University of Rochester

About: University of Rochester is a education organization based out in Rochester, New York, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Laser. The organization has 63915 authors who have published 112762 publications receiving 5484122 citations. The organization is also known as: Rochester University.

Effect of Introduction of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine on Drug-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae

Abstract: BACKGROUND Five of seven serotypes in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, introduced for infants in the United States in 2000, are responsible for most penicillin-resistant infections. We examined the effect of this vaccine on invasive disease caused by resistant strains. METHODS We used laboratory-based data from Active Bacterial Core surveillance to measure disease caused by antibiotic-nonsusceptible pneumococci from 1996 through 2004. Cases of invasive disease, defined as disease caused by pneumococci isolated from a normally sterile site, were identified in eight surveillance areas. Isolates underwent serotyping and susceptibility testing. RESULTS Rates of invasive disease caused by penicillin-nonsusceptible strains and strains not susceptible to multiple antibiotics peaked in 1999 and decreased by 2004, from 6.3 to 2.7 cases per 100,000 (a decline of 57 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 55 to 58 percent) and from 4.1 to 1.7 cases per 100,000 (a decline of 59 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 58 to 60 percent), respectively. Among children under two years of age, disease caused by penicillin-nonsusceptible strains decreased from 70.3 to 13.1 cases per 100,000 (a decline of 81 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 80 to 82 percent). Among persons 65 years of age or older, disease caused by penicillin-nonsusceptible strains decreased from 16.4 to 8.4 cases per 100,000 (a decline of 49 percent). Rates of resistant disease caused by vaccine serotypes fell 87 percent. An increase was seen in disease caused by serotype 19A, a serotype not included in the vaccine (from 2.0 to 8.3 per 100,000 among children under two years of age). CONCLUSIONS The rate of antibiotic-resistant invasive pneumococcal infections decreased in young children and older persons after the introduction of the conjugate vaccine. There was an increase in infections caused by serotypes not included in the vaccine.

Isolation and Characterization of a cDNA from the Rat Brain that Encodes Hemoprotein Heme Oxygenase-3

Abstract: Two isozymes of heme oxygenase (HO), HO-1 or HSP32 and the constitutive form HO-2, have been characterized to date. We report the discovery of a third protein species and refer to it as HO-3. HO-3 is the product of a single transcript of approximately 2.4 kb and can encode a protein of approximately 33 kDa. The HO-3 transcript is found in the spleen, liver, thymus, prostate, heart, kidney, brain and testis and is the product of a single-copy gene. The predicted amino acid structure of HO-3 differs from both HO-1 (HSP32) and HO-2 but is closely related to HO-2 (approximately 90%). Escherichia coli expressed and purified HO-3 protein does not cross react with polyclonal antibodies to either rat HO-1 or HO-2, is a poor heme catalyst, and displays hemoprotein spectral characteristics. The predicted protein has two heme regulatory motifs that may be involved in heme binding. These motifs and the hemoprotein nature of HO-3 suggest a potential regulatory role for the protein in cellular processes which are heme-dependent.

Autonomy support and need satisfaction in the motivation and well-being of gymnasts.

Abstract: This study examined the effects of young athletes’ perceptions of support from coaches and parents on their need satisfaction, motivation, and well-being. Using the framework of selfdetermination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000b), a 4-week diary study of 33 female gymnasts from the northeastern U.S. was conducted that examined (a) the relations of perceived parent and coach supports to the athlete’s enduring and daily motivation and need satisfaction and (b) how daily motivation and psychological need satisfaction during practice affects athletes’ well-being. Results obtained using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) revealed that, as predicted, daily motivation predicted pre-practice well-being, and that changes in well-being from pre- to post-practice varied systematically with the need satisfaction experienced during practice. Discussion highlights the importance of adult supports for adolescent sport participants to ensure need satisfaction, and the advantages of diary methodologies in sport research.

Effect of deprenyl on the progression of disability in early Parkinson's disease

Abstract: In a clinical trial that is still in progress, we studied the ability of deprenyl and tocopherol, antioxidative agents that act through complementary mechanisms, to delay the onset of disability necessitating levodopa therapy (the primary end point) in patients with early, untreated Parkinson's disease. Eight hundred subjects were randomly assigned in a two-by-two factorial design to receive deprenyl, tocopherol, a combination of both drugs, or placebo, and were followed up to determine the frequency of development of the end point. The interim results of independent monitoring prompted a preliminary comparison of the 401 subjects assigned to tocopherol or placebo with the 399 subjects assigned to deprenyl, alone or with tocopherol. Only 97 subjects who received deprenyl reached the end point during an average 12 months of follow-up, as compared with 176 subjects who did not receive deprenyl (P less than 10(-8). The risk of reaching the end point was reduced by 57 percent for the subjects who received deprenyl (Cox hazard ratio, 0.43; 95 percent confidence limits, 0.33 and 0.55; P less than 10(-10]. The subjects who received deprenyl also had a significant reduction in their risk of having to give up full-time employment (P = 0.01). We conclude from these preliminary results that the use of deprenyl (10 mg per day) delays the onset of disability associated with early, otherwise untreated cases of Parkinson's disease.

Regulation of las and rhl quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Abstract: The production of several virulence factors by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is controlled according to cell density through two quorum-sensing systems, las and rhl. The las system is comprised of the transcriptional activator protein LasR and of LasI, which directs the synthesis of the autoinducer PAI-1. Similarly, the rhl system consists of the transcriptional activator protein RhlR and of RhlI, which directs synthesis of the autoinducer PAI-2 (formerly referred to as factor 2). To study the interrelation between the two P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing systems, we fused a lacZ reporter gene to lasR, rhlR, and rhlA and monitored expression of these three genes under various conditions. Our data indicate that lasR and rhlR are expressed in a growth-dependent manner, with activation of each gene occurring during the last half of log-phase growth. We also show that the las quorum-sensing system controls the rhl quorum-sensing system in two ways. First, we found that LasR and PAI-1 activated rhlR transcription. Second, we showed that PAI-1 blocked PAI-2 from binding to RhlR, thereby inhibiting the expression of rhlA. Our data thus indicate that the las system exerts two levels of control on RhlR, transcriptional and posttranslational.