The continued proliferation of malaria throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world has promoted a push for more efficacious treatments to combat the disease. Unfortunately, more recent remedies such as artemisinin combination therapies have been rendered less effective due to developing parasite resistance, and new drugs are required that target the parasite in the liver to support the disease elimination efforts. Research was initiated to revisit antimalarials developed in the 1940s and 1960s that were deemed unsuitable for use as therapeutic agents as a result of poor understanding of both physicochemical properties and parasitology. Structure–activity and structure–property relationship studies were conducted to generate a set of compounds with the general 6-chloro-7-methoxy-2-methyl-4(1H)-quinolone scaffold which were substituted at the 3-position with a variety of phenyl moieties possessing various properties. Extensive physicochemical evaluation of the quinolone series was carried out to downselect the most promising 4(1H)-quinolones, 7, 62, 66, and 67, which possessed low-nanomolar EC50 values against W2 and TM90-C2B as well as improved microsomal stability. Additionally, in vivo Thompson test results using Plasmodium berghei in mice showed that these 4(1H)-quinolones were efficacious for the reduction of parasitemia at >99% after 6 days.

Background We evaluated the short‐term outcomes of robotic colorectal cancer surgery in octogenarian patients, focussing on postoperative morbidity and survival. Methods All patients ≥80 years in a prospective colorectal cancer database undergoing robotic curative colorectal cancer resection were included. Patient demographics, intraoperative findings, postoperative and oncological outcomes were recorded. Patients were further subdivided into two groups named: old (OG 80–85 years) and very old (VOG ≥ 86 years). Results Fifty‐eight consecutive patients were included (median age, 83 years; male, 53.4%; median BMI, 26.5). Median total operative time was 230 min, median blood loss 20 ml, median length of stay 7 days. Major complications were seen in 12% of patients; and the 90‐day mortality rate was 1.7%. Complete R0 resection achieved in 93% of cases, average lymph node harvest was 22. Overall and disease‐free survival was 81% and 87.3%, respectively (median follow‐up 24.5 months). We noticed a trend towards more advanced lesion staging in the VOG, but only N2 stage was significant (p = 0.03). There was a statistically significant difference in overall survival in favour of the OG (p = 0.024). Conclusions Robotic surgery is feasible in octogenarian patients undergoing curative colorectal cancer resection and is associated with good post‐operative outcomes and overall survival.

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The FRCA examination relies in part on a sound understanding of the basic sciences (physics, physiology, pharmacology and statistics) behind anaesthetic practice. It is important to be able to describe these principles clearly, particularly in the viva section of the examination. This book provides the reader with all the important graphs, definitions and equations which may be covered in the examination, together with clear and concise explanations of how to present them to the examiner and why they are important. Particular attention is paid to teaching the reader how to draw the graphs. This is an aspect of the examination which can be overlooked but which, if done well, can create a much better impression in the viva situation. Packed full of precise, clear diagrams with well structured explanations, and with all key definitions, derivations and statistics, this is an essential study aid for all FRCA examination candidates.

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