Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Compared with Chemotherapy for Poor-Risk Hodgkin Lymphoma

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Impaired perceptual learning in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome is mediated by parvalbumin neuron dysfunction and is reversible.

To uncover the circuit-level alterations that underlie atypical sensory processing associated with autism, we adopted a symptom-to-circuit approach in the Fmr1-knockout (Fmr1-/-) mouse model of Fragile X syndrome. Using a go/no-go task and in vivo two-photon calcium imaging, we find that impaired visual discrimination in Fmr1-/- mice correlates with marked deficits in orientation tuning of principal neurons and with a decrease in the activity of parvalbumin interneurons in primary visual cortex. Restoring visually evoked activity in parvalbumin cells in Fmr1-/- mice with a chemogenetic strategy using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs was sufficient to rescue their behavioral performance. Strikingly, human subjects with Fragile X syndrome exhibit impairments in visual discrimination similar to those in Fmr1-/- mice. These results suggest that manipulating inhibition may help sensory processing in Fragile X syndrome

Serum Albumin Is Inversely Associated With Portal Vein Thrombosis in Cirrhosis

We analyzed whether serum albumin is independently associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) and if a biologic plausibility exists. This study was divided into three parts. In part 1 (retrospective analysis), 753 consecutive patients with LC with ultrasound-detected PVT were retrospectively analyzed. In part 2, 112 patients with LC and 56 matched controls were entered in the cross-sectional study. In part 3, 5 patients with cirrhosis were entered in the in vivo study and 4 healthy subjects (HSs) were entered in the in vitro study to explore if albumin may affect platelet activation by modulating oxidative stress. In the 753 patients with LC, the prevalence of PVT was 16.7%; logistic analysis showed that only age (odds ratio [OR], 1.024; P = 0.012) and serum albumin (OR, -0.422; P = 0.0001) significantly predicted patients with PVT. Analyzing the 112 patients with LC and controls, soluble clusters of differentiation (CD)40-ligand (P = 0.0238), soluble Nox2-derived peptide (sNox2-dp; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (P = 0.0078) were higher in patients with LC. In LC, albumin was correlated with sCD4OL (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [r(s)], -0.33; P < 0.001), sNox2-dp (r(s), -0.57; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (r(s), -0.48; P < 0.0001) levels. The in vivo study showed a progressive decrease in platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and urinary 8-iso prostaglandin F2 alpha-III formation 2 hours and 3 days after albumin infusion. Finally, platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and isoprostane formation significantly decreased in platelets from HSs incubated with scalar concentrations of albumin. Conclusion: Low serum albumin in LC is associated with PVT, suggesting that albumin could be a modulator of the hemostatic system through interference with mechanisms regulating platelet activation

Circadian Rhythm and Stress Response in Droppings of Serinus canaria

Serinus canaria is a widespread domestic ornamental songbird, whose limited knowledge of biology make compelling studies aimed to monitor stress. Here, a commercial enzyme immunoassay was adopted to measure immunoreactive corticosterone (CORT) in single Serinus canaria dropping sample, to monitor the daily fecal excretion of CORT in birds bred singly or in-group and to detect the effect promoted by aviary or small transport cage restraint. A robust daily rhythm of CORT was recorded in animals held on short-day light cycle, independent of bred conditions (single or group), which persisted when space availability was modified in single bred animal (transfer in aviary and transport cages). By contrast, a significant change in CORT excretion was recorded when group bred animals are restrained in a smaller cage. The daily rhythm in CORT excretion in response to manipulation showed the greatest response at the beginning of the light period, followed by the absence of the peak usually recorded at the end of the dark phase. These data indicated that EIA could be used as a reliable noninvasive approach to monitor the stress induced by restraint conditions in Serinus canaria

Comparing Therapeutic Efficacy between Ivermectin, Selamectin, and Moxidectin in Canaries during Natural Infection withDermanyssus gallinae

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three spot-on drugs on canaries during Dermanyssus gallinae natural infections and during the breeding season. Three groups of canary couples (seven couples each) were included: group A was treated with ivermectin, B with selamectin, and C with moxidectin. All the drugs were administered topically infrascapularly. The parasitic charge was estimated before the treatment (t0) and after 8 (t1), 16 (t2), 24 (t3), and 32 (t4) days following the initial treatment. No significant differences were detected among the three tested drugs for the five repeats for each of the four mite stages (egg, larva, nymphs, and fed and unfed adults). With regard to the decrease in the mean numbers of red mites, ivermectin and selamectin exerted their efficacy at t2, contrary to moxidectin at t3

Erratum to: Shame proneness and eating disorders: a comparison between clinical and non-clinical samples (Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, (2016), 21, 4, (701-707), 10.1007/s40519-016-0328-y)

Purpose To explore the relationship between shame proneness, eating disorders outcomes and psychological aspects of patients with eating disorders (ED). Methods Sixty-six girls applying for inpatient treatment for ED and 110 female undergraduate students were assessed using the Eating Disorder Inventory-3 and the Shame Proneness Scale of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect. Results Shame proneness showed significant correlations with several ED components and psychological scales of EDI-3, with some variations across the subgroups. Shame proneness levels were significantly higher in the clinical group than in controls. Conclusions Shame proneness can be an important component for the development and the maintenance of ED due to a strong correlation not only with ED symptoms but also with psychological aspects of this disease, in both clinical and non-clinical samples

Negative social emotions and cognition: Shame, guilt and working memory impairments

Negative emotions can have an impact on a variety of cognitive domains, including Working Memory (WM). The present work investigated whether shame and guilt modulate WM performance in a dual-task test both in a non-clinical and a clinical population. In Experiment 1, 76 non-clinical participants performed a dual-task before and after being randomly assigned to shame, guilt or neutral inductions elicited by the writing of autobiographical past experiences. Shame and guilt elicitations were related to impaired WM performances. In Experiment 2, 65 clinical inpatients with eating disorders were assigned to the same procedure. The negative relationship of self-conscious emotions and WM was confirmed. Taken together these results suggest that shame and guilt are related to impairments of WM in both clinical and non-clinical participants