Presynaptic CRF1 Receptors Mediate the Ethanol Enhancement of GABAergic Transmission in the Mouse Central Amygdala

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a 41-amino-acid neuropeptide involved in stress responses initiated from several brain areas, including the amygdala formation. Research shows a strong relationship between stress, brain CRF, and excessive alcohol consumption. Behavioral studies suggest that the central amygdala (CeA) is significantly involved in alcohol reward and dependence. We recently reported that the ethanol augmentation of GABAergic synaptic transmission in rat CeA involves CRF1 receptors, because both CRF and ethanol significantly enhanced the amplitude of evoked GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in CeA neurons from wild-type (WT) and CRF2 knockout (KO) mice, but not in neurons of CRF1 KO mice. The present study extends these findings using selective CRF receptor ligands, gene KO models, and miniature IPSC (mIPSC) analysis to assess further a presynaptic role for the CRF receptors in mediating ethanol effects in the CeA. In whole-cell patch recordings of pharmacologically isolated GABAAergic IPSCs from slices of mouse CeA, both CRF and ethanol augmented evoked IPSCs in a concentration-dependent manner, with low EC50s. A CRF1 (but not CRF2) KO construct and the CRF1-selective nonpeptide antagonist NIH-3 (LWH-63) blocked the augmenting effect of both CRF and ethanol on evoked IPSCs. Furthermore, the new selective CRF1 agonist stressin1, but not the CRF2 agonist urocortin 3, also increased evoked IPSC amplitudes. Both CRF and ethanol decreased paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of evoked IPSCs and significantly enhanced the frequency, but not the amplitude, of spontaneous miniature GABAergic mIPSCs in CeA neurons of WT mice, suggesting a presynaptic site of action. The PPF effect of ethanol was abolished in CeA neurons of CRF1 KO mice. The CRF1 antagonist NIH-3 blocked the CRF- and ethanol-induced enhancement of mIPSC frequency in CeA neurons. These data indicate that presynaptic CRF1 receptors play a critical role in permitting or mediating ethanol enhancement of GABAergic synaptic transmission in CeA, via increased vesicular GABA release, and thus may be a rational target for the treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism

A interação na construção do sujeito e da prática da terapia ocupacional

This study aims to discuss the power of the interaction and its gestural niceties as triggering of structured actions, in Occupational Therapy practice, in light of the brief framework exposure by Maturana and Varela about the collective meeting and autopoiesis; and by Leroi-Gourhan about operational chains. In order to illustrate the discussion that seeks to undertake, diary excerpts field, built during the stage of occupational therapy service in a special social protection directed to homeless population in the city of Santos/SP, were used. From this theoretical and practical articulation, sees the meeting as a possible and valid interventional strategy. Based on the discussions developed in this study, it was concluded that the interaction is powerful source ofnew ways of acting in the world, contributes to the empowerment of the individual, the collective organization of wills and triggering of planned interventions.O presente estudo se dispõe a discutir a potência da interação e suas sutilezas gestuais como disparadoras de ações estruturadas, na prática profi ssional em Terapia Ocupacional, à luz da breve exposição dos referenciais formulados por Maturana e Varela sobre a autopoiese e o encontro coletivo; e de Leroi-Gourhan sobre cadeias operatórias. A fim de ilustrar a discussão que se busca empreender, foram utilizados trechos do diário de campo, construído durante o estágio de terapia ocupacional em um serviço de proteção social especial, direcionado à população em situação de rua, na cidade de Santos/SP. A partir desta articulação teoria e prática, vê-se o encontro como uma estratégia interventiva possível e válida. Com base nas discussões desenvolvidas neste trabalho, conclui-se que a interação é fonte potente de novas formas de agir no mundo, contribui para o empoderamento do sujeito, a organização coletiva de vontades e disparadora de intervenções planejadas

CONSIDERAÇÕES ACERCA DOS IMPACTOS AMBIENTAIS DECORRENTES DA IMPLANTAÇÃO DE RESERVATÓRIOS HIDRELÉTRICOS COM ÊNFASE NOS EFEITOS OCORRENTES EM AQÜÍFEROS LIVRES E SUAS CONSEQÜÊNCIAS

Neste trabalho discute-se o processo da elevação induzida na posição do lençol freático adjacente a reservatórios hidrelétricos após o seu enchimento, tão logo é concluída a obra e inicia-se o represamento do rio. É apresentada a discussão sobre os principais impactos ocasionados pela instalação desse tipo de empreendimento, detalhando-se o caso da elevação induzida, considerando-se como evolui o processo de modificação nas águas subterrâneas e apresentando-se síntese de estudos anteriores desenvolvidos acerca do assunto. Palavras-chaves: hidrogeologia; hidráulica subterrânea; reservatórios; lençol freático; elevação induzida

Preliminary validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale.

Introduction: Evidence is growing that an addictive process may play a role in problematic eating behavior. The majority of research on this topic has examined the concept of "food addiction" solely in adult samples. If certain foods have addictive potential, children may be impacted as much as (or more) than adults due to psychological and neurobiological vulnerabilities at younger developmental stages. In the current study, we developed a measure of food addiction in children that reflects the diagnostic indicators of addiction. Materials and methods: The content and reading level of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) was altered to be appropriate for children (YFAS-C). The YFAS-C and other eating-related measures were administered to study participants to examine the validity and reliability of the YFAS-C. Participants: 75 children were recruited from the community ranging from lean to obese. Results: The validation of the YFAC-C provides preliminary support for its convergent validity with like constructs and incremental validity in predicting body mass index. Internal consistency was adequate given the small number of items on the scale. Discussion: The YFAS-C appears to be a helpful tool for identifying addictive-like eating in children

Preliminary validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale for children

Evidence is growing that an addictive process may play a role in problematic eating behavior. The majority of research on this topic has examined the concept of “food addiction” solely in adult samples. If certain foods have addictive potential, children may be impacted as much as (or more) than adults due to psychological and neurobiological vulnerabilities at younger developmental stages. In the current study, we developed a measure of food addiction in children that reflects the diagnostic indicators of addiction

Evaluation of Consumer Understanding of Different Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels, 2010–2011

IntroductionGovernments throughout the world are using or considering various front-of-package (FOP) food labeling systems to provide nutrition information to consumers. Our web-based study tested consumer understanding of different FOP labeling systems.MethodsAdult participants (N = 480) were randomized to 1 of 5 groups to evaluate FOP labels: 1) no label; 2) multiple traffic light (MTL); 3) MTL plus daily caloric requirement icon (MTL+caloric intake); 4) traffic light with specific nutrients to limit based on food category (TL+SNL); or 5) the Choices logo. Total percentage correct quiz scores were created reflecting participants’ ability to select the healthier of 2 foods and estimate amounts of saturated fat, sugar, and sodium in foods. Participants also rated products on taste, healthfulness, and how likely they were to purchase the product. Quiz scores and product perceptions were compared with 1-way analysis of variance followed by post-hoc Tukey tests.ResultsThe MTL+caloric intake group (mean [standard deviation], 73.3% [6.9%]) and Choices group (72.5% [13.2%]) significantly outperformed the no label group (67.8% [10.3%]) and the TL+SNL group (65.8% [7.3%]) in selecting the more healthful product on the healthier product quiz. The MTL and MTL+caloric intake groups achieved average scores of more than 90% on the saturated fat, sugar, and sodium quizzes, which were significantly better than the no label and Choices group average scores, which were between 34% and 47%.ConclusionAn MTL+caloric intake label and the Choices symbol hold promise as FOP labeling systems and require further testing in different environments and population subgroups

East Bay Coalition for the Homeless: Branding Study and Marketing Strategy

There are a number of potential positioning strategies. The two which make the most sense for the EBCH are to “position the EBCH away from others in the category” and to “position the EBCH as unique.” These strategies have the advantage of setting the EBCH apart from the other organizations that address homelessness. Occupying its own “position” in the minds of potential and current donors is not only an effective communications/marketing strategy but also a less costly one because it avoids head-to-head competition and comparisons

Resolving catastrophic error bursts from cosmic rays in large arrays of superconducting qubits

Scalable quantum computing can become a reality with error correction, provided coherent qubits can be constructed in large arrays. The key premise is that physical errors can remain both small and sufficiently uncorrelated as devices scale, so that logical error rates can be exponentially suppressed. However, energetic impacts from cosmic rays and latent radioactivity violate both of these assumptions. An impinging particle ionizes the substrate, radiating high energy phonons that induce a burst of quasiparticles, destroying qubit coherence throughout the device. High-energy radiation has been identified as a source of error in pilot superconducting quantum devices, but lacking a measurement technique able to resolve a single event in detail, the effect on large scale algorithms and error correction in particular remains an open question. Elucidating the physics involved requires operating large numbers of qubits at the same rapid timescales as in error correction, exposing the event's evolution in time and spread in space. Here, we directly observe high-energy rays impacting a large-scale quantum processor. We introduce a rapid space and time-multiplexed measurement method and identify large bursts of quasiparticles that simultaneously and severely limit the energy coherence of all qubits, causing chip-wide failure. We track the events from their initial localised impact to high error rates across the chip. Our results provide direct insights into the scale and dynamics of these damaging error bursts in large-scale devices, and highlight the necessity of mitigation to enable quantum computing to scale