Cross-sectional study of risky substance use by injured emergency department patients

INTRODUCTION: Survey data regarding the prevalence of risky substance use in the emergency department (ED) is not consistent. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of risky substance use among injured ED patients based on the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST v3.0). A secondary objective was to report on the feasibility of administering the ASSIST to this population, based on the time to conduct screening. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used screening data from a randomized controlled trial. Injured ED patients completed the ASSIST on a tablet computer, and an ASSIST score was computed that indicated the need for a brief or intensive treatment intervention (risky use) for alcohol and other substances. For a subsample, data on time to complete each step of screening was recorded. RESULTS: Between July 2010 and March 2013, 5,695 patients completed the ASSIST. Most (92%) reported lifetime use of at least one substance and 51% reported current risky use of at least one substance. Mean time to complete the ASSIST was 5.4 minutes and screening was considered feasible even when paused for clinical care to proceed. CONCLUSION: Estimates of risky substance use based on the ASSIST in our large sample of injured ED patients were higher than previously reported in other studies of ED patients, possibly due to the current focus on an injured population. In addition, it was feasible to administer the ASSIST to patients in the course of their clinical care.Published versio

A review of sugar consumption from nationally representative dietary surveys across the world.

BACKGROUND: Government and health organisations worldwide have recently reviewed the evidence on the role of dietary sugars in relation to health outcomes. Hence, it is timely to review current intakes of dietary sugars with respect to this guidance and as a benchmark for future surveillance. METHODS: This review collates data from nationally representative dietary surveys across the world and reports estimates of intakes of total and added sugars, and sucrose in different population subgroups. Total sugars includes all mono- and disaccharides; namely, glucose, fructose, lactose, sucrose and maltose. Added and free sugars differ in the quantity of natural sugars included in their definitions. Free sugars include sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates, whereas added sugars typically only refer to those added during processing. RESULTS: Most countries reported intakes of total sugars, with fewer reporting intakes of added sugars and sucrose. No country reported intakes of free sugars. The available data suggest that total sugars as a percentage of energy were highest in the infant (<4 years), with mean values ranging from 20.0% to 38.4%, and decreased over the lifespan to 13.5–24.6% in adults. Intakes of added sugars were higher in school-aged children and adolescents (up to 19% of total energy) compared to younger children or adults. CONCLUSIONS: Further research into the dietary patterns contributing to added sugars intake in children and adolescents is warranted. It would also be beneficial to policy guidance if future dietary surveys employed a uniform way of expressing sugars that is feasible to measure and has public health significance

Nutritional role of microalgae in the diet of first stage brachyuran crab larvae

The survival and distribution of benthic invertebrate larvae have important implications for the population dynamics of the species and, due to predator-prey interactions, can have important consequences to the communities in which they live. Nutrition and food availability are among the primary determinants of larval success. The feeding strategy of brachyuran larval crabs is a complex combination of omnivory and selection. Although ingestion of microalgae by larvae has been observed, their role in satisfying larval nutritional needs is unclear. This study examined the role ingesting phytoplankton plays in the nutrition of larval crabs by simulating conditions in which algal prey might increase survival or accelerate development. The alga, Isochrysis galbana, and zooplankters Artemia sp. nauplii and rotifer Brachionis plicatilis, were used as prey in experiments with larvae of three brachyuran crab species representing different families and hatching seasons: Lophopanopeus bellus, Metacarcinus (Cancer) magister, and Hemigrapsus nudus. Experimental conditions included exposure of larvae to algae alone immediately upon hatching, interspersed periods of algal and zooplankton prey and mixed algae-zooplankton prey. In post-hatching feeding experiments with L. bellus and M. magister, survival decreased and development was delayed as the initial period of starvation or algal feeding prior to zooplankton feeding was extended, with no differences between the unfed and algal-fed diets. Mean Point-of-No-Return (PNR) values for unfed and algal-fed treatments were not significantly different from one another and post-hoc contrasts showed no difference between the two experimental treatments, except in a few instances where stage duration of L. bellus larvae fed algae for one day was shortened by just under a half-day, and for M. magister larvae where larvae fed algae for three days had 16.7% survival while all corresponding unfed larvae died. In patchy prey experiments L. bellus survival and H. nudus survival and development rate were unaffected by exposure to algae; however, presence of algae accelerated L. bellus larval development by 5% (0.77 days). Results from mixed prey diet experiments showed no difference in L. bellus survival and development rate when algae supplemented zooplankton. Results indicate that, overall, I. galbana does not significantly contribute to larval survival or development rate. Benefits of an opportunistic feeding strategy in which widespread, seemingly inefficient feeding on algae occurs might be contingent upon particular predator-prey species interactions (i.e. a more nutrient-laden alga), or may only pay off in particular conditions (i.e. a sparse prey field)

Vibronic interactions in the visible and near-infrared spectra of C60− anions

Electron-phonon coupling is an important factor in understanding many properties of the C60 fullerides. However, there has been little success in quantifying the strength of the vibronic coupling in C60 ions, with considerable disagreement between experimental and theoretical results. We will show that neglect of quadratic coupling in previous models for C60- ions results in a significant overestimate of the linear coupling constants. Including quadratic coupling allows a coherent interpretation to be made of earlier experimental and theoretical results which at first sight are incompatible

Rapid and quantitative determination of hexanal in cooked muscle foods

A simple and rapid method was developed to quantify hexanaJ in cooked muscle foods. The method involves extraction of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones of carbonyls with hexane and their separation by reversed-phased high performance liquid chromatography. The method compared well with the classical thiobarbituric acid test. The method was successfully used to quantify hexana) in cooked beef and pork burgers during storage at 4 °C for up to 1 week as well as in cooked turkey burgers after diet supplementation with vitamin E. After 7 days' storage at 4 °C, the contents of hexanal increased from 0.71 to 22.50 μ.mol/kg in beef burgers, from 0.89 to 32.7S μmol / kg in pork burgers and from 1.31 to S2.16 μmol / kg in turkey burgers (20 mg vitamin E per kg feed). Supplementation of turkey feeds with 600 mg Yitamin E per kg resulted in a 24% reduction in hexanal content in cooked turkey burgers after storage for 7 days at 4 °C, compared to the control (unsupplemented) group

Invisible, Underserved, and Diverse: The Health of Women in Prison

In the United States of America, women are the fastest growing segment of the criminal justice system. They are entering the system with far greater physical and mental health problems than men, but with fewer health services. Additionally, within this expanding population of incarcerated women, are disproportionately represented poor women of color with serious health needs. This article: a) uses an ecosocial model to examine and critique the health and healthcare of women in prison, b) examines social structures that influence incarceration and health status, and c) proposes reconsideration of current prison health services and education

Measurement of Epstein-Barr virus DNA load using a novel quantification standard containing two EBV DNA targets and SYBR Green I dye

BACKGROUND Reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection may cause serious, life-threatening complications in immunocompromised individuals. EBV DNA is often detected in EBV-associated disease states, with viral load believed to be a reflection of virus activity. Two separate real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) assays using SYBR Green I dye and a single quantification standard containing two EBV genes, Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) and BamHI fragment H rightward open reading frame-1 (BHRF-1), were developed to detect and measure absolute EBV DNA load in patients with various EBV-associated diseases. EBV DNA loads and viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG antibody titres were also quantified on a population sample. RESULTS EBV DNA was measurable in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) whole blood, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. EBV DNA loads were detectable from 8.0 × 10² to 1.3 × 10⁸ copies/ml in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (n = 5), 1.5 × 10³ to 2.0 × 10⁵ copies/ml in infectious mononucleosis (n = 7), 7.5 × 10⁴ to 1.1 × 10⁵ copies/ml in EBV-associated haemophagocytic syndrome (n = 1), 2.0 × 10² to 5.6 × 10³ copies/ml in HIV-infected patients (n = 12), and 2.0 × 10² to 9.1 × 10⁴ copies/ml in the population sample (n = 218). EBNA-1 and BHRF-1 DNA were detected in 11.0% and 21.6% of the population sample respectively. There was a modest correlation between VCA IgG antibody titre and BHRF-1 DNA load (rho = 0.13, p = 0.05) but not EBNA-1 DNA load (rho = 0.11, p = 0.11). CONCLUSION Two sensitive and specific real-time PCR assays using SYBR Green I dye and a single quantification standard containing two EBV DNA targets, were developed for the detection and measurement of EBV DNA load in a variety of clinical samples. These assays have application in the investigation of EBV-related illnesses in immunocompromised individuals.The Ausimmune Study is funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of the USA, the National Health & Medical Research Council (Project Grant 316901) and Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia

Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Alcoholics

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66229/1/j.1530-0277.1999.tb04034.x.pd

Current and Potential Treatments for Reducing Campylobacter Colonization in Animal Hosts and Disease in Humans

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacteria-derived gastroenteritis worldwide. In the developed world, Campylobacter is usually acquired by consuming undercooked poultry, while in the developing world it is often obtained through drinking contaminated water. Once consumed, the bacteria adhere to the intestinal epithelium or mucus layer, causing toxin-mediated inhibition of fluid reabsorption from the intestine and invasion-induced inflammation and diarrhea. Traditionally, severe or prolonged cases of campylobacteriosis have been treated with antibiotics; however, overuse of these antibiotics has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. As the incidence of antibiotic resistance, emergence of post-infectious diseases, and economic burden associated with Campylobacter increases, it is becoming urgent that novel treatments are developed to reduce Campylobacter numbers in commercial poultry and campylobacteriosis in humans. The purpose of this review is to provide the current status of present and proposed treatments to combat Campylobacter infection in humans and colonization in animal reservoirs. These treatments include anti- Campylobacter compounds, probiotics, bacteriophage, vaccines, and anti -Campylobacter bacteriocins, all of which may be successful at reducing the incidence of campylobacteriosis in humans and/or colonization loads in poultry. In addition to reviewing treatments, we will also address several proposed targets that may be used in future development of novel anti- Campylobacter treatments