Citations

Abstract The effect of chronic (CCR) and intermittent (ICR) caloric restriction on serum adiponectin and leptin levels was investigated in relation to mammary tumorigenesis. 10-wks old MMTV-TGF-α female mice were assigned to ad libitum fed (AL; AIN-93M diet), ICR (3-week 50% caloric restriction, AIN-93M-mod diet, 2× protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals followed by 3-wks 100% AL consumption of AIN-93M), and CCR (calorie and nutrient intake matched for each 6-wks ICR cycle, ∼75% of AL) groups. Mice were sacrificed at 79 (end of restriction) or 82 (end of refeeding) wks of age. Serum was obtained in cycles 1, 3, 5, 8, 11, and terminal. Mammary tumor incidence was 71.0%, 35.4%, and 9.1% for AL, CCR, and ICR mice, respectively. Serum adiponectin levels were similar among groups with no impact of either CCR or ICR. Serum leptin level rose in AL mice with increasing age but was significantly reduced by long-term CCR and ICR. The ICR protocol was also associated with an elevated adiponectin/leptin ratio. In addition, ICR-restricted mice had increased mammary tissue AdipoR1 expression and decreased leptin and ObRb expression compared with AL mice. Mammary fat pads from tumor-free ICR-mice had higher adiponectin expression than AL and CCR mice whereas all tumor-bearing mice had weak adiponectin signal in mammary fat pad. Although we did not show an association of either adiponectin or leptin with individual mice in relation to mammary tumorigenesis, we did find that reduced serum leptin and elevated adiponectin/leptin ratio were associated with the protective effect of intermittent calorie restriction. Cancer Prev Res; 4(4); 568–81. ©2011 AACR.

Context: The delivery of end-of-life care (EOLC) in the intensive care unit (ICU) varies widely among medical care providers. The differing opinions of nurses and physicians regarding EOLC may help identify areas of improvement. Objective: To explore the differences of physicians and nurses on EOLC in the ICU and how these differences vary according to self-reported proficiency level and primary work unit. Design: Cross-sectional survey of 69 ICU physicians and 629 ICU nurses. Setting: Single tertiary care academic medical institution. Results: A total of 50 physicians (72%) and 331 nurses (53%) participated in the survey. Significant differences between physicians and nurses were noted in the following areas: ability to safely raise concerns, do not resuscitate (DNR) decision making, discussion of health care directives, timely hospice referral, spiritual assessment documentation, utilization of social services, and the availability of EOLC education. In every domain of EOLC, physicians reported a more positive perception than nurses. Additional differences were noted among physicians based on experience, as well as among nurses based on their primary work unit and self-reported proficiency level. Conclusions: Even with an increased focus on improving EOLC, significant differences continue to exist between the perspectives of nurses and physicians, as well as physicians among themselves and nurses among themselves. These differences may represent significant barriers toward providing comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated EOLC in the ICU.

Although more prevalent in males in the 6th and 7th decade of life, spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) are an uncommon cause of progressive myelopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging and more recently Gd bolus MR angiography have been used to diagnose, radiographically define, and preprocedurally localize the contributing lumbar artery. Three-dimensional myelographic MR imaging sequences have recently been developed for anatomical evaluation of the spinal canal. The authors describe 3 recent cases in which volumetric myelographic MR imaging with a 3D phase-cycled fast imaging employing steady state acquisition (PC-FIESTA) and a 3D constructive interference steady state (CISS) technique were particularly useful not only for documenting an SDAVF, but also for providing localization when CT angiography, MR imaging, MR angiography, and spinal angiography failed to localize the fistula. In a patient harboring an SDAVF at T-4, surgical exploration was performed based on the constellation of findings on the PC-FIESTA images as well as the fact that the spinal segments leading to T-4 were the only ones that the authors were unable to catheterize. In a second patient, who harbored an SDAVF at T-6, after 2 separate angiograms failed to demonstrate the fistula, careful assessment of the CISS images led the authors to focus a third angiogram on the left T-6 intercostal artery and to perform superselective microcatheterization. In a third patient with an SDAVF originating from the lateral sacral branch, the PC-FIESTA sequence demonstrated the arterialized vein extending into the S-1 foramen, leading to a second angiogram and superselective internal iliac injections. The authors concluded that myelographic MR imaging sequences can be useful not only as an aid to diagnosis but also for localization of an SDAVF in complex cases.

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the effect of bioabsorbable interference screw (BIS) tibial fixation with the Delta screw (antegrade) and RetroScrew (retrograde) on initial (time zero) intra‐articular graft tension in soft tissue anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in a cadaveric model.MethodsTen matched pairs of cadaveric tibias received one of two tibial fixation constructs using quadrupled hamstring grafts, Delta screw (antegrade) or the RetroScrew (retrograde). Each specimen was mounted to the materials testing device with the displacement force vector in line with the tibial tunnel. The construct was pre‐tensioned (10–30 N, 0.1 Hz, 10 cycles), a baseline tension of 25 N was introduced, and the change in intra‐articular graft tension before and after screw insertion was recorded.ResultsSegmental (proximal, middle, distal) BMD was utilized to assess BMD using quantitative computed tomography (qCT). The Delta screw had a higher maximum insertion torque (P = 0.03) and exhibited a larger increase in intra‐articular graft tension as compared to the RetroScrew (38.3 ± 17.9 N, 7.6 N ± 14.4, P = 0.004), respectively. There were no significant correlations between intra‐articular graft tension increase to maximum insertion torque (P = NS) or corresponding segmental BMD (P = NS).ConclusionsDelta screw tibial fixation (antegrade) in soft tissue ACL reconstruction significantly increases the initial intra‐articular graft tension as compared to RetroScrew screw fixation (retrograde) in this cadaveric model. Delta screw (antegrade) tibial fixation may increase initial quadrupled hamstring graft intra‐articular tension with currently accepted insertion techniques.