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The critical role of the bone marrow stromal microenvironment for the development of drug screening platforms in leukemiaExtensive research over the past 50 years has resulted in significant improvements in survival for patients diagnosed with leukemia. Despite this, a subgroup of patients harboring high-risk genetic alterations still suffer from poor outcomes. There is a desperate need for new treatments to improve survival, yet consistent failure exists in the translation of in vitro drug development to clinical application.
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Prevention of bacterial complications of scabies using mass drug administration: A population-based, before-after trial in Fiji, 2018–2020Scabies is an important predisposing factor of impetigo which can lead to serious bacterial complications. Ivermectin-based mass drug administration can substantially reduce scabies and impetigo prevalence in endemic settings, but the impact on serious bacterial complications is not known.
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FDA-approved disulfiram as a novel treatment for aggressive leukemiaAcute leukemia continues to be a major cause of death from disease worldwide and current chemotherapeutic agents are associated with significant morbidity in survivors. While better and safer treatments for acute leukemia are urgently needed, standard drug development pipelines are lengthy and drug repurposing therefore provides a promising approach.
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The effect of inhaled hypertonic saline on lung structure in children aged 3-6 years with cystic fibrosis (SHIP-CT): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, controlled trialIn the Saline Hypertonic in Preschoolers (SHIP) study, inhaled 7% hypertonic saline improved the lung clearance index in children aged 3-6 years with cystic fibrosis, but it remained unclear whether improvement is also seen in structural lung disease. We aimed to assess the effect of inhaled hypertonic saline on chest CT imaging in children aged 3-6 years with cystic fibrosis.
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Pharmacokinetics of PEGasparaginase in Infants with Acute Lymphoblastic LeukemiaPEGasparaginase is known to be a critical drug for treating pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), however, there is insufficient evidence to determine the optimal dose for infants who are less than one year of age at diagnosis. This international study was conducted to identify the pharmacokinetics of PEGasparaginase in infants with newly diagnosed ALL and gather insight into the clearance and dosing of this population.
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Exploring the mental health of circus artists: Circus factors, psychological resilience, and demographics predict disordered eating and exercise addictionsThere are similarities in the performance demands of circus and other performance domains such as leanness sports and dance, yet little is known about the mental health of circus artists. We explored self-reported disordered eating and exercise addictions in a sample of 500 circus artists.
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Clinical practice guidelines: Their utility, dissemination and monitoring at Colonial War Memorial Hospital: A mixed methods study from FijiClinical practice guidelines (CPGs) improve patient care by standardising medical practice. However, little is known about their applicability in low-resource settings. Since 2010, Fiji has introduced guidelines to increase the application of evidence-based practice.
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Trainee therapist personality and the rating of cognitive behavioural and dynamic interpersonal therapy processesTherapist factors are generally thought to be important predictors of the capacity to understand and respond to clinical material. The current study aims to identify which features of personality and clinical symptomatology predict a trainee therapist's rating of cognitive behavioural and psychodynamic interpersonal processes in video recordings of these therapies.
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Prevalence and risk factors of adverse birth outcomes in the Pacific Island region: A scoping reviewPrevalence and exposures of adverse birth outcomes is well studied in low-and-middle-income countries but not well-established for the Pacific Island region. Our study mapped the available evidence on low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth, and small for gestational age (SGA)'s prevalence and their corresponding risks in the region.
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Immunogenicity of a Third Scheduled Dose of Rotarix in Australian Indigenous Infants: A Phase IV, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical TrialJonathan Lea-Ann Tom Carapetis AM Kirkham Snelling AM MBBS FRACP FAFPHM PhD FAHMS PhD BMBS DTMH GDipClinEpid PhD FRACP Executive Director; Co-Head,
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Predominant Bacterial and Viral Otopathogens Identified Within the Respiratory Tract and Middle Ear of Urban Australian Children Experiencing Otitis Media Are Diversely DistributedOtitis media (OM) is one of the most common infections in young children, arising from bacterial and/or viral infection of the middle ear. Globally, Streptococcus pneumoniae and non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) are the predominant bacterial otopathogens. Importantly, common upper respiratory viruses are increasingly recognized contributors to the polymicrobial pathogenesis of OM.
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Non-severe burn injury increases cancer incidence in mice and has long-term impacts on the activation and function of T cellsRecent evidence suggests that burn patients are at increased risk of hospital admission for infection, mental health conditions, cardiovascular disease and cancer for many years after discharge for the burn injury itself.
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Parents' perspectives towards paediatric confectionary masked medications: a qualitative studyThe availability of age-appropriate, taste-masked oral solid medications for the paediatric population is currently inadequate. We have developed a novel chocolate-based drug delivery platform to taste-mask bitter drugs commonly utilised in the hospital setting, but there is limited evidence regarding parent's perspectives on these medications.
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Viral haemorrhagic fevers and malaria co-infections among febrile patients seeking health care in TanzaniaIn recent years there have been reports of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is endemic. VHF and malaria have overlapping clinical presentations making differential diagnosis a challenge.