The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital presentations in adults with gastrointestinal infections at a tertiary centre in Australia.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the enactment of substantial public health measures aimed at reducing the transmission of respiratory viruses. The impact of these measures on gastrointestinal (GI) infections remains unexplored.

Aims: To determine whether there was a change in the number of patients presenting to The Royal Melbourne Hospital with GI infections during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the year prior.

Protective effect of UDCA against IL-11- induced cardiac fibrosis is mediated by TGR5 signalling.

Introduction: Cardiac fibrosis occurs in a wide range of cardiac diseases and is characterised by the transdifferentiation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts these cells produce large quantities of extracellular matrix, resulting in myocardial scar. The profibrotic process is multi-factorial, meaning identification of effective treatments has been limited. The antifibrotic effect of the bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is established in cases of liver fibrosis however its mechanism and role in cardiac fibrosis is less well understood.

Exploring the long-term impact of a nurse-midwife mentorship intervention in Neno district, Malawi: a secondary data analysis of maternal and neonatal complications.

Background: There is critical need to strengthen the global nursing and midwifery workforce. This is especially true in Malawi where they are the primary providers of obstetric and neonatal care. In Neno district, Malawi, in 2017, we implemented an intensive training and longitudinal bedside mentorship intervention for nurses and midwives.

Genetics, Fitness and Left Ventricular Remodeling: The Current State of Play.

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) exists on a spectrum and is driven by a constellation of factors including genetic and environmental differences. This results in wide inter-individual variation in baseline CRF and the ability to improve CRF with regular endurance exercise training. As opposed to monogenic conditions, CRF is described as a complex genetic trait as it is believed to be influenced by multiple common genetic variants in addition to exogenous factors.