NC USA Research Articles

Under the Whispering Door.

Journal of Palliative MedicineVol. 25, No. 11 Book and Media ReviewsUnder the Whispering Door—Reviewed by: Brittany Matney—Reviewed by: Brittany Matney—Reviewed by: Brittany Matney, MD, Four Seasons – Compassion for Life, Flat Rock, NC USA E-mail Address: bmatney@fourseasonscfl.orgSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:27 Oct 2022https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2022.0253AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"Under the Whispering Door." Journal of Palliative Medicine, 25(11), p. 1751FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 25Issue 11Nov 2022 InformationCopyright 2022, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:—Reviewed by: Brittany Matney.Under the Whispering Door.Journal of Palliative Medicine.Nov 2022.1751-1751.http://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2022.0253Published in Volume: 25 Issue 11: October 27, 2022PDF download

Neurokinin 2 receptor-mediated bladder and colorectal responses in aged spinal cord injured rats.

Animal proof of principle study. Bladder and bowel dysfunction are common after spinal cord injury (SCI) and in the elderly. Neurokinin 2 receptor agonists are known to produce on-demand urination and defecation in adult SCI rats. This study compared the ability of a neurokinin 2 receptor (NK2R) agonist to produce bladder and colorectal contractions in both young adult and aged SCI rats. Dignify Therapeutics and Integrated Laboratory Systems, Durham, NC USA. Bladder and colorectal pressure and voiding efficiency were measured in response to the NK2R agonist, [Lys5,Me,Leu9,Nle10]-NKA(4-10) (LMN-NKA), in anesthetized animals. The potency and efficacy of LMN-NKA was examined in young adult and aged SCI (T3 or T9 transected) rats, with young adult and aged spinal intact rats included as controls. LMN-NKA (3-300 μg/kg i.v.) produced dose-dependent increases in bladder and colorectal pressure in all anesthetized rats. No differences in the bladder or colorectal pressure responses or voiding efficiency were observed with age or after SCI. The level of SCI did not change the pharmacodynamic responses to the agonist. An NK2R agonist produced similar responses in young adult and aged SCI rats, suggesting this class of agonists could be used as a potential therapy to induce on-demand urination and defecation in aged populations, with or without SCI.

Lifetime performance and longevity traits in Slovak Spotted dairy cows in dependence on feeding system

Article Details: Received: 2020-10-23 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.114-117 The objective of this study was to analyse eight milk yield and longevity traits in dependence on feeding (grazing) system. Data of purebred Slovak Spotted dairy cows (35,812 heads) culled in the period between 2006 and 2019 were evaluated. Only herds those feeding (grazing) system was known were taken into account. Dairy cows were assigned to four groups: (1) heifers not grazed, cows not grazed (17,628 heads), (2) heifers grazed, cows not grazed (13,056 heads), (3) heifers not grazed, cows grazed (156 heads) and (4) heifers grazed, cows grazed (4,972 heads). The highest average 305-day milk yield (6,139.22 kg) and lifetime milk yield (18,606.78 kg) were found in animals of group (1). Contrariwise, longevity traits were found more favourable in animals of group (4). Their productive life was by 102.78 days longer and average parity was by 0.14 higher in comparison to group (1). The differences between groups were found significant. Keywords: milk yield, longevity, grazing, heifers, cows, Slovak Spotted cattle References Bujko, J. et al. (2020). Changes in production and reproduction traits in population of the Slovak spotted cattle. Acta fytotechnica et zootechnica, 23(3), 161–166, https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2020.23.03.161-166. Canji, V. et al. (2008). Effect of conformation traits on longevity of cows of Slovak simmental breed . Slovak Journal of Animal Science, 41(2), 83–90. Fuerst–Waltl, B. et al. (2019). Mountain pasturing of rearing stock reduces the culling rist as dairy cows. Animal , 13(1), 209–212, doi: 10.1017/S1751731118001465. Krogmeier, D. et al. (2015). The effect of alpine pasturing of heifers on the longevity and on different yield traits of cows in Simmental and Brown Swiss cattle. Zuchtungskunde, 87(2), 107–119. Petrovic, M. et al. (2009). The effect of systematic factors on milk yield in Simmental cows over complete lactations. Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry , 25(1-2), 61–71, DOI: 10.2298/BAH0902061P . Ludovic-Toma, C. et al. (2017). Comparative study on production, reproduction and functional traits between Fleckvieh and Braunvieh cattle. Asian – Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences , 30(5), 666-671, doi: 10.5713/ajas.16.0588 . SAS Institute Inc.: SAS/STAT ® 9.2User’s Guide, Second Edition , Cary, NC USA, 2009. Strapak, P. et al. (2008). Effect of selected factors on the lenght of productive life of cows. S lovak Journal of Animal Science , 41(2), 77–82. Strapak, P. et al. (2010). Relation of the length of productive life and the body conformation traits in Slovak Simmental breed. Archives Animal Breeding , 53, 393–402. https://doi.org/10.5194/aab-53-393-2010

EXPLORING NOVEL EFFECTS OF STATINS ON SEPSIS MORTALITY WITHIN A REAL-WORLD SETTING

SESSION TITLE: Diagnostic and Prognostic Insights into Sepsis SESSION TYPE: Original Investigations PRESENTED ON: October 18-21, 2020 PURPOSE: Statins have been suggested to attenuate the severity of sepsis. They have demonstrated antimicrobial properties both in vivo and in vitro. Fungal-derived statins may accomplish this due to their similarities to penicillin. Another mechanism may be related to statins’ lipophilic properties, disrupting lipid membranes resulting in cell death. The pleiotropy of effects including anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-cancer properties have been well characterized. We compared mortality outcomes in statin users versus non-users within a real world setting of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC). Additionally, mortality was compared among statin users based on fungal versus synthetic-derived and lipophilic versus hydrophilic statins. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to hospitals within the KPSC health care system admitted for sepsis in the period 1/1/2008-9/30/2018. Sepsis was identified based on the International Classification of Diseases coding. Use of statin was defined as individuals who had filled at least two prescriptions for a statin. Short-term mortality in septic patients was analyzed among comparison groups: statin versus non-statin, hydrophilic versus lipophilic, and fungal versus synthetic derivation. For univariate analysis of categorical variables, we used Pearson chi-square test. For continuous variables, we used Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) 30 and 90-day mortality with adjustment for age, race, sex, and comorbidities determined as risk factors for sepsis. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS EG version 7.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC USA). P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: 137,019 patients were included, of which 36,908 were taking statins. With non-statin users as reference, differences in the 30-day and 90-day mortality HR’s (95% CI) for statin users were 0.79; (0.77-0.82) and 0.79; (0.77-0.81), respectively. Lipophilic compared to hydrophilic statin users had a 30-day and 90-day mortality HR of 1.13; (1.02-1.26) and 1.17; (1.07-1.28), respectively. Fungal derived statins compared to synthetic derived statin users had a 30-day and 90-day mortality HR of 1.12; (1.06-1.19) and 1.14; (1.09-1.20), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In patients admitted with sepsis, we observed that statin users had lower mortality compared to non-statin users. Hydrophilic statins and synthetic statins had lower mortality outcomes than lipophilic and fungal derived statins, respectively. Our findings suggest a potential benefit of statins in patients with sepsis. Furthermore, based on their mechanism, certain statins may have a greater protective effect in the course of sepsis. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: For populations who are at greater risk for sepsis (immunocompromised, diabetics, elderly) and require a statin, use of certain statins may be a consideration. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Michael Gould, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Brannen Liang, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by John Sim, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Kenneth Wei, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Su-Jau Yang, source=Web Response

Is Postoperative Pain Different in the MICS CABG Cohort V. the Traditional Sternotomy Cohort Study?

Bradley C Tenny* and Jeko M Madjarov Author Affiliations Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, Atrium Health, USA Received: July 16, 2020 | Published: August 05, 2020 Corresponding author: Tenny, Bradley C, Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC USA DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2020.29.004785

Primary Care Women’s Health Screening: A Case Study of a Community Engaged Human Centered Design Approach to Enhancing the Screening Process

To apply a Human Centered Design (HCD) approach to co-designing a comprehensive women's health screening tool with community partners. Evidenced-based health screenings for behaviors and risks are important tools in primary health care and disease prevention, especially for women. However, numerous barriers limit the effective implementation of comprehensive health screenings, and often lead to excluding important risks such as intimate partner violence (IPV). Utilizing a human centered design approach (HCD), Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC, NC USA) developed a community co-designed 9-topic health screening for women. Key end-users were recruited to participate in the design process, including women who identified IPV as a health issue in their community, Spanish speaking women, domestic violence program organizers, and MAHEC staff. A total of 21 participants collaborated during three design sessions on two specific goals: 1) creating a comprehensive women's health screening tool from the existing tools that were in use in our clinics at the time, and 2) incorporating IPV screening. Through the HCD sessions, participants highlighted the impact of what they termed "Triple T: time, trust and talk" on the effectiveness of women's health screening. Our co-designed women's health screening tool is a first step towards addressing screening barriers from both primary care provider's and community women's perspectives. Future research will explore the facilitators of and barriers to implementing the tools in different primary care settings. Future work should also more systematically examine whether and how screening processes may reinforce or contribute to women's feelings of being stereotyped, and how screening processes can be designed to avoid stereotype threat, which has the potential to reduce the effectiveness of screenings intended to promote women's health.

Spatial differences in wind-driven sediment resuspension in a shallow, coastal estuary

Two locations approximately 11 km apart along the axis of the New River Estuary near Jacksonville, NC USA were continuously monitored for eight years. Included in the observations are vertical profiles of turbidity, temperature, salinity, chl-a, dissolved oxygen, pH and water velocity as well as local wind velocity. Differences between the two sites result from a number of factors, including bathymetry, wind strength, direction and fetch, estuarine morphology, tidal currents and sediment properties. The site near the head of the estuary, Morgan Bay, is deeper, experiences generally weaker winds and has less fetch in most directions. Stones Bay, the down-estuary site, is shallower, experiences stronger winds and has longer fetch, particularly in the prevailing wind directions. Current speeds also differ along the estuary with the down-estuary Stones Bay site being more tidal.The observations were used together with a simple wave model to analyze the estuarine turbidity response to different forcing mechanisms. Results suggest that sediments are resuspended primarily by wind-wave generated bottom stress at both locations. While turbidity is generally higher in Stones Bay than in Morgan Bay, turbidity as a function of the local wave-induced bottom stress (including forcing from all directions) is similar at both locations at low stress but diverges at higher stresses. At higher bottom stresses, turbidity in Stones Bay responds primarily to winds from the NE, S and NW while turbidity in Morgan Bay responds primarily to winds from the NW and S. Accounting for sediment resuspension within an approximate spatial advection scale around each of the observation sites, yields a similar turbidity vs bottom stress response curve for the three primary directions in Stones Bay and the S direction in Morgan Bay but a greater turbidity response for winds from the NW in Morgan Bay. In the latter case, waves are crossing the section of the New River Estuary just downstream of the confluence with the New River and are presumably encountering sediments that are more easily resuspended.Average sediment export is down-river with more sediment leaving Stones Bay than Morgan Bay.

Assessing causes of yield gaps in agricultural areas with diversity in climate and soils

Identification of causes of gaps between yield potential and producer yields has been restricted to small geographic areas. In the present study, we developed a novel approach for identifying causes of yield gaps over large agricultural areas with diversity in climate and soils. This approach was applied to quantify and explain yield gaps in rainfed and irrigated soybean in the North-Central USA (NC USA) region, which accounts for about one third of soybean global production. Survey data on yield and management were collected from 3568 producer fields over two crop seasons and grouped into 10 technology extrapolation domains (TEDs) according to their soil, climate, and water regime. Yield potential was estimated using a combination of crop modeling and boundary functions for water productivity and compared against highest producer yields derived from the yield distribution in each TED-year. Yield gaps were calculated as the difference between yield potential and average producer yield. Explanatory factors for yield gaps were investigated by identifying management practices that were concordantly associated with high- and low-yield fields. Management×TED interactions were then evaluated to elucidate the underlying causes of yield gaps. The chosen spatial TED framework accounted for about half of the regional variation in producer yield within the NC USA region. Across the 10 TEDs, soybean average yield potential ranged from 3.3 to 5.3 Mgha−1 for rainfed fields and from 5.3 to 5.6Mgha−1 for irrigated fields. Highest producer yields in each TED were similar (±12%) to the estimated yield potential. Yield gap, calculated as percentage of yield potential, was larger in rainfed (range: 15–28%) than in irrigated (range: 11–16%) soybean. Upscaled to the NC USA region, yield potential was 4.8Mgha−1 (rainfed) and 5.7Mgha−1 (irrigated), with a respective yield gap of 22 and 13% of yield potential. Sowing date, tillage, and in-season foliar fungicide and/or insecticide were identified as explanatory causes for yield variation in half or more of the 10 TEDs. However, the degree to which these three factors influenced producer yield varied across TEDs. Analysis of in-season weather helped interpret management×TED interactions. For example, yield increase due to advances in sowing date was greater in TEDs with less water limitation during the pod-setting phase. The present study highlights the strength of combining producer survey data with a spatial framework to measure yield gaps, identify management factors explaining these gaps, and understand the biophysical drivers influencing yield responses to crop management.

Congenital coronary artery-left ventricle direct micro-fistulas may cause effort angina and positive stress tests in Western adults.

Congenital coronary artery-left ventricle direct micro-fistulas may cause effort angina and positive stress tests in Western adults.

Sale and provision of injectable contraceptives in drug shops in developing countries: conclusions from a technical consultation

In September 2013 a technical consultation held in Research Triangle Park NC USA concluded that in the developing world drug shops have the potential to play a much greater role in helping women and couples achieve their family planning intentions. Already an important source of health care products in many countries drug shops could expand access to a range of contraceptive methods particularly progestin-only injectable contraceptives. The group of 15 researchers and program experts found that sale of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is common in drug shops in some countries and that training policy research and advocacy interventions should be prioritized by funders and the family planning community. (excerpt)

Dramatic Variability of the Carbonate System at a Temperate Coastal Ocean Site (Beaufort, North Carolina, USA) Is Regulated by Physical and Biogeochemical Processes on Multiple Timescales

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) from anthropogenic sources is acidifying marine environments resulting in potentially dramatic consequences for the physical, chemical and biological functioning of these ecosystems. If current trends continue, mean ocean pH is expected to decrease by ~0.2 units over the next ~50 years. Yet, there is also substantial temporal variability in pH and other carbon system parameters in the ocean resulting in regions that already experience change that exceeds long-term projected trends in pH. This points to short-term dynamics as an important layer of complexity on top of long-term trends. Thus, in order to predict future climate change impacts, there is a critical need to characterize the natural range and dynamics of the marine carbonate system and the mechanisms responsible for observed variability. Here, we present pH and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) at time intervals spanning 1 hour to >1 year from a dynamic, coastal, temperate marine system (Beaufort Inlet, Beaufort NC USA) to characterize the carbonate system at multiple time scales. Daily and seasonal variation of the carbonate system is largely driven by temperature, alkalinity and the balance between primary production and respiration, but high frequency change (hours to days) is further influenced by water mass movement (e.g. tides) and stochastic events (e.g. storms). Both annual (~0.3 units) and diurnal (~0.1 units) variability in coastal ocean acidity are similar in magnitude to 50 year projections of ocean acidity associated with increasing atmospheric CO2. The environmental variables driving these changes highlight the importance of characterizing the complete carbonate system rather than just pH. Short-term dynamics of ocean carbon parameters may already exert significant pressure on some coastal marine ecosystems with implications for ecology, biogeochemistry and evolution and this shorter term variability layers additive effects and complexity, including extreme values, on top of long-term trends in ocean acidification.

The Use of Lufenuron to Treat Fish Lice (Argulus sp) in Koi (Cyprinus carpio)

Fish lice can cause significant morbidity and death in heavily infested fish. In addition to being a mechanical irritant when sucking blood, Argulus sp have been shown to be the vector for other fish diseases. Koi carp from a pond environment were presented with multiple raised dark spots on their dorsa and sides. The primary differential disease diagnosis was an Argulus sp. Parasites removed from the affected fish were examined under a dissection microscope, and the definitive diagnosis was determined to be Argulus sp infestation. Treatment with lufenuron (Program; Novartis, Greensboro, NC USA) was initiated with one 409.8-mg tablet per 1,000 US gallons (3,785 L) of water for a concentration of approximately 0.1 mg/L. This treatment was repeated once per week for 5 weeks. The fish have been monitored for 13 months after the initial treatment, and thus far, there has been no reappearance of Argulus sp within the aquatic environment.

Abstracts

Fish lice can cause significant morbidity and death in heavily infested fish. In addition to being a mechanical irritant when sucking blood, Argulus sp have been shown to be the vector for other fish diseases. Koi carp from a pond environment were presented with multiple raised dark spots on their dorsa and sides. The primary differential disease diagnosis was an Argulus sp. Parasites removed from the affected fish were examined under a dissection microscope, and the definitive diagnosis was determined to be Argulus sp infestation. Treatment with lufenuron (Program; Novartis, Greensboro, NC USA) was initiated with one 409.8-mg tablet per 1,000 US gallons (3,785 L) of water for a concentration of approximately 0.1 mg/L. This treatment was repeated once per week for 5 weeks. The fish have been monitored for 13 months after the initial treatment, and thus far, there has been no reappearance of Argulus sp within the aquatic environment.

Influence of leukotriene biosynthesis inhibition on heart rate in patients with atrial fibrillation

Atrialfibrillation (AF) is themost common cardiac arrhythmia. There is an increasing evidence linking systemic and/or local inflammation to AF pathogenesis [1–3]. Leukotrienes (LT) are potent proinflammatory mediators produced via 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) pathway of arachidonic acid. Both experimental [4,5] and clinical [6,7] data point to their role in cardiac pathology. Our recent results [8] indicate that pharmacological inhibition of LT biosynthesis is associatedwith decrease in the heart rate and enhanced heart rate variability in patients with stable angina pectoris undergoing elective coronary catheterization or angioplasty. This suggested to us that LT biosynthesis inhibition could be of potential interest in patients with AF. We studied49 subjects, recruited from103 consecutive patientswith permanent AF, hospitalized in the Department of Medicine. Exclusion criteria encompassed: age over 80 years, heart failure, asthma, acute or chronic inflammatory diseases, renal or liver insufficiency, hyperthyroidism and pacemaker implantation. The clinical characteristics of the patients are presented in Table 1. Informed written consent was obtained from all patients. The study protocol, that complied with the Helsinki Declaration, was approved by the local Ethics Committee. The participants underwent a single-blind, placebo-controlled study with the inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase (zileuton; Zyflo, Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc., Cary, NC USA). The study lasted 2 days; placebo was administered on the first day (4×1 tablets/day) and zileuton – in its standard daily dosage (4×600 mg/day) – on the second day. Measurements of the urinary leukotriene E4 , considered to reflect global leukotriene production (uLTE4) (ELISA; Cayman Chemicals, Ann Arbor, MI, USA) were carried out twice; at base and after zileuton treatment. They were expressed as LTE4 pg/mg of creatinine [9]. 24-h, threechannel digital ECG Holter recordings (Aspel, HolCARD 24W, Poland) were performed in all patients on thefirst and the second study day. The mean values of 24-h heart rate (HR), the number of ventricular extrasystoles (VEs), ST-segment depression, as well as episodes of tachycardia, bradycardia and pauses were evaluated. Echocardiography was performed to assess left ventricular ejection fraction and left atrial area. Datawere analyzedusing StatSoft, Inc. STATISTICA software. Theyare presented as mean±SD or median with interquartile range and log transformed when applicable. For comparisons between groups,

Perspectives on healthcare leader and leadership development

Perspectives on healthcare leader and leadership development Elaine S ScottCollege of Nursing, Graduate Nursing Science Department, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC USAAbstract: Healthcare delivery systems are complex entities that must merge the best of administrative and clinical practices into a new model of leadership. But, despite growing recognition that healthcare organizational leaders must partner with clinical leaders to address patient safety, evidence based practice, financial sustainability, and capacity, tensions between the groups remain. Healthcare is based in large, bureaucratic entities organized in administrative hierarchies with clinical or product line silos that thwart collaboration, limit inter-disciplinary engagement, and foster mistrust. Around the world healthcare accessibility, fragmentation and affordability issues challenge healthcare systems whether they are centralized, socialized systems or free market private and public enterprises. In response to these concerns, healthcare organizations are struggling to address the &lsquo;how&rsquo; of integrating clinician competence in patient management with the financial imperatives of modern day delivery systems. To redesign healthcare services for effectiveness and efficiency and to improve patient safety and outcomes, organizations must redefine leadership using new paradigms that promote the development and diffusion of improvements and innovations. Current research evidence shows that there is a need for not just formal administrative leadership, but also a need to develop integrated leadership processes throughout healthcare delivery systems. Shared leadership concepts framed in the context of complexity leadership theory (CLT) provides a vehicle for rethinking old definitions of leadership and for mobilizing the collective energy of healthcare organizations.Keywords: complexity leadership theory (CLT), shared leadership, healthcare, leaders, leadership

Ability of Whole-Genome SNP Arrays to Capture ‘Must have‘ Pharmacogenomic Variants

Eric J Peters1,2 1UNC Institute for Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy, Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA 2Current address: Illumina, Inc. 9865 Towne Centre Dr, San Diego, CA 92121 Howard L McLeod1† †Author for correspondence: 1UNC Institute for Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy, Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, and the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA Tel.: +1 919 966 0512 Fax: +1 919 966 0644 hmcleod@unc.edu Ability of whole-genome SNP arrays to capture ‘must have’ pharmacogenomic variants

From the chair

I am happy to report that the ACM-SIGMIS CPR (Computer Personnel Research) 2007 Conference was a great success! This year's conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA from April 19-21, 2007, http://www.sigmis.org/conferences.html. The theme was "The Global Information Technology Workforce." Please check the ACM Digital Library at: http://portal.acm.org/dl.cfm to find the SIGMIS CPR 2007 Conference Proceedings. Thanks to the members of the 2007 CPR Conference Committee for all their efforts in making this conference a success: Conference Co-Chairs: Fred Niederman, St. Louis University Mary Sumner, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Program Co-Chairs: Diane Lending, James Madison University Chelley Vician, Michigan Tech University Local Arrangements: Jo Ellen Moore, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Susan Yager, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Treasurer: Donald Amoroso, Appalachian State University Publicity: Anne Powell, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Sandra Newton, University of South Florida Doctoral Consortium Co-Chairs: Thomas W. Ferratt, University of Dayton Mike Gallivan, Georgia State University Please join me in congratulating the recipients of the fourth annual "Magid Igbaria Outstanding Conference Paper of the Year Award:" Tim Klaus, Stephen Wingreen, and J. Ellis Blanton for their paper, "Examining User Resistance and Management Strategies in Enterprise System Implementations." Warm congratulations to all of you! At the close of the conference, the fifth annual SIGMIS Business Meeting was held. Fred Niederman, St. Louis University, and Mary Sumner, Illinois University Edwardsville, CPR 2007 Conference Co-Chairs, presented a Preliminary Outcome Report for the conference. Donald Amoroso, Appalachian State University, who is the CPR 2008 Conference Chair, provided a Progress Report. Next year's CPR 2008 Conference will be held in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains from April 19--21 in Boone, NC USA. Please visit www.sigmis.org/2008_CPR_Call_for_Papers.pdf for more information I encourage you to submit your research to the CPR 2008 Conference. Everyone is welcome! Please continue to submit your best work to Data Base. As always, we thank you for your continued support of SIGMIS. Please feel free to contact any one of us with suggestions or ideas to improve SIGMIS. Have a great summer!

ERIC M. RIVERA, DDS, MS Chair and Jacob B. Freedland Endowed Associate Professor Graduate Program Director Department of Endodontics School of Dentistry University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC USA

ERIC M. RIVERA, DDS, MS Chair and Jacob B. Freedland Endowed Associate Professor Graduate Program Director Department of Endodontics School of Dentistry University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC USA

Phytoplankton Biomass and Water Column Temperature Dynamics of Lake James, NC USA

Phytoplankton Biomass and Water Column Temperature Dynamics of Lake James, NC USA

Inhibin B in serum and inhibin A and B in follicular fluid of patients undergoing assisted reproduction techniques: the correlation with ovarian response and the relationship with follicular size, maturity and other hormone concentration

Objective: Previous studies (Hoffmann G 1998, Seifer DB 1999) demonstrate the value of inhibin B as a direct marker of ovarian function. Others (Groome NP 1996, Klein NA 1996) investigate the inhibins levels during the menstrual cycle. The purpose of this study was to a) Determine the posible correlation between inhibin B and ovarian response in term of oocytes retrieved. b) The relationship between intrafollicular inhibins (A and B) from dominant follicle with the follicular size, maturity and other (androstenedione-oestradiol-progesterone) intra-follicular hormone content. Design: comparative-restrospective analysis from patients of our center. Materials and Methods: From May of 2002 to Dicember of 2002, we studied 58 consecutive IVF patients (all of them with normal FSH ((<12mUI/ml) levels and age less than 38 years)) by measuring serum Inhibin(B) day 3 levels on the cycle prior to COH with standard long protocol and stored to measure inhibin(B) after the IVF cycle was completed. Inhibin (A) and (B) was analyzed by double antibody ELISA (Serotec, NC USA) limit of deetection was 15 pg/ml. Intra and interassay COV were less than 10%. The follow up was performed by ultrasound and dosage of serum estradiol. Transvaginal oocyte retrieval was performed 36 hours after the administration of 10.000 UI hCG and the follicular fluyd was stored to measure both inhibins (A), (B) and the other hormone parametres for hormonal study. Results: a. Our results showed an strong significant linear relationship (r=0,67, p≤0,0001) between Inhibin B day 3 basal levels and oocytes aspirated b. In dominant follicle (>16 mm) Inhibin A, estradiol increased and androstenedione decreased with follicular size (r=0,63; p=0,0001) and (r=0,65; p≤0,0001) respectively. View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload (PPT) Conclusion: Day 3 inhibin B levels show us a significant linear relationship with ovarian response and Intrafollicular estradiol, inhibin A concentration increased significantly with follicle size whereas significant inverse relationships were observed for androstenedione and inhibin B not varied consistendly with follicular size. This result are consistent with the fact that the follicular changed from androstenedione to estradiol and inhibin A dominance.