Publications by authors named "Aitken D"

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) identifying individuals experience worse health outcomes compared to non-SGM identifying counterparts. Representation of SGM individuals within medical schools may improve the delivery of more equitable healthcare through reducing biases and normalizing SGM presence within healthcare spaces. Our initial aim was to explore the extent to which role models may influence personal SGM identities within medical schools in the United Kingdom, using an interpretative phenomenological approach.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Sex-differences in pain perception have been documented; however, the role of sex hormones in chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated whether sex hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) are associated with CMP.

Methods: We utilised data from the UK Biobank (n=357 424; females: 51.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare the outcomes of supervised exercise and education for patients with established and early-stage knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
  • Early-stage KOA patients showed similar improvements in pain, quality of life, and functional tests after 3 and 12 months compared to established KOA patients, despite starting with similar baseline pain levels.
  • Potential early-stage KOA patients had lower baseline pain and less pain improvement but maintained comparable gains in quality of life and functional performance, indicating that supervised exercise and education can be effective across different stages of KOA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A four-step domino-multicomponent reaction (domino-MCR) is described for the synthesis of functionalized -alkylidenecyclobutanes from 4-hydroxy-2-methylcyclopent-2-enone derivatives and three other simple reagents. The domino-MCR is accomplished in a single protocol, comprising a tandem photochemical [2 + 2]-cycloaddition/Norrish-I/γ-H transfer reaction followed by an acetal protection and an allylic substitution reaction. In parallel, a consecutive process has been established with distinct photochemical and nonradiative sequences.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Chronic musculoskeletal pain frequently occurs alongside Parkinson's disease (PD), and this study aims to determine if chronic pain increases the risk of developing PD or other neurodegenerative disorders like multiple system atrophy (MSA) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
  • The research analyzed data from nearly 356,000 participants over a median of 13 years, identifying a clear link between the number of pain sites and the risk of developing PD: those with multiple pain locations had a significantly higher risk.
  • While chronic pain was notably associated with an increased risk of PD, there was no similar correlation found with MSA or PSP, suggesting that recognizing chronic pain could help identify individuals at risk for PD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

N-substituted derivatives of anti-(2R,3S)-1,3-diamino-4-phenylbutan-2-ol are important building blocks for the synthesis of therapeutically important molecules. We describe a simple protocol that allows transformation of N,N-dibenzyl-L-phenylalaninal into such compounds in only two steps. The first step is a fully stereoselective three-component MAC (Masked Acyl Cyanide) oxyhomologation reaction implicating different amines to give a panel of ten N,N-dibenzyl-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-protected anti-(2S,3S)-allophenylnorstatin amides.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The [3 + 2] annulation reaction between a thiourea, an ambident dinucleophile, and a 2-(phenacylethylidene)cyclobutanone, containing a novel pull-pull alkene system, could in principle proceed with several chemo- and regioselectivity profiles. Here we describe a convenient synthesis of the functionalized cyclobutanone substrates and show that they react with thioureas in a manner that is rationalized mechanistically in terms of the steric and electronic effects at play. The [3 + 2] annulation proceeds in mild, additive-free conditions to provide access to previously unknown cyclobutane-fused imidazolidine-2-thione and thiazolidine-2-imine derivatives in good yields.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Musculoskeletal pain typically occurs in multiple sites; however, no study has examined whether excessive visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue are associated with musculoskeletal pain. This study therefore aimed to describe the associations between MRI-derived abdominal adipose tissue and multisite and widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: Data from the UK Biobank, a large prospective, population-based cohort study, were used.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: The interest in using new technologies to obtain recordings of on-water kinetic variables for assessing the performance of elite sprint kayakers has increased over the last decades but systematic approaches are warranted to ensure the validity and reliability of these measures. This study has an innovative approach, and the aim was to develop a new versatile jig including reference force sensors for both the calibration and validation of mutual static and dynamic stroke forces as measured with instrumented paddles at the high force levels used in elite sprint kayaking.

Methods: A jig was constructed using a modified gym weight stack and a frame consisting of aluminum profiles permitting a fastening of custom-made kayak paddle shaft and blade support devices with certified force transducers combined with a data acquisition system to record blade and hand forces during static (constant load) and dynamic conditions (by paddle stroke simulation).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The burden of osteoarthritis (OA) is rapidly increasing with population aging, but there are still no approved disease-modifying drugs available. Accumulating evidence has shown that OA is a heterogeneous disease with multiple phenotypes, and it is unlikely to respond to one-size-fits-all treatments. Inflammation is recognized as an important phenotype of OA and is associated with worse pain and joint deterioration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Exploring (1) pre-exercise and acute movement-evoked pain (AMEP) during an outdoor walking program in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA); and (2) comparing baseline physical performance and AMEP flares initiated by walking between participants with either a higher or lower attendance rate.

Methods: Individuals with knee OA were prescribed a 24-week walking program, including one unsupervised walk and two supervised walk classes per week. Participants self-reported knee pain on a numerical rating scale (NRS; 0-10) before and after each supervised class.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Prior nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), a biomarker of cumulative lifetime sun exposure, is associated with reduced fracture risk later in life. The mechanism is unknown.

Methods: Prospective cohort analysis of 1099 community-dwelling adults aged 50-80 years with baseline and 10-year follow-up assessments.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sarcopenia and obesity have been studied independently as risk factors for knee osteoarthritis. However, there is now research interest in investigating whether the co-existence of sarcopenia and obesity (sarcopenic obesity) within the same individual significantly increases the risk of knee osteoarthritis, compared to sarcopenia or obesity alone. This review synthesises current literature to explore the association between sarcopenic obesity and knee osteoarthritis, emphasising both the clinical evidence and existing gaps.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The one-pot MAC (Masked Acyl Cyanide) reaction is used to perform the tandem oxyhomologation reaction of -dibenzyl-l-phenylalaninal and coupling with nitrogen nucleophiles to provide a wide selection of amide and peptide derivatives of (2,3)-allophenylnorstatin in generally good yields and with high selectivity, often with dr >98:2. The procedure works equally well with other selected -dibenzyl α-amino aldehydes, and is used to achieve a very short synthesis of (23)-epibestatin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To determine the effect of zoledronic acid (ZA) on the risk of total knee replacement (TKR) in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and without severe joint space narrowing (JSN).

Methods: We included 222 participants (mean age 62 years, 52% female) from the two-year Zoledronic Acid for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain trial (113 received 5 mg of ZA annually and 109 received placebo) conducted between November 2013 and October 2017. Primary TKR were identified until February 22, 2022.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We examine peptide model systems designed to probe short-range N-H⋯OS sidechain-backbone hydrogen bonding involving amino acid residues with sidechain sulfoxide or sulfone functional groups and its effects on local conformations. A strong 7-membered ring hydrogen bond of this type accompanies an intra-residue N-H⋯OC interaction and stabilizes an extended backbone conformation in preference to classical folded structures.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Children with diagnoses such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and so on often experience bullying at school. This group can be described as , meaning they think and process information differently from most people. Previous research suggests that increasing people's knowledge can be an effective way to reduce stigma and bullying.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Māori have three times the mortality from lung cancer compared with non-Māori. The Te Manawa Taki region has a population of 900 000, of whom 30% are Māori. We have little understanding of the factors associated with developing and diagnosing lung cancer and ethnic differences in these characteristics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) are ubiquitous in peptides and proteins and are central to the stabilization of their structures. Inter-residue H-bonds between non-adjacent backbone amide NH and C=O motifs lead to the well-known secondary structures of helices, turns and sheets, but it is recognized that other H-bonding modes may be significant, including the weak intra-residue H-bond (called a C5 H-bond) that implicates the NH and C=O motifs of the same amino acid residue. Peptide model compounds that adopt stable C5 H-bonds are not readily available and the so-called 2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * CAM users tended to be female, better educated, have more joints affected by osteoarthritis, and lead healthier lifestyles, including lower body weight and higher physical activity.
  • * Among participants with joint pain, those using CAMs exclusively reported a better quality of life and fewer pain symptoms compared to those relying solely on conventional analgesics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Healthcare experiences of mistreatment are long standing issues, with many not knowing how to recognise it and respond appropriately. Active bystander intervention (ABI) training prepares individuals with tools and strategies to challenge incidences of discrimination and harassment that they may witness. This type of training shares a philosophy that all members of the healthcare community have a role to play in tackling discrimination and healthcare inequalities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To determine the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) examining outdoor walking on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) clinical outcomes and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) structural changes.

Method: This was a 24-week parallel two-arm pilot RCT in Tasmania, Australia. KOA participants were randomized to either a walking plus usual care group or a usual care control group.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The conformation is a local secondary structure in proteins that implicates a π N-H⋯N interaction between a backbone N atom and the NH of the following residue. Small-molecule models thereof have been limited so far to rigid proline-type compounds. We show here that in derivatives of a cyclic amino acid with a sulphur atom in the γ-position, specific side-chain/backbone N-H⋯S interactions stabilize the conformation sufficiently to allow it to compete with classical C5 and C7 H-bonded conformers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Curcuma longa (CL) extract is modestly effective for relieving knee symptoms in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients; however, its mechanism of action is unclear.

Purpose: We aimed to determine the effects of CL treatment on serum inflammatory markers over 12 weeks and to explore its potential effects on synovitis assessed by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) of the knee.

Methods: Secondary analyses were conducted on the CL for knee OA (CurKOA) trial, which compared CL (n = 36) and placebo (n = 34) over 12 weeks for the treatment of knee OA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF