Factors affecting the radon (222Rn) emanation from aquifer rock materials: Implications for radiological and groundwater tracer studies.

Groundwater discharge (GD) is an important component of the water budget in large urban areas with high water demands. Radon is a routinely used groundwater tracer in mass-balances for evaluating GD to surface water bodies. The diffusion of 222Rn from aquifers' sediments parameter is important for GD's assessments. Sediment equilibration experiments were employed with various sediment and rock materials, including sand, granite, gneiss and loess that constitute the Pampeano Aquifer (PA) in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. These experiments allowed the 222Rn concentration determination in pore fluids at secular equilibrium and to examine the factors affecting the magnitude of radon 222Rn emanation from the materials under study. We found that radon emanation decreases in a power function (R2 = 0.9, n = 6) with the particle size of the tested PA sediment and rock materials. Based on our results, loess sediments with the smallest particle size and the largest particle surface area have the highest radon emanation. This strongly suggests that these two parameters are the parameters that govern the radon diffusive fluxes' magnitude in the PA. On the other hand, we found that PA basement rocks, primarily granite and gneiss, showed an exhalation rate of radon of 8.1 ± 0.81 Bq∙m-2∙h-1 and 13.2 ± 1.32 Bq∙m-2∙h-1. These rates are two orders of magnitude higher than loess sediments (0.3 ± 0.1 Bq∙m-2∙h-1), owning to the higher natural content of radon's parent isotopes from the 238U natural decay series. These high radon levels are consistent with currently available radon concentrations measured in groundwater in contact with the PA basement rock formations. This study demonstrates the importance of considering site-specific aquifer properties in the radon diffusive fluxes when utilizing radon as a groundwater tracer in hydrological studies. This is the first quantitative study that examines the aquifer characteristics affecting radon emanations in this large hydrogeological system.

Impact of mothers' IPV-PTSD on their capacity to predict their child's emotional comprehension and its relationship to their child's psychopathology.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated that when the violence-exposed child becomes a mother and interacts with her own child during early sensitive periods for social-emotional development, she may have difficulties providing sensitive responsiveness to the child's emotional communication. Such difficulties place the child's development of emotional comprehension (EC) and related self-regulation at risk. The aim of this study was to examine how mothers' interpersonal violence-related posttraumatic disorder (IPV-PTSD) would affect their children's EC and their own ability to predict their children's EC. We also investigated how mothers' predictive ability would correlate with child psychopathology. Methods: Sixty-one mother-child dyads (36 with IPV-PTSD) participated in this study. Children's (mean age = 7.0 years, SD = 1.1) EC was assessed with the Test of Emotion Comprehension (child TEC) and their psychopathology as reported by the mother was assessed with the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and as evaluated by a clinician using selected modules of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS). Mothers were measured for IPV-PTSD with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and for their capacity to predict their child's emotional comprehension (mother-responding-as-child TEC; mTEC). Results: We found no significant between-group differences in children's level of EC. Maternal PTSD was associated with lower scores on the mTEC, however. Reduced maternal scores on the mTEC were significantly associated with maternal report of increased aggressive child behaviour and with depression symptoms on the K-SADS. Further, scores on the mTEC interacted with maternal report of child aggression on child oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms on the K-SADS. Conclusion: These findings support that improving maternal emotional comprehension may help reduce child risk for psychiatric morbidity in this population.

Antecedentes: Los estudios previos demostraron que cuando la niña expuesta a violencia llega a ser madre e interactúa con su propio hijo durante periodos críticos tempranos para el desarrollo socioemocional, ella podría tener dificultades para brindar una respuesta sensible a la comunicación emocional del niño. Tales dificultades podrían poner en riesgo el desarrollo de la comprensión emocional del niño (CE) y la autorregulación asociada a ella. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar cómo el trastorno de estrés postraumático por violencia interpersonal de las madres (TEPT-VIF) podría afectar tanto la CE de sus hijos como su propia capacidad de predecir la CE en sus hijos. También investigamos cómo la capacidad predictiva de las madres podría correlacionarse con psicopatología infantil.Métodos: En este estudio participaron sesenta y una diadas madre-hijo (36 con TEPT-VIF). La CE de los niños (edad media = 7.0 años, DE = 1.1) fue evaluada mediante la prueba de Comprensión Emocional (TEC en sus siglas en inglés) del niño. Asimismo, la psicopatología del niño, según lo reportado por la madre, fue evaluada con la Lista de Chequeo Conductual del Niño (CBCL en sus siglas en inglés) y según la evaluación de un médico utilizando módulos seleccionados de la Escala Infantil para Trastornos Afectivos y Esquizofrenia (K-SADS por sus siglas en inglés). En las madres, se midió tanto el TEPT-VIF mediante la Escala para el Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático Administrada por el Clínico (CAPS en sus siglas en ingles) como su capacidad de predecir la comprensión emocional del niño mediante la prueba de Comprensión Emocional en la que la madre responde como el niño (mTEC en sus siglas en inglés).Resultados: No encontramos diferencias significativas entre los grupos en los niveles de CE de los niños. Sin embargo, el trastorno de estrés postraumático materno estuvo asociado a puntajes más bajos en el mTEC. Los puntajes maternos bajos en el mTEC estuvieron significativamente asociados en la K-SADS a un reporte materno de un aumento de la conducta agresiva del niño y a síntomas depresivos. Adicionalmente, los puntajes en el mTEC estuvieron relacionados en la K-SADS con un reporte materno de agresión del niño dentro de los síntomas del trastorno oposicionista desafiante (TOD).Conclusión: Estos hallazgos respaldan que el mejorar la comprensión emocional materna podría ayudar a disminuir el riesgo infantil de morbilidad psiquiátrica en esta población.

Control of the mobilization of arsenic and other natural pollutants in groundwater by calcium carbonate concretions in the Pampean Aquifer, southeast of the Buenos Aires province, Argentina.

The water supply for human consumption in the Chaco-Pampean region in Argentina is restricted by the low quality of groundwater due to elevated concentrations of arsenic and other trace elements. Previous studies indicated a complex concurrence of factors and processes that are believed responsible to control the distribution of arsenic in groundwater. For a better understanding of the origin of trace elements in the Pampean aquifer, flow-through experiments with loess and calcrete samples representative of the sediments that constitute the aquifer were carried out in continuous flow reactors. The aqueous solutions were collected and the concentrations of SiO2(aq), Ca2+, SO42-, Na+, Cl-, F- and trace elements (Ba, Sr, V, and As) were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary electrophoresis. The experiments showed differences in the release rate of elements to the solution according to the type of sediment. The highest concentrations of V, Ba, and As were measured in experiments conducted with loess, and these elements were released quickly to the solution in the first minute of the test. In the case of loess, V and As are suggested to be adsorbed on the solid particles surface. Conversely, the experiments conducted with calcrete showed a lower but continuous release of those elements. This last result may indicate that the trace elements were coprecipitated in the calcite. In addition, it was demonstrated that F did not come from the dissolution of minerals such as fluorapatite, but both desorption from solid surface and dissolution from calcite minerals account for the release of F. This study support that both dissolution and adsorption-desorption processes can control the mobility of trace elements, with an emphasis on the role of calcrete in the retention and the mobilization of trace elements in the Pampean aquifer.

Preventable premature deaths (PYLL) in Northern Dimension partnership countries 2003-13.

BACKGROUND: Objective was to measure preventable premature loss of life in countries from same geographical area but with considerable differences in social and economic development. By comparing inter-country differences and similarities in premature mortality, acceleration of health-in-all-policies is enhanced. METHODS: Preventable premature deaths were described by Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL). Data consisted of death registers for 2003, 2009 and 2013. PYLL-rates were age-standardized by using standard OECD population from 1980 and expressed as sum of lost life years per 100 000 citizens. RESULTS: In Northern Dimension area, PYLL-rates had declined from 2003 to 2013. In 2013, worst PYLL-rate was in Belarus 9851 and best in Sweden 2511. PYLL-rates among men were twice as high as among women. Most premature losses (1023) were due to external causes. Malignant neoplasms came second (921) and vascular diseases third (816). Alcohol was also an important cause (270) and country differences were over 10-fold. CONCLUSIONS: In ND-area, the overall development of public health has been good during 2003-13. Nevertheless, for all countries foci for public health improvement and learning from each other could be identified. Examining the health of populations in countries from relatively similar geographical area with different social history and cultures can provide them with evidence-based tools for health-in-all-policies to advocate health promotion and disease prevention. Gender differences due to preventable premature deaths are striking. The higher the national PYLL-rate, the bigger the PYLL-rate difference between men and women and the loss of human capital.

Developmental delay in communication among toddlers and its relationship to caregiving behavior among violence-exposed, posttraumatically stressed mothers.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to understand if maternal interpersonal violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder (IPV-PTSD) is associated with delayed language development among very young children ("toddlers"). METHODS: Data were collected from 61 mothers and toddlers (ages 12-42 months, mean age = 25.6 months SD = 8.70). Child expressive and receptive language development was assessed by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) communication subscale (ASQCS) that measures language acquisition. Observed maternal caregiving behavior was coded from videos of 10-min free-play interactions via the CARE-Index. Correlations, Mann-Whitney tests, and multiple linear regression were performed. RESULTS: There was no significant association between maternal IPV-PTSD severity and the ASQCS. Maternal IPV-PTSD severity was associated with continuous maternal behavior variables (i.e. sensitive and controlling behavior on the CARE-Index) across the entire sample and regardless of child gender. Maternal sensitivity was positively and significantly associated with the ASQCS. Controlling behavior was negatively and significantly associated with the ASQCS. CONCLUSIONS: Results are consistent with the literature that while maternal IPV-PTSD severity is not associated with child language delays, the quality of maternal interactive behavior is associated both with child language development and with maternal IPV-PTSD severity. Further study is needed to understand if the level of child language development contributes to intergenerational risk or resilience for relational violence and/or victimization.

[Double-balloon catheter compared to vaginal dinoprostone for cervical ripening in obese women at term]. / Comparaison sonde à double ballonnet-dinoprostone pour la maturation cervicale chez les femmes obèses à terme.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of a double-balloon catheter versus vaginal prostaglandin E2 (dinoprostone) for cervical ripening in obese patients with unfavorable cervix at term. METHODS: The study had an open-label, prospective combined with retrospective, observational design. From January 2013 until May 2016, a prospective cohort study of 46 women with pre-pregnancy BMI>30kg/m2, live singleton term fetuses (>37 weeks) in vertex presentation and unfavorable cervix (Bishop score<6), who underwent labor induction for conventional indications using a double-balloon catheter. In the same period, 46 obese women who had undergone cervical ripening using vaginal dinoprostone (3mg) were retrospectively included. Women in groups were paired according to Bishop score before the insertion, pre-pregnancy BMI and parity. The primary outcome was a favorable cervix (Bishop score ≥6) 24h after cervical ripening. RESULTS: After 24h, there was a significantly higher rate of women with favorable cervix (Bishop score ≥6) in the double-balloon group than in dinoprostone group (80.4% vs 47.8%; P=0.001). After adjustment, a double-balloon catheter was significantly associated with an efficient cervical ripening compared to vaginal dinoprostone (aOR 7.81, 95% CI 2.58-23.60). No difference was observed in cesarean section rate (39.1% in each group; P=0.96) and in mean induction time to vaginal delivery (34.5h in the balloon group vs 36.5h in the dinoprostone group; P=0.53). Maternal and neonatal outcomes were similar. CONCLUSION: For obese patients at term, cervical ripening using a double-balloon catheter is more efficient on Bishop score after 24h compared to vaginal dinoprostone.

[Expansion dilatation balloons for cervical ripening in obstetric practice]. / Utilisation des ballonnets de dilatation cervicale en obstétrique.

During recent decades, mechanical devices have been substituted by pharmacological methods. Their place in the therapeutic arsenal remains important with a renewed obstetrical interest for these devices. Due to a lack of data they are still not recommended as first-line. This review thus attempted to examine the use of expansion dilatation balloons (Foley catheter and double-balloons) to analyze their effectiveness in case of native uterus and previous cesarean section. Twenty-seven clinical trials had compared balloons catheter and prostaglandins in patients without a history of uterine scar. The risk of cesarean section did not differ. Mechanical methods seemed to be more effective in achieving delivery within 24hours, with fewer episodes of excessive uterine contractions, but they necessitated more oxytocin during labor. Ten clinical trials analyzed dilatation balloons in patients with previous cesarean section. More than 70% women had favorable cervical ripening (Bishop score>6), and vaginal delivery was reported between 35 and 70% of patients. The risk of uterine rupture was low between 0.64 and 0.72%, with neither increased risk of severe neonatal and maternal morbidity nor increased risk of infectious morbidity. Mechanical methods are effective and safe for third trimester cervical ripening, mainly in women with previous cesarean section. Potential advantages may include wide availability and reduction of some of the side effects.

The nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug piroxicam reverses the onset of depressive-like behavior in 6-OHDA animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Some authors have reported that depression is characterized by activation of the inflammatory response. Animal models of PD also present with depressive-like behavior, such as increased immobility time in the modified forced swim test and anhedonia-like behavior in the sucrose preference test. Considering the potential neuroprotective effect of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in neurodegenerative diseases, the objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of piroxicam on depressive-like behavior in male Wistar rats lesioned with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in the substantia nigra (SN). Antidepressant-like effects were observed after prolonged administration of piroxicam for 21days. In the forced swim test, the 6-OHDA+saline group exhibited significant reductions in swimming time and increased immobility time compared with the sham+saline. In the sucrose preference test, the 6-OHDA+piroxicam group exhibited no reduction of sucrose preference compared with the sham+saline, with significant effects of treatment and time and a significant treatment×time interaction. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels significantly decreased in the hippocampus in the 6-OHDA+saline group and not changed in the 6-OHDA+piroxicam group when compared with the sham+saline on day 21. In conclusion, 21-day treatment with piroxicam reversed the onset of depressive-like behavior and prevented the reduction of hippocampal 5-HT levels.

Myricitrin, a nitric oxide and protein kinase C inhibitor, exerts antipsychotic-like effects in animal models.

Myricitrin is a nitric oxide (NO) and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor that has central nervous system activity, including anxiolytic-like action. Nitric oxide inhibitors blocked the behavioral effects of apomorphine, suggesting an antipsychotic-like effect. Furthermore, PKC inhibition reduced psychotic symptoms in acute mania patients and blocked amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion, suggesting a potential antipsychotic-like effect. The present study evaluated the effects of myricitrin in animal models that assess antipsychotic-like effects (apomorphine-induced stereotypy and climbing and the paw test) and extrapyramidal side effects (catalepsy test and paw test). Olanzapine was used as a positive control. 7-Nitroindazole (7-NI), a NOS inhibitor, and l-arginine, a NO precursor, were used to evaluate nitrergic modulation, and tamoxifen was used to test the effect of PKC inhibition. In mice, myricitrin dose-dependently and olanzapine blocked the stereotypy and climbing induced by apomorphine at doses that did not induce catalepsy. 7-Nitroindazole also blocked apomorphine-induced stereotypy and climbing, which were reversed by l-arginine pretreatment. l-arginine only attenuated the effects of myricitrin on apomorphine's effects. Tamoxifen also blocked apomorphine-induced stereotypy and climbing. In the paw test in rats, myricitrin and olanzapine increased hindlimb retraction time at doses that did not affect forelimb reaction time, whereas haloperidol affected both parameters at the same dose. Myricitrin did not induce catalepsy in the bar test. Tamoxifen did not affect hindlimb retraction time or forelimb retraction time, whereas 7-NI significantly increased hindlimb reaction time. Thus, myricitrin exhibited an antipsychotic-like profile at doses that did not induce catalepsy, and this effect may be related to nitrergic action.

Nicotine induces sensitization of turning behavior in 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats.

Nicotinic drugs have been proposed as putative drugs to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we investigated whether nicotine can sensitize parkinsonian animals to the effect of dopaminergic drugs. Testing this hypothesis is important because nicotine has been shown to present neuroprotective and acute symptomatic effects on PD, but few studies have addressed the question of whether it may induce long-lasting effects on dopamine neurotransmission. We tested this hypothesis in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat model of PD. A pretreatment of these rats with 0.1-1.0 mg/kg nicotine induced a dose-dependent sensitization of the turning behavior when the animals were challenged with the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine 24 h later. In agreement with previous studies, while apomorphine induced contraversive turns, nicotine, as well as amphetamine, induced ipsiversive turns in the 6-OHDA rats. This result suggests that, like amphetamine, nicotine induces turning behavior by promoting release of dopamine in the non-lesioned striatum of the rats. However, it is unlikely that the release of dopamine may also explain the nicotine-induced sensitization of turning behavior. First, the dopamine amount that could be released in the lesioned hemi-striatum by the nicotine pretreatment was minimum-less than 3%, as detected by HPLC-EC. Second, a pretreatment with amphetamine did not induce this behavioral sensitization. A pretreatment with apomorphine-induced sensitization, but it was minimal when compared to that induced by nicotine. Therefore, it is unlikely that the sensitization of the turning behavior induced by nicotine was consequent of the release of dopamine. However, the expression of such sensitization seems to depend on the activation of dopaminergic receptors, since it was seen when the nicotine-sensitized animals were challenged with apomorphine, but not with a second nicotine challenge. These findings are relevant for PD drug therapy since they suggest that the doses of dopaminergic drugs used to treat PD could be reduced if a nicotinic drug were co-administered.

Veratrine blocks the lamotrigine-induced swimming increase and immobility decrease in the modified forced swimming test.

Lamotrigine exhibits an anti-immobility effect in the modified forced swimming test, increasing swimming and climbing, behaviors that are related to serotonergic and noradrenergic effects, respectively. However, these effects could be secondary to lamotrigine blockade of Na(+) sensitive channel. Thus, this study investigated the influence of veratrine (0.1 mg/kg, ip, 10 min before each lamotrigine administration), an Na(+) channel activator, in the effect of lamotrigine (20 mg/kg, ip, 24, 5, 1 h before the test session) in the modified forced swimming test. Veratrine pre-treatment blocked lamotrigine-induced immobility decrease and swimming increase but it did not change the effect of lamotrigine on climbing. These results suggest that the serotonergic effect of lamotrigine in the modified forced swimming test is dependent on Na(+) voltage sensitive channel blockade, whereas its noradrenergic effect is not.

Monosialoganglioside (GM1) attenuates the behavioural effects of long-term haloperidol administration in supersensitive rats.

In the present study we investigated the effects of co-administration of GM(1) (15.0 mg/kg, twice daily, for 30 days) and haloperidol (1.0 mg/kg, twice daily, for 30 days), as well as the effects of a 5-day treatment with this dose of GM(1) after withdrawal from haloperidol in rats. The animals were evaluated in the open-field test and apomorphine-induced stereotyped behaviour. The results show that GM(1) was able to attenuate dopaminergic supersensitivity evaluated by the locomotion frequency at 24 and 48 h after the withdrawal from haloperidol. On the other hand, rearing frequency was changed neither by haloperidol nor by GM(1.) In haloperidol-treated rats immobility time differs from 30 min observation session in comparison with the following sessions after the withdrawal from neuroleptic. Apomorphine-induced stereotyped behaviour produced a significant increase in scores of haloperidol-withdrawn rats. GM(1) did not modify the haloperidol effects and did not change the dopamine receptor affinity to apomorphine 100 h from abrupt neuroleptic withdrawal.

Reliability and clinical utility of a Portuguese version of the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale (AIMS) for tardive dyskinesia in Brazilian patients.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and clinical utility of a Portuguese version of the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale (AIMS). Videotaped interviews with 16 psychiatric inpatients treated with antipsychotic drugs for at least 5 years were evaluated. Reliability was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between three raters, two with and one without clinical training in psychopathology. Clinical utility was assessed by the difference between the scores of patients with (N = 11) and without (N = 5) tardive dyskinesia (TD). Patients with TD exhibited a higher severity of global evaluation by the AIMS (sum of scores: 4.2 +/- 0.9 vs 0.4 +/- 0.2; score on item 8: 2.3 +/- 0.3 vs 0.4 +/- 0.2, TD vs controls). The ICC for the global evaluation was fair between the two skilled raters (0.58-0.62) and poor between these raters and the rater without clinical experience (0.05-0.29). Thus, we concluded that the Portuguese version of the AIMS shows an acceptable inter-rater reliability, but only between clinically skilled raters, and that it is clinically useful.

Reliability and clinical utility of a Portuguese version of the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale (AIMS) for tardive dyskinesia in Brazilian patients

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and clinical utility of a Portuguese version of the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale (AIMS). Videotaped interviews with 16 psychiatric inpatients treated with antipsychotic drugs for at least 5 years were evaluated. Reliability was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between three raters, two with and one without clinical training in psychopathology. Clinical utility was assessed by the difference between the scores of patients with (N = 11) and without (N = 5) tardive dyskinesia (TD). Patients with TD exhibited a higher severity of global evaluation by the AIMS (sum of scores: 4.2 ± 0.9 vs 0.4 ± 0.2; score on item 8: 2.3 ± 0.3 vs 0.4 ± 0.2, TD vs controls). The ICC for the global evaluation was fair between the two skilled raters (0.58-0.62) and poor between these raters and the rater without clinical experience (0.05-0.29). Thus, we concluded that the Portuguese version of the AIMS shows an acceptable inter-rater reliability, but only between clinically skilled raters, and that it is clinically useful

Memory disruption in rats with nigral lesions induced by MPTP: a model for early Parkinson's disease amnesia.

Intra-nigral administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrindine (MPTP) caused a lesion in the substantia nigra, compact part (SNc) and a specific loss of dopamine and its metabolites in the striatum of rats. The animals were then tested in the two-way active avoidance task. MPTP-treated animals presented lower learning scores in the training and test sessions, an effect that was not caused by motor impairment or by a decreased sensitivity to footshock since their reaction time to the footshock (unconditioned stimulus - UCS) was not reduced. These lower scores were also not attributable to lower acoustic sensitivity or to a slowing in the association of the sound cue (conditioned stimulus - CS) with the UCS since the reaction time to the CS in the active avoidance response did not differ between MPTP-treated and control groups. Therefore, these results are more properly attributable to an impairment of the memory acquisition and retention processes. In addition, this study is presented as a model of early Parkinson's Disease amnesia and is discussed in terms of the importance of the nigrostriatal pathway to memory acquisition and storage processes.

Phosphatidylserine reverses reserpine-induced amnesia.

The effects of phosphatidylserine (PS) were studied in rats treated with reserpine (1 mg/kg) immediately after training in the passive avoidance task. In experiment I, phosphatidylserine (25 mg/kg) was administered 30 min before or immediately after training. Acute pre- or post-treatment with phosphatidylserine was effective in reversing the amnestic effect of reserpine in test trials performed 24 h and 1 week after training. Experiment II was performed to determine if the long-term pretreatment with phosphatidylserine (25 mg/kg) for 7 days is able to protect the rats against the amnestic effects of reserpine in this task. The data show that phosphatidylserine reverses the impairment induced by reserpine in trials performed 24 h and 1 week after training. These results indicate that the memory deficits associated with catecholamine depletion caused by reserpine can be attenuated by acute pre- or post-training or by long-term pretreatment with this phospholipid.

The antidepressive-like effect of oxcarbazepine: possible role of dopaminergic neurotransmission.

It has been previously shown that oxcarbazepine (OXCBZ), a keto-analogue of carbamazepine, exhibits an antidepressive-like effect profile in the learned helplessness and forced swimming test (FST). Since carbamazepine possesses dopaminergic effect, the present study was carried out to evaluate the extent to which the antidepressive effect of OXCBZ might be mediated by dopaminergic system. Thus, the effects of OXCBZ in haloperidol-induced catalepsy and apomorphine-induced stereotypy were studied. The anti-immobility effect of OXCBZ in the FST was also evaluated in haloperidol pre-treated rats. OXCBZ (40 and 80 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently reduced the catalepsy induced by haloperidol (2.0 mg/kg, i.p.). Moreover, OXCBZ (80 mg/kg, but not 20 or 40 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the intensity of apomorphine-induced stereotypy (0.6 mg/kg, s.c.). Finally, it was observed that the combination of OXCBZ (80 mg/kg, i. p.) and haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the anti-immobility effect of OXCBZ and further increased the immobility time when compared to haloperidol alone. Haloperidol alone (0.5 or 1. 0 mg/kg) did not change the immobility time. Thus, these results suggest that OXCBZ could enhance dopaminergic neurotransmission, which might mediate its antidepressive-like effect.

1999 Costenbader Lecture. Outcome study in amblyopia: treatment and practice pattern variations.

This study retrospectively evaluates the results of amblyopia therapy and suggests hypotheses for future study. We address the various methods of treatment and evaluate the results from the most common therapy techniques. Practice pattern variations were analyzed in addition to the analysis of overall results. For ophthalmologists, there is a need to determine whether actual medical practice approaches the established standard of care, if it exists at all. How often are medical procedures, thought to be appropriate, based on anecdotal observation (case reports) rather than hard data (clinical trials)? The 3 types of vision loss evaluated were strabismic, anisometropic, and deprivation amblyopia. The methods of treatment studied were full-time patching part-time occlusion, penalization, and occlusion of the contact lens. Nine centers, thought to have private as well as indigent patients, were recruited to participate in this study. The centers responded by filling out an extensive questionnaire and sending the information through the World Wide Web for inclusion in a spreadsheet. This information was then collated, and various statistical programs tabulated the results. Although trends, as a consequence of therapy, are suggested from our retrospective analysis, concrete results can only arise from a randomized prospective study. The study included 279 patients. There were a similar number of male and female patients. Only 77% of the patients without fusion before treatment had either single binocular vision or peripheral fusion at the conclusion of therapy. The log improvement of vision was significant in each group. Factors that potentially influenced the results were severity of distance acuity in the amblyopic eye before treatment, duration of treatment, and length of daily patching. The paper suggests that worse vision, not better vision, at the beginning, predicts better outcome in terms of improvement of visual acuity. For example, visual acuity less than 20/70 at the initiation of treatment led to better visual results of geometric log improvement. Surprisingly, among the 9 centers studied, there was a statistically significant difference in many of the areas related to practice patterns. Patient compliance, which directly affects outcome, was highly variable and is a factor that may be readily influenced by the treating physician.

The effect of caffeine in animal models of learning and memory.

In the present investigation we studied the effect of caffeine on memory task inhibitory avoidance and habituation to a new environment. Caffeine impaired retention scores in mice submitted to inhibitory avoidance and habituation when administered 30 min before training at the doses of 10-30 mg/kg. These effects cannot be explained by state-dependency since the administration of caffeine 30 min before the test session did not reverse the effect of pre-training caffeine administration, but can more probably be explained by an impairment in the acquisition or by interference with attentional processes. On the other hand, caffeine improved the inhibitory avoidance (but not habituation) retention scores when administered immediately after the training or 30 min before the test session at the doses of 1-30 mg/kg or 3-10 mg/kg, respectively. These results suggest that caffeine differentially affects the different stages of memory processing and that this effect depends on particularities of the memory task under study.

Kinetic analysis of GM1 effects on haloperidol-induced dopaminergic supersensitivity.

The relative affinity of metoclopramide as indicated by K(B) values was calculated in control and in haloperidol-withdrawn rats treated or not with monosialoganglioside-1 (GM1) by using dose-response curves constructed for apomorphine-induced stereotyped behavior. Haloperidol withdrawal decreased K(B) data--that is, increased the D2-receptor affinity for metoclopramide. GM1 treatment per se did not modify K(B) values but, when given in combination with haloperidol, GM1 induced a decrease in K(B) values. No differences were found in K(B) data when GM1 was administered after withdrawal from haloperidol.