Publications by authors named "Martin Lewis"
Intrasaccular flow disruption has become established for the treatment of wide necked and bifurcation aneurysms. The most successful current devices are the WEB (Microvention) and Contour (Stryker). The Artisse (Medtronic) is a novel intrasaccular device designed to treat a variety of aneurysm morphologies.
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- The ASCEND technique for aspiration thrombectomy (AT) in large vessel occlusions aims to improve catheter navigation and reduce costs and procedure time compared to the standard ADAPT method.
- A study comparing the two techniques found ASCEND showed significantly faster first-pass and total procedure times, requiring fewer additional devices and incurring lower costs.
- Overall, ASCEND demonstrated comparable safety and effectiveness in achieving successful recanalization, suggesting it could be a more efficient alternative for treating anterior circulation strokes.
Article Synopsis
- - The Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) gene is crucial for metabolizing psychotropic medications, making its testing important for personalized medicine.
- - A review examines the effectiveness of long-read sequencing (LRS) in improving the sensitivity and accuracy of CYP2D6 phenotyping, showing notable advantages, especially among Oceanians and Japanese individuals with complex genotypes.
- - Results from six studies indicated that LRS could detect 10% more phenotypes missed by standard tests and correctly identify 4% more mischaracterized phenotypes, highlighting LRS's potential to enhance personalized prescribing of psychotropic drugs.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to evaluate how effective and safe pharmacogenomics (PGx) is for prescribing antidepressants in depressed patients by reviewing existing research and conducting a meta-analysis.
- The analysis included a thorough search of major databases, revealing that patients on PGx-guided medications had a significantly higher likelihood of achieving remission (41%-78% more likely) and responding to treatment (20%-49% more likely) compared to those receiving standard treatment.
- While PGx-guided prescribing shows promise in enhancing depression treatment, the benefits can differ greatly depending on the specific studies and the types of PGx tests used.
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- - The study assessed the reliability and validity of a portable 3D scanning technique to measure human leg volume, comparing it to the traditional water displacement method.
- - Fifteen male participants had their leg volumes measured using both 3D scans and water displacement at different intervals, revealing strong correlations and minimal bias in the 3D method's results.
- - Findings indicate that the 3D scanning method is both reliable and valid for leg volume measurement, performing better than the water displacement method in terms of consistency and accuracy.
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- - The study investigates how efforts to create gait symmetry in individuals with unilateral transtibial amputation (UTA) impact their dynamic stability, examining different walking conditions.
- - Results show that trying to maintain symmetry can improve stability in some aspects but may have negative effects in others, although these weren’t statistically significant.
- - Analysis revealed patterns based on limb differences and individual characteristics, suggesting that personalized approaches are important in understanding the biomechanics of gait in amputees.
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- Recognizing specific patterns in the radiology of temporal bones is essential for diagnosing syndromic hearing loss and understanding related organ abnormalities.
- Recent studies have highlighted key radiological features that can help pinpoint genetic and syndromic disorders when considered in a clinical setting.
- This review serves as a comprehensive yet practical resource for radiologists working on cases of syndromic hearing loss.
Article Synopsis
- * Radiological imaging helps identify the causes of hearing loss, potential outcomes, treatment options, and surgical risks.
- * The review discusses imaging methods for the temporal bone, categorizes inner ear abnormalities linked to sensorineural hearing loss, and highlights significant causes of non-syndromic hearing loss.
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- Accurate registration of diverse neuroscientific data is crucial for analysis, and volumetric brain atlases help with this process, though it's slow and requires expert skills.
- A neural network called DeepSlice has been developed to enhance the registration speed of mouse brain histological images.
- DeepSlice achieves over 1000 times faster registration while maintaining high accuracy compared to traditional methods.
Article Synopsis
- The study assessed the reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in measuring muscle oxygenation with and without the use of compression tights among 13 healthy active males.
- Participants completed four trials involving different activities while the NIRS device measured tissue saturation index (TSI) and muscle oxygenation.
- Results showed that while NIRS was generally reliable for detecting a 5% difference in TSI, the reliability of muscle oxygenation varied significantly depending on the type of activity performed.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze cochlear anomalies in patients with CHARGE syndrome by reviewing genotypes and imaging from two large medical centers.
- Researchers assessed CT and MR imaging from 2005 to 2022, categorizing cochlear abnormalities by severity and noting other related radiological findings.
- Results showed varying cochlear morphology, predominantly hypoplasia, with consistent issues in semicircular canals and vestibules, indicating the CHD7 gene's impact on cochlear development and aiding in clinical diagnosis and surgical planning.
Article Synopsis
- Synaptic dysfunction is linked to various neurological disorders, and understanding the regulatory factors behind these synaptic processes is challenging.
- Researchers created a mutant mouse model lacking the PHD finger protein 21B (Phf21b) to investigate its function in the brain, which resulted in impaired social memory and reduced synaptic protein expression.
- The study found that PHF21B interacts with specific histone modifications and transcription factors, highlighting its role in regulating synaptic plasticity genes, making it a potential target for treating neurobehavioral disorders.
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- Many older adults want to stay in their homes, but there's uncertainty about how to best support their independent living using technology.
- This study explored older adults' views on daily living activities (ADLs) and their willingness to use different technologies for monitoring.
- Findings revealed that older adults valued personal hygiene and socializing, preferred wearable sensors, and had varying technology acceptance based on age and experience.*
Article Synopsis
- * A systematic search yielded 3,594 articles, with 53 meeting quality standards; only 4 out of 12 asymmetry indices proved reliable, and many studies used unsupported thresholds to identify abnormal asymmetry.
- * Evidence suggests that larger strength asymmetries could correlate with increased injury risk and reduced performance, but findings were inconsistent, highlighting the need for personalized definitions of asymmetry in future research.
Structure-activity relationships of valine, -leucine, and phenylalanine amino acid-derived synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists related to ADB-BUTINACA, APP-BUTINACA, and ADB-P7AICA.
Eric Sparkes Elizabeth A Cairns Richard C Kevin Felcia Lai Katharina Elisabeth Grafinger Lewis J Martin
RSC Med Chem
February 2022
Article Synopsis
- * Researchers created a library of synthetic compounds related to newly detected drugs, studying their interaction and activity with cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2).
- * Findings showed that certain compounds had high binding affinity and acted as strong or partial agonists for these receptors, with ADB-BUTINACA and ADB-P7AICA displaying significant effects on body temperature in mice, while APP-BUTINACA did not.
Adaptor protein 2-associated kinase 1 (AAK1) is a serine/threonine kinase that was identified as a therapeutic target for the potential treatment of neuropathic pain. Inhibition of AAK1 in the central nervous system, particularly within the spinal cord, was found to be the relevant site for achieving an antinociceptive effect. We previously reported that compound is a brain-penetrant, AAK1 inhibitor that showed efficacy in animal models for neuropathic pain.
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- - Metabolic and ionic changes during ischaemia make the heart vulnerable to damage from reperfusion, and these effects differ between immature and adult hearts; hence, adult cardioprotective strategies should be tested on immature hearts.
- - Researchers found that activating protein kinase A (PKA) and exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac) simultaneously provides significant protection against injury in adult hearts and aimed to see how effective this intervention is in immature hearts.
- - The study showed that immature hearts are less prone to ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, likely due to reduced mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening, and that simultaneous PKA and Epac activation further enhances this protective effect. *
Article Synopsis
- Despite the approval of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis for treating childhood epilepsy, many families still opt for artisanal products that have unknown quality and composition.
- A study analyzing 78 cannabis samples found that while heavy metals were below toxicity limits, 29% of samples had high levels of residual solvents, and one sample contained pesticide levels exceeding safety limits.
- The findings underscore the necessity for better access to quality-tested cannabis products and increased education for doctors and families about the risks of using unregulated cannabis products.
Article Synopsis
- Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and glioblastoma (GBM) often look similar on imaging, making it necessary to get tissue samples for accurate diagnosis.
- A study analyzed 90 tumors (48 PCNSL and 42 GBM) using different MRI techniques and showed that a specific analysis method, called rapid filtration histogram analysis, can help differentiate between the two conditions.
- The results revealed that using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) metrics could identify PCNSL with high sensitivity (96.9%) and specificity (100%) in cases with significant necrosis, suggesting that cross-sectional texture analysis could be a useful tool for this differentiation without needing complex machine learning.
Article Synopsis
- Receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) is involved in various cellular processes like necroptosis and inflammation, but its role in heart damage from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is unclear.
- In rat heart experiments, blocking RIP3 did not improve cardiac function after I/R, suggesting that traditional necroptotic pathways weren’t responsible for the observed damage.
- The study shows that RIP3 impacts early reperfusion injury mainly through its effects on oxidative stress and mitochondrial function, rather than through causing cell death.
Article Synopsis
- * Research identified adaptor protein 2-associated kinase 1 (AAK1) as a potential target for neuropathic pain after screening mouse gene knockouts.
- * A selective AAK1 inhibitor was developed, which showed effectiveness in pain relief during tests on mice and rats, indicating that targeting AAK1 could be a viable strategy for treating neuropathic pain.
Article Synopsis
- BMP signaling is crucial for the early development of the forebrain and cortex, but the role of its regulators, like the antagonist Grem1, is not fully understood.
- Researchers found that Grem1 is expressed in specific neurons of the embryonic mouse brain and used lineage tracing to study these cells.
- Conditional knockout of Grem1 led to thinner cortex layers and impaired motor skills in mice, highlighting Grem1's importance in brain maturation.
Article Synopsis
- The text discusses how phytocannabinoids, which are found in cannabis, could have therapeutic potential if their molecular actions are better understood.
- A virtual screening method identified the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) family of enzymes as potential protein targets for these compounds.
- Two specific phytocannabinoids, cannabichromene (CBC) and Δ-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (Δ-THCA), were found to inhibit one of these enzymes (LDHA) using a noncompetitive mechanism, suggesting they may benefit therapeutic applications.
Article Synopsis
- * However, there are concerns about 'nuisance compounds' that could affect protein functionality without directly interacting, similar to how cholesterol works.
- * Research indicates that cannabidiol may interact with cholesterol binding sites on proteins, like the CB1 receptor, which could help prioritize future studies and drug development efforts for better patient outcomes.
Technology Used to Recognize Activities of Daily Living in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
December 2020
Article Synopsis
- Technology can help older adults live independently and ease caregiver burdens while improving healthcare decision-making.
- A review of 39 ADL recognition systems found variations in what Activities of Daily Living are recognized and the types of technology used, with only 9 systems commercially available.
- There is a need for better standardization and input from older adults and healthcare professionals to make these technologies more effective and user-friendly.