Optimization of Iodinated Contrast Media Inventory Management: Effect of Inventory Diversification on Waste Reduction.

Purpose: Iodinated contrast medium (ICM) is available in single- and multiuse vials of varying sizes, but CT departments often preferentially stock only a single or a limited number of vial sizes. The aims of this study were to assess actual ICM waste at a large safety-net hospital and to compare with estimated waste if single-use vials in a variety of vial sizes or multiuse vials were used.

Methods: ICM administrations were retrospectively reviewed for all CT examinations performed in 2021 in a department that stocked only 100-mL ICM vials.

Preliminary Validation Study of the French-Quebec Version of the Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist.

Background: Alzheimer disease dementia may be preceded by cognitive stages during which behavioral and psychological changes can occur. More precisely, behavioral symptoms may be observed during the subjective cognitive decline (SCD) or the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stages; these symptoms can be measured using the Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist (MBI-C).

Objective: To validate the French-Quebec version of the MBI-C in individuals ages 60-85 years.

Nontraditional Uses of US Contrast Agents in Abdominal Imaging and Intervention.

With the increasing availability of contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) worldwide and in the United States, the potential applications of this modality in abdominal imaging and intervention are continuing to expand. CEUS leverages the many inherent benefits of US with a safe and unique microbubble contrast agent. When injected intravenously, US contrast agents (UCAs) function as a pure blood pool agent, augmenting diagnostic US examinations such as vascular imaging.

Incidence of thrombotic microangiopathies in Quebec: insight from a laboratory centralizing ADAMTS-13 testing.

Background: Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) are serious medical conditions requiring a prompt diagnosis to adapt treatment. The determination of ADAMTS-13 activity enables discriminating thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) from other forms of TMA. The purpose of this study was to provide an estimate of the incidence of TTP and TMA in the Canadian Quebec province using data collected from a laboratory centralizing ADAMTS-13 testing for the whole province.

Baduanjin Qigong Intervention by Telerehabilitation (TeleParkinson): A Proof-of-Concept Study in Parkinson's Disease.

Many people living with Parkinson's Disease (PD) face issues with healthcare services, including delays in diagnosis and treatment, as well as limited access to specialized care, including rehabilitation programs. Non-motor and motor signs and symptoms typically observed in people with PD, such as tremor, rigidity, postural instability, bradykinesia, and freezing are particularly disabling and have been associated with falls, fractures, hospitalizations, and a worse quality of life. Baduanjin Qigong (BDJ) programs have been proven potentially effective in improving physical outcomes and reducing the incidence of falls in PD.

Comparison of metal artifact reduction using single-energy CT and dual-energy CT with various metallic implants in cadavers.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of metal artifact reduction using Single Energy Metal Artifact Reduction (SEMAR) and Dual Energy CT (DECT).

Materials And Methods: Six cadavers containing metal implants in the head, neck, abdomen, pelvis, and extremities were scanned with Standard, SEMAR, and DECT protocols on a 320-slice CT scanner. Four specialized radiologists blinded to acquisition methods rated severity of metal artifacts, visualization of anatomic structures, diagnostic interpretation, and image preference with a 5-point grading scale.

Needs of caregivers of patients receiving in-home palliative and end-of-life care.

Unlabelled: Home support for patients receiving in-home palliative and end-of-life care (PELC) is greatly dependent on the daily presence of caregivers and their involvement in care delivery. However, the needs of caregivers throughout the care trajectory of a loved one receiving in-home PELC are still relatively unknown.

Objectives And Methodology: This descriptive qualitative study focuses on the role of caregivers who have cared for a person receiving in-home PELC with the goal of describing their needs throughout the care trajectory.

Besoins des proches aidants qui accompagnent une personne en soins palliatifs et de fin de vie à domicile.

Unlabelled: Le maintien à domicile d'une personne en soins palliatifs et de fin de vie (SPFV) dépend grandement de la présence quotidienne de proches aidants (PA) et de leur implication dans les soins. Or, les besoins des PA tout au long de la trajectoire d'accompagnement d'un proche en SPFV à domicile sont encore relativement méconnus.

Objectifs Et MÉthode: Cette étude qualitative descriptive s'intéresse au rôle des PA qui ont accompagné une personne recevant des SPFV à domicile dans le but de décrire leurs besoins tout au long de la trajectoire d'accompagnement.

Maintenance of wakefulness test: how does it predict accident risk in patients with sleep disorders?

Study Objective: To determine whether the objective level of alertness measured by the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT) is associated with the occurrence of self-reported sleepiness-related traffic near misses and accidents related to sleepiness in patients with sleep disorders.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted over a three-year period in four French sleep centers during a 4∗40 min MWT in patients driving more than 5000 Km/year. Relationship between mean sleep latency on the MWT (MWT latency) and age, sex, driving, sleepiness-related near misses and accidents reported during the previous year, and sleep disorder characteristics was analyzed.

Basolateral Amygdala Drives a GPCR-Mediated Striatal Memory Necessary for Predictive Learning to Influence Choice.

Predictive learning exerts a powerful influence over choice between instrumental actions. Nevertheless, how this learning is encoded in a sufficiently stable manner to influence choices that can occur much later in time is unclear. Here, we report that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) encodes predictive learning and establishes the memory necessary for future choices by driving the accumulation of delta-opioid receptors (DOPRs) on the somatic membrane of cholinergic interneurons in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAc-S).

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors Modulators Decrease Signs of Neuroinflammation and Prevent Parkinson's Disease Symptoms in the 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine Mouse Model.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a potent bioactive lipid mediator that acts as a natural ligand upon binding to five different receptors that are located in astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglial and neuronal cells. Recently, global activation of these receptors by FTY720 (fingolimod) has been suggested to provide neuroprotection in animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD). Among S1P receptors, the subtype 1 (S1P1R) has been linked to features of neuroprotection and, using the selective agonist SEW2871, the present investigation assessed potential benefits (and mechanisms) of this receptor subtype in an established animal model of PD.

Tracheal microbial populations in horses with moderate asthma.

Background: There are limited data on potential dysbiosis of the airway microbiota in horses with asthma.

Hypothesis/objectives: We hypothesized that the respiratory microbiota of horses with moderate asthma is altered. Our objectives were (a) to quantify tracheal bacterial populations using culture and qPCR, (2) to compare aerobic culture and qPCR, and (c) to correlate bacterial populations with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology.

The Economic Burden of Sleepy Driving.

Driving while sleepy on a regular basis may be due to sleep restriction associated with work schedules or with poor sleep hygiene. It also may be associated with sleep disorders or with sedative drugs. This review assesses the potential consequences of driving sleepy on a regular basis from a societal point of view.

[Children with psoriasis in secondary care: Clinical aspects and comorbidities diverge from the generally published data].

Background: Psoriasis affects 0.2-0.7 % of children and is associated with obesity.

Motor learning deficits and striatal GSK-3 hyperactivity in Akt3 knockout mice.

Akt protein family (Akt1, Akt2 and Akt3) of serine/threonine kinases, also known as protein kinase B, are enzymes implicated in many physiological and pathological processes in the central nervous system. A striking feature of these enzymes is their ability to interact with several molecular targets such as the glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). Among Akt isoforms, the Akt3 is significantly more expressed in the brain and the present investigation was designed to determine whether the Akt3/GSK-3 pathway plays a role in the learning of a complex motor skill.

Purification of a conjugated polysaccharide vaccine using tangential flow diafiltration.

Conjugated vaccines prepared from the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae can provide immunization against invasive pneumococcal disease, meningitis, and otitis media. One of the critical steps in the production of these vaccines is the removal of free (unreacted) polysaccharides from the protein-polysaccharide conjugate. Experimental studies were performed to evaluate the effects of membrane pore size, filtrate flux, and solution conditions on the transmission of both the conjugate and free polysaccharide through different ultrafiltration membranes.

Safety of Radioembolization in the Setting of Angiographically Apparent Arterioportal Shunting.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze adverse events (AE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with yttrium-90 radioembolization in the setting of angiographically apparent arterioportal shunts (APSs).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-two patients with HCC underwent radioembolization with APSs from January 2011 to September 2016, totaling 34 administrations using resin (6) and glass (28) microspheres. APSs were graded angiographically as segmental (9), ipsilobar (15), contralobar (7), or main portal (2), according to portal perfusion.

Shift work, night work and sleep disorders among pastry cookers and shopkeepers in France: a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: Most research on night and shift work focuses on employee health in large companies, primarily in the healthcare and transportation sectors. However, many night workers work on their own or in small businesses related to services or food. This survey focuses on sleep habits and disorders concerning night work in pastry production and sales.

Mouse Adipose Tissue Collection and Processing for RNA Analysis.

Compared to other tissues, white adipose tissue has a considerably less RNA and protein content for downstream applications such as real-time PCR and Western Blot, since it mostly contains lipids. RNA isolation from adipose tissue samples is also challenging as extra steps are required to avoid these lipids. Here, we present a procedure to collect three anatomically different white adipose tissues from mice, to process these samples and perform RNA isolation.

Process development of a FGF21 protein-antibody conjugate.

A scalable, viable process was developed for the Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) protein-antibody conjugate, CVX-343, an extended half-life therapeutic for the treatment of metabolic disease. CVX-343 utilizes the CovX antibody scaffold technology platform that was specifically developed for peptide and protein half-life extension. CVX-343 is representative of a growing number of complex novel peptide- and protein-based bioconjugate molecules currently being explored as therapeutic candidates.

Manifestations of sickle cell disease on thoracic imaging.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited hemolytic disease with systemic complications. These complications significantly impact the patients' quality of life. There are characteristic radiological findings that can aid in the diagnosis and management of common sequelae of sickle cell disease.

Adipose tissue (P)RR regulates insulin sensitivity, fat mass and body weight.

Objective: We previously demonstrated that the handle-region peptide, a prorenin/renin receptor [(P)RR] blocker, reduces body weight and fat mass and may improve insulin sensitivity in high-fat fed mice. We hypothesized that knocking out the adipose tissue (P)RR gene would prevent weight gain and insulin resistance.

Methods: An adipose tissue-specific (P)RR knockout (KO) mouse was created by Cre-loxP technology using AP2-Cre recombinase mice.