Spatial Risk Factors for Pillar 1 COVID-19 Excess Cases and Mortality in Rural Eastern England, UK.

Understanding is still developing about spatial risk factors for COVID-19 infection or mortality. This is a secondary analysis of patient records in a confined area of eastern England, covering persons who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 through end May 2020, including dates of death and residence area. We obtained residence area data on air quality, deprivation levels, care home bed capacity, age distribution, rurality, access to employment centers, and population density.

Introduction to and spread of COVID-19-like illness in care homes in Norfolk, UK.

Background: Residential care homes for the elderly are important settings for transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

Methods: We undertook secondary analysis of 248 care homes in Norfolk, UK. The dataset counted nurses, care workers and non-care workers, their status (available, absent due to leave or sickness and extra staff needed to address the coronavirus pandemic) and residents (if any) with suspected COVID-19 in the period 6 April to 6 May 2020.

Glioblastoma in England: 2007-2011.

Aims: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumour in adults, with a poor prognosis. Changing treatment paradigms suggest improved outcome, but whole nation data for England is scarce. The aim of this report is to examine the incidence of patients with glioblastoma in England, and to assess the influence of gender, age, geographical region and treatment on outcome.

Positive effect of a targeted intervention to improve access and availability of fruit and vegetables in an area of deprivation.

Increasing fruit and vegetable intake has the potential to prevent chronic disease risk but substantial inequalities in intake exist between advantaged and disadvantaged communities. Access and availability of fruit and vegetables have been shown to be important determinants of intake. The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Mobile Food Store intervention to improve access to fruit and vegetables by making cost-price produce available to targeted communities.

Evaluation of partnership working in cities in phase IV of the WHO Healthy Cities Network.

An intersectoral partnership for health improvement is a requirement of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network of municipalities. A review was undertaken in 59 cities based on responses to a structured questionnaire covering phase IV of the network (2003-2008). Cities usually combined formal and informal working partnerships in a pattern seen in previous phases.

Reliability of using 238U/235U and 234U/238U ratios from alpha spectrometry as qualitative indicators of enriched uranium contamination.

Alpha spectrometry is a commonly used technique for the measurement of uranium isotopes in environmental samples because it is widely available at a relatively low cost. For natural uranium the (234)U to (238)U activity ratio should be 1 and the (238)U to (235)U activity ratio should be 21.7.