Impaired carotid viscoelastic properties in women with polycystic ovaries

Background-The purpose of this study was to assess the elastic properties of the carotid arteries in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, asymptomatic women with polycystic ovaries. and healthy controls.Methods and Results-We recruited the following 60 subjects: 20 symptomatic women with polycystic ovaries attending the reproductive endocrinology clinics, 20 asymptomatic women with polycystic ovaries attending the family planning clinic, and 20 staff volunteers as healthy controls with normal ovaries on transvaginal scan. Compliance and stiffness index were assessed in the common and internal carotid arteries using duplex ultrasound equipped with an echo-locked arterial wall-tracking system. Compliance was significantly lower in the common carotid artery in symptomatic and asymptomatic women with polycystic ovaries than in the controls (10.7, 14.1, and 19.2%mm Hg-1 x 10(-2), respectively). The arterial stiffness index was correspondingly increased (12.3, 10.2, and 6.7, respectively). Similar results were obtained in the internal carotid artery for compliance (10.1. 11.0, and 16.9 %mm Hg-1 x 10(-2), respectively) and stiffness index (14.8, 16.2, and 8.7, respectively).Conclusions-The results of this study provide additional evidence of vascular dysfunction in women with polycystic ovaries and are compatible with the hypothesis that they are at increased risk from coronary artery disease and stroke

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

Differential Gene Expression in Liver, Gill, and Olfactory Rosettes of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) After Acclimation to Salinity.

Most Pacific salmonids undergo smoltification and transition from freshwater to saltwater, making various adjustments in metabolism, catabolism, osmotic, and ion regulation. The molecular mechanisms underlying this transition are largely unknown. In the present study, we acclimated coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) to four different salinities and assessed gene expression through microarray analysis of gills, liver, and olfactory rosettes. Gills are involved in osmotic regulation, liver plays a role in energetics, and olfactory rosettes are involved in behavior. Between all salinity treatments, liver had the highest number of differentially expressed genes at 1616, gills had 1074, and olfactory rosettes had 924, using a 1.5-fold cutoff and a false discovery rate of 0.5. Higher responsiveness of liver to metabolic changes after salinity acclimation to provide energy for other osmoregulatory tissues such as the gills may explain the differences in number of differentially expressed genes. Differentially expressed genes were tissue- and salinity-dependent. There were no known genes differentially expressed that were common to all salinity treatments and all tissues. Gene ontology term analysis revealed biological processes, molecular functions, and cellular components that were significantly affected by salinity, a majority of which were tissue-dependent. For liver, oxygen binding and transport terms were highlighted. For gills, muscle, and cytoskeleton-related terms predominated and for olfactory rosettes, immune response-related genes were accentuated. Interaction networks were examined in combination with GO terms and determined similarities between tissues for potential osmosensors, signal transduction cascades, and transcription factors

The topographies and operant functions of challenging behaviours in Fragile X Syndrome: a systematic review and analysis of existing data

Background: Challenging behaviour, such as self-injury and physical aggression, is an issue of concern regarding a high proportion of individuals with fragile X syndrome. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the topographies and operant functions of challenging behaviours within the syndrome. Method: Five electronic databases were searched, identifying 18 manuscripts. Overall proportions of individuals with particular topographies of behaviour, or behaviour serving different functions, were calculated. Results: Across all participants, biting was the most common form of self-injury for males but not females. A pattern of behavioural function was observed, characterised by high levels of social-negative reinforcement, such as escape from demands. Conclusion: The existence of within-syndrome biases in the manifestation of behavioural challenges is supported by our revie

Relaxation and Guided Imagery Significantly Reduces Androgen Levels and Distress in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Pilot Study

AIM: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often have elevated levels of the androgen testosterone, and are at increased risk of anxiety and depression. This study aimed to use psychological relaxation with guided imagery to decrease androgen levels and improve mood in PCOS. METHODS: Repeated-measures. Thirteen women with PCOS underwent six weekly treatment sessions, and a follow-up session, of calming breathing, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery. The main outcome measures were mood and quality of life (QoL) – assessed using validated questionnaires – and hormones, which were assayed in serum using tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: There was a small but statistically significant reduction in DHEAS from before to after Week 1 (p <.044) and from before to after Week 6 (p <.001). From before to after Week 6 there were also small but statistically significant reductions in androstenedione (p <.010) and cortisol (p <.003). From Week 1 to Week 6 there was a significant reduction in anxiety (p <.037). There was a significant improvement in depression from Week 1 to Week 6 (p <.034) and from Week 1 to follow-up (p <.011). There were no significant changes in free or total testosterone, nor in QoL. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to use a relaxation programme to reduce adrenal androgens in PCOS

Root canal instrumentation efficacy of non-fused and fused primary molar roots:a micro-computed tomography study

Purpose Pulpectomy may be indicated in restorable primary teeth exhibiting irreversible pulpitis or pulpal necrosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the cleaning and shaping efficacy of NiTi systems (Reciproc(R) Blue and MTwo(R)) with manual stainless-steel instrumentation in primary molars using micro-CT analysis. Methods Fifty-seven maxillary second primary molars were scanned using micro-CT. Teeth with three divergent roots were divided randomly (n = 15) according to instrument type (K file, MTwo (R), and Reciproc (R) Blue). Teeth with root fusion were instrumented manually as a separate group (n = 12). Pre- and post-instrumentation micro-CT images were superimposed, and the instrumentation area (IA) and procedural complications were recorded. Results No statistically significant differences in IA between file systems was observed in the non-fused teeth. The mean IA of fused roots was significantly lower than in the non-fused distobuccal (p = 0.003) and palatal (p 60%) occurred in both non-fused and fused primary teeth with fewer procedural complications observed after manual instrumentation

A revision of the British Chronostratigraphy within the Last Glacial-Interglacial Cycle based on new evidence from Arclid, Cheshire UK

Of the 24 Greenland interstadials (GI) in the Last Glacial-interglacial cycle (LGIC) only five are conventionally recognised in Britain. This paper aims to improve understanding of the LGIC in Britain from a site at Arclid, Cheshire. Sediments were characterised and luminescence used to establish a chronology. This found that the Chelford Sand Formation spans 77-47 ka with sand deposited initially by aeolian but later by fluvial transportation. Coleoptera and Diptera from the basal peat lens provided a reconstruction for a heather-rich heathland environment grazed by large herbivores, with summer temperatures between 13-18° C, and winter temperatures between -14 and 1°C. Flies included the earliest records of the blood-sucking horsefly Haematopota pluvialis, and the soldierfly Chloromyia formosa. The overlying Stockport Sand Formation was deposited fluvioglacially between 47-41 ka with the upper Stockport Till formed by the advance of the last British icesheet after ~33 ka. Stenothermic beetle analysis from Arclid indicate similarities with results from other British mid LGIC sites, some of which are at or beyond the limit of radiocarbon dating and may be of a similar age to Arclid. Basal organic sediments found at Arclid along with other reassigned sites are proposed as a new Arclid Interstadial. A revised British LGIC chronostratigraphy has the Wretton, Chelford and Brimpton Interstadials and the previously suggested but not widely recognised Cassington Interstadial. The Arclid Interstadial occurred after these, but prior to the Upton Warren Interstadial complex. This closes the previous gap in interstadials between the Brimpton Interstadial and the Upton Warren Interstadial complex within the British chronostratigraphy

Where are the Pots and Pans? Collective Responses in Ireland to Neoliberalization in a Time of Crisis: Learning from Latin America

Since 2008, Ireland has experienced a profound multi-faceted crisis, stemming from the collapse of the financial and property sectors. Despite enduring six years of neoliberal austerity measures in response to this situation, popular protest has been muted. Using Silva's [(2009) Challenging Neoliberalism in Latin America (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press)] framework of analysis of popular responses in Latin America to that region's debt crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, this article seeks to investigate why this has been the case. We assess how the crisis is being framed among popular and civil society groups, and whether increased associational and collective power is developing. In doing so, we look at processes of intra-group cooperation, cross-group cooperation and framing and brokerage mechanisms. We then ask, where such processes exist, if they can lead to a comprehensive challenge to the neoliberal policies currently being implemented, as happened in much of Latin America. We conclude that the crisis has not yet reached sufficient depth or longevity to foster a more robust popular response, but propose that analysis of similar processes in Latin America can help us understand better why this is the case, not just in Ireland, but in other countries of Europe experiencing similar situations

Crocodiles and grey nomads: a deadly combination?

Increasing numbers of retirees seek individual, extended, unstructured activities in remote, non-commercial locations. Travel is predominantly by self-drive 4WD vehicle towing a caravan/campervan. These ‘grey nomads’ often prefer remote bush camping sites/caravan parks to commercial resorts. The tropics – a popular destination – are inhabited by Australia’s only large semi-terrestrial carnivore, the estuarine crocodile Crocodylus porosus. Conservation programmes of recent decades have resulted in a substantial increase in numbers. With naive grey nomads increasingly encroaching on crocodile territory, attacks are expected to increase. Review of conservation programmes to incorporate awareness education targeting grey nomads is therefore required