We aimed to assess the occlusive effectiveness of open-ended vasectomy with mucosal cautery and fascial interposition and to determine the factors associated with occlusion failure. We studied all vasectomies performed between September 1, 2020, and August 31, 2021, by four vasectomy surgeons from Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from the electronic medical records. Occlusive effectiveness was assessed in all men with at least one postvasectomy semen analysis (PVSA). The effectiveness criteria were adapted from those of the American Urological Association (AUA) vasectomy guideline. Among the 4000 eligible vasectomies, 2242 (56.1%) were followed by at least one PVSA, with 99 (4.4%) requiring more than one PVSA. Occlusive effectiveness was achieved in 2233 vasectomies (99.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 99.3%-99.8%), with 2199 (98.1%) and 34 (1.5%) classified as confirmed and probable success, respectively. The final status of the three vasectomies (0.1%) was indeterminate. Occlusive failure was observed in six vasectomies (0.3%; 95% CI: 0.1%-0.6%). The four surgeons had a similar risk of failure. The only significant factor associated with failure was the difficulty in performing the vas occlusion reported by the surgeon (7.4% [2/27] vs 0.2% [4/2212]; relative risk = 41.0; 95% CI: 7.8-214.2). The high occlusive effectiveness observed in our study validates AUA recommendations, supporting the use of this technique. Difficulty in occlusion of the vas deferens, as reported by surgeons, was the only factor associated with vasectomy failure. This finding highlights the need for PVSA in such cases.
Humans ; Male ; Vasectomy/instrumentation* ; Cautery/methods* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Semen Analysis ; Quebec

To evaluate and summarize the evidence of diet and physical activity management in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). BMJ Best Practice, UpToDate, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) database, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) network, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) network, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), Guidelines International Network (GIN), Medlive, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) network, American Diabetes Association (ADA) network, New Zealand Guideline Group (NZGG) network, Canadian medical association clinical practice guidelines network, PubMed, EmBase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, CNKI, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Knowledge Data Service Platform and Chinese biomedical database were searched systematically to obtain guidelines, evidence summary, expert consensus, best practice information book, clinical decision-making, recommended practice, and systematic review on diet and physical activity management in patients with MS. The retrieval period is from the establishment of database to November 2021. Two researchers with evidence-based medicine background evaluated the quality and evidence level of the included literature. A total of 36 articles met the criteria, including 3 guidelines, 5 expert consensus, 1 clinical decision and 27 systematic reviews. We summarized 49 pieces of evidence related to diet and physical activity in patients with MS, involving 15 aspects, namely diet goals, diet patterns, diet time, carbohydrate intake, fat intake, fiber intake, salt intake, fruits, vegetables and grains intake, coffee intake, effects of diet, principle of physical activity, intensity, form, time of physical activity, effects of physical activity, physical activity prescription of patients with MS and cardiovascular disease, and the joint effects of diet and physical activity. Diet and physical activity management can effectively improve the health outcomes of patients with MS. Health professionals should choose and apply the best evidence with consideration of the clinical situation and patient preference.
Canada ; Consensus ; Diet ; Exercise ; Humans ; Metabolic Syndrome/therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of cupping treatment combined with antibiotics and antibiotics alone for bacterial pneumonia in children. METHODS: A total of 72 children with bacterial pneumonia were randomly divided into an observation group (36 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a control group (36 cases). The children in the control group were treated with intravenous drip of cefodizine sodium [80 mg/(kg•d)] for 7 days. Based on the treatment of the control group, the children in the observation group were treated with cupping treatment on the bladder meridian of the back on the first day and the fourth day of antibiotic treatment; each cupping treatment was given for 5-10 min; the treatment of observation group was given for 7 days. The days for complete fever reduction, TCM syndrome scores and Canadian acute respiratory illness flu scale (CARIFS) scores before and after treatment were observed, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: The days for complete fever reduction in the observation group were shorter than that in the control group ( CONCLUSION Cupping treatment combined with antibiotics has similar efficacy with antibiotics alone for bacterial pneumonia in children, but shows better effect in shortening the duration of fever and improving pulmonary symptoms.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Canada ; Child ; Cough ; Cupping Therapy ; Humans ; Pneumonia, Bacterial ; Treatment Outcome

Clinically, non-contrastive computed tomography (NCCT) is used to quickly diagnose the type and area of ​​stroke, and the Alberta stroke program early computer tomography score (ASPECTS) is used to guide the next treatment. However, in the early stage of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), it's difficult to distinguish the mild cerebral infarction on NCCT with the naked eye, and there is no obvious boundary between brain regions, which makes clinical ASPECTS difficult to conduct. The method based on machine learning and deep learning can help physicians quickly and accurately identify cerebral infarction areas, segment brain areas, and operate ASPECTS quantitative scoring, which is of great significance for improving the inconsistency in clinical ASPECTS. This article describes current challenges in the field of AIS ASPECTS, and then summarizes the application of computer-aided technology in ASPECTS from two aspects including machine learning and deep learning. Finally, this article summarizes and prospects the research direction of AIS-assisted assessment, and proposes that the computer-aided system based on multi-modal images is of great value to improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of AIS assessment, which has the potential to open up a new research field for AIS-assisted assessment.
Alberta ; Brain Ischemia/diagnostic imaging* ; Humans ; Ischemic Stroke ; Stroke/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the validity of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index Short Form (WOMAC-SF) for the assessment of musculoskeletal disorders. We evaluated whether WOMAC-SF correlated with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 12 (WHODAS-12) and Kaigo-Yobo questionnaires for assessing health-outcomes in Korea.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from the Namgaram-2 cohort. WOMAC, WOMAC-SF, WHODAS-12, and Kaigo-Yobo questionnaires were administered to patients with musculoskeletal disorders, including radiology-confirmed knee osteoarthritis (RKOA), sarcopenia, and osteoporosis. The relationships among WOMAC-SF, WHODAS-12, and Kaigo-Yobo scores were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression analysis.RESULTS: WOMAC-SF was associated with the WOMAC questionnaire. The results of confirmatory factor analysis for the hypothesized model with two latent factors, pain and function, provided satisfactory fit indices. WOMAC-SF pain and function were associated with RKOA. Kaigo-Yobo was associated with WOMAC-SF pain (B=0.140, p=0.001) and WOMAC-SF function (B=0.042, p=0.004). WHODAS-12 was associated with WOMAC-SF pain (B=0.679, p=0.003) and WOMAC-SF function (B=0.804, p<0.001).CONCLUSION: WOMAC-SF was validated for the evaluation of low extremity musculoskeletal disorders and health-related quality of life in a community-based population. Furthermore, we confirmed that WOMAC-SF were reflective of disability and frailty, which affect health outcomes.
Appointments and Schedules ; Arthritis ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Extremities ; Humans ; Korea ; Ontario ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; Osteoporosis ; Quality of Life ; Sarcopenia ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVE: To investigate functional outcomes after the application of a critical pathway for inpatient rehabilitation of total knee arthroplasty (TKA).METHODS: A total of 184 patients (57 males and 127 females; average age, 71.5±5.9 years) who underwent unilateral or bilateral TKA were included. The critical pathway included early, intensive individualized rehabilitation exercises. Patients completed the following performance-based physical function tests: the stair climbing test (SCT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) as well as measurement of isometric knee flexor and extensor strength of the operated knee, gait speed, and range of knee flexion and extension. Self-reported physical function and pain were measured using the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and visual analog scale (VAS), respectively, and self-reported quality of life was measured using the EuroQoL 5 dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire. These evaluations were performed preoperatively and at 1 month and 3 months postoperatively.RESULTS: Performance-based and self-reported physical function and quality of life measures improved nonlinearly over time. Specifically, the 6WMT, TUG, gait speed, WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-function, VAS, and EQ-5D scores showed a significant improvement at 1-month post-TKA, whereas SCT, peak torque of the knee extensors and flexors, and WOMAC-stiffness scores showed gradual, but substantial, improvements over 3 months. There were between-group differences (unilateral and bilateral TKA groups) in the time course of the SCT, 6MWT, TUG, VAS, WOAMC-stiffness, and WOMAC-function results.CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent critical pathway rehabilitation after TKA showed significant improvements in functional measurements during the first 3 months post-surgery.
Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Critical Pathways ; Exercise ; Female ; Gait ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Knee ; Male ; Ontario ; Osteoarthritis ; Quality of Life ; Rehabilitation ; Torque ; Visual Analog Scale

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of dynamic balance exercise after intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) therapy in elderly patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis.METHOD: 30 patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: dynamic balance exercise after HA injection group (group A) and only HA injection group (group B). Both groups administered intra-articular HA injection and group A patients continued 20-session exercises for 4 weeks. The assessments were measured before injection and 4 weeks after treatment using the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) for physical function, Berg balance scale (BBS), and computerized dynamic posturography using SMART Balance Master system for balance function.RESULTS: In both groups, significant improvements in VAS, WOMAC and balance function were observed. Compared between groups, group A showed significant improvements compared to group B in WOMAC and balance function.CONCLUSION: It is suggested that dynamic balance exercise may result in improved balance function and physical function in elderly patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis.
Aged ; Exercise ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Knee ; Methods ; Ontario ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; Rehabilitation ; Visual Analog Scale

PURPOSE: To identify the effect of knee joint traction therapy on pain, physical function, and depression in patients with degenerative arthritis.METHODS: In total, 30 patients with degenerative arthritis were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group, who underwent knee joint traction therapy, and the control group, who underwent general physical therapy (15 patients per group). Pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), physical function was measured using the Western ontario and McMaster universities osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index, and depression was measured using the Beck depression inventory (BDI). The VAS, WOMAC score, and BDI score were recorded before and after the 4-week treatment.RESULTS: As a result of comparison within groups, the experimental and control group showed significant difference for VAS, WOMAC and BDI after the experiment (p<0.05). In comparison between the two groups, the experimental group in which knee joint traction was applied showed more significant change in VAS, WOMAC and BDI than the control group (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: This study showed that knee joint traction therapy was effective in improving pain, physical function, and depression in patients with degenerative arthritis.
Depression ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Ontario ; Osteoarthritis ; Traction

BACKGROUND: As of now, the impact of low back pain (LBP) and its chronic state, chronic low back pain (CLBP), on mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has never been investigated among police officers. The present investigation aims at studying this relationship using a biopsychosocial model. METHODS: Between May and October 2014, a Web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Quebec police officers (Quebec, Canada). Mental HRQOL was measured using the role emotional (RE) and the mental health (MH) domains of the SF-12v2 Health Survey. The impact of CLBP on mental HRQOL (as opposed to acute/subacute LBP or no LBP) was studied with a multivariate linear regression model. RESULTS: Of the 3,589 police officers who participated in the study, 1,013 (28.4%) reported CLBP. The mean age of respondents was 38.5 ± 8.7 years, and 32.0% were females. The RE (44.1/100) and MH (49.0/100) mean scores of the CLBP group were comparable with the scores found in populations suffering from cancer or heart diseases. Compared to officers without LBP, the presence of CLBP was significantly associated with lower RE (β: −0.068; p = 0.003) and MH (β: −0.062; p = 0.002) scores. These relationships were not found in the acute/subacute LBP group. CONCLUSION: Our results underscore how frequent CLBP is among police officers and how burdensome it is. Considering the importance of good physical and mental health for this occupational population, police organizations should be aware of this issue and contribute to the efforts toward CLBP prevention and management in the workplace.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Low Back Pain ; Mental Health ; Police ; Quality of Life ; Quebec ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1) infection results in hepatitis in dogs. In this study, we investigated the biologic and genetic characteristics of the CAV-1 vaccine strain (CAV1V) to improve quality control about CAV vaccine. The identity of CAV1V as CAV-1 was confirmed based on its cytopathic effects and the results of hemagglutination (HA) and immunofluorescence assays, and electron microscopy. The CAV1V strain reached 10(7.5) TCID(50)/mL in MDCK cells at 4 days post-inoculation and exhibited hemmagglutination activity of 256 U using guinea pig erythrocytes. Intranuclear fluorescence in the infected cells was observed and typical adenoviruses were observed in electon microscope. CAV1V strain was identified as a CAV-1 strain by nucleotide sequence analysis. In a comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the fiber genes of several CAV strains, CAV1V showed the highest similarity (99.8%) with the GLAXO strain, which was isolated in Canada. Our biological characterization of CAV1V will facilitate quality control of the canine hepatitis vaccine.
Adenoviridae ; Adenoviruses, Canine ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Canada ; Dogs ; Erythrocytes ; Fluorescence ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Guinea Pigs ; Hemagglutination ; Hepatitis ; Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells ; Microscopy, Electron ; Quality Control