Publications by authors named "A Blair Aitken"

Article Synopsis
  • Neuropathic pain (NP) from spinal cord injury (SCI) is often tough to manage, and this study explores the potential of immersive virtual reality (IVR) as a pain relief method with little existing evidence.
  • The pilot study involved 22 participants who tested two types of IVR environments (scenic and somatic) against a control setting over a month-long period, assessing their impact on pain levels.
  • Results indicated that the scenic VR environment significantly reduced pain symptoms compared to the other setups, highlighting the importance of enjoyment and presence in the VR experience, and suggesting the need for customized IVR pain therapies.
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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers studied why some people keep using painkillers called opioids for a long time in Australia.
  • They looked at patients who started taking opioids from 2018 to 2022 and found that 4.8% of them continued using them for at least 90 days.
  • Factors that made it likely for people to use these painkillers longer included being older, having certain health conditions, getting higher amounts prescribed, and receiving specific medications along with opioids.
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Broad-acting antiviral strategies to prevent respiratory tract infections are urgently required. Emerging or re-emerging viral diseases caused by new or genetic variants of viruses such as influenza viruses (IFVs), respiratory syncytial viruses (RSVs), human rhinoviruses (HRVs), parainfluenza viruses (PIVs) or coronaviruses (CoVs), pose a severe threat to human health, particularly in the very young or old, or in those with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although vaccines remain a key component in controlling and preventing viral infections, they are unable to provide broad-spectrum protection against recurring seasonal infections or newly emerging threats.

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The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) sets the phase of oscillation throughout the brain and body. Anatomical evidence reveals a portal system linking the SCN and the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), begging the question of the direction of blood flow and the nature of diffusible signals that flow in this specialized vasculature. Using a combination of anatomical and in vivo two-photon imaging approaches, we unequivocally show that blood flows unidirectionally from the SCN to the OVLT, that blood flow rate displays daily oscillations with a higher rate at night than in the day, and that circulating vasopressin can access portal vessels.

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Background: Small artery remodeling and endothelial dysfunction are hallmarks of hypertension. Growing evidence supports a likely causal association between cardiovascular diseases and the presence of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), a cellular transdifferentiation process in which endothelial cells (ECs) partially lose their identity and acquire additional mesenchymal phenotypes. EC reprogramming represents an innovative strategy in regenerative medicine to prevent deleterious effects induced by cardiovascular diseases.

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