Variability in splanchnic tissue oxygenation during preterm red blood cell transfusion given for symptomatic anaemia may reveal a potential mechanism of transfusion-related acute gut injury

Background There is increasing evidence indicating an association between red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants, especially late-onset NEC. This phenomenon is referred to as transfusion-related acute gut injury (TRAGI). One theory as to a pathophysiological mechanism is that transfusion may result in an ischemia-reperfusion injury to intestinal tissue. We tested the hypothesis that there is significantly greater variability during transfusion in splanchnic tissue oxygen saturation (SrSO2) than in cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (CrSO2). Materials and methods This was a prospective, observational study using near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor SrSO2 and CrSO2in preterm neonates undergoing RBC transfusion for symptomatic anaemia. Mean, standard deviation, highest and lowest SrSO2 and CrSO2 values during each transfusion were determined. The greatest difference in SrSO2 and CrSO2 during each transfusion was calculated, along with the coefficient of variation. Results We studied 37 subjects. Throughout all transfusions, the mean SrSO2 was 45.6% ±13.8 and the mean CrSO2 was 65.4% ±6.9 (p\u3c0.001). The variability of SrSO2 was significantly greater than that of CrSO2. Averaging data from all subjects, the greatest difference in SrSO2 was 43.8% ±13.4 compared with 23.3% ±7.6 for CrSO2 (p\u3c0.001). The mean coefficient of variation in all transfusions was 20.5% for SrSO2and 6.0% for CrSO2 (p\u3c0.001). Increasing post-conceptional age did not affect SrSO2 variability (R2=0.022; p=0.379), whereas CrSO2 variability during transfusion decreased with increasing post-conceptional age (R2=0.209; p=0.004). Discussion In preterm infants, there is a large degree of tissue oxygenation variability in splanchnic tissue during RBC transfusion and this does not change with increasing maturity. We speculate that these findings, combined with lower average tissue oxygenation, may demonstrate susceptibility of the preterm gut to TRAGI

Stand up Paddle Surfing-An Aerobic Workout and Balance Training

AbstractOriginating from an ancient Hawaiian tradition Stand Up Paddle Surfing (SUP) is a growing pastime and sports activity in which a person stands upright on a surfboard and propels it using a single paddle. During paddling the board constantly is in an unstable condition forcing paddlers to focus on keeping balance and simultaneously propelling the board by paddling. Therefore it is expected that SUP can be a high impact aerobic workout and balance training. A total of 68 subjects performed on-water and SUP ergometer trials, during ergometer trials heart rate (HR) was permanently measured and balance was assessed before and after all trials (ergometer and on-water) using a single leg hop test on a Win Pod electronic baropedometric platform. Results of the balance tests - though for a relatively small number of participants - showed that after ergometer trials a significant improvement in stability occurred whereas it was only significant for the right foot's anteroposterior movement after on-water trials. The result of the exercise-test illustrated that the HR of beginners stays in the aerobic zone which makes SUP suitable for endurance training

Prioritization of mycotoxins for risk management action based on both public health risk and mitigation efficacy

There is a large and progressively growing number of mycotoxins with new potential concerns and implications on consumer protection. The classical approach to risk management is to deal with each emerging hazard individually, leading to both overload and lack of coherence in terms of an overall riskbased approach. The development of mitigation strategies should prioritize mycotoxins that regularly occur at undesirable levels in commonly consumed commodities, wherein both the toxicological profiles and effectiveness of mitigation are understood with a reasonable degree of certainty. The ultimate goal of mycotoxin mitigation is to prevent adverse health effects caused by foodborne exposure to mycotoxins, while preserving nutritional and organoleptic quality of food. The International Life Sciences Institute Europe (ILSI Europe) Food Contaminants Task Force is firmly committed to contributing to the understanding of the issues of mycotoxins affecting the different points of the food chain. This presentation will illustrate a recent new activity that is devoted to establishing a framework for the prioritization of mycotoxins found in food following a risk-based approach (decision tree). Based on the evidence and scale of risk to consumers, and the potential for risk mitigation, the framework will enable the differentiation between mycotoxins where risk management action is both warranted and likely to be effective based on available evidence. Through case-studies, this framework will also highlight potential knowledge gaps. The proposed activity is therefore devoted to delineating the right path for scaling and prioritizing mycotoxins in terms of risk-ranking and consequent mitigation opportunities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exposure assessment of process-related contaminants in food by biomarker monitoring

Exposure assessment is a fundamental part of the risk assessment paradigm, but can often present a number of challenges and uncertainties. This is especially the case for process contaminants formed during the processing, e.g. heating of food, since they are in part highly reactive and/or volatile, thus making exposure assessment by analysing contents in food unreliable. New approaches are therefore required to accurately assess consumer exposure and thus better inform the risk assessment. Such novel approaches may include the use of biomarkers, physiologically based kinetic (PBK) modelling-facilitated reverse dosimetry, and/or duplicate diet studies. This review focuses on the state of the art with respect to the use of biomarkers of exposure for the process contaminants acrylamide, 3-MCPD esters, glycidyl esters, furan and acrolein. From the overview presented, it becomes clear that the field of assessing human exposure to process-related contaminants in food by biomarker monitoring is promising and strongly developing. The current state of the art as well as the existing data gaps and challenges for the future were defined. They include (1) using PBK modelling and duplicate diet studies to establish, preferably in humans, correlations between external exposure and biomarkers; (2) elucidation of the possible endogenous formation of the process-related contaminants and the resulting biomarker levels; (3) the influence of inter-individual variations and how to include that in the biomarker-based exposure predictions; (4) the correction for confounding factors; (5) the value of the different biomarkers in relation to exposure scenario’s and risk assessment, and (6) the possibilities of novel methodologies. In spite of these challenges it can be concluded that biomarker-based exposure assessment provides a unique opportunity to more accurately assess consumer exposure to process-related contaminants in food and thus to better inform risk assessment

The Lantern Vol. 42, No. 2, Spring 1976

• Cape Cod • Thoughts • Circle of Stone • Ursinus: A Collegiate Game for All Ages • Spring • And The Clown Sings • Tainted Dreams • The Funeral • With Apologies to Ken Nordeen • Curiosity • Crystaline Magical Hue • Time • The Stalemate • Back Porch Genocide • T-18 • Photo Album • Eunuchhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1108/thumbnail.jp