Immune System Diseases Commons^™

Micronutrient Supplementation In Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Examining Predictors And Outcomes Of Supplement Adherence, Kaila A. Stephens '13

Senior Theses

Objective: To summarize rates of supplement adherence in youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to identify predictors and outcomes of supplement adherence.

Methods: 49 adolescents (ages 11-18) participated. Youth completed six monthly assessments of adherence and supplement knowledge. Youth and parents completed questionnaires. Medical record reviews provided medical and laboratory data.

Results: Mean supplement adherence rates ranged from 32% to 44%. Predictors of supplement adherence included higher knowledge (for multivitamin, iron, and calcium adherence) higher family involvement (for iron and calcium adherence), and greater inflammation (via a hematological index) for multivitamin adherence. Few relationships between supplement adherence and inflammation ...

Sp526-A Do You Know How To Lower Your Risk For Cancer?, Bobbi P. Clarke

Health, and Fitness

No abstract provided.

Stimulation Through Tlr4 Increases Fviii Inhibitor Formation In A Mouse Model Of Hemophilia A, Claire K. Holley

UT GSBS Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Hemophilia A is a clotting disorder caused by functional factor VIII (FVIII) deficiency. About 25% of patients treated with therapeutic recombinant FVIII develop antibodies (inhibitors) that render subsequent FVIII treatments ineffective. The immune mechanisms of inhibitor formation are not entirely understood, but circumstantial evidence indicates a role for increased inflammatory response, possibly via stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), at the time of FVIII immunization. I hypothesized that stimulation through TLR4 in conjunction with FVIII treatments would increase the formation of FVIII inhibitors. To test this hypothesis, FVIII K.O. mice were injected with recombinant human FVIII with or without concomitant ...

Evolution Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Clade C Envelope V1-V5 Region During Disease Progression In Non-Human Primate Model, For Yue Tso

Dissertations and Theses in Biological Sciences

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) clade C strain is the fastest spreading HIV-1 strain globally, especially in Africa. It has been decades since the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic first started. However, an effective anti-HIV-1 vaccine is not yet available, which is partly due to the highly variable nature of HIV-1 envelope gene and the absence of a suitable animal model. Strengthening of the understanding of envelope evolution during disease progression will contribute significantly towards future anti-HIV-1 treatment and preventions.
Non-human primates have been an essential animal model for many biomedical research areas. Using simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV ...

Hiv Testing Practices Among Black Primary Care Physicians In The United States, Eric Y. Wong, Wilbert C. Jordan, David J. Malebranche, Lori L. Delaitsch, Rebecca Abravanel, Alisha Bermudez, Bryan P. Baugh

David J Malebranche

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine HIV testing in all healthcaresettings, but it is unclear how consistently physicians adopt the recommendation. Making the most of each interaction between black physicians and their patients is extremely important to address the HIV health disparities that disproportionately afflict the black community. The goal of this survey-based study was to evaluate the perceptions and practices of black, primary care physicians regarding HIV testing.

Methods: A physician survey was administered at the 2010 National Medical Association Annual Convention, via online physician panels, and by email. Physician eligibility criteria: black race; practicing ...

Pepfar Problems: How Does The United States’ Presidential Emergency Program For Aids Relief Empower Women?, Caitlin H.

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study looks to examine how the Presidential Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) works to achieve one of its key goals, the empowerment of women, in the Western Cape. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) affects women disproportionately, around the world and in South Africa. Thus, women should be a key focus of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) relief and HIV prevention. This paper analyzes the work of PEPFAR to empower women through three lenses. Women’s empowerment in general is discussed, to see how organizations view their own methods of empowerment. PEPFAR’s work with sex workers is examined, as they ...

Storytelling And Healing: The Influence Of Narrative On Identity Construction Among Hiv Positive Individuals In Kisumu, Kenya, Kimberly Leon

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The principle objective of this Independent Study Project is to investigate the influence of storytelling as a counseling method on conceptions of HIV among HIV positive individuals in the city of Kisumu. Interviews with counselors, community health workers, and HIV support group members were used to determine the role of storytelling in the counseling process. Stories and life experiences were gathered and analyzed in order to extract themes and draw a relationship between the act of storytelling and a person’s perception of their HIV status. Data was collected at various support groups in the Kisumu area and through the ...

Health Care And Hiv Testing Experiences Among Black Men In The South: Implications For "Seek, Test, Treat And Retain" Hiv Prevention Strategies, Rupali K. Doshi, David J. Malebranche, Lisa Bowleg, Thurka Sangaramoorthy

David J Malebranche

Few studies have explored how overall general health care and HIV/STI testing experiences may influence receipt of ‘‘Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain’’ (STTR) HIV prevention approaches among Black men in the southern United States. Using in-depth qualitative interviews with 78 HIV-negative/unknown Black men in Georgia, we explored factors influencing their general health care and HIV/STI testing experiences. The Andersen behavioral model of health care utilization (Andersen model) offers a useful framework through which to examine the general health care experiences and HIV testing practices of Black men. It has four primary domains: Environment, Population characteristics, Health behavior ...

Lung-Homing Of Endothelial Progenitor Cells And Angiogenesis In Asthma: Role Of Eosinophils, Nirooya Sivapalan

Open Access Dissertations and Theses

Asthma involves a systemic element that includes the mobilization and lung-accumulation of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC). This traffic may be driven by the stromal cell derived factor-1α (SDF-1α)/CXCR4 axis, where SDF1-α is a potent progenitor cell chemoattractant.

Interfering with EPC lung-accumulation by administering AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, was previously shown to be associated with the modulation of airway angiogenesis and airway hyperresponsiveness. However, since eosinophils express CXCR4, it is unknown whether AMD3100 acted directly on EPC or indirectly through its anti-inflammatory effects on eosinophils.

We investigated the role that eosinophilic inflammation plays in the lung-homing of EPCs ...

Possible Intrinsic Adjuvanticity Of The Amb A 1 (Ambrosia Artemisiifolia :Ragweed) Allergen, Andrew Bysice

Open Access Dissertations and Theses

Amb a 1 is the major allergen found in ragweed. Our observations have suggested that Amb a 1 may bind lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which would likely contribute to the allergenicity of Amb a 1. In order to assess whether Amb a 1 can bind LPS, peptide sequences from Amb a 1 were assayed for their ability to bind to LPS using an ELISA based LPS binding assay. A 15 amino acid sequence in the β- chain of Amb a 1 demonstrated affinity for biotin labeled E. coli LPS. The sequence also bound to P. aeruginosa LPS, which is structurally disparate in ...

Immune Responses To Homocitrullinated Protein/Peptide In Rheumatoid Arthritis, Mathias J. Scinocca

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease which causes joint destruction. RA pathogenesis involves citrullinated peptides binding to the shared epitope (SE) during autoantigen presentation, and subsequent Anti-Citrulline Antibody (ACA) production. Their target, citrulline, is very similar to homocitrulline.

The main objective of this study was to investigate anti-homocitrulline immune responses in RA. Specifically, it investigated if: i) Anti-Homocitrulline Antibodies (AHA) were RA specific by screening patients with various inflammatory rheumatic diseases and healthy individuals. ii) ACA also bound homocitrulline by affinity purification and characterization. iii) anti-homocitrulline immune responses involved the SE by computer modelling and immunization of mice ...