The effect of moderate alcohol consumption on adiponectin oligomers and muscle oxidative capacity: a human intervention study

Aims/hypothesis The aim of this study was to investigate whether moderate alcohol consumption increases plasma high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and/or muscle oxidative capacity. Materials and methods Eleven lean (BMI 18 - 25 kg/m(2)) and eight overweight ( BMI >= 27 kg/m(2)) men consumed 100 ml whisky (similar to 32 g alcohol) or water daily for 4 weeks in a randomised, controlled, crossover trial. After each treatment period, muscle biopsies and fasting blood samples were collected. Results Adiponectin concentrations increased ( p <0.001) by 12.5% after 4 weeks of moderate alcohol consumption. Moderate alcohol consumption tended to increase HMW adiponectin by 57% ( p= 0.07) and medium molecular weight adiponectin by 12.5% ( p= 0.07), but not low molecular weight (LMW) adiponectin. Skeletal muscle citrate synthase, cytochrome c oxidase and beta-3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase (beta-HAD) activity were not changed after moderate alcohol consumption, but an interaction between alcohol consumption and BMI was observed for cytochrome c oxidase ( p= 0.072) and citrate synthase ( p= 0.102) activity. Among lean men, moderate alcohol consumption tended to increase cytochrome c oxidase ( p= 0.08) and citrate synthase activity ( p= 0.12) by 23 and 26%, respectively, but not among overweight men. In particular, plasma HMW adiponectin correlated positively with activities of skeletal muscle citrate synthase ( r= 0.64, p= 0.009), cytochrome c oxidase ( p= 0.59, p= 0.009) and beta-HAD ( r= 0.46, p= 0.056), while such correlation was not present for LMW adiponectin. Whole-body insulin sensitivity and intramyocellular triacylglycerol content were not affected by moderate alcohol consumption. Conclusions/interpretation Moderate alcohol consumption increases adiponectin concentrations, and in particular HMW adiponectin. Concentrations of HMW adiponectin in particular were positively associated with skeletal muscle oxidative capacity

Fatigue strength of nodular cast iron with different surface conditions under bending loading

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of surface conditions on the fatigue life of nodular cast iron under cyclic plane bending where the maximum stress is reached at the surface of interest. In order to evaluate the effect of surface conditions, fatigue tests were carried out on five sets of specimens with different surfaces. The surface conditions were as-cast, sand blasted, fine grinded, nitrided and carbonitrided. The results show differences in fatigue strength, which are associated with the surface conditions. The characteristics of the surface layers in the different test specimens were examined by metallography. The fracture surfaces were fractographically analyzed to find places of fatigue crack initiation and to explain different fatigue life

Biochemical analysis of the living human vitreous

Background: To date, our understanding of the biochemical composition of the living human vitreous relies on extrapolations from animal or human post-mortem studies. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of vitreous samples from 27 individuals scheduled for retinal surgery within a tertiary hospital. From each vitreous sample, the concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, glucose, lactate, β- hydroxybutyrate, copper, zinc, selenium, iron, ferritin and transferrin and osmolality were measured. Perioperative serum samples were also obtained for comparison. Results: The following vitreous mean ± standard deviation (95% confidence interval of the mean) was observed for each analyte: sodium, 146.7 ± 3.3 (145.4–148.0) mmol/L; potassium, 5.73 ± 0.86 (5.39–6.08) mmol/L; chloride, 121.6 ± 2.6 (120.6–122.7) mmol/L; calcium, 1.128 ± 0.518 (0.923–1.333) mmol/L; magnesium, 0.900 ± 0.158 (0.838–0.962) mmol/L; glucose, 2.97 ± 0.98 (2.58–3.36) mmol/L; lactate, 3.97 ± 1.09 (3.54–4.40) mmol/L; osmolality, 289.5 ± 6.9 (286.6–292.5) mOsm/kg; BOHB, 0.0937 ± 0.0472 (0.0750–0.1124) mmol/L; copper, 0.519 ± 0.269 (0.412–0.625) µmol/L; zinc, 1.95 ± 1.09 (1.52–2.38) µmol/L; selenium, 0.1035 ± 0.0276 (0.0923–0.1146) µmol/L; iron, 3.11 ± 1.40 (2.56–3.66) µmol/L; ferritin, 19.5 ± 10.3 (15.5–23.6) µg/L; transferrin, 0.0878 ± 0.0526 (0.0670–0.1086) g/L. Vitreous biochemistry was not significantly different between male and female participants. Vitreous biochemistry was significantly different between non-diabetic and diabetic participants. Vitreous biochemistry was significantly different from the vitreous substitute BSS Plus (Alcon, USA). The vitreous extracted from living humans was markedly different from the commonly reported reference values obtained from animal studies. Conclusions: The current data provide hitherto unavailable information about the biochemical composition of the living human vitreous.Jan Kokavec, San H Min, Mei H Tan, Jagjit S Gilhotra, Henry S Newland Shane R Durkin John Grigg, Robert J Casso

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Evaluating Prophylactic Intra-Operative Wound Irrigation for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections.

BACKGROUND Surgical site infections (SSIs) are one of the most common hospital-acquired infections. To reduce SSIs, prophylactic intra-operative wound irrigation (pIOWI) has been advocated, although the results to date are equivocal. To develop recommendations for the new World Health Organization (WHO) SSI prevention guidelines, a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis were conducted on the effectiveness of pIOWI using different agents as a means of reducing SSI. METHODS The PUBMED, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and WHO databases were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing either pIOWI with no pIOWI or with pIOWI using different solutions and techniques were retrieved with SSI as the primary outcome. Meta-analyses were performed, and odds ratios (OR) and the mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were extracted and pooled with a random effects model. RESULTS Twenty-one studies were suitable for analysis, and a distinction was made between intra-peritoneal, mediastinal, and incisional wound irrigation. A low quality of evidence demonstrated a statistically significant benefit for incisional wound irrigation with an aqueous povidone-iodine (PVP-I) solution in clean and clean contaminated wounds (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.13-0.73; p = 0.007); 50 fewer SSIs per 1,000 procedures (from 19 fewer to 64 fewer)). Antibiotic irrigation had no significant effect in reducing SSIs (OR 1.16; 95% CI 0.64-2.12; p = 0.63). CONCLUSION Low-quality evidence suggests considering the use of prophylactic incisional wound irrigation to prevent SSI with an aqueous povidone-iodine solution. Antibiotic irrigation does not show a benefit and therefore is discouraged