Classifications of haemodialysis vascular access stenosis: a scoping review.

Objectives: Vascular access (VA) stenoses play a significant role in the morbidity of the haemodialysed population. Classifications for diagnosis, assessment and proposal of treatment strategies can be useful clinical and methodological tools. This review aims to present a comprehensive summary and propose further methodological approaches.

A scoping review of the effectiveness of underwater treadmill exercise in clinical trials of chronic pain.

Objective: The objective of this scoping review was to investigate the available literature on physical and quality of life (QoL) outcomes of underwater treadmill exercise trials in clinical chronic pain samples.

Methods: A scoping search of studies of the effectiveness of underwater treadmill exercise trials from 1947 to 2024 was conducted using the following databases: EMBASE, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Cochrane Reviews. To be included, studies were required to have included adult participants living with chronic pain (defined as pain lasting for 3 months or longer) who participated in an active underwater treadmill exercise intervention.

Systematic review of the application of the Kidney Failure Risk Equation and Oxford classification in estimating prognosis in IgA Nephropathy.

Background: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis in the world and is an important cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure. Outcomes are heterogeneous, and accurate risk stratification is important to identify the highest risk individuals for treatment and to help prevent disease progression. The Oxford classification (OC) is an internationally adopted standard for renal biopsy reporting in IgAN, which measures the degree of histological abnormalities and predicts prognosis.

Leg Blood Flow During Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction: Evidence for and Implications of Compensatory Cardiovascular Mechanisms.

Proximal limb cuff inflation to 40% arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) is assumed to reduce exercising leg perfusion, creating "blood flow restriction" (BFR). However, no study has validated this assumption. 18 healthy young participants (9F) performed two-legged knee flexion/extension exercise at 25% WRpeak with bilateral cuffs applied to the proximal thigh at 0% AOP (CTL), 20% AOP and 40% AOP.

ESMO Global Consortium Study on the availability, out-of-pocket costs, and accessibility of cancer medicines: 2023 update.

Background: The availability and affordability of safe, effective cancer therapies are core requirements for effective cancer control. Global disparities exist in access, however, yielding unequal cancer outcomes. The goal of this study was to provide updated data regarding the formulary availability, out-of-pocket costs, and accessibility of cancer medicines in countries across the full spectrum of economic development areas.

Science tells us that portable air filters reduce infection risk. It's time for public health authorities to make this clear.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian public health advisors and politicians have shared mixed messages about the utility of portable air filters (PAFs) for mitigating the transmission of airborne infectious diseases. Some public health advisors and decision-makers have also suggested that PAFs are cumbersome or require expert advice. We take this opportunity to review evidence and address myths about PAFs.

Opening the black box: Think Aloud as a method to study the spontaneous stream of consciousness.

Asking participants to Think Aloud is a common method for studying conscious experience, but it remains unclear whether this approach alters thought qualities-such as meta-awareness, rate of topic shifts, or the content of thoughts in task-absent conditions. To investigate this, we conducted two studies comparing thinking aloud to thinking silently. In Study 1, 111 participants alternated between 15-minute intervals of verbalizing and silently reflecting on their stream of consciousness in a counterbalanced design.

Development of the Whole Day Matters Toolkit for Primary Care: a consensus-building study to mobilize national public health guidelines in practice.

Introduction: Strategic knowledge mobilization efforts are needed to enhance uptake and use of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines (24HMG), which describe optimal amounts of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep each day for overall health. The Whole Day Matters Toolkit for Primary Care is an evidence-informed resource to help primary care providers (PCPs) disseminate the 24HMGs. The purpose of this study was to describe gaining consensus on toolkit components through iterative revisions to improve its utility in preparation for the September 2022 launch, and to summarize early dissemination efforts.

Projecting the Current Salient Relational Situations Into the Past and Future Across Cultures.

The present research examined cultural differences in interpersonal memories and forecasts, situated in a currently salient positive or negative interpersonal context. We found that a negative focal event, compared to a positive one, led to more negative memories and forecasts of interpersonal encounters. The effect was stronger among Euro-Canadians than among Chinese.

The relationship of productivity-based wages to human rights and occupational justice - an exploratory study.

Background: Productivity-based wage systems are intended to enhance the labour market participation of people with disabilities. Limited scholarship exists regarding the impact of such policies in practice. This qualitative study explored stakeholder perspectives on the Australian Supported Wage System (SWS), including perceptions of fairness and equity.

Long-term memory plasticity in a decade-long connectivity study post anterior temporal lobe resection.

Approximately 40% of individuals undergoing anterior temporal lobe resection for temporal lobe epilepsy experience episodic memory decline. There has been a focus on early memory network changes; longer-term plasticity and its impact on memory function are unclear. Our study investigates neural mechanisms of memory recovery and network plasticity over nearly a decade post-surgery.

The co-occurrence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy among middle-aged and older adults in Canada: A cross-sectional study using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) and the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN).

Background: There is an increasing prevalence of multiple conditions (multimorbidity) and multiple medications (polypharmacy) across many populations. Previous literature has focused on the prevalence and impact of these health states separately, but there is a need to better understand their co-occurrence.

Methods And Findings: This study reported on multimorbidity and polypharmacy among middle-aged and older adults in two national datasets: the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) and the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN).

Formulation and evaluation of PVA-based composite hydrogels: physicochemical, leachables, and immunogenicity studies.

This study explores the formulation and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based composite hydrogels synthesized through solid-state crosslinking. Comprehensive assessments were conducted on their physicochemical properties, leachables, and immunogenicity. Swelling experiments demonstrated that the incorporation of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) enhanced water retention, while chitosan had a minimal effect on swelling behavior.

Effect of Plant Versus Animal Protein on Muscle Mass, Strength, Physical Performance, and Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Context: Dietary protein is recommended for sarcopenia-a debilitating condition of age-related loss of muscle mass and strength that affects 27% of older adults. The effects of protein on muscle health may depend on protein quality.

Objective: The aim was to synthesize randomized controlled trial (RCT) data comparing plant with animal protein for muscle health.

Impact of Financial Toxicity on the Health-Related Quality of Life and Financial Well-Being of Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Comparative Study of the United Kingdom and United States.

Background: This study investigated and compared the impact of financial toxicity (FT) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and financial well-being of cancer patients and survivors in the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US).

Methods: UK & US participants (n = 600) completed an online questionnaire that consisted of a validated FT instrument (COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity-COST), a standardised HRQoL instrument (EQ-5D-5L) and questions related to their financial well-being. Tobit regression models and descriptive statistics plus χ tests were used to analyse the association between FT and (i) HRQoL whilst controlling for sociodemographic characteristics; and (ii) financial well-being.

Distinct Behavioral Profiles and Neuronal Correlates of Heroin Vulnerability Versus Resiliency in a Multi-Symptomatic Model of Heroin Use Disorder in Rats.

Objective: The behavioral and diagnostic heterogeneity within the opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnosis is not readily captured in current animal models, limiting the translational relevance of the mechanistic research that is conducted in experimental animals. The authors hypothesized that a nonlinear clustering of OUD-like behavioral traits would capture population heterogeneity and yield subpopulations of OUD vulnerable rats with distinct behavioral and neurocircuit profiles.

Methods: Over 900 male and female heterogeneous stock rats, a line capturing genetic and behavioral heterogeneity present in humans, were assessed for several measures of heroin use and rewarded and non-rewarded seeking behaviors.

Bioorthogonal Synthesis of Biomimetic Nanoparticles for Screening Chemical Hazards in Food Samples.

The ability to identify unknown risks is the key to improving the level of food safety. However, the conventional nontargeted screening methods for new contaminant identification and risk assessment remain difficult work. Herein, a toxic-oriented screening platform based on high-expression epidermal growth factor receptor HEK293 cell membrane-coated magnetic nanoparticles (EGFR/MNPs) was first used for the discovery of unknown contaminants from food samples.

Virtual primary care for people living with dementia in Canada: cross-sectional surveys of patients, care partners, and family physicians.

Background: Virtual care (VC) for dementia in primary care settings is an important aspect of healthcare delivery in Canada. However, the evidence informing optimal and sustainable provision of VC for persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their care partners is scarce. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the frequency of VC use, (2) identify characteristics of PLWD, care partners, and family physicians (FPs) that are associated with the use of VC, and (3) explore FPs' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to provide VC for PLWD and their care partners.

Psychological detachment from work predicts mental wellbeing of working-age adults: Findings from the 'Wellbeing of the Workforce' (WoW) prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Background: There is an urgent need to better understand the factors that predict mental wellbeing in vocationally active adults during globally turbulent times.

Aim: To explore the relationship between psychological detachment from work (postulated as a key recovery activity from work) in the first national COVID-19 lockdown with health, wellbeing, and life satisfaction of working age-adults one year later, within the context of a global pandemic.

Methods: Wellbeing of the Workforce (WoW) was a prospective longitudinal cohort study, with two waves of data collection (Time 1, April-June 2020: T1 n = 337; Time 2, March-April 2021: T2 = 169) corresponding with the first and third national COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK.

Broken Symmetry and Elastic Frustration in Isostructural Spin Crossover Crystals.

Symmetry-breaking spin-state transitions in two of three isostructural salts of MnIII spin-crossover cations, [MnIII(3-OMe-5-NO2-sal2323)]+, with heavy anions are reported. The ReO4-  salt undergoes two-step spin crossover which is coupled with a re-entrant symmetry-breaking structural phase transition between a high temperature phase (S = 2, C2/c), an intermediate ordered phase (S = 1/S = 2, P21/c), and a low temperature phase (S = 1, C2/c). The AsF6-  complex undergoes an abrupt transition between a high temperature phase (S = 2, C2/c) and a low temperature ordered phase (S = 1/S = 2, P-1).

Mycotoxin exposure through the consumption of processed cereal food for children (< 5 years old) from rural households of Oshana, a region of Namibia.

Mycotoxin exposure from contaminated food is a significant global health issue, particularly among vulnerable children. Given limited data on mycotoxin exposure among Namibian children, this study investigated mycotoxin types and levels in foods, evaluated dietary mycotoxin exposure from processed cereal foods in children under age five from rural households in Oshana region, Namibia. Mycotoxins in cereal-based food samples (n = 162) (mahangu flour (n = 35), sorghum flour (n = 13), mahangu thin/thick porridge (n = 54), oshikundu (n = 56), and omungome (n = 4)) were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Non-native species have higher consumption rates than their native counterparts.

Non-native species can be major drivers of ecosystem alteration, especially through changes in trophic interactions. Successful non-native species have been predicted to have greater resource use efficiency relative to trophically analogous native species (the Resource Consumption Hypothesis), but rigorous evidence remains equivocal. Here, we tested this proposition quantitatively in a global meta-analysis of comparative functional response studies.