Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Neural Eng 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Beijing University of Technology, 100 Pingyuan, Beijing University of Technology, Chaoyang District, Beijing, Beijing, 100022, CHINA.

Objective: Motor imagery electroencephalography (MI-EEG) produces one of the most commonly used biosignals in intelligent rehabilitation systems. The newly developed 3-dimensional convolutional neural network (3DCNN) is gaining increasing attention for its ability to recognize MI tasks. The key to successful identification of movement intention is dependent on whether the data representation can faithfully reflect the cortical activity induced by MI. Read More

Neuroimage 2021 Apr 6:118033. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Psychology and Center for Brain Science, Harvard University.

Flexible retrieval mechanisms that allow us to infer relationships across events may also lead to memory errors or distortion when details of one event are misattributed to the related event. Here, we tested how making successful inferences alters representation of overlapping events, leading to false memories. Participants encoded overlapping associations ('AB' and 'BC'), each of which was superimposed on different indoor and outdoor scenes that were pre-exposed prior to associative learning. Read More

Anesth Analg 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

From the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Background: While flexible epidural catheters reduce the risk of paresthesia and intravascular cannulation, they may be more challenging to advance beyond the tip of a Tuohy needle. This may increase placement time, number of attempts, and possibly complications when establishing labor analgesia. This study investigated the ability to advance flexible epidural catheters through different epidural needles from 2 commonly used, commercially available, epidural kits. Read More

Rev Port Cir Cardiotorac Vasc 2021 Apr 8;28(1):61-63. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Thoracic Surgery Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Portugal.

Pancoast tumours are defined as tumours arising from the upper lobe and invading the thoracic inlet,representing less than 5% of all lung cancers. Clinical features depend on the involved structures. For many years invasion of the spine was considered unresectable and fatal. Read More

Brief Bioinform 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Department of Data Analysis and Mathematical Modelling, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.

The effectiveness of deep learning methods can be largely attributed to the automated extraction of relevant features from raw data. In the field of functional genomics, this generally concerns the automatic selection of relevant nucleotide motifs from DNA sequences. To benefit from automated learning methods, new strategies are required that unveil the decision-making process of trained models. Read More

PeerJ Comput Sci 2021 25;7:e403. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Departamento de Economia y Administración de Empresas, Universidad de Burgos, Burgos, Spain.

Firms face an increasingly complex economic and financial environment in which the access to international networks and markets is crucial. To be successful, companies need to understand the role of internationalization determinants such as bilateral psychic distance, experience, etc. Cutting-edge feature selection methods are applied in the present paper and compared to previous results to gain deep knowledge about strategies for Foreign Direct Investment. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021 Apr;118(15)

The State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, Inner Mongolia University, 010070 Hohhot, China;

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells have the potential to differentiate to all cell types of an adult individual and are useful for studying development and for translational research. However, extrapolation of mouse and human ESC knowledge to deriving stable ESC lines of domestic ungulates and large livestock species has been challenging. In contrast to ESCs that are usually established from the blastocyst, mouse expanded potential stem cells (EPSCs) are derived from four-cell and eight-cell embryos. Read More

Ann Vasc Surg 2021 Apr 5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Hokkaido, Japan.

We report on the ultrastructural features of the aortic wall in a patient with Kommerell diverticulum. A 70-year-old woman with a right aortic arch, aberrant left subclavian artery, and Kommerell diverticulum underwent a successful total arch replacement plus the frozen elephant trunk procedure with anatomical left subclavian artery reconstruction. Small pieces of the ascending aorta, distal arch, right common carotid artery, and left subclavian artery were investigated ultrastructurally. Read More

J Speech Lang Hear Res 2021 Apr 8:1-17. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.

Purpose Former studies suggested that music perception can help produce certain accentual features in the first and second language (L2), such as intonational contours. What was missing in many of these studies was the identification of the exact relationship between specific music perception skills and the production of different accentual features in a foreign language. Our aim was to verify whether empirically tested musical hearing skills can be related to the acquisition of English vowels by learners of English as an L2 before and after a formal accent training course. Read More

PLoS One 2021 8;16(4):e0248693. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Pesticides and Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Among the vectorial insect pests, the domestic house fly (Musca domestica L., Diptera: Muscidae) is a ubiquitous livestock pest with the ability to develop resistance and adapt to diverse climates. Successful management of the house fly in various locations requires information about its resistance development and life table features. Read More

Mol Ecol 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology (Evogene), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway.

In the built environment, fungi can cause important deterioration of building materials and adverse health effects on occupants. Increased knowledge about indoor mycobiomes from different regions of the world, and their main environmental determinants, will enable improved indoor air quality management and identification of health risks. This is the first citizen science study about indoor mycobiomes at a large geographical scale in Europe, including 271 houses from Norway and 807 dust samples from three house compartments: outside of the building, living room and bathroom. Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2021 Mar;27(12):1117-1131

Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, United States.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection presents a significant global public health burden. In 2015, over 400000 deaths worldwide were attributed to HCV infection. This led the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016 to set the ambitious goal of eliminating HCV by 2030. Read More

Br J Ophthalmol 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore

Background/aims: To examine the relationship between macular perfusion, as assessed using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and long-term visual outcome after surgical repair of macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Methods: A prospective study of 29 patients who had undergone successful surgical repair of macula-off RRD. OCTA imaging was performed at month 3 and repeated at months 6 and 12 after surgery. Read More

J Asthma 2021 Apr 7:1-11. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Ankara University School of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases Division of Immunology and Allergic Diseases.

According to recent guidelines; patients with controlled asthma who are stable for at least three months and don't have risk factor should be considered for step down. To evaluate our step down attempts and affecting factors. This study was a retrospective-cohort study of patients with asthma who were followed up in our clinic for at least one year. Read More

Anesth Prog 2020 Mar;68(1):47-49

Department of Anesthesiology, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.

Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome (NCBRS) is a rare congenital genetic disorder characterized by distinctive facial features similar to Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS). We report the first case of successful nasal fiberoptic intubation in a patient with NCBRS with micrognathia and limited mouth opening due to trismus. A 9-year-old girl with NCBRS and dental caries was scheduled to undergo general anesthesia for a dental extraction. Read More

J Org Chem 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR.

The successful enlargement of the curved π-electron periphery of the wizard hat-shaped polycyclic aromatic compound is described. The target structure features an ,,,,,,,,-nonaphenylene belt fused to a central tribenzotriquinacene unit. The synthesis involves a multiple regioconvergent Scholl-type dehydrocyclization as the key step. Read More

Stem Cell Res Ther 2021 Apr 6;12(1):229. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, 7514633196, Iran.

Stem cells have been introduced as new promising therapeutic agents in treatment of degenerative diseases because of having high differentiation potential while maintaining the ability to self-replicate and retaining features of their source cells. Among different type of cell therapies, mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) therapy is being increasingly developed as a new way to treat structural defects that need to be repaired and regenerated. Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a reproductive disease in men that causes infertility in 10% of infertile men. Read More

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, UK.

Objectives: Childhood obesity is a public health concern worldwide, with rates continuing to rise, despite preventive measures. Lifestyle modification remains the mainstay in the treatment of patients with excessive weight, but unfortunately, this is not always successful. Options for medical management of obesity in the paediatric population are limited. Read More

J Food Sci 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

National Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Agriculture (LNNA), Embrapa Instrumentation, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.

We report on production of novel quaternary nanocomposite films based on thermoplastic starch (TPS, 8% w/v) derived from cassava, cocoa butter, (CB, 30% wt.%), and lemongrass essential oil (LEO, 1:1) nanoemulsions reinforced with different concentrations of brewery spent grain (BSG, 5 or 10 wt.%) fibers, by continuous casting. Read More

Org Lett 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Frontier Institute of Science and Technology (FIST), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710045, China.

A water-mediated catalytic decarboxylation process toward the formation of polysubstituted furans and ()-allylic alcohols has been reported. This protocol features wide functional group tolerance, easy operation, and only CO-byproduct generation. These reactions can be performed on a large scale open to air under extremely ambient conditions. Read More

Minerva Pediatr (Torino) 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

European Reference Network for rare, low prevalence and complex diseases of the heart - ERN GUARD-Heart HCP, Pediatric Cardiology and Arrhythmia/Syncope Units, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital and Research Institute, Rome, Italy -

Background: Friedreich Ataxia (FRDA) is the most common form of ataxia in late childhood. Neurological manifestations often precede cardiac involvement, presenting mainly as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Methods: We describe a toddler with apparently isolated severe heart failure, successfully managed with heart transplant (HT). Read More

Opt Express 2021 Mar;29(6):9574-9588

Direct phase modulation via optical injection is a newly developed method for coding the phase of a gain-switched laser, which meets high requirements placed on transmitters for quantum key distribution: compactness, low losses, compatibility with CMOS technologies, and the absence of undesirable effects leading to the side-channel information leakage. Despite the successful implementation and good prospects for the further development of this system, there is still a lack of theoretical investigations of this scheme in the literature. Here, for the first time, we perform its theoretical analysis. Read More

iScience 2021 Apr 5;24(4):102267. Epub 2021 Mar 5.

Department of Anatomy, Brain Korea 21 Plus Program for Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.

Optical clearing has emerged as a powerful tool for volume imaging. Although volume imaging with immunostaining have been successful in many protocols, yet obtaining homogeneously stained thick samples remains challenging. Here, we propose a method for label-free imaging of brain slices by enhancing the regional heterogeneity of the optical properties using the tissue clearing principle. Read More

Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021 17;9:626315. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Division of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.

Bone defects and improper healing of fractures are an increasing public health burden, and there is an unmet clinical need in their successful repair. Gene therapy has been proposed as a possible approach to improve or augment bone healing with the potential to provide true functional regeneration. While large numbers of studies have been performed or in small animal models that support the use of gene therapy for bone repair, these systems do not recapitulate several key features of a critical or complex fracture environment. Read More

Quant Imaging Med Surg 2021 Apr;11(4):1437-1446

Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Background: The treatment of malignant stenosis involving the carina or bronchi is challenging due to complicated anatomy with individual variation, which makes it necessary to customize stents for each patient. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a novel metallic segmented airway stent customized with the aid of three-dimensional (3D) printing for such cases.

Methods: The stents were individually customized with the aid of a 3D printed mold based on computed tomography (CT) images according to the anatomical features of the airway. Read More

J Clin Orthop Trauma 2021 Jun 6;17:118-122. Epub 2021 Mar 6.

Mumbai Shoulder and Knee Institute, Mumbai, India.

Purpose: Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most successful operations in orthopedics. Still, a sizable percentage of patients (20%) remain dissatisfied after a well-executed TKA. The study aims to examine the excised synovium from the suprapatellar region in osteoarthritic knees during TKA and evaluate the histopathology (HP) report to know whether discrepant diagnoses affect the Forgotten Joint Score-12 at various time intervals. Read More

Circ J 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Women's Medical University.

Background: The number of patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy has increased. Consequently, there is increased frequency in the removal and reimplantation of coronary venous (CV) leads due to infection or malfunction.Methods and Results:A total of 345 consecutive patients referred for lead(s) extraction were reviewed. Read More

Aesthetic Plast Surg 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Denizli State Hospital Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, Sırakapılar, Selcuk Caddesi, Merkezefendi, 20100, Denizli, Turkey.

Background: The nose has a great impact on facial beauty and appearance. Therefore rhinoplasty is one of the most performed procedures worldwide. However, considering the varying degrees of cosmetic operations holistic approach to face is essential to achieve more successful results. Read More

Mar Drugs 2021 Mar 30;19(4). Epub 2021 Mar 30.

School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Mexico.

Naturally occurring biological entities with extractable and tunable structural and functional characteristics, along with therapeutic attributes, are of supreme interest for strengthening the twenty-first-century biomedical settings. Irrespective of ongoing technological and clinical advancement, traditional medicinal practices to address and manage inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are inefficient and the effect of the administered therapeutic cues is limited. The reasonable immune response or invasion should also be circumvented for successful clinical translation of engineered cues as highly efficient and robust bioactive entities. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 Mar 23;18(6). Epub 2021 Mar 23.

Department of Sport, Outdoor and Exercise Science, School of Human Sciences & Human Sciences Research Centre, University of Derby, Kedleston Road, Derby DE22 1GB, UK.

With increasing cancer survivorship has come an increased necessity to support people living with cancer (PLWC) to have a good quality of life including being physically active. Using mixed methods, the current study aimed to use the RE-AIM evaluation framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance) to determine how the football community trust delivered CARE (Cancer and Rehabilitation Exercise) intervention was able to increase participants' physical activity in order to improve their quality of life and regain physiological and psychological function. Quantitative outcome data were collected at baseline, 3 and 6 months using the Cancer Physical Activity Standard Evaluation Framework questionnaire. Read More