Pavlovian conditioning and cumulative reinforcement rate

In five experiments using delay conditioning of magazine approach with rats, reinforcement rate was varied either by manipulating the mean interval between onset of the conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US) or by manipulating the proportion of CS presentations that ended with the US (trial-based reinforcement rate). Both manipulations influenced the acquisition of responding. In each experiment, a specific comparison was made between two CSs that differed in their mean CS-US interval and in their trial-based reinforcement rate, such that the cumulative reinforcement rate—the cumulative duration of the CS between reinforcements—was the same for the two CSs. For example, a CS reinforced on 100% of trials with a mean CS-US interval of 60 s was compared with a CS reinforced on 33% of trials and a mean duration of 20 s. Across the five experiments, conditioning was virtually identical for the two CSs with matched cumulative reinforcement rate. This was true as long as the timing of the US was unpredictable, and thus response rates were uniform across the length of the CS. We conclude that the effects of CS-US interval and of trial-based reinforcement rate are reducible entirely to their common effect on cumulative reinforcement rate. We discuss the implications of this for rate-based, trial-based and real-time associative models of conditioning.Australian Research Counci

Utilizzo delle Biotecnologie Spaziali per lo studio di alcuni meccanismi cellulari e molecolari dell’immunosenescenza mediante esperimenti <i>in vivo</i> e <i>in vitro</i> in condizioni di microgravità simulata

During the past 40 years of human space flights it has been confirmed that exposure to microgravity affects almost all human physiological systems. The more common among these alterations show strong analogies with the corresponding cellular and molecular processes present in the immunosenescence. The limited access to experimentation in real microgravity in space strongly suggests to use ground-based facilities. The Random Positioning Machine (RPM) has been used so far as a suitable facility for in vitro cellular physiology studies. The main goal of the first part of my research was to further contribute to the validation of the RPM as facility for in vivo experiments by studying bone marrow cells mineralization in young male rats exposed to simulated microgravity. Studying the mutual changes seen in the immunosenescence through in vivo and in vitro experiments in simulated microgravity, can be an experimental instrument for a better comprehension of some processes seen in the elderly people. In the second part of my Ph.D. we paid special attention to an interesting analogy found both in the microgravity effects on the immune system and haematic parameters in the elderly people, the increased apoptosis and cytokines levels. In vivo and in vitro experiments in simulated microgravity conditions were carried out to evaluate the phagocytosis capability in macrophages. Finally, we evaluated the phagocytosis capability of macrophages obtained from elderly people

Fatores precoces para síndrome metabólica em sobreviventes de câncer pediátrico: resultados em adolescentes e adultos jovens tratados por meduloblastoma na infância

OBJECTIVE: To analyze traits of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in medulloblastoma survivors. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixteen childhood medulloblastoma survivors aged 18.0 (4.4) years, with history of craniospinal radiation therapy (RT) were compared with nine control subjects matched by age, gender, and body mass index, according to fat distribution, metabolic and cardiovascular variables. RESULTS: Medulloblastoma patients showed increases in waist circum-ference and its relationships (all p < 0.05), and HOMA1-IR (p = 0.006), which were modified by growth hormone (GH) secretion status. However, these increases were within normal range. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent and young adult survivors of medulloblastoma showed centripetal fat deposition and decreased insulin sensitivity, associated with GH status. Pediatric brain tumor survivors following RT should be monitored for the diagnosis of MetS traits predisposing to cardiovascular disease.OBJETIVO: Analisar características que predispõem para síndrome metabólica (SM) em sobreviventes de meduloblastoma. SUJEITOS E MÉTODOS: Dezesseis sobreviventes de meduloblastoma pediátrico, 18,0 (4,4) anos, história de radioterapia (RT) cranioespinhal, comparados a nove controles pareados por idade, sexo e índice de massa corporal, de acordo com distribuição de gordura, variáveis metabólicas e cardiovasculares. RESULTADOS: Pacientes com meduloblastoma mostraram aumento da cintura e relações (todos p < 0,05) e HOMA1-IR (p = 0,006), modificados pela secreção do hormônio de crescimento (GH), mas dentro dos limites de normalidade. CONCLUSÕES: Sobreviventes adolescentes e adultos jovens de meduloblastoma apresentaram deposição centrípeta de gordura e diminuição da sensibilidade à insulina, associados ao estado do GH. Sobreviventes de tumor cerebral pediátrico que receberam RT devem ser monitorados para diagnosticar fatores para SM predispondo à doença cardiovascular.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Department of PediatricsUNIFESP-EPM Department of MedicineUniversidade de São Paulo Department of Food Science and Experimental Nutrition Pharmaceutical Science SchoolUNIFESP-EPM Department of PediatricsUNIFESP, EPM, Department of PediatricsUNIFESP, EPM Department of MedicineUNIFESP, EPM Department of PediatricsSciEL

Toward a better understanding of fish‐based contribution to ocean carbon flux

publishedVersio

Harnessing the PRECISE network as a platform to strengthen global capacity for maternal and child health research in sub-Saharan Africa

It is widely acknowledged across the global health sector that research programmes need to be designed and implemented in a way that maximise opportunities for strengthening local capacity. This paper examines how the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) Grand Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) funded PRECISE (PREgnancy Care Integrating translational Science, Everywhere) Network has been established as a platform to strengthen global capacity for research focused on the improvement of maternal, fetal and newborn health in subSaharan Africa. Best practice principles outlined in an ESSENCE on Health Research report have been considered in relation to the PRECISE Network capacity-building activities described in this paper. These activities are described at the individual, programmatic and institutional levels, and successes, challenges and recommendations for future work are outlined. The paper concludes that the PRECISE leadership have an opportunity to review and refresh activity plans for capacity building at this stage in the project to build on achievements to date

past present and future ultrasonographic techniques for analyzing ovarian masses

Ultrasonography is today the method of choice for distinguishing between benign and malignant adnexal pathologies. Using pattern recognition several types of tumors can be recognized according to their characteristic appearance on gray-scale imaging. Color Doppler imaging should be used only to perform a semiquantitative color score or evaluate the flow location. International Ovarian Tumor Analysis group had standardized definitions characterizing adnexal masses and suggested the use of 'simple rules' in premenopausal women. Recently, the use of 3D vascular indices has been proposed but its potential use in clinical practice is debated. Also computerized aided diagnosis algorithms showed encouraging results to be confirmed in the future

Donne e società in Sardegna: eredità e mutamento: materiali e strumenti di ricerca

Negli anni 1979/80, per una esigenza di confronto interdisciplinare sulla problematica femminile e di apporto alla applicazione corretta delle leggi che riguardavano in particolare le donne, viene organizzato dalle docenti della Facoltà di Magistero per le discipline di Storia Contemporanea, Istituzioni di Diritto Pubblico e Legislazione Scolastica, Psicologia, Pedagogia e Antropologia Culturale, il lO Seminario interdisciplinare con relazioni tenute da gruppi di studio di docenti e studentesse sulle leggi degli anni '70: divorzio, nuovo diritto di famiglia, legge sui consultori, legge di parità sul lavoro, sulla maternità consapevole e i progetti di legge contro la violenza sessuale. In questa direzione, nell'anno seguente, viene individuato il tema dei consultori familiari in Sardegna al fine di mettere a confronto le diverse realtà dell'Isola e, di questo secondo Seminario, vengono poi pubblicati gli atti sul libro Il Consultorio Familiare in Sardegna a cura di Rina Fancellu, edizioni di Iniziative Culturali. Negli anni 1985/86 il gruppo si allarga ed organizza, nell'ambito della collaborazione tra il Dipartimento di Economia, Istituzioni e Società ed il Dipartimento di Storia, un altro Seminario dal titolo Mutamenti istituzionali e culturali nella divisione dei ruoli sessuali dal secondo dopoguerra ad oggi, che è stato riproposto l'anno successivo (1986/87) privilegiando la Sardegna come campo della ricerca. Su questi temi riguardanti i mutamenti istituzionali e culturali nella divisione dei ruoli sessuali in Sardegna, presentiamo questa pubblicazione che comprende sull 'argomento materiali e strumenti di ricerca. Il criterio seguito è quello interdisciplinare tra materiale storico-legislativo, antropologico, psicologico, socioeconomico

The role of the IRILD Consortium in the European DEDIPAC-KH project

The IRILD Consortium (partner in the DEDIPAC-KH joint Action) has been working in a few activities of Thematic Area1 and Thematic Area2 aimed at: -Developing a toolbox with state-of-the-art methods to assess dietary intake and their determinants based on their quality and suitability to be used in pan-European studies (task 1.1.1)- Identifying existing pan-European datasets including dietary intake to do secondary analysis according to variation in dietary intake by demographic (task 1.1.2)- Examining the validity and reliability of the measurement methods employed to assess physical activity and sedentary behaviours on children/adolescent and adults populations (task 1.2.4)-Identifying national state-of-the-art surveillance systems and infrastructures in Europe (task 1.3.3).-Mapping and defining life course determinants, correlates and key research challenges of dietary intake in old population (task 2.1.1)-Mapping and defining life course determinants, correlates and key research challenges of physical activity behaviour (task 2.2.1)Theoretical frameworks of determinants have been taken as the starting point for developing the frameworks and taxonomies. On-going/recently finished EU-funded projects on determinants has been consulted. Finally, SRLs have been conducted .The IRILD (Infrastructure to support Research In promoting active Lifestyles and healthy Diet) Consortium has been contributing to obtain the following results: Methodological assessment and measurements for evaluation of vitamin B12 and folate intake have been extracted. Information on the validity and reliability of assessment methods were collected and all essential data for a toolbox have been prepared (task 1.1.1);A report on variation of food consumption throughout Europe, concerning a secondary analysis to estimate food habits variation by food groups in different European age-gender population groups, has been prepared (task 1.1.2);Methodological effectiveness of measures of PA and SB on children/adolescent and adults populations have been examined (task 1.2.4);Information on nutritional surveillance in Italy have been delivered for sub-task 1.3.3.1 (task 1.3.3); Systematic Literature Review on determinants of dietary intake in community-dwelling older adults to get an overview is going to be concluded (task 2.1.1). The IRILD consortium was financially supported by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture Food and Forestry Policies (DM.14474/7303/13)

Alterations in T and B cell function persist in convalescent COVID-19 patients

BackgroundEmerging studies indicate that some COVID-19 patients suffer from persistent symptoms including breathlessness and chronic fatigue; however the long-term immune response in these patients presently remains ill-defined.MethodsHere we describe the phenotypic and functional characteristics of B and T cells in hospitalised COVID-19 patients during acute disease and at 3-6 months of convalescence.FindingsWe report that the alterations in B cell subsets observed in acute COVID-19 patients were largely recovered in convalescent patients. In contrast, T cells from convalescent patients displayed continued alterations with persistence of a cytotoxic programme evident in CD8+ T cells as well as elevated production of type-1 cytokines and IL-17. Interestingly, B cells from patients with acute COVID-19 displayed an IL-6/IL-10 cytokine imbalance in response to toll-like receptor activation, skewed towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Whereas the frequency of IL-6+ B cells was restored in convalescent patients irrespective of clinical outcome, recovery of IL-10+ B cells was associated with resolution of lung pathology.ConclusionsOur data detail lymphocyte alterations in previously hospitalized COVID-19 patients up to 6 months following hospital discharge and identify 3 subgroups of convalescent patients based on distinct lymphocyte phenotypes, with one subgroup associated with poorer clinical outcome. We propose that alterations in B and T cell function following hospitalisation with COVID-19 could impact longer term immunity and contribute to some persistent symptoms observed in convalescent COVID-19 patients