Polymorphisms of TNF-alpha (- 308), IL-1beta (+ 3954) and IL1-Ra (VNTR) are associated to severe stage of endometriosis in Mexican women: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent and chronic inflammatory disease affecting up to 10% of women. It is the result of a combined interaction of genetic, epigenetic, environmental, lifestyle, reproductive and local inflammatory factors. In this study, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) mapping to TNF-alpha (TNF, rs1800629) and IL-1beta (IL1B, rs1143634) and variable number tandem repeat polymorphism mapping to IL1-Ra (IL1RN intron 2, rs2234663) genetic loci are associated with risk for endometriosis in a Mexican mestizo population. METHODS: This study included 183 women with confirmed endometriosis (ENDO) diagnosed after surgical laparoscopy and 186 women with satisfied parity and without endometriosis as controls (CTR). PCR/RFLP technique was used for genotyping SNPs (rs1800629 and rs1143634); PCR for genotyping rs2234663. RESULTS: We found no statistical differences in age between groups nor among stages of endometriosis and the CTR group. We observed no difference in genotype and allele frequencies, nor carriage rate between groups in none of the three studied polymorphisms. The prevalence of TNF*2-allele heterozygotes (p = 0.025; OR 3.8), TNF*2-allele (p = 0.029; OR 3.4), IL1B*2-allele heterozygotes (p = 0.044; OR 2.69) and its carriage rate (p = 0.041; OR 2.64) in endometriosis stage IV was higher than the CTR group. Surprisingly, the carriage rate of IL1RN*2-allele (ENDO: p = 0.0004; OR 0.4; stage I: p = 0.002, OR 0.38; stage II: p = 0.002, OR 0.35; stage III: p = 0.003, OR 0.33), as well as the IL1RN*2-allele frequencies (ENDO: p = 0.0008, OR 0.55; I: p = 0.037, OR 0.60; II: p = 0.002, OR 0.41; III: p = 0.003, OR 0.38) were lower than the CTR group. Women with endometriosis stage IV (severe) had frequencies more alike to the CTR group in the IL1RN*2 allele frequency (31.2% vs. 27.2%) and carriage rate (37.5% vs. 41.9%). CONCLUSION: Although these polymorphisms are not associated with the risk of endometriosis, Mexican mestizo women with severe stage of endometriosis have higher frequencies of TNF*2-, IL1B*2- and IL1RN*2-alleles, which may explain a possible correlation with disease severity rather than predisposition or risk.

Near-ground effect of height on pollen exposure.

The effect of height on pollen concentration is not well documented and little is known about the near-ground vertical profile of airborne pollen. This is important as most measuring stations are on roofs, but patient exposure is at ground level. Our study used a big data approach to estimate the near-ground vertical profile of pollen concentrations based on a global study of paired stations located at different heights. We analyzed paired sampling stations located at different heights between 1.5 and 50 m above ground level (AGL). This provided pollen data from 59 Hirst-type volumetric traps from 25 different areas, mainly in Europe, but also covering North America and Australia, resulting in about 2,000,000 daily pollen concentrations analyzed. The daily ratio of the amounts of pollen from different heights per location was used, and the values of the lower station were divided by the higher station. The lower station of paired traps recorded more pollen than the higher trap. However, while the effect of height on pollen concentration was clear, it was also limited (average ratio 1.3, range 0.7-2.2). The standard deviation of the pollen ratio was highly variable when the lower station was located close to the ground level (below 10 m AGL). We show that pollen concentrations measured at >10 m are representative for background near-ground levels.

Optimisation of a key cross-coupling reaction towards the synthesis of a promising antileishmanial compound.

During the course of a research program aimed at identifying novel antileishmanial compounds, a multi-gram synthesis of N-(trans-4-((4-methoxy-3-((R)-3-methylmorpholino)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-6-yl)amino)cyclohexyl)-2-methylpropane-1-sulfonamide (( R )-1) was required. This letter describes optimisation of the reaction conditions and protecting group strategy for a key Buchwald-Hartwig coupling, delivering the required quantities of ( R )-1, as well as further compounds in the series.

Gut Microbiota and Predicted Metabolic Pathways in a Sample of Mexican Women Affected by Obesity and Obesity Plus Metabolic Syndrome.

Obesity is an excessive fat accumulation that could lead to complications like metabolic syndrome. There are reports on gut microbiota and metabolic syndrome in relation to dietary, host genetics, and other environmental factors; however, it is necessary to explore the role of the gut microbiota metabolic pathways in populations like Mexicans, where the prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome is high. This study identify alterations of the gut microbiota in a sample of healthy Mexican women (CO), women with obesity (OB), and women with obesity plus metabolic syndrome (OMS). We studied 67 women, characterizing their anthropometric and biochemical parameters along with their gut bacterial diversity by high-throughput DNA sequencing. Our results indicate that in OB or OMS women, Firmicutes was the most abundant bacterial phylum. We observed significant changes in abundances of bacteria belonging to the Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae families and significant enrichment of gut bacteria from 16 different taxa that might explain the observed metabolic alterations between the groups. Finally, the predicted functional metagenome of the gut microbiota found in each category shows differences in metabolic pathways related to lipid metabolism. We demonstrate that Mexican women have a particular bacterial gut microbiota characteristic of each phenotype. There are bacteria that potentially explain the observed metabolic differences between the groups, and gut bacteria in OMS and OB conditions carry more genes of metabolic pathways implicated in lipid metabolism.

Association of Intron-2 Variable Numbers of an 86-bp Tandem Repeat-Polymorphisms of Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Gene and Idiopathic Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion.

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that abnormal modulation of inflammatory response is involved in the physiopathology of idiopathic recurrent spontaneous abortion (iRSA). Factors that may participate in this process include the genetic background such as carrying specific polymorphisms of genes with functional effects. OBJECTIVE: The objective is to study the association between iRSA and the frequency of intron-2 variable number tandem repeat-polymorphisms of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN). METHODS: We conducted a case-control study including 108 women with iRSA and 103 controls. Five allelic variants of IL1RN were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product length analysis. RESULTS: The most frequent IL1RN allele in this population was IL1RN*1, which was present in 78% of cases and 94% of controls, and allele IL1RN*2, in 45 (20.8%) cases and 12 (5.8%) controls. Allele IL1RN*2 was significantly associated with iRSA (odds ratio = 4.28, 95% confidence interval 2.2-8.4; p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Carrying allele IL1RN*2 had a strong association with iRSA in Mexican women. This polymorphism codifies for a low-function protein, which may allow for increased activity of IL-1 pro-inflammatory axis in iRSA.

A Histological Snapshot of Hypothetical Multistep Progression From Nevus Sebaceus to Invasive Syringocystadenocarcinoma Papilliferum.

Syringocystadenocarcinoma papilliferum (SCACP) is an extremely rare adnexal neoplasm, believed to arise in a preexisting nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn (NSJ) through a multistep progression process. This hypothetical process involves an NSJ giving rise to syringocystadenoma papilliferum, which then presumably undergoes malignant transformation in rare circumstances to give rise to SCACP in situ, which finally progresses to an invasive SCACP. Of the 30 SCACP cases reported so far, none have documented the process from a birthmark to the final invasive lesion, with histological evidence of each step, in a single tumor. Here, the authors report just such a case. A 74-year-old man presented with a recently enlarging birthmark on the scalp. Excisional biopsy showed an invasive SCACP, in the background of SCACP in situ, syringocystadenoma papilliferum, and NSJ. Furthermore, this tumor showed a concurrent pigmented trichoblastoma and histological evidence of lymphovascular invasion, events that have not been documented with SCACP. Interestingly, all these component lesions were present on a single histological section of this solitary tumor. Regional lymph node metastasis, a rare occurrence in SCACP, was also present in this remarkable case. The authors discuss the implications of these findings in light of the review of relevant literature.

Surface shape evaluation with a corneal topographer based on a conical null-screen with a novel radial point distribution.

In order to measure the shape of fast convex aspherics, such as the corneal surface of the human eye, we propose the design of a conical null-screen with a radial point distribution (spots similar to ellipses) drawn on it in such a way that its image, which is formed by reflection on the test surface, becomes an exact array of circular spots if the surface is perfect. Any departure from this geometry is indicative of defects on the evaluated surface. We present the target array design and the surface evaluation algorithm. The precision of the test is increased by performing an iterative process to calculate the surface normals, reducing the numerical errors during the integration. We show the applicability of the null-screen based topographer by testing a spherical calibration surface of 7.8 mm radius of curvature and 11 mm in diameter. Here we obtain an rms difference in sagitta between the evaluated surface and the best-fitting sphere less than 1 µm.

Kinect-based posture tracking for correcting positions during exercise.

The Kinect sensor has opened the path for developing numerous applications in several different areas. Medical and health applications are benefiting from the Kinect as it allows non-invasive body motion capture that can be used in motor rehabilitation and phobia treatment. A major advantage of the Kinect is that allows developing solutions that can be used at home or even the office thus, expanding the user freedom for interacting with complementary solutions to its physical activities without requiring any traveling. This paper present a Kinect-based posture tracking software for assisting the user in successfully match postures required in some exercises for strengthen body muscles. Unlike several video games available, this tool offers a user interface for customizing posture parameters, so it can be enhanced by healthcare professionals or by their guidance through the user.

Exposure to anandamide on young rats causes deficits in learning, temporal perception and induces changes in NMDA receptor expression.

Human use of marijuana at an early age has been reported to lead to cognitive impairment. However, researchers have not yet clearly determined whether this impairment is due to marijuana-induced alterations in the developing nervous system and whether this deficit persists into adulthood after marijuana use has ceased. We administered anandamide to developing rats to assess the effect of cannabinoids on development. We subsequently evaluated learning and performance on a temporal bisection task in adulthood and assessed the expression of genes encoding principal subunits of NMDA receptors (Grin1, Grin2A, and Grin2B) in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Rats in two age groups, namely, 21-day-old and 150-day-old rats, received intraperitoneal injections of anandamide or the vehicle for 14 days. Both groups performed a temporal bisection test, which included listening to tones of different durations and classifying them as short or long. The expression of the Grin1, Grin2A and Grin2B mRNAs was evaluated using quantitative PCR in both age groups after extracting mRNA from the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. We observed a learning impairment in the temporal bisection task (p < 0.05) and changes in the response latency (p < 0.05) in rats that received anandamide. Furthermore, these rats exhibited decreased expression of Grin2b (p = 0.001) compared to those that received the vehicle. In human subjects, the use of cannabinoids during development induces a long-term deficit, but this deficit is not observed in subjects who use cannabinoids in adulthood. Rats treated with anandamide earlier in development took longer to learn the task, suggesting that anandamide exerts a harmful effect on cognition in developing rats. Administration of anandamide during early stages of development induced deficits in learning and other cognitive processes that depend on an adequate estimation of time. The cognitive demands of the environment must be considered when evaluating the cognitive effects of cannabinoids on developing or mature brains. High cognitive demands might induce differential expression of NMDA receptors that improves cognitive capacity, overcoming altered glutamatergic function.

Physical and Dietary Intervention with Opuntia ficus-indica (Nopal) in Women with Obesity Improves Health Condition through Gut Microbiota Adjustment.

Obesity is a multifactorial disease resulting in excessive accumulation of fat. Worldwide, obesity is an important public health problem, affecting a large proportion of the world population. The tender cactus Opuntia ficus-indica, commonly known in Mexico as "nopal", is widely distributed in this country, Latin America, South Africa, and the Mediterranean area. Nopal cladodes are commonly marketed in different forms as fresh, frozen, or pre-cooked, and used as fresh green vegetable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of nopal to improve the health condition of participants affected by obesity, in a physical and dietary intervention, through gut microbiota modification. These results were contrasted with the effect of nopal in the gut microbiota of normal weight participants. We describe the association among biochemical, anthropometric markers, and the gut microbiota diversity found in fecal samples of the obese and normal weight groups. The results presented in this work suggest that caloric restriction, addition of nopal to the diet and physical activity, promote changes in the gut microbiota in obese women, improving the host metabolism, as suggested by the correlation between some bacterial species with biochemical and anthropometrical parameters.

Quantitative and qualitative peritoneal immune profiles, T-cell apoptosis and oxidative stress-associated characteristics in women with minimal and mild endometriosis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess immunological variables, T-cell apoptosis and oxidative stress markers in the peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid of women with (WEN) and without (WWE) endometriosis. DESIGN: Observational and transverse case-control study. SETTING: National Institute of Perinatology, Mexico City, Mexico. POPULATION AND SAMPLE: Peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid obtained from 30 WWE and 32 WEN. METHODS: Blood was drawn before surgery and peritoneal fluid was collected during surgery but before any surgical procedure had been carried out. Flow cytometry, spectrophotometry, high-performance liquid chromatography and multiplex immunoassay analyses were performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Peripheral and peritoneal lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3(+), CD4(+) CD3(+), CD8(+) CD3(+), CD16(+) CD56(+), human leucocyte antigen-DR(+) CD3(+) and CD19(+)), intracellular CD4(+) CD3(+) and CD8(+) CD3(+) cytokine synthesis (interleukin-2 [IL-2] and interferon-γ [IFN-γ]), CD3(+) apoptosis, malondialdehyde and ascorbate concentrations and peritoneal cytokine concentrations. RESULTS: No differences were found in peripheral and peritoneal lymphocyte subsets between the groups. Peritoneal T lymphocytes from WEN produced less IL-2 and IFN-γ than those from WWE. Peritoneal malondialdehyde concentrations were higher and ascorbate concentrations were lower in WEN than in WWE. Higher peritoneal concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, tumour necrosis factor-α and IL-6) and chemokines (IL-10, IL-8, eotaxin, vascular endothelial growth factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted) and lower concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-1 receptor antagonist and IL-15 were found in WEN. No statistical differences were found in IL-2, IL-4, IL-12 and IL-13 concentrations. CONCLUSION: The alterations observed in WEN were associated with a diminished peritoneal T helper type 1 immune response. Pro-inflammatory, chemotactic, angiogenic and oxidative stress markers were altered in the peritoneal milieu of WEN. These changes appeared to contribute to the peritoneal immune alterations found.

Effects of a low severity prescribed fire on water-soluble elements in ash from a cork oak (Quercus suber) forest located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula.

Wildfire is the major disturbance in Mediterranean forests. Prescribed fire can be an alternative to reduce the amount of fuel and hence decrease the wildfire risk. However the effects of prescribed fire must be studied, especially on ash properties, because ash is an important nutrient source for ecosystem recovery. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of a low severity prescribed fire on water-soluble elements in ash including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), silica (SiO(2)) and total sulphur (TS). A prescribed fire was conducted in a cork oak (Quercus suber) (Q.S) forest located in the northeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Samples were collected from a flat plot of 40×70m mainly composed of Q.S and Quercus robur (Q.R) trees. In order to understand the effects of the prescribed fire on the soluble elements in ash, we conducted our data analysis on three data groups: all samples, only Q.S samples and only Q.R samples. All three sample groups exhibited a significant increase in pH, EC (p<0.001), water-soluble Ca, Mg, Na, SiO(2) and TS and a decrease in water-soluble Mn, Fe and Zn. Differences were identified between oak species for water-soluble K, Al and Fe. In Q.S samples we registered a significant increase in the first two elements p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively, and a non-significant impact in the third, at p<0.05. In Q.R data we identified a non-significant impact on water-soluble K and Al and a significant decrease in water-soluble Fe (p<0.05). These differences are probably due to vegetation characteristics and burn severity. The fire induced a higher variability in the ash soluble elements, especially in Q.S samples, that at some points burned with higher severity. The increase of pH, EC, Ca, Mg, Na and K will improve soil fertility, mainly in the study area where soils are acidic. The application of this low severity prescribed fire will improve soil nutrient status without causing soil degradation and thus is considered to be a good management strategy.

Mandibular basal osteotomy: new designs and fixation techniques.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the functional and cosmetic results of mandibular basal osteotomy, introducing new indications and fixation alternatives. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients 19 to 46 years old (mean, 32.3 years) were treated by orthognathic surgery, including mandibular basal osteotomy for correction of deficiency, excess, or asymmetry of the inferior mandibular border. An intraoral approach based on 3 incisions to the anterior and posterior mandible was used to maintain and protect soft tissues surrounding the mental nerve. After marking the bone inferior to the nerve, a reciprocal saw completed the osteotomy design and individual rigid fixation according to movement was executed. All patients were 3-dimensionally treated and the evaluation included clinical, radiographic, and photographic analysis pre and postoperatively; all patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months. RESULTS: All patients showed excellent functional and cosmetic results. Nine patients (9/10) were treated for advancement of the inferior border (mean, 6.89 ± 2.57 mm; P < .05). One of them underwent simultaneous inferior (3 mm) and lateral (4 mm) repositioning and 3 had combined lateral movement (mean, 3.5 ± 0.58 mm; P < .05). One patient (1/10) required posterior (4 mm) and inferior (5 mm) repositioning of the basal segment. CONCLUSIONS: Mandibular basal osteotomy is an innovative technique that is strongly predictable for correction of deficiency, excess, and/or asymmetry of the inferior mandibular border, decreasing morbidity and many other complications of traditional bone grafts and alloplastic techniques.

Vaginal microbiota of healthy pregnant Mexican women is constituted by four Lactobacillus species and several vaginosis-associated bacteria.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the microbiota communities in the vaginal tracts of healthy Mexican women across the pregnancy. METHODS: Vaginal swabs were obtained during the prenatal visit of women from all trimesters (n = 64) of healthy pregnant women of Mexico City. DNA was isolated from each sample, and PCR-DGGE and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments were used to identify the bacterial communities. RESULTS: 21 different microorganisms were identified in the vaginal samples. Lactobacillus genus was present in 98% of women studied. Four lactobacilli species were identified in vaginal samples. L. acidophilus was the predominant (78%) followed by L. iners (54%), L. gasseri (20%), and L. delbrueckii (6%). 17 different microorganisms related to bacterial vaginosis conditions were identified. Ureaplasma urealyticum was the predominant (21%) followed by BVAB1 (17%) and Gemella bergeriae (7.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Lactobacillus genus predominates in the vaginal samples of Mexican pregnant women associated with different microorganisms related to bacterial vaginosis conditions.

A tailored, electronic textile conformable suit for large-scale spatiotemporal physiological sensing in vivo.

The rapid advancement of electronic devices and fabrication technologies has further promoted the field of wearables and smart textiles. However, most of the current efforts in textile electronics focus on a single modality and cover a small area. Here, we have developed a tailored, electronic textile conformable suit (E-TeCS) to perform large-scale, multimodal physiological (temperature, heart rate, and respiration) sensing in vivo. This platform can be customized for various forms, sizes and functions using standard, accessible and high-throughput textile manufacturing and garment patterning techniques. Similar to a compression shirt, the soft and stretchable nature of the tailored E-TeCS allows intimate contact between electronics and the skin with a pressure value of around ~25 mmHg, allowing for physical comfort and improved precision of sensor readings on skin. The E-TeCS can detect skin temperature with an accuracy of 0.1 °C and a precision of 0.01 °C, as well as heart rate and respiration with a precision of 0.0012 m/s2 through mechano-acoustic inertial sensing. The knit textile electronics can be stretched up to 30% under 1000 cycles of stretching without significant degradation in mechanical and electrical performance. Experimental and theoretical investigations are conducted for each sensor modality along with performing the robustness of sensor-interconnects, washability, and breathability of the suit. Collective results suggest that our E-TeCS can simultaneously and wirelessly monitor 30 skin temperature nodes across the human body over an area of 1500 cm2, during seismocardiac events and respiration, as well as physical activity through inertial dynamics.

Identification of 6-amino-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines with in vivo efficacy against visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) affects millions of people across the world, largely in developing nations. It is fatal if left untreated and the current treatments are inadequate. As such, there is an urgent need for new, improved medicines. In this paper, we describe the identification of a 6-amino-N-(piperidin-4-yl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine scaffold and its optimization to give compounds which showed efficacy when orally dosed in a mouse model of VL.

Women with endometriosis improved their peripheral antioxidant markers after the application of a high antioxidant diet.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress has been identified in the peritoneal fluid and peripheral blood of women with endometriosis. However, there is little information on the antioxidant intake for this group of women. The objectives of this work were 1) to compare the antioxidant intake among women with and without endometriosis and 2) to design and apply a high antioxidant diet to evaluate its capacity to reduce oxidative stress markers and improve antioxidant markers in the peripheral blood of women with endometriosis. METHODS: Women with (WEN, n = 83) and without endometriosis (WWE, n = 80) were interviewed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire to compare their antioxidant intake (of vitamins and minerals). Then, the WEN participated in the application of a control (n = 35) and high antioxidant diet (n = 37) for four months. The high antioxidant diet (HAD) guaranteed the intake of 150% of the suggested daily intake of vitamin A (1050 microg retinol equivalents), 660% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin C (500 mg) and 133% of the RDI of vitamin E (20 mg). Oxidative stress and antioxidant markers (vitamins and antioxidant enzymatic activity) were determined in plasma every month. RESULTS: Comparison of antioxidant intake between WWE and WEN showed a lower intake of vitamins A, C, E, zinc, and copper by WEN (p < 0.05, Mann Whitney Rank test). The selenium intake was not statistically different between groups. During the study, the comparison of the 24-hour recalls between groups showed a higher intake of the three vitamins in the HAD group. An increase in the vitamin concentrations (serum retinol, alpha-tocopherol, leukocyte and plasma ascorbate) and antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase) as well as a decrease in oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde and lipid hydroperoxides) were observed in the HAD group after two months of intervention. These phenomena were not observed in the control group. CONCLUSION: WEN had a lower intake of antioxidants in comparison to WWE. Peripheral oxidative stress markers diminished, and antioxidant markers were enhanced, in WEN after the application of the HAD.

Zygoma Implants or Sinus Lift for the Atrophic Maxilla with a Dentate Mandible: Which is the Better Option?

Rehabilitation of maxillary atrophy with dental implants is challenging to the clinician despite the wide variety of surgical techniques available. Finding the right indication for a procedure is highly important for the long-term stability of dental implants. With the introduction of the concept of "teeth-in-a-day," clinicians have explored innovative techniques to attain the goal of immediate implant-supported provisional prosthesis. However, costs and comorbidities are limitations to advancing these techniques. This article focuses on algorithms to rehabilitate the atrophic maxilla with the purpose of providing immediate provisional prosthetic teeth regardless of the mandibular dentition.

Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats.

The present article provides a guide for the conduction and analysis of three conditioning-based protocols to evaluate impulsivity in rats. Impulsivity is a meaningful concept because it is associated with psychiatric conditions in humans and with maladaptive behavior in non-human animals. It is believed that impulsivity is composed of separate factors. There are laboratory protocols devised to assess each of these factors using standardized automated equipment. Delay discounting is associated with the incapacity to be motivated by delayed outcomes. This factor is evaluated through intertemporal choice protocols, which consist of presenting the individual with a choice situation involving an immediate reward and a larger but delayed reward. Response inhibition deficit is associated with the incapacity to withhold prepotent responses. Differential reinforcement of low rates (DLR) and feature-negative discrimination protocols assess the response inhibition deficit factor of impulsivity. The former imposes a condition to a motivated individual in which most wait a minimum period of time for a response to be rewarded. The latter evaluates the capacity of individuals to refrain from food seeking responses when a signal of the absence of food is presented. The purpose of these protocols is to construct an objective quantitative measure of impulsivity, which serves to make cross-species comparisons, allowing the possibility of translational research. The advantages of these particular protocols include their easy set-up and application, which stems from the relatively small amount of equipment needed and the automated nature of these protocols.