Effects of environmental enrichment upon ethanol-induced conditioned place preference and pre-frontal BDNF levels in adolescent and adult mice

Environmental enrichment (EE) provides a non-pharmacological tool to alter drug-induced reward, yet its effects on ethanol-induced reward remain controversial. We analyzed adolescent vs. adult (mice) differences in the influence of EE on ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). The effects of these treatments on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the prefrontal cortex were examined in a separate group of animals. Ethanol-induced CPP was found in adults, and it was similar in EE and in animals reared under standard housing conditions (SC). Adolescents kept under EE, but not those in SC, exhibited CPP. Among SC, but not among EE, adolescents, BDNF levels were significantly lower in those treated with ethanol than in those given vehicle. These results indicate that, compared to adults, adolescent exhibited reduced sensitivity to ethanol's rewarding effects, yet the youth but not the adults exhibited sensitivity to the promoting effect of EE upon CPP by ethanol. Ethanol significantly reduced BDNF levels in adolescents reared under standard housing conditions, but not in adult mice nor in adolescents given EE housing conditions. The present results add to the plethora of adolescent-specific responses to ethanol or to environmental stimuli that may put the youth at risk for escalation of ethanol intake.Fil: Pautassi, Ricardo Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Psicología; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Andrea Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Hoffmann, Lucas Barbosa. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Rueda, André Veloso. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Rae, Mariana. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Marianno, Priscila. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Camarini, Rosana. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Maternal odor exposure modulates acceptance of a bitter taste in newborn and infant rats

The acceptance of bitter, aversive, substances during early life is enhanced by stimulation with familiar, pre-exposed odors. Newborn rats exhibited heightened grasp responses toward an artificial nipple dispensing quinine, and drank more of this bitter solution, if concurrently stimulated with a lemon odor they had been exposed to shortly after birth. It yet unknown, however, if odors made familiar via normative developmental milestones also acquire modulatory influence upon seeking and intake of basic tastants. The current study assessed the influence of exposure to maternal odor on intake and grasp responses toward a surrogate nipple providing quinine, in 3-day (Experiment 1) or 12-day (Experiment 2) old, Wistar rat pups. The results revealed enhanced seeking and intake of the bitter solution, but not of water, in animals tested in the presence of the mother (and hence exposed to its odor cues), at both ages, compared to counterparts given either no explicit odor stimulation or stimulation to the odor of an unrelated dam. These results, obtained with a biologically relevant odor, are consistent with those previously found with a neutral, arbitrary odor. It seems that during the early stages of development, familiar odors regulate the acceptance of non-palatable, otherwise rejected, flavors.Fil: Ifrán, María Celeste. Universidad Abierta Interamericana; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Andrea Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Pautassi, Ricardo Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Kamenetzky, Giselle Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Universidad Abierta Interamericana; Argentin

Exposure to maternal odor enhances intake of a taste that mimicks the sensory attributes of ethanol

Early exposure to ethanol increases subsequent acceptance of this drug. Little attention, however, has been devoted to the interaction of the taste of the drug with other, familiar or non-familiar, odors contingent with ethanol access, particularly early in ontogeny. This study assessed the influence of exposure to maternal odor on intake and grasp responses to an artificial nipple providing a solution (a sucrose-quinine mix) that emulates the taste of alcohol, in 4-day-old rat pups. The results showed that the mother’s odor enhanced intake from and seeking responses to an artificial nipple that provided the solution that mimicked the taste of alcohol (Experiment 1). This pattern of results was not evoked by the odor of an unrelated dam (Experiment 2), nor was it observed when the nipple delivered water. The main new finding of the present study is that 4-day-old rats tested in the presence of the mother (and hence exposed to her odor cues) exhibited enhanced seeking and intake of a solution that mimics the chemosensory properties of ethanol.Fil: Ifrán, María Celeste. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Andrea Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Loarte Velasquez, Andrea Nataly. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Pautassi, Ricardo Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Kamenetzky, Giselle Vanesa. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Taste discrimination during the early ontogeny of the rat in procedures involving surprising changes in reinforcement

Se evaluó la respuesta consumatoria de ratas infantes ante diferentes magnitudes de soluciones azucaradas y luego de su devaluación o extinción con el objetivo de detectar la preferencia de las soluciones y la existencia de efectos de contraste y de magnitud del reforzamiento en la extinción. En el Experimento 1 se expuso ratas de 8-10 días postnatales (DPN) a diferentes concentraciones de sacarosa (12%, 10%, 5% ó 2%; fase de precambio) a las que se las devaluó al 2% (fase de postcambio). En el Experimento 2, dos grupos de 10-14 DPN recibieron soluciones al 12% ó 2% en la fase de precambio y 2% en la de postcambio. En ambos experimentos se observó que, durante la primera fase, el grupo 12% exhibió un mayor porcentaje de ganancia de peso que los demás grupos, pero no hubo diferencias entre los grupos en la fase de post-cambio. En el Experimento 3 se evaluó el efecto de magnitud del refuerzo en la extinción en ratas de 7-12 DPN, utilizando agua en la segunda fase. Se halló un efecto de magnitud del refuerzo en la adquisición, pero no hubo diferencias entre grupos en la segunda fase. En el Experimento 4 se utilizó un procedimiento de contraste anticipatorio (CA) con ratas de 10-16 DPN. Los animales exhibieron nuevamente un efecto de magnitud del refuerzo pero no se observó CA. Estos resultados indican que: (a) al menos desde los 8 DPN las ratas discriminan diferentes concentraciones de sacarosa y que prefieren la del 12%, y que (b) hasta la segunda semana de vida los animales consumen los reforzadores en función de su valores absolutos. Los resultados se discuten en términos de la ontogenia del aprendizaje de los efectos paradójicos del reforzamiento y su vinculación con la teoría de Amsel.This study evaluated consummatory responses in infant rats exposed to different magnitude of reward, and after the devaluation (i.e., consummatory successive negative contrast) or omission (i.e., extinction) of reward. In Experiment 1, 8-10 post-natal days (PND) pups were intraorally infused with 12%, 10%, 5% or 2% sucrose (preshift phase, 2 daily trials). Subsequently, all groups received 2% sucrose (postshift phase). In Experiment 2, 10-14 day-old pups received 12% or 2% sucrose in 4 daily trials in the preshift phase, followed by 2% in a postshift trial. Both experiments indicated that during preshift, animals exposed to 12% sucrose exhibited higher sucrose consumption than those receiving lower concentration solutions. This phenomenon, indicative of a magnitude of reinforcement effect was not accompanied by evidence of successive negative contrast. In Experiment 3 we evaluated the magnitude of reinforcement extinction effect in 7-12 PND rats. Animals received 12% sucrose or water in preshift phase and both groups received a neutral solution (i.e., water) in the second phase. A magnitude of reinforcement acquisition effect was again observed, yet there were no differences between groups in extinction phase. In Experiment 4 we used an anticipatory contrast procedure in 10-16 PND pups. A magnitude of reinforcement, but not an anticipatory contrast effect was observed. Overall the results indicate that: (a) rats from - at least- 8 PND discriminate between different concentrations of sucrose, and (b) until the second week of life the response to rewards is mainly regulated by their absolute value and not by their relative value. Results are discussed terms of the ontogeny of paradoxical effects of reward and its relationship to Amsel’s theory.Fil: Suarez, Andrea Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Mustaca, Alba Elisabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Pautassi, Ricardo Marcos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Kamenetzky, Giselle Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentin

Conflictos y debates acerca del origen de la Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Parte II (1973 – 1975). 16H338

Lista de actividades desarrolladas durante el período: Trabajo de recopilación de fuentes documentales en los siguientes Archivos institucionales;Recopilación de los documentos a través del scanner de los mismos; Clasificación de la información; Stasuck Pablo Rubén (Responsable Académico) y Vrubel Natalia N. (Auxiliar Docente) presentaron al Departamento de Historia de la FHyCS UNaM la propuesta de dictado de un Seminario Taller, denominado: “UNIVERSIDAD, HISTORIA y POLÍTICA”, el programa fue aprobado Res Nº 0661 FHyCs-UNaM, se dicto en el primer cuatrimestre del 2011 destinado a los estudiantes de las siguientes Carreras: Prof. en historia c/o en ciencias Sociales, Licenciatura en Historia y otras carreras que sus planes de estudios lo avalen; Exposiciones varios de los integrantes del equipo en el Curso de Ingresante Específico de Historia año 2011, FHyCS-UNaM

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Infection Biomarkers and TP53 Mutations in Hepatocellular Carcinomas from Colombia

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Globally, the most important HCC risk factors are Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and/or Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), chronic alcoholism, and dietary exposure to aflatoxins. We have described the epidemiological pattern of 202 HCC samples obtained from Colombian patients. Additionally we investigated HBV/HCV infections and TP53 mutations in 49 of these HCC cases. HBV biomarkers were detected in 58.1% of the cases; HBV genotypes F and D were characterized in three of the samples. The HCV biomarker was detected in 37% of the samples while HBV/HCV coinfection was found in 19.2%. Among TP53 mutations, 10.5% occur at the common aflatoxin mutation hotspot, codon 249. No data regarding chronic alcoholism was available from the cases. In conclusion, in this first study of HCC and biomarkers in a Colombian population, the main HCC risk factor was HBV infection

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 \pm 0.7 (stat) \pm 6.7 (sys) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principle calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Supplemental material in the ancillary file

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO