Diagnosing anaemia via smartphone colorimetry of the eye in a population of pregnant women.

Objective Screening for disease using a smartphone camera is an emerging tool for conditions such as jaundice and anaemia, which are associated with a colour change (yellowing in jaundice; pallor in anaemia) of the external tissues. Based on this, we aimed to test a technique to non-invasively screen for anaemia in a population highly affected by anaemia: pregnant women in India. In this group, anaemia can have severe health consequences for both the mother and child.

What does it mean to be a 'foster parent'? -exploring Foster parent narratives using ideal-type analysis.

Objective: Foster care services in Denmark, as in many other countries, face challenges with recruitment, assessment, and retention of foster families. It is essential to understand how foster parents understand their role and how this might relate to child outcomes. This paper develops a typology of foster parent types through an ideal-type analysis of interviews with foster parents.

Seroconversion of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Pregnant Women During the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in India: A Longitudinal Study.

Aim This study aims to investigate the seroconversion of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women during their first and third trimesters, specifically during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology This is a longitudinal follow-up study of pregnant women during the second peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients in their first trimester (six to 12 weeks) were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG levels, with a repeat test conducted in the third trimester (28-40 weeks) using the automated VIDAS® (bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l'Étoile, France) system.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between glycaemic measures and grip strength in people without diabetes in the UK Biobank cohort study.

Purpose: To investigate associations between glycaemic measures (HbA1c, random glucose), and grip strength (GS) in adults without prevalent diabetes.

Methods: We included 381,715 UK Biobank participants aged 38-73 years without diabetes (any type) with complete baseline measures for GS and HbA1c (main analyses), and glucose (supplementary analyses). Cross-sectional sex- and age-stratified associations between each glycaemic measure, GS, and probable sarcopenia (low GS) were examined with regression analyses.

Impact of a virtual antenatal intervention for improved diet and iron intake in Kapilvastu district, Nepal - the VALID randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Counseling, together with iron and folic acid supplements, can improve hemoglobin levels in pregnant women, but few interventions have tested a virtual method of delivering counseling. We hypothesized that a virtual counseling intervention delivered via a mobile device (mHealth) would prevent and treat anemia, compared with routine antenatal care (ANC).

Methods: Virtual antenatal intervention for improved diet and iron intake (VALID) was a non-blinded parallel group two-arm, individually randomized superiority trial (1:1 allocation).

The feasibility and acceptability of engaging older adults living with multiple long-term conditions, frailty, and a recent deterioration in health in research: Findings from the Lifestyle in Later Life - Older People's Medicine (LiLL-OPM) study.

Background: Older adults living with multiple long-term conditions (MLTC, also known as multimorbidity) and frailty are more likely to experience a deterioration in their health requiring specialist referral or hospital admission than individuals without these syndromes. However, this group of older people are underserved by research meaning that there is a limited evidence base for their care. This study therefore aimed (1) to determine if it is feasible to recruit and collect quantitative data to describe the health and lifestyle of older adults living with MLTC, frailty and a recent deterioration in health and (2) to assess if taking part in research is acceptable to this group of older adults.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Clinical Trials: Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Experience (Alliance A152022).

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic led to immediate changes in cancer clinical trial conduct. The primary aims of this study were to summarize the impact of the pandemic on Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance) enrollment, protocol deviations, COVID-19 events (positive or presumptive-positive COVID test), and premature study discontinuation rates.

Methods: Enrollment trends were examined from January 2019 (pre COVID-19 pandemic) through 2022.

Identifying combinations of long-term conditions associated with sarcopenia: a cross-sectional decision tree analysis in the UK Biobank study.

Objectives: This study aims to determine whether machine learning can identify specific combinations of long-term conditions (LTC) associated with increased sarcopenia risk and hence address an important evidence gap-people with multiple LTC (MLTC) have increased risk of sarcopenia but it has not yet been established whether this is driven by specific combinations of LTC.

Design: Decision trees were used to identify combinations of LTC associated with increased sarcopenia risk. Participants were classified as being at risk of sarcopenia based on maximum grip strength of <32 kg for men and <19 kg for women.

Feasibility of structuring electronic health record data to facilitate real-world data research: ICAREdata methods applied to multicenter cancer clinical trials.

Background: The use of electronic health record (EHR) data for research is limited by a lack of structure and a standard data model. The objective of the ICAREdata (Integrating Clinical Trials and Real-World Endpoints Data) project was to structure key research data elements in EHRs using a minimal Common Oncology Data Elements (mCODE) data model to extract and transmit data.

Methods: The ICAREdata project captured two EHR data elements essential to clinical trials: cancer disease status and treatment plan change.

Ribosomal DNA copy number is associated with body mass in humans and other mammals.

Body mass results from a complex interplay between genetics and environment. Previous studies of the genetic contribution to body mass have excluded repetitive regions due to the technical limitations of platforms used for population scale studies. Here we apply genome-wide approaches, identifying an association between adult body mass and the copy number (CN) of 47S-ribosomal DNA (rDNA).

Optimising health after early menopause.

The typical age at menopause is 50-51 years in high-income countries. However, early menopause is common, with around 8% of women in high-income countries and 12% of women globally experiencing menopause between the ages of 40 years and 44 years. Menopause before age 40 years (premature ovarian insufficiency) affects an additional 2-4% of women.

Rising to the challenge of defining and operationalising multimorbidity in a UK hospital setting: the ADMISSION research collaborative.

Purpose: Greater transparency and consistency when defining multimorbidity in different settings is needed. We aimed to: (1) adapt published principles that can guide the selection of long-term conditions for inclusion in research studies of multimorbidity in hospitals; (2) apply these principles and identify a list of long-term conditions; (3) operationalise this list by mapping it to International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) codes.

Methods: Review by independent assessors and ratification by an interdisciplinary programme management group.

The evolving genetic etiology of conotruncal anomalies.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic yield of genetic testing for antenatally detected conotruncal defects.

Method: This was a retrospective analysis of all antenatally detected cases of conotruncal anomalies over a 4-year period. Patients were offered antenatal and postnatal genetic testing including QF-PCR, microarray and exome sequencing (ES) antenatally or genome sequencing (GS) postnatally on a case-by-case basis.

GP's role in supporting women with anal incontinence after childbirth injury: a qualitative study.

Background: Obstetric anal sphincter injury is the most common cause of anal incontinence for women, which often has profound impacts on women's lives. GPs offer a first line of contact for many women, but we know that very few women experiencing anal incontinence postnatally report discussing it with their GPs.

Aim: To identify key ways in which GPs can support women with anal incontinence caused by childbirth injuries.

Patient-targeted education (ePRO-E) to increase ePRO intent within an Alliance clinical trial (A221805-SI1).

Background: The Patient Cloud ePRO app was adopted by the National Cancer Institute National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) to facilitate capturing electronic patient-reported (ePRO) outcome data, but use has been low. The study objectives were to test whether a patient-targeted ePRO educational resource (ePRO-E) would increase ePRO intent (number of users) and improve data quality (high quality: ≥80% of the required surveys submitted) within an ongoing NCTN study.

Methods: The ePRO-E intervention, a patient-targeted educational resource (written material and 6-minute animated YouTube video), was designed to address ePRO barriers.

The impact of a blended multidisciplinary training for the management of obstetric haemorrhage in Mbeya, Tanzania.

Background: The Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in Tanzania is 78 times higher than that of the UK. Obstetric haemorrhage accounts for two-thirds of these deaths in Mbeya, Tanzania. A lack of healthcare providers' (HCPs') competencies has been the key attribute.

A novel SMOC1 pathogenic homozygous variant in a fetus with mesomelia of the lower limbs, micrognathia and hypertelorism and an incidental finding of CYP21A2-related congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Trio exome sequencing was performed on a fetus with bilateral mesomelia of the lower limbs with significant angulation of the tibial bones, micrognathia and hypertelorism detected on ultrasound scan at 19 + 0 weeks gestation. The couple is consanguineous. A homozygous pathogenic frameshift variant in the SMOC1 gene (c.

Introducing Routine Assessment of Adverse Childhood Experiences For Looked-After Children: The Use and Properties of the Trauma and Adverse Life Events (TALE) Screening Tool.

The present study aims to illustrate the process of developing, implementing, and clinically validating a new assessment measure, the Trauma and Adverse Life Events (TALE) screening tool, to assess Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among looked-after children. The TALE was developed by adapting existing ACEs measures to reflect the experiences of looked-after children. The TALE was completed by the local authority social worker for 218 children placed with Five Rivers Child Care (a UK fostering agency, residential, and educational care provider).

Attitudes and barriers to resistance exercise training for older adults living with multiple long-term conditions, frailty, and a recent deterioration in health: qualitative findings from the Lifestyle in Later Life - Older People's Medicine (LiLL-OPM) study.

Background: Many older adults live with the combination of multiple long-term conditions (MLTC) and frailty and are at increased risk of a deterioration in health requiring interaction with healthcare services. Low skeletal muscle strength is observed in individuals living with MLTC and is central to physical frailty. Resistance exercise (RE) is the best available treatment for improving muscle strength, but little is known about the attitudes and barriers to RE in this group of older adults.

Determining the feasibility of characterising cellular senescence in human skeletal muscle and exploring associations with muscle morphology and physical function at different ages: findings from the MASS_Lifecourse Study.

Cellular senescence may be associated with morphological changes in skeletal muscle and changes in physical function with age although there have been few human studies. We aimed to determine the feasibility of characterising cellular senescence in skeletal muscle and explored sex-specific associations between markers of cellular senescence, muscle morphology, and physical function in participants from the MASS_Lifecourse Study. Senescence markers (p16, TAF (Telomere-Associated DNA Damage Foci), HMGB1 (High Mobility Group Box 1), and Lamin B1) and morphological characteristics (fibre size, number, fibrosis, and centrally nucleated fibres) were assessed in muscle biopsies from 40 men and women (age range 47-84) using spatially-resolved methods (immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and RNA and fluorescence in situ hybridisation).

First trimester screening for pre-eclampsia and targeted aspirin prophylaxis: a cost-effectiveness cohort study.

Objective: Investigate cost-effectiveness of first trimester pre-eclampsia screening using the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) algorithm and targeted aspirin prophylaxis in comparison with standard care.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Setting: London tertiary hospital.

Contextual factors affecting the implementation of an anemia focused virtual counseling intervention for pregnant women in plains Nepal: a mixed methods process evaluation.

Background: Anemia is estimated to cause 115,000 maternal deaths each year. In Nepal, 46% of pregnant women have anemia. As part of an integrated anemia-prevention strategy, family engagement and counseling of pregnant women can increase compliance to iron folic acid tablets, but marginalized women often have lower access to these interventions.

Women's experiences of anal incontinence following vaginal birth: A qualitative study of missed opportunities in routine care contacts.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore experiences of women with anal incontinence following a childbirth injury, and to identify areas of missed opportunities within care they received.

Design: This is a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews.

Setting: Participants were recruited via five hospitals in the UK, and via social media adverts and communication from charity organisations.

Rates of and Factors Associated With Patient Withdrawal of Consent in Cancer Clinical Trials.

Importance: Patient withdrawal of consent from a cancer clinical trial is defined as a patient's volitional cessation of participation in all matters related to a trial. It can undermine the trial's purpose, make the original sample size and power calculations irrelevant, introduce bias between trial arms, and prolong the time to trial completion.

Objective: To report rates of and baseline factors associated with withdrawal of consent among patients in cancer clinical trials.