Publications

aerobic microorganisms associated with free-ranging bottlenose dolphins in coastal gulf of mexico and atlantic ocean waters.	our abilities to assess health risks to free-ranging dolphin populations, to treat live-stranded or captive dolphins, and to evaluate the risks of disease transmission between humans and dolphins have suffered from a lack of basic information on microorganisms associated with normal, presumably healthy free-ranging individuals. in order to provide these data, we sampled free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) off florida, texas, and north carolina during 1990-2002. blowhole and ana ...	2006	17092884
much ado about the flu.		2005	17094498
texas poisonings at the beginning of the 21st century: 2000 through 2002.	human exposure calls to poison centers may vary by geographic region. this investigation compared the pattern of human exposure calls to texas poison centers with calls to those in other states from 2000 through 2002. although the total number of human exposure calls increased for both texas and non-texas poison centers, the increase was twice as great for those in texas. patients in texas human exposure calls tended to be younger. texas calls were more likely to involve bites and stings, suspec ...	2005	17094511
investigation of texas poison center calls regarding a chlorine gas release: implications for terrorist attack toxicosurveillance.	the investigation reported here was conducted to describe the pattern of calls received by the texas poison center network (tpcn) in relation to a chlorine gas release that resulted from a train collision in bexar county, texas, on june 28, 2004, and to test various methods for conducting toxicosurveillance. tpcn received a total of 42 calls; the first call was received approximately 35 minutes after the collision. calls continued for 10 days after the collision. comparison of the number of call ...	2006	17115583
challenges and opportunities of nursing care in special-needs shelters.	hurricanes katrina and rita forced many individuals along the coast of texas and louisiana to seek shelter inland. among the evacuees were residents with special needs and residents of nursing homes and group homes caring for mentally retarded and physically disabled persons. many nurses volunteered to provide health care for those in need. this article discusses challenges and opportunities that were encountered by nurses volunteering in special-needs shelters. issues related to human and physi ...	2006	17127208
guide for herbal product use by mexican americans in the largest texas-mexico border community.	use of herbal products is a very common practice among mexican americans living in the el paso, texas, region. although medicinal plants are generally assumed to be a safe and natural alternative to conventional medications, some herbal products could pose a potential health risk to the consumer. currently, only a few studies focus on herbal product use by mexican americans, and no studies have focused on its use by patients with human immunodeficiency virus (hn) living on the us-mexico border. ...	2006	17128764
"texans are everywhere!".		2006	17131498
association of the ptpn22 r620w polymorphism with anti-topoisomerase i- and anticentromere antibody-positive systemic sclerosis.	to determine any associations of the ptpn22 r620w single-nucleotide polymorphism (snp) with systemic sclerosis (ssc) or with anticentromere antibody (aca)-positive or anti-topoisomerase i (anti-topo i) antibody-positive ssc, in a case-control study of us white, black, hispanic, and choctaw indian individuals.	2006	17133608
sex-specific qtl effects on variation in paraoxonase 1 (pon1) activity in mexican americans.	paraoxonase 1 (pon1), a high-density lipoprotein-associated enzyme known to protect against cellular damage from toxic agents, may also have antioxidant properties. pon1 activity levels have been reported to differ by sex in human and animal studies with females exhibiting higher basal levels. we measured pon1 activity frozen serum for 1,406 individuals in over 40 extended pedigrees from the san antonio family heart study (safhs). we used a maximum likelihood-based, variance decomposition approa ...	2007	17136774
hiv-positive man denied ssa disability benefits.		2006	17165193
rabies surveillance in the united states during 2005.	during 2005, 49 states and puerto rico reported 6,417 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 1 case in a human being to the cdc, representing a 6.2% decrease from the 6,836 cases in nonhuman animals and 8 cases in human beings reported in 2004. approximately 92% of the cases were in wildlife, and 8% were in domestic animals. relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,534 raccoons (39.5%), 1,478 skunks (23%), 1,408 bats (21.9%), 376 foxes (5.9%), 269 cats (4.2%), 93 cat ...	2006	17173527
proteus bacteriuria is associated with significant morbidity in spinal cord injury.	retrospective chart review.	2007	17179975
influenza vaccination and risk of mortality among adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia.	influenza vaccination has been shown to reduce illness and all-cause mortality in vulnerable populations through the prevention of influenza infection. attenuation of the severity of illness by vaccination has been reported for respiratory tract infections due to bacterial pathogens and would represent an important additional health benefit of influenza vaccination. we evaluated the impact of prior influenza vaccination on in-hospital mortality and other health outcomes among hospitalized adults ...	2007	17210878
creating a successful school-based mobile dental program.	dental disease is one of the leading causes of school absenteeism for children. this article describes the creation and evolution of the st. david's dental program, a mobile school-based dental program for children.	2007	17212753
no association between the +874t/a single nucleotide polymorphism in the ifn-gamma gene and susceptibility to tb.	a single nucleotide polymorphism (snp), +874t/a, in the first intron of the interferon-gamma (ifn-gamma) gene, has presented associations with human susceptibility to tuberculosis (tb) in some ethnic populations, but not in others. in this population-based case-control study with adult tb patients from houston, texas, we found no significant differences of + 874t/a genotypic frequencies between cases and ethnically-matched controls or between advanced forms of tb disease (extra-pulmonary involve ...	2007	17217140
vaccinate yourself.		2004	17236304
services oriented architectures and rapid deployment of ad-hoc health surveillance systems: lessons from katrina relief efforts.	during the hurricane katrina relief efforts, a new city was born overnight within the city of houston to provide accommodation and health services for thousands of evacuees deprived of food, rest, medical attention, and sanitation. the hurricane victims had been exposed to flood water, toxic materials, physical injury, and mental stress. this scenario was an invitation for a variety of public health hazards, primarily infectious disease outbreaks. early detection and monitoring of morbidity and ...	2006	17238405
knowing and intelligent: a study of miranda warnings in mentally disordered defendants.	a conservative estimate is that 695,000 mentally disordered offenders are arrested and mirandized annually in the united states. past research has focused almost exclusively on cognitive factors affecting the comprehension of miranda rights. the current study broadens the scope by including diagnostic variables and by extending the investigation to basic elements of miranda reasoning. a sample of 107 mentally disordered defendants was administered two research measures, the miranda statements sc ...	2007	17245635
high-resolution analysis of salmonellae from turtles within a headwater spring ecosystem.	sediments and water from the pristine headwaters of the san marcos river, texas, usa, as well as swabs from biofilms on the carapace and from the cloacae of 17 musk turtles (sternotherus odoratus) and one snapping turtle (chelydra serpentina serpentina) caught at the same site, were analysed for salmonellae by culture and molecular techniques. whereas enrichment cultures from sediment and water samples were negative for salmonellae in pcr- and in situ hybridization-based analyses, both technique ...	2007	17250751
a genome-wide linkage scan for diabetic retinopathy susceptibility genes in mexican americans with type 2 diabetes from starr county, texas.	we conducted a genome-wide linkage scan for genes contributing to retinopathy risk using 794 diabetes case subjects from 393 mexican-american families from starr county, texas, having at least two diabetic siblings. the sample included 567 retinopathy case subjects comprising 282 affected sibling pairs. retinopathy was classified as none, early nonproliferative, moderate-to-severe nonproliferative, or proliferative. using 360 polymorphic markers (average spacing 9.4 cm), we conducted nonparametr ...	2007	17251272
rapid jamming avoidance in biosonar.	the sonar systems of bats and dolphins are in many ways superior to man-made sonar and radar systems, and considerable effort has been devoted to understanding the signal-processing strategies underlying these capabilities. a major feature determining the efficiency of sonar systems is the sensitivity to noise and jamming signals. previous studies indicated that echolocating bats may adjust their signal structure to avoid jamming ('jamming avoidance response'; jar). however, these studies relied ...	2007	17254989
biocomplexity and conservation of biodiversity hotspots: three case studies from the americas.	the perspective of 'biocomplexity' in the form of 'coupled natural and human systems' represents a resource for the future conservation of biodiversity hotspots in three direct ways: (i) modelling the impact on biodiversity of private land-use decisions and public land-use policies, (ii) indicating how the biocultural history of a biodiversity hotspot may be a resource for its future conservation, and (iii) identifying and deploying the nodes of both the material and psycho-spiritual connectivit ...	2007	17255039
prevalence of rickettsia felis dna in the blood of cats and their fleas in the united states.	rickettsia felis is associated with fever, headache, myalgia, and macular rash in some infected humans and has been detected in the cat flea (ctenocephalides felis) in many countries around the world. while some naturally exposed cats have been assessed for antibodies against r felis, to our knowledge, no one has reported use of polymerase chain reaction (pcr) to attempt to amplify r felis dna from client-owned cats and the fleas collected from them. in this study, we assayed 92 pairs of cat blo ...	2007	17276123
sentencing. hiv-positive inmate gets 10 more years for biting officer.		2006	17278243
retaining older nurses--and their knowledge--in the workforce. . . receives increased attention.		2006	17283970
dehp, bis(2)-ethylhexyl phthalate, alters gene expression in human cells: possible correlation with initiation of fetal developmental abnormalities.	diethylhexylphthalate (dehp) is a widely distributed phthalate, to which humans are exposed to due to its variety of commercial and manufacturing uses. as a plasticiser, it is found in a wide number of products, and metabolites of dehp have been detected in urine samples from a high percentage of the people screened for phthalates. we utilised dna microarray analysis to evaluate dehp for gene expression disrupting activity using the human cell line mcf-7, and found that dehp significantly dysreg ...	2006	17286146
caveolin-1 overexpression is associated with aggressive prostate cancer recurrence.	caveolin-1 protein suppresses apoptotic cell death in prostate cancer. the objectives of this study were to investigate the association of caveolin-1 expression with established features of prostate cancer as well as overall and aggressive disease recurrence in patients treated with radical prostatectomy (rp).	2007	17299799
genome-wide scans for microalbuminuria in mexican americans: the san antonio family heart study.	microalbuminuria, defined as urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio of 0.03 to 0.299 mg/mg, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. several genetic epidemiological studies have established that microalbuminuria clusters in families, suggesting a genetic predisposition.	2007	17304049
population-based resequencing of angptl4 uncovers variations that reduce triglycerides and increase hdl.	resequencing genes provides the opportunity to assess the full spectrum of variants that influence complex traits. here we report the first application of resequencing to a large population (n = 3,551) to examine the role of the adipokine angptl4 in lipid metabolism. nonsynonymous variants in angptl4 were more prevalent in individuals with triglyceride levels in the lowest quartile than in individuals with levels in the highest quartile (p = 0.016). one variant (e40k), present in approximately 3 ...	2007	17322881
oxycodone abuse in texas, 1998-2004.	oxycodone is frequently abused, and this abuse appears to be increasing. the purpose of this study was to describe the patterns of oxycodone abuse identified by texas poison control centers. all oxycodone calls received by texas poison control centers during 1998-2004 were identified. annual trends and geographic distributions were determined for drug identification (id) calls and abuse calls. the distribution of abuse calls was then compared to the distribution of all other types of human expos ...	2007	17365606
adderall abuse in texas, 1998-2004.	adderall is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) in children and is subject to abuse. this study describes the patterns of adderall abuse calls received by several poison control centers in texas during 1998-2004. drug abuse calls were assessed by call year and geographic location. drug abuse calls were then compared to all other human exposure (nonabuse) calls with respect to various factors. of all adderall exposure calls, 12% involved abuse. the number of d ...	2007	17365619
geriatric training academy: innovative education for certified nurse aides and charge nurses.	quality care for the rapidly growing number of older americans is a major challenge facing the health care industry today. with the baby-boom generation "coming of age"--older age-the need for quality long-term care workers is on the rise. it is estimated that the number of persons needing assisted or alternative living arrangements will increase from 15 million in 2000 to 27 million in 2050 (u.s. department of health and human services [hhs], 2003). in response to the rising demand for quality ...	2007	17378190
predictors and patterns of recurrence after definitive chemoradiation for anal cancer.	to evaluate patterns of locoregional failure, and predictors of recurrence and survival in patients treated with chemoradiation for anal cancer.	2007	17379452
efficacy of trivalent, cold-adapted, influenza virus vaccine against influenza a (fujian), a drift variant, during 2003-2004.	in the 2003-2004 influenza season, the predominant circulating influenza a (h3n2) virus in the united states was similar antigenically to a/fujian/411/2002 (h3n2), a drift variant of a/panama/2007/99 (h3n2), the vaccine strain. that year, a field study of trivalent live-attenuated influenza vaccine (laiv-t) was conducted in temple-belton, texas, as part of a larger community-based, non-randomized, open-label study in three communities that began in august 1998 [gaglani mj, piedra pa, herschler g ...	2007	17395338
an ecological study of the association of metal air pollutants with lung cancer incidence in texas.	air pollution particulate matter and tobacco smoke, which contain metals that are human lung carcinogens, are associated with lung cancer risk. we conducted an ecological study to examine the association of metal air pollutants with lung cancer incidence in texas.	2006	17409932
creating sustainable curricular change: lessons learned from an alternative therapies educational initiative.	the authors describe the process by which a curriculum was developed to introduce complementary and alternative medicine topics at multiple levels from health professional students to faculty, as part of a five-year project, funded by a grant from the national institutes of health, at the university of texas medical branch in galveston, texas, from 2001 to 2005. the curriculum was based on four educational goals that embrace effective communication with patients, application of sound evidence, c ...	2007	17414188
environmental justice: the tuskegee legacy project.		2007	17431465
chagas disease in texas: recognizing the significance and implications of evidence in the literature.	chagas disease is endemic and is recognized as a major health problem in many latin american countries. despite the parallels between socio-economic and environmental conditions in texas and much of latin america, chagas disease is not a notifiable human disease in texas. based on extensive review of related literature, this paper seeks to recognize the evidence that chagas disease is endemic to texas but the epidemiological, parasitological and entomological patterns of chagas disease in texas ...	2007	17434248
effects of multiple daily insulin injections on peripheral glucose disposal in latin americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus.	to evaluate the effects of insulin in multiple daily injections (mdi) on peripheral glucose disposal in latin american patients with type 2 diabetes.	2007	17441407
case report: cutaneous myiasis caused by dermatobia hominis, the human botfly.	cutaneous myiasis caused by dermatobia hominis, the human botfly, involves the infestation of human tissue with fly larvae, and is common in central and south america. we report a case of a 57-year-old man with cutaneous myiasis imported into the us from belize. the epidemiology, biological life cycle, clinical presentation, and various methods of larval extraction, including incision and drainage, are discussed.	2007	17448950
genotype diversity of escherichia coli isolates in natural waters determined by pfge and eric-pcr.	most library-dependent bacterial source tracking studies using escherichia coli (e. coli) have focused on strain diversity of isolates obtained from known human and animal faecal sources for library development. in contrast, this study evaluated the genotype variation of e. coli isolated from natural surface water using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (pfge) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence polymerase chain reaction (eric-pcr) to better understand these naturally occ ...	2007	17475306
functional polymorphisms of jwa gene are associated with risk of bladder cancer.	the jwa gene is a novel cell differentiation-related gene thought to be a responsive gene in response to dna damage and repair induced by environmental stressors. recently, a novel single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) was identified in the promoter of the jwa gene (-76gc) that may alter the transcription activity and thus play a role in increased risk of bladder cancer. further, studies were conducted to screen for more novel variants in the jwa exons by using pcr-sscp (polymerase chain reaction ...	2007	17479401
spontaneous neoplasia in the baboon (papio spp.).	there are several comprehensive reviews of spontaneous neoplasia in non-human primates that compile individual cases or small numbers of cases, but do not provide statistical analysis of tumor incidence, demographics, or epidemiology.	2007	17493137
modeling hospital response to mild and severe influenza pandemic scenarios under normal and expanded capacities.	william beaumont army medical center conducted quantitative modeling with flusurge 2.0 (centers for disease control and prevention) to determine hospital capabilities in responding to patient arrival surges of the fort bliss population in mild 1968-type and severe 1918-type influenza pandemics. model predictions showed that william beaumont army medical center could adequately care for all intensive care unit (icu) and non-icu patients during a mild pandemic, particularly if hospital capacity wa ...	2007	17521095
spirochetemia caused by borrelia turicatae infection in 3 dogs in texas.	spirochetemia was diagnosed in 2 siberian huskies and a rottweiler from the northwestern region of texas between june 1999 and october 2001. clinical findings were nonspecific; tick exposure was documented in 2 of the dogs. hematologic abnormalities included anemia (n=2), neutrophilia (n=2, including 1 with a left shift), lymphopenia (n=3), eosinopenia (n=3), and thrombocytopenia (n=2). one anemic dog had a positive coombs' test. in 1 dog, western blot analysis of serum yielded multiple positive ...	2007	17523100
texas statewide hepatitis c counseling and testing, 2000-2005.	in 1999, the texas legislature funded a statewide hepatitis c education and prevention program. hepatitis training was incorporated into training for all human immunodeficiency virus (hiv), sexually transmitted disease (std), and substance abuse counselors. hepatitis c virus (hcv) counseling and hcv-antibody (anti-hcv) testing services were integrated into 20 hiv/std service provider programs. hepatitis c counseling and testing became available in 2000. through 2005, 38,717 tests were administer ...	2007	17542446
establishing the benefit of statins in low-to-moderate--risk primary prevention: the air force/texas coronary atherosclerosis prevention study (afcaps/texcaps).	afcaps/texcaps was the first prevention trial of a statin conducted in a low-to-moderate-risk cohort that included men (> or =45 years) and women (> or =55 years) with no evidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. at study entry, ldl-c had to be 130-190 mg/dl and hdl-c < or =45 mg/dl for men and < or =47 mg/dl for women. participants were randomized to either lovastatin 20-40 mg/day (n=3304) or placebo (n=3301) for a mean follow-up period of 5.2 years. at 1 year, in the lovastatin group ...	2007	17588826
spatial distribution of orofacial cleft defect births in harris county, texas, 1990 to 1994, and historical evidence for the presence of low-level radioactivity in tap water.	while both ionizing and nonionizing radiation are known to impair human reproductive capacity, the role of low-level domestic radiation continues to be an unsettled issue.	2007	17591309
the identity, distribution, and impacts of non-native apple snails in the continental united states.	since the mid 1990s populations of non-native apple snails (ampullariidae) have been discovered with increasing frequency in the continental united states. given the dramatic effects that introduced apple snails have had on both natural habitats and agricultural areas in southeast asia, their introduction to the mainland u.s. is cause for concern. we combine phylogenetic analyses of mtdna sequences with examination of introduced populations and museum collections to clarify the identities, intro ...	2007	17594487
school-based hiv/std prevention programs: do benefits justify costs?	to evaluate the city of houston hiv/std prevention program in public high schools using the cost-utility-analysis approach.	2008	17641136
genome-wide scan for serum ghrelin detects linkage on chromosome 1p36 in hispanic children: results from the viva la familia study.	this study was conducted to investigate genetic influence on serum ghrelin and its relationship with adiposity-related phenotypes in hispanic children (n=1030) from the viva la familia study (vfs). anthropometric measurements and levels of serum ghrelin were estimated and genetic analyses conducted according to standard procedures. mean age, body mass index (bmi), and serum ghrelin were 11+/-0.13 y, 25+/-0.24 kg/m2 and 38+/-0.5 ng/ml, respectively. significant heritabilities (p<0.001) were obtai ...	2007	17667848
perceptions of financial payment for research participation among african-american drug users in hiv studies.	financial compensation for participating in research is controversial, especially when participants are recruited from economically disadvantaged and/or marginalized populations such as drug users. little is known about these participants' own views regarding payment for research participation.	2007	17668270
mutations in the mpv17 gene are responsible for rapidly progressive liver failure in infancy.	mpv17 is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein of unknown function recently recognized as responsible for a mitochondrial dna depletion syndrome. the aim of this study is to delineate the specific clinical, pathological, biochemical, and molecular features associated with mitochondrial dna depletion due to mpv17 gene mutations. we report 4 cases from 3 ethnically diverse families with mpv17 mutations. importantly, 2 of these cases presented with isolated liver failure during infancy without not ...	2007	17694548
rabies surveillance in the united states during 2006.	during 2006, 49 states and puerto rico reported 6,940 cases of rabies in animals and 3 cases in humans to the cdc, representing an 8.2% increase from the 6,417 cases in animals and 1 case in a human reported in 2005. approximately 92% of the cases were in wildlife, and 8% were in domestic animals. relative contributions by the major animal groups were as follows: 2,615 raccoons (37.7%), 1,692 bats (24.4%), 1,494 skunks (21.5%), 427 foxes (6.2%), 318 cats (4.6%), 82 cattle (1.2%), and 79 dogs (1. ...	2007	17696853
trivalent live attenuated intranasal influenza vaccine administered during the 2003-2004 influenza type a (h3n2) outbreak provided immediate, direct, and indirect protection in children.	live attenuated influenza vaccine may protect against wild-type influenza illness shortly after vaccine administration by innate immunity. the 2003-2004 influenza a (h3n2) outbreak arrived early, and the circulating strain was antigenically distinct from the vaccine strain. the objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of influenza vaccines for healthy school-aged children when administered during the influenza outbreak.	2007	17698577
affirming at-risk minorities for success (arms): retention, graduation, and success on the nclex-rn.	increasing ethnic and racial diversity in the u.s. population combined with inadequate minority representation in the nursing profession requires innovative strategies to recruit, retain, and graduate nurses from diverse ethnic and racial populations. affirming at-risk minorities for success (arms) was funded by a u.s. department of health and human services basic nurse education and practice program grant. participants (n = 64) were enrolled in a baccalaureate degree nursing program that has be ...	2007	17726997
surviving hurricane katrina: reconstructing the educational enterprise of tulane university school of medicine.	hurricane katrina was one of the greatest natural disasters to ever strike the united states. tulane university school of medicine, located in downtown new orleans, and its three major teaching hospitals were flooded in the aftermath of the storm and forced to close. faculty, students, residents, and staff evacuated to locations throughout the country. all critical infrastructure that normally maintained the school, including information technology, network communication servers, registration sy ...	2007	17762249
dioxin chronology and fluxes in sediments of the houston ship channel, texas: influences of non-steady-state sediment transport and total organic carbon.	polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (dioxins) are persistent contaminants that bioaccumulate and pose serious risks to humans. the primary objective of this study was to determine the history and mechanisms of dioxin accumulation in sediments of the houston ship channel (hsc) using analytical data on natural and anthropogenic radionuclides (7be, 137cs, and 210pb) and dioxins. results showed that present-day sedimentary dioxin accumulation rates are orders of magnitude higher than ...	2007	17822093
identification of type 2 diabetes genes in mexican americans through genome-wide association studies.	the objective of this study was to identify dna polymorphisms associated with type 2 diabetes in a mexican-american population.	2007	17846124
a chromosome 11q quantitative-trait locus influences change of blood-pressure measurements over time in mexican americans of the san antonio family heart study.	although previous genome scans have searched for quantitative-trait loci (qtls) influencing variation in blood pressure (bp), few have investigated the rate of change in bp over time as a phenotype. here, we compare results from genomewide scans to localize qtls for systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial bps (sbp, dbp, and mbp, respectively) and for rates of change in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial bps (rsbp, rdbp, and rmbp, respectively), with use of the longitudinal data collected abou ...	2007	17846999
nutrient intakes in women and risks of anophthalmia and microphthalmia in their offspring.	there is a paucity of information about risk factors for the human eye anomalies anophthalmia and microphthalmia. in this population-based case-control study we investigated whether periconceptional intakes of supplemental folic acid, dietary folate, vitamin a, and several other nutrients were associated with these eye defects.	2007	17847120
a scan of program evaluation at the houston department of health and human services.		2007	17877320
vibration exposure and biodynamic responses during whole-body vibration training.	excessive, chronic whole-body vibration (wbv) has a number of negative side effects on the human body, including disorders of the skeletal, digestive, reproductive, visual, and vestibular systems. whole-body vibration training (wbvt) is intentional exposure to wbv to increase leg muscle strength, bone mineral density, health-related quality of life, and decrease back pain. the purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate vibration exposure and biodynamic responses during typical wbvt reg ...	2007	17909407
genetic polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin system (ras) genes and their association analysis with type 2 diabetes and related traits in mexican americans.		2008	17936396
associations between two mosquito populations and west nile virus in harris county, texas, 2003-06.	associations between culex quinquefasciatus, aedes albopictus and west nile virus (wnv) activity, temperature, and rainfall in harris county, texas 2003-06 are discussed. human cases were highly correlated to cx. quinquefasciatus (r = 0.87) and ae. albopictus (r = 0.78) pools, blue jays (r = 0.83), and ae. albopictus collected (r = 0.71), but not cx. quinquefasciatus collected (r = 0.45). human cases were associated with temperature (r = 0.71), not rainfall (r = 0.29), whereas temperature correl ...	2007	17939505
venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection of cotton rats.	venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (veev) is an emerging pathogen of equids and humans, but infection of its rodent reservoir hosts has received little study. to determine whether responses to infection vary among geographic populations, we inoculated 3 populations of cotton rats with 2 enzootic veev strains (co97-0054 [enzootic id subtype] and 68u201 [enzootic ie subtype]). the 3 populations were offspring from wild-caught cotton rats collected in a vee-enzootic area of south florida, usa; wi ...	2007	17953085
injecting drug use is associated with hiv risk perception among mexican americans in the rio grande valley of south texas, usa.	injecting drug use (idu) remains an actual risk variable in human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection in most ethnic populations, and the association between actual risk and individual perception of hiv risk varies across studies and samples. this study aimed to examine the relationship between idu and hiv risk perception among mexican americans residing in rio grande valley, south texas.	2008	17961614
hiv infection increases the risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.	the incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)-infected inpatients was compared with that in a control group that was not known to be infected with hiv in a retrospective cohort study. hiv-infected patients receiving heparin therapy, especially unfractionated heparin therapy, were at increased risk of developing heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, compared with hiv-uninfected patients.	2007	17968841
lessons from the failure of human papillomavirus vaccine state requirements.	the licensure in 2006 of a vaccine against the subtypes of human papillomavirus (hpv) responsible for the majority of cervical cancers and genital warts was heralded as a watershed moment for vaccination, cancer prevention, and global health. a safe and effective vaccine against hpv has long been viewed as an enormous asset to cervical cancer prevention efforts worldwide. this is particularly true for places lacking robust pap screening programs where cervical cancer has the greatest prevalence ...	2007	17971822
relative susceptibilties of south texas mosquitoes to infection with west nile virus.	three species of mosquitoes (culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, aedes aegypti, and ae. albopictus) collected in texas were compared with respect to their relative susceptibility to infection with west nile virus (wnv) strain 114. oral infection and dissemination rates were 73% infected with 86% dissemination for ae. aegypti, 13% infected with 100% dissemination for ae. albopictus, and 100% infected and disseminated for cx. p. quinquefasciatus. the oral infectious dose required to establish a 50% in ...	2007	17984355
characterization of human milk donors.	the primary objective of this research was to create a detailed characterization of human milk donors, including descriptive information about demographics and lifestyle, involvement with the milk bank, reasons for donating, problems encountered while breastfeeding and pumping milk, barriers to donating milk, affective experiences, and personal values. data were collected via telephone interview of 87 donors and 19 nondonor controls. few relationships were found between the descriptive informati ...	2007	17991801
acute respiratory disease associated with adenovirus serotype 14--four states, 2006-2007.	adenovirus serotype 14 (ad14) is a rarely reported but emerging serotype of adenovirus that can cause severe and sometimes fatal respiratory illness in patients of all ages, including healthy young adults. in may 2006, an infant in new york aged 12 days died from respiratory illness caused by ad14. during march-june 2007, a total of 140 additional cases of confirmed ad14 respiratory illness were identified in clusters of patients in oregon, washington, and texas. fifty-three (38%) of these patie ...	2007	18004235
seasonality of clinical isolation of rapidly growing mycobacteria.	rapidly growing mycobacteria (rgm) are environmental organisms that have emerged as significant human pathogens. rgm infections show remarkable geographic variations. in this study, based on data from houston, texas, rgm were isolated from clinical cultures year-round, although peaks in the summer and autumn correlating with the seasonal variation of temperature and rainfall also were noted. these results may offer some explanation for the summer occurrence of rgm outbreaks at diverse locations.	2008	18005476
human health effects associated with the commercial use of grunerite asbestos (amosite): paterson, nj; tyler, tx; uxbridge, uk.	grunerite asbestos (amosite) has been shown in epidemiological and experimental animal studies to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and pulmonary fibrosis commonly referred to as asbestosis. an overview of the human and experimental animal studies describing the health hazards of grunerite asbestos (amosite) is presented. of the many human studies describing the health hazards of asbestos, only three factories using mainly, if not exclusively, grunerite asbestos (amosite) have been studied. the fi ...	2008	18022741
neutralization of two north american coral snake venoms with united states and mexican antivenoms.	elapid snakes throughout the world are considered very lethal, containing neurotoxic venoms that affect the nervous system. when humans are envenomated it is considered a serious medical emergency, and antivenom is the main form of treatment considered, in spite of the fact that some patients may only survive under intensive therapy treatment such as respiratory support. coral snakes are part of the family elapidae and envenomations by these snakes are very low (<2% of total snakebites) in most ...	2008	18054059
carisoprodol abuse in texas, 1998-2003.	texas poison centers identified carisoprodol as a skeletal muscle relaxant that is subject to abuse, and this investigation explores the abuse reported by texas poison centers.	2006	18072105
pandemic influenza: still a threat.		2007	18078242
the role of nonpharmaceutical interventions during a pandemic.		2007	18078246
pandemic planning for office-based practices.		2007	18078247
pandemic influenza planning in texas: the pediatric perspective.		2007	18078248
commentary: dshs plans for an influenza pandemic.		2007	18078249
rapid assays for the diagnosis of influenza a and b viruses in patients evaluated at a large tertiary care children's hospital during two consecutive winter seasons.	the rapid and accurate diagnosis of influenza facilitates antiviral therapy, judicious antibiotic usage, and cohorting patients to decrease nosocomial infection.	2008	18083627
the right to health care in the united states: local answers to global responsibilities.		2007	18084858
respiratory syncytial virus laboratory surveillance and hospitalization trends in south texas.	surveillance of seasonal variations in respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) outbreaks is an important component in clinical decision-making. a retrospective analysis of 11 years of laboratory-based rsv surveillance and 7 years of hospitalization data was carried out to better define the onset and duration of the rsv season in south texas, as well as to evaluate the clinical impact and timing of rsv outbreaks on the number of infants hospitalized with rsv infection. all but one of the seasons examin ...	2007	18090201
incidence of leptospirosis in man and rodents in galveston.		1948	18122516
evidence of interaction between pparg2 and hnf4a contributing to variation in insulin sensitivity in mexican americans.	we hypothesized that interaction between pparg2 pro12ala and variants in the promoter region of hnf4a are associated with type 2 diabetes-related quantitative traits in mexican-american families of a proband with previous gestational diabetes.	2008	18162503
the post-baccalaureate premedical certification program at the university of north texas health science center strengthens admission qualifications for entrance into medical school.	the post-baccalaureate (postbac) premedical certification program at the university of north texas health science center provides an opportunity for individuals to enhance their credentials for entry into medical school by offering a challenging biomedical science core curriculum in graduate biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, and pharmacology. in addition, students (called postbacs) receive instruction in human gross anatomy, histology, and embryology with first-year medical students. more ...	2008	18162749
experiences of women in obtaining human immunodeficiency virus testing and healthcare services.	over a decade ago, the u.s. public health service recommended routine human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) testing for pregnant women. despite this recommendation, nearly 30% of pregnant women report not being tested. the purpose of this qualitative study was to describe personal experiences of women in obtaining hiv testing and healthcare services in east texas.	2008	18184164
identifying the impact of the built environment on flood damage in texas.	floods continue to pose the greatest threat to the property and safety of human communities among all natural hazards in the united states. this study examines the relationship between the built environment and flood impacts in texas, which consistently sustains the most damage from flooding of any other state in the country. specifically, we calculate property damage resulting from 423 flood events between 1997 and 2001 at the county level. we identify the effect of several built environment me ...	2008	18217915
evaluation of pathways for release of rift valley fever virus into domestic ruminant livestock, ruminant wildlife, and human populations in the continental united states.	to evaluate the feasibility for rift valley fever virus (rvfv) to enter the continental united states by various routes as well as to identify states in which domestic and wild ruminant and human populations would be most vulnerable to exposure to rvfv.	2008	18279085
repeatability of a telephone questionnaire on cat-ownership patterns and pet-owner demographics evaluation in a community in texas, usa.	the repeatability of a telephone questionnaire on cat-ownership patterns, demographics and attitudes towards homeless cats in a community was evaluated. randomly selected households (n=100) within caldwell, texas, were included in the study. the response percentage was 84% (100/119) among those contacted and 75% (100/134) among all eligible respondents. repeatability was measured by administering the same survey twice to the first 100 responding subjects, with an average (range) of 48 (25-64) da ...	2008	18282624
clinical, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical features of microglandular adenosis and transition into in situ and invasive carcinoma.	microglandular adenosis (mga) of the breast is widely known as a benign lesion that can mimic invasive carcinoma. in situ and invasive carcinomas have been described as arising in mga, but which cases of mga will progress to carcinoma is unclear. criteria for distinguishing uncomplicated mga, mga with atypia (amga), and carcinoma arising in mga (mgaca) are not standardized. the primary objective of this study was to illustrate the clinical, histopathologic, and immunophenotypical characteristics ...	2008	18300793
envenomation by the asp caterpillar (megalopyge opercularis).	the asp caterpillar, megalopyge opercularis, is endemic to the southern united states and causes hundreds of human envenomations annually. envenomation from the spines of the caterpillar causes severe pain, burning, swelling, nausea, abdominal distress, and headache. despite the high prevalence of envenomations, little is known about the caterpillars, their geographical distribution, and the symptoms they engender.	2008	18344102
the frequency of lymphocytic gastritis in baboons.	in 1985, two independent reports highlighted a novel subtype of chronic inflammation in the gastric mucosa, characterized by the intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration (ili) both in the surface and the foveolar epithelium. the disease, subsequently called lymphocytic gastritis (lg) is a rare form of gastritis (0.8%-1.6% of cases), with unclear pathogenesis. more recently, lg was recorded in pigs and in non-human primates.	2008	18396790
clinical investigation of hospitalized human cases of west nile virus infection in houston, texas, 2002-2004.	the objective of this study was to describe the clinical features of cases hospitalized with west nile virus (wnv) infections and identify clinical parameters that could potentially predict poor outcome (death). retrospective medical chart reviews were completed for 172 confirmed cases of wnv infection hospitalized in the houston, texas, metropolitan area between 2002 and 2004. of the 172 patients, 113 had encephalitis which resulted in 17 deaths, 47 had meningitis, and 12 had uncomplicated feve ...	2008	18399781
juvenile dogs as potential sentinels for west nile virus surveillance.	we conducted a study to determine whether juvenile stray dogs could be sentinels for west nile virus (wnv) surveillance. seroconversion was detected 6 weeks before the first reported human case. our findings provide evidence that dogs could be useful sentinels for monitoring areas for evidence of wnv during transmission seasons.	2008	18399945
teaching the psychology of women: an interdisciplinary approach.	this paper explores the development of a college freshman level course entitled, "psychology of women" at the university of the incarnate word in san antonio, texas. interdisciplinary focus groups were held that included female professors from various disciplines, i.e., business, education, english literature, biology, nursing, and religious studies. the critical question posed to the group was: in this era of globalization and diversity, what issues and topics should be covered in a class that ...	2007	18402352
expression of methylation-related genes is associated with overall survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.	the abnormality of dna methylation is involved in tumour progression, and thus has a modulating effect on clinical outcome of cancer patients. in this study, we measured the mrna expression levels of three methylation-regulating genes (dnmt1, dnmt3b, and mbd2) in 148 tumour samples from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (nsclc) using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and then determined their prognostic values. our data showed that the high level of dnmt1 expression was sig ...	2008	18414412
bat rabies in the united states and canada from 1950 through 2007: human cases with and without bat contact.	since the 1980s, rare cases of rabies in humans in canada and the united states have been almost exclusively caused by the bat-variant virus.	2008	18419432
social vulnerability and the natural and built environment: a model of flood casualties in texas.	studies on the impacts of hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornados indicate that poor communities of colour suffer disproportionately in human death and injury.(2) few quantitative studies have been conducted on the degree to which flood events affect socially vulnerable populations. we address this research void by analysing 832 countywide flood events in texas from 1997-2001. specifically, we examine whether geographic localities characterised by high percentages of socially vulnerable popula ...	2008	18435768