Gulf War agent exposure causes impairment of long-term memory formation and neuropathological changes in a mouse model of Gulf War Illness.

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multisymptom illness with a central nervous system component such as memory deficits, neurological, and musculoskeletal problems. There are ample data that demonstrate that exposure to Gulf War (GW) agents, such as pyridostigmine bromide (PB) and pesticides such as permethrin (PER), were key contributors to the etiology of GWI post deployment to the Persian GW. In the current study, we examined the consequences of acute (10 days) exposure to PB and PER in C57BL6 mice.

Brain death and Islam: the interface of religion, culture, history, law, and modern medicine.

How one defines death may vary. It is important for clinicians to recognize those aspects of a patient's religious beliefs that may directly influence medical care and how such practices may interface with local laws governing the determination of death. Debate continues about the validity and certainty of brain death criteria within Islamic traditions.

Treatment of Hymenoptera venom allergy: an update.

Purpose Of Review: To review and summarize the studies published between 2012 and 2014 about the use of venom immunotherapy (VIT) to treat Hymenoptera hypersensitivity.

Recent Findings: Several studies reconfirm the effectiveness of VIT in both children and adults, and provide a better understanding of its immune-modulating effects. There are concerns about its cost-effectiveness; however, VIT versus self-injectable epinephrine alone when stung is the preferred treatment of choice for affected individuals when quality-of-life issues are considered.

A scale to measure pharmacy students' self-efficacy in performing medication therapy management services.

Objective: To determine whether a college of pharmacy curriculum creates a sense of self-efficacy among students with respect to providing medication therapy management (MTM) services.

Methods: An electronic survey instrument was sent to all pharmacy students to elicit information on their perceived confidence in providing MTM services, and the results were reviewed.

Results: Of the 1,160 students targeted, 464 (40%) completed the survey instrument.

Inhaled anticoagulation regimens for the treatment of smoke inhalation-associated acute lung injury: a systematic review.

Objective: Inhaled anticoagulation regimens are increasingly being used to manage smoke inhalation-associated acute lung injury. We systematically reviewed published and unpublished preclinical and clinical trial data to elucidate the effects of these regimens on lung injury severity, airway obstruction, ventilation, oxygenation, pulmonary infections, bleeding complications, and survival.

Data Sources: PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant published studies.

Phospholipid micelle encapsulated gadolinium oxide nanoparticles for imaging and gene delivery.

We encapsulated gadolinium oxide (GdO) nanoparticles within phospholipid micelles as a novel low cytotoxic T-weighted MRI imaging contrast agent (MGdNPs) that can also deliver small molecules such as DNA plasmids. MGdNPs show relatively good MRI relaxivity values, negligible cytotoxicity, excellent cellular uptake and expression of DNA plasmids . Biodistribution studies in mice show that intranasal and intraperitoneal administration of MGdNPs can effectively target specific organs.

Regulation of Cdk7 activity through a phosphatidylinositol (3)-kinase/PKC-ι-mediated signaling cascade in glioblastoma.

The objective of this research was to study the potential function of protein kinase C (PKC)-ι in cell cycle progression and proliferation in glioblastoma. PKC-ι is highly overexpressed in human glioma and benign and malignant meningioma; however, little is understood about its role in regulating cell proliferation of glioblastoma. Several upstream molecular aberrations and/or loss of PTEN have been implicated to constitutively activate the phosphatidylinositol (PI) (3)-kinase pathway.

PKC-ι promotes glioblastoma cell survival by phosphorylating and inhibiting BAD through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway.

The focus of this research was to investigate the role of protein kinase C-iota (PKC-ι) in regulation of Bad, a pro-apoptotic BH3-only molecule of the Bcl-2 family in glioblastoma. Robust expression of PKC-ι is a hallmark of human glioma and benign and malignant meningiomas. The results were obtained from the two human glial tumor derived cell lines, T98G and U87MG.

Vaccination of adults with asthma and COPD.

Vaccines play a major role in preventing potentially life-threatening diseases. More attention is now focused on the adult population, particularly as they age, as a reservoir for vaccine-preventable diseases. Adults with comorbid conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are considered to be at higher risk for invasive diseases, many of which are preventable through routine vaccination.

Traumatic brain injury, polytrauma, and pain: challenges and treatment strategies for the polytrauma rehabilitation.

Problem: Chronic pain conditions are common sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unfortunately, the incidence of TBI among personnel deployed for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) is significant, and there is growing evidence that ongoing pain, particularly headaches, will be a primary concern for these individuals.

Objective: This article synthesizes empirical data from civilian and veteran populations and clinical experience with OEF/OIF personnel with polytrauma to provide recommendations for the assessment and treatment of chronic pain among those with TBI.

Temporomandibular dysfunction: an often overlooked cause of chronic headaches.

Objective: To review and discuss the role of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) as a cause of chronic headaches and facial pain.

Data Sources And Study Selection: A literature review was performed using the PubMed database for English-language articles published between January 1, 1981, and August 31, 2006, using the following keywords: temporomandibular dysfunction, temporomandibular disorder, temporomandibular joint, and chronic headache. Additional information was obtained from a review of current medical texts.

Thiolated chitosan/DNA nanocomplexes exhibit enhanced and sustained gene delivery.

Purpose: Thiolated chitosan appears to possess enhanced mucoadhesiveness and cell penetration properties, however, its potential in gene-drug delivery remains unknown. Herein, we report on a highly effective gene delivery system utilizing a 33-kDa thiol-modified chitosan derivative.

Methods: Thiolated chitosan was prepared by the reaction with thioglycolic acid.

Folate receptor-mediated cancer cell specific gene delivery using folic acid-conjugated oligochitosans.

Chitosan-mediated gene delivery has gained an increasing interest due to its ability to treat cancers and genetic diseases. However, low transfection efficiency and lack of target specificity limit its application for gene and drug delivery. In the present work, folic acid was covalently conjugated to chitosan as a targeting ligand in an attempt to specifically deliver DNA to folate receptor-overexpressing cancer cells.

Considerations in prevention of surgical site infections following cardiac surgery: when your patient is diabetic.

The incidence of surgical site infections among patients with diabetes continues to occur at a greater rate when compared with their nondiabetic counterparts. Preexisting vascular changes, delayed wound healing, and impaired immune factors contribute. Adult patients with diabetes likely possess comorbid coronary artery disease, thus increasing the need for cardiac surgery.

Diagnostic pitfalls: case report of scurvy in a man with spinal cord injury.

Background: A 49-year-old man with spinal cord injury (SCI) developed a progressive purpuric rash and painful swelling of the lower extremities, in addition to chronic purpura over the ischial tuberosities.

Design: Case report.

Findings: Following an extensive workup for presumed vasculitis, a skin biopsy showed evidence of scurvy.

Atrial natriuretic peptide gene transfer by means of intranasal administration attenuates airway reactivity in a mouse model of allergic sensitization.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a bronchodilator; however, the short half-life of ANP in vivo limited its therapeutic utility to treat asthma. The efficacy of intranasally administered plasmid DNA-expressing ANP (pANP; amino acid 99-126; Acc. No.

Cognitive effects of insulin in the central nervous system.

Evidence has been accumulating recently that the hormone insulin may modulate cognitive activity by acting in the central nervous system. Initially derived from the observation that insulin and insulin receptors are found in specific brain areas, this evidence also includes cognitive assessments of humans in insulin-deficient and insulin-resistant disease states and experimental manipulation of rodent models. Additional support is derived from in vivo and in vitro systems that are used to investigate the neurophysiological basis of learning and memory.

Limb apraxia.

Limb apraxia is an impairment in the ability to perform skilled, purposive limb movements as the result of neurological dysfunction. In right-handed individuals, limb apraxia is associated with left hemisphere lesions. This article reviews the subtypes and neuroanatomic correlates of limb apraxia, including limb kinetic apraxia, ideomotor apraxia, ideational apraxia, and conceptual apraxia.

IgM Myeloma: An IgM Gammopathy Distinct from Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia.

A 65-year-old patient with an IgM gammopathy, plasma cell infiltration of the bone marrow, lytic lesions of the skeleton, and symptoms of hyperviscosity was evaluated. A diagnosis of IgM myeloma was made. Treatment for multiple myeloma was initiated and resulted in a significant clinical response.

Fibronectin and the extracellular matrix in the perforating disorders of the skin.

Despite detailed microscopic descriptions and clinical observation, little is known regarding the pathogenesis of the perforating disorders of skin, which have traditionally been subdivided into numerous microscopic entities associated with various clinical settings. An increasing body of evidence now suggests that the perforating disorders of skin are akin, and may constitute an expanded single pathologic entity. Each of the classic perforating disorders of skin, including elastosis perforans serpiginosa, perforating folliculitis, reactive perforating collagenosis, Kyrle's disease, and perforating disorder of uremia, have been shown to extrude collagen, elastin, and related extracellular matrix components through the epidermis.