Medical student attitudes to patient involvement in healthcare decision-making and research.

Objective: Patient involvement is used to describe the inclusion of patients as active participants in healthcare decision-making and research. This study aimed to investigate incoming year 1 medical (MBChB) students' attitudes and opinions regarding patient involvement in this context.

Methods: We established a staff-student partnership to formulate the design of an online research survey, which included Likert scale questions and three short vignette scenarios designed to probe student attitudes towards patient involvement linked to existing legal precedent.

Is it possible to measure good science?

Metrics play a vital part in the valuation and funding of research for scientists worldwide. We review the challenges that metrics pose in providing a fair and equitable system for research funding. We highlight the attempts with declarations, including the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (SF-DORA), to improve the research environment and specific impacts that metric choice can have on the evaluation and progression of Early Career Lecturers (ECLs).

Human placental uptake of glutamine and glutamate is reduced in fetal growth restriction.

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a significant risk factor for stillbirth, neonatal complications and adulthood morbidity. Compared with those of appropriate weight for gestational age (AGA), FGR babies have smaller placentas with reduced activity of amino acid transporter systems A and L, thought to contribute to poor fetal growth. The amino acids glutamine and glutamate are essential for normal placental function and fetal development; whether transport of these is altered in FGR is unknown.

Evidence of adaptation of maternofetal transport of glutamine relative to placental size in normal mice, and in those with fetal growth restriction.

Key Points: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a major risk factor for stillbirth and has significant impact upon lifelong health. A small, poorly functioning placenta, as evidenced by reduced transport of nutrients to the baby, underpins FGR. It remains unclear how a small but normal placenta differs from the small FGR placenta in terms of ability to transfer nutrients to the fetus.

Mechanisms Underpinning Adaptations in Placental Calcium Transport in Normal Mice and Those With Fetal Growth Restriction.

Fetal delivery of calcium, via the placenta, is crucial for appropriate skeletal mineralization. We have previously demonstrated that maternofetal calcium transport, per gram placenta, is increased in the placental specific insulin-like growth factor 2 knockout mouse (P0) model of fetal growth restriction (FGR) compared to wild type littermates (WTL). This effect was mirrored in wild-type (WT) mice comparing lightest vs.