Publications by authors named "WILLIAMS R"

Using DNA methylation profiles ( = 15,456) from 348 mammalian species, we constructed phyloepigenetic trees that bear marked similarities to traditional phylogenetic ones. Using unsupervised clustering across all samples, we identified 55 distinct cytosine modules, of which 30 are related to traits such as maximum life span, adult weight, age, sex, and human mortality risk. Maximum life span is associated with methylation levels in subclass homeobox genes and developmental processes and is potentially regulated by pluripotency transcription factors.

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Background: Liver transplantation is the life-saving treatment for many end-stage pediatric liver diseases. The perioperative course, including surgical and anesthetic factors, have an important influence on the trajectory of this high-risk population. Given the complexity and variability of the immediate postoperative course, there would be utility in identifying risk factors that allow prediction of adverse outcomes and intensive care unit trajectories.

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Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown etiology that affects one in 20 children. There is an indication that DCD has an underlying genetic component due to its high heritability. Therefore, we explored the use of a recombinant inbred family of mice known as the BXD panel to understand the genetic basis of complex traits (i.

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Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has been utilized for outbreak monitoring and response efforts in university settings during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, few studies examined the impact of university policies on the effectiveness of WBE to identify cases and mitigate transmission. The objective of this study was to retrospectively assess relationships between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wastewater outcomes and COVID-19 cases in residential buildings of a large university campus across two academic semesters (August 2020-May 2021) under different COVID-19 mitigation policies.

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Background: Terrorist incidents lead to a range of mental health outcomes for people affected, sometimes extending years after the event. Secondary stressors can exacerbate them, and social support can provide mitigation and aid recovery. There is a need to better understand distress and mitigating factors among survivors of the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.

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Biological wastewater treatment systems are often affected by shifts in influent quality, including the input of toxic chemicals. Yet the mechanisms underlying the adaptation of activated sludge process performance are rarely studied in a controlled and replicated experimental setting, particularly when challenged with a sustained toxin input. Three replicate bench-scale bioreactors were subjected to a chemical disturbance in the form of 3-chloroaniline (3-CA) over 132 days, after an acclimation period of 58 days, while three control reactors received no 3-CA input.

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Organophosphorus nerve agents (OPAs) are a toxic class of synthetic compounds that cause adverse effects with many biological systems. Development of methods for environmental remediation and passivation has been ongoing for years. However, little progress has been made in therapeutic development for exposure victims.

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Objective: Action planning is a common approach used in physical activity interventions. The aim of this study was to assess the association of frequency, consistency and content of action planning with physical activity behaviour, intention strength and habit strength.

Methods And Measures: Within a 3-month web-based, computer-tailored physical activity intervention, participants ( = 115; 68.

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Background: The components of care delivered by Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services vary, but the impact on patient experience is unknown.

Objective: To investigate associations between components of care provided by EIP services in England and patient-reported outcomes.

Methods: 2374 patients from EIP services in England were surveyed during the National Clinical Audit of Psychosis.

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An amplitude analysis of B^{-}→J/ψΛp[over ¯] decays is performed using 4400 signal candidates selected on a data sample of pp collisions recorded at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV with the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. A narrow resonance in the J/ψΛ system, consistent with a pentaquark candidate with strangeness, is observed with high significance. The mass and the width of this new state are measured to be 4338.

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Background: Understanding discrimination (e.g., microaggressions) toward sexual/gender minorities (SGM) and racial/ethnic minorities (REM) from an intersectional perspective is critical in informing interventions to reduce such experiences and their impacts.

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Microglia shift toward an inflammatory phenotype during aging that is thought to exacerbate age-related neurodegeneration. The molecular and cellular signals that resolve neuroinflammation post-injury are largely undefined. Here, we exploit systems genetics methods based on the extended BXD murine reference family and identify IGFBPL1 as an upstream cis-regulator of microglia-specific genes to switch off inflammation.

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Purpose: Topical refrigerant spray is commonly used with routine hand injections despite mixed evidence about its efficacy in reducing the pain experience. We hypothesize that the use of topical refrigerant spray decreases the pain experience of an instantaneous noxious stimulus.

Methods: Eighty adult volunteer participants were enrolled in the study.

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The polarized cross-section ratio σ_{LT^{'}}/σ_{0} from hard exclusive π^{-}Δ^{++} electroproduction off an unpolarized hydrogen target has been extracted based on beam-spin asymmetry measurements using a 10.2  GeV/10.6  GeV incident electron beam and the CLAS12 spectrometer at Jefferson Lab.

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Objective: To establish the provision and use of radiation personal protective equipment (PPE) and dosimetry amongst UK interventional radiology (IR) trainees and highlight areas of improvement in order to enhance the radiation safety.

Methods: A survey questionnaire was designed by members of the British Society of Interventional Radiology (BSIR) trainee committee via survey monkey and distributed to UK IR trainees via the BSIR membership mailing list, local representatives and Twitter. The survey was open from 04/01/2021 to 20/02/2021.

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Objectives: In a large cohort of healthy infants and toddlers 6-36 months of age (n = 776), we have been exploring the potential role of genetic variation in predisposition to vitamin D insufficiency. The genes encoding the key cytochrome P450 hydroxylases (CYP2R1, CYP24A1, and CYP27B1) harbour recurrent mutations of uncertain effect. This study was undertaken to look for biochemically relevant associations of these variants with inter-individual differences in vitamin D metabolism in an at-risk pediatric population.

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Latino sexual minority men (LSMM) may experience oppression based on their ethnicity, sexual orientation, and migratory status, yet scientific literature is only beginning to explore the intersection of these experiences. This study examined mental health (MH) in relation to LSMM's experiences of intersectional oppression and affirmation. We conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from a cohort study examining LSMM's ( = 290) health care engagement in Miami, FL, from February to September 2020.

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Since its inception about two decades ago, histotripsy - a non-thermal mechanical tissue ablation technique - has evolved into a spectrum of methods, each with distinct potentiating physical mechanisms: intrinsic threshold histotripsy, shock-scattering histotripsy, hybrid histotripsy, and boiling histotripsy. All methods utilize short, high-amplitude pulses of focused ultrasound delivered at a low duty cycle, and all involve excitation of violent bubble activity and acoustic streaming at the focus to fractionate tissue down to the subcellular level. The main differences are in pulse duration, which spans microseconds to milliseconds, and ultrasound waveform shape and corresponding peak acoustic pressures required to achieve the desired type of bubble activity.

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Article Synopsis
  • * There is still a significant need for high-quality animal models that accurately represent these complex diseases, as current models often require extensive aging or special conditions, making research challenging.
  • * Researchers are actively working on identifying naturally occurring animal models to better aid the vision community in understanding, treating, and potentially curing retinal diseases.
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Background: Graft failure after meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) may necessitate revision surgery or conversion to arthroplasty. A comprehensive understanding of the risk factors for failure after MAT of the knee may facilitate more informed shared decision-making discussions before surgery and help determine whether MAT should be performed based on patient risk.

Purpose: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors associated with graft failure after MAT of the knee.

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Background: N-terminal portion of the B-type natriuretic propeptide (NT-proBNP) has potentially been shown to play an important role in the development of periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study evaluated the efficacy of periodontal treatment on NT-proBNP and related CVD biomarkers and explored whether subjects harboring high NT-proBNP at baseline showed increased clinical benefits with the non-surgical periodontal treatment performed with full-mouth scaling and root planing (FM-SRP) at 6-month follow-up.

Methods: Forty-eight patients with stage III periodontitis were randomized to receive minimal standard oral care (SOC) (n = 24) or FM-SRP (n = 24) protocol.

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Objectives: Data on population healthcare utilisation (HCU) across both primary and secondary care during the COVID-19 pandemic are lacking. We describe primary and secondary HCU stratified by long-term conditions (LTCs) and deprivation, during the first 19 months of COVID-19 pandemic across a large urban area in the UK.

Design: A retrospective, observational study.

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Article Synopsis
  • Lightsheet microscopy is effective for imaging large biological tissues made transparent through optical clearing, but mounting tissues can be complex due to varying technologies and formulations.
  • The authors provide practical techniques for preparing and capping cleared tissues in affordable acrylic cuvettes for consistent macroscopic imaging with minimal aberration.
  • They also outline methods for optimizing light sheet alignment, distinguishing between fluorescence and autofluorescence, and preventing artifacts, using examples from mouse embryo, liver, and heart imaging.
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