Regular arrangement of collecting venules under endoscopy for predicting a Helicobacter pylori-negative stomach: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and aimsThe regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC) refers to the appearance of multiple regular tiny veins in the body of the stomach and is considered to be very effective for identifying gastric mucosa with non-Helicobacter pylori infection. This meta-analysis was conducted to systematically evaluate the value of the sign in predicting a Helicobacter pylori-negative stomach and the relevant factors that may affect the performance of this prediction.MethodsTwo biomedical databases (PubMed and EMBASE) were systematically searched through April 20, 2020. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and area under the SROC curve (AUC) were calculated.ResultsFourteen articles with 4070 patients were included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, DOR and AUC for the RAC in predicting non-Hp infection were 0.80 (0.67–0.89), 0.97 (0.93–0.98), 24.8 (12.2–50.8), 0.21 (0.12–0.36), 120 (47–301) and 0.97 (0.19–1.00), respectively.ConclusionsThe RAC is a valuable endoscopic feature for the prediction of patients without Hp infection.     

Estimating sleep from multisensory armband measurements: validity and reliability in teens

Given the recognition that sleep may influence obesity risk, there is increasing interest in measuring sleep parameters within obesity studies. The goal of the current analyses was to determine whether the SenseWear^® Pro3 Armband (armband), typically used to assess physical activity, is reliable at assessing sleep parameters. The armband was compared with the AMI Motionlogger^® (actigraph), a validated activity monitor for sleep assessment, and with polysomnography, the gold standard for assessing sleep. Participants were 20 adolescents (mean age = 15.5 years) with a mean body mass index percentile of 63.7. All participants wore the armband and actigraph on their non‐dominant arm while in‐lab during a nocturnal polysomnographic recording (600 min). Epoch‐by‐epoch sleep/wake data and concordance of sleep parameters were examined. No significant sleep parameter differences were found between the armband and polysomnography; the actigraph tended to overestimate sleep and underestimate wake compared with polysomnography. Both devices showed high sleep sensitivity, but lower wake detection rates. Bland–Altman plots showed large individual differences in armband sleep parameter concordance rates. The armband did well estimating sleep overall, with group results more similar to polysomnography than the actigraph; however, the armband was less accurate at an individual level than the actigraph.     

Correlated Responses to Selection in FAST and SLOW Mice: Effects of Ethanol on Ataxia, Temperature, Sedation, and Withdrawal

A replicated bidirectional selective breeding program has produced lines of mice that differ in locomotor response to ethanol (EtOH). FAST mice were bred for high locomotor activation, whereas SLOW mice were bred for low or depressed locomotor activity in response to 2.0 g/kg of EtOH. We tested FAST and SLOW mice for differences in sensitivity to the incoordinating (1.5 to 2.5 g/kg), hypothermic (3.0 g/kg), and sedative (4.0 g/kg) effects of EtOH, and for differences in sensitivity to withdrawal after acute and chronic EtOH exposure. SLOW mice were more ataxic in a grid test and developed greater tolerance than FAST mice at 2.0 g/kg of EtOH, were more hypothermic than FAST mice, and were more sensitive to the sedative effects of EtOH than FAST mice, as measured by latency to and duration of loss of righting reflex, and by blood ethanol concentrations at regain of the righting reflex. FAST mice had more severe withdrawal seizures after chronic exposure, but did not differ from SLOW mice in withdrawal severity after an acute injection of EtOH. These data suggest that FAST mice are generally more sensitive to central nervous system excitation, and SLOW mice are generally more sensitive to central nervous system sedation by EtOH, and further suggest genetic overlap with respect to genes that mediate locomotor responses to EtOH and genes determining sensitivity to EtOH-induced ataxia, hypothermia, sedation, and withdrawal severity after chronic exposure. Our current observations are in contrast to observations made earlier in selection, in which few line differences in sensitivity to EtOH effects other than locomotor activity were found. Thus, it seems that continued selection for differences in locomotor response to EtOH has produced genetically correlated differences in other EtOH responses.     

Novel markers of cell kinetics to evaluate progression from cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: We investigated cell cycle kinetics of nodular lesions in cirrhosis to differentiate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from its precursor lesions. METHODS: Twelve small HCC, 10 regenerative (RN), six large regenerative (LRN), and five dysplastic nodules (DN), identified in explant cirrhotic livers of five consecutive patients transplanted at Royal Free Hospital in 2002. Immunoperoxidase for MCM2, geminin and Ki67 was performed and the percentage of positive cells counted. RESULTS: The proportion of cells expressing MCM2 was more than those expressing Ki67, which in turn was more than those expressing geminin (overall median=16%, 2% and 0.5%, respectively, P<0.001). There was a statistically significant trend of increasing Ki67 expression (P=0.006), from RN to HCC; this trend was not statistically significant for geminin (P=0.18) or MCM2 (P=0.51). The median percentage of cells expressing Ki67 was 1% in RN, 0.5% in LRN, 2.2% in DN and 5.4% in HCC. The combination of these markers identified four different cell kinetics patterns: 'resting' (G0 cells: MCM2 -ve, Ki67 -ve, geminin -ve); 'licensed' (MCM2 +ve, Ki67 -ve, geminin -ve); 'slowly growing' (G1 phase arrest, MCM2 +ve, Ki67 +ve, low (0.4%) geminin) and expanding (MCM2 +ve, Ki67 +ve, geminin +ve) nodules. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of MCM2, geminin and Ki67 could represent a valuable tool in the understanding of HCC progression in cirrhosis.     

Quick Method for Confirmation of Quantitative Trait Loci

Numerous algorithms for the identification and genetic mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been developed. Methods for confirming QTL maps involve either examination of independent segregating populations or the construction of congenic lines differing only in the QTL of interest. Because these projects require a minimum of several years or thousands of marker assessments in laboratory mice, an alternative, faster congenic method has been pro: posed. In a preliminary study, we tested this method for confirming QTLs identified in crosses between the ILS and ISS selected lines of mice for differential sensitivity to the hypnotic effects of ethanol. Herein, we report the construction of "segregating congenic" strains in which each QTL is made homozygous in a single generation, whereas the remainder of the genetic background is allowed to segregate. Sensitivity to ethanol among the progeny of such mice is consistent with predictions. Phenotypic variation is high, as expected, due to the background segregation, and statistical significance was attained in only 2 of 7 comparisons. Such segregating congenic populations may be a valuable research tool for confirming QTL map positions and for subsequent assessment of individual pathways and mechanisms of action of individual QTLs.     

Intestinal bacterial overgrowth and bacterial translocation in cirrhotic rats with ascites

Background/Aims: Translocation of indigenous bacterial from the gut lumen of cirrhotic animals to mesenteric lymph nodes appears to be an important step in the pathogenesis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. However, the sequence of events leading to translocation remains unclear. One of the most predictable risk factors for translocation is overgrowth of gut bacterial flora. The present study was designed to compare the intestinal aerobic bacterial flora of cecal stools at the time of sacrifice between cirrhotic and normal rats and to evaluate the role of intestinal aerobic bacterial overgrowth in bacterial translocation in cirrhotic rats.Methods: Thirty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis and ascites and 10 normal rats were included in this study. Cirrhotic rats were sacrificed when ill and samples of ascitic fluid, mesenteric lymph nodes and cecal stool were taken for detecting quantitatively aerobic bacteria.Results: Total intestinal aerobic bacterial count in cecal stool at the time of sacrifice was significantly increased in cirrhotic rats with bacterial translocation with or without spontaneous bacterial peritonitis compared to cirrhotic rats without bacterial translocation (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively) and to normal rats (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Of the 42 species of bacteria translocating to the mesenteric lymph nodes, 41 (97.6%) were found in supranormal numbers in the stool at the time of sacrifice.Conclusions: Carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic rats with bacterial translocation have increased total intestinal aerobic bacteria count, and intestinal bacterial overgrowth appears to play an important role in bacterial translocation in this experimental model of cirrhosis in rats.     

Persistent infection, inflammation, and functional impairment in older Latinos

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to examine whether cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are associated with functional impairment in older Latinos. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study was conducted with a community-dwelling elderly population. The sample was a subset (N = 1559/1789) of participants in the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA) ages 60-101 with available serum samples and functional impairment measures. Baseline serum samples were assayed for levels of immunoglobulin G antibodies to CMV and HSV-1 and for levels of CRP. Several measures were used to assess functional impairment, including activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and walking pace. RESULTS: CMV and CRP showed statistically significant graded associations with ADL functional impairment, even after controlling for age and gender. The relationship between CMV and ADL was slightly attenuated, and the confidence interval contained the null value when adjusted for total number of health conditions, body mass index, and household income. Only high levels of CRP were significantly related to ADL and IADL impairment even after adjusting for all other covariates. CONCLUSION: Inflammation is clearly linked to physical functioning among aging Latinos. This study also suggests a role for CMV infection in relation to ADL impairment. Further research examining the influence of infection, immune response, and inflammation on longitudinal trajectories of physical functioning is warranted.     

Proliferation of rat granulosa cells during the periovulatory interval

Granulosa cell proliferation during luteinization and terminal differentiation has historically been assumed to decline rapidly after an ovulatory stimulus. In contrast, terminal differentiation in other cell types has recently been associated with a transient increase in proliferation, suggesting that this may occur in the ovarian follicle. The goal of the current study was to test the hypothesis that an ovulatory stimulus to rats results in additional granulosa cell proliferation before cell cycle arrest. Immature rats were given a single injection of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to initiate periovulatory events. The proportion of granulosa cells in S phase did not change until 12 h after hCG, although the majority of the post-hCG proliferation was localized to cumulus granulosa cells for up to 10 h after hCG. The expression of cyclin D2 mRNA did not decline until 12 h after hCG, although both cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)4 and Cdk6 mRNA increased at 6 h. Protein levels of cyclin D2 and Cdk4 did not change as a result of hCG, whereas cyclin E increased 6 h after hCG. Kinase activity of Cdk2 dropped markedly by 4 h after hCG, but a slight increase in activity was evident 6-8 h after hCG. These data suggest that cumulus granulosa cells continue to proliferate for up to 10 h after an ovulatory stimulus, possibly via cyclin E/Cdk2. It is concluded that proliferation is maintained in granulosa cells in the proximity of the oocyte during luteinization of the rat follicle.