Neurological outcome following out of hospital cardiac arrest: Evaluation of performance of existing risk prediction models in a UK cohort.

Introduction: Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a common problem. Rates of survival are low and a proportion of survivors are left with an unfavourable neurological outcome. Four models have been developed to predict risk of unfavourable outcome at the time of critical care admission - the Cardiac Arrest Hospital Prognosis (CAHP), MIRACLE, Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA), and Targeted Temperature Management (TTM) models.

EPidemiology Of Cardiogenic sHock in Scotland (EPOCHS): A multicentre, prospective observational study of the prevalence, management and outcomes of cardiogenic shock in Scotland.

Background: Despite high rates of cardiovascular disease in Scotland, the prevalence and outcomes of patients with cardiogenic shock are unknown.

Methods: We undertook a prospective observational cohort study of consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or coronary care unit at 13 hospitals in Scotland for a 6-month period. Denominator data from the Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group were used to estimate ICU prevalence; data for coronary care units were unavailable.

A critical care follow-up service evaluation: Acquired peripheral nerve injury after admission with COVID-19 respiratory disease.

Anticipated sequelae of critical care admission for COVID-19 disease remain unclear. Our Edinburgh-based critical care follow-up service identified patterns with nerve injury in 13 of 35 patients who attended following a critical care admission between 15/03/2020 and 25/12/2020. This included 7 cases of meralgia parasthetica, 1 brachial plexopathy, 2 common peroneal neuropathies and 3 ulnar neuropathies.

Development, Implementation and Assessment of a Comprehensive Strategic Plan in a School of Pharmacy.

To develop, implement and assess a strategic plan and its process within a school of pharmacy. The process for developing the strategic plan included five phases: designing and scanning by a planning committee; divergent thinking with input from key internal and external stakeholders who shared their vision for the school; convergent planning in which faculty members helped to prioritize the clusters, goals, and metrics that had been identified; refining ideas into strategies; and assessment, during which metrics were aligned with assessment plans and data were collected and analyzed. The completed strategic plan had five broad strategies, 20 specific goals, and 90 associated metrics.

Routine monitoring for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia following lower limb arthroplasty: Is it necessary? A prospective study in a UK district general hospital.

Introduction: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a potentially life-threatening condition associated with heparin administration. Many orthopaedic units routinely prescribe low-molecular-weight heparins as thromboprophylaxis after hip and knee arthroplasty.

Hypothesis: We postulated that routine platelet monitoring following heparin administration is of no clinical benefit.

Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy for Conn's Syndrome is Beneficial to Patients and is Cost Effective in England.

Purpose: Adrenalectomy has the potential to cure or improve the control of hypertension in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism due to unilateral adrenal adenoma (Conn's syndrome). This study assesses the patients' perception of, and costs associated with, laparoscopic adrenalectomy for Conn's syndrome.

Materials And Methods: Clinical, radiological, operative, and pathological data were collected on patients undergoing adrenalectomy for Conn's syndrome over 8-years period in a UK tertiary referral center.

Nasendoscopic evaluation of stress velopharyngeal insufficiency in wind musicians: a pilot study.

Objective: To investigate the anatomy and function of the velopharyngeal mechanism in musicians who experience symptoms of stress velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) compared to musicians who do not.

Methods: The velopharyngeal mechanism of 13 musicians, 8 with reported symptoms of stress VPI and 5 without, were evaluated using video nasendoscopy before and after 30 minutes of playing. All nasendoscopic recordings were rated by an external speech-language pathologist and ear, nose and throat surgeon for maintenance of velopharyngeal closure, type of velopharyngeal closure pattern, and velopharyngeal gap.

An evaluation of a human stem cell line to identify risk of developmental neurotoxicity with antiepileptic drugs.

Determination of the impact of a drug on human brain development relies instead on surrogate animal studies. Here we have exploited the human stem cell line, TERA2.cl.

Effect of monthly vitamin D3 supplementation in healthy adults on adverse effects of earthquakes: randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To determine whether supplementation with vitamin D improves resilience to the adverse effects of earthquakes.

Design: Opportunistic addition to an established randomised double blind placebo controlled trial.

Setting: Christchurch, New Zealand, where a prolonged series of catastrophic earthquakes beginning on 4 September 2010 occurred, which caused widespread destruction, fatalities, and extensive psychological damage.

Lean mass modulates glomerular filtration rate in males of normal and extreme body composition.

Background: Understanding determinants of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is important in aiding prediction and interpretation of kidney function. Body composition is known to affect GFR but is not included in current screening of kidney disease. We investigated the association between GFR and body composition in healthy young men with differing body mass but without known diabetes or kidney injury.

Ischaemic strokes in patients with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: associations with iron deficiency and platelets.

Background: Pulmonary first pass filtration of particles marginally exceeding ∼7 µm (the size of a red blood cell) is used routinely in diagnostics, and allows cellular aggregates forming or entering the circulation in the preceding cardiac cycle to lodge safely in pulmonary capillaries/arterioles. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations compromise capillary bed filtration, and are commonly associated with ischaemic stroke. Cohorts with CT-scan evident malformations associated with the highest contrast echocardiographic shunt grades are known to be at higher stroke risk.

AKT-induced tamoxifen resistance is overturned by RRM2 inhibition.

Unlabelled: Acquired tamoxifen resistance develops in the majority of hormone-responsive breast cancers and frequently involves overexpression of the PI3K/AKT axis. Here, breast cancer cells with elevated endogenous AKT or overexpression of activated AKT exhibited tamoxifen-stimulated cell proliferation and enhanced cell motility. To gain mechanistic insight on AKT-induced endocrine resistance, gene expression profiling was performed to determine the transcripts that are differentially expressed post-tamoxifen therapy under conditions of AKT overexpression.

Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in healthy adults.

Observational studies have reported an inverse association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations and Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage; however, clinical trials of vitamin D supplementation are lacking. To assess the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on persistent S. aureus nasal carriage we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial among 322 healthy adults.

Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on upper respiratory tract infections in healthy adults: the VIDARIS randomized controlled trial.

Context: Observational studies have reported an inverse association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). However, results of clinical trials of vitamin D supplementation have been inconclusive.

Objective: To determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on incidence and severity of URTIs in healthy adults.

Stickiness to hydrophobic surfaces varies widely among peptides and proteins.

To determine whether there are differences in stickiness to hydrophobic surfaces among peptides and proteins under immunoassay conditions, peptides and proteins were radio-labeled with (125)I and competitive adsorption with human serum albumin (HSA) in polystyrene or polypropylene tubes was used to determine the IC (50), the concentration of HSA required to reduce the adsorption of the labeled polypeptides to 50% of maximal. Stickiness was defined as log(10)(10(9) IC (50)). Stickiness varied significantly between the labeled polypeptides (p < 0.

Low serum iron levels are associated with elevated plasma levels of coagulation factor VIII and pulmonary emboli/deep venous thromboses in replicate cohorts of patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia.

Background: Elevated plasma levels of coagulation factor VIII are a strong risk factor for pulmonary emboli and deep venous thromboses.

Objectives: To identify reversible biomarkers associated with high factor VIII and assess potential significance in a specific at-risk population.

Patients/methods: 609 patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia were recruited prospectively in two separate series at a single centre.

Stability of plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH): influence of hemolysis, rapid chilling, time, and the addition of a maleimide.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of hemolysis, rapid chilling, time, and the addition of a maleimide on the stability of human plasma ACTH measurements.

Design And Methods: Partially hemolyzed EDTA blood (n=10), initially at 37°C, was centrifuged at 4°C either immediately or after rapid chilling in ice/water. Plasma ACTH was then measured either immediately, or after 1h at 22°C with or without the addition of 2mM N-phenyl maleimide (NPM).

FGF23 elevation and hypophosphatemia after intravenous iron polymaltose: a prospective study.

Context: Parenteral iron administration has been associated with hypophosphatemia. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) has a physiological role in phosphate homeostasis via suppression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] activation and promotion of phosphaturia. We recently reported a case of iron-induced hypophosphatemic osteomalacia associated with marked FGF23 elevation.

Pre-analytical requirements.

Correct test selection: a test must have the potential to alter patient management and have the specificity and sensitivity appropriate to the pretest probability of disease. Correct dynamic test procedure: dynamic tests may assist diagnosis and protocols must be readily available. Correct patient preparation: fasting, or other patient preparation, may reduce variability.

Muscle tension dysphonia in Vietnamese female teachers.

There has been no published research on muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) in speakers who use a tonal language. Using a sample of 47 Northern Vietnamese female primary school teachers with MTD, we aimed to discover whether professional voice users of tonal languages presented with the same symptoms of MTD as speakers of nontonal languages and whether they presented with additional symptoms as a result of speaking a tonal language. The vocal characteristics were assessed by use of a questionnaire and expert perceptual evaluation.