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Applicability of solving the one- and two-dimensional Poisson equation with the quantum Harrow-Hassidim-Lloyd algorithm
No full textThis paper assesses the numerical accuracy of the Harrow-Hassidim-Lloyd (HHL) algorithm in solving a finite difference approximation of the Poisson equation, where the Thomas algorithm is used as a comparative benchmark. In the one-dimensional setting with homogeneous boundary conditions, the HHL algorithm exhibits numerical accuracy comparable to the Thomas algorithm. However, the HHL algorithm exhibits increased sensitivity to variations in input parameters for simulations with non-homogeneous boundary conditions. While the current implementation of the HHL algorithm is limited to solving the one-dimensional Poisson equation, we propose a novel hybrid framework to extend the applicability of the HHL algorithm to solving the two-dimensional Poisson equation. Our results show that although both algorithms perform similarly for small systems of 8×8 mesh nodes, the HHL algorithm shows increased input parameter sensitivity for systems of 16×16 mesh nodes, indicating that further development is needed to scale the hybrid approach effectively
Eutectic orientation relationships in Sn-Bi solder
No full textThe Sn-Bi eutectic is used increasingly as a low temperature solder (LTS) in electronics manufacturing. Here, we
measure eutectic orientation relationships (ORs) in Sn-58Bi and compare the ORs formed during solidification of
undercooled solder balls with those from unidirectional solidification. In both solidification conditions, three
ORs formed, each involving {0112} as the main interface planes in (Bi) with different interface planes in β-Sn. In
each OR, the eutectic bismuth was commonly twinned, with multiple (Bi) orientations related to each β-Sn
orientation which is explained in terms of the orientation variants of the ORs and the twin variants in (Bi). It is
found that the dominant eutectic OR changes as the nucleation undercooling becomes deeper in solder balls
which is discussed in terms of the effects of undercooling on the fraction of tin dendrites and the eutectic growth
velocity. The ability to change the dominant eutectic OR may provide a pathway to control interfaces between
the β-Sn and (Bi) phases which play an important role in the reliability of Sn-58Bi joints
The Helicobacter pylori AI-clinician harnesses artificial intelligence to personalise H. pylori treatment recommendations
No full textHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most common carcinogenic pathogen globally and the leading cause of gastric cancer. Here, we develop a reinforcement learning-based AI Clinician system to personalise treatment selection and evaluate its ability to improve eradication success compared to clinician-prescribed therapies. The model is trained and internally validated on 38,049 patients from the retrospective European Registry on Helicobacter pylori Management (Hp-EuReg), using independent state deep Q-learning (isDQN) to recommend optimal therapies based on patient characteristics such as age, sex, antibiotic allergies, country, and pre-treatment indication. In internal validation using real-world Hp-EuReg data, AI-recommended therapies achieve a 94.1% success rate (95% CI: 93.2–95.0%) versus 88.1% (95% CI: 87.7–88.4%) for clinician-prescribed therapies not aligned with AI suggestions—an improvement of 6.0%. Results are replicated in an external validation cohort (n = 7186), confirming generalisability. The AI system identifies optimal treatment strategies in key subgroups: 65% (n = 24,923) are recommended bismuth-based therapies, and 15% (n = 5898) non-bismuth quadruple therapies. Random forest modelling identifies region and concurrent medications as patient-specific drivers of AI recommendations. With nearly half the global population likely to contract H. pylori, this approach lays the foundation for future prospective clinical validation and shows the potential of AI to support clinical decision-making, enhance outcomes, and reduce gastric cancer burden
A high-sensitivity, high-throughput newborn screening assay for congenital cytomegalovirus—is it time for universal screening in the United Kingdom?
No full textIntroduction: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the leading cause of neurodevelopmental and hearing impairment resulting from in utero infection, affecting over a million infants globally each year. Early antiviral treatment can limit sequelae; however, most newborns are diagnosed late—or not at all—due to the lack of universal screening. Ensuring the availability of appropriate screening tools is critical to facilitate accurate and timely cCMV diagnosis.
Methods: A high-sensitivity, high-throughput commercial CMV PCR kit targeting the RRP30 control gene and a conserved region of CMV DNA was provided by Revvity and tested in three population groups: (1) leftover dried blood spot (DBS) samples from the UK newborn screening programme, (2) DBS samples from children with CMV viraemia unrelated to cCMV, and (3) DBS and dried saliva samples from infants with and without cCMV.
Results: Of 3,345 anonymised newborn DBS samples analysed, CMV was detected in 22 cases (0.66%), with a mean cycle threshold value of 36.70 (range 31.87–41.68). Assay development demonstrated a sensitivity of 2.04 CMV IU per reaction. This level of sensitivity was replicated using DBS samples prepared from infant/child blood samples with known levels of CMV, suggesting that the sensitivity reflects 2,000–3,000 CMV IU/mL blood.
Discussion: We demonstrated high analytical sensitivity of the qPCR assay with an optimal extraction protocol, making it an effective strategy for cCMV screening using DBS samples. These data suggest a potential cCMV incidence rate of up to 0.66% in the United Kingdom, equivalent to 3,960 infants per year, 25% of whom may develop long-term sequelae, which could be improved through early diagnosis and treatment
Social, physical, and economic drivers of unintentional injuries among children under-5 in low-resource-communities in Jinja City, Uganda: a photovoice exploration
No full textBackground: The high rates of unintentional injuries among children under 5 in home environments have been attributed to social, physical, and economic drivers, especially in low-resource communities. This research aimed at exploring drivers of unintentional injuries among children under 5 in home environments using photovoice, a community-based participatory research approach.
Methods: 10 mothers were trained and given digital cameras to take photos of what they perceived to be risky situations for children under 5. The participants met fortnightly over 8 weeks to analyse and discuss their photographs. The discussions and photographs were analysed using conventional content analysis to develop subthemes and major themes.
Results: Mothers identified falls, burns, cuts, poisoning and drowning as the main injury hazards in their community. Children’s and parents’ behaviours and practices were identified as a cause of unintentional injuries in children under 5. Social determinants of health and inequities, including economic issues, lack of space, unsafe play areas and biomass energy for cooking and lighting, were also highlighted. Gender roles and perceptions of injury risks by parents were mentioned during the photograph discussions. Mothers also reflected on how the photovoice approach empowered households and communities to recognise and deal with injury risks.
Conclusions: This community-based participatory research methodology provided the much-needed in-depth exploration of the social, physical and economic drivers of injury risks among children under 5 in a low-resourced setting in Uganda while empowering mothers to prevent drivers of unintentional injury among their <5
Exploring 5-MeO-DMT as a pharmacological model for deconstructed consciousness
No full text5-MeO-DMT is a short-acting psychedelic that is anecdotally reported to induce a radical disruption of the self and a paradoxical quality of aroused, waking awareness that is nevertheless devoid of any specific perceptual contents. Here, we conducted an exploratory observational study of the phenomenological and neuronal effects of this compound. We collected micro-phenomenological interviews, psychometric questionnaires, and electroencephalography (EEG) in naturalistic ceremonial settings where 5-MeO-DMT was ingested. Results revealed that the 5-MeO-DMT experience followed a dynamic progression that—only in the most extreme cases—manifested as a complete absence of self-experience and other phenomenal content with preserved awareness. Furthermore, visual imagery, bodily self-disruption, narrative self-disruption, and reduced phenomenal distinctions occurred in a variable fashion. EEG analyses revealed the 5-MeO-DMT experience was characterised by (global) alpha and (posterior) beta power reductions, implying a mode of brain functioning where top-down models are inhibited. Our preliminary phenomenological findings confirm the potential utility of 5-MeO-DMT as a pharmacological model for deconstructed consciousness while noting the limitations of employing retrospective questionnaires for this purpose. Considering the exploratory nature of this study and its limitations inherent to its naturalistic nature, further research employing real-time experience sampling and phenomenologically trained participants in controlled environments could expand our findings to meaningfully inform the potential of this tool for the scientific study of consciousness
Exploring associations between active school environments and children’s physical activity, mental health, and educational performance in Greater London primary schools: The Health and Activity of Pupils in the Primary Years (HAPPY) study protocol
No full textIntroduction:
School environments that encourage children to be physically active can embed lifelong positive health behaviours and contribute towards reducing health inequalities. The Health and Activity of Pupils in the Primary Years (HAPPY) study aims to (1) explore the extent to which the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) criteria for creating active school environments are implemented by primary schools, and (2) examine associations between active school environments and children’s physical activity, mental health, and educational performance.
Methods and analysis:
The HAPPY study is a quasi-experimental study comprising: (i) a survey of state-funded Greater London primary schools to identify implementation of the WHO’s six criteria; and (ii) a cross-sectional study to examine associations between schools’ active environment score (derived from the school survey) and pupil’s physical activity, mental health, and educational performance. For our cross-sectional study, we will recruit up to 1,000 Year 3 children (aged 7-8 years). Our primary outcome is accelerometer (GENEActiv) assessed physical activity, parent-reported child mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and teacher-reported educational performance (age-related expectations). Using multi-level mixed-effects regression models, we will examine associations between the active environment score and physical activity. Physical activity will be included as a measure of acceleration and also different intensities (light, moderate, vigorous). We will repeat this analysis to examine associations between the active environment score and mental health, and educational performance. We will adjust for school characteristics and area-level deprivation, and include pupil characteristics (e.g., sex, ethnic group) as covariates. Clustering at the school level will be included as a random effect.
Ethics and dissemination:
Ethical approval has been obtained from Imperial College Research Ethics Committee (ref: 6800895). Findings will be disseminated through a summary report to all participating schools, peer-reviewed publications, presentations at national and international conferences, and NIHR Policy Briefings
Post-TB sequelae and care: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research
No full textTB has long-term health and social sequelae. The experiences of TB survivors are not well understood and there is limited evidence around gaps in care. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of qualitative research on post-TB sequelae and care, to identify knowledge gaps and inform future research and interventions to support person-centred care.
A systematic search strategy, using two search strings incorporating post-TB and TB-related chronic respiratory disease. Searches were conducted on PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL. Sources were screened systematically, data extracted independently and analyzed thematically.
Sixty-six sources were identified. After applying exclusion/inclusion criteria, 16 articles were included in a qualitative synthesis. Key themes included the physical, psychological, economic and social impacts of TB. These included threats to TB survivors’ social role. People who suffer from long-term sequelae are stigmatised. Access to care is limited and tends to focus on acute respiratory disease. Policymakers indicate that the lack of data regarding the long-term impacts of TB contributed to insufficient resources being allocated.
This systematic review underscores the post-TB physical and psychological impacts and the complexity of post-TB sequelae; it emphasizes the urgent need for evidence regarding the long-term impact of TB sequelae to improve care
Remote consultations in England during COVID-19: Challenges in data quality, linkage, and research validity
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote consultations across healthcare, requiring rapid adjustments in service delivery. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of remote consultations on health pathways. This viewpoint article explores key challenges in data sources in England that hinder research on the impact of remote consultations on health outcomes. Based on our experience conducting research in this topic, we present variations in observational study findings and their validity, considering differences in population characteristics and data sources. We provide recommendations to enhance data quality for future research, including improvements in data recording platforms and strengthened structures for linking primary and secondary care electronic health records
HIV incidence and prevalence among adults in Mozambique: estimates from the Population‐based HIV Impact Assessment Survey (INSIDA 2021) and district‐level modelling
No full textIntroduction
Accurate information is needed to prioritize programmes and resources that address gaps in the HIV response. We examined findings from the 2021 Mozambique Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (INSIDA) survey, complemented with subnational model-based estimates of the number of new infections and district-level incidence to gauge progress in the HIV response and guide future priorities.
Methods
INSIDA 2021, a nationally representative cross-sectional household survey, measured national HIV incidence, national and provincial HIV prevalence, and factors associated with HIV. Consenting adults aged 15 years and older were interviewed and tested for HIV using the national diagnostic algorithm, followed by laboratory-based confirmation of HIV status. Testing for viral load, limiting antigen avidity and the presence of antiretrovirals were used to estimate HIV incidence. The Naomi model, a Bayesian small-area estimation model combining the INSIDA 2021 survey and routine HIV service delivery data, estimated provincial and district-level HIV incidence and district-level prevalence. Weighted HIV prevalence estimates, stratified by sex, are reported and factors associated with HIV infection modelled via multivariate logistic regression.
Results
National HIV prevalence was 12.5% (95% CI: 11.5−13.4) among adults 15 years and older, and national HIV incidence was 4.3 (95% CI: 2.3−6.3) per 1000 HIV-negative adults in 2021. Per model estimates, there were 84,000 (95% CI: 80,000−89,000) new infections per year, 55,000 among women (95% CI: 52,000−58,000) and 30,000 (95% CI: 28,000−31,000) among men. In 2023, an estimated 2.2 million (95% CI: 2,200,000−2,300,000) adults (15+ years) with HIV were living in Mozambique. District-level estimates highlighted areas of higher adult HIV prevalence and incidence in urban areas of key cities and ports, in the south, and along coastal districts in central Mozambique. Compared to men the same age, the distribution of HIV infections remains concentrated among women, particularly young women.
Conclusions
Mozambique continues to face a high burden HIV epidemic, with high HIV incidence associated with spatial heterogeneity. Prevention of new infections through women and young women-centred prevention programmes, treatment for men, and focusing interventions in urban areas, port cities, and coastal areas in central and southern Mozambique could contribute to reducing the HIV burden in Mozambique