Changes in food preferences and ingestive behaviors after glucagon-like peptide-1 analog treatment: techniques and opportunities.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs are approved for the treatment of obesity in adults and adolescents. Reports have emerged that the weight loss effect of these medications may be related to changes in food preferences and ingestive behaviors following the treatment. Understanding the mechanisms which impact ingestive behavior could expand opportunities to develop more refined and personalized treatment options for obesity. METHODS: Recent studies investigating the relationship between GLP-1 analogs and ingestive behaviors were retrieved from PubMed using the search terms: "obesity," "food preference," "taste," "ingestive behavior," "weight loss medication," "anti-obesity medication," "GLP-1 analog," "tirzepatide," "liraglutide," "semaglutide." Measurement tools were studied to compare variables used to assess food intake behavior. The main outcomes from each study were analyzed to evaluate the current standing and future directions of appetitive, ingestive, and consummatory behaviors and their association with GLP-1 analogs. RESULTS: Thus far, studies have primarily explored the weight loss phase and report decreased short-term appetite and food intake upon treatment. However, research during the weight maintenance phase and objective measurements of food intake are notably sparse. Additionally, verbal reports have been primarily used to examine food intake, which can be susceptible to subjectivity. CONCLUSIONS: Elucidating the relationship between GLP-1 analogs and ingestive behavior could reveal additional parameters which contribute to their anti-obesity effects. To better understand these mechanisms, it is imperative to consider objective measurements of food intake in future studies. Several measurement tools have been adapted to measure variables of food behavior in humans, and each must be carefully considered with their strengths and limitations to develop optimal investigations.

Isolation and short-term culturing of primary lymphatic endothelial cells from collecting lymphatics: A techniques study.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an experimental method for routine isolation and short-term culture of primary lymphatic endothelial cells from specific collecting vessels. METHODS: Lymphatic endothelial cell tubes (LECTs) were isolated from micro-dissected collecting vessels. LECTs were allowed to attach and grow for ~3 weeks before being passaged. Non-purified cultures were partially characterized by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR at passages 1-2. RESULTS: The method was validated in cultures of primary lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) from male and female mice. After 1 or 2 passages, >60% of the LECs maintained expression of Prox1. Expression of 22 different genes was assessed using RT-PCR. Prox1, Vegfr3, eNos, Cdh5, Pecam1, Cx43, Cx37, and Cx47, among others, were expressed in these short-term cultured LECs, while Myh11, Cnn1, Desmin, and Cd11b were not detected. Prox1 expression, as determined by western blotting, was similar in cultured LECs from age-matched male and female mice. Confocal imaging of intracellular calcium in cultures of primary LECs from Cdh5-GCaMP8 mice demonstrated that a functional phenotype was maintained, similar to lymphatic endothelial cells in freshly isolated vessels. CONCLUSIONS: This method provides an innovative tool for routine isolation and study of primary LECs from specific collecting lymphatic vessels from any mouse, and in fact, from other species.

A Systematic Review of Follicular Psoriasis: A Unique but Under-Recognized Entity.

Background: Follicular psoriasis (FP) is a rare and under-recognized subtype of psoriasis that affects hair follicles and can be frequently misdiagnosed due to its unique presentation. Objective: We aimed to analyze the frequently reported clinical, histological, and dermatoscopic features of FP, as well as their treatment options. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the PubMed/MEDLINE database using the search terms "follicular" and "psoriasis." Fourteen studies were included yielding information on 44 patients (27 adults [61.4%] and 17 children [38.6%]). Results: Adult FP showed a female predominance (M:F = 1:2.7), frequent involvement of lower extremities (81.5%), association with metabolic syndrome including diabetes mellitus (22.2%), and a predilection for skin of color (SOC:White = 8:1). On the contrary, juvenile FP revealed male predominance (M:F = 1:0.6), frequent involvement of the trunk (41.2%), and exclusive involvement in skin of color (SOC:White = 11:0). In addition to its unique presentation, FP tends to be misdiagnosed due to its low incidence of concomitant psoriasis (31.8%), and rare personal (18.2%) or family history (6.8%) of psoriasis. Reported histopathological features include keratotic plugging, follicular parakeratosis with or without neutrophils, psoriasiform acanthosis, hypogranulosis, and neutrophilic infiltration of follicular epithelium. Dermatoscopic findings include folliculocentric lesions with normal appearing terminal hairs, perifollicular white scale, and various vascular structures. Conclusion: Once correctly diagnosed, patients with FP showed improvement or resolution of symptoms with various combinations of topical and systemic therapies. Understanding the demographic features and clinical presentations of FP can help address under-recognition of this clinical variant of psoriasis.

Slugging: TikTokTM as a source of a viral "harmless" beauty trend.

"Slugging" is a viral beauty trend on TikTokTM that entails slathering a petrolatum-based ointment on the skin as a last step in your evening skincare routine. Due to its occlusive nature, slugging has a potential risk for harm. Here, we screened top 50 TikTok videos on slugging and analyzed upload source, content, and quality of each video. Overall, 18 (36.7%) videos were deemed educational, discussing risks and/or benefits. By upload source, health care providers (HCPs) created more educational videos (87.5%, P = .009), while online influencers created more patient experience videos (43.3%). This difference was evident when comparing the upload source. DISCERN scores (a validated measure of video's quality as a source of information) differed significantly among HCP, influencers, and others (3, 2, 2, respectively, P = .01). Together, our study demonstrates that compared to influencers and others, HCPs created videos of more high-quality, educational content on slugging.