold greater as compared to eIF4F·ACO2 IRE RNA binding. Read More

J Med Internet Res 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, 100 S. Los Robles Ave, 5th Floor, Pasadena, US.

Background: COVID-19 has caused an abrupt drop in the use of in-person health care, accompanied by a corresponding surge in usage of telehealth services. However, the extent and nature of changes in health care utilization during the pandemic may differ by care setting. Knowledge of the impact of the pandemic on health care utilization is important to health care organizations and policy makers. Read More

IEEE Trans Neural Netw Learn Syst 2021 Apr 21;PP. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

This article studies the tracking control problem with a large-scale group of agents. Unlike traditional control techniques used in multiagent systems (MASs), a new type of intelligent design is needed to handle the intractable ``Curse of Dimensionality" caused by the extremely large number of agents. To address this challenge, the mean field game (MFG) theory has been embedded into reinforcement learning to advance intelligent tracking control with large-scale MAS. Read More

Curr Med Chem 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, China.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. The life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 includes the entry into the target cells, replicase translation, replicating and transcribing genomes, translating structural proteins, assembling and releasing new virions. Entering host cells is a crucial stage in the early life cycle of the virus, and blocking this stage can effectively prevent virus infection. Read More

Sci Prog 2021 Apr-Jun;104(2):368504211010581

School of Civil Engineering, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China.

Particle gradation and water content are important factors affecting shear strength of soil. However, due to chemical cementation and molecular attraction, loess particles commonly stick together forming conglomerations. Till date, the superposition effect of water content and conglomeration gradation on loess shear strength has rarely been studied and undeniably requires further systematic explorations and development. Read More

Plant Dis 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Departamento de Fitotecnia, Rod. Admar Gonzaga 1346, Depto de Fitotecnia, CCA-UFSC, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 88034-130;

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is one of the most important fruit crops worldwide. With increasing cultivated area in the last decades, Brazil has become the largest strawberry producer in South America. Read More

Plant Dis 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

University of Guelph, Environmental Sciences, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G2W1;

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), a native fruit tree from southern China, has been planted in many subtropical and tropical countries for its fruit which are considered delicious and of medicinal value (Anderson et al. 2013). Read More

Phytopathology 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Guizhou University, 71206, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Huaxi District, Guiyang, Guizhou Province of China, Guiyang, China, 550025;

Tea leaf spot, caused by the fungal phytopathogen Didymella segeticola (Q. Chen) Q. Chen, Crous & L. Read More

Langmuir 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

WATLab, and Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario Canada N2L 3G1.

Molecular adsorption bonding configurations and specific interfacial chemistry of alanine on Si(111)7 × 7 have been determined by combining the results from scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT). XPS spectra of the N 1s region show that alanine molecules bind to the 7 × 7 surface by N-Si covalent bonding, while STM imaging reveals that such N-H dissociative adsorption of alanine occurs on an adjacent Si adatom-restatom pair, with the dehydrogenated alanine moiety and dissociated H atom occupying the Si adatom and restatom sites, respectively. At a sample bias above +2 V, the dehydrogenated alanine appears as a bright round protrusion, slightly off-center from a Si adatom site and leaning toward the opposite Si adatom across the dimer wall. Read More