Alcohol and acute traumatic brain injury in the emergency department.

Objective: There is limited research from Australasian EDs describing the demographic make-up, injury severity and impact of alcohol in patients requiring computed tomography (CT) for suspected traumatic brain injury (TBI). The present study aims to review the frequency and presenting patterns of patients who consume alcohol prior to presenting with suspected TBI.

Methods: Retrospective observational study of patients referred for head CT to exclude TBI from a major referral centre and regional ED in New Zealand, between 1 September 2018 and 31 August 2019.

Prescribers aware: a cross-sectional study from New Zealand emergency departments on the substances used in intentional self-poisoning and their sources.

INTRODUCTION Intentional self-poisoning or self-harm through poisoning, is a common cause of presentations to emergency departments (EDs). National datasets do not allow identification of the substances most commonly used in hospital-treated intentional self-poisoning in New Zealand, nor do they capture sources of these substances. AIM To investigate the specific substances used in intentional self-poisoning and the sources from which they are obtained.

A descriptive study of intentional self-poisoning from New Zealand national registry data.

Objective: Understanding which population groups intentionally poison themselves by overdose and which substances are used are key to developing prevention efforts for such injuries. This paper uses Ministry of Health (MOH) data to explore the demographic characteristics of those who intentionally self-poison and the substances used, identifies limitations of existing data collections and makes recommendations for the future.

Methods: MOH mortality data from 2000 to 2012, and public hospital presentation data from 2000-2014 of cases of intentional self-poisoning (ISP), and poisoning of undetermined intent (UDP), were examined.

Haptic fMRI: using classification to quantify task-correlated noise during goal-directed reaching motions.

Neuroimaging artifacts in haptic functional magnetic resonance imaging (Haptic fMRI) experiments have the potential to induce spurious fMRI activation where there is none, or to make neural activation measurements appear correlated across brain regions when they are actually not. Here, we demonstrate that performing three-dimensional goal-directed reaching motions while operating Haptic fMRI Interface (HFI) does not create confounding motion artifacts. To test for artifacts, we simultaneously scanned a subject's brain with a customized soft phantom placed a few centimeters away from the subject's left motor cortex.

Care versus convenience: Examining paracetamol overdose in New Zealand and harm reduction strategies through sale and supply.

Aim: To examine statistics on paracetamol overdose in New Zealand and investigate options to reduce paracetamol overdose rates, through supply reduction strategies.

Method: Data was gathered from the Ministry of Health's National Minimum Dataset and Wellington Hospital Emergency Department attendances. Twenty articles on supply reduction strategies were sourced through article database searches.

ExHALED study: prevalence of smoking and harm levels in an emergency department cohort.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of smoking among ED patients compared with the general New Zealand (NZ) smoking prevalence. Secondary outcomes were to determine smokers' level of nicotine dependence, readiness to quit and engagement with primary health care.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional prevalence study of ED patients seen consecutively over 6 days in Wellington Hospital, Wellington South, NZ.

Prospective study of 101 patients with suspected drink spiking.

Objective: To evaluate cases of suspected drink spiking presenting to the ED by the prospective collection of standardized relevant historical, clinical and laboratory data.

Methods: A prospective observational study of 101 patients presenting to metropolitan hospital ED with suspected drink spiking within the previous 12 h. Clinical history, including details surrounding the alleged drink spiking incident, and examination.

Cricoid pressure: assessment of performance and effect of training in emergency department staff.

Objectives: (i) To evaluate the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of ED staff regarding the technique of cricoid pressure; (ii) to assess the efficacy of two methods of cricoid pressure training.

Methods: Theoretical knowledge of participants was assessed by a pretraining questionnaire, and practical ability was assessed using a Flinders Meditech cricoid pressure trainer. Participants then received a brief period of theoretical instruction, and were allocated to two training groups.

Death by oral ingestion of iodine.

We report the clinical and toxicological features of a case of fatal iodine ingestion, and summarize the physiology, clinical characteristics and management of iodine ingestion. Physicians are likely to have little experience in managing such patients, particularly with the advent of less toxic preparations, and therefore need ready access to management guidelines. This case also highlights the potential for substances to retain their toxicity over long periods of time.

Carbon resource sharing and rhizome expansion of Phalaris aquatica plants in grazed pastures.

The patterns of carbon (C) resource sharing and new rhizome development in phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Australian) were examined in grazed pastures in western Victoria.