ALT Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK: over 60,000 men are diagnosed annually and more than 12,000 die from the disease. It is one of the only major cancers without a national screening programme. This is because the traditional test to diagnose prostate cancer, a blood test called prostate specific antigen (PSA), can be "positive" for reasons other than cancer (known as a false positive), leading to unnecessary tests in up to two thirds of men, but also missing important cancers (false negative). Newer tests, such as MRI scans and advanced blood tests that incorporate genetic markers, could improve how prostate cancer is detected, especially in men at higher risk, but are yet to be formally assessed. This study aims to explore whether a combination of modern tests could be used to screen younger men (aged 40-49) who are at increased risk of prostate cancer due to factors such as family history, being of Black ethnicity, or having certain genetic mutations.

ALT Every year, over 70,000 babies in the UK are cared for in a neonatal unit, including neonatal intensive care units (NICU). There are many reasons that babies need this care, including being born prematurely, having a birth injury, or other health conditions needing extra support. As medical care improves, more babies who need neonatal care are surviving and growing up to start school. We know that some babies who spend time in NICU are more likely to face challenges as they grow, with their language, movement, thinking skills, or emotional development. Their families often also face extra pressures, such as their child's ongoing health needs, parents' mental health, or financial and housing difficulties.

ALT Two women hugging, showcasing support and compassion in cancer awareness indoors. Photo by Ivan S from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-two-people-hugging-each-other-6436186/

ALT Background and study aims Advanced colorectal cancer can cause many physical, emotional and practical problems for patients and the people who care for them. However, not enough is known about the support that patients and carers need, or whether these needs vary between different groups of patients and different parts of Cheshire and Merseyside. The ACRE study aims to understand the supportive care needs of people with advanced colorectal cancer and their carers. The study will also look at what support services are available, whether people can access them easily, and whether unmet support needs are linked to increased use of hospital services. The findings will help improve supportive care services for patients and carers across the region.

ALT Background and study aims Adolescents experiencing substantial current stress or crisis-related difficulties may benefit from timely support before their needs develop into more serious mental health problems. However, schools may have limited access to specialist mental health services, and some existing interventions are difficult to deliver within routine school schedules. In this pilot study, Taking Charge-CR was delivered as a 6-week, school-based group program using a solution-focused approach to help students identify goals, strengths, coping strategies, exceptions to problems, and available resources. The study examined whether this version of the program could be delivered and studied under routine conditions in alternative high schools and gathered information to guide its refinement and future evaluation.

ALT Students studying in a high school classroom. Diverse group focused on learning. Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-sitting-in-the-classroom-7395901/

ALT Young people in Zimbabwe can face difficulties accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Barriers may include limited confidentiality, concerns about stigma, inconvenient clinic opening hours and worries about being judged when seeking care. Digital self-care services may help young people access information, testing and health products more easily. This study aims to co-design, implement and evaluate a digital self-care intervention that improves access to SRH services for young people attending a tertiary education institution in Zimbabwe.

ALT Woman lying on a mat in a green meadow, enjoying leisure time with a smartphone. Photo by Mawuli Tofah from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-lying-on-a-blanket-on-the-grass-and-looking-at-her-phone-16204017/

ALT Respiratory rate is a key physiological measure in children and an important part of the Paediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) used across the NHS. Abnormal respiratory rate can indicate early clinical deterioration in respiratory illness and is associated with adverse outcomes in conditions such as sepsis and diabetic ketoacidosis. However, it is often difficult to measure accurately, particularly in infants and young children. electronRx has developed purpleDx Paediatric, a smartphone application that estimates respiratory and heart rate from a short contactless video. It aims to support identification of children whose respiratory rate falls outside the normal age-specific range. CLEAR Junior is a prospective observational study evaluating the performance of purpleDx Paediatric. It will assess agreement with a blinded video-based reference standard and examine respiratory and heart rate, PEWS concordance, reliability, nurse usability, and performance across subgroups.

ALT A pediatrician uses a stethoscope to examine a child sitting in a cozy bedroom. Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-doctor-checking-his-patient-5867703/

ALT Graphic representing carbon emissions (CO₂) and the ISRCTN Registry's efforts to assess the environmental impact of its editorial operations. Credit: Lisa Hodgkinson, ISRCTN Registry

ALT Close-up of a realistic dental model showing tooth anatomy with the word 'smile' in the background

ALT Background and study aims Apical periodontitis is an infection around the tip of a tooth root. It is usually treated using root canal treatment, which removes infected tissue from inside the tooth and seals the root canal to prevent further infection. Root canal treatment is often completed over two visits. There are different ways to seal the root canal after it has been cleaned. One common method uses a single gutta-percha cone together with a hydraulic calcium silicate cement sealer. Another method uses an apical plug made from hydraulic cement at the end of the root canal before the rest of the canal is filled. Apical plugs are commonly used in teeth with incomplete root formation and have shown good success rates. However, it is not clear whether this technique provides better healing outcomes than the standard single-cone method in teeth affected by apical periodontitis.

ALT Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition in which the large intestine becomes inflamed. Some people develop a severe flare-up called acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC), which usually requires hospital admission and urgent treatment. In addition to medicines, appropriate nutrition is an important part of the treatment algorithm. Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN), a liquid formula diet that provides all nutritional requirements, has been shown to improve outcomes in patients with ASUC. However, many people find it difficult to continue because of cost, taste fatigue, limited food choices and adverse events. This study proposes that a kitchen-based IBD-blended diet, prepared from whole, minimally processed foods with anti-inflammatory properties, may be acceptable to the patients compared to EEN. The diet is blended to make it easier to digest while providing nutrition similar to EEN.

ALT As people get older, changes can occur in the voice and breathing systems that make the voice sound weak, breathy, quiet, or effortful. This condition, known as presbyphonia (age-related voice disorder), can affect communication, confidence, social activities, and quality of life. Current voice therapy mainly focuses on the voice box (larynx), but recent research suggests that age-related changes in breathing may also play an important role. The CLEARER study aims to find out whether a new group-based voice therapy programme that combines breathing and voice exercises is practical and acceptable to deliver in NHS services, and whether it should be tested further in a larger study.

ALT A woman sits on her bed, experiencing anxiety and insomnia in a dimly lit room

ALT Background and study aims There is evidence that chronic sleep problems (insomnia) are characterised by altered functional brain activity, and these alterations may help explain the link between sleep problems and worse mental health outcomes. Behavioural sleep treatments are commonly used to help people improve their sleep. These treatments focus on changing sleep-related behaviours and routines or providing advice about factors that influence sleep. While such approaches can be effective in improving sleep and daytime functioning, it is not yet fully understood how they affect brain functional networks or how changes in the brain may relate to improvements in sleep and mood. The aim of this study is to compare two behavioural sleep treatments to understand how they affect brain function, sleep, and mental health.

ALT Children with mild-to-moderate hearing loss often face challenges with listening, learning and communication. Hearing aids and remote microphones are widely used to help, but researchers still need more evidence about which types of hearing technology work best for children in everyday life. The iCAT (Impact of Children’s Auditory Technology) study aims to find out how different hearing aid settings, with or without a remote microphone, affect children's hearing, listening, learning and communication skills over both the short term and long term. The study will also compare the results with those of children who do not have hearing loss. The findings may help improve advice and support for children, families, schools and healthcare professionals.