Interplay between genetics and epigenetics in lung fibrosis.

Lung fibrosis, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is a complex and devastating disease characterised by the progressive scarring of lung tissue leading to compromised respiratory function. Aberrantly activated fibroblasts deposit extracellular matrix components into the surrounding lung tissue, impairing lung function and capacity for gas exchange. Both genetic and epigenetic factors have been found to play a role in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis, with emerging evidence highlighting the interplay between these two regulatory mechanisms.

Investigating health care pathways for anaphylaxis: Seeing the bigger picture through linked data.

Background: Anaphylaxis is increasing in Australia involving all levels of the health care system. Although guidelines recommend calling an ambulance and 4-hour observation, knowledge gaps exist regarding where people experiencing anaphylaxis receive care.

Objective: We sought to examine care pathways for anaphylaxis in Western Australia and factors associated with seeking care from ambulance versus the emergency department (ED), and subsequent hospital admission.

Lymphoma follow-up pathway: A 10-year study to guide practice.

Purpose: Lymphoma survivors who have received curative intent treatment are currently followed up at defined time points in medical and nurse-led clinics often indefinitely. The follow up protocol is often at the discretion of the treating physician. The aim of the study was to explore the clinical, biochemical and radiological presentation of patients with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) and Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) treated with curative intent at the point of recurrence from first remission, and to understand if recurrence was detected at scheduled follow up.

The Australian Team Approach to Polypharmacy Evaluation and Reduction (AusTAPER) hospital study: effect of a collaborative medication review on the number of current regular medicines for older hospital inpatients.

Background And Aims: Potentially harmful polypharmacy is a growing public health concern. This article aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured Team Approach to Polypharmacy Evaluation and Reduction (AusTAPER) framework.

Methods: We recruited patients at metropolitan hospitals for a randomised controlled trial with 12 months of follow-up.

Starting conversations about mental health and wellbeing in Australian culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Australia is a multicultural nation with nearly 30% of the population born overseas. Migrants' mental health can be impacted by discrimination, racism and experiences relating to asylum and immigration. These can be compounded by low help-seeking caused by stigmatized beliefs and poor mental health literacy.

Blood Cancer Network Ireland (BCNI) and National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) collaboration: challenges and utility of an Enhanced Blood Cancer Outcomes Registry (EBCOR) pilot.

Background: The Blood Cancer Network Ireland and National Cancer Registry Ireland worked to create an Enhanced Blood Cancer Outcomes Registry (EBCOR). Enhanced data in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) included an extensive data dictionary, bespoke software and longitudinal follow-up.

Aims: To demonstrate the utility of the database, we applied the data to examine a clinically relevant question: Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) usefulness in predicting AML patients' survival.

Exploring the usability of simulated patient methodology in dental clinics in Western Australia: A pilot survey.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the dental staff knowledge of simulated patient methodology and support for its use to investigate dental staffs' triaging ability.

Material And Methods: Staff at dental practices in Western Australia were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online questionnaire, consisting of demographic questions, questions on triaging, and knowledge of simulated patient methodology. Descriptive and parametric tests were undertaken for quantitative data; qualitative responses were thematically analyzed.

The genomic landscape of Ménière's disease: a path to endolymphatic hydrops.

Background: Ménière's disease (MD) is a disorder of the inner ear that causes episodic bouts of severe dizziness, roaring tinnitus, and fluctuating hearing loss. To date, no targeted therapy exists. As such, we have undertaken a large whole genome sequencing study on carefully phenotyped unilateral MD patients with the goal of gene/pathway discovery and a move towards targeted intervention.

Myoferlin: A Potential Marker of Response to Radiation Therapy and Survival in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

Purpose: Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer often require neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy to downstage the disease, but the response is variable with no predictive biomarkers. We have previously revealed through proteomic profiling that myoferlin is associated with response to radiation therapy. The aims of this study were to further validate this finding and explore the potential for myoferlin to act as a prognostic and/or therapeutic target.

Refining the CRiSPHe (checklist for reporting research using a simulated patient methodology in Health): a Delphi study.

Objectives: A recent applicability study highlighted the need for the existing checklist for reporting research using a simulated patient methodology (CRiSP) to be clearer and user-friendly. The aim of this study was to update the checklist to address these concerns.

Methods: A fourth round of the Delphi consensus study, used in the original checklist development work, was conducted.

Utilising a 'Community of Practice' to support pharmacists to work in residential aged care: protocol for a longitudinal evaluation.

Introduction: A Community of Practice is briefly defined as a group of people with a shared interest in a given area of practice who work collaboratively to grow collective knowledge. Communities of Practice have been used to facilitate knowledge exchange and improve evidence-based practice. Knowledge translation within the residential aged care sector is lacking, with barriers such as inadequate staffing and knowledge gaps commonly cited.

Production of native recombinant proteins using a novel split intein affinity technology.

Affinity tags are frequently engineered into recombinant proteins to facilitate purification. Although this technique is powerful, removal of the tag is desired because the tag can interfere with biological activity and can potentially increase the immunogenicity of therapeutic proteins. Tag removal is complex, as it requires adding expensive protease enzymes.

Safety of Ancestral Monovalent BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, and NVX-CoV2373 COVID-19 Vaccines in US Children Aged 6 Months to 17 Years.

Importance: Active monitoring of health outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination provides early detection of rare outcomes that may not be identified in prelicensure trials.

Objective: To conduct near-real-time monitoring of health outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination in the US pediatric population.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study evaluated 21 prespecified health outcomes after exposure before early 2023 to BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or NVX-CoV2373 ancestral monovalent COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 6 months to 17 years by applying a near-real-time monitoring framework using health care data from 3 commercial claims databases in the US (Optum [through April 2023], Carelon Research [through March 2023], and CVS Health [through February 2023]).

Interim safety and immunogenicity of COVID-19 omicron BA.1 variant-containing vaccine in children in the USA: an open-label non-randomised phase 3 trial.

Background: Variant-containing mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 to broaden protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants are recommended based on findings in adults. We report interim safety and immunogenicity of an omicron BA.1 variant-containing (mRNA-1273.

A systematic review of oncosurgical and quality of life outcomes following pelvic exenteration for locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer.

Introduction: Pelvic exenteration (PE) is now the standard of care for locally advanced (LARC) and locally recurrent (LRRC) rectal cancer. Reports of the significant short-term morbidity and survival advantage conferred by R0 resection are well established. However, longer-term outcomes are rarely addressed.

Genetic architecture distinguishes tinnitus from hearing loss.

Tinnitus is a heritable, highly prevalent auditory disorder treated by multiple medical specialties. Previous GWAS indicated high genetic correlations between tinnitus and hearing loss, with little indication of differentiating signals. We present a GWAS meta-analysis, triple previous sample sizes, and expand to non-European ancestries.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Chronic Dizziness in the Elderly Identifies Loci Implicating MLLT10, BPTF, LINC01224, and ROS1.

Purpose: Chronic age-related imbalance is a common cause of falls and subsequent death in the elderly and can arise from dysfunction of the vestibular system, an elegant neuroanatomical group of pathways that mediates human perception of acceleration, gravity, and angular head motion. Studies indicate that 27-46% of the risk of age-related chronic imbalance is genetic; nevertheless, the underlying genes remain unknown.

Methods: The cohort consisted of 50,339 cases and 366,900 controls in the Million Veteran Program.

Enhancing radiotherapy outcomes in rectal cancer: A systematic review of targeting hypoxia-induced radioresistance.

Introduction: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy is successfully used in rectal cancer to improve overall survival. However, treatment response is both unpredictable and variable. There is strong evidence to show that the phenomenon of tumour hypoxia is associated with radioresistance, however the mechanism(s) behind this are poorly understood.

Known mechanisms cannot account for a third of reduced susceptibility in non-aureus staphylococci.

Non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) are implicated in many healthcare-acquired infections and an understanding of the genetics of antimicrobial resistance is important in relation to both clinical intervention and the role of NAS as a reservoir of resistance genes. Gap statement: The burden of antimicrobial resistance in NAS, particularly to clinically relevant antimicrobials, is under-recognised. We sourced 394 NAS isolates from clinical samples, healthy human volunteers, animals and type cultures and subjected them to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing by agar dilution using eight antimicrobials.

Characterisation of neonatal NRCS-A isolates compared with non NRCS-A from neonates and adults.

is a frequent cause of late-onset sepsis in neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). One clone of , NRCS-A has been isolated from NICUs globally although the reasons for the global success of this clone are not well understood.We analysed a collection of colonising babies admitted to two NICUs, one in the UK and one in Germany as well as corresponding pathological clinical isolates.