Dynamic Changes in the Mental Rotation Network Revealed by Pattern Recognition Analysis of fMRI Data

We investigated the temporal dynamics and changes in connectivity in the mental rotation network through the application of spatio-temporal support vector machines (SVMs). The spatio-temporal SVM [Mourao-Miranda, J., Friston, K. J., et al. (2007). Dynamic discrimination analysis: A spatial-temporal SVM. Neuroimage, 36, 88-99] is a pattern recognition approach that is suitable for investigating dynamic changes in the brain network during a complex mental task. It does not require a model describing each component of the task and the precise shape of the BOLD impulse response. By defining a time window including a cognitive event, one can use spatio-temporal fMRI observations from two cognitive states to train the SVM. During the training, the SVM finds the discriminating pattern between the two states and produces a discriminating weight vector encompassing both voxels and time (i.e., spatio-temporal maps). We showed that by applying spatio-temporal SVM to an event-related mental rotation experiment, it is possible to discriminate between different degrees of angular disparity (0 degrees vs. 20 degrees, 0 degrees vs. 60 degrees, and 0 degrees vs. 100 degrees), and the discrimination accuracy is correlated with the difference in angular disparity between the conditions. For the comparison with highest accuracy (08 vs. 1008), we evaluated how the most discriminating areas (visual regions, parietal regions, supplementary, and premotor areas) change their behavior over time. The frontal premotor regions became highly discriminating earlier than the superior parietal cortex. There seems to be a parcellation of the parietal regions with an earlier discrimination of the inferior parietal lobe in the mental rotation in relation to the superior parietal. The SVM also identified a network of regions that had a decrease in BOLD responses during the 100 degrees condition in relation to the 0 degrees condition (posterior cingulate, frontal, and superior temporal gyrus). This network was also highly discriminating between the two conditions. In addition, we investigated changes in functional connectivity between the most discriminating areas identified by the spatio-temporal SVM. We observed an increase in functional connectivity between almost all areas activated during the 100 degrees condition (bilateral inferior and superior parietal lobe, bilateral premotor area, and SMA) but not between the areas that showed a decrease in BOLD response during the 100 degrees condition.

Preliminary study on age- and sex-dependent alterations in the composition of skeletal muscle fibers of Brasileiro de Hipismo horses

The aim of this work was to characterize the distribution of myofibers in the gluteus medius muscle of inactive horses of the Brasileiro de Hipismo (BH) breed at different ages by means of histochemical analyses, according to sex and depth of the biopsy. A total of 78 inactive horses (9 castrated males, 35 stallions, and 34 females) of the BH breed, aged 1 to 4 years, were used. A percutaneous muscle biopsy was obtained with a 6.0-mm Bergstrom-type needle, which allowed the removal of muscle fragments at depths of 20 and 60 mm. Myofiber types were determined based on myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (mATPase) and nicotinamide dinucleotide tetrazolium reductase (NADH-TR) techniques. Morphometry of the fibers was determined based on cross-sectional area (CSA), mean frequency (F), and relative cross-sectional area (RCSA). The current study demonstrated that BH horses 3 and 4 years of age show a greater percentage of, and area occupied by, type IIA fibers and lower percentage of type IIX fibers in the gluteus medius muscle compared with horses 1 and 2 years of age. No difference was found between sexes in the frequency of and area occupied by the different fiber types at any of the depths and ages studied. In this study, females showed a greater CSA for all fibers in comparison with males, at 1 year of age. The results of the current study indicate that the gluteus medius muscle of inactive BH horses shows modifications in its structural and biochemical composition during the growth of the animals, leading to a better oxidative capacity.

Suckling and allosuckling in river buffalo calves and its relation with weight gain

The aim of the present study was to investigate if river buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis) have equal access to all cows and if milk is thus equally available to all of them. We recorded suckling/allosuckling behaviour and weight gain (WG) of 29 calves (14 males and 15 females), with special consideration to their sex, birth order (BO) and age. Cows' nursing behaviour and milli production (MP) were also considered. While males tended to be born earlier than females during this study, this was not the trend in the overall herd records. The cows' MP was not effected by the calves' sex. However, bull-calves presented greater mean WG, and mean times spent in individual filial (IF) and in communal nonfilial (CNF) suckling than heifer-calves, which showed greater communal filial (CF) suckling than the former during the first 4 months of life. The WG was associated with IF for bull-calves (r = 0.680 and 0.765, respectively, for the periods from birth to 4th and 8th months of age), and to CNF for heifer-calves (r = 0.628, for the period from birth to 8th month). Results from multiple regression analysis showed independent effects of each suckling category on the calf WG, and such effects were variable according to the calf's sex. BO was negatively correlated to calves' WG (bull-calves: r(s) = - 0.873 and - 0.799, from birth to 4th and gth months, respectively; heifer-calves: r(s) = - 0.531 from birth to 4th month). Specifically for bull-calves, there was a positive correlation between BO and MP (r(s) = 0.528 and 0.633, from birth to 4th and 8th months of age, respectively). The correlation between BO and IF was negative in both sexes, indicating that calves that were born early had more opportunities to suckle individually from their mothers. For heifer-calves, BO was positively correlated with CF (two periods), and negatively with CNF (from birth to 8th month of age), suggesting that heifer-calves were most often accompanied by other calves during suckling when they were born later. The data taken together indicate that sex and/or BO influenced decisively social interactions during suckling, promoting differential development among the calves. In animal husbandry, if a homogenous WG is desired, these factors have to be taken into consideration. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and personality disorder - Evidence from the British National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity 2000

Background Previous studies indicate that most individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have comorbid personality disorders (PDs), particularly from the anxious cluster. However, the nature and strength of this association remains unclear, as the majority of previous studies have relied heavily on clinical populations. We analysed the prevalence of screen positive personality disorder in a representative sample of adults with OCD living in private households in the UK. Methods A secondary analysis of data from the 2000 British National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity. The prevalence of PD, as determined by the SCID-II questionnaire, was compared in participants with OCD, with other neuroses and non-neurotic controls. Within the OCD group we also analysed possible differences relating to sex and subtypes of the disorder. Results the prevalence of any screen positive PD in the OCD group (N = 108) was 74%, significantly greater than in both control groups. The most common screen positive categories were paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, schizoid and schizotypal. Compared to participants with other neuroses, OCD cases were more likely to screen positively for paranoid, avoidant, schizotypal, dependent and narcissistic PDs. Men with OCD were more likely to screen positively for PDs in general, cluster A PDs, antisocial, obsessive-compulsive and narcissistic categories. The presence of comorbid neuroses in people with OCD had no significant effect on the prevalence of PD. Conclusions Personality pathology is highly prevalent among people with OCD who are living in the community and should be routinely assessed, as it may affect help-seeking behaviour and response to treatment.

Age-related changes in muscle fiber type frequencies and cross-sectional areas in straightbred and crossbred rabbits

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Towards the prediction of essential genes by integration of network topology, cellular localization and biological process information

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Phenology, sex ratio, and spatial distribution among dioecious species of Trichilia (Meliaceae)

The flowering, sex ratio, and spatial distribution of four dioecious species of Trichilia (Meliaceae) were studied in a semi-deciduous forest in southeastern Brazil. All reproductive trees (T. clausseni, T. pallida and T. catigua) with dbh greater than or equal to5 cm within a 1-ha plot were collected, sexed, mapped and, for individuals of each species, the distances to the nearest neighbour of the same and opposite sex were measured. For the shrub species T elegans (dbh <5 cm), all reproductive individuals were sampled randomly in 10 samples of 10 x 10 m. The reproductive phenology was observed at weekly to monthly intervals from May 1988 to January 1990. The species are strictly dioecious, did not present any sex-mixed trees or sex switching during the study, and sex ratio did not differ significantly from 1:1. The size distributions and the relative size variation were not significantly different. between sexes. There was no significant segregation or clumping between individuals of either sex and no fruit production without pollination. Onset of flowering and flowering peak were synchronous between male and female plants for all species studied. Flower synchrony was related to outcrossing and pollinator attraction rather than climatic factors.

Detection of cross infections by Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. in dogs using indirect immunoenzyme assay, indirect fluorescent antibody test and polymerase chain reaction

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Hematological, hepatic, and renal evaluation in Aotus azarai infulatus

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Growth and home range size of the gracile mouse opossum Gracilinanus microtarsus (Marsupialia: Didelphidae) in Brazilian cerrado

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigen batches from the same isolate show immunological and biochemical differences

We investigated the occurrence of antigenic and biochemical variability among Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigen batches prepared according to the same protocol. Initially (experiment 1), we analyzed two antigen lots of two human isolates (Bt1 and Bt2), cultured in two media (PYG: bactopeptone, yeast extract, glucose; MMM: McVeigh and Morton medium) in SDS-PAGE and in two immunological tests (immunodiffusion-ID and footpad swelling test-FPT). Afterwards (experiment 2), we compared the antigenic profile of three antigen hatches from three human isolates (Bt1, Bt2 and Bt3) by two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis (2 D-IEP) against a reference system for P. brasiliensis antigens. In experiment 1, there were important intra- and inter-strain antigenic differences between batches of the fungal isolates cultured on both media. The block titration of the antigen batches for the immunological tests revealed correlation between protein concentration and biological activity in ID and no correlation in FPT. In experiment 2, the reference system for P brasiliensis showed 26 antigen peaks. There were important differences between batches prepared from the same isolate and between batches from different isolates. Our data suggested the occurrence of instability in the synthesis of antigenic components by a same P. brasiliensis isolate, under controlled incubation conditions.

Influence of environmental temperature, dietary energy level and sex on performance and carcass characteristics of pigs

Pigs are quite sensitive to high environmental temperatures and the thermoregulation mechanisms represent great expenses in energy for heating loss, reducing animal well-being and production performance, and altering carcass quality. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of sex and dietary energy level in growing-finishing pigs submitted to characteristic seasonal variation of temperature in subtropical humid climate, and to propose a mathematical model to predict growth performance and carcass characteristics. Twenty-eight crossbred growing-finishing pigs were randomly allotted to twelve treatments, in a 2x2x3 factorial trial (2 sex; 2 environmental conditions, and 3 energy levels). Heat stress condition (climatic chamber) showed temperatures of 31 oC at 7:00 and 22 oC at 17:00 (maximum of 33 °C) and thermal comfort condition (stall) showed temperatures of 18 °C at 7:00 and 24 °C (maximum of 27 °C). Pigs were fed ad libitum with diets containing 12.2 (low), 13.6 (medium) and 15.0 (high) MJ ME/ kg DM. Voluntary feed intake, daily weight gain, and final body weight were higher (P<0.01) at thermal comfort condition and were influenced by sex (P<0.01) in growing pigs. Feed to gain ratio decreased as the energy level increased (P<0.01), with values of 2.67, 2.59, and 2.32 (12.2, 13.6, and 15.0 MJ ME/kg DM, respectively). There was energy level and sex interaction only for daily weight gain. Regarding finishing pigs, environmental conditions also showed effects (P<0.01) on voluntary feed intake, daily weight gain, and final body weight. Performance of pigs was better at thermal comfort condition. Feed to gain ratio values were 3.55, 3.42, and 2.95 for low, medium, and high energy level, respectively. Interactions between energy level and sex were observed for voluntary feed intake, daily weight gain, and final body weight (P<0.05). Carcass yield and quality were affected by environmental condition and dietary energy level. Both hot and cold carcass weight increased as energy of ration increased. Cold carcass weight increased by 1.142 kg/MJ EM whereas backfat thickness was up to 252 mm/MJ EM. Longissimus thoracis muscle thickness was around 16 mm smaller in pigs under heat stress, but lean content was 2.68% higher in those animals. Regression equations were proposed to predict the performance values in the different situations studied.

Economics of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean: summary 2009

Includes bibliography

Multiple brain abscess from dental origin: Case report and literature review

Background: Brain abscess of dental origin is a rare situation and deserves attention due to its high mortality rate even when adequate treatment is done. Few reports are available when dental origin is the main cause of this infection. Case report: We present the case of a 70-year-old man diagnosed with cerebral abscess caused by apical lesions located at superior and inferior teeth. The three lesions containing pus were drained from anterior and posterior brain region and the laboratory evaluation revealed the presence of Streptococcus viridians and Bacteroides. Postoperative period was uneventful with excellent recovery after 1 year of surgery. Final diagnosis was able to be done due to excellent image exams availability like computer tomography and magnetic resonance using diffusion and perfusion techniques. Discussion: The early detection of this pathology with the correct diagnosis essential to give the patient the best treatment including antimicrobial drugs and drainage is of extreme importance. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.