Revisiting consciousness: Distinguishing between states of conscious focused attention and mind wandering with EEG.

Fluctuating between external conscious processing and mind wandering is inherent to the human condition. Past research showed that in tasks requiring sustained attention, mind wandering episodes in which attention is directed internally constrain conscious processing of external stimuli. Conversely, conscious processing of internal stimuli is enhanced during mind wandering. To investigate this, we developed and administered a visuomotor tracking task in which participants were instructed to track the path of a stimulus on a screen with a mouse while responding to rare targets. Prior to reports of mind wandering we found the following: The P3 event-related potential component for targets, indicative of conscious stimulus processing, was attenuated at electrodes Cz and Pz. Moreover, alpha power, indicative of internal mental states, increased globally. Theta power increased along the centroparietal area, and beta decreased along right frontal and right centroparietal areas. Interestingly, trait mind wandering was positively correlated with delta power and gamma power, but negatively correlated with the theta-beta ratio. These results demonstrate that mind wandering is characterized by distinct neural signatures at both a state and trait level.

Risk factors for recurrent wheezing in preterm infants who received prophylaxis with palivizumab.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of recurrent wheezing (RW) in preterm infants who received prophylaxis against severe infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and to identify genetic susceptibility (atopy or asthma) and risk factors for RW. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving preterm infants who received prophylaxis with palivizumab at a referral center in Brazil during the first two years of age. A structured questionnaire was administered in a face-to-face interview with parents or legal guardians. RESULTS: The study included 410 preterm infants (median age = 9 months [0-24 months]). In the sample as a whole, 111 children (27.1%; [95% CI, 22.9-31.5]) had RW. The univariate analysis between the groups with and without RW showed no differences regarding the following variables: sex, ethnicity, maternal level of education, gestational age, birth weight, breastfeeding, number of children in the household, day care center attendance, pets in the household, and smoking caregiver. The prevalence of RW was twice as high among children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (adjusted OR = 2.08; 95% CI, 1.11-3.89; p = 0.022) and almost five times as high among those with a personal/family history of atopy (adjusted OR = 4.96; 95% CI, 2.62-9.39; p < 0.001) as among those without these conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Preterm infants who received prophylaxis with palivizumab but have a personal/family history of atopy or bronchopulmonary dysplasia are more likely to have RW than do those without these conditions.

Risk factors for recurrent wheezing in preterm infants who received prophylaxis with palivizumab / Fatores de risco para sibilância recorrente em crianças pré-termo que receberam profilaxia com palivizumabe

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of recurrent wheezing (RW) in preterm infants who received prophylaxis against severe infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and to identify genetic susceptibility (atopy or asthma) and risk factors for RW. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving preterm infants who received prophylaxis with palivizumab at a referral center in Brazil during the first two years of age. A structured questionnaire was administered in a face-to-face interview with parents or legal guardians. Results: The study included 410 preterm infants (median age = 9 months [0-24 months]). In the sample as a whole, 111 children (27.1%; [95% CI, 22.9-31.5]) had RW. The univariate analysis between the groups with and without RW showed no differences regarding the following variables: sex, ethnicity, maternal level of education, gestational age, birth weight, breastfeeding, number of children in the household, day care center attendance, pets in the household, and smoking caregiver. The prevalence of RW was twice as high among children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (adjusted OR = 2.08; 95% CI, 1.11-3.89; p = 0.022) and almost five times as high among those with a personal/family history of atopy (adjusted OR = 4.96; 95% CI, 2.62-9.39; p < 0.001) as among those without these conditions. Conclusions: Preterm infants who received prophylaxis with palivizumab but have a personal/family history of atopy or bronchopulmonary dysplasia are more likely to have RW than do those without these conditions.

RESUMO Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência de sibilância recorrente (SR) em crianças pré-termo que receberam profilaxia contra infecção grave pelo vírus sincicial respiratório (VSR) e identificar susceptibilidade genética (atopia ou asma) e fatores de risco para SR. Métodos: Estudo transversal envolvendo crianças pré-termo que receberam profilaxia com palivizumabe em um centro de referência no Brasil durante os primeiros dois anos de vida. Um questionário estruturado foi aplicado em entrevista presencial com os pais ou responsáveis. Resultados: O estudo incluiu 410 crianças pré-termo (mediana de idade = 9 meses [0-24 meses]). Na amostra total, 111 crianças (27,1%; IC95%: 22,9-31,5) apresentavam SR. A análise univariada entre os grupos com e sem SR não mostrou diferenças em relação às seguintes variáveis: sexo, etnia, escolaridade materna, idade gestacional, peso ao nascer, aleitamento materno, número de crianças no domicílio, frequência em creche, presença de animais de estimação no domicílio e cuidador tabagista. A prevalência de SR foi duas vezes maior entre crianças com displasia broncopulmonar (OR ajustada = 2,08; IC95%: 1,11-3,89; p = 0,022) e quase cinco vezes maior entre aquelas com história pessoal/familiar de atopia (OR ajustada = 4,96; IC95%: 2,62-9,39; p < 0,001) do que entre aquelas sem essas condições. Conclusões: Crianças pré-termo que receberam profilaxia com palivizumabe, mas apresentam história pessoal/familiar de atopia ou displasia broncopulmonar, têm maior probabilidade de apresentar SR do que aquelas sem essas condições.

Immunological and oxidative stress responses of the bivalve Scrobicularia plana to distinct patterns of heatwaves.

As a consequence of global warming, extreme events, such as marine heatwaves (MHW), have been increasing in frequency and intensity with negative effects on aquatic organisms. This innovative study evaluated for the first time, the immunological and physiological response of the estuarine edible bivalve Scrobicularia plana to different heatwaves, with distinct duration and recovery periods. So, extensive immune (total haemocyte count - THC, haemocyte viability, phagocytosis rate, respiratory oxidative burst of haemocytes, total protein, protease activity, nitric oxide and bactericidal activity of plasma) and oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation - LPO, superoxide dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT and glutathione-S-Transferase - GST) analyses were performed in an experimental study that tested the impact of heatwaves during 25 days. The survival and condition of S. plana were not affected by the exposure to the extreme events. However, our data suggested that longer heatwaves with shorter recovery periods can be more challenging for the species, since THC and phagocytic activity were most affected under the temperature increase conditions. Regarding the oxidative status, the species increased its SOD activity while MDA production slightly declined to the increase of temperature, protecting the organism from cellular damage. These results indicate that S. plana has a great capacity to adapt to environmental temperature changes, however, the expected higher frequency/duration of heatwaves with climate change trends can cause some debility of the species face to other stressors, which can compromise its success in the future.

Preparation, characterization and antidermatophytic activity of free- and microencapsulated cinnamon essential oil.

Essential oils (EO) are effective natural antimicrobials but are susceptible to oxidation. Microencapsulation improves EO stability, reduces toxicity, and controls release. The aim of this study was preparation, characterization and antidermatophytic activity of free and microencapsulated cinnamon essential oil (MP). MP were prepared by the spray drying method and the success of MP encapsulation was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The antifungal effect of EO and MP was evaluated by the broth microdilution method against Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The checkerboard method was used to assess synergistic interactions. Fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate the inhibition of hyphal growth by EO and MP. A cytotoxic assay was performed using the VERO cell line. Microencapsulated cinnamon essential oil was found to be micrometric, with a round, regular structure. The minimum inhibitory concentration of EO was found to be between 125-250µg/mL, while that of MP was 220.5-440.5µg/mL. EO was synergistic with fluconazole while microencapsulated oil was less cytotoxic than EO.

Psychophysiological Reactivity in Couples During a Marital Interaction Task.

The ability to regulate our own physiological arousal when dealing with the emotional expression of our partner is crucial for satisfactory and stable intimate relationships. In previous physiological studies of marital interactions, researchers have found greater levels of psychophysiological arousal for members of the couple in conflictual interactions in comparison with positive interactions. Past researchers have established that intense and prolonged autonomic and neuroendocrine arousal during marital conflict can have negative consequences for mental and physical health. In this study we examined the physiological reactivity, as measured by skin conductance level, heart rate and cortisol levels, from both partners during a couple's interaction task consisting of a structured conversation about positive and negative aspects of their relationship. Participants were thirty-two heterosexual couples (N = 64) in a committed monogamous relationship with a minimum duration of one year. We found higher heart rate and cortisol levels during negative interaction condition when compared with the positive condition. Skin conductance was higher in the positive interaction condition, when compared with the negative interaction condition. In addition, we found a significant negative association between heart rate variability and autonomic arousal evoked by the interaction task. The implications of these findings for the effects of marital strain on health as well as for the design of risk-reducing interventions, namely biofeedback are discussed.

Hemispheric asymmetries in subcortical visual and auditory relay structures in congenital deafness.

Neuroplasticity - the capacity of the brain to change as a response to internal and external pressures - has been studied from a number of different perspectives. Perhaps one of the most powerful models is the study of populations that have been congenitally deprived of a sense. It has been shown that the right Auditory Cortex (AC) of congenitally deaf humans is neuroplastically modified in order to represent visual properties of a stimulus. One unresolved question is how this visual information is routed to the AC of congenitally deaf individuals. Here, we performed volumetric analysis of subcortical auditory and visual brains regions - namely the thalamus (along with three thalamic nuclei: the pulvinar, the lateral geniculate nucleus and the medial geniculate nucleus), and the inferior and superior colliculi - in deaf and hearing participants in order to identify which structures may be responsible for relaying visual information toward the altered AC. Because there is a hemispheric asymmetry in the neuroplastic changes observed in the AC of the congenitally deaf, we reasoned that subcortical structures that also showed a similar asymmetry in their total volume could have been enlisted in the effort of relaying visual information to the neuroplastically altered right AC. We show that for deaf, but not for hearing individuals, the right thalamus, right lateral geniculate nucleus and right inferior colliculus are larger than their left counterparts. These results suggest that these subcortical structures may be responsible for rerouting visual information to the AC in congenital deafness.

Sensory-based and higher-order operations contribute to abnormal emotional prosody processing in schizophrenia: an electrophysiological investigation.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia is characterized by deficits in emotional prosody (EP) perception. However, it is not clear which stages of processing prosody are abnormal and whether the presence of semantic content contributes to the abnormality. This study aimed to examine event-related potential (ERP) correlates of EP processing in 15 chronic schizophrenia individuals and 15 healthy controls. METHOD: A total of 114 sentences with neutral semantic content [sentences with semantic content (SSC) condition] were generated by a female speaker (38 with happy, 38 with angry, and 38 with neutral intonation). The same sentences were synthesized and presented in the 'pure prosody' sentences (PPS) condition where semantic content was unintelligible. RESULTS: Group differences were observed for N100 and P200 amplitude: patients were characterized by more negative N100 for SSC, and more positive P200 for angry and happy SSC and happy PPS. Correlations were found between delusions and P200 amplitude for happy SSC and PPS. Higher error rates in the recognition of EP were also observed in schizophrenia: higher error rates in neutral SSC were associated with reduced N100, and higher error rates in angry SSC were associated with reduced P200. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that abnormalities in prosody processing occur at the three stages of EP processing, and are enhanced in SSC. Correlations between P200 amplitude for happy prosody and delusions suggest a role that abnormalities in the processing of emotionally salient acoustic cues may play in schizophrenia symptomatology. Correlations between ERP and behavioral data point to a relationship between early sensory abnormalities and prosody recognition in schizophrenia.

Sarcoma de Kaposi em doente com leucemia mielomonocítica crónica / Kaposi’s sarcoma arising in a patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia

Apresenta-se o caso de um doente com leucemia mielomonocítica crónica diagnosticada há cerca de 2 anos, actualmente medicado com hidroxiureiae eritropoietina, enviado a nossa consulta por máculas, pápulas e placas de cor vinosa localizadas aos membros inferiores. Algumas das lesões eramhiperqueratóticas. O diagnóstico de sarcoma de Kaposi foi histologicamente confirmado. O estudo analítico não detectou qualquer imunodeficiência associada. A morte do doente impediu a instituição de qualquer tratamento (AU)

A 84 year-old man from north Portugal with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (diagnosed 2 years ago), under treatment with erythropoiet in and hydroxyurea and Kaposi´s sarcoma is reported. The patient was referred to our department with brown macules, papules and patches with a smooth surface and whitish scale, located to the lower limbs that had appeared 2 month ago. The diagnosis of Kaposi’s sarcoma was histologically confirmed. He was HIV-1/HIV-2 negative and had no analytic detectable immussupression. The patient died short time after the diagnosis without specif any treatment (AU)

[Comparative analysis of attributional style and self-esteem in a sample of depressed patients and normal control subjects]. / Análisis comparativo del estilo atribucional y de la autoestima en una muestra de pacientes depresivos y sujetos control normales.

INTRODUCTION: The present study assesses the role of attributions and self-esteem in depressive states. In depression, attributions can become central biased coping mechanisms that guide individual behavior. METHODS: Self-esteem and attribution bias was assessed in 40 depressed and 80 normal controls. RESULTS: Results of this investigation show that depressed patients made more internal attributions to negative events, and more external attributions for positive events than their normal counterparts, confirming an exaggerated attributional bias. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that depressed patients tend to blame themselves for their mistakes. Depressed patients made more stable and global attributions for negative events than for positive events, as opposed to what happens with the normal controls, making us believe that this bias will be maintained in time, and will eventually generalize to other life areas. This kind of study seems useful to develop efficient treatment programs and evaluation tools of depression.

Análisis comparativo del estilo atribucional y de la autoestima en una muestra de pacientes depresivos y sujetos control normales / Comparative analysis of attributional style and self-esteem in a simple of depressed patients and normal control subjects

Introducción. En la presente investigación se ha analizado el papel de desempeñan la variable atribucional y la autoestima en estados depresivos. El estudio atribucional es de capital importancia en la dinámica de la personalidad, ya que las atribuciones causales son mecanismos sesgados de afrontamiento que guían la conducta del sujeto. Métodos. Para llevar a cabo esta investigación se ha evaluado la autoestima y los sesgos atribucionales en una muestra de 40 pacientes depresivos y se ha comparado con 80 sujetos control normales. Resultados. Los resultados de esta investigación muestran que los pacientes depresivos realizaron atribuciones más internas para los eventos negativos que el grupo control normal y atribuciones más externas que los normales para los sucesos positivos, presentando un exagerado sesgo atribucional. Conclusiones. Estos datos nos sugieren que los pacientes depresivos tienden a culparse a sí mismos de sus fallos. Los pacientes depresivos realizaron atribuciones más estables y globales para los hechos negativos que para los positivos en comparación con los sujetos normales, considerando que dicha situación negativa se mantendrá en el tiempo y se globalizará a otras áreas de su vida. Este tipo de estudios resultan de utilidad para el desarrollo de programas eficaces de tratamiento y de instrumentos de evaluación de la depresión (AU)

Introduction. The present study assesses the role of attribution and self esteem in depressive states. In depression, attributions can become central biased coping mechanism that guide individual behavior. Methods. Self-esteem and attribution bias was assessed in 40 depressed and 80 normal controls. Results. Results of this investigation show that depressed patients made more internal attributions to negative events and more external attributions for positive events than their normal counterparts, confirming an exaggerated attributional bias. Conclusions. The results suggest that depressed patients tend to blame themselves for their mistakes. Depressed patients made more stable and global attributions for negative events than for positive events, as opposed to what happens with the normal controls, making us believe that this bias will be maintained in time, and will eventually generalize to other life areas. This kind of study seems useful to develop efficient treatment programs and evaluation tools of depression (AU)

First experiments on diffraction-enhanced imaging at LNLS.

Diffraction-enhanced images have been obtained using two silicon crystals in a non-dispersive set-up at the XRD2 beamline at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS). A first asymmetrically cut silicon crystal using the (333) reflection vertically expanded the monochromated beam from 1 mm to 20 mm allowing the imaging of the whole sample without movements. A symmetrically cut Si(333) second crystal was used as a Bragg analyzer. Images of biological samples including human tissue were recorded using a direct-conversion CCD detector resulting in enhancement of the contrast compared with absorption-contrast images.

Modelling the elastic scattering in diagnostic radiology: the importance of structure form factors.

The importance of structure form factors in describing elastic scattering in diagnostic radiology was studied through a Monte Carlo code built to reproduce scattering in large water samples. The code, developed by us, considers all relevant interactions, including multiple scattering and interference due to scattering by the liquid structure. Geometrical conditions and energies similar to those found in radiology were used. The secondary to primary radiation ratio using the usual free atom approximation and the structure form factor was obtained and both approaches were compared. Calculations of radiological parameters such as the angular distribution of photons incident on the detector and the fraction of scattered photons stopped by anti-scattering grids were also performed considering mammography, thorax and abdomen radiography conditions. The results have shown that S(beta)/P depends on the experimental set-up, being more important for low momentum transfers and sample sizes for which the multiple scattering is not expected to be significant, as in the case of mammography. It was also verified that large samples increase the probability of multiple scattering, masking the structure peak in S(beta) and making the sample structure important just for relatively thin samples. Considering mammography-like geometry, the maximum of the S(beta)/P distribution considering structure form factors occurs around 15 degrees while the correspondent maximum without considering the structure factors occurs around 10 degrees for any sample thickness. S(beta)/P is almost independent of the irradiation field, with the maximum remaining at 15 degrees and 10 degrees for the SFF and FAFF, respectively. The cases studied in this paper stress some conditions in which it is mandatory to use SFF, but since it requires no further significant efforts, the SFF approach is recommended as a standard procedure when describing the elastic scattering process in radiology.

[Caudal regression syndrome. Lumbo-sacral agenesis]. / Síndrome de regressão caudal agenesia lombo-sagrada.

Retrospective analysis of six cases of caudal regression syndrome, classified in accordance with vertebral envolvement. The degree of vertebral agenesis, morphology and topography of the conus medularis, neurologic implications (motor, sensitive and autonomous) and associated malformations, of particular importance in some situations of little significant vertebral agenesis are analyzed. Associations with eventual predisponent factors are sought.

Angle-dispersive diffraction with synchrotron radiation at Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (Brazil): potential for use in biomedical imaging.

At low angles the scattering of X-rays in the diagnostic energy range (low-momentum transfer), it is probable that the scattering interaction will be coherent. This coherence gives rise to interference effects resulting in X-ray diffraction patterns that are characteristic of the scattering material. The usefulness of coherent scattering is not limited to crystallography. It can provide information about biological material as well. The interatomic and intermolecular co-operative effects which modify the free-atom coherent scattering process are well known for highly ordered structures such as crystalline materials but are important for amorphous solids and liquids where short-range ordering occurs. X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation has became a well established technique. This work introduces a non-destructive synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction imaging technique. The feasibility of the X-ray diffraction computed microtomography using synchrotron radiation has been investigated. This research was carried out at the X-ray diffraction beam line of the National Synchrotron Light Laboratory supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (LNLS/CNPq) in Brazil. These experimental patterns were carried out with a 500 microm slit in front of the detector and an 11.101 keV beam (lambda = 1.117 A) monochromatic beam from the double crystal monochromator. The diffracted beam was detected by a fast scintillation detector (10(6) counts s(-1)) designed specifically to meet the needs of high quality X-ray diffraction and synchrotron radiation experiments. The data were recorded at rates of one second per degree of 2theta (angular steps equal to 0.05 +/- 0.01 degrees) and registered by a multichannel analyzer. These experimental data could be used to evaluate the scattering properties of different tissue-substitute (water, lucite, nylon, plastic and polystyrene) and bone-substitute (hydroxyapatite and aluminum) materials. The data are in good agreement with those obtained by other authors, indicating the feasibility of the imaging technique.

Structural evidence for a programmed general base in the active site of a catalytic antibody.

The crystal structure of the complex of a catalytic antibody with its cationic hapten at 1.9-A resolution demonstrates that the hapten amidinium group is stabilized through an ionic pair interaction with the carboxylate of a combining-site residue. The location of this carboxylate allows it to act as a general base in an allylic rearrangement. When compared with structures of other antibody complexes in which the positive moiety of the hapten is stabilized mostly by cation-pi interactions, this structure shows that the amidinium moiety is a useful candidate to elicit a carboxylate in an antibody combining site at a predetermined location with respect to the hapten. More generally, this structure highlights the advantage of a bidentate hapten for the programmed positioning of a chemically reactive residue in an antibody through charge complementarity to the hapten.

Mechanism of an antibody-catalysed allylic isomerization.

The catalytic antibody 4B2, which was generated against a substituted amidine 1, catalyses the allylic isomerization of beta, gamma-unsaturated ketones with an acceleration factor (k(cat)/k(uncat)) of 1.5x10(3). On the basis of the 'bait and switch' strategy, it was reasoned that the positively charged hapten could elicit, by charge complementarity, an acidic residue (Asp or Glu) in the antibody-binding site in the right position to catalyse this proton transfer reaction. The pH dependence curve of k(cat)/K(m) shows a bell-shaped feature with an optimum at approx. pH 4.5. By cloning and sequencing the light and heavy chains of the 4B2 antibody, we confirmed the presence of several Asp and Glu residues in the complementarity-determining region loops. The antibody catalyses the alpha-proton exchange on the same substrates, demonstrating the involvement of a dienol intermediate in the reaction mechanism. Kinetic studies with (2)H-NMR provide evidence that alpha-proton abstraction is stereospecific. Whether the process involves one or two acid/base residues in this simple proton transfer or whether it is a concerted mechanism is discussed.

Cognitive narrative psychotherapy: research foundations.

There has been an increased interest in the study of language processes in psychotherapy. More recently, research and theoretical formulations of the therapeutic process suggested that we must move from the microscopic study of verbal modes to a macroscopic approach in which these modes are organized into narratives. Narratives are conceived, in this perspective, as the basic instruments for meaning making. In this article the research on narrative processes in psychotherapy is reviewed and discussed in terms of its implications for the theory and practice of cognitive narrative psychotherapy. Additionally some of the main data coming from research projects on cognitive narrative psychotherapy are presented.

Menkes' kinky hair syndrome: ultrastructural cutaneous alterations of the elastic fibers.

Menkes' kinky hair syndrome is associated with the defective functioning of several copper-dependent enzymes due to impaired copper absorption, transport, or metabolism. Lysyl oxidase is a copper-requiring enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative deamination of lysyl residues linking two adjacent chains of tropoelastin polypeptides into an insoluble network. Elastin of the connective tissue is the responsible protein for the elastic properties of the skin. We report transmission electron microscopy findings concerning elastic fiber alterations of the skin in three patients with Menkes' syndrome. The reticular dermis showed marked changes in the elastic fibers with a paucity of the central amorphous component while retaining normal microfibrillary material. These ultrastructural observations, to the best of our knowledge, are reported for the first time in skin from these patients and may be readily interpreted in terms of a specific biochemical defect in elastogenesis.