Stone-free rate of laser lithotripsy for large pediatric stones: 15-year experience from a tertiary endourology pediatric center.

Background: Pediatric urolithiasis, while less common than in adults, is increasing in incidence. However, current guidelines on the optimal management of this condition vary. Technological advances have led to improvements in the quality and size of ureteroscopes, thus enabling their use in children.

The immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety of a bivalent mRNA or protein COVID-19 vaccine given as a fourth dose.

Objectives: We conducted a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety one month after a fourth COVID-19 mRNA or protein vaccine dose.

Methods: This RCT recruited healthy adults in Melbourne, Australia, who had previously received three COVID-19 vaccine doses at least six months prior and had no SARS-CoV-2 infection in the last three months. The participants were randomised (1:1) to receive the bivalent mRNA vaccine (mRNA-1273.

Upper Limb Deep Venous Thrombosis Associated With Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters in Hospitalised Surgical Patients.

Introduction Surgical inpatients frequently require peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) for parenteral feeding and administration of medication. PICCs may cause upper limb deep venous thrombosis (ULDVT), which impacts patient morbidity. We investigated the risk and prevention of PICC-ULDVT in hospitalised surgical inpatients.

Association and risk of metabolic syndrome and kidney stone disease: outcomes from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose Of Review: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has emerged as a potential contributor to the development of kidney stone disease (KSD). This study aims to conduct a systematic review of the literature, and meta-analysis of the association between MetS and KSD.

Recent Findings: Systematic review revealed Fifteen articles (433 201 patients) were eligible for analysis.

Examining Introduction of E-consent in the Neurosurgical Caseload: Understanding the Barriers to Implementation.

Objective: To evaluate current usage and barriers of electronic consent (e-consent) implementation in neurosurgical practice. E-consent forms provide an alternative method for conducting the informed consent (IC) procedure. IC requires an ability to understand, retain, weigh up, and communicate decisions regarding the proposed procedure.

Effects of street tree configuration and placement on roadside thermal environment within a tropical urban canyon.

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect increases surface and air temperatures, affecting urban health and well-being. A well-known UHI mitigation measure is the increased roadside tree vegetation facilitating evapotranspiration and shade. In its implementation, the identification of thermally optimal street tree configurations and a quantitative assessment of how various street tree configurations impact the roadside thermal environment were deemed essential and were chosen as the main aims of the study.

Musculoskeletal chest pain prevalence in emergency department presentations: A retrospective case notes review.

Objective: Musculoskeletal (MSK) causes of chest pain are considered common in emergency care, yet management is limited, reported outcomes are poor and prevalence data in New Zealand are lacking. The present study aims to estimate the prevalence of MSK chest pain in New Zealand EDs and describe the characteristics of MSK chest pain cases.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted based on de-identified clinical notes extracted from four hospitals within the South Island of New Zealand from 3 months spanning 1 March to 31 May 2021.

Computational analysis and experimental verification of donor-acceptor behaviour of berberine, and its co-oligomers and co-polymers with ethylenedıoxythıophene.

The donor-acceptor (D-A) type of conjugated polymers has emerged as the paradigm of the third generation of electronically conducting polymers demonstrating improved infrared activity and intrinsic electronic conductivity. Judicious selection of donor (D) and acceptor (A) monomers for copolymerization can further fine-tune these properties. Notably, for such refinement, natural compounds provide many conjugated molecules with various functional groups.

24 h Activity Guidelines in Children and Adolescents: A Prevalence Survey in Asia-Pacific Cities.

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of adherence to 24 h activity guidelines in children and adolescents from Asia-Pacific cities. In 1139 children aged 5-18 years, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), screen viewing time (SVT), sleep duration, child weight, height, sex, and age were parent-reported. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the number of guidelines met, and prevalence of adherence to activity guidelines by city and child sex.

Effectiveness of Physical Activity and Exercise on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Adults with Resistant Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Resistant hypertension (RHT) is a phenotype of hypertension that is challenging to manage by medications alone. While high grade evidence supports physical activity (PA) and exercise to reduce blood pressure (BP) in hypertension, it is unclear whether these are also effective for RHT.

Aims: To determine the quality of evidence for the effectiveness of PA and exercise and the change of magnitude of 24-hour ambulatory BP (24hABP) in adults with RHT.

The prevalence of individuals at high risk of true resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea in a New Zealand cohort.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of individuals at high risk of true resistant hypertension (tRHT) in Dunedin-based adults <60 years diagnosed with hypertension and pharmacologically managed with three or more antihypertensive medications (ie, apparent resistant hypertension (aRHT)); to describe characteristics of those with aRHT; and to investigate the association between tRHT and obstructive sleep apnoea in the group.

Methods: Participants with aRHT were recruited and data collected using standardised equipment and methodology. Characteristics were reported using descriptive statistics.

Relationships Between Psychological, Sleep, and Physical Activity Measures and Somatosensory Function in People With Peripheral Joint Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Alteration in somatosensory function has been linked to pain experience in individuals with joint pain. In this systematic review we aimed to establish the level of evidence of associations between psychological, social, physical activity, and sleep measures and somatosensory function that were assessed via quantitative sensory testing (QST) among individuals with joint pain.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in 6 electronic databases from their inception to July 2019.

Relationships Between Psychological, Social, Physical Activity, and Sleep Measures and Somatosensory Function in Individuals With Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: Somatosensory abnormalities are linked to clinical pain outcomes in individuals with spinal pain. However, a range of factors might confound the relationship between altered somatosensory function and clinical pain outcomes. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the literature to assess the level of evidence of associations between psychological, social, physical activity, and sleep measures and somatosensory function (assessed via sensory psychophysical testing) among individuals with spinal pain.

Floating Wetland Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage using Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth).

Background: Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major environmental impact associated with the mining industry. Elevated acidic conditions resulting from the discharge of AMD into the surrounding environment can cause heavy metals to dissolve and transport through water streams and accumulate in the aquatic environment, posing a risk to the health of living organisms. There have been several novel approaches in the remediation of AMD involving passive treatment techniques.

A case report of giant pancreatic pseudocyst following acute pancreatitis: experience with endoscopic internal drainage.

Background: Pancreatic cysts are being diagnosed more frequently because of the increasing usage of imaging techniques. A pseudocyst with the major diameter of 10 cm is termed as a giant cyst. Asymptomatic pseudo-cysts up to 6 cm in diameter can be safely observed and monitored without intervention, but larger and symptomatic pseudocysts require intervention.

Is an educational lecture a critical component of communication partner training?

Purpose: Little is known about the critical ingredients of successful Communication Partner Training (CPT) programmes. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to investigate the effects of including an educational component before a conversation with a person with aphasia compared to a conversation only.

Method: Thirty-eight speech-language pathology students were randomly allocated to either the Full programme or Conversation only groups.

Establishment of a cell line for assessing drugs as canine P-glycoprotein substrates: proof of principle.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp), encoded by the ABCB1 (MDR1) gene, dramatically impacts drug disposition. P-gp is expressed in the intestines, biliary canaliculi, renal tubules, and brain capillaries where it functions to efflux substrate drugs. In this capacity, P-gp restricts oral absorption, enhances biliary and renal excretion, and inhibits central nervous system entry of substrate drugs.

An improved cumulative sum-based procedure for prospective disease surveillance for count data in multiple regions.

We present an improved procedure for detecting outbreaks in multiple spatial regions using count data. We combine well-known methods for disease surveillance with recent developments from other areas to provide a more powerful procedure that is still relatively simple and fast to implement. Disease counts from neighboring regions are aggregated to compute a Poisson cumulative sum statistic for each region of interest.

Submucosal lipoma of the sigmoid colon as a rare cause of mucoid diarrhea: a case report.

Background: Symptomatic presentations of colonic lipomas are very rare in clinical practice, and may mimic colonic malignancy. The likelihood of presenting symptoms has been shown to depend on the size of the lesion.

Case Presentation: We describe the case of a 72-year-old Sinhalese man presenting with worsening mucoid diarrhea who was subsequently diagnosed to have a lipoma of the sigmoid colon.

Comparison of chemotherapeutic drug resistance in cells transfected with canine ABCG2 or feline ABCG2.

ABCG2 (ATP binding cassette subfamily G, member 2) mediates resistance to a variety of cytotoxic agents. Although human ABCG2 is well characterized, the function of canine ABCG2 has not been studied previously. Feline ABCG2 has an amino acid substitution in the adenosine triphosphate-binding domain that decreases its transport capacity relative to human ABCG2.

Effects of paraplegia on quality of life and family economy among patients with spinal cord injuries in selected hospitals of Sri Lanka.

Objectives: The study was conducted with the aim of assessing the effects of paraplegia caused by spinal cord injuries on the quality of life of patients and their family economy.

Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Setting: The study was carried out in Accident Service, Orthopedic and Neurosurgery Units of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka and the Spinal Injury Unit of Rehabilitation Hospital Ragama.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors enhance ciprofloxacin-induced phototoxicity by inhibiting ABCG2.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) class of anticancer agents inhibits ABCG2-mediated drug efflux. ABCG2 is an important component of the blood-retinal barrier, where it limits retinal exposure to phototoxic compounds such as fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Patients treated with TKIs would be expected to be at greater risk for retinal phototoxicity.

Relationship between increased risk of falling and cognitive impairment in residents of an elderly home in the Colombo district.

Tendency to falling in older people, with and without cognitive impairment, living in an elderly home was assessed. A descriptive analytical study was carried out with 50 elderly people (25 males) aged between 60 - 85 years. Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and, Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST) were used to determine risk of falling and functional lower extremity strength of each participant.