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Introduction: Because of their many advantages, faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) are superseding traditional guaiac-based faecal occult blood tests in bowel screening programmes., Methods: A quantitative FIT was adopted for use in two evaluation National Health Service (NHS) Boards in Scotland using a cut-off faecal haemoglobin concentration chosen to give a positivity rate equivalent to that achieved in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme. Uptake and clinical outcomes were compared with results obtained contemporaneously in two other similar NHS Boards and before and after the evaluation in the two evaluation NHS Boards., Results: During the evaluation, uptake was 58.5%. This was higher than in the same NHS Boards both before and after the evaluation, higher than in the other two NHS Boards and higher than the 53.7% achieved overall in Scotland. The overall positivity rate was higher in men than in women and increased with age in both genders. Positive predictive values for cancer (4.8%), high-risk adenoma (23.3%), all adenoma (38.2%) and all neoplasia (43.0%) in the two test NHS Boards were similar in all groups., Conclusions: In summary, this evaluation of the FIT supports the introduction of FIT as a first-line test, even when colonoscopy capacity is limited.

We describe the development of in vivo one-dimensional MRI (profiling) using a GARField (Gradient At Right angles to Field) magnet for the characterisation of side-of-hand human skin. For the first time and in vivo, we report measurements of the NMR longitudinal and transverse relaxation parameters and self-diffusivity of the upper layers of human skin with a nominal spatial resolution better than 10 µm. The results are correlated with in vivo confocal Raman spectroscopy measurements of water concentration and natural moisturiser factors, and discussed in terms of known skin biology and microstructure of the stratum corneum and viable epidermis. The application of model moisturiser solutions to the skin is followed and their dynamics of ingress are characterised using the MRI methodology developed. Selected hydrophilic and lipophilic formulations are studied. The results are corroborated by standard in vivo measurements of transepidermal water loss and hydration status. A further insight into moisturisation mechanisms is gained. The effect of two different penetration enhancers on a commonly used skin care oil is also discussed, and different timescales of oil penetration into the skin are reported depending on the type of enhancer., (Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

In a randomized prospective stratified trial consisting of 1010 patients undergoing abdominal surgery involving the viscera, the efficacy of cefotaxime plus metronidazole was compared to cefoxitin for preventing wound infection. The efficacy of a single dose of antibiotics versus three doses over 24 hours was also evaluated. This study demonstrated that a single-dose antibiotic regimen was as effective as a multiple-dose regimen in the prophylaxis of wound infections following abdominal surgery. In addition it demonstrated that the cefotaxime plus metronidazole regimen is comparable to that of cefoxitin and is more cost-effective. It is concluded that a single dose of cefotaxime plus metronidazole provides effective prophylaxis against postoperative wound infections following abdominal surgery.

We evaluated the use of the D-xylose absorption test as a marker of intestinal mucosal damage following single-dose oral food challenges in infants suspected of food-protein-induced-enterocolitis. The absorption tests were performed before any challenge, and again after each of four separate food challenges. The response to challenge was judged by five objective criteria (diarrhea, polymorphonuclear leukocytosis, fecal blood, leukocytes, and eosinophils). A significant decrease in the group mean for serum xylose was seen following positive challenges. The 1-h serum xylose level prior to any challenge was 42 +/- 9.5, following negative challenges it was 46 +/- 15, and following positive challenges it was 28 +/- 4.4. However, there was not a good individual correlation between the challenge response and xylose absorption, so intrasubject variability of the xylose absorption test was examined in six infants who had at least three tests performed before a positive challenge response was encountered. The average standard deviation for these repeated tests was 8.2 mg/dl, and the coefficient of variability was 12.6%. This would suggest that, in utilizing this test to assess mucosal damage following oral food challenges or gluten reintroduction, a decrease of 16 mg/dl from the prechallenge values would have to be seen before the difference would exceed two standard deviations. This degree of change was not seen in any patient following a single oral food challenge.