Increased allergic inflammation and decreased lung insulin sensitivity in offspring of obese allergic mothers.

Epidemiological studies demonstrate that maternal obesity and maternal allergy are major risk factors for asthma in offspring. However, the impact of maternal allergy and obesity on offspring lung insulin signaling and allergen responsiveness is not known. To evaluate this, allergic and nonallergic female mice were fed a high-fat diet or low-fat diet from 7 wk before pregnancy until weaning.

Offspring of Obese Dams Exhibit Sex-Differences in Pancreatic Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans and Islet Insulin Secretion.

Offspring of obese mothers suffer higher risks of type 2 diabetes due to increased adiposity and decreased β cell function. To date, the sex-differences in offspring islet insulin secretion during early life has not been evaluated extensively, particularly prior to weaning at postnatal day 21 (P21). To determine the role of maternal obesity on offspring islet insulin secretion, C57BL/6J female dams were fed chow or western diet from 4 weeks prior to mating to induce maternal obesity.

Addition of CORES to the I-PASS Handoff: A Resident-led Quality Improvement Study.

Unlabelled: Quality patient handoff is vital in patient care and attainable with structured handoff systems, such as the I-PASS mnemonic. This paper describes a continuous quality improvement study occurring after the implementation of the I-PASS handoff bundle. Our objectives were to (1) determine compliance with the inclusion of I-PASS elements during handoff and (2) determine whether the addition of CORES, an electronic tool that generates a patient list designed for use with I-PASS, would improve compliance and sustainability.

Capsaicin induces apoptosis in human small cell lung cancer via the TRPV6 receptor and the calpain pathway.

Capsaicin, the pungent ingredient of chili peppers, displays potent anti-neoplastic activity in a wide array of human cancer cells. The present manuscript examines the signaling pathways underlying the apoptotic activity of capsaicin in human small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in vitro and in vivo. Studies in neuronal cells show that capsaicin exerts its biological activity via the transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) superfamily of cation-channel receptors.