Surgical site infections after emergency hernia repair: substudy from the Management of Acutely Symptomatic Hernia (MASH) study.

Introduction: Acutely symptomatic abdominal wall and groin hernias (ASH) are a common acute surgical presentation. There are limited data to guide decisions related to surgical repair technique and use of antibiotics, which can be driven by increased risk of surgical site infection (SSI) in this group. This study aims to report rates of SSI following ASH repair and explore the use of patient-reported outcome measure reporting in this setting.

New Osia® OSI200 active transcutaneous bone-anchored hearing device: how I do it.

Introduction: The new Osia® OSI200 implant incorporates a receiver coil and Piezo Power™ Transducer into one monolithic unit. Appropriate planning and surgical approach is needed for suitable positioning of the device.

Method: To optimise the surgical field and provide tension-free wound closure our team have adopted a versatile 'Sheffield-S' post-auricular incision which remains hidden within the hairline.

Management of Acutely Symptomatic Hernia (MASH) study.

Background: Acutely symptomatic abdominal wall and groin hernias are a common reason for acute surgical hospital admissions. There are limited data to guide the treatment of these patients. This study aimed to assess outcomes of emergency hernia surgery and identify common management strategies, to improve care for these high-risk patients.

Clinician preferences in the treatment of acutely symptomatic hernia: the 'MASH' survey.

Introduction: There is limited high-quality evidence to guide the management of acute hernia presentation. The aim of this study was to survey surgeons to assess current trends in assessment, treatment strategy and operative decisions in the management of acutely symptomatic hernia.

Methods: A survey was developed with reference to current guidelines, and reported according to Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys guidelines.

Remote assessments for bone conduction hearing devices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic had resulted in the suspension of many routine audiology services due to the risk of cross-infections in closed spaces. This has driven the need for exploring alternatives to conventional face-to-face consultations in the hospital outpatient setting. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of remote consultations and assessments for patients on the waiting list for consideration of bone conduction hearing devices (BCHDs), and whether this type of consultation could continue beyond the COVID-19 era.

First United Kingdom experience of the novel Osia active transcutaneous piezoelectric bone conduction implant.

Purpose: Bone conduction hearing devices are widely used and indicated in cases of conductive, mixed or single-sided deafness where the conventional hearing aids are not indicated or tolerated. This prospective study aims to investigate the surgical and hearing outcomes of a novel active piezoelectric transcutaneous bone conduction device (t-BCD).

Methods: Prospective data were collected from the first 10 patients who underwent implantation with the t-BCD Osia (Cochlear, Australia) (between Dec 2018 and March 2019) in a tertiary referral centre.

Single-center Experience of Over a Hundred Implantations of a Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Device.

Objective: To assess outcomes with a novel passive transcutaneous bone conduction device (t-BCD).

Study Design: Prospective data collection and patient review.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Spontaneous haemorrhage from a left gastric artery aneurysm as a cause of acute abdominal pain.

Visceral artery aneurysms are rare, with a reported incidence of less than 2% in the general population. Aneurysms of the left gastric artery are particularly uncommon, accounting for 4% of all visceral aneurysms. Although the majority are discovered incidentally and can be managed conservatively, prompt treatment of those ruptured or at risk of rupture is crucial to reduce the associated morbidity.

Outcomes of regional transfers of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in a UK vascular network.

INTRODUCTION Rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm is a surgical emergency. In order to improve operative outcomes, vascular services have been centralised in the United Kingdom. This means that a patient may present to a hospital with a ruptured aneurysm, but require transfer to a vascular centre for definitive treatment.

Cost implications and oncological outcomes for laparoscopic versus open surgery for right hemicolectomy.

Introduction: Recent studies have suggested that laparoscopic surgery for colorectal resection confers a cost benefit compared with open surgery. These studies have considered a wide range of colorectal operations together rather than focusing on a single procedure. Our study compared direct clinical costs for laparoscopic versus open right hemicolectomy.

Barriers to adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy as expressed by people living with HIV/AIDS.

The primary objective of this study was to gain a clearer understanding of the barriers to adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) faced by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHIV/AIDS) on Long Island, New York. Focus group, a qualitative research method, was used to study these barriers. The study was conducted in 1998 on Long Island, NY, at five institutions that provide services to 1700 PLWHIV/AIDS.

The chemistry of lysozyme and its use as a food preservative and a pharmaceutical.

The chemistry and use of lysozyme as a food preservative and a pharmaceutical are reviewed. Lysozyme inhibits the growth of deleterious organisms, thus prolonging shelf life. Chemicals used to improve the preservative effect of lysozyme and those that inhibit the enzyme are discussed, along with the stability of lysozyme in various chemical environments.

IL 1 and bacterial lipopolysaccharide increase the ability of human endothelial cells to bind peripheral blood monocytes.

Human endothelial cells (EC) exposed to human recombinant IL 1 and to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) demonstrated a time dependent increase in their ability to bind peripheral blood monocytes (M0). The enhancement of endothelial-M0 interactions was shown to represent a direct alteration of EC and was not explained by IL 1 and LPS affecting M0. Other experiments indicated that the enhancement represented an acceleration in EC binding of M0 suggesting that EC may play a role in initiating proinflammatory events prior to the recruitment of inflammatory cells by chemotactic peptides.

Modulation of human monocyte chemotaxis and procoagulant activity by human C-reactive protein (CRP).

Experiments were performed to determine whether the acute phase reactant C reactive protein (CRP) influences the chemotactic and procoagulant activity (PCA) of human peripheral blood monocytes (MO). The results show that concentrations of CRP between 2.5 and 10 ug/ml increased MO chemotaxis approximately 3-fold in a serum free assay system.

Long-distance dispersal of seeds by retention in digestive tract of birds.

Viable seeds of Celtis, Convolvulus, Malva, and Rhus were regurgitated from the digestive tract of kill-deer (Charadrius vociferus) after 160, 144, 152, and 340 hours, respectively; seeds were recovered in the same way, after long-time retention, from least sandpipers (Erolia minutilla). Most other birds do not retain seeds as long. There is evidence that seeds of many species can remain viable in the intestinal tract of some shorebirds long enough to be transported several thousand miles.

CONSPECIFICITY OF SOME CHAROPHYTES(1).

Sweets Lake, British Columbia, is the type locality for plants originally described as Chara buckellii. Plants from this locality liave been crossed successfully to a second clone from Laguna La Drava, Argentina, the type locality for Nitellopsis bulbillifern. Plants from both clones were also crossed with others from Texas, New Mexico, and Wyoming that agree in most respects with.

STORAGE AND GERMINATION OF CHARA OOSPORES.

Germination tests were conducted on 39 collections of Chara oospores stored under 4 different conditions for periods of approximately 4 yr. In general, storage of dried oospores at low temperatures (3 C) provided the most satisfactory means for long-term preservation of viable disseminules. Oospore germination zuas higher in light than in darkness.

MLA certification: its present problems and future development.

The certification program is reviewed and questions as to the validity of the existing three grades of certification are raised. Large institutions which employ many medical librarians do not officially recognize the certificates. The three types of certificates should be replaced with one certificate or diploma.

Dispersal of Fresh-Water Algae by Migratory Water Birds.

Many migratory water birds killed in Texas and Oklahoma contained viable fresh-water algae in the lower digestive tracts. Such birds are thought to play a significant role in the long-range dispersal of certain algae, particularly those species easily killed by desiccation.