Publications

partner notification for persons with chronic hepatitis b virus infection: use of a syphilis model service.	adults with chronic hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection are usually the source of infection for persons who acquire sexually transmitted hbv infection. vaccinating sex- and needle-sharing partners is recommended.	2006	16540881
methamphetamine use and hiv risk behaviors among heterosexual men--preliminary results from five northern california counties, december 2001-november 2003.	methamphetamine (meth) is a highly addictive stimulant that gained widespread popularity in california in the 1980s and has since spread to most regions of the united states, including rural areas. analyses of survey data among noninjection-drug users from california in the mid-1990s determined that, among heterosexual persons and among men who had sex with men (msm), meth users reported more sex partners, were less likely to report condom use, and were more likely to report sex in exchange for ...	2006	16543881
commercial sex work and risk of hiv infection among young drug-injecting men who have sex with men in san francisco.	the objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between sex work and hiv infection among young injection drug-using men who have sex with men (msm-idu).	2006	16565643
severe pediatric influenza in california, 2003-2005: implications for immunization recommendations.	the 2003-2004 influenza season was marked by both the emergence of a new drift "fujian" strain of influenza a virus and prominent reports of increased influenza-related deaths in children in the absence of baseline data for comparison. in december 2003, the california department of health services initiated surveillance of children who were hospitalized in california with severe influenza in an attempt to measure its impact and to identify additional preventive measures.	2006	16585278
predicting density of ixodes pacificus nymphs in dense woodlands in mendocino county, california, based on geographic information systems and remote sensing versus field-derived data.	ixodes pacificus nymphs are the primary vectors to humans of borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of lyme disease, in california. we used a supervised classification model, based on remote sensing (rs) data from multi-seasonal landsat tm 5 images, to identify the key habitat in mendocino county where humans are exposed to i. pacificus nymphs (woodlands carpeted with leaf litter). the model, based on the normalized difference vegetation index (ndvi), brightness, and wetness, separated the ny ...	2006	16606998
genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to lung disease.	susceptibility to infection by bacterium such as bacillus anthracis has a genetic basis in mice and may also have a genetic basis in humans. in the limited human cases of inhalation anthrax, studies suggest that not all individuals exposed to anthrax spores were infected, but rather, individuals with underlying lung disease, particularly asthma, sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, might be more susceptible. in this study, we determined if polymorphisms in genes important in innate immunity are associa ...	2006	16608528
global challenges as inspiration: a classroom strategy to foster social responsibility.	social responsibility is at the heart of the engineer's creed embodied in the pledge that we will dedicate [our] professional knowledge and skill to the advancement and betterment of human welfare... [placing] public welfare above all other considerations. however, half century after the original creed was written, we find ourselves in a world with great technological advances and great global-scale technologically-enabled peril. these issues can be naturally integrated into the engineering curr ...	2006	16609724
life history and seasonal abundance of fannia benjamini complex (diptera: muscidae) in southern california.	seasonal abundance and life history of fannia benjamini complex (diptera: muscidae) was studied in the coastal mountain community ofla habra heights in los angeles county, california, with additional observations in drier, inland mountains in the woodcrest area, riverside county. the dominant species (>95% of fly collections) was fannia conspicua malloch, whereas fannia benjamini malloch also was present. both species could be collected nearly year-round by netting adults (almost exclusively fem ...	2006	16619598
role of corvids in epidemiology of west nile virus in southern california.	the invasion of different southern california landscapes by west nile virus (wnv) and its subsequent amplification to epidemic levels during 2004 enabled us to study the impact of differing corvid populations in three biomes: the hot colorado desert with few corvids (coachella valley), the southern san joaquin valley (kern county) with large western scrub-jay but small american crow populations, and the cool maritime coast (los angeles) with a large clustered american crow population. similar su ...	2006	16619622
geographical distribution patterns and habitat suitability models for presence of host-seeking ixodid ticks in dense woodlands of mendocino county, california.	we used drag sampling to examine the geographical distribution patterns of ixodid ticks engaging in open (non-nidicolous) host-seeking behavior in dense woodland habitats of the climatically and ecologically diverse mendocino county in north coastal california. the findings based on this sampling methodology reflect risk of human exposure to host-seeking ticks rather than the true distribution of the ticks. drag sampling in 78 sites yielded 7,860 nymphal or adult ixodes pacificus cooley & kohls, ...	2006	16619628
epidemiology and prevention.	the 2006 conference on retroviruses and opportunistic infections marked the 13th year of this conference and the 25th anniversary of the first published cases of aids in gay men in los angeles. as noted in the opening plenary session, hiv has likely been present in the human population since the 1930s, and therefore represents a relatively recent disease for humans. however, by the end of 2005, more than 40 million persons were estimated to be living with hiv infection, and 5 million new infecti ...	2006	16641523
sentencing. sentence enhancement upheld for man who bit officers.		2006	16676385
perceptions of human immunodeficiency virus testing services among hiv-positive persons not in medical care.		2006	16688101
el niño effects on influenza mortality risks in the state of california.	recent el niño events have emphasized the need to develop modelling techniques to assess climate-related health events. experts agree that climate changes affect the spread of infectious diseases and that the geographic range of infectious diseases may expand as a result of these changes. nevertheless, the world health modelling community cannot yet predict, with reasonable accuracy, when or where exactly these effects will occur or how large the threat of these diseases will be to particular po ...	2006	16697021
a known functional polymorphism (ile120val) of the human pcmt1 gene and risk of spina bifida.	folate binding protein 1 (folr1) knockout mice with low maternal folate concentrations have been shown to be excellent animal models for human folate-responsive neural tube defects (ntds). previous studies using the folr1 knockout mice revealed that maternal folate supplementation up-regulates the expression of the pcmt1 gene in folr1 nullizygous neural tube tissue during neural tube closure. pcmt1 encodes the protein repair enzyme l-isoaspartate (d-aspartate) o-methyltransferase (pimt) that con ...	2006	16256389
apolipoprotein a-v: a potential modulator of plasma triglyceride levels in turks.	the apolipoprotein a-v gene (apoa5) plays an important role in determining plasma triglyceride levels. we studied the effects of apoa5 polymorphisms on plasma triglyceride levels in turks, a population with low levels of hdl cholesterol and a high prevalence of coronary artery disease. we found 15 polymorphisms, three of which were novel. seven haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) were chosen and genotyped in approximately 3,000 subjects. the rare alleles of the -1464t>c, -11 ...	2006	16258166
detection of breastfeeding and weaning in modern human infants with carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios.	carbon ((13)c/(12)c) and nitrogen ((15)n/(14)n) stable isotope ratios were longitudinally measured in fingernail and hair samples from mother-infant pairs where infants were exclusively breastfed (n = 5), breast- and formula-fed (n = 2), or exclusively formula-fed (n = 1) from birth. all exclusively breastfed infants had a dual enrichment in carbon ( approximately 1 per thousand) and nitrogen ( approximately 2-3 per thousand) when compared to maternal values. in contrast, breast- and formula-fed ...	2006	16261548
video methods in the quantification of children's exposures.	in 1994, stanford university's exposure research group (erg) conducted its first pilot study to collect micro-level activity time series (mlats) data for young children. the pilot study involved videotaping four children of farm workers in the salinas valley of california and converting their videotaped activities to valuable text files of contact behavior using video-translation techniques. these mlats are especially useful for describing intermittent dermal (i.e., second-by-second account of s ...	2006	16249797
genome-wide linkage analysis of lipids in nondiabetic chinese and japanese from the sapphire family study.	lipid levels are recognized as major risk factors for coronary heart disease (chd). discovery of major loci underlying quantitative lipid traits could help to elucidate the genetics of chd.	2006	17161774
simulating extracorporeal membrane oxygenation emergencies to improve human performance. part i: methodologic and technologic innovations.	extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ecmo) is a form of long-term cardiopulmonary bypass used to treat infants, children, and adults with respiratory and/or cardiac failure despite maximal medical therapy. mechanical emergencies on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ecmo) have an associated mortality of 25%. thus, acquiring and maintaining the technical, behavioral, and critical thinking skills necessary to manage ecmo emergencies is essential to patient survival. traditional training in ecmo ...	2006	19088593
simulating extracorporeal membrane oxygenation emergencies to improve human performance. part ii: assessment of technical and behavioral skills.	healthcare professionals are expected to make rapid, correct decisions in critical situations despite what may be a lack of real practical experience in a particular crisis situation. successful resolution of a medical crisis depends upon demonstration not only of appropriate technical skills but also of key behavioral skills (eg, leadership, communication, and teamwork). we have developed a hands-on, high fidelity, simulation-based training program (ecmo sim) to provide healthcare professionals ...	2006	19088594
theregen, inc.	theregen, inc. is a regenerative medicine company based in san francisco, california, usa, that develops cell-based therapies for patients with cardiovascular and vascular disease. the company is conducting a phase i human clinical safety trial at two us sites for its lead product, anginera, a cell-based epicardial patch therapy. anginera is designed to promote blood vessel growth in damaged cardiac tissue, stimulate wound healing and, potentially, to restore cardiac function in patients with he ...	2006	17465766
prioritization of pesticide environmental transformation products in drinking water supplies.	receiving waters within catchments may be exposed to many different transformation products following the application of pesticides. as environmental waters are abstracted for drinking water treatment these compounds may pose a risk to human health. this paper describes a prioritization approach for identifying the most important transformation products in drinking water sources. the approach can be applied to different geographical areas that have suitable pesticide usage data. the risk based a ...	2006	17180979
chka and pcyt1a gene polymorphisms, choline intake and spina bifida risk in a california population.	neural tube defects (ntds) are among the most common of all human congenital defects. over the last two decades, accumulating evidence has made it clear that periconceptional intake of folic acid can significantly reduce the risk of ntd affected pregnancies. this beneficial effect may be related to the ability of folates to donate methyl groups for critical physiological reactions. choline is an essential nutrient and it is also a methyl donor critical for the maintenance of cell membrane integr ...	2006	17184542
daryamides a-c, weakly cytotoxic polyketides from a marine-derived actinomycete of the genus streptomyces strain cnq-085.	in the course of our continuing search for new antitumor-antibiotics from marine-derived actinomycete bacteria, four new cytotoxic compounds, designated as daryamides a (1), b (2), and c (3) and (2e,4e)-7-methylocta-2,4-dienoic acid amide (4), were isolated from the culture broth of a marine-derived streptomyces strain cnq-085. the structures of these new compounds were assigned by detailed interpretation of spectroscopic data. the relative configuration of 1 was determined by comprehensive nmr ...	2006	17190455
competing definitions of contextual environments.	the growing interest in the effects of contextual environments on health outcomes has focused attention on the strengths and weaknesses of alternate contextual unit definitions for use in multilevel analysis. the present research examined three methods to define contextual units for a sample of children already enrolled in a respiratory health study. the inclusive equal weights method (m1) and inclusive sample weighted method (m2) defined communities using the boundaries of the census blocks tha ...	2006	17156433
labor's critical role in workplace health and safety in california and beyond--as labor shifts priorities, where will health and safety sit?	organized labor has been largely responsible for the health and safety protections many u.s. workers take for granted. this article provides a brief history of labor's influence on california's health and safety policies--sometimes with ripple effects beyond its borders. six cases where various successful strategies were used are examined. these gains were achieved with strong support from international health and safety staff, and, on some issues, support from the state labor federation. but in ...	2006	17145641
flow fingerprinting fecal pollution and suspended solids in stormwater runoff from an urban coastal watershed.	field studies were conducted to characterize the concentration vs streamflow relationships (or "flow fingerprints") of fecal pollution and suspended solids in stormwater runoff from the santa ana river watershed, the largest watershed in southern california. the concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria and f+ coliphages (viruses infecting e. coli) exhibit little-to-no dependence on streamflow rates, whereas the concentrations of total suspended solids (tss) exhibit a very strong (power-law) de ...	2006	16903282
a tale of three cities--where rhios meet the nhin.	regional health information exchanges in california, indiana, and massachusetts have been collaborating on a prototype for a nationwide health information network, first under the auspices of the markle foundation's connecting for health program and now under contract to the department of health and human services' office of the national coordinator for health information technology. since mid-2004, this collaboration has evolved from a collection of regional efforts to a standards-driven cooper ...	2006	16903663
west nile virus activity--united states, january 1-august 15, 2006.	this report summarizes west nile virus (wnv) surveillance data reported to cdc through arbonet as of 3 a.m. mountain daylight time, august 15, 2006. a total of 26 states had reported 388 cases of human wnv illness to cdc. a total of 214 (56%) cases for which such data were available occurred in males; median age of patients was 49 years (range: 2-91 years). dates of illness onset ranged from january 6 to august 10; a total of 13 cases were fatal. a total of 68 presumptive west nile viremic blood ...	2006	16915222
court oversight does not free man from hiv testing order.		2006	16918002
associations of variations in alcohol dehydrogenase genes with the level of response to alcohol in non-asians.	risk and protective factors for alcohol use disorders (auds) are complex and reflect both environmental and genetic factors. genetic components account for about 50% of the variation and influence several phenotypes, including the level of response (lr) to alcohol as well as alcohol-metabolizing enzyme polymorphisms. variations in the adh1b and adh1c genes may influence the lr to alcohol by increasing levels of acetaldehyde during alcohol metabolism, although most data on this question come from ...	2006	16930209
exogenous shocks to the human sex ratio: the case of september 11, 2001 in new york city.	the human secondary sex ratio reportedly falls in populations subjected to exogenous stressors such as earthquakes or political and social upheavals. explanations of the association include reduced conception of males and increased fetal deaths among males. the latter explanation has been supported by research reporting that the sex ratio in california fell 3 months, but not 8, 9 or 10 months, after the terrorist attacks of september 11, 2001. california's distance from the attacks raises the qu ...	2006	16936298
human impacts, plant invasion, and imperiled plant species in california.	invasive species are one of the fastest growing conservation problems. these species homogenize the world's flora and fauna, threaten rare and endemic species, and impose large economic costs. here, we examine the distribution of 834 of the more than 1000 exotic plant taxa that have become established in california, usa. total species richness increases with net primary productivity; however, the exotic flora is richest in low-lying coastal sites that harbor large numbers of imperiled species, w ...	2006	16937802
human plague--four states, 2006.	plague is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium yersinia pestis. in 2006, a total of 13 human plague cases have been reported among residents of four states: new mexico (seven cases), colorado (three cases), california (two cases), and texas (one case). this is the largest number of cases reported in a single year in the united states since 1994. dates of illness onset ranged from february 16 to august 14; two (15%) cases were fatal. the median age of patients was 43 years (range: 13-79 yea ...	2006	16943764
ethnicity and use of alternative products in psychiatric patients.	the use of herbal and natural products for medical purposes is common in all human civilizations, and use in western societies has grown considerably in recent years. however, differences in usage patterns between different ethnic groups are yet to be delineated. the current study examined the frequency and type of complementary/alternative medications used by a sample of 453 rural psychiatric outpatients of two different ethnic groups. the products were classified as "natural" (herbal products ...	2006	16959929
serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d, parathyroid hormone, and bone mineral density in men: the rancho bernardo study.	this study examined the distribution and determinants of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d (25ohd) and parathyroid hormone (pth) and their associations with bone mineral density (bmd) at the hip and spine in 414 older men (mean age 74 years) living in southern california.	2006	16967190
monitoring county-level vaccination coverage during the 2004-2005 influenza season.	during the 2004-2005 influenza season, the united states faced a sudden shortage of influenza vaccine. in response, the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) and the advisory committee on immunization practices (acip) recommended prioritizing vaccination for persons aged 65 and older and others at high risk. to monitor subsequent vaccination coverage, several questions about influenza vaccination were added to the ongoing behavioral risk factor surveillance system (brfss). this study ...	2006	16979450
having sex and condom use: potential risks and benefits reported by young, sexually inexperienced adolescents.	this study determines what young adolescents themselves identify as the potential positive and negative outcomes of having sex, using a condom and not using a condom.	2006	16982395
genetic and phenotypic variability among salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium isolates from california dairy cattle and humans.	fifty-six human and 24 adult dairy cattle isolates of salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium from a single county in california were compared using ribotyping, insertion sequence typing (is200), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, plasmid typing, phage typing, and antimicrobial resistance testing. the majority of the isolates fell into one of two groups which were phage types dt104 and dt193. combining the information from all typing methods, a total of 45 different "clusters" were defined, with ...	2006	17021214
exposure. sentence upheld for man who drew blood in fight with police.		2006	17024724
internet access and use among homeless and indigent drug users in long beach, california.	there has been a growing interest in using the internet to access a variety of populations for prevention education and health care. it is not clear that this is viable for homeless and other marginalized populations. the purpose of this study was to describe internet access and use among a sample of homeless and indigent drug users. a brief questionnaire was developed to assess computer ownership, use, email, and internet access and use. participants were recruited through a community-based hum ...	2006	17034321
haplotype-based association studies of igfbp1 and igfbp3 with prostate and breast cancer risk: the multiethnic cohort.	collective evidence suggests that the insulin-like growth factor (igf) system plays a role in prostate and breast cancer risk. igf-binding proteins (igfbp) are the principal regulatory molecules that modulate igf-i bioavailability in the circulation and tissues. to examine whether inherited differences in the igfbp1 and igfbp3 genes influence prostate and breast cancer susceptibility, we conducted two large population-based association studies of african americans, native hawaiians, japanese ame ...	2006	17035411
spatial patterns of lyme disease risk in california based on disease incidence data and modeling of vector-tick exposure.	ixodes pacificus, particularly the nymphal life stage, is the primary vector to humans of the lyme disease agent borrelia burgdorferi in california. during 2004, we collected i. pacificus nymphs from 78 woodland sites in ecologically diverse mendocino county, which has a moderately high incidence of lyme disease. within this county, nymphal density was elevated in forested areas with a growing degree day range of 2,600-3,000 (10 degrees c base). using a geographic information systems approach, w ...	2006	17038692
fishing elevates variability in the abundance of exploited species.	the separation of the effects of environmental variability from the impacts of fishing has been elusive, but is essential for sound fisheries management. we distinguish environmental effects from fishing effects by comparing the temporal variability of exploited versus unexploited fish stocks living in the same environments. using the unique suite of 50-year-long larval fish surveys from the california cooperative oceanic fisheries investigations we analyse fishing as a treatment effect in a lon ...	2006	17051218
conservation planning for ecosystem services.	despite increasing attention to the human dimension of conservation projects, a rigorous, systematic methodology for planning for ecosystem services has not been developed. this is in part because flows of ecosystem services remain poorly characterized at local-to-regional scales, and their protection has not generally been made a priority. we used a spatially explicit conservation planning framework to explore the trade-offs and opportunities for aligning conservation goals for biodiversity wit ...	2006	17076586
the rate at which serum total beta-subunit human chorionic gonadotropin increases after embryo transfer is a predictor of the viability of pregnancy and an identifier of determinants of pregnancy.	to determine whether elements of treatment associated with faster doubling times of total beta-hcg in serum (beta-t2) in pregnant patients are also associated with a higher likelihood of pregnancy in all patients.	2006	17081527
pacific craniofacial team and cleft prevention program.	there is no doubt modern genetics have greatly influenced our professional and personal lives during the last decade. uncovering genetic causes of many medical and dental pathologies is helping to narrow the diagnosis and select a treatment plan that would provide the best outcome. importantly, having an understanding of multifactorial etiology helps direct our attention toward prevention. we now understand much better our own health problems. in some cases, we can modify our lifestyle and diet ...	2006	17087397
comparison of salmonella enterica serovar distribution and antibiotic resistance patterns in wastewater at municipal water treatment plants in two california cities.	to determine salmonella enterica serovars and antibiotic resistance (abr) in the human waste stream.	2006	17105561
u.s.: sexual history must be disclosed in lawsuit for negligent hiv transmission, california supreme court rules.	in july 2006, the supreme court of california ruled that a man being sued for allegedly transmitting hiv to his partner was required to disclose information about his sexual history. the court also decided that in order to sue for negligent transmission of hiv, a plaintiff need not prove that the defendant actually knew he was hiv-positive at the time of sexual relations. rather, it would be enough for the plaintiff to show that the defendant had reason to know he was living with hiv at the time ...	2006	17373084
proper positioning of clients: a risk for caregivers.	the primary objective of this study was to learn more about the occupational risk of client repositioning by caregivers. this study also included information on frequency demands and factors contributing to the need to reposition clients and future risk-reduction solutions and interventions. a questionnaire was administered to caregivers at 12 hospitals. targeted groups were client care units with caregivers who are required to reposition clients in bed. the task of client repositioning presents ...	2005	16255526
chronomics of autism and suicide.	we examine whether autism may be influenced by non-photic environmental factors, among others, in a california database consisting of the number of cases added quarterly to the system between 1993 and 2004. instead of a precise calendar (1.0)-year-long spectral component, we detect unseen primarily helio- and geomagnetic signatures, including a newly discovered near-transyear of 1.09-year length. in this case, it overrides any undetected seasonal effects, the topic of much previous unrewarding r ...	2005	16275478
predicting soil fumigant air concentrations under regional and diverse agronomic conditions.	sofea (soil fumigant exposure assessment system; dow agrosciences, indianapolis, in) is a new stochastic numerical modeling tool for evaluating and managing human inhalation exposure potential associated with the use of soil fumigants. sofea calculates fumigant concentrations in air arising from volatility losses from treated fields for large agricultural regions using multiple transient source terms (treated fields), geographical information systems (gis) information, agronomic specific variabl ...	2005	16275721
peripheral tuberculous lymphadenitis: epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome.	we reviewed 106 patients referred to our institution for treatment of peripheral tuberculous adenitis to establish the epidemiologic, clinical, and pathologic manifestations of this disease. tuberculous lymphadenitis occurred predominantly in young, foreign-born women a mean of 5 years after arrival in the united states. tuberculin skin tests were positive in 94% of cases. lymphadenopathy occurred most frequently in the neck (57%) or supraclavicular area (26%) and involved 1-3 nodes. forty (38%) ...	2005	16267410
endothelial nitric oxide synthase (nos3) genetic variants, maternal smoking, vitamin use, and risk of human orofacial clefts.	orofacial clefts have been associated with maternal cigarette smoking and lack of folic acid supplementation (which results in higher plasma homocysteine concentrations). because endothelial nitric oxide synthase (nos3) activity influences homocysteine concentration and because smoking compromises nos3 activity, genetic variation in nos3 might interact with smoking and folic acid use in clefting risk. the authors genotyped 244 infants with isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (cl/p), ...	2005	16269583
rickettsia felis infection rates in an east texas population.	murine typhus (rickettsia typhi), endemic in southern california and south texas, is maintained within a host-vector system consisting of the opossum and cat flea. in the early 1990s, a second rickettsial species, rickettsia felis, was also found to be maintained within the opossum-cat flea system and is, in fact, found more commonly than r. typhi in the opossum and cat flea. recognized as a human pathogen in 1994, r. felis causes an infection that produces symptoms indistinguishable from classi ...	2005	16130886
correlating agricultural use of organophosphates with outdoor air concentrations: a particular concern for children.	for the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos, median inhalation noncancer, acute children's exposures in agricultural communities are elevated above reference doses; for diazinon, similar exposures are nearly elevated. we used multivariate linear regression analysis to examine the temporal and spatial associations between agricultural use and measured air concentrations of chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxon, diazinon, and malathion. agricultural use within a 3-mile radius on the monitoring day an ...	2005	16140625
evaluation of a large, population-based sample supports a cpg island methylator phenotype in colon cancer.	the concept of a cpg island methylator phenotype (cimp), especially in microsatellite stable colon cancer, is not accepted universally. we therefore evaluated a large population-based sample of individuals with colon cancer and used univariate and multivariate analyses of cimp with clinicopathologic variables and tumor mutations to determine the biologic relevance of this phenotype.	2005	16143123
best-practice protocols: preventing adverse drug events.	analysis of stanford's electronic patient safety net revealed a pattern of unrecognized, widespread, low-frequency i.v.-pca adverse events. a performance improvement-failure modes and effects analysis identified causes, and a multidisciplinary team developed solutions.	2005	16155492
transmission of toxoplasma: clues from the study of sea otters as sentinels of toxoplasma gondii flow into the marine environment.	toxoplasma gondii affects a wide variety of hosts including threatened southern sea otters (enhydra lutris nereis) which serve as sentinels for the detection of the parasite's transmission into marine ecosystems. toxoplasmosis is a major cause of mortality and contributor to the slow rate of population recovery for southern sea otters in california. an updated seroprevalence analysis showed that 52% of 305 freshly dead, beachcast sea otters and 38% of 257 live sea otters sampled along the califo ...	2005	16157341
coastal water quality impact of stormwater runoff from an urban watershed in southern california.	field studies were conducted to assess the coastal water quality impact of stormwater runoff from the santa ana river, which drains a large urban watershed located in southern california. stormwater runoff from the river leads to very poor surf zone water quality, with fecal indicator bacteria concentrations exceeding california ocean bathing water standards by up to 500%. however, cross-shore currents (e.g., rip cells) dilute contaminated surf zone water with cleaner water from offshore, such t ...	2005	16173550
hiv transmission in the adult film industry--los angeles, california, 2004.	in april 2004, the los angeles county department of health services (lacdhs) received reports of work-related exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) in the heterosexual segment of the adult film industry in california. this report summarizes an investigation by lacdhs into four work-related hiv-transmission cases among adult film industry workers. the investigation was initiated april 20, 2004, and joined by the california department of industrial relations, division of occupational safe ...	2005	16177683
the economic burden of schizophrenia in the united states in 2002.	this study quantifies excess annual costs associated with schizophrenia patients in the united states in 2002 from a societal perspective.	2005	16187769
leptospirosis in a caver returned from sarawak, malaysia.	this article describes a case of leptospirosis in a man who returned from caving in sarawak, malaysia, and includes a discussion of epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. the patient presented with symptoms of leptospirosis, which was confirmed by microhemagglutination titers. he became infected despite taking doxycycline daily for malaria prophylaxis. leptospirosis is an important consideration in any returned traveler with fever. the spirochete spreads from animal ...	2005	16209467
prisons. hormone therapy order upheld for man with aids.		2005	15719474
sex ratios in california following the terrorist attacks of september 11, 2001.	natural and man-made disasters as well as declining economies appear to coincide with reduced odds of male live births among humans (i.e. lower secondary sex ratio). this association has been attributed to excess death of males in gestation and to reduced conception of males. we attempt to empirically discriminate between these two attributions by testing the hypotheses that the attacks of september 11, 2001 were followed in california first by higher fetal death sex ratios and later by lower se ...	2005	15734763
moving stem cells front and center: researcher makes paralyzed rats walk and asks, why not people?		2005	15742513
effect of a new diagnosis of barrett's esophagus on insurance status.	barrett's esophagus (be) is associated with an increased risk of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. despite this increased risk, most cohort studies demonstrate that the mean life expectancy of subjects with be is no different than age-matched controls. the indirect costs associated with a diagnosis of be are unclear.	2005	15743354
interventions to increase influenza vaccination of health-care workers--california and minnesota.	vaccination of health-care workers (hcws) has been shown to reduce influenza infection and absenteeism among hcws, prevent mortality in their patients, and result in financial savings to sponsoring health institutions. however, influenza vaccination coverage among hcws in the united states remains low; in 2003, coverage among hcws was 40.1%. this report describes strategies implemented in three clinical settings that increased the proportion of hcws who received influenza vaccination. the result ...	2005	15744227
gray wolves as climate change buffers in yellowstone.	understanding the mechanisms by which climate and predation patterns by top predators co-vary to affect community structure accrues added importance as humans exert growing influence over both climate and regional predator assemblages. in yellowstone national park, winter conditions and reintroduced gray wolves (canis lupus) together determine the availability of winter carrion on which numerous scavenger species depend for survival and reproduction. as climate changes in yellowstone, therefore, ...	2005	15757363
hhs awards to help improve care and patient safety.		2005	15765799
human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and cancer: past, present, and future.		2005	15769998
beliefs about appropriate antibacterial therapy, california.	to our knowledge, previous population-based surveys have not assessed misconceptions about antibacterial drug use over time. we documented a 26.3% decline in a key misconception in california women in 2003 compared to 2000; declines varied significantly by education level. educational campaigns specifically designed to influence important subpopulations are needed.	2005	16022800
restraining orders in california: a look at statewide data.	the authors tabulated statewide administrative data for all types of restraining orders. on june 6, 2003, there were 227,941 active restraining orders against adults in california; most were for domestic violence. rates of restraining orders (i.e., restrained persons) were highest for men, african americans, and 25- to 34-year-olds. in 72.2% of the orders, a woman was to be protected and a man was to be restrained; in 19.3%, the restrained and protected persons were of the same sex. although sta ...	2005	16043577
modeling the dry-weather tidal cycling of fecal indicator bacteria in surface waters of an intertidal wetland.	recreational water quality at beaches in california and elsewhere is often poor near the outlets of rivers, estuaries, and lagoons. this condition has prompted interest in the role of wetlands in modulating surface water concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria (fib), the basis of water quality standards internationally. a model was developed and applied to predict the dry-weather tidal cycling of fib in talbert marsh, an estuarine, intertidal wetland in huntington beach, california, in respon ...	2005	16051310
meeting highlights of the 8th annual scientific sessions of the society for cardiovascular magnetic resonance, january 21 to 23, 2005.	parallel tracks for clinical scientists, basic scientists, and pediatric imagers was the novel approach taken for the highly successful 8th annual scientific sessions of the society for cardiovascular magnetic resonance, held in san francisco, california, january 21 to 23, 2005. attendees were immersed in information on the latest scientific advances in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (cmr) from mice to man and technological advances from systems with field strengths from 0.5 t to 11.7 t. stat ...	2005	16053951
the varieties of religious development in adulthood: a longitudinal investigation of religion and rational choice.	the authors used growth mixture models to study religious development during adulthood (ages 27-80) in a sample of individuals who were identified during childhood as intellectually gifted. the authors identified 3 discrete trajectories of religious development: (a) 40% of participants belonged to a trajectory class characterized by increases in religiousness until midlife and declines in later adulthood; (b) 41% of participants belonged to a trajectory class characterized by very low religiousn ...	2005	16060747
genes encoding catalytic subunits of protein kinase a and risk of spina bifida.	prkaca and prkacb are genes encoding the camp-dependent protein kinase a (pka) catalytic subunits alpha and beta, respectively. pka is known to be involved in embryonic development, as it down-regulates the hedgehog (hh) signaling pathway, which is critical to normal pattern formation and morphogenesis. the pka-deficient mouse model, which has only a single catalytic subunit, provided intriguing evidence demonstrating a relationship between decreased pka activity and risk for posterior neural tu ...	2005	16080189
the snap25 gene as a susceptibility gene contributing to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.	the synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kda gene (snap25) has been suggested as a genetic susceptibility factor in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) based on the mouse strain coloboma. this strain is hemizygous for the snap25 gene and displays hyperactivity that responds to dextroamphetamine, but not to methylphenidate. previously, we reported association of snap25 and adhd using two polymorphisms. to further investigate this gene, we screened the exons for dna variation and geno ...	2005	16088329
risks of human conotruncal heart defects associated with 32 single nucleotide polymorphisms of selected cardiovascular disease-related genes.	investigating possible genetic polymorphisms and gene-environment interactions in the etiology of human conotruncal defects is a prudent research approach. in this study we explore gene-only and gene-environment effects of 32 single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) on conotruncal defect risks. the genes bearing these snps participate in one of five pathogenetic processes, homocysteine metabolism, coagulation, cell-cell interaction, inflammatory response, and blood pressure regulation. we used dna ...	2005	16100725
evaluation of antibiotic resistance analysis and ribotyping for identification of faecal pollution sources in an urban watershed.	the accuracy of ribotyping and antibiotic resistance analysis (ara) for prediction of sources of faecal bacterial pollution in an urban southern california watershed was determined using blinded proficiency samples.	2005	16108804
the ucsc proteome browser.	the university of california santa cruz (ucsc) proteome browser provides a wealth of protein information presented in graphical images and with links to other protein-related internet sites. the proteome browser is tightly integrated with the ucsc genome browser. for the first time, genome browser users have both the genome and proteome worlds at their fingertips simultaneously. the proteome browser displays tracks of protein and genomic sequences, exon structure, polarity, hydrophobicity, locat ...	2005	15608236
seasonal, interannual, and long-term variation in sport fish contamination, san francisco bay.	this study documents changes in contamination over time at seasonal, interannual, and decadal time scales for sport fish collected in san francisco bay. samples from seven fish species were prepared according to common consumption practices (muscle fillets either with or without skin) and analyzed for trace metals (mercury and selenium) and trace organochlorine contaminants (pcbs, ddts, chlordanes, and dieldrin). in 2000, sport fish samples exceeded human health screening values for mercury, pcb ...	2005	15589247
a risk assessment of atrazine use in california: human health and ecological aspects.	a risk assessment of the triazine herbicide atrazine has been conducted by first analyzing the toxicity database and subsequently estimating exposure. margins of safety (mos) were then calculated. toxicity was assessed in animal studies and exposure was estimated from occupational and dietary sources. in acute toxicity studies, atrazine caused developmental toxicity in the rabbit [no observed effect level (noel) 5 mg kg(-1) day(-1)] and cardiotoxicity in a dog chronic study (noel 0.5 mg kg(-1) d ...	2005	15655806
topophilia and the quality of life.	with this research i tested the hypothesis that individual preferences for specific ecosystem components and restorative environments are significantly associated with quality of life (qol). a total of 379 human subjects responded to a structured 18-item questionnaire on topophilia and to the 26-item world health organization's quality of life (whoqol-bref) instrument. confirmatory factor analyses revealed four domains of topophilia (ecodiversity, synesthetic tendency, cognitive challenge, and f ...	2005	15687050
remote sensing (normalized difference vegetation index) classification of risk versus minimal risk habitats for human exposure to ixodes pacificus (acari: ixodidae) nymphs in mendocino county, california.	in california, ixodes pacificus cooley & kohls nymphs have been implicated as the primary bridging vectors to humans of the spirochetal bacterium causing lyme disease (borrelia burgdorferi). because the nymphs typically do not ascend emergent vegetation, risk of human exposure is minimal in grasslands, chaparral, and woodland-grass. instead, woodlands with a ground cover dominated by leaf litter (hereinafter referred to as woodland-leaf) have emerged as a primary risk habitat for exposure to b. ...	2005	15691012
bioarchaeological evidence for trophy-taking in prehistoric central california.	fourteen adult burials in a large (n = 224) prehistoric central california cemetery (ca-scl-674) lack forearm bones. twelve of these otherwise well-articulated primary interments have distal humeri bearing cutmarks with a distribution like that seen in fur seals butchered by native californians. most of the burials with missing forearms are young adult males, a demographic profile that differs significantly from the full sample. three of these males show evidence of perimortem trauma in addition ...	2005	15693027
a proposed explanation for female predominance in alveolar soft part sarcoma. noninactivation of x; autosome translocation fusion gene?	alveolar soft-part sarcoma (asps) is a rare malignant soft tissue tumor with both clinically and morphologically distinct features. it often involves the extremities of adolescents and young adults and shows a predilection for females. recently, asps was found to have a nonreciprocal der(17)t(x;17) translocation with the corresponding fusion gene located in chromosome 17. because females have an extra x-chromosome, their likelihood of developing an x;autosome translocation is theoretically doubl ...	2005	15693033
description of campylobacter curvus and c. curvus-like strains associated with sporadic episodes of bloody gastroenteritis and brainerd's diarrhea.	campylobacter curvus is a rarely encountered campylobacter species in human, animal, and environmental samples. during the course of two investigations, one involving a search for possible bacterial agents causing bloody gastroenteritis and a second concerning a small outbreak of brainerd's diarrhea in northern california, 20 strains of c. curvus or c. curvus-like organisms were isolated by a microfiltration technique and prolonged incubation. the results suggest that c. curvus may be an underap ...	2005	15695649
exposure to childhood infections and risk of epstein-barr virus--defined hodgkin's lymphoma in women.	the role of epstein-barr virus (ebv) in hodgkin's lymphoma (hl) etiology remains unresolved as ebv is detected in only some hl tumors and few studies have tried to reconcile its presence with factors suggesting viral etiology (e.g., childhood social class, infection history). in a population-based case-control study of san francisco bay area women, we analyzed interview data by tumor ebv status. among 211 young adult cases, ebv-positive hl (11%) was associated with a single vs. shared bedroom at ...	2005	15700307
expression of the bcl-6 and mum1/irf4 proteins correlate with overall and disease-specific survival in patients with primary cutaneous large b-cell lymphoma: a tissue microarray study.	systemic b-cell lymphomas have been studied using microarrays, which has led to a better understanding of their molecular characteristics. initial microarray studies of these lymphomas have implicated several genes as important predictors of outcome. in this study, we used a tissue microarray (tma) to characterize primary cutaneous large b-cell lymphomas (pclbcl).	2005	15701085
hiv testing order reversed for man who wrote explicit letters.		2005	15793910
perinatal patient safety project: a multicenter approach to improve performance reliability at kaiser permanente.	high-reliability organizations, including high-reliability perinatal units, are built on a solid foundation of timely communication and collegial teamwork to maintain patient safety as a top priority. in these units, concise, real-time, and constant communication is valued. teamwork and collegiality characterize the professional relationships and hierarchy is minimized. the perinatal patient safety project utilized human factors techniques and systems improvements to create high-reliability peri ...	2005	15796423
self-transcendence: conceptualization and measurement.	self-transcendence has been hypothesized to be a critical component of wisdom (curnow, 1999) and adaptation in later life (tornstam, 1994). it reflects a decreasing reliance on externals for definition of the self, increasing interiority and spirituality, and a greater sense of connectedness with past and future generations. the adult self-transcendence inventory was administered to 351 individuals along with the neo-ffi personality scale (mccrae & costa, 1989). a principal axis factor analysis ...	2005	15801386
usefulness of the human activity profile, a functional performance measure, in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.	to further evaluate the usefulness of the human activity profile (hap) as a functional performance measure for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd).	2005	15818201
treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in san francisco: an outpatient-based approach.	treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis requires prolonged therapy, often involving long hospital stays. despite intensive and costly therapy, cure rates are relatively low.	2005	15824988
influence of beliefs about cervical cancer etiology on pap smear use among latina immigrants.	to assess latina immigrants' beliefs about the role of sexual activities in cervical cancer etiology and the impact of the beliefs on papanicolaou (pap) smear use. previous research has found that latinas, particularly immigrants, believe that cervical cancer is related to 'unwise' sexual activities; however, their beliefs about the nature of the relationship are unclear.	2005	15841584
a geropsychiatric unit without walls.	the continued population growth of people over the age of 65 correlates with the growth in the number of older people who experience a mental health crisis or frank mental illness. currently there is a paucity of treatment programs that are specialized for the geropsychiatric patient. given the limitations of finances and human resources as well as the constraints sometimes imposed by regulatory agencies, interdisciplinary health care workers are challenged to provide optimum care in traditional ...	2005	15842109
acceptance of herpes simplex virus type 2 screening among sexually transmitted disease clinic clients.		2005	15849535
geographic disparities in cervical cancer mortality: what are the roles of risk factor prevalence, screening, and use of recommended treatment?	despite advances in early detection and prevention of cervical cancer, women living in rural areas, and particularly in appalachia, the rural south, the texas/mexico border, and the central valley of california, have had consistently higher rates of cervical cancer mortality than their counterparts in other areas during the past several decades.	2005	15859052