Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Educ Prim Care 2021 Apr 13:1-3. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.

The parallel consulting method (PCM) is widely used by general practitioners (GPs) for teaching medical students. Studies have described individual aspects of bedside teaching in community settings, including the logistics of using the PCM, but there has been no evaluation of it as a teaching method. This study aimed to evaluate the PCM and whether it helped students develop consultation, clinical and clinical reasoning skills. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK. Electronic address:

Background: Multiple early reports of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 showed that patients with chronic respiratory disease were significantly under-represented in these cohorts. We hypothesised that the widespread use of inhaled glucocorticoids among these patients was responsible for this finding, and tested if inhaled glucocorticoids would be an effective treatment for early COVID-19.

Methods: We performed an open-label, parallel-group, phase 2, randomised controlled trial (Steroids in COVID-19; STOIC) of inhaled budesonide, compared with usual care, in adults within 7 days of the onset of mild COVID-19 symptoms. Read More

J Comput Chem 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Cracow University of Technology, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Cracow, Poland.

The reactions of γ-dehydronitration of furaxanenitrolic acids have been studied within the density functional theory using molecular electron density theory scheme at the MPWB1K(PCM)/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The alteration of bonding along the course of the reaction is studied in the topology of the electron density functional within the bonding evolution theory perspective. The characteristics of electron density changes indicate that we can distinguish six different phases in the nitrous acid extrusion from furaxanenitrolic acid 1a. Read More

Precis Clin Med 2021 Mar 7;4(1):56-61. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.

Many inflammatory diseases are not curable, necessitating a better understanding of their pathobiology that may help identify novel biological targets. RhoA and Cdc42 of Rho family small GTPases regulate a variety of cellular functions such as actin cytoskeletal organization, cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and survival. Recent characterization of mouse models of conditional gene knockout of RhoA and Cdc42 has revealed their physiological and cell type-specific roles in a number of cell types. Read More

Precis Clin Med 2021 Mar 18;4(1):35-44. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Center for Cellular and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis can be difficult as advances in molecular diagnosis approaches (especially nanoparticles combined with high-throughput mass spectrometry for detecting mycobacteria peptide) and personalized medicine result in many changes to the diagnostic framework. This review will address issues concerning novel technologies from bench to bed and new strategies for personalized tuberculosis diagnosis. Read More

Precis Clin Med 2021 Mar 28;4(1):25-34. Epub 2021 Jan 28.

Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common cause of cancer-related mortality in men worldwide. Although most men are diagnosed with low grade, indolent tumors that are potentially curable, a significant subset develops advanced disease where hormone therapy is required to target the androgen receptor (AR). Despite its initial effect, hormone therapy eventually fails and the tumor progresses to lethal stages even through continued inhibition of AR. Read More

Precis Clin Med 2021 Mar 18;4(1):1-16. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Center for Genomics, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.

The pandemic of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rampaged the world, with more than 58.4 million confirmed cases and over 1.38 million deaths across the world by 23 November 2020. Read More

J Orthop Res 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104.

Mechanical stress to the TMJ is an important factor in cartilage degeneration, with both clinical and pre-clinical studies suggesting that repeated TMJ overloading could contribute to pain, inflammation, and/or structural damage in the joint. However, the relationship between pain severity and early signs of cartilage matrix microstructural dysregulation is not understood, limiting advancement of diagnoses and treatments for TMJ-OA. Changes in the pericellular matrix (PCM) surrounding chondrocytes may be early indicators of osteoarthritis. Read More

Mycoses 2021 Apr 8. Epub 2021 Apr 8.

Júlio Muller University Hospital, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Background: PCM is a neglected systemic mycosis endemic in Brazil. The middle-west region of Brazil has shown the highest number of PCM by P. lutzii cases. Read More

J Pharm Bioallied Sci 2020 Nov 5;12(Suppl 2):S696-S702. Epub 2020 Nov 5.

Department of Family Medicine, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan, Malaysia.

Introduction: Practice of dispensing paracetamol (PCM) in post infants' vaccination remains debatable in Malaysia as the administration of PCM postvaccination in infants was found to cause the vaccine to be less effective, thus requiring appropriate regulation measures.

Objective: This research aimed to investigate the prevalence of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) with/without PCM to be prescribed post infants' vaccination in Malaysia (possible associated factors: age, types and stages of vaccination, concomitant vaccines and drugs, and/vitamins).

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from 2011 to 2017. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021 Apr 7;15(4):e0009317. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Laboratório de Biociência (LaBio), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Alimentos e Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.

Background: Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic and endemic fungal infection in Latin American, mainly in Brazil. The majority of PCM cases occur in large areas in Brazil, comprising the South, Southeast and Midwest regions, with the latter demonstrating a higher incidence of the species Paracoccidioides lutzii.

Methodology And Main Findings: This study presents clinical, molecular and serological data of thirteen new PCM cases during 2016 to 2019 from the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, located in the Midwest region, Brazil. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Apr 6;11(1):7539. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8628, Japan.

CO methanation is a promising technology to enable the use of CO as a resource. Thermal control of CO methanation, which is a highly active exothermic reaction, is important to avoid thermal runaway and subsequent degradation of the catalyst. Using the heat storage capacity of a phase change material (PCM) for thermal control of the reaction is a novel passive approach. Read More

ACS Omega 2021 Mar 16;6(12):8469-8476. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Research Institute of Clean Manufacturing System, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 89 Yangdaegiro-gil, Ipjang-myeon, Cheonan 31056, South Korea.

A novel azelaic acid/expanded graphite (AA/EG) phase change composite (PCC) was fabricated as a shape-stabilized phase change material (PCM) for latent heat storage at medium temperatures. The composite exhibited a low supercooling degree and high heat storage capacity. Despite the impregnation of a high quantity of AA (85 wt %) in the porous network of EG, there was no leakage of liquid AA. Read More

Materials (Basel) 2021 Mar 26;14(7). Epub 2021 Mar 26.

STMicroelectronics, 20864 Agrate Brianza, Italy.

In this paper, a thorough characterization of phase-change memory (PCM) cells was carried out, aimed at evaluating and optimizing their performance as enabling devices for analog in-memory computing (AIMC) applications. Exploiting the features of programming pulses, we discuss strategies to reduce undesired phenomena that afflict PCM cells and are particularly harmful in analog computations, such as low-frequency noise, time drift, and cell-to-cell variability of the conductance. The test vehicle is an embedded PCM (ePCM) provided by STMicroelectronics and designed in 90-nm smart power BCD technology with a Ge-rich Ge-Sb-Te (GST) alloy for automotive applications. Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2021 Mar 12;11(3). Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.

Tumor microenvironment inflammation contributes to the proliferation and survival of malignant cells, angiogenesis, metastasis, subversion of adaptive immunity, and reduced treatment response. We aimed to evaluate the early predictive and prognostic significance of markers of systemic inflammation in patients receiving somatostatin-receptor targeted peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). This retrospective observational cohort study included 33 patients with advanced gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) treated with PRRT. Read More

Materials (Basel) 2021 Mar 4;14(5). Epub 2021 Mar 4.

Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, via Venezia 1, 35131 Padova, Italy.

A smart possible way to cool electronics equipment is represented by passive methods, which do not require an additional power input, such as Phase Change Materials (PCMs). PCMs have the benefit of their latent heat being exploited during the phase change from solid to liquid state. This paper experimentally investigates the melting of different PCMs having different melting temperatures (42, 55 and 64 °C). Read More

Materials (Basel) 2021 Mar 13;14(6). Epub 2021 Mar 13.

Institute of Chemical and Environmental Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Av. Camilo José Cela s/n, 13004 Ciudad Real, Spain.

A novel form-stable phase-change material (PCM) based on facing bricks was developed by incorporating thermoregulating PEG-SiO, synthetized by sol-gel method and based on polyethylene glycol as phase-change material and silica as stabilizer compound. The PEG-SiO in its liquid form () is firstly adsorbed inside the porous brick and lastly stabilized () by controlling its gelation time, obtaining form-stable PCMs with PEG-SiO contents within 15-110 wt.%. Read More

Nanomaterials (Basel) 2021 Mar 29;11(4). Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Moscow Automobile and Road Construction University, 125319 Moscow, Russia.

Compositions and technology for obtaining a photocatalytic composite material (PCM) by deposition of titanium dioxide particles synthesized by the sol-gel method on a silica support of various types (microsilica, gaize and diatomite) have been developed. The properties (chemical and mineral composition, dispersion, specific surface area, porosity, ζ-potential, acid-base properties, and microstructure) of microsilica, gaize and diatomite were studied to assess the effectiveness of using a photocatalytic agent as a carrier. In terms of specific viscosity (η = 45), the concentration of the precursor (tetrabutoxytitanium-TBT) is set at 22 vol. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 24;22(7). Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovsky Square #2, 16206 Prague, Czech Republic.

The liquid state NMR chemical shift of protons is a parameter frequently used to characterize host-guest complexes. Its theoretical counterpart, that is, the H NMR chemical shielding affected by the solvent (H CS), may provide important insights into spatial arrangements of supramolecular systems, and it can also be reliably obtained for challenging cases of an aggregation of aromatic and antiaromatic molecules in solution. This computational analysis is performed for the complex of coronene and an antiaromatic model compound in acetonitrile by employing the GIAO-B3LYP-PCM approach combined with a saturated basis set. Read More

Materials (Basel) 2021 Mar 15;14(6). Epub 2021 Mar 15.

CINVESTAV Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Fraccionamiento Real de Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, Qro., Mexico.

The energy sector is one of the fields of interest for different nations around the world. Due to the current fossil fuel crisis, the scientific community develops new energy-saving experiences to address this concern. Buildings are one of the elements of higher energy consumption, so the generation of knowledge and technological development may offer solutions to this energy demand, which are more than welcome. Read More

J Fungi (Basel) 2021 Mar 10;7(3). Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Departament of Infectious Diseases, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05403-000, Brazil.

We investigated the in vitro effects of two antigens on monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) from patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). MoDCs from patients with active or treated PCM and non-PCM subjects were generated, stimulated with TNF-α, and antigens, 43 kDa glycoprotein (gp43) and cell-free antigen (CFA), and analyzed by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Our data revealed that patients with PCM had a high frequency of HLA-DR cells, but the treated group had more CD86 cells with increased IL-12p40. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2021 Mar 8;22(5). Epub 2021 Mar 8.

Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

In this study, we review mechanoregulatory roles for perlecan in load-bearing connective tissues. Perlecan facilitates the co-acervation of tropoelastin and assembly of elastic microfibrils in translamellar cross-bridges which, together with fibrillin and elastin stabilise the extracellular matrix of the intervertebral disc annulus fibrosus. Pericellular perlecan interacts with collagen VI and XI to define and stabilize this matrix compartment which has a strategic position facilitating two-way cell-matrix communication between the cell and its wider extracellular matrix. Read More

Materials (Basel) 2021 Mar 11;14(6). Epub 2021 Mar 11.

Institute of Fluid Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences, Fiszera 14 Str., 80-231 Gdańsk, Poland.

The application of energy storage filled with phase-change material (PCM) is recently increasingly considered in active cooling systems. Such a design offers a higher density of thermal energy accumulation when compared with water storage. However, the optimum use of PCM storage is possible when its dynamic characteristics during the loading and unloading process are well recognized. Read More

Molecules 2021 Mar 14;26(6). Epub 2021 Mar 14.

CanmetENERGY Research Centre, Natural Resources Canada, 1 Haanel Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 1M1, Canada.

A latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) unit can store a notable amount of heat in a compact volume. However, the charging time could be tediously long due to weak heat transfer. Thus, an improvement of heat transfer and a reduction in charging time is an essential task. Read More

Curr Biol 2021 Mar 24. Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, 94305, CA, USA. Electronic address:

During mitosis in animal cells, the centrosome acts as a microtubule organizing center (MTOC) to assemble the mitotic spindle. MTOC function at the centrosome is driven by proteins within the pericentriolar material (PCM), however the molecular complexity of the PCM makes it difficult to differentiate the proteins required for MTOC activity from other centrosomal functions. We used the natural spatial separation of PCM proteins during mitotic exit to identify a minimal module of proteins required for centrosomal MTOC function in C. Read More

Curr Biol 2021 Apr 1. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr Bohr-Gasse 9, A-1030 Vienna, Austria. Electronic address:

In animal cells, the functions of the microtubule cytoskeleton are coordinated by centriole-based centrosomes via γ-tubulin complexes embedded in the pericentriolar material or PCM. PCM assembly has been best studied in the context of mitosis, where centriolar SPD-2 recruits PLK-1, which in turn phosphorylates key scaffolding components like SPD-5 and CNN to promote expansion of the PCM polymer. To what extent these mechanisms apply to centrosomes in interphase or in differentiated cells remains unclear. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021 16;11:622899. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Molecular Pathology Graduation Course, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.

The earliest interaction between macrophages and is particularly important in paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) progression, and surface proteins play a central role in this process. The present study investigated the contribution of β2 integrin in -macrophage interaction and PCM progression. We infected β2-low expression (CD18) and wild type (WT) mice with 18. Read More

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2021 26;116:e200592. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Laboratório de Micologia Clínica, Araraquara, SP, Brasil.

Background: Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis with high prevalence in Latin America that is caused by thermodimorphic fungal species of the Paracoccidioides genus.

Objectives: In this study, we used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to investigate the expression of genes related to the virulence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (Pb18) and P. lutzii (Pb01) strains in their mycelial (M) and yeast (Y) forms after contact with alveolar macrophages (AMJ2-C11 cell line) and fibroblasts (MRC-5 cell line). Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Mar 29;11(1):7083. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is considered a cardiac condition with life-threatening complications. Detected LVH is a strong predictor of cardiovascular diseases and death. This condition is normally diagnosed at offices. Read More

J Chem Inf Model 2021 Mar 29. Epub 2021 Mar 29.

B2SLab, Departament d'Enginyeria de Sistemes, Automàtica i Informàtica Industrial, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.

In silico analysis of biological activity data has become an essential technique in pharmaceutical development. Specifically, the so-called proteochemometric models aim to share information between targets in machine learning ligand-target activity prediction models. However, bioactivity data sets used in proteochemometric modeling are usually imbalanced, which could potentially affect the performance of the models. Read More