Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Audiol Neurootol 2021 Apr 20:1-25. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Research Institute of Hearing Enhancement, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea.

Background: Although many clinicians have attempted music training for the hearing-impaired children, no specific effects have yet been reported for individual music components. This paper seeks to discover specific music components that help in improving speech perception of children with cochlear implants (CI) and to identify the effective training periods and methods needed for each component.

Method: While assessing 5 electronic databases, that is, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science, 1,638 articles were found initially. Read More

J Reprod Immunol 2021 Apr 15;145:103323. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Jinxin Research Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care, Chengdu, China. Electronic address:

The purpose of this study was to assess whether intrauterine administration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) activated by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) could improve the pregnancy and live birth rates in women with repeated implantation failure (RIF), and whether the parameters of co-culture of hCG and PBMCs would affect the clinical outcomes. Six databases (PubMed, Ovid, Medline, NCBI, Cqvip and Wanfang) were searched up to October 2020 by two independent reviewers. Seven studies were included according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Read More

Int J Med Inform 2021 Apr 10;150:104457. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University, King George VI Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK. Electronic address:

Background And Objectives: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that is associated with increased mortality. Artificial intelligence tools can inform clinical decision making by flagging patients at risk of developing infection and subsequent sepsis. This systematic review aims to identify the optimal set of predictors used to train machine learning algorithms to predict the likelihood of an infection and subsequent sepsis. Read More

Exp Mol Pathol 2021 Apr 17:104638. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Department of hepatobiliary surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, No.61 Jiefang West Road, Changsha City, Hunan Province 410005, China. Electronic address:

Backgrounds/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma is recognized as the most common subtype of hepatic cancer. Muskelin 1 antisense RNA (MKLN1-AS) shows prognostic value in hepatitis B virus-hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study is to investigate the detailed biological role of MKLN1-AS and Yes-associated transcriptional regulator 1 (YAP1)-related mechanisms. Read More

Int J Adolesc Med Health 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Reproductive health is a broad concept that encompasses mortality, morbidity, and quality of life associated with the reproductive system, mechanism, and incidents encountered at all ages by men and women. Orthodox Indian society finds the conversation on reproductive health to be a taboo and discourages open conversations about it. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive-age metabolic endocrine disorder found in females. Read More

Rheumatology (Oxford) 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking University First Hospital, No.8, Xishiku Street, West District, Beijing 100034, China.

Objective: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are inflammatory diseases that affect women in their reproductive years. We aimed to investigate whether maternal psoriasis and PsA are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: We searched multiple electronic databases from inception to 3 August 2020, and reference lists of selected articles. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2021 Apr;25(7):3054-3065

University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to review the available findings on sex-related differences for sleep disorders, dreams and nightmares.

Materials And Methods: We explored the PubMed, EMBASE and Google Scholar electronic databases, with regards to the searching terms 'sleep', 'dreams', and 'nightmares' associated with 'sex' and/or 'gender'. Moreover, other supplementary terms for the searching strategy were 'chronobiology', and 'circadian rhythm'. Read More

JAMA Psychiatry 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.

Importance: Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia, with negative consequences on functional outcomes. Although cognitive remediation (CR) is effective and mentioned in treatment guidance for schizophrenia, its active ingredients and ideal candidates are still debated.

Objective: To provide a comprehensive update on CR effectiveness for cognition and functioning in schizophrenia and analyze the core ingredients of efficacy and role of patient characteristics. Read More

Public Health Nutr 2021 Apr 20:1-31. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK.

Objective: Worldwide data suggest a clash between parental complementary feeding practices and recommendations. Understanding the circumstances under which parents form their feeding practices is a crucial step to improve such practices. This paper aimed to systematically review the existing qualitative literature and synthesise the factors that parents take into consideration in relation to complementary feeding. Read More

Int J Stroke 2021 Apr 20:17474930211013285. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

University of Alberta, Neurology, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Introduction There is controversy if direct to comprehensive center âmothershipâ (MS) orstopping at primary center for thrombolysis before transfer to comprehensive center âdrip-and-shipâ (DS) are best models of treatment of acute stroke. In this study, we compare MS and DS models to evaluate the best option of functional outcome. Methods Studies between 1990 and 2020 were extracted from online electronic databases. Read More

Expert Opin Drug Saf 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Applied Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta.

IntroductionBeta-thalassemia is an autosomal recessive hereditary anemia characterized by reduced or absent β-globin chain synthesis, affecting about 60,000 people per year. The only curative treatment is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation but this is risky and expensive. Management for β-thalassemia major includes regular blood transfusions followed by iron chelating therapy and drug targeting ineffective erythropoiesis. Read More

Mult Scler 2021 Apr 20:1352458521996002. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Health Psychology Section, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Background: Fatigue is a common, debilitating symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) without a current standardised treatment.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review with network meta-analyses was to estimate the relative effectiveness of both fatigue-targeted and non-targeted exercise, behavioural and combined (behavioural and exercise) interventions.

Methods: Nine electronic databases up to August 2018 were searched, and 113 trials ( = 6909) were included: 34 were fatigue-targeted and 79 non-fatigue-targeted trials. Read More

J Adv Nurs 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Aims: To identify factors associated with hope in family carers of persons living with chronic illness.

Design: A systematic review of quantitative and mixed method studies on hope in carers of persons living with chronic illness.

Data Sources: Five electronic databases (Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and PsycINFO) were searched from inception to 13 July 2020. Read More

Public Health Nurs 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Objectives: To explore factors associated with the impact of COVID-19 on the Latinx population, a Scoping Review of literature was undertaken.

Design: A systematic review was conducted utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Scoping Review (PRISMA ScR) guidelines. A search of databases PubMed, CINAHL, and APA PsycINFO was conducted and included studies through November 23, 2020. Read More

J Paediatr Child Health 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a large, preventable, global public health burden. In New Zealand (NZ), acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and RHD rates are highest for Māori and Pacific children. This structured review explores the evidence for primary prevention interventions to diagnose and effectively treat group A Streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis and skin infections to reduce rates of ARF and RHD. Read More

Obes Med 2021 Apr 15:100340. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Introduction: Obesity and higher BMI is one of the leading comorbidities to increase the risk of COVID-19 severity. This paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis estimating the effects of overweight and obesity on COVID-19 disease severity.

Method: ology: Two electronic databases (Medline and Cochrane library) and one grey literature database (Grey Literature Report) were searched. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Apr 19;11(1):8449. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, 1000, Manila, Philippines.

Although most patients recover from COVID-19, it has been linked to cardiac, pulmonary, and neurologic complications. Despite not having formal criteria for its diagnosis, COVID-19 associated cardiomyopathy has been observed in several studies through biomarkers and imaging. This study aims to estimate the proportion of COVID-19 patients with cardiac abnormalities and to determine the association between the cardiac abnormalities in COVID-19 patients and disease severity and mortality. Read More

BMJ Qual Saf 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Background: Prescribing alerts of an electronic health record are meant to be protective, but often are disruptive to providers. Our goal was to assess the effectiveness of interruptive medication-prescriber alerts in changing prescriber behaviour and improving patient outcomes in ambulatory care settings via computerised provider order entry (CPOE) systems.

Methods: A standardised search strategy was developed and applied to the following key bibliographical databases: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library. Read More

Sleep Health 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Liverpool Hospital, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

The sleep disruption experienced by patients admitted to hospital may have a negative effect on health but the nature and magnitude of the effect has not been conclusively outlined. The review was designed to examine the impact of sleep disruption associated with being a hospital inpatient, on short-term physical health outcomes in adult patients. Searches comprised journal databases, gray literature sources, and backward and forward citation searching. Read More

Intensive Crit Care Nurs 2021 Apr 16:103035. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA, USA; University of Virginia Center for Advanced Medical Analytics, Charlottesville, VA, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Diagnosing sepsis remains challenging. Data compiled from continuous monitoring and electronic health records allow for new opportunities to compute predictions based on machine learning techniques. There has been a lack of consensus identifying best practices for model development and validation towards early identification of sepsis. Read More

J Pediatr Nurs 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothia Forum for Clinical Trials, Gothenburg, Sweden; Center for Ethics, Law, and Mental Health (CELAM), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Problem: The current knowledge of evidence-based design for adults is not always implemented when hospital buildings are designed. Scientific data are sparse on the effects of hospital design in pediatric settings on health outcomes in children, parents, and staff. The objective of this review is to determine the evidence-based impact of the built environment in pediatric hospital facilities on health outcomes in children, parents, and staff. Read More

Eur Urol 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Division of Urology, Gent University Hospital, Gent, Belgium.

Context: Four techniques for graft placement in one-stage bulbar urethroplasty have been reported: dorsal onlay (DO), ventral onlay (VO), dorsolateral onlay (DLO), and dorsal inlay (DI). There is currently no systematic review in the literature comparing these techniques.

Objective: To assess if stricture recurrence and secondary outcomes vary between the four techniques and to assess if one technique is superior to any other. Read More

Eur J Surg Oncol 2021 Apr 14. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, University of Nottingham, UK. Electronic address:

Primary endocrine therapy as treatment of breast cancer is only recommended in older women with limited life expectancy. However, many older women opt for endocrine therapy due to concerns regarding frailty and potential decline in function after surgery. A decline in functional status after surgery is documented in some cancer types, such as colorectal, however, the full impact of breast cancer surgery is less understood. Read More

Surgery 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Liver Cirrhosis Study Group, Department of Gastroenterology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command (formerly called General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area), Shenyang, China. Electronic address:

Background: Portal venous system thrombosis can develop after bariatric surgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the incidence of portal venous system thrombosis after bariatric surgery and clarify the role of anticoagulation for the prevention of portal venous system thrombosis after bariatric surgery.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Read More

Rehabilitacion (Madr) 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali, Colombia. Electronic address:

In the area of health there are scales that allow collecting and analyzing conditions objectively. Its validation process includes translation from another language, semantic adaptation, and its application to measure its validity and reliability in an environment other than the original one. The objective of this review was to identify the instruments validated in Hispanics America in the literature and to know the psychometric properties in the field of neurorehabilitation. Read More

Clin Ther 2021 Apr 16. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Health Management and Economics Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Purpose: The main purpose of prescribing oral anticoagulants in patients undergoing total knee and total hip replacement surgery is to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE). The present study aimed to summarize evidence from economic evaluations regarding new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) used in VTE prophylaxis after joint replacement surgery.

Methods: To obtain relevant literature on economic evaluations of NOACs used in the prevention of VTE following joint replacement surgery, we searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, as well as specialized economic evaluation databases, for articles published from January 2008 to December 2019. Read More

Environ Int 2021 Apr 16:106380. Epub 2021 Apr 16.

Workers' Health and Human Ecology Research Center, National School of Public Health Sergio Arouca, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address:

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are developing joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury (WHO/ILO Joint Estimates), with contributions from a large network of individual experts. Evidence from mechanistic and human data suggests that occupational exposure to noise may cause cardiovascular disease. In this paper, we present a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of occupational exposure to noise for estimating (if feasible) the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years from cardiovascular disease that are attributable to exposure to this risk factor, for the development of the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. Read More

Harmful Algae 2021 Feb 6;102:101989. Epub 2021 Mar 6.

Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Marine Research Centre, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2, 00790 Helsinki, Finland.

Harmful algal blooms (HAB) are recurrent phenomena in northern Europe along the coasts of the Baltic Sea, Kattegat-Skagerrak, eastern North Sea, Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. These HABs have caused occasional massive losses for the aquaculture industry and have chronically affected socioeconomic interests in several ways. This status review gives an overview of historical HAB events and summarises reports to the Harmful Algae Event Database from 1986 to the end of year 2019 and observations made in long term monitoring programmes of potentially harmful phytoplankton and of phycotoxins in bivalve shellfish. Read More

Harmful Algae 2021 Feb 3;102:101975. Epub 2021 Mar 3.

Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are diverse phenomena involving multiple. species and classes of algae that occupy a broad range of habitats from lakes to oceans and produce a multiplicity of toxins or bioactive compounds that impact many different resources. Here, a review of the status of this complex array of marine HAB problems in the U. Read More