Developmental Lead Exposure in Rats Causes Sex-Dependent Changes in Neurobiological and Anxiety-Like Behaviors that Are Improved by Taurine Co-treatment.

Lead (Pb2+) is a developmental neurotoxicant that causes alterations in the brain's excitation-to-inhibition (E/I) balance by disrupting the development of the GABAergic systems. These GABAergic disruptions have persistent neurobiological and neurobehavioral structure-function relationships that can be examined using animal models of Pb2+ exposure. Further, taurine, a GABA-AR agonist, has been shown to offer neuroprotection against neurodevelopmental Pb2+ exposure and senescence. The present study evaluated the effects of Pb2+ exposure (i.e., at 150 ppm and 1,000 ppm doses) on Long Evans hooded rats during the perinatal period of development on locomotor activity in the open field (OF) and anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze (EPM). This was followed by an examination of brain mass using an encephalization quotient (EQ) and isotropic fractionation (ITF) of total cells and the number of neurons and non-neuronal cells in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and diencephalon. The results suggest that neurodevelopmental Pb2+ exposure caused persistent anxiety-like behaviors in both the OF and EPM with associated changes in EQ, but not ITF-determined cell density. Further, taurine treatment was observed to compensate for Pb2+ exposure in the behavioral assessments although precise neurobiological mechanisms remain unknown. Thus, more work is required to evaluate the role of taurine and other anxiolytic compounds in the alleviation of neurotoxicant-induced neurobehavioral syndromes and their associated neurobiological correlates.

Examining Masculinities to Inform Gender-Transformative Violence Prevention Programs: Qualitative Findings From Rakai, Uganda.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based programs are needed to engage men and boys that encourage the transformation of concepts of masculinity that uphold patterns of intimate partner violence (IPV). This study explores the constructs of masculinity and male gender norms surrounding sexual attitudes and IPV among men and boys living in Rakai, Uganda. METHODS: Between April and August 2017, we conducted 38 interviews and 5 focus group discussions with men and boys aged 15 to 49 years and 4 focus groups with key stakeholders to understand how male use of violence is influenced by personal, community, and society-level concepts of masculinity. We adapted 2 constructs of masculinities, reputation and respectability, in the analysis to examine masculinities in relation to IPV in the rural Ugandan setting. RESULTS: Findings suggest men and boys upheld 2 types of masculinities: respectability versus reputation. Masculine attributes related to respectability (referred to as "responsible men") included having a job, house, wife, and many children and taking care of family. Masculine attributes related to reputation (referred to as "cool men") included having sexual prowess, multiple sexual partners, and the resources to buy nice things. Both masculine norms were used to justify dominance over women and IPV. The divergence of masculinity was observed among youth and young adults who participated in a gender-transformative program, suggesting the effectiveness of the program. DISCUSSION: The gender-transformative approach should provide men and boys a chance to reflect on dynamic, often conflicting, images of a man and should empower individuals to renegotiate and reconceptualize masculine norms. This critical reflection on masculinity, which resonates with men and boys, needs to be included when engaging men within HIV and IPV prevention programs.

Deconvoluting the Innocent vs. Non-innocent Behavior of N,N-diethylphenylazothioformamide Ligands with Copper Sources.

Redox-active ligands lead to ambiguity in often clearly defined oxidation states of both the metal centre and the ligand. The arylazothioformamide (ATF) ligand class represents a redox-active ligand with three possible redox states (neutral, singly reduced, and doubly reduced). ATF-metal interactions result in strong colorimetric transitions allowing for the use of ATFs in metal detection and/or separations. While previous reports have discussed dissolution of zerovalent metals, the resulting oxidation states of coordination complexes have proved difficult to interpret through X-ray crystallographic analysis alone. This report describes the X-ray crystallographic analysis combined with computational modelling of the ATF ligand and metal complexes to deconvolute the metal and ligand oxidation state of metal-ATF complexes. Metal(ATF)2 complexes that originated from zerovalent metals were found to exist as dicationic metal centers containing two singly reduced ATF ligands. When employing Cu(I) salts instead of Cu(0) to generate copper-ATF complexes, the resulting complexes remained Cu(I) and the ATF ligand remained "innocent", existing in its neutral state. Although the use of CuX (where X = Br or I) or [Cu(NCMe)4]Y (where Y = BF4 or PF6) generated species of the type: [(ATF)Cu(µ-X)]2 and [Cu(ATF)2]Y, respectively, the ATF ligand remained in its neutral state for each species type.

Necesidad de integrar los servicios de salud y de asistencia social / The need to integrate health whith social assistance

En este trabajo se examinan los problemas surgidos de la creciente especialización, tanto clínica como de salud pública. Esta ha dado lugar a una fragmentación todavía mayor de los servicios prestados al público. Se presentaron pruebas, basadas en estudios tanto de aquellos que necesitan servicios, como de los que los proporcionan y de los que los organizan, de la necesidad apremiante de integrar y coordinar los servicios médicos prestados al público en general. A fin de resolver este problema, se sugiere que es preciso definir de nuevo la función y la formación del médico general, a fin de que llegue a ser un director más eficaz de la "orquesta de la atención médica". Se debe estimular la práctica integrada en grupo, así como las investigaciones y demostraciones relativas a la organización y las relaciones entre los programas de atención médica y los de salud pública. Por último, hay que encontrar el método de financiar la incorporación de determinado personal de salud pública y de asistencia social al sistema de práctica integrada en grupo

Necesidad de integrar los servicios de salud y de asistencia social / The need to integrate health whith social assistance

En este trabajo se examinan los problemas surgidos de la creciente especialización, tanto clínica como de salud pública. Esta ha dado lugar a una fragmentación todavía mayor de los servicios prestados al público. Se presentaron pruebas, basadas en estudios tanto de aquellos que necesitan servicios, como de los que los proporcionan y de los que los organizan, de la necesidad apremiante de integrar y coordinar los servicios médicos prestados al público en general. A fin de resolver este problema, se sugiere que es preciso definir de nuevo la función y la formación del médico general, a fin de que llegue a ser un director más eficaz de la "orquesta de la atención médica". Se debe estimular la práctica integrada en grupo, así como las investigaciones y demostraciones relativas a la organización y las relaciones entre los programas de atención médica y los de salud pública. Por último, hay que encontrar el método de financiar la incorporación de determinado personal de salud pública y de asistencia social al sistema de práctica integrada en grupo

Publicado en inglés en el Canadian Journal of Public Health, 1964