Adolescent Development of the Reward System

Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by increased reward-seeking behavior. Investigators have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in conjunction with reward paradigms to test two opposing hypotheses about adolescent developmental changes in the striatum, a region implicated in reward processing. One hypothesis posits that the striatum is relatively hypo-responsive to rewards during adolescence, such that heightened reward-seeking behavior is necessary to achieve the same activation as adults. Another view suggests that during adolescence the striatal reward system is hyper-responsive, which subsequently results in greater reward-seeking. While evidence for both hypotheses has been reported, the field has generally converged on this latter hypothesis based on compelling evidence. In this review, I describe the evidence to support this notion, speculate on the disparate fMRI findings and conclude with future areas of inquiry to this fascinating question

Localization and Function of GABA Transporters GAT-1 and GAT-3 in the Basal Ganglia

GABA transporter type 1 and 3 (GAT-1 and GAT-3, respectively) are the two main subtypes of GATs responsible for the regulation of extracellular GABA levels in the central nervous system. These transporters are widely expressed in neuronal (mainly GAT-1) and glial (mainly GAT-3) elements throughout the brain, but most data obtained so far relate to their role in the regulation of GABAA receptor-mediated postsynaptic tonic and phasic inhibition in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Taking into consideration the key role of GABAergic transmission within basal ganglia networks, and the importance for these systems to be properly balanced to mediate normal basal ganglia function, we analyzed in detail the localization and function of GAT-1 and GAT-3 in the globus pallidus of normal and Parkinsonian animals, in order to further understand the substrate and possible mechanisms by which GABA transporters may regulate basal ganglia outflow, and may become relevant targets for new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of basal ganglia-related disorders. In this review, we describe the general features of GATs in the basal ganglia, and give a detailed account of recent evidence that GAT-1 and GAT-3 regulation can have a major impact on the firing rate and pattern of basal ganglia neurons through pre- and post-synaptic GABAA- and GABAB-receptor-mediated effects

Local and external factors affecting the photodegradation of 4N,N \u27-dimethylamino-4 \u27 nitrostilbene polymer films

The photodegradation of the electro-optic chromophore 4N,N\u27-dimethylamino-4\u27nitrostilbene was investigated as a function of wavelength, temperature, local atmosphere, and local molecular environment, i.e., attached as a side chain to a polymer or dissolved as a guest in a host polymer

Incidencia de las intoxicaciones: un caso en hospital de Ecuador / Incidence of intoxication: a case in an Ecuadorian hospital

Las intoxicaciones son un problema de salud pública y una de las principales causas de ingresos en las salas de emergencias a nivel nacional e internacional. Se realizó una investigación exploratoria, descriptiva, transversal y de observación dirigida, para determinar la incidencia de las intoxicaciones en pacientes del Hospital General Teófilo Dávila de la Provincia de El Oro, Ecuador, año 2012, por edad, sexo, procedencia y tóxicos más frecuentes en este medio. La mayor incidencia ocurrió el mes de febrero (16,35%), la muestra de 104 intoxicados, predominó el sexo masculino (66,35%), procedencia urbana (88,46%) y el grupo etario de 20-49 años (60,58%). Las circunstancias, accidental (78,85%), intencional (16,35%) y laboral (4,81%). El mecanismo más relevante fue la ingesta (84,62%), los tipos de agente son, los alimentos/bebidas (29,81%) y las sustancias de abuso (25%). Abstract Intoxication is a public health problem and one of the main causes of admission in emergency rooms nationwide and internationally. An exploratory, descriptive, and cross sectional research of a directed observation was conducted to determine the incidence of intoxication in patients of General Teófilo Dávila Hospital in El Oro Province, Ecuador, in 2012; patients were classified by age, sex, origin, and the most frequent toxicant in this area. The highest incidence was February (16.35%), in the sample of 104 intoxicated males predominated (66.35%), urban origin (88.46%) and the age group of 20-49 years (60.58%). The circumstances were: accidental (78.85%), intentional (16, 35 %) and employment (4.81%). The most important mechanism is the intake (84.62 %), the agent types are food / beverages (29.81 %) and substance abuse (25%)

Production of He-4 and (4) in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV at the LHC

Results on the production of He-4 and (4) nuclei in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76 TeV in the rapidity range vertical bar y vertical bar <1, using the ALICE detector, are presented in this paper. The rapidity densities corresponding to 0-10% central events are found to be dN/dy4(He) = (0.8 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) x 10(-6) and dN/dy4 = (1.1 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.2 (syst)) x 10(-6), respectively. This is in agreement with the statistical thermal model expectation assuming the same chemical freeze-out temperature (T-chem = 156 MeV) as for light hadrons. The measured ratio of (4)/He-4 is 1.4 +/- 0.8 (stat) +/- 0.5 (syst). (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries