SUMMARYPhloridzin-insensitive D-glucose uptake into enterocytes isolated sequentially from along the crypt-villus axis showed the majority of transport activity to reside in cells from the upper third of the villus. In contrast, total postnuclear glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) protein content of the cells was high even close to the crypt and was almost constant for the upper 80 % of the villi. A 4 h lumenal perfusion in vivo with 100 mM D-glucose prior to harvesting the enterocytes produced a 2-to 3-fold increase in phloridzin-insensitive D-glucose uptake which extended down 70% of the villus. Vascular infusion in vivo with either 800 pM gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) or glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) prior to harvesting enterocytes produced the same response as lumenal glucose, while glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) had no effect. Inclusion of 30 /M brefeldin A (BFA), an inhibitor of protein trafficking, in the lumenal perfusate produced a small, but not significant, increase in the control uptake profile along the villus in isolated enterocytes. However, BFA significantly reduced the upregulation induced by lumenal glucose and vascular GIP and blocked the stimulation produced by vascular GLP-2. Biotinylation of surface proteins and isolation with protein A indicated that there was no change in the membrane abundance of GLUT2 after GLP-2 treatment. These results are discussed in relation to the role of gastrointestinal peptide hormones in controlling intestinal hexose transport and the possibility of protein trafficking being involved in mediating the upregulation of GLUT2 activity in the enterocyte basolateral membrane.

Body composition assessment is an integral feature of elite sport as optimization facilitates successful performance. This study aims to refine the use of B-mode ultrasound in the assessment of athlete body composition by determining suitable sites for measurement. 67 elite athletes recruited from the Human Performance Laboratory, University College Cork, Ireland, underwent dual measurement of body composition. Subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness at 7 anatomical sites were measured using ultrasound and compared to percentage body fat values determined using Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Multiple linear regressions were performed and an equation to predict percentage body fat was derived. The present study found subcutaneous adipose tissue depths at the triceps, biceps, anterior thigh and supraspinale sites correlated significantly with percentage body fat by X-ray absorptiometry (all p<0.05). Summation of the depths at these locations correlated strongly with percentage body fat by Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (R?=0.879). The triceps, biceps, anterior thigh and supraspinale sites are suitable anatomical landmarks for the estimation of %BF using B-mode ultrasound. Use of B-mode ultrasound in the assessment of athlete body composition confers many benefits including lack of ionising radiation and its potential to be used as a portable field tool.

Introduction: There are few existing severity scoring systems in the literature, and no formally widely accepted chest X-ray template for reporting COVID-19 infection. We aimed to modify the chest X-ray COVID-19 severity scoring system from the Brixia scoring system with placement of more emphasis on consolidation and to assess if the scoring tool could help predict intubation. Methods: A severity chest X-ray scoring system was modified from the Brixia scoring system. PCR positive COVID-19 positive patient's chest X-rays admitted to our hospital over 3 months were reviewed and correlated with; noninvasive ventilation, intubation and death. An analysis was performed using a receiver operating curve to predict intubation from all admission chest X-rays. Results: The median score of all 325 admission chest X-rays was 3 (Interquartile range (IQR) 0-6.5). The median score of admission chest X-rays of those who did not require ICU admission and survived was 1.5 (IQR 0-5); and 9 (IQR 4.75-12) was median admission score of those requiring intubation. The median scores of the pre-intubation ICU chest X-rays was 11.5 (IQR 9-14.125), this increased from a median admission chest X-ray score for this group of 9 (P-value < 0.01). A cut-off score of 6 had a sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 73% in predicting the need for intubation. Conclusion: Higher chest X-ray severity scores are associated with intubation, need for non-invasive ventilation and death. This tool may also be helpful in predicting intubation.

EBIR applicants were predominantly male (>95%). Clinical training, prior to radiology training, was very common in this cohort. Overall, most candidates expressed satisfaction with the examination process, and many felt this qualification helped their career. The recent recognition by national accreditation bodies should hopefully improve the profile of the examination greatly.

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