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.

CAR Practice Guideline on Bone Mineral Densitometry Reporting: 2024 Update.

This practice guideline serves as an update to the Canadian Association of Radiologists' 2013 Technical Standards for Bone Mineral Densitometry Reporting. It aims to align bone mineral density testing and reporting practices in Canada with current clinical best practices, including guidelines from Osteoporosis Canada and the International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Key updates include the endorsement of both FRAX and CAROC tools for evaluating fracture risk, guidance for analyzing male patients and transgender patients, and provision of clinical management guidance of relevance to BMD reporting harmonized with that of Osteoporosis Canada.

Examining the association between fentanyl use and perceived adequacy of methadone dose: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: People exposed to fentanyl may report that the dose of methadone in the commonly accepted therapeutic range feels too low. We examined self-reported methadone dose adequacy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of individuals prescribed methadone at a dose of at least 60mg daily using data from three community-recruited prospective cohort studies of people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada from December 2016 through March 2020.

Aortopulmonary Window in Adult Patient Operated on With Echocardiography Assessment.

Adult aortopulmonary window is a rare presentation of a rare disease; only a few cases are reported to have undergone successful surgical closure without development of Eisenmenger syndrome. We describe the second oldest patient, a 25-year-old woman, who underwent successful surgical repair of aortopulmonary window after favorable indirect measures on echocardiography without the "gold standard" preoperative cardiac catheterization study. At 2 months after the operation, the patient remains in New York Heart Association class II.

Sex differences in exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia and pulmonary edema following high-intensity exercise in highly trained endurance athletes.

This study investigated sex differences in the development of pulmonary edema and exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIAH) in well-trained endurance athletes during near-maximal exercise in a real-world setting. Twenty participants (10M vs. 10F; V̇Opeak: 69.

Acceptability and feasibility of integrating psychosocial stimulation interventions in the inpatient care of children with severe acute malnutrition in resource-poor settings: a qualitative study.

Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) are at risk of developmental problems. Psychosocial stimulation can improve the developmental outcomes of hospitalised children with SAM. However, the intervention has remained underutilised in health facilities in resource-poor settings.

Phenotypic identification of Metallo-ß- lactamase resistance Gram negative bacteria from a clinical specimen in Sidama, Ethiopia.

Background: Metallo-beta lactamase resistance is one of the carbapenem resistances that worsen the world nowadays. A new variant of carbapenem-resistant has only limited reports from Africa including Ethiopia. This study aimed to determine Metallo -ß- lactamase resistance Gram-negative bacteria in Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital January-June 2023.

Predictors of Cryptococcus gattii clinical presentation and outcome: An international study.

Background: Infection by Cryptococcus gattii can lead to pulmonary or central nervous system (CNS) disease, or both. Whether site of infection and disease severity are associated with C. gattii species and lineages or with certain underlying medical conditions, or both is unclear.

Machine-learning methodologies to predict disease progression in chronic hepatitis B in Africa.

Background: Little is known about the determinants of disease progression among African patients with chronic HBV infection.

Methods: We used machine-learning models with longitudinal data to establish predictive algorithms in a well-characterized cohort of Ethiopian HBV-infected patients without baseline liver fibrosis. Disease progression was defined as an increase in liver stiffness to >7.

Myocardial Fibroblast Activation After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Study.

Background: Myocardial fibrosis is a key healing response after myocardial infarction driven by activated fibroblasts. Gallium-68-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor ([Ga]-FAPI) is a novel positron-emitting radiotracer that binds activated fibroblasts.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the intensity, distribution, and time-course of fibroblast activation after acute myocardial infarction.

The Impact of HIV on B Cell Compartment and Its Implications for COVID-19 Vaccinations in People with HIV.

HIV causes intense polyclonal activation of B cells, resulting in increased numbers of spontaneously antibody-secreting cells in the circulation and hypergammaglobulinemia. It is accompanied by significant perturbations in various B cell subsets, such as increased frequencies of immature/transitional B cells, activated memory B cells, atypical memory B cells, short-lived plasmablasts and regulatory B cells, as well as by decreased frequencies of resting memory and resting naïve B cells. Furthermore, both memory and antigen-inexperienced naïve B cells show exhausted and immune-senescent phenotypes.

Detection of Rat Pain-Related Grooming Behaviors Using Multistream Recurrent Convolutional Networks on Day-Long Video Recordings.

In experimental pain studies involving animals, subjective pain reports are not feasible. Current methods for detecting pain-related behaviors rely on human observation, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, particularly for lengthy video recordings. Automating the quantification of these behaviors poses substantial challenges.

A case report on surgical management of glomus tympanicum and literature review.

Introduction: Glomus tympanicum is a benign tumor classified under the group glomus tumors, and is also known as paragangliomas.

Case Presentation: A 52 years old woman presented with unilateral pulsatile tinnitus and hearing loss. She had a visible reddish mass behind the eardrum; Temporal bone CT scans suggested middle ear mass secondary to Glomus Tympanicum tumors.

Propensity Score Analysis of Possible Medication Effects on Outcomes in Patients With Systemic Right Ventricles.

Background: Patients with systemic right ventricle (SRV), either d-transposition of the great arteries following an atrial switch procedure or congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, develop severe right ventricular dysfunction, prompting appropriate medical therapy. However, the efficacy of beta-blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) in SRV patients is unproven.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of ACEI/ARB and beta-blockers on outcomes in SRV patients after accounting for likely cofounders affecting their use.

Prevalence of hearing loss and factors associated with hearing loss in Ethiopia: findings from the 2023 National Ethiopia Hearing Survey.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of hearing loss in Ethiopia, considering socioeconomic conditions, regional variations and age-related impacts.

Design: Nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Data were collected from 2 February to 10 June 2023, covering all regions of Ethiopia except Tigray (due to security concerns).

Putative biomarkers of hepatic dysfunction in critically ill sepsis patients.

Sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Among the various types of end-organ damage associated with sepsis, hepatic injury is linked to significantly higher mortality rates compared to dysfunction in other organ systems. This study aimed to investigate potential biomarkers of hepatic injury in sepsis patients through a multi-center, case-control approach.

The use of patient-generated health data in the management of low anterior resection syndrome: a qualitative study.

Background: The cornerstone of low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) treatment is self-management, which requires patient engagement. Colorectal surgeons and nurses may use patient-generated health data (PGHD) to help guide patients in their use of self-management strategies for LARS. However, the perspectives of LARS experts on the use of PGHD remain largely unexplored.

Impact of Sheath Type on Vascular and Bleeding Complications After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Post Hoc Analysis From the MARVEL Registry Study.

Background: Vascular and bleeding complications remain a concern after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The impact of the sheath type on these complications remains unclear.

Methods: The prospective MARVEL registry study analyzed enrolled 500 patients undergoing large-bore transfemoral procedures and arteriotomy closure with the MANTA vascular closure device from 10 hospitals in Europe and Canada.

Patient acceptability of intra-amniotic digoxin versus intracardiac lidocaine for inducing foetal demise prior to second trimester medical abortion: a prospective cohort.

Objective: To compare patient acceptability of inducing foetal demise procedures between intracardiac lidocaine and intra-amniotic digoxin administration prior to second trimester medical abortion.

Methods: We enrolled a prospective cohort of women who received either intra-cardiac lidocaine or intra-amniotic digoxin during second trimester medical abortion at later gestation (20-28 weeks) at our centre between April 2023 and March 2024. Data were collected prospectively using a structured questionnaire.

Intraosseous and intravenous vascular access during adult cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To summarise evidence on the clinical effectiveness of initial vascular attempts via the intraosseous route compared to the intravenous route in adult cardiac arrest.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Embase (OVID platform), the Cochrane library, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from inception to September 4th 2024 for randomised clinical trials comparing the intraosseous route with the intravenous route in adult cardiac arrest. Our primary outcome was 30-day survival.

Problematic Internet use among resident physicians at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Problematic Internet use (PIU) is a growing concern in modern society. There is a limitation of epidemiologic data related to PIU. This is due to a lack of consensus on the definition and variability of assessment tools of PIU.

From Moral Distress to Moral Integrity: Qualitative Evaluation of a New Moral Conflict Assessment Tool.

Background: Moral distress affects the well-being of health care professionals and can lead to burnout and attrition. Assessing moral distress and taking action based on this assessment are important. A new moral conflict assessment (MCA) designed to prompt action was developed and tested.

Qualitative findings from North America's first drug compassion club.

In Canada, the ongoing fatal overdose crisis remains driven by the unpredictable potency and content of the illicit drug supply. From August 2022 until October 2023, the Drug User Liberation Front [DULF] operated a drug compassion club [CC], which sells drugs of known composition and purity without medical oversight. The present study is a qualitative evaluation of this project.