Publications by authors named "Hall N"

Background: Support for the treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis with non-operative management rather than surgery has been increasing in the literature. We aimed to investigate whether treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis with antibiotics in children is inferior to appendicectomy by comparing failure rates for the two treatments.

Methods: In this pragmatic, multicentre, parallel-group, unmasked, randomised, non-inferiority trial, children aged 5-16 years with suspected non-perforated appendicitis (based on clinical diagnosis with or without radiological diagnosis) were recruited from 11 children's hospitals in Canada, the USA, Finland, Sweden, and Singapore.

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The transition to net zero emissions requires the capture of carbon dioxide from industrial point sources, and direct air capture (DAC) from the atmosphere for geological storage. Dissolved CO has reactivity to rock core, and while the majority of previous studies have concentrated on reservoir rock or cap-rock reactivity, the underlying seal formation may also react with CO. Drill core from the underlying seal of a target CO storage site was reacted at in situ conditions with pure CO, and compared with an impure CO stream with SO, NO and O that could be expected from hard to abate industries.

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Despite various intervention efforts, college drinking remains a concern, and while personalized normative feedback (PNF) has proven effective, attempts to deliver it in a way that minimizes reactance and maximizes student engagement have been slow to emerge. This study examined the short-term effects of CampusGandr, a mobile gamified PNF intervention for college students. The game took place over 16 weeks (1 round per week) during the fall semester and included weekly PNF on various topics related to college life, including alcohol.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the prevalence and factors related to depression and anxiety among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the UK, revealing that significant portions experience these mental health issues.
  • Participants completed an online survey that assessed mental health history and treatment preferences, finding that over half had a history of diagnosed depression and many preferred in-person support.
  • The results indicated that certain demographics, including age and gender, as well as factors like self-efficacy and current treatment, were significantly related to the levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, but differences in symptoms were not influenced by the kidney service centers’ location or size.
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Somion occarium is a wood-decaying bracket fungus belonging to an order known to be rich in useful chemical compounds. Despite its widespread distribution, S. occarium has been assessed as endangered on at least one national Red List, presumably due to loss of old-growth forest habitat.

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  • Many agricultural watersheds depend on voluntary management practices (MPs) to improve water quality by reducing nutrient and sediment runoff, but the effectiveness of these practices is unclear.
  • Analysis of water-quality data from three prioritized Chesapeake Bay watersheds (Smith Creek, Upper Chester River, and Conewago Creek) from 1985 to 2020 reveals inconsistent outcomes, with some areas seeing no decrease in nutrient or sediment loads despite an increase in MPs.
  • The study suggests that while MPs may have prevented further water-quality decline, real improvements will likely require lowering manure and fertilizer applications, underscoring the need for long-term monitoring to evaluate MP effectiveness.
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Background And Aims: Observational healthcare data are an important tool for delineating patients' inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) journey in real-world settings. However, studies that characterize IBD cohorts typically rely on a single resource, apply diverse eligibility criteria, and extract variable sets of attributes, making comparison between cohorts challenging. We aim to longitudinally describe and compare IBD patient cohorts across multiple geographic regions, employing unified data and analysis framework.

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Background: Perianal abscess (PA), with or without fistula-in-ano (FIA) is common in infants. Treatment options include incision and drainage under general anaesthesia or non-operative treatments, such as antibiotics and/or aspiration under local anaesthetic, which avoid the risks of surgery. Current management is based on surgeon preference due to a poor underlying evidence base.

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The translation of nucleotide sequences into amino acid sequences, governed by the genetic code, is one of the most conserved features of molecular biology. The standard genetic code, which uses 61 sense codons to encode one of the 20 standard amino acids and 3 stop codons (UAA, UAG, and UGA) to terminate translation, is used by most extant organisms. The protistan phylum Ciliophora (the 'ciliates') are the most prominent exception to this norm, exhibiting the grfeatest diversity of nuclear genetic code variants and evidence of repeated changes in the code.

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Kalirin is a multidomain protein with important roles in neurite outgrowth, and synaptic spine formation and remodeling. Genetic and pathophysiological links with various neuropsychiatric disorders associated with synaptic dysfunction and cognitive impairment have sparked interest in its potential as a pharmacological target. Multiple Kalirin proteoforms are detected in the adult human brain, yet we know little about the diversity of the transcripts that encode them or their tissue profiles.

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Background: Ganglioneuroblastoma intermixed (GNBi) and ganglioneuroma (GN) represent benign variants of peripheral neuroblastic tumours. While historically surgical resection was recommended, watchful active observation has become the accepted management for a subset of patients.

Objectives: To review clinical features, biology, natural history and management of a retrospective UK CCLG study cohort of GN and GNBi, and compare outcomes of patients treated with surgical resection or watchful active observation.

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Background And Objective: This study aimed to investigate the rate of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in the fellow eye of patients after developing an RRD in one eye.

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with a new RRD diagnosis in the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) from 2016 to 2020. The association between risk factors of RRD and fellow-eye RRD was evaluated using Cox regression.

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Background: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a debilitating psychiatric illness whose symptoms frequently emerge during adolescence. Initial studies in adults suggest that the interpersonal difficulties common in BPD may emerge from disrupted processing of social and emotional stimuli. Less is known about these processes in adolescents with BPD symptoms, despite substantial changes in socioemotional processing during this developmental period.

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Background: Neonates undergoing emergency abdominal surgery frequently require a stoma; closing this stoma with a second operation is an essential part of recovery. Timing of closure varies. Optimal timing is unclear and would be best resolved through a randomised controlled trial; such a trial is likely to be challenging.

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Background: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers are employed to improve the diagnostic yield when testing for Hirschsprung disease (HSCR). Yet, a superior test has not been identified.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of IHC markers.

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The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive species native to China. It was first discovered in the United States in Pennsylvania in 2014. It is known to cause great economic damage by destroying various crops, specifically grape vines, and therefore, several efforts have been made to control and mitigate its spread from the Northeast.

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Purpose: Breast cancer is a significant global health issue, contributing to 15% of cancer-related deaths. Our laboratory has pioneered a novel approach, combining Ayurvedic principles with green nanotechnology, to develop a scientifically rigorous medical modality referred to as Nano-Ayurvedic Medicine, recently approved by the US Patents and Trademarks Office. Here in we report a new Nano-Ayurvedic medicine agent derived from gold nanoparticles encapsulated with phytochemicals from plant (GB-AuNPs).

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Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a sudden lack of blood flow to a limb, primarily caused by arterial embolism and thrombosis. Various experimental animal models, including non-invasive and invasive methods, have been developed and successfully used to induce limb ischemia-reperfusion injuries (L-IRI). However, there is no consensus on the methodologies used in animal models for L-IRI, particularly regarding the assessment of functional recovery.

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Article Synopsis
  • Detection canines face challenges in detecting explosives due to varying environmental conditions, which can hinder their sensory capabilities.
  • This study used an air dilution olfactometer to measure how different temperatures and humidity levels affected dogs' ability to detect four types of explosives: smokeless powder, C4, ammonium nitrate, and TNT.
  • Results showed that dogs performed best under standard conditions, with notable reductions in detection sensitivity for smokeless powder and ammonium nitrate in extreme temperatures, while effects on C4 and TNT were also significant, indicating a complex relationship between environmental factors and detection performance.
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Introduction: Heroin dependence is a public health concern in Australia. High mortality rates, increased risk of physical/mental health comorbidities and increased risk of social issues contribute to a high personal and societal cost. The aim of this paper is to understand the societal cost of heroin dependence in an Australian population.

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