From impulses to maladaptive actions: the insula is a neurobiological gate for the development of compulsive behavior

Impulsivity is an endophenotype of vulnerability for compulsive behaviors. However, the neural mechanisms whereby impulsivity facilitates the development of compulsive disorders, such as addiction or obsessive compulsive disorder, remain unknown. We first investigated, in rats, anatomical and functional correlates of impulsivity in the anterior insular (AI) cortex by measuring both the thickness of, and cellular plasticity markers in, the AI with magnetic resonance imaging and in situ hybridization of the immediate early gene zif268, respectively. We then investigated the influence of bilateral AI cortex lesions on the high impulsivity trait, as measured in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), and the associated propensity to develop compulsivity as measured by high drinking levels in a schedule-induced polydipsia procedure (SIP). We demonstrate that the AI cortex causally contributes to individual vulnerability to impulsive-compulsive behavior in rats. Motor impulsivity, as measured by premature responses in the 5-CSRTT, was shown to correlate with the thinness of the anterior region of the insular cortex, in which highly impulsive (HI) rats expressed lower zif268 mRNA levels. Lesions of AI reduced impulsive behavior in HI rats, which were also highly susceptible to develop compulsive behavior as measured in a SIP procedure. AI lesions also attenuated both the development and the expression of SIP. This study thus identifies the AI as a novel neural substrate of maladaptive impulse control mechanisms that may facilitate the development of compulsive disorders.

Who Let the Dogs Out? Communicating First Nations Perspectives on a Canine Veterinary Intervention Through Digital Storytelling

Dog-related human injuries affect public safety and animal welfare, and occur more frequently in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities than in urban centres in Canada. Little work has been done to identify the perspectives of those people most heavily affected by this issue or to report successful dog management programs. This project was undertaken by veterinarians and public health workers with the goal of documenting First Nations perspectives on dogs, and educating other rural health workers about introducing animal management services to Indigenous communities. We recruited 10-14 residents and healthcare workers from three First Nations to take dog-related photos in their communities and participate in group interviews during the summer of 2014. Audiovisual data were synthesised into four digital stories exploring the following aspects of participant relationships with community dogs: (1) Spay/neuter clinics; (2) Role of the dog (past and present); (3) Human-animal bond; and (4) Healthy dogs as a part of healthy communities. These videos document changes in dog husbandry behaviour, new acceptance of spay/neuter, three-way knowledge transfer between residents, researchers, and policy makers, and an overall desire to sustain the positive outcomes of the pilot dog management project. This work highlights cultural beliefs and success strategies that might guide other programs providing veterinary services in First Nations communities.

Parasite control in Canadian companion animal shelters and a cost-comparison of anthelmintics

Animal shelters have limited resources and must accommodate large numbers of animals at unpredictable intake rates. These dogs and cats are often parasitized, which can adversely affect the health of animals and expose shelter workers and adoptive owners to zoonoses. We analyzed survey responses from rural (n = 32) and urban (n = 50) companion animal shelters across Canada, and compared the wholesale cost of commercially available anthelmintics to identify cost-effective methods of managing parasites within shelters. Almost all shelters employed nematocides (98% to 99%), but cestocides and ectoparasiticides were used less frequently. Shelters identified cost as an important consideration in choosing to perform fecal diagnostic testing and administer anthelmintics, and this motivated many shelters to selectively perform testing (66%) or never to test (32%), and to use drugs extralabel (80%).

Long term temporal and spatial changes in the distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in Scottish soils

Long term changes in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations in soil from four transects across Scotland were measured in three surveys conducted between 1990 and 2007-9. Overall PCB level declined during this period (22.5 to 4.55 ng/g, p<0.001) but PBDEs increased (0.68 to 2.55 ng/g, p<0.001), reflecting the ban on PCB use in the 1980s while PBDE use increased until about 2004 when the use of penta-mix congener ceased in Europe. The proportion of lighter PCB congeners (28+52) present declined (p<0.001) primarily between 1990 and 1999. However, the proportion of lighter PBDE congeners (47+99) in the soil samples increased (p<0.01) from 1990 to 1999 and declined (p<0.001) thereafter, probably reflecting the introduction of legislation banning penta-BDE products and the degradation of lighter congeners and their translocation. PCBs were slightly higher in two southernmost transects but PBDE concentrations were significantly higher (p<0.001) in the two southern transects than in the two northern transects. This may reflect proximity to areas of high population and industrial activity. It is concluded that temporal and spatial changes in the distribution of PCBs and PBDEs reflect geography, physical processes and legislation.

Beyond the randomized clinical trial: citrate for continuous renal replacement therapy in clinical practice

BACKGROUND

Premature circuit clotting is a major problem during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Six randomized controlled trials confirmed that regional anticoagulation with citrate is superior to heparin. Our objective was to compare circuit patency with citrate, heparin and epoprostenol in routine clinical practice.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed data on circuit patency of all circuits used in a single centre between September 2008 and August 2009. We differentiated between premature filter clotting, elective discontinuation and waste.

RESULTS

309 patients were treated with CRRT (n = 2,059 circuits). The mean age was 65.7; 63.8% were male. The methods to maintain circuit patency were unfractionated heparin (42.3%), epoprostenol (23.0%), citrate (14.7%), combinations of different anticoagulants (14.6%) and no anticoagulation (4.7%). Premature clotting was the most common reason for circuit discontinuation among circuits anticoagulated with heparin, epoprostenol or combinations of different anticoagulants (59-62%). Among circuits anticoagulated with citrate the main reason for discontinuation was elective (61%). Hazard regression analysis confirmed significantly better circuit survival with citrate. Changing from heparin to citrate decreased the risk of premature circuit clotting by 75.8%.

CONCLUSION

In routine clinical practice, regional anticoagulation with citrate is associated with significantly better circuit patency than heparin or epoprostenol.

Concentrations and geographic distribution of selected organic pollutants in Scottish surface soils

Concentrations of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) representing three chemical classes (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and the organic pollutant diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), were determined in surface soil samples (0-5 cm) collected at 20 km grid intersects throughout Scotland over a three-year period. Detectable amounts of all chemical classes and most individual congeners were present in all samples. There were no consistent effects of soil or vegetation type, soil carbon content, pH, altitude or distance from centres of population on concentrations which exhibited extreme variation, even in adjacent samples. It is concluded that soil POPs and DEHP concentrations and associated rates of animal and human exposure were highly variable, influenced by multiple, interacting factors, and not clearly related to local sources but possibly related to wet atmospheric deposition and the organic carbon content of the soil.

Short- and long-term temporal changes in soil concentrations of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) following single or multiple applications of sewage sludge to pastures

Temporal changes in soil burdens of selected endocrine disrupting compounds were determined following application to pasture of either sewage sludge or inorganic fertilizer. Soil polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations were not altered. Changes in concentrations of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and PBDEs 47 and 99 differed with season but concentrations remained elevated for more than three weeks after application, when grazing animals are normally excluded from pasture. It is concluded that single applications of sewage sludge can increase soil concentrations of some, but not all classes of EDCs, possibly to concentrations sufficient to exert biological effects when different chemicals act in combination, but patterns of change depend on season and soil temperature. Analysis of soil from pasture subjected to repeated sludge applications, over 13 years, provided preliminary evidence of greater increases in soil burdens of all of the EDC groups measured, including all of the PBDE congeners measured.

The basis of antagonistic pleiotropy in hfq mutations that have opposite effects on fitness at slow and fast growth rates

Mutations beneficial in one environment may cause costs in different environments, resulting in antagonistic pleiotropy. Here, we describe a novel form of antagonistic pleiotropy that operates even within the same environment, where benefits and deleterious effects exhibit themselves at different growth rates. The fitness of hfq mutations in Escherichia coli affecting the RNA chaperone involved in small-RNA regulation is remarkably sensitive to growth rate. E. coli populations evolving in chemostats under nutrient limitation acquired beneficial mutations in hfq during slow growth (0.1 h(-1)) but not in populations growing sixfold faster. Four identified hfq alleles from parallel populations were beneficial at 0.1 h(-1) and deleterious at 0.6 h(-1). The hfq mutations were beneficial, deleterious or neutral at an intermediate growth rate (0.5 h(-1)) and one changed from beneficial to deleterious within a 36 min difference in doubling time. The benefit of hfq mutations was due to the greater transport of limiting nutrient, which diminished at higher growth rates. The deleterious effects of hfq mutations at 0.6 h(-1) were less clear, with decreased viability a contributing factor. The results demonstrate distinct pleiotropy characteristics in the alleles of the same gene, probably because the altered residues in Hfq affected the regulation of expression of different genes in distinct ways. In addition, these results point to a source of variation in experimental measurement of the selective advantage of a mutation; estimates of fitness need to consider variation in growth rate impacting on the magnitude of the benefit of mutations and on their fitness distributions.

Anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulants among women undergoing in vitro fertilization in Jamaica

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) and lupus anticoagulant (LA) on the outcome of the in vitro ferlitization (IVF) cycles and to determine the prevalence of these antibodies in infertile women seeking IVF in Jamaica.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed to determine if screening patients for aCL and LA had any significant impact on the outcome of the IVF process. Each patients hospital record, between March 2000 and March 2010, was collected and the relevant data extracted.

RESULTS

The prevalence of aCL in this cohort of Jamaican women was moderate/high positive 3.88%, low positive 0.68% and those with negative aCL results 95.4%. The prevalence of women who were LA positive was 4.1% and 0.9% of the women were positive for both LA and aCL. Of the patients who were LA and/or aCL positive, eight out of 30 patients (26.7%) had a positive pregnancy test in comparison to 61 out of 181 patients (33.7%) who were LA and/or aCL negative (p = 0.5787).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of positive aCL and/or LA in infertile women seeking IVF in Jamaica is 7.76%. The presence of these antibodies did not affect the pregnancy rate of these women nor did it demonstrate an increased risk for IVF cycle cancellation or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Screening women undergoing IVF for these antibodies is not justified.