Intergenerational service-learning across levels and disciplines:"one size (does not) fit all"

Service-learning is increasingly becoming an avenue used in a variety of disciplines to provide students with real-life experience regarding aging and older adults. Developing and implementing meaningful service-learning experiences, however, requires consideration both of the discipline-specific content to be addressed, as well as the varied backgrounds (educational and personal) and levels (freshman to graduate) of the students who will be participating. Intergenerational service-learning is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Drawing on the experiences of intergenerational service-learning programs at three institutions (representing three disciplines-Gerontology, Nursing, and Occupational Therapy), this paper focuses on the discipline-specific challenges of building a quality intergenerational service-learning program, as well as the associated challenges of developing appropriate intergenerational service-learning experiences for a range of student levels with varied backgrounds.     

Self-Expandable nitinol stent for cardiovascular applications: canine and human experience

The initial experimental and clinical experience with the cardiovascular self-expandable Nitinol stent (vascular and coronary versions) is described. The stent is designed as a helical coil with two terminal balls that are used for restraining it on the delivery catheter. Upon release, the stent self-expands immediately. A temporary stent version continues with a long wire that can be removed by pulling it as a straight wire through a small profile catheter. The stent uncoils in its own groove upon removal, a relatively atraumatic procedure. The stents have been studied in dogs and in peripheral arteries in patients. The results show a transient nonocclusive proliferative response to the stent that is maximal at 3–6 mo. The removability of the permanent stent has been proven in dogs. The preliminary results in patients are encouraging and demonstrate its feasibility for permanent and potentially temporary arterial support. © 1994 Wiley-Liss,Inc..     

Double ischemic ileal stenosis secondary to mesenteric injury after blunt abdominal trauma

The authors describe a rare case in which blunt abdominal trauma resulted in mesenteric injury with delayed double ischemic ileal stenosis. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated stenotic ileal loop with mural thickening. At surgery, a double stenotic bowel loop was found adjacent to a healed defect in the mesentery. Histological examination of the two resected segments showed fibrotic and ischemic lesions within the mesentery. Ischemic intestinal stenosis from mesenteric injury should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients suffering from intestinal occlusion with a history of blunt abdominal trauma.     

Multiple Intestinal Atresia With Combined Immune Deficiency Related to TTC7A Defect Is a Multiorgan Pathology: Study of a French-Canadian-Based Cohort

Hereditary multiple intestinal atresia (HMIA) is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction in humans associated with a profound combined immune deficiency. Deleterious mutations of the tetratricopeptide repeat domain–7A (TTC7A) gene lead to HMIA, although the mechanism(s) causing the disease in TTC7A deficiency has (have) not yet been clearly identified.To evaluate the consequences of TTC7A deficiency, we studied the morphology of several organs from HMIA patients at different developmental stages, as well as the expression of the TTC7A protein. We performed histological and immunohistochemical analyses on biopsies and autopsies of 6 patients and 1 fetus with HMIA. Moreover, we characterized for the first time the expression of the TTC7A protein by immunostaining it in several organs from control (including fetal samples), infants, and 1 fetus with HMIA.Besides the gastrointestinal tract, HMIA disease was associated with morphological alterations in multiple organs: thymus, lung, spleen, and liver. Moreover, we demonstrated that normal TTC7A protein was expressed in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells of the intestine, thymus, and pancreas. Surprisingly, altered TTC7A protein was highly expressed in tissues from patients, mainly in the epithelial cells.We have established that HMIA associated with a TTC7A defect is characterized by multiorgan impairments. Overall, this report suggests that TTC7A protein is critical for the proper development, preservation, and/or function of thymic and gastrointestinal epithelium.     

Relationship between gastrointestinal and dysmenorrheic symptoms at menses

The relationship between gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and uterine cramping pain at menses, controlling for affective states and prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor use, was examined. A total of 53 women completed a daily diary of symptoms, stool characteristics, and medication use for three consecutive menstrual cycles. There were significant across-women and within-woman relationships between stomach pain, nausea, and uterine cramping pain, but not between cramping pain and constipation, diarrhea, or stool characteristics. These results support the presence of a similar mechanism in the generation of distressing GI symptoms and uterine cramping pain at menses. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Automated classification of neonatal sleep states using EEG

Objective

To develop a method for automated neonatal sleep state classification based on EEG that can be applied over a wide range of age.

Disopyramide is an effective inhibitor of mutant HERG K+ channels involved in variant 1 short QT syndrome

The recently identified idiopathic short QT syndrome (SQTS) is associated with an increased risk of arrhythmia and sudden death. The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators helps to protect SQTS patients from ventricular fibrillation; however, pharmacological treatments to normalise the QT interval are limited: thus far only quinidine has been found to be effective in a subset of patients, with the SQT1 variant. SQT1 is associated with an amino acid substitution (N588K) in the KCNH2-encoded HERG K(+) channel that reduces HERG current (I(HERG)) inactivation and sensitivity to drug block. We demonstrate here that the N588K-HERG mutation only slightly attenuates I(HERG) blockade by the Class Ia antiarrhythmic drug disopyramide (1.5-fold elevation of IC(50)), compared to quinidine (3.5-fold elevation of IC(50)) and the Class III antiarrhythmic drug E-4031 (11.5-fold elevation of IC(50)). Thus, of the drugs studied to date, disopyramide is the one least affected by the SQT1 HERG mutation. Disopyramide is associated with QT prolongation in normal use and our findings provide a rational basis for its evaluation as a treatment for SQT1.     

Stakeholder involvement in the systematic optimisation of two school-based relationships and sex education interventions,Project Respect and Positive Choices

Background

There is increasing emphasis on involving intended beneficiaries and other stakeholders in the development of public health interventions to maximise acceptability and remove barriers to adoption, implementation, and maintenance before costly implementation. Yet the processes whereby key actors are engaged in intervention development are rarely reported, and frameworks for carrying out such work remain limited. We outline our approach to involving stakeholders in the optimisation of two school-based relationships and sex education programmes (Project Respect and Positive Choices) and reflect on the challenges of co-producing with teachers, students, and other partners.

The future of molecular chaperones and beyond

Protection of hair cells by HSP70 released by supporting cells is reported by May et al. in this issue of the JCI. Their findings suggest a new way to reduce ototoxicity from therapeutic medications and raise larger questions about the role and integration of heat shock proteins in non–cell-autonomous responses to stress. Increasing evidence suggests an important role for extracellular heat shock proteins in both the nervous system and the immune system. The work also suggests that defective chaperones could cause ear disease and supports the potential use of chaperone therapeutics.