Update and Advances on Post-dural Puncture Headache.

This document provides an overview of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), covering its historical perspective, anatomy and physiology of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options. PDPH is a common complication of dural puncture, characterized by a postural headache due to CSF leakage. The understanding of CSF and dural anatomy has evolved over time, leading to advancements in diagnosing and managing PDPH.

Neuro-ophthalmological manifestations of sarcoidosis.

Neuro-sarcoidosis has important ophthalmic and neuro-ophthalmic manifestations. Sarcoidosis most commonly affects the uveal tract (iris, ciliary body, and choroid) however the optic nerve is commonly involved. Sarcoid related optic neuritis is an important differential diagnosis in optic neuritis especially in atypical presentations.

Endophthalmitis: Changes in Presentation, Management and the Role of Early Vitrectomy.

Endophthalmitis is a sight-threatening condition, and its timely and appropriate management is essential in preventing permanent vision loss. Recent changes in clinical practice in endophthalmitis and advances in modern vitreoretinal surgery may limit the applicability of established randomised clinical trial evidence to current management. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathophysiology, changing patient presentation, diagnosis and advances in the management of endophthalmitis, presenting the existing literature on this topic and results from Sydney Eye Hospital.

Impact on patient management of non-mydriatic fundus photography compared to direct ophthalmoscopy in a regional Australian emergency department.

Objective: To investigate the management impact of non-mydriatic fundus photography (NMFP) implementation for appropriate ED patients; compare the diagnostic accuracy of direct ophthalmoscopy (DO) and NMFP, and determine the prevalence of fundus pathology in a regional Australian ED.

Methods: This before/after crossover study prospectively enrolled patients presenting with headache, neurological deficit, visual disturbance and/or hypertensive urgency. Patients received DO examination, then separate NMFP examination.

Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor versus panretinal LASER photocoagulation for proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To systematically review and perform a meta-analysis on the available evidence for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy versus panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis PARTICIPANTS: Randomized clinical trials included participants ≥18 years old with clinical or angiographic evidence of PDR. Interventions included were anti-VEGF monotherapy and PRP.

Offline Learning with a Selection Hyper-Heuristic: An Application to Water Distribution Network Optimisation.

A sequence-based selection hyper-heuristic with online learning is used to optimise 12 water distribution networks of varying sizes. The hyper-heuristic results are compared with those produced by five multiobjective evolutionary algorithms. The comparison demonstrates that the hyper-heuristic is a computationally efficient alternative to a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm.

Ocular Toxoplasmosis in a Tertiary Referral Center in Sydney Australia-Clinical Features, Treatment, and Prognosis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to provide a retrospective analysis of the presentation, demographics, and treatment regimens for ocular toxoplasmosis at a large tertiary referral uveitis center.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: A total of 48 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis who presented to Sydney Eye Hospital participated in this study.

Optic Perineuritis Due to Tuberculosis.

A 30-year-old man experienced subacute peripheral visual field loss with preserved central vision in his right eye. He was diagnosed with optic perineuritis due to tuberculosis. Optic perineuritis is an uncommon disorder and, at times, can be difficult to distinguish from optic neuritis.

Post-surgical versus post-intravitreal injection endophthalmitis: changing patterns in causative flora.

Importance: Endophthalmitis is a serious complication of intraocular procedures: knowledge of its causative organisms and outcomes may guide prevention and treatment.

Background: To determine the outcomes and spectrum of causative organisms in acute post-procedural endophthalmitis.

Design: A retrospective observational case series performed at a tertiary referral hospital during the period 1 July 2012 to 31 July 2017.

Treatment of bipolar depression with minocycline and/or aspirin: an adaptive, 2×2 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase IIA clinical trial.

Given evidence of chronic inflammation in bipolar disorder (BD), we tested the efficacy of aspirin and minocycline as augmentation therapy for bipolar depression. Ninety-nine depressed outpatients with BD were enrolled in a 6 week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, and randomized to one of four groups: active minocycline (100 mg b.i.

Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene expression in PC12 cells exposed to intermittent hypoxia.

Epidemiological studies show a strong correlation between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular disorders. OSA patients experience intermittent hypoxia (IH), characterized by brief, but recurring episodes of cessation in breathing. These patients have higher levels of circulating catecholamines and an increased incidence of hypertension; however the mechanisms defining this association are not clearly established.

HLA-B27 Anterior Uveitis: Immunology and Immunopathology.

Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) is the commonest type of uveitis and HLA-B27 AAU is the most frequently recognized type of acute anterior uveitis and anterior uveitis overall. Recent evidence indicates that acute anterior uveitis is a heterogenous disease, is polygenic and is frequently associated with the spondyloarthropathies (SpA). Studies of patients with AAU and animal models of disease indicate a role for innate immunity, the IL-23 cytokine pathway and exogenous factors, in the pathogenesis of both SpA and acute anterior uveitis.

Roll-to-Roll Nanomanufacturing of Hybrid Nanostructures for Energy Storage Device Design.

A key limitation to the practical incorporation of nanostructured materials into emerging applications is the challenge of achieving low-cost, high throughput, and highly replicable scalable nanomanufacturing techniques to produce functional materials. Here, we report a benchtop roll-to-roll technique that builds upon the use of binary solutions of nanomaterials and liquid electrophoretic assembly to rapidly construct hybrid materials for battery design applications. We demonstrate surfactant-free hybrid mixtures of carbon nanotubes, silicon nanoparticles, MoS2 nanosheets, carbon nanohorns, and graphene nanoplatelets.

Malignancy risk in patients with inflammatory eye disease treated with systemic immunosuppressive therapy: a tertiary referral cohort study.

Objective: To ascertain whether patients on long-term systemic immunosuppressive therapy for inflammatory eye disease (IED) are at increased risk of malignancy.

Design: A single-center, retrospective cohort study.

Participants: We included 190 adults with IED treated with corticosteroids only (n = 58) or systemic immunosuppression (n = 132) for ≥6 months between 1985 and 2007.

Genetic analysis of low BMI phenotype in the Utah Population Database.

The low body mass index (BMI) phenotype of less than 18.5 has been linked to medical and psychological morbidity as well as increased mortality risk. Although genetic factors have been shown to influence BMI across the entire BMI, the contribution of genetic factors to the low BMI phenotype is unclear.

Are patients with inflammatory eye disease treated with systemic immunosuppressive therapy at increased risk of malignancy?

The purpose of this study is to review the literature on the risk of malignancy in patients with inflammatory eye disease (IED) treated with systemic immunosuppressive (IS) therapy. Relevant databases in transplant medicine, autoimmune diseases and literature regarding uveitis and scleritis were reviewed. Literature with regards systemic IS therapy in transplant recipients and patients with autoimmune diseases revealed a significant increase in malignancies, especially non-melanocytic skin cancers and lymphomas.

Executive function in eating disorders: the role of state anxiety.

Objective: We examined the influence of depression and anxiety on executive function in individuals with a DSM-IV diagnosis of anorexia nervosa-restricting type, anorexia nervosa-binge-eating/purging type, bulimia nervosa, or eating disorder not otherwise specified.

Method: We assessed 106 women after their inpatient treatment in an eating disorders program. All participants were nutritionally stable at the time of testing.

Minocycline and aspirin in the treatment of bipolar depression: a protocol for a proof-of-concept, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2x2 clinical trial.

Introduction: New medication classes are needed to improve treatment effectiveness in the depressed phase of bipolar disorder (BD). Extant evidence suggests that BD is characterised by neural changes such as dendritic remodelling and glial and neuronal cell loss. These changes have been hypothesised to result from chronic inflammation.

Early-onset Major Depressive Disorder in men is associated with childlessness.

Methods: The self-reported number of children was compared for men and women from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcoholism and Related Conditions Survey (NESARC). Subjects with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder were compared to those without an axis I disorder. The effect of age, gender, marriage and diagnostic status on number of children was completed using multivariate analyses.

Phenomenology and epidemiology of panic disorder.

Panic disorder is a common and severe psychiatric disorder. The estimated current prevalence rate for panic disorder is 1% to 2% of the adult population. Panic disorder is commonly accompanied by major depression, substance use disorders, and other anxiety disorders.

Psychiatrists for medically complex patients: bringing value at the physical health and mental health/substance-use disorder interface.

Background: In their current configuration, traditional reactive consultation-liaison services see a small percentage of the general-hospital patients who could benefit from their care. These services are poorly reimbursed and bring limited value in terms of clinical improvement and reduction in health-service use.

Method: The authors examine models of cross-disciplinary, integrated health services that have been shown to promote health and lower cost in medically-complex patients, those with complicated admixtures of physical, mental, social, and health-system difficulties.

Rate of inpatient weight restoration predicts outcome in anorexia nervosa.

Objective: To examine weight restoration parameters during inpatient treatment as predictors of outcome in anorexia nervosa (AN).

Method: Adolescent and adult females admitted for inpatient eating disorder treatment were recruited for an ongoing longitudinal study. This analysis examined several weight restoration parameters as predictors of clinical deterioration after discharge among participants with AN.