Improvement in safety monitoring of biologic response modifiers after the implementation of clinical care guidelines by a specialty.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors and other biologic response modifiers (BRMs) are frequently used to treat a variety of inflammatory diseases. Use of these agents may increase risk of serious infections, malignancies, and other complications such as worsening symptoms of heart failure or demyelinating disease. Because of these risks, a baseline assessment and routine monitoring have been recommended, but standardized guidelines for monitoring have yet to be established.

Toward a wiki guide for obstetrics and gynecology trainees in Ireland.

Background: The present paper describes the implementation of a novel, web-based, comprehensive national information hub for trainees in obstetrics and gynecology in Ireland. This was a unique development in the context of an entire medical specialty and was aligned with the communication strategy of the governing professional body. To date, trainee doctors working in Ireland undergo an incoherent and inconsistent new-staff induction and handover.

Self-assembled enzymatic monolayer directly bound to a gold surface: activity and molecular recognition force spectroscopy studies.

Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR) has one surface cysteine, C152, located opposite and distal to the active site. Here, we show that the enzyme spontaneously assembles on an ultraflat gold surface as a homogeneous, covalently bound monolayer. Surprisingly, the activity of the gold-immobilized ecDHFR as measured by radiographic analysis was found to be similar to that of the free enzyme in solution.

Anaesthesia and analgesia for ambulatory hysteroscopic surgery.

Although ambulatory hysteroscopy is well established in dedicated centres, there is a delay in its general implementation. One reason for this may be the lack of consensus regarding a protocol for analgesia and anaesthesia in ambulatory hysteroscopy. This review looks at the various methods in use.

Psychiatric morbidity following endometrial ablation and its association with genuine menorrhagia.

Objective: To explore the relation between pre-operative psychiatric morbidity, menstrual blood loss and psychiatric outcome in women receiving endometrial ablation for heavy periods.

Design: A prospective cohort study.

Setting: The menorrhagia clinic at Leeds General Infirmary.