Publications by authors named "SMITH J"

Key Points: This is the largest US cohort study investigating neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation and outcomes among pediatric kidney transplant recipients. High neighborhood deprivation was associated with worse graft survival and lower access to preemptive and living donor transplantation. Findings demonstrate inequities in pediatric kidney transplantation associated with neighborhood-level factors that warrant intervention.

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A search for the exclusive hadronic decays W^{±}→π^{±}γ, W^{±}→K^{±}γ, and W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ is performed using up to 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=13  TeV. If observed, these rare processes would provide a unique test bench for the quantum chromodynamics factorization formalism used to calculate cross sections at colliders. Additionally, at future colliders, these decays could offer a new way to measure the W boson mass through fully reconstructed decay products.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The ATLAS experiment at the LHC conducted a search for long-lived particles (LLPs) using a large dataset (140 fb^{-1}) from proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV, focusing on LLPs with masses from 5 to 55 GeV that decay within the inner detector.
  • - The study considered scenarios where LLPs are produced from exotic Higgs boson decays and models involving axionlike particles (ALPs).
  • - No significant findings above expected background levels were detected, leading to the establishment of upper limits on various production rates involving the Higgs boson and the top quark related to LLPs and ALPs.
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Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the level of upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) in frail patients undergoing surgery for adult spine deformity (ASD).

Methods: Patients with adult spinal deformity who had undergone T9-to-pelvis fusion were stratified using the ASD-Modified Frailty Index into not frail, frail, and severely frail categories. ASD was defined as at least one of: scoliosis ≥ 20°, sagittal vertical axis (SVA) ≥ 5 cm, or pelvic tilt ≥ 25°.

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  • This study is the first of its kind to statistically assess how well the Collaborative Ocular Tuberculosis Study (COTS) calculator predicts the need for antitubercular therapy (ATT) in patients with suspected tubercular uveitis (TBU) in an international setting.
  • The main goal was to determine if a score of 4 or higher on the COTS calculator effectively guides the initiation of ATT.
  • Results showed that among 492 participants, 45.7% received a high probability for ATT initiation, and the COTS-5 score showed the highest specificity at 88.7%, suggesting its effectiveness compared to clinician judgment.
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Degradation of the endothelial glycocalyx in type 2 diabetes (T2D) is thought to contribute to impaired shear stress mechanotransduction, leading to endothelial dysfunction and the development of cardiovascular disease. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that restoration of the endothelial glycocalyx with dietary supplementation of glycocalyx precursors (DSGPs, containing glucosamine sulfate, fucoidan, superoxide dismutase, and high-molecular weight hyaluronan) improves endothelial function and other indices of vascular function in T2D. First, in db/db mice, we showed that treatment with DSGP (100 mg/kg/day) for 4 wk restored endothelial glycocalyx length, as assessed via atomic force microscopy in aortic explants.

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The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei evades clearance by the host immune system through antigenic variation of its dense variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) coat, periodically 'switching' expression of the VSG using a large genomic repertoire of VSG-encoding genes. Recent studies of antigenic variation in vivo have focused near exclusively on parasites in the bloodstream, but research has shown that many, if not most, parasites reside in the interstitial spaces of tissues. We sought to explore the dynamics of antigenic variation in extravascular parasite populations using VSG-seq, a high-throughput sequencing approach for profiling VSGs expressed in populations of T.

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Background: Since 2015, malaria vector control on Bioko Island has relied heavily upon long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) to complement other interventions. Despite significant resources utilised, however, achieving and maintaining high coverage has been elusive. Here, core LLIN indicators were used to assess and redefine distribution strategies.

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Instruments attached to animals ('biologgers') have facilitated extensive discoveries about the patterns, causes, and consequences of animal behavior. Here, we present examples of how biologging can deepen our fundamental understanding of ecosystems and our applied understanding of global change impacts by enabling tests of ecological theory. Applying the iterative process of science to biologging has enabled a diverse set of insights, including social and experiential learning in long-distance migrants, state-dependent risk aversion in foraging predators, and resource abundance driving movement across taxa.

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Background: Non-infectious uveitis is a diverse group of inflammatory conditions that collectively account for substantial blindness worldwide. Expert guidelines and results of clinical trials guide treatment, but real-world clinical care is impacted by additional factors. In 2023, an international group of uveitis-specialised ophthalmologists formed the to report current practice.

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Background & Aims: Epidemiological evidence on ultra-processed food (UPF) and cause-specific mortality remains limited and mixed. Molecular mechanisms underlying UPF intake and mortality remain unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between UPF consumption, metabolic signatures, and all-cause, premature, and cause-specific mortality.

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  • A study called PEERLESS compared two catheter methods, large-bore mechanical thrombectomy (LBMT) and catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), for treating intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) in 550 patients, focusing on various health outcomes.
  • The results showed that LBMT led to fewer complications and less need for intensive care compared to CDT, including lower rates of clinical deterioration and ICU admissions.
  • Although LBMT had better short-term outcomes, there were no significant differences in mortality or major bleeding between the two treatment methods after 30 days.
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  • This study investigates the link between an epigenetic risk score (ERS) related to alcohol consumption and blood pressure traits, finding significant associations between higher ERS and increased blood pressure levels among participants.
  • In the analysis of 3,898 individuals from the Framingham Heart Study, each unit increase in the ERS correlated with a rise in systolic blood pressure (SBP) by almost 2 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by about 0.68 mm Hg.
  • The research suggests that the ERS could serve as a useful tool for assessing cardiovascular risks linked to alcohol consumption, especially in cases where self-reported data may be unreliable.
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Background: The use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) is a strategy recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for malaria prevention. In Nigeria, ITNs have been periodically distributed since 2007 through campaigns. Campaign activities and assets are typically tracked using either a paper-based or digital system.

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Background: Tobacco use is a global public health threat and a leading preventable cause of death in the world. While cigarette use among youth has been decreasing in high-income countries, low- and middle-income countries have contrastingly high rates of adolescent smoking. In Ghana, smoking prevalence is lower than in other parts of the African continent and more common among men than women; however the gender gap in tobacco use among adolescents has narrowed, with shisha use among girls recently surpassing boys.

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There is growing interest in identifying the mechanisms underpinning the effects of physical activity on executive functions (e.g. inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility) in children.

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Background: Apolipoprotein L1 gene () variants are risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) among Black Americans. Data are sparse on the genetic epidemiology of CKD and the clinical association of variants with CKD in West Africans, a major group in the Black population.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study involving participants from Ghana and Nigeria who had CKD stages 2 through 5, biopsy-proven glomerular disease, or no kidney disease.

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Background: Self-harm in young people is a growing concern and reducing rates a global priority. Rates of self-harm documented in general practice have been increasing for young people in the UK in the last two decades, especially in 13-16-year-olds. General practitioners (GPs) can intervene early after self-harm but there are no effective treatments presently available.

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Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric pathology with substantial cost to society, but the existing treatments are often inadequate. This has rekindled the interest in the GABA-receptor (GABAR) positive allosteric modulator (PAM) compounds, which have a long history in treatment of anxiety beginning with diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, and alprazolam. While the GABAR PAMs possess remarkable anxiolytic efficacy, they have fallen out of favor due to a host of adverse effects including sedation, motor impairment, addictive potential and tolerance development.

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Background: There is a need for unified guidance in the management of acneiform rash induced by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRi) among dermatologists.

Objective: To establish unified international guidelines for the management of acneiform rash caused by EGFR inhibitors, based on an experts' Delphi consensus.

Methods: The initiative was led by five members of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Force 'Dermatology for Cancer Patients' who developed a questionnaire that was circulated to a group of 32 supportive oncodermatology experts in Europe, Canada, Argentina, the US States and Asia.

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