Publications

england to launch special flu service next week to take pressure off primary care.		2009	19620227
vitamin d receptor gene polymorphisms, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d levels, and melanoma: uk case-control comparisons and a meta-analysis of published vdr data.	we have carried out melanoma case-control comparisons for six vitamin d receptor (vdr) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d(3) levels in order to investigate the role of vitamin d in melanoma susceptibility. there was no significant evidence of an association between any vdr snp and risk in 1028 population-ascertained cases and 402 controls from leeds, uk. in a second leeds case-control study (299 cases and 560 controls) the foki t allele was associated with ...	2009	19615888
cases of a/h1n1 flu are nearing epidemic levels in london and west midlands, say gps.		2009	19596723
influenza and inflation in tudor england.		1965	19591256
an outbreak of influenza a(h1n1)v in a boarding school in south east england, may-june 2009.	an outbreak of influenza a(h1n1)v was confirmed in may and june 2009 in a boarding school in south east england involving 102 symptomatic cases with influenza-like illness. influenza a(h1n1)v infection was laboratory-confirmed by pcr in 62 pupils and one member of staff.	2009	19589330
preliminary descriptive epidemiology of a large school outbreak of influenza a(h1n1)v in the west midlands, united kingdom, may 2009.	this report describes the preliminary results from the investigation of a large school outbreak of influenza a(h1n1)v in birmingham, united kingdom in may 2009, when influenza a(h1n1)v was confirmed in 64 of 175 (36%) symptomatic pupils and members of staff.	2009	19589329
matrix metalloproteinase-2 predicts mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome.	the aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of mmp (matrix metalloproteinase)-2, mmp-3 and mmp-9 levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome for death, readmission with hf (heart failure) or recurrent mi (myocardial infarction) and to compare them with established markers, nt-probnp (n-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide) and the grace (global registry of acute coronary events) score. a single blood test was taken 4 days after admission in 1024 consecutive patien ...	2009	19583569
public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak: cross sectional telephone survey.	to assess whether perceptions of the swine flu outbreak predicted changes in behaviour among members of the public in england, scotland, and wales.	2009	19574308
"no one has ever asked for it back!" a survey assessing the fate of reusable external fixation equipment in mortuaries.	technicians from one hundred and eighteen human tissue authority (hta) approved mortuaries licensed to perform post-mortems in england completed a telephone interview. all were questioned on whether they had contact with reusable external fixators, who was responsible for the removal, the number removed annually, and the destination of the fixator post-removal. opinion was sought on how the return of the equipment could be better facilitated. seventy-four of the technicians interviewed could rem ...	2010	19570535
variation at the anp32a gene is associated with risk of hip osteoarthritis in women.	the anp32a gene encodes a tumor suppressor molecule that plays a regulatory role in apoptosis and interferes with canonical wnt signaling in vitro. we undertook this study to test whether genetic variation at anp32a was associated with osteoarthritis (oa) in women.	2009	19565487
temperance, alcohol, and the american evangelical: a reassessment.	abstinence from alcohol is a way of life for many american evangelicals, with rates of abstention running at over 70% among some pentecostal denominations. this paper examines the religious beliefs that, historically, have supported teetotalism. the most notable of these is christian perfection, a doctrine that originated in 18th-century england, that was then radicalized in america in the early 19th century. abstinence from alcohol is highest among denominations that make christian perfection t ...	2009	19563558
characterization of genetically diverse hiv type 1 from a london cohort: near full-length genomic analysis of a subtype h strain.	hiv-1 is characterized by an exceptional level of sequence diversity and a rapid rate of evolution. hiv diversity has implications for reliability of assays designed to detect and monitor infection, pathogenesis, disease progression, response to antiviral therapeutics, resistance pathways, and vaccine development. in the present study, hiv-1 strain diversity was assessed for a small clinical cohort (n = 15) from london, england at risk for infection with non-subtype b strains. analysis of gag p2 ...	2009	19552591
improving adherence to gh therapy with an electronic device: first experience with easypod.	endocrinology units in the uk and eire have, in recent years, moved away from offering a narrow range of injection devices and products to patients starting growth hormone (gh) treatment, and now most (approximately 90%) offer some form of patient choice. survey results from a unit in birmingham, uk, have shown that it is not possible to predict which device will be selected by a given patient based on their sex, age or diagnostic category. across the uk, there is, however, wide variability in t ...	2009	19550392
cost of treatment and qalys lost due to genital warts: data for the economic evaluation of hpv vaccines in the united kingdom.	data on the burden of genital warts in terms of treatment costs and detriment to quality of life (qol) are required to assess cost-effectiveness of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination. we investigated the cost of treatment and period of time for which qol is affected to obtain estimates of quality-adjusted life year (qaly) loss associated with an episode of genital warts.	2009	19543143
prepared for a 'flu pandemic? i don't think so...		2009	19540578
hpv testing in combination with liquid-based cytology in primary cervical screening (artistic): a randomised controlled trial.	testing for human papillomavirus (hpv) dna is reportedly more sensitive than cytology for the detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (cin). the effectiveness of hpv testing in primary cervical screening was assessed in the artistic trial, which was done over two screening rounds approximately 3 years apart (2001-03 and 2004-07) by comparing liquid-based cytology (lbc) combined with hpv testing against lbc alone.	2009	19540162
association of variants in the pcsk1 gene with obesity in the epic-norfolk study.	recently, the rs6232 (n221d) and rs6235 (s690t) snps in the pcsk1 gene were associated with obesity in a meta-analysis comprising more than 13 000 individuals of european ancestry. each additional minor allele of rs6232 or rs6235 was associated with a 1.34- or 1.22-fold increase in the risk of obesity, respectively. so far, only one relatively small study has aimed to replicate these findings, but could not confirm the association of the rs6235 snp and did not study the rs6232 variant. in the pr ...	2009	19528091
an exploratory study of the effect of using high-mix biphasic insulin aspart in people with type 2 diabetes.	to compare blood glucose control when using biphasic insulin aspart (biasp) three times a day (using 70/30 high-mix before breakfast and lunch), with biphasic human insulin (bhi, 30/70) twice daily in adults with type 2 diabetes already treated with insulin.	2009	19527481
estimating progression rates for human papillomavirus infection from epidemiological data.	a markov model was constructed in order to estimate type-specific rates of cervical lesion progression and regression in women with high-risk human papillomavirus (hpv). the model was fitted to age- and type-specific data regarding the hpv dna and cytological status of women undergoing cervical screening in a recent screening trial, as well as cervical cancer incidence. it incorporates different assumptions about the way lesions regress, the accuracy of cytological screening, the specificity of ...	2010	19525483
a comparison of exposure to carcinogens among roll-your-own and factory-made cigarette smokers.	consumption of roll-your-own (ryo) tobacco is rising, but little is known about its in vivo delivery of toxins relative to factory-made (fm) cigarettes. to start to address this issue, this study compared the concentrations of metabolites of recognized human carcinogens in smokers of ryo tobacco and fm cigarettes. we opportunistically recruited 127 fm and 28 ryo cigarette smokers in central london and collected saliva and urine samples. saliva samples were assayed for cotinine while urinary samp ...	2009	19523045
the british river of the future: how climate change and human activity might affect two contrasting river ecosystems in england.	the possible effects of changing climate on a southern and a north-eastern english river (the thames and the yorkshire ouse, respectively) were examined in relation to water and ecological quality throughout the food web. the classic hydrological model, driven by output from the hadley centre climate model (hadcm3), based on ipcc low and high co(2) emission scenarios for 2080 were used as the basis for the analysis. compared to current conditions, the classic model predicted lower flows for both ...	2009	19505713
an integrated tool to assess the role of new planting in pm10 capture and the human health benefits: a case study in london.	the role of vegetation in mitigating the effects of pm(10) pollution has been highlighted as one potential benefit of urban greenspace. an integrated modelling approach is presented which utilises air dispersion (adms-urban) and particulate interception (ufore) to predict the pm(10) concentrations both before and after greenspace establishment, using a 10 x 10 km area of east london green grid (elgg) as a case study. the corresponding health benefits, in terms of premature mortality and respirat ...	2009	19501436
the english diaspora: discovering scotland's invisible migrants - 1945 to 2000.		2002	19489176
familial spontaneous pneumothorax and lung cysts due to a folliculin exon 10 mutation.	approximately 10% of patients who have a spontaneous pneumothorax have a positive family history. in 1977, birt, hogg and dube (bhd) described a genodermatosis characterised by benign tumours of the hair follicle that has been associated with renal neoplasms and spontaneous pneumothorax. the bhd locus is located on chromosome 17p11.2 and is now known to be due to heterozygous germline mutations in the folliculin gene. we report three generations of an english family who suffered spontaneous pneu ...	2009	19483054
research involving adults who lack capacity: how have research ethics committees interpreted the requirements?	two separate regulatory regimes govern research with adults who lack capacity to consent in england and wales: the mental capacity act (mca) 2005 and the medicines for human use (clinical trials) regulations 2004 ("the regulations"). a service evaluation was conducted to investigate how research ethics committees (recs) are interpreting the requirements. with the use of a coding scheme and qualitative software, a sample of rec decision letters where applicants indicated that their project involv ...	2009	19482983
statistical modeling suggests that antiandrogens in effluents from wastewater treatment works contribute to widespread sexual disruption in fish living in english rivers.	the widespread occurrence of feminized male fish downstream of some wastewater treatment works has led to substantial interest from ecologists and public health professionals. this concern stems from the view that the effects observed have a parallel in humans, and that both phenomena are caused by exposure to mixtures of contaminants that interfere with reproductive development. the evidence for a "wildlife-human connection" is, however, weak: testicular dysgenesis syndrome, seen in human males ...	2009	19479024
human metapneumovirus: a new threat?		2009	19478119
a strange and surprising debate: mountains, original sin and 'science' in seventeenth-century england.	it could come as a shock to learn that some seventeenth-century men of science and learning thought that mountains were bad. even more alarmingly, some thought that god had imposed them on the earth to punish man for his sins. by the end of the seventeenth century, surprisingly many english natural philosophers and theologians were engaged in a debate about whether mountains were 'good' or 'bad', useful or useless. at stake in this debate were not just the careers of its participants, but argume ...	2009	19477013
a randomised controlled trial to compare minimally invasive glucose monitoring devices with conventional monitoring in the management of insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (mitre).	to evaluate whether the additional information provided by minimally invasive glucose monitors results in improved glycaemic control in people with poorly controlled insulin-requiring diabetes, and to assess the acceptability and health economic impact of the devices.	2009	19476724
ecosystem service benefits of contrasting conservation strategies in a human-dominated region.	the hope among policy-makers and scientists alike is that conservation strategies designed to protect biodiversity also provide direct benefits to people by protecting other vital ecosystem services. the few studies that have examined the delivery of ecosystem services by existing conservation efforts have concentrated on large, 'wilderness'-style biodiversity reserves. however, such reserves are not realistic options for densely populated regions. here, we provide the first analyses that compar ...	2009	19474040
protecting infants against measles in england and wales: a review.	to establish the most appropriate age ranges for the use of human normal immunoglobulin and mmr vaccine as postexposure prophylaxis.	2009	19457878
will the nhs continue to function in an influenza pandemic? a survey of healthcare workers in the west midlands, uk.	if uk healthcare services are to respond effectively to pandemic influenza, levels of absenteeism amongst healthcare workers (hcws) must be minimised. current estimates of the likelihood that hcws will continue to attend work during a pandemic are subject to scientific and predictive uncertainty, yet an informed evidence base is needed if contingency plans addressing the issues of hcw absenteeism are to be prepared.	2009	19442272
inflammatory markers and growth in south asian and european origin infants in britain: the manchester children's growth and vascular health study.	given the high risk of cardiovascular disease in south asians and the importance of inflammation in coronary heart disease we tested the hypothesis that circulating c-reactive protein (crp) and interleukin 6 (il-6) would be higher in healthy british born infants of south asian origin than in infants of european origin in the first 2 years of life.	2009	19439300
the effect of exclusion of cases with unrecorded best estimate of gestational age on the estimates of preterm birth rate.	to investigate the effect of excluding cases with unrecorded best estimate of gestational age at birth on pregnancy outcome reporting and to determine the reasons for unrecorded gestational age data.	2009	19438493
model answers or trivial pursuits? the role of mathematical models in influenza pandemic preparedness planning.	the panzootic of h5n1 influenza in birds has raised concerns that the virus will mutate to spread more readily in people, leading to a human pandemic. mathematical models have been used to interpret past pandemics and outbreaks, and to thus model possible future pandemic scenarios and interventions. we review historical influenza outbreak and transmission data, and discuss the way in which modellers have used such sources to inform model structure and assumptions. we suggest that urban attack ra ...	2007	19432634
drug-resistant salmonella typhimurium dt 120: use of pfge and mlva in a putative international outbreak investigation.	isolates of salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium belonging to definitive phage type (dt) 120 (salmonella typhimurium dt 120) from simultaneous outbreaks of infection in the england and denmark have been compared on the basis of antibiogram, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge), and multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (mlva). isolates from england had the resistance profile (ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline), mlva profiles 2-4-4-0-2, 2-4-5-0-2, ...	2009	19432517
no association between cholinergic muscarinic receptor 2 (chrm2) genetic variation and cognitive abilities in three independent samples.	cognitive ability has a substantial genetic component and more than 15 candidate genes have been identified over the past 8 years. one gene that has been associated with general cognitive ability is the cholinergic muscarinic 2 receptor (chrm2). in an attempt to replicate this finding we typed marker rs8191992 (the originally reported chrm2 snp) in two population based cohorts-one scottish aged over 50 years (n = 2,091) and the other english comprising non-demented elderly participants (n = 758) ...	2009	19418213
verocytotoxigenic escherichia coli o157 in animals on public amenity premises in england and wales, 1997 to 2007.	at the request of the public health authorities, 31 public amenity premises in england and wales containing animals of various species were investigated for the presence of verocytotoxigenic escherichia coli (vtec) o157 between 1997 and 2007, because of putative associations with human cases. vtec o157 was confirmed in one or more species on 19 (61.3 per cent) of the premises. there were significant associations between the presence of vtec o157 and the number of species sampled, the size of the ...	2009	19411683
cryptosporidium sp. rabbit genotype, a newly identified human pathogen.		2009	19402985
temporal perspective and parental intention to accept the human papillomavirus vaccination for their daughter.	a school-based vaccination programme to prevent infection with the human papillomavirus (hpv), the virus that causes cervical cancer, began in october 2008 in england. the present study evaluated the role of temporal perspective in the formation of attitudes and intentions towards the vaccine.	2010	19402950
samuel alderman lomas (1838-1901) the man with two gravestones, his brother muscot atkin lomas (1840-1907) and their lives in victorian asylums.	samuel alderman lomas died in the hertfordshire county asylum, hill end, st albans in 1901. he was buried in the asylum cemetery where two gravestones bear his name. this paper traces his life history and that of his brother muscot atkin lomas. both were classed as idiots in victorian society and spent most of their lives -- from childhood until death -- in asylums.	2009	19401514
what motivated dr david livingstone (1813-73) in his work in africa?	born of humble beginnings in a scottish mill-town, david livingstone would become one of the great explorers of the 19th century, traversing 30,000 miles of unknown africa. his pioneering spirit and inquisitive mind brought knowledge and discoveries in the fields of tropical medicine, linguistics, botany, zoology, anthropology and geology. while it can be argued that livingstone exhibited contradictions and shortcomings as a man, he nonetheless grasped the imagination of victorian britain and he ...	2009	19401513
the synergistic effect of autograft and bmp-7 in the treatment of atrophic nonunions.	combining autologous bone graft and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-7 (bmp-7) to treat long-bone fracture aseptic atrophic nonunions theoretically could promote bone healing at higher rates than each of these grafting agents separately. we retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data on patient general characteristics, clinical outcomes, and complications over 3 years to determine the healing rates and the incidence of complications and adverse events of this "graft expansi ...	2009	19396502
bipartisan politics and practical knowledge: advertising of public science in two london newspapers, 1695-1720.	this article explores the enticement of consumers for natural philosophy (buyers of books, audiences at public lectures and purchasers of instruments) in london between 1695 and 1720 through advertisements placed in two political newspapers. this twenty-five-year period witnessed both the birth of public science and the rage of party politics. a consideration of public science adverts within the whig-leaning post man and the tory-leaning post boy reveals that members of both the whig and tory pa ...	2008	19391417
mental capacity to consent to treatment and admission decisions in older adult psychiatric inpatients.	there is little information about older adult psychiatric inpatients' capacity to consent to clinical decisions. in younger adults, lack of capacity is associated with poor insight and psychosis rather than cognitive impairment. we assessed the prevalence and predictors of mental capacity to make treatment and admission decisions in older psychiatric inpatients, and asked their views about who should make these decisions.	2009	19378346
canine leishmaniosis in the united kingdom: a zoonotic disease waiting for a vector?	leishmaniosis is an important sand fly transmitted protozoan disease of dogs and humans. in northern europe, infection is mainly restricted to dogs that have travelled to and/or from endemic areas of the mediterranean region during periods when there is high sand fly exposure, mostly between march and november. infected dogs in these areas in northern latitudes are a potential reservoir should incursion of a competent vector occur. however, information on the scale of the potential reservoir in ...	2009	19369005
recent origin and spread of a common welsh mapt splice mutation causing frontotemporal lobar degeneration.	ivs10+16c>t is the most prevalent mutation in the microtubule-associated protein tau gene (mapt) causing frontotemporal lobar degeneration (ftld) in populations of british descent. a highly conserved 17q21 haplotype was identified in ivs10+16c>t chromosomes from north wales, greater manchester and the london areas of the uk, australia, and the usa, suggesting the occurrence of a common founder effect. to test this hypothesis, the age of the mutation was estimated by parametric and bayesian analy ...	2009	19365643
polychlorinated biphenyls in domestic dust from canada, new zealand, united kingdom and united states: implications for human exposure.	ingestion of indoor dust has been highlighted as an important pathway of exposure to brominated flame retardants. hence, polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) were determined in indoor dust from homes in amarillo/austin, tx, usa (n=20; median concentration=200 ng sigma pcb g(-1)); birmingham, uk (n=20; 48 ng sigma pcb g(-1)); toronto, canada (n=10; 260 ng sigma pcb g(-1)); and wellington, new zealand (n=20; 46 ng sigma pcb g(-1)). concentrations in canadian and us samples were statistically indisting ...	2009	19356786
dioxin and pcb contamination in chinese mitten crabs: human consumption as a control mechanism for an invasive species.	the chinese mitten crab eriocheir sinensis is an invasive species in north american and northeastern european rivers and estuaries, especially the thames, england, with the potential to cause considerable ecological and structural environmental damage. the brown meat of sexually ripe mitten crabs is highly prized in far eastern restaurants, suggesting that harvesting for culinary purposes offers a potential population control mechanism. we have analyzed tissues of thames and dutch mitten crabs f ...	2009	19350945
surgeons' experience of learning psychological skills: a preliminary evaluation of a psychological skills training course.	a range of human factors have been shown to impact on surgical performance although little is known about the impact of training on the views of surgeons towards these factors or how receptive surgeons are to such training.	2009	19344556
temporal patterns and risk factors for escherichia coli o157 and campylobacter spp, in young cattle.	escherichia coli o157 and campylobacter jejuni and campylobacter coli are zoonotic pathogens originating from farm animals. cattle are the main reservoir for e. coli o157 and also contribute to human cases of campylobacteriosis through contaminated milk, direct contact, and environmental contamination. thirty groups of young cattle on 30 farms were observed for 7 months and sampled on 4 to 6 separate occasions for e. coli o157 and c. jejuni/coli to characterize shedding patterns and identify ris ...	2009	19343935
characterization of the vasodilatory action of testosterone in the human pulmonary circulation.	to assess for the first time the vasodilatory effect of testosterone in the human pulmonary circulation utilizing both isolated human pulmonary arteries and isolated perfused human lungs. in addition, a secondary aim was to determine whether there was any difference in the response to testosterone dependent upon gender.	2008	19337559
surgical research in the uk.	this review focuses on the history of, and recent developments in, the law and ethics of research with practical advice for surgeons conducting clinical research. legal references apply to england and wales or to scotland, but the underlying ethical principles reflect modern approaches taken internationally.	2009	19335967
risk factors for the occurrence of escherichia coli virulence genes eae, stx1 and stx2 in wild bird populations.	shiga toxin-producing escherichia coli (stec) can cause serious disease in human beings. ruminants are considered to be the main reservoir of human stec infections. however, stec have also been isolated from other domestic animals, wild mammals and birds. we describe a cross-sectional study of wild birds in northern england to determine the prevalence of e. coli-containing genes that encode shiga toxins (stx1 and stx2) and intimin (eae), important virulence determinants of stec associated with h ...	2009	19327201
osteoprotegerin and soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappab ligand and risk for coronary events: a nested case-control approach in the prospective epic-norfolk population study 1993-2003.	the purpose of this study was to examine the association between serum levels of osteoprotegerin (opg) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappab ligand (rankl) and future coronary artery disease (cad) in apparently healthy individuals. the identification of opg as a novel cardiovascular risk marker suggests an association between mediators of bone homeostasis and cardiovascular disease.	2009	19325145
call to volunteer.	volunteers can contribute a great deal to people receiving health or social care. some of the quirky activities they offer are contact with owls and the provision of arts and crafts materials.	2009	19323106
a chance meeting.		2009	19318370
antenatal screening and prevalence of infection: surveillance in london, 2000-2007.	in the united kingdom (uk), it is recommended to universally offer antenatal infection screening for human immunodeficiency virus (hiv), hepatitis b and syphilis infections, and susceptibility to rubella for the benefit of the mother and to reduce vertical transmission of infection. this paper describes the surveillance of antenatal infection including uptake of screening, and the results of testing in pregnant women in london between 2000 and 2007. antenatal screening coordinators in liaison wi ...	2009	19317973
patients' and doctors' views on depression severity questionnaires incentivised in uk quality and outcomes framework: qualitative study.	to gain understanding of general practitioners' and patients' opinions of the routine introduction of standardised measures of severity of depression through the uk general practice quality and outcomes framework.	2009	19299474
man-midwives.		2009	19297647
extending specialist palliative care to people with heart failure: semantic, historical and practical limitations to policy guidelines.	this paper explores the continuities and discontinuities in recent policy on the extension of palliative care to people with heart failure in the uk. it focuses on how professionals in cardiology and specialist palliative care negotiate their disciplinary boundaries within the context of these policy moves. it draws out the semantic, historical and practical tensions between the core values of cardiology, with its focus on 'living with heart failure', and specialist palliative medicine, with its ...	2009	19297064
investigation of an outbreak of salmonella enterica serovar newport infection.	a large outbreak of salmonella enterica serotype newport infection occurred in northern ireland during september and october 2004. typing of isolates from patients confirmed that this strain was indistinguishable from that in concurrent outbreaks in regions of england, in scotland and in the isle of man. a total of 130 cases were distributed unequally across local government district areas in northern ireland. the epidemic curve suggested a continued exposure over about 4 weeks. a matched case-c ...	2009	19296871
producing medico-legal evidence: documentation of torture versus the saudi arabian state of denial.	five british men were detained and allegedly tortured in saudi arabia in 2000 and 2001. two were sentenced to death and three were sentenced to 12 to 18 years of imprisonment. they received clemency in 2003 and were deported to england. after their homecoming, the men have unsuccessfully attempted to sue saudi arabian officials who had been responsible for their false accusations and human rights abuses. saudi arabia denies any form of torture and ill treatment of the five men, who maintain thei ...	2007	19289891
molecular epidemiology and characterization of campylobacter spp. isolated from wild bird populations in northern england.	campylobacter infections have been reported at prevalences ranging from 2 to 50% in a range of wild bird species, although there have been few studies that have investigated the molecular epidemiology of campylobacter spp. consequently, whether wild birds are a source of infection in humans or domestic livestock or are mainly recipients of domestic animal strains and whether separate cycles of infection occur remain unknown. to address these questions, serial cross-sectional surveys of wild bird ...	2009	19286781
human toenails as a biomarker of exposure to elevated environmental arsenic.	a pilot study was conducted to determine the applicability of toenails as a biomarker of exposure to elevated environmental arsenic (as) levels. a total of 17 individuals were recruited for the pilot study: 8 residents living near to a former as mine, devon, uk, forming the exposed group, plus 9 residents from nottinghamshire, uk, with no anticipated as exposure who were used for comparison as a control group. all toenail samples were thoroughly washed prior to analysis and the wash solutions re ...	2009	19280039
evaluation of a modified early warning system for acute medical admissions and comparison with c-reactive protein/albumin ratio as a predictor of patient outcome.	the modified early warning score (mews) was developed as a track and trigger tool for the prompt identification of seriously ill patients on an acute medical ward. this paper examines its value in the setting of an acute medical admissions unit (mau) and compares it to biochemical markers of acute and chronic disease. three hundred unselected acute admissions to the mau of the queen elizabeth hospital, gateshead, were assessed. correlations between mews score and c-reactive protein (crp) and alb ...	2009	19271597
influence of socio-demographic factors on distances travelled to access hiv services: enhanced surveillance of hiv patients in north west england.	patient choice and access to health care is compromised by many barriers including travel distance. individuals with the human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) can seek free specialist care in britain, without a referral, providing flexible access to care services. willingness to travel beyond local services for preferred care has funding and service implications. data from an enhanced hiv surveillance system were used to explore geodemographic and clinical factors associated with accessing treatmen ...	2009	19267895
interlending and document supply trends in nhs north west health libraries 2003/2004 to 2006/2007.	the library and information for health network north west (lihnn) represents health libraries in cheshire, cumbria, greater manchester, isle of man, lancashire, merseyside and wirral. lihnn members take part in a regional co-operative network supporting interlending and document supply.	2009	19245641
community based yoga classes for type 2 diabetes: an exploratory randomised controlled trial.	yoga is a popular therapy for diabetes but its efficacy is contested. the aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of researching community based yoga classes in type 2 diabetes with a view to informing the design of a definitive, multi-centre trial	2009	19228402
the legal system. part 2: it's not just for lawyers.	this is the second part of the two-part article intended to provide an introduction to the foundation elements of the english legal system. the 'english legal system' is a rather generic term that is often used to refer to the different sources of law and the court system in which the law is practised. students of law will study the english legal system as a specific topic, but it is as equally important for those who work within a profession that is regulated by the law (as nursing is) to also ...	2009	19223804
has actuarial aging "slowed" over the past 250 years? a comparison of small-scale subsistence populations and european cohorts.	g.c. williams's 1957 hypothesis famously argues that higher age-independent, or "extrinsic," mortality should select for faster rates of senescence. long-lived species should therefore show relatively few deaths from extrinsic causes such as predation and starvation. theoretical explorations and empirical tests of williams's hypothesis have flourished in the past decade but it has not yet been tested empirically among humans. we test williams's hypothesis using mortality data from subsistence po ...	2009	19220451
the history of british gynaecological pathology.	the venerable tradition of british gynaecological pathology is honoured by brief comments on those who have pioneered work in this arena, using as the starting point the remarkable scottish physician dr matthew baillie who, with his uncles, the legendary william and john hunter, can arguably be considered the founders of medicine in great britain. the impact of baillie's great work 'the morbid anatomy of some of the most important parts of the human body' is noted. because of the fame they achie ...	2009	19207941
prevalence and potential pathogenicity of vibrio parahaemolyticus in chinese mitten crabs (eriocheir sinensis) harvested from the river thames estuary, england.	chinese mitten crabs (eriocheir sinensis) have been described as an alien invasive species in the river thames, united kingdom, and elsewhere in europe. the crabs can cause considerable physical damage to the riverbeds and threaten native ecosystems. trapping has been considered an option, but such attempts to control mitten crab populations in germany in the 1930s failed. in the united kingdom, it has been suggested that commercial exploitation of the species could be employed as a control opti ...	2009	19205465
hiv prevention for people with serious mental illness: a survey of mental health workers' attitudes, knowledge and practice.	the aim of this survey was to investigate the attitudes, knowledge and reported practice (capabilities) of mental health workers concerning human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) and other sexually transmitted diseases in people with serious mental illness.	2009	19192006
research involving biological material from forensic autopsies: legal and ethical issues.	recommendations and laws do not always contain specific and clear provisions on the use of cadaveric material in research, and even more rarely do they address explicitly the ethical issues related to research on material obtained during forensic autopsy. in this article we analyse existing legal frameworks in europe by comparing the legal provisions in 2 european countries which are member states of the council of europe, the uk and switzerland. they were chosen because they have distinct legal ...	2009	19188745
plastic surgery and burns disasters. what impact do major civilian disasters have upon medicine? bradford city football club stadium fire, 1985, king's cross underground fire, 1987, piper alpha offshore oil rig disaster, 1988.	major disasters involving multiple casualties are neither new nor infrequent. such events have important implications for medicine and can provide crucial lessons for the future. however, while the medical aspects of war have received considerable attention, rather less is known about civilian disasters. to redress this imbalance, this article reviews three major british disasters of the 1980s where serious burns injury was a significant feature of the human casualty: the bradford city football ...	2009	19181578
long-term cryptosporidium typing reveals the aetiology and species-specific epidemiology of human cryptosporidiosis in england and wales, 2000 to 2003.	to improve understanding of the aetiology and epidemiology of human cryptosporidiosis, over 8,000 cryptosporidium isolates were submitted for typing to the species level over a four year period. the majority were either cryptosporidium parvum (45.9%) or cryptosporidium hominis (49.2%). dual infection occurred in 40 (0.5%) cases and six other known cryptosporidium species or genotypes were found in 67 (0.9%) cases. these were cryptosporidium meleagridis, cryptosporidium felis, cryptosporidium can ...	2009	19161717
fine- and regional-scale genetic structure of the exotic ascidian styela clava (tunicata) in southwest england, 50 years after its introduction.	styela clava, an ascidian native to the northwest pacific, was first recorded in the atlantic at plymouth, southwest england, in 1953. it now ranges in the northeast atlantic from portugal to northern denmark, and has colonized the east coast of north america. within the region of first introduction, we aimed to characterize current genetic diversity in the species, elucidate the respective roles of human-aided vs. natural dispersal, and assess the extent of larval dispersal by looking for genet ...	2009	19161467
meta association of colorectal cancer confirms risk alleles at 8q24 and 18q21.	genome-wide association studies of colorectal cancer (crc) have identified genetic variants that reproducibly associate with crc. associations of 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms at 8q24, 9p24, and 18q21 (smad7) and crc were investigated in a three-center collaborative study including two u.k. case-control cohorts (sheffield and leeds) and a u.s. case-control study of crc cases from high-risk utah pedigrees.	2009	19155440
human resuscitation in the 17th century: an interesting case report.		2009	19147206
guidelines and the adoption of 'lipid rescue' therapy for local anaesthetic toxicity.	gathering evidence from animal experiments, an editorial in this journal and published human case reports culminated in the association of anaesthetists of great britain and ireland recommending in august 2007 that lipid emulsion be immediately available to all patients given potentially cardiotoxic doses of local anaesthetic drugs. this development offered an opportunity to track the adoption of an innovation by anaesthetists in the uk and to gauge the effects of guidelines. two surveys, each o ...	2009	19143686
the effect of sex on risk of mortality during the black death in london, a.d. 1349-1350.	the black death of 1347-1351 was one of the most devastating epidemics in human history, and though it is frequently assumed that the epidemic killed indiscriminately, recent research suggests that the disease was selective, at least with respect to frailty. the purpose of this study is to determine whether the black death was similarly selective with respect to biological sex-that is, did either sex face an elevated risk during the epidemic or were men and women at equal risk of dying? a sample ...	2009	19140182
infections detected in english surgical bone and deceased donors (2001-2006) and estimated risk of undetected hepatitis b and hepatitis c virus.	infections can be transmitted through donated tissue products, such as femoral heads. here we describe infections detected through microbiological testing of english surgical bone and deceased donors (2001-2006) and estimate the residual risk of infection.	2008	19138256
estimating the cost-effectiveness of vaccination against herpes zoster in england and wales.	a live-attenuated vaccine against herpes zoster (hz) has been approved for use, on the basis of a large-scale clinical trial that suggests that the vaccine is safe and efficacious. this study uses a markov cohort model to estimate whether routine vaccination of the elderly (60+) would be cost-effective, when compared with other uses of health care resources. vaccine efficacy parameters are estimated by fitting a model to clinical trial data. estimates of qaly losses due to acute hz and post-herp ...	2009	19135492
lack of association between aspirin responsiveness and seven candidate gene haplotypes in patients with symptomatic vascular disease.	we studied the effect of prophylactic aspirin (asa) ingestion on platelet function in 463 patients with stroke, transient ischemic attack (tia) or acute coronary disease (acd), using the platelet function analyzer-100 (pfa-100). we correlated asa responsiveness with haplotypes of seven candidate genes, selected for their documented role in platelet function, namely, the genes for integrins alpha2beta1and alphaiibbeta3 (itga2, itga2b, and itgb3), platelet glycoproteins ibalpha and vi (gpiba and g ...	2009	19132198
arsenic stability and mobilization in soil at an amenity grassland overlying chemical waste (st. helens, uk).	a 6.6 ha grassland, established on a former chemical waste site adjacent to a residential area, contains arsenic (as) in surface soil at concentrations 200 times higher than uk soil guideline values. the site is not recognized as statutory contaminated land, partly on the assumption that mobility of the metalloid presents a negligible threat to human health, groundwater and ecological receptors. evidence for this is evaluated, based on studies of the effect of organic (green waste compost) and i ...	2009	19118933
interaction between pon1 and population density in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.	paraoxonase polymorphisms have been associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als). paraoxonases are detoxifying enzymes involved in the metabolism of organophosphates. we tested the hypothesis that genetic variation within paraoxonase genes would interact with the environmental exposure to paraoxonase substrates. we used population density in the location of residence of als patients as a surrogate marker for environmental exposure. paraoxonase genotypes at previously associated single nuc ...	2009	19104460
improving male life expectancy in birmingham.	on average, a man in birmingham can expect to live 2 years less than men in the rest of england. taken together, diseases of the circulatory system are responsible for the majority of deaths. this paper lays out the challenge faced and the interventions used to close that gap, with a particular focus on a large-scale cardiovascular disease screening programme. data from general practitioners' registers were used to target men over 40 years of age to be invited to special screening clinics to ass ...	2009	19100999
influenza vaccination coverage in england, 2000-2008.		2008	19094912
animal eggs for stem cell research: a path not worth taking.	in january 2008, the human fertilisation and embryology authority (hfea) (london, uk) issued two 1-year licenses for cytoplasmic hybrid embryo research. this article situates the hfea's decision in its wider scientific and political context in which, until quite recently, the debate about human embryonic stem cell research has focused narrowly on the moral status of the developing human embryo. next, ethical arguments against crossing species boundaries with humans are canvassed. finally, a new ...	2008	19085470
a forensic str profiling system for the eurasian badger: a framework for developing profiling systems for wildlife species.	developing short tandem repeat (str) profiling systems for forensic identification is complicated in animal species. obtaining a representative number of individuals from populations, limited access to family groups and a lack of developed str markers can make adhering to human forensic guidelines difficult. furthermore, a lack of animal specific guidelines may explain why many wildlife forensic str profiling systems developed to date have not appropriately addressed areas such as marker validat ...	2008	19083789
variation in the dysbindin gene and normal cognitive function in three independent population samples.	the association between dtnbp1 genotype and cognitive abilities was investigated in three population samples (1054 scottish, 1806 australian and 745 english) of varying age. there was evidence in each of the cohorts for association (p < 0.05) to single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) and haplotypes previously shown to relate to cognition. by comparison with previous findings, these associations included measures of memory, and there was at best equivocal evidence of association with general cogn ...	2009	19077176
analysis of germline gli1 variation implicates hedgehog signalling in the regulation of intestinal inflammatory pathways.	ulcerative colitis (uc) and crohn's disease (cd) are polygenic chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (ibd) of high prevalence that are associated with considerable morbidity. the hedgehog (hh) signalling pathway, which includes the transcription factor glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (gli1), plays vital roles in gastrointestinal tract development, homeostasis, and malignancy. we identified a germline variation in gli1 (within the ibd2 linkage region, 12q13) in patients with ibd. since this ib ...	2008	19071955
correlates of parents' reports of acceptability of human papilloma virus vaccination for their school-aged children.	routine human papilloma virus (hpv) vaccination for 12-13-year-old girls will be introduced in the uk from september 2008. the aim of the present study was to identify correlates of parents' anticipated uptake of hpv vaccination for their sons and daughters.	2008	19061552
community hiv testing for men who have sex with men: results of a pilot project and comparison of service users with those testing in genitourinary medicine clinics.	results of a community hiv testing pilot (fastest) targeting men who have sex with men (msm) in brighton are reported and service users are compared with those testing in genitourinary medicine (gum) clinics. fastest offers rapid hiv testing in a weekly evening drop-in session staffed by gum professionals in a community organisation. it was prospectively evaluated from november 2004 to march 2006 using a self-completed paper questionnaire assessing demographics, previous use of gum, hiv testing ...	2009	19060035
a threonine to isoleucine missense mutation in the pericentriolar material 1 gene is strongly associated with schizophrenia.	markers at the pericentriolar material 1 gene (pcm1) have shown genetic association with schizophrenia in both a university college london (ucl) and a usa-based case-control sample. in this paper we report a statistically significant replication of the pcm1 association in a large scottish case-control sample from aberdeen. resequencing of the genomic dna from research volunteers who had inherited haplotypes associated with schizophrenia showed a threonine to isoleucine missense mutation in exon ...	2010	19048012
genetic variation in stromal proteins decorin and lumican with breast cancer: investigations in two case-control studies.	the stroma is the supportive framework of biologic tissue in the breast, consisting of various proteins such as the proteoglycans, decorin and lumican. altered expression of decorin and lumican is associated with breast tumors. we hypothesized that genetic variation in the decorin (dcn) and lumican (lum) genes may contribute to breast cancer.	2008	19036156
the inventor of the divided airway.		2008	19032273
temporal relationship between influenza infections and subsequent first-ever stroke incidence.		2009	19029068
setting up an enhanced surveillance of newly acquired hepatitis c infection in men who have sex with men: a pilot in london and south east region of england.	preliminary findings suggest ongoing hcv transmission among msm infected with human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) and that enhanced surveillance for newly acquired hcv in msm is feasible.	2008	19021960