Exploring Concepts of “Collection” in the Digital World

This paper describes an ongoing doctoral research project, supported by the British Library and titled “Conceptualising the library collection for the digital world: a case study of social enterprise.” Relatively little has been written about the conceptual ideas associated with collection in a library context. Based on interview and survey data collected from library and information practitioners, people working in social enterprises, faculty members, and policymakers, three interpretations of “collection” are suggested: “collection as thing”, “collection as access,” and “collection as process.” The paper proposes a revised collection development hierarchy which incorporates these three concepts, outlining the potential impact of these ideas on collection development strategies, tactics, and operations in the digital world

Information resource development and “collection” in the digital age: Conceptual frameworks and new definitions for the network world.

This paper describes some of the challenges in defining the terms “collection” and “collection development and management” in the digital age. It uses a four-phase framework to explore the impact of information technology on library collections over the last half-century. It also draws on current doctoral research to explore definitions of “collection” from a wide range of stakeholder perspectives. The paper argues for the continuing importance of libraries’ core functions of collection development and collection management, and of the value of the term “collection”. It also advocates a collaborative network-based approach to developing and managing globally accessible collections in the digital world

Collection as thing, process, and access: Two proposed models

Our position paper outlines two models of collection in the digital world presented in recent doctoral research. Both models are based on dimensions of collection as “thing”, “process,” and “access”, identified using a mixed-methods research design including interviews, a survey, catalog searches, and a case study of the British Library’s collection for the subject area of social enterprise. Our research revealed a considerable degree of shared understanding of the concept of “collection” by library and information professionals and ordinary people engaged in the field of social enterprise, whether users or non-users of library and information services

Library subject guides: A case study of evidence-informed library development

This paper describes the process whereby a university library investigated the value of its subject guides to its users. A literature review and surveys of library staff, library users and other libraries were carried out. Existing library subject guides and those of other higher education libraries were evaluated. The project team reported regularly to the wider library team throughout the year long investigation and made recommendations. The project served to develop the professional skills of the project team, to expand the knowledge of the wider library team and encouraged new ways of thinking about guide provision to users

Preterm prelabour rupture of membranes before 23 weeks' gestation: prospective observational study

Objective To describe perinatal and maternal outcomes of preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 23 weeks' gestation in a national cohort. Design Prospective observational study. Setting National population based cohort study with the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS), a research infrastructure of all 194 obstetric units in the UK, 1 September 2019 to 28 February 2021. Participants 326 women with singleton and 38 with multiple pregnancies with PPROM between 16+0 and 22+6 weeks+days' gestation. Main outcome measures Perinatal outcomes of live birth, survival to discharge from hospital, and severe morbidity, defined as intraventricular haemorrhage grade 3 or 4, or requiring supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age, or both. Maternal outcomes were surgery for removal of the placenta, sepsis, admission to an intensive treatment unit, and death. Clinical data included rates of termination of pregnancy for medical reasons. Results Perinatal outcomes were calculated with all terminations of pregnancy for medical reasons excluded, and a worst-best range was calculated assuming that all terminations for medical reasons and those with missing data would have died (minimum value) or all would be liveborn (maximum value). For singleton pregnancies, the live birth rate was 44% (98/223), range 30-62% (98/326-201/326), perinatal survival to discharge from hospital was 26% (54/207), range 17-53% (54/326-173/326), and 18% (38/207), range 12-48% (38/326-157/326) of babies survived without severe morbidity. The rate of maternal sepsis was 12% (39/326) in singleton and 29% (11/38) in multiple pregnancies (P=0.004). Surgery for removal of the placenta was needed in 20% (65/326) and 16% (6/38) of singleton and twin pregnancies, respectively. Five women became severely unwell with sepsis; two died and another three required care in the intensive treatment unit. Conclusions In this study, 26% of women who had very early PPROM with expectant management had babies that survived to discharge from hospital. Morbidity and mortality rates were high for both mothers and neonates. Maternal sepsis is a considerable risk that needs more research. These data should be used in counselling families with PPROM before 23 weeks' gestation, and currently available guidelines should be updated accordingly

Effect of QUiPP prediction algorithm on treatment decisions in women with a previous preterm birth: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE:The QUiPP algorithm combines cervical length, quantitative fetal fibronectin (qfFN) and medical history to quantify risk of preterm birth. We assessed the utility of QUiPP to inform preterm birth prevention treatment decisions. DESIGN:A prospective cohort study with a subsequent impact assessment using the QUiPP risk of birth before 34 weeks gestation. SETTING:A UK TERTIARY REFERRAL HOSPITAL: SAMPLE: 119 women with previous spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 34 weeks gestation. METHODS:Cervical length and qfFN were measured at 19+0 - 23+0 weeks gestation. Clinical management was based on history and cervical length. After birth, clinicians were unblinded to qfFN results and QUiPP analysis was undertaken. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Predictive statistics of QUiPP algorithm using 10% risk of sPTB before 34+0 weeks as treatment threshold. RESULTS:Fifteen of 119 women (13%) had PPROM or sPTB before 34 weeks. Of these 53% (8/15) had QUiPP risk of sPTB before 34+0 weeks above 10%. Applying this treatment threshold in practice would have doubled our treatment rate (20% vs 42%). QUIPP threshold of 10% had positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 1.3 (95% CI 0.76-2.18), and negative LR of 0.8 (95% CI 0.45-1.40) for predicting sPTB before 34+0 weeks. CONCLUSIONS:Use of the QUiPP algorithm in this population may lead to substantial increase in interventions without evidence that currently available treatment options are beneficial for this particular group. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Plasma long-chain omega-3 fatty acid status and risk of recurrent early spontaneous preterm birth: a prospective observational study

Introduction A 2018 Cochrane review found that omega-3 supplementation in pregnancy was associated with a risk reduction of early preterm birth of 0.58; prompting calls for universal supplementation. Recent analysis suggests the benefit may be confined to women with a low baseline omega-3 fatty acid status, however the contemporary UK pregnant omega-3 fatty acid status is largely unknown. This is particularly pertinent for women with a previous preterm birth, in whom a small relative risk reduction would have a larger reduction of absolute risk. This study aimed to assess the omega-3 fatty acid status of a UK pregnant population and determine the association between the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and recurrent spontaneous early preterm birth. Material and methods A total of 283 high-risk women with previous early preterm birth were recruited to the prospective obstervational study in Liverpool, UK. Additionally, 96 pregnant women with previous term births and birth ≥39⁺⁰ weeks in the index pregnancy provided a low-risk population sample. Within the high-risk group we assessed the odds ratio of recurrent early preterm birth compared to birth at ≥37⁺⁰ weeks gestation according to plasma eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid (EPA+DHA) at 15-22 weeks gestation.  RESULTS: Our participants had low EPA+DHA; 62% (143/229) of women with previous preterm birth and 69% (68/96) of the population sample had levels within the lowest two quintiles of a previously published pregnancy cohort. We found no association between long-chain omega-3 status and recurrent early preterm birth (n=51). The crude odds ratio of a recurrent event was 0.91 (95% CI 0.38 to 2.15, p=0.83) for women in the lowest, compared to the highest three quintiles of EPA+DHA. Conclusions In the majority of our participants levels of long-chain omega-3 were low; within the range that may benefit from supplementation. However, levels showed no association with risk of recurrent early spontaneous preterm birth. This could be because our population levels were too low to show benefit in being omega-3 'replete'; or else omega-3 levels may be of lesser importance in recurrent early preterm birth.Laura Goodfellow, Angharad Care, Jane Harrold, Andrew Sharp, Jelena Ivandic, Borna Poljak ... et al

Next generation diagnostics in inherited arrhythmia syndromes : a comparison of two approaches.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides an unprecedented opportunity to assess genetic variation underlying human disease. Here, we compared two NGS approaches for diagnostic sequencing in inherited arrhythmia syndromes. We compared PCR-based target enrichment and long-read sequencing (PCR-LR) with in-solution hybridization-based enrichment and short-read sequencing (Hyb-SR). The PCR-LR assay comprehensively assessed five long-QT genes routinely sequenced in diagnostic laboratories and "hot spots" in RYR2. The Hyb-SR assay targeted 49 genes, including those in the PCR-LR assay. The sensitivity for detection of control variants did not differ between approaches. In both assays, the major limitation was upstream target capture, particular in regions of extreme GC content. These initial experiences with NGS cardiovascular diagnostics achieved up to 89 % sensitivity at a fraction of current costs. In the next iteration of these assays we anticipate sensitivity above 97 % for all LQT genes. NGS assays will soon replace conventional sequencing for LQT diagnostics and molecular pathology