Core-Shell Nanocables Decorated with Carbon Spherical Shells and Silver Nanoparticles for Sensing Ethinylestradiol Hormone in Water Sources and Pills.

The selective, rapid detection of low levels of hormones in drinking water and foodstuffs requires materials suitable for inexpensive sensing platforms. We report on core-shell Ag@C nanocables (NCs) decorated with carbon spherical shells (CSSs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by using a hydrothermal green approach. Sensors were fabricated with homogeneous, porous films on screen-printed electrodes, which comprised a 115 nm silver core covered by a 122 nm thick carbon layer and CSSs with 168 nm in diameter. NCs and CSSs were also decorated with 10-25 nm AgNPs. The NC/CSS/AgNP sensor was used to detect ethinylestradiol using square wave voltammetry in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) over the 1.0-10.0 µM linear range with a detection limit of 0.76 µM. The sensor was then applied to detect ethinylestradiol in tap water samples and a contraceptive pill with recovery percentages between 93 and 101%. The high performance in terms of sensitivity and selectivity for hormones is attributed to the synergy between the carbon nanomaterials and AgNPs, which not only increased the sensor surface area and provided sites for electron exchange but also imparted an increased surface area.

Sustainable plant-wearable sensors for on-site, rapid decentralized detection of pesticides toward precision agriculture and food safety.

The synergy between eco-friendly biopolymeric films and printed devices leads to the production of plant-wearable sensors for decentralized analysis of pesticides in precision agriculture and food safety. Herein, a simple method for fabrication of flexible, and sustainable sensors printed on cellulose acetate (CA) substrates has been demonstrated to detect carbendazim and paraquat in agricultural, water and food samples. The biodegradable CA substrates were made by casting method while the full electrochemical system of three electrodes was deposited by screen-printing technique (SPE) to produce plant-wearable sensors. Analytical performance was assessed by differential pulse (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) in a linear concentration range between 0.1 and 1.0 µM with detection limits of 54.9 and 19.8 nM for carbendazim and paraquat, respectively. The flexible and sustainable non-enzymatic plant-wearable sensor can detect carbendazim and paraquat on lettuce and tomato skins, and also water samples with no interference from other pesticides. The plant-wearable sensors had reproducible response being robust and stable against multiple flexions. Due to high sensitivity and selectivity, easy operation and rapid agrochemical detection, the plant-wearable sensors can be used to detect biomarkers in human biofluids and be used in on-site analysis of other hazardous chemical substances.

Cytotoxic activity of Ru(II)/DPEPhos/N,S-mercapto complexes (DPEPhos = bis-[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether).

We report here on three new ruthenium(II) complexes, [Ru(DPEPhos)(mtz)(bipy)]PF6 (Ru1), [Ru(DPEPhos)(mmi)(bipy)]PF6 (Ru2) and [Ru(DPEPhos)(dmp)(bipy)]PF6 (Ru3). DPEPhos = bis-[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether, mtz = 2-mercapto-2-thiazoline, mmi = 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazole, dmp = 4,6-diamino-2-mercaptopyrimidine and bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine. The compounds were characterized by several spectroscopic techniques, and the molecular structure of Ru1 complex was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The cytotoxicity of Ru1 - Ru3 complexes were tested against the A549 (human lung) and the MDA-MB-231 (human breast) cancer cell lines and against MRC-5 (non-tumor lung) and MCF-10A (non-tumor breast) cell lines through the MTT assay. All three complexes are cytotoxic against the cell lines studied, with IC50 values lower than those found for the cisplatin. Among them, the Ru2 complex has shown the best selectivity against MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines, with an IC50 value 12 times lower than that on MCF-10A. The complex Ru2 was capable to induce changes in MDA-MB-231 cells morphology, with loss of cellular adhesion, inhibited colony formation and induce an accumulation of cells at the sub-G1 phase, with an increase in S-phase and decrease of cells at G2 phase. Viscosity, electrochemical and Hoechst 33258 displacement experiments for Ru1 - Ru3 complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) showed an electrostatic and groove binding mode of interaction. Additionally, the complexes interact with the protein Human Serum Albumin (HSA) by static mechanism. The negative values for ΔH and ΔS indicate that van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding may occurs between the complexes and HSA. Therefore, this class of complexes are promising anticancer candidates and may be selected to further detailed studies.

Molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous systems of inhibitor candidates for adenosine-5'-phosphosufate reductase.

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to evaluate some chelating agents as potential candidates to inhibitors for dissimilatory adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate reductase (APSrAB). Molecular docking methods were used to evaluate the best binding modes of these molecules to the enzyme at two binding sites: of the substrate (enzyme active site) by mean the redocking protocol of substrate; and of one of the [Fe4S4]2+ groups by mean of the clusterization protocol. The best docking poses were selected by criteria such as low energy and RMSD (redocking) and the cluster with the higher number of similar poses (clusterization), which were submitted to MD simulations. RMSD, RDF, and hydrogen bonds results revelated that all ligands left the cube site, while in the active site, some ligands remained in their docking region, pointing to the enzyme active site as the best target for the selected ligands. The binding energy results of ligands hydroxamic acid (HXA) and catechol (CAT) showed that they bonded favorably to the enzyme and key residues of the active site contributed significantly to the protein-ligand bind, indicating HAX and CAT may compete with the substrate for interactions with these residues and displaying potential as candidates for experimental studies about APSrAB inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Acute effects of different intervals between repeated sprints on performance responses in amateur futsal athletes / Efeitos agudos de diferentes intervalos entre sprint repetidos sobre as respostas de desempenho em atletas amadores de futsal

ABSTRACT Objective: Verify the influence of different break times between sprints on the performance of amateur futsal athletes. Methods: 10 individuals, men, amateur futsal athletes (Age: 21.5 ± 1.6; Weight: 72.4 ± 6.88; Height: 1.72 ± 0.05; BMI: 24.3 ± 1.2; Fat%: 13.7 ± 3.3, VO2peak: 49.1 ± 10.5) participated in the study. Individuals were randomly selected to perform sessions with sprints (10 sets 20 m) with different pause times of 15 (S15), 30 (S30) and 60 (S60) seconds. For performance analysis, the speed (km / h) applied to each sprint was used and monitored by a device with a photocell (CEFISE Biotecnologia Esportiva®). Results: There was an interaction between speed and interval time (p = 0.000). For condition S15, a greater reduction in performance was observed (p ≤ 0.05), while for S30 and S60, no significant reduction in performance was observed (p > 0.05). The data for the area under the curve showed a significant difference (p = 0.000), where the interval of 60 s (S60) was longer compared to the values of 30 (S30) (p = 0.000) and 15 s (S15) (p = 0.000). However, there were no significant differences between the 30 and 15 s data (p = 0.248). Conclusion: A shorter time (15 s) interval between repeated sprints can significantly affect performance compared to longer breaks (30 and 60 s), but all the conditions tested here can be positive for the improvement of performance, mainly in sports that demand fast and efficient motor actions such as futsal.

RESUMO Objetivo: Verificar a influência dos diferentes tempos de intervalo entre os sprints no desempenho dos atletas de futsal amadores. Métodos: 10 indivíduos, homens, atletas de futsal amadores (Idade: 21,5 ± 1,6; Peso: 72,4 ± 6,88; Altura: 1,72 ± 0,05; IMC: 24,3 ± 1,2; Gordura%: 13,7 ± 3,3, VO2peak: 49,1 ± 10,5) participou no estudo. Os indivíduos foram selecionados aleatoriamente para realizar sessões com sprints (10 conjuntos 20 m) com diferentes tempos de pausa de 15 (S15), 30 (S30) e 60 (S60) segundos. Para análise do desempenho, a velocidade (km/h) aplicada a cada sprint foi utilizada e monitorizada por um dispositivo com uma fotocélula (CEFISE Biotecnologia Esportiva®). Resultados: Houve uma interação entre velocidade e tempo de intervalo (p = 0,000). Para a condição S15, observou-se uma maior redução no desempenho (p ≤ 0,05), enquanto para S30 e S60, não se observou qualquer redução significativa no desempenho (p > 0,05). Os dados para a área sob a curva mostraram uma diferença significativa (p = 0,000), onde o intervalo de 60 s (S60) foi mais longo em comparação com os valores de 30 (S30) (p = 0,000) e 15 s (S15) (p = 0,000). No entanto, não houve diferenças significativas entre os dados de 30 e 15 s (p = 0,248). Conclusão: Um intervalo de tempo mais curto (15 s) entre sprints repetidos pode afetar significativamente o desempenho em comparação com os intervalos mais longos (30 e 60 s), mas todas as condições aqui testadas podem ser positivas para a melhoria do desempenho, principalmente nos desportos que exigem ações motoras rápidas e eficientes, tais como o futsal.

Label-Free Electrochemical Immunosensor Made with Tree-like Gold Dendrites for Monitoring 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Metabolite.

Flexible, fully printed immunosensors can meet the requirements of precision nutrition, but this demands optimized molecular architectures to reach the necessary sensitivity. Herein, we report on flexible and label-free immunosensor chips made with tree-like gold dendrites (AuDdrites) electrochemically formed by selective desorption of l-cysteine (L-cys) on (111) gold planes. Electrodeposition was used because it is scalable and cost-effective for a rapid, direct growth of Au hyperbranched dendritic structures. The 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) metabolite was detected within 15 min with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.03 ng mL-1. This high performance was possible due to the careful optimization of the electroactive layer and working conditions for square wave voltammetry (SWV). Electrocrystallization was manipulated by controlling the deposition potential and the molar ratio between HAuCl4 and L-cys. Metabolite detection was performed on human serum and saliva samples with adequate recovery between 97% and 100%. The immunosensors were stable and reproducible, unresponsive to interference from other molecules in human serum and saliva. They can be extended for use as wearable sensors with their mechanical flexibility and possible customization.

Low-cost bacterial nanocellulose-based interdigitated biosensor to detect the p53 cancer biomarker.

Low-cost sensors to detect cancer biomarkers with high sensitivity and selectivity are essential for early diagnosis. Herein, an immunosensor was developed to detect the cancer biomarker p53 antigen in MCF7 lysates using electrical impedance spectroscopy. Interdigitated electrodes were screen printed on bacterial nanocellulose substrates, then coated with a matrix of layer-by-layer films of chitosan and chondroitin sulfate onto which a layer of anti-p53 antibodies was adsorbed. The immunosensing performance was optimized with a 3-bilayer matrix, with detection of p53 in MCF7 cell lysates at concentrations between 0.01 and 1000 Ucell. mL-1, and detection limit of 0.16 Ucell mL-1. The effective buildup of the immunosensor on bacterial nanocellulose was confirmed with polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) and surface energy analysis. In spite of the high sensitivity, full selectivity with distinction of the p53-containing cell lysates and possible interferents required treating the data with a supervised machine learning approach based on decision trees. This allowed the creation of a multidimensional calibration space with 11 dimensions (frequencies used to generate decision tree rules), with which the classification of the p53-containing samples can be explained.

Photocatalysis of TiO2 Sensitized with Graphitic Carbon Nitride and Electrodeposited Aryl Diazonium on Screen-Printed Electrodes to Detect Prostate Specific Antigen under Visible Light.

We report on a photoelectrochemical (PEC) device to detect prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) under visible LED light irradiation within the point-of-care (POC) paradigm. The device consists of a 3D printed miniaturized photoelectrochemical system and a disposable PEC immunosensor made with screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs). The SPCEs were coated with nickel single atoms anchored on graphitic carbon nitride (Ni-gC3N4), titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2), and aryl diazonium salt prepared from p-aminobenzoic acid. The electrodeposited aryl diazonium on Ni-gC3N4/TiO2 decreased the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers, leading to a 3.1-fold increase in the photocurrent compared to pure TiO2. This functionalization strategy provides carboxylic groups to anchor antibodies via the carbodiimide reaction, which may be extended to any other type of immunosensor. Under optimal conditions, the PEC immunosensor was able to detect PSA from 10-16 to 10-8 g mL-1 with a detection limit of 0.06 fg mL-1. The device robustness was confirmed with reproducibility and stability tests. PSA could also be detected in human serum samples, which demonstrates the potential of the PEC immunosensor for clinical diagnosis.

Development of parameters compatible with the CHARMM36 force field for [Fe4S4]2+ clusters and molecular dynamics simulations of adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate reductase in GROMACS 2019.

DFT calculations were used to obtain parameters compatible with the CHARMM36 force field for iron-sulfur clusters (Fe-S) of the type [Fe4S4]2+ that are coordinated to dissimilatory adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate reductase (APSrAB). Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on two APSrAB systems to validate the parameters and verify the stability of the studied systems. The time analysis of the parameters inserted into the force field was in reasonable agreement with the experimental X-ray diffraction data. The analysis of the time evolution of the studied systems indicated that these systems and, in particular, the clusters in their respective cavities had a good stability and were in agreement with what was observed in previous works. The parameters obtained provide the basis for the study of APSrAB as well as other systems that contain [Fe4S4]2+ through the CHARMM36 force field.

Psychedelics and Hallucinogens in Psychiatry: Finding New Pharmacological Targets.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic options for neurobehavioral disorders are still limited, and in many cases, they lack a satisfactory balance between efficacy and side effects. OBJECTIVES: This work aims to review current evidence regarding the potential contribution of psychedelics and hallucinogens to the discovery of new drugs for treating different psychiatric disorders. DISCUSSION: Ayahuasca/N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and psilocybin have evidence supporting their use in depression, and psilocybin and ayahuasca have also shown good results in treatment-resistant depression. In randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted with anxious patients, there were symptomatic improvements with psilocybin and LSD. Psilocybin diminished Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) scores in a small obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) sample. The evidence is less robust regarding substance use disorders, but it suggests a possible role for LSD and psilocybin in alcohol use disorders and for psilocybin in tobacco addiction. In a clinical setting, these substances seem to be safe and well-tolerated. Their mechanisms of action are not fully elucidated, but there seems to be a preponderant role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) 2A agonism, as well as connectivity changes within the default mode network (DMN) and amygdala and some other molecular modifications. CONCLUSION: The studies underlying the conclusions have small samples and are heterogeneous in their methods. However, the results suggest that the use of psychedelics and hallucinogens could be considered in some disorders. More studies are needed to reinforce their evidence as potential new drugs.

A sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor based on Au-rGO composite for CA15-3 tumor marker detection.

A sensitive detection of carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) levels may allow for early diagnosis and monitoring the treatment of breast cancer, but this can only be made in routine clinical practice if low-cost immunosensors are available. In this work, we developed a sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor capable of rapid detection of CA15-3 with an ultra-low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.08 fg mL-1 within a wide linear concentration range from 0.1 fg mL-1 to 1 µg mL-1. The immunosensor had a matrix of a layer-by-layer film of Au nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (Au-rGO) co-electrodeposited on screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE). The high sensitivity was achieved by using secondary antibodies (Ab2) labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as signal amplifiers, and hydroquinone (HQ) was used as an electron mediator. The immunosensor was selective for CA15-3 in human serum and artificial saliva samples, robust, and stable to permit storage at 4 °C for more than 30 days. With its high performance, the immunosensor may be incorporated into future point-of-care (POC) devices to determine CA15-3 in distinct biological fluids, including in blood and saliva samples.

In vivo brain levels of acetylcholine and 5-hydroxytryptamine after oleoylethanolamide or palmitoylethanolamide administrations are mediated by PPARα engagement.

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) is a nuclear receptor that has been linked to the modulation of several physiological functions, including the sleep-wake cycle. The PPARα recognizes as endogenous ligands the lipids oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), which in turn, if systemically injected, they exert wake-promoting effects. Moreover, the activation of PPARα by the administration of OEA or PEA increases the extracellular contents of neurotransmitters linked to the control of wakefulness; however, the role of PPARα activated by OEA or PEA on additional biochemicals related to waking regulation, such as acetylcholine (ACh) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), has not been fully studied. Here, we have investigated the effects of treatments of OEA or PEA on the contents of ACh and 5-HT by using in vivo microdialysis techniques coupled to HPLC means. For this purpose, OEA or PEA were systemically injected (5, 10 or 30 mg/kg; i.p.), and the levels of ACh and 5-HT were collected from the basal forebrain, a wake-related brain area. These pharmacological treatments significantly increased the contents of ACh and 5-HT as determined by HPLC procedures. Interestingly, PPARα antagonist MK-886 (30 mg/kg; i.p.) injected before the treatments of OEA or PEA blocked these outcomes. Our data suggest that the activation of PPARα by OEA or PEA produces significant changes on ACh and 5-HT levels measured from the basal forebrain and support the conclusion that PPARα is a suitable molecular element involved in the regulation of wake-related neurotransmitters.

Antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of avocado oil and extract (Persea americana Mill) against rotenone using monkey kidney epithelial cells (Vero).

Oxidative stress is known to be involved in development of numerous diseases including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, kidney and cancer. Thus, investigations that mimic oxidative stress in vitro may play an important role to find new strategies to control oxidative stress and subsequent consequences are important. Rotenone, widely used as a pesticide has been used as a model to simulate oxidative stress. However, this chemical was found to produce several diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and cytoprotective effect of avocado (Persea americana Mill) extract and oil in monkey kidney epithelial cells (VERO) exposed to rotenone. VERO cells were exposed to IC50 of rotenone in conjunction with different concentrations of avocado extract and oil (ranging from 1 to 1000 µg/ml), for 24 hr. Subsequently, cell viability and oxidative metabolism were assessed. Data demonstrated that avocado extract and oil in the presence of rotenone increased cellular viability at all tested concentrations compared to cells exposed only to rotenone. In addition, extract and avocado oil exhibited antioxidant action as evidenced by decreased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide ion, and lipid peroxidation, generated by rotenone. Further, avocado extract and oil appeared to be safe, since these compounds did not affect cell viability and or generate oxidative stress. Therefore, avocado appears to display a promising antioxidant potential by decreasing oxidative stress.

The Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor in Addiction: A Novel Drug Target.

The peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) are a superfamily of well-recognized ligand-binding nuclear receptors comprising three isoforms: PPARα, PPARγ, and PPARß/δ. In response to endogenous lipid messengers, PPARs trigger the transcription of genes related to a wider spectrum of physiological phenomena, including fatty acid oxidation, inflammation, adipogenesis, among many others. Thus, the importance of PPARs as putative protective therapy in health issues has increased the interest of studying these nuclear receptors, including the management of neurodegenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis, and likely addiction. In recent years, several pieces of evidence from animal models have demonstrated the promising role of PPARs as a critical element for interventions in addictive behaviors by reducing the reinforcing properties of addictive substances such as alcohol. However, there is a lack of data in the scope and has so far been unexplored the function of PPARs in additional drugs such as cannabis, opioids, methamphetamine, or cocaine. A similar scenario has been found for the management of binge-type eating disorders. Thus, here we review recent advances in understanding the relevance of the PPAR controlling addiction.

Psychosocial determinants of physical activity among workers: an integrative review.

Knowledge of the psychosocial determinants of physical activity is critical to informing preventive and therapeutic interventions in the workplace. This study reviewed available evidence on psychosocial factors that have been associated with physical activity among workers. Studies were selected in December 2019 from the Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases, with no date limits, using the following search terms: "physical activity", "physical exercise", "psychosocial", "workers", and "working-age". Thirty-nine studies published between 1991 and 2019 were evaluated. The determinants of physical activity investigated among workers were smoking status, stress, psychosocial working conditions, depression, anxiety, social relationships, work ability, job satisfaction, burnout, and self-efficacy. Some consistencies and controversies were observed in the associations among these determinants and physical activity and are discussed, as are suggestions for future studies. The findings of this review may be of interest to physical activity interventions designed to reduce psychosocial risks factors in work environments.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf) Presents Antitumoral Effect and Improves Chemotherapy Activity in Prostate Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common visceral neoplasia in men and frequently presents chemotherapy resistance. In this context, lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf) has been studied since it presents many important biological activities, such as anticancer. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the antitumor effect of lemongrass and in chemotherapy activity using prostate cancer cells line (DU-145). METHODS: DU-145 cells were exposed to different concentrations of aqueous extract of lemongrass (30; 100; 300; 500 and 1000 µg/mL), isolated and in combination with docetaxel, during 24 and 72 hours. After, cell viability and proliferation, oxidative metabolism, colony formation and cell cycle analyses were performed. Also, we exposed the African green monkey kidney cell line (VERO) to the same lemongrass concentrations to investigate a possible toxicity of this extract. RESULTS: Our findings suggested that lemongrass presented an antitumor effect and improved docetaxel chemotherapy activity by decreasing cell viability and proliferation as well as colony formation. Moreover, we found an oxidative stress increased and cell cycle arresting in G0 /G1 phase. In addition, this extract presented selectivity action for cancer cells, since it did not cause cytotoxicity in normal cells, ensuring non-toxic therapeutic concentrations. CONCLUSION: Lemongrass is a promising medicinal plant that could be used during chemotherapeutic treatment, in order to potentiate the antitumor response and decrease the resistance of prostate cancer.

Association between Estimated Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Depression among Middle-income Country Adults: Evidence from National Health Survey.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and depression in adults. METHODS: A total of 52,611 individuals aged between 18-59 years old were evaluated for symptoms of depression and CRF. The presence of depressive symptoms was self-report through the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the CRF was predicted from a non-exercise equation. The association between CRF and the presence of depression was determined by crude and multivariable-adjusted logistic regressions. RESULTS: The associations were identified between symptoms of depression and CRF in both unadjusted and adjusted models. After adjusting for age categories, sex, body mass index categories, educational level, marital status, smoking, and alcohol use, the individuals with moderate CRF had 18% lower odds of depression (OR: 0.82, CI 95%: 0.71 - 0.95) compared to individuals with low CRF. CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms are inversely related to CRF levels in adults.

The retinoid X receptor: a nuclear receptor that modulates the sleep-wake cycle in rats.

RATIONALE: The nuclear receptor retinoid X receptor (RXR) belongs to a nuclear receptor superfamily that modulates diverse functions via homodimerization with itself or several other nuclear receptors, including PPARα. While the activation of PPARα by natural or synthetic agonists regulates the sleep-wake cycle, the role of RXR in the sleep modulation is unknown. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effects of bexarotene (Bexa, a RXR agonist) or UVI 3003 (UVI, a RXR antagonist) on sleep, sleep homeostasis, levels of neurochemical related to sleep modulation, and c-Fos and NeuN expression. METHODS: The sleep-wake cycle and sleep homeostasis were analyzed after application of Bexa or UVI. Moreover, we also evaluated whether Bexa or UVI could induce effects on dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine epinephrine, adenosine, and acetylcholine contents, collected from either the nucleus accumbens or basal forebrain. In addition, c-Fos and NeuN expression in the hypothalamus was determined after Bexa or UVI treatments. RESULTS: Systemic application of Bexa (1 mM, i.p.) attenuated slow-wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep. In addition, Bexa increased the levels of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine epinephrine, adenosine, and acetylcholine sampled from either the nucleus accumbens or basal forebrain. Moreover, Bexa blocked the sleep rebound period after total sleep deprivation, increased in the hypothalamus the expression of c-Fos, and decreased NeuN activity. Remarkably, UVI 3003 (1 mM, i.p.) induced opposite effects in sleep, sleep homeostasis, neurochemicals levels, and c-Fos and NeuN activity. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of RXR agonist or antagonist significantly impaired the sleep-wake cycle and exerted effects on the levels of neurochemicals related to sleep modulation. Moreover, Bexa or UVI administration significantly affected c-Fos and NeuN expression in the hypothalamus. Our findings highlight the neurobiological role of RXR on sleep modulation.

Physical exercise and geriatric depression: an opinion / Atividade física e depressão geriátrica: uma opinião / Actividad física y depresión geriátrica: una opinión

Depression represents a common public health problem in the world. Depression in the elderly appears to follow a vulnerability-stress model, with an interaction between individual vulnerabilities, including genetic factors, age-related cognitive and neurobiological changes, and a variety of stressful events that occur more frequently in advanced ages, such as grief, financial problems, and reduction in autonomy/functionality. In the last decades, several studies have indicated that exercise can be effective in preventing or reducing depressive symptoms, both in healthy and psychiatric populations. Due to the scientific community's interest in the efficacy and safety of physical exercise as complementary therapy for depressed elderly patients, we conduct an opinion study on the subject. Despite the researchers' efforts, in the last decades little progress has been made in verifying the efficacy of exercise in geriatric depression.

A depressão representa um problema comum de saúde pública no mundo. A depressão em idosos parece seguir um modelo de vulnerabilidade-estresse, com uma interação entre vulnerabilidades individuais, incluindo fatores genéticos, mudanças cognitivas e neurobiológicas relacionadas à idade, e uma variedade de eventos estressantes que ocorrem mais frequentemente em idades avançadas, como luto, problemas financeiros e redução da autonomia/funcionalidade. Nas últimas décadas, vários estudos indicaram que o exercício pode ser eficaz na prevenção ou redução dos sintomas depressivos, tanto em populações saudáveis como psiquiátricas. Devido ao interesse da comunidade científica na eficácia e segurança do exercício físico como terapia complementar para idosos deprimidos; realizamos um estudo de opinião sobre o assunto. Apesar dos esforços dos pesquisadores, nas últimas décadas pouco progresso foi feito na verificação da eficácia do exercício na depressão geriátrica.

La depresión representa un problema común de salud pública en el mundo. La depresión en los ancianos parece seguir un modelo de vulnerabilidad-estrés, con una interacción entre las vulnerabilidades individuales, incluidos factores genéticos, cambios cognitivos y neurobiológicos relacionados con la edad, y una variedad de eventos estresantes que ocurren con mayor frecuencia en edades avanzadas, como el duelo, problemas financieros y reducción de la autonomía/funcionalidad. En las últimas décadas, varios estudios han indicado que el ejercicio puede ser eficaz para prevenir o reducir los síntomas depresivos, tanto en poblaciones sanas como psiquiátricas. Debido al interés de la comunidad científica en la eficacia y seguridad del ejercicio físico como terapia complementaria para pacientes ancianos deprimidos, realizamos un estudio de opinión sobre el tema. A pesar de los esfuerzos de los investigadores, en las últimas décadas se ha avanzado poco en la verificación de la eficacia del ejercicio en la depresión geriátrica.

Increased Resting State Triple Network Functional Connectivity in Undergraduate Problematic Cannabis Users: A Preliminary EEG Coherence Study.

An increasing body of experimental data have suggested that aberrant functional interactions between large-scale networks may be the most plausible explanation of psychopathology across multiple mental disorders, including substance-related and addictive disorders. In the current research, we have investigated the association between problematic cannabis use (PCU) and triple-network electroencephalographic (EEG) functional connectivity. Twelve participants with PCU and 24 non-PCU participants were included in the study. EEG recordings were performed during resting state (RS). The exact Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography software (eLORETA) was used for all EEG analyses. Compared to non-PCU, PCU participants showed an increased delta connectivity between the salience network (SN) and central executive network (CEN), specifically, between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and right posterior parietal cortex. The strength of delta connectivity between the SN and CEN was positively and significantly correlated with higher problematic patterns of cannabis use after controlling for age, sex, educational level, tobacco use, problematic alcohol use, and general psychopathology (rp = 0.40, p = 0.030). Taken together, our results show that individuals with PCU could be characterized by a specific dysfunctional interaction between the SN and CEN during RS, which might reflect the neurophysiological underpinnings of attentional and emotional processes of cannabis-related thoughts, memories, and craving.