From maltreatment to psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence: The relevance of emotional maltreatment

Different forms of maltreatment are thought to incur a cumulative and non-specific toll on mental health. However, few large-scale studies draw on psychiatric diagnoses manifesting in early childhood and adolescence to identify sequelae of differential maltreatment exposures, and emotional maltreatment, in particular. Fine-grained multi-source dimensional maltreatment assessments and validated age-appropriate clinical interviews were conducted in a sample of N = 778 3 to 16-year-olds. We aimed to (a) substantiate known patterns of clinical outcomes following maltreatment and (b) analyse relative effects of emotional maltreatment, abuse (physical and sexual), and neglect (physical, supervisory, and moral-legal/educational) using structural equation modeling. Besides confirming known relationships between maltreatment exposures and psychiatric disorders, emotional maltreatment exerted particularly strong effects on internalizing disorders in older youth and externalizing disorders in younger children, accounting for variance over and above abuse and neglect exposures. Our data highlight the toxicity of pathogenic relational experiences from early childhood onwards, urging researchers and practitioners alike to prioritize future work on emotional maltreatment

Diagnostic Value of Resting Electroencephalogram in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder across the Lifespan

The resting electroencephalogram (EEG) reflects development and arousal, but whether it can support clinical diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains controversial. Here we examined whether theta power and theta/beta ratio are consistently elevated in ADHD and younger age as proposed. Topographic 48-channel EEG from 32 children (8-16 years) and 22 adults (32-55 years) with ADHD and matched healthy controls (n = 30 children/21 adults) was compared. Following advanced artefact correction, resting EEG was tested for increased theta and theta/beta activity due to ADHD and due to normal immaturity. Discriminant analyses tested classification performance by ADHD and age using these EEG markers as well as EEG artefacts and deviant attentional event-related potentials (ERPs). No consistent theta or theta/beta increases were found with ADHD. Even multivariate analyses indicated only marginal EEG power increases in children with ADHD. Instead, consistent developmental theta decreases were observed, indicating that maturational lags of fewer than 3 years would have been detected in children. Discriminant analysis based on proposed simple spectral resting EEG markers was successful for age but not for ADHD (81 vs. 53 % accuracy). Including ERP markers and EEG artefacts improved discrimination, although not to diagnostically useful levels. The lack of consistent spectral resting EEG abnormalities in ADHD despite consistent developmental effects casts doubt upon conventional neurometric approaches towards EEG-based ADHD diagnosis, but is consistent with evidence that ADHD is a heterogeneous disorder, where the resting state is not consistently characterised by maturational lag

Epstein--Barr virus-induced cell fusion

Serological and molecular biological studies have shown an association between Epstein--Barr virus (EBV) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Although it has been shown that the epithelioid tumour cells carry EBV genomes, they are apparently devoid of receptors for EBV (H.W., unpublished observations). Other have suggested that fusion of EBV carrying cells with epithelial cells may be the mode of entry of the virus into cells unable to absorb the virus and that this may be mediated by one of the known syncytium-forming viruses which inhabit the respiratory tract (for example, members of the paramyxovirus group). de Thé and colleagues suggested that intercellular bridges could be seen in NPC tumour material. We have developed a technique which permits the preparation of stable monolayers of viable human lymphoblastoid cell lines. Using this technique we have now demonstrated that EBV can induce fusion between EBV-superinfected lymphoblastoid cells and cells devoid of EBV receptors

Efeitos da Reeducação Postural Global em escolares com escoliose Global Posture Reeducation effects in students with scoliosis

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o efeito do método da Reeducação Postural Global (RPG) em escolares com diagnóstico de escoliose torácica não estrutural (ETNE). Os escolares com indicativo de ETNE ao exame postural e teste de Adams negativo foram encaminhados ao exame radiográfico para comprovação diagnóstica. Foram selecionados 20 participantes (11 meninos e 9 meninas, com 10±3 anos), divididos randomicamente em dois grupos homogêneos: o que realizou o RPG (GRPG) durante 12 semanas com duração de 25 a 30 minutos cada sessão, de acordo com o que aguentou permanecer na postura; e o grupo controle (GC), sem intervenção. Após três meses, os dois grupos repetiram a avaliação postural e o exame radiográfico. Para avaliação das estatísticas, foi utilizada análise de variância (ANOVA) univariada, com medidas repetidas, seguida do Post Hoc de Tukey para identificar as possíveis diferenças intra e intergrupos. O valor de &#945; foi de 0,05. O GRPG apresentou redução significativa no ângulo de Cobb na comparação intragrupo (&#916;%=-35,100; p=0,009), mas o GC não (&#916;%=9,520; p=0,789). Pode-se concluir que escolares submetidos ao método da RPG apresentaram melhora do quadro de escoliose torácica não estrutural.<br>The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of Global Reeducation Postural (RPG) method in scholars diagnosed with thoracic nonstructural scoliosis (ETNE). Scholars with indicative of ETNE to postural exam and Adams test negative were directed to radiographic exam to diagnostic. Twenty participants were selected (11 boys and 9 girls, 10±3 years old) and randomly divided in two homogeneous groups: group treated by RPG (GRPG) and control group (CG). The GRPG was submitted a RPG treatment during 12 weeks in sessions from 25 to 30 minutes in agreement with each student tolerance at posture. The CG didn't suffer intervention. After three months, both groups repeated the postural and radiographic exam. For statistics, it was used ANOVA univariated with repeated measures, followed by Tukey Post Hoc Test to identify the possible differences intra and intergroups. The &#945; value used was 0.05. The GRPG present significant reduction at Cobb angle between pre and posttest (&#916;%=-35.100; p=0.009), but the CG didn´t show (&#916;%=9.520; p=0.789). It was concluded that scholars submitted to RPG method presented improvement in thoracic nonstructural scoliosis