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Biomedical subjects

A Hinman

Publications and source records attributed to A Hinman.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Eradication of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Eradication is the permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection caused by a specific agent as a result of deliberate efforts; intervention measures are no longer needed. To date, the only infectious disease that has been eradicated is smallpox. Poliomyelitis is targeted for eradication by the year 2000, and the eradication initiative is well under way, with the Western Hemisphere certified as being polio-free and more than one year having passed since polio cases occurred in the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization. A review of the technical feasibility of eradicating other diseases preventable by vaccines currently licensed for civilian use in the United States indicates that measles, hepatitis B, mumps, rubella, and possibly disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b are potential candidates. From a practical point of view, measles seems most likely to be the next target. Global capacity to undertake eradication is limited, and care must be taken to ensure that a potential measles eradication effort does not impede achievement of polio eradication. Even in the absence of eradication, major improvements in control are both feasible and necessary with existing vaccines. New and improved vaccines may give further possibilities of eradication in the future. Eradication represents the ultimate in sustainability and social justice.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1998

A model to estimate the potential economic benefits of measles eradication for the United States.

Measles incidence is at a nadir in many parts of the world due to vaccination efforts. Although the technical feasibility of eradication has been acknowledged, financial and political commitment need to be concomitantly identified on the national and global level. We demonstrate the potential value of measles eradication by identifying the potential cost-savings to one country resulting from measles eradication. For the US, measles eradication would save $45 million annually. If achieved by the year 2010, the US would save $500 million to $4.1 billion depending on the year of elimination, post-eradication schedule and discount rate. Intensification of measles control efforts in the US beyond current levels would have minimal marginal benefits on disease burden reduction. Allocation of resources to achieve global measles eradication is the next level of efficiency which would provide substantial savings. Countries may adapt this model to estimate their savings for consideration of the required political and financial contribution towards a global measles eradication program.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Wild-type p53 negatively regulates the expression of a microtubule-associated protein.

The product of the p53 tumor suppressor gene has a well-documented activity as a transcriptional activator, and several studies indicate that this function is at least in part essential for the ability of p53 to suppress cellular proliferation. However, there is growing evidence that some activities of wild-type p53 may be independent of its trans-activation function; in fact, recent investigations have indicated that the transcriptional repression function of p53, rather than its trans-activation function, may be influential in p53-mediated apoptosis. The focus of this study has been on the identification of genes that exhibit decreased expression during p53-dependent apoptosis, and therefore represent potential p53-repressed genes influential in programmed cell death. This report identifies the gene encoding the microtubule-associated protein MAP4 as one whose mRNA and protein expression decrease in cells following induction of wild-type p53. Importantly, decreased MAP4 expression following p53 induction can be inhibited by molecules that prevent p53-mediated transcriptional repression and apoptosis, such as the adenovirus E1B-19K protein and the Wilms tumor gene product WT1. Additionally, overexpression of MAP4 in cells induced to undergo p53-dependent apoptosis significantly delays this process, indicating that the negative regulation of this gene by p53 may be influential in the rapid progression of apoptosis.

Adenovirus E1B Proteins↗
PubMed1974

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis in a hamster colony causes infection of hospital personnel.

A series of febrile illnesses, some severe, among hospital personnel was traced to an outbreak of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in a hospital research colony of Syrian hamsters. By rapid virus isolation and identification techniques, a definitive diagnosis was made 5 days after specimens were received. This outbreak emphasizes the dangers of working with experimental hamsters and tumor cell lines passaged in them.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Potential health benefits of child day care attendance.

Despite fears that child day care attendance enhances the transmission of infection among attending children, there are positive aspects of the day care experience that, from the standpoint of infectious diseases, directly and indirectly contribute to the child's well-being. Quality child day care first requires a preadmission physical examination and then requires that the child begin the series of prescribed immunizations, which might not have been received if care were provided at home by a care giver who was not knowledgeable of available mechanisms for the prevention of disease. Once enrolled, the child and parents can be exposed to health education, which benefits them in terms of overall good health for the entire family. The child day care environment, like every other place where children congregate, is subject to the transmission of infectious agents among child and staff. But the risk of infection can be minimized and the health benefits maximized, and child day care can make positive contributions toward the social and physical development of the child.

Adult↗