50 research outputs found
Oxytocin Increases Phasic and Tonic GABAergic Transmission in CA1 Region of Mouse Hippocampus
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide that plays important peripheral and central neuromodulatory functions. Our data show that, following activation of oxytocin receptors (OtRs) with the selective agonist TGOT (Thr4,Gly7-oxytocin), a significant increase in frequency and amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) occurred in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons (PYR) in mice. TGOT affected also sIPSC deactivation kinetics, suggesting the involvement of perisynaptic GABAA receptors (GABAARs) as well. By contrast, TGOT did not cause significant changes in frequency, amplitude or deactivation kinetics of miniature IPSC, suggesting that the effects elicited by the agonist are strictly dependent on the firing activity of presynaptic neurons. Moreover, TGOT was able to modulate tonic GABAergic current mediated by extrasynaptic GABAARs expressed by PYRs. Consistently, at spike threshold TGOT induced in most PYRs a significant membrane hyperpolarization and a decrease in firing rate. The source of increased inhibition onto PYRs was represented by stuttering fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons (INs) that directly respond to TGOT with a depolarization and an increase in their firing rate. One putative ionic mechanism underlying this effect could be represented by OtR activation-induced up-modulation of L-type Ca2+ channels. In conclusion, our results indicate that oxytocin can influence the activity of a subclass of hippocampal GABAergic INs and therefore regulate the operational modes of the downstream PYRs by increasing phasic and tonic GABAergic transmission in CA1 region of mouse hippocampus
Adherence to an adapted physical activity program in sedentary adults
Background/Objective. Physical exercise plays a key role in the prevention and prognosis of chronic diseases. Despite this evidence, a low percentage of patients regularly perform physical activity. A better understanding of the variables associated with poor adherence may help to develop some strategies to encourage people to participate in exercise interventions. This study investigated the factors influencing adherence to an Adapted Physical Activity (APA) program in subjects suffering from Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) clinically stable, Type 2 diabetes, or metabolic syndrome. Secondary end point was to test the efficacy of the exercise training on fitness parameters (VO2, Speed and Time) by 1 km test. Methods. The program was planned in two phases. Phase 1: individual and supervised training free program for 4 weeks; Phase 2: paid training supervised program involved small groups of 4-6 participants for 8 weeks. Results. 117 patients (50-64 years, 49 men and 68 women) started the APA program, but only 32 patients (17 men and 15 women) completed phase 2. As collected during telephone interviews, the main factors that influenced adherence including health status, work commitments or family problems. Regarding the physical efficacy, an improvement of the three fitness parameters was observed in the 32 patients who completed the 12 weeks of the APA program. Conclusions. The identification of factors that can influence adherence to exercise programs is the first step in planning and improving health interventions. These parameters have an important public health interest.This work was supported by Emilia Romagna Local Grant (1154/2011)
Preservation of positional identity in fetus-derived neural stem (NS) cells from different mouse central nervous system compartments
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Классификация экзонов генов человека с использованием алгоритмов автоматического выбора атрибутов экзонов
Volkov AV, Yatskov NN, Grinev VV Classification of exons of human genes
using algorithms for automatic selection of exon attributesСекция 2.
МЕТОДЫ И ТЕХНОЛОГИИ МАТЕМАТИЧЕСКОГО
И ИМИТАЦИОННОГО МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЯ СИСТЕ
Weekday and Weekend Differences in Eating Habits, Physical Activity and Screen Time Behavior among a Sample of Primary School Children: The "Seven Days for My Health" Project
Background: Healthy eating and active lifestyle habits are essential for a child's development, wellbeing, and health. School setting and family environment play a crucial role in shaping these habits and this could be reflected in different behavior patterns during weekdays and weekends. Methods: We investigated primary school children's lifestyle habits through a cross-sectional analysis of 428 Italian primary school children, with a mean age of 8.99 years (+/- 1.43). Data were collected from May to June 2017 using a weekly diary to assess children's lifestyles. Results: Children who eat their morning snack and lunch at school three or more times during the weekdays were 5.47 times more likely (95% CI 3.02, 10.2) to consume adequate snacks and 7.79 times more likely (95% CI 4.43, 14.5) to have adequate meals than those who did not. Conclusion: Consumption of vegetables, lunch, and snacks are significantly more adequate during the weekdays as compared to the weekends. Physical activity levels did not differ between weekdays and weekends. Moreover, children spent more time engaged in physical activities than in front of a screen during both the weekdays and the weekends. The present results are good indicators of the importance of the school canteen in defining correct eating habits. Family-based and school-based interventions could represent valuable integrative strategies for promoting a healthy lifestyle in children
Stem Cell-Derived Human Striatal Progenitors Innervate Striatal Targets and Alleviate Sensorimotor Deficit in a Rat Model of Huntington Disease
Huntington disease (HD) is an inherited late-onset neurological disorder characterized by progressive neuronal loss and disruption of cortical and basal ganglia circuits. Cell replacement using human embryonic stem cells may offer the opportunity to repair the damaged circuits and significantly ameliorate disease conditions. Here, we showed that in-vitro-differentiated human striatal progenitors undergo maturation and integrate into host circuits upon intra-striatal transplantation in a rat model of HD. By combining graft-specific immunohistochemistry, rabies virus-mediated synaptic tracing, and ex vivo electrophysiology, we showed that grafts can extend projections to the appropriate target structures, including the globus pallidus, the subthalamic nucleus, and the substantia nigra, and receive synaptic contact from both host and graft cells with 6.6 ± 1.6 inputs cell per transplanted neuron. We have also shown that transplants elicited a significant improvement in sensory-motor tasks up to 2 months post-transplant further supporting the therapeutic potential of this approach
Demographic, clinical, and service-use characteristics related to the clinician’s recommendation to transition from child to adult mental health services
Purpose:
The service configuration with distinct child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS) may be a barrier to continuity of care. Because of a lack of transition policy, CAMHS clinicians have to decide whether and when a young person should transition to AMHS. This study describes which characteristics are associated with the clinicians’ advice to continue treatment at AMHS.
Methods:
Demographic, family, clinical, treatment, and service-use characteristics of the MILESTONE cohort of 763 young people from 39 CAMHS in Europe were assessed using multi-informant and standardized assessment tools. Logistic mixed models were fitted to assess the relationship between these characteristics and clinicians’ transition recommendations.
Results:
Young people with higher clinician-rated severity of psychopathology scores, with self- and parent-reported need for ongoing treatment, with lower everyday functional skills and without self-reported psychotic experiences were more likely to be recommended to continue treatment. Among those who had been recommended to continue treatment, young people who used psychotropic medication, who had been in CAMHS for more than a year, and for whom appropriate AMHS were available were more likely to be recommended to continue treatment at AMHS. Young people whose parents indicated a need for ongoing treatment were more likely to be recommended to stay in CAMHS.
Conclusion:
Although the decision regarding continuity of treatment was mostly determined by a small set of clinical characteristics, the recommendation to continue treatment at AMHS was mostly affected by service-use related characteristics, such as the availability of appropriate services
Cohort profile : demographic and clinical characteristics of the MILESTONE longitudinal cohort of young people approaching the upper age limit of their child mental health care service in Europe
Purpose: The presence of distinct child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS) impacts continuity of mental health treatment for young people. However, we do not know the extent of discontinuity of care in Europe nor the effects of discontinuity on the mental health of young people. Current research is limited, as the majority of existing studies are retrospective, based on small samples or used non-standardised information from medical records. The MILESTONE prospective cohort study aims to examine associations between service use, mental health and other outcomes over 24 months, using information from self, parent and clinician reports. Participants: Seven hundred sixty-three young people from 39 CAMHS in 8 European countries, their parents and CAMHS clinicians who completed interviews and online questionnaires and were followed up for 2 years after reaching the upper age limit of the CAMHS they receive treatment at. Findings to date: This cohort profile describes the baseline characteristics of the MILESTONE cohort. The mental health of young people reaching the upper age limit of their CAMHS varied greatly in type and severity: 32.8% of young people reported clinical levels of self-reported problems and 18.6% were rated to be ‘markedly ill’, ‘severely ill’ or ‘among the most extremely ill’ by their clinician. Fifty-seven per cent of young people reported psychotropic medication use in the previous half year. Future plans: Analysis of longitudinal data from the MILESTONE cohort will be used to assess relationships between the demographic and clinical characteristics of young people reaching the upper age limit of their CAMHS and the type of care the young person uses over the next 2 years, such as whether the young person transitions to AMHS. At 2 years follow-up, the mental health outcomes of young people following different care pathways will be compared. Trial registration number: NCT03013595
Yield and Nutraceutical Value of Lettuce and Basil Improved by a Microbial Inoculum in Greenhouse Experiments
Members of Bacillus spp. have been widely used to enrich the soil/root interface to provide plant growth promoting activities. A new isolate, namely to Bacillus sp. VWC18, has been tested under greenhouse conditions in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) pots at different concentrations (10(3), 10(5), 10(7), and 10(9) CFU center dot mL(-1)) and application time (single inoculum at transplant and multiple inoculum every ten days) to evaluate the best application dose and frequency. Analysis of foliar yield, main nutrients, and minerals evidenced a significant response for all applications. The lowest (10(3) CFU center dot mL(-1)) and the highest doses (10(9) CFU center dot mL(-1)), applied every ten days until harvest, had the greatest efficacy; the nutrient yield (N, K, P, Na, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Cu, and B) increased more than twice. A new randomized block design with three replicates was then performed in lettuce and basil (Ocinum basilicum L.), with the two best performing concentrations applied every ten days. In addition to previous analysis, root weight, chlorophyll, and carotenoids were also examined. Both experiments confirmed the previous results: inoculation of the substrate with Bacillus sp. VWC18 promoted plant growth, chlorophyll, and mineral uptake in both crop species. Root weight duplicated or triplicated compared to control plants, and chlorophyll concentration reached even higher values. Both parameters had a dose-dependent increase