Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Semantic Context Improves Speech Intelligibility And Reduces Listening Effort For Listeners With Hearing Impairment, Emma Holmes, Paula Folkeard, Ingrid S. Johnsrude, Susan Scollie

Communication Sciences and Disorders Publications

Objective: We investigated whether speech intelligibility and listening effort for hearing-aid users is affected by semantic context and hearing-aid setting. Design: Participants heard target sentences spoken in a reverberant background of cafeteria noise and competing speech. Participants reported each sentence verbally. Eight participants also rated listening effort after each sentence. Sentence topic was either the same as, or different from, the previous target sentence. Study sample: Twenty participants with sensorineural hearing loss were fit binaurally with Signia receiver-in-the-canal hearing aids. Participants performed the task twice: once using the hearing aid’s omnidirectional setting and once using the “Reverberant Room” setting, designed …

Physical Activity Self-Management Interventions For Adults With Spinal Cord Injury: Part 2 – Exploring The Generalizability Of Findings From Research To Practice, Shauna M. Burke, Jennifer R. Tomasone, Natalie V. Scime, Jasmin K. Ma, Samantha M. Harden, Dalton L. Wolfe

Paediatrics Publications

Despite the benefits associated with regular participation in physical activity, individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) remain insufficiently active. The ability to self-manage participation may increase physical activity levels, but only if self-management interventions can be implemented in the ‘real world’. The purpose of this review was to examine the degree to which authors of published studies of LTPA self-management interventions for individuals with SCI have reported on factors that could increase the likelihood of translating this research into practice. A systematic search of five databases was conducted, yielding 33 eligible studies representing 31 interventions. Each intervention was assessed using …

Physical Activity Self-Management Interventions For Adults With Spinal Cord Injury: Part 1–A Systematic Review Of The Use And Effectiveness Of Behavior Change Techniques, Jennifer R. Tomasone, Stephanie M. Flood, Jasmin K. Ma, Natalie V. Scime, Shauna M. Burke, Lindsay Sleeth, Stephanie Marrocco

Paediatrics Publications

Objectives: To determine which behavior change techniques (BCTs) have been used within leisure time physical activity (LTPA) self-management interventions for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), and which BCTs were effective for improving LTPA behavior and/or its antecedents. Design: Systematic review informed by the PRISMA guidelines. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using five databases. Study characteristics were extracted from included articles and intervention descriptions were coded using the BCT Taxonomy V.1. Effectiveness and maintenance of BCTs as well as the level of behavior change theory use in the design of interventions were examined within experimental studies. Results: Thirty-one …

Non-Canonical Functions Of The Rb Protein In Cancer, Frederick A. Dick, David W. Goodrich, Julien Sage, Nicholas J. Dyson

Paediatrics Publications

The canonical model of RB-mediated tumour suppression developed over the past 30 years is based on the regulation of E2F transcription factors to restrict cell cycle progression. Several additional functions have been proposed for RB, on the basis of which a non-canonical RB pathway can be described. Mechanistically, the non-canonical RB pathway promotes histone modification and regulates chromosome structure in a manner distinct from cell cycle regulation. These functions have implications for chemotherapy response and resistance to targeted anticancer agents. This Opinion offers a framework to guide future studies of RB in basic and clinical research.

Encouraging Kids To Hop, Skip, And Jump: Emphasizing The Need For Higher-Intensity Physical Activity In Childcare, Molly Driediger, Leigh M. Vanderloo, Stephanie Truelove, Brianne A. Bruijns, Patricia Tucker

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.

Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Using A Gantry-Based Preclinical Cone-Beam Microcomputed Tomography Scanner, Justin J. Tse, Joy Dunmore-Buyze, Maria Drangova, David W. Holdsworth

Bone and Joint Institute

© The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI. Dual-energy microcomputed tomography (DECT) can provide quantitative information about specific materials of interest, facilitating automated segmentation, and visualization of complex three-dimensional tissues. It is possible to implement DECT on currently available preclinical gantry-based cone-beam micro-CT scanners; however, optimal decomposition image quality requires customized spectral shaping (through added filtration), optimized acquisition protocols, and elimination of misregistration artifacts. We present a method for the fabrication of customized …

Appraisal Of Clinical Practice Guideline: American Academy Of Orthopaedic Surgeons Clinical Practice Guideline On The Management Of Osteoarthritis Of The Hip, Ze Lu, Joy C. Macdermid

Bone and Joint Institute

No abstract provided.

Health Information On Firefighter Websites: Structured Analysis, Mostin A. Hu, Joy C. Macdermid, Shannon Killip, Margaret Lomotan

Bone and Joint Institute

© Mostin A Hu, Joy C MacDermid, Shannon Killip, Margaret Lomotan, FIREWELL. Background: Owing to the fact that firefighters have unique health risks, access to firefighter-specific internet-based health information is a potential mechanism for achieving better health and work outcomes. Objective: The objective of our study was to identify the amount and nature of health information resources available on Canadian firefighter-specific websites and the extent to which resources are consistent across websites as a surrogate indicator of diffusion of information. Methods: A search of health resources on firefighter websites (union and employer) for all Canadian provinces, major cities and a …

Abstract Concepts And Pictures Of Real-World Situations Activate One Another., Ken Mcrae, Daniel Nedjadrasul, Raymond Pau, Bethany Pui-Hei Lo, Lisa King

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

concepts typically are defined in terms of lacking physical or perceptual referents. We argue instead that they are not devoid of perceptual information because knowledge of real-world situations is an important component of learning and using many abstract concepts. Although the relationship between perceptual information and abstract concepts is less straightforward than for concrete concepts, situation-based perceptual knowledge is part of many abstract concepts. In Experiment 1, participants made lexical decisions to abstract words that were preceded by related and unrelated pictures of situations. For example, share was preceded by a picture of two girls sharing a cob of corn. …

Selective Effects Of 5-Ht2c Receptor Modulation On Performance Of A Novel Valence-Probe Visual Discrimination Task And Probabilistic Reversal Learning In Mice, Benjamin U. Phillips, Sigma Dewan, Simon R.O. Nilsson, Trevor W. Robbins, Christopher J. Heath, Lisa M. Saksida, Timothy J. Bussey, Johan Alsiö

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2018, The Author(s). Rationale: Dysregulation of the serotonin (5-HT) system is a pathophysiological component in major depressive disorder (MDD), a condition closely associated with abnormal emotional responsivity to positive and negative feedback. However, the precise mechanism through which 5-HT tone biases feedback responsivity remains unclear. 5-HT2C receptors (5-HT2CRs) are closely linked with aspects of depressive symptomatology, including abnormalities in reinforcement processes and response to stress. Thus, we aimed to determine the impact of 5-HT2CR function on response to feedback in biased reinforcement learning. Methods: We used two touchscreen assays designed to assess the impact of positive and negative feedback …

Methadone For Analgesia In Children With Life-Limiting Illness: Experience From A Tertiary Children's Health Service., Christine Mott, Amrita Sarpal, Krista Moss, Anthony Herbert

Paediatrics Publications

Methadone has the potential to assist in the management of pain in children with life-limiting illness, but its use is limited by its complex pharmacokinetic profile and limited research on its use in children. This is a retrospective review of the use of methadone as an analgesic in 16 children with life-limiting illness. Efficacy, dosing and side effect profile were analysed. Fifteen (94%) patients had improvements in their analgesia with minimal observed adverse effects. Patients were either rapidly converted from a prior opioid in one change or received methadone as an adjunct medication. Conversions were calculated using ratios frequently in …

N-Glycosylation Regulates Pannexin 2 Localization But Is Not Required For Interacting With Pannexin 1., Rafael E Sanchez-Pupo, Danielle Johnston, Silvia Penuela

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Pannexins (Panx1, 2, 3) are channel-forming glycoproteins expressed in mammalian tissues. We previously reported that N-glycosylation acts as a regulator of the localization and intermixing of Panx1 and Panx3, but its effects on Panx2 are currently unknown. Panx1 and Panx2 intermixing can regulate channel properties, and both pannexins have been implicated in neuronal cell death after ischemia. Our objectives were to validate the predicted N-glycosylation site of Panx2 and to study the effects of Panx2 glycosylation on localization and its capacity to interact with Panx1. We used site-directed mutagenesis, enzymatic de-glycosylation, cell-surface biotinylation, co-immunoprecipitation, and confocal microscopy. Our results showed …

Comparative Analysis Of Mutant Huntingtin Binding Partners In Yeast Species., Yanding Zhao, Ashley A Zurawel, Nicole P Jenkins, Martin L Duennwald, Chao Cheng, Arminja N Kettenbach, Surachai Supattapone

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Huntington's disease is caused by the pathological expansion of a polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch in Huntingtin (Htt), but the molecular mechanisms by which polyQ expansion in Htt causes toxicity in selective neuronal populations remain poorly understood. Interestingly, heterologous expression of expanded polyQ Htt is toxic in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, but has no effect in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a related yeast species possessing very few endogenous polyQ or Q/N-rich proteins. Here, we used a comprehensive and unbiased mass spectrometric approach to identify proteins that bind Htt in a length-dependent manner in both species. Analysis of the expanded polyQ-associated proteins reveals marked enrichment of …

Gsa Members' Experiences With A Structured Program To Promote Well-Being, Alicia A. Lapointe, Claire Crooks

Journal Articles

LGBT2Q+ youth experience significant oppression in schools and there are few evidence-informed programs to promote well-being. This study describes the experiences of youth who participated in a 17-session structured mental health promotion program through their GSAs. Focus groups were conducted with 15 youth. Results indicated that the program helped youth validate and affirm their identities and expressions. The program also afforded youth structured opportunities to identify and process minority stressors, and develop essential coping strategies to bolster their well-being and manage their toxic relationships.

A Mapping Review Of Randomized Controlled Trials In The Spinal Cord Injury Research Literature, Amanda Mcintyre, Brooke Benton, Shannon Janzen, Jerome Iruthayarajah, Joshua Weiner, Janice J. Eng, Robert Teasell, Spinal Cord Injury Research Evidence Team

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

Study design

Mapping Review.

Objective

The objective of this study was to map out and characterize the quantity and quality of all published spinal cord injury (SCI) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with respect to number, sample size, and methodological quality between January 1970 and December 2016.

Setting

Not applicable.

Methods

A literature search of multiple research databases was conducted. Studies adhering to the following criteria were included: the research design was an RCT; written in English; participants were >18 years; and the sample was >50% SCI. Data were extracted pertaining to author(s), year of publication, country of origin, initial and …

Changes In Depression And Positive Mental Health Among Youth In A Healthy Relationships Program, Natalia Lapshina, Claire Crooks, Amanda Kerry

Journal Articles

Mental health promotion programming in schools and community settings is an important part of a comprehensive mental health strategy. The goal of this study was to identify and explore meaningful classes of youth based on their pre- and post-intervention depression symptoms scores with 722 youth involved in a 15-week healthy relationships and mental health promotion program. We utilized latent class growth analysis to identify depression class trajectories, controlling for group clustering effects. A three-class solution identified high decreasing, moderate stable, and low stable trajectories. Gender, age, and reported experience of bullying victimization predicted trajectory class membership. The low stable class …

Inactivation Of Hepatic Atrx In Atrx Foxg1cre Mice Prevents Reversal Of Aging‐Like Phenotypes By Thyroxine, Megan E Rowland, Yan Jiang, Frank Beier, Nathalie G Bérubé

Paediatrics Publications

ATRX is an ATP‐dependent chromatin remodeler required for the maintenance of genomic integrity. We previously reported that conditional Atrx ablation in the mouse embryonic forebrain and anterior pituitary using the Foxg1cre driver causes reduced health and lifespan. In these mice, premature aging‐like phenotypes were accompanied by low circulating levels of insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) and thyroxine (T4), hormones that maintain stem cell pools and normal metabolic profiles, respectively. Based on emerging evidence that T4 stimulates expression of IGF‐1 in pre‐pubertal mice, we tested whether T4 supplementation in Atrx Foxg1cre mice could restore IGF‐1 levels and ameliorate premature aging‐like phenotypes. …

The Effects Of Habits On Motor Skill Learning, Nicola J. Popp, Atsushi Yokoi, Paul L. Gribble, Jörn Diedrichsen

BrainsCAN Publications

Skill learning involves the formation of stable motor patterns. In musical and athletic 3 training, however, these stable patterns can also impede the attainment of higher levels 4 of performance, and hence constitute a motor habit. We developed an experimental 5 paradigm to induce a specific motor pattern in a sequence production task and 6 investigated how it affected subsequent optimization over a 3-week training period. 7 Participants initially practiced small segments of 2 to 3 finger movements, which were 8 then combined to form longer sequences. This initial training induced a persistent 9 chunking behavior, with shorter inter-press-intervals within …

Measuring Performance On The Healthcare Access And Quality Index For 195 Countries And Territories And Selected Subnational Locations: A Systematic Analysis From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2016, Gbd 2016 Healthcare Access And Quality Collaborators

Paediatrics Publications

BACKGROUND: A key component of achieving universal health coverage is ensuring that all populations have access to quality health care. Examining where gains have occurred or progress has faltered across and within countries is crucial to guiding decisions and strategies for future improvement. We used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) to assess personal health-care access and quality with the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index for 195 countries and territories, as well as subnational locations in seven countries, from 1990 to 2016.

METHODS: Drawing from established methods and updated estimates from GBD …

Chronic Kidney Disease Stage Affects Small, Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein But Not Glycated Low-Density Lipoprotein In Younger Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study., Guido Filler, Sepideh Taheri, Christopher Mcintyre, Connor Smith, Lakshmimathy Subramanian, Gerhard Fusch, Christoph Fusch

Paediatrics Publications

Background

Small, dense low-density lipoprotein (sd-LDL) and glycated LDL (g-LDL) have been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients >60 years of age. Since young adult and paediatric patients have shorter exposure to Framingham-type risk factors, our study aims to determine whether younger CKD patients exhibit the same sd-LDL and g-LDL pattern.

Methods

After ethics board approval, this cross-sectional study was conducted at two universities with 44 patients (mean ± standard deviation age 12.6 ± 4.9, range 2-24 years) with CKD stage of 1-5. Laboratory parameters studied were Cystatin C (CysC), CysC estimated glomerular filtration …

Evaluation Of Primary Caregivers' Perceptions On Home Trampoline Use, Supriya Singh, Kamary Coriolano, Jacob Davidson, Megan Cashin, Timothy Carey, Debra Bartley

Paediatrics Publications

Trampolines are widely used by children, but trampoline injuries can be severe and may require hospital care or even surgery. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of an educational intervention on caregivers' perceptions of trampoline use and safety for their children. Primary caregivers were recruited from the orthopedic clinic at the Children's Hospital at our institution in 2015. Caregivers were asked to complete a survey at two time points, initially in clinic and one week post educational intervention. The educational intervention was a pamphlet outlining trampoline safety data. Data analysis occurred in 2016. From the 100 primary caregivers recruited, 39 …

Stable Expression Of Α1-Antitrypsin Portland In Mda-Mb-231 Cells Increased Mt1-Mmp And Mmp-9 Levels, But Reduced Tumour Progression., J.A. Wilson, C.A. Muir, C. L. Evered, M. A. Cepeda, S. Damjanovski

Paediatrics Publications

The membrane bound matrix metalloproteinase MT1-MMP plays roles in modulating cell movement, independent of its abilities to remodel the extracellular matrix. Unlike many MMPs, MT1-MMP is activated in the Golgi prior to secretion by a pro-protein convertase, primarily furin. Regulation of the activation of pro-MT1-MMP has been methodically investigated, as altering the level of the active protein has broad implications in both activating other proMMPs, including pro-MMP-2, and many subsequent remodelling events. Our previous work in MCF-7 cells has demonstrated that modest, and not extremely high, levels of active MT1-MMP manifests into altered cell morphology and movement. At this low …

Disorganized Gyrification Network Properties During The Transition To Psychosis, Tushar Das, Stefan Borgwardt, Daniel J. Hauke, Fabienne Harrisberger, Undine E. Lang, Anita Riecher-Rössler, Lena Palaniyappan, André Schmidt

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

IMPORTANCE There is urgent need to improve the limited prognostic accuracy of clinical instruments to predict psychosis onset in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. As yet, no reliable biological marker has been established to delineate CHR individuals who will develop psychosis from those who will not. OBJECTIVES To investigate abnormalities in a graph-based gyrification connectome in the early stages of psychosis and to test the accuracy of this systems-based approach to predict a transition to psychosis among CHR individuals. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This investigation was a cross-sectional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study with follow-up assessment to …

Hybrid Polyester Self-Immolative Polymer Nanoparticles For Controlled Drug Release, Michael T. Gambles, Bo Fan, Aneta Borecki, Elizabeth R. Gillies

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2018 American Chemical Society. Delivery systems have been developed to address problematic properties of drugs, but the specific release of drugs at their targets is still a challenge. Polymers that depolymerize end-to-end in response to the cleavage of stimuli-responsive end-caps from their termini, commonly referred to as self-immolative polymers, offer high sensitivity to stimuli and have potential for the development of new high-performance delivery systems. In this work, we prepared hybrid particles composed of varying ratios of self-immolative poly(ethyl glyoxylate) (PEtG) and slowly degrading poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PLA). These systems were designed to provide a dual release mechanism consisting of …

Disease-Linked Connexin26 S17f Promotes Volar Skin Abnormalities And Mild Wound Healing Defects In Mice (Vol. 8, E2845, 2017), Eric R. Press, Katanya C. Alaga, Kevin Barr, Qing Shao, Felicitas Bosen, Klaus Willecke, Dale W. Laird

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

No abstract provided.

Fear Memory Recall Potentiates Opiate Reward Sensitivity Through Dissociable Dopamine D1 Versus D4 Receptor-Dependent Memory Mechanisms In The Prefrontal Cortex., Jing Jing Li, Hanna Szkudlarek, Justine Renard, Roger Hudson, Walter Rushlow, Steven R. Laviolette

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Disturbances in prefrontal cortical (PFC) dopamine (DA) transmission are well established features of psychiatric disorders involving pathological memory processing, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction. Transmission through PFC DA D4 receptors (D4Rs) has been shown to potentiate the emotional salience of normally nonsalient emotional memories, whereas transmission through PFC DA D1 receptors (D1Rs) has been demonstrated to selectively block recall of reward- or aversion-related associative memories. In the present study, using a combination of fear conditioning and opiate reward conditioning in male rats, we examined the role of PFC D4/D1R signaling during the processing of fear-related memory acquisition …

Preclinical Outcomes Of Intratumoral Modulation Therapy For Glioblastoma, Andrea R. Di Sebastiano, Andrew Deweyert, Simon Benoit, Erin Iredale, Hu Xu, Cleusa De Oliveira, Eugene Wong, Susanne Schmid, Matthew O. Hebb

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the leading cause of high fatality cancer arising within the adult brain. Electrotherapeutic approaches offer new promise for GBM treatment by exploiting innate vulnerabilities of cancer cells to low intensity electric fields. This report describes the preclinical outcomes of a novel electrotherapeutic strategy called Intratumoral Modulation Therapy (IMT) that uses an implanted stimulation system to deliver sustained, titratable, low intensity electric fields directly across GBM-affected brain regions. This pilot technology was applied to in vitro and animal models demonstrating significant and marked reduction in tumor cell viability and a cumulative impact of concurrent IMT and chemotherapy in …

Factors Contributing To Preschoolers' Communicative Participation Outcomes: Findings From A Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study In Ontario, Canada, Barbara Jane Cunningham, Steven E. Hanna, Peter Rosenbaum, Nancy Thomas-Stonell, Bruce Oddson

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

Purpose. To identify predictors of communicative participation outcomes for a large cohort of preschoolers with communication disorders.

Method. A secondary analysis of longitudinal program evaluation data from Ontario Canada’s Preschool Speech and Language Program (PSLP). Data available for 46,872 children 18-67 months of age (M = 41.76 mo, SD = 11.92, 68% male) were previously used to predict children’s communicative participation skill development in five levels of function. Demographic and intervention-based variables were added to the models to identify new predictors of growth.

Results. Three demographic and three intervention-based variables were statistically significant predictors of children’s communicative participation …

Circulating Tumor Cell Analysis In Preclinical Mouse Models Of Metastasis, Jenna Kitz, Lori E. Lowes, David Goodale, Alison L. Allan

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The majority of cancer deaths occur because of metastasis since current therapies are largely non-curative in the metastatic setting. The use of in vivo preclinical mouse models for assessing metastasis is, therefore, critical for developing effective new cancer biomarkers and therapies. Although a number of quantitative tools have been previously developed to study in vivo metastasis, the detection and quantification of rare metastatic events has remained challenging. This review will discuss the use of circulating tumor cell (CTC) analysis as an effective means of tracking and characterizing metastatic disease progression in preclinical mouse models of breast and prostate cancer and …

Mice Harbouring An Oculodentodigital Dysplasia-Linked Cx43 G60s Mutation Have Severe Hearing Loss, Julia M. Abitbol, John J. Kelly, Kevin J. Barr, Brian L. Allman, Dale W. Laird

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Given the importance of connexin43 (Cx43, encoded by GJA1) function in the central nervous system and sensory organ processing, we proposed that it would also be crucial in auditory function. To that end, hearing was examined in two mouse models of oculodentodigital dysplasia that globally express GJA1 mutations resulting in mild or severe loss of Cx43 function. Although Cx43(I130T/+) mutant mice, with similar to 50% Cx43 channel function, did not have any hearing loss, Cx43(G60S/+) mutant mice, with similar to 20% Cx43 channel function, had severe hearing loss. There was no evidence of inner ear sensory hair cell loss, suggesting …