3T sodium-MRI as predictor of neurocognition in nondemented older adults: a cross sectional study.

Dementia is a burgeoning global problem. Novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics beyond volumetry may bring new insight and aid clinical trial evaluation of interventions early in the Alzheimer's disease course to complement existing imaging and clinical metrics. To determine whether: (i) normalized regional sodium-MRI values (Na-SI) are better predictors of neurocognitive status than volumetry (ii) cerebral amyloid PET status improves modelling.

Esophago-gastric junction findings on high resolution impedance manometry in children with esophageal atresia.

Objectives: Using high resolution impedance manometry (HRIM), this study characterized the esophago-gastric junction (EGJ) dynamics in children with esophageal atresia (EA).

Method: Esophageal HRIM was performed in patients with EA aged less than 18 years. Objective motility patterns were analyzed, and EGJ data reported.

Atrial Fibrillation Catheter Ablation vs Medical Therapy and Psychological Distress: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation on mental health outcomes is not well understood.

Objective: To determine whether AF catheter ablation is associated with greater improvements in markers of psychological distress compared with medical therapy alone.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The Randomized Evaluation of the Impact of Catheter Ablation on Psychological Distress in Atrial Fibrillation (REMEDIAL) study was a randomized trial of symptomatic participants conducted in 2 AF centers in Australia between June 2018 and March 2021.

Prognostic indicators for survival in surgically managed small intestinal obstruction in pet rabbits: 141 presentations (2011-2021).

Objective: To determine prognostic relevance of various patient factors and intraoperative variables associated with surgical management of small intestinal obstruction in pet rabbits.

Animals: 114 pet rabbits with 141 presentations of small intestinal obstruction treated surgically between June 2011 and December 2021.

Methods: In a retrospective observational study design, medical records were reviewed for rabbits with small intestinal obstruction that had undergone surgical intervention.

WHAM-A Prospective Study of Weight and Body Composition After Risk-Reducing Bilateral Salpingo-oophorectomy.

Context: Body weight and composition may change over the natural menopause transition. Whether surgical menopause has similar effects, and the impact of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), are unknown. Understanding the metabolic effects of surgical menopause will inform clinical care.

Impact of Catheter Ablation on Cognitive Function in Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Control Trial.

Background: Early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) has been reported following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. However, whether POCD is persistent long-term is unknown.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if AF catheter ablation is associated with persistent cognitive dysfunction at 12-month follow-up.

Effect of Catheter Ablation Using Pulmonary Vein Isolation With vs Without Posterior Left Atrial Wall Isolation on Atrial Arrhythmia Recurrence in Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: The CAPLA Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) alone is less effective in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with paroxysmal AF. The left atrial posterior wall may contribute to maintenance of persistent AF, and posterior wall isolation (PWI) is a common PVI adjunct. However, PWI has not been subjected to randomized comparison.

How often do cancer researchers make their data and code available and what factors are associated with sharing?

Background: Various stakeholders are calling for increased availability of data and code from cancer research. However, it is unclear how commonly these products are shared, and what factors are associated with sharing. Our objective was to evaluate how frequently oncology researchers make data and code available and explore factors associated with sharing.

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia (qPAD) using a large sample of staff from Australian residential aged care homes.

Background: The Questionnaire on Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia (qPAD) is increasingly being used to assess residential aged care workers' knowledge and attitudes about palliative care for people with dementia. The qPAD developers performed an exploratory factor analysis and assessed the internal consistency using a small sample.

Aim: The aim of this study was to further assess the structural validity of the qPAD using a large sample of qPAD responses from staff who work in residential aged care homes in Australia.

Catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: A multicenter randomized trial of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) versus PVI with posterior left atrial wall isolation (PWI) - The CAPLA study.

Background: The success of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is reduced in persistent AF (PsAF) compared to paroxysmal AF. Adjunctive ablation strategies have failed to show consistent incremental benefit over PVI alone in randomized studies. The left atrial posterior wall is a potential source of non-PV triggers and atrial substrate which may promote the initiation and maintenance of PsAF.

Interpretation of clinical studies in electrophysiology: statistical considerations for the clinician.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) outcome studies play an essential role in the development of clinical evidence to improve the management of AF patients. Understanding the statistical considerations involved in study design and interpretation is crucial if electrophysiologists are to change practice. In this review, with the guidance of a medical statistician and a clinical trialist we provide an overview of important statistical issues for the clinician, with a focus on clinical studies in AF ablation.

Funding of prostate magnetic resonance imaging leads to fewer biopsies and potential savings to health systems in the management of prostate cancer.

Objectives: To assess the impact of the introduction of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate (mpMRIp) on the number of prostate biopsies performed in Australia.

Methods: Australian Medicare published statistics from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2019 were obtained from publically available databases for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, prostate biopsy, and mpMRIp. Analysis was divided into three time periods broadly based on availability of mpMRI to the Australian public: 2007-2012 (no mpMRIp), 2012-2018 (mpMRIp available, privately funded), and 2018-2019 (mpMRIp available with Medicare funding).

Assessment of serum symmetric dimethylarginine and creatinine concentrations in hyperthyroid cats before and after a fixed dose of orally administered radioiodine.

Background: Serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is a sensitive renal biomarker for detecting early chronic kidney disease (CKD) in nonhyperthyroid cats, but knowledge regarding its performance in hyperthyroid cats remains limited.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between serum SDMA, creatinine and total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations in hyperthyroid cats before (T0) and 3 months after (T1) receiving a PO fixed dose of radioiodine.

Animals: Eighty client-owned hyperthyroid cats.

The Adaptation to Mandarin-Accented English by Older, Hearing-Impaired Listeners Following Brief Exposure to the Accent.

Purpose The language processing of Mandarin-accented English (MAE) by older hearing-impaired (OHI), older normally hearing (NH), and younger NH listeners was explored. We examined whether OHI adults have more difficulty than NH listeners in recognizing and adapting to MAE speech productions after receiving brief training with the accent. Method Talker-independent adaptation was evaluated in an exposure training study design.

Organotypic Cocultures of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived-Neurons with Mammalian Inner Ear Hair Cells and Cochlear Nucleus Slices.

Stem cells have been touted as a source of potential replacement neurons for inner ear degeneration for almost two decades now; yet to date, there are few studies describing the use of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for this purpose. If stem cell therapies are to be used clinically, it is critical to validate the usefulness of hPSC lines and . Here, we present the first quantitative evidence that differentiated hPSC-derived neurons that innervate both the inner ear hair cells and cochlear nucleus neurons in coculture, with significantly more new synaptic contacts formed on target cell types.

The effect of physiological state, milk production traits and environmental conditions on milk fat globule size in cow's milk.

This research was carried out to quantify the effects of a range of variables on milk fat globule (MFG) size for a herd of Holstein-Friesian cows managed through an automatic milking system with year-round calving. We hypothesised that the overall variation in average MFG size observed between individual animals of the same herd cannot sufficiently be explained by the magnitude of the effects of variables that could be manipulated on-farm. Hence, we aimed to conduct an extensive analysis of possible determinants of MFG size, including physiological characteristics (parity, days in milk, days pregnant, weight, age, rumination minutes, somatic cell count) and milk production traits (number of milkings, milk yield, fat yield, protein and fat content, fat-protein ratio) on the individual animal level; and environmental conditions (diet, weather, season) for the whole herd.

Assessment of treatment outcomes in hyperthyroid cats treated with an orally administered fixed dose of radioiodine.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to describe the treatment outcomes following oral administration of a fixed dose (138 MBq; 3.7 mCi) of radioiodine in hyperthyroid cats and to examine the correlation between total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations before and after treatment.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that documented the TT4 concentration and clinicopathological parameters at the time of diagnosis and after treatment.

Associations between embryo grading and congenital malformations in IVF/ICSI pregnancies.

Research Question: Does the quality of transferred embryos have an impact on the rate of congenital malformations in IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)-conceived babies?

Design: Retrospective cohort study involving 6637 pregnancies of ≥20 weeks' gestation from women undergoing embryo transfer with a single Day 5 embryo at a private multisite IVF clinic between 2005 and 2015. Embryos were classified as good quality (n = 5537) or poor quality (n = 1100) based on an internal grading system of morphological parameters; malformation rates were compared.

Results: In pregnancies proceeding to delivery (≥20 weeks' gestation), poor quality embryos were associated with increased odds of at least one anomaly (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.

Practitioners' perceptions of the ASQ-TRAK developmental screening tool for use in Aboriginal children: A preliminary survey.

Aim: To determine health practitioners' experience of using the culturally adapted Ages and Stages Questionnaire - Talking about Raising Aboriginal Kids (ASQ-TRAK) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 (ASQ-3) with Australian Aboriginal families and their perception about parents' acceptability and understanding of the instruments.

Methods: We surveyed a convenience sample of practitioners who had used both the ASQ-TRAK and the ASQ-3 developmental screening tools with Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory and South Australia. We compared their experience and perception about parents' acceptability and understanding of both instruments.

The effect of recumbency position on the ultrasound measurement of the canine adrenal gland in non-adrenal gland illness.

Abdominal ultrasound is frequently used to assess the canine adrenal gland (AG) and subjective and objective features of normal AGs have been described. The effect of the dogs' recumbency position on the accuracy of AG measurement acquisition is not known. This prospective study, performed in dogs with non-adrenal illness, compared ultrasonographic AG measurements made in dogs placed in dorsal recumbency with those made in left or right lateral recumbency.

Tensions in post-examination feedback: information for learning versus potential for harm.

Objective: Self-regulation is recognised as being a requisite skill for professional practice This study is part of a programme of research designed to explore efficient methods of feedback that improve medical students' ability to self-regulate their learning. Our aim was to clarify how students respond to different forms and content of written feedback and to explore the impact on study behaviour and knowledge acquisition.

Methods: Year 2 students in a 4-year graduate entry medical programme completing four formative progress tests during the academic year were randomised into three groups receiving different feedback reports.

Impact of menopausal status on negative mood and depressive symptoms in a longitudinal sample spanning 20 years.

Objective: Studies examining depressive symptoms and negative mood across the postmenopause are lacking, particularly those that examine prevalence in early and late postmenopause. This study examines negative mood and depressive occurrence in the menopausal stages to provide a better understanding of prevalence of mood disturbance during this period.

Methods: This study was a longitudinal assessment of variables drawn from an epidemiological prospective study of women's healthy aging.

Risk Factors for Graves' Orbitopathy; the Australian Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy Research (ATOR) Study.

Context: Previous association studies suggest the development of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is variably influenced by environmental risk factors.

Objective: To determine the risk factors and predict odds for developing GO in Graves' hyperthyroidism (GH).

Design: Case-control study.