Simplified Approach to Managing Newly Diagnosed Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Hypertension in Routine Clinical Practice.

Introduction: The aim of the observational SIMPLE study was to assess real-life effectiveness and safety of a single-pill combination (SPC) of perindopril arginine/amlodipine in a broad range of subjects with newly diagnosed mild-to-moderate hypertension treated in Canadian general practice.

Methods: Treatment-naïve participants aged 18-65 years with mild-to-moderate hypertension, whose physicians decided to initiate the perindopril/amlodipine SPC, were recruited from Canadian clinical practice from October 2017 to February 2019. Participants were followed at 3- (M3) and 6-month (M6) visits after treatment initiation.

Comparative Effectiveness of Fluticasone Furoate/Umeclidinium/Vilanterol and Budesonide/Glycopyrrolate/Formoterol Fumarate among US Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with exacerbations which can reduce quality of life and increase mortality. Single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT) is recommended for maintenance treatment of COPD among patients experiencing exacerbations despite dual-therapy use. This real-world comparative effectiveness study compared the impact of SITTs, fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI), and budesonide/glycopyrrolate/formoterol fumarate (BUD/GLY/FORM), on COPD exacerbations and mortality.

Diagnostic and prognostic potential of left atrial strain in cardiovascular disease: a narrative review.

Left atrial strain (LAS) was recently introduced as a parameter that reflects on left atrial function. Consequently, changes in LAS can inform the development of cardiovascular diseases, hence providing a window for non-invasive and cost-effective testing of these diseases and their complications at early stages of development, potentially offering a segway towards preventive interventions. LAS has yet to be implemented into standard practice.

Year in Review: Novel Insights in the Pathogenesis of Spondyloarthritis - SPARTAN 2024 Annual Meeting Proceedings.

Purpose Of Review: The canonical pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis (SpA) involves inflammation driven by HLA-B27, type 3 immunity, and gut microbial dysregulation. This review based on information presented at the SPARTAN meeting highlights studies on the pathogenesis of SpA from the past year, focusing on emerging mechanisms such as the roles of microbe-derived metabolites, microRNAs (miRNAs) and cytokines in plasma exosomes, specific T cell subsets, and neutrophils.

Recent Findings: The induction of arthritis in a preclinical model through microbiota-driven alterations in tryptophan catabolism provides new insights as to how intestinal dysbiosis may activate disease via the gut-joint axis.

De-essentializing racial pain: Stories of Filipino health care workers.

This article focuses on findings of a qualitative research study that looked at experiences of Filipino healthcare workers in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose is to contribute to the growing body of literature on mental health among racialized frontline healthcare workers in Canada by investigating factors that affect mental health and barriers associated with accessing services and supports among Filipino healthcare workers in Ontario, Canada. The study employed a cross-sectional qualitative descriptive design to identify strategies that Filipino frontline healthcare workers use to effectively cope with mental health issues, work stress, and structural and economic barriers to their well-being.

Weather and Marine Aquaculture Workers' Safety in Atlantic Canada.

Objective: Marine aquaculture workers are at high risk of injury and fatalities. Understanding the role of weather in occupational safety and health (OSH) in marine aquaculture is important for work design, planning, and for safety management and hazard reduction, but there is limited research on this subject.

Methods: Using findings from a review of research and grey literature and from key informant interviews and roundtable discussions in Atlantic Canada, this paper explores the impact of weather-driven hazards on marine aquaculture in Northern and temperate regions, along with the strategies employed to mitigate these impacts.

Acoustic Exaggeration Enhances Speech Discrimination in Young Autistic Children.

Child-directed speech (CDS), which amplifies acoustic and social features of speech during interactions with young children, promotes typical phonetic and language development. In autism, both behavioral and brain data indicate reduced sensitivity to human speech, which predicts absent, decreased, or atypical benefits of exaggerated speech signals such as CDS. This study investigates the impact of exaggerated fundamental frequency (F0) and voice-onset time on the neural processing of speech sounds in 22 Chinese-speaking autistic children aged 2-7 years old with a history of speech delays, compared with 25 typically developing (TD) peers.

From spastic paraplegia to infantile neurodegenerative disorder: Expanding the phenotypic spectrum associated with biallelic SPAST variants.

Purpose: Heterozygous pathogenic variants in SPAST are known to cause Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia 4 (SPG4), the most common form of HSP, characterized by progressive bilateral lower limbs spasticity with frequent sphincter disorders. However, there are very few descriptions in the literature of patients carrying biallelic variants in SPAST.

Methods: Targeted Sanger sequencing, panel sequencing and exome sequencing were used to identify the genetic causes in 9 patients from 6 unrelated families with symptoms of HSP or infantile neurodegenerative disorder.

Complications that arise with nasogastric tubes after hospitalization in the pediatric population: A mixed methods systematic review.

Children use nasogastric tubes (NGTs) to ensure optimum nutrition and medication delivery when oral feeding fails or when they experience faltering growth. Although this method is less invasive, children may experience complications associated with NGTs. There is a gap in the literature regarding the types and prevention of complications of NGTs in the pediatric population at home.

Allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disorder that is strongly linked to asthma and conjunctivitis. Classic symptoms include nasal congestion, nasal itch, rhinorrhea and sneezing. A thorough history, physical examination and assessment of allergen sensitization are important for establishing the diagnosis of AR.

Ca signaling in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in blood vessel remodeling: a review.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) act together to regulate blood pressure and systemic blood flow by appropriately adjusting blood vessel diameter in response to biochemical or biomechanical stimuli. Ion channels that are expressed in these cells regulate membrane potential and cytosolic Ca concentration ([Ca]) in response to such stimuli. The subsets of these ion channels involved in Ca signaling often form molecular complexes with intracellular molecules via scaffolding proteins.

Fully-automated segmentation of muscle and inter-/intra-muscular fat from magnetic resonance images of calves and thighs: an open-source workflow in Python.

Background: INTER- and INTRAmuscular fat (IMF) is elevated in high metabolic states and can promote inflammation. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) excels in depicting IMF, the lack of reproducible tools prevents the ability to measure change and track intervention success.

Methods: We detail an open-source fully-automated iterative threshold-seeking algorithm (ITSA) for segmenting IMF from T1-weighted MRI of the calf and thigh within three cohorts (CaMos Hamilton (N = 54), AMBERS (N = 280), OAI (N = 105)) selecting adults 45-85 years of age.

Engaging older adults in the process of aging research: a multimethod study evaluating the experience and efficacy of a citizen advisory group for a dementia risk reduction program.

Background: Collaborative research with end-users is an effective way to generate meaningful research applications and support greater impact on practice and knowledge exchange. To address these needs, a Citizen Advisory Group (CAG) of nine older adults (ages 64-80, 67% women) was formed to advise scientists on the development of Brain Health PRO (BHPro), a web-based platform designed to increase dementia prevention literacy and awareness. The current study evaluated if the CAG met its objectives, how inclusion of the CAG aligned with collaborative research approaches, and the CAG's experience and satisfaction throughout the development process.

Exploring the neurobiological correlates of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in eating disorders: a review of potential methodologies and implications for the psychedelic study design.

Eating disorders (EDs) are a group of debilitating mental illnesses characterized by maladaptive eating behaviors and severe cognitive-emotional dysfunction, directly affecting 1-3% of the population. Standard treatments are not effective in approximately one third of ED cases, representing the need for scientific advancement. There is emerging evidence for the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) to improve treatment outcomes in individuals with EDs.

Enrolment patterns in a randomized controlled trial of probiotics in critically ill patients: a retrospective analysis of the PROSPECT trial.

Background: Understanding site-related factors that influence enrolment within multicenter randomized controlled trials (RCT) may help reduce trial delays and cost over-runs and prevent early trial discontinuation. In this analysis of PROSPECT (Probiotics: Prevention of Severe Pneumonia and Endotracheal Colonization Trial), we describe patient enrolment patterns and examine factors influencing site-based monthly enrolment.

Design: Retrospective analysis of a multicenter RCT.

Stakeholder perceptions and experiences of competency-based training with entrustable professional activities (SPECTRE): protocol of a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research.

Background: Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) aims to align educational outcomes with the demands of modern healthcare. Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) serve as key tools for feedback and professional development within CBME. With the growing body of literature on EPAs, there is a need to synthesize existing research on stakeholders' experiences and perceptions to enhance understanding of the implementation and impact of EPAs.

CD57 EMRA CD8 T cells in cancer patients over 70: associations with prior chemotherapy and response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.

Background: Immune ageing complicates cancer treatment in older individuals. While immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway can reinvigorate T cells, these cells tend to become senescent with age. This study investigates different CD8 T cell subsets usually associated with senescence, in cancer patients over 70 years old who are undergoing anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, and examines the relationship between these senescent cells and prior chemotherapy exposure.

Assessing the impact of the iPeer2Peer program for adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial.

Background: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is a chronic pediatric illness, whereby youth experience physical, emotional and psychosocial challenges that result in reduced health related quality of life (HRQL). Peer mentoring has been shown to improve disease self-management in adults with chronic conditions, with mixed results in younger populations. Building on our pilot work - which supported the feasibility and initial effectiveness of the iPeer2Peer program - the objective of this study was to assess the clinical effectiveness of the program in youth with JIA through a waitlist randomized controlled trial.

Sensory neuropathy in patients with Pompe disease: a case series in Iran.

Background: Pompe disease is a glycogen storage disease primarily affecting striated muscles. Despite its main manifestation in muscles, patients with Pompe disease may exhibit non-muscle symptoms, such as hearing loss, suggesting potential involvement of sensory organs or the nervous system due to glycogen accumulation.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the presence of concomitant small and large fiber neuropathy in patients with Pompe disease.

Molecular profiles of blood from numerous species that differ in sensitivity to acute inflammation.

Vertebrates differ over 100,000-fold in responses to pro-inflammatory agonists such as bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), complicating use of animal models to study human sepsis or inflammatory disorders. We compared transcriptomes of resting and LPS-exposed blood from six LPS-sensitive species (rabbit, pig, sheep, cow, chimpanzee, human) and four LPS-resilient species (mice, rats, baboon, rhesus), as well as plasma proteomes and lipidomes. Unexpectedly, at baseline, sensitive species already had enhanced expression of LPS-responsive genes relative to resilient species.

Risk of glaucoma with bisphosphonate use in patients with osteoporosis: a case-control study.

Purpose: Bisphosphonates (BPs) are first line agents commonly used in the management of osteoporosis. There have been two case reports that have suggested a possible link between BPs and acute angle closure (AAC). In the absence of any large epidemiologic studies, we sought to determine the risk of AAC and OAG with bisphosphonate use in patients with osteoporosis.

Enrolment characteristics in age-related macular degeneration clinical trials: a cross-sectional study.

Background/objectives: To investigate demographic enrolment characteristics in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) trials.

Subjects/methods: Clinicaltrials.gov was searched with "age-related macular degeneration" to identify RCTs with double, triple, or quadruple masking.

Perioperative Changes in Serum Transaminases Levels Predicts Long-Term Survival Following Liver Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: We sought to define whether and how hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) as manifested by perioperative aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) levels impact long-term outcomes after curative-intent resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Patients And Methods: Intrasplenic injection of HCC cells was used to establish a murine model of HCC recurrence with versus without I/R injury. Patients who underwent curative resection for HCC were identified from a multi-institutional derivative cohort (DC) and separate external validation (VC) cohort.