Resistant Starch Production and Glucose Release from Pre‐Prepared Chilled Food: The SPUD Project

With an increasing prevalence of diabetes worldwide, effective dietary strategies for blood glucose control are crucial. As carbohydrates make up approximately 50% of the diet, it is neither practical nor advisable to avoid them altogether. Most of the carbohydrate in the diet is derived from starch, found in potatoes, pasta, rice and bread. These foods are often processed in some way before consumption, yet little is known about the effects processing, such as chilling and reheating, has on the glycaemic response, particularly when the food is consumed in the context of a mixed meal. This article introduces the SPUD project, a BBSRC DRINC‐funded initiative. Taking the potato as the model carbohydrate, this project will investigate, via in vitro and in vivo studies, the effects of domestic food processing techniques on the glycaemic response. A final study, utilising intrinsically labelled potato and a dual stable isotope methodology, will model glucose flux data to determine the underlying mechanisms of action.     

Sarcopenia Definitions as Predictors of Fracture Risk Independent of FRAX®, Falls,and BMD in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study: A Meta-Analysis

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived appendicular lean mass/height² (ALM/ht²) is the most commonly used estimate of muscle mass in the assessment of sarcopenia, but its predictive value for fracture is substantially attenuated by femoral neck (fn) bone mineral density (BMD). We investigated predictive value of 11 sarcopenia definitions for incident fracture, independent of fnBMD, fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX^®) probability, and prior falls, using an extension of Poisson regression in US, Sweden, and Hong Kong Osteoporois Fractures in Men Study (MrOS) cohorts. Definitions tested were those of Baumgartner and Delmonico (ALM/ht² only), Morley, the International Working Group on Sarcopenia, European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP1 and 2), Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) 1 and 2 (using ALM/body mass index [BMI], incorporating muscle strength and/or physical performance measures plus ALM/ht²), and Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium (gait speed and grip strength). Associations were adjusted for age and time since baseline and reported as hazard ratio (HR) for first incident fracture, here major osteoporotic fracture (MOF; clinical vertebral, hip, distal forearm, proximal humerus). Further analyses adjusted additionally for FRAX-MOF probability (n = 7531; calculated ± fnBMD), prior falls (y/n), or fnBMD T-score. Results were synthesized by meta-analysis. In 5660 men in USA, 2764 Sweden and 1987 Hong Kong (mean ages 73.5, 75.4, and 72.4 years, respectively), sarcopenia prevalence ranged from 0.5% to 35%. Sarcopenia status, by all definitions except those of FNIH, was associated with incident MOF (HR = 1.39 to 2.07). Associations were robust to adjustment for prior falls or FRAX probability (without fnBMD); adjustment for fnBMD T-score attenuated associations. EWGSOP2 severe sarcopenia (incorporating chair stand time, gait speed, and grip strength plus ALM) was most predictive, albeit at low prevalence, and appeared only modestly influenced by inclusion of fnBMD. In conclusion, the predictive value for fracture of sarcopenia definitions based on ALM is reduced by adjustment for fnBMD but strengthened by additional inclusion of physical performance measures. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).     

Osteosarcomatosis

A review of the 690 cases of osteosarcoma in the radiographic file of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology revealed 29 cases of "osteosarcomatosis" (multiple skeletal sites of osteosarcoma). Fifteen of these patients were 18 years old and under and manifested rapidly appearing, usually symmetric, sclerotic metaphyseal lesions. The remaining 14 patients were more than 18 years old and had fewer, asymmetric sclerotic lesions. In most patients (28 of 29), a radiographically dominant skeletal tumor was seen. Pulmonary metastases occurred in the majority of patients and were detected at the same time as the bone lesions. These 29 patients were studied with regard to demographic data and skeletal distribution and radiographic appearance of their lesions. As a result of the findings, a metastatic origin from a primary dominant osteosarcoma is favored over a multifocal origin as the basis for osteosarcomatosis. Osteosarcomatosis is more commonly encountered in the mature skeleton than has been previously recognized.     

Factors related to psychosocial adjustment in children with end-stage renal failure

Psychological functioning and adjustment to dialysis were assessed in the families of 60 children and adolescents undergoing chronic dialysis. Sociodemographic factors, treatment variables, health status and satisfaction with health care provision were also measured. Correlation analyses identified a number of important factors associated with poor adjustment to dialysis and/or anxiety and depression in children and parents. Particularly at risk are parents in lower socioeconomic status households, parents with large families, parents with limited support and parents of young children. Children were more at risk where there was greater functional impairment caused by illness. Received: 10 December 1997 / Revised: 8 March 1999 / Accepted: 16 March 1999     

Laparoscopic-assisted colorectal surgery

PURPOSE: To audit the development and outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal surgery at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. METHODS: Since July 1991, laparoscopic-assisted colectomy for benign and malignant colorectal disease has been performed on more than 300 patients at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. This paper summarizes the outcome for the first 240 patients who underwent a laparoscopic colorectal procedure. All laparoscopic data were collected prospectively, and for selected studies, data were compared with open surgical controls. RESULTS: Nineteen patients required open conversion (7.9 percent). There was a significant decrease in wound infection rates in patients having a laparoscopic-assisted colectomy (3.6 percent) compared with historical controls (7.9 percent) (P<0.05; chisquared). There were five anastomotic leaks, five laparotomies for postoperative adhesive obstruction, and four perioperative deaths. A total of 103 patients had a procedure for colorectal cancer. Of the 79 potentially curative procedures, there have been 5 (6.3 percent) recurrences to date. CONCLUSION: The overall morbidity and mortality in this series seem to be acceptable compared with that of open procedures.     

Effects of site-directed mutagenesis at residues cysteine-31 and cysteine-184 on lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity.

Native lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT; phosphatidylcholine-sterol acyltransferase; phosphatidylcholine:sterol O-acyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.43) protein, and LCAT in which either or both of the enzyme free cysteines had been replaced with glycine residues by site-directed mutagenesis, has been expressed in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the human LCAT gene. The mass of LCAT secreted, determined by immunoassay, did not differ in the native and mutant species. LCAT specific activity was also unchanged in the mutant species. In particular, the cysteine-free double mutant, in which Cys-31 and Cys-184 had both been replaced, was fully active in the synthesis of cholesteryl esters. This result is not consistent with a catalytic role for LCAT free cysteine residues. The classical inhibitor of LCAT activity, 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), which strongly (89%) inhibited the native enzyme, had partial (45%) inhibitory activity with mutant enzyme species containing a single -SH residue, while the double mutant was not significantly inhibited by DTNB. These data are interpreted to suggest that Cys-31 and Cys-184 are vicinal both to each other and to the "interfacial binding site" at residues 177-182, and that DTNB exerts its effect by steric inhibition.     

Marrow regeneration after mechanical depletion

The origin of marrow regeneration after mechanical depletion was reinvestigated in mouse chimeras. The results were compatible with the local origin of stem cells from remnants of incompletely removed marrow, but not with their origin from a common precursor of both bone and hemopoietic cell lines. In transplanted femurs depleted by a modified technique of in vivo evacuation of marrow, hemopoietic regeneration failed to occur. The presence of hemopoietic stem cells in the Haversian canals was thus excluded. The demonstration of ample hemopoiesis with minimal bone formation in nondepleted controls in which bone marrow initially became necrotic provided new evidence that osteogenesis was not a prerequisite of hemopoietic regeneration.     

Uptake of individual fatty acids into adipose tissue in relation to their presence in the diet

BACKGROUND: The fatty acid composition of adipose tissue triacylglycerol reflects, but is not identical to, the fatty acid composition of the habitual diet. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue is explained by differences between fatty acids in early storage in adipose tissue after a meal. DESIGN: Nine healthy men ate a meal containing several fatty acids. Blood samples were taken for 6 h after the meal from an arterialized hand vein and a vein draining the anterior abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue. RESULTS: Net storage of fatty acids in adipose tissue occurred between 1 and 4 h after the meal. In relation to the amount fed, storage of fatty acids differed (P < 0. 01) between classes (n-3 polyunsaturated < saturated < n-6 polyunsaturated < monounsaturated); oleic acid was stored in the greatest amounts. These differences agreed closely with published data, except for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The only individual metabolic step at which significant differences between fatty acids was shown was incorporation of fatty acids into chylomicron triacylglycerol. Differences between fatty acids in rate of extraction from chylomicron triacylglycerol and net uptake into adipose tissue in the postprandial period were significant (P < 0. 01), but not when expressed in relation to proportions in chylomicron triacylglycerol. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristic fatty acid pattern of adipose tissue may predominantly reflect the early metabolic handling of different fatty acids. Adipose tissue uptake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is slow in relation to that of other fatty acids.     

Evaluation of neurodevelopmental outcome in highrisk infants in Australia

An understanding of the neurodevelopmental outcome of long-term survivors of neonatal intensive care is essential for the informed management of preterm or high risk infants. This annotation looks at the current status of neonatal follow-up services in Australasia and highlights problems in the collection and interpretation of data. It suggests that we should work towards achieving a consensus on standard definitions and test regimes and on national data collection.