Publications by authors named "West A"

Cyclic nucleotide GMP-AMP (cGAMP) plays a critical role in mediating the innate immune response through the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. Recent studies showed that ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 1 (ABCC1) is a cGAMP exporter. The exported cGAMP can be imported into uninfected cells to stimulate a STING-mediated innate immune response.

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  • Humans have a special ability to use tools thanks to the dexterity of their hands, but many lose this ability due to injuries or strokes, prompting further research on human hand function.
  • Previous studies primarily focused on coordinated movements for reaching and grasping, but there is a gap in understanding how we manipulate complex objects.
  • This study tested two hypotheses about hand synergies in manipulation compared to reaching and grasping, revealing that manipulation requires more synergies and that the specific synergies differ between the two actions, highlighting the need for more focused research to improve prosthetics and rehabilitation.
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Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects about 70 % of stroke patients and is closely linked to stroke development. It is unclear whether treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces the risk of stroke recurrence or mortality in post-stroke patients, partly due to limited follow-up time and small sample sizes of previous studies. To close this knowledge gap, this study investigated changes in stroke recurrence and mortality among CPAP-treated post-stroke patients with sleep-disordered breathing.

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There is a dearth of validated instruments for assessing clinical teaching in veterinary education. This study describes the development and validation of a veterinary-adapted Stanford Faculty Development Program 26 (SFDP-Vet22) instrument for student evaluation of veterinary clinical educators. Validity evidence was gathered in three specific categories: (a) content, (b) response process, and (c) internal structure.

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Introduction: Respiratory therapists (RTs) must apply competencies to address the health care needs of the public. Although all competencies are deemed essential, scholarly practice requires that professionals critically assess their practices, integrate evidence-based literature, and enhance the care they deliver to patients. Though scholarly practice is also associated with professional empowerment, role satisfaction, and improved patient care, it is rarely measured.

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  • The study explores the aggregation process of α-synuclein, a protein linked to Parkinson's Disease and Multiple System Atrophy, and its implications for research.
  • Researchers determined the first atomic structure of mouse α-synuclein fibrils, revealing similarities to fibrils found in human conditions, but with important differences in their properties.
  • The findings indicate that mouse α-synuclein fibrils have altered behaviors, suggesting a need to reevaluate their use in developing diagnostic tools and treatments for related diseases.
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Aim: To describe sources of advice and the recommendations given to parents/guardians prior to attending ED with their child.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study of patients presenting to two EDs of a multi-centre Victorian Health service in June 2016. Data collection involved surveying all parents/guardians attending paediatric ED during a 1-week period by trained research assistants.

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Use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe, and nearly all tobacco product use begins during adolescence. CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analyzed data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey to determine tobacco product use among U.S.

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Heightened energetic and nutrient demand during lactogenic differentiation of the mammary gland elicits upregulation of various stress responses to support cellular homeostasis. Here, we identify the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) as an immune supporter of the functional development of mouse mammary epithelial cells (MECs). An in vitro model of MEC differentiation revealed that STING is activated in a cGAS-independent manner to produce both type I interferons and proinflammatory cytokines in response to the accumulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species.

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Animals that feed socially can sometimes better locate prey, often by transferring information about food that is patchy, dense, and temporally and spatially unpredictable. Information transfer is a potential benefit of living in breeding colonies where unsuccessful foragers can more readily locate successful ones and thereby improve feeding efficiency. Most studies on social foraging have been short-term, and how long-term environmental change affects both foraging strategies and the associated benefits of coloniality is generally unknown.

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Circadian rhythms synchronize the internal physiology of animals allowing them to anticipate daily changes in their environment. Arctic habitats may diminish the selective advantages of circadian rhythmicity by relaxing daily rhythmic environmental constraints, presenting a valuable opportunity to study the evolution of circadian rhythms. In reindeer, circadian control of locomotor activity and melatonin release is weak or absent, and the molecular clockwork is reportedly non-functional.

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Objectives: Hispanic/Latinx youth vary in their immigration heritage (e.g., country of origin, familial migration history, etc.

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In mammals and birds, tanycytes are known to regulate thyroid hormone conversion, and this process is central to the control of seasonal reproduction. In mammals, this cell type is also implicated in retinoic acid signalling, neurogenesis, and nutritional gatekeeping, all of which have been linked to hypothalamic regulation of energy metabolism. Less is known about these potential wider roles of tanycytes in birds.

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Introduction: Respiratory therapists (RTs) are expected to provide high-quality care for patients with chronic and acute cardiopulmonary conditions across the lifespan by staying abreast of emerging scientific evidence and effectively integrating it into clinical practice. This integration of evidence is encompassed within the competency of scholarly practice. However, there is currently a limited understanding of RTs' scholarly practice.

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Epigenetic regulation of the genome is required for cell-type differentiation during organismal development and is especially important to generate the panoply of specialized cell types that comprise the brain. Here, we review how progressive changes in the chromatin landscape, both in neural progenitors and in postmitotic neurons, orchestrate the timing of gene expression programs that underlie first neurogenesis and then functional neuronal maturation. We discuss how disease-associated mutations in chromatin regulators can change brain composition by impairing the timing of neurogenesis.

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Current e-cigarette use among U.S. youth has declined considerably since 2019*; however, approximately 2.

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  • The Zic family of transcription factors (TFs) plays a dual role in supporting both the growth and maturation of cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs), which raises questions about their diverse functions despite being constantly expressed.
  • Researchers utilized a combination of experimental and bioinformatic methods to explore how Zic TF binding relates to changes in gene transcription during CGN development.
  • Findings reveal that Zic TFs bind mainly to active enhancers in newborn CGNs and to promoters in mature CGNs, indicating their involvement in regulating gene expression through a complex interaction with other TFs, rather than simply relying on changes in their binding patterns.
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Synaptogyrin-3, a functionally obscure synaptic vesicle protein, interacts with vesicular monoamine and dopamine transporters, bringing together dopamine release and reuptake sites. Synaptogyrin-3 was reduced by chronic cocaine exposure in both humans and rats, and synaptogyrin-3 levels inversely correlated with motivation to take cocaine in rats. Synaptogyrin-3 overexpression in dopamine neurons reduced cocaine self-administration, decreased anxiety-like behavior, and enhanced cognitive flexibility.

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Neuronal activity-regulated gene expression plays a crucial role in sculpting neural circuits that underpin adaptive brain function. Transcriptional enhancers are now recognized as key components of gene regulation that orchestrate spatiotemporally precise patterns of gene transcription. We propose that the dynamics of enhancer activation uniquely position these genomic elements to finely tune activity-dependent cellular plasticity.

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Immunization with mosaic-8b (nanoparticles presenting 8 SARS-like betacoronavirus [sarbecovirus] receptor-binding domains [RBDs]) elicits more broadly cross-reactive antibodies than homotypic SARS-CoV-2 RBD-only nanoparticles and protects against sarbecoviruses. To investigate original antigenic sin (OAS) effects on mosaic-8b efficacy, we evaluated the effects of prior COVID-19 vaccinations in non-human primates and mice on anti-sarbecovirus responses elicited by mosaic-8b, admix-8b (8 homotypics), or homotypic SARS-CoV-2 immunizations, finding the greatest cross-reactivity for mosaic-8b. As demonstrated by molecular fate mapping, in which antibodies from specific cohorts of B cells are differentially detected, B cells primed by WA1 spike mRNA-LNP dominated antibody responses after RBD-nanoparticle boosting.

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Background: Healthy lifestyle changes for patients with stage 1 hypertension are recommended before antihypertensive medication. Exercise has antihypertensive benefits; however, low adoption and high attrition are common. Patients need easily adoptable, effective and manageable exercise interventions that can be sustained for life.

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For over four decades, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has been used to selectively measure neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA) with high spatial and temporal resolution, providing detailed information about the regulation of DA in the extracellular space. FSCV is an optimal method for determining concentrations of stimulus-evoked DA in brain tissue. When modelling diseases involving disturbances in DA transmission, preclinical rodent models are especially useful because of the availability of specialized tools and techniques that serve as a foundation for translational research.

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  • The study compiled qualitative evidence on how COVID-19 visitation restrictions affected patients, families, and healthcare professionals in NICUs, PICUs, and adult ICUs.
  • Researchers analyzed 184 studies and found 54 key impacts, including disruptions to family-centered care, negative mental health effects, and loss of support systems and bonding opportunities.
  • The review emphasizes the need for compassionate family presence policies in future health crises to address these issues and improve care.
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Objectives: This article explores the stages where trauma is experienced (123s) and its physiopsychological impact (affect, behavior, and cognitions [ABCs]) in unaccompanied Latinx Minors through the analysis of a composite case study. Unaccompanied Latinx Minors represent a unique and growing population in the United States that warrants careful consideration from a trauma-informed and resilience-based framework.

Method: A detailed case study was implemented, triangulating caregiver and client therapy records to illustrate the framework of stages of trauma exposure (123s) and physiopsychological impact (ABCs).

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