Publications by authors named "S L Sims"

Pakistan has experienced a total of six COVID-19 waves throughout the pandemic, each driven by distinct SARS-CoV-2 lineages. This study explores the introduction of Omicron lineage BA.4 into Pakistan, which contributed to the sixth wave between June and September 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • Variants associated with neurodevelopmental impairments in children are complex and challenging to evaluate due to their diverse nature and unclear causes.
  • The study highlights a case of a child with neonatal-onset epilepsy and a specific genetic variant (G256W) that impacts ion channel function and leads to reduced cell stability and conduction in nervous tissue.
  • The research also establishes a mouse model that exhibits epilepsy and hyperexcitability in brain cells, linking the genetic variant to observable neurological behaviors and suggesting potential wider implications for understanding similar conditions in other patients.
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Purpose: Continuous-glucose-monitoring (CGM) sensors provide near-real-time glucose data and have been introduced commercially as a tool to inform nutrition decisions. The aim of this pilot study was to explore how factors such as the menstrual phase, extended running duration, and carbohydrates affect CGM outcomes among trained eumenorrheic females in an outdoor simulated ultraendurance running event.

Methods: Twelve experienced female ultrarunners (age 39 [6] y) participated in this crossover study.

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Vasopressin (AVP), a nonapeptide synthesized predominantly by magnocellular hypothalamic neurons, is conveyed to the posterior pituitary the pituitary stalk, where AVP is secreted into the circulation. Known to regulate blood pressure and water homeostasis, it also modulates diverse social behaviors, such as pair-bonding, social recognition and cognition in mammals including humans. Importantly, AVP modulates social behaviors in a gender-specific manner, perhaps, due to gender differences in the distribution in the brain of AVP and its main receptor AVPR1a.

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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, care homes for older adults in England implemented isolation, social distancing and other restriction measures to help protect residents from contracting the virus. Little was known about the physical and psychological impacts that these measures would have upon residents and their relatives.

Aim: To explore the experiences of residents and their relatives of living restricted lives during the pandemic.

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