Prevention of antibiotic-associated metabolic syndrome in mice by intestinal alkaline phosphatase.

AIMS: To examine whether co-administration of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) with antibiotics early in life may have a preventive role against metabolic syndrome (MetS) in mice. METHODS: A total of 50 mice were allocated to four treatment groups after weaning. Mice were treated with azithromycin (AZT) ± IAP, or with no AZT ± IAP, for three intermittent 7-day cycles. After the last treatment course, the mice were administered a regular chow diet for 5 weeks and subsequently a high-fat diet for 5 weeks. Body weight, food intake, water intake, serum lipids, glucose levels and liver lipids were compared. 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing was used to determine the differences in microbiome composition. RESULTS: Exposure to AZT early in life rendered mice susceptible to MetS in adulthood. Co-administration of IAP with AZT completely prevented this susceptibility by decreasing total body weight, serum lipids, glucose levels and liver lipids to the levels of control mice. These effects of IAP probably occur as a result of changes in the composition of specific bacterial taxa at the genus and species levels (e.g. members of Anaeroplasma and Parabacteroides). CONCLUSIONS: Co-administration of IAP with AZT early in life prevents mice from susceptibility to the later development of MetS. This effect is associated with alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota. IAP may represent a novel treatment against MetS in humans.

Brain EEG activity correlates of chronic pain in persons with spinal cord injury: clinical implications.

STUDY DESIGN: Group comparison and cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To replicate previous findings regarding electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern differences in a larger sample of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and chronic pain than previously studied, and examine associations between pain severity and EEG activity in a sample of patients with SCI and chronic pain. SETTING: USA. METHODS: EEG data were collected in an eyes-closed condition from 38 individuals with SCI and chronic pain, 16 individuals with SCI who did not have chronic pain and 28 healthy controls. Pain intensity experienced during the EEG assessment was assessed in the chronic pain group. Absolute and relative power in four frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, and beta) were compared between the groups, and correlation coefficients between bandwidth activity and pain intensity in the pain group were computed. RESULTS: Previously identified activity pattern differences (that is, more theta and less alpha) in those with SCI and chronic pain versus individuals with SCI and no pain and healthy controls were largely replicated. However, few significant associations between pain severity and EEG activity measures activity were found, and those that were found (more alpha activity associated with more pain as measured from frontal electrode sites) was in a direction opposite than predicted. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that certain EEG activity patterns may be associated with more pain or a vulnerability to experience chronic pain in persons with SCI. Research examining the extent to which changes in this EEG activity may result in pain relief is warranted.

Thalamic stimulation reduces essential tremor but not the delayed antagonist muscle timing.

BACKGROUND: Electrical stimulation of the thalamus dramatically reduces essential tremor (ET). It has been hypothesized that the cerebellum and inferior olive are involved in the generation of ET, and thalamic stimulation is presumed to dampen ET through interactions with cerebellar output to the thalamus. Evidence suggests that abnormal timing of agonist and antagonist muscle responses contribute to cerebellar tremor (CbT); however, this relationship has not been investigated for ET. The mechanisms of the tremor and improvement are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of ventral intermediate thalamic stimulation in controlling the ET response to sudden stretch of an agonist muscle and to determine whether, in ET, the timing relationships between the initial agonist and antagonist electromyography (EMG) responses show abnormalities similar to those seen in CbT. METHODS: The authors studied ET subjects (with implanted thalamic stimulators turned off and on) and normal controls as they responded to mechanical torque pulses given at the wrist joint. The wrist joint angle, wrist agonist, and antagonist EMG were recorded. RESULTS: Like CbT, patients with ET showed delayed onsets of antagonist EMG and excessive rebound. Thalamic stimulation reduced the tremor but did not alter the antagonist delay or the rebound. CONCLUSIONS: In ET, antagonist muscle responses to a torque pulse are similar to that in CbT. However, benefit from thalamic stimulation did not alter these EMG responses; therefore, suppression of tremor must be caused by mechanisms other than the re-establishment of normal agonist-antagonist timing.

MR analysis of lung volume and thoracic dimensions in patients with emphysema before and after lung volume reduction surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess the accuracy of determining lung volume in patients with emphysema using MR imaging and then to investigate changes in thoracic dimensions after lung volume reduction surgery. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fast gradient-echo breath-hold MR imaging through the entire thorax at full inspiration and expiration was performed in 21 patients with severe emphysema and was performed again in nine of the patients who underwent surgery. Lung volumes were determined using a semiautomated computerized method of delineating the lungs and summing cross-sectional areas. These summed areas were compared with volumes measured on plethysmography and CT. Postoperative changes in thoracic structure were determined by measuring anteroposterior and transverse lung dimensions and lung height before and after surgery. RESULTS: The correlation coefficients and SEM for determining inspiratory lung volume were MR imaging versus plethysmography, r = .77, SEM = -12% (volume measured as less on MR imaging); CT versus plethysmography, r = .86, SEM = -13% (volume measured as less on CT); and MR imaging versus CT, r = .87, SEM = 4% (volume measured as greater on MR imaging). The correlation coefficients and SEM for determining expiratory volume on MR imaging versus plethysmography were r = .77, SEM = 6% (volume measured as greater on MR imaging). After surgery, decreases were found in all thoracic dimensions, and such decreases were greatest at expiration. CONCLUSION: MR measurements of lung volume are comparable with those of CT and differ from those of plethysmography. Changes in thoracic dimensions after lung volume reduction surgery are consistent with improved respiratory mechanics.