'Miraculous' plant spotted on famed Ecuador ridge.

The former biodiversity hot spot had become a classic example of extinction.

A potential alternative to fungicides using actives-free (meth)acrylate polymers for protection of wheat crops from fungal attachment and infection.

Fungicidal compounds are actives widely used for crop protection from fungal infection, but they can also kill beneficial organisms, enter the food chain and promote resistant pathogen strains from overuse. Here we report the first field crop trial of homopolymer materials that prevent fungal attachment, showing successful crop protection an actives-free approach. In the trial, formulations containing two candidate polymers were applied to young wheat plants that were subject to natural infection with the wheat pathogen .

Screening of Oligomeric (Meth)acrylate Vaccine Adjuvants Synthesized via Catalytic Chain Transfer Polymerization.

This report details the first systematic screening of free-radical-produced methacrylate oligomer reaction mixtures as alternative vaccine adjuvant components to replace the current benchmark compound squalene, which is unsustainably sourced from shark livers. Homo-/co-oligomer mixtures of methyl, butyl, lauryl, and stearyl methacrylate were successfully synthesized using catalytic chain transfer control, where the use of microwave heating was shown to promote propagation over chain transfer. Controlling the mixture material properties allowed the correct viscosity to be achieved, enabling the mixtures to be effectively used in vaccine formulations.

Facile Synthesis of Functionalised Hyperbranched Polymers for Application as Novel, Low Viscosity Lubricant Formulation Components.

A novel, previously unreported, method for synthesising hyperbranched (HB) materials is detailed. Their use as additives to produce lubricant formulations that exhibit enhanced levels of wear protection and improved low-temperature oil viscosity and flow is also reported. The lubricant formulations containing HB additives were found to exhibit both significantly lower viscosities and improved in-use film-forming properties than the current industry standard formulations.

Developing Echogenic Materials as Catheters for Use with Ultrasound.

Patients with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are routinely discharged with the catheters in place. These patients experience complications due to undetected thrombosis or accidental dislodgement, with tracking through limited X-ray imaging. Developing catheters with the capability to be tracked without the need for X-ray imaging would greatly benefit these patients by decreasing patient stress, reducing time to diagnosis, and increasing nursing home capabilities.

The Pathophysiology and Management of Hemorrhagic Shock in the Polytrauma Patient.

The recognition and management of life-threatening hemorrhage in the polytrauma patient poses several challenges to prehospital rescue personnel and hospital providers. First, identification of acute blood loss and the magnitude of lost volume after torso injury may not be readily apparent in the field. Because of the expression of highly effective physiological mechanisms that compensate for a sudden decrease in circulatory volume, a polytrauma patient with a significant blood loss may appear normal during examination by first responders.

Exploring the views of planners and public health practitioners on integrating health evidence into spatial planning in England: a mixed-methods study.

Background: This study explored barriers and facilitators to integrating health evidence into spatial planning at local authority levels and examined the awareness and use of the Public Health England 'Spatial Planning for Health' resource.

Methods: A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design utilized in-depth semi-structured interviews followed by an online survey of public health, planning and other built environment professionals in England.

Results: Views from 19 individuals and 162 survey responses revealed high awareness and use of the Spatial Planning for Health resource, although public health professionals reported greater awareness and use than other professionals.

Early and Long Term Outcomes Following Long Posterior Flap vs. Skew Flap for Below Knee Amputations.

Objective: To compare outcomes between long posterior flap (LPF) and skew flap (SF) amputation over a 13 year period.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study. Consecutive patients undergoing a LPF or SF below knee amputation (BKA) over a 13 year period at one hospital were identified.

Angiosome Specific Revascularisation: Does the Evidence Support It?

Objective: To explain the angiosome concept and explore the practical application of the angiosome literature to a clinical scenario, in this case a tibial angioplasty for critical ischaemia.

Methods: Clinical vignette with explanation of the decisions made and subsequent clinical results based on the theory of the angiosome concept and the literature on angiosomal revascularisation; in this case the results of our group's recent update to a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Results: Endovascular combined or direct angiosomal revascularisation if superior to indirect revascularisation.

Infrapopliteal angioplasty using a combined angiosomal reperfusion strategy.

Introduction: Infra-popliteal angioplasty continues to be widely performed with minimal evidence to guide practice. Endovascular device selection is contentious and there is even uncertainty over which artery to treat for optimum reperfusion. Direct reperfusion (DR) targets the artery supplying the ischaemic tissue.

Application of Targeted Molecular and Material Property Optimization to Bacterial Attachment-Resistant (Meth)acrylate Polymers.

Developing medical devices that resist bacterial attachment and subsequent biofilm formation is highly desirable. In this paper, we report the optimization of the molecular structure and thus material properties of a range of (meth)acrylate copolymers which contain monomers reported to deliver bacterial resistance to surfaces. This optimization allows such monomers to be employed within novel coatings to reduce bacterial attachment to silicone urinary catheters.

Systematic Review and Meta-Regression of Factors Affecting Midline Incisional Hernia Rates: Analysis of 14,618 Patients.

Background: The incidence of incisional hernias (IHs) following midline abdominal incisions is difficult to estimate. Furthermore recent analyses have reported inconsistent findings on the superiority of absorbable versus non-absorbable sutures.

Objective: To estimate the mean IH rate following midline laparotomy from the published literature, to identify variables that predict IH rates and to analyse whether the type of suture (absorbable versus non-absorbable) affects IH rates.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of perineural local anaesthetic catheters after major lower limb amputation.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of using an intraoperatively placed perineural catheter (PNC) with a postoperative local anaesthetic infusion on immediate and long-term outcomes after lower limb amputation.

Methods: A systematic review of key electronic journal databases was undertaken from inception to January 2015. Studies comparing PNC use with either a control, or no PNC, were included.

Intradural lipoma at the foramen magnum presenting with classical Chiari symptoms: A case report.

Intradural lipomas are rare lesions, usually associated with spinal dysraphism, affecting the spinal cord. Intracranial lipomas make up less than 1% of intracranial tumours; only 13 cases of these lesions being located at the craniocervical junction are reported in the literature. These lesions tend to present with neurological deficits such as quadraparesis and incontinence.

'It's made all of us bond since that course…' - a qualitative study of service users' experiences of a CBT anger management group intervention.

Background: People with intellectual disabilities (ID) are rarely asked about their experiences as users of psychological services and little is known about the views of clients with ID who have undergone cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This study aimed to gather the views of adults with ID who had recently taken part in a cluster randomised control trial (RCT) of a staff-delivered manualised CBT anger management group intervention.

Method: A qualitative method, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), was employed and eleven participants were interviewed.

Cognitive behavioural anger management intervention for people with intellectual disabilities: costs of intervention and impact on health and social care resource use.

Background: Anger and aggression among adults with intellectual disability (ID) are associated with a range of adverse consequences for their well-being and that of their family or staff carers. The aims were to evaluate the effectiveness of an anger management intervention for adults with mild to moderate ID and to evaluate the costs of the intervention and its impact on health and social care resource use. This paper is concerned with the latter aim.

Development of a scale to measure fidelity to manualized group-based cognitive behavioural interventions for people with intellectual disabilities.

The context for the present study was a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a group-based anger-management intervention, delivered by day-service staff. We aimed to develop a scale to measure the fidelity of manualized cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered to adults with intellectual disabilities in group-based settings. A 30-item monitoring instrument (the MAnualized Group Intervention Check: MAGIC) was adapted from an existing fidelity-monitor instrument for individual CBT.

Different factors influence self-reports and third-party reports of anger by adults with intellectual disabilities.

Background: Many people with intellectual disabilities display high levels of anger, and cognitive-behavioural anger management interventions are used routinely. However, for these methods to be used optimally, a better understanding is needed of different forms of anger assessment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of a range of measures to self- and carer reports of anger expression, including instruments used to assess mental health and challenging behaviour.

A cluster randomised controlled trial of a manualised cognitive behavioural anger management intervention delivered by supervised lay therapists to people with intellectual disabilities.

Background: Anger is a frequent problem for many people with intellectual disabilities, and is often expressed as verbal and/or physical aggression. Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice for common mental health problems, but CBT has only recently been adapted for people with intellectual disabilities. Anger is the main psychological presentation in which controlled trials have been used to evaluate CBT interventions for people with intellectual disabilities but these do not include rigorous randomised studies.

Group-based cognitive-behavioural anger management for people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities: cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Many people with intellectual disabilities find it hard to control their anger and this often leads to aggression which can have serious consequences, such as exclusion from mainstream services and the need for potentially more expensive emergency placements.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention for anger management in people with intellectual disabilities.

Method: A cluster-randomised trial of group-based 12-week CBT, which took place in day services for people with intellectual disabilities and was delivered by care staff using a treatment manual.

The experiences of staff taking on the role of lay therapist in a group-based cognitive behavioural therapy anger management intervention for people with intellectual disabilities.

Aim: To explore the experience of 'lay therapists' of a group-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) anger management intervention.

Background: Staff employed in daytime opportunity services for adults with intellectual disabilities took on the role of 'lay therapist' to facilitate CBT groups.

Methods: They were trained and supervised by clinical psychologists and interviewed 2-6 weeks after the last group session.