Improving communication between health professionals and women in maternity care: a structured review.

Objective: To review trials of the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving communication between health professionals and women in maternity care.

Search Strategy: The electronic databases Medline, PsycLit, The Cochrane Library, BIDS Science and Social Science Indexes, Cinahl and Embase were searched. Final searches were carried out in April 2000.

Comparability of published perinatal mortality rates in Western Europe: the quantitative impact of differences in gestational age and birthweight criteria.

Objective: To quantify the impact of publication criteria on differences in published national perinatal mortality rates among Western European countries.

Design: Descriptive study of perinatal mortality rates in Western European countries with adjustments for international differences in publication data.

Population: All live births and perinatal deaths in 1994 in Western European countries.

Evidence of powerful substrate electric fields in DNA photolyase: implications for thymidine dimer repair.

DNA photolyase is a flavoprotein that repairs cyclobutylpyrimidine dimers by ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer. One unusual feature of this enzyme is the configuration of the FAD cofactor, where the isoalloxazine and adenine rings are nearly in vdW contact. We have measured the steady-state and transient absorption spectra and excited-state decay kinetics of oxidized (FAD-containing, folate-depleted) Escherichia coli DNA photolyase with and without dinucleotide and polynucleotide single-stranded thymidine dimer substrates.

Presence of human T-cell responses to the Mycobacterium leprae 45-kilodalton antigen reflects infection with or exposure to M. leprae.

The ability of the 45-kDa serine-rich Mycobacterium leprae antigen to stimulate peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production was measured in leprosy patients, household contacts, and healthy controls from areas of endemicity in Mexico. Almost all the tuberculoid leprosy patients gave strong PBMC proliferation responses to the M. leprae 45-kDa antigen (92.

Does poor communication contribute to stillbirths and infant deaths? A review.

Background: Assessors from the Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy (CESDI) have cited poor communication as a contributory factor in a proportion of such deaths. This review assesses what research evidence exists to support or explain this.

Methods: A structured review was carried out, including all studies of sub-optimal care in stillbirth or infant death and studies of litigation in perinatal care.

Health statistics. Minus sign.

The government's plans for multi-agency healthcare will be hampered by the variability of data available in different sectors. Data collection from private hospitals, clinics and nursing homes lags far behind the NHS. Unless data collection improves, no information will be available on the care provided to the 270,000 people expected to receive rehabilitation or intermediate care in nursing homes under the NHS plan.

Attenuation of the allergen-induced late asthmatic reaction by cyclosporin A is associated with inhibition of bronchial eosinophils, interleukin-5, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and eotaxin.

The allergen-induced late asthmatic reaction (LAR) is associated with increases in bronchial eosinophils and basophils as well as upregulation of several eosinophil active cytokines and C-C chemokines. Cyclosporin A (CsA) was previously shown to inhibit the LAR, but not the early asthmatic reaction (EAR), and this was associated with a decrease in blood eosinophils. For these reasons, we determined whether CsA inhibited the allergen-induced increases in bronchial eosinophils, basophils, eotaxin, interleukin-5 (IL-5), and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

Sputum cysteinyl leukotrienes increase 24 hours after allergen inhalation in atopic asthmatics.

We have used the relatively noninvasive technique of induced sputum to measure allergen-induced changes in the concentration of eicosanoid mediators in bronchial secretions from atopic asthmatics. Sputum induction was performed before and 24 h after inhalational allergen challenge in 14 atopic asthmatics who developed a late asthmatic reaction (LAR). Differential cell counts were made on sputum cytospins and eicosanoid (cysteinyl leukotrienes [cys LTs], prostaglandin D(2) [PGD(2)], and PGE(2)) concentrations were measured in the sputum supernatants.

Mental health status of the South Australian population.

Objective: To determine, by the use of a telephone survey, the mental health status of SA adults (18+ years) using the GHQ-28, SF-12 and self-report as indicators of mental health, and to examine risk factors for mental health morbidity.

Sample: A random representative sample of South Australian adults selected from the Electronic White Pages. Overall, 2,501 interviews were conducted (74.

Evaluation of midwife-led care provided at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Objective: To compare the outcome of care given to women 'booking' for delivery in a midwife-led maternity unit with that for comparable women 'booking' for care in a consultant obstetric unit.

Design And Method: Prospective cohort study with a quasi-experimental design and data extracted from case notes.

Setting: East Dorset, midwife-led maternity unit at Royal Bournemouth Hospital and consultant-led maternity unit at Poole General Hospital.

Morphine increases susceptibility to oral Salmonella typhimurium infection.

This study examined the effect of morphine on oral infection with virulent Salmonella typhimurium. Animals were treated with a 75-mg slow-release morphine pellet followed by inoculation with salmonellae. Morphine markedly sensitized mice to oral infection, as assessed by survival, mean survival time, and colony culture.

Factors influencing the distribution of tuberculosis cases in an inner London borough.

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has increased throughout London, especially in inner city boroughs. Ethnicity, poverty, and the success of TB control measures all affect the distribution of cases between boroughs. This study was conducted to see which factors affect the distribution of cases between electoral wards within an inner London borough.

Treating cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia.

Cognitive dysfunction is a common, chronically disabling component of schizophrenia. It has been proposed that many of the symptoms of schizophrenia can be understood as a result of disruption of fundamental cognitive processes. This paper reviews treatment strategies aimed at improving cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia.

Isokinetic performance and shoulder mobility in elite volleyball athletes from the United Kingdom.

Objectives: To evaluate the differences in strength and mobility of shoulder rotator muscles in the dominant and non-dominant shoulders of elite volleyball players.

Methods: Isokinetic muscle strength tests were performed at speeds of 60 and 120 degrees/s, and shoulder mobility was examined in ten players from the England national men's volleyball squad. The subjects also completed a questionnaire that included a visual prompt and analogue pain scale.

Basophils, eosinophils, and mast cells in atopic and nonatopic asthma and in late-phase allergic reactions in the lung and skin.

Background: Previous studies used indirect methods to identify basophils in the bronchi in asthma, and the numbers were not compared with eosinophils and mast cells. Furthermore, differences in basophil numbers between atopic and nonatopic asthma at baseline and between late-phase skin and asthmatic reactions have not been previously documented.

Objective: The basophil granule-specific mAb BB1 was used to identify basophils in (1) bronchial biopsy specimens from atopic asthmatic subjects and nonatopic asthmatic subjects and control subjects, (2) biopsy specimens from atopic asthmatic subjects before and after inhalational allergen challenge, and (3) late-phase skin reactions.

Eosinophil chemotactic chemokines (eotaxin, eotaxin-2, RANTES, monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 (MCP-3), and MCP-4), and C-C chemokine receptor 3 expression in bronchial biopsies from atopic and nonatopic (Intrinsic) asthmatics.

Atopic (AA) and nonatopic (NAA) asthma are characterized by chronic inflammation and local tissue eosinophilia. Many C-C chemokines are potent eosinophil chemoattractants and act predominantly via the CCR3. We examined the expression of eotaxin, eotaxin-2, RANTES, monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 (MCP-3), MCP-4, and CCR3 in the bronchial mucosa from atopic (AA) and nonatopic (intrinsic; NAA) asthmatics and compared our findings with atopic (AC) and nonatopic nonasthmatic controls (NC).

Identifying problems with data collection at a local level: survey of NHS maternity units in England.

Objectives: To document the extent to which maternity data are collected and how they are recorded, and to identify problems that may affect their availability throughout the NHS.

Methods: Postal survey in September 1997 with structured questionnaires.

Setting: 207 NHS trusts with maternity units in England.

Increases in eotaxin-positive cells in induced sputum from atopic asthmatic subjects after inhalational allergen challenge.

Background: Eosinophils are believed to be critical proinflammatory cells in airway mucosal damage in asthma. Eotaxin is a C-C chemokine with selective activity for eosinophils and basophils. Previous studies have shown increased expression of eotaxin in the airways of asthmatics at baseline.

Classification differences and maternal mortality: a European study. MOMS Group. MOthers' Mortality and Severe morbidity.

Objectives: To compare the ways maternal deaths are classified in national statistical offices in Europe and to evaluate the ways classification affects published rates.

Methods: Data on pregnancy-associated deaths were collected in 13 European countries. Cases were classified by a European panel of experts into obstetric or non-obstetric causes.