Characterising food environment exposure at home, at work, and along commuting journeys using data on adults in the UK

COVID-19 is compounding opioid use disorder throughout the United States. While recent commentaries provide useful policy recommendations, few studies examine the intersection of COVID-19 policy responses and patterns of opioid overdose. We examine opioid overdoses prior to and following the Pennsylvania stay-at-home order implemented on April 1, 2020. Using data from the Pennsylvania Overdose Information Network, we measure change in monthly incidents of opioid-related overdose pre- versus post-April 1, and the significance of change by gender, age, race, drug class, and naloxone doses administered. Findings demonstrate statistically significant increases in overdose incidents among both men and women, White and Black groups, and several age groups, most notably the 30–39 and 40–49 ranges, following April 1. Significant increases were observed for overdoses involving heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogs or other synthetic opioids, pharmaceutical opioids, and carfentanil. The study emphasizes the need for opioid use to be addressed alongside efforts to mitigate and manage COVID-19 infection.

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Validation of the BATT score for prehospital risk stratification of traumatic haemorrhagic death: usefulness for tranexamic acid treatment criteria

Scandinavian Journal of Trauma Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine ◽

10.1186/s13049-020-00827-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Francois-Xavier Ageron ◽

Timothy J. Coats ◽

Vincent Darioli ◽

Ian Roberts

Keyword(s):

Tranexamic Acid ◽

Acid Treatment ◽

Injury Severity ◽

External Validation ◽

Research Network ◽

Brier Score ◽

Trauma Patients ◽

Using Data ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Tranexamic acid reduces surgical blood loss and reduces deaths from bleeding in trauma patients. Tranexamic acid must be given urgently, preferably by paramedics at the scene of the injury or in the ambulance. We developed a simple score (Bleeding Audit Triage Trauma score) to predict death from bleeding. Methods We conducted an external validation of the BATT score using data from the UK Trauma Audit Research Network (TARN) from 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2018. We evaluated the impact of tranexamic acid treatment thresholds in trauma patients. Results We included 104,862 trauma patients with an injury severity score of 9 or above. Tranexamic acid was administered to 9915 (9%) patients. Of these 5185 (52%) received prehospital tranexamic acid. The BATT score had good accuracy (Brier score = 6%) and good discrimination (C-statistic 0.90; 95% CI 0.89–0.91). Calibration in the large showed no substantial difference between predicted and observed death due to bleeding (1.15% versus 1.16%, P = 0.81). Pre-hospital tranexamic acid treatment of trauma patients with a BATT score of 2 or more would avoid 210 bleeding deaths by treating 61,598 patients instead of avoiding 55 deaths by treating 9915 as currently. Conclusion The BATT score identifies trauma patient at risk of significant haemorrhage. A score of 2 or more would be an appropriate threshold for pre-hospital tranexamic acid treatment.

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Changes in Domestic Energy and Water Usage during the UK COVID-19 Lockdown Using High-Resolution Temporal Data

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18136818 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (13) ◽

pp. 6818

Author(s):

Tamaryn Menneer ◽

Zening Qi ◽

Timothy Taylor ◽

Cheryl Paterson ◽

Gengyang Tu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Temporal Resolution ◽

Temporal Data ◽

Water Usage ◽

Socioeconomically Disadvantaged ◽

Energy Needs ◽

Health Advice ◽

Domestic Energy ◽

The Uk ◽

Domestic Electricity ◽

At Home

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the UK Government provided public health advice to stay at home from 16 March 2020, followed by instruction to stay at home (full lockdown) from 24 March 2020. We use data with high temporal resolution from utility sensors installed in 280 homes across social housing in Cornwall, UK, to test for changes in domestic electricity, gas and water usage in response to government guidance. Gas usage increased by 20% following advice to stay at home, the week before full lockdown, although no difference was seen during full lockdown itself. During full lockdown, morning electricity usage shifted to later in the day, decreasing at 6 a.m. and increasing at midday. These changes in energy were echoed in water usage, with a 17% increase and a one-hour delay in peak morning usage. Changes were consistent with people getting up later, spending more time at home and washing more during full lockdown. Evidence for these changes was also observed in later lockdowns, but not between lockdowns. Our findings suggest more compliance with an enforced stay-at-home message than with advice. We discuss implications for socioeconomically disadvantaged households given the indication of inability to achieve increased energy needs during the pandemic.

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Lockdown, slow down: impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity—an observational study

Open Heart ◽

10.1136/openhrt-2021-001600 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. e001600

Author(s):

Joanne Kathryn Taylor ◽

Haarith Ndiaye ◽

Matthew Daniels ◽

Fozia Ahmed

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

New York ◽

Heart Association ◽

Evaluation Study ◽

Activity Data ◽

Cardiac Devices ◽

Significant Difference ◽

New York Heart Association ◽

Using Data ◽

The Uk

AimsIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK was placed under strict lockdown measures on 23 March 2020. The aim of this study was to quantify the effects on physical activity (PA) levels using data from the prospective Triage-HF Plus Evaluation study.MethodsThis study represents a cohort of adult patients with implanted cardiac devices capable of measuring activity by embedded accelerometery via a remote monitoring platform. Activity data were available for the 4 weeks pre-implementation and post implementation of ‘stay at home’ lockdown measures in the form of ‘minutes active per day’ (min/day).ResultsData were analysed for 311 patients (77.2% men, mean age 68.8, frailty 55.9%. 92.2% established heart failure (HF) diagnosis, of these 51.2% New York Heart Association II), with comorbidities representative of a real-world cohort.Post-lockdown, a significant reduction in median PA equating to 20.8 active min/day was seen. The reduction was uniform with a slightly more pronounced drop in PA for women, but no statistically significant difference with respect to age, body mass index, frailty or device type. Activity dropped in the immediate 2-week period post-lockdown, but steadily returned thereafter. Median activity week 4 weeks post-lockdown remained significantly lower than 4 weeks pre-lockdown (p≤0.001).ConclusionsIn a population of predominantly HF patients with cardiac devices, activity reduced by approximately 20 min active per day in the immediate aftermath of strict COVID-19 lockdown measures.Trial registration numberNCT04177199.

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The genetic architecture of structural left–right asymmetry of the human brain

Nature Human Behaviour ◽

10.1038/s41562-021-01069-w ◽

2021 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zhiqiang Sha ◽

Dick Schijven ◽

Amaia Carrion-Castillo ◽

Marc Joliot ◽

Bernard Mazoyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Asymmetry ◽

Functional Enrichment ◽

Brain Organization ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Brain Expression ◽

Using Data ◽

Left Right Asymmetry ◽

The Uk ◽

Subcortical Volume

AbstractLeft–right hemispheric asymmetry is an important aspect of healthy brain organization for many functions including language, and it can be altered in cognitive and psychiatric disorders. No mechanism has yet been identified for establishing the human brain’s left–right axis. We performed multivariate genome-wide association scanning of cortical regional surface area and thickness asymmetries, and subcortical volume asymmetries, using data from 32,256 participants from the UK Biobank. There were 21 significant loci associated with different aspects of brain asymmetry, with functional enrichment involving microtubule-related genes and embryonic brain expression. These findings are consistent with a known role of the cytoskeleton in left–right axis determination in other organs of invertebrates and frogs. Genetic variants associated with brain asymmetry overlapped with those associated with autism, educational attainment and schizophrenia. Comparably large datasets will likely be required in future studies, to replicate and further clarify the associations of microtubule-related genes with variation in brain asymmetry, behavioural and psychiatric traits.

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Exploring the Relationship Between Palatal Cleft Type and Width With the Use of Relieving Incisions in Primary Repair

The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal ◽

10.1177/10556656211019616 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 105566562110196

Author(s):

Alex Davies ◽

Amy Davies ◽

Yvonne Wren ◽

Scott Deacon ◽

Alistair R.M. Cobb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oral Mucosa ◽

Primary Repair ◽

Fistula Formation ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Using Data ◽

The Uk ◽

The Relationship ◽

Soft Edge ◽

Intravelar Veloplasty ◽

Pierre Robin

Objective: The mainstay of palatal repair in the United Kingdom is the intravelar veloplasty (IVVP). It is not always possible to align the oral mucosa in the midline to achieve tension-free repair. The addition of lateral relieving incisions may aid transposition of the oral mucosa to allow closure. The aim of this study was to explore cleft features that may predispose to a requirement for relieving incisions in order to allow palate closure. Design: We performed a national multiinstitutional retrospective study using data from the UK Cleft Collective cohort study. Patients: The study sample consisted of 474 patients who had undergone IVVP at the time of palatal closure across all 16 of the UK cleft units. Results: We found strong evidence for the requirement for relieving incisions in patients with an increased degree of clefting per the Veau classification ( P < .001), increasing palatal soft-edge width ( P < .001) and moderate evidence of an associated use in patients with Pierre Robin sequence ( P = .015). Insufficient data were available to explore the relationship between intertuberosity distance and the presence of fistula formation with the use of relieving incisions. Conclusions: The results of this study identify cleft features that increase the likelihood for requiring lateral relieving incisions to allow palatal closure. The degree to which the addition of relieving incisions to IVVP affects maxillary growth and speech outcomes is unknown. Further study is required to answer this important question.

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Funding Local Political Parties in England and Wales: Donations and Constituency Campaigns

The British Journal of Politics and International Relations ◽

10.1111/j.1467-856x.2007.00296.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 365-395 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Ron Johnston ◽

Charles Pattie

Keyword(s):

Political Parties ◽

England And Wales ◽

Liberal Democrats ◽

Using Data ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

The funding of political parties is an issue of considerable contemporary concern in the UK. Although most attention has been paid to the situation regarding national parties, the new funding regime introduced in 2001 also applies to constituency parties, and some concerns have been raised regarding the limits on spending and expenditure there. Using data released by the Electoral Commission on all donations above a specified minimum to constituency parties, this article looks at the pattern of donations over the period 2001–05. It then analyses the impact of spending on the 2005 constituency campaigns, showing that for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats substantial donations enhanced their vote-winning performances in seats where their candidates were challengers whereas for Labour substantial donations aided its performance in marginal seats that it was defending.

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Primary repair versus surgical and transcatheter palliation in infants with tetralogy of Fallot

Heart ◽

10.1136/heartjnl-2018-312958 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 104 (22) ◽

pp. 1864-1870 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Dan M Dorobantu ◽

Alireza S Mahani ◽

Mansour T A Sharabiani ◽

Ragini Pandey ◽

Gianni D Angelini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Right Ventricular ◽

Tetralogy Of Fallot ◽

Primary Repair ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Right Ventricular Outflow Tract ◽

Ventricular Outflow Tract ◽

Outflow Tract ◽

Young Infants ◽

Using Data ◽

The Uk

ObjectivesTreatment of infants with tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) has evolved in the last two decades with increasing use of primary surgical repair (PrR) and transcatheter right ventricular outflow tract palliation (RVOTd), and fewer systemic-to-pulmonary shunts (SPS). We aim to report contemporary results using these treatment options in a comparative study.MethodsThis a retrospective study using data from the UK National Congenital Heart Disease Audit. All infants (n=1662, median age 181 days) with ToF and no other complex defects undergoing repair or palliation between 2000 and 2013 were considered. Matching algorithms were used to minimise confounding due to lower age and weight in those palliated.ResultsPatients underwent PrR (n=1244), SPS (n=311) or RVOTd (n=107). Mortality at 12 years was higher when repair or palliation was performed before the age of 60 days rather than after, most significantly for primary repair (18.7% vs 2.2%, P<0.001), less so for RVOTd (10.8% vs 0%, P=0.06) or SPS (12.4% vs 8.3%, P=0.2). In the matched groups of patients, RVOTd was associated with more right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reinterventions (HR=2.3, P=0.05 vs PrR, HR=7.2, P=0.001 vs SPS) and fewer pulmonary valve replacements (PVR) (HR=0.3 vs PrR, P=0.05) at 12 years, with lower mortality after complete repair (HR=0.2 versus PrR, P=0.09).ConclusionsWe found that RVOTd was associated with more RVOT reinterventions, fewer PVR and fewer deaths when compared with PrR in comparable, young infants, especially so in those under 60 days at the time of the first procedure.

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