Risk factors for potentially preventable hospital readmissions among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

People living with HIV (PLWH) have a significant risk for experiencing a 30-day readmission; many of which may be potentially preventable readmissions (PPR). The objective of this study was to evaluate 30-day readmission rates for PLWH and identify risk factors for PPR. This was a single center retrospective study.

4-Methylmethcathinone (mephedrone): neuropharmacological effects of a designer stimulant of abuse.

The designer stimulant 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) is among the most popular of the derivatives of the naturally occurring psychostimulant cathinone. Mephedrone has been readily available for legal purchase both online and in some stores and has been promoted by aggressive Web-based marketing. Its abuse in many countries, including the United States, is a serious public health concern.

Ex vivo identification of protein-protein interactions involving the dopamine transporter.

The dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) is a key regulator of dopaminergic signaling as it mediates the reuptake of extrasynaptic DA and thereby terminates dopaminergic signaling. Emerging evidence indicates that DAT function is influenced through interactions with other proteins. The current report describes a method to identify such interactions following DAT immunoprecipitation from a rat striatal synaptosomal preparation.

Methamphetamine alters vesicular monoamine transporter-2 function and potassium-stimulated dopamine release.

This report demonstrates that a repeated 'challenge' high-dose methamphetamine (METH) injection regimen rapidly decreases striatal K(+)-stimulated dopamine (DA) release concurrent with decreases in both synaptosomal membrane-associated (referred to herein as membrane-associated) and previously reported decreases in non-synaptosomal membrane-associated (presumably cytoplasmic) vesicular DA uptake and content. Resembling previously reported effects involving cytoplasmic vesicles wherein uptake was decreased 48 h after treatment, the decrease in membrane-associated uptake persisted 72 h. Cytoplasmic and membrane-associated vesicular DA uptakes were decreased 7 days after the challenge regimen.

Methamphetamine-induced dopamine transporter complex formation and dopaminergic deficits: the role of D2 receptor activation.

Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is a serious public health issue. Of particular concern are findings that repeated high-dose administrations of METH cause persistent dopaminergic deficits in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans. Previous studies have also revealed that METH treatment causes alterations in the dopamine transporter (DAT), including the formation of higher molecular mass DAT-associated complexes.

Mechanisms underlying methamphetamine-induced dopamine transporter complex formation.

Repeated, high-dose methamphetamine (METH) administrations cause persistent dopaminergic deficits in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans. In rats, this treatment also causes the formation of high-molecular mass (greater than approximately 120 kDa) dopamine transporter (DAT)-associated complexes, the loss of DAT monomer immunoreactivity, and a decrease in DAT function, as assessed in striatal synaptosomes prepared 24 h after METH treatment. The present study extends these findings by demonstrating the regional selectivity of DAT complex formation and monomer loss because these changes in DAT immunoreactivity were not observed in the nucleus accumbens.