Incidence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canterbury, New Zealand, 2018-2023.

Background: New diagnoses of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), can highlight health system burden and potentially give clues to disease aetiology. This population-based study aimed to measure the annual incidence of IBD over six years (2018-2023) in the Canterbury region of New Zealand.

Methods: The medical records from public and private gastroenterology clinics were examined for new patients with a confirmed diagnosis of IBD from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2023.

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.

The Role of Innate Priming in Modifying Tumor-associated Macrophage Phenotype.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are innate immune cells that exert far reaching influence over the tumor microenvironment (TME). Depending on cues within the local environment, TAMs may promote tumor angiogenesis, cancer cell invasion and immunosuppression, or, alternatively, inhibit tumor progression via neoantigen presentation, tumoricidal reactive oxygen species generation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. Therefore, TAMs have a pivotal role in determining tumor progression and response to therapy.

Executive functioning challenges of adolescents born extremely and very preterm.

Background: Children born very preterm (VPT; <32 weeks) are at increased risk of executive functioning (EF) difficulties. But less is known about the nature and extent of these executive difficulties during late adolescence, particularly across multiple EF domains and in response to varying degrees of executive demand.

Methods: Using data from a prospective longitudinal study, this paper describes the EF profiles of 92 VPT and 68 full-term (FT) adolescents at age 17 years.

Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis: An International Delphi Consensus on Clinical Trial Design and Endpoints.

Background & Aims: Interventional clinical trials in ASUC are characterised by substantial heterogeneity due to a lack of consensus in several key areas of trial design - this impedes clinical research efforts to identify novel therapies. The objective of this initiative was to achieve the first consensus and provide clear position statements on ASUC trial design.

Methods: A modified Delphi consensus approach was employed with a panel of twenty clinicians with international representation and expertise in ASUC trial design and delivery.

Representation of Asian ethnic subgroups in Aotearoa's regulated health workforce pre-registration students.

Aim: To provide a socio-demographic profile of Asian students enrolled in their first year of a health professional programme in polytechnics and universities in Aotearoa New Zealand and to explore differences in enrolment rates (ERs) within Asian sub-groups and by socio-economic deprivation, citizenship status, urban/rural location and gender.

Methods: Ethnic group/sub-group and socio-demographic characteristics of students enrolling within 21 health professional programmes were collected and averaged over 5 years (2016-2020). Age- and ethnicity-matched denominator data from the 2018 Census were used to calculate yearly ERs and ratios (ERR) using generalised linear modelling with the European ethnic group as the reference.

Treatment patterns in metastatic early-onset rectal cancer.

Background: Early onset rectal cancer (EORC) is increasing internationally. While EORC cancer presents with some distinct clinical features, there is currently insufficient evidence that age of onset should alter treatment. This study examines treatment patterns for EO versus late-onset (LO) metastatic rectal cancer in Canterbury, New Zealand, to better understand appropriate treatment strategies and there effect on patient outcomes.

Mechanical and Physical Characterization of a Biphasic 3D Printed Silk-Infilled Scaffold for Osteochondral Tissue Engineering.

Osteochondral tissue damage is a serious concern, with even minor cartilage damage dramatically increasing an individual's risk of osteoarthritis. Therefore, there is a need for an early intervention for osteochondral tissue regeneration. 3D printing is an exciting method for developing novel scaffolds, especially for creating biological scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering.

Phosphodiesterase 9 Inhibition Combined With Valsartan and With Sacubitril/Valsartan in Experimental Ovine Heart Failure.

Background: LCZ696 (sacubitril/valsartan) antagonizes the renin-angiotensin system while simultaneously augmenting the natriuretic peptides (NPs). Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 9 inhibition (PDE9i), which hydrolyses NP-generated cGMP may be a more specific means of enhancing NP bioactivity. The objective of the present study was to compare for the first time effects of LCZ696 and PDE9i+valsartan in experimental heart failure (HF) and investigate combination PDE9i+LCZ696.

Assessing the Impact of Serum Calcium, 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D, Ferritin, and Uric Acid Levels on Colorectal Cancer Risk.

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate whether vitamin D, calcium, ferritin, and uric acids play a beneficial biomarker role in the prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC) risk.

Methods: The case-control design was employed, including 650 CRC cases and 650 controls aged 35 to 70 years, comprising both men and women. The study encompasses sociodemographic data, clinical information, radiological diagnoses, and biochemical measurements.

Characterizing Nonculprit Lesions and Perivascular Adipose Tissue of Patients Following Acute Myocardial Infarction Using Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography: A Comparative Study.

Background: The comparison of coronary computed tomography angiography plaques and perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) between patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) posttreatment and patients with stable coronary artery disease is poorly understood. Our objective was to evaluate the differences in coronary computed tomography angiography-quantified plaque and PVAT characteristics in patients post-AMI and identify signs of residual inflammation.

Methods And Results: We analyzed 205 patients (age, 59.

Colorectal cancer and associated genetic, lifestyle, cigarette, nargileh-hookah use and alcohol consumption risk factors: a comprehensive case-control study.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the causes and risk factors of colorectal cancer (CRC) in a Turkish population, focusing on various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.

Methods: A hospital-based case-control design was employed to compare individuals with CRC (cases) to individuals without CRC (controls). Male and female participants were recruited from the surgery, internal medicine, and out-patient departments.

Effect of peroxiredoxin 1 or peroxiredoxin 2 knockout on the thiol proteome of Jurkat cells.

Peroxiredoxins are important regulators of cellular peroxide metabolism. As antioxidants, they restrict oxidation of other cell proteins, but as signaling molecules they can act as sensors and promote thiol protein oxidation via a redox relay mechanism. The presence of peroxiredoxins could therefore influence other thiol proteins, even in cells experiencing endogenous redox activity.

Emergency department use of a high-sensitivity point-of-care troponin assay reduces length of stay: an implementation study preliminary report.

Aims: Point-of-care (POC) high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn) assays within a clinical pathway may safely reduce length of stay (LoS) for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with possible acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In this early report, we present the first evaluation of a POC hs-cTn in real-life care.

Methods And Results: In adult patients presenting to ED investigated for possible AMI, we compared the LoS in patients assessed with a troponin in the 8 weeks before (usual-care phase) and the 8 weeks following introduction of the Siemens Atellica VTLi POC hs-cTnI for decision-making (intervention phase).

Ten-year outcomes of a prospective population-based incidence cohort of inflammatory bowel disease patients from Canterbury, New Zealand.

Background And Aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a progressive condition where ongoing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to complications such as strictures, and fistulae. The long-term outcomes of newly diagnosed patients under current medical therapy can be used to plan health service provision and guide patients.

Methods: Prospective population-based data on all incident patients diagnosed with IBD in Canterbury was gathered in 2014 ( = 205).

'I can feel sad about it and I can worry, but inside I know everything happens for a reason': personal experiences in the aftermath of the March 15 Christchurch mosque attacks.

Background: On 15 March 2019, a white supremacist gunman sequentially attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 51 people aged from 3 to 77 years and bullet-injuring 40 more. Approximately 250 people survived the atrocity, and many more family and community members have been directly or indirectly affected.

Aim: To develop an understanding of the personal experiences of some of those affected, including effects on daily life and well-being, in the 18-30 months following the attacks.