Despite substantial progress in efforts to control tuberculosis,

Despite substantial progress in efforts to control tuberculosis, the global burden of this disease remains high. To eliminate tuberculosis as a public health concern by 2050, all responsible parties need to work together to strengthen the global antituberculosis drug pipeline and support the development of new antituberculosis drug regimens.”
“BACKGROUND: Although waterjet dissection has been well evaluated in intracranial pathologies, little is known of its qualities in peripheral nerve surgery. Theoretically,

the precise dissection qualities could support the separation of nerves from LXH254 adjacent tissues and improve the preservation of nerve integrity in peripheral nerve surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential of the new waterjet dissector

in peripheral nerve surgery.

METHODS: Waterjet dissection with pressures of BAY 63-2521 supplier 20 to 80 bar was applied on the sciatic nerves of 101 rats. The effect of waterjet dissection on the sciatic nerve was evaluated by clinical tests, neurophysiological examinations, and histopathological studies up to 12 weeks after surgery.

RESULTS: With waterjet pressures up to 30 bar, the sciatic nerve was preserved in its integrity in all cases. Functional damaging was observed at pressures of 40 bar and higher. However, all but 1 rat in the 80 bar subgroup showed complete functional regeneration at 12 weeks after surgery. Histopathologically, small water bubbles were observed around the nerves. At 40 bar and higher, the sciatic nerves showed signs of direct nerve injury. However, all these animals showed nerve regeneration after 12 weeks, as demonstrated by histological studies.

CONCLUSION: Sciatic nerves were preserved functionally and morphologically at pressures up to 30 bar. Between 40 and 80 bar, reliable functional and morphological nerve regeneration occurred. Waterjet pressures up to 30 bar might be applied safely under clinical conditions. This technique might be well suited to separate intact peripheral nerves from adjacent tumor or scar tissue. Further studies will have to SBI-0206965 solubility dmso show the clinical relevance of these dissection qualities.”
“New vaccines are urgently

needed if we want to reach the goal of substantially reducing the incidence of tuberculosis by 2050. Despite a steady increase in funding over the past decade, there is still a striking financial shortfall for vaccine research and development for tuberculosis. Yet, around ten vaccine candidates have left the laboratory stage and entered clinical trials. These vaccines are either aimed at replacing the present vaccine, BCG, or at enhancing immunity induced by BCG. However, these pre-exposure candidates are designed for prevention of disease and will therefore neither eradicate the pathogen, nor prevent stable infection. Long-term vaccination strategies need to target these more ambitious goals. Even though vaccine development will have a price, the return of investment will greatly exceed original costs.

The primary end point was defined as complete wound closure Seco

The primary end point was defined as complete wound closure. Secondary end points comprised bleeding complications, amputation, and death.

Results: The study evaluated 15 patients with 17 Szilagyi III groin infections. Mean total length of VAC therapy was 43 days (range, 14-76 days). Mean time until complete healing was 51 days (range, 24-82 days). Mean length IWR-1 mw of VAC therapy in the hospital was 21 days (range, 5-61 days). Eleven patients received continued VAC treatment at home

for a mean length of 22 days (range, 5-69 days). Complete healing was achieved in 14 groins (82%). Three failures due to persisting infection, persisting necrosis, and a pseudomonas infection were noted. No bleeding complications, amputations, or late reinfections occurred. Median follow-up was 380 days (range, 56-939 days). Despite therapy failure, all 17 grafts were preserved.

Conclusions: VAC therapy on an exposed prosthetic vascular graft in the groin is safe

and feasible when applying a combination of polyvinyl alcohol and polyurethane foam dressing and 50 mm Hg of continuous negative pressure, resulting in midterm graft preservation. (J Vasc Surg 2012;56:714-20.)”
“Switching between responses is a key executive function known to rely on the frontal cortex and the basal ganglia. Here we aimed to establish with greater anatomical specificity whether such switching could be mediated via different possible frontal-basal-ganglia circuits. Accordingly, we stimulated dorsal vs. ventral contacts of electrodes in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson’s patients during switching performance, and also studied matched controls. The patients Idasanutlin in vivo underwent three sessions: once with bilateral dorsal contact stimulation, once with bilateral ventral contact stimulation, and once Off stimulation. Patients Off stimulation showed abnormal patterns of switching, and stimulation of the ventral contacts but not the dorsal contacts normalized the pattern of behavior Copanlisib relative to controls. This provides

some of the first evidence in humans that stimulation of dorsal vs. ventral STN DBS contacts has differential effects on executive function. As response switching is an executive function known to rely on prefrontal cortex, these results suggest that ventral contact stimulation affected an executive/associative cortico-basal ganglia circuit. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Objective: Medial arterial calcification (MAC) is common in diabetes, has a characteristic appearance on X-ray imaging, and has been linked with peripheral arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease. However, few studies have measured X-ray MAC. It has been suggested that an ankle-brachial index (ABI) >1.30 or an ankle-brachial difference (ABD) >75 mm Hg may identify X-ray MAC, but test characteristics are unknown. We hypothesized that an ABI >1.30 and ABD >75 mm Hg would have high specificity but low sensitivity for MAC on X-ray imaging.

047) Tests of within-subject effects (SPSS GLM) showed significa

047). Tests of within-subject effects (SPSS GLM) showed significant sex x RS3 interactions at 30 ms (p = 0.045) and 60 ms (p = 0.01). Longer alleles, especially in mate subjects, are associated with significantly higher PPI response, consistent

with a role for the promoter repeat region in partially molding social behavior in both animals and humans. This is the first report in humans demonstrating a role of the AVPR1a gene in contributing to the PPI response to auditory stimuli. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“BACKGROUND

New biomarkers are needed to detect pleural mesothelioma at an earlier stage and to individualize treatment strategies. We investigated whether fibulin-3 in plasma Tozasertib chemical structure and pleural effusions could meet sensitivity and

specificity criteria for a robust biomarker.

METHODS

We measured fibulin-3 levels in plasma (from 92 patients with mesothelioma, 136 asbestos-exposed persons without cancer, 93 patients with effusions not due to mesothelioma, and 43 healthy controls), effusions (from 74 patients with mesothelioma, 39 with benign effusions, and 54 with malignant effusions not due to mesothelioma), or both. A blinded validation was subsequently performed. Tumor tissue was examined for fibulin-3 by immunohistochemical analysis, and Selleckchem Veliparib levels of fibulin-3 in plasma and effusions were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Plasma fibulin-3 levels did not vary according to age, sex, duration of asbestos exposure, or degree of radiographic changes and were significantly higher in patients with pleural mesothelioma (105 +/- 7 ng per milliliter in the Detroit cohort and 113 +/- 8 ng per milliliter in the New York cohort) than in asbestos-exposed persons without mesothelioma (14 +/- 1 ng per milliliter and 24 +/- 1 ng per milliliter, respectively;

P<0.001). Effusion fibulin-3 levels were significantly higher in patients with pleural mesothelioma (694 +/- 37 ng per milliliter in the Detroit cohort and 636 +/- 92 ng per milliliter in the New York cohort) than in patients with effusions not due to mesothelioma (212 +/- 25 and 151 +/- 23 ng per milliliter, respectively; P<0.001). Fibulin-3 preferentially stained Bafilomycin A1 clinical trial tumor cells in 26 of 26 samples. In an overall comparison of patients with and those without mesothelioma, the receiver-operating-characteristic curve for plasma fibulin-3 levels had a sensitivity of 96.7% and a specificity of 95.5% at a cutoff value of 52.8 ng of fibulin-3 per milliliter. In a comparison of patients with early-stage mesothelioma with asbestos-exposed persons, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 94.1% at a cutoff value of 46.0 ng of fibulin-3 per milliliter. Blinded validation revealed an area under the curve of 0.87 for plasma specimens from 96 asbestos-exposed persons as compared with 48 patients with mesothelioma.

The nonsignificant

associations between personal NO(2) an

The nonsignificant

associations between personal NO(2) and the modeled ambient NO(2) concentrations suggest that observed associations between NO(2) generated by LUR models and health effects are probably not produced by NO(2), but by other pollutants that follow a similar spatial pattern.”
“A longitudinal biomonitoring study was conducted to assess exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in non-occupationally exposed nonsmoking adults living in the vicinity of an aluminum plant. Metabolites of several PAH (pyrene, naphthalene, chrysene, fluoranthene, benz[a] GSK2118436 molecular weight anthracene) were measured in the urine of the participants, including 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) as a validated biomarker and pyrene diones as novel biomarkers. In total, 73 individuals living about 1 km away from the plant (taken as the exposed group) were compared repeatedly with 71 individuals living at least 11 km from the smelter (used as the control group). Complete first morning voids were collected twice, at a 2-wk interval, AZD9291 molecular weight in the fall of 2005 and twice weekly for 2 consecutive

weeks in the spring of 2006. Urinary biomarker concentrations were then measured by an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection (MS-TOF) (UPLC-MS-TOF). For most sampling days, individuals living near the plant showed significantly higher excretion values of both 1-OHP and pyrene diones (mean ratio up to 2- and 2.4-fold, respectively) than individuals living further from the plant. In the group living near the plant, geometric mean concentrations of 1-OHP varied from 0.047 to 0.058 mu mol/mol creatinine, depending on the sampling day, as compared to 0.025 to 0.04 mu mol/mol creatinine in the reference group. Corresponding mean values for pyrene diones were 0.017-0.056 mu mol/mol creatinine and 0.014-0.039 mu mol/mol creatinine, respectively. Urinary 1- and 2-naphthols were also measured as a reference and showed no significant differences between the two groups

for most sampling days; metabolite concentrations of the other monitored PAH (chrysene, fluoranthene, benz[a] anthracene) were mostly below the analytical limit of detection of 0.005 to 0.01 mu g/L, depending on the metabolite, GSK3326595 clinical trial with a detection rate varying from 0 to at most 21%. Individuals living near the aluminum plant thus appeared to be repeatedly exposed to higher pyrene levels than the control group, on the basis of both 1-OHP and pyrene dione excretions. However, 1-OHP concentrations observed in this first group were similar to those of other reference populations of nonsmokers studied in the past. Uptake of the other PAH associated with plant emissions was too small to significantly increase the excretion of their metabolites.”
“Between 1962 and 1972, several thousand U.S. Navy personnel participated in Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense).

Local delivery of RA may circumvent

adverse side effects,

Local delivery of RA may circumvent

adverse side effects, but may simultaneously reduce the therapeutic benefits of the therapy. Here, we investigated whether local or systemic RA treatment differentially affected pro-inflammatory cytokine expression early after rat SO. Pro-inflammatory cytokines GSK621 in vitro IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha were investigated at 6 h after moderate contusion injury of the thoracic (T9) spinal cord, when mRNA levels are known to peak. Rats were either treated with intrathecal RA (0, 2.5, 10, or 100 ng) or received an intraperitoneal injection of RA (15 mg/kg bodyweight). Surprisingly intrathecal RA up to amounts of 100 ng did not attenuate SCI-induced increases in gene-expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In contrast, intraperitoneal RA rendered a 60%, 35% and 58% reduction of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha mRNA levels, respectively. Although local doses higher than 100 ng RA may reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine gene-expression, such doses precipitate and possibly increase risks of adverse side effects. We conclude that in contrast to systemic delivery, intrathecal administration of RA up to doses of 100 ng is ineffective in reducing early pro-inflammatory cytokine gene-expression.

Selleck BMS202 Future studies are required to investigate the effects of single intraperitoneal RA treatment on long-term SCI outcome. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Critical limb ischemia (CLI) continues to form a substantial burden on Western healthcare. Many patients still face amputation as a last treatment option. Autologous bone marrow (BM)-derived cell administration has emerged

as a potential new treatment, but proof for sustainable clinical effects of BM-derived cell therapy in CLI is still lacking. The JUVENTAS (reJUVenating www.selleck.cn/products/jib-04.html ENdothelial progenitor cells via Transcutaneous intra-Arterial Supplementation) trial is the first randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial on repeated intra-arterial BM mononuclear cell (MNC) infusion in 110 to 160 CLI patients, designed to provide definite proof for the efficacy of stem cell therapy. Primary outcome is the incidence of major amputation at 6 months. Inclusion of patients is well underway. If BM-MNC cells therapy is beneficial, it could become a novel treatment to prevent amputation in patients with CM. (J Vasc Surg 2010;51:1564-8.)”
“Recent brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that chronic back pain (CBP) alters brain dynamics beyond the feeling of pain. In particular, the response of the brain default mode network (DMN) during an attention task was found abnormal. In the present work similar alterations are demonstrated for spontaneous resting patterns of fMRI brain activity over a population of CBP patients (n = 12, 29-67 years old, mean = 51.2).

In addition, the modified HI assay using horse erythrocytes incre

In addition, the modified HI assay using horse erythrocytes increased the

sensitivity of detecting HI antibodies specific for three major serotypes of avian influenza viruses, H5, H7 and H9, in people who may have asymptomatic infection with avian influenza viruses. Based on these results, the optimized use of horse erythrocytes should be standard practice for detecting HI activities against avian influenza viruses. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Increased selleck hydrostatic pressure can damage neurons, although the mechanisms linking pressure to neurochemical imbalance or cell injury are not fully established. Throughout the body, mechanical perturbations such as shear stress, cell stretching, or changes in pressure can lead to excessive release of ATP. It is thus possible that increased pressure across neural tissues triggers Selleck SU5402 an elevated release of ATP into extracellular space. As stimulation of the P2X(7) receptor for ATP on retinal ganglion cells leads to elevation of intracellular calcium and excitotoxic death, we asked whether increased levels of extracellular ATP accompanied an elevation in pressure across the

retina. The hydrostatic pressure surrounding bovine retinal eyecups was increased and the ATP content of the vitreal compartment mTOR inhibitor adjacent to the retina was determined. A step increase of only 20 mm Hg induced a threefold increase in the vitreal

ATP concentration. The ATP levels correlated closely with the degree of pressure increase over 20-100 mm Hg. The increase was transient at lower pressures but sustained at higher pressures. The rise in vitreal ATP was the same regardless of whether nitrogen or air was used to increase pressure, implying changes in oxygen partial pressure did not contribute. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was not affected by pressure, ruling out a substantial contribution from cell lysis. The ATP increase was largely inhibited by either 30 mu M 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB) or 10 mu M carbenoxolone (CBX). While this pharmacological profile is consistent with physiological release of ATP through pannexins hemichannels, a contribution from anion channels, vesicular release or other mechanisms cannot be ruled out. In conclusion, a step elevation in pressure leads to a physiologic increase in the levels of extracellular ATP bathing retinal neurons. This excess extracellular ATP may link increased pressure to the death of ganglion cells in acute glaucoma, and suggests a possible role for ATP in the neuronal damage accompanying increased intracranial pressure. (C) 2008 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The rCBVe, rCBFe, and MVL were significantly greater in GBMs comp

The rCBVe, rCBFe, and MVL were significantly greater in GBMs compared with those of metastases. The optimal cutoff value for differentiating GBM from metastasis was 0.80 which implies a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 92%, a positive predictive value of 86%, and a negative

predictive value of 97% for rCBVe ratio. We found a modest correlation between rCBVt and rCBFt ratios.

MVL measurements in GBMs are significantly higher than those in metastases. Statistically, both rCBVe, rCBVt/e and rCBFe, rCBFt/e were useful in differentiating between GBMs and metastases, supporting selleck inhibitor the hypothesis that perfusion MR imaging can detect infiltration of tumor cells in the peri-enhancing region.”
“Developmental venous anomalies (DVA) consist of dilated intramedullary veins that converge into a large collecting vein. The appearance of these anomalies was evaluated on whole-brain computed tomography (CT) digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and CT perfusion (CTP) studies.

CT data sets of ten anonymized

patients were retrospectively analyzed. Five patients had evidence of DVA and five age- and sex-matched controls were without known neurovascular abnormalities. CT angiograms, CT arterial-venous views, 4-D CT DSA and CTP maps were acquired on a dynamic volume imaging protocol on a 320-detector row CT scanner. Whole-brain CTP parameters were evaluated for cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), AZD9291 cost time to peak (TTP), mean transit time (MTT), and delay. DSA was utilized to visualize DVA anatomy. Radiation dose was recorded from the scanner console.

Increased CTP values were present in the DVA relative to the unaffected

contralateral hemisphere of 48%, 32%, and 26%; and for the control group with matched GW786034 manufacturer hemispheric comparisons of 2%, -10%, and 9% for CBF, CBV, and MTT, respectively. Average effective radiation dose was 4.4 mSv.

Whole-brain DSA and CTP imaging can demonstrate a characteristic appearance of altered DVA hemodynamic parameters and capture the anomalies in superior cortices of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. Future research may identify the rare subsets of patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes secondary to the altered hemodynamics to facilitate tailored imaging surveillance and application of appropriate preventive therapeutic measures.”
“Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) screening for recurrence of a coiled intracranial aneurysm and formation of new aneurysms long-term after coiling may induce anxiety and depression. In coiled patients, we evaluated effects on mood and level of anxiety from long-term follow-up MRA in comparison to general population norms.

Of 162 patients participating in a long-term (> 4.5 years) MRA follow-up after coiling, 120 completed the EQ-5D questionnaire, a visual analog health scale and a self-developed screening related questionnaire at the time of MRA. Three months later, the same questionnaires were completed by 100 of these 120 patients.

The current findings show that inconsistent results about the rol

The current findings show that inconsistent results about the role of prefrontal cortex regions in feedback processing are most likely associated with the informative value of the performance feedback. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that medial PFC/ACC is important for signaling expectation violation whereas DLPFC is important for goal-directed actions. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Nucleic

acids from an unidentified virus from ringed seals (Phoca hispida) were amplified using sequence-independent PCR, subcloned, and then sequenced. The full genome of a novel RNA virus was derived, identifying the first sequence-confirmed picornavirus in a marine mammal. The phylogenetic position of the tentatively XMU-MP-1 named seal picornavirus I (SePV-1) as an outlier to the grouping of parechoviruses was found consistently in alignable regions of the genome. A mean protein sequence identity of only 19.3 to 30.0% was found between the 3D polymerase gene sequence of SePV-1 and those of other picornaviruses. The predicted secondary structure of the short 506-base 5′-untranslated region showed some attributes of a type IVB

internal ribosome entry site, and the polyprotein lacked an apparent L pepticle, both learn more properties associated with the Parechovirus genus. The presence of two SePV-1 2A genes and of the canonical sequence required for cotranslational cleavage resembled the genetic organization of Ljungan virus. Minor genetic variants were detected in culture supernatants derived from 8 of 108 (7.4%) seals collected in 2000 to 2002, indicating a high prevalence of SePV-1 in this hunted seal population. The high level of genetic divergence of SePV-1 compared to other picornaviruses and its mix of characteristics relative to its closest relatives support the provisional classification of SePV-1 as the prototype for a new genus in

the family Picornaviridae.”
“It has been unclear to what extent memory is affected in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Since patients usually have atrophy in regions implicated PF477736 chemical structure in memory function, the frontal and/or temporal lobes, one would expect some memory impairment, and that the degree of atrophy in these regions would be inversely related to memory function. The purposes of this study were (1) to assess episodic memory function in FTLD, and more specifically patients’ ability to episodically re-experience an event, and determine its source; (2) to examine whether memory performance is related to quantified regional brain atrophy. FTLD patients (n = 18) and healthy comparison subjects (n = 14) were assessed with cued recall, recognition, “”remember/know”" (self-reported re-experiencing) and source recall, at 30 min and 24 h after encoding. Regional gray matter volumes were assessed with high resolution structural MRI concurrently to testing.

The model also predicts that subsequent presentations of the inhi

The model also predicts that subsequent presentations of the inhibitory CS with a novel CS will increase both (1) and (2). Using a predictive learning design in humans, Experiment 1 examined the predictions involving the summation tests, whereas Experiments 2 and 3 examined the predictions involving the retardation tests. Experimental results were in agreement with the predictions of the model.”
“Embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (E-CSF) is a protein-containing fluid present in brain cavities that plays key roles in neuronal development and function. From the beginning of primary this website brain neurogenesis,

E-CSF composition and homeostasis are precisely tuned by a transient blood-CSF barrier function, which controls protein transport and their relative concentration of within-brain cavities. One

of the proteins found in E-CSF is ovalbumin, which is postulated to play a role in nutrition. Here, we address the question of whether neuroepithelial progenitor cells in developing chick embryos use ovalbumin as a highly Niraparib purchase specific nutritional source of amino acids or alternatively whether they use other amino acid sources, despite the fact that they cannot be transported from blood serum to brain cavities under physiological conditions. Although ovalbumin was not found to be a key protein required for neurogenesis and cell survival, our observations reinforce the crucial role of the embryonic blood-CSF barrier, as its precise regulation of protein transport and E-CSF homeostasis ensures the maximum efficiency of neural development. NeuroReport 23:917-921 (C) 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams &

Wilkins.”
“While clinical features of panic disorder show significant sexual dimorphism, previous structural MRI studies have not sufficiently controlled for sex when looking at regional brain abnormalities in panic disorder. Using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM), regional gray matter volume was compared between 24 patients (male/female: 9/15) with panic disorder Calpain and 24 healthy subjects matched for age and sex. Significant gray matter volume reductions were found in the bilateral dorsomedial and right ventromedial prefrontal cortices, right amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral insular cortex, occipitotemporal gyrus and left cerebellar vermis in the patients compared with the controls. Among these regions, the VBM revealed significant sexual dimorphism: volume reduction in the right amygdala and the bilateral insular cortex was significantly greater in the males, while reduction in the right superior temporal gyrus was greater in females. Furthermore, a significant reduction in the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices, thalamus, and parietal cortex was specific to the female patients.

Studies of the amount of 5-HT and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole

Studies of the amount of 5-HT and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), were performed by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the relative amounts of brain-derived neurotrophin factor, BDNF, and its major receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB), were measured by Western blot. Our study revealed that the serotonergic system develops adaptive changes after, but not before, mitral

cell loss. The lack of the main bulbar projection cells causes a decrease in the serotonergic input received by the MOB, whereas the number of serotonergic cells in the raphe nuclei remains constant. In addition, one of the molecules directly involved in

serotonergic sprouting, the neurotrophin BDNF and its main receptor TrkB, underwent alterations in the MOBs of the pcd animals even before the loss of mitral cells. These data HDAC inhibitor OTX015 price indicate that serotonergic function in the MOB is closely related to olfactory activity and that mitral cell loss induces serotonergic plastic responses. (C) 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“There is increasing evidence suggesting that stoichiometric imbalances in macromolecular complexes and in signaling/transcriptional networks are a source of dosage-dependent phenotypes. Such alterations can result from total or partial GSK872 order aneuploidy, gene copy number variants or regulatory alterations. Thus, some gene balance is required to ensure a normal function. This balance also dictates which genes are preferentially over- or underretained after single gene, segmental or whole genome duplications. Here, we review the mechanisms leading to

dosage effects and compensation at the transcriptional and translational levels. Moreover, we propose that the involvement of a protein in a complex can affect its stability: formation of complexes might mask degradation signals in the monomers leading to their preferential degradation when in excess, alleviating dosage imbalances.”
“The highly addictive drug methamphetamine has been associated with impairments in social cognitions as evidenced by changes in users’ behaviors. Physiological changes in brain structure and functioning, particularly in the frontal lobe, have also been identified. The authors propose a biopsychosocial approach to understanding the effects of methamphetamine addiction by relating the physiological effects of the drug to the behaviors and social cognitions of its users, through the application of the theory of mind paradigm. Although onset of methamphetamine use has been linked to the desire for socialization, chronic use has been associated with an increase in depression, aggressiveness, and social isolation, behaviors that also implicate involvement of the frontal lobe.