Publications by authors named "Dort J"

Racialized and Indigenous communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 infections and mortality, driven by systemic socioeconomic inequalities. However, how these factors specifically influence COVID-19 vaccine uptake is not documented among racialized individuals in Canada. The present study aims to examine COVID-19 vaccine uptake rates and related factors among racialized and Indigenous communities compared to White people in Canada.

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Skeletal muscles are predominantly composed of long, multinucleated muscle fibers, classified according to their metabolic and contractile phenotype. The determination of fiber types is influenced by various factors (e.g.

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Purpose: Patients with cancer experience many Transitions in Care (TiC), occurring when a patient's care transfers between healthcare providers or institutions/settings. Among other patient populations, TiC are associated with medical errors, patient dissatisfaction and elevated healthcare use and expenditure. However, our understanding of TiC among patients with cancer is lacking.

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Within a resource-limited healthcare system, an emphasis on financial accountability is imperative. Over the past decade at our institution, there have been many operational changes employed to improve patient care during oncologic head and neck resections with free flap (HNFF) reconstruction. The objective of this study is to assess whether these changes are associated with cost savings.

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Article Synopsis
  • Surgical residency Program Directors face challenges in implementing communication training due to competing priorities, insufficient expertise, and lack of national guidance.
  • A qualitative study with structured interviews revealed themes around the necessity of formal communication, leadership, and professionalism training (CLPT), as well as readiness and barriers in current residency programs.
  • Key barriers identified include a packed educational schedule and inadequate resources, while suggested facilitators for effective implementation include quality CLPT content, expert guidance, and standardized materials for training.
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The aim of this study was to determine whether implementing ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) elements/protocols improves outcomes in orthognathic surgery (OGS) compared to conventional care. To achieve this, ERAS-specific perioperative elements were identified and literature on ERAS for OGS was systematically reviewed. Using PRISMA methodology and GRADE approach, 44 studies with 49 perioperative care elements (13 pre-, 15 intra-, 21 postoperative) were analyzed.

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Introduction: The growth of surgeon burnout is of significant concern. As we work to reimagine the practice of surgery, an accurate understanding of the extent of surgeon burnout is essential. Our goal was to define the current prevalence of burnout and quality of life (QOL) among SAGES surgeons.

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(1) Background: To compare oncologic outcomes of South Asian (SA) patients treated for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) to the general population. (2) Methods: Adult patients who underwent surgical resection of OSCC +/- adjuvant treatment between 2009 and 2022 (N = 697) at a regional cancer centre in Canada were included. SA patients, identified using a validated method, were compared to non-SA patients.

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Impaired skeletal muscle stem cell (MuSC) function has long been suspected to contribute to the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy (MD). Here, we showed that defects in the endothelial cell (EC) compartment of the vascular stem cell niche in mouse models of Duchenne MD, laminin α2-related MD, and collagen VI-related myopathy were associated with inefficient mobilization of MuSCs after tissue damage. Using chemoinformatic analysis, we identified the 13-amino acid form of the peptide hormone apelin (AP-13) as a candidate for systemic stimulation of skeletal muscle ECs.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aims to assess how the size of the primary tumor in T3 N0-3M0 supraglottic cancers affects overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).
  • This retrospective cohort analysis involved 239 patients from Canadian cancer centers, measuring tumor volume via imaging and employing survival analysis methods.
  • Results indicate that larger primary tumor volume correlates with worse OS and DFS, suggesting that patients with significant tumor sizes might benefit more from surgical intervention like laryngectomy followed by radiotherapy.*
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Purpose: Uncertainty, or the conscious awareness of having doubts, is pervasive in medicine, from differential diagnoses and the sensitivity of diagnostic tests, to the absence of a single known recovery path. While openness about uncertainty is necessary for shared decision-making and is a pillar of patient-centered care, it is a challenge to do so while preserving patient confidence. The authors' aim was to develop, pilot, and evaluate an uncertainty communication curriculum to prepare medical students and residents to confidently navigate such conversations.

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Head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment often consists of major surgery followed by adjuvant therapy, which can result in treatment-related side effects, decreased physical function, and diminished quality of life. Perioperative nutrition interventions and early mobilization improve recovery after HNC treatment. However, there are few studies on prehabilitation that include exercise within the HNC surgical care pathway.

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Background: The Acquisition of Data for Outcomes and Procedure Transfer (ADOPT) program was established by SAGES to develop and expand individual surgeon's comfort with specific, complex operations using hands-on teaching and longitudinal mentoring. The 2022-2023 Foregut (Dominating the Hiatus) section of the course focused on hiatal hernia dissection and gastric fundoplication techniques. Our aim was to describe the experience of surgeons who participated in the course.

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Introduction: With an increasing number of women entering surgical careers, pregnancy amongst surgical residents is anecdotally rising. There is no single resource to inform expectant surgical residents of potential occupational risks, or to help them optimize workplace safety during and after pregnancy. The aim of this initiative is to provide surgical residents with an overview of residency occupational risks applicable to maternal-fetal health, propose systemic and situational modifications, and to empower pregnant residents to better plan and advocate for a healthy pregnancy.

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Muscle wasting in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is caused by myofiber fragility and poor regeneration that lead to chronic inflammation and muscle replacement by fibrofatty tissue. Our recent findings demonstrated that Resolvin-D2, a bioactive lipid derived from omega-3 fatty acids, has the capacity to dampen inflammation and stimulate muscle regeneration to alleviate disease progression. This therapeutic avenue has many advantages compared to glucocorticoids, the current gold-standard treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the impact of spatial organization in the tumor microenvironment, specifically focusing on HPV-negative oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by analyzing single-cell and spatial transcriptomics.
  • Findings reveal distinct transcriptional profiles and cellular compositions between the tumor core (TC) and leading edge (LE), with the LE showing a conserved gene expression pattern across various cancers linked to poorer clinical outcomes.
  • The research also highlights the potential for using spatially-regulated cell development models to predict drug response, providing valuable insights for targeted therapies in cancer treatment.
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Background: After completion of training, practicing surgeons rely on hands-on courses to expand their procedure armamentarium and improve their surgical technique. However, such courses vary in standardized teaching methods. SAGES developed the Acquisition of Data for Outcomes and Procedure Transfer (ADOPT) program as a method of longitudinal instruction utilizing standardized teaching techniques, mentorship, and webinars to cover additional techniques.

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Importance: Head and neck oncological resection and reconstruction is a complex process that requires multidisciplinary collaboration and prolonged operative time. Numerous factors are associated with operative time, including a surgeon's experience, team familiarity, and the use of new technologies. It is paramount to evaluate the contribution of these factors and modalities on operative time to facilitate broad adoption of the most effective modalities and reduce complications associated with prolonged operative time.

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Importance: Oral cavity cancer often requires multidisciplinary management, subjecting patients to complex therapeutic trajectories. Prolonged treatment intervals in oral cavity cancer have been associated with poor oncological outcomes, but there has yet to be a study investigating treatment times in Canada.

Objective: To report treatment delays for patients with oral cavity cancer in Canada and evaluate the outcomes of treatment delays on overall survival.

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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nonurgent surgeries were delayed to preserve capacity for patients admitted with COVID-19; surgeons were challenged personally and professionally during this time. We aimed to describe the impact of delays to nonurgent surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic from the surgeons' perspective in Alberta.

Methods: We conducted an interpretive description qualitative study in Alberta from January to March 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study investigated the effectiveness of postoperative radiation therapy for low and intermediate grade cancers in the parotid and submandibular glands.
  • A retrospective analysis of 621 patients treated between 2010 and 2020 showed that those who received radiation had a lower rate of locoregional recurrence (LRR).
  • The findings suggest that while postoperative radiation can benefit certain cancer patients, it is not necessary for early-stage, low-grade cases without nodal disease and negative margins.
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Deleterious variants in acetylneuraminate pyruvate lyase (NPL) cause skeletal myopathy and cardiac edema in humans and zebrafish, but its physiological role remains unknown. We report generation of mouse models of the disease: , carrying the human p.Arg63Cys variant, and with a 116-bp exonic deletion.

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In skeletal muscle, muscle stem cells (MuSC) are the main cells responsible for regeneration upon injury. In diseased skeletal muscle, it would be therapeutically advantageous to replace defective MuSCs, or rejuvenate them with drugs to enhance their self-renewal and ensure long-term regenerative potential. One limitation of the replacement approach has been the inability to efficiently expand MuSCs ex vivo, while maintaining their stemness and engraftment abilities.

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