Histology of port wine stains after copper vapour laser treatment

We report histological changes in four patients with port wine stains treated with 578 nm yellow light from a high power copper vapour laser. Histology showed that selective damage occurred to the ectatic blood-vessels in the dermis, without haemorrhage and damage to non-vascular structures, and without scarring. The initial damage to the overlying epidermis was not permanent, and the damaged ectatic vessels returned to normal size or were completely necrosed and replaced by collagen.     

Review article: controversy in the therapy of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease—long-term proton pump inhibition or laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery?

The treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is controversial. Whilst medical treatment is successful in patients with mild to moderate disease, the threshold of severity above which an operation should be contemplated remains a matter for debate. Laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery may be lowering this threshold, as this form of therapy provides several advantages over its open counterpart, but it is not without risk, and few long-term results are available. This article reviews treatment options for reflux disease and examines the relative position of current medical and surgical therapies.     

The public's problem with public health research

Public health research is divided into factions which are oftenengaged in bitter theoretical and methodological disputes, especiallywhen issues of funding are discussed. From the perspective ofa user of health services, these rivalries are an obstacle topublic health. This paper explores three approaches to understandingthe foundations of these differences. The first is a discussionof disciplinary sub-cultures, the second a brief discussionof a philosophy of knowledge and the third a social perspectiveon paradigms. The unifying theme is the idea of disciplinarysub-cultures.