Publications by authors named "Ward C"

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to examine the proportions of the manubrium and sternebrae across anthropoid primates to explore variation hypothesized to be related to thoracic shape and locomotor specialization, and to determine whether the sternoclavicular joint orientation in hominoids reflects hypothesized differences in shoulder joint positioning relative to the thorax.

Materials And Methods: Metric data and sternoclavicular joint orientation data were collected from calibrated photographs of manubria and sternebrae from a large sample (n = 244) of extant anthropoid primates, as well as a small sample of fossil taxa. Manubriosternal and rib cage metric data were also collected from CT scans of an additional 52 extant anthropoid torsos.

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Hominin pelvic form differs dramatically from that of other primates by having more laterally facing iliac blades, a wider sacrum, and a larger, transversely broad pelvic inlet. The orientation of the acetabulum may also differ, plausibly related to differences in load transmission during upright posture and habitual bipedal locomotion, which may, in turn, affect overall pelvic geometry. We compared acetabular orientation in humans, a phylogenetically broad sample of extant anthropoid primates, and fossil hominins including Australopithecus afarensis (A.

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Objective: To identify risk factors for clinically-important drowning-associated lung injury (ciDALI) in children.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study of children (0 through18 years) who presented to 32 pediatric emergency departments (EDs) from 2010 through 2017. We reviewed demographics, comorbidities, prehospital data, chest radiographs reports, and ED course from emergency medical services, medical, and fatality records.

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Wild birds are important hosts of influenza A viruses (IAVs) and play an important role in their ecology. The emergence of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 H5N1 (Gs/GD) lineage marked a shift in IAV ecology, leading to recurrent outbreaks and mortality in wild birds from 2002 onwards. This lineage has evolved and diversified over time, with a recent important derivative being the 2.

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Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are a rare cell population that is responsible for tumour initiation, metastasis and chemoresistance. Despite this, the mechanism by which BCSCs withstand genotoxic stress is largely unknown. Here, we uncover a pivotal role for the arginine methyltransferase PRMT5 in mediating BCSC chemoresistance by modulating DNA repair efficiency.

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The professional identity of scientists has historically been cultivated to value research over teaching, which can undermine initiatives that aim to reform science education. Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE) and the inclusive Research and Education Communities (iREC) are two successful and impactful reform efforts that integrate research and teaching. The aim of this study is to explicate the professional identity of instructors who implement a CRE within an established iREC and to explore how this identity contributes to the success of these programs.

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Article Synopsis
  • Over two decades, initiatives have aimed to enhance STEM undergraduate outcomes, with the inclusive Research Education Community (iREC) emerging as a scalable reform model that supports STEM faculty in implementing course-based research to improve student learning.
  • This study utilized pathway modeling to describe the HHMI Science Education Alliance (SEA) iREC, identifying how faculty engagement leads to sustainable adoption and improvement of new teaching strategies through feedback from over 100 participating faculty members.
  • The findings indicate that iREC fosters a collaborative environment where STEM faculty can share expertise and data, thereby enhancing their teaching practices and contributing to the overall evolution of undergraduate science education.
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Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a highly prevalent and genetically heterogeneous condition that results in decreased contractility and impaired cardiac function. The FK506-binding protein FKBP12 has been implicated in regulating the ryanodine receptor in skeletal muscle, but its role in cardiac muscle remains unclear. To define the effect of FKBP12 in cardiac function, we generated conditional mouse models of FKBP12 deficiency.

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Background: There is a paucity of data regarding the optimal timing of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) and whether scheduling delays increase the risk for adverse outcomes.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the incidence and predictors of adverse events among patients awaiting LAAC.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study assessed all patients who underwent LAAC from January 2017 to March 2020.

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Hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds are a challenge to wound care professionals, a burden to the health service and negatively impact affected individuals' quality of life. They also consume a great deal of healthcare resources globally and are found in all settings, including prisons. Therefore, the evaluation of wound care services is essential in order to develop an awareness of where improvement can be made.

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Introduction: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), an adequate supply of safe blood for transfusion is a major developmental challenge. In Ghana, deferral from blood donation for anemia accounts for nearly half of the ineligible blood donors. We conducted a longitudinal two-arm parallel-group non-inferiority trial to test if iron supplementation among blood donors with iron deficiency (ID) or anemia could increase their hemoglobin levels to near those without ID or anemia.

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Introduction: Given the increasing frequency of drug-resistant bacteria and the limited progress in developing new antibiotics, it is necessary to explore new methods of combating microbial infections. Nanoparticles, particularly silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), have shown exceptional antibacterial characteristics; however, elevated concentrations of Ag-NPs can produce noticeable levels of toxicity in mammalian cells.

Aim: This study examined the potential synergistic effect of combining a low dosage of Ag-NPs and anti-pseudomonas drugs against (ATCC strain) and eleven clinical isolates from cystic fibrosis patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • T cell therapies, like CAR and TCR T cells, are emerging cancer treatments, but improving their effectiveness requires understanding their behavior in populations.
  • The authors developed advanced tools using live-cell imaging to track and analyze modified T cells interacting with tumor cells, focusing on their morphology, movement, and interactions.
  • They found that specific genetic modifications in TCR T cells led to longer interaction times and better activation against cancer cells, while other modifications increased T cell growth, paving the way for more effective cancer therapies.
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Osteoporosis is a common yet underdiagnosed condition that increases the risk of fractures, contributing to substantial morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are some of the most common fractures associated with osteoporosis and often precede more severe fractures. Managing DRFs in patients with osteoporosis can be a challenge due to altered bone quality, which can affect healing and surgical fixation.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Out of 11,731 articles, 25 studies met the criteria, revealing that almost half of all associations (49.5%) between management practices and health outcomes were significantly positive, while 49.5% were null, indicating mixed results.
  • * Findings showed positive associations for structural quality (79%) and clinical quality (60%), but most associations related to patient satisfaction were null (80%), highlighting challenges in drawing firm conclusions about management's impact on health service delivery.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Radiation Laboratory's primary mission is to provide laboratory support for an effective and efficient response to public health radiological emergencies. The laboratory has developed methods for several radiological threat agents, including Iridium-192 (Ir-192). Ir-192 can be analyzed via its gamma energy through analytical methods such as High Purity Germanium (HPGe) and its beta energy through Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC).

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Fungi have been found to be associated with many insect species, with some species transitioning to reside within insects as symbionts. However, the evolutionary pressures and genomic consequences associated with this transition are not well understood. Pathogenic fungi of the genus Ophiocordyceps have undergone multiple, independent transitions from pathogen to endosymbiont lifestyles, where they reside within the fatty tissues of infected soft-scale insects transgenerationally without killing their hosts.

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We report the airway management of an 11-year-old boy with Treacher Collins syndrome. In three instances under general anaesthesia, ventilation via either anaesthesia facemask or supraglottic airway device proved virtually impossible except when the neck was flexed, which runs counter to what is typically observed during routine anaesthetic care. In this report, the impact of neck flexion on the patient's airway is demonstrated with images obtained on videolaryngoscopy and flexible endoscopy.

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β-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is an abundant ketone body. To date, all known pathways of BHB metabolism involve the interconversion of BHB and primary energy intermediates. Here, we identify a previously undescribed BHB secondary metabolic pathway via CNDP2-dependent enzymatic conjugation of BHB and free amino acids.

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We describe the preparation, assembly, recognition characteristics, and bioactivity of dendritic basket 6. This novel cavitand has a deep aromatic pocket with three (S)-glutamic acid dendrons at the rim to amplify water solubility and prevent self-association. H NMR spectroscopy, calorimetry (ITC), and mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) measurements validate the formation of an inclusion complex between 6 and anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX) in water (K=9.

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Background: Consuming excess animal meat may exacerbate kidney disorders, such as urinary stone disease and CKD. Plant-based meat alternatives imitate animal meat and replace animal with vegetable protein, but it is unclear whether eating plant-meat confers similar health benefits as eating whole vegetables. We hypothesized that eating plant-meat when compared with animal meat decreases dietary acid load but increases dietary phosphorus and nitrogen.

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  • EMS clinicians handle traumatic pneumothoraxes, including simple ones that are less severe and tension pneumothoraxes that can lead to serious complications like shock.
  • The most common treatment for tension pneumothorax in EMS is needle thoracostomy, but its frequent misapplication and low success rates have raised concerns about its effectiveness.
  • The National Association of EMS Physicians conducted a literature review to create evidence-based recommendations for managing traumatic pneumothoraxes, addressing the need for proper decompression techniques and clarifying procedures for open pneumothoraxes.
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The cuticle covering the outer surface of an eggshell functions as both a physical and chemical barrier against invading microorganisms. Contamination of eggs by microbial pathogens progresses in four stages: bacterial attachment to the egg surface, penetration through the cuticle and eggshell, multiplication within the underlying membranes, and the final stage of contaminating the egg contents. Therefore, it is important to study bacterial count at the first point of contact, i.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explored the effectiveness of measuring heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO) on newborns' foreheads compared to traditional wrist sensors during their first 10 minutes of life.
  • - Results showed that forehead sensors had a higher success rate for HR readings (100%) and better agreement with ECG data than wrist sensors (69%).
  • - The forehead measurements also provided consistently higher SpO values than the wrist methods, indicating the potential benefits of using forehead monitoring in clinical settings.
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