Gastric Emptying Time and Volume of the Small Intestine as Objective Markers in Patients With Symptoms of Diabetic Enteropathy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) often suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, but these correlate poorly to established objective GI motility measures. Our aim is to perform a detailed evaluation of potential measures of gastric and small intestinal motility in patients with DM type 1 and severe GI symptoms. METHODS: Twenty patients with DM and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were included. GI motility was examined with a 3-dimensional-Transit capsule, while organ volumes were determined by CT scans. RESULTS: Patients with DM and HCs did not differ with regard to median gastric contraction frequency (DM 3.0 contractions/minute [interquartile range {IQR}, 2.9-3.0]; HCs 2.9 [IQR, 2.8-3.1]; P = 0.725), amplitude of gastric contractions (DM 9 mm [IQR, 8-11]; HCs 11 mm (IQR, 9-12); P = 0.151) or fasting volume of the stomach wall (DM 149 cm3 [IQR, 112-187]; HCs 132 cm3 [IQR, 107-154]; P = 0.121). Median gastric emptying time was prolonged in patients (DM 3.3 hours [IQR, 2.6-4.6]; HCs 2.4 hours [IQR, 1.8-2.7]; P = 0.002). No difference was found in small intestinal transit time (DM 5 hours [IQR, 3.7-5.6]; HCs 4.8 hours [IQR, 3.9-6.0]; P = 0.883). However, patients with DM had significantly larger volume of the small intestinal wall (DM 623 cm3 [IQR, 487-766]; HCs 478 cm3 [IQR, 393-589]; P = 0.003). Among patients, 13 (68%) had small intestinal wall volume and 9 (50%) had gastric emptying time above the upper 95% percentile of HCs. CONCLUSION: In our study, gastric emptying time and volume of the small intestinal wall appeared to be the best objective measures in patients with DM type 1 and symptoms and gastroenteropathy

A zero emission concept analysis of a single family house

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Infant Ustekinumab Clearance, Risk of Infection, and Development After Exposure During Pregnancy

Background:Evidence on ustekinumab safety in pregnancy is gradually expanding, but its clearance in the postnatal period is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate ustekinumab concentrations in umbilical cord blood and rates of clearance after birth, as well as how these correlate with maternal drug concentrations, risk of infection, and developmental milestones during the first year of life. Methods: Pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease were prospectively recruited from 19 hospitals in Denmark and the Netherlands between 2018 and 2022. Infant infections leading to hospitalization/antibiotics and developmental milestones were assessed. Serum ustekinumab concentrations were measured at delivery and specific time points. Nonlinear regression analysis was applied to estimate clearance. Results:In 78 live-born infants from 76 pregnancies, we observed a low risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and normal developmental milestones. At birth, the median infant-mother ustekinumab ratio was 2.18 (95% confidence interval, 1.69–2.81). Mean time to infant clearance was 6.7 months (95% confidence interval, 6.1–7.3 months). One in 4 infants at 6 months had an extremely low median concentration of 0.015 μg/mL (range 0.005–0.12 μg/mL). No variation in median ustekinumab concentration was noted between infants with (2.8 [range 0.4–6.9] μg/mL) and without (3.1 [range 0.7–11.0] μg/mL) infections during the first year of life (P = .41). Conclusions: No adverse signals after intrauterine exposure to ustekinumab were observed with respect to pregnancy outcome, infections, or developmental milestones during the first year of life. Infant ustekinumab concentration was not associated with risk of infections. With the ustekinumab clearance profile, live attenuated vaccination from 6 months of age seems of low risk.</p

Rectal Mechano-sensory Function in Patients with Carcinoid Diarrhea

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In patients with neuroendocrine tumors, excessive production of serotonin and other amines may cause the carcinoid syndrome, which is mainly characterized by diarrhea and flushing. Little is known about the pathophysiology of carcinoid diarrhea. In several other groups of patients, diarrhea may be associated with rectal hypersensitivity and increased rectal tone. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare rectal sensitivity and compliance in patients with carcinoid diarrhea and in healthy subjects. METHODS: Twelve patients (6 males, aged 54–78 years, median 65 years), with carcinoid diarrhea and 19 healthy subjects (7 males, aged 50–78 years, median 61 years) were included. Rectal mechanical and heat stimulation was used for assessment of rectal mechano-sensory properties. RESULTS: Overall, 5.3% higher temperatures were needed to elicit sensory responses in patients with carcinoid diarrhea than in healthy subjects (P = 0.015). Posthoc analyses revealed that the sensory threshold to heat was 48.1 ± 3.1°C in patients vs 44.7 ± 4.7°C in healthy subjects (P = 0.041). In contrast, patients and healthy subjects showed no overall differences in rectal sensory response to mechanical distension (P = 0.731) or rectal compliance (P = 0.990). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with carcinoid diarrhea have higher sensory thresholds to heat stimulation in comparison to healthy subjects, but normal rectal sensation to mechanical distension and normal compliance. Therefore, treatment of carcinoid diarrhea should aim at prolonging gastrointestinal transit and decreasing secretion, rather than modifying rectal mechano-sensory function

Cholestatic liver injury as a side-effect of dabigatran and the use of coagulation tests in dabigatran intoxication and after reversal by idarucizumab in bleeding and sepsis

Idarucizumab, an antidote specific for dabigatran, became available recently. Dabigatran is not associated with increased risk of hepatotoxicity in comparison with warfarin, but it is seen as a rare side-effect. Cases of cholestatic liver injury due to dabigatran have not been reported previously. We present a case of severe gastro-intestinal bleeding with underlying dabigatran intoxication in a patient with renal failure and the effect of reversal of dabigatran using idaruzicumab on coagulation assays. International normalized ratio (INR) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) results were elevated in a setting of sepsis, possibly due to liver failure. INR and APTT can be elevated if sepsis is complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) or liver failure, making it challenging to determine dabigatrans contribution to their prolongation. A rebound effect after administration of idarucizumab and slow elimination of dabigatran due to reduced kidney function could be detected using the Hemoclot® diluted thrombin time (dTT) in this situation, in contrast to with non-dilutional assays. Before admission, cholestatic liver injury started shortly after initiation of dabigatran etexilate therapy. As no other cause was found, this liver injury was likely to be drug-induced. Bleeding cessated promptly after administration of idarucizumab in dabigatran intoxication. In conclusion, the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran can be measured by Hemoclot® dTT in sepsis and cholestatic liver injury was seen as a possible rare side-effect of dabigatran treatment

A zero emission concept analysis of a single family house

The main aim of the work has been to do modeling and calculations of the energy use, embodied emission and the total CO2-emission for a typical Norwegian residential building. By doing this we try to reveal and study the main drivers for the CO2-emission, and also which performance is necessary for components and solutions in a Zero Emission Building according to the current Norwegian ZEBdefinition. The preliminary conclusions from this study are: 1. For a typical single family home (2 storeys) it is rather easy to achieve a ZEB-O (Operation) level, which in this case can be labeled a zero energy building (energy produced on-site with PV equals total electricity demand). 2. Taking into account also the embodied emissions from materials and installations it is difficult to achieve the ZEB-OM (Operation and Material) level by using only the flat roof for PV-production. 3. Even if the calculation of embodied emission (EE) has considerable uncertainties, preliminary results indicate that EE is significantly higher than the emission related to operational energy use. However, in current calculation no significant effort has been made to reduce EE, in contrast to operational energy use where high performance solutions have been used. 4. To achieve a ZEB-OM level a combination of further reduced energy demand, high COP/SPF thermal systems, reduced embodied emissions and increased PV-production seems to be the solution

Intra- and inter-individual variation of zinc intake by pregnant women and its relationship with nutritional status relative to this nutrient

O zinco é um nutriente essencial durante períodos de rápido crescimento e desenvolvimento, como por exemplo, a gestação. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estimar a ingestão usual de zinco em gestantes, verificando a variabilidade intra e inter-individual e sua relação com o estado nutricional. Foram estudadas 46 gestantes (22 no 1° trimestre de gestação - grupo 1 ; e 24 no 2º trimestre de gestação - grupo 2), com idade superior a 19 anos, que não fizeram uso de suplemento vitamínico mineral contendo zinco, atendidas no Ambulatório de Obstetrícia do Hospital Universitário da USP e no Serviço de Pré-Natal do Centro de Saúde \"Geraldo de Paula Souza\" da Faculdade de Saúde Pública da USP. O consumo alimentar usual com ênfase no Zn foi estimado por meio de registro alimentar de 3 dias não-consecutivos. A ingestão calórica foi de 1977±422 kcal/dia para o 1° trimestre e de 1989±464 kcal/dia para o segundo. Apesar de não ter atingido a EER a distribuição média percentual para carboidratos, lipídeos e proteínas foi adequada nos dois grupos. A média de ingestão de zinco foi de 9,34±3,2 mg/dia para o 1° trimestre de 9, 1±3,2 mg/dia para o 2° trimestre, sendo que 62% e 58,3% das gestantes do grupo do 1° trimestre e do 2° respectivamente, não atingiram os valores de EAR (11 mg). A variabilidade intra -individual da ingestão de zinco foi maior entre as gestantes do 1° trimestre enquanto que a variabilidade interindividual foi maior entre as gestantes do 2° trimestre. Os parâmetros bioquímicos utilizados para avaliar o estado nutricional relativo ao zinco foram: o plasma, os eritrócitos e a urina de 24 horas. As médias das concentrações de zinco no plasma foram 65,5±11,8 &#181;g/dL e 59,6±9,2 &#181;g/dL para o 1º e o 2° trimestre de gestação, portanto dentro da normalidade. Nos eritrócitos as médias de concentrações foram 37,5±6,9 &#181;gZn/gHb e 38,3±6, 1 &#181;gZn/gHb para o 1° e o 2º trimestre de gestação, portanto abaixo dos valores de referência. Na urina de 24 horas as médias de concentrações foram 254,8±97,8 &#181;g/dia e 281±137,6 &#181;g/dia para o 1° e o 2° trimestre de gestação, portanto dentro da normalidade. Não houve correlação linear significativa a 5% entre a ingestão de zinco e as variáveis bioquímicas, apenas para as gestantes do 2° trimestre encontramos relação de significância (p=0,0173), mas que foi inversa, e analisada isoladamente não foi suficiente para a correta interpretação. Os resultados indicam que apesar das gestantes estarem com o estado nutricional relativo ao zinco adequado, há necessidade de mais investigação, pois os resultados apresentados não foram suficientes para determinar a relação entre a ingestão de zinco e os parâmetros bioquímicos avaliados.Zinc is an essential nutrient for development and rapid growth, as gestational period. lhe purpose of this work was to estimate the usual zinc intake for pregnant women, and verify the variability intra and inter-individual and its relationship with the nutritional status. We evaluated 46 pregnant women (22 in the first trimester - group 1; and 24 in the second trimester - group 2), aged 19 years and older, who did not use mineral or/and vitamin supplement containing zinc, assisted at the Ambulatório de Obstetrícia do Hospital Universitário USP and at the Serviço de Pré-Natal do Centro de Saúde \"Geraldo de Paula Souza\" da Faculdade de Saúde Pública - USP. The usual nutrient intake, specially Zn, was assessed with a 3 days food records. The mean energy intake was 1977 ±422 kcal/day for the first trimester group and 1989±464 kcal/day for the second one. Although the two groups were below the EER both showed adequacy in the distribution (%) for carbohydrate, fat and proteins. The mean zinc intake was 9,34±3,2 mg/day for the first trimester group and 9, 1 ±3,2 mg/day for the second one, and from this results we observed that 62% of the women in the first trimester group and 58,3% in the second had Zn intake below the EAR (11 mg). The intra-individual variability of zinc intake among the pregnant women in the first trimester group was greater than the second one while the inter-individual variability among the pregnant women of the second trimester was greater than those in the first. The biochemical parameters used to evaluate the zinc nutritional status were: plasma, erythrocyte and 24 hours urine zinc concentrations. Mean plasma zinc concentration was 65,5±11,8 &#181;g/dL and 59,6±9,2 &#181;g/dL for the first and second trimester groups, meaning they were adequate according this parameter. Mean erythrocyte zinc concentration was 37,5±6,9 &#181;gZn/gHb and 38,3±6, 1 &#181;gZn/gHb for the first and the second trimester respectively, meaning that they were not adequate according to this parameter. Mean 24 hours urine concentration was 254,8±97,8 &#181;g/day and 281 ±137,6 &#181;g/day for the 1 st and the 2nd trimester groups respectively, meaning they were adequate for this parameter. There was no significant correlation between zinc intake and biochemical parameters. The results of this study suggest that in spite of the adequate zinc status in these pregnant women, more investigation is needed once there were no sufficient data to determine the relationship between zinc intake and its biochemical parameters