Publications by authors named "Laura Ritter"

Enrolling in a clinical trial or study requires informed consent. Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure proper consent when storing samples in biobanks for future research, as these samples may be used in studies beyond their initial purpose. For pediatric studies, consent must be obtained from both the child and their legal guardians, requiring the recording of multiple consents at once.

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Background: For most acute conditions, the phase prior to emergency department (ED) arrival is largely unexplored. However, this prehospital phase has proven an important part of the acute care chain (ACC) for specific time-sensitive conditions, such as stroke and myocardial infarction. For patients with undifferentiated complaints, exploration of the prehospital phase of the ACC may also offer a window of opportunity for improvement of care.

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Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare demyelinating disease due to a lytic infection of oligodendrocytes caused by John Cunningham polyoma virus (JCV) infection. Idiopathic CD4+ T-cell lymphocytopenia (ICL) is a very rare cause of PML.

Methods: We present an individual with PML secondary to ICL treated with 3 doses of pembrolizumab, a Programmed-Death-1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor following with complete resolution of symptoms and conduct a review of the literature.

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When individuals take risks, they must weigh potential costs and benefits associated with a decision. Differences in risk-taking appear to be influenced by contextual, and inter-individual factors. However, it is still ambiguous to what extent these characteristics jointly influence risk-taking.

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We describe real-world experience with cannabidiol (CBD) in adults with Dravet Syndrome (DS) via GW Pharma early access programme at two UK neurology centres. Adults with genetically-confirmed DS had CBD added to existing therapy, titrated up to 20 mg/kg, as tolerated. The primary outcome measure was percentage reduction in convulsive seizures.

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Introduction: The aim of the study was the evaluation of the added value of depth to subdural electrodes in delineating epileptogenicity of focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) and to test the Epileptogenicity Index (EI) in this setting.

Material And Methods: Fifteen patients with FCD underwent iEEG with subdural and depth electrodes. Visual/EI analysis was performed in up to three habitual seizures per patient.

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The mouse is essential for genetic studies of motor function in both normal and pathological states. Thus it is important to consider whether the structure of motor output from the mouse is in fact analogous to that recorded in other animals. There is a striking difference in the basic electrical properties of mouse motoneurons compared with those in rats, cats, and humans.

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This article describes the collaborative efforts of a parish nurse, family nurse practitioner, and a registered dietitian in a faith-based setting to address the women's health issue of osteoporosis. A model for education and treatment including lifestyle changes, nutrition, and pharmacological therapies is discussed. The whole person perspective of prevention and management for women with this chronic disease is explored.

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Objective: This forum presents a clinical vignette of orofacial pain and expounds on ethical issues related to opioid therapy in the context of multidisciplinary treatment. The purpose of this forum is to assist health care providers from different disciplines in identifying ethical issues and conflicts regarding opioid therapy encountered in multidisciplinary clinical pain practices.

Design: We use the case vignette and opioid therapy as a backdrop for a discussion of 1) an overview of ethics terminology; 2) a presentation of key ethics principles; 3) our conceptualization of ethical obligations of patients regarding opioid therapy; and 4) the process of developing an appropriate treatment plan within the context of the discussed ethical principles.

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Frontal lobe dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia has frequently been detected using both neuroimaging and neuropsychological testing. Results from previous studies vary in the findings of regional specificity vs. generalized frontal cortical dysfunction.

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The ionotropic glutamate receptors play key roles in multiple developmental mechanisms, including regulation of neuronal migration and differentiation, and synaptic organization. In this study, we investigated the developmental expression of these glutamate receptors in the postnatal rat hippocampus. We examined the transcripts encoding the subunits composing the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), and kainate (KA) subtypes of glutamate receptors by in situ hybridization at multiple time points from postnatal day (PND) 1 to PND 35.

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