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Symptoms akin to those experienced by dry eye sufferers are often experienced by contact lens wearers. Some of the preservatives used in contact lens cleaning solutions are known to cause mild damage to the eye's surface. This study aims to investigate the changes to the eye's surface associated with various types of contact lens solutions and whether this is related to any symptoms of dryness.

The skin incisions to perform common surgical procedures can be made using a traditional steel knife blade (cold scalpel) or “electric knife” (cutting diathermy), which is a blunt electrode transmitting electric current to divide the skin. Despite both these methods being in use for many years, to date we have found very little convincing evidence that one is better than the other. Thus the choice of method used is often made on surgeon preference alone. Some surgeons are using both methods interchangeably in routine practice. We are conducting a trial which aims to determine whether one modality is superior to the other in terms of wound healing and infection. In this era of increasing awareness and prevention of blood-borne infection transmission, alternatives to the use of sharp instruments such as the traditional cold scalpel are continually being sought. If both methods are shown to produce similar results, the blunt cutting diathermy could provide a much safer alternative to the traditional sharp cold scalpel.

This study looks at children with viral infections which create painful ulcers in the mouth. These ulcers can cause children to become dehydrated because the ulcers make drinking painful. This study aims to find out whether 2%viscous lignocaine, a numbing drug, helps children drink. 50 children will be given the drug and 50 children will be given a mixture which looks and tastes like the drug, but has no active medicine in it. The study will record how much fluid the children drink, and also look at whether or not any complications develop. This way, we hope to work out if 2% viscous lignocaine is a helpful medication for children with painful ulcers in the mouth.

The aim of the study is to find out whether physiotherapy treatment can change the spinal postures and levels of pain during ergometer rowing in schoolboy rowers with low back pain. Similar physiotherapy intervention have worked in the past on schoolgirl rowers.

Our pilot project explores the effect of personalised goal-directed activities (Montessori activities) on reducing physical agitation in persons with dementia residing in nursing homes. Many nursing homes organize activities to engage persons with dementia, but due to limited means most activities are group-based and thus can not take an individual’s personal interests or needs into account. Montessori activities are attuned to both a person’s needs and capabilities and will be administered in a one-to-one interaction. So far, little scientific research has been conducted to look at the effect of such individualized interventions. We hypothesize that individual Montessori activities will reduce the frequency of behavioural symptoms of dementia more than a plausible attention control condition. Our study will test this hypothesis using a randomised, repeated-measures design with cross-over between conditions. If our results show that use of Montessori activities is effective in treating challenging behaviours in individuals with dementia, it will potentially provide a safer and more enjoyable intervention rather than reliance on pharmacology alone.

Our previous research indicates that the Worry Program, an Internet-based treatment program for people with GAD, is effective at helping people to learn to manage their symptoms of GAD. The study described here aims to find out whether therapist support is required for people to successfully complete the Worry Program. We expect that people completing the Worry Program without therapist support will still benefit, but not as much as those receiving the usual levels of therapist support.

The aim of the outcome evaluation will be to describe changes in the rates of emergency department presentations and hospital admissions associated with the Blacktown ABHI Integration Project, and to explore changes in the processes of patient care in the community that may explain these. The specific objectives will be: 1. To measure the rates of emergency department presentation and hospital admission amongst patients enrolled in the Blacktown ABHI Integration Project, prior to and following enrollment; also to measure contacts with SWAHS Community Health Services durign this time; 2. To explore patients’, carers’ and health professionals’ accounts of how the Blacktown ABHI Integration Project has influenced the care of enrolled patients; and, 3. To develop a detailed, quantified account of the effect of the Blacktown ABHI Integration Project on the processes of care of enrolled patients, and in consequence on their rates of emergency department presentation and hospital admission.

In order to prevent weight loss it is essential that energy intake and energy expenditure are in balance. Resting energy expenditure (REE) accounts for 65-75% of total energy expenditure, and is principally determined by body mass, therefore variations occur with body weight, body composition, age and gender. In order to reliably estimate energy requirements it is necessary to be able to assess REE accurately. Numerous equations have been developed for this purpose, and validated in different populations; however there is a lack of equations specifically for use in older adults. There is also little evidence available regarding the effects of ageing on REE, although it is known that there is a reduction in metabolically active tissue which is likely to result in a decrease in REE. This study aims to develop and validate prediction equations which will result in more reliable estimates of REE in older adults. This will enable Dietitians to provide appropriate nutritional support and therefore optimise nutritional status.

Our previous research indicates that the Sadness Program, an Internet-based treatment program for people with depression, is effective at helping people to learn to manage their symptoms of depression. The study described here aims to find out whether therapist support is required for people to successfully complete the Sadness Program. We expect that people completing the Sadness Program without therapist support (but who receive weekly telephone reminders) will still benefit, but not as much as those receiving the usual levels of therapist support.

This research project will test whether Chinese herbal medicine is useful for treating constipation predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (C-IBS). C-IBS has multiple symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and changed bowel habits. The Chinese herbal formulation being tested has been designed to address the multiple symptoms of C-IBS.