The Clinical and Economic Benefit of CMV Matching in Kidney Transplant: A Decision Analysis.

Background: The development of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after kidney transplant remains a significant cause of posttransplant morbidity, graft loss, and mortality. Despite appropriate antiviral therapy, recipients without previous CMV exposure can currently be allocated a kidney from a donor with previous CMV infection (D+R-) that carries the greatest risk of posttransplant CMV infection and associated complications. Preferential placement of CMV D- organs in negative recipients (R-) has been shown to reduce the risk of viral infection and associated complications.

Evaluation of give kids a boost: A school-based program to increase booster seat use among urban children in economically disadvantaged areas.

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a series of 1-year multifaceted school-based programs aimed at increasing booster seat use among urban children 4-7 years of age in economically disadvantaged areas.

Methods: During 4 consecutive school years, 2011-2015, the Give Kids a Boost (GKB) program was implemented in a total of 8 schools with similar demographics in Dallas County. Observational surveys were conducted at project schools before project implementation (P), 1-4 weeks after the completion of project implementation (P), and 4-5 months later (P).

Preventing deaths and injuries from house fires: a cost-benefit analysis of a community-based smoke alarm installation programme.

Background: Operation Installation (OI), a community-based smoke alarm installation programme in Dallas, Texas, targets houses in high-risk urban census tracts. Residents of houses that received OI installation (or programme houses) had 68% fewer medically treated house fire injuries (non-fatal and fatal) compared with residents of non-programme houses over an average of 5.2 years of follow-up during an effectiveness evaluation conducted from 2001 to 2011.

Preventing deaths and injuries from house fires: an outcome evaluation of a community-based smoke alarm installation programme.

Background: Few studies have examined the impact of community-based smoke alarm (SA) distribution programmes on the occurrence of house fire-related deaths and injuries (HF-D/I).

Objective: To determine whether the rate of HF-D/I differed for programme houses that had a SA installed through a community-based programme called Operation Installation, versus non-programme houses in the same census tracts that had not received such a SA.

Methods: Teams of volunteers and firefighters canvassed houses in 36 high-risk target census tracts in Dallas, TX, between April 2001 and April 2011, and installed lithium-powered SAs in houses where residents were present and gave permission.

How long do smoke alarms function? A cross-sectional follow-up survey of a smoke alarm installation programme.

Objective: To assess the functionality of lithium-powered smoke alarms that had been installed through a community-based programme called Operation Installation (OI).

Methods: A random sample was chosen of homes that had received smoke alarms through OI, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 years previously. Sampled homes were visited, and information collected included functional status of smoke alarms.

Impact of errors in age estimates on the classification of proper child occupant restraint use: an observational survey.

Background: Proper classification of child occupant restraint use is dependent on the age of the child occupant. Observations of vehicle restraint use involve estimating child age. If estimates of age are incorrect, then a potential for misclassification of restraint use exists.

A controlled evaluation of the WHO Safe Communities model approach to injury prevention: increasing child restraint use in motor vehicles.

Objective: To measure the effect of the WHO Safe Communities model approach to increasing child restraint use in motor vehicles.

Design: Pre- and post-intervention observations of restraint use in motor vehicles in several sites in the target area, and in a comparison area community.

Setting: Community; southeast Dallas, Texas, 2003-2005.

The "unintended pedestrian" on expressways.

Objective: To explore the epidemiology of pedestrian deaths in Dallas County, Texas, and to compare factors associated with pedestrian deaths on expressways versus those that occurred on other roadways.

Methods: We studied all pedestrian deaths among persons 15 years of age or older in Dallas County, Texas, from 1997 to 2004 by linking data from Medical Examiner's office, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and local police records. Univariate and multivariate analysis compared various factors associated with death on an expressway.

Gentamicin and tobramycin in neonates: comparison of a new extended dosing interval regimen with a traditional multiple daily dosing regimen.

Because of a lack of data supporting traditional dosing regimens for aminoglycosides, especially in extremely low-birth-weight infants, the authors developed revised dosing guidelines. The new guidelines increased doses to 5 mg/kg (over traditional doses of 2.5 mg/kg) and lengthened the dosing interval.

Increasing the use of child restraints in motor vehicles in a Hispanic neighborhood.

The use of restraints in motor vehicles is less common in minority and low-income populations than in the general population. A preliminary survey of Hispanic preschool-aged children in west Dallas, Tex, conducted in 1997 showed much lower child restraint use (19% of those surveyed) than among preschool children of all races in the rest of the city (62%). Because there are few reports of successful programs to increase child restraint use among Hispanics, we undertook to implement and evaluate such a program.