Postprandial administration of intranasal insulin intensifies satiety and reduces intake of palatable snacks in women

The role of brain insulin signaling in the control of food intake in humans has not been thoroughly defined. We hypothesized that the hormone contributes to the postprandial regulation of appetite for palatable food, and assessed the effects on appetite and snack intake of postprandial versus fasted intranasal insulin administration to the brain in healthy women. Two groups of subjects were intranasally administered 160 IU insulin or vehicle after lunch. Two hours later, consumption of cookies of varying palatability was measured under the pretext of a taste test. In a control study, the effects of intranasal insulin administered to fasted female subjects were assessed. Compared with placebo, insulin administration in the postprandial but not in the fasted state decreased appetite as well as intake and rated palatability of chocolate chip cookies (the most palatable snack offered). In both experiments, intranasal insulin induced a slight decrease in plasma glucose but did not affect serum insulin concentrations. Data indicate that brain insulin acts as a relevant satiety signal during the postprandial period, in particular reducing the intake of highly palatable food, and impacts peripheral glucose homeostasis. Postprandial intranasal insulin administration might be useful in curtailing overconsumption of snacks with accentuated rewarding value.     

The subdiaphragmatic cistern: historic and radioanatomic findings

Background  

In the past, sporadic demonstrations of the existence of a subarachnoid subdiaphragmatic cistern have been published. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomical characteristics of the subdiaphragmatic cistern of the pituitary gland.     

Normalization of serum bile acids after partial external biliary diversion indicates an excellent long-term outcome in children with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis

Background/PurposeThe surgical treatment for patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) is either liver transplantation (LTX) or partial external biliary diversion (PEBD). Both procedures achieve a good short-term outcome. However, the treatment strategy for these children remains controversial because the long-term outcome after PEBD is unknown. The aim of our study was to assess the long-term outcome and complications after PEBD in our institution.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the characteristics of all patients with PFIC undergoing PEBD in our department from 1994 to 2008. The course of serum bile acids, pruritus, and liver enzymes was assessed in a regular follow-up.ResultsTwenty-four patients underwent PEBD. Thirteen patients (54%) improved significantly, with a normalization of serum bile acids (P < .001 vs postoperatively) and lessened pruritus (P < .05 vs preoperatively) at 12 months after PEBD. None of these patients showed progression of cholestasis during a median follow-up of 9.8 years (range, 1.6-14.3 years). Partial external biliary diversion failed to normalize bile acids in 11 patients, of whom 9 required secondary LTX at a 1-year follow-up, with a median interval of 1.9 years (range, 0.5-3.8 years). All 7 patients (100%) with liver cirrhosis at the time of PEBD and 2 of 17 patients without cirrhosis (12%) required secondary LTX (P < .001).ConclusionsClinical improvement with normalization of serum bile acids within 1 year was associated with an excellent long-term outcome in patients with PEBD. The presence of liver cirrhosis at the time of PEBD indicated an unfavorable outcome. Thus, we recommend primary LTX only in PFIC patients with liver cirrhosis.     

Knee function and prevalence of osteoarthritis after isolated anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using bone-patellar tendon-bone graft: long-term follow-up

Purpose  

The aim of this investigation was to study patient-reported long-term clinical outcome, instrumental stablitity and prevalence of radiological osteoarthritis (OA) a minimum of ten years after isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.     

Bactericidal Activity of N-Chlorotaurine against Biofilm-Forming Bacteria Grown on Metal Disks

Many orthopedic surgeons consider surgical irrigation and debridement with prosthesis retention as a treatment option for postoperative infections. Usually, saline solution with no added antimicrobial agent is used for irrigation. We investigated the activity of N-chlorotaurine (NCT) against various biofilm-forming bacteria in vitro and thereby gained significant information on its usability as a soluble and well-tolerated active chlorine compound in orthopedic surgery. Biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus were grown on metal alloy disks and in polystyrene dishes for 48 h. Subsequently, they were incubated for 15 min to 7 h in buffered solutions containing therapeutically applicable concentrations of NCT (1%, 0.5%, and 0.1%; 5.5 to 55 mM) at 37°C. NCT inactivated the biofilm in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Scanning electron microscopy revealed disturbance of the biofilm architecture by rupture of the extracellular matrix. Assays with reduction of carboxanilide (XTT) showed inhibition of the metabolism of the bacteria in biofilms. Quantitative cultures confirmed killing of S. aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on metal alloy disks by NCT. Clinical isolates were slightly more resistant than ATCC type strains, but counts of CFU were reduced at least 10-fold by 1% NCT within 15 min in all cases. NCT showed microbicidal activity against various bacterial strains in biofilms. Whether this can be transferred to the clinical situation should be the aim of future studies.