A randomized study to compare the efficacy and safety of extended-release and immediate-release tramadol HCl/acetaminophen in patients with acute pain following total knee replacement.

Objective: To evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of extended-release tramadol HCl 75 mg/acetaminophen 650 mg (TA-ER) and immediate-release tramadol HCl 37.5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg (TA-IR) for the treatment of moderate to severe acute pain following total knee replacement.

Methods: This phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study randomized 320 patients with moderate to severe pain (≥4 intensity on an 11 point numeric rating scale) following total knee replacement arthroplasty to receive oral TA-ER (every 12 hours) or TA-IR (every 6 hours) over a period of 48 hours.

Evaluation of a rapid dipstick (Crystal VC) for the diagnosis of cholera in Zanzibar and a comparison with previous studies.

Background: The gold standard for the diagnosis of cholera is stool culture, but this requires laboratory facilities and takes at least 24 hours. A rapid diagnostic test (RDT) that can be used by minimally trained staff at treatment centers could potentially improve the reporting and management of cholera outbreaks.

Methods: We evaluated the Crystal VC™ RDT under field conditions in Zanzibar in 2009.

Trend and disease burden of bacillary dysentery in China (1991-2000).

Objective: We aimed to determine the burden of bacillary dysentery in China, its cross-regional variations, trends in morbidity and mortality, the causative bacterial species and antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Methods: We extracted and integrated governmental statistics and relevant medical literature published from 1991 to 2000. Data were also collected from one general hospital each for the six provinces and Jin-an district, Shanghai, representative of six geographical regions and a modern city.