Laterally Dispersing Nozzles for Needle-assisted Jet Injection.

Most transdermal drug delivery systems are designed to inject drugs through the skin in a direction normal to the skin surface. However, in some applications, such as local anaesthesia, it is desirable to disperse the drug in a direction parallel to the surface of the skin. In this paper we present nozzles for needle-assisted jet injection that are designed to laterally disperse the fluid drug at a chosen depth in tissue.

Evolving Threat of Community Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Upper Extremity Infections in the South Pacific: 2011-2015.

Community Acquired Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) rates have been increasing worldwide and contribute to a growing "global health security threat" as reported by the WHO. Our group previously reported an overall rate of 7% in CA-MRSA upper extremity infections between 2004-2009 at the Auckland Regional Hand Unit. This fell below the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendation for empiric antimicrobial cover once local rates exceed 10-15%.

Next-generation sequencing targeted disease panel in rod-cone retinal dystrophies in Māori and Polynesian reveals novel changes and a common founder mutation.

Importance: This study identifies unique genetic variation observed in a cohort of Māori and Polynesian patients with rod-cone retinal dystrophies using a targeted next-generation sequencing retinal disease gene panel.

Background: With over 250 retinal disease genes identified, genetic diagnosis is still only possible in 60-70% of individuals and even less within unique ethnic groups.

Design: Prospective genetic testing in patients with rod-cone retinal dystrophies identified from the New Zealand Inherited Retinal Disease Database, PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen patients of Māori and Polynesian ancestry.

In vivo confocal microscopy analyses of corneal microstructural changes in a prospective study of collagen cross-linking in keratoconus.

Purpose: To use in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) to quantitatively analyze microstructural changes over time, after corneal collagen cross-linking for keratoconus.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Participants: A total of 38 eyes of 38 patients undergoing collagen cross-linking for keratoconus.