Laughter as a social rejection cue: Gelotophobia and transient cardiac responses to other persons' laughter and insult

Other persons' laughter, normally perceived as a signal that persons are friendly and inviting others to approach, can also be perceived as a cue of social rejection. In this study, prerecorded laughter was placed in a realistic and personally relevant context, and participants' responses were related to gelotophobia, a trait predisposing to perceiving laughter as a cue of social rejection. Individuals with gelotophobia showed marked heart rate deceleration in response to the laughter stimulus, possibly indicating a “freezing‐like” response. Moreover, cardiac responses to anger provocation by overtly insulting statements indicated heightened aggressive anger in response to cumulated social threat. The study adds to recent research showing specific cardiac responses to social rejection and to the literature on social rejection sensitivity by demonstrating the value of using well interpretable physiological measures in this research context.     

Low Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among HIV-Positive Patients: Data From a Large-Scale Cohort Study in Istanbul,Turkey

Background:

Rate of coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) varies in different countries. This may be attributable to common transmission routes as well as social, economic, and cultural factors.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of HCV infection among HIV-positive patients in Istanbul, Turkey.

Patients and Methods:

Since January 2006 to November 2013, 949 HIV-positive patients that were enrolled in this study by ACTHIV-IST (Action Against HIV in Istanbul) Study Group, which consists of five centers to follow up HIV-positive patients in Istanbul. Epidemiologic and clinical data were collected retrospectively from medical records and were transferred to an HIV database system.

Results:

Among 949 patients, 84% were men and the mean age was 37.92 ± 11.54 years (range, 17-79). The most frequent route of transmission was heterosexual intercourse (48.8%), followed by men having sex with men (30.5%). Only nine patients (0.9%) had history of injection drug use (IDU). The prevalence of HIV/HCV coinfection was 0.9% (9:949). The IDU rate was 44.4% (4:9) in patients with HIV/HCV coinfection (three of them were not Turkish citizens), whereas this rate was only 0.6% (5:881) in patients with only HIV infection (P < 0.01). Genotypes 1b, 2a/2c, and 3 were determined in five, one, and two patients, respectively. Genotype could not be determined in one patient. History of residence in a foreign country (P < 0.01) and imprisonment (P < 0.01) were also considered as risk factors in terms of HIV/HCV coinfection.

Conclusions:

Prevalence of HIV/HCV coinfection is considerably low in Turkey. The extremely rare prevalence of IDU might have a role in this low prevalence.     

Regulatory neuropeptides (ghrelin,obestatin and nesfatin-1) levels in serum and reproductive tissues of female and male rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome

Although, the exact mechanisms underlying the development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) are not still completely understood, obesity, circulated peptide hormone levels and their interaction with genetic factors are considered largely responsible. The purpose of this study is to explore how the levels of ghrelin, obestatin (OBS) and NUCB2/nesfatin-1 (NES)/NUCB2 change in serum and the reproductive tissues of female and male rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome, and whether the levels of each hormone is correlated with the hormones involved with fertility. Experiments were conducted on 5-week-old Sprague–Dawley male and female rats assigned to either a control group or a MetS group. Controls were fed standard rat food and water ad libitum, while the MetS group was fed standard food with 10% (v/v) fructose solution added to their drinking water for 12 weeks with a 12/12 h photoperiod circle. Then, all animals were sacrificed after a one night fast. Peptides levels in the serum and reproductive tissues of rats were studied using the ELISA method while the immunoreactivity of reproductive system peptide hormones were shown by immunohistochemical staining method. Furthermore, the other biochemical parameters were measured using Konelab-60 equipment and infertility hormones were measured with Immulite2000. Fasting serum insulin, glucose, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol (TC) levels were statistically significantly higher, and the amount of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly lower, in the MetS groups. Serum and tissue supernatant NES levels were significantly higher in the rats with MetS than the control group. Ghrelin, OBS and NES were expressed in the cytoplasm, concentrated around the apical parts of the epithelial cells in the reproductive tissues of the rats. The amounts of ghrelin were lower in the reproductive tissues of the animals with MetS, while NES levels in the same tissues increased. Obestatin also decreased, though not in the seminal glands.     

Is auditory function affected after Le Fort I osteotomy?

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes to the Eustachian tube and middle ear function and hearing level in individuals undergoing Le Fort I osteotomy. 20 consecutive patients underwent Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy with advancement, impaction or a combination of both. All individuals underwent hearing sensitivity tests, including pure tone audiometry and acoustic impedance measurements (middle ear pressure and compliance), which were carried out by an audiologist 1 week before surgery (t(0)), and then again 1 week (t(1)) and 4 weeks (t(2)) after surgery. Regarding pure tone audiometry, the differences between t(0) and t(2) at a frequency of 125Hz (P=.002), between t(0) and t(1) and between t(0) and t(2) at a frequency of 250Hz, and between t(0) and t(1) at a frequency of 1000Hz (P=.006) were statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference at any other frequency. Regarding middle ear pressure, no statistically significant difference was observed between t(0) and t(1), and t(0) and t(2). Following Le Fort I osteotomy, mild changes in hearing sensitivity and middle ear pressure are possible, but these changes were clinically insignificant.     

Atypical presentation of primary giant nasal septal mucopyocele

Mucoceles are expansile, encapsulated, benign cystic lesions with the potential for adjacent bony remodeling and resorption. Previous nasal surgery, recurrent infections, allergies, and facial traumas are all possible causes of mucoceles involving mainly paranasal sinuses. When the mucocele is infected, it is referred to as mucopyocele. Nasal septal mucoceles seen in only very seldom cases might develop from pneumatized and infected nasal septa. In the current article, we present an interesting primary giant septal mucopyocele that destroys all paranasal cells as a tumoral lesion. The perpendicular plate of ethmoidal bone, vomer, and bilateral anterior and posterior ethmoidal cells were destroyed by mucopyocele. The nasal cavity was totally obstructed by lesions on both sides. On the left side, the lesion also eroded the left lateral nasal wall causing external swelling at the medial canthal region. This is the first case of a giant septal mucopyocele of its kind in the literature. Although nasal septal mucocele is very rare, it should be considered in differential diagnosis of intranasal masses.     

Idiopathic synchronous central giant cell granulomas involving both the maxilla and mandible: a case report

The central giant cell granuloma is a well-defined lesion of the jaws and reports of multiple lesions are very uncommon. The authors report the case of a patient with idiopathic synchronous multiple central giant cell granulomas involving both the maxilla and the mandible. Surgical curettage of the lesions was performed. At the end of the 24 months follow-up, no recurrence was detected.