Virtual teaching kitchen classes and cardiovascular disease prevention counselling among medical trainees.

Background: Hands-on culinary medicine education for medical trainees has emerged as a promising tool for cardiovascular health promotion. Purpose: To determine whether virtual culinary medicine programming associates with Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) adherence and lifestyle medicine competencies among medical trainees across the USA. Method: A total of 1433 medical trainees across 19 sites over a 12-month period were included. The Cooking for Health Optimisation with Patients-Medical Trainees survey composed of 61 questions regarding demographics, nutritional attitudes, dietary habits including MedDiet score and lifestyle medicine counselling competencies. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the association of virtual culinary medicine education with MedDiet intake and nutritional attitudes. Results: There were 519 medical trainees who participated in virtual culinary medicine education and 914 medical trainees who participated in their standard nutrition curricula. More than one-half of participants were women (n=759) and the mean age was 27 years old. Compared with students enrolled in traditional nutrition curricula, participants in virtual culinary medicine education were 37% more likely to adhere to MedDiet guidelines for fruit intake (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.83, p=0.03). Virtual culinary medicine education was associated with higher proficiency in lifestyle medicine counselling categories, notably recommendations involving fibre (OR 4.03; 95% CI 3.05 to 5.34), type 2 diabetes prevention (OR 4.69; 95% CI 3.51 to 6.27) and omega fatty acids (OR 5.21; 95% CI 3.87 to 7.02). Virtual culinary medicine education had a similar, although higher magnitude association with MedDiet counselling competency (OR 5.73, 95% CI 4.26 to 7.70) when compared with historical data previously reported using hands-on, in-person culinary medicine courseware (OR 4.97, 95% CI 3.89 to 6.36). Conclusions: Compared with traditional nutritional educational curricula, virtual culinary medicine education is associated with higher MedDiet adherence and lifestyle medicine counselling competencies among medical trainees. Both virtual and hands-on culinary medicine education may be useful for cardiovascular health promotion.

Amino acids 1811-1960 of myosin heavy chain 9 is involved in murine gammaherpesvirus 68 infection.

Myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) has been identified as a crucial factor in gammaherpesvirus infection. Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) was used as an appropriate viral model for investigating gammaherpesviruses in vivo and developing antiviral treatments. However, the roles of MYH9 in MHV-68 infection have not been documented. In the study, the relationship between the expression of MYH9 and MHV-68 infection and MYH9 as the antiviral target were analyzed. The results revealed that MYH9 was enriched on the cell surface and co-localized with MHV-68 upon viral infection. Knocking down MYH9 with siRNA or using the specific inhibitor of MYH9 activity, Blebbistatin, resulted in the decreasing of MHV-68 infection. Furthermore, polyclonal antibodies against MYH9 reduced infection by approximately 74% at a dose of 100 µg/ml. The study determined that MYH9 contributes to MHV-68 infection by interacting with viral glycoprotein 150 (gp150) in the BHK-21 cell membrane. The specific region of MYH9, amino acids 1811-1960 (C-150), was identified as the key domain involved in the interaction with MHV-68 gp150 and was found to inhibit MHV-68 infection. Moreover, C-150 was also shown to decrease HSV-1 infection in Vero cells by approximately 73%. Both C-150 and Blebbistatin were found to inhibit MHV-68 replication and reduce histopathological lesions in vivo in C57BL/6J mice. Taken together, these findings suggested that MYH9 is crucial for MHV-68 infection through its interaction with viral gp150 and that C-150 may be a promising antiviral target for inhibiting MHV-68 infection in vitro and in vivo.

Interrater Reliability of the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia, Berg Balance Scale, and Functional Independence Measure Motor Domain in Individuals With Hereditary Cerebellar Ataxia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the interrater reliability of the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and motor domain of the FIM (m-FIM) administered by physiotherapists in individuals with a hereditary cerebellar ataxia (HCA). DESIGN: Participants were assessed by 1 of 4 physiotherapists. Assessments were video-recorded and the remaining 3 physiotherapists scored the scales for each participant. Raters were blinded to each other's scores. SETTING: Assessments were administered at 3 clinical locations in separate states in Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one individuals (mean age=47.63 years; SD=18.42; 13 male and 8 female) living in the community with an HCA were recruited (N=21). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total and single-item scores of the SARA, BBS, and m-FIM were examined. The m-FIM was conducted by interview. RESULTS: Intraclass coefficients (2,1) for the total scores of the m-FIM (0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-0.96), SARA (0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.96), and BBS (0.99; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99) indicated excellent interrater reliability. However, there was inconsistent agreement with the individual items, with SARA item 5 (right side) and item 7 (both sides) demonstrating poor interrater reliability and items 1 and 2 demonstrating excellent reliability. CONCLUSIONS: The m-FIM (by interview), SARA, and BBS have excellent interrater reliability for use when assessing individuals with an HCA. Physiotherapists could be considered for administration of the SARA in clinical trials. However, further work is required to improve the agreement of the single-item scores and to examine the other psychometric properties of these scales.

Effectiveness of the perioperative encounter in promoting regular exercise and physical activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Low levels of physical activity (PA) are associated with poorer health outcomes. The perioperative encounter (extending from initial contact in primary care to beyond discharge from hospital) is potentially a good time to intervene, but data regarding the effectiveness of interventions are scarce. To address this, we systematically reviewed existing literature to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions applied perioperatively to facilitate PA in the medium to long-term (at least six months after the intervention). Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus from database inception to October 22nd 2020, with an updated search done on August 4th 2022. We searched clinical trials registers, and conducted forward- and backward-citation searches. We included randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised trials comparing PA interventions with usual care, or another PA intervention, in adults who were scheduled for, or had recently undergone, surgery. We included trials which reported our primary outcomes: amount of PA or whether participants were engaged in PA at least six months after the intervention. A random effects meta-analysis was used to pool data across studies as risk ratios (RR), or standardised mean differences (SMDs), which we interpreted using Cohen. We used the Cochrane risk of bias tool and used GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019139008. Findings: We found 57 trials including 8548 adults and compared 71 interventions facilitating PA. Most interventions were started postoperatively and included multiple components. Compared with usual care, interventions may slightly increase the number of minutes of PA per day or week (SMD 0.17, 95% CI 0.09-0.26; 14 studies, 2172 participants; I2 = 0%), and people's engagement in PA at the study's end (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.96-1.47; 9 studies, 882 participants; I2 = 25%); this was moderate-certainty evidence. Some studies compared two different types of interventions but it was often not feasible to combine data in analysis. The effect estimates generally indicated little difference between intervention designs and we judged all the evidence for these comparisons to be very low certainty. Thirty-six studies (63%) had low risk of selection bias for sequence generation, 27 studies (47%) had low risk of bias for allocation concealment, and 56 studies (98%) had a high risk of performance bias. For detection bias for PA outcomes, we judged 30 studies (53%) that used subjective measurement tools to have a high risk of detection bias. Interpretation: Interventions delivered in the perioperative setting, aimed at enhancing PA in the medium to long-term, may have overall benefit. However, because of imprecision in some of the findings, we could not rule out the possibility of no change in PA. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme (NIHR127879).

Implementation of a mailed faecal immunochemical test programme for colorectal cancer screening among Veterans.

BACKGROUND: Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) with faecal immunochemical test (FIT) is effective at reducing CRC mortality. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with deferred care, especially screening for CRC. AIM: We sought to develop a mailed FIT programme (MFP) to increase CRC screening and make recommendations for adoption across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and for other large healthcare systems. SETTING: 2 regional VA medical centres in California and Washington state. PARTICIPANTS: 5667 average risk veterans aged 50-75 overdue or due within 90 days for CRC screening. PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION: A multidisciplinary implementation team collaborated to mail an FIT kit to eligible veterans. Both sites mailed a primer postcard, and one site added an automated reminder call. PROGRAMME EVALUATION: We monitored FIT return and positivity rate, as well as impact of the programme on clinical staff. 34% of FIT kits were returned within 90 days and 7.8% were abnormal. DISCUSSION: We successfully implemented a population-based MFP at multiple regional VA sites and recommend that these efforts be spread across VA. Our model of regional leadership, facility champions and using centralised resources can be adaptable to other large healthcare systems. MFPs support catch-up from disrupted care by addressing access to CRC screening, unburden primary care visits and conserve limited procedural resources.

Improving chronic kidney disease detection and treatment in the United States: the chronic kidney disease cascade of care (C3) study protocol.

BACKGROUND: There are major gaps in the implementation of guideline-concordant care for persons with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The CKD Cascade of Care (C3) initiative seeks to improve CKD care by improving detection and treatment of CKD in primary care. METHODS: C3 is a multi-modal initiative deployed in three major academic medical centers within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System: San Francisco VA, San Diego VA, and Houston VA. The main objective of the first phase of C3 described in this protocol is to establish the infrastructure for universal CKD detection among primary care patients at high-risk for CKD with a triple-marker screen comprising cystatin C, creatinine, and albuminuria. Across the three sites, a comprehensive educational intervention and the integration of primary care-based clinical champions will be employed with the goal of improving CKD detection and treatment. The San Francisco VA will also implement a practice-facilitation intervention leveraging telehealth and health informatics tools and capabilities for enhanced CKD detection. Parallel formative evaluation across the three sites will assess the feasibility and acceptability of integrating cystatin C as part of routine CKD detection in primary care practice. The effectiveness of the interventions will be assessed using a pre-post observational design for change in the proportion of patients tested annually for CKD. Secondary outcomes will assess change in the initiation of cardio-kidney protective therapies and in nephrology referrals of high-risk patients. DISCUSSION: The first phase of C3 is a multi-facility multi-modal initiative that aims to improve CKD care by implementing a triple-marker screen for enhanced CKD detection in primary care.

Systemic Influences of Mammary Cancer on Monocytes in Mice.

There is a growing body of evidence that cancer causes systemic changes. These influences are most evident in the bone marrow and the blood, particularly in the myeloid compartment. Here, we show that there is an increase in the number of bone marrow, circulating and splenic monocytes by using mouse models of breast cancer caused by the mammary epithelial expression of the polyoma middle T antigen. Cancer does not affect ratios of classical to non-classical populations of monocytes in the circulation nor does it affect their half-lives. Single cell RNA sequencing also indicates that cancer does not induce any new monocyte populations. Cancer does not change the monocytic progenitor number in the bone marrow, but the proliferation rate of monocytes is higher, thus providing an explanation for the expansion of the circulating numbers. Deep RNA sequencing of these monocytic populations reveals that cancer causes changes in the classical monocyte compartment, with changes evident in bone marrow monocytes and even more so in the blood, suggesting influences in both compartments, with the down-regulation of interferon type 1 signaling and antigen presentation being the most prominent of these. Consistent with this analysis, down-regulated genes are enriched with STAT1/STAT2 binding sites in their promoter, which are transcription factors required for type 1 interferon signaling. However, these transcriptome changes in mice did not replicate those found in patients with breast cancer. Consequently, this mouse model of breast cancer may be insufficient to study the systemic influences of human cancer.

Structural Patterns in Chronic Disease Clinical Practice Guidelines Formalized for Clinical Decision Support.

Making recommendations from clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) computable for clinical decision support (CDS) has typically been a laborious and costly process. Identifying domain-specific regularities helps clinicians and knowledge engineers conceptualize, extract, and encode evidence-based recommendations. Based on our work to provide complex CDS in the management of multiple chronic diseases, we propose nine chronic disease CPG structural patterns, discuss considerations in representing the necessary knowledge, and illustrate them with the solutions that our CDS system provides.

Non-motor phenotypic subgroups in adult-onset idiopathic, isolated, focal cervical dystonia.

BACKGROUND: Non-motor symptoms are well established phenotypic components of adult-onset idiopathic, isolated, focal cervical dystonia (AOIFCD). However, improved understanding of their clinical heterogeneity is needed to better target therapeutic intervention. Here, we examine non-motor phenotypic features to identify possible AOIFCD subgroups. METHODS: Participants diagnosed with AOIFCD were recruited via specialist neurology clinics (dystonia wales: n = 114, dystonia coalition: n = 183). Non-motor assessment included psychiatric symptoms, pain, sleep disturbance, and quality of life, assessed using self-completed questionnaires or face-to-face assessment. Both cohorts were analyzed independently using Cluster, and Bayesian multiple mixed model phenotype analyses to investigate the relationship between non-motor symptoms and determine evidence of phenotypic subgroups. RESULTS: Independent cluster analysis of the two cohorts suggests two predominant phenotypic subgroups, one consisting of approximately a third of participants in both cohorts, experiencing increased levels of depression, anxiety, sleep impairment, and pain catastrophizing, as well as, decreased quality of life. The Bayesian approach reinforced this with the primary axis, which explained the majority of the variance, in each cohort being associated with psychiatric symptomology, and also sleep impairment and pain catastrophizing in the Dystonia Wales cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Non-motor symptoms accompanying AOIFCD parse into two predominant phenotypic sub-groups, with differences in psychiatric symptoms, pain catastrophizing, sleep quality, and quality of life. Improved understanding of these symptom groups will enable better targeted pathophysiological investigation and future therapeutic intervention.

The impact of COVID-19 on adolescents with eating disorders: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is a noticeable lack of evidence regarding the impact of COVID-19 and the associated lockdown on young people with eating disorders. The goals of this study were 1) to examine characteristics of adolescents presenting for eating disorder (ED) assessment since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) to compare adolescents presenting for ED assessment since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to those that presented for assessment 1 year previously; 3) to examine implications of the pandemic on the system of care. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was completed on all patients assessed at a pediatric tertiary care ED program during the pandemic between April 1 and October 31, 2020, and on youth assessed during the same time frame 1 year previously. Data including body measurements and results of psychological measures was extracted from patients' charts. Clinician reports were utilized for accounts of ED symptoms. Referrals to our program were also compared for the two time periods. RESULTS: Of the 48 youth assessed between April and October 2020, average age was 14.6 years and average percentage of treatment goal weight was 77.7%. 40% cited the pandemic as a trigger for their ED; of these youth, 78.9% were medically unstable compared to 55.2% of those whose ED was not triggered by the pandemic. When comparing the 2020 cohort to those assessed in 2019, youth who presented for assessment during the pandemic trended towards having lower percentage of goal weights and higher rates of self-reported impairment, and were significantly more likely to be medically unstable (p = 0.005) and to require hospitalization (p = 0.005). Higher rates of inpatient admissions, emergency room consultation requests and outpatient referrals deemed "urgent" were likewise associated with the pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, youth assessed for an ED presented with high rates of medical instability and need for hospitalization. Caring for these youth may be more challenging during the pandemic, when access to services may be limited. Further research is required to better understand the impact of the pandemic on the clinical course and outcomes of EDs in adolescents.

The objective of this study was to examine characteristics of adolescents presenting for eating disorder (ED) assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also to compare them to a similar group assessed 1 year previously. A review of medical charts was completed on patients assessed at a pediatric ED program between April 1 and October 31, 2020 and on patients assessed between April 1 and October 31, 2019. Forty-eight adolescents were assessed during the pandemic-specific timeframe and 43 were assessed during the same timeframe the year previously. Forty percent of those in the 2020 cohort cited pandemic effects as a trigger for their ED; these youth had a shorter course of illness and were somewhat more likely to be medically compromised compared to those whose ED was not triggered by the pandemic. Compared to those seen in 2019, adolescents assessed for an ED in 2020 exhibited higher rates of nutritional restriction and functional impairment, were significantly more likely to be medically unstable, and required more hospitalizations or urgent consultations. Further research is required to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on the clinical course and outcomes of EDs in youth.

Gender diversity training in Canadian paediatric postgraduate medical education: A needs assessment survey.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the current state of postgraduate medical education on gender diversity in Canadian paediatric residency programs, exploring both resident and program director perceptions. BACKGROUND: Primary care providers are seeing more gender diverse children and youth in their offices, along with an exponential growth in referrals to Canadian specialty clinics and potential for significant mental health comorbidities. Gender-affirming support and management have been shown to improve overall outcomes. There is no mandatory curriculum on gender diversity for Canadian paediatric residency programs. METHODS: Cross-sectional online surveys in English and French distributed to program directors (PDs) and paediatric residents in the 17 Canadian paediatric residency programs. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Response rate was 88.2% from PDs and 24.5% from paediatric residents. Among PDs, 14.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.3, 22.3) reported a formal curriculum for gender diversity teaching. Sixty-four per cent (53.3, 75.2) of PDs estimated their residents received ≤ 2 hours teaching on gender diversity. Residents reported comfort levels ≤ 50% on specific topics. Among residents, 73.8% (67.9, 79.6) reported that mandatory time in a gender diversity clinic would be the most effective teaching tool while PDs favoured an online module (66.7% [58.2, 75.1]). Barriers to more teaching included lack of time in a busy curriculum. Over 90% of resident indicated that more teaching on gender diversity is required. CONCLUSIONS: Significant variability in education on gender diversity is seen amongst Canadian paediatric residency programs. Discussion regarding a formal paediatric curriculum on gender diversity is needed.

Monocyte Regulation in Homeostasis and Malignancy.

Monocytes are progenitors to macrophages and a subclass of dendritic cells (monocyte-derived dendritic cells, MoDCs), but they also act as circulating sensors that respond to environmental changes and disease. Technological advances have defined the production of classical monocytes in the bone marrow through the identification of lineage-determining transcription factors (LDTFs) and have proposed alternative routes of differentiation. Monocytes released into the circulation can be recruited to tissues by specific chemoattractants where they respond to sequential niche-specific signals that determine their differentiation into terminal effector cells. New aspects of monocyte biology in the circulation are being revealed, exemplified by the influence of cancer on the systemic alteration of monocyte subset abundance and transcriptional profiles. These changes can act to enhance the metastatic spread of primary cancers and may offer therapeutic opportunities.

Associations between stopping prescriptions for opioids, length of opioid treatment, and overdose or suicide deaths in US veterans: observational evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between stopping treatment with opioids, length of treatment, and death from overdose or suicide in the Veterans Health Administration. DESIGN: Observational evaluation. SETTING: Veterans Health Administration. PARTICIPANTS: 1 394 102 patients in the Veterans Health Administration with an outpatient prescription for an opioid analgesic from fiscal year 2013 to the end of fiscal year 2014 (1 October 2012 to 30 September 2014). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A multivariable Cox non-proportional hazards regression model examined death from overdose or suicide, with the interaction of time varying opioid cessation by length of treatment (≤30, 31-90, 91-400, and >400 days) as the main covariates. Stopping treatment with opioids was measured as the time when a patient was estimated to have no prescription for opioids, up to the end of the next fiscal year (2014) or the patient's death. RESULTS: 2887 deaths from overdose or suicide were found. The incidence of stopping opioid treatment was 57.4% (n=799 668) overall, and based on length of opioid treatment was 32.0% (≤30 days), 8.7% (31-90 days), 22.7% (91-400 days), and 36.6% (>400 days). The interaction between stopping treatment with opioids and length of treatment was significant (P<0.001); stopping treatment was associated with an increased risk of death from overdose or suicide regardless of the length of treatment, with the risk increasing the longer patients were treated. Hazard ratios for patients who stopped opioid treatment (with reference values for all other covariates) were 1.67 (≤30 days), 2.80 (31-90 days), 3.95 (91-400 days), and 6.77 (>400 days). Descriptive life table data suggested that death rates for overdose or suicide increased immediately after starting or stopping treatment with opioids, with the incidence decreasing over about three to 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Patients were at greater risk of death from overdose or suicide after stopping opioid treatment, with an increase in the risk the longer patients had been treated before stopping. Descriptive data suggested that starting treatment with opioids was also a risk period. Strategies to mitigate the risk in these periods are not currently a focus of guidelines for long term use of opioids. The associations observed cannot be assumed to be causal; the context in which opioid prescriptions were started and stopped might contribute to risk and was not investigated. Safer prescribing of opioids should take a broader view on patient safety and mitigate the risk from the patient's perspective. Factors to address are those that place patients at risk for overdose or suicide after beginning and stopping opioid treatment, especially in the first three months.

Lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation and validation of immunohistochemical lymphoid markers in an African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris).

A 2-year-old female intact African pygmy hedgehog was presented for diagnostic investigation of a 2-month reduction in appetite, with weight loss and recent vomiting. Clinical examination revealed a large, firm mass originating from the left cranial abdomen. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirates of the mass, liver, and mesenteric lymph nodes revealed a population of pleomorphic round cells, some of which contained variable numbers of round, clear vacuoles, consistent with a diagnosis of lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation. At postmortem examination, there was marked diffuse splenic enlargement, with infiltration by a soft tissue mass. There were multiple coalescing liver masses, kidney pallor, and mesenteric lymph node enlargements. On histologic examination, the spleen, lymph nodes, and masses in the liver were extensively infiltrated by proliferating lymphoid cells that had plasmacytoid and Mott cell differentiation. Cells with Mott cell morphology had an accumulation of periodic acid-Schiff-positive material in cytoplasmic inclusions and were positive for cytoplasmic nucleic acids when stained with methyl green pyronin. In the population of neoplastic lymphoid cells, a majority of cells expressed the transcription factor Pax5, which drives B-cell differentiation, and a minority expressed transcription factor IRF4/MUM-1, which drives plasma cell differentiation, indicating B-cell lymphoma with plasmacytoid differentiation.

Ethylene Oxide Exposure Attribution and Emissions Quantification Based on Ambient Air Measurements near a Sterilization Facility.

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a known carcinogen and mutagen associated with increased incidence of breast and blood cancers. The largest medical sterilization facility in Michigan had been assessed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as imposing an additional cancer risk greater than one in one thousand in nearby neighborhoods. This prompted the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now referred to as the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) to conduct an air quality modeling study of the ambient EtO impacts of the sterilization facility, followed by 24 h Summa canister sampling and TO-15 analysis in two phases. Inverse modeling of the measured 24 h EtO concentrations during the second phase yielded estimates of 594 lbs/year for the facility's total emissions of EtO and 0.247 µg/m3 for the urban background concentration. The inverse-modeled emissions are similar to reported emissions by the facility operator based on indoor air measurements and simple mass balance assumptions, while the inferred background concentration agrees with estimates from other field investigations. The estimated peak 24 h exposure to EtO caused by the sterilization facility in nearby neighborhoods was 1.83 µg/m3 above the background level, corresponding to an additional cancer risk of approximately one in one hundred, if assumed to represent annual mean exposure.

The role of pectoral nerve blocks in a day-case mastectomy service: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: It is now recognised that the majority of breast surgery can be safely undertaken as day case procedures. We aimed to evaluate the effect of pectoral nerve (Pecs2) blocks on recovery parameters and day case rates in patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed in a single NHS Foundation trust between 1st April 2014 and 31st December 2016. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores (0-10) at 4 and 8 h, episodes of post-operative nausea ±â€¯vomiting (PONV), opioid use and day case outcome were compared between Pecs2 and no Pecs2 groups. RESULTS: 22 patients underwent general anaesthesia (GA) + Pecs2 block and 30 GA ± local anaesthetic infiltration.Mean pain scores were significantly lower in the Pecs2 (2.5) vs no Pecs2 (4.6) group at 4 h (p = 0.0132) and 8 h, Pecs2 (1.9) vs no Pecs2 (3.6) (p = 0.0038).Episodes of PONV requiring additional anti-emetic were lower and statistically significant in the Pecs2 group (2/22, 9%) than the no Pecs2 group (14/30, 46%), (p = 0.005).Additional opioid use was significantly lower in the Pecs2 group (4/22, 18%) than in the no Pecs2 group (14/30, 46%) (p = 0.0423).18 patients in the Pecs2 group were discharged the same day in contrast to just 3 patients in the no Pecs2 group. This was highly statistically significant (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Pecs2 blocks can significantly reduce post-operative pain, nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing mastectomy. Their use can enable units to achieve high day-case mastectomy rates.

Variation in the prion protein gene (PRNP) sequence of wild deer in Great Britain and mainland Europe.

Susceptibility to prion diseases is largely determined by the sequence of the prion protein gene (PRNP), which encodes the prion protein (PrP). The recent emergence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Europe has highlighted the need to investigate PRNP gene diversity in European deer species, to better predict their susceptibility to CWD. Here we report a large genetic survey of six British deer species, including red (Cervus elaphus), sika (Cervus nippon), roe (Capreolus capreolus), fallow (Dama dama), muntjac (Muntiacus reevesii), and Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis), which establishes PRNP haplotype and genotype frequencies. Two smaller data sets from red deer in Norway and the Czech Republic are also included for comparison. Overall red deer show the most PRNP variation, with non-synonymous/coding polymorphisms at codons 98, 168, 226 and 247, which vary markedly in frequency between different regions. Polymorphisms P168S and I247L were only found in Scottish and Czech populations, respectively. T98A was found in all populations except Norway and the south of England. Significant regional differences in genotype frequencies were observed within both British and European red deer populations. Other deer species showed less variation, particularly roe and fallow deer, in which identical PRNP gene sequences were found in all individuals analysed. Based on comparison with PRNP sequences of North American cervids affected by CWD and limited experimental challenge data, these results suggest that a high proportion of wild deer in Great Britain may be susceptible to CWD.

Use of cyproheptadine to stimulate appetite and body weight gain: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: A systematic review identifying the use of cyproheptadine (CY) as an appetite stimulant was completed. METHOD: Studies of any design exploring the efficacy of CY as an appetite stimulant in all age groups and populations were included. Primary outcomes of studies included were weight gain, appetite stimulation, and/or caloric/nutritional intake increase. The review was completed in accordance with PRISMA standards. RESULTS: A total of 46 articles across 21 different treatment populations met criteria for the review, including 32 randomized controlled trials, 4 prospective cohort studies, 4 retrospective cohort studies, 4 case reports and 2 case series. Of these, 39 demonstrated that CY resulted in significant weight gain in the sample under study. Studies exploring the use of CY in those with malignant/progressive disease states, such as HIV and cancer, showed minimal to no benefit of the medication. Transient mild to moderate sedation was the most commonly reported side effect. Studies included were heterogeneous in terms of methods as well as study patient demographics, characteristics and concurrent medical conditions. Few studies provided objective measures of appetite change. DISCUSSION: CY appears to be a safe, generally well-tolerated medication that has utility in helping facilitate weight gain in patients drawn from a variety of underweight populations. Future prospective randomized controlled studies in low weight patients that include objective measures of appetite and intake are needed to better understand the mechanism by which CY augments weight gain.

Driving with Parkinson's Disease: Exploring Lived Experience.

A growing body of literature has explored the impact of Parkinson's disease (PD) on fitness to drive. As such, evidence now supports the use of specific clinical tests for screening purposes, the predictive validity of risk impressions, and the critical driving errors that predict on-road pass/fail outcomes in this population. However, little is known about the lived experiences of persons with PD as they navigate driving-related concerns such as driving impairments, cessation, potential threats to independence, and community mobility. This qualitative secondary data analysis aimed to explore the driving-related lived experiences of persons with PD. We utilized summative content analysis to identify themes related to driving from transcribed interviews with nineteen community-dwelling individuals with PD who participated in the primary study. Five themes emerged within the analysis: (1) the meaning and significance of driving; (2) driving cessation; (3) modified driving behaviors; (4) factors affecting driving; and (5) accessibility. Participants identified driving as an activity that holds significant importance-both directly (i.e., as a primary activity) and as a means for enabling other activities. This study lays the foundation for the development of client-centred and evidence-informed driving interventions for individuals with PD, as well as the development of driving retirement programs.