Compulsive Social Behavior Emerges after Selective Ablation of Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons

The mechanisms underlying social dysfunction in neuropsychiatric conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette syndrome (TS) remain uncertain. Dysfunctions in basal ganglia, including reduced number of striatal cholinergic interneurons (SCIN), have been involved in their pathophysiology. To explore the role of SCIN in relation to perseverative behaviors we characterized a new transgenic mouse model in which inducible ablation of SCIN is achieved with high efficiency in a cell-type and region specific manner. Mice were subjected to an extensive behavioral testing including assessment of social behaviors and corticostriatal functional connectivity was evaluated in vivo. Selective SCIN ablation leads to altered social interactions together with exacerbated spontaneously emitted repetitive behaviors. Lesioned mice showed normal motor coordination, balance, and general locomotion. Interestingly, only environmentally-driven, but not self-directed, repetitive behaviors are exacerbated in lesioned mice. Remarkably, in mice with SCIN ablation the normal pattern of social exploration is continuously replayed. The emerging pattern of social interactions is highly predictable and invariant across time. In vivo electrophysiological recordings indicate that SCIN ablation results in an increase of the functional connectivity between different cortical areas and the motor, but not associative, region of the striatum. Our results identify a role of SCIN in suppressing perseverative behaviors including social related ones. In sum, SCIN ablation in mice leads to exacerbated ritualistic-like behaviors that impact on social performance providing a link between SCIN dysfunction and social impairments present in psychiatric disorders.Fil: Martos Schott, Yanina Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Braz, Bárbara Yael. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Beccaria, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Murer, Mario Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Belforte, Juan Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; Argentin

“Validatio-autenticatio” y “expeditio-traditio” de la documentación inquisitorial: el sello y el correo del Santo Oficio español

Entre las fases ulteriores que conforman la “conscriptio” diplomática caben destacar, por una parte, la “validatio” y la “autenticatio” (referentes a la estampación de signos y suscripciones, con que se cerraba el texto documental, y a la aposición del sello), y, por otra, la “expeditio” y la “traditio” (concernientes a la remisión y entrega del original al destinatario). En el presente artículo, los autores abordan el estudio de estos elementos circunscribiéndose al ámbito inquisitorial, materia prácticamente inédita. De ahí que se analicen aspectos tales como el sello, los elementos validativos, el correo y el papel timbrado en relación con el Santo Oficio.Within those phases that constitute the diplomatic “conscription”, it's necessary to emphasize, firstly, the “validation” and the “autenticatio” (related to signs’ writing, that closes the document's text, and seal's apposition); and, secondly, the “expedition” and “tradition” (both concerning the original document´s sending and delivery to addressee), In this article, the authors deal with the study of these elements from the inquisitorial perspective (an almost unknown subject). They analyze topics such as the seal, validation methods, and the relationship between the Spanish Inquisition and mailing systems or sealed paper

Evaluation of the cell viability of human Wharton's jelly stem cells for use in cell therapy

Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly stem cells (HWJSCs) are gaining attention as a possible clinical source of mesenchymal stem cells for cell therapy and tissue engineering due to their high accessibility, expansion potential, and plasticity. We employed a combination of highly sensitive techniques to determine the average cell viability levels and proliferation capabilities of 10 consecutive cell passages of cultured HWJSCs and then used RNA microarrays to identify genes associated with changes in cell viability levels. We found an initial decrease in cell viability from the first to the third cell passage followed by an increase until the sixth passage and a final decrease from the sixth to tenth cell passages. The highest cell viability levels corresponded to the fifth and sixth passages. The intracellular ionic contents of potassium, sodium, and chlorine suggest that the lower cell viability levels at passages 2, 3, and 8-10 may be associated with apoptotic cell death. In fact, gene expression analysis revealed that the average cell viability was significantly associated with genes with a function in apoptotic cell death, especially pro-apoptotic FASTKD2, BNIP3L genes and anti-apoptotic TNFAIP8 and BCL2L2 genes. This correlation with both pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes suggests that there may be a complex live-death equilibrium in cultured HWJSCs kept in culture for multiple cell passages. In this study, the highest cell viability levels corresponded to the fifth and sixth HWJSC passages, suggesting that these passages should be preferentially employed in cell therapy or tissue engineering protocols using this cell type

O papel dos glicosaminoglicanos no processo de descondensação cromatínica do espermatozoide humano

En el núcleo del espermatozoide, la cromatina se encuentra 6 a 8 veces más condensada que en los núcleos de las células somáticas. esta condensación es el resultado del intercambio de histonas por protaminas durante el proceso de formación de los espermatozoides, otorgando al material genético una resistencia única al ataque por especies reactivas de oxígeno como también al estrés que significa el trayecto hasta su encuentro con el ovocito en el oviducto. Esta condensación tan alta debe ser relajada, una vez producida la fecundación del ovocito, para permitir la formación del pronúcleo masculino y la posterior singamia. Para que ocurra la descondensación es necesaria la reducción de los puentes S-S de las protaminas, reacción que lleva a cabo el glutatión y, además, la remoción de las protaminas con intercambio posterior o concomitante por las histonas ovocitarias. En este punto, todavía no hay consenso sobre la molécula involucrada. En nuestro laboratorio postulamos que sería el heparán sulfato, basados en análisis de descondensación in vitro, en las características estructurales de la molécula y en su presencia en el ovocito murino, con evidencias preliminares de su presencia también en el ovocito humano (datos no mostrados)In the sperm nucleus, chromatin is 6 to 8 times more condensed than in the nuclei of somatic cells. This high condensation is the result of the exchange between histones and protamines during the process of spermatogenesis, and provides the genetic material with unique resistance to the attack of reactive oxygen species, as well as to the stress of the voyage towards the encounter with the oocyte in the oviduct. This high condensation must be relaxed, once the fertilization of the oocyte has taken place, in order to allow for the formation of male pronucleus and subsequent syngamy. For the decondensation to occur, it is necessary to reduce the disulfide bonds in the protamines, reaction that takes place with the assistance of glutathione, and also to remove the pro-tamines with the subsequent or concomitant exchange with oocyte histones. At this point, there is no consensus regarding the molecule involved in this process. In these studies, it has been postulated that this molecule is heparan sulfate, based on in vitro decondensation studies, on the structural characteristics of the molecule and the fact that it is present in the murine oocyte, with preliminary evidence of its presence also in the human oocyte (data not shown).Fil: Romanato, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Julianelli, Vanina Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Farrando, Bárbara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Lucrecia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); Argentin

Habitat suitability models for species selection in ecological restoration: an application to legume shrubs selection for roadside revegetation

Shrub planting is a common practice in ecological restoration and is commonly used for roadside management for controlling soli erosion, for reducing headlight glare and for absorbing the energy of errant vehicles. As in any planting activity, an adequate species selection is required to avoid high mortality rates in ecological restorations. Habitat suitability models predict species presence likelihood as a function of environmental variables and may support species selection pointing the species more suitable for the habitat to be restored. Habitat distribution models for legume shrub species in Spain were fitted and validated using presence/absence data from the Spanish Forest Map. A logistic regression strategy was used to predict species presence based on climatic and lithologic variables. Model outputs were used to develop a shrub planting plan for the roadsides of a set of highways in Spai

Retablo mayor de la iglesia del Hospital de la Caridad. Investigación e intervención

A partir de las investigaciones y estudios preliminares recogidos en el proyecto inicial que se realizó en el Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico, la restauración del retablo mayor de la iglesia del Hospital de la Santa Caridad de Sevilla corrió a cargo de la Dirección General de Bienes Culturales de la Junta de Andalucía, bajo la tutela del Proyecto de estudio, investigación y propuesta de intervención del retablo mayor de la iglesia de San Jorge del Hospital de la Caridad. La fase de intervención, iniciada en enero de 2006, ha supuesto para este retablo la oportunidad de profundizar en el estudio de su materialidad, mediante los análisis científicos de caracterización de materiales y la actualización de los datos histórico-artísticos y de historia material. Por otra parte, los tratamientos aplicados garantizarán la adecuada conservación de su arquitectura y esculturas en el futuro, contribuyendo de forma significativa a la recuperación de los valores históricos y artísticos de este magnífico retablo

Curso de Inteligencia Emocional: la experiencia de la Inteligencia emocional en un proyecto de educación secundaria

The present work analyzes the effectiveness of a program to develop emotional intelligence in secondary education. The Training Course on Emotional Intelligence (TCEI) offers the opportunity for secondary students to develop their emotional intelligence cooperatively applying their new knowledge to solve real-world problems. A total of 158 secondary education students participated in this educational experience. A combination of both in-person classes and online classes was used in this program in a virtual campus according to the flipped classroom methodology. The TCEI prepares students to think critically and analytically, to learn about one’s own feelings and other people’s emotions, and to find and use appropriate emotional learning resources. The results indicate that improvement in emotional intelligence is possible using our program. The implications of these results for incorporating emotional competencies into secondary education curriculum are discussed

Electromyographic activity of the jaw muscles and mandibular kinematics in young adults with theoretically ideal dental occlusion : reference values

A necessary step to use neuromuscular analysis as diagnostic tool is to establish normal reference values for the physiological range in a healthy population. Surface electromyographic (sEMG) activity of the jaw muscles and mandibular kinematics were measured in young adults with theoretically ideal dental occlusion to determine normal reference values during different tasks. Differences between the sexes were evaluated. Forty young adults (20 men, 20 women; mean age 22.8 ± 3.9 years) with theoretically ideal dental occlusion were selected using very restrictive criteria. sEMG activity of the anterior temporalis (AT), posterior temporalis, masseter (MA), and suprahyoid muscles were evaluated in the rest position and during swallowing, mastication, and clenching. Mandibular kinematics in the rest position and during maximum excursions were assessed. Asymmetry, activity, and torque indices and MA/AT ratios were calculated. For all muscles, sEMG values were 1.01-3.57 µV at rest, 3.50-10.85 µV during swallowing, and 41.04-86.59 µV during mastication. During clenching, values were 230.08-243.55 µV for the AT and MA muscles. Mean total asymmetry, activity, and torque indices at rest were 20.34 %, -15.04 %, and 19.02 %, respectively; during clenching, these values were 6.14 %, -2.62 %, and 4.46 %. MA/AT ratios were near 1. Kinematic measurements during lateral excursion, protrusive and maximum opening were 7.54, 8.44, and 37.38 mm respectively; lateral mandibular shift was 1.41 mm; free way and lateral displacement at rest were 1.40 and 0.26 mm. Right MA activity during mastication and clenching was higher in men than women. Reference values for sEMG activity and mandibular kinematics were determined. Some muscular asymmetry and torque were observed