1st Session Research Articles

1255P - Impact of intralesional interleukin 2 (IL2) for in-transit melanoma in two Canadian centres

Background: In-transit (IT) melanoma is a form of metastatic disease that is associated with high morbidity and is often refractory to treatment. Intralesional (IAL) IL2 has been increasingly utilized to obtain loco-regional control. This study utilizes a national registry to evaluate response and duration of response of standardized IAL therapy at tertiary centres in 2 provinces. Methods: Patients (pts) receiving IAL IL2 between 2000 and 2017 were included. Data regarding patient demographics, stage, extent of disease, and all treatments were collected. All pts received a median IL2 dose of 12 million IU given as an IAL injection every 2 to 4 weeks repeated 2 to 8 times to complete a session. Results: A total of 87 pts aged 21 to 94 (mean: 69 yrs) were included. IT disease was located in the following areas: limbs in 68 pts (79%), head and neck in 13 pts (15%) and trunk in 5 pts (6%). 20% of pts developed IT within 3 months of primary diagnosis, 69% developed IT after 6 months and 11% after 3 years. IT lesions per individual ranged from 1 to 40+; 45% had >10 lesions. Patients had a complete response rate of 32% (28 pts) and a partial response rate of 38% (33 pts). 27 (31%) pts experienced a recurrence after their 1st IL2 session, with a mean of 225 days (median: 204). Of these pts, 15 (56%) pts developed loco-regional recurrences, while 6 (22%) developed distant metastases and 6 (22%) had both distant and loco-regional recurrences. 27 pts (31%) received systemic treatment for metastatic disease. 18 (21%) pts died of disease, while 3% died of other causes while disease was present. 7 (8%) died of other causes with disease status unknown, and 25 (29%) and 34 (39%) are recorded alive with more than a year (1 to 11 yrs) or less than a year follow up, respectively. No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was experienced by pts who received IL2 therapy. On multi-variant analysis, age, extent of disease and prior systemic therapy did not impact overall response (X2 test, p > 0.05). Conclusions: IAL IL2 appears to be an effective therapeutic option for pts with advanced melanoma and IT disease, with an overall response rate of 70%. With further long-term follow up of these pts, the impact on overall survival can be determined. Legal entity responsible for the study: Global Melanoma Research Network. Funding: Global Melanoma Research Network. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Complexity Analysis of EEG Data in Persons With Depression Subjected to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

Aim: The aim of this work was to study the neurophysiological effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in 8 patients with major depression disorder (MDD) and 10 patients with bipolar disorder (BP), considering separately responders and non-responders to rTMS therapy in each of both groups.Methods: The Higuchi’s Fractal Dimension (FD) was analyzed from 64-channels EEG signals in five physiological frequency bands and every channel separately. Changes of FD were analyzed before and after 1st, 10th, and 20th session of rTMS.Results: Some differences in response to the rTMS therapy was found across individual groups. In MDD responders, FD decreased in all bands after longer stimulation (20th session). Whereas, in BP non-responders, FD decreased after 1st session in all bands as well as after 10th session in lower frequencies (delta and theta). In MDD non-responders and BP responders FD increased at the beginning of the therapy (1st and 10th session, respectively), but the final FD value did not changed in comparison to the initial FD value, except the FD decrease for theta band in BP responders. Comparison between groups showed a higher FD in MDD responders than in MDD non-responders in every band before as well as after stimulation. In contrast to MDD patients, FD was lower in BP responders than in BP non-responders in higher frequency bands (alpha, beta, and gamma) in both conditions as well as in lower frequency bands (delta and theta) after stimulation. Comparing both groups of responders, FD was lower in MDD than in BP in every band, except alpha. In case of non-responders, FD was higher in BP than in MDD in all bands in both conditions.Conclusion: The results showed that FD may be useful marker for evaluation of the rTMS effectiveness and the therapy progress as well as for group differentiation between MDD and BP or between responders and non-responders. The changes of FD under the influence of rTMS allow to unambiguously conclude whether the effect of stimulation is positive or negative as well as allow to evaluate an optimal time of rTMS.

A Moderate Supplementation of Native Whey Protein Promotes Better Muscle Training and Recovery Adaptations Than Standard Whey Protein - A 12-Week Electrical Stimulation and Plyometrics Training Study.

The purpose of this study was to assess if native whey protein (NW) supplementation could promote recovery and training adaptations after an electrostimulation (ES) training program combined to plyometrics training. Participants were allocated into three groups, supplemented 5 days/week, either with 15 g of carbohydrates + 15 g of NW (n = 17), 15 g of carbohydrates + 15 g of standard whey protein (SW; n = 15), or placebo (PLA; 30 g of carbohydrates; n = 10), while undergoing a 12-week ES training program of the knee extensors. Concentric power (Pmax) was evaluated before, immediately after, as well as 30 min, 60 min, 24 h, and 48 h after the 1st, 4th and last ES training session. The maximal voluntary contraction torque (MVC), twitch amplitude, anatomical cross-sectional area (CSA) and maximal voluntary activation level (VA) were measured before (T0), and after 6 (T1) and 12 weeks of training (T2). Pmax recovery kinetics differed between groups (p < 0.01). Pmax started to recover at 30 min in NW, 24 h in SW and 48 h in PLA. Training adaptations also differed between groups: MVC increased between T0 and T2 in NW (+11.8%, p < 0.001) and SW (+7.1%, p < 0.05), but not PLA. Nevertheless, the adaptation kinetics differed: MVC increased in NW and SW between T0 and T1, but an additional gain was only observed between T1 and T2 in NW. VA declined at T1 and T2 in PLA (−3.9%, p < 0.05), at T2 in SW (−3.5%, p < 0.05), and was unchanged in NW. CSA increased, but did not differ between groups. These results suggest that NW could promote a faster recovery and neuromuscular adaptations after training than SW. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect remain to be identified.

Fighting for the Internet: Online Blackout Protests and Internet Legislation in the United States, 1996-2018

Fighting for the Internet: Online Blackout Protests and Internet Legislation in the United States, 1996-2018

Sexual behaviour is impaired by the abused inhalant toluene in adolescent male rats.

Inhalant misuse is a worldwide problem, especially among adolescents. Toluene is the most widely misused inhalant. One hallmark of adolescence is the emergence of sexual behaviour, which can be affected by drug use. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of toluene inhalation on different aspects of male rats' sexual behaviour using a binge pattern of exposure in adolescent rats. Male Wistar rats were individually exposed to air or 6,000ppm toluene for 30min (acute exposure; n=8 each) or twice a day for 12days (repeated exposure; n=9 each) in static exposure chambers. Independent groups of sexually experienced, adolescent rats (postnatal day 63, PN63) were tested after acute toluene exposure for copulation, sexual incentive motivation or noncontact erections. Sexually naïve, adolescent rats (PN45-59) were repeatedly exposed to toluene and tested for sexual behaviour after completing the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th exposure sessions. Acute toluene exposure impaired copulatory performance, diminished sexual incentive motivation and delayed noncontact erection occurrence in sexually experienced rats. Repeated toluene exposure during adolescence completely inhibited the onset of copulatory behaviours in sexually naïve rats, at the time at which they should have appeared. However, once the inhalant exposure ended, copulatory responses appeared gradually, and animals attained a typical, stable copulatory pattern. In conclusion, acute toluene exposure impairs sexual behaviour in young, sexually experienced animals, while repeated toluene exposure during adolescence prevents the onset of copulatory behaviour, although this effect is transitory.

Pulmonary rehabilitation and BDNF levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A pilot study

BackgroundCOPD physiopathology involves multiple pathways and evidence indicates that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important biomarker associated with parameters of COPD severity. This study aimed to analyze the time course of the effects of a pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP) on BDNF levels and on functional status in COPD patients. MethodsPatients were enrolled in a 24-session PRP. Exercise capacity, dyspnea, health-related quality of life, and the BODE index were assessed at baseline and after the PRP. BDNF plasma levels were measured at baseline (immediately before the 1st session), after the 1st session, and before and after the 24th session. ResultsSixteen patients were included. A reduction in BDNF levels was observed after the 1st session and an increase was observed between the end of the 1st session and the beginning of the 24th session. The PRP promoted an improvement in exercise capacity and health-related quality of life and a reduction in dyspnea and the BODE index. ConclusionExercise acutely reduced BDNF levels, an effect that was nullified by the overall intervention.

Structural Reforms and CPC Power after the Third CPC Plenum, and the 1st Session of the 13th NPC

In February and March 2018 the 3rd Plenum of the 19th CPC Congress and the first meeting of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) were held. During these meetings, important and far-reaching structural reforms were adopted, including constitutional amendments, restructurings of the government and the relationship between Party and state. Structural reforms are common at the outset of a new fi ve-year NPC term, and it is important to understand these reforms as part of an ongoing process. The recent reforms, however, were remarkable in the way they rearranged Party–state relations and bolstered not only the Party but, importantly, Xi Jinping's authority as core leader. This article provides a detailed overview of the major changes in constitution, government structure (ministries and state departments), personnel and Party authority.

Dry Immersion as a Novel Physical Therapeutic Intervention for Rehabilitation of Parkinson’s Disease Patients: A Feasibility Study

Abstract Background The study was aimed at evaluating therapeutic effect of analogue microgravity in a form of “dry immersion” (DI) on motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods A group of 12 PD patients aged 67 (63–68) years, Hoenh and Yahr staged 1–3, participated in this study. During DI a subject wrapped in a thin waterproof material was immersed in a bathtub at 31°C. The rehabilitation program included 7 DI sessions (45 min each, 2 times per week, on-medication). The Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale parts I, II and III (UPDRS-I/II/III) and the Hamilton’s Depression Rate Scale (HDRS) were applied before the 1st, after 4th and 7th DI session, and 2 weeks and 2 months after the whole DI program. Results The UPDRS-III score, HDRS, and rigidity signs score have significantly decreased by 16–35% two weeks after the DI program. Two months after completion of the DI program all studied parameters regained their pre-treatment values. The UPDRS-I, II, tremor and akinesia signs score did not respond to the DI program. Conclusion The DI program promises rehabilitation potential for patients with parkinsonism.

Behavioural automaticity moderates and mediates the relationship of trait self-control and physical activity behaviour

Objectives: Trait self-control has been shown to be associated with physical activity behaviour. However, in contrast with the theoretical assumption underlying the strength model of self-control, self-control seems to be more important for automatic compared with controlled behaviours. It is argued that self-control might facilitate the formation of adaptive habits (behavioural automaticity) and therefore enhance health behaviour through an indirect effect. The credibility of this hypothesis was empirically assessed in a proof-of-concept study.Methods: In a prospective design study with two laboratory sessions, participants (N = 124) completed standardised questionnaires assessing trait self-control and behavioural automaticity as predictors (1st session) and actual physical activity behaviour (after one week) as the dependent variable (2nd session).Results: The predictive power of self-control was stronger for participants with high behavioural automaticity compared with participants with low behavioural automaticity. Furthermore, automaticity mediated the relationship between self-control and behaviour.Discussion: Behavioural automaticity appears to be a helpful construct for specifying the relationship between self-control and physical activity. Our results support the approach of effortless self-control and self-control success, an extension of the strength model of self-control which assumes that self-control is helpful in creating effective routines. In future studies, causal relationships should be examined using more robust and rigorous research designs.

Early- and later-phases satellite cell responses and myonuclear content with resistance training in young men.

Satellite cells (SC) are associated with skeletal muscle remodelling after muscle damage and/or extensive hypertrophy resulting from resistance training (RT). We recently reported that early increases in muscle protein synthesis (MPS) during RT appear to be directed toward muscle damage repair, but MPS contributes to hypertrophy with progressive muscle damage attenuation. However, modulations in acute-chronic SC content with RT during the initial (1st-wk: high damage), early (3rd-wk: attenuated damage), and later (10th-wk: no damage) stages is not well characterized. Ten young men (27 ± 1 y, 23.6 ± 1.0 kg·m-2) underwent 10-wks of RT and muscle biopsies (vastus-lateralis) were taken before (Pre) and post (48h) the 1st (T1), 5th (T2) and final (T3) RT sessions to evaluate fibre type specific SC content, cross-sectional area (fCSA) and myonuclear number by immunohistochemistry. We observed RT-induced hypertrophy after 10-wks of RT (fCSA increased ~16% in type II, P < 0.04; ~8% in type I [ns]). SC content increased 48h post-exercise at T1 (~69% in type I [P = 0.014]; ~42% in type II [ns]), and this increase was sustained throughout RT (pre T2: ~65%, ~92%; pre T3: ~30% [ns], ~87%, for the increase in type I and II, respectively, vs. pre T1 [P < 0.05]). Increased SC content was not coupled with changes in myonuclear number. SC have a more pronounced role in muscle repair during the initial phase of RT than muscle hypertrophy resulted from 10-wks RT in young men. Chronic elevated SC pool size with RT is important providing proper environment for future stresses or larger fCSA increases.

Predicting Alliance for Depressed and Suicidal Adolescents: The Role of Perceived Attachment to Mothers

ABSTRACTAlthough therapeutic alliance is a robust predictor of treatment outcomes in child and adolescent psychotherapy, less is known about relational factors, such as youth’s attachment, to mothers and fathers. The current study investigated anxious or avoidant attachment to mothers or fathers as predictors of early formation of the therapeutic alliance in a high-risk sample of depressed and suicidal adolescents. Changes in adolescents’ alliance ratings between the 1st and 4th treatment sessions were examined in a comparative efficacy trial (N = 115) of attachment-based family therapy and family-enhanced nondirective supportive therapy for suicidal and depressed adolescents. Multilevel regression analysis accounted for nested data by therapist and treatment condition. After accounting for significant random effects in our multilevel model associated with therapist to treatment condition, results revealed a significant effect of perceived insecurity to mothers leading to lower levels of therapeutic alliance at Session 4 (β = −0.49, p < .05). The quality of adolescents’ attachments to parents may play an important role in adolescents’ ability to form strong working relationships with a therapist. Findings suggested that adolescents with avoidant attachment styles may be more difficult to engage in treatment and could benefit from specific interventions focused on alliance-building.

Analysis of the electromiographic activity of lower limb and motor function in hippotherapy practitioners with cerebral palsy

ObjectiveInvestigation of the effects of hippotherapy treatment on lower limb muscle activity and gross motor function in subjects with cerebral palsy (CP), comparing them to a group of subjects with adequate motor development. MethodsEvaluation was made of seven individuals with spastic diparetic CP, average age 9.3 (±3.3) years (CP group), Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I and II, and eight individuals with adequate motor development, average age 10.9 (±3.2) years (control group). The groups were submitted to 25 sessions of hippotherapy, each lasting 30 min, on a weekly basis, and the muscle activity of the lower limbs was evaluated using surface electromyography during the 1st, 10th, 20th, and 25th sessions. For the CP group, Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM-88) was performed before and after hippotherapy treatment. ResultsThere was higher muscle activity in the 10th session, compared to the other sessions, with greater activity of the tibialis anterior muscles, for both groups studied. After treatment, the CP group showed significant improvement in the GMFM total score, and in the scores for dimensions D and E. ConclusionHippotherapy sessions improved the muscle responses in both groups, and improved the gross motor function of the subjects with CP.

地場産業・伝統的工芸品産業の振興 : 『日本の顔』としての生活文化提案産業の振興法策を巡って(第47回研究発表岡山大会オーガナイズドセッション1st Session)

地場産業・伝統的工芸品産業の振興 : 『日本の顔』としての生活文化提案産業の振興法策を巡って(第47回研究発表岡山大会オーガナイズドセッション1st Session)

FMRIで脳を覗く(第49回研究発表和歌山大会オーガナイズドセッション1st Session : 感性と脳科学)(第2部)

fMRIで脳を覗く(第49回研究発表和歌山大会オーガナイズドセッション1st Session : 感性と脳科学)(第2部)

モチベーションと報酬の期待の脳内神経メカニズム(第49回研究発表和歌山大会オーガナイズドセッション1st Session : 感性と脳科学)(第2部)

モチベーションと報酬の期待の脳内神経メカニズム(第49回研究発表和歌山大会オーガナイズドセッション1st Session : 感性と脳科学)(第2部)

Testimony on Law Enforcement in Indian Country before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, 110th Congress, 1st Session (June 21, 2007)

Public safety and criminal justice on Indian reservations are better served when Indian tribes play a central role in these functions. Most of the successes of law enforcement in Indian country have involved careful cooperation and coordination between law enforcement agencies of different sovereigns. Even informal cooperation can be highly effective in improving public safety. Lack of cooperation undermines public safety.

Testimony on the Regulation of Indian Gaming, Oversight Hearing on Indian Gaming, before the United States Senate, Committee on Indian Affairs, 109th Congress, 1st Session (September 21, 2005)

Federal and tribal regulation is likely to be more successful than state regulation of Indian gaming because tribal governments and the federal government have a greater interest in the long term success of Indian gaming. Uniform federal minimum internal control standards can protect the integrity of the Indian gaming industry nationwide. While federal regulators should exercise a powerful role, they must be respectful of tribal governments.

Indomethacin Increases Neurogenesis across Age Groups and Improves Delayed Probe Trial Difference Scores in Middle-Aged Rats.

We tested whether indomethacin or rosiglitazone treatment could rejuvenate spatial ability and hippocampal neurogenesis in aging rats. Young (4 mo; n = 30), middle-aged (12 mo; n = 31), and aged (18 mo; n = 31) male Fischer 344 rats were trained and then tested in a rapid acquisition water maze task and then fed vehicle (500 μl strawberry milk), indomethacin (2.0 mg/ml), or rosiglitazone (8.0 mg/ml) twice daily for the remainder of the experiment. A week after drug treatment commenced, the rats were given 3 daily BrdU (50 mg/kg) injections to test whether age-related declines in neurogenesis were reversed. One week after the final BrdU injection (~2.5 weeks after the 1st water maze session), the rats were trained to a find novel hidden water maze platform location, tested on 15 min and 24 h probe trials and then killed 24 h later. During the first water maze session, young rats outperformed aged rats but all rats learned information about the hidden platform location. Middle-aged and aged rats exhibited better memory probe trial performances than young rats in the 2nd water maze session and indomethacin improved memory probe trial performances on the 2nd vs. 1st water maze session in middle-aged rats. Middle-aged rats with more new neurons had fewer phagocytic microglia and exhibited better hidden platform training trial performances on the 2nd water maze session. Regardless of age, indomethacin increased new hippocampal neuron numbers and both rosiglitazone and indomethacin increased subependymal neuroblasts/neuron densities. Taken together, our results suggest the feasibility of studying the effects of longer-term immunomodulation on age-related declines in cognition and neurogenesis.

Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in the Treatment: Resistant Patients who Suffer from Severe Obsessive-compulsive Disorder.

Background:During the past years, significant efforts have been made to explain the biological backgrounds of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Cortical-subcortical and neurotransmitter models are used for explaining the symptoms of OCD, so our hypothesis is that brain's transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) can regulate the brain activities of the OCD patients. Thus, based on the mentioned issues, this research seeks to investigate the efficacy of TDCS in treatment-resistant patients who suffer from severe OCD.Materials and Methods:The present study is a clinical trial research which was based on the available sampling method, 42 treatment-resistant patients who suffer from severe OCD were selected as research's samples (2015–2016). Medical intervention protocol in this study is TDCS cathode type that was done in 15 sessions for 3 consecutive weeks (each session was conducted for 30 min daily). Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale was used for evaluating the efficacy of TDCS method during the 1st, 5th, 10th, and 15th sessions and it was also used for checking the 1st and 3rd monthly follow-up phases.Results:Variance within-group analysis (repeated measure) showed that the mean differences in the different stages of evaluation are significant (seven stages of evaluation).Conclusion:TDCS can be introduced as an appropriate, strong tool for regulating the brain - behavioral systems and it can also be introduced as a suitable alternative treatment for treatment-resistant patients who suffer from severe OCD.

EFFECTS OF WHOLE BODY VIBRATION INTERVENTION ON HANDGRIP STRENGTH OF BRAZILIAN HEALTHY SOLDIERS.

Background:Whole body vibration (WBV) exercises have been investigated as an alternative and complementary method to traditional resistance programs for fitness improvements in healthy subjects. Active militaries must have a high fitness level and have to improve some physical abilities to accomplish some specific tasks in Army, as climb ropes, climb walls and pull up.Materials and methods:Seven young and healthy soldiers from Brazilian Army were exposed to mechanical vibration in a push-up position, with different frequencies, as 25 (first session), 30 (second session), 35 (third session), 40 (fourth session) and 45 Hz (fifth session). The WBV intervention consisted of five WBV sessions over a consecutive two and a half-weeks period of time. A WBV session consisted of twenty bouts, each one with 10- second vibration, interspersed with 10 seconds of passive rest and 4 minutes pause after the first 10 bouts. Handgrip strength was measured, as proposed by American Society of Hand Therapists – ASHT, before and after the session using 25 Hz of frequency and 45 Hz of frequency (1st and 5th sessions).Results:No significant results were found between groups.Conclusion:Intervention of WBV exercises with 25 and 45 Hz of frequency applied by hands of healthy and young soldiers had no significant results. Further investigations should focus on the efficacy of WBV in the improvement of handgrip strength of young and healthy people.