Does listening to the sound of yourself chewing increase your enjoyment of food?

Background  

The aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between physical anhedonia and psychopathological parameters, pharmacological parameters or motor side-effects in a sample of inpatients with schizophrenia in an acute episode of their illness.     

db/db mice exhibit severe wound-healing impairments compared with other murine diabetic strains in a silicone-splinted excisional wound model

The pathophysiology of diabetic wound healing and the identification of new agents to improve clinical outcomes continue to be areas of intense research. There currently exist more than 10 different murine models of diabetes. The degree to which wound healing is impaired in these different mouse models has never been directly compared. We determined whether differences in wound impairment exist between diabetic models in order to elucidate which model would be the best to evaluate new treatment strategies. Three well-accepted mouse models of diabetes were used in this study: db/db, Akita, and streptozocin (STZ)-induced C57BL/6J. Using an excisional model of wound healing, we demonstrated that db/db mice exhibit severe impairments in wound healing compared with STZ and Akita mice. Excisional wounds in db/db mice show a statistically significant delay in wound closure, decreased granulation tissue formation, decreased wound bed vascularity, and markedly diminished proliferation compared with STZ, Akita, and control mice. There was no difference in the rate of epithelialization of the full-thickness wounds between the diabetic or control mice. Our results suggest that splinted db/db mice may be the most appropriate model for studying diabetic wound-healing interventions as they demonstrate the most significant impairment in wound healing. This study utilized a novel model of wound healing developed in our laboratory that stents wounds open using silicone splints to minimize the effects of wound contraction. As such, it was not possible to directly compare the results of this study with other studies that did not use this wound model.     

Attenuated poxvirus expressing three immunodominant CMV antigens as a vaccine strategy for CMV infection.

BACKGROUND: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important risk factor in the post-transplant (Tx) recovery phase for both hematopoietic stem cell Tx (HSCT) and solid organ Tx (SOT) recipients. CMV infection may be prevented or controlled by simultaneously inducing both CMV-specific neutralizing antibody (nAb) and cellular immunity. Soluble (s) UL55 (surface glycoprotein), UL83 (tegument protein) and UL123/e4 (nuclear protein) are immunodominant in eliciting both CMV nAb and cellular immunity. An attenuated poxvirus, modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) was selected to develop this vaccine strategy in Tx recipients, because of its clinical safety record, large foreign gene capacity, and capability to activate strong humoral and cellular immune responses against recombinant antigens. OBJECTIVES: A subunit vaccine that targets multiple CMV antigens will be used to gain maximal coverage and protective function against CMV infection. rMVA simultaneously expressing sUL55, UL83 and UL123/e4 will be generated, and humoral and cellular immunity it elicits will be characterized, after murine immunization and in vitro to amplify clinical recall responses. STUDY DESIGN: rMVA will be constructed in two steps using UL123/e4-pLW22 followed by sUL55-UL83-pLW51 transfer plasmids. Western blots will be used to characterize expression levels of each antigen. Primary immunity will be evaluated in mouse models, while recall responses to the virally expressed CMV antigens will be assessed in human peripheral blood. RESULTS: We generated CMV-MVA via homologous recombination, and demonstrated high expression levels of sUL55, UL83 and UL123/e4 by Western blot. CMV-MVA immunization potently induced both humoral and cellular immunity to sUL55, UL83 and UL123 after murine immunization, and cellular immunity to UL83 and UL123 by in vitro amplification of T cell recall responses in human PBMC. CONCLUSIONS: rMVA promotes high level expression of three immunodominant CMV antigens, which is reflected in results of immunization studies in which high titers of UL55-specific antibodies and CD4+ T-help are detected, as well as high levels of UL83-specific and moderate levels of UL123-specific CD8+ CTL.     

The Burden of Stroke in Kurdistan Province,Iran From 2011 to 2017

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to calculate the burden of stroke in Kurdistan Province, Iran between 2011 and 2017.MethodsIncidence data extracted from the hospital information system of Kurdistan Province and death data extracted from the system of registration and classification of causes of death were used in a cross-sectional study. The World Health Organization method was used to calculate disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).ResultsThe burden of stroke increased from 2453.44 DALYs in 2011 to 5269.68 in 2017, the years of life lost increased from 2381.57 in 2011 to 5109.68 in 2017, and the years of healthy life lost due to disability increased from 71.87 in 2011 to 159.99 in 2017. The DALYs of ischaemic stroke exceeded those of haemorrhagic stroke. The burden of disease, new cases, and deaths doubled during the study period. The age-standardised incidence rate of ischaemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke in 2017 was 21.72 and 20.72 per 100 000 population, respectively.ConclusionsThe burden of stroke is increasing in Kurdistan Province. Since health services in Iran are based on treatment, steps are needed to revise the current treatment services for stroke and to improve the quality of services. Policy-makers and managers of the health system need to plan to reduce the known risk factors for stroke in the community. In addition to preventive interventions, efficient and up-to-date interventions are recommended for the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients in hospitals. Along with therapeutic interventions, preventive interventions can help reduce the stroke burden.     

Comparative Effects of the Branched-Chain Amino Acids,Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine,on Gastric Emptying,Plasma Glucose,C-Peptide and Glucagon in Healthy Men

(1) Background: Whey protein lowers postprandial blood glucose in health and type 2 diabetes, by stimulating insulin and incretin hormone secretion and slowing gastric emptying. The branched-chain amino acids, leucine, isoleucine and valine, abundant in whey, may mediate the glucoregulatory effects of whey. We investigated the comparative effects of intragastric administration of leucine, isoleucine and valine on the plasma glucose, C-peptide and glucagon responses to and gastric emptying of a mixed-nutrient drink in healthy men. (2) Methods: 15 healthy men (27 ± 3 y) received, on four separate occasions, in double-blind, randomised fashion, either 10 g of leucine, 10 g of isoleucine, 10 g of valine or control, intragastrically, 30 min before a mixed-nutrient drink. Plasma glucose, C-peptide and glucagon concentrations were measured before, and for 2 h following, the drink. Gastric emptying of the drink was quantified using ¹³C-acetate breath-testing. (3) Results: Amino acids alone did not affect plasma glucose or C-peptide, while isoleucine and valine, but not leucine, stimulated glucagon (p < 0.05), compared with control. After the drink, isoleucine and leucine reduced peak plasma glucose compared with both control and valine (all p < 0.05). Neither amino acid affected early (t = 0–30 min) postprandial C-peptide or glucagon. While there was no effect on overall gastric emptying, plasma glucose at t = 30 min correlated with early gastric emptying (p < 0.05). (4) Conclusion: In healthy individuals, leucine and isoleucine lower postprandial blood glucose, at least in part by slowing gastric emptying, while valine does not appear to have an effect, possibly due to glucagon stimulation.     

Atraumatic floating clavicle and total claviculectomy

We describe a patient with a floating clavicle of atraumatic origin treated by total claviculectomy. Clavicular function and anatomy are summarized relative to complete excision. Other treatment options for panclavicular instability are also discussed.     

Lower motor neuron disease and signs of dysimmunity

Twenty-two patients (12 men, 10 women, age range 16 to 60) affected with an adult-onset, sporadic, lower motor neuron disease were studied. Motor weakness was associated with a severe muscular atrophy but never in a peripheral nerve distribution. Weakness predominated in the proximal parts of the limbs in 3 cases, in distal parts in 10 cases involving predominantly the upper limbs in 10. It was diffuse in all four limbs in six cases and was monomelic in the last 2 two others. Reflexes were generally lost in weak muscles. Electrodiagnostic findings consisted of pure motor axonal features, subtle sensory involvement was present in 3 cases with an IgM monoclonal gammopathy, in only one case the neurological syndrome was associated with a lymphoproliferative disorder despite complete investigations. All patients had dysimmune biological features (MGUS or anti-GM1 antibodies). We studied SMN gene in 12 patients and found no deletion. 16 patients were treated with IVIg and five improved but in 2 cases the improvement was transcient and lasted less than six months. Intravenous cyclophosphamide (1g/m(2) repeated monthly during 6 to 9 months) was used in six patients and three improved. Among these three patients two received also plasma exchanges on two days before the infusion. In all three patients, muscle weakness gradually deteriorated in the months following the end of the treatment. Nor the weakness pattern nor the type of biological marker was predictive of a good response to treatment. Lower motor neuron diseases appear to be much less sensitive to treatment than multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block. However, treatment with IVIg or cyclophosphamide must be considered in the most severe forms or in case of a young onset.     

Incorporation of second‐tier tests and secondary biomarkers to improve positive predictive value (PPV) rate in newborn metabolic screening program

BackgroundNowadays, neonatal screening has become an essential part of routine newborn care in the world. This is a non‐invasive evaluation that evaluated inborn errors of metabolisms (IEMs) using tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) for the evaluation of the baby''s risk of certain metabolic disorders.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted on 39987 Iranian newborns who were referred to Nilou Medical Laboratory, Tehran, Iran, for newborn screening programs of IEMs. We incorporated second‐tier tests and secondary biomarkers to improve positive predictive value (PPV).ResultsStatistical data were recorded via call interviewing in 6–8 months after their screening tests. The overall prevalence of IEM was 1:975. The mean age of all participants was 3.9 ± 1.1 days; 5.1% of participants were over 13 days and 7.7% were preterm or underweight. A total of 11384 (29.4%) of the cases were born in a consanguineous family. The type of delivery was the cesarean section in 8332 (51.3%) valid cases. The neonatal screening results had an overall negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% and the overall PPV of 40.2%. The false‐positive rate was 0.15%.ConclusionThis study showed a high incidence of metabolic disease due to a high rate of consanguineous marriages in Iran and indicated that incorporation of second‐tier tests and secondary biomarkers improves PPV of neonatal screening programs.