Publications by authors named "Forbes S"

The detection of skeletal remains using human remain detection dogs (HRD) is often reported anecdotally by handlers to be a challenge. Limited studies have been conducted to determine the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from bones, particularly when there is limited organic matter remaining. This study aimed to determine the VOCs emitted from dry, weathered bones and examine the detection performance of HRD dogs on these bones when used as training aids.

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Background & Aims: Hepatocyte transplantation has shown promise for genetic diseases of the hepatocytes but to date has shown limited efficacy for non-genetic forms of severe liver injury. Limited cell engraftment and poor function of donor hepatocytes in recipient livers impacts the clinical utility of hepatocyte cell therapy. The mechanisms underpinning this are poorly understood.

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Background: Differential vulnerability to alcohol contributes to socioeconomic inequities in alcohol-attributable harm. This study aimed to estimate the sex-/gender-specific joint effects of socioeconomic position (SEP) and heavy episodic drinking or volume of alcohol use on 100% alcohol-attributable emergency department (ED) visits.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study among 36 900 men and 39 700 women current and former alcohol consumers aged 15-64 from population-representative Canadian Community Health Surveys (2003-2008) linked to administrative ED visit data through 2017 in Ontario and Alberta.

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Creatine monohydrate supplementation (CrM) is a safe and effective intervention for improving certain aspects of sport, exercise performance, and health across the lifespan. Despite its evidence-based pedigree, several questions and misconceptions about CrM remain. To initially address some of these concerns, our group published a narrative review in 2021 discussing the scientific evidence as to whether CrM leads to water retention and fat accumulation, is a steroid, causes hair loss, dehydration or muscle cramping, adversely affects renal and liver function, and if CrM is safe and/or effective for children, adolescents, biological females, and older adults.

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Background: The Assessing Donor Variability and New Concepts in Eligibility (ADVANCE) study was a multicenter cross-organizational collaboration to collect data to inform possible changes in blood donor selection criteria for men who have sex with men. Multiple recruitment approaches were used, and these may be applicable to current efforts in LGBTQ+ community engagement to recruit new blood donors.

Methods: Fieldwork for ADVANCE was a partnership between blood collection organizations (BCOs) and LGBTQ+ community organizations.

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Introduction: Acute liver failure (ALF) has no effective treatment other than liver transplantation and is commonly caused by paracetamol overdose. New treatments are needed to treat and prevent ALF. Alternatively-activated macrophages (AAMs) can promote resolution of liver necrosis and stimulate hepatocyte proliferation.

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Organic by-products are released into the surrounding soil during the terrestrial decomposition of animal remains. The affected area, known as the Cadaver Decomposition Island (CDI), can undergo biochemical changes that contribute to landscape heterogeneity. Soil bacteria are highly sensitive to labile inputs, but it is unknown how they respond to shifts in dissolved organic matter (DOM) quantity and quality resulting from animal decomposition.

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Evaluating whether someone's behavior is praiseworthy or blameworthy is a fundamental human trait. A seminal study by Hamlin and colleagues in 2007 suggested that the ability to form social evaluations based on third-party interactions emerges within the first year of life: infants preferred a character who helped, over hindered, another who tried but failed to climb a hill. This sparked a new line of inquiry into the origins of social evaluations; however, replication attempts have yielded mixed results.

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Many bacteria, including methicillin-resistant staphylococci and opportunistic pathogens such as (.) species, in particular members of the - () complex, are known to survive in environmental settings. This increases the risk of bacterial spreading and transmission to animals and humans, especially in institutions with a high animal population density.

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Objective: Online and lab-based experiments examining the impact of alcohol labels typically test a one-time exposure to labels and assess short-term, non-behavioural outcomes. These studies do not simulate a real-world label dose or assess actual alcohol use. This pilot aimed to develop a new protocol for testing alcohol labels that better reflects real-world exposure by presenting labels on consumers' own alcohol products over time and assessing effects on several outcomes, including alcohol use.

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Acute liver injury (ALI) has a clear requirement for novel therapies. One emerging option is the use of alternatively activated macrophages (AAMs); a distinct subtype of macrophage with a role in liver injury control and repair. In this comprehensive review, we provide an overview of the current limited options for ALI, and the potential advantages offered by AAMs.

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Individual observational studies examining the association between polyphenols and the risk of lung cancer have reported mixed findings. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the pooled effects between polyphenol intake and lung cancer risk. A systematic search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases in April 2023.

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Article Synopsis
  • In Portugal, burial graves are typically reused after three years, but if remains have not fully decomposed, the time is extended by two years—leading to challenges in burial space due to slow decomposition.
  • The study collected soil samples from five cemeteries and analyzed human hair and fingernail samples for chemical elements to investigate their influence on decomposition rates.
  • Results showed significant differences between preserved and skeletonized remains, but the assumed higher elemental concentrations in preserved bodies were not confirmed, suggesting that burial conditions might affect soft tissue disintegration over time.
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Firefighters, tactical police officers, and warriors often engage in periodic, intermittent, high-intensity physical work in austere environmental conditions and have a heightened risk of premature mortality. In addition, tough decision-making challenges, routine sleep deprivation, and trauma exacerbate this risk. Therefore, identifying strategies to bolster these personnel's health and occupational performance is critical.

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Rigorous field assessment in different soil types and climates comparing simulated graves with pig remains and human remains are needed to assess the capabilities and limitations of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) as a tool to search for unmarked graves. Our study assesses the ERT signals from graves with pig and human remains in a cold, humid continental climate with sandy soils. Two sets of three experimental graves were established: the first set consisted of two graves containing human remains and an empty grave serving as a control, while the second set consisted of two graves with pig remains and a second empty grave.

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Liver disease cases are rapidly expanding worldwide, and transplantation remains the only effective cure for end-stage disease. There is an increasing demand for developing potential drug treatments, and regenerative therapies using in-vitro culture platforms. Human decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is an appealing alternative to conventional animal tissues as it contains human-specific proteins and can serve as scaffolding materials.

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Currently liver transplantation is the only treatment option for liver disease, but organ availability cannot meet patient demand. Alternative regenerative therapies, including cell transplantation, aim to modulate the injured microenvironment from inflammation and scarring towards regeneration. The complexity of the liver injury response makes it challenging to identify suitable therapeutic targets when relying on experimental approaches alone.

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There has been a recent increase in the frequency of mass disaster events. Following these events, the rapid location of victims is paramount. Currently, the most reliable search method is scent detection dogs, which use their sense of smell to locate victims accurately and efficiently.

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Rationale: Mycobacterial species contain high concentrations of mycolic acids in their cell wall. Mycobacteria can pose a threat to both human health and the environment. Mass spectrometry lipidomic characterization can identify bacterial species and suggest targets for microbiological interventions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The project investigates the effectiveness of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in locating unmarked graves, comparing signals from both pig and human remains.
  • Human, pig, and control graves were monitored for 17 months using a GPR system, revealing specific radar patterns associated with remains.
  • The study identifies five key radar signature classes for graves, aiding in the interpretation of GPR data in future investigations and enhancing communication within the scientific community.
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