Substantial benefits of an inert biphenyl column for the analysis of steroids and their phase II metabolites in biological samples.

Steroids can be used as biomarkers in clinical metabolomics and other fields related to human toxicology. This chemical group is known for its complexity, considering its number of isobaric compounds and the wide variety of phases I and II metabolic pathways that parent compounds can undergo. For a successful analysis of steroids in biological samples, liquid chromatography separation must be finely tuned.

UPDATED PROTOCOL: Universal school-based programmes for improving social and emotional outcomes in children aged 3-11 years: An evidence and gap map.

This is the protocol for an evidence and gap map. The objective of this EGM is to identify and map all primary studies (including randomised and cluster randomised trials) and systematic reviews on universal, school-based social and emotional learning programmes for young children (3-11 years) to create a live, searchable, and publicly available evidence and gap map.

Comparing the effectiveness of two reciprocal reading comprehension interventions for primary school pupils in disadvantaged schools.

Background: Effective reading comprehension teaching is an aspiration of education systems across the world. Teaching incorporating reciprocal reading theory and evidence is an internationally popular approach for improving comprehension.

Aims: This paper uses two large cluster randomized controlled trials of similar reciprocal reading interventions implemented in different ways to compare their effectiveness.

Detection of honey adulteration using benchtop H NMR spectroscopy.

High magnetic field NMR spectroscopy featuring the use of superconducting magnets is a powerful analytical technique for the detection of honey adulteration. Such high field NMR systems are, however, typically housed in specialised laboratories, require cryogenic coolants, and necessitate specialist training to operate. Benchtop NMR spectrometers featuring permanent magnets are, by comparison, significantly cheaper, more mobile and can be operated with minimal expertise.

Exploring the association between mental wellbeing, health-related quality of life, family affluence and food choice in adolescents.

Young people choose energy-dense, nutrient-poor diets, yet understanding of potential determinants is limited. Associations between food choices, mental wellbeing, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and family affluence were explored to identify targets for intervention to promote dietary health and wellbeing in young people. Adolescents were recruited via post-primary schools in the UK and surveyed at two time-points when aged 13-14 years and 15-16 years.

Pathways to a more peaceful and sustainable world: The transformative power of children in families.

This article provides an overview of selected ongoing international efforts that have been inspired by Edward Zigler's vision to improve programs and policies for young children and families in the United States. The efforts presented are in close alignment with three strategies articulated by Edward Zigler: (a) conduct research that will inform policy advocacy; (b) design, implement, and revise quality early childhood development (ECD) programs; and (c) invest in building the next generation of scholars and advocates in child development. The intergenerational legacy left by Edward Zigler has had an impact on young children not only in the United States, but also across the globe.

Low-field NMR relaxation-exchange measurements for the study of gas admission in microporous solids.

Understanding the uptake and storage of gases by microporous materials is important for our future energy security. As such, we demonstrate here the application of two-dimensional NMR relaxation experiments for probing the admission and corresponding exchange dynamics of methane within microporous zeolites. Specifically, we report low-field (12.

A feasibility study of 'The StepSmart Challenge' to promote physical activity in adolescents.

Background: Inactive lifestyles are becoming the norm and creative approaches to encourage adolescents to be more physically active are needed. Little is known about how gamification techniques can be used in physical activity interventions for young people. Such approaches may stimulate interest and encourage physical activity behaviour.

National action plans to tackle NCDs: role of stakeholder network analysis.

Network science approaches can enhance global and national coordinated efforts to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases, say

Identification and characterisation of a salt form of Danirixin with reduced pharmacokinetic variability in patient populations.

The natural variability of gastric pH or gastric acid reducing medications can result in lower and more variable clinical pharmacokinetics for basic compounds in patient populations. Progressing alternative salt forms with improved solubility and dissolution properties can minimise this concern. This manuscript outlines a nonclinical approach comprising multiple biopharmaceutical, in vitro and physiologically based pharmacokinetic model (PBPK) modelling studies to enable selection of an alternative salt form for danirixin (DNX, GSK1325756), a pharmaceutical agent being developed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Emotional development among early school-age children: gender differences in the role of problem behaviours.

There has been an increasing focus on social and emotional development in educational programmes in early childhood as both variables are believed to influence behavioural outcomes in the classroom. However, relationships between social and emotional development and behaviour in early childhood have rarely been explored. This article sets out to investigate the conceptualisation of these variables and their interrelationships.

Paving the way for the use of the SDQ in economic evaluations of school-based population health interventions: an empirical analysis of the external validity of SDQ mapping algorithms to the CHU9D in an educational setting.

Purpose: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a behavioural screening tool for children. The SDQ is increasingly used as the primary outcome measure in population health interventions involving children, but it is not preference based; therefore, its role in allocative economic evaluation is limited. The Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) is a generic preference-based health-related quality of-life measure.

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of danirixin (GSK1325756)--a selective CXCR2 antagonist --in healthy adult subjects.

Background: Excessive neutrophil presence and activation is important in a number of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. The CXCR2 chemokine receptor is important in controlling the extravasation and activation of neutrophils. Selective antagonism of the CXCR2 receptor is a potential approach to reducing neutrophil migration and activation.

Eliminating the use of allogeneic blood products in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare transfusion requirements in patients before and after the introduction of tranexamic acid as standard in patients undergoing spinal surgery for idiopathic scoliosis in a national orthopaedic hospital.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of 56 idiopathic scoliosis patients who underwent posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion between 2009 and 2013 at our institution. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were measured.

Bioabsorbable pins for bone fixation in the less invasive innominate osteotomy.

For the less invasive innominate osteotomy for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip, we aim to report radiological outcomes, complication rates and reoperation rates for patients whose bone grafts were secured using bioabsorbable pins. A retrospective study of all patients who underwent less invasive innominate osteotomy for persistent or delayed diagnosis developmental dysplasia of the hip over a period of 2 years from 2008 to 2010 was carried out. A total of 59 hips were identified as having had their bone graft secured with two bioabsorbable pins made from copolymers of L-lactic acid, D-lactic acid and trimethylene carbonate.

Development of a method for the determination of total bisphenol a at trace levels in human blood and urine and elucidation of factors influencing method accuracy and sensitivity.

This publication describes a method for the determination of total bisphenol A (BPA and conjugated BPA) following enzyme hydrolysis and is intended as a companion to our previously developed analytical method for the determination of free BPA (the aglycone) in human blood and urine using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry ( 1). That free BPA method provided a means to account for and/or eliminate background contamination and demonstrated accuracy and reproducibility in both matrices fortified with BPA or a surrogate analyte ((13)C BPA) at a low method quantitation limit (MQL) of 0.1-0.

Application of QbD principles for the evaluation of empty hard capsules as an input parameter in formulation development and manufacturing.

Understanding the product and process variable on the final product performance is an essential part of the quality-by-design (QbD) principles in pharmaceutical development. The hard capsule is an established pharmaceutical dosage form used worldwide in development and manufacturing. The empty hard capsules are supplied as an excipient that is filled by pharmaceutical manufacturers with a variety of different formulations and products.

The pharmacokinetics of conventional and bioenhanced tablet formulations of danirixin (GSK1325756) following oral administration in healthy, elderly, human volunteers.

Danirixin (GSK1325756) is a small, high-affinity, selective and reversible CXCR2 antagonist in development for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The objective of the study was to evaluate the relative bioavailability, including the inter-subject variability, of a conventional immediate-release (IR) formulation and two prototype bioenhanced formulations of danirixin during gastric acid suppression in a healthy, elderly population. A single-centre, crossover study in healthy male and female volunteers aged 65-80 years was conducted.