Epidemiological transition: a historical analysis of immigration patterns by country of origin (1861-1986) related to circulatory system diseases and all-cause mortality in twentieth-century Australia.

Background And Objectives: Circulatory system disease (CSD) patterns vary over time and between countries, related to lifestyle risk factors, associated in turn with socioeconomic circumstances. Current global CSD epidemics in developing economies are similar in scale to those observed previously in the USA and Australasia. Australia exhibits an important macroeconomic phenomenon as a rapidly transitioning economy with high immigration throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Comparative Analysis of Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography and Partial Coherence Interferometry Biometers in the Prediction of Cataract Surgery Refractive Outcomes.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of pre-operative corneal measurements obtained with four devices, and the refractive outcomes of two optical biometers.

Setting: Private practice.

Design: Retrospective.

A neural network analysis of Lifeways cross-generation imputed data.

Objectives: Neural networks are a powerful statistical tool that use nonlinear regression type models to obtain predictions. Their use in the Lifeways cross-generation study that examined body mass index (BMI) of children, among other measures, is explored here. Our aim is to predict the BMI of children from that of their parents and maternal and paternal grandparents.

Happy birthday? An observational study.

Background: Previous studies show contradictory findings on the relationship between birthday and deathday, in particular whether people postpone death until after their birthday. We examine the phenomenon in eight groups of famous people.

Methods: Birthday and deathday for the following groups were recorded: British prime ministers, US presidents, Academy Award best actor, best female actor, best director, Nobel Prize winners, Wimbledon men's and ladies' singles winners, all from when records began.

The value of serial metal ion levels in following up patients with metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty.

Background: The sensitivity of cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) ion-levels in detecting poorly performing metal-on-metal hip implants is low. This study proposes that serial changes in ion-levels are a more accurate marker of arthroplasties at risk.

Methods: Serial metal ion-levels and implant data of 285 patients with ASR resurfacing or replacement were studied.

Body mass index is associated with the maternal lines but height is heritable across family lines in the Lifeways Cross-Generation Cohort Study.

Objectives: Overweight and obesity is a problem in children in particular and determining pathways of transmission is important in prevention. We aimed to examine associations for body mass index (BMI) across three generations of the same families.

Participants: Members of 556 families in the Lifeways Cross-Generation Cohort Study 2001-2014.

MRI findings following metal on metal hip arthroplasty and their relationship with metal ion levels and acetabular inclination angles.

Following the global recall of all ASR metal on metal hip products, our aim was to correlate MRI findings with acetabular inclination angles and metal ion levels in patients with these implants. Both cobalt and chromium levels were significantly higher in the presence of a periprosthetic fluid collection. There was no association between the presence of a periprosthetic mass, bone marrow oedema, trochanteric bursitis or greater levels of abductor muscle destruction for cobalt or chromium.

Optical ray tracing-guided myopic laser in situ keratomileusis: 1-year clinical outcomes.

Purpose: To compare the safety, efficacy, and predictability of laser in situ keratomileusis treatments at 1 year postprocedure using a novel geometric ray tracing algorithm with outcomes of treatments using wavefront-optimized, wavefront-guided, and topography-guided ablation profiles of an excimer laser (WaveLight GmbH, Erlangen, Germany; Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, TX, USA).

Setting: Wellington Eye Clinic, Dublin, Ireland.

Design: Retrospective comparative case series.

The effect of acetabular inclination on metal ion levels following metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty.

Acetabular inclination angles have been suggested as a principal determinant of circulating metal ion levels in metal-on-metal hip arthroplasties. We aimed to determine whether inclination angle correlates with ion levels in arthroplasties using the Articular Surface Replacement (ASR) system. Patients undergoing ASR arthroplasties had blood metal ion levels and radiograph analysis performed a mean of 3.

Predictability of corneal flap thickness in laser in situ keratomileusis using a 200 kHz femtosecond laser.

Purpose: To compare the intended versus the resultant thickness of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flaps created with a new femtosecond laser and to report the 3-month postoperative refractive outcomes.

Setting: Wellington Eye Clinic, Dublin, Ireland.

Design: Retrospective consecutive case series.

Body mass index and height over three generations: evidence from the Lifeways cross-generational cohort study.

Background: Obesity and its measure of body mass index are strongly determined by parental body size. Debate continues as to whether both parents contribute equally to offspring body mass which is key to understanding the aetiology of the disease. The aim of this study was to use cohort data from three generations of one family to examine the relative maternal and paternal associations with offspring body mass index and how these associations compare with family height to demonstrate evidence of genetic or environmental cross-generational transmission.

Repeated measurement of the gas exchange threshold: relative size of measurement and biological variabilities.

If an individual's gas exchange threshold (GET) is measured on several separate occasions, without a change in aerobic fitness, a random variability will be observed. However, it is not known how much of this variability is biologically determined and how much results from variability in the calibration and measurement processes. The statistical re-sampling technique of Bootstrapping was used to estimate the variability of the GET on a single occasion.

Tuberculosis in cattle: the results of the four-area project.

: The four-area project was undertaken to further assess the impact of badger removal on the control of tuberculosis in cattle herds in Ireland. It was conducted between 1997 and 2002 in matched removal and reference areas in four counties, namely Cork, Donegal, Kilkenny and Monaghan, representing a wide range of Irish farming environments. In the removal areas, a proactive programme of badger removal was conducted, on two or three occasions each year, whereas in the reference areas, badger removal was entirely reactive following severe outbreaks of tuberculosis amongst cattle.