Enrollment in a fracture liaison service does not guarantee post fracture follow-up.

Objective: To assess post fracture outpatient follow-up adherence in a cohort of patients enrolled in a fracture liaison service (FLS).

Methods: We analyzed FLS registry data for patients who were hospitalized with fragility fractures from June 2020 through December 2022 and determined the proportion of patients who kept their follow-up appointments in outpatient endocrinology and orthopedic clinics.

Results: We identified 295 patients who were eligible for the FLS pathway; from this group, 57 declined an endocrinology follow-up visit.

Exploration of High and Low Molecular Weight Polyacrylic Acids and Sodium Polyacrylates as Potential Binder System for Use in Silicon Graphite Anodes.

The commercialization of silicon anodes requires polymer binders that are both mechanically robust and electrochemically stable in order to ensure that they can accommodate the volume expansion experienced during cycling. In this study, we examine the use of both low and high molecular weight (MW) polyacrylic acids (PAAs), and sodium polyacrylates (Na-PAAs), at different degrees of partial neutralization, as a possible binder candidate for use in silicon graphite anodes. High MW PAAs were found to have stable capacity retentions of 672 mAh g for over 100 cycles, whereas with the low MW PAAs the capacity was found to already have declined to 373 mAh g after the first 30 cycles.

Post-Reconstitution Hemostatic Stability Profiles of Canadian and German Freeze-Dried Plasma.

Despite the importance of the hemostatic properties of reconstituted freeze-dried plasma (FDP) for trauma resuscitation, few studies have been conducted to determine its post-reconstitution hemostatic stability. This study aimed to assess the short- (≤24 h) and long-term (≥168 h) hemostatic stabilities of Canadian and German freeze-dried plasma (CFDP and LyoPlas) after reconstitution and storage under different conditions. Post-reconstitution hemostatic profiles were determined using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and a Stago analyzer, as both are widely used as standard methods for assessing the quality of plasma.

Human capital as a turnkey resource in resilience to cyclones and storm surges: Empirical evidence from coastal Bangladesh.

What are the best methods to build cyclone and storm resilience in a developing country? We examine the multiple resources that contribute to storm resilience in the highly vulnerable ecological context of coastal Bangladesh, finding that human capital is a critical turnkey resource that enables and facilitates the use of other resources in household responses to floods, storm surges and other cyclone damage. Drawing on a household survey of nine coastal villages in different ecological zones of coastal Bangladesh, we use principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression to identify four components of storm resilience and a human capital index that, along with other household resources, predicts resilience to storms and cyclones. We then use this human capital index as a policy tool to map the proportion of highly resilient households in these nine villages and identify additional methods for building a stronger understanding of storm resilience.

SDRQuerier: A Visual Querying Framework for Cross-National Survey Data Recycling.

Public opinion surveys constitute a widespread, powerful tool to study peoples' attitudes and behaviors from comparative perspectives. However, even global surveys can have limited geographic and temporal coverage, which can hinder the production of comprehensive knowledge. To expand the scope of comparison, social scientists turn to ex-post harmonization of variables from datasets that cover similar topics but in different populations and/or at different times.

A Qualitative Comparison of the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant Assay against Commonly Used Canadian SARS-CoV-2 Enzyme Immunoassays in Blood Donor Retention Specimens, April 2020 to March 2021.

Our group has previously used laboratory and commercially developed assays to understand the IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 antigens, including nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), and receptor binding domain (RBD), in Canadian blood donors. In this current study, we analyzed 17,428 available and previously characterized retention samples collected from April 2020 to March 2021. The analysis compared the characteristics of the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assay (Abbott anti-spike [S], Abbott, Chicago, IL) against four other IgG assays.

Freeze-dried plasma: From damage control resuscitation to coronavirus disease 2019 therapy.

Background: Freeze-dried plasma (FDP) is a promising blood component for prehospital resuscitation given its logistic advantages over fresh frozen plasma (FFP). COVID-19 convalescent (CC) plasma has been used to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and its corresponding FDP has potential use during future pandemics. Therefore, we conducted the study to determine if the hemostatic and immunological properties of plasma can be retained after lyophilization.

Retention of hemostatic and immunological properties of frozen plasma and COVID-19 convalescent apheresis fresh-frozen plasma produced and freeze-dried in Canada.

Background: Randomized clinical trial data show that early plasma transfusion may save lives among trauma patients. Supplying plasma in remote environments is logistically challenging. Freeze-dried plasma (FDP) offers a possible solution.

Glycemic benefits with adherence to testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: While previous studies have demonstrated testosterone's beneficial effects on glycemic control in men with hypogonadism and Type 2 Diabetes, the extent to which these improvements are observed based on the degree of treatment adherence has been unclear.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of long-term testosterone therapy in A1C levels in men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and hypogonadism, controlling for BMI, pre-treatment A1C, and age among different testosterone therapy adherence groups.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 1737 men with diabetes and hypogonadism on testosterone therapy for 5 years of data from 2008-2018, isolating A1C, lipid panels, and BMI results for analysis.

Diabetes by Air, Land, and Sea: Effect of Deployments on HbA1c and BMI.

Introduction: Service members (SMs) in the United States (U.S.) Armed Forces have diabetes mellitus at a rate of 2-3%.

Extending the pre-processing holding time of whole blood beyond 48 h reduces coagulation FVIII activity and immunoglobulin G content of recovered plasma.

Background: Plasma obtained via whole blood (WB) donation may be used either for transfusion or as recovered plasma (RP) for pooling and fractionation. In Canada, transfusable plasma must be processed within 24 h of phlebotomy, while the limit for RP processing is 72 h. We assessed the quality of RP produced by two WB processing methods and as a function of processing time.

How to study political activists: A petition survey approach.

A major challenge for social movement and political campaign studies is generating large, representative samples of political activists. This paper outlines a strategy of surveying those who participate in a common, baseline form of political action: signing petitions. Similar to protest surveys, signing a petition constitutes a more baseline low cost/low risk form of political activism.

State investments in high-technology job growth.

Since the early 1970's state and local governments have launched an array of economic development programs designed to promote high-technology development. The question our analysis addresses is whether these programs promote long-term high-technology employment growth net of state location and agglomeration advantages. Proponents talk about an infrastructure strategy that promotes investment in public research and specialized infrastructure to attract and grow new high technology industries in specific locations, and a more decentralized entrepreneurial strategy that reinforces local agglomeration capacities by investing in new enterprises and products, promoting the development of local networks and partnerships.

Stability of Thawed Apheresis Fresh-Frozen Plasma Stored for up to 120 Hours at 1°C to 6°C.

Regulations concerning the storage of transfusable plasma differ internationally. In Canada, plasma obtained from whole blood donations and frozen within 24 hours of phlebotomy (frozen plasma, FP) may be thawed and transfused within 120 hours of refrigerated storage. However, plasma frozen within 8 hours of phlebotomy following apheresis donation (FFPA) must be transfused within 24 hours of thawing and refrigeration.

Factors associated with improved outcomes after second allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for relapsed pediatric leukemia.

A second allogeneic (allo) hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is an important therapeutic consideration for patients relapsing after their first. We conducted a retrospective review of 41 pediatric patients with leukemia that underwent a second allo-HCT at our institution. Overall, 53.

A quality monitoring program for red blood cell components: in vitro quality indicators before and after implementation of semiautomated processing.

Background: Canadian Blood Services has been conducting quality monitoring of red blood cell (RBC) components since 2005, a period spanning the implementation of semiautomated component production. The aim was to compare the quality of RBC components produced before and after this production method change.

Study Design And Methods: Data from 572 RBC units were analyzed, categorized by production method: Method 1, RBC units produced by manual production methods; Method 2, RBC units produced by semiautomated production and the buffy coat method; and Method 3, RBC units produced by semiautomated production and the whole blood filtration method.

Process improvement by eliminating mixing of whole blood units after an overnight hold prior to component production using the buffy coat method.

The elimination of a thorough manual mixing of whole blood (WB) which takes place following the overnight hold, but before the first centrifugation step, during buffy coat component production at Canadian Blood Services (CBS) was investigated. WB was pooled after donation and split. Pairs of platelet, red blood cell (RBC), and plasma components were produced, with half using the standard method and half using a method in which the mixing step was eliminated.

Quality of frozen transfusable plasma prepared from whole blood donations in Canada: an update.

Background: Transfusable plasma is obtained by processing whole blood donations, by apheresis, or as solvent/detergent plasma (SD plasma), a pooled pathogen-reduced plasma product. The quality of plasma is typically assessed by testing the activities of multiple coagulation-related plasma proteins, due to a lack of clinical trial data linking plasma composition to clinical endpoints. We sought to update previous quality surveys of Canadian frozen plasma (FP; manufactured from single donor whole blood donation and frozen within 24h of phlebotomy), to provide transfusionists with a more complete picture of its characteristics.

Segments from red blood cell units should not be used for quality testing.

Background: Nondestructive testing of blood components could permit in-process quality control and reduce discards. Tubing segments, generated during red blood cell (RBC) component production, were tested to determine their suitability as a sample source for quality testing.

Study Design And Methods: Leukoreduced RBC components were produced from whole blood (WB) by two different methods: WB filtration and buffy coat (BC).

Stability of relevant plasma protein activities in cryosupernatant plasma units during refrigerated storage for up to 5 days postthaw.

Background: Cryosupernatant plasma (CSP) is used in Canada for plasma exchange in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The refrigerated storage time for thawed CSP is limited in many areas to not more than 24 hours postthaw. Because large volumes of CSP are needed for plasma exchange, procedural postponement can lead to product wastage.

Biofeedback self-regulation training to treat post-concussion headache in a special operations support soldier.

Biofeedback assisted self-regulation training can be an effective treatment for post-concussion headaches. The following is an example of using biofeedback assisted self-regulation training as an intervention to treat posttrauma headaches in a Special Operations Forces (SOF) support soldier. This Soldier was a 23-year-old male who had suffered a concussion while off duty four months earlier and continued to experience headache.

Development of a quality monitoring program for platelet components: a report of the first four years' experience at Canadian Blood Services.

Background: A quality monitoring program (QMP) for platelet concentrates (PCs) was implemented at Canadian Blood Services (CBS) to improve standards and to better understand platelet (PLT) products by supplementing routine quality control (QC).

Study Design And Methods: Annual surveys of PCs from CBS production sites were conducted, with four completed to date (QMP Cycles 1-4) spanning two different PC production methods: PLT-rich plasma (PRP) and buffy coat (BC). Randomly selected PCs were sent to a central laboratory and tested 1 day after expiry.

Changes in coagulation factor activity and content of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate in frozen plasma units during refrigerated storage for up to five days after thawing.

Background: Thawed plasma is typically transfused to supply coagulation factors but factor activity declines during refrigerated storage. Refrigerating thawed plasma for longer than 24 hours could reduce plasma wastage and make plasma more readily available for emergency transfusions. We measured coagulation factor activity and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) concentration in frozen plasma (FP) thawed and stored at 1 to 6°C for up to 5 days.