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The relationships of Walk Score, a publicly-accessible walkability assessment tool, with walking for transport to and from home were examined among a large representative sample of Australian adults aged 18-64 years (N=16,944). Residents in highly and somewhat walkable areas were twice and 1.4 times more likely to accumulate 30. min of walking per day compared to those in very car-dependent neighborhoods, respectively. Mean duration of walking was also longer for participants living in highly and somewhat walkable areas compared to those in very car-dependent areas. Walk Score has potential as a widely-applicable tool for identifying the walkability of local neighborhoods. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The product of the PPP1R3B gene (G(L)) is the regulatory subunit of PP1 - a serine/threonine phosphatase involved in the modulation of glycogen synthesis in the liver and skeletal muscle. The PPP1R3B gene is located on chromosome 8p23 in a region that has been linked with type 2 diabetes and maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). We examined whether sequence variants at the PPP1R3B locus are responsible for the linkage with diabetes observed at this location. RT-PCR analysis revealed the existence of two alternative promoters. These and the two exons of this gene were sequenced in the probands of 13 Joslin families showing the strongest evidence of linkage at 8p23. A total of 20 variants were observed: two in the 5' flanking region, one in the intron (9 bp 5' of exon 2), and 17 in the 3' UTR. The intronic variant generated a new acceptor splice site, resulting in an alternative splice variant with a longer 5' UTR. However, neither this nor other variants segregated with diabetes in the 13 'linked' families. Furthermore, allele frequencies were similar in 90 family probands from the Joslin Study and 347 unrelated controls. Thus, genetic variability in the PPP1R3B gene does not appear to contribute to diabetes in our mostly Caucasian families. However, a role cannot be excluded in other populations such as the Japanese, among whom linkage to diabetes is also observed at 8p23 and a non-synonymous mutation has been detected in the PPP1R3B gene.

Shrinkage of a massive, highly invasive, longstanding (probably 40 years) prolactin-secreting pituitary tumour is described in which tumour volume was reduced by 40% 8 d after beginning bromocriptine treatment. After 4 months of treatment the tumour was only 11% of the pretreatment volume and by 8 months it was further reduced in size being confined to the pituitary fossa, which was partially empty. Reduction in tumour volume was accompanied by a gradual reduction in serum prolactin concentrations to normal values at 4 months. Between 4 and 18 months serum prolactin has remained normal on 5 mg of bromocriptine daily. Visual function improved within 48 h of starting bromocriptine and was almost normal by 6 d. CSF rhinorrhoea developed as the tumour shrank and was successfully managed with the relatively minor procedure of a diversionary lumbo-peritoneal shunt. Bromocriptine should be considered as the initial treatment of choice for massive invasive prolactinomas because of the significant risk of morbidity from neurosurgical treatment.