Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Assessment Of Achieved Systolic Blood Pressure In Newly Treated Hypertensive Patients Aged 60-79 Years Before And After Eighth Joint National Committee Recommendations, Michael S. Kelly, Joseph J. Saseen, Joel C. Marrs

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective:

To determine whether patients who were newly prescribed antihypertensive therapy after the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) update were treated to a relaxed systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal compared with patients treated before the update.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort study approved by the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board. Patients aged 60–79 years, without diabetes or chronic kidney disease (CKD), newly treated for hypertension at a University of Colorado primary care clinics were included. The mean first-achieved and last-stable SBPs of patients newly prescribed antihypertensive medications from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 31 2013 (before cohort) were compared …

High Levels Of Iron Supplementation Prevents Neural Tube Defects In The Fpn1(Ffe) Mouse Model., Bethany A Stokes, Julia A Sabatino, Irene E. Zohn

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Periconception maternal nutrition and folate in particular are important factors influencing the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs). Many but not all NTDs are prevented by folic acid supplementation and there is a pressing need for additional strategies to prevent these birth defects. Other micronutrients such as iron are potential candidates, yet a clear role for iron deficiency in contributing to NTDs is lacking. Our previous studies with the flatiron (ffe) mouse model of Ferroportin1 (Fpn1) deficiency suggest that iron is required for neural tube closure and forebrain development raising the possibility that iron supplementation could prevent NTDs.

METHODS: …

Myofilament Calcium Sensitivity: Consequences Of The Effective Concentration Of Troponin I, Jalal K. Siddiqui, Svetlana B. Tikunova, Shane D. Walton, Bin Liu, Meredith Meyer, Pieter P. De Tombe, Nathan Neilson, Peter M. Kekenes-Huskey, Hussam E. Salhi, Paul M.L. Janssen, Brandon J. Biesiadecki, Jonathan P. Davis

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Control of calcium binding to and dissociation from cardiac troponin C (TnC) is essential to healthy cardiac muscle contraction/relaxation. There are numerous aberrant post-translational modifications and mutations within a plethora of contractile, and even non-contractile, proteins that appear to imbalance this delicate relationship. The direction and extent of the resulting change in calcium sensitivity is thought to drive the heart toward one type of disease or another. There are a number of molecular mechanisms that may be responsible for the altered calcium binding properties of TnC, potentially the most significant being the ability of the regulatory domain of TnC to …

Vamorolone, A Dissociative Steroidal Compound, Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Expression In Glioma Cells And Increases Activity And Survival In A Murine Model Of Cortical Tumor., Elizabeth Wells, Madhuri Kambhampati, Jesse M Damsker, Heather Gordish-Dressman, Sridevi Yadavilli, Oren J Becher, Jamila Gittens, Mojca Stampar, Roger J. Packer, Javad Nazarian

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, are routinely used as palliative care in neuro-oncology for their anti-inflammatory benefits, however many patients experience dose limiting side effects caused by glucocorticoid response element (GRE)-mediated transcription. The purpose of this study was to use a murine model to investigate a new steroid alternative, vamorolone, which promises to reduce side effects through dissociating GRE-mediated transcription and NF-κB -mediated anti-inflammatory actions. To compare vamorolone to dexamethasone in reducing pro-inflammatory signals in vitro, murine glioma cells were treated with dexamethasone, vamorolone or vehicle control. Changes in mRNA expression were assessed using the nanostring inflammatory platform. Furthermore, drug …

Comparative Genomic Analysis Of Two Serotype 1/2b Listeria Monocytogenes Isolates From Analogous Environmental Niches Demonstrates The Influence Of Hypervariable Hotspots In Defining Pathogenesis, Aidan Casey, Kieran Jordan, Aidan Coffey, Edward M. Fox, Olivia Mcauliffe

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The vast majority of clinical human listeriosis cases are caused by serotype 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, and 4b isolates of Listeria monocytogenes. The ability of L. monocytogenes to establish a systemic listeriosis infection within a host organism relies on a combination of genes that are involved in cell recognition, internalization, evasion of host defenses, and in vitro survival and growth. Recently, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis have proven to be powerful tools for the identification of these virulence-associated genes in L. monocytogenes. In this study, two serotype 1/2b strains of L. monocytogenes with analogous isolation sources, but …

Tx-004hr Vaginal Estradiol Has Negligible To Very Low Systemic Absorption Of Estradiol., David F Archer, Ginger D Constantine, James A Simon, Harvey Kushner, Philip Mayer, Brian Bernick, Shelli Graham, Sebastian Mirkin, Rejoice Study Group.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of TX-004HR vaginal estradiol softgel capsules when used for treating moderate-to-severe dyspareunia in postmenopausal women with vulvar and vaginal atrophy.

METHODS: A substudy of the REJOICE trial (multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3) evaluated the pharmacokinetics of 4, 10, and 25-μg TX-004HR doses once/d for 2 weeks, followed by twice/wk for 10 weeks. Serum samples obtained at 2, 4, 6, 10, and 24 hours postdose on days 1 and 14, and once on day 84, were analyzed for area under the serum concentration-time curve, tmax, Cmin, Cavg, and Cmax for estradiol, estrone, and estrone conjugates.

RESULTS: …

Advances And Perspectives In Genetics Of Congenital Thyroid Disorders Associated With Thyroglobulin Gene Mutations, Héctor M. Targovnik, Cintia E. Citterio, Sofi Siffo, Carina M. Rivolta

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Dyshormonogenesis due to thyroglobulin (TG) gene mutations is a rare cause of congenital hypothyroidism with an estimated incidence of approximately 1 in 100,000 newborns. The TG gene is organized in 48 exons, spanning over 270 kb on human chromosome 8q24. The human TG mRNA is 8.5 Kb long and the preprotein monomer is composed of a 19 amino acids signal peptide followed by a 2749 residues polypeptide. Until now, one hundred seventeen deleterious mutations in the human TG gene have been identified and characterized, originating structural changes in the protein that alter the normal protein folding, assembly and …

Concerns About Justification For Fetal Genome Sequencing, Leslie Francis

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

The proposal by Chen and Wasserman (2017) contributes to a long-standing debate about the scope of prenatal screening services. With realistic prospects of fetal genome-scale sequencing from noninvasive maternal blood sampling (NIPW), their framework is timely. However, we outline a number of concerns regarding this approach, ranging from the philosophical to the social and clinical. A key concern in this literature is that the framework lacks a clear philosophical foundation. Despite the long history of prenatal diagnosis (PND), a central question remains regarding the core justification for these services.

Selective Suppression Of The Α Isoform Of P38 Mapk Rescues Late-Stage Tau Pathology, Nicole Maphis, Shanya Jiang, Guixiang Xu, Olga N. Kokiko-Cochran, Saktimayee M. Roy, Linda J. Van Eldik, D. Martin Watterson, Bruce T. Lamb, Kiran Bhaskar

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Background: Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau protein are the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease and related tauopathies. We previously demonstrated that the microglial activation induces tau hyperphosphorylation and cognitive impairment via activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in the hTau mouse model of tauopathy that was deficient for microglial fractalkine receptor CX3CR1.

Method: We report an isoform-selective, brain-permeable, and orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of p38α MAPK (MW181) and its effects on tau phosphorylation in vitro and in hTau mice.

Results: First, pretreatment of mouse primary cortical neurons with MW181 completely blocked inflammation-induced p38α MAPK activation and AT8 …

Dna Methylation Signatures Of Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation Are Associated With Complex Diseases, Symen Ligthart, Carola Marzi, Stella Aslibekyan, Michael M. Mendelson, Karen N. Conneely, Toshiko Tanaka, Elena Colicino, Lindsay L. Waite, Roby Joehanes, Weihua Guan, Jennifer A. Brody, Cathy Elks, Riccardo Marioni, Min A. Jhun, Golareh Agha, Jan Bressler, Cavin K. Ward-Caviness, Brian H. Chen, Tianxiao Huan, Kelly Bakulski, Elias L. Salfati, Whi-Empc Investigators, Giovanni Fiorito, Charge Epigenetics Of Coronary Heart Disease, Simone Wahl, Katharina Schramm, Jin Sha, Dena G. Hernandez, Allan C. Just, Jennifer A. Smith, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation reflects a subclinical immune response implicated in the pathogenesis of complex diseases. Identifying genetic loci where DNA methylation is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation may reveal novel pathways or therapeutic targets for inflammation.

Results: We performed a meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a sensitive marker of low-grade inflammation, in a large European population (n = 8863) and trans-ethnic replication in African Americans (n = 4111). We found differential methylation at 218 CpG sites to be associated with CRP (P < 1.15 × 10^–7) in the discovery panel …

Pharmacotherapeutic Considerations For Individuals With Down Syndrome, Erik Hefti

Harrisburg University Faculty Works

Down syndrome (DS; trisomy 21) is the most common survivable disorder due to aneuploidy. Individuals with DS may experience multiple comorbid health problems including congenital heart defects, endocrine abnormalities, skin and dental problems, seizure disorders, leukemia, dementia, and obesity. These associated conditions may necessitate pharmacotherapeutic management with various drugs. The complex pathobiology of DS may alter drug disposition and drug response in some individuals. For example, reports have documented increased rates of adverse drug reactions in patients with DS treated for leukemia and dementia. Intellectual disability resulting from DS may impact adherence to medication regimens. In this review, we highlight …

Pertussis-Associated Pneumonia In Infants And Children From Low- And Middle-Income Countries Participating In The Perch Study., Breanna Barger-Kamate, Maria Deloria Knoll, E Wangeci Kagucia, Christine Prosperi, Henry C Baggett, Daniel E. Park, +31 Additional Authors

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:  Few data exist describing pertussis epidemiology among infants and children in low- and middle-income countries to guide preventive strategies.

METHODS:  Children 1-59 months of age hospitalized with World Health Organization-defined severe or very severe pneumonia in 7 African and Asian countries and similarly aged community controls were enrolled in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health study. They underwent a standardized clinical evaluation and provided nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs and induced sputum (cases only) for Bordetella pertussis polymerase chain reaction. Risk factors and pertussis-associated clinical findings were identified.

RESULTS:  Bordetella pertussis was detected in 53 of 4200 (1.3%) cases …

Analysis Of Hiv Diversity In Hiv-Infected Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Hptn 061), Iris Chen, Gordon Chau, Jing Wang, William Clarke, Mark A. Marzinke, Manya Magnus, +14 Additional Authors

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

Background

HIV populations often diversify in response to selective pressures, such as the immune response and antiretroviral drug use. We analyzed HIV diversity in Black men who have sex with men who were enrolled in the HIV Prevention Trials Network 061 study.

Methods

A high resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay was used to measure diversity in six regions of the HIV genome: two in gag, one in pol, and three in env. HIV diversity was analyzed for 146 men who were HIV infected at study enrollment, including three with acute infection and 13 with recent infection (identified …

Vitamin D Supplementation To Prevent Acute Respiratory Tract Infections: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Individual Participant Data, Adrian R. Martineau, David A. Jolliffe, Richard L. Hooper, Lauren Greenberg, John F. Aloia, Peter Bergman, Gal Dubnov-Raz, Susanna Esposito, Davaasambuu Ganmaa, Adit A. Ginde, Emma C. Goodall, Cameron C. Grant, Christopher J. Griffiths, Wim Janssens, Ilkka Laaksi, Semira Manaseki-Holland, David Mauger, David R. Murdoch, Rachel Neale, Judy R. Rees

Dartmouth Scholarship

OBJECTIVES To assess the overall effect of vitamin D supplementation on risk of acute respiratory tract infection, and to identify factors modifying this effect. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) from randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number registry from inception to December 2015. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STUDY SELECTION Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trials of supplementation with vitamin D3 or vitamin D2 of any duration were eligible for inclusion if they had been approved by a …

Seeing The Invisible: Revealing Atrial Ablation Lesions Using Hyperspectral Imaging Approach, Narine Muselimyan, Luther Swift, Huda Asfour, Tigran Chahbazian, Ramesh Mazhari, Marco Mercader, Narine Sarvazyan

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

Background

Currently, there are limited means for high-resolution monitoring of tissue injury during radiofrequency ablation procedures.

Objective

To develop the next generation of visualization catheters that can reveal irreversible atrial muscle damage caused by ablation and identify viability gaps between the lesions.

Methods

Radiofrequency lesions were placed on the endocardial surfaces of excised human and bovine atria and left ventricles of blood perfused rat hearts. Tissue was illuminated with 365nm light and a series of images were acquired from individual spectral bands within 420-720nm range. By extracting spectral profiles of individual pixels and spectral unmixing, the relative contribution of ablated …

Xpert Mtb/Rif Assay Shows Faster Clearance Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Dna With Higher Levels Of Rifapentine Exposure., A Jayakumar, R M Savic, C K Everett, Debra Benator, D Alland, C M Heilig, M Weiner, S O Friedrich, N A Martinson, A Kerrigan, C Zamudio, S V Goldberg, W C Whitworth, J L Davis, P Nahid

Medicine Faculty Publications

The Xpert MTB/RIF assay is both sensitive and specific as a diagnostic test. Xpert also reports quantitative output in cycle threshold (CT) values, which may provide a dynamic measure of sputum bacillary burden when used longitudinally. We evaluated the relationship between Xpert CT trajectory and drug exposure during tuberculosis (TB) treatment to assess the potential utility of Xpert CT for treatment monitoring. We obtained serial sputum samples from patients with smear-positive pulmonary TB who were consecutively enrolled at 10 international clinical trial sites participating in study 29X, a CDC-sponsored Tuberculosis Trials Consortium study evaluating the tolerability, safety, and antimicrobial activity …

Strategies For Enriching Variant Coverage In Candidate Disease Loci On A Multiethnic Genotyping Array, Stephanie Bien, Genevieve L. Wojcik, Niha Zubair, Christopher Gignoux, Alicia R. Martin, Lisa W. Martin, Page Study Investigators

Medicine Faculty Publications

Investigating genetic architecture of complex traits in ancestrally diverse populations is imperative to understand the etiology of disease. However, the current paucity of genetic research in people of African and Latin American ancestry, Hispanic and indigenous peoples in the United States is likely to exacerbate existing health disparities for many common diseases. The Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology, Phase II (PAGE II), Study was initiated in 2013 by the National Human Genome Research Institute to expand our understanding of complex trait loci in ethnically diverse and well characterized study populations. To meet this goal, the Multi-Ethnic Genotyping Array (MEGA) …

Amaurosis Fugax Due To Pleomorphic Sarcoma, Sheila Pabon, Katherine Williams, Marena Patronas

Ophthalmology Faculty Publications

Purpose

This report describes a case of amaurosis fugax due to a rare primary cardiac sarcoma.

Observations

A patient who was recently diagnosed with left atrial pleomorphic sarcoma presented with a chief complaint of multiple episodes of intermittent vision loss in the right eye during the course of radiation therapy.

Conclusions and importance

The authors postulate emboli from the left atrial sarcoma entered systemic circulation and subsequently caused brief episodes of transient occlusion to retinal, ophthalmic and/or ciliary arteries leading to momentary retinal hypoxia. We believe this is a novel finding, previously unreported in the literature, of transient embolic occlusion …

Iris Abscess A Rare Presentation Of Intravenous Drug Abuse Associated, Jonathan Pierce, Nisha Warrier, Christina Antonopoulos, Nicole Siegel, Deeba Husain

Ophthalmology Faculty Publications

Purpose: To describe an unusual case of intravenous drug abuse associated endogenous endophthalmitis presenting with an iris abscess.

Observations: A 30-year old female with history of intravenous drug use presented with a two-week history of redness and blurry vision in the right eye. An initial diagnosis of anterior uveitis was made. However, she worsened on topical steroids and mydriatics. She was found to have a hypopyon and an iris abscess. She received broad spectrum antibiotic and antifungal treatment with voriconazole, this lead to significant clinical improvement. She was discharged on oral fluconazole and lost to follow up. The patient was …

Regulation Of Alpha-Herpesvirus Reactivation From Latency By Stress, Insun Kook

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Bovine herpes virus 1 (BHV-1) and Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) are crucial etiological viral agent of clinical diseases. HSV-1 and BHV-1 establish latent infection in sensory neurons. Periodically, reactivation from latency occurs resulting in virus excretion and transmission. Stress increases corticosteroid levels and the incidence of HSV-1 and BHV-1 reactivation from latency. The synthetic corticosteroid, dexamethasone (DEX) mimics stress and induces BHV-1 and HSV-1 reactivation. However, molecular mechanisms by which corticosteroid mediates viral reactivation are not well understood. My dissertation has focused on elucidating events that induce BHV- 1 or HSV-1 reactivation during the early stages of stress-induced escape …

Cataract Surgery In Children From Birth To Less Than 13 Years Of Age: Baseline Characteristics Of The Cohort., Michael X. Repka, Trevano W. Dean, Elizabeth L. Lazar, Kimberly G. Yen, Phoebe D. Lenhart, Sharon F. Freedman, Denise Hug, Bahram Rahmani, Serena X. Wang, Raymond T. Kraker, David K. Wallace, Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: To describe baseline characteristics, initial postoperative refractive errors, operative complications, and magnitude of the intraocular lens (IOL) prediction error for refractive outcome in children undergoing lensectomy largely in North America.

DESIGN: Prospective registry study of children from birth to enrollment.

PARTICIPANTS: Total of 1266 eyes of 994 children; 49% female and 59% white.

METHODS: Measurement of refractive error, axial length, and complete ophthalmic examination.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Eye and systemic associated conditions, IOL style, refractive error, pseudophakic refraction prediction error, operative and perioperative complications.

RESULTS: Mean age at first eligible lens surgery was 4.2 years; 337 (34%) were(59%). Additional …

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 2016, Paul Beck, Jason Apple, Shane Gadberry, Beth Kegley, Charles Rosenkrans Jr.

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

Genetic Variants In Kcnj11, Tcf7l2 And Hnf4a Are Associated With Type 2 Diabetes, Bmi And Dyslipidemia In Families Of Northeastern Mexico: A Pilot Study, Hugo Leonid Gallardo-Blanco, Jesus Zacarias Villarreal-Perez, Ricardo Martin Cerda-Flores, Andres Figueroa

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether genetic markers considered risk factors for metabolic syndromes, including dyslipidemia, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), can be applied to a Northeastern Mexican population. A total of 37 families were analyzed for 63 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and the age, body mass index (BMI), glucose tolerance values and blood lipid levels, including those of cholesterol, low‑density lipoprotein (LDL), very LDL (VLDL), high‑density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides were evaluated. Three genetic markers previously associated with metabolic syndromes were identified in the sample population, including KCNJ11, TCF7L2 and HNF4A. The KCNJ11 …

Infant Sleep Problems And Childhood Overweight: Effects Of Three Definitions Of Sleep Problems, Arsham Alamian, Liang Wang, Amber M. Hall, Melanie Pitts, Joseph Ikekwere

ETSU Faculty Works

Sleep problems have been defined using a variety of definitions. No study has assessed the longitudinal association between infant sleep problems and childhood overweight or obesity using existing definitions of sleep problems. This study used longitudinal data (n=895) from the multi-site Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) to investigate the effects of infant sleep problems on childhood weight status in Grade 6. Infants with sleep problems in Phase I (1991) and with complete data through Phase III (2004) of SECCYD were included. Sleep problems were assessed using maternal reports of night wakings and duration of a waking …

Late Onset Of Pulmonary Hypertension And Sepsis In Omphalocele Infants, Joanne E. Baerg, Arul Thirumoorthi, Whitney Carlton, Shelly Haug, Andrew O. Hopper, Donna Goff, Sandhya Ramlogan, Shawn D. St Peter

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

A subset of omphalocele infants has respiratory decompensation after the first week of life and PHN is diagnosed. Infection may initiate decompensation. In some, PHN is distinct from pulmonary hypoplasia as they oxygenate on room air for some time after birth. With aggressive treatment and follow-up, PHN can resolve. The late diagnosis of PHN in infants with omphalocele is previously unappreciated and deserves further study.

A 9-Year-Old Boy With A Chest Mass And Eosinophilia., Laura E. Norton, Sean N. Curtis, Jennifer L. Goldman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Intravenous Versus Oral Antibiotics For Postdischarge Treatment Of Complicated Pneumonia., Samir S. Shah, Rajendu Srivastava, Susan Wu, Jeffrey D. Colvin, Derek J. Williams, Shawn J. Rangel, Waheeda Samady, Suchitra Rao, Christopher Miller, Cynthia Cross, Caitlin Clohessy, Matthew Hall, Russell Localio, Matthew Bryan, Gong Wu, Ron Keren, Pediatric Research In Inpatient Settings Network

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Postdischarge treatment of complicated pneumonia includes antibiotics administered intravenously via a peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) or orally. Antibiotics administered via PICC, although effective, may result in serious complications. We compared the effectiveness and treatment-related complications of postdischarge antibiotics delivered by these 2 routes.

METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included children ≥2 months andadministration, classified as PICC or oral. The primary outcome was treatment failure. Secondary outcomes included PICC complications, adverse drug reactions, other related revisits, and a composite of all 4 outcomes, termed "all related revisits."

RESULTS: Among 2123 children, 281 (13.2%) received antibiotics …

Mir-155 Expression And Correlation With Clinical Outcome In Pediatric Aml: A Report From Children's Oncology Group., Ranjani Ramamurthy, Maya Hughes, Valerie Morris, Hamid Bolouri, Robert B. Gerbing, Yi-Cheng Wang, Michael R. Loken, Susana C. Raimondi, Betsy A. Hirsch, A S. Gamis, Vivian G. Oehler, Todd A. Alonzo, Soheil Meshinchi

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Aberrant expression of microRNA-155 (miR-155) has been implicated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and associated with clinical outcome.

PROCEDURE: We evaluated miR-155 expression in 198 children with normal karyotype AML (NK-AML) enrolled in Children's Oncology Group (COG) AML trial AAML0531 and correlated miR-155 expression levels with disease characteristics and clinical outcome. Patients were divided into quartiles (Q1-Q4) based on miR-155 expression level, and disease characteristics were then evaluated and correlated with miR-155 expression.

RESULTS: MiR-155 expression varied over 4-log10-fold range relative to its expression in normal marrow with a median expression level of 0.825 (range 0.043-25.630) for the entire …

Indoor Tobacco Legislation Is Associated With Fewer Emergency Department Visits For Asthma Exacerbation In Children., Christina E. Ciaccio, Tami Gurley-Calvez, Theresa I. Shireman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: During the past 3 decades, numerous cities and states have adopted laws that ban smoking in public indoor spaces. The rationale for these policies has been to protect nonsmokers from the adverse health effects of secondhand smoke.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the implementation of indoor smoking legislation is associated with a decrease in emergency department visits for asthma in children.

METHODS: This retrospective analysis used a natural experiment to estimate the impact of clean indoor air legislation on the rate of emergency department admissions for asthma exacerbation in children. Data were obtained from the Pediatric Health Information System. A …

Should Neonatologists Give Opinions Withdrawing Life-Sustaining Treatment?, J S. Blumenthal-Barby, Laura Loftis, Christy L. Cummings, William Meadow, Monica Lemmon, Peter A. Ubel, Laurence Mccullough, Emily Rao, John Lantos

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

An infant has a massive intracranial hemorrhage. She is neurologically devastated and ventilator-dependent. The prognosis for pulmonary or neurologic recovery is bleak. The physicians and parents face a choice: withdraw the ventilator and allow her to die or perform a tracheotomy? The parents cling to hope for recovery. The physician must decide how blunt to be in communicating his own opinions and recommendations. Should the physician try to give just the facts? Or should he also make a recommendation based on his own values? In this article, experts in neonatology, decision-making, and bioethics discuss this situation and the choice that …