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Purpose: T50 is a novel serum-based marker that assesses the propensity of calcification in serum. Shorter T50 indicates greater propensity to calcify and it has been associated to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among patients with kidney disease. In the general population, neither the correlates of T50 nor the relationships of T50 with bone mineral density (BMD) are known. Methods: We performed a nested cross-sectional study selecting 150 individuals at random among participants from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study, a study of community-living older men. We categorized individuals into tertiles of T50 and compared demographics and disease indicators across tertiles. We utilized linear regression to evaluate the cross-sectional association between T50 and hip and spine BMD in multivariable models. Results: Older age was associated with shorter T50. Kidney function tended to be lower in those with shorter T50 and the prevalence of CVD and peripheral arterial disease in those with shorter T50, albeit these findings did not achieve statistical significance. We found no statistically significant associations between T50 and total hip or total spine BMD in either unadjusted or multivariable adjusted models. Conclusions: T50, a novel indicator of serum calcification propensity, is not associated with BMD in community-living older men. Future larger studies should determine if T50 may give insights to CVD in the general population above and beyond traditional risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Hospital beds are potential reservoirs of bacteria in hospitals. Preventing contamination of the bed and providing a cleaner surface should help prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Most hospital beds are cleaned between patients (terminal cleaning) using quaternary ammonia compounds (quats). Objective The study had two objectives: identify levels of bacterial contamination on beds (including the mattress and bed deck) and evaluate a new launderable cover. Methods Hospital beds on a bariatric surgery ward were randomized to either receive or not receive a launderable cover (Trinity Guardion, Batesville, IN). Bacterial counts on the surface of the mattress, the bed deck, and the launderable cover were then collected using Petrifilm™ Aerobic Count Plates (Petrifilm™, 3M™, St. Paul, MN, USA) (Petrifilm™) at three time periods (before patient use, after discharge, and after terminal cleaning). Standard hospital linen was used in all rooms. Results The launderable cover (n = 28) was significantly cleaner prior to patient use than were the cleaned mattresses (n = 38) (1.1 CFU/30 cm2 vs. 7.7 CFU/30 cm2; p = 0.0189). The mattresses without launderable covers became significantly contaminated during use (7.7 CFU/30 cm2 on admission vs. 79.1 CFU/30 cm2 after discharge; p 2 on admission vs. 2.5 CFU/30 cm2 at discharge; p = 0.703). After terminal cleaning, the mattress surface contamination decreased to 12.8 CFU/30 cm2 (median 3 CFU/30 cm2; SD 7.8), but the bed deck was more contaminated (6.7 CFU/30 cm2 after discharge compared to 30.9 CFU/30 cm2 after terminal cleaning; p = 0.031). Conclusions Terminal cleaning fails to eliminate bacteria from the surface of the hospital mattress. The launderable cover provides a cleaner surface than does terminal cleaning with quats, and the cover protects the bed from contamination during use.