Connectivity differences between Gulf War Illness (GWI) phenotypes during a test of attention

One quarter of veterans returning from the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf War have developed Gulf War Illness (GWI) with chronic pain, fatigue, cognitive and gastrointestinal dysfunction. Exertion leads to characteristic, delayed onset exacerbations that are not relieved by sleep. We have modeled exertional exhaustion by comparing magnetic resonance images from before and after submaximal exercise. One third of the 27 GWI participants had brain stem atrophy and developed postural tachycardia after exercise (START: Stress Test Activated Reversible Tachycardia). The remainder activated basal ganglia and anterior insulae during a cognitive task (STOPP: Stress Test Originated Phantom Perception). Here, the role of attention in cognitive dysfunction was assessed by seed region correlations during a simple 0-back stimulus matching task (“see a letter, push a button”) performed before exercise. Analysis was analogous to resting state, but different from psychophysiological interactions (PPI). The patterns of correlations between nodes in task and default networks were significantly different for START (n = 9), STOPP (n = 18) and control (n = 8) subjects. Edges shared by the 3 groups may represent co-activation caused by the 0-back task. Controls had a task network of right dorsolateral and left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, posterior insulae and frontal eye fields (dorsal attention network). START had a large task module centered on the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex with direct links to basal ganglia, anterior insulae, and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex nodes, and through dorsal attention network (intraparietal sulci and frontal eye fields) nodes to a default module. STOPP had 2 task submodules of basal ganglia–anterior insulae, and dorsolateral prefrontal executive control regions. Dorsal attention and posterior insulae nodes were embedded in the default module and were distant from the task networks. These three unique connectivity patterns during an attention task support the concept of Gulf War Disease with recognizable, objective patterns of cognitive dysfunction

The ESDAP diploma in psychodermatology

PS26 Psychodermatological consultations are a reality in most European countries nowadays. It is therefore important for health providers to be properly trained to deal with dermatological patients who present with specific needs. Throughout Europe, psychotherapy is being regulated and protected by law and the idea is for this diploma in Psychodermatology to be adapted to current regulations. ESDaP will offer these training courses on an international basis. Each teaching module offered will be the same in different European countries, and offered in different languages by a team of experts coordinated by an ESDaP EC member. The training program will consist of 3 levels. The levels and topics covered are as follows: Level 1: psychodermatologist, skin–psychologist, skin–psychiatrist. Acquiring competences in: doctor–patient relationship and communication skills, alexithymia, anxiety, depression, self-inflicted skin lesions, body dysmorphic disorders, delusion of parasitosis and other delusions, quality of life, psychopharmacological treatment, and psychological interventions. Level 2: Psychotherapeutic level A. Counsellor: first level dermatologist/psychologist/ psychiatrist trained as counsellor in various approaches (Habit reversal, atopy school, etc.) B. Practitioner: the same candidates reaching the requirements for the European Certificate in Psychotherapy Additionally, ESDaP will acknowledge and certify a multidisciplinary consultation dermatologist– psychologist/psychiatrist when one of the consultants reaches Level 2

Antibiotic Therapy of Infections Due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Normal and Granulocytopenic Mice: Comparison of Murine and Human Pharmacokinetics

An effort was made to elucidate the limits of drug-activity tests in small animals. Human plasma kinetics of gentamicin, netilmicin, ticarcillin, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone were approximated in normal and in granulocytopenic mice infected with various strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the thigh muscle or intraperitoneally. The effect of such dosing on bacterial time-kill curves and on survival was compared with the effect of identical amounts of drug given as a single-bolus injection. With β-lactams, a highly significant superiority of fractionated dosing (simulated human kinetics) over bolus injections (murine plasma kinetics) was demonstrated, whereas with aminoglycosides it was a single-bolus injection that tended to be more active. Thus, when tested in conventional small-animal models, aminoglycoside activity may be overestimated, whereas β-lactam activity may be underestimated in respect to humans. These differences found in vivo most probably reflect the different pharmacodynamics between aminoglycosides and β-lactam drugs (time-kill curves, dose-response curves, and postantibiotic effect) similar to those previously observed in vitr

Impairment of Sexual Life in 3,485 Dermatological Outpatients From a Multicentre Study in 13 European Countries

Skin conditions may have a strong impact on patients' sexual life, and thus influence personal relationships. Sexual issues are difficult to discuss directly in clinical practice, and a mediated instrument may be useful to capture such information. In this study item 9 of the Dermatology Life Quality Index was used to collect information on sexual impact of several skin conditions in 13 European countries. Among 3,485 patients, 23.1% reported sexual problems. The impairment was particularly high in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa, prurigo, blistering disorders, psoriasis, urticaria, eczema, infections of the skin, or pruritus. Sexual impact was strongly associated with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. It was generally more frequent in younger patients and was positively correlated with clinical severity and itch. It is important to address the issue of sexual well-being in the evaluation of patients with skin conditions, since it is often linked to anxiety, depression, and even suicidal ideation.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Real-time imaging required for optimal echocardiographic assessment of aortic valve calcification

Introduction Aortic valve calcification (AVC), even without haemodynamic significance, may be prognostically import as an expression of generalized atherosclerosis, but techniques for echocardiographic assessment are essentially unexplored. Methods Two-dimensional (2D) echocardiographic recordings (Philips IE33) of the aortic valve in short-axis and long-axis views were performed in 185 consecutive patients within 1 week before surgery for aortic stenosis (n = 109, AS), aortic regurgitation (n = 61, AR), their combination (n = 8) or dilation of the ascending aorta (n = 7). The grey scale mean (GSMn) of the aortic valve in an end-diastolic short-axis still frame was measured. The same frame was scored visually 15 as indicating that the aortic valve was normal, thick, or had mild, moderate or severe calcification. The visual echodensity of each leaflet was determined real time applying the same 5-grade scoring system for each leaflet, and the average for the whole valve was calculated. Finally, a similar calcification score for the whole valve based on inspection and palpation by the surgeon was noted. Results Visual assessment of real-time images using the proposed scoring system showed better correlation with the surgical evaluation of the degree of valve calcification (r = 0.83, P<0.001) compared to evaluation of stop frames by visual assessment (r = 0.66, P<0.001) or the GSMn score (r = 0.64, P<0.001). High inter- and intra-observer correlations were observed for real-time visual score (both intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.93). Conclusion Real-time evaluation of the level of AVC is superior to using stop frames assessed either visually or by dedicated computer grey scale measurement software

Chronic exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence causes long-lasting behavioral deficits in adult mice

Regular use of marijuana during adolescence enhances the risk of long-lasting neurobiological changes in adulthood. The present study was aimed at assessing the effect of long-term administration of the synthetic cannabinoid WIN55212.2 during adolescence in young adult mice. Adolescent mice aged 5 weeks were subjected daily to the pharmacological action of WIN55212.2 for 3 weeks and were then left undisturbed in their home cage for a 5-week period and finally evaluated by behavioral testing. Mice that received the drug during adolescence showed memory impairment in the Morris water maze, as well as a dose-dependent memory impairment in fear conditioning. In addition, the administration of 3 mg/kg WIN55212.2 in adolescence increased adult hippocampal AEA levels and promoted DNA hypermethylation at the intragenic region of the intracellular signaling modulator Rgs7, which was accompanied by a lower rate of mRNA transcription of this gene, suggesting a potential causal relation. Although the concrete mechanisms underlying the behavioral observations remain to be elucidated, we demonstrate that long-term administration of 3 mg/kg of WIN during adolescence leads to increased endocannabinoid levels and altered Rgs7 expression in adulthood and establish a potential link to epigenetic changes.Beca Ramón y Caja

Random mating and reproductive compatibility among Argentinean and southern Brazilian populations of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae)

As a prerequisite for area-wide application of the sterile insect technique in an area encompassing northern Argentina and southern Brazil, prezygotic and postzygotic reproductive compatibility among three geographically distant populations in the area was tested. In field cages, sexually mature adults of each population were found to be sexually compatible, mating duration was not affected by fly origin and there was no clear evidence of spatial partition of mating location. In the laboratory, homotypic and heterotypic crosses for all possible combinations displayed similar levels of fertility and yielded F1 adults without distortion of the sex ratio. Finally, F1 hybrid and parental adults produced equally viable F2 eggs. Put together, our results and those from earlier studies suggest that a large area, ranging from Buenos Aires to the surroundings of São Paulo, could be managed using a single A. fraterculus mass-reared strain. At the northern margin of this area, two A. fraterculus morphotypes appear to coexist in sympatry. We delineate future research to further delimit the distribution of the aff1 morphotype (Argentina-southern Brazil) and to gain insight into evolutionary patterns producing divergence and radiation of tropical fruit fly species.Fil: Rull, J.. Instituto de Ecología; MéxicoFil: Abraham, Solana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia. Cátedra Terapéutica Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Kovaleski, A.. Estação Experimental de Vacaria. Embrapa Uva e Vinho; Brasil. International Atomic Energy Agency; AustriaFil: Segura, Diego Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular. Grupo Vinculado Instituto de Genética "Ewald A. Favret" al Iabimo | Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular. Grupo Vinculado Instituto de Genética "Ewald A. Favret" al Iabimo; ArgentinaFil: Islam, A.. International Atomic Energy Agency; AustriaFil: Wornoayporn, V.. International Atomic Energy Agency; AustriaFil: Dammalage, T.. International Atomic Energy Agency; AustriaFil: Tomas, U. Santo. International Atomic Energy Agency; AustriaFil: Vera, María Teresa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia. Cátedra Terapéutica Vegetal; Argentin

The influence of residential and workday population mobility on exposure to air pollution in the UK

Traditional approaches of quantifying population-level exposure to air pollution assume that concentrations of air pollutants at the residential address of the study population are representative for overall exposure. This introduces potential bias in the quantification of human health effects. Our study combines new UK Census data comprising information on workday population densities, with high spatio-temporal resolution air pollution concentration fields from the WRF-EMEP4UK atmospheric chemistry transport model, to derive more realistic estimates of population exposure to NO2, PM2.5 and O3. We explicitly allocated workday exposures for weekdays between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. Our analyses covered all of the UK at 1 km spatial resolution. Taking workday location into account had the most pronounced impact on potential exposure to NO2, with an estimated 0.3 μg m−3 (equivalent to 2%) increase in population-weighted annual exposure to NO2 across the whole UK population. Population-weighted exposure to PM2.5 and O3 increased and decreased by 0.3%, respectively, reflecting the different atmospheric processes contributing to the spatio-temporal distributions of these pollutants. We also illustrate how our modelling approach can be utilised to quantify individual-level exposure variations due to modelled time-activity patterns for a number of virtual individuals living and working in different locations in three example cities. Changes in annual-mean estimates of NO2 exposure for these individuals were considerably higher than for the total UK population average when including their workday location. Conducting model-based evaluations as described here may contribute to improving representativeness in studies that use small, portable, automatic sensors to estimate personal exposure to air pollution

Orbital effect of in-plane magnetic field on quantum transport in chaotic lateral dots

We show how the in-plane magnetic field, which breaks time-reversal and rotational symmetries of the orbital motion of electrons in a heterostructure due to the momentum-dependent inter-subband mixing, affects weak localisation correction to conductance of a large-area chaotic lateral quantum dot and parameteric dependences of universal conductance fluctuations in it.Comment: 4 pages with a figur