Disparities in functional recovery after dysvascular lower limb amputation are associated with employment status and self-efficacy.

Purpose: Employment status is considered a determinant of health, yet returning to work is frequently a challenge after lower limb amputation. No studies have documented if working after lower limb amputation is associated with functional recovery. The study's purpose was to examine the influence of full-time employment on functioning after lower limb amputation.

Sync for Genes: Making Clinical Genomics Available for Precision Medicine at the Point-of-Care.

Background: Making genomic data available at the point-of-care and for research is critical for the success of the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI), a research initiative which seeks to change health care by "tak(ing) into account individual differences in people's genes, environments, and lifestyles." The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) led Sync for Genes, a program to develop standards that make genomic data available when and where it matters most. This article discusses lessons learned from recent Sync for Genes activities.

Knowledge of and Preparedness for Use of Environmental Assessments in Shelters During Disasters: Results of the 2013 State and Territorial Use of Shelter Assessments Survey.

Objective: Environmental health assessments of disaster shelters are critical for monitoring the living conditions of the occupants. However, knowledge and levels of utilization of these assessments have never been estimated in the United States or its territories. We aimed to conduct a cross-sectional survey to ascertain knowledge and Utilization of environmental health disaster shelter assessments.

Iron deficient and manganese supplemented diets alter metals and transporters in the developing rat brain.

Manganese (Mn) neurotoxicity in adults can result in psychological and neurological disturbances similar to Parkinson's disease, including extrapyramidal motor system defects and altered behaviors. Iron (Fe) deficiency is one of the most prevalent nutritional disorders in the world, affecting approximately 2 billion people, especially pregnant and lactating women, infants, toddlers, and adolescents. Fe deficiency can enhance brain Mn accumulation even in the absence of excess Mn in the environment or the diet.

Brain accumulation of depleted uranium in rats following 3- or 6-month treatment with implanted depleted uranium pellets.

Depleted uranium (DU) is used to reinforce armor shielding and increase penetrability of military munitions. Although the data are conflicting, DU has been invoked as a potential etiological factor in Gulf War syndrome. We examined regional brain DU accumulation following surgical implantation of metal pellets in male Sprague-Dawley rats for 3 or 6 mo.

A manganese-enhanced diet alters brain metals and transporters in the developing rat.

Manganese (Mn) neurotoxicity in adults can result in psychological and neurological disturbances similar to Parkinson's disease, including extrapyramidal motor system defects and altered behaviors. However, virtually nothing is known regarding excess Mn accumulation during central nervous system development. Developing rats were exposed to a diet high in Mn via maternal milk during lactation (PN4-21).

Developmental neurotoxicity of chlorpyrifos: targeting glial cells.

The pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) causes neurobehavioral damage, even at doses that do not elicit acute cholinergic toxicity. CPF disrupts the developing brain during glial proliferation and differentiation. Since glial cells play critical roles in brain development and function, we hypothesized that CPF neurotoxicity involves alteration of glial cell development.

Synthesis of Pt(dpk)Cl(4) and the reversible hydration to Pt(dpk-O-OH)Cl(3).H-phenCl: X-ray, spectroscopic, and electrochemical characterization.

We report on the synthesis of a platinum(IV) compound containing a di-2-pyridyl ketone (dpk) ligand that is stable both in its anhydrous form [Pt(dpk)Cl(4)] (1) and in its hydrated form [Pt(dpk-O-OH)Cl(3)].H-phenCl (2). The crystal structure of the hydrated form shows that one of the hydroxide groups from the resulting gem-diol has undergone a cyclometalation/condensation reaction resulting in an oxygen atom directly coordinated to the Pt(IV) center and the formation of H-phenCl.

Sex-selective hippocampal alterations after adolescent nicotine administration: effects on neurospecific proteins.

Nicotine is a neuroteratogen that targets cell development and synaptic function into adolescence, when smoking typically commences. We used a rat model of adolescent nicotine exposure to characterize the types of cells involved in hippocampal alterations. Nicotine was given to adolescent rats by minipump infusions from postnatal day (PN) 30 to PN47.

Developmental neurotoxicity elicited by prenatal or postnatal chlorpyrifos exposure: effects on neurospecific proteins indicate changing vulnerabilities.

The developmental neurotoxicity of the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) is thought to involve both neurons and glia, thus producing a prolonged window of vulnerability. To characterize the cell types and brain regions involved in these effects, we administered CPF to developing rats and examined neuroprotein markers for oligodendrocytes (myelin basic protein, MBP), for neuronal cell bodies (neurofilament 68 kDa, NF68), and for developing axons (neurofilament 200 kDa, NF200). Prenatal CPF administration on gestational days (GDs) 17-20 elicited an immediate (GD21) enhancement of MBP and NF68; by postnatal day (PN) 30, however, there were deficits in all three biomarkers, with the effect restricted to females.

Methyl parathion: a review of health effects.

Methyl parathion is an organophosphorus (OP) insecticide with insecticidal properties derived from acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition; this same property is also the root of its toxicity in humans. Poisoning with methyl parathion leads to cholinergic overstimulation with signs of toxicity including sweating, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, and, in extreme cases, death. Reports of methyl parathion intoxication, usually seen only in field pesticide applicators, have increased throughout the United States as a result of unauthorized application of methyl parathion inside homes.

Chlorpyrifos targets developing glia: effects on glial fibrillary acidic protein.

The organophosphate pesticide, chlorpyrifos (CPF), is a developmental neurotoxicant. In cell cultures, CPF affects gliotypic cells to a greater extent than neuronotypic cells, suggesting that glial development is a specific target. We administered CPF to developing rats and examined the levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocytic marker.