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Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families: the work, love, play study
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100 | BMC Public Health - Latest articles
This study will make an important contribution to the existing research on same-sex parented families. Strengths of the study design include the longitudinal method, which will allow understanding of changes over time within internal family relationships and social supports. Further, the mixed method design enables triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data. A broad recruitment strategy has already enabled a large sample size with the inclusion of both gay men and lesbians. (Source: BMC Public Health - Latest articles)

Hepatitis B virus among injecting drug users in Sydney, Australia: Prevalence, vaccination and knowledge of status
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:53:12 +0100 | Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Conclusions: Levels of understanding and vaccination coverage were low while evidence of prior infection was high among this IDU sample. This is cause for concern given the majority of participants were recruited through primary care and treatment services. Strategies to bolster vaccination among this group will be discussed. (Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence)

1. How not to miss LEMS
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100 | Clinical Neurophysiology
Lambertâ€“Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is thought to be an extremely rare disorder of the neuromuscular junction, and it is thought that many cases succumb from underlying malignancy. There are a number of potential pitfalls in making the diagnosis, and LEMS is frequently missed, whereupon the patient is assumed to have a myopathy as the cause of proximal weakness, or a neuropathy if hyporeflexia and autonomic features are predominant. The post exercise CMAP test for this disorder is extremely easy, safe and quick, but it will only be positive if the test is actually done. Specific therapy with 3,4 diaminopyridineÂ±pyridostigmine is very effective. An immune versus tumour effect is reasonably well substantiated â€“ this means that survival is longer or long term, and also suggests that...

2. Corticospinal dysfunction and the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis following electrical injury
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100 | Clinical Neurophysiology
The pathophysiology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is not entirely understood, although 5â€“10% of cases are familial with the remainder termed sporadic. While there have been case reports of ALS developing following electrical trauma, a recent systematic review suggested that there was no convincing evidence for a causal relationship. Herein, we describe a 25-year-old male patient who developed ALS with initial onset in the right upper limb, soon after sustaining a severe electrical injury to the same region, associated with the development of structural abnormalities involving the motor pathways evident on magnetic resonance imaging. Assessment of cortical excitability with transcranial magnetic stimulation demonstrated a relatively inexcitable motor cortex, with a significant in...

3. Benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo: Treatment of resistant cases
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100 | Clinical Neurophysiology
BPPV can sometimes prove resistant to conventional treatment. This may relate to physical limitations, multi canal pathology or cupulithiasis (otoconia which is stuck). In our clinic we now have the ability to treat these patients using the Epley Omniax Rotator. This device allows the patient to be rotated in any axis with no effort required for either subject or staff. Eye movements are recorded using an infrared camera. Computer analysis of the nystagmus assists with the accurate diagnosis of the BPPV type to facilitate effective treatment. Since December 2008 we have attended to 86 cases. Fifty of these had canalithiasis with seven affecting the lateral canal one in the anterior and 42 in the posterior. 15 of these cases had cupulolithiasis with 12 having it in the lateral canal, two in...

4. The electrophysiological features of HIV peripheral neuropathy
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100 | Clinical Neurophysiology
HIV infection is associated with several forms of peripheral neuropathy, the most common being a distal sensory polyneuropathy, either from HIV viral infection or antiretroviral drug therapy. Mechanisms of disease remain incompletely understood with some evidence implicating envelope glycoprotein gp120 mediated neuronal apoptosis for the former, and mitochondrial toxicity±DNA polymerase gamma involvement in the latter. We studied 16 HIV positive patients, 14 of whom had neuropathy (10 HIV infection alone, 4 drug related). Clinically neuropathic patients were all symptomatic and had abnormalities in nerve conduction studies (13), and thermal quantitative sensory testing (11). Heart rate variability was abnormal in 4 patients in at least 1 of 3 parameters. Using the Qtrac Trond protocol, th...

5. A novel biomarker of axonal dysfunction in oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100 | Clinical Neurophysiology
Introduction: Oxaliplatin, a platinum-based chemotherapy utilised in the treatment of colorectal cancer, produces prominent dose-limiting neurotoxicity. Acute neurotoxicity develops immediately following infusion and resolves within days, while chronic neuropathy develops with higher cumulative doses. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

6. Axonal energy failure during a stroke-like episode in MELAS
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100 | Clinical Neurophysiology
Objective: To determine whether there is disruption of energy dependent processes and axonal depolarization during the development of stroke-like episodes in MELAS (Mitochondrial myopathy, Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-like episodes). (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)

7. Utility of magnetic resonance imaging and nerve conduction study in diagnosing ulnar neuropathy at the elbow
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:13:01 +0100 | Clinical Neurophysiology
This study assessed the sensitivity of NCS and MRI in diagnosing UNE. (Source: Clinical Neurophysiology)