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Walking to more distant public transport stops is commonly promoted for physical activity gain. We examined the uptake of, and reasons for, this behaviour and its correlates through a cross-sectional survey (n = 944) and independent interview study (n = 22). Quantitative analysis examined correlates of frequency of walking to more distant bus stops, including demographic variables, past week bus use, bus stop accessibility, and physical activity. Interviews explored reasons for engaging in this behaviour. Of participants (38%) who had used the bus the previous week, 13% had walked to a more distant bus stop every/most times. Median walking and total physical activity were highest (P = 0.003) among this group (210 and 465 min/week, respectively) compared to those who did sometimes (150 and 260 min/week, respectively) or not at all (150 and 270 min/week, respectively). Among interview participants who engaged in this behaviour (n = 12), over half did so for physical activity gain, with the remaining being driven by other co-benefits. Many interviewees overlooked the physical activity benefit of this behaviour. This novel study integrated quantitative and qualitative data and discovered those who walk to more distant public transport stops were generally more physically active than those who do not. While some users were aware of the health benefits, many did so for other reasons.

Drug overdose now exceeds car accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Of those drug overdoses, a large percentage of the deaths are due to heroin and/or pharmaceutical overdose, specifically misuse of prescription opioid analgesics. It is imperative, then, that we understand the mechanisms that lead to opioid abuse and addiction. The rewarding actions of opioids are mediated largely by the mu-opioid receptor (MOR), and signaling by this receptor is modulated by various interacting proteins. The neurotransmitter dopamine also contributes to opioid reward, and opioid addiction has been linked to reduced expression of dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) in the brain. That said, it is not known if alterations in the expression of these proteins relate to drug exposure and/or to the "addiction-like" behavior exhibited for the drug. Here, we held total drug self-administration constant across acquisition and showed that reduced expression of the D2R and the MOR interacting protein, Wntless, in the medial prefrontal cortex was associated with greater addiction-like behavior for heroin in general and with a greater willingness to work for the drug in particular. In contrast, reduced expression of the D2R in the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus was correlated with greater seeking during signaled nonavailability of the drug. Taken together, these data link reduced expression of both the D2R and Wntless to the explicit motivation for the drug rather than to differences in total drug intake per se.

Aims and objectives. The aim of this paper is to examine high-level evidence in early intervention in psychosis and scope the potential role of the mental health nurse-practitioner in the treatment of management of early psychosis. Background. Psychosis imposes complex symptoms that impact on the individual and their social network, often resulting in long-term disability. As specialised early intervention in psychosis is emerging, the nurse-practitioner role in mental health is also gaining momentum. The background literature highlights several critical synergies between nurse-practitioners’ scope of practice and needs of patients with early psychosis. Design. Literature review. Method. Electronic databases including Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Medline, TRIP and EMBASE. Searching was limited to articles published between 1988–2009. Eligible studies were limited to systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials. Results. Two systematic reviews and five randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. No studies were located which specifically addressed the nurse-practitioner role in early psychosis. Conclusions. Specific interventions require further research but there is emerging evidence that specialised intervention for people in the early phase of psychotic illness is achievable and possibly essential. It is within the scope of practice of mental health nurse-practitioners to ensure patient and carer education and support, adherence to medication and other treatments, promotion of social inclusion and social connectedness. Relevance to clinical practice. Mental health nurse-practitioners have the potential to provide specialist support to meet the needs of this complex group. Central to this is an ability to build an evidence-base around the treatment and management of people with early psychosis and deliver effective education and leadership across clinical, inter-professional and organisational domains. The paper concludes by positing a set of recommendations for nurse-practitioners in the field of early psychosis in the Australian mental health setting.

SuperLig®639 ion exchange resin was tested as a retrieval mechanism for pertechnetate, through decontamination of a perrhenate spiked 5M Simple Average Na{sup +} Mass Based Simulant. Testing included batch contacts and a three-column ion exchange campaign. A decontamination of perrhenate exceeding 99% from the liquid feed was demonstrated. Analysis of the first formulation of a SBS/WESP simulant found unexpectedly low concentrations of soluble aluminum. Follow-on work will complete the formulation.

Background In vitro pharmacology of ligands is typically assessed using a variety of molecular assays based on predetermined molecular events in living cells. Many ligands including opioid ligands pose the ability to bind more than one receptor, and can also provide distinct operational bias to activate a specific receptor. Generating an integrative overview of the binding and functional selectivity of ligands for a receptor family is a critical but difficult step in drug discovery and development. Here we applied a newly developed label-free integrative pharmacology on-target (iPOT) approach to systematically survey the selectivity of a library of fifty-five opioid ligands against the opioid receptor family. All ligands were interrogated using dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) assays in both recombinant and native cell lines that express specific opioid receptor(s). The cells were modified with a set of probe molecules to manifest the binding and functional selectivity of ligands. DMR profiles were collected and translated to numerical coordinates that was subject to similarity analysis. A specific set of opioid ligands were then selected for quantitative pharmacology determination. Results Results showed that among fifty-five opioid ligands examined most ligands displayed agonist activity in at least one opioid receptor expressing cell line under different conditions. Further, many ligands exhibited pathway biased agonism. Conclusion We demonstrate that the iPOT effectively sorts the ligands into distinct clusters based on their binding and functional selectivity at the opioid receptor family.

Development of new opioid drugs that provide analgesia without producing dependence is important for pain treatment. Opioid agonist drugs exert their analgesia effects primarily by acting at the mu opioid receptor (MOR) sites. High-resolution differentiation of opioid ligands is crucial for the development of new lead drug candidates with better tolerance profiles. Here, we use a label-free integrative pharmacology on-target (iPOT) approach to characterize the functional selectivity of a library of known opioid ligands for the MOR. This approach is based on the ability to detect dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) arising from the activation of the MOR in living cells. DMR assays were performed in HEK-MOR cells with and without preconditioning with probe molecules using label-free resonant waveguide grating biosensors, wherein the probe molecules were used to modify the activity of specific signaling proteins downstream the MOR. DMR signals obtained were then translated into high resolution heat maps using similarity analysis based on a numerical matrix of DMR parameters. Our data indicate that the iPOT approach clearly differentiates functional selectivity for distinct MOR signaling pathways among different opioid ligands, thus opening new avenues to discover and quantify the functional selectivity of currently used and novel opioid receptor drugs.

The aim of this paper is to examine high-level evidence in early intervention in psychosis and scope the potential role of the mental health nurse-practitioner in the treatment of management of early psychosis.Psychosis imposes complex symptoms that impact on the individual and their social network, often resulting in long-term disability. As specialised early intervention in psychosis is emerging, the nurse-practitioner role in mental health is also gaining momentum. The background literature highlights several critical synergies between nurse-practitioners' scope of practice and needs of patients with early psychosis.Literature review.Electronic databases including Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Medline, TRIP and EMBASE. Searching was limited to articles published between 1988-2009. Eligible studies were limited to systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials.Two systematic reviews and five randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. No studies were located which specifically addressed the nurse-practitioner role in early psychosis.Specific interventions require further research but there is emerging evidence that specialised intervention for people in the early phase of psychotic illness is achievable and possibly essential. It is within the scope of practice of mental health nurse-practitioners to ensure patient and carer education and support, adherence to medication and other treatments, promotion of social inclusion and social connectedness.Mental health nurse-practitioners have the potential to provide specialist support to meet the needs of this complex group. Central to this is an ability to build an evidence-base around the treatment and management of people with early psychosis and deliver effective education and leadership across clinical, inter-professional and organisational domains. The paper concludes by positing a set of recommendations for nurse-practitioners in the field of early psychosis in the Australian mental health setting.

Background Hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors increase new bone formation in vitro and in rodents. Results of epidemiologic analyses evaluating the association between use of these cholesterol-lowering drugs, bone mineral density and fracture have been mixed. Methods Women (n = 24) with osteopenia, assessed by broad band ultrasound attenuation, were randomized to simvastatin 20 mg, 40 mg or identical-appearing placebo for 12 weeks. Fasting lipid profiles and biochemical markers of bone formation (bone-specific alkaline phosphatase) and resorption (N-telopeptides and C-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen) were measured at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Results Plasma low density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration fell 7%, 39% (p < 0.01 vs baseline) and 47% (p < 0.01 vs baseline) after 12 weeks of treatment with placebo, simvastatin 20 mg and 40 mg, respectively. At baseline, bone marker concentrations were similar in the three treatment groups. At 6 and 12 weeks, bone marker concentrations were not different from baseline, and no significant differences in bone marker concentrations were observed between treatment groups at either 6 or 12 weeks. Conclusion Among osteopenic women, treatment with simvastatin for 12 weeks did not affect markers of bone formation or resorption.