Risk assessment of genetically engineered crops: fitness effects of virus-resistance transgenes in wild Cucurbita pepo.

The development of crops genetically engineered for pathogen resistance has raised concerns that crop-to-wild gene flow could release wild or weedy relatives from regulation by the pathogens targeted by the transgenes that confer resistance. Investigation of these risks has also raised questions about the impact of gene flow from conventional crops into wild plant populations. Viruses in natural plant populations can play important roles in plant fecundity and competitive interactions.

Pharmacy student response to patient-simulation mannequins to teach performance-based pharmacotherapeutics.

Objective: To design and implement a simulated patient-case assessment using a mannequin for critical care pharmacotherapeutic education of doctor of pharmacy students and to evaluate student satisfaction with the simulation.

Design: During the second year of the doctor of pharmacy program, all students were required to complete Introduction to Critical Care. This course consisted of didactic education, written patient-case sessions, and an interactive patient simulation session.

Immunosuppression in Pediatric Heart Transplantation: 2003 and Beyond.

Advances in immunosuppressive therapy have contributed to the improved long-term survival of pediatric heart transplant recipients over the past two decades. The introduction of cyclosporine in the early 1980s (the first oral agent to selectively target T-lymphocyte pathways) led to a dramatic reduction in acute rejection rates and improved graft and patient survival. A combination of cyclosporine, azathioprine, and corticosteroids ("triple therapy") became the standard of care for pediatric and adult heart transplantation.