MDMA pharmacokinetics: A population and physiologically based pharmacokinetics model-informed analysis.

Midomafetamine (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]) is under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration review for treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in adults.

Differences in health characteristics and health behaviors between rural and non-rural community-dwelling stroke survivors aged ≥65 years in the USA.

Objectives: To examine differences in health characteristics and health behaviors between rural and non-rural stroke survivors in the USA.

Methods: Data were extracted from the 2017 and 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to compare prevalences of health characteristics (i.e.

Fentanyl causes naloxone-resistant vocal cord closure: A platform for testing opioid overdose treatments.

Background: High doses of the synthetic opioid fentanyl cause rapid and sustained vocal cord closure (VCC) leading to airway obstruction that prevents overdose victims from breathing. This airway effect is not caused by morphine-derived opiates (e.g.

Differential genetic risk for methamphetamine intake confers differential sensitivity to the temperature-altering effects of other addictive drugs.

Mice selectively bred for high methamphetamine (MA) drinking (MAHDR), compared with mice bred for low MA drinking (MALDR), exhibit greater sensitivity to MA reward and insensitivity to aversive and hypothermic effects of MA. Previous work identified the trace amine-associated receptor 1 gene (Taar1) as a quantitative trait gene for MA intake that also impacts thermal response to MA. All MAHDR mice are homozygous for the mutant Taar1 allele, whereas all MALDR mice possess at least one copy of the reference Taar1 allele.

Activation of Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1 Stimulates an Antiapoptotic Signal Cascade via Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2.

Methamphetamine (MA) is highly addictive and neurotoxic, causing cell death in humans and in rodent models. MA, along with many of its analogs, is an agonist at the G protein-coupled trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). TAAR1 activation protects against MA-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, suggesting that TAAR1 plays a role in regulating MA-induced neurotoxicity.

The Role of Biogenic Amine Transporters in Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1 Regulation of Methamphetamine-Induced Neurotoxicity.

Methamphetamine (MA) impairs vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and dopamine transporter (DAT) function and expression, increasing intracellular DA levels that lead to neurotoxicity. The trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is activated by MA, but when the receptor is not activated, MA-induced neurotoxicity is increased. To investigate interactions among TAAR1, VMAT2, and DAT, transporter function and expression were measured in transgenic knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice 24 hours following a binge-like regimen (four intraperitoneal injections, 2 hours apart) of MA (5 mg/kg) or the same schedule of saline treatment.

Mammographic architectural distortion caused by cyst aspiration.

Improvement in breast cancer screening technology has increased the detection of architectural distortion, which can often indicate underlying malignancy; however, there are also many benign causes of architectural distortion. We present a case of architectural distortion caused by cyst aspiration, representing a novel, benign cause.

Computing with Spikes: The Advantage of Fine-Grained Timing.

Neural-inspired spike-based computing machines often claim to achieve considerable advantages in terms of energy and time efficiency by using spikes for computation and communication. However, fundamental questions about spike-based computation remain unanswered. For instance, how much advantage do spike-based approaches have over conventional methods, and under what circumstances does spike-based computing provide a comparative advantage? Simply implementing existing algorithms using spikes as the medium of computation and communication is not guaranteed to yield an advantage.

Trace amine-associated receptor 1 regulation of methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity.

Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is activated by methamphetamine (MA) and modulates dopaminergic (DA) function. Although DA dysregulation is the hallmark of MA-induced neurotoxicity leading to behavioral and cognitive deficits, the intermediary role of TAAR1 has yet to be characterized. To investigate TAAR1 regulation of MA-induced neurotoxicity, Taar1 transgenic knock-out (KO) and wildtype (WT) mice were administered saline or a neurotoxic regimen of 4 i.

The combined effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and selected substituted methcathinones on measures of neurotoxicity.

The rise in popularity of substituted methcathinones (aka "bath salts") has increased the focus on their neurotoxic effects. Two commonly abused methcathinones, 3,4-methylenedioxymethcathinone (methylone, MDMC) and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), are often concomitantly ingested with the illicit drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). To examine potential neurotoxic effects of these drug combinations, C57BL/6J mice were administered 4 i.

Placement of the AbbVie PEG-J tube for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in the interventional radiology suite.

The primary treatment for Parkinson's disease is dopaminergic stimulation. Although levodopa has historically been administered orally, maintaining a predictable plasma concentration of the drug is challenging. As a result, enteral administration of carbidopa/levodopa (Duopa) has emerged as a promising tool in the treatment of the disease.

Rinsability of orthophthalaldehyde from endoscopes.

Orthophthalaldehyde high level disinfectants are contraindicated for use with urological instruments such as cystoscopes due to anaphylaxis-like allergic reactions during surveillance of bladder cancer patients. Allergic reactions and mucosal injuries have also been reported following colonoscopy, laryngoscopy, and transesophageal echocardiography with devices disinfected using orthophthalaldehyde. Possibly these endoscopes were not adequately rinsed after disinfection by orthophthalaldehyde.

Aldahol high-level disinfectant.

Background: Glutaraldehyde and ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) are widely used as the active ingredients of high level disinfectants for heat-sensitive, semicritical medical instruments. However, both of these chemicals have limitations in their spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Glutaraldehyde disinfectants are poorly mycobactericidal, and require impractically long exposure times to kill spore-forming bacteria.

Sporicidal activity of disinfectants as one possible cause for bacteria in patient-ready endoscopes.

Four endoscopes were cleaned by an experienced endoscopy technician using an enzyme detergent solution with brushing, rinsing with tap water, and then high-level disinfection in an automatic endoscope reprocessing machine using CIDEX orthophthalaldehyde solution (CIDEX OPA). After disinfection, the channels of these patient-ready endoscopes were flushed with sterile neutralizing medium, brushed with a sterile brush, and then flushed again with sterile medium. The effluent from each flush was collected in sterile bottles, immediately returned on ice to a laboratory, and tested for the presence of bacteria.

Studies of polyester fiber as carrier for microbes in a quantitative test method for disinfectants.

Tests were conducted by a Task Force on Disinfectant Test Methods that was appointed to investigate controversies regarding the accuracy of AOAC test methods for disinfectants as presented in AOAC's Official Methods of Analysis, Chapter 6. The general principles for new and improved AOAC tests are discussed, and a disinfectant test using microbes labeled onto a polyester fiber surface is described. The quantitative test measures the survival of test microbes as a function of exposure time as well as the exposure conditions required to kill 6 log10 of the test microbes.

Culture age and drying time as variables of the AOAC Sporicidal Test.

In the United States, the AOAC Sporicidal Activity of Disinfectants Method 966.04 is the standard for identifying a liquid chemical germicide as a sterilant. Furthermore, the highest level of a disinfectant must also be a sterilant as defined by Method 966.

Principles to guide international standard tests for liquid chemical germicides: a proposal.

This review discusses issues involved in developing standard tests for liquid chemical germicides and suggests some guiding principles to be considered for future development of harmonized international standard methods for testing disinfectants and sterilants. A published test method to measure sporicidal activity is used as an example of the implementation of these principles.

Modified quantitative association of official analytical chemists sporicidal test for liquid chemical germicides.

The Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) test for sporicidal activity of disinfectants (966.04) is used in the United States as the legal criteria for classifying a liquid as a chemical sterilant and also as the indicator of the highest level of disinfectant. This qualitative test contains procedures that may cause inaccurate results.

Identification of possible artifacts in the association of official analytical chemists sporicidal test.

Two laboratories tested four different brands of alkaline 2% glutaraldehyde sterilants by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists sporicidal test. Each laboratory found survival of Clostridium sporogenes spores on spore-labeled unglazed porcelain penicylinders (cylinders) to vary from test to test, and survival did not always correlate with increasing sterilant exposure time. These results were consistent with a theory that there may be random conditions within the test that prevent the sterilant from contacting all spores.

Comparative ability of various prescription and over-the-counter topical antifungal drug products to inhibit the growth of C. albicans.

On September 23, 1993, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published the final monograph and rule for topical antifungal drug products. This monograph specifies the ingredients, concentration, and labeling under which over-the-counter (OTC) topical antifungal drug products may be marketed without further FDA approval. Currently, the nine products tested are labeled as antifungal because of their ability to inhibit the growth of yeast (C.

A system approach to patient-safe rigid and flexible endoscopes: a microbiologist's point of view.

Many scientists have written at length on the myth of surgical sterility, and tried to shift focus from definitions of sterility and disinfection driven by artificial microbiological models to the really meaningful consideration of the patient-safe condition of medical equipment and/or products. J. C.

Clinical evaluation of ColdSpor, a glutaraldehyde-phenolic disinfectant.

Unlabelled: Disinfecting solutions may vary in concentration and bactericidal activity with use, may have subjectively unpleasant characteristics, and may affect the appearance and physical condition of the equipment processed. We evaluated the high-level disinfectant ColdSpor (0.5% glutaraldehyde, 0.

Differential effects of sodium meglumine calcium metrizoate on the inotropic state of normal and ischemic myocardium.

Sodium meglumine calcium metrizoate was injected into isolated blood-perfused canine hearts to evaluate the effect of contrast agents containing calcium on normal and ischemic myocardium. Under normal perfusion pressure and mild ischemia, this contrast agent produced a positive inotropic effect, but during profound ischemia, this positive effect was followed by a period of myocardial depression. These findings indicate that the addition of an inotropic agent to contrast medium can produce a paradoxical depressant effect which can be deleterious to the ischemic myocardium.