Symptoms of psychological distress reported by women from indigenous communities in South India: implications for methodology and future studies

Archives of Women's Mental Health - ‘Indigenous peoples’ across the globe suffer a disproportionate burden of mental illness. However, this burden is not fully explored in India...     

Potential biosoluble carriers: biocompatibility and biodegradability of oxidized cellulose

The biocompatibility and biodegradability of periodate oxidized cellulose is assessed in vivo. Morophological and histopathological studies over a period of six months indicate that oxidized cellulose degrades slowly without producing excessive tissue reaction. Preliminary investigations on the kinetics of degradation of oxidized cellulose in vitro, immobilization of alpha-chymotrypsin on it and the rate of the enzyme release in a solution of pH 7.4 are also briefly reported.     

Insulin resistance syndrome. A review

Insulin is a hormone and a growth factor that elicits a myriad variety of metabolic and mitogenic cellular actions. Insulin resistance (IR) could occur with any of the effects of insulin, even though it usually refers to its ability to stimulate glucose uptake in insulin-sensitive peripheral tissues such as fat and muscle. IR as it applies to the glucose-insulin relationship is distinctly different from the clinical concept of an IR syndrome, which applies to a cluster of metabolic disorders (type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM], central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, increased prothrombotic and antifibrinolytic factors/ hypercoagulability and a predilection for heart disease). The rising obesity epidemic portends great significance, as it is associated with a high prevalence of IR. We review the etiopathogenesis of IR, the clinical spectrum, and review the clinical data on the management of IR.     

Physical Inactivity in Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

Purpose

Reduced physical activity in many chronic diseases is consistently associated with increased morbidity. Little is known about physical activity in sarcoidosis. The aim of this study was to objectively assess physical activity in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and investigate its relationship with lung function, exercise capacity, symptom burden, and health status.

Methods

Physical activity was assessed over one week in 15 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and 14 age-matched healthy controls with a tri-axial accelerometer (ActivPal™) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). All participants underwent pulmonary function tests, 6-min walk test (6MWT) and completed the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), Medical Research Council (MRC) Dyspnoea Scale and the King’s Sarcoidosis Questionnaire (KSQ).

Results

Patients with sarcoidosis had significantly lower daily step counts than healthy controls; mean (SD) 5624 (1875) versus 10,429 (2942) steps (p < 0.01) and a trend towards fewer sit-to-stand transitions each day (p = 0.095). Only two patients (13%) self-reported undertaking vigorous physical activity (IPAQ) compared to half of healthy individuals (p < 0.01). Daily step count was significantly associated with 6MWT distance in sarcoidosis (r = 0.634, p = 0.01), but not with forced vital capacity (r = 0.290), fatigue (r = 0.041), dyspnoea (r = −0.466) or KSQ health status (r = 0.099–0.484). Time spent upright was associated with fatigue (r = −0.630, p = 0.012) and health status (KSQ Lung scores r = 0.524, p = 0.045), and there was a significant correlation between the number of sit-to-stand transitions and MRC dyspnoea score (r = −0.527, p = 0.044).

Conclusion

Physical activity is significantly reduced in sarcoidosis and is associated with reduced functional exercise capacity (6MWD). Fatigue, exertional symptoms and health status were more closely associated with time spent upright and the number of bouts of physical activity, as compared to step counts. Further studies are warranted to identify the factors that determine different physical activity profiles in sarcoidosis.

     

The neuregulin receptor ErbB-4 interacts with PDZ-containing proteins at neuronal synapses

Neuregulins regulate the expression of ligand- and voltage-gated channels in neurons and skeletal muscle by the activation of their cognate tyrosine kinase receptors, ErbB 1-4. The subcellular distribution and mechanisms that regulate the localization of ErbB receptors are unknown. We have found that ErbB receptors are present in brain subcellular fractions enriched for postsynaptic densities (PSD). The ErbB-4 receptor is unique among the ErbB proteins because its C-terminal tail (T-V-V) conforms to a sequence that binds to a protein motif known as the PDZ domain. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we found that the C-terminal region of ErbB-4 interacts with the three related membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs) PSD-95/SAP90, PSD-93/chapsyn-110, and SAP 102, which harbor three PDZ domains, as well as with beta(2)-syntrophin, which has a single PDZ domain. As with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, ErbB4 interacts with the first two PDZ domains of PSD-95. Using coimmunoprecipitation assays, we confirmed the direct interactions between ErbB-4 and PSD-95 in transfected heterologous cells, as well as in vivo, where both proteins are coimmunoprecipitated from brain lysates. Moreover, evidence for colocalization of these proteins was also observed by immunofluorescence in cultured hippocampal neurons. ErbB-4 colocalizes with PSD-95 and NMDA receptors at a subset of excitatory synapses apposed to synaptophysin-positive presynaptic terminals. The capacity of ErbB receptors to interact with PDZ-domain proteins at cell junctions is conserved from invertebrates to mammals. As discussed, the interactions found between receptor tyrosine kinases and MAGUKs at neuronal synapses may have important implications for activity-dependent plasticity.     

Refined grain consumption and the metabolic syndrome in urban Asian Indians (Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study 57)

The objective of the study was to evaluate the association of refined grains consumption with insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome in an urban south Indian population. The study population comprised 2042 individuals aged ≥20 years randomly selected from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES), a cross-sectional study on a representative population of Chennai, southern India. The metabolic syndrome was defined according to modified Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines; and insulin resistance, by the homeostasis assessment model. The mean refined grain intake was 333 g/d (46.9% of total calories) in this population. After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, metabolic equivalent, total energy intake, and other dietary factors, higher refined grain intake was significantly associated with higher waist circumference (8% higher for the highest vs the lowest quartile, P for trend < .0001), systolic blood pressure (2.9%, P for trend < .0001), diastolic blood pressure (1.7%, P for trend = .03), fasting blood glucose (7.9%, P for trend = .007), serum triglyceride (36.5%, P for trend < .0001), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−10.1%, P for trend < .0001), and insulin resistance (13.6%, P < .001). Compared with participants in the bottom quartile, participants who were in the highest quartile of refined grain intake were significantly more likely to have the metabolic syndrome (odds ratio, 7.83; 95% confidence interval, 4.72-12.99). Higher intake of refined grains was associated with insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome in this population of Asian Indians who habitually consume high-carbohydrate diets.