Relación entre conductas autolesivas con fines no suicidas y depresión en población adolescente escolarizada

Depression is a public health problem, with a prevalence of 15.8% in children and adolescents between 10 and 14 years old. This disorder is directly related to non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. Research has shown that depressive symptoms and self-harm increase, stabilize and decrease jointly in individuals with both disorders. The current research aimed to establish the relationship between self-injurious behaviors with non-suicidal purposes and depression in adolescents in Pereira, Colombia. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling was carried out. Forty-four adolescents of sixth, seventh and eighth grades of Santa Rosa de Lima School were evaluated using the CDI and SHQ-E questionnaires as well as a socio demographic survey. The SPSS v.22 program and the Pearson Coefficient were used to analyze both descriptive and correlational data. The results show high, positive and significant correlations between childhood depression and self-injurious behaviors. As conclusion, there is a significant relationship between depressive symptoms and self-injurious behaviorsLa depresión es un problema de salud pública, con una prevalencia del 15,8% en niños y adolescentes entre 10 y 14 años; este trastorno está directamente relacionado con conductas autolesivas no suicidas. Diversas investigaciones han demostrado que los síntomas depresivos y las autolesiones aumentan, se estabilizan y disminuyen de manera conjunta en individuos que presentan ambos trastornos. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue establecer la relación existente entre las conductas autolesivas con fines no suicidas y la depresión en adolescentes escolarizados de la ciudad de Pereira, Colombia. Se realizó un muestreo no probabilístico por conveniencia. Se evaluaron 44 adolescentes de los grados sexto, séptimo y octavo de la Institución. Educativa Santa Rosa de Lima mediante los cuestionarios CDI, SHQ-E y una encuesta sociodemográfica. Los datos se analizaron con el programa SPSS v.22, y el Coeficiente de Pearson, tanto para el nivel descriptivo, como correlacional. Los resultados muestran correlaciones altas y positivas entre depresión infantil y conductas autolesivas. Se concluye que existe una relación significativa entre sintomatología depresiva y conductas autolesivas

Practical considerations to establish a validated platform for pooled detection of SARS-CoV-2 by droplet digital PCR

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 has created an enormous workload for laboratories worldwide resulting in a restriction at the time of massive testing. Pool testing is a strategy that reduces time and costs. However, beyond the detection of infectious diseases in blood banks, this approach is rarely implemented in routine laboratories. Therefore, what was learned from the SARS-CoV-2 pool testing should represent an opportunity to increase diagnostic capabilities. The present work, carried out in the context of a diagnostic laboratory of a public hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, represents a contribution to this end. The main limitation of pool testing is the risk of false negatives that could have been identified by individual tests. These limitations are the dilution of samples with a low virus load during pooling and that the integrity of the sample may be affected by the quality of the sample collection. Fortunately, both limitations coincide with the main strengths of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). ddPCR is a third-generation PCR that splits the amplification into thousands of droplets that work in parallel, increasing sensitivity and resistance to inhibitors. Therefore, ddPCR is particularly useful for pool testing. Here we show how to factor between test sensitivity and savings in test time and resources. We have identified and optimized critical parameters for pool testing. The present study, which analyzed 1000 nasopharyngeal samples, showed that the pool testing could detect even a single positive sample with a CT value of up to 30 in pools of 34 samples. This test was performed using three different standard extraction methods, the simplest being heating only, which resulted in substantial savings of extraction reagents in addition to PCR reagents. Moreover, we show that pooling can be extended to use saliva, which is less invasive and allows self-collection, reducing the risk for health personnel.Heckel S, Pacini A, Paredes F, Petreli M.V, Perez M, Adriani N, et al. (2022) Practical considerations to establish a validated platform for pooled detection of SARS-CoV-2 by droplet digital PCR. PLoS ONE 17(11): e0271860. https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pone.0271860Fil: Heckel, Sofía. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Pacini, Antonella. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Paredes, Franco. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Petreli, María Victoria. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Perez, Marilina. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Adriani, Natalia. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Ibarra, Guadalupe. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Sesma, Juliana. Hospital Provincial de Rosario. Molecular Biology Department; Argentina.Fil: Heckel, Sofía. Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER-CONICET); Argentina.Fil: Pacini, Antonella. Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER-CONICET); Argentina.Fil:. Sesma, Juliana. Instituto de Inmunología Clínica y Experimental de Rosario (IDICER-CONICET); Argentina.Fil: Heckel, Sofía. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario (IPROByQ); Argentina.Fil: Paredes, Franco. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario (IPROByQ); Argentina.Fil: Petreli, María Victoria. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario (IPROByQ); Argentina.Fil: Ibarra, Guadalupe. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario (IPROByQ); Argentina.Fil: Menzella, Hugo G. Instituto de Procesos Biotecnológicos y Químicos Rosario (IPROByQ); Argentina.Fil: Menzella, Hugo G. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.Fil: Colaneri, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.Fil: Sesma, Juliana. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina

Meiotic segregation and interchromosomal effect in the sperm of a double translocation carrier: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Infertility is a natural mechanism of selection intended to prevent the delivery of a child with malformations or mental retardation. Male infertility is closely related to chromosomal abnormalities. This study was focused on the analysis of meiotic segregation involving a Robertsonian translocation, 45,XY,der(13;13) [56]/45,XY,der(13;14) [44] and the evaluation of possible interchromosomal effects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Hybridisation with LSI 13q14 and subtelomere 14q probes and WCP13 SpectrumGreen and WCP14 SpectrumOrange probes showed a high proportion of unbalanced gametes, corresponding to 71.2% of the spermatozoa. The disomic frequencies of the sexual chromosomes and chromosome 18 of the patient were higher (5.28% and 2.55%, respectively) than those of the control (0.6% and 0.59%, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Meiotic segregation studies in sperm are an important tool for genetic counselling of chromosomal aberrations, allowing for a prediction of the risks and consequent implications for the reproductive life. The patient with this rare translocation exhibited meiotic segregation fidelity, and a high rate of unbalanced gametes with disomic spermatozoa.</p

Exposure to a High-Fat Diet during Early Development Programs Behavior and Impairs the Central Serotonergic System in Juvenile Non-Human Primates

Perinatal exposure to maternal obesity and high-fat diet (HFD) consumption not only poses metabolic risks to offspring but also impacts brain development and mental health. Using a non-human primate model, we observed a persistent increase in anxiety in juvenile offspring exposed to a maternal HFD. Postweaning HFD consumption also increased anxiety and independently increased stereotypic behaviors. These behavioral changes were associated with modified cortisol stress response and impairments in the development of the central serotonin synthesis, with altered tryptophan hydroxylase-2 mRNA expression in the dorsal and median raphe. Postweaning HFD consumption decreased serotonergic immunoreactivity in area 10 of the prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that perinatal exposure to HFD consumption programs development of the brain and endocrine system, leading to behavioral impairments associated with mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders. Also, an early nutritional intervention (consumption of the control diet at weaning) was not sufficient to ameliorate many of the behavioral changes, such as increased anxiety, that were induced by maternal HFD consumption. Given the level of dietary fat consumption and maternal obesity in developed nations these findings have important implications for the mental health of future generations

Genetic diversity of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri in citrus orchards in northwest Paraná state, Brazil

Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, which causes Asiatic citrus canker (ACC), is an important pathogen of citrus in Brazil and elsewhere. The genetic diversity of X. citri subsp. citri pathotype ‘A’ has not been studied in Brazil at a local scale (up to 300 km). Forty isolates were sampled from lesions of ACC on citrus in three orchards in Paraná state, Brazil. Twelve minisatellite markers were used to characterize the genetic diversity of the isolates. An Unweighted Paired Group Method of Arithmetic Averages tree was used for identifying unique multilocus haplotypes but there was no association between haplotypes and source locations. An analysis of molecular variance among populations showed that 98% of the variance was accounted for within the populations, and only 2% was accounted for among populations. Differences among populations was not significant (Φ=0.018, P=0.2). The relatively high, yet uniform, genetic diversity among isolates and low degree of spatial differentiation between populations of X. citri subsp. citri suggests that the populations in Paraná state have a common origin and strong historical epidemiological links

Motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME): intervariation study of normal sperm and sperm with large nuclear vacuoles

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although the motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) was developed only as a selection criterion, its application as a method for classifying sperm morphology may represent an improvement in evaluation of semen quality, with potential clinical repercussions. The present study aimed to evaluate individual variations in the motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) analysis after a time interval.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two semen samples were obtained from 240 men from an unselected group of couples undergoing infertility investigation and treatment. Mean time interval between the two semen evaluations was 119 +/- 102 days. No clinical or surgical treatment was realized between the two observations. Spermatozoa were analyzed at greater than or equal to 8400× magnification by inverted microscope equipped with DIC/Nomarski differential interference contrast optics. At least 200 motile spermatozoa per semen sample were evaluated and percentages of normal spermatozoa and spermatozoa with large nuclear vacuoles (LNV/one or more vacuoles occupying >50% of the sperm nuclear area) were determined. A spermatozoon was classified as morphologically normal when it exhibited a normal nucleus (smooth, symmetric and oval nucleus, width 3.28 +/- 0.20 μm, length 4.75 +/- 0.20 μm/absence of vacuoles occupying >4% of nuclear area) as well as acrosome, post-acrosomal lamina, neck and tail, besides not presenting cytoplasm around the head. One examiner, blinded to subject identity, performed the entire study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean percentages of morphologically normal and LNV spermatozoa were identical in the two MSOME analyses (1.6 +/- 2.2% vs. 1.6 +/- 2.1% <it>P </it>= 0.83 and 25.2 +/- 19.2% vs. 26.1 +/- 19.0% <it>P </it>= 0.31, respectively). Regression analysis between the two samples revealed significant positive correlation for morphologically normal and for LNV spermatozoa (r = 0.57 95% CI:0.47-0.65 <it>P </it>< 0.0001 and r = 0.50 95% CI:0.38-0.58 <it>P </it>< 0.0001, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The significant positive correlation and absence of differences between two sperm samples evaluated after a time interval with respect to normal morphology and LNV spermatozoa indicated that MSOME seems reliable (at least for these two specific sperm forms) for analyzing semen. The present result supports the future use of MSOME as a routine method for semen analysis.</p