Pre-test Cortisol Levels in Predicting Short Synacthen Test Outcome: A Retrospective Analysis.

Objective: Short Synacthen tests (SSTs) are expensive, dependent on Synacthen availability, and need supervision. To reduce SST testing, we examined the utility of pre-test cortisol (Cort0) and related parameters in predicting outcome.

Design And Measurements: We retrospectively examined the following in all SSTs; (i) Cort0 (ii) indications (iii) and time and place of testing.

Prepared and motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care? A descriptive analysis of midwifery students' perspectives.

Background: Internationally, midwifery education and maternity services are evolving to promote midwifery continuity of care. It is unclear whether current Australian midwifery education programs are graduating a midwifery workforce prepared and motivated to work in this way.

Aim: To discover how well midwifery students in Australia feel they have been prepared and motivated to work in midwifery continuity of care when they enter practice.

Thyroid Autoimmunity and Dysfunction in Sri Lankan Children and Adolescents After 22 Years of Sustained Universal Salt Iodization.

Sri Lanka introduced universal salt iodization (USI) in 1995 after which we demonstrated a high thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) prevalence in 1998. However, it is unclear whether thyroid autoimmunity persists in the long term in populations exposed to sustained USI and whether such populations have an excess of thyroid dysfunction. We evaluated the prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies and dysfunction in Sri Lankan children and adolescents after more than two decades of sustained USI.

The impact of pre-registration education on the motivation and preparation of midwifery students to work in continuity of midwifery care: An integrative review.

Access to continuity of midwifery care (CoMC) models in Australia is increasing but the capacity of the emerging midwifery workforce to provide this care remains largely unknown. The aim of this integrative literature review is to discover how well pre-registration midwifery education prepares and motivates Australian midwifery students to work in CoMC models when they enter practice. Following title review of 432 papers, removal of duplicates and review against the inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine papers were included for review.

Long-term cardiovascular effects of vandetanib and pazopanib in normotensive rats.

Vandetanib and pazopanib are clinically available, multi-targeted inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor tyrosine kinases. Short-term VEGF receptor inhibition is associated with hypertension in 15%-60% of patients, which may limit the use of these anticancer therapies over the longer term. To evaluate the longer-term cardiovascular implications of treatment, we investigated the "on"-treatment (21 days) and "off"-treatment (10 days) effects following daily administration of vandetanib, pazopanib, or vehicle, in conscious rats.

Thyrotrophin receptor antibody concentration and activity, several years after treatment for Graves' disease.

Objective: TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb) are responsible for autoimmune hyperthyroid disease (Graves' disease; GD) with TRAb levels tending to decrease following treatment. Measurement of TRAb activity during follow-up could prove valuable to better understand treatment effectiveness.

Study Design: TRAb concentration and stimulating (TSAb) and blocking (TSBAb) activity of patient serum were assessed following different treatment modalities and follow-up length.

Effects of 4 multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors on regional hemodynamics in conscious, freely moving rats.

VEGF inhibitors, including receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, are used as adjunct therapies in a number of cancer treatments. An emerging issue with these drugs is that most cause hypertension. To gain insight into the physiological mechanisms involved, we evaluated their regional hemodynamic effects in conscious rats.

Biological Variation of Plasma and Urinary Markers of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Identification of acute kidney injury (AKI) is predominantly based on changes in plasma creatinine concentration, an insensitive marker. Alternative biomarkers have been proposed. The reference change value (RCV), the point at which biomarker change can be inferred to have occurred with statistical certainty, provides an objective assessment of change in serial tests results in an individual.

Effects of receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors on VEGF165 a- and VEGF165 b-stimulated gene transcription in HEK-293 cells expressing human VEGFR2.

Background And Purpose: Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKIs) targeted at VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) have proved to be attractive approaches to cancer therapy based on their ability to reduce angiogenesis. Here we have undertaken a quantitative analysis of the interaction of RTKIs and two VEGF splice variants, VEGF(165)a and VEGF(165)b, with VEGFR2 by studying nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) reporter gene activity in live HEK-293 cells.

Experimental Approach: HEK-293 cells expressing the human VEGFR2 and a firefly luciferase reporter gene regulated by an NFAT response element were used for quantitative analysis of the effect of RTKIs on VEGF(165)a- and VEGF(165)b-stimulated luciferase gene expression.

Serum Cystatin C Does Not Predict Mortality or Treatment Failure in Peritoneal Dialysis: A Prospective Study.

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Background: Small solute clearance, especially that derived from residual renal function (RRF), is an independent risk factor for death in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Assessment of solute clearance is time-consuming and prone to multiple errors. Cystatin C is a small protein which has been used as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) marker.

Accuracy of the MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease) study and CKD-EPI (CKD Epidemiology Collaboration) equations for estimation of GFR in the elderly.

Background: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a measure of kidney function, commonly estimated using equations that adjust serum creatinine concentration for age, race, and sex. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation is widely used, but underestimates GFR at higher levels. The serum creatinine-based Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI(cr)) equation generally provides more accurate estimation at GFR >60 mL/min/1.

Estimation of residual glomerular filtration rate in peritoneal dialysis patients using cystatin C: comparison with 51Cr-EDTA clearance.

Background: Measuring glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is an important assessment in peritoneal dialysis patients. In clinical practice, it is commonly measured by calculating the mean of the urinary clearance of urea and creatinine (GFR(UrCl)) but this process is time consuming and unreliable. We wished to compare several estimates of GFR including residual GFR estimated from cystatin C (GFR(CysC)) using a published equation (Hoek), GFR(UrCl) and (51)Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) clearance, in peritoneal dialysis patients.

A first-in-man phase i and pharmacokinetic study on CHR-2797 (Tosedostat), an inhibitor of M1 aminopeptidases, in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Purpose: To determine the maximum tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary therapeutic activity profile of CHR-2797 (tosedostat), a novel, orally bioavailable inhibitor of the M1 family of aminopeptidases with antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activity in vitro.

Experimental Design: A phase I study of accelerated titration design that escalated through nine doses (10-320 mg) in patients (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, < or =2) with advanced solid tumors. CHR-2797 was administered once daily.

Bone mineral metabolism and its relationship to kidney disease in a residential care home population: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Institutionalized older people have a high risk of bone fractures due to osteoporosis. In addition, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent in older people living in residential homes. Secondary hyperparathyroidism, poor calcium intake and deficiency of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D may lead to decreased bone mass in people with CKD.

Chronic kidney disease prevalence in a UK residential care home population.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common ( approximately 30%) in non-institutionalized older people but little is known about the prevalence of CKD amongst older people living in residential care.

Methods: An observational study of older subjects [n = 250, median age 86 (range 67-100) years, 79% female, 100% Caucasian, 16% diabetic, 48% hypertensive, 5% known renal disease, mean number of medications 7] who were recruited over a 9-month period from 155 residential care homes in east Kent (total population 3811) using a randomization process. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, ml/min/1.

Involvement of redox events in caspase activation in zinc-depleted airway epithelial cells.

Airway epithelial cells (AEC) contain both pro- and anti-apoptotic factors but little is known about mechanisms regulating apoptosis of these cells. In this study we have examined the localization of pro-caspase-3 and Zn(2+), a cellular regulator of pro-caspase-3, in primary sheep and human AEC. Zn(2+) was concentrated in both cytoplasmic vesicles and ciliary basal bodies, in the vicinity of both pro-caspase-3 and the antioxidant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD).