Spotlight

September 21st, 2012

Bacteria-resistant materials breakthrough

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have discovered a new class of polymers that are resistant to bacterial attachment and could lead to a significant reduction in hospital infections and medical device failures.

Medical device associated infections can lead to systemic infections or device failure, costing the NHS £1bn a year. Affecting many commonly used devices including urinary and venous catheters — bacteria form communities known as biofilms. Experts in the Schools of Pharmacy and Molecular Medical Sciences, have shown that when the new materials are applied to the surface of medical devices they repel bacteria and prevent them forming biofilms.

The £1.3m four-year research project — supported by a Translation Award from the Wellcome Trust — was led by Professors Morgan Alexander and Martyn Davies in the School of Pharmacy and Professor Paul Williams in the School of Molecular Medical Sciences.

Public awareness on fracking is lacking

Public awareness of fracking – the method of extracting shale gas — is low, despite high levels of coverage of the controversial process in the media, a study has found. And while people link fracking to earthquakes and water contamination, more than half of those questioned believe shale gas extraction should be allowed in the UK. Three YouGov surveys carried out in March, April and June 2012 found that, even with the sustained coverage in the mainstream print and broadcast media, just 39-45% of respondents knew what shale gas was. The research was funded by and carried out at the University, across the Schools of Geography, Sociology and Social Policy, and Politics and International Relations.

Share the places that you love — via app 

Placebooks is an innovative, bilingual, online toolkit including a website and smartphone app that allows anyone to create, publish and share digital profiles of your favourite places. The app is available through the Android app store.

The website and app have been developed by the University’s Mixed Reality Lab and Swansea University in partnership with People’s Collection Wales. They are funded by Research Councils UK with support from the Ordnance Survey and Horizon Digital Economy Research. The site and app are designed specifically for use in rural locations — even in areas without mobile phone reception. There are plans for the service to evolve to Europe-wide, encompassing a range of languages and cultural archives.

Once a PlaceBook profiled is created, the content is packaged and stored on the phone — allowing you to access your favourite Placebooks on the go.

Findings in Type 2 diabetes study

A study by the University, commissioned by Boots UK, found that with the right support it can take as little as a month for people to feel in control of Type 2 diabetes. And with tailored support, this could cut the time it takes to successfully manage their condition.

The Exploring the Experience of Living With and Managing Type Two Diabetes study was conducted by the Institute of Work, Health and Organisations at the University and Boots UK.

The study population took anywhere from one month to 18 years to adjust but the majority began to feel in control of their Type 2 diabetes two to three years post diagnosis. With 8% of the NHS’s £9.8m annual UK diabetes bill being spent on treating complications associated with the condition, helping people to adjust earlier to their condition is crucial for their health.

Boots UK has extended its pharmacy-led support via its Diabetes Information Service.

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