Abstract: Risk engines and related methods may benefit patients and their physicians. For example, patients may benefit from being able to determine their personal genetic, environmental, and behavioral risks. Moreover, physicians may be able to provide statistically-driven individual recommendations based on a risk engine's determination of such risks. A method can include selecting one or more candidate genetic variants associated with a phenotype from the scientific literature. The method can also include scoring a genetic association between the one or more candidate genetic variants and the phenotype. The method can further include selecting one or more high-scoring genetic variants. Selecting a best genetic variant within each of at least one linkage disequilibrium (LD) block can also be included in the method. The method can additionally include calculating risk associated with the best genetic variant from the at least one LD block.

Abstract: Methods of decreasing the extent of occlusion in the lumen of a mammalian blood vessel due to an ischemic or other hypoxic event are provided. In one form, a method includes administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of an inhibitor of ? protein kinase C, either alone or in combination with a second therapeutic agent, and wherein the blood vessel is a blood vessel of the microvasculature. Additionally, methods of decreasing endothelial cell swelling in a mammalian blood vessel due to an ischemic or other hypoxic event are also provided. In one form, a method includes administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of an inhibitor of ? protein kinase C, either alone or in combination with a second therapeutic agent.

Abstract: Methods are provided for locally administering an agent to a host. Specifically, the subject methods provide for the local administration of an agent to an interstitial space of a host. In the subject methods, an agent is retroinfused into a vessel of a host, typically a vein, under conditions sufficient for the agent to enter an interstitial space of the host proximal to the vessel location into which the agent is retroinfused. In practicing the subject methods, the agent is administered to the host in combination with the production of vascular stress at the site of administration, where the vascular tissue stress is sufficient to provide for transport of the agent from the vascular site of deposition into the target interstitial space. In a preferred embodiment, the agent is retroinfused at a pressure sufficient to provide for mechanical stress on the vessel proximal to the target interstitial space. Also provided are kits for use in practicing the subject methods.