University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

About: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is a education organization based out in Houston, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 27309 authors who have published 42520 publications receiving 2151596 citations. The organization is also known as: UTHealth & The UT Health Science Center at Houston.

The Texas Implementation of Medication Algorithms: Update to the Algorithms for Treatment of Bipolar I Disorder

Abstract: Background A panel consisting of academic psychiatrists and pharmacist administrators of the Texas Department of State Health Services (formerly Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation), community mental health physicians, advocates, and consumers met in May 2004 to review new evidence in the pharmacologic treatment of bipolar I disorder (BDI). The goal of the consensus conference was to update and revise the current treatment algorithm for BDI as part of the Texas Implementation of Medication Algorithms, a statewide quality assurance program for the treatment of major psychiatric illness. The guidelines for evaluating possible medications, the criteria for selection and ranking, and the updated algorithms are described. Method Principles from previous consensus conferences were reviewed and amended. Medication algorithms for the acute treatment of hypomanic/manic or mixed and depressive episodes in BDI were developed after examining recent efficacy and safety and tolerability data. Recommendations for maintenance treatments were developed. Results The panel updated the 2 primary algorithms (hypomanic/manic/mixed and depressive) based on clinical evidence for efficacy, tolerability, and safety developed since 2000. Expert consensus was utilized where clinical evidence was limited. Prevention of new episodes or prophylaxis treatment recommendations were developed based on recent data from longer-term trials. Maintenance recommendations are provided as levels versus a specified staged algorithm, as for acute treatment, due to the relatively limited database to inform treatment. Conclusions These algorithms for the treatment of BDI represent the recommendations based on the most recent evidence available. These recommendations are meant to provide a framework for clinical decision making, not to replace clinical judgment. As with any algorithm, treatment practices will evolve beyond the recommendations of this consensus conference as new evidence and additional medications become available.

Has Antifungal Susceptibility Testing Come of Age

Abstract: The in vitro susceptibility of an infecting organism to the antimicrobial agent selected for therapy is one of several factors that influence the likelihood that therapy for an infection will be successful. To appreciate the value of antifungal susceptibility testing, it is helpful to review the overall predictive utility of antibacterial susceptibility testing. After >30 years of study, in vitro susceptibility can be said to predict the response of bacterial infections with an accuracy that is well summarized as the "90-60 rule": infections due to susceptible isolates respond to therapy approximately 90% of the time, whereas infections due to resistant isolates respond approximately 60% of the time. On the basis of a growing body of knowledge, standardized susceptibility testing for selected organism-drug combinations (most notably, Candida species and the azole antifungal agents) has been shown to have similar predictive utility. Antifungal susceptibility testing is now increasingly and appropriately used as a routine adjunct to the treatment of fungal infections.

Parallel Mitral and Tufted Cell Pathways Route Distinct Odor Information to Different Targets in the Olfactory Cortex

Abstract: Odor signals are conveyed from the olfactory bulb to the olfactory cortex (OC) by mitral cells (MCs) and tufted cells (TCs). However, whether and how the two types of projection neuron differ in function and axonal connectivity is still poorly understood. Odor responses and axonal projection patterns were compared between MCs and TCs in mice by visualizing axons of electrophysiologically identified single neurons. TCs demonstrated shorter onset latency for reliable responses than MCs. The shorter latency response of TCs was maintained in a wide range of odor concentrations, whereas MCs responded only to strong signals. Furthermore, individual TCs projected densely to focal targets only in anterior areas of the OC, whereas individual MCs dispersedly projected to all OC areas. Surprisingly, in anterior OC areas, the two cell types projected to segregated subareas. These results suggest that MCs and TCs transmit temporally distinct odor information to different OC targets.