Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Joanna Marie B. Rivera, Charlene Yousefi, Christiana L. Cheng, Cameron D. Norman, Jeanne Legare, Alana McFarlane, Vanessa K. Noonan
Summary: This paper describes the development process of the SCI Care for Canada: A Framework for Strategy and Action, which aims to improve SCI care and health based on previous strategic documents. The framework promotes a unified understanding of goals and vision within the SCI community and supports coordination and scaling up of SCI advancements to meet the needs of people with SCI.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Orthopedics
Fater A. Khadour, Younes A. Khadour, Ling Meng, Lixin Cui, Xu Tao
Summary: This hospital-based retrospective study described the epidemiological characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injury in Wuhan, China. Findings revealed a higher proportion of males, with falls and traffic accidents being the leading causes. Farmers and workers were the most vulnerable occupations, and attention should be paid to the fall risk among the elderly. The importance of SCI rehabilitation should be highlighted.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY AND RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Jiansong Chen, Yiguo Shen, Xiaobo Shao, Weiliang Wu
Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) and spinal cord tumor cause significant damage to the spinal cord, leading to multiple impairments and high morbidity and mortality. The treatment options for these conditions are limited and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In the review, the role of inflammasomes in SCI and spinal cord tumors is highlighted, and targeting inflammasomes is suggested as a potential therapeutic strategy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tao Jiang, Tao Qin, Peng Gao, Zhiwen Tao, Xiaowei Wang, Mengyuan Wu, Jun Gu, Bo Chu, Ziyang Zheng, Jiang Yi, Tao Xu, Yifan Huang, Hao Liu, Shujie Zhao, Yongxin Ren, Jian Chen, Guoyong Yin
Summary: The expression of SIRT1 in spinal cord endothelial cells is decreased after spinal cord injury (SCI). SIRT1 has the ability to reduce endothelial reactive oxygen species production and protect endothelial barrier function, indicating its potential as a therapeutic target for promoting functional recovery against blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) disruption following SCI.
Article
Neurosciences
Xiaoping Ren, Weihua Zhang, Jie Qin, Jian Mo, Yi Chen, Jie Han, Xinjian Feng, Sitan Feng, Haibo Liang, Liangjue Cen, Xiaofei Wu, Linxuan Han, Rongyu Lan, Haixuan Deng, Huihui Yao, Zhongquan Qi, Hongjun Gao, Lishan Wei, Shuai Ren
Summary: This study tested spinal cord fusion (SCF) using the neuroprotective agent polyethylene glycol (PEG) in different animal models and developed a new clinical procedure called vascular pedicle hemisected spinal cord transplantation (vSCT) for the treatment of paraplegic patients. The results demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of vSCT in re-establishing the continuity of spinal nerve fibers, potentially restoring motor, sensory, and autonomic nervous functions in paraplegic patients. Further clinical trials are needed to validate these findings.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Taoyang Yuan, Yu Shao, Xu Zhou, Qian Liu, Zhichao Zhu, Bini Zhou, Yuanchen Dong, Nicholas Stephanopoulos, Songbai Gui, Hao Yan, Dongsheng Liu
Summary: Researchers have developed a DNA hydrogel to repair spinal cord gap in rats, promoting proliferation and differentiation of stem cells for functional recovery. This hydrogel system shows great potential in clinical trials and could be adaptable to other tissue regeneration applications.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Shuai Ren, Weihua Zhang, HongMiao Liu, Xin Wang, Xiangchen Guan, Mingzhe Zhang, Jian Zhang, Qiong Wu, Yan Xue, Dan Wang, Yong Liu, Jianyu Liu, Xiaoping Ren
Summary: The study focused on investigating the restoration of motor function following spinal cord injury through transplanting a vascularized pedicle of hemisected spinal cord to bridge the transected spinal cord. Results showed that electrical continuity was restored, leading to motor function recovery, supporting the potential effectiveness of similar operative techniques in treating SCI patients previously considered to have irreversible damage or paralysis.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Zhou Feng, Lingxia Min, Liang Liang, Beike Chen, Hui Chen, Yi Zhou, Weiwei Deng, Hongliang Liu, Jingming Hou
Summary: It has been discovered that infiltrated neutrophils in spinal cord injury produce NETs, promoting neuroinflammation and blood-spinal cord barrier disruption, exacerbating SCI. Inhibition or disruption of NETs formation can alleviate damage and promote functional recovery after SCI.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Giuliano Taccola, Ronaldo M. Ichiyama, V. Reggie Edgerton, Parag Gad
Summary: This review discusses the physiological states of spinal networks, highlighting the stochastic modulation by changing ensembles of proprioceptive and supraspinal input. Spinal epidural interfaces offer a platform for studying spinal network dynamics post-injury. Low-frequency epidural pulses can evoke motor responses with oscillatory patterns. The neural variability among spinal networks is seen as a fundamental mechanism of network design rather than noise interfering with movement control.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cong Li, Wu Xiong, Bowen Wan, Guang Kong, Siming Wang, Yingying Wang, Jin Fan
Summary: Secondary spinal cord injury is caused by an irreversible inflammatory response cascade, and the immune system plays a crucial role in mediating inflammation. Investigating the mechanisms and functions of peripheral immune cells at the site of injury is significant for identifying clinical therapeutic targets.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Robert Tanguay, Kiran J. Pohar Manhas, Ania X. Kania-Richmond, Sherri Kashuba, Tracey S. Geyer, John S. Pereira, Tracy S. Wasylak
Summary: This study estimated the economic burden of chronic pain in Alberta, Canada, and found that it imposes substantial healthcare and productivity costs. Interventions to improve chronic pain prevention and management are urgently needed.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Xu Gao, Zhifeng You, Yue Li, Xinyi Kang, Wen Yang, Huiru Wang, Ting Zhang, Xinhao Zhao, Yifu Sun, He Shen, Jianwu Dai
Summary: In this study, a functional hybrid gelatin and hyaluronic acid hydrogel (F-G/H) modified with cationic polymers and anti-inflammatory cytokines was developed to regulate the immune microenvironment after aSCT implantation. The hydrogel exhibited DAMP scavenging capacity, sustained release of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and reduced lymphocyte accumulation, thereby enhancing the survival and function of aSCTs. When combined with systemic immunosuppressive drug treatment, a significant improvement in locomotor functions of SCI rats was observed after aSCTs and F-G/H transplantation.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Zhifeng You, Xu Gao, Xinyi Kang, Wen Yang, Tiandi Xiong, Yue Li, Feng Wei, Yan Zhuang, Ting Zhang, Yifu Sun, He Shen, Jianwu Dai
Summary: Neural regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI) is closely related to the formation of microvascular endothelial cells (MECs) mediated neurovascular unit. This study established a method for isolating primary spinal cord-derived MECs (SCMECs) with high cell yield and purity to investigate their therapeutic effects on SCI. Transcriptomics and proteomics identified differentially expressed genes and proteins in SCMECs that were involved in angiogenesis, immunity, metabolism, and cell adhesion molecular signaling. SCMECs and brain-derived MECs (BMECs) showed different levels of angiogenesis and promoted proliferation, migration, and differentiation of spinal cord or brain-derived neural stem cells (SNSC/BNSC). SCMECs in combination with the NeuroRegen scaffold showed higher effectiveness in promoting vascular reconstruction and neuronal regeneration compared to BMECs, possibly through the VEGF/AKT/eNOS-signaling pathway.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ben Kaplan, Shulamit Levenberg
Summary: Peripheral nerve and spinal cord injuries have significant impacts on patients' lives, with severe cases currently lacking a cure. Biomaterials can be engineered as scaffolds to mimic nerve tissue and promote axonal regeneration, as well as deliver therapeutic agents to the site of injury.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ashley Craig, Yvonne Tran, Mohit Arora, Ilaria Pozzato, James W. Middleton
Summary: This paper presents the Spinal Cord Injury Adjustment Model (SCIAM), which explains how individuals adjust to spinal cord injury and proposes that the adjustment process is multifactorial and nonlinear over time. Mediation analyses supported the role of self-efficacy and quality of life appraisal in enhancing self-care and buffering the negative impact of health challenges.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Jenna C. Gibbs, Eleni M. Patsakos, Desiree B. Maltais, Dalton L. Wolfe, Dany H. Gagnon, B. Catharine Craven
Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in improving endocrine-metabolic disease (EMD) risk in patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). The findings suggest that electrical stimulation-assisted training and exercise, dietary interventions can have positive effects on certain EMD outcomes, but there are also inconsistencies and low-quality evidence. Further long-term studies are needed to fully understand the impact of these rehabilitation approaches in mitigating EMD risk.
JOURNAL OF SPINAL CORD MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kadesha A. James, Amanda C. Everall, Lauren Cadel, Lisa M. McCarthy, Aisha Lofters, Alison Thompson, Sara J. T. Guilcher
Summary: This study explores the priorities and contributions of individuals with chronic medication experience to the understanding of medication self-management. The results enhance existing medication management frameworks by providing a more comprehensive perspective. Further research is needed to understand medication self-management from the perspectives of individuals managing their medications.
RESEARCH IN SOCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACY
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Kerry Kuluski, Lauren Cadel, Michelle Marcinow, Jane Sandercock, Sara J. T. Guilcher
Summary: The purpose of this paper was to understand delayed hospital discharge by using a policy framework. Through interviews with various participants, the study found that delayed discharge was influenced by spill-over effects and the variable implementation of policies and guidelines. Competing priorities and tensions among different stakeholders were also identified as contributing factors. The study suggests that cross-sectoral collaboration and strengthening of relationships among stakeholders are needed to address this complex policy problem.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Matteo Ponzano, Matheus J. Wiest, Andre Coleman, Emily Newton, Maureen Pakosh, Eleni M. Patsakos, David S. K. Magnuson, Lora M. Giangregorio, B. Catharine Craven
Summary: This scoping review explores the current use of ALP and B-ALP in studies of SCI, both in humans and animal models, and identifies potential areas for future research. The findings suggest conflicting evidence regarding changes in ALP levels in SCI patients compared to controls, while B-ALP appears to be influenced by certain treatment interventions.
JOURNAL OF SPINAL CORD MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Stephanie R. Cimino, Lauren Cadel, Sara J. T. Guilcher, Marina Wasilewski, Sander L. Hitzig
Summary: This scoping review investigates the impact of social disconnectedness and perceived social isolation on individuals with spinal cord injury/dysfunction (SCI/D) living in the community. The study found that participant characteristics, social support, psychological well-being, participation in activities, the built environment, and physical health are all factors that influence social disconnectedness and perceived social isolation.
JOURNAL OF SPINAL CORD MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Ya-Tang Chuang, Manaf Zargoush, Somayeh Ghazalbash, Saied Samiedaluie, Kerry Kuluski, Sara Guilcher
Summary: This study examines the long-term care discharge planning for older delayed discharge patients and proposes a novel discharge decision model based on the Markov decision process framework. The study highlights the importance of predictive analytics and personalized decision making in reducing hospital costs. The results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed index policy in optimizing discharge decisions, especially in the context of the anticipated mismatch between supply and demand.
PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Kim Phung, Laura McAdam, Jinhui Ma, Hugh J. McMillan, Stefan Jackowski, Maya Scharke, Mary-Ann Matzinger, Nazih Shenouda, Khaldoun Koujok, Jacob L. Jaremko, Kevin Smit, Scott Walker, Colleen Hartigan, Nasrin Khan, Victor N. Konji, Lynn MacLeay, Marika Page, Elizabeth Sykes, Marie-Eve Robinson, Nathalie Alos, Elizabeth A. Cummings, Josephine Ho, Anne Marie Sbrocchi, Robert Stein, David Saleh, B. Catharine Craven, Utkarsh J. Dang, Kerry Siminoski, Frank Rauch, Leanne M. Ward
Summary: This study found that markers of systemic glucocorticoid exposure, such as shorter stature, greater bone age delay, and lower lumbar spine bone mineral density, were associated with spine fragility in patients with DMD.
OSTEOPOROSIS INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Sander L. Hitzig, Jorge Rios, Michael Devlin, Sara J. T. Guilcher, Crystal MacKay, Steven Dilkas, Michael W. Payne, Ricardo Viana, Ahmed Kayssi, Stephanie R. Cimino, Amanda L. Mayo
Summary: This study aimed to provide a descriptive account of health utility scores in community-dwelling adults with dysvascular lower extremity amputation. The study found that health utility scores were associated with SIGAM grade, age, months post-amputation, and severity of dysvascular conditions. Health utility scores were lower for participants in the high-impact groups for conditions such as diabetes mellitus, phantom limb pain, musculoskeletal pain, back pain, psychological distress, depression, vision problems, and other pain. These findings provide data for future economic evaluations and healthcare resource allocation.
QUALITY OF LIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Arrani Senthinathan, B. Catherine Craven, Andrew M. Morris, Melanie Penner, Karen Tu, Susan B. Jaglal
Summary: This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate antibiotic prescribing and urine culture testing patterns for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in a primary care Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) cohort. The study found that the average annual number of antibiotic prescriptions for UTIs was 1.9 for the SCI cohort, and urine cultures were conducted for 58.1% of antibiotic prescriptions. Physician characteristics, such as gender and training, were found to be associated with the choice of antibiotic and whether a urine culture was ordered. Patient characteristics did not show any association.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Kristina M. Kokorelias, Tin-Suet Joan Lee, Mark Bayley, Emily Seto, Alene Toulany, Michelle L. A. Nelson, Gina Dimitropoulos, Melanie Penner, Robert Simpson, Sarah E. P. Munce
Summary: This study explores the facilitators and barriers to accessing and sustaining community and rehabilitation services for young adults living with childhood-onset disabilities during the transition from pediatric to adult care. It highlights the importance of supportive social networks, continuity of care, and advocacy in facilitating positive experiences. Lack of knowledge about resources, changing parental involvement, and a lack of system responses were identified as barriers to positive transitions.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Medical Informatics
Christopher Meaney, Therese A. Stukel, Peter C. Austin, Rahim Moineddin, Michelle Greiver, Michael Escobar
Summary: This study reviews several methods for assessing the quality of unsupervised topic models and discusses their advantages and disadvantages. By using different metrics and human judgement, it is found that different quality indices have different impacts on model selection.
BMC MEDICAL INFORMATICS AND DECISION MAKING
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Stephanie R. Cimino, Sander L. Hitzig, Vera Fung, Katie N. Dainty, Crystal MacKay, Joanna E. M. Sale, Amanda L. Mayo, Sara J. T. Guilcher
Summary: The study revealed that occupations are crucial components of quality of life for persons with non-dysvascular lower limb amputation, influencing their self-perception and sense of belonging. Rehabilitation professionals should consider the impact of occupations when developing interventions and programs for this population.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
P. Alison Paprica, Monique Crichlow, Donna Curtis Maillet, Sarah Kesselring, Conrad Pow, Thomas P. Scarnecchia, Michael J. Schull, Rosario G. Cartagena, Annabelle Cumyn, Salman Dostmohammad, Keith O. Elliston, Michelle Greiver, Amy Hawn Nelson, Sean L. Hill, Wanrudee Isaranuwatchai, Evgueni Loukipoudis, James Ted McDonald, John R. McLaughlin, Alan Rabinowitz, Fahad Razak, Stefaan G. Verhulst, Amol A. Verma, J. Charles Victor, Andrew Young, Joanna Yu, Kimberlyn McGrail
Summary: This article introduces a project conducted by an international team to test and refine the minimum specification essential requirements (min specs). Through analysis and discussion, an updated set of 15 min specs covering various categories has been integrated into a Canadian national standard. These specifications help organizations and initiatives communicate and compare their responsible and trustworthy data governance and management practices.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF POPULATION DATA SCIENCE (IJPDS)
(2023)
Article
Primary Health Care
Tu N. Nguyen, Sumeet Kalia, Peter Hanlon, Bhautesh D. Jani, Barbara I. Nicholl, Chelsea D. Christie, Babak Aliarzadeh, Rahim Moineddin, Christopher Harrison, Clara Chow, Martin Fortin, Frances S. Mair, Michelle Greiver
Summary: This study investigated the association between multimorbidity and blood pressure control in people with hypertension attending primary care in Canada. The study found that multimorbidity was associated with better blood pressure control, with conditions such as diabetes, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, schizophrenia, depression/anxiety, dementia, and osteoarthritis being associated with a lower likelihood of uncontrolled blood pressure.
JOURNAL OF PRIMARY CARE AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Jennifer Shuldiner, Tara Kiran, Payal Agarwal, Maryam Daneshvarfard, Kirsten Eldridge, Susie Kim, Michelle Greiver, Iffat Jokhio, Noah Ivers
Summary: This study utilized A&F theory and user-centered design to develop a web-based primary care A&F dashboard. By incorporating user interview data and the team's experience, we designed a dashboard that meets the needs and goals of physicians, including addressing data skepticism, spurring action, and supporting physician engagement in quality improvement work.
JMIR HUMAN FACTORS
(2023)