Approaches to brief intervention for hazardous drinking in young people.

This article represents the proceedings of a symposium at the 2002 joint conference of the Research Society on Alcoholism and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism in San Francisco. The chair was John B. Saunders.

Economic evaluation of everolimus versus mycophenolate mofetil in combination with cyclosporine and prednisolone in de novo renal transplant recipients.

An economic evaluation was undertaken alongside a multicentre, international, trial of everolimus (Certican). Resource usage within the trial was assessed, and the cost implications of the use of everolimus were evaluated. Recipients of a primary cadaveric kidney transplant were recruited into a double-blind trial and received either everolimus 1.

General practitioners' perceptions of asynchronous telemedicine in a randomized controlled trial of teledermatology.

We studied the perceptions of general practitioners (GPs) towards teledermatology, before and after its introduction into eight general practices for the purposes of a randomized controlled trial. A postal questionnaire was distributed before the trial and again one year later. Thirty-six of the 42 GPs responded on each occasion (a response rate of 86%).

Variation in cadaveric organ donor rates in the UK.

Background: Considerable variation exists in the organ donation rate between kidney retrieval areas (KRAs) within the UK. The causes for this are unknown. This study examines whether or not observed variations are correlated with various possible explanatory factors.

Patient satisfaction with teledermatology: quantitative and qualitative results from a randomized controlled trial.

As part of a randomized controlled trial involving 208 dermatology patients, a quantitative and qualitative study was undertaken to explore patients' satisfaction with a specialist dermatological opinion and further management obtained through either a traditional outpatient consultation (control group) or an asynchronous teleconsultation (telemedicine group). There was a response rate of 71% to the quantitative patient satisfaction survey (148 replies from 208 distributed questionnaires). The responders comprised 80 of the 111 telemedicine patients (72%) and 68 of the 97 control patients (70%).

A systematic review and economic evaluation of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography compared with diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Objectives: To compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for the investigation of biliary obstruction.

Data Sources: Electronic bibliographic databases, the reference lists of relevant articles and various health services research-related resources.

Review Methods: The data sources were searched and selected studies were assessed using quality criteria.

Referral letters to colorectal surgeons: the impact of peer-mediated feedback.

Background: General practitioners (GPs) select few patients for specialist investigation. Having selected a patient, the GP writes a referral letter which serves primarily to convey concerns about the patient and offer background information. Referral letters to specialists sometimes provide an inadequate amount of information.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial of pre-treatment and short- or long-term maintenance therapy with amiodarone supporting DC cardioversion for persistent atrial fibrillation.

Aims: The efficacy of cardioversion (DCCV) for restoration of sinus rhythm (SR) in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is limited by a high relapse rate. Relapse may be reduced by amiodarone but no placebo-controlled trials of efficacy have been performed and the appropriate duration of therapy is unknown.

Methods And Results: In this double-blind study, 161 subjects with persistent AF were randomized to one of three groups-placebo (n=38); amiodarone 400mg BD for 2 weeks prior to DCCV and 200mg daily for 8 weeks followed by placebo for 44 weeks (n=62, short-term amiodarone); amiodarone 400mg BD for 2 weeks then 200mg daily for 52 weeks (n=61, long-term amiodarone).

Transition metal half-sandwich complexes as redox mediators to glucose oxidase.

Chromium and manganese half-sandwich complexes are evaluated as mediators to glucose oxidase (GOx) since they are of similar size to ferrocene derivatives (sandwich complexes) and contain a single pi-ligand for interaction with the enzyme co-factor. A series of seven amino derivatives of [(eta-C(6)H(6))Cr(CO)(3)] were investigated of which only [[eta-C(6)Me(4)(NH(2))(2)]Cr(CO)(3)] (7), with the lowest oxidation potential of +40 mV (versus SCE), was found to display reversible electrochemistry. Small catalytic currents were recorded in the presence of GOx and glucose when complex (7) was incorporated in a screen-printed carbon electrode.

Children with human immunodeficiency virus admitted to a paediatric intensive care unit in the United Kingdom over a 10-year period.

Objective: There is little published experience regarding the outcome of children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection treated on a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). We describe the outcome of children with HIV infection in our hospital over a 10-year period.

Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of all children with HIV infection admitted to our PICU between August 1992 and July 2002.

Mailed feedback reduces consumption among moderate drinkers who are employed.

To test the efficacy of mailed feedback for drinking reduction among employees of a manufacturing firm, 48 drinkers were recruited and alternately assigned to receive mailed feedback on their drinking either immediately or after an 8-week waiting period. Using a delayed treatment design, participants were assessed by mail at baseline, 8, and 16 weeks. After viewing their feedback, participants indicated a higher level of importance of making a change, but not confidence in their ability.

Comparison of porous and non-porous teflon membranes plus a xenograft in the treatment of vertical osseous defects: a clinical reentry study.

Background: The primary aim of this 9-month randomized, controlled, blinded, clinical reentry study was to compare the regenerative effects of a nonporous polytetrafluoroethylene (NP) periodontal membrane to a porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (P) periodontal membrane in the treatment of vertical osseous defects.

Methods: Twenty-four patients, 11 males and 13 females, age 24 to 74 (mean 50.5 +/- 13.

Use of odds ratios on anaesthesia related studies.

In line with other medical journals, odds ratios are increasingly being reported in anaesthesia literature. The frequency of the use of odds ratio and how well it relates to the relative risk when it is interpreted as relative risk remains unknown. We investigated the use of odds ratio, and its relationship to relative risk and the incidence of outcome in this study.

Relationships between the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition.

The Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test detects learning problems of young students and is a screen for whether a more comprehensive test of intelligence is needed. A study to assess whether this test was valid as an adult intelligence test was conducted with 20 undergraduate psychology majors. The correlations between the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test's Composite, Vocabulary, and Matrices test scores and their corresponding Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition test scores, the Full Scale (r=.

Prophylactic antibiotics for cystic fibrosis.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus causes pulmonary infection in young children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Prophylactic antibiotics are widely prescribed in the hope of preventing infection with Staphylococcus aureus and lung damage. Antibiotics also have adverse effects and long-term use might lead to chronic infection with organisms like Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Dietary intake and food sources of whole grains among US children and adolescents: data from the 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals.

Objective: This study characterizes whole grain consumption among a nationally representative sample of US children and adolescents.

Design: Data used in this study were collected as part of the 1994-1996 US Department of Agriculture Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII).

Subjects/setting: CSFII was designed to obtain a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized persons of all ages residing in the United States.

Continuing inequality: gender and social class influences on self perceived health after a heart attack.

Study Objective: To investigate the effect of social class and gender on self perceived health status for those recovering from an acute myocardial infarction.

Design: A longitudinal survey design was used, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data are reported in this article, obtained by questionnaire over the first year after the event.

Nevirapine use in HIV-1-infected children.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and clinical, virological, and immunological responses in HIV-1-infected children receiving nevirapine as part of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods: A review of case notes of all HIV-1-infected children 96 weeks after starting nevirapine, under a national compassionate access scheme between August 1997 and March 1999 in the UK. Nevirapine was dosed according to the manufacturer's guidelines.

The potential benefit of vacuum devices augmenting psychosexual therapy for erectile dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial.

A cohort of 45 patients diagnosed with predominant psychogenic erectile disorder (ED) chose couples psychotherapy. We randomized 25 couples to also receive a vacuum constriction device (VCD), also known as a vacuum erectile device, at the second session (group 1), whereas 20 couples had psychotherapy without a VCD. Twenty-one couples (84%) in group 1 reported some improvement after the initial psychotherapy and VCD sessions compared with 12 of the 20 couples (60%) who reported some improvement after couples psychotherapy in group 2.

Patients with chronic pain and abnormal pituitary function require investigation.

Misuse of opioids is associated with abnormalities of pituitary function. Patients with chronic pain frequently complain of fatigue and undergo endocrine testing. To test whether oral opioid treatment causes abnormal pituitary function we prospectively assessed pituitary function in 37 patients with chronic pain who were receiving either oral opioid analgesia or non-opioid analgesia.

Detailed analysis of allelic variation in the ABCA4 gene in age-related maculopathy.

Purpose: Age-related maculopathy (ARM) is one of the most common causes of blindness in older adults worldwide. Sequence variants in a gene coding for a retina-specific ATP-binding cassette (ABCA4) transporter protein, which is responsible for a phenotypically similar Mendelian form of retinal disease, were proposed to increase the risk of ARM. To examine the potential relationship of ABCA4 sequence variation and ARM risk in an independent data set, a clinically well-characterized population of 165 multiplex patients with ARM from 70 families, 33 unaffected relatives, and 59 unrelated control subjects with confirmed absence of ARM was screened for variants in any of the 50 exons and exon-intron boundaries of this gene.

What is the relationship between the minimally important difference and health state utility values? The case of the SF-6D.

Background: The SF-6D is a new single summary preference-based measure of health derived from the SF-36. Empirical work is required to determine what is the smallest change in SF-6D scores that can be regarded as important and meaningful for health professionals, patients and other stakeholders.

Objectives: To use anchor-based methods to determine the minimally important difference (MID) for the SF-6D for various datasets.

T cell-activated macrophages are capable of both recognition and rejection of pancreatic islet xenografts.

Macrophages have been proposed as the major effector cell in T cell-mediated xenograft rejection. To determine their role in this response, NOD-SCID mice were transplanted with fetal pig pancreas (FPP) before reconstitution with CD4(+) T cells from BALB/c mice. Twelve days after CD4(+) T cell reconstitution, purified macrophages (depleted of T cells) were isolated from CD4(+) T cell-reconstituted FPP recipient mice and adoptively transferred to their nonreconstituted counterparts.