Owl Pellet Content Analysis Proves an Effective Technique to Monitor a Population of Threatened Julia Creek Dunnarts () Throughout a Native Rodent Plague.

Logistical, environmental and temporal considerations can limit the effectiveness of long-term live trapping for small mammals in remote environments. Owl pellet content analysis offers a low-cost, non-invasive alternative to live trapping, as it is generally reflective of prey abundance within the broader small mammal community. One species to which this detection technique could be readily applied is the threatened Australian dasyurid, the Julia Creek dunnart, .

A phase 1b clinical trial to determine the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of simian adenovirus and poxvirus vectored vaccines against a Mycobacterium avium complex subspecies in patients with active Crohn's disease.

Background: Crohn's Disease (CD) is a chronic, debilitating condition hypothesised to be associated with Mycobacterium avium ssp paratuberculosis (MAP) infection. It is the causative pathogen of the granulomatous inflammatory enteritis in ruminants, Johne's Disease. A developing treatment approach is utilising heterologous prime-boost viral vectored vaccines.

Change in Postpartum Visit and Contraception Rates Pre-COVID-19 to Post-Lockdown in Six U.S. Federally Qualified Health Centers.

Postpartum care, including contraception, benefits maternal health and decreases mortality, which increased in the United States with COVID-19. Pandemic disruptions to postpartum health care access in vulnerable populations are not well understood. We utilize electronic health record (EHR) data for prenatal patients ( = 2,265) at six urban Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) from one year prepandemic (January 1, 2019) through one year after the first stay-at-home orders ("lockdown") (March 31, 2021).

Research Priorities for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response: An Interdisciplinary Delphi Study.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a multisensory experience most often associated with feelings of relaxation and altered consciousness, elicited by stimuli which include whispering, repetitive movements, and close personal attention. Since 2015, ASMR research has grown rapidly, spanning disciplines from neuroscience to media studies but lacking a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. To build a cohesive and connected structure for ASMR research moving forwards, a modified Delphi study was conducted with ASMR experts, practitioners, community members, and researchers from various disciplines.

A novel multisite model to facilitate hepatitis C virus elimination in people experiencing homelessness.

Background & Aims: Only a handful of countries are on target to achieve elimination of HCV by 2030. People experiencing homelessness (PEH) remain an important HCV reservoir. The END C study evaluated clinical, patient reported, and health economic outcomes of a decentralised integrated model.

The Role of High Flow Nasal Therapy in Chronic Respiratory Failure.

High-flow nasal therapy (HFNT) has an increasing role in the management of acute hypoxic respiratory failure. Due to its tolerable interface and ease of use, its role in chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (CHRF) is emerging. This article examines the literature to date surrounding the short and long-term mechanisms of HFNT in sleep and wakefulness of CHRF patients.

The first global landscape analysis of multiple sclerosis research funding.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated central nervous system disorder and a growing global health challenge affecting nearly 3 million people worldwide. Incidence and prevalence continue to increase with no known cause or cure. Globally governments and non-profit organizations fund research toward better understanding of and treatments for multiple sclerosis.

Hypercapnia is not excluded by normoxia in neuromuscular disease patients: implications for oximetry.

Background: Pulse oximetry is widely used in the assessment of chronic respiratory failure in neuromuscular disease (NMD) patients. Chronic respiratory failure is the major cause of morbidity and mortality, necessitating early diagnosis and intervention. Guidelines suggest that an arterial blood gas (ABG) measurement is indicated if oxygen saturation ( ) is ≤94% in the absence of lung disease.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor CHRNA5 is overexpressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients with a recent tobacco smoking history.

Tobacco smoking is a major driver of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) occurrence, and previous studies have shed light on the precise molecular alterations in tobacco-related HNSCCs when compared to HNSCCs associated with other risk factors (ex: human papillomavirus/HPV status). In this study, we analyzed the gene expression differences in HNSCC cases with a recent smoking history and revealed that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor CHRNA5 is differentially overexpressed in smoking-related HNSCCs. CHRNA5 overexpression in these HNSCCs corresponds with a worse prognosis and is inversely correlated with an immune expression signature commonly associated with better prognosis.

The glymphatic system and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The glymphatic system and the meningeal lymphatic vessels provide a pathway for transport of solutes and clearance of toxic material from the brain. Of specific relevance to ALS, this is applicable for TDP-43 and glutamate, both major elements in disease pathogenesis. Flow is propelled by arterial pulsation, respiration, posture, as well as the positioning and proportion of aquaporin-4 channels (AQP4).

Enhancing involvement of people with multiple sclerosis in clinical trial design.

Background: Although often overlooked, patient and public involvement (PPI) is vital when considering the design and delivery of complex and adaptive clinical trial designs for chronic health conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: We conducted a rapid review to assess current status of PPI in the design and conduct of clinical trials in MS over the last 5 years. We provide a case study describing PPI in the development of a platform clinical trial in progressive MS.

Abiraterone acetate plus prednisolone with or without enzalutamide for patients with metastatic prostate cancer starting androgen deprivation therapy: final results from two randomised phase 3 trials of the STAMPEDE platform protocol.

Background: Abiraterone acetate plus prednisolone (herein referred to as abiraterone) or enzalutamide added at the start of androgen deprivation therapy improves outcomes for patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Here, we aimed to evaluate long-term outcomes and test whether combining enzalutamide with abiraterone and androgen deprivation therapy improves survival.

Methods: We analysed two open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trials of the STAMPEDE platform protocol, with no overlapping controls, conducted at 117 sites in the UK and Switzerland.

Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparisons of Filgotinib vs Vedolizumab, Tofacitinib, and Ustekinumab for Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Where head-to-head trials are lacking, indirect comparative effectiveness can aid treatment decisions. We conducted matching-adjusted indirect comparisons of clinical outcomes with filgotinib vs recently approved comparators (vedolizumab, tofacitinib, ustekinumab) in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Individual patient data from the SELECTION trial (NCT02914522) for filgotinib 200 mg were weighted to match average baseline characteristics of active treatment and placebo arms in comparator trials.

Optimising recruitment in clinical trials for progressive multiple sclerosis: observational analysis from the MS-SMART and MS-STAT2 randomised controlled trials.

Background: Slower than planned recruitment is a major factor contributing to the delay or failure of randomised controlled trials to report on time. There is a limited evidence base regarding the optimisation of recruitment strategies. Here we performed an observational review of our experience in recruitment for two large randomised controlled trials for people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Docetaxel for Nonmetastatic Prostate Cancer: Long-Term Survival Outcomes in the STAMPEDE Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: STAMPEDE previously reported adding upfront docetaxel improved overall survival for prostate cancer patients starting long-term androgen deprivation therapy. We report long-term results for non-metastatic patients using, as primary outcome, metastatic progression-free survival (mPFS), an externally demonstrated surrogate for overall survival.

Methods: Standard of care (SOC) was androgen deprivation therapy with or without radical prostate radiotherapy.

Cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in PD-L1-positive metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab/chemotherapy combinations for previously untreated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients in the USA with PD-L1 combined positive score ≥10. A partitioned-survival model was developed to project health outcomes and direct medical costs over a 20-year time horizon. Efficacy and safety data were from randomized clinical trials.

Abiraterone acetate plus prednisolone for metastatic patients starting hormone therapy: 5-year follow-up results from the STAMPEDE randomised trial (NCT00268476).

Abiraterone acetate plus prednisolone (AAP) previously demonstrated improved survival in STAMPEDE, a multiarm, multistage platform trial in men starting long-term hormone therapy for prostate cancer. This long-term analysis in metastatic patients was planned for 3 years after the first results. Standard-of-care (SOC) was androgen deprivation therapy.

The agenda of the global patient reported outcomes for multiple sclerosis (PROMS) initiative: Progresses and open questions.

On 12 September 2019, the global Patient Reported Outcome for Multiple Sclerosis (PROMS) Initiative was launched at the 35th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS). The multi-stakeholder PROMS Initiative is jointly led by the European Charcot Foundation (ECF) and the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF), with the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Society (AISM) acting as the lead agency for and on behalf of the global MSIF movement. The initiative has the ambitious mission to (i) maximize the impact of science with and of patient input on the life of people affected by MS, and (ii) to represent a unified view on Patient-Reported Outcomes for MS to people affected by MS, healthcare providers, regulatory agencies and Health Technologies Assessments agencies.

Designing Multi-arm Multistage Adaptive Trials for Neuroprotection in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

There are few treatments shown to slow disability progression in progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS). One challenge has been efficiently testing the pipeline of candidate therapies from preclinical studies in clinical trials. Multi-arm multistage (MAMS) platform trials may accelerate evaluation of new therapies compared to traditional sequential clinical trials.

Abiraterone acetate and prednisolone with or without enzalutamide for high-risk non-metastatic prostate cancer: a meta-analysis of primary results from two randomised controlled phase 3 trials of the STAMPEDE platform protocol.

Background: Men with high-risk non-metastatic prostate cancer are treated with androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for 3 years, often combined with radiotherapy. We analysed new data from two randomised controlled phase 3 trials done in a multiarm, multistage platform protocol to assess the efficacy of adding abiraterone and prednisolone alone or with enzalutamide to ADT in this patient population.

Methods: These open-label, phase 3 trials were done at 113 sites in the UK and Switzerland.

Long-term outcomes of adults with acute respiratory failure treated with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is increasingly used for severe but potentially reversible acute respiratory failure in adults; however, there are limited data regarding long-term morbidity. At our institution, most patients requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation have been followed up by a single physician. Our primary aim was to describe the serial long-term morbidity for respiratory, musculoskeletal and psychological functioning.

Quality of Life in Men With Prostate Cancer Randomly Allocated to Receive Docetaxel or Abiraterone in the STAMPEDE Trial.

Purpose: Docetaxel and abiraterone acetate plus prednisone or prednisolone (AAP) both improve survival when commenced alongside standard of care (SOC) androgen deprivation therapy in locally advanced or metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Thus, patient-reported quality of life (QOL) data may guide treatment choices.

Methods: A group of patients within the STAMPEDE trial were contemporaneously enrolled with the possibility of being randomly allocated to receive either docetaxel + SOC or AAP + SOC.

Online application for self-referral of the patients with breast symptoms.

Introduction: The study aimed to devise a self-referral mobile/web application for patients with new breast symptoms, giving them an outcome, thus bypassing the need for primary care consultation.

Methods: The online application was designed on the automated algorithm based on evidence-based guidelines for referral to breast onco-plastic units. A retrospective questionnaire-based anonymous survey was carried out at the breast unit in Southend University Hospital (January 2019 to March 2020).

Concordance between adolescents and parents on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: Analysis of an Australian nationally representative sample.

Objective: Differences between adolescent self-reported and parent-reported emotional and behavioural difficulties may influence psychiatric epidemiological research. This study examined concordance between adolescents and their parents about mental health symptoms using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.

Methods: The study comprised a randomly selected, nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 11-17 years who participated in the Second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing ( = 2967).