Using Ontario's "Telehealth" health telephone helpline as an early-warning system: a study protocol

BACKGROUND: The science of syndromic surveillance is still very much in its infancy. While a number of syndromic surveillance systems are being evaluated in the US, very few have had success thus far in predicting an infectious disease event. Furthermore, to date, the majority of syndromic surveillance systems have been based primarily in emergency department settings, with varying levels of enhancement from other data sources. While research has been done on the value of telephone helplines on health care use and patient satisfaction, very few projects have looked at using a telephone helpline as a source of data for syndromic surveillance, and none have been attempted in Canada. The notable exception to this statement has been in the UK where research using the national NHS Direct system as a syndromic surveillance tool has been conducted. METHODS/DESIGN: The purpose of our proposed study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Ontario's telephone nursing helpline system as a real-time syndromic surveillance system, and how its implementation, if successful, would have an impact on outbreak event detection in Ontario. Using data collected retrospectively, all "reasons for call" and assigned algorithms will be linked to a syndrome category. Using different analytic methods, normal thresholds for the different syndromes will be ascertained. This will allow for the evaluation of the system's sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value. The next step will include the prospective monitoring of syndromic activity, both temporally and spatially. DISCUSSION: As this is a study protocol, there are currently no results to report. However, this study has been granted ethical approval, and is now being implemented. It is our hope that this syndromic surveillance system will display high sensitivity and specificity in detecting true outbreaks within Ontario, before they are detected by conventional surveillance systems. Future results will be published in peer-reviewed journals so as to contribute to the growing body of evidence on syndromic surveillance, while also providing an non US-centric perspective

Interferometric Observations of Rapidly Rotating Stars

Optical interferometry provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Through direct observation of rotationally distorted photospheres at sub-milliarcsecond scales, we are now able to characterize latitude dependencies of stellar radius, temperature structure, and even energy transport. These detailed new views of stars are leading to revised thinking in a broad array of associated topics, such as spectroscopy, stellar evolution, and exoplanet detection. As newly advanced techniques and instrumentation mature, this topic in astronomy is poised to greatly expand in depth and influence.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&AR

Neurocysticercosis: relationship between Taenia antigen levels in CSF and MRI Neurocisticercose: relação entre antígeno da Taenia no líquido cefalorraquidiano e ressonância magnética

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between Taenia antigen (TA) detection in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with definite diagnosis of neurocysticercosis (NC). METHOD: Sixty-three patients with definite diagnosis of NC were submitted to a MRI of the brain, and to a CSF examination, with a meticulous search for TA by ELISA. RESULTS: TA detection was positive in 36 patients (57.1%). A total of 836 lesions were analyzed, greatly within the cerebral parenchyma (98.7 of the lesions). Intact or non-degenerating cysts were the most common evolutive phase observed (50.4% of all lesions), 22.1% were degenerating cysts and 19.5% calcified cysts. We observed a significant relationship between TA levels detected and the total number of lesions and the number of non-degenerating cysts, but not with calcified lesions. CONCLUSION: According to our results, we propose at least four important types of contribution: (1) TA detection may allow etiologic diagnosis in transitional phases of NC, with non-characteristic images; (2) in final stages of evolution of cysticercoids in the CNS, lesions may not appear on CT or MRI, and TA detection may contribute to a definite etiologic diagnosis; (3) TA detection may permit diagnosis of NC in some patients with previous negative tests for antibody detection in CSF; (4) TA detection may represent an accurate marker of disease activity in the epileptic form of NC.<br>OBJETIVO: Determinar a relação entre a detecção de antígeno de Taenia (TA) no líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR) e achados de ressonância magnética (RM) em pacientes com diagnóstico definitivo de neurocisticersose. MÉTODO: Sessenta e três pacientes com diagnóstico de NC foram submetidos a exame de RM e exame de LCR com pesquisa de antígeno de Taenia por método imunoenzimático. RESULTADOS: A detecção de TA foi positiva em 36 pacientes (57,1%). Um total de 836 lesões foram analizadas sendo 98,7% intraparemquimatosas, 50,4% dos cistos encontravam-se íntegros, 22,1% degenerados e 19,5% calcificados. Foi observada relação significativa entre a presença dos níveis de TA detectados com o número total dos cistos e também com o número de cistos íntegros. Não foi observada relação com cistos calcificados. CONCLUSÃO: (1) a detecção de TA permite o diagnóstico etiológico em formas transicionais na NC com imagem pouco característica; (2) em estágio evolutivo final de um cisticerco no sistema nervoso, este pode não aparecer na tomografia computadorizada ou RM sendo a presença do antígeno importante para confirmação diagnóstica; (3) a detecção do TA permite também o diagnóstico de NC nos casos em que as reações inumológicas são negativas; (4) a detecção do TA representa um marcador de atividade da doença nas formas epiléticas da NC