Clinical Characteristics of Necrotizing Enterocolitis Diagnosed by Independent Adjudication of Abdominal Radiographs, Laparotomy, or Autopsy in Preterm Infants in the "Connection Trial".

Objective:  Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) classically is diagnosed by radiographic demonstration of pneumatosis intestinalis/portal venous gas (PI/PVG). This study examines clinical characteristics of NEC confirmed by independent evaluation of abdominal radiographs, taken for clinical signs of NEC, or by pathologic findings at laparotomy or autopsy (confirmed NEC [cNEC]).

Study Design:  The investigated cohort included 1,382 extremely low birth weight (BW) infants (BW range: 500-1,000 g) with median 27 weeks (range: 23-32) gestational age (GA) at birth.

Implementing a stakeholder-driven community diffusion-informed intervention to create healthier, more equitable systems: a community case study in Greenville County, South Carolina.

This case study describes the application of a theory-informed, stakeholder-driven intervention with a group of 19 multi-sector stakeholders from an existing coalition to promote whole-of-community change that supports childhood obesity prevention. The intervention applied community-based system dynamics to design and implement activities that promoted insights into the systems driving childhood obesity prevalence and helped participants prioritize actions to influence those systems. This led to three new priority areas for the coalition: addressing food insecurity; building power among historically marginalized voices within the community; and supporting advocacy efforts to promote community-wide change beyond the coalition's previous focus on organizational-level policy, systems and environment change.

Trends in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol blood values between 2012 and 2017 suggest sluggish adoption of the recent 2013 treatment guidelines.

Background: Over a 14-year period, age-adjusted high total cholesterol (≥240 mg/dL) in the United States declined from 18.3% in 1999 to 2000 to 11.0% in 2013 to 2014, coinciding with the 2001 National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (ATP)-III guidelines that endorsed low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol blood value goals.

Participation Rates, Process Monitoring, and Quality Improvement Among Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs in the United States: A NATIONAL SURVEY.

Purpose: Although strategies exist for improving cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation rates, it is unclear how frequently these strategies are used and what efforts are being made by CR programs to improve participation rates.

Methods: We surveyed all CR program directors in the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation's database. Data collection included program characteristics, the use of specific referral and recruitment strategies, and self-reported program participation rates.

Successful management of a possible antibiotic-related acquired factor V inhibitor: a case report and review of the literature.

Acquired factor inhibitors are rare. We report a case of an elderly male who presented with a bleeding diathesis associated with an elevated prothrombin time and an activated partial thromboplastin time. Work-up revealed undetectable factor V activity and a factor V inhibitor level of >50 Bethesda units.

Development and prospective validation of a model for predicting weaning in chronic ventilator dependent patients.

Background: Approximately ten percent of patients placed on mechanical ventilation during acute illness will require long-term ventilator support. Unfortunately, despite rehabilitation, some will never be liberated from the ventilator. A method of predicting weaning outcomes for these patients could help conserve resources and minimize frustrating failed weaning attempts for this population.

Serum antioxidant capacity in neurological, psychiatric, renal diseases and cardiomyopathy.

The role of free radicals (FR) in the pathogenesis and in the progression of many diseases has been often discussed, but not widely investigated. However, the total antioxidant capacity in the serum seems to be of great evidence. Total antioxidant capacity was determined using oxygen absorbance capacity assay (ORAC) in serum of patients suffering from depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease (AD), anorexia nervosa, Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Aids-encephalopathy, diabetic polyneuropathy (PNP), cardiomyopathy (CM), renal disease, and healthy individuals as controls (C).

[Growth factors for therapeutic angiogenesis in cardiovascular diseases].

Therapeutic angiogenesis based on the administration of growth factors with angiogenic activity allows enhancement of collateral vessels able to palliate insufficient tissue perfusion secondary to obstruction of native arteries. At present, this type of therapy is addressed to patients that fail to respond to conventional treatment (surgical or percutaneous revascularization). The most extensively investigated angiogenic growth factors are vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF).

In vivo analysis of intramuscular gene transfer in human subjects studied by on-line ultrasound imaging.

The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that intramuscular (i.m.) injection of naked DNA leads to distribution of the injectate remote from the site of needle placement, a finding that might be expected to facilitate i.

Statistical models of outcome in malpractice lawsuits involving death or neurologically impaired infants.

The objective was to determine whether factors could be identified in medical and legal records that are associated with the successful defense of obstetrical malpractice cases involving the death or neurological impairment of infants. Obstetrical claims (169) closed by PROMUTUAL between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 1994, were retrospectively abstracted and analyzed to identify associations between medical and legal factors, and the medicolegal outcome. Multivariable analysis identifies that the use of pitocin, diagnosis of asphyxia, a delay in delivery, and the use of multiple defense expert witnesses decreased the chances of a successful defense.

Relative and interacting effects of sex, race, and environment upon body cell mass in healthy adults.

Most epidemiologic studies in nutrition have concentrated on body fat and obesity because of associated health risks, while few studies have examined factors that influence body cell mass (BCM). The relative influences of sex, race, environment, and age upon BCM were compared by analyzing the results of bioimpedance analyses in two cohorts of 1094 healthy adults, including Africans in Zaire, plus African Americans and Caucasians in New York City. Men were taller, heavier, and had a larger BCM and fat-free mass (FFM) than women, while women had more fat than men.

Parallel reduction of pancreas insulin content and insulin secretion in 48-h tolbutamide-infused normoglycemic rats.

The overworked-beta-cell hypothesis proposes that lowered glucose-potentiated insulin secretory responses in diabetes are secondary to hyperstimulated insulin secretion and depletion of the beta-cell insulin stores. We tested this hypothesis in normal rats using a 48-h infusion of 200 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1) tolbutamide in 20% glucose. Insulin secretion was measured by in vitro pancreas perfusion.

Transmission and epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. However, the majority of those infected do not develop clinical manifestations of disease. This review discusses the epidemiology of the organism in terms of incidence and prevalence, the presumed means of transmission from person to person, and how typing of the organism has helped the epidemiologist.

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease presenting as spinal muscular atrophy: clinical and molecular studies.

Two brothers with profound neonatal hypotonia and hyporeflexia and electrodiagnostic testing consistent with lower motor neuron pathology were found to have a leukodystrophy. Using single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing, a mutation within exon 3 of the gene encoding proteolipid protein (Gly73Arg substitution) was previously detected in both brothers and their mother, establishing the diagnosis of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. Despite reported sparing of the peripheral nervous system in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, we suggest that proteolipid protein gene products may influence the development of anterior horn cells or peripheral nervous system myelin and that some individuals affected with this disease may present with clinical and electromyographic features suggestive of neonatal spinal muscular atrophy.

Influence of yohimbine and tolazoline on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and sedative effects of xylazine in the horse.

To determine the effects of yohimbine and tolazoline on the cardiovascular, respiratory and sedative effects of xylazine, four horses were sedated with xylazine and treated with either yohimbine, tolazoline or saline. Xylazine was administered as an intravenous (i.v.

Surgical treatment of the boutonniere rheumatoid thumb deformity.

The boutonniere deformity is the most common rheumatoid thumb deformity. Its treatment is based on the type or stage of the deformity. We have reviewed our recent cases which are the basis for our current recommendations.

Unicameral bone cyst in the scapula of an adolescent.

Unicameral bone cysts of the scapula have been reported mainly in adult patients. The atypical location of the unicameral bone cyst in a 12-year-old girl presented a diagnostic dilemma. Curettage proved to be an effective method for both diagnosis and treatment of this benign lesion.