Antibiotic use in infancy and symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in children 6 and 7 years old: International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase III.

Background: Phase III of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood measured the global prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in children.

Objective: To investigate the associations between the use of antibiotics in the first year of life and symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in children 6 and 7 years old.

Methods: Parents or guardians of children 6 and 7 years old completed written questionnaires on current symptoms and possible risk factors.

Does screening history explain the ethnic differences in stage at diagnosis of cervical cancer in New Zealand?

Background: There are ethnic disparities in cervical cancer survival in New Zealand. The objectives of this study were to assess the associations of screening history, ethnicity, socio-economic status (SES) and rural residence with stage at diagnosis in women diagnosed with cervical cancer in New Zealand during 1994-2005.

Methods: The 2323 cases were categorized as 'ever screened' if they had had at least one smear prior to 6 months before diagnosis, and as 'regular screening' if they had had no more than 36 months between any two smears in the period 6-114 months before diagnosis.

The teddy-bear effect: does having a baby face benefit black chief executive officers?

Prior research suggests that having a baby face is negatively correlated with success among White males in high positions of leadership. However, we explored the positive role of such "babyfaceness" in the success of high-ranking Black executives. Two studies revealed that Black chief executive officers (CEOs) were significantly more baby-faced than White CEOs.

Laparoscopic versus open left lateral hepatectomy.

Laparoscopic liver surgery is becoming more popular, and many high-volume liver centers are now gaining expertise in this area. Laparoscopic left lateral hepatectomy (LLLH) is a standardized and anatomically well-defined resection and may transform into a primarily laparoscopic procedure for cancer surgery or living donor hepatectomy for transplantation. Five case-control series were identified comparing a total of 167 cases (86 cases of LLLH plus 81 cases of open left lateral hepatectomy).

Bleeding and hemostasis in laparoscopic liver surgery.

Background: Minimally invasive liver resection is gaining acceptance worldwide. However, the laparoscopic approach often is reserved for small segmental resections due to the fear of significant blood loss. The expansion of laparoscopic liver surgery will depend on the ability of expert surgeons and technological advances to address the management of bleeding and hemostasis with any new approach.

Demographic differences in stage at diagnosis and cervical cancer survival in New Zealand, 1994-2005.

Objective: To investigate ethnic, socioeconomic, and urban/rural differences in stage at diagnosis and cervical cancer survival in New Zealand.

Methods: The study involved 1594 cervical cancer cases registered during 1994-2005. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted cervical cancer mortality hazard ratios (HRs).

Characteristics of ovarian cancer in women residing in Aotearoa, New Zealand: 1993-2004.

Background: Few studies have compared ovarian cancer rates between different ethnic groups in the same country. The aim of this study was to describe ethnic patterns in the incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer in New Zealand, and to investigate ethnic and socioeconomic differences in the grade and stage of ovarian cancer.

Methods: Data on all women registered with ovarian cancer on the New Zealand Cancer Registry (1993-2004) were analysed.

Respiratory symptoms in children living near busy roads and their relationship to vehicular traffic: results of an Italian multicenter study (SIDRIA 2).

Background: Epidemiological studies have provided evidence that exposure to vehicular traffic increases the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and may exacerbate pre-existing asthma in children. Self-reported exposure to road traffic has been questioned as a reliable measurement of exposure to air pollutants. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were specific effects of cars and trucks traffic on current asthma symptoms (i.

Reduced genetic diversity in lymphoid and central nervous system tissues and selection-induced tissue-specific compartmentalization of neuropathogenic SIVsmmFGb during acute infection.

The simian lentivirus strain SIVsmmFGb is a viral swarm population inducing neuropathology in over 90% of infected pigtailed macaques and serves as a reliable model for HIV neuropathogenesis. However, little is understood about the genetic diversity of this virus, how said diversity influences the initial seeding of the central nervous system and lymph nodes, or whether the virus forms distinct genetic compartments between tissues during acute infection. In this study, we establish that our SIVsmmFGb stock virus contains four genetically distinct envelope V1 region groups, three distinct integrase groups, and two Nef groups.

Cross-sectional survey of risk factors for asthma in 6-7-year-old children in New Zealand: International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood Phase Three.

Aim: To identify risk factors for asthma in primary school-aged children in New Zealand.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 10,873 6-7-year-old children in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Nelson and Christchurch (a response rate of 85.2%).

How well do questionnaires perform compared with physical examination in detecting flexural eczema? Findings from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Two.

Background: Questionnaires are widely used in epidemiological studies to measure eczema symptom prevalence, but there are concerns regarding their accuracy if used as a diagnostic tool.

Objectives: To compare the performance of a validated eczema symptom questionnaire and a standardized skin examination protocol employed in the second phase of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC).

Methods: A total of 30,358 schoolchildren aged 8-12 years from 18 countries were examined for flexural eczema.

Ethnic differences in time trends in asthma prevalence in New Zealand: ISAAC Phases I and III.

Setting: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase III survey, New Zealand.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of asthma symptoms and time trends by ethnicity between ISAAC Phase I (1992-1993) and Phase III (2001-2003).

Design: Information on asthma symptoms and environmental exposures was collected in children aged 6-7 years (n = 10,873) and adolescents aged 13-14 years (n = 13,317).

Aggressive multi-visceral pancreatic resections for locally advanced neuroendocrine tumours. Is it worth it?

Context: Traditional surgical principles state that pancreatic resection should not be contemplated when malignancies arise in the pancreas and involve other organs. While this is logic for ductal adenocarcinoma and other tumours with aggressive biological behavior; for even large neuroendocrine tumours, aggressive multivisceral resection may achieve useful palliation and excellent survival.

Design: Case records were retrospectively analyzed.

Ian Prior and epidemiology in New Zealand.

Ian Prior was born in Masterton, New Zealand, in 1923, and died in Wellington, New Zealand, in 2009. In 1959 Ian became the Director of the Medical Unit at Wellington Hospital, and in the early 1960s he established the Epidemiology Unit. Without doubt he is the founder of epidemiology in New Zealand, and has also had a major influence in Australia and further afield.

The effect of place of residence on access to invasive cardiac services following acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The Canadian health care system is mandated to provide reasonable access to health care for all Canadians regardless of age, sex, race, socioeconomic status or place of residence. In the present study, the impact of place of residence in Nova Scotia on access to cardiac catheterization and long-term outcomes following an acute myocardial infarction (MI) were examined.

Methods: All patients with an acute MI who were hospitalized between April 1998 and December 2001 were identified.

Chronic bronchitis, COPD, and lung function in farmers: the role of biological agents.

Background: Farmers have an increased risk of respiratory morbidity and mortality. The causal agents have not been fully established.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 4,735 Norwegian farmers, we assessed respiratory symptoms and lung function.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival in New Zealand: the role of extent of disease at diagnosis.

We examined socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival in New Zealand among 132,006 people ages 15 to 99 years who had a cancer registered (1994-2003) and were followed up to 2004. Relative survival rates (RSR) were calculated using deprivation-specific life tables. A census-based measure of socioeconomic position (New Zealand deprivation based on the 1996 census) based on residence at the time of cancer registration was used.

Morbidity in former sawmill workers exposed to pentachlorophenol (PCP): a cross-sectional study in New Zealand.

Background: From 1950 to 1990 pentachlorophenol (PCP) was used widely in the New Zealand sawmill industry, and persistent claims of long-term health effects have been made.

Methods: We surveyed surviving members of a cohort enumerated to study mortality in sawmill workers employed from 1970 to 1990. Estimates of historical exposure were based on job titles held, using the results of a PCP biomonitoring survey conducted in the 1980s.

Global map of the prevalence of symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis in children: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Three.

Background: Phase One of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) measured the global patterns of prevalence and severity of symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis in children in 1993-1997.

Methods: International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase Three was a cross-sectional survey performed 5-10 years after Phase One using the same methodology. Phase Three covered all of the major regions of the world and involved 1 059 053 children of 2 age groups from 236 centres in 98 countries.

Hepatic splenosis mimicking HCC in a patient with hepatitis C liver cirrhosis and mildly raised alpha feto protein; the important role of explorative laparoscopy.

Background: Splenosis is a heterotropic implantation of splenic fragments onto exposed vascularised peritoneal and intrathoracic surfaces, following splenic injury or elective splenectomy.

Case Presentation: A 60 year old cirrhotic patient was referred to us with a hepatic mass, suspected to be HCC in a cirrhotic liver. A computerized tomography scan (CT) demonstrated a cirrhotic liver with a 2 x 2.

Reduction in asthma morbidity following a community-based asthma self-management programme in Tonga.

Background: The Tonga Asthma Self-management Project assessed whether the introduction of an asthma self-management plan would reduce asthma morbidity.

Methods: The project involved a 'before and after' trial, with each participant serving as his/her own control. Asthma patients used the self-management plan to manage their asthma medication or obtain medical help based on their peak expiratory flow (PEF) rate and/or asthma symptoms.

Suitability of forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity vs percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second for the classification of asthma severity in adolescents.

Objective: To determine whether lung function alters asthma severity based on symptom history in asthmatic adolescents.

Design: Data on asthma symptoms and lung function were collected from adolescents randomly selected from the general population.

Setting: Five schools from the central Wellington, New Zealand, area during 2003 to 2005.