Injection drug use among street-involved youth in a Canadian setting

Background  

Street-involved youth contend with an array of health and social challenges, including elevated rates of blood-borne infections and mortality. In addition, there has been growing concern regarding high-risk drug use among street-involved youth, in particular injection drug use. We undertook this study to examine the prevalence of injection drug use and associated risks among street-involved youth in Vancouver, Canada.     

Unstable housing and hepatitis C incidence among injection drug users in a Canadian setting

Background  

There has emerged growing recognition of the link between housing and health. Since Vancouver, Canada has had increasing concerns with homelessness brought about by urban renewal in the lead-up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, we evaluated hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence among injection drug users (IDU) with and without stable housing.     

Clinical Evaluation of a New Self-Drying Silicone Gel in the Treatment of Scars: A Preliminary Report

Topical silicone gel sheeting and intralesional steroids are the only evidence-based recommendable forms of treatment to control the quality of a scar. The advantages and disadvantages of both are well known. This study was undertaken to verify the efficacy of a new topical silicone treatment: a self-drying spreadable gel that needs no means of fixation and cannot be seen because of complete transparency. Fresh surgical scars treated with the tested product showed significantly better outcomes than those untreated in a prospective trial involving a group of 160 patients. Patient compliance was particularly good, especially for scars on exposed areas such as the face, where the traditional gel sheeting is frequently discontinued at an early stage by patients who object to its visibility. The results of the self-drying silicone gel have indeed been satisfactory. Considering the effective results obtained and the good patient compliance, the authors currently rate this concept of treatment as the first choice for preventing hypertrophy of recent scars.     

Delphi study in the identification of research need in occupational medicine in Italy]

The aim of the study was to identify the research priorities and strategies in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in Italy with a high degree of consensus. Based on the Delphi technique, a two-phase questionnaire was sent to experts at Universities, Local Health Units (ASLs) and Trade Unions. In the first phase, experts were requested to indicate three research topics in the OSH sector. A total of 27 topics for both universities and ASLs and 18 topics for Trade Unions were identified. In the second phase, experts were requested to assign a score from one (low relevance) to five (high relevance) to each topic previously identified. On the basis of a mean score reported for each topic, two ranked lists of priorities, one referred to universities and ASLs the other referred to Trade Unions, were formulated. The highest priority identified by universities and ASLs was occupational carcinogenesis, followed by quality in occupational medicine. Workers' information, education and participation was also identified with a high degree of priority. For Trade Unions, occupational cancers as well as training, information, participation and prevention awareness had the highest priority. Trade Unions also identify small-industries and occupational accidents as topics with high priority for research development. This study allowed a high degree of consensus to be reached regarding the research priorities in the OSH sector in Italy. Differences in the topics identified, or regarding the mean score of topics commonly identified, were related to the origin of the expert recruited to this study (University, ASLs or Trade Unions) and, for universities and ASLs, to the geographical area. In the authors' opinion, the full transfer of existing scientific data to occupational health practice and the harmonization of the priorities identified by this investigation are crucial if the research needs in the OSH sector in Italy are to be met.     

Teilausschreibung eines Vertragsarztsitzes

Abstrakt 1. Der Sinn und Zweck des § 103 Abs. 4 SGB V besteht im Erhalt der wirtschaftlichen Verwertungsf?higkeit einer Praxis. 2. Auch im Falle der Beschr?nkung des Versorgungsauftrags auf einhalb besteht ein Recht des Arztes, einen Teil seines Vertragsarztsitzes wirtschaftlich zu verwerten.     

Mycosis fungoides presenting with extensive pyoderma gangrenosum-like ulcers

Mycosis fungoides (MF) may present with atypical clinical manifestations. Usually it mimics various chronic dermatoses, with the appearance of ulcers during the tumour stage. Infrequently, cutaneous ulcers are the main or initial sign of lymphoma. We report the case of a man who presented multiple skin lesions that clinically appeared to be pyoderma gangrenosum (PG). However, histological and immunohistochemical examination revealed MF. This case illustrates that PG-like ulcers maybe atypical cutaneous manifestations of MF and exceptionally the presenting sign of this disease.     

Konsiliararzt und „unechter“ („schwarzer“) Belegarzt

Abstrakt 1. Eine mit der Ausübung vertrags?rztlicher T?tigkeit unvereinbare Interessen- und Pflichtenkollision liegt vor bei einer faktischen Wahrnehmung der T?tigkeit eines Krankenhausarztes durch einen zugelassenen Arzt. 2. Ein Konsiliararzt ist ein Arzt mit einer anderen Fachgebietsbezeichnung, der in einem konkreten Behandlungsfall w?hrend eines station?ren Aufenthalts auf seinem Fachgebiet untersucht und Behandlungsvorschl?ge macht, weil die entsprechende Fachkompetenz in dem Krankenhaus nicht vorhanden ist. (Leits?tze des Bearbeiters)