Publications

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[the agony and the ecstasy of human immunology]. 200818950565
pesticide/environmental exposures and parkinson's disease in east texas.epidemiological evidence suggests that pesticides and other environmental exposures may have a role in the etiology of idiopathic parkinson's disease (pd). however, there is little human data on risk associated with specific pesticide products, including organic pesticides such as rotenone with pd. using a case-control design, this study examined self-reports of exposure to pesticide products, organic pesticides such as rotenone, and other occupational and environmental exposures on the risk of ...200819042691
economic evaluation of an oral rabies vaccination program for control of a domestic dog-coyote rabies epizootic: 1995-2006.to conduct a benefit-cost analysis of the results of the domestic dog and coyote (ddc) oral rabies vaccine (orv) program in texas from 1995 through 2006 by use of fiscal records and relevant public health data.200819046031
enzootic rabies elimination from dogs and reemergence in wild terrestrial carnivores, united states.to provide molecular and virologic evidence that domestic dog rabies is no longer enzootic to the united states and to identify putative relatives of dog-related rabies viruses (rvs) circulating in other carnivores, we studied rvs associated with recent and historic dog rabies enzootics worldwide. molecular, phylogenetic, and epizootiologic evidence shows that domestic dog rabies is no longer enzootic to the united states. nonetheless, our data suggest that independent rabies enzootics are now e ...200819046506
susceptibility of ae. aegypti (diptera: culicidae) to infection with epidemic (subtype ic) and enzootic (subtypes id, iiic, iiid) venezuelan equine encephalitis complex alphaviruses.to test the hypothesis that enzootic and epidemic venezuelan equine encephalitis (vee) complex alphaviruses can infect and be transmitted by ae. aegypti, we conducted a series of experimental infection studies. one set of experiments tested the susceptibility of geographic strains of ae. aegypti from peru and texas (u.s.a.) for epidemic (subtype ic) and enzootic (subtype id) strains from colombia/venezuela, whereas the second set of experiments tested the susceptibility of ae. aegypti from iquit ...200819058637
field collection and genetic classification of tick-borne rickettsiae and rickettsiae-like pathogens from south texas: coxiella burnetii isolated from field-collected amblyomma cajennense.we are reporting the first known isolation of the q-fever agent coxiella burnetii from field-collected cayenne ticks amblyomma cajennense in north america. q-fever affects a number of domestic ungulates where it can lead to abortion in sheep and goats. there is far less known about the disease's effects on wild species, primarily because of the tendency of the disease to self resolve and to provide long-term immunity to subsequent infections. the first recovery of c. burnetii in north america wa ...200819120212
ethical and legal issues accompanying legislation requiring hpv vaccination of girls. 200819161131
creatinine clearance and blood pressure: a 34-year circadian study.the first circadian study of the 361st medical laboratory, usar, was conducted in may 1969 during the annual military training at brook army hospital, fort sam houston, texas. the study was approved by the surgeon general, 5th us army, and was designed to establish a circadian database for 63 medically relevant variables of 13 young members of the unit. the subsequent studies, all in the month of may, in 1979, 1988, 1993,1998, and 2003, followed the same protocol and were conducted at edward hin ...200819169600
age-associated elongation of the ascending aorta in adults.to determine whether human aorta lengthens with aging and to evaluate the impact of the hypothesized aortic elongation on pulse wave velocity (pwv) measurements.200819356510
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 ...200818414412
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.200818419432
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 ...200818435768
do pediatricians manage influenza differently than internists?little is known about how pediatricians or internists manage influenza symptoms. recent guidelines on antiviral prescribing by the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) make almost no distinction between adults and children. our objective was to describe how pediatricians in two large academic medical institutions manage influenza and compare them to internists.200818435850
influenza exposure in united states feral swine populations.swine play an important role in the disease ecology of influenza. having cellular receptors in common with birds and humans, swine provide opportunities for mixed infections and potential for genetic reassortment between avian, human, and porcine influenza. feral swine populations are rapidly expanding in both numbers and range and are increasingly coming into contact with waterfowl, humans, and agricultural operations. in this study, over 875 feral swine were sampled from six states across the ...200818436668
detection of salmonellae in different turtle species within a headwater spring ecosystem.sediments and water from the slough arm of spring lake, the headwaters of the san marcos river, texas, usa, as well as swabs from biofilms on carapaces and from the cloacae of 18 common musk turtles (sternotherus odoratus), 21 red-eared sliders (trachemys scripta elegans), nine texas river cooters (pseudemys texana), one snapping turtle (chelydra serpentina serpentina), and three guadalupe spiny soft-shell turtles (apalone spinifera guadalupensis), caught at the same site, were analyzed for salm ...200818436690
cytotoxic responses and potential respiratory health effects of carbon and carbonaceous nanoparticulates in the paso del norte airshed environment.we have utilized a range of manufactured or commercial nanoparticulate materials, including surrogate carbon nano-pm along with combustion-generated carbonaceous (soot) nano-pm characteristic of environmental nano- pm (both indoor and outdoor) to investigate and compare their cytotoxic response in vitro with an immortalized human epithelial (lung model) cell line (a549). these have included nano-ag, al2o3, tio2, fe2o3, zro2, si3n4, chrysotile asbestos, bc, 2 types of mwcnt-aggregate pm (mwcnt-r ...200818441401
perchlorate in groundwater: a synoptic survey of "pristine" sites in the coterminous united states.perchlorate is widely used as an oxidant in solid rocket propellants and energetic applications, and it has frequently been detected in groundwaters at concentrations relevant to human health. the possibility of naturally occurring perchlorate has only recently received significant attention. relying primarily on domestic, agricultural, and recreational wells, we utilized a network of volunteers to help collect 326 groundwater samples from across the coterminous united states. care was taken to ...200818441789
a genome-wide search for linkage to chronic kidney disease in a community-based sample: the safhs.chronic kidney disease (ckd) phenotypes such as albuminuria measured by urinary albumin creatinine ratio (acr), elevated serum creatinine (srcr) and/or decreased creatinine clearance (crcl) and glomerular filtration rate (egfr) are major risk factors for renal and cardiovascular diseases. epidemiological studies have reported that ckd phenotypes cluster in families suggesting a genetic predisposition. however, studies reporting chromosomal regions influencing ckd are very limited. therefore, the ...200818443212
cross-species replication of a resistin mrna qtl, but not qtls for circulating levels of resistin, in human and baboon.resistin has been associated with inflammation and risk for cardiovascular disease. we previously reported evidence of a qtl on chromosome 19p13 affecting the abundance of resistin (retn) mrna in the omental adipose tissue of baboons (l0d score 3.8). in this study, whole genome transcription levels were assessed in human lymphocyte samples from 1240 adults participating in the san antonio family heart study, using the sentrix human-6 expression beadchip. lymphocytes were surveyed, as it has been ...200818446183
responding to simulated pandemic influenza in san antonio, texas.to describe the results of a simulation study of the spread of pandemic influenza, the effects of public health measures on the simulated pandemic, and the resultant adequacy of the surge capacity of the hospital infrastructure and to investigate the adequacy of key elements of the national pandemic influenza plan to reduce the overall attack rate so that surge capacity would not be overwhelmed.200818462144
association of genetic variation in enpp1 with obesity-related phenotypes.ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase phosphodiesterase (enpp1) is a positional candidate gene at chromosome 6q23 where we previously detected strong linkage with fasting-specific plasma insulin and obesity in mexican americans from the san antonio family diabetes study (safds). we genotyped 106 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) within enpp1 in all 439 subjects from the linkage study, and measured association with obesity and metabolic syndrome (ms)-related traits. of 72 polymorphic snps, 24 were ...200818464750
combination of recombinant human growth hormone and propranolol decreases hypermetabolism and inflammation in severely burned children.recombinant human growth hormone (rhgh) is a salutary modulator of posttraumatic metabolic responses. however, rhgh administration is associated with deleterious side effects, such as hyperglycemia, increased free fatty acids, and triglycerides, which limit its use. administration of beta-blocker attenuates cardiac work and resting energy expenditure after severe thermal injury and improves fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity. therefore, the combination of rhgh plus propranolol appears ideal. ...200818477935
are we ready? 200818610865
pattern of chlorine gas exposures reported to texas poison control centers, 2000 through 2005.exposure to chlorine gas can result in serious adverse effects including death. from 2000 through 2005, approximately 9000 chlorine gas exposures were reported annually to poison control centers in the united states. because a review of the literature failed to produce any texas-specific data concerning chlorine gas exposures, we conducted a retrospective review of texas poison control center calls and found that 2643 calls related to human exposures to chlorine gas occurred during these 6 years ...200818610874
downside risk of wildlife translocation.translocation has been used successfully by wildlife professionals to enhance or reintroduce populations of rare or extirpated wildlife, provide hunting or wildlife viewing opportunities, farm wild game, and reduce local human-wildlife conflicts. however, accidental and intentional translocations may have multiple unintended negative consequences, including increased stress and mortality of relocated animals, negative impacts on resident animals at release sites, increased conflicts with human i ...200818634483
prevalence of diabetes mellitus and correlation of urinary transforming growth factor-beta1 with blood hemoglobin a1c in the atascosa diabetes study.this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes in the atascosa diabetes study sample and to ascertain the relationship between urinary transforming growth factor-beta1 (tgf-beta1) and blood hemoglobin (hgb) a1c.200818646321
the collaborative method: an effective performance improvement tool for reducing inappropriate admissions.tmf health quality institute (tmf) is the medicare quality improvement organization for texas. under its contract with the centers for medicare and medicaid services, an agency of the u.s. department of health and human services, tmf undertook an initiative to reduce unnecessary medicare 1-day hospital admissions in texas. the initiative used the institute for healthcare improvement's collaborative model design for improvement. hospitals in the collaborative focused on the admission process in c ...200818680920
balamuthia mandrillaris, agent of amebic encephalitis: detection of serum antibodies and antigenic similarity of isolates by enzyme immunoassay.we report the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) for detecting antibodies to balamuthia mandrillaris, a free-living ameba that is an etiologic agent of granulomatous amebic encephalitis (gae). as part of the california encephalitis project (cep), we have tested serum and cerebrospinal fluid (csf) samples from a subgroup of 130 hospitalized encephalitis patients (out of approximately 430 samples) over a 16-month period. case criteria were based on clinical, laboratory, an ...200818681845
cardiorespiratory fitness as a predictor of fatal and nonfatal stroke in asymptomatic women and men.prospective data on the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (crf) and stroke are largely limited to studies in men or do not separately examine risks for fatal and nonfatal stroke. this study examined the association between crf and fatal and nonfatal stroke in a large cohort of asymptomatic women and men.200818688008
u.s.: texan man acquitted in medical marijuana case. 200818727206
perceptions of risk in research participation among underserved minority drug users.research with underserved minority drug users is essential to quality health care and prevention. understanding how participants perceive risk in research is necessary to inform research regulators so that research protections are neither lax, exposing participants to harm, nor overly stringent, thereby denying access to beneficial research. data from 37 semistructured interviews of underserved, african-american crack cocaine users, collected from february to may 2006 in a large, urban setting, ...200818752165
women's stories of their experiences as overweight patients.this paper is a report of a study to illuminate the meaning of women's experiences as overweight patients in their encounters with healthcare services and healthcare providers.200818764854
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.200817961614
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.200818083627
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.200818162503
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 ...200818162749
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.200818184164
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 ...200818217915
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.200818279085
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 ...200818282624
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 ...200818300793
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.200818344102
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.200818396790
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 ...200818399781
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.200818399945
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.200818005476
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 ...200818022741
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 ...200818054059
genetic polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin system (ras) genes and their association analysis with type 2 diabetes and related traits in mexican americans. 200817936396
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.200817641136
soil-borne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in el paso, texas: analysis of a potential problem in the united states/mexico border region.ultrasonic extraction followed by stir bar sorptive extraction (sbse) and thermal desorption inline coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (td/gc/ms) was used to perform a comprehensive determination of soil-borne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) in el paso, texas. the method provided good sensitivity and faster processing time for the analysis. the total pahs in el paso soil ranged from 0.1 to 2225.5 microg kg(-1). although the majority of pah concentrations did not exceed ...200918768257
polychlorinated biphenyls in domestic dust from canada, new zealand, united kingdom and united states: implications for human exposure.ingestion of indoor dust has been highlighted as an important pathway of exposure to brominated flame retardants. hence, polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) were determined in indoor dust from homes in amarillo/austin, tx, usa (n=20; median concentration=200 ng sigma pcb g(-1)); birmingham, uk (n=20; 48 ng sigma pcb g(-1)); toronto, canada (n=10; 260 ng sigma pcb g(-1)); and wellington, new zealand (n=20; 46 ng sigma pcb g(-1)). concentrations in canadian and us samples were statistically indisting ...200919356786
metabolic syndrome and diabetes, alone and in combination, as predictors of cardiovascular disease mortality among men.to examine cardiovascular disease (cvd) mortality risk in men with diabetes only, metabolic syndrome only, and concurrent metabolic syndrome and diabetes.200919366967
therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21) (q22;q22) shares many features with de novo acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21)(q22;q22) but does not have a favorable outcome.to determine if therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-aml) with t(8;21)(q22;q22) [t-aml-t(8;21)] harbors similar characteristic clinicopathologic features as de novo aml-t(8;21) (q22;q22), we studied 13 cases of t-aml-t(8;21) and 38 adult cases of de novo aml-t(8;21) diagnosed and treated at our hospital (1995-2008). of 13 t-aml-t(8;21) cases, 11 had previously received chemotherapy with or without radiation for malignant neoplasms and 2 received radiation alone. the median latency to t-aml ...200919369623
update: infections with a swine-origin influenza a (h1n1) virus--united states and other countries, april 28, 2009.since april 21, 2009, cdc has reported cases of respiratory infection with a swine-origin influenza a (h1n1) virus (s-oiv) transmitted through human-to-human contact. this report updates cases identified in u.s. states and highlights certain control measures taken by cdc. as of april 28, the total number of confirmed cases of s-oiv infection in the united states had increased to 64, with cases in california (10 cases), kansas (two), new york (45), ohio (one), and texas (six). cdc and state and l ...200919407737
update: drug susceptibility of swine-origin influenza a (h1n1) viruses, april 2009.since april 21, 2009, cdc has reported cases of respiratory infection with a swine-origin influenza a (h1n1) virus (s-oiv) that is being spread via human-to-human transmission. as of april 28, the total number of confirmed s-oiv cases in the united states was 64; these cases occurred in california (10 cases), kansas (two), new york (45), ohio (one), and texas (six). the viruses contain a unique combination of gene segments that had not been reported previously among swine or human influenza viru ...200919407738
update: swine influenza a (h1n1) infections--california and texas, april 2009.on april 21, 2009, cdc reported that two recent cases of febrile respiratory illness in children in southern california had been caused by infection with genetically similar swine influenza a (h1n1) viruses. the viruses contained a unique combination of gene segments that had not been reported previously among swine or human influenza viruses in the united states or elsewhere. neither child had known contact with pigs, resulting in concern that human-to-human transmission might have occurred. th ...200919407739
temporal-spatial analysis of u.s.-mexico border environmental fine and coarse pm air sample extract activity in human bronchial epithelial cells.particulate matter less than 10 microm (pm10) has been shown to be associated with aggravation of asthma and respiratory and cardiopulmonary morbidity. there is also great interest in the potential health effects of pm2.5. particulate matter (pm) varies in composition both spatially and temporally depending on the source, location and seasonal condition. el paso county which lies in the paso del norte airshed is a unique location to study ambient air pollution due to three major points: the geol ...200919410595
hepatocellular carcinoma prevalence and mortality in a male state prison population.the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) in the united states has increased dramatically over the last two decades, largely because of an increase in the number of people with advanced hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection. u.s. prisoners are at high risk for hcc, given their elevated rates of hcv infection, comorbid hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection, and alcoholic liver disease. the purpose of our study was to examine the prevalence and mortality of hcc in the nation's largest state prison s ...200919413034
mutation rates at y chromosome short tandem repeats in texas populations.father-son pairs from three populations (african american, caucasian, and hispanic) of texas were typed for the 17 y str markers dys19, dys385, dys389i, dys389ii, dys390, dys391, dys392, dys393, dys437, dys438, dys439, dys456, dys458, dys635, dys448, and y gata h4 using the ampflstr yfilertm kit. with 49,578 allele transfers, 102 mutations were detected. one three-step and four two-step mutations were found, and all others (95.1%) were one-step mutations. the number of gains (48) and losses (54) ...200919414166
a genome-wide association scan for acute insulin response to glucose in hispanic-americans: the insulin resistance atherosclerosis family study (iras fs).this study sought to identify genes and regions in the human genome that are associated with the acute insulin response to glucose (airg), an important predictor of type 2 diabetes, in hispanic-american participants from the insulin resistance atherosclerosis family study (iras fs).200919430760
swine-origin influenza a (h1n1) virus infections in a school - new york city, april 2009.on april 24, 2009, cdc reported eight confirmed cases of swine-origin influenza a (h1n1) virus (s-oiv) infection in texas and california. the strain identified in u.s. patients was confirmed by cdc as genetically similar to viruses subsequently isolated from patients in mexico. since april 24, the number of cases in the united states and elsewhere has continued to rise. as of april 28, approximately half (45) of all u.s. cases of s-oiv infection had been confirmed among students and staff member ...200919444151
long-duration head-down bed rest: project overview, vital signs, and fluid balance.spaceflight has profound effects on the human body. many of these effects can be induced with head-down bed rest, which has been a useful ground-based analog. with limited resources aboard the international space station for human research, the bed rest analog will be a primary platform on which countermeasures will be developed and tested for lunar and mars mission scenarios.200919476163
insect successional pattern of a corpse in cooler months of subtropical southeastern texas.here, we characterize the cool weather insect fauna found associated with partially skeletonized and desiccated human remains recovered from an abandoned house in an urban area of subtropical, coastal galveston county, texas, and use the information to conclude an approximate postmortem interval of 7-10 months. the predominant factors that allow for a confident assessment of the postmortem interval include climatological data, entomological data, and anthropological data. the documented insect f ...200919187452
gastrointestinal helminths in raccoons in texas.raccoons (n=590) were collected from october 1999 to august 2003 from 35 counties across texas, and gastrointestinal tracts were examined for helminth parasites. prevalence was calculated and differences in mean abundance were examined among habitat ecoregions, age classes, and between sexes. twenty different species of helminths (13 nematodes, two cestodes, two acanthocephalans, and three trematodes) were positively identified in the gastrointestinal tracts of 590 raccoons in texas. five of the ...200919204330
pahs underfoot: contaminated dust from coal-tar sealcoated pavement is widespread in the united states.we reported in 2005 that runoff from parking lots treated with coal-tar-based sealcoat was a major source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) to streams in austin, texas. here we present new data from nine u.s. cities that show nationwide patterns in concentrations of pahs associated with sealcoat. dust was swept from parking lots in six cities in the central and eastern u.s., where coal-tar-based sealcoat dominates use, and three cities in the western u.s., where asphalt-based sealcoat d ...200919209579
accessing antiretroviral therapy following release from prison.interruption of antiretroviral therapy (art) during the first weeks after release from prison may increase risk for adverse clinical outcomes, transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv), and drug-resistant hiv reservoirs in the community. the extent to which hiv-infected inmates experience art interruption following release from prison is unknown.200919244192
epidemiology of rabies in skunks in texas.to obtain epidemiologic information on rabies in skunks in texas.200919250039
analysis identifying common and distinct sequences among texas clinical strains of mycoplasma genitalium.mycoplasma genitalium is a human bacterial pathogen linked to urethritis and other sexually transmitted diseases. here, we assessed the incidence of m. genitalium infection in patients attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in san antonio, tx, by use of diagnostic real-time pcr. overall, 16.8% of women and 15.1% of men were found m. genitalium positive. regions of the mgpb gene, which encodes the mgpa adhesin, were amplified from positive clinical specimens and evaluated for sequence va ...200919261784
genetic variation associated with mammalian feeding in culex pipiens from a west nile virus epidemic region in chicago, illinois.mosquitoes of the culex pipiens complex are important vectors of west nile virus in the united states. we examined the genetic variations of cx. pipiens mosquitoes from chicago, illinois that were determined to be principally ornithophilic but exhibited a relatively higher inclination for mammalian hosts including humans. microsatellite analysis of 10 polymorphic markers was performed on 346 engorged cx. pipiens specimens with identified avian or mammalian blood meals. our results indicated that ...200919281434
hiv post-exposure prophylaxis in children and adolescents presenting for reported sexual assault.the appropriate use of antiretroviral medications to protect against infection with human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) is unclear in cases of sexual assault of children, for whom the perpetrator's risk of hiv is often unknown, and physical proof of sexual contact is usually absent.200919324415
gene by smoking interaction in hypertension: identification of a major quantitative trait locus on chromosome 15q for systolic blood pressure in mexican-americans.our objective was to investigate the influence of gene by smoking (gxs) interaction on hypertension and blood pressure (bp) using genome-wide linkage analysis in mexican-americans, followed by single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) fine mapping of candidate genes in the linked chromosomal region.200919330903
an assessment of sources and pathways of human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the united states.polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) are ubiquitous in the indoor environment, owing to their use in consumer products ranging from electronics to mattresses, furniture, and carpets. people are exposed to pbdes through inhalation of indoor air and ingestion, and dermal absorption of dust particles present in the air. in this study, concentrations of pbdes were determined in indoor air and house dust collected from homes in albany, new york, usa. based on the measured concentrations of pbdes in ...200919349061
coccidioidomycosis and tuberculosis coinfection at a tuberculosis hospital: clinical features and literature review.tuberculosis (tb) and coccidioidomycosis can have similar clinical and radiologic presentations but require different treatments. coinfection with tb and coccidioides immitis is uncommonly reported and may be underdiagnosed in endemic areas.we performed a retrospective review of the medical records of all patients admitted to a tb referral hospital between 1995 and 2007, and selected all cases of tb and coccidioidomycosis coinfection in patients aged 18 years or older. all admitted patients had ...200919352301
a 22-year-old man with headache and stiff neck after a water skiing fall. 200919136411
determinants of variation in human serum paraoxonase activity.paraoxonase-1 (pon1) is associated with high-density lipoprotein (hdl) particles and is believed to contribute to antiatherogenic properties of hdls. we assessed the determinants of pon1 activity variation using different substrates of the enzyme. pon1 activity in serum samples from 922 participants in the san antonio family heart study was assayed using a reliable microplate format with three substrates: paraoxon, phenyl acetate and the lactone dihydrocoumarin. there were major differences amon ...200918971955
genome-wide linkage scan for genes influencing plasma triglyceride levels in the veterans administration genetic epidemiology study.elevated plasma triglyceride concentration is a component of the insulin resistance syndrome and is commonly associated with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and coronary heart disease. the goal of our study was to perform a genome-wide linkage scan to identify genetic regions that influence variation in plasma triglyceride levels in families that are enriched with individuals with type 2 diabetes.200918931038
elevated fluoride and selenium in west texas groundwater.fluoride and selenium concentrations, along with total dissolved solids and depth of intake, were compiled, mapped, and analyzed for 634 water wells in the high plains aquifer, northwest texas. approximately 19% of fluoride observations exceeded the maximum contaminant level (mcl) for drinking water. additionally, 4% of selenium observations exceeded the mcl for drinking water, and 19% exceeded the recommended limit for irrigation water. concentrations were considerably higher in the southern pa ...200918949438
impacts of water resources development on flow regimes in the brazos river.the brazos river, the second largest basin in texas, represents one of the most highly developed river systems in the state. thirty-nine reservoirs with capacities greater than 5,000 acre-feet are currently in operation in the basin. impacts on stream ecosystems are evidenced by changes in flow regimes and resulting changes in fish assemblages over the past 50 years. these changes have been widely attributed to human impacts, through the construction of dams, diversion of water supplies for agri ...200918819012
texas surgeon agrees to treat hiv/aids patients. hhs office for civil rights announces agreement. 200920066752
factors contributing to suboptimal vaccination against influenza: results of a nationwide telephone survey of persons with cardiovascular disease.vaccination against influenza averts cardiovascular events and is recommended for all patients with coronary heart disease. because data were unavailable regarding vaccination rates among such patients' household contacts, we sought to estimate the rate of influenza vaccination in persons with cardiovascular disease and their contacts. in 2004, we conducted a random, nationwide telephone survey of 1,202 adults (age, > or = 18 yr) to ascertain knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding influen ...200920069079
roosting ecology and variation in adaptive and innate immune system function in the brazilian free-tailed bat (tadarida brasiliensis).bats have recently been implicated as reservoirs of important emerging diseases. however, few studies have examined immune responses in bats, and even fewer have evaluated these responses in an ecological context. we examined aspects of both innate and adaptive immune response in adult female brazilian free-tailed bats (tadarida brasiliensis) at four maternity roosts (two natural caves and two human-made bridges) in south-central texas. immune measurements included in vitro bactericidal ability ...200919002470
human vaccinia infection after contact with a raccoon rabies vaccine bait - pennsylvania, 2009.since 2003, the u.s. department of agriculture's wildlife services has coordinated a multistate oral rabies vaccination (orv) program for wildlife in a 15-state zone extending from maine to alabama and in texas. the program seeks to enhance local control and prevent the spread of epizootic rabies among raccoons and, in texas, among gray foxes and coyotes. the program uses baits containing liquid vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein (v-rg) recombinant virus vaccine. because contact with ruptured baits ca ...200919893480
comfort in the eye of the storm: a survey of evacuees with special medical needs.this article reports on a descriptive study conducted in a medical special needs shelter with evacuees from hurricane gustav in 2008. this shelter was operated by the faculty, students and staff of the university of texas at tyler in tyler, tx.200919914474
cyanobacteria and bmaa: possible linkage with avian vacuolar myelinopathy (avm) in the south-eastern united states.avian vacuolar myelinopathy (avm) is a neurological disease that produces uncoordinated behavior in affected birds in wetland ecosystems of the south-eastern united states. feeding and sentinel trials, field surveys, and genetic studies have implicated the introduced flowering plant species hydrilla verticillata (hydrocharitaceae) and an associated epiphytic cyanobacterial species (order stigonematales) as a causal link to avm. all five morphotypes of cyanobacteria have been shown to produce the ...200919929736
outbreak of rickettsia typhi infection - austin, texas, 2008.murine typhus is a fleaborne rickettsial disease caused by the organism rickettsia typhi. symptoms include fever, headache, chills, vomiting, nausea, myalgia, and rash. although murine typhus is endemic in southern texas, only two cases had been reported during the past 10 years from austin, located in central texas. on august 8, 2008, the austin/travis county department of health and human services (atcdhhs) contacted the texas department of state health services (tdshs) concerning a cluster of ...200919940832
hpv vaccine acceptance among latina mothers by hpv status.we investigated whether latina mothers who were and were not human papillomavirus (hpv) positive differed in their knowledge and acceptance of the hpv vaccine for their children.200919951213
hpv knowledge, attitudes, and cultural beliefs among hispanic men and women living on the texas-mexico border.us hispanic women have higher cervical cancer incidence rates than non-hispanic white and african-american women and lower rates of cervical cancer screening. knowledge, attitudes, and cultural beliefs may play a role in higher rates of infection of human papillomavirus (hpv) and decisions about subsequent diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer.200919953392
relationship between level of antibiotic use and resistance among escherichia coli isolates from integrated multi-site cohorts of humans and swine.the objective of this longitudinal ecological study was to examine the relationship between the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant (ar) commensal escherichia coli isolates from both monthly human wastewater and composite swine fecal samples and the concurrent aggregated monthly antibiotic use recorded within each host species in multi-site vertically integrated swine and human populations. in addition, human vocation (swine worker versus non-swine worker), swine production group, and season were ...200919501924
incidence of vibrio vulnificus in estuarine waters of the south texas coastal bend region.to determine the occurrence of the human pathogen, vibrio vulnificus, in south texas coastal waters.200919566724
screening for type 2 diabetes in obese youth.to assess available blood tests as potential screening tools for impaired glucose tolerance (igt) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (t2dm).200919620188
evaluation of student abilities to respond to a "real-world" question about an emerging infectious disease.veterinarians play an important role in educating the public about emerging animal and zoonotic diseases. this article investigates the ability of third-year veterinary students (n=31), from a veterinary school in the usa, to respond to an actual client's question about an emerging disease. in an open-book, take-home examination, students were asked to respond to a nurse's concern that she could bring home influenza from work and infect her macaw. while 75% of the students answered the question ...200919625671
texas population substructure and its impact on estimating the rarity of y str haplotypes from dna evidence*.three sampled populations of unrelated males--african american, caucasian, and hispanic, all from texas-were typed for 16 y short tandem repeat (str) markers using the ampflstr yfiler kit. these samples also were typed previously for the 13 core codis autosomal str loci. most of the 16 marker haplotypes (2478 out of 2551 distinct haplotypes) were observed only once in the data sets. haplotype diversities were 99.88%, 99.89%, and 99.87% for the african american, caucasian, and hispanic sample pop ...200919627418
neurologic complications associated with novel influenza a (h1n1) virus infection in children - dallas, texas, may 2009.neurologic complications, including seizures, encephalitis, encephalopathy, reye syndrome, and other neurologic disorders, have been described previously in association with respiratory tract infection with seasonal influenza a or b viruses, but not with novel influenza a (h1n1) virus. on may 28, 2009, the dallas county department of health and human services (dchhs) notified cdc of four children with neurologic complications associated with novel influenza a (h1n1) virus infection admitted to h ...200919629027
variable frequency of polyomavirus sv40 and herpesvirus ebv in lymphomas from two different urban population groups in houston, tx.studies have reported differing frequencies of detection of polyomavirus simian virus 40 (sv40) in association with human lymphomas.200919631582
promoting mental health recovery after hurricanes katrina and rita: what can be done at what cost.concerns about mental health recovery persist after the 2005 gulf storms. we propose a recovery model and estimate costs and outcomes.200919652130
human papillomavirus vaccine recommendations and agreement with mandated human papillomavirus vaccination for 11-to-12-year-old girls: a statewide survey of texas physicians.the purpose of this study was to examine texas physicians' recommendations for the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (hpv) vaccine in 11-to-12-year-old girls, intention to recommend hpv vaccines to 11-to-12-year-old boys, and attitudes about mandated hpv vaccination for 11-to-12-year-old girls.200919661092
varied prevalence of clostridium difficile in an integrated swine operation.the objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of clostridium difficile (cd) among different age and production groups of swine in a vertically integrated swine operation in texas in 2006 and to compare our isolates to other animal and human isolates. results are based on 131 cd isolates from 1008 swine fecal samples and pork trim samples (overall prevalence of 13%). the prevalence (number positive/number tested in production type) of cd was different between the groups (p<or=0.001) ...200919778624
hurricane ike rapid needs assessment - houston, texas, september 2008.on the morning of september 13, 2008, hurricane ike made landfall on the upper texas gulf coast at galveston island as a category 2 storm, with hurricane force winds extending 125 miles from its center. as the storm continued through nearby houston and surrounding areas, it caused power blackouts for more than 3 million households. in houston, city services were disrupted for weeks, officials declared nightly curfews, and supplies of bottled water, ice, electrical generators, and gasoline became ...200919798020
legislation of evidence-based treatments in public mental health: analysis of benefits and costs.the 2003 texas 78th legislature passed a bill that implemented several strategies to help realize a $1 billion decrease to health and human services spending (senate research committee, 2003). a component of house bill (hb) 2292 aimed at cost savings was the requirement for implementation of a resiliency and disease management model of service delivery in public mental health. as operationalized by the newly formed department of state health services, the result was the legislation of evidence-b ...200919821190
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