Trends in female applicants to Canadian ophthalmology residency programs from 1998-2020.

Background: Ophthalmology has historically been a male-dominated specialty. Despite there being a higher proportion of females in Canadian medical schools since the early 2000s, it is unknown if trends in female applicants and those accepted to ophthalmology have followed suit. This study aims to evaluate trends in gender representation of ophthalmology applicants to Canadian residency programs from 1998 to 2020 and to compare those trends to other surgical specialties.

Chronic Lymphocytic Inflammation With Pontine Perivascular Enhancement Responsive to Steroids Presenting With Predominantly Neuro-Ophthalmic Features.

Background: Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) is a rare and poorly understood inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system centered on the pons. It has a characteristic imaging appearance with enhancing and T2-hyperintense punctate and curvilinear lesions in the pons. The lesions lack restricted diffusion and have relatively little perilesional edema.

Optic Nerve Sheath Meningiomas: A Retrospective Cohort Study Comparing Outcomes in Treated Versus Observed Patients.

Background: The rarity of optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSMs) complicates the guidelines surrounding optimal treatment strategies and prognostic factors. There are limited data on the visual outcomes of those treated with radiotherapy versus those observed without treatment. This study aimed to characterize the clinical and radiographic presentations of patients diagnosed with ONSMs and to identify factors predicting improvement in visual function after treatment.

Treatment at an Academic Medical Center Eliminates Survival Disparities for Appalachian Kentuckians with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: Rates of cancer mortality in Appalachian Kentucky is among the highest in the nation. It is unknown whether geographic location of treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, influences survival in Appalachian Kentuckians.

Purpose: This study compares outcomes among Appalachian Kentuckians with PDAC who received treatment at an academic medical center (AMC) or community facility (CF).

Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Melanoma Nodal Surveillance in a Multi-institutional Cohort.

Background: Nodal surveillance (NS) has overtaken completion lymphadenectomy as the preferred management for sentinel node-positive (SLN+) melanoma, but requires frequent exams and nodal ultrasound (US). Social determinants of health (SDoH) may affect US adherence in real-world populations, and evaluation of these potential impacts is needed.

Methods: Adults with SLN+ melanoma diagnosed from July 2017 to December 2019 who received NS at nine cancer centers were identified retrospectively.

The association of maternal mental health with vaccination coverage and timeliness in early childhood - A historical cohort study in England using electronic health records.

Background: Maternal mental illness (MMI) affects almost a quarter of mothers and may impact a child's development and physical health. It remains unclear whether MMI is associated with altered utilization of vaccination services. Understanding this association could help to identify families in need of additional support.

Prognostic Indicators for Precision Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has established predictive biomarkers that enable decisions on treatment regimens for many patients. However, resistance to therapy is widespread. It is therefore essential to have a panel of molecular biomarkers that may help overcome therapy resistance and prevent adverse effects of treatment.

Quantifying and Adjusting for Confounding From Health-Seeking Behavior and Health Care Access in Observational Research.

Background: Health-seeking behavior and health care access (HSB/HCA) are recognized confounders in many observational studies but are not directly measurable in electronic health records. We used proxy markers of HSB/HCA to quantify and adjust for confounding in observational studies of influenza and COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE).

Methods: This cohort study used primary care data prelinked to secondary care and death data in England.

Identifying markers of health-seeking behaviour and healthcare access in UK electronic health records.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of identifying markers of health-seeking behaviour and healthcare access in UK electronic health records (EHR), for identifying populations at risk of poor health outcomes and adjusting for confounding in epidemiological studies.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum prelinked to Hospital Episode Statistics.

Setting: Individual-level routine clinical data from 13 million patients across general practices (GPs) and secondary data in England.

Macular Optical Coherence Tomography Findings in Patients With Syphilitic Optic Neuropathy-A Case Series and Systematic Review.

Background: Syphilis is a sexually or congenitally acquired infectious disease that can affect multiple organs systems, including the eye. When left undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Syphilitic optic neuropathy can be difficult to diagnose because it can mimic many other nonsyphilitic causes of optic nerve involvement, leading to delay in treatment.

Orchestrating Blood Flow in the Retina: Interpericyte Tunnelling Nanotube Communication.

The retina transforms light into electrical signals, which are sent to the brain via the optic nerve to form our visual perception. This complex signal processing is performed by the retinal neuron and requires a significant amount of energy. Since neurons are unable to store energy, they must obtain glucose and oxygen from the bloodstream to produce energy to match metabolic needs.

Multifocal Vitelliform Paravascular Retinopathy (MVPR): A New Disorder in the Vitelliform Spectrum.

Purpose: To describe a new retinal phenotype characterized by bilateral, multifocal, subretinal vitelliform lesions along the vascular arcades that we refer to as multifocal vitelliform paravascular retinopathy (MVPR).

Design: Observational case series.

Methods: Multimodal retinal imaging including color fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence and cross sectional and en-face optical coherence tomography was performed to evaluate and characterize the lesions of MVPR.

Interpreting Histopathology Reports of Temporal Artery Biopsies Positive for Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA): A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background: The gold standard for diagnosing giant cell arteritis (GCA) is temporal artery biopsy (TAB). However, specific histopathologic findings on biopsy reports are rarely considered in the context of the patient's clinical presentation. The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation of specific biopsy findings with the clinical presentation of patients with GCA.

Development of a Novel Protocol for Germline Testing in Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: Guidelines now recommend universal germline genetic testing (GGT) for all pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. Testing provides information on actionable pathogenic variants and guides management of patients and family. Since traditional genetic counseling (GC) models are time-intensive and GC resources are sparse, new approaches are needed to comply with guidelines without overwhelming available resources.

A New Validated Approach for Identifying Childhood Immunizations in Electronic Health Records in the United Kingdom.

Background: Routinely collected electronic health records (EHR) offer a valuable opportunity to carry out research on immunization uptake, effectiveness, and safety, using large and representative samples of the population. In contrast to other drugs, vaccines do not require electronic prescription in many settings, which may lead to ambiguous coding of vaccination status and timing.

Methodology: We propose a comprehensive algorithm to identifying childhood immunizations in routinely collected EHR.

Short-Term Deterioration of Visual Acuity and Visual Fields in Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy.

Purpose: To determine the frequency and severity of further visual loss experienced by patients within ten weeks from diagnosis of acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

Design: Retrospective case series.

Methods: Electronic medical records (EMR) at an academic neuro-ophthalmology practice were searched for diagnosis of "NAION" and all identified charts were reviewed to determine eligibility.

Chorioretinopathy presenting as bitemporal hemianopia.

Introduction: Bitemporal hemianopia is usually caused by chiasmal pathology. Rarely, chorioretinal lesions may develop symmetrically in both eyes and mimic chiasmopathy.

Methods: This case series included three patients who presented to a tertiary neuro-ophthalmology centre with bitemporal hemianopic defects between 2021 and 2023 and were subsequently diagnosed with bilateral chorioretinopathy.

Considering collaborative incident management: A study of the COVID-19 response and initial recovery in a rural West Virginia community.

Hierarchical command-style structures are commonplace in the management of disasters, though researchers have begun to recommend the exploration of networked approaches to incident management. Furthermore, few studies are explicitly looking at the rural context of disaster management. This study seeks to contribute to both topics by examining the motivations for emergent collaboration in the direction of the response and initial recovery to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in a rural West Virginia community.

Taking the edge off: a feasibility randomized controlled trial of an online mindfulness-based intervention to reduce suspiciousness/paranoia in high positive schizotypy.

Positive schizotypy can uniquely predict the development of psychosis with suspiciousness/paranoia having emerged as a key risk factor, pointing to significant worth in reducing this aspect in individuals with high positive schizotypy. Reduced paranoia in the general population following brief online mindfulness training has been previously reported. This study investigated the feasibility of a 40-day online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) ( = 12) in the individuals with high positive schizotypy characterized by high suspiciousness/paranoia and to estimate its effect on paranoia as compared with an active control condition using reflective journaling ( = 12).

'Safety in the Grey Zone': Evaluation of a training program to improve the safety of incident responders on high-speed roads.

Introduction: Workers operating on high-speed roads (i.e., incident responders and emergency service workers) are at significant risk of being fatally injured while working.