Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Canada. The Anthonisen criteria utilizes the cardinal symptoms of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD), increased shortness of breath, increased sputum production, and increased sputum purulence, to determine which patients should receive antibiotics. In July 2015, a COPD Order Set Pilot was implemented in Saskatoon emergency departments (ED). The order set utilizes the Anthonisen criteria to optimize AECOPD patient management and ensure appropriate antibiotic usage. By January 2019, we aim to optimize AECOPD patient management in Saskatoon ED. We aim to increase physician uptake of the order set to 50% and to increase appropriate antibiotic prescription to 90%. Methods: Our project was designed following the Plan-Do-Study-Act method. Our primary outcome was to measure the rate of appropriate antibiotic prescription when managing AECOPD patients. Our secondary outcome was to measure physician uptake of the order set. We believed that a standardized order set would optimize patient care. We hypothesized that 80% of AECOPD patients would be managed with antibiotics appropriately and that 25% of emergency physicians would utilize the order set. A chart review was conducted examining AECOPD patient management in Saskatoon ED. The study period included the 6 months following the implementation of the order set. Our inclusion criteria were patients diagnosed with AECOPD and managed in the ED. Our exclusion criteria were patients currently prescribed antibiotics or patients requiring inpatient admission. A convenience sample of 125 charts was selected for review, enabling an accurate representation of order set utilization and antibiotic usage. A secondary reviewer abstracted a random 15% sample of the charts to ensure validity of the data. Results: Our results showed that, during our study period, none of the AECOPD patients were managed with the order set. Of the patients receiving antibiotic therapy, only 32 of the 53 (60.38%) met the Anthonisen criteria and were appropriately prescribed antibiotics. Of the patients not given antibiotics, 15 of the 42 (35.71%) met the Anthonisen criteria and should have been managed with antibiotics. These results refuted both of our hypotheses. Conclusion: As COPD is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Canada, proper management is crucial. Our results state that uptake of the order set is low and that antibiotic utilization is not optimized. These results demonstrate the need to modify and promote the current order set. We believe that by encouraging the use of the order set and streamlining the management guidelines, we can increase physician uptake. This will subsequently increase appropriate antibiotic prescription and improve AECOPD patient care. A second identical chart review for 2017 has been completed. Data analysis will be finalized prior to the conference.

Two signatures of quantum effects on radiation reaction in the collision of a ${\sim}$GeV electron beam with a high intensity (${>}3\times 10^{20}~\text{W}~\text{cm}^{-2}$) laser pulse have been considered. We show that the decrease in the average energy of the electron beam may be used to measure the Gaunt factor $g$ for synchrotron emission. We derive an equation for the evolution of the variance in the energy of the electron beam in the quantum regime, i.e. quantum efficiency parameter $\unicode[STIX]{x1D702}\not \ll 1$. We show that the evolution of the variance may be used as a direct measure of the quantum stochasticity of the radiation reaction and determine the parameter regime where this is observable. For example, stochastic emission results in a 25 % increase in the standard deviation of the energy spectrum of a GeV electron beam, 1 fs after it collides with a laser pulse of intensity $10^{21}~\text{W}~\text{cm}^{-2}$. This effect should therefore be measurable using current high-intensity laser systems.

A linear uptake of 14C-labeled 6,7-dihydrodipyrido (1,2-a:2′,1′-c)pyrazinediium ion (diquat-14C) at 1 ppmw by hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata Casp.) occurred during a 10-day period under controlled conditions. Plant tissue contained higher amounts of radioactivity after treatment with combinations of 0.1 or 0.5 ppmw of diquat-14C plus 1 ppmw of copper than did tissue of plants in solutions of diquat-14C alone. Plants in a 1 ppmw of diquat-14C solution contained 2,123 cpm/mg after 8 days; however, 5,857 cpm/mg were measured in plant tissue taken after the same period from solutions containing diquat-14C plus 2 ppmw copper as copper sulfate pentahydrate (CSP). An increase in CSP from 3 to 10 ppmw did not significantly increase the uptake of diquat-14C over the 2 ppmw. Results with an organic copper complex (copper sulfate triethanolamine) in combination with diquat-14C were the same as those obtained with diquat-14C plus CSP.

This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. It provides recommendations on the work up and management of lateral skull base cancer based on the existing evidence base for this rare condition.

An outbreak of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium type 2 is described which resulted in the total condemnation of 26 carcasses and partial condemnation of tissues and organs of a further 200 animals. Circumstantial evidence is presented that hens running in the farmyard were the source of the infection.

Examinations of the carcasses and organs of the diseased pigs suggested that the accepted pathogenesis of the disease is incorrect and a new hypothesis is presented. The problems for the meat inspector in differentiating tuberculosis from ‘milk-spot liver’ are discussed and recommendations made.

The findings of the study are discussed in the light of ‘The Meat Inspection Regulations 1963’ and it is recommended that where tuberculosis is suspected there is no longer any necessity to split the carcasses. The public health implications of this study are discussed.

Schizophrenic subjects (N = 30) performed less well than controls (N = 30) on neuropsychological tests sensitive to frontal and temporal lobe impairment and showed prolonged latency of the P300 event-related potential. Relatives of schizophrenic probands were also tested. Relatives with an abnormal P300 had a similar range of neuropsychological deficits as were found in the schizophrenic group and relatives with a normal P300 response performed as well as the normal control group. The results suggest that neurophysiological and neuropsychological testing of relatives may help to clarify the mode of inheritance of schizophrenia in some families.