EAHP European Statements Survey 2018, focusing on Section 1: Introductory Statements and Governance, Section 3: Production and Compounding, and Section 4: Clinical Pharmacy Services.

Objectives: The 2018 EAHP European Statements Survey focused on sections 1, 3 and 4 of the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy. Statistical data on the level of implementation and on the main barriers to implementation of the Statements were collected. A further aim was to identify barriers in general, such as lack of awareness.

Results of EAHP's 2018 Survey on Medicines Shortages.

Aims And Objectives: The aim of the 2018 EAHP Survey on Medicines Shortages was to provide a clearer picture on the issue of medicines shortages, including the impact on hospital pharmacists' time, budgets and the effect on patient care.

Methods: A survey was conducted by the EAHP, collecting information from European hospital pharmacists on the shortage situation in their respective countries. The survey ran from 19 March 2018 to 11 June 2018.

EAHP European Statements Survey 2017, focusing on sections 2 (Selection, Procurement and Distribution), 5 (Patient Safety and Quality Assurance) and 6 (Education and Research).

Objectives: The 2017 EAHP European Statements Survey focussed on sections 2, 5 and 6 of the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy. Statistical data on the level of implementation and on the main barriers to implementation of the Statements were collected. A further aim was to identify barriers in general, such as lack of awareness.

Ultra-high resolution X-ray structures of two forms of human recombinant insulin at 100 K.

The crystal structure of a commercially available form of human recombinant (HR) insulin, Insugen (I), used in the treatment of diabetes has been determined to 0.92 Å resolution using low temperature, 100 K, synchrotron X-ray data collected at 16,000 keV (λ = 0.77 Å).

EAHP statements survey 2016: sections 1, 3 and 4 of the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy.

Background: The 2016 European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) Statements survey builds on previous surveys and focuses on sections 1, 3 and 4.

Objective: To collect statistical data about the level of implementation of the Statements, and identify important barriers to their implementation.

Methods: An online questionnaire was sent to all hospital pharmacies in EAHP member countries.

EAHP European Statements survey 2015.

Objectives: The 2015 EAHP European Statements survey was related to sections 2, 5 and 6 of the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy (Statements). In addition to collection of statistical data about the level of implementation of the Statements, it was also intended to identify important barriers to their implementation.

Methods: The online questionnaire was sent to all hospital pharmacies in EAHP member countries.

Melatonin, hypnotics and their association with fracture: a matched cohort study.

Objectives: although melatonin prescribing in England has been increasing in recent years, there have been no large scale studies on the safety of melatonin compared to other medical treatments for insomnia. The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between exposure to melatonin, hypnotic benzodiazepines (temazepam, nitrazepam) or Z-drugs (zolpidem, zopiclone) and fracture risk.

Design: retrospective cohort study.

EAHP European Statements baseline survey 2015: methodology.

The European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy are a set of hospital pharmacy practice standards published by the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) for European health systems to ensure safe, effective and optimal use of medicines in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Keele University was commissioned to conduct a survey among European hospital pharmacists to establish a baseline to assess awareness of the Statements and to identify any barriers to their implementation. The survey was conducted from January 2015 to March 2015, spanning 16 languages and 34 countries.

EAHP European Statements baseline survey 2015: results.

Objectives: The European Statements baseline survey was designed to give an insight to how well the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy (the Statements) are being implemented and to help inform the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) implementation strategy for the Statements.

Methods: The online questionnaire was sent to all hospital pharmacies in EAHP member countries. More than 1000 pharmacists completed the survey, which was analysed by Keele University and presented to EAHP.

EAHP European Statements baseline survey 2015: first steps on the implementation journey.

An implementation plan was developed in conjunction with the publication of the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy. Subsequently a baseline survey on the status of the Statements was conducted with specific questions on awareness, capability and capacity seen as crucial to informing future implementation plans. The baseline survey showed that, 18 months after agreement at the European Summit of Hospital Pharmacy, hospital pharmacists across Europe have a growing awareness of the Statements.

Stretch-tuneable dielectric mirrors and optical microcavities.

We demonstrate how tuneable Distributed Bragg Reflectors (DBRs) and resonant micro-cavities can be built by a scalable layer assembly of the transparent utility rubbers polydimethylsiloxane and polystyrene-polyisoprene. Stretching the devices by more than 60% leads to an affine contraction of the layer thicknesses thereby tuning both DBR and cavity modes across the entire visible spectrum. Such rapidly- and reversibly- stretch-tuneable cavities can be used in tuneable micro-lasers and for quantitative optical strain sensing applications.

Enhanced DNA binding capacity on up-regulated epidermal wild-type p53 in vitiligo by H2O2-mediated oxidation: a possible repair mechanism for DNA damage.

Vitiligo is characterized by a patchy loss of inherited skin color affecting approximately 0.5% of individuals of all races. Despite the absence of the protecting pigment and the overwhelming evidence for hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced oxidative stress in the entire epidermis of these patients, there is neither increased photodamage/skin aging nor a higher incidence for sun-induced nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Presence of epidermal allantoin further supports oxidative stress in vitiligo.

Xanthine dehydrogenase/xanthine oxidase (XDH/XO) catalyses the hydroxylation of hypoxanthine to xanthine and finally to uric acid in purine degradation. These reactions generate H(2)O(2) yielding allantoin from uric acid when reactive oxygen species accumulates. The presence of XO in the human epidermis has not been shown so far.

Computer simulation of heterogeneous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the catalase gene indicates structural changes in the enzyme active site, NADPH-binding and tetramerization domains: a genetic predisposition for an altered catalase in patients with vitiligo?

Patients with vitiligo have low levels/activities of catalase in their lesional and non-lesional epidermis as well as in their epidermal melanocytes under in vitro conditions while the levels of catalase mRNA are unaltered. This defect leads to a build-up of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in the 10(-3) m range in the epidermis of these patients. In this context, it was realized that 10(-3) m H(2)O(2) deactivates catalase.

Methionine sulfoxide reductases A and B are deactivated by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the epidermis of patients with vitiligo.

Patients with the depigmentation disorder vitiligo have low catalase expression/activities and constantly accumulate 10(-3) M hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in their skin. Such high concentrations of H(2)O(2) oxidize L-methionine residues in proteins and peptides to (R and S)-methionine sulfoxide diasteriomers. In vivo FT-Raman Spectroscopy revealed the presence of methionine sulfoxide in the depigmented skin of patients with active vitiligo.

Structural and functional alterations in the beta2-adrenoceptor are caused by a point mutation in patients with atopic eczema.

The density of beta2-adrenoceptors is significantly decreased in both keratinocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with atopic eczema. Furthermore both cell types showed a sixfold increase in the K(D) for the specific binding of the non-specific antagonists (-)-[(3)H]CGP 12177 and [(125) I]CYP to keratinocytes and lymphocytes respectively compared with healthy controls. Based on these results polymorphism in the beta2-adrenoceptor gene was suspected.

Computer simulation of native epidermal enzyme structures in the presence and absence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2): potential and pitfalls.

The human epidermis is especially vulnerable to oxidative stress, which in turn leads to oxidation of important antioxidant enzymes, other proteins, and peptides. Molecular dynamic computer modelling is a new powerful tool to predict or confirm oxidative stress-mediated structural changes consequently altering the function of enzymes/proteins/peptides. Here we used examples of important epidermal antioxidant enzymes before and after hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-mediated oxidation of susceptible amino-acid residues (i.

Butyrylcholinesterase is present in the human epidermis and is regulated by H2O2: more evidence for oxidative stress in vitiligo.

The human epidermis holds the capacity for autocrine cholinergic signal transduction, but the presence of butyrylcholinesterase (BchE) has not been shown so far. Our results demonstrate that this compartment transcribes a functional BchE. Its activity is even higher compared to acetylcholinesterase (AchE).

Oxidative stress via hydrogen peroxide affects proopiomelanocortin peptides directly in the epidermis of patients with vitiligo.

The human skin holds the capacity for autocrine processing of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides. Recent data demonstrated the presence and functionality of ACTH, alpha- and beta-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), and beta-endorphin in the regulation of skin pigmentation, and a role has been put forward for alpha-MSH as an effective antioxidant. In patients with vitiligo, decreased epidermal POMC processing and low alpha-MSH levels were documented previously.

Human phenylalanine hydroxylase is activated by H2O2: a novel mechanism for increasing the L-tyrosine supply for melanogenesis in melanocytes.

Epidermal phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) produces L-tyrosine from the essential amino acid L-phenylalanine supporting melanogenesis in human melanocytes. Those PAH activities increase linearly in the different skin phototypes I-VI (Fitzpatrick classification) and also increase up to 24h after UVB light with only one minimal erythemal dose. Since UVB generates also H(2)O(2), we here asked the question whether this reactive oxygen species could influence the activity of pure recombinant human PAH.

Perturbed 6-tetrahydrobiopterin recycling via decreased dihydropteridine reductase in vitiligo: more evidence for H2O2 stress.

To date there is ample evidence that patients with vitiligo accumulate millimolar concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in their epidermis as well as in their blood lymphocytes/monocytes. Several enzymes are affected by this H2O2 including catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and 4 alpha-carbinolamine dehydratase. The latter enzyme disrupts the recycling of the essential cofactor (6R)-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (6BH4) for the aromatic amino acid hydroxylases as well as the nitric oxide synthases.

Activation/deactivation of acetylcholinesterase by H2O2: more evidence for oxidative stress in vitiligo.

Previously it has been demonstrated that the human epidermis synthesises and degrades acetylcholine and expresses both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. These cholinergic systems have been implicated in the development of the epidermal calcium gradient and differentiation in normal healthy skin. In vitiligo severe oxidative stress occurs in the epidermis of these patients with accumulation of H2O2 in the 10(-3)M range together with a decrease in catalase expression/activity due to deactivation of the enzyme active site.

In situ and in vitro evidence for DCoH/HNF-1 alpha transcription of tyrosinase in human skin melanocytes.

Human epidermal melanocytes hold the full capacity for autocrine de novo synthesis/regulation/recycling of the essential cofactor 6-tetrahydrobiopterin (6BH(4)) for conversion of L-phenylalanine via phenylalanine hydroxylase to L-tyrosine and for production of L-Dopa via tyrosine hydroxylase to initiate both pigmentation and catecholamine synthesis in these neural crest-derived cells. Earlier we have demonstrated pterin-4a-carbinolamine dehydratase (PCD) mRNA and enzyme activities in epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes. This protein dimerises also the transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 (HNF-1), leading to activation of multiple genes.