Public Health Unit notifications of hepatitis C and their follow-up in South Western Sydney, Australia.

Objective: To determine hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment rates among those newly diagnosed with the virus in the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) in NSW, Australia.

Study Type: Cross-sectional study of patients newly diagnosed with HCV in SWSLHD, based on local Public Health Unit notification data from the second half of 2017.

Methods: A total of 200 consecutive notifications were enrolled in the study.

Acceptability and preferences of point-of-care finger-stick whole-blood and venepuncture hepatitis C virus testing among people who inject drugs in Australia.

Background: Uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing remains inadequate globally. Simplified point-of-care tests should enhance HCV diagnosis and elimination. We aimed to assess the acceptability of finger-stick and venepuncture HCV RNA testing among people who inject drugs (PWID).

Hepatitis C treatment for difficult to access populations: can telementoring (as distinct from telemedicine) help?

Background: Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is curable, treatment of difficult to access populations (DTAP) presents unique challenges. Project ECHO (PE) (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a telementoring programme adopted to support clinicians treating DTAP.

Aims: To determine if the PE model supports primary care clinicians treating HCV and to compare cohort of PE patients with those in a tertiary liver clinic (TLC).

The use of ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection in the analysis of agrochemical residues and mycotoxins in food - challenges and applications.

In the field of food contaminant analysis, the most significant development of recent years has been the integration of ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC), coupled to tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS/MS), into analytical applications. In this review, we describe the emergence of UHPLC through technological advances. The implications of this new chromatographic technology for MS detection are discussed, as well as some of the remaining challenges in exploiting it for chemical residue applications.

Maximum residue level validation of triclabendazole marker residues in bovine liver, muscle and milk matrices by ultra high pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Triclabendazole is the only anthelmintic drug, which is active against immature, mature and adult stages of fluke. The objective of this work was to develop an analytical method to quantify and confirm the presence of triclabendazole residues around the MRL. In this work, a new analytical method was developed, which extended dynamic range to 1-100 and 5-1000 μg kg(-1) for milk and tissue, respectively.

Investigation of the persistence of nitroxynil residues in milk from lactating dairy cows by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Nitroxynil is an anthelmintic used in the treatment of liver fluke. In this study, six dairy cows were treated during lactation with Trodax, a 34% solution containing nitroxynil as its N-ethylglucamine salt, indicated for the treatment of fascioliasis in cattle and sheep. Samples were collected twice daily for 16 days and later at weekly intervals up to 58 days post-treatment.

Investigation of the persistence of levamisole and oxyclozanide in milk and fate in cheese.

In this study, dairy cows (n = six) were treated with an oral combination product containing levamisole (5 mg/kg body weight, (bw)) and oxyclozanide (10 mg/kg bw). Animals were milked twice daily up to day 16 post-treatment. Milk samples were subsequently analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

A dual validation approach to detect anthelmintic residues in bovine liver over an extended concentration range.

This paper describes a method for the detection and quantification of 38 residues of the most widely used anthelmintics (including 26 veterinary drugs belonging to the benzimidazole, macrocyclic lactone and flukicide classes) in bovine liver using two different protocols for MRL and non-MRL levels. A dual validation approach was adopted to reliably quantify anthelmintic residues over an extended concentration range (1-3000 μg kg(-1)). Sample extraction and purification was carried out using a modified QuEChERS method.

Determination of anthelmintic drug residues in milk using ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with rapid polarity switching.

A new UHPLC-MS/MS (ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry) method was developed and validated to detect 38 anthelmintic drug residues, consisting of benzimidazoles, avermectins and flukicides. A modified QuEChERS-type extraction method was developed with an added concentration step to detect most of the analytes at <1 microg kg(-1) levels in milk. Anthelmintic residues were extracted into acetonitrile using magnesium sulphate and sodium chloride to induce liquid-liquid partitioning followed by dispersive solid phase extraction for cleanup.

Benzimidazole carbamate residues in milk: Detection by Surface Plasmon Resonance-biosensor, using a modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) method for extraction.

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor screening assay was developed and validated to detect 11 benzimidazole carbamate (BZT) veterinary drug residues in milk. The polyclonal antibody used was raised in sheep against a methyl 5(6)-[(carboxypentyl)-thio]-2-benzimidazole carbamate protein conjugate. A sample preparation procedure was developed using a modified QuEChERS method.

Teaching young children to cross roads safely.

Road safety education is considered essential to teach children to interact with traffic safely. Many programs, however, do not consider the separate component skills of the road-crossing task, the functional and behavioural factors that may put some children at increased risk, and the most beneficial methods to transfer knowledge to improved behaviour in real-world environments. A targeted and practical training program using a simulated road environment has been developed and evaluated amongst primary school children using a randomised controlled trial.

It cannot be all about safety: the benefits of prolonged mobility.

Objectives: While there is much emphasis on managing the safety of older road users, there is limited understanding and recognition of the significance of mobility and transportation needs, mobility changes in later life, and the impact of reduced mobility on quality of life. Moreover, there is little information about the measures that can be taken to increase or at least maintain mobility in older age.

Method: A systematic literature review was undertaken to address the issues associated with the transportation and mobility needs of older road users.

The impacts of functional performance, behaviour and traffic exposure on road-crossing judgements of young children.

Using data from i) a simulated road-crossing task, ii) a battery of functional performance assessments, and iii) a survey of parents, some factors that may predict poor road-crossing skill were identified. Children aged between 6 and 10 years made road-crossing decisions in a simulated road environment in which time gap and speed of approaching vehicles were manipulated. Functional performance was examined using a range of tools designed to assess cognitive, perceptual, attentional and executive functioning.