Effects of a behavioral intervention in a school setting on hyperactivity and inattention / Efeitos de intervenção comportamental em contexto escolar sobre desatenção e hiperatividade / Efectos de intervención conductual en ambiente escolar sobre desatención e hiperactividad

The clinical characteristics of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be a model to identify and manage behaviors of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity of students without the disorder in the classroom. The objectives of the study were to verify the effects of implementing behavioral management guidelines to reduce these behaviors in a mainstream class. A total of 29 second-year students aged between 6 and 8 years were enrolled in the Experimental Group (EG), in which the guide was used, and a Control Group that kept their usual activities. Behavioral profiles were assessed by parents (CBCL/6-18) and teachers (TRF/6-18) before and after the intervention, in addition to an observation protocol filled by teachers. The results, according to teachers' responses, showed reduction in the frequency of inattention and hyperactivity behaviors in the EG. It can be concluded that the guide was effective in the classroom, with the potential for use in school practice.

As características clínicas do Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade (TDAH) podem ser modelos para identificar e manejar comportamentos de desatenção, hiperatividade e impulsividade de alunos sem o transtorno em sala de aula. Os objetivos do estudo foram verificar efeitos da implementação de um guia de manejo para redução desses comportamentos em uma classe regular. Foram acompanhados 29 alunos do 2º ano com idades entre 6 e 8 anos, separados em Grupo Experimental (GE), no qual foi implementado o guia, e Grupo Controle, que manteve atividades regulares. O perfil comportamental foi avaliado por pais (CBCL/6-18) e professores (TRF/6-18) antes e após a intervenção, juntamente a um protocolo de observação para o professor. Como resultados, verificaram-se, pelas respostas dos professores, a redução da frequência de comportamentos de desatenção e a hiperatividade no GE. Concluiu-se que a utilização do guia foi eficaz na classe regular, indicando seu potencial de uso na prática escolar.

Las características clínicas del Trastorno del Déficit de Atención/Hiperactividad (TDAH) pueden ser modelo para identificar y manejar conductas de desatención, hiperactividad e impulsividad de alumnos sin lo trastorno en clases escolares. Los objetivos del estudio fueron verificar los efectos de la implementación de una guía de manejo para reducir estas conductas en una clase. Fueron acompañados 29 alumnos de 2º año, entre 6 y 8 años separados en Grupo Experimental (GE), en el cual se implementó la guía, y un Grupo de Control que continuó con actividades regulares. El perfil conductual fue evaluado por padres (CBCL/6-18) y profesores (TRF/6-18) antes y después de la intervención con protocolo de observación para el profesor. Por las respuestas de los profesores, verificamos reducción de frecuencia de conductas de desatención e hiperactividad en el GE. Se concluye que la utilización de la guía fue eficaz en la clase, indicando su uso potencial en la práctica escolar.

Oncologic Safety of Fat Grafting for Autologous Breast Reconstruction in an Animal Model of Residual Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Clinical outcomes suggest that postoncologic reconstruction with fat grafting yields cumulative incidence curves of recurrence comparable to those of other breast reconstruction procedures; however, results from experimental research studies suggest that adipose stem cells can stimulate cancer growth. In this study, a novel animal model of residual cancer was developed in mouse mammary pads to test whether lipofilling impacts the probability of locoregional recurrence of breast cancer after breast conserving surgery. METHODS: Mammary fat pads of female NOD-SCID gamma mice were each injected with MCF-7 cells in Matrigel. Tumors were allowed to engraft for 2 weeks, after which time either sterile saline (n = 20) or human fat graft (n = 20) was injected adjacent to tumor sites. After 8 weeks, tumors were assessed for volume measurement, histologic grade, Ki67 positivity, and metastatic spread. RESULTS: Animals receiving lipofilling after tumor cell engraftment had lower tumor volume and mass (p = 0.046 and p = 0.038, respectively). Macroscopic invasion was higher in the saline group. Histologic grade was not significantly different in the two groups (p = 0.17). Ki67 proliferation index was lower in tumors surrounded by fat graft (p = 0.01). No metastatic lesion was identified in any animal. CONCLUSIONS: Adipose transfer for breast reconstruction performed in the setting of residual breast tumor in a clinically relevant animal model did not increase tumor size, proliferation, histologic grade, or metastatic spread. This study supports the oncologic safety of lipofilling as part of the surgical platform for breast reconstruction after cancer therapy.

Arginase activity is associated with fibrosis in experimental infection with Taenia crassiceps, but does not play a major role in resistance to infection.

Murine infection with Taenia crassiceps cysticerci is used as an experimental model for human and animal cysticercosis. In this infection parasites can be found associated with an inflammatory infiltrate enriched with macrophages. Experimental evidence exists supporting a role for either NO-producing classically activated (CAMΦ) or arginase- and CD301-expressing alternatively activated macrophages (AAMΦ) in T. crassiceps resistance. In both cell types, arginine is utilized as an important mediator in macrophage effector functions. To investigate whether there is an association between arginine availability, susceptibility to T. crassiceps and other parameters such as fibrosis, BALB/c mice were infected intraperitoneally with cysticerci and treated daily with the arginase inhibitor nor-NOHA or supplemented with l-arginine and followed for eight weeks. The numbers and developmental stages of parasites were evaluated as well as the presence of CD301+ AAMΦ, arginase activity and collagen deposition in the peritoneal membrane. Treatment with the arginase inhibitor or supplementation with l-arginine did not change the parasitic load or profile of the infection. However, the arginase inhibitor significantly decreased the deposition of collagen. These results suggest that arginase activity does not interfere with parasite control during experimental infection with T. crassiceps, but it is important for fibrosis in cysticercosis.

Electroacupuncture at the ST36 acupoint increases interleukin-4 responsiveness in macrophages, generation of alternatively activated macrophages and susceptibility to Leishmania major infection.

BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been used to treat inflammatory diseases. Alternatively activated macrophages (AAMo) stimulated by cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-13 are anti-inflammatory and mildly microbicidal. This study aimed to evaluate whether EA at the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) would change the profile of healthy murine macrophages, particularly the generation of AAMo and susceptibility to Leishmania major infection. METHODS: BALB/c mice were treated with EA (15/30 Hz) at the ST36 acupoint for 20 min/d for 5 d. After the final EA session, the mice were euthanized and their peritoneal cells were harvested and counted for determination of arginase activity, nitric oxide (NO) production and microbicidal activity after culture in the presence or absence of IL-4, interferon-γ (IFNγ) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or both IFNγ and LPS. Twelve mice were infected with L. major promastigotes into the footpads after the final EA session and the infection course was monitored. RESULTS: Peritoneal cells freshly obtained from EA-treated mice had similar arginase and microbicidal activities to cells from sham-treated mice. After culture with IL-4, cells from EA-treated mice exhibited significant increases in the arginase activity (sham: 58 ± 11.3 vs. EA: 80.7 ± 4.6%, P = 0.025) and number of parasites/infected cell (sham: 2.5 ± 0.4 vs. EA: 4.3 ± 0.8 cells, P = 0.007). The NO production was lower in cells from EA-treated mice cultured in the presence of a combination of IFNγ and LPS (sham: 31.6 ± 6.5 vs. EA: 22.3 ± 2.1 µM, P = 0.025). The lesion size in mice infected with L. major promastigotes was larger in EA-treated mice (sham: 3.26 ± 0.29 vs. EA: 2.23 ± 0.4 mm, P = 0.039). CONCLUSION: EA at the ST36 acupoint increases IL-4 responsiveness in macrophages, Generation of AAMo and susceptibility to L. major infection.

Light-dark cycle synchronization of circadian rhythm in blind primates.

BACKGROUND: Recently, several papers have shown that a small subset of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and contain a new photopigment called melanopsin, are the photoreceptors involved in light-dark entrainment in rodents. In our primate colony, we found a couple of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) that had developed progressive and spontaneous visual deficiency, most likely because of retinal degeneration of cones and/or rods. In this study, we evaluated the photoresponsiveness of the circadian system of these blind marmosets. METHODS: Two blind and two normal marmosets were kept in cages with a controlled light-dark cycle (LD) to study photoentrainment, masking, and phase response to a dark pulse. RESULTS: Blind marmosets were entrained with the new LD cycle when light onsets were delayed and advanced by 6 hours. In constant light conditions, blind marmosets free-ran with a period of 23.2 hours, while normal animals free-ran with a period of 23.6 hours. All marmosets responded to dark pulses in the early subjective day with phase delays and with phase advances in the late subjective day. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that light can synchronize circadian rhythms of blind marmosets and consequently, that this species could be a good primate model for circadian photoreception studies.