Australia's lice treatment device regulation

Abstract Background Before 2002, products for head lice were entered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) as Registered or Listed Medicines, depending on the active ingredients. Since 2002, the Australian definition of a medical device has been consistent with that of the European Union, allowing many lice treatments and prevention products to be included in the ARTG as a Class 1 medical device (C1MD). Aim To analyse C1MD entries in the ARTG that incorporate the term ‘lice’ in their title, ingredient list, or indications. Method The ARTG was searched for entries using the term ‘lice’. Each entry's Public Summary was reviewed and C1MD entries were classified using Global Medical Device Nomenclature codes. Additional information about C1MD entries was sought by enquiry of sponsors, review of product websites, and examination of products at point of sale. Ethics approval was not required for this research as it involved publicly available information and did not involve human participants or human data. Results For only 20 of 31 C1MD entries for lice treatment or prevention were a complete list of ingredients or an active ingredient found from multiple information sources. Five C1MD entries had novel ingredients not in any medicine on the ARTG, and others contained an ingredient seemingly for a purpose not permitted in Listed Medicines. Conclusion In Australia, C1MDs designated for head lice treatment or prevention can be lawfully supplied without disclosure of their ingredients to the regulatory authority. Some C1MDs contained ingredients not found in any medicine on the ARTG. Additionally, some uses and indications of ingredients did not align with those permitted for Listed Medicines.

Supramolecular Macrocyclic Amphiphile as an Efficient Nanocarrier for Cefixime and Its Anti‐Microbial Potential

ABSTRACT This research work reports on the synthesis, characterization, cellular interaction, and anti‐microbial properties of a supramolecular macrocyclic amphiphile (SMA) using cefixime as a model hydrophobic drug. The macrocycle was synthesized via the cyclization reaction of alkylated vanillin and resorcinol. The SMA was characterized employing spectroscopic techniques, including ESI‐MS, FT‐IR, and 1 H‐NMR spectroscopy. Using a Zetasizer, the mean diameter, average size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of cefixime‐loaded and unloaded vesicles of SMA were measured. The morphology of drug‐loaded vehicles was examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM). NIH/3T3 cell lines were used to investigate cellular compatibility, and fresh blood was used to measure blood hemolysis. The experimental results revealed that at the highest concentration (1000 μg/mL), the hemolysis rate of synthesized SMA was 19.12% ± 1.88%, compared with 28.25% ± 1.89% hemolysis for the standard Tween 80. Similarly, SMA at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL demonstrated 66.89% ± 1.18% cell viability with 3T3 cells, whereas Tween 80 showed 56.31% ± 1.22% cell viability after 24 h. The antimicrobial activity of loaded SMA against Escherichia coli demonstrated greater antimicrobial potential than the cefixime formulation alone.

Lactobacillus plantarum with lignin prevents Helicobacter pylori mediated DSS ‐colitis through improved intestinal integrity and reducing colonic inflammation in C57BL/6J mice

Abstract Background Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that affect stomach acid and reduce bile production in the host organism. Helicobacter pylori infection causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric carcinoma and gastric lymphoma. Probiotic mediated gut health improvement in H. pylori infection remains underestimated. Objective The study aimed to develop Venu Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (VLP) surface coated with lignin and examine their protective effects and metabolic pathways in a colitis model using dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) in male C57BL/6J mice. Materials and methods The toxic effects of dietary lignin were assessed on H . pylori and L. plantarum (VLP) using bacterial growth optical density (OD) at 600 nm. C57BL/6J male mice were induced with DSS colitis with H. pylori antigens and VLP with lignin was used to reduce the gut colitis by examined the length of the colon, the presence of inflammation, and the level of oxidative stress in mice. The collapse of the intestinal barrier was further identified by investigating gut permeability and inflammatory markers such as tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) platform methods. Result The toxic effects of dietary lignin were assessed and it was found that lignin treatment exhibited substantial inhibition against H. pylori inhibition at a dose of 5 μmol/L and the OD value at 600 nm. The viability of VLPs treated with lignin exhibited a 2.0 CFU/mL with significant increase in viable growth after a period of 3 h. The findings demonstrated that the application of L. plantarum with lignin treatment effectively decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines in colon tissues affected by inflammation. The ulcerative colitis disease activity index was greatly lowered by modulating the immunological response, boosting antioxidant capacity, and regulating inflammatory signalling pathways. In vitro experiments demonstrated that VLP‐treated Caco‐2 cells effectively decreased H. pylori infection and enhanced their survival ability, invasion, and adhesion. Conclusion To summarize, the presence of lignin in VLP has the ability to alleviate colitis generated by DSS and H. pylori antigens, and its therapeutic capabilities against ulcerative colitis in a mouse model have been investigated. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Refined, bleached, deodorized palm oil adulteration screening using near infrared red spectroscopy

Abstract BACKGROUND Detecting adulteration in refined bleached deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) is vital for ensuring food safety and maintaining consumer trust. Traditional detection methods, such as refractometry and other standard tests, often fail to identify the complex patterns of adulteration because they are generally designed to measure single basic parameters rather than multiple quality markers. Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy emerges as a rapid and non‐destructive alternative. RESULTS The present study demonstrated that pure oil could be reliably distinguished from used oil after the 5th frying cycle. NIR spectroscopy showed 100% specificity and sensitivity in classifying oil samples as pure, admixed or used. A notable aspect of the study was the identification of the spectral region between 2000 and 2057 nm, which was associated with oil deterioration. providing a potential marker for quality assessment. CONCLUSION The overall findings reinforce the fact that NIR spectroscopy is a reliable and efficient tool for detecting adulteration in RBDPO. The success of the technique enhances food safety and quality control practices because it reassures consumers and manufacturers about the authenticity of the products. Paving the way for improved quality assurance practices in the food sector. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gut microbiota‐modulating potential of sweet potato‐derived dietary fiber for type 2 diabetes management

Abstract BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus presents a significant global health burden, highlighting the need for safe and cost‐effective dietary interventions. Soluble dietary fiber (SDF) derived from sweet potato, rich in bioactive compounds, holds promise for improving glucose metabolism and gut microbiota, yet its effects on type 2 diabetes (T2D) remain underexplored. RESULTS The present study investigated the impact of different doses of sweet potato‐derived SDF‐high (SDF‐H, 1000 mg kg −1 body weight), SDF‐medium (SDF‐M, 600 mg kg −1 body weight) and SDF‐low (SDF‐L, 200 mg kg −1 body weight) on T2D mice over 10 weeks. The results demonstrated that SDF supplementation significantly improved body weight, reduced excessive water intake and lowered postprandial blood glucose. Notably, high‐ and medium‐dose SDF improved glucose tolerance, reducing postprandial blood glucose by 23.76% and 17.10%, respectively, and mitigated diabetes‐induced damage to the liver, kidneys and pancreas. SDF also modulated lipid metabolism, decreasing serum total cholesterol and triglycerides at the same time as increasing high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Importantly, SDF, particularly at high doses, enhanced gut microbiota diversity and abundance, suppressing harmful bacteria and promoting beneficial genera such as Alloprevotella and Lactobacillus , at the same time as decreasing the abundance of Helicobacter . These findings suggest that sweet potato‐derived SDF exerts multi‐targeted benefits in T2D through metabolic regulation and gut microbiota modulation. CONCLUSION Sweet potato‐derived SDF is a promising natural agent for improving glycemic control, lipid profiles, and gut microbial balance in T2D, suggesting its potential as a dietary intervention for diabetes management, pending further validation in human studies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

The New Era of Total Neoadjuvant FLOT Therapy for Locally Advanced, Resectable Gastric Cancer: A Propensity‐Matched Comparison With Standard Perioperative Therapy

ABSTRACT Background The FLOT 4‐AIO trial established the docetaxel‐based regimen's superiority over epirubicin‐based triplet therapy in terms of survival rates and acceptable toxicity for locally advanced resectable gastric (LARGC). Yet, fewer than half of the patients achieved completion of eight prescribed FLOT cycles. We proposed that administering all FLOT cycles in the form of total neoadjuvant therapy may improve completion rates and downstaging. This study contrasted total neoadjuvant therapy (FLOT x8) with standard neoadjuvant therapy (FLOT 4+4) for patients LARGC adenocarcinoma who underwent curative resection with routine D2 lymphadenectomy, focusing on histopathological outcomes, toxicity, and survival outcomes. Methods We reviewed patients with histologically confirmed advanced clinical stage cT2 or higher, nodal positive stage (cN+), or both, with resectable gastric tumors and no distant metastases (January 2017 to July 2023). We divided patients into two groups, FLOT 4+4 and FLOT x8; FLOT 4+4 patients underwent four preoperative and four postoperative bi‐weekly cycles of docetaxel, oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil, while FLOT x8 patients received all eight cycles preoperatively after a gradual practice change starting from January 2020. Propensity score matching adjusted for age, clinical stage, tumor location, and histology. Results Of the 77 patients in the FLOT x8 group, 37 were propensity‐matched to an equal number in the FLOT 4+4 group. Demographics, duration of surgery, and hospital stay showed no significant differences between the groups. The FLOT x8 group exhibited a significantly higher all‐cycle completion rate at 89.1% compared to FLOT 4+4's 67.6% ( p  < 0.01). Both groups demonstrated comparable hematological and non‐hematological toxicity rates, Clavien−Dindo ≥ 3 complications, and CAP tumor regression grades. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 42.5 and 41.2 in the FLOT 4+4 and FLOT x8 groups, respectively. Similar rates of disease‐free survival and overall survival were noted in both groups, despite a trend toward a higher pathological complete response rate, albeit not statistically significant (8.1% vs. 18.9%, p  = 0.29), in the FLOT x8 group at a median follow‐up of 36 months. Conclusion Total neoadjuvant therapy with the FLOT x8 protocol corresponds to higher treatment completion rates, a safety profile similar to standard perioperative therapy, and a twofold increase in complete pathological response. Further research on long‐term oncological outcomes is needed to confirm the effectiveness of total neoadjuvant therapy.

Implications of an Isolated Positive Vascular Groove After Whipple for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Single Institution, Retrospective Analysis

ABSTRACT Background and Objective The vascular groove (VG) is no longer considered a resection margin but rather a surface of involvement. The clinical significance of an isolated VG+ remains debated. Therefore, this study evaluates the impact of isolated VG+, with or without vein resection, on overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods A retrospective analysis of 247 patients (2006–2019) was conducted. Patients were categorized into three groups: R0 resection (tumor > 1 mm from all margins, n  = 168), VG+ without vein invasion (+VGnoVI, n  = 66), and positive vein involvement with direct tumor invasion into the vein wall (+VGwithVI) ( n  = 13). Kaplan‐Meier estimates assessed OS and DFS, while multivariable analyses identified recurrence and survival predictors. Results +VGnoVI group showed higher rates of local recurrence (OR 2.68, p  = 0.002) compared to the R0 group. However, no significant differences were observed in DFS (R0: 17 months; +VGnoVI: 18 months; +VGwithVI: 21 months, p  = 0.68) or OS (R0: 27 months; +VGnoVI: 29 months; +VGwithVI: 30 months, p  = 0.98) across groups. Conclusions A positive vascular groove, whether isolated or associated with vein invasion, does not compromise OS or DFS compared to R0 resections.

Simulating Federated Learning to Enable Multi‐Hospital Collaboration for Lumbopelvic Alignment Estimation

ABSTRACT Background Accurate computation of radiological parameters related to spinal alignment is clinically crucial for diagnosing and managing conditions, such as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and adult spinal deformities. Key parameters, including sacral slope, pelvic tilt, pelvic incidence, and lumbar lordosis, are required to assess lumbosacral alignment. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has demonstrated strong potential in automating these assessments, reducing clinician workload and improving consistency. However, AI models require large, diverse, high‐quality datasets to perform reliably across different clinical settings. Privacy concerns and data ownership issues often hinder data sharing, limiting the creation of centralized datasets. Methods In this study, we demonstrate that federated learning (FL) enables the training of deep learning models across four hospitals without compromising patient privacy. In particular, we compared FL against a centralized approach, where data from all the hospitals are pooled together and a model is trained on them, and a local approach consisting of training individual models exclusively on data from each respective hospital, resulting in distinct hospital‐specific models. Results FL achieved performance comparable to centralized training (errors ~5°), where data is pooled, and consistently outperformed models trained on data from individual hospitals, both in internal (~8°) and external (~10°) testing. Conclusion This work highlights FL as a viable solution for collaborative AI development in spinal imaging, facilitating the use of diverse, multi‐institutional data while circumventing privacy barriers and complex data‐sharing agreements. Additionally, FL demonstrates particular benefits for smaller hospitals, enabling them to achieve superior model performance by effectively leveraging data from hospitals with larger datasets.

To PDT or Not to PDT, That Is the Question—A Retrospective Analysis of Carbon Emissions Associated With Travel for Photodynamic Therapy

Movements and habitat use of the Rocky Mountain Population of trumpeter swans

Abstract The Rocky Mountain Population (RMP) of trumpeter swans Cygnus buccinator (hereafter, swans) in North America includes breeders in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) and other western states (together, United States segment) and western provinces of Canada (Canada segment). Conservation concern for the United States segment stems from its slow population growth and the resident nature of GYA swans, which intermingle with migrating Canada segment swans in wintering habitats. Thus, understanding variation in migratory behavior and habitat use by swans in the two population segments can inform how management actions may affect the RMP. We used telemetry data from 55 RMP swans captured in the western United States to understand their movements and habitat use. For 45 swans (60 swan‐years) that spent the summer in the United States, distance traveled between breeding and wintering areas ranged from 0 km (i.e., no migration in 22% of swan‐years) to 473 km, with an average of nonzero movements of 118 ± 95 km (SD). Swans traveled farther distances when maximum temperatures were lower. For 10 swans (16 swan‐years) that spent the summer in Canada, five appeared to molt but not to nest, and four appeared to nest in one or more years. Migration timing was similar for molting and nesting swans. All five molting swans and one nesting swan spent at least one previous summer in the GYA. Migratory connectivity of all birds was weaker in years when more swans migrated to Canada for the summer. During the breeding season, Canada swans used low‐elevation lakes, but United States swans used high‐elevation lakes. Both groups of swans increased use of crop fields outside of the breeding season. Our study shows interchange between the United States and Canada segments, a finding that challenges the efficacy of existing population designations. Furthermore, variation in movement behavior of GYA swans suggests possible actions, such as restoring winter habitats to increase swan distribution and migration, to support swan conservation.