Publications by authors named "Ball N"

Previous research has demonstrated that postural stability may be improved by increasing stimulation to the somatosensory system. Wearing lower limb compression garments or textured in-soles have been found to be effective short-term methods for improving postural stability, hypothesized to be due to enhanced tactile feedback. The aim of this study was to assess whether a combined compression-tactile sock increases postural stability in healthy adults, compared to barefoot.

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Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) is a rare life-threatening disorder due to profound vascular leak. The trigger and the cause of the disease are currently unknown and there is no specific treatment. Here, we identified a rare heterozygous splice-site variant in the TLN1 gene in a familial SCLS case, suggestive of autosomal dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance.

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Misprocessing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) is one of the major causes of Alzheimer's disease. APP comprises a large extracellular region, a single transmembrane helix and a short cytoplasmic tail containing an NPxY motif (normally referred to as the YENPTY motif). Talins are synaptic scaffold proteins that connect the cytoskeletal machinery to the plasma membrane via binding NPxY motifs in the cytoplasmic tail of integrins.

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An essential aspect of the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation is the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) evaluation of testing proposals submitted by registrants to address data gaps. Registrants may propose adaptations, such as read-across, to waive standard testing; however, it is widely believed that ECHA often finds justifications for read-across hypotheses inadequate. From 2008 to August 2023, 2,630 testing proposals were submitted to ECHA; of these, 1,538 had published decisions that were systematically evaluated in this study.

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  • * Sixty-six state-level athletes performed drop jumps, and those classified as synchronous (better timing of force application) showed higher reactive strength index (RSI) scores and shorter contact times compared to asynchronous jumpers.
  • * The analysis revealed that improved concentric kinetics were crucial for performance, with sex also playing a significant role in RSI, suggesting that understanding force timing and curve shape can enhance performance in various sports.
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A new method uses metal Lewis acids as catalysts to convert sulfonyl fluorides, fluorosulfates, and sulfamoyl fluorides with silyl amines into S-N bond-containing compounds via sulfur fluoride exchange. The reaction successfully employs Ca(NTf) as a catalyst to form sulfonamides, sulfamates, and sulfamides using in situ-generated or commercially available silyl amines in 35-99% yields. Other metal Lewis acids are also demonstrated to be catalysts in SuFEx, forming sulfonamides and sulfamates in yields comparable to those of Ca(NTf).

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Prescribing correct training loads in strength- and power-based sports is essential to eliciting performance improvements for athletes. Concurrently, testing strength for the prescription of training loads should be accurate and safe with minimal disruption or fatigue inducement to the athlete. The purpose of this study was to develop a prediction equation in female athletes for the three-repetition maximum (3RM) squat using the isometric mid-thigh pull and basic anthropometric assessments that could be practically applied to support training prescriptions.

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Objectives: To evaluate joint health, pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with moderate/severe haemophilia A in Europe.

Design: Multinational, cross-sectional survey, with retrospective data collection. Data were taken from the Adelphi Real World Haemophilia Disease Specific Programme Wave II, using surveys completed by physicians and patients between February 2020 and May 2021.

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An important element of the European Union's "Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals" (REACH) regulation is the evaluation by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) of testing proposals submitted by the registrants to address data gaps in standard REACH information requirements. The registrants may propose adaptations, and ECHA evaluates the reasoning and issues a written decision. Read-across is a common adaptation type, yet it is widely assumed that ECHA often does not agree that the justifications are adequate to waive standard testing requirements.

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  • - The study explores how Target of Myb1 (TOM1) helps transport ubiquitinated proteins to lysosomes for degradation, revealing that a specific region near TOM1 enhances its binding to ubiquitin and can be altered through phosphorylation.
  • - Researchers found that TOM1 acts as an effector for a lipid called phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate (PtdIns5P) during infections from Shigella flexneri, with its binding to PtdIns5P being influenced by pH levels.
  • - The findings suggest that during Shigella infection, the acidic environment affects TOM1's ability to bind ubiquitin, which hinders endosomal maturation and protein degradation, thus aiding bacterial survival by accumulating TOM1
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Vinculin binds to specific sites of mechanically unfolded talin rod domains to reinforce the coupling of the cell's exterior to its force generation machinery. Force-dependent vinculin-talin complexation and dissociation was previously observed as contraction or extension of the unfolded talin domains respectively using magnetic tweezers. However, the structural mechanism underlying vinculin recognition of unfolded vinculin binding sites (VBSs) in talin remains unknown.

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We previously identified talin rod domain-containing protein 1 (TLNRD1) as a potent actin-bundling protein in vitro. Here, we report that TLNRD1 is expressed in the vasculature in vivo. Its depletion leads to vascular abnormalities in vivo and modulation of endothelial cell monolayer integrity in vitro.

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Organophosphorus(V) fluorides have a long and tumultuous history, with early applications as toxins and nerve agents reflecting their poisonous past. Behind these very real safety considerations, there is also growing potential in a wide range of fields, from chemical biology to drug development. The recent inclusion of organophosphorus(V) fluorides in click chemistry exemplifies the promise these compounds possess and brings these molecules to the brink of a resurgence.

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Young adult cancer survivors experience disruptions in various life domains (e.g., relationships, academic/career) during and after treatment.

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Background: Given the increasing number of young adult cancer survivors and the impacts of cancer on various life domains, interventions addressing the psychosocial needs of young adult survivors are crucial. However, such intervention research is limited, and the existing literature has often: 1) overlooked young adult survivors' psychosocial needs; 2) targeted depression, anxiety, or fear of recurrence - rather than positive outcomes like well-being; and 3) failed to consider scalable approaches, like digital health.

Methods: This paper documents the development and refinement of an 8-week digital, coach-assisted intervention targeting hope among young adult cancer survivors (ages 18-39, within 3 years of treatment completion) and presents the protocol of the 2-arm RCT (comparing intervention vs.

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Cellular signalling is a complex process and involves cascades of enzymes that, in response to a specific signal, give rise to exact cellular responses. Signalling scaffold proteins organise components of these signalling pathways in space and time to co-ordinate signalling outputs. In this review we introduce a new class of mechanically operated signalling scaffolds that are built into the cytoskeletal architecture of the cell.

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The Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of pyridine-2-sulfonyl fluoride (PyFluor) with hetero(aryl) boronic acids and pinacol boronic esters is reported. The reactions can be performed using Pd(dppf)Cl as the catalyst, at temperatures between 65 and 100 °C and in the presence of water and oxygen. This transformation generates 2-arylpyridines in modest to good yields (5%-89%).

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  • - This study investigated how the perceived wellbeing of young female soccer players (ages 15-17) affects their running performance in terms of distance covered and speed during different time intervals.
  • - Key wellbeing factors measured included stress, fatigue, muscle soreness, and sleep quality, which were linked to running performance metrics like total distance and high-speed running.
  • - Findings indicated that lower stress and fatigue levels corresponded with better running performance, suggesting that improving player wellbeing could positively impact their physical output in games.
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  • The study aimed to analyze the average time from the onset of ALS symptoms to 11 specific milestones, taking into account ALS progression rates and geographic differences.
  • Data were collected from a survey of neurologists caring for ALS patients across multiple countries, revealing that the average time to reach key milestones varied, with notable differences based on progression rates and locations.
  • Results showed that patients with faster progression experienced milestones sooner within 30 months from symptom onset, indicating that both speed of disease progression and location significantly influence the timing of these crucial life changes.
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The flavivirus envelope protein is a class II fusion protein that drives flavivirus-cell membrane fusion. The membrane fusion process is triggered by the conformational change of the E protein from dimer in the virion to trimer, which involves the rearrangement of three domains, EDI, EDII, and EDIII. The movement between EDI and EDII initiates the formation of the E protein trimer.

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Background: Lower limb somatosensation and proprioception are important for maintaining balance. Research has shown that compression garments or exposure to textured surfaces, can enhance somatosensation however, little is known about the effect of combined compression and texture on somatosensory acuity in the lower limb. This study aimed to assess the effects of combined compression socks with a plantar textured sole, on lower limb somatosensory acuity.

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Background: Perinatal mental health disorders affect up to 20% of all women. Women of refugee background are likely to be at increased risk, yet little research has explored this. This study aimed to assess if women of refugee background are more likely to screen risk positive for depression and anxiety than non-refugee women, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); and if screening in pregnancy using the EPDS enables better detection of depression and anxiety symptoms in women of refugee background than routine care.

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Understanding and estimating the exposure to a substance is one of the fundamental requirements for safe manufacture and use. Many approaches are taken to determine exposure to substances, mainly driven by potential use and regulatory need. There are many opportunities to improve and optimise the use of exposure information for chemical safety.

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