Anticonvulsants in the Treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common and impart a significant burden to patients, caregivers, and the health system. However, there are few pharmacological options for treating BPSD. We conducted a systematic review of clinical trials examining the efficacy of anticonvulsants in BPSD.

Coordination of oral anticoagulant care at hospital discharge (COACHeD): pilot randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To evaluate whether a focused, expert medication management intervention is feasible and potentially effective in preventing anticoagulation-related adverse events for patients transitioning from hospital to home.

Design: Randomised, parallel design.

Setting: Medical wards at six hospital sites in southern Ontario, Canada.

Geriatric care physicians' perspectives on providing virtual care: a reflexive thematic synthesis of their online survey responses from Ontario, Canada.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was widely implemented to minimise viral spread. However, its use in the older adult patient population was not well understood.

Objective: To understand the perspectives of geriatric care providers on using telemedicine with older adults through telephone, videoconferencing and eConsults.

Role of Topical 5-Fluorouracil in Demodex -Associated Blepharitis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to report clinical observations suggesting the efficacy of topical 1% 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in treating Demodex -associated blepharitis.

Methods: An observational retrospective review of 13 eyes from 13 individuals with conjunctival neoplastic lesions and concomitant Demodex lash infestation that received topical 1% 5-FU eye drops. Patients underwent slit-lamp examination at each follow-up visit.

Outcomes of a Medication Optimization Virtual Interdisciplinary Geriatric Specialist (MOVING) Program: A Feasibility Study.

Background: Adverse drug events among older adults result in significant mortality, morbidity and cost. This harm may be mitigated with appropriate prescribing and deprescribing. We sought to understand the prescribing outcomes of an interdisciplinary geriatric virtual consultation service.

Geriatric Specialists' Perspectives on Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Concurrent Triangulation Mixed-Methods Study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians provided virtual care to minimize viral transmission. This concurrent triangulation mixed-methods study assesses the use of synchronous telephone and video visits with patients and asynchronous eConsults by geriatric providers, and explores their perspectives on telemedicine use during the pandemic. Participants included physicians practicing in Ontario, Canada who were certified in Geriatric Medicine, or Care of the Elderly, or who were the most responsible physician in a long-term care for at least 10 patients.

High-intensity exercise does not protect against orthostatic intolerance following bedrest in 55- to 65-yr-old men and women.

Prolonged bedrest provokes orthostatic hypotension and intolerance of upright posture. Limited data are available on the cardiovascular responses of older adults to head-up tilt following bedrest, with no studies examining the potential benefits of exercise to mitigate intolerance in this age group. This randomized controlled trial of head-down bedrest (HDBR) in 55- to 65-yr-old men and women investigated if exercise could avert post-HDBR orthostatic intolerance.

Comparative Risk of Harm Associated with Zopiclone or Trazodone Use in Nursing Home Residents: a Retrospective Cohort Study in Alberta, Canada.

Background: There is growing evidence of harm associated with trazodone and nonbenzodiazepine sedative hypnotics (e.g., zopiclone); however, their comparative risk of harm is unknown.

Correlates of Opioid Use Among Ontario Long-Term Care Residents and Variation by Pain Frequency and Intensity: A Cross-sectional Analysis.

Background: Chronic non-cancer pain is common among older residents of long-term care (LTC) homes and often poorly recognized and treated. With heightened concerns regarding opioid prescribing in recent years, it is important to examine the current prevalence of opioid use and its association with resident characteristics to help identify those potentially at risk of medication harms as well as suboptimal pain management.

Objectives: The aims were to estimate the prevalence and correlates of opioid use among non-palliative LTC residents and explore variation in opioid prevalence and correlates across strata defined by pain frequency and intensity.

Coordination of Oral Anticoagulant Care at Hospital Discharge (COACHeD): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Background: Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are commonly prescribed, have well-documented benefits for important clinical outcomes but have serious harms as well. Rates of OAC-related adverse events including thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events are especially high shortly after hospital discharge. Expert OAC management involving virtual care is a research priority given its potential to reach remote communities in a more feasible, timely, and less costly way than in-person care.

Strategies for Improving Small-Molecule Biosensors in Bacteria.

In recent years, small-molecule biosensors have become increasingly important in synthetic biology and biochemistry, with numerous new applications continuing to be developed throughout the field. For many biosensors, however, their utility is hindered by poor functionality. Here, we review the known types of mechanisms of biosensors within bacterial cells, and the types of approaches for optimizing different biosensor functional parameters.

Perceptions of patients and healthcare providers on patient education to improve oral anticoagulant management.

Rationale And Objectives: Education of patients is thought to be key to high-quality oral anticoagulant (OAC) medication management. Theoretically, improving patients' knowledge should improve their self-management skills and adherence. The study's objective was to explore the opinions of healthcare providers and patients on the desired content and format of patient education on OACs, in addition to perceived barriers to high-quality patient education.

Barriers and facilitators for optimizing oral anticoagulant management: Perspectives of patients, caregivers, and providers.

Background: Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are very commonly prescribed for prevention of serious vascular events, but are also associated with serious medication-related bleeding. Mitigation of harm is believed to require high-quality OAC management. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators for optimal OAC management from the perspective of patients, caregivers and healthcare providers.

species isolated from a chronic recurrent corneal ulcer.

Purpose: To report a case of recurrent corneal ulcer caused by an oropharyngeal cavity pathogen.

Observations: A patient presented with recurrent corneal ulcers with hypopyon. species was eventually isolated from the corneal ulcer on bacterial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after many negative bacterial culture attempts.

Improved pyrrolysine biosynthesis through phage assisted non-continuous directed evolution of the complete pathway.

Pyrrolysine (Pyl, O) exists in nature as the 22 proteinogenic amino acid. Despite being a fundamental building block of proteins, studies of Pyl have been hindered by the difficulty and inefficiency of both its chemical and biological syntheses. Here, we improve Pyl biosynthesis via rational engineering and directed evolution of the entire biosynthetic pathway.

Smartphone Inclinometry Is a Valid and Reliable Tool for Measuring Frontal Plane Tibial Alignment in Healthy and Osteoarthritic Knees.

Objective: Frontal plane knee alignment plays an integral role in tibiofemoral knee osteoarthritis development and progression. Accessible methods for obtaining direct or indirect measures of knee alignment may help inform clinical decision making when specialized equipment is unavailable. The present study evaluated the concurrent validity, as well as intersession (within-rater) and interrater (within-session) reliability of smartphone inclinometry for measuring static frontal plane tibial alignment-a known proxy of frontal plane knee alignment.

Macrolide Biosensor Optimization through Cellular Substrate Sequestration.

Developing and optimizing small-molecule biosensors is a central goal of synthetic biology. Here we incorporate additional cellular components to improve biosensor sensitivity by preventing target molecules from diffusing out of cells. We demonstrate that trapping erythromycin within through phosphorylation increases the sensitivity of its biosensor (MphR) by approximately 10-fold.

Prescribers' perspectives on including reason for use information on prescriptions and medication labels: a qualitative thematic analysis.

Background: The indication for prescribing a particular medication, or its reason for use (RFU) is a crucial piece of information for all those involved in the circle of care. Research has shown that sharing RFU information with physicians, pharmacists and patients improves patient safety and patient adherence, however RFU is rarely added on prescriptions by prescribers or on medication labels for patients to reference.

Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 prescribers in Southern Ontario, Canada, to learn prescribers' current attitudes on the addition of RFU on prescriptions and medication labels.

A suppressor tRNA-mediated feedforward loop eliminates leaky gene expression in bacteria.

Ligand-inducible genetic systems are the mainstay of synthetic biology, allowing gene expression to be controlled by the presence of a small molecule. However, 'leaky' gene expression in the absence of inducer remains a persistent problem. We developed a leak dampener tool that drastically reduces the leak of inducible genetic systems while retaining signal in Escherichia coli.

How do I keep myself safe? Patient perspectives on including reason for use information on prescriptions and medication labels: a qualitative thematic analysis.

Background: Medications are crucial for maintaining patient wellness and improving health in modern medicine, but their use comes with risks. Helping patients to understand why they are taking medications is important for patient-centered care and facilitates patient adherence to prescribed medications. One strategy involves enhancing communication between patients, physicians, and pharmacists through the sharing of reason for use (RFU) information or the indication for medications.

Comparisons of Cornea Cold, a New Corneal Storage Medium, and Optisol-GS.

Purpose: This study compares the quality of donor corneal tissue stored in Optisol-GS and Cornea Cold.

Methods: Seventeen pairs of donor corneas were obtained from an eye bank. One of each pair was stored in Cornea Cold or Optisol-GS.