Nurse led care coordination: trial protocol and development of a best practice resource guide for a cluster controlled clinical trial in Australian aged care facilities.

In this paper we describe (i) the protocol for a cluster controlled clinical trial of nurse led care coordination in residential aged care facilities (RACF); and (ii) the development and content of a best practice resource guide to be implemented as part of this trial. We used published systematic reviews of quantitative studies, existing resources and multidisciplinary expert opinion to develop an intervention for testing in a cluster controlled trial (Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number 12611000933954). The trial will determine whether care coordination of multiple evidenced based strategies can improve quality of life and reduce hospitalization rates amongst people living in RACF.

Nerve root sedimentation sign for the diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis: reliability, sensitivity, and specificity.

Study Design: Retrospective review of magnetic resonance images.

Objective: Examine the diagnostic accuracy, discriminative ability, and reliability of the sedimentation sign in a sample of patients with clinically diagnosed lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), low back pain (LBP), and vascular claudication, and in asymptomatic controls.

Summary Of Background Data: The nerve root sedimentation sign (SedSign) was recently described as a new diagnostic test for LSS; however, the degree to which this sign is sensitive and specific in diagnosis of LSS is unknown.

Supernumerary proteins of mitochondrial ribosomes.

Background: Messenger RNAs encoded by mitochondrial genomes are translated on mitochondrial ribosomes that have unique structure and protein composition compared to prokaryotic and cytoplasmic ribosomes. Mitochondrial ribosomes are a patchwork of core proteins that share homology with prokaryotic ribosomal proteins and new, supernumerary proteins that can be unique to different organisms. In mammals, there are specific supernumerary ribosomal proteins that are not present in other eukaryotes.

Immune response to snake envenoming and treatment with antivenom; complement activation, cytokine production and mast cell degranulation.

Background: Snake bite is one of the most neglected public health issues in poor rural communities worldwide. In addition to the clinical effects of envenoming, treatment with antivenom frequently causes serious adverse reactions, including hypersensitivity reactions (including anaphylaxis) and pyrogenic reactions. We aimed to investigate the immune responses to Sri Lankan snake envenoming (predominantly by Russell's viper) and antivenom treatment.

Depression impacts the course of recovery in patients with acute low-back pain.

Little is known about the course of recovery of acute low back pain (LBP) patients as a function of depression. In a prospective study, 286 acute LBP patients were assessed at baseline and followed up over 6 months. Recovery was defined as improvement in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).

Anaphylaxis: clinical patterns, mediator release, and severity.

Background: Prospective human studies of anaphylaxis and its mechanisms have been limited, with few severe cases or examining only 1 or 2 mediators.

Objectives: We wanted to define the clinical patterns of anaphylaxis and relationships between mediators and severity.

Methods: Data were collected during treatment and before discharge.

Notch-induced transcription factors are predictive of survival and 5-fluorouracil response in colorectal cancer patients.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of Notch-induced transcription factors (NTFs) HEY1, HES1 and SOX9 in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients to determine their clinicopathologic and prognostic significance.

Methods: Levels of HEY1, HES1 and SOX9 protein were measured by immunohistochemistry in a nonmalignant and malignant tissue microarray of 441 CRC patients, and the findings correlated with pathologic, molecular and clinical variables.

Results: The NTFs HEY1, HES1 and SOX9 were overexpressed in tumours relative to colonic mucosa (OR=3.

A phase 2 study of allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells for luminal Crohn's disease refractory to biologic therapy.

Background & Aims: Transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells has been successful therapy for small numbers of patients with Crohn's disease (CD), but requires prior myeloconditioning. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) escape immune recognition, so myeloconditioning is not required before their administration. We investigated the efficacy of allogeneic MSCs in patients with luminal CD.

Front-loading allied health intervention in the emergency department does not reduce length of stay for admitted older patients.

Aims: Allied health intervention may play an important role in the timely discharge of older people admitted to hospital. The impact of early allied health intervention on length of stay has not been quantified. We sought to determine whether early allied health intervention conducted in the emergency department (ED) reduces hospital length of stay in older patients admitted with common diagnoses.

Lifestyle factors associated with survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Background: Aside from tumour stage and treatment, little is known about potential factors that may influence survival in colorectal cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between physical activity, obesity and smoking and disease-specific and overall mortality after a colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Methods: A cohort of 879 colorectal cancer patients, diagnosed in Western Australia between 2005 and 2007, were followed up to 30 June 2012.

Characterization of three vasopressin receptor 2 variants: an apparent polymorphism (V266A) and two loss-of-function mutations (R181C and M311V).

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is released from the posterior pituitary and controls water homeostasis. AVP binding to vasopressin V2 receptors (V2Rs) located on kidney collecting duct epithelial cells triggers activation of Gs proteins, leading to increased cAMP levels, trafficking of aquaporin-2 water channels, and consequent increased water permeability and antidiuresis. Typically, loss-of-function V2R mutations cause nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), whereas gain-of-function mutations cause nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (NSIAD).

Demography is destiny: an agenda for geriatric emergency medicine in Australasia.

The present paper presents an agenda for geriatric emergency medicine research, education and policy development. Herein we will argue: Population ageing is the definitive health policy challenge in Australasia, and the greatest stressor for emergency medicine posed by population ageing is the disproportionate contribution of older people to hospital occupancy. ED practices and models of care may on occasions contribute to rather than reduce high hospital occupancy in older people, benefitting neither individual patients nor the community at large.

Mutations in KLHL40 are a frequent cause of severe autosomal-recessive nemaline myopathy.

Nemaline myopathy (NEM) is a common congenital myopathy. At the very severe end of the NEM clinical spectrum are genetically unresolved cases of autosomal-recessive fetal akinesia sequence. We studied a multinational cohort of 143 severe-NEM-affected families lacking genetic diagnosis.

An advance letter did not increase the response rates in a telephone survey: a randomized trial.

Objective: To test the impact of an advance letter on response and cooperation rates in a nationwide telephone survey, given previous inconsistent results.

Study Design And Setting: Within the context of a larger telephone survey, 1,000 Australian households were randomly selected to take part in this trial. Half were randomly allocated to receive an advance letter, whereas the remainder did not receive any advance communication.

Profiling epidermal growth factor receptor and heregulin receptor 3 heteromerization using receptor tyrosine kinase heteromer investigation technology.

Heteromerization can play an important role in regulating the activation and/or signal transduction of most forms of receptors, including receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The study of receptor heteromerization has evolved extensively with the emergence of resonance energy transfer based approaches such as bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Here, we report an adaptation of our Receptor-Heteromer Investigation Technology (Receptor-HIT) that has recently been published as the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) Heteromer Identification Technology (GPCR-HIT).

Gain-of-function Lyn induces anemia: appropriate Lyn activity is essential for normal erythropoiesis and Epo receptor signaling.

Lyn is involved in erythropoietin (Epo)-receptor signaling and erythroid homeostasis. Downstream pathways influenced following Lyn activation and their significance to erythropoiesis remain unclear. To address this, we assessed a gain-of-function Lyn mutation (Lyn(up/up)) on erythropoiesis and Epo receptor signaling.

Pentatricopeptide repeats: modular blocks for building RNA-binding proteins.

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins control diverse aspects of RNA metabolism across the eukaryotic domain. Recent computational and structural studies have provided new insights into how they recognize RNA, and show that the recognition is sequence-specific and modular. The modular code for RNA-binding by PPR proteins holds great promise for the engineering of new tools to target RNA and identifying RNAs bound by natural PPR proteins.

Is hypovitaminosis D associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm, and is there a dose-response relationship?

Objective: This study aims to investigate the association between plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations with the presence of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and aortic diameter.

Design: An observational study of 4233 community-dwelling men aged 70-88 years, who participated in a randomised controlled trial of screening for AAA.

Methods: Infrarenal aortic diameter measured by ultrasound and 25(OH)D by immunoassay.

Association of rs1344706 in the ZNF804A gene with schizophrenia in a case/control sample from Indonesia.

Background: Association of rs1344706 in the ZNF804A gene (2q32.1) with schizophrenia was first reported in a genome wide scan conducted in a sample of 479 cases and replicated in 6666 cases. Subsequently, evidence by replication was obtained in several samples with European- and Asian ancestral background.

Cancer incidence and mortality among underground and surface goldminers in Western Australia.

Background: In a cohort of goldminers, we estimated cancer mortality and incidence, for both surface and underground workers, and we examined the hypothesis that (underground) mining may be protective against prostate cancer.

Methods: Standardised mortality and incidence ratios (SMRs and SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to compare cancer mortality and incidence of former goldminers with that of the general male population. Internal comparisons on duration of underground work were examined using Cox regression.

Modified TIMI risk score cannot be used to identify low-risk chest pain in the emergency department: a multicentre validation study.

Aim: The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score (range 0-7), used for emergency department (ED) risk stratification of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS), underestimates risk associated with ECG changes or cardiac troponin elevation. A modified TIMI score (mTIMI, range 0-10), which gives increased weighting to these variables, has been proposed. We aimed to evaluate the performance of the mTIMI score in ED patients with suspected ACS.

Outcomes in older patients requiring comprehensive allied health care prior to discharge from the emergency department.

Objectives: There is increasing focus on use of multidisciplinary services within the ED to facilitate discharge of older patients that might otherwise require hospitalisation. The risks associated with this are not well established. We aimed to determine whether older patients requiring allied health-facilitated discharge from the ED were at increased risk of hospital readmission and death after discharge.

RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) Proteins PACT, TRBP, and Dicer are SRA binding nuclear receptor coregulators.

The cytoplasmic RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) contains dsRNA binding proteins, including protein kinase RNA activator (PACT), transactivation response RNA binding protein (TRBP), and Dicer, that process pre-microRNAs into mature microRNAs (miRNAs) that target specific mRNA species for regulation. There is increasing evidence for important functional interactions between the miRNA and nuclear receptor (NR) signaling networks, with recent data showing that estrogen, acting through the estrogen receptor, can modulate initial aspects of nuclear miRNA processing. Here, we show that the cytoplasmic RISC proteins PACT, TRBP, and Dicer are steroid receptor RNA activator (SRA) binding NR coregulators that target steroid-responsive promoters and regulate NR activity and downstream gene expression.

A case of cervical metastases in a patient with preexisting cervical disc replacement and fusion after 2-year symptom-free interval: when do we need interdisciplinary diagnostics?

Recurrent cervical symptoms frequently occur after cervical disc replacement and fusion. To date, no algorithm for the diagnostic assessment of these symptoms has been established. We present a case report and review of the literature to illustrate the need for interdisciplinary diagnostics in recurrent cervicobrachialgia without pathological cervical imaging.