University of Louisville

About: University of Louisville is a education organization based out in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 24600 authors who have published 49248 publications receiving 1573346 citations. The organization is also known as: UofL.

Neurobehavioral correlates of sleep-disordered breathing in children.

Abstract: The effects of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) on neurobehavioral function were examined in two matched groups of children from the general population. Thirty-five children with polysomnographically confirmed SDB were matched for ethnicity, age, gender, maternal educational attainment, and maternal smoking, to healthy children with no evidence of SDB. Children with SDB had significantly lower mean scores on the Differential Ability Scales for General Conceptual Ability (similar to IQ) and for the Non-verbal Cluster. On the neuropsychology assessment battery (NEPSY), children with SDB scored significantly lower than the control group on the attention/executive function domain and two subtests within that domain, one measuring visual attention and the other executive function. In addition, children with SDB scored significantly lower than the controls on one subtest from the NEPSY language domain: Phonological Processing. This subtest measures phonological awareness, a skill that is critical for learning to read. No differences in behavior, as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) or the Conners' Parent Rating Scale, were found between the two groups. Using a novel algorithm to assess sleep pressure, we found that children with SDB were significantly sleepier than controls. Furthermore, total arousal index was negatively correlated with neurocognitive abilities, suggesting a role for sleep fragmentation in pediatric SDB-induced cognitive dysfunction.

The beta-glucan-binding lectin site of mouse CR3 (CD11b/CD18) and its function in generating a primed state of the receptor that mediates cytotoxic activation in response to iC3b-opsonized target cells.

Abstract: Mouse leukocyte CR3 (Mac-1, alphaMbeta2 integrin) was shown to function as a receptor for beta-glucans in the same way as human CR3. Soluble zymosan polysaccharide (SZP) or pure beta-glucans labeled with FITC or 125I bound in a saturable and reversible manner to neutrophils, macrophages, and NK cells. This lectin activity was blocked by anti-CD11b mAb M1/70 or 5C6 and did not occur with leukocytes from CR3-/- (CD11b-deficient) mice. SZP preparations containing primarily mannose or glucose bound to CR3, and the binding of 125I-labeled beta-glucan to CR3 was competitively inhibited by beta-glucans from barley or seaweed, but not by yeast alpha-mannan. Also, as with human CR3, the lectin site of mouse CR3 was inhibited by alpha- or beta-methylglucoside (but not D-glucose), alpha- or beta-methylmannoside, and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Phagocytosis of zymosan and serum-opsonized zymosan was partially inhibited by anti-CR3 and was reduced to <40% of normal with leukocytes from CR3-/- mice. As with neutrophils from patients with CD18 deficiency, neutrophils from CR3-/- mice exhibited no phagocytosis of particulate beta-glucan. SZP or beta-glucans primed CR3 of neutrophils, macrophages, and NK cells for cytotoxicity of iC3b-opsonized tumor cells that otherwise did not trigger killing. beta-Glucan priming for cytotoxicity was inhibited by anti-CR3 and did not occur with leukocytes from CR3-/- mice. The primed state of macrophage and NK cell CR3 remained detectable for 18 to 24 h after pulsing with beta-glucans. The similarity of mouse and human CR3 in response to beta-glucans highlights the utility of mouse tumor models for development of therapeutic beta-glucans.

Endogenous Pollution Havens: Does FDI Influence Environmental Regulations?*

Abstract: We suggest a novel perspective on the relationship between the stringency of environmental policies and foreign direct investment (FDI). We develop a political economy model with imperfect product market competition where local and foreign firms jointly lobby the local government for a favorable pollution tax. FDI is found to affect environmental policy, and the effect is conditional on the local government's degree of corruptibility. If the degree of corruptibility is sufficiently high (low), FDI leads to less (more) stringent environmental policy, and FDI thus contributes to (mitigates) the creation of a pollution haven. Our empirical results using panel data from 33 countries support the predictions of the model.

Low thromboembolism and pump thrombosis with the HeartMate II left ventricular assist device: analysis of outpatient anti-coagulation.

Abstract: Background The HeartMate II (Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA) is an effective bridge to transplantation (BTT) but requires anti-coagulation with warfarin and aspirin. We evaluated the risk of thromboembolism and hemorrhage related to the degree of anti-coagulation as reflected by the international normalized ratio (INR). Methods INRs were measured monthly for 6 months in all discharged HeartMate II BTT patients and at an event. Each INR was assigned to ranges of INRs. Adverse events analyzed were ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, pump thrombosis, and bleeding requiring surgery or transfusion. Events were correlated to the INR during the event and at the start of the month. Results In 331 patients discharged on support, 10 had thrombotic events (9 ischemic strokes, 3 pump thromboses), and 58 had hemorrhagic events (7 strokes, 4 hemorrhages requiring surgery, and 102 requiring transfusions). The median INR was 2.1 at discharge and 1.90 at 6 months. Although the incidence of stroke was low, 40% of ischemic strokes occurred in patients with INRs 3.0. The highest incidence of bleeding was at INRs > 2.5. Conclusions The rate of thromboembolism during long-term outpatient support with the HeartMate II is low. The low number of thrombotic events appears to be offset by a greater number of hemorrhagic events. An appropriate target INR is 1.5 to 2.5 in addition to aspirin therapy. In patients having recurrent episodes of bleeding, the risk of lowering the target INR appears to be small.