Publications by authors named "Dion P"

Introduction: Ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia enhances pain control, patient outcomes and lowers healthcare costs. However, teaching this skill effectively presents challenges with current training methods. Simulation-based medical education offers advantages over traditional methods.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The hyper-unstable Chr9p21 locus, harbouring the interferon gene cluster, oncogenes and , is linked to multiple diseases. (GGGGCC)n expansions (Exp) are associated with incompletely penetrant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia and autoimmune disorders. Exp patients display hyperactive cGAS-STING-linked interferon immune and DNA damage responses, but the source of immunostimulatory or damaged DNA is unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study focuses on the modulatory effects of gold nanoclusters with 25 gold atoms and 18 acetyl cysteines (AuAcCys) in human microglia, human iPSC-derived neurons and SH-SY5Y differentiated human neuronal cells. The combination of chemical, biological, and computational methods shows the well-retained viability of these human cells treated with AuAcCys, interactions between AuAcCys and transcription factor TFEB (computational approach), interactions between TFEB and HMGB1 (proximity ligation assay and molecular modeling using AlphaFold), modulation of the abundance and location of acHMGB1 by AuAcCys (immunocytochemistry), and the reduction of ROS in cells treated with AuAcCys (CellROX live imaging). These novel findings in human neural cells, particularly neurons, encourage further studies in experimental animal models of neurological disorders and/or human organoids to exploit the unique structural and photophysical properties of gold nanoclusters and to better understand their ability to modulate molecular mechanisms in human cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The hyper-unstable Chr9p21 locus, harbouring the interferon gene cluster, oncogenes and is linked to multiple diseases. (GGGGCC)n expansions ( Exp) are associated with incompletely penetrant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia and autoimmune disorders. Exp patients display hyperactive cGAS-STING-linked interferon immune and DNA damage responses, but the source of immuno-stimulatory or damaged DNA is unknown.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The article discusses the importance of blood transfusions in trauma care and traces the evolution of using whole blood and freeze-dried plasma in Canada, highlighting their historical significance during global conflicts.
  • It emphasizes the shift towards blood component therapy, which enhances safety and precision in transfusions, yet notes a renewed interest in whole blood and freeze-dried plasma due to their potential advantages in trauma situations.
  • Canadian programs are actively exploring the production of leukoreduced whole blood for military use, addressing logistical challenges in remote areas, though ongoing regulatory and logistical hurdles must be tackled for broader adoption in trauma care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Reactive changes of glial cells during neuroinflammation impact brain disorders and disease progression. Elucidating the mechanisms that control reactive gliosis may help us to understand brain pathophysiology and improve outcomes. Here, we report that adult ablation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-associated CHD8 in astrocytes attenuates reactive gliosis via remodeling chromatin accessibility, changing gene expression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operate in environments that challenge patient care, especially trauma. Military personnel often find themselves in remote settings without conventional healthcare facilities. Treating traumatic injuries, particularly hemorrhagic shock, often necessitates prehospital blood transfusion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable leg sensations and an urge to move, especially during rest, but its genetic causes are not fully known.
  • Researchers conducted a large-scale study analyzing the genomes of nearly 10,000 RLS cases and over 38,000 controls, discovering 9 genetic risk loci, including one novel locus (LMX1B).
  • The findings suggest significant genetic overlaps between RLS and other conditions like neuroticism, depression, and even intelligence, advancing the understanding of RLS's genetic determinants.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Acute cannabis use is associated with impaired driving performance and increased risk of motor vehicle crashes. Following the Canadian Cannabis Act's implementation, it is essential to understand how recreational cannabis legalization impacts traffic injuries, with a particular emphasis on Canadian emergency departments. This study aims to assess the impact of recreational cannabis legalization on traffic-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the broader context of North America.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Suboptimal teamwork in the operating room (OR) is a contributing factor in a significant proportion of preventable complications for surgical patients. Specifying behaviour is fundamental to closing evidence-practice gaps in healthcare. Current teamwork interventions, however, have yet to be synthesized in this way.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Rare copy number variants (CNVs) and polygenic risk for intelligence (PRS-IQ) both confer susceptibility for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but have opposing effects on cognitive ability. The field has struggled to disentangle the effects of these two classes of genomic variants on cognitive ability from their effects on ASD susceptibility, in part because previous studies did not include controls with cognitive measures. We aim to investigate the impact of these genomic variants on ASD risk while adjusting for their known effects on cognitive ability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Literature searches are routinely used by researchers for conducting systematic reviews as well as by healthcare providers, and sometimes patients, to quickly guide their clinical decisions. Using more than one database is generally recommended but may not always be necessary for some fields. This study aimed to determine the added value of searching additional databases beyond MEDLINE when conducting a literature search of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Good communication between healthcare professionals and their patients is essential to enlighten the benefits and risks of vaccination. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, reluctance prevails, sometimes fuelled by sub-optimal communication leading to a lack of trust. An evaluation of the effectiveness of a communication strategy for which healthcare professionals are trained has yet to be carried out.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Cervical spine injuries (CSI) are often challenging to diagnose in obtunded adult patients with blunt trauma and the optimal imaging modality remains uncertain. This study systematically synthesized the last decade of evidence to determine the type of imaging required to clear the c-spine in obtunded patients with blunt trauma.

Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted and reported using PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition characterized by uncomfortable leg sensations and an urge to move, especially during rest; the causes are not fully understood.
  • A study involving genome sequencing of nearly 10,000 RLS cases and almost 39,000 controls identified nine genetic risk loci, including one new locus, which contributes to understanding the genetics behind RLS.
  • The research also found correlations between RLS and other conditions like neuroticism, depression, and intelligence, suggesting that common genetic variants play a significant role in this widespread disorder.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rare copy number variants (CNVs) and polygenic risk for intelligence (PRS-IQ) both confer risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but have opposing effects on cognitive ability. The field has struggled to disentangle the effects of these two classes of genomic variants on cognitive ability from their effects on ASD risk, in part because previous studies did not include controls with cognitive measures. We aim to investigate the impact of these genomic variants on ASD risk while adjusting for their known effects on cognitive ability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Conducted across all seven Canadian CCTOs, the study revealed an impressive 89% adherence to expert guidelines, indicating a strong alignment but also highlighted significant variability in transfusion criteria.
  • * The findings stress the importance of standardized protocols in trauma care, suggesting that refining and adapting these practices could enhance patient outcomes in prehospital and transport environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: For critically ill and injured patients, timely access to definitive care is associated with a reduction in avoidable mortality. Access to definitive care is significantly affected by geographic remoteness. To overcome this disparity, a robust critical care transport (CCT) or retrieval system is essential to support the equity of care and overcome the tyranny of distance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The genetic etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) includes few rare, large-effect variants and potentially many common, small-effect variants per case. The genetic risk liability for ALS might require a threshold comprised of a certain amount of variants. Here, we tested the degree to which risk for ALS was affected by rare variants in ALS genes, polygenic risk score, or both.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Booster sessions can improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skill retention among healthcare providers; however, the optimal timing of these sessions is unknown. This study aimed to explore differences in skill retention based on booster session timing.

Methods: After ethics approval, healthcare providers who completed an initial CPR training course were randomly assigned to either an early booster, late booster, or no booster group.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Climate change is projected to significantly increase temperature-related mortality in Canada by 2099, with a notable rise of 17.31% in deaths expected under high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.
  • The study analyzed non-accidental mortality data from 2000 to 2015 across 111 health regions, considering age demographics and population growth effects on mortality rates due to temperature fluctuations.
  • The highest mortality increases are predicted for older adults (65+) and in scenarios with rapid aging populations, highlighting the importance of implementing strong climate policies to mitigate these impacts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a genetic neurodevelopmental condition linked to social and communication deficits, with various gene variants contributing to its risk.
  • Research found that gene coexpression patterns in human brains align with changes observed in neuron CRISPR experiments, highlighting a connection to synaptic pathways in ASD.
  • A notable correlation exists between convergent gene expression, rare genetic variations, and ASD characteristics, suggesting that analyzing coexpression can reveal new genes relevant to the disorder beyond traditional sequencing methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Physician wellness is critical for patient safety and quality of care. Coaching has been successfully and widely applied across many industries to enhance well-being but has only recently been considered for physicians. This review aimed to summarize the existing evidence on the effect of coaching by trained coaches on physician well-being, distress and burnout.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF