The purpose of this article is to show that animal rights are not necessarily at odds with the use of animals for research. If animals hold basic moral rights similar to those of humans, then we should consequently extend the ethical requirements guiding research with humans to research with animals. The article spells out how this can be done in practice by applying the seven requirements for ethical research with humans proposed by Ezekiel Emanuel, David Wendler, and Christine Grady to animal research. These requirements are (1) social value, (2) scientific validity, (3) independent review, (4) fair subject selection, (5) favorable risk–benefit ratio, (6) informed consent, and (7) respect for research subjects. In practice, this means that we must reform the practice of animal research to make it more similar to research with humans, rather than completely abolish the former. Indeed, if we ban animal research altogether, then we would also deprive animals of its potential benefits—which would be ethically problematic.

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: This project has 2 overarching objectives: (1) to investigate the acceptability of the Michigan Surgical and Health Optimization Program (MSHOP) among referred patients, and to describe individual motivations behind enrollment Versus nonenrollment; and (2) to identify patient and program related factors associated with adherence and LOS and readmission rates. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Hypothesis—(1) MSHOP participants will report overall satisfaction with the program. Individuals that are satisfied with the program will be likely to perceive the program as effective. Subjects that declined MSHOP will be more likely to perceive their outcomes as immutable. (2) MSHOP patients will have shorter hospital stays and fewer readmission compared with patients who declined MSHOP. Methods—this study will use both qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate patient experiences and program efficacy. First, a convenience sample of patients who were referred to the MSHOP within the previous 12 months will participate in structured interviews to assess program acceptability, patient satisfaction with individual components of MSHOP, and perception of program efficacy. Interviews will also include patients who declined to enroll in MSHOP. Interviews for these subjects will include questions that assess why patients chose to decline enrollment. Second, there will be a retrospective cohort study comparing hospital outcomes among patients who enrolled in MSHOP Versus those who chose not to enroll. Analysis—interviews will be recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis to identify patterns associated with satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the MSHOP. Multivariate regression will be used to determine effect of MSHOP participation on postsurgical length-of-stay and 30-day readmission rate. Demographics and procedure type will be included as covariates. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In total, 28 interviews have been transcribed, and are in the initial stages of thematic analysis. Interviews have thus far suggested that patients have been satisfied with MSHOP and would recommend the intervention to other patients. Retrospective data regarding hospital length of stay for MSHOP patients from September 2014 to December 2016 has been acquired and is being processed. The characteristics of patients that tend to participate more actively in MSHOP will be explored. We anticipate that active participation in the MSHOP will be associated with shorter hospital stays and fewer readmissions. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: This study will be one of the first to characterize patient perception of MSHOP, in particular its use of tracking step counts and breathing exercises to promote a form of prehabilitation that is easier to integrate into daily life. This project will investigate MSHOP’s effect on patient outcomes, as well as explore factors that may associate with better patient adherence and outcomes. This would help further optimize the MSHOP as an intervention.

Accurate assessment of neonatal body composition is essential to studies investigating neonatal nutrition or developmental origins of obesity. Bioelectrical impedance analysis or bioimpedance analysis is inexpensive, non-invasive and portable, and is widely used in adults for the assessment of body composition. There are currently no prediction algorithms using bioimpedance analysis in neonates that have been directly validated against measurements of fat-free mass (FFM). The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of bioimpedance analysis for the estimation of FFM and percentage of body fat over the first 4 months of life in healthy infants born at term, and to compare these with estimations based on anthropometric measurements (weight and length) and with skinfolds. The present study was an observational study in seventy-seven infants. Body fat content of infants was assessed at birth, 6 weeks, 3 and 4·5 months of age by air displacement plethysmography, using the PEA POD body composition system. Bioimpedance analysis was performed at the same time and the data were used to develop and test prediction equations for FFM. The combination of weight+sex+length predicted FFM, with a bias of < 100 g and limits of agreement of 6–13 %. Before 3 months of age, bioimpedance analysis did not improve the prediction of FFM or body fat. At 3 and 4·5 months, the inclusion of impedance in prediction algorithms resulted in small improvements in prediction of FFM, reducing the bias to < 50 g and limits of agreement to < 9 %. Skinfold measurements performed poorly at all ages.

The science of extra-solar planets is one of the most rapidly changing areas of astrophysics and since 1995 the number of planets known has increased by almost two orders of magnitude. A combination of ground-based surveys and dedicated space missions has resulted in 560-plus planets being detected, and over 1200 that await confirmation. NASA's Kepler mission has opened up the possibility of discovering Earth-like planets in the habitable zone around some of the 100,000 stars it is surveying during its 3 to 4-year lifetime. The new ESA's Gaia mission is expected to discover thousands of new planets around stars within 200 parsecs of the Sun. The key challenge now is moving on from discovery, important though that remains, to characterisation: what are these planets actually like, and why are they as they are?

In the past ten years, we have learned how to obtain the first spectra of exoplanets using transit transmission and emission spectroscopy. With the high stability of Spitzer, Hubble, and large ground-based telescopes the spectra of bright close-in massive planets can be obtained and species like water vapour, methane, carbon monoxide and dioxide have been detected. With transit science came the first tangible remote sensing of these planetary bodies and so one can start to extrapolate from what has been learnt from Solar System probes to what one might plan to learn about their faraway siblings. As we learn more about the atmospheres, surfaces and near-surfaces of these remote bodies, we will begin to build up a clearer picture of their construction, history and suitability for life.

The Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory, EChO, will be the first dedicated mission to investigate the physics and chemistry of Exoplanetary Atmospheres. By characterising spectroscopically more bodies in different environments we will take detailed planetology out of the Solar System and into the Galaxy as a whole.

EChO has now been selected by the European Space Agency to be assessed as one of four M3 mission candidates.