High Lifetime Blast Exposure Using the Blast Exposure Threshold Survey Is Associated With Worse Warfighter Brain Health Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

The purpose of this study was to extend previous research by examining the relationship between lifetime blast exposure and neurobehavioral functioning after mild TBI (MTBI) by (a) using a comprehensive measure of lifetime blast exposure, and (b) controlling for the influence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants were 103 United States service members and veterans (SMVs) with a medically documented diagnosis of MTBI, recruited from three military treatment facilities (74.8%) and community-based recruitment initiatives (25.

Risk factors for the presence and persistence of posttraumatic stress symptoms following traumatic brain injury in U.S. service members and veterans.

This study aimed to identify risk factors predictive of the presence and persistence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom reporting following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants were 1,301 U.S.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Are Related to Cognition after Complicated Mild and Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury but Not Severe and Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury.

Although post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with worse cognitive outcomes after mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), its impact has not been evaluated after more severe TBI. This study aimed to determine whether PTSD symptoms are related to cognition after complicated mild, moderate, severe, and penetrating TBI. Service members ( = 137) with a history of complicated mild/moderate TBI ( = 64) or severe/penetrating TBI ( = 73) were prospectively enrolled from United States Military Treatment Facilities.

De-Escalation by Reversing the Escalation with a Stronger Synergistic Package of Contact Tracing, Quarantine, Isolation and Personal Protection: Feasibility of Preventing a COVID-19 Rebound in Ontario, Canada, as a Case Study.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, most Canadian provinces have gone through four distinct phases of social distancing and enhanced testing. A transmission dynamics model fitted to the cumulative case time series data permits us to estimate the effectiveness of interventions implemented in terms of the contact rate, probability of transmission per contact, proportion of isolated contacts, and detection rate. This allows us to calculate the control reproduction number during different phases (which gradually decreased to less than one).

Identification of Asthma-COPD Overlap, Asthma, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Phenotypes in Patients with Airway Obstruction: Influence on Treatment Approach.

Background: Many studies have described asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) among patients diagnosed with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but less so in broad populations of patients with chronic airway obstruction.

Objective: This study aimed to (i) examine the prevalence of ACO, asthma, and COPD phenotypes among subjects referred for pulmonary function testing (PFT), who had airway obstruction in spirometry (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1]/forced vital capacity [FVC] <0.7); and (ii) delineate the therapeutic approach of each group.

Calcium Channel Blockers and the Risk for Lung Cancer: A Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study.

Background: It has been suggested that calcium channel blockers (CCBs) may increase the risk of lung cancer; however, current evidence is conflicting and limited.

Objective: Investigate the associations between CCB use and lung cancer.

Methods: We conducted a population-based nested case-control study.

The Effects of Chronic Iron Overload in Rats with Acute Acetaminophen Overdose.

Background And Aims: Rats are resistant to acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. In this study, we evaluated whether by augmentation of the hepatic oxidative stress, through the induction of hepatic iron overload (IO), it will be feasible to overcome the resistance of rats to the toxic effects of APAP.

Method: Rats with no or increased hepatic IO.

Modeling of Stresses and Strains during (De)Lithiation of NiSn-Coated Nickel Inverse-Opal Anodes.

Tin alloy-based anodes supported by inverse-opal nanoscaffolds undergo large volume changes from (de)lithiation during cyclic battery (dis)charging, affecting their mechanical stability. We perform continuum mechanics-based simulation to study the evolution of internal stresses and strains as a function of the geometry of the active layer(s): (i) thickness of NiSn single layer (30 and 60 nm) and (ii) stacking sequence of NiSn and amorphous Si in bilayers (60 nm thick). For single NiSn active layers, a thinner layer displays higher strains and stresses, which are relevant to mechanical stability, but causes lower strains and stresses in the Ni scaffold.

Culture and Dehydration: A Comparative Study of Caída de la Mollera (Fallen Fontanel) in Three Latino Populations.

A sunken soft-spot or fontanel is a sign for dehydration in infants. Around the world, folk illnesses, such as caída de la mollera in some Latin American cultures, often incorporate this sign as a hallmark of illness, but may or may not incorporate re-hydration therapies in treatment strategies. This report describes a study of lay descriptions of causes, symptoms, and treatments for caída de la mollera in three diverse Latin American populations.

Liver toxicity of thioacetamide is increased by hepatocellular iron overload.

An increase in hepatic iron concentration might exacerbate liver injury. However, it is unknown whether hepatic iron overload may exacerbate acute liver injury from various toxins. Therefore, we evaluated how manipulations to increase hepatic iron concentration affected the extent of acute liver injury from thioacetamide.

Comparative efficacy of the generalized anxiety disorder 7-item scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale as screening tools for generalized anxiety disorder in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Objective: About 24.1% of pregnant women suffer from at least 1 anxiety disorder, 8.5% of whom suffer specifically from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Learning curve in transradial cardiac catheterization: procedure-related parameters stratified by operators' transradial volume.

Objective: To determine whether radial artery access is associated with a reduction in fluoroscopy time, procedure time, and other procedural variables over a 27-month period during which the radial artery approach was incorporated in a single academic Medical Center.

Background: Although previous studies have demonstrated a relationship between increased volume and decreased procedural time, no studies have looked at the integration of radial access over time.

Methods: Data were collected from consecutive patients who presented to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center cardiac catheterization laboratory from January 1, 2009 to April 1, 2011.

Pharmacokinetics of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and their blood glutamate-lowering activity in naïve rats.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke lead to elevated levels of glutamate in the brain that negatively affect the neurological outcomes in both animals and humans. Intravenous administration of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) enzymes can be used to lower the blood glutamate levels and to improve the neurological outcome following TBI and stroke. The objective of this study was to analyze the pharmacokinetics and to determine the glutamate-lowering effects of GOT and GPT enzymes in naïve rats.

Cystic lesions of the jaws in edentulous patients: analysis of 27 cases.

In this retrospective study we reviewed the distribution, characteristics, and treatment of 27 cystic jaw lesions in edentulous patients, and compared these with 242 cysts in dentate patients. The mean age was 60 years (range 46-74), and the male:female ratio 4.4:1.

Mandibular fractures in children: analysis of 61 cases and review of the literature.

Objective: The purpose was to evaluate the incidence, etiology, site and patterns, management and treatment methods, and outcome of pediatric patients with mandibular fractures.

Methods: Pediatric patients (1.5-16 years old) with mandibular fractures, treated at the Soroka University Medical Center were included in the study.

In vitro aerosol characterization of Staccato(®) Loxapine.

Medicinal aerosol products (metered dose and dry powder inhalers) require characterization testing over a wide range of use and pre-operating stress scenarios in order to ensure robust product performance and support submissions for regulatory approval. Aerosol characterization experiments on Staccato(®) Loxapine for inhalation (Staccato Loxapine) product (emitted dose, particle size, and purity) were assessed at different operating settings (flow rates, ambient temperature and humidity, altitude, and orientation) and at nominal test conditions following exposure to various stresses on the device (mechanical shock, vibration, drop, thermal cycling, and light exposure). Emitted dose values were approximately 90% of the coated dose at every condition, meeting target specifications in each case.

Association between CD14 gene polymorphisms and disease phenotype in sarcoidosis.

Although the etiology of sarcoidosis is unknown, genetic susceptibility has been demonstrated. Granuloma formation is a key feature in the pathophysiology of sarcoidosis and Crohn's Disease, raising the possibility that these diseases share common pathogenetic pathways. An association between sarcoidosis and the protein "CD14", a molecule that is part of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) cell surface receptor complex, has been suggested.

ZAP-70 and CD38 expression are independent prognostic factors in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and combined analysis improves their predictive value.

Recently identified biological risk factors in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) include ZAP-70 and CD38 expression. The present study was conducted to clarify whether a combined analysis could improve predictive impact of these two parameters. We examined the expression of ZAP-70 and CD38 by flow cytometry method in 217 newly diagnosed, consecutive, unselected and well characterized B-CLL patients in relation to laboratory parameters and clinical outcome.

Kinetics of oligonucleotide hybridization to DNA probe arrays on high-capacity porous silica substrates.

We have investigated the kinetics of DNA hybridization to oligonucleotide arrays on high-capacity porous silica films that were deposited by two techniques. Films created by spin coating pure colloidal silica suspensions onto a substrate had pores of approximately 23 nm, relatively low porosity (35%), and a surface area of 17 times flat glass (for a 0.3-microm film).

Isoelectric focusing technology quantifies protein signaling in 25 cells.

A previously undescribed isoelectric focusing technology allows cell signaling to be quantitatively assessed in <25 cells. High-resolution capillary isoelectric focusing allows isoforms and individual phosphorylation forms to be resolved, often to baseline, in a 400-nl capillary. Key to the method is photochemical capture of the resolved protein forms.

Kinetics of oligonucleotide hybridization to photolithographically patterned DNA arrays.

The hybridization kinetics of oligonucleotide targets to oligonucleotide probe arrays synthesized using photolithographic fabrication methods developed by Affymetrix have been measured. Values for the fundamental adsorption parameters, k(a), k(d), and K, were determined at both room temperature and 45 degrees C by monitoring the hybridization of fluorescently labeled targets to the array. The values for these parameters and the adsorbed target density ( View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Obstructing tracheal pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, also known as eosinophilic granuloma, is an uncommon interstitial lung disease. A solitary nodule, usually parenchymal, may rarely be the only manifestation of the disease. We describe a case of Langerhans cell histiocytosis presenting as an obstructing tracheal lesion in a 55-year-old woman.

A cross-cultural approach to the study of the folk illness nervios.

To systematically study and document regional variations in descriptions of nervios, we undertook a multisite comparative study of the illness among Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and Guatemalans. We also conducted a parallel study on susto (Weller et al. 2002, Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 26(4): 449-472), which allows for a systematic comparison of these illnesses across sites.

Regional variation in Latino descriptions of susto.

Susto, a folk illness not recognized by biomedical practitioners as a disease, is now formally part of the diagnostic classification system in psychiatry as a "culture-bound syndrome." Susto has been reported among diverse groups of Latin Americans, but most of those reports are several decades old and many were conducted in Indian communities. This study focuses on contemporary descriptions of susto and uses a cross-cultural, comparative design to describe susto in three diverse Latino populations.

Variation in asthma beliefs and practices among mainland Puerto Ricans, Mexican-Americans, Mexicans, and Guatemalans.

This study reports on community surveys of 160 representative Latino adults in Hartford, CT, Edinburg, TX, Guadalajara, Mexico; and in rural Guatemala. A 142-item questionnaire covered asthma beliefs and practices (e.g.