Ambulatory Blood Pressure Trajectory and Perceived Stress in Relation to Birth Outcomes in Healthy Pregnant Adolescents.

Objective: An early decline in resting blood pressure (BP), followed by an upward climb, is well documented and indicative of a healthy pregnancy course. Although BP is considered both an effector of stress and a clinically meaningful measurement in pregnancy, little is known about its trajectory in association with birth outcomes compared with other stress effectors. The current prospective longitudinal study examined BP trajectory and perceived stress in association with birth outcomes (gestational age (GA) at birth and birth weight (BW) percentile corrected for GA) in pregnant adolescents, a group at risk for stress-associated poor birth outcomes.

Cardiac genetic testing: a single-center pilot study of a Dominican population.

The impact of undergoing genetic testing in a Dominican population is not well understood. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the psychological well-being and perceived cardiac risk among Dominicans who underwent genetic testing. Participants completed a qualitative interview and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire after cardiac genetic testing.

Cardiac e-learning: Development of a web-based implantable cardioverter defibrillator educational system.

Objective: The objective of this study was to design a Web-based implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) module that would allow greater access to learning which could occur at an individual's convenience outside the fast-paced clinical environment.

Materials And Methods: A Web-based ICD software educational program was developed to provide general knowledge of the function of the ICD and the interpretation of the stored electrocardiograms. This learning tool could be accessed at any time via the Columbia University Internet server, using a unique, password protected login.

Training for interdisciplinary health research: defining the required competencies.

Although interdisciplinary research is becoming the dominant model for understanding complex health issues, little is known about the competencies required for successful interdisciplinary collaboration. Published research has discussed attitudes about interdisciplinary work and organizational resources but not the needed competencies. This report describes the method and results of the competency specification process for health research.

Defining interdisciplinary research: conclusions from a critical review of the literature.

Objective: To summarize findings from a systematic exploration of existing literature and views regarding interdisciplinarity, to discuss themes and components of such work, and to propose a theoretically based definition of interdisciplinary research.

Data Sources/study Setting: Two major data sources were used: interviews with researchers from various disciplines, and a systematic review of the education, business, and health care literature from January 1980 through January 2005.

Study Design: Systematic review of literature, one-on-one interviews, field test (survey).

Effectiveness of barrier precautions and surveillance cultures to control transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms: a systematic review of the literature.

Background: Despite the priority placed on preventing transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in health care facilities, there is a lack of consensus among recommended infection control guidelines. We focused on control measures that have a great potential to affect patient care, patient services, and hospital cost/resources: barrier precautions/patient isolation and surveillance cultures.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature and published English-language guidelines pertaining to the use of barrier precautions/patient isolation and surveillance cultures to prevent the transmission of MDROs.

Physiological response properties of displaced amacrine cells of the adult ferret retina.

The ganglion cell layer (GCL) of the mammalian retina contains a large number of neurons called displaced amacrine cells (DACs) that do not project to the optic nerve. However, with the exception of the rabbit starburst amacrine cell little is known regarding the function of this large population due to the difficulty experienced in making physiological recordings from these neurons. We have overcome these difficulties and have used whole-cell patch-clamp techniques to examine the intrinsic membrane properties of DACs in the ferret retina.