A strong contingent from the University of Louisville Divisions of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Disorders Medicine, and Infectious Diseases, took part in the recent 2017 American Thoracic Society International Conference, an annual meeting of the largest respiratory society in the world.

Held this year in Washington, D.C., the UofL contingent made many and various contributions throughout the six-day event.

Dr. Jesse Roman, Chairman of the UofL Department of Medicine, presented a "Year in Review" talk on Respiratory Health Equity, while Dr. Julio Ramirez, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, discussed tuberculosis at a workshop focusing on the respiratory health of migrant and refugee populations.

In addition, fellows and faculty from the pulmonary and infectious diseases divisions, as well as internal medicine residents presented many pieces of research work and participated in thematic poster, poster discussion, and symposium sessions.

Their presentation addressed important issues related to a diverse of clinical problems ranging from critical care, pulmonary hypertension and COPD to pneumonia and septic shock.

Those presentations include:

• Role of Aging, Sex, and Extracellular Cysteine/Cystine Plasma Redox Potential (Eh Cys/CySS) in Experimental Lung Cancer Progression - J.C. Greenwell, J.D. Ritzenthaler, E. Torres-Gonzalez, W.H. Watson, J. Roman

• Aging Lung Fibroblasts Show a Defect in Cystine Transport that Results in Dysregulation of the Extracellular Redox Environment and Increased Expression of Extracellular Matrices - W.H. Watson, J.D. Ritzenthaler, T.J. Burke, I.N. Zelko, E. Torres-Gonzalez, J. Roman

• Pulmonary Hypertension and Vascular Remodeling in Mice Exposed to Crystalline Silica - I.N. Zelko, J.X. Zhu, J.D. Ritzenthaler, J. Roman

• The Ratio of Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second to the Change in Forced Vital Capacity from Predicted Baseline Is an Earlier Marker of Disease Progression in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis than Change in Forced Vital Capacity Alone - R.L. Perez, G.W. Vicary, C.W. Barber, S. Furmanek, T. Wiemken, B. Mattingly, A. Persaud, B. Guinn, J. Roman

• Role of Cytokines in the Lung and Systemic Inflammation in Patients with COPD - A. Morello Gearhart, R. Fernandez-Botran, P. Peyrani, T. Wiemken, A. Reyes, U. Gauhar, H. Rivas-Perez, J. Roman, J.A. Ramirez, R. Cavallazzi

• A Retrospective Review of Time Spent in the Emergency Department and Outcomes in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock - R.Y.H. Kim, A. Ng, Y. Kothari, J.D. Price, A. Persaud, T. Wiemken, S. Furmanek, M. Saad, R. Cavallazzi

• Identifying Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Pneumonia Risk Factors - T. Rahman, R. Cavallazzi, J.D. Price, R.Y.H. Kim, Y. Kothari, A. Bhatt, N. Maniar, R. Pearce

• High Versus Low Mean Arterial Pressures in Hepatorenal Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial - B. Varajic, J. Mann, K. Guilkey, A. Persaud, S.P. Furmanek, T.L. Wiemken, R. Cavallazzi, M. Saad

• Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Infection: Determining Risk Factors for Mortality - J.D. Price, R.Y.H. Kim, N. Maniar, T. Rahman, Y. Kothari, R. Pearce, R. Cavallazzi

• Xanthogranulomatous Inflammation in the Lung - A. Bhatt, M.M. Howsare, U. Gauhar

• Predictors of Bacteremia from the Complete Blood Count in Patients in the Intensive Care Unit - N. Maniar, R. Cavallazzi

• Characteristics and Outcomes of Pulmonary Hypertension Patients in a Tertiary Referral Center - N. Maniar, C. Clarke, E. McDaniel, J.S. Smith, K. El-Kersh

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Lung Transplant Candidates: Impact on Post-Transplant Inpatient Utilization and Mortality - G.S. Bauldoff, V. Van Berkel, M. Fox, A. Ramirez, D.R. Nunley

• Chylothorax in the Setting of Cirrhosis - An Unusual Association - S.A. Suliman, A. Ramirez, D.R. Nunley

• Right Heart Catheterization: An Alternative Route in a Diagnostic Dilemma - S.A. Suliman, M.M. Howsare, K. El-Kersh, M.P. Flaherty, J.S. Smith

• Congenital Heart Disease Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Eisenmengers Syndrome - An Alternative Therapeutic Approach - S.A. Suliman, E. McDaniel, K. El-Kersh, J.S. Smith

• Proportional Assist Ventilation Versus Volume-Assist-Control and Daily Spontaneous Breathing Trial Combination: A Randomized Controlled Trial - V.G. Nidadavolu, R.Y.H. Kim, K. Guilkey, J. Guardiola, M. Saad, R. Cavallazzi

• An Unusual Case of Pulmonary Nodules - M.M. Howsare, U. Gauhar

• Isolated Extreme Elevation of Alkaline Phosphatase Associated with Lumacaftor-Ivacaftor Therapy: First Report - M.M. Howsare, K. El-Kersh

• Hypokalemic Paralysis Secondary to Tenofovir Induced Fanconi Syndrome - M.M. Howsare, F. Harden, K. El-Kersh

• Enchondroma Protuberans Presenting as a Lung Mass - B. Jalil, N. Maniar, K. El-Kersh

• An IVC Filter Gone Wrong - B. Jalil, Y. Kothari, B. Al-Adili, K. El-Kersh

• Is Pneumonia Different in Healthy Patients Younger than 65 Years-Old? Analysis of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization (CAPO) Database - A.J. Videla, I. Palma, M. Fernandez Acquier, M. Labato, T. Wiemken, S. Furmanek, P. Peyrani, J.A. Ramirez, C.M. Luna