Who should travel in kidney exchange programs: the donor, or the organ?

In 2009 the Canadian Blood services launched the Living Donor Paired Exchange Registry. This program circumvents the obstacle presented by blood-group or immunologic incompatibility between a living potential donor and his or her intended recipient. At the beginning, only 3 provinces joined the program, but as of October 2010 all Canadian provinces are participants.

Surface modification of gadolinium oxide thin films and nanoparticles using poly(ethylene glycol)-phosphate.

The performance of nanomaterials for biomedical applications is highly dependent on the nature and the quality of surface coatings. In particular, the development of functionalized nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) requires the grafting of hydrophilic, nonimmunogenic, and biocompatible polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). Attached at the surface of nanoparticles, this polymer enhances the steric repulsion and therefore the stability of the colloids.

Two-dimensional wavelet analysis of spruce budworm host basal area in the Border Lakes landscape.

Increases in the extent and severity of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) outbreaks over the last century are thought to be the result of changes in forest structure due to forest management. A corollary of this hypothesis is that manipulations of forest structure and composition can be used to reduce future forest vulnerability.

Ultra-small gadolinium oxide nanoparticles to image brain cancer cells in vivo with MRI.

The majority of contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is based on the rare-earth element gadolinium. Gadolinium-based nanoparticles could find promising applications in pre-clinical diagnostic procedures of certain types of cancer, such as glioblastoma multiforme. This is one of the most malignant, lethal and poorly accessible forms of cancer.

Canadian guidelines for clinical practice: an analysis of their quality and relevance to the care of adults with comorbidity.

Background: Clinical guidelines have been the subject of much criticism in primary care literature partly due to potential conflicts in their implementation among patients with multiple chronic conditions. We assessed the relevance of selected Canadian clinical guidelines on chronic diseases for patients with comorbidity and examined their quality.

Methods: We selected 16 chronic medical conditions according to their frequency of occurrence, complexity of treatment, and pertinence to primary care.

The Patient Enablement Instrument-French version in a family practice setting: a reliability study.

Background: Patient enablement can be defined as the extent to which a patient is capable of understanding and coping with his or her health issues. This concept is linked to a number of health outcomes such as self-management of chronic diseases and quality of life. The Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI) was designed to measure this concept after a medical consultation.

Impact of agglomeration on the relaxometric properties of paramagnetic ultra-small gadolinium oxide nanoparticles.

Ultra-small gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (US-Gd(2)O(3)) are used to provide 'positive' contrast effects in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and are being considered for molecular and cellular imaging applications. However, these nanoparticles can aggregate over time in aqueous medium, as well as when internalized into cells. This study is aimed at measuring in vitro, in aqueous medium, the impact of aggregation on the relaxometric properties of paramagnetic US-Gd(2)O(3) particles.

Connectivity for conservation: a framework to classify network measures.

Graph theory, network theory, and circuit theory are increasingly being used to quantify multiple aspects of habitat connectivity and protected areas. There has been an explosive proliferation of network (connectivity) measures, resulting in over 60 measures for ecologists to now choose from. Conceptual clarification on the ecological meaning of these network measures and their interrelationships is overdue.

Comparison of the Mantel test and alternative approaches for detecting complex multivariate relationships in the spatial analysis of genetic data.

The Mantel test is widely used to test the linear or monotonic independence of the elements in two distance matrices. It is one of the few appropriate tests when the hypothesis under study can only be formulated in terms of distances; this is often the case with genetic data. In particular, the Mantel test has been widely used to test for spatial relationship between genetic data and spatial layout of the sampling locations.

Energy gains predict the distribution of plains bison across populations and ecosystems.

Developing tools that help predict animal distribution in the face of environmental change is central to understanding ecosystem function, but it remains a significant ecological challenge. We tested whether a single foraging currency could explain bison (Bison bison) distribution in dissimilar environments: a largely forested environment in Prince Albert National Park (Saskatchewan, Canada) and a prairie environment in Grasslands National Park (Saskatchewan, Canada). We blended extensive behavioral observations, relocations of radio-collared bison, vegetation surveys, and laboratory analyses to spatially link bison distribution in the two parks and expected gains for different nutritional currencies.

Comparison of Bayesian clustering and edge detection methods for inferring boundaries in landscape genetics.

Recently, techniques available for identifying clusters of individuals or boundaries between clusters using genetic data from natural populations have expanded rapidly. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate these different techniques. We used spatially-explicit simulation models to compare three spatial Bayesian clustering programs and two edge detection methods.

Safety and feasibility of motexafin gadolinium administration with whole brain radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery boost in the treatment of ≤ 6 brain metastases: a multi-institutional phase II trial.

To determine the safety, tolerability, and report on secondary efficacy endpoints of motexafin gadolinium (MGd) in combination with whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for patients with ≤ 6 brain metastases. We conducted an international study of WBRT (37.5 Gy in 15 fractions) and SRS (15-21 Gy) with the addition of MGd (5 mg/kg preceding each fraction beginning week 2).

Detection of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses in wild ducks from Canada: comparison of two sampling methods.

Surveillance for avian influenza viruses in wild birds was initiated in Canada in 2005. In 2006, in order to maximize detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, the sampling protocol used in Canada's Inter-agency Wild Bird Influenza Survey was changed. Instead of collecting a single cloacal swab, as previously done in 2005, cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs were combined in a single vial at collection.

Measuring patients' perceptions of patient-centered care: a systematic review of tools for family medicine.

Purpose: Patient-centered care is widely acknowledged as a core value in family medicine. In this systematic review, we aimed to identify and compare instruments, subscales, or items assessing patients' perceptions of patient-centered care in family medicine.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases covering 1980 through April 2009, with a specific search strategy for each database.

Effects of anticholinergic drugs on verbal episodic memory function in the elderly: a retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Background: An increasing number of medications that are frequently prescribed to elderly patients have been identified as having weak but definite anticholinergic properties. Few epidemiological studies have evaluated the impact of these drugs on verbal episodic memory using sensitive and specific neuropsychological testing in an elderly population presenting with cognitive impairment.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of drugs with anticholinergic properties on verbal episodic memory function in elderly patients presenting for memory evaluation.

A multi-scale comparison of trait linkages to environmental and spatial variables in fish communities across a large freshwater lake.

Species present in communities are affected by the prevailing environmental conditions, and the traits that these species display may be sensitive indicators of community responses to environmental change. However, interpretation of community responses may be confounded by environmental variation at different spatial scales. Using a hierarchical approach, we assessed the spatial and temporal variation of traits in coastal fish communities in Lake Huron over a 5-year time period (2001-2005) in response to biotic and abiotic environmental factors.

Evaluation of a preemptive strategy for BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy based on prospective monitoring of BK viremia: a kidney transplantation center experience.

Introduction: BK polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (BKPVAN) is a major cause of renal failure early after kidney transplantation. The present study reports the preliminary results of prospective monitoring including a preemptive strategy for BKPVAN during the first year after kidney transplantation.

Methods: We monitored BK virus DNA in blood at months 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12 among 92 subjects who received induction therapy (basiliximab or antithymocyte globulin), and maintenance immunosuppression with prednisone, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus.

What makes primary care effective for people in poverty living with multiple chronic conditions?: study protocol.

Background: The inverse care law persists: people living in poverty have the greatest needs and face considerable challenges in getting the care they need. Evidence reveals that GPs encounter difficulties in delivering care to poor patients, while many of those patients feel stigmatized by healthcare professionals. Patients living in poverty report negative healthcare experiences and unmet healthcare needs.

State transition detection in the spatio-temporal incidence of malaria.

Mosquito-borne disease spread might exhibit irregular epidemic fronts caused by ecological heterogeneity in the risk factors. To determine Plasmodium vivax infection spread in north-eastern Venezuela, we used the State Transition Index (STI) to detect the spatial locations of malaria incidence boundaries and their dynamics over time. Then, we evaluated the role of population size on disease persistence.

Nurses joining family doctors in primary care practices: perceptions of patients with multimorbidity.

Background: Among the strategies used to reform primary care, the participation of nurses in primary care practices appears to offer a promising avenue to better meet the needs of vulnerable patients. The present study explores the perceptions and expectations of patients with multimorbidity regarding nurses' presence in primary care practices.

Methods: 18 primary (health) care patients with multimorbidity participated in semi-directed interviews, in order to explore their perceptions and expectations in regard to the involvement of nurses in primary care practices.

Ethnocultural community leaders' views and perceptions on biobanks and population specific genomic research: a qualitative research study.

Substantial investments were made in population based biobanks over the past decade. Ethnocultural community members are both sponsors and beneficiaries of biobanks. In addition, the success of biobank projects depends on community support and participation.

[Alzheimer's and related diseases: toward earlier and more accurate diagnosis].

Because of population ageing, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, increases progressively. This condition is now considered as a public health priority. New disease modifying therapeutic strategies could be available in the next few years that would necessitate an accurate and early diagnosis of the disease.

Fused-core silica column ultra-performance liquid chromatography-ion trap tandem mass spectrometry for determination of global DNA methylation status.

Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, play key roles in transcriptional regulation of gene expression. More recently, global DNA methylation levels have been documented to be altered in several diseases, including cancer, and as the result of exposure to environmental toxicants. Based on the potential use of global DNA methylation status as a biomarker of disease status and exposure to environmental toxicants, we sought to develop a rapid, sensitive, and precise analytical method for the quantitative measurement of global DNA methylation status using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with detection by ion trap tandem mass spectrometry.

At the interface of community and healthcare systems: a longitudinal cohort study on evolving health and the impact of primary healthcare from the patient's perspective.

Background: Massive efforts in Canada have been made to renew primary healthcare. However, although early evaluations of initiatives and research on certain aspects of the reform are promising, none have examined the link between patient assessments of care and health outcomes or the impacts at a population level. The goal of this project is to examine the effect of patient-centred and effective primary healthcare on the evolution of chronic illness burden and health functioning in a population, and in particularly vulnerable groups: the multi-morbid and the poor.

Assessing enablement in clinical practice: a systematic review of available instruments.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Enablement is an intervention by which the health care provider recognizes, promotes and enhances patients' ability to control their health and life. An abundant health literature suggests that enablement is associated with good outcomes. In this review, we aimed at identifying and comparing instruments that assess enablement in the health care context.