Publications by authors named "A Demers"

Objectives: Pediatric tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis is complicated by challenges in obtaining invasive respiratory specimens that frequently contain few Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacilli. We report the diagnostic performance of an Mtb antigen-derived peptide (MAP-TB) assay and its ability to monitor TB treatment response.

Methods: Study cohorts enrolled children who presented with presumptive TB at two hospitals in South Africa from 2012 to 2017 (157 children aged <13 years) and at community-based clinics in the Dominican Republic from 2019 to 2023 (101 children aged <18 years).

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Background: The Minimum Information for Studies Evaluating Biologics in Orthopedics (MIBO) guidelines were developed in May 2017 to encourage improved reporting standards, promote increased transparency and reproducibility, and enhance clinical evaluation capabilities. The MIBO guidelines consist of 23 checklist items considered necessary to critically appraise clinical studies evaluating platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

Purpose: To assess randomized controlled trials that evaluated PRP for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis in order to systematically review their adherence to the MIBO guidelines.

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Background: Worldwide, approximately 2 million children younger than 15 years of age are infected with multidrug-resistant (MDR) , with MDR tuberculosis developing in approximately 30,000 annually. Evidence from randomized, controlled trials on tuberculosis preventive treatment in persons exposed to MDR tuberculosis is lacking.

Methods: In this community-based, multisite, double-blind, cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled trial in South Africa, we assessed the efficacy and safety of levofloxacin as preventive treatment in children with household exposure to an adult with bacteriologically confirmed MDR pulmonary tuberculosis.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to understand the prevalence and impact of post COVID-19 condition (PCC) in Canadian adults, as well as the factors that influence its severity and recovery.
  • Data was collected through a survey conducted from April to August 2022, revealing that about 17.2% of adults with confirmed infections and 16.7% of those with confirmed or suspected infections experienced PCC.
  • Key factors increasing the likelihood of PCC included being under 65, having more pre-existing health conditions, and experiencing a more severe initial infection, while factors like male sex at birth and identifying as Black were linked to lower odds of developing PCC.
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The aim of the study was to assess the ability to maintain a steady pace during a counting task, aloud or silently, when a fast (28 counts every 900 ms) or slow (18 counts every 1,400 ms) pace is adopted (target = 25,200 ms), and to test whether ability is the same for musician and nonmusicians. The study analyzes the mean and variability of 30 temporal productions. The results show more variability (a larger coefficient of variation: standard deviation/mean production) in the condition where the pace is slow, a finding consistent with previous reports with this task.

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