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(Wolverhampton Intellectual Repository and E-Theses)
WIRE is an open access repository for the research publications and other outputs from postgraduate students and staff at the University of Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton staff: to deposit your publication to WIRE, go to: https://www.wlv.ac.uk/lib/research/wire/
Use the search box above or the browse function on the left to discover publications from the research community at the University of Wolverhampton.
University students and staff can also search WIRE using LibrarySearch
For further information or help, contact the Scholarly Communications Team at wire@wlv.ac.uk
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Assessment, endoscopy, and treatment in patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (PROTECT-ASUC): a multicentre, observational, case-control studyBackground There is a paucity of evidence to support safe and effective management of patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to identify alterations to established conventional evidence-based management of acute severe ulcerative colitis during the early COVID-19 pandemic, the effect on outcomes, and any associations with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and severe COVID-19 outcomes. Methods The PROTECT-ASUC study was a multicentre, observational, case-control study in 60 acute secondary care hospitals throughout the UK. We included adults (≥18 years) with either ulcerative colitis or inflammatory bowel disease unclassified, who presented with acute severe ulcerative colitis and fulfilled the Truelove and Witts criteria. Cases and controls were identified as either admitted or managed in emergency ambulatory care settings between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic period cohort), or between Jan 1, 2019, and June 30, 2019 (historical control cohort), respectively. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis receiving rescue therapy (including primary induction) or colectomy. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04411784. Findings We included 782 patients (398 in the pandemic period cohort and 384 in the historical control cohort) who met the Truelove and Witts criteria for acute severe ulcerative colitis. The proportion of patients receiving rescue therapy (including primary induction) or surgery was higher during the pandemic period than in the historical period (217 [55%] of 393 patients vs 159 [42%] of 380 patients; p=0·00024) and the time to rescue therapy was shorter in the pandemic cohort than in the historical cohort (p=0·0026). This difference was driven by a greater use of rescue and primary induction therapies with biologicals, ciclosporin, or tofacitinib in the COVID-19 pandemic period cohort than in the historical control period cohort (177 [46%] of 387 patients in the COVID-19 cohort vs 134 [36%] of 373 patients in the historical cohort; p=0·0064). During the pandemic, more patients received ambulatory (outpatient) intravenous steroids (51 [13%] of 385 patients vs 19 [5%] of 360 patients; p=0·00023). Fewer patients received thiopurines (29 [7%] of 398 patients vs 46 [12%] of 384; p=0·029) and 5-aminosalicylic acids (67 [17%] of 398 patients vs 98 [26%] of 384; p=0·0037) during the pandemic than in the historical control period. Colectomy rates were similar between the pandemic and historical control groups (64 [16%] of 389 vs 50 [13%] of 375; p=0·26); however, laparoscopic surgery was less frequently performed during the pandemic period (34 [53%] of 64] vs 38 [76%] of 50; p=0·018). Five (2%) of 253 patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during hospital treatment. Two (2%) of 103 patients re-tested for SARS-CoV-2 during the 3-month follow-up were positive 5 days and 12 days, respectively, after discharge from index admission. Both recovered without serious outcomes. Interpretation The COVID-19 pandemic altered practice patterns of gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons in the management of acute severe ulcerative colitis but was associated with similar outcomes to a historical cohort. Despite continued use of high-dose corticosteroids and biologicals, the incidence of COVID-19 within 3 months was low and not associated with adverse COVID-19 outcomes.
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in augmented care: the molecular ecology and transmission dynamics in four large UK hospitalsBackground Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common opportunistic pathogen and molecular typing in outbreaks has linked patient acquisition to contaminated hospital water systems. Aim To elucidate the role of P. aeruginosa transmission rates in non-outbreak augmented care settings in the UK. Methods Over a 16-week period, all water outlets in augmented care units of four hospitals were sampled for P. aeruginosa and clinical isolates were collected. Outlet and clinical P. aeruginosa isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS), which with epidemiological data identified acquisition from water as definite (level 1), probable (level 2), possible (level 3), and no evidence (level 4). Findings Outlets were positive in each hospital on all three occasions: W (16%), X (2.5%), Y (0.9%) and Z (2%); and there were 51 persistently positive outlets in total. WGS identified likely transmission (at levels 1, 2 and 3) from outlets to patients in three hospitals for P. aeruginosa positive patients: W (63%), X (54.5%) and Z (26%). According to the criteria (intimate epidemiological link and no phylogenetic distance), approximately 5% of patients in the study ‘definitely’ acquired their P. aeruginosa from their water outlets in the intensive care unit. This study found extensive evidence of transmission from the outlet to the patients particularly in the newest hospital (W), which had the highest rate of positive outlets. Conclusions The overall findings suggest that water outlets are the most likely source of P. aeruginosa nosocomial infections in some settings, and that widespread introduction of control measures would have a substantial impact on infections.
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Understanding the impact of ‘wish-granting’ interventions on the health and wellbeing of children with life-threatening health conditions and their families: A systematic reviewThis review aimed to explore how wish-granting interventions impact on the health and wellbeing of children with life-threatening health conditions and their families, using any study design. Six electronic databases (Medline; PsycINFO; CINAHL; Embase; AMED; HMIC) were systematically searched to identify eligible research articles. Studies were critically appraised using a Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Findings were synthesised narratively. Ten papers were included, reporting studies conducted across five countries, published from 2007-2019. Study designs were diverse (four quantitative; two qualitative; four mixed method). Results indicated improvements to physical and mental health, quality of life, social wellbeing, resilience and coping for wish children, parents and siblings. In conclusion, wish-granting interventions can positively impact health and therefore, should not be discouraged; however, more research is needed to define and quantify the impact of wish-fulfillment and to understand how it can be maximized.
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Phase Transformation Dynamics in Sulfate-Loaded Lanthanide Triphosphonates. Proton Conductivity and Application as Fillers in PEMFCs.Phase transformation dynamics and proton conduction properties are reported for cationic layer-featured coordination polymers derived from the combination of lanthanide ions (Ln3+) with nitrilo-tris(methylenephosphonic acid) (H6NMP) in the presence of sulfate ions. Two families of materials are isolated and structurally characterized, i.e., [Ln2(H4NMP)2(H2O)4](HSO4)2·nH2O (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Er, Yb; n = 4–5, Series I) and [Ln(H5NMP)]SO4·2H2O (Ln = Pr, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb; Series II). Eu/Tb bimetallic solid solutions are also prepared for photoluminescence studies. Members of families I and II display high proton conductivity (10–3 and 10–2 S·cm–1 at 80 °C and 95% relative humidity) and are studied as fillers for Nafion-based composite membranes in PEMFCs, under operating conditions. Composite membranes exhibit higher power and current densities than the pristine Nafion membrane working in the range of 70–90 °C and 100% relative humidity and with similar proton conductivity.
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Domestic researchers with longer careers generate higher average citation impact but it does not increase over timeInformation about the relative strengths of scholars is needed for the efficient running of knowledge systems. Since academic research requires many skills, more experienced researchers might produce better research and attract more citations. This article assesses career citation impact changes 2001-2016 for domestic researchers (definition: first and last Scopus journal article in the same country) from the twelve nations with most Scopus documents. Careers are analysed longitudinally, so that changes are not due to personnel evolution, such as researchers leaving or entering a country. The results show that long term domestic researchers do not tend to improve their citation impact over time but tend to achieve their average citation impact by their first or second Scopus journal article. In some countries, this citation impact subsequently declines. These longer-term domestic researchers have higher citation impact than the national average in all countries, however, whereas scholars publishing only one journal article have substantially lower citation impact in all countries. The results are consistent with an efficiently functioning researcher selection system but cast slight doubt on the long-term citation impact potential of long-term domestic researchers. Research and funding policies may need to accommodate these patterns when citation impact is a relevant indicator.
