Publications by authors named "Decker K"

Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates how well stroke survivors in the U.S. follow physical activity recommendations compared to myocardial infarction survivors and healthy adults, using data from a national survey between 2011 and 2019.
  • Results show that adherence rates among stroke survivors varied by year, with rates of 75.4%, 40.2%, and 69.2% for the 2011, 2014, and 2021 guidelines respectively, while MI survivors and healthy adults had lower rates of 42.7% and 72%.
  • Older stroke survivors (≥65 years) adhered better to the latest 2021 recommendations than younger ones, and non-Hispanic Black survivors showed lower adherence rates even after adjusting for
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New SARS-CoV-2 lineages continue to evolve and may exhibit new characteristics regarding host cell entry efficiency and potential for antibody evasion. Here, employing pseudotyped particles, we compared the host cell entry efficiency, ACE2 receptor usage, and sensitivity to antibody-mediated neutralization of four emerging SARS-CoV-2 lineages, KP.2, KP.

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Background: HPV test-based primary cervical screening is replacing cytology in Canada. In other countries, women's unpreparedness and concerns hindered the transition and post-implementation screening uptake. We investigated psychosocial correlates of intentions of screening in eligible individuals to participate in HPV-based primary cervical screening.

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Objectives: This article aims to broaden the understanding of burnout in healthcare providers, its causes, and its reduction strategies. The objectives are to raise awareness, facilitate early intervention, and, ultimately, improve the overall well-being of healthcare providers and the quality of patient care.

Methods: The study investigated healthcare-provision-associated burnout, an often-unrecognized syndrome affecting professionals worldwide, and its prevalence.

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Objectives: To assess the reliability and validity of measuring resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) and hippocampal CBF using a single-post-labeling delay (PLD) and a multi-PLD pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) protocol for cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) testing.

Methods: 25 healthy, midlife adults (57 ± 4 years old) were imaged in a Siemens Prisma 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Resting CBF and hippocampal CBF were assessed using two pCASL protocols, our modified single-PLD protocol (pCASL-MOD) to accommodate the needs for CVR testing and the multi-PLD Human Connectome Project (HCP) Lifespan protocol to serve as the reference control (pCASL-HCP).

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The National Ignition Facility produced the first nuclear fusion experiment demonstrating net positive energy gain on December 5, 2022. The x-ray streak camera that measures the bang time and burn-width from this landmark experiment had an electronic failure and did not record data. The CCD sensor was replaced with a radiation hardened CMOS sensor that has since demonstrated successful operation on repeat ignition shots.

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Artwork can be used to practice the development of holistic care for nursing students. This activity was designed for senior nursing students to develop their holistic nursing skills through a series of in-class activities while viewing Frida Kahlo's . This study's aim was to design an educational experience to develop a more holistic approach to caring for patients for nursing students.

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: Self-management among stroke survivors is effective in mitigating the risk of a recurrent stroke. This study aims to determine the prevalence of self-management and its associated factors among stroke survivors in the United States. : We analyzed the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 2016 to 2021, a nationally representative health survey.

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Article Synopsis
  • Strategies to minimize COVID-19’s impact led to a significant reduction in diagnostic testing for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers in Manitoba, Canada.
  • A population-based study tracked these diagnostic rates from January 2015 to August 2022, revealing dramatic decreases in various tests following the pandemic's onset, such as a 77% drop in bilateral mammograms.
  • As of late 2022, the data indicated lingering deficits in diagnostic tests, with thousands fewer tests conducted compared to pre-pandemic expectations, highlighting ongoing impacts on cancer care.
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Young individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) display peripheral vascular and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, two factors potentially stemming from a redox imbalance. It is currently unclear if these aforementioned factors, observed at rest, alter peripheral haemodynamic responses to exercise in this population. This study examined haemodynamic responses to handgrip exercise in young individuals with PTSD following acute antioxidant (AO) supplementation.

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Introduction: Damoctocog alfa pegol (BAY 94-9027, Jivi®) is an extended half-life recombinant factor (F)VIII replacement, indicated for the treatment of haemophilia A in patients aged ≥12 years. Following introduction of damoctocog alfa pegol in Canada in 2020, there have been no reports on routine clinical effectiveness and satisfaction, when switching from a previous FVIII product in Canada.

Aim: To report changes in pharmacokinetics, effectiveness, utilization and patient satisfaction when switching to damoctocog alfa pegol prophylaxis from previous standard half-life octocog alfa (BAY 81-8973, Kovaltry®) treatment.

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Purpose: To compare the cumulative incidence of mental disorders among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) diagnosed with cancer with the general population and their unaffected siblings.

Methods: A retrospective, population-based, matched cohort design was used to investigate the impact of cancer diagnosis on mental disorders among individuals age 15-39 diagnosed between 1989 and 2019. Two cancer-free cohorts were identified: matched population-based and sibling cohorts.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cancer significantly impacts individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), but there is limited research on their survival rates compared to those without IDD.
  • A study in Ontario examined breast, colorectal, and lung cancer outcomes from 2007 to 2019, finding that people with IDD had much worse survival rates.
  • The results showed that cancer patients with IDD had over twice the risk of dying from all causes and from cancer itself compared to those without IDD, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address these survival disparities.
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Introduction: Cancer incidence, comorbidity, and polypharmacy increase with age, but the interplay between these factors on receipt of systemic therapy (ST) in advanced cancer has rarely been studied.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including patients aged ≥18 years diagnosed from 2004 to 2015 with multiple myeloma (MM) (all stages), lung cancer (stage IV), and stage III-IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), breast, colorectal (CRC), prostate, or ovarian cancer in Manitoba, Canada. Clinical and administrative health data were used to determine demographic and cancer characteristics, treatment history, comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] and Resource Utilization Band [RUB]), and polypharmacy (≥6 medications).

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Background: Few studies have investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer survival. Those studies that have included pandemic vs prepandemic comparisons can mask differences during different periods of the pandemic such as COVID-19 waves. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer survival using an interrupted time series analysis and to identify time points during the pandemic when observed survival deviated from expected survival.

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Unlabelled: Large doses of steroids are integral to R-CHOP, a first-line systemic therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). Patients on R-CHOP often develop clinically significant hyperglycemia from steroids. There is evidence of harms from steroid-induced hyperglycemia in the context of chemotherapy which are associated with a reduction in overall survival.

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Background And Objective: Although an increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is a known problem in children with syndromic craniosynostosis, it remains unclear whether elevated ICP and impaired cerebral perfusion exist in nonsyndromic synostosis and should be defined as targets of primary treatment. This study aimed to investigate ICP, cerebral autoregulation (CAR), and brain perfusion in infants with nonsyndromic craniosynostosis at first surgical intervention.

Methods: Forty-three infants were prospectively included.

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Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders (CRSWDs) are important sleep disorders whose unifying feature is a mismatch between the preferred or required times for sleep and wakefulness and the endogenous circadian drives for these. Their etiology, presentation, and treatment can be different in pediatric patients as compared to adults. Evaluation of these disorders must be performed while viewed through the lens of a patient's comorbid conditions.

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Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death among adults living with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). However, few epidemiological studies exist worldwide quantifying inequalities in cancer stage at diagnosis and survival for people with IDD relative to those without IDD.

Methods: A population-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted using provincial health and social administrative data in Manitoba, Canada.

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Introduction: Health care in Manitoba, Canada is divided into five regions, each with unique geographies, demographics, health care access, and health status. COVID-19-related restrictions and subsequent responses also differed by region. To understand the impact of the pandemic on cancer incidence in the context of these differences, we examined age-standardized cancer incidence rates by region over time before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death among people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Although studies have documented lower cancer screening rates, there is limited epidemiological evidence quantifying potential diagnostic delays. This study explores the risk of metastatic cancer stage for people with IDD compared to those without IDD among breast (female), colorectal, and lung cancer patients in Canada.

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A 27-year-old male with insidious right arm swelling was diagnosed with a hematoma secondary to a partial biceps tear, later identified as a rhabdomyosarcoma. Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) may present with misleading patient histories and nonspecific symptoms, resulting in misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. One of the classic masqueraders of soft tissue sarcomas is hematomas secondary to trauma.

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Background: Endoscopists have low adherence to guideline-recommended colonoscopy surveillance intervals. We performed a cluster-randomized single-blind pilot trial in Winnipeg, Canada, to assess the effectiveness of a newly developed digital application tool that computes guideline-recommended follow-up intervals.

Methods: Participant endoscopists were randomized to either receive access to the digital application (intervention group) or not receive access (control group).

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: in a recent double-blind, placebo controlled RCT we demonstrated that selective inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX2) is an effective adjunctive strategy in treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBDD). To better clarify the mechanisms underlying TRBDD and treatment response, we conducted a retrospective exploratory analysis of the systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI = absolute neutrophils × absolute monocytes/absolute lymphocytes) in relation to other biomarkers and clinical outcomes after escitalopram (ESC), combined with the COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib (CBX), versus placebo. : Baseline measures of SIRI were compared between TRBDD and healthy controls (HC), and correlated with blood-based inflammatory cytokines, kynurenines, and growth factors.

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