Functional imaging and quantification of multineuronal olfactory responses in C. elegans.

Many animals perceive odorant molecules by collecting information from ensembles of olfactory neurons, where each neuron uses receptors that are tuned to recognize certain odorant molecules with different binding affinity. Olfactory systems are able, in principle, to detect and discriminate diverse odorants using combinatorial coding strategies. We have combined microfluidics and multineuronal imaging to study the ensemble-level olfactory representations at the sensory periphery of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The collective activity of C. elegans chemosensory neurons reveals high-dimensional representations of olfactory information across a broad space of odorant molecules. We reveal diverse tuning properties and dose-response curves across chemosensory neurons and across odorants. We describe the unique contribution of each sensory neuron to an ensemble-level code for volatile odorants. We show that a natural stimuli, a set of nematode pheromones, are also encoded by the sensory ensemble. The integrated activity of the C. elegans chemosensory neurons contains sufficient information to robustly encode the intensity and identity of diverse chemical stimuli.

Eczema herpeticum in a wrestler.

Eczema herpeticum (EH), first described in 1887, is characterized by a disseminated skin infection consisting of dome-shaped papules and is associated with fever, lymphadenopathy, and malaise. The condition commonly occurs on the trunk, head, and neck and is associated with numerous skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis. It is a result of a superimposed herpes simplex virus infection on otherwise compromised skin. It is a rapidly spreading infection, and early antiviral treatment is essential. Herpes gladiatorum is a common infection in the wrestling population, and atopic dermatitis is a common skin condition in the general population. Together, these 2 conditions can greatly increase the risk of EH infection. It is important for both sports medicine physicians and dermatologists to be aware of the risk of EH infection in this population, the presenting signs and symptoms, and be ready to respond quickly with antiviral treatment.

Attitudes toward medical and mental health care delivered via telehealth applications among rural and urban primary care patients.

Adequate health care services are often not available in rural and remote areas, and this problem is expected to grow worse in the near future. "Telehealth" interventions represent a strategy for addressing access to care problems. We examined and compared attitudes toward medical and mental health care delivered via telehealth applications among adult rural (n = 112) and urban (n = 78) primary care patients. We also examined attitudes toward telehealth applications among a subset of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)--a group likely in need of specialized services. Both urban and rural patients were receptive to receiving medical and psychiatric services via telehealth. There were few meaningful differences across variables between urban and rural patients, and there were no meaningful differences by PTSD status. These findings support the feasibility of telehealth applications, particularly for rural patients who may not otherwise receive needed services.

Age differences in posttraumatic stress disorder, psychiatric disorders, and healthcare service use among veterans in Veterans Affairs primary care clinics.

OBJECTIVE: To expand our understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence, its psychiatric characteristics, and service use among elderly veterans in Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care clinics. METHODS: A cross-sectional, epidemiological design (N = 745) incorporating self-report measures, structured interviews, and chart reviews was used to obtain relevant information for analyses. RESULTS: The oldest group of veterans (>or=65 years; N = 318) had lower prevalence of most psychiatric diagnoses than the youngest (18-44 years; N = 69) and middle-aged (45-64 years; N = 358) groups. Despite having higher rates of combat exposure, veterans in the oldest group (6.3%) had one-third the prevalence of PTSD than those in the middle-aged group (18.6%). A similar pattern was found across other psychiatric diagnoses. For example, those in the oldest group (7.5%) had one-third the prevalence of major depression as those in the two younger groups (21.7% and 22.9%). These differences were maintained after controlling for relevant demographic covariates (race, sex). Results from examination of VA health care service use across the three groups were consistent with the findings that the oldest veteran group is functioning significantly better across mental health domains. CONCLUSION: Elderly veterans who use VA primary care services evidence lower rates of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, and they use significantly less VA mental health services. They also do not appear to show evidence of worse physical health functioning or use VA health care services or disability benefits at a meaningfully higher rate than their younger counterparts.