Idiopathic scoliosis and pineal lesions in Australian children

PURPOSE: To determine whether treatment of pineal lesions in children is associated with development of idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: 38 boys and 10 girls with pineal lesions were identified. Their mean age at presentation was 10 years. The pineal pathology varied from cysts and epidermoid to teratoma, germinoma, pineocytoma, and glioblastoma. Treatment ranged from biopsy/extirpation to radiotherapy. RESULTS: 12 patients died. No scoliosis was found in any females or any of the deceased. Two boys had scoliosis: one had a 12-degree right upper thoracic curve with 32-degree kyphosis and the other had a 60-degree right thoracolumbar idiopathic curve, requiring a 2-stage arthrodesis. CONCLUSION: Pineal ablation is not related to the development of idiopathic scoliosis in humans

When Should Patients with Bacterial Meningitis be Referred to a Neurosurgical Unit?

The case records of 97 patients with proven bacterial meningitis who were referred to a regional neurosurgical unit between 1964 and 1991 were reviewed. Mortality declined from 34% in the first cohort referred between the years 1964–82 to 5% for 1983–91 (X2=11.78;p&lt;0.001). Fewer patients were admitted in coma, (X2=4.43; p&lt;0.05), or with focal neurological signs (X2=7.57; p&lt;0.01) in the second cohort. The rate of referral increased in the later period but the incidence of unsuspected brain abscess (16% and 15%) did not change. There was a strong correlation between coma on admission and death, (X2=17.3; p&lt;0.001) and with brain abscess and death (X2=6.73; p&lt;0.01). in conclusion patients with known or suspected bacterial meningitis coupled with a decreasing level of consciousness or focal neurological signs should be referred to a neurosurgical centre. </jats:p

Repeat Burglary Victimisation: spatial and temporal patterns

Arts, Education & Law Group, School of Criminology and Criminal JusticeNo Full Tex

Infectious Burglaries: A Test of the Near Repeat Hypothesis

This paper explores one aspect of spatial dependence for the offence of burglary, utilising epidemiological methods for the study of infectious diseases to investigate the phenomenon of near repeat victimization. The near repeat burglary hypothesis states that proximity to a burgled dwelling increases burglary risk for those areas that have a high degree of housing homogeneity and that this risk is similar in nature to the temporarily heightened risk of becoming a repeat victim after an initial victimization. The near repeat hypothesis was tested on 34 months of police recorded burglary data across a high crime area of Brisbane, Australia. Near repeats were shown to exist in the study area, mainly in suburbs containing homogeneous housing. Little or no housing diversity, in terms of the type of physical construction and general appearance of dwellings, serves to restrict the extent of repeat victimization. Housing diversity allows offenders a choice of targets, and favoured targets will be 'revisited' by burglars. Near identical targets usually present no motive for an offender to favour one property over another. Thus in areas with low housing diversity, victim prevalence should be higher than in areas with heterogeneous housing.Arts, Education & Law Group, School of Criminology and Criminal JusticeNo Full Tex

DAIRYPRO—a knowledge-based decision support system for strategic planning on sub-tropical dairy farms. I. System description

DAIRYPRO is a combination decision support and expert system consisting of two modules. The system is designed to help dairy farmers in northern Australia make strategic decisions about their farm. It can be run by dairy extension officers as a consultation package for farmers. The system is based on a combination of statistical models developed from real farm survey data and opinions from experts in the field of dairy farming. The first module gathers together the data needed to run predictive models and the system of rules that enable the program to make estimates of regional average production (using predictive statistical models) and achievable production (using heuristics). These predictions can be compared to the farmer's actual production. Farmers are then encouraged to make hypothetical changes to the inputs on their farm, and `what-if' scenarios of increased or decreased milk production are displayed. The profit or loss associated with these changes is determined. The second module of DAIRYPRO uses the `rules of thumb' of an expert to determine how four pre-defined components of the dairy farm compare to optimum performance. These components are: the winter feeding program, summer feeding program, concentrate feeding program and capital and labour inputs. DAIRYPRO is a useful decision support package for dairy farmers, bank managers, loans officers and farm consultants.

The effect of additional skin wetting on heat strain: systematic review

Systematic review of the literature evaluating the effect of additional skin wetting on heat strai

DAIRYPRO - A knowledge based decision support system for strategic planning on sub-tropical dairy farms I

DAIRYPRO is a combination decision support and expert system consisting of two modules. The system is designed to help dairy farmers in northern Australia make strategic decisions about their farm. It can be run by dairy extension officers as a consultation package for farmers. The system is based on a combination of statistical models developed from real farm survey data and opinions from experts in the field of dairy farming. The first module gathers together the data needed to run predictive models and the system of rules that enable the program to make estimates of regional average production (using predictive statistical models) and achievable production (using heuristics). These predictions can be compared to the farmer's actual production. Farmers are then encouraged to make hypothetical changes to the inputs on their farm, and 'what-if' scenarios of increased or decreased milk production are displayed. The profit or loss associated with these changes is determined. The second module of DAIRYPRO uses the 'rules of thumb' of an expert to determine how four pre-defined components of the dairy farm compare to optimum performance. These components are: the winter feeding program, summer feeding program, concentrate feeding program and capital and labour inputs. DAIRYPRO is a useful decision support package for dairy farmers, bank managers, loans officers and farm consultants

Cystic Cerebellar Schwannoma: Case Report

Abstract We report a case of cerebellar schwannoma in a 64-year-old woman. The tumor was defined on computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scans and confirmed on surgery. The solid part of the tumor appeared to be derived from the inferior vermis of the cerebellum, the cystic part extending toward the medulla oblongata and the foramen magnum. The problem of preoperative diagnosis based on magnetic resonance imaging findings is discussed.</jats:p