Publications by authors named "Nicholas Adams"

Diaryl thieno-[3,4-]thiophenes (TT) are photoswitchable compounds that operate through reversible photoinduced cyclization/cycloreversion and have been designed specifically for integration within π-conjugated polymers to switchably manipulate polymer electronic properties. Here we report on how cross conjugating the central TT moiety impacts photocyclization dynamics as interrogated using transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) for a series of switches built with electron-rich substituents that have various electronic interaction strengths with the TT core. For cross-conjugated structures exhibiting a propensity to switch in steady-state photoconversion experiments, ultrafast TAS reveals signatures of rapid dynamics (occurring within <1-10 ps) similar to those observed for unsubstituted switches and that are consistent with photocyclization.

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Autoethnographic accounts of mental illness (MI) are sparse in academic scholarship, despite generating valuable insights into how MI can be experienced and coped with in real-life contexts. First-person accounts from men are especially lacking, possibly linked to historic trend for masculine stoicism stifling male MI discussions. Some scholarships explore video-gaming as a positive, escapist aid benefiting individuals experiencing major depressive disorder (MDD).

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Introduction: Evidence examines how persons experiencing Long COVID (LC) struggle to secure healthcare for symptoms. However, few studies examine healthcare workers experiencing LC, nor the complex and multiple difficulties faced when seeking and receiving healthcare.

Methods: This study is based on two phases of longitudinally conducted qualitative interviews, 6 months apart, with National Health Service (NHS) workers experiencing LC, from different occupational roles at NHS locales in Scotland (first interviews, n = 50; second interviews, n = 44).

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Article Synopsis
  • The cohesin protein complex helps organize chromosomes into specific domains but its biological importance is unclear.
  • This study highlights that cohesin is essential for the differentiation and function of dendritic cells, particularly in antigen presentation and IL-12 secretion.
  • It also shows that the interplay between cohesin and the transcription factor IRF8 influences chromatin structure, gene expression, and the activation of dendritic cells.
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Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) represent a unique cell type within the innate immune system. Their defining property is the recognition of pathogen-derived nucleic acids through endosomal Toll-like receptors and the ensuing production of type I interferon and other soluble mediators, which orchestrate innate and adaptive responses. We review several aspects of pDC biology that have recently come to the fore.

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A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of mycotoxins (MT) without or with the inclusion of yeast cell wall extract (YCWE, Mycosorb, Alltech, Inc., Nicholasville, KY, USA) on laying hen performance. A total of 25 trials were collected from a literature search, and data were extracted from 8 of these that met inclusion criteria, for a total of 12 treatments and 1774 birds.

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  • - The study explores how dendritic cells (DCs), important immune cells, develop under the influence of the growth factor Flt3 ligand (Flt3L) and its receptor, using CRISPR-Cas9 technology for genetic analysis.
  • - Genome screenings revealed several key regulators of DC differentiation, highlighting the roles of TSC and GATOR1 complexes in controlling progenitor growth and enabling DC development through mTOR signaling inhibition.
  • - The transcriptional repressor Trim33 was identified as crucial for DC differentiation; its absence led to a significant decrease in DC progenitors and specific types of DCs, while promoting the expression of genes related to inflammation rather than DC development.
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The hierarchical model of hematopoiesis posits that self-renewing, multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) give rise to all blood cell lineages. While this model accounts for hematopoiesis in transplant settings, its applicability to steady-state hematopoiesis remains to be clarified. Here, we used inducible clonal DNA barcoding of endogenous adult HSCs to trace their contribution to major hematopoietic cell lineages in unmanipulated animals.

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Using a random-effects meta-analysis, the performance of growing pigs under a mycotoxin challenge (MT) with or without supplementation of yeast cell wall extract (YCWE, Mycosorb, Alltech Inc.) was evaluated. Both MT and YCWE were also compared to animal controls not receiving mycotoxins (CTRL).

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High-dimensional approaches have revealed heterogeneity amongst dendritic cells (DCs), including a population of transitional DCs (tDCs) in mice and humans. However, the origin and relationship of tDCs to other DC subsets has been unclear. Here we show that tDCs are distinct from other well-characterized DCs and conventional DC precursors (pre-cDCs).

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Mammalian aging is associated with multiple defects of hematopoiesis, most prominently with the impaired development of T and B lymphocytes. This defect is thought to originate in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) of the bone marrow, specifically due to the age-dependent accumulation of HSCs with preferential megakaryocytic and/or myeloid potential ("myeloid bias"). Here, we tested this notion using inducible genetic labeling and tracing of HSCs in unmanipulated animals.

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The advent of COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has resulted in over 541 million cases with 6.32 million deaths worldwide as of June 2022. The devastating consequences of this global pandemic resulted in the expedited generation of mRNA-based vaccines such as the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

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N-Type thermoelectrics typically consist of small molecule dopant+polymer host. Only a few polymer dopant+polymer host systems have been reported, and these have lower thermoelectric parameters. N-type polymers with high crystallinity and order are generally used for high-conductivity ( ) organic conductors.

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Climate change is adversely impacting the burden of diarrheal diseases. Despite significant reduction in global prevalence, diarrheal disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in low- and middle-income countries. Previous studies have shown that diarrheal disease is associated with meteorological conditions but the role of large-scale climate phenomena such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and monsoon anomaly is less understood.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study explored the link between diabetes, high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia), and COVID-19 outcomes in hospitalized patients in Melbourne, Australia, during the early pandemic (March-November 2020).
  • Out of 840 COVID-19 admissions, 35% had known diabetes, and 12% experienced hyperglycaemia without having diabetes, with ICU admissions and mortality rates significantly higher in patients with hyperglycaemia.
  • The analysis showed that while hyperglycaemia was linked to worse outcomes, including higher ICU admissions and longer hospital stays, diabetes did not independently contribute to increased mortality.
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Disuse osteopenia (DO) is a disorder due to reduced weight-bearing often following immobilization injuries. It is most commonly observed in the ankles and knees and is believed to be due primarily to increased bone reabsorption associated with disuse. Both traditional radiography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are useful in identifying abnormalities associated with DO.

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The effect of mycotoxins (MT) on broiler performance without or with the inclusion of yeast cell wall extract (YCWE, Mycosorb, Alltech, Inc., KY) was evaluated in a random-effects meta-analysis. Data was extracted from 25 research experiments with a total of 10,307 broilers.

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PCR-based diagnostics generally require nucleic acid extraction from patient specimens prior to amplification. As highlighted early in the COVID-19 pandemic, extraction steps may be difficult to scale during times of massive demand and limited reagent supply. Forgoing an extraction step, we previously reported that the N1 primer/probe-set of the widespread CDC COVID-19 assay maintains high categorical sensitivity (95%) and specificity (100%) with direct inoculation of viral transport media (VTM) into qRT-PCR reactions.

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Case Presentation: A 20-year-old female presented to the emergency department for evaluation of exertional, right-sided chest pain. The patient underwent a computed tomography angiogram of her chest as part of her workup, demonstrating the right lower-lobe pulmonary artery arising from the abdominal aorta.

Discussion: Anomalous pulmonary arterial supply is exceedingly rare.

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A novel n-type copolymer dopant polystyrene-poly(4-vinyl-N-hexylpyridinium fluoride) (PSpF) with fluoride anions is designed and synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. This is thought to be the first polymeric fluoride dopant. Electrical conductivity of 4.

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Developmental origins of dendritic cells (DCs) including conventional DCs (cDCs, comprising cDC1 and cDC2 subsets) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) remain unclear. We studied DC development in unmanipulated adult mice using inducible lineage tracing combined with clonal DNA "barcoding" and single-cell transcriptome and phenotype analysis (CITE-seq). Inducible tracing of Cx3cr1 hematopoietic progenitors in the bone marrow showed that they simultaneously produce all DC subsets including pDCs, cDC1s, and cDC2s.

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Background: Lower capsular contracture rates have been observed with peri-prosthetic fat grafting. We investigated the effect of fat grafting on capsular characteristics and peri-prosthetic collagen density, content, and fiber alignment.

Methods: Forty miniature tissue expanders were placed on the backs of 20 rats.

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