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Percentage Weight Loss (percentage + weight_loss)
Selected AbstractsIncidence and severity of marine borer attack at different depths at Mtongwe Jetty Pontoon Mombasa, KenyaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009P. K. Sirmah Abstract The activity of marine borers was investigated at Mtongwe Jetty Pontoon, Mombasa, Kilindini harbour using untreated panels of Pinus patula (Schlecht) submerged to different depths. Twenty test panels replicated over 7 months were each strung in three ladder-like frames using nylon twine and suspended vertically, in such a way that the top most panels were 25 cm below the water surface at low and high tide. Monthly observations were made between January and July for the vertical incidence and extent of marine borer attack following the technique of Bobat (1995). Marine borers were collected from test panels, identified and counted. In addition, the percentage weight loss for panels at different depths was determined at the end of 7 months. Teredo fulleri (Clapp) was dominant on panels near water surface while Martesia striata (Linne) and Lyrodus pedicellatus (Quatrefages) were predominant at the bottom. The results showed that attack began within the first month of exposure and was severest by the seventh month. The vertical incidence and extent of attack decreased with increasing depth of panel exposure and was negatively correlated with depth. This is attributed to changes in hydrographic conditions. Résumé L'activité des foreurs marins a étéétudiée dans le Ponton de Mtongwe Jetty, Mombasa, dans le port de Kilindini, en utilisant des panneaux de Pinus patula (Schlecht) non traités, plongés à différentes profondeurs. Vingt panneaux tests identiques ont été attachés avec des cordes de nylon pour former trois cadres ressemblant à des échelles et suspendus pendant sept mois verticalement de façon à ce que les panneaux supérieurs se trouvent à 25 cm sous la surface à marée basse et haute. L'on a fait des observations mensuelles entre janvier et juillet de l'occurrence verticale et l'étendue de l'attaque des foreurs marins en utilisant la technique de Bobat (1995). Les foreurs marins ont été collectés sur les panneaux tests, identifiés et comptés. De plus, on a déterminé le pourcentage de la perte de poids des panneaux aux différentes profondeurs à la fin des sept mois. Teredo fulleri (Clapp) était dominant sur les panneaux situés près de la surface de l'eau alors que Martesia striata (Linné) et Lyrodus pedicellatus (Quatrefages) étaient prédominants en profondeur. Les résultats ont montré que l'attaque a commencé dès le premier mois et que c'est alors qu'elle fut la plus sévère. L'occurrence verticale et l'étendue de l'attaque diminuaient quand le panneau était plus profond et étaient négativement liées à la profondeur. Cela est attribué aux changements des conditions hydrographiques. [source] Nutritional status of preoperative colorectal cancer patientsJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2010S. T. Burden Abstract Background:, The present study aimed to determine the extent of malnutrition in preoperative colorectal cancer patients. Malnutrition has been shown to affect post-operative outcome, so it would be beneficial to identify those who are malnourished or who are at risk of becoming so preoperatively. We examine whether weight loss is related to the length of stay or changes in fat free mass. Methods:, Patients were enrolled consecutively from outpatients 2,4 weeks prior to surgery. Assessments included body mass index, percentage weight loss, dynamometry, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool, Subjective Global Assessment and bioelectrical impedance. Cancer staging and hospital length of stay were recorded. Results:, One hundred and thirty-two patients were eligible and 87 enrolled. Sixty-seven patients were weight losing and 20% had lost >10% of their usual body weight. Handgrip strength was lower in malnourished patients compared to those who had not lost weight (mean 19.4 and 27.3 kg, respectively, P = 0.013). Mean (SD) fat free mass in patients with a weight loss >10% was 39.7 (13.5) kg and, in those with <10% weight loss, was 51.9 (12.0) kg (P = 0.001). This difference was not demonstrated for fat. Conclusions:, Over half of these patients had lost weight prior to surgery and one in five were malnourished. Body composition measurements demonstrated that malnourished patients had significantly less fat free mass compared to patients who were not clinically malnourished. Nutritional screening would be beneficial in this group preoperatively to identify weight-losing patients at an early stage in the care pathway when they initially enter the secondary care system. [source] Nutritional advice and treatment by dietitians to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neurone disease: a survey of current practice in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and CanadaJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 1 2007A. Rio Abstract Background, The management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neurone disease (ALS/MND) has shifted from an attitude of nihilism to treatments that prolong survival and offer hope. Nutrition is an integral component of ALS/MND care requiring coordination among acute and community multi-disciplinary teams (MDT). Evidence-based nutrition guidelines exist for this patient group but their use among dietitians is unknown. The aim of this study was to survey the knowledge, practice and guideline use of dietitians working in ALS/MND centres/clinics across England, Wales, Northern Ireland (EWNI) and Canada. Method, Dietetic contact details were obtained from the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) and the ALS Society of Canada (ALSSC) websites. Telephone interviews were conducted with 23 dietitians using a standardized questionnaire. Results, Multi-disciplinary team membership was high (78%). Only 22% dietitians had >4-years experience in ALS/MND care. Dietitians reported using body weight, percentage weight loss (PWL) and body mass index (BMI) to assess nutritional status. Equations used to estimate energy and protein requirements differed. Most frequent dietary advice was high calorie, texture modification and prescription nutritional supplements. Artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) was discussed when patients developed dysphagia, energy intake was inadequate, weight loss of 10% or forced vital capacity (FVC) was reduced. A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) service was available at all clinics/centres. Conclusion, Nutritional assessment techniques and dietary advice should be standardized. Dietetic collaboration at national and international level is recommended to reduce professional isolation. Training and support in ALS/MND nutrition should be made available as part of post-dietetic registration. Further dietetic research is required to stimulate nutritional care. [source] Palliative management of cancer of the oesophagus , opportunities for dietetic interventionJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 5 2003A. Holdoway Introduction: Cancer of the oesophagus develops insidiously and when patients present with symptoms such as dysphagia to solids/semi-solids and in some cases liquids, the disease is often advanced and patients are frequently poorly nourished and cachectic (Angorn, 1981; Larrea, 1992). In our own unit we were aware that patients were only referred to the dietitian once an oesophageal stent was inserted or radiotherapy commenced, thereby possibly missing opportunities to treat or prevent malnutrition earlier. We therefore evaluated the nutritional status and care pathways of patients diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in whom palliative treatment was the only option, with the aim of assessing the extent of malnutrition and identifying opportunities for earlier dietetic intervention to prevent or slow the development of malnutrition. Method: Data were collated on all patients referred to the hospital's dysphagia clinic and diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the oesophagus. Height, weight, body mass index, degree of dysphagia, period of dysphagia, percentage weight loss (data collected as standard practice in the dysphagia clinic) and time to stent insertion/radiotherapy and survival time was collected from the medical notes. Results: Data were available on 58 patients, 33 male, 25 female, mean age 75 years (range 49,92 years). The mean length of survival was 10.2 months (0,24 months). At diagnosis, 47% experienced dysphagia with solids, 33% with semi-solids and 16% experienced a degree of dysphagia with liquids. The period of dysphagia was 1 month to 2 years. Eighty-three per cent of patients had lost weight at diagnosis. Mean percentage weight loss per individual was 13% (range 0,45%). Thirty-five per cent had a BMI <20 kg/m2. Median time from diagnosis to radiotherapy (n = 8) was 2 months with range, 1,6 months. Median time from diagnosis to the placement of the oesophageal stent (n = 12) was 1 month with range, 0,7 months. Discussion: These data illustrate that malnutrition remains a significant problem in this patient group. These results demonstrate that dysphagia and malnutrition, as indicated by weight loss, is developing in the community before diagnosis. Opportunities for earlier dietetic intervention exist between diagnosis and date at which other treatments commence, i.e. stent insertion. Further opportunities exist to educate community health professionals on treating and preventing malnutrition when dysphagia presents. Survival times support the need for dietetic follow-up. In our unit the results of this audit helped to improve care pathways for patients with cancer of the oesophagus. In response to the above findings, a nutritional screening tool is now completed by a nurse specialist at the first clinic attended. This has enabled appropriate and timely advice to be given on modified texture and fortification of food to optimize nutritional intake at diagnosis. [source] Validation of a nutrition screening tool: testing the reliability and validityJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2001S. T. Burden Background The aim of this study was to validate a nutrition screening tool for use in South Manchester University Hospitals Trust. Method A sample of 100 patients was selected from medical, surgical and elderly care wards. To test the reliability of the screening tool, nurses and dietitians completed the screening tool on the same patient. These results were compared for interobserver error to determine whether the screening tool was reproducible with different observers. To ascertain if the screening tool identified malnutrition at ward level, four markers commonly used to assess nutritional status were collected. These included body mass index (BMI), mid upper arm circumference MUAC, percentage weight loss, and energy intake calculated from the patient's first full day in hospital and expressed as a percentage of their estimated average requirements (EAR). Results There was a 95% level of agreement between nurses and dietitians within ±3. The screening tool had a sensitivity level of 78% and a specificity of 52% when compared to all patients who had one or more markers indicating malnutrition. This association was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.005). Conclusion The screening tool is reliable when completed by different observers and is valid for wide scale nutritional assessment. The screening tool identifies an acceptable number of patients who are malnourished but overestimates patients at moderate risk. [source] Relationship between costs of lifestyle interventions and weight loss in overweight adultsOBESITY REVIEWS, Issue 1 2010R. P. Bogers Summary Lifestyle interventions in a healthcare setting are effective for weight loss, but it is unclear whether more expensive interventions result in more weight loss. Our objective was to explore the relationship between intervention costs and effectiveness in a systematic review of randomized trials. Intervention studies were selected from 14 reviews and from a systematic MEDLINE-search. Studies had to contain a dietary and a physical activity component and report data on measured weight loss in healthy Caucasian overweight adults. Intervention costs were calculated in a standardized way. The association between costs and percentage weight loss after 1 year was assessed using regression analysis. Nineteen original studies describing 31 interventions were selected. The relationship between weight loss and intervention costs was best described by an asymptotic regression model, which explained 47% of the variance in weight loss. A clinically relevant weight loss of 5% was already observed in interventions of approximately ,110. Results were similar in an intention-to-treat analysis. In conclusion, lifestyle interventions in health care for overweight adults are relatively cheap and higher intervention costs are associated with more weight loss, although the effect of costs on weight loss levels off with growing costs. [source] Serum bilirubin levels at 72 hours by selected characteristics in breastfed and formula-fed term infants delivered by cesarean sectionACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 7 2001SR Hintz The present multicenter study analysed the relative impact of maternal and infant factors on serum bilirubin levels at 72 ± 12 h in exclusively breastfed vs formula-fed term infants. End-tidal carbon monoxide levels corrected for ambient air (ETCOc), an index of bilirubin production, were measured in exclusively breastfed (B = 66) or formula-fed (F = 210) term infants at 2,8 h of age. Inclusion criteria included cesarean section to ensure a 3 d hospitalization, birthweight ±2500 g, gestational age ±37 wk and absence of any illness. The ETCOc for B infants and F infants did not differ significantly (1.3 ± 0.7 ppm vs 1.3 ± 0.8 ppm). The serum bilirubin level at 72 ± 12 h was significantly higher in B infants than in F infants (8.5 ± 3.4mg dl,1 vs 6.7 ± 3.4 mg d l,1, p < 0.001), as was the percentage weight loss from birthweight. Serum bilirubin levels were significantly higher in infants who were male, who did not have meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and in those whose mothers were insulin-dependent diabetics or hypertensive. There was no difference between groups in the need for phototherapy or exchange transfusion. Conclusion: Although higher bilirubin levels were observed in group B at 72 ± 12 h compared with group F, this finding was not of clinical or therapeutic consequence in this study. The lack of difference in ETCOc between the groups may be a factor of the timing of ETCOc measurement in this study, or may suggest that early increased bilirubin production is not a significant contributor to jaundice observed in exclusively breastfed infants. [source] Synthesis and characterization of potassium magnesium sulphate hexahydrate crystalsCRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2006M. Dhandapani Abstract Potassium magnesium sulphate hexahydrate (picromerite) was synthesized and single crystals were obtained from saturated aqueous solution by slow evaporation method at room temperature. The crystals were bright, colourless and transparent having well defined external faces. The grown crystals were characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectral studies and thermal analysis. The FTIR data were used to assign the characteristic vibrational frequencies of the various chemical bonds in the compound. The compound crystallizes in monoclinic lattice with the space group P21/c. The thermogravimetry (TG) indicates the removal of only two water molecules around 100 °C. A suitable decomposition pattern was formulated based on the percentage weight losses observed in TG of the compound. The results of differential thermal analysis (DTA) conform to the results of TGA. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis carried out at high temperature suggests that the occurrence of two phase transitions in the crystal between 140 and 180 °C. When the crystal was cooled below the room temperature up to ,170 °C, no thermal anomaly was observed. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] | ||||||||||