Polyester fibres slowly degrade in marine sediments.

Microplastics are everywhere, including marine sediment. In this study, we evaluated the degradation of polyester, rayon, and cotton sewing threads over nine months when buried in marine sediment in Waitematā Harbour, Auckland, New Zealand. Polyester tensile strength was tested pre- and post-burial to track changes over time.

Clinical trial results in context: comparison of baseline characteristics and outcomes of 38,510 RECOVERY trial participants versus a reference population of 346,271 people hospitalised with COVID-19 in England.

Background: Randomised trials are essential to reliably assess medical interventions. Nevertheless, interpretation of such studies, particularly when considering absolute effects, is enhanced by understanding how the trial population may differ from the populations it aims to represent.

Methods: We compared baseline characteristics and mortality of RECOVERY participants recruited in England (n = 38,510) with a reference population hospitalised with COVID-19 in England (n = 346,271) from March 2020 to November 2021.

Challenges and solutions to system-wide use of precision oncology as the standard of care paradigm.

The personalised oncology paradigm remains challenging to deliver despite technological advances in genomics-based identification of actionable variants combined with the increasing focus of drug development on these specific targets. To ensure we continue to build concerted momentum to improve outcomes across all cancer types, financial, technological and operational barriers need to be addressed. For example, complete integration and certification of the 'molecular tumour board' into 'standard of care' ensures a unified clinical decision pathway that both counteracts fragmentation and is the cornerstone of evidence-based delivery inside and outside of a research setting.

100,000 Genomes Pilot on Rare-Disease Diagnosis in Health Care - Preliminary Report.

Background: The U.K. 100,000 Genomes Project is in the process of investigating the role of genome sequencing in patients with undiagnosed rare diseases after usual care and the alignment of this research with health care implementation in the U.

The prevalence and characterisation of TRAF3 and POT1 mutations in canine B-cell lymphoma.

The genetic and mutational basis of canine lymphoma remains poorly understood. Several genes, including TRAF3 and POT1, are mutated in canine B-cell lymphoma (cBCL), and are likely involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of TRAF3 and POT1 mutations in a cohort of dogs with cBCL, compared to dogs with non-cBCL diseases (including four dogs with T-cell lymphoma [cTCL]).

National Institute for Health Research Health Informatics Collaborative: development of a pipeline to collate electronic clinical data for viral hepatitis research.

Objective: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Informatics Collaborative (HIC) is a programme of infrastructure development across NIHR Biomedical Research Centres. The aim of the NIHR HIC is to improve the quality and availability of routinely collected data for collaborative, cross-centre research. This is demonstrated through research collaborations in selected therapeutic areas, one of which is viral hepatitis.

Global health and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine: a cross-sectional survey of members and fellows.

Background: There is growing interest in global health participation among emergency care doctors in the UK. The aim of this paper was to describe the demographics of members and fellows of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine involved in global health, the work they are involved in, as well as the benefits and barriers of this work.

Methods: We conducted a survey to include members and fellows of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine describing the context of their global health work, funding arrangements for global health work and perceived barriers to, and benefits of, global health work.

The perceptions and experiences of women who achieved and did not achieve a waterbirth.

Background: There is a gap in knowledge and understanding relating to the experiences of women exposed to the opportunity of waterbirth. Our aim was to explore the perceptions and experiences of women who achieved or did not achieve their planned waterbirth.

Methods: An exploratory design using critical incident techniques was conducted between December 2015 and July 2016, in the birth centre of the tertiary public maternity hospital in Western Australia.

'Teaching on the Run' with Australian midwives in a tertiary maternity hospital.

Teaching On The Run (TOTR) is an Australian program for health professionals involved in clinical supervision. An amended TOTR program was evaluated with midwives acting as preceptors assisting learners integrate theory with clinical practice. A mixed method study was employed to compare midwives' perceived skills and confidence before and after completion of TOTR workshops.

Titration of intravenous synthetic oxytocin post vaginal birth following induction or augmentation.

Evidence exists for titration of intravenous oxytocin during induction and augmentation, whereas no evidence was identified for titration of intravenous oxytocin following vaginal birth, where management excluded oxytocin for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). This retrospective cohort study explored this issue through patient case notes and computerised perinatal data. Analysis included 335 women comparing induction (n = 226, 67%) to augmentation (n = 109, 33%).

An overview of the first 'no exit' midwifery group practice in a tertiary maternity hospital in Western Australia: Outcomes, satisfaction and perceptions of care.

Background: Midwifery group practice (MGP) is a care model offered by a primary midwife in a small team. Evidence confirms MGP is acceptable to women, safe and cost effective.

Methods: We aimed to provide a systematic overview of the first 'no exit' MGP in a Western Australian (WA) tertiary maternity hospital, using a mixed methods approach, involving four phases.

Gaining insight into how women conceptualize satisfaction: Western Australian women's perception of their maternity care experiences.

Background: The concept of maternal satisfaction is challenging, as women's and clinicians' expectations and experiences can differ. Our aim was to investigate women's experiences of maternity care in an urban tertiary obstetric setting, to gain insight into conceptualization of satisfaction across the childbirth continuum.

Methods: This mixed method study was conducted at a public maternity hospital in Western Australia.

A metadata-aware application for remote scoring and exchange of tissue microarray images.

Background: The use of tissue microarrays (TMA) and advances in digital scanning microscopy has enabled the collection of thousands of tissue images. There is a need for software tools to annotate, query and share this data amongst researchers in different physical locations.

Results: We have developed an open source web-based application for remote scoring of TMA images, which exploits the value of Microsoft Silverlight Deep Zoom to provide a intuitive interface for zooming and panning around digital images.

A metadata approach for clinical data management in translational genomics studies in breast cancer.

Background: In molecular profiling studies of cancer patients, experimental and clinical data are combined in order to understand the clinical heterogeneity of the disease: clinical information for each subject needs to be linked to tumour samples, macromolecules extracted, and experimental results. This may involve the integration of clinical data sets from several different sources: these data sets may employ different data definitions and some may be incomplete.

Methods: In this work we employ semantic web techniques developed within the CancerGrid project, in particular the use of metadata elements and logic-based inference to annotate heterogeneous clinical information, integrate and query it.

Global health: where are our priorities?

Unlabelled: The subject of 'global health' can be considered from multiple points of view. While epidemiologists might describe global health problems in categories of pathology groups, social scientists might consider the problem from the stand point of institutional and infrastructural strengths and failings. An over-arching theme, however, is that the distribution of the burden of ill health is disproportionately carried by the poor.

Changes in the pattern of work in a rural community hospital 1987-1997.

Objectives: To examine time trends in clinical activity at a rural community hospital, and to assess associated changes in the complexity of the care received by inpatients.

Design: Descriptive study utilising routine Scottish Morbidity Records data (SMRO1) and locally collected data, along with a retrospective review of admission case notes to quantify clinical inputs to patient care.

Setting: Portree community hospital on the island of Skye.

A review of the actions and control of intracellular pH in vascular smooth muscle.

Objective: This review is an account of the physiological issues involved in the effects of pH on vascular smooth muscle tone. The following criteria were considered when reviewing the literature: (i) the type of smooth muscle, i.e.

The mechanism of Ca2+ release from the SR of permeabilised guinea-pig and rat ureteric smooth muscle.

Recent work has indicated that there is a major difference in the Ca2+ store of smooth muscle from rat and guinea-pig ureter; with the rat store being agonist-sensitive but ryanodine insensitive and the guinea-pig store being ryanodine sensitive but agonist insensitive [Th. V. Burdyga, M.

Myogenic contraction by modulation of voltage-dependent calcium currents in isolated rat cerebral arteries.

1. Tissue blood flow and blood pressure are regulated by the spontaneous, myogenic, contraction developed by resistance arteries. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying myogenic contraction are not understood.

alpha-Toxin-permeabilised rabbit fetal ductus arteriosus is more sensitive to Ca2+ than aorta or main pulmonary artery.

Objectives: The Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile protein-generated tension production was measured in the smooth muscle of the rabbit ductus arteriosus and compared with two neighbouring fetal blood vessels (main pulmonary artery and aorta). The effect of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor), cyclic adenosine 3'5'-monophosphate (CAMP) and forskolin (an activator of adenylate cyclase) on Ca(2+)-activated force generated by preparations from ductus arteriosus was also examined.

Methods: Strips of smooth muscle from the three vessels were permeabilised using crude alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus.

Teledermatology in the Highlands of Scotland.

A pilot study of telemedicine consultations of 51 dermatology patients showed that the technology worked well, with the diagnosis being able to be made in most patients and over half of the patients being able to be dealt with through this medium only. It could therefore have a valuable screening role. However, many of the patients, in spite of the obvious advantage of an immediate consultant opinion, felt it would be more appropriately used as a review technique.

Hormone replacement therapy, sleep quality and psychological wellbeing.

Objective: To examine the effect of hormone replacement therapy upon sleep quality and duration in postmenopausal women.

Design: Randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Sleep research laboratory.

Effect of altered bathing pH on calcium activated force in alpha toxin permeabilised rat portal vein and human umbilical artery.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the effect of altered bathing pH on calcium activated force generated by the contractile proteins in an alpha toxin permeabilised phasic (rat portal vein) and tonic (human umbilical artery) smooth muscle.

Methods: Strips of the two muscles were permeabilised using crude alpha toxin from Staphylococcus aureus (2 mg.ml-1).