Infantile spasms  is a severe form of encephalopathy that typically affects infants younger than 2 years old. Pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, and other pediatric health care providers are all potentially key early contacts for families who have an infant with IS. The objective of this article is to assist pediatric health care providers in the detection of the disease and in the counseling and guidance of families who have an infant with IS.Treatment guidelines, consensus reports, and original research studies are reviewed to provide an update regarding the diagnosis and treatment of infants with IS. Web sites were searched for educational and supportive resource content relevant to providers and families of patients with IS.Early detection of IS and pediatrician referral to a pediatric neurologist for further evaluation and initiation of treatment may improve prognosis. Family education and the establishment of a multidisciplinary continuum of care are important components of care for the majority of patients with IS. The focus of the continuum of care varies across diagnosis, initiation of treatment, and short- and long-term needs. Several on-line educational and supportive resources for families and caregivers of patients with IS were identified.Given the possibility of poor developmental outcomes in IS, including the emergence of other seizure disorders and cognitive and developmental problems, early recognition, referral, and treatment of IS are important for optimal patient outcomes. Dissemination of and access to educational and supportive resources for families and caregivers across the lifespan of the child with IS is an urgent need. Pediatric health care providers are well positioned to address these needs. Infantile spasms  is a severe form of epilepsy of early infancy . AlthougThe etiologic classification of IS includes the categories of cryptogenic and symptomatic. The cryptogenic form of IS occurs in 10% to 40% of IS patients. In infants with cryptogenic IS, no underlying cause is identified and the children have normal development prior to the onset of IS . OutcomeWithin symptomatic IS, a defined underlying cause is present, usually with developmental delay at onset of spasms. The percentage of IS cases classified as symptomatic has increased over time due to improved diagnostic techniques, such as metabolic and genetic testing and neuroimaging. It is estimated that approximately 60% (in living infants) to 90%  of children with IS have an associated underlying disorder that is evident . Causes PubMed was searched for IS treatment guidelines, consensus reports, and original research studies. Relevant studies were reviewed to provide an update regarding the diagnosis and treatment of infants with IS. Web sites were searched for educational and supportive resource content relevant to providers and families of patients with IS.ARX mouse model), or propose a final common pathway underlying all causes of IS [Little is known about the pathophysiology of IS. The causes of IS appear to be extremely variable , and a ces of IS . The stres of IS . Adrenoces of IS ,28. Othees of IS .In the great majority of cases, parental observation of spasms initiates the clinical evaluation of IS -32. Parehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35wRjuvg9MI  and developmental regression. Even a brief EEG recording may confirm the diagnosis, but if IS is suspected, a prolonged awake and asleep video-EEG study is recommended . IntericThe recommended approach to EEG evaluation, during the diagnostic evaluation and during follow-up to determine treatment effectiveness, is an overnight inpatient 24-hour video EEG to capture both hypsarrhythmia and spasms. It will allow the exclusion of other movements that may mimic IS and allow the investigation of other seizure types that may be occurring. If hypsarrhythmia or spasms do not occur, and the events continue at home, the EEG should be repeated in 1 week or as clinically indicated. If developmental regression is present, the EEG should be repeated earlier than 1 week. If an inpatient video EEG is not available, a prolonged 4-hour to 8-hour EEG video during a waking and sleep period may be completed as an outpatient; it is particularly important to capture non-REM sleep.Once spasms and hypsarrhythmic EEG have been documented, determining the cause of IS becomes the focus of the clinical evaluation -32. The Recently, an IS consensus group reviewed the most recent practice guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society for the medical treatment of IS , and outThe most recent practice guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society for the medical treatment of IS, which reviewed the available evidence as of 2004, state that ACTH is probably effective and vigabatrin is possibly effective in the cessation of spasms and abolition of hypsarrhythmia . The praChildren with IS who do not respond to first-line treatments may be considered for epilepsy surgery  or the ketogenic diet, though no controlled trials are available for the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in IS. There currently is insufficient evidence to recommend protocols using new or emerging therapies for IS . The evoThere was consensus among the ISWG that use of ACTH is effective as first-line therapy for IS. Within the United States (US), natural ACTH is used, whereas outside the US tetracosactide, a synthetic ACTH compound, is frequently used. There was insufficient evidence to precisely define the optimum ACTH dose and duration of treatment for IS, although short duration was preferable  . The moshttp://www.lundbeckshare.com). Children on vigabatrin are required to have periodic ophthalmic evaluations beginning with a baseline evaluation at initiation of therapy (no later than 4 weeks after starting treatment) and at least every 3 months while on therapy, as well as 3 to 6 months after cessation of treatment . This is particularly important as parent/caregiver distress may interfere with the ability to comply with providing medical care to the child at home.Given the possibility of poor developmental outcomes in IS, including the emergence of other seizure disorders and cognitive and developmental problems ,53, the Children with IS often require an evaluation for early intervention programs for developmental impairment. Because available resources vary by community and by state, parents/caregivers should ask the treating physician about local services. Additionally, parents/caregivers can search for services using the Internet, ask about listings of social services at their local library, and determine whether their county of residence publishes information about social services and resources relevant for IS and comorbid disorders. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to create a support network and engage family and friends in the search for information and services. Persistence is important; if initial contacts do not lead to desired services, parents/caregivers should seek assistance from alternative service organizations. The optimal management of IS is complex, and care across the lifespan may be complicated by ongoing seizures, intellectual disability and learning disorders, or behavioral and/or psychological issues. Adults who have a history of IS may require discussion of future guardian issues, group home applications, and respite care options .Table Assistance programs for children with IS help uninsured and under-insured families gain access to medications and financial support (premium/co-payment assistance program) by working with pharmaceutical companies and insurance plans (see Table IS imposes a significant ongoing challenge to the child’s family and caregivers, as well as to health care professionals. Early detection and referral to a pediatric neurologist for clinical evaluation and prompt effective treatment is strongly recommended as it may improve prognosis. To best navigate the medical environment and optimize clinical care, the child’s family and caregivers need access to up-to-date information about IS, effective treatments, and establishment of a multidisciplinary continuum of care, which includes access to resources for psychosocial support. Further dissemination of and access to educational and supportive resources for families and caregivers across the lifespan of the child with IS is an urgent need.The development of this manuscript was supported by an unrestricted grant from Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Union City, CA. The supporter was not in any way involved in the development of the scientific content of this manuscript.Dr Wheless has received grants from NIH, the Shainberg Foundation, UCB, Ovation, Questcor, Marinus, Ortho-McNeil, King, Cyberonics, and Eisai; is a consultant for UCB, Ovation, Questcor, Marinus, Ortho-McNeil, King, Cyberonics, Pfizer, Eisai, Valeant, CyDex, and Neurelis; is a member of a speakers bureau for UCB, GlaxoSmithKline, Ortho-McNeil, Cyberonics, Pfizer, Eisai, Shire, and Valeant; and has received honoraria and reimbursement for travel expenses from Questcor.Ms Gibson has received grants from Questcor, Ovation, Valeant, Eisai, Ortho-McNeil, and GlaxoSmithKline; and has received honoraria and reimbursement for travel expenses from UCB, Questcor, Ovation, and Sepracor.Ms Rosbeck has received reimbursement for travel expenses from Novartis Oncology. The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance has received grants from Lundbeck, Questcor, Novartis Oncology, UCB, and Cyberonics.Ms Hardin, now retired, was formerly Vice President of Patient Services at the National Organization for Rare Disorders, where she had oversight of the Acthar Gel Patient Assistance Program and the Infantile Spasms Co-payment Assistance Fund, both of which received support from Questcor Pharmaceuticals.Ms O’Dell is a consultant for and has received honoraria and payment for development of education presentations from Ovation and Questcor; and has received grants and reimbursement for travel expenses from Questcor.Dr Whittemore has received grant funding from NIH, and has received reimbursement for travel expenses from Novartis Oncology. The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance has received grants from Lundbeck, Questcor, Novartis Oncology, UCB, and Cyberonics.Dr Pellock is a consultant for Eisai, Jazz, King, KV, Marinus, NeuroPace, Ortho-McNeil/Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck, Pfizer, Questcor, UCB, and Valeant; has participated in an advisory board for Eisai, Ortho-McNeil/Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck, Questcor, UCB, and Valeant; is a lecturer for Eisai, Ortho-McNeil/Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck, Questcor, UCB, and Valeant; is a researcher for Eisai, Marinus, Ortho-McNeil/Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck, Pfizer, Questcor, UCB, and Valeant; and has received honoraria and reimbursement for travel expenses from Questcor.JWW contributed to the conception and design of the paper, contributed to the drafting of the paper, contributed to revising the paper, and gave approval of the final version. PAG contributed to the conception and design of the paper, contributed to the drafting of the paper, contributed to revising the paper, and gave approval of the final version. KLR contributed to the conception and design of the paper, contributed to revising the paper, and gave approval of the final version. MH contributed to the conception and design of the paper, contributed to revising the paper, and gave approval of the final version. CO contributed to the conception and design of the paper, contributed to the drafting of the paper, contributed to revising the paper, and gave approval of the final version. VW contributed to the conception and design of the paper, contributed to revising the paper, and gave approval of the final version. JMP contributed to the conception and design of the paper, contributed to revising the paper, and gave approval of the final version.The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/12/108/prepub


Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) appears to be an important tool in Brazil and Latin America to address the use/abuse of alcohol and other drugs and to help implement and organize preventive activities, particularly in the services of primary health care (PHC). Nevertheless, there are few studies evaluating the implementation of SBIRT in PHC of Latin American countries, identifying elements that promote positive results in the prevention and/or reduction of consumption according to each situation. Therefore, this study presents a method for implementing SBIRT developed in the PHC of a small/medium Brazilian city, highlighting challenges and possibilities for its dissemination in other cities and countries in Latin America. This is a research intervention, with data collection and evaluation through participant observation. The entire process was evaluated to the suitability to local needs, determining factors that could facilitate or impede its implementation. The method developed consisted of six stages: initial contact and planning, diagnosis and mapping, raising awareness, training and monitoring. In the process of implementation the hindering points detected were: insufficient resources , shortage of integration and intersectional health care settings, lack of participation by physicians, focus in dependence, scarcity of participation of civil society and absence of spaces where this population could participate. However, the participation of community health workers and nurses in the implementation and organization of SBIRT, the actions implemented by health teams, such as educational and preventive practices in schools and discussion groups with communities, are positive prospects for the implementation of SBIRT in the Latin American PHC context. Finally, the method presented is considered a useful model to other Latin American cities and countries, with necessary adaptations. Despite the advances, progress is needed in preventing alcohol and other drug abuse in Latin America, with long-term measures.


Over the past few decades, major advances in the field of molecular biology, coupled with advances in genomic technologies, have led to an explosive growth in the biological data generated by the scientific community. The critical need to process and analyze such a deluge of data and turn it into useful knowledge has caused bioinformatics to gain prominence and importance. Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary research area that applies techniques, methodologies, and tools in computer and information science to solve biological problems. In Nigeria, bioinformatics has recently played a vital role in the advancement of biological sciences. As a developing country, the importance of bioinformatics is rapidly gaining acceptance, and bioinformatics groups comprised of biologists, computer scientists, and computer engineers are being constituted at Nigerian universities and research institutes. In this article, we present an overview of bioinformatics education and research in Nigeria. We also discuss professional societies and academic and research institutions that play central roles in advancing the discipline in Nigeria. Finally, we propose strategies that can bolster bioinformatics education and support from policy makers in Nigeria, with potential positive implications for other developing countries. The advent of high-throughput sequencing and computational approaches to biological data analysis means biology will never be the same again, and Nigeria is one of the developing countries making modest progress with respect to this. It is obvious that computing and sequencing are rapidly and drastically changing the face of biology. This has led the global scientific community to the relatively new disciplines of computational biology and bioinformatics. Needless to say, it is common knowledge that bioinformatics asks lots of questions that cut across all life sciences and turns the answers into knowledge for the benefit of scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and the public. For example, the World Wide Web has made it possible for a single public database of genome sequence data to provide services through a uniform interface to a worldwide community of users In this article, our working definition of bioinformatics shall be “an emerging scientific field involving the development and integration of techniques, such as applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, chemistry, and biochemistry, to solve biological problems.” Obviously, by providing algorithms, databases, user interfaces, and statistical tools, bioinformatics makes it possible to complete important work such as comparative genomics, proteomics, interactomics, metabolomics, and all other “-omics” research. Over the years, there have been several bioinformatics training events, including workshops, and modest research in this field in Nigeria.The beginning of bioinformatics in Nigeria dates back to the early part of year 2000, and so far, it is still developing, with modest accomplishments. To the best of our knowledge, four key organizations were initially involved in the development of bioinformatics in Nigeria. They include Covenant University, University of Ibadan, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), and University of Ilorin. These institutions organized several workshops, seminars, and symposia on bioinformatics at the beginning of the study of bioinformatics in Nigeria. In addition, the West African Biotechnology Workshops Series (WABWS) The credit for the first national bioinformatics training awareness in Nigeria can go to the region-wide training courses on molecular biology and bioinformatics organized by the West African Biotechnology Workshops Series between 2002 and 2005. The series featured notable workshops, such as the Applied Malaria Bioinformatics Workshop in 2004, the WABWS Advanced HIV Sequence Analysis in 2005, and the WABWS Advanced Viral Bioinformatics Course in 2005, at the University of Ibadan.The Covenant University's Computer and Information Science Department launched its bioinformatics activities with a workshop in 2005, which was tagged, “International Workshop on Pattern Discovery in Biology (IWPDB).” In 2009, Covenant University organized the second International Workshop on Pattern Discovery in Biology. This workshop was supported by EMBnet and focused on bridging the gap between biologists and bioinformaticians. The workshop highlighted the fundamentals of bioinformatics and the systematic approach for understanding biological data using computational methods In furthering the development of the discipline in Nigeria, the University of Ilorin, through its Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, in collaboration with the West African Bioinformatics Research Institute , organized an introductory bioinformatics training workshop in 2006 and organized training in bioinformatics and computational molecular biology techniques in 2008. Since 2009, several intermediate and advanced bioinformatics workshops and/or courses have been held in different parts of Nigeria. For instance, Chevron Biotechnology Centre, Federal University of Technology, Yola, organized a series of hands-on training workshop on molecular biology and biotechnology between 2009 and 2011. These workshops featured significant training on bioinformatics. These training opportunities provided capacity building in bioinformatics for several Nigerian scientists and other scientists from neighboring countries.However, although bioinformatics is taught at the postgraduate level in many Nigerian institutions, it remains the case that only a few Nigerian universities teach the course at the undergraduate level. Therefore, more in terms of bioinformatics research and education is expected from Nigeria. Nevertheless, some universities are making modest progress with respect to this. Worthy of note are the Covenant University, University of Ibadan, and University of Ilorin, which offer MSc and PhD degrees in computer science with specialization in bioinformatics. Other universities, such as the Federal University of Technology, Yola, offer bioinformatics as a course in their biotechnology and biochemistry degree programs.The current strength of bioinformatics and computational biology research work in Nigeria is not yet at its full potential because of inadequate institutional support. This notwithstanding, a new generation of Nigerian scientists with expertise in bioinformatics is emerging, and bioinformatics training is spreading. Therefore, it is hoped that bioinformatics research will receive a boost in the near future. As an indication of current and past research efforts in bioinformatics in Nigeria, Plasmodium sp., the parasite that causes malaria, is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. Resistance to anti-malarial drugs has become a major challenge, especially in Africa, where about 90% of malaria cases occur. This, in part, informs the research interest in this area. Covenant University's bioinformatics research cluster is one of the most active research clusters in the country. The group is currently leading bioinformatics research in malaria within the country. Other research foci of the cluster include studies involving microarrays and data mining/analysis, as well as database design and management.The trend shows a consistent increase in bioinformatics publications in the last two years, with most of the bioinformatics research focusing mainly on malaria Despite this progress in the field of malaria research in Nigeria, a lot still needs to be done and published in reputable journals that are indexed in leading databases. Searches from the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases retrieved only a limited number of publications from Nigerian scientists. In the same manner, NABDA is leading bioinformatics research in the country in the areas of human genome variation and visual analytics, in collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI) and the Visual Analytics in Biology Curriculum Network, United States, respectively. WTSI has particularly played a major role in providing continuous research capacity building in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. Details of major research foci, as well as research projects in some bioinformatics research groups and academic institutions in Nigeria, are summarized in In addition, there has been an upsurge of interest among Nigerian scientists in undertaking bioinformatics and computational biology research in institutions overseas. This has led to many of them pursuing such interests either as research fellows, doctoral students, or postdoctoral fellows in several institutions in Europe and the Americas. Expectedly, this is fostering opportunities for mutually beneficial international research collaborations and expanding the research networks of Nigerian scientists. It is hoped that this new attitude and interest will, in the near future, positively impact on the overall development of bioinformatics research and education in Nigeria.The number of institutions involved in bioinformatics education and research in Nigeria is gradually increasing at an encouraging pace. As a field of science that is relatively new in Nigeria, only a few institutions are currently actively involved in bioinformatics research in the country . HoweverSegun A. Fatumo was Founder and pioneer President of the Regional Student Group Africa (2007–2009) of the Student Council of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCBSC). He is currently an H3ABioNet NABDA Node Visiting Research Fellow at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge. He is Vice President of Africa Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (2011–present).Moses P. Adoga is president of Regional Student Group West Africa (RSG West Africa) of the ISCB-SC and a faculty member at Nasarawa State University, Nigeria.Opeolu O. Ojo is Research and Training Director at Chevron Biotechnology Centre, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria and currently a Research Fellow at the University of Ulster, Coleraine, United Kingdom.Olugbenga Oluwagbemi is Vice President of RSG West Africa and holds a PhD from Covenant University and formerly a Fulbright Research Fellow at the John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, US.Esther T. Adeoye is currently a master's student of information management at the University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic and formerly a graduate research intern at Covenant University Bioinformatics Research Group.Itunuoluwa Ewejobi is a faculty member and a PhD student at Covenant University and a former Research Fellow at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany under the DAAD fellowship.Marion Adebiyi is the immediate former President of RSG West Africa and a faculty member at Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.Ezekiel F. Adebiyi is Professor and Head of the Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe) and Covenant University H3ABioNet Node.Clement O. Bewaji is Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and the Director of Research at WABRI.Oyekanmi Nashiru is Professor and Director of molecular biology and bioinformatics department, National Biotechnology Development Agency, NABDA/FMST, Umar Musa Yar'A dua Expressway, Abuja, and H3ABioNet NABDA Node, Abuja, Nigeria.Bioinformatics research efforts in Nigeria have been thriving over the years with increased support from international scientific organizations for training, research, and conference participation. Many Nigerian members of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) have benefitted from such support. This has made it possible for the members to present their work at conferences in different aspects of bioinformatics, biotechnology, and computational biology.www.bioinformatics.org), Regional Student Group Africa (RSG Africa), Regional Student Group Morocco (RSG Morocco), International Society for Computational Biology Student Council (ISCBSC), and ASBCB.Within the African continent, many Nigerian members of the African Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (ASBCB) hold prominent positions and play influential roles in the society. In the past few years, Nigeria produced the president of the society. Presently, Nigerians hold the position of vice president and secretary of the society. Many Nigerian scientists have participated significantly in organizing ISCB Africa and ASBCB conferences across the continent. For instance, in 2009, Nigerian bioinformatics students and scientists initiated and participated in the first African Virtual Conference In 2005, at the first IWPDB, which took place at Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, the Nigerian Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (NiSBCB) was established. The society aims to strengthen and expand bioinformatics education and research across Nigeria through:Promoting the exchange of ideas and resources in the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology and facilitating local and international collaborations among Nigerian scientists and educators.Promoting the establishment of infrastructural facilities.Facilitating access to bioinformatics and computational biology infrastructure.Advancing and promoting bioinformatics and computational biology in Nigeria.Serving a global community by influencing governmental and scientific policies, providing high quality research publications, and hosting professional meetings, and through distribution of valuable information about training, education, employment, and relevant news from related fields.Developing the application of bioinformatics in Nigeria in collaboration with individuals, groups, and organizations.Due to the need to introduce bioinformatics to more universities in Nigeria Connect Nigerian researchers, educators, industrialists, and policy makers to resources and opportunities in the field of bioinformatics.Showcase the benefits of bioinformatics for the development of the economy of Nigeria.Promote the integration of bioinformatics in the Nigerian educational system.Organize activities that promote bioinformatics through short courses, workshops, and seminars.Link NBREN members with other bioinformatics networks and societies across the globe.In addition, NBREN will organize bioinformatics-related events, facilitate research, recommend policies to the government, develop a national bioinformatics curriculum, and organize bioinformatics training workshops and conferences in Nigeria.Challenges facing the introduction and the development of bioinformatics in Nigeria have been reviewed in earlier publications In addition to funding, other recognized challenges include inadequate facilities for consistent research, inadequate training and capacity-building opportunities, infrastructural problems such as inadequate power supply, and lack of appropriate national policy/strategy for bioinformatics education and research.The contribution of bioinformatics to developments in biological science education and research has been identified. Interestingly, as the awareness of the discipline is becoming more prevalent within the academia in Nigeria, so is the interest of new-generation scientists in this emerging scientific discipline. It is also clear that research in bioinformatics is gradually becoming entrenched in Nigeria and is becoming increasingly useful in tackling some of the health challenges facing the country and the rest of Africa.However, the development of the discipline is faced with several challenges, ranging from funding to inadequate infrastructure. Public-sector–driven investment in scientific research and development, particularly bioinformatics, in Nigeria is minimal. Like in most developing countries, this has led home-based Nigerian scientists to rely on personal efforts in bioinformatics education and research. To a large extent, these efforts have been fruitful. The number of research articles in bioinformatics from Nigeria is increasing. Nigerian scientists are becoming more involved at both local and international levels. The teaching of the discipline at undergraduate and postgraduate levels within the nation is becoming more widespread. We therefore believe that bioinformatics and computational biology can be bolstered in Nigeria by the formulation and implementation of governmental policies that aim to foster the twin disciplines through research funding, capacity building, and pedagogic activities within universities and research institutions across the country.http://www.covenantuniversity.edu.nghttp://cubre.covenantuniversity.edu.nghttp://cubre.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/index.php/nigeria-society-for-bioinformatics-and-computatational-biology-nisbcb/http://www.nabda.gov.ng/http://www.run.edu.nghttp://www.uniben.eduhttp://www.wabri.orghttp://www.unilorin.edu.nghttp://www.asopah.orghttp://public.tableausoftware.com/views/ngr_bioinfo/research_groups


In February 2010, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBUMS) organised in Tehran a very high standard conference on ocular inflammation and uveitis. Several members of the executive committee of the Society for Ophthalmo-Immunoinfectiology in Europe (SOIE) took active part in that meeting and we thoroughly enjoyed the superb hospitality given to us by our Iranian colleagues. After 3 days of friendly contacts, stimulating exchanges and mutual convergence of opinions and interests, the idea emerged to work on one issue of Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research (JOVR) devoted to uveitis and inflammatory eye diseases. This partnership between the SOIE and SBUMS led to the project resulting today and publication of the present issue. Such collaborative work, building bridges between clinicians and researchers from different parts of the world, corresponds exactly to the philosophy of the SOIE, a society dedicated to teaching and promotion of knowledge in the field of uveitis and inflammatory eye diseases in Europe and beyond. Since its formal foundation in 2005 in Lausanne, Switzerland, SOIE has organised courses and meetings in Monte Carlo, Monaco in 2006, Krakow, Poland in 2007, Cappadocia, Turkey in 2008, the oasis of Tozeur, Tunisia in 2009, St. Petersburg, Russia in 2010, Bad Blumau, Austria in 2011 and Vilnius, Lithuania 2011. To expand its range of activities, a sister society the Society for ophthalmo-immunoinfectiology in Europe and the Middle-East (SOIEME) was established in 2011, in order to intensify contacts in that part of the world, an example of which is the collaboration that led to the present achievement.This issue was planned to include and combine articles by Iranian authors on one side and from authors in connection with the SOIE on the other side. After a little more than one year of work and efforts, we succeeded to build an issue consisting of 14 peer-reviewed articles, equally divided between contributors from Iran and from the SOIE.In this editorial, articles originating from the SOIE will be commented, while Professor Masoud Soheilian, the other guest-editor of this issue, will present Iranian contributions in his editorial.In their original article, Papadia M and colleaguesAs an illustration to this article, Bouchenaki and HerbortThree review articles on pediatric uveitisPediatric uveitis is a topic that is not dealt with in a unanimous and consensual fashion, making it the subject of controversies. Ilknur Tugal-Tutkun, vice-president of the SOIE and one of the recognized uveitis specialists in Turkey, based her review on an extensive personal experience.In their review on CNS diseases and uveitis, Allegri P, Rissotto R and colleaguesPiergiorgio NeriFinally, two interesting case reports showing the importance of ICGA in choroidopathies conclude the series of seven articles related to the SOIE. Papadia and HerbortThe collaborative effort between our two medical backgrounds resulted in the present issue of the JOVR that will hopefully interest ophthalmologists in both settings and will lead to closer contacts and better mutual appreciation and understanding.We truly hope the reader will enjoy this special JOVR issue on uveitis and intraocular inflammation.


Following the publication of this article , it was The authors declare that they have no competing interests.CR carried out the molecular genetic studies and the interpretation of the results. RAC and LM made substantial contributions to interpretation of data and participated in manuscript preparation. AS, TK, SME, DP, AC and RC were involved in the clinical evaluation of patients and manuscript revision. DT made substantial contributions to conception, analysis and interpretation of data and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


To address the Appraisal and Prospects for Person-Centered Medicine in Croatia, members of the Local Organizing Group met during the First International Congress of the ICPCM in Zagreb, Croatia on November 8th, 2013.Starting at the Zagreb School of Public Health in 1927, the promotion of person-centered medicine and people-centered health care, based on the teachings and legacy of professor Andrija Štampar, has been occurring in Croatia for decades. Professor Andrija Štampar, one of the founders of the WHO and a representative at its first general meeting, considered by many as the father of public health, pioneered various public health projects in Croatia and abroad. He was, above all, a great educator who inspired many of his students and the general public alike, to promote the concept of health for all and the importance of health-related activities within the community, with emphasis on the responsibility of each individual for his/her own health. Croatia is a country with a long history of patient associations, as well as one with an array of public health projects recognized worldwide. Recently, a group of enthusiasts gathered here in Croatia to undertake the creation of a variety of projects related to the development of person-centered medicine, with the help of leading academic associations along with the President of the Republic, Professor Ivo Josipovic. Among other things, a multitude of programs were introduced to the curriculum of the University of Zagreb School of Medicine at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels, with the aim of perfecting the curriculum to reflect the concepts of person-centered medicine. Various symposiums, workshops, media activities, collaboration with patient associations within Croatia, post-graduate seminars, and national conferences about psychiatry and person-centered medicine were held in Zagreb in 2012, and an English-language book was published with the collaboration of over a hundred authors from Croatia and abroad entitled “The person in medicine and healthcare - from bench to bedside to community”. Croatian representatives were actively involved in a variety of activities of the International College of Person-Centered Medicine (ICPCM) and organized the First International Congress of the International College of Person-Centered Medicine in November 2013.With that in mind, we believe that Croatia could contribute significantly to the development of person-centered medicine and people-centered health care, within Croatia and abroad. We intend to continue the activities promoted by ICPCM and its associated institutions. Therefore, we resolve to undertake a project entitled “The International Academy for Person-Centered Medicine and People-Centered Healthcare”. The goal of this project is initiate various multimedia educational activities for health care professionals, patient associations, and the general public with the intention of promoting fundamental provisions and principles of person-centered medicine, people-centered health care, and promote the culture of health and wellness. Our plan is to submit a declaration of intent to the ICPCM for collaboration on this project. We are convinced that, together, we can make our community better and healthier. There is no future without a clear understanding of the past, the future is being built today, and today is yesterday’s tomorrow, so we have to continue working together and learning from one another.


One of the main conceptual changes in the 20th century medicine is the inclusion of social dimension. The “golden era” of Parson’s medical model , which uAs a reaction to the negative situation in the Croatian medical system, the Centre for Palliative Medicine, Medical Ethics and Communication Skills (CEPAMET) was founded on September 21, 2010. The Centre is semi-autonomous unit within the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. The conceptual framework of the Centre is devoted to education, organization, and research in three domains: palliative medicine, ethics, and health communication. The interdisciplinary team involved in the CEPAMET creation consists of experts in psychiatry and psychology, neurology, oncology, and general practice. The Centre also has an advisory board, consisting of the most prominent international and national experts.Despite the obvious lack of the palliative medicine facilities and overall positive attitudes in the general public ,4, palliProper communication skills have often been neglected in medical education in Croatia, but in the EU and USA there is an emphasis on communication in different, often tricky, situations that physicians encounter on a daily basis. The CEPAMET will offer education in these skills to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as other professionals. Several CEPAMET units are constructed as communication skills laboratories, where students and professionals will have a chance to practice with real-life and simulated patients using video cameras and scales, such as Roter Interaction Analysis System and Cambridge Guide to Medical Interview ,7. This Several members of CEPAMET have already been assigned a role in the Teaching Committee of the European Association for Communication in Health Care. Despite numerous studies in the area of medical communication, the evidence-based outcomes of communication interventions are still largely unclear . The devThe third area of interest of the CEPAMET is medical ethics. With the progressive social and technological changes in the Croatian medicine, the issue of ethics, ethical conduct, and ethical problems is more important than ever. To deal with this problem, several guidelines are being planned to improve ethical conduct and avoid possible ethical pitfalls in the everyday medical practice. Medical ethics principles are often neglected in education and cognitive processes. The CEPAMET strives to popularize ethics in medical community and educate professionals in current opinions and philosophical theories regarding the issue. Furthermore, education is meant to be focus-oriented, guiding physicians and students through the complex and commonly problematic world of applied ethics, as opposed to teaching and proposing theoretical stance.Although CEPAMET is certainly an ambitious project, it is only a small step toward improving our medical reality. Without substantial support from various levels of our health care system, academic community, civil society, and patients, CEPAMET’s goals are unlikely to be met. Therefore, we would also like to offer a possibility of collaboration to both national and international partners, in order to further contribute to the development of patient-centered medicine in Croatia.


The neglected infections of poverty represent the latest threat to the poorest people living on the Gulf Coast of the United States and in Washington, District of Columbia.Together, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the BP oil disaster have shed light on a tragic level of poverty in the northern Gulf of Mexico, especially for the African Americans living in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University, more than 40% of black children in each of these states currently live in poor families, and over 12% of children from Louisiana and Mississippi live in extreme poverty, defined as families with incomes that are less than half of the federal poverty level In previous papers I have noted high rates of parasitic and related neglected infections among the poorest Americans living in distressed areas, but especially in inner cities, the American South, the border with Mexico, and Appalachia A fresh look at the neglected infections of poverty reveals the extreme vulnerability of the US Gulf Coast to these conditions, which includes Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, as well as neighboring regions of Texas and Florida . Among tAedes mosquitoes Since I first wrote about neglected infections in the US two years ago, the prospect of dengue and its most serious complication, dengue hemorrhagic fever, have emerged as additional and now imminent threats to the people living on the Gulf Coast. Between 1946 and 1980, no cases of dengue occurred in the continental US Toxocara eggs have been detected in soil samples in Baton Rouge Toxocara was recently noted to frequently occur with toxoplasmosis co-infections Non-vector-borne neglected infections are also now highly prevalent among the poorest people living on the Gulf Coast. Trichomoniasis exhibits a 10-fold higher prevalence among African American women Although the District of Columbia does not have statehood, as a unique federal district it is often treated as an autonomous region and compared in rankings with the 50 US states. Today, Washington, D.C., rivals Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as among the worst in terms of life expectancy and health index If reconstruction plans for the Gulf Coast and Washington, D.C., are ever implemented, an important component should be directed towards the neglected infections of poverty in these areas. I am particularly concerned about the Gulf’s vulnerability to emerging dengue fever infections, while for both the Gulf Coast and Washington, D.C., we must urgently address neglected diseases that disproportionately affect African American populations, including toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, and congenital CMV infection; and those that affect Hispanic Americans, including Chagas disease and cysticercosis. The fact that we know so little about the neglected infections of poverty in America’s most distressed areas is representative of just how glaring these conditions are as health disparities.In 2008, I suggested that we must urgently address the neglected infections through programs of active surveillance and assessments of disease burdens, studies to examine the mechanisms of transmission in poor communities, efforts to control or eliminate these infections through public health interventions that include treatment or vaccination and health education, and a program of research and development to create a new generation of drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines


Understanding the metabolic fate of small organic molecules is of fundamental importance to the successful design and development of drugs, nutritional supplements, cosmetics and agrochemicals ,2. In th


Shared decision making (SDM) - involving patients in decisions relevant to their health - has been increasingly influential in medical thought and practice around the world. This paper reviews the current status of SDM in Israel, including efforts to promote SDM in the legislation and healthcare system, its influence in medical training and the national health plans, and funding for SDM-related research. Published studies of SDM in Israel are also reviewed. Although informed consent and patients' right to information are regulated by Israeli law, little provision is made for SDM. Further, there are few organized programs to promote SDM among medical professionals or the public, and governmental support of SDM-related research is minimal. Nonetheless, patients have begun to influence litigation in both formal and informal capacities, medical schools have begun to incorporate courses for improving physician-patient communication into their curricula, and the largest national health plan has initiated a plan to increase public awareness. A review of the limited research literature suggests that although patients and physicians express a desire for greater patient involvement, they often have reservations about its implementation. Research also suggests that despite the positive effects of SDM, such an approach may only infrequently be applied in actual clinical practice. In conclusion, though not actively promoting SDM at present, Israel's universal coverage and small number of health plans make rapid, widespread advances in SDM feasible. Israeli policymakers should thus be encouraged to nurture burgeoning initiatives and set plausible milestones. Comparing the status of SDM in Israel with that in other countries may stimulate further advancement. Shared decision making (SDM), "the attempt to involve patients in decision-making tasks, especially where decisions, in the face of uncertain or equivocal evidence of benefit, are sensitive to personal preferences" , has groIndeed most patients wish to take an active part in choosing among alternative courses of action regarding their health, with the physician either participating in the decision or providing relevant information and then allowing the patient to decide autonomously . Beyond Though ultimately manifest at the level of the patient-physician encounter, SDM must first be legally mandated and medical professionals must be trained to incorporate its principles into their practice. Further, research studies are necessary to monitor its status and drive improvement. Moreover, these activities must be supported and promoted by national health, legal, and other organizations. Some countries have allocated resources for the promotion and evaluation of SDM. In Germany, the ministry of health funded the research consortium ''Patient as partner in medical decision-making'' . In CanaGerman Journal for Evidence and Quality in Healthcare (ZEFQ) on the global status of SDM . MB is the director of the Center of Clinical Quality & Safety, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center. GS is the director of the Center for Health Law, Bioethics and Health Policy, Ono Academic College, a senior researcher at the Unit for Genetic Policy and Bioethics, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, and a professor of Law with the University of Virginia. GMD is researcher at the Center for Medical Decision Making, Ono Academic College.TMS, formerly a researcher at Princeton University, is the founding director of the Center for Medical Decision Making, Ono Academic College, and holds an adjunct position at Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania. OG is a senior researcher at the Unit for Genetic Policy and Bioethics, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research and author of the book


In 1961, Chafetz [Research presented at the September 2011 International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol and Other Drugs (INEBRIA) conference in Boston was from around the globe, covered alcohol and other drugs, crossed a variety of health settings and practitioners, and showed the sophistication that has been reached in the field. Research discussed when, where, and for whom SBI has or might not have efficacy, how to implement SBI programs, adaptations of SBI, costs and effectiveness, and many other topics. Nonetheless, despite the excitement, breadth, and sophistication, the fact remains that few patients eligible for SBI receive the service, and, as a result, opportunities to improve health and save health care costs are missed. Most people with alcohol and drug use disorders receive no treatment.At least in some cases, SBI is ready for dissemination. And, with solid evidence available, health reforms promised in the US and elsewhere, and an international discussion taking serious shape regarding the integration of care for medical, mental health, and substance use conditions, SBI may have reached a tipping point for dissemination and implementation as well as for small- and large-scale studies of remaining efficacy and effectiveness questions.The editors of ASCP invited INEBRIA attendees and presenters to submit their studies for peer review and possible publication. The initial core of this thematic series, “Screening and brief intervention for unhealthy alcohol and other drug use,” is the result of that call for papers, a seed that we expect will grow as the SBI literature continues to become more robust. Papers will cover a range of topics from what the efficacy of SBI really is, to effectiveness in people with mental health and drug use conditions, to adolescent SBI, to health professional attitudes towards SBI, to SBI implementation research and even to state-of-the-art SBI research protocol design, among others. We hope this series begins a long and serious conversation.


The following information was missing from the funding section: BBSRC, DEFRA, NERC, the Scottish Government and the Wellcome Trust, under the Insect Pollinators Initiative crops project. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.


A funding organization was incorrectly omitted from the Funding Statement. The Funding Statement should read: Part of the work was funded by an internal grant of the University Hospital Regensburg (ReForM-C), and by the Wilhelm Sander-Stiftung, Munich and Ingolstadt, Germany. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis,decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. No additional external funding was received for this study.


This video presents the story of a university extension project called "Clean Hands" which originated from a master's dissertation in 2006, based at the Center for Studies and Nursing Research for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (NEPIH) based at the Center for Studies and Nursing Research for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (NEPIH) at the School of Nursing, Federal University of Goiás, Brazil, and is registered with the Pro-Chancellor of Extension at the university. Since its creation, the project has developed activities to encourage the establishment of hand hygiene (HH) in health care, in cooperation with professionals, academics, patients and caregivers, as well as in scientific events, with academics and health professionals. After the outbreak of H1N1 in 2009, the project developed campaigns in municipal daycare centers (CMEI), the Municipal Department of Education, of the city of Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil, targeting children, parents and workers. In these campaigns, different promotion strategies are used: informative stylized banners depicting HH; educational brochures, a song parody CD, demonstration of proper HH technique, using poster paints on children’s hands; a puppet theater; and face-to-face discussions about the importance of, obstacles to, and benefits of HH. Annually, the project hosts a festival of parodies with the theme of HH, called "CANTA FEN", which brings together academics and healthcare professionals. The project’s day-to-day operations are normally run by five students, supported by the other members of NEPIH, currently 33 staff members , participating in the activities of the project. Up to February 2013, the project has performed about 180 campaigns (45 were for children) reaching approximately 8,000 people. Participation in the project has contributed to the development of skills and competencies with regard to the implementation of health promotion strategies with different audiences and requires that students constantly stay up to date on the subject. The festival of parodies has helped to empower its members to conduct scientific and cultural events and promote emphasis of the subject in a playful manner.None declared.


The funding information should read as follows: IBM funded this study through the employment, at the time of the study, of Isidore Rigoutsos, Niina Haiminen, and Laxmi Parida. Between them they conceived, designed and performed the experiments, analyzed the data and designed the assembly evaluation protocol. David Kuhn is employed by USDA-ARS SHRS and received no funding for this study from IBM. He participated in the analysis and interpretation of data, and the writing of the paper.


Second International Symposium on Recent Advances in Environmental Health Research was organized by Jackson State University (JSU) from September 18 – 21, 2005 at the Regency Hotel in Jackson, Mississippi. The symposium was built upon the overwhelming success of the 2004 conference that was also organized by JSU and co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RCMI-Center for Environmental Health, the U.S. Department of Education Title III Graduate Education Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the JSU office of Research. This international meeting commemorated 20 years of the NIH-NCRR Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program, a congressionally mandated program initiated by the NIH in 1985 with the mission to expand the national capability for research in the health sciences. Over the years, RCMI institutions have played a significant role in addressing important biomedical research questions that are critical in managing the health needs of the nation in a cost-effective manner. At JSU, the RCMI program has served as a catalyst for excellence in biomedical research and education. Research conducted through the RCMI Program is providing a strong scientific basis for understanding the pathogenesis and for discovering innovative therapies for human diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Through the RCMI Program, doctoral students trained at JSU have gone on to obtain competitive post-doctoral positions at prestigious institutions such as Harvard Medical School, John Hopkins Medical Center, Purdue University Medical Center, and the NIH. As echoed by President Ronald A. Mason, Jr., “…JSU is proud to be integral part of the very successful and productive RCMI Program. This symposium highlighted the excellence in biomedical, clinical, and behavioral research conducted by RCMI institutions…”The In an attempt to contribute global solutions to these environmental challenges, scientists around the world, have been more and more involved in bioenvironmental research, studying the toxic mechanisms of action of various environmental agents, developing new approaches for detecting or remedying environmental damage, identifying and characterizing genes involved in the manifestation of environmentally-related diseases, and providing the public and policy makers with scientific tools that are critical for environmental health decision-making.Second International Symposium on Recent Advances in Environmental Health Research served as a platform for environmental and biomedical scientists-biologists, chemists, toxicologists, public health scientists, engineers, and policy makers interested in bringing about substantial contributions to addressing global environmental, and sustainable development issues, to communicate the latest advances in scientific research and new developments on critical environmental and human health topics including the following:New Frontiers in Environmental Health Research: The causes of most human diseases have been attributed to the complex interactions between genetic factors and environmental exposures. Hence, control and prevention measures highly rely on the understanding of the cause and effect relationships between these factors and disease development. In recent years, new areas of research such as toxicogenomics, proteomics, and functional genomics have emerged, with the aim of understanding molecular mechanisms of health and disease. Also, the recent advances in the molecular biology of the cell cycle regulation have given new life to our understanding of cancer in particular, and the idea that defects of regulation in cancer cells may partially explain successes that have been achieved in cancer chemotherapy. Specific areas of symposium research presentations included gene expression studies, proteomics, gene-environment interactions, functional genomics, biomarkers of effect, sensitivity and effect, signal transduction and gene activation; and molecular targets of disease chemotherapy.Environmental Toxicology and Health Risk Assessment: Growing public awareness of the potential risk to humans from toxic chemicals in the environment has generated demand for new and improved methods for toxicity assessment and rational means for estimating health risk. Many environmental agents such as metal ions, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides/herbicides, UV-light, food additives, and viruses are known to induce various types of illnesses including cancer in humans. Several symposium presentations dealt with research elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which these environmental agents induce toxicity, mutagenesis, and carcinogenesis, as well as research on hazard assessment of exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents; dose-response evaluation and model development; exposure assessment analysis; and health risk characterization; and management.Emerging Topics in Computational Biology, and Environmental Modeling: Using of computational methods and procedures to investigate environmental and biological phenomena has made remarkable progresses. This field includes analysis of human genome data, prediction of DNA and protein structure and function, design of biomaterials and therapeutic agents, studies into small molecule-biomacromolecule interactions, and other related computational method development. Therefore, several symposium presentations dealt with the computational analysis of the physical and chemical properties of several environmental compounds, as well as on quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) studies for developing predictive toxicology models associated with exposure to these compounds.Health Disparities and Environmental Security: In recent years health disparities and biological and chemical terrorism have emerged as major issues in public safety and homeland security. With recent advances in laboratory technologies, it is often possible to measure specific genetic variations as risk factors for specific types of disease. Equally important is the evaluation of the role of modifier factors such as environmental exposures or other genes that may exacerbate the genetic risk leading to differences in disease susceptibility among individuals. Since the events of September 11, 2001 regarding the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the subsequent anthrax attacks on several people, our collective thinking with regard to our vulnerability to terrorism has completely changed. The specific areas of research presentations included the following: health disparities and cancer; health disparities and heart disease; health disparities and infectious diseases; and bioterrorism/chemical terrorism.Medical Geology and Human Health: Recent concerns over health-related issues arising from exposure to environmental substances have raised substantial interest in a new field termed “medical geology”. In fact, naturally-occurring toxic metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury are now known to cause serious public health problems in several areas of the world. Likewise, the geographical distributions of several infectious diseases such as malaria, meningitis, and schistosomiasis, have been linked to intrinsic climatic and environmental factors. Research on this topic dealt with disease ecology, toxicology, pathology and/or epidemiology with regard to the emerging subject of medical geology.Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Management: Several environmental influences including natural and anthropogenic factors have been linked to ecosystem vulnerability. Monitoring and assessment data are therefore needed for science-based decision-making with regard to environmental management. Papers for presentation on this topic included those related to: a) conceptual modeling for ecological risk assessment, b) assessment of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of specific ecosystems, c) applications of GIS and remote sensing technology to environmental assessment and management, and d) bioindicators for environmental management.Building on the foundation of the first symposium, the The symposium attracted 260 participants from 21 countries representing all five continents, and more than 150 scientific presentations across the disciplines of environmental health and biomedical sciences. As stated above, the scientific program was composed of six plenary sessions where oral/platform presentations were given by more than 40 invited speakers. In addition, there were two poster sessions – one for faculty and professional scientists, and one for students – with more than 100 abstracts. The submitted full length manuscripts were peer-reviewed, and selected for publication by experts in their respective fields. The accepted papers are being published in three volumes as special issues of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.Environmental Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Epigenetic Gene Imprinting; focusing on the new mechanisms to understand the environmental component of human disease. Many thanks to Mrs. Zelma Leflore and her students for providing the technical assistance with the technology needed for platform presentations, emails, and other services.We wish to extend special thanks to Dr. Sheila McClure, Director of the NIH-NCRR-RCMI Program, Bethesda, Maryland, for serving as Banquet Speaker, and Dr. James Townsel, Director of the RCMI Center for Molecular Neurosciences at Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, for serving as Distinguished Speaker for the Second Honorary Biomedical and Health Information Lecture Series” at the symposium. He made a distinguished lecture on the Commitment to Eliminate Health Disparities and the Need to Achieve Diversity within the Biomedical Workforce. Thanks are also extended to all our conference presenters, session chairs, and keynote speakers, and especially Dr. John McLachlan, Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies at Tulane University, and Director of the Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane/Xavier Universities, for giving the inaugural presentation on Special thanks are extended Dr. Ronald Mason, Jr. (President), Dr. Felix Okojie , Dr. Velvelyn Foster (Interim Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs), and Dr. Mary Myles (Director of Title III Program) for their administrative support. We would like to acknowledge the authors for their involvement and cooperation, and for their outstanding contributions to advancing science and sound decision-making in the critical area of environmental health sciences. Special thanks are also extended to all the peer-reviewers who took time off their busy schedules to carefully and critically review each of the manuscripts.On behalf of the entire organizing committee, the greatest acknowledgments go to our major symposium sponsors including the U.S. Department of Education Title III-Strengthening the Environmental Science Ph.D. Program at JSU, National Institutes of Health RCMI-Center for Environmental Health, and JSU Office of Research Development and Federal Relations.


On February 27–28, 2004, scientists, clinicians, researchers, women's health advocates, educators, policymakers, and representatives from nongovernmental organizations and community-based organizations gathered in Atlanta for the first International Conference on Women and Infectious Diseases (ICWID): From Science to Action. The Office of Minority and Women's Health of the National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), spearheaded the conference. It was cosponsored by the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the American Society for Microbiology.The broad ICWID steering committee included representatives from the DHHS Office on Women's Health, the National Institutes of Health Office for Research on Women's Health, the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, the Fogarty Center, and the Office of Women's Health of the Health Resources and Services Administration. Academic, community-based, and philanthropic organizations as well as numerous CDC entities were involved. The conference's goal was to enhance prevention and control of infectious diseases among women worldwide. The conference's 400 attendees from 25 countries  and 30 U.S. states recognized the need for a forum to address the complex set of concerns and issues surrounding women and infectious diseases.Julie Gerberding, director of CDC and administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, opened the conference with an overview of the impact of infectious diseases on women. The address reminded listeners of the female face of infectious diseases: women may be biologically more susceptible to certain infections and suffer more severe complications. Other keynote speakers included Paul DeLay of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Carol Bellamy of the United Nations Children's Fund, and Mirta Roses Periago of the Pan American Health Organization.The theme of the conference was "From Science to Action." In 35 sessions, attendees discussed practical application of scientific knowledge in areas such as HIV, infectious causes of chronic diseases and other infectious disease–chronic disease relationships, gender roles in infectious disease transmission and prevention, sexual coercion and its effect on infectious diseases in women, sexually transmitted diseases, health disparities, healthcare workers and caregivers, immunization, effective community-based strategies, the role of cultural competence in women's health, and more.The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored 26 ICWID scholarships, which allowed persons from nongovernmental organizations and community-based organizations from 10 countries and four continents to attend who otherwise would not have had the opportunity. These ICWID scholars will amplify the conference's impact by taking the knowledge and insights gained back to their home countries and organizations.Streptococcus infections and achievements in other arenas, participants emphasized the many challenges remaining for the future. With the continuation of such efforts, the newly spotlighted female face of infectious diseases can also be the face of hope and progress.The conference successfully illuminated the female face of infectious diseases. While celebrating successes in the prevention and control of prenatal and neonatal Group B


Foot pain affects up to 24% of people aged over 65 years, and is associated with difficulty undertaking activities of daily living, problems with balance and gait, an increased risk of falls, and reduced health-related quality of life. Established risk factors for foot pain in this age-group include female sex, obesity and chronic medical conditions such as osteoarthritis and diabetes. However, given the significant age-related changes in the structure and function of osseous, muscular and soft tissues in the foot, the contribution of lower limb biomechanical factors to the development of foot pain in older people is receiving increased attention in the research literature. This presentation will provide an overview of (i) the epidemiology of foot disorders in older people, (ii) the physiological changes that occur in the ageing foot, (iii) the role of biomechanics in understanding the potential mechanisms underlying the development of foot pain, and (iv) the role of plantar pressure analysis for the assessment and management of foot pain in this age-group.


The 27th edition of the 2006 Report of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases, known to most clinicians as "The Red Book," is considered the "Bible" of pediatric infectious diseases. In addition to providing an updated and exhaustive summary of the clinical manifestations, etiology, epidemiology, diagnostic tests, treatment, isolation, and control measures for >200 pediatric infectious diseases, this reference discusses a number of related topics, including management. With >350 liaisons and collaborators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the World Health Organization, and others, the 12-member 2004–2006 Committee on Infectious Diseases issued the current edition, which reflects the state of the art at the time of publication and is updated every 3 years.The Red Book began as an 8-page mimeographed report assembled in 1937 by the Committee on Immunization and Therapeutic Procedures for Acute Infectious Diseases (currently the Committee on Infectious Diseases) and titled "Immunization Procedures." A revision issued in 1938 in pamphlet form was actively sought, and annual issues became more comprehensive, with the addition of 76 pages reflecting the increase in therapeutic antimicrobial drug options in the ensuing 10 years.The current 992-page 27th edition has newly added sections, including key developments in combination vaccines, the 2006 AAP standards for child and adolescent immunization practices, parental refusal to vaccinate, updates on prevention of mosquitoborne infections, and updated information on emerging infectious diseases and pathogens, including Baylisascaris, metapneumovirus, West Nile virus, coronaviruses, pertussis, tuberculosis, and pneumococcal, meningococcal, and varicella infections. Expanded discussions of drug interactions as well as the revised American Heart Association recommendations for the prevention of bacterial endocarditis are presented. Many website resources have been added throughout the text to provide the reader with links to expanded information about the topic.The text is organized into 5 sections with a comprehensive list of appendixes. Section 1 reviews active and passive immunization and provides a practical discussion of numerous aspects of vaccine administration, including vaccine shortages, reporting of vaccine-preventable diseases, and parental misconceptions about vaccinations. Section 2 provides recommendations for care of children in special circumstances, including the topic areas of biological terrorism, children in out-of-home child care, infection control, and medical evaluation of internationally adopted children. This section serves as a comprehensive resource for both general and infectious diseases pediatricians. The 3rd section, an alphabetical summary of infectious diseases, comprises the bulk of the text. Sections 4 and 5 address the expanding category of antimicrobial agents, therapy, and prophylaxis, including guidelines and indications for their appropriate use.http://www.aapredbook.org). This site also lists errata from the current edition and allows readers to register to be notified when new errata are posted, when new policy statements are issued, and when site updates and new features are added. Readers may also register for a customized citation/keyword alert.The area of infectious diseases is rapidly emerging and changing, so the guidelines presented in the current edition may have undergone updating and revision following publication. Therefore, readers are urged to monitor updated recommendations issued by the Committee on Infectious Diseases on the Red Book Online website (The 27th edition of the Red Book is a vital resource for adult and pediatric infectious disease practitioners as well as general practitioners and is considered by many the quintessential resource and reference for clinical practice.