MiR-378 exaggerates angiogenesis and bone erosion in collagen-induced arthritis mice by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder marked by pain, inflammation, and discomfort in the synovial joints. It is critical to understand the pathological mechanisms of RA progression. MicroRNA-378 (miR-378) is highly expressed in the synovium of RA patients and positively correlated with disease severity, but its function and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Does shame mediate the influence of trauma on psychosis? A systematic review and meta-analytic structural equation modelling approach.

Background: Meta-analytic evidence has linked shame separately to both potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and psychosis, but the influence of shame on the relationship between PTEs and psychosis has not yet been examined. This study used meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MASEM) to examine whether shame plays a mediatory role between PTEs and experiences of psychosis.

Methods: A nested search was conducted within a previous systematic review on psychosis and shame to identify articles that contained a measure of PTEs.

A Meta-Analysis of Levofloxacin for Contacts of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis.

Background: Data from randomized trials evaluating the effectiveness of tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment for contacts of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB are lacking. Two recently published randomized trials that did not achieve statistical significance provide the opportunity for a meta-analysis.

Methods: We conducted combined analyses of two phase 3 trials of levofloxacin MDR-TB preventive treatment - Levofloxacin for the Prevention of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (VQUIN) trial and the Levofloxacin preventive treatment in children exposed to MDR-TB (TB-CHAMP) trial.

Levofloxacin for the Prevention of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Vietnam.

Background: Prevention of drug-resistant tuberculosis is a global health priority. However, trials evaluating the effectiveness of treating infection among contacts of persons with drug-resistant tuberculosis are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial comparing 6 months of daily levofloxacin (weight-based doses) with placebo to treat infection.

Multi-omic analysis of biological aging biomarkers in long-term calorie restriction and endurance exercise practitioners: A cross-sectional study.

Calorie restriction (CR) and physical exercise (EX) are well-established interventions known to extend health span and lifespan in animal models. However, their impact on human biological aging remains unclear. With recent advances in omics technologies and biological age (BioAge) metrics, it is now possible to assess the impact of these lifestyle interventions without the need for long-term follow-up.

Management, outcomes and predictors of mortality of Cryptococcus infection in patients without HIV: a multicentre study in 46 hospitals from Australia and New Zealand.

Background: Limited data exist regarding outcomes of cryptococcosis in patients without HIV with few studies having compared outcomes of Cryptococcus gattii, versus C. neoformans, infection.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in 46 Australian and New Zealand hospitals to determine the outcomes of cryptococcosis in patients without HIV diagnosed between 2015 and 2019, and compared outcomes of C.

Control and Elimination of Hepatitis C Virus Among People With HIV in Australia: Extended Follow-up of the CEASE Cohort (2014-2023).

Background: Approximately 10% of people with HIV in Australia had active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prior to availability of government-subsidized direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in 2016. This analysis evaluated progress toward HCV elimination among people with HIV in Australia between 2014 and 2023.

Methods: The CEASE cohort study enrolled adults with HIV with past or current HCV infection (anti-HCV antibody positive) from 14 primary and tertiary clinics.

CD19-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy is safe and effective for intra-cardiac B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Introduction: Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is highly effective in B-cell blood cancers, but there is limited data on its safety and efficacy in intra-cardiac lymphoma, due to the potential risks of cardiotoxicity and pseudo-progression.

Discussion: We discuss four high-risk cases that were managed with a multi-disciplinary approach, including baseline cardiac risk assessment and surveillance with multimodal cardiac imaging and serum cardiac biomarkers, elective supportive care in the intensive care unit, and early treatment of cytokine release syndrome.

Conclusion: CAR-T therapy can be effective and safe in the treatment of B-cell blood cancers with intra-cardiac disease.

ChatGPT as a patient education tool in colorectal cancer-An in-depth assessment of efficacy, quality and readability.

Aim: Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer-4 (ChatGPT-4) have made significant strides in generating human-like responses. Trained on an extensive corpus of medical literature, ChatGPT-4 has the potential to augment patient education materials. These chatbots may be beneficial to populations considering a diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Targeted Microwave Ablation for Prostate Cancer Under Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Ultrasound Fusion and Organ-based Tracking: Final Results from the First Phase 2 Trial (TMA-HK).

Targeted microwave ablation (TMA) is a novel focal therapy modality for prostate cancer (PC). TMA-HK is the first phase 2 trial investigating the efficacy and functional outcomes of transperineal TMA (NCT04113811) in 30 men with low- or intermediate-risk PC. TMA was performed transperineally with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-ultrasound fusion guidance and organ-based tracking.

Usability of a smartphone application for patients with interstitial lung disease: Results from the Registry for Better Understanding of ILD (RE-BUILD) pilot study.

Background And Objective: Digital technologies offer opportunities for remote monitoring, increased patient engagement and incorporation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) into interstitial lung disease (ILD) care and research. This study evaluated the usability and patient experience of the RE-BUILD (Registry for Better Understanding of ILD) application, an ILD-specific smartphone app.

Methods: Patients with ILD aged ≥18 years were recruited from three tertiary ILD centres to use the RE-BUILD app for 6 months.

The design and evaluation of a bone health teaching module for secondary school students in NSW, Australia.

Issue Addressed: The growing prevalence of osteoporosis requires preventative management starting from an early age as peak bone mass is typically reached by age 30. However, current Australian adolescents are not adequately addressing key osteoprotective factors. Alarmingly, around 17% have insufficient vitamin D levels, 55% consume insufficient dietary calcium, and 79% are insufficiently active.

Australian Meningococcal Surveillance Programme Annual Report, 2023.

In Australia, both probable and laboratory-confirmed cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) are reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). When compared to 2022, the number of IMD notifications in 2023 increased by 14% to 143. Laboratory confirmation of IMD occurred in 140/143 (98%) of these cases, with 64% (90/140) diagnosed by bacterial culture and 36% (50/140) by nucleic acid amplification testing.

Perspectives of the medical oncologist regarding adjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer: An international expert survey and case vignette study.

Introduction: Adjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The decision to initiate chemotherapy involves both patient and physician factors, decision-specific criteria, and contextual considerations. This study aimed to assess medical oncologists' views on adjuvant chemotherapy following pancreatic resection for PDAC.

Variation in initial biopsy technique for primary melanoma diagnosis: A population-based cohort study in New South Wales, Australia.

Background: Factors associated with nonadherence to guideline-recommended complete excision of suspicious cutaneous lesions are unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze patient, melanoma, and clinician factors associated with initial diagnostic biopsy type and determine whether unwarranted variation from guidelines occurred.

Methods: This population-based, cohort study involved the analysis of data from questionnaires completed by clinicians who managed patients with newly diagnosed, histopathologically confirmed primary invasive cutaneous melanomas reported to the New South Wales Cancer Registry between 2006 and 2007.

Changing Epidemiology of Myocarditis in Australia: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

: Myocarditis is a serious disease that has drawn increasing attention due to its association with COVID-19 and vaccination. This study investigates the epidemiology of myocarditis beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, including its incidence and outcomes over time. : We analyzed the population-wide retrospective data from the Admitted-Patient-Data-Collection database of patients admitted to hospitals in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, with a diagnosis of myocarditis from 2001 to 2022.

The Immunomodulatory Effects of Vitamin D on COVID-19 Induced Glioblastoma Recurrence via the PI3K-AKT Signaling Pathway.

Glioma is a highly invasive brain cancer that is difficult to treat due to its complex molecular characteristics and poor prognosis. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced additional clinical challenges for cancer patients, especially those with glioma. This study explored the molecular interactions between glioma and COVID-19 using integrated bioinformatics methods, including enrichment analysis, survival analysis, and molecular docking, focusing on the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the immunomodulatory role of vitamin D.

Short-Term Effectiveness of a Stepped-Care Model to Address Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Patients With Early-Stage Melanoma.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of the Melanoma Care Programme when implemented into routine clinical practice coupled with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) screening and a stepped-care model of intervention delivery.

Methods: Using a Type-I hybrid effectiveness-implementation design, individuals with stage 0-II melanoma and a Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory FCR severity score of ≥ 13 were offered the Melanoma Care Programme. The programme included a psychoeducational booklet and 3 to 5 psychotherapeutic telehealth sessions with a clinical psychologist, timed around routine dermatological appointments.

Designing and Validating a Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia-Specific Quality of Life Rating Scale (HSPQoL).

Patients with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP) report reduced quality of life (QoL) compared to the general population. Generic QoL measures do not address disease-specific aspects such as spasticity, access to specialty HSP clinics, and bladder symptoms. We designed and validated a HSP-specific QoL scale (HSPQoL), intended for use in standard clinical settings and clinical trials.

Cognitive and behavioural therapy for insomnia in the treatment of adolescent insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Insomnia is common in adolescents with associated negative health consequences. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia interventions on insomnia symptoms and subjective sleep quality in adolescents aged 10-19 years. Key electronic databases, including CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus, were systematically searched from inception to October 2024, and five randomised controlled trials met inclusion criteria for qualitative synthesis.

Why Mental Health Clinicians are Not Engaging in Advance Care Planning with Older People with Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Illnesses.

Purpose: To explore mental health clinicians' attitudes, experiences, and perceived barriers regarding Advance Care Planning (ACP) with older people (aged 55+) with schizophrenia/other psychotic illnesses.

Methods: Qualitative analysis of focus group interviews with multidisciplinary mental health clinicians from public mental health services in Sydney, Australia. A senior external clinician facilitated online focus groups exploring clinicians' attitudes, experiences, and perceived barriers to ACP using a semi-structured interview guide.

Consolidated and updated ultrasonographic fetal biometry and estimated fetal weight references for the Hong Kong Chinese population.

Introduction: This study aimed to construct consolidated and updated ultrasonographic fetal biometry and estimated fetal weight (EFW) references for the Hong Kong Chinese population and evaluate the extent of under- and overdiagnosis of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) using these new references.

Methods: Fetal biometry and EFW references were constructed using the Generalised Additive Model for Location, Scale, and Shape, based on data from 1679 singleton pregnancies in non-smoking Chinese women. Ultrasound scans were performed at 12 to 40 weeks of gestation to measure biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length, following standardised protocols.

Noninvasive assessment of hydroquinidine effect in Brugada syndrome (QUIET BrS).

Background: Hydroquinidine reduces arrhythmic events in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). The mechanism by which it exerts antiarrhythmic benefit and its electrophysiological effects on BrS substrate remain incompletely understood.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of hydroquinidine on ventricular depolarization and repolarization in patients with BrS in vivo.

The potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through disease prevention: a secondary analysis of data from the CREDENCE trial.

Background: The health-care sector is responsible for 5·2% of global emissions, however, little data exist regarding the environmental impact of disease management strategies. SGLT2 inhibitors are now widely used to reduce the risk of hospital admission and kidney failure in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to estimate the impact of SGLT2 inhibitors on greenhouse gas emissions using data from the CREDENCE trial.