Marcos Rosetti

To stay or not to stay: the contribution of tactile and thermal cues to coming to rest in newborn rabbits

Newborn rabbits, like other altricial mammals, demonstrate thermotaxis and when placed on a thermal gradient locate and come to rest at physiologically appropriate temperatures. Little is known, however, about the sensory-motor components contributing to the in energetic terms important decision of the young to cease locomotion and come to rest. We investigated the behavior of newborn rabbits on two thermal gradients; linear in which pups could use tactile cues from the arena wall, and concentric in which pups were unable to use such cues. On both gradients pups located the warm, thermal-neutral area within the 200-s test time, thereby demonstrating their ability to orient appropriately using thermal cues alone. Unexpectedly, however, pups on the concentric gradient failed, or took significantly longer, to come to rest than pups on the linear gradient. Since the speed of locomotion of pups on the linear gradient was significantly slowed when they were in contact with the arena wall, and in most cases they came to rest in contact with it, we suggest that not only thermal but also tactile cues may be important in bringing young mammals to rest in a thermally appropriate environment.

Cysticerci Drive Dendritic Cells to Promote In Vitro and In Vivo Tregs Differentiation

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in immune homeostasis. Treg induction is a strategy that parasites have evolved to modulate the hosts inflammatory environment, facilitating their establishment and permanence. In human Taenia solium neurocysticercosis (NC), the concurrence of increased peripheral and central Treg levels and their capacity to inhibit T cell activation and proliferation support their role in controlling neuroinflammation. This study is aimed at identifing possible mechanisms of Treg induction in human NC. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DC) from healthy human donors, cocultivated with autologous CD4+ naïve cells either in the presence or absence of cysticerci, promoted CD25highFoxp3+ Treg differentiation. An increased Treg induction was observed when cysticerci were present. Moreover, an augmentation of suppressive-related molecules (SLAMF1, B7-H1, and CD205) was found in parasite-induced DC differentiation. Increased Tregs and a higher in vivo DC expression of the regulatory molecules SLAMF1 and CD205 in NC patients were also found. SLAMF1 gene was downregulated in NC patients with extraparenchymal cysticerci, exhibiting higher inflammation levels than patients with parenchymal parasites. Our findings suggest that cysticerci may modulate DC to favor a suppressive environment, which may help parasite establishment, minimizing the excessive inflammation, which may lead to tissue damage.

Neurological events related to influenza A (H1N1) pdm09.

To review neurological complications after the influenza A (H1N1) pdm09, highlighting the clinical differences between patients with post‐vaccine or viral infection.

Evaluation of children with ADHD on the Ball-Search Field Task

Searching, defined for the purpose of the present study as the displacement of an individual to locate resources, is a fundamental behavior of all mobile organisms. In humans this behavior underlies many aspects of everyday life, involving cognitive processes such as sustained attention, memory and inhibition. We explored the performance of 36 treatment-free children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 132 children from a control school sample on the ecologically based ball-search field task (BSFT), which required them to locate and collect golf balls in a large outdoor area. Children of both groups enjoyed the task and were motivated to participate in it. However, performance showed that ADHD-diagnosed subjects were significantly less efficient in their searching. We suggest that the BSFT provides a promising basis for developing more complex ecologically-derived tests that might help to better identify particular cognitive processes and impairments associated with ADHD.

Towards a traditional ecological knowledge-based monitoring scheme: a proposal for the case of edible mushrooms

Monitoring wild edible fungi over long periods is essential to understand how environmental or cultural factors influence fruiting patterns. Since conventional sampling methods are time and resource intensive, alternatives providing reliable ecological information could be useful for assessments of fungal management. Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can be used as a sampling alternative in a cost-effective manner. Thus, in this paper we aim to: (1) illustrate how GPS-recorded information on mushroom gatherers’ pathways can be used to describe fungal diversity and distribution patterns, and (2) outline a TEK-monitoring proposal that can provide communities and researchers with high-quality ecological data on edible mushrooms. Using information from 32 trips (55 GPS-tracked pathways) we were able to describe the frequency, abundance, diversity and spatial distribution of edible fungi at different sites. We recorded the collection of 6,905 sporocarps, representing 20 species and 6 genera, which were collected or identified at 2,683 locations. In addition to collections, we suggest consistent recording of fungal encounters defined as memory, exploration, traces, and failed collection, as these also provide ecological information. The most gathered species, Turbinellus floccosus and Clitocybe gibba, were also among the mushrooms most frequently listed by local people. Finally, we propose combining our GPS-tracking method with a thorough TEK investigation and participatory research in order to develop adaptive co-management strategies that allow local people to manage and conserve their forests through the integration of traditional and scientific knowledge.

Construct validity and parent–child agreement of the six new or modified disorders included in the Spanish version of the kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia present and Lifetime Version DSM-5 (K-SADS-PL-5)

Changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-5) incorporate the inclusion or modification of six disorders: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Binge Eating Disorder. The objectives of this study were to assess the construct validity and parent-child agreement of these six disorders in the Spanish language Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL-5) in a clinical population of children and adolescents from Latin America. The Spanish version of the K-SADS-PL was modified to integrate changes made to the DSM-5. Clinicians received training in the K-SADS-PL-5 and 90% agreement between raters was obtained. A total of 80 patients were recruited in four different countries in Latin America. All items from each of the six disorders were included in a factor analysis. Parent-child agreement was calculated for every item of the six disorders, including the effect of sex and age. The factor analysis revealed 6 factors separately grouping the items defining each of the new or modified disorders, with Eigenvalues greater than 2. Very good parent-child agreements (r>0.8) were found for the large majority of the items (93%), even when considering the sex or age of the patient. This independent grouping of disorders suggests that the manner in which the disorders were included into the K-SADS-PL-5 reflects robustly the DSM-5 constructs and displayed a significant inter-informant reliability. These findings support the use of K-SADS-PL-5 as a clinical and research tool to evaluate these new or modified diagnoses.

Recovery from an acute systemic and central LPS-inflammation challenge is affected by mouse sex and genetic background

Genetic and sexual factors influence the prevalence and the pathogenesis of many inflammatory disorders. In this study their relevance on the peripheral and central inflammatory status induced by a peripheral injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was evaluated. BALB/c and CD-1 male and female mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS. Spleens and brains were collected 2 and 72 hours later to study the levels of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β. Percentage of microglia and astrocytes was determined in the cortex and hippocampus. Locomotor activity was registered before and during the 72 hours after LPS-treatment. Two hours after LPS-injection, a peripheral increase of the three cytokines was found. In brains, LPS increased TNF-α only in males with higher levels in CD-1 than BALB/c. IL-1β increased only in CD-1 males. IL-6 increased in both strains with lower levels in BALB/c females. Peripheral and central levels of cytokines decline 72 hrs after LPS-treatment whilst a significantly increase of Iba-1 expression was detected. A dramatic drop of the locomotor activity was observed immediately after LPS injection. Our results show that acute systemic administration of LPS leads to peripheral and central increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglia activation, in a strain and sex dependent manner.

A novel experimental paradigm to evaluate children and adolescents diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Comparison with two standard neuropsychological methods

ABSTRACT Introduction: In this study we evaluated a recently developed test, the Ball Search Field Task (BSFT) as a neuropsychological tool for measuring cognitive and behavioral performance of individuals with disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which are frequently accompanied by cognitive deficits and a lack of behavioral inhibition. The task provides a complementary method of assessment that attempts ecological validity by drawing on challenges faced in real-world situations. In this task, energetic costs and gross sensorimotor feedback are involved, as participants are required to search for targets in a large open area. Method: We compared performance on the BSFT in a clinical sample of children and adolescents with a diagnosis of ADHD with their scores on two widely used neuropsychological tools, the Tower of London (ToLo) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Results: We found no correlations between scores on the BRIEF and those on either the BSFT or ToLo. However, we found moderate correlations between rule violations on ToLo and several BSFT variables, suggesting the capacity of these tests to detect common aspects of executive dysfunction. Conclusions: These findings, although modest, encourage further study of tasks like the BSFT, which may help assess cognitive dysfunction found in neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD in ecologically valid situations.

Validity and reliability of the kiddie schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia present and lifetime version DSM-5 (K-SADS-PL-5) Spanish version

BackgroundThere are various language adaptations of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). In order to comply with the changes in DSM classification, the Spanish edition of the interview was in need of update and evaluation.MethodsK-SADS-PL was adapted to correspond to DSM-5 categories. All clinicians received training, and a 90% agreement was reached. Patients and their parents or guardians were interviewed and videotaped, and the videos were exchanged between raters. Factor analysis was performed and inter-rater reliability was calculated only in the case of diagnoses in which there were more than five patients.ResultsA total of 74 subjects were included. The Factor Analysis yielded six factors (Depressive, Stress Hyperarousal, Disruptive Behavioral, Irritable Explosive, Obsessive Repetitive and Encopresis), representing 72% of the variance. Kappa values for inter-rater agreement were larger than 0.7 for over half of the disorders.ConclusionsThe factor structure of diagnoses, made with the instrument was found to correspond to the DSM-5 disorder organization. The instrument showed good construct validity and inter-rater reliability, which makes it a useful tool for clinical research studies in children and adolescents.

Effectiveness of a treatment guideline for schizophrenia in adolescents: Lessons from a middle-income country

Introduction: Treatment guidelines for schizophrenia represent a standard way to manage patients, especially in countries with limited staff resources. However, they have not been compared on their efficacy with treatment as usual, despite adult studies suggesting they can be more effective. Methods: Inpatient and outpatient adolescents with schizophrenia were randomly allocated to be either treated according to a guideline-based treatment (n = 43) or treatment as usual (n = 44). The effects on symptoms, psychosocial functioning and cognition were compared in a 6-month follow-up. Results: There were no differences between groups in the pharmacological treatment, reduction in symptom severity or cognition. The guideline-based treatment group showed a better functioning at months 3 and 6. Conclusion: The guideline-based treatment had a greater effect than the treatment as usual in the psychosocial functioning of adolescent patients (www.clinicaltrials.gov; II3/02/0811).