Status of HPV vaccine introduction and barriers to country uptake.

During the last 12 years, over 80 countries have introduced national HPV vaccination programs. The majority of these countries are high or upper-middle income countries. The barriers to HPV vaccine introduction remain greatest in those countries with the highest burden of cervical cancer and the most need for vaccination. Innovation and global leadership is required to increase and sustain introductions in low income and lower-middle income countries

Bioglass and bioactive glasses and their impact on healthcare

Glass caused a revolution in healthcare when Bioglass was discovered by Larry Hench. It was the first material to bond with bone, rather than be encapsulated by fibrous tissue, launching the field of bioactive ceramics . Bioglass is also biodegradable. Almost 50 years on from its discovery that revolution continues. Bioactive glasses stimulate more bone regeneration than other bioactive ceramics , which is attributed to their dissolution products stimulating cells at the genetic level. This second discovery has changed the way clinicians, scientists and regulatory bodies think about medical devices and the concept of bioactivity. The original 45S5 Bioglass has only re cently found really widespread use in orthop a edics, having regenerated the bones of more than 1.5 million patients. Its full potential is still yet to be fulfilled. Th is article takes the reader from Hench’s Bioglass 45S5 to its clinical uses and products, before giving examples of non - surgical products that now use Bioglass, from consumer products , such as toothpaste, to cosmetics . Other glasses have also found important healthcare applications, such as borate based glasses that heal chronic wounds. The re volution looks set to continue as new healthcare applications are being found for bioactive glasses, contributing to extending the glass age

Inference of tissue haemoglobin concentration from Stereo RGB

Multispectral imaging (MSI) can provide information about tissue oxygenation, perfusion and potentially function during surgery. In this paper we present a novel, near real-time technique for intrinsic measurements of total haemoglobin (THb) and blood oxygenation (SO 22 ) in tissue using only RGB images from a stereo laparoscope. The high degree of spectral overlap between channels makes inference of haemoglobin concentration challenging, non-linear and under constrained. We decompose the problem into two constrained linear sub-problems and show that with Tikhonov regularisation the estimation significantly improves, giving robust estimation of the THb. We demonstrate by using the co-registered stereo image data from two cameras it is possible to get robust SO 22 estimation as well. Our method is closed from, providing computational efficiency even with multiple cameras. The method we present requires only spectral response calibration of each camera, without modification of existing laparoscopic imaging hardware. We validate our technique on synthetic data from Monte Carlo simulation and further, in vivo, on a multispectral porcine data set

A Double Sigma Model for Double Field Theory

We define a sigma model with doubled target space and calculate its background field equations. These coincide with generalised metric equation of motion of double field theory, thus the double field theory is the effective field theory for the sigma model.Comment: 26 pages, v1: 37 pages, v2: references added, v3: updated to match published version - background and detail of calculations substantially condensed, motivation expanded, refs added, results unchange

Ultrasonic NDE of Green-State Ceramics by Focused Through-Transmission

Reliable NDE techniques for green-state (unfired) ceramics are needed (1) to evaluate ceramic powder processing and compaction methods and (2) to screen out defective ceramic components prior to the costly densification process. Past work in the application of ultrasonic NDE to green-state ceramics has been hampered by the lack of an efficient yet safe means to obtain ultrasonic coupling, since conventional coupling fluids (water, gels, oils, etc.) have a detrimental effect on fragile green-state materials. In early work, direct contact pressure was used to obtain dry coupling between transducer and specimen [1]. This approach was later improved upon by placing an elastomer membrane between the transducer and specimen; this method provided efficient coupling at significantly lower contact pressures [2]. In the study presented here, an acoustically transparent plastic membrane was held against the ceramic specimen by atmospheric pressure [3]. The advantage of this technique is that it allows the use of ultrasonic immersion techniques as well as contact transducers

The pregnancy outcome prediction (POP) study: Investigating the relationship between serial prenatal ultrasonography, biomarkers, placental phenotype and adverse pregnancy outcomes

Placental dysfunction is implicated in many major complications of pregnancy associated with adverse maternal and infant outcome, such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction and stillbirth. Yet, despite years of intensive research, screening for these complications is still largely based upon clinical grounds rather than ultrasonic and/or biochemical assessment of placental function. One of the few widely employed methods for assessment of risk, low first trimester levels of PAPP-A (Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein A), was identified through secondary analysis of data collected to identify new methods of screening for Down's syndrome rather than as a purposeful search for screening tests for abnormal placentation. Development of improved methods for population screening requires better mechanistic understanding of the pathways leading to placentally-related complications of human pregnancy. This is in addition to a need for identification of biomarkers which reflect the underlying pathology, while predicting associated disease with high sensitivity and specificity. In this paper, we outline some of the challenges and opportunities in this area. Furthermore, we illustrate how some of these can be addressed in research studies using the example of the Pregnancy Outcome Prediction (POP) study, a prospective cohort study conducted in Cambridge, UK.This study was funded by the NIHR Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre [grant number A019057], the Medical Research Council [grant number MR/K021133/1] and the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS)

Representation in Wales: an empirical analysis of the policy divisions between voters and candidates

Politics in Wales is often portrayed as being relatively consensual when compared with the rest of the United Kingdom and enjoying healthy levels of trust between voters and elites. Recent events like the decision of Welsh voters to reject the European Union membership against the advice of most of its political establishment, however, are calling to question this perception. Using 2016 Welsh Candidate Study and 2016 Welsh Election Study data, this paper evaluates the extent of policy divisions between voters and candidates in Wales. I find that candidates hold more liberal policy positions and are less likely to think of immigration as the most important policy priority. In addition, they tend to favour a different approach to parliamentary representation, deeming it more acceptable for Assembly Members to discard the views of their voters in favour of their own views or those of their party

Surgical spectral imaging

Recent technological developments have resulted in the availability of miniaturised spectral imaging sensors capable of operating in the multi- (MSI) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) regimes. Simultaneous advances in image-processing techniques and artificial intelligence (AI), especially in machine learning and deep learning, have made these data-rich modalities highly attractive as a means of extracting biological information non-destructively. Surgery in particular is poised to benefit from this, as spectrally-resolved tissue optical properties can offer enhanced contrast as well as diagnostic and guidance information during interventions. This is particularly relevant for procedures where inherent contrast is low under standard white light visualisation. This review summarises recent work in surgical spectral imaging (SSI) techniques, taken from Pubmed, Google Scholar and arXiv searches spanning the period 2013–2019. New hardware, optimised for use in both open and minimally-invasive surgery (MIS), is described, and recent commercial activity is summarised. Computational approaches to extract spectral information from conventional colour images are reviewed, as tip-mounted cameras become more commonplace in MIS. Model-based and machine learning methods of data analysis are discussed in addition to simulation, phantom and clinical validation experiments. A wide variety of surgical pilot studies are reported but it is apparent that further work is needed to quantify the clinical value of MSI/HSI. The current trend toward data-driven analysis emphasises the importance of widely-available, standardised spectral imaging datasets, which will aid understanding of variability across organs and patients, and drive clinical translation

The relationship between human placental morphometry and ultrasonic measurements of utero-placental blood flow and fetal growth.

INTRODUCTION: Ultrasonic fetal biometry and arterial Doppler flow velocimetry are widely used to assess the risk of pregnancy complications. There is an extensive literature on the relationship between pregnancy outcomes and the size and shape of the placenta. However, ultrasonic fetal biometry and arterial Doppler flow velocimetry have not previously been studied in relation to postnatal placental morphometry in detail. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of nulliparous women in The Rosie Hospital, Cambridge (UK). We studied a group of 2120 women who had complete data on uterine and umbilical Doppler velocimetry and fetal biometry at 20, 28 and 36 weeks' gestational age, digital images of the placenta available, and delivered a liveborn infant at term. Associations were expressed as the difference in the standard deviation (SD) score of the gestational age adjusted ultrasound measurement (z-score) comparing the lowest and highest decile of the given placental morphometric measurement. RESULTS: The lowest decile of placental surface area was associated with 0.87 SD higher uterine artery Doppler mean pulsatility index (PI) at 20 weeks (95% CI: 0.68 to 1.07, P < 0.001). The lowest decile of placental weight was associated with 0.73 SD higher umbilical artery Doppler PI at 36 weeks (95% CI: 0.54 to 0.93, P < 0.001). The lowest decile of both placental weight and placental area were associated with reduced growth velocity of the fetal abdominal circumference between 20 and 36 weeks (both P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Placental area and weight are associated with uterine and umbilical blood flow, respectively, and both are associated with fetal growth rate.This study was funded by the NIHR Cambridge Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre (grant number A019057) and Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS). GE donated two ultrasound machines for use in the project.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.placenta.2015.12.00

Aboriginal uses of seaweeds in temperate Australia: an archival assessment

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.Global demand for seaweed has increased dramatically over recent decades and the potential for seaweed aquaculture to address issues around food security and climate-change mitigation are being recognised. Australia is a global hotspot for seaweed biodiversity with a rich, diverse Indigenous history dating back 65,000 years, including an extensive traditional knowledge of Australian natural resources. In our present review of archival literature, we explored the contemporary and historical uses and cultural significance of seaweeds to Indigenous Australians. We found records of seaweed use by Indigenous Saltwater Australians (Australian Aboriginal peoples from coastal areas across the nation who are the Traditional Owners/Guardians and custodians of the lands and waters characterised by saltwater environment) for a variety of purposes including cultural activities, ceremonial activities, medicinal uses, clothing, cultural history, food, fishing, shelter and domestic uses. Species-specific records were rarely recorded (and/or accurately translated) in the archival literature, with the exception of the use of the fucoid bull kelp, Durvillaea potatorum, which was prevalent. Our research is a step forward in the important task of recovering and conserving Indigenous Australian knowledge and customary traditions surrounding coastal resource use. Unlocking this knowledge creates opportunities for the continuance and revitalization of traditional customary practises that may enable innovative Indigenous business activities and product creation, based around food, sustainable natural-fibre technologies and health. Such research also has the potential to enhance a developing Australian seaweed industry by guiding species selection, preparation, use and sustainable resource management. We recommend our findings are used to inform the direction and locations of further research conducted in conjunction with Indigenous coastal communities in Australia’s temperate regions, to explore in more detail the Indigenous Australian’s historical heritage associated with coastal seaweed resources and their uses