Evaluating the holistic costs and benefits of corn production systems in Minnesota, US.

Global agriculture aims to minimize its impacts on environment and human health while maintaining its productivity. This requires a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and costs to ecosystems and society. Here, we apply a new evaluation framework developed by the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Agriculture and Food (TEEBAgriFood) to assess key benefits and costs on the production side of genetically modified (GM) and organic corn systems in Minnesota, USA.

What is 'Alzheimer's Disease'? The 'Auguste D' Case Re-opened.

What is Alzheimer's: an organic, neuropathological psychiatric disease, caused by plaques and tangles in aging brains or/and an existential condition affecting the minds of aging persons experiencing disconnection from meaning-bearing networks of social relations? Reviewing current research and revisiting Alzheimer's original case of 'Auguste D' this paper offers an historical-sociological genealogy that raises fundamental questions of causality, and even of the ontological status of Alzheimer's and the dementia reputed to it as a disease entity. Drawing on Kuhn's notion of 'science as usual' and Foucault's notion of the discursive formation of 'regimes of truth', our analysis seeks to understand how a sole medical focus on either bio-markers of neurological disease or genetic association was accomplished in the absence of sufficient and robust evidence. To counter the exclusion of psychosocial considerations, this paper offers two original hypotheses on the iconic case of 'Auguste D', taking into account the social milieu in which she lived and the specific circumstances of her life.

In a bad place: Carers of patients with head and neck cancer experiences of travelling for cancer treatment.

Purpose: To explore the effect that treatment-related commuting has on carers of patients with head and neck cancer.

Method: Semi-structured interviews, thematically analysed, with 31 carers.

Results: Treatment-related commuting had a considerable impact on carers of patients with head and neck cancer, both in practical terms (economic costs, disruption) and also in psychological terms.

Reducing inappropriate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory prescription in primary care patients with chronic kidney disease.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reduce inappropriate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory prescribing in primary care patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Once diagnosed, CKD management involves delaying progression to end stage renal failure and preventing complications. It is well established that non-steroidal anti-inflammatories have a negative effect on kidney function and consequently, all nephrology consensus groups suggest avoiding this drug class in CKD.

Social networks, social support and social negativity: A qualitative study of head and neck cancer caregivers' experiences.

Head and neck cancer is a serious form of cancer that can generate substantial physical and psychosocial morbidity. Informal caregivers can help patients to manage head and neck cancer and its emotional impacts, both during and after treatment. Caregivers, however, can experience considerable stress as a result of their caring activities.

Enhanced colonic delivery of ciclosporin A self-emulsifying drug delivery system encapsulated in coated minispheres.

Objectives: Investigate the potential of coated minispheres (SmPill®) to enhance localized Ciclosporin A (CsA) delivery to the colon.

Methods: CsA self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) were encapsulated into SmPill® minispheres. Varying degrees of coating thickness (low, medium and high) were applied using ethylcellulose and pectin (E:P) polymers.

Silicon microfluidic flow focusing devices for the production of size-controlled PLGA based drug loaded microparticles.

The increasing realisation of the impact of size and surface properties on the bio-distribution of drug loaded colloidal particles has driven the application of micro fabrication technologies for the precise engineering of drug loaded microparticles. This paper demonstrates an alternative approach for producing size controlled drug loaded PLGA based microparticles using silicon Microfluidic Flow Focusing Devices (MFFDs). Based on the precise geometry and dimensions of the flow focusing channel, microparticle size was successfully optimised by modifying the polymer type, disperse phase (Qd) flow rate, and continuous phase (Qc) flow rate.

Investigation of the interaction of biodegradable micro- and nanoparticulate drug delivery systems with platelets.

Objectives: Biodegradable micro- and nanoparticles are being increasingly investigated for drug delivery and targeting of therapeutics. The size and surface properties of these particles are important factors influencing their interaction and uptake by various cells, tissues and organs. Optimising these properties, to enhance cellular uptake, may increase their potential for interaction with other physiological components such as platelets resulting in platelet activation and inappropriate thrombus formation.

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma of the cerebellopontine angle presenting during pregnancy.

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (EMC) is a rare soft-tissue sarcoma, which usually occurs in the lower extremities. It is often associated with chromosomal translocations. The clinical, radiological and pathological findings in extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, with an origin in the cerebellopontine angle, are described along with the issues associated with management of this tumour presenting acutely in a 26-year-old woman who was 20 weeks pregnant.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the upper ureter metastatic to the thoracic spine presenting as a spinal cord compression.

We performed a left nephroureterectomy for a gentleman with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper ureter. Histological analysis revealed it to be a T1 lesion, but to be highly mitotically active. The gentleman defaulted on adjuvant therapy and defaulted on follow-up.

The effect of acetazolamide on breath holding at high altitude.

The effect of altitude and acetazolamide on breath holding was studied in 20 individuals. Breath holding time was reduced progressively during ascent. There was an additional reduction in the acetazolamide group at low but not at high altitude.