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Objective. To explore the effect of a moxibustion instrument combined with intermediate frequency electrostatic therapy on pain and joint function in elderly patients with cold-dampness arthritis (KOA). Method. 200 patients with cold-dampness KOA treated in our hospital from May 2019 to September 2021 were selected. According to the random number table method, they were divided into the observation group (n = 100) and control group (n = 100). The observation group was treated with moxibustion combined with medium-frequency treatment, and the control group was treated with medium-frequency treatment. The clinical effects of the two groups were compared. The joint functions of the two groups were evaluated by the visualization scale of the osteoarthritis index (WOMAC index) of McMaster University in Western Ontario. The TCM symptom scores of the two groups were evaluated according to the guiding principles for clinical research of new traditional Chinese medicine. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the pain degree of the two groups, and the microcirculatory blood perfusion (MBPU) and interleukin-1 were compared between the two groups, β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The levels of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), serum bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and serum type II collagen C-terminal peptide (CTX-II) were assessed by the comprehensive quality of life questionnaire-74. Result. The total effective rate of the observation group (92.00%) was higher than that of the control group (76.00%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05) in β and TNF-α. The levels of MMP-3, BMP-2, comp, and CTX-II and the improvement of quality of life score in the control group were better than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Moxibustion instrument combined with intermediate frequency electrostatic therapy can effectively improve the knee joint function, pain, blood perfusion, inflammatory reaction, and cartilage damage of the elderly patients with cold-dampness-type knee arthritis, and the therapeutic effect is good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Engaging patients and family members as partners in research studies has become a widespread practice in healthcare. However, relatively little has been documented about what happens after the research study ends. For example, is patient and family engagement embedded in the wider infrastructure of organizations, and if so how? What are the long-term effects of engaging parents on research teams on the culture of how research is conducted? This study seeks to address these two gaps by examining how a culture of family engagement has been built over time at CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Methods: This study is based on ethnographic research methodology and combines elements of organizational ethnography, interviews, and collaborative auto-ethnography with parent partners, researchers, staff, and trainees. Results: Since the inception of CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research at McMaster University in 1989, parents have been involved in research studies. Over time, this involvement evolved from being consulted on research studies to undertaking decision-making roles as partners and most recently as co-principal investigators. A growing infrastructure fosters a community of engagement that goes beyond the individual research study, and often beyond CanChild. This infrastructure consists of training, knowledge mobilization and social networking. In addition, the "softer" building blocks of CanChild's culture of engagement are an openness to learning from others, a commitment to relationship building, and a drive to grow and improve. These values are espoused by the leadership and are instilled in the next generation of researchers to inform both research and clinical work. While some challenges should be acknowledged when researchers and family partners work together on research studies, we identify a number of strategies that we have used in our studies to foster authentic and meaningful family–researcher partnerships. Conclusion: Engaging patients and families as partners in research constitutes a culture shift in health research, whereby studies about patients and families are carried out with them. Developing a community of engagement that transcends an individual research study is a step towards creating a culture of research that is truly shaped by the people about whom the research is being done. Plain English summary: More and more patients and family members are getting involved in health research studies as partners. However we do not know much about what happens after the research study ends. This article looks at how parents have been involved in research studies at CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. CanChild researchers, staff, students and parents were asked about their experiences of working together on research studies. One of the researchers then pooled together all of these stories, shared them with everyone to get their feedback, and wrote the initial draft of this article. All the people interviewed were invited to read the article and to add their thoughts and opinions until everyone was satisfied with the final product. Our shared stories show that a lot has changed since CanChild was established in 1989. At first, researchers consulted with parents when they were doing a study. Now, many parents are partners and co-principal investigators on research studies. CanChild has also developed opportunities for parents and researchers to get training in patient-family engagement and to network with each other outside of research studies. Researchers, staff, students and parents talked about what makes research partnerships successful, including: being open to learning from each other; taking the time to get to know each other as people; and always trying to do better. They also shared some of the challenges that come up on research studies and suggested strategies for working through them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While weight gain during first year of university has been well documented in North America, literature on sex-specific effects is scarce and inconsistent. The objective of this investigation was to explore sex-specific changes in obesity traits during first year of university at McMaster University (Ontario, Canada). Methods: 245 first-year students (80.4% females) were followed longitudinally with data collected early in the academic year and towards the end of the year. Obesity parameters including weight, waist and hip circumferences, BMI, and waist to hip ratio were investigated. The Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for pairwise comparison of traits in the absence of adjustments. Additionally, the repeated-measures ANOVA test was used with covariate adjustments to investigate the interaction between sex and time. Results: Overall sample trends indicated a significant increase in mean weight by 1.55 kg (95% CI: 1.24–1.86) over the school year (p<0.001). This was accompanied by significant gains in BMI, and waist and hip circumferences (p<0.001) in the overall sample. At baseline, males presented with higher body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and WHR, as compared to their females counterparts (p<0.01). Additionally, sex-stratified analysis indicated significant gains in weight, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences in both males and females (p<0.01). However, a comparison of the magnitude of change over time between the two sex groups revealed no significant difference for any of the investigated traits (p>0.05). Conclusion: While our study confirms significant weight gain in both male and female first year university students in Ontario, Canada, it does not show sex specific differences within this context. Our investigation highlights the importance of accounting for sex and gender in health research and supports the need of further studies in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the impact of race/ethnicity on weight change at university. The objective of this study is to determine if ethnicity has an impact on obesity traits in a multiethnic cohort of first-year students at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Methods: 183 first year students from the three most represented ethnic groups (South Asian, East Asian, and white-Caucasian) in our study sample were followed longitudinally with data collected early in the academic year and towards the end of the year. Obesity parameters including body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, and waist hip ratio (WHR) were analyzed. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for pairwise comparison of traits from the beginning to the end of the year in the absence of adjustments. Linear regression was used with covariate adjustments to investigate the effect of ethnicity on obesity traits. Results: A significant increase in weight by 1.49 kg (95%CI: 1.13–1.85) was observed over the academic year in the overall analyzed sample. This was accompanied by significant gains in BMI, waist and hip circumferences, and WHR. Ethnicity stratified analysis indicated significant increase in all investigated obesity traits in East Asians and all traits, but WHR, in South Asians. White-Caucasians only displayed significant increases in weight and BMI. Body weight and hip circumference were significantly lower in East Asians compared to white-Caucasians at baseline. However, East Asians displayed a significantly larger increase in mean BMI and weight compared to white-Caucasians after first-year. South Asians displayed larger waist circumference at baseline compared to East Asians and larger WHR compared to white-Caucasians. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that ethnicity has an impact on obesity traits in first-year university students. Universities should take ethnicity into account while implementing effective obesity prevention programs to promote healthy and active lifestyles for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undergraduate research and inquiry is a growing movement within the teaching and learning nexus, with many institutions developing their practices within this culture of education. This study aimed to identify the perceptions and experiences surrounding undergraduate research and inquiry among students and faculty at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada; assess the extent of research and inquiry in the design of undergraduate courses; and explore the facilitators and obstacles educators encounter when attempting to implement this educational approach. Although differences exist in student and faculty definitions of undergraduate research and inquiry, we found two principal models that characterize its structure and delivery--the scaffold model and bookend model. A third, the abstract model, does not employ the practice of inquiry. Despite numerous benefits unique to undergraduate research and inquiry education identified by stakeholders, notable barriers (such as funding, faculty buy-in, limited student experience, and inherent competition) hinder its progress. Overall, we found a diversity of undergraduate research and inquiry practices across the university, operating within varying cultures and comfort levels, which suggests unequal access for student learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the methodology of the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study (OCHS): a province-wide, cross-sectional, epidemiologic study of child health and mental disorder among 4- to 17-year-olds living in household dwellings.Method: Implemented by Statistics Canada, the 2014 OCHS was led by academic researchers at the Offord Centre for Child Studies (McMaster University). Eligible households included families with children aged 4 to 17 years, who were listed on the 2014 Canadian Child Tax Benefit File. The survey design included area and household stratification by income and 3-stage cluster sampling of areas and households to yield a probability sample of families.Results: The 2014 OCHS included 6,537 responding households (50.8%) with 10,802 children aged 4 to 17 years. Lower income families living in low-income neighbourhoods were less likely to participate. In addition to measures of childhood mental disorder assessed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID) and OCHS Emotional Behavioural Scales (OCHS-EBS), the survey contains measures of neighbourhoods, schools, families and children, and includes administrative data held by the Ministries of Education and Health and Long-Term Care.Conclusions: The complex survey design and differential non-response of the 2014 OCHS required the use of sampling weights and adjustment for design effects. The study is available throughout Canada in the Statistics Canada Research Data Centres (RDCs). We urge external investigators to access the study through the RDCs or to contact us directly to collaborate on future secondary analysis studies based on the OCHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of our study was to determine the existence of neuropathic pain (NP) in knee OA and its association with risk factors, functional status, quality of life, and depression. Material and Methods: This was a descriptive study. A total of 100 patients (90 female, 10 male) with knee OA were enrolled. Data including age, gender, educational status, working status, body mass index, and symptom duration were obtained from patients. Patients were divided into three groups according to the PainDETECT scores: likely NP, possible NP, unlikely NP. Patients' pain severity was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS). For the presence of NP, PainDETECT scale was used. Functional status was evaluated by Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Quality of life was assessed using Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) and depression level was evaluated using Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D). Kellgren-Lawrence grading system was used to determine the radiologic severity. Pain, functional status, quality of life and depression were compared among the groups. Results: Of the total, 18 patients (18%) were in the likely NP group; 23 patients (23%) were in the possible NP group and 59 (59%) patients were in the unlikely NP group. No significant differences were detected between the groups in sociodemographic data (p > 0.05). Significant differences were detected in symptom duration, VAS, WOMAC, SF-36 physical functioning subscale, physical role functioning subscale, social role functioning subscale, vitality subscale, bodily pain subscale, general health perceptions subscale and HAM-D scores among the groups (p < 0.05). PainDETECT scores were significantly correlated with VAS, WOMAC, SF-36 subscales, and HAM-D (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that NP is associated with severe pain, reduced functionality, impairment in quality of life, and higher depression scores in patients with knee OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate minimum 2-year follow-up results of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) performed using a new highflexion prosthesis design (LOSPA). Materials and Methods: The 2- to 4-year results of 191 consecutive TKAs (177 patients) with the LOSPA posterior-stabilized prosthesis were evaluated. The patients were assessed clinically and radiographically using the Knee Society scoring system (KSS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Results: The mean range of motion (ROM) increased significantly from 117.4° (range, 75° to 140°) preoperatively to 126.7° (range, 80° to 144°) postoperatively (p<0.001). The mean KSS and WOMAC scores improved significantly from 121.4 (range, 42 to 185) and 56.1 (range, 23 to 88) preoperatively to 174.0 (range, 130 to 200) and 16.4 (range, 0 to 85) postoperatively, respectively (both, p<0.001). One knee required revision for deep infection. No knee had aseptic loosening or osteolysis. Radiolucent lines were noted in 15 knees (7.9%). Conclusions: The new high-flexion total knee prosthesis resulted in no early aseptic loosening of the component and improved postoperative ROM comparable to other high-flexion TKA prostheses at 2- to 4-year follow-ups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, addiction has been an area in which Canadian social workers have received limited formal education. This reality led to the development of 18 core technical competencies through the auspices of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse in 2006. A survey of Canadian schools and faculties of social work found that social work students might obtain a grounding in many of these competencies, however, there was no certainty of this. An option now for those interested in becoming more proficient in this field of addiction is a specialized distance education program developed by McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Along with meeting the majority of the core competencies, there are several other attributes that make this program unique. It offers 27 distinct addiction-specific course options at both an introductory and an advanced level; has continuous enrollment allowing students to begin a course at the beginning of any month; has no minimum course load requirement; and meets the academic requirements for optional certification through the Canadian Addiction Counselors Certification Federation. In a nation like Canada, with a small population spread across a large geographic area, the Addiction Studies Program may serve as a template for offering specialized distance education to enhance professional competencies and thus better prepare social workers to serve community needs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of moxibustion on pain, stiffness and physical dysfunction caused by knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and make an assessment on the effectiveness and safety of this therapy. Methods: Fifty-nine cases of KOA were randomly divided into a moxibustion group (31 cases) and a sham-moxibustion group (28 cases). The treatment of moxibustion was given at Nèixīyăn (▪ EX-LE 4), Dúbi (▪ ST 35) and Ashi points with real moxa cone in the moxibustion group and sham moxa cone in the sham-moxibustion group, 3 cones on each point per time, once every two days, 3 times per week for consecutively 6 weeks. The results were recorded in week 3 and 6 of the treatment, and the follow-up visit was performed 6 weeks after the end of treatment. The Western Ontario and Mcmaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the shortest walking time of 46 m were adopted to evaluate the recovery situation of joint function. The UT-325 digital thermal detector was put to use to record the temperature change in the most obvious painful points of knee joint before and after the moxibustion. Results: All the scores of WOMAC in the moxibustion group were apparently decreased in week 3 and 6 of the treatment as well as the follow-up visit, separately (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). The stiffness score of follow-up visit in the sham-moxibustion group, compared before the treatment, was lowered (P<0.05). The scores of pain, stiffness and physical function in the moxibustion group had a greater decrease than those in the sham-moxibustion group in week 6 of treatment and the follow-up visit (P<0.01, P<0.05). The shortest walking time of 46 m in the moxibustion group after 6 weeks of the treatment was apparently reduced as compared with that before treatment (P<0.01), but there was no apparent improvement in the sham-moxibustion group (P>0.05), and the between-group difference was not significant statistically (P>0.05). The temperature of treatment point after the moxibustion was (49.81±3.10) °C in the moxibustion group and (40.98±1.67) °C in the sham-moxibustion group, which was both increased apparently as compared with that before the treatment (P<0.001, P<0.01), and more obviously in the moxibustion group (P<0.001). Conclusion: The moxibustion, which can obviously improve the clinical symptoms of the patients with KOA, such as pain, stiffness and physical dysfunction, is safe and effective. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

. von Willebrand factor (VWF) has the capacity to form a complex with factor VIII (FVIII) which may modulate the immunogenicity of FVIII. It has been proposed that a significant fraction of recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) is unable to bind VWF. In an experimental model studied at the McMaster University in Canada, this VWF-unbound rFVIII fraction showed no coagulant function. Sulphation of FVIII tyrosine (Tyr) 1680 has been reported as essential for the interaction with VWF. In a study performed at the Grifols and CNS-CSIC in Spain, Tyr1680 sulphation was observed to be incomplete in rFVIII and complete in plasma-derived FVIII (pdFVIII). This could explain the incapability of some rFVIII molecules to bind VWF. Experience with immune tolerance induction (ITI) at the Bonn Haemophilia Centre indicates that only eradication of FVIII inhibitors allows safe haemostasis control and the option of prophylactic treatment. Various clinical trials were planned to evaluate the clinical role VWF-containing FVIII concentrates (FVIII/VWF). RES.I.ST (an acronym for REScue Immunotolerance STudy) is an international, prospective study aimed at assessing whether FVIII/VWF can induce ITI in high-risk haemophilia patients (RES.I.ST naïve) and whether patients who previously failed ITI with FVIII alone can be rescued with FVIII/VWF (RES.I.ST experienced). Enrolment started in November 2009. In the FAIReSt.Will (Fanhdi and Alphanate Italian Retrospective Study in Willebrand disease) study, 120 von Willebrand disease (VWD) patients treated with Fanhdi® or Alphanate® were retrospectively analysed. Efficacy was excellent and no side effects were reported. The ongoing PRO.Will study is a prospective, multicenter trial aimed at assessing the efficacy, safety and pharmacoeconomics of secondary long-term prophylaxis in patients with severe inherited VWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Princess Point promontory at Cootes Paradise, Hamilton, Ontario has a long, rich history of human activity. This paper provides a synopsis of the archaeological work conducted on Princess Point, and summarizes the history of human activity on the promontory. The Princess Point site was discovered on the promontory in the 1960s by archaeologists from McMaster University. Excavations were conducted by McMaster in the late 1960s, and by the University of Toronto, Mississauga since 2000. These excavations demonstrate that Princess Point was used by native peoples from Early Archaic times (8000-6000 B.C.) through to the end of the Woodland period at A.D. 1650. The most intense occupation occurred during the Early Late Woodland period (A.D. 500-1000) by people of the Princess Point Complex. Euro-Canadians began using Princess Point during the late eighteenth century. In the twentieth century, the promontory was incorporated into the Royal Botanical Gardens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regionalization, a process of transferring hydrological information [i.e., parameters of a conceptual rainfall-runoff model, namely, the McMaster University-Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning (MAC-HBV)] from gauged to ungauged basins, was applied to estimate continuous flows in ungauged basins across Ontario, Canada. To identify appropriate regionalization methods, different regionalization methods were applied, including the spatial proximity [i.e., kriging, inverse distance weighted (IDW), and mean parameters], physical similarity, and regression-based approaches. Furthermore, an approach coupling the spatial-proximity (IDW) method and the physical similarity approach is proposed. The analysis results show that the coupled regionalization approach as well as the IDW and kriging produce better model performances than the remaining three. Further investigations show that the coupled-regionalization approach provides slightly better performances than the other two spatial proximity methods. In addition, a modified Monte Carlo simulation method is used to assess the estimated flow confidence intervals. The prediction confidence intervals provide additional information on the range of variability of the simulated continuous streamflow in the ungauged basins, and this can be particularly useful for decision making, such as environmental flow determination in ungauged basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent reports identify a problem concerning university libraries-that of trending toward the disintermediation from the research process. Many experts have called for libraries to begin leading scholarship and to keep themselves relevant to faculty and students in light of recent work illustrating that within the hierarchy of answering questions regarding information evaluation and searching, librarians fall below Internet search engines, instructors, and even friends. In order to be successful and stay relevant, libraries must be reestablished as leaders within the university community. McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada has taken the approach of 'library as lab' by matching the needs of the library with the interests of an emerging scholar. This has led to the creation of three library-funded postdoctoral fellowships in a program sponsored by the Council on Library and Information Resources. The new positions have been successful in facilitating a greater number of university partnerships in both teaching and research through such initiatives as the creation of the Virtual Museum of the Holocaust and the Resistance and the opening of the Lyons New Media Center. The ongoing success of the postdoctoral initiative is insured with the creation of the McMaster Centre for Digital Scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgeons and residents are at increased risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens owing to percutaneous injury (PI) and contamination. One method known to reduce risk is double-gloving (DG) during surgery. Methods: All surgeons and residents affiliated with the University of Western Ontario (UWO) and McMaster University in 2005 were asked to participate in a Web-based survey. The survey asked respondents their specialty, the number of operations they participated in per week, their age and sex, the proportion of surgeries in which they double-gloved (DG in ± 75% surgeries was considered to be routine), and the average number of PIs they sustained per year and whether or not they reported them to an employee health service. Results: In total, 155 of 331 (47%) eligible surgeons and residents responded; response rates for UWO and McMaster surgeons were 50% and 39%, respectively, and for UWO and McMaster residents, they were 52% and 47%, respectively. A total of 43% of surgeons and residents reported routine DG; 50% from McMaster and 36% from UWO. Using logistic regression to simultaneously adjust for participant characteristics, we confirmed that DG was more frequent at McMaster than at UWO, with an odds ratio of 3.32 (95% confidence interval 1.35-8.17). Surgeons and residents reported an average of 3.3 surgical PIs per year (2.2 among McMaster participants and 4.5 among UWO participants). Of the 77% who reported at least 1 injury/year, 67% stated that they had not reported it to an employee health service. Conclusion: Percutaneous injuries occur frequently during surgery, yet routine DG, an effective means of reducing risk, was carried out by less than half of the surgeons and residents participating in this study. This highlights the need for a more concerted and broad-based approach to increase the use of a measure that is effective, inexpensive and easily carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author discusses aspects of Canadian undergraduate research. She believes that inquiry learning is both a process and a set of skills which will eventually lead to an advanced level of understanding. Also explored is a case study from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario which uses inquiry as a form of research.

Abstract: This study investigates how socio-demographic and attitudinal variables of university students affect their desire to increase or decrease their daily commute. The case study is McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and data was obtained by means of a web-based survey that included questions regarding travel behavior, socio-demographic information, and attitudes toward travel, land use, and the environment. The objective variable is defined as the ratio of ideal to actual commute time, and regression analysis is implemented to test the relationship between this variable and socio-demographic variables and attitudinal scores. The impact of different attitudes on the gap between ideal and actual commute time is expanded to include three different modes, active travel (walk/cycle), transit, and personal automobile. Interestingly, the results indicate that active travelers tend to be less dissatisfied with their commute, followed by those who travel in a personal vehicle and transit users. A number of attitudinal responses are shown to impact the desire to travel more or less, including variables that relate to the social environment, availability of local activities, quality of facilities, productive use of the commute, and the intrinsic value found in the commute travel. The picture emerges of a traveler who would like to spend more time commuting, as someone who is an active traveler, thinks that getting there is half the fun, dislikes traveling alone, but rather likes to live in an active neighborhood where there is a sense of community. The results suggests that enjoyment of commuting, while a challenge from the perspective of motorized mobility, may provide valuable policy opportunities from the perspective of active transportation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Many symposia and workshops are held to discuss issues of student-centered learning, but few put students in charge. Description: An international meeting was held at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to discuss Student-Centered Learning in the Life and Health Sciences where there were no plenary, oral, or poster presentations. Sessions were run in a problem-based, small-group format. Educational problems written specifically for the symposium served as springboards for learning. Undergraduate and graduate science students took center stage by taking an active role in the planning and organization of the event and serving as chairs and facilitators for the sessions. In addition, they summarized the sessions in written reports, which thus enabled their opinions to be documented. Eminent educators from several countries (Australia, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Finland, the UK, and the United States) participated in these sessions as both learners and content experts. Evaluation: A questionnaire as well as comments suggested that the participants enjoyed the learning experience, which gave faculty, staff, and students opportunity to discuss in-depth educational issues related to process, content, and delivery of curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Research has shown that the long term management of food allergy is suboptimal. Our study aims to provide direction for improvement, by evaluating food allergy management from the perspective of, food allergic patients or their caregivers, and allergists in selected outpatient settings in Ontario. Methods: This two-part study included an anonymous questionnaire completed by patients or their caregivers in allergy clinics, and a qualitative interview with allergists. In Part A, food allergic patients or their caregivers were surveyed about information they received on food allergy, their level of confidence with self-management, and their learning needs. In Part B, allergists were interviewed about teaching priorities and the challenges and strategies that currently exist in food allergy management. The questionnaire was developed and piloted at the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation-McMaster University Medical Center Site. Using convenience sampling, participants were recruited from 6 allergy clinics in 5 Ontario cities. Patients of any age with food allergy who were evaluated by an allergist were considered for inclusion. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency analysis. Audio recorded interviews with allergists were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis of grounded theory methodology. Results: Ninety-two food allergic families in the care of 6 allergists in Toronto, Hamilton, London, Kitchener, and Kingston participated in the study. Key areas requiring improvement in food allergy management were identified: 33% of families were not shown how to use an epinephrine auto-injector with a trainer, only 57% were asked to demonstrate an auto-injector, despite being on average at their 5th visit, and only about 30% felt very confident about when and how to give an auto-injector. Fifty percent of families did not receive sufficient information on medical identification and 21% did not receive information about support groups. Interviews with allergists revealed limitations in time and nursing resources. Conclusions: Our study highlights the educational gaps and overall experiences of food allergic families in Ontario, and the challenges faced by the allergists managing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The repair of osteochondral lesions is imperfect and transient; chondral lesions do not heal in mature cartilage. Attempts have been made to restore cartilage lesions by filling the defects with a temporary artificial biocompatible matrix. Purpose: To determine whether the implantation of alginate beads containing human mature allogenic chondrocytes is feasible and safe for the treatment of symptomatic cartilage defects in the knee. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A biodegradable, alginate-based, biocompatible scaffold containing human mature allogenic chondrocytes was used for the treatment of chondral and osteochondral lesions in the knee. Twenty-one patients were clinically and prospectively evaluated with use of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and a visual analog scale for pain preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months of follow-up. Of the 21 patients, 13 consented to having a biopsy sample taken for investigative purposes from the area of implantation at 12 months of follow-up, allowing histologic assessment of the repair tissue. Results: A statistically significant clinical improvement became apparent after 6 months, and patients improved during the 24 months of follow-up. Adverse reactions to the alginate/fibrin matrix seeded with the allogenic cartilage cells were not observed. Histologic analysis of the biopsy specimens rated the repair tissue as hyaline-like in 15.3% of the samples, as mixed tissue in 46.2%, as fibrocartilage in 30.8%, and as fibrous in 7.7%. Conclusion: The results of this short-term pilot study show that the alginate-based scaffold containing human mature allogenic chondrocytes is feasible and safe for the treatment of symptomatic cartilage defects of the knee. The described technique provides clinical and histologic outcomes that are equal but not superior to those of other cartilage repair techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: To compare the test–retest reliability and validity of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) physical function (PF) subscale and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) in community-dwelling adults with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Study Design and Setting: One hundred adults with symptomatic hip OA participated in the study. Test–retest reliability was assessed by administering the WOMAC and LEFS at participants'' initial visits and after 1 week. Discriminant validity from pain measures was assessed by examining the WOMAC-PF and the LEFS correlations with the PF and bodily pain subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Convergent validity was assessed by comparing correlations between the WOMAC-PF and LEFS with the gait speed test, step test, and timed stair tests. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of measurement, and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated. Result: ICC estimates of 0.90 and 0.92 were obtained for the WOMAC-PF and LEFS, respectively. The minimal detectable change scores were 9.1 WOMAC-PF and 9.9 LEFS points. Discriminant validity was evident for the LEFS but not for the WOMAC-PF. The WOMAC-PF and LEFS showed similar levels of convergent validity; however, WOMAC-PF and gait speed showed a relatively low correlation. Conclusion: The LEFS has good measurement properties—namely test–retest reliability and cross-sectional construct validity—and it could be an alternative to WOMAC-PF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Although rural medicine interest groups (RMIGs) are prevalent in Canadian medical schools, there is little research on their contribution to rural education, training and careers. Methods: We explored 2 broad questions by means of an electronic survey to people who were RMIG participants at McMaster University from 2002 to 2007: 1) What are the experiences of undergraduate trainees in an RMIG? 2) What are the features of RMIGs that contribute to an interest in rural medicine? The survey itself contained 35 questions broken down into sections detailing demographics, involvement in RMIGs, RMIG features, core and elective experiences, careers and Canadian Resident Matching Service. Results: Of the 63 participants who completed the survey, 13 (20.6%) were in postgraduate training and 50 (79.4%) were in undergraduate training. The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 28.4 (6.5) years and 71.9% percent were female. Respondents indicated that rural placements had the most influence on their choice of specialty and rural interest. Of all the features and activities of the RMIG, rural medicine special events contributed the most to an interest in rural medicine (e.g., "rural medicine days"). Conclusion: At McMaster University, the responses of participants suggested that RMIG participation had more influence on career choice than did the medical school attended. Communities, government organizations, residency programs and others interested in improving access to rural physicians, will note the importance of RMIGs and the importance survey respondents gave to rural medicine special events and rural electives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Total joint replacements are interventions with large waiting times from indication to the surgery management. These patients can be managed in two ways; first-in first-out or through a priority tool. The aim of this study was to compare real time on waiting list (TWL) with a priority criteria score, developed by our team, in patients awaiting joint replacement due to osteoarthritis. Methods Consecutive patients placed on waiting list were eligible. Patients fulfilled a questionnaire which included items of our priority tool and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) specific questionnaire. Other priority items were extracted from the clinical history. The priority tool gives a score from 0 to 100 points, and three categories (urgent, preferent and ordinary). We studied the differences among categories and TWL by means of one-way analysis of variance. Correlational analysis was used to evaluate association among priority score and TWL and WOMAC baseline and gains at 6 months with priority score and TWL. Results We have studied 684 patients. Women represented 62% of sample. The mean age was 70 years. There were not association between the categories of priority score and TWL ( P = 0.12). The rho correlation coefficient between TWL and priority score was −0.11. Among baseline WOMAC scores and priority score, the rho coefficients were 0.79, 0.7 and 0.52 with function, pain and stiffness dimensions, respectively. There were differences in the mean scores of WOMAC dimensions according to the three priority categories ( P < 0.001) but no with TWL categories. Data of gains in both health-related quality of life dimensions at 6 months were similar, with differences according to priority categories but no regarding TWL. Conclusions The results of the study support the necessity of implementing a prioritization system instead of the actual system if we want to manage the waiting list for joint replacement with clinical equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Face processing changes when a face is learned with personally relevant information. In a five-day learning paradigm, faces were presented with rich semantic stories that conveyed personal information about the faces. Event-related potentials were recorded before and after learning during a passive viewing task. When faces were novel, we observed the expected N170 repetition effect-a reduction in amplitude following face repetition. However, when faces were learned with personal information, the N170 repetition effect was eliminated, suggesting that semantic information modulates the N170 repetition effect. To control for the possibility that a simple perceptual effect contributed to the change in the N170 repetition effect, another experiment was conducted using stories that were not related to the person (i.e., stories about rocks and volcanoes). Although viewers were exposed to the faces an equal amount of time, the typical N170 repetition effect was observed, indicating that personal semantic information associated with a face, and not simply perceptual exposure, produced the observed reduction in the N170 repetition effect. These results are the first to reveal a critical perceptual change in face processing as a result of learning person-related information. The results have important implications for researchers studying face processing, as well as learning and memory in general, as they demonstrate that perceptual information alone is not enough to establish familiarity akin to real-world person learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the failed efforts to combine the Hamilton Teachers' College (HTC) in Hamilton, Ontario with McMaster University, which eventually led to HTC's closure. The author relates local and Ontario-based politics to the development of professional education in the province, focusing on the relationship between HTC and the Ontario Department of Education. Related to this, the author is also more broadly concerned with problems facing the education of teachers in general. The history of professional education in Hamilton is outlined.

Context Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational strategy designed to enhance self-assessment, self-directed learning and lifelong learning. The present study examines a peer review programme to determine whether the impact of PBL on continuing competence can be detected in practice. Objectives This study aimed to establish whether McMaster graduates who graduated between 1972 and 1991 were any less likely to be identified as having issues of competence by a systematic peer review programme than graduates of other Ontario medical schools. Methods We identified a total of 1166 doctors who had graduated after 1972 and had completed a mandated peer review programme. Of these, 108 had graduated from McMaster and 857 from other Canadian schools. School of graduation was cross-tabulated against peer rating. A secondary analysis examined predictors of ratings using multiple regression. Results We found that 4% of McMaster graduates and 5% of other graduates were deemed to demonstrate cause for concern or serious concern, and that 24% of McMaster doctors and 28% of other doctors were rated as excellent. These differences were not significant. Multiple regression indicated that certification by family medicine or a specialty, female gender and younger age were all predictors of practice outcomes, but school of graduation was not. Conclusions There is no evidence from this study that PBL graduates are better able to maintain competence than graduates of conventional schools. The study highlights potential problems in attempting to link undergraduate educational interventions to doctor performance outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the participatory research project made by Leah Dix, Elizabeth Steggles, Sue Baptiste and Cathy Risdon from the McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. As stated, the project is made to encourage conversation and reflective practice to enhance interprofessional collaboration. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the application of a relationship-centered approach to collaborative practice and interprofessional learning. Moreover, it aimed at extracting participants' thoughts and reflections on interprofessional education and collaborative relationship centered care.

This article presents a personal perspective on an academic and research vocation spanning a period of over 45 years. It starts with my early involvement in geography and climatology and terminates with my recent experience in a large interdisciplinary research venture. The presentation highlights, with specific examples, the importance of mentors. Also emphasized is the indispensable input of colleagues and graduate students to successful research endeavours. Most of my career has been centred on McMaster University, and I naturally draw on my experiences there. There have been great changes in the research world over the past few decades. Although the number of faculty and graduate students at McMaster remained relatively constant, the research output per person more than doubled. This is attributed in large part to the accelerating technological advancements in our ability to measure and our ability to process and manipulate data. In the environmental sciences, this has revolutionized the spatial and temporal scope of the scientific questions that can be addressed. Such major changes have stimulated a marked trend towards interdisciplinary research that has evolved from mainly wishful talking to active pursuit in a search to understand complex environmental interactions. Important among these is gaining insights into the processes and feedbacks driving climate change, whether natural or anthropologically induced. Equally important is gaining an understanding of the potential impacts resulting from climate change. My perception of my successes, failures and near misses divides chronologically into three periods that cover research in the early years, research in the central subarctic and research in the Mackenzie River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissemination of new surgical knowledge, skills, and techniques across the wide spectrum of practicing surgeons in the community is often difficult and slow. This is even more problematic in countries such as Canada, where geographic distances separate a large portion of community surgeons from the large teaching centers. As an example, the penetration of advanced minimally invasive techniques in Canada has been severely hampered by the inability to provide adequate training opportunities and support for community surgeons, many of whom live in remote regions of the country. In an attempt to overcome the barriers that exist, the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) at McMaster University has been using broadband Internet and telecommunication systems to provide distance training and mentoring to community surgeons living in remote northern communities of Canada. This article describes our experience with telementoring and robot-assisted remote telepresence surgery and assisting, between a teaching hospital in Hamilton and two community hospitals in northern Ontario and Quebec. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the new mandatory interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum designed for students in health professional programs at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The project offers students chances to learn about the complexities of working in a multi-professional health care environment and develop skills and attitudes required for interprofessional collaboration. The new IPE curriculum at the university is based on the pedagogical principles of competency-based education and small group problem-based learning.

The article presents information on the ongoing Self-Assessment Program Insights4Imaging, Part 17 that is valid from October 2006 to September 2007. The program is authorized by the Continuing Education Program, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The objective of this program is to help radiologists gather continuing professional development credits by reading educational articles. The radiologists need to attempt the questionnaire provided alongwith to qualify the program.

The tutor plays an important role in facilitating learning in a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum. This paper explored the ways that novice tutors were educated in a PBL programme at McMaster University. Thirteen novice tutors were interviewed in this qualitative, ethnographic study to identify their learning needs and culture at the entry phase of ‘becoming a tutor’. Ten tutor guides were also interviewed to provide additional information and perspectives regarding the data generated by the novice tutors. Categories that emerged were: (1) benefiting from the experience, (2) managing the challenges, (3) transitioning to a new role, (4) uncovering learning opportunities, (5) maintaining vigilance, and (6) explicating the implicit. The overarching framework that wove the categories together was that of the theme of storytelling in the teaching–learning process. Implications for practice for tutor training are addressed considering the oral tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional results of 47 navigation-assisted minimally invasive total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) were compared with results of 50 conventionally performed TKAs with a minimum 1-year follow-up. Navigation-assisted minimally invasive TKA showed better functional results than conventionally performed TKA at 1 year after surgery with regard to the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) pain and function score, flexion range, and less outliers of leg and component alignment. Among the bilateral cases (one side by navigation-assisted minimally invasive TKA and the other side by conventionally performed TKA), more patients preferred the navigation-assisted minimally invasive side to the conventionally performed side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on the approach used in deploying smart technology in renovated classrooms at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Development of the Academic Computing Advisory Committee by the Learning Technologies Resource Center; Outcome of the evaluation and deployment of the technology; Actions taken to address usability and the user experience.

The article focuses on the contributions of medical researcher E.J. Moran Campbell to the field of respiratory medicine. Campbell, who was the first chairman of the Department of Medicine in the new medical school at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, had made major research related contributions towards various fields such as respiratory muscles and breathlessness, respiratory failure and controlled oxygen, clinical science and medical education, and so on. Campbell strongly urged the integration of physiology into clinical medicine.

Presents letters to the editor on topics in medicine as of April 2, 2002. Commentary on verbal abuse between parents of child patients at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta; Opinions on conclusions from the McMaster University peace conference; Physicians who are leaving Quebec; Use of baking soda to cure canker sores.

Describes the Engineering and Society degree program (E&SP) offered by McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario in response to calls to broaden the education of engineers beyond the technical aspects. Role of inquiry and inquiry courses in E&SP; Electives of the program; Features of the learning community developed under E&SP; Opinion of engineering students on the program; Significance of the program.