Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Semiparametric Estimation By Using Surrogate Data, Song Xi Chen, Leung, Denis H. Y., Jin Qin

Research Collection School Of Economics

The paper considers estimating a parameter beta that defines an estimating function U(y, x, beta) for an outcome variable y and its covariate x when the outcome is missing in some of the observations. We assume that, in addition to the outcome and the covariate, a surrogate outcome is available in every observation. The efficiency of existing estimators for beta depends critically on correctly specifying the conditional expectation of U given the surrogate and the covariate. When the conditional expectation is not correctly specified, which is the most likely scenario in practice, the efficiency of estimation can be severely compromised …

Design And Synthesis Of Carbohydrate Based Derivatives As Antimicrobial Compounds, Aoife Smith

Doctoral

Investigations into the design of analogues of GlcNAc-Ins, the substrate for the enzyme GlcNAc-Ins deacetylase (mshB), a therapeutic target on the pathway to mycothiol biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis are described. Initial studies directed towards the design of a substrate analogue were based on the 3-D structure and a proposed mechanism of action of mshB (deduced by Dr. Andrew McCarthy, EMBL). The compounds were designed with the aim to produce an analogue which could better mimic the natural substrate for mshB (GlcNAc-Ins) for crystallisation and mechanistic studies to further improve the knowledge of this enzyme. A series of fatty acid ester …

Contribution Of The Collagen Adhesin Acm To Pathogenesis Of Enterococcus Faecium In Experimental Endocarditis, Sreedhar R Nallapareddy, Kavindra V Singh, Barbara E Murray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Enterococcus faecium is a multidrug-resistant opportunist causing difficult-to-treat nosocomial infections, including endocarditis, but there are no reports experimentally demonstrating E. faecium virulence determinants. Our previous studies showed that some clinical E. faecium isolates produce a cell wall-anchored collagen adhesin, Acm, and that an isogenic acm deletion mutant of the endocarditis-derived strain TX0082 lost collagen adherence. In this study, we show with a rat endocarditis model that TX0082 Deltaacm::cat is highly attenuated versus wild-type TX0082, both in established (72 h) vegetations (P < 0.0001) and for valve colonization 1 and 3 hours after infection (P or=50-fold reduction relative to an Acm producer) were found in three of these five nonadherent isolates, including the sequenced strain TX0016, by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, indicating that acm transcription is downregulated in vitro in these isolates. However, examination of TX0016 cells obtained directly from infected rat vegetations by flow cytometry showed that Acm was present on 40% of cells grown during infection. Finally, we demonstrated a significant reduction in E. faecium collagen adherence by affinity-purified anti-Acm antibodies from E. faecium endocarditis patient sera, suggesting that Acm may be a potential immunotarget for strategies to control this emerging pathogen.

A Functional Collagen Adhesin Gene, Acm, In Clinical Isolates Of Enterococcus Faecium Correlates With The Recent Success Of This Emerging Nosocomial Pathogen, Sreedhar R Nallapareddy, Kavindra V Singh, Pablo C Okhuysen, Barbara E Murray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Enterococcus faecium recently evolved from a generally avirulent commensal into a multidrug-resistant health care-associated pathogen causing difficult-to-treat infections, but little is known about the factors responsible for this change. We previously showed that some E. faecium strains express a cell wall-anchored collagen adhesin, Acm. Here we analyzed 90 E. faecium isolates (99% acm(+)) and found that the Acm protein was detected predominantly in clinically derived isolates, while the acm gene was present as a transposon-interrupted pseudogene in 12 of 47 isolates of nonclinical origin. A highly significant association between clinical (versus fecal or food) origin and collagen adherence (P

Alzheimer's Disease And Vascular Dementia In Developing Countries: Prevalence, Management, And Risk Factors, Raj N. Kalaria, Gladys E. Maestre, Raul Arizaga, Robert P. Friedland, Doug Galasko, Kathleen Hall, José A. Luchsinger, Adesola Ogunniyi, Elaine K. Perry, Felix Potocnik

School of Medicine Publications

Despite mortality due to communicable diseases, poverty, and human conflicts, dementia incidence is destined to increase in the developing world in tandem with the ageing population. Current data from developing countries suggest that age-adjusted dementia prevalence estimates in 65 year olds are high (≥5%) in certain Asian and Latin American countries, but consistently low (1–3%) in India and sub-Saharan Africa; Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60% whereas vascular dementia accounts for ∼30% of the prevalence. Early-onset familial forms of dementia with single-gene defects occur in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Illiteracy remains a risk factor for dementia. The APOE ε4 allele …

Equine Immunity, Vaccination Guidelines, And Recommendations, Kerry Rood, Patricia Evans

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Accelerated High Fidelity Prion Amplification Within And Across Prion Species Barriers, Kristi M. Green, Joaquín Castilla, Tanya S. Seward, Dana L. Napier, Jean E. Jewell, Claudio Soto, Glenn C. Telling

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Experimental obstacles have impeded our ability to study prion transmission within and, more particularly, between species. Here, we used cervid prion protein expressed in brain extracts of transgenic mice, referred to as Tg(CerPrP), as a substrate for in vitro generation of chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions by protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA). Characterization of this infectivity in Tg(CerPrP) mice demonstrated that serial PMCA resulted in the high fidelity amplification of CWD prions with apparently unaltered properties. Using similar methods to amplify mouse RML prions and characterize the resulting novel cervid prions, we show that serial PMCA abrogated a transmission barrier …

A 'Mysterious' Disease

News Releases

No abstract provided.

Gender Differences In The Risk Of Hiv Infection Among Persons Reporting Abstinence, Monogamy, And Multiple Sexual Partners In Northern Tanzania, Keren Z. Landman, Jan Ostermann, John A. Crump, Anna Mgonja, Meghan K. Mayhood, Dafrosa K. Itemba, Alison C. Tribble, Evaline M. Ndosi, Helen Y. Chu, John F. Shao, John A. Bartlett, Nathan M. Thielman

Faculty Publications

Background: Monogamy, together with abstinence, partner reduction, and condom use, is widely advocated as a key behavioral strategy to prevent HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the association between the number of sexual partners and the risk of HIV seropositivity among men and women presenting for HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) in northern Tanzania.

Methodology/ Principal Findings: Clients presenting for HIV VCT at a community-based AIDS service organization in Moshi, Tanzania were surveyed between November 2003 and December 2007. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, reasons for testing, sexual behaviors, and symptoms were collected. Men and women were categorized by …

Confidence Intervals For Negative Binomial Random Variables Of High Dispersion, David Shilane, Alan E. Hubbard, S N. Evans

U.C. Berkeley Division of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

This paper considers the problem of constructing confidence intervals for the mean of a Negative Binomial random variable based upon sampled data. When the sample size is large, we traditionally rely upon a Normal distribution approximation to construct these intervals. However, we demonstrate that the sample mean of highly dispersed Negative Binomials exhibits a slow convergence to the Normal in distribution as a function of the sample size. As a result, standard techniques (such as the Normal approximation and bootstrap) that construct confidence intervals for the mean will typically be too narrow and significantly undercover in the case of high …

Happiness And Punishment, Christopher J. Buccafusco, John Bronsteen, Jonathan S. Masur

All Faculty Scholarship

This article continues our project to apply groundbreaking new literature on the behavioral psychology of human happiness to some of the most deeply analyzed questions in law. Here we explain that the new psychological understandings of happiness interact in startling ways with the leading theories of criminal punishment. Punishment theorists, both retributivist and utilitarian, have failed to account for human beings' ability to adapt to changed circumstances, including fines and (surprisingly) imprisonment. At the same time, these theorists have largely ignored the severe hedonic losses brought about by the post-prison social and economic deprivations (unemployment, divorce, and disease) caused by …

Infection Rates Following Peri-Operative Prophylactic Antibiotics Vs. Post-Operative Extended Regimen Prophylactic Antibiotics In Surgical Management Of Mandibular Fractures, Christine Lovato, Jon Wagner

Undergraduate Medical Student Research

Purpose: To determine whether or not an extended regimen of prophylactic antibiotics following either open or closed reduction of mandibular fractures is beneficial in lowering the rate of infection in post-operative patients. Patients and Methods: This study is a retrospective chart review of 150 patients treated operatively for both complicated and uncomplicated mandibular fractures at UNM Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, NM, between January 1st, 2000 and June 12, 2007. Treatment modalities used were closed reduction with maxillomandibular fixation or open reduction and internal fixation with either wire osteosynthesis or rigid internal fixation. Patients fell into one of two groups: …

Staphylococcus Aureus Pbp4 Is Essential For Β-Lactam Resistance In Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Strains, G Memmi, S R. Filipe, M G. Pinho, Z Fu, Ambrose Cheung

Dartmouth Scholarship

Recent cases of infections caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (CA-MRSA) strains in healthy individuals have raised concerns worldwide. CA-MRSA strains differ from hospital-acquired MRSAs by virtue of their genomic background and increased virulence in animal models.

Characterization Of Escherichia Coli Populations From Gulls, Landfill Trash, And Wastewater Using Ribotyping, M. Nelson, Stephen H. Jones, C. Edwards, J. C. Ellis

Jackson Estuarine Laboratory

Due to their opportunistic and gregarious nature, gulls may be important reservoirs and vectors for anthropogenically derived fecal pathogens in coastal areas. We used ribotyping, a genotypic bacterial source tracking method, to compare populations of Escherichia coli among herring gulls Larus argentatus, great black-backed gulls L. marinus, wastewater, and landfill trash in New Hampshire and Maine, USA. Concentrations of E. coli in gull feces varied widely among individuals, but were generally high (6.0 × 101 to 2.5 × 109 g–1 wet weight). Of 39 E. coli isolates from L. argentatus, 67% had banding patterns that were ≥90% similar to those …

Globalization And Infectious Disease In Indigenous Populations In Mexico, R Castro, J Erviti, R Leyva

English

Objectives: To present an analysis of indigenous health in Mexico.

Bjc Today

BJC Today

No abstract provided.

Cd5 Plays An Inhibitory Role In The Suppressive Function Of Murine Cd4(+) Cd25(+) T(Reg) Cells., Trivikram Dasu, Joseph E Qualls, Halide Tuna, Chander Raman, Donald A Cohen, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

A subset of CD4(+) T cells, the CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T (T(reg)) cells in the lymphoid organs and peripheral blood are known to possess suppressive function. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that T cell receptor (TCR) signal is required for development of such 'natural regulatory (T(reg)) cells' and for activation of the effector function of CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells. CD5 is a cell surface molecule present on all T cells and a subtype of B lymphocytes, the B-1 cells, primarily localized to coelomic cavities, Peyer's patches, tonsils and spleen. CD5 acts as a negative regulator …

Cd5 Plays An Inhibitory Role In The Suppressive Function Of Murine Cd4+ Cd25+ TReg Cells, Trivikram Dasu, Joseph E. Qualls, Halide Tuna, Chander Raman, Donald A. Cohen, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

A subset of CD4⁺ T cells, the CD4⁺ CD25⁺ regulatory T (T_reg) cells in the lymphoid organs and peripheral blood are known to possess suppressive function. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that T cell receptor (TCR) signal is required for development of such ‘natural regulatory (T_reg) cells’ and for activation of the effector function of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ regulatory T cells. CD5 is a cell surface molecule present on all T cells and a subtype of B lymphocytes, the B-1 cells, primarily localized to coelomic cavities, Peyer's patches, …

Communication And Pandemic Preparedness In Rural Critical Access Hospitals, Stuart A. Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the increasing likelihood of a pandemic it has become crucial that healthcare centers be adequately prepared for the unique challenges a pandemic Will present. Rural hospitals face additional challenges due to their remote nature and a lack of shared resources that larger communities possess. Because of their unique characteristics, pandemic preparedness is of the utmost importance for rural hospitals. Effective pandemic preparedness education is critical to ensure the fullest use of available resources including staff, equipment, medicine, facilities, etc. Efficient use of available resources Will likely result in a reduction of illness and potential loss of life. This …

Characterization Of Adrenergic Receptor Subtypes In The Rodent Hippocampus, Christopher A. Knudson

Theses and Dissertations

Catecholaminergic input, acting through adrenergic receptors (AR), serves an important role in regulating the activity of the hippocampus; however, the synaptic elements whereby the abundant input mediates its actions remains obscure. Immunohistochemical and molecular biological techniques and a variety of experimental animal models, were used to examine the adrenergic receptor profiles displayed by distinct populations of neurons (interneurons and principal cells) or glial in rodent hippocampus. In the adult rat, immunoreactive puncta for eight of the nine adrenergic receptor subtypes were differentially distributed amongst regional glia, blood vessels, and neurons of the subiculum, hippocampus proper and dentate gyrus. Developmentally, there …

Development And Application Of A Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay For The Myxozoan Parasite Henneguya Ictaluri, Matthew J. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

Proliferative gill disease (PGD) caused by the myxozoan parasite Henneguya ictaluri is one of the most devastating parasitic infections in channel catfish aquaculture. Currently, there is no effective treatment for H. ictaluri and the unpredictable outbreaks can result in 100% mortality. Management strategies have been developed to prevent losses in newly stocked fingerlings by evaluating the PGD status of a pond prior to stocking, which is difficult since resident fish may not show clinical signs even when actinospore levels are lethal to naive fish. Current diagnostic methods are limited to the identification of an active infection and methods of predicting …

Strong As The Weakest Link: Medical Response To A Catastrophic Event, Eileen Salinsky

National Health Policy Forum

Natural disasters and acts of terrorism have placed a spotlight on the ability of health care providers to surge in response to catastrophic conditions. This paper reviews the status of efforts to develop the capacity and capabilities of the health care system to respond to disasters and other mass casualty events. Strategies for adapting routine medical practices and protocols to the demands posed by extraordinary circumstances and scarce resources are summarized. Existing federal roles, responsibilities, and assets relative to the contributions of state and local government and the private sector are described, including specific programmatic activities such as the Strategic …

Ghost Dance In 31 Movements, Anny Ballardini

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A kind of poetry that tries to understand contemporary social and philosophical issues as much as behaviors by rewriting in a poetic language the video artwork of some of the main representatives of modernism and postmodernism. Such poetry is deprived of confessional hues, any personal reference has to be ascribed to a mirroring effect by which the single person empathically absorbs and projects what is conveyed, be it stemming directly from the historical time of the artwork's making and inherited, or alive at the time of its actual viewing. By following a restructuring process started at the beginning of the …

Crumb Rubber As A Sorption Medium For Ethylbenzene In Aqueous Solution, Carmen Grayson

All Theses

Scrap tires have always been an environmental concern. In 2005, more than 299 million scrap tires were generated in the U.S., 259 million of which were utilized in the end-use scrap tire markets such as: tire-derived fuel generation, civil engineering applications, and ground rubber applications. The different applications and usages in the scrap tire market have helped utilize up to 87% of annually generated scrap tires in the U.S. Sixteen percent of the scrap tires were utilized in civil engineering applications in 2005 because of their beneficial properties for vibration and sound control, lightweight fill, drainage and collection for underground …

August 2008 (Vol. 35, No.8)

Research Matters

No abstract provided.

Essential Oil Compounds And Antibacterial Activity Of Leaves Of Cinnamomum Chemungianum Mohan Et Henry (Lauraceae), X. Baskaran, M. G. Ebbie

Ethnobotanical Leaflets

Essential oil of leaves of Cinnamomum chemungianum was obtained by hydro distillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The major components of the oil were Benzyl benzoate (66.36%), α-Terpine-4-ol (9.83%), Linalool (19.63%), and caryophyllene oxide (6.6%). Two compounds of the oils remained unidentified. The in vitro antibacterial activity was performed by agar disc diffusion method. It showed that maximum inhibition zone activity against staphylococcus aureus.

Idcr: Infectious Diseases In Corrections Report, Vol. 9 No. 24, Infectious Diseases In Corrections

Infectious Diseases in Corrections Report (IDCR)

No abstract provided.

Information Interface - Volume 36, Issue 3 - August/September 2008, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Information Interface (1976 - 2009)

News and information about Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library of interest to users.

The Social Contract, The Conservative Attitude, And Antibiotics Development, Eli Weber

Between the Species

The prevalence of antibiotic resistant microbes has led to a call for new antibiotics development. Due to the irresponsible practices of the medical community in prescribing antibiotics, much of the demand for new antibiotics is suspect. I argue that the social contract, which properly includes human relationships with laboratory animals, requires a conservative attitude toward new antibiotics development. This attitude places limits on the justificatory role of demand in determining whether a particular research project meets the conditions for morally justified research, as defined by Rollin’s utilitarian principle.

Trypanosoma Cruzi In Wild Raccoons And Opossums From Kentucky, Brian Chad Groce

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Only 6 autochthonous cases of human Chagas disease have been documented in the U.S.A., however, as many as 5% of immigrants from Latin America may be infected with the etiologic agent, Trypanosoma cruzi. The parasite has been isolated from a variety of wild mammals, particularly in the southeastern region of the U.S.A. The goal of our study was to determine if the sylvatic cycle of T. cruzi infection occurs in Kentucky, and, if present, to assess the prevalence of infection in Warren and Barren counties. Raccoons and opossums were live-trapped between June and December, 2007. Animals were anesthetized with …