Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors Effect in Association with Driver's Medical Services after Crashes.

Motor vehicle crashes are the third leading cause of preventable-injury deaths in the United States. Previous research has found links between the socioeconomic characteristics of driver residence zip codes and crash frequencies. The objective of the study is to extend earlier work by investigating whether the socioeconomic characteristics of a driver’s residence zip code influence their likelihood of resulting in post-crash medical services.

Long-term trajectory of kidney function in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is characterized by cyst and kidney growth, which is hypothesized to cause loss of functioning renal mass and eventually end-stage kidney disease. However, the time course of decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is poorly defined. The Consortium for Radiologic Imaging Studies of Polycystic Kidney Disease study is a 14-year observational cohort study of 241 adults with ADPKD.

Characteristics of Single Vehicle Crashes with a Teen Driver in South Carolina, 2005-2008.

Objective: Teens' crash risk is highest in the first years of independent driving. Circumstances surrounding fatal crashes have been widely documented, but less is known about factors related to nonfatal teen driver crashes. This study describes single vehicle nonfatal crashes involving the youngest teen drivers (15-17 years), compares these crashes to single vehicle nonfatal crashes among adult drivers (35-44 years) and examines factors related to nonfatal injury producing crashes for teen drivers.

Determining the longitudinal validity and meaningful differences in HRQL of the PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease Module.

Background: Detecting change in health status over time and ascertaining meaningful changes are critical elements when using health-related quality of life (HRQL) instruments to measure patient-centered outcomes. The PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease module, a disease specific HRQL instrument, has previously been shown to be valid and reliable. Our objectives were to determine the longitudinal validity of the PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease module and the change in HRQL that is meaningful to patients.

Comparison of Clinician Suspicion Versus a Clinical Prediction Rule in Identifying Children at Risk for Intra-abdominal Injuries After Blunt Torso Trauma.

Objectives: Emergency department (ED) identification and radiographic evaluation of children with intra-abdominal injuries who need acute intervention can be challenging. To date, it is unclear if a clinical prediction rule is superior to unstructured clinician judgment in identifying these children. The objective of this study was to compare the test characteristics of clinician suspicion with a derived clinical prediction rule to identify children at risk of intra-abdominal injuries undergoing acute intervention following blunt torso trauma.

Detected renal cysts are tips of the iceberg in adults with ADPKD.

Background And Objectives: In autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, progressive renal enlargement secondary to expanding cysts is a hallmark. The total cyst load and range of cyst diameters are unknown. The purpose of this study was to quantify the total number and range of diameters of individual cysts in adults with preserved GFR.

My journey in dental ethics.

My ethics journal passed through these phases: personal inspiration by those I admire in the profession, struggle to incorporate their ideals in daily practice, working with like-minded colleagues, and formal education and exposure to broader and diverse interests. Now it is time to help others with their journeys.

Anti-PD-1 synergizes with cyclophosphamide to induce potent anti-tumor vaccine effects through novel mechanisms.

Programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) is expressed on T cells following TCR activation. Binding of this receptor to its cognate ligands, programmed death ligand (PDL)-1 and PDL-2, down-regulates signals by the TCR, promoting T-cell anergy and apoptosis, thus leading to immune suppression. Here, we find that using an anti-PD-1 antibody (CT-011) with Treg-cell depletion by low-dose cyclophosphamide (CPM), combined with a tumor vaccine, induces synergistic antigen-specific immune responses and reveals novel activities of each agent in this combination.

Evidence of extraordinary growth in the progressive enlargement of renal cysts.

Background And Objectives: In autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, cysts derived from tubules are detected at birth by ultrasound (threshold for detection >7.0 mm); thus, fetal cyst growth rates must exceed 2300%/yr. In adults, the combined renal cyst component enlarges at approximately 12%/yr by growth of individual cysts.

Using probabilistic linkage of multiple databases to describe burn injuries in Utah.

More than 1 million burn injuries occur in the United States each year and as many as half of these injuries require medical treatment. Most data used to describe burns are from national databases derived from random or purposive samples of injuries. Few studies describe burn rates within a state.

A model-based time-reversal of left ventricular motion improves cardiac motion analysis using tagged MRI data.

Background: Myocardial motion is an important observable for the assessment of heart condition. Accurate estimates of ventricular (LV) wall motion are required for quantifying myocardial deformation and assessing local tissue function and viability. Harmonic Phase (HARP) analysis was developed for measuring regional LV motion using tagged magnetic resonance imaging (tMRI) data.

Inhaled nitric oxide in the treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension/ hypoxic respiratory failure in neonates: an update.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) and subsequent hypoxic respiratory failure is seen in association with numerous diseases and conditions in the neonate. This includes infections such as group B streptococcus, meconium aspiration syndrome, perinatal asphyxia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, congenital heart disease, and as an idiopathic phenomenon. Conventional therapy of persistent pulmonary hypertension is discussed, as well as integrated with current treatment modalities such as surfactant replacement therapy and high frequency ventilation.

Current management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a medical conundrum that challenges the physicians who care for these patients. Despite early prenatal diagnosis and optimal medical management, the results are disappointing. This lack of consistent success leaves the clinician frustrated.

Update on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) consists of the application of intermediate-term cardiopulmonary bypass for the treatment of potentially reversible heart and/or lung failure in the neonate, child, and adult. Applications in the neonate include congenital diaphragmatic hernia, pulmonary hypertension, meconium aspiration syndrome, and pre- and post-operative congenital heart surgery support. In the older child, myocarditis, infections, and respiratory failure (RSV and ARDS) are the most frequent indications, in addition to peri-operative cardiac surgical support.

Cost of managing digital diagnostic images for a 614-bed hospital.

The cost of recording and archiving digital diagnostic imaging data is presented for a Radiology Department serving a 614 bed University-Hospital with a large outpatient population. Digital diagnostic imaging modalities include computed tomography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and digital radiography. The archiving media include multiformat video film recordings, magnetic tapes, and disc storage.

Regional Neuropeptide Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease: Corticotropin-Releasing Factor and Somatostatin.

BACKGROUND: the neuropeptides most consistently reported to be altered in Alzheimer's disease are corticotropin-releasing factor and somatostatin (somatotropin-release inhibiting factor), although this has been previously assessed in a limited number of brain regions. METHODS: in order to comprehensively characterize the involvement of these two anatomically distinct neuropeptide systems in Alzheimer's disease and to determine if they are equally involved in the associated pathology, we measured the concentration of corticotropin-releasing factor and somatostatin in post-mortem brain tissue. Radioimmunoassay of 24 cortical and 13 sub-cortical brain regions from 16 cases of neuropathologically confirmed AD and 9 non-Alzheimer's disease controls were performed and significant differences in group regional neuropeptide concentrations were sought using the Student Newman-Keuls test after ANOVA.

Status report: inhaled nitric oxide in persistent pulmonary hypertension/hypoxic respiratory failure of neonate.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension is seen in association with a number of diseases and conditions in the newborn including perinatal asphyxia, meconium aspiration syndrome, Group B strep sepsis, and certain surgical conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The conventional therapy of persistent pulmonary hypertension is discussed as well as the adjunctive role of surfactant replacement therapy and high frequency ventilation. The mechanism of action of inhaled nitric oxide as a selective pulmonary vasodilator is explained.