Targeted sequencing of bacteria using CRISPR-Cas9 enrichment and Oxford Nanopore Technologies.

Unlabelled: Sequencing DNA directly from patient samples enables faster pathogen characterization compared to traditional culture-based approaches, but often yields insufficient sequence data for effective downstream analysis. CRISPR-Cas9 enrichment is designed to improve the yield of low abundance sequences but has not been thoroughly explored with Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) for use in clinical bacterial epidemiology. We designed CRISPR-Cas9 guide RNAs to enrich the human pathogen , by targeting multi-locus sequence type (MLST) and transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, as well as common antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and the resistance-associated integron gene .

Physical Function Following Total Knee Arthroplasty for Osteoarthritis: A Longitudinal Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

To explore the extent of functional improvement following primary total knee arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis and to compare the trajectories of self-reported and performance-based measures of physical function. Longitudinal systematic review with meta-analysis We searched 3 electronic databases from January 2005 to February 2023 for longitudinal cohort studies involving adults with knee osteoarthritis undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty. Estimates of self-reported and performance-based physical function were extracted presurgery and up to 5 years postsurgery.

Exploring whether home-based neuromodulation can boost the analgesic effects of exercise in people with knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a double-blinded, pilot randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) represents a leading cause of disability globally. Exercise has been demonstrated to improve pain and function in people with knee OA. However, when in pain, commencement of exercise is difficult, and clinical effects with such interventions are often modest.

Insights From the Development of a Dynamic Consent Platform for the Australians Together Health Initiative (ATHENA) Program: Interview and Survey Study.

Background: Dynamic consent has the potential to address many of the issues facing traditional paper-based or electronic consent, including enrolling informed and engaged participants in the decision-making process. The Australians Together Health Initiative (ATHENA) program aims to connect participants across Queensland, Australia, with new research opportunities. At its core is dynamic consent, an interactive and participant-centric digital platform that enables users to view ongoing research activities, update consent preferences, and have ongoing engagement with researchers.

Acoustic scattering by smooth and rough elastic cylinders insonified by directional sonars: Bistatic experiments.

Bistatic laboratory measurements are presented for acoustic scattering from both smooth and rough elastic cylinders insonified by directional spherical waves. A scattering model, accounting for incident directional spherical waves while assuming negligible end effects, was derived in a previous article [Mursaline, Stanton, Lavery, and Fischell, J. Acoust.

Adjunctive use of hypnosis for clinical pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Systematic reviews suggest that stand-alone hypnotic suggestions may improve pain outcomes compared with no treatment, waitlist, or usual care. However, in clinical practice, hypnosis is often provided adjunctively with other interventions, which might have different effects than those reported in previous reviews. This systematic review aimed to summarize the analgesic effects of adjunctive hypnosis in adults with clinical pain.

The impact of breaking up sitting during simulated nightshifts on musculoskeletal pain: A randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: Prolonged sitting is associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal pain, especially in nightshift workers. However, research investigating effects of breaking up sitting on musculoskeletal pain during nightshifts is lacking. This study evaluated effects of prolonged sitting or breaking up sitting with short bouts of light-intensity physical activity on pain in healthy adults during simulated nightshifts.

The relationship between sustained hamstring pain and reorganisation of somatosensory representations: a randomised, controlled study.

Recurrent hamstring injuries are highly prevalent amongst sporting populations. It has been hypothesised that pain from an initial hamstring injury may induce reorganisation of somatosensory representations that could contribute to reinjury. However, because of the cross-sectional nature of existing research, it remains unknown whether somatosensory changes are a cause or effect of pain or if they are driven by other potentially confounding factors.

The effectiveness of peer support interventions for community-dwelling adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials.

This systematic review and meta-analysis critically examined the evidence for peer support interventions to reduce pain and improve health outcomes in community-dwelling adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain (PROSPERO CRD42022356850). A systematic search (inception-January 2023) of electronic databases and grey literature was undertaken to identify relevant randomised controlled trials, with risk of bias and GRADE assessments performed on included studies. Meta-analyses used a generic, inverse-variance, random-effects model, calculating mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD).

The influence of threat on visuospatial perception, affordances, and protective behaviour: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Perception has been conceptualised as an active and adaptive process, based upon incoming sensory inputs, which are modified by top-down factors such as cognitions. Visuospatial perception is thought to be scaled based on threat, with highly threatening objects or contexts visually inflated to promote escape or avoidance behaviours. This meta-analytical systematic review quantified the effect and evidence quality of threat-evoked visuospatial scaling, as well as how visuospatial scaling relates to affordances (perceived action capabilities) and behavioural avoidance/escape outcomes.

2024 CSANZ Position Statement on Indications, Assessment and Monitoring of Structural and Valvular Heart Disease With Transthoracic Echocardiography in Adults.

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the most widely available and utilised imaging modality for the screening, diagnosis, and serial monitoring of all abnormalities related to cardiac structure or function. The primary objectives of this document are to provide (1) a guiding framework for treating clinicians of the acceptable indications for the initial and serial TTE assessments of the commonly encountered cardiovascular conditions in adults, and (2) the minimum required standard for TTE examinations and reporting for imaging service providers. The main areas covered within this Position Statement pertain to the TTE assessment of the left and right ventricles, valvular heart diseases, pericardial diseases, aortic diseases, infective endocarditis, cardiac masses, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases associated with cancer treatments or cardio-oncology.

Painful distortions: people with painful knee osteoarthritis have biased visuospatial perception of the environment.

Visuospatial perception is thought to be adaptive-ie, hills are perceived as steeper when capacity is low, or threat is high-guiding appropriate interaction with the environment. Pain (bodily threat) may similarly modulate visuospatial perception, with the extent of modulation influenced by threat magnitude (pain intensity, fear) and associated with behaviour (physical activity). We compared visuospatial perception of the environment between 50 people with painful knee osteoarthritis and 50 age-/sex-matched pain-free control participants using 3 virtual reality tasks (uphill steepness estimation, downhill steepness estimation, and a distance-on-hill measure), exploring associations between visuospatial perception, clinical characteristics (pain intensity, state and trait fear), and behaviour (wrist-worn accelerometry) within a larger knee osteoarthritis group (n = 85).

People with painful knee osteoarthritis hold negative implicit attitudes towards activity.

Negative attitudes/beliefs surrounding osteoarthritis, pain, and activity contribute to reduced physical activity in people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). These attitudes/beliefs are assessed using self-report questionnaires, relying on information one is consciously aware of and willing to disclose. Automatic (ie, implicit) assessment of attitudes does not rely on conscious reflection and may identify features unique from self-report.

Age-related changes in responsiveness to non-invasive brain stimulation neuroplasticity paradigms: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objectives: We aimed to summarise and critically appraise the available evidence for the effect of age on responsiveness to non-invasive brain stimulation (NBS) paradigms delivered to the primary motor cortex.

Methods: Four databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and Scopus) were searched from inception to February 7, 2023. Studies investigating age group comparisons and associations between age and neuroplasticity induction from NBS paradigms were included.

Blood Pressure Lowering in Patients With Central Hypertension: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Cuff blood pressure (BP) is recommended for guiding hypertension management. However, central BP has been proposed as a superior clinical measurement. This study aimed to determine whether controlling hypertension as measured by central BP was beneficial in reducing left ventricular mass index beyond control of standard cuff hypertension.

Participant characteristics and reasons for non-consent to health information linkage for research: experiences from the ATHENA COVID-19 study.

Background: The linkage of primary care, hospital and other health registry data is a global goal, and a consent-based approach is often used. Understanding the attitudes of why participants take part is important, yet little is known about reasons for non-participation. The ATHENA COVID-19 feasibility study investigated: 1) health outcomes of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Queensland, Australia through primary care health data linkage using consent, and 2) created a cohort of patients willing to be re-contacted in future to participate in clinical trials.

Waiting in Pain II: An Updated Analysis of the Multidisciplinary Staffing Levels and Clinical Activity in Australian Specialist Persistent Pain Services.

This study provides an update on multidisciplinary staffing and clinical activity in Australian specialist persistent pain services. Of the 109 services identified, 57 responded, met inclusion criteria and completed a study-specific questionnaire detailing service characteristics, staff resources, and clinical activities. Where possible, data were compared between the 'Waiting in Pain' (WIP) investigations (WIP-I: Dec'08-Jan'10, WIP-II: Jul'16-Feb'18).

Haemoperitoneum due to ovarian rupture after oocyte retrieval procedure.

Transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval is the gold-standard technique for oocyte retrieval that has few associated procedural and post-procedural complications. Rarely, severe complications can occur including haemoperitoneum, for which the incidence reported in the literature is approximately 0.08-0.

What I see and what I feel: the influence of deceptive visual cues and interoceptive accuracy on affective valence and sense of effort during virtual reality cycling.

Background: How we feel during exercise is influenced by exteroceptive (, vision) and interoceptive (, internal body signals) sensory information, and by our prior experiences and expectations. Deceptive visual cues about one's performance during exercise can increase work rate, without negatively impacting affective valence (good/bad responses) or perceived exertion. However, what is less understood is whether the perception of the exercise experience itself can be shifted, if work rate is held constant.