Acute toxicity of arsenic and oxidative stress responses in the embryonic development of the common South American toad Rhinella arenarum

Arsenic (As), a natural element of ecological relevance, is found in natural water sources throughout Argentina in concentrations between 0.01mg/L and 15mg/L. The autochthonous toad Rhinella arenarum was selected to study the acute toxicity of As and the biochemical responses elicited by the exposure to As in water during its embryonic development. The median lethal concentration (LC50) value averaged 24.3mg/L As and remained constant along the embryonic development. However, As toxicity drastically decreased when embryos were exposed from heartbeat-stage on day 4 of development, suggesting the onset of detoxification mechanisms. Given the environmental concentrations of As in Argentina, there is a probability of exceeding lethal levels at 1% of sites. Arsenic at sublethal concentrations caused a significant decrease in the total antioxidant potential but generated an increase in endogenous glutathione (GSH) content and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity. This protective response might prevent a deeper decline in the antioxidant system and further oxidative damage. Alternatively, it might be linked to As conjugation with GSH for its excretion. The authors conclude that toad embryos are more sensitive to As during early developmental stages and that relatively high concentrations of this toxic element are required to elicit mortality, but oxidative stress may be an adverse effect at sublethal concentrations.Fil: Mardirosian, Mariana Noelia. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Química. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas, Químicas y de Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lascano, Cecilia Ines. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Química. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas, Químicas y de Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ferrari, Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energias Alternativas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energias Alternativas; ArgentinaFil: Bongiovanni, Guillermina Azucena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energias Alternativas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos, Biotecnología y Energias Alternativas; ArgentinaFil: Venturino, Andres. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Química. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas, Químicas y de Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Reformulando el Trauma en el Desarrollo a Través del Child Attachment Play Assessment

Child abuse and neglect has a major impact on children’s development and is a significant factor in a range of adult psychiatric disorders as wells as problems in relationships and social functioning. In the last two decades the effects of child maltreatment have been given a specific nosology in terms of a complex form of PTSD (CPTSD). Considerable progress has been made in validating questionnaires that screen for CPTSD and meet the criteria proposed by ICD11. Despite the basis of CPTSD in childhood, assessments have been biased towards adults and little use has been made of play based procedures for use with maltreated children. This paper argues for the use of the Child Attachment and Play Assessment (CAPA) as an additional assessment procedure. The CAPA uses the established narrative story stem procedure (NSSP) and codes for child attachment, unresolved loss and/or trauma, and observed somatic signs of trauma. Because it gives a direct window into the perception of the child it gives the therapist child specific information to help formulate an intervention plan most likely to help a particular child. The aim is not to supplant current assessments but enrich them. The term developmental trauma (DT) is preferred because the CAPA uses a psycho-social rather than medical model.El maltrato y la negligencia infantiles tienen un gran impacto en el desarrollo de los niños y son un factor significativo en una serie de trastornos psiquiátricos en la edad adulta, así como en problemas de relación y funcionamiento social. En las dos últimas décadas, los efectos del maltrato infantil han recibido una nosología específica en términos de una forma compleja de TEPT (TEPT Infantil). Se ha avanzado considerablemente en la validación de cuestionarios que detectan el TEPT y cumplen los criterios propuestos por la CIE11. A pesar de la base del TEPT en la infancia, las evaluaciones han estado sesgadas hacia los adultos y se ha hecho poco uso de procedimientos basados en el juego para su uso con niños maltratados. Este artículo propone el uso de la Evaluación del Apego y el Juego en el Niño (CAPA) como un procedimiento de evaluación adicional. La CAPA utiliza el procedimiento establecido de la narrativa de la historia (NSSP) y codifica el apego infantil, la pérdida no resuelta y/o el trauma, y los signos somáticos observados del trauma. Dado que ofrece una ventana directa a la percepción del niño, proporciona al terapeuta información específica sobre el niño para ayudar a formular un plan de intervención con más probabilidades de ayudar a un niño en particular. El objetivo no es suplantar las evaluaciones actuales, sino enriquecerlas. Se prefiere el término trauma del desarrollo (DT) porque el CAPA utiliza un modelo psicosocial en lugar de médico

Effect of ageing and exercise training on myokine expression responses to acute exercise

Age-related muscle loss is a major contributor to falls, fraility and mortality. It has been widely suggested that chronic, age-related inflammation contributes to the gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass that occurs with ageing. Indeed, ageing is associated with elevations in a number of circulating inflammatory proteins, many of which have detrimental effects on skeletal muscle growth and protein balance. Exercise training has been shown to reduce chronic inflammation and, therefore, may represent an appropriate means to reduce age-related inflammation and counteract sarcopenia. Yet few studies have evaluated the effect of aging on skeletal muscle expression of inflammatory proteins and the effect of acute and repeated exercise on these factors. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of 12 weeks of resistance exercise training on the levels of myokines within skeletal muscle, both at rest and following an acute bout of exercise and to examine how these responses may vary in young and older subjects, thus evaluating the potential for exercise to reduce age-related muscle inflammation. Six healthy young (aged 18-25 years) and 8 healthy older men (aged 60-75 years) completed 12 weeks of resistance exercise training. Muscle biopsies were collected before and 2 h after an acute exercise bout at the beginning and the end of the 12 week training period. Muscle tissue was analyzed for the expression of key inflammatory (MCP-1, IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, IL-13 and IL-4) via bead-based multiplex analysis. Acute exercise increased the expression of inflammatory myokines, while anti-inflammatory myokines remained unchanged. In contrast to the hypothesis for this study, neither age nor training had a significant effect on the expression of myokines within skeletal muscle either in the resting state or 2 hours following exercise. However, older individuals displayed an increased inflammatory response to exercise prior to training when compared to younger individuals. Twelve weeks of resistance exercise training appeared to normalize this difference. Given the variability in myokine levels between individuals and the small subject number in the current study, further research is required to confirm this findin