Irish journal of medical science
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Observational Study
Examining the approach to medical remediation programmes-an observational study.
Remediation of underperforming students is recognised as an important tool in medical education; however, there is no universally agreed approach. ⋯ This study demonstrates the need to focus on overall academic performance to identify struggling students rather than one high stakes exam. Most of the students in the remediation programme ultimately passed LCA2.
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Delirium is a common condition in hospitals, particularly among older people. This refers to a dramatic decline in mental capabilities, which is marked by diminished concentration and consciousness. ⋯ This study highlights the disparity between what is known and practiced by hospital doctors regarding delirium care. This implies increased training for delirium management with frequent use of assessment tools and ongoing education aimed at enhancing patient outcomes in cases of delirium.
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Demand for inpatient MRI outstrips capacity which results in long waiting lists. The hospital commenced a routine weekend MRI service in January 2023. ⋯ Routine weekend inpatient MRI significantly shortens inpatient waiting times.
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Multiparametric MRI and the transperineal approach have become standard in the diagnostic pathway for suspected prostate cancer. Targeting of MRI lesions is performed at most centers, but the routine use of systematic cores is controversial. We aim to assess the value of obtaining systematic cores in patients undergoing cognitive fusion targeted double-freehand transperineal prostate biopsy. ⋯ In patients with PI-RADS 3 and higher, the target biopsy can miss up to 9% of clinically significant cancer. Systematic cores can add value as they can also change management by identifying a high-risk disease where only intermediate cancer was identified in the target. A combination of targeted and systematic cores is still required to detect cancer.
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Three Yersinia species were identified from samples of drinking water from diverse geographic regions of Ireland. Conventional commercial biochemical identification systems classified them as Yersinia enterocolitica. Since this organism is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in some countries, further investigation was warranted. The aim of the study was to provide a microbial characterisation of three Yersinia species, to determine their pathogenicity, and to review the incidence rate of Yersinia enterocolitica detection in our region. ⋯ Our analysis of these three isolates deemed them to be Yersinia species not known currently to be pathogenic, but determining this necessitated the use of next-generation sequencing and advanced bioinformatics. Our work highlights the importance of having this technology available to public laboratories, either locally or in a national reference laboratory. The introduction of molecular technologies for the detection of Yersinia species may increase the rate of detections. Accurate identification of significant pathogens in environmental, public health and clinical microbiology laboratories is critically important for the protection of society.