Australian Gonococcal Surveillance Program, 1 January to 31 March 2024.

The Australian National Neisseria Network (NNN) comprises reference laboratories in each state and territory that report data on antimicrobial susceptibility testing to an agreed group of antimicrobial agents for the Australian Gonococcal Surveillance Programme (AGSP). The AGSP data are presented quarterly in tabulated form, as well as in the AGSP annual report. This report presents national gonococcal antimicrobial resistance surveillance data from 1 January to 31 March 2024.

Physical Activity and Life Expectancy Free of Cancer: Prospective Evidence From the UK Biobank Study.

Background: Life expectancy free of cancer (LEFC) is a novel measure that considers both morbidity and mortality and could be a useful metric for disease surveillance and risk communication. We aimed to examine the association between physical activity and LEFC in British adults.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of 292,559 apparently healthy UK Biobank participants (mean [SD] age, 56.

Sociocultural and perinatal health factors associated with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.

While previous research has examined perinatal factors in the context of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), studies focusing on sociocultural factors is limited. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis utilizing data from the Australian Autism Biobank (AAB), which encompasses autistic children aged 2-17, their siblings, parents, and unrelated controls. Employing multivariable regression analyses, we aimed to identify factors associated with ASD across various domains, spanning health and lifestyle, perinatal, and postnatal contexts.

Antimicrobial proteins from oyster hemolymph improve the efficacy of conventional antibiotics.

Discovering new antibiotics and increasing the efficacy of existing antibiotics are priorities to address antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial proteins and peptides (AMPPs) are considered among the most promising antibiotic alternatives and complementary therapies. Here, we build upon previous work investigating the antibacterial activity of a semi-purified hemolymph protein extract (HPE) of the Australian oyster Saccostrea glomerata.

Functional validation of a novel STAT3 'variant of unknown significance' identifies a new case of STAT3 GOF Syndrome and reveals broad immune cell defects.

Introduction: STAT3 orchestrates crucial immune responses through its pleiotropic functions as a transcription factor. Patients with germline monoallelic dominant negative or hypermorphic STAT3 variants, who present with immunodeficiency and/or immune dysregulation, have revealed the importance of balanced STAT3 signaling in lymphocyte differentiation and function, and immune homeostasis. Here, we report a novel missense variant of unknown significance in the DNA binding domain of STAT3 in a patient who experienced hypogammaglobulinemia, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, immune thrombocytopenia, eczema and enteropathy over a 35-year period.

Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics illuminate bat immunity and barrier tissue evolution.

Bats have adapted to pathogens through diverse mechanisms, including increased resistance - rapid pathogen elimination, and tolerance - limiting tissue damage following infection. In the Egyptian fruit bat (an important model in comparative immunology) several mechanisms conferring disease tolerance were discovered, but mechanisms underpinning resistance remain poorly understood. Previous studies on other species suggested that elevated basal expression of innate immune genes may lead to increased resistance to infection.

Optimising Instrumented Mouthguard Data Analysis: Video Synchronisation Using a Cross-correlation Approach.

Purpose: Head acceleration events (HAEs) are a growing concern in contact sports, prompting two rugby governing bodies to mandate instrumented mouthguards (iMGs). This has resulted in an influx of data imposing financial and time constraints. This study presents two computational methods that leverage a dataset of video-coded match events: cross-correlation synchronisation aligns iMG data to a video recording, by providing playback timestamps for each HAE, enabling analysts to locate them in video footage; and post-synchronisation event matching identifies the coded match event (e.

Novel technique and outcomes of umbilical reconstruction during cytoreductive surgery; a multi-centre study.

Background: The goal of cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal malignancy is to remove all macroscopic disease, which occasionally requires the excision of the umbilicus. While the absence of the umbilicus can be aesthetically undesirable for patients, umbilical reconstruction is rarely performed due to the perceived complexity and increased risk of wound infections (Sakata et al. in Colorectal Dis 23:1153-1157, 2021).

Composite Primary Outcomes Reported in Studies of Critical Care: A Scoping Review.

Objective: Composite primary outcomes (CPO) (incorporating both mortality and non-mortality outcomes) offer several advantages over mortality as an outcome for critical care research. Our objective was to explore and map the literature to report on CPO evaluated in critical care research.

Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, and Cochrane Library from January 2000 to January 2024.

A Systematic Review of International Bereavement Models of Care and Implementation Barriers and Facilitators.

Bereavement care can facilitate adjustment to death and reduce immediate distress and long-term morbidity, mortality and health service utilisation. This systematic review aimed to identify international models of bereavement care, and barriers and facilitators to implementing such models. A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO identified 64 studies for inclusion.

On the Mechanism of Light-Driven O Evolution by the Mn(III) Complex [Mn(salpd)(OH)] and Quinone.

In this study, we apply TD-DFT and DFT calculations to explore the mechanistic details of O evolution in an artificial system that closely resembles Photosystem II (PSII). The reaction involves mononuclear Mn(III) complex [Mn(salpd)(OH)] and -benzoquinone under light-driven conditions. Our calculations reveal that the Schiff-base ligand salpd plays a crucial role in several key steps of the reaction, including the light-mediated oxidation of [Mn(salpd)(OH)] to [Mn(salpd)(OH)] by -benzoquinone, the subsequent oxidation of [Mn(salpd)(OH)] to the key Mn(V) intermediate [Mn(salpd)(O)], and the critical O-O bond formation step.

The Blood-Cerebrospinal Fluid Barrier as a Potential Entry Site for the SARS-CoV-2 Virus.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an RNA virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets the lungs and airways, it can also infect other organs, including the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the choroid plexus could serve as a potential entry site for SARS-CoV-2 into the brain.

Effect of a Medication Adherence Education Intervention on Clinical Outcomes in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study.

Background: Low adherence to Oral Antidiabetic Drugs (OADs) in adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) leads to complications, death, and increased healthcare costs.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of medication adherence education interventions for the clinical outcomes of adults with T2DM.

Materials And Methods: Seventy adults with T2DM from an outpatient clinic in the City of Ardabil, Iran, participated in this study.

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Endovascular vs. Surgical Treatment in Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Study Design: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of surgical and endovascular treatments for SDAVFs.

Summary Of Background Data: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) result from an abnormal connection between the radiculomeningeal artery and the radicular vein, leading to venous hypertension and potential neurological damage.

Carbonic Anhydrase IX Targeted Polyaspartamide fluorescent Probes for Tumor imaging.

Background: Precise intraoperative tumor delineation is essential for successful surgical outcomes. However, conventional methods are often incompetent to provide intraoperative guidance due to lack specificity and sensitivity. Recently fluorescence-guided surgery for tumors to delineate between cancerous and healthy tissues has attracted widespread attention.

NutriBase - management system for the integration and interoperability of food- and nutrition-related data and knowledge.

Introduction: Contemporary data and knowledge management and exploration are challenging due to regular releases, updates, and different types and formats. In the food and nutrition domain, solutions for integrating such data and knowledge with respect to the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) principles are still lacking.

Methods: To address this issue, we have developed a data and knowledge management system called NutriBase, which supports the compilation of a food composition database and its integration with evidence-based knowledge.

Integrating microfluidics, hydrogels, and 3D bioprinting for personalized vessel-on-a-chip platforms.

Thrombosis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, presents a complex challenge in cardiovascular medicine due to the intricacy of clotting mechanisms in living organisms. Traditional research approaches, including clinical studies and animal models, often yield conflicting results due to the inability to control variables in these complex systems, highlighting the need for more precise investigative tools. This review explores the evolution of thrombosis models, from conventional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based microfluidic devices to advanced hydrogel-based systems and cutting-edge 3D bioprinted vascular constructs.

Health literacy and medication adherence in adults from ethnic minority backgrounds with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a systematic review.

Background: For people living with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), achieving optimal health outcomes requires optimal self-management and adherence to medical treatment. While some studies suggest an association between poor medication adherence and lower levels of health literacy, the evidence for this association remains inconclusive. This systematic review aimed to synthesise the evidence on the association between health literacy and medication adherence among adults from ethnic minority backgrounds living with T2DM.

Electrostatic and Electronic Effects on Doped Nickel Oxide Nanofilms for Water Oxidation.

An ideal water-splitting electrocatalyst is inexpensive, abundant, highly active, stable, selective, and durable. The anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the main bottleneck for H production with a complex and not fully resolved mechanism, slow kinetics, and high overpotential. Nickel oxide-based catalysts (NiO) are highly active and cheaper than precious metal catalysts.

Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations Leading the Way in Child Health Research.

Historically, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research in Australia has adhered to Western research paradigms and contributed to the adverse impacts of colonisation. However, recent developments driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and scholars, and development of ethical guidelines for research, have promoted a more inclusive and collaborative research landscape. In this study, published papers and internal documents arising from a long-term partnership between Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre (MWRC) and the University of Sydney (USYD) from 2009 to 2023 were analysed using the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Quality Appraisal Tool and consultations with project partners.