Background: The evaluation concerns a 12‐week group treatment programme providing formalized behaviour and cognitive modification combined with an initial low calorie liquid diet offered through a specialist NHS Obesity Clinic. Aims: The aims of this evaluation were to: (1) determine the success of the programme in terms of: (a) producing medically significant weight loss for up to 18 months after the programme; (b) psychological and social benefits for patients; (2) identify factors predictive of weight loss and the likelihood of completing the programme. Methods: A retrospective evaluation was undertaken of 12 groups of patients (115 patients), referred by their General Practitioners to the Obesity Clinic for advice and treatment of obesity. Data were obtained from initial assessment questionnaires, clinical notes and a follow‐up questionnaire. Results: The evaluation showed that the programme was successful in helping patients achieve medically significant weight loss (on average 12% of initial body weight) and to partially maintain some weight loss for up to 18 months after. In addition, there were measurable psychological and social benefits from their adherence to the programme. Only the mental state of the patients at the start of the programme was predictive of the likelihood of their managing to complete it. Conclusion: The progamme can be effective in achieving and maintaining weight loss. Patients may benefit psychologically. Patients may have an improved likelihood of completing the programme if depression is treated first.

Mucins are large highly glycosylated molecules that have been postulated to interfere with certain cell-cell interactions. Steric, charge and specific signalling effects have been postulated for the inhibition by cell-surface mucin molecules. In this report we evaluate the inhibitory effects of bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM), a mucin without specific lymphocyte interactions, on lymphocyte function. BSM inhibits the adhesion of lymphocytes when coimmobilized with intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and blocks the activation of T lymphocytes when coimmobilized with anti-CD3. These data demonstrate a general mucin effect on lymphocyte adhesion and activation that is primarily steric in nature and implicates mucins as general barriers to lymphocyte-tumour cell interactions. Mucin blockade of cell-cell interactions may explain why mucinous tumours are often associated with a poor prognosis.

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Richard Bauckham argues for the pseudonymity of 2 Peter on the basis of its genre. He argues that 2 Peter was written as a “testament” of Peter, and since other ancient Jewish testaments are clearly pseudonymous, 2 Peter’s testamental genre indicates its pseudonymity. Moreover, since it was well known in antiquity that the testaments were pseudonymous, those who wrote them did not intend to deceive. Petrine authorship of 2 Peter is thus, in Bauckham’s words, a “transparent fiction.” But did ancients know the testaments were pseudepigraphic? Bauckham provides no evidence. He only suggests that the pseudonymity of the testaments is so obvious that it was “self-evident.” The authors of this paper examined ancient authors who cited material from the testaments or testamental-type material. They found no evidence the authors or their audiences knew the testaments were pseudepigraphic. Rather, they appear to cite the testamentary material as authentic, reliable, even authoritative material.