Publications by authors named "Alison Sears"

What happens if a human body is fed to pigs? Although a popular notion in the entertainment industry, no scientific published literature exists that documents this porcine feeding behaviour, nor, more importantly, what elements of the cadaver may survive such a process. A study conducted in 2020, born out of a casework enquiry, aimed to investigate the following two questions; Would pigs feed on a human body? And, if so, what could be recovered post feeding event? Kangaroo carcasses, porcine carcasses (as human analogues) and 90 human teeth were prepared, and fed, to two domestic pigs, in a variety of feed scenarios. Biological traces including bones, bone fragments, teeth and tooth fragments were recovered both post-digestion from the faeces of the pigs, as well as uneaten from the porcine enclosure.

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Article Synopsis
  • Children and young people with skin and hair conditions have a higher risk of mental health issues, highlighting the need for integrated care from dermatologists and psychologists.
  • A paediatric psychodermatology clinic was established to offer joint and individual consultations, transitioning to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain accessibility.
  • Over two years, the clinic served 36 new patients, primarily dealing with trichotillomania and dermatitis artefacta, with a high discharge rate back to general practitioners, supported by feedback indicating the model's effectiveness.
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Forensic DNA Phenotyping (FDP) is an established but evolving field of DNA testing. It provides intelligence regarding the appearance (externally visible characteristics), biogeographical ancestry and age of an unknown donor and, although not necessarily a requirement for its casework application, has been previously used as a method of last resort in New South Wales (NSW) Police Force investigations. FDP can further assist law enforcement agencies by re-prioritising an existing pool of suspects or generating a new pool of suspects.

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Forensic genetic genealogy, a technique leveraging new DNA capabilities and public genetic databases to identify suspects, raises specific considerations in a law enforcement context. Use of this technique requires consideration of its scientific and technical limitations, including the composition of current online datasets, and consideration of its scientific validity. Additionally, forensic genetic genealogy needs to be considered in the relevant legal context to determine the best way in which to make use of its potential to generate investigative leads while minimising its impact on individual privacy.

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Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a delayed drug reaction defined by physical signs and laboratory parameters. Mini-DRESS is a new entity, in cases that display some but not all features of DRESS. Cases of mini-DRESS have a less protracted course, and respond well to systemic corticosteroid treatment.

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Objective: Both type 2 diabetes and glucocorticoid therapy are highly prevalent. Although people with type 2 diabetes may be more susceptible to adverse effects of glucocorticoids, and it is recommended that glucocorticoid therapy is avoided for fear of worsening glycaemic control, the extent to which this advice is followed and the consequences when glucocorticoids are prescribed are poorly documented. The aim was to assess the characteristics of people with type 2 diabetes prescribed glucocorticoids in a real-world setting and to quantify resulting adverse effects.

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