The impact of eating behavior on psychological symptoms typical of reactive hypoglycemia. A pilot study comparing women with polycystic ovary syndrome to controls

The idea that diet can affect mood and behavior in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by altering blood glucose levels has become popular in recent years. This paper describes an online survey (N=462) of 24 women with PCOS, 299 healthy control women, 47 women who possibly had undiagnosed PCOS, and 92 men. The groups were compared for symptoms of mood and behavioral symptoms typical of reactive (postprandial) hypoglycemia. The outcome measures were two questionnaires that measure states associated with hypoglycemia: the Hypoglycemia Symptom Checklist-7 (HSC-7), which measures behavioral symptoms and the Mood Adjective Checklist (MACL), which measures emotional states. Controlling for age and body mass index (BMI) using between-groups analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), the women with PCOS scored significantly higher than the other three groups (p<0.001) on the outcome measures. These differences remained statistically significant in a subset of twelve women with PCOS compared to twelve healthy control women closely matched for age, BMI, and eating behavior. The findings are suggestive of hypoglycemia-related mood and behavioral problems in PCOS. Future research should test whether blood glucose levels correlate with these symptoms in PCOS, and whether a low glycemic index ('low-GI') diet improves the symptoms

Exploration of biological causes of psychological problems in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 10% of women, and is characterised by elevated testosterone (T) levels. Women with PCOS have higher scores than healthy women on a range of measures of psychological problems. Objective: To test the hypotheses that: 1/ The female fetus in a PCOS pregnancy experiences elevated T levels; 2/ T causes mood disturbance in women with PCOS. 3/ women with PCOS show more signs of mood disturbance typical of symptoms of reactive hypoglycaemia than healthy controls. Design: Mainly between-groups cross-sectional studies. Also two meta-analyses. Setting: The research took place mainly in two London gynaecology clinics, University College London Hospital (UCLH) and the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead (RFH). Some of the research was conducted online, and at three other gynaecology and fertility clinics. Participants: Participants were recruited from hospital clinics, support groups for women with PCOS, or the internet. Most participants were women aged 18-40. Outcome Measures: Testosterone; psychometric measures of mood disturbance. Results: 1/ Elevated T was found in the umbilical cord blood of the female fetus in PCOS pregnancies; 2/ Mood problems in PCOS were not directly caused by T. 3/ Women with PCOS showed higher levels of mood problems typical of hypoglycaemia than controls. Conclusions: The findings suggest the female fetus in a PCOS pregnancy may be exposed to relatively high levels of T. Mood problems in adults with PCOS are possibly caused by the direct effects of low blood glucose and indirect effects of T (e.g. obesity) than direct effects of T. Further research using the gold-standard biochemical assessment methods is required for any replications of these findings

Measurement issues when assessing quality of life outcomes for different types of hernia mesh repair

INTRODUCTION: The NHS is required to collect data from patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) for inguinal hernia surgery. We explored the use of one such measure, the Carolinas Comfort Scale(®) (CCS), to compare long-term outcomes for patients who received two different types of mesh. The CCS questionnaire asks about mesh sensation, pain and movement limitations, and combines the answers into a total score. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 684 patients were treated between January 2007 and August 2008 and were followed up in November 2009. RESULTS: Data on 215 patients who met the inclusion criteria were available (96 patients who received Surgipro™ mesh and 119 who received Parietene™ Progrip™ mesh). Recurrence rates were similar in the Surgipro™ group (2/96, 2.1%) and Progrip™ group (3/118, 2.5%) (Fisher's exact test = 1.0). Chronic pain occurred less frequently in the Surgipro™ group (11/95, 11.6%) than in the Progrip™ group (22/118, 18.6%) (p<0.157). Overall, 90% of CCS total scores indicated a good outcome (scores of 10 or less out of 115). A principal component analysis of the CCS found that responses clustered into two subscales: 'mesh sensation' and 'pain+movement limitations'. The Progrip™ group had a slightly higher mesh sensation score (p<0.051) and similar pain+movement limitations scores (p<0.120). CONCLUSIONS: In this study of quality of life outcomes related to different mesh types, the CCS subscales were more sensitive to differences in outcome than the total CCS score for the whole questionnaire. Future research should consider using the CCS subscales rather than the CCS total score

The complete mitochondrial genome of Anoplocnemis curvipes F. (Coreinea, Coreidae, Heteroptera), a pest of fresh cowpea pods

Open Access Journal; Published online: 18 July 2017The complete 16,345-bp mitochondrial genome of the agriculturally destructive pod sucking pest, the giant coreid bug, Anoplocnemis curvipes (Hemiptera: Coreidae), was assembled from paired-end Illumina HiSeq 2500 reads. The A. curvipes mitochondrial genome consists of 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs and a control region in the order and orientation typical among insects. PCG initiation codons (ATG, ATC, ATT and ATA) with termination codon (TAA) are used with the exception of TAG stop codons by Cytb and ND3. All tRNA genes fold into predicted cloverleaf secondary structures having requisite triplets on the anticodon loop, apart from tRNA-Ser1 (AGN) whose dihydrouridine (DHU) arm forms a simple loop. The phylogenetic analysis of hemipteran mitogenomes clusters to the family level and supports the monophyly of the five superfamilies in Pentatomomorpha of Hemiptera. The Coreoidea and Pyrrhocoroidea are sister groups, while Coreidae and Alydidae are sister groups to Rhopalidae. These analyses provide insight to mitogenomics and evolutionary relationships among pentatomoid insects

Supercritical carbon dioxide: putting the fizz into biomaterials

This paper describes recent progress made in the use of high pressure or supercritical fluids to process polymers into three-dimensional tissue engineering scaffolds. Three current examples are highlighted: foaming of acrylates for use in cartilage tissue engineering; plasticization and encapsulation of bioactive species into biodegradable polyesters for bone tissue engineering; and a novel laser sintering process used to fabricate three-dimensional biodegradable polyester structures from particles prepared via a supercritical route

Smallholder shallow groundwater irrigation development in the upper east region of Ghana

In sub-Saharan Africa, there is paucity of information on the potential of groundwater resources. The limited available information paints a pessimistic view about groundwater resources. Due to its perceived inadequate availability, groundwater is associated with domestic use but the potential for using it for agriculture is not well reflected in the national irrigation policies. Contrary to official pessimism, farmers do use groundwater for agriculture in many countries of sub-Saharan Africa including Ghana. This paper analyzes the current extent of use, economics, socioeconomic impacts, and constraints and opportunities of shallow groundwater irrigation based on the experiences of smallholders in the three micro-watersheds of the White Volta Basin in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Composition and evolution of the Ancestral South Sandwich Arc: implications for the flow of deep ocean water and mantle through the Drake Passage gateway

The Ancestral South Sandwich Arc (ASSA) has a short life-span of c.20 m.y. (Early Oligocene to Middle-Upper Miocene) before slab retreat and subsequent ‘resurrection’ as the active South Sandwich Island Arc (SSIA). The ASSA is, however, significant because it straddled the eastern margin of the Drake Passage Gateway where it formed a potential barrier to deep ocean water and mantle flow from the Pacific to Atlantic. The ASSA may be divided into three parts, from north to south: the Central Scotia Sea (CSS), the Discovery segment, and the Jane segment. Published age data coupled with new geochemical data (major elements, trace elements, Hf-Nd-Sr-Pb isotopes) from the three ASSA segments place constraints on models for the evolution of the arc and hence gateway development. The CSS segment has two known periods of activity. The older, Oligocene, period produced basic-acid, mostly calc-alkaline rocks, best explained in terms of subduction initiation volcanism of Andean-type (no slab rollback). The younger, Middle-Late Miocene period produced basic-acid, high-K calc-alkaline rocks (lavas and pyroclastic rocks with abundant volcanigenic sediments) which, despite being erupted on oceanic crust, have continental arc characteristics best explained in terms of a large, hot subduction flux most typical of a syn- or post-collision arc setting. Early-Middle Miocene volcanism in the Discovery and Jane arc segments is geochemically quite different, being typically tholeiitic and compositionally similar to many lavas from the active South Sandwich island arc front. There is indirect evidence for Western Pacific-type (slab rollback) subduction initiation in the southern part of the ASSA and for the back-arc basins (the Jane and Scan Basins) to have been active at the time of arc volcanism. Models for the death of the ASSA in the south following a series of ridge-trench collisions, are not positively supported by any geochemical evidence of hot subduction, but cessation of subduction by approach of progressively more buoyant oceanic lithosphere is consistent with both geochemistry and geodynamics. In terms of deep ocean water flow the early stages of spreading at the East Scotia Ridge (starting at 17-15 Ma) may have been important in breaking up the ASSA barrier while the subsequent establishment of a STEP (Subduction-Transform Edge Propagator) fault east of the South Georgia microcontinent (< 11 Ma) led to formation of the South Georgia Passage used by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current today. In terms of mantle flow, the subduction zone and arc root likely acted as a barrier to mantle flow in the CSS arc segment such that the ASSA itself became the Pacific-South Atlantic mantle domain boundary. This was not the case in the Discovery and Jane arc segments, however, because northwards flow of South Atlantic mantle behind the southern part of the ASSA gave an Atlantic provenance to the whole southern ASSA

An exploratory study examining the relationship between performance status and systemic inflammation frameworks and cytokine profiles in patients with advanced cancer

The role of cytokines in the systemic inflammatory response (SIR) is now well established. This is in keeping with the role of the SIR in tumorigenesis, malignant spread, and the development of cachexia. However, the relationship between performance status/systemic inflammation frameworks and cytokine profiles is not clear. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the Eastern cooperative oncology group performance status/modified Glasgow prognostic score (ECOG-PS/mGPS) and cooperative oncology group performance status/neutrophil platelet score (ECOG-PS/NPS) frameworks and their cytokine profile in patients with advanced cancer.This was a retrospective interrogation of data already collected as part of a recent clinical trial (NCT00676936). The relationship between the independent variables (ECOG-PS/mGPS and ECOG-PS/NPS frameworks), and dependent variables (cytokine levels) was examined using independent Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests where appropriate.Of the 40 patients included in final analysis the majority had evidence of an SIR assessed by mGPS (78%) or NPS (53%). All patients died on follow-up and the median survival was 91 days (4-933 days). With increasing ECOG-PS there was a higher median value of Interleukin 6 (IL-6, P = .016) and C-reactive protein (CRP, P &lt; .01) and lower albumin (P &lt; .01) and poorer survival (P &lt; .001). With increasing mGPS there was a higher median value of IL-6 (P = .016), Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF, P = .010), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, P &lt; .01) and poorer survival (P &lt; .01). With increasing NPS there was a higher median value of TGF-β (P &lt; .001) and C-reactive protein (P = .020) and poor survival (P = .001). When those patients with an ECOG-PS 0/1 and mGPS0 were compared with those patients with an ECOG-PS 2 and mGPS2 there was a higher median value of IL-6 (P = .017) and poorer survival (P &lt; .001). When those patients with an ECOG-PS 0/1 and NPS0 were compared with those patients with an ECOG-PS 2 and NPS1/2 there was a higher median value of IL-6 (P = .002), TGF-β (P &lt; .001) and poorer survival (P &lt; .01).In patients with advanced cancer IL-6 was associated with the ECOG-PS/mGPS and ECOG-PS/NPS frameworks and survival in patients with advanced cancer. Therefore, the present work provides supporting evidence that agents targeting IL-6 are worthy of further exploration

Decreasing physical and verbal aggression in a brain injured nursing home resident

Following a traumatic brain injury, patients often suffer a series of psychological and psychiatric sequalae. This study presents the case of Mr. K, a 52-year-old brain-injured nursing home resident who exhibited problematic physical aggression and verbal abuse toward staff and residents. His problem behaviors were intertwined with an ethical issue involving a heterosexual relationship with another resident who also was brain injured. Following a functional assessment of antecedents and consequences, a differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) schedule was implemented. Specifically, the resident was rewarded with short-term and long-term reinforcers following periods of time during which behaviors other than the target behavior were emitted. Although the behavior plan was successful, it resulted in a more noticeable decrease in physically aggressive behaviors than verbally abusive behaviors. Implications include increasing awareness of use of behavior plans in nursing homes and of ethical and behavioral issues associated with sexuality among nursing home residents