Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Trauma CT Imaging.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures on the volume, rate, and type of trauma presenting to the emergency department (ED) by using trauma-initiated CT studies to capture patient data.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study comparing patients undergoing CT scans for trauma during the 1 and 2 lockdown periods compared to corresponding prepandemic months. During two lockdown periods, public places such as restaurants, libraries, parks, and shops across the province were shut down.

Effectiveness and safety of endovascular thrombectomy for large versus medium vessel occlusions: a single-center experience.

Background: The effectiveness and safety of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for medium vessel occlusions (MeVO) in the anterior intracranial circulation for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has yet to be definitively established. We compared outcomes in patients undergoing EVT for large vessel occlusion (LVO) versus those with MeVO.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study, using an intention to treat design, compared the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score between 43 patients with MeVO and 199 with LVO in the anterior intracranial circulation.

Rate of contamination of hospital privacy curtains in a burns/plastic ward: A longitudinal study.

Background: Since hospital patient privacy curtains can harbor bacteria, are high-touch surfaces, and are cleaned infrequently, they may be involved in pathogen transmission. The aim of this longitudinal prospective study was to understand curtain contamination to inform curtain hygiene protocols, thereby minimizing the role of curtains in pathogen transmission.

Methods: Over 21 days, cultures of 10 freshly laundered curtains (8 test curtains surrounding patient beds and 2 controls in an unoccupied staff room) were taken in the Regional Burns/Plastics Unit.

Healthcare Resource Utilization Associated with Burns and Necrotizing Fasciitis: A Single-Center Comparative Analysis.

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) patients are increasingly managed in burn units. Although treated similarly to burns, the healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in NF appears to be greater. Accurate knowledge of the HRU is important to better allocate resources and to compare outcomes between units.

Comparison of the single molecule activity distributions of recombinant and non-recombinant bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase.

Single molecule assays were performed on bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase and the recombinant enzyme expressed in Pichia pastoris using a capillary electrophoresis-based method. The catalytic rates for the bovine and recombinant enzymes were found to be 11,000±7000min(-1) (N=161) and 12,000±7000min(-1) (N=173), respectively. Mean catalytic rates and variances did not differ significantly between the enzyme from both sources.