Evaluation of the multimodal DELTA therapy for adolescents with substance use disorders: an exploratory pilot trial.

Background: In order to address the lack of manualized treatment programs for adolescents with substance use disorders (SUDs), we developed a manualized group intervention (DELTA). DELTA focusses on substance use reduction and abstinence as well as alleviation of SUD symptoms via additional modules for co-occurring disorders. The goal of this exploratory trial was to assess if DELTA can be conducted in adolescent SUD patients and if participation is related to reductions in substance use, SUD-related problems, and further psychopathologies. Method: We recruited adolescents at a psychiatric outpatient unit, which were then allocated to either DELTA intervention group (N = 85) or to a waiting-list control group (WL, N = 61) based on parental decision to start a therapy or not. Self-report measures were used as primary outcomes (substance use via interview, use-related problems via DUDIT-Drug Use Disorder Identification Test) and secondary outcomes (psychopathologies via YSR-Youth Self Report). T-tests and Pearson correlations were used to analyze between-group differences across time. Results: On average, participants attended M = 7.7 (SD = 5.1) of the 16 sessions. Substance use and use-related problems regarding all substances but nicotine was decreased after the intervention, with small to medium not significant effects in favor of DELTA. Self-reported psychopathologies were also reduced at follow-up, with non-significant advantages for DELTA. Conclusion: DELTA showed small effects on SUD-related and depression-related variables. However, the interpretation is limited by the small sample size. Nonetheless, the DELTA intervention is viable in SUD outpatient treatment and will be further evaluated.Clinical trial registration: The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov under NCT03444974. Registered February, 26th 2018 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03444974).

Polyphenol Composition and (Bio)Activity of Berberis Species and Wild Strawberry from the Argentinean Patagonia.

The Argentinean Patagonia berries Berberis microphylla, Berberis darwinii, and Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. patagonica were investigated for their polyphenol content and composition by means of liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The in vitro antioxidant activity and inhibition of metabolic syndrome-associated enzymes (α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase) of the fruit extracts was assessed. The most complex polyphenol profile was found in the Berberis samples, with 10 anthocyanins, 27 hydroxycinnamic acids, 3 proanthocyanidins, 2 flavan-3-ol, and 22 flavonols. Fragaria presented four anthocyanins, nine ellagitannins, two proanthocyanidin dimers, one flavan-3-ol, and five flavonols. The Berberis samples showed the best antioxidant capacity, while Fragaria displayed better activity against α-glucosidase and lipase. The phenolic content and composition of the Argentinean Patagonia berries was similar to that reported for Chilean samples but with some chemical differences between Eastern (Argentina) and Western (Chile) Patagonia. The data obtained supports the consumption of these berries as sources of beneficial polyphenols.

Comparison of cardiovascular aquaporin-1 changes during water restriction between 25- and 50-day-old rats.

PURPOSE: Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is the predominant water channel in the heart, linked to cardiovascular homeostasis. Our aim was to study cardiovascular AQP1 distribution and protein levels during osmotic stress and subsequent hydration during postnatal growth. METHODS: Rats aged 25 and 50 days were divided in: 3d-WR: water restriction 3 days; 3d-WAL: water ad libitum 3 days; 6d-WR+ORS: water restriction 3 days + oral rehydration solution (ORS) 3 days; and 6d-WAL: water ad libitum 6 days. AQP1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blot in left ventricle, right atrium and thoracic aorta. RESULTS: Water restriction induced a hypohydration state in both age groups (40 and 25 % loss of body weight in 25- and 50-day-old rats, respectively), reversible with ORS therapy. Cardiac AQP1 was localized in the endocardium and endothelium in both age groups, being evident in cardiomyocytes membrane only in 50-day-old 3d-WR group, which presented increased protein levels of AQP1; no changes were observed in the ventricle of pups. In vascular tissue, AQP1 was present in the smooth muscle of pups; in the oldest group, it was found in the endothelium, increasing after rehydration in smooth muscle. No differences were observed between control groups 3d-WAL and 6d-WAL of both ages. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that cardiovascular AQP1 can be differentially regulated in response to hydration status in vivo, being this response dependent on postnatal growth. The lack of adaptive mechanisms of mature animals in young pups may indicate an important role of this water channel in maintaining fluid balance during hypovolemic state.

Comparative proteomic analysis of antimony-resistant and -susceptible Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum chagasi lines.

The emergence of drug-resistant Leishmania species is a significant problem in several countries. A comparative proteomic analysis of antimony-susceptible and antimony-resistant Leishmania braziliensis (LbSbR) and Leishmania infantum chagasi (LcSbR) lines was carried out using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) followed by mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) for protein identification. Out of 132 protein spots exclusive or up-regulated submitted to MS, we identified 80 proteins that corresponded to 57 distinct proteins. Comparative analysis of data showed that most of the protein spots with differential abundance in both species are involved in antioxidant defense, general stress response, glucose and amino acid metabolism, and cytoskeleton organization. Five proteins were commonly more abundant in both SbIII-resistant Leishmania lines: tryparedoxin peroxidase, alpha-tubulin, HSP70, HSP83, and HSP60. Analysis of the protein abundance by Western blotting assays confirmed our proteomic data. These assays revealed that cyclophilin-A is less expressed in both LbSbR and LcSbR lines. On the other hand, the expression of pteridine reductase is higher in the LbSbR line, whereas tryparedoxin peroxidase is overexpressed in both LbSbR and LcSbR lines. Together, these results show that the mechanism of antimony-resistance in Leishmania spp. is complex and multifactorial.

Skeletal muscle fatigue precedes the slow component of oxygen uptake kinetics during exercise in humans.

The mechanisms determining exercise intolerance are poorly understood. A reduction in work efficiency in the form of an additional energy cost and oxygen requirement occurs during high-intensity exercise and contributes to exercise limitation. Muscle fatigue and subsequent recruitment of poorly efficient muscle fibres has been proposed to mediate this decline. These data demonstrate in humans, that muscle fatigue, generated in the initial minutes of exercise, is correlated with the increasing energy demands of high-intensity exercise. Surprisingly, however, while muscle fatigue reached a plateau, oxygen uptake continued to increase throughout 8 min of exercise. This suggests that additional recruitment of inefficient muscle fibres may not be the sole mechanism contributing to the decline in work efficiency during high-intensity exercise.

Astrocytes control breathing through pH-dependent release of ATP.

Astrocytes provide structural and metabolic support for neuronal networks, but direct evidence demonstrating their active role in complex behaviors is limited. Central respiratory chemosensitivity is an essential mechanism that, via regulation of breathing, maintains constant levels of blood and brain pH and partial pressure of CO2. We found that astrocytes of the brainstem chemoreceptor areas are highly chemosensitive. They responded to physiological decreases in pH with vigorous elevations in intracellular Ca2+ and release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP propagated astrocytic Ca2+ excitation, activated chemoreceptor neurons, and induced adaptive increases in breathing. Mimicking pH-evoked Ca2+ responses by means of optogenetic stimulation of astrocytes expressing channelrhodopsin-2 activated chemoreceptor neurons via an ATP-dependent mechanism and triggered robust respiratory responses in vivo. This demonstrates a potentially crucial role for brain glial cells in mediating a fundamental physiological reflex.

Mechanisms underlying the relaxation induced by isokaempferide from Amburana cearensis in the guinea-pig isolated trachea.

The present study examines possible mechanisms by which the flavonoid isokaempferide (IKPF; 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3-methoxyflavone) from Amburana cearensis, a Brazilian medicinal plant popularly used as bronchodilator, induces relaxation of guinea-pig isolated trachea. In the trachea (with intact epithelium) contracted by carbachol, IKPF (1-1000 microM) caused a graded relaxation, and the epithelium removal increased the sensitivity of the airway smooth muscle to IKPF (EC50, in intact tissue: 77.4 [54.8-109.2] microM; in denuded epithelium: 15.0 [11.3-20.1] microM). The IKPF-induced relaxation was inhibited in 41% by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-NAME (100 microM); in 31% and 50% by the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor ODQ (3 and 33 microM); by propranolol (31%) and also by capsaicin (37%). In the trachea pre-contracted by 40 mM KCl the pre-incubation with glibenclamide (33 microM) or iberiotoxin (IbTX, 0.1 microM), selective K(+) channel inhibitors, inhibited the IKPF-induced relaxation by 39% and 38%, respectively. On the other hand, 4-aminopyridine (100 microM), a nonselective K(+) channel antagonist, did not significantly influence the effect of IKPF, while IbTX induced a rightward displacement of the IKPF concentration-response curve. However, in muscle pre-contracted with 120 mM KCl the relaxant effect of IKPF was significantly reduced and not affected by glibenclamide. In conclusion, these results indicate a direct and epithelium-independent relaxant effect of IKPF on smooth muscle fibers. Although this IKPF relaxant action seems to be multi-mediated, it occurs via both Ca(2+) and ATP-sensitive K(+) channels, but some other possible mechanisms unrelated to K(+) channels cannot be excluded.

Deletion polymorphism in the gene for angiotensin converting enzyme is associated with elevated fasting blood glucose levels.

The frequency and distribution of angiotensin converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) polymorphism, and its association with other known risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis, has been studied, in a normal south Italian population. Subjects homozygous for deletion showed elevated fasting blood glucose levels when compared with subjects homozygous for insertion. The difference was consistent with an increased number of type 2 diabetics among the former group of subjects.

Linkage disequilibrium of three polymorphic RFLP markers in the apolipoprotein AI-CIII gene cluster on chromosome 11.

We analysed the allelic and genotypic frequencies of three restriction fragment length polymorphisms in the region of chromosome 11 encoding apolipoprotein AI and CIII genes in a free-living population from South Italy (Calabria). These markers are located at -2500 and -78 bp from the transcription start site of apolipoprotein AI gene (XmnI and MspI, respectively), and in the 3' untranslated region of apolipoprotein CIII gene (SstI). XmnI and SstI label rare alleles (X2 and S2 indicate the presence of the site), whereas the absence of the MspI site (because of a G to A transition) marks the rare allele, M2. Pairwise linkage disequilibrium analysis was determined. Two significant non-random associations were found: a positive disequilibrium between ApoA1/XmnI and ApoA1/MspI markers (P < 0.0001), and a negative disequilibrium between ApoA1/XmnI and ApoC3/SstI markers (P < 0.05). Statistical analysis showed a significant difference in the S2-M2 haplotype frequency between the group of subjects with serum cholesterol levels in the highest decile (P < 0.005) and the group with serum cholesterol levels below the highest decile. The allelic frequency for each locus showed no significant difference between the two groups for all other metabolic parameters, included total cholesterol serum levels. These haplotypes are a more precise measure of genetic variations in the apolipoprotein cluster and their use should allow the mapping of mutations responsible for high serum cholesterol levels.