Background. First Nations peoples in Canada carry an increased respiratory health burden compared to non-First Nations. However, there is little accurate information of how many First Nations people have COPD, especially in remote and rural areas. Goal \& Aims of the Study. The goal of this study is to estimate the burden of COPD in remote and rural First Nations communities. This project is a partnership between the University of British Columbia (UBC), Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS), and 13 First Nations communities in northern BC. Aim 1: Estimate the prevalence of COPD and the magnitude of underdiagnosis. Aim 2: Characterize the relationship between inhaled pollutants (from residential, occupational, and community/cultural sources) and: 1) symptoms; 2) airflow obstruction; and 3) health care utilization. Methodology. The investigators will recruit adults from randomly-selected households in 13 First Nations communities in northern BC. Detailed measurements of lung function, symptoms, self-reported exposure to lung irritants, air quality, and healthcare use will be collected. Expected Outcomes. This study will provide an accurate estimate of the prevalence of COPD and, using a culturally-relevant community-based research approach, will identify the contribution of risk factors to COPD in First Nations communities.

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has become the most commonly performed weight loss surgery, accounting for 60% of all bariatric operations worldwide. While technically easier with less side-effects and nutritional risks than other operations, SG is also associated with a higher risk of failure (20 to 40%). In such case, the most effective option consists in adding an intestinal bypass called the Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD-DS). This surgery is, however, technically challenging and yields a significant risk of complications, nutritional deficiencies or gastro-intestinal side-effects. Recently, a simplified version of the Standard DS, called Single-Anastomosis Duodenoileal Switch (SADI-S) was endorsed by surgical societies as one of the approved bariatric procedures. There is currently no prospective or randomized data to support the effectiveness of this new procedure, especially as a revisional approach. The Overall Objective of this randomized controlled trial project is to establish the clinical benefits of the SADI-S as a revisional surgery after SG, while also considering critical issues related to sex and gender. The investigator Overall Hypothesis is that the SADI-S represents a relevant revisional option for weight loss and metabolic recovery in women and men suffering from severe obesity who had a previous SG. The investigator propose to address the following research question. Research Question: What are the clinical effects of SADI-S compared to standard DS when used as a revisional procedure after SG, in patients with obesity? Participants who need revisional surgery after SG will be enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double-blind (patient-evaluator), non-inferiority trial comparing SADI-S vs DS. The primary outcome will be 12-month excess weight loss. Secondary outcomes will be perioperative complications, risk of malnutrition, quality of life and gastrointestinal side effects. The investigator hypothesize that SADI-S offers similar weight loss compared to standard DS, but a lower risk of complications and nutritional deficiencies. With the increase in the number of bariatric operations performed worldwide and the recent endorsement of the SADI-S as a regular procedure, reliable clinical data are urgently needed. The present proposal will directly address this knowledge gap.

SEMA-VR is a prospective, randomized, 6-month long, open-label study of semaglutide. Approximately 100 participants with type 2 diabetes and/or obesity will be randomized (1:1) to receive semaglutide at escalating doses (up to 1.0 mg/week) or usual care without semaglutide for 6 months. The goal of this trial is to understand how semaglutide exerts cardio-protective effects in people with type 2 diabetes and/or obesity. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does semaglutide treatment preserve or increase the number of vessel-repairing cells circulating in the blood? Participants will: * Be allocated to receive either semaglutide or usual care for 6 months * Provide a blood sample at the baseline visit and another blood sample at the 6-month visit Researchers will compare participants receiving semaglutide to those receiving usual care for any differences in the 6-month change in the number of vessel-repairing cells in the blood.

This randomized clinical trial will primarily compare the effectiveness of conventional physiotherapy alone with combined conventional physiotherapy and FES-t along with task-specific training in terms of the improvement of the functional and neurological recovery of patients with persistent C5 palsy.

The goal of treating metastases is to preserve stability and neurological function while reducing pain. The actual standard of care is stereotaxic body radiation therapy (SBRT) alone in non-surgical patients. The added value of vertebroplasty to SBRT is not well documented in the literature, nor whether performing vertebroplasty before radiotherapy treatment leads to a reduction in the rate of fractures and post-SBRT pain.

This study is a two-group feasibility study of oral psilocybin combined with a 12-week group-based program, customized for firefighters. Trained facilitators will help create a trauma-informed space for the group (n = 6-8) to thrive and promote cognitive resilience. The topics covered throughout the 12 weeks include breath-work, mindfulness, self-compassion, embodiment, and Internal Family Systems work. Group 1 (control): 12-week group-based program, with a breathwork day at week 10 Group 2 (intervention): 12-week group-based program, with a 10mg dose of psilocybin (PEX010) at Week 10 Assessment timepoints: * Baseline * Mid-program (Week 6) * End of program (Week 12) * 6-month follow up

The Boston keratoprosthesis (KPro) is a special plastic device that is used to replace a sick cornea (transparent part of the eye, in front of the iris) in order to restore vision in patients who have failed traditional corneal transplants or have a very poor prognosis of success. Glaucoma is a chronic disease which causes optic nerve damage secondary to high pressure inside the eye and could lead to vision loss in the long term. Glaucoma is highly prevalent in patients who require a KPro and even more after their procedure. In order to decrease the intra-ocular pressure, surgeons can use multiple eyedrops. Unfortunately, following the KPro surgery, eyedrops lose their efficiency because they are less absorbed by the eye. The transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TS-CPC) is a laser treatment used in advanced refractory glaucoma. This laser helps decrease the intra-ocular pressure and have a better control of the disease. There are different methods of laser transmission, including the continuous transmission (G-Probe) and the micro-pulsation method (Micopulse). Given the high prevalence of glaucoma in patients receiving a KPro, the investigators are studying the effect of giving the TS-CPC treatment prophylactically to patients before their Boston keratoprosthesis. Our hypothesis is that prophylactic TS-CPC will decrease glaucoma progression as well as the risks of developing glaucoma following the Boston keratoprosthesis . METHOD The investigators aim to recruit twenty (20) patients who are scheduled to receive Boston KPro. Participants will be randomized into two groups: 1) Groupe 1 will receive a prophylactic treatment of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation a G-Probe. 2) Groupe 2 will receive a prophylactic treatment of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation with a micropulse transmission (MicroPulse). The patients will receive their laser treatment by a glaucoma specialist 4 to 8 weeks before their KPro surgery. One week following their laser treatment, the participants will be examined by their glaucoma specialist. Following their KPro surgery, patients will have a follow-up at day-1, weeks 1 and 2, months 1 and 3, then every 4 to 6 months for 5 years. Additional non-invasive glaucoma tests will be performed twice during the first 3 months following the surgery and will be repeated every 4-6 months. Visual acuity results, the visual field tests and rates of post-operative complications will be compared between the different groups.

Background: Among preterm infants, those born at a gestational age less than 26 weeks are considered the most vulnerable with a high risk of short- and long-term health problems that include chronic lung disease, brain bleeds, gut injury, kidney failure and death. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is the most common heart condition with almost 70% preterm infants in this gestational age group being diagnosed with a PDA. Though many PDAs spontaneously resolve on their own, research suggests that if the PDA persists, it may contribute to a number of these short- and long-term health problems. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen are commonly used to treat a PDA. Such drugs can also have harmful effects on the gut and kidneys of extremely preterm infants. Therefore, we are unsure if early treatment of a symptomatic PDA in this age group is at all beneficial. Given the wide variation in PDA treatment approaches in this age group, a randomized trial design, where extremely preterm infants with a symptomatic PDA are randomly assigned to early treatment or no early treatment, is essential to address this question. Purpose of the study: The overall purpose of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of conducting a large study to explore the following research question: In preterm infants born \<26 weeks' gestation, is a strategy of selective early medical treatment of a symptomatic PDA better than no treatment at all in the first week of life? The main feasibility objectives of this study are: 1. To assess how many eligible infants can be enrolled in the study 2. To assess how many enrolled infants properly complete the study protocol Importance: To our knowledge this will be the first study on PDA management in preterm infants that specifically aims to enroll preterm infants born at \<26 weeks of gestational age who are at the highest risk for PDA-related problems but have been mostly under-represented in previous PDA studies.

A laryngectomy involves removing the voice box from the throat. After the voice box has been removed from the throat, the surgeon sews the throat closed. Sometimes part of the throat does not heal and saliva runs out of the throat. This is called a fistula. When a fistula happens, healing takes longer and patients will have to wait to eat and start speaking. The test in this research project is called ICG scan (indocyanine green) and tells the surgeon how much blood is flowing to different parts of the throat. If the test shows that there are parts of your throat that have low blood flow, which will delay healing. Only half of the patients in the study will get the ICG scan. This is so the patients who had the ICG scan can be compared to the patients that did not have the ICG scan to determine if the ICG scan really helps decrease fistulas.

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a form of respiratory support that has been shown to prevent invasive mechanical ventilation and reduce mortality. This study will investigate the feasibility of performing a larger study examining whether a new modality of NIV, the helmet, is superior to the current face mask in reducing mortality in patients with sudden respiratory failure.