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Introduction: The main pharmacovigilance system in the United Kingdom is the ‘Yellow Card’ spontaneous reporting system which suffers from low reporting rate, and long lag time between drug launch and ADR recognition. Aim: The aim of this study is to develop a pharmacovigilance system to permit the early detection of adverse drug reactions using routinely acquired NHS health data with minimal cost and resources. Methods: There are 2 methods for this study; Phase 1: The extraction of drug persistence data from routinely acquired NHS health data, and Phase 2: Identifying the exact reason(s) for patient discontinuation of drug therapy within 6 months of the index prescription. Results: Phase1: During the study period 4243 patients were initiated on ramipril, 8849 patients on simvastatin, 3242 patients on ARBs, 3646 patients on amlodipine and 269 patients on lercanidipine. The 1, 2-3 and 4-6 month discontinuation rates were 9.9%, 4.9% and 4.2% respectively for ramipril, 9.5%, 3.4% and 3.2% for simvastatin, 8.7%, 2.9% and 2.5% for ARBs, 16.2%, 6.3% and 4.8% for amlodipine, and 17.8%, 3.7% and 3.7% for lercanidipine. Drug discontinuation rates determined agree closely with published data from trials and post marketing surveys in terms of the peak time at which ADRs and discontinuations occur (1 month), the populations most frequently affected (females and the young or elderly depending on drug), and the relationship between the frequency of ADRs and discontinuations relative to the drug of interest, especially for antihypertensive (CCBs>ACEIs>ARBs). Phase 2: Six (20%) of 30 participating primary care practices, contributing to the PTI database, agreed to be approached directly. Completed data was returned for 98% of patients whom discontinued amlodipine due to a specific ADR. Conclusions: Drug discontinuation rates obtained from health care databases is a good surrogate for ADR/E rates. Specific reasons for discontinuation, such as adverse drug reactions, can be identified directly from such electronic databases or more effectively from the primary care medical records held in primary care practices.

The aims of this project were to develop a system for monitoring a continuous stream of high grade purified water for potential contamination by bacterial endotoxins. The monitoring system was to be designed so that it could be readily integrated within a closed water purification processing system. The project was viewed as a developmental stage towards the development of a commercial sensor with wide ranging applications within the pharmaceutical and environmental sectors. This text details the development of testing protocols for the examination of ultra pure water using different sensing matrices. The endotoxin structure is comprised of three main sections with specific chemistry. These regions have each been considered as potential areas for detection. The development of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) systems and protocols for the detection of endotoxin was shown both to be possible and practical within given experimental parameters. In order to assess the potential for this sensing within a more established experimental system and to further expand the potential sensing layers for endotoxins, further experiments were carried out using a BIAcore system. The use of the BIAcore allowed the examination of alternative sensing surfaces based on the specific nature of the endotoxin molecule rather than the use of literature based reactants that have previously displayed an affinity for the endotoxin molecules. The methods used within this project have concentrated on the overall chemistry of the endotoxin molecule. The potential binding/complexing agents have been targeted at the three principal regions of the endotoxin structure using the chemical nature of these regions as an attractive surface to the sensing layer.

Self-monitoring procedures are commonly used to assess environmentally sustainable behavior. The current experiment evaluated the effects of a self-monitoring procedure on two sustainable behaviors within a university office. A senior assistant was asked to report on light usage and energy-saver use on the copier in an office break room. Her reports were then compared with independent observations. Results showed that her reports were highly correspondent with independent observations although no change in target behaviors occurred. Changes in behavior occurred when she was asked to engage in the target behaviors. Results suggest that although self-monitoring procedures can correctly assess sustainable behaviors, they may not be suitable for behavior change.

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The main purpose of an operating system is to supply the user programs with persistent, simple and enough powerful service interface. However for practical use of the system it is often necessary to know the current state of the system, how much resources the system is using and which user programs consume the biggest portion of them. In the thesis we discuss the possibilities of the operating system monitoring in common. For HelenOS system (which was missing any monitoring facility) such interface was created. Next to the monitoring services we designed and implemented a simple statistical pro ler. Both the user programs and the whole operating system can be pro led. Two userspace applications were created for this purpose.

The use of catchment areas for the study of elemental mobilities is discussed with particular reference to two catchments in north-east Scotland. Underlying geology has considerable influence on their respective stream water compositions, although total annual solute output ultimately depends on the quantity of stream runoff. Tremendous fluctuations in stream water chemistry occur during storms which, it has been suggested, are due to the pathways taken by storm water through chemically contrasting soil horizons. Field sampling of this soil throughflow storm component and laboratory studies involving the leaching of undisturbed soil cores (taken at various depths down the profile) support this conclusion. Relationships between iron, aluminium and organic matter in stream water are discussed in detail. Full use of the available analytical facilities has been made with modifications to existing methods and development of new methods undertaken where necessary.

The study of child growth is complex. There are many clinical questions to answer but not necessarily the statistical methodology to deal with these questions. Human growth begins at conception and continues into adult life. In chapter 1 we discuss the characteristics of the growth process from conception to maturity and the purpose of growth monitoring. In chapter 2 we summarise the mathematical approaches to growth data. In chapter 3 we summarise the approaches that have been used to detect growth faltering. In this chapter we introduce the conditional gain Z-score. The data set analysed within this thesis is from the Newcastle growth and development study. In infancy we have routine weights of 3415 term infants. A sub-sample of these infants were followed-up at 7-9 years as part of a research study. These children belonged to three subgroups: cases were children that were defined as failing to thrive in infancy, controls were matched to cases and a 20% systematic sample. The school entry data of the sub-sample followed at 7-9 years were retrieved from school health records. In chapter 4 we carry out a preliminary analysis of the routine infancy weight Z-scores. The infancy data provided the opportunity to generate the correlation structure of routine weight Z-scores in infancy. In chapter 5 we develop a model for this correlation structure. In chapter 7 we explore patterns in the conditional weight gain Z-scores and also suggest some alternative criteria for identifying growth faltering in infancy. In chapters 6, 8 and 9 we analyse the anthropometric data obtained at follow-up and school entry. In childhood, the conditional gain Z-score is used to contrast height with mid-parental height and height at follow-up with height at school entry. The anthropometric data of the case and control children will be compared.

The diploma thesis contains knowledge in relatively young information industry branch -- signal monitoring. After reading through this document the reader gains understanding of the essence of signal monitoring, what it is useful for, how it is represented and what the vision of the future related with signal monitoring is. Main part of the thesis is dedicated to the products conveying signal monitoring theory into praxis, their functionality description and the specific software extended functions suggestion. Design of signal monitoring domains connected with particular company is also included.

The introduction of free mother and child services in South Africa in 1994, changed the way in which the services were delivered. There was an increase in the number of women seeking services, therefore a need arose to look at what constituted essential, basic services. The introduction of the maternal held card in State hospitals enabled the women to seek ante-natal care at the venue most accessible to her. This document also involved her in the responsibility of her own care and that of her unborn child. This study explored the information which mothers had been given ante-natally to assist them with the task of bearing the responsibility of their unborn child's health, which they had unilaterally been given by the Healthcare providers. A descriptive study was undertaken and 221 primigravid patients were interviewed at a large academic hospital post-delivery using a structured interview schedule. Their records were also reviewed retrospectively for type of delivery and foetal outcome. Results of the studies found that the mothers were given insufficient information to equip them with responsibility of assessing foetal health. Healthcare providers, it was found, did not give specific information and it appeared that at times, the mothers report of decreased foetal movement was disregarded. Implications of the study are that healthcare providers need to pay attention to how they provide information. The women interviewed clearly made the distinction between what was seen as 'teaching' and what was perceived as information given. It is also important to note that although the health workers understand the implications of foetal well-being, patients do not necessarily share the same insight or sense of responsibility. This has implications for the delivery of antenatal services in South Africa.