Home injuries and built form--methodological issues and developments in database linkage.

Background: The aim of this body of research is to determine whether injuries in the home are more common in particular types of housing. Previous home injuries research has tended to focus on behaviours or the provision of safety equipment to families with young children. There has been little consideration of the physical environment.

Clinical relevance of multiple sentinel nodes in patients with breast cancer.

Background: Indiscriminate removal of axillary nodes may not be justified as it may potentially worsen the morbidity of the sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) procedure. This study examined the factors associated with removal of multiple sentinel lymph nodes and determined whether there was an upper threshold for the number of sentinel nodes that should be removed.

Methods: A total of 803 patients with breast cancer underwent successful SNB using peritumoral injection of (99m)Tc-labelled albumin colloid and Patent Blue V dye.

The nature of ecstasy-group related deficits in associative learning.

Rationale/objectives: Research has revealed associative learning deficits among users of ecstasy; the present study explored the component processes underlying these deficits.

Methods: Thirty-five ecstasy users and 62 non-ecstasy users completed a computer-based, verbal paired-associates learning task. Participants attempted to learn eight sequentially presented word pairs.

Role of routine preoperative lymphoscintigraphy in sentinel node biopsy for breast cancer.

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is rapidly emerging as the preferred technique for nodal staging in breast cancer. When radioactive colloid is used, a preoperative lymphoscintiscan is obtained to ease sentinel lymph node (SN) identification. This study evaluates whether preoperative lymphoscintigraphy adds diagnostic accuracy to offset the additional time and cost required.

A comparison of a reformulated potassium citrate desensitising toothpaste with the original proprietary product.

Objectives: The recent tendency for toothpaste manufacturers to combine active ingredients for benefits to a number of oral problems requires that such combinations do not vitiate the action of any one agent. The aim of this study was to compare the desensitising effects of a modified formulation with the established product.

Materials And Methods: The study was a randomised, double blind, two treatment parallel design comparing an existing potassium citrate toothpaste product (Positive Control) with the same formulation to which triclosan and zinc citrate had been added (Test).

Erosive effect of a new sports drink on dental enamel during exercise.

Purpose: To compare the potential erosive effect of a prototype carbohydrate-electrolyte drink (PCE) with a neutral control (water) and a commercially available carbohydrate-electrolyte drink (CCE) during exercise.

Methods: : Nineteen healthy adults (male, N = 16; female, N = 3) took part in this single blind, three-way crossover study. Subjects were given each of the three drinks according to a randomization schedule, approximately balanced for first-order carryover effects.

Clinical study to compare the effectiveness of a test whitening toothpaste with a commercial whitening toothpaste at inhibiting dental stain.

Aims: A single centre, randomised single-blind, three-way crossover study was performed, to compare the effect of an experimental test toothpaste with a commercially available whitening toothpaste and water control at inhibiting extrinsic stain promoted by repeated chlorhexidine/tea rinses.

Methods: This study used 23 subjects. During the week before the study the subjects received a prophylaxis to remove all staining, plaque and calculus deposits.

Internal mammary node drainage and its role in sentinel lymph node biopsy: the initial ALMANAC experience.

This study was designed to identify the frequency of internal mammary drainage in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node (SLN) lymphoscintigraphy in a controlled clinical trial. The practicability and relevance of internal mammary SLN biopsy as a method to improve nodal staging and treatment in breast cancer were investigated. A total of 707 evaluable patients with invasive breast cancer underwent SLN biopsy based on lymphoscintigraphy, intraoperative g probe detection, and blue dye mapping using technetium Tc 99m albumin colloid and Patent Blue V injected peritumorally.

Dentine hypersensitivity: a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of a fluoride-sensitive teeth mouthrinse.

Objectives: Potassium and fluoride salts have been used in the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity (DH). The primary aim of this study was to compare a fluoride-containing mouthrinse product with a placebo rinse for the treatment of DH. A secondary aim was to compare effects on plaque index (PI) and gingivitis index (GI).

Clinical development and evolution in plaque removal performance of a battery powered toothbrush.

Background And Aim: There is growing evidence that the new generation of electric toothbrushes are more effective than manual toothbrushes. The primary aim of these studies was to compare, as an indication of the stage of development, the plaque removal properties of a prototype battery powered toothbrush with an established product. A secondary aim was to utilise the data to appraise plaque accumulation together with the patterns of removal.

Predictors of non-sentinel lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients.

In many patients, the sentinel lymph node (SLN) is the sole site of regional nodal metastasis. This subgroup of patients would not be expected to benefit from completion axillary lymph node dissection (CALND). This study evaluated the factors that may determine the likelihood of additional positive nodes in the axilla in the presence of sentinel node metastasis.

Effectiveness of preoperative staging in rectal cancer: digital rectal examination, endoluminal ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging?

In rectal cancer, preoperative staging should identify early tumours suitable for treatment by surgery alone and locally advanced tumours that require therapy to induce tumour regression from the potential resection margin. Currently, local staging can be performed by digital rectal examination (DRE), endoluminal ultrasound (EUS) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each staging method was compared for clinical benefit and cost-effectiveness.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in male breast cancer patients.

The concept of sentinel node biopsy has been validated for female breast cancer patients whereas, ALND remains the standard of care for male breast cancer patients with similar tumours. We evaluated the results of SLN biopsy in male breast cancer patients with clinically negative axillae. This study included all male breast cancer patients who underwent SLN biopsy between February 1998 and October 2003.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with multifocal breast cancer.

Background: Multifocal or multicentric breast cancer has been suggested as a contraindication for sentinel node biopsy (SNB). However, recent studies have demonstrated that all quadrants of the breast drain through common afferent channels to a common axillary sentinel node. This should mean that the presence of multifocal tumour should not affect the lymphatic drainage.

Development of methods to enhance extrinsic tooth discoloration for comparison of toothpastes. 2. Two-product clinical study.

Background: Extrinsic staining of teeth is considered to be unsightly and a number of 'whitening' toothpastes have been formulated to inhibit or remove such tooth discoloration. The aim of this study was to compare the stain prevention of two toothpastes.

Method: The study was a single-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover design, balanced for residual effects involving 24 healthy dentate volunteers.

Development of methods to enhance extrinsic tooth discoloration for comparison of toothpastes. 1. Studies in vitro.

Background: The interaction of chlorhexidine with dietary chromogens to cause extrinsic dental staining has been exploited in vitro and in vivo to study tooth discoloration and its control. These studies in vitro investigated factors that might enhance stain formation, and evaluated formulations to inhibit the stain with the primary aim of devising a protocol for use in vivo.

Method: The standard method cycled acrylic specimens through saliva, 0.

Effectiveness of rugby headgear in preventing soft tissue injuries to the head: a case-control and video cohort study.

Objective: To determine if headgear use by rugby players was associated with a reduced risk of head or facial laceration, abrasion, or fracture.

Methods: An emergency department based case-control study in South Wales, UK, with cases being rugby players treated for superficial head and facial injuries and controls being their matched opponents during the game. A review of videos of the 41 games in the 1999 Rugby World Cup was also carried out to compare with the case-control study.

The learning curve in sentinel node biopsy: the ALMANAC experience.

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) is a minimally invasive procedure to stage the axilla in patients with breast cancer. Like any new surgical procedure, it is associated with a learning curve. This article describes the learning curve as part of the ALMANAC trial.

Are T1 weighted images helpful in MRI of cervical radiculopathy?

MRI in patients with cervical myelopathy or radiculopathy usually includes T(1) weighted (T(1)W) and T(2) weighted (T(2)W) images. We prospectively examined a hypothesis that T(2)W alone is sufficient to diagnose the cause of cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy and that the T(1)W sagittal images do not provide additional useful information. 30 patients presenting with a history of cervical radiculopathy with or without myelopathy were prospectively assessed by MRI.

A clinical study to assess the ability of a powered toothbrush to remove chlorhexidine/tea dental stain.

Aim: A single-center, single-blind, two-way crossover study was performed to compare the effects of an electric powered toothbrush with a conventional manual toothbrush at removing chlorhexidine/tea tooth staining.

Methods: This study used 24 subjects. During the week before the study, the subjects received a prophylaxis to remove all staining, plaque and calculus deposits.

Skill acquisition and retention in automated external defibrillator (AED) use and CPR by lay responders: a prospective study.

This prospective study evaluated the acquisition and retention of skills in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of the automated external defibrillator (AED) by lay volunteers involved in the Department of Health, England National Defibrillator Programme. One hundred and twelve trainees were tested immediately before and after and initial 4-h class; 76 were similarly reassessed at refresher training 6 months later. A standardised test scenario that required assessment of the casualty, CPR and the use of on AED was evaluated using recording manikin data and video recordings.

Snow sports related head and spinal injuries: an eight-year survey from the neurotrauma centre for the Snowy Mountains, Australia.

Neurotrauma from snow-sports related injuries is infrequently documented in the literature. In Australia no collective data has ever been published. The aim of this study is to document the injury pattern of snow sports related neurotrauma admissions to The Canberra Hospital, the regional trauma centre for the Snowy Mountains.

Clinically practical blood volume assessment with fluorescein-labeled HES.

Background: Standard techniques for measuring blood volume (BV) entail administering radioactivity and human albumin. This is laborious, expensive, and impractical in acute settings. An alternative method suitable for widespread routine application was assessed.