Depression and health-adjusted life expectancy in the Canadian adult population: a descriptive study

Background: Few studies have evaluated the overall population health-related impact of depression in terms of losses to both premature mortality and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Purpose: To estimate health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) for Canadian adults according to depression status

Opinion article: Neurosurgical treatment for neuro-ophthalmologic conditions

A significant role of the neuro-ophthalmologist is to counsel patients on appropriate management and anticipated visual prognosis for conditions affecting the afferent and efferent visual systems, including those requiring neurosurgical treatment. However, the literature regarding anticipated neuro- ophthalmologic prognosis after neurosurgical intervention for cerebral aneurysms, sellar lesions, optic pathway tumors, and elevated intracranial pressure is limited with many key questions unanswered. For example, if a cerebral aneurysm is equally amenable to clipping or endovascular coiling, is there a preferred approach in terms of visual prognosis based on aneurysm location? Is dural venous sinus stenting (VSS) for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) superior, equivalent or inferior to shunting in terms of visual recovery and safety profile? Landmark studies on pituitary tumors using pre-operative optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of the optic nerve head to predict visual recovery after surgical decompression of the optic chiasm have changed neuro-ophthalmologic practice and enabled patients to be better informed regarding expected visual outcomes. 1,2 In order to optimize an interdisciplinary team approach to patient care, further studies of visual outcomes for neuro- ophthalmologic conditions requiring neurosurgical intervention are needed

Prognostic Value of Optical Coherence Tomography of the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Patients with Compressive Optic Neuropathy

Currently, there is no means available to assess visual prognosis of patients with compressive optic neuropathy who are being evaluated for treatment except for degree of pallor of the optic nerve. The number of surviving, viable ganglion cell axons might be related to the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer and could beused to assess reversibility of visual field loss

The Use of Acetazolamide During Pregnancy in Intracranial Hypertension Patients

Acetazolamide is the mainstay of medical therapy for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Its use in pregnant women has not been recommended because of reported teratogenic effects in rodents and rabbits. However, the safety of acetazolamide use during human pregnancy remains unclear. We report the pregnancy and offspring outcomes in women with intracranial hypertension (IH) treated with acetazolamide during pregnancy. Data were collected through questionnaires sent to patients with IH and their physicians. The questionnaires focused on IH diagnosis, obstetric history and outcomes, and pediatric outcomes. A total of 101 women with IH were consented (total of 158 pregnancies) and acetazolamide usage before 13 weeks of gestation was reported in 50 pregnancies. The risk of spontaneous abortion was similar to the control group and no major complication was identified in the offspring of women treated with acetazolamide. There is no convincing evidence for an adverse effect for acetazolamide use in human pr nancy, even when prescribed prior to the 13th week of gestation. While the liberal use of acetazolamide should be avoided during pregnancy, this medication should remain a treatment option in pregnant women when clinically indicated

Treatment of Intracranial Hypertension: New Options or Not?

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is characterized by elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP) without; an identifiable cause. Over the years, a number of varied treatments have been suggested with the; ultimate goals to preserve vision and alleviate symptoms, especially headache. There are currently no; established guidelines to standardize the treatment of IIH. In 2015, the Cochrane review concluded that; there is insufficient evidence on the best therapeutic strategies. Traditionally, the treatment of IIH has; included weight loss, medications, and surgical interventions when rapid or progressive vision loss occurs; despite optimal medical therapy

Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy and PDE5 Inhibitors: Two New Cases with Re-Challenge and a Case with Large Cup

The occurrence of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) shortly after the ingestion of erectile dysfunction drugs has raised the question of whether there is a cause-effect relationship between the use of these agents and the development of AION. We present the clinical features of three patients who developed acute vision loss from AION after the ingestion of phosphodiesterase-type-5 (PDE5) inhibitor

Réparation pour les victimes de travail forcé dans les chaînes de production transnationales: une étude comparée de l'apport du devoir de vigilance au Canada, en France et en Californie

Aucune loi internationale n’a su réagir à la fragmentation de la production transnationale jusqu’à présent pour protéger les travailleurs contre le travail forcé. En réponse à ce phénomène, le droit de la responsabilité sociale et le devoir de vigilance des entreprises se sont développés afin d'accroître l'imputabilité des entreprises transnationales envers les impacts sociaux de leurs activités tout particulièrement le long de leur chaîne de valeur. Jusqu'à récemment, le devoir de vigilance était surtout soutenu par des normes internationales à caractère volontaire et par l'autorégulation des entreprises (Kerr, Janda et Pitts, 2009). Depuis peu, quelques États ont légiféré afin d'augmenter la portée et l'efficacité du devoir de vigilance en ce qui concerne le respect des droits fondamentaux des travailleurs et la protection de l’environnement en France par le biais de « plan de vigilance » ou par rapport à l’élimination du travail forcé en Californie et au Royaume-Uni. Ces lois obligent les entreprises à produire des rapports expliquant les relations et les conditions de travail des ouvriers le long de la chaîne de valeur. En comparaison, au Canada, le devoir de vigilance s'appuie sur des développements jurisprudentiels dont la portée est incertaine (Drouin, 2016). Trois modèles d'encadrement de ce devoir émergent alors: un modèle jurisprudentiel et deux modèles législatifs. L’objectif de ce mémoire est d’évaluer le potentiel du devoir de vigilance à inciter les entreprises transnationales à mieux réparer l’utilisation du travail forcé dans leur chaîne de production pour les victimes. Les trois modèles d’encadrement qui seront analysés sont le modèle jurisprudentiel du Canada, le modèle législatif général de la France et le modèle législatif visant spécifiquement l’abolition du travail forcé de la Californie. Les questions auxquelles nous tenterons de répondre sont les suivantes : Le renforcement du devoir de vigilance permet-il de réparer l’utilisation du travail forcé dans les chaînes de production transnationales? Quels éléments permettent d’accroître l’accès à la réparation pour les victimes de travail forcé dans les chaînes de production transnationale?International law concerning the use of forced labour in global production chains has yet to be enacted. In response to this phenomenon, corporate social responsibility law and the principle of due diligence have been developed to increase transnational businesses’ accountability towards the social impacts of their activities along the supply chain. Until recently, due diligence was mainly supported by voluntary international norms and by business’ selfregulation mechanism (Kerr, Janda and Pitts, 2009). A few States recently passed legislation that a increases the scope and the efficiency of due diligence. The efforts of France on the matter have focused on the respect of workers’ fundamental rights and of the environment while similar legislative endeavours in California and in the UK have concerned themselves with the specific issue of forced labour. In comparison, in Canada, due diligence is based on jurisprudential developments with an uncertain scope (Drouin, 2016). Three frameworks of due diligence emerge: two legislative models and one jurisprudential models. This thesis seeks to assess the potential of the duty of diligence principle in enticing transnational corporations to remedy the use of forced labour through their supply chains. Three models will be evaluated: the Canadian jurisprudential model, the French general legislative model and the Californian legislative model specifically targeting the abolition of forced labour. The questions we will seek to answer are the following: Does the enhancement of the duty of diligence enable victims of forced labour in transnational production chains to obtain remedies? What are the key elements promoting access to remedy for victims of forced labour in transnational production chains

Examination of the Orbit and Extraocular Structures

Introduction to the Examination of Orbit and Extraocular Structures in the NExT curriculum