Publications by authors named "Ford D"

Millerettidae are a group of superficially lizard-like Permian stem reptiles originally hypothesized as relevant to the ancestry of the reptile crown group, and particularly to lepidosaurs and archosaurs. Since the advent of cladistics, millerettids have typically been considered to be more distant relatives of crown reptiles as the earliest-diverging parareptiles and therefore outside of 'Eureptilia'. Despite this cladistic consensus, some conspicuous features of millerettid anatomy invite reconsideration of their relationships.

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Background Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common and debilitating complication in elderly hip fracture patients, associated with significant clinical and functional consequences. Early identification of risk factors, such as cognitive impairment and vitamin D deficiency, is essential to mitigate its impact. However, preoperative screening practices are often inconsistent.

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Purpose: To evaluate the effect of CPAP and surgical alternatives for OSA on depression and compare the results of surgery to CPAP. ​METHODS: COCHRANE Library, CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus databases were searched for English-language articles. Meta-analysis of continuous measures (mean), proportions (%), and mean difference (Δ) with 95% confidence interval was conducted for objective and subjective outcomes before and after treatment with CPAP or surgical interventions.

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One of the hallmarks of cancer is metabolic reprogramming which controls cellular homeostasis and therapy resistance. Here, we investigated the effect of momordicine-I (M-I), a key bioactive compound from Momordica charantia (bitter melon), on metabolic pathways in human head and neck cancer (HNC) cells and a mouse HNC tumorigenicity model. We found that M-I treatment on HNC cells significantly reduced the expression of key glycolytic molecules, SLC2A1 (GLUT-1), HK1, PFKP, PDK3, PKM, and LDHA at the mRNA and protein levels.

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Article Synopsis
  • Federated networks enhance data privacy by allowing analysis without transferring sensitive data, supporting trustworthy data analysis in healthcare research.
  • The International COVID-19 Data Alliance (ICODA) tested a federated network with partners to analyze data from the International Perinatal Outcome in the Pandemic (iPOP) Study, facing both challenges and benefits in the process.
  • Establishing these networks requires significant investment and planning for technology and governance, which can lead to powerful collaborative research opportunities using health data from various countries.
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Chemokines are small proteins involved in recruiting leukocytes to sites of inflammation via interactions with specific cell surface receptors. CCL22 is a chemokine known to play a critical role in inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis and asthma; inhibition of this chemokine therefore represents an attractive therapeutic strategy. Herein, we describe the discovery of cyclic d-sulfopeptide inhibitors of CCL22 identified through mirror-image mRNA display with genetic reprogramming.

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  • The study examines the healthcare use of infants under one year old involved in Section 31 Care and Supervision proceedings compared to a control group of infants not in proceedings in Wales from January 2011 to February 2020.
  • The research found that infants in s.31 proceedings had significantly higher rates of healthcare events, especially emergency hospital admissions due to injuries and poisoning.
  • The results emphasize the need for increased support and intervention for infants in precarious situations to address their elevated healthcare needs.
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Complex genetic and dietary cues contribute to the development of obesity, but how these are integrated on a molecular level is incompletely understood. Here, we show that PPARγ supports hypertrophic expansion of adipose tissue via transcriptional control of LPCAT3, a membrane-bound O-acyltransferase that enriches diet-derived omega-6 ( -6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the phospholipidome. In high-fat diet-fed mice, lowering membrane -6 PUFA levels by adipocyte-specific knockout ( ) or by dietary lipid manipulation leads to dysfunctional triglyceride (TG) storage, ectopic fat deposition and insulin resistance.

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This paper explores the development of the Dissemination and Implementation Science Collaborative (DISC) at the Medical University of South Carolina, established through the Clinical and Translational Science Award program. DISC aims to accelerate clinical and translational science by providing training, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities in dissemination and implementation (D&I) science. Through DISC, investigators, trainees, and community partners are equipped with the knowledge and skills to conduct D&I research and translate findings into practice, particularly in South Carolina's public health and healthcare landscape.

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Background: There are high documented rates of exposure to traumatic events and mental health disorders among youths yet existing disparities in access to care for racial and ethnic minority youths and youths in rural communities. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based behavioral health therapy for children. The delivery of TF-CBT via telehealth can decrease access to care barriers.

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  • The study investigates how the number of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) procedures performed annually at hospitals affects patient outcomes for acute ischemic stroke in the U.S. from 2016 to 2020.
  • It found that as MT procedural volume increases, patients had lower rates of being discharged home/self-cared and higher odds of in-hospital mortality and post-treatment intracranial hemorrhage (ICH).
  • The results suggest a paradox where higher procedural volume at hospitals correlates with worse outcomes, likely due to treating more severe cases at these high-volume centers.
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Objective: This study explored student pharmacists' perceptions and attitudes regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in pharmacy practice. Due to AI/ML's promising prospects, understanding students' current awareness, comprehension, and hopes for their use in this field is essential.

Methods: In April 2024, a Zoom focus group discussion was conducted with 6 student pharmacists using a self-developed interview guide.

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  • A study investigated whether stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is just as effective as standard radiotherapy for treating localized prostate cancer in terms of treatment failure rates.
  • The trial involved 874 men with early-stage prostate cancer, comparing SBRT (36.25 Gy in 5 sessions) to conventional radiotherapy (78 Gy in 39 sessions or 62 Gy in 20 sessions) over several weeks, focusing on the chance of being free from cancer progression after 5 years.
  • Results showed that SBRT was noninferior to standard treatment, with similar success rates in preventing cancer failure (95.8% for SBRT vs. 94.6% for control) but higher rates of genitour
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Background And Purpose: Intraarterial thrombolysis as an adjunct to mechanical thrombectomy is increasingly being considered to enhance reperfusion in acute ischemic stroke patients. Intraarterial thrombolysis may increase the risk of post-thrombectomy intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in certain patient subgroups.

Methods: We analyzed acute ischemic stroke patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy in a multicenter registry.

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Background And Objective: Randomised data on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and prostatectomy in localised prostate cancer are lacking. PACE-A compared patient-reported health-related quality of life after SBRT with that after prostatectomy.

Methods: PACE is a phase 3 open-label, randomised controlled trial.

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Purpose: To report acute and late bowel, urinary, and sexual dysfunction patient-reported outcome measures, among patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent stereotactic magnetic resonance-guided daily adaptive radiation therapy (SMART).

Methods And Materials: All patients who completed a baseline 12-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events questionnaire, before undergoing SMART with 36.25 Gy in 5 fractions, were subsequently followed up with the same graded questionnaire at set time points.

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Background: Hospitalisation can be a traumatic experience, where inpatients are exposed to an abundance of physical and psychological stressors. Evidence suggests that these hospital-related stressors negatively impact health: a phenomenon known as post-hospital syndrome. The current study aimed to identify hospital-related stressors, and to develop and provide initial validation for a new measure of in-hospital stress.

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This article introduces the Special Issue: Selected Papers From the 2022 Apraxia Kids Research Symposium. The field of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) has developed significantly in the past 15 years, with key improvements in understanding of basic biology including genetics, neuroscience, and computational modelling; development of diagnostic tools and methods; diversity of evidence-based interventions with increasingly rigorous experimental designs; and understanding of impacts beyond impairment-level measures. Papers in this special issue not only review and synthesize the some of the substantial progress to date but also present novel findings addressing critical research gaps and adding to the overall body of knowledge.

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Objectives: The value of thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke cannot be understated. As such, whether these patients get access to this treatment can significantly impact their disease outcomes. We analyzed the trends in thrombectomy adoption between teaching and non-teaching hospitals in the United States, and their impact on overall patient care.

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Background: Emerging data suggest that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) improve kidney outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Direct comparisons of the kidney and cardiovascular effectiveness of GLP-1 RA with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), a first-line therapy for this population, are needed.

Objectives: The authors compared kidney and cardiovascular outcomes for new users of SGLT2i and GLP-1 RAs with T2D.

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Renal cell cancer (RCC) has traditionally been considered radioresistant. Because of this, conventional radiotherapy (RT) has been predominantly relegated to the palliation of symptomatic metastatic disease. The implementation of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has made it possible to deliver higher ablative doses safely, shifting the renal radioresistance paradigm.

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Importance: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an often-asymptomatic complication of type 2 diabetes (T2D) that requires annual screening to diagnose. Patient-level factors linked to inadequate screening and treatment can inform implementation strategies to facilitate guideline-recommended CKD care.

Objective: To identify risk factors for nonconcordance with guideline-recommended CKD screening and treatment in patients with T2D.

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