Improving radiographic diagnosis of pulpo-periodontal complications in primary molars by training: Application in education and clinical research.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess an original learning intervention to train students and paediatric dentistry teachers in radiographic diagnostic accuracy of pulpo-periodontal complications in primary molars.

Materials And Methods: The learning intervention was based on 250 different randomly ordered radiographs of primary molars within three quizzes (A, B and C) for 5 sessions (S): quiz A (50 X-rays), B and C (100 X-rays) were, respectively, completed in S1 to assess the extent of agreement with 5 experts' diagnoses, in S2 and S3 (B at days 8 and 23) and in S4 and S5 (C at days 90 and 105). During S1 and at the end of S3 and S5, the participants (48 students and 16 teachers) were informed of correct diagnoses.

Mechanisms and clinical implications of intervertebral disc calcification.

Low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is often associated with low back pain but is sometimes asymptomatic. IVD calcification is an often overlooked disc phenotype that might have considerable clinical impact.

Elective Total Hip Arthroplasties in Nonagenarians-Age Does Matter: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Study.

Background: The aim of this study is to assess the independent effect of age on the risk of postsurgical complications and death in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was used to identify all patients aged 65 years and older who underwent primary THA from 2011 to 2017. Study outcomes were minor complications, major life-threatening complications, and 30-day mortality.

The Rubber Hand Illusion: Top-down attention modulates embodiment.

The Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) creates distortions of body ownership through multimodal integration of somatosensory and visual inputs. This illusion largely rests on bottom-up (automatic multisensory and perceptual integration) mechanisms. However, the relative contribution from top-down factors, such as controlled processes involving attentional regulation, remains unclear.

Painful and non-painful comorbidities associated with short- and long-term painful temporomandibular disorders: A cross-sectional study among adolescents from Brazil, Canada and France.

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain is common among adolescents. The association between painful TMD and other comorbidities has been demonstrated. However, the difference between short-term (<6 months) and long-term (≥ 6 months) painful TMD is not yet clear.

Current Clinical Psychopharmacology in Borderline Personality Disorder.

Background: Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) manifest affective and behavioral symptoms causing personal distress, relationship difficulties, and reduced quality of life with global functioning impairment, mainly when the disease takes an unfavorable course. A substantial amount of healthcare costs is dedicated to addressing these issues. Many BPD patients receive medications, mostly those who do not respond to psychological interventions.

Adaptation to mitochondrial stress requires CHOP-directed tuning of ISR.

In response to disturbed mitochondrial gene expression and protein synthesis, an adaptive transcriptional response sharing a signature of the integrated stress response (ISR) is activated. We report an intricate interplay between three transcription factors regulating the mitochondrial stress response: CHOP, C/EBPβ, and ATF4. We show that CHOP acts as a rheostat that attenuates prolonged ISR, prevents unfavorable metabolic alterations, and postpones the onset of mitochondrial cardiomyopathy.

Tungsten accumulates in the intervertebral disc and vertebrae stimulating disc degeneration and upregulating markers of inflammation and pain.

Tungsten is incorporated in many industrial goods, military applications and medical devices due to its ability to impart flexibility, strength and conductance to materials. Emerging evidence has questioned the safety of tungsten exposure as studies have demonstrated it can promote tumour formation, induce pulmonary disease and alter immune function. Although tungsten is excreted from the body it can accumulate in certain organs such as the brain, colon, liver, kidneys, spleen and bones, where most of the bioaccumulation occurs.

Long-Term Outcome of Small Head Metal-On-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty: A 15-to-22 Year Follow-Up.

Background: The Metasul articular interface was a second-generation metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip arthroplasty (THA) that was introduced as a promising interface with improved manufacturing technology, better clearances, and enhanced metal hardness. In December 2001, the manufacturer recalled these implants due to the failure of cup osseointegration.

Methods: Between 1997 and 2004, 168 consecutive primary Metasul THAs were performed in 144 patients.

Islet neogenesis associated protein (INGAP) protects pancreatic β cells from IL-1β and IFNγ-induced apoptosis.

The goal of this study was to determine whether recombinant Islet NeoGenesis Associated Protein (rINGAP) and its active core, a pentadecapeptide INGAP (Ingap-p), protect β cells against cytokine-induced death. INGAP has been shown to induce islet neogenesis in diabetic animals, to stimulate β-cell proliferation and differentiation, and to improve islet survival and function. Importantly, Ingap-p has shown promising results in clinical trials for diabetes (phase I/II).

Viral hepatitis C cascade of care: A population-level comparison of immigrant and long-term residents.

Background & Aims: Viral hepatitis C represents a major global burden, particularly among immigrant-receiving countries such as Canada, where knowledge of disparities in hepatitis C virus among immigrant groups for micro-elimination efforts is lacking. We quantify the hepatitis C cascades of care among immigrants and long-term residents prior to the introduction of direct-acting antiviral medications.

Methods: Using laboratory and health administrative records, we described the hepatitis C virus cascades of care in terms of diagnosis, engagement with care, treatment initiation, and clearance in Ontario, Canada (1997-2014).

Risk of latent and active tuberculosis infection in travellers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Achieving tuberculosis (TB) elimination in low TB incidence countries requires identification and treatment of individuals at risk for latent TB infection (LTBI). Persons travelling to high TB incidence countries are potentially at risk for TB exposure. This systematic review and meta-analysis estimates incident LTBI and active TB among individuals travelling from low to higher TB incidence countries.

Positional and angular tracking of HDR Ir source for brachytherapy quality assurance using radiochromic film dosimetry.

Purpose: To quantify and verify the dosimetric impact of high-dose rate (HDR) source positional uncertainty in brachytherapy, and to introduce a model for three-dimensional (3D) position tracking of the HDR source based on a two-dimensional (2D) measurement. This model has been utilized for the development of a comprehensive source quality assurance (QA) method using radiochromic film (RCF) dosimetry including assessment of different digitization uncertainties.

Methods: An algorithm was developed and verified to generate 2D dose maps of the mHDR-V2 Ir source (Elekta, Veenendaal, Netherlands) based on the AAPM TG-43 formalism.

An empirical comparison of three methods for multiple cutoff diagnostic test meta-analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression screening tool using published data vs individual level data.

Selective cutoff reporting in primary diagnostic accuracy studies with continuous or ordinal data may result in biased estimates when meta-analyzing studies. Collecting individual participant data (IPD) and estimating accuracy across all relevant cutoffs for all studies can overcome such bias but is labour intensive. We meta-analyzed the diagnostic accuracy of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression screening tool.

Clinical Implication of Dosimetry Formalisms for Electronic Low-Energy Photon Intraoperative Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) using the INTRABEAM, a miniature x-ray source, has shown to be effective in treating breast cancer. However, recent investigations have suggested a significant deviation between the reported and delivered doses. In this work, the dose delivered by INTRABEAM in the TARGIT breast protocol was investigated, along with the dose from the Xoft Axxent, another source used in breast IORT.

Radiographic, Functional, and Oncologic Outcomes of Cemented Modular Proximal Femur Replacement Using the "French Paradox" Technique.

Background: Endoprostheses are frequently used in the management of tumors involving the proximal femur. Aseptic loosening is a common complication that has been linked to the cementing technique. The "French paradox" is well-known cementing technique in the arthroplasty literature.

Endoscopist-Directed Propofol as an Adjunct to Standard Sedation: A Canadian Experience.

Background: Sedation practices vary widely by region. In Canada, endoscopist-directed administration of a combination of fentanyl and midazolam is standard practice. A minority of cases are performed with propofol.

Access to psychotherapy for patients with personality disorders.

The best evidence for effective treatment of personality disorder supports the use of specialized forms of psychotherapy. However, these forms of treatment are generally unavailable in health care systems. This may be partly due to the expense of routinely offering long-term therapies.

The Influence of Lateral and Posterior Total Hip Arthroplasty Approaches on Muscle Activation and Joint Mechanics During Gait.

Background: Lateral and posterior total hip arthroplasty (THA) approaches disrupt muscle function, which could impact gait. The objectives of this study were to compare muscle activation and joint mechanics during gait, and isometric strength between participants after lateral and posterior THA approaches and healthy adults.

Methods: Participants 1 year post-THA from either lateral (n = 21) or posterior (n = 21) approaches, and healthy adults (n = 21) ambulated at self-selected speeds.

Antimicrobial use among adult inpatients at hospital sites within the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program: 2009 to 2016.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat to the world's ability to prevent and treat infections. Links between quantitative antibiotic use and the emergence of bacterial resistance are well documented. This study presents benchmark antimicrobial use (AMU) rates for inpatient adult populations in acute-care hospitals across Canada.

Link N suppresses interleukin-1β-induced biological effects on human osteoarthritic cartilage.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of diarthrodial joints associated with extracellular matrix proteolytic degradation under inflammatory conditions, pain and disability. Currently, there is no therapy to prevent, reverse or modulate the disease course. The present study aimed at evaluating the regenerative potential of Link N (LN) in human OA cartilage in an inflammatory milieu and determining if LN could affect pain-related behaviour in a knee OA mouse injury model.

Absence of VEGFR-1/Flt-1 signaling pathway in mice results in insensitivity to discogenic low back pain in an established disc injury mouse model.

Although degenerative disc disease (DDD) and related low back pain (LBP) are growing public health problems, the underlying disease mechanisms remain unclear. An increase in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in DDD has been reported. This study aimed to examine the role of VEGF receptors (VEGFRs) in DDD, using a mouse model of DDD.

Differential Diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder.

Purpose Of Review: Differentiating bipolar (BP) disorders (in particular BP II) from borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a common diagnostic dilemma. We sought to critically examine recent studies that considered clinical differences between BP II and BPD, which might advance their delineation.

Recent Findings: Recent studies focused on differentiating biological parameters-genetics, epigenetics, diurnal rhythms, structural and functional neuroimaging-with indicative differences not yet sufficient to guide diagnosis.