The Effects Of Gastrin Releasing Peptide In Fetal Sheep, Pregnant Sheep And Non Pregnant Sheep

These studies examined the hypothesis that GRP stimulates insulin release from the endocrine pancreas of ovine fetuses. This could occur due to the action of GRP directly within the fetal compartment or due to indirect effects of GRP on glucose and insulin concentrations in the maternal compartment which in turn influences the availability of glucose for transplacental transfer to the fetus and hence produce alterations in fetal insulin release.;The studies performed provided the following results: (1) IR-GRP was detectable in nerves of the GI tract and in the systemic circulation but not in the pancreas of fetal and adult sheep; (2) Intravenous administration of GRP stimulates insulin and glucagon release and potentiates glucose stimulated insulin release in adult non-pregnant sheep; (3) Preliminary studies suggest that plasma IR-GRP concentrations rise in non-pregnant sheep following feeding. These results are consistent with a proposed incretin action of GRP which acts systemically to alter insulin release. However, further experiments are necessary to confirm this suggestion. The ability of GRP to stimulate insulin release and potentiate glucose stimulated insulin release, is attenuated in pregnant compared to non-pregnant sheep. Furthermore, the diminished insulin response to GRP and/or glucose observed in pregnant sheep was reproduced in non-pregnant ovariectomized sheep treated with progesterone and estradiol but not estradiol alone. This suggests that elevated circulating progesterone concentrations which occur during pregnancy mediate, at least in part, the reduced ability for GRP to influence insulin release observed in pregnant sheep. Similar doses of GRP and/or glucose administered to fetal sheep over the last one-third of gestation did not alter fetal plasma insulin concentrations significantly. IR-GRP is present in very high concentrations in fetal plasma which probably explains why exogenous GRP administration into fetal sheep did not alter circulating GRP or insulin concentrations. Further experiments are necessary to determine the site of production and function of GRP within the fetus

Effects of Electrical Stimulation on Wound Closure in Mice with Experimental Diabetes Mellitus

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of electrical stimulation (ES) on the closure of full-thickness excisional wounds in mice with type-1 experimental diabetes mellitus (DM). Alloxon monohydrate (100mg/kg) was used to induce experimental DM in mole CD-1 mice (n = 88). Full-thickness skin excisions (1cm2) in diabetic (urine glucose \u3e 0) and non-diabetic (urine glucose = 0) mice were administered 1, 3, or 5 treatments of ES (200μs, 200 Hz) for 15 minutes, at 0 (sham), 5, 10, or 12.5 volts. Alloxon injection resulted in a positive urine glucose test in 48 mice yielding an induction rate for DM of 54.5 percent. All groups exhibited decreases in wound length, perimeter, and surface area between days 2 and 16 following the creation of wounds. Non-diabetic wounds treated with ES hod the greatest percentage (60%) of closure. Diabetic wounds treated with ES hod a greater percentage of clo­sure (36%) compared with sham-treated diabetic animals (12.5%). Treatment of wounds with the highest voltage of ES (12.5V) produced significant (P \u3c 0.01) decreases in the surface area, and significant (P \u3c 0.01) changes in the shapes of wounds in both diabetic and non-diabetic animals compared with sham-treated animals. These results support the clinical use of this adjunctive therapy to accelerate the closure of ulcers due to OM

Correspondence to M. Rebecca Boggs, dates unknown

Correspondence to M. Rebecca Boggs, dates unknown. Box 2, folder 9.https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/littlejohnboggs/1019/thumbnail.jp

Electrical stimulation therapy for the treatment of pressure ulcers in individuals with spinal cord injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of electrical stimulation therapy (EST) on healing pressure ulcers in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Nursing & Allied Health and Dissertation & Theses databases were searched for relevant English language articles from the date of inception to 31 January 2014. Separate searches were conducted in Google Scholar and academic journals specialised in wound care. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility. Studies were included if EST was used to treat pressure ulcers in individuals with SCI. A total of 599 articles were screened, and 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis with five studies demonstrated that EST significantly decreased the ulcer size by 1⋅32%/day [95% confidence interval (CI): 0⋅58–2⋅05, P \u3c 0⋅001] compared to standard wound care (SWC) or sham EST. Another meta-analysis conducted with four studies showed that EST increased the risk of wound healing by 1⋅55 times compared with standard wound care or sham EST (95% CI: 1⋅12 to 2⋅15, P \u3c 0⋅0001). Because of the wide array of outcome measures across studies, a single meta-analysis could not be conducted. EST appears to be an effective adjunctive therapy to accelerate and increase pressure ulcer closure in individuals with SCI

Vitamin D Status and Supplementation Practices in Elite Irish Athletes: An Update from 2010/11.

Vitamin D deficiency is a global health concern that is prevalent in Ireland. The vitamin D status of elite Irish athletes following implementation of a revised supplementation policy in 2010/2011 has not been explored to date. This study aimed to assess the vitamin D status of elite Irish athletes participating in high-profile sports and establish if equatorial travel, supplementation and/or sunbed use predict vitamin D status. Across Ireland, blood samples (n = 92) were obtained from cricketers (n = 28), boxers (n = 21) and women’s rugby sevens players (n = 43) between November 2013 and April 2015. Total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were quantified using LC-MS/MS. Parathyroid hormone and adjusted calcium concentrations were measured by clinical biochemistry. Athletes completed a questionnaire that queried equatorial travel, supplementation and sunbed use. Vitamin D sufficiency (25(OH)D >50 nmol/L) was evident in 86% of athletes. Insufficiency (31–49 nmol/L) and deficiency (<30 nmol/L) was present in only 12% and 2% of athletes respectively. On average, athletes from all sport disciplines were vitamin D sufficient and 25% reported vitamin D supplementation which was a significant positive predictor of vitamin D status, (OR 4.31; 95% CI 1.18–15.75; p = 0.027). Equatorial travel and sun bed use were reported in 47% and 16% of athletes respectively however these factors did not predict vitamin D status (both p > 0.05). Although different cohorts were assessed, the overall prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency was 55% in 2010/2011 compared with only 14% in 2013/2015. Targeted supplementation is highly effective in optimising vitamin D status, negating the need for blanket-supplementation in elite cohorts

Trajectories of loneliness during adolescence predict subsequent symptoms of depression and positive wellbeing

There is a need to identify the outcomes of changes in loneliness during adolescence, and to consider this within a multidimensional framework of loneliness. This study considered the effects of different trajectories of change in Isolation Loneliness and in Friendship Loneliness upon both positive wellbeing and symptoms of depression. To achieve this, 1782 (43% female; 12.92 years old at the start of the study, SD = 1.60) young people took part in a longitudinal study with four data points across 2 years. Four Isolation Loneliness trajectories and five Friendship Loneliness trajectories were identified. Youth who experienced low levels of Isolation Loneliness that subsequently increased appear to be at particular risk for poor outcomes. Similarly, initially high levels of Friendship Loneliness that decreased rapidly, or which began at a low level and only increased marginally, seem to also be a risk. Loneliness is a multi-dimensional construct and its development during adolescence impacts upon young people’s depressive symptomatology and positive mental wellbeing

Effects of low power laser irradiation on bone healing in animals: a meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Purpose</p> <p>The meta-analysis was performed to identify animal research defining the effects of low power laser irradiation on biomechanical indicators of bone regeneration and the impact of dosage.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched five electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Database of Randomised Clinical Trials) for studies in the area of laser and bone healing published from 1966 to October 2008. Included studies had to investigate fracture healing in any animal model, using any type of low power laser irradiation, and use at least one quantitative biomechanical measures of bone strength. There were 880 abstracts related to the laser irradiation and bone issues (healing, surgery and assessment). Five studies met our inclusion criteria and were critically appraised by two raters independently using a structured tool designed for rating the quality of animal research studies. After full text review, two articles were deemed ineligible for meta-analysis because of the type of injury method and biomechanical variables used, leaving three studies for meta-analysis. Maximum bone tolerance force before the point of fracture during the biomechanical test, 4 weeks after bone deficiency was our main biomechanical bone properties for the Meta analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Studies indicate that low power laser irradiation can enhance biomechanical properties of bone during fracture healing in animal models. Maximum bone tolerance was statistically improved following low level laser irradiation (average random effect size 0.726, 95% CI 0.08 - 1.37, p 0.028). While conclusions are limited by the low number of studies, there is concordance across limited evidence that laser improves the strength of bone tissue during the healing process in animal models.</p

Fludarabine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and idarubicin with gemtuzumab ozogamicin improves event-free survival in younger patients with newly diagnosed aml and overall survival in patients with npm1 and flt3 mutations

Purpose To determine the optimal induction chemotherapy regimen for younger adults with newly diagnosed AML without known adverse risk cytogenetics. Patients and Methods One thousand thirty-three patients were randomly assigned to intensified (fludarabine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and idarubicin [FLAG-Ida]) or standard (daunorubicin and Ara-C [DA]) induction chemotherapy, with one or two doses of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO). The primary end point was overall survival (OS). Results There was no difference in remission rate after two courses between FLAG-Ida + GO and DA + GO (complete remission [CR] + CR with incomplete hematologic recovery 93% v 91%) or in day 60 mortality (4.3% v 4.6%). There was no difference in OS (66% v 63%; P = .41); however, the risk of relapse was lower with FLAG-Ida + GO (24% v 41%; P < .001) and 3-year event-free survival was higher (57% v 45%; P < .001). In patients with an NPM1 mutation (30%), 3-year OS was significantly higher with FLAG-Ida + GO (82% v 64%; P = .005). NPM1 measurable residual disease (MRD) clearance was also greater, with 88% versus 77% becoming MRD-negative in peripheral blood after cycle 2 (P = .02). Three-year OS was also higher in patients with a FLT3 mutation (64% v 54%; P = .047). Fewer transplants were performed in patients receiving FLAG-Ida + GO (238 v 278; P = .02). There was no difference in outcome according to the number of GO doses, although NPM1 MRD clearance was higher with two doses in the DA arm. Patients with core binding factor AML treated with DA and one dose of GO had a 3-year OS of 96% with no survival benefit from FLAG-Ida + GO. Conclusion Overall, FLAG-Ida + GO significantly reduced relapse without improving OS. However, exploratory analyses show that patients with NPM1 and FLT3 mutations had substantial improvements in OS. By contrast, in patients with core binding factor AML, outcomes were excellent with DA + GO with no FLAG-Ida benefit