Differential in vitro pathogenicity of Photorhabdus bacterial species against two distinct insect cell lines

Understanding the mode of action of pathogenic bacteria through in vitro studies can provide additional insight into their infection strategies. Here we have characterized the effect of Photorhabdus luminescens and Photorhabdus asymbiotica on two distinct insect cell lines. We report that insect cell survival and metabolism as well as bacterial proliferation differ between infection with two Photorhabdus species. These findings reinforce the notion that P. luminescens and P. asymbiotica deploy diverse tactics to infect insect cells. This knowledge might lead to better appreciation of the interaction between pathogenic bacteria and different types of insect cells.     

Impact of income and perceived stress on engagement and weight loss outcomes in an online behavioral weight loss program

Journal of Behavioral Medicine - Lower income is associated with greater stress, and stress has been shown to undermine treatment engagement and weight loss outcomes in face-to-face interventions....     

Metacognitive beliefs in obsessive-compulsive patients: A comparison with healthy and schizophrenia participants

Introduction. Distorted metacognitive beliefs are increasingly considered in theoretical models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, so far no consensus has emerged regarding the specific metacognitive profile of OCD.

Methods. Participants with OCD (n=55), schizophrenia (n=39), and nonclinical controls (n=49) were assessed with the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30).

Results. Except for positive beliefs about worry, both patient samples exceeded nonclinical controls on all MCQ subscales. The MCQ “need to control thoughts” and “negative beliefs about uncontrollability and danger” subscales showed strong correlations with obsessions, and scores in the former scale were elevated in hallucinators. In contrast to several prior studies, “cognitive confidence” was related neither to core OCD nor to schizophrenia symptomatology.

Conclusions. Notwithstanding large pathogenetic differences between OCD and schizophrenia, findings suggest that obsessions and hallucinations may share a common metacognitive pathway. Need to control thoughts and dysfunctional beliefs about the malleability of worries may represent critical prerequisites for the two phenomena to emerge.     

Evaluación multimodal de la degeneración estructural de válvulas percutáneas en el seguimiento a largo plazo

Introduction and objectivesWe assessed the long-term hemodynamic performance of transcatheter heart valve (THV) by paired transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and the incidence, characteristics and factors associated with THV structural valve degeneration (SVD).MethodsA total of 212 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement and had a potential follow-up > 5 years with at least 1 TTE ≥ 1-year postprocedure were included. All patients had a TTE at 1 to 5 years and 36 had another one at 6 to 10 years. SVD was defined as subclinical (increase > 10 mmHg in mean transvalvular gradient +  decrease > 0.3 cm² in valve area and/or new-onset mild or moderate aortic regurgitation) and clinically relevant (increase > 20 mmHg in mean transvalvular gradient + decrease > 0.6 cm² in valve area and/or new-onset moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation). Fifteen patients had a transesophageal echocardiography at the time of SVD diagnosis, and 85 an opportunistic computed tomography examination at 1 (0.5-2) years.ResultsTransvalvular mean gradient increased and valve area decreased over time (P < .01). At 8 years of follow-up, SVD occurred in 30.2% of patients (clinically relevant: 9.3%). Transesophageal echocardiography revealed thickened and reduced-mobility leaflets in 80% and 73% of SVD cases, respectively. No baseline or procedural factors were associated with SVD. THV underexpansion (3.5%) or eccentricity (8.2%) had no impact on valve hemodynamics/SVD at follow-up.ConclusionsA gradual THV hemodynamic deterioration occurred throughout a 10-year period, leading to SVD in ～30% of patients (clinically relevant in < 10%). Leaflet morphology/mobility were frequently impaired in SVD cases, but THV geometry did not influence valve hemodynamics or SVD.     

Hyperparathyroidism secondary to hypovitaminosis D in hypoalbuminemic is less intense than in normoalbuminemic patients: a prevalence study in medical inpatients in southern Brazil

Hypovitaminosis D has been reported in tropical countries, but this hormone has seldom been studied in Brazil. Our purpose was to study the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards in Southern Brazil. Possible associated factors were studied. We studied 81 adult patients in early spring. Mean serum 25(OH)D was 12±8.57 ng/mL; hypovitaminosis D was severe (<10 ng/mL) in 27 (33.3%) patients, and moderate (≥10 ng/mL and <20 ng/mL) in 36 (44.5%) patients. Clinical evaluation did not yield any data associated with hypovitaminosis D. Serum 25(OH)D levels of up to 20 ng/mL were associated with decreased mean serum total calcium (p=0.001), ionized calcium (p=0.01), and phosphorus (p=0.044) levels, and increased mean serum PTH level (p=0.001). In a multiple regression model, serum PTH level was independently affected by serum total calcium (p=0.01), phosphorus (p=0.009), and albumin (p=0.009) levels. Hypovitaminosis D patients had lower mean serum albumin levels (p=0.004), and serum 25(OH)D levels were directly correlated to serum albumin levels (p<0.0001). Albumin influenced independently PTH response to hypovitaminosis D; normoalbuminemic hypovitaminosis D patients had higher mean serum PTH than hypoalbuminemic patients. Conclusion: Hypovitaminosis D prevalence was very high in medical inpatients in Southern Brazil, in early spring. Nevertheless, secondary hyperparathyroidism was less intense in hypoalbuminemic hypovitaminosis D patients suggesting that in these patients free serum 25(OH)D was closer to normal.