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Electronic consultations (eConsults) allows general practitioners (GPs) to seek the advice of a specialist via secure asynchronous digital communication.

To report the outcomes of a proof of concept (POC) trial of eConsults for patients with diabetes and endocrine disorders.

A prospective observational study conducted from Nov 2020 to May 2021. eConsults were provided by endocrinologists from the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane. The requests for advice were from GPs in Brisbane South. An online questionnaire was completed by the GP and endocrinologist after each eConsult.

Forty eConsults were performed over 7 months. The majority were in relation to type 2 diabetes (30%) or thyroid conditions (30%). All eConsult responses were performed within the target of 72 hours with 92.5% responses provided within 24 hrs. The average time taken for the endocrinologist to perform the eConsult was 14.2 ± 4.4 minutes. The GPs rated the value of eConsults as excellent 97% of the time. The eConsult resulted in a new or additional course of action 68% (19/28) of the time and confirmed a course of action 32% (9/28) of the time. The eConsult avoided the need for referral of the patient for a face-to-face specialist review in 55% of the eConsults.

An eConsult service was able to be delivered by endocrinologists from a tertiary hospital to GPs in Brisbane South. With an appropriate funding model, the broader implementation and adoption of eConsults has the potential to address specialist waiting lists and facilitate models of integrated care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

An eConsult service was able to be delivered by endocrinologists from a tertiary hospital to GPs in Brisbane South. With an appropriate funding model, the broader implementation and adoption of eConsults has the potential to address specialist waiting lists and facilitate models of integrated care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.There is a constant drive for affordable point-of-care testing (POCT) technologies for the detection of infectious and human diseases. Herein we report a simple platform for DNA detection that takes advantage of four techniques commercially available pregnancy test strip (PTS), amplicon generation via loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), toehold mediated strand displacement, and noncovalent immobilization of DNA on paper surface with DNA nanoflowers. This simple, separation-free platform is highly specific, as demonstrated with the detection of rtL180M, a single nucleotide polymorphism observed in hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated with antiviral drug resistance. It is very sensitive, capable of detecting the targeted mutation at 2 copies/μL. It is able to correctly identify the unmutated and rtL180M genome types of HBV in clinical samples. Given its wide adaptability, we expect this platform can be easily modified for the detection of genetic variations associated with various pathogens and human diseases.

Isolation and social distancing restrictions due to COVID-19 have the potential to impact access to health care services.

To assess the use of pathology services during the COVID-19 pandemic initial restrictions.

Repeated cross-sectional study of pathology tests utilisation during a baseline time period early in 2020 compared to pre-lockdown and lockdown due to COVID-19 in South Australia. The outcome measure was change in number of pathology tests compared to baseline period, particularly change in the number of troponin tests to determine potential impacts of lockdown on urgent care presentations.

In the community setting the ratio of number of pathology tests pre-lockdown and post-lockdown vs. baseline period decreased from 1.02 to 0.53 respectively. The exception was microbiology molecular tests, where the number of tests was more than 3 times higher in the lockdown period. The number of troponin tests in emergency departments decreased in the lockdown period compared to the baseline time period, however, there was no evidence of an association between tests result (positive vs negative) and time period (OR 1.09 95% CI 0.97-1.22). There was an inverse relationship between age and time period (OR 0.995, 95%CI 0.993-0.997), indicating that fewer troponin tests were conducted in older people during the lockdown compared to the baseline period.

COVID-19 restrictions had a significant impact on the use of pathology testing in both urgent and non-urgent care settings. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect on health outcomes as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 restrictions had a significant impact on the use of pathology testing in both urgent and non-urgent care settings. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect on health outcomes as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.This article investigates the dynamic behavior of the micro-cantilever beam in a noncontact atomic force microscope based on classic and strain gradient continuum theories. Governing equation of the system is derived using Euler-Bernoulli and strain gradient theories as a nonlinear partial differential equation. Then, the equation is converted to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation using the Galerkin method, and the lumped model is derived. The effect of van der Waals repulsive term is investigated, and it is demonstrated that its repulsive term has no considerable effect on the dynamic of the system compared with its attractive term. The stability region of the system and the frequency response are computed and validated analytically and numerically. The obtained analytical equation is used for comparing the frequency response of the classic and strain gradient systems. It was observed that the classic theory predicts the nonlinear behavior of the system including softening for a specific dimension, while the dynamic behavior of the system is linear for the same dimensions from the strain gradient theory point of view. This difference probably roots in ignoring the size effect in submicron scales by the classic theory. HIGHLIGHTS The influence of the repulsive term of van der Waals force on the dynamic behavior of micro-beam and this term is investigated. A general closed-form equation is derived for the stability region of AFM by an analytical approach. Effect of size on the stability region is investigated. The frequency response of the system is derived using the multiscale method (MSM) approach.Fluoro-substitution on the ribose moiety (e.g., 2'-F-deoxyribonucleotide) represents a popular way to modulate the ribose conformation and, hence, the structure and function of nucleic acids. In the present study, we synthesized 4'-F-deoxythymidine ( 4'-F T) and introduced it to oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs). Though scission of the glycosylic bond of 4'-F T followed by strand cleavage occurred to some extent under alkaline conditions, the 4'-F T-modified ODNs were rather stable in neutral buffers. NMR studies showed that like 2'-F-deoxyribonucleoside, 4'-F T exists predominantly in the North conformation not only in the nucleoside form but also in the context of ODN strands. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, thermal denaturing and RNase H1 footprinting studies of 4'-F T-modified ODN/cDNA and ODN/cRNA duplexes indicated that the North conformation tendency of 4'-F T is maintained in the duplexes, leading to a local structural perturbation. Collectively, 4'-F-deoxyribonucleotide structurally resembles the 2'-F-deoxyribonucleotide but imparts less structural perturbation to the duplex than the latter.After decades of development, the indoor environment in China has changed. GX15-070 in vitro A systematic review was conducted from peer-reviewed scientific papers with field test data of indoor radon in China from 2000 to 2020 for three types of buildings. The mean concentrations of indoor radon for dwellings, school buildings, and office buildings are 54.6, 56.1, and 54.9 Bq/m3 . The indoor radon concentration was related to seasons, climate regions, ventilation, decoration, and other factors such as soil and outdoor air. Colder seasons, especially in severe colder areas of China, newer decorated buildings, closed windows, and doors were all associated with higher indoor radon concentrations. Variables like climate region and ventilation showed statistical significance in the correlation analysis. Regarding the increasing trend of indoor radon concentration in China during the last two decades, further study of indoor radon is necessary especially for school buildings and office buildings, and will help access its environmental burden of disease in China more accurately.Seventy substance users with psychosis who were participating in a clinical trial of a psychological therapy for psychosis were additionally assessed for attachment, coping styles and self-reported reasons for substance use in order to test a hypothesized sequential mediation model. In this model the relationship between insecure attachment and problematic substance use was assumed to be sequentially mediated by dysfunctional coping and the use of substances to cope with distress. Hypothesized associations between insecure-avoidant attachment and substance use were not supported, but the relationship between insecure-anxious attachment and problematic substance use was confirmed and found to be fully mediated by dysfunctional coping and coping reasons for use. Findings suggest that fostering secure attachments in people with psychosis might promote more successful coping and could prevent or reduce substance use related problems in this group.

Patients are increasingly being asked for feedback about their healthcare and treatment, including safety, despite little evidence to support this trend. This review identifies the strategies used to engage patients in safety during direct care, explores who is engaged and determines the mechanisms that impact effectiveness.

A systematic review was performed of seven databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, Cochrane-Central, Embase, ISI Web of Science, Medline, PsycINFO) that included research published between 2010 and 2020 focused on patient engagement interventions to increase safety during direct care and reported using PRISMA. All research designs were eligible; two reviewers applied criteria independently to determine eligibility and quality. A narrative review and realist synthesis were conducted.

Twenty-six papers reporting on twenty-seven patient engagement strategies were included and classified as consultation (9), involvement (7) and partnership (11). The definitions of 'patient engagement' varied, and ject priorities (PROSPERO CRD42020196453).In this study, magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) were prepared and used as sorbents for extraction of S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) from urine samples, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet-visible (HPLC-UV/Vis) analysis. The MMIPs were synthesized by the copolymerization reaction of (phenylthio) acetic acid (template molecule), methacrylic acid (functional monomers) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (cross-linkers). The morphology, structure property and surface groups of the prepared MMIPs were characterized by scan electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern, thermogravimetric analyses, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and vibrating sample magnetometer. The selectivity of the MMIPs was investigated in the presence of interferents. Various parameters affecting the S-PMA extraction efficiency were investigated, including MMIPs amount, pH, sample volume, desorption solvent, as well as extraction and desorption time. The obtained optimal parameters were as follows MMIPs amount (20 mg), pH (3.