Needs assessment and gap analysis for national health technology assessments in Lebanon.

Background: Developing countries are increasingly adopting health technology assessment as a critical tool for evaluating and addressing challenges related to the use of health technologies in support of Universal Health Coverage, health equity and resource allocation.

Aim: To map health technology assessment resources and identify barriers to national health technology assessments in Lebanon.

Methods: Using a questionnaire survey and focus group discussions, we collected data from key informants who had interest in health technology assessment in Lebanon between May and July 2017 and in July 2018.

Cost Analysis of a Patient Portal Used to Remotely Monitor COVID-19 Patients in Quebec.

Background: Telemonitoring for COVID-19 has gained much attention due to its potential in reducing morbidity, healthcare utilization, and costs. However, its benefit with regard to economic outcomes has yet to be clearly demonstrated.

Objective: To analyze the costs associated with the use of the Opal portal to monitor COVID-19 patients during their 14-day confinement in Quebec and compare them to those of non-users of any home telemonitoring technology.

Association between the Timing of Pre-Workout Macronutrient Intake and Rated Appetite among Resistance-Trained Adults in Jbeil, Lebanon.

Macronutrients play an important role in appetite regulation. In addition, adequate nutrient and energy intake, which may be altered by exercise-induced appetite fluctuations, is required to ensure important training outcomes. However, findings regarding appetite responses to macronutrient consumption before training and to different resistance training intensities remain inconclusive.

Infant-Feeding Patterns and the Effects of Early Introduction to Formula and Solid Foods on Childhood Overweight or Obesity among 10-Years-Olds in a Low Socioeconomic Area of Lebanon: An Exploratory Analysis.

In Lebanon, there has been an alarming increase in childhood overweight and obesity. In addition, most mothers do not meet the WHO recommendation that infants should be introduced to formula or solids only during the second half of their first year. Because the study population, Burj Hammoud, which is a low socioeconomic district, is small, we performed an exploratory analysis of infant feeding patterns and the effects of introducing formula and solids within six months, respectively, on childhood overweight/obesity among 10-year-old children.

Assessing facilitating conditions and barriers for innovation implementation in Canadian long-term care homes: a research protocol.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the health and care of older adults, with particularly negative consequences for those residing in long-term care homes (LTCH) and retirement homes (RH). To inform the implementation of interventions with the most potential for impact, Healthcare Excellence Canada identified six promising practices and policy options that can be introduced to ensure that LTCH and RH are better prepared for potential future outbreaks. A total of 22 implementation science teams (ISTs) were funded to support LTCH and RH across Canada in their implementation of these practices.

Assessment of the social quality of life and the physical activity of adult celiac disease patients following a gluten-free diet in Lebanon.

To date, the primary and only treatment recommended for effective management of celiac disease (CD) is adherence to a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) which entails a new approach to eating that affects the social quality of life (QoL) and physical activity (PA) of patients. This cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the social QoL and PA of adult Lebanese CD patients aged between 18 and 59 years old who are following a GFD. An online CD questionnaire was administered to 136 Lebanese celiac participants on a GFD.

Validation of the Canadian French version of the fear of COVID-19 scale in the general population of Quebec.

Background: The purpose of this study was to develop a Canadian French translation of the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) and assess its psychometric characteristics.

Methods: A forward and backtranslation process was conducted for the Canadian French version of the FCV-19S. The guidance of the ISPOR task force for translation and cultural adaptation was followed and cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with six citizens.

Caffeine improves work durability and physical performance in anaerobic exercises among active adults in Tripoli Lebanon.

Background: People worldwide have a high intake of caffeine. Active adults are among the group of people who have always been interested in caffeine as an ergogenic aid. This study aims at examining the association between caffeine consumption and perceived performance (aerobic and anaerobic exercises) among active people attending different gyms in Tripoli, Lebanon.

How Can Health Systems Better Prepare for the Next Pandemic? Lessons Learned From the Management of COVID-19 in Quebec (Canada).

The magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic challenged societies around our globalized world. To contain the spread of the virus, unprecedented and drastic measures and policies were put in place by governments to manage an exceptional health care situation while maintaining other essential services. The responses of many governments showed a lack of preparedness to face this systemic and global health crisis.

Relationship between night shift work, eating habits and BMI among nurses in Lebanon.

Background: The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the relationships between night shift work, eating habits and body mass index (BMI) among Lebanese nurses.

Methods: A total of 307 nurses were randomly selected from five hospitals located in Beirut. Data about demographic and professional characteristics, anthropometric measures, dietary habits and intakes were collected through a validated questionnaire.

Development and Content Validation of a Transcultural Instrument to Assess Organizational Readiness for Knowledge Translation in Healthcare Organizations: The OR4KT.

Background: Implementing effective interventions in healthcare requires organizations to be ready to support change. This study aimed to develop, adapt transculturally, and assess the content and face validity of the Organizational Readiness for Knowledge Translation (OR4KT) tool. The OR4KT was designed to measure the readiness of healthcare organizations to implement evidence-informed change across a variety of services.

Ceramide inhibits PKCθ by regulating its phosphorylation and translocation to lipid rafts in Jurkat cells.

Protein kinase C theta (PKCθ) is a novel, calcium-independent member of the PKC family of kinases that was identified as a central player in T cell signaling and proliferation. Upon T cell activation by antigen-presenting cells, PKCθ gets phosphorylated and activated prior to its translocation to the immunological synapse where it couples with downstream effectors. PKCθ may be regulated by ceramide, a crucial sphingolipid that is known to promote differentiation, growth arrest, and apoptosis.

A systematic review of instruments to assess organizational readiness for knowledge translation in health care.

Background: The translation of research into practices has been incomplete. Organizational readiness for change (ORC) is a potential facilitator of effective knowledge translation (KT). However we know little about the best way to assess ORC.

Organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care: a Delphi study.

Background: Health-care organizations need to be ready prior to implement evidence-based interventions. In this study, we sought to achieve consensus on a framework to assess the readiness of health-care organizations to implement evidence-based interventions in the context of chronic care.

Methods: We conducted a web-based modified Delphi study between March and May 2013.

Organizational readiness for knowledge translation in chronic care: a review of theoretical components.

Background: With the persistent gaps between research and practice in healthcare systems, knowledge translation (KT) has gained significance and importance. Also, in most industrialized countries, there is an increasing emphasis on managing chronic health conditions with the best available evidence. Yet, organizations aiming to improve chronic care (CC) require an adequate level of organizational readiness (OR) for KT.

Implementation of local/hospital-based health technology assessment initiatives in low- and middle-income countries.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to review the implementation of health technology assessment (HTA) at the local and hospital levels in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This review will provide a starting point for identifying the conditions for HTA implementation in hospitals in LMIC through the analysis of experiments conducted in these countries.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to document the local-/hospital-level HTA experiments performed in LMIC.