Butyrylcholinesterase genotype and enzyme activity in relation to Gulf War illness: preliminary evidence of gene-exposure interaction from a case-control study of 1991 Gulf War veterans.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have implicated wartime exposures to acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-inhibiting chemicals as etiologic factors in Gulf War illness (GWI), the multisymptom condition linked to military service in the 1991 Gulf War. It is unclear, however, why some veterans developed GWI while others with similar exposures did not. Genetic variants of the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) differ in their capacity for metabolizing AChE-inhibiting chemicals, and may confer differences in biological responses to these compounds.

Complex factors in the etiology of Gulf War illness: wartime exposures and risk factors in veteran subgroups.

Background: At least one-fourth of U.S. veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War are affected by the chronic symptomatic illness known as Gulf War illness (GWI).

Effects of the nicotine patch on performance during the first week of smoking cessation.

Complaints of feeling unfocused and being unable to concentrate are common during smoking cessation, and such feelings may contribute to a subtle erosion of the motivation to quit. A heterogeneous sample of 21 established smokers (10 women, 11 men) completed this double-blind, placebo-controlled study to test the hypothesis that nicotine replacement during cessation therapy (using a 21-mg nicotine patch) would improve performance on tasks sensitive to nicotine deprivation. Participants were trained to stable performance on simple reaction time, mathematical processing, Sternberg memory, rapid visual-information processing, grammatical reasoning, and the Stroop Color-Word (Stroop) tasks.

Human EEG responses to controlled alterations of the Earth's magnetic field.

Objectives: Examine the effects of controlled changes in the Earth's magnetic field on electroencephalogram (EEG) and subjective report.

Methods: Fifty volunteers were exposed double-blind to changes in field magnitude, angle of inclination, and angle of deviation. Volunteers were also exposed to magnetic field conditions found near the North and South Pole.

Physiological and performance effects of pyridostigmine bromide in healthy volunteers: a dose-response study.

Rationale: Questions have been raised about the role pyridostigmine bromide (PB) plays in the etiology of Gulf War veterans' illnesses. There is a need to understand better the physiological and behavioral effects of this drug, particularly at the 30-mg/8-h regimen recommended by the US Military. OBJECTIVE.

The effect of anticipatory strategies on the first day of smoking cessation.

The authors tested a model hypothesizing the predictors and the effects of anticipatory strategy use on the 1st day of smoking cessation using data from 63 participants in an ecological momentary assessment study of smoking cessation. Remaining abstinent on the 1st day of cessation was not associated with mean level of urges to smoke during tempting situations but was associated with anticipatory strategy use, which accounted for 18% of the variance. Getting rid of cigarettes contributed the most to this effect (beta = -.

Use of the McGill pain questionnaire in the assessment of cancer pain: replicability and consistency.

The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) is a recent empirically derived instrument designed to provide quantitative information on major dimensions of pain. Although widely used as an outcome measure in clinical research, little attention has been directed specifically at the instrument itself. The present study addressed this need.