Previous Meetings Research Articles

Jeunes neurochirurgiens français : conditions de travail et perspectives

IntroductionDue to the increase in the number of French neurosurgeon residents the neurosurgical workforce is changing. The main objective of this survey was to assess working conditions and perspectives for young French neurosurgeons. MethodAn on-line survey was sent to young French neurosurgeons based on a mailing-list (219 mail addresses of Residents and Fellows obtained during previous meetings). The form contained questions about career, amount of work, salary, quality of life, teaching and university work. ResultsWe received 78 replies from January to March 2014. A total of 56% from fellows saying they had undergone difficulties in obtaining a fellowship, although 78% were satisfied. Fellows considered a private career more often than residents. Overall, young neurosurgeons were worried about future employment. Some 33% admitted contemplating a different career from one they originally wanted. The average weekly working time of 76.8hours was deemed to be excessive. Security rests after overnight shifts were lacking or incomplete in 91% of cases. The work atmosphere was good overall (3.7/5), and so was the quality of life (3.2/5). Theoretical teaching was unsatisfactory (2.43/5) as well as the time allowed for academic work (approximately 1.58 half-days per month). However, practical teaching was considered rewarding (3.63/5). ConclusionThis study provides some guidance for upcoming reforms, and should be considered again at a later date to evaluate progress.

International Congress of Clinical Anatomy, 24-27 June 2015, Rouen, France.

After twelve previous meetings subsequently held in Brussels, Munich, Innsbruck, Lille, Constanta, Montpellier, Graz, Palermo, Prague, Istanbul, Padova, and Lisbon, Rouen was the venue of the XIIIth Congress of European Association of Clinical Anatomy (EACA), as well as the third joint EACA—British Association of Clinical Anatomy (BACA), jointly with the Spanish Anatomical Society. The congress was organized by Professor Fabrice Duparc. The official opening ceremony was preceded by a brief overview of the previous EACA meetings, a special session devoted to lymphatics, and a brilliant lecture given by Professor Peter Abrahams (Warwick, UK), entitled ‘‘Leonardo Da Vinci: A 15th century anatomist whose conceptual ideas anticipated 21st radiology’’. Scientific sessions subsequently devoted to Abdomen– Pelvis, Locomotor System, Head and Neck, Thorax and Heart, Spine and Peripheral Nervous System, Central Nervous System, Techniques in Anatomy, Education in Anatomy were animated by exciting invited lectures, free presentations, as well as posters, carried out by a number of colleagues interested in Clinical Anatomy, coming not only from Europe and UK, but also from the whole world. The project of a PDF version of the papers that could be accessible on the EACA website is being studied. ‘‘Human shoulder architecture and subacromial impingement syndrome’’ was the topic of an interesting guest lecture given by Professor Jean-Luc Voisin (Rennes, France) and a wonderful lecture entitled ‘‘Face/off: building the anatomical evidences behind the clinical inset and further progresses in face transplantation’’, performed by Professor Benoit Lengele (Louvain, Belgium), encompassed all anatomical, surgical, technical, but also ethical, human and emotional aspects of this outstanding procedure and received a standing ovation. The last scientific session, dealing with Education in Anatomy, illustrated the large variety of conventional and less conventional tools that can be used in the field, including peer-teaching, anatomical models, comics, analogies and mnemonics, body painting, virtual dissection based on surface laser scanning, computer-assisted learning, and ultrasound-based research selective besides traditional methods. After the scientific sessions, the nice city of Rouen offered the charms of its famous gothic cathedral, its medieval center, the shadows of the Vikings, Joan of Arc, and the Impressionists, and every evening, the ‘‘Cathedral of Light’’ light and sound show gave a last shine on the three-day Capital of Clinical Anatomy.

Expanding consensus in portal hypertension: Report of the Baveno VI Consensus Workshop: Stratifying risk and individualizing care for portal hypertension

Portal hypertension is the haemodynamic abnormality associated with the most severe complications of cirrhosis, including ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and bleeding from gastroesophageal varices. Variceal bleeding is a medical emergency associated with a mortality that, in spite of recent progress, is still in the order of 10–20% at 6 weeks. The evaluation of diagnostic tools and the design and conduct of good clinical trials for the treatment of portal hypertension have always been difficult. Awareness of these difficulties has led to the organisation of a series of consensus meetings. The first one was organised by Andrew Burroughs in Groningen, the Netherlands in 1986 [1]. After Groningen, other meetings followed, in Baveno, Italy in 1990 (Baveno I) [2], and in 1995 (Baveno II) [3,4], in Milan, Italy in 1992 [5], in Reston, U.S.A. [6] in 1996, in Stresa, Italy, in 2000 (Baveno III) [7,8], again in Baveno in 2005 (Baveno IV) [9,10], in Atlanta in 2007 [11], and again in Stresa in 2010 (Baveno V) [12,13]. The aims of these meetings were to develop definitions of key events in portal hypertension and variceal bleeding, to review the existing evidence on the natural history, the diagnosis and the therapeutic modalities of portal hypertension, and to issue evidence-based recommendations for the conduct of clinical trials and the management of patients. All these meetings were successful and produced consensus statements on some important points, although several issues remained unsettled. To continue the work of the previous meetings, a Baveno VI workshop was held on April 10–11, 2015. The workshop was attended by many of the experts responsible for most of the major achievements of the last years in this field. Many of them had attended the previous meetings as well. A concept that has gained wide acceptance over the past few years is the fact that patients in different stages of cirrhosis have different risks of developing complications and of dying. Accordingly, the Baveno VI workshop was entitled ‘‘Stratifying

The 11th International Conference on Brain Energy Metabolism "how energy metabolism shapes brain function". Preface.

The 11th International Conference on Brain Energy Metabolism "how energy metabolism shapes brain function". Preface.

ACM SIGSOFT FSE 2014 Conference Summary

The 22nd ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering (FSE 2014) was held in Hong Kong from November 16 to 21, 2014. The conference brought together over 400 researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, experiences, and challenges in software engineering. This year's program continues the great tradition of previous FSE meetings by being rich and exciting, but the location of the conference was particularly noteworthy---for the first time, this major international software engineering conference was held outside North America. Hong Kong is renowned as a lively city with a beautiful harbor and landscape, and is famous for its finance, shopping, and gourmet cuisine, blending Eastern and Western cultures.

5th joint international conference on hyperfine interactions and symposium on nuclear quadrupole interactions (HFI/NQI 2014)

These are the proceedings of the 5th Joint International Conference on Hyperfine Interactions and Symposium on Nuclear Quadrupole Interactions (HFI/NQI 2014). The conference, hosted by the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University, was held in Canberra, from 21-26 September 2014 at the spiritual home of Australian science, the uniquely designed Shine Dome of the Australian Academy of Sciences in the Australian capital. The meeting followed on from the four previous successful joint meetings in Bonn, Iguassu Falls, CERN and Beijing, and carried on an even longer conference tradition; HFI/NQI 2014 could also be termed the 17th International Conference on Hyperfine Interactions and the 21st International Symposium on Nuclear Quadrupole Interactions. The conference organisation was facilitated by a local committee containing members from both universities together with the assistance of the Consec Conference Management team and with input from the associated international advisory and program committees as detailed below. The conference, formally opened by the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Council, Professor Aidan Byrne, was attended by 95 delegates and accompanying persons. As with previous meetings, the attendees travelled from all parts of the world. Not only were delegates engaged by some excellent scientific presentations, as evidenced by the contents of these proceedings, but they also experienced the pleasant surrounds of spring time in Canberra. The conference excursion to Tibinbilla nature reserve for a close up encounter with some Australian wildlife, and then to the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, were a particular highlight.

APA Plans to Move Headquarters Back to Washington, D.C.

Proximity to Capitol Hill and the historically very strong performance of real estate values in the District of Columbia were among the factors in a work group’s recommendation.

Canadian Association of Radiologists Annual Scientific Meetings: How Many Abstracts Go on to Publication?

PurposeTo determine the percentage of abstracts presented at the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) annual scientific meetings that go on to publication. MethodsRecords of previous CAR meetings from the years 2005-2011 were obtained. An Internet search was performed to determine which abstracts went on to publication. Abstracts were assessed according to exhibit category (Resident Award Papers), educational institution, publishing journal, and time to publication. ResultsOf the 402 abstracts presented, 112 (28%) were published. Overall, an average of 37% of Radiologists-In-Training Presentations, 34% of Scientific Exhibits, and 20% of Educational Exhibits went on to publication. The University of British Columbia and University of Ottawa published the largest number of abstracts (66 and 62, respectively) from the years 2005-2011. The University of Montreal had the largest percentage of abstracts published (42%). The range of publishing journals was wide, but the top publisher was the Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal (27%). Eighty-three percent of abstracts were published within 3 years of being presented. ConclusionIn total, 28% of all the abstracts presented at the CAR conferences between 2005 and 2011 were published. Further exploration into the reasons and barriers for abstracts not being published may be a next step in future research.

Enjoy Co-Learning in Acacemic Meetings and Conferences: How to Enhance Communication Among Peers in Biophysics and Neighboring Fields

Biophysics has high potential in liaising with neighboring fields of study. Providing both theoretical and technological means to help generalize complex biological systems, it bridges apparent gaps between such disciplines as informatics and modeling, engineering, physics, chemistry, specialized branches of biological sciences, and applications in agriculture, pharmacology and medicine, to name a few. Obviously, individual biophysicists can benefit from this potential by nature, but more opportunities to catalyze interactions with outside world would make them even happier.Here we try to show some practical tips to increase the chance of educational or co-learning opportunities among participants in academic meetings and conferences. These tips are gained through the management of funding programs adopting a “virtual institute” system, where multidisciplinary players are joined from remote places. Through examples of good practices, future conference organizers would be able to develop ideas that can effectively be implemented in their own planned gatherings. Moreover, we hope that students and early career biophysicists would find clues to broaden their research, which eventually lead to more impactful academic achievements and societal contributions in the future.In previous biophysics meetings in Japan and the United States, we have introduced to fellow researchers some science communication opportunities, which include informal education in science festivals or events, public dialogs in a world cafe format, and crisis communication. This time the focus will rather be more expert-oriented, but the point is that any encounters with someone outside of one's own expertise would be a golden opportunity for breakthrough. Our hope is to have individual scientists recognize the importance of multifaceted perspectives that are often provided outside their own laboratories, and inspire them to enjoy more “close encounters” within the scientific community and beyond.

Overview of the 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society – Late-Breaking Cardiovascular Medicine From Japan.

The 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society was held in Osaka on April 24-26, 2015. The main theme was "Late-breaking Cardiovascular Medicine from Japan". Recently, optimal medical treatment has been guided by evidence-based medicine. We aim to emphasize the research findings and advances in cardiology from Japan, in the hope that Japan will become one of the leaders in the field worldwide. Unlike previous meetings, this annual scientific meeting was held in late April. Approximately 18,000 people, including medical doctors, healthcare professionals, and management staff, attended. The meeting was successfully completed, and included discussions on state-of-the art medicine.

運動部活動での外部指導者活用に向けた組織的実践の長所と問題点：異なる実践モデルに対する教員の評価

School-based extracurricular sports activities are beneficial for positive youth development. However, there is a shortage of appropriate in-school coaches, and therefore recruitment of external coaches has been considered as one solution to this. A previous study has reported 4 model strategies of organizational promotion to recruit external coaches. These 4 models included “compensational support”, “staff introduction”, “delivery of collegiate students”, and “cooperation with company”. In order to promote the further development and popularization of these organizational trials, user-side evaluation is necessary. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to clarify the strengths and problems related to these 4 organizational promotion strategy models when recruiting external coaches for school-based extracurricular sports activities from the viewpoint of teachers. The participants were 12 teachers who worked in public junior high or high schools. All of them had experience of coaching school-based extracurricular sports activities. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with the individual participants, and all interview data were transcribed. Then, similar meaning units were grouped into themes with respect to the 4 models, strengths and problems. As a result, many specific themes for each model emerged. For instance, with regard to “compensational support”, monetary support was regarded as a strength, although the early application period was a problem. With regard to “staff introduction”, adequacy for beginners was a strength, but lack of mediation organization was a problem. With regard to “delivery of collegiate students”, regular coaching was seen as a strength, but worry over not choosing a delivered external coach was a problem. With regard to “cooperation with company”, high coaching skill was a strength, but an expensive coaching fee was a problem. Additionally, comprehensive opinions about all the models were reported, such as lack of information about the system and the need for educational coaching. These similarities and differences in the results indicated the importance of mediation system design considering the regionality and situation of the school-based extracurricular sports activity. Effective publicity and re-examination of financial manager is also needed. In addition, mediation organization and teachers should arrange previous meetings with external coaches to understand their human qualities and educational attitude. Furthermore, it would be valuable to develop the quality of external coaches through previous training or workshops. Finally, changes in the application period for each mediation system are suggested.

Future perspectives in melanoma research: meeting report from the "Melanoma Bridge", Napoli, December 5th-8th 2013.

The fourth “Melanoma Bridge Meeting” took place in Naples, December 5 to 8th, 2013. The four topics discussed at this meeting were: Diagnosis and New Procedures, Molecular Advances and Combination Therapies, News in Immunotherapy, and Tumor Microenvironment and Biomarkers.Until recently systemic therapy for metastatic melanoma patients was ineffective, but recent research in tumor biology and immunology has led to the development of new targeted and immunotherapeutic agents that prolong progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). New therapies, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway inhibitors, like BRAF and MEK inhibitors, as well as other signaling pathways inhibitors, are being tested in metastatic melanoma either as monotherapy or in combination, and have yielded promising results.Improved survival rates have also been observed with immune therapy for patients with metastatic melanoma. Immune-modulating antibodies came to the forefront with anti-CTLA-4, programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway blocking antibodies that result in durable responses in a subset of melanoma patients. Agents targeting other immune inhibitory (e.g., Tim-3) or immune stimulating (e.g., CD137) receptors and other approaches such as adoptive cell transfer demonstrate clinical benefit in melanoma as well.This meeting’s specific focus was on advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Both combination targeted therapy approaches and different immunotherapies were discussed. Similarly to the previous meetings, the importance of biomarkers for clinical application as markers for diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of treatment response was an integral part of the meeting. Significant consideration was given to issues surrounding the development of novel therapeutic targets as further study of patterns of resistance to both immunologic and targeted drugs are paramount to future drug development to guide existing and future therapies. The overall emphasis on biomarkers supports novel concepts toward integrating biomarkers into contemporary clinical management of patients with melanoma across the entire spectrum of disease stage. Translation of the knowledge gained from the biology of tumor microenvironment across different tumors represents a bridge to impact on prognosis and response to therapy in melanoma.

7th GCC Insights: incurred samples use; fit-for-purpose validation, solution stability, electronic laboratory notebook and hyperlipidemic matrix testing.

The Global CRO Council for Bioanalysis (GCC), a global independent consortium bringing together many senior level CRO representatives, was created in 2010 in order to openly discuss and share opinions on scientific and regulatory issues specific to the bioanalytical field [1]. Since its formation, the GCC members have met on a regular basis to discuss various topics and challenges faced by bioanalytical CRO companies. Several conference reports of past GCC meetings were published to share the discussions held during these events [2–4]. In addition, the GCC also published several influential White Papers on topics of widespread interest in bioanalysis [5–9]. These White Papers provide unified GCC recommendations that are helpful to the global bioanalytical community. The 7th GCC Closed Forum for Bioanalysis took place in Long Beach, CA, USA on 8 April 2013, one day before the start of the 7th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (WRIB). In attendance were 46 senior-level participants from six countries, representing 37 bioanalytical CRO companies/sites. This event represented a good opportunity for bioanalytical experts from CROs to share and discuss these issues of concern for the outsourcing industry. The 7th GCC Closed Forum was chaired by Mario Rocci, who started the meeting by communicating the official admonition statement, as has been done in all previous editions [1]. Prior to initiating discussions, participants introduced themselves. As in previous GCC meetings, multiple topics of 7th GCC Insights: incurred samples use; fitfor-purpose validation, solution stability, electronic laboratory notebook and hyperlipidemic matrix testing

Abstract 160: CD8+T cell-specific induction of NKG2D receptor by doxorubicin plus interleukin-12 requires the engagement of CD80 and CD28

Abstract Background: Increased infiltration of CD8+T cells into tumors inhibits tumor progression, in which natural killer group 2, member D receptor (NKG2D) plays a key role. At previous meetings, we have presented data showing that NKG2D can be induced on CD8+T through treatment with interleukin (IL)-12 plus doxorubicin (Dox), and that infiltration of this subpopulation of effector cells into tumors is associated with increased antitumor efficacy of treatment with IL-12 plus Dox. The mechanisms of both NKG2D induction and the tumor-specific infiltration were unknown. This year, we reveal the mechanism of NKG2D positive CD8+T infiltration into the tumor microenvironment. Methods: We administered Dox, IL-12 plasmid DNA, or both via intraperitoneal injection or intramuscular electroporation into tumor-bearing wild-type C57bl/6 mice or CD28 knockout mice. Control siRNA or CD80 siRNA were administered via intratumoral injection followed by electroporation. Induction of NKG2D in CD8+T cells was analyzed using flow cytometry. Cell death in tumors after each treatment was examined using the TUNEL assay. Antitumor cytolytic activity of CD8+T cells was examined using the CTL assay. NKG2D-positive CD8+T cell-specific localization in tumors was examined using immunofluorescence staining. Results: Treatment with Dox plus IL-12 specifically increased expression of NKG2D in CD8+T cells. This induced NKG2D expression in CD8+T cells was associated with increased accumulation of NKG2D-positive CD8+T cells in murine tumors, as well as with increased antitumor cytotoxicity in vitro and tumor cell death in vivo. Administration of NKG2D-blocking antibody completely abrogated the antitumor immune response. Knocking down CD80 in tumor cells or using CD28 knockout mice not only abolished the induction of NKG2D in CD8+T cells, but also abrogated the accumulation of NKG2D-positive CD8+T cells in tumors. Accumulation of NKG2D-positive CD8+T cells in tumors was dependent on the engagement of CD28 in CD8+T cells and CD80 in tumor cells. Conclusion: We conclude that treatment with IL-12 plus Dox induces NKG2D in CD8+T cells in vivo and boosts NKG2D+CD8+T-dependent antitumor immune surveillance. Induction of NKG2D and accumulation of NKG2D-positive CD8+T cells in tumors is dependent on the engagement of CD28 in CD8+T cells and CD80 in tumor cells. This discovery reveals a novel mechanism showing how chemo-immune therapy synergistically promotes T-cell-mediated antitumor immune surveillance. Citation Format: Jiemiao Hu, Xueqing Xia, Liangfang Zhang, Eugenie S. Kleinerman, Shulin Li. CD8+T cell-specific induction of NKG2D receptor by doxorubicin plus interleukin-12 requires the engagement of CD80 and CD28. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 160. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-160

G.P.10: The DUX4 promoter mouse: The next generation

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant disorder with a 1 in 7500 incidence. Symptoms typically arise in young adulthood and most patients show clinical features before age 30. FSHD is characterized by progressive wasting and weakness of facial and shoulder-girdle muscles, although no consistent pattern of penetrance or severity exists. A hallmark characteristic of FSHD is asymmetrical muscle weakness. There are also non-muscular features including retinal vasculopathy and high frequency hearing loss. The current model of pathogenesis in FSHD involves mis-expression of the myotoxic DUX4 gene, but developing animal models has proven difficult. At previous meetings, we first described our transgenic reporter mice containing a putative DUX4 promoter cloned upstream of GFP. We generated three separate lines of DUX4 promoter-GFP mice to identify DUX4 expression patterns and the involvement of selected muscles in FSHD. In short, we found the DUX4 promoter directed GFP expression in the face and limbs of newborn and adult mice, as well as multiple cell types in the retina. Essentially all other organs were GFP negative with a few exceptions including the pancreas and brain. Closer analysis of GFP positive tissues has revealed extensive expression in both myogenic and neuronal cell types. Strikingly, all lines also showed variable penetrance and asymmetrical expression in all GFP-positive tissues, even within individual litters. We have recently created another transgenic line expressing a GFP-CRE fusion protein from the same DUX4 promoter. Importantly we see similar expression patterns to the original mice and are now using them to create an inducible DUX4 transgenic mouse. We have also created analogous AAV vectors to induce localized DUX4 expression at physiologically relevant levels. These models will aid in deciphering molecular mechanisms and developing therapeutic interventions for FSHD.

Editorial—the 5th International workshop on modeling the ocean (IWMO 2013)

The 5th International Workshop on Modeling the Ocean (IWMO http://www.uib.no/en/IWMO2013/-58927/iwmo-2013-bergen-norway) was held in June 17–20, in Bergen, Norway. The historic city of Bergen is the gateway to the fjords and a center for oceanic research. The workshop was hosted by the University of Bergen and also sponsored by the Research Council of Norway. Approximately 80 researchers worldwide participated in the workshop. Professor Mellor, Princeton University, gave the keynote lecture. The 5th IWMO meeting in Bergen was the first IWMO held in Europe, followed on the footsteps of previous meetings, IWMO-2009 in Taipei, Taiwan (Oey et al. 2010a, b), IWMO-2010 in Norfolk, USA (Ezer et al. 2011), IWMO-2011 in Qingdao, China (Oey et al. 2013a), and IWMO-2012 in Yokohama, Japan (Oey et al. 2013b). The participants presented approximately 60 oral talks and 20 posters, covering a wide range of ocean modeling and data analysis topics, as described below. In the spirit of promoting young s ...

Music and Emotion: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives

One of the key reasons people engage with music, whether as listener or performer, therapist or researcher, is because of its emotional impact. Music comforts us when we’re sad, lifts us up in happier times, bonds us together. We use music to modify our mood, augment current feelings, release tension. Given the ever-growing presence of music in our everyday lives, the investigation of issues related to and subsequent dissemination of knowledge concerning music and emotion is becoming increasingly relevant. This special issue is based on work presented at the 3rd International Conference on Music & Emotion (ICME3) organised by the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research at the Department of Music of the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, 11-15 June 2013. This five-day meeting, which followed previous ICME meetings in Durham, UK (2009) and Perth, Australia (2011), featured over 200 invited keynote addresses, papers, posters, and symposia presented by leading scientists, pedagogues, practitioners, and performers from 35 countries. Work presented at the conference explored many different facets of music and emotion, and when soliciting contributions for this special issue a major aim was to offer breadth of content while remaining inside the confines of the limited number of papers that could realistically be included in such a volume. Consequently, the papers presented herein cover a wide range of topics related to music and emotion, include both empirical and theoretical contributions, and are written by authors ranging from early stage scholars to established figures within the music and emotion community. The volume begins with a consideration of a fundamental yet understudied factor that might affect perception of emotion in music – time of day (Brabant et al.). This is followed by an examination of emotional outcomes derived from regulation strategies used during music listening (Randall et al.), and an exploration of spatial and bodily metaphors in descriptions of listening to sad music (Peltola et al.). A slightly different approach is taken by the guest editor and colleagues in an investigation of emotion-driven effects of music preferences and personality on musicrelated movement characteristics (Luck et al.). Emotional connotations of major-minor tonality are subsequently explored in the context of Schenkerin prolongation (Parncutt), and the volume is (rather fittingly) wrapped up with a paper that questions the suitability of the term ‘emotion’ to describe the wide range of music-related phenomena to which it is applied (Clarke). It gives me great pleasure to submit this special issue to the music and emotion community. For those whose appetite is sufficiently whetted, the 4th International Conference on Music & Emotion (ICME4), will be organised by the University of Geneva and the Geneva University of Music in 2015. 543751 MSX0010.1177/1029864914543751Musicae ScientiaeEditorial editorial2014

63rd Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology: 29-31 March 2014; Washington, DC, USA.

The Annual Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) is one of the largest cardiology congresses and the 63rd Annual Scientific Sessions were held in Washington, DC, USA from 29 to 31 March 2014. There were approximately 19,000 registered attendees at this meeting. Founded in 1949, the ACC is a non-profit medical society that strives to improve healthcare delivery to patients with cardiovascular disease. The society comprises 50 chapters, one for each US state, and its 43,000 members are primarily cardiovascular healthcare professionals comprising generalist and specialist physicians, nurses, pharmacists and healthcare practice managers. The 63rd Annual Scientific Sessions showcased the results of 22 important clinical trials in five Late Breaking Clinical Trial sessions. Unlike previous meetings, where late-breaking trial presentations were followed by the presentation of a short commentary by a prominent expert, trial presentations at this meeting were followed by a short interactive session between the presenter and a panel of 6–8 experts on the dais (including the session Chair and Co-Chair). This report presents a brief summary of four late breaking clinical trials that are, in the opinion of this author, most likely to impact clinical practice.

Editorial: third international tenebrionoidea symposium.

Editorial: third international tenebrionoidea symposium.

British Orthopaedic Association Annual Congress – October 2013

Last year’s annual congress of the British Orthopaedic Association took place at the ICC in Birmingham and, judging by the number of delegates who attended, there was a tangible difference to previous annual meetings. There were just under 2000 delegates present and the sheer number provided a new and much needed impetus to the congress which was a tremendous success. A clear victory for the BOA’s policy of including the congress registration in the membership fees. The theme of last year’s congress was ‘Putting Evidence Into Action’, a response to a period of tremendous and unprecedented change within the NHS, and the need for the orthopaedic profession to use evidence to support and underpin best practice. The four-day event included an increase in revalidation/instructional symposia and the addition of new sessions including GPs and Commissioning of health care, Good Clinical Practice training and the spectacularly popular Trauma Boot Camp sessions with overflowing auditoriums for many of the sessions. An Update on Infection in Orthopaedics instructional session provided a topical and comprehensive overview on an extensive and hugely important issue from a multi-disciplinary panel of experts. Opinions were put forward from orthopaedic and plastic surgeons and microbiologists. Some points of interest raised in preventing infection were the avoidance of use of forced air warming which increases air contamination in laminar flow theatres. Questions were asked as to …