Animal-assisted Psychotherapy and Trauma: A Meta-analysis

The present meta-analysis examined the efficacy of animal-assisted psychotherapy for individuals who have experienced trauma. Eight studies quantitatively assessed the treatment effects of involvement in animal-assisted psychotherapy. A random effects model was used to aggregate each study into an overall effect size. Eight effect sizes were included in the pre-versus post-comparison analysis. The results indicate a large effect size (Hedge’s g = 0.86, p < 0.001, 95% CI [.53, 1.18]). Two effect sizes were included in the treatment versus control comparison analysis. The results indicated a small to moderate effect size (g = 0.46, p = 0.03, 95% CI [0.04, 0.06]). Limited moderator analyses were able to be conducted due to lack of consistent reporting across studies. Place of study and percentage of female participants in the treatment group were found to statistically moderate the effect of animal-assisted psychotherapy. The results indicate that animal-assisted therapy is an efficacious treatment for trauma.     

Biological and nutritional aspects involved in fern multiplication

Gametophytes of several species of ferns were mechanically triturated and the resulting homogenates cultured in vitro for propagation purposes. Differences in the time period from spore culture to sporophyte development were perceivable between species. For those species with a fast life cycle and high sporophyte production such as Woodwardia virginica and Dryopteris affinis sp. affinis, homogenization of gametophytes can be considered to be excellent method for propagation, yielding hundreds of sporophytes in a short period of time. Sporophyte formation was inhibited in O. regalis by the succesive application of homogenization to gametophytes regenerated by this technique. The effect of the culture medium composition on fern production was also studied in O. regalis and P. ensiformis gametophytes. In these species, sporophyte formation increased when the gametophytes were cultured in a medium containing water+0.7% agar. Addition of sucrose inhibited gametophyte development and induced their necrosis. The 1/2 dilution of Murashige and Skoog basal medium, without sucrose, favoured leaf expansion in P. ensiformis sporophytes. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Effect of Rain Forest Canopy Architecture on the Distribution of Epiphytic Ferns (Asplenium spp.) in Sabah, Malaysia

Epiphytic plants are a dominant component of the rain forest canopy biota. They represent a significant proportion of canopy plant biomass and diversity, play a key role in nutrient cycling, and support highly abundant and diverse animal communities. Understanding the factors affecting their distribution in this three-dimensional habitat is consequently of great importance, not least because they may be particularly vulnerable to climate change and habitat conversion. Here we investigate how canopy architecture affects the distribution of two species of bird's nest fern ( Asplenium spp.) in pristine rain forest. Both species were found at high abundances ( Asplenium phyllitidis : 136/ha, SE ± 31.6, Asplenium nidus : 44/ha, SE ± 9.2) and their distributions were differentially affected by canopy architecture. Asplenium phyllitidis was found only at heights < 30 m in areas with a thicker lower canopy layer. Asplenium nidus was found at all heights in the canopy and was associated with emergent trees and areas with an open understory. Larger A. phyllitidis were found higher in the canopy while larger A. nidus were found on trunks and branches with a wider diameter. Asplenium nidus seems adapted to withstand the hot dry conditions in the upper canopy and in gaps, and its size is consequently limited only by the size of its support. Asplenium phyllitidis is dominant in areas that are cooler and damper, and so the growth rate of individuals may be limited by light levels. We discuss possible implications of this partitioning for epiphyte communities in the face of climate change and habitat conversion.
     

Mapping genetic modifiers of survival in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder affecting approximately 1% of the population. Mutations in voltage‐gated sodium channels are responsible for several monogenic epilepsy syndromes. More than 800 mutations in the voltage‐gated sodium channel SCN1A have been reported in patients with generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus and Dravet syndrome. Heterozygous loss‐of‐function mutations in SCN1A result in Dravet syndrome, a severe infant‐onset epileptic encephalopathy characterized by intractable seizures, developmental delays and increased mortality. A common feature of monogenic epilepsies is variable expressivity among individuals with the same mutation, suggesting that genetic modifiers may influence clinical severity. Mice with heterozygous deletion of Scn1a (Scn1a^+/?) model a number of Dravet syndrome features, including spontaneous seizures and premature lethality. Phenotype severity in Scn1a^+/? mice is strongly dependent on strain background. On the 129S6/SvEvTac strain Scn1a^+/? mice exhibit no overt phenotype, whereas on the (C57BL/6J × 129S6/SvEvTac)F1 strain Scn1a^+/? mice exhibit spontaneous seizures and early lethality. To systematically identify loci that influence premature lethality in Scn1a^+/? mice, we performed genome scans on reciprocal backcrosses. Quantitative trait locus mapping revealed modifier loci on mouse chromosomes 5, 7, 8 and 11. RNA‐seq analysis of strain‐dependent gene expression, regulation and coding sequence variation provided a list of potential functional candidate genes at each locus. Identification of modifier genes that influence survival in Scn1a^+/? mice will improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of Dravet syndrome and may suggest novel therapeutic strategies for improved treatment of human patients.     

脑电超慢涨落图技术在癫痫研究中的应用

目的：观察脑内多种神经递质对癫痫发作的影响。方法：以癫痫患者和ＳＤ大鼠为实验对象,用脑功能检测的最新脑电超电涨落图分析仪（ｅｎｃｅｐｈａｌｏｆｌｕｃｔｕｏｇｒａｍ ｔｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙ,ＥＴ）长时程采集脑电信号,提取在脑电中载有脑神经递质调节系统的震荡信息（即Ｓ谱线）,分析癫痫发作时的脑神经递质的变化。结果：患儿癫痫发作时,Ｓ谱线中Ｓ２（谷氨酸）增高;Ｓ１（γ－氨基丁酸）降低,造成Ｓ１＜Ｓ２。Ｓ５     

红藻氨酸癫痫大鼠海马GFAP基因调控蛋白表达的变化

目的和方法：用Southwestern印迹从红藻氨酸（KA）癫痫大鼠海马结构中筛选调控胶质原纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP）基因表达的DNA结合蛋白;并观察其在海马内表达变化的规律,旨在从基因调控水平深入探讨癫痫反复发作形成的神经病理学机制。结果：Southwestern印迹的实验显示海马结构内有两种调控GFAP基因表达的序列特异的DNA结合蛋白,分子量分别为39kDa和35.5kDa;KA后1d,两种调控蛋白的表达即开始增加,5－7d时表达显著增加,3周时表达最多,3个月时表达仍很高。结论：KA通过上调调控GFAP基因表达的转录因子,使海马GFAP过量表达,提示该转录调控因子很可能参与一次KA后癫痫反复发作的形成。     

Effectiveness and specificity of a classroom-based group intervention in children and adolescents exposed to war in Lebanon

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and specificity of a classroom-based psychosocial intervention after war. All students (n=2500) of six villages in Southern Lebanon designated as most heavily exposed to war received a classroom-based intervention delivered by teachers, consisting of cognitive-behavioural and stress inoculation training strategies. A random sample of treated students (n=101) and a matched control group (n=93) were assessed one month post-war and one year later. Mental disorders and psychosocial stressors were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents - Revised with children and parents. War exposure was measured using the War Events Questionnaire. The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD), separation anxiety disorder (SAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was examined pre-war, one month post-war (pre-intervention), and one year post-war. Specificity of treatment was determined by rating teachers’ therapy diaries. The rates of disorders peaked one month post-war and decreased over one year. There was no significant effect of the intervention on the rates of MDD, SAD or PTSD. Post-war MDD, SAD and PTSD were associated with pre-war SAD and PTSD, family violence parameters, financial problems and witnessing war events. These findings have significant policy and public health implications, given current practices of delivering universal interventions immediately post-war.     

Cell therapy with autologous mesenchymal stromal cells in post-traumatic syringomyelia

Background aims

Recently, clinical studies show that cell therapy with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) improves the sequelae chronically established in paraplegic patients, being necessary to know which of them can obtain better benefit.

The polymethoxylated flavone,Tangeretin improves cognitive memory in rats experiencing a single episode of prolonged post-traumatic stress

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related psychiatric/mental condition. Tangeretin (TAN), a major polymethoxylated flavone of citrus plants, exhibits anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. However, whether TAN leads to cognitive improvement in PTSD patients remains unclear. In the present study, we explored whether TAN improved cognitive impairment induced in rats by single prolonged stress (SPS episode mimicking PTSD induction) and determined whether TAN reversed reductions in dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels. Rats were intraperitoneally injected with TAN for 14 consecutive days after the SPS, which had induced cognitive deficits evident in the object recognition task and the Morris water maze test; the impairments were improved by TAN (100?mg/kg). TAN rescued the neurochemical abnormalities and the SPS-induced decreases in DA and 5-HT levels in the hippocampus and amygdala. These effects may be attributable in part to induction of hippocampal genes encoding tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase-1. Our results support the idea that rats with PTSD exhibit changes in DAergic and serotonergic transmission and in memory impairment. Thus, TAN mediated reversal of memory-related behavioral dysfunction associated with traumatic stress may be a useful therapeutic intervention in PTSD patients.