Multidisciplinary rehabilitation in women following breast cancer treatment: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary ambulatory rehabilitation programme for women following definitive breast cancer treatment in an Australian community cohort.

Methods: Eighty-five women in the community randomized to a treatment group (n = 43) for individualized high-intensity programme, or a control group (n = 42) comprising usual activity. The primary outcome Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) scale measured restriction in participation.

Strategies for improving patient safety culture in hospitals: a systematic review.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of patient safety culture strategies to improve hospital patient safety climate.

Data Sources: Electronic search of the Cochrane Library, OVID Medline, Embase, CINAHL, proQuest and psychinfo databases, with manual searches of quality and safety websites, bibliographies of included articles and key journals.

Study Selection: English language studies published between January 1996 and April 2011 that measured the effectiveness of patient safety culture strategies using a quantitative measure of patient safety climate in a hospital setting.

The involvement of the spleen during chronic phase of Schistosoma mansoni infection in galectin-3-/- mice.

Schistosoma mansoni synthesizes glycoconjugates which interact with galectin-3, eliciting an intense humoral immune response. Moreover, it was demonstrated that galectin-3 regulates B cell differentiation into plasma cells. Splenomegaly is a hallmark event characterized by polyclonal B cell activation and enhancement of antibody production.

Ground and electronically excited singlet state structures of the syn and anti rotamers of 5-hydroxyindole.

The electronic origin bands A and B of 5-hydroxyindole were measured using rotationally resolved electronic spectroscopy. From comparison of the experimental rotational constants to the results of ab initio calculated structures, we could make the assignment of band A being due to the syn conformer and of band B being due to the anti conformer. These conformers, which differ in the orientation of the hydroxy group with respect to the rest of the molecule, have considerably different S1 state life times.

Ground and electronically excited singlet-state structures of 5-fluoroindole deduced from rotationally resolved electronic spectroscopy and ab initio theory.

The structure and electronic properties of the electronic ground state and the lowest excited singlet state (S(1)) of 5-fluoroindole (5FI) were determined by using rotationally resolved spectroscopy of the vibration-less electronic origin of 5FI. From the parameters of the axis reorientation Hamiltonian, the absolute orientation of the transition dipole moment in the molecular frame was determined and the character of the excited state was identified as L(b).

The structure of 5-cyanoindole in the ground and the lowest electronically excited singlet states, deduced from rotationally resolved electronic spectroscopy and ab initio theory.

The structure and electronic properties of the electronic ground and the lowest excited singlet states of 5-cyanoindole (5CI) were determined using rotationally resolved spectroscopy of the vibrationless electronic origin of 5CI. In contrast to most other indole derivatives, the lowest excited state of 5CI is determined to be of L(a) character. The conventional approximate coupled cluster singles and doubles model (CC2) fails to describe the geometry of the excited state correctly.

Bacterial effector binds host cell adenylyl cyclase to potentiate Gαs-dependent cAMP production.

Subversion of host organism cAMP signaling is an efficient and widespread mechanism of microbial pathogenesis. Bartonella effector protein A (BepA) of vasculotumorigenic Bartonella henselae protects the infected human endothelial cells against apoptotic stimuli by elevation of cellular cAMP levels by an as yet unknown mechanism. Here, adenylyl cyclase (AC) and the α-subunit of the AC-stimulating G protein (Gαs) were identified as potential cellular target proteins for BepA by gel-free proteomics.

Prognostic models based on administrative data alone inadequately predict the survival outcomes for critically ill patients at 180 days post-hospital discharge.

Unlabelled: There is interest in evaluating the quality of critical care by auditing patient outcomes after hospital discharge. Risk adjustment using acuity of illness scores, such as Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE III) scores, derived from clinical databases is commonly performed for in-hospital mortality outcome measures. However, these clinical databases do not routinely track patient outcomes after hospital discharge.

An adverse event screening tool based on routinely collected hospital-acquired diagnoses.

Objective: The aim was to develop an electronic adverse event (AE) screening tool applicable to acute care hospital episodes for patients admitted with chronic heart failure (CHF) and pneumonia.

Design: Consensus building using a modified Delphi method and descriptive analysis of hospital discharge data.

Participants: Consultant physicians in general medicine (n = 38).

Patients who leave without being seen in emergency departments: an analysis of predictive factors and outcomes.

Objectives: The objective was to identify predictive factors and outcomes associated with patients who leave emergency departments (EDs) without being seen in Victoria, Australia.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of Victorian ED patient visits between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2005, using linked hospital, ED, and death registration data. Index ED visits were identified for patients who left without being seen (LWBS) and for those who completed ED treatment and were discharged home.

Management of retinal vascular diseases: a patient-centric approach.

Retinal vascular diseases are a leading cause of blindness in the Western world. Advancement in the clinical management of these diseases has been fast-paced, with new treatments becoming available as well as license extensions of existing treatments. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in certain retinal vascular diseases, including wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular oedema (DMO), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

Environmental changes and macroinvertebrate responses in Patagonian streams (Argentina) to ashfall from the Chaitén Volcano (May 2008).

On May 2nd of 2008 the Chaitén Volcano (Chile, 42°50'S and 72°39'W) erupted explosively producing a strong emission of volcanic ash. As a result of this eruption wide areas on the Argentinean side became covered by ashes. In order to investigate the effects of ashfall on environmental features, water quality and macroinvertebrate communities we conducted a study on 10 rivers affected by ash deposition in their hydrographic basins.

Association of common genetic variants in GPCPD1 with scaling of visual cortical surface area in humans.

Visual cortical surface area varies two- to threefold between human individuals, is highly heritable, and has been correlated with visual acuity and visual perception. However, it is still largely unknown what specific genetic and environmental factors contribute to normal variation in the area of visual cortex. To identify SNPs associated with the proportional surface area of visual cortex, we performed a genome-wide association study followed by replication in two independent cohorts.

Evaluating the travel, physical activity and carbon impacts of a 'natural experiment' in the provision of new walking and cycling infrastructure: methods for the core module of the iConnect study.

Introduction: Improving infrastructure to support walking and cycling is often regarded as fundamental to encouraging their widespread uptake. However, there is little evidence that specific provision of this kind has led to a significant increase in walking or cycling in practice, let alone wider impacts such as changes in overall physical activity or carbon emissions. Connect2 is a major new project that aims to promote walking and cycling in the UK by improving local pedestrian and cycle routes.

Variations in structures, processes and outcomes of community mental health teams for older people: a systematic review of the literature.

Objectives: In the UK and elsewhere, specialist community mental health teams (CMHTs) are central to the provision of comprehensive services for older people with mental ill health. Recent guidance documents suggest a core set of attributes that such teams should encompass. This article reports on a systematic literature review undertaken to collate existing evidence regarding the structures and processes of CMHTs for older people and to evaluate evidence linking approaches to effectiveness.

Model system for cell adhesion mediated by weak carbohydrate-carbohydrate interactions.

The multivalent carbohydrate-carbohydrate interaction between membrane-anchored epitopes derived from the marine sponge Microciona prolifera has been explored by colloidal probe microscopy. An in situ coupling of sulfated and non-sulfated disaccharides to membrane-coated surfaces was employed to mimic native cell-cell contacts.The dynamic strength of the homomeric self-association was measured as a function of calcium ions and loading rate.

The 6-PACK programme to decrease falls and fall-related injuries in acute hospitals: protocol for an economic evaluation alongside a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Falls are a common hospital occurrence complicating the care of patients. From an economic perspective, the impact of in-hospital falls and related injuries is substantial. However, few studies have examined the economic implications of falls prevention interventions in an acute care setting.

Protein kinase Cδ but not PKCα is involved in insulin-induced glucose metabolism in hepatocytes.

The liver is a major insulin-responsive tissue responsible for glucose regulation. One important mechanism in this phenomenon is insulin-induced glycogen synthesis. Studies in our laboratory have shown that protein kinase Cs delta (PKCδ) and alpha (α) have important roles in insulin-induced glucose transport in skeletal muscle, and that their expression and activity are regulated by insulin.

Negotiating hope with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: a qualitative study of patients and healthcare professionals.

Background: The information needs of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) towards the end of life are poorly understood.

Aim: This study explored the views of patients with COPD and healthcare professionals, focusing upon information needs and treatment preferences.

Method: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were held with patients with COPD following admission to hospital with respiratory failure, and focus groups held with healthcare professionals from hospital and community settings.

Use of consensus methods to select clinical indicators to assess activities to minimise functional decline among older hospitalised patients.

Objectives: The study aimed to develop a set of clinical indicators to minimise the risk and adverse outcomes of functional decline in older hospitalised people.

Methods: Existing Australian and international clinical indicators relevant to cognition and emotional health, mobility, vigour and self care, continence, nutrition, skin integrity, person-centred care, assessment and medication management were identified by literature and electronic website review. A multidisciplinary expert advisory group used modified Delphi methods, including two anonymous voting rounds and a group discussion, to gain consensus for a prioritised set of clinical indicators.

The bone marrow compartment is modified in the absence of galectin-3.

Galectin-3 (gal-3) is a β-galactoside binding protein present in multivalent complexes with an extracellular matrix and with cell surface glycoconjugates. In this context, it can deliver a variety of intracellular signals to modulate cell activation, differentiation and survival. In the hematopoietic system, it was demonstrated that gal-3 is expressed in myeloid cells and surrounding stromal cells.

Reduced polymorphism associated with X chromosome meiotic drive in the stalk-eyed fly Teleopsis dalmanni.

Sex chromosome meiotic drive has been suggested as a cause of several evolutionary genetic phenomena, including genomic conflicts that give rise to reproductive isolation between new species. In this paper we present a population genetic analysis of X chromosome drive in the stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni, to determine how this natural polymorphism influences genetic diversity. We analyzed patterns of DNA sequence variation at two X-linked regions (comprising 1325 bp) approximately 50 cM apart and one autosomal region (comprising 921 bp) for 50 males, half of which were collected in the field from one of two allopatric locations and the other half were derived from lab-reared individuals with known brood sex ratios.

Homocysteine-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells coincides with nuclear NOX2 and peri-nuclear NOX4 activity.

Apoptosis of endothelial cells related to homocysteine (Hcy) has been reported in several studies. In this study, we evaluated whether reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing signaling pathways contribute to Hcy-induced apoptosis induction, with specific emphasis on NADPH oxidases. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were incubated with 0.

Development of quality indicators for monitoring outcomes of frail elderly hospitalised in acute care health settings: study protocol.

Background: Frail older people admitted to acute care hospitals are at risk of a range of adverse outcomes, including geriatric syndromes, although targeted care strategies can improve health outcomes for these patients. It is therefore important to assess inter-hospital variation in performance in order to plan and resource improvement programs. Clinical quality outcome indicators provide a mechanism for identifying variation in performance over time and between hospitals, however to date there has been no routine use of such indicators in acute care settings.