4-H club circular ; 025

Prepared by Miss Marion K. White, Extension Specialist in Nutrition, in collaboration with Miss Jane Hinote, Miss Margaret C. Huston and Miss Sara Chiles, Assistant State Club Agents, as a revision of the original material prepared by Miss Marion E. Dunshee, Extension Specialist in Nutrition."April, 1928" (Reprinted, January, 1930

A sensitive high performance liquid chromatography assay for the quantification of doxorubicin associated with DNA in tumor and tissues

A HPLC method was validated to quantify doxorubicin associated to DNA from tissue.Successfully applied to an in vivo mouse-based pharmacokinetic study.Important tool for future studies evaluating intracellular pharmacokinetics.Doxorubicin, a widely used anticancer agent, exhibits antitumor activity against a wide variety of malignancies. The drug exerts its cytotoxic effects by binding to and intercalating within the DNA of tumor and tissue cells. However, current assays are unable to accurately determine the concentration of the intracellular active form of doxorubicin. Thus, the development of a sample processing method and a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodology was performed in order to quantify doxorubicin that is associated with DNA in tumors and tissues, which provided an intracellular cytotoxic measure of doxorubicin exposure after administration of small molecule and nanoparticle formulations of doxorubicin. The assay uses daunorubicin as an internal standard; liquid–liquid phase extraction to isolate drug associated with DNA; a Shimadzu HPLC with fluorescence detection equipped with a Phenomenex Luna C18 (2 μm, 2.0 × 100 mm) analytical column and a gradient mobile phase of 0.1% formic acid in water or acetonitrile for separation and quantification. The assay has a lower limit of detection (LLOQ) of 10 ng/mL and is shown to be linear up to 3000 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision of the assay expressed as a coefficient of variation (CV%) ranged from 4.01 to 8.81%. Furthermore, the suitability of this assay for measuring doxorubicin associated with DNA in vivo was demonstrated by using it to quantify the doxorubicin concentration within tumor samples from SKOV3 and HEC1A mice obtained 72 h after administration of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil®; PLD) at 6 mg/kg IV x 1. This HPLC assay allows for sensitive intracellular quantification of doxorubicin and will be an important tool for future studies evaluating intracellular pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin and various nanoparticle formulations of doxorubicin

Field scale soil health scenarios. Vermont Payment for Ecosystem Services Technical Report #2

This report illustrates how changes in management on Vermont farms can influence soil health metrics at the field scale. We’ve used regionally relevant science-based scenarios to demonstrate how selected soil health metrics that are associated with ecosystem services could change on farms in response to management practices at the field scale. These field scale management scenarios demonstrate that many practices in use by farmers in Vermont can have positive impacts on the soil health indicators of interest to the Vermont Soil Health & Payment for Ecosystem Services Working Group. The scenarios document potential for tradeoffs among soil health properties. Specifically, some of the scenarios illustrate how bulk density and compaction can worsen in instances when other soil health properties improve. Long-term research that measures multiple indicators of soil health and ecosystem services on recommended soil health management practices in Vermont is needed to support the evidence-base for soil health and ecosystem services incentive programs

Early antenatal prediction of gestational diabetes in obese women: development of prediction tools for targeted intervention

All obese women are categorised as being of equally high risk of gestational diabetes (GDM) whereas the majority do not develop the disorder. Lifestyle and pharmacological interventions in unselected obese pregnant women have been unsuccessful in preventing GDM. Our aim was to develop a prediction tool for early identification of obese women at high risk of GDM to facilitate targeted interventions in those most likely to benefit. Clinical and anthropometric data and non-fasting blood samples were obtained at 15+0–18+6 weeks’ gestation in 1303 obese pregnant women from UPBEAT, a randomised controlled trial of a behavioural intervention. Twenty one candidate biomarkers associated with insulin resistance, and a targeted nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolome were measured. Prediction models were constructed using stepwise logistic regression. Twenty six percent of women (n = 337) developed GDM (International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria). A model based on clinical and anthropometric variables (age, previous GDM, family history of type 2 diabetes, systolic blood pressure, sum of skinfold thicknesses, waist:height and neck:thigh ratios) provided an area under the curve of 0.71 (95%CI 0.68–0.74). This increased to 0.77 (95%CI 0.73–0.80) with addition of candidate biomarkers (random glucose, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fructosamine, adiponectin, sex hormone binding globulin, triglycerides), but was not improved by addition of NMR metabolites (0.77; 95%CI 0.74–0.81). Clinically translatable models for GDM prediction including readily measurable variables e.g. mid-arm circumference, age, systolic blood pressure, HbA1c and adiponectin are described. Using a ≥35% risk threshold, all models identified a group of high risk obese women of whom approximately 50% (positive predictive value) later developed GDM, with a negative predictive value of 80%. Tools for early pregnancy identification of obese women at risk of GDM are described which could enable targeted interventions for GDM prevention in women who will benefit the most

Contra-power harassment of nursing academics

No abstract

Vitamin D status of pregnant women with obesity in the United Kingdom and its association with pregnancy outcomes: a secondary analysis of the UPBEAT study

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency is widely reported and may affect perinatal outcomes. In this secondary analysis of the UK Pregnancies Better Eating and Activity Trial (UPBEAT), we examined vitamin D status and its relationship with selected pregnancy outcomes in women with obesity (BMI≥30kg/m2) from multi-ethnic inner-city settings in the UK. Determinants of vitamin D status at a mean of 17±1 weeks' gestation were assessed using multivariable linear regression and reported as percent differences in serum hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). Associations between 25(OH)D and clinical outcomes were examined using logistic regression. Among 1089 participants, 67% had 25(OH)D &lt;50nmol/L and 26% had concentrations &lt;25nmol/L. In fully adjusted models accounting for socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics, 25(OH)D was lower among women of Black (% difference = -33; 95%CI: -39 to -27), Asian (% difference= -43; 95%CI: -51 to -35) and other non-White (% difference= -26; 95%CI: -35 to -14) ethnicity compared to women of White ethnicity (n=1086; P&lt;0.001 for all). In unadjusted analysis, risk of gestational diabetes was greater in women with 25(OH)D &lt;25nmol/L compared to ≥50nmol/L (OR=1.58; 95%CI: 1.09 to 2.31), but the magnitude of effect estimates was attenuated in the multivariable model (OR=1.33; 95%CI: 0.88 to 2.00). There were no associations between 25(OH)D and risk of preeclampsia, preterm birth, or SGA or LGA delivery. These findings demonstrate low 25(OH)D among pregnant women with obesity and highlight ethnic disparities in vitamin D status in the UK. However, evidence for a greater risk of adverse perinatal outcomes among women with vitamin D deficiency was limited.</p

Analgesic prescribing in patients with inflammatory arthritis in England: an observational study using electronic healthcare record data

OBJECTIVES: International data suggest inflammatory arthritis (IA) pain management frequently involves opioid prescribing, despite little evidence of efficacy, and potential harms. We evaluated analgesia prescribing in English National Health Service-managed patients with IA. METHODS: Repeated cross-sectional analyses in the Consultations in Primary Care Archive (primary care consultation/prescription data in 9 general practices from 2000-2015) evaluated the annual prevalence of analgesia prescriptions in: (a) IA cases (rheumatoid arthritis [RA]/psoriatic arthritis [PsA]/axial spondyloarthritis [SpA]), and (b) up-to five age/sex/practice-matched controls. Analgesia prescriptions were classified into basic/opioids/gabapentinoids/oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and sub-classified into chronic and intermittent (=3 and 1-2 prescriptions/calendar-year, respectively). RESULTS: In 2000, there were 594 cases/2,652 controls, rising to 1,080 cases/4,703 controls in 2015. In all years, most (65.3-78.5%) cases received analgesia, compared with fewer (37.5-41.1%) controls. Opioid prescribing in cases fell between 2000-2015 but remained common with 45.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 42.4%, 48.4%) and 32.9% (95% CI 29.8%, 36.0%) receiving at least 1 and =3 opioid prescriptions, respectively in 2015. Gabapentinoid prescription prevalence in cases increased from 0% in 2000, to 9.5% (95% CI 7.9%, 11.4%) in 2015, and oral NSAID prescription prevalence fell from 53.7% (95% CI 49.6%, 57.8%) in 2000, to 25.0% (95% CI 22.4%, 27.7%) in 2015. Across years, analgesia prescribing was commoner in RA than PsA/axial SpA, and 1.7-2.0 times higher in cases than controls. CONCLUSIONS: Analgesia prescribing in IA is common. This is at variance with existing evidence of analgesia efficacy/risks, and guidelines. Interventions are needed to improve analgesia prescribing in this population

MR448: Bees and Their Habitats in Four New England States

Bees are crucial to pollination in unmanaged ecosystems and some crops, and their roles are increasingly understood in four states in the Northeastern U.S., abbreviated “NNE” in this paper: Maine (ME), Massachusetts (MA), New Hampshire (NH), and Vermont (VT). The four states have in common many native bee and plant species, forest types, and natural communities. They share drought events and risk of wildfire (Irland 2013). They are exposed to many of the same major storms (e.g., hurricanes, Foster 1988), pollution events (Hand et al. 2014), and effects ascribed to climate change (Hayhoe et al. 2008). Beekeeping enterprises (the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, an introduced species) of various sizes exist in each of the states. By including the four states in this review, we hope to better understand wild bee distributions, inspire the expansion of floral resources to support bee populations in a strategic manner, reduce use of pesticides, create pollinator corridors, and protect subtle habitat features such as ground nest sites for solitary bees and patches of native vegetation that are free of invasive plants. Our objective in this review is to synthesize from a conservation standpoint the state of knowledge regarding bees in NNE, including their diversity, and biology especially as it relates to climate change. We review foraging and nutrition, nest ecology, parasites and parasitoids, native vs. managed bees, and interactions with plants. We then turn our focus to bee habitats, and identify 15 habitat types we find useful for recognizing essential bee resources. We discuss habitat aspects including forest succession, invasive plants, land use alterations, and agriculture including impacts of pesticides, and cover economic aspects of crop-related pollination reservoirs in NNE that demonstrate cost-effectiveness at various scales. We present habitat improvement strategies including passive and active approaches, based on the literature and our experiences in NNE, and we suggest plants for pollinator plantings. Wherever pertinent throughout the text, we highlight threats to bees in our region such as pests and pathogens, pesticides, and habitat loss. Finally, we identify gaps in knowledge that could help in prioritizing directions for future research. We hope this review will be useful to anyone seeking to protect bees and their habitats.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_miscreports/1029/thumbnail.jp