Brain-behaviour correlates of habitual motivation in chronic back pain

Nees F, Ruttorf M, Fuchs X, Rance M, Beyer N. Brain-behaviour correlates of habitual motivation in chronic back pain. Scientific Reports. 2020;10(1): 11090

Determination of the maximal fat oxidation point in obese children and adolescents: Validity of methods to assess maximal aerobic power

International audienceWe aimed to examine the interchangeability of techniques used to assess maximal oxygen consumption ((V) over dotO(2max)) and maximal aerobic power (MAP) employed to express the maximal fat oxidation point in obese children and adolescents. Rate of fat oxidation were measured in 24 obese subjects (13.0 +/- 2.4 years; Body Mass Index 30.2 +/- 6.3 kg m(-2)) who performed a five 4-min stages submaximal incremental cycling exercise. A second cycling exercise was performed to measure (V) over dotO(2max). Results are those of the 20 children who achieved the criterion of RER (>1.02) to assess the attainment of (V) over dotO(2max). Although correlations between results obtained by different methods were strong, Bland-Altman plots showed little agreement between the maximal fat oxidation point expressed as a percentage of measured (V) over dotO(2max) and as % (V) over dotO(2max) estimated according to ACSM guidelines (underestimation : -5.9%) or using the predictive equations of Wasserman (-13.9%). Despite a mean underestimation of 1.4% several values were out of the limits of agreement when comparing measured MAP and Theoretical MAP. Estimations of (V) over dotO(2max) lead to underestimations of the maximal fat oxidation point

Interim report on the effective intraperitoneal therapy of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in pet dogs using "Neo-Islets," aggregates of adipose stem and pancreatic islet cells (INAD 012-776).

We previously reported that allogeneic, intraperitoneally administered "Neo-Islets," composed of cultured pancreatic islet cells co-aggregated with high numbers of immunoprotective and cytoprotective Adipose-derived Stem Cells, reestablished, through omental engraftment, redifferentiation and splenic and omental up-regulation of regulatory T-cells, normoglycemia in autoimmune Type-1 Diabetic Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mice without the use of immunosuppressive agents or encapsulation devices. Based on these observations, we are currently testing this Neo-Islet technology in an FDA guided pilot study (INAD 012-776) in insulin-dependent, spontaneously diabetic pet dogs by ultrasound-guided, intraperitoneal administration of 2x10e5 Neo-Islets/kilogram body weight to metabolically controlled (blood glucose, triglycerides, thyroid and adrenal functions) and sedated animals. We report here interim observations on the first 4 canine Neo-Islet-treated, insulin-dependent pet dogs that are now in the early to intermediate-term follow-up phase of the planned 3 year study (> 6 months post treatment). Current results from this translational study indicate that in dogs, Neo-Islets appear to engraft, redifferentiate and physiologically produce insulin, and are rejected by neither auto- nor allo-immune responses, as evidenced by (a) an absent IgG response to the allogeneic cells contained in the administered Neo-Islets, and (b) progressively improved glycemic control that achieves up to a 50% reduction in daily insulin needs paralleled by a statistically significant decrease in serum glucose concentrations. This is accomplished without the use of anti-rejection drugs or encapsulation devices. No adverse or serious adverse events related to the Neo-Islet administration have been observed to date. We conclude that this minimally invasive therapy has significant translational relevance to veterinary and clinical Type 1 diabetes mellitus by achieving complete and at this point partial glycemic control in two species, i.e., diabetic mice and dogs, respectively

Genomic reconstruction of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in England

AbstractThe evolution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus leads to new variants that warrant timely epidemiological characterization. Here we use the dense genomic surveillance data generated by the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium to reconstruct the dynamics of 71 different lineages in each of 315 English local authorities between September 2020 and June 2021. This analysis reveals a series of subepidemics that peaked in early autumn 2020, followed by a jump in transmissibility of the B.1.1.7/Alpha lineage. The Alpha variant grew when other lineages declined during the second national lockdown and regionally tiered restrictions between November and December 2020. A third more stringent national lockdown suppressed the Alpha variant and eliminated nearly all other lineages in early 2021. Yet a series of variants (most of which contained the spike E484K mutation) defied these trends and persisted at moderately increasing proportions. However, by accounting for sustained introductions, we found that the transmissibility of these variants is unlikely to have exceeded the transmissibility of the Alpha variant. Finally, B.1.617.2/Delta was repeatedly introduced in England and grew rapidly in early summer 2021, constituting approximately 98% of sampled SARS-CoV-2 genomes on 26 June 2021.</jats:p