Physiological and pathophysiological roles of hypothalamic astrocytes in metabolism

Abstract

The role of glial cells, including astrocytes, in metabolic control has received increasing attention in recent years. Although the original interest in these macroglial cells was due to the observation that astrogliosis occurs in the hypothalamus of diet‐induced obese subjects, studies have also focused on how they participate in the physiological control of appetite and energy expenditure. Astrocytes express receptors for numerous hormones, growth factors and neuropeptides. Some functions of astrocytes include: Transport of nutrients and hormones from the circulation to the brain; Storage of glycogen; Participation in glucose sensing; Synaptic plasticity; Uptake and metabolism of neurotransmitters; Release of substances to modify neurotransmission; and Cytokine production, amongst others. In the hypothalamus, these physiological glial functions impact on neuronal circuits that control systemic metabolism to modify their outputs. The initial response of astrocytes to poor dietary habits and obesity involves activation of neuroprotective mechanisms, but with chronic exposure to these situations hypothalamic astrocytes participate in the development of some of the damaging secondary effects. This review discusses some of the physiological functions of hypothalamic astrocytes in metabolism, but also their role in the secondary complications of obesity such as insulin resistance and cardiovascular affectations.

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British Association of Dermatologists and U.K. Cutaneous Lymphoma Group guidelines for the management of primary cutaneous lymphomas 2018

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British Association of Dermatologists and U.K. Cutaneous Lymphoma Group guidelines for the management of primary cutaneous lymphomas 2018

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The prognostic impact of pathologic lymph nodes in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers

Publication date: February 2019

Source: Oral Oncology, Volume 89

Author(s): Margueritta El Asmar, Hua-Ling Tsai, Carole Fakhry, Christopher A. Maroun, Rajarsi Mandal, Drew M. Pardoll, Hao Wang

Abstract

Purpose

Recent pathologic staging of HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) is solely dependent on number of pathologic nodes. Using a large dataset, we aimed to understand how increase in pathologic lymph nodes (LN) associated with overall survival.

Materials and methods

National Cancer Database was queried for HPV-positive OPSCC patients undergoing primary surgery with LN dissection between 2010 and 2013. Kaplan-Meier, univariate and multivariate Cox models were used to evaluate overall survival. Interaction between nodal status and radiotherapy was examined.

Results

Implications of pathologic LN on overall survival differed according to receipt of post-operative radiotherapy (p-value_interaction = 0.008). In patients who did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy, there were no significant differences in risk of death from 0 to 2 pathologic nodes (adjusted HR (aHR) 0.92, 95%CI 0.61–1.4). However, risk increased by 18% on average with each additional LN thereafter (aHR 1.18, 95%CI 1.1–1.27). Among radiotherapy patients, after adjusting for other variables, patients with 1 pathologic LN had 70% lower risk of death than those with 0 pathologic LN (aHR 0.30, 95%CI 0.14–0.64). Thereafter, risk increased on average by 7% with each additional LN (aHR 1.07, 95%CI 1–1.14).

Conclusion

The prognostic impact of pathologic nodes in resected HPV-positive OPSCC differs by receipt of radiotherapy, with better outcomes in post-operative radiotherapy treated patients with one pathologic LN than none. These findings suggest that LN involvement may improve anti-tumor immune responses following radiotherapy, or result in earlier detection and treatment of disease. These results merit further studies to corroborate these findings and establish the underlying mechanism.

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Multiple lines of evidence of sediment quality in an urban Marine Protected Area (Xixová-Japuí State Park, SP, Brazil)

Abstract

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) aim to protect habitats, biodiversity, and ecological processes as a conservation tool. These areas have been affected by contamination, which threats the biodiversity and ecological functioning. In this study, we evaluated the sediment quality of Xixová-Japuí State Park (XJSP), an MPA located in an urbanized Bay (Santos, Southeast Brazil) by integrating multiple lines-of-evidence. Six sites were selected within the XJSP and analyzed for sediment chemistry, toxicity, and benthic community descriptors using Sediment Quality Triad approach (SQT). Whole-sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) was employed as a complementary line of evidence to confirm the presence of domestic effluent discharges as a potential stressor. The SQT showed that sediments collected within XJSP are impacted by contaminants, exhibiting chronic toxicity and changes in benthic community. TIE results indicated that trace metals, organic contaminants, and ammonia contributed to the observed effects. Our results also indicate a lack of effectiveness of MPA in protecting the biodiversity due to the contamination sources, which requires efforts to pollution control in order to ensure the environmental conservation and management plan goals.

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Topical vancomycin for neurosurgery wound prophylaxis: an interim report of a randomized clinical trial on drug safety in a diverse neurosurgical population.

Related Articles

Topical vancomycin for neurosurgery wound prophylaxis: an interim report of a randomized clinical trial on drug safety in a diverse neurosurgical population.

J Neurosurg. 2018 Dec 14;:1-8

Authors:

Abstract
OBJECTIVEPostoperative surgical site infections (SSIs) in neurosurgical patients carry a significant risk of increased morbidity and mortality. With SSIs accounting for approximately 20% of nosocomial infections and costing approximately $1.6 billion USD annually, there is a need for additional prophylaxis to improve current standards of care. Topical vancomycin is increasingly utilized in instrumented spinal and cardiothoracic procedures, where it has been shown to reduce the risk of SSIs. A randomized controlled trial assessing its efficacy in the general neurosurgical population is currently underway. Here, the authors report their initial impressions of topical vancomycin safety among patients enrolled during the 1st year of the trial.METHODSThis prospective, multicenter, patient-blinded, randomized controlled trial will enroll 2632 patients over 5 years. Here, the authors report the incidence of adverse events, the degree of systemic vancomycin absorption in treated patients, and pattern changes of antibiotic-resistant profiles of Staphylococcus aureus flora among patients enrolled during the 1st year.RESULTSThe topical vancomycin treatment group comprised 257 patients (514 total enrolled patients), of whom 2 exhibited weakly positive serum levels of vancomycin (> 3.0 mg/dl). S. aureus was detected preoperatively in the anterior nares of 35 (18.1%) patients and the skin near the surgical site of 9 (4.7%). Colonization in the nares remained for many patients (71.4%) through postoperative day 30. The authors found a significant association between preoperative S. aureus colonization and postoperative colonization. Seven methicillin-resistant isolates were detected among 6 different patients. Two isolates were detected preoperatively, and 5 were de novo postoperative colonization. No adverse responses to treatment have been reported to date.CONCLUSIONSThe authors' data indicate that the use of topical vancomycin is safe with no significant adverse effects and minimal systemic absorption, and no development of vancomycin-resistant microorganisms.Clinical trial registration no.: NCT02284126 (clinicaltrials.gov).

PMID: 30554184 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Frequency of superantigen encoding genes of Staphylococcus aureus isolates collected from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and nasal carriers.

Related Articles

Frequency of superantigen encoding genes of Staphylococcus aureus isolates collected from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and nasal carriers.

Microb Pathog. 2018 Dec 13;:

Authors: Sadeghi J, Alizadeh N, Oskouei MA, Laghusi D, Oskouei DS, Nikanfar M, Mousavi MNS

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bacterial superantigens are potent T cell activators that can have acute or chronic effects on the central nervous system.
OBJECTIVES: In this study, the role of enterotoxins, exfoliative toxins and toxic shock syndrome toxin of Staphylococcus aureus was investigated in MS patients and healthy nasal carriers.
METHODS: Three-hundred fifty nasal swabs were collected from healthy nasal carriers (n = 210) and MS (n = 140) patients. Staphylococcus aureus superantigens were detected by multiplex PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was performed using disk diffusion method.
RESULTS: The highest rates of nasal colonization were seen in MS patients (46.42%). The rates of nasal colonization in the healthcare workers were 30.95%. The most commonly detected superantigens were SEA (31.5%), SEB (17.7%) and ETA (16.9%). The Staphylococcus aureus isolates had the highest levels of resistance against erythromycin (57.7%), clindamycin (55.4%) and co-trimoxazole (43.1%). All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, linezolid, and mupirocin.
CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that the frequency of superantigen producing Staphylococcus aureus isolates is high in the MS patients. As well as these isolates are sensitive to mupirocin. Thus it is better to use of mupirocin for nasal decolonization of Staphylococcus aureus in the MS patients.

PMID: 30553909 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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