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1.
Sci Educ (Dordr) ; 31(6): 1541-1566, 2022.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35578695

RESUMEN

Understanding and communicating uncertainty is a key skill needed in the practice of science. However, there has been little research on the instruction of uncertainty in undergraduate science education. Our team designed a module within an online geoscience field course which focused on explicit instruction around uncertainty and provided students with an uncertainty rating scale to record and communicate their uncertainty with a common language. Students then explored a complex, real-world geological problem about which expert scientists had previously made competing claims through geologic maps. Provided with data, expert uncertainty ratings, and the previous claims, students made new geologic maps of their own and presented arguments about their claims in written form. We analyzed these reports along with assessments of uncertainty. Most students explicitly requested geologists' uncertainty judgments in a post-course assessment when asked why scientists might differ in their conclusions and/or utilized the rating scale unprompted in their written arguments. Through the examination of both pre- and post-course assessments of uncertainty and students' course-based assessments, we argue that explicit instruction around uncertainty can be introduced during undergraduate coursework and could facilitate geoscience novices developing into practicing geoscientists.

2.
Rev Sci Tech ; 40(2): 545-553, 2021 08.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34542096

RESUMEN

The use of institutional risk assessment and management, considered best practice in management sciences, is not systematically used across public Veterinary Services. Chief Veterinary Officers and their teams often lack exposure to or training in the application of this type of institutional risk assessment. This paper describes the essential elements of institutional risk assessment and how it might be applied within the context of Veterinary Services.


L'évaluation et la gestion du risque institutionnel ne sont pas d'un usage systématique dans les Services vétérinaires nationaux, bien qu'elles soient qualifiées de meilleures pratiques par la science de la gestion. Les chefs des Services vétérinaires et leurs équipes sont rarement exposés à ce type d'évaluation du risque institutionnel et n'ont généralement pas été formés pour la mettre eux-mêmes en pratique. Les auteurs décrivent les composantes essentielles de l'évaluation du risque institutionnel ainsi que les applications qui peuvent en être faites dans le contexte des Services vétérinaires.


En la actualidad no todos los Servicios Veterinarios oficiales aplican sistemáticamente procesos de determinación y gestión del riesgo institucional, pese a que estos gozan de consideración de práctica óptima desde el ámbito de las ciencias de la gestión y la administración. Los Jefes de los Servicios Veterinarios y sus equipos suelen estar poco expuestos a este tipo de procesos o carecer de formación al respecto. Los autores describen los elementos básicos de la determinación del riesgo institucional y la forma en que esta puede ser aplicada en el contexto de los Servicios Veterinarios.


Asunto(s)
Medicina Veterinaria , Animales
3.
Appl Dev Sci ; 24(3): 279-293, 2020.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32742161

RESUMEN

Internalizing symptoms are prevalent in students as they enter and complete college. Considering research suggesting mental health benefits of pet ownership, this study explores the relationship between pet ownership, social support (SS), and internalizing symptoms (IS) in a cohort of students across their 4-year college experience. With no differences at college entry, students growing up with pets had greater IS through the fourth year, and greater SS through the third year, than those without pets. Currently living with a pet, gender, SS and personality predicted IS in the fourth year. Females experiencing higher IS in their first year are more likely to live with pets in their fourth year, and fourth year females living with pets or greatly missing absent pets have higher IS than females without pets or missing pets less. Findings suggest a unique relationship between IS in female students and their pet relationships not seen in males.

4.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 114(19): 4893-4898, 2017 05 09.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28439002

RESUMEN

Our understanding of the frequency of large earthquakes at timescales longer than instrumental and historical records is based mostly on paleoseismic studies of fast-moving plate-boundary faults. Similar study of intraplate faults has been limited until now, because intraplate earthquake recurrence intervals are generally long (10s to 100s of thousands of years) relative to conventional paleoseismic records determined by trenching. Long-term variations in the earthquake recurrence intervals of intraplate faults therefore are poorly understood. Longer paleoseismic records for intraplate faults are required both to better quantify their earthquake recurrence intervals and to test competing models of earthquake frequency (e.g., time-dependent, time-independent, and clustered). We present the results of U-Th dating of calcite veins in the Loma Blanca normal fault zone, Rio Grande rift, New Mexico, United States, that constrain earthquake recurrence intervals over much of the past ∼550 ka-the longest direct record of seismic frequency documented for any fault to date. The 13 distinct seismic events delineated by this effort demonstrate that for >400 ka, the Loma Blanca fault produced periodic large earthquakes, consistent with a time-dependent model of earthquake recurrence. However, this time-dependent series was interrupted by a cluster of earthquakes at ∼430 ka. The carbon isotope composition of calcite formed during this seismic cluster records rapid degassing of CO2, suggesting an interval of anomalous fluid source. In concert with U-Th dates recording decreased recurrence intervals, we infer seismicity during this interval records fault-valve behavior. These data provide insight into the long-term seismic behavior of the Loma Blanca fault and, by inference, other intraplate faults.

5.
J Econ Entomol ; 108(2): 798-804, 2015 Apr.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26470192

RESUMEN

A key component of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov), management has been through planting resistant wheat cultivars. A new biotype, RWA2, appeared in 2003 which caused widespread damage to wheat cultivars containing the Dn4 gene. Biotypic diversity in Russian wheat aphid populations has not been addressed since 2005 when RWA2 dominated the biotype complex. Our objectives were to determine the biotypic diversity in the Central Great Plains and Colorado Plateau at regional (2010, 2011, 2013) and local (2012) levels and detect the presence of new Russian wheat aphid biotypes. Regional and within-field aphid collections were screened against Russian wheat aphid-resistant wheat genotypes containing genes Dn3, Dn4, Dn6, Dn7, Dn9, CI2401; and resistant barley STARS 9301B. In 2010, all aphid collections from Texas were avirulent to the Dn4 resistance gene in wheat. Regional results revealed Dn4 avirulent RWA6 was widespread (55-84%) in populations infesting wheat in both regions. Biotypes RWA1, 2, and 3/7 were equally represented with percentages<20% each while RWA8 was rarely detected. Combining percentages of RWA1, 6, and 8 across regions to estimate avirulence to Dn4 gene revealed high percentages for both 2011 (64-80%) and 2013 (69-90%). In contrast, the biotype structure at the local level differed where biotype percentages varied up to ≥2-fold between fields. No new biotypes were detected; therefore, Dn7, CI2401, and STARS9301B remained resistant to all known Russian wheat aphid biotypes. This study documents a shift to Dn4 avirulent biotypes and serves as a valuable baseline for biotypic diversity in Russian wheat aphid populations prior to the deployment of new Russian wheat aphid-resistant wheat cultivars.


Asunto(s)
Áfidos/fisiología , Triticum/fisiología , Animales , Áfidos/clasificación , Hordeum , Estados Unidos
6.
J Econ Entomol ; 107(3): 1274-83, 2014 Jun.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25026693

RESUMEN

Eight biotypes of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov), have been discovered in the United States since 2003. Biotypes are identified by the distinct feeding damage responses they produce on wheat carrying different Russian wheat aphid resistance genes, namely, from Dn1 to Dn9. Each Russian wheat aphid biotype has been named using plant damage criteria and virulence categories that have varied between studies. The study was initiated to compare the plant damage caused by all the eight known Russian wheat aphid biotypes, and analyze the results to determine how Russian wheat aphid virulence should be classified. Each Russian wheat aphid biotype was evaluated on 16 resistant or susceptible cereal genotypes. Plant damage criteria included leaf roll, leaf chlorosis, and plant height. The distribution of chlorosis ratings followed a bimodal pattern indicating two categories of plant responses, resistant or susceptible. Correlations were significant between chlorosis ratings and leaf roll (r(2) = 0.72) and between chlorosis ratings and plant height (r(2) = 0.48). The response of 16 cereal genotypes to feeding by eight Russian wheat aphid biotypes found RWA1, RWA2, RWA6, and RWA8 to differ in virulence, while Russian wheat aphid biotypes RWA3, RWA4, RWA5, and RWA7 produced similar virulence profiles. These biotypes have accordingly been consolidated to what is hereafter referred to as RWA3/7. Our results indicated that the five main biotypes RWA1, RWA2, RWA3/7, RWA6, and RWA8 can be identified using only four wheat genotypes containing Dn3, Dn4, Dn6, and Dn9.


Asunto(s)
Áfidos/fisiología , Ecotipo , Hordeum/genética , Control de Insectos/métodos , Triticum/genética , Animales , Áfidos/genética , Hordeum/crecimiento & desarrollo , Proteínas de Plantas/genética , Proteínas de Plantas/metabolismo , Triticum/crecimiento & desarrollo
7.
Transbound Emerg Dis ; 61(1): 60-8, 2014 Feb.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22925404

RESUMEN

We quantified the between-village transmission rate, ß (the rate of transmission of H5N1 HPAI virus per effective contact), and the reproductive number, Re (the average number of outbreaks caused by one infectious village during its entire infectious period), of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in Nigeria using outbreak data collected between December 2005 and July 2008. We classified the outbreaks into two phases to assess the effectiveness of the control measures implemented. Phase 1 (December 2005-October 2006) represents the period when the Federal Government of Nigeria managed the HPAI surveillance and response measures, while Phase 2 (November 2006-July 2008) represents the time during which the Nigeria Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness project (NAICP), funded by a World Bank credit of US$ 50 million, had taken over the management of most of the interventions. We used a total of 204 outbreaks from 176 villages that occurred in 78 local government areas of 25 states. The compartmental susceptible-infectious model was used as the analytical tool. Means and 95% percentile confidence intervals were obtained using bootstrapping techniques. The overall mean ß (assuming a duration of infectiousness, T, of 12 days) was 0.07/day (95% percentile confidence interval: 0.06-0.09). The first and second phases of the epidemic had comparable ß estimates of 0.06/day (0.04-0.09) and 0.08/day (0.06-0.10), respectively. The Re of the virus associated with these ß and T estimates was 0.9 (0.7-1.1); the first and second phases of the epidemic had Re of 0.84 (0.5-1.2) and 0.9 (0.6-1.2), respectively. We conclude that the intervention measures implemented in the second phase of the epidemic had comparable effects to those implemented during the first phase and that the Re of the epidemic was low, indicating that the Nigeria H5N1 HPAI epidemic was unstable.


Asunto(s)
Número Básico de Reproducción , Brotes de Enfermedades/veterinaria , Subtipo H5N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/aislamiento & purificación , Gripe Aviar/transmisión , Animales , Subtipo H5N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/patogenicidad , Gripe Aviar/epidemiología , Gripe Aviar/virología , Nigeria/epidemiología , Aves de Corral/virología , Características de la Residencia , Agrupamiento Espacio-Temporal , Factores de Tiempo
8.
Eur J Pharm Biopharm ; 85(2): 306-13, 2013 Oct.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23567484

RESUMEN

As liquid liposomal formulations are prone to chemical degradation and aggregation, these formulations often require freeze drying (e.g., lyophilization) to achieve sufficient shelf-life. However, liposomal formulations may undergo oxidation during lyophilization and/or during prolonged storage. The goal of the current study was to characterize the degradation of 1,2-dilinolenoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DLPC) during lyophilization and to also probe the influence of metal contaminants in promoting the observed degradation. Aqueous sugar formulations containing DLPC (0.01 mg/ml) were lyophilized, and DLPC degradation was monitored using HPLC/UV and GC/MS methods. The effect of ferrous ion and sucrose concentration, as well as lyophilization stage promoting lipid degradation, was investigated. DLPC degradation increased with higher levels of ferrous ion. After lyophilization, 103.1 ± 1.1%, 66.9 ± 0.8%, and 28.7 ± 0.7% DLPC remained in the sucrose samples spiked with 0.0 ppm, 0.2 ppm, and 1.0 ppm ferrous ion, respectively. Lipid degradation predominantly occurs during the freezing stage of lyophilization. Sugar concentration and buffer ionic strength also influence the extent of lipid degradation, and DLPC loss correlated with degradation product formation. We conclude that DLPC oxidation during the freezing stage of lyophilization dramatically compromises the stability of lipid-based formulations. In addition, we demonstrate that metal contaminants in sugars can become highly active when lyophilized in the presence of a reducing agent.


Asunto(s)
Compuestos Ferrosos/química , Metales/química , Fosfolípidos/química , Oligoelementos/química , Tampones (Química) , Carbohidratos/química , Contaminación de Medicamentos , Liofilización/métodos , Congelación , Lípidos/química , Concentración Osmolar , Fosfatidilcolinas/química , Sacarosa/química , Sulfitos/química
9.
Transbound Emerg Dis ; 60(1): 87-96, 2013 Feb.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22469078

RESUMEN

Highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI H5N1 was first reported in Africa in 2006, in Nigeria. The country experienced severe outbreaks in 2006 and 2007, strongly affecting the poultry population. Current knowledge on potential risk factors for HPAI H5N1 occurrence in poultry farms in Nigeria is limited. Therefore, we conducted a case-control study to identify potential farm-level risk factors for HPAI H5N1 occurrence in two areas of the country that were affected by the disease in 2006 and 2007, namely the States of Lagos and Kano. A case-control study was conducted at the farm level. A convenience sample of 110 farms was surveyed. Data on farm characteristics, farm management and trade practices were collected. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with farms that confirmed positive for HPAI. Having a neighbouring poultry farm was identified as a potential risk factor for disease occurrence [OR, 5.23; 95% CI, (0.88-30.97); P-value = 0.048]. Farm staff washing their hands before handling birds was a protective factor [OR, 0.14; 95% CI, (0.05-0.37); P-value <0.001], as well as not allowing traders to enter the farm [OR, 0.23; 95% CI, (0.08-0.70); P-value = 0.008]. Our study highlighted the importance of trade and proximity between poultry farms in the epidemiology of HPAI H5N1 and the role of biosecurity in disease prevention in Kano and Lagos States. Despite the limitations owing to the sampling strategy, these results are consistent with other risk factor studies previously conducted on HPAI H5N1 in both Africa and other regions, suggesting similar risk factor patterns for HPAI H5N1 virus spread and substantiating current knowledge regarding the epidemiology of the disease. Finally, this study generated information from areas where data are difficult to obtain.


Asunto(s)
Brotes de Enfermedades/veterinaria , Subtipo H5N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/patogenicidad , Gripe Aviar/epidemiología , Enfermedades de las Aves de Corral/epidemiología , Aves de Corral/virología , Animales , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Contención de Riesgos Biológicos/métodos , ADN Viral/genética , Desinfección de las Manos , Humanos , Subtipo H5N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/genética , Subtipo H5N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/aislamiento & purificación , Gripe Aviar/prevención & control , Nigeria/epidemiología , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo
10.
J Econ Entomol ; 105(3): 1057-68, 2012 Jun.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22812148

RESUMEN

In 1986, the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), became an invasive species of United States. Nearly 20 yr later, new biotypes appeared that were capable of overcoming most sources of resistance and became a renewed threat to wheat, Triticum aestivum L., production. Cyclical (CP) and obligate (OP) parthenogenesis enables aphids to both adapt to changing environments and exploit host resources. We documented these forms of reproduction for Russian wheat aphid in wheat and wild grasses in the Central Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions during falls 2004-2009. Colonies from sample sites also were held under unheated greenhouse conditions and observed for the presence of sexual morphs and eggs through the winter. Russian wheat aphid populations were mainly OP and attempted to overwinter as adults, regardless of region sampled. A few populations contained oviparae but no males (gynocyclic) and were not specific to any particular region. Observation of the Russian wheat aphid colonies under greenhouse conditions failed to produce males or eggs. In spring 2007, CP was confirmed in a small population of Russian wheat aphid that eclosed from eggs (fundatricies) on wild grasses and wheat near Dove Creek, CO, in the Colorado Plateau region where other aphid species undergo CP. Lineages from ninety-three fundatricies were screened against 16 resistant and susceptible cereal entries to determine their biotypic classification. A high degree of biotypic diversity (41.4%) was detected in this population. Although CP was a rare in Russian wheat aphid populations, genetic recombination during the sexual cycle creates new biotypes and can have significant effects on population genetics.


Asunto(s)
Áfidos/fisiología , Partenogénesis , Animales , Femenino , Variación Genética , Estadios del Ciclo de Vida , Masculino , Triticum/parasitología , Estados Unidos
11.
Stat Med ; 31(19): 2086-97, 2012 Aug 30.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22415871

RESUMEN

CD4 counts and viral loads are dynamic quantities that change with time in HIV-infected persons. Commonly used single summary measures, such as viral load set point or early CD4 count, do not explicitly account for changes in viral load or CD4 counts or other features of the overall time course of these measures. However, the efficient use of all repeated measurements within each subject is often a challenge made more difficult by sparse and irregular sampling over time. Here, we illustrate how functional principal component (FPC) analysis provides an effective statistical approach for exploiting the patterns in CD4 count and viral load data over time. We demonstrate the method by using data from Kenyan women who acquired HIV-1 during follow-up in a cohort that practices high-risk activities and were subsequently followed up prospectively from early infection. The FPC scores for each woman obtained using this method served as informative summary statistics for the CD4 count and viral load trajectories. Similar to baseline CD4 count or viral set point, the first FPC score can be interpreted as a single-value summary measure of an individual's overall CD4 count or viral load. However, unlike most single-value summaries of CD4 count or viral load trajectories, the first FPC score summarizes the dynamics of these quantities and is seen to reveal specific features of the trajectories associated with mortality in this cohort. Moreover, the FPC scores are shown to be a more powerful prognostic factor than other common summaries when used in survival analysis.


Asunto(s)
Recuento de Linfocito CD4 , Infecciones por VIH/virología , Carga Viral , Femenino , Infecciones por VIH/fisiopatología , VIH-1/aislamiento & purificación , Humanos , Kenia , Estudios Longitudinales , Modelos Estadísticos , Trabajadores Sexuales/estadística & datos numéricos , Análisis de Supervivencia
12.
US Army Med Dep J ; : 30-7, 2012.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22388678

RESUMEN

Research has examined the physiological and psychosocial impact of animal-assisted activities (AAA) and animal-assisted therapy (AAT). The current review article summarizes the benefits of AAA and AAT for hospitalized patients with medical disorders, psychiatric patients, and residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The literature regarding inclusion of animals in business and organizational settings is also reviewed. Although there is clear evidence of improved physical and psychological health from AAA and AAT in the civilian population, there is a dearth of published findings of the evaluation of such benefits for military personnel.


Asunto(s)
Terapia Asistida por Animales , Animales , Ensayos Clínicos como Asunto , Personas con Discapacidad , Perros , Hospitalización , Vínculo Humano-Animal , Humanos , Proyectos de Investigación
13.
Prev Vet Med ; 97(3-4): 220-7, 2010 Dec 01.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20980070

RESUMEN

We conducted a field trial among Maasai cattle-keepers in Nkuruman and Nkineji areas of Kenya to evaluate the effectiveness of a synthetic tsetse-repellent technology developed for the control of trypanosomosis in cattle. The technology was a repellent (2-methoxy 4-methylphenol) emitted from dispensers attached to collars worn by cattle. Treatment was allocated at the herd level to ensure adequate protection of all the animals in a herd, with measurements of effectiveness conducted at the individual-animal level. The trial began in April 2005 and ran for 16 months including a baseline phase of 4 months. We recruited 12 herds in each area using a restricted random-sampling technique and distributed them equally into intervention (repellent) and control groups. Sample size was determined using a formal power calculation. Effectiveness or minimal worthwhile difference was defined as a 50% reduction in the incidence of trypanosome infection in the treated versus control group (effectiveness below which the technology was considered by experts as not viable compared to existing control techniques). All the animals in the recruited herds were screened monthly (buffy-coat technique) for trypanosome infections. The analysis followed the principle of intention-to-treat by which subjects are analysed according to their initial treatment assignment, regardless of the mechanical performance of the device. Crude and adjusted effects of the technology were 23% (p<0.001) and 18% (p=0.08) reduction in the infection incidence in the treatment compared to the control groups, respectively. The impact of the technology estimated in this study did not achieve the threshold of 50% reduction in the trypanosome infection incidence set a priori to indicate effectiveness (p<0.001). We therefore concluded that the prototype repellent technology package was not sufficiently effective in reducing trypanosome infection incidence under natural tsetse challenge to merit commercial development.


Asunto(s)
Cresoles/farmacología , Control de Insectos , Insecticidas/farmacología , Tripanosomiasis Bovina/prevención & control , Moscas Tse-Tse/efectos de los fármacos , Animales , Bovinos , Análisis por Conglomerados , Femenino , Control de Insectos/instrumentación , Control de Insectos/métodos , Kenia , Masculino , Distribución Aleatoria , Resultado del Tratamiento , Tripanosomiasis Bovina/epidemiología , Moscas Tse-Tse/parasitología
14.
Transbound Emerg Dis ; 57(1-2): 28-32, 2010 Apr.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20537098

RESUMEN

Trypanocidal drugs are the most commonly purchased and used livestock input by resource-poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The effective use of trypanocidal drugs by smallholder farmers is threatened by the development of widespread resistance. This is a particular concern for smallholder crop-livestock farmers in the cotton zone of West Africa. A recent project funded by the Germany Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) confirmed significant resistance to trypanocidal drugs in villages with high trypanosomosis risk in Burkina Faso and Mali. Strategies for resistance prevention were investigated. Keeping trypanotolerant cattle was found to be an effective disease management strategy, but farmers' preference for trypano-susceptible breeds, for reasons unrelated to animal health, suggest that the intromission of zebu genotype will continue. Community vector control was found to be effective in managing trypanosomosis in the presence of resistance and the high-level participatory approach tested was found to be more sustainable than low-level approaches previously used in the region. This suggests that participatory vector control with appropriate external support is likely to be a viable option for implementing resistance 'clean-up'. Promoting rational drug use (RDU) emerged as a promising prevention strategy, with clear improvements in farmer knowledge, farmer practice and animal health outcomes. However, policy studies showed low understanding of the problem of resistance and the absence of an enabling environment for RDU. Engagement was initiated with actors involved in the problem of resistance and for its solution, including manufacturers, sellers and users of drugs, regulators and extension providers.


Asunto(s)
Resistencia a Medicamentos , Tripanocidas/farmacología , Trypanosoma/efectos de los fármacos , Tripanosomiasis Africana/veterinaria , Agricultura/métodos , Animales , Burkina Faso/epidemiología , Bovinos , Conservación de los Recursos Naturales , Manejo de la Enfermedad , Educación , Gossypium , Guinea/epidemiología , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Malí/epidemiología , Tripanosomiasis Africana/tratamiento farmacológico , Tripanosomiasis Africana/epidemiología
15.
Neuropsychopharmacology ; 34(2): 319-30, 2009 Jan.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18354387

RESUMEN

The dopaminergic system in the brain plays a critical role in nicotine addiction. Genetic variants in the dopaminergic system, including those in dopamine receptor genes, represent plausible candidates for the genetic study of nicotine dependence (ND). We investigated various polymorphisms in the dopamine D(2) receptor gene (DRD2) and its neighboring ankyrin repeats and kinase domain containing 1 gene (ANKK1) to determine whether they were associated with ND. We examined 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at DRD2 and 7 SNPs at ANKK1 in our Mid-South Tobacco Family cohort, which consisted of 2037 participants representing two distinct American populations. Several SNPs (rs7131056, rs4274224, rs4648318, and rs6278) in DRD2, along with the Taq IA polymorphism (rs1800497) in ANKK1, revealed initial significant associations with ND in European Americans, but not after correction for multiple testing, indicating a weak association of DRD2 with ND. In contrast, associations for ANKK1 with ND in the African-American and pooled samples, specifically for SNP rs2734849, remained significant after correction. With a non-synonymous G to A transition, rs2734849 produces an amino-acid change (arginine to histidine) in C-terminal ankyrin repeat domain of ANKK1. Using the luciferase reporter assay, we further demonstrated that the variant alters expression level of NF-kappaB-regulated genes. Since DRD2 expression is regulated by transcription factor NF-kappaB, we suspect that rs2734849 may indirectly affect dopamine D(2) receptor density. We conclude that ANKK1 is associated with ND and polymorphism rs2734849 in ANKK1 represents a functional causative variant for ND in African-American smokers.


Asunto(s)
Negro o Afroamericano/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas/genética , Tabaquismo/genética , Repetición de Anquirina/genética , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , Haplotipos , Humanos , Desequilibrio de Ligamiento , Modelos Estadísticos , FN-kappa B/metabolismo , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Receptores de Dopamina D2/genética , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Fumar/genética , Programas Informáticos , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Población Blanca
16.
Vet Parasitol ; 155(3-4): 287-98, 2008 Aug 17.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18602218

RESUMEN

In an on-farm trial conducted amongst the Maasai pastoralists in Nkuruman and Nkineji areas of Kenya between April 2004 and August 2005 designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a synthetic tsetse repellent technology, we assessed the relationship between tsetse challenge and trypanosomosis incidence in cattle. Six villages were used in each area. Each of these villages had a sentinel cattle herd that was screened for trypanosomosis on monthly basis using buffy coat technique. Animals found infected at each sampling were treated with diminazene aceturate at 7 mg kg(-1) body weight. Treatments administered by the owners over the sampling intervals were recorded as well. Tsetse flies were trapped at the time of sampling using baited stationary traps and apparent tsetse density estimated as flies per trap per day (FTD). A fixed proportion (10%) of the flies was dissected and their infection status determined through microscopy. Blood meals were also collected from some of the flies and their sources identified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Tsetse challenge was obtained as a product of tsetse density, trypanosome prevalence and the proportion of blood meals obtained from cattle. This variable was transformed using logarithmic function and fitted as an independent factor in a Poisson model that had trypanosomosis incidence in the sentinel cattle as the outcome of interest. The mean trypanosomosis incidence in the sentinel group of cattle was 7.2 and 10.2% in Nkuruman and Nkineji, respectively. Glossina pallidipes was the most prevalent tsetse species in Nkuruman while G. swynnertoni was prevalent in Nkineji. The proportions of tsetse that had mature infections in the respective areas were 0.6 and 4.2%. Most tsetse (28%) sampled in Nkuruman had blood meals from warthogs while most of those sampled in Nkineji (30%) had blood meals from cattle. A statistically significant association between tsetse challenge and trypanosomosis incidence was obtained only in Nkuruman when data was pooled and analyzed at the area but not at the village-level. In the later scenario, lagging tsetse challenge by 1 month improved the strength but not the significance of the association. These findings show that when the spatial unit of analysis in observational studies or on-farm trials is small, for instance a village, it may not be possible to demonstrate a statistically significant association between tsetse challenge and trypanosomosis incidence in livestock so as to effectively control for tsetse challenge.


Asunto(s)
Bovinos/fisiología , Bovinos/parasitología , Trypanosoma/fisiología , Tripanosomiasis Africana/veterinaria , Tripanosomiasis Bovina/epidemiología , Moscas Tse-Tse/fisiología , Moscas Tse-Tse/parasitología , Crianza de Animales Domésticos , Animales , Conducta Alimentaria , Femenino , Interacciones Huésped-Parásitos , Incidencia , Repelentes de Insectos , Kenia/epidemiología , Masculino , Densidad de Población , Lluvia , Análisis de Regresión , Estaciones del Año , Vigilancia de Guardia , Tripanosomiasis Africana/epidemiología
17.
J Food Prot ; 71(2): 257-63, 2008 Feb.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18326173

RESUMEN

We carried out a study to assess the risk associated with the presence of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) in informally marketed unpasteurized milk in urban East Africa. Data for the risk models were obtained from on-going and recently completed studies in Kenya and Uganda. Inputs for the model were complemented with data from published literature in similar populations. A fault-tree scenario pathway and modular process risk model approach were used for exposure assessment. Hazard characterization was based on a socioeconomic study with dose-responses derived from the literature. We used a probabilistic approach with Monte Carlo simulation and inputs from farm and household surveys. The qualitative analysis suggested a low to moderate risk of infection from consuming milk and that the widespread consumer practice of boiling milk before consumption was an important risk mitigator. Quantitative analysis revealed that two to three symptomatic STEC infections could be expected for every 10,000 unpasteurized milk portions consumed, with a possible range of 0 to 22 symptomatic cases. Sensitivity analyses to assess the uncertainty and variability associated with the model revealed that the factor with the greatest influence on disease incidence was the prevalence of STEC in dairy cattle. Risk assessment is a potentially useful method for managing food safety in informal markets.


Asunto(s)
Escherichia coli O157/crecimiento & desarrollo , Contaminación de Alimentos/análisis , Leche/microbiología , Medición de Riesgo , África Oriental , Animales , Bovinos , Seguridad de Productos para el Consumidor , Microbiología de Alimentos , Humanos , Método de Montecarlo , Probabilidad , Factores Socioeconómicos
18.
Hum Genet ; 123(2): 133-40, 2008 Mar.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18092181

RESUMEN

Epidemiologic studies have strongly implicated genetics in smoking behavior. Genes in the dopaminergic system, which mediates the reinforcing and dependence-producing properties of nicotine, are plausible candidates for roles in nicotine dependence (ND). In this study, we examined five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within or near the dopamine D(1) receptor gene (DRD1) for their association with ND, which was assessed by smoking quantity (SQ), the Heaviness of Smoking Index (HSI), and the Fagerström Test for ND (FTND). The samples were obtained from 2,037 participants representing 200 European American (EA) and 402 African American (AA) families. Although we found significant associations of SNPs rs265973, rs686, and rs4532 in the AA sample; of rs4532 in the EA sample; and of rs265975, rs686, and rs4532 in the pooled sample with various ND measures, only the association of rs686 in the AA sample and of rs686 and rs4532 in the pooled sample remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Haplotype-based association analysis revealed that haplotype C-T-A, formed by rs265973, rs265975, and rs686, was significantly associated with all three ND measures in both the AA and the pooled sample. Another haplotype, T-A-T, formed by rs265975, rs686, and rs4532, showed a significant association with FTND in the pooled sample. Furthermore, in a luciferase reporter assay, rs686, located in the 3' untranslated region, caused differential luciferase activities, indicating that rs686 is a functional polymorphism affecting expression of DRD1.


Asunto(s)
Haplotipos/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple/genética , Receptores de Dopamina D1/genética , Tabaquismo/genética , Regiones no Traducidas 3'/genética , Negro o Afroamericano , Estudios de Cohortes , Cartilla de ADN/genética , Familia , Femenino , Ligamiento Genético , Genotipo , Humanos , Luciferasas/metabolismo , Masculino , Neuroblastoma/metabolismo , Neuroblastoma/patología , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Fumar , Células Tumorales Cultivadas , Población Blanca
19.
J Anim Sci ; 85(11): 2788-800, 2007 Nov.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17911229

RESUMEN

Livestock keeping is critical for many of the poor in the developing world, often contributing to multiple livelihood objectives and offering pathways out of poverty. Livestock keeping also affects an indispensable asset of the poor, their human capital, through its impact on their own nutrition and health. This paper outlines the linkages between livestock keeping and the physical well-being of the poor, and examines a number of commonly held beliefs that misrepresent livestock development issues related to these linkages. These beliefs limit the scope of intervention programs to promote livestock and limit their potential contribution to poverty reduction. Recognition of the complexity of the role livestock play in household decision-making and of the opportunities foregone due to these misconceptions can enhance the ability of livestock to contribute to human well-being in the developing world.


Asunto(s)
Crianza de Animales Domésticos/economía , Dieta/economía , Dieta/normas , Fenómenos Fisiológicos de la Nutrición/fisiología , Pobreza , Agricultura/economía , Agricultura/métodos , Crianza de Animales Domésticos/métodos , Animales , Animales Domésticos , Comercio , Seguridad de Productos para el Consumidor , Países en Desarrollo , Humanos
20.
Curr Opin Ophthalmol ; 18(4): 318-24, 2007 Jul.
Artículo en Inglés | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17568209

RESUMEN

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the development, design and clinical implications of the first US Food and Drugs Administration approved accommodative lens. To inform the reader of forthcoming accommodative intraocular lens technologies that are being clinically tested and other technologies that are under design. RECENT FINDINGS: We present clinical data that are currently available or pending release on accommodative intraocular lenses. As much as the results of the technology can be appreciated, the approach toward the refractive mindset of the presbyopic intraocular lens patient must be understood and mastered. SUMMARY: Accommodative intraocular lens design and development are at a feverish pace. The lure is the perceived holy grail for the solution of presbyopia.


Asunto(s)
Acomodación Ocular , Implantación de Lentes Intraoculares/instrumentación , Lentes Intraoculares , Humanos , Presbiopía/cirugía , Diseño de Prótesis
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