Publications by authors named "SCOTT W"

Introduction: Force plate systems are increasingly utilized in the armed forces that claim to identify individuals at risk of musculoskeletal injury. However, factors influencing injury risk scores from a force plate system (SpartaScienceTM), and the effects of experimental perturbations on these scores, remain unclear.

Methods: Healthy males (n = 823; 22.

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Introduction: Alzheimer disease (AD) plasma biomarkers are noninvasive measures of the key amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau pathologies. Validation and generalization studies are needed to fully understand their potential for AD prediction and diagnosis in the elderly population.

Methods: In 1,067 Amish individuals aged ≥ 65, we measured plasma Aβ and tau to assess their relationships with AD-related outcomes.

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Objectives: There is renewed interest in targeting the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) for treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. G-protein coupled receptor desensitisation is suggested to reduce the long-term efficacy of glucagon-like-peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and may similarly affect the efficacy of GIPR agonists. We explored the extent of pancreatic GIPR functional desensitisation with sustained agonist exposure.

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Accumulating evidence suggests that stigma is a pervasive and pernicious psychosocial phenomenon that affects people living with chronic pain. In this narrative review, we describe the nature of stigma experienced by people with chronic pain and discuss its multifaceted determinants. These determinants include features of pain itself and intersectional factors, including comorbid conditions and social marginalization.

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Pain is common among individuals with high Body Mass Index (BMI). This study investigated weight discrimination as a mediator of the longitudinal relationship between BMI and the presence of moderate/severe pain among adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) cohort. ELSA is a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults living in England.

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Purpose: To investigate the association between epigenetic age acceleration and glaucoma progression.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: 100 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients with fast progression and 100 POAG patients with slow progression.

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Introduction: Recently, the O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) locus was proposed as influencing the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in women who did not carry the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele. We examined an Amish founder population for any influence of genetic variation in and around the MGMT locus on the risk for dementia.

Methods: Genetic association was performed for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) surrounding the MGMT locus.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Machine learning techniques were used to identify and rank potential non-hemolytic AMPs from two libraries of peptide sequences, leading to the synthesis and testing of 220 peptides against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
  • * Six promising AMPs were further analyzed for their effectiveness against various bacteria and cancer cell lines, revealing a successful strategy for creating effective and safe antimicrobial agents, while also setting a foundation for future research and machine learning applications in peptide design.
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Background: Previous studies have shown that microbial communities differ in obese and lean individuals, and dietary fiber can help reduce obesity-related conditions through diet-gut microbiota interactions. However, the mechanisms by which dietary fibers shape the gut microbiota still need to be elucidated. In this in vitro study, we examined how apple fibers affect lean and obese microbial communities on a global scale.

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  • Over 50 hereditary degenerative disorders are linked to the expansion of short tandem DNA repeats (STRs), especially (GAA) repeats, which are associated with diseases like Friedreich's ataxia.
  • Researchers used a CRISPR-Cas9 nickase system to study the impact of introducing targeted DNA nicks near (GAA) repeats, discovering that nicks 5' of the repeat significantly boosted expansion rates and sizes in dividing cells.
  • The study suggests that nicks can convert to double-strand breaks during DNA replication, resulting in repeat expansions, and also showed that 5' nicks can enhance expansion frequency in nondividing yeast cells, though less than in dividing cells.
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Cerebral amyloid angiopathy commonly co-occurs with amyloid β plaques and neurofibrillary degeneration and is proposed to contribute to cognitive impairment. However, the interplay among these pathologic changes of Alzheimer disease is not well understood. Here we replicate and extend findings of a recent study that suggested the association of cerebral amyloid angiopathy and cognitive impairment is mediated by neurofibrillary degeneration.

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  • Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a serious brain disorder affecting over 1% of people over 60, leading to issues with movement and thinking, but its exact causes are still unclear.
  • To investigate the complexity of PD, researchers conducted single-nucleus RNA sequencing and whole-genome sequencing on 100 postmortem samples, selecting cases that represent varying stages and symptoms of the disease.
  • The resulting dataset, created with high standards of quality control, is freely available on the AMP PD Knowledge Platform, facilitating research into the molecular mechanisms of PD and potentially helping to improve treatment options.
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Brain region- and cell-specific transcriptomic and epigenomic features are associated with heritability for neuropsychiatric traits, but a systematic view, considering cortical and subcortical regions, is lacking. Here, we provide an atlas of chromatin accessibility and gene expression profiles in neuronal and non-neuronal nuclei across 25 distinct human cortical and subcortical brain regions from 6 neurotypical controls. We identified extensive gene expression and chromatin accessibility differences across brain regions, including variation in alternative promoter-isoform usage and enhancer-promoter interactions.

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Objective: To evaluate whether continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) could assist providers in intensifying glycemic management in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: At six academic hospitals, adults with type 2 diabetes hospitalized in a non-intensive care setting were randomly assigned to either standard therapy with glucose target 140-180 mg/dL (standard group) or intensive therapy with glucose target 90-130 mg/dL guided by CGM (intensive group). The primary outcome was mean glucose measured with CGM (blinded in standard group), and the key secondary outcome was CGM glucose <54 mg/dL.

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  • ε4 is the most significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), with about half of AD patients having at least one ε4 allele.
  • Researchers found that the African-specific A allele of rs10423769 significantly reduces the AD risk associated with ε4 homozygotes by roughly 75%.
  • The protective variant is located in a specific region of chromosome 19, demonstrating differences at the structural and DNA methylation levels compared to non-protective variants, and emphasizing the need for diverse ancestry representation in AD studies.
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  • The study aimed to explore the link between epigenetic age acceleration and the progression of glaucoma in patients, particularly focusing on primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
  • It involved a retrospective analysis of 200 POAG patients, split into those with fast and slow disease progression, assessing their epigenetic age using different DNA methylation clocks.
  • Results showed that faster progressing patients had significantly greater epigenetic age acceleration, with each year of age acceleration linked to a 15% higher chance of faster glaucoma progression.
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The field of organ transplantation is experiencing a transformative shift with the rise of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), which include gene therapies, somatic cell therapies, and tissue-engineered products. These therapies offer new, potentially curative treatments for longstanding medical challenges, impacting numerous patients. However, their adoption is hindered by complex regulatory frameworks, high production costs, and inconsistent access across Europe.

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Quickly after birth, the gut microbiota is shaped via species acquisition and resource pressure. Breastmilk, and more specifically, human milk oligosaccharides are a determining factor in the formation of microbial communities and the interactions between bacteria. Prominent human milk oligosaccharide degraders have been rigorously characterized, but it is not known how the gut microbiota is shaped as a complex community.

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  • Researchers are trying to find out how genetics can help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease (AD) as there aren't many treatments available.
  • They studied a group of 946 Amish people aged 76-95 to look for specific genetic markers that might be linked to better brain function.
  • They discovered over 100 genetic markers related to cognitive health, with one important marker on chromosome 2 that affects certain brain genes, which might help in finding new treatments.
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Background: Atherosclerotic plaques form unevenly due to disturbed blood flow, causing localized endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. Obesity exacerbates this process, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. The transcription factor EPAS1 (HIF2A) has regulatory roles in endothelium, but its involvement in atherosclerosis remains unexplored.

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  • - The study aimed to assess the efficiency of venturi versus peristaltic pump phacoemulsification systems in patients undergoing laser cataract surgery at Mercy Health System in Springfield, MO.
  • - Key metrics analyzed included energy use, ultrasound time, and total phaco tip time during surgery, with findings showing the venturi system required less energy and time compared to the peristaltic system.
  • - The results indicated that the venturi system was more efficient overall with no significant differences in complications between the two systems, based on data from 995 eyes.
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ParaView is one of the most prominent software tools for scientific visualization used by scientists around the world. Color is a primary conduit to visually map data to its representation and, thus, enable investigation and interpretation of the data. Colormap selection has a significant impact on the data revealed; its design and selection is a critical aspect of scientific data visualization.

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Article Synopsis
  • Understanding tendon mechanical properties, like stiffness and hysteresis, is crucial for deciphering how injuries occur.
  • Initial findings show that tendon hysteresis is significantly higher in certain conditions, specifically in a sheep model, compared to previously reported values.
  • The research highlights the need for further studies to explore how various testing environments and biological factors affect tendon behavior, which could enhance our approach to clinical treatments and biomechanical modeling.
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