ALTERNATE FOOD-CHAIN TRANSFER OF THE TOXIN LINKED TO AVIAN VACUOLAR MYELINOPATHY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ENDANGERED FLORIDA SNAIL KITE (ROSTRHAMUS SOCIABILIS).

Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) is a neurologic disease causing recurrent mortality of Bald Eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ) and American Coots ( Fulica americana ) at reservoirs and small impoundments in the southern US. Since 1994, AVM is considered the cause of death for over 170 Bald Eagles and thousands of American Coots and other species of wild birds. Previous studies link the disease to an uncharacterized toxin produced by a recently described cyanobacterium, Aetokthonos hydrillicola gen.

Triploid grass carp susceptibility and potential for disease transfer when used to control aquatic vegetation in reservoirs with avian vacuolar myelinopathy.

Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) is an often-lethal neurologic disease that affects waterbirds and their avian predators (i.e., bald eagles Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the southern United States.

Climate and pH predict the potential range of the invasive apple snail (Pomacea insularum) in the southeastern United States.

Predicting the potential range of invasive species is essential for risk assessment, monitoring, and management, and it can also inform us about a species' overall potential invasiveness. However, modeling the distribution of invasive species that have not reached their equilibrium distribution can be problematic for many predictive approaches. We apply the modeling approach of maximum entropy (MaxEnt) that is effective with incomplete, presence-only datasets to predict the distribution of the invasive island apple snail, Pomacea insularum.

Disease prevention and health promotion in medical education: reflections from an academic health center.

Purpose: It is unclear whether academic health centers are successfully addressing societal needs and expectations by preparing students with knowledge and skills in disease prevention and health promotion. The authors assessed whether students were exposed to key content in these areas and whether they felt this exposure was adequate.

Method: All components of the first three years of the Case Western Reserve University (Case) curriculum were examined in 2001 to create a curricular map, using competencies in disease prevention and health promotion identified by the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine (ATPM) as a template to assess the scope of instruction.

Perioperative management of the rheumatoid patient.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that can affect multiple organ systems of the body. It is a symmetrical polyarthropathy which leads to destruction of cartilage and bone. Before undertaking surgery on the rheumatoid patient, several issues need to be addressed.