The Association between Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS): A nationwide study from 25 medical schools

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychological condition that is characterized by obsessive thinking about a perceived flaw in one's appearance that may eventually cause significant distress and impairment in life.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2021 and August 2021 using a previously validated and published questionnaires — The Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire (BIDQ) and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS).  Distributed to all medical students from 25 universities across all regions of Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 1,776 respondents completed the questionnaire. Females represented 57.1% of the study population.More than half of the respondents were concerned and preoccupied with their body appearance (59.4% and 52.8%, respectively). The average of the BIDQ and ACSS scores was significantly higher in females compared to males, while higher socioeconomic status and higher educational level were also significantly related with higher BIDQ and ACSS scores. Furthermore, a higher BIDQ score was associated with higher scores on the ACSS

Noncoding CGG repeat expansions in neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease, oculopharyngodistal myopathy and an overlapping disease

Noncoding repeat expansions cause various neuromuscular diseases, including myotonic dystrophies, fragile X tremor/ataxia syndrome, some spinocerebellar ataxias, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsies. Inspired by the striking similarities in the clinical and neuroimaging findings between neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) and fragile X tremor/ataxia syndrome caused by noncoding CGG repeat expansions in FMR1, we directly searched for repeat expansion mutations and identified noncoding CGG repeat expansions in NBPF19 (NOTCH2NLC) as the causative mutations for NIID. Further prompted by the similarities in the clinical and neuroimaging findings with NIID, we identified similar noncoding CGG repeat expansions in two other diseases: oculopharyngeal myopathy with leukoencephalopathy and oculopharyngodistal myopathy, in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1 and LRP12, respectively. These findings expand our knowledge of the clinical spectra of diseases caused by expansions of the same repeat motif, and further highlight how directly searching for expanded repeats can help identify mutations underlying diseases. © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background: Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods: The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18-49, 50-69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results: NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion: As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population