Protein feeding pattern does not affect protein retention in young women

This study was undertaken to determine whether a pulse protein feeding pattern was more efficient than a spread pattern to improve protein anabolism in young women as was already shown in elderly women. After a 15-d adaptive period [1.2 g protein/(kg fat-free mass. d)], 16 young women (age 26 +/- 1 y) were given a 14-d diet providing 1.7 g protein/(kg fat-free mass. d), using either a pulse pattern (protein consumed mainly in one meal, n = 8), or a spread pattern (spreading daily protein intake over four meals, n = 8). Nitrogen balance was determined at the end of both the 15-d adaptive and the 14-d experimental periods. Whole-body protein turnover was determined at the end of the 14-d experimental period using [(15)N]glycine as an oral tracer. Nitrogen balance was 17 +/- 5 mg N/(kg fat-free mass. d) during the adaptive period. It was higher during the experimental period, but not significantly different in the women fed the spread or the pulse patterns [59 +/- 12 and 36 +/- 8 mg N/(kg fat-free mass. d) respectively]. No significant effects of the protein feeding pattern were detected on either whole-body protein turnover [5.5 +/- 0.2 vs. 6.1 +/- 0.3 g protein/(kg fat-free mass. d) for spread and pulse pattern, respectively] or whole-body protein synthesis and protein breakdown. Thus, in young women, these protein feeding patterns did not have significantly different effects on protein retention.     

Preventive and curative effect of melatonin on mammary carcinogenesis induced by dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in the female Sprague-Dawley rat

Introduction  

It has been well documented that the pineal hormone, melatonin, which plays a major role in the control of reproduction in mammals, also plays a role in the incidence and growth of breast and mammary cancer. The curative effect of melatonin on the growth of dimethylbenz [a]anthracene-induced (DMBA-induced) mammary adenocarcinoma (ADK) has been previously well documented in the female Sprague-Dawley rat. However, the preventive effect of melatonin in limiting the frequency of cancer initiation has not been well documented.     

Evidence-Based Strategies for the Treatment of Peritoneal Malignancies during Health Care Resource Restriction: The COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous pressure on hospital resources, and has affected all aspects of patient care. As operative volumes decrease, cancer surgeries must be triaged and prioritized with careful thought and attention to ensure maximal benefit for the maximum number of patients. Peritoneal malignancies present a unique challenge, as surgical management can be resource intensive, but patients have limited non-surgical treatment options. This review summarizes current data on outcomes and resource utilization to help inform decision-making and case prioritization in times of constrained health care resources. Methods: A rapid literature review was performed, examining surgical and non-surgical outcomes data for peritoneal malignancies. Narrative data synthesis was cross-referenced with relevant societal guidelines. Peritoneal malignancy surgeons and medical oncologists reviewed recommendations to establish a national perspective on case triage and mitigating treatment strategies. Results and Conclusions: Triage of peritoneal malignancies during this time of restricted health care resource is nuanced and requires multidisciplinary discussion with consideration of individual patient factors. Prioritization should be given to patients where delay may compromise resectability of disease, and where alternative treatment options are lacking. Mitigating strategies such as systemic chemotherapy and/or surgical deferral may be utilized with close surveillance for disease stability or progression, which may affect surgical urgency. Unique hospital capacity, and ability to manage the complex post-operative course for these patients must also be considered to ensure patient and system needs are aligned.     

High Pressure Compression-Molding of α-Cellulose and Effects of Operating Conditions

Commercial α-cellulose was compression-molded to produce 1A dog-bone specimens under various operating conditions without any additive. The resulting agromaterials exhibited a smooth, plastic-like surface, and constituted a suitable target as replacement for plastic materials. Tensile and three-points bending tests were conducted according to ISO standards related to the evaluation of plastic materials. The specimens had strengths comparable to classical petroleum-based thermoplastics. They also exhibited high moduli, which is characteristic of brittle materials. A higher temperature and higher pressure rate produced specimens with higher mechanical properties while low moisture content produced weaker specimens. Generally, the strong specimen had higher specific gravity and lower moisture content. However, some parameters did not follow the general trend e.g., thinner specimen showed much higher Young’s Modulus, although their specific gravity and moisture content remained similar to control, revealing a marked skin-effect which was confirmed by SEM observations.     

Inter-Scan Reproducibility of Carotid Plaque Volume Measurements by 3-D Ultrasound

We tested a novel 3-D matrix transducer with respect to inter-scan reproducibility of carotid maximum plaque thickness (MPT) and volume measurements. To improve reproducibility while focusing on the largest plaque/most diseased part of the carotid artery, we introduced a new partial plaque volume (PPV) measure centered on MPT. Total plaque volume (TPV), PPV from a 10-mm segment and MPT were measured using dedicated semi-automated software on 38 plaques from 26 patients. Inter-scan reproducibility was assessed using the t-test, Bland–Altman plots and Pearson's correlation coefficient. There was a mean difference of 0.01?mm in MPT (limits of agreement: ?0.45 to 0.42?mm, Pearson's correlation coefficient: 0.96). Both volume measurements exhibited high reproducibility, with PPV being superior (limits of agreement: ?35.3?mm³ to 33.5?mm³, Pearson's correlation coefficient: 0.96) to TPV (limits of agreement: ?88.2 to 61.5?mm³, Pearson's correlation coefficient: 0.91). The good reproducibility revealed by the present results encourages future studies on establishing plaque quantification as part of cardiovascular risk assessment and for follow-up of disease progression over time.     

How to achieve accurate blood culture volumes: the BD BACTEC FX blood volume monitoring system as a measuring instrument and educational tool

Collecting adequate volumes of blood in blood culture bottles is crucial for sensitive detection of bacteremia and fungemia. Tools enabling easy collection of data on the degree of blood culture bottle filling at different hospital departments are an important step toward quality measurement and improvement. In this study, we verified the accuracy of a software tool for the monitoring of blood culture bottle filling developed by Becton Dickinson, BD blood volume monitoring system (BVMS) that was adjusted for use on plastic BACTEC bottles, and evaluated its ease of use in routine practice. In total, 538 negative plastic BD BACTEC Plus Aerobic/F blood culture bottles collected in two secondary care hospitals in Belgium were included in the study. The BVMS software demonstrated good performance, with an acceptable mean difference of ??0.3 mL or ??4.0% between the mean volume estimated by BVMS and the mean weight-based volume. Data (mean blood volume and standard deviation) and figures (box-and-whisker and histogram plots) on blood culture bottle filling are easily acquired. They provide information on the current situation in a hospital (department) and can be used as a tool for quality improvement measurements and follow-up. Caution is required when interpreting BVMS results for hospital wards where a substantial amount of the bottles collected come from patients with hematocrit values <?30%. This study demonstrated that BVMS is a reliable and easy to use tool which facilitates monitoring and coordination of optimization of blood culture bottles filling by the clinical laboratory.