Craniofacial Pain Locations and Outcomes After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Unilateral Sphenoid Sinusitis: A Multi-Institutional Study.

Introduction: Unilateral sphenoid sinus opacification on computed tomography is caused by a variety of pathologies including inflammatory and infectious sinusitis, benign and malignant tumors, and encephaloceles. The purpose of this study was to report craniofacial pain locations and outcomes in inflammatory unilateral sphenoid sinusitis (USS) patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).

Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective cohort study was conducted on all adult patients who had ESS for USS from 2015 to 2022.

International Consensus Guidance for the Management of Glucocorticoid Related Complications in Neuromuscular Disease.

Introduction/aims: Glucocorticoid (GC)-related adverse reactions and risks are commonly seen during the treatment of immune-mediated and inflammatory neuromuscular disorders. There is wide variation in the management of associated complications. The aim of this study is to develop international consensus guidance on the management of GC-related complications in neuromuscular disorders.

Effects of brexpiprazole on patient life engagement in schizophrenia: analysis of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale data.

Objective: Patients with schizophrenia value improved life engagement, a term that describes positive health aspects across emotional, physical, social, and cognitive domains. This analysis of clinical trial data aimed to investigate the effect of brexpiprazole on patient life engagement in schizophrenia over the short and long term.

Methods: Data were pooled from three 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials (ClinicalTrials.

Stratifying vascular disease patients into homogeneous subgroups using machine learning and FLAIR MRI biomarkers.

This study proposes a framework to stratify vascular disease patients based on brain health and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) risk using regional FLAIR biomarkers. Intensity and texture biomarkers were extracted from FLAIR volumes of 379 atherosclerosis patients. K-Means clustering identified five homogeneous subgroups.

Emerging Therapeutic Modalities and Pharmacotherapies in Neuropathic Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Parallel Randomized Controlled Trials.

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic condition caused by abnormal neuronal excitability in the nervous system. Current treatments for NP are often ineffective or poorly tolerated. Hence, we reviewed the efficacy and safety of novel drugs or devices that target neuronal excitability in NP patients compared with placebo, sham, or usual care interventions.

Sulfonated White-Graphene for High-Performance Gel Polymer Electrolytes: The Interplay between Ion Conductivity and Rheology.

Research into flexible solid-state supercapacitors for wearable electronics focuses on achieving high performance and safety. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are preferred over fully solid-state electrolytes due to their better ionic conductivity while addressing safety concerns associated with liquid electrolytes. This study aims to enhance high-performance gel polymer electrolytes (HP-GPEs) by improving the ion transfer rate of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with sulfonated hexagonal boron nitride (known as white-graphene) and exploring how rheology influences ion-conduction within HP-GPEs.

Filsuvez (Birch Triterpenes) Topical Gel.

Filsuvez (birch triterpenes) topical gel received approval in 2023 for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) in pediatric patients (aged ≥6 months) and adults. It promotes wound healing by modulating inflammation, encouraging new tissue formation, and maintaining the skin barrier. In a randomized, double-blind, controlled, parallel-group, phase III trial (EASE, NCT03068780), 223 patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the first group received treatment with birch triterpenes topical gel (study gel, n = 109), and the second group received treatment with vehicle gel (n = 114).

Zelsuvmi (Berdazimer) Topical Gel.

Zelsuvmi (berdazimer) topical gel has been approved recently for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum (MC) in patients aged ≥1 year. In three phase 3, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials of similar design, berdazimer was investigated for the treatment of MC. Berdazimer or vehicle was applied once daily on MC lesions until complete lesion clearance was observed or for up to 12 weeks.

The Role of Implant Coronal Surface Properties on Early Adhesion of Streptococcus Oralis-An In Vitro Comparative Study.

Dental implant coronal surfaces designed with the primary goal of maintaining crestal bone levels may also promote bacterial adhesion, leading to soft tissue inflammation and peri-implant bone loss. Achieving an optimal surface roughness that minimizes bacterial adhesion while preserving crestal bone is crucial. It is hypothesized that a specific threshold surface roughness value may exist below which, and above which, initial bacterial adhesion does not statistically change.

Host genetics maps to behaviour and brain structure in developmental mice.

Gene-environment interactions in the postnatal period have a long-term impact on neurodevelopment. To effectively assess neurodevelopment in the mouse, we developed a behavioural pipeline that incorporates several validated behavioural tests to measure translationally relevant milestones of behaviour in mice. The behavioral phenotype of 1060 wild type and genetically-modified mice was examined followed by structural brain imaging at 4 weeks of age.

The Lived Employment Experience of Young Adults with Childhood and Adult Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Multicentre Canadian Qualitative Study.

Objective: This study examined the lived employment experiences of young adults with childhood and adult-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Participants were recruited from three Canadian lupus clinics and asked to complete, semi-structured, qualitative video/phone interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Identifying mild traumatic brain injury in the post-acute polytrauma setting: a scoping review of diagnostic approaches and screening tools.

Objective: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is frequently overlooked in polytrauma patients due to the overshadowing of more severe injuries, a fact that makes its identification in post-acute settings challenging since symptoms overlap with other conditions and no validated diagnostic tools exist. To address this gap, this scoping review explored the literature on mTBI diagnosis in post-acute civilian polytrauma settings.

Methods: By utilizing the Arksey and O'Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the review focused on studies from 2010 to 2024 related to delayed mTBI diagnosis in adults.

Exploring the association between dental insurance coverage and dental care utilization and oral health among elderly Ontarians.

Objectives: There has been an increasing interest in addressing the equity issue of accessing dental care for low-income elderly. This study aimed to estimate the marginal effects (ME) of dental insurance coverage for seniors on dental care utilization and oral health status outcomes. We also estimated the ME of dental insurance across income subgroups.

Functional dynamics of G protein-coupled receptors reveal new routes for drug discovery.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest human membrane protein family that transduce extracellular signals into cellular responses. They are major pharmacological targets, with approximately 26% of marketed drugs targeting GPCRs, primarily at their orthosteric binding site. Despite their prominence, predicting the pharmacological effects of novel GPCR-targeting drugs remains challenging due to the complex functional dynamics of these receptors.

Regional patterns and climatic predictors of viruses in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies over time.

Honey bee viruses are serious pathogens that can cause poor colony health and productivity. We analyzed a multi-year longitudinal dataset of abundances of nine honey bee viruses (deformed wing virus A, deformed wing virus B, black queen cell virus, sacbrood virus, Lake Sinai virus, Kashmir bee virus, acute bee paralysis virus, chronic bee paralysis virus, and Israeli acute paralysis virus) in colonies located across Canada to describe broad trends in virus intensity and occurrence among regions and years. We also tested climatic variables (temperature, wind speed, and precipitation) as predictors in an effort to understand possible drivers underlying seasonal patterns in viral prevalence.

Dopaminergic signaling to ventral striatum neurons initiates sniffing behavior.

Sniffing is a motivated behavior displayed by nearly all terrestrial vertebrates. While sniffing is associated with acquiring and processing odors, sniffing is also intertwined with affective and motivated states. The systems which influence the display of sniffing are unclear.

CDC40 suppression induces CDCA5 splicing defects and anti-proliferative effects in lung cancer cells.

High mortality and low response rates in lung cancer patients call for novel therapeutic targets. Data mining of whole-genome genetic dependency screens suggest Cell Division Cycle 40 (CDC40) to be an essential protein for lung cancer cell survival. We characterized CDC40 knockdown effects in multiple lung cancer cell lines, revealing induced cell cycle defects that resulted in strong growth inhibition and activation of apoptosis.

Self-Learning Videos in Focused Transthoracic Echocardiography Training.

Background: Focused transthoracic echocardiography (FOTE) is crucial for patients' bedside management. However, limited opportunities exist for practical FOTE training, prompting the use of simulation and self-learning videos to overcome this constraint. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of incorporating self-learning videos into a simulation FOTE training course.

Influence of non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 interventions on speed-related and alcohol-related traffic injuries in five cities of the province of Québec, Canada.

Introduction: Understanding the impact of non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 interventions (NPIs) on road safety has become increasingly important to uncover the unintended consequences of the pandemic. This study explores how NPIs influenced alcohol-related and speed-related traffic collisions, including fatalities and serious injuries, in five cities of the province of Québec, Canada: Montréal, Québec, Laval, Longueuil and Sherbrooke.

Methods: We performed Poisson interrupted time-series analyses using daily traffic fatality and injury data from 2015 to 2022, to assess the change in rate expressed per 10 000 population.