Survival, mortality and morbidity outcomes after oesophagogastric cancer surgery in New South Wales, 2001-2008.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between hospital volume and patient outcomes for New South Wales hospitals performing oesophagectomy and gastrectomy for oesophagogastric cancer.

Design, Setting And Patients: A retrospective, population-based cohort study of NSW residents diagnosed with a new case of invasive oesophageal or gastric cancer who underwent oesophagectomy or gastrectomy between 2001 and 2008 in NSW hospitals using linked de-identified data from the NSW Central Cancer Registry, the National Death Index and the NSW Admitted Patient Data Collection. A higher-volume hospital was defined as one performing > 6 relevant procedures per year.

Safety and viability of microencapsulated human islets transplanted into diabetic humans.

Objective: Transplantation of insulin-producing cells placed inside microcapsules is being trialled to overcome the need for immunosuppressive therapy.

Research Design And Methods: Four type 1 diabetic patients with no detectable C-peptide received an intraperitoneal infusion of islets inside microcapsules of barium alginate (mean 178,200 islet equivalents on each of eight occasions).

Results: C-peptide was detected on day 1 post-transplantation, and blood glucose levels and insulin requirements decreased.

Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors.

The Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Councils launched the Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors in October 2006. The curriculum framework: balances the major areas of clinical management, communication and professionalism, and highlights the importance of an integrated approach to prevocational learning and teaching; supports practice-based, opportunistic and continuous learning, and specifies performance and supervision requirements for junior doctors; and has been published in both Internet and printable versions, to make the document accessible and easily usable by junior doctors and supervisors. The implementation of the curriculum framework will be overseen by a steering group that includes representatives from key stakeholder groups, including junior doctors and medical students.

Effect of immunosuppressive doses of cyclosporine on pancreatic beta cell function in pigs.

Objective: To evaluate whether immunosuppressive doses of cyclosporine (CsA) have an adverse effect on the liver, kidney, and pancreatic beta cells of pigs.

Animals: 8 juvenile 8-week-old Landrace X Large White crossbred pigs.

Procedure: CsA (100 to 140 mg/kg) was administered orally to euglycemic pigs to reach whole blood trough concentrations of approximately 1500 ng/mL.