Exploring extended scope of practice in dietetics: A systems approach.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' perceptions of an extended scope of a practice clinic, and develop a framework using a systems approach to facilitate extended scope models across various health settings.

Methods: A qualitative investigation using semi-structured interviews with four health professionals involved in an extended scope dietitian-led gastroenterology clinic in a hospital in regional Queensland was conducted. A case study design was utilised to investigate interviewees' perceptions of the clinic.

The activities of a dietitian-led gastroenterology clinic using extended scope of practice.

Background: Extending the scope of practice of allied health professionals has been a strategy adopted in the United Kingdom to address issues within the health system. Australia's health system is currently undermined by similar issues, heightening government interest in adopting the extended scope health care model. The aim of the current study was to describe the activities and outcomes of a dietitian-led gastroenterology clinic which operated under an extended scope of practice model in an outpatient gastroenterology department at a tertiary hospital in regional Queensland, Australia, and to assess patient satisfaction with the initiative.

Interdigital pilonidal sinus of the foot.

Pilonidal sinus of the interdigital spaces is a common condition among barbers. The condition results from a foreign body reaction to clients' hairs. It is thought that the short sharp hairs penetrate the skin when hands are rubbed through freshly cut hair.

Surgical repair of central slip avulsion injuries with Mitek bone anchor--retrospective analysis of a case series.

The purpose of this study is to describe our technique of central slip repair using the Mitek bone anchor and to evaluate the treatment outcome. Eight digits in eight patients were reconstructed using the bone anchor: three little fingers, two middle fingers, two index fingers and one ring finger. There were two immediate and six delayed repairs (range from one day to eight months).

The human bite injury: a clinical audit and discussion regarding the management of this alcohol fuelled phenomenon.

Background: Human bite injuries are both deceptive and challenging in their presentation and management. They remain a frequent presentation to our unit, most often following late night alcohol fuelled aggression.

Aims: To audit the management of these wounds, with particular focus on infective complications and outcomes.

Hair-thread tourniquet syndrome in an infant with bony erosion: a case report, literature review, and meta-analysis.

Hair-thread tourniquet syndrome is a rare condition where appendages are strangulated by an encircling strand of hair, a thread, or a fiber. The condition usually occurs in very young patients in the first few months of life. We present a unique case of a 3-month-old baby girl with hair-thread tourniquet syndrome in whom a hair cheese-wired through the skin and soft tissue of the toe and caused bony erosion of the underlying phalanx.

Burn injury induces an early activation response by lymph node CD4+ T cells.

Several reports have shown that burn injury primes the immune system for an early and vigorous proinflammatory CD4 T cell response, suggesting that injury might signal CD4 T cell activation. We addressed this possibility by investigating changes in CD4 T cell activation marker expression, proliferation, and T cell receptor (TCR) usage at several early time points after burn injury. Using a sensitive flow cytometry approach to measure changes in the expression of Ki-67 antigen, a nuclear protein detected only in proliferating cells, we observed an early burst of proliferation by lymph node, but not spleen, CD4 T cells 12 h after burn injury.

A different type of 'glue ear': report of an unusual case of prominent ears.

Prominent ears is a condition that can cause extreme psychological distress in young people. This cosmetic deformity can be corrected by otoplasty, an outpatient surgical procedure that is associated with a high rate of patient satisfaction. We report the unusual case of a teenage boy who had repeatedly applied cyanoacrylate adhesive ("superglue") to his postauricular skin in an attempt to pin back his prominent ears.

Injury primes the innate immune system for enhanced Toll-like receptor reactivity.

Severe injury causes a dramatic host response that disrupts immune homeostasis and predisposes the injured host to opportunistic infections. Because Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize conserved microbial Ags and endogenous danger signals that may be triggered by injury, we wanted to determine how injury influences TLR responses. Using an in vivo injury model, we demonstrate that injury significantly increased TLR2- and TLR4-induced IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha production by spleen cells.