Simultaneous portal and hepatic vein embolization is better than portal embolization or ALPPS for hypertrophy of future liver remnant before major hepatectomy: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background:Post-hepatectomy liver failure(PHLF)is the Achilles’heel of hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases.The most commonly used procedure to generate hypertrophy of the functional liver remnant(FLR)is portal vein embolization(PVE),which does not always lead to successful hypertrophy.Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy(ALPPS)has been proposed to overcome the limitations of PVE.Liver venous deprivation(LVD),a technique that includes simultaneous portal and hepatic vein embolization,has also been proposed as an alternative to ALPPS.The present study aimed to conduct a systematic review as the first network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy,effectiveness,and safety of the three regenerative techniques.Data sources:A systematic search for literature was conducted using the electronic databases Embase,PubMed(MEDLINE),Google Scholar and Cochrane.Results:The time to operation was significantly shorter in the ALPPS cohort than in the PVE and LVD cohorts by 27 and 22 days,respectively.Intraoperative parameters of blood loss and the Pringle maneuver demonstrated non-significant differences between the PVE and LVD cohorts.There was evidence of a significantly higher FLR hypertrophy rate in the ALPPS cohort when compared to the PVE cohort,but non-significant differences were observed when compared to the LVD cohort.Notably,the LVD cohort demonstrated a significantly better FLR/body weight(BW)ratio compared to both the ALPPS and PVE cohorts.Both the PVE and LVD cohorts demonstrated significantly lower major morbidity rates compared to the ALPPS cohort.The LVD cohort also demonstrated a significantly lower 90-day mortality rate compared to both the PVE and ALPPS cohorts.Conclusions:LVD in adequately selected patients may induce adequate and profound FLR hypertrophy before major hepatectomy.Present evidence demonstrated significantly lower major morbidity and mortality rates in the LVD cohort than in the ALPPS and PVE cohorts.

Emerging role of dual biologic therapy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Biologic agents have now been used in the management of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)for many years where experience,expertise and confidence in their use has developed over time.In the United Kingdom,there are well established guidelines and recommendations for both single agent biologic treatments,and with combination therapy of a biologic agent with a small molecule agent in maintenance therapy.In recent times,there has been increasing interest and experience using dual biologic therapy(DBT)in IBD,primarily in difficult to treat and refractory cases with high disease burden.However,published data on use,experience and safety profiles is limited and large-scale studies remain low in number in this developing area.We therefore aim to present a summary and review of the available published data in this area to help us better understand the emerging role of DBT in IBD.

Current concepts in the management of recurrent anterior gleno-humeral joint instability with bone loss

The management of recurrent anterior gleno-humeral joint instability is challenging in the presence of boneloss.It is often seen in young athletic patients and dislocations related to epileptic seizures and may involve glenoid bone deficiency,humeral bone deficiency or combined bipolar lesions.It is critical to accurately identify and assess the amount and position of bone loss in order to select the most appropriate treatment and reduce the risk of recurrent instability after surgery.The current literature suggests that coracoid and iliac crest bone block transfers are reliable for treating glenoid defects.The treatment of humeral defects is more controversial,however,although good early results have been reported after arthroscopic Remplissage for small defects.Larger humeral defects may require complex reconstruction or partial resurfacing.There is currently very limited evidence to support treatment strategies when dealing with bipolar lesions.The aim of this review is to summarise the current evidence regarding the best imaging modalities and treatment strategies in managing this complex problem relating particularly to contact athletes and dislocations related to epileptic seizures.

Role of tissue microenvironment resident adipocytes in colon cancer

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is a multifactorial disease characterized by several genetic and epigenetic alterations occurring in epithelial cells. It is increasingly recognized that tumour progression is also regulated by tumour microenvironment(TME). The bidirectional cross-talk between tumour resident adipocytes and cancer cells within TME has been proposed as active contributor to carcinogenesis. Tumour resident adipocytes exhibit an activated phenotype characterized by increased secretion of pro-tumorigenic factors(angiogenic/inflammatory/immune) which contribute to cancer cell proliferation, invasion, neoangiogenesis, evasion of immune surveillance and therapy resistance. Furthermore, adipocytes represent a fuel rich source for increasing energy demand of rapidly proliferating tumour cells. Interestingly, a relationship between obesity and molecular variants in CRC has recently been identified. Whether adipose tissue promotes cancer progression in subsets of molecular phenotypes or whether local tissue adipocytes are involved in inactivation of tumour suppressor genes and/or activation of oncogenes still needs to be explored. This editorial highlights the major findings related to crosstalk between adipocytes and colon cancer cells and how local paracrine interactions may promote cancer progression. Furthermore, we provide future strategies in studying colonic TME which could provide insights in bidirectional cross-talk mechanisms between adipocytes and colonic epithelial cells. This could enable to decipher critical signalling pathways of both early colonic carcinogenesis and cancer progression.

Mechanisms of triglyceride metabolism in patients with bile acid diarrhea

Bile acids(BAs) are essential for the absorption of lipids. BA synthesis is inhibited through intestinal farnesoid X receptor(FXR) activity. BA sequestration is known to influence BA metabolism and control serum lipid concentrations. Animal data has demonstrated a regulatory role for the FXR in triglyceride metabolism. FXR inhibits hepatic lipogenesis by inhibiting the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c via small heterodimer primer activity. Conversely, FXR promotes free fatty acids oxidation by inducing the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α. FXR can reduce the expression of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, which regulates the assembly of very low-density lipoproteins(VLDL). FXR activation in turn promotes the clearance of circulating triglycerides by inducing apolipoprotein C-Ⅱ, very low-density lipoproteins receptor(VLDL-R) and the expression of Syndecan-1 together with the repression of apolipoprotein C-Ⅲ, which increases lipoprotein lipase activity. There is currently minimal clinical data on triglyceride metabolism in patients with bile acid diarrhoea(BAD). Emerging data suggests that a third of patients with BAD have hypertriglyceridemia. Further research is required to establish the risk of hypertriglyceridaemia in patients with BAD and elicit the mechanisms behind this, allowing for targeted treatment.

Double-blind randomized sham controlled trial of intraperitoneal bupivacaine during emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND: Intraperitoneal local anesthesia (IPLA) during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (el-LC) decreases post-operative pain. None of the studies have explored the efficacy of IPLA at emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy (em-LC). A longer operative duration, the greater frequency of washing, and the inflammation associated with cholecystitis or pancreatitis are a few reasons why it cannot be assumed that a benefit in pain scores will be seen in em-LC with IPLA. This study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of IPLA in patients undergoing em-LC. METHODS: Double-blind randomized sham controlled trial was conducted of 41 consecutive subjects undergoing em-LC. IPLA was delivered by a combination of injection to the diaphragmatic and topical wash over the liver and gallbladder with bupivacaine or saline. The primary outcome was visual analogue scale pain scores until discharge. Secondary outcomes included pain scores in theatre recovery and analgesic consumption. RESULTS: One patient had a procedure converted to open and was excluded. There was no significant difference in pain scores in the ward or theatre recovery. Analgesic use, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, duration to ambulation, eating, satisfaction scores, and time to discharge were comparable between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: IPLA during em-LC does not influence postoperative pain. Other modalities of analgesia should be explored for decreasing the interval between diagnosis of acute admission and em-LC.

Effect of inflammatory bowel disease treatments on patients with diabetes mellitus

As medical care progresses and the number of patients with chronic conditions increases there is the inevitable challenge of managing patients with multiple comorbidities.Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is an umbrella term for are inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract,the two most common forms being Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease.These diseases,usually diagnosed in young adults,exhibit a relapsing and remitting course and usually require longterm treatment.IBD can be treated with a number of topical and systemic treatments.We conducted a review of the current published evidence for the effects these medications can have on diabetes mellitus(DM)and glycaemic control.Searches were conducted on medline and embase with a timeframe from 1947(the date from which studies on embase are recorded)to November 2020.Suitable publications were selected and reviewed.Current evidence of the impact of aminosalicylates,corticosteroids,thiopurines,and biologic agents was reviewed.Though there was limited evidence for certain agents,IBD medications have been shown to have an effect of DM and these effects should be considered in managing patients with dual pathologies.The effects of steroids on blood sugar control is well documented,but consideration of other agents is also important.In patients requiring steroids for Ulcerative Colitis,locally acting steroid agents delivered rectally may be preferred to minimise side effects in those with distal bowel Ulcerative Colitis.A switch to other agents should be considered as soon as possible in people with diabetes to limit the impact on glycaemic control.5-aminosalicylates appear to play a role in the reduction of hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c),although the literature suggests these may be falsely low readings.Consequently,monitoring of people with diabetes on these agents may require daily monitoring of capillary blood sugars rather than relying simply on HbA1c;for example fructosamine performed 3-6 monthly,although this risks missing the rise in readings.There is only limited evidence of the effects of thiopurines on diabetes and further investigation is needed into the possible relationship between them.However,given the current available evidence it may be preferable to commence patients with diabetes on thiopurines as soon as possible,whilst also monitoring for side effects such as pancreatitis.There appears to be more evidence supporting a link between tumor necrosis factor-αinhibitors and DM.Both infliximab and adalimumab have evidence suggesting that both can cause reduced blood sugar levels.Further studies on the effects of the various biological agents mentioned are required alongside any novel biologic therapy and the impact of dual biologic therapy in the future.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and albumin bilirubin grade in hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a frequent cause of cancer related death globally.Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and albumin bilirubin(ALBI)grade are emerging prognostic indicators in HCC.AIM To study published literature of NLR and ALBI over the last five years,and to validate NLR and ALBI locally in our centre as indicators of HCC survival.METHODS A systematic review of the published literature on PubMed of NLR and ALBI in HCC over the last five years.The search followed the guidelines of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Additionally,we also investigated HCC cases between December 2013 and December 2018 in our centre.RESULTS There were 54 studies describing the relation between HCC and NLR and 95 studies describing the relation between HCC and ALBI grade over the last five years.Our local cohort of patients showed NLR to have a significant negative relationship to survival(P=0.011).There was also significant inverse relationship between the size of the largest HCC nodule and survival(P=0.009).Median survival with alpha fetoprotein(AFP)<10 KU/L was 20 mo and with AFP>10 KU/L was 5 mo.We found that AFP was inversely related to survival,this relationship was not statically significant(P=0.132).Mean survival for ALBI grade 1 was 37.7 mo,ALBI grade 2 was 13.4 months and ALBI grade 3 was 4.5mo.ALBI grades performed better than Child Turcotte Pugh score in detecting death from HCC.CONCLUSION NLR and ALBI grade in HCC predict survival better than the conventional alpha fetoprotein.ALBI grade performs better than Child Turcotte Pugh score.These markers are done as part of routine clinical care and in cases of normal alpha fetoprotein,these markers could give a better understanding of the patient disease progression.NLR and ALBI grade could have a role in modified easier to learn staging and prognostic systems for HCC.

Postoperative day one serum alanine aminotransferase does not predict patient morbidity and mortality after elective liver resection in non-cirrhotic patients

ABSTRACT： Serum aminotransferases have been used as surrogate markers for liver ischemia-reperfusion injury that follows liver surgery. Some studies have suggested that rises in serum alanine aminotransferase （ALT） correlate with patient outcome after liver resection. We assessed whether postoperative day 1 （POD 1） ALT could be used to predict patient morbidity and mortality following liver resection. We reviewed our prospectively held database and included consecutive adult patients undergoing elective liver resection in our institution between January 2013 and December 2014. Primary outcome assessed was correlation of POD 1 ALT with patient＇s morbidity and mortality. We also assessed whether concurrent radiofrequency ablation, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and use of the Pringle maneuver significantly affected the level of POD 1 ALT. A total of 110 liver resections were included in the study. The overall in-hospital patient morbidity and mortality were 31.8% and 0.9%, respectively. The median level of POD 1 ALT was 275 IU/L. No correlation was found between POD 1 serum ALT levels and patient morbidity after elective liver resection, whilst correlation with mortality was not possible because ofthe low number of mortalities. Patients undergoing concurrent radiofrequency ablation were noted to have an increased level of POD 1 serum ALT but not those given neoadjuvant chemotherapy and those in whom the Pringle maneuver was used. Our study demonstrates POD 1 serum ALT does not correlate with patient morbidity after elective liver resection.

一项评价银屑病严重程度的3种量表(银屑病面积和严重性指数、医师全面评估指标和点阵系统医师)的评定者之间和之内可靠性的研究

Background: There is a lack of consensus as to the best way of monitoring psoriasis severity in clinical trials. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) is the most frequently used system and the Physician’s Global Assessment (PGA) is also often used. However, both instruments have some drawbacks and neither has been fully evaluated in terms of ‘validity’and ‘reliability’as a psoriasis rating scale. The Lattice System Physician’s Global Assessment (LS-PGA) scale has recently been developed to address some disadvantages of the PASI and PGA. Objectives: To evaluate the inter-rater and intra rater reliability of the PASI, PGA and LS-PGA. Methods: On the day before the study, 14 dermatologists (raters), with varied experience of assessing psoriasis, received detailed training (2.5 h) on use of the scales. On the study day, each rater evaluated 16 adults with chronic plaque psoriasis in the morning and again in the afternoon. Raters were randomly assigned to assess subjects using the scales in a specific sequence, either PGA, LS-PGA, PASI or PGA, PASI, LS-PGA. Each rater used one sequence in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The primary endpoint was the inter-rater and intrarater reliability as determined by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: All three scales demonstrated ‘substantial’(a priori defined as ICC > 80%) intrarater reliability. The inter-rater reliability for each of the PASI and LS-PGA was also ‘substantial’and for the PGA was ‘moderate’(ICC 75%). Conclusions: Each one of the three scales provided reproducible psoriasis severity assessments. In terms of both intrarater and inter-rater reliability values, the three scales can be ranked from highest to lowest as follows: PASI, LS-PGA and PGA.

A Giant Pituitary Adenoma: Surgical Excision via a Staged Endoscopic and Open Approach

The operative management of giant pituitary adenomas represents a significant challenge for neurosurgeons. This challenge is amplified by the degree of local tumour infiltration into adjacent structures such as the cavernous sinus. The degree of parasellar tumour extension can be classified according to the Knosp grading system’ while suprasellar extension is qualified in accordance with the Modified Hardys classification system. We report a 59 year male with a Knosp grade 4, Hardys C giant pituitary adenoma in which two-stage near total surgical resection via an expanded endoscopic transphenoidal approach and subsequent bifrontal craniotomy was achieved. Typically, resection rates of less than 50% have been reported following surgery on giant pituitary adenomas. Traditionally multi-modal treatment strategies with adjuvant stereotactic radiotherapy or radio surgery, has been the gold standard in the management of these locally aggressive tumours. This case serves to illustrate that even in the presence of significant suprasellar and parasellar extension, radical resection of giant pituitary adenomas can be achieved.

Anthropometric method for estimating component sizes in total hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Preoperative templating is essential in total hip arthroplasty(THA)as it not only helps to facilitate the correct implant type and size but also determines the postoperative biomechanics.Templating is also increasingly important from a medicolegal perspective and recommended in the British Orthopaedic Association Guide to Good Practice.Although templating has become increasingly digitised,there are no simple anthropometric models to predict implant sizes in the absence of digital methods.AIM To assess the accuracy of using an easily obtainable measurement(shoe size)to predict component sizes in THA compared with digital templating.METHODS Digital radiographs from a cohort of 102 patients(40 male,62 female)who had undergone uncemented or hybrid THA at a single centre were retrospectively templated to desired cup and stem sizes using TraumaCad■.We compared the templated size to the actual size of the implant and assessed if there was any correlation with the patient’s shoe size.RESULTS Statistically significant positive correlations were observed between:shoe size and templated cup size(ρ=0.92,P<0.001);shoe size with implanted cup size(ρ=0.71,P<0.001);shoe size and templated stem size(ρ=0.87,P<0.001);and shoe size with implanted stem size(ρ=0.57,P<0.001).Templated and implanted acetabular cup sizes were positively correlated(ρ=0.76,P<0.001)and were exact in 43.1%cases;80.4% of implanted cup sizes were within 1 size(+/-2 mm)of the template and 100% within 2 sizes(+/-4 mm).Positive correlation was also demonstrated between templated and implanted femoral stem sizes(ρ=0.69,P<0.001)and were exact in 52.6% cases;92.6% were within 1 size of the template and 98% within 2 sizes.CONCLUSION This study has shown there to be a significant positive correlation between shoe size and templated size.Anthropometric measurements are easily obtainable and can be used to predict uncemented component sizes in the absence of digital methods.

Vaccination practices in End Stage Renal Failure and Renal Transplantation; Review of current guidelines and recommendations

Due to the increased burden of infectious complications following solid organ transplantation, vaccination against common pathogens is a hugely important area of discussion and application in clinical practice. Reduction in infectious complications will help to reduce morbidity and mortality post-transplantation. Immunisation history is invaluable in the work-up of potential recipients. Knowledge of the available vaccines and their use in transplant recipients, donors and healthcare providers is vital in the delivery of quality care to transplant recipients. This article will serve as an aide-memoire to transplant physicians and health care professionals involved in managing transplant recipients as it provides an overview of different types of vaccines, timing of vaccination, vaccines contraindicated post solid organ transplantation and travel vaccines.

Mortality rate of COVID-19 infection in end stage kidney disease patients on maintenance hemodialysis:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has been the most talked-about disease of the past few years.Patients with significant comorbidities have been at particular risk of adverse outcomes.This study looked at the outcomes and risk factors for adverse outcomes among patients on chronic hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease,a group of patients known to be particularly susceptible to infectious complications.AIM To assess outcomes and risk factors for adverse outcomes of COVID-19 infection among patients on chronic hemodialysis.METHODS We searched PubMed/MEDLINE,EMBASE,Reference Citation Analysis(https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/)and Web of Science databases for relevant terms and imported the results into the Covidence platform.From there,studies were assessed in two stages for relevance and quality,and data from studies that satisfied all the requirements were extracted into a spreadsheet.The data was then analyzed descriptively and statistically.RESULTS Of the 920 studies identified through the initial database search,only 17 were included in the final analysis.The studies included in the analysis were mostly carried out during the first wave.We found that COVID-19 incidence among patients on hemodialysis was significant,over 10%in some studies.Those who developed COVID-19 infection were most likely going to be hospitalized,and over 1 in 5 died from the infection.Intensive care unit admission rate was lower than the infection lethality rate.Biochemical abnormalities and dyspnea were generally reported to be associated with adverse outcomes.CONCLUSION This systematic review confirms that patients on chronic hemodialysis are very high-risk individuals for COVID-19 infections,and a significant proportion was infected during the first wave.Their prognosis is overall much worse than in the general population,and every effort needs to be made to decrease their exposure.

Xen45 Gel Stent implant: patient reported outcomes

Our aim was to report quality of life(QOL) outcomes following Xen45 Gel Stent implantation surgery in patients suffering with primary open angle glaucoma(POAG). A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients who had Xen45 implantation surgery during a 2-year period(Jun, 2016-Apr, 2018). Of 52 consecutive patients were included with a total of 58 eyes being operated on. QOL was compared both pre-operatively and 6 weeks postoperatively using the GQL-15 questionnaire. There was an overall improvement in GQL-15 summary scores for our patient group. All item scores showed either no change or some degree of improvement. The Xen45 Gel Stent Implant is a promising new intervention which has shown improved QOL scores in our patient group. Further, higher power studies are now needed to compare the Xen45 to trabeculectomy(TE), which is currently the gold standard.

Overview of robotic colorectal surgery:Current and future practical developments

Minimal access surgery has revolutionised colorectal surgery by offering reduced morbidity and mortality over open surgery,while maintaining oncological and functional outcomes with the disadvantage of additional practical challenges. Robotic surgery aids the surgeon in overcoming these challenges. Uptake of robotic assistance has been relatively slow,mainly because of the high initial and ongoing costs of equipment but also because of limited evidence of improved patient outcomes. Advances in robotic colorectal surgery will aim to widen the scope of minimal access surgery to allow larger and more complex surgery through smaller access and natural orifices and also to make the technology more economical,allowing wider dispersal and uptake of robotic technology. Advances in robotic endoscopy will yield self-advancing endoscopes and a widening role for capsule endoscopy including the development of motile and steerable capsules able to deliver localised drug therapy and insufflation as well as being recharged from an extracorporeal power source to allow great longevity. Ultimately robotic technology may advance to the point where many conventional surgical interventions are no longer required. With respect to nanotechnology,surgery may eventually become obsolete.

Field cancerisation in colorectal cancer:A new frontier or pastures past?

Despite considerable advances in our understanding of cancer biology, early diagnosis of colorectal cancer remains elusive. Based on the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, cancer develops through the progressive accumulation of mutations in key genes that regulate cell growth. However, recent mathematical modelling suggests that some of these genetic events occur prior to the development of any discernible histological abnormality. Cells acquire pro-tumourigenic mutations that are not able to produce morphological change but predispose to cancer formation. These cells can grow to form large patches of mucosa from which a cancer arises. This process has been termed "field cancerisation". It has received little attention in the scientific literature until recently. Several studies have now demonstrated cellular, genetic and epigenetic alterations in the macroscopically normal mucosa of colorectal cancer patients. In some reports, these changes were effectively utilised to identify patients with a neoplastic lesion suggesting potential application in the clinical setting. In this article, we present the scientific evidence to support field cancerisation in colorectal cancer and discuss important limitations that require further investigation. Characterisation of the field defect is necessary to enable early diagnosis of colorectal cancer and identify molecular targets for chemoprevention. Field cancerisation offers a promising prospect for experimental cancer research and has potential to improve patient outcomes in the clinical setting.

Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the geriatric population

Abdominal aortic aneurysm （AAA） is a relatively common pathology among the elderly. More people above the age of 80 will have to undergo treatment of an AAA in the future. This review aims to summarize the literature focusing on endovascular repair of AAA in the geriatric population. A systematic review of the literature was performed, including results from endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair （EVAR） registries and studies comparing open repair and EVAR in those above the age of 80. A total of 15 studies were identified. EVAR in this population is efficient with a success rate exceeding 90% in all cases, and safe, with early mortality and morbidity being superior among patients undergoing EVAR against open repair. Late survival can be as high as 95% after 5 years. Aneurysm-related death over long-term follow-up was low after EVA_R, ranging fi＇om 0 to 3.4%. Endovascular repair can be offered safely in the geriatric population and seems to compare favourably with open repair in all studies in the literature to date.

Going “paperless” in an English National Health Service (NHS) breast cancer screening service: The intriduction of fully digital mammography

Objective: To test the feasibility of a fully paperless system, termed “paperlite” in a UK breast screening service. To demonstrate in NHS practice, how workload and workflow could be improved by moving to a paperless system and discovering what impact this has upon the complexity within the service. Setting: Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry Breast Screening Service in the West Midlands of England. Methods: Quality improvement methodologies were employed, including value stream mapping, task analysis and a time-and-motion study. Results: The screening centred screened approximately 50,000 women per year. If they were to implement a paperless system, the administrative workload would decrease. The time saving per batch of screens, which could be achieved by moving to the paperless system ranged from 19 to 56 minutes (mean = 36 minutes). When calculated by batch the mean time saving per woman screened by moving to the paperless system was 42 seconds. This equates to 583 hours of administrative work per year in a centre screening 50,000 women. Conclusions: The paperless system has many benefits compared to the original system in terms of reductions in waste, time and cost. The simplification and standardisation of the process resulted in fewer tasks and interfaces where errors could occur, hence inadvertently improving patient safety. The limitation of the work is the heavy reliance on technology, live interfacing with computer databases and software stability is necessary for a paperless system to be used in NHS practice.

Farmers’ Understandings of Weeds and Herbicide Usage as Environmental Influences on Agricultural Sustainability

Little comparative research has specifically used farmers’ understandings of agricultural weeds and herbicides usage as important indicators of their environmental decision making and behaviours. This paper proposes that “organic’ farmers”, already attuned to environmental ideas, may be more likely to have favourable understandings and behaviours towards agricultural weeds as an integral part of environmentally sustainable agricultural farming systems than “conventional” farmers. Using a behavioural approach, the ways in which farmers’ (situated in central-southern England) understandings influence their environmental behaviours were examined. Most “conventional” farmers’ fields were kept relatively weed-free through herbicide usage. This contrasted with “organic” farmers having less concern about removal of weeds (with their associated invertebrates and seeds) which they understood contributes significantly towards biodiversity and agricultural sustainability. A remarkably high 92 per cent of “organic” farmers were critical of “conventional” farmers’ using herbicides and pesticides, asserting that lack of pesticide and herbicide usage as core reasons for their sustainability. This contrasted with most “conventional” respondents who claim they used as few chemicals as practicable to minimise environmental damage to soil and water, while maintaining adequate crop levels. Nevertheless, such environmental understandings and behaviours may not always be indicative of any differences that may be found between those farmers commonly classified as “organic” and “conventional” in the UK as a whole.