Effectiveness of the 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV23) in Preventing Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adults: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Aim: The aim was to assess the effectiveness of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in preventing CAP in adults.

Methods: This was a population-based cohort study, followed up over 5 years (2015-2019), that included 47,768 persons aged ≥18 years assigned to three primary care centres. Data were retrospectively obtained from electronic medical records and databases.

Relationship between intraperitoneal pressure and the development of hernias in peritoneal dialysis: confirmation for the first time of a widely accepted concept.

Background: Intraperitoneal pressure (IPP) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an individual characteristic that can be modified by posture and intraperitoneal volume (IPV). It is considered one of the predisposing factors for complications in the abdominal wall, such as the appearance of hernias. No studies to date have confirmed this.

Chemical identification and optimization of the 4-aminophenol colorimetric test for the differentiation between hemp-type and marijuana-type cannabis plant samples.

The 4- Aminophenol (4-AP) colorimetric test is a fast, easy-to-use, and cost-effective presumptive assay of cannabis plant material producing different chromophores with THC-rich cannabis (blue color) and with CBD-rich cannabis (pink color). The main drawback of the 4-AP test is a brief observation window where the color rapidly changes to black, limiting the utility of the test. We now report for the first time, the identification of the product chromophores between 4-AP and CBD/THC as well as propose an explanation and a solution for the color degradation of the chromophores.

An interlaboratory study to evaluate the utility of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-infrared spectroscopy spectral libraries in the forensic analysis of fentanyl-related substances.

Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl account for over 71,000 of the approximately 107,000 overdose deaths reported in the United States in 2021. Fentanyl remains the fourth most identified drug by state and local forensic laboratories, and the second most identified drug by federal laboratories. The unambiguous identification of fentanyl-related substances (FRS) is challenging due to the absence or low abundance of a molecular ion in a typical gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and due to a low number of fragment ions that are similar among the many potential isomers of FRS.

Gaussianization of LA-ICP-MS features to improve calibration in forensic glass comparison.

The forensic comparison of glass aims to compare a glass sample of an unknown source with a control glass sample of a known source. In this work, we use multi-elemental features from Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma with Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to compute a likelihood ratio. This calculation is a complex procedure that generally requires a probabilistic model including the within-source and between-source variabilities of the features.

Sampling and recovery of ignitable liquid residues (ILRs) from fire debris using capillary microextraction of volatiles (CMV) for on-site analysis.

A new, fast, and ultra-sensitive headspace sampling method using the Capillary Microextraction of Volatiles (CMV) device is demonstrated for the analysis of ignitable liquid residues (ILRs) in fire debris. This headspace sampling method involves the use of a heated can (60°C) to aid in the recovery of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from medium and heavy petroleum distillates. Our group has previously reported the utility of CMV to extract gasoline at ambient temperature in less than 5 min in the field.

Challenges in Multimorbidity Research: Lessons Learned From the Most Recent Randomized Controlled Trials in Primary Care.

Multimorbidity has received much attention and there is a growing number of original studies. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have failed to demonstrate effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving outcomes for patient with multimorbidity in primary care. The purpose of this article is to synthesize and analyze the most recent RCTs to identify the factors that may have contribute to the success or lack of success in order to draw lessons to inform further development in intervention research.

Determination of seventeen major and trace elements in new float glass standards for use in forensic comparisons using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Consensus concentration values for seventeen (17) major and trace elements typically present in soda-lime glass manufactured using the "float " process and used in the quantitative analysis and forensic comparison of glass samples were determined using laser ablation (LA) micro sampling coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This is the first reporting of the chemical characterization of a new set of float glass intended for use as matrix-matched calibration standards in the forensic analysis and comparison of glass by LA-ICP-MS using a standard test method (ASTM E2927-16e1). Three Corning Float Glass Standards (CFGS) were manufactured at low, medium, and high concentrations of 32 elements typically encountered in float glass samples as found in forensic casework.

One year follow-up and exploratory analysis of a patient-centered interdisciplinary care intervention for multimorbidity.

Context: Interventions for people with multimorbidity have obtained mixed results. We aimed to document the long-term effect of an intervention for people with multimorbidity.

Methods: 284 patients (18-80 years) presenting three or more chronic conditions were recruited from seven family medicine groups in the Saguenay-Lac St-Jean region, Quebec, Canada.

An interlaboratory study evaluating the interpretation of forensic glass evidence using refractive index measurements and elemental composition.

Seventeen laboratories participated in three interlaboratory exercises to assess the performance of refractive index, micro X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (μXRF), and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) data for the forensic comparison of glass samples. Glass fragments from automotive windshields were distributed to the participating labs as blind samples and participants were asked to compare the glass samples (known vs. questioned) and report their findings as they would in casework.

Aspiration pneumonia: A renewed perspective and practical approach.

Aspiration pneumonia (AP) is a sub-type of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) still poorly recognized especially in the absence of an aspiration event. A further difficulty is the differentiation between AP and aspiration pneumonitis. From a clinical perspective, AP is becoming increasingly relevant as a potential cause of severe and life-threatening respiratory infection among frail and very old patients, particularly among those with CAP requiring inpatient care.

Scaling Up Patient-Centered Interdisciplinary Care for Multimorbidity: A Pragmatic Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To measure the effectiveness of a 4-month interdisciplinary multifaceted intervention based on a change in care delivery for patients with multimorbidity in primary care practices.

Methods: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial with a mixed-methods design in patients aged 18 to 80 years with 3 or more chronic conditions from 7 family medicine groups (FMGs) in Quebec, Canada. Health care professionals (nurses, nutritionists, kinesiologists) from the FMGs were trained to deliver the patient-centered intervention based on a motivational approach and self-management support.

Interpol review of glass and paint evidence 2016-2019.

This review paper covers the forensic-relevant literature in paint and glass evidence from 2016 to 2019 as a part of the 19th Interpol International Forensic Science Managers Symposium. The review papers are also available at the Interpol website at: https://www.interpol.

A bibliometric analysis of multimorbidity from 2005 to 2019.

Context: Multimorbidity is frequently seen in primary care. We aimed to identify and analyze publications on multimorbidity, including those that most influenced this field.

Method: A bibliometric analysis of publications from 2005 to 2019 in the PubMed database containing "multimorbidity" or "multi-morbidity" identified with the tool iCite.

Validation of a Prediction Score for Drug-Resistant Microorganisms in Community-acquired Pneumonia.

Recommended initial empiric antimicrobial treatment covers the most common bacterial pathogens; however, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) may be caused by microorganisms not targeted by this treatment. Developed in 2015, the PES (, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing , and methicillin-resistant ) score was developed in 2015 to predict the microbiological etiology of CAP caused by PES microorganisms. To validate the usefulness of the PES score for predicting PES microorganisms in two cohorts of patients with CAP from Valencia and Mataró.

Early and Late Cardiovascular Events in Patients Hospitalized for Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Introduction: Community-acquired pneumonia increases the risk of cardiovascular events (CVE). The objective of this study was to analyze host, severity, and etiology factors associated with the appearance of early and late events and their impact on mortality.

Method: Prospective multicenter cohort study in patients hospitalized for pneumonia.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia Patients at Risk for Early and Long-term Cardiovascular Events Are Identified by Cardiac Biomarkers.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) increases the risk of cardiovascular complications during and following the episode. The goal of this study was to determine the usefulness of cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers for assessing the risk of early (within 30 days) or long-term (1-year follow-up) cardiovascular events.

Methods: A total of 730 hospitalized patients with CAP were prospectively followed up during 1 year.

Multi-element comparisons of tapes evidence using dimensionality reduction for calculating likelihood ratios.

Computing the likelihood ratio (LR), as a measure of weight of evidence, has traditionally been difficult for multi-element evidence. A solution based on multivariate random effects models has been adopted by the forensic community but suffers from instability and has a tendency toward extreme values. This problem is magnified by increasing the number of variables.

Impact of Lymphocyte and Neutrophil Counts on Mortality Risk in Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia with or without Septic Shock.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a frequent cause of death worldwide. As recently described, CAP shows different biological endotypes. Improving characterization of these endotypes is needed to optimize individualized treatment of this disease.

The measurement of multimorbidity.

Overview: The presence of multiple concurrent medical conditions (also known as multimorbidity) is now a common phenomenon, hence the importance of its measurement.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to review the multimorbidity measures that have been published in the literature to date and that are available for use in future research studies.

Method: Two main groups of measures of multimorbidity could be distinguished.