"iDoctor – Medical Blog"

Purpose: Floaters caused by degenerative or postoperative changes in the vitreous can interfere with all aspects of visual functioning. The aim of this study is to report the longterm outcome of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for persistent vitreous opacities.Methods: In a retrospective, non-randomized, interventional case study we reviewed all cases of vitreous floaters that were vitrectomized at our department between 1997 and 2006. Patient complaints and satisfaction were assessed by a questionnaire administered at the end of follow-up.Results: Seventy-three consecutive cases were included (61 patients). Mean Snellen best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before surgery was 0.81. Overall, 85% of patients complained of severe or very severe difficulty caused by floaters. A total of 42% of eyes were pseudophakic

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the course of macular sensitivity (MS) following treatment with reduced fluence photodynamic therapy (RPDT) versus standard photodynamic therapy (SPDT) in combination with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and to investigate the correlation between MS and angiographic outcomes.Methods: Forty eyes in 40 patients were included in this prospective, randomized clinical study. Group 1 patients received RPDT (n = 20, light dose of 25 J/cm2 at 300 mW/cm2); group 2 patients received SPDT (n = 20, light dose of 50 J/cm2 at 600 mW/cm2). All patients received 4 mg IVTA administered on the same day as RPDT or SPDT. Microperimetry, visual acuity testing (ETDRS) and fluorescein angiography (FA) were perfor

• Content Type Journal Article
• DOI 10.1007/s10465-009-9071-5
• Authors
  • Susan Loman, Antioch University New England Department of Applied Psychology 40 Avon Street Keene NH 03456 USA
  • Nicole Cellini, Antioch University New England Department of Applied Psychology 40 Avon Street Keene NH 03456 USA
  • Melanie Johnson, Antioch University New England Department of Applied Psychology 40 Avon Street Keene NH 03456 USA
  • Elizabeth Hallett, Antioch University New England Department of Applied Psychology 40 Avon Street Keene NH 03456 USA

• Journal American Journal of Dance Therapy
• Online ISSN 1573-3262
• Print ISSN 0146-3721

• Content Type Journal Article
• DOI 10.1007/s10465-009-9072-4
• Authors
  • Robyn Flaum Cruz, Lesley University Ph.D. Program in Expressive Therapies, Expressive Therapies Division 29 Everett Street Cambridge MA 02138 USA

• Journal American Journal of Dance Therapy
• Online ISSN 1573-3262
• Print ISSN 0146-3721

• Content Type Journal Article
• DOI 10.1007/s10465-009-9074-2
• Authors
  • Megan Dillenbeck, American Dance Therapy Association 438 Victoria Ave Belleville ON K8N 2E9 Canada
  • Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers, American Dance Therapy Association Edmonton AB Canada

• Journal American Journal of Dance Therapy
• Online ISSN 1573-3262
• Print ISSN 0146-3721

&lt;p&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;a name=&quot;Abs1&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span&gt;Abstract&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;A West coast pioneer of dance therapy, Mary Starks Whitehouse began the work she called &lt;i&gt;movement-in-depth&lt;/i&gt; in the 1950s. Based on her dance training with Mary Wigman, and her own personal experiences in Jungian psychoanalysis, she<br> developed a rich and detailed movement bridge to inner experience, including unconscious, preverbal, direct sensation, dreams,<br> and interpersonal dynamics. The core of the movement experience she explored is the sensation of both moving, and being moved<br> at the same moment, activated with attention, allowing and following the authentic movement impulse. She had a gift for translating<br> inner experience into suggestions that furthered her students’ explorations. The recollection of my wo

CLOCK genetic variation and metabolic syndrome risk: modulation by monounsaturated fatty acids.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Oct 21;

Authors: Garaulet M, Lee YC, Shen J, Parnell LD, Arnett DK, Tsai MY, Lai CQ, Ordovas JM

BACKGROUND: Disruption of the circadian system may be causal for manifestations of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). OBJECTIVE: The objective was to study the associations of 5 CLOCK polymorphisms with MetS features by analyzing fatty acid (FA) composition from dietary and red blood cell (RBC) membrane sources. DESIGN: Participants (n = 1100) in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) study were included. Dietary intake was estimated with a validated questionnaire. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements and genotypes were determined. Postprandial lipids and the FA composition of RBC membranes were analyzed. RESULTS: CLOCK single nucleotide polymorphisms were significantly associated with obesity and individual components of MetS. For single nucleotide polymorphism rs4580704, minor allele carriers had a 46% lower risk of hypertension than did noncarriers. The monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) content of RBC membranes, particularly oleic acid, changed according to CLOCK genetic variants (P < 0.05). We identified significant gene-diet interactions associated with MetS at the CLOCK locus. By dichotomizing MUFA intake, we found different effects across rs4580704 genotypes for glucose (P = 0.020) and insulin resistance (P = 0.026). The protective effect of the minor allele on insulin sensitivity was only present when MUFA intake was >13.2% of energy. We also found different effects across CLOCK 3111T–>C genotypes for saturated fatty acid intake (% of energy) (P = 0.017). The deleterious effect of gene variants on waist circumference was only found with high saturated fatty acid intakes (>11.8%). CONCLUSIONS: CLOCK polymorphisms interact with FAs to modulate MetS traits. The dietary source and membrane content of MUFAs are implicated in the relations between alterations in the circadian system and MetS.

PMID: 19846548 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

&lt;table border=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;100%&quot;&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td align=&quot;left&quot;/&gt;&lt;td align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&amp;amp;cmd=Display&amp;amp;dopt=PubMed_PubMed&amp;amp;from_uid=19846547&quot;&gt;Related Articles&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;<br> &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methodologic flaws in selecting studies and comparing nutrient concentrations led Dangour et al to miss the emerging forest amid the trees.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;<br> &lt;p&gt;Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Oct 21;&lt;/p&gt;<br> &lt;p&gt;Authors: Benbrook C, Davis DR, Andrews PK&lt;/p&gt;<br> &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;<br> &lt;p&gt;PMID: 19846547 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]&lt;/p&gt;

Short-term sleep loss decreases physical activity under free-living conditions but does not increase food intake under time-deprived laboratory conditions in healthy men.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Oct 21;

Authors: Schmid SM, Hallschmid M, Jauch-Chara K, Wilms B, Benedict C, Lehnert H, Born J, Schultes B

BACKGROUND: Short sleep duration is correlated with an increased risk of developing obesity and cardiovascular disease, but the mechanisms behind this relation are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test the hypothesis that acute sleep loss decreases physical activity while increasing food intake, thereby shifting 2 crucial behavioral components of energy homeostasis toward weight gain. DESIGN: In 15 healthy, normal-weight men, spontaneous physical activity was registered by accelerometry during the entire experiment, and food intake as well as relevant hormones were assessed during a 15-h daytime period after 2 nights of regular sleep (bed time: 2245-0700) and after 2 nights of restricted sleep (bed time: 0245-0700). Experiments were performed in a crossover design. RESULTS: Sleep restriction significantly decreased physical activity during the daytime spent under free-living conditions after the first night of sleep manipulation (P = 0.008). Also, intensities of physical activity were shifted toward lower levels, with less time spent with intense activities (P = 0.046). Total energy intake, feelings of hunger, and appetite as well as ghrelin and leptin concentrations during day 2 remained unaffected by acute sleep restriction. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to our expectation, short-term sleep loss neither increased food intake nor affected concentrations of the hunger-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. However, the observed decrease in daytime physical activity may point to another potentially important behavioral mechanism for the health-impairing influence of sleep loss.

PMID: 19846546 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]