The impact of genetic counselor involvement in genetic and genomic test order review: A scoping review.

Purpose: The increasing complexity of genetic technologies paired with more genetic tests being ordered by nongenetic healthcare providers, has resulted in an increase in the number of inappropriately ordered tests. Genetic counselors (GCs) are ideally suited to assess the appropriateness of a genetic test.

Methods: We performed a scoping review of GC involvement in utilization management initiatives in order to describe the impact of having GCs involved in this process.

Parental experiences of caring for their preschool children after declining vaccines: a qualitative systematic review.

Objective: This review synthesizes qualitative research about the experiences of parental caregivers enhancing their children's health after making the decision to not vaccinate their preschool children. This review aims to help health care providers understand the parental work involved in caring for under-vaccinated or unvaccinated children.

Introduction: Much of the current qualitative research literature about parents who are vaccine-hesitant or who decide not to vaccinate their children focuses on parental perceptions about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and decision-making.

Impact of Frailty on Antihypertensive Treatment in Older Adults.

Background: The association between systolic blood pressure and all-cause mortality differs between frail and nonfrail individuals, highlighting uncertainties about the effectiveness of antihypertensive treatments in frail populations.

Methods: Using data from the SHEP trial (Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program), a baseline frailty index (FI), including 55 variables, was constructed. Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to explore the association between baseline FI and the risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause death, as well as to examine whether the impact of antihypertensive treatment on these outcomes was modified by baseline FI.

The aerial epidermis is a major site of quinolizidine alkaloid biosynthesis in narrow-leafed lupin.

Lupins are promising protein crops that accumulate toxic quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs) in the seeds, complicating their end-use. QAs are synthesized in green organs (leaves, stems, and pods) and a subset of them is transported to the seeds during fruit development. The exact sites of biosynthesis and accumulation remain unknown; however, mesophyll cells have been proposed as sources, and epidermal cells as sinks.

Immunogenicity of bivalent versus monovalent mRNA booster vaccination among adult paramedics in Canada who had received three prior mRNA wild-type doses.

Comparative immunogenicity from different mRNA booster vaccines (directed at WT, BA.1 or BA.4/5 antigens) remains unclear.

The Safety of Multiple-Dose Liquid Blend Containing Kava and Kratom in Healthy Adults.

This study investigates the safety of three different daily dosages of a liquid blend containing kava and kratom (Feel Free® Classic Tonic {FFCT}) in healthy adults over six consecutive days of supplementation. Both kava and kratom have been used traditionally for hundreds of years, but there is limited data on the combined safety of these ingredients. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the participants were assigned to receive one of three daily dosages of FFCT or placebo.

Heterogeneous knowledge of childhood seizures and epilepsy care in Canadian healthcare Providers: Identifying the gaps.

Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological condition in children. Many barriers exist in early recognition which cause delay in care and impact quality of life. Some of these children require advanced treatments which are underutilized due to lack of education, awareness and referrals.

Teaching high quality paediatric basic life support to laypeople: The development and evaluation of a virtual simulation game.

Background: Self-directed training has been recognized as a reasonable alternative to traditional instructor-led formats to teach laypeople Basic Life Support (BLS). Virtual tools can facilitate high-quality self-directed resuscitation education; however, their role in teaching paediatric BLS remains unclear due to limited empiric evaluation and suboptimal design of existing tools.

Aim: We describe the development and evaluation of a virtual simulation game (VSG) designed to teach high-quality paediatric BLS using a self-directed, online format with integrated deliberate practice and feedback.

International trends in the implementation of assessment for learning : Implications for policy and practice in a post-COVID world.

This paper discusses the evolution of assessment for learning (AfL) across the globe with particular attention given to Western educational jurisdictions. Scholars from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, and the United States discuss prominent assessment reforms within their respective countries over the last decade. Particular attention is given to the impact of the pandemic as well as technological developments for classroom assessment policies and practices.

Outcomes following resective and disconnective strategies in the treatment of epileptic spasms: a systematic review of the literature and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Epileptic spasms (ES) are a unique seizure type typically presenting in the form of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) with characteristic hypsarrhythmia on scalp EEG and a preponderance with developmental delay or regression. While pharmacotherapy is the mainstay of treatment, surgical options, including disconnective or resective procedures, are increasingly recognized as viable therapeutic options for recurrent or persistent ES. However, limited data on safety, effectiveness, and prognostic factors hinder informed decision-making regarding surgery indications, timing, and intervention type.

Real-time evaluation of an automated computer vision system to monitor pain behavior in older adults.

Regular use of standardized observational tools to assess nonverbal pain behaviors results in improved pain care for older adults with severe dementia. While frequent monitoring of pain behaviors in long-term care (LTC) is constrained by resource limitations, computer vision technology has the potential to mitigate these challenges. A computerized algorithm designed to assess pain behavior in older adults with and without dementia was recently developed and validated using video recordings.

Photo-curing hyaluronic acid-Janus antibacterial packs as O generator precisely modulate the infectious microenvironment for antibiotic-free periodontal therapy.

Periodontal disease stands the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. While scaling and root planning is considered the "gold standard" treatment, it is often insufficient in efficiently eliminating anaerobic bacteria from deep periodontal pockets. In this work, an antibiotic-free and photo-curing hyaluronic acid-Janus (H-Janus) antibacterial pack was developed to inhibit the growth and colonization of residual bacteria within the pockets for reducing the recurrence of periodontitis.

Assessment of inappropriate use of antibiotics and contributing factors in Awi Administrative Zone, Northwestern Amhara regional State, Ethiopia.

Objectives: Antibiotic misuse is regarded as the single most significant factor contributing to resistance. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and risk variables linked to the inappropriate use of antibiotics in urban and rural districts of the Awi administrative zone community.

Methods: A total of 1194 rural and urban families, including individuals of various ages and genders from the study area were selected by a multistage stratified random sampling method for a comparative cross-sectional study conducted between December 2022 and June 2023.

[Perceived effect of a training activity for medical students in community organizations].

Background: Community service-learning activities (CSL) have been integrated into medical schools for several years. However, little data exists to understand the impact of this type of activity on students and communities. The purpose of this research was to explore the effect of a mandatory community-based training activity offered to medical students.

Use the right words: evaluating the effect of word choice and word count on quality of narrative feedback in ophthalmology competency-based medical education assessments.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of word choice on the quality of narrative feedback in ophthalmology resident trainee assessments following the introduction of competency-based medical education at Queen's University.

Methods: Assessment data from July 2017-December 2020 were retrieved from Elentra (Integrated Teaching and Learning Platform) and anonymized. Written feedback was assigned a Quality of Assessment for Learning (QuAL) score out of five based on this previously validated rubric.

The Psychiatry Information Card: a pocket resource to assist students' transition into psychiatry clerkship.

Implication Statement The Psychiatry Information Card (PIC) offers a practical, structured concise resource to enhance medical students' confidence, knowledge, and self-reflection during psychiatry rotations. Its utility lies in providing targeted support for students navigating the transition from classroom learning to clinical practice, and addressing specific challenges encountered during this critical phase of medical education. By offering accessible and relevant information aligned with rotation objectives, the PIC increased knowledge pre and post rotation, and enhanced the learning experience.

Trends in female applicants to Canadian ophthalmology residency programs from 1998-2020.

Background: Ophthalmology has historically been a male-dominated specialty. Despite there being a higher proportion of females in Canadian medical schools since the early 2000s, it is unknown if trends in female applicants and those accepted to ophthalmology have followed suit. This study aims to evaluate trends in gender representation of ophthalmology applicants to Canadian residency programs from 1998 to 2020 and to compare those trends to other surgical specialties.

Creating a national breastfeeding and lactation policy for Canadian surgical residents.

Background: Despite known benefits of breastfeeding and challenges medical trainees face lactating at work, research specific to Canadian surgical trainees is lacking. Our objectives were to examine existing breastfeeding and lactation policies, query experiences and opinions of surgical trainees and program directors, and propose a comprehensive policy for programs nation-wide.

Methods: A multi-disciplinary team developed this two-part study.

Virtual patients with substance use disorders in healthcare professional education: a scoping review.

Background And Objective: Virtual patient simulations are cost-effective methods for training health professionals. Yet, this teaching method is rarely used with clinicians who work or plan on working with people with substance use disorders. This scoping review summarizes the current state of the literature concerning virtual substance use disorder patient simulations in health professionals' training and provides suggestions for future directions.