Altered liver metabolism post-wean abolishes efficacy of vitamin D for breast cancer prevention in a mouse model.

Young women have increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, which may increase breast cancer incidence. Here, we assessed the anti-cancer efficacy of vitamin D in mouse models of young-onset breast cancer. In never-pregnant mice, vitamin D supplementation increased serum 25(OH)D and hepatic 1,25(OH)D, reduced tumor size, and associated with anti-tumor immunity.

A Geospatial Analysis of the Impact of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative on Breastfeeding Initiation in North Carolina.

Background:: Significant disparities in breastfeeding support and practice exist in North Carolina. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a worldwide intervention that encourages birth facilities to adopt specific practices in support of breastfeeding.

Research Aim:: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative on breastfeeding initiation in North Carolina, with special attention to rural areas.

Management of Intrauterine Contraception in Early Pregnancy.

Objectives: Women with rare intrauterine contraception (IUC) failures are advised to have their IUC removed because of the risk of poor obstetric outcomes with a retained IUC. Specifics regarding IUC removal in early pregnancy including techniques for removal, rates of success, and immediate pregnancy outcomes following removal are not well described, however. The objective of this study was to identify women with an IUC in early pregnancy examined at a tertiary care center with the primary objective of describing IUC removal attempts, IUC removal successes, and pregnancy outcomes at 20 weeks following IUC removal.

Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Glomerular Disease Attending a Single Academic Center in North Carolina.

Background: Contemporary data regarding pregnancy outcomes in US patients with primary glomerular diseases are lacking. We aimed to report fetal and maternal outcomes among women with biopsy-proven primary glomerular disease who received obstetric care at a single large academic US center.

Methods: All women with a biopsy-confirmed primary glomerular disease diagnosis and without end-stage kidney disease who received obstetric care at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Hospitals (1996-2015) were identified using the Glomerular Disease Collaborative Network registry and the UNC Hospitals Perinatal Database.

Association between hypoalbuminemia and surgical site infection in vulvar cancers.

Objective: To determine if preoperative hypoalbuminemia is associated with postoperative wound complications among patients with vulvar cancer.

Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for cases of vulvar cancer undergoing vulvectomy with or without lymphadenectomy (LND) from 2008 to 2013. Primary outcome was major wound complication.

Patient characteristics associated with treatment choice for pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) frequently undergo more than one treatment prior to settling on their final strategy. We hypothesize that women who are younger, with worse POP and SUI symptoms will desire and choose surgical treatment.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed over 1 year identifying new patients presenting with POP and/or SUI at a university hospital.

Decreasing time to antibiotics in febrile patients with central lines in the emergency department.

Background And Objective: Rapid antibiotic administration is essential for the successful management of patients who have central lines and present with fever. We conducted an emergency department (ED) improvement initiative to deliver antibiotics to 90% of patients within 60 minutes and to minimize process variation.

Methods: Our setting was an academic ED.

Immediate antiviral therapy appears to restrict resting CD4+ cell HIV-1 infection without accelerating the decay of latent infection.

HIV type 1 (HIV-1) persists within resting CD4(+) T cells despite antiretroviral therapy (ART). To better understand the kinetics by which resting cell infection (RCI) is established, we developed a mathematical model that accurately predicts (r = 0.65, P = 2.