Publications

cryptosporidiosis in houston, texas. a report of 95 cases.	cryptosporidiosis is an important cause of diarrhea. we identified 95 patients with cryptosporidiosis over a 6-year period in our county hospital system, including 9 children and 86 adults infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (hiv). risk factors included male-to-male sexual practices and hispanic race. diarrhea, weight loss, and gastrointestinal complaints were the most common symptoms at presentation. among the hiv-infected adults, 20 (23%) developed biliary tract disease. biliary inv ...	1997	9100739
influence of interpersonal and mass-mediated interventions on injection drug and crack users: diffusion of innovations and hiv risk behaviors.	evaluation research of public health media campaigns to influence behavior change often bemoans the lack of relevance to target audience and an absence of integrated interpersonal and mass-mediated communication channels. the assumption that illegal drug users are disconnected from mass-mediated communication may account for this absence of media interventions. the authors used cross-tabulation, chi-square, and regression analyses to demonstrate that many out-of-treatment drug users in an hiv-pr ...	1997	9141182
outbreaks of cyclosporiasis--united states, 1997.	in april and may 1997, cdc received reports of seven event-associated clusters of cases of cyclosporiasis from five states (california, florida, nevada, new york, and texas). approximately 80 cases of infection with human-associated cyclospora, a recently characterized coccidian parasite have been laboratory-confirmed. state and local health departments, cdc, and the food and drug administration are conducting investigations to identify the vehicles of infection.	1997	9182207
evolution of aids and aids related malignancies in pediatric patients in the united states.	the pediatric aids epidemic began in the u.s.a. between 1983 and 1985. hemophilia patients were among the first victims of this disease with the majority of these patients infected prior to 1984. at the south texas hemophilia center 69 of 108 patients less than 21 years of age demonstrated serologic evidence of infection. of these patients, 6 subsequently developed malignancies between 1987 and 1994. between 1992 and 1996 data was subsequently accumulated on the development of malignancy in hiv ...	1997	9198329
ability of the lyme disease spirochete borrelia burgdorferi to infect rodents and three species of human-biting ticks (blacklegged tick, american dog tick, lone star tick) (acari:ixodidae).	the infectivity of a diverse collection of borrelia burgdorferi strains from north america for mice was determined as a prelude to vector competence experiments with the 3 primary human-biting tick species in the eastern united states (ixodes scapularis say, dermacentor variabilis (say), amblyomma americanum (l.)]. of the 34 b. burgdorferi strains inoculated into mice, 29 were infectious; the exceptions were 5 isolates from texas. vector competence experiments were conducted with 2 strains from ...	1997	9220680
vaginal bleeding and abuse: assessing pregnant women in the emergency department.	this study was done to determine the prevalence of physical abuse among an ethnically stratified group of pregnant women experiencing vaginal bleeding.	1997	9234605
polymorphisms in the glutathione s-transferase class mu and theta genes interact and increase susceptibility to lung cancer in minority populations (texas, united states).	the genes coding for separate isoforms of both the human glutathione s-transferase class mu and class theta enzymes (gstm1 and gstt1) are polymorphic with a variable ethnic distribution. these enzymes detoxify reactive epoxides, including carcinogens produced by tobacco smoke. because of this, the null polymorphism in the gstm1 gene (coding for the glutathione s-transferase class mu enzyme) has been studied widely as a possible source of inherited susceptibility to smoking-related lung cancer. t ...	1997	9242470
flea-borne rickettsioses: ecologic considerations.	ecologic and economic factors, as well as changes in human behavior, have resulted in the emergence of new and the reemergence of existing but forgotten infectious diseases during the past 20 years. flea-borne disease organisms (e.g., yersinia pestis, rickettsia typhi, r. felis, and bartonella henselae) are widely distributed throughout the world in endemic-disease foci, where components of the enzootic cycle are present. however, flea-borne diseases could reemerge in epidemic form because of ch ...	1997	9284376
aedes albopictus in the united states: ten-year presence and public health implications.	since its discovery in houston, texas, in 1987, the asian "tiger mosquito" aedes albopictus has spread to 678 counties in 25 states. this species, which readily colonizes container habitats in the peridomestic environment, was probably introduced into the continental united states in shipments of scrap tires from northern asia. the early pattern of dispersal followed the interstate highway system, which suggests further dispersal by human activities. the public health service act of 1988 require ...	1997	9284377
human lead absorption -- texas.	in december 1971, the city-county health department in el paso, texas, discovered that an ore smelter in el paso was discharging large quantities of lead and other metallic wastes into the air. between 1969 and 1971, this smelter had released 1,116 tons of lead, 560 tons of zinc, 12 tons of cadmium, and 1.2 tons of arsenic into the atmosphere through its stacks.	1997	9310211
leptin concentrations in women in the san antonio heart study: effect of menopausal status and postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy.	leptin, the product of the human ob gene, is increased in obese individuals, suggesting resistance to its effect. however, there is variability in leptin levels at each level of body mass index, suggesting that genetic and environmental factors other than overall adiposity may regulate leptin concentrations. leptin concentrations are higher in women relative to men, a difference that is only partially explained by the increased fat depots in women. the authors hypothesized that higher estrogen l ...	1997	9326436
intermittent fever and pancytopenia in a young mexican man.	we report a case of brucellosis in a young mexican man who had weight loss, fever, and nausea. physical examination revealed hepatosplenomegaly, and examination of the blood showed pancytopenia. this case illustrates the need for a high index of suspicion when patients living in the southern united states have these symptoms.	1997	9347817
teaching ethics using small-group, problem-based learning.	ethics is the emphasis of our first-year introduction to clinical medicine-1 course. introduction to clinical medicine-1 uses problem-based learning to involve groups of seven to nine students and two facilitators in realistic clinical cases. the cases emphasize ethics, but also include human behaviour, basic science, clinical medicine, and prevention learning issues. three cases use written vignettes, while the other three cases feature standardized patients. groups meet twice for each case. in ...	1997	9358353
rabies surveillance in the united states during 1996.	in 1996, 49 states, the district of columbia, and puerto rico reported 7,124 cases of rabies in non-human animals and 4 cases in human beings to the centers for disease control and prevention. nearly 92% (6,550 cases) were wild animals, whereas 8% (574 cases) were domestic species. the total number of reported cases decreased 9.6% from that of 1995 (7,881 cases). although much of the decline was the result of fewer reported cases of rabies in raccoons, fewer cases were also reported among most g ...	1997	9412679
epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus infection in central americans treated in harris county, texas hospital district facilities.	the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection among central americans is increasing. the purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of hiv infection among local central american immigrants in the united states. medical records of hiv-infected central americans treated at harris county hospital district (hchd) facilities, the major source of indigent care in houston, texas, were retrospectively reviewed. between january 1, 1990 and february 28, 1995, 18,156 central am ...	1997	9430526
the gene finders.		1997	9754395
the value of job analysis, job description and performance.	all companies, regardless of size, are faced with the same employment concerns. efficient personnel management requires the use of three human resource techniques--job analysis, job description and performance appraisal. these techniques and tools are not for large practices only. small groups can obtain the same benefits by employing these performance control measures. job analysis allows for the development of a compensation system. job descriptions summarize the most important duties. perform ...	1997	10167628
houston authorizes presentation of hiv videos in city jails.	the houston city council voted to begin showing hiv prevention videos in city jails. the city's health and human services department determined that inmates need the information but the plan was challenged by critics within the city council and some citizens of the houston area. a study found six percent of inmates in the county jail tested positive for hiv, compared to less than one percent of the population as a whole.	1997	11364231
court says hiv-infected penis, semen are deadly weapons.	the texas court of appeals, 3rd district, upheld the conviction of an hiv-positive man charged with using his penis and semen as deadly weapons. jose fonesca najera was convicted by a jury for aggravated sexual assault and indecency with a child and is currently serving life in prison. najera had sex with the 16-year-old victim, known as maria e, and forced a young boy living at his house, oscar p., to have sex with her as well. during the appeal, attorney carlos garcia claimed that the state fa ...	1997	11364899
infection control of nosocomial respiratory viral disease in the immunocompromised host.	among immunocompromised adults, such as bone marrow transplant recipients, more than half of respiratory viral infections are complicated by pneumonia, with an associated mortality rate > 50%. nosocomial transmission of respiratory viral pathogens, such as respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) and influenza, in the immunocompromised patient has been reported frequently and usually occurs during a community outbreak. in view of the poor outcome in this subset of patients, intensive efforts should be ...	1997	10868143
thurman cool to names reporting, backs needle swaps.	at the national aids update conference, white house aids policy director sandra thurman stated that she is unconvinced that names reporting is essential to track the spread of the aids epidemic. health and human services secretary donna shalala shares the view. thurman feels that people will be discouraged from providing names due to fears of exposure, discrimination, and stigmatization. the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc), whose guidelines are now three months late, was critici ...	1998	11365309
prison scam.	an inmate, steven jay russell, fooled the texas board of pardons and paroles into granting him an early special needs parole last october. russell supplied documents indicating that he was dying of aids, and the board granted the parole after finding that he was physically incapacitated. the parole was revoked after he was seen walking. however, further records indicated that russell's condition had worsened, and after serving two years of a 45-year sentence for theft, he was given a 14-day pass ...	1998	11365318
no error found in exclusion of rape victim's hiv infection.	an appeals court upheld a texas judge's decision to exclude the hiv status of a woman during the trial of a man convicted of raping her. carlious edward shoate was convicted of aggravated sexual assault, sentenced to 10 years in prison, and fined $5,000. on appeal, shoate claimed that evidence showing the woman was hiv-positive should have been allowed because it indicated that she may have engaged in the sexual acts for money. a lower court barred the introduction of the woman's illness prior t ...	1998	11365448
infectious diseases and anemia in a sample of out-of-treatment drug users.	to understand how the prevalence of anemia, human immunodeficiency virus (hiv), and syphilis in a sample of out-of-treatment drug users affected delivery of care in a managed care model.	1998	10185976
leptin concentrations are associated with higher proinsulin and insulin concentrations but a lower proinsulin/insulin ratio in non-diabetic subjects.	leptin (the product of the human ob gene) is increased in obese individuals, suggesting resistance to its effect. however, there is considerable variability in leptin levels at each level of body mass index (bmi), suggesting that genetic and environmental factors may regulate leptin concentrations. previous data have suggested that leptin levels are associated with insulin resistance and in a few reports with impaired insulin secretion. we examined whether non-diabetic subjects, with elevated sp ...	1998	9756249
close associations between prevalences of dominantly inherited spinocerebellar ataxias with cag-repeat expansions and frequencies of large normal cag alleles in japanese and caucasian populations.	to test the hypothesis that the frequencies of normal alleles (ans) with a relatively large number of cag repeats (large ans) are related to the prevalences of the dominant spinocerebellar ataxias (scas)-sca types 1, 2, 3 (machado-joseph disease), 6, and dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (drpla)-we investigated the relative prevalences of these diseases in 202 japanese and 177 caucasian families and distributions of the number of cag repeats of ans at these disease loci in normal individuals ...	1998	9758625
growth and development of a hospital-based lactation program and mother's own milk bank.	this article describes the development and characteristics of a hospital-based lactation program and mother's own milk bank in a large pediatric hospital in the southwestern united states. professional and technical staffing, physical space of the milk bank area, and the program's services and special features are outlined. quality control issues about human milk preparation, fortification, storage, and transport are discussed.	1998	9773362
multistate evaluation of anonymous hiv testing and access to medical care. multistate evaluation of surveillance of hiv (mesh) study group.	infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) is the only infectious disease for which anonymous testing is publicly funded, an exception that has been controversial.	1998	9801001
north carolina macular dystrophy (mcdr1) in texas.	to map the gene responsible for causing a macular degeneration in a texan family that appears clinically similar to the north carolina macular dystrophy (mcdr1) phenotype.	1998	9801042
a case-control study of human papillomavirus and cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (sil) in harris county, texas: differences among racial/ethnic groups.	we conducted a case-control study of the association between sil and hpv among whites (w), african americans (aa), and hispanics (h) in harris county, texas. cases were identified at m.d. anderson cancer center colposcopy clinic. controls were identified among women obtaining routine pap screening at two harris county health department clinics. hpv was detected by a pcr-based fluorescent assay. dichotomous and polytomous logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odd ratios (aor) ...	1998	9819473
human dental microwear caused by calcium oxalate phytoliths in prehistoric diet of the lower pecos region, texas.	recent research demonstrates that silica phytoliths of dietary origin are associated with microwear of human teeth. previous research has shown that severe enamel microwear and dental wear characterizes archaic hunter-gatherers in the lower pecos region of west texas. calcium oxalate crystals are especially common in archaic coprolites. the vast majority are derived from prickly pear and agave, which were the dietary staples in west texas for 6,000 years. the calcium oxalate phytoliths are harde ...	1998	9821494
human contact with bait containing vaccine for control of rabies in wildlife.	to document the number of human contacts with bait containing liquid vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein (v-rg) vaccine, to evaluate factors that might affect human contact with bait-vaccine units, and to summarize adverse reactions in people after contact with vaccine.	1998	9828931
tick-borne diseases in texas: a 10-year retrospective examination of cases.	the occurrence of rocky mountain spotted fever, human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis, tularemia, tick-borne relapsing fever, and a southern erythema migrans-like illness (lyme/lyme-like disease) is determined by the geographic distribution and seasonal activity of the particular vector tick(s). the flulike signs and symptoms early in the course of spotted fever rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and relapsing fever are nonspecific and do not readily suggest a particular diagnosis. laboratory d ...	1998	9854421
rabies surveillance in the united states during 1997.	in 1997, 49 states, the district of columbia, and puerto rico reported 8,509 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 4 cases in human beings to the centers for disease control and prevention. nearly 93% (7,899) were wild animals, whereas 7% (610) were domestic species. the total number of reported cases increased 19.4% from that of 1996 (7,128 cases). increases were apparent in each of the major species groups, with the exception of cattle. the relative contributions of these groups to the total ...	1998	9861958
an organ donation offer on death row is refused.		1998	11647655
evaluation of hiv case surveillance through the use of non-name unique identifiers--maryland and texas, 1994-1996.	notifiable disease reporting laws or regulations in states and territories require reporting of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (aids) cases, including patient and physician names, to state or local health authorities. as of january 1, 1998, a total of 31 states were conducting name-based human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) case surveillance by using the same methods as surveillance for aids. however, because of concerns about name-based hiv surveillance, maryland and texas implemented hiv sur ...	1998	9436716
where are we now?		1998	9448452
impact of the 1993 cdc surveillance definition of aids in texas, 1991-1994.	in 1993, the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) expanded the surveillance case definition of aids to include all individuals showing immune suppression, measured by absolute cd4 lymphocyte count or cd4/cd8 ratio, as well as those presenting with the 23 clinical conditions from previous case definitions or with three new indicator conditions (pulmonary tuberculosis, recurrent pneumonia, and invasive cervical cancer). the greatest impact of the expanded definition is the dramatic inc ...	1998	9448454
human rabies--texas and new jersey, 1997.	on october 19 and october 23, 1997, a man in texas and a man in new jersey, respectively, died from rabies. this report summarizes the clinical features of these cases and the epidemiologic investigations by the texas department of health and the new jersey state department of health and senior services, which indicated that a bat-associated variant of the rabies virus was responsible for infection in both cases.	1998	9450721
evolution and current status of the total artificial heart: the search continues.	artificial hearts have been used for temporary and permanent replacement of failing human hearts. attempts at permanent implantation during the 1980s were complicated by a high incidence of infection and thromboembolism, combined with a low quality of life for recipients. given the success of cardiac transplantation, the artificial heart was relegated to temporary use in critically ill patients who were waiting for a donor heart. continued difficulties with complications, combined with the succe ...	1998	9466494
from the centers for disease control and prevention. human rabies--texas and new jersey, 1997.		1998	9466619
deletion in poly(adp-ribose)polymerase pseudogene and lung cancer risk.	the poly(adp-ribose)polymerase (padprp) gene has been implicated in carcinogenesis through its role in dna repair, replication and recombination. a two-allele polymorphism in the chromosome 13 padprp pseudogene has been studied in several racial groups. it has been suggested that the b allele, which results from a 193-bp deletion in the gene, predisposes to myeloma in blacks. we assessed the association between chromosome 13 padprp pseudogene genotype, mutagen sensitivity (a marker reflecting ho ...	1998	9472699
invasive pneumococcal disease in dallas county, texas: results from population-based surveillance in 1995.	we studied the epidemiology of invasive disease caused by streptococcus pneumoniae in 1995 among 1.9 million residents of dallas county, texas. the sociodemographic characteristics and chronic medical conditions of 432 patients were identified through active, population-based surveillance and review of medical records. the incidence of disease was 22 cases per 100,000 person-years and was highest for children < 2 years of age (136 cases per 100,000 person-years) and for adults > or = 65 years of ...	1998	9524828
train accidents involving pedestrians, motor vehicles, and motorcycles.	in the united states, train-related accidents account for more than 18,000 injuries and 1,200 fatalities annually, yet there is a paucity of literature pertaining to this unique injury. we reviewed the medical records of 98 of 135 cases of train-related trauma treated at ben taub general hospital, baylor college of medicine, houston, texas, from 1990 to 1995. there were 50 train-pedestrian accidents, 47 train-automobile accidents, and 1 train-motorcycle accident, with a mean patient age of 30.1 ...	1998	9586732
prevalence of the diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome among human immunodeficiency virus type 1-positive outpatients.	to ascertain the prevalence of the diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome (dils) in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (hiv-1)-positive outpatients.	1998	9588738
the ecology of outcomes: system accountability in children's mental health.	this article provides a conceptual and practical framework called the ecology of outcomes. based on this framework, agencies that serve children and families build and use outcome-oriented information systems to respond to their clients in a more flexible manner. the goal is to improve promising programs by involving stakeholders in outcome identification and in utilization of results. problems addressed include the emphasis human services place on rules compliance, lack of feedback to program s ...	1998	9595878
principles for developing interdisciplinary school-based primary care centers.	a 50% increase has occurred in the number of school-based primary care centers (sbpccs) in the united states since 1993-94. public schools offer a well-established and respected community-based infrastructure within which health centers may feasibly be developed. sbpccs have documented improved access to care for underserved children and some initial success in addressing the complex morbidities and associated behavioral risk factors of children and adolescents. this paper presents five working ...	1998	9608450
clarifying the relationship of medical education and moral development.	to assess the development of the moral reasoning skills of medical students through the course of their education, and to determine whether their scores would reflect the increases usually found at this age range and education level.	1998	9609863
the reawakening of national concern about silicosis.	from west texas to west virginia, from california to new york, in industries from oil refining to coal mining and work settings from foundries to shipyards, the united states is experiencing an epidemic of silicosis, a preventable disease. silica sand has been linked to cancer, and the international agency for research on cancer has named silica as a probable human carcinogen. this article analyzes the reawakening of national concern about silicosis and the social, economic, and epidemiologic fa ...	1998	9672567
violence and threats of violence experienced by public health field-workers.	public health workers may work with clients whose behaviors are risks for both infectious disease and violence.	1998	9701079
the travels of a lone star tick.	a lone-star tick, amblyomma americanum, was found as a pedunculated lesion on the back of the arm of an 84 year old man in northern ireland. this was acquired on a visit to the usa. the tick is found mainly in texas and the ozark mountains of missouri, with scattered foci in other parts of southern usa. it is the vector of rocky mountain spotted fever. as worldwide travel becomes increasingly common, exotic parasites make occasional appearances in northern europe.	1998	9708212
older adults and the news media: utilization, opinions, and preferred reference terms.	we surveyed 868 community-dwelling older adults about their (a) utilization of media news, (b) opinion of news media coverage of older people, and (c) preferences among terms used by news media to refer to senior citizens. those with more than high school education read more newspaper news than those with less education. all groups watched tv news more frequently than they read the newspaper. respondents had reservations about the news media's accuracy in, attitude toward, and interest in storie ...	1998	9726135
cryptococcosis: population-based multistate active surveillance and risk factors in human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons. cryptococcal active surveillance group.	to determine the incidence of cryptococcosis and its risk factors among human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)-infected persons, population-based active surveillance was conducted in four us areas (population, 12.5 million) during 1992-1994, and a case-control study was done. of 1083 cases, 931 (86%) occurred in hiv-infected persons. the annual incidence of cryptococcosis per 1000 among persons living with aids ranged from 17 (san francisco, 1994) to 66 (atlanta, 1992) and decreased significantly in ...	1999	9878030
is there really a heterosexual aids epidemic in the united states? findings from a multisite validation study, 1992-1995. mode of transmission validation study group.	the objective of this study was to verify the mode of exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) among cases who obtained acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (aids) through heterosexual contact and to determine the proportion of cases initially reported with no risk but whose exposure may have been heterosexual. adults aged > or = 13 years with aids, diagnosed from 1992 through 1995 with heterosexual risk or no risk at six us study sites (alabama, california, florida, new jersey, new york ...	1999	9883796
efficacy of treatment for syphilis in pregnancy.	to evaluate prospectively the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) recommended regimens for the treatment of antepartum syphilis and prevention of congenital syphilis.	1999	9916946
detection and molecular characterization of ebola viruses causing disease in human and nonhuman primates.	ebola (ebo) viruses were detected in specimens obtained during the hemorrhagic fever outbreak among humans in kikwit, democratic republic of the congo (drc), in 1995 (subtype zaire) and during an outbreak of disease in cynomolgus macaques in alice, texas, and the philippines in 1996 (subtype reston). reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays were developed and proven effective for detecting viral rna in body fluids and tissues of infected individuals. little change was seen in the n ...	1999	9988180
loci on chromosomes 2 (niddm1) and 15 interact to increase susceptibility to diabetes in mexican americans.	complex disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, hypertension and psychiatric illnesses account for a large and disproportionate share of health care costs, but remain poorly characterized with respect to aetiology. the transmission of such disorders is complex, reflecting the actions and interactions of multiple genetic and environmental factors. genetic analyses that allow for the simultaneous consideration of susceptibility from multiple regions may improve the ability to m ...	1999	9988276
epidemiology of drug-resistant tuberculosis in texas.	during 1987-1996, over 22,000 tuberculosis cases were reported in texas, at an average annual incidence rate of 12.5 cases per 100,000 population. counties with the highest rates were located along the mexico-texas border and in northwestern texas. nine percent of cases were resistant to at least one of the five first-line antituberculosis drugs used for treatment. almost 5 percent (4.6%) were resistant to isoniazid, either alone or in combination with other antibiotics; 2.3% were resistant to r ...	1999	10025479
hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.	we present the first case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the dallas/fort worth area. the patient was a 50-year-old previously healthy white man, who had adult respiratory distress syndrome (ards) and hypotensive shock after 1 week of nonspecific "viral" symptoms. despite supportive care, the patient died within several hours of presentation. this case illustrates several of the classic hallmarks of hantavirus infection such as hemoconcentration, thrombocytopenia, ards, and shock.	1999	10071675
scientific misconduct. investigations on trial in a texas court.		1999	10075554
an ethnographic comparison of hiv risk behaviors among heroin and methamphetamine injectors.	drug injection and other practices affecting the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection were studied among 154 heroin users and 45 methamphetamine users in san antonio, texas. amphetamine users were younger, mostly white, and had less-severe drug dependence. heroin users had significantly higher levels of needle risk, as indicated by frequency of injection, number of persons sharing equipment, and place of injection. methamphetamine users tended to buy syringes in lots of 10 or mor ...	1999	10078975
the epidemiology of syphilis in the waning years of an epidemic: houston, texas, 1991-1997.	national and local syphilis rates have fallen since 1990. accurate epidemiologic information about the distribution of syphilis during the waning years of an epidemic are important to health care organizations so that they can specifically target screening and intervention programs.	1999	10100768
linkage analysis of candidate obesity genes among the mexican-american population of starr county, texas.	recent advances in the molecular basis of body fat regulation have identified several genes in which genetic variation may influence obesity and related measures in human populations. genes that have been shown to have a regulatory function in the control of body fat utilization, eating behavior, and/or metabolic rate in rodent models of obesity include leptin (lep), leptin receptor (lepr), neuropeptide y (npy), npy y1 receptor (npyy1), glucagon-like peptide-1 (glp-1), glp-1 receptor (glp1r), an ...	1999	10207720
a program of acquired immune deficiency syndrome education for nurses in romania.	after the fall of the communist government in romania, many children were found to be human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infected. the majority of these children were abandoned and currently live in orphanages. the children have been cared for on a day-to-day basis by nurses with little general nursing education and even less hiv education. the romanian-american pediatric aids education and clinical research program was established at texas children's hospital and baylor college of medicine in m ...	1999	10331326
education and certification influence the nutrition and management knowledge of long-term-care foodservice managers.	to describe nutrition knowledge, attitude toward nutrition, and management knowledge of long-term-care foodservice managers and to determine the relationship between these variables and the foodservice managers' personal and facility characteristics.	1999	10333776
corporate compliance: critical to organizational success.	operation restore trust (ort) has focused increased governmental attention on health care fraud and abuse activities, making it more costly to be noncompliant, and thus has led to significant behavioral changes within the health care industry. initially five states (california, florida, illinois, new york, & texas) were included in the 1997 ort pilot program. this has been expanded to include arizona, colorado, georgia, louisiana, massachusetts, missouri, new jersey, ohio, pennsylvania, tennesse ...	1999	10335217
inspector general uses midlevel penalties.		1999	10345695
trends in hiv-related sexual risk behaviors among high school students--selected u.s. cities, 1991-1997.	despite recent decreases in sexual risk behaviors among high school students nationwide, human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection was the seventh leading cause of death among persons aged 15-24 years in the united states during 1997. to determine whether the prevalence of hiv-related sexual risk behaviors among high school students also has decreased in certain urban areas heavily affected by the epidemic, cdc analyzed data from youth risk behavior surveys (yrbs) conducted in 1991, 1993, 199 ...	1999	10372501
prevalence of sinonasal symptoms in patients with hiv infection.	infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) is increasing in prevalence, and disease patterns are changing as patient survival lengthens. the purpose of this cross-sectional epidemiological study was to assess the prevalence and severity of self-reported symptoms of otolaryngologic disease in a group of patients attending a general hiv outpatient clinic (n = 203), and to compare the prevalence of self-reported symptoms with a sample of patients without hiv infection (n = 100). of the h ...	1999	10392239
hcfa mandates medicaid reimbursement for aids wasting drug.		1999	10394566
congenital anomalies and anthropometry of 42 individuals with deletions of chromosome 18q.	deletions of chromosome 18q are among the most common segmental aneusomies compatible with life. the estimated frequency is approximately 1/40,000 live births [cody jd, pierce jf, brkanac z, plaetke r, ghidoni pd, kaye ci, leach rj. 1997. am. j. med. genet. 69:280-286]. most deletions are terminal encompassing as much as 36 mb, but interstitial deletions have also been reported. we have evaluated 42 subjects with deletions of 18q at our institution. this is the largest number of individuals with ...	1999	10405442
stable isotopes in ecosystem science: structure, function and dynamics of a subtropical savanna.	stable isotopes are often utilized as intrinsic tracers to study the effects of human land uses on the structural and functional characteristics of ecosystems. here, we illustrate how stable isotopes of h, c, and o have been utilized to document changes in ecosystem structure and function using a case study from a subtropical savanna ecosystem. specifically, we demonstrate that: (1) delta 13c values of soil organic carbon record a vegetation change in this ecosystem from c4 grassland to c3 woodl ...	1999	10407309
a retrospective analysis of 96 "asp" (megalopyge opercularis) envenomations in central texas during 1996.	the most frequently reported caterpillar envenomation in central texas is by the puss caterpillar or "asp," megalopyge opercularis. this caterpillar is described by patients and physicians as inflicting intense radiating pain. the intensity of symptoms may be underestimated leading to undertreatment. adequate treatment protocols have been lacking and those in use are not very successful. we present a retrospective study of patients who were stung and contacted the central texas poison center.	1999	10465242
complex transmission dynamics of clonally related virulent mycobacterium tuberculosis associated with barhopping by predominantly human immunodeficiency virus-positive gay men.	limited data suggest that measures to reduce tuberculosis transmission should be based on locations rather than on personal contacts. molecular epidemiologic methods (analysis of is6110 patterns, spoligotypes, variable numbers of tandem dna repeats, and automated dna sequence data) identified a cohort of 48 persons who were infected with progeny of the same mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. epidemiologic investigation documented that a large proportion of the patients were gay white human immun ...	1999	10479154
climate change and its potential impacts on the gulf coast region of the united states.	the gulf coast region of the united states abuts five states, including alabama, florida, louisiana, mississippi, and texas. in general, the gulf of mexico has a surface area of 1.63 million square kilometers (630,000 square miles) and a watershed area of 4.69 million square kilometers (1.81 million square miles) in the united states. this region is one of the nation's largest ecological systems and is closely linked to a significant portion of the nation's economy. in the gulf coast region, ene ...	1999	10485132
sale of sex for drugs and drugs for sex: an economic context of sexual risk behavior for stds.	persons who participate in behaviors such as drug use and buying or selling sex are at elevated risk for sexually transmitted diseases (std)/human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection.	1999	10494935
ethnic differences in hiv testing.	testing plays an important role in the early detection of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection and in the formulation of an appropriate management plan for patients who are infected with the virus. statistical data from the city of houston health department were reviewed for persons who were screened for hiv during 1996 to determine their demographic characteristics, counseling status after testing positive, and availability of medical insurance. records of 29,085 persons were reviewed i ...	1999	10518441
public health workforce information: a state-level study.	a two-stage sample survey was used to estimate the size of texas' professional public health workforce and to describe its composition in terms of employment settings, job characteristics, and individual characteristics. the estimated 17,700 public health professionals employed in 1995 represented approximately three percent of the state's total health workforce. about 55 percent of all these professionals worked in agencies that provide population-based public health services. an estimated seve ...	1999	10537601
rabies surveillance in the united states during 1998.	during 1998, 49 states, the district of columbia, and puerto rico reported 7,961 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 1 case in a human being to the centers for disease control and prevention, a decrease of 6.5% from 8,509 cases in nonhuman animals and 4 cases in human beings reported in 1997. more than 92% (7,358 cases) were in wild animals, whereas > 7.5% (603 cases) were in domestic species (compared with 93% in wild animals and 7% in domestic species in 1997). decreases were evident in al ...	1999	10613210
vaccine to prevent aids.	the university of texas medical branch (utmb) is the first texas site to test an hiv vaccine. the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing hiv is being studied, but it cannot give a person aids; it is genetically engineered and therefore contains copies of proteins normally found on the surface of the virus. the vaccine has already been tested for safety in animals. this vaccine and a similar formulation have been given to more than 1,200 human volunteers, with no serious side effects reported ...	1999	11366234
napwa applauds ruling.	the health care finance administration (hcfa) has reversed a previous statement concerning medicaid reimbursement for serostim, the first biotechnology drug to be approved for treatment of aids wasting. the original ruling said serostim could be a drug used for cosmetic weight gain. this gave states the right to refuse medicaid reimbursement when the drug was used in treating aids wasting. however, after efforts by the national association for people with aids, in concert with serono laboratorie ...	1999	11366312
hcfa reverses ruling on aids wasting treatment. health care financing administration.	the texas health care financing administration (hcfa) had denied medicaid coverage of serostim as a cosmetic treatment, but reversed that decision following a food and drug administration (fda) letter that said the drug was approved for aids wasting. the drug, produced by serono laboratories, is used as a treatment for aids wasting, which is a contributing factor in the death rate of patients with aids. serostim is a human growth hormone which causes a significant increase in lean body mass and ...	1999	11366412
after protests, hcfa requires coverage of anti-wasting drug. health care financing administration.	the u.s. health care financing administration (hcfa) reversed an earlier decision and ruled that texas cannot deny medicaid coverage for serostim, the first biotechnology drug approved for aids wasting. hcfa previously ruled that serostim was used for cosmetic weight gain, but now agrees that the drug has many clinical benefits against wasting. the national association of people with aids pressed for the policy reversal. texas had argued that section 1927 of the social security act denied medica ...	1999	11366530
failed bias-by-association lawsuit costs plaintiff $29,000.	u.s. district judge joe kendall ruled that the plaintiff's discrimination lawsuit was filed frivolously, and that he had to pay his former employer more than $29,000 for attorney's fees incurred in its defense against the lawsuit. the plaintiff was unable to show that charter furniture rental inc. was aware of his sexual orientation or his partner's aids-related illness. the plaintiff made every effort to conceal his homosexuality. he claimed his live-in partner was just a roommate. the plaintif ...	1999	11366535
insurance scam.	twenty-eight people with hiv or aids were indicted in dallas for lying about their medical status to obtain life insurance and then selling those policies through a viatical settlement arrangement conducted by an insurance company. forgery and fraud indictments were obtained against three insurance brokers and agents and michael lee davis, the vice president of southwest viatical inc. people working with davis arranged for the purchase of $12 million in insurance policies for applicants even tho ...	1999	11366600
a preliminary survey of antibiotic resistance of salmonella in market-age swine.	we conducted an epidemiological survey of antibiotic resistance in salmonella recovered from market-age swine at five different texas farms. these farms, which were visited between october 1997 and june 1998, were completely integrated, farrow-to-finish operations. samples were taken from the lymph nodes and cecal contents at the time of slaughter. the salmonella samples that were recovered were sent to the national veterinary services laboratory for serotyping. antibiotic resistance was determi ...	1999	10659370
hiv-related malignancies: community-based study using linkage of cancer registry and hiv registry data.	for people immunosuppressed by human immunodeficiency virus (hiv), we expect an increase in cancer incidence similar to that documented in transplant patients. we examined the cancer spectrum in an hiv-infected cohort, specifically malignancies not currently associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (aids), in relation to the general population. cancer incidence data for residents of harris county, texas, diagnosed between 1975 and 1994, were linked to hiv/aids registry data by soundex ...	1999	10639060
immunization status of children born to human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)-infected mothers in two texas cities.	because hiv-infected and hiv-exposed children are at risk of acquiring infectious diseases, they should be immunized.	2000	10653065
antiretroviral prescribing patterns in the texas prison system.	although the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection among prison inmates is reported to be high, little is known about anti-hiv treatment patterns in correctional institutions. the present study assessed antiretroviral prescribing patterns for 2360 texas department of criminal justice (tdcj) inmates infected with hiv. in 1998, 66.8% of all tdcj inmates infected with hiv who had cd4 lymphocyte counts < 500 cells/mm(3) were treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (haa ...	2000	11096015
failure to identify non-bovine reservoirs of mycobacterium bovis in a region with a history of infected dairy-cattle herds.	the state of texas had the most (cumulative) tuberculous cattle herds of any state in the united states during the decade ending in 1997. of the cumulative 18 infected herds in texas, 12 herds were concentrated in el paso county (designated the 'el paso milkshed'). to identify whether non-bovine reservoirs were a source of mycobacterium bovis infection of cattle in this region, an investigation was conducted on the premises of 14 dairy herds (12 tuberculous and 2 non-affected herds) between may ...	2000	10665951
"to err is human.".		2000	10723249
computer-assisted instruction: an effective instructional method for hiv prevention education?	to compare the effectiveness of a computer-assisted instruction (cai)-based intervention to a more traditional lecture-based intervention for influencing psychosocial correlates of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) preventive behaviors.	2000	10734271
oral manifestations of pediatric vertical hiv infection.	to assess the prevalence and prognostic significance of the history of oral manifestations in children with human immunodeficiency virus infection (hiv), a cohort study of 73 children with vertical hiv infection was conducted. the study subjects were examined every 6 months for oral manifestations. the period prevalence of oral manifestations ranged from a low of 1% for submandibular enlargement and 3% for hairy leukoplakia to a high of 36% for xerostomia and 51% for cervical lymphadenopathy. th ...	2000	10743521
sequence variation within the neuropeptide y gene and obesity in mexican americans.	recently, we reported evidence for linkage between neuropeptide y (npy) and both obesity and several obesity-related quantitative measures in a sample of mexican americans from starr county, texas. the purpose of this study was to investigate putative variation within the coding and promoter regions of npy.	2000	10832764
genomic searches for genes that influence atherosclerosis and its risk factors.	we are performing genomic searches in randomly ascertained families to identify new quantitative trait loci (qtls) that influence atherosclerosis and its risk factors. the genetic markers used for genomic searches are random microsatellite markers distributed throughout the human chromosomes. these markers are used for linkage analysis with variance component methods to identify qtls for measured phenotypes related to lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis. we conducted such a genomic search in 47 ...	2000	10865820
a pilot study comparing the level of sickle cell disease knowledge in a university in southeastern texas and a university in enugu, enugu state, nigeria, west africa.	sickle cell disease is the most commonly inheritable blood disorder in man. sickle cell anemia affects approximately one in 375 blacks in the united states. there is yet no known cure for this disease. families of sickle cell patients continue to be financially and emotionally devastated by sickle cell disease complications. a high level of sickle cell disease knowledge will encourage non-directional sickle cell disease counseling that would reduce the incidence of this disease. a pilot study to ...	2000	10892830
armadillo exposure and hansen's disease: an epidemiologic survey in southern texas.	naturally occurring leprosy has been demonstrated in wild nine-banded armadillos (dasypus novemcinctus ). this suggests a possible mode of transmission of human leprosy in regions where armadillo contact is prevalent.	2000	10906642
perception of reliability of human immunodeficiency virus/aids information sources.	the sources of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)/aids information as well as the perception of reliability of information from these sources may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of hiv risk reduction messages in reaching high risk populations. we examined the sources of hiv information and the perception of reliability of information from these sources among african americans (n = 441), hispanic americans (n = 456), and whites (n = 297), in houston, texas. the data revealed that a ...	2000	10918761
5th international ancient dna conference. divining diet and disease from dna.	some 110 scientists from a range of disciplines gathered in the overcast british midlands for the 5th international ancient dna conference, held here from 12 to 14 july. among the attractions were new insights into the diets of early americans gleaned from ancient human coprolites and intriguing reports of nuclear dna and ancient viral sequences extracted from mammoth bones.	2000	10939960
linkage exclusion analysis of the chromosome 11 region containing ucp2 and ucp3 with obesity-related phenotypes in mexican americans.	to investigate whether the region of chromosome 11 (11q13) containing the genes ucp2 and ucp3 could be excluded for linkage with a variety of obesity-related phenotypes in humans.	2000	10951548