University of Manitoba Scholarship

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Access status: Open Access ,
Assessing Generative AI for Subject Term Selection in Evidence Synthesis: A Longitudinal Evaluation
(International Congress on Medical Librarianship, 2026-07-16) Lê, Mê-Linh; Neilson, Christine; Monnin, Caroline
Aim: Artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly influencing the evidence synthesis process. Although certain aspects of the review process are well suited to AI enhancement, generative AI (genAI) tools have known issues when creating search strategies. These include incorrect use of Boolean operators, mistakes in search syntax, and difficulty identifying relevant subject terms. This project aims to longitudinally evaluate the performance of genAI tools in suggesting subject terms for comprehensive search strategies. By quantifying the ability of various models to suggest appropriate subject terms, we aim to provide valuable insights into their reliability and limitations in supporting search strategy development. Methods: 1) Identify gold standard search strategies: Included searches must meet three criteria: they must be created by an information specialist who is a study co-author, have undergone a Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS), and provide a complete MEDLINE search. To ensure our measurements are broadly applicable, we will select reviews from different health science areas. 2) Create Prompts: Using the gold standard studies, we will create prompts that include the study's purpose, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and other relevant details. These prompts will ask the models to suggest Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). We'll test the prompts with at least five different generative AI models, which are likely to include ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Elicit SR Pro, depending on external funding. 3) Test Prompts: Prompts will be tested monthly to capture longitudinal changes in model performance over time. Detailed documentation on the tool, model, and output will be captured. 4) Analyze Results: Analysis on the performance of each tool's output will be completed and will include metrics related to recall, precision, and hallucination rate Results: This research is underway. Preliminary results will be available in spring 2026. Discussion/Conclusion: Our study's findings are expected to provide the first longitudinal data on the performance of genAI models in suggesting subject terms for reviews. The results will quantify key metrics to provide an evidence-based understanding of these tools' reliability. The results will offer guidance for health librarians that allows them to make informed decisions about if and how to responsibly integrate genAI tools into their search strategy development process.
Access status: Open Access ,
MNBC-ME categorizes viral and plasmid sequences within metagenomes and identifies putative species or plasmid host
(BMC, 2026-06-10) Lu, Ruipeng; Dumonceaux, Tim; Anzar, Muhammad; Zovoilis, Athanasios; Antonation, Kym; Barker, Dillon; Corbett, Cindi; Nadon, Celine; Robertson, James; Eagle, Shannon H. C.; Lung, Oliver; Rudar, Josip; Surujballi, Om; Wajnberg, Gabriel; Laing, Chad
Background: Plasmids and viruses are two types of mobile genetic elements (ME), that rely on host cells to reproduce and propagate themselves. Recently, metagenomics has greatly facilitated the discovery and characterization of new plasmids and viruses, which relies on accurate identification of these reads in metagenomes. Some state-of-the-art tools can identify plasmid or viral reads, while others are able to identify the probable host or source species of these reads. Since the Minimizer-based Naïve Bayes Classifier (MNBC) tool accurately classifies chromosomal and viral reads to the species level, we extended it to develop the MNBC-ME tool that can also identify plasmid reads and their putative host species. Results: A standard reference- and test-sequence framework using simulated variable-length reads was used to benchmark MNBC-ME with eleven other state-of-the-art tools for ME identification: DeepMicroClass, geNomad, PPR-Meta, viralVerify, Plasmer, PlasClass, PlasX, VIBRANT, DeepVirFinder, HOTSPOT, and MOSTPLAS. MNBC-ME was the most consistent tool at classifying chromosomal, viral and plasmid reads of variable lengths, in contrast to the other tools whose precision or recall dropped below 50% in some circumstances. MNBC-ME also exceeded 65% and 70% performance in predicting host genus and family of plasmid reads, respectively. Conclusions: MNBC-ME is tool for identification of both short and long viral- and plasmid-originated reads across a wide variety of read types. It also identifies potential low-level host taxa for plasmid reads, and source taxa for chromosomal and viral reads. It is freely available at https://github.com/ComputationalPathogens/MNBC-ME and can be found as the ‘mnbc-me’ package in bioconda.
Access status: Open Access ,
Vaccination attitudes and intentions reported by Canadian children and their parents in the CHILD Cohort Study during the COVID-19 pandemic
(BMC, 2026-05-26) Medeleanu, Maria V.; Gill, Erin E.; Winsor, Geoffrey L.; Azeez, Rilwan; Lotoski, Larisa C.; Goguen, Stephanie; Humble, Robin M.; McNeil, Deborah; Patrick, David M.; Bolotin, Shelly; Bullard, Jared; MacDonald, Shannon E.; Simons, Elinor; Turvey, Stuart E.; Moraes, Theo J.; Subbarao, Padmaja; Brinkman, Fiona S. L.; Azad, Meghan
Background: Understanding if and how vaccination attitudes are shared among family members can help inform strategies to increase uptake. We assessed the correlation of self-reported COVID-19 vaccination attitudes and uptake among Canadian children and their parents, and investigated predictors of parents’ attitudes in January 2021–2022. Methods: We studied a subset of 1458 CHILD Cohort Study households where children and parents self-reported their adherence to COVID-19 safety practices, vaccine attitudes and uptake, and health status during the pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy was defined as intending to not receive a COVID-19 vaccine. We identified predictors for vaccine hesitancy using regression and machine learning models and assessed agreement in vaccine intentions between parent–child responses. Results: About 4% of adults and 9% of children expressed hesitancy regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, with safety as the primary concern. By the end of the study (Winter 2022), 2% of parents and 13% of children remained unvaccinated. Children’s intentions were largely aligned (over 95%) with their parents’ vaccine uptake. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among children was much more common in families with unvaccinated parents (e.g. 48% vs. 5% hesitancy among children of unvaccinated vs. vaccinated mothers, respectively). Unvaccinated adults were less likely to follow COVID-19 safety recommendations and follow their doctor’s vaccine recommendations, and more likely to have general concerns about vaccines. Conclusion: This is the first study to describe Canadian children’s and parent’s self-reported COVID-19 vaccine attitudes and intentions. Responses were highly concordant within families. Addressing vaccine hesitancy through understanding its root causes in both children and parents is important for pediatric immunization, both in general and in the context of novel vaccines.
Access status: Open Access ,
Inequities in access to palliative care and community-based indigenous palliative care programs in Canada: a scoping review
(BMC, 2026-08-20) Saim, Muhammad; Al-Kazzaz, Hayder; Boparai, Ishaan; Diarrassouba, Mohamed; Kazi, Ahnaf; Ahmad, Haris; Martin, Bruce
Introduction: Approximately two-thirds of deaths in Canada require palliative care. Indigenous Peoples continue to experience inequities in access to culturally safe, community-based palliative and end-of-life care. This scoping review examined experiences of care, barriers to access, and community-based palliative care programs among Indigenous Peoples in Canada to identify key gaps and inform future research and practice. Methods: This review was guided by the Arksey and O’Malley framework and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches of Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Indigenous Collections, and Indigenous Peoples of North America databases were conducted from inception to May 2026. Results: Thirty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, including studies on stakeholder experiences and community-based programs and interventions. Four overarching themes were identified: structural barriers and patterns in palliative care; cultural safety, communication, and misalignment with Western models of care; end-of-life preferences and experiences; and community-led approaches and capacity building. Indigenous Peoples have fewer home care nursing hours, physician home visits, and an increased likelihood of dying in an acute care setting. Indigenous participants consistently described preferences for home and community-based dying, family involvement, and integration of spiritual and cultural practices within care. Significant research gaps were also identified, including the absence of Métis-specific studies, limited research involving urban Indigenous populations, and lack of long-term evaluation of community-based programs. No identified studies were from Prince Edward Island or New Brunswick, despite the presence of Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik communities in these provinces. Discussion: Current research exploring palliative care for Indigenous Peoples in Canada remains limited despite increasing attention toward health reconciliation. Community-led and culturally safe palliative care models have the potential to improve end-of-life experiences and align care with Indigenous values. Indigenous-led models show promise, but longer-term evaluations are needed to assess their effectiveness and applicability beyond small pilot settings.
Access status: Open Access ,
Impact of a minimal handling care protocol on intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants: a retrospective cohort study
(BMC, 2026-06-08) Uygun, Saime S.; Ozturk, Mehmet; Soylu, Hanifi; Konak, Murat
Background: Premature birth is associated with a high risk of mortality and neurodevelopmental morbidity, with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) remaining a major cause of brain injury in preterm infants. Neuroprotective care bundles focusing on minimal handling have been proposed to reduce physiological stress and cerebral hemodynamic instability. While such bundles have been associated with reduced rates of severe intraventricular hemorrhage, evidence regarding the isolated impact of minimal handling—particularly on other neonatal morbidities—remains limited. Methods: This retrospective comparative cohort study was conducted in a tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit between January 2020 and December 2023. Preterm infants with a gestational age ≤ 32 weeks and birth weight ≤ 1500 g were included. Outcomes were compared between a pre-bundle period (2020–2021) and a post-bundle period (2022–2023), following the unit-wide implementation of a structured minimal handling care protocol during the first 72 h of life. The primary outcome was the incidence and severity of IVH diagnosed by cranial ultrasonography. Secondary outcomes included major neonatal morbidities and mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for IVH. Results: A total of 112 infants were included (46 pre-bundle, 66 post-bundle). The overall incidence and severity distribution of IVH did not differ significantly between groups. Rates of necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, sepsis, and mortality were also comparable. In multivariable analysis, maternal diabetes and nosocomial sepsis were identified as factors associated with IVH. Conclusion: Implementation of a minimal handling care bundle was feasible and safe in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. However, due to the limited sample size and low number of IVH events, its effect on the incidence and severity of IVH could not be clearly delineated.
Access status: Open Access ,
The impacts of caring for children with inherited metabolic diseases for families: a cross-sectional study
(BMC, 2026-06-10) Chow, Andrea J.; Jordan, Isabel; Pallone, Nicole; Smith, Maureen; Chakraborty, Pranesh; Brehaut, Jamie; Chan, Alicia K. J.; Cohen, Eyal; Dyack, Sarah; Graham, Ian D.; Greenberg, Cheryl R.; Hayeems, Robin; Inbar-Feigenberg, Michal; Jain-Ghai, Shailly; Khangura, Sara; MacKenzie, Jennifer J.; Major, Nathalie; Mitchell, John J.; Nicholls, Stuart G.; Pender, Amy; Potter, Murray; Prasad, Chitra; Schulze, Andreas; Siriwardena, Komudi; Speechley, Kathy N.; Stockler, Sylvia; Taljaard, Monica; Trakadis, Yannis; Walia, Jagdeep; Wilson, Kumanan; Potter, Beth K.
Background: Children with inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) often have high care needs that require extensive involvement of family caregivers. This study aimed to describe caregiver experiences, including management of children’s needs at home, and the impacts of that management on family time, finances, and caregiver and child health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: In this sub-study within a larger cohort study, participants were family caregivers of children ≤ 12 years old diagnosed with an IMD, from across Canada. We collected cross-sectional data using an online questionnaire consisting of validated measures and team-developed questions, and analyzed data descriptively. Results: Seventy-one caregivers participated and reported using a range of supports and interventions to care for their children with IMDs, with dietary supports being most common (77.1%). Twenty-seven participants (45%) reported spending ≥ 4 extra hours per week assisting their child with care supports at home and 28 reported ≥ 6 missed days of work by caregivers in the past year for IMD care. All participants reported fulfillment from caregiving tasks, although 82% reported mental struggles related to caregiving. Based on caregiver reports, children with IMDs had lower HRQoL relative to population normative data. We observed lower median scores for several HRQoL subscales among children with IMDs classified as progressive with multi-system involvement relative to other IMDs. Conclusion: We identified important impacts of IMD care for family caregivers. Relief from high levels of caregiving responsibility and time should be a priority for the development of healthcare policies and interventions, to improve health and well-being for both children and their caregivers.
Access status: Open Access ,
Statistical Analysis of AGN Fraction as a Function of Projected Separation in SDSS Galaxy Pairs
(Zenodo, 2026-09-15) Cho, Kyumin
Galaxy mergers and gravitational interactions are considered critical mechanisms for driving galactic gas reservoirs into nuclear scales, thereby triggering active galactic nuclei (AGN). In this study, we present a systematic statistical framework to investigate the AGN fraction as a function of projected physical separation (r_p) using an interacting galaxy pair sample selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We construct an automated data analysis pipeline in Python to extract emission-line fluxes and classify the primary ionization sources utilizing the BPT diagnostic diagram with the theoretical boundary defined by Kewley et al. (2001). Our statistical analysis demonstrates a significant, monotonic increase in the AGN fraction at tight separations (r_p < 25 kpc), peaking at approximately 14.80%, which represents a threefold enhancement compared to isolated control environments. This small-scale environmental dependency indicates a distinct physical time-lag between large-scale tidal starbursts and the subsequent activation of supermassive black holes (SMBHs).
Access status: Open Access ,
Place of Death in Canada: An Analysis of the Decedent Questionnaire of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
(Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2026-09-24) St John, Philip; Tate, Robert; Nowicki, Scott; Thompson, Genevieve; Brown, Cara; Roger, Kerstin; Shooshtari, Shahin; Griffith, Lauren
Background: Understanding the factors associated with the place of death is important for planning individual care and health care services. Objectives: To determine the place of death of community living Canadians in a cohort study; and to investigate the factors associated with the location of death. Design: The CLSA is a prospective cohort study of aging which commenced in 2010, with a sample of 51,338 community-living participants aged 45 to 85. There were 1287 participants with completed proxy decedent questionnaires. Setting: The original sampling frame was from representative sampling frames across Canada. Measurements: Community was defined as the participant’s home or other non-health care settings. Other locations were: Hospice/Palliative care, Hospital, and Nursing Home/Residential (long term care – LTC) setting. Age, sex, and income were from the CLSA survey. Cause of death, functional status prior to death and the functional trajectory to death were from the proxy report of the decedent questionnaire. Results: 25% died in the Community, 49% died in Hospital, 17% died in Hospice/Palliative Care, and 9% died in LTC. Older age was associated with death in LTC. In multinomial regression models, the cause of death and the trajectory of death were associated with the place of death. Conclusions: Hospitals are the most common place of death in Canada, and different diseases and disease trajectories are associated with the place of death. These heterogeneous factors may complicate attempts to increase the proportion of people who die at home.
Access status: Open Access ,
Remote, bivariate prior elicitation for a Bayesian non-inferiority randomized controlled trial
(BMC, 2026-06-05) Jiang, Arlene; Aregbesola, Alex; Gangwani, Apoorva; Klassen, Terry P.; Plint, Amy C.; Doyle, Elisabete; Craig, William; Eltorki, Mohamed; Oketola, Banke; Badran, Hoda; Ouyang, Yongdong; Heath, Anna
Background: Prior distributions must be specified for the parameters of interest in a Bayesian clinical trial. When existing evidence on the effects of the trial interventions is limited or inconclusive, prior distributions can be constructed with expert elicitation. However, conventional elicitation requires face-to-face interactions and intensive pre-elicitation training, which can be infeasible and costly. Our remote elicitation was based on an established expert elicitation methodology, and we incorporated bivariate prior distributions to introduce dependencies between the elicited probabilities. We aimed to elicit a prior distribution for the Croup Dosing Trial, which assesses the efficacy of two separate doses of dexamethasone on the number of return visits to the emergency department within 7 days in children with croup. This trial evaluates the non-inferiority of 0.15 mg/kg of dexamethasone, compared to the standard dose of 0.60 mg/kg to treat croup. Methods: We conducted three remote workshops to elicit expert beliefs on the efficacy of the two doses of dexamethasone. Each workshop consisted of two survey rounds, separated by a group discussion. Prior to the workshop, experts reviewed the same current literature that was provided on the effects of the two doses of dexamethasone. Beliefs were aggregated using expert-specific bivariate distributions with latent effects. The aggregated distribution, along with the surveyed non-inferiority margin, determined the sample size for the Bayesian non-inferiority trial design. Results: Twelve emergency medicine physicians participated in our remote elicitation exercise. The elicitation generated a prior distribution centered at 6% for the 0.60 mg/kg dose and 8% for the 0.15 mg/kg dose. The aggregated prior distribution produced a sample size of 1850, based on a non-inferiority margin of 4%. Conclusions: We elicited a prior distribution that incorporated past evidence and expert opinion. The elicited prior is consistent with previous literature on the efficacy of the dexamethasone doses in treating croup. Our approach demonstrates the feasibility of remotely eliciting bivariate distributions to design clinical trials. Trial registration: NCT06272383 (Registered May 8, 2024).
Access status: Open Access ,
Exploring the temporal statistical relationship between commercial cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy signals and intracranial pressure in traumatic brain injury
(Springer, 2026-08-27) Silvaggio, Noah; Stein, Kevin; Coldwell, Makenna; Roca, Vuk; Sainbhi, Amanjyot S.; Herath, Isuru; Bergmann, Tobias; Hasan, Rakibul; Hayat, Mansoor; Moon, Jaewoong; Zeiler, Frederick A.
Background: Monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) is important for not only assessing neurological status of patients following traumatic brain injury (TBI), but also for guiding therapeutic interventions for the prevention of secondary neurological injury. Although current ICP monitoring techniques are highly temporally accurate, they come with some significant limitations. These limitations include the invasive nature, expertise required for placement of these devices, high cost associated with maintenance, and poor spatial resolution. Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) offers a non-invasive alternative technique for cerebral physiological monitoring. This modality eliminates the need for surgical expertise, as well as decreasing the financial cost associated with monitoring cerebral physiology. Preliminary evidence has pointed to a potential link between the NIRS variable, regional oxygen saturation (rSO2), and invasively obtained ICP. Despite this, there are very few studies that exist that investigate the direct statistical relationship between NIRS variables, such as rSO2, and invasively obtained ICP. As such, this study set out to characterize and compare the temporal statistical properties of commercial NIRS-based rSO2, ICP, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) signals. Results: Utilizing retrospective high-frequency physiologic data from a population of 118 TBI patients across different temporal resolutions and data window sizes, we evaluated independent statistical signal structure of rSO2 and ICP using variance analysis and ARIMA modelling. Following normalization, variance metrics remained significantly different between all physiologic variable comparison groups, across all temporal resolutions and window sizes examined. In contrast, median optimal ARIMA model orders converged, with no significant differences observed between any of the included physiological variables. Next, Pearson correlation, cross-correlation, Granger causality, and VARIMA IRF analysis continued to show increasing temporal similarity between ICP and rSO2 as temporal resolution decreased and window size increased. In contrast, throughout the majority of the analyses, the relationship between AMP and rSO2 remained not only consistently weaker, but also more inconsistent across the majority of the analyses. Conclusion: Findings from this study demonstrate convergence in the temporal statistical behaviour of ICP and rSO2 at lower temporal resolutions, providing a foundation for future predictive non-invasive ICP monitoring approaches. Further investigation into direct statistical relationships and development of reliable non-invasive ICP prediction models using NIRS-derived data remains necessary for clinical utility.
Access status: Open Access ,
Patient-reported tolerability of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography using conscious sedation in patients with underlying depression and anxiety
(Springer, 2026-06-08) Tepox-Padrón, Alejandra; El-Gabalawy, Renée; Cartwright, Shane; Lee, Sangmin; Gill, Priyanka; Mishra, Pooja; Hammal, Jessica; Rivas, Angelica; Besney, Jonathan; Samnani, Sunil; Guo, Howard; Malik, Getanshu; Gupta, Mehul; Tsai, Catherine; Kundra, Arjun; Hilsden, Robert J.; Forbes, Nauzer
Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is often performed under conscious sedation, which may increase pain and dissatisfaction. Mental health conditions may influence patient-reported experience measures (PREMs), including tolerability. This study explores the association between pre-existing anxiety and/or depression and ERCP tolerability using the validated Patient-Reported Scale for Tolerability of Endoscopic Procedure (PRO-STEP) to address this. Methodology: We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained data from an international observational cohort of adult patients undergoing ERCP. Pre-existing anxiety/depression were identified prior to the index procedure and the PRO-STEP questionnaire was used to evaluate peri- and post-procedure outcomes. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions examined the associations between pre-operative anxiety/depression and peri- and post-operative tolerability and patient-reported health outcomes. Results: Among 3,714 participants, 13% had anxiety and/or depression. The mean age of participants in the control group was 62.3 ± 17.4 years, and 49.9% were female, while in the group with depression and/or anxiety, the mean age was 60.0 ± 16.4 years and 68.3% were female (p < 0.001). Common bile duct stones were the most common indications for ERCP in both groups (41.6% of controls and 42.4% of the depression/anxiety group, p = 0.10). Patients in the depression/anxiety group reported higher rates of opioid use (23.4% vs. 13.8%, p < 0.001), cannabis use (22.8% vs. 10.5%, p < 0.001), and heavy alcohol consumption (5.0% vs. 3.6%, p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of disposition, comorbidities, or procedural parameters. Underlying anxiety and/or depression was significantly associated with increased intra-procedural awareness score > 3 (odds ratio, OR, 1.55, 95% CI 1.23–1.95) and discomfort score > 6 (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.23–2.43) and with post-procedural scores > 3 for abdominal pain (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08–1.93), nausea (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.43–2.89), and distension (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.29–3.50). Conclusions: Patients with pre-existing anxiety and/or depression reported significantly worse tolerability of ERCP under conscious sedation. Although further research is needed in this area, staff in gastrointestinal endoscopy units should consider strategies aimed at improving tolerability and, consequently, satisfaction among vulnerable populations.
Access status: Open Access ,
Antimicrobial activity of the rationally modified peptide KK12 and its evaluation in a cooked chicken challenge model inoculated with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium
(BMC, 2026-09-01) Hamzeh, Ali; Pimchan, Thippawan; Tian, Fu; Thumanu, Kanjana; Aluko, Rotimi; Park, Si H.; Yahuafai, Jantana; ONSRISAWAT, PRAYUMAT; Riyachan, Inthiworn; Thongjit, Supattarayan; Yongsawatdigul, Jirawat
A peptide from black soldier fly larvae, KGNSELEEAKKK, was subjected to structural modifications through cationic and hydrophobic residues. The modified peptide KWWSKLKKFWKK (KK12), which had a net charge of +6 and 41.67% hydrophobic residues with tryptophan substitution, was the most potent peptide against salmonellosis-involving serotypes, particularly Salmonella Typhimurium TISTR 292, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 2 µM as indicated by a microdilution assay. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed morphological changes and membrane disintegration in the KK12-treated cells, accompanied by DNA leakage as monitored at 260 nm. Synchrotron-based Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that KK12 induced modifications of intracellular targets. KK12 showed a hemolytic rate of < 5% up to 16 µM and maintained comparable viability of Vero and HepG2 cell lines relative to untreated controls at concentrations up to 36 and 18 µM, which was approximately 8, 18 and 9 times, respectively, higher than its MIC, implying its safety for food and pharmaceutical applications. KK12 reduced the bacterial count on chicken meat surface inoculated with S. Typhimurium TISTR 292 with the maximum reduction of 1.09 log colony forming units (CFU) observed at 1.6 nmol (2.71 µg). These results indicated that KK12 could be a potential candidate for Salmonella control.
Access status: Open Access ,
5 Simple Prompts to Streamline the Evidence Synthesis Process
(14th International Congress on Medical Librarianship, 2026-07-16) Lê, Mê-Linh
Aim: The rapid development of readily available artificial intelligence (AI) has resulted in numerous tools and software that can streamline the evidence synthesis process. Depending on an information specialist's expertise, access to funds, and comfort, AI can be integrated into almost any stage of an evidence synthesis. But what about those who don’t have the time, training, or money to access the best models and tools? This presentation will introduce attendees to simple prompts that can be used in any freely available genAI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini) to easily and efficiently streamline repetitive tasks when creating and translating comprehensive search strategies, documenting search documentation, and drafting communication with team members. Methods: Using freely accessible models provided by OpenAI (ChatGPT), Google (Gemini), and Anthropic (Claude), prompts will be developed and tested that streamline repetitive tasks that are typically performed by information specialists as part of an evidence synthesis. Results: Testing on the prompts using different models is currently underway, and results will be fully available in early 2026. Preliminary use of the prompts in a single model has resulted in decreased time spent on search term development, modification of search syntax, and project administration. Discussion/Conclusion: The use of machine learning and generative artificial intelligence in evidence synthesis has spurred the development of numerous tools and applications. Research on how these technologies affect the work of information specialists is growing rapidly, sometimes to the point of feeling overwhelming or even concerning.1-3 Yet, because information specialists are often asked to contribute to more reviews than they can reasonably accept, AI offers an opportunity to streamline repetitive tasks and free time for higher-level work, whether that means supporting additional projects or focusing on the most complex aspects of a review. The prompts shared in this session can be readily incorporated into any information specialist’s toolkit to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in evidence synthesis.
Access status: Open Access ,
Trajectory of Kidney Function in T1D over Time: A Scoping Review
(Springer Nature, 2026-07-15) Co, Favian; Whitlock, Reid; Katta, Arvind; Aldworth, Carolina; Mares, Jon; Zheng, Zihe; Ferri, Mauricio; Askin, Nicole; Tangri, Navdeep
Introduction: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Contemporary data on the natural history of kidney function decline and the effect of therapies on slowing disease progression in T1D-related CKD are limited. We conducted a scoping review to describe the natural trajectory of kidney function and its effects in individuals with T1D in the USA. Methods: In our scoping review of observational studies and grey literature, we searched EMBASE (Ovid), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL; Elton B. Stephens Company (EBSCO)], MEDLINE (Ovid), Scopus (Elsevier), Global Health (Ovid), and the Food and Drug Administration from inception to 25 April 2025. The study population included adults (age ≥ 18 years) with T1D in the USA. Our outcomes were change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), MACE (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, cardiovascular death, unstable angina, or heart failure hospitalization), and healthcare resource use (HCRU). We screened 6437 abstracts and selected 22 texts that matched our criteria. Results: In one cohort, more than 50.0% of individuals with T1D developed moderately increased albuminuria (UACR > 30–299 mg/g) after 20 years and two cohort studies in T1D observed a progressive annual eGFR decline of 3 mL/min/1.73 m2. Five cohort studies found higher proportions of individuals with T1D experienced MACE or kidney failure versus those without T1D. Cross-sectional studies estimated total annual cost of HCRU in the USA at $17–27.8 billion for those with T1D, with annual per-patient costs ranging from $73,534–$112,833 for kidney failure and $40,889–$86,417 for components of MACE. Conclusions: T1D is associated with a high burden of CKD, MACE, and healthcare costs. A clearer understanding of the trajectory of kidney function decline in T1D would help providers and policymakers understand the impact potential therapies to treat T1D-related CKD may have on reducing the risk of kidney failure, MACE, and HCRU.
Access status: Open Access ,
A population-based study on the impact of social determinants of health on time to treatment of stage I lung cancer in Ontario, Canada
(BMC, 2026-05-20) Hanna, Nader M.; Shakeel, Saad; Akhtar-Danesh, Gileh-Gol; Finley, Christian; Akhtar-Danesh, Noori
Background: Timely treatment of Stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is essential to improving outcomes, yet disparities persist in access to treatment across patient populations. This study aimed to assess the association between social determinants of health (SDOH) and time to treatment for patients with Stage I NSCLC in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using linked administrative databases. Adults diagnosed with Stage I lung cancer between 2007 and 2023 were included if they underwent either surgery or radiotherapy. Patients receiving chemotherapy, or surgery and radiotherapy were excluded. Flexible parametric models were used to evaluate associations between SDOH and time to treatment, stratified by treatment modality. Results: Among 10,734 patients with Stage I NSCLC, 7,366 (68.6%) received surgery only and 3,022 (28.2%) received radiotherapy only. Only 346 (3.2%) received both surgery and radiation. Increased time to treatment was significantly associated with advanced age (> 80 years: HR = 0.61, p < 0.001), higher comorbidity burden (> 5 comorbidities: HR = 0.80, p = 0.004), and being virtually rostered with a family physician (HR = 0.91, p = 0.001). Patients in the lowest neighbourhood income quintile had significantly longer time to treatment compared to higher quintiles (Q5: HR = 1.13, p < 0.001). Those living 50–100 km from a cancer centre experienced longer time to treatment (HR = 0.93, p = 0.011), as did patients treated in the Eastern region (HR = 0.79, p < 0.001) compared to those in the Central region. Time to treatment shortened over time, with improvements seen in 2015–2023 compared to 2007–2009. Conclusions: This study identifies age, comorbidity, socioeconomic status, geographic distance, and regional location as key SDOH associated with prolonged time to treatment for Stage I NSCLC in Ontario. These findings highlight ongoing inequities in cancer care and underscore the need for targeted policy and system-level interventions to improve timely treatment for vulnerable populations.
Access status: Open Access ,
ERVK activity in CD8+ T cell immune cell compartment in patients with ALS
(BMC, 2026-05-23) Sharma, Snigdda; Cortés-Pérez, Claudia; Bird, Sasha; Di Curzio, Domenico; Vandenakker, Alex; Schellenberg, Kerri; Douville, Renée N.
Endogenous retrovirus-K (ERVK) expression has been associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and its viral proteins can be detected in affected brain and spinal cord tissues. Despite confirmation of ERVK load in the blood of patients with ALS, few studies have examined ERVK protein expression in immune cells. ERVK produces an enzyme called integrase (IN), which can cause DNA damage during the integration of viral DNA into the host genome. Given that genomic instability is a hallmark of ALS, we hypothesized that the ERVK IN enzyme may also be expressed in lymphoid and myeloid-derived immune cells of patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from blood specimens using Ficoll isolation, and either flash-frozen for western blot analyses or affixed onto slides using the cytospin technique for subsequent confocal microscopy analysis. Image analysis of confocal micrographs revealed that ERVK IN expression was significantly elevated in CD3+CD8+ T cells from a subset of patients with ALS as compared to controls. CD3+CD8+ T cells in ALS exhibit enhanced number and size of ERVK IN puncta within the nucleus and at the plasma membrane. The DNA damage load, as measured by marker γH2AX, was strongly associated with ERVK IN levels in both controls and patients with ALS. Stratification of molecular data based on clinical parameters showed an association of elevated ERVK IN load in CD8+ T cells from patients with ALS with lower ALSFRS-R and higher King’s scores, as well as a significant decline in lung function metrics. In bulk PBMC from patients with ALS, ERVK IN was associated with expression of immune checkpoint marker PD-1, but not T cell exhaustion marker TOX. ERVK IN in CD14+CD11b+ myeloid cells was also elevated, with ERVK+ cells exhibiting notable membrane ruffling typical of immune cell activation and increased expression of HLA-DR. However, ERVK IN expression in monocytes was not correlated with clinical metrics in patients with ALS. This work points to the use of ERVK IN in CD8+ cytotoxic T cells as a blood biomarker for ALS clinical trials, especially those focused on testing the efficacy of antivirals as a therapeutic strategy for ALS. Graphical Abstract
Access status: Open Access ,
Correction: From chromosomal protein disorder to chromatin phase separation
(BMC, 2026-07-30) Davie, James; Ausió, Juan
Access status: Open Access ,
Prevalence, semiology and neuroimaging of movements in comatose adults at risk of death by neurologic criteria: a prospective cohort study
(BMC, 2026-05-14) Neves Briard, Joel; English, Shane W.; Fergusson, Dean A.; dhanani, sonny; Lauzier, François; Turgeon, Alexis F.; Ball, Ian; Darvesh, Sultan; Titova, Polina; Lebrasseur, Martine; Couillard, Philippe; Kramer, Andreas; D’Aragon, Frédérick; Hannouche, Mathew; Burns, Karen E. A.; Boyd, J. G.; Binnie, Alexandra; Wang, Han T.; Shemie, Sam; Shankar, Jai J. S.; Chassé, Michaël
Purpose: In comatose patients at risk of death by neurologic criteria (DNC), spinal-mediated movements (SMM) and movements of unclear neuroanatomic origin (MUO) are occasionally challenging to discriminate from cerebral-mediated movements. Our objectives were to assess the respective prevalence and semiology of SMM and of MUO in this population and to estimate the associations between these movements with cerebral blood flow and perfusion. Methods: In this prospective cohort study conducted in 15 intensive care units across Canada, we enrolled consecutive, brain-injured adults with an unconfounded Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3. Physicians conducted standardized DNC clinical evaluation, and participants underwent a brain CT-perfusion scan with CT-angiography reconstructions within a 2-h delay. We assessed the prevalence and semiology of SMM and MUO with descriptive statistics. We estimated the associations between SMM and MUO with cerebral blood flow and brain perfusion using generalized linear mixed models with a logit link function, age and sex as covariates, and random intercepts for study sites. Results: We included 282 participants with a median [IQR] age of 60 [47—69] years. The respective prevalence of SMM and MUO were 27% (95% CI: 22—32%) and 12% (95% CI: 9—16%). SMM and MUO were not associated with the presence of cerebral blood flow on CT-angiography (aOR for SMM: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.63—2.05; aOR for MUO: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.61—3.01) or brain perfusion on CT-perfusion (aOR for SMM: 1.44, 95% CI: 0.77—2.68; aOR for MUO: 1.75, 95% CI: 0.77—3.97). Findings were similar in the subgroup of 204 patients fulfilling clinical criteria for DNC. Conclusions: SMM and MUO are common among comatose patients at risk of DNC. Their prevalence is similar among alive comatose patients and patients fulfilling clinical criteria for DNC. These movements are not associated with cerebral blood flow on CT-angiography or brain perfusion on CT-perfusion. Trial registration: Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03098511 on March 27, 2017. Graphical abstract
Access status: Open Access ,
Resource availability and anthropogenic disturbance alter how wolves move and feed: comparing two populations
(BMC, 2026-05-22) Prokopenko, Christina M.; Kingdon, Katrien A.; Dupont, Daniel L. J.; Carswell, Brendan M.; Naaykens, Taylor; Prokopenko, John; Turner, Julie W.; Zabihi-Seissan, Sana; Wal, Eric V.
Animals behave ‘optimally’ when they minimize their costs while maximizing their energetic gain. Optimal foraging theory predicts that with decreasing resource abundance, animals will increase 1) niche breadth, 2) territory size and movement distance, and 3) time spent at resource patches. We used optimal foraging as a guiding framework to test what drives differences in behaviour of GPS collared wolves in two predator populations. As expected, niche breadth and territory sizes were larger, movement rates were greater and cluster durations were longer in the study area with relatively lower resource abundance Our comparative test through the lens of optimal foraging theory led to some unexpected discoveries. Specifically, differences in these responses were not explained by the density of the large primary prey (moose) but instead anthropogenic disturbance (linear feature density) was a ubiquitous influence on wolf behaviours. Wolves in higher linear feature density responded by reducing their cluster residency and increased step lengths and territory sizes with increases in linear feature density. Our work provides evidence that large carnivores can mediate changes in resources by adjusting their space use and time budgets in a way that corresponds with optimal behaviour - maximizing their energy gain and minimizing costs.
Access status: Open Access ,
Disrupting power hierarchies: applying a trauma- informed, intersectional, reflexive engagement strategy
(BMC, 2026-07-01) Brown, Cara; Thille, Patricia; Ganann, Rebecca; Allison, Teresa; Moorhouse, Simone; Pelletier, Gail C.; Rawsthorne, Patricia E.; El-Alawi, Aya
People with lived experience in health care, like patients and their family and/or friend caregivers, are important to include in the research process to improve impact and relevance of research. However, these lived experience researchers (LERs) can be harmed if this engagement is done poorly, especially though tokenization, or through the reliving of health care related traumatic experience. Five LERs joined a research team that collaboratively developed a research proposal through seven workshops. The research topic was of care transitions from hospital to home, of which all five LERs had lived experience as patients or caregivers. To mitigate harm for the LERs, the project was designed with a trauma-informed, intersectional and reflexive approach, with a focus on disrupting historical power structures inherent in research and health care systems. The engagement design was planned a priori and uniquely incorporated regular feedback mechanisms and strategies to support reflexivity for all team members. This engagement strategy had some success in disrupting standard power hierarchies that persist in research teams and can impede meaningful LER engagement. Ultimately the LERs felt heard and understood by the team and developed strong relationships with the principal investigator (PI) and project coordinator, and they contrasted this experience with other health and research experiences where they perceived their input to have less weight. The reflexive approach revealed what aspects of the engagement were going well, and which continued to be plagued by historical power and hierarchies inherent in academic and health systems. While the continual feedback process did not allow the team to completely overcome these hierarchies, it brought them to light so that they could be addressed as much as possible within the context of the project, and we share three examples in this commentary. We hope that this detailed description of developing a research proposal using a power-focused framework with a team with multiple LERs helps to address the gap in the literature about how researchers can support the reduction of power hierarchies when engaging LERs.

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