Publications by authors named "Hicks T"

The ReAct (Recovery, Activity) project is an ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) supported initiative comprising a large consortium of laboratories. Here, the results from more than 23 laboratories are presented. The primary purpose was to design experiments simulating typical casework circumstances; collect data and to implement Bayesian networks to assess the value (i.

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This article explores the intricate relationship between conflict and emergency response. It emphasizes the need for understanding the nexus between these two challenges and the pivotal role of conflict analysis in effective humanitarian efforts. This article highlights real-world examples and the importance of conflict-sensitive approaches while addressing the challenges and ethical dilemmas in conflict-affected emergency response.

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Healthy aging is associated with deficits in cognitive performance and brain changes, including in the cerebellum. Cerebellar communication with the cortex via closed-loop circuits through the thalamus have been established and these circuits are closely related to the functional topography of the cerebellum. In this study, we sought to elucidate relationships between cerebellar structure and function with cognition in healthy aging.

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In most National DNA databases (NDNADB), only single source DNA profiles, and sometimes two-person DNA mixtures, can be searched provided a minimum number of loci (or alleles) is available. DNA profiles that do not meet these criteria (about 14 % of the traces analyzed in Western Switzerland) can be compared locally with candidates upon request from police services, used for one-off search, or remain unused. With the advent of probabilistic genotyping (PG), such complex DNA profiles can be compared to those stored in NDNADB based on likelihood ratios (LRs).

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Context: Healthcare institutions acknowledge the value of diverse workforces for enhancing programs and meeting the varied needs of individuals with Spinal Cord Injury. This survey conducted at the 2023 Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professions (ASCIP) conference assesses healthcare professionals' views on workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and their support for integrating related educational content in future events.

Methods: : The survey was distributed digitally to ASCIP attendees, ensuring anonymity and voluntary participation.

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This article presents a case where the issue was to determine who was the driver and who was the passenger at the time of a fatal car accident involving two persons, one of whom died in the accident. The presence of the two persons in the car was not contested, only the mechanisms that led to the deposition of the DNA (i.e.

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There is a strong and growing focus on self-determination in French-speaking countries, and this pilot study reports the technical adequacy of the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI:SR) French Translation. Data were collected with 471 French-speaking youth with and without disabilities in Canada (Quebec), Switzerland, France, and Belgium. Key findings showed it was feasible to use 20 (of 21) items to represent the self-determination construct in the French-speaking sample.

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Students with complex support needs have intense and frequent support needs for learning and participating across multiple domains. Addressing those needs in a comprehensive manner is the purpose of special education, which is accomplished through instructional and Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. Yet simply setting goals is insufficient; to facilitate positive student outcomes, there is an inherent expectation that students will meet those goals to achieve their potential.

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The Caenorhabditis elegans germline is arranged spatiotemporally and is therefore a powerful model system for the interrogation of meiotic molecular dynamics. Coupling this property with the temporal control that the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system allows can unveil new/unappreciated roles for critical meiotic factors in specific germline regions. Here we describe a widely used approach for the introduction of degron tags to specific targets and provide a procedure for applying the AID system to C.

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Purpose: Our purpose was to report on a novel method of identifying variables associated with challenging behaviors in natural interactions between mothers and their adolescents with Fragile X syndrome (FXS).

Methods: Videotaped interactions of 47 dyads interacting with an iPad game, completing a puzzle, and making a snack and were coded for challenging behaviors by adolescents with FXS, and maternal behaviors that preceded these behaviors. We described the frequencies of adolescent challenging behaviors, then used sequential and survival analyses to identify maternal and adolescent behaviors that preceded self-injurious behavior (SIB) and aggression.

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Since 1995, national forensic DNA databases have used a maximum number of contributors, and a minimum number of loci to reduce the risk of providing false leads. DNA profiles of biological traces that do not meet these criteria cannot be loaded into these databases. In 2023, about 10 % of more than 15,000 trace DNA profiles analyzed in western Switzerland were not compared at the national level, even though they were considered to be interpretable, mainly because they contained the DNA from more than two persons.

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Chemical mutagenesis via dehydroalanine (Dha) is a powerful method to tailor protein structure and function, allowing the site-specific installation of post-translational modifications and non-natural functional groups. Despite the impressive versatility of this method, applications have been limited, as products are formed as epimeric mixtures, whereby the modified amino acid is present as both the desired l-configuration and a roughly equal amount of the undesired d-isomer. Here, we describe a simple remedy for this issue: removal of the d-isomer via proteolysis using a d-stereoselective peptidase, alkaline d-peptidase (AD-P).

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Aging involves complex biological changes that affect disease susceptibility and aging trajectories. Although females typically live longer than males, they have a higher susceptibility to diseases like Alzheimer's, speculated to be influenced by menopause, and reduced ovarian hormone production. Understanding sex-specific differences is crucial for personalized medical interventions and gender equality in health.

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Healthy aging is associated with deficits in cognitive performance and brain changes, including in the cerebellum. Yet, the precise link between cerebellar function/structure and cognition in aging remains poorly understood. We explored this relationship in 138 healthy adults (aged 35-86, 53% female) using resting-state functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI), cerebellar volume, and cognitive and motor assessments in an aging sample.

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The water-soluble cage-like phosphine PTA (1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane) and its phosphine oxide derivative [PTA(O)] (1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane-7-oxide) were used to explore their reactivity towards two gallium(iii)-halide precursors, namely GaCl and GaI, for the first time. By using various reaction conditions, a series of -mono-protonated phosphine salts with [GaCl] or [I] as counterions were obtained in all cases, while the formation of coordinated Ga-PTA and Ga-[PTA(O)] complexes was not observed. All compounds were characterized in solution using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy (H, C{H}, P{H} and Ga) and in the solid state using FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray crystal diffraction.

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Low-affinity protein-ligand interactions are important for many biological processes, including cell communication, signal transduction, and immune responses. Structural characterization of these complexes is also critical for the development of new drugs through fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), but it is challenging due to the low affinity of fragments for the binding site. Saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy has revolutionized the study of low-affinity receptor-ligand interactions enabling binding detection and structural characterization.

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Nonribosomal cyclic peptides (NRcPs) are structurally complex natural products and a vital pool of therapeutics, particularly antibiotics. Their structural diversity arises from the ability of the multidomain enzyme assembly lines, nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), to utilize bespoke nonproteinogenic amino acids, modify the linear peptide during elongation, and catalyze an array of cyclization modes, e.g.

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The study here explores the link between transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and brain-behavior relationships. We propose that tDCS may indirectly influence the complex relationships between brain volume and behavior. We focused on the dynamics between the hippocampus (HPC) and cerebellum (CB) in cognitive processes, a relationship with significant implications for understanding memory and motor skills.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Multilevel interventions (MLIs) are effective in reducing health disparities among Indigenous peoples by considering their unique histories, cultures, and community dynamics, promoting a shift towards community-level focus rather than individual-level interventions.
  • - The paper reviews three case studies where Indigenous communities collaborated with researchers throughout the MLI process, emphasizing the importance of ongoing conversations, incorporating Indigenous knowledge, and using qualitative methods to better understand health issues.
  • - Key to successful MLIs are building respectful relationships, addressing historical research abuses, and fostering mutual collaboration to create equitable and meaningful solutions that benefit both Indigenous and academic communities.
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Recent research has implicated the cerebellum in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and cerebrocerebellar network connectivity is emerging as a possible contributor to symptom severity. The cerebellar dentate nucleus (DN) has parallel motor and non-motor sub-regions that project to motor and frontal regions of the cerebral cortex, respectively. These distinct dentato-cortical networks have been delineated in the non-human primate and human brain.

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Objective: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common complication of preterm birth and is associated with abnormal vasculature that contributes to pulmonary hypertension (PH). We evaluated how a tracheostomy may alter PH in these patients.

Methods: A retrospective chart review over 15-years identified 17 patients with BPD and PH who underwent tracheostomy.

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Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous, crystalline solids constructed from organic linkers and inorganic nodes that have been widely studied for applications in gas storage, chemical separations, and drug delivery. Owing to their highly modular structures and tunable pore environments, we propose that MOFs have significant untapped potential as catalysts and reagents relevant to the synthesis of next-generation therapeutics. Herein, we outline the properties of MOFs that make them promising for applications in synthetic organic chemistry, including new reactivity and selectivity, enhanced robustness, and user-friendly preparation.

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Concern was voiced by Elders, teachers, and parents that and playtime activities of the Head Start preschool programme were not aligned with the local Alaska Native culture in their communities. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium partnered with 12 Head Start preschool programmes, administered by Rural Alaska Community Action Program in rural Alaska, to explore with community members Alaska Native value-based solutions to the concerns they raised. Local input was gathered via focus groups, interviews, and surveys.

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