Changes in use of county public health services following implementation of Alabama's immigration law.

Several states have enacted legislation restricting undocumented immigrants' access to publicly funded health benefits not protected by federal law. Using electronic health records from 140,856 county health department visits, we assessed the monthly change in Latino patients' visits compared to non-Latinos 12 months before and after implementation of Alabama's immigration law. We used ICD-9 diagnosis codes to determine whether visits included services exempt under the law: immunizations, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and communicable diseases, and family planning.

Are physician productivity and quality of care related?

This study examines the relationship between clinical quality of care and physician productivity in the public sector clinical setting. This longitudinal study takes place in Jefferson County, Alabama using data from six public sector clinics. Data representing 21 physicians across 13 consecutive quarters representing 44,765 person observations were analyzed.

Patient satisfaction among Spanish-speaking patients in a public health setting.

Despite the growing literature on health care quality, few patient satisfaction studies have focused upon the public health setting; where many Hispanic patients receive care. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in satisfaction between English and Spanish-speaking patients in a local health department clinical setting. We conducted a paper-based satisfaction survey of patients that visited any of the seven Jefferson County Department of Health primary care centers from March 19 to April 19, 2008.

Effect of limited transportation on medication adherence in patients with epilepsy.

Objective: To determine whether limited transportation affects medication adherence in patients with epilepsy.

Design: Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study.

Setting: United States and worldwide, February to April 2007.

Purinergic signaling in the lumen of a normal nephron and in remodeled PKD encapsulated cysts.

The nephron is the functional unit of the kidney. Blood and plasma are continually filtered within the glomeruli that begin each nephron. Adenosine 5' triphosphate (ATP) and its metabolites are freely filtered by each glomerulus and enter the lumen of each nephron beginning at the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT).

Extracellular zinc and ATP-gated P2X receptor calcium entry channels: New zinc receptors as physiological sensors and therapeutic targets.

In this review, we focus on two attributes of P2X receptor channel function, one essential and one novel. First, we propose that P2X receptors are extracellular sensors as well as receptors and ion channels. In particular, the large extracellular domain (that comprises 70% of the molecular mass of the receptor channel protein) lends itself to be a cellular sensor.

Heightened epithelial Na+ channel-mediated Na+ absorption in a murine polycystic kidney disease model epithelium lacking apical monocilia.

The Tg737 degrees (rpk) autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) mouse carries a hypomorphic mutation in the Tg737 gene. Because of the absence of its protein product Polaris, the nonmotile primary monocilium central to the luminal membrane of ductal epithelia, such as the cortical collecting duct (CCD) principal cell (PC), is malformed. Although the functions of the renal monocilium remain elusive, primary monocilia or flagella on neurons act as sensory organelles.

Extracellular zinc and ATP restore chloride secretion across cystic fibrosis airway epithelia by triggering calcium entry.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by defective cyclic AMP-dependent cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator Cl(-) channels. Thus, CF epithelia fail to transport Cl(-) and water. A postulated therapeutic avenue in CF is activation of alternative Ca(2+)-dependent Cl(-) channels.