The emerging technology of biohybrid micro-robots: a review

In the past few decades, robotics research has witnessed an increasingly high interest in miniaturized, intelligent, and integrated robots. The imperative component of a robot is the actuator that determines its performance. Although traditional rigid drives such as motors and gas engines have shown great prevalence in most macroscale circumstances, the reduction of these drives to the millimeter or even lower scale results in a significant increase in manufacturing difficulty accompanied by a remarkable performance decline. Biohybrid robots driven by living cells can be a potential solution to overcome these drawbacks by benefiting from the intrinsic microscale self-assembly of living tissues and high energy efficiency, which, among other unprecedented properties, also feature flexibility, self-repair, and even multiple degrees of freedom. This paper systematically reviews the development of biohybrid robots. First, the development of biological flexible drivers is introduced while emphasizing on their advantages over traditional drivers. Second, up-to-date works regarding biohybrid robots are reviewed in detail from three aspects: biological driving sources, actuator materials, and structures with associated control methodologies. Finally, the potential future applications and major challenges of biohybrid robots are explored. Graphic abstract

Necrotizing Sialometaplasia and Bulimia: A Case Report

Bulimia is an eating disorder with a great prevalence in young women. Due to its multifactor ethiology, bulimia has systemic consequences. In the literature, necrotising sialometaplasia is seldom associated with bulimia. Its etiopathogenesis is discussed by several authors; nevertheless, the consensus does not consider the relevance of local trauma associated with induced vomiting. A case of necrotising sialomethaplasia, presented with a single hard palatal ulcer in a bulimic woman is described in the present report. The patient did not present significant systemic laboratorial values, nor physical weight variations, which highlights the relevance of performing a complete medical clinical history when diagnosing this rare pathology.

Detection of Helicobacterpylori Antigens among Patients with Gastroenteritis in Erbil City, Iraq

Helicobacter pylori is a significant pathogen of the gastrointestinal tract infection connected with gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric carcinoma. Its infection influence more than half of the world’s inhabitants. This study aims to reveal the prevalence rate of H. pylori infection among patients with gastroenteritis and to investigate the risk factors such as age, gender, residency, blood group and rhesus factors related to this infection in Erbil city. Of 300 stool specimens from patients presenting with gastroenteritis who were admitted to Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Iraq, from September 2018 to February 2019 were collected and screened for the presence of H. pylori antigens using rapid immunochromatographic assay (Camp Medica Group, Bucharest, Romania). A questionnaire sheet was prepared and used for each study subject. Of 300 samples examined, H. pylori were detected in 79 samples (26.33%). The highest rate of H. pylori infection was founded among the age group 21–30 years, but there were no significant differences between them (P > 0.05). A significant relationship between H. pylori infection and gender (male 19.05% and female 33.33%) was recorded (P < 0.05). There was a significant association between H. pylori infection and ABO blood group among patients (P < 0.05), but there is no significant association between H. pylori infection and the type of rhesus factor (P > 0.05) that H. pylori infection was higher in rhesus factor negative compared to rhesus factor positive. The prevalence was significantly higher among rural area (55.56%) than urban area (23.44%) (P < 0.05). We concluded that the spread of H. pylori positive rate was high among patients with gastroenteritis in Erbil city. The great prevalence of H. pylori was founded in the patients with O blood group, urban area, and females. There was no significant association between H. pylori infection and age groups and rhesus factor.

Greater prevalence of PROKR2 mutations in Kallmann syndrome patients from the Maghreb than in European patients

ContextKallmann syndrome (KS) is a genetically heterogeneous developmental disorder that associates hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia. Various causative genes have been identified, but their respective involvement in different world regions is poorly documented.ObjectiveWe aimed to compare the prevalence of mutations in five routinely analyzed KS genes between Maghrebian and European patients.MethodsBlood samples from 120 presumably unrelated Maghrebian patients were collected for DNA sequencing by the Sanger technique. The prevalence of the non-synonymous mutations inKAL1,FGFR1,FGF8,PROKR2, andPROK2was determined for each gene, and compared with those previously obtained from the analysis of 712 European patients.ResultsDiverse mutations inPROKR2, a gene involved both in monogenic recessive and digenic/oligogenic KS transmission modes, were found in 23.3% of the Maghrebian patients, but only in 5.1% of the European patients (Fisher's exact test,P<0.001), whereas mutations in each of the other four KS genes were present either at similar frequencies in the Maghrebian and European patients (KAL1,PROK2,FGF8, from 6.6 to 0.8%; Fisher's exact test,P>0.4 for all comparisons) or at a lower frequency in Maghrebian patients (FGFR1, 5.0 vs 11.7%; Fisher's exact test,P<0.05). Homozygosity resulting from consanguineous marriages was not sufficient to account for the greater prevalence ofPROKR2mutations in the Maghrebian patients.ConclusionsThe great prevalence ofPROKR2mutations in Maghrebian patients has practical consequences for molecular diagnosis of the disease and genetic counseling in the Maghrebian population.

Prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in temporal lobe epilepsy in a Southern Brazilian population

A great prevalence of psychiatric disorders in epilepsy is well demonstrated, although most studies have used unstructured psychiatric interviews for diagnosis. Here we present a study evaluating the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in a cohort of Southern Brazilian patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) using a structured clinical interview. We analyzed 166 patients with TLE regarding neuropsychiatric symptoms through the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. One hundred-six patients (63.9%) presented psychiatric comorbidities. Mood disorders were observed in 80 patients (48.2%), anxiety disorders in 51 patients (30.7%), psychotic disorders in 14 (8.4%), and substance abuse in 8 patients (4.8%) respectively. Our results agree with literature data where most authors detected mental disorders in 10 to 60% of epileptic patients. This wide variation is probably attributable to different patient groups investigated and to the great variety of diagnostic methods. Structured psychiatric interviews might contribute to a better evaluation of prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in TLE.

The onset of dementia in patients with an acute ischemic stroke

IntroductionStroke is a disorder that has great prevalence, defined vascular territories and psychiatric signs generally emerge in association with specific cognitive deficits.ObjectiveDementia occurs frecquently after acute ischemic stroke. The incidence of dementia six months after stroke is about 42%. Fortunately, in recent years, more attention has been paid to organic disorders provoked by strokes, especially to dementia.AimTo follow up the occuring dementia after stroke and also to follow the various psychiatric disorders with the onset during or after an acute ischemic stroke.MethodsAltogether 110 patients were recruited to this observational and non-interventional study, patients who were suffering from a psychiatric disorder after an ischemic stroke (according to DSM IV TR). The screening was followed by four visits during six months, when CGI, 17-HAMD, CROCQ and MMSE scales were used.ResultsOf 110 patients, 39,09% has been diagnosed with dementia. A number of these patients (n = 26) developed an onset like paroxistic disorder (60,46%), or an acute syndrom (20,93%) and 8 patients were considered “de novo” (with the onset of cognitive impairement after 60 days). There were various acute disorders occuring in the onset of dementia, that includes: amnestic syndrom, organic delirium, organic anxiety syndrom and a small number of patients (n=2) who developed mild cognitive disorder.ConclusionsThe literature considers vascular dementia occuring after an ischemic stroke and increasing step by step mnestic deficits; our study releaved a metamorphosis of various types of onset (anxiety, depression, delirium) or cognitive impairement could occurs after 30 days.

Arterial hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: pathogenetic parallels and clinicofunctional features

The great prevalence of comorbidities, such as arterial hypertension (AH) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), generates a need to study the impact of COPD on the pathogenesis, course, and clinical picture of associated cardiovascular diseases. The paper analyzes the data available in the literature on the pathogenesis and course of arterial hypertension in patients with COPD. The paper also gives the authors’ data on the clinicofunctional and pathophysiological features of AH in patients with COPD. The findings suggest that the study group has clinical vascular and organ dysfunction that may both play a role in the pathogenesis of AH in the presence of COPD and prevent a high cardiovascular risk. Key words: arterial hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Contraindications and adverse events of drugs in cardioneurological patients.

In our days big attention is drawn to safe drug therapy. It importance is associated with great prevalence of medical products side effects and consequences, high economic expenses for their correction. Knowing specific features of adverse drug reactions in different groups of patients it could be possible to decrease their prevalence and magnitude.

Comparison of Psychopathology in Type1 and Type2 Diabetic Patients

Aim:Psychiatric disorders are from prevalent outcomes of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. In spite of focused attention of prior researchers on psychiatric distresses of diabetes type2, there were not enough researches about psychopathology of diabetes type1. The aim of this study was to compare psychopathology of diabetes type1 with type2, and assess its relationship to demographic factors.Method:In this cross-sectional study, all of type1 and type2 diabetic patients who have medical records in "Khorasan Center of Diabetes Researches" matched about age and gender, then assessed their psychopathologies by using SCL-90-R questionnaire. Finally, 66 diabetic patients (33 with type1 and 33 with type2) completed the questionnaires and results processed by SPSS software.Results:The most prevalent pathology in SCL-90-R items was related to paranoid ideations (69.7%) and less prevalent item was phobic anxiety (33.3%). Prevalence of psychopathology in diabetic patients was 56.1%, in type1 diabetics more than type2 (66.7%, 45.5%), and in men more than women (63.3%, 50%). Independent t-test did not demonstrate a significant correlation between psychopathology and type of diabetes (P=0.156), but obsessive-compulsive symptoms and hostility in diabetes type1 have seen more than type2 (P< 0.05). ANOVA only could demonstrate relationship of education (P=0.006) and frequency of complications (P=0.011) to psychopathology.Conclusion:Great prevalence of psychiatric disorders in diabetic patients, need more attention for early diagnosis and treatment.

The Influence of Lead Vehicle Behavior and Vehicle Rates of Closure on a Driver's Braking Behavior

Given the great prevalence of vehicle accidents, collision prevention should be a priority for ground transportation research. The understanding of such incidents is critical to the safety of the driver. This study involved simulations of multiple driving situations variant on Rate of Closure (the relative speed between two vehicles) and Lead Vehicle Behavior. Useful Field of View and Test Anxiety measures were used to analyze additional factors related to driving with little success. The findings show that brake onset times of younger drivers are significantly related to the behavior of a lead vehicle and to the rate of closure. As such, any system that only uses time to contact or distance to contact is fundamentally flawed. These results aid in the general understanding of driver behavior and could fundamentally change automatic braking systems.