Publications by authors named "MacKenzie M"

Objective: To assess whether social determinants of health (SDOHs) are associated with the first antiseizure medication (ASM) prescribed for newly diagnosed epilepsy.

Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards were followed, and the protocol registered (CRD42023448998). Embase, Medline, and Web of Science were searched up to July 31, 2023.

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The first days and weeks on the job set the course for a new dairy farm employee. This project involved an educational intervention to increase the use of new employee onboarding practices in dairy farms and analyzes the resulting effects on (1) levels of onboarding practice use, (2) manager perceptions of employee performance, (3) manager satisfaction with the onboarding program, (4) manager concerns about compliance with state and federal employment regulations, and (5) employee turnover. Onboarding advisors (educators and consultants) provided templates, examples, and intensive facilitation directly with farm managers to learn and adopt onboarding practices.

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Plant microbiomes have a major influence on forest structure and functions, as well as tree fitness and evolution. However, a comprehensive understanding of variations in fungi along the soil-plant continuum, particularly within tree seedlings, under global warming is lacking. Here, we investigated the dynamics of fungal communities across different compartments (including bulk soil and rhizosphere soil) and plant organs (including the endosphere of roots, stems and leaves) of Schima superba seedlings exposed to experimental warming and drought using AccuITS absolute quantitative sequencing.

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In this article, the authors propose a repurposing of the concept of entrustment to help guide the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health professions education (HPE). Entrustment can help identify and mitigate the risks of incorporating generative AI tools with limited transparency about their accuracy, source material, and disclosure of bias into HPE practice. With AI's growing role in education-related activities, like automated medical school application screening and feedback quality and content appraisal, there is a critical need for a trust-based approach to ensure these technologies are beneficial and safe.

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Group health coaching (GHC) may be a suitable method for supporting healthy lifestyle behaviors in cancer patients and survivors. The aim of this scoping review was to explore GHC interventions targeting this population, specifically examining program composition and measured outcomes. A systematic search strategy was used to identify intervention studies focused on GHC with cancer patients and survivors.

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Introduction: Neuroendocrine neoplasm (NENs) make up approximately 2-3 % of gallbladder malignancies, while only 0.5 % of all NENs develop in the gallbladder. Most Gallbladder neuroendocrine neoplasms (GB-NENs) are discovered incidentally during pathological examinations post-cholecystectomy.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare laparoscopic Ablation and Excision for endometriosis patients, focusing on symptom relief and Quality of Life outcomes.
  • Based on an online questionnaire completed by 232 patients, Excision showed significant improvements in physical, functional, psycho-emotional, social/sexual, and economic/educational impacts, unlike Ablation, which often led to worsened outcomes.
  • Overall, patients had a worse status before Excision compared to Ablation, but Excision resulted in notable improvements across almost all evaluated measures.
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Young people coming of age amidst widespread socioeconomic uncertainty have a unique vantage from which to interpret how social, economic and environmental factors might influence health and the generation of health inequalities. Despite this, only a small number of existing studies of 'lay' understandings of health inequalities have focused on young people. This arts-based qualitative study builds on that body of research, in the context of the UK, to explore how young people make sense of health inequalities.

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Background: Diets including pulses are associated with better cardiovascular profiles, including lipid, glycemia, and hemodynamics; however, evidence is lacking regarding the contributions of individual pulse varieties.

Objectives: This randomized, controlled trial examined the effects of beans or peas individually, relative to rice, on LDL-cholesterol levels (primary outcome) and other indices of cardiovascular disease risk (secondary outcomes) at 6 wk in adults with mild hypercholesterolemia.

Methods: This randomized, controlled, single-blind, 3-arm parallel-group study was conducted in 2 Canadian cities (Edmonton, Alberta; Winnipeg, Manitoba).

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Article Synopsis
  • The International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPC) creates and studies mouse lines with specific gene mutations to better understand gene functions, using advanced techniques such as the Cas9 nuclease for enhanced efficiency.
  • The IMPC has produced 3313 knockout mouse lines, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of factors that influence successful gene editing in living organisms.
  • The research highlights that the essentiality of genes significantly affects the success rates in producing null alleles, and offers best practice guidelines for using Cas9 in gene engineering linked to human diseases.
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Background: This protocol describes a realist review exploring the problem of "missingness" in healthcare, defined as the repeated tendency not to take up offers of care that has a negative impact on the person and their life chances. More specifically, the review looks at the phenomenon of patients missing multiple appointments in primary care in the UK - at the causal factors that influence how patients come to be "missing" in this way, and what interventions might support uptake and "presence" in healthcare. Background research informing this project suggests that a high rate of missed appointments predicted high premature death rates, and patients were more likely to have multiple long-term health conditions and experience significant socioeconomic disadvantage.

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Accurate information about locoregional treatments in breast cancer neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) trials is vital to support surgical decision-making and allow meaningful interpretation of long-term oncological outcomes. This systematic review (PROSPERO registration CRD42023470891) aimed to describe the current practice of outcome reporting in NST studies. A systematic search identified primary research studies published 01/01/2018-08/09/2023 reporting outcomes in patients receiving NST for breast cancer followed by locoregional treatment.

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Purpose: Metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus may play a role in the development and progression of prostate cancer (PC); however, this association remains to be explored in the context of specific PC stages. The objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence for an association between diabetes and overall, early, or advanced PC risk.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL) from inception until September 2023.

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Purpose: To use robust consensus methods with individuals with lived breast cancer experience to agree the top 10 research priorities to improve information and support for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery in the UK.

Methods: Research uncertainties related to information and support for breast cancer surgery submitted by patients and carers were analysed thematically to generate summary questions for inclusion in an online Delphi survey. Individuals with lived breast cancer experience completed two Delphi rounds including feedback in which they selected their top 10 research priorities from the list provided.

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Background: Although missed appointments in healthcare have been an area of concern for policy, practice and research, the primary focus has been on reducing single 'situational' missed appointments to the benefit of services. Little attention has been paid to the causes and consequences of more 'enduring' multiple missed appointments in primary care and the role this has in producing health inequalities.

Methods: We conducted a realist review of the literature on multiple missed appointments to identify the causes of 'missingness.

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Introduction: Neoadjuvant systemic anticancer therapy (neoSACT) is increasingly used in the treatment of early breast cancer. Response to therapy is prognostic and allows locoregional and adjuvant systemic treatments to be tailored to minimise morbidity and optimise oncological outcomes and quality of life. Accurate information about locoregional treatments following neoSACT is vital to allow the translation of downstaging benefits into practice and facilitate meaningful interpretation of oncological outcomes, particularly locoregional recurrence.

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Background: Recent developments in CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing tools have facilitated the introduction of precise alleles, including genetic intervals spanning several kilobases, directly into the embryo. However, the introduction of donor templates, via homology directed repair, can be erroneous or incomplete and these techniques often produce mosaic founder animals. Thus, newly generated alleles must be verified at the sequence level across the targeted locus.

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Objectives: Aspirin could be offered for colorectal cancer prevention for the UK general population. To ensure the views of the general population are considered in future guidance, we explored public perceptions of aspirin for preventive therapy.

Design: We conducted an online survey to investigate aspirin use, and awareness of aspirin for cancer prevention among the UK general population.

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Article Synopsis
  • Many people who use substances face challenges in accessing healthcare, often leading them to rely on emergency departments (EDs) for their health needs, highlighting significant health inequities.
  • This qualitative study, part of a broader research project in Kingston, Ontario, involved 246 participants who self-identified as substance users and shared their ED experiences through a thematic analysis.
  • Key findings indicate that negative perceptions of care were influenced by patients' histories with substances and social stigma, while timely care and adequate mental health resources were crucial for positive care experiences and trust in ED staff.
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Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), the most common human prion disease, is thought to occur when the cellular prion protein (PrP) spontaneously misfolds and assembles into prion fibrils, culminating in fatal neurodegeneration. In a genome-wide association study of sCJD, we recently identified risk variants in and around the gene STX6, with evidence to suggest a causal increase of STX6 expression in disease-relevant brain regions. STX6 encodes syntaxin-6, a SNARE protein primarily involved in early endosome to trans-Golgi network retrograde transport.

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The natural assemblage of a symbiotic bacterial microbiome (bacteriome) with microalgae in marine ecosystems is now being investigated as a means to increase algal productivity for industry. When algae are grown in open pond settings, biological contamination causes an estimated 30% loss of the algal crop. Therefore, new crop protection strategies that do not disrupt the native algal bacteriome are needed to produce reliable, high-yield algal biomass.

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Purpose: First-generation college students (FGCS) face a myriad of sociocultural, financial, and emotional challenges that impact their educational journey. With less academic capital and lower odds of obtaining a bachelor's degree than their non-FGCS peers, understanding the factors affecting their academic success is pivotal for social work professionals aiming to provide tailored interventions and support systems. This study delved into the potential differences between these groups concerning physical activities, which are linked to learning, cognition, and overall well-being, and evaluated their influence on degree completion.

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Background: Breast reconstruction is offered to improve quality of life for women after mastectomy for breast cancer, but information regarding the long-term patient-reported outcomes of different reconstruction procedures is currently lacking. The Brighter study aimed to evaluate long-term patient-reported outcomes after immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) in a population-based cohort.

Methods: Women who underwent mastectomy with IBR for breast cancer in England between 1 January 2008 and 31 March 2009 were identified from National Health Service Hospital Episode Statistics.

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Objectives: Mental health (MH) patients seen in the emergency department (ED) setting are often viewed in isolation, outside of the context of their loved ones, the next of kin (NOK). This is especially problematic when a patient is detained under the mental health act. This project aimed to improve this engagement.

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This study explores the relationship between staff rejection sensitivity (a psychological concept grounded in histories of loss and trauma) and organizational attachment among mental health agencies transitioning to Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), which is currently outside the focus of most research. Specifically, this study examines: (1) whether staff rejection sensitivity predicts organizational attachment; (2) whether staff turnover intentions account for the association between rejection sensitivity and organizational attachment; and (3) whether those associations hold once taking into account staff demographic factors (gender, race and ethnicity, education, and income)? Around 180 frontline workers in three Northeastern U.S.

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