Advancement of the Dragon Heart 7-Series for Pediatric Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Safe and effective pediatric blood pumps continue to lag far behind those developed for adults. To address this growing unmet clinical need, we are developing a hybrid, continuous-flow, magnetically levitated, pediatric total artificial heart (TAH). Our hybrid TAH design, the Dragon Heart (DH), integrates both an axial flow and centrifugal flow blood pump within a single, compact housing.

Predictors of Change in Cannabis Use Status from Pre- to Post-Recreational Cannabis Legalization in Canada: Evidence from a Two-Wave Longitudinal National Survey.

Objective: In October 2018, the Government of Canada legalized cannabis for recreational use nationwide. The effects of legalization on cannabis use have been primarily assessed through cross-sectional surveys.

Method: In the present study, a two-wave longitudinal design was used to explore potential demographic, substance use and behavioral addiction, and mental health predictors of change in cannabis use status following legalization.

Pediatric Cardiovascular Multiscale Modeling using a Functional Mock-up Interface.

Purpose: Computational models of the cardiovascular system continue to increase in complexity. As more elements of the physiology are captured in multiscale models, there is a need to efficiently integrate subsystems. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a coupling methodology, called functional mock-up interface (FMI), as applied to multiscale cardiovascular modeling.

Prescribing practices for Proton pump inhibitors among primary care physicians in England.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) the most frequently prescribed drug class globally, are often overused.

Aim: To assess PPI prescribing practice in England.

Design & Setting: Electronic medical record (EMR) evaluation from 62 primary care GP practices.

Series Multiblood Pump Design With Dual Activation for Pediatric Patients With Heart Failure.

The translational development of pediatric ventricular assist devices (VADs) lags years behind adult device options, negatively impacting pediatric patient outcomes. To address this need, we are developing a novel, series-flow, double-blood pump VAD that integrates an axial and centrifugal pump into a single device. The axial pump is used for initial circulatory assistance in younger patients; then, an internal activation mechanism triggers the centrifugal pump to activate in line with the axial pump, providing additional pressure and flow to match pediatric patient growth cycles.

Early-life risperidone alters locomotor responses to apomorphine and quinpirole in adulthood.

An escalating trend of antipsychotic drug use in children with ADHD, disruptive behavior disorder, or mood disorders has raised concerns about the impact of these drugs on brain development. Since antipsychotics chiefly target dopamine receptors, it is important to assay the function of these receptors after early-life antipsychotic administration. Using rats as a model, we examined the effects of early-life risperidone, the most prescribed antipsychotic drug in children, on locomotor responses to the dopamine D/D receptor agonist, apomorphine, and the D/D receptor agonist, quinpirole.

Stakeholder endorsement advancing the implementation of a patient-reported domain for harms in rheumatology clinical trials: Outcome of the OMERACT Safety Working Group.

Objectives: To develop an understanding of the concept of safety/harms experienced by patients involved in clinical trials for their rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) and to seek input from the OMERACT community before moving forward to developing or selecting an outcome measurement instrument.

Methods: OMERACT 2023 presented and discussed interview results from 34 patients indicating that up to 171 items might be important for patients' harm-reporting.

Results: Domain was defined in detail and supported by qualitative work.

Next Generation Development of Hybrid Continuous Flow Pediatric Total Artificial Heart Technology: Design-Build-Test.

To address the unmet clinical need for pediatric circulatory support, we are developing an operationally versatile, hybrid, continuous-flow, total artificial heart ("Dragon Heart"). This device integrates a magnetically levitated axial and centrifugal blood pump. Here, we utilized a validated axial flow pump, and we focused on the development of the centrifugal pump.

Channel impeller design for centrifugal blood pump in hybrid pediatric total artificial heart: Modeling, magnet integration, and hydraulic experiments.

Background: The purpose of this research is to address ongoing device shortfalls for pediatric patients by developing a novel pediatric hybrid total artificial heart (TAH). The valveless magnetically-levitated MCS device (Dragon Heart) has only two moving parts, integrates an axial and centrifugal blood pump into a single device, and will occupy a compact footprint within the chest for the pediatric patient population.

Methods: Prior work on the Dragon Heart focused on the development of pump designs to achieve hemodynamic requirements.

Harm Minimization Training, Knowledge, and Behaviour of Canadian Casino Employees.

Casino employees regularly interact with problem and at-risk gamblers and thus have considerable potential to both prevent and reduce gambling-related harm. While harm minimization (HM) and responsible gambling (RG) are routinely espoused by the casino industry, the actual level of employee HM/RG training, knowledge, and behaviour is unknown. The present study investigated this issue in the Canadian context by examining employee surveys collected by the RG Check accreditation program (8,262 surveys from 78 Canadian casinos/racinos collected between 2011 and 2020).

Novel hybrid total artificial heart with integrated oxygenator.

There continues to be an unmet therapeutic need for an alternative treatment strategy for respiratory distress and lung disease. We are developing a portable cardiopulmonary support system that integrates an implantable oxygenator with a hybrid, dual-support, continuous-flow total artificial heart (TAH). The TAH has a centrifugal flow pump that is rotating about an axial flow pump.

Problem gambling severity, gambling behavior, substance use, and mental health in gamblers who do and do not use cannabis: Evidence from a Canadian national sample.

Introduction: Cannabis use frequently co-occurs with gambling, and evidence indicates that both acute and chronic cannabis use may influence gambling behavior. The primary aim of the present study was to further contribute to the literature on this relationship by examining data collected from a Canadian national study of gambling.

Methods: Respondents consisted of 10,054 Canadian gamblers recruited from Leger Opinion's (LEO) online panel.

Making Change: Attempts to Reduce or Stop Gambling in a General Population Sample of People Who Gamble.

Objective: This study examined past year attempts to reduce or quit gambling among people who gamble generally and those with gambling problems specifically.

Methods: Regular gamblers recruited from an online panel ( = 10,054) completed a survey of gambling, mental health and substance use comorbidity and attempts to reduce or quit gambling. The sample was weighted to match the gambling and demographic profile for the same subsample (i.

Challenges of prenatal diagnosis of fetal hypoplastic aortic arch and predication of the need for intervention.

Prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic aortic arch and coarctation of aorta is still challenging and remains one of the most difficult cardiac defects to diagnose. The results reveal a significant improvement of prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic arch and coarctation of aorta. The data also shows the significant overlapping of fetal aortic isthmus z score between the infants who need the arch procedure and those who do not.

Development of the Centrifugal Blood Pump for a Hybrid Continuous Flow Pediatric Total Artificial Heart: Model, Make, Measure.

Clinically-available blood pumps and total artificial hearts for pediatric patients continue to lag well behind those developed for adults. We are developing a hybrid, continuous-flow, magnetically levitated, pediatric total artificial heart (TAH). The hybrid TAH design integrates both an axial and centrifugal blood pump within a single, compact housing.

Etiology of problem gambling in Canada.

Objective: To conduct a large-scale national cohort study to identify the current etiological risk factors for problem gambling in Canada.

Method: A cohort of 10,119 Canadian gamblers completed a comprehensive self-administered online questionnaire in 2018 and were reassessed in 2019. At baseline, the sample contained 1,388 at-risk gamblers, 1,346 problem gamblers, and 2,710 with a major DSM-5 mental health disorder.

Invited commentary for: Essential role of cardiac computed tomography for surgical decision making in children with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and single ventricle.

Thousands of neonates are born each year with complex congenital heart defects, such as total anomalous pulmonary venous connection combined with single ventricle physiology. This dual diagnosis with significant vessel and ventricular complexity requires alternative additional imaging to fully visualize the anatomical challenge and devise the appropriate treatment strategy for the patient.

Technology landscape of pediatric mechanical circulatory support devices: A systematic review 2010-2021.

Background: Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, such as ventricular assist devices (VADs) and total artificial hearts (TAHs), have become a vital therapeutic option in the treatment of end-stage heart failure for adult patients. Such therapeutic options continue to be limited for pediatric patients. Clinicians initially adapted or scaled existing adult devices for pediatric patients; however, these adult devices are not designed to support the anatomical structure and varying flow capacities required for this population and are generally operated "off-design," which risks complications such as hemolysis and thrombosis.

Gambling in Canada During the COVID Lockdown: Prospective National Survey.

The current study investigated the impact of the COVID pandemic lockdown on gambling and problem gambling in Canada. The AGRI National Project's online panel participants (N = 3449) provided baseline gambling data 6 months prior to the pandemic. Re-surveying this sample during the lockdown provided an opportunity to make quantitative comparisons of the changes.

Responsible Gambling in Canada: An Analysis of the RG Check Patron Surveys.

This study analyzed the Responsible Gambling Check patron survey data from Canadian casinos and racinos collected from 2011-2019 (18,580 patrons and 75 venues). The results indicated increasing awareness and use over time of harm minimization tools among more frequent patrons. Despite these promising trends, it is concerning that a substantial percentage of gamblers are still unaware of the harm minimization tools available.

Invited commentary: A prospective randomized trial on parents' disease knowledge and quality of life. Shall WeChat about telehealth?

WeChat and access to wireless communication may offer a continuum of care following medical and surgical intervention. This cardiac surgery research study evaluates the process of parental education and social support following pediatric cardiac surgery utilizing standard of care compared to telehealth.