Parenteral nutrition refers to nutritional support provided by an intravenous route. Access may be a peripheral vein or central vein. Peripheral venous access is usually used for short term support and limits the volume of fluids and nutrients that can be delivered. Whenever possible, enteral nutrition is preferred in order to provide nutrients to the gut and maintain the intestinal barrier.Indications for Parenteral NutritionParenteral nutrition is used in cases of gut failure or severe gastrointestinal disease. Catheter-related sepsis is a significant risk in immunocompromised patients. In HIV/AIDS, TPN will induce weight gain, the composition of which depends on the underlying etiology of the malnutrition. Septic patients tend to gain primarily fat whereas those with malabsorption or inadequate dietary intake gain more body cell mass. It is possible that this modality may not be widely available throughout the Region. However, it is an option that should be pursued when necessary.Components of Parenteral NutritionThe solution for parenteral nutrition consists of nutrients in their simple form,namely dextrose, amino acids, lipids and micronutrients. Dextrose is the monosaccharide that provides the major source of non-protein energy. Each gram of dextrose in parenteral solution provides 3. 4 kilocalories or 14. 2 kilojoules. Carbohydrate should be provided in adequate amounts to spare protein, but not in excess as this may cause hyperglycemia, fatty liver or other complications. The recommended rate of dextrose infusion should not exceed 4 to 5 mg/kg/minute. Amino acids provide protein to maintain nitrogen balance and prevent degradation of somatic proteins. Protein requirements are calculated based on clinical condition and goals of treatment. Amino acid solutions provide 4 kilocalories per gram or 18. 1 kilojoules per gram. Parenteral lipid emulsions provide a concentrated source of energy and essential fatty acids. They may be used in conjunction with carbohydrate and amino acid solutions or alone for caloric enhancement. The energy content of lipid emulsions depends on the formulation. ten percent yields 1. 1 kilocalorie per mL; 20% yields 2. 0 kilocalories per mL; 30% yields 3. 0 kilocalories per mL. There is some evidence that parenteral lipids may have a negative effect on immunity. In patients with HIV infection lipids should not exceed 30% of total energy intake or 1 g/kg/day. Hyperlipidemia may also develop if lipids are not cleared. Thus serum lipids should be monitored at baseline and regular intervals thereafter. Micronutrients and electrolytes are provided as standardized components of parenteral solutions. These may be modified according to the needs of the patient.Anabolic TherapyNutrition support will usually result in weight gain, but for some PLWHA, classified as non-responders, there is evidence of an anabolic block, whereby the regained weight is composed of a disproportionately high amount of body fat with limited accretion of lean tissue. This phenomenon can be identified with body composition analysis. Thus,although re-feeding is always necessary, it is not always sufficient for some individuals. In cases where lean tissue gains are insufficient, an anabolic agent may be required such as testosterone replacement. Other anabolic therapies that have shown favorable results include Oxandrin, Decadurabolan, and Recombinant Growth Hormone.Palliative CareWhen AIDS patients become terminally ill and medical care becomes mainly palliative,not curative, the nutrition care plan should reflect the overall goals of care. Nutritional therapy is directed to alleviating symptoms and providing comfort. Nutrition support should be considered to improve quality of life if the patient, caregivers and medical team agree to this intervention.Common Dietary ProblemsDuring the course of treatment and care, many dietary problems can arise. Strategies to help alleviate common problems are addressed inPregnancy, Lactation and HIVPregnancy, lactation, and HIV disease engender physiologic stress, with increased nutritional needs for energy, protein and micronutrients. It is well recognized that the nutritional health of a pregnant woman influences pregnancy outcome. Nutritionalstatus has even greater implications for the HIV-infected woman who is at higher risk of premature delivery and having a low birth weight infant.Low birth weight infants have an increased incidence of infant mortality as well as medical and developmental complications. Other risk factors, such as pregnancy during adolescence, substance use, opportunistic infection, low pre-pregnancy weight and inadequate gestational weight gain impose further risks of a poor pregnancy outcome. Moreover, vitamin A deficiency has been associated with poor pregnancy outcome and increased risk of perinatal HIV transmission. Pregnant HIV-positive women should be referred early in pregnancy to a dietitian or other suitable health care professional for counselling to optimize nutritional status and improve pregnancy outcome. It is essential to assess complementary therapy use, as mega-doses of vitamins and some herbal preparations are contraindicated in pregnancy.Weight Gain in PregnancyRecommended weight gain based on pre-pregnancy weight:Underweight (BMI 25):Nutritional Requirements12. 5-18. 0 kg11. 5-16. 0 kg7. 0-11. 5 kgAccording to the Recommended Dietary Allowances for use in the Caribbean, the following requirements for pregnancy/lactation are in addition to the requirements for HIV+ women:4? Additional 285 kilocalories per day to support fetal growth and developmentAdditional 6 grams protein per dayPrenatal multivitamin-mineral daily (to include at least 0. 4 mg folic acid)Other micronutrient supplements as needed (e. g. iron, calcium)Lactation: additional 500 kcal per day and 11 grams of protein Vitamin A:Maternal vitamin A deficiency is associated with increased risk of vertical HIV transmission to the infant. However, there is little evidence that vitamin A supplementation of the pregnant woman reduces the risk of HIV infection to the infant. Moreover, high doses of vitamin A can be teratogenic. Should supplementation be necessary, the following WHO guidelines can be used.Iron deficiency anemia is highly prevalent in pregnant women throughout the world. Anemia is associated with increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, as well as intrauterine growth failure. Iron status should be assessed and deficiency should be treated. WHO recommend that women receive 60 mg iron during 6 months of pregnancy and 120 mg per day to treat severe anaemia.Folate deficiency:Folate deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia and is associated with risk of neural tube defects in the infant (e. g. spina bifida). WHO recommends 0. 4 mg folate supplement daily.
S&P 500 Biotech Giant Vertex Leads 5 Stocks Showing Strength
Your stocks to watch for the week ahead are Cheniere Energy (LNG), S&P 500 biotech giant Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX), Cardinal Health (CAH), Steel Dynamics (STLD) and Genuine Parts (GPC).
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While the market remains in correction, with analysts and investors wary of an economic downturn, these five stocks are worth adding to watchlists. S&P 500 medical giants Vertex and Cardinal Health have been holding up, as health-care related plays tend to do well in down markets.
Steel Dynamics and Genuine Parts are both coming off strong earnings as both the steel and auto parts industries report optimistic outlooks. Meanwhile, Cheniere Energy saw sales boom in the second quarter as demand in Europe for natural gas continues to grow.
Major indexes have been making rally attempts with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 testing weekly support on Friday. With market uncertainty, investors should be ready for follow-through day breakouts and keep an eye on these stocks.
Cheniere Energy, Cardinal Health and VRTX stock are all on IBD Leaderboard.
Cheniere Energy Stock
LNG shares rose 1.1% to 175.79 during Friday’s market trading. On the week, the stock advanced 3.1%, not from highs, bouncing from its 21-day and 10-week lines earlier in the week.
Cheniere Energy has been consolidating since mid-September, but needs another week to forge a proper base, with a potential 182.72 buy point formed on Aug. 10.
Houston-based Cheniere Energy was IBD Stock Of The Day on Thursday, as the largest U.S. producer of liquefied natural gas eyes strong demand in Europe.
Even though natural gas prices are plunging in the U.S. and Europe, investors still see strong LNG demand for Cheniere and others.
The U.K. government confirmed last week that it is in talks for an LNG purchase agreement with a number of companies, including Cheniere.
In the first half of 2021, less than 40% of Cheniere’s cargoes of LNG landed in Europe. That jumped to more than 70% through this year’s second quarter, even as the company ramped up new export capacity. The urgency of Europe’s natural gas shortage only intensified last month. That is when an explosion disabled the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia that had once supplied 40% of the European Union’s natural gas.
In Q2, sales increased 165% to $8 billion and LNG earned $2.90 per share, up from a net loss of $1.30 per share in Q2 2021. The company will report Q3 earnings Nov. 3, with investors seeing booming profits for the next few quarters.
Cheniere Energy has a Composite Rating of 84. It has a 98 Relative Strength Rating, an exclusive IBD Stock Checkup gauge for share price movement with a 1 to 99 score. The rating shows how a stock’s performance over the last 52 weeks holds up against all the other stocks in IBD’s database. The EPS rating is 41.
Vertex Stock
VRTX stock jumped 3.4% to 300 on Friday, rebounding from a test of its 50-day moving average. Shares climbed 2.2% for the week. Vertex stock has formed a tight flat base with an official buy point of 306.05, according to MarketSmith analysis.
The stock has remained consistent over recent weeks, while the relative strength line has trended higher. The RS line tracks a stock’s performance vs. the S&P 500 index.
Vertex Q3 earnings are on due Oct. 27. Analysts see EPS edging up 1% to $3.61 per share with sales increasing 16% to $2.2 billion, according to FactSet.
The Boston-based global biotech company dominates the cystic fibrosis treatment market. Vertex also has other products in late-stage clinical development that target sickle cell disease, Type 1 diabetes and certain genetically caused kidney diseases. That includes a gene-editing partnership with Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP).
In early August, Vertex reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised full-year sales targets.
S&P 500 stock Vertex ranks second in the Medical-Biomed/Biotech industry group. VRTX has a 99 Composite Rating. Its Relative Strength Rating is 94 and its EPS Rating is 99.
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Cardinal Health Stock
CAH stock advanced 3.2% to 73.03 Friday, clearing a 71.22 buy point from a shallow cup-with-handle base and hitting a record high. But volume was light on the breakout. CAH stock leapt 7.3% for the week.
Cardinal Health stock’s relative strength line has also been trending up for months.
The cup-with-handle base is part of a base-on-base pattern, forming just above a cup base cleared on Aug. 11.
Cardinal Health, based in Dublin, Ohio, offers a wide assortment of health care services and medical supplies to hospitals, labs, pharmacies and long-term care facilities. The company reports that it serves around 90% of hospitals and 60,000 pharmacies in the U.S.
S&P 500 stock Cardinal Health will report Q1 2023 earnings on Nov. 4. Analysts forecast earnings falling 26% to 96 cents per share. Sales are expected to increase 10% to $48.3 billion, according to FactSet.
Cardinal Health stock ranks first in the Medical-Wholesale Drug/Supplies industry group, ahead of McKesson (MCK), which is also showing positive action. CAH stock has a 94 Composite Rating out of 99. It has a 97 Relative Strength Rating and an EPS rating of 73.
Steel Dynamics Stock
STLD shares shot up 8.5% to 92.92 on Friday and soared 19% on the week, coming off a Steel Dynamics earnings beat Wednesday night.
Shares blasted above an 88.72 consolidation buy point Friday after clearing a trendline Thursday. STLD stock is 17% above its 50-day line, definitely extended from that key average.
Steel Dynamics’ latest consolidation could be seen as part of a larger base going back six months.
Steel Dynamics topped Q3 earnings views with EPS rising 10% to $5.46 while revenue grew 11% to $5.65 billion. The steel producer’s outlook is optimistic despite weaker flat rolled steel pricing. STLD reports its order activity and backlogs remain solid.
The Fort Wayne, Indiana-based company is among the largest producers of carbon steel products in the U.S. It engages in metal recycling operations along with steel fabrication and produces myriad steel products.
How Millett Grew Steel Dynamics From A Three Employee Business
STLD stock ranks first in the Steel-Producers industry group. STLD stock has a 96 Composite Rating out of 99. It has a 90 Relative Strength Rating, an exclusive IBD Stock Checkup gauge for share-price movement that tops at 99. The rating shows how a stock’s performance over the last 52 weeks holds up against all the other stocks in IBD’s database. The EPS rating is 98.
Genuine Parts Stock
GPC stock gained 2.8% to 162.35 Friday after the company topped earnings views with its Q3 results on Thursday. For the week GPC advanced 5.1% as the stock held its 50-day line and is in a flat base.
GPC has an official 165.09 flat-base buy point after a three-week rally, according to MarketSmith analysis.
The relative strength line for Genuine Parts stock has rallied sharply to highs over the past several months.
On Thursday, the Atlanta-based auto parts company raised its full-year guidance on growth across its automotive and industrial sales.
Genuine Parts earnings per share advanced 19% to $2.23 and revenue grew 18% to $5.675 billion in Q3. GPC’s full-year guidance is now calling for EPS of $8.05-$8.15, up from $7.80-$7.95. The company now forecasts revenue growth of 15%-16%, up from the earlier 12%-14%.
During the Covid pandemic, supply chain constraints caused a major upheaval in the auto industry, sending prices for new and used cars to record levels. This has made consumers more likely to hang on to their existing vehicles for longer, driving mileage higher and boosting demand for auto replacement parts.
Fellow auto stocks O’Reilly Auto Parts (ORLY) and AutoZone (AZO) have also rallied near buy points amid the struggling market. O’Reilly reports on Oct. 26.
IBD ranks Genuine Parts first in the Retail/Wholesale-Auto Parts industry group. GPC stock has a 96 Composite Rating. Its Relative Strength Rating is 94 and it has an EPS Rating of 89.
Business Loans In Canada: Financing Solutions Via Alternative Finance & Traditional Funding
Business loans and finance for a business just may have gotten good again? The pursuit of credit and funding of cash flow solutions for your business often seems like an eternal challenge, even in the best of times, let alone any industry or economic crisis. Let’s dig in.
Since the 2008 financial crisis there’s been a lot of change in finance options from lenders for corporate loans. Canadian business owners and financial managers have excess from everything from peer-to-peer company loans, varied alternative finance solutions, as well of course as the traditional financing offered by Canadian chartered banks.
Those online business loans referenced above are popular and arose out of the merchant cash advance programs in the United States. Loans are based on a percentage of your annual sales, typically in the 15-20% range. The loans are certainly expensive but are viewed as easy to obtain by many small businesses, including retailers who sell on a cash or credit card basis.
Depending on your firm’s circumstances and your ability to truly understand the different choices available to firms searching for SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE options. Those small to medium sized companies ( the definition of ‘ small business ‘ certainly varies as to what is small – often defined as businesses with less than 500 employees! )
How then do we create our road map for external financing techniques and solutions? A simpler way to look at it is to categorize these different financing options under:
Debt / Loans
Asset Based Financing
Alternative Hybrid type solutions
Many top experts maintain that the alternative financing solutions currently available to your firm, in fact are on par with Canadian chartered bank financing when it comes to a full spectrum of funding. The alternative lender is typically a private commercial finance company with a niche in one of the various asset finance areas
If there is one significant trend that’s ‘ sticking ‘it’s Asset Based Finance. The ability of firms to obtain funding via assets such as accounts receivable, inventory and fixed assets with no major emphasis on balance sheet structure and profits and cash flow ( those three elements drive bank financing approval in no small measure ) is the key to success in ABL ( Asset Based Lending ).
Factoring, aka ‘ Receivable Finance ‘ is the other huge driver in trade finance in Canada. In some cases, it’s the only way for firms to be able to sell and finance clients in other geographies/countries.
The rise of ‘ online finance ‘ also can’t be diminished. Whether it’s accessing ‘ crowdfunding’ or sourcing working capital term loans, the technological pace continues at what seems a feverish pace. One only has to read a business daily such as the Globe & Mail or Financial Post to understand the challenge of small business accessing business capital.
Business owners/financial mgrs often find their company at a ‘ turning point ‘ in their history – that time when financing is needed or opportunities and risks can’t be taken. While putting or getting new equity in the business is often impossible, the reality is that the majority of businesses with SME commercial finance needs aren’t, shall we say, ‘ suited’ to this type of funding and capital raising. Business loan interest rates vary with non-traditional financing but offer more flexibility and ease of access to capital.
We’re also the first to remind clients that they should not forget govt solutions in business capital. Two of the best programs are the GovernmentSmall Business Loan Canada (maximum availability = $ 1,000,000.00) as well as the SR&ED program which allows business owners to recapture R&D capital costs. Sred credits can also be financed once they are filed.
Those latter two finance alternatives are often very well suited to business start up loans. We should not forget that asset finance, often called ‘ ABL ‘ by those Bay Street guys, can even be used as a loan to buy a business.
If you’re looking to get the right balance of liquidity and risk coupled with the flexibility to grow your business seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record of business finance success who can assist you with your funding needs.