BMP Antagonist Gremlin 2 Regulates Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Is Associated with Seizure Susceptibility and Anxiety.

The Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling pathway is vital in neural progenitor cell proliferation, specification, and differentiation. The BMP signaling antagonist Gremlin 2 (Grem2) is the most potent natural inhibitor of BMP expressed in the adult brain; however its function remains unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we have analyzed mice lacking Grem2 via homologous recombination ( ).

Sea-level rise exponentially increases coastal flood frequency.

Sea-level rise will radically redefine the coastline of the 21 century. For many coastal regions, projections of global sea-level rise by the year 2100 (e.g.

Minor salivary gland intraductal mucoepidermoid carcinoma: a case report.

We describe a case of an intraductal mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising from a minor salivary gland of the oral cavity. This is a rare presentation, and our literature review identified only a single previously documented case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case to be verified by immunohistochemistry demonstrating myoepithelial or basal cells around all the neoplastic units.

Doubling of coastal flooding frequency within decades due to sea-level rise.

Global climate change drives sea-level rise, increasing the frequency of coastal flooding. In most coastal regions, the amount of sea-level rise occurring over years to decades is significantly smaller than normal ocean-level fluctuations caused by tides, waves, and storm surge. However, even gradual sea-level rise can rapidly increase the frequency and severity of coastal flooding.

Communication training improves patient-centered provider behavior and screening for soldiers' mental health concerns.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of patient-centered communication training for military providers who conduct post-deployment health screening. The half-day interactive workshop included simulated Soldier patients using video technology.

Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, all health care providers at four military treatment facilities were recruited for data collection during a four- to nine-day site visit (23 trained providers, 28 providers in the control group, and one provider declined to participate).

Overview of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol misuse among active duty service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, self-report and diagnosis.

Previous studies have found deployment to combat areas to be associated with an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and alcohol abuse, but many previous studies were limited by samples that were not representative of the deployed military as a whole. This study presents an overview of these three mental health problems associated with deployment among Air Force, Army, Marine Corp, and Navy service members returning from deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan between January 2007 and March 2008. With postdeployment health data on over 50,000 service men and women, including diagnostic information, we were able to estimate prevalence of those who screened positive for risk of each disorder in self-report data at two time points, as well as prevalence of diagnoses received during health care encounters within the military health care system.

Phase I study of the novel Cdc2/CDK1 and AKT inhibitor terameprocol in patients with advanced leukemias.

Purpose: Inhibiting survivin and Cdc2 (CDK1) has preclinical anti-leukemic activity. Terameprocol is a small molecule survivin and Cdc2/CDK1 inhibitor that was studied in a Phase I dose-escalation trial.

Patients And Methods: Sixteen patients with advanced acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) were enrolled and 15 treated with Terameprocol in three dose cohorts intravenously three times per week for 2 weeks every 21 days.

Talking therapy services for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in Scotland: perspectives of service users and professionals.

This study aimed to elicit perceptions and experiences of talking therapy services for CSA survivors and professionals utilizing qualitative interviews and analyzing transcripts using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Participants included 13 adult survivors and 31 professionals in statutory and voluntary services in Scotland. Main themes were benefits from and challenges of the therapeutic process.

Fabrication and mechanical properties of large-scale freestanding nanoparticle membranes.

Thin-film membranes consisting of nanoparticles are of interest in applications ranging from nanosieves to electric, magnetic, or photonic devices and sensors. However, the fabrication of large-scale membranes in a simple but controlled way has remained a challenge, due to the limited understanding of their mechanical properties. Systematic experiments on ultrathin, freestanding nanoparticle membranes of different core materials, core sizes, and capping ligands are reported.

Phase I clinical trial of repeat dose terameprocol vaginal ointment in healthy female volunteers.

Objectives: This safety study of terameprocol (also called M4N, EM-1421) daily vaginal application in healthy women explores its potential application as a microbicide in interrupting human immunodeficiency virus sexual transmission and additional interruption of human papillomavirus and herpes simplex virus transmission.

Methods: A double-blind placebo controlled phase I repeat dose tolerability and pharmacokinetic, crossover study of 90 mg terameprocol (2% w/w ointment) administered intravaginally for 7 consecutive days in healthy female subjects. The pharmacokinetics after administration was examined on days 1 and 7 of dosing.

Phase I/II clinical safety studies of terameprocol vaginal ointment.

Objectives: Terameprocol (M4N, EM-1421) is a novel transcription inhibitor that selectively interferes with HPV viral genes E6/E7 with Sp1-dependent promoters, and induces apoptosis by inactivation of the CDC2/cyclin B complex (maturation promoting factor) and production and phosphorylation of survivin. This trial was designed to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), dose-limiting toxicity and determine the pharmacokinetic profiles of intravaginal terameprocol in women with HPV-linked cervical squamous intraepithelial neoplasia.

Methods: An open label, dose escalation Phase I/II clinical trial enrolled women with biopsy confirmed CIN 1, 2 or 3.

Measurement of diffusion within the cell wall in living roots of Arabidopsis thaliana.

To quantify the diffusion constant of small molecules in the plant cell wall, fluorescence from carboxyfluorescein (CF) in the intact roots of Arabidopsis thaliana was recorded. Roots were immersed in a solution of the fluorescent dye and viewed through a confocal fluorescence microscope. These roots are sufficiently transparent that much of the apoplast can be imaged.

Do behavioral responses mediate or moderate the relation between cardiovascular reactivity to stress and parental history of hypertension?

To examine whether differences in behavioral responses to stress mediated or moderated the relation between cardiovascular response to stress and parental history of hypertension, 64 healthy undergraduates-16 men with hypertensive parents (PH+), 16 men without hypertensive parents (PH-), 16 PH+ women, and 16 PH- women-participated in a mental arithmetic task, mirror tracing task, and 2 interpersonal role plays. PH+ participants exhibited higher resting heart rates than PH- participants and higher resting systolic blood pressures (SBPs) than PH- women. PH+ participants exhibited greater SBP responses to tasks and engaged in more negative verbal and nonverbal behavior across tasks than PH- counterparts.

The cardiac anxiety questionnaire: development and preliminary validity.

Heart-focused anxiety (HFA) is the fear of cardiac-related stimuli and sensations because of their perceived negative consequences. Although HFA is common to a wide variety of persons who experience chest pain and distress, it often is unrecognized and misdiagnosed, particularly in cardiology and emergency room patients without and with heart disease. To address these concerns, this article reports on the development and preliminary psychometric evaluation of the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ) designed to measure HFA.

Cardiovascular and behavioral response to social confrontation: measuring real-life stress in the laboratory.

Laboratory investigations of cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress often ignore concomitant differences in cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses that are commonly observed among study participants. To provide a more systematic laboratory methodology to examine relations among cardiovascular, behavioral, and self-report measures of cognitive and affective responses to stress, we developed and tested a social confrontation procedure involving standardized interactions during two scenes. Results of three investigations are presented to illustrate the utility of the social confrontation procedure.

Metabolism of remifentanil during liver transplantation.

We have investigated the pharmacokinetics of remifentanil and its less potent metabolite, GR90291, in six adult patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). A single bolus infusion of remifentanil 10 micrograms kg-1 min-1 was given at the beginning of the dissection and anhepatic phases of OLT. Remifentanil and GR90291 concentrations were measured in subsequent serial arterial and mixed venous blood samples.

Remifentanil reduces auditory and somatosensory evoked responses during isoflurane anaesthesia in a dose-dependent manner.

We studied 60 patients during stable isoflurane anaesthesia (0.4 MAC) after premedication with temazepam. Patients were allocated randomly to one of three dose regimens of remifentanil: 1 microgram kg-1 i.

Anxiety and its determinants in patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging.

This study assessed anxiety reactions in 40 adults outpatients undergoing MRI. Ninety-five percent of the patients completed the procedure although 37% reported moderate to severe anxiety. It is concluded that (a) anxiety in patients undergoing MRI is a multifaceted phenomenon involving fear of enclosed places (claustrophobia), pain, the unknown, as well as apprehension about what the test might reveal, and (b) the best way to avoid traumatizing the patient is to assess these variables in advance of the procedure.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of bismuth from ranitidine bismuth citrate (GR122311X), a novel anti-ulcerant and tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate (TDB).

GR122311X (ranitidine bismuth citrate, Glaxo Group Research Ltd.) is a salt of ranitidine with a complex of bismuth and citric acid which is being developed for the treatment of peptic ulceration. In this study, 4 groups of 12 healthy male subjects were dosed for 10 days with either GR122311X 500 mg bid (301 mg bismuth per day), GR122311X 1.

Sexual fears are increasing.

This study compared scores from three samples of college students (N = 810) on the Sexual Aversion Scale, a measure of sexual anxiety based on DSM-III-R criteria for diagnosing sexual aversion disorder. Measurements were taken in 1988, 1991, and 1992. There was a significant increase in sexual anxiety during this period, most of it attributable to fear of acquiring AIDS.

[Removing a femoral catheter].

Nurses at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute are removing femoral sheaths on post-angioplasty patients. The authors describe this new technique and explain how nurses can benefit by doing it. They discuss practical considerations before delegating this sanctioned medical act to nurses.

Survey of four day care facilities at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

A survey is described which compared patients' rehabilitation status, activities, needs and reasons for attending at four different psychiatric day care units attached to one hospital. The views of staff and patients were also examined.

Clinical pharmacology of ondansetron in postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Ondansetron is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist which is effective and well tolerated as an antiemetic for emesis induced by cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and in the prevention and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Ondansetron is rapidly absorbed after oral administration (tmax 1.9 h) with an absolute bioavailability of around 60%.