Sex differences on spontaneous alternation in prepubertal rats: implications for an animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Sex differences in the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in prepubertal children have been described. Deficits on spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB) have been proposed as an animal model of OCD. OBJECTIVES: To explore possible sex differences in the ontogeny of SAB and in the effect of the 5-HT1A agonist, 8-OH-hydroxy-2 (di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) in an animal model of OCD. METHODS: The ontogeny of SAB and the perseveration produced by 8-OH-DPAT were compared between male and female prepubertal rats. RESULTS: Males alternated their arm choose from postnatal day 32 onwards, while females perseverated in the chosen arm until postnatal day 38. The mean number of repetitive choices remained close to 1 in males from postnatal day 23 onwards, but females showed a mean number of repetitive choices higher than 1.5 until the end of the test. The 8-OH-DPAT (0.125, 0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg, 15 min) produced perseveration in males but not in females. CONCLUSIONS: These data show important sex differences in the ontogeny of SAB and the effect of 8-OH-DPAT in a model of OCD. Such differences could be relevant for the sex differences in the prevalence of childhood OCD.     

Adapting summary scores for the PROMIS-29 v2.0 for use among older adults with multiple chronic conditions

Quality of Life Research - The patient-reported outcomes measurement information system 29-item profile (PROMIS-29 v2.0) is a widely used health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measure. Summary...     

Epidemiology,Molecular Epidemiology and Evolution of Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus

The bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is an enveloped, negative sense, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the pneumovirus genus within the family Paramyxoviridae. BRSV has been recognized as a major cause of respiratory disease in young calves since the early 1970s. The analysis of BRSV infection was originally hampered by its characteristic lability and poor growth in vitro. However, the advent of numerous immunological and molecular methods has facilitated the study of BRSV enormously. The knowledge gained from these studies has also provided the opportunity to develop safe, stable, attenuated virus vaccine candidates. Nonetheless, many aspects of the epidemiology, molecular epidemiology and evolution of the virus are still not fully understood. The natural course of infection is rather complex and further complicates diagnosis, treatment and the implementation of preventive measures aimed to control the disease. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which BRSV is able to establish infection is needed to prevent viral and disease spread. This review discusses important information regarding the epidemiology and molecular epidemiology of BRSV worldwide, and it highlights the importance of viral evolution in virus transmission.     

Molecular Detection and Characterization of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus and Porcine Aichivirus C Coinfection in México

Swine enteric viral infections are responsible for substantial economic losses in the pork industry worldwide. Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PEDV) is one of the main causative agents of diarrhea in lactating pigs, and reports of PEDV coinfection with other enteric viruses highlight the importance of viral interactions for disease presentation and outcomes. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and sequence analyses from samples taken from piglets with acute diarrhea, we explored the possible interactions between PEDV and other less reported pathogens. PEDV coinfection with porcine kobuvirus (PKV) was detected in 36.4% (27/74) of samples. Full genomes from porcine coronavirus and kobuvirus were obtained, as was a partial porcine sapovirus genome (PSaV). The phylogenetic results show the clustering of these strains corresponding to the geographical relationship. To our knowledge, this is the first full genome and isolation report for porcine kobuvirus in México, as well as the first phylogenetic analysis for porcine sapovirus in the country. The NGS approach provides a better perspective of circulating viruses and other pathogens in affected production units.     

Sex and age differences in the impact of the forced swimming test on the levels of steroid hormones

Compared with the adult disorder, depression in children exhibits differences in its neurobiology, particularly in the HPA axis regulation. The bases of such differences can be evaluated in animal models of depression. The objective of the present study was to determine age and sex differences of Wistar rats in the forced swimming test (FST). The influence of sex and age on corticosterone, estrogens and testosterone serum levels was also determined. Prepubertal rats showed immobility, swimming and climbing behaviors during the pre-test and test sessions. In addition, in the prepubertal animals, no sex differences were found during the pre-test and test sessions. Age comparisons indicated no differences in the female groups, however adult males exhibited more immobility and less swimming than young males, in both FST sessions. The young and female rats showed less immobility behavior and increased levels of estrogens after the FST. The present results indicate that the FST is an animal model suitable to evaluate depressive-like behaviors in prepubertal subjects and to explore behavioral changes related to neurodevelopment.     

Newcastle Disease Virus: Potential Therapeutic Application for Human and Canine Lymphoma

Research on oncolytic viruses has mostly been directed towards the treatment of solid tumors, which has yielded limited information regarding their activity in hematological cancer. It has also been directed towards the treatment of humans, yet veterinary medicine may also benefit. Several strains of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) have been used as oncolytics in vitro and in a number of in vivo experiments. We studied the cytolytic effect of NDV-MLS, a low virulence attenuated lentogenic strain, on a human large B-cell lymphoma cell line (SU-DHL-4), as well as on primary canine-derived B-cell lymphoma cells, and compared them to healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from both humans and dogs. NDV-MLS reduced cell survival in both human (42% ± 5%) and dog (34% ± 12%) lymphoma cells as compared to untreated controls. No significant effect on PBMC was seen. Cell death involved apoptosis as documented by flow-cytometry. NDV-MLS infections of malignant lymphoma tumors in vivo in dogs were confirmed by electron microscopy. Early (24 h) biodistribution of intravenous injection of 1 × 10¹² TCID₅₀ (tissue culture infective dose) in a dog with T-cell lymphoma showed viral localization only in the kidney, the salivary gland, the lung and the stomach by immunohistochemistry and/or endpoint PCR. We conclude that NDV-MLS may be a promising agent for the treatment of lymphomas. Future research is needed to elucidate the optimal therapeutic regimen and establish appropriate biosafety measures.     

Amoxapine as an atypical antipsychotic: a comparative study vs risperidone.

Amoxapine is marketed as an antidepressant. However, its in-vitro profile, receptor occupancy and preclinical effects are very similar to atypical antipsychotics. Amoxapine has also shown efficacy as an atypical antipsychotic in open trials. The objective of this study was to compare the antipsychotic and side effect profile of amoxapine and risperidone in a randomised assignment, standardized dosing, double-blind trial of acutely psychotic patients with schizophrenia. A total of 48 schizophrenic patients were enrolled and randomized in a double-blind 6-week trial to receive either risperidone (up to 5 mg/day) or amoxapine (up to 250 mg/day). Positive, negative, affective symptoms and motor side effects were measured using standardized weekly assessments. Prolactin levels were also determined at baseline and at the end of the study. A total of 39 patients (amoxapine, n=22; risperidone, n=21) completed the trial. Both pharmacological treatments, amoxapine 228.0 mg/day (SD=34.6) and risperidone 4.5 mg/day (SD=0.7), showed equivalent improvement in positive, negative, and depressive symptoms. Amoxapine was associated with less EPS and less prolactin elevation than risperidone. These data support previous reports about the efficacy of amoxapine as an atypical antipsychotic. Since amoxapine is off-patent, it may be a valuable low-cost alternative to new atypical antipsychotics, particularly in low-income countries where the majority of the patients are still treated with typical antipsychotics.     

Age onset subtypes of obsessive compulsive disorder: differences in clinical response to treatment with clomipramine

An open-label, 8-week, follow-up study was designed to compare subjects with child versus adult onset of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) on their clinical characteristics and response to a standardized treatment with clomipramine. The study included 15 children and 13 adults with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of OCD. Children received 50-225 mg/day (3-5 mg/kg day) and adults 150-250 mg/ day of clomipramine. The children's group had a higher number of males and increased comorbidity than the adults' group. A similar dose/kg day of clomipramine was effective in reducing OCD severity and improving the psychosocial functioning in both groups; however, total improvement according to the National Institute of Mental Health-Global Obsessive Compulsive Rating Scale (NIMH-GOCRS) was greater in adults. Adults reported a higher frequency of side effects compared to children, with dry mouth and constipation more common at the end of the study. These data suggest that children with OCD seeking treatment may have differences from adults and support the importance of studying age-of-onset subtypes of OCD.