University of Sheffield

Health state utility values in children with peanut allergy and their caregivers: a UK vignette study

Peanut allergy is a common allergy in children, affecting the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the child and other members of the family. Demonstrating health state utility values (HSUVs) for children with peanut allergy is a requirement for reimbursement of treatments i...

Mucosal IgA to pre-fusion F protein predicts protection from RSV infection in a high burden setting

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes over 100,000 annual deaths, predominantly in low-and middle-income countries, yet immunological correlates of protection remain poorly defined in high-burden settings. We conducted an intensively sampled prospective household coho...

AutoEmulate: A PyTorch tool for end-to-end emulation workflows

Computational simulations lie at the heart of modern science and engineering, but they are often slow and computationally costly. A common solution is to use emulators: fast, cheap models trained to approximate the simulator. However, constructing these requires substantial exper...

A qualitative exploration of researchers’ efforts to record healthcare encounters

Recordings of healthcare encounters are a rich source of data, providing high-quality evidence to guide improvement in communication. Through a survey, we explored UK researchers’ experience of attempting to employ this method. Findings highlight challenges throughout the researc...

What works, for whom, and under what circumstances for recipients of training in opportunistic behaviour change conversations: A mixed methods realist evaluation protocol

Abstract Background ‘Making Every Contact Count’ (MECC) is a person-centred initiative that enables service providers across settings to support behaviour change through conversations about health and wellbeing. MECC has been widely implemented across the UK and internationally,...

Aging Alters Hair Cell Physiological Properties in Mice With Late‐Onset Age‐Related Hearing Loss

ABSTRACT Mammalian cochlear hair cells convert acoustic stimuli into electrical signals, which are relayed to the central auditory pathway via auditory neurons. Progressive loss of hair cells and their synapses is a characteristic of age‐related hearing loss (ARHL), but the under...

Using the WHO Hospital Emergency Unit Assessment Tool to assess changes in Emergency Care Capacity in a United Kingdom Major Trauma Centre

Abstract Background We reviewed a Major Trauma Centre (MTC) in the UK over an Emergency Department (ED) transition using the World Health Organization (WHO) Hospital Emergency Unit Assessment Tool (HEAT). HEAT has previously been used in low- and middle-income countries. This is...

Integrating evidence-based medicine into UK general surgical training: a modified Delphi consensus study

Abstract Background Recent research has highlighted inconsistent teaching and application of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) within General Surgery. Existing international EBM competency frameworks are not tailored to the specific requirements of surgical training, and no specialty...

The impact of entrepreneurial traits to digital entrepreneurship and international performance: a qualitative analysis of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises

Abstract This study explores the impact of entrepreneurial traits on the international performance (IP) of Chinese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the digital age. Utilizing a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Chinese SME entrepren...

Disequilibrium between chloroplast proton motive force and ATP levels in Arabidopsis

Abstract Current dogma holds that CO 2 fixation by photosynthesis requires additional ATP production via PGR5-dependent cyclic electron transfer (PGR5-CET) to augment the NADPH and ATP produced by linear electron transfer (LET). Here we use the MgATP 2− fluorescent biosensor ATea...

An integrin beta-1-anchored bicaudal C1-polycystin-1 module essential for tubular morphogenesis in polycystic kidney disease

Genetic variants in the RNA-binding protein bicaudal C1 (BICC1) have been linked to very-early-onset polycystic kidney disease (PKD). This study identifies a crucial integrin-beta1 (ITGB1)-BICC1-polycystin-1 (PC1) complex that regulates F-actin organization and cell adhesion in h...

The quest for the optimal level of sense of agency in the case of human-operated, AI-enabled robotics

Sense of agency is the subjective feeling of being in control over one’s own actions and their sensory outcomes. Here, we propose that a key feature of sense of agency is its link to intrinsic motivation, which is a key driver for engagement with the environment without external...

Protocol for a feasibility study of a self-help resource based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy to reduce needle fear in young people aged 11- to 16 years

Abstract Background Needle fear affects up to half of all young people, with the potential to impede their accessing and acceptance of healthcare interventions. There is presently a lack of accessible self-help resources available to support young people in managing needle-based...

Qualitative Data Sharing with Care: A Concise Guide

Created by the Materialising Open Research Practices in the Humanities and Social Sciences (MORPHSS) project, this resource offers guidance on how to make decisions around whether and how to share qualitative data in ways that carefully negotiate the needs and requirements of dif...

Remote STrOke Rehabilitation (ReSTORe): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Abstract Background At least one third of long-term stroke survivors living at home experience ongoing (≥6 months) mild to moderate disability including fatigue, low functional capacity, muscle weakness, anxiety, and depression. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and societal...

Measuring Ocean Surface Waves

Abstract Propagating waves on the ocean surface can be represented as a stochastic process whose statistics are characterized by a spectrum. This paper reviews methods for measuring the wave spectrum and related quantities. Observations begin by sensing fluid dynamical properties...

Day length may impose an ecological constraint on chick provisioning behaviour in a high-latitude seabird

Abstract Variation in daylight hours may shape light-dependent behaviours both across seasons and among latitudinally distinct breeding colonies. We investigated the influence of photoperiod variation on chick provisioning behaviour in a high-latitude seabird, the Manx shearwater...

Exploring the influence of long COVID upon self-identity: a systematic literature review

Abstract Background Long COVID (LC) is understood to be a multisystemic illness involving symptoms of an enduring nature. As underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of LC become better understood, attention has turned towards the psychological aspects of LC lived experience. Com...

From Public Good to Private Provision: The Role of Hospitality Workers in Gatekeeping Toilet Access

Public toilet closures in the UK, driven by austerity, have led to increasing reliance upon private or commercial facilities, such as toilets in bars and cafes. The extra labour required to maintain and monitor these toilets became especially visible under COVID-19 restrictions....

Aphasia treatment research: a decision-making tool to guide the design of phased trials from the Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (CATs) trials for aphasia panel

Background Systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials with meta-analyses indicate that speech and language therapy for aphasia after stroke is effective in improving communication. However, high-quality evidence to identify an intervention’s target population (who), regim...