Efficacy of Household and Commercial Washing Agents in Removing the Pesticide Thiabendazole Residues from Fruits.

Pesticide residues on fruits pose a global food safety concern, emphasizing the need for effective and practical removal strategies to ensure safe consumption. This study investigates the efficacy of household ingredients (corn starch, all-purpose flour, rice flour and baking soda) and four commercial fresh produce wash products in eliminating a model pesticide thiabendazole with and without a model non-ionic surfactant Alligare 90 from postharvest fruits. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was employed for the rapid, in situ quantification of residue removal on apple surfaces.

"I'm living in a 'no' world now…"- A qualitative study of the widespread impact of living with chronic breathlessness, and experiences of identification and assessment of this symptom in an older, frail community-based population.

Chronic breathlessness is a debilitating symptom with detrimental impact on individuals and carers. However, little is known about the experiences of community-dwelling, frail, older adults living with chronic breathlessness. To explore, (i) the psychological impact of living with chronic breathlessness, (older frail adult patients, carers) and (ii) how patients, carers, and clinicians experience identification and assessment of chronic breathlessness in the primary care setting.

Professional organizations representing black pharmacists in hospitals and the health-systems.

Pharmacy associations representing Black pharmacists practicing in hospitals and the health-systems are not well documented. Their stories, challenges, and accomplishments remain relatively untold. Through historical review, the roles of Black pharmacists and their organizations in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, supporting the professional growth and development of Black pharmacists in hospitals, and advocating for healthcare policies that address the needs of Black communities will be reviewed.

A pan-orthohantavirus human lung xenograft mouse model and its utility for preclinical studies.

Orthohantaviruses are emerging zoonotic viruses that can infect humans via the respiratory tract. There is an unmet need for an in vivo model to study infection of different orthohantaviruses in physiologically relevant tissue and to assess the efficacy of novel pan-orthohantavirus countermeasures. Here, we describe the use of a human lung xenograft mouse model to study the permissiveness for different orthohantavirus species and to assess its utility for preclinical testing of therapeutics.

African American pharmacists and the evolution of black professional pharmacy associations.

The histography of Black professional pharmacist associations has largely been ignored. During the Jim Crow era there existed multiple and overlapping spaces within which Black civic and professional voluntary organizations engaged in representation and advocacy, professional support and development, cultural competence, community engagement and education, research and innovation, and diversity and inclusion in the professions. One group that has received minimal to no attention is that of the role of Black professional pharmacy organizations.

African American pharmacists in professional pharmacy associations.

The early participation of African Americans in professional pharmacy associations between the 1870s and the 1970s is explored. The early participation African American pharmacists in the national pharmacy organizations was limited to the American Pharmaceuticals Association (APhA), a small number of the APhA state and local affiliates, and the pharmaceutical section of the national and state Black medical associations. Little to no participation of African American pharmacists as members in other national organizations (e.

Autoantibodies cause nociceptive sensitization in a mouse model of degenerative osteoarthritis.

Previous preclinical and translational studies suggest that tissue trauma related to bony fracture and intervertebral disk disruption initiates the formation of pronociceptive antibodies that support chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions. This study tested this hypothesis in the monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) mouse model of osteoarthritis (OA) and extended the findings using OA patient samples. Monosodium iodoacetate was injected unilaterally into the knees of male and female wild-type (WT) and muMT mice (lacking B cells) to induce articular cartilage damage.

A phase II study of ramucirumab and somatostatin analog therapy in patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors.

Objectives: Well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are highly vascular tumors characterized by their expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This trial investigated the activity of ramucirumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and inhibits activity of VEGF, in combination with somatostatin analog therapy in patients (pts) with advanced extra-pancreatic NET.

Methods: We conducted a single-arm phase II trial enrolling pts with advanced, progressive extra-pancreatic NET.

Study of Children Aged Under 2 Years Admitted With RSV at Four Australian Hospitals [2021-2022].

Aims: Primary aim was to review severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) hospitalisations caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children aged < 2 years in paediatric hospitals in Australia. Secondary aims included RSV subtyping, assessing RSV seasonality and contributing to the World Health Organisation's RSV surveillance programme.

Methods: We prospectively reviewed the medical records of children (< 2 years of age) with a confirmed SARI who were admitted to one of four major Australian paediatric hospitals and had a respiratory sample analysed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

Antibody responses against influenza A decline with successive years of annual influenza vaccination.

Influenza vaccine effectiveness and immunogenicity can be compromised with repeated vaccination. We assessed immunological markers in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCW) from six public hospitals around Australia during 2020-2021. Sera were collected pre-vaccination and ~14 and ~180 days post-vaccination and assessed in haemagglutination inhibition assay against egg-grown vaccine and equivalent cell-grown viruses.

The impact of surgical margins in managing regional metastases in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Background: Regional metastasis occurs in 5% of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The aim of this study is to assess the impact of margin status of regional metastases on survival.

Methods: A retrospective review of 401 patients with nodal metastases from cSCC.

Evaluation of osseointegration of plasma treated polyaryletherketone maxillofacial implants.

Osseointegration is a crucial property of biomaterials used for bone defect repair. While titanium is the gold standard in craniofacial surgeries, various polymeric biomaterials are being explored as alternatives. However, polymeric materials can be bioinert, hindering integration with surrounding tissues.

Long-term Outcomes of Definitive Chemoradiation with Proton Therapy for Treatment of Carcinoma of the Anal Canal: Combined Analysis of Two Prospective Trials.

Purpose/objective(s): While definitive chemoradiation (CRT) with 5-FU/MMC remains the standard of care for localized anal cancer, treatment is associated with significant acute and late toxicity. Proton radiation therapy (RT) may potentially reduce such toxicity. Here, we assess the long-term outcomes of anal cancer patients treated with CRT using proton RT in two prospective pilot studies.

Releasing time to care: a quality improvement project aimed to increase direct rehabilitation time in a Stroke Rehabilitation Centre.

Stroke is a leading cause of disability among adults, and any treatment that improves functional outcome, like higher intensity of rehabilitation therapy, can significantly reduce its financial burden. Clinicians on a stroke rehabilitation ward are expected to track and nationally report on rehabilitation time to contribute to the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), a process that was manual, paper-based, time-consuming and redundant, which in turn impacted on a reduction in clinical time to provide stroke rehabilitation. We aimed to release 20% of clinical time by reducing inefficiencies within their time management and reporting process, ensuring that clinicians had more time available for direct patient care.

Health Care Utilisation and Unmet Needs in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer in Regional Australia: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: The post-treatment survivorship period marks the transition away from acute care and poses distinct challenges for individuals with head and neck cancer (HNC). This can be especially challenging for people in regional areas who travel long distances to access care and experience unique challenges in accessing health services.

Aim: To investigate unmet needs and healthcare utilisation of survivors of HNC in regional areas.

Long-Term Weight Loss Outcomes in a Virtual Weight Care Clinic Prescribing a Broad Range of Medications Alongside Behavior Change.

Background: Virtually-delivered obesity care has the potential to increase access to weight loss interventions at scale. While there is ample literature assessing various weight loss interventions, studies specifically demonstrating outcomes of commercial programs offering antiobesity medications in virtual care settings are lacking.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study assessed the weight loss outcomes of 66,094 participants in a virtual weight care program that prescribes antiobesity medications alongside a digital behavior change program.

Transurethral unroofing of a Cowper's syringocele.

Syringoceles are cystic dilations of the bulbourethral gland, also known as Cowper's gland. Syringoceles are a rare pathology with no standard treatment. Herein, we report the diagnosis and endoscopic management of an imperforate syringocele causing bothersome urinary symptoms in an adult male patient.

Exploring the personal and professional outcomes of pursuing fellowship training in orthopedic manual physical therapy: a mixed-methods analysis.

Objective: Post-professional education in orthopedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) provides a unique pathway for clinicians to refine clinical skills and reasoning in pursuit of professional excellence. Despite these benefits, fellowship training demands significant personal and financial investment. Therefore, understanding whether fellowship education promotes professional growth, job satisfaction, and return on investment is essential.

Assessment of the effect of non-ionic surfactant alkylphenol ethoxylates on the penetration of pesticides in fresh produce.

Understanding the penetration behaviour of pesticide active ingredient (AI) in the presence of adjuvants is important in managing application efficacy and minimizing residues. This study investigates the impact of non-ionic surfactant alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) on the penetration of two pesticides, systemic thiabendazole and non-systemic phosmet, in apple and spinach. Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) was employed using two different detection methods, namely XZ depth mapping and XY area mapping, in conjunction with liquid Chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to investigate the penetration of various pesticide formulations over time.

Reversal of neuronal tau pathology via adiponectin receptor activation.

Changes in brain mitochondrial metabolism are coincident with functional decline; however, direct links between the two have not been established. Here, we show that mitochondrial targeting via the adiponectin receptor activator AdipoRon (AR) clears neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and rescues neuronal tauopathy-associated defects. AR reduced levels of phospho-tau and lowered NFT burden by a mechanism involving the energy-sensing kinase AMPK and the growth-sensing kinase GSK3b.

A prospective, multicenter analysis of the integrated 31-gene expression profile test for sentinel lymph node biopsy (i31-GEP for SLNB) test demonstrates reduced number of unnecessary SLNBs in patients with cutaneous melanoma.

Background: National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for patients with > 10% risk of positivity, consider SLNB with 5-10% risk, and foregoing with < 5% risk. The integrated 31-gene expression profile (i31-GEP) algorithm combines the 31-GEP with clinicopathologic variables, estimating SLN positivity risk.

Methods: The i31-GEP SLNB risk prediction accuracy was assessed in patients with T1-T2 tumors enrolled in the prospective, multicenter DECIDE study (n = 322).

Sustainable nanomaterials: the role of Cyrene in optimising carbon nanotubes dispersion and filtration efficiency.

This study focuses on the fabrication and characterisation of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) buckypapers and polyethersulfone (PES) flat-sheet membranes using Cyrene, aiming toevaluate its efficacy as a green solvent for these applications. Pristine SWCNTs were dispersed inCyrene without surfactants and compared to N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) dispersions. Buckypapers were fabricated from these dispersions and characterised using Scanning ElectronMicroscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and infrared spectroscopy.