Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in Immediate DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction: Reducing Length of Stay and Opioid Use.

To improve patient outcomes amid reduced healthcare resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, a single Canadian cancer center implemented an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for autologous DIEP flap breast reconstruction. This retrospective cohort study included 100 consecutive patients undergoing microsurgical breast reconstruction with DIEP flaps using the ERAS protocol and 100 patients using a standard protocol. Primary outcomes were the hospital length of stay and opioid use.

Achieving ultra-low and -uniform residual magnetic fields in a very large magnetically shielded room for fundamental physics experiments.

High-precision searches for an electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM) require stable and uniform magnetic field environments. We present the recent achievements of degaussing and equilibrating the magnetically shielded room (MSR) for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. We present the final degaussing configuration that will be used for n2EDM after numerous studies.

Staged Mastopexy before Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: Improving Safety and Appearance in Breast Reconstruction.

Background: Breast reconstruction following nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) in patients with large or ptotic breasts remains challenging because of the risk of ischemic complications and the difficulty in managing the redundant skin envelope. Staged mastopexy or breast reduction before the mastectomy/reconstruction has been shown to decrease the risk of complications and improve clinical outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer who underwent staged breast reduction/mastopexy before NSM and reconstruction in the authors' institution.

Biopsychosocial factors associated with pain severity and hand disability in trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis and non-surgical management.

Background: Trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (TMO) is one of the most prevalent and painful forms of hand osteoarthritis.

Purpose: This study aimed at (1) describing the TMO pain experience, (2) identifying biopsychosocial factors associated with pain intensity and disability, and 3) documenting the use of non-surgical management modalities.

Study Design: Cross-sectional.

The very large n2EDM magnetically shielded room with an exceptional performance for fundamental physics measurements.

We present the magnetically shielded room (MSR) for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute, which features an interior cubic volume with each side of length 2.92 m, thus providing an accessible space of 25 m. The MSR has 87 openings of diameter up to 220 mm for operating the experimental apparatus inside and an intermediate space between the layers for housing sensitive signal processing electronics.

Efficacy of Surgical Interventions for Trapeziometacarpal (Thumb Base) Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: This systematic review (SR) aimed to identify the surgical interventions available for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis and document their efficacy on pain, physical function, psychological well-being, quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and/or adverse events.

Methods: This PROSPERO-registered SR's protocol was developed based on the Cochrane intervention review methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Results: Among 9049 potential studies identified, 1 SR, 18 randomized controlled trials, and 40 nonrandomized controlled trials were included.

A review of utilities and costs of treating upper extremity amputations with vascularized composite allotransplantation versus myoelectric prostheses in Canada.

Background: Hand vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) and myoelectric prostheses have proven their efficacy for treating hand amputation. Despite reported functional outcomes, the lack of consensus on VCA versus myoelectric prostheses brought us to report on their utilities and costs within the Canadian healthcare system.

Methods: A review of utility outcomes and costs was performed for VCA and myoelectric prostheses and a comparison between unilateral versus bilateral amputations was made.

Data blinding for the nEDM experiment at PSI.

Psychological bias towards, or away from, prior measurements or theory predictions is an intrinsic threat to any data analysis. While various methods can be used to try to avoid such a bias, actively avoiding looking at the result, only data blinding is a traceable and trustworthy method that can circumvent the bias and convince a public audience that there is not even an accidental psychological bias. Data blinding is nowadays a standard practice in particle physics, but it is particularly difficult for experiments searching for the neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM), as several cross measurements, in particular of the magnetic field, create a self-consistent network into which it is hard to inject a false signal.

The design of the n2EDM experiment: nEDM Collaboration.

We present the design of a next-generation experiment, n2EDM, currently under construction at the ultracold neutron source at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) with the aim of carrying out a high-precision search for an electric dipole moment of the neutron. The project builds on experience gained with the previous apparatus operated at PSI until 2017, and is expected to deliver an order of magnitude better sensitivity with provision for further substantial improvements. An overview is of the experimental method and setup is given, the sensitivity requirements for the apparatus are derived, and its technical design is described.

Thiel-embalmed porcine placenta: A valid and reusable microsurgical practice model.

Background: Simulation models are increasingly important for skill acquisition during microsurgery training. Prosthetics, living and non-living biological models have been proposed in the literature in the optics of recreating real-life scenarios in a controlled environment. This study aims to validate and prove the reusability of a novel non-living biological model: the porcine placenta.

Measurement of the Permanent Electric Dipole Moment of the Neutron.

We present the result of an experiment to measure the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron at the Paul Scherrer Institute using Ramsey's method of separated oscillating magnetic fields with ultracold neutrons. Our measurement stands in the long history of EDM experiments probing physics violating time-reversal invariance. The salient features of this experiment were the use of a ^{199}Hg comagnetometer and an array of optically pumped cesium vapor magnetometers to cancel and correct for magnetic-field changes.

High-Fidelity Microsurgical Simulation: The Thiel Cadaveric Nerve Model and Evaluation Instrument.

With surgical education moving from a time-based to a competency-based model, developing high-fidelity simulation models has become a priority. The Thiel cadaveric model has previously been used for a number of medical and surgical simulations, including microvascular simulation. We aim to investigate the use of the Thiel model in peripheral nerve simulation and validate a novel evaluation instrument.

Efficacy of Nonsurgical Interventions for Trapeziometacarpal (Thumb Base) Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To synthesize the literature on the efficacy of existing nonsurgical interventions for trapeziometacarpal (TM) osteoarthritis (TMO).

Methods: A medical librarian conducted an electronic search in 16 databases. Two authors independently carried out study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment.

Bilateral sensory and motor as well as cognitive differences between persons with and without musculoskeletal disorders of the wrist and hand.

Background: Sensory and motor disturbances are characteristic of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. Rehabilitation interventions aimed at remediating these disturbances are traditionally exclusively targeted to the affected area. However, there is some evidence of bilateral changes in sensory and motor function associated with unilateral injuries and conditions suggesting central changes.

Going beyond Activity and Participation: Development of the DIF-CHUM-A patient-reported outcome measure for individuals with Dupuytren's contracture.

Study Design: This is a cross-sectional clinical measurement.

Introduction: There are currently no Dupuytren's contracture (DC)-specific, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) that can provide a thorough clinical portrait of the patients' perceptions with regard to the execution of regular activities.

Purpose Of The Study: The purpose of this study was to present the development of the Dupuytren's contracture Impact on Function-Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (DIF-CHUM), a DC-specific PRO.

Pain interference may be an important link between pain severity, impairment, and self-reported disability in participants with wrist/hand pain.

Study Design: Cross-sectional.

Introduction: Pain severity, sensory and motor impairment, and psychological (distress and anxiety) and social factors have previously been related to self-reported disability in persons with wrist and hand pain.

Purpose Of The Study: The purpose of this study to determine the relative contribution of pain severity, measures of impairment (sensory and motor function), psychosocial factors, and pain interference on self-reported disability experienced by persons with heterogeneous orthopedic injuries and conditions of the wrist and hand.

High Fidelity Microsurgical Simulation: The Thiel Model and Evaluation Instrument.

Background: The Thiel embalmment method has recently been used in a number of medical simulation fields. The authors investigate the use of Thiel vessels as a high fidelity model for microvascular simulation and propose a new checklist-based evaluation instrument for microsurgical training.

Methods: Thirteen residents and 2 attending microsurgeons performed video recorded microvascular anastomoses on Thiel embalmed arteries that were evaluated using a new evaluation instrument (Microvascular Evaluation Scale) by 4 fellowship trained microsurgeons.

Left Right Judgement Task and Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Assessment in Participants with Wrist/Hand Pain.

The Left Right Judgement Task (LRJT) involves determining if an image of the body part is of the left or right side. The LRJT has been utilized as part of rehabilitation treatment programs for persons with pain associated with musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. Although studies often attribute changes and improvement in LRJT performance to an altered body schema, imaging studies suggest that the LRJT implicates other cortical regions.

Investigating Patients' Perception of Microvascular Free Toe Flap for Reconstruction of Amputated Thumbs: A Guide for Surgeons during Informed Consent.

Background:  After thumb amputations, restoration of function and aesthetic can be accomplished with microvascular free toe flaps. However, many patients in clinical practice do not choose this reconstruction despite positive reported outcomes. This study aims to determine patients' perceptions with respect to free toe flaps to improve areas of informed consent.

Knowledge maps: a tool for online assessment with automated feedback.

In higher education, most assessments or examinations comprise either multiple-choice items or open-ended questions such as modified essay questions (MEQs). Online concept and knowledge maps are potential tools for assessment, which might emphasize meaningful, integrated understanding of phenomena. We developed an online knowledge-mapping assessment tool, which provides automated feedback on student-submitted maps.

French translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire and the Brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are important clinical devices for evaluating injuries and surgeries of the hand. However, some of the most widely used questionnaires, such as the MHQ and bMHQ, are currently unavailable in French, which prevents them from being used in the French Canadian province of Quebec as well as in other French-speaking nations. We therefore intend to develop valid and culturally adapted French translations of the afore-mentioned questionnaires.

New Developments in Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy for the Study of Luminescent Materials.

Herein, we describe three advanced techniques for cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy that have recently been developed in our laboratories. The first is a new method to accurately determine the CL-efficiency of thin layers of phosphor powders. When a wide band phosphor with a band gap (E > 5 eV) is bombarded with electrons, charging of the phosphor particles will occur, which eventually leads to erroneous results in the determination of the luminous efficacy.

Duration and cessation characteristics of heparinization after finger replantation: A retrospective analysis of outcomes.

Background: To prevent postoperative thrombosis, indications for anticoagulation in finger replantation have been described, but no consensus has yet been found for cessation protocols. The aim of this study is to investigate cessation methods of intravenous anticoagulation after finger replantation.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients treated for a finger replantation between December 2014 and July 2016 was performed.

Structure and luminescence analyses of simultaneously synthesised (LuGd)OS:Tb and (LuGd)O:Tb.

Herein we describe the synthesis and luminescence of nanosized (LuGd)OS:Tb and (LuGd)O:Tb phosphors with y = 0.1 mol% Tb and y = 2 mol% Tb and x ranging between 0 and 1. The concentration of Gd (x) was varied in steps of 0.