Publications by authors named "A I MACPHERSON"

Background: The human microbiome is crucial in regulating intestinal and systemic functions. While its role in cardiovascular disease is better understood, the link between intestinal microbiota and valvular heart diseases (VHD) remains largely unexplored.

Methods: Peer-reviewed studies on human, animal or cell models analysing gut microbiota profiles published up to April 2024 were included.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims: This paper presents the outcomes and insights gained from the implementation of an Improvement Science program tailored for nursing and midwifery staff within a large local health district in New South Wales. The programme aimed to enhance frontline clinicians' confidence and capability in quality improvement, ultimately improving patient outcomes and safety culture.

Design: Through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods evaluation study, we assessed the programme's effectiveness in building capacity, sustaining practice changes and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Road-related injuries and deaths are among the most significant and avoidable public health problems in Canada. Modifications to the built environment (BE) can reduce injury rates for vulnerable road users (VRUs) and other priority populations who experience disproportionate risk. This paper highlights public health professionals' experiences working in injury prevention across Ontario public health units (PHUs) navigating barriers and facilitators to BE change.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the patterns and prevalence of burn injuries in Canada, as existing research on this topic was limited.
  • Researchers analyzed data on emergency department visits for burns, comparing the period before and during the pandemic using logistic regression to assess the risk of severe burns.
  • Results showed a significant drop in burn-related emergency visits during the pandemic, with demographic factors like age, sex, and income linked to severe burns, highlighting the need for further investigation into these associations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Tree-killing bark beetle infestations are a cause of massive coniferous forest mortality impacting forest ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide. Models predicting bark beetle outbreaks are crucial for forest management and conservation, necessitating studies of the effect of epidemiological traits on the probability and severity of outbreaks. Due to the aggregation behaviour of beetles and host tree defence, this epidemiological interaction is highly non-linear and outbreak behaviour remains poorly understood, motivating questions about when an outbreak can occur, what determines outbreak severity, and how aggregation behaviour modulates these quantities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF