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Purpose This study sought to; (i) investigate the proportion of Thai individuals with spinal cord injury (Thai-SCI) who met SCI-specific physical activity (PA) guidelines, (ii) describe PA and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Thai-SCI across different sociodemographic strata, and, (iii) measure the variance in HRQOL associated with the intensity and volume of leisure-time physical activities (LTPA). Methods Two surveys, measuring PA and HRQOL, were used in this study. Descriptive analysis, parametric and non-parametric tests for comparing two or more groups were used to analyse the data. The relationship between PA levels and HRQOL scores was investigated using Spearman's correlation coefficients. All statistical significance level in this study were set to alpha Results From the 200 participants, 14.5% met aerobic, 20.5% met strength training and 13.5% met both aerobic and strength training SCI-specific PA guidelines. Sedentary Thai-SCI accounted for 49% of the study sample. Thai-SCI spent 132.0 ± 254.3 (mean ± SD) minutes per week on moderate-to-heavy intensity LTPA. Average Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS and MCS scores) of Thai-SCI were 42.3 ± 7.6 and 49.3 ± 8.4 (mean ± SD), respectively. Increases in average LTPA of moderate-to-heavy intensities were weakly correlated with increases in PCS scores and its sub-domains (r = 0.1-0.3, n = 200, all p Conclusion The average time spent on moderate-to-heavy intensity ADLs and LTPA were below SCI-specific PA guidelines and the WHO global recommendations for PA. The proportion of Thai-SCI who were sedentary was high, suggesting immediate action and implementation of strategies to promote PA for Thai-SCI.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe proportion of Thai people with spinal cord injury with a sedentary lifestyle was high.Healthcare providers in Thailand must engage to a greater degree in health-related physical activity promotion to effectively deliver physical activity and exercise knowledge to their clients with spinal cord injury.Likely, structured programs of physical activity and exercise deployed by healthcare professionals with the appropriate knowledge and skills might reverse the current trend to sedentary lifestyle in this population.Interventions to improve participation in physical activity and health-related quality of life should be tailored to the individual needs of Thai individuals with a spinal cord injury and might be better delivered seperately.

Objectives To examine whether radiologists’ mammogram reading performance varies according to how long they have been awake (“hours awake”) and the number of hours they slept (“hours slept”) the night before a reading session. Methods Retrospective data were retrieved from the BreastScreen Reader Assessment Strategy database. Malignancy-enriched mammographic readings were performed by 133 radiologists. Information on their hours awake and hours slept was collected. Analysis of covariance was performed to determine whether these two variables influenced radiologists’ sensitivity, specificity, lesion sensitivity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and jackknife alternative free-response ROC. Radiologists were divided into a more experienced and a less experienced groups (based on reading ≥2,000 and Results The hours awake significantly influenced less experienced radiologists’ lesion sensitivity (F6,63 = 2.51; P = .03). Those awake for Conclusion Inexperienced radiologists’ performance may be influenced by the hours awake and hours slept before reading sessions.

CME/CNE Information Activity Available Online: To access the article, post-test, and evaluation online, go to https://www.highmarksce.com/mscare. Target Audience: The target audience for this activity is physicians, physician assistants, nursing professionals, speech pathologists, and other health care providers involved in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Learning Objectives: 1) Identify several variables that may place a person with MS at risk of language symptoms. 2) Describe the role of frontline health care providers in management of language and communication symptoms in patients with MS. Accreditation Statement: In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) and Delaware Media Group. The CMSC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. Physician Credit: The CMSC designates this journal-based activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Nurse Credit: The CMSC designates this enduring material for 0.75 contact hour (none in the area of pharmacology). Disclosures: Francois Bethoux, MD, Editor in Chief of the International Journal of MS Care (IJMSC), has served as Physician Planner for this activity. He has disclosed relationships with Springer Publishing (royalty), Qr8 (receipt of intellectual property rights/patent holder), Biogen (receipt of intellectual property rights/patent holder, speakers’ bureau), GW Biosciences (consulting fee), MedRhythms (consulting fee, contracted research), Genentech (consulting fee), Helius Medical Technologies (consulting fee), Osmotica (consulting fee), and Adamas Pharmaceuticals (contracted research). Laurie Scudder, DNP, NP, has served as Reviewer for this activity. She has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Sarah El-Wahsh, BAppSc (Sp Path) (Hons 1), has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Rob Heard, PhD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Hans Bogaardt, PhD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Fiona Kumfor, PhD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Kirrie J. Ballard, PhD, has disclosed founding a start-up unrelated to the topic of this article; to date, the start-up designs apps for delivering speech therapy to children with developmental speech disorders. The peer reviewers for IJMSC have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. The staff at IJMSC, CMSC, and Delaware Media Group who are in a position to influence content have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Note: Financial relationships may have changed in the interval between listing these disclosures and publication of the article. Method of Participation: Release Date: April 1, 2021 Valid for Credit Through: April 1, 2022 In order to receive CME/CNE credit, participants must: 1) Review the continuing education information, including learning objectives and author disclosures.2) Study the educational content.3) Complete the post-test and evaluation, which are available at https://www.highmarksce.com/mscare. Statements of Credit are awarded upon successful completion of the evaluation and the post-test with a passing score of >70%. The post-test may be retaken if necessary. There is no fee to participate in this activity. Disclosure of Unlabeled Use: This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not approved by the FDA. The CMSC and Delaware Media Group do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of the CMSC or Delaware Media Group. Disclaimer: Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any medications, diagnostic procedures, or treatments discussed in this publication should not be used by clinicians or other health care professionals without first evaluating their patients’ conditions, considering possible contraindications or risks, reviewing any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparing any therapeutic approach with the recommendations of other authorities.

Difficulty swallowing has been reported following whiplash injury; however, the reasons remain poorly understood. A possible factor may be the observed changes in pharyngeal volume. The current exploratory study was designed to examine the prevalence of self-reported dysphagia after whiplash and the relationship with recovery status and change in pharyngeal volume. Data were available from a longitudinal study of adults with whiplash. Data included magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine, the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI), and Neck Disability Index (NDI) collected over four timepoints (< 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months post-injury). Initial cross-sectional analysis examined 60 patients with DHI data from at least one timepoint. A second, longitudinal analysis was conducted on 31 participants with MRI, NDI, and DHI data at both early (< 1–2 weeks) and late (3–12 months) timepoints. The pharynx was contoured on axial T2-weighted MRI slices using OsiriX image processing software and pharyngeal volume (mm(3)) was quantified. In the 60-patient cohort, prevalence of self-reported dysphagia (DHI ≥ 3) was observed in 50% of participants at least once in 12 months (M = 4.9, SD 8.16, range 0–40). In the longitudinal cohort (n = 31), mean total DHI significantly (p = 0.006) increased between early and late stages. There was no relationship (p = 1.0) between dysphagia and recovery status, per the NDI% score. Pharyngeal volume remained stable and there was no relationship between dysphagia and pharyngeal volume change (p = 1.0). This exploratory study supports the need for further work to understand the nature of dysphagia, extent of functional compromise, and the underlying pathophysiology post-whiplash.

Objectives: To examine whether radiologists’ performances are consistent throughout a reading session and whether any changes in performance over the reading task differ depending on experience of the reader. Methods: The performance of ten radiologists reading a test set of 60 mammographic cases without breaks was assessed using an ANOVA, 2 × 3 factorial design. Participants were categorized as more (≥2,000 mammogram readings per year) or less (Results: Significant linear interactions were found between experience and the fixed sequence of the series for sensitivity (F[1] =5.762, p = .04, partial η2 = .41) and lesion sensitivity. (F[1] =6.993, p = .03, partial η2 = .46). The two groups’ mean scores were similar for the first series but progressively diverged. By the end of the third series, significant differences in sensitivity and lesion sensitivity were evident, with the more experienced individuals demonstrating improving and the less experienced declining performance. Neither experience nor series sequence significantly affected the specificity or the area under the ROC curve. Conclusions: Radiologists’ performance may change considerably during a reading session, apparently as a function of experience, with less experienced radiologists declining in sensitivity and lesion sensitivity while more experienced radiologists actually improve. With the increasing demands on radiologists to undertake high-volume reporting, we suggest that junior radiologists be made aware of possible sensitivity and lesion sensitivity deterioration over time so they can schedule breaks during continuous reading sessions that are appropriate to them, rather than try to emulate their more experienced colleagues. Advances in knowledge: Less-experienced radiologists demonstrated a reduction in mammographic diagnostic accuracy in later stages of the reporting sessions. This may suggest that extending the duration of reporting sessions to compensate for increasing workloads may not represent the optimal solution for less-experienced radiologists.

This study investigated whether screening for symptoms of mental disorders and referral to mental health services was associated with decreased depression symptoms among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in Vietnam. Four hundred PLHIV (63.5% male, mean age 34.8 (SD = 6.8) years) at two outpatient clinics in Ho Chi Minh City were interviewed by psychiatrists and also completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale (CES-D). One hundred and seventy-four (43.5%) were identified with symptoms of a range of mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder and HIV associated dementia and were referred to mental health services. Of the 174 PLHIV referred, 162 (93%) returned and completed the CES-D three months later and 125 of these 162 (77%) had attended a mental health service and undertaken treatment. A significant improvement was found in the mean CES-D scores of the 125 attenders from baseline (M = 19.0, SD = 7.5) to month three (M = 11.7, SD = 7.9, p < 0.001). PLHIV who had attended a mental health service and undertaken treatment demonstrated a greater reduction of mean scores on the CES-D compared to PLHIV who had either received a referral but not attended a mental health service to undertake treatment, or not been referred initially.

This study aimed to investigate the effect on reading performance of how long radiologists have been awake (“time awake”) and the number of hours they slept at night (“hours slept at night”) before a reading session. Data from 133 mammographic reading assessments were extracted from the Breast Screen Reader Assessment Strategy database. Analysis of covariance was performed to determine whether sensitivity, specificity, lesion sensitivity, ROC, and JAFROC were influenced by the time awake and the hours slept at night. The results showed that less experienced radiologists’ performance varied significantly according to the time awake: lesion sensitivity was significantly lower among radiologists who performed readings after being awake for less than 2 h (44.6%) than among those who had been awake for 8 to 6 h (0.77) (p = 0.029). The results indicate that inexperienced radiologists’ performance may be affected by the time awake and hours slept the night before a reading session.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) show overlap in their clinical features. We performed an analysis of relapses with the aim of determining differences between the two conditions. Cases of NMOSD and age- and sex-matched MS controls were collected from across Australia and New Zealand. Demographic and clinical information, including relapse histories, were recorded using a standard questionnaire. There were 75 cases of NMOSD and 101 MS controls. There were 328 relapses in the NMOSD cases and 375 in MS controls. Spinal cord and optic neuritis attacks were the most common relapses in both NMOSD and MS. Optic neuritis (p < 0.001) and area postrema relapses (P = 0.002) were more common in NMOSD and other brainstem attacks were more common in MS (p < 0.001). Prior to age 30 years, attacks of optic neuritis were more common in NMOSD than transverse myelitis. After 30 this pattern was reversed. Relapses in NMOSD were more likely to be treated with acute immunotherapies and were less likely to recover completely. Analysis by month of relapse in NMOSD showed a trend toward reduced risk of relapse in February to April compared to a peak in November to January (P = 0.065). Optic neuritis and transverse myelitis are the most common types of relapse in NMOSD and MS. Optic neuritis tends to occur more frequently in NMOSD prior to the age of 30, with transverse myelitis being more common thereafter. Relapses in NMOSD were more severe. A seasonal bias for relapses in spring-summer may exist in NMOSD.

Purpose In a companion paper, we found no statistical reason to favor percentage syllables stuttered (%SS) over parent-reported stuttering severity as a primary outcome measure for clinical trials of early stuttering. Hence, considering the logistical advantages of the latter measure, we recommended parent-reported stuttering severity for use as an outcome measure. The present report extends the prior analysis to a comparison of %SS with self-reported stuttering severity (SRSS) for use as an outcome measure in clinical trials of stuttering treatments for adults. Method We analyzed data from four randomized clinical trials for adults that incorporated %SS and SRSS data at prerandomization and at 6 months post randomization. We analyzed the distributions associated with the two measures, their agreement, and their estimates of effect sizes. Results The positively skewed distribution of %SS warrants much reservation about its value as a clinical trial outcome measure. This skew causes inherent instability because of spurious data associated with low scores, which occur commonly at the low end of such a distribution. This inherent instability is compounded by inherent problems with absolute reliability of %SS measures. These problems are reduced with the much more normal distribution of SRSS. Conclusions The logistical arguments in favor of SRSS apply similarly to adults as they do when parents report the stuttering severity of their children. However, there are statistical reasons to favor SRSS over %SS measures as a primary outcome of clinical trials with adult participants: SRSS has acceptable discriminant validity and a normal distribution, and it is less error prone than %SS. We recommend SRSS as a primary outcome for clinical trials of adults with stuttering.

Numerous factors contribute to radiologist image reading discrepancy and interpretive errors. However, a factor often overlooked is how interpretations might be impacted by the time of day when the image reading takes place—a factor that other disciplines have shown to be a determinant of competency. This study therefore seeks to investigate whether radiologists’ reading performances vary according to the time of the day at which the readings take place. We evaluated 197 mammographic reading assessments collected from the BreastScreen Reader Assessment Strategy (BREAST) database, which included reading timestamps and radiologists’ demographic data, and conducted an analysis of covariance to determine whether time of day influenced the radiologists’ specificity, lesion sensitivity, and jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC). After adjusting for radiologist experience and fellowship, we found a significant effect of the time of day of the readings on specificity but none on lesion sensitivity or JAFROC. Radiologist specificity was significantly lower in the late morning (10 am–12 pm) and late afternoon (4 pm–6 pm) than in the early morning (8 am–10 am) or early afternoon (2 pm–4 pm), indicating a higher rate of false-positive interpretations in the late morning and late afternoon. Thus, the time of day mammographic image readings take place may influence radiologists’ performances, specifically their ability to identify normal images correctly. These findings present significant implications for radiologic clinicians.

AIM To examine the impact of the time of day on radiologists' mammography reading performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective mammographic reading assessment data were collected from the BreastScreen Reader Assessment Strategy database and included timestamps of the readings and reader-specific demographic data of 197 radiologists. The radiologists performed the readings in a workshop setting with test case sets enriched with malignancies (one-third of cases were malignant). The collected data were evaluated with an analysis of covariance to determine whether time of day influenced radiologists' specificity, lesion sensitivity or the jackknife alternative free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC). RESULTS After adjusting for radiologist experience and fellowship, specificity varied significantly by time of day (p=0.027), but there was no evidence of any significant impact on lesion sensitivity (p=0.441) or JAFROC (p=0.120). The collected data demonstrated that specificity during the late morning (10.00–12.00) was 71.7%; this was significantly lower than in the early morning (08.00–10.00) and mid-afternoon (14.00–16.00), which were 82.74% (p=0.003) and 81.39% (p=0.031), respectively. Specificity during the late afternoon (16.00–18.00) was 73.95%; this was significantly lower than in the early morning (08.00–10.00) and mid-afternoon (14.00–16.00), which were 82.74% (p=0.003) and 81.39% (p=0.031), respectively. CONCLUSION The results indicated that the time of day may influence radiologists' performance, specifically their ability to identify normal images correctly.

Jennifer A Alison,1,2 Bill Zafiropoulos,1,2 Robert Heard3 1Faculty of Health Sciences Discipline of Physiotherapy, University of Sydney, 2Allied Health Professorial Unit, Sydney Local Health District, 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Discipline of Behavioral and Social Sciences in Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia Objective: The aim of this study was to identify key factors affecting research capacity and engagement of allied health professionals working in a large metropolitan health service. Identifying such factors will assist in determining strategies for building research capacity in allied health. Materials and methods: A total of 276 allied health professionals working within the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) completed the Research Capacity in Context Tool (RCCT) that measures research capacity and culture across three domains: organization, team, and individual. An exploratory factor analysis was undertaken to identify common themes within each of these domains. Correlations were performed between demographic variables and the identified factors to determine possible relationships. Results: Research capacity and culture success/skill levels were reported to be higher within the organization and team domains compared to the individual domain (median [interquartile range, IQR] 6 [5–8], 6 [5–8], 5 [3–7], respectively; Friedman χ2(2)=42.04, p

The aim of this study was to explore personal and workplace environmental factors as predictors of reduced worker productivity among older workers with chronic knee pain.A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 129 older workers who had participated in a randomized clinical trial evaluating dietary supplements. Multivariable analyses were used to explore predictors of reduced work productivity among older workers with chronic knee pain.The likelihood of presenteeism was higher in those reporting knee pain (≥3/10) or problems with other joints, and lower in those reporting job insecurity. The likelihood of work transitions was higher in people reporting knee pain (≥3/10), a high comorbidity score or low coworker support, and lower in those having an occupation involving sitting more than 30% of the day.Allowing access to sitting and promoting positive affiliations between coworkers are likely to provide an enabling workplace environment for older workers with chronic knee pain.

Introduction To investigate how breast screen readers classify normal screening cases using descriptors of normal mammographic features and to assess test cases for suitability for a single reading strategy. Methods Fifteen breast screen readers interpreted a test set of 29 normal screening cases and classified them by firstly rating their perceived difficulty to reach a ‘normal’ decision, secondly identifying the cases' salient normal mammographic features and thirdly assessing the cases' suitability for a single reading strategy. Results The relationship between the perceived difficulty in making ‘normal’ decisions and the normal mammographic features was investigated. Regular ductal pattern (Tb = −0.439, P = 0.001), uniform density (Tb = −0.527, P

We envision implementing direct ink writing for 3-D printing while aligning microfibers in the resin using standing wave ultrasonics; the aligned fibers would control desired mechanical properties such as strength and ductility, and 3-D printing would match the mechanical properties to the particular part geometry. At this time we work with highviscosity fluids as a physical simulant of representative resins, and spherical polystyrene microparticles or glass microrods instead of microfibers. In this paper we show experimental results using square glass capillaries (with interior dimensions ranging from 0.4 to 1.0 mm) as our microfluidic systems, which are inherently well-suited by their geometry to act as print nozzles, sandwiched between two piezoceramic plates that generate the ultrasonic standing waves. We report experimental data for particle alignment as we change from our initial test fluid, water, to high-viscosity fluids. Similarly, we report experimental data of the fluid behavior pertinent to direct ink writing; we enforce controlled volumetric flow rates (which correspond to print speeds) for high-viscosity fluids under pressurized flow through glass capillaries of varying cross-sectional areas and varying lengths, observing and measuring the approximate ink line width and height. Our use of commercially available square glass capillaries (sandwiched between piezoceramic transducers that are driven at frequencies away from transducer resonance) is novel and distinguishes our approach from that of other research groups; the underlying physics of our devices differs from that of Lund-type acoustic resonators.

Bill Zafiropoulos,1,2 Jennifer A Alison,1,2 Robert Heard3 1Faculty of Health Sciences, Discipline of Physiotherapy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2141, Australia; 2Allied Health Professorial Unit, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; 3Faculty of Health Sciences, Discipline of Behavioral and Social Sciences in Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2141, Australia Purpose: The aim of this observational cross-sectional study was to determine if allied health professionals working in a large metropolitan health district were meeting the minimal physical activity (PA) recommendations and the proportion that occupational PA contributed to the recommended PA levels. A secondary aim was to determine possible relationships between self-report questionnaire measures of PA and PA measured by accelerometry. Materials and methods: Allied health professionals, working in the Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) in 2016–2017, completed the Active Australia Survey (AAS), Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire Long form (IPAQ-L), and wore the ActiGraph GT1M accelerometer for 7 days consecutively. Results: Based on accelerometry results, allied health professionals (N=126) spent a mean (SD) of 51 (23) minutes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)/day, representing 171% of the total recommended MVPA/day, with work contributing 76% to this recommendation. Participants walked a mean of 10,077 (2,766) steps/day, meeting 100% of the recommended 10,000 steps/day, with work contributing 54% to this recommendation. Sedentary behaviors were predominant throughout the entire day and work day. Compared with the ActiGraph MVPA time measurements, AAS MVPA time showed a fair level of agreement [intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.44, P

Background. Characteristics of mammographic density for Chinese women are understudied. This study aims to identify factors associated with mammographic density in China using a quantitative method.Methods. Mammographic density was measured for a total of 1071 (84 with and 987 without breast cancer) women using an automatic algorithm AutoDensity. Pearson tests examined relationships between density and continuous variables and t-tests compared differences of mean density values between groupings of categorical variables. Linear models were built using multiple regression.Results. Percentage density and dense area were positively associated with each other for cancer-free (r=0.487, pConclusion. This is the first time that mammographic density was measured by a quantitative method for women in China and identified associations should be useful to health policy makers who are responsible for introducing effective models of breast cancer prevention and diagnosis.

© 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Objective: Cognitive-communication deficits after severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) may contribute to poor psychosocial functioning, however, the possible nature of this relationship remains unclear and warrants investigation. The current study explored the variance and correlations of a measure of cognitive-communication with a measure of psychosocial outcome in adults 12 months following TBI. Method: 36 adults with severe TBI evaluated at 12 months post-injury. Cognitive-communication skills were evaluated with the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES), Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale-2 (SPRS-2) Form A–Informant version assessed psychosocial functioning. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate association between cognitive-communication and psychosocial outcomes. Results: Two measures of cognitive-communication assessment (Accuracy and Rationale of the FAVRES) contributed significantly to total psychosocial outcome (SPRS-2). Multiple regression analyses revealed these variables accounted for 29.1% of the variance. Cognitive-communication variables accounted for 24.0% and 28.6% of the Work/Leisure and Relationship domains of the SPRS-2. Conclusion: Cognitive-communication ability was significantly related to psychosocial functioning at 12 months post-TBI. Findings suggested continued speech pathology involvement in the post-acute stages of recovery may improve social, vocational and overall psychosocial functioning. The FAVRES is a promising cognitive-communication assessment for identification of treatable factors impacting psychosocial outcomes.

Objectives We have undertaken a clinic-based survey of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) in Australia and New Zealand to establish incidence and prevalence across the region and in populations of differing ancestry. Background NMOSD is a recently defined demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). The incidence and prevalence of NMOSD in Australia and New Zealand has not been established. Methods Centres managing patients with demyelinating disease of the CNS across Australia and New Zealand reported patients with clinical and laboratory features that were suspicious for NMOSD. Testing for aquaporin 4 antibodies was undertaken in all suspected cases. From this group, cases were identified who fulfilled the 2015 Wingerchuk diagnostic criteria for NMOSD. A capture–recapture methodology was used to estimate incidence and prevalence, based on additional laboratory identified cases. Results NMOSD was confirmed in 81/170 (48%) cases referred. Capture–recapture analysis gave an adjusted incidence estimate of 0.37 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.39) per million per year and a prevalence estimate for NMOSD of 0.70 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.78) per 100 000. NMOSD was three times more common in the Asian population (1.57 (95% CI 1.15 to 1.98) per 100 000) compared with the remainder of the population (0.57 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.65) per 100 000). The latitudinal gradient evident in multiple sclerosis was not seen in NMOSD. Conclusions NMOSD incidence and prevalence in Australia and New Zealand are comparable with figures from other populations of largely European ancestry. We found NMOSD to be more common in the population with Asian ancestry.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Speech pathology-specific questionnaire for persons with Multiple Sclerosis (SMS).Method: Forty-one items were generated throu...

This study examined the presence of symptoms of mental disorders (SOMD) in 400 Vietnamese people living with HIV (PLHIV) at two HIV outpatient clinics and investigated the relationship between SOMD and stressful life experiences. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire about stressful life experiences during the last 30 days and were interviewed by a psychiatrist. About 43.5% of participants experienced SOMD. Significant associations between SOMD and various types of stressful life experiences were found but were different in males and females. Routine screening of PLHIV for SOMD has the potential to lead to better health outcomes through early referral and treatment.

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is an immune‐mediated neuropathy. Wasting and weakness typically dominate the clinical presentation. We describe four cases presenting with prominent cramping resembling a primary movement disorder. All cases had features of focal motor conduction block on neurophysiological studies. The involuntary movements resolved in all four patients following treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin. The presented cases highlight an unusual presentation of MMN and emphasize that peripheral nerve pathology can present with movement disorders mimicking central nervous system disease. Furthermore, the movement disorder appears particularly sensitive to standard therapy.

Background Mammographic breast density (MBD) has been reported to be one of the strongest risk factors of breast cancer in western countries. However, the MBD profile in China is unclear. We aimed to compare the MBD of women in China with the MBD of women in Australia using percentage density. Methods This study included 3250 Chinese women (Han origin only) aged 45–69 years who participated in the Cancer Screening Program in Urban China (CSPUC) and 1384 age-matched Australian women (including women with background of Australian, New Zealander, British, Irish, European, and American) from the Lifepool project. Mammograms for each woman were collected and data on women's age, height, weight, level of education, age at menarche, breastfeeding history, breastfeeding duration, menopause status, and age at menopause were obtained. We assessed MBD using an automatic algorithm AutoDensity that produces MBD percentage values. We used a Student's t-test to compare the mean MBDs between Chinese and Australian women, for all women, pre-menopausal women, and post-menopausal women groups. Two-way ANOVA was performed to examine if there was an interaction between country and each of the above factors on MBD. This study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Sydney (Project number: 2014/768) and Institutional Review Board of Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (Project number 15-062/989), and consent form was obtained from each participant through CSPUC and Lifepool programmes. Findings Chinese women had 9·61% (95% CI 8·84–10·37), 8·20% (6·60–9·79) and 9·28% (8·42–10·15) higher MBD than did their Australian counterparts in all, pre-menopausal, and post-menopausal women, respectively (all p Interpretation This study compared MBD between Chinese and Australian women and significant differences were found between the two populations. Our reported discrepancies around percentage density between two populations and the different effects on MBD from demographic and reproductive factors provide a better understanding of the optimal breast cancer screening approaches in China and challenge the one-size-fit-all strategy. Funding None.

Additive manufacturing (3-D printing) is presently limited by the mechanical properties of the materials, such as polymer resins, that are otherwise efficient and economical for part-forming. Reinforcing the resin with microscale fibers and/or particles would be an effective mechanism to achieve desired mechanical properties such as strength and ductility. Our work combines standing wave ultrasonics and microfluidics to align microparticles in devices that can act as print nozzles, based in part on our prior work with cell sorting. In this paper three different approaches are presented illustrating different engineering tradeoffs, and demonstrating laboratory results of particle alignment. First acoustic resonators are discussed, in which the ultrasonic standing waves result mostly from the mechanical properties of the microfluidic structure, excited by a piezoceramic transducer. Next non-resonant microfluidic structures are discussed, in which ultrasonic standing waves are produced directly by symmetrical transducer deployment. Finally, devices that combine nozzle-like structures, which themselves are suitable acoustic resonators, subjected to symmetrical ultrasonic excitation are presented. We will show that all three configurations will align microparticles, and discuss the tradeoffs among them for subsequent configuration of a print nozzle.

Rationale and Objectives This study employs clinical/radiological evaluation in establishing the optimum imaging conditions for breast cancer imaging using the X-ray propagation-based phase-contrast tomography. Materials and Methods Two series of experiments were conducted and in total 161 synchrotron-based computed tomography (CT) reconstructions of one breast mastectomy specimen were produced at different imaging conditions. Imaging factors include sample-to-detector distance, X-ray energy, CT reconstruction method, phase retrieval algorithm applied to the CT projection images and maximum intensity projection. Observers including breast radiologists and medical imaging experts compared the quality of the reconstructed images with reference images approximating the conventional (absorption) CT. Various radiological image quality attributes in a visual grading analysis design were used for the radiological assessments. Results The results show that the application of the longest achievable sample-to-detector distance (9.31 m), the lowest employed X-ray energy (32 keV), the full phase retrieval, and the maximum intensity projection can significantly improve the radiological quality of the image. Several combinations of imaging variables resulted in images with very high-quality scores. Conclusion The results of the present study will support future experimental and clinical attempts to further optimize this innovative approach to breast cancer imaging.

This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence and correlates of symptoms of depression among 400 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) from two HIV clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression scale, 36.5% of participants were classified as likely to be clinically depressed. Factors independently associated with symptoms of depression included self-report of poor or fair health (aOR=2.16, 95% CI 1.33-3.51), having a low body mass index (aOR=1.85, 95% CI 1.13-3.04), reporting recent problems with family (aOR=1.97, 95% CI 1.21-3.19), feeling shame about being HIV-infected (aOR=1.90, 95% CI 1.20-3.00), and reporting conflict with a partner (aOR=2.21, 95% CI 1.14-4.26). Participants who lived with family (aOR=0.48, 95% CI 0.25-0.90) or who received emotional support from their families or supportive HIV networks (aOR=0.45, 95% CI 0.25-0.80) were less likely to experience symptoms of depression. Screening for and treatment of depression among Vietnamese PLHIV are needed.

Rationale and Objectives To investigate the impact of breast density on the performance of radiologists when mammograms are digitally acquired and displayed. Materials and Methods A total of 150 craniocaudal digital mammograms including 75 cases with cancer were examined by 14 radiologists divided into two groups: those who read more (six) and less (eight) than 2000 mammograms per year. Cases were classified as low or high mammographic density. For both types of cases, detection of cancers within and outside the dense fibroglandular tissue was investigated. The performance of radiologist was measured using jack-knife free-response receiver operating characteristic (JAFROC) figure of merit (FOM). Results Radiologists with over 2000 annual reads had significantly higher JAFROC FOM (P = .03) for high (0.76) mammographic density compared to low (0.70) mammographic density cases. When lesions overlaid the fibroglandular tissue, cases with high mammographic density compared to low mammographic density displayed increased location sensitivity for all radiologists (P = .03) and for those radiologists reading more than 2000 mammograms annually (P = .04), whereas JAFROC FOMs increased for all radiologists (P = .05). No significant changes were observed when the lesion was outside the fibroglandular region. Conclusions Increased mammographic density improves the performance of experienced radiologists when using digital mammograms. This finding, which does not align with those previously reported for film screen systems, may be because of windowing/leveling opportunities available with digital images.

In Part 2 of this three part review of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment with a particular focus on the Australian and New Zealand perspective, we review the newer therapies that have recently become available and emerging therapies that have now completed phase III clinical trial programs. We go on to compare the relative efficacies of these newer and emerging therapies alongside the existing therapies. The effectiveness of β-interferon in the treatment of different stages and the different disease courses of MS is critically reviewed with the conclusion that the absolute level of response in term of annualised relapse rates (where relapses occur) and MRI activity are similar, but are disappointing in terms of sustained disability progression for progressive forms of the disease. Finally we review the controversial area of combination therapy for MS. Whilst it remains the case that we have no cure or means of preventing MS, we do have a range of effective therapies that when used appropriately and early in the disease course can have a significant impact on short term and longer term outcomes.

This study identified prevalence and correlates of HIV-associated dementia (HAD) among people living with HIV (PLWHA) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Four hundred PLWHA completed a self-report questionnaire and were interviewed by a trained researcher to assess HAD using the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS). Clinical information concerning HIV treatment was also extracted from medical records. The results indicate the prevalence of probable HAD based on IHDS score

© 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Background: The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with aphasia (PWA) in Singapore is unknown. Aims: To compare outcomes between stroke survivors with and without aphasia in Singapore and examine the sensitivity and responsiveness to change of the Stroke and Aphasia QOL Scale (SAQOL-39g) and its Singapore (Mandarin) variant, SAQOL-CSg. Methods & Procedures: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted with stroke survivors with and without aphasia. Participants underwent a series of questionnaires at 3 and 12 months post-stroke including SAQOL-39g/SAQOL-CSg, Barthel Index, Modified Rankin Scale (MRS), Mini Mental State Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and the EQ-5D. The following data analyses were conducted: comparison of stroke outcomes between participants with and without aphasia, computation of floor and ceiling effects, calculation of effect sizes (ESs) to determine sensitivity to change and estimation of minimally important differences (MIDs) for examining responsiveness. Outcomes & Results: A total of 78 participants (29.5% female, 29.5% PWA, mean age 64.1 years) completed all the assessments on both occasions. At 12 months post-stroke, PWA had higher levels of disability on the MRS (Mann–Whitney U = 294.5, p < 0.01) and reported significantly lower quality of life on the SAQOL-39g/SAQOL-CSg (U = 349, p < 0.01) and the EQ-5D index (U = 447, p < 0.05). In terms of sensitivity to change, the SAQOL-39g/SAQOL- 35CSg showed a small degree of improvement for the entire sample (ES, r = 0.22) but change was only significant for participants without aphasia. MID estimates for improvement were 0.21 on the SAQOL-39g/SAQOL-CSg and 0.17 on the EQ-5D index. Conclusions: PWA reported poorer HRQoL even when physical function was comparable. SAQOL-39g/SAQOL-CSg was found to have adequate sensitivity to change (i.e., reflect at least small change) up to 12 months post-stroke. MID estimates of the SAQOL-39g/SAQOL-CSg may assist in the interpretation of changes in scores in the clinical setting.

Rationale and objectives: Observer performance has been widely studied through examining the characteristics of individuals. Applying a systems perspective, while understanding of the system’s output, requires a study of the interactions between observers. This research explains a mixed methods approach to applying a social network analysis (SNA), together with a more traditional approach of examining personal/ individual characteristics in understanding observer performance in mammography. Materials and Methods: Using social networks theories and measures in order to understand observer performance, we designed a social networks survey instrument for collecting personal and network data about observers involved in mammography performance studies. We present the results of a study by our group where 31 Australian breast radiologists originally reviewed 60 mammographic cases (comprising of 20 abnormal and 40 normal cases) and then completed an online questionnaire about their social networks and personal characteristics. A jackknife free response operating characteristic (JAFROC) method was used to measure performance of radiologists. JAFROC was tested against various personal and network measures to verify the theoretical model. Results: The results from this study suggest a strong association between social networks and observer performance for Australian radiologists. Network factors accounted for 48% of variance in observer performance, in comparison to 15.5% for the personal characteristics for this study group. Conclusion: This study suggest a strong new direction for research into improving observer performance. Future studies in observer performance should consider social networks’ influence as part of their research paradigm, with equal or greater vigour than traditional constructs of personal characteristics.

Prospective experimental.To compare the cardiorespiratory responses with electrical stimulation (ES) producing either dynamic leg cycling or intermittent isometric leg contractions using the same ES protocol.Sydney, Australia.Eight paraplegics (T4-T11) performed ES exercise sessions on two separate days. On day 1, cardiorespiratory responses were measured during 5 min of rest followed by 35 min of cycling, and finally 15 min of intermittent isometric exercise using the same ES parameters. On the second day, after 5 min of rest, 35 min of isometric exercise was performed followed by 15 min of cycling.There were no significant differences during the first 35 min of exercise on each day comparing the two modes of exercise for average rate of oxygen consumption (cycling, 534±128 ml min(-1); isometric 558±146 ml min(-1); P=0.451), the average heart rate (cycling, 93±15 b.p.m.; isometric 95±17 b.p.m.; P=0.264) or minute ventilation (cycling, 23.0±6.5 l min(-1); isometric 23.8±6.7 l min(-1); P=0.655). In addition, there were no significant differences between exercise modes for any peak cardiorespiratory values recorded during the initial 35 min of exercise or the following 15 min crossover exercise phase.The current data found that intermittent ES leg isometric exercise elicited a similar cardiorespiratory response compared with functional ES leg cycling, suggesting it should be investigated as a viable alternative intervention for increasing whole body metabolic rate during sustained exercise training sessions for individuals with paralyzed muscles.

To explore relationships between reader performance and reader characteristics in mammography for specific radiologist groupings on the basis of annual number of readings.The institutional review board approved the study and waived the need for patient consent to use all images. Readers gave informed consent. One hundred sixteen radiologists independently reviewed 60 mammographic cases: 20 cases with cancer and 40 cases with normal findings. Readers located any visualized cancer, and levels of confidence were scored from 1 to 5. A jackknifing free response operating characteristic (JAFROC) method was used, and figures of merit along with sensitivity and specificity were correlated with reader characteristics by using Spearman techniques and standard multiple regressions.Reader performance was positively correlated with number of years since qualification as a radiologist (P ≤ .01), number of years reading mammograms (P ≤ .03), and number of readings per year (P ≤ .0001). The number of years since qualification as a radiologist (P ≤ .004) and number of years of reading mammograms (P ≤ .002) were negatively related to JAFROC values for radiologists with annual volumes of less than 1000 mammographic readings. For individuals with more than 5000 mammographic readings per year, JAFROC values were positively related to the number of years that the reader was qualified as a radiologist (P ≤ .01), number of years of reading mammograms (P ≤ .002), and number of hours per week of reading mammograms (P ≤ .003). Number of mammographic readings per year was positively related with JAFROC scores for readers with an annual volume between 1000 and 5000 readings (P ≤ .03). Differences in JAFROC scores appear to be more related to specificity than location sensitivity, with the former demonstrating significant relationships with four of the five characteristics analyzed, whereas no relationships were shown for the latter.Radiologists' determinants of performance are associated with annual reading volumes. Ability to recognize normal images is a discriminating factor in individuals with a high volume of mammographic readings.

SummaryObjectiveTo determine the burden and risk factors associated with reduced work productivity among people with chronic knee pain.MethodA longitudinal study, nested within a randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the long-term effects of dietary supplements, was conducted among people with chronic knee pain in paid employment (n = 360). Participants recorded days off work (absenteeism) and reduced productivity while at work (presenteeism) for seven days every two months over a 12-month period in a study specific diary. Examined risk factors included knee pain severity, occupational group, radiographic disease severity, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), health-related quality of life (SF-12) and co-morbidity.ResultsOver the 12-month follow up period, 50 (14%) participants reported one or more days off work due to knee problems, while 283 (79%) reported reduced productivity while at work (presenteeism

To establish the extent to which test set reading can represent actual clinical reporting in screening mammography.Institutional ethics approval was granted, and informed consent was obtained from each participating screen reader. The need for informed consent with respect to the use of patient materials was waived. Two hundred mammographic examinations were selected from examinations reported by 10 individual expert screen readers, resulting in 10 reader-specific test sets. Data generated from actual clinical reports were compared with three test set conditions: clinical test set reading with prior images, laboratory test set reading with prior images, and laboratory test set reading without prior images. A further set of five expert screen readers was asked to interpret a common set of images in two identical test set conditions to establish a baseline for intraobserver variability. Confidence scores (from 1 to 4) were assigned to the respective decisions made by readers. Region-of-interest (ROI) figures of merit (FOMs) and side-specific sensitivity and specificity were described for the actual clinical reporting of each reader-specific test set and were compared with those for the three test set conditions. Agreement between pairs of readings was performed by using the Kendall coefficient of concordance.Moderate or acceptable levels of agreement were evident (W = 0.69-0.73, P.01) when describing group performance between actual clinical reporting and test set conditions that were reasonably close to the established baseline (W = 0.77, P.01) and were lowest when prior images were excluded. Higher median values for ROI FOMs were demonstrated for the test set conditions than for the actual clinical reporting values; this was possibly linked to changes in sensitivity.Reasonable levels of agreement between actual clinical reporting and test set conditions can be achieved, although inflated sensitivity may be evident with test set conditions.

PurposeResearch shows that monolingual children with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) have a higher incidence of cognitive-linguistic deficits, but it is not clear whether bilingual preschool children with CLP are especially vulnerable because they need to acquire 2 languages. We tested the hypothesis that bilingual children with CLP score lower than bilingual children with typical development (TD) on receptive vocabulary, verbal memory, and visuospatial memory.MethodParticipants were 86 bilingual CLP children and 100 TD children 3–6 years of age, dominant in English or Mandarin. Each child completed assessments of English and Mandarin vocabulary, verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory, hearing, and articulation.ResultsWith analysis of covariance controlling for age and dominant language, no group differences were found between the CLP and TD bilingual children, although a correlational analysis indicated discrepancies in the relationship between variables.ConclusionsThe findings do not support the hypothesis that preschool children with CLP score lower than preschool children with TD on receptive vocabulary and memory measures. Longitudinal research examining literacy skill development is needed to establish whether the deficits reported for school-age monolingual children with CLP become more obvious in bilingual children in later years, especially when the medium of instruction is the child’s nondominant language.

Rationale and objectives: To understand how breast screen readers classify the difficulty of normal screening mammograms using common lexicon describing normal appearances. Cases were also assessed on their suitability for a single reader strategy. Materials and Methods: 15 breast readers were asked to interpret a test set of 29 normal screening mammogram cases and classify them by rating the difficulty of the case on a five-point Likert scale, identifying the salient features and assessing their suitability for single reading. Using the False Positive Fractions from a previous study, the 29 cases were classified into 10 "low", 10 "medium" and nine "high" difficulties. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics. Spearman's correlation was used to test the strength of association between the difficulty of the cases and the readers’ recommendation for single reading strategy. Results: The ratings from readers in this study corresponded to the known difficulty level of cases for the 'low' and 'high' difficulty cases. Uniform ductal pattern and density, symmetrical mammographic features and the absence of micro-calcifications were the main reasons associated with 'low' difficulty cases. The 'high' difficulty cases were described as having ‘dense breasts’. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between the difficulty of the cases and readers’ recommendation for single reading (r = -0.475, P = 0.009). Conclusion: The findings demonstrated potential relationships between certain mammographic features and the difficulty for readers to classify mammograms as 'normal'. The standard Australian practice of double reading was deemed more suitable for most cases. There was an inverse moderate association between the difficulty of the cases and the recommendations for single reading.

Materials and Methods In this paper, we propose a theoretical model based upon previous studies about personal and social network dynamics of job performance. We provide empirical support for this model using real-world data within the context of the Australian radiology profession. An examination of radiologists’ professional network topology through structural-positional and relational dimensions and radiologists’ personal characteristics in terms of knowledge, experience and self-esteem is provided. Thirty one breast imaging radiologists completed a purpose designed questionnaire regarding their network characteristics and personal attributes. These radiologists also independently read a test set of 60 mammographic cases: 20 cases with cancer and 40 normal cases. A Jackknife free response operating characteristic (JAFROC) method was used to measure the performance of the radiologists’ in detecting breast cancers. Results Correlational analyses showed that reader performance was positively correlated with the social network variables of degree centrality and effective size, but negatively correlated with constraint and hierarchy. For personal characteristics, the number of mammograms read per year and self-esteem (self-evaluation) positively correlated with reader performance. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the combination of number of mammograms read per year and network’s effective size, hierarchy and tie strength was the best fitting model, explaining 63.4% of the variance in reader performance. The results from this study indicate the positive relationship between reading high volumes of cases by radiologists and expertise development, but also strongly emphasise the association between effective social/professional interactions and informal knowledge sharing with high performance.

Much of the research conducted in radiotherapy focuses on technology advances; however, research may also be warranted in the area of patient care. The aims of this paper are to (1) identify patient care-related research priorities in radiation therapy and (2) describe similarities and differences in radiation therapists' responses to research priorities related to patient care by subgroups revealed through cluster analysis. A Delphi process was used, examining problems in research that radiation therapists face. Three hundred and seventy-four problems were identified. These were translated into 53 research areas which were then prioritised. Participant subgroups were identified using a hierarchical cluster procedure. Agreement and disagreement between subgroups for the subscale of 'Patient Care' were analysed with ANOVA and post hoc Scheffe multiple comparisons. The three subgroups had varying degrees of research interest in patient care. The groups agreed on the importance of research in relation to patient care in reducing and managing side effects, patient education and support, and treatment techniques. However, there was disagreement about the importance of conducting research into the role of radiation therapists, radiation therapists communicating and educating patients, and psychosocial support. Further research is warranted to determine radiotherapy patients' priorities and improve evidence-based practice.

Objective Knee range of motion (ROM) at discharge from acute care is used as a clinical indicator following total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. This study aimed to assess the clinical relevance of this indicator by determining whether discharge knee ROM predicts longer-term knee ROM and patient-reported knee pain and function. Methods A total of 176 TKR recipients were prospectively followed after discharge from acute care. Outcomes assessed included knee ROM and Oxford knee score post rehabilitation and 1 year post surgery. Discharge ROM and other patient factors were identified a priori as potential predictors in multiple linear regression modelling. Results A total of 133 (76%) and 141 (80%) patients were available for follow-up post rehabilitation [mean postoperative week 8.1 (SD 2.7)] and at 1 year [mean postoperative month 12.1 (SD 1.4)], respectively. Greater discharge knee flexion was a significant (P

Objectives Knee range of motion (ROM) at the point of discharge from acute care is used as a clinical indicator to benchmark performance between hospital services after total knee replacement (TKR). The utility of the current benchmark, including whether discharge ROM varies between hospitals, is unknown. This study aimed to determine whether the benchmark [≥80 degrees flexion and ≤5 degrees fixed flexion (extension)] is realistic and whether the service provider is a predictor of knee ROM. Methods A prospective, observational cohort study was conducted involving 176 TKR patients from four hospitals. Knee ROM was photographically assessed preoperatively and at discharge. ‘Hospital’, typical patient demographic data and preoperative ROM were identified a priori as potential predictors of knee ROM. Results Overall, 2% [95% CI (confidence interval) 1–6] of patients attained the ROM benchmark. Individual hospital attainment of the benchmark ranged 0–7% with a significant difference (P = 0.047) evident between the best performer and the remaining hospitals. The overall rates of attainment of the individual flexion (25%, 95% CI 19–32) and extension (15%, 95% CI 10–21) components were similarly low, although the scatter between hospitals was large [flexion (2–47%); extension (8–44%)]. Preoperative flexion and hospital were significant (P = 0.002) predictors of discharge flexion, explaining 21% of the variance. Similarly, hospital and preoperative extension together with gender were significant (P

Background and purpose: Research is increasingly important in radiation therapy, but radiation therapists (or therapy radiographers) (RTs) are relatively new to research and may have difficulty defining research topics. Our aim was to identify the group interests and focus research priorities of Australian RTs. Although not measured, an additional aim was to make RTs more aware of the relevance of RT research.Materials and methods: An Australia-wide Delphi process was used, examining the problems related to patient care, working with colleagues, and radiotherapy in general, that RTs experienced in their daily work. In an initial study, 374 problems were identified. These were translated into 53 research areas which were prioritised in the second stage of the study. Agreement between groups was analysed using a hierarchical cluster procedure and post hoc Scheffe multiple comparisons.Results: There were three groups of responders with varying degrees of research interest. There was agreed high importance (p > 0.01) for the technical aspects of radiation therapy, such as image guidance, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and patient positioning. There was significant disagreement (p < 0.001 to p = 0.023) between groups on the importance of patient care research.Conclusions: The strong interest in technical research is consistent with the rapid influx of technology, particularly in imaging. The disagreement on patient-related research may be of concern. The list of potential research areas specific to radiation therapy will be useful for new RT researchers to consider.

Coronary angioplasties can be performed with either single-plane or biplane imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to determine whether biplane imaging, in comparison to single-plane imaging, reduces radiation dose and contrast load and shortens procedural time during (i) primary and elective coronary angioplasty procedures, (ii) angioplasty to the main vascular territories and (iii) procedures performed by operators with various levels of experience. This prospective observational study included a total of 504 primary and elective single-vessel coronary angioplasty procedures utilising either biplane or single-plane imaging. Radiographic and clinical parameters were collected from clinical reports and examination protocols. Radiation dose was measured by a dose-area-product (DAP) meter intrinsic to the angiography system. Our results showed that biplane imaging delivered a significantly greater radiation dose (181.4+/-121.0 Gycm(2)) than single-plane imaging (133.6+/-92.8 Gycm(2), p

BACKGROUND Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, recurrent and progressive illness with no cure. On the basis of speculative pathophysiology, it has been suggested that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) may slow or reverse the progress of the disease. OBJECTIVES The object of this review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HBOT in the treatment of MS. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane MS Group trials register (July 2002), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library, Issue 2, 2002), MEDLINE (January 1966 to October 2002) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) database (July 2002), along with specialised hyperbaric resources and handsearching of relevant journals and proceedings. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomised, controlled trials involving a comparison between HBOT and a sham therapy in MS were evaluated. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers independently appraised all comparative trials identified, extracted data and scored them for methodological quality. MAIN RESULTS We identified ten reports of nine trials that satisfied selection criteria (504 participants in total). Two trials produced generally positive results, while the remaining seven reported generally no evidence of a treatment effect. None of our three a priori subgroup analyses placed these two trials in the same group and were therefore unable to account for this difference. Three analyses (of 21) did indicate some benefit. For example, the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at 12 months was improved in the HBOT group (group mean reduction in EDSS compared to sham -0.85 of a point, 95% confidence interval -1.28 to -0.42, P = 0.0001). Only the two generally positive trials reported on this outcome at this time (16% of the total participants in this review). REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS We found no consistent evidence to confirm a beneficial effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and do not believe routine use is justified. The small number of analyses suggestive of benefit are isolated, difficult to ascribe with biological plausibility and would need to be confirmed in future well-designed trials. Such trials are not, in our view, justified by this review.

Radiation therapists (RTs) need to engage more in research to establish an evidence base for their daily practice. However, RTs world-wide conduct little research themselves, although positive moves have been made in some countries. This project is the second stage of a Delphi process aimed at prioritising RT areas of research interest. A questionnaire was constructed using responses to a previous questionnaire which identified the research interests of Australian RTs. Fifty-three Research Areas were identified from these responses and grouped into 12 categories such as "imaging in radiation therapy", "symptom management", "accuracy of patient positioning" and "techniques/equipment". The survey was sent to all Australian departments of radiation oncology, and RTs were asked to form interest groups to discuss and prioritise the Research Areas. There was a 50% response rate (18 of 36 departments surveyed). The highest ranked research Category was "imaging in radiation therapy". Six of the top 10 ranked Research Areas were within Central RT practice ("imaging in radiation therapy"; "symptom management"; "accuracy of patient positioning" and "techniques/equipment") and the other four were within broader RT practice ("diversification, recognition and other professional issues"; and "management and staff issues"). Patient Care was also considered to be an area requiring more research. This prioritization of Research Areas and categories provides a useful list of future research for RTs, which will enable them to decide whether their research ideas are a high priority, and spend less time deciding on a relevant research topic that needs investigation in their own workplaces.

Objective: To conduct preliminary examination of the rater and test-reliability of the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis, an ecological measure designed to assess task-embedded information processing capacity during occupational therapy assessment of confused and agitated adults following traumatic brain injury. Methods: Occupational therapists observed and scored client performance using the PRPP System of Task Analysis. Correlational analysis and measures of agreement were performed to determine interrater and intrarater reliability. Test procedures were examined for reliability and internal consistency. Results: Interrater and test reliability considered three factors: therapists, clients and tasks. A moderate level of interrater reliability was achieved between trained therapists (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.60). Test procedures were highly reliable (ICC = 0.88). Across two measurement occasions, therapists showed a tendency towards harder rating on the second test occasion ( -4.5%; 95% confidence interval for : -10.67%→ 3.17%). Conclusion: The findings of this study support the use of criterion-referenced tests in the area of occupational performance measurement. Occupational therapists achieved moderate interrater reliability when measuring the performance of adults with brain injury on various activities of daily living. Test procedures were found to be highly reliable in measuring the occupational performance of adults demonstrating confusion and agitation typical to the stage of post-traumatic amnesia following head injury. Language: en

The authors report on 3 patients who developed sylvian aqueduct syndrome (SAS) in the context of shunt dysfunction and slit ventricles. All 3 patients had received shunts for adult onset hydrocephalus due to aqueduct stenosis and were stable for years before presenting with loss of upward gaze, convergence-retraction nystagmus, and slit ventricles, all due to shunt overdrainage. All 3 improved after either shunt revision or a third ventriculostomy procedure. Although it is well known that SAS can be caused by shunt blockage producing a transtentorial pressure gradient, these cases emphasize that an identical clinical pattern can occur with a reverse transtentorial pressure gradient and slit ventricles due to shunt overdrainage. The authors propose a simple management plan for patients with shunted hydrocephalus who develop SAS.

There is a lack of awareness and openness surrounding ethical debate in Diagnostic Radiography literature and culture, perpetuated in part by the historical growth of the technical realm of radiography, radiology and medicine. Hence, the impact of Australian radiographers' current level of professional autonomy, combined with the influence of medical dominance and radiographers' ethical commitment was undocumented. This study investigated the role, importance and attitudes of Australian radiographers towards ethics through a qualitative study following a grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 Australian. A conceptual framework mapping the causal conditions affecting the ethical commitment was developed. This study argues that a number of internal and external variables weave an intricate fabric of poor identity, subservience and negative workplace culture. Australian radiographers, whist attempting to set a standard of ethical commitment, are hindered by difficulties of medical dominance, relatively poor professional autonomy and difficulty in accepting responsibility. The presence of private radiology enterprise and the association between patient referral and money has eroded the radiographer-patient relationship and introduced the potential for unethical practice in the radiographer-radiologist-referring practitioner relationship.