Choice impulsivity after repeated social stress is associated with increased perineuronal nets in the medial prefrontal cortex.

Repeated stress can predispose to substance abuse. However, behavioral and neurobiological adaptations that link stress to substance abuse remain unclear. This study investigates whether intermittent social defeat (ISD), a stress protocol that promotes drug-seeking behavior, alters intertemporal decision-making and cortical inhibitory function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Male long evans rats were trained in a delay discounting task (DDT) where rats make a choice between a fast (1 s) small reward (1 sugar pellet) and a large reward (3 sugar pellets) that comes with a time delay (10 s or 20 s). A decreased preference for delayed rewards was used as an index of choice impulsivity. Rats were exposed to ISD and tested in the DDT 24 h after each stress episode, and one- and two-weeks after the last stress episode. Immunohistochemistry was performed in rat's brains to evaluate perineuronal nets (PNNs) and parvalbumin GABA interneurons (PV) labeling as markers of inhibitory function in mPFC. ISD significantly decreased the preference for delayed large rewards in low impulsive, but not high impulsive, animals. ISD also increased the density of PNNs in the mPFC. These results suggest that increased choice impulsivity and cortical inhibition predispose animals to seek out rewards after stress.

Large-Scale Production of 119mTe and 119Sb for Radiopharmaceutical Applications.

Radionuclides find widespread use in medical technologies for treating and diagnosing disease. Among successful and emerging radiotherapeutics, 119Sb has unique potential in targeted therapeutic applications for low-energy electron-emitting isotopes. Unfortunately, developing 119Sb-based drugs has been slow in comparison to other radionuclides, primarily due to limited accessibility. Herein is a production method that overcomes this challenge and expands the available time for large-scale distribution and use. Our approach exploits high flux and fluence from high-energy proton sources to produce longer lived 119mTe. This parent isotope slowly decays to 119Sb, which in turn provides access to 119Sb for longer time periods (in comparison to direct 119Sb production routes). We contribute the target design, irradiation conditions, and a rapid procedure for isolating the 119mTe/119Sb pair. To guide process development and to understand why the procedure was successful, we characterized the Te/Sb separation using Te and Sb K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The procedure provides low-volume aqueous solutions that have high 119mTe-and consequently 119Sb-specific activity in a chemically pure form. This procedure has been demonstrated at large-scale (production-sized, Ci quantities), and the product has potential to meet stringent Food and Drug Administration requirements for a 119mTe/119Sb active pharmaceutical ingredient.

Effect of ACTN3 Polymorphism on Self-reported Running Times.

Kreutzer, A, Martinez, CA, Kreutzer, M, Stone, JD, Mitchell, JB, and Oliver, JM. Effect of ACTN3 polymorphism on self-reported running times. J Strength Cond Res 33(1): 80-88, 2019-This investigation examined the effect of ACTN3 genotype on self-reported distance running personal records (PRs). Of 94 (n = 94) recreationally active men and women, 82 (f = 42, m = 40; age: 22.6 ± 4.5 years; body mass index [BMI]: 23.5 ± 3.4 kg·m) reported 1-mile running PRs, whereas 57 (f = 33, m = 24; age: 23.4 ± 5.3 years; BMI: 22.9 ± 9.3 kg·m) reported 5K running PRs. Subjects were grouped by the presence (ACTN3) or absence (ACTN3) of α-actinin-3, as well as by individual genotype (RR, RX, and XX). Among female participants, ACTN3 reported 64.5 seconds faster (p = 0.048) 1-mile PRs compared with their ACTN3 counterparts. No differences were observed when comparing 5K PRs between genotypes. Two one-sided test equivalence testing revealed that none of the effects observed when comparing ACTN3 and ACTN3 were equivalent to zero. Our study confirms a reportedly greater prevalence of XX benefits for endurance performance in females when compared with males but fails to strongly link ACTN3 genotype to endurance performance. Practitioners should continue to be cautious when using genetic information for talent identification and sport selection.

Estereotipos de género y evaluación de candidatos en Estados Unidos: evidencia de una encuesta-experimento / Gender stereotypes and candidate evaluation in the United States: evidence from a survey-experiment / Estereotipos de genero e evaluacao de candidatos nos Estados Unidos: evidencia de uma enquete-experimento

Resumen: Este artículo utiliza un diseño experimental para poner a prueba los efectos de estereotipos de género sobre la evaluación de candidatos. Aleatoriamente, le solicitamos a 826 residentes de EE.UU. leer la descripción de un candidato ficticio: 391 participantes recibieron la descripción de una candidata, mientras 435 leyeron la misma descripción pero de un hombre. Nuestros resultados muestran que los participantes se mostraron más proclives a votar por la mujer, creer que ella comparte sus preocupaciones y creer que ella estaba más capacitada para manejar asuntos como la educación y salud que el hombre. También encontramos que la afinidad partidaria es consistentemente el predictor más importante de la evaluación de candidatos. Interesantemente, los efectos de los estereotipos de género se debilitan solo parcialmente cuando se incluye la variable afinidad partidaria en el análisis.

Abstract: In this article, we use an experimental design to test the effects of gender stereotypes on candidate evaluation. We randomly assign 826 U.S. residents the task of reading a description of a fictional candidate: 391 participants received the script of a female candidate, whereas 435 read the same script but of a male candidate. Our results show that respondents are more likely to vote for the woman, to believe that she shares their concerns and to see her as more competent to deal with education and health care issues than the man. We also find that party affinity is consistently the strongest predictor of candidate evaluation. Interestingly, the effects of gender stereotypes partially weaken when partisanship is controlled for.

Resumo: Este artigo utiliza um desenho experimental para colocar a prova os efeitos de estereótipos de género sobre a avaliação de candidatos. Aleatoriamente, solicitamos a 826 residentes dos EUA ler a descrição de um candidato fictício: 391 participantes receberam a descrição de uma candidata, enquanto 435 leram a mesma descrição só que de um homem. Nossos resultados mostram que os participantes se mostraram mais inclinados a votar pela mulher, acreditar que ela compartilha suas preocupações e acreditar que ela estava mais capacitada para atender assuntos como a educação e saúde que o homem. Também encontramos que a afinidade partidária é consistentemente o previsor mais importante da avaliação de candidatos. Interessantemente, os efeitos dos estereótipos de género se debilitam apenas parcialmente quando se inclui a variável afinidade partidária no análise.