A randomized controlled trial of a manual-based psychosocial group intervention for young people with epilepsy [PIE].

We conducted an exploratory RCT to examine feasibility and preliminary efficacy for a manual-based psychosocial group intervention aimed at improving epilepsy knowledge, self-management skills, and quality of life in young people with epilepsy. METHOD: Eighty-three participants (33:50m/f; age range 12-17years) were randomized to either the treatment or control group in seven tertiary paediatric neuroscience centres in the UK, using a wait-list control design. Participants were excluded if they reported suicidal ideation and/or scored above the cut off on mental health screening measures, or if they had a learning disability or other neurological disorder. The intervention consisted of six weekly 2-hour sessions using guided discussion, group exercises and role-plays facilitated by an epilepsy nurse and a clinical psychologist. RESULTS: At three month follow up the treatment group (n=40) was compared with a wait-list control group (n=43) on a range of standardized measures. There was a significant increase in epilepsy knowledge in the treatment group (p=0.02). Participants receiving the intervention were also significantly more confident in speaking to others about their epilepsy (p=0.04). Quality of life measures did not show significant change. Participants reported the greatest value of attending the group was: Learning about their epilepsy (46%); Learning to cope with difficult feelings (29%); and Meeting others with epilepsy (22%). Caregiver and facilitator feedback was positive, and 92% of participants would recommend the group to others. CONCLUSION: This brief psychosocial group intervention was effective in increasing participants' knowledge of epilepsy and improved confidence in discussing their epilepsy with others. We discuss the qualitative feedback, feasibility, strengths and limitations of the PIE trial.

Social Behavior and Impairments in Social Cognition Following Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVES: The negative effect of changes in social behavior following traumatic brain injury (TBI) are known, but much less is known about the neuropsychological impairments that may underlie and predict these changes. The current study investigated possible associations between post-injury behavior and neuropsychological competencies of emotion recognition, understanding intentions, and response selection, that have been proposed as important for social functioning. METHODS: Forty participants with TBI and 32 matched healthy participants completed a battery of tests assessing the three functions of interest. In addition, self- and proxy reports of pre- and post-injury behavior, mood, and community integration were collected. RESULTS: The TBI group performed significantly poorer than the comparison group on all tasks of emotion recognition, understanding intention, and on one task of response selection. Ratings of current behavior suggested significant changes in the TBI group relative to before the injury and showed significantly poorer community integration and interpersonal behavior than the comparison group. Of the three functions considered, emotion recognition was associated with both post-injury behavior and community integration and this association could not be fully explained by injury severity, time since injury, or education. CONCLUSIONS: The current study confirmed earlier findings of associations between emotion recognition and post-TBI behavior, providing partial evidence for models proposing emotion recognition as one of the pre-requisites for adequate social functioning. (JINS, 2017, 23, 400-411).

Developmental competence of prepubertal and adult goat oocytes cultured in semi-defined media following laparoscopic recovery.

With an increased interest in transgenic animal production, the caprine species offers many advantages, and the prepubertal goat is a potential source of large numbers of oocytes for in vitro embryo production. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the follicular response and recovery of oocytes from prepubertal and adult goats following ovarian stimulation and laparoscopic recovery, and their developmental competence following culture in semi-defined media. Oocytes were collected over a 15-week period from prepubertal goats (3-7 months old) and adult controls (2-4 years old) that had been subjected to estrus synchronization and ovarian stimulation. Following insemination, zygotes were cultured for 96h in G1.2 followed by an additional 120h in G2.2. Morulae and blastocysts were scored using light microscopy on Days 7 and 9 followed by fluorescent staining for cell counts on Day 9 (216h postinsemination). The mean numbers of follicles aspirated and oocytes recovered were significantly greater for prepubertal than for adult goats (P<0.01). The number of oocytes recovered from prepubertal goats was observed to decline significantly with increasing age of the animals (P<0.05). The proportion of oocytes that matured and cleaved did not differ significantly between prepubertal and adult goats. Furthermore, no significant differences in morulae development (percentage of those cleaved), 5% versus 4%, or blastocyst development, 6% versus 7%, were observed for prepubertal and adult derived oocytes (P>0.1), respectively. Mean cell number per blastocyst also did not differ significantly. In conclusion, higher yields of oocytes were obtained from gonadotrophin-primed, prepubertal does than from adults, while in vitro development was similar.

Influence of GnRH administration on timing of the LH surge and ovulation in dwarf goats.

This study was conducted to determine whether or not exogenous gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) alters the timing or improves the synchrony of estrus, the LH surge, and ovulation following estrous synchronization in dwarf goats, and to assess the effects of season on these parameters. In January and June, estrus was synchronized in 12 Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf goats with a 10-day progestagen sponge, 125 microg cloprostenol i.m. 48 h before sponge removal, and 300 IU equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) i.m. at sponge removal. Six of the 12 goats were given 50 microg GnRH i.m. 24h after sponge removal. Onset of estrus was monitored using two males. Samples for plasma LH were collected at 2 h intervals beginning 22 h after sponge removal and ending at 48 h in January and at 58 h in June. Time of ovulation time was confirmed by laparoscopy at 36, 50, 60, and 74 h in January and at 50, 60, and 74 h in June. Administration of GnRH had no significant effect on the onset of estrus; however, it reduced the interval from sponge removal to the LH surge and improved the synchrony of the LH surge (P<0.05). Treatment with GnRH also reduced the interval from sponge removal to ovulation and improved the synchrony of ovulation (P<0.05). Season had a significant effect on the timing and the synchrony of estrus with and without GnRH treatment (P<0.05). A seasonal shift was also observed in the timing of the LH surge in the absence of GnRH treatment (P<0.05). Further research is required to determine the optimum time for GnRH administration and the minimum effective dose in dwarf goats.

Biphasic effects of leptin in porcine granulosa cells.

The direct effects of recombinant porcine leptin on porcine granulosa cells were studied to test the hypothesis that leptin, acting through the nuclear transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT-3), modulates sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) thereby increasing steroidogenesis. In porcine granulosa cells in culture over 48 h, leptin at 10 ng/ml increased progesterone accumulation 3-fold while it was reduced by leptin at 1000 ng/ml. Leptin had no effect on progression of granulosa cells through the cell cycle nor on the frequency of cell death. Leptin treatment at 24 or 48 h of culture resulted in dose-dependent 2- to 4-fold increases in tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT-3. Leptin had a biphasic effect on the abundance of membrane-bound and transcriptionally active forms of SREBP1. In transient transfection of primary porcine granulosa cells, the plasmid expressing the transcriptionally active form of SREPB-1 induced transcription of the key regulator of steroidogenesis, the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). StAR transcription was also increased by the low dose of leptin and was further upregulated in the presence of the SREBP plasmid. Leptin at 1000 ng/ml inhibited SREBP1-induced StAR expression. Thus, leptin, acting through STAT-3, modulates steroidogenesis in a biphasic and dose-dependent manner, and SREBP1 induction of StAR expression may be in the cascade of regulatory events.

Maturational and developmental competence of immature oocytes retrieved from bovine ovaries at different phases of folliculogenesis.

Immature oocytes recovered from bovine ovaries were studied to determine if their maturational and developmental competence is affected by phase of folliculogenesis. Ovaries (a total of 39 pairs) were collected from a local abattoir. Following examination, each pair of ovaries was assigned to one of three groups, according to follicle size and with or without a corpus luteum: (i) early phase (n = 13 pairs): all follicles were or=15 mm in diameter; (iii) luteal phase (n = 13 pairs): all follicles were