Review article: The utility of troponin and other investigations in patients presenting to the emergency department with supraventricular tachycardia.

Patients with supraventricular tachycardia commonly present to the ED. There is a lack of consensus regarding assessment of these patients. Our aim was to determine the utility of troponin and four other investigations (full blood examination, electrolyte levels, thyroid function tests and chest X-rays) commonly requested for these patients.

Preparedness for treating victims of terrorist attacks in Australia: Learning from recent military experience.

The Australian health system is generally well prepared for mass casualty events. Fortunately, there have been very few terrorist attacks and these have involved low numbers of casualties compared with events overseas. Nevertheless, Australian health professionals need to be prepared to treat mass casualties with blast and ballistic trauma.

Missing data in trauma registries: A systematic review.

Background: Trauma registries play an integral role in trauma systems but their valid use hinges on data quality. The aim of this study was to determine, among contemporary publications using trauma registry data, the level of reporting of data completeness and the methods used to deal with missing data.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted of all trauma registry-based manuscripts published from 01 January 2015 to current date (17 March 2017).

Emergency Physician Interpretation of Point-of-care Ultrasound for Identifying and Grading of Hydronephrosis in Renal Colic Compared With Consensus Interpretation by Emergency Radiologists.

Objective: The ability of emergency physicians (EPs) to identify hydronephrosis using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been assessed in the past using computed tomography (CT) scans as the reference standard. We aimed to determine the ability of EPs to identify and grade hydronephrosis on POCUS using the consensus interpretation of POCUS by emergency radiologists as the reference standard.

Methods: The study was conducted at an urban academic emergency department (ED) as a secondary analysis of previously collected ultrasound data from the EP-performed POCUS databank.

Use of Idarucizumab for dabigatran reversal: Emergency department experience in two cases with subdural haematoma.

Introduction: Idarucizumab is the first effective humanized monoclonal antibody fragment developed specifically as a reversal agent for dabigatran, a Direct Oral Anticoagulant. Despite recent trials demonstrating reversal of clinically relevant bleeding, there is a paucity of data on use outside the trial setting. This manuscript describes the use of Idarucizumab to reverse dabigatran in two patients presenting to the emergency department of a major tertiary hospital with acute traumatic subdural haematomas (SDH).

Fractures of the femur and blood transfusions.

Background: Blood loss estimation after trauma (i.e. physical injury) and early identification of potential sources of bleeding are important for planning of investigation and management of trauma.

Pork proteins oxidative modifications under the influence of varied time-temperature thermal treatments: A chemical and redox proteomics assessment.

The impact of thermal processing on meat proteins oxidation was investigated. Cooking treatments included 58 °C for either 72 min or 17 h (mimicking low temperature-long time sous vide cooking), 80, 98 and 160 °C for 72 min (mimicking common cooked meat products, stewing and roasting, respectively) and 118 °C for 8 min (autoclaving). Tryptophan degradation, fluorescent oxidation products, free thiol content and α-aminoadipic and γ-glutamic semialdehydes were tracked.

Persistent symptoms and activity changes three months after mild traumatic brain injury.

Background/aim: Approximately, 80% of traumatic brain injuries are considered mild in severity. Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) may cause temporary or persisting impairments that can adversely affect an individual's ability to participate in daily occupations and life roles. This study aimed to identify symptoms, factors predicting level of symptoms and functional and psycho-social outcomes for participants with mTBI three months following injury.

Dairy Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: Do We Really Need to be Concerned?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain a major cause of death and morbidity globally and diet plays a crucial role in the disease prevention and pathology. The negative perception of dairy fats stems from the effort to reduce dietary saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake due to their association with increased cholesterol levels upon consumption and the increased risk of CVD development. Institutions that set dietary guidelines have approached dairy products with negative bias and used poor scientific data in the past.

Do patients with blunt thoracic aortic injury present to hospital with unstable vital signs? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is an uncommon diagnosis, usually developing as a consequence of high-impact acceleration-deceleration mechanisms. Timely diagnosis may enable early resuscitation and reduction of shear forces, essential to prevent worsening of the injury prior to definitive management. Death is commonly due to haemorrhagic shock, but clinical features may be absent until sudden and massive haemorrhage.

Management of injured patients who were Jehovah's Witnesses, where blood transfusion may not be an option: a retrospective review.

Introduction: Management of major haemorrhage as a result of trauma is particularly challenging when blood is not an option (BNAO). Evidence on therapeutic strategies in this situation is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the management and outcomes of patients who identified themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses (who usually refuse blood products) with traumatic haemorrhage at an Australian major trauma centre.

Effect of the Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) Program among senior school students.

Objective: The Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.

Rapid and safe discharge from the emergency department: A single troponin to exclude acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: To determine variables that could facilitate safe discharge from the ED following a single high-sensitivity troponin I (HsTnI) result to exclude acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed at a tertiary hospital of all patients that had serial HsTnI performed within 12 h of arrival to the ED over a 3 year period. The primary exposure variable of interest was a very low troponin initial result (HsTnI <5 ng/L).

Dextrose monohydrate as a non-animal sourced alternative diluent in high shear wet granulation tablet formulations.

The feasibility of dextrose monohydrate as a non-animal sourced diluent in high shear wet granulation (HSWG) tablet formulations was determined. Impacts of granulation solution amount and addition time, wet massing time, impeller speed, powder and solution binder, and dry milling speed and screen opening size on granule size, friability and density, and tablet solid fraction (SF) and tensile strength (TS) were evaluated. The stability of theophylline tablets TS, disintegration time (DT) and in vitro dissolution were also studied.

The role of host DNA ligases in hepadnavirus covalently closed circular DNA formation.

Hepadnavirus covalently closed circular (ccc) DNA is the bona fide viral transcription template, which plays a pivotal role in viral infection and persistence. Upon infection, the non-replicative cccDNA is converted from the incoming and de novo synthesized viral genomic relaxed circular (rc) DNA, presumably through employment of the host cell's DNA repair mechanisms in the nucleus. The conversion of rcDNA into cccDNA requires preparation of the extremities at the nick/gap regions of rcDNA for strand ligation.

Pedestrian traffic injury in Victoria, Australia.

Introduction: Road traffic injuries are the fifth leading cause of years of life lost, with pedestrians comprising 39% of all road deaths (Global Burden of Disease Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators [1]). Programs that use injury surveillance data to identify high-risk targets for intervention are known to be effective for reducing injury. This study aims to identify trends in the population incidence of pedestrian traffic injury (PTI) in Victoria, Australia.

Review article: NEXUS criteria to rule out cervical spine injury among older patients: A systematic review.

The National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS) criteria were derived from a heterogeneous group of adult blunt trauma patients, with the outcome measure assessed most commonly using plain X-ray radiographs. Recent observations have suggested inadequacy of these criteria for excluding injury in population subgroups such as the elderly. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the sensitivity of the NEXUS criteria in excluding cervical spine injury among older patients aged ≥65 years.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Comparing the Efficacy of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, Opioids, and Paracetamol in the Treatment of Acute Renal Colic.

Context: Renal colic is a common, acute presentation of urolithiasis that requires immediate pain relief. European Association of Urology guidelines recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as the preferred analgesia. However, the fear of NSAID adverse effects and the uncertainty about superior analgesic effect have maintained the practice of advocating intravenous opioids as the initial analgesia.

Prognostic value of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) for prediction of post-concussion symptoms following a mild traumatic brain injury: a systematic review.

Background: This systematic review aimed to determine the prognostic value of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) to predict post-concussion symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Methods: Seven databases were searched for studies evaluating the association between NSE levels and post-concussion symptoms assessed ≥ 3 months (persistent) or ≥ 7 days < 3 months (early) after mild TBI. Two researchers independently screened studies for inclusion, extracted data and appraised quality using the Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool.

Straight leg elevation to rule out pelvic injury.

Objective: Pelvic x-ray is frequently used as a screening tool during initial assessment of injured patients. However routine use in the awake and alert blunt trauma patient may be questioned due to low yield. We propose a clinical tool that may avoid unnecessary imaging by examining whether the ability to straight leg raise, without pain, can rule out pelvic injury.

Increasing workplace violence in an Australian adult emergency department.

Objective: Workplace violence (WPV) is an increasingly concerning occupational hazard within the ED. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the incidence and characteristics of WPV in an adult ED.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify the incidence of ED WPV in an adult metropolitan ED.

SCAT3 changes from baseline and associations with X2 Patch measured head acceleration in amateur Australian football players.

Objectives: To investigate changes from baseline on SCAT3 as a result of football game exposure, and association with X2 Patch measured head acceleration events in amateur Australian footballers.

Design: Prospective cohort.

Methods: Peak linear acceleration (PLA) of the head (>10 g) was measured by wearable head acceleration sensor X2 Biosystems X-Patch in male (n=34) and female (n=19) Australian footballers.

Prognostic Value of S-100β Protein for Prediction of Post-Concussion Symptoms after a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prognostic value of S-100β protein to identify patients with post-concussion symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). A search strategy was submitted to seven databases from their inception to October 2016. Individual patient data were requested.