Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Crohns Colitis 2021 Apr 15. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Meir Medical Center,KfarSaba,Israel.

Aims: Despite reports that medical cannabis improves symptoms in Crohn's disease (CD), controlled studies evaluating disease response are lacking. This study assessed the effect of cannabidiol (CBD)-rich cannabis oil for induction of remission in CD.

Methods: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled single center trial, patients received orally eithercannabis oil containing160/40mg/ml cannabidiol/ tetrahydrocannabinol (CBD/THC) or placebo for eight weeks. Read More

MDM Policy Pract 2021 Jan-Jun;6(1):2381468321994063. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

Former Head of Therapeutic Drug Working Committee (TDWC) Respiratory (2014-2020), Serdang Hospital, Ministry of Health Malaysia.

The current health technology assessment used to evaluate respiratory inhalers is associated with limitations that have necessitated the development of an explicit formulary decision-making framework to ensure balance between the accessibility, value, and affordability of medicines. This study aimed to develop a multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework, apply the framework to potential and currently listed respiratory inhalers in the Ministry of Health Medicines Formulary (MOHMF), and analyze the impacts of applying the outputs, from the perspective of listing and delisting medicines in the formulary. The overall methodology of the framework development adhered to the recommendations of the ISPOR MCDA Emerging Good Practices Task Force. Read More

Pulm Circ 2021 Apr-Jun;11(2):2045894021996224. Epub 2021 Mar 27.

Institute of Cardiovascular Medicine, Section of Advanced Heart Failure/Transplant/MCS and Pulmonary Hypertension, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized in the aging population, especially with the rising obesity epidemic. The impact of OSA on inpatient mortality in PE is not well understood. Read More

Circulation 2021 Apr 15. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Exertional intolerance is a limiting and often crippling symptom in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Traditionally the etiology has been attributed to central factors, including ventilation-perfusion mismatch, increased pulmonary vascular resistance and right heart dysfunction and uncoupling. Pulmonary endarterectomy and, balloon pulmonary angioplasty provide substantial improvement of functional status and hemodynamics. Read More

Asia Pac J Clin Oncol 2021 Apr 14. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Concord Cancer Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Aim: Evaluate feasibility and outcomes of a multimodal prehabiliation program in patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer (CRC) awaiting surgery.

Methods: Patients scheduled for elective CRC resection at Concord Repatriation General Hospital were recruited from pre-admission clinic between January and November 2018. Participants received a 2-4 week prehabilitation program consisting of supervised exercise sessions, nurse-led phone support, and written nutritional information. Read More

Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc 2021 Jun 23;34:100757. Epub 2021 Mar 23.

Department of Internal Medicine III, Saarland University Medical Center, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany.

Objectives: We assessed left ventricular (LV) function and central hemodynamic effects in patients with a heart rate (HR) at rest of ≥70 beats per minute (bpm) and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) after long-term treatment with ivabradine compared to placebo by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

Methods And Results: In a randomized, double-blinded, prospective cross-over design, 23 patients (18 male, 5 female) were treated with ivabradine (7.5 mg bid) or placebo for 6 months. Read More

Ann Palliat Med 2021 Mar;10(3):3018-3027

Department of Medicine, Huzhou University, Huzhou, China.

Background: With the continuous development of modern society, the management of chronic diseases has become the focus of the medical community in China. In particular, diabetes is a chronic disease that cannot be ignored. China has built an integrated delivery system to deal with imminent health problems. Read More

Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs 2021 Apr;20(2):96-105

Laboratory of Biomechanical Engineering, Department of Applied Mechanics, College of Architecture & Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Objective: The role of sauna bathing in cardiovascular function treatment has been increasingly explored, but insufficient attention has been paid to its efficacy. We performed a meta-analysis to provide more evidence for the efficacy of sauna treatment in cardiovascular nursing.

Methods: Sixteen peer-reviewed journal articles were screened to summarize the efficacy of the sauna on cardiovascular function. Read More

Exp Eye Res 2021 Apr 10:108567. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address:

Purpose: This study explored whether the non-polar lipids in the human tear fluid lipidome show diurnal variation with and without contact lens wear. It also addressed the relationship between changes in ocular comfort during the day with the level of non-polar lipids.

Methods: Tear samples were collected in the morning and evening with and without contact lenses using fine glass capillary tubes and were analysed by chip-based nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric techniques. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Apr;100(15):e25263

Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Center.

Rationale: Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple subtypes. NCSE poses great diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to the lack of typical symptoms. Here, we report a case of NCSE manifesting as rapidly progressive dementia (RPD) and infarction in the splenium of the corpus callosum. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Biológica, Toxicología y Química Legal, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. II. 4to piso, Pabellón II, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Differential biomarker responses may occur after acute or chronic bioassays when animals are unfed. In many aquatic species, food deprivation may lead to a pro-oxidant condition. However, information about its effects on the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus, a bioindicator organism for water and sediment toxicity tests, is almost completely lacking. Read More

ISME J 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.

The oldest and most wide-ranging signal of biological activity (biosignature) on our planet is the carbon isotope composition of organic materials preserved in rocks. These biosignatures preserve the long-term evolution of the microorganism-hosted metabolic machinery responsible for producing deviations in the isotopic compositions of inorganic and organic carbon. Despite billions of years of ecosystem turnover, evolutionary innovation, organismic complexification, and geological events, the organic carbon that is a residuum of the global marine biosphere in the rock record tells an essentially static story. Read More

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2021 Apr 3;119:104503. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Fujian Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterial & Stomatological Key Laboratory of Fujian College and University, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University, China; Department of Applied Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Japan. Electronic address:

This in vitro study used the same frequency and duration of acid contact as a previous in situ/in vivo study to evaluate the effect of erosion on CAD/CAM restorative materials and human enamel and to compare the effects of in vitro and in situ/in vivo acid challenges on CAD/CAM restorative materials and human enamel. The CAD/CAM restorative materials (IPS e.max CAD, Lava Ultimate, and PMMA block) and human enamel were eroded by immersion in 150 ml of cola drink for 14 days (4 × 5 min/day). Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2021 Apr 12;4:CD005289. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Division of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Aberdeen, UK.

Background: Monitoring of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is necessary to detect as well as reduce the incidence and severity of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) whilst achieving the optimal ovarian response needed for assisted reproduction treatment. Traditional monitoring of ovarian hyperstimulation during in vitro fertilisation IVF and ICSI treatment has included transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) plus serum estradiol levels. The need for combined monitoring (using TVUS and serum estradiol) during ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction is controversial. Read More

Biotech Histochem 2021 Apr 11:1-11. Epub 2021 Apr 11.

Student Research Committee, and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Busulfan (BSU) is a chemotherapeutic drug that can cause subfertility or sterility in males. We investigated the effects of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSC) conditioned medium (CM) (AT-MSC-CM) on histopathological and molecular characteristics of mouse testes exposed to BSU using stereology. We used adult male mice divided randomly into five groups: control, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), BSU, and BSU + CM. Read More

Front Mol Biosci 2021 24;8:568868. Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Department of Physiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Cell migration is driven by the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Although MICAL2 is known to mediate the oxidation of actin filaments to regulate F-actin dynamics, relatively few studies have investigated the potential role of MICAL2 during cancer cell migration. The migratory ability of gastric cancer cells was measured by wound healing and transwell assays. Read More

Front Physiol 2021 25;12:641384. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Central Diagnostic Laboratory-Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is the most common form of hereditary chronic hemolytic anemia. It is caused by mutations in red blood cell (RBC) membrane and cytoskeletal proteins, which compromise membrane integrity, leading to vesiculation. Eventually, this leads to entrapment of poorly deformable spherocytes in the spleen. Read More

Front Physiol 2021 26;12:593129. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China.

Small mammals exhibit limited glucose use and glycogen accumulation during hypothermia. Huddling is a highly evolved cooperative behavioral strategy in social mammals, allowing adaptation to environmental cooling. However, it is not clear whether this behavior affects the utilization of glycogen in cold environments. Read More

Nihon Shokakibyo Gakkai Zasshi 2021 ;118(4):348-357

Department of Internal Medicine, Saiseikai Matsusaka General Hospital.

A man in his 20s visited a local physician because of upper abdominal pain, and an abdominal ultrasonography revealed hepatic tumors. He was then referred to our hospital. The patient had no history of blood transfusion, tattoos, habitual alcohol consumption, or narcotic drug use. Read More

Nutr Cancer 2021 Apr 12:1-10. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Gastroenterology, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Ulcerative colitis patients have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of the current study was to determine whether Emu Oil (EO) could reduce the severity of colitis, thereby inhibiting colitis-associated CRC (CA-CRC) development. Female C57BL/6 mice ( = 8/group) were injected (i. Read More

Waste Manag 2021 Apr 7;126:476-486. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; The Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CipKeBiP), Jamova 39, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address:

Onion production generates abundant waste with high contents of bioactive compounds. These might have several beneficial functional properties for fortification of foods. To understand the variety and potential for further use, we examined various parts of the plants (edible/inedible waste/outer skin of onion), as well as extraction in water/ethanol and by shaking/sonication. Read More

Pediatr Diabetes 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Örebro, Örebro, Sweden.

Early-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with high risk of early cardiovascular complications and premature death. The strongest modifiable risk factor is HbA1c. Other modifiable factors, such as overweight, also increase the risk of complications. Read More

Clin Exp Dermatol 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

University of Dundee, Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK.

Background: Despite decades of use, the magnitude of efficacy of narrowband-ultraviolet B phototherapy (NB-UVB) for atopic dermatitis (AD) outwith industry-sponsored trials remains unclear.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of NB-UVB in AD under real-world conditions.

Methods: We conducted a historical inception cohort study using automated recording of drug dispensed to provide an objective treatment outcome in a large population catchment of 420,000 over 15 years. Read More

J Nucl Med 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

University of California San Francisco, United States.

Lymphocytes and innate immune cells are key drivers of multiple sclerosis (MS) and are the main target of MS disease modifying therapies (DMT). Ex vivo analyses of MS lesions have revealed cellular heterogeneity and variable T-cell levels, which may have important implication for patient stratification and choice of DMT. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven valuable to monitor DMT efficacy, its lack of specificity for cellular subtypes highlights the need for complementary methods to improve lesion characterization. Read More

Br J Ophthalmol 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Aim: To characterise clinical outcomes following selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in eyes of Afro-Caribbean patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) at high risk for progression.

Methods: In a prospective interventional case series, patients meeting high-risk criteria (advanced disease, unilateral glaucoma blindness, inadequate intraocular pressure (IOP) on 2 medications, recent progression on medications, inability to administer, afford or tolerate medications) underwent bilateral 360° SLT and managed based on their subsequent clinical course. Patient-specific indications for SLT-IOP reduction (IOP group) or reduced reliance on medical therapy (MED group)-were recorded before treatment. Read More

Malar J 2021 Apr 9;20(1):177. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Indonesian Medical Education and Research Institute, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Background: A goal of malaria epidemiological interventions is the detection and treatment of parasite reservoirs in endemic areas-an activity that is expected to reduce local transmission. Since the gametocyte is the only transmissible stage from human host to mosquito vector, this study evaluated the pre and post presence of gametocytes during a mass screening and treatment (MST) intervention conducted during 2013 in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

Methods: RT-qPCR targeting pfs25 and pvs25 transcripts-gametocyte molecular markers for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, respectively, was performed to detect and quantify gametocytes in blood samples of P. Read More

Brain Res Bull 2021 Apr 6. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Chronic pain is recognized as an important problem in communities. The Locus coeruleus (LC) with extensive ascending and descending projections has a critical role in modulating pain. Some studies indicate how the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system can remain more active after nociceptive stimulation. Read More

Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2021 Apr 6:108755. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (CMUS), Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

Aims: Equivocal results of association between metformin and cancer-specific survival need more investigation. We tested the hypothesis that adherence to the drug had a lower cancer-specific mortality in a homogeneous population (i.e. Read More

Clin Adv Periodontics 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, Private Practice, 9401 McKnight Rd., Suite 301-A, Pittsburgh, PA, 15237.

Introduction: Paresthesia is a common cause of dental malpractice litigation. Symptoms range from minimal to severely affecting the quality of life. Effective treatments of post-traumatic paresthesias are scarce. Read More

Echocardiography 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA.

Background: Pericardial effusion drainage in patients with significant pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been questioned because of hemodynamic collapse concern, mainly because of right ventricular (RV) function challenging assessment. We aimed to assess RV function changes related to pericardiocentesis in patients with and without PH.

Methods: Consecutive patients with symptomatic moderate-to-large pericardial effusion who had either echocardiographic or clinical signs of cardiac tamponade and who underwent pericardiocentesis from 2013 to 2018 were included. Read More