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Introduction The open-label Rapid Onset and Sustained Efficacy (ROSE) study was designed to compare a once-yearly intravenous (iv) dose of zoledronic acid with a once-weekly oral dose of alendronate with respect to markers of bone turnover in approximately 600 postmenopausal women in Germany. Methods Levels of N-telopeptide of collagen type I (NTx) and procollagen 1 C terminal extension peptide (P1NP) were assessed during the study. The primary objective was to assess if zoledronic acid was superior to alendronate in reducing serum NTx levels after 12 months’ treatment. Results A significantly greater reduction in NTx levels from baseline to month 12 (as determined by the area under the curve) was observed in patients treated with zoledronic acid ( n  = 408) versus those receiving alendronate ( n  = 196; 0.282 ng/mL vs. 0.270 ng/mL; P  = 0.012). The reduction in levels of P1NP after 1 year was also significantly greater in patients treated with zoledronic acid compared with those receiving alendronate (28.21 vs. 25.53 ng/mL; P  = 0.0024). The overall incidence of adverse events was similar between groups; both treatments were generally well tolerated. Although post-dose symptoms, including the incidence of influenza-like symptoms, were higher with zoledronic acid than alendronate initially, the incidence was similar between groups from days 4–360. Gastrointestinal symptoms were more frequent with alendronate than zoledronic acid throughout the study. Conclusion In this study, once-yearly iv zoledronic acid provided a greater and faster reduction in the levels of NTx and P1NP versus once-weekly oral alendronate.

Summary The ROSE study compared annual infusion with zoledronic acid and weekly generic alendronate. No significant differences in quality of life or health status between treatment groups were observed. Adherence to alendronate during the study was high, with 80.9% of patients achieving adequate adherence. Introduction A secondary analysis to evaluate quality of life, health status, adherence to alendronate and therapy preference in postmenopausal women with low bone mass who received treatment with zoledronic acid or alendronate was conducted. Methods Postmenopausal women with low bone mass were randomised 2:1 to receive an annual infusion of zoledronic acid or weekly oral generic alendronate in this open-label, multicentre study. Changes in quality of life and health status were assessed using questionnaires at baseline and month 12. Adherence to alendronate was assessed by the investigator and/or study personnel, and subjective therapy preference was assessed using a questionnaire at month 12. Results Patients were randomised to zoledronic acid ( n  = 408) and alendronate ( n  = 191). Overall, there were no significant differences in quality of life between zoledronic acid and alendronate. However, improvements in quality of life with zoledronic acid versus alendronate could be detected by posthoc analysis in patients with previous fractures. There were no significant differences in health status between patients receiving zoledronic acid or alendronate. Adherence to alendronate during the study was high, with 80.9% of patients achieving adequate adherence. A total of 81% of patients who had received zoledronic acid indicated that they would prefer to continue with that treatment, and 43% of the patients who received oral alendronate would like to switch to zoledronic acid. Conclusions There were no significant differences in quality of life between patients receiving zoledronic acid or alendronate.

Background: Synaptic plasticity is believed to be the major cellular basis for learning and memory. Protein phosphorylation is a key process involved in changes in the efficacy of neurotransmission. In long-term changes synaptic plasticity is followed by structural plasticity and protein de novo synthesis. Such mechanisms are believed to build the basis of hippocampal learning and memory investigated in the Morris water maze (MWM) task. To examine the role of dephosphorylation during that model for spatial learning, we analyzed protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) expression in the hippocampus of mice at various stages of the task and in two groups with different learning abilities. Methods: Mice were trained for 4 days with four trials each day in the MWM. For gene expression hippocampi were prepared 1, 6 and 24 h after the last trial of each day. PP1 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: The task requirements themselves affected expression levels of both PP1 and BDNF. In contrast to BDNF, PP1 was differentially expressed during learning. Poorly and well performing mice differed significantly. When performance was poor the expression level of PP1 was higher. Conclusion: Present results add further in vivo evidence that not only phosphorylation but also dephosphorylation is a major mechanism involved in learning and memory. Therefore, inhibition of hippocampal phosphatase activity might improve learning and memory.

Background Syphilis rates among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the US are rising. In 2009, 62% of reported primary and secondary syphilis cases in the U.S. were among MSM. Self- and partner-examination for primary syphilis (painless chancre) might increase early detection and treatment and reduce transmission. As the first step in a study to increase syphilis lesion awareness, we collected baseline data on rates of self- and partner-examination. Methods Data were collected from five MSM STD or infectious disease clinics in the US before and after introduction of brochures with pictures and information about syphilis signs, transmission, and prevention. Surveys included questions about demographics, sexual behaviours, syphilis knowledge and self- and partner-examination. Data were analysed using SAS V.9.2. Results From September 2009 to January 2011, 586 sexually active men completed a survey; 124 (21%) from Arizona, 128 (22%) from the District of Columbia, 202 (34%) from Florida and 132 (22%) from Georgia; 542 (92.5%) reported having sex with men only and 44 (7.5%) reported having sex with men and women. Most participants (334, 57%) were aged 18–39 years, 240 (41%) were 40–59 years and 12 (2%) were older than 60 years; 222 (38%) reported one partner, 180 (31%) 2–3 partners, 133 (23%) 4–10 partners, and 51 (9%) >10 partners in the last 3 months or since their last clinic visit. Most participants correctly identified oral (510, 87%), anal (529, 90%) and oral-anal sex (487, 83%) as ways to transmit syphilis. Few recognised frottage that is, rubbing against someone (112, 19%) and kissing (196, 34%) as other modes of transmission. Over 50% reported self-examination of mouth, penis and skin at least once a week, whereas less than half reported partner-examination of these areas (Abstract O2-S5.05 table 1). Less than 50% reported self- or partner-examination of anus at least once a week. Rates of self-examination did not vary by number of partners or age; whereas, examining partner's mouth, penis and skin was less frequent (p<0.05) among MSM with >3 partners. Abstract O2-S5.05 Table 1 Proportion of MSM reporting self- and partner-examination of mouth, anus, penis and skin, n=586) Body parts Frequency of examination Never (%) Once a month (%) At least once a week (%) Self Mouth 17.1 14.5 68.4 Anus 26.4 24.9 48.7 Penis 6.2 7.6 86.3 Skin 8.3 9.7 81.9 Partner Mouth 76.6 7.7 15.6 Anus 62.1 11.5 26.5 Penis 47.1 11.6 41.4 Skin 47.2 9.8 43.0 Conclusions The majority of MSM reported examining themselves at least once a week, but did not examine their partners as frequently. MSM with >3 partners were less likely to examine their partners' bodies than those with fewer partners. Analysis of surveys from men after brochure introduction will determine whether education materials increase rates of self- and partner-examination.

Standard measurements of solute sorption to sediments are typically made on the <2 mm sediment fraction. This fraction is used by researchers to standardize the method and to ease experimental protocol so that large labware is not required to accommodate the gravel fraction (>2 mm particles). Since sorption is a phenomenon directly related to surface area, sorption measurements based on the <2 mm fraction would be expected to overestimate actual whole‐sediment values for sediments containing gravel. This inaccuracy is a problem for ground water contaminant transport modelers who use laboratory‐derived sorption values, typically expressed as a distribution coefficients (Kd), to calculate the retardation factor (Rf), a parameter that accounts for solute‐sediment chemical interactions. The objectives of this laboratory study were to quantify the effect of gravel on strontium Kd and Rf values and to develop an empirical method to calculate gravel‐corrected Kdgc values for the study site (Hanford Site in Richland, Washington). Three gravel corrections, Kd values, were evaluated: a correction based on the assumption that the gravel simply diluted the Kd<2mm and had no sorption capacity (Kdgc,g=0), a correction based on the assumption that the Kd of the intact sediment (Kdtot was a composite of the Kd<2mm and the Kd>2mm (Kdgc,g = x), and a correction based on surface area (Kdgc,surf). On average, Kd<2mm tended to overestimate Kdtot by 28% to 47%; Kdgc,g = x overestimated Kdtot by only 3% to 5%; and Kdgc,g = 0 and Kdgc,surf underestimated Kdtot by 10% to 39%. Kdgc,g = x provided the best estimate of actual values (Kdtot); however, Kdgc,g = 0 was appreciably easier to acquire. Although other contaminants will likely have different gravel‐correction values, these results have important implications regarding the traditional approach to modeling contaminant transport which uses Kd<2mm values. Such calculations may overestimate the tendency of gravel‐containing sediments to retard contaminant migration.