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Thomas de Quincey, a British writer of 19th century, suffered insomnia from the age of 17 years. In his famous 'Confessions of an English-Opium Eater' (1822), he described a symptomatology that could concord with restless legs syndrome long before he became addicted to opium. In this report, we analyze his clinical description and the circumstances leading to his opium addiction. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Intra-oral 3D scanning of dentitions has the potential to provide a fast, accurate and non-invasive method of recording dental information. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of measurements of human dental casts made using a portable intra-oral 3D scanner appropriate for field use.Method: Two examiners each measured 84 tooth and 26 arch features of 50 sets of upper and lower human dental casts using digital hand-held callipers, and secondly using the measuring tool provided with the Zfx IntraScan intraoral 3D scanner applied to the virtual dental casts. The measurements were repeated at least one week later. Reliability and validity were quantified concurrently by calculation of intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard errors of measurement (SEM).Results: The measurements of the 110 landmark features of human dental casts made using the intra-oral 3D scanner were virtually indistinguishable from measurements of the same features made using conventional hand-held callipers. The difference of means as a percentage of the average of the measurements by each method ranged between 0.030% and 1.134%. The intermethod SEMs ranged between 0.037% and 0.535%, and the inter-method ICCs ranged between 0.904 and 0.999, for both the upper and the lower arches. The inter-rater SEMs were one-half and the intra-method/rater SEMs were one-third of the inter-method values.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the Zfx IntraScan intra-oral 3D scanner with its virtual on-screen measuring tool is a reliable and valid method for measuring the key features of dental casts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Various pressures exist for curricular change, including economic forces, burgeoning knowledge, broadening learning outcomes, and improving quality and outcomes of learning experiences. In an Australian 5-year undergraduate medical course, staff were asked to reduce teaching hours by 20% to alleviate perceived overcrowded preclinical curriculum, achieve operating efficiencies and liberate time for students' self-directed learning. Methods: A case study design with mixed methods was used to evaluate outcomes. Results: Teaching hours were reduced by 198 hours (14%) overall, lectures by 153 hours (19%) and other learning activities by 45 hours (7%). Summative assessment scores did not change significantly after the reductions: 0.4% increase, 1.5% decrease and 1.7% increase in Years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The percentage of students successfully completing their academic year did not change significantly: 94.4% before and 93.3% after the reductions. Student evaluations from eVALUate surveys changed little, except workload was perceived to be more reasonable. Conclusions: Teaching hours, particularly lectures, can be moderately reduced with little impact on student learning outcomes or satisfaction with an undergraduate medical course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To understand healthcare providers' experience of incorporating uterine balloon tamponade (UBT) into the national postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) clinical pathway after UBT training.Methods: In a qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with healthcare providers from 50 centers in Freetown, Sierra Leone, between May and June 2014. All eligible healthcare providers (undergone UBT training, actively conducted deliveries, and treated cases of PPH since UBT training) on duty at the time of center visit were interviewed.Results: Sixty-one providers at 47 facilities were interviewed. Bleeding was controlled in 28 (93%) of 30 cases of UBT device placement. Participants reported that UBT devices were easy to insert with only minor challenges, and enabled providers to manage most cases of uncontrolled PPH at their own facility and to refer others in a stable condition. Reported barriers to optimal UBT use included insufficient training and practical experience, and a scarcity of preassembled UBT devices. Facilitators of UBT use included widespread acceptance of UBT, comprehensive and enthusiastic training, and ready availability of UBT devices.Conclusion: UBT-used either as a primary endpoint or en route to obtaining advanced care-has been well accepted and integrated into the national PPH pathway by providers in health facilities in Freetown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Since the publication of the first European Federation of Neurological Societies ( EFNS) guidelines in 2005 on the management of restless legs syndrome ( RLS; also known as Willis- Ekbom disease), there have been major therapeutic advances in the field. Furthermore, the management of RLS is now a part of routine neurological practice in Europe. New drugs have also become available, and further randomized controlled trials have been undertaken. These guidelines were undertaken by the EFNS in collaboration with the European Neurological Society and the European Sleep Research Society. Objectives To provide an evidence-based update of new treatments published since 2005 for the management of RLS. Methods First, we determined what the objectives of management of primary and secondary RLS should be. We developed the search strategy and conducted a review of the scientific literature up to 31 December 2011 (print and electronic publications) for the drug classes and interventions employed in RLS treatment. Previous guidelines were consulted. All trials were analysed according to class of evidence, and recommendations made according to the 2004 EFNS criteria for rating. Recommendations Level A recommendations can be made for rotigotine, ropinirole, pramipexole, gabapentin enacarbil, gabapentin and pregabalin, which are all considered effective for the short-term treatment for RLS. However, for the long-term treatment for RLS, rotigotine is considered effective, gabapentin enacarbil is probably effective, and ropinirole, pramipexole and gabapentin are considered possibly effective. Cabergoline has according to our criteria a level A recommendation, but the taskforce cannot recommend this drug because of its serious adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 3-10%. in European studies. However, the diagnosis of RLS in primary care remains low and mistreatment is common. Methods: The current article reports on the considerations of RLS diagnosis and management that were made during a European Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (EURLSSG)-sponsored task force consisting of experts and primary care practioners. The task force sought to develop a better understanding of barriers to diagnosis in primary care practice and overcome these barriers with diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Results: The barriers to diagnosis identified by the task force include the presentation of symptoms, the language used to describe them, the actual term "restless legs syndrome" and difficulties in the differential diagnosis of RLS. Conclusion: The EURLSSG task force reached a consensus and agreed on the diagnostic and treatment algorithms published here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thomas de Quincey, a British writer of 19th century, suffered insomnia from the age of 17 years. In his famous "Confessions of an English-Opium Eater" (1822), he described a symptomatology that could concord with restless legs syndrome long before he became addicted to opium. In this report, we analyze his clinical description and the circumstances leading to his opium addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim We investigated relationships between hand function and genotype and aspects of phenotype in Rett syndrome. Method Video assessment in naturalistic settings was supplemented by parent-reported data in a cross-sectional study of 144 females with a mean age of 14 years 10 months (SD 7y 10mo; range 2y–31y 10mo), 110 of whom had a mutation of the methyl CpG binding protein 2 ( MECP2) gene. Ordinal logistic regression was used to assess relationships between hand function and MECP2 mutation, age, a modified Kerr score, Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM), ambulation level, and frequency of hand stereotypies. Results Approximately two-thirds of participants demonstrated purposeful hand function, ranging from simple grasping skills to picking up and manipulating small objects. In participants with a confirmed MECP2 mutation, those with the p.R168X mutation had the poorest hand function on multivariate analysis with C-terminal deletion as the baseline (odds ratio [OR] 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04–0.95), whereas those with the p.R133C or p.R294X mutation had better hand function. Participants aged 19 years or older had lower hand function than those aged less than 8 years (OR 0.36; 95% CI 0.14–0.92). Factors that were associated with better hand function were lower Kerr scores for a 1-point increase in score (OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.69–0.86), higher WeeFIM scores for a 1-point increase in score (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.04–1.12), and greater ambulation than those completely dependent on carers for mobility (OR 22.64; 95% CI 7.02–73.08). The results for participants with a confirmed pathogenic mutation were similar to results obtained when participants without a mutation were also included. Interpretation Our novel assessment of hand function in Rett syndrome correlated well with known profiles of common MECP2 mutations and overall clinical severity. This promising assessment could measure clinical responses to therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the case-based interprofessional education (IPE) workshops that were integrated into the second-year curricula of the paramedicine, medicine and pharmacy courses at the University of Tasmania. The case scenario for each workshop details the medical history of the patient, current signs and symptoms, investigations and examinations, diagnosis and therapy. For the students who participated in the workshops, they acknowledged the role and expertise of health professionals.