An educational module to improve healthcare staffs' attitudes toward sickle cell disease patients.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder primarily affecting individuals of African descent. Studies of healthcare providers suggest there is inadequate knowledge about the pathophysiology and clinical presentations of the disease, and misperceptions of patients' behaviors and communication during crisis that have led to inappropriate staff attitudes and thus become major barriers to the delivery of optimal care. In this article, the authors describe the effect of an educational module on improving healthcare staffs' attitudes toward patients with sickle cell disease.

Pediatric phase II trials of poly-ICLC in the management of newly diagnosed and recurrent brain tumors.

Brain tumors are the most common solid tumor diagnosed in childhood that account for significant morbidity and mortality. New therapies are urgently needed; hence, we conducted the first ever prospective open-label phase II trials of the biological response modifier, poly-ICLC, in children with brain tumors. Poly-ICLC is a synthetic double-stranded RNA that has direct antiviral, antineoplastic, and immune adjuvant effects.