The prognostic information obtained by triple node biopsy (low axillary, apical axillary and internal mammary nodes) in 693 patients with early breast cancer has been reviewed. Results show that tumour site within the breast influenced which nodal groups were involved. The low axillary node contributed the most useful prognostic information. The involved apical node carried the worst prognosis. Either the internal mammary node or a low axillary node when positive alone carried the same prognostic weight. When both nodes were positive the prognosis declined to the level associated with apical node positivity. A double node biopsy of the low axillary node and either the apical or the internal mammary node gave the same maximum prognostic information as a triple node biopsy. The triple node biopsy technique can be used to divide patients into groups with vastly different prognoses.
Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis were investigated in a South African pottery that manufactured wall tiles and bathroom fittings. This paper describes the objectives of the investigation and presents dust measurement data. x Ray diffraction showed that the clays used by the pottery had a high quartz content (range 58%-23%, mean 38%). Exposure to respirable dust was measured for 43 workers and was highest (6.6 mg/m3) in a bathroom fitting fettler. Quartz concentrations in excess of 0.1 mg/m3 were found in all sections of the manufacturing process from slip production to biscuit firing and sorting. The proportion of quartz in the respirable dust of these sections was 24% to 33%. This is higher than is usually reported in English potteries. Four hundred and six (80%) of the 509 workers employed at the pottery were potentially at risk of occupational lung disease. The finding of large numbers of pottery workers exposed to unacceptable dust concentrations is not surprising as poor dust control was found in all six wall tile and sanitary ware factories surveyed by the National Centre for Occupational Health between 1973 and 1989. Dust related occupational disease can be expected in potters for many years to come.
Enhancing skills of GPs in essential surgical techniques and procedures through an accredited CPD short learning programme will ensure that adequate and comprehensive essential surgical care is provided to people living in rural communities.
To determine which specific surgical procedures GPs in rural SA need to be able to perform, and the contents of a CPD programme that could be developed to address these needs. Methods This research was designed as a descriptive study that made use of desktop review analysis (literature study) and a questionnaire survey to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data. Desktop/literature study A comprehensive literature search using the following key words: 'contents of a CPD programme in addressing essential surgical skills in SA rural areas for GPs' , 'current level of surgical skills of GPs in rural areas' , and 'essential surgical skills set needed by GPs in rural areas' was done using search engines such as EBSCO host, PubMed, medical student.com, Medscape, Google Scholar and Google Web. The explored literature provided a conceptual and contextual frame This open-access article is distributed under Creative Commons licence CC-BY-NC 4.0.
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