Pulmonary lymphangitic spread of carcinoma: appearance on CT scans

Chest computed tomography (CT), including high-resolution CT with thin (1.5-mm) sections was used to evaluate proved (pathologically or clinically) lymphangitic spread (LS) of tumor in 12 patients. These appearances were compared with thin-section scans obtained in 11 healthy subjects. Thin-section CT demonstrated findings consistent with thickening of the normal lung interstitium. In all patients, thin sections showed an increase in the number of peripheral lines (1-2 cm in length) that were diffuse in generalized disease and localized in focal disease. Normal peripheral arcades were not increased in number, but the limbs forming the arcades were thickened in all patients. A diffuse increase in linear and curvilinear structures (reticular pattern) was seen toward the center of the lung. Polygonal structures 1-2 cm in diameter were seen in seven patients with LS but not in healthy subjects. Fissures were thickened in nine patients. Selected 1.5-mm-thick CT sections are recommended through abnormal areas (seen at CT or on chest radiographs) or if these are normal at three levels (midapex, hilus, and 3 cm above the diaphragm) when scanning patients with tumors known to cause LS.     

Who We Seek and What We Eat? Sources of Food Choice Inspirations and Their Associations with Adult Dietary Patterns before and during the COVID-19 Lockdown in New Zealand

Research shows the shaping of food choices often occurs at home, with the family widely recognised as significant in food decisions. However, in this digital age, our eating habits and decision-making processes are also determined by smartphone apps, celebrity chefs, and social media. The ‘COVID Kai Survey’ online questionnaire assessed cooking and shopping behaviours among New Zealanders during the 2020 COVID-19 ‘lockdown’ using a cross-sectional study design. This paper examines how sources of food choice inspirations (cooking-related advice and the reasons for recipe selection) are related to dietary patterns before and during the lockdown. Of the 2977 participants, those influenced by nutrition and health experts (50.9% before; 53.9% during the lockdown) scored higher for the healthy dietary pattern. Participants influenced by family and friends (35% before; 29% during the lockdown) had significantly higher scores for the healthy and the meat dietary patterns, whereas participants influenced by celebrity cooks (3.8% before; 5.2% during the lockdown) had significantly higher scores in the meat dietary pattern. There was no evidence that associations differed before and during the lockdown. The lockdown was related to modified food choice inspiration sources, notably an increase in ‘comforting’ recipes as a reason for recipe selection (75.8%), associated with higher scoring in the unhealthy dietary pattern during the lockdown. The lockdown in New Zealand saw an average decrease in nutritional quality of diets in the ‘COVID Kai Survey’, which could be partly explained by changes in food choice inspiration sources.     

Low attack rate of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection among healthcare workers: a prospective study in a setting with an elaborated containment plan

Purpose  

This study aimed to determine incidence rates of novel influenza A (H1N1) infection among healthcare personnel with different exposure risks during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.     

The Acute Toxicity of Selected Alkylphenols to Young and AdultDaphnia magna

Differences in sensitivity toward toxicants between young and adult individuals in a population are assumed to be primarily associated with their difference in body size. This assumption plays a key role in the modeling of effects of variable concentrations of toxicants on nonhomogeneous populations. The hazard-based no-effect-concentrations (NECs), killing rates, and elimination rates, estimated from the survival data of a series of acute toxicity tests with young and adults ofDaphnia magnaand six alkylphenols, were used to evaluate this assumption. The results lead to the conclusion that young and adultD. magnawere equally sensitive in terms of NEC and killing rate and that the observed differences in elimination rates could be explained on the basis of a difference in body size. Furthermore, it was found that elimination rates estimated on the basis of the survival data were consistently smaller than those expected on the basis of a QSAR forDaphnia pulex, a comparable species. This discrepancy was likely due to a decreased uptake and elimination during a period of immobilization prior to death. Since it is unknown to what extent immobilized individuals are able to recover from short-term exposures, the observed deviation clearly identifies a complicating factor in the modeling of effects of variable concentrations of toxicants.     

Picotamide inhibition of excess in vitro thromboxane B2 release by colorectal mucosa in inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with increased mucosal release of eicosanoids. Among these, thromboxane A2 has been proposed as a possible inflammatory mediator; its suppression may be a useful therapeutic option. METHODS: Using a tissue incubation technique, we compared release of immunoreactive thromboxane B2 by colonic biopsies from patients with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and controls, and assessed the inhibitory effect of picotamide, a thromboxane synthesis inhibitor-receptor antagonist, which has been widely used in Italy for management of ischaemic heart and cerebrovascular disease. RESULTS: Increased amounts of thromboxane B2 were released from biopsies from patients with active ulcerative colitis (median 238 pg/20 min/mg wet weight (interquartile range 147- 325), n = 12) and active Crohn's disease (252 (174-450), 6) compared with those from patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis (95 (61- 140), 12) or Crohn's disease (105 (57-201), 13), or controls (136 (64- 206), 8). Incubation with picotamide at concentrations between 100 microM and 1 mM reduced thromboxane B2 release (IC50 890 microM). CONCLUSION: Since increased thromboxane A2 production may have pathogenetic importance, thromboxane synthesis inhibitor-receptor antagonists such as picotamide merit therapeutic trial in the management of inflammatory bowel disease.     

Reported versus measured body weight and height of 4-year-old children and the prevalence of overweight

BACKGROUND: In adults, body weight tends to be underestimated when based on self-reported data. Whether this discrepancy between measured and reported data exists in healthy young children is unclear. We studied whether parental reported body weight and height of 4-year-old children corresponded with measured body weight and height. In addition, we studied the determinants and the consequences of differences between reported and measured data. METHODS: Data on body weight and height of 864 4-year-old Dutch children born in 1996/1997 enrolled in the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy (PIAMA) birth cohort study were collected via a questionnaire and a medical examination. Overweight was defined according to standard international age and gender specific definitions. RESULTS: Mean differences between measured and reported body weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were small. Parents of children with a low BMI tended to over report body weight while parents of children with a high BMI tended to underreport body weight. Whereas 9.5% of the children were overweight according to reported BMI, the prevalence of overweight was 13.4% based on measured BMI. Over 45% of the overweight children according to measured BMI were missed when reported BMI was used. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that overweight prevalence rates in children are underestimated when based on reported weight and height.