Ischaemic preconditioning reduces myocardial calcium overload in coronary-occluded pig hearts shown by continuous in vivo assessment using microdialysis.

During ischaemia, ATP depletion leads to insufficient fuelling for Na(+) /K(+) ATPase, decreased electrochemical potential and increased influx of calcium ions. This study demonstrated a means to assess the effects of ischaemic preconditioning (IP) on the free intracellular Ca(2+) pool during prolonged ischaemia. In a porcine myocardial ischaemia model, microdialysis (MD) was used for sampling of metabolic and injury markers in IP and non-IP (control) groups.

Surface microdialysis sampling: a new approach described in a liver ischaemia model.

We recently have shown that samples from microdialysis (MD) probes placed on the surface of the heart reflect metabolic events in the myocardium. This new interesting observation challenges us to consider whether surface application of MD applies to other parenchymatous organs and their surfaces. In 13 anesthetized pigs, transient liver ischaemia was achieved by occlusion of arterial and venous inflow to the liver.

Dopamine release in chronic cannabis users: a [11c]raclopride positron emission tomography study.

Background: Low striatal dopamine 2/3 receptor (D(2/3)) availability and low ventrostriatal dopamine (DA) release have been observed in alcoholism and cocaine and heroin dependence. Less is known about the dopaminergic system in cannabis dependence. We assessed D(2/3) availability and DA release in abstinent cannabis users compared with control subjects and explored relationships to cannabis use history using [(11)C]raclopride positron emission tomography and an amphetamine challenge paradigm.

Active Targeted Macrophage-mediated Delivery of Catalase to Affected Brain Regions in Models of Parkinson's Disease.

We previously demonstrated that monocyte-macrophage based drug delivery can be applied to a spectrum of infectious, neoplastic, and degenerative disorders. In particular, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) loaded with nano formulated catalase, "nanozyme", were shown to attenuate neuro inflammation and nigrostriatal degeneration in rodent models of Parkinson's disease (PD). Nonetheless, the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of BMM-incorporated nanozyme has not been explored.

Subjective, cognitive and cardiovascular dose-effect profile of nabilone and dronabinol in marijuana smokers.

Marijuana dependence is a substantial public health problem, with existing treatments showing limited efficacy. In laboratory and clinical studies, the cannabinoid receptor 1 agonist oral Δ9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; dronabinol) has been shown to decrease marijuana withdrawal but not relapse. Dronabinol has poor bioavailability, potentially contributing to its failure to decrease relapse.

Blood-borne macrophage-neural cell interactions hitchhike on endosome networks for cell-based nanozyme brain delivery.

Background: Macrophage-carried nanoformulated catalase ('nanozyme') attenuates neuroinflammation and protects nigrostriatal neurons from 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine intoxication. This is facilitated by effective enzyme transfer from blood-borne macrophages to adjacent endothelial cells and neurons leading to the decomposition of reactive oxygen species.

Materials & Methods: We examined the intra- and inter-cellular trafficking mechanisms of nanozymes by confocal microscopy.

A comparison of tele-education versus conventional lectures in wound care knowledge and skill acquisition.

We conducted a randomized controlled study to compare conventional lectures with tele-education for delivering wound care education. Education was delivered by the two methods simultaneously to two classes. Forty-eight paramedics received a live didactic presentation and 41 paramedics received the same lecture via videoconferencing.

Extraction chromatographic methods in the sample preparation sequence for thermal ionization mass spectrometric analysis of plutonium isotopes.

A sample preparation sequence for actinide isotopic analysis by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) is described that includes column-based extraction chromatography as the first separation step, followed by anion-exchange column separations. The sequence is designed to include a wet ashing step after the extraction chromatography to prevent any leached extractant or oxalic acid eluent reagents from interfering with subsequent separations, source preparation, or TIMS ionization. TEVA resin and DGA resin materials, containing extractants that consist only of C, N, O, and H atoms, were investigated for isolation of plutonium.

Substance use after participation in laboratory studies involving smoked cocaine self-administration.

Objective: Laboratory studies in which drugs of abuse are self- or experimenter-administered to non-treatment-seeking research volunteers provide valuable data about new pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders, as well as behavioral and performance data for understanding the neurobiology of drug abuse. This paper analyzed follow-up data from six smoked cocaine self-administration laboratory studies, in order to determine whether changes in substance use occurred 1 and 3 months after study participation compared to pre-study baseline.

Methods: Ninety-eight healthy, non-treatment-seeking cocaine users were admitted to inpatient and combined inpatient/outpatient studies lasting from 12 to 105 days.

Developing a program to promote stress resilience and self-care in first-year medical students.

BACKGROUND: Facilitating stress resilience in future physicians is an important role of medical educators and administrators. We developed an extracurricular program and pilot tested the program on first year medical students. METHODS: Presentations on topics related to mental health, help-seeking, and stress resilience were presented (one topic per session).

Effect of heart rate on ventricular repolarization in healthy individuals applying vectorcardiographic T vector and T vector loop analysis.

Background: Ventricular repolarization (VR) is strongly influenced by heart rate (HR) and autonomic nervous activity, both of which also are important for arrhythmogenesis. Their relative influence on VR is difficult to separate, but might be crucial for understanding while some but not other individuals are at risk for life-threatening arrhythmias at a certain HR. This study was therefore designed to assess the "pure" effect of HR increase by atrial pacing on the ventricular gradient (VG) and other vectorcardiographically (VCG) derived VR parameters during an otherwise unchanged condition.

A direct comparison of the behavioral and physiological effects of methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in humans.

Rationale: Despite their chemical similarities, methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produce differing neurochemical and behavioral responses in animals. In humans, individual studies of methamphetamine and MDMA indicate that the drugs engender overlapping and divergent effects; there are only limited data comparing the two drugs in the same individuals.

Objectives: This study examined the effects of methamphetamine and MDMA using a within-subject design.

Comments on "Design and characterization of thin multiple aperture infrared cameras".

Recent analysis of a spatially multiplexed flat camera concept [Appl. Opt.48, 2115 (2009)] contains factual errors.

Cell-mediated transfer of catalase nanoparticles from macrophages to brain endothelial, glial and neuronal cells.

Background: Our laboratories forged the concept of macrophage delivery of protein antioxidants to attenuate neuroinflammation and nigrostriatal neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. Notably, the delivery of the redox enzyme, catalase, incorporated into a polyion complex micelle ('nanozyme') by bone marrow-derived macrophages protected nigrostriatum against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine intoxication. Nonetheless, how macrophage delivery of nanozyme increases the efficacy of catalase remains unknown.

Aripiprazole maintenance increases smoked cocaine self-administration in humans.

Rationale: Partial dopamine receptor agonists have been proposed as candidate pharmacotherapies for cocaine dependence.

Objective: This 42-day, within-subject, human laboratory study assessed how maintenance on aripiprazole, a partial D(2) receptor agonist, influenced smoked cocaine self-administration, cardiovascular measures, subjective effects, and cocaine craving in nontreatment-seeking, cocaine-dependent volunteers.

Methods: In order to achieve steady-state concentrations, participants (n = 8 men) were administered placebo and aripiprazole (15 mg/day) capsules in counter-balanced order for 21 days.

Time to revise the paradigm of hantavirus syndromes? Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome caused by European hantavirus.

Hantaviruses have previously been recognised to cause two separate syndromes: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Eurasia, and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the Americas. However, increasing evidence suggests that this dichotomy is no longer fruitful when recognising human hantavirus disease and understanding the pathogenesis. Herein are presented three cases of severe European Puumala hantavirus infection that meet the HPS case definition.

Polyelectrolyte complex optimization for macrophage delivery of redox enzyme nanoparticles.

Background: We posit that cell-mediated drug delivery can improve transport of therapeutic enzymes to the brain and decrease inflammation and neurodegeneration seen during Parkinson's disease. Our prior works demonstrated that macrophages loaded with nanoformulated catalase ('nanozyme') then parenterally injected protect the nigrostriatum in a murine model of Parkinson's disease. Packaging of catalase into block ionomer complex with a synthetic polyelectrolyte block copolymer precludes enzyme degradation in macrophages.

Setting course: the case for the credentialing of forensic interviewers.

The article provides a history of efforts to develop a credentialing or certification process for forensic interviewers and reviews the multitiered credentialing process offered by the National Association of Certified Child Forensic Interviewers. The authors argue the benefits of a credentialing process for forensic interviewers and respond to the arguments commonly made against the credentialing of forensic interviewers.

Detection of myocardial ischaemia using surface microdialysis on the beating heart.

Microdialysis (MD) can be used to study metabolism of the beating heart. We investigated whether microdialysis results obtained from epicardial (surface) sampling reflect acute changes in the same way as myocardial sampling from within the substance of the ventricular wall. In anaesthetized open-thorax pigs a coronary snare was placed.

Ischaemic pre-conditioning means an increased adenosine metabolism with decreased glycolytic flow in ischaemic pig myocardium.

Background: Ischaemic pre-conditioning (IP) is a potent protective mechanism for limiting the myocardial damage due to ischaemia. It is not fully known as to how IP protects. The metabolism of adenosine may be an important mechanistic component.

Quantification and comparison of marijuana smoking practices: blunts, joints, and pipes.

The quantification method for collecting self-reported marijuana use data is not standardized as it is for alcohol or cigarettes, which presents a methodologic challenge for marijuana use disorder treatment studies. Serum and urine markers of marijuana use have a long half-life, limiting their utility as a clinical trial outcome measure. Structured calendar-based interview procedures can accurately measure the frequency of self-reported marijuana use, but are unable to reliably address issues such as quantity of use or potency.

Efficacy and tolerability of high-dose dronabinol maintenance in HIV-positive marijuana smokers: a controlled laboratory study.

Rationale: Dronabinol (Δ(9)tetrahydrocannabinol) is approved for HIV-related anorexia, yet, little is known about its effects in HIV-positive marijuana smokers. HIV-negative marijuana smokers require higher than recommended dronabinol doses to experience expected effects.

Objectives: Employing a within-subjects, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, we assessed the effects of repeated high-dose dronabinol in HIV-positive marijuana smokers taking antiretroviral medication.

Exogenous carbon monoxide does not affect cell membrane energy availability assessed by sarcolemmal calcium fluxes during myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion in the pig.

Carbon monoxide is thought to be cytoprotective and may hold therapeutic promise for mitigating ischaemic injury. The purpose of this study was to test low-dose carbon monoxide for protective effects in a porcine model of acute myocardial ischaemia and reperfusion. In acute open-thorax experiments in anaesthetised pigs, pretreatment with low-dose carbon monoxide (5% increase in carboxyhaemoglobin) was conducted for 120 min before localised ischaemia (45 min) and reperfusion (60 min) was performed using a coronary snare.

Zolpidem does not serve as reinforcer in humans subjected to simulated shift work.

Zolpidem attenuates shift-change-related sleep and performance disruptions. It is unknown whether these benefits alter the reinforcing effects of the drug during shift work. This study examined zolpidem-related reinforcing effects during simulated shift work.