SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “TEXAS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Hispanic Americans and the state mental hospitals in Texas: ethnic parity as a latent function of a fiscal incentive policy.

This paper examines patterns of utilization of the state mental hospitals in Texas by Hispanics compared to Anglos over a 5-year period from FY 1984 to FY 1988. Historically, Hispanics have been underrepresented in public mental health client populations in the United States. In the mid-1980s in Texas, the ethnic gap in use of psychiatric facilities was expected to widen as Hispanic population growth outpaced the capacity of the public system to provide accessible mental health services for persons with serious and persistent psychiatric illnesses. But in the inpatient sector, the gap narrowed significantly in the second half of the decade, due to a policy-driven sharp reduction in the overall census of the state mental hospitals. A fiscal incentive program to stimulate the development of community-based mental health services had a markedly different effect on subsequent inpatient utilization by Anglos compared to Hispanics, most notably in counties that were less urban and less affluent and counties with a relatively high proportion of Hispanic residents. The context and mixed implications of these developments are explored.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Human west nile virus neuroinvasive disease in Texas, 2003 epidemic: regional differences.

PURPOSE: Arboviral diseases, such as West Nile virus (WNV) epizootics, tend to be geographically unique because of the biomes that support the vector(s) and reservoir host(s). Understanding such details aids in preventive efforts. We studied the 2003 epidemic of human West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) in Texas because it initially appeared that incidence was not uniform across regions of the state. METHODS: The epidemic was described by age, sex, and region of residence. These variables were used to compare age-specific incidence, standardized cumulative incidence, and age-adjusted relative risk (RR). We verified case data and used routine software, with population estimates from the US Census Bureau. RESULTS: Regardless of sex, risk increased with age. Males had the greater risk (RR, 1.69); however, males aged 5 to 17 years had the greatest RR. Of the five regions compared, two posed more (RRs, 7.98 and 2.14) and one posed less (RR, 0.40) risk than the remainder of the state. Proportions of Culex vector species differed significantly between regions. CONCLUSIONS: During 2003, the risk for WNND varied considerably across Texas. This suggests that various risks for WNV infection deserve additional research for preventive interventions to be regionally appropriate and effective.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Multidrug resistance associated with mexXY expression in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a Texas hospital.

Fluoroquinolones and carbapenems are important drug classes used for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. However, overexpression of the P. aeruginosa efflux pump, MexEF-OprN, can provide dual resistance to both fluoroquinolones and carbapenems. Recently, a hospital in Texas encountered several P. aeruginosa isolates resistant to both of these drug classes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the mechanism responsible for this multidrug resistance involved the overexpression of MexEF-OprN. To test this hypothesis, 7 clinical isolates from the Texas hospital were analyzed for clonality, antimicrobial susceptibility, expression of the porin, oprD, and four multidrug-resistant efflux pumps (mexAB-oprM, mexCD-oprJ, mexEF-oprN, and mexXY), quinolone resistance-determining region mutations, and beta-lactamase production. Two groups of isolates possessed similar pulse field gel electrophoresis patterns indicating their genetic relatedness. In addition to fluoroquinolone and carbapenem resistance, each isolate also displayed varying degrees of susceptibility to additional beta-lactams tested and resistance to gentamicin. Interestingly, none of the 7 clinical isolates overexpressed mexEF-oprN as determined by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, but overexpression of mexXY was observed in 6 of the 7 isolates. All 7 isolates showed a decrease of OprD in the outer membrane and a reduction in transcriptional expression of oprD compared to wild-type strain, PAO1. These results demonstrate that multidrug resistance to the fluoroquinolones and carbapenems in these clinical isolates was not a result of the overexpression of the mexEF-oprN pump. Instead, resistance to these two agents seemed to arise through independent mutational events.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

PubMed2004

Deaths of clients in methadone treatment in Texas: 1994-2002.

This study analyzes causes of deaths of 766 patients who died while in methadone treatment in Texas between 1994 and 2002. Compared with deaths in the general population of Texas, deaths of clients in methadone treatment were 4.6 times more likely to be from a drug overdose, 3.4 times more likely to be from liver disease, 1.7 times more likely to be from a respiratory disease, 1.5 times more likely to be from a homicide and 1.4 times more likely to be from AIDS, but less likely to be from suicide, motor vehicle accidents, cardiovascular diseases or cancer. Of the clients, 20% died of liver disease, 18% of cardiovascular disease and 14% of drug overdose. An older cohort had been in treatment longer, had more take-homes, were on higher doses and tended to die of chronic diseases. A younger cohort tended to die from traumas, including drug overdose. Time in treatment was 43.3 months; mean daily dose was 77.3mg; number of days/month dosed in the clinic was 13.9. Given these rates, the scope of services should include on-site treatment for other medical conditions and staff should be educated about and counsel about the risk of death for new patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Environmental mercury release, special education rates, and autism disorder: an ecological study of Texas.

The association between environmentally released mercury, special education and autism rates in Texas was investigated using data from the Texas Education Department and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A Poisson regression analysis adjusted for school district population size, economic and demographic factors was used. There was a significant increase in the rates of special education students and autism rates associated with increases in environmentally released mercury. On average, for each 1,000 lb of environmentally released mercury, there was a 43% increase in the rate of special education services and a 61% increase in the rate of autism. The association between environmentally released mercury and special education rates were fully mediated by increased autism rates. This ecological study suggests the need for further research regarding the association between environmentally released mercury and developmental disorders such as autism. These results have implications for policy planning and cost analysis.

Autistic Disorder↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Quality improvement in nursing homes in Texas: results from a pressure ulcer prevention project.

BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcer prevalence, cost, associated mortality, and potential for litigation are major clinical problems in nursing homes despite guidelines for prevention and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To improve the use of pressure ulcer prevention procedures at nursing homes in Texas through implementation of process of care system changes in collaboration with a state quality improvement organization (QIO). DESIGN: Preintervention and postintervention measurement of performance for process of care quality indicators and of pressure ulcer incidence rates. SETTING: Twenty nursing homes in Texas. PARTICIPANTS: Quality improvement teams at participating nursing homes. MEASUREMENT: Data were abstracted from medical records on performance measures (quality indicators) and pressure ulcer incidence rates between November 2000 and August 2002. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. INTERVENTIONS: Process of care system changes consisting of tools and education to prevent pressure ulcers were introduced to participating nursing homes. RESULTS: Participating nursing homes showed statistically significant improvement in 8 out of 12 quality indicators. Pressure ulcer incidence rates also decreased, although not quite significantly. Furthermore, facilities with the greatest improvement in quality indicator scores had significantly lower pressure ulcer incidence rates than the facilities with the least improvement in quality indicator scores (S = 131.0, P = .03). This suggests that the interventions positively affected not only the process of care but also led to a decrease in pressure ulcer incidences. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that nursing homes in a collaborative effort with a QIO were able to improve their processes of care. Although significant improvement was noted on most of the quality indicators, opportunity remains for further improvement. Furthermore, these results suggest that implementation of process of care system changes by nursing homes in a collaborative relationship with a QIO may yield improvements in measures of patient outcome (eg, pressure ulcer incidence).

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Sensitivity analysis of ground-level ozone concentration to emission changes in two urban regions of southeast Texas.

Air pollutant emission is one of the predominant factors affecting urban air quality such as ground-level ozone formation. This paper assesses the impact of changing emission inventory scenarios, based on combinations of point, mobile, area/non-road and biogenic sources, on the tropospheric ozone concentration in two southeast Texas urban areas, i.e. Houston-Galveston and Beaumont-Port Arthur, during the rapid ozone formation event (ROFE) on August 25, 2000. The EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system with 1999 national emission inventory (NEI99) estimates and updated SAPRC99 chemical mechanism are used in the sensitivity analysis for twelve different emission scenarios. Based on model results, it is found that the point source emission of NOx and VOC contributes the greatest ozone peak in the ROFE. Removing Texas point sources of VOC and NOx emission from the inventory results in a reduction in peak O3 concentration by 128 and 70 ppbv in Houston urban area, respectively. Similar but less drastic impact from point source is also observed in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area. The effect on peak ozone concentration due to mobile, area and non-road sources emissions are less significant compared to that of point source emission. Reducing VOC emission appears to be more effective than reducing NOx emission in lowering peak O3 concentration in the studied region. Although biogenic emission can contribute up to 37 ppbv of peak ozone level over a large area, the affected area is away from the urban region of concern, and should not be the main cause for O3 non-attainment in the two urban areas. Removing CO emission from mobile sources does not lead to significant reduction (< 1 ppbv) in ozone concentrations. The modeled data also show that the transport of O3 precursors from adjacent states can cause a significant ozone plume near Beaumont due to its proximity to the state border based on the conditions during the August 25, 2000 O3 episode.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2005

Simulation of vegetation dynamics and management strategies on south Texas, semi-arid rangeland.

In this paper, we describe a model designed to simulate seasonal dynamics of warm and cool season grasses and forbs, as well as the dynamics of woody plant succession through five seral stages, in each of nine different plant communities on the Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Refuge. The Welder Wildlife Refuge (WWR) is located in the Gulf Coastal Prairies and Marshes ecoregion of Texas. The model utilizes and integrates data from a wide array of research projects that have occurred in south Texas and WWR. It is designed to investigate the effects of alternative livestock grazing programs and brush control practices, with particular emphasis on prescribed burning, the preferred treatment for brush on the WWR. We evaluated the model by simulating changes in the plant communities under historical (1974-2000) temperature, rainfall, livestock grazing rotation, and brush control regimes, and comparing simulation results to field data on herbaceous biomass and brush canopy cover collected on the WWR over the same period. We then used the model to simulate the effects of 13 alternative management schemes, under each of four weather regimes, over the next 25 years. We found that over the simulation period, years 1974-2000, the model does well in simulating the magnitude and seasonality of herbaceous biomass production and changes in percent brush canopy cover on the WWR. It also does well in simulating the effects of variations in cattle stocking rates, grazing rotation programs, and brush control regimes on plant communities, thus providing insight into the combined effects of temperature, precipitation, cattle stocking rates, grazing rotation programs, and brush control on the overall productivity and state of woody plant succession on the WWR. Simulation of alternative management schemes suggests that brush canopy removal differs little between summer and winter prescribed burn treatments when precipitation remains near the long-term average, but during periods of low precipitation canopy removal is greater under winter prescribed burning. The model provides a useful tool to assist refuge personnel with developing long-term brush management and livestock grazing strategies.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2004

The role of adverse weather conditions in acute releases of hazardous substances, Texas, 2000-2001.

High winds, flooding, lightning, and other phenomena associated with adverse weather can cause power failures, equipment damage, and process upsets resulting in chemical releases. Of the 5000 events in Texas that were reported to the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system during 2000-2001, adverse weather conditions contributed to 110 (2%) events. Rain was the most frequent adverse weather condition. Most events to which adverse weather conditions contributed occurred during June or September; these months correspond with the high temperature and hurricane season in Texas. Most events occurred in coastal counties with large numbers of industrial facilities. Three industries reported the majority of events: industrial and miscellaneous chemicals manufacturing; petroleum refining; and plastics, synthetics, and resin manufacturing. Power failures were associated more often with adverse weather-related events than with nonweather-related events. Releases occurred most commonly from ancillary process equipment and process vessels. Events associated with adverse weather-related conditions involved nine victims. System and process design improvements, such as improved backup power generation and redesigned secondary containment systems, could be explored to reduce the potential negative effects of severe weather.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMed2003

Community outreach as an iterative dialogue among scientists and communities in the Texas gulf coast region.

In response to significant environmental health challenges in Southeast Texas, a National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences Center at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston was created to promote and conduct inter-disciplinary research in the areas of: (1) the molecular biology of DNA repair, replication and mutagenesis, (2) asthma pathogenesis in response to oxidative stress and viral exposures, and (3) environmental toxicant biotransformation. In addition, the NIEHS Center maintains close ties with neighboring communities through an active Community Outreach & Education Program (COEP) that develops and disseminates translational materials for use in environmental health awareness outreach, toxicology consultation, K-12 curriculum enrichment and in developing site-specific Community Partnership projects. The COEP core service divisions include: Environmental Arts & Sciences, Asthma Outreach & Education, Theater Outreach & Education, and Public Forum & Toxics Assistance. Public Forums focus on the use of Augusto Boal's Forum Theater dramaturgy to include the voices and local knowledge of communities within the process of Participatory Research. Forums create the preconditions for significant partnerships that link the hazardous risk perceptions and environmental health needs of communities with the expertise of NIEHS Center investigators and translational services provided through COEP outreach programs. The Forum process also creates leadership cores within environmentally challenged communities that facilitate the ongoing translational process and maintain the vital linkage between the health needs of communities and the analytic tools and the field and clinical technologies of the environmental sciences.

Community-Institutional Relations↗

PubMed2005

Spatial distribution of antibodies to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium O antigens in bulk milk from Texas dairy herds.

Environmental factors that enhance either the survivability or dispersion of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) could result in a spatial pattern of disease risk. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe herd status based on antibody response to Salmonella Typhimurium as estimated from bulk tank milk samples and (2) to describe the resulting geographical patterns found among Texas dairy herds. Eight hundred and fifty-two bulk milk samples were collected from georeferenced dairy farms and assayed by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using S. Typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS). ELISA signal-to-noise ratios for each bulk tank milk sample were calculated and used for geostatistical analyses. Best-fit parameters for the exponential theoretical variogram included a range of 438.8 km, partial sill of 0.060 and nugget of 0.106. The partial sill is the classical geostatistical term for the variance that can be explained by the herd's location and the nugget is the spatially random component of the variance. We have identified a spatial process in bulk milk tank titers for S. Typhimurium in Texas dairy herds and present a map of the expected smoothed surface. Areas with higher expected titers should be targeted in further studies on controlling Salmonella infection with environmental modifications.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Biogeochemical behavior of organic carbon in the Trinity River downstream of a large reservoir lake in Texas, USA.

Dissolved and particulate organic carbon concentrations were measured and annual loads estimated for the Trinity River, the main freshwater input source to Galveston Bay, which lies on the upper Gulf coast of Texas, USA, during 2000-2001. This river drains the forested lowlands south of a relatively large reservoir lake, Lake Livingston. A weak relationship between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and Q(TR) indicated hydrologic control but separation of the data, based on individual discharge events, was necessary to improve interpretation. For instance, the first rain of the season resulted in only a modest increase in DOC concentrations and led to an inverse relationship with discharge, due to decreased lateral flow and increased infiltration of rainwater, with the lower flows being more efficient at DOC leaching from soils. In contrast, a long duration high discharge river crest event resulted in an opposite trend, i.e. a linear increase in DOC with increasing discharge rates. A short duration high discharge tropical storm showed reduced Trinity River DOC concentrations and the highest POC concentrations measured, likely resulting from the relatively short duration, and minimal contact time, of this event. In contrast to DOC, the concentrations of particulate organic carbon, POC (mg C l(-1)) were linearly correlated to suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations and accounted for between 10 and 12% of the total suspended load at low discharge but decreased to approximately 2% at high discharge. This suggests dilution by larger particles with a reduced organic carbon content, possibly silicate minerals, more readily resuspended at elevated levels of discharge. The annual total organic carbon (TOC) load to Galveston Bay, estimated from the slope of the daily load vs. discharge relationship, was 11.2 x 10(10) g C and calculated export coefficients (g C m(-2) year(-1)) were in good agreement with previous results. Using this relationship, accurate assessments of TOC flux inputs to Galveston Bay over the past quarter-century and in the future are possible by obtaining annual Trinity River discharge rates, which are readily available from the USGS. Comparing DOC riverine inputs to benthic sources in Trinity Bay, measured directly on the same day, indicates that the sediments contribute approximately 20% of total inputs of DOC to Trinity Bay. However, assuming a constant benthic source during low-flow conditions, which can occur for periods of up to 14 months in this region of Texas, benthic fluxes would account for > 80% of the total inputs into Trinity Bay. At high levels of discharge, the Trinity River discharges approximately 1.0 x 10(9) g C day(-1) and dominates DOC inputs to Trinity Bay.

Carbon↗

PubMed2006

Thrombostasin isoform frequency in a Central Texas field population of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans.

Thrombostasin is an anti-thrombin factor that plays a role in successful feeding of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans. It has been isolated and characterized from saliva, and polymorphisms in the gene coding sequence have been previously reported. In the present study, the thrombostasin gene was analyzed from 60, field-collected flies from Camp Stanley, Texas and the allele and genotype frequencies were compared with previously published data for an Alabama field collection and a Texas in vitro colony-reared collection. Significant differences in genotype frequency and extent of genotypic diversity observed between the Alabama and Camp Stanley field collections may be attributable to host genetic differences. In addition, bull calves that were phenotyped as either high- or low-carriers were parasitized by horn flies that displayed a significantly different genotype distribution, supporting a possible explanation for horn fly host selection behavior, as evidenced by thrombostasin sequence analysis of 95 additional horn flies collected from respective hosts.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Religious attendance and the health behaviors of Texas adults.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to test whether religious involvement is associated with a broad range of health behaviors. METHOD: We employ data from the 2004 Survey of Texas Adults, a statewide probability sample of 1504 Texas adults. Using these data, we estimate a series of logistic regression models to assess the net effects of religious attendance on 12 health behaviors. RESULTS: Our results show that regular religious attendance (especially weekly attendance) is associated with a wide range of healthy behaviors, including preventive care use, vitamin use, infrequent bar attendance, seatbelt use, walking, strenuous exercise, sound sleep quality, never smoking, and moderate drinking. CONCLUSION: If religious involvement is associated with healthy behaviors, additional studies are needed to account for these associations. Future research might also consider health behaviors other than drinking and smoking as potential mechanisms through which religious involvement might benefit health and prolong life.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Environmental contaminants in prey and tissues of the peregrine falcon in the Big Bend Region, Texas, USA.

Peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) have been recorded nesting in Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA and other areas of the Chihuahuan Desert since the early 1900s. From 1993 to 1996, peregrine falcon productivity rates were very low and coincided with periods of low rainfall. However, low productivity also was suspected to be caused by environmental contaminants. To evaluate potential impacts of contaminants on peregrine falcon populations, likely avian and bat prey species were collected during 1994 and 1997 breeding seasons in selected regions of western Texas, primarily in Big Bend National Park. Tissues of three peregrine falcons found injured or dead and feathers of one live fledgling also were analyzed. Overall, mean concentrations of DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene], a metabolite of DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane], were low in all prey species except for northern rough-winged swallows (Stelgidopteryx serripennis, mean = 5.1 microg/g ww). Concentrations of mercury and selenium were elevated in some species, up to 2.5 microg/g dw, and 15 microg/g dw, respectively, which upon consumption could seriously affect reproduction of top predators. DDE levels near 5 microg/g ww were detected in carcass of one peregrine falcon found dead but the cause of death was unknown. Mercury, selenium, and DDE to some extent, may be contributing to low reproductive rates of peregrine falcons in the Big Bend region.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Organochlorine pesticides in elementary school yards along the Texas-Mexico border.

A reconnaissance study was undertaken to determine potential contaminant exposures to children through soil from elementary school playgrounds. Soil samples were collected from areas along the Texas-Mexico border, inland areas (soils from elementary school yards in cities/towns within the state of Texas), and three National Parks (one on the border, one in Tennessee, and one in Washington). The present study focused on organochlorine (OC) pesticides as the potential contaminants of concern because of their historical (and possibly current) use, and their importance as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). DDE and heptachlor were the most frequently detected OCs (69 and 63%, respectively), although heptachlor concentrations in soil never exceeded 5 ppb. Relatively higher concentrations of DDE were observed in agricultural areas along the border (50-60 ppb in soils from McAllen, Palmview, and San Benito) than in other soils. However, a school yard in Lubbock, TX had the highest OC concentration observed (70 ppb dieldrin). These results may be due to historical agriculture activity prior to the banning of OC pesticides such as DDT in the early 1970s, as well as the more recent use of DDT in Central and South America for malaria control.

Environmental Monitoring↗

PubMed1999

Put prevention into practice. Evaluation of program initiation in nine Texas clinical sites.

INTRODUCTION: Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP) is a program designed to improve the delivery of clinical preventive services by primary care providers, through the use of specific office materials for providers and clinic staff, as well as an educational booklet for patients. The purpose of this study was to identify potential predictors of successful initiation of PPIP among 9 Texas public health clinics participating in a demonstration project funded by the Texas Department of Health (TDH). METHODS: The PRECEDE model was utilized as a theoretical framework for the study. A qualitative, case study methodology was employed, with structured interviews and open-ended questions asked of each site's PPIP personnel. Information from the sites' report to the TDH on the number of charts containing PPIP forms was also used for purposes of data triangulation. RESULTS: Sites that initiated PPIP successfully were characterized by a medium patient load, the ability to serve low-resource populations, prior attempts to implement categorical programs, existence of a philosophy of prevention, and pre-implementation planning. Barriers to successful initiation were identified as systems-related, patient-related, and staff-related. CONCLUSIONS: We identified factors that might predict the successful initiation of PPIP in public health primary care settings. Implications of present findings for implementation of similar health promotion programs in clinical settings are discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2001

Seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection among blood donors from Texas.

PURPOSE: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), a gammaherpesvirus recently discovered among AIDS patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, is a potential candidate for screening in blood and plasma donors. While a number of studies have assessed KSHV infection among U.S. blood donors, larger-scale population-based studies would be necessary to develop more refined estimates of the magnitude and variation of KSHV infection across different geographic regions of the U.S. blood supply. The goal of the present study, therefore, was to determine the seroprevalence of KSHV infection and to assess demographic correlates of KSHV infection among south Texas blood donors. METHODS: KSHV infection was determined using specific serologic assays that measure antibodies to KSHV latent and lytic antigens. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence of KSHV in Texas blood donors (15.0%) is substantially higher than previously reported among blood donor and general population samples in the United States. This high rate of KSHV infection persisted across most of the sociodemographic subgroups under study but was particularly elevated among participants with less than a high school education. The infection rate also increased linearly with age. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated infection rate reported in the present study suggests that screening methods to detect KSHV infection in blood donors should be considered. In view of the etiologic role of KSHV for several malignancies, it would be important for future studies to directly assess the risk of KSHV transmission via blood transfusion.

Adolescent↗