Publications by authors named "Nichols N"

Introduction: Intrapleural injections of cholera toxin B conjugated to saporin (CTB-SAP) result in selective respiratory (, phrenic) motor neuron death and mimics aspects of motor neuron disease [(, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)], such as breathing deficits. This rodent model allows us to study the impact motor neuron death has on the output of surviving phrenic motor neurons as well as the compensatory mechanisms that are recruited. Microglial density in the phrenic motor nucleus as well as cervical gene expression of markers associated with inflammation (.

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Background: Metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma to the central nervous system (CNS), including the skull and dura, is exceedingly rare.

Observations: The authors present the case of a gigantic, intraosseous, dural-based follicular thyroid carcinoma, highlighting the operative strategy for this mass. They also provide a literature review of CNS metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

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Mutations in the Immunoglobulin mu DNA binding protein 2 (IGHMBP2) gene result in two distinct diseases, SMA with Respiratory Distress Type I (SMARD1) and Charcot Marie Tooth Type 2S (CMT2S). To understand the phenotypic and molecular differences between SMARD1 and CMT2S, and the role of IGHMBP2 in disease development, we generated mouse models based on six IGHMBP2 patient mutations. Previously, we reported the development and characterization of Ighmbp2 mice and in this manuscript, we examine two mutations: D565N (D564N in mice) and H924Y (H922Y in mice) in the Ighmbp2 and Ighmbp2 contexts.

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Introduction: Tongue weakness and atrophy can lead to deficits in the vital functions of breathing and swallowing in patients with motor neuron diseases (MNDs; e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and pseudobulbar palsy), often resulting in aspiration pneumonia, respiratory failure, and death.

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Purpose: We demonstrate the complexities of managing pediatric patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy requiring neurosurgery, focusing on systemic anticoagulation, cardiac function, and medically refractory intracranial pressure (ICP).

Methods: A 3.5-year-old female with Tetralogy of Fallot developed severe ischemic cerebral edema following post-operative cardiac arrest and required ECMO.

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Cognitive impairment has a profound deleterious impact on long-term outcomes of glioma surgery. The human insula, a deep cortical structure covered by the operculum, plays a role in a wide range of cognitive functions including interceptive thoughts and salience processing. Both low-grade (LGG) and high-grade gliomas (HGG) involve the insula, representing up to 25% of LGG and 10% of HGG.

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Article Synopsis
  • Acidic HO synthesis via electrocatalytic 2e oxygen reduction offers a greener alternative to traditional, energy-heavy anthraquinone oxidation methods.
  • The study finds that introducing alkali metal cations enhances HO electrosynthesis, achieving impressive current densities of 50-421 mA cm with Faradaic efficiencies between 84-100% and production rates much higher than typical methods.
  • Finite-element simulations and advanced spectroscopy suggest that high local pH at the electrode and the presence of alkali cations are key to optimizing the reaction and stabilizing the important *OOH intermediate to improve overall efficiency.
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Loss of ventilatory muscle function is a consequence of motor neuron injury and neurodegeneration (e.g., cervical spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, respectively).

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When neonatal and obstetrical complications occur, the identification and management of mood and anxiety disorders become complex with an ever-expanding array of psychiatric needs that include the management of grief- and trauma-related disorders. With high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States and laws in many states restricting reproductive health access, psychiatrists must be proficient in managing psychiatric sequelae in this context. High-risk groups for peripartum mood and anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and complicated grief include those with neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stays and those who have experienced infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss.

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Purpose: Treatment intensification of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) plays a crucial role in the treatment of high-risk prostate cancer.

Methods: We performed a critical narrative review of the relevant literature and present new developments in evidence-based treatment intensification strategies.

Results: For men with high-risk prostate cancer, there is strong evidence to support prolonging androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to 18-36 months and escalating the dose to the prostate using a brachytherapy boost.

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Background And Objectives: Pituitary adenomas (PAs) are the most common intrasellar tumor. Clinically relevant adenomas have a prevalence of 1 per 1000 in the general population. Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is the most common surgical treatment and is the first-line management for most PAs.

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The larynx is an essential organ in mammals with three primary functions - breathing, swallowing, and vocalizing. A wide range of disorders are known to impair laryngeal function, which results in difficulty breathing (dyspnea), swallowing impairment (dysphagia), and/or voice impairment (dysphonia). Dysphagia, in particular, can lead to aspiration pneumonia and associated morbidity, recurrent hospitalization, and early mortality.

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Monitoring the dynamic changes of cellular tRNA pools is challenging, due to the extensive post-transcriptional modifications of individual species. The most critical component in tRNAseq is a processive reverse transcriptase (RT) that can read through each modification with high efficiency. Here we show that the recently developed group-II intron RT Induro has the processivity and efficiency necessary to profile tRNA dynamics.

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Background: Significant genetic diversity exists across Saccharomyces strains. Natural isolates and domesticated brewery and industrial strains are typically more robust than laboratory strains when challenged with inhibitory lignocellulosic hydrolysates. These strains also contain genes that are not present in lab strains and likely contribute to their superior inhibitor tolerance.

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Purpose: Persons with cystic fibrosis (PwCF) are at high risk for ototoxicity due to the routine use of intravenous aminoglycoside (IV-AG) antibiotics in respiratory infection management. Additionally, factors that contribute to ototoxicity-related symptom development and severity in PwCF are unknown. Given the increased risk of ototoxicity in people with diabetes, we explored the association between cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) and self-reported ototoxicity symptoms (tinnitus and vestibular problems) in PwCF treated with aminoglycosides.

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Efficient co-utilization of mixed sugar feedstocks remains a biomanufacturing challenge, thus motivating ongoing efforts to engineer microbes for improved conversion of glucose-xylose mixtures. This study focuses on enhancing phenylalanine production by engineering Escherichia coli to efficiently co-utilize glucose and xylose. Flux balance analysis identified E4P flux as a bottleneck which could be alleviated by increasing the xylose-to-glucose flux ratio.

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Monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) from blood circulation infiltrate glioblastoma (GBM) and promote growth. Here, we show that PDGFB-driven GBM cells induce the expression of the potent proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β in MDM, which engages IL-1R1 in tumor cells, activates the NF-κB pathway, and subsequently leads to induction of monocyte chemoattractant proteins (MCPs). Thus, a feedforward paracrine circuit of IL-1β/IL-1R1 between tumors and MDM creates an interdependence driving PDGFB-driven GBM progression.

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Background: Sexual health is a necessary component of human wellbeing. Nurses espouse holistic care but in practice often overlook a person's sexual health. Disparities linked to sexual health persist nationally and globally, including those among gender and sexual minorities.

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Article Synopsis
  • A nationwide retrospective study identified predictive factors for prolonged hospital stays (PLOS) in patients with pituitary adenomas (PAs) using data from the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2019.
  • The research found that female patients, Black patients, and Hispanic patients had significantly higher odds of experiencing PLOS compared to White patients, and those on Medicaid had increased odds of both PLOS and emergent surgery.
  • The study concluded that Black and Hispanic patients, as well as those with Medicaid insurance and lower socioeconomic status, are at a greater risk for longer hospital stays and urgent PA surgeries, indicating a need for targeted healthcare interventions.
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Redox-active functional groups in dissolved organic matter (DOM) are crucial for microbial electron transfer and methane emissions. However, the extent of aquatic DOM redox properties across northern high-latitude lakes and their relationships with DOM composition have not been thoroughly described. We quantified electron donating capacity (EDC) and electron accepting capacity (EAC) in lake DOM from Canada to Alaska and assessed their relationships with parameters from absorbance, fluorescence, and ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) analyses.

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Background: Implant-based breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed worldwide. As the number of patients who have breast implants continues to rise, so does the number of those who request breast implant removal without replacement. There is little in the current scientific literature describing total intact capsulectomy and simultaneous mastopexy procedures.

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Various neurological diseases affect the morphology of myelinated axons. Quantitative analysis of these structures and changes occurring due to neurodegeneration or neuroregeneration is of great importance for characterization of disease state and treatment response. This paper proposes a robust, meta-learning based pipeline for segmentation of axons and surrounding myelin sheaths in electron microscopy images.

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There is growing evidence that the hole-doped single-band Hubbard and t - J models do not have a superconducting ground state reflective of the high-temperature cuprate superconductors but instead have striped spin- and charge-ordered ground states. Nevertheless, it is proposed that these models may still provide an effective low-energy model for electron-doped materials. Here we study the finite temperature spin and charge correlations in the electron-doped Hubbard model using quantum Monte Carlo dynamical cluster approximation calculations and contrast their behavior with those found on the hole-doped side of the phase diagram.

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Objective: To identify more effective language strategies for helping pet owners appreciate the value and importance of preventive veterinary care and encouraging more regular visits.

Sample: 15 pet owners representing a mix of demographic and other characteristics.

Procedures: This qualitative study began with a communication and research audit, followed by interviews with subject matter experts, development of language stimuli (messages about the importance of veterinary care and encouraging pet owners to prioritize wellness visits), three 2-hour online focus group sessions with study participants (4 to 6/group) to test and discuss the language stimuli, and 1-hour one-on-one interviews with 5 of these participants to measure emotional responses to optimized stimuli.

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Article Synopsis
  • Recent advances in malignant brain tumor treatments have improved outcomes, but many patients still face substantial disabilities, highlighting the need for palliative care to enhance their quality of life.
  • A study analyzed hospitalizations of 375,010 patients with malignant brain tumors from 2016 to 2019, finding that only 15% utilized palliative care, with notable disparities among racial and insurance demographics.
  • The results showed that Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to receive palliative care than White patients, while privately insured individuals had a higher likelihood of utilizing these services, indicating a need for further research to address these disparities.
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