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COVID-19 and changes in the National Immunisation Program: a unique opportunity to optimise the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)Christopher Blyth MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD Centre Head, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases
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Impact of a revised postoperative care plan on pain and recovery trajectory following pediatric tonsillectomyA previous cohort of adenotonsillectomy patients at our institution demonstrated moderate-severe post-tonsillectomy pain scores lasting a median (range) duration of 6 (0-23) days and postdischarge nausea and vomiting affecting 8% of children on day 1 following surgery. In this subsequent cohort, we evaluate the impact of changes to our discharge medication and parental education on post-tonsillectomy pain and recovery profile.
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The impact of surgical cancellations on children, families, and the health system in an Australian paediatric tertiary referral hospitalReasons for elective surgery cancelations and their impact vary from one institution to another. Cancelations have emotional and financial implications for patients and their families. Our service has a particularly broad and geographically diverse patient population; hence, we sought to examine these impacts in our service.
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Effect of Exercise Intensity on Exogenous Glucose Requirements to Maintain Stable Glycemia At High Insulin Levels in Type 1 DiabetesUnder basal insulin levels, there is an inverted U relationship between exercise intensity and exogenous glucose requirements to maintain stable blood glucose levels in type 1 diabetes (T1D), with no glucose required for intense exercise (80% V̇O2 peak), implying that high-intensity exercise is not conducive to hypoglycemia.
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Vaccine coverage in children born to migrant mothers in Australia: A population-based cohort studyOverall, infant immunisation coverage is currently >90% in Australia, but there are pockets of under-immunised children including children from migrant backgrounds.
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The Role of Subinhibitory Concentrations of Daptomycin and Tigecycline in Modulating Virulence in Staphylococcus aureusStaphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections are notoriously complicated by the ability of the organism to grow in biofilms and are difficult to eradicate with antimicrobial therapy.
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Increased nasal Streptococcus pneumoniae presence in Western environment associated with allergic conditions in Chinese immigrantsChinese immigrants living in Australia experience increased allergic conditions: asthma, eczema, hay fever and wheeze. Recently we reported diminished innate cytokine responses in long-term immigrants, potentially increasing their pathogenic viral load and microbial carriage. We hypothesise that a Western environment changes the nasal microbiome profile, and this altered profile may be associated with the development of allergic conditions. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine the loading of viral and microbial respiratory pathogens in the upper airway.
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SToP (See, Treat, Prevent) skin sores and scabies trial: study protocol for a cluster randomised, stepped-wedge trial for skin disease control in remote Western AustraliaSkin infection burden in remote Aboriginal communities can be reduced by the See, Treat, Prevent (SToP skin sores and scabies) trial
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The causal impact of mental health on tobacco and alcohol consumption: An instrumental variables approachThe reciprocal relationship between psychiatric and substance use disorders is well-known, yet it remains largely unknown whether mental health morbidity causally leads to addictive behaviours. This paper utilises a fixed effects instrumental variables model, which is identified by time-varying sources of plausibly exogenous variations in mental health, and a nationally representative panel dataset from Australia to present robust evidence on the causal impact of mental distress on cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking behaviours.
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Modeling the potential health impact of prospective Strep A vaccinesThe World Health Organization published the preferred product characteristics for a Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) vaccine in 2018. Based on these parameters for the age of vaccination, vaccine efficacy, duration of protection from vaccine-derived immunity, and vaccination coverage, we developed a static cohort model to estimate the projected health impact of Strep A vaccination at the global, regional, and national levels and by country-income category.