Things in the library 2 March...

Things snowy...
We have remained open throughout the bad weather and have had several waifs and strays working here if they can't get to their normal workplace. We sell hot drinks and biscuits and provide a spectacular view across the snowy rooftops of Sheffield.

Things to discuss...
Reading group next week on Wednesday 7th March 17:15 in the library. Drinks and nibbles and discussing a book about Eyam.
Come and join us.

Things about statistics...
We are often asked for help with statistics (which we are unable to do) but we have just bought a new book 'Statistics at square two' which is a companion to 'Statistics at square one'. This book aims to help you to evaluate the many statistical methods in current use and is aimed at all those who need to understand statistics in clinical research papers and apply them in their own research.

Things about the NHS...
The King's Fund has published results and trends from the British Social Attitudes survey which  has asked members of the public about their views on, and feelings towards, the NHS and health and care issues generally. The latest survey was carried out between July and October 2017 and asked a nationally representative sample of 3,004 adults in England, Scotland and Wales about their satisfaction with the NHS overall, and 1,002 people about their satisfaction with individual NHS and social care services. They conclude that :
"looking at the 2017 data through that long-view lens reminds us that overall NHS satisfaction levels remain higher than they were in the 1990s and early-to-mid-2000s. Nevertheless, the statistically significant fall in satisfaction (and rise in dissatisfaction) in 2017 took net satisfaction to its lowest level since 2007. With an increase over the last few years in the proportion of survey respondents reporting lack of funding as a reason for their dissatisfaction, it seems the public is increasingly aware of the reality of funding pressures that the NHS has experienced over the last seven years. With equally small increases in funding planned over the next few years and NHS performance on key headline measures worsening, it is hard to see the public’s satisfaction with the NHS improving in the near future."

Things about kiwis...
A recent article in European Journal of Nutrition reviews the nutritional and health attributes of kiwifruit. The review includes a brief history of green and gold varieties of kiwifruit from an ornamental curiosity from China in the 19th century to a crop of international economic importance in the 21st century; comparative data on their nutritional composition, particularly the high and distinctive amount of vitamin C; and an update on the latest available scientific evidence from well-designed and executed human studies on the multiple beneficial physiological effects.
Of particular interest are the digestive benefits for healthy individuals as well as for those with constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders, including symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. The mechanisms of action behind the gastrointestinal effects, such as changes in faecal (stool) consistency, decrease in transit time and reduction of abdominal discomfort, relate to the water retention capacity of kiwifruit fibre, favourable changes in the human colonic microbial community and primary metabolites, as well as the naturally present proteolytic enzyme actinidin, which aids protein digestion both in the stomach and the small intestine. The effects of kiwifruit on metabolic markers of cardiovascular disease and diabetes are also investigated, including studies on glucose and insulin balance, bodyweight maintenance and energy homeostasis.

Things about blockchain...
Do you know your Bitcoin from your Ethereum...and the possible implications for this technology for healthcare? If not this article from the Emerging Technology Group at NHS HEE may help you understand.

Things about health services for children...
A framework to support challenged children and young people’s health services achieve a good or outstanding CQC rating has been published. This framework supports and enables senior children and young people’s nurses to achieve good and outstanding care standards for children and young people’s health services. It integrates policy guidance with the most frequent reasons the Care Quality Commission (CQC) gives for rating children’s services as ‘requiring improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ as identified in our review of CQC reports.

Things about fish...
In Pediatric Allergy and Immunology a study by a group in Sweden suggested that toddlers who eat fish at least once a month  or live on a farm are less likely to develop hay fever in later childhood.
Eating fish once a month or more at age 12 months reduced the risk of allergic rhinitis at 12 years (0.70, 0.50-0.98) as did living on a farm with farm animals at four years (0.51, 0.32-0.84). Continuous farm living from age 4 to 12 seemed to drive the association. They concluded that Allergic rhinitis affected more than 20% of 12-year-olds, but was lower in children who ate fish at 12 months or grew up with farm animals.

Things about oral health...
A report on  the oral health survey of 5-year-olds in Yorkshire and the Humber in 2015, as part of the National Dental Epidemiology Programme for England, has been published. Yorkshire and The Humber remains the second worst region in the country for the proportion of five-year-olds with experience of tooth decay. However, the results show a continued decrease in the proportion of children with tooth decay (prevalence) and a decrease in severity of decay (the number of teeth with decay) at a regional level and at a local authority level for most areas. More five-year-old children have had teeth removed (extracted) due to tooth decay in the Yorkshire and The Humber than any other region in England.

Things to eat...
This is a fabulously easy dessert which I have made several times...and of course it features kiwi fruit.