Helicobacter pylori infection alters gastric and tongue coating microbial communities

Abstract

Objective

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H pylori), especially cytotoxin‐associated gene A‐positive (CagA+) strains, has been associated with various gastrointestinal and extragastric diseases. The aim of this study was to characterize H pylori‐induced alterations in the gastric and tongue coating microbiota and evaluate their potential impacts on human health.

Design

The gastric mucosa and tongue coating specimens were collected from 80 patients with chronic gastritis, and microbiota profiles were generated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Samples were grouped as H pylori negative (n = 32), CagA‐negative H pylori infection (n = 13), and CagA‐positive H pylori infection (n=35). The comparison of bacterial relative abundance was made using a generalized linear model. Functional profiling of microbial communities was predicted with PICRUSt and BugBase. Microbial correlation networks were produced by utilizing SparCC method.

Results

Significant alterations of the gastric microbiota were found in the H pylori+/CagA+ samples, represented by a decrease in bacterial diversity, a reduced abundance of Roseburia, and increased abundances of Helicobacter and Haemophilus genera. At the community level, functions involved in biofilm forming, mobile element content, and facultative anaerobiosis were significantly decreased in gastric microbiome of the H pylori+ subjects. The presence of CagA gene was linked to an increased proportion of Gram‐negative bacteria in the stomach, thereby contributing to an upregulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis. The number of bacterial interactions was greatly reduced in networks of both tongue coating and gastric microbiota of the H pylori+/CagA+ subject, and the cooperative bacterial interactions dominated the tongue coating microbiome.

Conclusions

Infection with H pylori strains possessing CagA may increase the risk of various diseases, by upregulating LPS biosynthesis in the stomach and weakening the defense of oral microbiota against microorganisms with pathogenic potential.

http://bit.ly/2GeFpWh

Systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between phthalates exposure and insulin resistance

Abstract

This study aims to provide an overview of human studies on the association of exposure to phthalates and insulin resistance. We systematically searched human studies available until 15 January 2018.We conducted a literature search in Scopus, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Collaboration. We used the following keywords to identify relevant articles: "phthalate", "phthalate ester", "metabolic syndrome", "insulin resistance", "glucose intolerance", and "diabetes". For analyzing data, we conducted meta-analysis using the Stata software. We appraised each study to examine the sources of heterogeneity, including difference in clinical outcomes and exposure measurements. To determine the robustness and whether some of the factors have the highest impact on the results of the present meta-analysis, several sensitivity analyses were conducted. Sensitivity analysis showed that by removing studies with the highest weight and age groups, no change was observed in heterogeneity. Moreover, with excluding the study conducted in Europe, the results remained unchanged and constant. In addition, the funnel plot and Egger's tests were executed to access publication bias. Both the funnel plots and Egger's test did not show any evidence of publication bias (P = 0.31). In the random effects meta-analysis of all studies (n = 8), the pooled correlation coefficient between phthalate exposure and HOMA-IR was 0.10 (95% CI; 0.07–0.12, P < 0.001), with significant heterogeneity (P < 0.001, I² = 85.5%). Our findings revealed positive association between exposure to phthalate metabolites and increased HOMA-IR; this association remained significant even after adjusting the analysis for multiple confounding variables.

http://bit.ly/2SffxA5

Preparation of montmorillonite grafted polyacrylic acid composite and study on its adsorption properties of lanthanum ions from aqueous solution

Abstract

Montmorillonite grafted polyacrylic acid composite (GNM) was prepared by using ultraviolet radiation grafting method in this work. The synthesized materials were characterized by XRF, SEM, FTIR, XRD, TG, and XPS. The experimental equilibrium data indicates that the adsorbent is suitable for the Langmuir model and belongs to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The entire adsorption process is spontaneous, endothermic, and chaotically enhanced by thermodynamic analysis. The maximum adsorption capacity of La(III) by GNM was 280.54 mg/g at 313.15 K. In addition, the regeneration experiment shows that the adsorbent has good reusability and stable desorption efficiency. This study demonstrates that GNM has high adsorption performance and La(III) adsorption and regeneration capabilities to solve the water pollution caused by rare earth ions and regeneration capabilities for La(III).

http://bit.ly/2DhLNIz

Root uptake of atenolol, sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine, and their transformation in three soils and four plants

Abstract

Soils can be contaminated by pharmaceuticals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of soil conditions (influencing sorption and persistence of pharmaceuticals in soils) and plant type on the root uptake of selected pharmaceuticals and their transformation in plant-soil systems. Four plants (lamb's lettuce, spinach, arugula, radish) planted in 3 soils were irrigated for 20 days (26) with water contaminated by one of 3 pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, atenolol, sulfamethoxazole) or their mixture. The concentrations of pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in soils and plant tissues were evaluated after the harvest. Sulfamethoxazole and atenolol dissipated rapidly from soils. The larger concentrations of both compounds and an atenolol metabolite were found in roots than in leaves. Sulfamethoxazole metabolites were below the limits of quantifications. Carbamazepine was stable in soils, easily uptaken, accumulated, and metabolized in plant leaves. The efficiency of radish and arugula (both family Brassicaceae) in metabolizing was very low contrary to the high and moderate efficiencies of lamb's lettuce and spinach, respectively. Compounds' transformations mostly masked the soil impact on their accumulation in plant tissues. The negative relationships were found between the carbamazepine sorption coefficients and its concentrations in roots of radish, lamb's lettuce, and spinach.

http://bit.ly/2Sk0CEO

Extensor indicis opponensplasty: a modified evaluation system

Abstract

Background

Extensor indicis opponensplasty is the gold standard treatment for the restoration of opposition in individuals with median nerve injuries, and it has excellent outcomes. Most authors have used the Sundraraj and Mani scoring system, which considered a thumb reaching any fingertip as a good or excellent outcome. To refine the technique for extensor indicis opponensplasty, we propose an informative yet simple system to describe outcomes.

Methods

This study included 13 patients who underwent extensor indicis opponensplasty for median nerve injuries, with four isolated and nine combined. Six patients had triple insertions, and seven had single/double insertions. The patients were evaluated using the Sundraraj and Mani system and our proposed system for the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included return to productivity and complications.

Results

We demonstrated that 92% of the patients achieved excellent results according to the Sundraraj and Mani system. We achieved pulp to little pulp (5A) in seven patients, tip to little pulp (5B) in two patients, pulp to ring pulp (4A) in one patient, tip to ring pulp (4B) in one patient, pulp to middle finger pulp (3A) in one patient, and fair opposition (1) in one patient. A 5A score was achieved in five patients with triple insertion.

Conclusions

The new system proposed in this study better facilitates the comparison of technical variations of opponensplasty.

Level of evidence:Level IV, therapeutic study.

http://bit.ly/2MSZ9iE

Combustion and emission characteristics for a marine low-speed diesel engine with high-pressure SCR system

Abstract

In order to avoid the production of sulfates and nitrates in marine diesel engines that burn sulfur-containing fuels, the operating temperature of their high-pressure selective catalytic reduction (HP-SCR) systems should be higher than 320 °C. For marine low-speed diesel engines, only the pre-turbine exhaust gas temperature can meet this requirement under specific conditions, with the main engine modulation method helping to increase the exhaust gas temperature. However, the main engine modulation method brings down the power output and fuel economy of the main engine and causes the matching problem of the turbine and the other devices with the main engine. The original engine model of the marine low-speed diesel engine and the high-pressure SCR system configuration model have been constructed using one-dimensional simulation software. In addition, the performance of the high-pressure SCR system under the conditions of low-sulfur and high-sulfur exhaust gas was thoroughly analyzed. Moreover, the two main engine modulation schemes of the scavenging bypass and the turbine exhaust bypass of the original engine matching with the high-pressure SCR system were studied. The study found that the weighted average value of the NOx under the condition of low-sulfur exhaust gas met with the requirement of the IMO Tier III regulations when the low-speed diesel engine was matched with the high-pressure SCR system. However, the weighted average value of the NOx under the condition of high-sulfur exhaust gas was slightly higher than that required by the IMO Tier III regulation. In addition, the optimal main engine modulation scheme for this low-speed diesel engine was clarified by comparing the effects of the scavenging bypass and the turbine exhaust bypass modulation on the exhaust performance, and the working performance of the original engine. With an opening of 0.4 of the CBV valve under 25% engine load, the weighted average NOx of the original exhaust gas was 3.38 g/(kW·h), the power had decreased by 0.7%, and the fuel consumption had increased by 1.0%. Furthermore, when the EGB valve opening was 0.3, the weighted average value of NOx was 3.31 g/(kW·h), the power had reduced by 2.4% and the fuel consumption had increased by 2.5%. Both modulation scheme methods made the exhaust performance of the original engine meet the requirements of the IMO Tier III emission regulations, but the scavenging bypass modulation scheme had less impact on the original engine's performance.

http://bit.ly/2TE4UmP

Enhanced performance of alkali-modified Bi 2 WO 6 /Bi 0.15 Ti 0.85 O 2 toward photocatalytic oxidation of HCHO under visible light

Abstract

Photocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde (HCHO) is considered as one of the promising ways to resolve indoor air HCHO pollution. TiO₂ has been well known as the most extended application in photocatalysis due to its strong oxidizing ability and stability. Owing to high activity under visible light irradiation, TiO₂ and Bi₂O₃ doping mixed with Bi₂WO₆ was analyzed in this study. The formation of two kinds of heterojunction caused efficient charge separation, leading to the effective reduction in the recombination of photo-generated electron and hole. The special structure and enhanced performance of these catalysts were analyzed. For the first time, the loading of alkali salts was researched for photocatalytic oxidation. In order to understand the reaction mechanism of alkali salts enhanced effects, the catalysts were investigated by using BET, XRD, UV–Vis, FT-IR, SEM, and XPS. The results found more than 2 wt% of Na₂SO₄ loading and the mixed methods with different solutions were key factors affecting the performance of catalysts. Nearly 92% HCHO conversion could be completed over Bi₂WO₆/Bi_0.15Ti_0.85O₂ (Na₂SO₄), and the concentration of HCHO was only 0.07 mg/m³ for 24 h, which was below the limit of specification in China. The results also indicated that the solution mixing method was more favorable to increase the HCHO conversion due to decrease the size of Bi_0.15T_i0.85O₂ particles. The catalysts with Na₂SO₄ loading provided more surface-adsorbed oxygen that facilitated the desorption of CO₂ and markedly increased the photocatalytic oxidation of HCHO.

Graphical abstract

Plausible mechanism over W-Bi2WO6/ Bi0.15Ti0.85O2-Na2SO4 (1:4) catalysts

http://bit.ly/2BpZtky

Influence of the residence time of street trees and their soils on trace element contamination in Paris (France)

Abstract

With the actual increasing interest for urban soils, the evaluation of soil contamination by trace elements and the dynamics of this contamination appear mandatory to preserve plant and thereby human health. Street trees and the associated soil placed in pits located nearby roads could represent convenient indicators of urban and vehicle traffic influences on soils and plants. However, data on these soils remain scarce, many studies investigating park soils rather than street tree soils. Furthermore, trace elements could be one of the main factors causing the observed urban tree decline, while practitioners more and more question the possible reuse of these soils after the death of trees as well as tree litter collected in the streets. We evaluated the contamination in anthropogenic trace elements (TE), namely Zn, Pb, and Cd, of street trees (Tilia tomentosa) and their soils distributed all over Paris (France). Street tree soils are imported from rural areas at the plantation of each new tree so that tree age corresponds to the time of residence of the soil within an urban environment allowing the evaluation of temporal trends on TE concentration in soils and trees. The TE concentration revealed an important soil pollution, especially for the older soils (mean age of 80 years old). The consideration of the residence time of trees and soils in an urban environment evidenced an accumulation of Zn and Pb (ca. 4.5 mg kg⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 4 mg kg⁻¹ year⁻¹ for Zn and Pb, respectively). However, leaf concentrations in TE were low and indicate that soil-root transfer was not significant compared to the contamination by atmospheric deposition. These results underlined the necessity to deepen the evaluation of the recycling of urban soils or plants submitted to urban contamination.

http://bit.ly/2TDxJQi

Purification of water contaminated with Hg using horizontal subsurface constructed wetlands

Abstract

As a global pollutant, Hg (Hg) since the turn of the last century has received increased attention. Decreasing the emission of Hg into the food chain and the atmosphere is an effective way to reduce the Hg damage. The current study provided information about pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) constructed wetlands (CWs) to remove different Hg species in polluted water. Synthetic wastewater was fed to two HSSF CWs, one was planted with Acorus calamus L and the other was unplanted as a control. The total Hg (THg), dissolved Hg (DHg), and particulate Hg (PHg) from five sites along the HSSF CWs were analyzed to describe the process of Hg removal. Results show that the CWs have high removal efficiency of Hg which is more than 90%. The removal efficiencies of THg and DHg from the unplanted CW were 92.1 ± 3.6% and 72.4 ± 13.1%, respectively. While, the removal efficiencies of THg and DHg in planted CW were 95.9 ± 7.5% and 94.9 ± 4.9%, which were higher than that in blank CW. The PHg was mainly removed in the first quarter of the CWs, which was also revealed by the partition coefficient K_d. To a certain extent, the effect of plants depends on the hydraulic retention time (HRT). The results in the current study show the potential of the HSSF-CWs for restoration from Hg-contaminated water.

http://bit.ly/2BA6vDx

Control of NO x emissions by air staging in small- and medium-scale biomass pellet boilers

Abstract

The effect of air staging strategies on NO_x control was investigated on a 210-kW small-scale biomass boiler (SBB) and a 1.4-MW medium-scale biomass boiler (MBB). Considering the de-NO_x effect, as well as the convenience and economy for future wide use, the structures of the secondary air duct and the fuel feed tube were innovatively designed to solve the problems of the traditional prototype. The preliminary experiment showed that the lowest NO_x emission was achieved when the air excess (ε) was equal to 2.04. Then, additional operating modes were conducted on the MBB to further optimize the air staging strategies. The optimal air staging strategy of the MBB (the secondary to primary air flow ratio (λ) and the ε were equal to 0.13 and 0.76, respectively) could decrease the NO_x emission from 338.12 to 148.14 mg/m³. Furthermore, the SO₂ emissions and the lowest NO_x emission of the SBB and the MBB could meet most emission standards of China and some developed countries. The thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and combustion characteristics of the wood fuel showed that the air staging was a suitable de-NO_x technology for wood combustion, and the slagging was less likely to occur under the selected condition. Hence, the air staging technology was an effective and low-cost method for the emission reduction of biomass boilers. This study provided a practical basis for future research on the gas emission control of biomass boilers.

http://bit.ly/2TCuPLZ

Study of MoO 3 -γAl 2 O 3 catalysts behavior in selective catalytic reduction of SO 2 toxic gas to sulfur with CH 4

Abstract

In the present study, a detailed investigation was carried out on MoO₃ alumina-supported catalysts behavior in selective catalytic reduction of SO₂ to sulfur with CH₄. At first, four different molybdenum catalysts with weight rates of 0, 5, 10, and 15 were impregnated on γ-alumina to be characterized using XRD, SEM, BET, BJH, and N₂ adsorption. Then, to find the most active catalyst, temperature dependency test was performed on all of the prepared catalysts and the result representing Al2O3-Mo10 as the best catalyst. In next step, the effects of feed gas composition, space velocity, and long-term activity, as an important industrial factor, were tested on Al₂O₃-Mo10. It was revealed instantaneously from the beginning, MoO₃ specie started to convert mainly into MoS₂ and MoO₂, and a minor part into Mo₂C, which is terminated after 750 min achieving a stable condition. Thereafter, SO₂ conversion and sulfur selectivity increased from 85.8 to 89.4% and 99.4 to 99.7%, respectively. XRD graph of the used catalyst and TPO thermogravimetric/mass-spectra proved possible happening of the proposed mechanism in long-term activity. At the end, mean activation energy was determined based on Arrhenius model in temperature range of 550 to 800 °C, with a value of 0.33 eV for Al₂O₃-Mo10.

http://bit.ly/2BoH1sG

Antibiotic prophylaxis: current recommendations in plastic surgery

Abstract

Background

Guidelines for prophylactic antibiotics in surgery have long been established; however, few have focused on recommendations in plastic surgery. Surgical site infection rates remain low, yet the use of prophylactic antibiotics has surged in the past 30 years. This article summarizes current recommendations of prophylactic antibiotic use to produce consensus guidelines in plastic surgery.

Methods

A literature review was conducted in the PubMed, Cochrane, and Ovid databases and studies were included if randomized controlled trials indicated a statistically significant decrease in surgical site infections. Surveys conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons regarding prophylactic antibiotic use from 1975, 1985, 2000, and 2010 were compiled and analyzed.

Results

Of 143 articles found, nine randomized controlled trials showed a reduction in surgical site infections after antibiotic prophylaxis for specific plastic surgery procedures. There are evidence-based recommendations for prophylactic antibiotics in breast surgery, abdominoplasty, contaminated hand or face surgery, prosthetic surgery, rhinoplasty, microsurgery, and acute and burn reconstruction cases. The proportion of plastic surgeons using prophylactic antibiotics has steadily increased from 1975 to 2010 with a significant increase from 2000 to 2010.

Conclusions

Systemic antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for use in breast surgery, abdominoplasty, contaminated hand or face surgery, prosthetic surgery, rhinoplasty, microsurgery, and acute and burn reconstruction cases. Recent surveys indicate that the majority of plastic surgeons continue to use prophylactic antibiotics in clean cases of the hand, face, and body despite recommendations. Additional procedure-specific randomized controlled trials are necessary to provide evidence-based recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis in plastic surgery.

Level of Evidence: Level IV, risk / prognostic study

http://bit.ly/2BnCPcE

Cadmium level in brain correlates with memory impairment in F1 and F2 generation mice: improvement with quercetin

Abstract

The increased exposure to cadmium (Cd) through environmental pollutants, food and cigarette smoke is a concern worldwide. The association of Cd with impaired learning disabilities led us to hypothesise that cadmium levels in brain tissue could be dose-dependently related to the extent of memory impairment and oxidative stress. In this study, we proposed to study whether cadmium exposure to dams could alter the brain Cd levels, memory parameters, antioxidant enzymes in brain and their gene expression in the F1-F2 generation mice and whether quercetin could modulate this effect. Animals were administered Cd alone and in combination with quercetin for 7 days during their gestation period. Their newborn pups (F1 and F2 mice) were reared until adulthood and were tested for memory using Morris water maze and step-down latency test. The brain tissue of F1 mice was collected. Cd levels were estimated using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer. G-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) activity were measured and fold increase in their respective gene expression was observed using the RT-PCR method. Cd levels were significantly increased in the brain tissue of animals exposed to Cd but cotreatment with quercetin showed decreased levels in both generations. Memory impairment was observed in animals of F1 generation exposed to Cd and cotreatment with quercetin (100 mg/kg) reversed this effect. Cd exposure significantly enhanced both activity and expression of GST and CAT in the brain tissue of F1 generation mice and quercetin attenuated this effect. In F2 generation, results were variable. GST activity and expression increased with Cd and decreased with quercetin cotreatment. However, CAT activity showed no significant change despite a decrease in gene expression. Quercetin cotreatment enhanced activity as well gene expression in F2 generation. Our study insinuates that Cd levels could act as a predictor of memory impairment and altered enzyme activity and gene expression in brain tissue. Quercetin helped to reduce Cd levels in brain tissue of F1 and F2 generation and modulated the antioxidant system of the cell by affecting expression of antioxidant enzymes at the transcription level.

http://bit.ly/2MYzUf6

Time for Advance Care Planning Discussions During Transitions in Care in Cancer Clinical Trials

This Viewpoint suggests that advance care planning discussions can be initiated during transitions in care from cancer clinical trials.

http://bit.ly/2DZiNXu

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Patients with HIV Infection and Advanced-Stage Cancer

This systematic review examines the association of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy with immune-related adverse effects, antitumor activity, and viral load in patients with HIV infection and advanced-stage cancer.

http://bit.ly/2Gvrz0V

Questioning Lay Health Worker Influence on Goals-of-Care Documentation and Patient Satisfaction

To the Editor We read with interest the article by Patel et al on evaluating the efficacy of a lay health worker (LHW) program in improving end-of-life care for patients with cancer. The authors reported that incorporating a LHW in cancer care not only improved goals-of-care documentation and increased patient satisfaction, but also led to reduced health care use and costs.

http://bit.ly/2E08Qcx

Prevalence of Germline Variants in Prostate Cancer and Implications for Current Genetic Testing Guidelines

This cross-sectional study assesses the frequency and distribution of positive germline variants in patients with prostate cancer and evaluates the usefulness of current practice guidelines in recognizing individuals with prostate cancer who would benefit from diagnostic genetic testing.

http://bit.ly/2GtbqJv

Questioning Lay Health Worker Influence on Goals-of-Care Documentation and Patient Satisfaction—In Reply

In Reply We would like to thank Mssrs Yew Wei Heng and Anbarasan for their comment. We agree that educational attainment may be correlated with patients' comprehension of their health care preferences and satisfaction. However, educational attainment is unlikely to have confounded our estimates of the effect of the intervention on the study outcomes because participants were randomized between the intervention and the control arm. Like the other covariates we reported in the online supplemental table, we did not find differences in educational attainment across the intervention and control groups in our study. In both arms, approximately 20% of patients had less than a high school degree, 29% were high school graduates, 22% had finished some college, 18% had completed a bachelor's degree, and 11% had completed an advanced degree.

http://bit.ly/2DZiZWI

Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy vs Open Distal Gastrectomy and Survival in Stage I Gastric Cancer

This randomized clinical trial of patients with stage I gastric cancer examines whether long-term survival among patients undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy is noninferior to that among patients undergoing open distal gastrectomy.

http://bit.ly/2GvrdaB

Triassic Cancer—Osteosarcoma in a 240-Million-Year-Old Stem-Turtle

This case study documents osteosarcoma in 240-million-year-old stem-turtle, which suggests that cancer is not a modern physiological defect.

http://bit.ly/2DZ3XAe

Pruritic Rash in a Woman With Hodgkin Lymphoma

A 31-year-old woman with a history of Wolff-Parkinson-White disease and a recent stage II Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis developed a pruritic rash within 24 hours of the first day of chemotherapy. What is your diagnosis?

http://bit.ly/2GrSk6C

3D-Printed Polymer/Metal Hybrid Microstructures with Ultraprecision for 3D Microcoils

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, Ahead of Print.


http://bit.ly/2WLioiI

The short inventory of grazing (SIG): development and validation of a new brief measure of a common eating behaviour with a compulsive dimension

Abstract

Background

Grazing, the repetitious and unplanned eating of small amounts of food with or without a sense of loss of control (LOC), is an eating pattern of recent interest which is highly prevalent in eating disorders and obesity. The current study aimed to (1) assess psychometric properties of a short inventory of grazing (SIG), consisting of a "grazing in general" item and a "compulsive/LOC grazing" item and (2) examine associations between compulsive and non-compulsive grazing and body mass index (BMI), eating disorder psychopathology, distress and health-related quality of life.

Methods

Participants recruited from a university and the community (n = 227; 75.3% female; age = 25.00 (9.88; 17.58–57.17) years; BMI = 23.24 (4.91, 14.20–46.06) kg/m²) completed an online test battery including the SIG. Parametric and non-parametric statistics were computed to assess internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct validity, to test associations between the SIG and the other study variables, and to examine between-group differences.

Results

The SIG demonstrated appropriate psychometric properties. Results indicated that both grazing in general and low-frequency LOC grazing are common; however, LOC grazing of moderate-severe frequency and/or associated with marked distress is unusual. Frequency of LOC grazing, but not grazing in general, was significantly associated with higher BMI, psychological distress, compensatory behaviours and lower mental health-related quality of life. The presence of compulsive grazing was also associated with eating disorder caseness and binge-type eating disorder diagnostic groups.

Conclusions

Results support the positioning of "compulsive" LOC grazing on a continuum of problematic eating. The SIG is a parsimonious measure of this eating pattern of emergent interest.

http://bit.ly/2DYaP0Q

Magnesium

Metformin in Combined With Cisplatin Plus Paclitaxel With Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ECMTPneo)

Condition:   Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Intervention:   Drug: metformin and chemotherapy
Sponsor:   Peking University
Not yet recruiting

http://bit.ly/2SiWjJK

A rare case of congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) due to dual genetic aetiology involving HNF4A and ABCC8

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


http://bit.ly/2SxHeDn

The effect of PKU diet on the maternal quality of life and social discrimination in relation to their educational status and place of living

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


http://bit.ly/2MRQwF2

Cinacalcet therapy in an infant with an R185Q calcium-sensing receptor mutation causing hyperparathyroidism: a case report and review of the literature

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Issue: Ahead of print


http://bit.ly/2SBc6mz

Frontmatter

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: i-iv

http://bit.ly/2MRQiOc

Clinical, biochemical, and molecular spectrum of short/branched-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency: two new cases and review of literature

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 101-108

http://bit.ly/2Su1xli

Assessment of biomarkers of inflammation and premature atherosclerosis in adolescents with type-1 diabetes mellitus

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 109-113

http://bit.ly/2MTM5d5

Frequency, clinical characteristics, biochemical findings and outcomes of DKA at the onset of type-1 DM in young children and adolescents living in a developing country – an experience from a pediatric emergency department

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 115-119

http://bit.ly/2SEYpTT

Hepatopathies in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 121-126

http://bit.ly/2MTGjbj

Comparative evaluation of neuroendocrine dysfunction in children with craniopharyngiomas before and after mass effects are removed

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 127-133

http://bit.ly/2Su1h5O

Functional and endocrine-metabolic oligomenorrhea: proposal of a new diagnostic assessment tool for differential diagnosis in adolescence

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 135-142

http://bit.ly/2MVq0KS

Socioeconomic status of the population – a prime determinant in evaluating iodine nutritional status even in a post salt iodization scenario

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 143-149

http://bit.ly/2Sxc9jq

Long-term outcome of hyperthyroidism diagnosed in childhood and adolescence: a single-centre experience

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 151-157

http://bit.ly/2MXTEQ0

Thyroid function in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome: an Italian multicenter study of 339 patients

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 159-165

http://bit.ly/2Su0Zfe

Maternal factors associated with neonatal vitamin D deficiency

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 167-172

http://bit.ly/2MUQz2X

IGF-1 assessed by pubertal status has the best positive predictive power for GH deficiency diagnosis in peripubertal children

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 173-179

http://bit.ly/2SCkWjW

One-year treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues does not affect body mass index, insulin sensitivity or lipid profile in girls with central precocious puberty

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 181-186

http://bit.ly/2MSeOi7

Prediabetes in children and adolescents in the United States: prevalence estimates and comorbidities – a population analysis

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 187-189

http://bit.ly/2SCkPVy

Severe in utero under-virilization in a 46,XY patient with Silver-Russell syndrome with 11p15 loss of methylation

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 191-196

http://bit.ly/2MVpCfo

Carney complex due to a novel pathogenic variant in the PRKAR1A gene – a case report

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 197-202

http://bit.ly/2SCkFgU

Challenging diagnosis of thyroid hormone resistance initially as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Journal Name: Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume: 32
Issue: 2
Pages: 203-206

http://bit.ly/2MTGinL

What is the difference between irony and sarcasm? An fMRI study

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Ruth Filik, Alexandra Țurcan, Christina Ralph-Nearman, Alain Pitiot

Abstract

Verbal irony is a figure of speech that communicates the opposite of what is said, while sarcasm is a form of irony that is directed at a person, with the intent to criticise. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with the aim of mapping the neural networks involved in the processing of sarcastic and non-sarcastic irony. Participants read short texts describing an interaction between two characters, which ended in either a literal, sarcastic, or non-sarcastic ironic comment. Results showed that the mentalising network (mPFC) and semantic network (IFG) were more activated for non-sarcastic irony than for literal controls. This would suggest that interpreting this kind of language involves understanding that the speaker does not mean what they literally say, as well as processes involved in conflict detection and resolution. Sarcastic irony recruited more of the semantic network, as well as areas associated with humour appreciation and subcortical structures, indicating that more complex neural mechanisms underlie the comprehension of sarcastic versus non-sarcastic irony.

http://bit.ly/2TAx3eI

Early prediction of long-term tactile object recognition performance after sensorimotor stroke

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Eugenio Abela, John H. Missimer, Manuela Pastore-Wapp, Werner Krammer, Roland Wiest, Bruno J. Weder

Abstract

Until now tactile agnosia has been reported only in small, but detailed cross-sectional case studies. Here we show that multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of early diffusion-weighted lesion maps can be used to accurately predict long-term recovery of tactile object recognition (TOR) in 35 subjects with varying hand skill impairment and associated specific daily activity limitation after cortical sensori-motor stroke. Multiple regression analysis revealed the essentially dysfunctional subprocesses for object recognition in the specifically impaired subjects, i.e. grasping as determined by a subtest of Jebsen Taylor hand function test, and perception of macrogeometrical object properties. The Gaussian process regression of MVPA represents a function that relates a selection of lesioned voxels as input variables to TOR performance scores as target variables. On the behavioural level, patients fell into three recovery subgroups, depending on TOR performance over the observation period. Only baseline motor hand skill and shape discrimination were significantly correlated with the TOR trajectories. To define functionally meaningful voxels, we combined information from MVPA of lesion maps and a priori knowledge of regions of interest derived from a data bank for shape recognition. A high significance for the predicted TOR performances over nine months could be verified by permutation tests, leading us to expect that the model generalises to larger patient cohorts with first cortical ischemic stroke. The lesion sites of the persistently impaired subjects exhibited an overlap with critical areas related to the MVPA prediction map in the cytoarchitectonic areas PFt of inferior parietal lobule and OP1 of parietal operculum which are associated with higher order sensory processing. This ultimate check corroborated the significance of the MVPA map for the prediction of tactile object recognition. The clinical implication of our study is that neuroimaging data acquired immediately after first stroke could facilitate individual forecasting of post-stroke recovery.

http://bit.ly/2BotuRD

Everyday taxi drivers: Do better navigators have larger hippocampi?

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Steven M. Weisberg, Nora S. Newcombe, Anjan Chatterjee

Abstract

Work with non-human animals and human navigation experts (London taxi drivers) suggests that the size of the hippocampus, particularly the right posterior hippocampus in humans, relates to navigation expertise. Similar observations, sometimes implicating other sections of the hippocampus, have been made for aging populations and for people with neurodegenerative diseases that affect the hippocampus. These data support the hypothesis that hippocampal volume relates to navigation ability. However, the support for this hypothesis is mixed in healthy, young adults, who range widely in their navigation ability. Here, we administered a naturalistic navigation task that measures cognitive map accuracy to a sample of 90 healthy, young adults who also had MRI scans. Using a sequential analysis design with a registered analysis plan, we did not find that navigation ability related to hippocampal volume (total, right only, right posterior only). We conclude that navigation ability in a typical population does not correlate with variations in hippocampal size, and consider possible explanations for this null result.

http://bit.ly/2TBt3e3

Visuomotor adaptation in the absence of input from early visual cortex

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Christopher L. Striemer, James T. Enns, Robert L. Whitwell

Abstract

Prism adaptation is a time-honored tool for studying how the motor system adapts to sensory perturbations. Past research on the neural substrates of prism adaptation has implicated the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and the cerebellum, under the assumption that these structures gain their visual input from the dominant retinogeniculate pathway to V1. Here we question whether this pathway is even required for visuomotor adaptation to occur. To investigate this, we examined prism adaptation in 'MC,' someone who is blind to static stimuli following bilateral lesions that encompass much of her occipital cortex and the caudal-most areas of ventrotemporal cortex. Remarkably, MC shows evidence of prism adaptation that is similar to healthy control participants. First, when pointing with either the left or the right hand, MC shows spatial realignment; the classical after-effect exhibited by most people when adapting to displacing prisms. Second, MC demonstrates strategic recalibration – a reduction in her pointing error over time – that is similar in magnitude to healthy controls. These findings suggest that the geniculostriate pathway is not necessary for visuomotor adaptation to take place. Alternatively, we suggest that an extrageniculostriate pathway which provides visual inputs to the cerebellum from area MT and the PPC via the dorsolateral pons plays a significant and appreciable role in the guidance of unconscious, automatic visuomotor adaptation.

http://bit.ly/2BotrFr

The evolution of the temporoparietal junction and posterior superior temporal sulcus

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Gaurav H. Patel, Carlo Sestieri, Maurizio Corbetta

Abstract

The scale at which humans can handle complex social situations is massively increased compared to other animals. However, the neural substrates of this scaling remain poorly understood. In this review, we discuss how the expansion and rearrangement of the temporoparietal junction and posterior superior temporal sulcus (TPJ-pSTS) may have played a key role in the growth of human social abilities. Comparing the function and anatomy of the TPJ-pSTS in humans and macaques, which are thought to be separated by 25 million years of evolution, we find that the expansion of this region in humans has shifted the architecture of the dorsal and ventral processing streams. The TPJ-pSTS contains areas related to face-emotion processing, attention, theory of mind operations, and memory; its expansion has allowed for the elaboration and rearrangement of the cortical areas contained within, and potentially the introduction of new cortical areas. Based on the arrangement and the function of these areas in the human, we propose that the TPJ-pSTS is the basis of a third frontoparietal processing stream that underlies the increased social abilities in humans. We then describe a model of how the TPJ-pSTS areas interact as a hub that coordinates the activities of multiple brain networks in the exploration of the complex dynamic social scenes typical of the human social experience.

http://bit.ly/2TBnEDL

Wearing Prisms to Hear Differently: After-Effects of Prism Adaptation on Auditory Perception

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Carine Michel, Clémence Bonnet, Baptiste Podor, Patrick Bard, Bénédicte Poulin-Charronnat

Abstract

Numerous studies showed that, after adaptation to a leftward optical deviation, pseudoneglect behavior (overrepresentation of the left part compared to the right part of the space) becomes neglect-like behavior (overrepresentation of the right part compared to the left part of the space). Cognitive after-effects have also been shown in cognitive processes that are not intrinsically spatial in nature, but show spatial association as numbers or letters. The space-auditory frequency association (with low frequencies on the left and high frequencies on the right) raises the question of whether prism adaptation can produce after-effects on auditory perception. We used a new experimental protocol, named the 'auditory interval bisection judgment', where participants had to estimate what limit of an auditory interval (low or high) a target frequency was closer to. We calculated the subjective auditory interval center. In pretest, there was a spontaneous bias of the subjective center of the auditory interval toward the lower limit. That was the first demonstration of pseudoneglect behavior in auditory frequency representation. ANOVA realized on all participants did not show significant results of prism adaptation, but a posteriori analyses on musicians showed that, after adaptation to a leftward optical deviation, there were more target frequencies perceived as closer to the lower limit of the auditory interval. This result corroborates the shift of the subjective center of the auditory interval toward high frequency limit. These innovative results are discussed in terms of putative neural substrates underpinning the transfer of visuomotor plasticity to auditory frequency perception.

http://bit.ly/2BpgwD4

A commentary on Popescu et al.’s paper on the brain-structural correlates of mathematical expertise

Publication date: Available online 6 February 2019

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Delazer Margarete, Zamarian Laura

http://bit.ly/2TBnEnf

The clinical enigma of the “Flea catcher” by Georges de La Tour: a pregnant sinner with pre-eclampsia or a hypothyroid girl?

http://bit.ly/2HYCsuK

The Neural Dynamics of Familiar Face Recognition

Abstract

In real-life situations, the appearance of a person's face can vary substantially across different encounters, making face recognition a challenging task for the visual system. Recent fMRI decoding studies have suggested that face recognition is supported by identity representations located in regions of the occipitotemporal cortex. Here, we used EEG to elucidate the temporal emergence of these representations. Human participants viewed a set of highly variable face images of 4 highly familiar celebrities (2 males and 2 females), while performing an orthogonal task. Univariate analyses of event-related EEG responses revealed a pronounced differentiation between male and female faces, but not between identities of the same sex. Using multivariate representational similarity analysis, we observed a gradual emergence of face identity representations, with an increasing degree of invariance. Face identity information emerged rapidly, starting shortly after 100 ms from stimulus onset, but was modulated by sex differences and image similarities. From 400 ms after onset and predominantly in the right hemisphere, identity representations showed 2 invariance properties: 1) they equally discriminated identities of opposite sexes and of the same sex, and 2) they were tolerant to image-based variations. These invariant representations may be a crucial prerequisite for successful face recognition in everyday situations, where the appearance of a familiar person can vary drastically.

http://bit.ly/2SfmBMR

Corrigendum: An Information-Driven 2-Pathway Characterization of Occipitotemporal and Posterior Parietal Visual Object Representations

http://bit.ly/2DdgOx7

Motivational Impairment is Accompanied by Corticoaccumbal Dysfunction in the BACHD-Tg5 Rat Model of Huntington’s Disease

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as avolition, apathy, and anhedonia, precede the onset of debilitating motor symptoms in Huntington's disease (HD), and their development may give insight into early disease progression and treatment. However, the neuronal and circuit mechanisms of premanifest HD pathophysiology are not well-understood. Here, using a transgenic rat model expressing the full-length human mutant HD gene, we find early and profound deficits in reward motivation in the absence of gross motor abnormalities. These deficits are accompanied by significant and progressive dysfunction in corticostriatal processing and communication among brain areas critical for reward-driven behavior. Together, our results define early corticostriatal dysfunction as a possible pathogenic contributor to psychiatric disturbances and may help identify potential pharmacotherapeutic targets for the treatment of HD.

http://bit.ly/2SfmCAp

α-Amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitor effects and pancreatic response to diabetes mellitus on Wistar rats of Ephedra alata areal part decoction with immunohistochemical analyses

Abstract

Ephedra alata, known as a medicinal plant in China, was used in this study as aqueous extract from aerial parts, for diabetes mellitus treatment. This study was carried out on two parts, in vitro, we tested the effect of the studied extract on the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, and in vivo on Wistar male rats receiving alloxan intraperitoneally at a rate of 125 mg/kg. Extract (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg of body weight) was administrated for 28 days by oral gavage. Blood glucose, amylase, lipase, and lipid profile level were determined. Oxidative stress was evaluated by enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and by estimation of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl (PC) level. Histopathological changes in pancreas were investigated under photonic microscopy using immunohistochemical procedure. Our findings showed that aqueous extract inhibited in vitro both α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities and its use in vivo at 300 mg/kg of body weight restored pancreas weight and weight gain, ameliorated significantly (p ˂ 0.05) biochemical parameters; it prevented the increase in lipid and protein oxidation and the decrease in enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense system. Histological study of treated animals showed a comparable healed regeneration of beta cells.

http://bit.ly/2GvfGsa

Reply to: Comment on “Oral diabetes medications other than dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors are not associated with bullous pemphigoid: A Finnish nationwide case control study” and a case report of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist induced bullous pemphigoid

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): O. Varpuluoma, K. Tasanen, L. Huilaja

http://bit.ly/2SiFZsD

Overall and Subgroup Prevalence of Pyoderma Gangrenosum Among Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: a population based analysis in the United States

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): R. Tannenbaum, A. Strunk, A. Garg

Abstract

Background

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) are reported to coexist, although prevalence of PG among HS patients has not been systematically evaluated.

Objective

To evaluate PG prevalence among HS patients.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of adults with PG among HS and non-HS patients using electronic health records data from a population-based sample of 55 million patients.

Results

Prevalence of PG among 68,232 HS patients was 0.18% (125/68,232), compared to 0.01% (1,835/31,435,166) among those without HS (p<0.0001). Prevalence was markedly higher among HS patients having Crohn's disease (CD) (3.68%), compared to HS patients without CD (0.12%). Odds of having PG was 21.14 (95% CI 17.51-25.51) times greater among HS patients compared to patients without HS. HS patients with CD had 12.38 (95% CI 9.15-16.74) times the odds of having PG compared to non-HS patients with CD. Among patients without CD, those with HS had 26.51 (95% CI 21.07-33.36) times the odds of having PG compared to non-HS patients.

Limitations

We could not establish HS phenotype among those having coexistent PG, nor could we distinguish syndromic from non-syndromic cases.

Conclusion

HS patients have increased prevalence of PG, regardless of CD status. Painful ulcerations among HS patients warrant additional evaluation for PG.

http://bit.ly/2Di1eQY

Comparative Effectiveness Study of Face-to-Face and Teledermatology Workflows for Diagnosing Skin Cancer

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): S. Marwaha, H.B. Fevrier, S.E. Alexeeff, E. Crowley, M. Haiman, N. Pham, M.J. Tuerk, D. Wukda, M. Hartmann, L.J. Herrinton

Abstract

Background

The effectiveness and value of teledermatology and face-to-face workflows for diagnosing lesions are not adequately understood.

Objective

We compared the risks of biopsy and cancer diagnosis among two face-to-face workflows (direct referral, roving dermatologist) and four teledermatology workflows.

Methods

Retrospective study of 59,279 primary care patients with a lesion, January-June 2017.

Results

One teledermatology workflow achieved high resolution images using a dermatoscope-fitted digital camera, picture archiving and communication system, and image retrieval to a large computer monitor (in contrast to a smartphone screen). Compared with direct referral, this workflow was associated with 9% greater probability of cancer detection (95% confidence interval [CI] 2% to 16%); 4% lower probability of biopsy (relative risk [RR] 0.96; CI 0.93-0.99); and 39% fewer face-to-face visits (RR 0.61; CI, 0.57-0.65). Other workflows were less effective.

Limitations

Differing proficiencies across teledermatology workflows and selection of patients for direct referral could have caused bias.

Conclusion

Implementation is critical to the effectiveness of teledermatology

http://bit.ly/2ScQZrn

Corrigendum to 'Abstract 7058' [J Am Acad Dermatol (2018) AB112]

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s):

http://bit.ly/2Di13oM

“Oral diabetes medications other than dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors are not associated with bullous pemphigoid: A Finnish nationwide case-control study”

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): Zachary Schwager, Anar Mikailov, Adam D. Lipworth

http://bit.ly/2SgZ7qT

Abnormal T-cell phenotype in episodic angioedema with hypereosinophilia (Gleich’s syndrome): frequency, clinical implication and prognosis

Publication date: Available online 7 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): Noémie Abisror, Arsène Mekinian, Agnès Dechartres, Matthieu Groh, Alice Berezne, Nicolas Noel, Chafika Morati, Julien Haroche, Mathilde Hunault-Berger, Christian Agard, Felix Ackermann, Loïk Geffray, Pierre-Yves Jeandel, Sébastien Trouillier, Thomas Quemeneur, Jean-François Dufour, Isabelle Lamaury, François Lhote, Guillaume Lefèvre, Olivier Fain

Abstract

Background

Episodic Angioedema with eosinophilia (EAE, Gleich's syndrome) is a rare disorder consisting of recurrent episodes of angioedema, hypereosinophilia and frequent elevated serum Immunoglobin M.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective multicenter nationwide study regarding the clinical spectrum and therapeutic management of patients with EAE in France.

Results

Thirty patients were included with a median age at diagnosis of 41 years [5-84]. The median duration of each crisis was 5.5 days [1-90] with swelling affecting mainly the face and the upper limbs. Total serum IgM levels were increased in 20 patients (67%). Abnormal T-cell immunophenotypes were detected in 12 patients (40%) among which 5 (17%) showed evidence of clonal TCR γ gene rearrangement. Median follow-up duration was 53 months [31-99]. The presence of an abnormal T-cell population was the sole factor associated with a shorter time to flare (hazard ratio 4.15 [CI 95% 1.18-14.66; p=0.02). At last follow-up, 3 patients (10%) were able to withdraw all treatments and 11 (37%) were in clinical and biological remission with less than 10 mg of daily prednisone.

Conclusion

EAE is a heterogeneous condition that encompasses several disease forms. Although patients usually respond well to glucocorticoids, those with evidence of abnormal T-cell phenotype have a shorter time to flare.

http://bit.ly/2Diyuau

Vancomycin-associated Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DIHS)

Publication date: Available online 6 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): Lauren M. Madigan, Lindy P. Fox

Abstract

Background

While hypersensitivity reactions are well-characterized for certain medications, vancomycin-associated drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS), or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), has yet to be defined.

Objective

To better define the clinical phenotype of vancomycin-associated DIHS.

Methods

A retrospective case series was conducted over an 8-year period at a single, academic institution. Twenty-nine patients with definitive DIHS/DRESS were identified, of which four cases were attributed to vancomycin. A literature review was performed which identified 28 additional cases of vancomycin-induced DIHS. Vancomycin-associated acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) was also reviewed to detect further, previously uncharacterized cases of systemic hypersensitivity. This yielded 11 additional cases.

Results

In this literature review and retrospective series, the incidence of renal dysfunction among vancomycin-induced cases (75% and 68% of cases in the series and literature respectively) was notably higher than the overall reported incidence in DIHS (10-40%). The degree of renal impairment was also significantly increased in the retrospective series (median 4.98-fold change in baseline creatinine vs. 2.25-fold increase in non-vancomycin associated cases; p = 0.011).

Limitations

The principal limitation of this study is the small sample size. Other notable limitations include the retrospective nature of the study and absence of confirmatory renal biopsies.

Conclusion

While the current understanding of DIHS/DRESS is imperfect, our findings suggest that vancomycin-induced cases present with a unique phenotype characterized by a higher burden of renal involvement.

http://bit.ly/2SgEECF

Disposable paper cup as a cheap and ready to use stencil for spot cryo treatment

Publication date: Available online 6 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): Karalikkattil T. Ashique, Feroze Kaliyadan

http://bit.ly/2DdpCmG

An effective, low-cost technique for photograph and video capture, wireless transmission, and quality assurance assessments for dermatopathology, anatomic pathology, and Mohs micrographic surgery

Publication date: Available online 6 February 2019

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): Jonathan Kantor

http://bit.ly/2ShSV1S

Capsaicin inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced adrenal steroidogenesis by raising intracellular calcium levels

Abstract

Introduction

Glucocorticoid release by adrenals has been described as significant to survive sepsis. The activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) inhibited ACTH-induced glucocorticoid release by adrenal glands in vitro.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate if capsaicin, an activator of TRPV1, would prevent LPS-induced glucocorticoid production by adrenals.

Methods

Male Swiss-Webster mice were treated with capsaicin intraperitoneally (0.2 or 2 mg/kg) 30 min before LPS injection. All analyses were performed 2 h after the LPS stimulation, including plasma corticosterone and peritoneal IL-1β and TNF-α levels. Furthermore, murine adrenocortical Y1 cells were used to assess the effects of capsaicin on LPS-induced corticosterone production in vitro.

Results

Capsaicin (2 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced plasma corticosterone levels and adrenal hypertrophy induced by LPS without alter the levels of pro-steroidogenic cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in peritoneal cavity of mice, while the dose of 0.2 mg/kg of capsaicin did not interfere with adrenal steroidogenesis, attested by RIA and ELISA, respectively. Y1 cells express TRPV1, measured by immunofluorescence and western blot, and capsaicin decreased LPS-induced corticosterone production by these cells in vitro. Capsaicin also induces calcium mobilization in Y1 cells in vitro.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that capsaicin inhibits corticosterone production induced by LPS by acting directly on adrenal cells producing glucocorticoids, in a mechanism probably associated with induction of a cytoplasmic calcium increase in these cells.

http://bit.ly/2DhQTEE

Editors Choice

Publication date: January 2019

Source: Journal of Dermatological Science, Volume 93, Issue 1

Author(s):

http://bit.ly/2UKiw0b

Editorial board

Publication date: January 2019

Source: Journal of Dermatological Science, Volume 93, Issue 1

Author(s):

http://bit.ly/2tbzloR

Trophic transfer of CuO nanoparticles from brine shrimp ( Artemia salina ) nauplii to convict cichlid ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata ) larvae: uptake, accumulation and elimination

Abstract

We investigated the trophic transfer potential of CuO-NPs from Artemia salina to Amatitlania nigrofasciata. The Cu uptake was investigated by exposure of the instar II nauplii to 0, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L CuO-NPs for 4 h. Dietborne exposure of fish larvae to CuO-NPs was done for 21 days through feeding with pre-exposed nauplii. Thereafter, all survived fish were fed for 21 more days with non-contaminated nauplii. The results showed that NPs could be taken up by nauplii in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest uptake of Cu by nauplii was found to be 50.5 ± 1.4 mg/g dry weight at 100 mg/L. The copper accumulation in fish larvae increased significantly with increasing Cu content in pre-exposed nauplii to different concentrations of CuO-NPs (p < 0.05). At the end of the depuration phase, although the Cu elimination was significantly higher in fish that were fed with more contaminated nauplii, but the survival rate, average final weight, and length of those larvae was still significantly less than the control group (p < 0.05). The accumulated Cu after the depuration phase in cichlid larvae was 25.4 ± 0.5, 29 ± 8.0, 33.9 ± 9.7, and 42.3 ± 4.0 μg/g dry weight at 0, 1, 10, and 100 mg/L of CuO-NPs-treated Artemia. The current findings indicated the ability of manufactured CuO-NPs to be transferred from one trophic level to the next as assessed in the simple food chain consisting of pre-exposed A. salina and A. nigrofasciata.

http://bit.ly/2RLezXg

Serum polyamine metabolic profile in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) patients

Summary

Objective

Polyamines are indispensable polycations and play important physiological roles in living cells. Some polyamine metabolites have been associated with autoimmune disorders. The aims of this study were to profile polyamine metabolites in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) and predict whether polyamine metabolites are associated with thyroid hormone, thyroid autoantibodies or disease progression.

Design, patients and measurements

A total of 136 participants were recruited, including Graves' disease (GD) (n=36), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) (n=33) and thyroid autoantibody‐positive (pTAb) (n=29) patients and 38 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (HCs). Fourteen polyamine metabolites, including polyamine precursors, polyamines and polyamine catabolite, were measured by UFLC‐MS/MS.

Results

Both GD and HT patients had higher L‐arginine, L‐ornithine, lysine and agmatine levels and lower putrescine, 1,3‐diaminopropane, spermine, N‐acetylputrescine levels than HCs. Some polyamine metabolite levels were different only in GD or HT patients compared to HCs: GD patients had significantly higher spermidine, N‐acetylspermidine and γ‐aminobutyric acid and lower cadaverine, whereas HT patients had significantly decreased N‐acetylspermine. Only spermine and N‐acetylspermine were significantly lower in pTAb than HCs. The spermine:spermidine ratio was significantly reduced in all AITD patients. In addition, spermine was negatively correlated with thyroid‐specific antibodies grade. N‐acetylspermidine might be a risk factor for pTAb progression to overt hypothyroidism.

Conclusions

Compared with the HCs, most metabolites of GD and HT showed similar patterns, suggesting the possibility of a common pathophysiological basis or metabolic pathway. Moreover, pTAb progression to overt hypothyroidism may be related to high N‐acetylspermidine. Thyroid autoimmunity was associated with low spermine.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://bit.ly/2DfpvqD

Serum iodine concentration in pregnant women and its association with urinary iodine concentration and thyroid function

Summary

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the association of serum iodine concentration (SIC) with urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and thyroid function in pregnant women, as well as to provide the reference range of SIC of pregnant women in iodine‐sufficiency area.

Methods

Pregnant women were enrolled in the Department of Obstetrics, Tanggu Maternity Hospital, Tianjin from March 2016 to May 2017. Fasting venous blood and spot urine samples were collected. Serum free‐triiodothyronine (FT3), free‐thyroxine (FT4), thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroglobulin (Tg), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), UIC, and serum iodine concentration (SIC) were measured.

Results

1099 participants were included in this study. The median UIC was 156μg/L. The median SIC was 108μg/L, and the 95% reference interval for SIC was 65.6‐164.7μg/L. SIC was positively correlated with UIC (r=0.12, P<0.001), FT3 (r=0.23, P<0.001), and FT4(r=0.50, P<0.001) and was inversely correlated with TSH (r=‐0.14, P<0.001). Pregnant women with a SIC <79.9μg/L had a higher risk of hypothyroxinemia compared to those with higher SIC (OR=2.44, 95%CI: 1.31‐4.75). Those having SIC >138.5μg/L were more likely to have thyrotoxicosis than those with lower SIC values (OR=13.52, 95% CI: 4.21‐43.36).

Conclusions

Serum iodine level is associated with UIC and thyroid function in pregnant women. Low SIC was associated with increased risk for iodine deficiency and hypothyroxinemia, while high SIC was related to excess and thyrotoxicosis.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://bit.ly/2Sfg5WA

Sex‐specific associations between insulin resistance and bone parameters in overweight and obese older adults

Abstract

Objectives

To determine sex‐specific associations between insulin resistance and bone parameters measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) in overweight and obese community‐dwelling older adults.

Study design

Cross‐sectional study of 79 community‐dwelling overweight and obese adults (mean±SD age 62.8±7.9 years; BMI 32.3±6.1 kg/m²; 58% women).

Main outcome measures

pQCT assessed distal radius and tibia trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and proximal radius and tibia cortical vBMD, periosteal circumference, endosteal circumference and stress‐strain index (SSI). The Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA‐IR) score was calculated from fasting glucose and insulin values. Lean mass was assessed using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). Total minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was calculated using the Active Australia Survey.

Results

Men and women in this cohort had no significant differences in fasting glucose and insulin concentrations, HOMA‐IR and diabetes prevalence (all P>0.05). In women, HOMA‐IR was positively correlated with proximal radius periosteal and endosteal circumference (r=0.331; P=0.034 and r=0.325; P=0.038, respectively). These associations became non‐significant in multivariable regression analyses, however, HOMA‐IR was negatively associated with proximal radius cortical vBMD (B=‐4.79; 95% CI ‐8.66, ‐0.92) after adjusting for age, lean mass and MVPA. All associations between HOMA‐IR and bone parameters became non‐significant in a sensitivity analysis excluding individuals with diabetes, or self‐reported use of glucose‐lowering medications. There were no associations between HOMA‐IR and bone parameters in men.

Conclusions

HOMA‐IR was negatively associated with radial cortical vBMD in overweight and obese older women, but not in men. Further studies are needed to clarify sex‐specific associations between insulin resistance and bone health in overweight and obese older adults.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://bit.ly/2DgX6AJ

ENVIRONNEMENT, RISQUES & SANTÉ

ENVIRONNEMENT, RISQUES & SANTÉ Volume 18, numéro 1, 2019 Retrouvez le dernier numéro de votre revue Environnement, Risques & Santé À lire notamment dans ce numéro : Déterminants des concentrations intérieures en radon dans les logements français. Exploitation des données collectées dans plus de 6000 maisons Retrouvez également en accès libre le Year Book Santé et Environnement avec près de 70 articles commentés issus de la littérature internationale et 12 synthèses inédites rédigées par les meilleures équipes françaises. Toujours pas abonné ? Retrouvez nos offres d'abonnements sur www.revue-ers.fr Bonne lecture à tous !

SOMMAIRE : ÉDITORIAL/EDITORIAL >  De la Société française à la Société francophone de santé et environnement (SFSE)  Alain Grimfeld BRÈVES/NEWS FROM THE LITERATURE >  Exposition aux polluants atmosphériques et qualité séminale chez les participants à l'étude LIFE  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Pollution et qualité du sperme : intérêt du taux de fragmentation de l'ADN spermatique  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Exposition maternelle à la pollution atmosphérique et profil de méthylation de l'ADN placentaire  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  L'exposome urbain durant la grossesse et ses déterminants socio-économiques dans neuf villes européennes  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Exposition maternelle aux champs électromagnétiques d'extrêmement basse fréquence, prématurité et hypotrophie dans la cohorte Elfe  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Influence de l'exposition in utero aux organochlorés et perfluorés sur le risque de petit poids de naissance : analyse poolée de sept cohortes européennes  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Exposition prénatale aux substances perfluoroalkylées et score de QI à l'âge de 5 ans dans la cohorte de naissance danoise  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Exposition prénatale aux polluants de l'environnement intérieur et de l'air extérieur et trajectoire de développement cognitif jusqu'à l'âge de 7 ans  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Quels facteurs environnementaux peuvent contribuer à l'augmentation des allergies alimentaires ?  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  L'exposition à la lumière la nuit en tant que perturbateur endocrinien  Laurence Nicolle-Mir >  Antibiorésistance : au-delà de la compréhension théorique, le besoin de connaissances pratiques*  Laurence Nicolle-Mir SUR LE WEB/ON THE WEB >  Sur le Web  Laurence Nicolle-Mir ARTICLES ORIGINAUX/ORIGINAL ARTICLES Déterminants des concentrations intérieures en radon dans les logements français  Eline Le Ponner, Bernard Collignan, Bérengère Ledunois, Corinne Mandin  Open Access >  Perception de la pollution de l'air par les habitants du Cameroun et de France : convergences et divergences  Daniel Bley, Marceline Mbetoumou, Yves Noack, Samuel Robert, Nicole Vernazza-Licht NOTES TECHNIQUES/TECHNICAL NOTES >  Diagnostic simplifié d'une décharge sauvage (extrême nord-est de l'Algérie)  Mohamed Djalil Zaafour, Samir Chekchaki, Mohamed Benslama >  Disponibilité et fonctionnalité des infrastructures d'hygiène et d'assainissement dans des écoles primaires publiques au Bénin  Zoulkifl Salou Bachirou, Gratien Boni, Damien Toffa, Parfait Djossou, Flora Zenontin, Hermione Amoukpo, Vignon Bedie, Christophe S. Houssou, Gabriel Diez, Roch Christian Johnson >  Validation de la démarche d'intégration du système de management de la sécurité des denrées alimentaires dès la conception d'une industrie au Togo  Matéyendou Lamboni, Ouézou Yaovi Azouma MOT À MOT/WHICH WORD? >  Technique – technologie  Jean-Claude André LÉGISLATION/LEGISLATION >  Législation  Laurence Nicolle-Mir OUVRAGES PARUS/RECENT PUBLICATIONS >  Ouvrages parus  Jean-Claude André, Luc Foulquier, Pierre-André Cabanes BLOC-NOTES ET REMERCIEMENTS/NOTEPAD AND THANK YOU NOTE >  Bloc-Notes

Capsaicin inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced adrenal steroidogenesis by raising intracellular calcium levels

Abstract

Introduction

Glucocorticoid release by adrenals has been described as significant to survive sepsis. The activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) inhibited ACTH-induced glucocorticoid release by adrenal glands in vitro.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate if capsaicin, an activator of TRPV1, would prevent LPS-induced glucocorticoid production by adrenals.

Methods

Male Swiss-Webster mice were treated with capsaicin intraperitoneally (0.2 or 2 mg/kg) 30 min before LPS injection. All analyses were performed 2 h after the LPS stimulation, including plasma corticosterone and peritoneal IL-1β and TNF-α levels. Furthermore, murine adrenocortical Y1 cells were used to assess the effects of capsaicin on LPS-induced corticosterone production in vitro.

Results

Capsaicin (2 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly reduced plasma corticosterone levels and adrenal hypertrophy induced by LPS without alter the levels of pro-steroidogenic cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in peritoneal cavity of mice, while the dose of 0.2 mg/kg of capsaicin did not interfere with adrenal steroidogenesis, attested by RIA and ELISA, respectively. Y1 cells express TRPV1, measured by immunofluorescence and western blot, and capsaicin decreased LPS-induced corticosterone production by these cells in vitro. Capsaicin also induces calcium mobilization in Y1 cells in vitro.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that capsaicin inhibits corticosterone production induced by LPS by acting directly on adrenal cells producing glucocorticoids, in a mechanism probably associated with induction of a cytoplasmic calcium increase in these cells.

http://bit.ly/2DhQTEE

Bowen Disease with Invasive Mucin‐Secreting Sweat Gland Differentiation: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

Bowen Disease (BD) with divergent adnexal differentiation is a rare composite cutaneous tumor featuring different phenotypic elements. Sebaceous, poroid and trichilemmal invasive components have been described in this setting and very infrequent reports of mucinous glandular differentiation are extant. Clinically these tumors are not sufficiently distinctive to enable recognition without histopathological evaluation. From a microscopic perspective, care must be taken to exclude a collision tumor as well as other combined cutaneous neoplasms featuring squamous and glandular differentiation. Direct continuity between the two epithelial phenotypes helps to establish the correct diagnosis and generates interesting speculation about the pathogenesis of these and other epithelial skin tumors. We describe a case of BD in continuity with an invasive adenocarcinoma exhibiting mucinous sweat gland differentiation on the face of an elderly man. Details of the case are outlined with the objective of adding to a scant literature on this topic.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

http://bit.ly/2RKQ0cO

Issue Information

http://bit.ly/2WNqF5V

Efficacy of low-level laser for treatment of cancer oral mucositis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Review effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in the curative treatment of oral mucositis (OM) in patients receiving cancer therapy. A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases according to PRISMA guidelines, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCT) on OM in patients during and/or after cancer therapy and in which the therapeutic approach was LLLT, with wavelengths between 632 and 970 nm. We considered grade of OM as a dichotomous variable (such as an improvement or not in severe OM on the seventh day of therapy), with the analysis of subgroups of adult patients or children and adolescents and as a continuous variable with determination of the time for the complete resolution and the subgroup analysis occurred with the strata of the samples by treatment only with chemotherapy or chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This paper's protocol was registered a priori at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO. We found five RCT (total of 315 patients) with adequate methodology. LLLT was effective, presenting a 62% risk reduction of severe mucositis on the seventh day of evaluation (RR = 0.38 [95% CI, 0.19–0.75]). When we analyzed subgroups, RR was 0.28 (95% CI 0.17–0.46) in the adult studies and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.46–1.78) in the studies with children and adolescents. We demonstrated a mean reduction of 4.21 days in the time of complete resolution of OM (CI − 5.65 to − 2.76) in favor of LLLT. There is moderate evidence that LLLT is effective in resolving OM lesions in adult patients undergoing cancer therapy. LLLT demonstrates potential for decreasing the resolution time of OM lesions by approximately 4.21 days.

http://bit.ly/2BoNNP0

Microneedling on the external female genitalia's flaccidity in patients with Ehlers‐Danlos: Case report

Summary

Introduction

The Ehlers‐Danlos Syndrome (EDS) can presentis a reduction in fibroblast proliferation and collagen production. Microneedling a minimally invasive technique that through mechanical stimulus there is incentive to the production of collagen and elastin.

Objective

Present a case study in a patient with EDS complaining of flaccidity on large genital labia, using microneedling as a therapeutic proposal.

Methodology

A 36‐year‐old female with EDS type III. The external genitalia showed tissue flaccidity associated with hyperchromia. Microneedling was performed with 0.5 mm needles and the cosmetology was used soon after the application. The level of pain was questioned to the patient through a Likert scale. The clinical response to treatment was evaluated through self‐report, visual analogue scale and analysis of photographic images. Five other people evaluated the results through before and after images.

Results

Microneedle was shown to be bearable in relation to pain and associated with cosmetology for tissue flaccidity due to EDS in the genital region proved to be very satisfactory for the patient, as well individuals who evaluated the comparative image.

Conclusion

Microneedle associated with cosmetology may be a new option for studies on skin flaccidity treatments on individuals with EDS and for treatments of genital

hyperchromias

http://bit.ly/2GcXjbT