Bioelastic state recovery for haptic sensory substitution.

The rich set of mechanoreceptors found in human skin offers a versatile engineering interface for transmitting information and eliciting perceptions, potentially serving a broad range of applications in patient care and other important industries. Targeted multisensory engagement of these afferent units, however, faces persistent challenges, especially for wearable, programmable systems that need to operate adaptively across the body. Here we present a miniaturized electromechanical structure that, when combined with skin as an elastic, energy-storing element, supports bistable, self-sensing modes of deformation.

Safety and tolerability of pooled human immune globulins after topical ophthalmic administration in New Zealand White rabbits.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of pooled human immune globulins, Flebogamma 5% DIF and Flebogamma 10% DIF, administered by topical ophthalmic instillation to New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits.

Methods: Male NZW rabbits were used in this study. In the acute single dose tolerability study, rabbits (n = 12) received a single topical dose of Flebogamma 5% DIF.

Skin-integrated systems for power efficient, programmable thermal sensations across large body areas.

Thermal sensations contribute to our ability to perceive and explore the physical world. Reproducing these sensations in a spatiotemporally programmable manner through wireless computer control could enhance virtual experiences beyond those supported by video, audio and, increasingly, haptic inputs. Flexible, lightweight and thin devices that deliver patterns of thermal stimulation across large areas of the skin at any location of the body are of great interest in this context.

Collection of Data on Pesticides in Maize and Tomato in Africa: Protocol for Africa Pesticide Residue Survey Study.

Pesticide use has grown rapidly in West Africa over the past decades. Regulatory capacity has not kept pace with the rapid proliferation of pesticide products and on-farm use. As a result, health and environmental impacts from the growing use of pesticides, despite their potential importance to food safety, remain largely unmonitored, underreported, and poorly understood by key stakeholders.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy for spasticity associated with spinal cord injury sustained during surgery for spinal lipomatous malformation: A case report.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) was used to treat lower extremity spasticity in an ambulatory 7-year-old girl with a history of a T10 spinal lipoma. The spasticity was the result of an AIS D spinal cord injury (SCI) suffered during untethering surgery at age 2 years. After SDR and a course of intensive inpatient rehabilitation, the patient's gait improved markedly.

Electrochemical modulation enhances the selectivity of peripheral neurostimulation in vivo.

Electrical nerve stimulation serves an expanding list of clinical applications, but it faces persistent challenges in selectively activating bundled nerve fibers. In this study, we investigated electrochemical modulation with an ion-selective membrane (ISM) and whether it, used together with electrical stimulation, may provide an approach for selective control of peripheral nerves. Guided by theoretical transport modeling and direct concentration measurements, we developed an implantable, multimodal ISM cuff capable of simultaneous electrical stimulation and focused Ca2+ depletion.

Development of an Image-Based HCS-Compatible Method for Endothelial Barrier Function Assessment.

The recent renascence of phenotypic drug discovery (PDD) is catalyzed by its ability to identify first-in-class drugs and deliver results when the exact molecular mechanism is partially obscure. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe, life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate that has increased in frequency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite decades of laboratory and clinical study, no efficient pharmacological therapy for ARDS has been found.

Current efficiency and selectivity reduction caused by co-ion leakage in electromembrane processes.

In electromembrane processes such as electrodialysis (ED) and ion concentration polarization (ICP), the diffusion layers on both diluate and concentrate sides influence permselectivity of the ion-exchange membrane and current utilization. The diffusion layer in the diluate stream, due to lower salinity and higher resistivity, has been regarded as the primary source of energy loss. In contrast, very few studies have focused on the diffusion layer in the concentrate stream.

Rapid and Low Cost Manufacturing of Cuff Electrodes.

For many peripheral neuro-modulation applications, the cuff electrode has become a preferred technology for delivering electrical current into targeted volumes of tissue. While basic cuffs with low spatial selectivity, having longitudinally arranged contacts, can be produced from relatively straightforward processes, the fabrication of more complex electrode configurations typically requires iterative design and clean-room fabrication with skilled technicians. Although facile methods for fabricating cuff electrodes exist, their inconsistent products have limited their adoption for rapid manufacturing.

Coexposure to Inhaled Aldehydes or Carbon Dioxide Enhances the Carcinogenic Properties of the Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamine 4-Methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone in the A/J Mouse Lung.

Tobacco smoke is a complex mixture of chemicals, many of which are toxic and carcinogenic. Hazard assessments of tobacco smoke exposure have predominantly focused on either single chemical exposures or the more complex mixtures of tobacco smoke or its fractions. There are fewer studies exploring interactions between specific tobacco smoke chemicals.

A two-pronged approach to reduce noise levels in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a visual noise feedback system and "quiet time" in reducing noise levels in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Design: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed in a combined level II/III NICU at a Canadian tertiary care hospital. Noise levels were recorded continuously for three weeks without and then three weeks with visual noise feedback system.

Exploratory study of "real world" implementation of a clinical poverty tool in diverse family medicine and pediatric care settings.

Background: Poverty is associated with increased morbidity related to multiple child and adult health conditions and increased risk of premature death. Despite robust evidence linking income and health, and some recommendations for universal screening, poverty screening is not routinely conducted in clinical care.

Methods: We conducted an exploratory study of implementing universal poverty screening and intervention in family medicine and a range of pediatric care settings (primary through tertiary).

Critical care nurses' experiences of providing care for adults in a highly technological environment: A qualitative evidence synthesis.

Aims And Objectives: To synthesise the available body of qualitative evidence relating to nurses' perceptions and experiences of care provision in adult critical care environments.

Methods: The study adhered to ENTREQ (Confidence in Evidence of Reviews of Qualitative Research) guidelines. See Appendix S1.

Are observed associations between a high maternal prepregnancy body mass index and offspring IQ likely to be causal?

Background: A high maternal prepregnancy body mass index has been associated with lower offspring IQ, but it is unclear if the relationship is causal. To explore this, our objectives were to compare maternal and paternal estimates and to assess whether certain factors mediate the association.

Methods: We analysed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, which initially recruited 14 541 women residing in Avon, UK, with an expected date of delivery in 1991-1992.

Weekend Admission to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities Is Associated With Transfer to Acute Care in a Nationwide Sample of Patients With Stroke.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the impact of weekend versus weekday admission to an inpatient rehabilitation facility on the risk of acute care transfer in patients with stroke.

Design: This was a retrospective analysis using the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation, a national database comprising data from 70% of US inpatient rehabilitation facilities. A total of 1,051,436 adult (age ≥18 yrs) stroke cases were identified between 2002 and 2014 that met inclusion criteria.

Hormonal Contraceptive Prescription in Young Women With Cerebral Palsy.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the prevalence and patterns of prescription of hormonal contraceptive medications to young women with cerebral palsy (CP) and determine if CP topography or ambulatory status was associated with the type of contraceptive prescribed.

Methods: Data were extracted by manual chart review for women with CP between the ages of 15 and 25 years who were seen at a tertiary pediatric hospital and a rehabilitation hospital between the years of 2011 and 2013. CP topography was defined as the number and pattern of limbs affected (hemiplegia, diplegia, triplegia, or quadriplegia), and ambulatory status was defined as whether a wheelchair was used for community mobility.

Bridging the gap in genetics: a progressive model for primary to specialist care.

Background: The rapid expansion of genetic knowledge, and the implications for healthcare has resulted in an increased role for Primary Care Providers (PCPs) to incorporate genetics into their daily practice. The objective of this study was to explore the self-identified needs, including educational needs, of both urban and rural Primary Care Providers (PCPs) in order to provide genetic care to their patients.

Methods: Using a qualitative grounded theory approach, ten key informant interviews, and one urban and two rural PCP focus groups (FGs) (n = 19) were conducted.

High resolution crystal structure of the FAK FERM domain reveals new insights on the Druggability of tyrosine 397 and the Src SH3 binding site.

Background: Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is a major cancer drug target that is involved in numerous aspects of tumor progression and survival. While multiple research groups have developed ATP-competitive small molecule inhibitors that target the kinase enzyme, recent attention has been focused on the FAK FERM (Band 4.1, Ezrin, Radixin, Moesin) domain that contains key residue Y397 and contributes to many protein-protein interactions.

Hypoglycemia in unmonitored full-term newborns-a surveillance study.

Background And Objectives: Hypoglycemia monitoring is not recommended for most full-term newborns. We wished to determine the incidence, presentation and case characteristics of hypoglycemia in low-risk newborns.

Methods: With the assistance of the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program, we conducted a national study of severe hypoglycemia in apparently low-risk full-term newborns.

Interpregnancy Intervals in a Contemporary Manitoba Cohort: Prevalence of So-Called Suboptimal Intervals and Associated Maternal Characteristics.

Objective: Short and long interpregnancy intervals (IPIs) have been associated with various adverse outcomes, and a 2016 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Committee Opinion recommends an optimal IPI of 18 months to 5 years. Descriptive data on the IPI in Canada are lacking. The objective of this study was to examine IPIs in a Manitoba cohort.

Predictors of Postoperative Rehabilitation Therapy Following Congenital Heart Surgery.

Background: Patients with congenital heart disease are at risk of motor, cognitive, speech, and feeding difficulties after cardiac surgery. Rehabilitation therapy could improve functional outcomes in this population if applied in the acute postcardiac surgical in-hospital stay. However, information on the types of acute postcardiac surgery therapy needs in children is scarce.

Primary care providers' lived experiences of genetics in practice.

To effectively translate genetic advances into practice, engagement of primary care providers (PCPs) is essential. Using a qualitative, phenomenological methodology, we analyzed key informant interviews and focus groups designed to explore perspectives of urban and rural PCPs. PCPs endorsed a responsibility to integrate genetics into their practices and expected advances in genetic medicine to expand.

[Selective left mainstem bronchial intubation in the neonatal intensive care unit].

Background: Selective neonatal left mainstem bronchial intubation to treat right lung disease is typically achieved with elaborate maneuvers, instrumentation and devices. This is often attributed to bronchial geometry which favors right mainstem entry of an endotracheal tube deliberately advanced beyond the carina.

Case Summary: A neonate with severe bullous emphysema affecting the right lung required urgent non-ventilation of that lung.

Structures of human plasma β-factor XIIa cocrystallized with potent inhibitors.

Activated factor XIIa (FXIIa) is a serine protease that has received a great deal of interest in recent years as a potential target for the development of new antithrombotics. Despite the strong interest in obtaining structural information, only the structure of the FXIIa catalytic domain in its zymogen conformation is available. In this work, reproducible experimental conditions found for the crystallization of human plasma β-FXIIa and crystal growth optimization have led to determination of the first structure of the active form of the enzyme.

Interpregnancy Interval and Congenital Anomalies: A Record-Linkage Study Using the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository.

Objective: Congenital anomalies are a serious public health issue, and relatively few modifiable risk factors have been identified. Our objective was to investigate one such potential risk factor, the interpregnancy interval (IPI).

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy.