The Reemergence of Syphilis Among Females of Reproductive Age and Congenital Syphilis in Victoria, Australia, 2010 to 2020: A Public Health Priority.

Background: Syphilis notifications in Victoria, Australia, have been increasing over the past decade, with an increase in infectious syphilis (syphilis of less than 2 years in duration) cases in females of reproductive age and an associated reemergence of congenital syphilis (CS). Before 2017, there had been 2 CS cases in the preceding 26 years. This study describes the epidemiology of infectious syphilis among females of reproductive age and CS in Victoria.

Clinical, ultrasound and histopathological correlation of clinically N0 neck nodes in patients with cancers of the pharynx and larynx.

Background: The presence of metastatic cervical adenopathy is essential for treatment planning and prognosis assessment. Treatment of patients with head and neck cancer with clinically negative cervical lymphadenopathy (N0) remains controversial. Neck palpation, as the method used in tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging, has limitations and can provide false negative results in some cases.

Clinical manifestations of invasive meningococcal disease in Victoria with the emergence of serogroup W and serogroup Y Neisseria meningitidis.

Background: Historically, Australian cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) have been most frequently caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, but recently an increase in cases due to serogroup W (MenW) and serogroup Y (MenY) has occurred.

Aim: To determine whether clinical manifestations of IMD have changed due to increased incidence of MenW and MenY.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of IMD cases notified to the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria, Australia.

MicroRNA Expression is Associated with Sepsis Disorders in Critically Ill Polytrauma Patients.

A critically ill polytrauma patient is one of the most complex cases to be admitted to the intensive care unit, due to both the primary traumatic complications and the secondary post-traumatic interactions. From a molecular, genetic, and epigenetic point of view, numerous biochemical interactions are responsible for the deterioration of the clinical status of a patient, and increased mortality rates. From a molecular viewpoint, microRNAs are one of the most complex macromolecular systems due to the numerous modular reactions and interactions that they are involved in.

New Molecular and Epigenetic Expressions as Novel Biomarkers in Critically Ill Polytrauma Patients with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).

Background: A high percentage of the critically ill polytrauma patients develop acute kidney injury (AKI) secondary to trauma and are therefore prone to high morbidity and mortality rates. One of the main objectives in these cases is the fast detection of the condition and continuous rigorous monitoring of the patients. Currently the panel of biomarkers available for monitoring and for the prognosis of AKI is limited.

Partner Notification Outcomes for Men Who Have Sex With Men Diagnosed With Syphilis Referred to Partner Notification Officers, Melbourne, Australia.

Background: We examined the extent of partner notification for men who have sex with men (MSM) who were diagnosed with syphilis, and offered referral to a partner notification officer (PNO), to assist them with informing recent sexual partners.

Methods: Between October 2013 and March 2015, MSM diagnosed with syphilis at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre were routinely offered a referral to a PNO. The outcomes of this intervention were evaluated including the proportion of men who accepted PNO services and the number of sexual partners informed by the PNO.

Findings and lessons learnt from implementing Australia's first health service based take-home naloxone program.

Introduction And Aims: Opioid overdose prevention programs providing take-home naloxone have been expanding internationally. This paper summarises findings and lessons learnt from the Overdose Prevention and Emergency Naloxone Project which is the first take-home naloxone program in Australia implemented in a health care setting.

Methods: The Project intervention provided education and take-home naloxone to opioid-using clients at Kirketon Road Centre and The Langton Centre in Sydney.

Reducing injecting-related injury and diseases in people who inject drugs: Results from a clinician-led brief intervention.

Background: The burden of disease associated with injecting-related injury and diseases (IRIDs) is significant among people who inject drugs (PWID).

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate a clinician-led brief intervention involving safer injecting messages and demonstration of safer injecting techniques at the time of venepuncture for serological testing.

Methods: We conducted a before and after evaluation study.

Electrostatic Generation of Bulk Acoustic Waves and Electrical Parameters of Si-MEMS Resonators.

This paper proposes an analytical approach to model the generation of bulk acoustic waves in an electrostatically excited silicon MEMS structure, as well as its electromechanical response in terms of static and dynamic displacements, electromechanical coupling, and motional current. The analysis pertains to the single-port electrostatic drive of trapped-energy thickness-extensional (TE) modes in thin plates. Both asymmetric single-side and symmetric double-side electrostatic gap configurations are modeled.

Surveillance of injecting-related injury and diseases in people who inject drugs attending a targeted primary health care facility in Sydney's Kings Cross.

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of injecting-related injuries and diseases (IRIDs) and associated risk factors among people who inject drugs (PWID) attending a primary health care facility in Sydney's Kings Cross.

Methods: We calculated prevalence of a wide range of IRIDs utilising data reported by 702 PWID who completed a clinician-administered survey at their first visit. Multivariable logistic regressions identified factors independently associated with at least one episode of: i) cutaneous and ii) non-cutaneous IRIDs.

Mycobacterium chelonae abscesses associated with biomesotherapy, Australia, 2008.

An outbreak of skin abscesses occurred in Adelaide, Australia, in association with biomesotherapy, an alternative therapy practice. Mycobacterium chelonae was identified in 8 patient and 3 environmental samples. Our findings show M.

Troglitazone attenuates TGF-β1-induced EMT in alveolar epithelial cells via a PPARγ-independent mechanism.

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists are effective antifibrotic agents in a number of tissues. Effects of these agents on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of primary alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) and potential mechanisms underlying effects on EMT have not been well delineated. We examined effects of troglitazone, a synthetic PPARγ agonist, on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced EMT in primary rat AEC and an alveolar epithelial type II (AT2) cell line (RLE-6TN).