A focus group study exploring dairy farmers' perspectives of cull cow management in Ontario, Canada.

Introduction: Maintaining the welfare of cull dairy cows from the farm to slaughter is an ongoing challenge for the dairy industry. Recent research suggests that some cull dairy cows within the marketing system are in physical states that are below regulatory standards, and further research is required to determine why these unfit cows are found throughout the journey to abattoirs. Since dairy farms are the origin of these cows, decision making by dairy farmers has been identified as key to preventing cull cows that are considered unfit for transport from entering the marketing system.

A survey of practices and attitudes around cull cow management by bovine veterinarians in Ontario, Canada.

The removal (culling) of dairy cows from the farm is a regular and required management practice. The main objectives of this study were to describe the involvement of bovine veterinarians in Ontario, Canada, in dairy cull cow management decisions, their expectations of current producer practices, and their perspectives on welfare issues and best management practices for cull dairy cows. Between February and May 2021, a province-wide survey was conducted among all members of the Ontario Association of Bovine Practitioners (OABP), with questions addressing veterinarians' background and demographics, veterinary clinic characteristics, cull cow management, down cow management, and learning preferences.

A survey of dairy cattle farmers' management practices for cull cows in Ontario, Canada.

Removal of cows from dairy cattle production is a routine and unavoidable practice of the dairy industry and is often referred to as culling. The objectives of this study were to use a survey to describe current on-farm cull cow management, farmers' perception of cull cows' journeys to slaughter, and the adoption of current recommendations and regulations by Ontario dairy farmers. All Ontario dairy farmers were invited to complete a cull cow management survey between December 2020 and March 2021 that included 44 questions covering farmer demographic information, farm characteristics, and cull cow management.

Describing and Characterizing the Literature Regarding Umbilical Health in Intensively Raised Cattle: A Scoping Review.

The objective of this scoping review was to describe and characterize the existing literature regarding umbilical health and identify gaps in knowledge. Six databases were searched for studies examining umbilical health in an intensively raised cattle population. There were 4249 articles initially identified; from these, 723 full text articles were then screened, with 150 articles included in the review.

Implementing participation-focused services: A study to develop the Method for using Audit and Feedback in Participation Implementation (MAPi).

Background: It is widely agreed that children's services should use participation-focused practice, but that implementation is challenging. This paper describes a method for using audit and feedback, an evidence-based knowledge translation strategy, to support implementation of participation-focused practice in front-line services, to identify barriers to implementation, and to enable international benchmarking of implementation and barriers.

Method: Best-practice guidelines for using audit and feedback were followed.

Examining the role of MEDLINE as a patient care information resource: an analysis of data from the Value of Libraries study.

Objective: This study analyzed data from a study on the value of libraries to understand the specific role that the MEDLINE database plays in relation to other information resources that are available to health care providers and its role in positively impacting patient care.

Methods: A previous study on the use of health information resources for patient care obtained 16,122 responses from health care providers in 56 hospitals about how providers make decisions affecting patient care and the role of information resources in that process. Respondents indicated resources used in answering a specific clinical question from a list of 19 possible resources, including MEDLINE.

A New Clinically Applicable Measure of Functional Status in Patients With Heart Failure: The 60-Foot Walk Test.

Objectives: This study reports the development and predictive value of the 60-foot walk test (60ftWT), a brief functional status measure for patients with heart failure (HF). The goal was to develop a test suitable for clinical settings and appropriate for patients with walking impairments.

Background: The 6-min walk test (6MWT) has considerable predictive value, but requires a long walking course and has limited utility in patients with mobility-related comorbidities.

Library and information services: impact on patient care quality.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore library and information service impact on patient care quality.

Design/methodology/approach: A large-scale critical incident survey of physicians and residents at 56 library sites serving 118 hospitals in the USA and Canada. Respondents were asked to base their answers on a recent incident in which they had used library resources to search for information related to a specific clinical case.

Trastuzumab-induced cardiomyopathy: incidence and associated risk factors in an inner-city population.

Background: Although it is known that trastuzumab causes cardiotoxicity, its extent and reversibility are still in question. Earlier studies have not evaluated consecutive patients with reproducible nuclear ventriculography.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the baseline characteristics which predispose patients to increased risk of trastuzumab cardiotoxicity and to determine the natural history of the cardiotoxicity.

Linking research to practice: the rise of evidence-based health sciences librarianship.

Purpose: The lecture explores the origins of evidence-based practice (EBP) in health sciences librarianship beginning with examples from the work of Janet Doe and past Doe lecturers. Additional sources of evidence are used to document the rise of research and EBP as integral components of our professional work.

Methods: FOUR SOURCES OF EVIDENCE ARE USED TO EXAMINE THE RISE OF EBP: (1) a publication by Doe and research-related content in past Doe lectures, (2) research-related word usage in articles in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association and Journal of the Medical Library Association between 1961 and 2010, (3) Medical Library Association activities, and (4) EBP as an international movement.

The value of library and information services in patient care: results of a multisite study.

Objective: The research conducted a large-scale, multisite study on the value and impact of library and information services on patient care.

Methods: THE STUDY USED: (1) 2 initial focus groups of librarians; (2) a web-based survey of physicians, residents, and nurses at 56 library sites serving 118 hospitals; and (3) 24 follow-up telephone interviews. Survey respondents were asked to base their responses on a recent incident in which they had sought information for patient care.

The health sciences librarian in medical education: a vital pathways project task force.

Objectives: The Medical Education Task Force of the Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians reviewed current and future roles of health sciences librarians in medical education at the graduate and undergraduate levels and worked with national organizations to integrate library services, education, and staff into the requirements for training medical students and residents.

Methods: Standards for medical education accreditation programs were studied, and a literature search was conducted on the topic of the role of the health sciences librarian in medical education.

Results: Expectations for library and information services in current standards were documented, and a draft standard prepared.

Hypoxia, not the frequency of sleep apnea, induces acute hemodynamic stress in patients with chronic heart failure.

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate whether brain (B-type) natriuretic peptide (BNP) changes during sleep are associated with the frequency and severity of apneic/hypopneic episodes, intermittent arousals, and hypoxia.

Background: Sleep apnea is strongly associated with heart failure (HF) and could conceivably worsen HF through increased sympathetic activity, hemodynamic stress, hypoxemia, and oxidative stress. If apneic activity does cause acute stress in HF, it should increase BNP.

Test-retest reliability of assessment for intraventricular dyssynchrony by tissue Doppler imaging echocardiography.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of intraventricular dyssynchrony (IVD) assessment by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) echocardiography. Limited response rates to cardiac resynchronization may improve with TDI screening for appropriate recipients. However, the clinical applicability of TDI will depend on the reliability of the test.

A randomized, controlled trial of the renal effects of ultrafiltration as compared to furosemide in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the consequences of ultrafiltration (UF) and standard intravenous diuretic (furosemide) therapy on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Background: It has been hypothesized that treatment with diuretics may worsen renal function as the result of systemic neurohormonal activation and direct renal vascular effects. UF also removes fluid, but its actions on intrarenal hemodynamics, and therefore renal function, are unknown.

Measuring the value and impact of health library and information services: past reflections, future possibilities.

Objectives: To summarize the context, history and results of research studies conducted on the value and impact of health library and information services by the author since 1975 and to use this as a basis for examining ongoing developments related to evaluation research. To provide a comprehensive bibliography of library value and impact studies.

Methods: Literature review and background based on personal involvement in the studies under discussion.

A double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study of controlled-release paroxetine on depression and quality of life in chronic heart failure.

Background: Depression is frequently observed in patients with heart failure and is associated with poor quality of life and adverse prognosis. However, the prevalence of depression in heart failure could be overestimated because symptoms of depression overlap with those of heart failure. Similarly, the importance of depression may be overestimated if depression merely reflects worse heart failure.

Nesiritide does not improve renal function in patients with chronic heart failure and worsening serum creatinine.

Background: Nesiritide (synthetic human brain natriuretic peptide) is approved for the treatment of symptomatic heart failure. However, studies of brain natriuretic peptide in patients with heart failure have come to conflicting conclusions about effects on glomerular filtration rate (GFR), effective renal plasma flow, natriuresis, and diuresis.

Methods And Results: To identify a population at high risk of renal dysfunction with conventional treatment, we selected patients with a creatinine level increased from baseline (within 6 months).

The influence of age, gender, and race on the prevalence of depression in heart failure patients.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression in an out-patient heart failure (HF) population; its relationship to quality of life (QOL); and the impact of gender, race, and age.

Background: Most studies of depression in HF have evaluated hospitalized patients (a small percentage of the population) and have ignored the influence of various patient characteristics. Although reported depression rates among hospitalized patients range from 13% to 77.