Publications by authors named "Drummond A"

Introduction: The majority of orthodontic patients present with plaquebiofilm and related manifestations in the early stages of active fixed orthodontic appliance use.

Aims: To evaluate the effects of a slow-delivery chlorhexidine:beta-cyclodextrin (Cx:β-Cd) gel compared with those of free Cx free formulations on clinical parameters in patients undergoing treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances.

Methods: Patients aged 12-18 years received prophylaxis and scaling and were randomised to treatment groups in a double-blinded manner.

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Case: Fourteen-year-old boy, history of autism presented with bilateral knee instability. Imaging revealed bilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency, 20° of posterior tibial slope (PTS) on the right and 18° on the left. A guided growth technique using anterior placed tension band plates was used to correct the PTS.

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Biology has become a highly mathematical discipline in which probabilistic models play a central role. As a result, research in the biological sciences is now dependent on computational tools capable of carrying out complex analyses. These tools must be validated before they can be used, but what is understood as validation varies widely among methodological contributions.

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Article Synopsis
  • Non-adherence to splint wearing after upper limb injuries is a major medical challenge, impacting patient outcomes and increasing healthcare costs.
  • A systematic review of 16 articles highlighted the varied methods used to measure splint adherence, with no widely accepted tools or standards in place.
  • The study calls for consistent measurement practices to enhance research quality and improve adherence among patients, which could lead to better recovery outcomes.
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Background: Although clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic for people with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), only 40% of people with TRS respond, and there is limited evidence for augmentation agents. Cannabidiol (CBD) reduces positive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia, but no trials have specifically examined its efficacy in those with clozapine-resistant schizophrenia.

Aims: To examine the clinical efficacy of CBD augmentation in people with clozapine-resistant schizophrenia.

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Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an emotional support programme for newly diagnosed people with multiple sclerosis.

Design: Three-arm, mixed methods, randomised controlled trial comparing usual care, versus usual care plus nurse-specialist support, versus usual care plus nurse-specialist support plus peer support.

Participants: Community-dwelling adults within two years of diagnosis undergoing diagnosis.

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Background: In the UK, one in four patients are in work at the time of their hip or knee replacement surgery. These patients receive little support about their return to work (RTW). There is a need for an occupational support intervention that encourages safe and sustained RTW which can be integrated into National Health Service practice.

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Microtransactions provide optional, virtual, video game goods that, for an additional cost to the player, provide additional game content and alter the gameplay experience. Loot boxes-a specific form of microtransaction-offer randomised rewards in exchange for payment, and are argued to be structurally and psychologically similar to gambling. Nascent research suggests that a link exists between autism and both problematic gaming and problematic gambling.

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Background: People who have had a stroke or a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) can experience psychological and/or cognitive difficulties. The body of research for psychological and neuropsychological interventions after stroke is growing, however, published systematic reviews vary in scope and methodology, with different types and severity of strokes included, and at times, diverse conclusions drawn about the effectiveness of the interventions evaluated. In this umbrella review, we aim to systematically summarise the existing systematic reviews evaluating psychological interventions for mood and cognition post-stroke/TIA.

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Background: Oral outcomes may have an impact on quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with the impact of fixed appliance orthodontic treatment on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adolescents.

Material And Methods: Individuals aged 10 to 18 years undergoing orthodontic treatment were included.

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Background: Without surgical repair, flexor tendon injuries do not heal and patients' ability to bend fingers and grip objects is impaired. However, flexor tendon repair surgery also requires optimal rehabilitation. There are currently three custom-made splints used in the rehabilitation of zone I/II flexor tendon repairs, each with different assumed harm/benefit profiles: the dorsal forearm and hand-based splint (long), the Manchester short splint (short), and the relative motion flexion splint (mini).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in individuals who were admitted to the ICU for COVID-19 in Sweden, one year post-admission.
  • It examines risk factors that may predict these symptoms, finding that 38.1% experienced anxiety and 35.2% experienced depression, with female sex identified as a significant predictor for depression.
  • The findings highlight the need for ongoing mental health support for ICU survivors of COVID-19, indicating a considerable public health concern.
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Objectives: To investigate what makes Australians decide to screen and follow through for breast, cervical, and bowel cancer population screening programs.

Methods: A convenience sample (N = 962) answered open-text questions about their decision to screen and what prompted them to act in an online survey. Open text responses were coded based on shared meaning using content analysis.

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Background: Unplanned hospital presentations may occur post-stroke due to inadequate preparation for transitioning from hospital to home. The Recovery-focused Community support to Avoid readmissions and improve Participation after Stroke (ReCAPS) trial was designed to test the effectiveness of receiving a 12-week, self-management intervention, comprising personalised goal setting with a clinician and aligned educational/motivational electronic messages. Primary outcome is as follows: self-reported unplanned hospital presentations (emergency department/admission) within 90-day post-randomisation.

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Oral health personnel must acknowledge the health needs of sexual and gender minorities. They should consult scientific literature to deepen their knowledge about sexuality, gender identity, general and oral health status, and treatment disparities among LGBTQIA+ people. The aim of this scoping review was to portray the development and current stage of internationally indexed literature approaching the oral health of this population.

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Time-scaled phylogenetic trees are an ultimate goal of evolutionary biology and a necessary ingredient in comparative studies. The accumulation of genomic data has resolved the tree of life to a great extent, yet timing evolutionary events remain challenging if not impossible without external information such as fossil ages and morphological characters. Methods for incorporating morphology in tree estimation have lagged behind their molecular counterparts, especially in the case of continuous characters.

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Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) can lead to biopsychosocial changes such as depression, low self-esteem and fatigue. These changes can cause, and be caused by, sexual issues affecting relationships and wellbeing. Given the relationship between sexual wellbeing and mental health, it is feasible that supporting sexual wellbeing will benefit psychological wellbeing.

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Rationale: Fatigue affects almost half of all people living with stroke. Stroke survivors rank understanding fatigue and how to reduce it as one of the highest research priorities.

Methods: We convened an interdisciplinary, international group of clinical and pre-clinical researchers and lived experience experts.

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Unlabelled: Our study aimed to assess the feasibility outcomes comparing spinal medial branch nerve root block intervention to standard care vertebroplasty for the treatment of painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures in frail, hospitalised older patients. We found the study to be feasible and now propose a clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and safety evaluation.

Introduction: Vertebroplasty (VP) is a key-hole procedure involving injection of bone cement into a fractured vertebral body, to reduce pain and increase vertebral body stability, although it is associated with a small risk of complications, particularly in frail, older hospitalised patients.

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Purpose: Post-stroke fatigue is a research priority for stroke survivors and health professionals but there is limited evidence to guide management. We aimed to explore (1) the experience of post-stroke fatigue from the perspective of stroke survivors and their caregivers and (2) fatigue management strategies that are used.

Materials And Methods: This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

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Background And Aims: Loot boxes are digital containers of randomised rewards available in many video games. Individuals with problem gambling symptomatology spend more on loot boxes than individuals without such symptoms. This study investigated whether other psychopathological symptomatology, specifically symptoms of obsessive-compulsive behaviour and hoarding may also be associated with increased loot box spending.

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Phylogenetic models have become increasingly complex, and phylogenetic data sets have expanded in both size and richness. However, current inference tools lack a model specification language that can concisely describe a complete phylogenetic analysis while remaining independent of implementation details. We introduce a new lightweight and concise model specification language, 'LPhy', which is designed to be both human and machine-readable.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers analyzed over 14,000 complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes using Bayesian phylodynamic methods to estimate key epidemiological metrics, including when variants were introduced and how effective control measures were.
  • * The findings reveal 188 circulating Pango lineages in Colombia, with significant fluctuations in transmission rates, underscoring the importance of genomic surveillance for guiding public health interventions against emerging variants.
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