Activation of a hypothalamus-habenula circuit by mechanical stimulation inhibits cocaine addiction-like behaviors

BACKGROUND: Mechanoreceptor activation modulates GABA neuron firing and dopamine (DA) release in the mesolimbic DA system, an area implicated in reward and substance abuse. The lateral habenula (LHb), the lateral hypothalamus (LH), and the mesolimbic DA system are not only reciprocally connected, but also involved in drug reward. We explored the effects of mechanical stimulation (MS) on cocaine addiction-like behaviors and the role of the LH-LHb circuit in the MS effects. MS was performed over ulnar nerve and the effects were evaluated by using drug seeking behaviors, optogenetics, chemogenetics, electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Mechanical stimulation attenuated locomotor activity in a nerve-dependent manner and 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and DA release in nucleus accumbens (NAc) following cocaine injection. The MS effects were ablated by electrolytic lesion or optogenetic inhibition of LHb. Optogenetic activation of LHb suppressed cocaine-enhanced 50 kHz USVs and locomotion. MS reversed cocaine suppression of neuronal activity of LHb. MS also inhibited cocaine-primed reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior, which was blocked by chemogenetic inhibition of an LH-LHb circuit. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that peripheral mechanical stimulation activates LH-LHb pathways to attenuate cocaine-induced psychomotor responses and seeking behaviors.

Altered Doppler flow patterns in cirrhosis patients: an overview

Doppler ultrasonography of the hepatic vasculature is an integral part of evaluating precirrhotic and cirrhotic patients. While the reversal of the portal venous flow is a well-recognized phenomenon, other flow patterns, although not as easily understood, may play an important role in assessing the disease status. This article discusses the different characteristic flow patterns observed from the portal vein, hepatic artery, and hepatic vein in patients with liver cirrhosis or related complications and procedures. Knowledge of these different flow patterns provides additional information that may reinforce the diagnosis of cirrhosis, help in staging, and offer prognostic information for determining the direction of therapy. Doppler ultrasonography is invaluable when liver transplantation is being considered and aids in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

The provision of surgical care for children with cardiac disease: the Jamaican experience - An 18-year review / La provisión de la atención quirúrgica a niños con la enfermedad cardíaca: un estudio de 18 años

The aim of this article is to review the local experience over the last 18 years (1994-2011) in providing surgical intervention for children with heart conditions in Jamaica. Eight hundred and sixty-three children received cardiac surgery during this period, 441 were done with the assistance of visiting overseas teams and 422 by the local surgical teams. The majority of cases receiving cardiac surgery were for congenital heart defects; however, 3% of cases were for rheumatic heart disease. The overall survival rate was 94% for the period 1994 to 2008.

El objetivo de este artículo es pasar examen a la experiencia local durante los últimos 18 años (1994-2011) en cuanto a brindar intervención quirúrgica a niños con problemas cardíacos en Jamaica. Ochocientos sesenta y tres niños recibieron cirugía cardíaca durante este periodo. De estas, 441 se realizaron con ayuda de equipos formados por personal médico visitante extranjero, y 422 por equipos de cirujanos locales. La mayoría de los casos que recibieron cirugía cardíaca presentaban defectos cardíacos congénitos. Sin embargo, un 3% de los casos presentaban la enfermedad reumática del corazón. La tasa de supervivencia global fue 94% para el periodo 1994 a 2008.

Distribución vertical de haemagogus janthinomys (dyar) (diptera: culicidae) en bosques de la amazonía peruana / Vertical distribution of the mosquito Haemagogus jantinomys (Dyar) (Diptera: Culicidae) in forests of the Peruvian Amazon

Objetivos: Determinar si la abundancia del mosquito Haemagogus janthinomys está relacionada con la temperatura y lahumedad relativa, y si varía entre el dosel y el sotobosque en tres tipos de bosques de la selva Amazónica, medido porcebo humano. Materiales y métodos: Se colectó Hg. janthinomys al mismo tiempo en dos estratos de tres sitios en trestipos de bosques -bosque que se desarrolla sobre suelo arcilloso, sobre arena blanca (varillal), y bosques inundables(bajiales) cerca de Iquitos, Perú. Se midió la temperatura y la humedad relativa cada 15 minutos durante el tiempo decolecta. Resultados: No se encontró Hg. janthinomys en los bajiales mostrados. Su abundancia fue igual en el montealto que en los varillales (Z = 1, 48; p = 0,14), pero fue mayor en el dosel (2,9; ± 0,89) que en el sotobosque (0,4; ±0.23) (Z = 2,80; p = 0,005). No se encontró una relación entre la abundancia de Hg. janthinomys y la temperatura y lahumedad relativa (F1, 14 < 0,33; p > 0057; r2 < 0,03). Conclusiones: Estos resultados preliminares indican que alrededorde Iquitos, como en otras regiones, Hg. janthinomys es más abundante en el dosel. También, los resultados sugieren quela probabilidad de encontrar Hg. janthinomys puede depender del tipo de bosque en la selva amazónica peruana, perono depende en la variación de la temperatura ni la humedad relativa que es típica para los bosques tropicales.

Objectives: Our goals were to determine if the abundance of the mosquito Haemagogus janthinomys is correlated with environmental variables, and if it differs between the canopy and understory in three different Amazonian forest types. Materials and methods: Adult Hg. janthinomys mosquitoes were collected via human landings simultaneously in the canopy and understory of three replicate high forest, white sand forest, and seasonally flooded forest sites near Iquitos, Peru. Temperature and relative humidity were recorded every 15 min. during the collection periods. Results: No Hg. janthinomys were collected in seasonally flooded forest. Their abundance was similar between high forest and white sand forest (Z = 1, 48; p = 0,14), but more individuals were encountered in the canopy (2.9; ± 0.89) than in the understory (0,4; ± 0.23) (Z = 2.80; p = 0,005). Hg. janthinomys abundance was not correlated with temperature or humidity (F1, 14 < 0.33; p > 0057; r2 < 0.03). Conclusions: These preliminary results show that around Iquitos as in other regions, Hg. janthinomys are most abundant in the forest canopy. They also suggest that the probability of encountering Hg. janthinomys it can depends both on forest type and height of sampling within forests, but is not a function of temperature and humidity within the ranges commonly encountered in tropical forests.