A novel "lateral approach short axis in-plane" technique vs. conventional "short-axis out-of-plane approach" for ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein access: a prospective randomized non-inferiority trial.

Background: The cannulation of the internal jugular vein (IJV) is a frequent procedure in critically ill patients. According to the guidelines, real-time ultrasound navigation is recommended. Traditional techniques pose several disadvantages, such as suboptimal needle visualization.

RNA Interference Approaches to Study Epidermal Cell Adhesion.

In this chapter, we provide a method for silencing target genes in epidermal cells via RNA interference. Specifically, we describe a protocol for transfection-mediated delivery of small interfering RNA oligonucleotides (siRNA). Functional assays are indispensable to characterize the biological consequences of gene knockdowns, and we also provide a method to analyze alterations in cell adhesion properties, consequent to knockdown of genes involved in this process.

Inequalities in relative cancer survival by race, immigration status, income, and education for 22 cancer sites in Canada, a cohort study.

There is a paucity of disaggregated data to monitor cancer health inequalities in Canada. We used data linkage to estimate site-specific cancer relative survival by race, immigration status, household income, and education level in Canada. We pooled the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohorts, which are linked datasets of 5.

Obstructive sleep apnea in bariatric surgery patients: a population-based study.

Purpose: A high proportion of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains undiagnosed. The main objectives of this study were to measure the prevalence of diagnosed OSA and determine OSA predictors in patients who underwent bariatric surgery, who are predominantly female and pre-menopausal and represent an understudied population in OSA literature.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional population-based study using the Ontario Bariatric Registry (OBR) from 2010 to 2016, linked to ICES databases which include health administrative data on all encounters within a single public-payer system.

Improving timing resolution of BGO for TOF-PET: a comparative analysis with and without deep learning.

Background: The renewed interest in BGO scintillators for TOF-PET is driven by the improved Cherenkov photon detection with new blue-sensitive SiPMs. However, the slower scintillation light from BGO causes significant time walk with leading edge discrimination (LED), which degrades the coincidence time resolution (CTR). To address this, a time walk correction (TWC) can be done by using the rise time measured with a second threshold.

Characterisation of intestinal amino acid and oleic acid absorption and their interaction in the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi).

Elasmobranchs are commonly carnivores and are important in energy transfer across marine ecosystems. Despite this, relatively few studies have examined the physiological underpinnings of nutrient acquisition in these animals. Here, we investigated the mechanisms of uptake at the spiral valve intestine for two representative amino acids (-alanine, -leucine) and one representative fatty acid (oleic acid), each common to the diet of a carnivore, the Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus suckleyi).

Latent Variable Analysis of Demographic and Clinical Drivers of Care Intensity Before Palliative Care Consultation Among Older Adult Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the older adult population, and palliative care consultation can assist in goals-of-care discussions. However, patterns of hospital care delivered before consultation are understudied for older adult patients with TBI. The objective of this study was to identify demographic and clinical drivers of preconsultation care intensity in this population.

Achieving High-Precision Attenuation Coefficient Measurement in Optical Coherence Tomography.

In this study, we aim to validate the analytical Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) equation for determining attenuation coefficients using a 1310 nm Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) system. Our experimental results successfully confirm the validity of the equation, achieving unprecedented precision with a standard deviation below 0.01 mm for intralipid samples.

A Novel Statistical Method for Unmasking Sex-Specific Genomics Signatures in Complex Traits.

Genotype-phenotype association studies have advanced our understanding of complex traits but often overlook sex-specific genetic signals. The growing awareness of sex-specific influences on human traits and diseases necessitates tailored statistical methodologies to dissect these genetic intricacies. Rare genetic variants play a significant role in disease development, often exhibiting stronger per-allele effects than common variants.

Psychometric Properties and Network Analysis of the Arabic Version of Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Scale-Short Version in Patients with Anxiety Disorders.

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of a short version of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ-S) among a sample of 700 patients with anxiety disorders (53.1% were female). Participants completed the RST-PQ-S, NEO-FFI, Positive Mental Health (PMH), and Kessler Psychological Distress scale.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and neuroimaging-based brain age in mild cognitive impairment and early dementia: A multicenter study.

Aim: Despite the clinical importance and significant social burden of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in dementia, the underlying neurobiological mechanism remains poorly understood. Recently, neuroimaging-derived brain-age estimation by machine-learning analysis has shown promise as an individual-level biomarker. We investigated the relationship between NPS and brain-age in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia.

Manuscript publication of abstracts presented at gynecologic surgery societies' annual meetings.

Purpose: To study characteristics and identify factors associated with full manuscript publication of oral abstracts presented at gynecologic surgery societies' annual meetings.

Study Design: We reviewed all oral abstracts presented at four major gynecologic surgery meetings in 2018. Oral abstracts subsequently published as peer-reviewed manuscripts were compared to those that were not published.

Identification and quantitative trait locus mapping of Tartary buckwheat pre-harvest sprouting.

Background: Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tartaricum) is particularly vulnerable to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) due to its extended flowering and fruiting cycle, especially during periods of prolonged rainfall. This susceptibility has significant adverse effects on yield, quality and post-harvest processing. In this study, a recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population (XJ-RILs) was developed from a cross between the PHS-susceptible Tartary buckwheat variety 'Xiaomiqiao' (female parent) and the highly PHS-resistant variety 'Jinqiaomai 2' (male parent).

Eligibility Criteria of Randomized Clinical Trials in Critical Care Medicine.

Importance: Eligibility criteria for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are designed to select clinically relevant patient populations. However, not all eligibility criteria are strongly justified, potentially excluding marginalized groups, and limiting the generalizability of trial findings.

Objective: To summarize and evaluate the justification of exclusion criteria in published RCTs in critical care medicine.

Real time monitoring of intrarenal pressures while using the flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath.

Purpose: To report on in-vivo intrarenal pressure (IRP) during flexible ureteroscopy for treatment of kidney stones while using the novel flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath (FANS).

Methods: A retrospective observational analysis was performed for 25 patients undergoing routine flexible ureteroscopy for treatment of renal stones between February 2024 and June 2024 from two centres in Canada. The LithoVue Elite™ ureteroscope (Boston Scientific Corp.

Outcomes of Cyclosporine Treatment in Pediatric Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DReSS): A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DReSS) is a rare but severe hypersensitivity reaction. This retrospective cohort study compared the efficacy of systemic corticosteroids, the current first-line therapy, with cyclosporine, an emerging alternative therapy, in pediatric DReSS patients. We analyzed 14 cases of pediatric patients (<18 years) admitted to The Hospital for Sick Children between January 2016 and September 2023.

Ancient reticulation, incomplete lineage sorting and the evolution of the pyrenoid at the dawn of hornwort diversification.

Background And Aims: Resolving the phylogeny of hornworts is critical in understanding the evolution of key morphological characters that are unique to the group, including the pyrenoid. Extensive phylogenomic analyses have revealed unexpected complexities in the placement of Leiosporoceros, the previously identified sister taxon to other hornworts. We explore the role of incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) and ancient reticulation in resolving interrelationships and comprehending the diversification and evolutionary processes within hornworts.

Gut decontamination in the poisoned patient.

Poisoning management includes gastrointestinal decontamination strategies to decrease the burden of poison entering the body and change the expected severe toxicity expected to a less toxic, more favourable outcome. Common modalities are orogastric lavage, oral-activated charcoal and whole-bowel irrigation. Endoscopic retrieval and laparotomy are rare options reserved for severe ingestions and body packers.

Changes in stress-related outcomes among graduate students following the Mindfulness Ambassador Program: A pilot study.

Objectives: Graduate students face numerous demands, high stress levels, and associated challenges to intra- and inter-personal relationships. Mindfulness may help to ease such challenging experiences. The Mindfulness Ambassador Program (MAP) is a promising group-based program that has not yet been studied among graduate students.

Pediatric erythromelalgia from multidisciplinary perspectives: a scoping review.

Erythromelalgia is a rare, chronic pain disorder characterized by the triad of intense burning sensation, warmth, and redness, primarily involving the hands and feet, and usually alleviated by cold and worsened by heat. The objective of this scoping review was to: 1) map the existing literature on erythromelalgia in youth, 2) identify knowledge gaps, and 3) inform directions for future research in pediatric erythromelalgia. One hundred and sixty-seven studies reporting 411 cases of childhood-onset erythromelalgia were identified.

Time series data on typhoid fever incidence during outbreaks from 2000 to 2022.

This article presents a comprehensive dataset compiling reported cases of typhoid fever from culture-confirmed outbreaks across various geographical locations from 2000 through 2022, categorized into daily, weekly, and monthly time series. The dataset was curated by identifying peer-reviewed epidemiological studies available in PubMed, OVID-Medline, and OVID-Embase. Time-series incidence data were extracted from plots using WebPlotDigitizer, followed by verification of a subset of the dataset.

Automated proximal coronary artery calcium identification using artificial intelligence: advancing cardiovascular risk assessment.

Aims: Proximal coronary artery calcium (CAC) may improve prediction of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) beyond the CAC score, particularly in patients with low CAC burden. We investigated whether the proximal CAC can be detected on gated cardiac computer tomography (CT) and whether it provides prognostic significance with artificial intelligence (AI).

Methods And Results: A total of 2016 asymptomatic adults with baseline CAC CT scans from a single site were followed up for MACE for 14 years.

Assessment of the Quality of Root Canal Fillings-An Ex-Vivo Comparison of CBCT Scans, Conventional Intraoral Sensors, and a Novel Photon-Counting Sensor.

Objectives: To compare a novel photon-counting sensor, two CBCT protocols and two CMOS sensors on the detection of gaps between a gutta-percha cone and root canal walls.

Methods: Twenty-five mandibular incisors were prepared to 45/.04 (size/taper) at working length.

Methods and Practical Considerations for Conducting Budget Impact Analysis for Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions.

Background: Health technology assessment (HTA) can be conducted at the national, provincial, or hospital level. Although provincial and hospital-based HTAs often focus on non-pharmaceutical interventions, budget impact analysis (BIA) methods for non-pharmaceutical interventions have received less attention in the literature.

Methods: We reviewed HTAs of non-pharmaceutical interventions published since 2015 by a Canadian provincial HTA agency, evaluating the characteristics and challenges of conducting a BIA.