Does ADHD worsen inhibitory control in preschool children born very premature and/or with very low birth weight?

Introduction: Deficits in executive functioning, especially in inhibitory control, are present in children born very premature and/or with very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and in children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objective: To evaluate whether ADHD imposes additional inhibitory control (IC) deficits in preschoolers born VP/VLBW. Methods: 79 VP/VLBW (4 to 7 years) children were assessed for ADHD using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children – Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). IC was measured with Conners’ Kiddie Continuous Performance Test (K-CPT 2) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). Results: No significant differences were found between ADHD (n = 24) and non-ADHD children (n = 55) for any of the measures (p = 0.062 to p = 0.903). Both groups had deficits in most K-CPT 2 scores compared to normative samples, indicating poor IC and inconsistent reaction times. Conclusions: ADHD does not aggravate IC deficits in VP/VLBW children. Either neuropsychological tasks and parent reports of executive functions (EFs) may not be sensitive enough to differentiate VP/VLBW preschoolers with and without ADHD, or these children’s EFs are already so impaired that there is not much room for additional impairments imposed by ADHD

Treinamento cognitivo para crianças e adolescentes com transtorno de déficit de atenção/hiperatividade como tratamento complementar aos psicoestimulantes : estudo de viabilidade e descrição de protocolo

Background: Cognitive training has received increasing attention as a non-pharmacological approach for the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. Few studies have assessed cognitive training as add-on treatment to medication in randomized placebo controlled trials. The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the feasibility of implementing a computerized cognitive training program for ADHD in our environment, describe its main characteristics and potential efficacy in a small pilot study. Methods: Six ADHD patients aged 10-12-years old receiving stimulants and presenting residual symptoms were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial to either a standard cognitive training program or a controlled placebo condition for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was core ADHD symptoms measured using the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Questionnaire (SNAP-IV scale). Results: We faced higher resistance than expected to patient enrollment due to logistic issues to attend face-to-face sessions in the hospital and to fill the requirement of medication status and absence of some comorbidities. Both groups showed decrease in parent reported ADHD symptoms without statistical difference between them. In addition, improvements on neuropsychological tests were observed in both groups – mainly on trained tasks. Conclusions: This protocol revealed the need for new strategies to better assess the effectiveness of cognitive training such as the need to implement the intervention in a school environment to have an assessment with more external validity. Given the small sample size of this pilot study, definitive conclusions on the effects of cognitive training as add-on treatment to stimulants would be premature.Introdução: O treinamento cognitivo tem recebido atenção especial como abordagem não medicamentosa para o tratamento do transtorno de déficit de atenção/hiperatividade (TDAH) em crianças e adolescentes. Poucos estudos avaliaram o treinamento cognitivo como abordagem complementar à medicação em ensaios clínicos randomizados controlados por placebo. O objetivo deste estudo foi explorar a viabilidade para a implementação de um programa de treinamento cognitivo computadorizado, descrever suas características principais e potencial eficácia em um pequeno estudo piloto. Métodos: Seis pacientes com TDAH entre 10-12 anos de idade, em uso de psicoestimulantes e apresentando sintomas residuais, foram recrutados e randomizados para um dos dois grupos (treinamento cognitivo ou placebo) por 12 semanas. O desfecho principal foram os sintomas nucleares do TDAH avaliados através do Questionário de Swanson, Nolan e Pelham (SNAP-IV). Resultados: Encontramos maior resistência do que a esperada no recrutamento dos pacientes em função de problemas logísticos para atender às sessões presenciais no hospital assim como para preencherem os critérios de status medicamentoso e ausência de algumas comorbidades. Ambos os grupos apresentaram diminuição nos escores dos sintomas de TDAH reportados pelos pais, mas sem diferença estatística entre eles. Além disso, foi observada melhora nos testes neuropsicológicos em ambos os grupos – principalmente nas tarefas treinadas pelo programa. Conclusão: Este protocolo revelou a necessidade de novas estratégias para melhor avaliar a eficácia do treinamento cognitivo tal como a necessidade de implementar a intervenção no ambiente escolar a fim de obter uma avaliação com maior validade externa. Devido ao pequeno tamanho amostral deste estudo, conclusões definitivas sobre os efeitos do treinamento cognitivo como abordagem complementar aos psicoestimulantes seriam prematuras

Detecção de Helicobacter spp. em amostras de mucosa gástrica de cães assintomáticos e alterações histológicas associadas

O presente estudo teve por objetivo correlacionar o número de bactérias espiraladas e as alterações histológicas da mucosa gástrica em cães de vida livre. Foram analisadas biopsias gástricas endoscópicas de 28 cães assintomáticos. Para análise histológica, foi realizada avaliação qualitativa, onde foram atribuídos escores de 0 a 3, considerando a densidade de bactérias espiraladas por campo (400x), a presença de células inflamatórias, o número de agregados linfoides e a existência de alteração degenerativa glandular. A prevalência de Helicobacter spp, identificado pela histologia (Carbol-Fucscina) e positividade no teste da urease, foi de 100%. Dos 28 cães, 18 (64,3%) receberam escore 3 e 10 (35,7%) o escore 2 para a densidade de bactérias. O infiltrado inflamatório predominantemente linfoplasmocitário foi de grau leve (escore 1) em 17 (60,7%) cães e moderado em 6 (21,4%) cães. Dos 28 cães, 14 (50%) receberam escore 1 para degeneração glandular e 9 (32,1%), o escore 0. As regiões do corpo e antro apresentaram maior número de resultados positivos à histopatologia. Apesar do número elevado de bactérias encontrado nas amostras analisadas, as alterações histológicas foram classificadas como de grau leve na maioria dos animais. A presença do Helicobacter spp. não parece estar relacionado com sintomatologia de gastrite.The objective of the present study was to establish a relationship between the number of spiral bacteria and gastric mucosa histological alterations in mongrel dogs. Endoscopic biopsies of 28 asymptomatic dogs were analyzed. Qualitative evaluation was performed for histological analysis, in which scores from 0 to 3 were attributed, considering the density of spiral bacteria per field (400x), presence of inflammatory cells, number of lymphoid aggregates and existence of gland degenerative alteration. The prevalence of Helicobacter spp., identified by hystological technique (Carbol – fuchsine) and positive urease test, was100%. Eighteen (64.3%) of the 28 dogs presented score 3, and 10 (35.7%0), score 2 for the density of bacteria. The inflammatory infiltrate, predominantly lymphocytic, was slight (score 1) in 17dogs (60.7%) and moderate in 6 (21.4%). From the 28 dogs, 14 (50%) scored 1 for glandular degeneration and 9 (32.1%) scored 0. The body and antrum regions presented the highest positive result to histopathology. Despite the high number of bacteria found in the analyzed samples, the histological alterations have been classified as slight in most of the animals. The presence of Helicobacter spp. apparently does not produces gastritis symptoms

Molecular epidemiological investigation of Mayaro virus in febrile patients from Goiania City, 2017-2018.

Mayaro virus (MAYV) has historically been associated with sylvatic transmission; however, urban outbreaks have been reported in Brazil, including cases of co-detection with dengue virus (DENV). Therefore, we performed a molecular survey to investigate MAYV circulation and cocirculation with DENV within Goiania, a major city in Central-West Brazil. Among 375 subjects with arbovirus-like symptoms, 259 were positive for DENV and 26 for MAYV. Of these, 17 were coinfected with DENV-2, suggesting co-transmission of the viruses. The most common complaints at the time of inclusion were myalgia, headache, fever, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, and skin rash. No specific symptoms were associated with MAYV when either detected alone or co-detected with DENV, compared to that when DENV was detected alone. Most MAYV-infected subjects were women with no recent travel history to rural/sylvatic areas. Phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that the MAYV identified in this study is closely related with a lineage observed in Peru, belonging to genotype D. Our results corroborate the growing circulation of MAYV in urban environments in Brazil and reinforce the need to implement laboratory diagnosis in the Unified Health System, considering that the clinical manifestations of Mayaro fever are similar to those of other arboviruses, particularly dengue. Furthermore, most cases occurred in association with DENV-2. Further phylogenetic studies are needed to evaluate MAYV, which has not been widely examined

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016