Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: Contraception for Him: Animal Study Explores Future for Male Birth Control 

This experimental study tested YCT-529, a non-hormonal male contraceptive, in mice and non-human primates. By disrupting vitamin A signaling – a pathway necessary for sperm production and fertility – YCT-529 temporarily halted fertility within 2-4 weeks of oral administration. Fertility returned 6-15 weeks after stopping treatment, leaving the door open for future evaluation in human trials. 

2: Long-Term Stroke Risk Following Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) and Minor Stroke  

This systematic review and meta-analysis looked at the long-term risk of stroke after TIA or minor stroke, drawing from over 170K patients and 38 studies. The risk of subsequent stroke remained high: 5.8% within 1 year, 12.8% within 5 years, and 19.8% within 10 years. These findings reinforce the importance of stronger long-term stroke prevention. 

3: Clearing the Air: Do Air Purifiers Reduce Post-Op Infection?  

This RCT tested whether low-cost, wall-mounted air purifiers could reduce SSI rates after orthopedic surgery. After 12 weeks, there was no difference in infection rates between control and purifier groups (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.91-1.05).

Super Discovery Against Superbugs 🦠

It’s a bird, no, it’s a plane — it’s superbugs! (and they’re deadly)

What happened: Canadian scientists have uncovered a powerful class of antibiotics that could help fight drug-resistant superbugs. 

Why it’s interesting: 3 years ago, a research group at a McMaster lab had a breakthrough when they discovered that one of the bacteria they collected, Paenibacillus, produced lariocidin — a new substance that killed other bacteria, including bacteria that are typically resistant to antibiotics.

In 2023, the World Health Organization declared antimicrobial resistance a top global threat, linked to more than 4.5 million deaths in 2019. One lead researcher said the problem is only getting worse — existing drugs are losing effectiveness, and bacteria keep mutating. That’s why lariocidin matters: it blocks protein production. Even better, lariocidin isn’t toxic to human cells and is effective in mice. 

The mice were infected with a pathogen that resists most antibiotics. Those treated with lariocidin survived, while the untreated mice died within 2 days. 

What’s next: Researchers aim to use the lariocidin antibiotic in humans, but until then, they’re finding ways to modify the bacteria-produced lariocidin and make more of it so it can be used for skin, lung, and bloodstream infections. 

Bottom line: The rapid growth of superbugs has turned researchers into superhumans — something everyone can be thankful for. 

Hot Off The Press

1: 🇺🇸 US doctors are now actively exploring jobs in Canada, citing fears over a second Trump term and health secretary RFK Jr.’s anti-science stance. On the flip side, some Canadian physicians are staying put out of national loyalty. Meanwhile, Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on Canadian-made drugs could disrupt access to medications like antidepressants and HIV treatments in the US. The political pressure may boost Canada’s physician supply — but not without ripple effects.

2: 🩻 A Japanese man with a spinal cord injury can now stand on his own after receiving an injection of neural stem cells — part of the first human trial using reprogrammed iPS cells for paralysis. Another participant regained some movement; two others saw little improvement. While larger studies are still needed, researchers say the results mark a promising step for regenerative medicine.

3: 💊 Northern Health has issued a warning after detecting sotonitazene — a synthetic opioid possibly more toxic than fentanyl — in fake oxycocet pills in B.C. The drug isn’t picked up by fentanyl test strips but may respond to high doses of naloxone. With no clinical trials and limited data, nitazenes are an emerging threat in Canada’s toxic drug supply.

4: 💉 10 supervised drug consumption sites in Ontario will stay open — for now — after a judge granted an injunction while a Charter challenge plays out. The sites were set to close April 1 under a new law banning them near schools and daycares. The judge said the risk of overdose deaths outweighs the public safety concerns — at least temporarily.

5: 🚗 Tesla’s out — at least when it comes to Canada’s EV rebate program. The feds have frozen all Tesla payments and banned the company from future incentives, citing “illegitimate” US tariffs and an investigation into rebate claims. One report says Tesla filed so many requests in the final days of the program, it was like selling 2 cars a minute.

Notable Numbers 🔢

1.1 million: global deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance in 2021. That number could reach 1.9 million by 2050, driving the global push for new antibiotics. In one recent case, researchers found a lasso-shaped molecule in a lab tech’s garden that kills drug-resistant bacteria — targeting the ribosome in a way most antibiotics don’t. Proof that the next big breakthrough might literally be hiding in your backyard.

3 months: how long a single injection continued to release medication in rats — with most of the dose still left. MIT researchers created an injectable crystal depot that slowly releases medication under the skin. After 3 months, 85% of the dose remained — pointing to a much longer duration ahead. Human trials are next.

Presented by CCFP Ready

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We offer practice SAMPs (short answer questions) and SOOs (virtual practice OSCEs) that are marked and created by experienced family doctors. We ensure that our practice tests are up-to-date and tailored to prepare you for the exam day. Don’t leave your exam success to chance—start preparing today with CCFP Ready.

Picks

😂Laugh: at this meme about a surgeon's inner thoughts!

🤑Save: on basically everything with Amazon’s Spring Sale!

📉Still holding $TSLA? Here's a pretty good analysis on the issues (beyond just saying "omg eLoN").

👂Listen: to the White Coat Investor Podcast. In this episode, the hosts discuss toxic work environments and how to avoid burnout!

🔍Seeking: a new opportunity? Reach out to Westwood Medical Richmond, we're seeking both short-term and long-term Family Doctor to join our young, responsive, physician-owned clinic.

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