Gender differences in the association between stop-signal reaction times, body mass indices and/or spontaneous food intake in pre-school children: an early model of compromised inhibitory control and obesity.

BACKGROUND: Poor inhibitory control is associated with overeating and/or obesity in school-age children, adolescents and adults. The current study examined whether an objective and reliable marker of response inhibition, the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT), is associated with body mass index (BMI) z-scores and/or food intake during a snack test in pre-school children. METHODS: The current sample consisted of 193 pre-school children taking part in a longitudinal study of early brain development (Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (the MAVAN project)). Linear mixed-effect models were used to examine whether the SSRT measured at age 48 months associated with BMI z-scores and/or dietary intake during a laboratory-based snack test. RESULTS: After controlling for significant covariates including maternal BMI, there was a significant gender by SSRT interaction effect in predicting 48-month BMI z-scores. Post-hoc analysis revealed an association between longer SSRTs (poor response inhibition) and higher BMIs in girls but not boys. Across both girls and boys, longer SSRTs were associated with greater intake of carbohydrates and sugars during the snack test. The association between SSRT scores and BMI z-scores in girls was not statistically mediated by carbohydrate or sugar intake. CONCLUSIONS: At 48 months of age, slower response inhibition on the Stop-Signal Task associates with higher BMI z-scores in girls, and with higher intake of carbohydrates and sugars during a snack test across both genders. Ongoing follow-up of these children will help clarify the implications of these associations for longer term macronutrient intake, eating-related pathology and/or pathological weight gain over time.

Prevalence and diversity of avian malaria parasites in migratory Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger, Laridae, Charadriiformes) from the Brazilian Amazon Basin.

The Medium Solimões River region in the Brazilian Amazon Basin is an area utilized for reproduction and nesting by a variety of species of migratory aquatic birds such as Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger). These migratory birds form mixed-species reproductive colonies with high population densities and exhibit a large range of migration routes. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and diversity of the avian malaria parasites Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in Black Skimmers, on the basis of the association between microscopic observation of blood smears and amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (mtDNA cyt-b). The overall prevalence rates of the parasites for juvenile and adult bird specimens were 16% (5/31) and 22% (15/68), respectively. Sequencing the mtDNA cyt-b marker revealed two Plasmodium lineages, which had been previously described in different regions of the American continent, including a Neotropical region in Southeast Brazil, and one Haemoproteus lineage. The fact that avian malarial parasites have been found infecting the Black Skimmers in the Brazilian Amazon ecosystem, which exhibits considerable diversity, highlights the importance of these migratory birds as a potential source of infection and dispersion of pathogens to other susceptible birds of the Nearctic and Neotropical regions.

CBCT-based volume of simulated root resorption - influence of FOV and voxel size.

AIM: To examine the influence of the field of view (FOV) and voxel size on the measurement of the volume of simulated internal root resorption (IRR) lesions through cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODOLOGY: Eleven single-rooted teeth with IRR simulated by acid demineralization were studied. CBCT images were acquired using large FOV (voxel sizes of 0.200, 0.250 and 0.300 mm) and limited FOV (voxel sizes of 0.076, 0.100 and 0.200 mm). The IRR volumes were calculated using the Dolphin(®) software. Volumetric measurements were validated using IRR silicone putty casts. The analysis of variance (anova) for randomized block design complemented with the Tukey's test was employed. RESULTS: IRR volumes obtained using voxel sizes of 0.200 and 0.250 mm were similar (P > 0.05). However, both these values were significantly different from that obtained using the 0.300-mm voxel (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between IRR volumes measured through voxel sizes of 0.076 and 0.100 mm (P > 0.05), but both differed significantly from that obtained through the 0.200-mm voxel (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the volumetric measurements of the 0.200-mm voxel images of the restricted and large FOV protocols. The mean volumes of the silicone casts were smaller than those calculated using a 0.200-mm voxel, but were similar to those obtained using voxel sizes of 0.076 and 0.300 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the FOV protocol, voxel size can influence measurement of simulated IRR volumes. The importance of standardization of CBCT image acquisition protocols is emphasized, especially during follow-up of an IRR lesion, to prevent misinterpretation of its extent, which can create a bias in clinical decisions.

Evaluation of a digital learning object (DLO) to support the learning process in radiographic dental diagnosis.

AIMS: Studies have shown that inappropriate therapeutic strategies may be adopted if crown and root changes are misdiagnosed, potentially leading to undesirable consequences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate a digital learning object, developed to improve skills in diagnosing radiographic dental changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The object was developed using the Visual Basic Application (VBA) software and evaluated by 62 undergraduate students (male: 24 and female: 38) taking an imaging diagnosis course. Participants were divided in two groups: test group, which used the object and control group, which attended conventional classes. After 3 weeks, students answered a 10-question test and took a practice test to diagnose 20 changes in periapical radiographs. RESULTS: The results show that test group performed better that control group in both tests, with statistically significant difference (P = 0.004 and 0.003, respectively). In overall, female students were better than male students. Specific aspects of object usability were assessed using a structured questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale (SUS), with a score of 90.5 and 81.6 by male and female students, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in this study suggest that students who used the DLO performed better than those who used conventional methods. This suggests that the DLO may be a useful teaching tool for dentistry undergraduates, on distance learning courses and as a complementary tool in face-to-face teaching.

Stress in neonatal rats with different maternal care backgrounds: monoaminergic and hormonal responses.

The first 2 weeks of life in rats are known as the stress hyporesponsive period because stress responses in pups are diminished as compared to adult animals. However, it is considered a critical period in development in which infant rats are susceptible to environmental events, such as stressful stimuli and quality of maternal care received. These early life events have long-lasting effects, shaping a variety of outcomes, such as stress responsivity. This study investigated the effects of maternal care and sex differences on the response to an aversive stimulus in rat pups from high (HL) and low licking (LL) mothers. Plasma corticosterone, oxytocin (OT), and central monoaminergic activity in 13-day-old rats submitted to cold stress were analyzed. Stress increased plasma corticosterone and marginally decreased hypothalamic dihydroxyphenylacetic acid/dopamine ratio. HL pups showed higher levels of plasma OT than LL pups. The maternal effect was also detected in the hippocampus, in which 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid/serotonin ratio was increased in HL pups, independently of the sex and stress. Investigating the early life events is useful not only into understand the neurobiological and hormonal mechanisms underlying maternal and stressful influences on infant development into a healthy or psychopathological adult phenotype, but also to unveil the immediate outcomes on infancy.

Stress in Neonatal Rats with Different Maternal Care Backgrounds: Monoaminergic and Hormonal Responses.

The first 2 weeks of life in rats are known as the stress hyporesponsive period because stress responses in pups are diminished as compared to adult animals. However, it is considered a critical period in development in which infant rats are susceptible to environmental events, such as stressful stimuli and quality of maternal care received. These early life events have long-lasting effects, shaping a variety of outcomes, such as stress responsivity. This study investigated the effects of maternal care and sex differences on the response to an aversive stimulus in rat pups from high (HL) and low licking (LL) mothers. Plasma corticosterone, oxytocin, and central monoaminergic activity in 13-day-old rats submitted to cold stress were analyzed. Stress increased plasma corticosterone and marginally decreased hypothalamic dihydroxyphenylacetic acid/dopamine (DOPAC/DA) ratio. HL pups showed higher levels of plasma oxytocin than LL pups. The maternal effect was also detected in the hippocampus, in which 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid/serotonin (5-HIAA/5-HT) ratio was increased in HL pups, independently of the sex and stress. Investigating the early life events is useful not only into understand the neurobiological and hormonal mechanisms underlying maternal and stressful influences on infant development into a healthy or psychopathological adult phenotype, but also to unveil the immediate outcomes on infancy.

Better quality of mother-child interaction at 4 years of age decreases emotional overeating in IUGR girls.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: While most "fetal programming" area focused on metabolic disease, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is also associated with a preference for less healthy food. Post-natal factors such as strained maternal-child interactions are equally related to obesogenic eating behaviors. We investigated if IUGR and the quality of the mother/child relationship affect emotional overeating in children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Participants were 196 children from a prospective birth cohort (the MAVAN project). As part of the protocol at 4 years of age, mothers completed the Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) and mother-child interactions were scored during a structured task. A GLM adjusted for BMI examined the interaction between the "Atmosphere" score (ATM) task, sex and IUGR on the emotional over-eating domain of the CEBQ. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction of BWR vs. sex vs. ATM (P = .02), with no effects of IUGR, sex or ATM. The model was significant for girls with low ATM scores (B = -2.035, P = .014), but not for girls with high (P = 0.94) or boys with high (P = .27) or low (P = .19) ATM scores. Only in IUGR girls, 48 months emotional over-eating correlated with BMI at that age (r = 0.560, P = 0.013) and predicted BMI in the subsequent years (r = 0.654, P = 0.006 at 60 months and r = 0.750, P = 0.005 at 72 months). CONCLUSIONS: IUGR and exposure to a negative emotional atmosphere during maternal-child interactions predicted emotional overeating in girls but not in boys. The quality of mother-infant interaction may be an important target for interventions to prevent emotional overeating and overweight in early development, particularly in girls with a history of IUGR.

Acerola processing waste: Convective drying with ethanol as pretreatment.

The acerola seed is an agro-industrial waste. It is a high moisture content product, rich in bioactive compounds. Drying is an alternative to make this waste available in a safe condition. The use of ethanol as a pretreatment could improve the drying process besides reducing the operation time. This study aimed to investigate the influence of ethanol pretreatment (ET) on the content of bioactive compounds, cell wall thickness, and color. The drying kinetics was studied, and the influence of external and internal resistance was discussed. The samples were immersed in ethanol for 2 min with subsequent convective drying (40 °C and 60 °C; 1 m s-1) until they reached the equilibrium condition. The ET reduced the drying time up to 36.36 %. The external and mixed control of mass transfer were identified as the governing regimes for drying this material, depending on the use of ethanol. ET led to an increase in effective diffusivity, a reduction in cell wall thickness, and preservation of the color of the dried waste. The ET positively impacted the conservation of ascorbic acid compared to untreated dried samples but was not relevant to phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and antioxidant activity. The drying process increased the bioactivity of the anthocyanins. The best condition was drying at 60 °C, pretreated with ethanol.

A single administration of carbetocin before electroejaculation increases the insemination doses produced from each ejaculate in rams.

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of carbetocin administration (a long-acting analog of oxytocin) 20 or 10 min before electroejaculation (EE) on the duration of semen collection procedure, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the ejaculate, and stress biomarkers in rams. Semen was collected from 12 Corriedale rams (age, 2.5-5.5 years old) with EE, in a Latin-square design, administrating carbetocin (0.2 mg/100 kg of body weight i.v.) 20 or 10 min before EE, or without carbetocin administration (CB-20, CB-10, and CON treatments, respectively). Each treatment was applied to different rams every 3-4 days, allowing all the rams to receive all three treatments. Carbetocin administered 20 or 10 min before EE increased the number of sperm ejaculated (P = 0.01), the semen concentration (P = 0.02), the number of insemination doses collected in a single collection (P = 0.01), and the number of insemination doses collected/electrical pulses administered (P = 0.05) compared to control rams. Carbetocin administered 20 or 10 min before semen collection prolonged the time required for EE and the number of pulses administered during EE compared to CON rams (P < 0.03 for both). The CB-10 rams required the administration of more electrical pulses during ejaculation than CON rams (P = 0.001), and CB-20 treatment tended to require more electrical pulses than CON rams (P = 0.06). The volume of the ejaculate was greater in CB-10 than in CON rams (P = 0.01), and that of CB-20 treatment tended to be greater than CON rams (P = 0.08). The percentage of sperm with intact membrane was greater in CB-20 than in CON rams (P = 0.01). Total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations were lower immediately after carbetocin administration 20 or 10 min before EE. The treatments did not affect cortisol concentration, glycemia, rectal and surface temperatures, heart rate, and facial expressions. Carbetocin administration before EE of rams improved the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the ejaculate, duplicating the number of insemination doses collected. It can be a promising treatment to obtain a greater quantity of doses to inseminate with a lower frequency of semen collections, reducing the negative impacts of EE on animal welfare.

Process and quality parameters of convective dried yacon: Influence of ethanol treatment.

Yacon is a highly perishable tuberous root, rich in fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Convective drying preceded by ethanol treatment (ET) is an alternative for increasing shelf life in a shorter process. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ET and temperature (50 °C and 70 °C) on quality parameters (fructan retention, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, shrinkage, color and microstructural parameters) and process parameters (drying time, drying kinetics, and energy consumption) in the convective drying of yacon slices. The ET induced structural alterations in the tissues and cells that aids in the reduction of drying time up to 28.00 %. ET resulted in an increase in effective diffusivity and leaded to noteworthy reduction in energy consumption (up to 22.72 %). The quality parameters such as color, shrinkage, and total phenolic content showed no significant differences among the treatments. The use of ethanol promoted highest preservation of antioxidant activity; however, it caused degradation of FOS. The ethanol pretreated drying at 50 °C was the better condition for lower consumption and preservation of quality parameters as total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and fructan retention, but the samples dried at 50 °C were the ones with the highest fructan retention (55.11 ± 2.19 %).

Variation in the mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) moderates the influence of maternal sensitivity on child attachment.

The endogenous opioid system is thought to play an important role in mother-infant attachment. In infant rhesus macaques, variation in the µ-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) is related to differences in attachment behavior that emerges following repeated separation from the mother; specifically, infants carrying at least one copy of the minor G allele of the OPRM1 C77G polymorphism show heightened and more persistent separation distress, as well as a pattern of increased contact-seeking behavior directed towards the mother during reunions (at the expense of affiliation with other group members). Research in adult humans has also linked the minor G allele of the analogous OPRM1 A118G polymorphism with greater interpersonal sensitivity. Adopting an interactionist approach, we examined whether OPRM1 A118G genotype and maternal (in)sensitivity are associated with child attachment style, predicting that children carrying the G allele may be more likely to develop an ambivalent attachment pattern in response to less sensitive maternal care. The sample consisted of 191 mothers participating with their children (n = 223) in the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) project, a community-based, birth cohort study of Canadian mothers and their children assessed longitudinally across the child's development. Maternal sensitivity was coded from at-home mother-child interactions videotaped when the child was 18 months of age. Child attachment was assessed at 36 months using the Strange Situation paradigm. As predicted, G allele carriers, but not AA homozygotes, showed increasing odds of being classified as ambivalently attached with decreasing levels of maternal sensitivity. Paralleling earlier non-human animal research, this work provides support for the theory that endogenous opioids contribute to the expression of attachment behaviors in humans.

Timed artificial insemination programs during the summer in lactating dairy cows: comparison of the 5-d Cosynch protocol with an estrogen/progesterone-based protocol.

The objective of this study was to compare a GnRH-based to an estrogen/progesterone (E2/P4)-based protocol for estrous cycle synchronization and fixed timed artificial insemination (TAI), both designed for synchronization of ovulation and to reduce the period from follicular emergence until ovulation in cows with a synchronized follicular wave. A total of 1,190 lactating Holstein cows (primiparous: n=685 and multiparous: n=505) yielding 26.5 ± 0.30 kg of milk/d at 177 ± 5.02 d in milk were randomly assigned to receive one of the following programs: 5-d Cosynch protocol [d -8: controlled internal drug release (CIDR) + GnRH; d -3: CIDR removal + PGF2α; d -2: PGF2α; d 0: TAI + GnRH] or E2/P4 protocol (d -10: CIDR + estradiol benzoate; d -3: PGF2α; d -2: CIDR removal + estradiol cypionate; d 0: TAI). Rectal temperature and circulating progesterone (P4) were measured on d -3, -2, 0 (TAI), and 7. The estrous cycle was considered to be synchronized when P4 was ≥ 1.0 ng/mL on d 7 in cows that had luteolysis (P4 ≤ 0.4 ng/mL on d 0). To evaluate the effects of heat stress, cows were classified by number of heat stress events: 0, 1, and 2-or-more measurements of elevated body temperature (≥ 39.1 °C). Pregnancy success (pregnancy per artificial insemination, P/AI) was determined at d 32 and 60 after TAI. The cows in the 5-d Cosynch protocol had increased circulating P4 at the time of PGF2α injection (2.66 ± 0.13 vs. 1.66 ± 0.13 ng/mL). The cows in the E2/P4 protocol were more likely to be detected in estrus (62.8 vs. 43.4%) compared with the cows in the 5-d Cosynch protocol, and expression of estrus improved P/AI in both treatments. The cows in the 5-d Cosynch protocol had greater percentage of synchronized estrous cycle (78.2%), compared with cows in the E2/P4 protocol (70.7%). On d 60, the E2/P4 protocol tended to improve P/AI (20.7 vs. 16.7%) and reduced pregnancy loss from 32 to 60 d (11.0 vs. 19.6%), compared with the 5-d Cosynch protocol. In cows withtheir estrous cycle synchronized, the E2/P4 protocol had greater P/AI (25.6 vs. 17.7%) on d 60 and lower pregnancy loss from 32 to 60 d (6.7 vs. 21.7%) compared with cows in the 5-d Cosynch protocol. Follicle diameter affected pregnancy loss from 32 to 60d only in the cows in the 5-d Cosynch protocol, with smaller follicles resulting in greater pregnancy loss. Pregnancy per AI at d 60 was different between protocols in the cows with 2 or more measurements of heat stress (5-d Cosynch=12.2% vs. E2/P4=22.8%), but not in the cows without or with 1 heat stress measurement. In conclusion, the 5-d Cosynch protocol apparently produced better estrous cycle synchronization than the E2/P4 protocol but did not improve P/AI. The potential explanation for these results is that increased E2 concentrations during the periovulatory period can improve pregnancy success and pregnancy maintenance, and this effect appears to be greatest in heat-stressed cows when circulating E2 may be reduced.

CBCT for the assessment of second mesiobuccal (MB2) canals in maxillary molar teeth: effect of voxel size and presence of root filling.

AIM: To compare detection of the second mesiobuccal (MB2) canal in maxillary molar teeth using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) with different voxel sizes against conventional radiographic examination when the MB1 was unprepared, prepared and filled. METHODOLOGY: Radiographic examination and 0.2-, 0.25- and 0.3-mm CBCT (n = 89) were performed in 3 stages: S1, no first mesiobuccal (MB1) canal preparation or filling; S2, after MB1 preparation and filling; and S3, after MB1 root canal filling removal and canal repreparation. Images were analysed using the i-Cat software. After RE and CBCT acquisition in S3, all the samples were clarified to directly visualize the presence of the MB2 canal. All images were analysed by a blinded, previously calibrated examiner. Accuracy, specificity and sensitivity were compared using analysis of variance (P < 0.05 level of significance). RESULTS: MB2 root canals were detected in 67% of the samples. Overall, radiographic examination was associated with lower mean accuracy values for detecting MB2 than CBCT regardless of the MB1 condition. The MB1 root canal condition did not influence MB2 detection in 0.2-mm voxel images. The presence of root fillings in the MB1 canals reduced the detection of MB2 canals, especially in the 0.3- and 0.25-mm voxel-size images (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: CBCT was associated with higher mean values of specificity and sensibility than radiographic examination for the detection of MB2 canals. When endodontic retreatment is necessary removal of the root filling prior to the CBCT examination eliminates artefacts, thereby permitting the use of the 0.3-mm voxel protocol that has good diagnostic performance and lower radiation dose.

Does aerobic exercise training promote changes in structural and biomechanical properties of the tendons in experimental animals? A systematic review.

To develop a systematic review to evaluate, through the best scientific evidence available, the effectiveness of aerobic exercise in improving the biomechanical characteristics of tendons in experimental animals. Two independent assessors conducted a systematic search in the databases Medline/PUBMED and Lilacs/BIREME, using the following descriptors of Mesh in animal models. The ultimate load of traction and the elastic modulus tendon were used as primary outcomes and transverse section area, ultimate stress and tendon strain as secondary outcomes. The assessment of risk of bias in the studies was carried out using the following methodological components: light/dark cycle, temperature, nutrition, housing, research undertaken in conjunction with an ethics committee, randomization, adaptation of the animals to the training and preparation for the mechanical test. Eight studies, comprising 384 animals, were selected; it was not possible to combine them into one meta-analysis due to the heterogeneity of the samples. There was a trend to increasing ultimate load without changes in the other outcomes studied. Only one study met more than 80% of the quality criteria. Physical training performed in a structured way with imposition of overloads seems to be able to promote changes in tendon structure of experimental models by increasing the ultimate load supported. However, the results of the influence of exercise on the elastic modulus parameters, strain, transverse section area and ultimate stress, remain controversial and inconclusive. Such a conclusion must be evaluated with reservation as there was low methodological control in the studies included in this review.

Alterations of tendons in patients with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

AIMS: To perform a systematic review of observational studies which analyse tendon alterations in patients with diabetes mellitus compared with healthy individuals. METHODS: Data collection was performed, with no language restriction, using the databases of PubMed/Medline, BIREME, CINAHL, LILACS and Cochrane, as well as the references found in these studies. Three reviewers performed independent extractions of articles. Subsequently, these reviewers analysed the articles, focusing on their methodological quality, using the appropriate scale to evaluate observational studies from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. RESULTS: Six articles were included in the analysis. Of these, four had used ultrasonographic diagnostics, one computed tomography and one magnetic resonance imaging. The patient pool comprised 396 individuals. All the articles evaluated tendon thickness and presented heterogeneous results. Two articles stated thickening or increased volume of the tendons in diabetic people, one article did not report any alteration, the fourth failed to determine any alterations and the fifth showed thinning of the tendons. The arrangement of collagen fibrils and the presence of calcification were analysed in only one article (n = 80), showing that 88.10% (n = 68) of individuals with diabetes presented disorientation of collagen fibril arrangement, while only 10% (n = 1) of healthy individuals presented this condition. Regarding tendon calcification, the article showed diabetic individuals with higher values than healthy individuals. CONCLUSIONS: All the articles indicated some relation between diabetes mellitus and tendon alterations in human beings, but due to methodological drawbacks, this association could not be sustained.

alpha/beta-T cell receptor (TCR)+CD4-CD8- (NKT) thymocytes prevent insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in nonobese diabetic (NOD)/Lt mice by the influence of interleukin (IL)-4 and/or IL-10.

We have previously shown that nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice are selectively deficient in alpha/beta-T cell receptor (TCR)+CD4-CD8- NKT cells, a defect that may contribute to their susceptibility to the spontaneous development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The role of NKT cells in protection from IDDM in NOD mice was studied by the infusion of thymocyte subsets into young female NOD mice. A single intravenous injection of 10(6) CD4-/lowCD8- or CD4-CD8- thymocytes from female (BALB/c x NOD)F1 donors protected intact NOD mice from the spontaneous onset of clinical IDDM. Insulitis was still present in some recipient mice, although the cell infiltrates were principally periductal and periislet, rather than the intraislet pattern characteristic of insulitis in unmanipulated NOD mice. Protection was not associated with the induction of "allogenic tolerance" or systemic autoimmunity. Accelerated IDDM occurs after injection of splenocytes from NOD donors into irradiated adult NOD recipients. When alpha/beta-TCR+ and alpha/beta-TCR- subsets of CD4-CD8- thymocytes were transferred with diabetogenic splenocytes and compared for their ability to prevent the development of IDDM in irradiated adult recipients, only the alpha/beta-TCR+ population was protective, confirming that NKT cells were responsible for this activity. The protective effect in the induced model of IDDM was neutralized by anti-IL-4 and anti-IL-10 monoclonal antibodies in vivo, indicating a role for at least one of these cytokines in NKT cell-mediated protection. These results have significant implications for the pathogenesis and potential prevention of IDDM in humans.

Rationale and design of the Endurant Stent Graft Natural Selection Global Postmarket Registry (ENGAGE): interim analysis at 30 days of the first 180 patients enrolled.

AIM: The Endurant Stent Graft Natural Selection Global Postmarket Registry (ENGAGE) is a long-term 1200-patient multicenter prospective study initiated to augment the knowledge base (poolable and comparable) about endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) in a real-world population implanted with a single latest-generation stent graft system (Endurant). With enrollment ongoing at 80 high-volume sites, the registry has limited inclusion/exclusion criteria or procedural specification. Technical and clinical data will be reported through 5 years. METHODS: An interim analysis was performed on investigator-reported data for the first 180 patients enrolled. These patients were asymptomatic elderly males (92.1%) with considerable comorbidities. For 47.3% of the patients, the American Society of Anesthesiologists risk class was either III or IV. The Endurant stent graft was successfully deployed in 99.4% of patients for elective treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm. RESULTS: Through 30 days, the rate of all-cause mortality was 1.7% (N=3), with all 3 deaths classified as procedure-related but not device-related. The rate of secondary endovascular procedures was 1.1%, and the rate of conversion to open repair was 0.6%. At postprocedure and at 30-day follow-up, there were no type I or type III endoleaks and no instances of stent graft kinking, thrombosis, or occlusion. ENGAGE represents the largest real-world registry for any single EVAR stent graft. CONCLUSION: The interim results through 30 days of the first 180 patients enrolled are promising. Longer-term follow-up for more patients will be reported.

Early life handling decreases serotonin turnover in the nucleus accumbens and affects feeding behavior of adult rats.

In our previous studies, we reported that neonatally handled rats have an increased ingestion of sweet food but are resistant to the damaging effects of a chronic exposure to a highly palatable diet. Accumbal serotonin (5-HT) is important for feeding behavior and plays a role in the vulnerability to diet-induced obesity. Therefore, our hypotheses were (1) 5-HT turnover in the nucleus accumbens is altered in neonatally handled animals and plays a role in their differential feeding behavior and (2) if this is so, a chronic pharmacological treatment affecting 5-HT reuptake (chronic imipramine) would be able to revert the behavioral findings. Litters were divided into nonhandled and handled (10 min/day, Days 1-10 after birth). In Experiment 1, we demonstrated that a decreased 5-HT metabolism in the nucleus accumbens was observed in adult handled animals. In Experiment 2, the two previous groups were subdivided and assigned to receive imipramine diluted in water or water alone. After 30 days of treatment, we evaluated their weight gain and feeding behavior. Handled rats weighed less than nonhandled rats, and all imipramine-treated rats showed a reduction in weight gain after 60 days of treatment. Imipramine reverted the increased sweet food consumption seen in neonatally handled rats. We conclude that serotonin is involved in the altered feeding behavior of neonatally handled rats, and this protocol is an important tool for studying the mechanisms by which early life events have a long-term impact on feeding preferences.

"Comfort-foods" chronic intake has different behavioral and neurobiological effects in male rats exposed or not to early-life stress.

The ability of "comfort-food" (CF) diet to revert long-term effects of early-life stress (ELS) is less well known. The objective of this study was to verify if the chronic exposure to CF diet in animals submitted to ELS could relief the stress response at behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neurobiochemical levels, via differences in glucocorticoid receptors expression in brain areas involved in the stress response. From the second day of life, litters of Wistar rats and their mothers were submitted to the reduced nesting material protocol (ELS). In adult life, ELS and a control group were exposed chronically to two diet schemes: standard rat chow only or both "CF" diet, containing fat (34%) and sugar (20%) and a diet similar to the standard diet. Anxiety-like behavior, neuroendocrine response stress, leptin, GR, SOCS-3, pSTAT3, and the abdominal fat were evaluated. The anxiety-like behavior results showed that ELS group when exposed to comfort food were not different from the others groups. Chronic exposure to CF diet induced an anxiety-like behavior in the control group. Groups chronically exposed to CF diet had lower levels of corticosterone over time independent of the neonatal group. The ELS group exposed to the "CF" diet had higher levels of hippocampal GR, lower levels of hypothalamic SOCS-3 and greater accumulation of abdominal fat. Chronic CF diet consumption is able to reduce corticosterone levels independent of the neonatal history, but is associated with anxiety-like behavior in animals without previous history of trauma. Metabolic disturbances like increased adiposity and altered SOCS-3 seem to be a result of multiple insults (neonatal trauma followed by chronic CF diet). We highlight that the Control-chow and ELS-chow data were previously published, and are included in this study for comparative analysis.

Pistil anatomy and pollen tube development in Polygala vayredae Costa (Polygalaceae).

Low seed ovule ratios have been observed in natural populations of Polygala vayredae Costa, a narrowly endemic species from the oriental pre-Pyrenees. To evaluate physical and nutritional constraints and pollen tube attrition in this endemic species, stigma and style anatomy, as well as pollen tube development along the pistil were investigated using light and fluorescence microscopy. The structural morphology of the stigmatic region was also examined with scanning electron microscopy. Pollen grains that reached the stigmatic papillae came into contact with a lipid-rich exudate and germinated easily. Although a large number of pollen grains reach the stigmatic papillae, few pollen tubes were able to grow into the style towards the ovary. The style was hollow, with the stylar channel beginning a few cells below the stigmatic papillae. Initially, the stylar channel area was small compared to other levels of the style, and was surrounded by lipid-rich, highly metabolic active cells. Furthermore, lipid-rich mucilage was detected inside the stylar channel. At subsequent style levels towards the ovary, no major reserves were detected histochemically. The reduced intercellular spaces below the stigmatic papillae and the reduced area of the stylar channel at its commencement are suggested to physically constrain the number of pollen tubes that can develop. In subsequent levels of the style, the stylar channel could physically support a larger number of pollen tubes, but the lack of nutritional reserves cannot be disregarded as a cause of pollen tube attrition. Finally, the number of pollen tubes entering the ovary was greater than the number of ovules, suggesting that interactions occurring at this level play a major role in the final reproductive outcome in this species.