Use of virtual care near the end of life before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A population-based cohort study.

Background And Aims: The expanded use of virtual care may worsen pre-existing disparities in use and delivery of end-of-life care among certain groups of people. We measured the use of virtual care in the last three months of life before and after the introduction of virtual care fee codes that funded care delivery at the start of COVID-19 on March 14, 2020, and identified changes in the characteristics of people using it.

Methods: We used linked clinical and administrative datasets to study use of virtual care in the last three months of life among 411,564 adults who died between January 25, 2018, and November 30, 2022.

Fascia Lata Allograft Superior Capsule Reconstruction Restores Glenohumeral Translation but Alters Glenohumeral Kinematics at Low Abduction Angles.

Background: There is a relative paucity of studies examining how the superior capsule reconstruction (SCR) may alter the kinematics of the glenohumeral joint capsule itself, specifically with respect to rotation and translation in the anterior-posterior and superior-inferior planes. This then raises the possibility that the SCR may be having unintended consequences on glenohumeral kinematics. The purpose of this study was to quantify the glenohumeral joint kinematics following Fascia Lata SCR (FL-SCR).

National Institute of Health and Care Excellence Clinical Criteria for the Diagnosis of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Diagnostic Accuracy Study in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) criteria for osteoarthritis (OA) obviate the need for physical exam or imaging, and their use may improve timely diagnosis of OA. However, they have not been validated.

Methods: Within a larger study of individuals with type 2 diabetes, participants with and without self-reported knee pain underwent assessment of the NICE criteria for knee OA by questionnaire (index test), and clinical evaluation for established or possible knee OA by a rheumatologist (reference standard).

Multi-centre modified Delphi exercise to identify candidate items for classifying early-stage symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: To generate a list of candidate items potentially useful for discriminating individuals with Early-stage Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis (EsSKOA) from those with other conditions and from established osteoarthritis (OA), and to reduce this list based on expert consensus.

Design: We conducted a three-round online international modified Delphi exercise with OA clinicians and researchers ("OA experts"). In Round 1, participants reviewed 84 candidate items and nominated additional item(s) potentially useful for EsSKOA classification; those nominated by ≥3 participants were added.

Feasibility of prospective error reporting in home palliative care: A mixed methods study.

Background: Prospectively tracking errors can improve patient safety but little is known about how to successfully implement error reporting in a home-based palliative care context.

Aim: Explore the feasibility of implementing an error reporting system in a home-based palliative care program in Toronto, Canada, and describe the possible factors that may influence uptake.

Design: A convergent mixed-methods approach was used.

Identification of Osteosarcopenia by High-Resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography.

Osteosarcopenia is a prevalent geriatric disease with a significantly increased risk of adverse outcomes than osteoporosis or sarcopenia alone. Identification of older adults with osteosarcopenia using High-Resolution Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (HR-pQCT) could allow better clinical decision making. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of HR-pQCT to differentiate osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and osteosarcopenia in older adults, with a primary outcome to derive a model to distinguish older adults with osteosarcopenia from those with low bone mineral density only, and to examine important HR-pQCT parameters associated with osteosarcopenia.

Erosion regression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after upadacitinib-a pilot study using high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography.

Objectives: To evaluate whether inhibition of Janus kinases (JAK) 1 could lead to erosion repair on high-resolution peripheral quantitative computer tomography (HR-pQCT) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This was a prospective, non-randomized pilot study. We enrolled 20 adult patients with active RA with ≥1 bone erosion on HR-pQCT.

RAPIDASH: Tag-free enrichment of ribosome-associated proteins reveals composition dynamics in embryonic tissue, cancer cells, and macrophages.

Ribosomes are emerging as direct regulators of gene expression, with ribosome-associated proteins (RAPs) allowing ribosomes to modulate translation. Nevertheless, a lack of technologies to enrich RAPs across sample types has prevented systematic analysis of RAP identities, dynamics, and functions. We have developed a label-free methodology called RAPIDASH to enrich ribosomes and RAPs from any sample.

IL-1 receptor antagonism reveals a yin-yang relationship between NFκB and interferon signaling in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) is a pathogenic factor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that is not addressed specifically by current therapies. NFκB is activated by inflammatory factors that stimulate toll-like receptors (TLRs) and receptors for interleukin-1 (IL-1) family members. IL-1 is considered a master regulator of inflammation, and IL-1 receptor signaling is inhibited by the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra.

Use of allograft bone matrix in clinical orthopedics.

Clinical orthopedics continuously aims to improve methods for bone formation. Clinical applications where bone formation is necessary include critical long bone defects in orthopedic trauma or tumor patients. Though some biomaterials combined with autologous stem cells significantly improve bone repair, critical-size damages are still challenged with the suitable implantation of biomaterials and donor cell survival.

Does Reusable Instrumentation for Four-Anchor Rotator Cuff Repair Offer Decreased Waste Disposal Costs and Lower Waste-Related Carbon Emissions?

Introduction: Orthopaedic surgery is culpable, in part, for the excessive carbon emissions in health care partly due to the utilization of disposable instrumentation in most procedures, such as rotator cuff repair (RCR). To address growing concerns about hospital waste, some have considered replacing disposable instrumentation with reusable instrumentation. The purpose of this study was to estimate the cost and carbon footprint of waste disposal of RCR kits that use disposable instrumentation compared with reusable instrumentation.

Distinguishing risk of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with bone microarchitecture phenotyping: a 6-year longitudinal study.

Low bone mineral density and impaired bone quality have been shown to be important prognostic factors for curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). There is no evidence-based integrative interpretation method to analyze high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) data in AIS. This study aimed to (1) utilize unsupervised machine learning to cluster bone microarchitecture phenotypes on HR-pQCT parameters in girls with AIS, (2) assess the phenotypes' risk of curve progression and progression to surgical threshold at skeletal maturity (primary cohort), and (3) investigate risk of curve progression in a separate cohort of girls with mild AIS whose curve severity did not reach bracing threshold at recruitment (secondary cohort).

Leaching characteristics of metals from recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP).

Recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP) are two construction waste products that are commonly used in the road construction industry. Besides many advantages, pollutants leaching from RCA and RAP are highlighted as the most concerning environmental issue. This study investigated metals leaching characteristics from RCA and RAP due to the variations in key influential factors of pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), compaction and liquid to solid ratio (L/S).

Factors influencing nursing professionals' adherence to facial protective equipment usage: A comprehensive review.

Background: Facial protective equipment (FPE) adherence is necessary for the health and safety of nursing professionals. This review was conducted to synthesize predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors that influence FPE adherence, and thus inform efforts to promote adherence.

Methods: Articles were collected using Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and MEDLINE and screened for inclusion.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus strains isolated in Vietnam during 2010-2019: genetic characterization and antigenic relatedness to the Euro SA vaccine.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals. It has an important socio-economic impact on the livestock industry because it produces a drastic decrease of productivity. The disease has been successfully eradicated from some regions, including North America and Western Europe, but it is still endemic in developing countries.

"You don't put it down to arthritis": A qualitative study of the first symptoms recalled by individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: As part of the first phase of the OARSI Early-stage Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis (EsSKOA) initiative, we explored the first symptoms and experiences recalled by individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Design: This qualitative study, informed by qualitative description, was a secondary analysis of focus groups (n ​= ​17 groups) and one-on-one interviews (n ​= ​3) conducted in 91 individuals living with knee OA as part of an international study to better understand the OA pain experience. In each focus group or interview, participants were asked to describe their first symptoms of knee OA.

RAPIDASH: A tag-free enrichment of ribosome-associated proteins reveals compositional dynamics in embryonic tissues and stimulated macrophages.

Ribosomes are emerging as direct regulators of gene expression, with ribosome-associated proteins (RAPs) allowing ribosomes to modulate translational control. However, a lack of technologies to enrich RAPs across many sample types has prevented systematic analysis of RAP number, dynamics, and functions. Here, we have developed a label-free methodology called RAPIDASH to enrich ribosomes and RAPs from any sample.

Handgrip strength assessment at baseline in addition to bone parameters could potentially predict the risk of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Introduction: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is characterized by deranged bone and muscle qualities, which are important prognostic factors for curve progression. This retrospective case-control study aims to investigate whether the baseline muscle parameters, in addition to the bone parameters, could predict curve progression in AIS.

Methods: The study included a cohort of 126 female patients diagnosed with AIS who were between the ages of 12 and 14 years old at their initial clinical visit.

Role of inflammatory burden and treatment on joint space width in psoriatic arthritis-a high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography study.

Background: To investigate the relationship between disease-related parameters and joint space width (JSW) on high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients.

Methods: PsA patients who underwent HR-pQCT examination of the second to fourth metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ 2-4) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The joint space metrics included joint space volume (JSV), mean, minimum, and maximum JSW, JSW asymmetry, and distribution.

Anopheles diversity, biting behaviour and transmission potential in forest and farm environments of Gia Lai province, Vietnam.

Background: Despite recent reductions in Vietnam, malaria transmission persists in some areas in forests and farmlands where a high density of Anopheles mosquitoes relative to other environments occurs. To inform effective malaria control measures, it is important to understand vector bionomics and the malaria transmission role of Anopheles spp. in the highland regions of Vietnam.

Is 911 The Answer? A Retrospective Review of Emergency Medical Services Use by Home Care Providers.

With the Ontario healthcare system under strain the use of resources-particularly emergency medical services (EMS) is an increasing focus. Recent work has identified long-term care facilities as high users of EMS despite access to health-related support outside of the hospital. However, such insights are not available for home care.

More Prevalent and Severe Low Bone-Mineral Density in Boys with Severe Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Than Girls: A Retrospective Study of 798 Surgical Patients.

Introduction: A total of 0.1-0.8% of AIS patients progress to severe stages without clear mechanisms, and AIS girls are more prone to curve progression than boys.