Neural Mechanisms in Eating Behaviors: A Pilot fMRI Study of Emotional Processing.

OBJECTIVE: Emotional processing dysfunction evident in eating disorders (ED) such as anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), is considered relevant to the development and maintenance of these disorders. The purpose of the current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to pilot a comparison of the activity of the fronto-limbic and fronto-striatal brain areas during an emotion processing task in persons with ED. METHODS: 24 women patients with ED were scanned, while showing emotionally stimulating (pleasant, unpleasant) and neutral images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). RESULTS: During the pleasant condition, significant differences in Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC) activations were found with AN participants presenting greater activation compared to BN and ED comorbid groups (EDc) and healthy controls also showing greater activation of this brain area compared to BN and EDc. Left putamen was less activated in EDc compared to both controls (C) and AN. During the unpleasant condition, AN participants showed hyperactivation of the Orbito-frontal Cortex (OFC) when compared to EDc. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the potential functional relevance of brain areas that have been associated with self-control. These findings should help advance understanding the neural substrate of ED, though they should be considered as preliminary and be cautiously interpreted.

Consumption of pomegranate decreases plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein levels, a marker of metabolic endotoxemia, in patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis alters the intestinal barrier function, increases plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels, which promotes endotoxemia, and contributes to the onset and development of colorectal cancer (CRC). We report here for the first time the reduction of plasma LPS-binding protein (LBP) levels, a marker of endotoxemia, after pomegranate consumption in newly diagnosed CRC patients.

[Evaluation of perioperative nutritional therapy in patients with gastrointestinal tract neoplasms]. / Evaluación de la terapia nutricional perioperatoria en pacientes con neoplasia del tracto gastrointestinal superior.

OBJECTIVES: Cancer is usually associated to an important level of desnutrition together with a postoperative morbidity and mortality increase. The purpose of this study was evaluating its efficacy perioperative nutritional support to reduce surgical complications, stances and mortality significantly in patients undergoing higher digestive tract procedures. METHOD: A prospective, randomized trial was done among a sample of neoplasic patients undergoing higher intestinal tract resective surgery during a period of 4 years. After a nutritional assessment, a perioperative immune-enhancing formula was randomly assigned to a group of patients who presented malnourished preoperatively (DS) while well-nourished and the rest of malnourished patients (DNS) received pre-surgical dietetic guidance and intravenous fluids after surgery until the reintroduction of normal diet. The variables studied were: age, sex, tumor stage and length of hospital stay. Nutritional status at admission and discharge, mortality, outcome from surgery and gastrointestinal side effects (tolerability, diarrhoea, vomits or distension) were also collected. Statistical analyses were performed with the with the chi2 for qualitative variables, ANOVA and the Turkey post-hoc tests for the quantitative ones, with a significance of 95%. RESULTS: Sample conformed by 50 patients in 3 groups that were compared for all baseline and surgical characteristics. Significant differences were observed in the incidence of gastrointestinal and infectius complications with better progress in DS group. It was obtained a reduction in the length of hospital stay in 12.29 days in DS group in contrast to DNS group (P=0.224). CONCLUSIONS: Significant benefit from perioperative nutritional support has been demonstrated in severely malnourished patients undergoing major surgery. A statistically significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms, a reduction in the length of hospital stay and less morbidity occurred on the group that received perioperative nutrition.

Evaluación de la terapia nutricional perioperatoria en pacientes con neoplasia del tracto gastrointestinal superior / Evaluation of perioperative nutritional therapy in patients with gastrointestinal tract neoplasms

Objetivos: La enfermedad oncológica se acompaña de un grado importante de desnutrición que se asocia con elevadas tasas de morbi-mortalidad postoperatoria. El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar la efectividad de un programa de apoyo nutricional perioperatorio de cara a reducir complicaciones postoperatorias, estancias hospitalarias y mortalidad entre pacientes sometidos a cirugía oncológica del tracto digestivo superior. Métodos: Estudio prospectivo aleatorizado sobre una muestra de pacientes intervenidos por cáncer gastrointestinal alto (esófago, estómago, cardias y duodeno/páncreas) durante un periodo de 4 años. Se realizó una valoración nutricional y se administró de forma perioperatoria una formula enteral inmunomoduladora a un grupo de pacientes malnutridos (DS), mientras que otro grupo de pacientes malnutridos (DNS) y los normonutridos (NN) recibieron consejo dietético antes de la cirugía y después de esta sueros por vía intravenosa hasta la reintroducción de la dieta normal. Las variables estudiadas fueron edad, sexo, estadio tumoral, tipo de neoplasia y estancia hospitalaria. También se recogieron la situación nutricional, mortalidad, complicaciones postoperatorias y alteraciones gastrointestinales. Para el análisis estadístico realizamos un estudio de frecuencias y aplicamos el test de Chi-cuadrado en las variables cualitativas. Para las cuantitativas usamos la ANOVA y el test Post-hoc de Tukey. Se consideraron significativos aquellos valores de p < 0,05. Resultados: Estudio sobre 50 pacientes divididos en 3 grupos. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la incidencia de complicaciones gastrointestinales e infecciosas con mejores avances en el grupo DS. Se obtuvo una reducción de la duración de la estancia hospitalaria de 12,29 días en el grupo de DS en contraste con el grupo DNS (P = 0,224). Conclusiones: Se ha demostrado un beneficio significativo del apoyo nutricional perioperatorio en los pacientes severamente desnutridos sometidos a cirugía que recibieron suplementación. Se observaron en estos pacientes una menor incidencia de complicaciones gastrointestinales e infecciosas así como acortamiento de la estancia hospitalaria con respecto a los pacientes desnutridos que no recibieron suplementación perioperatoria (AU)

Objectives: Cancer is usually associated to an important level of desnutrition together with a postoperative morbidity and mortality increase. The purpose of this study was evaluating its efficacy perioperative nutritional support to reduce surgical complications, stances and mortality significantly in patients undergoing higher digestive tract procedures. Method: A prospective, randomized trial was done among a sample of neoplasic patients undergoing higher intestinal tract resective surgery during a period of 4 years. After a nutritional assessment, a perioperative immune-enhancing formula was randomly assigned to a group of patients who presented malnourished preoperatively (DS) while well-nourished and the rest of malnourished patients (DNS) received pre-surgical dietetic guidance and intravenous fluids after surgery until the reintroduction of normal diet. The variables studied were: age, sex, tumor stage and length of hospital stay. Nutritional status at admission and discharge, mortality, outcome from surgery and gastrointestinal side effects (tolerability, diarrhoea, vomits or distension) were also collected. Statistical analyses were performed with the with the chi(2) for qualitative variables, ANOVA and the Turkey post-hoc tests for the quantitative ones, with a significance of 95%. Results: Sample conformed by 50 patients in 3 groups that were compared for all baseline and surgical characteristics. Significant differences were observed in the incidence of gastrointestinal and infectius complications with better progress in DS group. It was obtained a reduction in the length of hospital stay in 12.29 days in DS group in contrast to DNS group (P = 0,224). Conclusions: Significant benefit from perioperative nutritional support has been demonstrated in severely malnourished patients undergoing major surgery. A statistically significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms, a reduction in the length of hospital stay and less morbidity occurred on the group that received perioperative nutrition(AU)

[Evaluation of a selective medium for the isolation of Moraxella catarrhalis]. / Evaluación de un medio selectivo para aislamiento de Moraxella catarrhalis.

The recovery rate of Moraxella catarrhalis in a selective culture medium with acetazolamide and in a conventional blood-agar medium was compared from 1291 samples from the respiratory tract and conjunctivae of children and adults with respiratory and ocular symptomatology. M. catarrhalis was recovered in 215 samples on the acetazolamide medium, and only. 18 cases in the blood agar medium (p < 0.001). The highest recovery of M. catarrhalis was in samples with an accompanying flora, either pathogenic or commensal, such as pharyngeal and nasal exudates. The prevalence of M. catarrhalis in adults and children was 2% and 28%, respectively. We therefore, recommend the use of the acetazolamide medium for the recovery of M. catarrhalis in samples where M. catarrhalis is expected to be present with an accompanying flora.