Trends in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Western Australia, 1960-2006.

Increases in the incidence of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been reported in some countries, while other reports from similar geographical regions have indicated stable rates. The reasons for the discrepancies have been debated in the literature, with the focus on whether the observed increases are "real" or an artifact resulting from improvements in diagnosis, case ascertainment and population coverage over time. We used population-based data from Western Australia to investigate trends in the incidence of childhood ALL between 1960 and 2006.

Buccal DNA collection: comparison of buccal swabs with FTA cards.

Collection and analysis of DNA, most commonly from blood or buccal cells, is becoming more common in epidemiologic studies. Buccal samples, which are painless to take and relatively easily collected, are often the preferred source. There are several buccal cell collection methods: swabs, brushes, mouthwash, and treated cards, such as FTA or IsoCode cards.

The association between behavior and genotype in Rett syndrome using the Australian Rett Syndrome Database.

This study compared the behavior profile of cases in the Australian Rett Syndrome Database (ARSD) with those in a British study using the Rett Syndrome Behavior Questionnaire (RSBQ) and then examined behavioral patterns as measured by the RSBQ by genetic status. There were 145 Australian cases meeting the criteria for the first arm of the study and 135 for the second arm. Comparison of the scores obtained from the British and Australian cohorts indicated that the RSBQ was a satisfactory measure for describing behaviors in Rett Syndrome (RS).

Genotype and early development in Rett syndrome: the value of international data.

Background: Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder mostly affecting females and caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. Originally the syndrome was characterised as having a normal prenatal and perinatal period with later regression. Previous work has speculated that the girl with Rett syndrome may not be normal at birth.