Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Influence of age at onset on comorbidity patterns

Purpose. - This study investigates the influence of age at onset of OCS on psychiatric comorbidities, and tries to establish a cut-off point for age at onset. Methods. - Three hundred and thirty OCD patients were consecutively recruited and interviewed using the following structured interviews: Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale; Yale Global Tic Severity Scale and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Data were analyzed with regression and cluster analysis. Results. - Lower age at onset was associated with a higher probability of having comorbidity with tic, anxiety, somatoform, eating and impulse-control disorders. Longer illness duration was associated with lower chance of having tics. Female gender was associated with anxiety, eating and impulse-control disorders. Tic disorders were associated with anxiety disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. No cutoff age at onset was found to clearly divide the sample in homogeneous subgroups. However, cluster analyses revealed that differences started to emerge at the age of 10 and were more pronounced at the age of 17, suggesting that these were the best cut-off points on this sample. Conclusions. - Age at onset is associated with specific comorbidity patterns in OCD patients. More prominent differences are obtained when analyzing age at onset as an absolute value. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Mass transport effects in the borohydride oxidation reaction-Influence of the residence time on the reaction onset and faradaic efficiency

The borohydride oxidation reaction (BOR) was studied on Pt and Au electrodes by cyclic voltammetry in dilute alkaline borohydride solutions (0.1 M NaOH + 10(-3) mol L(-1) NaBH(4)). More specifically, the electrodes were considered as either Vulcan XC72-supported Pt or Au (noted as Pt/C and Au/C, respectively) active layers or smooth Pt or Au surfaces, the latter possibly being covered by a layer of (non-metalized) Vulcan XC72 carbon powder. The BOR onset potential and the number of electrons (n(e-)) exchanged per BH(4)(-) anion (faradaic efficiency) were investigated for these electrodes, to determine whether the residence time of reaction intermediates (at the electrode surface or inside the porous layer) does influence the overall reaction pathway/completion. For the carbon-supported platinum, n(e-) strongly depends on the thickness of the active layer. While thin (ca. 0.5 mu m-thick) Pt/C active layers yield n(e-) < 4, thick layers (approximately 3 mu m) yield n(e-)approximate to 8, which can be ascribed to the sufficient residence time of the molecules formed within the active layer (H(2), by heterogeneous hydrolysis, or BOR intermediates) enabling further (near-complete) oxidation. This puts into evidence that not only the nature of the electrocatalyst is important to reach high BOR efficiency, but also the structure/thickness of the active layer. The same trend applies for Au/C active layers and for smooth Pt or Au surfaces covered with a layer of (inactive) Vulcan XC72. In addition, the BOR onset usually shifts negative when the reaction intermediates are trapped, which suggests that some of the intermediates are more easily oxidized than BH(4)(-) itself; based on literature data, BH(3)OH(-) species is a likely candidate. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A therapy dog's impact on daytime activity and night-time sleep for older persons with Alzheimer's disease : a case study

Background: Animal-Assisted Therapy using dogs have been described as having a calming effect, decrease sundowning and blood-pressure in persons with Alzheimer’s disease. The aim was to investigate how continuous and scheduled visits by a prescribed therapy dog affected daytime and night-time sleep for persons with Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: In this case study, registration of activity and sleep curves was conducted from five persons with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease living at a nursing home, over a period of 16 weeks using an Actiwatch. Data was analysed with descriptive statistics. Result: The study shows no clear pattern of effect on individual persons daytime activity and sleep when encounter with a therapy dog, but instead points to a great variety of possible different effects that brings an increased activity at different time points, for example during night-time sleep. Conclusions: Effects from the use of a Animal-Assisted Therapy with a dog in the care of persons with Alzheimer’s disease needs to be further investigated and analysed from a personcentred view including both daytime and nightime activities.

The Movement of the Gastrop Littorina Littorea in the Intertidal Zone during the Onset of Winter

The movement of the snail Littorina littoreaon the North Atlantic coast is poorly understood. Most research has concentrated on the vertical distribution of the snail, and suggests that it prefers the low intertidal zone where its food source is most plentiful. In the winter, this distribution is reinforced by a documented seaward migration of snails from the high intertidal zone in response to falling temperatures. From October 14, 2006 to January 22, 2007, I examined the individual movements and recovery of snails in response to the onset of winter. I proposed that falling water and air temperatures drive the majority of snail movement within the intertidal zone, and that water temperature had the greater effect. I also examined the possibility that, in addition to a seaward migration, winter weather patterns in the Gulf of Maine and their effect on the ocean may encourage the wintertime vertical distribution of snails. Finally, I examined the possibility that populations of snails in the comparatively inhospitable high intertidal zone may endure the winter if given access to proper resources.

Seguimento clinoceletrográfico de criançcas e adolescentes com crise epiléptica única não-provocada

Os fenômenos convulsivos despertaram o interesse de estudiosos e pensadores já na Antigüidade, quando aspectos mágicos e sobrenaturais eram a eles associados. No século XIX foram lançadas as bases dos conceitos atuais sobre a desestruturação funcional cerebral na epilepsia, e Berger, em 1929, marcou definitivamente a história com a descoberta dos ritmos cerebrais. Crise epiléptica e epilepsia não são sinônimos, já que o último termo refere-se a crises recorrentes espontâneas. Ela costuma iniciar na infância, daí a preocupação com o risco de repetição do primeiro episódio e com a decisão de instituir tratamento medicamentoso. Fatores prognósticos são apontados, mas não há consenso. No Brasil existem poucas pesquisas nesta linha, tanto de prevalência da epilepsia como de fatores envolvidos na recorrência de crises. Este estudo teve como objetivo geral avaliar aspectos clinicoeletrográficos capazes de auxiliar no prognóstico e no manejo da epilepsia da criança e do adolescente. Foram objetivos específicos determinar a incidência de crise epiléptica não provocada recorrente; identificar fatores remotos implicados na ocorrência de crise epiléptica; relacionar tipo de crise com achados eletrencefalográficos; relacionar tipo de crise, duração da crise, estado vigília/sono no momento da crise e achados eletrencefalográficos com possibilidade de recorrência; e identificar os fatores de risco para epilepsia. Foram acompanhados 109 pacientes com idades entre 1 mês e 16 anos, com primeira crise não-provocada, em média por 24 meses, a intervalos trimestrais, no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Foram realizados eletrencefalogramas (EEG) após a primeira crise; depois, solicitados anualmente. Não foram incluídos casos com epilepsia ou síndrome epiléptica bem definida, ou que fizeram uso prévio de drogas antiepilépticas. A média de idade foi 6 anos, com predomínio da faixa etária de 6 a 12 anos. Setenta eram meninos e 39, meninas. Os indivíduos brancos eram 92, e os não-brancos, 17. O nível de escolaridade dos casos esteve de acordo com a distribuição da idade e, entre os responsáveis, predominaram 8 anos de escolaridade. Foi possível concluir que as crises únicas não-provocadas mais freqüentes foram generalizadas, e sem predomínio significativo do tipo de EEG. A incidência de crise não-provocada recorrente foi 51,4%. História de intercorrências pré-natais maternas aumentou em 2 vezes o risco de repetição de crises. Via de nascimento, escore de Apgar no 5º minuto, relação peso ao nascer/idade gestacional, intercorrências no período pós-natal imediato e desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor não tiveram influência na recorrência. História familiar de crises mostrou tendência à significância estatística para repetição dos episódios, com risco de 1,7. Não foi encontrada associação entre tipo de crise e achado eletrencefalográfico. A maioria das crises foi de curta duração (até 5 minutos), mas este dado não esteve relacionado com a recorrência. Estado de vigília teve efeito protetor na recorrência. Se a primeira crise foi parcial, o risco de repetição foi 1,62, com tendência à significância. Quando o primeiro EEG foi alterado, houve relação significativa com primeira crise tanto generalizada como parcial. O primeiro EEG com alterações paroxísticas focais apontou risco de repetição de 2,90. Quando as variáveis envolvidas na repetição de crises foram ajustadas pelo modelo de regressão de Cox, EEG alterado mostrou risco de 2,48, com riscos acumulados de 50%, 60%, 62% e 68%; com EEG normal, os riscos foram 26%, 32%, 34% e 36% em 6, 12, 18 e 24 meses respectivamente.

Selective Coupling between Theta Phase and Neocortical Fast Gamma Oscillations during REM-Sleep in Mice

TORT, A. B. L. ; SCHEFFER-TEIXEIRA, R ; Souza, B.C. ; DRAGUHN, A. ; BRANKACK, J. . Theta-associated high-frequency oscillations (110-160 Hz) in the hippocampus and neocortex. Progress in Neurobiology , v. 100, p. 1-14, 2013.

Sleep and school education

Sleep has emerged in the past decades as a key process for memory consolidation and restructuring. Given the universality of sleep across cultures, the need to reduce educational inequality, the low implementation cost of a sleep-based pedagogy, and its global scalability, it is surprising that the potential of improved sleep as a means of enhancing school education has remained largely unexploited. Students of various socio-economic status often suffer from sleep deficits. In principle, the optimization of sleep schedules both before and after classes should produce large positive benefits for learning. Here we review the biological and psychological phenomena underlying the cognitive role of sleep, present the few published studies on sleep and learning that have been performed in schools, and discuss potential applications of sleep to the school setting. Translational research on sleep and learning has never seemed more appropriate.

Caracterização físico-química e ações farmacológicas hepatoprotetora, antiinflamatória, pró-angiogênica, antioxidante e anticoagulante da fração rica em fucana 0,8FRF 0,8 da alga marrom Lobophora variegata

This study examines the physical and chemical composition and the pharmacological effects of brown seaweed FRF 0.8 Lobophora variegata. Fractionation of the crude extract was done with the concentration of 0.8 volumes of acetone, obtaining the FRF 0.8. The physicochemical characterization showed that it was a fucana sulfated. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by paw edema model by the high rates of inhibition of the edema and the best results were in the fourth hour after induction (100 ± 1.4% at the dose of 75 mg / kg) and by the strong inhibitory activity of the enzyme myeloperoxidase (91.45% at the dose of 25 mg / kg). The hepataproteção was demonstrated by measurements of enzymatic and metabolic parameters indicative of liver damage, such as bilirubin (reduction in 68.81%, 70.68% and 68.21% for bilirubin total, direct and indirect, respectively at a dose of 75 mg / kg), ALT, AST and γ-GT (decrease of 76.93%, 44.58% and 50% respectively at a dose of 75 mg / kg) by analysis of histological slides of liver tissue, confirming that hepatoprotective effect the polymers of carbohydrates, showing a reduction in tissue damage caused by CCl4 and the inhibition of the enzyme complex of cytochrome P 450 (increasing sleep time in 54.6% and reducing the latency time in 71.43%). The effectiveness of the FRF 0.8 angiogenesis was examined in chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of fertilized eggs, with the density of capillaries evaluated and scored, showing an effect proangigênico at all concentrations tested FRF (10 mg- 1000 mg). The FRF showed antioxidant activity on free radicals (by inhibiting Superoxide Radical in 55.62 ± 2.10%, Lipid Peroxidation in 100.15 ± 0.01%, Hydroxyl Radical in 41.84 ± 0.001% and 71.47 Peroxide in ± 2.69% at concentration of 0.62 mg / mL). The anticoagulant activity was observed with prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) at 50 mg (> 240 s), showing that its action occurs in the intrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade. Thus, our results indicate that these sulfated polysaccharides are an important pharmacological target

Prevalência da infecção por papilomavírus humano, herpes simplex tipo 1 e 2 e Chlamydia trachomatis em um segmento da população feminina da grande Natal/RN

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are among the largest public health problems, especially in developing countries. The acquisition of these infections during early sexual activity is common and many infections have a benign course. However, in some pathogens remain in the state of latency can be reactivated and cause productive infection that may progress to severe forms. In addition, some of them are transmitted vertically resulting in congenital infection, causing immediate damage or long-term child. The classic risk factors for sexually transmitted agents are: early onset of sexual and reproductive health, multiple sexual partners throughout life, use of oral contraceptives and co-infections with different pathogens. We present the results of a cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of genital infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in a segment of the female population of the metropolitan area Christmas, among those who enrolled voluntarily sought, Basic Health Units for the examination of cancer screening cervix in the period 2008 to 2010. All participants, a total of 261 women answered a standard questionnaire by which identified the socio-demographic characteristics, classical risk factors for STDs, reproductive and sexual activity and smoking. Of each patient were obtained two samples, one for the completion of the Pap test for detection of cellular changes and the other processed for DNA extraction and analyzed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to detect the three pathogens studied. The population of the study was composed of sexually active women aged between 13 and 79 years, mean 38.7 years, most of them being married, low education levels and low incomes. The majority (87%) had normal results on cytology and only 2.7% had low-grade cytological abnormalities. Prevalence rates were 37.9% for HPV, 4.6% for CT and 26% for HSV. HPV prevalence was higher in women under 25, unmarried and in those who had multiple sexual partners. Women with simultaneous infection by HSV-1 and 2 had higher prevalence of HPV infection. The prevalence of HSV infection showed no association whatsoever with the risk factors analyzed and HSV-1 was the predominant type among the cases of genital HSV infection. The overall prevalence of C. Trachomatis was relatively low, thus providing greater value in younger women aged less than or equal to 20 years

Development and pharmacological evaluation of ropivacaine-2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex

Ropivacaine (RVC) is an enantiomerically pure local anesthetic (LA) largely used in surgical procedures, which presents physico-chemical and therapeutic properties similar to those of bupivacaine (BPV), but associated to less systemic toxicity This study focuses on the development and pharmacological evaluation of a RVC in 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-P-CD) inclusion complex. Phase-solubility diagrams allowed the determination of the association constant between RVC and HP-beta-CD (9.46 M-1) and showed an increase on RVC solubility upon complexation. Release kinetics revealed a decrease on RVC release rate and reduced hemolytic effects after complexation. (onset at 3.7 mM and 11.2 mM for RVC and RVCHP-beta-CD, respectively) were observed. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray analysis (X-ray) showed the formation and the morphology of the complex. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and job-plot experiments afforded data regarding inclusion complex stoichiometry (1:1) and topology. Sciatic nerve blockade studies showed that RVCHP-beta-CD was able to reduce the latency without increasing the duration of motor blockade, but prolonging the duration and intensity of the sensory blockade (p < 0.001) induced by the LA in mice. These results identify the RVCHP-beta-CD complex as an effective novel approach to enhance the pharmacological effects of RVC, presenting it as a promising new anesthetic formulation. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Somatotrophic and thyroid hormones around the onset of lay in broiler breeders under different conditions

Somatotrophic and thyroid hormones were determined around the onset of reproduction in broiler breeders reared in two different housing systems [dark, close-sided house (CH) and conventional, open-sided house (OH)]. In both groups age-related changes were obvious for thyroxine (T-4), growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1); levels of T-4 decreased, especially between 24 and 28 weeks in both groups; concomitantly GH sharply increased over the same period. A transient peak in triiodothyronine (T-3) occurred between 25 and 27 weeks. The effect of housing was only present after the onset of lay. Between weeks 27-28 and the end of the period studied, the CH group showed higher levels of GH and T-3 but lower T-4 levels as compared to the OH group. A significant increase in GH after onset of lay, without any significant rise in T-3 or in IGF-I, could point to a relative insensitivity to high plasma GH levels. Changes at GH receptor level, together with an increased pituitary GH secretion and/or decreased GH turnover may be expected. This may indicate that hypothalamo-pituitary changes at the onset of lay not only imply changes of gonadotrophic cell function, but also other hormonal axes. The relatively decrease in T-4 without changes in T-3, may point to a decrease in the activity of the thyrotropic axis.

Qualidade de vida de pessoas com úlceras venosas atendidos no ambulatório de um hospital universitário

Descriptive study aimed to analyze the quality of life (QOL) of patients with venous ulcers (UV) outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Natal / RN. The aim of the study population was composed of 50 patients with UV treated at the cardiology clinic of a university teaching hospital at the tertiary level. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Protocol 279/09). Data collection was performed over a period of two months by the very a masters degree and an academic nursing through the application of a form concerning the socio-demographic, clinical, and health care, and the instruments WHOQOL and WHOQOL - old. The data were analyzed with SPSS 15.0, using descriptive and inferential statistics presented in the form of tables, charts and graphs. Of the surveyed, female predominance, age range 59 years, Catholic, low education, married, with up to 03 children, not working, retired, or with occupations requiring long periods in one position, wage income of up to 02 minimum wages, inadequate sleep, patients with chronic venous insufficiency and other chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, were taking medications for treatment, being a minority to IVC. In patients with predominant only one injury, time of injury up to five years, inadequate rest, pain, edema and lesions colonized. The assistance the UV patients began treatment of the injury until four months after the onset of the ulcer, and services primary health care most wanted, access to angiologist by reference form, commuted by public transportation, received support regarding the treatment of injuries. The topical product most used in the lesion was healing, and few were using compression therapy. respondents suffer discrimination in society, showed changes in quality of life after the occurrence of ulcer in relation to leisure, pain, restriction of social / school / transportation; barring employment / financial / social ladder; Physical appearance / discrimination and restriction of domestic activity. These changes were related to the time of injury and found that the more chronic injury is the most negative changes occur in their QV (ρ = 0.000). Analyzing the characteristics of QV measured by the WHOQOL-bref, we found for the two general questions they are dissatisfied with their health (ρ = 0.023) and all areas have significant difference compared with the worst QV have the injury of more than 5 years (ρ = 0.000). The QV measured by the WHOQOL-old, we found that these patients had no changes from the time of injury. We conclude that the QV of patients with UV was considered unsatisfactory when compared to the time of injury on more than 5 years which shows that the quality of life worsens with time the chronic UV.

Sleep, ageing and night work

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

Increasing trends of sleep complaints in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

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