Project description:The aim of the project was to define transcriptional signatures in whole blood of TB patients (before drug treatment) and healthy controls to distinguish the signature of Latent and Active TB patients from each other and from healthy controls. This will help in diagnosis of active tuberculosis which normally relies on culture of the bacilli, which can take up to 6 wks, and sometimes the bacilli cannot be obtained from sputum thus requiring invasive techniques obtaining bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). In some cases the bacill cannot be grown from sputum or BAL. Secondly the aim was to determine whether Latent patients have a homogeneous or heterogeneous signature, one may expect the latter since it is not possible to determine by the present tests (Tuberculin skin test - TST - or MTb antigen responsiveness of blood cells to produce IFN-gamma - IGRA assay) whether the mycobacteria has been cleared, is still present but is controlled, or if patients are recently infected or reactivated and will develop active TB. The latter situation may be determined if Latent patients have a blood transcriptional signature similar to that in Active patients. The transcriptional signature in Active TB patients may also provide information as to the factors leading to immunopathogenesis, thus possibly identifying therapeutic targets. The transcriptional profile in Latent TB may give information as to the protective factors controlling the infection, thus important for monitoring vaccine development. A further aim was to examine the transcriptional blood profile of active TB patients at the time of recruitment (before drug treatment) and then subsequently at specific time points after drug treatment to determine whether the signature is extingsuihed with treatment and when. London is a site of intermediate burden of TB - the study was initiated in London, across a broad range of ethnicities to obtain a robust signature that could be used in different developing countries where there is a high burden TB disease.

Project description:The aim of the project was to define transcriptional signatures in whole blood of TB patients (before drug treatment) and healthy controls to distinguish the signature of Latent and Active TB patients from each other and from healthy controls. This will help in diagnosis of active tuberculosis which normally relies on culture of the bacilli, which can take up to 6 wks, and sometimes the bacilli cannot be obtained from sputum thus requiring invasive techniques obtaining bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). In some cases the bacill cannot be grown from sputum or BAL. Secondly the aim was to determine whether Latent patients have a homogeneous or heterogeneous signature, one may expect the latter since it is not possible to determine by the present tests (Tuberculin skin test - TST - or MTb antigen responsiveness of blood cells to produce IFN-gamma - IGRA assay) whether the mycobacteria has been cleared, is still present but is controlled, or if patients are recently infected or reactivated and will develop active TB. The latter situation may be determined if Latent patients have a blood transcriptional signature similar to that in Active patients. The transcriptional signature in Active TB patients may also provide information as to the factors leading to immunopathogenesis, thus possibly identifying therapeutic targets. The transcriptional profile in Latent TB may give information as to the protective factors controlling the infection, thus important for monitoring vaccine development. A further aim was to examine the transcriptional blood profile of active TB patients at the time of recruitment (before drug treatment) and then subsequently at specific time points after drug treatment to determine whether the signature is extingsuihed with treatment and when. London is a site of intermediate burden of TB - the study was initiated in London, across a broad range of ethnicities to obtain a robust signature that could be used in different developing countries where there is a high burden TB disease. Experimental design : Whole blood collected in tempus tubes from patients with different spectra of TB disease and healthy controls. All patients were sampled prior to the initiation of any antimycobacterial therapy. Active Pulmonary TB: PTB - All patients confirmed by isolation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis on culture of sputum or bronchoalvelolar lavage fluid. Latent TB: LTB - All patients were screened at a tuberculosis clinic, being either new entrants to the UK from endemic countries or being household contacts of infectious cases. All were positive by tuberculin skin test (>14mm if BCG vaccinated, >5mm if not vaccinated) and were also positive by Interferon-Gamma Release assay(IGRA); specifically Quantiferon Gold In-Tube Assay (Cellestis, Australia). Latent patients had no clinical, radiological or microbiological evidence of active infection and were asymptomatic. Healthy controls - these were volunteers without exposure to TB who were negative by both tuberculin skin test (<15mm if BCG vaccinated, <6mm if unvaccinated); who were also negative by IGRA (as described above). In this dataset: PTB n= 13; LTB n = 17; BCG+ n = 6, BCG-, n =6. Experimental variables : Patient group: Active PTB; Latent TB, Healthy controls (BCG vaccinated and unvaccinated). ethnicity - a wide range of ethnic groups is represented. However all controls in this dataset are broadly Caucasian/White. The active PTB group incorporates a range of smear positive and smear negative disease and a spectrum of disease extent/severity.

Project description:BackgroundThe use of administrative data in health and social science research continues to expand, with increased availability of data and interest from funders. Researchers, however, continue to experience delays in access, storage and sharing of administrative data. Training opportunities are limited and typically specific to individual data providers or focussed on the analytical aspects of working with administrative data. The CENTRIC study was funded by the Information Commissioners Office, with the aim of developing a broader training curriculum for researchers working with administrative data in the UK.MethodsA mixed-methods design informed curriculum content, including surveys with researchers, focus group discussions with data providers and workshops with members of the public. Researchers were identified from relevant administrative data networks and invited to participate in an online survey identifying training needs. Data providers were approached with a request to input to a face-to-face or online meeting with two members of the research team about their experiences of working with researchers. Data were analysed within the broad framework of the interview schedule, free text responses in the survey were analysed thematically.Results107 researchers responded to the online survey and four data providers participated in the focus groups. We identified five main themes, relating to research training needs for UK researchers working with administrative data: communication; timelines; changes & amendments; future-proofing applications; and, the availability of training and support. Data providers either provided additional evidence on these learning needs or ways to address identified challenges. Six modules were developed addressing these training needs. Quotes from the survey and focus groups are used anonymously in the online training modules.ConclusionThe CENTRIC online training curriculum was launched in September 2020 and is available, free of charge for UK researchers. CENTRIC specifically addresses commonly identified training needs of researchers working with administrative data.

Project description:BackgroundIncreasing breastfeeding initiation and duration rates is one of the UK Department of Health national targets for improving the health of the population. One reason contributing to the high rates of breastfeeding discontinuation may be that primary care teams may not have sufficient knowledge to help mothers overcome problems experienced in the early days and may also give conflicting advice. Previous studies have shown that general practitioners are happy to participate in practice-based educational sessions and have expressed a need for breastfeeding education. This study was carried out as part of the training to achieve 'UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative in a community health care setting' status. It aimed to improve the breastfeeding expertise and advice about the management of breastfeeding problems within the primary care team using a CD-ROM breastfeeding learning package, and to assess the usefulness and acceptability of this educational intervention.MethodsSix UK general practitioner (GP) practices were involved in a questionnaire survey of multiprofessional groups before and after an interactive training session. This focussed on managing and solving problems, particularly mastitis and nipple thrush. The questionnaire included 20 questions on attitudes to and knowledge of breastfeeding, and eight multiple-choice questions on breastfeeding management. Non-parametric statistics (Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests) were used to compare the groups and to explore changes in knowledge after training.ResultsFifty primary care health professionals (29 GPs, 18 health visitors, 3 midwives) attended the sessions. There was an increase in scores relating to knowledge about breastfeeding after training, especially for the GPs and for those who did not have their own children. Health visitors improved their scores on recognition of the symptoms of poor attachment at the breast, and GPs showed greatest improvement in resolving sore nipples and recognising nipple thrush.Changes in practice were reported and positive comments made about involving GPs and health visitors together in practice-based education.ConclusionUsing an electronic teaching resource is feasible for updating the knowledge of the primary care team. It can help to improve breastfeeding expertise and advice about breastfeeding problem management.

Dataset Information

Hepatology training in the UK.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets