Insulin response and changes in composition of non-esterified fatty acids in blood plasma of middle-aged men following isoenergetic fatty and carbohydrate breakfasts

It was previously shown that a high plasma concentration of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) persisted after a fatty breakfast, but not after an isoenergetic carbohydrate breakfast, adversely affecting glucose tolerance. The higher concentration after the fatty breakfast may in part have been a result of different mobilization rates of fatty acids. This factor can be investigated as NEFA mobilized from tissues are monounsaturated to a greater extent than those deposited from a typical meal. Twenty-four middle-aged healthy Caucasian men were given oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and for 28 d isoenergetic breakfasts of similar fat composition but of low (L) or moderate (M) fat content. The composition of NEFA in fasting and postprandial plasma was determined on days 1 and 29. No significant treatment differences in fasting NEFA composition occurred on day 29. During the OGTT and 0-1 h following breakfast there was an increase in plasma long-chain saturated NEFA but a decrease in monounsaturated NEFA (mug/100 mug total NEFA; Pg/100 mug total NEFA; P<0.05), expressed as an increase in 18:1 and decreases in 16:0 and 17:0 in treatment M relative to treatment L (P<0.05). Serum insulin attained 35 and 65 mU/l in treatments M and L respectively during this period. Negative correlations were found between 16:0 in fasting plasma and both waist:hip circumference (P=0.0009) and insulin response curve area during OGTT (within treatment M, P=0.0001). It is concluded that a normal postprandial insulin response is associated with a rapid change in plasma saturated:monounsaturated NEFA. It is proposed that this change is the result of a variable suppression of fat mobilization, which may partly account for a large difference in postprandial total plasma NEFA between fatty and carbohydrate meals

Peramorphosis, an evolutionary developmental mechanism in neotropical bat skull diversity

Background The neotropical leaf‐nosed bats (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) are an ecologically diverse group of mammals with distinctive morphological adaptations associated with specialized modes of feeding. The dramatic skull shape changes between related species result from changes in the craniofacial development process, which brings into focus the nature of the underlying evolutionary developmental processes. Results In this study, we use three‐dimensional geometric morphometrics to describe, quantify, and compare morphological modifications unfolding during evolution and development of phyllostomid bats. We examine how changes in development of the cranium may contribute to the evolution of the bat craniofacial skeleton. Comparisons of ontogenetic trajectories to evolutionary trajectories reveal two separate evolutionary developmental growth processes contributing to modifications in skull morphogenesis: acceleration and hypermorphosis. Conclusion These findings are consistent with a role for peramorphosis, a form of heterochrony, in the evolution of bat dietary specialists

Clinicopathological features of extranodal lymphomas: Kuwait experience

A total of 935 patients with extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) diagnosed in the period between January 1985 and December 2000 in Kuwait Cancer Center, serving the whole population of Kuwait, were used to describe the clinicopathological and epidemiological features of extranodal lymphomas in Kuwait. Extranodal lymphomas accounted for 45% of all NHL observed during this time. All NHL cases from Kuwait Cancer registry were analyzed and pathologically reclassified using the latest WHO ( 2000) classification. The most common lymphoma observed was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (58.60%) followed by Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) (3.80%). In the pediatric group, BL comprises more than two thirds of all patients (77.20%). The most common extranodal sites were stomach (19.70%) and skin (17.80%) in the adult group, large intestine (29.80%) and small intestine (19.30%) in the pediatric age group. The majority (73.40%) of adult extranodal lymphomas was in stage IE - IIE and had a very good prognosis. On the contrary, the majority of pediatric extranodal lymphomas were found to be in stage III and IV. Variations in treatment policies ( single agent or combined chemotherapy, radiotherapy, combined modality treatment) adopted and changed during the time period of 16 years of this retrospective study were documented. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

UK experience of liver transplantation for erythropoietic protoporphyria

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is characterised by excess production of free protoporphyrin from the bone marrow, most commonly due to deficiency of the enzyme ferrochelatase. Excess protoporphyrin gives rise to the cutaneous photosensitivity characteristic of the disease, and in a minority of patients leads to end-stage liver disease necessitating liver transplantation (LT). There is limited information regarding the timing, impact and long-term outcome of LT in such patients, thus we aimed to identify the indications and outcomes of all transplants performed for EPP in the UK using data from the UK Transplant Registry. Between 1987 and 2009, five patients underwent LT for EPP liver disease. Median follow-up was 60 months, and there were two deaths at 44 and 95 months from causes unrelated to liver disease. The remaining recipients are alive at 22.4 years, 61 months and 55 months after transplant. A high rate of postoperative biliary stricturing requiring multiple biliary interventions was observed. Recurrent EPP-liver disease occurred in 4/5 (80%) of patients but graft failure has not been observed. Given the role of biliary obstruction in inducing EPP-mediated liver damage, we suggest that consideration should be given for construction of a Roux loop at the time of transplant. Thus we demonstrate that although EPP liver transplant recipients have a good long-term survival, comparable to patients undergoing LT for other indications, biliary complications and disease recurrence are almost universal, and bone marrow transplantation should be considered where possible

‘Warrant’ revisited: Integrating mathematics teachers’ pedagogical and epistemological considerations into Toulmin’s model for argumentation

In this paper, we propose an approach to analysing teacher arguments that takes into account field dependence—namely, in Toulmin’s sense, the dependence of warrants deployed in an argument on the field of activity to which the argument relates. Freeman, to circumvent issues that emerge when we attempt to determine the field(s) that an argument relates to, proposed a classification of warrants (a priori, empirical, institutional and evaluative). Our approach to analysing teacher arguments proposes an adaptation of Freeman’s classification that distinguishes between: epistemological and pedagogical a priori warrants, professional and personal empirical warrants, epistemological and curricular institutional warrants, and evaluative warrants. Our proposition emerged from analyses conducted in the course of a written response and interview study that engages secondary mathematics teachers with classroom scenarios from the mathematical areas of analysis and algebra. The scenarios are hypothetical, grounded on seminal learning and teaching issues, and likely to occur in actual practice. To illustrate our proposed approach to analysing teacher arguments here, we draw on the data we collected through the use of one such scenario, the Tangent Task. We demonstrate how teacher arguments, not analysed for their mathematical accuracy only, can be reconsidered, arguably more productively, in the light of other teacher considerations and priorities: pedagogical, curricular, professional and personal

A life cycle stakeholder management framework for enhanced collaboration between stakeholders with competing interests

This is a postprint version of the Book Chapter. Information regarding the official publication is available from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 SpringerImplementation of a Life Cycle Sustainability Management (LCSM) strategy can involve significant challenges because of competing or conflicting objectives between stakeholders. These differences may, if not identified and managed, hinder successful adoption of sustainability initiatives. This article proposes a conceptual framework for stakeholder management in a LCSM context. The framework identifies the key sustainability stakeholder groups and suggests strategic ambiguity as a management tool to harness dysfunctional conflict into constructive collaboration. The framework is of practical value as it can be used as a guideline by managers who wish to improve collaboration with stakeholders along the supply chain. The article also fills a gap in the academic literature where there is only limited research on sustainability stakeholder management through strategic ambiguity

Increased Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Girls with Turner Syndrome Detected Using Antibodies to Endomysium and Tissue Transglutaminase

OBJECTIVE: To establish the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in girls with Turner syndrome (TS) in British Columbia

High Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Detected by Antibodies to Endomysium and Tissue Transglutaminase

OBJECTIVE: To establish the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in children with type 1 diabetes in British Columbia

Prescribing practices of primary-care veterinary practitioners in dogs diagnosed with bacterial pyoderma

Concern has been raised regarding the potential contributions of veterinary antimicrobial use to increasing levels of resistance in bacteria critically important to human health. Canine pyoderma is a frequent, often recurrent diagnosis in pet dogs, usually attributable to secondary bacterial infection of the skin. Lesions can range in severity based on the location, total area and depth of tissue affected and antimicrobial therapy is recommended for resolution. This study aimed to describe patient signalment, disease characteristics and treatment prescribed in a large number of UK, primary-care canine pyoderma cases and to estimate pyoderma prevalence in the UK vet-visiting canine population