Quantitative US Delta Radiomics to Predict Radiation Response in Individuals with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose To investigate the role of quantitative US (QUS) radiomics data obtained after the 1st week of radiation therapy (RT) in predicting treatment response in individuals with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Materials and Methods This prospective study included 55 participants (21 with complete response [median age, 65 years {IQR: 47-80 years}, 20 male, one female; and 34 with incomplete response [median age, 59 years {IQR: 39-79 years}, 33 male, one female) with bulky node-positive HNSCC treated with curative-intent RT from January 2015 to October 2019. All participants received 70 Gy of radiation in 33-35 fractions over 6-7 weeks.

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and their neutralizing capacity against live virus in human milk after COVID-19 infection and vaccination: prospective cohort studies.

Background: There is limited understanding of the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and vaccination type and interval on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) human milk antibodies and their neutralizing capacity.

Objectives: These cohort studies aimed to determine the presence of antibodies and live virus neutralizing capacity in milk from females infected with COVID-19, unexposed milk bank donors, and vaccinated females and examine impacts of vaccine interval and type.

Methods: Milk was collected from participants infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy or lactation (Cohort-1) and milk bank donors (Cohort-2) from March 2020-July 2021 at 3 sequential 4-wk intervals and COVID-19 vaccinated participants with varying dose intervals (Cohort-3) (January-October 2021).

Interventions for Concerning Patient-Reported Outcomes in Routine Cancer Care: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Collecting patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in routine cancer care improves patient-clinician communication, decision making, and overall patient satisfaction. Recommendations exist regarding standardized ways to collect, store, and interpret PRO data. However, evidence on incorporating PROs into cancer process of care, especially the type of HIs that are warranted after observing a concerning PRO and the effectiveness of these HIs are lacking.

A pilot observational study of gait changes over time before and after an unplanned hospital visit in long-term care residents with dementia.

Background: Older adults with dementia living in long-term care (LTC) have high rates of hospitalization. Two common causes of unplanned hospital visits for LTC residents are deterioration in health status and falls. Early detection of health deterioration or increasing falls risk may present an opportunity to intervene and prevent hospitalization.

COVID Vaccine Hesitancy and Long-Term Traffic Risks.

Background: COVID vaccine hesitancy identifies a discrepancy between personal decisions and public guidelines. We tested whether COVID vaccine hesitancy was associated with the long-term risks of a traffic crash.

Methods: We conducted a population-based longitudinal cohort analysis of adults by determining COVID vaccination status through linkages to electronic medical records.

Reliability of force plate-based measures of standing balance in the sub-acute stage of post-stroke recovery.

Background: Difficulty controlling balance is one of the major contributors to the increased risk of falls among individuals with stroke. It is important to use reliable and objective measures to improve examination of balance impairments post-stroke, and to in turn inform clinical decision-making. The main objective of this study was to examine the relative and absolute reliabilities of force plate-based balance measures in quiet standing, in the sub-acute stage of stroke recovery.

Persistent post-COVID headache is associated with suppression of scale-free functional brain dynamics in non-hospitalized individuals.

Introduction: Post-acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome (PACS) is a growing concern, with headache being a particularly debilitating symptom with high prevalence. The long-term effects of COVID-19 and post-COVID headache on brain function remain poorly understood, particularly among non-hospitalized individuals. This study focused on the power-law scaling behavior of functional brain dynamics, indexed by the Hurst exponent (H).

A survey of Israeli physical therapists regarding reactive balance training.

Background: 'Reactive balance training' (RBT) was developed to improve balance reactions to unexpected losses of balance. Although this training method is effective, its practical usage in the field of physical-therapy in Israel and world-wide is still unclear.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the extent of RBT use in physical-therapy clinics in Israel, to identify the significant barriers to/facilitators for implementing RBT in clinical practice among physical therapists, and to determine which aspects of RBT most interest physical therapists in Israel.

A Dose of Reality About Dose-Response Relationships.

Observational research can be strengthened by examining potential dose-response relationships that correlate a clinical intervention with a patient outcome. Despite being a classic criterion for establishing causality, dose-response testing can be difficult to interpret in clinical medicine due to multiple diverse pitfalls. This review introduces a cautionary framework for investigators considering dose-response relationships in observational research to support evidence-based medicine.

Costs for Long-Term Health Care After a Police Shooting in Ontario, Canada.

Importance: Police shootings can cause serious acute injury, and knowledge of subsequent health outcomes may inform interventions to improve care.

Objective: To analyze long-term health care costs among survivors of police shootings compared with those surviving nonfirearm police enforcement injuries using a retrospective design.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This population-based cohort analysis identified adults (age ≥16 years) who were injured by police and required emergency medical care between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2022, in Ontario, Canada.

Detransition Narratives Trouble the Simple Attribution of Madness in Transantagonistic Contexts: A Qualitative Analysis of 16 Canadians' Experiences.

Emerging evidence suggests that transgender individuals are more likely than cisgender peers to receive a diagnosis with a primary mental disorder. Attributions of madness, though, may serve the social function of dismissing and discrediting transgender individual's self-perceptions. The narratives of individuals who stop or reverse an initial gender transition who also identify as living with mental health conditions can sometimes amplify these socio-political discourses about transgender people.

Self-harm among youth during the first 28 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada: a population-based study.

Background: Youth have reported worsening mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to evaluate rates of pediatric acute care visits for self-harm during the pandemic according to age, sex and mental health service use.

Methods: We conducted a population-based, repeated cross-sectional study using linked health administrative data sets to measure monthly rates of emergency department visits and hospital admissions for self-harm among youth aged 10-17 years between Jan.

The Effect of Reactive Balance Training on Falls in Daily Life: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Reactive balance training (RBT) is an emerging approach to reducing falls risk in people with balance impairments. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of RBT on falls in daily life among individuals at increased risk of falls and to document associated adverse events.

Methods: Databases searched were Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to March 2022), Embase Classic and Embase (1947 to March 2022), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2014 to March 2022), and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro; searched on 22 March 2022).

Stroke risk in women with atrial fibrillation.

Background And Aims: Female sex is associated with higher rates of stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) after adjustment for other CHA2DS2-VASc factors. This study aimed to describe sex differences in age and cardiovascular care to examine their relationship with stroke hazard in AF.

Methods: Population-based cohort study using administrative datasets of people aged ≥66 years diagnosed with AF in Ontario between 2007 and 2019.

COVID-19 deaths on weekends.

Background: Mortality statistics about daily deaths might change on weekends due to delays in reporting, uneven staffing, a different mix of personnel, or decreased efficiency. We hypothesized that reported deaths for COVID-19 might increase on weekends compared to weekdays.

Methods: We collected data from the World Health Organization COVID-19 database.

Linkage of whole genome sequencing and administrative health data in autism: A proof of concept study.

Whether genetic testing in autism can help understand longitudinal health outcomes and health service needs is unclear. The objective of this study was to determine whether carrying an autism-associated rare genetic variant is associated with differences in health system utilization by autistic children and youth. This retrospective cohort study examined 415 autistic children/youth who underwent genome sequencing and data collection through a translational neuroscience program (Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders Network).

Patient Perspectives on a Pilot Virtual Follow-up Program After Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) are a risk factor for future cardiovascular disease; therefore, follow-up and implementation of early interventions is recommended. We performed a qualitative study to assess the feasibility and user response to a mobile-health tool and virtual consultation aimed at educating people with an HDP on future cardiovascular risk, and at better understanding patients' priorities for postpartum care.

Methods: Participants with a history of an HDP in the past 5 years had access to an online educational tool and participated in a virtual consultation to discuss their cardiovascular risks after experiencing an HDP.