Publications by authors named "Heath C"
Background: Limited data exist regarding outcomes of cryptococcosis in patients without HIV with few studies having compared outcomes of Cryptococcus gattii, versus C. neoformans, infection.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in 46 Australian and New Zealand hospitals to determine the outcomes of cryptococcosis in patients without HIV diagnosed between 2015 and 2019, and compared outcomes of C.
The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), HAR1A is emerging as a putative tumour suppressor. In non-neoplastic brain cells, REST suppresses HAR1A expression. In gliomas REST acts as an oncogene and is a potential therapeutic target.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: International consensus definitions for invasive aspergillosis (IA) in research are rigorous, yet clinically significant cases are often excluded from clinical studies for not meeting proven/probable IA case definitions. To better understand reasons for the failure to meet criteria for proven/probable infection, we herein review 47 such cases for their clinical and microbiological characteristics and outcomes.
Methods: Data on 47 cases that did not meet consensus IA definitions but were deemed significant were derived from a retrospective, observational, multicenter survey of 382 presumed IA cases across Australasia, of which findings of 221 proven/probable infections were recently published.
Introduction: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common, chronic inflammatory skin disease, but the physical and emotional burden of patients with SD experience has not been well characterized.
Methods: The Harris Poll conducted online surveys of US patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) from December 2021 to January 2022.
Results: Almost half of patients reported that SD negatively impacts their emotional and physical well-being "a lot/a great deal"; HCPs underestimate the level of impact on patients.
Article Synopsis
- * Factors like healthcare access, environment, and socioeconomic status contribute to these disparities, with systemic racism exacerbating the issue for minority groups.
- * The text discusses the root causes of these racial/ethnic differences in AD and suggests strategies for better diagnosis and management of the condition.
Article Synopsis
- Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common inflammatory skin condition that affects patients' quality of life, but its causes and mechanisms are not well understood, making effective diagnosis critical.
- An online survey conducted through the Harris Poll revealed that many patients (71%) were unaware of SD prior to diagnosis and experienced significant delays (average of 3.6 years) in seeking medical attention, often due to misconceptions about the severity of their symptoms.
- The survey also indicated that patients feel embarrassed discussing their symptoms (58%), with many preferring to see dermatology specialists, highlighting a gap in understanding between patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) regarding symptom severity and management preferences.
Background: Following reduction of public health and social measures concurrent with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron emergence in late 2021 in Australia, COVID-19 case notification rates rose rapidly. As rates of direct viral testing and reporting dropped, true infection rates were most likely to be underestimated.
Objective: To better understand infection rates and immunity in this population, we aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Australians aged 0-19 years.
Oral liquid prednisolone medications have poor acceptance among paediatric patients due to ineffective masking of the bitterness taste of prednisolone. This study aimed to develop a child-friendly prednisolone tablet using a patented chewable chocolate-based delivery system (CDS) previously applied successfully to mask the bitterness tastes of midazolam and tramadol. Prednisolone sodium phosphate (PSP) and prednisolone base (PB) CDS tablets were prepared, and the manufacturing process was optimised using a design of experiments (DoE) approach.
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- Sign-trackers show heightened responsiveness to cues linked with rewards, which may help understand psychiatric conditions.
- Research indicates dopamine activity in the nucleus accumbens core (NAc) is tied to sign-tracking, but specific impacts on synaptic properties remain unclear.
- A study found that experiencing a reward-paired cue without the reward decreased dendritic spine density in rats, especially in females, while increasing a presynaptic activity marker, emphasizing gender differences in behavior and neurobiology.
Background: Despite the acknowledgment of the importance of social determinants of health (SDOH) on clinical outcomes, few clinical trials provide information about SDOH. Including these markers in pediatric dermatologic clinical trials may lead to improved care and novel observations about the disease.
Objective: Using a systematic review, assess the use of SDOH in pediatric dermatology clinical trials.
Article Synopsis
- - Tinea capitis is a contagious fungal infection affecting children, with significant public health implications due to its prevalence, risk factors, and potential long-term effects if untreated; regional variations exist in causative agents, primarily Trichophyton in North America and Microsporum globally.
- - Diagnosis primarily involves clinical evaluation, microscopic examination, and fungal culture, while treatment options include systemic antifungals, particularly terbinafine for Trichophyton infections; accurate diagnosis and patient education are critical for successful outcomes.
- - Preventative measures focus on early detection and healthy habits, emphasizing the need for collaboration between healthcare providers and public health agencies to improve treatment effectiveness and community awareness to reduce the infection's spread.
Background: Gambling advertising employs a range of persuasive strategies. We therefore aimed to evaluate a counter-advertising intervention video to increase resilience to gambling advertising persuasion.
Methods: Three in-depth focus groups were conducted, and each group contained a mixture of gambling-related academics (N = 12) and experts with lived experience of gambling-related harm (N = 10).
Article Synopsis
- Acne vulgaris is a complex skin condition with both inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions, and using combination topical therapies can effectively target multiple causes in a single treatment.
- Clindamycin phosphate/benzoyl peroxide/adapalene is the first FDA-approved triple therapy that shows significant effectiveness against acne while having a low side effect profile.
- A literature review from 2018 to 2023 examined various combination treatments and found that these multi-drug formulations improve patient adherence and offer a promising solution for managing acne vulgaris.
In the mouse embryonic forebrain, developmentally distinct oligodendrocyte progenitor cell populations and their progeny, oligodendrocytes, emerge from three distinct regions in a spatiotemporal gradient from ventral to dorsal. However, the functional importance of this oligodendrocyte developmental heterogeneity is unknown. Using a genetic strategy to ablate dorsally derived oligodendrocyte lineage cells (OLCs), we show here that the areas in which dorsally derived OLCs normally reside in the adult central nervous system become populated and myelinated by OLCs of ventral origin.
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- The study investigates the effectiveness and optimal duration of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) combined with postoperative radiotherapy for patients with localized prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy.
- A randomised controlled trial, RADICALS-HD, compared short-course ADT (6 months) to long-course ADT (24 months) among participants who met specific criteria, including PSA levels and absence of metastatic disease.
- The primary outcome measured was metastasis-free survival, with the trial aiming to determine if longer ADT duration leads to better survival rates, involving over 1,500 patients from 2008 to 2015.
Background: The optimal timing of radiotherapy (RT) after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer has been uncertain. RADICALS-RT compared efficacy and safety of adjuvant RT versus an observation policy with salvage RT for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure.
Patients And Methods: RADICALS-RT was a randomised controlled trial enrolling patients with ≥1 risk factor (pT3/4, Gleason 7-10, positive margins, preoperative PSA≥10 ng/ml) for recurrence after radical prostatectomy.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated how introducing draught alcohol-free beer in pubs and bars in England affected the sales of alcoholic beverages and overall revenue.
- It involved a randomized crossover trial in 14 venues, alternating between periods of selling the alcohol-free option and normal operations over eight weeks.
- Findings showed that the sale of draught alcoholic beer dropped by 4% to 5% with the introduction of alcohol-free beer, but there was no significant change in total revenue from all drinks.
Objective: To conduct an environmental scan and appraisal of online patient resources to support rheumatoid arthritis (RA) flare self-management.
Methods: We used the Google search engine (last search March 2023) using the terms "rheumatoid arthritis" and "flare management." Additional searches targeted major arthritis organizations, as well as regional, national, and international resources.