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Biomedical subjects

S M Erickson

Publications and source records attributed to S M Erickson.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The potential of Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae) as an enzootic vector of West Nile virus.

The susceptibility of Aedes triseriatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) to low levels of West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) was determined and compared with that of Culex pipiens L. to assess the likelihood of its participation in an enzootic cycle involving mammals. Ae. triseriatus and Cx. pipiens were exposed to WNV by feeding on baby chickens with WNV serum titers ranging from 10(4.1 +/- 0.1) to 10(8.6 +/- 0.1) plaque-forming units (PFU)/ml and from 10(4.1 +/- 0.1) to 10(7.0) PFU/ml, respectively. Infection rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 8% (4, 14) and 25% (15, 38) occurred in Ae. triseriatus and Cx. pipiens after feeding on chickens with WNV titers of 10(4.1 +/- 0.1) PFU/ml and increased to 65% (49, 79) and 100% (72, 100) in Ae. triseriatus and Cx. pipiens after feeding on chickens with titers of 10(7.1 +/- 0.1) PFU/ml. The mean infection rate of Ae. triseriatus ranged from 97% (84, 100) to 100% (79, 100) after feeding on chickens with WNV titers of > or = 10(8.2) PFU/ml. The infectious dose (ID)50 values for Ae. triseriatus and Cx. pipiens were 10(6.5) (6.4, 6.7) and 10(4.9) (4.6, 5.1) PFU/ml, respectively. The combined estimated transmission rate of Ae. triseriatus at 14 and 18 d after feeding on chickens with a mean WNV titer of 10(8.6 +/- 0.1) PFU/ml was 55%. Although Ae. triseriatus is significantly less susceptible to WNV than Cx. pipiens, the susceptibility of Ae. triseriatus to WNV titers < 10(5.0) PFU/ml and its ability to transmit WNV suggest that Ae. triseriatus has the potential to be an enzootic vector among mammalian populations.

Aedes↗
PubMed2001

Unilateral alpha subharmonics: a case report.

Occipital alpha subharmonics are a normal EEG variant. Unilateral occipital slowing, however, is associated with focal dysfunction of that particular side. We report a 10-year-old girl with the incidental EEG finding of unilateral occipital slowing. MRI of her brain was completely normal and on long-term follow up she remained healthy. Based on her clinical history, normal MRI of brain, and the character of the slow posterior rhythms, we conclude that unilateral slow alpha rhythm can be a normal variant akin to alpha subharmonics.

Alpha Rhythm↗
PubMed1997

Managing case management across the continuum: an organized response to managed care.

Case management is a core strategy for providing high-quality, cost-effective care in a managed care environment. Acute care case management programs most often originate as nursing-driven, hospital-based initiatives. Given the overwhelming trend toward vertical integration of health care organizations, hospital-based case management programs may be only an interim step toward a longer term strategy. Hospital and case management program leadership should consider how existing case management models can expand to meet patient and provider needs in an integrated health system or network environment. Key issues and strategies for designing a case management system based on continuum of care are described.

Case Management↗
PubMed1992

Utilization and evaluation of living-related donors for patients with adult polycystic kidney disease.

Adult onset polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) causes 10% of all end-stage renal disease in the United States. Use of living-related donors for renal transplants provides significant advantages over cadaver donors. Presymptomatic testing to determine ADPKD status of potential donors by DNA linkage analysis is potentially more accurate than renal ultrasonography for related donors < 30 years old. To determine the utilization of living donor transplants and linkage studies, a survey was mailed to 202 transplant centers in the United Network of Organ Sharing. The 111 respondents reported 5,026 renal transplants done in 1988 of which 390 (7.8%) involved an ADPKD recipient. Only 7% of these 390 transplants utilized a living-related donor compared to the 20% rate reported for all renal transplants. DNA linkage studies were not used by any of the centers performing related donor transplants in 1988 and only 29% reported provision of risk counseling. We conclude that living-related transplants are underutilized for ADPKD recipients due to conservative transplant policies, concern about the inaccuracy of presymptomatic diagnosis, or decreased availability of asymptomatic donors in these families. DNA linkage analysis is also underutilized due to lack of knowledge of its availability and accuracy, concerns about its cost and misconceptions about the accuracy of ultrasonography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cadaver↗