Publications by authors named "Dale Russell"

Introduction: The autoimmune encephalitides (AE) are a heterogeneous group of neurological disorders with significant morbidity and healthcare costs. Despite advancements in understanding their pathophysiology, uncertainties persist regarding long-term prognosis and optimal management. This study aims to address these gaps, focusing on immunotherapeutic strategies, neoplastic associations and functional outcomes.

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Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is one of the most common antibody-mediated CNS disorders. Optimal diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers remain unclear. Our aim was to clarify these biomarkers and therapeutic outcomes internationally.

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Objective: Parents and caregivers of children with neurological conditions express interest in new and developing treatments and trials; however, they have limited knowledge of, and access to, reliable information. This study aims to empower and equip decision-making and support communication in the application of advanced neurotherapeutics and personalised medicine, covering gene therapy, stem cell therapy, neurostimulation and neuroimmunotherapies.

Design: A suite of online psychoeducational resources has been created and evaluated to establish implementation success.

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Naval shipboard operations impose numerous environmental and occupational stressors, which can adversely affect mental and physical health outcomes. Moreover, this operational setting also complicates the implementation of countermeasures to protect personnel from these stressors. Thus, any easily accessible or modifiable protective factors should be explored further for their potential to support the health of military personnel.

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Purpose: To understand the breadth of sensory dysregulation on participation in daily tasks for young people with tic disorders, as research identified that sensory dysregulation experiences are broader than the symptoms being assessed.

Methods: Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 families with children (5-16 years) with tic disorders. Interviews ranged from 45 to 120 min and were transcribed verbatim.

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  • Pediatric long COVID is still not fully understood, and this study aimed to explore its impact on children and adolescents following the 2021 Delta variant outbreak in Australia.
  • Out of 11,864 surveyed parents, 17.6% responded, with 11.7% of children reporting ongoing symptoms or functional impairment; only a small fraction were classified as having Long COVID.
  • The findings suggest that while most children recover within 12 weeks, a notable minority may experience long-term symptoms, highlighting the need for further attention and research on risk factors like age and previous health issues.
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  • Hereditary C1q deficiency (C1QDef) is a rare genetic disorder that disrupts the complement system and can cause symptoms similar to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  • A study of 12 genetically confirmed C1QDef patients showed elevated expression of interferon-stimulated genes and high levels of interferon alpha in their blood and cerebrospinal fluid, indicating significant immune dysfunction.
  • Treatment with Janus-kinase inhibitors had mixed results, with one patient improving while others continued to struggle with their condition, highlighting the complexity of managing C1QDef.
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Purpose: To explore (i) the impact of unmet social needs on children with cerebral palsy and their families; (ii) enablers-, and (iii) barriers to addressing unmet social needs.

Material And Methods: Eligible participants attended or worked at one of the three Paediatric Rehabilitation Departments including: children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy; parents/carers; and clinicians. One-on-one interviews were conducted with parents/carers and focus groups with clinicians.

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Poor maternal diet and psychosocial stress represent two environmental factors that can significantly impact maternal health during pregnancy. While various mouse models have been developed to study the relationship between maternal and offspring health and behaviour, few incorporate multiple sources of stress that mirror the complexity of human experiences. Maternal high-fat diet (HF) models in rodents are well-established, whereas use of psychosocial stress interventions in female mice are still emerging.

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  • Researchers wanted to create clear rules for identifying a sickness called 'infection-triggered encephalopathy syndrome (ITES)' and five related types of it.
  • They talked to expert doctors for a long time to agree on how to recognize ITES by checking for things like infection, symptoms, and brain scans.
  • With these new definitions, doctors can better understand ITES and help with future studies and treatments for it.
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  • The study applied the 2022 international consensus criteria for optic neuritis (ICON) to 160 patients with acute optic neuritis to assess its effectiveness in classification.
  • About 50% of the patients were classified as definite optic neuritis, while 43% were not classified as having ON, mainly due to the absence of critical symptoms like relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) and dyschromatopsia.
  • The adjusted criteria led to a higher classification of 79% of patients as having optic neuritis, highlighting the importance of thorough examinations for accurate diagnosis.*
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Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is diagnosed by serum MOG-immunoglobulin G (MOG-IgG) in association with typical demyelination. 111/1127 patients with paired CSF/serum samples were seropositive for MOG-IgG. Only 7/1016 (0.

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Introduction: Genetic predisposition to autoimmune encephalitis with antibodies against N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is poorly understood. Given the diversity of associated environmental factors (tumors, infections), we hypothesized that human leukocyte antigen () and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (), two extremely polymorphic gene complexes key to the immune system, might be relevant for the genetic predisposition to anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Notably, KIR are chiefly expressed by Natural Killer (NK) cells, recognize distinct HLA class I allotypes and play a major role in anti-tumor and anti-infection responses.

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Introduction: The social determinants of health contribute to poorer health outcomes for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and are barriers to families accessing health services. At an individual level, social determinants of health are experienced as unmet social needs, for example, unsafe housing conditions. There is emerging evidence that clinical pathways for the systematic identification and referral to services for unmet social needs can support families to address these needs.

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Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a demyelinating disorder, distinct from multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). MOGAD most frequently presents with optic neuritis (MOG-ON), often with characteristic clinical and radiological features. Bilateral involvement, disc swelling clinically and radiologically, and longitudinally extensive optic nerve hyperintensity with associated optic perineuritis on MRI are key characteristics that can help distinguish MOG-ON from optic neuritis due to other aetiologies.

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Background: Kabuki syndrome (KS) is a genetic disorder caused by DNA mutations in KMT2D, a lysine methyltransferase that methylates histones and other proteins, and therefore modifies chromatin structure and subsequent gene expression. Ketones, derived from the ketogenic diet, are histone deacetylase inhibitors that can 'open' chromatin and encourage gene expression. Preclinical studies have shown that the ketogenic diet rescues hippocampal memory neurogenesis in mice with KS via the epigenetic effects of ketones.

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  • A study examined sleep health and related mental and physical health issues among naval personnel on sea duty (afloat) compared to those on shore duty (ashore), revealing significant differences in sleep metrics and health outcomes.
  • Results showed that while sleep quality was generally similar between groups, those on shore duty experienced poorer physical health, and afloat personnel reported shorter sleep durations but better physical health overall.
  • The research highlighted that naval personnel with obesity faced more sleep-related health challenges and suggested the need for further studies using objective measures to better understand sleep health in military settings.
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  • The study aimed to find an effective oral corticosteroid regimen for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) that extends the time to first relapse and reduces overall steroid exposure.
  • In a retrospective study of 109 patients, higher doses of oral prednisone, particularly 12.5 mg/day or more for at least 3 months, significantly delayed the time to first relapse, with notable reductions in relapse risk.
  • The findings suggest that a daily dose of 12.5 mg of prednisone for adults (or 0.16 mg/kg for children) at disease onset is optimal, showing no serious adverse effects in patients treated at this level.
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Introduction: Advanced therapies offer unprecedented opportunities for treating rare neurological disorders (RNDs) in children. However, health literacy, perceptions and understanding of novel therapies need elucidation across the RND community. This study explored healthcare professionals' and carers' perspectives of advanced therapies in childhood-onset RNDs.

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Importance: Sydenham chorea is the most common acquired chorea of childhood worldwide; however, treatment is limited by a lack of high-quality evidence.

Objectives: To evaluate historical changes in the clinical characteristics of Sydenham chorea and identify clinical and treatment factors at disease onset associated with chorea duration, relapsing disease course, and functional outcome.

Data Sources: The systematic search for this meta-analysis was conducted in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and LILACS databases and registers of clinical trials from inception to November 1, 2022 (search terms: [Sydenham OR Sydenham's OR rheumatic OR minor] AND chorea).

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Pediatric large-vessel occlusion has a poor natural history. Recent retrospective studies have demonstrated the potential benefits, feasibility, and safety profile of mechanical thrombectomy in children. However, the role of thrombectomy in pediatric M2 occlusions remains uncertain.

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