Search

Andressa A Magalhaes,1 Camila MF Gama,1 Raquel M Gonçalves,1 Liana CL Portugal,2 Isabel A David,1 Fernanda Serpeloni,3 Liana Wernersbach Pinto,3 Simone G Assis,3,4 Joviana Q Avanci,3 Eliane Volchan,5 Ivan Figueira,6 Liliane MP Vilete,6 Mariana P Luz,6 William Berger,6 Fatima S Erthal,5 Mauro V Mendlowicz,7 Izabela Mocaiber,8 Mirtes G Pereira,1 Leticia de Oliveira1 1Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, RJ, 24210-130, Brazil; 2Department of Physiological Sciences, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil; 3Department of Violence and Health Studies, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil; 4The Neurology Postgraduate Program, Hospital Gaffrée and Guinle, Unirio, RJ, 20270-901, Brazil; 5Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil; 6Psychiatry Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22290-140, Brazil; 7Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, RJ, 24030-215, Brazil; 8Institute of Humanities and Health, Federal Fluminense University, Rio das Ostras, RJ, 28890-000, BrazilCorrespondence: Leticia de OliveiraBiomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, 101 Hernani Mello, Niterói, RJ, 24210-130, BrazilTel +55 21 2629-2446Email oliveira_leticia@id.uff.brPurpose: Growing evidence suggests that peritraumatic tonic immobility, an involuntary defensive response that involves extreme physical immobility and the perceived inability to escape, is a significant predictor of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. However, this issue has not been specifically addressed in adolescents. Here, we investigated whether tonic immobility response experienced during the worst childhood or adolescent trauma is associated with PTSD symptom severity in a non-clinical student sample.Methods: The sample was composed of students in 9th grade who were attending public and private schools. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress and tonic immobility were assessed using questionnaires. We performed bivariate and multivariate negative binomial regressions to examine whether tonic immobility was associated with PTSD symptomatology after controlling for confounders (peritraumatic dissociation, peritraumatic panic reactions, gender, age and time since trauma).Results: We found an association between tonic immobility and PTSD symptom severity, even after controlling for confounders. Therefore, tonic immobility is associated with PTSD symptoms in trauma-exposed adolescents.Conclusion: These findings highlight tonic immobility as a possible risk factor that could be used to provide direction for more targeted trauma interventions for individuals, particularly those at risk for developing PTSD. Therefore, it contributes to preventing and reducing the psychiatric burden in adolescence and later in life.Keyswords: post-traumatic stress disorder, adolescence, youth, peritraumatic reaction, psychometry, trauma

Abstract Background Atopy and allergic phenotypes are biologically characterized by an imbalanced T helper cell response skewed towards a type 2 (TH2) immune response associated with elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Polymorphisms in cytokine genes might modulate regulation of the TH1/TH2 balance. We thus aimed at reproducing our previous findings from a European study population on the association of various cytokine polymorphisms with self-reported hay fever as well as increased total and specific IgE levels in two comparable study populations. Methods Two prospective Caucasian cohorts were used. In the Basel center of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS, n = 418) ten distinct cytokine polymorphisms of putative functional relevance were genotyped. In the Swiss cohort Study on Air Pollution And Lung Disease In Adults (SAPALDIA, n = 6003) two cytokine polymorphisms were genotyped. The associations of these polymorphisms with atopy were estimated by covariance and logistic regression analysis. Results We confirmed IL4, IL10, IL6 and IL18 as candidate genes for atopic health outcomes. In the large, well-characterized SAPALDIA cohort the IL6(-174G>C) and IL18(-137G>C) polymorphisms were associated with circulating total IgE concentrations in subjects with hay fever. The IL18(-137G>C) polymorphism was also associated with the prevalence of hay fever. Conclusion Comprehensive characterization of genetic variation in extended cytokine candidate gene regions is now needed. Large study networks must follow to investigate the association of risk patterns defined by genetic predisposing and environmental risk factors with specific atopic phenotypes.

Milankovitch Theory has become an important tool in geologic practice andthought, and is sufficiently conspicuous to provide a rewarding target for criticism.The chief problem arising has to do with the prominence of a cycle near 100,000years, whose origin is not clear. Most practitioners, presumably, would accept aclose relationship of that cycle to precession of the equinoxes (that is, cyclicchanges in seasonality), along with dynamical properties of the system thatenhance the amplitude of the 100-kyr cycle at the expense of others. In anycase, Milankovitch Theory has proved useful, both for age assignments and forstimulating thought about relationships between climate change andsedimentation, as is readily evident from the relevant literature. It would bedifficult to replace. Neither does it seem desirable to do so: the chief problemnoted in regard of the theory (the 100-kyr problem) is not necessarily a part of thetheory, which is concerned with change rather than with condition. The 100-kyrcycle is linked to condition. The problem raised by critics seems to be the timescale of integration of change, a problem not addressed in Milankovitch Theory.A necessity for additional processes and mechanisms not considered inMilankovitch Theory cannot be excluded.

In the following are listed the various references used in a treatise on ocean exploration, recently published by the University of California Press (Berger, W.H., 2009. Ocean – Reflections on a Century of Exploration. UC Press, Berkeley 519pp.; with contributions by E.N. Shor). The list is alphabetical (unlike in the volume) and is suited for electronic searching and for downloading. The references were assembled to reflect ocean research in the 20th century. There is some bias toward marine geology and ecology, and toward work in these fields at the U.S. West Coast. Also, there is some emphasis on research at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (which celebrated the centennial of its founding in 2003). Historical aspects owe much to numerous contributions by E.N. Shor. For topics that were not represented in my collection of reprints and books, I used various symposia and encyclopedias. One that proved especially useful is the 6-volume encyclopedia on the ocean edited by Steele et al. (2001). Some relevant references only list the name of the contributor and the treatise. A few references are incomplete in the original book and have been completed for the present list. The total number of references is 889.

The astronomer A.E. Douglass is generally recognized as the founding father of dendrochronology. He studied tree rings in the search for evidence that solar variation (as seen in sunspots) is reflected in climate variation. He was convinced that his quest was successful. Analysis of some of his early data using Fourier decomposition and comparison of tree-ring periodograms with those based on known solar cycles suggests that the cycles he found may not exist or may not be of pure solar origin. The findings here reported suggest a much stronger influence of tides on the tree-ring records than commonly considered. Douglass’s great merit as the pioneer of tree-ring dating in archeology and tree ring- based climatology remains unaffected by the findings here presented.

Background: A nasal spray containing the antiallergy agent olopatadine hydrochloride is being developed for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 2 concentrations of olopatadine nasal spray vs placebo in patients with SAR. Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. After a 3- to 21-day placebo run-in, 565 patients aged 12 to 80 years were randomized to receive 0.4% or 0.6% olopatadine or placebo, 2 sprays per nostril twice daily for 2 weeks. Patients evaluated morning and evening reflective and instantaneous nasal symptoms (sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose, and itchy nose, which compose the total nasal symptom score [TNSS]) and ocular symptoms and completed the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ). Results: Olopatadine spray (0.4% and 0.6%) was significantly superior to placebo for percentage change from baseline in overall reflective (P = .004 and P < .001, respectively) and instantaneous (P = .02 and P = .003, respectively) TNSSs. Also, 0.6% olopatadine was significantly superior to placebo for reducing the reflective and instantaneous assessments of sneezing runny and itchy nose, and itchy eyes; the instantaneous assessments of watery eyes; and the overall and all 7 domain scores of the RQLQ (P < .05). Olopatadine spray exhibited a safety profile comparable with that of placebo. Conclusions: Olopatadine nasal spray (0.4% and 0.6%) provided statistically significant improvements in allergic rhinitis symptoms compared with placebo regarding TNSSs (reflective and instantaneous) and in quality-of-life variables in patients with SAR. Olopatadine nasal spray administered twice daily was safe and well tolerated in adolescents and adults.