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Background. Botulism is a rare, potentially severe illness, often fatal if not appropriately treated. Data on treatment are sparse. We systematically evaluated the literature on botulinum antitoxin and other treatments. Methods. We conducted a systematic literature review of published articles in PubMed via Medline, Web of Science, Embase, Ovid, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and included all studies that reported on the clinical course and treatment for foodborne botulism. Articles were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers and independently abstracted for treatment type and toxin exposure. We conducted a meta-analysis on the effect of timing of antitoxin administration, antitoxin type, and toxin exposure type. Results. We identified 235 articles that met the inclusion criteria, published between 1923 and 2016. Study quality was variable. Few (27%) case series reported sufficient data for inclusion in meta-analysis. Reduced mortality was associated with any antitoxin treatment (odds ratio [OR], 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], .09-.30) and antitoxin treatment within 48 hours of illness onset (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, .03-.41). Data did not allow assessment of critical care impact, including ventilator support, on survival. Therapeutic agents other than antitoxin offered no clear benefit. Patient characteristics did not predict poor outcomes. We did not identify an interval beyond which antitoxin was not beneficial. Conclusions. Published studies on botulism treatment are relatively sparse and of low quality. Timely administration of antitoxin reduces mortality; despite appropriate treatment with antitoxin, some patients suffer respiratory failure. Prompt antitoxin administration and meticulous intensive care are essential for optimal outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of voluntary daily exercise and environmental enrichment on spatial memory and learning as well as motor coordination and learning, in diabetic mice. Setting: College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain. Design: An Experimental Animal Study. Method: BALB/C mice (20 g to 25 g) received 55 mg/kg streptozotocin IP daily for five days. Diabetic mice were randomly assigned to one of the following groups for 12 weeks' duration: (1) social isolation; (2) an environmental enrichment; (3) environmental enrichment and voluntary daily exercise. The fourth group consisted of normal controls. At the end of 12 weeks, the mice were assessed by the Morris Water Maze and the Rotarod for cognitive and motor performance respectively. Result: All diabetic mice showed hyperglycemia. In water maze testing, exercise and environmental enrichment groups showed better learning as evidenced by reductions in time (escape latency) and distance swum to reach a submerged platform compared to diabetic isolated mice. In diabetic mice, exercise itself did not have a significant additional benefit on learning and memory compared to environmental enrichment alone. In rotarod test, motor learning was impaired with isolation but enhanced with environmental enrichment and exercise. Conclusion: Environmental enrichment and exercise confer significant benefits on cognition and motor performance in diabetic mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Botulism is a rare, potentially severe illness, often fatal if not appropriately treated. Data on treatment are sparse. We systematically evaluated the literature on botulinum antitoxin and other treatments., Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review of published articles in PubMed via Medline, Web of Science, Embase, Ovid, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and included all studies that reported on the clinical course and treatment for foodborne botulism. Articles were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers and independently abstracted for treatment type and toxin exposure. We conducted a meta-analysis on the effect of timing of antitoxin administration, antitoxin type, and toxin exposure type., Results: We identified 235 articles that met the inclusion criteria, published between 1923 and 2016. Study quality was variable. Few (27%) case series reported sufficient data for inclusion in meta-analysis. Reduced mortality was associated with any antitoxin treatment (odds ratio [OR], 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], .09-.30) and antitoxin treatment within 48 hours of illness onset (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, .03-.41). Data did not allow assessment of critical care impact, including ventilator support, on survival. Therapeutic agents other than antitoxin offered no clear benefit. Patient characteristics did not predict poor outcomes. We did not identify an interval beyond which antitoxin was not beneficial., Conclusions: Published studies on botulism treatment are relatively sparse and of low quality. Timely administration of antitoxin reduces mortality; despite appropriate treatment with antitoxin, some patients suffer respiratory failure. Prompt antitoxin administration and meticulous intensive care are essential for optimal outcome., (Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.)

Purpose: Studies among veterans indicate that veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) express anger, hostility and aggression as well as alcohol and substance abuse more then veterans without PTSD. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between anger, use of alcohol and symptoms of PTSD in war veterans in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H)., Method: Comparing a group of veterans (n = 54) with PTSD who use alcohol and a group of veterans (n = 46) who do not use alcohol, the analyzed were dimensions of anger related to PTSD symptoms and alcohol usage. Medical records of patients treated at the Department for Psychiatry in Tuzla, B&H, Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ)--version for Bosnia and Herzegovina, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), Structured Clinical Diagnostic Interview (SCID-I) were used in this study. The basic socio-demographic data were also collected., Results: A significant correlation is found between alcohol usage, and state and trait of anger (P < 0.001), angry temperament (P = 0.001), anger-in expression (P < 0.001), anger-out expression (P < 0.001), and anger control (P < 0.001). PTSD hyperarousal cluster symptoms were significantly correlated to state anger, anger-in expression (P < 0.05), and use of alcohol (P = 0.010)., Conclusion: The results indicate that there is a significant correlation between PTSD arousal symptom with anger dimensions, as well as between anger dimensions and use of alcohol in war veterans with PTSD.