Publications by authors named "Prue Plummer"

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has likely had a negative impact on rehabilitation and quality of life (QoL) research in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Method: We explored perceived barriers to research among 87 researchers, representing 18 countries, both prior to and since COVID-19.

Results: A Wilcoxon signed-rank test found that significantly more researchers reported experiencing barriers to research since the onset of the pandemic compared to pre-COVID-19 (p < .

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Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of cancer patients are recognized as important potential targets for future anticancer therapies. As mediators of metastatic spread, CTCs are also promising to be used as 'liquid biopsy' to aid clinical decision-making. Recent work has revealed potentially important genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity within CTC populations, even within the same patient.

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Article Synopsis
  • Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) help tumors grow by forming new blood vessels (angiogenesis) in both mice and humans.
  • Researchers found that when a specific enzyme is removed from bone marrow, it reduces EPCs and slows down tumor growth.
  • They discovered two important miRNAs, miR-10b and miR-196b, that help regulate this process, and blocking them could be a new way to stop tumor growth.
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Carcinogenesis arises from the malfunction of genes that control cell growth and division. Therefore, the most effective method of hindering tumourigenesis is to induce the death of immortalized cancer cells. Apoptosis or programmed cell death has shown the most promises in impairing cancer growth.

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Migraine is a debilitating neurovascular disorder, with a substantial genetic component. The exact cause of a migraine attack is unknown; however cortical hyperexcitability is thought to play a role. As Gamma-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, malfunctioning of this system may be a cause of the hyperexcitability.

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Tumor angiogenesis is essential for malignant growth and metastasis. Bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) contribute to angiogenesis-mediated tumor growth. EPC ablation can reduce tumor growth; however, the lack of a marker that can track EPCs from the BM to tumor neovasculature has impeded progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying EPC biology.

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