Activity of prefrontal cortex serotonin 2A receptor expressing neurons is necessary for the head-twitch response of mice to psychedelic drug DOI in a sex-dependent manner.

Serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT Rs) mediate the effects of psychedelic drugs. 5-HT R agonists, such as (-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride (DOI), that produce a psychedelic experience in humans induce a head-twitch response (HTR) behavior in rodents. However, it is unknown whether the activity of 5-HT R expressing neurons is sufficient to produce the HTR in the absence of an agonist, or in which brain region 5-HT Rs control the HTR.

Understanding transitions in care for persons with limb loss: a qualitative study exploring health care providers' perspectives.

Purpose: To explore health care providers' (HCP) experiences related to transitions in care from inpatient rehabilitation to the community for patients with limb loss.

Materials And Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. Participants were eligible if they were HCPs currently working in amputation rehabilitation at a rehabilitation hospital in Ontario, Canada, with at least 1-year experience in this setting, and could speak and understand English.

Identification of activity-induced Egr3-dependent genes reveals genes associated with DNA damage response and schizophrenia.

Bioinformatics and network studies have identified the immediate early gene transcription factor early growth response 3 (EGR3) as a master regulator of genes differentially expressed in the brains of patients with neuropsychiatric illnesses ranging from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to Alzheimer's disease. However, few studies have identified and validated Egr3-dependent genes in the mammalian brain. We have previously shown that Egr3 is required for stress-responsive behavior, memory, and hippocampal long-term depression in mice.

Acute sleep deprivation upregulates serotonin 2A receptors in the frontal cortex of mice via the immediate early gene Egr3.

Serotonin 2A receptors (5-HTRs) mediate the hallucinogenic effects of psychedelic drugs and are a key target of the leading class of medications used to treat psychotic disorders. These findings suggest that dysfunction of 5-HTRs may contribute to the symptoms of schizophrenia, a mental illness characterized by perceptual and cognitive disturbances. Indeed, numerous studies have found that 5-HTRs are reduced in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia.

Developing a research agenda on exercise and physical activity for people with limb loss in Canada.

Purpose: There is a lack of high-quality evidence about the effects of exercise or physical activity interventions for adults with lower limb amputations (LLAs). A planning meeting involving stakeholders (i.e.

Establishing competency-based measures for Department of Veterans Affairs post-graduate nurse practitioner residencies.

Background: In the past decade, numerous nurse residency models have been created and implemented nationwide; however, validated specialty-specific competency standards have not been established to evaluate Nurse Practitioner (NP) resident core competencies.

Purpose: To report the specialty-specific competency assessment tool devised to assess Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) NP residents' competencies and discuss the VA NP residency program's effectiveness in expanding new graduate NP knowledge and skills in the veteran-centric care setting.

Methods: The VA Nursing Academic Partnership NP residency faculty established and piloted a web-based Nurse Practitioner Resident Competency Assessment (NPRCA) instrument for the comprehensive, specialty-specific assessment of individual NP resident's skill competencies across 24 areas.

A qualitative study examining prosthesis use in everyday life in individuals with lower limb amputations.

Background: Lower limb amputation (LLA) is a life-changing event that affects functional mobility and participation in everyday life. Prostheses provide individuals with LLA the opportunity to improve mobility and quality of life; however, existing literature suggests that there is underuse of prostheses.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to describe how individuals with major LLA use their prosthesis in everyday life and describe barriers and facilitators that influence prosthesis use.

The aging veteran population: Promoting awareness to influence best practices.

The older adult population is the most rapidly growing population in the United States. It is projected that by 2035, the population of adults older than 65 years is expected to be greater than the population of children. The projected number of Veterans age 60 and older is about 11 million.

Oral health and behaviours of people living with Multiple Sclerosis in Australia.

Objectives: The literature describing the oral health of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is scant and the findings equivocal. The aim of this study was to describe the oral health and oral self-care behaviours of people living with MS and compare it to the Australian population.

Methods: Participants enrolled with the Australian MS Longitudinal Study (AMSLS) were invited to participate in the survey using an online or paper-based questionnaire.

Implementing an Integrated Team-Based Model of Care.

Team-based methods of delivering primary care were launched nationally within the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through the Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) initiative in 2010. The most essential component of PACT is the establishment of partnerships between veterans and their health care teams. The purpose of PACT is to improve and transform the way in which veterans receive health care.

Aggressive behavior, brain size and domestication in clonal rainbow trout lines.

Domestication causes behavior and brain size changes in many species. We addressed three questions using clonal rainbow trout lines: What are the mirror-elicited aggressive tendencies in lines with varying degrees of domestication? How does brain size relate to genotype and domestication level? Finally, is there a relationship between aggressive behavior and brain size? Clonal lines, although sampling a limited subset of the species variation, provide us with a reproducible experimental system with which we can develop hypotheses for further research. We performed principal component analyses on 12 continuous behavior and brain/body size variables and one discrete behavioral variable ("yawn") and detected several aggression syndromes.

Evaluating a fast-track discharge service for patients wishing to die at home.

Background: The UK Department of Health's End of Life Care Strategy highlighted the low percentage of patients who achieve their wish to die at home (~20%). Figures in south west London were below the London regional average. This paper reports an attempt to improve the proportion of patients from one hospital in the area achieving their preferred place of death.

Achieving the preferred place of care for hospitalized patients at the end of life.

Background: The Department of Health end-of-life strategy contains a number of quality markers which include taking into account patients' wishes for their final place of care. There is a wide variation in how this information is recorded.

Methods: An audit was conducted on discussion of preferred place of care (PPC) for all patients referred to the hospital palliative care team who died during the audit period.

Patient preference and gait efficiency in a geriatric population with transfemoral amputation using a free-swinging versus a locked prosthetic knee joint.

Objective: To investigate patient preference, walking speed, and prosthetic use in a geriatric population with transfemoral amputation using a free-swinging prosthetic knee or a locked knee joint.

Design: Before-after trial.

Setting: Ambulatory patients at an amputee rehabilitation facility.