Adapting an evidence-based intervention: tales of the Hustler Project.

The field of HIV prevention is rapidly moving toward evidence-based practice as the standard way community-based organizations should do business. Current discussion about how to transfer evidence-based HIV prevention programs and practices to community-based organizations favors the perspectives of those scientists who hope to disseminate their programs to service providers. To date, there are few descriptions of community-based organizations' experiences adopting programs presented in the HIV prevention literature.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells produce cytokines and mature in response to the TLR7 agonists, imiquimod and resiquimod.

The immune response modifiers, imiquimod and resiquimod, are TLR7 agonists that induce type I interferon in numerous species, including humans. Recently, it was shown that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are the primary interferon-producing cells in the blood in response to viral infections. Here, we characterize the activation of human pDC with the TLR7 agonists imiquimod and resiquimod.

Effect of an immunomodulator on the efficacy of an attenuated vaccine against avian pneumovirus in turkeys.

Since 1997, avian pneumovirus (APV) has caused estimated annual losses of $15 million to the Minnesota turkey industry. In order to develop an attenuated live vaccine against APV, we serially passaged a Minnesota isolate of APV (APV/MN/turkey/1-a/97) in vitro in cell cultures for 41 passages. Laboratory experiments with this high-passage virus (P41) indicated that the attenuated virus provided immunogenic protection to turkeys against challenge with virulent APV, although some birds showed mild to moderate dinical signs after inoculation.

Fast and accurate model of underwater scalar irradiance.

A spectral model of scalar irradiance with depth is applied to calculations of photosynthetically available radiation for a vertically homogeneous water column. The model runs more than 14,000 times faster than the full Hydrolight code, while it limits the percentage error to 2.20% and the maximum error to less than 4.

Blood component therapy.

Blood loss in orthopaedic injuries or procedures may be substantial, and more than 23 million units of blood components are transfused each year. The most frequent components used include whole blood, packed red blood cells, platelets, plasma derivatives, leukocytes, and clotting factors. This article will discuss blood classification systems, transfusion components, administration and potential complications of transfusion therapy, and nursing implications.

Biological basis of hearing-aid design.

We show that we can accurately model the auditory-nerve discharge patterns in response to sounds as complex as speech and ask how we may exploit this knowledge to test new strategies for hearing-aid signal processing. We describe the auditory-nerve representations of vowels in normal and noise-damaged ears. The normal representations are predicted well by a cochlear signal processing model originally developed by Carney (Carney, L.

Immunomodulation as a treatment strategy for genital herpes: review of the evidence.

In this review, we discuss the ongoing development of a new treatment option for genital herpes (GH), the disease caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) types I and II. Following infection, the virus establishes a latent infection in peripheral neurons, which periodically activates to cause recurrent skin lesions or asymptomatic shedding in the anogenital area. A new class of drugs, the immune response modifiers (IRMs), modulates the immune system against viral infection.

Effects of conductive hearing loss on auditory nerve activity in gerbil.

The goal of this research was to define the effects of conductive hearing loss (CHL) produced by malleus removal (MR) on auditory nerve activity in the absence of acoustic stimulation. Subjects were gerbils in two age groups: 21 days (P21) and 42 days (P42). Ensemble background activity (EBA) of the auditory nerve was measured by spectral analysis of a signal recorded from the round window.

A venue-based method for sampling hard-to-reach populations.

Constructing scientifically sound samples of hard-to-reach populations, also known as hidden populations, is a challenge for many research projects. Traditional sample survey methods, such as random sampling from telephone or mailing lists, can yield low numbers of eligible respondents while non-probability sampling introduces unknown biases. The authors describe a venue-based application of time-space sampling (TSS) that addresses the challenges of accessing hard-to-reach populations.

The challenge of preventing environmentally related disease in young children: community-based research in New York City.

Rates of developmental and respiratory diseases are disproportionately high in underserved, minority populations such as those in New York City's Washington Heights, Harlem, and the South Bronx. Blacks and Latinos in these neighborhoods represent high risk groups for asthma, adverse birth outcomes, impaired development, and some types of cancer. The Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health in Washington Heights uses molecular epidemiologic methods to study the health effects of urban indoor and outdoor air pollutants on children, prenatally and postnatally, in a cohort of over 500 African-American and Dominican (originally from the Dominican Republic) mothers and newborns.

Hamster oocyte membrane potential and ion permeability vary with preantral cumulus cell attachment and developmental stage.

Background: In vitro maturation of mammalian oocytes is an area of great interest due to its potential application in the treatment of infertility. The morphological and physiological changes that occur during oocyte development are poorly understood, and further studies are needed investigating the physiological changes associated with oocyte maturation. In this study we evaluated the membrane potential and the sodium/potassium permeability ratio of oocytes acutely isolated, and cumulus-oocyte complexes in metaphase II and preantral follicle stages.

Prenatal exposure, maternal sensitization, and sensitization in utero to indoor allergens in an inner-city cohort.

Primary sensitization to antigens may occur prenatally. We hypothesized that high prenatal exposure to indoor antigens increases the risk for sensitization in newborns in New York City populations with increased risk for asthma. We also investigated whether maternal sensitization is required for in utero sensitization to occur.

Innovation in HIV prevention: organizational and intervention characteristics affecting program adoption.

A multiple case study design was used to explore the organizational characteristics of community-based organizations that provide HIV prevention programs and the criteria these organizations employ when judging the merits of externally-developed HIV prevention programs. In-depth interviews were conducted with organizational representatives of 38 randomly-selected HIV prevention providers throughout Illinois. Results indicated that there were three main types of adopting organizations: adopters of entire programs, adopters of program components and practices, and adopters of common ideas.

Modified lattice Boltzmann method for compressible fluid simulations.

A modified lattice Boltzmann algorithm is shown to have much better stability to growing temperature perturbations, when compared with the standard lattice Boltzmann algorithm. The damping rates of long-wavelength waves, which determine stability, are derived using a collisional equilibrium distribution function which has the property that the Euler equations are obtained exactly in the limit of zero time step. Using this equilibrium distribution function, we show that our algorithm has inherent positive hyperviscosity and hyperdiffusivity, for very small values of viscosity and thermal diffusivity, which are lacking in the standard algorithm.

Immunologic approach to herpes simplex virus.

The fundamental biological characteristic of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is its ability to establish latency and periodically reactivate, resulting in productive infectious virus. Recurrent HSV infections occur in spite of the presence of host immune responses to the virus. Because genital herpes is currently one of the three most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, its potential public health impact has contributed to increased awareness in medical communities.

Activation of arrestin: requirement of phosphorylation as the negative charge on residues in synthetic peptides from the carboxyl-terminal region of rhodopsin.

Purpose: To determine whether substitution of the potential phosphorylation sites of bovine rhodopsin's carboxyl-terminal region with the acidic residues aspartic acid, glutamic acid, or cysteic acid promotes the activation of arrestin.

Methods: Three peptide analogues of the 19-residue carboxyl-terminal region of rhodopsin (330-348) were synthesized: the fully phosphorylated peptide (7P-peptide), the peptide with all potential phosphorylation sites substituted with glutamic acid (7E-peptide), and the peptide with the phosphorylation sites substituted with cysteic acid (7Cya-peptide). The peptides were tested in assays in which the 7P-peptide had previously been shown to have an effect.

Pharmacokinetics of trazodone and its major metabolite m-chlorophenylpiperazine in plasma and brain of rats.

Sprague-Dawley rats were used as models for single trazodone administration (males), continuous adminstration and dose proportionality experiments (males, females, pregnant females). Plasma and brain tissue were analysed for trazodone and its active metabolite, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP). Fetal exposure to trazodone and m-CPP was assessed and differences in their steady-state plasma concentration were sought between adult males and females.

Daily or weekly therapy with resiquimod (R-848) reduces genital recurrences in herpes simplex virus-infected guinea pigs during and after treatment.

The effect of resiquimod (R-848), an immune-response modifier that is similar to imiquimod, on recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) was evaluated using the guinea pig model of genital herpes. Guinea pigs were intravaginally infected with HSV-2 and then were randomized on day 14 to receive nothing or 0.1 mL/kg per dose of subcutaneous resiquimod, given either daily, every other day, or weekly from days 15-35.

Reduction of recurrent HSV disease using imiquimod alone or combined with a glycoprotein vaccine.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of an immune modulator, imiquimod, given alone or in combination with an HSV vaccine on HSV immune responses and as immunotherapy of a genital recurrence model. After recovery from primary genital HSV infection, animals were randomized to placebo, 21 days of imiquimod plus a placebo vaccine, or 21 days of imiquimod plus an HSV-2 glycoprotein vaccine. Placebo or HSV vaccine was given in the footpad on days 16 and 37 after HSV-2 genital inoculation.

Anaphylaxis in the United States: an investigation into its epidemiology.

Background: Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that affects both children and adults in the United States. However, data regarding the incidence and prevalence of anaphylaxis and the number of deaths caused by it are limited.

Objective: To provide a better understanding of the magnitude of the problem of anaphylaxis in the United States.

Odontogenic carcinoma occurring in a dentigerous cyst: case report and clinical management.

This case report describes an unusual odontogenic carcinoma, which was detected during routine periodontal examination. The lesion occurred in a dentigerous cyst associated with an impacted third molar in an otherwise asymptomatic 66-year-old male patient. The impacted tooth and lesion were excised based on evidence of radiographic change and clinical findings.

Evaluation of a model of the cochlear neural membrane. I. Physiological measurement of membrane characteristics in response to intrameatal electrical stimulation.

To understand the auditory neural response to electrical stimuli similar to those used in a cochlear implant, it will be necessary to understand the neural refraction and summation response kinetics. Evidence exists indicating that the cell soma may alter the auditory neural response kinetics and could be the site of conduction failure for excitation initiated on the peripheral process. There is, however, reason to believe that the excitation site in some healthy, type I neurons and in pathological, type III neurons is the central process of the cell.

The inhibitory effect of the imidazoquinolinamine S-28828 on the pathogenesis of a type II adenovirus in turkeys.

In this study we show that a type I-IFN inducing compound, S-28828, modulated the pathogenesis of an avian type II adenovirus in turkeys. By itself, S-28828 induced a strong reaction in the spleen characterized by hyperplasia of the red and white pulps as well as an increase in lymphoid cell aggregations. Oral administration of S-28828 before the time of virus inoculation suppressed significantly (P<0.