The Relationship between Perceived Social Support and Severity of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms: The Role of Gender

OBJECTIVE: Whether social support is associated with severity of body dysmorphic symptoms is unknown. To address this gap in the literature, the present study aims to examine the association between three domains of perceived social support (i.e., family, friends, and significant others) and severity of body dysmorphic disorder symptoms. METHOD: Participants (N = 400) with symptoms consistent with diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder completed measures of symptomatology and social support via the internet. RESULTS: More perceived social support from friends and significant others was associated with less severe body dysmorphic disorder symptoms for males, and more perceived social support from family and friends was associated with less severe body dysmorphic disorder symptoms among females. Additionally, gender moderated the association between perceived social support from significant others and symptom severity, such that perceived social support from a significant other was significantly negatively associated with body dysmorphic symptom severity in males, but not females. CONCLUSION: The present study implicates social support as an important area of future body dysmorphic disorder research

Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Müller Progenitor Cell Interaction Increase Müller Progenitor Cell Expression of PDGFRα and Ability to Induce Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy in a Rabbit Model

Purpose. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a complication of retinal detachment characterized by redetachment of the retina as a result of membrane formation and contraction. A variety of retinal cells, including retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and Müller glia, and growth factors may be responsible. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) is found in large quantities in PVR membranes, and is intrinsic to the development of PVR in rabbit models. This study explores the expression of PDGFR in cocultures of RPE and Müller cells over time to examine how these two cell types may collaborate in the development of PVR. We also examine how changes in PDGFRα expression alter Müller cell pathogenicity. Methods. Human MIO-M1 Müller progenitor (MPC) and ARPE19 cells were studied in a transmembrane coculture system. Immunocytochemistry and Western blot were used to look at PDGFRα, PDGFRβ, and GFAP expression. A transfected MPC line cell line expressing the PDGFRα (MIO-M1α) was generated, and tested in a rabbit model for its ability to induce PVR. Results:. The expression of PDGFRα and PDGFRβ was upregulated in MIO-M1 MPCs cocultured with ARPE19 cells; GFAP was slightly decreased. Increased expression of PDGFRα in the MIO-M1 cell line resulted in increased pathogenicity and enhanced ability to induce PVR in a rabbit model. Conclusions:. Müller and RPE cell interaction can lead to upregulation of PDGFRα and increased Müller cell pathogenicity. Müller cells may play a more active role than previously thought in the development of PVR membranes, particularly when stimulated by an RPE-cell-rich environment. Additional studies of human samples and in animal models are warranted

Local Energy Plans in Practice: Case Studies of Austin and Denver

Examines the successes and difficulties that Denver, CO, and Austin, TX , experienced implementing citywide energy plans

Self-Esteem in Adults with Tourette Syndrome and Chronic Tic Disorders: The Roles of Tic Severity, Treatment, and Comorbidity

Background Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorders (CTD) are stigmatizing disorders that may significantly impact self-esteem. Alternatively, comorbid psychiatric illnesses may affect self-esteem more than tics themselves. Extant research on self-esteem in TS/CTD is limited, has inconsistently examined the effect of comorbidities on self-esteem, and yields mixed findings. Method This study aimed to clarify the roles of tics versus comorbid diagnoses on self-esteem in a large, carefully diagnosed sample of adults with TS/CTD (N = 122) receiving 10 weeks of Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) or Psychoeducation and Supportive Therapy (PST). Results Baseline self-esteem did not differ between adults with TS/CTD only and normative means, whereas self-esteem was significantly lower among adults with TS/CTD with a comorbid psychiatric illness. In a multiple regression testing the baseline association between tic severity, presence of comorbid psychiatric illness, and depression severity with self-esteem, comorbidity and depression severity were significantly associated with self-esteem, whereas tic severity was not. Finally, using a generalized linear model, we tested the effects of treatment assignment, comorbidity, and their interaction on changes in self-esteem across treatment, controlling for baseline depression severity. Results showed that for those with a comorbid illness, self-esteem improved significantly more with CBIT than with PST. Conclusions Comorbid illnesses appear to affect self-esteem more so than tics among adults with TS/CTD. Therapeutic attention should be paid to treating comorbid diagnoses alongside tics when treating TS/CTD

Microbial taxonomic and metabolic alterations during faecal microbiota transplantation to treat Clostridium difficile infection

Objectives: This study aimed to examine changes to the microbiota composition and metabolic profiles of seven patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI), following treatment with faecal microbiota transplant (FMT). Methods: 16S rDNA sequencing and 1H NMR were performed on faecal samples from the patients (pre-, post-FMT, and follow-up) and the associated donor samples. Sparse partial-least-square analysis was used to identify correlations between the two datasets. Results: The patients’ microbiota post-FMT tended to shift towards the donor microbiota, specifically through proportional increases of Bacteroides, Blautia, and Ruminococcus, and proportional decreases of Enterococcus, Escherichia, and Klebsiella. However, although cured of infection, one patient, who suffers from chronic alcohol abuse, retained the compositional characteristics of the pre-FMT microbiota. Following FMT, increased levels of short-chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate and acetate, were observed in all patients. Sparse partial-least-square analysis confirmed a positive correlation between butyrate and Bacteroides, Blautia, and Ruminococcus, with a negative correlation between butyrate and Klebsiella and Enterococcus. Conclusions: Clear differences were observed in the microbiota composition and metabolic profiles between donors and rCDI patients, which were largely resolved in patients following FMT. Increased levels of butyrate appear to be a factor associated with resolution of rCDI

Protective Microbiota: From Localized to Long-Reaching Co-Immunity

Resident microbiota do not just shape host immunity, they can also contribute to host protection against pathogens and infectious diseases. Previous reviews of the protective roles of the microbiota have focused exclusively on colonization resistance localized within a microenvironment. This review shows that the protection against pathogens also involves the mitigation of pathogenic impact without eliminating the pathogens (i.e., “disease tolerance”) and the containment of microorganisms to prevent pathogenic spread. Protective microorganisms can have an impact beyond their niche, interfering with the entry, establishment, growth, and spread of pathogenic microorganisms. More fundamentally, we propose a series of conceptual clarifications in support of the idea of a “co-immunity,” where an organism is protected by both its own immune system and components of its microbiota

H-reflex amplitude asymmetry is an earlier sign of nerve root involvement than latency in patients with S1 radiculopathy

Abstract Background Based on our clinical experience, the H-reflex amplitude asymmetry might be an earlier sign of nerve root involvement than latency in patients with S1 radiculopathy. However, no data to support this assumption are available. The purpose of this study was to review and report the electrophysiological changes in H-reflex amplitude and latency in patients with radiculopathy in order to determine if there is any evidence to support the assumption that H-reflex amplitude is an earlier sign of nerve root involvement than latency. Results Patients with radiculopathy showed significant amplitude asymmetry when compared with healthy controls. However, latency was not always significantly different between patients and healthy controls. These findings suggest nerve root axonal compromise that reduced reflex amplitude earlier than the latency parameter (demyelination) during the pathologic processes. Conclusion Contrary to current clinical thought, H-reflex amplitude asymmetry is an earlier sign/parameter of nerve root involvement in patients with radiculopathy compared with latency.</p

A Clostridium difficile-Specific, Gel-Forming Protein Required for Optimal Spore Germination

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive spore-forming obligate anaerobe that is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. In order for C. difficile to initiate infection, its aerotolerant spore form must germinate in the gut of mammalian hosts. While almost all spore-forming organisms use trans- membrane germinant receptors to trigger germination, C. difficile uses the pseu- doprotease CspC to sense bile salt germinants. CspC activates the related subtilisin-like protease CspB, which then proteolytically activates the cortex hy- drolase SleC. Activated SleC degrades the protective spore cortex layer, a step that is essential for germination to proceed. Since CspC incorporation into spores also depends on CspA, a related pseudoprotease domain, Csp family pro- teins play a critical role in germination. However, how Csps are incorporated into spores remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that incorporation of the CspC, CspB, and CspA germination regulators into spores depends on CD0311 (renamed GerG), a previously uncharacterized hypothetical protein. The reduced levels of Csps in gerG spores correlate with reduced responsiveness to bile salt germinants and increased germination heterogeneity in single-spore germination assays. Interestingly, asparagine-rich repeat sequences in GerG’s central region facilitate spontaneous gel formation in vitro even though they are dispensable for GerG-mediated control of germination. Since GerG is found exclusively in C. difficile, our results suggest that exploiting GerG function could represent a promising avenue for developing C. difficile-specific anti-infective therapies

The physiological role of myoglobin: More than a problem in reaction-diffusion kinetics

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24916/1/0000343.pd