Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ethics And Issues At The Sunset Of Life, Jane Gervasio, Dick Mcgowan, Priscilla Ryder

Priscilla T. Ryder

No abstract provided.

Empowering Patient Safety Outreach Through Interprofessional Partnerships: Educating Our Communities, Chris Childs, A. Faltinek, L. Heinz, Linda Walton, L. Zipperer

Linda J. Walton

No abstract provided.

Stem Cell Matching For Patients Of Mixed Race, Ted C. Bergstrom

Ted C Bergstrom

Patients with leukemia and other blood diseases stand a good chance of recovery and a return to normal life if they receive a stem cell transplant from a living donor. In the absence of a transplant, their survival prospects are grim. For a transplant to be successful, the human leukocyte antigens (HLA) of the donor and recipient must be a close genetic match. To facilitate non-sibling matches, the developed nations of the world have set up national volunteer registries. The larges such registry is the NMDP (National Marrow Donor Program). We estimate the distribution of HLA types for individuals of …

Corticosteroids For Pain Relief In Sore Throat: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Gail Hayward, Matthew J. Thompson, Carl J. Heneghan, Rafael Perera, Paul P. Glasziou, Chris B. Del Mar

Christopher Del Mar

Objective: To evaluate whether systemic corticosteroids improve symptoms of sore throat in adults and children. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources: Cochrane Central, Medline, Embase, Database of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), NHS Health Economics Database, and bibliographies. Outcome measures: Percentage of patients with complete resolution at 24 and 48 hours, mean time to onset of pain relief, mean time to complete resolution of symptoms, days missed from work or school, recurrence, and adverse events. Results: We included eight trials, consisting of 743 patients in total (369 children, 374 adults). 348 (47%) had exudative sore throat, and 330 (44%) were …

Neuraminidase Inhibitors For Preventing And Treating Influenza In Healthy Adults: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Tom Jefferson, Mark Jones, Peter Doshi, Chris Del Mar

Christopher Del Mar

Objectives: To update a 2005 Cochrane review that assessed the effects of neuraminidase inhibitors in preventing or ameliorating the symptoms of influenza, the transmission of influenza, and complications from influenza in healthy adults, and to estimate the frequency of adverse effects. Search strategy: An updated search of the Cochrane central register of controlled trials (Cochrane Library 2009, issue 2), which contains the Acute Respiratory Infections Group’s specialised register, Medline (1950-Aug 2009), Embase (1980-Aug 2009), and post-marketing pharmacovigilance data and comparative safety cohorts. Selection criteria: Randomised placebo controlled studies of neuraminidase inhibitors in otherwise healthy adults exposed to naturally occurring influenza. …

Transparent Development Of The Who Rapid Advice Guidelines, Holger J. Schunemann, Suzanne R. Hill, Meetali Kakad, Gunn E. Vist, Richard Bellamy, Lauren Stockman, Torbjorn Fosen Wisloff, Chris Del Mar, Frederick Hayden, Timothy M. Uyeki, Jeremy Farrar, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Howard Zucker, John Beigel, Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, Tran Tinh Hien, Bulent Ozbay, Norio Sugaya, Andrew D. Oxman

Christopher Del Mar

Emerging health problems require rapid advice. We describe the development and pilot testing of a systematic, transparent approach used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop rapid advice guidelines in response to requests from member states confronted with uncertainty about the pharmacological management of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus infection. We first searched for systematic reviews of randomized trials of treatment and prevention of seasonal influenza and for nontrial evidence on H5N1 infection, including case reports and animal and in vitro studies. A panel of clinical experts, clinicians with experience in treating patients with H5N1, influenza researchers, and methodologists …

Possible Harms Of Oseltamivir—A Call For Urgent Action, Tom Jefferson, Mark Jones, Peter Doshi, Chris Del Mar

Christopher Del Mar

Extract: Oseltamivir is a successful drug: between July, 2004, and June, 2009, more than 11·5 million new prescriptions were issued in the USA, and nearly all influenza pandemic plans recommend antiviral drugs as a mainstay of containment on a population basis and treatment on an individual basis, with oseltamivir preferred because of ease of administration and storage. Because 75% of the world production of oseltamivir has been used in Japan,¹ this is where to look for any serious harms the drug might cause. ¹ See note in article.

A Neural-Genetic Algorithm For Feature Selection And Breast Abnormality Classification In Digital Mammography, Ping Zhang, Brijesh Verma, Kuldeep Kumar

Kuldeep Kumar

Digital mammography is one of the most suitable methods for early detection of breast cancer. It uses digital mammograms to find suspicious areas. However, it is very difficult to distinguish benign and malignant cases, especially for the small size lesions in the early stage of cancer. This is reflected in the high percentage of unnecessary biopsies that are performed and many deaths caused by late detection or misdiagnosis. A computer based feature selection and classification system can provide a second opinion to the radiologists. This work proposes a neural-genetic algorithm for feature selection in conjunction with neural network based classifier. …

Neural Vs Statistical Classifier In Conjunction With Genetic Algorithm Feature Selection In Digital Mammography, Ping Zhang, Brijesh Verma, Kuldeep Kumar

Kuldeep Kumar

Digital mammography is one of the most suitable methods for early detection of breast cancer. It uses digital mammograms to find suspicious areas containing benign and malignant microcalcifications. However, it is very difficult to distinguish benign and malignant microcalcifications. This is reflected in the high percentage of unnecessary biopsies that are performed and many deaths caused by late detection or misdiagnosis. A computer based feature selection and classification system can provide a second opinion to the radiologists in assessment of microcalcifications. The research proposes and investigates a neural-genetic algorithm for feature selection in conjunction with neural and statistical classifiers to …

Rudra Interrupts Receptor Signaling Complexes To Negatively Regulate The Imd Pathway, Kamna Aggarwal, Florentina Rus, Christie Vriesema-Magnuson, Deniz Erturk Hasdemir, Nicholas Paquette, Neal S. Silverman

Neal Silverman

Insects rely primarily on innate immune responses to fight pathogens. In Drosophila, antimicrobial peptides are key contributors to host defense. Antimicrobial peptide gene expression is regulated by the IMD and Toll pathways. Bacterial peptidoglycans trigger these pathways, through recognition by peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs). DAP-type peptidoglycan triggers the IMD pathway via PGRP-LC and PGRP-LE, while lysine-type peptidoglycan is an agonist for the Toll pathway through PGRP-SA and PGRP-SD. Recent work has shown that the intensity and duration of the immune responses initiating with these receptors is tightly regulated at multiple levels, by a series of negative regulators. Through two-hybrid screening …

Consent To The Use Of Stored Dna For Genetics Research: A Survey Of Attitudes In The Jewish Population, Marc D. Schwartz, Karen H. Rothenberg, Linda Joseph, Judith Benkendorf, Caryn Lerman

Karen H. Rothenberg

No abstract provided.

Whose Duty Is It Anyway?: The Kennedy Krieger Opinion And Its Implications For Public Health Research, Diane E. Hoffmann, Karen H. Rothenberg

Karen H. Rothenberg

In this article, the authors discuss the Maryland Court of Appeals decision in the case of Grimes v. Kennedy Krieger Institute, Inc. and its implications for the tort duty owed by researchers, in particular public health researchers, to their subjects. The Opinion resulted from two lawsuits alleging lead poisoning of children enrolled in a study conducted by the Kennedy Krieger Institute, a world renown pediatric research and treatment facility. The opinion shocked the research establishment with its scathing characterization of researchers and its apparent holding that in Maryland a parent cannot consent to the participation of a child in "nontherapeutic …

Colloquium - Gender, Law And Health Care: New Perspectives For Teaching And Scholarship: The Role Of Gender In Law And Health Care, Karen H. Rothenberg

Karen H. Rothenberg

No abstract provided.

Feminism, Law, And Bioethics, Karen H. Rothenberg

Karen H. Rothenberg

Feminist legal theory provides a healthy skepticism toward legal doctrine and insists that we reexamine even formally gender-neutral rules to uncover problematic assumptions behind them. The article first outlines feminist legal theory from the perspectives of liberal, cultural, and radical feminism. Examples of how each theory influences legal practice, case law, and legislation are highlighted. Each perspective is then applied to a contemporary bioethical issue, egg donation. Following a brief discussion of the common themes shared by feminist jurisprudence, the article incorporates a narrative reflecting on the integration of the common feminist themes in the context of the passage of …

Bisphenol-A And The Great Divide: A Review Of Controversies In The Field Of Endocrine Disruption, Laura Vandenberg, Maricel V. Maffini, Carlos Sonnenschein, Beverly S. Rubin, Ana M. Soto

Laura Vandenberg

In 1991, a group of 21 scientists gathered at the Wingspread Conference Center to discuss evidence of developmental alterations observed in wildlife populations after chemical exposures. There, the term “endocrine disruptor” was agreed upon to describe a class of chemicals including those that act as agonists and antagonists of the estrogen receptors (ERs), androgen receptor, thyroid hormone receptor, and others. This definition has since evolved, and the field has grown to encompass hundreds of chemicals. Despite significant advances in the study of endocrine disruptors, several controversies have sprung up and continue, including the debate over the existence of nonmonotonic dose …

Strategies For Recruiting Hispanic Women Into A Prospective Cohort Study Of Modifiable Risk Factors For Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Lisa Chasan-Taber, Renee T. Fortner, Valerie Hastings, Glenn Markenson

Lisa Chasan-Taber

Background The purpose of this article was to describe effective strategies for recruitment of Hispanic women into a prospective cohort study of modifiable risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Although Hispanic women have two to four times the risk of developing GDM compared with non-Hispanic white women, few GDM prevention studies have included Hispanic women. Methods The study was conducted in the ambulatory obstetrical practices of Baystate Medical Center located in a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse city in Massachusetts. The study employed a range of strategies to recruit Hispanic women based on a review of the literature as well …

Making The Most Of Ippe And Appe, Jane Gervasio, Mary Hess, Angela Bingham

Jane M. Gervasio

No abstract provided.

Muc4/Muc4 Functions And Regulation In Cancer., Goldi Kozloski

Goldi A Kozloski

Emerging Role Of Micrornas In Liver Diseases, Shashi Bala, Miguel Marcos, Gyongyi Szabo

Gyongyi Szabo

MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that are found in plants, animals, and some viruses. They modulate the gene function at the post-transcriptional level and act as a fine tuner of various processes, such as development, proliferation, cell signaling, and apoptosis. They are associated with different types and stages of cancer. Recent studies have shown the involvement of microRNAs in liver diseases caused by various factors, such as Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, metabolic disorders, and by drug abuse. This review highlights the role of microRNAs in liver diseases and their potential use as therapeutic molecules.

Ethics And Issues At The Sunset Of Life, Jane Gervasio, Dick Mcgowan, Priscilla Ryder

Jane M. Gervasio

No abstract provided.

Complications In Neonates Associated With Total Daily Heparin Exposure, L. Current, K. Rawlings, Jane Gervasio, M. Mckinney

Jane M. Gervasio

Abstract from the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, December 5-10, 2009.

Living In A Material World: How Visual Cues To Material Properties Affect The Way That We Lift Objects And Perceive Their Weight, Gavin Buckingham, Jonathan Cant, Melvyn Goodale

Gavin Buckingham

The visual properties of an object provide many cues as to the tensile strength, compliance, and density of the material from which it is made. However, it is not well understood how these implicit associations affect our perceptions of these properties and how they determine the initial forces that are applied when an object is picked up. Here we examine the effects of these cues on such forces by using the classic "material-weight illusion" (MWI). Grip and load forces were measured in three experiments as participants lifted cubes made from metal, wood, and expanded polystyrene. These cubes were adjusted to …

Ethical Considerations In The Conduct Of Vaccine Trials In Developing Countries, Charles Weijer, C. Lanata, C. Plowe

Charles Weijer

No abstract provided.

Uptake Of A Team Briefing In The Operating Theatre: A Burkean Dramatistic Analysis, Sarah Whyte, Carrie Cartmill, Fauzia Gardezi, Richard Reznick, Beverley Orser, Diane Doran, Lorelei Lingard

Lorelei Lingard

Communication among healthcare professionals is a focus for research and policy interventions designed to improve patient safety, but the challenges of changing interprofessional communication patterns are rarely described. We present an analysis of 756 preoperative briefings conducted by general surgery teams (anesthesiologists, nurses, and surgeons) at four urban Canadian hospitals in the context of two research studies conducted between August 2004 and December 2007. We ask the questions: how and why did briefings succeed, how and why did they fail, and what did they mean for different participants? Ethnographic fieldnotes documenting the coordination and performance of team briefings were analyzed …

Livelihoods And Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza In Cambodia, Sophal Ear, Sigfrido Burgos

Sophal Ear

Nothing To Sneeze At! A Study Into Intra-Operative Contamination, David Graham, Benjamin Parkinson, Meghan Evans, Gerben Keijzers, Petra Derrington

Gerben Keijzers

Purpose: We performed a prospective study of sneezes from orthopaedic registrars to assess the potential for intra-operative contamination from a masked surgeon, and to determine if head position can alter the potential for contamination. Type of Study: Prospective controlled trial. Methods: Four orthopaedic registrars from the Gold Coast Hospital each inhaled pepper to precipitate a sneeze. Cultures were taken with and without standard Smith & Nephew™ surgical masks, in positions directly in front and to the sides of a masked registrar. The process was repeated three times for each registrar. A control plate was left exposed to the atmosphere. A …

Teaching-Learning Philosophy, Celia M. Pechak

Celia M Pechak

No abstract provided.

Applying Informatics To Improve Vulnerable Population Registration For Emergency Preparedness In The Gulf Coast Region Of Texas, Akom Phosuwan, Chiehwen Ed Hsu, Kim Dunn

Chiehwen Ed Hsu

The application of information technology in program evaluation has gained increased attention in recent years. This paper discusses informatics-facilitated evaluation results of a federally-supported self-registration system for vulnerable people in emergency preparedness and response (known as 2-1-1 registration system) in the Gulf Coast Region state of Texas. The purpose of this project is to assess registration system utilization and available service provision, with a special focus on how to improve enrollment for annual year for those zipcodes with low registration, and inform the enhancement of participating health providers to address the zipcodes with high registrants. This project is part of …

Anatomical Variations Of The Lumbar Plexus: A Descriptive Anatomy Study With Proposed Clinical Implications.Pdf, Philip A. Anloague

Philip A. Anloague

Trajectories Of Ptsd And Substance Use Disorders In A Longitudinal Study Of Personality Disorders, Meghan E. Mcdevitt-Murphy, Gilbert R. Parra, M. Tracie Shea, Shirley Yen, Carlos M. Grilo, Charles A. Sanislow, Thomas H. Mcglashan, John G. Gunderson, Andrew E. Skodol, John C. Markowitz

Charles A. Sanislow, Ph.D.