Interprofessional Education and the Diagnostic Radiography curriculum: Students’ perceived value of a case-based,whole day activity

IntroductionThis study aimed to examine Diagnostic Radiography (DR) students’ perceptions and attitudes towards the Health Collaboration Challenge (HCC), as an interprofessional learning opportunity.MethodsDR students participated in the HCC, an annual intensive interprofessional collaboration and assessment activity involving case-based learning. Students' attitudes towards Interprofessional Education (IPE) were measured using a modified version of the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and a bespoke questionnaire with items relating to the HCC. Subsequent focus groups explored students’ experience of IPE within the HCC context.ResultsSurvey results (n = 30) suggested a mostly positive attitude towards IPE alongside other health care students, acknowledging the value of interprofessional teams in patient health care. Qualitative themes from focus group participants (n = 8) revealed that DR students, while appreciating the value of shared-decision making, found the HCC assessment distracting. Challenges included the intensive nature of the HCC, roles that DR students undertook in addressing assessment criteria, case complexity and opportunities for DR students to showcase their knowledge.ConclusionResults suggest that the intensive and assessable nature of the HCC can overshadow the value of IPE for DR students, and immersive or staggered approaches to IPE could better align with DR professionals’ unique role within the patient care spectrum.Implications for practiceRevised IPE models for DR students could include a more immersive environment, conducted over a longer period of time, with meetings at semi-regular intervals to promote an interprofessional-focus over a task-focus approach.     

Free insulin levels and metabolic effects of meal-time bolus and square-wave intraperitoneal insulin infusion in insulin-dependent diabetic patients

Summary The intraperitoneal route may offer more physiological insulin delivery through absorption of a proportion of the dose into the portal circulation. We have compared 1-h square-wave and bolus supplemental infusions of a fixed dose of 10 U of intraperitoneal insulin in 6 C-peptide negative insulin-dependent diabetic patients eating a standard breakfast and compared the insulin, glucose and metabolite responses with those of non-diabetic control subjects. Blood glucose profiles were similar on the two experimental days and although the peak glucose levels were not different from normal they were delayed by 30 min (p<0.05). Basal free insulin levels were elevated in diabetic patients (square-wave 19.6±2.3, bolus 18.7±1.9mU/l) compared to controls (7.3±1.0mU/l, p< 0.02) and rose more rapidly after bolus injection than infusion. Peak insulin concentration was achieved at 33±4 min after bolus, 90±13 min after infusion (p<0.02) and 39±5 min in normal control subjects. The shape of the profile of free insulin concentration was similar after bolus injection and in the controls, but after square-wave infusion the return to baseline was delayed (p< 0.05). Fasting intermediary metabolite concentrations were normal on both study days in the patients, but serum cortisol levels were significantly elevated and glucagon concentrations low. Metabolite responses to the meal were not significantly different from normal after bolus injection but increases in lactate and glycerol were seen at some time points between 60 and 180 min after infusion. Glucagon levels remained low after square-wave infusion. We conclude that bolus injection of the breakfast insulin supplement gives a more optimal profile of insulin delivery for patients on intraperitoneal insulin.     

Assessment of Platelet REACtivity After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: The REAC-TAVI Trial

Objectives

The REAC-TAVI (Assessment of platelet REACtivity after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) trial enrolled patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) pre-treated with aspirin + clopidogrel, aimed to compare the efficacy of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in suppressing high platelet reactivity (HPR) after TAVI.

New microsatellite markers for multi-scale genetic studies on Phlebotomus ariasi Tonnoir,vector of Leishmania infantum in the Mediterranean area

The population structure of Phlebotomus ariasi, a proven vector of Leishmania infantum in the Mediterranean area, is still poorly understood. Previously, only two microsatellite loci had been developed to study the population genetics of this species. Herein we use these loci and determined fourteen novel microsatellite loci, useful for the characterization of P. ariasi populations. These loci were tested on three populations of P. ariasi, two from France and one from Portugal. In addition, the usefulness of these markers was also evaluated on seven other sandfly species.     

Correlation between apoptotic endothelial microparticles and serum interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in healthy men

Inflammation has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis has been implicated in atherogenesis. The correlation between circulating concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and endothelial microparticles (EMPs) expressing an apoptotic (EMP31) or activation (EMP62E) phenotype in 20 middle-aged healthy men was investigated. IL-6 was significantly correlated with EMP31 (r = 0.6, p = 0.004), which persisted after adjusting for body mass index and CRP. CRP was significantly correlated with body mass index (r = 0.49, p = 0.02) but not with EMP31 or EMP62E. EC apoptosis is associated with IL-6 levels in men and might be partially responsible for the increased cardiovascular risk associated with subclinical inflammation.     

The regulation of lung fibroblast proliferation by alveolar macrophages in experimental silicosis

To determine if macrophages regulate the numbers of fibroblasts in the silicotic lung, we exposed macrophages to quartz particles in vitro and in vivo and determined if the secretory products from these cells influenced the proliferation of cultured lung fibroblasts. Macrophages were recovered by lavage from the lungs of normal guinea pigs. Monolayers of these cells were exposed to sized quartz particles for 2 h. Macrophages were exposed to silica in vivo by the intratracheal injection of quartz particles. Macrophages were recovered from the silicotic guinea pigs 2, 14, 42, and 180 days after injection. Monolayers of these cells were also cultured for 2 h in the absence of a stimulus. Fibroblasts were derived from explants of the lungs of young guinea pigs. The effect of supernatants from the macrophage cultures on the proliferation of fibroblasts in vitro was determined in all experiments by measuring the incorporation of tritiated thymidine, and in some cases by direct cell counts. Macrophages exposed to quartz in vitro or for a short time (2 days) in vivo inhibited the proliferation of lung fibroblasts. In contrast, macrophages exposed in vivo for 42 and 180 days enhanced the proliferation of fibroblasts. These results suggest that alveolar macrophages from guinea pigs elaborate factors with opposing effects on the growth of fibroblasts and that the duration of exposure to silica is an important determinant of the predominant effect. These results also lend support to the notion that alveolar macrophages regulate the number of fibroblasts in the normal and the diseased lung.     

Contraceptive efficacy of a depot progestin and androgen combination in men

WHO studies provided proof of concept for hormonal male contraception using a prototype androgen-alone regimen. Combined testosterone plus progestin regimens offer more practical promise, but no contraceptive efficacy studies have been completed. The objective of this study was to establish the proof of principle for depot hormonal androgen/progestin combination as a male contraceptive. We performed a contraceptive efficacy study of 55 healthy men in stable fertile relationships seeking a change in contraceptive method. Testosterone (four 200-mg implants, every 4 or 6 months) and 300 mg depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, im, every 3 months were administered. Once sperm output was suppressed (<1 million/ml for 2 consecutive months), men entered a 12-month contraceptive efficacy period, ceasing other contraception. The main outcome measure was contraceptive failure (pregnancy) rate. No pregnancies occurred in 426 person-months (35.5 person-years; 95% confidence limits for contraceptive failure rate, 0-8%/annum), superior to the first year failure rate of condoms, the only reversible male method. Sperm density fell rapidly, so 94% of men entered the efficacy phase by 3 months, with only 2 of 55 (3.6%) men not sufficiently suppressed to enter efficacy. A few men treated with testosterone implants at 6-month intervals demonstrated androgen deficiency symptoms and/or escape of gonadotropin and spermatogenic suppression between months 5 and 6; after a protocol amendment, all men receiving testosterone implants at 4-month intervals avoided androgen deficiency or loss of gonadotropin and sperm output suppression. Recovery was complete (median, 3.6 months to sperm reappearance and 5.0 months to 20 million sperm/ml) in all but one man with an incidental testicular disorder. Discontinuations were for protocol-related reasons (n = 15) or altered personal circumstances (n = 12), but there were no serious adverse effects related to drug exposure. The first male contraceptive efficacy study using a prototype depot androgen/progestin combination demonstrates high contraceptive efficacy with satisfactory short-term safety and recovery of spermatogenesis. Further studies of purpose-developed products are required to extend the overall safety and efficacy experience with depot androgen/progestin combinations, the most promising approach to hormonal male contraception.