Publications by authors named "Steven Sims"

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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  • High levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in post-menopausal women are linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as shown by studies in mice.
  • Mice lacking FSH receptors displayed improved spatial memory, indicating that blocking FSH signaling can help prevent memory loss related to aging and AD-like pathology.
  • The findings suggest that targeting FSH could be a potential strategy for preventing memory deficits in post-menopausal women.
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  • The pituitary gland secretes tropic hormones that regulate various endocrine organs and are involved in functions like skeletal modeling, metabolism, and cognitive processes.
  • Hormones like FSH, traditionally known for their role in reproductive health, also play significant roles in fat and bone metabolism as well as cognition.
  • Research shows that understanding the broader functions of FSH may lead to new therapeutic options for health issues related to menopause, including osteoporosis, obesity, and dementia.
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  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) is linked to high levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in post-menopausal women, which may trigger memory loss and AD-like symptoms in mice.
  • A study tested different groups of female mice (some unoperated, some with surgery, and some undergoing ovariectomy) and found that gene-deletion of FSH receptor (Fshr) improved spatial memory and recognized memory, highlighting a gene-dose effect.
  • Overall, the research suggests that lower FSH levels could have protective benefits against memory loss associated with aging and AD, as indicated by better memory retention in mice with reduced FSH signaling.
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Objective: To compare the workplace experience of European and U.S. members of the otolaryngology community.

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  • Clinical studies suggest that luteinizing hormone (LH), typically known for its role in fertility, may also influence cognitive decline and mood disorders in aging, particularly in post-menopausal women.
  • The study utilized various behavioral tests on 12-month-old mice lacking LH signaling to explore its impact on cognitive and emotional behaviors, revealing that these mice did not show the anxiety seen in wild type mice.
  • The findings indicate that loss of LH signaling can reverse certain age-related emotional issues, potentially paving the way for future treatments targeting LH activity.
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Laryngeal trauma is rare but potentially fatal. Initial evaluation includes efficient history and physical examination, imaging, bedside flexible laryngoscopy, and if necessary, operative endoscopic evaluation. Multiple classification systems exist for laryngeal trauma, and each has its merits.

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Objective: To survey members of the otolaryngology community about their personal and observed experiences of being treated differently because of one's physical attributes, cultural norms, or preferences in the workplace.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: International Electronic Survey.

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  • Seasonal changes in food intake and body fat in animals are influenced by changes in light duration, regulated by melatonin from the pineal gland.
  • The mediobasal hypothalamus plays a key role in integrating these seasonal variations through the detection of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
  • Tanycytes in the hypothalamus are involved in regulating energy balance and modulating the blood-hypothalamus barrier, with TSH having potential effects beyond traditional single-target actions.
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Introduction: Vocal tract discomfort (VTD), dysphonia, and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms are complaints frequently reported by amateur singers. There are two aims of this study. The first is to evaluate the prevalence of these symptoms using validated questionnaires.

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Objectives: Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) has been used by clinicians, primarily pulmonologists, to describe a variety of conditions in which the regulation and coordination of vocal fold movements are part of the explanation of cough or difficulty breathing, mainly paradoxical vocal fold motion disorder (PVFM). Prior studies show an intersection of mental health issues, primarily anxiety, and PVFM. We began incorporating mental health screening tools using the Life Events Checklist-5 (LEC-5) and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for Civilians (PCL-C) to assess symptomatology that may be related to traumatic life events.

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  • Dietary polyphenols, like those derived from grapes, are shown to improve memory impairments caused by sleep deprivation (SD) in mouse models, but their effectiveness is influenced by gut microbiota.
  • A study using C57BL6/J mice explored how gut bacteria affect the memory-enhancing effects of a polyphenol preparation by administering antibiotics and measuring outcomes after sleep deprivation.
  • Results indicate that antibiotic-induced changes in gut microbiota diminish the positive effects of dietary polyphenols on memory, suggesting that gut health plays a critical role in maximizing the cognitive benefits of these compounds.
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The intestinal microbiota actively converts dietary flavanols into phenolic acids, some of which are bioavailable in vivo and may promote resilience to select neurological disorders by interfering with key pathologic mechanisms. Since every person harbors a unique set of gut bacteria, we investigated the influence of the gut microbiota's interpersonal heterogeneity on the production and bioavailability of flavonoid metabolites that may interfere with the misfolding of alpha (α)-synuclein, a process that plays a central role in Parkinson's disease and other α-synucleinopathies. We generated two experimental groups of humanized gnotobiotic mice with compositionally diverse gut bacteria and orally treated the mice with a flavanol-rich preparation (FRP).

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  • * An optogenetics model was used to label and reactivate neurons engaged during fear learning, showing that dietary polyphenols improve fear memory recall and increase the presence of ChR2-mCherry in these neurons.
  • * The study suggests that dietary polyphenols not only boost memory function but also provide a method to identify neuron populations influenced by these compounds, potentially through the enhancement of c-Fos expression.
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Climate and land-use change are the major drivers of global biodiversity loss. Their effects are particularly acute for wide-ranging consumers, but little is known about how these factors interact to affect the abundance of large carnivores and their herbivore prey. We analyzed population densities of a primary and secondary consumer (mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, and mountain lion, Puma concolor) across a climatic gradient in western North America by combining satellite-based maps of plant productivity with estimates of animal abundance and foraging area derived from Global Positioning Systems telemetry data (GPS).

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  • The study used a specialized sequencing method to analyze how polyphenolic compounds affect gene methylation and expression in the hippocampus.
  • It found that a specific polyphenolic preparation (BDPP) leads to changes in methylation patterns of genes linked to synaptic plasticity and epigenetic modifications.
  • The results suggest that dietary polyphenols could be a new area for developing therapeutic strategies targeting gene expression in the brain through epigenetic mechanisms.
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Previous evidence has suggested that dietary supplementation with a bioactive dietary polyphenol preparation (BDPP) rescues impairment of hippocampus-dependent memory in a mouse model of sleep deprivation (SD). In the current study, we extend our previous evidence and demonstrate that a mechanism by which dietary BDPP protects against SD-mediated cognitive impairment is via mechanisms that involve phosphorylation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 and its direct downstream targets, including the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) and the ribosomal protein S6 kinase β-1 (p70S6K). In additional mechanistic studies in vitro, we identified the brain bioavailable phenolic metabolites derived from the metabolism of dietary BDPP that are responsible for the attenuation of SD-mediated memory impairments.

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(Nymphalidae) are a conspicuous component of the North American butterfly fauna. There are approximately 16 species and >100 associated subspecies (or geographical variants). are univoltine, occupy a wide range of habitats, overwinter as first instar larvae, and feed only on native violets.

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The development of "Care of the Professional Voice" as a subspecialty of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has expanded the concept of professional voice users. Although sometimes uncompensated, the clergy represents a unique group of voice users who are required to perform at a professional level. Additionally, cultural norms create great diversity in terms of style of delivery and typical venues, adding to the interest in this subset of professional voice users.

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Topical and fumigant toxicity of saturated aliphatic fatty acids with chain lengths of C1 through C14 were determined against the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.). In the C1 to C11 series, topical toxicity (LD50 in milligram per adult male) ranged from 0.

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Objectives: Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion in which performers imitate drum sounds, interspersed with vocalization and other sounds, using their vocal tracts. Although similarities between beatboxing and singing are expected because of the anatomy involved, the medical literature has a wealth of information on singing and minimal studies on beatboxing. The objective of our study was to report on a case series of functional endoscopic evaluation of the anatomy involved in beatboxing and determine whether beatboxing may be a risk factor for phonotrauma or if this form of vocalization might be protective of the vocal folds.

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Commercial baits containing boric acid, hydramethynon, and indoxacarb were tested against the firebrat, Thermobia domestica (Packard), and silverfish, Lepisma saccharina L. (both Zygentoma: Lepismatidae), under laboratory conditions. Three boric acid baits were consumed in significantly smaller amounts than untreated control food and did not effectively control either species.

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Purpose: This study was designed to assess the rate of displacement in nondisplaced sacral fractures and to determine if certain fracture patterns are more prone to future displacement.

Design: Retrospective.

Setting: Two Level I trauma centers.

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Responses of German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), to microencapsulated (ME) formulations of six insecticides (bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, and permethrin) were compared with emulsifiable concentrates (EC) (chlorpyrifos, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin) or ready-to-use (RTU) formulations (bifenthin and lambda-cyhalothrin). Two rates were tested per comparison.

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