A Canadian Perspective on Systemic Therapy for Recurrent or Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Although the majority of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) present with early-stage or locoregional disease that can be treated with definitive radiotherapy, approximately 20% of patients experience disease recurrence, and 15% present with metastatic disease that is not amenable to curative therapy. Management of patients with recurrent or metastatic (r/m) NPC who are not candidates for local salvage therapy is challenging in Canada, as there is uncertainty in extrapolating evidence that is largely generated from Southeast China to non-endemic regions such as Canada. Currently, treatment options in Canada are limited to chemotherapy regimens that can only achieve short-term response and prolongation of survival.

Perspectives of Women with Breast Cancer and Healthcare Providers Participating in an Adherence-Enhancing Program for Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) is prescribed for 5-10 years to women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer to prevent recurrence. However, a significant proportion of women do not adhere to AET. We developed SOIE, a one-year program designed to enhance the AET experience and adherence.

Guidelines for the Management of Complications of Diabetes in Saudi Arabia Using Delphi Technique for Consensus Among National Experts.

(1) Background: Saudi Arabia has one of the leading cases of diabetes globally, with approximately 27.8% of adults suffering from the disease. Given the negative consequences of diabetes mellitus (DM), it is critical to develop guidelines for its management.

Atrial Fibrillation Related Titin Truncation Is Associated With Atrial Myopathy in Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Disease Models.

Background: Protein-truncating mutations in the titin gene are associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation. However, little is known about the underlying pathophysiology.

Methods: We identified a heterozygous titin truncating variant (TTNtv) in a patient with unexplained early onset atrial fibrillation and normal ventricular function.

Novel Real-Time Fluoroscopic Assessment Method of Transcatheter Heart Valve Expansion Following Balloon-Expandable TAVR.

Background: Transcatheter heart valve (THV) underexpansion after transcatheter aortic valve replacement may be associated with worse outcomes. THV expansion can be assessed fluoroscopically using a pigtail for calibration; however, the accuracy of this technique specific to transcatheter aortic valve replacement is unknown. We assessed the accuracy and reproducibility of a novel fluoroscopic method to assess THV expansion using the THV commissural post for calibration.

Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST) science: Probing the transient and time-variable sky.

The study of transient and variable events, including novae, active galactic nuclei, and black hole binaries, has historically been a fruitful path for elucidating the evolutionary mechanisms of our universe. The study of such events in the millimeter and submillimeter is, however, still in its infancy. Submillimeter observations probe a variety of materials, such as optically thick dust, which are hard to study in other wavelengths.

Agricultural Landscape Genomics to Increase Crop Resilience.

Populations are continually adapting to their environment. Knowledge of which populations and individuals harbor unique and agriculturally useful variation has the potential to accelerate crop adaptation to the increasingly challenging environments predicted for the coming century. Landscape genomics, which identifies associations between environmental and genomic variation, provides a means for obtaining this knowledge.

Social-structural barriers to primary care among sex workers: findings from a community-based cohort in Vancouver, Canada (2014-2021).

Background: Due to social-structural marginalization, sex workers experience health inequities including a high prevalence of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, mental health disorders, trauma, and substance use, alongside a multitude of barriers to HIV and substance use services. Given limited evidence on sex workers' broader primary healthcare access, we aimed to examine social-structural factors associated with primary care use among sex workers over 7 years.

Methods: Data were derived from An Evaluation of Sex Workers Health Access (AESHA), a community-based open prospective cohort of women (cis and trans) sex workers in Metro Vancouver, from 2014 to 2021.

Abortion and contraception within prison health care: a qualitative study.

Background: Although abortion was completely decriminalized in Canada 36 years ago, barriers to pregnancy prevention and termination persist across the country, such as travel and information gaps. Research demonstrates incarcerated people face barriers to family planning care, yet there is no systematic data collection of sexual and reproductive health experiences and outcomes among incarcerated people in Canada. The aim of this study was to explore family planning care experiences among women and gender diverse people who have experienced incarceration in Canada.

Optimization of chemical transfection in airway epithelial cell lines.

Background: Chemical transfection is a widely employed technique in airway epithelium research, enabling the study of gene expression changes and effects. Additionally, it has been explored for its potential application in delivering gene therapies. Here, we characterize the transfection efficiency of EX-EGFP-Lv105, an EGFP-expressing plasmid into three cell lines commonly used to model the airway epithelium (1HAEo-, 16HBE14o-, and NCI-H292).

Covid-19 pandemic-related changes in teleworking, emotional exhaustion, and occupational burnout: a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted significant shifts to teleworking, raising questions about potential impacts on employee wellbeing. This study examined the association between self-reported changes to teleworking frequency (relative to before the pandemic) and two indicators of occupational burnout: emotional exhaustion and professionally diagnosed burnout.

Methods: Data were derived from two samples from a digital cohort study based in Geneva, Switzerland: one population-based, and one from a sample of workers who were likely mobilized in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Airspace closures due to reentering space objects.

Uncontrolled reentries of space objects create a collision risk with aircraft in flight. While the probability of a strike is low, the consequences could be catastrophic. Moreover, the risk is rising due to increases in both reentries and flights.

Physical activity, cathepsin B, and cognitive health.

Regular physical activity (PA) is beneficial for cognitive health, and cathepsin B (CTSB) - a protease released by skeletal muscle during PA - acts as a potential molecular mediator of this association. PA-induced metabolic and mechanical stress appears to increase plasma/serum CTSB levels. CTSB facilitates neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity in brain regions (e.

Perceived financial hardship and sleep in an adult population-based cohort: The mediating role of psychosocial and lifestyle-related factors.

Background: Social inequalities in sleep have been reported, but there is less research on the mechanisms underlying this association. This study investigates the relationship between financial hardship and sleep within the general adult population, focusing on the mediating effects of psychosocial and lifestyle-related factors.

Methods: We used data from the Specchio cohort, a population-based study in Geneva, Switzerland, initiated in December 2020.

Computational Nuclear Oncology Toward Precision Radiopharmaceutical Therapies: Ethical, Regulatory, and Socioeconomic Dimensions of Theranostic Digital Twins.

Computational nuclear oncology for precision radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is a new frontier for theranostic treatment personalization. A key strategy relies on the possibility to incorporate clinical, biomarker, image-based, and dosimetric information in theranostic digital twins (TDTs) of patients to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. The TDT framework enables treatment optimization by real-time monitoring of the real-world system, simulation of different treatment scenarios, and prediction of resulting treatment outcomes, as well as facilitating collaboration and knowledge sharing among health care professionals adopting a harmonized TDT.

Impact of interventions on mpox transmission during the 2022 outbreak in Canada: a mathematical modeling study of three different cities.

Objectives: The global mpox (clade II) outbreak of 2022 primarily affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) and was met with swift community and public health responses. We aimed to estimate the relative impact of changes in sexual behaviours, contact tracing/isolation, and first-dose vaccination on transmission in Canadian cities.

Methods: We estimated changes in sexual behaviours during the outbreak using 2022 data from the Engage Cohort Study which recruited self-identified GBM in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver (n=1,445).

Exposure experiments and machine learning revealed that personal care products can significantly increase transdermal exposure of SVOCs from the environment.

We investigated the impacts of personal care products (PCPs) on dermal exposure to semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), including phthalates, organophosphate esters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ultraviolet filters, and p-phenylenediamines, through an experiment from volunteers, explored the impact mechanisms of PCP ingredients on dermal exposure, and predicted the PCP effects on SVOC concentrations in human serum using machine learning. After applying PCPs, namely lotion, baby oil, sunscreen, and blemish balm, the dermal adsorption of SVOCs increased significantly by 1.63 ± 0.

The History and Advancement of Light, Lasers, and Energy-Based Devices in Dermatologic Surgery.

Background: From the theoretical foundations of laser and energy-based applications for the skin to the development of advanced medical devices, the field of dermatologic surgery has undergone transformative changes.

Objective: To review the scientific and clinical advancement of laser and energy-based therapies within dermatologic surgery.

Materials And Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify important scientific advancements and landmark studies on light, laser, and energy-based devices within the field of dermatologic surgery.

A Canadian real-world, multi-center, prospective, observational study assessing the treatment duration, the treatment sequence, and the overall survival for patients treated with endocrine therapy ± targeted therapy in HR + HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.

Purpose: Understanding real-world treatment patterns and their effectiveness in HR + HER2- advanced breast cancer (aBC) in Canadian patients.

Patient And Methods: This was a multi-center, observational, prospective cohort study including men and pre-/peri-/postmenopausal women with HR + HER2- aBC receiving endocrine therapy (ET) or ET + targeted therapy (ET + TT). The primary objective was duration of treatment (DOT) with ET and ET + TT.

Mitochondrial injury and complement dysregulation are drivers of pathological inflammation in viral myocarditis.

Unlabelled: Enteroviruses cause nearly 1 billion global infections annually and are associated with a diverse array of human illnesses. Among these, myocarditis and the resulting chronic inflammation have been recognized as major contributing factors to virus-induced heart failure. Despite our growing understanding, very limited therapeutic strategies have been developed to address the pathological consequences of virus-induced chronic innate immune activation.

Interest in Injectable and Oral PrEP for HIV Prevention Among Women and Men Who Inject Drugs.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Women who inject are a particularly vulnerable group. Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective, but access and uptake has been limited.

Consensus on Safe Initiation and Monitoring of Transanal Irrigation to Optimize Adherence With Therapy.

Background: Transanal irrigation is a well-established minimally invasive therapy that addresses symptoms of both constipation and incontinence. The therapy has been extended from just neurogenic bowel dysfunction patients to those with disorders of brain-gut interaction and postsurgical conditions.

Aim: To summarized the literature on transanal irrigation and update the contraindication profile.

Minimising inhaled corticosteroids for COPD.

This Therapeutic Letter considers the evidence for inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as a treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Drug therapy aims to alleviate symptoms, enhance functional capacity and prevent exacerbations, but has not consistently shown to reduce mortality or improve quality of life based on randomised trials.Inhaled corticosteroids have shown limited benefits for COPD symptoms and exacerbations but increased risks of serious harms.