Publications by authors named "R K Sumner"

Frailty is characterised by a loss of function across several domains but is not an inevitable aspect of ageing and can be reversed with intervention. Determining those who are more likely to become frail before physical deficits become manifest will allow earlier intervention. One promising indicator of the potential for frailty is allostatic load, a physiological status associated with prolonged stress that is, characterised by multisystem dysfunction.

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Article Synopsis
  • A review of cadaver studies was conducted to evaluate the decrease in compressive strength after surgery, adhering to PRISMA guidelines while utilizing databases like PubMed and Google Scholar.* -
  • Out of the five studies involving 49 cadavers, one study found a statistically significant decrease in force leading to fracture (FLF) in decancellated tibias compared to the healthy ones, with a mean FLF of 3766.9 N versus 5126.4 N.* -
  • Although most FLF values in the studies were significantly above the body weight threshold for safety, some cadavers recorded FLF below this threshold, suggesting that while weight-bearing after the procedure seems statistically acceptable, clinical safety cannot be universally
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Poxviruses are dsDNA viruses infecting a wide range of cell types, where they need to contend with multiple host antiviral pathways, including DNA and RNA sensing. Accordingly, poxviruses encode a variety of immune antagonists, most of which are expressed early during infection from within virus cores before uncoating and genome release take place. Amongst these antagonists, the poxvirus immune nuclease (poxin) counteracts the cyclic 2'3'-GMP-AMP (2'3'-cGAMP) synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes DNA sensing pathway by degrading the immunomodulatory cyclic dinucleotide 2'3'-cGAMP, the product of activated cGAS.

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Introduction: Enhanced creativity is often cited as an effect of microdosing (taking repeated low doses of a psychedelic drug). There have been recent efforts to validate the reported effects of microdosing, however creativity remains a difficult construct to quantify.

Objectives: The current study aimed to assess microdosing's effects on creativity using a multimodal battery of tests as part of a randomised controlled trial of microdosing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

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Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) poses a significant global health burden with available treatments limited by inconsistent efficacy and notable side effects. Classic psychedelics, including lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), have garnered attention for their potential in treating psychiatric disorders. Microdosing, the repeated consumption of sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelics, has emerged as a self-treatment approach for depression within lay communities.

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