Publications

justice and equality in mental health law: the european experience.	this is the text of a lecture delivered at the world conference of the international academy of law and mental health in sydney in september 2003 on the occasion of the award to the author of the prix philippe pinel. its theme is the potential of the european convention on human rights to secure the human rights of people with mental disorders and disabilities, viewed in the context of the legislation on mental health and mental incapacity in england and wales. its conclusion is that the convent ...	2007	17157380
developing a national primary care-based early warning system for health protection--a surveillance tool for the future? analysis of routinely collected data.	the increasing threat of infections with pandemic potential such as influenza has focussed attention on the information needed to inform those managing a pandemic. the health protection agency, nottingham university and emis have developed a new national health protection surveillance system using qresearch, an established primary care-derived database, to provide timely and local information on trends in community illness and prescribing. this article describes the first year of the surveillanc ...	2007	17158478
non-b27 mhc associations of ankylosing spondylitis.	ankylosing spondylitis (as) has been associated with human leukocyte antigen (hla)-b27 for over 30 years; however, the mechanism of action has remained elusive. although many studies have reported associations between as and other genes in the major histocompatibility complex (mhc) in as, no conclusive results have emerged. to investigate the contribution of non-b27 mhc genes to as, a large cohort of as families and controls were b27 typed and genotyped across the region. interrogation of the da ...	2007	17167495
comparative study of kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus serological assays using clinically and serologically defined reference standards and latent class analysis.	accurate determination of infection with kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (kshv) has been hindered by the lack of a "gold standard" for comparison of serological assays used to estimate kshv prevalence in serosurveys conducted in different settings. we have evaluated the performance of five in-house (developed at university college london [ucl], united kingdom, and at the virology laboratory of the instituto de medicine tropical [imt] in sao paulo, brazil) and two commercial (abi and diav ...	2007	17182752
early risk assessment for viral haemorrhagic fever: experience at the hospital for tropical diseases, london, uk.	to implement a policy of systematic screening for viral haemorrhagic fever (vhf) among travellers returning from african countries with fever, commencing at initial clinical contact.	2007	16549203
no increase in human cases of mycobacterium bovis disease despite resurgence of infections in cattle in the united kingdom.	a resurgence of mycobacterium bovis infections in cattle in the united kingdom since the 1980s has raised concern about risks to human health. enhanced surveillance data for england, wales and northern ireland between 1993 and 2003 of culture-positive human m. bovis cases identified 315 m. bovis infections; the mean annual number of cases was 28 (range 12-41). the most frequently reported exposures were consumption of unpasteurized dairy products 41/83 (49%) and exposure to cattle 45/123 (37%). ...	2007	16740186
the quality of parental consent for research with children: a prospective repeated measure self-report survey.	researchers have ethical and legal responsibilities to ensure that individuals give informed consent to participate in research. the few studies of parental consent for paediatric research suggest there may be inadequate competence, information, understanding, or voluntariness for valid consent to occur.	2007	16712850
lichen and bryophyte distribution on oak in london in relation to air pollution and bark acidity.	epiphytic lichen and bryophyte distribution and frequency were investigated on the trunks of 145 young oak trees throughout london and surrounding counties, and compared with pollution levels and bark ph. sixty-four lichen and four bryophyte species were recorded. three major zones were identified: (i) two central regions with a few lichens, bryophytes absent; (ii) a surrounding region with a more diverse flora including a high cover of nitrophyte lichens; and (iii) an outer region, characterise ...	2007	16777299
barebacking among hiv-positive gay men in london.	the objectives of this study were to examine the extent to which hiv-positive gay men in london intentionally seek unprotected anal intercourse ("barebacking") and the contribution this makes to total sexual risk.	2007	16778742
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
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
morbidity, mortality, and response to treatment by children in the united kingdom and ireland with perinatally acquired hiv infection during 1996-2006: planning for teenage and adult care.	recent evidence suggests that decreases in morbidity and mortality in cohorts of adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) are showing signs of reversal. we describe changes over time in these characteristics and in the response to treatment among children in the united kingdom and ireland with perinatally acquired hiv infection, many of whom are now adolescents.	2007	17806062
serological responses to cryptosporidium in human populations living in areas reporting high and low incidences of symptomatic cryptosporidiosis.	one approach to investigating differences in the reported incidence of disease is to measure the extent of exposure to the organism in question by testing for a specific antibody response. igg responses to cryptosporidium sporozoite antigens of low molecular size in adults have been shown to be consistent and of sufficient intensity to act as reliable markers of exposure. this study used a western blot procedure to investigate the relative intensity of igg antibody responses to the 15/17-kda cry ...	2007	17850343
perspectives on injuries in snowboarders.	adopting effective injury prevention practices continues to be problematic within snowboarding and the participation of older individuals is associated with an appreciable injury burden. the haddon matrix provides an important framework for developing injury prevention interventions. since prevention behaviour must 'fit' within individual aspirations, our study investigated the meanings and behaviours associated with snowboarding and injury prevention and then applied the findings to the establi ...	2007	17711064
why sexual health promotion misses its audience: men who have sex with men reading the texts.	sexual health promotion aimed at men who have sex with men (msm) is not achieving its objective of reducing the incidence of new infections of sexually transmitted diseases, notably hiv/aids, in the msm population. the paper aims to raise awareness of possible unintended consequences when using visual culture and advertising techniques in the field of sexual (and other) health promotion and public health messages.	2007	17713183
detection of escherichia coli in biofilms from pipe samples and coupons in drinking water distribution networks.	fluorescence in situ hybridization (fish) was used for direct detection of escherichia coli on pipe surfaces and coupons in drinking water distribution networks. old cast iron main pipes were removed from water distribution networks in france, england, portugal, and latvia, and e. coli was analyzed in the biofilm. in addition, 44 flat coupons made of cast iron, polyvinyl chloride, or stainless steel were placed into and continuously exposed to water on 15 locations of 6 distribution networks in ...	2007	17720845
prevalence of human papillomavirus antibodies in young female subjects in england.	sera from 1483 female subjects in england aged 10-29 years were tested. the age-standardised seroprevalence was 10.7% (95% confidence intervals 9.0-12.3) for human papillomavirus (hpv) 6, 2.7% (1.8-3.6) for hpv 11, 11.9% (10.2-13.6) for hpv 16, 4.7% (3.5-5.8) for hpv 18, and 20.7% (18.6-22.7) for any of the four types.	2007	17726462
'incongruous juxtapositions': the chimaera and mrs mck.	a century ago, the german botanist hans winkler (best known for coining the term 'genome') accomplished two novel transplantations. first, he produced a single plant that grafted together two completely disparate species: tomato and nightshade. second, he chose the descriptive word 'chimaera' to name his innovation, transplanting the term from mythology to biology. this paper features mrs mck, the first human chimera, and thus follows the term from botany to clinical medicine. her remarkable sto ...	2007	17727951
varicella-zoster-virus genotypes in east london: a prospective study in patients with herpes zoster.	a total of 298 patients with herpes zoster were recruited as part of 2 community-based studies in east london between 1998 and 2003. single nucleotide-polymorphism analysis of 4 regions (genes 1, 21, 37, and 60) found that most genotypes were european strains c and b, representing 58% and 21% of all samples collected. no change in the proportion of these european clades has occurred during the past 80 years, strongly supporting the hypothesis that these strains are indigenous to the united kingd ...	2007	17763323
ancient human mtdna genotypes from england reveal lost variation over the last millennium.	we analysed the historical genetic diversity of human populations in europe at the mtdna control region for 48 ancient britons who lived between ca ad 300 and 1000, and compared these with 6320 modern mtdna genotypes from england and across europe and the middle east. we found that the historical sample shows greater genetic diversity than for modern england and other modern populations, indicating the loss of diversity over the last millennium. the pattern of haplotypic diversity was clearly eu ...	2007	17666375
type 2 diabetes whole-genome association study in four populations: the diagen consortium.	type 2 diabetes (t2d) is a common, polygenic chronic disease with high heritability. the purpose of this whole-genome association study was to discover novel t2d-associated genes. we genotyped 500 familial cases and 497 controls with >300,000 hapmap-derived tagging single-nucleotide-polymorphism (snp) markers. when a stringent statistical correction for multiple testing was used, the only significant snp was at tcf7l2, which has already been discovered and confirmed as a t2d-susceptibility gene. ...	2007	17668382
isolation and antimicrobial sensitivities of kluyvera spp. from humans in england, wales and northern ireland, 2005-2006.		2007	17669632
risk of serious neurologic disease after immunization of young children in britain and ireland.	we sought to investigate the risk of serious neurologic disease after immunization in early childhood.	2007	17671057
spitalfields knees study--a photographic challenge.	this paper reports a study into human lower limb anatomy based on the spitalfields collection of human skeletons at the natural history museum, london. the objective was to document knee alignment in a range of rotations, and also to define the topography of the knee surfaces. the work was a collaborative between the medical illustration department and the orthopaedic surgical team. this project involved photographic challenges that required development of versatile techniques in order to genera ...	2007	17671905
public awareness that hpv is a risk factor for cervical cancer.	we assessed awareness of human papillomavirus (hpv) in a population sample of british women (n=1620) using similar questions to those in a survey in 2002. only 2.5% cited hpv as the cause of cervical cancer without prompting; up from 0.9% in 2002. public education about hpv is urgently needed.	2007	17687335
using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modelling in safety pharmacology to better define safety margins: a regional workshop of the safety pharmacology society.	this meeting was convened to encourage the incorporation of empirical and mechanism-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (pk/pd) modelling into safety pharmacology to improve the predictability of nonclinical investigations for human outcomes. these technologies make use of mathematical expressions relating measured variables to derive essential parameters for describing responses and predicting the behaviour of biological systems to a drug. hence, empirical pk/pd modelling is intended to defin ...	2007	17688390
expansive learning in the university setting: the case for simulated clinical experience.	this paper argues that simulated practice in the university setting is not just a second best to learning in the clinical area but one which offers the potential for deliberation and deep learning [eraut, m., 2000. non-formal learning, implicit learning and tacit knowledge in professional work. journal of educational psychology, 70, 113-136]. the context of student learning in an undergraduate midwifery programme is analysed using human activity theory [engeström, y., 2001. expansive learning at ...	2007	17689430
a survey of the preparedness for an influenza pandemic of general practitioners in the west midlands, uk.	there is a lack of evidence regarding the preparedness of general practitioners (gps) to respond to pandemic influenza. a postal questionnaire survey was conducted to explore the self-perceived pandemic preparedness of gps in the west midlands, united kingdom, and to determine differences between urban and non-urban gps. the postal questionnaire was sent out to 773 gps in november 2005, and a reminder was sent in january 2006. in all, 427/773 (55%) questionnaires were returned, and 56% of respon ...	2007	17690927
qualitative evaluation of an electronic prescribing and administration system.	to provide a formative socio-technical evaluation of a pilot implementation of an integrated electronic prescribing, automated dispensing, barcode patient identification and electronic medication administration record (emar) system on one ward.	2007	17693675
collaboration with the voluntary sector in setting up an early medical abortion service in the pct.	the 1967 abortion act and the 1990 human fertilisation and embryology act amendment allow abortions in acute hospitals or licensed premises only. provision of abortions in community unlicensed premises is unlicensed and not legal. at abortion assessment, counselling, chlamydia testing and/or treatment/partner notification and a contraceptive package is included. this works towards the overall aim of reducing unwanted pregnancies and reducing the burden of sexually transmitted infections in the c ...	2007	17701802
multiple stable isotope (18o, 13c, 15n and 34s) analysis of human hair to identify the recent migrants in a rural community in sw england.	relationships between recent migration and hair delta(18)o values were examined for 40 people living in a rural community in sw england. the isotopic contents of 35 'local' hair samples were compared with those of 5 recently arrived individuals (from australia, canada, chile, germany and the usa). the hair delta(18)o values of these 'visitors' were +7.9 (omaha, usa), +11.2 (jena, germany), +12.1 (osorno, chile), +12.6 (montreal, canada) and +14.3 per thousand (adelaide, australia). the hair valu ...	2007	17705338
access for all: the rise of the paralympic games.	the paralympic, or parallel, games for athletes with disabilities have played a major role over the past half century in changing attitudes towards disability and accelerating the agenda for inclusion. this article charts their development from small beginnings as a competition for disabled ex-servicemen and women in england founded shortly after the second world war to the present day ambulatory international festival of summer and winter games organized in conjunction with the olympic games. t ...	2007	17542426
marr's vision: twenty-five years on.	it is twenty-five years since the posthumous publication of david marr's book vision[1]. only 35 years old when he died, marr had already dramatically influenced vision research. his book, and the series of papers that preceded it, have had a lasting impact on the way that researchers approach human and computer vision.	2007	17550760
a prospective pilot study of antibodies against human papillomaviruses and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma nested in the oxford component of the european prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition.	in a prospective pilot study nested in the epic-oxford cohort, we examined the seroprevalence of antibodies against the l1 antigen of 38 human papilloma virus (hpv) types among 39 cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (scc) for whom plasma was collected prior to diagnosis (incident) and 80 controls. fifteen cases having already developed scc at blood collection (prevalent) were also tested. there were no statistically significant differences in the seroprevalence of antibodies against any o ...	2007	17565742
the contribution of respiratory pathogens to the seasonality of nhs direct calls.	primary care is thought to bear half the cost of treating infections in the uk. we describe the seasonal variation in nhs direct respiratory calls (a new source of primary care data) and estimate the contribution of specific respiratory pathogens to this variation.	2007	17582503
will considerations of environmental sustainability revitalise the policy links between the urban environment and health?	this paper explores when and how considerations of population health have influenced the creation, planning and management of cities. cities--now the dominant human habitat--must be planned and managed sustainably in a world that is manifestly experiencing increasing environmental and social strains. early industrialisation entailed crowding, squalor and industrial environmental blight; the two great associated public health hazards were infectious diseases and air pollution. these hazards have ...	2007	17601402
simple rationality? the law of healthcare resource allocation in england.	this paper examines the law relating to healthcare resource allocation in england. the national health service (nhs) act 1977 does not impose an absolute duty to provide specified healthcare services. the courts will only interfere with a resource allocation decision made by an nhs body if that decision is frankly irrational (or where the decision infringes the principle of proportionality when a right under the european convention on human rights (echr) is engaged). such irrationality is very d ...	2007	17601868
reconstructing exposures from the uk chemical warfare agent human research programme.	the uk government has carried out a research programme studying military capability under conditions of chemical warfare at a facility at porton down, wiltshire, since world war i. in 2001 the ministry of defence commissioned a cohort study to investigate the long-term health effects on military veterans of their participation in this programme. we assessed the availability and quality of exposure assessment data held in the archive at porton down for the purpose of this study. this involved loo ...	2007	17602209
human papillomavirus testing with conventional pap smear screening in three inner london community clinics.	this observational study aimed to establish prevalence of high-risk human papillomaviruses (hrhpv) in women attending three inner london community clinics for routine screening and to pilot hrhpv testing in the triage of either borderline or negative cytology after previous abnormalities. hybrid capture 2 was carried out on brush samples taken alongside conventional smears from 1434 women aged 20-49 years. hrhpv positivity prompted earlier referral of women with previous abnormalities and either ...	2007	17609075
multidisciplinary crisis simulations: the way forward for training surgical teams.	high-reliability organizations have stressed the importance of non-technical skills for safety and of regularly providing such training to their teams. recently safety skills training has been applied in the practice of medicine. in this study, we developed and piloted a module using multidisciplinary crisis scenarios in a simulated operating theatre to train entire surgical teams.	2007	17610109
public perception of human papillomavirus vaccine.		2007	17623513
increased rates of preterm delivery are associated with the initiation of highly active antiretrovial therapy during pregnancy: a single-center cohort study.	it remains controversial whether in human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)-positive pregnant women an increased rate of preterm delivery is associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (haart). since 1995 the management and outcome of all hiv-infected pregnant women delivering at st. mary's hospital london have been prospectively documented. the prevalence of preterm delivery and the correlation between gestational age and type of antiretroviral therapy were sought: preterm delivery occurred ...	2007	17624841
gmc hearing against wakefield and colleagues opens.		2007	17626928
catastrophic flooding origin of shelf valley systems in the english channel.	megaflood events involving sudden discharges of exceptionally large volumes of water are rare, but can significantly affect landscape evolution, continental-scale drainage patterns and climate change. it has been proposed that a significant flood event eroded a network of large ancient valleys on the floor of the english channel-the narrow seaway between england and france. this hypothesis has remained untested through lack of direct evidence, and alternative non-catastrophist ideas have been en ...	2007	17637667
incorporating bioaccessibility in detailed quantitative human health risk assessments.	current english policy and practice allows, and in places encourages, site specific estimates of arsenic oral bioavailability to be used in detailed quantitative human health risk assessment. english land contamination legislation does not differentiate between natural and man made arsenic soil contamination. english planning guidance requires developers to demonstrate that new houses are fit for purpose, including ensuring that there are no unacceptable risks to human health from soil contamina ...	2007	17654139
bioaccessibility of arsenic in mine waste-contaminated soils: a case study from an abandoned arsenic mine in sw england (uk).	this study characterises the total as concentrations and as bioaccessibility in 109 soils from devon great consols mine, an abandoned cu-as mine in devon, sw england, uk and discusses the soil and mineralogical factors that influence the bioaccessibility of this element. these data provide the basis for developing more accurate exposure estimates for use in human health risk assessments. the median value of the percent bioaccesible as of 15% for these as rich soils contaminated by mining activit ...	2007	17654145
the effect of crank inertial load on the physiological and biomechanical responses of trained cyclists.	the existing literature suggests that crank inertial load has little effect on the responses of untrained cyclists. however, it would be useful to be aware of any possible effect in the trained population, particularly considering the many laboratory-based studies that are conducted using relatively low-inertia ergometers. ten competitive cyclists (mean vo(2max) = 62.7 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), s = 6.1) attended the human performance laboratories at the university of wolverhampton. each cyclist com ...	2007	17654231
the frame research programme under the direction of dr richard clothier.	the work of dr richard clothier (reader in cellular toxicology and director of the frame alternatives laboratory in the university of nottingham medical school) in relation to the frame research programme, is reviewed. he made a very substantial contribution to frame's laboratory research work over the last 20 years, by publishing many research papers, mainly with respect to method development and the application of new replacement toxicity test methods, particularly those involving the use of h ...	2007	18001175
european bat lyssavirus type 2: human exposure in england.		2007	17900428
the systematic monitoring of transfusion microbiology test kit performance.	the transfusion microbiology test systems monitoring group (tmtsmg) was established as a national blood service (nbs) working group to monitor the performance of the microbiology screening assays used within the nbs testing laboratories. the group's primary objective was to ensure that technical performance (especially sensitivity, specificity and wastage) remains consistent with that established during validation. this includes the identification and investigation of significant variation in pe ...	2007	17903142
the bagenal letters.	in 2006 mrs john bagenal made a gift to the british dental association archive of part of the correspondence of her late husband john stuart bagenal. the 13 letters were written to his family during the spring and summer of 1940, when, having enlisted as a private in royal army medical corps, he was posted to colchester for training as a dental clerk-orderly. the letters are an invaluable record of the process by which new units of the army dental corps were staffed by other ranks, and show a yo ...	2007	17965692
children's participation in vaccine research: parents' views.	vaccine studies that evaluate the persistence of protection following immunisation require subjects to continue participation in a research protocol over many years. as parents' attitudes and opinions may change over time, and with experience of research, it is important to consider the factors influencing parents' decision-making about their child's continued participation in such prolonged vaccine studies.	2007	17970358
outbreaks of influenza and influenza-like illness in schools in england and wales, 2005/06.	in england and wales, clinical reports from primary care showed that influenza activity for the season 2005/06 only rose above the base line for four weeks during february 2006. however, outbreaks of influenza-like illness and/or gastrointestinal infection in schools began to be reported to the health protection agency, centre for infections in early january 2006. to quantify the type, size and the spread of these outbreaks a reporting form was distributed to local health protection units in eng ...	2007	17991395
fisheries: nets versus nature.		2007	17994077
suitability of two carbon dioxide-baited traps for mosquito surveillance in the united kingdom.	rapidly changing environments and an increase in human movement around the globe have contributed to a rise in new and emerging diseases, many of which are arthropod borne. the threat posed to the united kingdom by such diseases is uncertain, and there is a real need to understand the distribution, seasonality and behaviour of potential vectors in the country. at present, there is no standard method for routine mosquito surveillance in the uk. here we compared the catching efficiency of two carb ...	2007	17997872
walter whitehead: a brief history of the man and his varnish.		2007	17928112
quantifying the evolutionary dynamics of language.	human language is based on grammatical rules. cultural evolution allows these rules to change over time. rules compete with each other: as new rules rise to prominence, old ones die away. to quantify the dynamics of language evolution, we studied the regularization of english verbs over the past 1,200 years. although an elaborate system of productive conjugations existed in english's proto-germanic ancestor, modern english uses the dental suffix, '-ed', to signify past tense. here we describe th ...	2007	17928859
developments in influenza vaccination coverage in england, scotland and wales covering five consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2006.	this study aims at assessing trends in influenza vaccination coverage from 2001 to 2006 in great britain, at understanding drivers and barriers to vaccination and at identifying vaccination intentions for influenza season 2006/2007. in seasons 2001/2002 to 2005/2006, telephone-based household surveys representative of the population from age 16 were conducted, with about 2000 interviews per season (10,095 in total). overall influenza vaccination coverage rate in great britain reached 25.9% in se ...	2007	17942197
marathon man. interview by dina leifer.	mark dabbs is a remarkable nurse who iscommitted to patients and the wider community. as an unofficial ambassador, he represents his home town of walsall around the world.	2007	17944134
the use of chaperones for intimate examinations: the patient perspective based on an anonymous questionnaire.	the objective of the study was to identify genitourinary (gu) medicine patients' opinions concerning the offer and provision of chaperones and to audit adherence to clinic policy. an anonymous questionnaire was completed by patients after their examination in two gu medicine clinics in central and north london. in total, 750 patients were given questionnaires, of which 627 (84%) were completed and returned. less than half (45%) reported that they had been offered a chaperone. there was an associ ...	2007	17945044
the first description of the palmaris brevis muscle.	giovanni battista canano was born in italy in 1515 and his work has gone mostly unknown. very few copies of this anatomist and physician's book are known to exist. interestingly, canano reported and depicted what we believe, to be the first description of the palmaris brevis muscle. this description would be some 200 years prior to what is thought to be the earliest mention of this muscle by william cheselden in his book, the anatomy of the human body, published in 1713.	2007	17950193
how can hepatitis c be prevented in the long term?	significant advances have been made in preventing hiv infection among injectors but we still know little about preventing hepatitis c (hcv). both prevalence and incidence of hepatitis c can remain high among idus even in the context of widespread implementation of harm reduction programmes. we need to develop new ways to fill the knowledge gap regarding hcv prevention. one way is to learn from the experts--those idus who, after long-term injection in social milieus of high hepatitis c prevalence ...	2007	17854720
diagnosis of human metapneumovirus by immunofluorescence staining with monoclonal antibodies in the north-east of england.	since its discovery in 2001 human metapneumovirus (hmpv) has been shown to be a significant cause of human respiratory disease, responsible for 5-8% of respiratory infections in hospitalised children. diagnosis hitherto has been largely carried out by reverse tanscriptase polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr) but immunofluorescence staining of cells from nasopharyngeal secretions (if) offers advantages for some laboratories and may produce a more rapid result in urgent cases. we have recently demon ...	2007	17869169
barriers to the use of e-health technology in nurse practitioner-patient consultations.	this paper examines primary care nurse practitioners' (nps') use of information available via e-health technology (eht) within consultations. it explores which information resources nps use in clinical decision making, their comparative use of electronic versus paper-based and human information resources, the reasons behind their choices and how the use of different resources impacts on patient interactions.	2007	17877872
historical account: francis william aston: the man behind the mass spectrograph.	francis william aston was among the most accomplished physicists of the 20th century. a nobel laureate and fellow of the royal society, his research career spanned four decades. during this time, he provided experimental proof for the existence of isotopes of many of the chemical elements and recorded their masses using several, hand-built mass spectrographs. a rather private man who lived alone in trinity college for much of his adult life, aston remains a somewhat elusive and mysterious figure ...	2007	17881785
sir robert boyle and his unique case report on depressed cranial fracture.	sir robert boyle is one of the foremost english scientists in history. he received his inspiration from the scientific approaches initiated by galileo and his disciple, torricelli. through rigorous experimentation, boyle established the fundamental gas laws as we know them today. although not a physician himself, he contributed enormously to the practice of medical sciences. his voluminous observations and writings represent a landmark in the history of human thought. this article summarizes the ...	2007	17881978
comparison of antimicrobial resistance genes in nontyphoidal salmonellae of serotypes enteritidis, hadar, and virchow from humans and food-producing animals in england and wales.	isolates of salmonella enterica serovars enteritidis (n = 17), hadar (n = 18), and virchow (n = 13) from cases of human infection and from food production animals were screened using a miniaturized antimicrobial microarray to determine the number and spectra of resistance genes. among enteritidis, the number of genes detected was: animal isolates, mean = 4.6; human isolates, mean = 5.3. resistance to streptomycin, trimethoprim, and sulfonamides was usually encoded by only one resistance gene in ...	2007	18184054
privates on parade: soldiers, medicine and the treatment of inguinal hernias in georgian england.	hernias were prevalent among servicemen, typically recruited from amongst the malnourished. civilian medical practice deemed the rupture incurable, taking a palliative approach. for the military this was unacceptable: wastage rates due to ruptures were high, servicemen were valuable commodities. examples here are used to illustrate that experimentation was a contentious activity, reliant on the whims of patronage and war-time budgets. although military hospitals provided a good venue to engage i ...	2007	18005547
'a cheap, safe and natural medicine'. religion, medicine and culture in john wesley's primitive physic.		2007	18005552
palliative. "a good death is part of life".	some 500,000 adults die in england every year but only 20 per cent get their wish to die at home. while institutional death is now the norm, quality varies with 21 per cent of care homes and hospitals failing to meet minimum standards on dignity and privacy. the forthcoming end-of-life strategy is expected to guarantee choice, consistent high quality and equity.	2007	18019268
human diseases - the newcastle experience.	the second edition of the first five years, published by the general dental council in 2002, identifies human diseases as a specific subject to be taught as part of the bds curriculum. it states clearly the particular learning outcomes of such a course and then identifies a range of subjects (pathology, microbiology, medicine, surgery, pharmacology, therapeutics, accident and emergency services and medical emergencies) which should constitute the programme. previously, many of these topics were ...	2007	18037852
[the establishment of psychiatric genetics in germany, great britain and the usa, ca. 1910-1960. to the inseparable history of eugenics and human genetics].	the article reconstructs the emergence of institutionalized research programs in the field of psychiatric genetics. it focuses on the first institutions in this field in germany, the united kingdom, and the united states: the genealogisch-demographische abteilung (gda) at the deutsche forschungsanstalt für psychiatrie in munich founded in 1917/18; the program (later: department) of medical genetics at the new york state psychiatric institute, associated with columbia university, and founded in 1 ...	2007	18447192
resituating the principle of equipoise: justice and access to care in non-ideal conditions.	the principle of equipoise traditionally is grounded in the special obligations of physician-investigators to provide research participants with optimal care. this grounding makes the principle hard to apply in contexts with limited health resources, to research that is not directed by physicians, or to nontherapeutic research. i propose a different version of the principle of equipoise that does not depend upon an appeal to the hippocratic duties of physicians and that is designed to be applica ...	2007	18210980
uptake and acceptability of influenza vaccination in day nursery children.	preschoolers play an important role in the transmission of influenza, and suffer significant morbidity. paediatric vaccination could prevent serious outcomes and offer broader societal benefits. this study explored parental views on influenza and paediatric vaccination and determined the uptake of a nursery-based vaccination programme for infants aged 6-23 months. children were offered two doses of inactivated vaccine in 2004/05, and a single dose at the start of the 2005/06 season. an uptake ra ...	2007	18186364
flu: effect of vaccine in elderly care home residents: a randomized trial.	to determine whether assessing seroprotection after influenza vaccine and administering booster vaccination where not achieved reduces hospitalization and death. to estimate the overall seroprotection rate of influenza vaccine.	2007	18081669
pilot scheme for monitoring sickness absence in schools during the 2006/07 winter in england: can these data be used as a proxy for influenza activity?	during influenza epidemics, school-aged children are amongst the first affected patients. they frequently then spread the virus within their families. recognising influenza activity in schools may therefore be an important indicator of early activity in the wider community. during 2005/06, influenza b was associated with high levels of morbidity in school-children and over 600 schools outbreaks were reported to the health protection agency by local health protection units. while it is not possib ...	2007	18076857
identifying and working with older male victims of abuse in england.	the abuse of men is still very much a taboo subject, so identifying older men who have been abused in childhood or adulthood can be very difficult. this paper discusses the problems in identifying older male victims by drawing on the findings of two research projects. statistical evidence is presented regarding the victims and the abuse they have experienced. it is argued that in general resources are not readily available to facilitate disclosure or to help men through the healing process. an e ...	2007	18077273
common variants in the tcf7l2 gene and predisposition to type 2 diabetes in uk european whites, indian asians and afro-caribbean men and women.	common variants of tcf7l2, encoding a beta-cell-expressed transcription factor, are strongly associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes (t2d). we examined this association using both prospective and case-control designs. a total of 2,676 healthy european white middle-aged men from the prospective nphsii (158 developed t2d over 15 years surveillance) were genotyped for two intronic snps [rs 7903146 (ivs3c>t) and rs12255372 (ivs4g>t)] which showed strong linkage disequilibrium (d' = 0.88, p ...	2006	17665514
john robert stanley fincham: 11 august 1926 - 9 february 2005.	professor john fincham was one of the uk's leading geneticists, with a remarkably broad knowledge of the subject across the biological kingdoms. he became an international leader through being at the forefront of microbial genetics as some of the founding principles of the relationships between gene structure, activity and enzyme functions were being uncovered. he spearheaded discoveries from the one gene-one enzyme concept, through genetic complementation, protein structure and recombination. m ...	2006	18543471
the bibliography of robert edmond grant (1793-1874): illustrated with a previously unpublished photograph.	the comparative anatomist robert edmond grant (1793-1874), best known for his work on sponges and other marine invertebrates, was important as a teacher and outspoken as a medical reformer. at edinburgh university his transformist zoology provided the young charles darwin with his first theoretical framework. as professor of zoology and comparative anatomy at the newly founded university of london, grant influenced a new generation of comparative anatomists and medical men, even if his radical s ...	2006	19842292
effectiveness analyses may underestimate protection of infants after group c meningococcal immunization.	group c meningococcal conjugate-vaccine effectiveness in the united kingdom declines from ~90% in the first year to 0% between 1 and 4 years after immunization in infants immunized at 2, 3, and 4 months of age and to 61% in toddlers given a single dose. confidence intervals are wide, and the extent of protection is uncertain.	2006	16779730
does long-term gh replacement therapy in hypopituitary adults with gh deficiency normalise quality of life?	to determine whether impaired quality of life (qol) in adults with gh deficiency (ghd) is reversible with long-term gh therapy and whether the responses in qol dimensions differ from each other.	2006	16793956
from cognition to the system: developing a multilevel taxonomy of patient safety in general practice.	the paper describes the process of developing a taxonomy of patient safety in general practice. the methodologies employed included fieldwork, task analysis and confidential reporting of patient-safety events in five west midlands practices. reported events were traced back to their root causes and contributing factors. the resulting taxonomy is based on a theoretical model of human cognition, includes multiple levels of classification to reflect the chain of causation and considers affective an ...	2006	16717006
vascular endothelial growth factor expression in canine intracranial meningiomas and association with patient survival.	vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) is a regulator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability. in human patients with meningiomas, increased vegf expression is predictive of postsurgical recurrence. the objectives of this study were to evaluate vegf expression in canine intracranial meningiomas and to determine whether an association between vegf expression and patient survival existed.	2006	16734105
not quite human: infrahumanization in response to collective responsibility for intergroup killing.	the present research examines how awareness of violence perpetrated against an out-group by one's in-group can intensify the infrahumanization of the out-group, as measured by a reduced tendency to accord uniquely human emotions to out-groups. across 3 experiments that used different in-groups (humans, british, white americans) and out-groups (aliens, australian aborigines, and native americans), when participants were made aware of the in-group's mass killing of the out-group, they infrahumaniz ...	2006	16737374
pandemic flu.		2006	16799421
prisons in transition.	the role of the prison has changed, in some ways dramatically, over the last two decades. the prison population has grown and its composition has altered. there has been an increase in the depth and weight of imprisonment, and a hardening of its emotional tone. prisoners' voices have been silenced, outcomes have deteriorated, and yet public presentation of the prison has improved. power has shifted upwards, as senior managers have an unprecedented grip on establishments and their 'performance'. ...	2006	16806471
wickedness or folly? the ethics of nice's decisions.	a rebuttal is provided to each of the arguments adduced by john harris, an editor-in-chief of the journal of medical ethics, in two editorials in the journal in support of the view that national institute for health and clinical excellence's procedures and methods for making recommendations about healthcare procedures for use in the national health service in england and wales are the product of "wickedness or folly or more likely both", "ethically illiterate as well as socially divisive", respo ...	2006	16816034
national increase in human salmonella montevideo infections in england and wales: march to june 2006.		2006	16819131
vaccines: from bench to bedside--smi's third biannual conference. 22-23 may 2006, london, uk.		2006	16821154
the non-synonymous c1858t substitution in the ptpn22 gene is associated with susceptibility to the severe forms of alopecia areata.	alopecia areata is an acquired hair loss disorder resulting from an immunologically- mediated attack on hair follicles and autoimmunity may play a part in its pathogenesis. the non-synonymous c1858t substitution in the ptpn22 gene, which encodes lymphoid protein tyrosine phosphatase, has been shown to be associated with susceptibility to autoimmune disorders. in this study, the objective was to ascertain whether or not the disease-associated 1858t (w620) allele was associated with alopecia areat ...	2006	16829308
crime victims are given right to object to disclosure of their medical records to courts.		2006	16840459
dr frederick knight hunt (1814-54) re-visited: medical man and journalist.	this paper studies knight hunt's career after he lost control of the medical times, and shows how he was brought to the notice of charles dickens who made him a sub-editor on the daily news in 1845 and subsequently selected him as a pivotal contributor to household words, a post he gave up only when he became editor of the newspaper in 1851.	2006	16845455
symptoms, ill-health and quality of life in a support group of porton down veterans.	there has been a human volunteer programme at the british chemical weapons research facility at porton down since the first world war, in which some of the participants were exposed to chemical warfare agents.	2006	16847038
detection of human metapneumovirus in respiratory secretions by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, indirect immunofluorescence, and virus isolation in human bronchial epithelial cells.	over two winters in newcastle upon tyne, respiratory secretions, negative by immunofluorescence staining for other respiratory viruses, were tested for the presence of human metapneumovirus (hmpv) by rt-pcr. in the second winter, specimens were also tested by immunofluorescence staining with an anti-hmpv polyclonal rabbit antiserum and immunofluorescence positive specimens were inoculated into a line of human bronchiolar cells, 16hbe140. overall, 55 of 549 (10%) specimens tested were positive fo ...	2006	16847967
agency criticises drug trial.		2006	16740539
human bite injury in north east england--the impact of alcohol intake on a mode of violent assault.	ninety-two retrospective cases of human bite injury referred to a plastic surgery department are presented. particular emphasis is placed on the relationship of alcohol intake to these injuries, their distribution and subsequent management. a review of the literature is conducted. the human bite is a leisure time injury of the young single male in the north east. it has been shown that there is a clear link to alcohol and in particular weekend drinking. prompt operative intervention and wounds l ...	2006	16749466
patient safety, systems design and ergonomics.	the complexity of the health care environments necessitates an holistic and systematic ergonomics approach to understand the potential for accidents and errors to occur. the health service is also a socio-technical system, and design needs must be met within this context. this paper aims to present the design challenges and emphasises the specialised needs of the health care sector, when dealing with patient safety. it also provides examples of approaches and methods that ergonomists can bring t ...	2006	16753132
the ethics of xenotransplantation: a survey of student attitudes.	xenotransplantation is a burgeoning technology that could provide a solution to the shortage of organs and tissue for transplantation. it does, however, raise many moral and ethical dilemmas. the aim of this study was to evaluate undergraduate university students' knowledge and opinions on the controversial practice. choice of science or arts subjects and gender were also assessed to establish if they were influencing factors. a total of 100 students, 50 science students and 50 arts students, an ...	2006	16756568
colonization of caga-positive helicobacter pylori is significantly greater in infected human males than females. a possible factor in distal gastric cancer gender difference.		2006	16758062