Violence, coping, and consistent medication adherence in HIV-positive couples.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which intimate partner violence (IPV) influences antiretroviral medication adherence. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that adherence would differ for men and women based on degree of violence and coping strategies employed by each gender. A sample of HIV seroconcordant and serodiscordant heterosexual couples was recruited from the Miami area and assessed on rates of medication adherence, conflict resolution tactics, and coping strategies.

Sleep disorders and secondhand smoke exposure in the U.S. population.

Introduction: Sleep disorders in the United States are pervasive and have been linked to increased risk of injury, morbidity, and mortality. Smoking is a known risk factor for sleep disorders; the association between secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and sleep disorders is less clear. We sought to examine the relationship between SHS exposure and sleep disorders among a representative sample of U.

Serosurvey and diagnostic application of antibody titers to Aspergillus in avian species.

A multiyear study was conducted using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure antibody to address the application of the test to the diagnosis of aspergillosis in avian species. In general serostudies (n=1314), four avian groups (psittaciform, raptor, penguin, and zoo) were found to have samples with antibody reactivity. Penguin, raptor, and zoo groups were found to have higher levels of antibody to Aspergillus than the psittaciform group.

Sustained low influenza vaccination rates in US healthcare workers.

Introduction: A substantial morbidity and mortality burden attributable to the influenza virus is observed annually in the United States. Healthcare workers are an occupational group at increased risk of exposure, demonstrated to transmit influenza to their patient populations, and vital to the care of these patient populations. The prevention of the spread of the flu is a significant public health concern.

Secondhand smoke exposure and depressive symptoms.

Objective: To evaluate the association between secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and depression. Tobacco smoking and depression are strongly associated, but the possible effects of SHS have not been evaluated.

Methods: The 2005 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a cross-sectional sample of the noninstitutionalized civilian U.

Food label use and awareness of nutritional information and recommendations among persons with chronic disease.

Background: Because of the relation between chronic disease and poor nutritional habits, the use of food labels and adherence to dietary recommendations are important for chronic disease populations. We explored whether persons with chronic disease read nutrient information on food labels and whether they were aware of dietary guidelines.

Objective: This study aimed to assess dietary information use among persons with chronic disease by using a nationally representative sample of the US population.

The effect of needle bevel position on pain for subcutaneous lidocaine injection.

It is a common practice for medical practitioners to use subcutaneous infiltration of lidocaine to alleviate the pain of intravenous cannulation or line insertion. Although previous studies have assessed several factors affecting the pain associated with local anesthetic infiltration, there is a paucity of data on the effects of needle bevel position. In this prospective, randomized, controlled trial, we compared the effect of two different needle bevel positions (bevel up versus bevel down) and the pain associated with the subcutaneous injection of 1% lidocaine in 50 adult volunteers.

Declining health insurance access among US Hispanic workers: not all jobs are created equal.

Introduction: Approximately 18% of the U.S. population are uninsured, a proportion that may continue to rise, particularly among Hispanics, as the cost of medical care increases faster than the growth in wages.

Correlates of smoking quit attempts: Florida Tobacco Callback Survey, 2007.

Objective: The public health burden of tobacco-associated diseases in the USA remains high, in part because many people's attempts to quit are unsuccessful. This study examined factors associated with having lifetime or recent attempts to quit smoking among current smokers, based on a telephone survey of Florida adults.

Methods: Data from the 2007 telephone-based Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and its follow-up survey, the Tobacco Callback Survey, were used to assess determinants of having ever attempted to quit smoking and attempted to quit smoking in the past 12 months.

Sensory impairment among older US workers.

We used 1997-2004 National Health Interview Survey data to evaluate the prevalence of sensory impairment among US workers 65 years and older. Hearing impairment prevalence was 3 times that of visual impairment (33.4% vs 10.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings after uneventful continuous infusion neuraxial analgesia: a prospective study to determine whether epidural infusion produces pathologic magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the preferred diagnostic tool to determine whether postepidural neurologic symptoms are due to hematoma or abscess. However, there is currently no published information regarding the normal appearance of a MRI after a continuous epidural infusion. In this prospective cohort study, we defined the characteristic appearance of MRI findings after uneventful epidural analgesia.

How do different indices of obesity correlate with cardiometabolic disease risk factors in multiethnic youths?

Objective: To investigate the relationship between cardiometabolic disease risk factors (CDRFs) among ethnic minorities and anthropometric factors including body mass index z score, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHTR) in Hispanic and non-Hispanic black youths originating primarily from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Methods: Clinical data of 167 young persons 2 to 19 years of age encountered in an outpatient pediatric endocrinology clinic were analyzed. The CDRFs included fasting insulin and glucose, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, cardiac C-reactive protein (CRP), and apolipoproteins.

Disparity in prevalence of self-reported visual impairment in older adults among U.S. race-ethnic subgroups.

Purpose: Prevalence of visual impairment (VI) in the United States (U.S.) has not been carefully examined by race-ethnic subgroups.

Application of galactomannan analysis and protein electrophoresis in the diagnosis of aspergillosis in avian species.

Previous studies support the possible application of galactomannan, a major antigen of Aspergillus sp., to aspergillosis diagnosis in avian and other animal species. An assay is commercially available for use with human serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples.

Evaluation of the usefulness of an ELISA and protein electrophoresis in the diagnosis of Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE-To evaluate the usefulness of an antibody detection ELISA and protein electrophoresis (PE) for diagnosing Encephalitozoon cuniculi (ECUN) infection in pet rabbits. ANIMALS-203 pet rabbits. PROCEDURES-Serum and plasma samples from pet rabbits were submitted from veterinary clinics within the United States.

Reported eye care utilization and health insurance status among US adults.

Objectives: To estimate prevalence and correlates of eye care utilization by means of data from the National Health Interview Survey.

Methods: Nearly 290,000 adults 18 years or older participated in the survey from 1997 through 2005. Eye care utilization was based on self-reported contact with an eye care professional in the past year.

Trends in reported visual impairment in United States adults.

The purpose of this study was to assess if rates of reported visual impairment (VI) in the United States (US) are declining. The 1997-2005 National Health Interview Survey is an annual probability survey of US households (n = 289,442 adults 18 years of age and older). Participants responding yes to either question were classified as visually impaired: 1) "Do you have any trouble seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses?" 2) "Are you blind or unable to see at all?" Prevalence rates were adjusted for survey design; weighted linear regression models were used to examine VI trends.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in US-born Latin and Caribbean youth.

Background: Little is knows about the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) among overweight first or second generation United States immigrant children/adolescents from Central/South America and the Caribbean basin.

Methods: Analysis of anthropometric and laboratory data (N = 224) in overweight children ages 3-18 (64% Hispanic, 25% AfroCaribbean/black, 8% white, 3% multiracial) was conducted. The main outcome measure was the prevalence of individual parameters of MS and the MS (defined as > or =3 abnormal components).

Mapping of brain metabolite distributions by volumetric proton MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI).

Distributions of proton MR-detected metabolites have been mapped throughout the brain in a group of normal subjects using a volumetric MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) acquisition with an interleaved water reference. Data were processed with intensity and spatial normalization to enable voxel-based analysis methods to be applied across a group of subjects. Results demonstrate significant regional, tissue, and gender-dependent variations of brain metabolite concentrations, and variations of these distributions with normal aging.

Accuracy of self-reported smoking and secondhand smoke exposure in the US workforce: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

Objectives: Occupational health studies often rely on self-reported secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. This study examines the accuracy of self-reported tobacco use and SHS exposure.

Methods: Data on serum cotinine, self-reported tobacco use, and SHS exposure for US workers were extracted from three National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (n = 17,011).

Use of refractometry for determination of psittacine plasma protein concentration.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated both poor and good correlation of total protein concentrations in various avian species using refractometry and biuret methodologies.

Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to compare these 2 techniques of total protein determination using plasma samples from several psittacine species and to determine the effect of cholesterol and other solutes on refractometry results.

Methods: Total protein concentration in heparinized plasma samples without visible lipemia was analyzed by refractometry and an automated biuret method on a dry reagent analyzer (Ortho 250).

Cancer screening in US workers.

Regular cancer screening can prevent the development of some cancers and increase patient survival for other cancers. We evaluated the reported cancer screening prevalence among a nationally representative sample of all US workers with data from the 2000 and 2005 Cancer Screening Supplements of the National Health Interview Survey. Overall, workers with the lowest rates of health insurance coverage (in particular, Hispanic workers, agricultural workers, and construction workers) reported the lowest cancer screening.

Endotracheal tube malposition within the pediatric population: a common event despite clinical evidence of correct placement.

Purpose: To ensure that the endotracheal tube (ETT) is ideally placed for proper ventilation, radiographic confirmation of ETT placement is frequently used to supplement clinical examination in the intensive care unit setting. However, fluoroscopy rarely serves the same role during surgery, despite the fact that portable units are often present in the operating room. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the value of fluoroscopy in determining ETT malposition among the pediatric surgical population.

Hemodynamic and metabolic efficacy of dopamine versus norepinephrine in a brain-dead swine model.

We tested the hypothesis that hepatosplanchnic and systemic hemodynamics are improved with equi-effective doses of dopamine (DA) versus norepinephrine (NE) in a brain-dead swine model. Pigs (n = 18) were anesthetized and ventilated. Brain death was induced by epidural balloon inflation, hypoventilation, and hypoxia.

Seasonal profiles of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larval habitats in an urban area of Costa Rica with a history of mosquito control.

Dengue is the most important arboviral disease worldwide and the principal vector-borne disease in Costa Rica. Control of Aedes aegypti populations through source reduction is still considered the most effective way of prevention and control, although it has proven ineffective or unsustainable in many areas with a history of mosquito control. In this study, seasonal profiles and productivity of Aedes aegypti were analyzed in the city of Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where vector control has been practiced for more than ten years.