Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency globally. Premenopausal women are at particular risk due to increased requirements for iron associated with menstrual blood loss and pregnancy. To prevent iron deficiency, recommended intakes have been developed based on physiological requirements for absorbed iron and iron bioavailability. However, iron bioavailability is difficult to estimate as it depends on the composition of the diet and an individual’s absorptive efficiency. Several algorithms have been proposed to estimate iron bioavailability from diets based on the form of the iron and the presence of absorption modifiers. These algorithms can be complex and often underestimate bioavailability. Recently, a new approach was developed by Dainty et al.(1,2), which is based on calculated iron requirements, total dietary iron intakes, and the distribution of serum ferritin concentration values in the population. This model has been used by the European Food Safety Authority to set recommended iron intakes for adults(3). In contrast, the recommended iron intakes for Australian adults are based on iron bioavailability estimates from the US Institute of Medicine, which were primarily derived from 15 free living US adults(4). Therefore, the aim of this study was to predict dietary iron absorption in a representative sample of premenopausal Australian women using the model developed by Dainty et al.(1,2) Dietary iron intake and serum ferritin data from the 2011–13 Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey and National Health Measures Survey were analysed in 503 premenopausal women aged 18–49 years. Women were excluded if they were pregnant or lactating, had elevated C-reactive protein, consumed iron-containing supplements, or misreported energy intake. Dietary iron intake was assessed via two non-consecutive 24-hour recalls. Usual daily iron intake was determined by the Multiple Source Method. Dietary iron absorption was estimated using the predictive model developed by Dainty et al.(1,2) and the Institute of Medicine’s distribution of individual dietary iron requirements(4). Mean (SD) usual dietary iron intake was 10.4 (2.6) mg/d. The prevalence of serum ferritin < 15 μg/L was 14.1% (95% CI: 10.2%, 19.3%), and < 30 μg/L was 37.0% (95% CI: 31.8%, 42.5%). Predicted dietary iron absorption at serum ferritin concentrations of < 15 μg/L was 29.5%, and at serum ferritin concentrations of < 30 μg/L it was 19%. Our findings do not support the bioavailability assumption of 18% used to develop the Australian recommended iron intakes for premenopausal women based on the need to maintain serum ferritin concentrations of 15 μg/L. Our results may be useful in revising the recommended iron intakes for Australian premenopausal women.

Background: Several case series describe patients with refractory acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR) myasthenia gravis (MG) treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). In this report, we describe four patients with anti-muscle-specific kinase (MuSK)MG treated with HSCT. Methods: We reviewed the records of all patients undergoing HSCT for MG in the Alberta Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Program and identified 4 patients with anti-MuSK MG. Results: All 4 patients had severe disease (Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America score IVb-V) and were refractory to multiple treatments, including rituximab. 3 patients improved with no clinical manifestations or mild symptoms and remained as such for 2, 3.5, and 5.5 years. In these 3 patients, adverse events ranged from treatable infections and transient dyspnea to persistent fatigue and premature menopause. The average worst Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scores improved from 14.7 before to 0.3 after HSCT while their mean worst Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life Questionnaire (MG-QoL15) scores improved from 26.7 to 0. The fourth patient developed pneumonia and passed away from respiratory failure 8 weeks post-transplant. Conclusions: In patients with severe refractory anti-MuSK MG, it may be reasonable to consider HSCT but with an appreciation of the associated risks.

Background: There is an unmet need for blood-based biomarkers that can reliably detect MS disease activity. Serum Biomarkers of interest includ Neurofilament-light-chain (NfL), Glial-fibrillary-strocyte-protein(GFAP) and Tau. Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) is reserved for aggressive forms of MS and has been shown to halt detectable CNS inflammatory activity for prolonged periods. Significant pre-treatment tissue damage at followed by inflammatory disease abeyance should be reflected longitudinal sera collected from these patients. Methods: Sera were collected from 23 MS patients pre-treatment, and following BMT at 3, 6, 9 and 12-months in addition from 33 non-inflammatory neurological controls. Biomarker quantification was performed with SiMoA. Results: Pre-AHSCT levels of serum NfL and GFAP but not Tau were elevated compared to controls (p=0.0001), and NfL correlated with lesion-based disease activity (6-month-relapse, MRI-T2 and Gadolinium-enhancement). 3-months post-treatment, while NfL levels remained elevated, Tau/GFAP paradoxically increased (p=0.0023/0.0017). These increases at 3m correlated with MRI ‘pseudoatrophy’ at 6-months. NfL/Tau levels dropped to that of controls by 6-months (p=0.0036/0.0159). GFAP levels dropped progressively after 6-months although even at 12-months remained higher than controls (p=0.004). Conclusions: NfL was the closest correlate of MS disease activity and treatment response. Chemotherapy-related toxicity may account for transient increases in NfL, Tau and MRI brain atrophy post-BMT.

As part of ongoing molecular phylogenetic work on the large Gesneriaceae genus Cyrtandra, new insights into the taxonomy and relationships of the Cyrtandra of Japan, Taiwan and Batan Island in the northern Philippines have emerged. Cyrtandra umbellifera is confirmed as a species with a distribution that includes both Taiwan and Batan Island. Cyrtandra yaeyamae is found to be distinct from the widespread C. cumingii, with a distribution that includes both the Ryukyu Islands in Japan and Batan Island.

Towards a comprehensive revision of Gesneriaceae in Sri Lanka, 12 names are here typified, of which 11 are lectotypifications, including one second-step lectotypification, and the other is a neotypification.

The new species Aeschynanthus scottii D.J.Middleton & H.J.Atkins from Vietnam is described.

Ion-exchanged montmorillonites behave as solid acid catalysts and are effective and selective catalysts for the hydration of ethylene. The reaction proceeds predominantly in the interlamellar environment of the clay catalyst. Ethylene conversions were found to be markedly dependent on the choice of exchangeable cation, with Al being the best of those examined.

Iraqite, a new mineral of the ekanite group from northern Iraq, has the composition (Ln1·33 Th0·66x 0·15) (K1·07y 0·93) (Ca3·49 Ln0·35 Na0·16) (Si15·69 Al0·27) (O39·93 F0·07) where x = U, Pb, Zr, Fe, Mg, and Cu, and y is presumed to be vacant sites. It occurs in granite in contact with dolomitic marble. The colour is pale greenish yellow; H 4½ D calc 3·28 and D meas 3·27 (Berman balance), both corrected for minor impurity and non-structural water. Optically it is uniaxially negative with ω 1·590 and ε 1·585 though some sections show anomalous extinction up to 7°. Space group is P4/mcc with a 7·61±0·01 and c 14·72±0·02 Å. Strongest lines of the indexed powder pattern are 5·28(100), 3·31(100), 2·64(100), 7·36(80), 3·38(80), 3·40(60), 2·7(40), 7·62(30). Thermal data are given.

Two new species of Oreocharis, O. tribracteata and O. rufescens, are described and a key to the species in Vietnam is provided. The new species have distinct features not previously, or rarely, observed in the genus, both showing the partial fusion of the calyx lobes into a tube, and the presence of three bracts in Oreocharis tribracteata.

Eleven new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from Sulawesi are described and illustrated: C. albiflora Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. boliohutensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. gambutensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hekensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hendrianii Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hispidula Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. kinhoii Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. multinervis Karton. & R.Bone, C. nitida Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. rantemarioensis Karton. & R.Bone and C. rubribracteata Karton. & H.J.Atkins. Illustrations, maps and preliminary conservation assessments are provided for all the species.

Dietary patterns are a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, few studies have examined this relationship in older adults. We examined prospective associations between dietary patterns and the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in 3226 older British men, aged 60–79 years and free from CVD at baseline, from the British Regional Heart Study. Baseline FFQ data were used to generate thirty-four food groups. Principal component analysis identified dietary patterns that were categorised into quartiles, with higher quartiles representing higher adherence to the dietary pattern. Cox proportional hazards examined associations between dietary patterns and risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. We identified three interpretable dietary patterns: ‘high fat/low fibre’ (high in red meat, meat products, white bread, fried potato, eggs), ‘prudent’ (high in poultry, fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, pasta, rice, wholemeal bread, eggs, olive oil) and ‘high sugar’ (high in biscuits, puddings, chocolates, sweets, sweet spreads, breakfast cereals). During 11 years of follow-up, 899 deaths, 316 CVD-related deaths, 569 CVD events and 301 CHD events occurred. The ‘high-fat/low-fibre’ dietary pattern was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality only, after adjustment for confounders (highest v. lowest quartile; hazard ratio 1·44; 95 % CI 1·13, 1·84). Adherence to a ‘high-sugar’ diet was associated with a borderline significant trend for an increased risk of CVD and CHD events. The ‘prudent’ diet did not show a significant trend with cardiovascular outcomes or mortality. Avoiding ‘high-fat/low-fibre’ and ‘high-sugar’ dietary components may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in older adults.

The Fifth British Commonwealth and Empire Lecture was given before the Royal Aeronautical Society by Mr. E. H. Atkin, B.Sc, F.R.Ae.S., on the 15th September 1949 in the Lecture Hall of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Great George Street, S.W.I. Sir John Buchanan, C.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., President of the Society, presided.

In a previous paper (Aircraft Engineering, November and December, 1938) the writer gave an account of proposed methods of calculating the stresses in tapered girders of a special type. The beam was assumed to have a web of constant thickness which could be dealt with as a two-dimensional stress system, while the booms were assumed to be concentrated lines of material having no flexural rigidity.

It was this latter assumption which appeared to represent one of the main limitations of the theory, so an attempt has been made to remove this limitation; a solution has been found, for the case of tapering booms at any rate, which puts the theory at least on the same level of rigour as the well known theory for parallel beams.

Socio-economic gradients in diet quality are well established. However, the influence of material socio-economic conditions particularly in childhood, and the use of multiple disaggregated socio-economic measures on diet quality have been little studied in the elderly. In the present study, we examined childhood and adult socio-economic measures, and social relationships, as determinants of diet quality cross-sectionally in 4252 older British men (aged 60–79 years). A FFQ provided data on daily fruit and vegetable consumption and the Elderly Dietary Index (EDI), with higher scores indicating better diet quality. Adult and childhood socio-economic measures included occupation/father's occupation, education and household amenities, which combined to create composite scores. Social relationships included social contact, living arrangements and marital status. Both childhood and adult socio-economic factors were independently associated with diet quality. Compared with non-manual social class, men of childhood manual social class were less likely to consume fruit and vegetables daily (OR 0·80, 95 % CI 0·66, 0·97), as were men of adult manual social class (OR 0·65, 95 % CI 0·54, 0·79), and less likely to be in the top EDI quartile (OR 0·73, 95 % CI 0·61, 0·88), similar to men of adult manual social class (OR 0·66, 95 % CI 0·55, 0·79). Diet quality decreased with increasing adverse adult socio-economic scores; however, the association with adverse childhood socio-economic scores diminished with adult social class adjustment. A combined adverse childhood and adulthood socio-economic score was associated with poor diet quality. Diet quality was most favourable in married men and those not living alone, but was not associated with social contact. Diet quality in older men is influenced by childhood and adulthood socio-economic factors, marital status and living arrangements.

Four new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from the Latimojong Mountains, South Sulawesi (Sulawesi Selatan) are described and illustrated: C. floccosa R.Bone & H.J.Atkins, C. kjellbergii R.Bone & H.J.Atkins, C. purpureofucata R.Bone & H.J.Atkins, and C. spectabilis R.Bone & H.J.Atkins. Conservation recommendations are made for the four species.

Scolytus tsugae (Swaine) is a bark beetle that occurs throughout the Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain Region and is common in the interior of British Columbia. Although Bedard (1938) reported that it had killed small areas of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) reproduction, it is of minor economic importance and usually confines its attack to tops, limbs, and logging slash. A knowledge of the life-history and habits of this insect is desirable for an understanding of the effects of interspecific competition on the development of the Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopk., with which it is often associated in Douglas fir.