Publications by authors named "D J Howells"

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) can impair motor, sensory, and autonomic function. The formation of the glial scar comprises protective as well as inhibitory neurite outgrowth properties operated by the deposition of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG). Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) can degrade CSPG and foster neuroaxonal plasticity as a therapeutic approach to restore locomotor function after SCI.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the role of brain pericytes in the microvascular no-reflow phenomenon after reopening an artery during ischemic stroke.
  • It finds that mTOR inhibition via rapamycin reduces pericyte contraction during simulated ischemia, though it doesn't significantly affect cell survival.
  • In a mouse model, rapamycin improves capillary diameter and increases the number of open capillaries following arterial recanalization, suggesting it could be a helpful treatment to enhance blood flow in the brain after a stroke.
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This study aimed to evaluate the effect of discrete passages of play on locomotor demands of international men's and women's rugby sevens matches and their relationship with winning or losing. Thirteen men's and thirteen women's international rugby sevens players wore 10 Hz Global Positioning Systems during twelve Tokyo Olympic games matches (966 observations; 507 for men, 459 for women). Discrete ball-in-play periods were categorised as: 'Single-phase defence', 'single-phase attack', 'multi-phase defence', 'multi-phase attack', 'multi-phase defence to attack', or 'multi-phase attack to defence'.

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Recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) may be propagated by plasticity-enhancing treatments. The myelin-associated nerve outgrowth inhibitor Nogo-A (Reticulon 4, RTN4) pathway has been shown to restrict neuroaxonal plasticity in experimental SCI models. Early randomized controlled trials are underway to investigate the effect of Nogo-A/Nogo-Receptor (NgR1) pathway blockers.

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