Permanent Childhood Hearing Impairment: Aetiological Evaluation of Infants identified through the Irish Newborn Hearing Screening Programme.

The Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) was established in Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) in April 2011. Between April 2011 and July 2014, 42 infants were identified with a Permanent Childhood Hearing Impairment (PCHI). Following this diagnosis, infants underwent a paediatric assessment according to recognised guidelines with the intention of identifying the underlying aetiology of the PCHI. The aim of this study was to assess the findings of this aetiological workup via retrospective chart review. PCHI data was obtained from the eSP database. This is a web based information system (eSP) used to track each baby through the screening and referral process A retrospective chart review of these patients was performed. Sixteen (38%) infants were diagnosed with a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Two infants had congenital CMV infection. A Connexin 26 gene mutation was detected in one infant. Two infants were diagnosed with Waardenburg syndrome, One with Pendred syndrome and one with Pfeiffer syndrome. Five babies underwent cochlear implantation. Through adherence to the recommended protocol a possible cause of PCHI may be determined. This study has identified areas of future improvement for this service in Ireland.

Inability to perform because of pain/injury in elite adult Irish dance: A prospective investigation of contributing factors.

Previous research in Irish dancing (ID) has recorded high levels of pain/injury. Screening protocols in other genres have been developed to identify at-risk dancers. The aims of the study were to examine the factors that relate to absence from dancing because of musculo-skeletal pain/injury in ID, and to inform guidelines for the development of an evidence-based screening protocol. Baseline subjective data (n = 85) and physical data (n = 84) were gathered. Subjects completed a monthly online questionnaire for 1 year providing data on general physical and psychological health and rates of pain/injury. Subjects were allocated to a "More Time Absent (MTA)" or "Less Time Absent (LTA)" category depending on their duration of absence from performance over the year. Eighty-four subjects completed the year-long follow-up (MTA: n = 32; LTA: n = 52). Two hundred seventy-eight complaints of pain/injury were recorded. Factors significantly associated with membership of the MTA group included greater anger-hostility (P = 0.003), more subjective health complaints (P = 0.026), more severe previous pain/injury (P = 0.017), more general everyday pain (P = 0.020), more body parts affected by pain/injury (P = 0.028), always/often dancing in pain (P = 0.028), and insufficient sleep (P = 0.043). Several biopsychosocial factors appear to be associated with absence from ID because of pain/injury. Biopsychosocial screening protocols and prevention strategies may best identify at-risk dancers.

Nasal endoscopy and paranasal sinus computerised tomography (CT) findings in an Irish cystic fibrosis adult patient group.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common inherited disorder in Caucasians in Ireland having the highest reported incidence. CF has well-recognised clinical sequelae in several physiological systems. Its' impact on the sinonasal system is less well established. We evaluated symptoms, endoscopic and computerised tomographic (CT) findings in an Irish adult CF group with the aim of characterising the relationship between these clinical features in an Irish CF group. Adult CF patients attending a specialist clinic underwent prospective evaluation of sinonasal symptoms using a specifically designed questionnaire. They subsequently underwent nasoendoscopy and CT scanning of their paranasal sinuses. Abnormalities identified were quantified using established radiological (Lund-Mackay) and endoscopic (Lund-Kennedy) scoring systems. The relationship between symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), endoscopic findings and CT abnormalities were then compared. Sixty-three CF patients (n = 63) were studied. 29 patients had a CT scan. Thirty-three CF patients (52%) had no symptoms of CRS. Fifty CF patients (80% of CF group) had evidence of CRS on nasoendoscopy including thirteen patients (20%) with nasal polyposis. 98% of patients scanned have positive findings on CT scan. There was no significant difference between symptomatic and asymptomatic CF groups with respect to their Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score or their Lund-Mackay CT score. 86% demonstrated one or more hypoplastic sinus. There was no increased incidence of hypoplastic sinuses amongst Δf508 homozygotes than other mutation groups.

Investigation and management of an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium DT8 associated with duck eggs, Ireland 2009 to 2011.

Salmonella Typhimurium DT8 was a very rare cause of human illness in Ireland between 2000 and 2008, with only four human isolates from three patients being identified. Over a 19-month period between August 2009 and February 2011, 34 confirmed cases and one probable case of Salmonella Typhimurium DT8 were detected, all of which had an MLVA pattern 2-10-NA-12-212 or a closely related pattern. The epidemiological investigations strongly supported a linkbetween illness and exposure to duck eggs. Moreover, S. Typhimurium with an MLVA pattern indistinguishable (or closely related) to the isolates from human cases, was identified in 22 commercial and backyard duck flocks, twelve of which were linked with known human cases. A range of control measures were taken at farm level, and advice was provided to consumers on the hygienic handling and cooking of duck eggs. Although no definitive link was established with a concurrent duck egg-related outbreak of S. Typhimurium DT8 in the United Kingdom, it seems likely that the two events were related. It may be appropriate for other countries with a tradition of consuming duck eggs to consider the need for measures to reduce the risk of similar outbreaks.

Ireland's contribution to orthopaedic literature: a bibliometric analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bibliometric analysis of scientific performance within a country or speciality, facilitate the recognition of factors that may further enhance research activity and performance. Our aim was to illicit the current state of Irelands orthopaedic research output in terms of quantity and quality. METHODS: We performed a retrospective bibliometric analysis of all Irish orthopaedic publications over the past 5 years, in the top 20 peer-reviewed orthopaedic journals. Utilising the MEDLINE database, each journal was evaluated for articles that were published over the study period. Reviews, editorials, reports and letters were excluded. Each article abstract was analysed for research content, and country of origin. A nation's mean IF was defined by multiplying each journal's IF by the number of articles. Publications per million (PmP) was calculated by dividing the total number of publications by the population of each country. RESULTS: We analysed a total of 25,595 article abstracts. Ireland contributed 109 articles in total (0.42% of all articles), however ranking according to population per million was 10th worldwide. Ireland ranked 18th worldwide in relation to mean impact factor, which was 2.91 over the study period. Ireland published in 16 of the top 20 journals, 9 of these were of European origin, and 1 of the top 5 was of American origin. In total, 61 Irish articles were assignable to clinical orthopaedic units. Clinical based studies (randomised controlled trials, observational, and epidemiology/bibliometric articles) and research based studies (In vivo, In vitro, and biomechanical) numbered 76 (69.7%) and 33 (30.2%) articles, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study provides a novel overview of current Irish orthopaedic related research, and how our standards translate to the worldwide orthopaedic community. In order to maintain our publication productivity, academic research should continue to be encouraged at post graduate level.

Peer assisted learning in surgical skills laboratory training: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Peer assisted learning (PAL) has been rarely investigated in surgical skills training. AIMS: Describe feedback residents give peers on surgical skills with and without guidelines, determine the association between feedback and actual performance, evaluate resident satisfaction with PAL. METHOD: Participants evaluated peers using a validated knot-tying checklist and provided feedback on suturing without a guideline. Feedback comments were coded by type and an expert scored performance of each participant. Residents completed a satisfaction questionnaire. RESULTS: Comments were generally specific. Feedback was twice as likely with the use of a guideline. Specific feedback correlated significantly with expert knot-tying score but not suturing score. Most participants felt peer feedback was helpful and were motivated to practice surgical skills after PAL sessions. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical residents can provide high quality specific feedback to peers on surgical skills using performance guidelines. Further exploration of effective PAL methodology in surgical skills laboratory training is needed.

A critical analysis of undergraduate students' cultural immersion experiences.

PURPOSE: This paper is concerned with the impact of an international health promotion experience on the understanding of culture among university students. Such immersion experiences are often cited as a strategy to prepare nurses for culturally appropriate practice. We describe students' epistemic movements over time with respect to cultural perspectives prior to, during and after a field study in Malawi. DESIGN: Data were collected at three time points from students in undergraduate nursing (n = 14) and non-nursing (n = 8) programs at a Canadian university. Two essays narrating participants' understanding of culture were submitted by consenting class members. A subgroup of nine participants (four nursing students, five from other disciplines) completed a third narrative following a subsequent field study course in Malawi. METHOD: Using narrative analysis, themes and structures in the participants' writing were identified and located within a constructivist or essentialist paradigm of cultural understanding. FINDINGS: Overwhelmingly, students' narratives were initially portrayed and informed by an essentialist understanding of culture. Later narratives demonstrated varying degrees of epistemic movement towards more constructivist viewpoints. Narratives that initially exhibited constructivist characteristics tended to display strengthened convictions in that paradigm. CONCLUSION: We challenge the claim that an international immersion experience immediately transforms participants into cultural experts; our evidence suggests that students experienced existential growth, but their understanding of culture did not change as a result of their brief stay in a different cultural context. Cultural immersion is a phenomenon that requires more critical analysis and systematic investigation to determine how such experiences contribute to learning about culture among nursing students.

Integration of subclassification strategies in randomised controlled clinical trials evaluating manual therapy treatment and exercise therapy for non-specific chronic low back pain: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: There is lack of evidence for specific treatment interventions for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) despite the substantial amount of randomised controlled clinical trials evaluating treatment outcome for this disorder. HYPOTHESIS: It has been hypothesised that this vacuum of evidence is caused by the lack of subclassification of the heterogeneous population of patients with chronic low back pain for outcome research. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review. METHODS: A systematic review with a meta-analysis was undertaken to determine the integration of subclassification strategies with matched interventions in randomised controlled clinical trials evaluating manual therapy treatment and exercise therapy for NSCLBP. A structured search for relevant studies in Embase, Cinahl, Medline, PEDro and the Cochrane Trials Register database, followed by hand searching all relevant studies in English up to December 2008. RESULTS: Only 5 of 68 studies (7.4%) subclassified patients beyond applying general inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the few studies where classification and matched interventions have been used, our meta-analysis showed a statistical difference in favour of the classification-based intervention for reductions in pain (p=0.004) and disability (p=0.0005), both for short-term and long-term reduction in pain (p=0.001). Effect sizes ranged from moderate (0.43) for short term to minimal (0.14) for long term. CONCLUSION: A better integration of subclassification strategies in NSCLBP outcome research is needed. We propose the development of explicit recommendations for the use of subclassification strategies and evaluation of targeted interventions in future research evaluating NSCLBP.

Herd-level factors associated with detection of calves persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in Irish cattle herds with negative herd status (NHS) during 2017.

A compulsory national BVD eradication programme commenced in Ireland in 2013. Since then considerable progress has been made, with the animal-level prevalence of calves born persistently infected (PI) falling from 0.67 % in 2013 to 0.06 % in 2018. The herd-level prevalence fell from 11.3 % in 2013 to 1.1 % in 2018. In the Irish programme, herds in which all animals have a known negative status and which have not contained any PI animals for 12 months or more are assigned a negative herd status (NHS). While considerable progress towards eradication has been made, PI calves have been identified in a small proportion of herds that had previously been assigned NHS. Given this context, a case-control study was conducted to investigate potential risk factors associated with loss of NHS in 2017. 546 herds which had NHS on 1 January 2017 and lost that status during 2017 (case herds) were matched with 2191 herds (control herds) that retained their NHS status throughout 2017. Previous history of BVD infection, herd size, herd expansion, the purchase of cattle including potential Trojan cattle and the density of BVD infection within 10 km of the herd emerged as significant factors in a multivariable logistic regression model. This work adds to the evidence base in support of the BVD eradication programme, particularly establishing why BVD re-emerged in herds which had been free of BVD for at least the previous 12 months prior to the identification of a BVD positive calf. This information will be especially important in the context of identifying herds which may be more likely to contain BVD positive animals once the programme moves to herd-based serology status for trading purposes in the post-eradication phase.

Mumps epidemiology in the mid-west of Ireland 2004-2008: increasing disease burden in the university/college setting.

Mumps is a contagious vaccine-preventable viral disease that is experiencing a revival in students attending second and third level colleges. Large mumps outbreaks have been reported in several countries despite the presence of childhood immunisation programmes over many years, including measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination. In 2008, 1,377 cases of mumps were notified in Ireland and 1,734 in the first three months of 2009 (provisional data). This paper reviews the recent epidemiology of mumps in the Mid-West region of Ireland and highlights preventive measures. A substantial proportion of cases were not laboratory-confirmed and it is important that doctors continue to notify suspected cases. In the Irish Mid-West, data from enhanced surveillance shows a high proportion of mumps in the age group 15-24 years. Complications were uncommon and rarely severe. Where data were available, over half of the cases did not recall having received two doses of MMR, but most recalled one dose. Parents should continue to ensure children receive both MMR vaccinations so that uptake is optimal for protection. Steps were taken to increase awareness of the disease in the school, college and university settings. Preventive measures implemented to limit mumps transmission in the school/college setting over recent years included vaccination of close contacts, isolation for five days and hand hygiene.

Visual demonstration of aliasing in planar nuclear medicine imaging: The importance of correct collimator selection by nuclear medicine practitioners.

Aliasing artefact is an imaging distortion phenomenon experienced in a wide variety of medical imaging modalities. This case report illustrates its occurrence during planar gamma camera nuclear medicine imaging under non-clinical conditions using experimental incorrect selection of collimators. In accordance with provision of an optimal service, nuclear medicine practitioners are recommended to have sufficient technical expertise along with knowledge of gamma camera operation. The purpose, construction and interaction of collimators used during planar imaging are presented herein with specific regards to the aliasing phenomenon. Furthermore, this case report recommends the careful planning of worklists to avoid frequent collimator changes to reduce the risk of human error.

Survey of surgical training and experience of associate clinicians compared with medical officers to understand task-shifting in a low-income country.

Background: A workforce crisis exists in global surgery. One solution is task-shifting, the delegation of surgical tasks to non-physician clinicians or associate clinicians (ACs). Although several studies have shown that ACs have similar postoperative outcomes compared with physicians, little is known about their surgical training. This study aimed to characterize the surgical training and experience of ACs compared with medical officers (MOs) in Tanzania. Methods: All surgical care providers in Pwani Region, Tanzania, were surveyed. Participants reported demographic data, years of training, and procedures assisted and performed during training. They answered open-ended questions about training and post-training surgical experience. The median number of training cases for commonly performed procedures was compared by cadre using Wilcoxon rank sum and Student's t tests. The researchers performed modified content analysis of participants' answers to open-ended questions on training needs and experiences. Results: A total of 21 ACs and 12 MOs participated. ACs reported higher exposure than MOs to similar procedures before their first independent operation (median 40 versus 17 cases respectively; P = 0·031). There was no difference between ACs and MOs in total training surgical volume across common procedures (median 150 versus 171 cases; P = 0·995). Both groups reflected similarly upon their training. Each cadre relied on the other for support and teaching, but noted insufficient specialist supervision during training and independent practice. Conclusions: ACs report similar training and operative experience compared with their physician colleagues in Tanzania.

Antecedentes: La falta de cirujanos en determinadas áreas geográficas es flagrante. Una posible solución es el intercambio de tareas, es decir, la delegación de tareas quirúrgicas en personal sanitario no médico o en clínicos asociados (associate clinicians, AC). Si bien varios estudios han demostrado que los AC obtienen resultados postoperatorios similares a los de los médicos, hay poco información acerca de su entrenamiento quirúrgico. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo caracterizar la capacitación quirúrgica y la experiencia de los AC en comparación con los médicos titulados (medical officer, MO) en Tanzania. Métodos: En este estudio, se encuestaron todos los proveedores de atención quirúrgica de la Región de Pwani, Tanzania. Los participantes proporcionaron datos demográficos, años de entrenamiento y número y tipo de procedimientos realizados y a los que se había asistido durante el periodo de capacitación. Además, respondieron a preguntas abiertas sobre el entrenamiento y su experiencia quirúrgica posterior al entrenamiento. Se comparó la mediana del número de procedimientos más realizados por cada grupo mediante la suma de rangos de Wilcoxon y la prueba de la t de Student. Los investigadores realizaron un análisis del contenido de las respuestas a las preguntas abiertas sobre las necesidades y la experiencia durante la etapa de entrenamiento. Resultados: En el estudio participaron 21 ACs y 12 MOs. Los CA estuvieron expuestos a un mayor número procedimientos del mismo tipo antes de efectuar su primera operación de forma independiente en comparación con los OM (40 versus 17 casos, P = 0,031). No hubo diferencias en el volumen operatorio total de los procedimientos comunes entre los AC y los MO (150 versus 171 casos, P = 0,995). Las opiniones de los dos grupos sobre el entrenamiento fueron similares. Los dos grupos se dieron soporte entre ellos, pero quedó patente que la supervisión por parte de un especialista durante el entrenamiento y la práctica independiente era insuficiente. Conclusiones: En Tanzania, los asociados clínicos tienen entrenamientos y experiencias quirúrgicas similares a las de sus colegas médicos.

RESTORE-Cognitive functional therapy with or without movement sensor biofeedback versus usual care for chronic, disabling low back pain: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability globally and its costs exceed those of cancer and diabetes combined. Recent evidence suggests that individualised cognitive and movement rehabilitation combined with lifestyle advice (cognitive functional therapy (CFT)) may produce larger and more sustained effects than traditional approaches, and movement sensor biofeedback may enhance outcomes. Therefore, this three-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to compare the clinical effectiveness and economic efficiency of individualised CFT delivered with or without movement sensor biofeedback, with usual care for patients with chronic, disabling LBP. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Pragmatic, three-arm, randomised, parallel group, superiority RCT comparing usual care (n=164) with CFT (n=164) and CFT-plus-movement-sensor-biofeedback (n=164). Inclusion criteria include: adults with a current episode of LBP >3 months; sought primary care ≥6 weeks ago for this episode of LBP; average LBP intensity of ≥4 (0-10 scale); at least moderate pain-related interference with work or daily activities. The CFT-only and CFT-plus-movement-sensor-biofeedback participants will receive seven treatment sessions over 12 weeks plus a 'booster' session at 26 weeks. All participants will be assessed at baseline, 3, 6, 13, 26, 40 and 52 weeks. The primary outcome is pain-related physical activity limitation (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire). Linear mixed models will be used to assess the effect of treatment on physical activity limitation across all time points, with the primary comparison being a formal test of adjusted mean differences between groups at 13 weeks. For the economic (cost-utility) analysis, the primary outcome of clinical effect will be quality-adjusted life years measured across the 12-month follow-up using the EuroQol EQ-5D-5L . ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approved by Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (HRE2018-0062, 6 Feb 2018). Study findings will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001396213).

Eradicating BVD, reviewing Irish programme data and model predictions to support prospective decision making.

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea is an infectious production disease of major importance in many cattle sectors of the world. The infection is predominantly transmitted by animal contact. Postnatal infections are transient, leading to immunologically protected cattle. However, for a certain window of pregnancy, in utero infection of the foetus results in persistently infected (PI) calves being the major risk of BVD spread, but also an efficient target for controlling the infection. There are two acknowledged strategies to identify PI animals for removal: tissue tag testing (direct; also known as the Swiss model) and serological screening (indirect by interpreting the serological status of the herd; the Scandinavian model). Both strategies are effective in reducing PI prevalence and herd incidence. During the first four years of the Irish national BVD eradication programme (2013-16), it has been mandatory for all newborn calves to be tested using tissue tag testing. During this period, PI incidence has substantially declined. In recent times, there has been interest among stakeholders in a change to an indirect testing strategy, with potential benefit to the overall programme, particularly with respect to cost to farmers. Advice was sought on the usefulness of implementing the necessary changes. Here we review available data from the national eradication programme and strategy performance predictions from an expert system model to quantify expected benefits of the strategy change from strategic, budgetary and implementation points of view. Key findings from our work include (i) drawbacks associated with changes to programme implementation, in particular the loss of epidemiological information to allow real-time monitoring of eradication progress or to reliably predict time to eradication, (ii) the fact that only 25% of the herds in the Irish cattle sector (14% beef, 78% dairy herds) would benefit financially from a change to serosurveillance, with half of these participants benefiting by less than EUR 75 per annum at herd level or an average of EUR 1.22 per cow, and (iii) opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of the current programme, particularly in terms of time to eradication, through enforced compliance with PI removal as currently outlined in programme recommendations. The assembled information provides scientific arguments, contributing to an informed debate of the pros and cons of a change in eradication strategy in Ireland.

Effects of presentation method on the understanding of informed consent.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Knowledge of which presentation methods impart the most information to patients can improve the informed consent discussion. The purpose of this study was to determine if the comprehension and recall of the informed consent discussion varied with presentation method. METHODS: Randomised, prospective study at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. 90 freshmen medical students were randomly assigned to one of three groups and separately went through an informed consent on cataract surgery. Group A heard an informed consent presentation. Group B was shown diagrams while hearing the same presentation. Group C heard the consent and then watched an informational video on cataract surgery. A 10 point multiple choice quiz was administered after the presentation and repeated again 1 week later. RESULTS: Scores from each group were averaged as number correct out of 10 questions. For same day scores, group C scores (7.70 (SD 1.24)) were significantly higher than group A (6.39 (1.63)). One week testing revealed that group C (6.96 (1.62)) recalled more between the two time periods and scored significantly higher than groups A (5.15 (2.11)) and B (5.54 (1.64)). CONCLUSIONS: This study found differences in the participants' ability to recall facts based on the manner in which the material was presented. It clearly demonstrated that the use of visual aids improved the ability to remember facts and risks associated with cataract surgery beyond a verbal presentation alone. It also showed a benefit of the repetition of information as provided by audiovisual presentations that can be used in conjunction with the physician-patient discussion.

The imaging features of gastrointestinal stromal tumours.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are a rare group of mesenchymal neoplasms that occur predominantly in the gastrointestinal tract. Previously GISTs were classified as smooth muscle tumours referred to as leiomyomas, leiomyosacromas or leiomyoblastomas. However, with the advent of immunohistochemistry, GISTs are now defined by the identification of cKit positivity. This is now used to select patients with metastatic disease who may respond to chemotherapeutic agents such as the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, STI-571. In this pictorial essay we have attemped to describe the range of imaging findings of GISTs that can suggest a pre-biopsy diagnosis.

The inter-examiner reliability of a classification method for non-specific chronic low back pain patients with motor control impairment.

The importance of classifying chronic low back pain (LBP) patients into homogeneous sub-groups has recently been emphasized. This paper reports on two studies examining clinicians ability to agree independently on patients' chronic LBP classification, using a novel classification system (CS) proposed by O'Sullivan. In the first study, a sub-group of 35 patients with non-specific chronic LBP were independently classified by two 'expert' clinicians. Almost perfect agreement (kappa-coefficient 0.96; %-of-agreement 97%) was demonstrated. In the second study, 13 clinicians from Australia and Norway were given 25 cases (patients' subjective information and videotaped functional tests) to classify. Kappa-coefficients (mean 0.61, range 0.47-0.80) and %-of-agreement (mean 70%, range 60-84%) indicated substantial reliability. Increased familiarity with the CS improved reliability. These studies demonstrate the reliability of this multi-dimensional mechanism-based CS and provide essential evidence in a multi-step validation process. A fully validated CS will have significant research and clinical application.

Association between the 10 item Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire and physiotherapists' perception of the contribution of biopsychosocial factors in patients with musculoskeletal pain.

BACKGROUND: Contrasting evidence exists on the ability of clinicians to identify biopsychosocial factors in patients with musculoskeletal pain compared to questionnaires. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate associations between two aspects of clinical practice used to assess biopsychosocial factor contribution in patient presentations (physiotherapist perceptions versus shortened 10-item Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (ÖMPSQ-10)). Potential influence of physiotherapists' training, experience and confidence level were assessed. STUDY DESIGN: Observational. METHODS: 90 musculoskeletal pain patients completed the ÖMPSQ-10 prior to their initial assessment. Independently, 19 treating physiotherapists provided their perception of contribution of biopsychosocial factors to the patient presentation. Pragmatic comparison of physiotherapist perceptions and the ÖMPSQ-10 was made with Spearman's correlations. RESULTS: Fair correlation existed between physiotherapists' perception of overall contribution of biopsychosocial factors to the patients' presentation and the ÖMPSQ-10 (0.39). There where moderate correlations for the domains of recovery expectancy (0.53), self-perceived ability to work (0.52) and ability to sleep (0.54). There where fair correlations for anxiety (0.33) and depression (0.32), and a poor correlation for fear (0.10). Correlations were influenced by therapist training in psychosocial aspects of pain, experience and confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Physiotherapists' perceptions on biopsychosocial contributing factors to overall presentation of patients with musculoskeletal pain were reasonably correlated with a number of the domains in the ÖMPSQ-10. However, correlations for anxiety, depression and fear were not as good. This may reflect a lack of adequate training and/or the inadequacy of single questionnaire items to capture complex issues such as pain-related fear. Screening questionnaires are recommended as an adjunct to clinician perceptions.

Quantifying the risk of spread of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) between contiguous herds in Ireland.

The control of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) mainly focuses on the identification and restriction of persistently infected (PI) animals. However, other transmission pathways can also result in new breakdowns, including the movement of animals pregnant with PI calves (Trojan animals) and the spread of infection between contiguous farms. Contiguous spread is likely an important problem in the BVD eradication programme in Ireland, given the spatial distribution of residual infection, and the highly fragmented nature of land holdings on many Irish farms. In this study, we seek to quantify the risk of BVD spread between contiguous herds in Ireland. Multivariable logistic models were used to estimate the risk of a herd having BVD positive calves in January to June 2014 (the study period) when contiguous to a herd that had at least one BVD positive calf born in 2013. The models included risk factors relating to the study herd and to neighbouring herds. Separate multivariable models were built for each of four "PI-neighbour" factors relating to the presence of BVD+ animals and/or the presence of offspring of PI breeding animals. In total, 58,483 study herds were enrolled. The final model contained the province, the log of the number of calf births born during the study period, the number of cattle purchased between January 2013 and January 2014, and with a two-way interaction between the number of animals of unknown BVD status in the study herd and the PI-neighbour risk factor. When the number of PI-neighbour herds was used as the PI-neighbour risk factor, the odds ratio (OR) associated with the number of PI-neighbour herds ranged from 1.07 to 3.02, depending on the number of unknown animals present. To further explore the risk associated with PI-neighbour factors, the models were repeated using a subset of the study herds (n=7440) that contained no animals of unknown status. The best fitting model including "any PI-neighbour" as the PI-neighbour factor and also contained the log of the number of calf births born during the study period and the number of cattle purchased. The OR associated with "any PI-neighbour" was 1.92 (95% C.I. 1.37-2.70). This study provides the first quantitative information on the risks posed by the presence of BVD+ animals in neighbouring herds and also highlights the importance of clarifying the BVD status of animals that have not yet been tested in the context of the Irish eradication programme.

Temporal trends in the retention of BVD+ calves and associated animal and herd-level risk factors during the compulsory eradication programme in Ireland.

The national BVD eradication programme in Ireland started on a voluntary basis in 2012, becoming compulsory in 2013. The programme relies on accurate identification and prompt removal of BVD+ calves. However, a minority of herd owners have chosen to retain BVD+ animals (defined as still being alive more than seven weeks after the date of the initial test), typically with a view to fattening them to obtain some salvage value. During each year of the programme, additional measures have been introduced and implemented to encourage prompt removal of BVD+ animals. The objective of this study was to describe temporal trends in the retention of BVD+ calves and associated animal and herd-level risk factors during the first three years of the compulsory eradication programme in Ireland. The study population included all BVD+ calves born in Ireland in 2013-2015. A parametric survival model was developed to model the time from the initial BVD test until the animal was slaughtered/died on farm or until 31 December 2015 (whichever was earlier). A total of 29,504 BVD+ animals, from 13,917 herds, were included in the study. The proportion of BVD+ animals that were removed from the herd within 7 weeks of the initial test date increased from 43.7% in 2013 to 70.3% in 2015. BVD+ animals born in 2015 had a much lower survival time (median=33days) compared to the 2013 birth cohort (median=62days), with a year on year reduction in survival of BVD+ calves. In the initial parametric survival models, all interactions with herd type were significant. Therefore, separate models were developed for beef and dairy herds. Overall the results of the survival models were similar, with birth year, BVD+ status, herd size, county of birth and birth month consistently identified as risk factors independent of herd type (beef or dairy) or the numbers of BVD+ animals (single or multiple) in the herd. In addition, the presence of a registered mobile telephone number was identified as a risk factor in all models except for dairy herds with a single BVD+, while the sex of the BVD+ calf was only identified as a risk factor in this model. Significant progress has been made in addressing the issue of retention of BVD+ calves, however, there is a need for further improvement. A number of risk factors associated with retention have been identified suggesting areas where future efforts can be addressed.