Epidemiology of Lymphatic Filariasis Antigen and Microfilaria in Samoa, 2019: 7-9 Months Post Triple-Drug Mass Administration.

The elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem remains an ongoing challenge in the Pacific region. This study reports on antigen (Ag) and microfilaria (Mf) prevalence in Samoa in 2019, 7-9 months after the completion of the first round of triple-drug mass drug administration (MDA). It evaluates the effectiveness of the intervention for reducing Ag prevalence to below a 2% threshold, and how this differs between 5-9-year-olds and ≥10-year-olds.

Satisfaction of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Towards the Provision of Healthcare Services at a Tertiary Care Setting in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune-mediated neurological disorder and the most frequent neurological disability in young adults. Assessing MS patient satisfaction with care is necessary to evaluate healthcare service quality and factors impacting it.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the satisfaction of patients with MS towards the provision of healthcare services, and the factors affecting their satisfaction.

The estimation of health state utility values for psychological distress in Australia: Implications for future economic evaluations.

Objectives: Psychological distress is a state of emotional suffering and discomfort that often manifests as anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms, impairing daily functioning, and hindering concentration, relationships, and work or school performance. We aimed to examine the disutility associated with psychological distress.

Methods: We utilized longitudinal data obtained from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey.

A Pooled Pharmacokinetic Analysis for Piperacillin/Tazobactam Across Different Patient Populations: From Premature Infants to the Elderly.

Background And Objectives: The pharmacokinetics (PK) of piperacillin/tazobactam (PIP/TAZ) is highly variable across different patient populations and there are controversies regarding non-linear elimination as well as the fraction unbound of PIP (f). This has led to a plethora of subgroup-specific models, increasing the risk of misusing published models when optimising dosing regimens. In this study, we aimed to develop a single model to simultaneously describe the PK of PIP/TAZ in diverse patient populations and evaluate the current dosing recommendations by predicting the PK/pharmacodynamics (PD) target attainment throughout life.

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine dependence: a case report involving daily methamphetamine use.

Methamphetamine (MA) dependence leads to severe physical and psychological issues. Current treatments, including psychosocial therapies and residential rehabilitation, face limitations such as high relapse rates, cost, and accessibility issues. As a result, there is an urgent need for novel approaches to treat MA dependence that are effective, affordable, and accessible to patients.

A quality improvement program to reduce surgical site infections after cardiac surgery: A 10-year cohort study.

Objectives: To assess trends in surgical site infection (SSI) incidence in cardiosurgery following a quality improvement initiative in infection prevention and control (IP&C).

Methods: This is a historical cohort study encompassing a 10-year surveillance period (2014-2023) in a cardiosurgical department in a multi-organ transplant center. The study encompassed three periods: a baseline period (Phase_1: January 2014-December 2018); an implementation phase covering quality improvement initiatives targeting various aspects of IP&C including organizational factors, pre-operative, intra-operative, post-operative measures, and post-hospitalization care (Phase_2: January 2019-June 2021); a post-implementation phase (Phase_3: July 2021-September 2023).

Müllerian anomalies and endometriosis: associations and phenotypic variations.

Müllerian anomalies are congenital conditions characterized by the incomplete development of the female reproductive tract. Women affected by Müllerian anomalies often display additional malformations of the renal, skeletal, and cardiovascular system, and are at a higher risk for infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Several Müllerian anomalies have been reported in association with endometriosis, but it is unclear if all classes or anatomical variations are associated with the disease.

Lisdexamfetamine in the treatment of methamphetamine dependence: A randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Aims: This study tested the efficacy and safety of a 12-week course of lisdexamfetamine in reducing methamphetamine use, an outcome which is associated with improvements in health and wellbeing, in people dependent on methamphetamine.

Design, Setting And Participants: This study was a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted in six specialist outpatient clinics in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle and Sydney, Australia (2018-2021). Participants were164 adults with methamphetamine dependence, reporting at least 14 use days out of the previous 28 days (62% male, 38% female, < 1% other; mean age 39 years).

Diagnostic accuracy of neonatal structural MRI scores to predict 6-year motor outcomes of children born very preterm.

Aims: This study aimed to (1) evaluate associations between Early and Term structural MRI (sMRI) brain abnormality scores and adverse motor outcomes at 6-years corrected age (CA), (2) determine their diagnostic accuracy in predicting adverse motor outcomes and cerebral palsy (CP) at 6-years CA.

Methods: Infants born < 31-weeks gestational age (GA) returning for 6-year follow-up were included. Early and Term sMRI were scored using a validated method, deriving white matter, cortical grey matter, deep grey matter, cerebellar and global brain abnormality scores (GBAS).

Expanding the reach of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among Kenyan adolescent girls and young women: the acceptability of HIV PrEP integration into post-abortal care services.

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) seeking post-abortal care (PAC) remain at risk of unintended pregnancies and HIV due to infrequent condom use. Integrating HIV prevention services, such as PrEP, into PAC services offers an opportunity to enhance reach, uptake, and efficiency, particularly in high-burden settings like Kenya. However, data on acceptability, feasibility, and sustainability of PAC clinics as entry points for PrEP is limited.

Meropenem-resistant Burkholderia pseudomallei: a concerning single case in Australia with no prior meropenem exposure.

We report a case of cutaneous melioidosis in a 54-year-old male with a meropenem-resistant sub-population. He was empirically treated with episodic doxycycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole; however, the abscess re-accumulated. The patient had no prior exposure to meropenem.

Immunoaffinity-enriched salivary small extracellular vesicles in periodontitis.

Aim: aliva extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as a significant reservoir of biomarkers that may be of clinical use in disease diagnosis. Saliva, however, contains EVs of both host- and bacterial- origin. Identifying suitable EVs for disease diagnosis involves enriching host EVs and limiting non-host contamination with effective isolation methods.

Increased Herpes simplex virus 1, Toxoplasma gondii and Cytomegalovirus antibody concentrations in severe mental illness.

Infections with Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) and Toxoplasma gondii (TG) have been implicated in severe mental illness. All three pathogens have high seroprevalence in the human population, are neurotropic and establish a persistent infection. We hypothesized that exposed (seropositive) patients with severe mental illness would show higher immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations than exposed healthy controls (HC).

Hospital-Acquired Complications in Critically Ill Children and PICU Length of Stay, Duration of Respiratory Support, and Economics: Propensity Score Matching in a Single-Center Cohort, 2015-2020.

Objectives: To identify the health and economic costs of hospital-acquired complications (HACs) in children who require PICU admission.

Design: Propensity score matched cohort study analyzing routinely collected medical and costing data collected by the health service over 6 years (2015-2020).

Setting: Tertiary referral PICU in Queensland, Australia.

Risk of mortality in Fusobacterium species bloodstream infection from a large Australian cohort.

Background: Fusobacterium species are anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli which are uncommon causes of bloodstream infection (BSI). This genus commonly colonises the gastrointestinal tract and can result in significant morbidity.

Methods: All blood cultures with growth of Fusobacterium species among residents of Queensland, Australia (population ≈ 5 million) were retrospectively identified over a 20-year period.

Population pharmacokinetics of caspofungin in critically ill patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-an ASAP ECMO study.

This study aimed to describe the population pharmacokinetics of caspofungin in critically ill patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and to identify dosing regimens with a high likelihood of achieving effective exposures. Serial blood samples were collected over a single-dosing interval during ECMO. Total plasma concentrations were measured by a validated chromatographic assay.

A systematic review and individual bacterial species level meta-analysis of in vitro studies on the efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam combined with other antimicrobials against carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB) develop resistance to many antimicrobials. To effectively manage infections caused by these organisms, novel agents and/or combinations of antimicrobials are required.

Objectives: Evaluated the in vitro efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam in combination with other antimicrobials against CR-GNB.

Validity of prenatal AUDIT screening for alcohol disorders - a Nationwide Swedish register study.

Objective: This study aims to assess the external validity of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in Swedish prenatal care as an indicator for alcohol-addiction disorders, and to characterize women with mismatched information in healthcare registers.

Design: This study was designed as a National register-based study.

Setting: Sweden.

Magnetic Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Breast Cancer Patients: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis of Tracer Uptake.

Background: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIO) are emerging as a viable alternative to technetium and blue dye. Our study was designed to evaluate the correlation between SPIO dose, injection site, and timing with sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection and iron content in retrieved SLNs.

Methods: This study combined individual patient data from three Dutch and five Swedish studies.

Development of a natural rubber latex-based biodevice with mesenchymal stem cells as a potential treatment for skeletal muscle regeneration in gestational diabetes-induced myopathy.

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus show a high risk of developing Gestational Diabetes Induced Myopathy (GDiM). GDiM is characterized by significant pelvic floor skeletal muscle atrophy and urinary incontinence. This study aimed to develop a natural rubber latex (NRL) based biodevice with mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (MSCs) for skeletal muscle regeneration for women with GDiM.

A Pilot Study of PSMA PET/CT and MRI Fusion for Prostate Cancer: Software to Replace PET/MRI Hardware.

: Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT), in combination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may enhance the diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer. Image fusion of separately acquired PET/CT and MRI images serve to facilitate clinical integration and treatment planning. This study aimed to investigate different PSMA PET/CT and MRI image fusion workflows for prostate cancer visualisation.