Hyperactivity of the HPA axis is related to dietary restraint in normal weight women

The objective of our study was to investigate the relationship between hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal (HPA) axis functioning and dietary restraint in normal weight (BMI between 20 and 25 kg/m²) men and women. We therefore assessed in 38 men and 38 women HPA axis functioning, through measuring 5-hour cortisol exposure and cortisol feedback functioning through a dexamethasone (4 mg) suppression test. Eating behavior was assessed through the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and body composition through hydro densitometry and deuterium dilution method. No relationship between HPA axis functioning and dietary restraint was found in men. Normal weight women with a restraint score ≥ 9 showed increased cortisol concentrations over a 5-hour time period, increased cortisol concentrations after a dexamethasone (4 mg) suppression test, higher BMI, and higher body fat percentage, when compared to women with a restraint score < 9. Moreover, a positive relationship was found between cortisol concentrations over a 5-hour time period and dietary restraint in combination with the disinhibition score (R² = 0.23, p < 0.001). We conclude that in normal weight women hyperactivity of the HPA-axis is related to dietary restraint especially in combination with disinhibition.     

Clearance of influenza virus from the lung depends on migratory langerin+CD11b- but not plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Although dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in mediating protection against influenza virus, the precise role of lung DC subsets, such as CD11b- and CD11b+ conventional DCs or plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), in different lung compartments is currently unknown. Early after intranasal infection, tracheal CD11b-CD11chi DCs migrated to the mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs), acquiring co-stimulatory molecules in the process. This emigration from the lung was followed by an accumulation of CD11b+CD11chi DCs in the trachea and lung interstitium. In the MLNs, the CD11b+ DCs contained abundant viral nucleoprotein (NP), but these cells failed to present antigen to CD4 or CD8 T cells, whereas resident CD11b-CD8+ DCs presented to CD8 cells, and migratory CD11b-CD8- DCs presented to CD4 and CD8 T cells. When lung CD11chi DCs and macrophages or langerin+CD11b-CD11chi DCs were depleted using either CD11c-diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) or langerin-DTR mice, the development of virus-specific CD8+ T cells was severely delayed, which correlated with increased clinical severity and a delayed viral clearance. 120G8+ CD11cint pDCs also accumulated in the lung and LNs carrying viral NP, but in their absence, there was no effect on viral clearance or clinical severity. Rather, in pDC-depleted mice, there was a reduction in antiviral antibody production after lung clearance of the virus. This suggests that multiple DCs are endowed with different tasks in mediating protection against influenza virus.     

A review of similarities between domain-specific determinants of four health behaviors among adolescents

Schools are overloaded with health promotion programs that, altogether, focus on a broad array of behavioral domains, including substance abuse, sexuality and nutrition. Although the specific content of programs varies according to the domain focus, programs usually address similar concepts: knowledge, attitudinal beliefs, social influences and skills. This apparent conceptual overlap between behaviors and programs provides opportunities for a transfer-oriented approach which will stimulate students to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in one domain (e.g. skills for resisting tobacco use) to other domains (e.g. alcohol, sex). A requirement for such an approach is that behaviors share at least some determinants. This review addresses this issue by examining similarities between domain-specific determinants of smoking, drinking, safe sex and healthy nutrition among adolescents. Recent empirical studies and reviews were examined. The results show that the following determinants are relevant to all four behaviors: beliefs about immediate gratification and social advantages, peer norms, peer and parental modeling and refusal self-efficacy. Several other determinants have been found to relate to at least two behaviors, e.g. health risk beliefs and parental norms. These results can be used for the development of a transfer-oriented school health promotion curriculum.     

Schmerztherapeutische Einrichtungen für Erkrankungen des Bewegungssystems an österreichischen Krankenanstalten

This paper gives a comparative overview of the current clinical care of patients experiencing pain in the musculoskeletal system in Austria and in Germany. The questionnaire used in this study was modified from one used in a survey carried out in Germany in 2002. In our version we asked specifically about pain in the musculoskeletal system. In all 228 health care facilities were reviewed, 56.6% of which offer at least one option for pain therapy. In Austria, the majority of patients with pain in the musculoskeletal system are treated by specialists in the departments of anaesthesiology, internal medicine, and orthopaedics. In 17.4% of the clinics in Austria there are plans to extend the pain therapy they offer, but in over half of the hospitals that responded facilities for pain therapy are considered to be vulnerable. The study highlights a significant higher percentage of in-patient pain therapy services in Austria, while in Germany, in contrast, there are more outpatient options for pain therapy. The quality of pain therapy could by further improved by more intense cooperation between the inpatient and outpatient sectors and by the establishment of interdisciplinary and multimodal solutions.     

Total ganglioside ablation at mouse motor nerve terminals alters neurotransmitter release level

Neuronal membrane gangliosides, forming a large family of sialylated glycosphingolipids, have been hypothesized to play important roles in synaptic transmission. We studied the ex vivo electrophysiological function of neuromuscular junctions of GM2/GD2‐synthase*GD3‐synthase compound null‐mutant mice after acute removal of GM3, the only remaining ganglioside in this mouse, by in vitro treatment with neuraminidase. We found 16% enhancement of the acetylcholine release per nerve impulse at low‐rate (0.3 Hz) nerve stimulation. Conversely, the treatment reduced the acetylcholine release evoked by high‐rate (40 Hz) nerve stimulation. Also, 25 ms paired‐pulse facilitation of endplate potentials was reduced by the neuraminidase‐treatment. These effects may indicate a modest modulatory influence of the negative electrical charges carried by the sialic acid molecules of gangliosides on the function of presynaptic Ca_v2.1 channels, affecting the magnitude and kinetics of the Ca²⁺ influx that induces neurotransmitter release from the motor nerve terminal. Our results show that gangliosides are to some extent involved in neurotransmission at the neuromuscular junction, but that their presence is not an absolute requirement in this process. Synapse 64:335–338, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Preparation of advanced glycation end products in vitro.

Sir, With great interest we read the article by Chang et al. [1]on the enhancement of epithelial sodium channel mRNA expressionand protein level in renal cortical collecting duct (CCD) cellsby advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The authors showthat AGEs can increase sodium uptake in CCD cells in a     

Water sorption and solubility of contemporary resin-based filling materials

PURPOSE: Evaluation of water sorption and solubility of contemporary resin-based filling materials. METHODS: Specimens of Herculite (HE), Point 4 (P4), TetricCeram (TC), Miris (MI), TetricCeram HB (HB), Solitaire 2 (SO), SureFil (SU), Definite (DE), Admira (AD), Dyract AP (DY), Compoglass F (CO), and TetricFlow (TF) were prepared according to ISO 4049. Water sorption and solubility were measured after water storage at 37 degrees C for 7 days. RESULTS: Water sorption was HE 14 microg mm(-3), P4 17 microg mm(-3), TC 12 microg mm(-3), MI 13 microg mm(-3), HB 9 microg mm(-3), SO 18 microg mm(-3), SU 9 microg mm(-3), DE 14 microg mm(-3), AD 27 microg mm(-3), DY 19 microg mm(-3), CO 23 microg mm(-3), and TF 19 microg mm(-3). Solubility was HE 3 microg mm(-3), P4 3 microg mm(-3), TC 1 microg mm(-3), MI 0 microg mm(-3), HB 0 microg mm(-3), SO 3 microg mm(-3), SU 0 microg mm(-3), DE 1 microg mm(-3), AD 2 microg mm(-3), DY 4 microg mm(-3), CO -2 microg mm(-3), and TF 1 microg mm(-3). CONCLUSION: All materials met the corresponding requirement in ISO 4049. Filler load negatively correlated with water sorption but not with solubility. There was an influence of the resin matrix, too. No significant differences were found between composites, ormocers, and compomers.     

The association between muscle mass and the degree of myosteatosis of the psoas muscle and mortality in older patients with cancer

ObjectiveComprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is used for oncological management in older patients. The evaluation of muscle characteristics is currently not included in the CGA. This study investigates whether muscle mass and the degree of myosteatosis is associated with mortality in older patients with cancer.MethodsCGA was performed in a cohort of older patients with cancer. Cross sectional area (CSA) and mean pixel density (Hounsfield units, HU), as measure for respectively muscle mass and myosteatosis, were obtained from CT images of the psoas muscle at the level of mid L3. Mortality was recorded. Correlation was determined between CSA and HU. Paired sample t-test was used to follow changes in muscle mass and density. Logistic regression was performed to define relevant prognostic factors for mortality.ResultsIn total, 183 patients were included (86 male and 97 female), 120 patients (66%) died. Mean age was 80 years (range 70–94 years). Mean days of survival was 606 (range 1–2023). There was a significant correlation between CSA and HU (PCC = 0.196) at time of diagnosis and at follow-up (PCC = 0.257). There was a significant decrease in CSA (p = .008) and HU (p = .004) in men at follow-up. No significant changes were observed in women. In multivariate analysis, a higher gender-corrected CSA was linked to a lower mortality rate with an odds ratio of 0.657 (CI = 0.457–0.944, p = .023). No association was found between HU and mortality.ConclusionsMuscle mass correlated with the degree of myosteatosis. CSA and HU tended to decrease during follow-up. Having a greater CSA was prognostic for a lower mortality rate.     

Analysing the attributes of Comprehensive Cancer Centres and Cancer Centres across Europe to identify key hallmarks

There is a persistent variation in cancer outcomes among and within European countries suggesting (among other causes) inequalities in access to or delivery of high‐quality cancer care. European policy (EU Cancer Mission and Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan) is currently moving towards a mission‐oriented approach addressing these inequalities. In this study, we used the quantitative and qualitative data of the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes’ Accreditation and Designation Programme, relating to 40 large European cancer centres, to describe their current compliance with quality standards, to identify the hallmarks common to all centres and to show the distinctive features of Comprehensive Cancer Centres. All Comprehensive Cancer Centres and Cancer Centres accredited by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes show good compliance with quality standards related to care, multidisciplinarity and patient centredness. However, Comprehensive Cancer Centres on average showed significantly better scores on indicators related to the volume, quality and integration of translational research, such as high‐impact publications, clinical trial activity (especially in phase I and phase IIa trials) and filing more patents as early indicators of innovation. However, irrespective of their size, centres show significant variability regarding effective governance when functioning as entities within larger hospitals.     

Determinants of monovalent oral polio vaccine mutagenesis in vaccinated elderly people

Live oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) strains can mutate and recombine during replication in the host. Trivalent OPV has long been used to restrain wild-type poliovirus in developing countries. However, recently WHO advocates using monovalent OPV (mOPV) to finally eradicate poliovirus world-wide. We analysed polioviruses recovered from the faeces of 101 elderly patients (divided into three groups by immune status) challenged with mOPV-1 or mOPV-3. A high number of nucleotide mutations was found in the viral capsid-protein-encoding regions. Some of these mutations caused amino acid changes in or near regions with neutralizing epitopes, especially in mOPV-1-derived strains. The quantities of mutations in recovered poliovirus strains correlated with prevaccination immune status (seronegatives have more mutations) and excretion duration. Duration of excretion appears to be the dominant factor for the accumulation of mutations in mOPV-derived strains in vaccinated elderly people.