Search

Abstract Background Although colorectal cancer screening has contributed to decreased incidence and mortality, disparities are present by race/ethnicity. The Citywide Colon Cancer Control Coalition (C5) and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) promoted screening colonoscopy from 2003 on, and hypothesized future reductions in CRC incidence, mortality and racial/ethnic disparities. Methods We assessed annual percent change (APC) in NYC CRC incidence, stage and mortality rates through 2016 in a longitudinal cross-sectional study of NY State Cancer Registry, NYC Vital Statistics, and NYC Community Health Survey (CHS) data. Linear regression tested associations between CRC mortality rates and risk factors. Results Overall CRC incidence rates from 2000 decreased 2.8% yearly from 54.1 to 37.3/100,000 population in 2016, and mortality rates from 2003 decreased 2.9% yearly from 21.0 to 13.9 in 2016 at similar rates for all racial/ethnic groups. Local stage disease decreased overall with a transient increase from 2002 to 2007. In 2016, CRC incidence was higher among Blacks (42.5 per 100,000) than Whites (38.0), Latinos (31.7) and Asians (30.0). In 2016, Blacks had higher mortality rates (17.9), than Whites (15.2), Latinos (10.4) and Asians (8.8). In 2016, colonoscopy rates among Blacks were 72.2%, Latinos 71.1%, Whites 67.2%, and Asians, 60.9%. CRC mortality rates varied by neighborhood and were independently associated with Black race, CRC risk factors and access to care. Conclusions In a diverse urban population, a citywide campaign to increase screening colonoscopy was associated with decreased incidence and mortality among all ethnic/racial groups. Higher CRC burden among the Black population demonstrate more interventions are needed to improve equity.

Abstract Background Racial disparities in New York City (NYC) breast cancer incidence and mortality rates have previously been demonstrated. Disease stage at diagnosis and mortality‐to‐incidence ratio (MIR) may present better measures of differences in screening and treatment access. Racial/ethnic trends in NYC MIR have not previously been assessed. Methods Mammogram rates were compared using the NYC Community Health Survey, 2002‐2014. Breast cancer diagnosis, stage, and mortality were from the New York State Cancer Registry, 2000‐2016. Primary outcomes were MIR, the ratio of age‐adjusted mortality to incidence rates, and stage at diagnosis. Joinpoint regression analysis identified significant trends. Results Mammogram rates in 2002‐2014 among Black and Latina women ages 40 and older (79.9% and 78.4%, respectively) were stable and higher than among White (73.6%) and Asian/Pacific‐Islander women (70.4%) (P

Objective. Examine the effectiveness of the 128 Hz tuning fork, two monofilaments, and Norfolk Quality of Life Diabetic Neuropathy (QOL-DN) questionnaire as tools for the early detection of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in overweight, obese, and inactive (OOI) adults or those who have prediabetes (PD) or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Research Design and Methods. Thirty-four adults (mean age 58.4 years ± 12.1) were divided by glycemia (10 OOI normoglycemic, 13 PD, and 11 T2D). Sural nerves were tested bilaterally with the NC-stat DPNCheck to determine sural nerve amplitude potential (SNAP) and sural nerve conduction velocity (SNCV). All other testing results were compared to SNAP and SNCV. Results. Total 1 g monofilament scores significantly correlated with SNAP values and yielded the highest sensitivity and specificity combinations of tested measures. Total QOL-DN scores negatively correlated with SNAP values, as did QOL-DN symptoms. QOL-DN activities of daily living correlated with the right SNAP, and the QOL-DN small fiber subscore correlated with SNCV. Conclusions. The 1 g monofilament and total QOL-DN are effective, low-cost tools for the early detection of DPN in OOI, PD, and T2D adults. The 128 Hz tuning fork and 10 g monofilament may assist DPN screening as a tandem, but not primary, early DPN detection screening tools.

AbstractThe study assessed competencies and practices of a large group of healthcare providers in childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and identified barriers to improving care. Methods were self-assessment using an Internet questionnaire with a standardized patient case; analysis compared with professional association recommendations; and measurement of provider self-efficacy levels. Of 2,103 participants who completed the assessment, 44% were only “somewhat confident” and 20% “not at all confident” in being up-to-date in diagnosis and management of ADHD. Based on American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology's Child and Adolescent Core Competencies and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Practice Parameters, participants selected appropriate responses 60% of the time, 57% for items on diagnosis, and 62% for treatment. Providers under-used the family interview, and relied on ADHD rating scales for diagnosis. Lack of effective communication between provider, child, family, and teachers was the top barrier cited, yet participants rated involving the child and family as very important. In conclusion, education should include training on effective communication with the family to improve care for children with ADHD and dedication of further health education resources in the area of ADHD is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to notable increases in tick-associated illnesses in the United States, recent public health policies encouraged multi-sector collaborative approaches to preventing vector-borne diseases. Primary prevention strategies focus on educating the public about risks for tick-borne diseases and encouraging adoption of personal protection strategies. Accurate descriptions of when and where people are at risk for tick-borne diseases aid in the optimization of prevention messaging. Tick and tick-borne pathogen data can be used to fill gaps in epidemiological surveillance. However, the utility of acarological data is limited by their completeness. National maps showing the distribution of medically important tick species and the pathogens they carry are often incomplete or non-existent. Recent policies encourage accelerated efforts to monitor changes in the distribution and abundance of medically important ticks and the presence and prevalence of human pathogens that they carry, and to provide actionable, evidence-based information to the public, health care providers and public health policy makers. In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initiated a national tick surveillance program focused on Ixodes ticks. The national program coordinated and expanded upon existing efforts led by public health departments and academic institutions. Here, we describe experiences of state public health departments engaged in Ixodes tick surveillance, including information on why they initiated Ixodes surveillance programs, programmatic objectives, and strategies for maintaining tick surveillance programs. We share experiences and challenges in interpreting or communicating tick surveillance data to stakeholders and explore how the acarological data are used to complement epidemiological data., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2024.)

Background: Opioid-related overdose is a leading cause of death for criminal legal-involved individuals and, although naloxone distribution and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are effective means for reducing post-release overdose death risk, jail-based availability is limited. This case report describes the challenges faced by three Ohio communities as they implemented evidence-based practices (EBPs) in jails to combat post-release opioid overdose deaths., Method: We present case examples of how barriers were overcome to implement jail-based EBPs in three Ohio communities (two urban and one rural) as part of the HEALing Communities Study (UM1DA049417; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04111939). Of the 18 participating Ohio HEALing Communities Study counties, we highlight 3 communities for the novelty of their EBPs implemented, the challenges that they faced, and their rural/urban status. We present descriptive data regarding the EBPs that they implemented and discuss the challenges identified by HEALing Communities Study staff with first-hand experience facilitating their implementation., Results: Newly implemented interventions included overdose education and direct provision of naloxone to incarcerated individuals upon release (2 of 3 communities), initiating MOUD prior to release (3 of 3), linkage to ongoing MOUD treatment in the community (2 of 3), peer support-facilitated treatment retention efforts (2 of 3) and emergency housing (1 of 3) in the immediate post-incarceration period. Common challenges that emerged included skepticism about the need and feasibility of implementing EBPs to reduce overdose and death, lack of knowledge about the options available and whether external agencies may assist, and difficulty engaging stakeholders to overcome inertia., Conclusions: Creative flexibility, calm persistence, technical facilitation, and collaboration with community service providers were assets that helped these Ohio jails implement evidence-based strategies that combat the opioid epidemic and reduce the likelihood of post-incarceration overdose and death in a high risk, formerly incarcerated population., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study protocol (Pro00038088) was approved by Advarra Inc., the HEALing Communities Study single Institutional Review Board. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: There are lingering concerns in the United States about home birth. We used 2 large (n = 50,043; n = 62,984), national community birth registries to compare maternal and neonatal outcomes for planned home versus planned birth center births., Methods: To compare outcomes by intended birth site, we used logistic regressions, controlling for demographic and pregnancy risk variables. Maternal outcomes included intrapartum or postpartum transfer to hospital, hospitalization, cesarean, and hemorrhage; neonatal outcomes included neonatal transfer, hospitalization, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and intrapartum or neonatal death. Analyses were conducted twice, once in each dataset., Results: Individuals who planned home births had a lower incidence of all types of transfers, compared with those who planned birth center births, but in one dataset only, experienced more cesareans [adjusted odds ratio (95% CI): 1.32 (1.02-1.70); 0.95 (0.88-1.03)]. Planned home birth was associated with lower adjusted odds of maternal hospitalization in one dataset but not the other [0.97 (0.54-1.74); 0.85 (0.76-0.95)], and was not associated with hemorrhage. Neonatal outcomes likewise were either not associated with a planned birthplace or suggested home birth was safer: hospitalization [0.77 (0.53-1.11), 0.90 (0.82-0.98)], neonatal intensive care unit admission [0.54 (0.28-1.00), 0.97 (0.86-1.10)]. There was no observable association with intrapartum or neonatal death: 1.07 (0.68-1.67; only calculated once because of small numbers of events)., Conclusions: Planned home births are as safe as planned birth center births for low-risk pregnancies. Current guidelines advising against planned home births are not supported by these data., Competing Interests: M.C.: Honoraria for talks about waterbirth, midwifery, and birthplace. J.B.: Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing, statistics consultant. S.V.: Honoraria for talks about midwifery and birthplace. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for the development of ventral hernias. Approximately eight percent of patients undergoing bariatric surgery have a concomitant ventral hernia. However, the optimal timing of hernia repair in these patients is debated. Concerns regarding mesh insertion in a potentially contaminated field are often cited by opponents of a combined approach. Our study compares 30-day outcomes of bariatric surgery with concurrent ventral hernia repair with mesh versus bariatric surgery alone., Methods: Using the 2015-2022 MBSAQIP database, patients aged 18-65 years who underwent minimally invasive sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with or without concurrent ventral hernia repair with mesh (VHR-M) were identified. 30-day postoperative outcomes were compared between patients who underwent SG or RYGB with VHR-M versus SG or RYGB alone. 1:1 propensity score matching was performed using 26 preoperative characteristics to adjust confounders., Results: Among 1,236,644 patients who underwent SG (n = 871,326) or RYGB (n = 365,318), 3,121 underwent SG + VHR-M and 2,321 RYGB + VHR-M. The concurrent approach had longer operative times, in SG + VHR-M (86.06 ± 42.78 vs. 73.80 ± 38.45 min, p < 0.001), and in RYGB + VHR-M (141.91 ± 58.68 vs. 128.47 ± 62.37 min, p < 0.001). The RYGB + VHR-M cohort had higher rates of reoperations (3.2% vs. 2.1%, p = 0.024). Overall, 30-day outcomes, and bariatric-specific complications such as mortality, unplanned ICU admissions, surgical site complications, cardiac, pulmonary, renal complications, anastomotic leaks, postoperative bleeding, and intestinal obstruction were similar between SG + VHR-M or RYGB + VHR-M groups versus SG or RYGB alone., Conclusion: Bariatric surgery performed concurrently with VHR-M is safe and feasible and does not excessively prolong operative times. However, patients undergoing RYGB with VHR-M do have a higher rate of reoperations, therefore a staged VHR is recommended. On the other hand, concurrent SG and VHR-M may benefit after an appropriate individualized risk stratification assessment., Competing Interests: Declarations. Disclosures: Jennifer Brown, Jorge Cornejo, Alba Zevallos, Joaquin Sarmiento, Jocelyn Powell Fatemeh Shojaeian, Farzad Mokhtari-Esbuie, Christina Li, and Raul Sebastian have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose. Gina Adrales reports an unrelated disclosure of honoraria for research and consulting for Caresyntax, Inc., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Currently there is no generally accepted standardized approach for the pathological evaluation of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) histology appearance after preoperative radiotherapy (PORT). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of pathological appearance after PORT for patients with high-grade limb/trunk STS., Methods: A cohort of 116 patients with high-grade STS of the limb/trunk treated with PORT followed by resection were evaluated. Patient characteristics, imaging tumor morphology (size, volume), and histopathology (mitotic and necrosis rate, viable cell, hyalinization/fibrosis cytopathic effect) were reviewed and reassessed. Disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the hazard ratio was derived from Cox proportional hazard models. Two predictive nomograms were calculated based on significant predictors identified., Results: The 5-year DFS and OS were 52.9% and 70.3%, respectively. Tumor size before (HR:1.07, 95%CI: 1.01-1.14) and after PORT (HR:1.08, 95%CI: 1.01-1.14), tumor volume (HR:1.06, 95%CI: 1.01-1.12), mitotic rate after PORT (HR: 1.06, 95%CI: 1.02-1.11), mitotic rate change after PORT (HR:1.04, 95%CI:1.00-1.09) were independent risk factors for DFS. Tumor size before (HR:1.08, 95%CI: 1.03-1.14) and after PORT (HR:1.09, 95%CI: 1.04-1.15), tumor volume (HR:1.05, 95%CI: 1.01-1.09), mitotic rate after PORT (HR: 1.09, 95%CI: 1.04-1.13), mitotic rate change after PORT (HR:1.05, 95%CI:1.01-1.09) were independent risk factors for OS. The C-index of pathologic predictive nomogram based on mitotic rate for DFS and OS were 0.67 and 0.73, respectively. The C-index of morphology-pathology predictive nomogram for OS was 0.79., Conclusion: Tumor size before and after PORT, tumor volume, mitotic rate after PORT, mitotic rate change after PORT were independent risk factors for DFS and OS in high-grade STS patients treated with PORT. The mitotic rate, independent of tumor morphology, showed its potential as a prognostic biomarker for pathologic evaluation in patients treated with PORT., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Children with left aortic arch and aberrant right subclavian artery may present with either respiratory or swallowing symptoms beyond the classically described solid-food dysphagia. We describe the clinical features and outcomes of children undergoing surgical repair of an aberrant right subclavian artery., Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective review of children undergoing repair of an aberrant right subclavian artery between 2017 and 2022. Primary outcome was symptom improvement. Pre- and post-operative questionnaires were used to assess dysphagia (PEDI-EAT-10) and respiratory symptoms (PEDI-TBM-7). Paired t -test and Fisher's exact test were used to analyse symptom resolution. Secondary outcomes included perioperative outcomes, complications, and length of stay., Results: Twenty children, median age 2 years (IQR 1-11), were included. All presented with swallowing symptoms, and 14 (70%) also experienced respiratory symptoms. Statistically significant improvements in symptoms were reported for both respiratory and swallowing symptoms. Paired (pre- and post-op) PEDI-EAT-10 and PEDI-TBM-7 scores were obtained for nine patients, resulting in mean (± SD) scores decreasing (improvement in symptoms) from 19.9 (± 9.3) to 2.4 (± 2.5) p = 0.001, and 8.7 (± 4.7) to 2.8 (± 4.0) p = 0.006, respectively. Reoperation was required in one patient due to persistent dysphagia from an oesophageal stricture. Other complications included lymphatic drainage ( n = 4) and transient left vocal cord hypomobility ( n = 1)., Conclusion: Children with a left aortic arch with aberrant right subclavian artery can present with oesophageal and respiratory symptoms beyond solid food dysphagia. A thorough multidisciplinary evaluation is imperative to identify patients who can benefit from surgical repair, which appears to be safe and effective.

Background: Few studies describe outcomes after complete vascular ring surgery in a comprehensive manner., Objectives: This study sought to describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, operative approach, and outcomes in children undergoing surgery for complete vascular rings., Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study includes consecutive patients (January 1990 through September 2023) undergoing primary surgery for complete vascular rings, or rerepair after primary surgery elsewhere. The primary outcome of interest was complete (as distinct from partial) symptom resolution at latest clinic follow-up. Our current preference is to pursue a comprehensive initial operation including adjunctive vascular and airway procedures targeting common causes of residual aerodigestive symptoms, such as Kommerell diverticulum resection and tracheobronchopexy. Preoperative work-up routinely involved computed tomographic angiography, dynamic bronchoscopy, and laryngoscopy., Results: Of 515 patients (including 39 rerepairs), the most common diagnoses were right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery and left ligamentum arteriosum (n = 323, 62.7%) and double aortic arch (n = 174, 33.8%). There was no perioperative mortality. Chylothorax occurred in 28 patients (5.4%), vocal cord dysfunction in 22 patients (4.3%), and diaphragm paralysis in 2 patients (0.4%). Follow-up was available on 453 patients (88.0%) with a median duration of 3.0 years (Q1-Q3: 0.6-9.2 years). At latest clinic follow-up, 429 patients (94.7%) reported complete symptom resolution. The risk of reoperation for residual or recurrent aerodigestive symptoms was 9.6% (95% CI: 5.7%-13.5%) at 10 years and 12.4% at 20 years (95% CI: 6.9%-17.8%)., Conclusions: Surgery for complete vascular rings provides good symptomatic relief with low risk of complications, whereas reoperations for aerodigestive symptoms are infrequent., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures The authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in patients with BMI ≥ 60 presents technical challenges, that might be overcome by robotic surgery, but its effectiveness has not been rigorously evaluated. We compared the 30-day outcomes of LSG and robotic sleeve gastrectomy (RSG) in patients with BMI < 60 versus ≥ 60 and between LSG and RSG in patients with BMI ≥ 60., Methods: Patients aged 18-65 years who underwent sleeve gastrectomy were included using the 2019-2022 MBSAQIP database. We performed a Propensity Score Matching analysis, with 21 preoperative characteristics. We compared 30-day postoperative outcomes for patients with BMI < 60 versus ≥ 60 using either a laparoscopic (Analysis 1) or robotic approach (Analysis 2) and compared LSG versus RSG in patients with BMI ≥ 60 (Analysis 3)., Results: 297,250 patients underwent LSG and 81,008 RSG. Propensity-matched¸ outcomes in analysis 1 (13,503 matched cases), showed that patients with BMI ≥ 60 had higher rates of mortality (0.1% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.014), staple line leak (0.3% vs. 0.2%, p = 0.035), postoperative bleeding (0.2% vs 0.1%, p = 0.028), readmissions (3.5% vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001), and interventions (0.7% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.028) when compared to patients with BMI < 60. In analysis 2 (4350 matched cases), patients with BMI ≥ 60 demonstrated longer operative times, length of stay, and higher rates of unplanned ICU when compared to patients with BMI < 60. In analysis 3 (4370 matched cases), patients who underwent RSG had fewer readmissions (2.9% vs. 3.7%, p = 0.037), staple line leaks (0.1% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.029), and postoperative bleeding (0.1% vs. 0.3%, p = 0.045), compared to LSG. Conversely, a longer operative time (92.74 ± 38.65 vs. 71.69 ± 37.45 min, p < 0.001) was reported., Conclusion: LSG patients with BMI ≥ 60 have higher rates of complications compared to patients with a BMI < 60. Moreover, some outcomes may be improved with the robotic approach in patients with BMI ≥ 60. These results underscore the importance of considering a robotic approach in this super super obese population., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Of all cancers in female Canadians, the most rapidly increasing incidence is that of cervical cancer. The objective of this pilot study was to assess how HPV self-sampling might improve cervical cancer screening participation in both urban and rural settings in Saskatchewan, one of the most sparsely populated provinces in Canada. Study groups consisted of n = 250 participants to whom self-swabbing kits were mailed with instructions and n = 250 participants to whom kits were handed out in 6 urban and rural clinics. The inclusion criteria selected subjects aged 30-69 years who were Saskatchewan residents for at least 5 years with valid health coverage, had a cervix, and had no record of cervical cancer screening in 4 years. The returned samples were analyzed for specific HPV strains using the Roche Molecular Diagnostics Cobas 4800 ® System. The overall response rate was ~16%, with the response to the handout distribution being roughly double that of the mailout. While HPV positivity did not differ across the distribution groups, participants at a specific inner-city clinic reported significantly higher positivity to at least one HPV strain as compared to any other clinic and all mailouts combined. For this high-risk population, in-person handout of self-sampling kits may be the most effective means of improving screening.

Objective  Early exposure to niche specialities, like neurosurgery, is essential to inform decisions about future training in these specialities. This study assesses the impact of a hands-on simulated aneurysm clipping workshop on medical students' and junior doctors' perceptions of neurosurgery at a student-organized neurosurgical conference. Methods  Ninety-six delegates were sampled from a hands-on workshop involving hydrogel three-dimensional printed aneurysms clipping using surgical microscopes. Consultant neurosurgeons facilitated the workshop. Changes in delegates' perceptions of neurosurgery were collected using Likert scale and free-text responses postconference. Results  Postworkshop, 82% of participants reported a positive impact on their perception of neurosurgery. Thematic analysis revealed that delegates valued the hands-on experience, exposure to microsurgery, and interactions with consultant neurosurgeons. Thirty-six of the 96 delegates (37.5%) expressed that the workshop dispelled preconceived fears surrounding neurosurgery and improved understanding of a neurosurgeon's day-to-day tasks. Several delegates initially apprehensive about neurosurgery were now considering it as a career. Conclusion  Hands-on simulated workshops can effectively influence medical students' and junior doctors' perceptions of neurosurgery, providing valuable exposure to the specialty. By providing a valuable and immersive introduction to the specialty, these workshops can help to dispel misconceptions, fears, and apprehensions associated with neurosurgery, allowing them to consider the specialty to a greater degree than before. This study of a one-time workshop cannot effectively establish its long-term impact on said perceptions, however., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared., (Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) are essentially different manifestations of the same disease that are similarly managed. A number of molecular and cytogenetic variables with prognostic implications have been identified. Undetectable minimal residual disease at the end of treatment with chemoimmunotherapy or venetoclax-based combination regimens is an independent predictor of improved survival among patients with previously untreated or relapsed/refractory CLL/SLL. The selection of treatment is based on the disease stage, presence or absence of del(17p) or TP53 mutation, immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region mutation status, patient age, performance status, comorbid conditions, and the agent's toxicity profile. This manuscript discusses the recommendations outlined in the NCCN Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of patients with CLL/SLL.

This study aimed to develop and validate a diet assessment screener - the Dietary Pattern Calculator (DiPaC). A scoping review identified currently available short diet quality assessment tools. Twenty-one articles covering 19 unique tools were included. The current tools mainly focused on individual nutrients or food groups or were developed for a specific population, and few ascertained overall dietary patterns. The 24-hour dietary recalls from the nationally representative Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)-Nutrition 2015 ( n  = 13,958) were used to derive and validate a personalized dietary pattern informed by the scoping review using weighted partial least squares. The dominant dietary pattern in CCHS-Nutrition 2015 was characterized by high consumption of fast foods, carbonated drinks, and salty snacks and low consumption of whole fruits, orange vegetables, other vegetables and juices, whole grains, dark green vegetables, legumes, and soy. The dietary pattern assessment was used to create and evaluate DiPaC following an agile and user-centred research and development approach. DiPaC, which demonstrated high validity and intermediate reliability (internal consistency = 0.47-0.51), is publicly available at https://www.projectbiglife.ca/. DiPaC can be used by the public, clinicians, and researchers for quick and robust assessment of diet quality, providing immediate feedback with the advantage of being easy to implement.

Background: The evidence-based Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) released in August 2020 were developed through a systematic literature review and patient-oriented research process. This CPG is considered a paradigm shift for obesity care as it introduced a new obesity definition that is based on health not body size, incorporates lived experiences of people affected by obesity, and addresses the pervasive weight bias and stigma that patients face in healthcare systems. The purpose of this pilot project was to assess the feasibility of adapting the Canadian CPG in Chile and Ireland., Methods: An International Clinical Practice Guideline Adaptation Committee was established to oversee the project. The project was conducted through four interrelated phases: 1) planning and preparation; 2) pilot project application process; 3) adaptation; and 4) launch, dissemination, and implementation. Ireland used the GRADE-ADAPTE framework and Chile used the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT approach., Results: Chile and Ireland developed their adapted guidelines in one third of the time it took to develop the Canadian guidelines. In Ireland, 18 chapters, which underpin the 80 key recommendations, were contextually adapted. Chile adopted 18 chapters and 76 recommendations, adapted one recommendation, and developed 12 new recommendations.
., Conclusion: The pilot project demonstrated it is feasible to adapt the Canadian CPG for use in other countries with different healthcare systems, languages, and cultural contexts, while retaining the Canadian CPG's key principles and values such as the treatment of obesity as a chronic disease, adoption of new clinical assessment approaches that go beyond anthropometric measurements, elimination of weight bias and stigma, shifting obesity care outcomes to improved health and well-being rather than weight loss alone, and the use of patient-centred, collaborative and shared-decision clinical care approaches., Competing Interests: XRS was contracted to coordinate the international guideline adaptation project by Obesity Canada and the European Association for the Study of Obesity. MSC was contracted as a research assistant by Obesity Canada for the duration of the pilot project. CB reports backfill time payment from the Association for the Study of Obesity on the island of Ireland to her employer at St Columcille's Hospital while acting as project coordinator for the pilot project in Ireland. YP reports backfill time payment from the Sociedad Chilena de Cirugía Bariátrica y Metabólica and Obesity Canada while acting as project coordinator for the pilot project in Chile. BH was contracted to coordinate communications activities for the guideline adaptation project by Obesity Canada and the European Association for the Study of Obesity. He also provided writing, editing, and proof-reading assistance for this manuscript. MF was the Scientific Director of Obesity Canada (unpaid) and the Chair of the Canadian Guideline Adaptation Committee (unpaid) for the duration of this project. SW, DCS, MV, JB, SDP, and AMS were unpaid members of the Canadian Guideline Adaptation Committee. EW is an employee of the European Association for the Study of Obesity. IP and NP are employees of Obesity Canada., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Importance: Weight regain after bariatric surgery is associated with recurrence of obesity-related medical comorbidities and deterioration in quality of life. Developing efficacious psychosocial interventions that target risk factors, prevent weight regain, and improve mental health is imperative., Objective: To determine the efficacy of a telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy (tele-CBT) intervention at 1 year after bariatric surgery in improving weight loss, disordered eating, and psychological distress., Design, Setting, and Participants: This multisite randomized clinical trial was conducted at 3 hospital-based bariatric surgery programs, with recruitment between February 2018 and December 2021. Eligibility for participation was assessed among 314 adults at 1 year after bariatric surgery who were fluent in English and had access to a telephone and the internet. Patients with active suicidal ideation or poorly controlled severe psychiatric illness were excluded. Primary and secondary outcome measures were assessed at baseline (1 year after surgery), after the intervention (approximately 15 months after surgery), and at 3-month follow-up (approximately 18 months after surgery). Data were analyzed from January to February 2023., Interventions: The tele-CBT intervention consisted of 6 weekly 1-hour sessions and a seventh booster session 1 month later. The control group received standard postoperative bariatric care., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was postoperative percentage total weight loss. Secondary outcomes were disordered eating (Binge Eating Scale [BES] and Emotional Eating Scale [EES]) and psychological distress (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item scale [PHQ-9] and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 item scale [GAD-7]). The hypotheses and data-analytic plan were developed prior to data collection., Results: Among 306 patients 1 year after bariatric surgery (255 females [83.3%]; mean [SD] age, 47.55 [9.98] years), there were 152 patients in the tele-CBT group and 154 patients in the control group. The group by time interaction for percentage total weight loss was not significant (F1,160.61 = 2.09; P = .15). However, there were significant interactions for mean BES (F2,527.32 = 18.73; P < .001), EES total (F2,530.67 = 10.83; P < .001), PHQ-9 (F2,529.93 = 17.74; P < .001), and GAD-7 (F2,535.16 = 15.29; P < .001) scores between the tele-CBT group and control group across all times., Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that tele-CBT delivered at 1 year after surgery resulted in no change in short-term weight outcomes but improved disordered eating and psychological distress. The impact of these psychosocial improvements on longer-term weight outcomes is currently being examined as part of this longitudinal multisite randomized clinical trial., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03315247.

Background: Pleural biopsy findings offer greater diagnostic sensitivity in malignant pleural effusions compared with pleural fluid. The adequacy of pleural biopsy techniques in achieving molecular marker status has not been studied, and such information (termed "actionable" histology) is critical in providing a rational, efficient, and evidence-based approach to diagnostic investigation., Research Question: What is the adequacy of various pleural biopsy techniques at providing adequate molecular diagnostic information to guide treatment in malignant pleural effusions?, Study Design and Methods: This study analyzed anonymized data on 183 patients from four sites across three countries in whom pleural biopsy results had confirmed a malignant diagnosis and molecular profiling was relevant for the diagnosed cancer type. The primary outcome measure was adequacy of pleural biopsy for achieving molecular marker status. Secondary outcomes included clinical factors predictive of achieving a molecular diagnosis., Results: The median age of patients was 71 years (interquartile range, 63-78 years), with 92 of 183 (50%) male. Of the 183 procedures, 105 (57%) were local anesthetic thoracoscopies (LAT), 12 (7%) were CT scan guided, and 66 (36%) were ultrasound guided. Successful molecular marker analysis was associated with mode of biopsy, with LAT having the highest yield and ultrasound-guided biopsy the lowest (LAT vs CT scan guided vs ultrasound guided: LAT yield, 95%; CT scan guided, 86%; and ultrasound guided, 77% [P = .004]). Biopsy technique and size of biopsy sample were independently associated with successful molecular marker analysis. LAT had an adjusted OR for successful diagnosis of 30.16 (95% CI, 3.15-288.56; P = .003) and biopsy sample size an OR of 1.18 (95% CI, 1.02-1.37) per millimeter increase in tissue sample size (P < .03)., Interpretation: Although previous studies have shown comparable overall diagnostic yields, in the modern era of targeted therapies, this study found that LAT offers far superior results to image-guided techniques at achieving molecular profiling and remains the optimal diagnostic tool., (Copyright © 2022 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Describe concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) detectable in piglet sera before and after road transport, and evaluate the correlation of serum BDNF with other physiological parameters used to assess swine welfare., Animals: Commercial crosses of piglets that underwent weaning and transport at approximately 3 wk of age., Procedure: Sixteen piglets were randomly selected from a larger study for complete blood counts, serum biochemistry testing, cortisol assays, and BDNF assays. Samples were collected 1 d before transport and immediately after transport (> 30 h) under commercial conditions. We assessed the change in serum BDNF concentration; and the correlations between serum BDNF and serum cortisol, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios (N:L), glucose, and hematological indicators of muscle fatigue., Results: Serum BDNF concentrations increased after transport ( P < 0.05) and changed inversely compared to cortisol and N:L. Consistent correlations between BDNF and other physiological parameters were not observed. High inter-pig variation in serum BDNF was present at both sample times., Conclusions: Serum BDNF may be used as an additional indicator of swine welfare. Further research characterizing piglet BDNF concentrations in response to conditions promoting positive or negative affective states would be valuable., Clinical Relevance: This communication discusses common hematological parameters used to quantify changes in pig welfare and introduces BDNF, which is a parameter of interest in human cognitive functioning research that may be useful for evaluating the effect of exposure to beneficial or aversive stimuli in animals. The implications of variation in sample collection, handling, and storage procedures for BDNF detection are highlighted., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)