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1.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 24(1): 399, 2024 Mar 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38553765

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Rural-urban differences in health service use among persons with prevalent dementia are known. However, the extent of geographic differences in health service use over a long observation period, and prior to diagnosis, have not been sufficiently examined. The purpose of this study was to examine yearly rural-urban differences in the proportion of patients using health services, and the mean number of services, in the 5-year period before and 5-year period after a first diagnosis of dementia. METHODS: This population-based retrospective cohort study used linked administrative health data from the Canadian province of Saskatchewan to investigate the use of five health services [family physician (FP), specialist physician, hospital admission, all-type prescription drug dispensations, and short-term institutional care admission] each year from April 2008 to March 2019. Persons with dementia included 2,024 adults aged 65 years and older diagnosed from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014 (617 rural; 1,407 urban). Matching was performed 1:1 to persons without dementia on age group, sex, rural versus urban residence, geographic region, and comorbidity. Differences between rural and urban persons within the dementia and control cohorts were separately identified using the Z-score test for proportions (p < 0.05) and independent samples t-test for means (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Rural compared to urban persons with dementia had a lower average number of FP visits during 1-year and 2-year preindex and between 2-year and 4-year postindex (p < 0.05), a lower likelihood of at least one specialist visit and a lower average number of specialist visits during each year (p < 0.05), and a lower average number of all-type prescription drug dispensations for most of the 10-year study period (p < 0.05). Rural-urban differences were not observed in admission to hospital or short-term institutional care (p > 0.05 each year). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified important geographic differences in physician services and all-type prescription drugs before and after dementia diagnosis. Health system planners and educators must determine how to use existing resources and technological advances to support care for rural persons living with dementia.


Subject(s)
Dementia , Prescription Drugs , Adult , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Hospitalization , Rural Population , Dementia/diagnosis , Dementia/epidemiology , Dementia/therapy , Saskatchewan/epidemiology , Urban Population
2.
Diagnostics (Basel) ; 14(5)2024 Feb 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38472949

ABSTRACT

The basic principles of ultrafast plasmonic PCR have been promulgated in the scientific and technological literature for over a decade. Yet, its everyday diagnostic utility remains unvalidated in pre-clinical and clinical settings. Although the impressive speed of plasmonic PCR reaction is well-documented, implementing this process into a device form compatible with routine diagnostic tasks has been challenging. Here, we show that combining careful system engineering and process control with innovative and specific PCR biochemistry makes it possible to routinely achieve a sensitive and robust "10 min" PCR assay in a compact and lightweight system. The critical analytical parameters of PCR reactions are discussed in the current instrument setting.

3.
Trauma Surg Acute Care Open ; 9(1): e001355, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38375026

ABSTRACT

Innovations in projectile design present unique challenges for trauma surgeons when treating gunshot victims. The G2 Radically Invasive Projectile (G2 Research, Winder, Georgia, USA) (G2RIP) is a frangible, rapidly expanding bullet resulting in a distinct pattern of injury consisting of diffuse hemorrhage with multicavity trauma as well as unique radiographic features of the projectile. To efficiently manage patients injured by the G2RIP, trauma surgeons must be aware of these distinct characteristics, and of previous patterns in effective management such as liberal damage control and extensive use of CT. Understanding previous presentation and management of patients injured by the G2RIP can aid in improving patient care in the trauma center.

4.
Can J Neurol Sci ; 51(2): 157-160, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37539707

Subject(s)
Aging , Cognition , Humans
5.
J Pediatr Orthop ; 44(1): 63-67, 2024 Jan 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37796155

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Thermal injuries can occur during cast removal with an oscillating saw. The purpose of this study is to describe the effect of blade material, blade wear, and cast material on blade temperature. METHODS: Short arm plaster and fiberglass casts were cured overnight and bivalved with either new or worn stainless-steel or tungsten-disulfide coated blades. Blade use was defined as removing 1 short arm cast. Blades used to remove more than 20 casts were defined as worn. Ten trials were performed with each combination of blade material, blade wear, and cast material, except for the combination of fiberglass and a worn stainless-steel blade due to complete erosion of cutting teeth. Thirty casts were removed with stainless-steel blades, and 40 casts were removed with coated blades. Blade temperature was measured continuously at 5 Hz using a T-type thermocouple and microcontroller board. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the mean maximum temperature between groups. RESULTS: For plaster casts, new and worn stainless-steel blades produced mean maximum temperatures of 51.4°C and 63.7°C ( P =0.003), respectively. New stainless-steel blades produced significantly higher mean maximum temperatures on fiberglass casts than plaster casts (95.9°C vs. 51.4°C, P <.001). For plaster casts, new and worn coated blades produced mean maximum temperatures of 56.9°C and 53.8°C ( P =0.347). For fiberglass casts, new and worn coated blades produced mean maximum temperatures of 76.6°C and 77.7°C ( P =0.653). As with new stainless-steel blades, new coated blades produced significantly higher mean maximum temperatures on fiberglass than plaster (76.6°C vs. 56.9°C, P <0.001). Mean maximum temperatures between new stainless-steel and coated blades during removal of plaster casts were 51.4°C and 56.9°C ( P =0.131), respectively. However, new coated blades demonstrated significantly lower mean maximum temperatures during fiberglass cast removal compared to new stainless-steel blades (76.6°C vs. 95.9°C, P =0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Coated blades outperformed stainless-steel in nearly all combinations. We recommend limited use of stainless-steel blades to minimize blade temperatures during cast removal. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Appropriate selection of blade material and monitoring blade wear minimizes blade temperature during cast removal.


Subject(s)
Device Removal , Orthopedic Procedures , Humans , Temperature , Casts, Surgical , Stainless Steel
6.
Can Geriatr J ; 26(3): 350-363, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37662065

ABSTRACT

Background: Limited research exists on the use of specific health services over an extended time among rural persons with dementia. The study objective was to examine health service use over a 10-year period, five years before until five years after diagnosis in the specialist Rural and Remote Memory Clinic (RRMC). Methods: Clinical and administrative health data of RRMC patients were linked. Annual health service utilization of the cohort (N = 436) was analyzed for 416 patients pre-index (57.5% female, mean age 71.2 years) and 419 post-index (56.3% female, mean age 70.8 years). Approximately 40% of memory clinic diagnoses were Alzheimer's disease (AD), 20% non-AD dementia, and 40% mild or subjective cognitive impairment or other condition. Post-index, 188 patients (44.9%) moved to permanent long-term care and were retained in the sample; 121 patients died (28.9%) and were removed yearly. Results: Over the ten-year study period, a significant increase occurred in the average number of FP visits, all-type drug prescriptions, and dementia-specific drug prescriptions (all p <.001). The highest proportion of patients hospitalized was observed one year pre-index, the highest average number of specialist visits was observed one year post-index, and both demonstrated a significant decreasing trend in the five-year post-index period (p = .037). Conclusions: A pattern of increasing FP visits and drug prescriptions over an extended period before and after diagnosis in a specialist rural and remote memory clinic highlights a need to support FPs in post-diagnostic management. Further research of longitudinal patterns in health service utilization is merited.

7.
Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord ; 37(3): 179-183, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37561939

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Depressive symptomatology is often associated with the onset of dementia, although the exact form and directionality of this association is still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate whether depressive symptomatology at the time of dementia diagnosis was predictive of cognitive, functional, and behavioral decline over 1 year. METHODS: In a Rural and Remote Memory Clinic, 375 patients consecutively diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease, or non-Alzheimer disease dementia completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale at first visit and 1-year follow-up to assess depressive symptomatology. The same cohort was evaluated for cognitive, functional, and behavioral decline through the completion of 5 clinical tests performed at the first visit and at 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: Depressive symptomatology at time of dementia diagnosis did not predict cognitive or functional decline over 1 year, although increases in depressive symptomatology over 1 year significantly correlated with higher caregiver ratings of neuropsychiatric symptom severity and related distress over that time. CONCLUSION: Increasingly severe depressive symptomatology over 1 year correlated with greater caregiver distress. This study points the way for future studies delineating the relationship between depression, dementia progression, and caregiver distress.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Dementia , Humans , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/psychology , Neuropsychological Tests , Canada , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Cognitive Dysfunction/psychology , Dementia/diagnosis , Dementia/psychology , Cognition
8.
Appl Neuropsychol Adult ; : 1-7, 2023 May 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37155741

ABSTRACT

Base rates of low scores are typically determined from normative samples, which differ from clinical samples. We examined base rates of spuriously low scores for 93 older adults with subjective cognitive impairment presenting to a memory clinic. Crawford's Monte Carlo simulation algorithm was used to estimate multivariate base rates by calculating the percentage of cognitively intact memory clinic patients who produced normed scores at or below the 5th percentile. Neuropsychological tests included: Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale block design, digit span backwards, coding, Weschler Memory Scale logical memory immediate/delayed; California Verbal Learning Test immediate/delayed memory; Brief Visuospatial Memory Test immediate/delayed; and Delis-Kaplan Executive Functioning category switching, letter number sequencing, and inhibition/switching. An estimated 33.58% of the cognitively intact memory clinic population would have one or more low scores, 14.7% two or more, 6.55% three or more, 2.94% four or more, and 1.31% 5 or more due to chance. Base rates were then applied to a subset of clinical data: all with dementia and most with MCI had low scores that exceeded the base rates. Determining base rates of spuriously low scores on a neuropsychological battery in clinical samples could reduce false positives by using empirical adjustments for expected low scores.

9.
Biomolecules ; 13(2)2023 02 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36830767

ABSTRACT

The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular process that has been linked to the promotion of aggressive cellular features in many cancer types. It is characterized by the loss of the epithelial cell phenotype and a shift to a more mesenchymal phenotype and is accompanied by an associated change in cell markers. EMT is highly complex and regulated via multiple signaling pathways. While the importance of EMT is classically described for carcinomas-cancers of epithelial origin-it has also been clearly demonstrated in non-epithelial cancers, including osteosarcoma (OS), a primary bone cancer predominantly affecting children and young adults. Recent studies examining EMT in OS have highlighted regulatory roles for multiple proteins, non-coding nucleic acids, and components of the tumor micro-environment. This review serves to summarize these experimental findings, identify key families of regulatory molecules, and identify potential therapeutic targets specific to the EMT process in OS.


Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms , MicroRNAs , Osteosarcoma , Humans , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics , Osteosarcoma/genetics , Signal Transduction , Bone Neoplasms/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , MicroRNAs/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Tumor Microenvironment
10.
Appl Neuropsychol Adult ; 30(6): 639-648, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34455884

ABSTRACT

Increased intraindividual variability (IIV) has been linked to outcomes such as cognitive decline and dementia, suggesting IIV might add valuable diagnostic information beyond traditional neuropsychological interpretation. We explored whether a subtype of IIV, dispersion, can provide additional information for dementia diagnosis. In a sample of memory clinic patients, three cognitive status groups were identified: subjective cognitive impairment (SCI; n = 85), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI; n = 16), and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD; n = 48). Dispersion was computed as intraindividual standard deviations across multiple neuropsychological measures within three cognitive domains (executive functioning; immediate and delayed memory) and was compared for each diagnostic group using profile analysis. Patients with AD and a-MCI demonstrated less dispersion than patients with SCI in delayed memory. Results support existing theoretic perspectives on cognitive variability and age-related cognitive decline but suggest floor effects underlie suppression of dispersion in amnestic cognitive presentations. Questions remain about the contribution of IIV beyond impressions of impairment versus no impairment in these constrained representations of cognitive domains. Future investigations should investigate variability in SCI groups against controls to examine whether observed dispersion similarities between SCI and a-MCI or AD in immediate memory and executive functioning are meaningful.

11.
Biomed Opt Express ; 14(12): 6629-6643, 2023 Dec 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38420328

ABSTRACT

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising approach for cancer treatment that selectively heats malignant cells while sparing healthy cells. Here, the light-to-heat conversion efficiency of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) within the near-infrared biological transmission window is enhanced by decorating them with plasmonic gold nanorods (GNRs). The results reveal a significant photothermal enhancement of hybrid MWCNTs-GNRs compared to bare MWCNTs, displaying a 4.9 enhancement factor per unit mass. The enhanced plasmonic PTT properties of MWCNTs-GNRs are also investigated in vitro using PC3 prostate cancer cell lines, demonstrating a potent ablation efficiency. These findings advance innovative hybrid plasmonic nanostructures for clinical applications.

12.
BMJ Open ; 12(11): e067363, 2022 11 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36428015

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated patterns in health service usage among older adults with dementia and matched controls over a 10-year span from 5 years before until 5 years after diagnosis. DESIGN: Population-based retrospective matched case-control study. SETTING: Administrative health data of individuals in Saskatchewan, Canada from 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2019. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 2024 adults aged 65 years and older living in the community at the time of dementia diagnosis from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014, matched 1:1 to individuals without a dementia diagnosis on age group, sex, rural versus urban residence, geographical region and comorbidity. OUTCOME MEASURES: For each 5-year period before and after diagnosis, we examined usage of health services each year including family physician (FP) visits, specialist visits, hospital admissions, all-type prescription drug dispensations and short-term care admissions. We used negative binomial regression to estimate the effect of dementia on yearly average health service utilisation adjusting for sex, age group, rural versus urban residence, geographical region, 1 year prior health service use and comorbidity. RESULTS: Adjusted findings demonstrated that 5 years before diagnosis, usage of all health services except hospitalisation was lower among persons with dementia than persons without dementia (all p<0.001). After this point, differences in higher health service usage among persons with dementia compared to without dementia were greatest in the year before and year after diagnosis. In the year before diagnosis, specialist visits were 59.7% higher (p<0.001) and hospitalisations 90.5% higher (p<0.001). In the year after diagnosis, FP visits were 70.0% higher (p<0.001) and all-type drug prescriptions 29.1% higher (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest the year before and year after diagnosis offer multiple opportunities to implement quality supports. FPs are integral to dementia care and require effective resources to properly serve this population.


Subject(s)
Dementia , Health Services , Humans , Aged , Retrospective Studies , Case-Control Studies , Drug Prescriptions , Saskatchewan/epidemiology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Dementia/diagnosis , Dementia/epidemiology , Dementia/therapy
13.
PLoS One ; 17(9): e0274769, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36137130

ABSTRACT

Participatory research approaches have developed in response to the growing emphasis on translation of research evidence into practice. However, there are few published examples of stakeholder engagement strategies, and little guidance specific to larger ongoing research programs or those with a rural focus. This paper describes the evolution, structure, and processes of an annual Rural Dementia Summit launched in 2008 as an engagement strategy for the Rural Dementia Action Research (RaDAR) program and ongoing for more than 10 years; and reports findings from a parallel mixed-methods study that includes stakeholder and researcher perspectives on the Summit's value and impact. Twelve years of stakeholder evaluations were analyzed. Rating scale data were summarized with descriptive statistics; open-ended questions were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. A thematic analysis was also used to analyze interviews with RaDAR researchers. Rating scale data showed high stakeholder satisfaction with all aspects of the Summit. Five themes were identified in the qualitative data: hearing diverse perspectives, building connections, collaborating for change, developing research and practice capacity, and leaving recharged. Five themes were identified in the researcher data: impact on development as a researcher, understanding stakeholder needs, informing research design, deepening commitment to rural dementia research, and building a culture of engagement. These findings reflect the key principles and impacts of stakeholder engagement reported in the literature. Additional findings include the value stakeholders place on connecting with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, how the Summit was revitalizing, and how it developed stakeholder capacity to support change in their communities. Findings indicate that the Summit has developed into a community of practice where people with a common interest come together to learn and collaborate to improve rural dementia care. The Summit's success and sustainability are linked to RaDAR's responsiveness to stakeholder needs, the trust that has been established, and the value that stakeholders and researchers find in their participation.


Subject(s)
Dementia , Stakeholder Participation , Dementia/therapy , Health Services Research , Humans , Research Personnel , Rural Population
14.
Appl Neuropsychol Adult ; : 1-10, 2022 May 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35635794

ABSTRACT

Performance validity tests are susceptible to false positives from genuine cognitive impairment (e.g., dementia); this has not been explored with the short form of the California Verbal Learning Test II (CVLT-II-SF). In a memory clinic sample, we examined whether CVLT-II-SF Forced Choice Recognition (FCR) scores differed across diagnostic groups, and how the severity of impairment [Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB) or Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)] modulated test performance. Three diagnostic groups were identified: subjective cognitive impairment (SCI; n = 85), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI; n = 17), and dementia due to Alzheimer's Disease (AD; n = 50). Significant group differences in FCR were observed using one-way ANOVA; post-hoc analysis indicated the AD group performed significantly worse than the other groups. Using multiple regression, FCR performance was modeled as a function of the diagnostic group, severity (MMSE or CDR-SOB), and their interaction. Results yielded significant main effects for MMSE and diagnostic group, with a significant interaction. CDR-SOB analyses were non-significant. Increases in impairment disproportionately impacted FCR performance for persons with AD, adding caution to research-based cutoffs for performance validity in dementia. Caution is warranted when assessing performance validity in dementia populations. Future research should examine whether CVLT-II-SF-FCR is appropriately specific for best-practice testing batteries for dementia.

15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35245250

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cephalomedullary nail (CMN) length for intertrochanteric femur fractures without subtrochanteric extension has been an ongoing debate. The authors hypothesize that increasing nail length would result in increasing surgical time, greater incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), postoperative anemia, and blood loss requiring transfusion due to increased intramedullary reaming and pressurization of the canal with nail insertion. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients aged 65 years or older who underwent CMN for low-energy intertrochanteric femur fractures from 2010 to 2018 was undertaken. Patient demographic data, comorbidities, case duration, postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS), and laboratory data, including serum creatinine, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, were collected for analysis. The following outcome measures were compared: postoperative pneumonia, cardiac complications, sepsis, reintubation/intensive care unit stay, pulmonary embolism, stroke, postoperative AKI, 30-day hospital readmission, 30-day return to operating room, 30-day mortality, 1-year mortality, postoperative anemia (hemoglobin <7 g/dL), and blood transfusion. RESULTS: A total of 247 patients were analyzed (short = 48, intermediate = 39, and long = 160). No notable difference was observed in postoperative pneumonia, cardiac complications, sepsis, reintubation/intensive care unit stay, pulmonary embolism, stroke, mean total hospital LOS, mean postoperative hospital LOS, rate of postoperative AKI, 30-day readmission, 30-day return to operating room, 30-day mortality, or 1-year mortality. Patients receiving long nails had significantly higher rates of postoperative anemia (P = 0.0491), blood transfusion (P = 0.0126), and mean procedure length (P = 0.0044) compared with the two other groups. DISCUSSION: Patients receiving long nails had markedly higher rates of postoperative anemia and blood loss requiring blood transfusion with markedly longer mean procedure length than patients receiving short and intermediate CMNs. Long nails did not result in an increase in other complications evaluated.


Subject(s)
Acute Kidney Injury , Hip Fractures , Pulmonary Embolism , Sepsis , Acute Kidney Injury/epidemiology , Acute Kidney Injury/etiology , Aged , Female , Femur , Hip Fractures/surgery , Humans , Male , Retrospective Studies
16.
Can J Neurol Sci ; 49(1): 84-92, 2022 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33685531

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Increasing concern around perceived neurocognitive decline is increasing the number of referrals to specialists and anxiety for patients. We aimed to explore the likelihood of the "worried well" experiencing neurocognitive decline and developing a neurological diagnosis. METHODS: A total of 166 "worried well" patients who attended the Rural and Remote Memory Clinic (RRMC) between 2004 and 2019 were included in this study. Demographic, health, social, and behavioral factors were measured at the initial visit. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) scores were measured and compared at initial assessment and at 1-year follow-up. MMSE scores over time were assessed with a mean follow-up of 2.95 years (SD 2.87). RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was seen in MMSE, CESD, or FAQ scores when comparing clinic day to 1-year follow-up, and no consistent pattern of MMSE score over time was seen. Of the 166 patients with subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) on initial assessment, 5 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) at 8.5, 3.5, 5, 3, and 1.75 years; 2 were diagnosed with MCI at 1 and 2 years; 1 was diagnosed with vascular cognitive impairment at 5 years; and 1 was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) at 0.5 years. CONCLUSION: The likelihood of a patient with SCI developing a neurological diagnosis is reassuringly low (9/166), but not irrelevant. This, along with the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment for dementia, leads us to believe that patients with SCI should still be seen in follow-up at least at the 1-year mark.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Cognitive Dysfunction , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Anxiety , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Cognitive Dysfunction/psychology , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Mental Status and Dementia Tests , Neuropsychological Tests
17.
Can J Aging ; 41(1): 71-95, 2022 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34250881

ABSTRACT

Multiple transitions across care settings can be disruptive for older adults with dementia and their care partners, and can lead to fragmented care with adverse outcomes. This scoping review was conducted to identify and classify care trajectories across multiple settings for people with dementia, and to understand the prevalence of multiple transitions and associated factors at the individual and organizational levels. Searches of three databases, limited to peer-reviewed studies published between 2007 and 2017, provided 33 articles for inclusion. We identified 26 distinct care trajectories. Common trajectories involved hospital readmission or discharge from hospital to long-term care. Factors associated with transitions were identified mainly at the level of demographic and medical characteristics. Findings suggest a need for investing in stronger community-based systems of care that may reduce transitions. Further research is recommended to address knowledge gaps about complex and longitudinal care trajectories and trajectories experienced by sub-populations of people living with dementia.


Subject(s)
Dementia , Long-Term Care , Aged , Dementia/therapy , Humans , Patient Discharge
18.
Can Geriatr J ; 24(4): 373-378, 2021 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34912492

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Currently, there are no disease-modifying pharmacotherapies for this condition. Aducanumab, an amyloid beta-directed monoclonal antibody that targets aggregated forms of amyloid-beta in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, has raised hopes that such a therapy has been discovered, but its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration has engendered a good deal of controversy. A similar application for approval has been submitted to Health Canada. In response to this, a group of Canadian clinical dementia experts representing a number of organizations, including the Canadian Geriatrics Society, was convened by the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) to discuss the evidence currently available on this agent and seek consensus on what advice they would offer Health Canada on the application. There was wide-spread agreement that it would be premature for aducanumab to receive approval for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It was also noted that the Canadian health-care system is poorly prepared at this time to deal with a disease-modifying therapeutic with targeting, administration, and monitoring characteristics like aducanumab. In this paper, the consensus reached is presented along with its underlying rationale.

19.
Analyst ; 146(18): 5619-5630, 2021 Sep 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34378560

ABSTRACT

In response to the world's medical community's need for accurate and immediate infectious pathogen detection, many researchers have focused on adapting the standard molecular diagnostic method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for point-of-care (POC) applications. PCR technology is not without its shortcomings; current platforms can be bulky, slow, and power-intensive. Although there have been some advances in microfluidic PCR devices, a simple-to-operate and fabricate PCR device is still lacking. In the first part of this paper, we introduce a compact plasmonic PCR thermocycler in which fast DNA amplification is derived from efficient photothermal heating of a colloidal reaction mixture containing gold nanorods (AuNRs) using a small-scale vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Using this method, we demonstrate 30 cycle-assay time of sub-ten minutes for successful Chlamydia trachomatis DNA amplification in 20 µL total PCR sample volume. In the second part, we report an ultrasensitive real-time amplicon detection strategy which is based on cycle-by-cycle monitoring of 260 nm absorption of the PCR sample. This was accomplished by irradiating the PCR sample using a UV LED and collecting the transmitted optical power with a photodetector. The UV absorption dependency on the nucleotides' structural degree of freedom gives rise to distinctive features in the shape of UV amplification curves for the determination of PCR results, thus circumventing the need for the complicated design of target-specific probes or intercalating fluorophores. This amplicon quantification method has a high detection sensitivity of one DNA copy. This is the first demonstration of a compact plasmonic thermocycler combined with a real-time fluorophore-free quantitative amplicon detection system. The small footprint of our PCR device stems from hardware miniaturization, while abundant sample volume facilitates highly sensitive detection and fluid handling required for in-field sample analysis, thereby making it an excellent candidate for POC molecular diagnostics.


Subject(s)
DNA , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques , Point-of-Care Systems , Point-of-Care Testing , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
20.
Dementia (London) ; 20(8): 2708-2724, 2021 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33877946

ABSTRACT

Individuals with young onset dementia and their families face unique challenges, such as disruptions to their life cycle and relationships and a dearth of appropriate supports. Financial consequences have also been noted in the literature yet have not been explored in-depth. The purpose of this research was to qualitatively explore carers' experiences of financial consequences resulting from the young onset dementia of a family member and how these consequences may be managed. Eight carers (7 women and 1 man) provided a written online narrative about their journey with young onset dementia and any financial consequences experienced, with open-ended prompts to elicit details not yet shared. Narratives were inductively coded and analyzed using a thematic narrative approach. Carers described a voluntary or involuntary end to employment for the person with young onset dementia around the time of diagnosis. This engendered ongoing and anticipated financial consequences, combined with the need for carers to balance employment with the provision of care (which often meant early retirement for spousal carers). Common themes were tension between the needs to provide care and earn income, altered financial prospects, costs of care, and lack of available and accessible supports to ameliorate financial consequences. Findings illustrate the reality of financial consequences across the trajectory of young onset dementia. These consequences may manifest differently for spousal and child carers and are not being adequately addressed by existing supports.


Subject(s)
Caregivers , Dementia , Child , Employment , Family , Female , Humans , Male , Narration , Qualitative Research
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