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The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) temporally regulates mitosis by preventing progression from metaphase to anaphase until all chromosomes are correctly attached to the mitotic spindle. Centrosomes refine the spatial organization of the mitotic spindle at the spindle poles. However, centrosome loss leads to elongated mitosis, suggesting that centrosomes also inform the temporal organization of mitosis in mammalian cells. Here, we find that the mitotic delay in acentrosomal cells is enforced by the SAC in a MPS1-dependent manner, and that a SAC-dependent mitotic delay is required for bipolar cell division to occur in acentrosomal cells. Although acentrosomal cells become polyploid, polyploidy is not sufficient to cause dependency on a SAC-mediated delay to complete cell division. Rather, the division failure in absence of MPS1 activity results from mitotic exit occurring before acentrosomal spindles can become bipolar. Furthermore, prevention of centrosome separation suffices to make cell division reliant on a SAC-dependent mitotic delay. Thus, centrosomes and their definition of two spindle poles early in mitosis provide a 'timely two-ness' that allows cell division to occur in absence of a SAC-dependent mitotic delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify (a) determinants of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at 18 and 30 months following transition in young people with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) to a youth-specific diabetes service; and to (b) evaluate the impact of the service on acute admissions with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) over a 14-year period.Methods: An audit of records of youth with T1DM referred from paediatric services to the multidisciplinary transition service at Westmead Hospital, from 2001 to 2012, and followed-up to 2014.Results: Data from 439 adolescents and young adults (Median age: 18) were analysed. The recommended standard of glycaemic control, HbA1c < 7.5% (58 mmol/mol), was achieved by 23% at baseline, 22% at 18-months, and 20% at 30-month. After adjusting for lag time (>3 months) and diabetes duration (>7 years), glycaemic control at first visit predicted subsequent glycaemic control at 18-month and 30-month follow-up. From 2001 to 2014, only 8.6% were lost to follow-up; admissions and readmissions for DKA reduced from 72% (32/47) to 4% (14/340) (p < 0.001). Furthermore, mean length of stay (LOS) significantly decreased from 6.56 to 2.36 days (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Continuing engagement with the multidisciplinary transition service prevented deterioration in HbA1c following transition. Age-appropriate education and regular follow-up prevents DKA admissions and significantly reduced admission LOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood transfusion is a universally used, life-saving medical intervention. However, there are increasing concerns among patients about blood safety. This study investigates the effect of message framing, a means of presenting information, on confidence in blood transfusion safety.Study Design and Methods: The same factual information regarding the safety of blood for transfusion was presented to a sample of 254 adult students (donors and nondonors) as either a gain frame (lives saved), a loss frame (lives lost), or a combined frame (a loss frame expressed in a positive context). This provided a basic two-way, between-subjects design with 1) blood donation history (donors vs. nondonors) and 2) message frame (gain, loss, and combined) functioning as the between-groups factors. It was hypothesized that participants would consider blood safer if information was presented as a gain frame. The role of stress appraisals as potential mediators of the framing effect was also explored.Results: As predicted, participants receiving the gain-frame information were significantly more confident of the safety of blood for transfusion than those receiving loss-frame information or both. This was unaffected by donation history or appraisals of stress associated with transfusion. The extent to which blood was considered safe was negatively associated, independently of framing effects, with perceptions that transfusion was threatening.Conclusion: Information about transfusion should be conveyed to patients in a form focusing on the positive, rather than the negative, known facts about the safety of blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic macroinvertebrate community responses to the effects of various land uses were investigated in 2010–2013 in the Wilge River, a tributary of the Olifants River, South Africa. The catchment area is characterised by agricultural, mining and industrial activities, which potentially contribute to the river's deteriorating water quality and poor in-stream habitat conditions. Agricultural activities comprise the predominant land use, causing major nutrient input into the Wilge River, resulting in eutrophic conditions. Thus it was expected that the functional feeding group (FFG) scraper/grazer populations would be the most abundant as they consume algae, but this was not the case. The primary FFGs present were predators and gathering collector populations, whilst shredders were the least abundant. The primary drivers responsible for separating the monitoring sites and their aquatic macroinvertebrate communities were differingin situwater quality, season and habitat availability. Therefore, land use was not a driving variable, probably owing to limited organic and inorganic water quality data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibitory synaptic inputs to hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) are important for modulating excitability in brainstem circuits. Here we ask whether reduced inhibition, as occurs in three murine mutants with distinct naturally occurring mutations in the glycine receptor (GlyR), leads to intrinsic and/or synaptic homeostatic plasticity. Whole cell recordings were obtained from HMs in transverse brainstem slices from wild-type (wt), spasmodic (spd), spastic (spa), and oscillator (ot) mice (C57Bl/6, approximately postnatal day 21). Passive and action potential (AP) properties in spd and ot HMs were similar to wt. In contrast, spa HMs had lower input resistances, more depolarized resting membrane potentials, higher rheobase currents, smaller AP amplitudes, and slower afterhyperpolarization current decay times. The excitability of HMs, assessed by "gain" in injected current/firing-frequency plots, was similar in all strains whereas the incidence of rebound spiking was increased in spd. The difference between recruitment and derecruitment current (i.e., I) for AP discharge during ramp current injection was more negative in spa and ot. GABAA miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current (mIPSC) amplitude was increased in spa and ot but not spd, suggesting diminished glycinergic drive leads to compensatory adjustments in the other major fast inhibitory synaptic transmitter system in these mutants. Overall, our data suggest long-term reduction in glycinergic drive to HMs results in changes in intrinsic and synaptic properties that are consistent with homeostatic plasticity in spa and ot but not in spd. We propose such plasticity is an attempt to stabilize HM output, which succeeds in spa but fails in ot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To determine if access to mobile phone support for sick-day management is associated with reduced hospital admissions with diabetic ketoacidosis in young adults aged 15-25 with Type 1 diabetes. Methods This was an observational study with data collected prospectively from January 2005 to December 2008. Amobile phone support service for sick-day management began in May 2005. Data from clinic attendees (group 1), including age, sex, diabetes duration, referral age, insulin therapy delivery, clinic attendance and HbA1c,were compared with clinic attendees with diabetic ketosis accessing sick-day management phone support (group 2), clinic attendees not accessing phone support and admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (group 3) and non-clinic attendees admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (group 4). Results Age was similar in all groups. Patients in group 3 had significantly shorter duration of diabetes (6.8 ± 3.1 years) than groups 1 or 2 (10.1 and 9.8 years, respectively). Diabetes control was poor in all presentations of diabetic ketoacidosis (groups 2-4, HbA1c > 97 mmol/ mol, > 11%) and was significantly higher than clinic attendees without ketosis (HbA1c 70 mmol / mol, 8.6%; P < 0.001). There was similar attendance at the clinic across all three groups, 2.9 compared with 2.4 compared with 2.1 visits / year, respectively. Thirty-one patients accessed phone support on 83 occasions for sick-day management (mean 2.7 contacts / episode); two patients progressed to admission with diabetic ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis admission rates in the clinic population fell significantly from baseline, 0.10 to 0.05 admissions per patient per year (P < 0.05) in the third year. Conclusion Mobile phone support is associated with reduced progression of ketosis to diabetic ketoacidosis in young adults despite poor diabetes control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article reviews the literature in relation to patients receiving copies of health professional correspondence. It examines progress in adopting the practice 3 years on from its introduction as policy in the UK, and considers potential benefits and obstacles to implementation. Methods: A review of the literature on copy correspondence, accessed via Medline, PubMed, CINAHL and also online resources, using the search terms "patient letter", "copy letter", "copy correspondence" and "doctor letter". Results: Studies describe a range of benefits from copying letters, but implementation remains inconsistent, ranging from 8 to 87% of patients reporting receiving copy correspondence. A number of concerns are identified which may be delaying whole scale adoption of the policy by health professionals. Conclusion: This review suggests that researchers should move from examining the benefits and concerns around copying letters to patients, and instead focus on exploring the quality of correspondence and the optimum process of implementing the practice. As patients can "opt out" of receiving copy correspondence, audit of service delivery may be better assessed by whether patients have been offered a letter, rather than the current measure of whether one has been received. Practice Implications: Copying letters to patients may have a number of important benefits and should be routine practice where patients wish to receive correspondence. Further discussion regarding the style and content of letters would be beneficial, together with attention paid to the mechanisms for recording patient preference. There is also a need for studies in non-medical professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Surface hardening treatments offer promise of mitigating the threat of liquid cavitation pitting erosion at the interior surfaces of the austenitic 316 stainless steel vessel that will hold the liquid mercury target of the Spallation Neutron Source. One treatment is a commercial carburization process in which carbon is impregnated at low temperature at concentrations up to 6wt% in supersaturated solid solution to depths of about 33μm. The surface hardness of 316L steel is raised from 150 to 200HV0.05 (micro-Vickers hardness number at a 50g load) to 1000–1200HV0.05. It is shown that during subsequent electron beam welding the supersaturated carburized layer in the heat affected zone decomposes to a tiered microstructure of carbide phases in austenite. The hardness of this complex decomposition microstructure is in the range 530–1200HV0.05, depending on the exposure temperature, the local carbon level, and the size of the carbide particles. To test whether the carburized solid solution layer would break down under atomic displacements from proton and neutron irradiation in service, specimens of annealed and 20% cold-rolled 316LN steel were neutron irradiated to 1dpa at 60–100°C. No softening of the layer was detected. Rather, the hardness of the layers was increased by 2–12%, compared to increases of 81% and 43% for the annealed and 20% cold rolled substrate materials, respectively. Optical microscopy examinations of the surfaces of the as-carburized-and-irradiated specimens revealed no sign of decomposition attributable to irradiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Characterization tests were made of a commercial carburization treatment that has shown promise for hardening the surfaces of the austenitic stainless steel target vessel of the Spallation Neutron Source against cavitation erosion and pitting caused by the action of pulsed pressure waves in the liquid mercury target. The findings support most of the provider’s promotional claims. The high surface hardness and the thickness of the hardened layer are validated, as are the hardness-depth profiles. The austenite lattice of the layer is enlarged and placed in a state of compressive stress and the surface is plastically distorted by the treatment. The corrosion resistance of the surface in selected acid media is greater than that for untreated austenite. The treated surface is not brittle and is quite resistant to cracking during straining. The maximum carbon content of the layer is measured at 3–4.5wt%, versus 6–7wt% cited by the provider. Contrary to the provider’s assertion that all of the carbon is contained in supersaturated solid solution in the austenite phase, some of the carbon is present in an iron carbide phase located non-uniformly at the very surface. Inclusion stringers and δ-ferrite phase in the carburized layer are more prone to corrosion and may provide preferential sites for cavitation pitting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The deformation microstructures of neutron-irradiated nuclear structural alloys, A533B steel, 316 stainless steel, and Zircaloy-4, have been investigated by tensile testing and transmission electron microscopy to map the extent of strain localization processes in plastic deformation. Miniature specimens with a thickness of 0.25mm were irradiated to five levels of neutron dose in the range 0.0001–0.9 displacements per atom (dpa) at 65–100°C and deformed at room temperature at a nominal strain rate of 10−3s−1. Four modes of deformation were identified, namely three-dimensional dislocation cell formation, planar dislocation activity, fine scale twinning, and dislocation channel deformation (DCD) in which the radiation damage structure has been swept away. The modes varied with material, dose, and strain level. These observations are used to construct the first strain-neutron fluence-deformation mode maps for the test materials. Overall, irradiation encourages planar deformation which is seen as a precursor to DCD and which contributes to changes in the tensile curve, particularly reduced work hardening and diminished uniform ductility. The fluence dependence of the increase in yield stress, ΔYS=α(ϕt)n had an exponent of 0.4–0.5 for fluences up to about 3×1022nm−2 (∼0.05dpa) and 0.08–0.15 for higher fluences, consistent with estimated saturation in radiation damage microstructure but also concurrent with the acceleration of gross strain localization associated with DCD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plastic instability in uniaxial tensile deformation has been investigated for the body centered cubic (bcc) and hexagonal close packed (hcp) pure metals, V, Nb, Mo, and Zr, after low temperature (60–100 °C) neutron irradiation up to 0.7 dpa. Relatively ductile metals, V, Nb, and Zr, experienced uniform deformation prior to necking at low doses and prompt plastic instability at yield at high doses. Mo failed in a brittle mode within the elastic limit at doses above 0.0001 dpa. V showed a quasi-brittle failure at the highest dose of 0.69 dpa. In the ductile metals, plastic instability at yield occurred when the yield stress exceeded the plastic instability stress (PIS), which was nearly independent of dose. The PIS values for V, Nb, Mo, and Zr were about 390, 370, 510, and 170 MPa, respectively. The coincidence of plastic instability at yield and dislocation channeling cannot be generalized for all metallic materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is evidence that the public perceive blood transfusion as risky, and there is a growing literature exploring factors associated with perceived transfusion risk. One contributory factor might be the types of information different key stakeholders (e.g. general practitioners, anaesthetists, health/life style journalists and blood donors) rely on for information. This article addresses four unanswered questions about transfusion/donation risk, namely (1) do different stakeholder groups perceive different sources of information as more or less trustworthy, (2) to what extent is the perceived trustworthiness related to levels of knowledge and perceived risk, (3) is optimistic bias observed across the stakeholder groups, and (4) is knowledge related to levels of perceived risk across the stakeholder groups? A questionnaire survey was used to assess the trustworthiness of sources of information, perceived risk and knowledge. Four stakeholder groups were examined, namely (1) blood donors ( n = 250), (2) general practitioners ( n = 88), (3) anaesthetists ( n = 143) and (4) medical journalists ( n = 20). The results showed that (1) judgements of trustworthiness vary as a function of stakeholder groups, and (2) it is what people think they know rather than what they actually know that is related to judgements of trustworthiness and perceptions of risk. Judgements of trustworthiness are generally unrelated to perceptions of risk, and all stakeholder groups show optimistic bias. The implications of these findings for risk communication, specifically relating to transfusion medicine, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dose dependence of plastic instability behavior has been investigated for polycrystalline metals after neutron irradiation at low temperatures (<200 °C). The analyzed materials consist of 10 body-centered cubic (bcc), 7 face-centered cubic (fcc), and 2 hexagonal close packed (hcp) metals. It was found that the metals after irradiation showed necking at yield when the yield stress exceeded the true plastic instability stress, σIS, for the unirradiated material. It was also shown that σIS was almost independent of dose below a critical dose. The critical dose is called the dose to plastic instability at yield, DC, because at higher doses the material shows necking at yield. The DC values ranged from 0.002 to 0.2 dpa for bcc and hcp metals, except for a high purity iron, that had a DC value of 6 dpa; whereas the fcc metals gave generally high values ranging from 0.1 to 40 dpa. It is attempted to explain the dose independence of the plastic instability stress by a straightforward shifting of tensile curves by the appropriate strain corresponding to the radiation-induced increase in yield stress. The dose independence of strain-hardening behavior suggests that radiation-induced defects and deformation-produced dislocations give similar net strain-hardening effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Irradiation hardening behaviors of body-centered cubic (bcc), face-centered cubic (fcc), and hexagonal close-packed (hcp) alloys and pure metals were characterized after neutron, or proton and neutron irradiations at low temperatures (&les;200 °C). In the regression analysis, the radiation-induced increase in yield stress, ΔσYS, was expressed in the form of a power law: ΔσYS=h(dpa)n, where h and n are the regression coefficients and dpa is displacements per atom. The log–log plots of ΔσYS vs. dpa data showed two distinctive regimes: a low-dose regime where a rapid hardening occurs and a high-dose regime where the log–log plot shows a considerably reduced slope. Mean values for n obtained from the 19 metals were about 0.5 for the low-dose regime and about 0.12 for the high-dose regime. Some ductile metals like Fe, Cu and Zr displayed lower h and n values. Doses to reach the regime of reduced irradiation hardening, DS, were in the range 0.003–0.07 dpa. Comparisons between radiation effect parameters led to a conclusion that the transition from the low-dose to the high-dose regime in irradiation hardening occurs either when the tensile specimen undergoes prompt plastic instability at yield or when saturation of defect cluster density occurs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tensile properties of Inconel 718 (IN718) have been investigated after neutron irradiation to 0.0006–1.2 dpa at 60–100 °C in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The alloy was exposed in solution-annealed (SA) and precipitation-hardened (PH) conditions. Before irradiation, the yield strength of PH IN718 was about 1170 MPa, which was 3.7 times higher than that of SA IN718. In the SA condition, an almost threefold increase in yield strength was found at 1.2 dpa, but the alloy retained a positive strain-hardening capability and a uniform ductility of more than 20%. Comparisons showed that the strain-hardening behavior of the SA IN718 is similar to that of a SA 316LN austenitic stainless steel. In the PH condition, the IN718 displayed no radiation-induced hardening in yield strength and significant softening in ultimate tensile strength. The strain-hardening capability of the PH IN718 decreased with dose as the radiation-induced dissolution of precipitates occurred, which resulted in the onset of plastic instability at strains less than 1% after irradiation to 0.16 or 1.2 dpa. An analysis on plastic instability indicated that the loss of uniform ductility in PH IN718 was largely due to the reduction in strain-hardening rate, while in SA IN718 and SA 316LN stainless steel it resulted primarily from the increase of yield stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Tensile properties of four ferritic/martensitic steels, 9Cr–1MoVNb, 9Cr–1MoVNb–2Ni, 9Cr–2WV, and 9Cr–2WVTa, and two bainitic steels, 3Cr–3WV and A533B, were measured after irradiation to doses up to 1.2 dpa at temperatures in the range 60–100 °C in the High Flux Isotope Reactor and compared with two ferritic/martensitic (F/M) steels irradiated with 800 MeV protons and spallation neutrons in the LANSCE facility at 60–164 °C. Irradiation hardening in the steels was strong, and all of them displayed plastic instability shortly after yield for irradiations of 0.054 dpa and higher. Despite large loses in elongation, all failures occurred in a ductile manner. The dose dependencies of the increases in the yield strength with dpa were similar for all six steels, and contained a pronounced change at about 0.05 dpa. Below 0.05 dpa, the hardening exponent was 0.5–0.6, consistent with a barrier hardening mechanism. Above 0.05 dpa, the exponent was reduced to 0.1–0.2, which is speculated to be due to intervention by dislocation channeling. A trend curve for correlating changes in yield strengths of F/M steels with dose at irradiation temperatures below 160 °C is offered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This report presents the tensile properties of EC316LN austenitic stainless steel and 9Cr–2WVTa ferritic/martensitic steel after 800 MeV proton and spallation neutron irradiation to doses in the range 0.54–2.53 dpa at 30–100 °C. Tensile testing was performed at room temperature (20 °C) and 164 °C. The EC316LN stainless steel maintained notable strain-hardening capability after irradiation, while the 9Cr–2WVTa ferritic/martensitic steel posted negative hardening in the engineering stress–strain curves. In the EC316LN stainless steel, increasing the test temperature from 20 to 164 °C decreased the strength by 13–18% and the ductility by 8–36%. The effect of test temperature for the 9Cr–2WVTa ferritic/martensitic steel was less significant than for the EC316LN stainless steel. In addition, strain-hardening behaviors were analyzed for EC316LN and 316L stainless steels. The strain-hardening rate of the 316 stainless steels was largely dependent on test temperature. A calculation using reduction of area measurements and stress–strain data predicted positive strain hardening during plastic instability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Data has been gathered on the perception of risk associated with blood donation and transfusion (including the use of so-called blood substitutes) by UK general practitioners (GPs), anaesthetists, healthcare journalists and blood donors of both genders. A questionnaire survey was conducted from March - July 2000 involving (i) GPs (n = 88), (ii) anaesthetists (n = 143), (iii) journalists (n = 20), and (iv) blood donors (n = 250). Respondents rated (scale of 1-7) the general risk of blood transfusion and the risk of infection associated with blood transfusion and donation. Respondents were asked through free response questions to identify the risks they most associated with blood transfusion and the infections associated with blood transfusion and donation. They were also asked to indicate their preference for their own blood, compared to donor blood or a blood substitute and to make a choice between donated blood or a blood substitute. The percentage of respondents who preferred to receive their own blood, compared to donor blood or a suitable substitute, was 73-94%. When required to choose between donor blood or a blood substitute, there were significant (P < 0.05) differences between sample groups: anaesthetists and GPs preferred to receive a blood substitute (52-59%), whereas blood donors and journalists preferred donated blood (74-93%). These findings have clear implications for the future development and implementation of modern transfusion options, including the use and acceptability of blood substitutes as alternatives to donor blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the perceptions of risk and choice behavior associated with blood transfusion within societal groups. Influence of group membership on perceived risk; Correlation between objective knowledge with the perceived risk for a transfusion; Relation of the facts on blood transfusion with the type of information presented.

Studies of the marine green flagellate Dunaliella tertiolecta have confirmed and extended previous observations of Steemann Nielsen and his colleagues. Algae, grown at 12°C, assimilated carbon dioxide under light-saturated conditions more rapidly than did those grown at 20°C; for both, the assimilation rate being higher at 20°C than at 12°C. Cells grown at the lower temperature contained higher concentrations of soluble protein, higher activities of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase and showed an enhanced relative rate of protein synthesis during the photosynthetic assimilation of carbon dioxide. This appears to represent true adaptation since it allowed the growth rate at 12°C to be almost the same as that at 20°C. Studies of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum have not revealed the same picture of temperature adaptation. Cultures grown at 5°C had significantly higher rates of photosynthesis than did those grown at 10°C, but the same was not true when algae grown at 10°C were compared with those grown at 20°C. In this organism, growth at the lower temperatures reduced its ability to photosynthesize at 20°C. Cells grown at the lower temperatures contained more protein than did those grown at 20°C; this was particularly marked in cells growing at 5°C, a temperature which reduced the growth rate. The relative rate of protein synthesis was higher in Phaeodactylum grown at lower temperatures; but this difference was most marked when the measurements were made at 20°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a gut incretin hormone with cardioprotective effects. Human stem cells secreting a GLP-1 fusion protein and encapsulated in an alginate matrix (GLP-1 CellBeads) have been developed as a novel therapeutic agent. This study investigated the effects of GLP-1 CellBeads on post-myocardial infarction (MI) healing in a porcine model. GLP-1 CellBeads were delivered to the left anterior descending coronary artery to create micro-infarcts, with cell-free beads as controls. Hearts were explanted at 1 and 4 weeks post-MI. Gross infarct size was measured as a percentage of left ventricular area. Tissue was analysed for inflammation (number of MAC 387 positive cells/mm2), apoptosis (% TUNEL positive cells) and collagen (% picrosirius red staining). Compared with controls (n=4), the GLP-1-treated group (n=6) exhibited less infarct at one (6.21%±0.64 vs 9.78%±1.80% 2LV, p=NS) and 4 weeks post-MI (4.7%±2.1 vs 21.8%±4.8% LV, p=0.02). Within the infarct there was increased inflammation in GLP-1-treated groups at both time points (1 week: 97.22%±19.62 vs 36.67%±7.78, p=0.01; 4 weeks: 24.2%±4.57 vs 12.3%±3.16, p=0.03). At 1 week, apoptosis rates in the infarct area were similar in both groups (1.46 %±0.57 vs 1.47 %±0.17, p=NS), with less apoptosis in the GLP-1-treated group at 4 weeks (0.51%±0.18 vs 1.84%±0.62, p=NS). Collagen content at 1 week was lower (5.14%±1.19 vs 9.95%±1.42, p=0.05) and at 4 weeks higher in the treated group (20.89%±8.25 vs 6.87%±2.92, p=NS). GLP-1 CellBeads have an effect on post-MI infarct size, inflammation and ventricular remodelling. These findings require further validation before clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frail older patients may have increased length of stay (LoS) and poorer outcomes when kept on traditional medical assessment units due to lack of comprehensive geriatric assessment at an early stage of their admission.Innovation: A clinical specialist nurse for older people (CNS) and an Elderly Short Stay Unit (ESSU) were introduced to support the work of the Frail Older Peoples' Advice and Liaison Service (FOPALS) operating in MAU. The CNS actively sought patients for FOPALS to review, liaising with family and community services, helping MAU with complex discharges and triaging patients to ESSU. With an anticipated LoS less than 4 days ESSU benefited from daily consultant geriatrician ward rounds, twice-daily MDT board rounds and increased therapy input. FOPALS then expanded to 7 day working.Evaluation: LoS for all elderly patients admitted to Queen's Hospital from March-May in 2011 and 2012, was 11 days and 11.25 days (respectively). Data was analysed on 730 patients from March-May 2013. 353 patients were assessed by FOPALS between March and mid April 2013. Pro-formas were completed (prospectively) for every patient. Following introduction of seven-day working, a further 377 patients were assessed between mid-April- May 2013. FOPALS reduced LoS for all elderly patients admitted to geriatric wards at Queen's Hospital from March-May 2013, to 9.25 days. LoS for those specifically assessed by FOPALS was 9 days. This reduced further to 8.1 days once seven-day working was introduced. Readmission rates within seven days reduced from 10.4% to 6.9% for all geriatric patients. Readmission rates within thirty days declined from 33 to 25%.Conclusions: ESSU along with a specialist nurse improved LoS, when used in conjunction with FOPALS, not only improving outcomes at the ‘front door’, but for all ward areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frail older patients may have increased length of stay (LoS) and poorer outcomes when kept on traditional medical assessment units due to lack of comprehensive geriatric assessment at an early stage of their admission.Innovation: A clinical specialist nurse for older people (CNS) and an Elderly Short Stay Unit (ESSU) were introduced to support the work of the Frail Older Peoples' Advice and Liaison Service (FOPALS) operating in MAU. The CNS actively sought patients for FOPALS to review, liaising with family and community services, helping MAU with complex discharges and triaging patients to ESSU. With an anticipated LoS less than 4 days ESSU benefited from daily consultant geriatrician ward rounds, twice-daily MDT board rounds and increased therapy input. FOPALS then expanded to 7 day working.Evaluation: LoS for all elderly patients admitted to Queen's Hospital from March-May in 2011 and 2012, was 11 days and 11.25 days (respectively). Data was analysed on 730 patients from March-May 2013. 353 patients were assessed by FOPALS between March and mid April 2013. Pro-formas were completed (prospectively) for every patient. Following introduction of seven-day working, a further 377 patients were assessed between mid-April- May 2013. FOPALS reduced LoS for all elderly patients admitted to geriatric wards at Queen's Hospital from March-May 2013, to 9.25 days. LoS for those specifically assessed by FOPALS was 9 days. This reduced further to 8.1 days once seven-day working was introduced. Readmission rates within seven days reduced from 10.4% to 6.9% for all geriatric patients. Readmission rates within thirty days declined from 33 to 25%.Conclusions: ESSU along with a specialist nurse improved LoS, when used in conjunction with FOPALS, not only improving outcomes at the ‘front door’, but for all ward areas. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Provides a corrected reprint to an article previously published in the 2001 issue of 'Transfusion Medicine.'

Aims To compare the pharmacodynamic effects of the highest approved doses of the sodium glucose co-transporter 2 ( SGLT2) inhibitors canagliflozin and dapagliflozin on urinary glucose excretion ( UGE), renal threshold for glucose excretion ( RTG) and postprandial plasma glucose ( PPG) excursion in healthy participants in a randomized, double-blind, two-period crossover study. Methods In each treatment period, participants (n = 54) received canagliflozin 300 mg or dapagliflozin 10 mg for 4 days (20 min before breakfast). A mixed-meal tolerance test (600 kcal; 75 g glucose) was performed at baseline and on day 4 of each treatment period to assess changes in incremental PPG ( PPGΔAUC0-2 h). We measured 24-h UGE and plasma glucose on day 4 to determine 24-h mean RTG. Results Canagliflozin 300 mg and dapagliflozin 10 mg had similar effects on UGE and RTG for 4 h after dosing, but canagliflozin was associated with higher UGE and greater RTG reductions for the remainder of the day. Mean 24-h UGE was ∼25% higher with canagliflozin than with dapagliflozin (51.4 vs. 40.8 g), and 24-h mean RTG was ∼0.4 mmol/l (7 mg/dl) lower with canagliflozin than with dapagliflozin (3.79 vs. 4.17 mmol/l; p < 0.0001). Dapagliflozin had no effect on PPG excursion; canagliflozin delayed and reduced PPG excursion (between-treatment difference in PPGΔAUC0-2 h from baseline expressed as a percentage of baseline mean, −10.2%; p = 0.0122). Canagliflozin and dapagliflozin were generally well tolerated. Conclusions In healthy participants, canagliflozin 300 mg provided greater 24-h UGE, a lower RTG and smaller PPG excursions than dapagliflozin 10 mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 3-(4-Methylcyclohex-3-enyl)-3-butenyl acetate; a safety assessment based on RIFM's criteria. • A safety assessment based on 7 human health endpoints plus environmental. • All endpoints were cleared using target data, read-across, and/or TTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Zingerone; a safety assessment based on RIFM's criteria. • A safety assessment based on 7 human health endpoints plus environmental. • All endpoints were cleared using target data, read-across, and/or TTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 2-Ethoxy-4-[(1-methylethoxy)methyl] phenol; a safety assessment based on RIFM's criteria. • A safety assessment based on 7 human health endpoints plus environmental. • All endpoints were cleared using target data, read-across, and/or TTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Methyl salicylate; a safety assessment based on RIFM's criteria. • A safety assessment based on 7 human health endpoints plus environmental. • All endpoints were cleared using target data, read-across, and/or TTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• (4-Methylphenoxy)acetaldehyde; a safety assessment based on RIFM's criteria. • A safety assessment based on 7 human health endpoints plus environmental. • All endpoints were cleared using target data, read-across, and/or TTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]