Real-World Experience with Peanut Oral Immunotherapy: Lessons Learned From 270 Patients.

Background: Peanut allergy (PA) is a significant and increasing problem, interfering with psychological development and family life. The standard recommendation to avoid peanut products and have access to injectable epinephrine is often inadequate. Oral immunotherapy for PA has been formally studied.

Hypopi of Hypodectes propus (Acari: Hypoderatidae) in two southern crowned pigeons (Goura scheepmakeri).

Necropsy of 2 4-year-old southern crowned pigeons (Goura scheepmakeri) that died from a presumed case of botulism revealed hundreds of small, cyst-like structures in the pectoral subcutaneous tissues. The structures were identified as heteromorphic deutonymphs of Hypodectes propus (Order Astigmata) of the family Hypoderatidae. The immobile, immature hypopi were individually encapsulated, mostly in adipose tissue, and evoked only a mild inflammatory infiltration of predominately macrophages with some heterophilic granulocytes.

Helminth Community Dynamics in Populations of Blue-Winged Teal (Anas discors) Using Two Distinct Migratory Corridors.

The influence of spatially distinct host subpopulations on helminth community structure and pattern was examined in a migratory avian host species. Forty helminth species represented by 24,082 individuals were collected from 184 blue-winged teal (Anas discors; BWT) from 2 primary migratory corridors in Florida (eastern migratory corridor; EMC) and Louisiana and Texas (western migratory corridor; WMC). Mean species richness was greater in BWT from the WMC (x̅±SE = 10.

Trauma-informed forensic child maltreatment investigations.

Trauma-informed child welfare systems (CWSs) are the focus of several recent national and state initiatives. Since 2005 social work publications have focused on systemic and practice changes within CW which seek to identify and reduce trauma to children and families experiencing child maltreatment or other distressing events, as well as to the agency personnel working with these clients. Within the body of trauma-informed literature, little attention has been devoted specifically to the initial investigative response and its role in controlling for system induced trauma to the child, family, and caseworker.

Baylisascaris procyonis in raccoons in Texas and its relationship to habitat characteristics.

Raccoons (n=590) were collected from October 1999 to August 2003 from 35 counties across Texas, USA, and gastrointestinal tracts were examined for Baylisascaris procyonis. We documented B. procyonis in central and eastern Texas.

Droplet impingement dynamics: effect of surface temperature during boiling and non-boiling conditions.

This study investigates the hydrodynamic characteristics of droplet impingement on heated surfaces and compares the effect of surface temperature when using water and a nanofluid on a polished and nanostructured surface. Results are obtained for an impact Reynolds number and Weber number of approximately 1700 and 25, respectively. Three discs are used: polished silicon, nanostructured porous silicon and gold-coated polished silicon.

A summary of toxicological and chemical data relevant to the evaluation of cast sheet tobacco.

A tiered testing strategy based on a comparative chemical and biological testing program has been developed to evaluate the potential of tobacco processes, ingredients, or other technological developments to change the biological activity that results from burning tobacco. Cast sheet tobacco is a specific type of reconstituted tobacco sheet that can be used in the manufacture of cigarettes. The comparative chemical and biological testing program was used to compare the mainstream smoke and cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) from a Reference cigarette that did not contain cast sheet to that collected from Test cigarettes containing cast sheet at a final blend level of either 10% or 15%.

Gastrointestinal helminths in raccoons in Texas.

Raccoons (n=590) were collected from October 1999 to August 2003 from 35 counties across Texas, and gastrointestinal tracts were examined for helminth parasites. Prevalence was calculated and differences in mean abundance were examined among habitat ecoregions, age classes, and between sexes. Twenty different species of helminths (13 nematodes, two cestodes, two acanthocephalans, and three trematodes) were positively identified in the gastrointestinal tracts of 590 raccoons in Texas.

Safety assessment of diammonium phosphate and urea used in the manufacture of cigarettes.

A tiered testing strategy has been employed to evaluate the potential for new ingredients, tobacco processes, and technological developments to alter the mainstream smoke or biological activity that results from burning cigarette tobacco. The foundation of this evaluation strategy is comparative testing, typically including chemical and biological assessments. In the manufacture of cigarettes, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea have been historically used as ingredients added to tobacco, to reconstituted tobacco sheet, and to other processed tobaccos.

Toxicological evaluation of cigarettes with two banded cigarette paper technologies.

A tiered testing strategy has been employed to evaluate the potential of tobacco processes, ingredients, or technological developments to change the biological activity resulting from burning cigarette tobacco. The strategy is based on comparative chemical and biological testing. The introduction of banded cigarette papers in cigarettes to meet New York state "Fire Safety Standards for Cigarettes" constitutes an example of a technological development evaluated utilizing this tiered testing strategy that included a comparison of the chemical and biological effects of cigarettes with and without the banded cigarette paper technologies (BCPT) (representative of current marketed technologies).

Comparative 13-week inhalation study of cigarette smoke from cigarettes containing cast sheet tobacco.

A subchronic, nose-only inhalation study was conducted to compare the effects of mainstream smoke from a reference cigarette containing conventional reconstituted tobacco sheet at 30% of the finished blend to mainstream smoke from cigarettes containing 10% or 15% cast sheet (a specific type of reconstituted tobacco sheet) substituted for part of the conventional reconstituted tobacco. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed for 1 h/day, 5 d/wk, for 13 wk to mainstream smoke at 0, 0.06, 0.

Helminths of sympatric striped, hog-nosed, and spotted skunks in west-central Texas.

Twenty-eight hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus leuconotus), 23 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and nine spotted skunks (Spilogale gracilis) from an area of sympatry in west-central Texas were examined for helminth parasites. Shared helminth species among all three host species were one nematode (Physaloptera maxillaris), two acanthocephalans (Pachysentis canicola, Macracanthorhynchus ingens), and one cestode (Mathevotaenia mephitis). Two nematodes (Gongylonema sp.

Real men do not read labels: the effects of masculinity and involvement on college students' food decisions.

Consumer literature shows that a decision's degree of personal importance and relevance--one's level of involvement in the decision--indicates which type of intervention strategy will be effective in influencing consumers' choices. The authors surveyed 358 college students at a state university in the western United States to test the applicability of involvement on issues of obesity and eating habits. They found food decisions to be of greater personal importance and relevance to female students than to their male counterparts.

Possible vector dissemination by swift foxes following a plague epizootic in black-tailed prairie dogs in northwestern Texas.

To determine whether swift foxes (Vulpes velox) could facilitate transmission of Yersinia pestis to uninfected black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies by acquiring infected fleas, ectoparasite and serologic samples were collected from swift foxes living adjacent to prairie dog towns during a 2004 plague epizootic in northwestern Texas, USA. A previous study (1999-2001) indicated that these swift foxes were infested almost exclusively with the flea Pulex irritans. Black-tailed prairie dogs examined from the study area harbored only Pulex simulans and Oropsylla hirsuta.

Radiation following percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty to prevent restenosis (RADAR pilot trial).

Objectives: We wished to determine the feasibility and early safety of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) used following balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) to prevent restenosis.

Background: BAV for calcific aortic stenosis (AS) has been largely abandoned because of high restenosis rates, i.e.

Safety assessment of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as an ingredient added to cigarette tobacco.

A tiered testing strategy has been developed to evaluate the potential for new ingredients, tobacco processes, and technological developments to alter the biological activity that results from burning tobacco. A series of studies was initially conducted with cigarettes containing 3% high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as an alternate tobacco casing material to corn syrup/invert sugar, including determination of selected mainstream cigarette smoke (MS) constituent yields, Ames assay, sister chromatid exchange (SCE) assay in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, a 30-week dermal tumor-promotion evaluation of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) in SENCAR mice, and a 13-week subchronic inhalation study of MS in Sprague-Dawley rats. A second series of studies was conducted with cigarettes containing 3%, 4% and 5% HFCS including MS chemistry, Ames assay, SCE assay in CHO cells, and a neutral red cytotoxicity assays.

Ectoparasites of the swift fox in northwestern Texas.

Ectoparasites were collected from chemically immobilized swift foxes (Vulpes velox) in the Texas Panhandle (USA). Three species of fleas (Pulex irritans, Dactylopsylla percernis, and Euhoplopsyllus affinis) and one species of tick (Ixodes sculptus) were found. Pulex irritans was the only abundant ectoparasite; it occurred on all 23 foxes brushed in 1999-2000 and all but one of 34 hosts examined in 2000-01.

Toxicological evaluation of expanded shredded tobacco stems.

A tiered testing strategy has been developed to evaluate the potential of tobacco processes, ingredients, or technological developments to change the biological activity resulting from burning tobacco. The strategy is based on comparative chemical and biological testing. Expanded shredded tobacco stems (ESS) constitute an example of a common tobacco components expansion process currently used in the manufacture of cigarettes to increase the tobacco blend filling capacity.

Helminths of the ocelot from southern Texas.

In the USA, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a highly endangered felid found only in a few remaining vestiges of native thornshrub brushland in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of extreme southern Texas. From 1987-1998, carcasses of 15 adult ocelots that died of vehicular accidents or natural causes were examined for helminths. All cats had 1-8 (mean = 3) helminth species.

Toxicological evaluation of honey as an ingredient added to cigarette tobacco.

A tiered testing strategy has been developed to evaluate the potential for new ingredients, tobacco processes, and technological developments to increase or reduce the biological activity that results from burning tobacco. In the manufacture of cigarettes, honey is used as a casing ingredient to impart both aroma and taste. The primary objective of this document is to summarize and interpret chemical and toxicological studies that have been conducted to evaluate the potential impact of honey on the biological activity of either mainstream cigarette smoke or cigarette smoke condensate.

Rat subchronic inhalation study of smoke from cigarettes containing flue-cured tobacco cured either by direct-fired or heat-exchanger curing processes.

A subchronic, nose-only inhalation study compared the effects of mainstream smoke from a cigarette containing 100% flue-cured tobacco cured by a direct-fired process to that of a cigarette containing 100% flue-cured tobacco cured by a heat exchanger process. The tobaccos and mainstream smoke from tobaccos cured by the heat exchanger process have been shown to have significantly lower levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines than tobaccos cured by a direct-fired process. Male and female rats were exposed for 1 h/day, 5 days/wk, for 13 wk to mainstream smoke at 0, 0.