COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Ontario physicians: a descriptive population-based retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: To determine COVID-19 vaccine uptake among physicians in Ontario, Canada from 14 December 2020 to 13 February 2022.

Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Setting: All registered physicians in Ontario, Canada using data from linked provincial administrative healthcare databases.

MCT1-mediated transport of valeric acid promotes porcine preimplantation embryo development by improving mitochondrial function and inhibiting the autophagic AMPK-ULK1 pathway.

Oocytes and embryos are highly sensitive to environmental stress in vivo and in vitro. During in vitro culture, many stressful conditions can affect embryo quality and viability, leading to adverse clinical outcomes such as abortion and congenital abnormalities. In this study, we found that valeric acid (VA) increased the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content, decreased the level of reactive oxygen species that the mitochondria generate, and thus improved mitochondrial function during early embryonic development in pigs.

Kidney disease in trials of perioperative tranexamic acid.

Study Objective: To assess how kidney disease is handled in randomized trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of perioperative tranexamic acid, and to evaluate its effects across levels of kidney function.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Setting: We screened studies from a previous comprehensive systematic review, and updated its search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL to July 31, 2023.

An alleviative effect of Lonicerae japonicae flos water extract against liver fibrogenesis in vitro and in vivo.

Lonicerae japonicae (L. japonicae) flos is a medical and food homology herb. This study investigated the phenolic acid and flavonoid contents in L.

Nanotribological Characteristics of the Al Content of AlGaN Epitaxial Films.

The nanotribological properties of aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) epitaxial films grown on low-temperature-grown GaN/AlN/Si substrates were investigated using a nanoscratch system. It was confirmed that the Al compositions played an important role, which was directly influencing the strength of the bonding forces and the shear resistance. It was verified that the measured friction coefficient (μ) values of the AlGaN films from the Al compositions (where x = 0.

A cluster of mesopontine GABAergic neurons suppresses REM sleep and curbs cataplexy.

Physiological rapid eye movement (REM) sleep termination is vital for initiating non-REM (NREM) sleep or arousal, whereas the suppression of excessive REM sleep is promising in treating narcolepsy. However, the neuronal mechanisms controlling REM sleep termination and keeping sleep continuation remain largely unknown. Here, we reveal a key brainstem region of GABAergic neurons in the control of both physiological REM sleep and cataplexy.

SARS-CoV-2 testing, infection and outcomes among Ontario physicians: a descriptive population-based cohort study.

Background: Health care workers have a higher risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection than the general population. Our study reports on SARS-CoV-2 testing, infection and associated outcomes in Ontario physicians before SARS-CoV-2 vaccination became available on Dec. 14, 2020.

The Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on One-Year Mortality in Patients with Severe Lower Extremity Arterial Disease.

Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is associated with the presence of lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), but its effect on a severe LEAD prognosis remains unclear. We investigated the association between Afib and clinical outcomes. We retrospectively enrolled consecutive severe LEAD patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal angioplasty between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2018.

Heart rate variability in patients with anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Patients with anxiety disorders (AD) have been found to have lower heart rate variability (HRV) than healthy individuals in some studies, but this was inconsistent. Furthermore, the influence of distinct diagnoses, study design, and demographic factors on the results was not comprehensively examined.

Methods: We gathered studies comparing HRV in patients with AD and in healthy controls.

The Effect of Heavy Fe-Doping on 3D Growth Mode and Fe Diffusion in GaN for High Power HEMT Application.

The high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures on Si (111) substrates were fabricated with heavily Fe-doped GaN buffer layers by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The heavy Fe concentrations employed for the purpose of highly insulating buffer resulted in Fe segregation and 3D island growth, which played the role of a nano-mask. The in situ reflectance measurements revealed a transition from 2D to 3D growth mode during the growth of a heavily Fe-doped GaN:Fe layer.

Physician Health Care Visits for Mental Health and Substance Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada.

Importance: Physicians self-report high levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression, and surveys suggest these symptoms have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is not known whether pandemic-related stressors have led to increases in health care visits related to mental health or substance use among physicians.

Objective: To evaluate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in outpatient health care visits by physicians related to mental health and substance use and explore differences across physician subgroups of interest.

Striatal neurons expressing dopamine D receptor promote wakefulness in mice.

Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) suffer from severe sleep disorders. Pathophysiology of the basal ganglia (BG) underlies PD, and the dorsal striatum represents the major input pathway of the BG. However, the roles and mechanisms of the dorsal striatum in controlling sleep-wake cycles remain unknown.

Pressure induced structural phase crossover of a GaSe epilayer grown under screw dislocation driven mode and its phase recovery.

Hydrostatically pressurized studies using diamond anvil cells on the structural phase transition of the free-standing screw-dislocation-driven (SDD) GaSe thin film synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy have been demonstrated via in-situ angle-dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The early pressure-driven hexagonal-to-rock salt transition at approximately ~ 20 GPa as well as the outstandingly structural-phase memory after depressurization in the SDD-GaSe film was recognized, attributed to the screw dislocation-assisted mechanism. Note that, the reversible pressure-induced structural transition was not evidenced from the GaSe bulk, which has a layer-by-layer stacking structure.

Serum uric acid is associated with incident metabolic syndrome independent of body shape index and body roundness index in healthy individuals.

Background And Aims: Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels, body shape index (BSI) and body roundness index (BRI) were associated with incident metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aimed to investigate the relationship among the SUA level, BSI, and BRI on the incidence of MetS.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively included 6221 healthy individuals from annual health exams at our hospital between 2016/1/1 and 2016/12/31.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with critical limb ischemia.

Purpose: Association of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with mortality has not been comprehensively explored in critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients. We investigated the association between the NLR and clinical outcomes in CLI.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively enrolled consecutive CLI patients between 1/1/2013 and 12/31/2018.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Water Extract are regulated by the STAT/NF-κB pathway and HO-1 expression in Virus-infected RAW264.7 cells.

This study examined the effect of the Flos Lonicerae Japonicae water extract (FLJWE), chlorogenic acid, and luteolin on pseudorabies virus (PRV)-induced inflammation in RAW264.7 cells and elucidated related molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that FLJWE and luteolin, but not chlorogenic acid, inhibited the production of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inflammatory cytokines in PRV-infected RAW 264.