Assessment of the quality of life comparison between open and endovascular aortic arch surgery: a pilot study.

Background: Advancement in endovascular endografts have paved the way to the possibility of performing endovascular aortic arch repair in recent years. This has started to supersede the need for open aortic arch surgery. There remains a paucity of data looking into the quality of life comparison between open aortic arch surgery and endovascular aortic arch repair.

Nanopore sequencing as a novel method of characterising anorexia nervosa risk loci.

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a polygenic, severe metabopsychiatric disorder with poorly understood aetiology. Eight significant loci have been identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability was estimated to be ~ 11-17, yet causal variants remain elusive. It is therefore important to define the full spectrum of genetic variants in the wider regions surrounding these significantly associated loci.

Healthcare burden of public hospital gout admissions in New South Wales, Australia.

Background And Aims: In New Zealand, the Māori and Pacific Islander population has a higher rate of hospital admissions for gout; however, we lack data for these population groups who reside in Australia. This study examined the pattern of hospital gout admissions in New South Wales (NSW), the most populous state of Australia, with a particular focus on the Māori and Pacific Islander population.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study exploring the pattern of gout admissions in NSW public hospitals in the financial years 2017/2018 to 2019/2020.

The management of splanchnic vein thrombosis in acute pancreatitis: a global DELPHI consensus study.

Background: Splanchnic vein thrombosis (SpVT) occurs in 17%-23 % of acute pancreatitis cases. Serious sequelae include hepatic and bowel ischaemia. However, management with therapeutic anticoagulation remains controversial due to potential bleeding risk.

Emergency care experiences of patients known to palliative care services and their family: A qualitative interview study.

Background: With aging and comorbid populations and healthcare services under pressure, emergency department presentations related to palliative care needs are increasing. Little is known about patient and family experiences of care in this context. This study explores the emergency department care experiences of palliative patients and their family members.

The Effects of Neuroinflammation Induced by Typhoid Vaccine on Resting and Task-Based Electroencephalography.

Introduction: Considerable evidence suggests a pathophysiological role of neuroinflammation in psychiatric disorders. Lumbar puncture and positron emission tomography (PET) show increased levels of inflammation in psychiatric disorders. However, the invasive nature of these techniques, as well as their expense, make them undesirable for routine use in patients.

A systematic review of short- compared with standard-length Exeter stems in primary total hip arthroplasty.

Aims: The Exeter femoral stem has a cemented, polished taper-slip design, and an excellent track record. The current range includes short-length options for various offsets, but less is known about the performance of these stems. The aim of this study was to compare the survival of short-length stems with standard-length Exeter stems.

Anaesthetic and corticosteroid response immediately following epidural injection in patients with MRI confirmed lumbar disc herniation.

Objectives: To describe a rapid, community-based assessment, referral and management system for acute symptomatic LDH. To identify and describe specific local anaesthetic and corticosteroid patterns of pain intensity change during the first week post-epidural injection.

Setting: Private practice, specialist physiotherapy clinic, community-based radiology facility.

Investigation of solid-state fermentation of red seaweed (Pyropia spp.) with lactic acid Bacteria: Effects on protein profile and in vitro digestibility.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of solid-state fermentation (SSF) on the protein profile and digestibility of red seaweed (Pyropia spp.). The results indicated that compound lactic acid bacteria (LAB) performed better than a single strain in terms of growth and metabolism on the red seaweed substrate.

The status of dental sleep medicine education in Australia and New Zealand in 2024.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the current status of dental sleep medicine education across dental schools in Australia and New Zealand and gain further insights into the educational background of dentists who have sat the Australasian Sleep Association Fellow of Dental Sleep Medicine examination in 2023.

Methods: Online surveys were carried out, and descriptive statistics were used to analyse data.

Results: All dental schools responded to the survey.

Measured energy expenditure according to the phases of critical illness: A descriptive cohort study.

Background: Indirect calorimetry is recommended for directing energy provision in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, limited reports exist of measured energy expenditure according to the phases of critical illness in large cohorts of patients during ICU admission. This study aimed to analyze measured energy expenditure overall in adult patients who were critically ill and across the different phases of critical illness.

TaqMan Array Card real-time polymerase chain reaction panel to detect pathogens in whole blood of febrile inpatients in northern Tanzania, 2016-2019.

Background: Acute febrile illness is a common reason for seeking healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. We describe the diagnostic utility of a TaqMan Array Card (TAC) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel for pathogen detection in paediatric and adult inpatients admitted with febrile illness.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we screened medical admissions for a tympanic temperature ≥38.

Coefficients in Taylor's law increase with the time scale of water clarity measurements in a global suite of lakes.

Identifying the scaling rules describing ecological patterns across time and space is a central challenge in ecology. Taylor's law of fluctuation scaling, which states that the variance of a population's size or density is proportional to a positive power of the mean size or density, has been widely observed in population dynamics and characterizes variability in multiple scientific domains. However, it is unclear if this phenomenon accurately describes ecological patterns across many orders of magnitude in time, and therefore links otherwise disparate observations.

Outcomes of massive transfusion recipients administered ABO-incompatible fresh frozen plasma.

Background: The provision of ABO-incompatible fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in massive transfusion (MT) has become accepted to conserve AB FFP stock. There is an evidence gap in non-trauma settings. We compare characteristics of patients who received ABO-compatible or ABO-incompatible FFP during an MT episode due to any cause of critical bleeding, and assess the impact of incompatible FFP transfusion on inhospital mortality.

Legume intakes on cardiometabolic profile and gut microbiome function: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials.

Background: Legumes are widely considered one of the most beneficial food groups to consume. They are high in fibre and plant-based protein as well as naturally low in sodium, saturated fats, and sugars. However, legumes do not feature prominently in the modern diet, and previous evidence syntheses show inconsistent results on cardiometabolic risk profile when increasing legume intakes.

Impact of land-use and fecal contamination on Escherichia populations in environmental samples.

Understanding the composition of complex Escherichia coli populations from the environment is necessary for identifying strategies to reduce the impacts of fecal contamination and protect public health. Metabarcoding targeting the hypervariable gene gnd was used to reveal the complex population diversity of E. coli and phenotypically indistinct Escherichia species in water, soil, sediment, aquatic biofilm, and fecal samples from native forest and pastoral sites.

Lake pulses driven by glacier melting and climate variability.

The Tibetan Plateau is home to numerous glaciers that are important for freshwater supply and climate regulation. These glaciers, which are highly sensitive to climatic variations, serve as vital indicators of climate change. Understanding glacier-fed hydrological systems is essential for predicting water availability and formulating climate adaptation strategies.

Surface enzyme-polymerization endows Janus hydrogel tough adhesion and regenerative repair in penetrating orocutaneous fistulas.

Penetrating orocutaneous or oropharyngeal fistulas (POFs), severe complications following unsuccessful oral or oropharyngeal reconstruction, remain complex clinical challenges due to lack of supportive tissue, contamination with saliva and chewed food, and dynamic oral environment. Here, we present a Janus hydrogel adhesive (JHA) with asymmetric functions on opposite sides fabricated via a facile surface enzyme-initiated polymerization (SEIP) approach, which self-entraps surface water and blood within an in-situ formed hydrogel layer (RL) to effectively bridge biological tissues with a supporting hydrogel (SL), achieving superior wet-adhesion and seamless wound plugging. The tough SL hydrogel interlocked with RL dissipates energy to withstand external mechanical stimuli from continuous oral motions like chewing and swallowing, thus reducing stress-induced damage.

Electrochemically synthesized HO at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets.

Carbon nanomaterials show outstanding promise as electrocatalysts for hydrogen peroxide (HO) synthesis via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction. However, carbon-based electrocatalysts that are capable of generating HO at industrial-level current densities (>300 mA cm) with high selectivity and long-term stability remain to be discovered. Herein, few-layer boron nanosheets are in-situ introduced into a porous carbon matrix, creating a metal-free electrocatalyst (B-C) with HO production rates of industrial relevance in neutral or alkaline media.

Host dispersal relaxes selective pressures in rafting microbiomes and triggers successional changes.

What little we know about how microbiomes change over the course of host dispersal has been gleaned from simulations or snapshot sampling of microbiomes of hosts undertaking regular, cyclical migrations. These studies suggest that major changes in both microbiome richness and turnover occur in response to long-distance movements, but we do not yet know how rare or sporadic dispersal events for non-migratory organisms might affect the microbiomes of their hosts. Here we directly examine the microbiomes of rafting seaweed, leveraging host genomic analyses, amplicon sequencing, and oceanographic modelling to study the impacts of ecological dispersal of hosts on their microbiomes.

A Functional Response in Resource Selection Links Multiscale Responses of a Large Carnivore to Human Mortality Risk.

Theory suggests that animals make hierarchical, multiscale resource selection decisions to address the hierarchy of factors limiting their fitness. Ecologists have developed tools to link population-level resource selection across scales; yet, theoretical expectations about the relationship between coarse- and fine-scale selection decisions at the individual level remain elusive despite their importance to fitness. With GPS-telemetry data collected across California, USA, we evaluated resource selection of mountain lions (Puma concolor; n = 244) relative to spatial variation in human-caused mortality risk.

Molecular characterization of antibiotic resistance in bacteria from daycare centres in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is an escalating global health issue, with particularly severe implications in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Nigeria. This study examines antibiotic-resistant bacteria's prevalence and molecular characteristics in daycare centres in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, where high antibiotic use and limited infection control measures present significant challenges.

Methods: Between November 2017 and July 2019, samples were collected from 20 daycare centres, including swabs from fomites and children.

Non-adrenergic vasopressors for vasodilatory shock or perioperative vasoplegia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Excessive exposure to adrenergic vasopressors may be harmful. Non-adrenergic vasopressors may spare adrenergic agents and potentially improve outcomes. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of non-adrenergic vasopressors in adult patients receiving vasopressor therapy for vasodilatory shock or perioperative vasoplegia.