Assessment of the executive functions of moderate preterm children in preschool age.

This study assesses EF and socioemotional development in 30 MPT children between 4 and 6 years, comparing them with 31 FT children. Working Memory was assessed with Digit Span and Corsi Block, verbal inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility with The Shape School Test, visuomotor inhibition with Go/No-Go and socioemotional development with SDQ for parents. In our study, MPT preschoolers had a poorer working memory, inhibitory control and verbal cognitive flexibility, and more emotional problems compared. Our results suggest that there is no safe gestational age in prematurity, for this reason, EF of preterm children should be evaluated at an early age, so early intervention plans can be implemented, preventing preterm from entering primary education in disadvantage.

Reproductive trade-offs in a temperate reef fish under high pCO2 levels.

Fishes are currently facing novel types of anthropogenic stressors that have never experienced in their evolutionary history, such as ocean acidification. Under these stressful conditions, energetically costly processes, such as reproduction, may be sacrificed for increased chances of survival. This trade-off does not only affect the organism itself but may result in reduced offspring fitness. In the present study, the effects of exposure to high pCO2 levels were tested on the reproductive performance of a temperate species, the two-spotted goby, Gobiusculus flavescens. Breeding pairs were kept under control (∼600 µatm, pH∼ 8.05) and high pCO2 levels (∼2300 µatm, pH∼ 7.60) conditions for a 4-month period. Additionally, oxidative stress and energy metabolism-related biomarkers were measured. Results suggest that reproductive activity is stimulated under high pCO2 levels. Parental pairs in the simulated ocean acidification conditions exhibited increased reproductive output, with 50% more clutches and 44% more eggs per clutch than pairs under control conditions. However, there was an apparent trade-off between offspring number and size, as larvae of parental pairs under high pCO2 levels hatched significantly smaller, suggesting differences in parental provisioning, which could be related to the fact that these females produce more eggs. Moreover, results support the hypothesis of different energy allocation strategies used by females under high pCO2 conditions. These changes might, ultimately, affect individual fitness and population replenishment.

An evaluation by rat colon anastomosis of the efficacy of fibrin glue derived from snake venom

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of fibrin adhesive made up of snake venom and bubaline fibrinogen by rat colon anastomosis. Eighty rats were randomly assigned into 2 experimental groups: GI control (anastomosis with extramucous interrupted suture) and GII (repair suture + fibrin glue). The animals were studied at the following 4 times: T0 - preoperative - T1 - 7th day postoperative, T2 - 14th day postoperative, and T3 - 21th day postoperative. The macroscopic characteristics of the intestinal segment open and closed anastomosis and the bursting strength of the anastomosed segments were observed at each of the above times. The results showed that the anastomosed segments coapted and there was no difference in the bursting strength values between the 2 groups. There was a decrease in the bursting strength values up until de 7th day postoperative in both groups with its progressive increase at the other times. Although important experimental studies using large animals are needed for a better evaluation of tissue repair processes, this adhesive may become a valuable tool for use in anastomosis.