Purpose Children should attend well child visits (WCVs) during early childhood so that developmental disorders may be identified as possible, treatment can begin. The aim of this research was to determine if rurality impacts access WCV childhood, and altering measurement methods outcomes. Design We utilized a longitudinal correlational design with data gathered from the Virginia All Payer Claim...

OBJECTIVE Societal and economic shifts have expanded the roles that fathers play in their families. Father involvement is associated with positive cognitive, developmental, and sociobehavioral child outcomes such as improved weight gain in preterm infants, improved breastfeeding rates, higher receptive language skills, and higher academic achievement. However, father involvement in health care ...

Coxiella burnetii is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular pathogen and the causative agent of Q fever in humans. Q fever causes acute flu-like symptoms and may develop into a chronic disease leading to endocarditis. Its potential as a bioweapon has led to its classification as a category B select agent. An effective inactivated whole-cell vaccine (WCV) currently exists but causes severe granu...

Purpose. The incidence of liver tumors is rising in USA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate liver oxido-reductive status in the presence of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods. Glutathione species and ophthalmate (OA) concentrations were measured by LC-MS in processed plasma and red blood cells (RBC) from infected Woodchuck with hepatitis virus (WHV). Blood ...

Immunization with whole-cell pertussis vaccines (WCV) containing heat-killed Bordetella pertussis cells and with acellular vaccines containing genetically or chemically detoxified pertussis toxin (PT) in combination with filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin (Prn), or fimbriae confers protection in humans and animals against B. pertussis infection. In an earlier study we demonstrated that ...

BACKGROUND Pertussis is a respiratory and contagious disease which is mostly caused by Bordetella pertussis and B. parapertussis. It usually spreads from person to personduring the incubation or catarrhal phase of the disease. Despite of large-scale vaccination, whooping cough is still an endemic disease with several outbreaks. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence ...

A recent study found aural abscessation to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in free-living eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in Virginia (1). Though its etiology remains unknown, hypovitaminosis A has been suggested based on a similar lesion occurring in captive chelonia fed diets deficient in vitamin A (4). This hypothesis was supported by significantly greater...

BACKGROUND Activation of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway through TLR4 may be important in the induction of protective immunity against Bordetella pertussis with TLR4-mediated activation of dendritic and B cells, induction of cytokine expression, and reversal of tolerance as crucial steps. We examined whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes of the TLR4 pathway and ...

OBJECTIVES To quantify physician-reported preventive counseling and screening during well-child visits (WCVs) and to examine racial and ethnic disparities in these activities. DESIGN Cross-sectional study using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, January 1993 through December 2002. SETTING Office-based physician practices. PARTICIPANTS Children from birth to 18 years old who were...

background pertussis is a respiratory and contagious disease which is mostly caused by bordetella pertussis and b. parapertussis. it usually spreads from person to personduring the incubation or catarrhal phase of the disease. despite of large-scale vaccination, whooping cough is still an endemic disease with several outbreaks. objectives the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of...