Pet your cat, walk your dog: The spillover effects of morning quality time with pets on outcomes during and after the workday.

For decades, psychologists have explored dynamics within the realm of human-animal interaction. Organizational psychologists are no different; research has found that exchanges with pets and other animals have the potential to influence important work outcomes, such as performance, well-being, and satisfaction. Relatively little is understood, however, regarding the potential spillover effects of human-animal interaction from the non-work to work context. To address this gap in the literature, the present research-synthesising Broaden and Build Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory-explores the daily spillover effects of morning quality time with pets on affective, behavioural, and cognitive outcomes for employees, both during and after the workday. It is also suggested that openness to experience may act as a cross-level moderator for these daily relationships. An occupationally heterogenous daily diary sample of employed pet owners from the United Kingdom (NLevel 1 = 405, NLevel 2 = 81) was used to test these relationships. Using a mixed effects modelling approach, it was revealed that morning quality time with pets was associated with reduced Negative Affect (NA) during the workday, and reduced incivility and withdrawal upon returning home from work. Moreover, higher levels of trait openness to experience strengthened the negative relationships between daily morning quality time with pets and daily workday NA and afterwork incivility. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

More than sleep problems? Testing five key health behaviors as reasons for quality of life issues among shift workers.

BACKGROUND: The shift work schedule is a common work arrangement that can disrupt typical sleep-wake rhythms and lead to negative health consequences. The present study aims to examine the effect of shift work on health-related quality of life (QoL) and explore potential behaviorial mediators (i.e., sleep, eating, exercise, smoking, drinking). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4,449 petroleum workers in southwest China. Data on shift work status, health behaviors, and physical and mental health QoL were collected. We tested our model using path analysis and the Monte Carlo approach among 2,129 included participants. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates, shift work did not exhibit a significant direct association with QoL. However, shift work indirectly related to poorer physical health quality of life via less frequent healthy food consumption; shift work also indirectly related to poorer mental health QoL via both less frequent healthy food consumption and physical exercise. No significant indirect effects were found via sleeping, smoking, or drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that shift work presents a challenge for QoL among Chinese petroleum workers due to their lesser engagement in two specific health behaviors: healthy eating and physical exercise. Healthy eating and exercise may present an even more prominent threat to shift workers' QoL than sleep and substance use. Strategies targeting shift work schedule as well as eating and exercise behaviors may help protect against poor QoL and adverse physical and mental health outcomes in this vulnerable group.

The impact of the COVID-19 public health response on service demand and patient perceptions in a tertiary Australian gynaecology oncology unit.

INTRODUCTION: The public health response (PHR) to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted healthcare services worldwide. Our hospital, a major tertiary centre, is a unique two-state service across Queensland and New South Wales (NSW). OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to describe changes in service demand and delivery in our hospital resulting from the COVID-19 PHR. The secondary objective is to investigate patient perceptions of this impact. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective interrupted time series analysis and a population-based survey to examine patient perceptions of the impact of the COVID-19 PHR. The study periods were demarcated by the initiation of the COVID-19 PHR on 1 March 2020 with the 'pre' and 'during' COVID-19 periods defined as the 12 months before and after this date respectively. RESULTS: More patients were seen during the COVID-19 PHR period. The number or stage of cancer diagnoses was not different (P > 0.05). There was evidence (P = 0.03) of an increase in overall occasions of service and fewer failed attendances (P = 0.005). Fewer surgeries were performed on NSW patients (P = 0.005). The survey response rate was 19.3% (n = 185) with 48% stating that COVID-19 had negatively affected their emotional wellbeing. More participants from NSW than Queensland identified border closures as the most significant impact of the COVID-19 PHR. DISCUSSION: The COVID-19 PHR resulted in an unexpected increase in unit service demand and delivery. The necessary implementation of telephone appointments, while less preferred by patients, sustained service requirements. Cross-border tertiary healthcare services should consider the significant impact of border restrictions on patient wellbeing.

Enhanced recovery after caesarean section: Implementation of an ERAC protocol in a tertiary obstetric hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Assess safety and efficacy of an Enhanced Recovery After Caesarean protocol. BACKGROUND: Caesarean sections are among the most commonly performed surgeries worldwide, but have been associated with postoperative chronic pain and opioid abuse. METHODS: ASA 2 females, over 18 years, non-primiparous, repeat elective LSCS. Primary outcomes were length of stay and opioid consumption. Secondary outcomes were pain scores, functional assessment scores, pruritus, nausea and vomiting. RESULTS: A total of 579 women divided into standard care (389 patients) and enhanced recovery after caesarean groups (190 patients). Enhanced recovery after caesarean associated with reduced length of stay, 50.8 hours (interquartile range 48.6, 53.6) versus 72.2 hours (interquartile range 53.2, 75.7) in standard care. Enhanced recovery after caesarean associated with reduced opioid consumption, median 10 (interquartile range 0, 27.5mg) versus 120mg (interquartile range 90, 145mg) in standard care at 24 hours and 30 (interquartile range 7.7, 67.5mg) versus 177.5mg (interquartile range 132.5, 222.5 mg) at 48 hours. Pain scores reduced from moderate to mild in the enhanced recovery after caesarean. functional assessment scores trend towards improved function in the enhanced recovery after caesarean group (Functional assessment scores B 8.9% in enhanced recovery after caesarean versus 147% in standard care). Increased pruritus in the enhanced recovery after caesarean with 41.6% compared with 9.3% in standard care. Nausea and vomiting increased in enhanced recovery after caesarean group 48.9% versus 11.6% in standard care. CONCLUSION: Enhanced recovery after caesarean associated with a reduction in length of stay, opioid consumption and improved pain scores with an increase in side effects.

Transradial versus transfemoral access for diagnostic cerebral angiography: frequency of acute MRI findings in 500 consecutive patients at a single center.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of clinically symptomatic and asymptomatic diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) hyperintense lesions and their correlation with the transradial artery (TRA) approach is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of abnormal diffusion restriction foci on DWI following cerebral angiography (digital subtraction angiography (DSA)) with the TRA or transfemoral artery (TFA) approach and identify predictors of DWI restriction foci. METHODS: We analysed data from consecutive diagnostic cerebral angiograms obtained between January 2021 and October 2023 at a single tertiary center. MRI DWI was performed 2 hours after DSA. Patients underwent neurological assessment periprocedurally, as well as prior to discharge. RESULTS: 500 patients were analysed; 277 (55%) procedures were performed via TRA and 223 (45%) via TFA. Overall, 74 (14.8%) patients had abnormal findings in the postprocedure MRI DWI. A higher incidence of positive DWI findings was noted in the TRA group, with 46 (16.6%) patients, compared with 28 (12.6%) in the TFA group (P=0.21). Symptomatic events occurred in seven (2.5%) of the TRA group and in two (0.9%) of the TFA cohort (P=0.31). At 60 days, the neurological deficit rate was one (0.4%) for the TRA group and one (0.4%) for the TFA group. Procedure time was the only significant predictor of DWI restriction (OR=1.04 per minute; P=0.0001). CONCLUSION: Although there were more symptomatic or asymptomatic embolic events with TRA than with the TFA approach following elective cerebral angiography, this was not significantly different. We recommend the choice of vascular access based on patient anatomy and characteristics, aimed at improving care through enhanced safety.

Growth during pubertal induction in girls with Turner Syndrome: a retrospective cohort analysis.

CONTEXT: Patients with Turner Syndrome often present with short stature and ovarian insufficiency. The optimal method of pubertal induction to maximize adult height (AH) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To identify variables related to pubertal induction that are associated with growth and AH. DESIGN & SETTING: Retrospective cohort analysis of patients attending a specialized Turner Syndrome clinic at a quaternary children's hospital. PATIENTS: Patients with Turner Syndrome (n=107) who attended the clinic between 2015 and 2021. Of these, 51 received estradiol for pubertal induction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in height standard deviation score (ΔHeightSDS) during pubertal induction, and AH. METHODS: Age at pubertal induction, bone age delay, midparental height (MPH), growth hormone treatment, and karyotype were assessed as predictors of AH and ΔHeightSDS. Associations between karyotype and comorbidities were also assessed. RESULTS: AH was predicted by MPH (0.8cm/cm, P=0.0001) and bone age delay (-1.84 cm/year, P= 0.006). ΔHeightSDS was predicted by growth hormone dose (0.09 SDS/mg/m2/week; P=0.017), bone age delay (-1.37 SDS/year; P=0.003), and age at pubertal induction (0.44 SDS/year; P=0.001). There was an interaction between bone age delay and pubertal induction age (P=0.013), with the combination of younger age at pubertal induction and a less-delayed bone age associated with a lower ΔHeightSDS. Karyotype did not influence AH or ΔHeightSDS, but did affect rates of other comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Decisions around timing of pubertal induction in patients with Turner Syndrome should be tailored to the individual. The current approach to estrogen supplementation needs to be refined in order to facilitate pubertal induction in a physiological manner without compromising height.

Fibrinogen levels in severe trauma: A preliminary comparison of Clauss Fibrinogen, ROTEM Sigma, ROTEM Delta and TEG 6s assays from the FEISTY pilot randomised clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the relationships between different methods of measuring functional fibrinogen levels in severely injured, bleeding trauma patients across multiple timepoints during hospitalisation. METHODS: In 100 adult trauma patients enrolled in the FEISTY pilot randomised clinical trial at four tertiary trauma centres in Australia, blood samples were collected prospectively. Consistency of agreement was calculated, comparing functional fibrinogen levels measured by four methods - ROTEM® Delta and Sigma FIBTEM A5, TEG® 6s CFF MA, and gold-standard Clauss Fibrinogen. RESULTS: Comparing the ROTEM® Delta and new-generation ROTEM® Sigma machine, consistency of agreement for FIBTEM A5, measured by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), was ≥0.73 across all analysed timepoints, with mean differences (Sigma minus Delta) of 0.10-3.57 mm. Corresponding values comparing the ROTEM® Sigma FIBTEM A5 and TEG® 6s CFF MA were ICC = 0.55-0.82 and ICC = 4.69-7.97 (CFF MA minus A5). Comparing ROTEM® Sigma FIBTEM A5 and Clauss Fibrinogen Analysis (CFA), among statistically significant simple linear regression models, R2 was 0.25-0.67, and comparing TEG® 6s CFF MA and CFA (CFA) 0.65-0.82, although not all differences were significant with the latter comparison. Relationships across all timepoints combined were Clauss Fibrinogen (CF) (g/L) = 0.21𝑥 + 0.004 (where 𝑥 = ROTEM® Sigma FIBTEM A5 in mm) and (g/L) = 0.16𝑥 - 0.06 (where 𝑥 = TEG® 6s CFF MA in mm). CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed acceptable agreement between four different assays measuring functional fibrinogen, with current- and previous-generation ROTEM® machines (Sigma, Delta) performing similarly measuring functional fibrinogen via FIBTEM assay. This suggests that haemostatic resuscitation algorithms designed for the ROTEM® Delta can be applied to the ROTEM® Sigma to guide fibrinogen replacement.

Using machine learning to mine mental health diagnostic groups from emergency department presentations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound negative effect on mental health worldwide. The hospital emergency department plays a pivotal role in responding to mental health crises. Understanding data trends relating to hospital emergency department usage is beneficial for service planning, particularly around preparing for future pandemics. Machine learning has been used to mine large volumes of unstructured data to extract meaningful data in relation to mental health presentations. This study aims to analyse trends in five mental health-related presentations to an emergency department before and during, the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data from 690,514 presentations to two Australian, public hospital emergency departments between April 2019 to February 2022 were assessed. A machine learning-based framework, Mining Emergency Department Records, Evolutionary Algorithm Data Search (MEDREADS), was used to identify suicidality, psychosis, mania, eating disorder, and substance use. RESULTS: While the mental health-related presentations to the emergency department increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels, the proportion of mental health presentations relative to the total emergency department presentations decreased. Several troughs in presentation frequency were identified across the pandemic period, which occurred consistently during the public health lockdown and restriction periods. CONCLUSION: This study implemented novel machine learning techniques to analyse mental health presentations to an emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results inform understanding of the use of emergency mental health services during the pandemic, and highlight opportunities to further investigate patterns in presentation.

Exploring Barriers and Facilitators to Reducing the Environmental Impact of the Operating Room.

INTRODUCTION: The operating room (OR) is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions both nationally and globally. Successful implementation of quality improvement initiatives requires understanding of key stakeholders' perspectives of the issues at hand. Our aim was to explore surgical, anesthesia, and OR staff member perspectives on barriers and facilitators to reducing OR waste. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Identified stakeholders from a single academic medical center were interviewed to identify important barriers and facilitators to reducing surgical waste. Two team members with qualitative research experience used deductive logic guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework of behavior change to identify themes within transcripts. RESULTS: Nineteen participants including surgeons (n = 3, 15.8%), surgical residents (n = 5, 26.3%), an anesthesiologist (n = 1, 5.3%), anesthesia residents (n = 2, 10.5%), nurse anesthetists (n = 2, 10.5%), nurses (n = 5, 26.3%), and a surgical technologist (n = 1, 5.3%) were interviewed. Twelve of the 14 themes within the Theoretical Domains Framework were discovered in transcripts. Barriers within these themes included lack of resources to pursue environmental sustainability in the OR and the necessity of maintaining sterility for patient safety. Facilitators included emphasizing surgeon leadership within the OR to reduce unused supplies and spreading awareness of the environmental and economic impact of surgical waste. CONCLUSIONS: Interviewed stakeholders were able to identify areas where improvements around surgical waste reduction and management could be made at the institution by describing barriers and facilitators to sustainability-driven interventions. Future surgical waste reduction initiatives at this institution will be guided by these important perspectives.

Effect of a Senior Cardiology Nursing Role on Streamlining Assessment of Emergency Cardiology Presentations During COVID-19: An Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: The Emergency Cardiology Coordinator (ECC) was a senior nursing role implemented from 14 April 2020 to 15 September 2020 at the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service in South-East Queensland, Australia to streamline and expedite assessment of patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with suspected cardiac problems. ECC implementation occurred in the context of the emergence of COVID-19. Evaluation of the impact of the ECC role focussed primarily on the time interval from triage to cardiology consult (TTCC). METHODS: ED and Cardiology Department data were extracted from electronic medical records for the period 2 September 2019 to 1 March 2021. The TTCC for each presenting problem (chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, altered level of consciousness) was compared between patients seen by the ECC and those not seen on the days the ECC worked. The effect of COVID-19 on TTCC was assessed by an interrupted time series analysis. Data recorded by the ECC included patients seen and interventions provided. RESULTS: The ECC saw 378 patients. Most presented with chest pain (269/378, 71.2%). The ECC determined that 68.8% (260/378) required a cardiac assessment. Following COVID-19 the median weekly TTCC increased by 0.029 hours (1.74 min) each week on average relative to that beforehand (p=0.008). For patients seen by the ECC the median TTCC was 2.07 hours (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.44, 3.16) compared to 2.58 hours (IQR: 1.73, 3.80; p=0.007) for patients not seen by the ECC. Chest pain (ECC: 1.94 hours; no ECC: 2.41 hours; p=0.06) and non-obvious cardiac presenting problems (ECC: 1.77 hours; no ECC 3.05 hours; p=0.004) displayed the largest reductions in TTCC when the ECC was involved. Presentations with palpitations, respiratory distress and altered level of consciousness had similar TTCCs. CONCLUSION: The ECC role resulted in an overall decrease in TTCC despite the role coinciding with the emergence of COVID-19. In order to clarify the optimal strategy for the ECC role, further analyses involving patient risk factors and presenting problems along with a health economic evaluation of this model of care and the effect on patient outcomes will be required.

Thoracic Surgery and the Elderly; Is Lobectomy Safe in Octogenarians?

PURPOSE: Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common malignancy of the elderly, with 5-year survival estimates of 16.8%. The prognostic benefit of surgical resection for early lung cancer is irrefutable and maintained irrespective of age, even in patients over 75 years. Concerningly, despite the prognostic benefit of surgery there are deviations from standard treatment protocols with increasing age due to concerns of increased morbidity and mortality with surgery, without evidence to support this. METHOD: A state-wide retrospective registry study of Queensland's Cardiac Outcomes Registry's (QCOR) Thoracic Database examining the influence of age on the safety of Lung Resection (1 January 2016-20 April 2022). RESULTS: This included 1,232 patients, mean age at surgery was 66 years (range 14-91 years), with 918 thoracotomies performed. Three deaths occurred within 30-days (0.24%). Octogenarians (n=60) had lower rates of smoking (26% vs 6%), respiratory, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease suggesting this subset of patients is carefully selected. Octogenarian status was not associated with an increased all-cause morbidity (p=0.09) or 30-day mortality (p=0.06). Further to this it was not associated with re-operation (4.4% vs 8.3%, p=0.1), increased postoperative stay (6.66 vs 6.65 days, p=0.99) or myocardial infarction. An independent predictor of morbidity was male sex (OR 1.58, CI 1.2-2.1 p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Age ≥80 years did not increase surgical morbidity or mortality in the appropriately selected patient and should not be a barrier to referral for consideration of surgical resection.

The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer surgery in Queensland.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic poses unprecedented challenges to global healthcare. The contemporary influence of COVID-19 on the delivery of lung cancer surgery has not been examined in Queensland. METHODS: We performed a retrospective registry analysis of the Queensland Cardiac Outcomes Registry (QCOR), thoracic database examining all adult lung cancer resections across Queensland from 1/1/2016 to 30/4/2022. We compared the data prior to, and after, the introduction of COVID-restrictions. RESULTS: There were 1207 patients. Mean age at surgery was 66 years and 1115 (92%) lobectomies were performed. We demonstrated a significant delay from time of diagnosis to surgery from 80 to 96 days (P < 0.0005), after introducing COVID-restrictions. The number of surgeries performed per month decreased after the pandemic and has not recovered (P = 0.012). 2022 saw a sharp reduction in cases with 49 surgeries, compared to 71 in 2019 for the same period. CONCLUSION: Restrictions were associated with a significant increase in pathological upstaging, greatest immediately after the introduction of COVID-restrictions (IRR 1.71, CI 0.93-2.94, P = 0.05). COVID-19 delayed the access to surgery, reduced surgical capacity and consequently resulted in pathological upstaging throughout Queensland.

Smell and taste of milk during tube feeding of preterm infants: neurodevelopmental follow-up of the randomized TASTE trial, study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The Taste And Smell To Enhance nutrition (TASTE) trial investigated the effects of smell and taste of milk with tube feeding compared to routine care on the growth of preterm infants. There was no difference between groups in growth (weight, head circumference, length) z-scores at discharge from the hospital. Infants in the intervention group had higher head circumference and length z-scores at 36 weeks postmenstrual age, both secondary outcomes. The objective of this follow-up study is to assess 2-year neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes after exposure of preterm infants to the smell and taste of milk with tube feeding compared to routine care. METHODS: This is a neurodevelopmental follow-up study of a two-center, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Infants born before 29 weeks postmenstrual age and/or with a birth weight of less than 1250 g were randomized to smell and taste of milk with each tube feed or routine care. The current follow-up assessed the 2-year neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes of participants of the TASTE trial discharged from the hospital (n = 334). The primary outcome is survival free of any major neurodevelopmental impairment comprising any moderate/severe cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification System score II-V), Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third/Fourth Edition (Bayley-III/Bayley-4) motor, cognitive, or language scores < -2SD, blindness, or deafness at 2 years of age. Other outcomes include death, breastfeeding within the first year, and respiratory support, oral feeding, and anthropometric parameters at 2 years of age. The Human Research Ethics Committees of Mater Misericordiae Limited and the Royal Women's Hospital approved the TASTE trial including the neurodevelopmental follow-up described in this protocol. DISCUSSION: For patients and their families, the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants are of utmost importance. Consequently, they should be investigated following any interventional study performed during the newborn period. Furthermore, improved weight gain and head growth in the hospital are associated with better long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Smelling and tasting of milk is an uncomplicated and cost-effective intervention that may improve the growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants. Potential limitations affecting this follow-up study, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, are anticipated and discussed in this protocol. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Name of the registry: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; Registration number: ACTRN12617000583347 ; Registration date: 26 April 2017.

A contemporary evaluation of surgical aortic valve replacement outcomes and temporal trends.

BACKGROUND: Given the ageing population and uptake of transcatheter approaches for treating aortic stenosis (AS), a renewed evaluation of outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is warranted. With guidelines recommending age-based indications for surgical and transcatheter approaches, this study critically evaluates outcomes in age-based subgroups, with the aim to refine management of AS in the elderly, where there is often no clear consensus. METHODS: Six hundred and thirteen consecutive patients who underwent SAVR in an Australian tertiary cardiac centre between 1 June 2014 and 13 January 2022 were retrospectively analysed. Of these, 70.31% were <75 years (Group 1) and 29.69% were ≥75 years (Group 2). Groups were compared with respect to early and long-term outcomes. Logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed for all patients and an AS-specific sub-group. RESULTS: Patients aged ≥75 years were more likely to be female and have hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and pre-existing arrhythmia (P < 0.001). Group 1 experienced a higher incidence of renal failure compared with Group 2, in the overall cohort and AS-specific subgroup (P = 0.02). The incidence of stroke was similar between groups, in the overall cohort (P = 0.22) and the AS-specific subgroup (P = 0.32). Age ≥ 75 was not found to be an independent predictor of 30-day, 1-year or 5-year mortality. Temporal trends revealed low consistently low complication rates. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients should not be denied surgery based on age, despite guideline-driven age-based recommendations.

Meta-analysis assessing the sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDG PET/CT for the diagnosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) using individual patient data (IPD).

IMPORTANCE: The use of 18F-FDG PET/CT in diagnostic algorithms for PVE has increased since publication of studies and guidelines advocating its use. The assessment of test accuracy has been limited by small study sizes. We undertook a systematic review using individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis techniques. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the summary sensitivity and specificity of 18F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing PVE. We also assessed the effect of patient factors on test accuracy as defined by changes in the odds ratios associated with each factor. The effect of the PET/CT study on the final diagnosis was also assessed when compared to the preliminary Duke classification to determine in which patient group 18F-FDG PET/CT had the greatest utility. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if PET/CT was performed for suspicion of PVE and IPD of both the PET/CT result and final diagnosis defined by a gold-standard assessment was available. There were 3 possible final diagnoses ("definite PVE," "possible PVE," and "rejected PVE"). RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included with IPD available for 537 patients (from 538 scans). The summary sensitivity and specificity were 85% (95% CI 74.2%-91.8%) and 86.5% (95% CI 75.8%-92.9%) respectively when patients with final diagnosis of "possible PVE" were classified as positive for PVE. When this group was classified as negative for PVE, sensitivity was 87.4% (95% CI 80.4%-92.1%) and specificity was 84.9% (95% CI 71.5%-92.6%). Patients with a known pathogen (especially coagulase negative staphylococcal species), elevated CRP, a biological or aortic valve infection appeared more likely to have an accurate PET/CT diagnosis. Those with a mechanical valve, prior antibiotic treatment or a transcatheter aortic valve replacement valve were less likely to have an accurate test. Time since valve implantation and the presence of surgical adhesive did not appear to affect test accuracy. Of the patients with a preliminary Duke classification of "possible PVE," 84% received a more conclusive final diagnosis of "definite" or "rejected" PVE after the PET/CT study. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: 18F-FDG PET/CT has high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing PVE and the diagnostic utility is greatest in patients with a preliminary Duke classification of "possible PVE." Some patient factors appear to affect test accuracy, though these results should be interpreted with caution given low patient numbers for subgroup analyses.

An open-label randomised controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of a meningococcal serogroup B (4CMenB) vaccine on Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in gay and bisexual men: the MenGO study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Gonorrhoea is an ongoing public health concern due to its rising incidence and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. There are an estimated 82 million new Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections each year, with several populations at higher risk for gonococcal infection, including gay and bisexual men (GBM). If left untreated, infection can lead to serious morbidity including infertility, sepsis and increased risk of HIV acquisition. Development of a gonorrhoea vaccine has been challenging, however there is observational evidence that serogroup B meningococcal vaccines, used to protect against the closely related bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, could provide cross-protection against N. gonorrhoeae. METHODS: The MenGO (Meningococcal vaccine efficacy against Gonorrhoea) study is a phase III open-label randomised control trial in GBM to evaluate the efficacy of the four-component meningococcal serogroup B vaccine, 4CMenB, against gonorrhoea. A total of 130 GBM will be recruited at the Gold Coast Sexual Health Clinic, Australia, and randomised to either receive 2 doses of 4CMenB or no intervention. Participants will be followed up for 24 months with testing for N. gonorrhoeae and other sexually transmissible infections every three months. Demographics, sexual behaviour risk, antibiotic use, and blood samples for analysis of N. gonorrhoeae-specific immune responses, will be collected during the study. The primary outcome is the number of N. gonorrhoeae infections in participants over 2 years measured by nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Secondary outcomes are vaccine-induced N. gonorrhoeae-specific immune responses, and adverse events in trial participants. DISCUSSION: This trial will determine if the 4CMenB vaccine is able to reduce N. gonorrhoeae infection. If shown to be effective, 4CMenB could be used in gonococcal prevention. Analysis of 4CMenB-induced immune responses will increase understanding of the type of immune response needed to prevent N. gonorrhoeae, which may enable identification of a potential correlate of protection to aid future gonorrhoea vaccine development. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been registered on the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619001478101) on 25 October 2019.

They were uncivil, and now I am too: A dual process model exploring relations between customer incivility and instigated incivility.

Incivility from customers is a common occurrence for employees working in service-oriented organizations. Typically, such incivility engenders instigated mistreatment, both towards customers and colleagues. Not much is understood, however, about the mechanisms underlying the relations between customer incivility and instigated incivility. Answering recent calls from incivility scholars, the present research, drawing from Self-Regulatory Resource Theory and Stressor-Emotion models of workplace behaviour, explored cognitive (i.e., self-regulatory resource depletion) and affective (i.e., negative affect) pathways that would explain relations between customer incivility and instigated incivility towards others. Through two multi-wave studies with different time lags (N1  = 180, weekly lags; N2  = 192, within-week lags) and different operationalizations of the instigated incivility construct (i.e., broad [unidimensional] and narrow [multidimensional]), we find consistent support for the mediating effects of the affective pathway. While our first study finds that customer incivility is linked to broad instigated incivility through negative affect, our second study finds that customer incivility is linked to, more specifically, gossip, exclusionary behaviour, and hostility through negative affect. In both studies, however, no support was found for the mediating effects of the cognitive pathway. Implications for both research and practice are discussed, and future research directions are offered.

Cephalic arch stenosis in the arteriovenous fistula: A retrospective analysis of predisposing factors.

BACKGROUND: Cephalic Arch Stenosis (CAS) is a frequently observed complication in brachiocephalic and radiocephalic arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) associated with high morbidity and healthcare expenditure. The predisposing factors and preventative strategies for CAS remain unclear. Our aim was to examine predisposing factors for CAS development in the AVF. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed at Gold University Coast Hospital on patients with AVFs created from 2009 to 2018 with ⩾18 months follow-up. CAS was defined as a >50% narrowing on angiographic assessment with clinically significant symptoms (dialysis dysfunction, arm swelling, prolonged bleeding after access). RESULTS: About 187 patients with AVF were included in the analysis (36 brachiocephalic, 151 radiocephalic). CAS developed in 22 of 36 (61%) of brachiocephalic AVF and 9 of 151 (6%) of radiocephalic AVFs. Brachiocephalic AVF were ⩾12 times more likely to develop CAS than radiocephalic AVF (Hazard Ratio (HR) 12.7, 95% CI [5.6-28.3], p < 0.001). Each 1 mL/min increase in flow rate through the AVF, correlated with a 0.07% increase in the probability of development of CAS (HR 1.0007, 95% CI [1.0001-1.0012], p = 0.011). Brachiocephalic AVFs with CAS were associated with a higher number of interventional procedures per access-year compared with their non-CAS counterparts (Median [Interquartile range]: 1.76 [0.74, 3.97] vs 0.41 [0.27, 0.67], p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Brachiocephalic AVF with higher access flow rates are more likely to develop CAS and earlier than radiocephalic AVF, and in a dose dependent fashion. AVF flow rate is a major factor in CAS development within brachiocephalic AVF and has potential utility in surveillance thresholds for prophylactic blood flow reduction procedures. AVFs with CAS are associated with a greater number of interventional procedures per access-year, heralding higher patient morbidity and healthcare expenditure. Further prospective studies will help define an AVF access flow rate threshold in the implementation of prophylactic strategies for CAS.

Transradial versus transfemoral arterial approach for cerebral angiography and the frequency of embolic events on diffusion weighted MRI.

BACKGROUND: The radial artery approach has become popular as a 'radial first' strategy for arterial access in neuroangiography and neurointerventions. Recent studies have shown that transradial arterial access (TRA) for cerebral angiography has been associated with reduced access site complication rates and improved patient satisfaction compared with transfemoral access (TFA). The goal of this study was to evaluate the presence of abnormal MRI diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) foci following DSA and correlate their frequency with TRA or TFA. METHODS: We prospective analyzed 200 consecutive adult DSAs performed from January 2021 to January 2022, at a single tertiary center. RESULTS: Of the 200 consecutive diagnostic cerebral angiograms, 51% were performed via TRA and 49% were performed via TFA. Of the TRA cerebral angiograms, 17.5% demonstrated at least one hyperintense focus on MRI DWI. Of the TFA procedures, 5.2% were considered positive. One patient (0.5%) in the TRA group experienced a minor neurologic deficit postoperatively that had not completely resolved at 90 days after the procedure and no neurologic deficits occurred in the TFA group. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the proven benefit of TRA over TFA in neurointervention, the number of MRI DWI restriction foci were significantly more frequent during cerebral angiography when TRA was selected. Although the number of clinically symptomatic events were minimal, the widespread use of the technique may become clinically relevant. Further studies contrasting the TRA and TFA techniques will be beneficial for cerebral angiography.

The mitochondrial genome of the deep-sea axiid shrimp, Eiconaxius baja (Decapoda: Axiidae).

Here, we present the first mitochondrial genome of Eiconaxius baja. The mitogenome contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes. The total length of the complete E. baja mitochondrial genome is 16,212 base pairs, and the GC content is 26.82%. The gene order is consistent with that of Eiconaxius serratus, and most other members of Axiidea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 PCGs places E. baja sister to E. serratus within Axiidae.