Intralesional Steroid Injections for Management of Granulomatous Mastitis: A Systematic Review of Treatment Protocols and Clinical Outcomes.

Although idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (GM) of the breast is a benign condition, it can be locally aggressive and frequently chronic, causing significant pain and distress to the patient. Treatment often involves multiple disciplines including general practice, breast surgery/physicians, rheumatology and/or immunology. Traditional options for treatment include observation, oral steroids, methotrexate and/or surgery, all with variable outcomes.

Outcomes of ophthalmic nurse conducted phone call follow-up of cataract surgery patients at an Australian Public Hospital.

Background: COVID-related clinic shutdowns mandated the use of a day 1 telephone follow-up the day after routine cataract surgery rather than clinic attendance. We investigated to see if this is a safe alternative to standard care.

Methods: Ninety-nine patients who underwent a routine cataract extraction between 22 April 2020 and 19 August 2020 at our Hospital were included in this audit.

Ginsenoside Rd protects against acute liver injury by regulating the autophagy NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Ginsenoside Rd (Rd) is a bioactive compound predominantly found in Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer and Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F.

Clinical outcomes and management following progressive disease with anti-PD-(L)1 therapy in patients with advanced Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

Aim: Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a rare skin cancer with a rising incidence worldwide. Anti-programmed death-1/ligand-1 (anti-PD-(L)1) therapies are effective for the treatment of advanced MCC. This study examines patterns of response / progression of advanced MCC to anti-PD-(L)1 therapies and describes subsequent management.

ALLG APML5: Bioavailability and safety of oral arsenic trioxide assessed during consolidation therapy for APL.

The prognosis for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has improved dramatically since the introduction of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and intravenous arsenic trioxide (ATO). However, ATO administration requires daily infusions over several months, representing an onerous burden for hospitals and patients. We evaluated the bioavailability of a novel encapsulated oral ATO formulation in APL patients in first complete remission during standard-of-care consolidation.

Vaccinating Adolescents With Intellectual and Developmental Disability at School: An Opportunity to Promote Supported Decision Making.

Internationally, vaccination rates among adolescents with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are lower than those of the general population. Little research has addressed this issue. This study investigates the experiences of vaccinating adolescents with IDD in special education settings in Australia, with a focus on student engagement.

From errors to excellence: the pre-analytical journey to improved quality in diagnostics. A scoping review.

This scoping review focuses on the evolution of pre-analytical errors (PAEs) in medical laboratories, a critical area with significant implications for patient care, healthcare costs, hospital length of stay, and operational efficiency. The Covidence Review tool was used to formulate the keywords, and then a comprehensive literature search was performed using several databases, importing the search results directly into Covidence (n=379). Title, abstract screening, duplicate removal, and full-text screening were done.

Predicting outcomes with compounding comorbidities - Left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia complicated by pre-viable premature rupture of the membranes: A case report.

This case report describes the difficulty in predicting the outcomes for a fetus affected with both left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia and second-trimester pre-viable rupture of membranes. Despite the reserved prognosis at the time of diagnosis, a favourable outcome was obtained. The case highlights the relevance of established prognosticators such as the observed/expected lung/head ratio and also underscores the importance of balanced counselling and providing parents with realistic expectations and appropriate support.

A novel TERT variant associated with a telomere biology disorder and challenges in variant classification.

Telomere biology disorders (TBDs) are inherited conditions associated with multisystem manifestations. We describe clinical and functional characterisation of a novel TERT variant. Whole-genome sequencing was performed along with single length analysis ().

The Bruck inhaler: An ether inhaler misattributed to Ludwig Bruck, an Australian medical publisher and supplier of medical equipment.

The acquisition of an early ether inhaler stimulated research into several inhalers classified as Bruck inhalers. Ludwig Hermann Bruck was a German migrant who arrived in Australia in 1873. He became a medical publisher, importer of medical instruments, and made unique contributions to early Australian medical publishing, most significantly as the first publisher of .

Exploring the Implementation of Cognitive Screening in First-Episode Psychosis Settings: The CogScreen Implementation Study.

Aim: Accurate and appropriate cognitive screening can significantly enhance early psychosis care, yet no screening tools have been validated for the early psychosis population and little is known about current screening practices, experiences, or factors that may influence implementation. CogScreen is a hybrid type 1 study aiming to validate two promising screening tools with young people with first episode psychosis (primary aim) and to understand the context for implementing cognitive screening in early psychosis settings (secondary aim). This protocol outlines the implementation study, which aims to explore the current practices, acceptability, feasibility and determinants of cognitive screening in early psychosis settings from the perspective of key stakeholders.

Global impact of 10- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on pneumococcal meningitis in all ages: the PSERENADE project.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) introduced in childhood national immunization programs lowered vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), but replacement with non-vaccine-types persisted throughout the PCV10/13 follow-up period. We assessed PCV10/13 impact on pneumococcal meningitis incidence globally.

Methods: The number of cases with serotyped pneumococci detected in cerebrospinal fluid and population denominators were obtained from surveillance sites globally.

Exercise capacity and the psychosocial effect in preterm born infants - Should we do more?

Physical activity is crucial for children's physical, cognitive, and social development, reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases and improving overall well-being. A major legacy of extremely preterm delivery is respiratory limitation with reduced lung function and decreased exercise capacity which can be further exacerbated by inactivity and deconditioning. Strategies to increase incidental physical activities in early childhood and participation in sport and more formal exercise programmes in middle childhood have the potential to optimize cardiopulmonary function, improve quality of life, and foster social interactions in childhood and beyond, thereby providing benefits that extend far beyond the physical domain.

Use of the structured emergency nursing framework HIRAID® improves patient experience: A stepped-wedge cluster randomised control trial in rural, regional and metropolitan Australia.

Background: Emergency departments have high levels of uncertainty, long wait times, resource shortages, overcrowding and a constantly changing environment. Patient experience and patient safety are directly linked, yet levels of patient experience are stagnant. To improve emergency nursing care and patient experience, an emergency nursing framework HIRAID® (History including Infection risk, Red flags, Assessment, Interventions, Diagnostics, communication, and reassessment) was implemented in 29 Australian emergency departments.

Machine-learning based risk prediction of outcomes in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Australia: the AUS-COVID score.

Objective: We aimed to develop a highly interpretable and effective, machine-learning based risk prediction algorithm to predict in-hospital mortality, intubation and adverse cardiovascular events in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Australia (AUS-COVID Score).

Materials And Methods: This prospective study across 21 hospitals included 1714 consecutive patients aged ≥ 18 in their index hospitalization with COVID-19. The dataset was separated into training (80%) and test sets (20%).

Citric Acid and Sodium Bicarbonate as an Alternative Carbon Dioxide Source for Mosquito Surveillance.

Most mosquito surveillance programs rely on traps baited with carbon dioxide (CO) to attract host-seeking mosquitoes. The source of CO, traditionally dry ice or gas cylinders, poses operational challenges, especially in remote locations. CO production from citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO) using low-cost intravenous fluid bags ('acid traps') was evaluated in laboratory experiments.

Symptoms and Side Effects of Bacille Calmette-Guerin Therapy for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer as Reported by Patients: A Systematic Review.

Background/objectives: Knowledge of the symptoms and side effects (SSEs) of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is critical when establishing selecting appropriate therapies for patients. The aim of our study was to systematically review the common patient-reported SSEs associated with BCG-based and other intravesical chemotherapy treatment options for NMIBC.

Methods: A systematic search of AMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, and Scopus was conducted from inception to July 2024.

Biography Writing in the Pediatric Palliative Care Context: Review and Feasibility Data.

Background: Biography writing services are increasingly being used with adult palliative care patients, helping them document their stories in a way that provides meaning for themselves, family, and friends. However, the feasibility of applying a biography program to a pediatric palliative care context is less well known.

Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted, drawing on existing adult biography programs, while noting differences between the pediatric and adult contexts.

Do Academic Libraries Contribute to Students' and Communities' Wellbeing?: A Scoping Review.

: Academic libraries offer a range of activities and initiatives for their students and community users. However, wellbeing, as a concept in academic libraries, is not very well defined and is poorly understood. The objective of this scoping review was to examine the role of academic libraries in student and community wellbeing, identify the various kinds of activities and initiatives that they carry out to address their wellbeing, and uncover gaps that might require further research.

Congenital Titinopathy: Comprehensive Characterization of the Most Severe End of the Disease Spectrum.

Unlabelled: Congenital titinopathy has recently emerged as one of the most common congenital muscle disorders.

Objective: To better understand the presentation and clinical needs of the under-characterized extreme end of the congenital titinopathy severity spectrum.

Methods: We comprehensively analyzed the clinical, imaging, pathology, autopsy, and genetic findings in 15 severely affected individuals from 11 families.

Antimicrobial Resistance Associated with Mass Gatherings: A Systematic Review.

Mass gatherings are associated with the spread of communicable diseases. Some studies have suggested that acquisition of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) may be associated with attendance at specific mass gatherings. This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence on the association between attendance at mass gatherings and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and assess the prevalence of AMR at mass gatherings.