Diagnostic application of the ColonFlag AI tool in combination with faecal immunochemical test in patients on an urgent lower gastrointestinal cancer pathway.

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. Patients with symptoms suggestive of CRC should be referred for urgent investigation. However, gastrointestinal symptoms are often non-specific and there is a need for suitable triage tools to enable prioritisation of investigations.

Evaluation of an ambulatory care pathway for patients with nitrous oxide-induced myeloneuropathy.

Introduction: Cases of nitrous oxide (NO)-induced myeloneuropathy are increasing at UK hospitals. At our centre, a dedicated ambulatory care pathway, endorsed nationally, was established to treat and monitor patients with NO-myeloneuropathy in 2021 and refined through three audit cycles. We analysed the outcomes of patients on this pathway to better understand factors associated with non-engagement.

Fecal Calprotectin in Gastrointestinal Disease.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a group of chronic conditions characterized by relapsing and remitting inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The incidence is increasing worldwide, and the therapeutic options for management are expanding. Endoscopy is the gold standard investigation for diagnosis of IBD and for assessing mucosal healing, which is increasingly being used as a measure of disease control.

Faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) in primary care: a follow-up service evaluation.

Aim: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. Following National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance for faecal immunochemical testing (FIT), we introduced a service for the measurement of faecal haemoglobin (f-Hb) in symptomatic patients. Previously, we evaluated the first 6 months of the service in three local boroughs, here we re-examine the use of FIT, over a similar 6 months in the two successive years.

Faecal immunochemical testing for haemoglobin in detecting bowel polyps in symptomatic patients: multicentre prospective cohort study.

Background: Measurement of faecal haemoglobin using faecal immunochemistry testing is recommended in patients presenting with symptoms suspicious for colorectal cancer, to aid in triage and prioritization of definitive investigations. While its role in colorectal cancer has been extensively investigated, the ability of faecal immunochemistry testing to detect adenomas in symptomatic patients is unclear.

Methods: A multicentre prospective observational study was conducted between April 2017 and March 2019, recruiting adults from 24 hospitals across England and 59 general practices in London who had been urgently referred with suspected colorectal cancer symptoms.

Nitrous oxide-induced subacute combined degeneration of the cord: diagnosis and treatment.

Recreational use of nitrous oxide (NO) has increased rapidly in recent years and is now the second most commonly used recreational drug among young people in the UK. There has been a corresponding rise in cases of nitrous oxide-induced subacute combined degeneration of the cord (NO-SACD), a pattern of myeloneuropathy usually associated with severe vitamin B deficiency. This can cause serious and permanent disability in young people but, if recognised early, may be effectively treated.

Clinical evaluation of the OC-Sensor Pledia calprotectin assay.

Objectives: Faecal calprotectin (f-Cal) and faecal haemoglobin (f-Hb) are important tests for evaluation of gastrointestinal disease. Samples for measurement of f-Hb are taken by the patient directly into a specimen collection device containing stabilising buffer, which can be placed directly onto the analyser in the laboratory. Samples for f-Cal are usually sent in screw top pots and often require time-consuming extraction procedures prior to analysis.

Faecal calprotectin is not necessarily required as a screen for significant bowel disease in primary care.

Objective: NICE recommends measurement of faecal haemoglobin (f-Hb) using faecal immunochemical test (FIT) when colorectal cancer is suspected and calprotectin (f-Cal) in the context of inflammatory bowel disease, though neither is disease specific. During the COVID-19 pandemic, f-Hb has been a requirement prior to referral for endoscopy in England; f-Cal is often performed simultaneously. The aim of this study was to investigate test performance of both tests for significant bowel disease in those patients referred.

Faecal immunochemical test for patients with 'high-risk' bowel symptoms: a large prospective cohort study and updated literature review.

Background: We evaluated whether faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) can rule out colorectal cancer (CRC) among patients presenting with 'high-risk' symptoms requiring definitive investigation.

Methods: Three thousand five hundred and ninety-six symptomatic patients referred to the standard urgent CRC pathway were recruited in a multi-centre observational study. They completed FIT in addition to standard investigations.

Use of ColonFlag score for prioritisation of endoscopy in colorectal cancer.

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer in UK. Symptomatic patients are referred via an urgent pathway and although most are investigated with colonoscopy <4% are diagnosed with cancer. There is therefore a need for a suitable triage tool to prioritise investigations.

Antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae isolated from seven European countries during 2015-2016.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, a chronic respiratory disease, causing significant economic losses. Results from the 2015-2016 MycoPath pan-European antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring survey of M. hyopneumoniae are presented.

Use of faecal immunochemical testing as an alternative to faecal calprotectin in children.

Background: Faecal calprotectin has been widely used as a non-invasive marker of intestinal inflammation in children. Measurement of faecal haemoglobin using faecal immunochemical test is well established in adults for detection of colorectal cancer. In adults, faecal haemoglobin has been recommended as a reliable tool to aid identification of those at low risk of significant bowel disease and has also been used in inflammatory bowel disease to assess mucosal healing.

Minimal inhibitory concentration of seven antimicrobials to and isolates from six European countries.

and are bacterial pathogens that cause disease in poultry, adversely affecting their health and welfare, and are a financial burden on producers. This manuscript describes the results of the MycoPath project that is the first international antimicrobial susceptibility programme for mycoplasma pathogens isolated from poultry. Improved comparative analysis of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) results from participating countries was facilitated by using one laboratory determining all MICs.

Pose Estimation from Electromyographical Data using Convolutional Neural Networks.

This work demonstrates the effectiveness of Convolutional Neural Networks in the task of pose estimation from Electromyographical (EMG) data. The Ninapro DB5 dataset was used to train the model to predict the hand pose from EMG data. The models predict the hand pose with an error rate of 4.

Service evaluation of faecal immunochemical testing introduced for use in North East London for patients at low risk of colorectal cancer.

Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. Following National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance for faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) (DG30), we introduced a service for the measurement of faecal haemoglobin (fHb) in symptomatic patients in line with the 2017 update of the NG12 guidance. The purpose of this study was to audit the use of FIT, focussing on the indication for request and referral for diagnostic tests as recommended in NICE guidance.

Relationship between faecal metronidazole and lactoferrin concentrations to clinical response of patients with Clostridioides difficile.

Objectives: We investigated patients with Clostridioides difficile-associated diarrhoea to see if clinical resolution correlated with faecal concentrations of metronidazole or markers of inflammation.

Methods: Faecal metronidazole, lactoferrin and serum CRP were measured daily. These were then compared with clinical progress.

Preliminary study on the effects of enrofloxacin, flunixin meglumine and pegbovigrastim on Mycoplasma bovis pneumonia.

Background: Mycoplasma bovis is a causative agent of disease in cattle causing many clinical conditions. Currently there are no commercial M. bovis vaccines in Europe and treatment is difficult with decreased antimicrobial susceptibility of M.

New antimicrobial susceptibility data from monitoring of Mycoplasma bovis isolated in Europe.

Mycoplasma bovis is an important respiratory pathogen of cattle across Europe and is included in the MycoPath pan-European antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring programme. M. bovis strains (232) were isolated from cattle, not recently treated with antimicrobials, at diverse geographical locations in France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy and Spain during 2014 to 2016.

Potential roles of artificial intelligence learning and faecal immunochemical testing for prioritisation of colonoscopy in anaemia.

Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common cause of anaemia and a frequent indication for colonoscopy, although the prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in IDA is low. Measurement of faecal haemoglobin by immunochemical techniques (FIT) is used to detect symptomatic patients. We studied FIT in patients with anaemia attending a gastroenterology clinic in Plymouth and looked at an artificial intelligence (AI) learning algorithm (ColonFlag™) in these patients, together with a cohort who had undergone colonoscopy for IDA in London.

Species of Mycoplasma causing contagious agalactia in small ruminants in Northwest Iran.

Contagious agalactia (CA) is a serious disease of small ruminants that occurs in many countries, and is usually characterized by mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis, pleuropneumonia, and septicemia. Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma) is the main causative agent in sheep and goats but other pathogens including Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri (Mmc, which incorporates the former M.

Fecal Calprotectin.

Calprotectin is a 36kDa member of the S100 family of proteins. It is derived predominantly from neutrophils and has direct antimicrobial effects and a role within the innate immune response. Calprotectin is found in various body fluids in proportion to the degree of any existing inflammation and its concentration in feces is about six times that of plasma.

Analysis of the immune response of calves to various saponin-based adjuvants for an experimental Mycoplasma bovis vaccine.

Mycoplasma bovis is a primary infectious agent of many disorders in cattle including bovine respiratory disease. No commercial vaccines against M. bovis are available in Europe.

Gap analysis of Mycoplasma bovis disease, diagnosis and control: An aid to identify future development requirements.

There is a worldwide problem of disease caused by Mycoplasma (M.) bovis in cattle; it has a significant detrimental economic and animal welfare impact on cattle rearing. Infection can manifest as a plethora of clinical signs including mastitis, pneumonia, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis, otitis media and genital disorders that may result in infertility and abortion.

Antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Mycoplasma bovis isolated in Europe.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in pigs and Mycoplasma bovis in cattle are major pathogens affecting livestock across Europe and are the focus of the MycoPath pan-European antimicrobial susceptibility monitoring programme. Fifty M. hyopneumoniae isolates from Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom (UK), and 156 M.